London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Peer who used personal email for work sacked by Boris Johnson in reshuffle

Peer who used personal email for work sacked by Boris Johnson in reshuffle

Lord Bethell also sponsored a parliamentary pass for Matt Hancock’s lover, Gina Coladangelo
Lord Bethell, the close ally of Matt Hancock who has admitted using his personal email for government business during the pandemic, has been sacked by Boris Johnson.

As the prime minister’s reshuffle rolled on through its third day, Bethell was among a string of casualties among junior ministers.

The hereditary peer and nightclub entrepreneur was placed under investigation by the House of Lords standards committee in July after it emerged that he had sponsored a parliamentary pass for the former health secretary’s lover, Gina Coladangelo.

He has since become embroiled in legal action over his use of private emails. Bethell, who oversaw the award of Covid contracts, admitted to the practice but denied any wrongdoing, telling the Lords: “I have read and signed the ministerial code and I seek to uphold it in everything I do.”

Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, welcomed Bethell’s departure, but said it should have come earlier. She tweeted: “If Boris Johnson had any integrity he would have sacked him a long time ago. Bethell has used Ministerial Office and taxpayers’ money to enrich his friends instead of serving the public and been dishonest about his private emails.”

Hancock resigned after being caught on camera in a clinch with Coladangelo, whom he had known since the pair were at Oxford University more than two decades ago. Both she and Bethell were involved in Hancock’s campaign for the Tory leadership in 2019.

Johnson’s reshuffle began on Wednesday with a brutal clearout of cabinet ministers deemed to have underperformed, including the gaffe-prone Gavin Williamson.

Dominic Raab was pushed aside as foreign secretary in favour of Liz Truss, though with the title of deputy prime minister, formalising the fact that he stands in for Johnson – at prime minister’s questions, for example – when he is away.

Johnson gathered his new cabinet for the first time on Friday morning – without masks – and gave them what he called a “half-time pep talk”, stressing the need to deliver on their promises and “level up” the country.

The shake-up was still rolling through Friday, with the junior ranks being filled. Appointments included the Norfolk MP George Freeman as the minister for science, research and innovation in the business department, and Lewes MP Maria Caulfield as a junior health minister.

Johnson sacked a number of longstanding middle-ranking ministers including John Whittingdale from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Nick Gibb from the Department for Education, promoting younger loyalists in their place.

The most junior jobs – parliamentary private secretaries or PPS – are expected to be handed out over the weekend, with many of the 2019 intake of MPs hoping to receive a call.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×