COVID-19 in the UK: WhatsApp messages leaked to the Daily Telegraph are reported as suggesting former Health Secretary Matt Hancock chose to ignore advise from experts in April 2020 that there should be "testing of all going into care homes". A spokesman for Hancock said "These stolen messages have been doctored to create a false story that Matt rejected clinical advice on care home testing”.
2 March
COVID-19 in the UK: The Daily Telegraph publishes more of Matt Hancock's WhatsApp exchanges, this time with former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson in December 2020, when a debate into whether schools should reopen following the Christmas holiday was taking place. The leaked messages suggest Hancock favoured school closures, while Williamson was more hesitant. Hancock, who worked alongside journalist Isabel Oakeshott to co-author a book, describes the release of the messages as a "massive betrayal and breach of trust". In response, Oakeshott says she released the messages because she believed doing so was in the "public interest".
Sir Keir Starmer unveils Sue Gray, who led the investigation into the Partygate scandal, as Labour's new Chief of Staff, sparking concern among some Conservative MPs about her impartiality.On the same day, Gray resigns from her post as Cabinet Office Second Permanent Secretary and leaves the Civil Service.
Scotland's Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth, announces plans to nationalise the overnight Caledonian Sleeper train service that links London with several locations in Scotland, taking effect from 25 June.
3 March
The Commons Select Committee of Privileges finds that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have misled Parliament over the Partygate scandal after evidence suggested breaches of COVID-19 rules would have been "obvious" to him. In response Johnson says that none of the evidence shows he "knowingly" misled parliament, and that "it is clear from this report that I have not committed any contempt of parliament".
The latest leaked WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph are reported as appearing to show former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case joking about locking people in quarantine hotels.
Rupa Huq is allowed to rejoin the Labour Party five months after being suspended over comments she made about former Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.
Buckingham Palace announces the first state visit to be made by Charles III and Camilla as King and Queen Consort; they will travel to France and Germany between 26 and 31 March.
The latest leaked WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph are reported as appearing to show former Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Cabinet Secretary Simon Case joking about locking people in quarantine hotels.
Rupa Huq is allowed to rejoin the Labour Party five months after being suspended over comments she made about former Conservative Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.
Buckingham Palace announces the first state visit to be made by Charles III and Camilla as King and Queen Consort; they will travel to France and Germany between 26 and 31 March.
4 March
Leaked WhatsApp messages published by the Daily Telegraph indicate Matt Hancock and his staff deliberated over whether or not he had broken COVID-19 regulations after pictures of him kissing his aide, Gina Coladangelo, were published by The Sun newspaper. In another conversation, the messages show Hancock criticising the Eat Out to Help Out scheme for "causing problems" in areas where there was a high number of COVID-19 cases.
5 March
News outlets including BBC News, Sky News and The Independent (who have not verified the messages) report that further WhatsApp messages published by The Telegraph appear to show discussions about how and when the government should reveal details of the Kent COVID-19 variant in order to ensure people would comply with the regulations. The news outlets also says Hancock appears to suggest they should "frighten the pants off everyone", while in another conversation, head of the civil service Simon Case suggests the "fear/guilt factor" was an important element of the government's messaging. The Telegraph also reports messages showing ministers and civil servants discussing "[getting] heavy with the police" to enforce lockdown measures with senior police officers being brought into Number 10 to be told to be stricter with the public.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Sunak says that migrants arriving in the UK on small boats will be prevented from seeking asylum under proposed new legislation to be brought before Parliament.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Sunak says that migrants arriving in the UK on small boats will be prevented from seeking asylum under proposed new legislation to be brought before Parliament.
6 March
The Telegraph publishes messages that are reported to have been exchanged between Allan Nixon, a parliamentary Advisor and Hancock from November 2020 in which they discuss threatening to cancel projects in MPs constituencies if MPs do not support the local lockdown tiers legislation. It is also reported that as part of a strategy aimed at trying to stop MPs from rebelling against the legislation, party whips compiled a spreadsheet of 95 MPs who disagreed with this policy and the reasons for them disagreeing; these related to lack of parliamentary scrutiny, economic harm, harms to hospital, absence of cost benefit analysis and the policy being "unconservative".
7 March
Home Secretary Suella Braverman introduces the Illegal Migration Bill into the House of Commons, which is designed to stop migrants arriving in the UK by boat. The legislation proposes to detain and remove those from the UK who arrive by illegal means, as well as blocking them from returning.
STV hosts the first televised debate of the Scottish National Party leadership election.
STV hosts the first televised debate of the Scottish National Party leadership election.
9 March
The UK government announces a two-year delay in the construction of the Birmingham to Crewe leg of HS2 in order to save costs.
10 March
The King bestows the title of Duke of Edinburgh on his younger brother, Prince Edward.
13 March
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces an extra £5bn of government spending for UK defence over the coming two years.
Voting opens in the Scottish National Party leadership election.
Voting opens in the Scottish National Party leadership election.
14 March
BBC Scotland hosts the final televised debate of the SNP leadership election.
15 March
15 March
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt presents the 2023 budget to the House of Commons.
16 March
The UK government announces that TikTok is to be banned on electronic devices used by ministers and other employees, amid security concerns relating to the Chinese-owned app's handling of user data. The Welsh Government also announces the app will be banned from all its official devices.
