MINING THREAD PART 4: Industrial-scale helium project will be give FINAL approve by Trump Interior Depart(not mining but drilling) as soon as this week in one of most iconic locations in US. An unspoiled area of majestic beauty. Pics by Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance/Bloxham

Charles Walker, Vice Chair of the 1922 Tory backbench committee in the Commons tells TWTW that he thinks the government knew it intended to “cancel” Christmas on Wednesday or Thursday but waited for Parliament to rise to do it. Says many of his colleagues find this “egregious.”

When put to Walker that Matt Hancock said this morning that wasn’t the case, it was the briefing on Friday which prompted the decision, Walker says: “Hmm yeah...well I’d have to disagree with the SoS on that.” So he’s either saying Hancock isn’t being truthful or is misinformed.

Walker: “Surely at some stage a senior government minister has say I’ve offered my resignation to the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister has to say- very early I’ve had to accept this.”

Reminder- Charles Walker is Vice Chair of the Tory backbench committee.

Walker heavily implies it’s Matt Hancock he wants to see resign: “I’m not asking for the government to collapse. I’m asking for a Secretary of State to take some responsibility.”

The Charles Walker interview is extraordinary in what he is inferring. A senior Conservative MP is essentially accusing his govt and ministers of deceit about what they knew about the new strain and when and by implication the timing of the new lockdown.

Today, several religious denominations in the USA commemorate the day as "Four Chaplains Day"

Indeed, the US Senate proclaimed February 3, 1998 as Four Chaplains Day, and it is celebrated in the liturgy of the US Episcopal Church as a feast day. But what's the deal?

Well, the four chaplains have names, which I will come to. On 23 January 1943, an American passenger ship, the SS Dorchester, left New York, in Convoy SG19, escorted by three US Coast Guard cutters. Bound for Greenland.

There were about 900 passengers and crew, including approx 750 US Army soldiers.

On 3 February (this was a very slow convoy), the SS Dorchester was torpedoed by German U-boat U-223

Spectator thread: Among the Scottish parliament’s many crucial roles, there is none more important than its ability to scrutinise government and hold it to account. The same is true of a free press. Both are at their best when they hold power to account on behalf of the public.

But neither can do this essential duty when crucial documents are withheld during important inquiries. The Holyrood inquiry into the Scottish Gov’s handling of the Alex Salmond affair decided last week that it would not publish crucial submissions, including Mr Salmond’s ....

... apparently because it would contravene reporting restrictions rightly introduced to protect the identity of complainants.
We have published a duly redacted version of Alex Salmond’s account on our website.

We felt that an overly-cautious interpretation of the court order by the committee was frustrating the due process of parliamentary inquiry — and the freedom of the press to publish matters of public interest and importance.

We were aware that the court never intended to obstruct parliamentary or public scrutiny; but because of how the committee had interpreted the issue, we today sought clarification from the High Court in Edinburgh.