Last modified on Thu 29 Apr 2021 02.12 EDT
Top story: watchdog inquiry poses threat to PM
Morning everyone. This is Martin Farrer bringing you the best stories of the day.
Boris Johnson faces a potentially dangerous threat to his premiership after the Electoral Commission launched an inquiry into the “cash for curtains” row that is engulfing Downing Street. The watchdog said it believed there were “reasonable grounds” to suspect that payments for expensive renovations to Johnson’s Downing Street flat could constitute several offences. Interrogated in the Commons by Labour leader Keir Starmer, a clearly rattled prime minister insisted he had paid the renovations “personally” but did not deny receiving a donation or loan of £58,000 from a Conservative peer and party donor, David Brownlow, to foot the bills, despite no record of such a transaction being published. If the watchdog finds that rules around donations have been broken, it can issue a fine of up to £20,000
Selby and Wilson march into World Snooker semis
Issued on:
28/04/2021 - 16:03 England s Mark Selby is a three-time snooker world champion Paul ELLIS AFP/File 2 min
London (AFP)
Three-time champion Mark Selby and 2020 finalist Kyren Wilson advanced to the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship after completing commanding victories on Wednesday.
England s Selby beat fellow three-time winner Mark Williams 13-3 with a session to spare at Sheffield s Crucible Theatre while Wilson reeled off five frames in a row to seal a 13-8 victory over 2010 champion Neil Robertson.
Resuming their eagerly anticipated quarter-final with a 6-2 lead, Selby reeled off four consecutive frames with the aid of breaks of 96, 58 and 66 before Welshman Williams stopped the rot with a run of 79.
Last modified on Tue 27 Apr 2021 01.33 EDT
Top story: âIt matters having people who can say noâ
Hello, Warren Murray happy to be with you again.
Boris Johnson has faced mounting pressure as Tory insiders added weight to claims that the PM said he would rather see âbodies pile high in their thousandsâ after reluctantly approving a second England-wide lockdown late last year. The prime minister has denied saying it. Johnsonâs comments were supposedly made after he felt corralled into agreeing to a four-week lockdown in November. He apparently warned he would never again back another national lockdown.
Tory sources have told the Guardian that Johnson is isolated in Downing Street with no longstanding trusted aides. Several insiders who spoke to the Guardian described Johnsonâs two closest advisers â the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, and the Downing Street chief of staff, Dan Rosenfield â as insufficiently politically experienced to handle the
Five reasons why June 21 won t be the return to normal we thought telegraph.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from telegraph.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.