now mr wragg has arranged — constitute blackmail.r wragg has arranged to _ constitute blackmail. now mr wragg has arranged to meet _ constitute blackmail. now mr wragg has arranged to meet the _ constitute blackmail. now mr wragg has arranged to meet the met - constitute blackmail. now mr wragg i has arranged to meet the met police to discuss his allegations. earlier this week the former tory mp christian wake that defected to labour. he later said he'd been told he wouldn't get a new high school in his constituency mp voted against the government on free school meals. some have suggested there may be more claims to come. i some have suggested there may be more claims to come.— more claims to come. i must have soken more claims to come. i must have spoken to — more claims to come. i must have spoken to about _ more claims to come. i must have spoken to about a _ more claims to come. i must have spoken to about a dozen - more claims to come. i must have spoken to about a dozen tory - more claims to come. i must have spoken to about a

now mr wragg has arranged to meet the met police to discuss his allegations.s week the former tory mp cristian wakeford defected to labour. he later said he had been told he wouldn't get a new high school in his constituency if he voted against the government on free school meals. some have suggested there may be more claims to come. i must have spoken to about a dozen tory mps in the lastfew days who have made similar allegations about whips, either offering to withdraw financial support for their constituencies either from the political party, so for campaigning, or for their constituents. downing street has said if it is passed evidence to support any allegations, it would look at it carefully but it hasn't seen any yet. other tories have said they have not experienced any such behaviour. i have voted against the government on occasions when i thought it right and i have always had a very close relationship with the chief whip and a productive relationship with whips, so i am waiting to hear more about this because it is not something i have seen or been to

this is what mr wragg had to say. i have a brief statement i wish to read to the committee.t i wish to read to the committee. as the committee of the house of commons overseeing the work of the civil service, including the cabinet office, of which 10 downing street as a department, and the proper functioning of the constitution, i'd like to make this brief statement. in recent days, a number of members of parliament have faced pressures and intimidation from members of the government because of their declared or assumed desire for a vote of confidence in the party leadership of the prime minister. it is of course the duty of the government whip�*s office to secure the government's business in the house of commons. however, it is not their function to breach the ministerial code in threatening to withdraw investments from members of parliament's constituencies which are funded from the public purse. additionally, reports to me and others of members of staff at 10 downing street, special advisers, government ministers and others, encouraging the publication of stories in the p

but i have just spoken to mr wragg and he confirmed that after seeking a meeting with the met, he will doesn't mean the police are going to investigate, but it has certainly upped the anti around this story. so far, he has not produced any evidence to back up his claims and today the business secretary said even though these were serious allegations, they were unsubstantiated. 0f allegations, they were unsubstantiated. of course, this comes as the conservative party whips, as number ten try and shore up whips, as number ten try and shore up the prime minister's position ahead of the expected report by sue gray into the downing street party is that we all expect to be published next week. is that we all expect to be ublished next week. . ~ , published next week. thank you very much. ben wright _ published next week. thank you very much. ben wright reporting. - there are growing concerns for women in afghanistan protesting against the curbing of their rights under the taliban, after at least two were reported abducted in night raids. neighbours told that bbc that one of them, tamana pary

mr wragg chairs the public administration committee, he said that would—be rebel mps were threatenedthdrawal of investment from their constituencies — and with embarrassing stories in the press — he advised any mp being subject to such pressure to contact the police. here's our political correspondentjonathan blake. relative calm at westminster, after a day of high drama, but inside parliament grave accusations from one of borisjohnson�*s critics. order, order. the claim that tory backbenchers trying to oust the prime minister have been threatened by government ministers and others. the intimidation of a member of parliament is a serious matter. more over, the reports of which i'm aware would seem to constitute blackmail. as such, it would be my general advice to colleagues to report these matters to the speaker of the house of commons and the commissioner of the metropolitan police. downing street said it wasn't aware of any evidence for the claims — some mps more concerned than others. i think everybody needs to be mindful not to cross lines here, and i very much hope that those li

