A TORY minister was left embarrassed this morning after telling television viewers he had no idea where Boris Johnson was – before a simple camera pan revealed the Prime Minister was sitting nearby.
During an interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, policing minister Kit Malthouse was asked about Johnson’s level of honesty.
Malthouse told hosts Susanna Reid and Alastair Campbell that the Tory leader is honest all the time – prompting them to ask if he felt pressured to say that due to his proximity to the Prime Minister.
The minister replied: “No, I’ve no idea where he is, I’ve no idea where he is … oh he’s right there.”
At the same time, the camera panned to reveal Johnson was sat just metres away for an interview with Times Radio.
Malthouse was also asked about his plans for policing during his appearance this morning ahead of a focus on crime at today’s Conservative conference in Manchester.
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Asked if he accepted there is a problem with violence against women in the UK, he told Sky News: “Yes, I think we all accept that.
“That’s why earlier this summer we published a violence against women and girls strategy, where we commissioned the inspector of the constabulary to look at the policing of violence against women and girls.”
On a fall in rape convictions, he said: “The reasons behind it are complicated, and to do with issues of disclosure in court and a loss of confidence between the police and the CPS about dealing with these cases.
“We are very focused on this issue and we’ve pledged to try and drive these numbers up, to try to restore that institutional confidence and people coming forward.
“The confidence of people coming forward to report that crime has increased very significantly over the last four or five years.”
Meanwhile, the Justice Secretary said making communities safer and allowing women to be able to walk home feeling safe at night is his “number one priority”.
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Speaking about tackling violence against women and girls, Dominic Raab said he was “shocked and horrified by the harrowing murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa”.
He said: “Making our communities safer, so that women can walk home at night without having to look over their shoulder, as your Justice Secretary, that is my number one priority. We will transform the way the justice system treats violence against women.”
Raab said that included the time it takes to examine phone evidence to the “potential ordeal” vulnerable victims can face at trial.
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