Switching to Gove UQ

Says only 0.5% of PPE wasn't up to scratch

Says all Greensill lobbying by Cameron was rejected

Says Dyson texts were about securing ventilators for the frontline

Says what matters is that Johnson did impose a 2nd and 3rd lockdown.

. @RachelReevesMP says the Prime Minister is "corrupting the standards of public life expected of those in high office. And as he dodges questions and tries to cover up payments for the luxury refurbishment of his flat, feathering his own nest and possibly breaking the law."

Reeves: "They say the fish rots from the head down. Well there'a a reason why there's no independent adviser on ministerial standards and why they won't publish the register of ministerial interests and the reason is because the Prime Minister hasn't wanted them."

Gove on refurbishment: says that previous PMs have used taxpayers' money to refurbish Downing St. Unclear whether he means the flat or offices.

Says this PM has used "his own money."

Doesn't answer any of the questions about potential loans or donations.

Gove then says government followed scientific advice (of course in reality sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't).

Says that the new Independent Adviser for Ministerial Standards will be appointed "within days." It's been 5 months.

Gove: "It does sometimes seem as if Opposition and critics are more interested in the world of interiors than the real world in which the rest of us live."

Hmm.

We haven't got any further information about loans or donations.

Sometimes people say that the Commons is always a good substitute for sustained forensic journalistic questioning of ministers.

The chamber is disproving that theory for all to see at the moment.

This is why televised lobby briefings would have been a good idea.

Gove finally addresses question of "bodies piling up" comment: "The idea that he would say any such thing I find incredible, I as in that room and I never heard language of that kind."

It's quite a strong comment but not quite the same thing as saying he didn't say it.

Gove is walking this.

Stephen Farry makes a very good point that the Westminster government has signed up to and imposed a tougher regime of ministerial standards in Stormont than they've subjected to themselves in London. Gove replies that the new Adviser on standards will be in place very shortly.

Kevan Jones pins Gove down on the key point. Asks whether the PM paid for the original invoices on the flat refurbishment or whether he paid a donor back. Gove ducks the question.

Gove asked by Wes Streeting directly whether he heard the Prime Minister made the bodies comment. He again uses the same formulation: "I never heard him say any such thing."

Gove much more effective than Case in sidestepping questions and MPs generally less effective in putting them. But two main things:

1) Gove ducked question as to whether or not PM paid for original invoices of the refurbishment.
2) Didn't give 100% denial on "Bodies" comments.

Remember, if any loans/donations were not declared transparently and properly- this is a breach of the ministerial code and very serious. Peter Mandelson had to resign from the cabinet when a loan wasn't properly declared.