Johnson faces inquiry as Tories refuse to back PM

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( April 22, 2022 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [MPs to investigate Boris Johnson for potentially lying to Commons over No 10 parties]( Boris Johnson faces the humiliation of an inquiry into whether he lied to parliament over the No 10 parties, after a revolt by Conservative MPs forced him to abandon a shambolic attempt to block it. The prime minister has been plunged into a crisis by the debacle, which exposed his own MPs’ refusal to defend him – and is likely to trigger the release of damning photos of illegal gatherings. In an extraordinary 24 hours, No 10 was forced to scrap a bid to delay the inquiry by the Commons’s Committee of Privileges into the long grass when its own MPs refused to go along with it.   2 / Royals to face slavery reparation demands on new Caribbean tour]( Earl and Countess of Wessex set to visit three island nations in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 3 / [Florida legislators vote to dissolve Disney’s governing agreement after ‘Don’t Say Gay’ fallout]( Within days of its introduction, GOP lawmakers approve measure to undo decades-old municipal district, as officials try to answer what happens next 4 / [Ukrainian troops are being trained in the UK for first time]( Fighters learning how to operate armoured vehicles being supplied to Volodymyr Zelensky 5 / [Portugal names convicted sex offender as ‘formal suspect’ in Madeleine McCann case]( Statement could mean Christian Brueckner is transferred to Portugal for questioning     The Big Question What are the polls saying in the French election? The French presidential election reaches its climax with a runoff vote on Sunday 24 April, offering the electorate a straight choice between the centrist incumbent Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen. The first round of voting on 10 April saw Mr Macron secure 27.8 per cent of the vote and Ms Le Pen 23.1 per cent as another ten candidates were knocked out of contention, including socialist Jean-Luc Melenchon and another far-right contender, Eric Zemmour, whose even more extreme positions on immigration enabled Ms Le Pen to position herself as a more moderate choice than she has previously appeared. The candidates, representing the parties La Republique En Marche! and National Rally respectively, have just met in a fiery head-to-head televised debate, but what are the polls saying in the final days of campaigning? [Read the full story >](   Watch/ [Johnson arrives in India on day of Commons vote on whether he misled Parliament](   NUMBER OF THE DAY €35 – Passengers who were stranded in Doncaster on Monday after their Wizz Airflight was rerouted from Luton say they have only been offered [€35 credit as compensation](.   QUOTE OF THE DAY “The prime minister now should be long gone.” – Former Conservative minister Steve Baker [has called for Boris Johnson to quit]( for failing to obey his own Covid rules during the Partygate scandal.   [Subscribe today](     Other stories you might like   [New satellite images reveal ‘mass graves’ near Mariupol as Russia ‘attempts to storm’ steel plant](   [Eating-disorders hospital ‘gave patients unsafe food and staff comments hampered recovery’](   [Police name man stabbed to death in east London after attacker ‘forced entry into home’](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers Mary Dejevsky, The Independent: [Even if Macron wins the election, Le Pen has won the ideological war](   Other newsletters you might like [US morning headlines] US Morning Headlines Weekdays, 12pm (UK time) Written by Andrew Naughtie [Sign up]( [Climate warrior] Climate Warrior Every Wednesday, 8am (UK time) Written by climate activists [Sign up](   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](.