Brexit news – latest: Boris Johnson faces EU lawsuit deadline, as Jeremy Corbyn allies call for calm

Covid nurse death toll now as high as the number of nurses who died during World War One

As many nurses have now died from coronavirus than were killed during the entirety of the First World War, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has revealed.

The latest figures collated by the federation of 130 national nurses’ associations show that 1,500 nurses have lost their lives since the pandemic began around the world.

This is the same as the number of nurses believed to have been killed during the four years of World War One. 

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PM has one day left before EU launches lawsuit

Boris Johnson has one day left before the deadline set by the EU to ditch the controversial, law-breaking parts of his Internal Market Bill – or face legal action.

Earlier this month, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen gave No 10 until the end of October to drop its plan to override key parts of the existing Brexit withdrawal agreement – which the UK government has admitted will break international law in a “specific and limited” way.

She said that if the PM did not respond in time, Brussels would press on with its own plans for a lawsuit against the UK government.

Hatred of Johnson ‘biggest reason for surge in support for Scottish independence’

The unpopularity of Boris Johnson is the single biggest factor driving an upsurge in support for Scottish independence, new poll analysis shows.

Almost four in five swing voters in Scotland – 79 per cent – agreed with the statement: “Boris Johnson is not the leader I want to have for my country”.

The survey by JL Partners found that a majority of Scottish voters who have not yet made their mind up on independence found Brexit and the UK government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic other compelling arguments for a breakaway.

McDonnell and McCluskey call for ‘calm’ in antisemitism row

Former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell has warned that the party is headed for “a hell of a row” over its antisemitism crisis – and appealed for calm.  

McDonnell, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, instead called on Labour to come together to “save ourselves a lot of unnecessary grief”.  

The Unite union leader Len McCluskey also took a different tone from Thursday, calling for calm as he told union members to stay in the Labour Party despite claiming Corbyn’s suspension was unjust.

Outside the union’s London HQ, McCluskey told Sky News: “It’s a sensitive time, I thought it was wrong what’s happened but now is the time for some calmness so we can see if we can resolve this.

“I think it was unjust, and hopefully with discussions that can take place we can resolve it, we can all move on … My message, really, to literally hundreds of thousands of our members who are already expressing their anger is to stay in the party.”

Mandelson: Corbyn ‘still in denial’ on antisemitism

“I don’t want to be part of the running commentary on this matter”, former New Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson says of the Labour antisemitism crisis, before providing a commentary on the matter in which he praised Keir Starmer for his stance on the issue. 

“He’s shown great integrity, great strength of character in this – my word does he have some backbone,” Mr Mandelson told BBC Radio 4’s World at One of Mr Starmer. 

The former Labour spin doctor also said Jeremy Corbyn “is still in denial” following Mr Corbyn’s statement yesterday claiming antisemitism in the party had been exaggerated for political reasons. You can listen to more here.

‘Much remains to be done,’ says Barnier 

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, is staying tight-lipped about trade deal talks progress with his British counterparts in Brussels today. 

“Working hard for an agreement. Much remains to be done,” he tweeted. 

Labour grabs five-point poll lead as public turns against Boris Johnson’s Covid-19 strategy

Labour has grabbed a five-point lead over the Conservatives, amid growing criticism of Boris Johnson over his handling of Covid-19 and free school meals.

Both the prime minister’s personal ratings and public support for his strategy for curbing the pandemic’s second wave have slumped, the survey shows.

Labour is on a 42 per cent vote share – up five points since September – while the Tories are on 37 per cent, down three, with the Lib Dems unchanged on eight and Greens on five.

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The 17-day lockdown in Wales will end on 9 November, as planned – but its residents will have to wait a bit longer to find out what will replace it, reports The Independent’s deputy political editor Rob Merrick.

Mark Drakeford, the Wales First Minister, said there would be no return to the system of county-by-county local restrictions, promising “simple national rules” that would be “easier to understand”.

He also announced two help schemes for affected people: a £500 payment for low-earners required to self-isolate and full pay for all social care staff with Covid-19, or forced to isolate.

Shops, bars and gyms will reopen on 9 November, church services will resume and all pupils will go back to school, Mr Drakeford confirmed – despite the infection rate in Wales reaching more than 220 cases per 100,000 people.

There are 1,191 people in hospital with coronavirus-related symptoms, which is up 20 per cent from the same point last week.

ICYMI: Bonnie Greer on BBC’s Question Time last night spoke out against antisemitism in the Labour Party.

Former Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said the party is headed for “a hell of a row” over its antisemitism crisis. 

Mr McDonnell, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, instead called on Labour to come together to “save ourselves a lot of unnecessary grief”.