Boris Johnson summoned his Cabinet down to Downing Street, to seek a solution to the scandal that was engulfing Conservative Party. However, one of his highest ranking ministers attempted to minimize the seriousness of the crisis.
Last night, Prime Minister David Cameron met for five hours over canapes and wine at No10 to devise a strategy after negative stories about MPs making their own fortunes while they served in Parliament.
The meeting was understood to have been focused on the levelling of his agenda with ministers arriving with maps.
The Culture Secretary Nadine Durries, however, told the Tory junior minister at the time that he had over-reacted to concerns about voter backlash.
According to a WhatsApp communication obtained by The Times, she said that the expenses scandal began on the Day of European Elections 2009 and concluded the following day.
The Conservative was the duck house. Each MP was represented in the media. A half-dozen MPs were sent to prison. Many of the MPs were forced to repay huge amounts in expense claims. Five whole weeks we were on the top of each newspaper’s front page.
One year later, close to the date, Labour was defeated in local elections. David Cameron, the PM broke the 13 years of Labour rule.
“Last Week wasn’t great, however it was far from terrible.”

Last night, Prime Minister David Cameron met for five hours over canapes and wine at No10 to discuss a strategy after negative stories about MPs making their own money while they served in Parliament.


Nadine Dorries, Culture Secretary to Tory junior ministers, said that he overreacted when he expressed concerns about a backlash from voters. According to a WhatsApp communication obtained by the Times, she said that the expenses scandal began on the date of the European election in 2009, and concluded the following day.
In his first intervention on the crisis, Rishi Sunak last night hinted at Cabinet divisions over the Prime Minister’s disastrous attempt to block the suspension of former minister Owen Paterson for breaking lobbying rules.
During a round of media interviews yesterday, Mr Sunak said: ‘Reflecting over recent events – I think for us as a Government, it’s fair to say that we need to do better than we did last week, and we know that.’
In the meantime, the Cabinet meeting was apparently focusing solely on Levelling Up with ministers to discuss how their departments are supporting the initiative.
Initial plans by the team were to hold an away-day at Chequers. But, they dropped these plans and instead met at Downing Street.
Therese coffey was armed with an A3 Map, which seemed to be her tool for getting her point across.
The political debate was believed to also have addressed the growing criticism of MPs’ second jobs, conflicts of interests, and cronyism.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Housing Secretary Michael Gove and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke were among those seen departing Downing Street after gathering for crunch talks late into the night.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak hinted at Cabinet divisions over the Prime Minister’s disastrous attempt to block the suspension of former minister Owen Paterson for breaking lobbying rules

Boris Johnson (pictured during Armistice Day), and his senior colleagues fought out their differences last night in a five hour meeting after the Chancellor declared that the government “needs better”.
Allies of the Chancellor say he was dismayed by the decision last week to order Tory MPs to vote to tear up Parliament’s anti-sleaze laws in order to save Mr Paterson.
After imposing a whip with three lines, the Prime Minister was elected to office. Because Mr Sunak was in Glasgow for the Cop26 summit, Mr Sunak did not vote.
However, the plans were abandoned by the public in protest. Mr Paterson was forced to quit as MP.
This episode has led to a flurry of allegations of corruption against Conservatives. It also brought fresh attention to the interests of MPs.
This has led to a Tory slump, as Labour took the lead in many surveys for the first year.
Mr Sunak did not comment directly on the cases of either Mr Paterson or Sir Geoffrey Cox, the former attorney general who has racked up more than £5.5million in outside earnings.

After a five hour Cabinet meeting that lasted for five hours, Michael Gove, Housing Secretary was seen walking out of Downing Street. He was apparently focusing on Levelling Up.

After the five-hour marathon talks, Sajid Javid, Health Secretary of India, smiles when he leaves Downing Street.

Yesterday, Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary was seen leaving 10 Downing Street. The original plans of the team were to have an away day at Chequers. However, these plans were abandoned and they met instead at Downing Street.
He said: ‘People will have different motivations for doing what they do, the pay is set by an independent body, that’s absolutely right.
‘And with regard to second jobs, there’s an independent process that we have that’s set by Parliament that governs all of those things. And it’s absolutely right that that process is followed to the letter.’
Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay expressed ‘regret’ this week for the ‘mistake’ made in attempting to force through a change in the rules on the back of Mr Paterson’s case.
As condemnation grew, the PM moved to remind MPs that they should ‘devote yourself primarily and above all to your constituents’. However, he did not offer any additional measures to restore confidence. He has not offered any explanation for opening up to Labour a negative attack.
An ally of Mr Sunak said he viewed last week’s events as ‘a mistake’ and believed ‘that point needs to be made by someone in the Cabinet’.

George Eustice is seen leaving Downing Street as Environment Secretary. According to some reports, the political discussions also covered how to reduce criticisms of second jobs and conflicting interests as well as cronyism in MPs.

Jacob Rees Mogg was the Commons leader and he left Downing Street yesterday evening after five-hour negotiations
No 10 sources played down suggestions of Cabinet divisions, saying: ‘The PM has said that it is vital MPs focus on their constituents and obey the rules. He feels that anyone who breaks the rules should be penalized. We are all agreed on this.’
But another Cabinet source said the PM had ‘f***ed up’ and that the attempt to block the suspension of Mr Paterson looked ‘totally crooked’. Paul Scully, the minister for business, expressed anger at yesterday’s sleaze row.
Questioned about the conduct of Sir Geoffrey, he told Sky News: ‘I’m not going to defend Geoffrey. I’m not going to say anything.’
Backbench Conservatives also expressed their anger at events that occurred over the past week and have seen many facing backlash by constituents.
One former minister told the Daily Mail: ‘The last week has been a hideous nightmare – it is dirtying us all. We knew that there would be chaos, but it was worth the price to beat Corbyn and achieve Brexit.
‘Those two tasks are completed now and his situation is more perilous than people think.’