18 March
Peter Murrell resigns as chief executive of the Scottish National Party amid a row over party membership. Mike Russell succeeds him as interim chief executive.
19 March
The UK government launches the Emergency Alerts service, a service to send text alerts to mobile phones in a situation where it is perceived there is an immediate risk to life.
21 March
Partygate scandal: Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson publishes a 52-page defence of his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic in which he acknowledges misleading Parliament over the Partygate scandal, but says he did not do so intentionally.
At 8pm, Times Radio airs a leadership debate from Edinburgh and featuring the three candidates in the Scottish National Party leadership election.
Stormont is to ban Northern Ireland's civil servants from using the TikTok app on their official devices following a similar decision by the Westminster Government.
At 8pm, Times Radio airs a leadership debate from Edinburgh and featuring the three candidates in the Scottish National Party leadership election.
Stormont is to ban Northern Ireland's civil servants from using the TikTok app on their official devices following a similar decision by the Westminster Government.
22 March
Boris Johnson gives evidence to the cross-party Privileges Committee, relating to his conduct during Partygate. He insists that he "did not lie" to the House of Commons and always made statements in good faith.
MPs back Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland by 515 votes to 29.
Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, issues a "sincere, heartfelt and unreserved" apology to people affected by the practice of forced adoption in Scotland during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
MPs back Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland by 515 votes to 29.
Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, issues a "sincere, heartfelt and unreserved" apology to people affected by the practice of forced adoption in Scotland during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
23 March
Nicola Sturgeon attends her final First Minister's Questions as First Minister of Scotland.
The TikTok app is banned on all Scottish Government phones and electric devices. The Westminster Parliament also announces that the app will be banned on "all parliamentary devices and the wider parliamentary network".
The TikTok app is banned on all Scottish Government phones and electric devices. The Westminster Parliament also announces that the app will be banned on "all parliamentary devices and the wider parliamentary network".
24 March
MPs vote to back the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Bill, which will make catcalling, following someone or blocking their path an offence in England and Wales with a punishment of up to two years in prison.
25 March
Reports in The Sun and i newspapers suggest former Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was in office for 49 days, has submitted a Resignation Honours list.
London City Hall bans its staff from using TikTok on all its official devices.
London City Hall bans its staff from using TikTok on all its official devices.
26 March
The Observer reports on a sting operation staged by the campaign group Led By Donkeys in which former ministers Matt Hancock and Kwasi Kwarteng agreed to work for a fake South Korean company for £10,000 per day.
27 March
Humza Yousaf succeeds Nicola Sturgeon as Leader of the SNP.
HM Treasury says it has scrapped plans for the Royal Mint to produce a government backed Non-fungible token that could be traded on international markets.
HM Treasury says it has scrapped plans for the Royal Mint to produce a government backed Non-fungible token that could be traded on international markets.
28 March
Humza Yousaf is confirmed as Scotland's First Minister by a vote in the Scottish Parliament.
Kate Forbes is to leave the Scottish Government after turning down a position in the Yousaf ministry.
Labour's National Executive Committee votes 22–12 in favour of a motion blocking former leader Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election.
Conservative MPs Stuart Anderson and Nicola Richards announce they will not stand for Parliament at the next election.
Kate Forbes is to leave the Scottish Government after turning down a position in the Yousaf ministry.
Labour's National Executive Committee votes 22–12 in favour of a motion blocking former leader Jeremy Corbyn from standing as a Labour candidate at the next general election.
Conservative MPs Stuart Anderson and Nicola Richards announce they will not stand for Parliament at the next election.
29 March
Charles III begins a state visit to Germany, his first official overseas trip as monarch.
The UK government introduces the Victims and Prisoners Bill into the House of Commons, which will give ministers the power to veto the release of some prisoners, and restrict marriage in prison for those serving whole life terms.
Humza Yousaf is sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at Edinburgh's Court of Session and begins naming his cabinet.
The UK government introduces the Victims and Prisoners Bill into the House of Commons, which will give ministers the power to veto the release of some prisoners, and restrict marriage in prison for those serving whole life terms.
Humza Yousaf is sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at Edinburgh's Court of Session and begins naming his cabinet.
30 March
During his state visit to Germany, Charles III becomes the first British monarch to address the Bundestag.
The Cabinet Office issues ministers with updated guidelines on the use of messaging apps such as WhatsApp for government business, advising them to use the apps "with care" and never to use them for information classified as "secret".
The Parliamentary Standards Committee recommends that former Scottish National Party MP Margaret Ferrier be suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days for breaching COVID-19 regulations in September 2020 when she took a train home from London following a positive COVID test.
Humza Yousaf attends his first session of First Minister's Questions since his election as Scotland's First Minister. The session is interrupted on several occasions by climate change protestors, forcing the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament to clear the gallery of visitors
The Cabinet Office issues ministers with updated guidelines on the use of messaging apps such as WhatsApp for government business, advising them to use the apps "with care" and never to use them for information classified as "secret".
The Parliamentary Standards Committee recommends that former Scottish National Party MP Margaret Ferrier be suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days for breaching COVID-19 regulations in September 2020 when she took a train home from London following a positive COVID test.
Humza Yousaf attends his first session of First Minister's Questions since his election as Scotland's First Minister. The session is interrupted on several occasions by climate change protestors, forcing the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament to clear the gallery of visitors
Comments
Post a Comment