it is another reason that mark harper _ recalled?nd _ recalled? it is another reason that mark harper and his _ recalled? it is another reason that mark harper and his colleagues i recalled? it is another reason that. mark harper and his colleagues voted in the numbers they did today against the government because of sending a signal to number 10 that in their view they should not think about trying to bring in further restrictions without a recall of parliament. parliament was off on their christmas break in a couple of days and i think the scale of the rebellion was definitely a signal to downing street that if they are thinking about further restrictions then parliament do think, i would be surprised if in the next two or three weeks, over the next two or three weeks, over the course of recess, downing street would want to come back with further proposals based on the rejection that tory mps have given number 10 today. and these words came about an hour after borisjohnson sat down with conservative backbenchers at the 1922 committ

matter of minutes and go straight into the division, presumably that is a kind of trick that given mark harpertatement of opposition to the prime minister.— the prime minister. i suspect that is probably _ the prime minister. i suspect that is probably right, _ the prime minister. i suspect that is probably right, and _ the prime minister. i suspect that is probably right, and i _ the prime minister. i suspect that is probably right, and i suspect i is probably right, and i suspect that over the next hour or so, we will have a number of tory mps coming out and telling us exactly why they voted against the government. you can see the conservative benches telling up in the commons again, the reason that half of those benches on the other side are not full is because the snp are not taking part in this vote because it's in england on the measure. so that will make the majority for them even bigger. ih majority for them even bigger. in terms of the practicalities of this, the measures come through pretty much immediately, don't they? the big question now is what happens between now and thursday wh

mark harper referred to this case. alex forsyth has been talking to people in the constituency.date's trying to hold a seat that's been tory for decades, but for which he's having to fight. there's lots of distractions nationally, but what is important is i am talking to the voters see on the constituents and putting forward a positive message, and what i would say is that unlike some of my opponents, i'm the only candidate putting forward a positive message with solutions. this is a vast constituency. swathes of farmland scattered through market towns, and most people here back to brexit. a loss here would be a blow for the conservatives. this time, the lib dems are pitching themselves as the alternative. i think there's a strong sense that people have been taken for granted by the conservatives, and what we're saying is if they can send a message to the government that that's not acceptable any more and elect an mp that will listen to the people here and fight their corner for them nationally. everyone ready? labour, too, is standing firm in the fight, hoping they can cause a

in the last hour we had the senior conservative backbencher mark harper, former chief whip and one of covert recovery group —— covid recovery group, he said not telling the public what is going on is unacceptable, there are big decisions affecting the lives of everyone and people's livelihoods and mental well—being across the country are being affected and we deserve to see the data ministers see. show us your workings, she says. conservative backbenchers ratcheting up the pressure on the government, labouras ratcheting up the pressure on the government, labour as well calling for clarity and saying the prime minister needs to come forward and explain his thinking. so we hope will get an update at some point in due course today but at the time to act before christmas, it's safe to say this point, is rapidly shortening because you have to factor in a couple of days to get mps back to westminster to vote on the measures in debate and also to implement them. that's the cabinet meeting, we spoke earlier and making the point the chief scientist was also talking and briefing conservative ba

former tory chief whip mark harper asked in the commons yesterday: "why should people at home listeningprime minster and the secretary of state do things... "...that people working in no 10 downing street are not prepared to do?" emma simpson reports. out on the town — the time of year for some festive fun. but hours earlier, the prime minister wasn't delivering much christmas cheer. while the picture may get better, and i sincerely hope that it will, we know that the remorseless logic of exponential growth could lead to a big rise in hospitalisations and, therefore, sadly, in deaths. and that's why it's now the proportionate and the responsible thing to move to plan b in england, while continuing to work closely with our colleagues in the devolved administrations, so we slow the spread of the virus. so, what does plan b mean? from friday, face coverings will be mandatory for most indoor public venues, including theatres and cinemas, but not pubs or restaurants. from monday, you should work from home, if you can. an nhs covid pass will be needed to get into nightclubs and large venues.

this is the conservative mp mark harper. he says...t the government because, as i think is well known, i couldn't support certain policies — most recently on the covid restrictions, and plan b. and if you're a minister, you have the support collective responsibility, you have to support decisions of the government — and i couldn't, so that's why i had to leave. then, there's this photo. taken in may 2020 during the first lockdown, it shows mrjohnson, his wife, and 17 staff members in the downing street garden with bottles of wine and a cheese board. borisjohnson was asked about this earlier. those were people at work — those were meeting with people at work, talking about this is where i live and where i work. those were meetings with people at work, talking about work. and i really think it's vital that we focus, if we can, on the messages we're trying to get across today. bbc reality check tells us what the rules were at the time... the law at the time did not mention socialising with colleagues. so if this was a work meeting, it was

this is mark harper. debate is continuing. this is mark harer. ., , debate is continuing. means that we don't face on and off seasonal restrictions forever. a point made by other colleagues also. it is a very serious question, if we are going to have an economy that functions and an nhs that can functions and an nhs that can function and deliver the other health care that we require. let me just turn to plan b. very happy to support the measures on self isolation, ijust note that two weeks ago when we were asking to restrict them, i voted against the man two weeks later, they basically agreed that i was right two weeks ago to vote against them and it is effectively revoking, so to leave that thought with colleagues when they decide to listen to the minister others. in the government because my own plan b, is very clear that minister preferences from vaccine only passports. it is very clear to me that the only reason why tests have been added is to buy or support of the opposition. the minister's preference is for vaccine only passports. we know what they would like to do i

would be surprised that this is the position we have come to, and by the way i heard the clip with mark harperhip inside that building allows them to happen. i cannot imagine any set of circumstances whatsoever, none, where anybody who works for a previous prime minister in the middle of a pandemic, where the government havejust in the middle of a pandemic, where the government have just told the country there could be no such gatherings, there could be no such mixing, there could be no such socialising that that would happen. i cannot think of any circumstances. just to come in there, what they are saying is these things had been happening on a weekly basis and the inference seems to be that they were working together as a tight team, heading to christmas, they are all working under the same roof and if that extends to bringing in some cheese and wine, they might not have seen it in the way that people externally are looking at it. do you think that is a possible explanation?— think that is a possible explanation? think that is a possible exlanation? �* :, :, :, �* think that is a possible ex

harper finished with a game high 30 points in the upset. victory marksars first win over a top ranked team in school history. so congratulations to them. you love to see that. steve: they were being cheering last night. will: the verdict is in. jussie smollett found guilty of five of six charges for staging his own hate crime in 2019 and lying to chicago police. ainsley: the disgraced actor facing 20 years behind bars. remember when biden and harris rushed to defend smollett? steve: that's right. here with reaction, fox news contributor and constitutional law expert jonathan turley. good morning to you. >> good morning. steve: in that intro we mentioned the biden and harris tweet so we're going to read those first. joe biden when he was running for president said what happened today to jussie smollett must never be tolerated in this country. we must stand up and demand that we no longer give this hate safe harbor that homophobia and racism have no place on our streets or in our hearts. we are with you jussie. that was in 2019 as was this. ainsley: kamala