PM denies authorising animal evacuation from Afghanistan

The questions over Downing Street lockdown parties remain on hold for now – as lawyers and human resources experts sift through Sue Gray’s report before it is published.

But questions over Boris Johnson’s alleged involvement in airlifting animals out of Afghanistan will not go away.

The prime minister again denied directly authorising the airlift of dogs ahead of desperate people as Kabul fell in August.

He brushed off the allegations, describing them as “total rhubarb” during a visit to north Wales.