Twelfth Tory MP calls for Boris Johnson to resign

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( February 03, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [Pressure rises on Boris Johnson as twelfth Tory MP urges him to quit]( Boris Johnson is facing a “drip drip” of letters from Tory MPs demanding his removal, amid warnings that his “dead cat” bid to divert attention from the Partygate scandal by linking Sir Keir Starmer to disgraced paedophile Jimmy Savile has backfired. Former minister Sir Gary Streeter became the twelfth Conservative MP to openly call for Mr Johnson to resign as prime minister and the third in a day to submit a letter of no confidence. One red wall MP told The Independent that determination to oust the PM had been “hardened” by his refusal to retract a claim that Sir Keir had used his time as director of public prosecutions “failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”. 2 /[Johnson warns Putin that Ukrainian incursion would be ‘tragic miscalculation’]( The prime minister expressed his “deep concern” about the Ukraine crisis in a meeting with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday afternoon. 3 / [Port checks in Northern Ireland to be halted from midnight in new clash over Brexit deal]( Brexit port food checks in Northern Ireland will be halted from midnight on Wednesday, the Belfast government has announced 4 / [Covid conspiracy theories spread on Spotify, Apple and YouTube amid Joe Rogan backlash]( Exclusive: The Independent finds Covid branded a ‘con’ in podcast unearthed in the wake of Joe Rogan Spotify controversy 5 / [Masked Singer judges walk off in protest over Rudy Giuliani reveal]( Judges Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong walked off in protest after Rudy Giuliani was revealed as a contestant on the show. The Big Question How has the rest of the world reacted to ‘Partygate’? Boris Johnson has been ridiculed by the international press in the wake of the publication of Whitehall mandarin Sue Gray’s redacted report into alleged lockdown parties in Downing Street. The civil servant’s findings, which were partially released on Monday, had to be scaled back so as not to prejudice an ongoing Metropolitan Police investigation. Nevertheless, they presented a damning picture of failures of leadership in his government. The French daily Le Figaro called its conclusions “stark”. And that was just the tip of the iceberg. [Read the full story >]( Watch / ['This is not the Church of God': Man interrupts Pope Francis' general audience at Vatican]( NUMBER OF THE DAY 3,000 At least 3,000 tonnes of nanoplastics cover Switzerland every year, from the remote Alps to the urban lowlands, [according to a new study](. QUOTE OF THE DAY "I believe it’s time for the Prime Minister to take a grip of this; he himself should call a vote of confidence rather than waiting for the inevitable 54 letters to be eventually submitted." – Tobias Ellwood, a senior Conservative MP and former minister, [confirmed]( he had submitted a letter to his party to trigger a vote on the PM's future. Other stories you might like [Why has the UK fallen for the cult of Joe Rogan?]( [MI6 chief bemoans Wordle players who can’t keep scores secret]( [Suicide or murder? The life and untimely death of Sixties pop genius Joe Meek]( Articles available exclusively to subscribers Hamish McRae, The Independent: [What the sale of Wordle to The New York Times tells us about the world we live in]( 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](.