the prime minister has said he's seen no evidence to support the claims — but mr wragg said he wanted to be carried out by "experts". our political correspondent helen catt reports. some of the methods used to persuade mps to follow their party line have always been a bit murky. these extraordinarily public allegations levelled at the government and its whips are serious. but some conservative mps suspected of wanting borisjohnson out have been in the end of attempts to intimidate them with embarrassing stories in them with embarrassing stories in the press and threats to take away public money from their constituencies.- public money from their constituencies. ., ., ., constituencies. the intimidation of a member of _ constituencies. the intimidation of a member of parliament _ constituencies. the intimidation of a member of parliament is - constituencies. the intimidation of a member of parliament is a - constituencies. the intimidation of. a member of parliament is a serious matter. moreover the reports of which i am aware would seem to constitute blackmail. maw which i am aware wo

i have just spoken to mr wragg and he confirms that after seeking a meeting with the met he will meeters at the beginning of next week to discuss his concerns. it doesn't mean the police are going to investigate, but i think it certainly ups the ante around this story. so far he has not produced any evidence to back up his claims and today the business secretary said even though these were very serious allegations they were unsubstantiated. now of course this comes as the conservative party whips, as number 10 try and shore up the prime minister's position ahead of the expected report by sue grey into downing street parties, that we all expect to be published next week. now on bbc news, it's time for our world. sophie long travels to mississippi and texas to look at america's new abortion battle. this film contains scenes which some viewers may find upsetting. it isa it is a matter of life and death. ., . �* , it is a matter of life and death. ., ., �* , , death. the woman's life is sacred but _ death. the woman's life is sacred but it _ death. the woman's life is sacred but it is _ d

mr wragg claimed some were threatened with the withdrawal of constituency funding.it hasn't seen any proof of the claims. and another inquiry, also led by the cabinet office, is looking into alleged parties at downing street during lockdown and is due to report this week. the prime minister's former aide dominic cummings is thought to be giving evidence to the inquiry today. several backbench mps say they are waiting for results of civil servant sue gray's inquiry, before they decide whether to submit votes of no confidence in mrjohnson's leadership. with a round up of the latest, here's our political correspondent damian grammaticas. this is a decisive week for borisjohnson. the biggestjeopardy he faces is when the inquiry into downing street parties is published. reports of a staff christmas wine and cheese party emerged in december. mrjohnson apologised in parliament. ..mr speaker, because i was also furious to see that clip. and mr speaker, i apologise. i apologise, unreservedly. adding he'd been assured rules weren't broken — there was no party. but two weeks a

this is what mr wragg had to say in the past hour.nt have faced pressures and intimidation from members of the government because of their declared or assumed desire for a vote of confidence in the party leadership of the prime minister. it is of course the duty of the government whip's office to secure the government's business in the house of commons. however, it is not their function to breach the ministerial code in threatening to withdraw investments from members of parliament's constituencies which are funded from the public purse. additionally, reports to me and others of members of staff at 10 downing street, special advisers, government ministers and others, encouraging the publication of stories in the press seeking to embarrass those who they suspect of lacking confidence in the prime minister is similarly unacceptable. the intimidation of a member of parliament is a serious matter. moreover, the reports of which i am aware would seem to constitute blackmail. as such, it would be my general advice to colleagues to report th

mr wragg said it appeared to amount to blackmail, and any mp who felt pressurised should contact policeolitical correspondent, jonathan blake. whitford who had been threatened on thursday had been threatened when sitting as a tory mp. here's our political correspondent, jonathan blake. relative calm at westminster after a day of high drama, but inside parliament, grave accusations from one of borisjohnson�*s critics. order, order. the claim that tory backbenchers trying to oust the prime minister have been threatened by government ministers and others. the intimidation of a member of parliament is a serious matter. more over, the reports of which i'm aware would seem to constitute blackmail. as such, it would be my general advice to colleagues to report these matters to the speaker of the house of commons and the commissioner of the metropolitan police. the prime minister said the claims were not substantiated. i've seen or heard no evidence of these claims and i'm focused on our number one priority of the british people which is coming through covid and we've made enormous progress tha