Friday, 15 Nov 2024

BBC Newsnight: Tobias Ellwood says partygate ‘chaos’ distracted No 10 from Ukraine crisis

Tobias Ellwood says Boris Johnson no longer has his support

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The show that aired on Friday night highlighted how the UK Government has lost track of the Russia-Ukraine crisis as Met Police continue to probe the role of Mr Johnson and other officials from No 10. Speaking on BBC Newsnight on Friday, Tobias Ellwood, 55, warned Britain was not “leading the front foot” over the developing crisis in Ukraine.

He said: “We are talking about these bigger issues. And I am asking for statecraft and leadership.

“It is because when you lifted the lid on No 10 and you saw the chaos going on, that is why we are not leading on the front foot when it comes to Ukraine.

“We need to get this resolved.

“The nation is looking at this and there’s a massive level of trust to be regained. We need to move forward and this is a mess.

“I am afraid I disagree with the PM, the world is watching this and they expect Britain to do better.

“We can do better than this.”

The debate comes as No 10 revealed the Metropolitan Police has sent a questionnaire to Boris Johnson over the alleged partygate scandal.

A No 10 spokesperson said: “We can confirm the Prime Minister has received a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police.

“He will respond as required.”

The Foreign Office on Thursday asked the British nationals in Ukraine to leave the country now – while commercial means are available.

The British warning echoed a US statement warning Russia could invade “any day now” and told its own citizens to leave in the next 48 hours.

Russia has denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite massing more than 100,000 troops near the border.

Mr Johnson said he feared for the security of Europe as he joined a call of world leaders on Friday.

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Mr Johnson urged allies to have a “heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go” should Russia make the “devastating and destructive decision” to invade Ukraine, Downing Street said.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Russia was in the position “to be able to mount a major military operation in Ukraine any day now” and it could start with an intense aerial bombardment.

However, he stressed the US did not know whether President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision.

Russia’s foreign ministry has accused Western countries of spreading false information.

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