Boris Johnson pulls out of Doncaster Racecourse event to go to Ukraine

The Northern Research Group of Tory MPs had expected Mr Johnson to be their star speaker at the event in Doncaster racecourse and hundreds of people, including around 30 Conservative MPs, were at the event.

A 25-minute slot had been put on the schedule called 'The Big Interview' with what was billed as a 'Senior Government Speaker'. Organisers had told the media the Prime Minister was due to attend despite overnight reports that he would not be showing up.

It was subsequently confirmed that Mr Johnson has instead travelled to Ukraine today to meet President Zelensky in Kyiv for the second time since the Russian invasion began.

Event host Graham Robb, former chair of the NE Institute of Directors, told the event: "We were expecting the Prime Minister. However it has just been confirmed within the last two minutes that he is Kyiv and making a second visit.

"We understand that when you are dealing with a world statesman's diary, these kind of events come first."

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove is now due to address the conference by video link later this afternoon.

Mr Johnson subsequently tweeted a picture of himself with President Zelensky with a caption reading: "Mr President, Volodymyr, It is good to be in Kyiv again."

A message on Mr Zelensky’s Telegram account read: “Many days of this war have proved that Great Britain’s support for Ukraine is firm and resolute.

“Glad to see our country’s great friend Boris Johnson in Kyiv again.”

Video from the Ukrainian government showed Mr Zelensky warmly greeting the Prime Minister with a “hi, Boris” as he arrived at the presidential palace.

Prior to the confirmation of the Prime Minister's visit to Ukraine, Northern Research Group chairman Jake Berry said of the change of plans: "When the Prime Minister of your country is going to come and attend your conference, which is brilliant, you understand occasionally things happen.

"It is an unfortunate thing but at the end of the day, he's Prime Minister of our country and things come up.

"Are we disappointed? Absolutely yes, really disappointed but we do have to accept that sometimes Prime Ministers do have to do other things than come to conferences.

"It is for Number 10 to explain where he is."

Mr Johnson had also been expected to visit Wakefield today ahead of next week's by-election.

The Politico Playbook newsletter had reported this morning that Downing Street was insisting that Mr Johnson would not be at the Doncaster event but Mr Berry told the Radio 4 Today show he would be in attendance.

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