Boris Johnson clings on despite defection and Tory fury

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( January 20, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Stay of execution for Johnson despite defection and ferocious assault from top Tory]( Boris Johnson is engaged in a desperate fightback to save his political life, after a ferocious attack from one of the Conservatives’ most senior former ministers and the defection of one of its newest MPs failed to fell him. In remarkable scenes in the House of Commons, the former cabinet minister David Davis stunned MPs with a call to the prime minister to “in the name of God, go”. Labour celebrated as Red Wall MP Christian Wakeford from Bury South crossed the floor, branding the prime minister “disgraceful” for his handling of allegations of lockdown-busting parties in 10 Downing Street. 2 / [Covid plan B rules are scrapped — but NHS chief warns virus hasn’t ‘magically disappeared’]( Face masks won’t be required from next week and work-from-home advice is ending immediately as the prime minister announced the end of plan B rules 3 / [Ghislaine Maxwell files request for retrial over juror’s revelation of own sexual abuse]( Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell have formally requested her conviction be overturned, after one of the jurors revealed he was a victim of sexual abuse 4 / [Concern over ‘disgraceful’ nurse staffing levels planned for mini Nightingales]( NHS chief says nightingale hospital plans are an ‘absolute disgrace’ with ‘minimal’ staffing levels planned 5 / [Duke of York’s Twitter account deleted as monarchy swiftly updates own website]( Andrew’s official @TheDukeofYork handle now comes up with a blank page just days after the Queen stripped him of his HRH titles The Big Question What did we learn from the new documentary about Ghislaine Maxwell and Prince Andrew? As the British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell awaits sentencing on charges of recruiting and trafficking girls for the deceased Jeffrey Epstein to abuse, an ITV documentary has chronicled the story of the disgraced pair via exclusive interviews with friends of the financier, survivors and staff, from which surfaced unsavoury new revelations of their relationship with Prince Andrew. Ghislaine, Prince Andrew and the Paedophile arrived on screens just days after Maxwell was found guilty of five out of six charges against her. She was cleared of one charge: enticing a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts. Epstein’s accomplice could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Here are five things we learned from the new film. [Read the full story >]( Watch / [Peruvian birds covered in oil from spill caused by Tonga eruption washed by vets]( NUMBER OF THE DAY £140 Tory government decisions to cut “green crap” and block “unsightly” new onshore wind farms are now costing households an extra £140 a year on their energy bills amid soaring gas prices, according to a new estimate. QUOTE OF THE DAY “Have you ever read Dickens? Austen? Well, start now. Start with Pride and Prejudice. Shakespeare? Try Twelfth Night. Dickens, start with A Tale of Two Cities and, if you have time, think about Hardy and think about Trollope.” – Neo-Nazi terror offender Ben John, who was ordered to read Jane Austen by Judge Timothy Spencer QC has been jailed after Court of Appeal judges overturned his “unduly lenient” sentence. Other stories you might like [First flight carrying international aid lands at Tonga airport after tsunami disaster]( [Gaspard Ulliel death: French actor dies aged 37 after skiing accident]( [Jozef Puska: Man appears in court charged with murder of Ashling Murphy]( Articles available exclusively to subscribers Steve Boggan, The Independent: [Draconian Tory bills will deliver a dystopian Britain]( If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.