Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson warned six months of port ‘mayhem’ ahead in 2021, even if trade deal agreed

The health secretary Matt Hancock has admitted the government’s fight with Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham over Covid restrictions was a factor in changing its approach for the new tiers-based system.

There will no longer be a set of negotiations with local leaders, with ministers instead relying on a formula to decide which areas are placed in what tier.

Hancock told the health select committee: “The reason we are doing it differently is, whilst in most cases when we negotiated with most areas in the previous tiered arrangement, we had a high-quality discussion which led to better outcomes … Unfortunately that wasn’t the case in all local areas.”

Asked by Labour MP Graham Stringer whether he was referring to Greater Manchester, Hancock said: “That would be one example, but not the only one.”

A Cobra meeting about Christmas between UK government officials and leaders in devolved administrations is expected to take place Tuesday afternoon.

The meeting with leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is expected to focus on a four-nation approach to relax coronavirus restrictions over the festive period.  

The PM’s official spokesman said: “We have been clear of our desire to try and agree a four-nations approach which will allow families to meet up over the Christmas period.”

It comes as Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that for most council areas in Scotland there would be no change in the levels they have been placed in. The only exception is one already announced, for East Lothian, which has moved from Level 3 to Level 2.

Left-wing members of Labour’s NEC staged a virtual walk-out from a meeting on Tuesday morning, accusing the leadership of trying to “censor debate”.

Things appear to be a little more sedate in the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). At a meeting last night, shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves reportedly signalled to MPs that the leadership was leaning toward voting for a Brexit deal, rather than abstaining.

According to LabourList, Reeves made the case that a trade deal would let the party move on and show voters they are listening. Leading anti-Brexit figures, including Hilary Benn, Harriet Harman, Yvette Cooper, were said to be supportive of the idea.

Minister raises fear over ‘two-way ban’ on meat after Brexit

Irish officials are working with the European Commission to avoid a potential “two-way ban” on meat products moving between Ireland and the UK.

A change in the rules after Brexit means certain products, such as sausages and mince, would not be allowed to enter Northern Ireland from Great Britain. This is because Britain will be regarded as a “third country “by the EU from 1 January, while Northern Ireland will continue to operate EU food rules under the protocol signed last year.

In recent weeks, the UK has indicated it will implement a reciprocal ban on such products coming from Ireland – potentially disrupting the meat trade between the two islands.

Ireland’s agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue described the issue as “concerning” and said he is working with the European Commission to resolve it. McConalogue acknowledged that even if the issue is resolved before Brexit, there will be an extra administrative burden on companies.

Respected Brexit analyst Mujtaba Rahman says some of the speculation about a Brexit trade deal coming in the next few days – and how ratification will be handled – is way too premature.

He thinks the two sides are “still too far apart” on matters of substance, adding: “Qualitative jump still needed to bridge gaps.”

Downing Street insisted that the UK would remain a major aid donor as speculation mounts that the government is ready to cut the budget from 0.7 per cent to 0.5 per cent.

The PM’s official spokesman said Boris Johnson had stressed that “the people of this country should be proud of the support we give around the world”.

“The UK is and will remain one of the biggest contributors of aid of any country. But, as we have said, it is important to look at where savings can be made and to ensure that aid spending is used effectively.”

The PM’s official spokesman also said councils will be given new powers to issue fines and close businesses for up to a week if they fail to make their premises Covid-secure.

Matt Hancock has outlined his vision for a revolution in healthcare that would see millions routinely tested for viruses like the flu, just as they have been for Covid-19, Whitehall editor Kate Devlin and health correspondent Shaun Lintern report.

The health secretary told MPs that mass testing should become the norm to do more to prevent, rather than simply treat, disease.

He also hit out at what he suggested was a culture in the UK where staff “soldier on” and go into work while ill, potentially passing infections on to others.

The chancellor is preparing to make his latest update on the government’s spending plans on Wednesday and has promised he will not usher in a new era of austerity.

Rishi Sunak has made more big announcements in eight months than some chancellors do in several years. Unlike his previous visits to the despatch box, this one will not focus on emergency coronavirus support measures. Instead he will detail day-to-day budgets for Whitehall departments in 2021/22.

Ben Chapman looks at what we can expect:

Andi Fox, outgoing chair of Labour’s NEC, said members on the left of the governing body felt they had “no option” but to walk out.

She tweeted: “Last meeting as chair of the NEC. The left grouping felt they had no option but to walk out … The undermining of the process of the Nec, censoring debate and ignoring our process has to be opposed.”

It comes after the newly-elected leader of the party’s youth wing said officials from party head office had demanded the removal of a statement criticising Starmer’s suspension of Corbyn from the parliamentary party.

Health secretary Matt Hancock has said he hopes damaging social distancing measures designed to restrict the spread of Covid-19 can be lifted after Easter, Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports.

The roll-out of a coronavirus vaccine should signal that life could go back to “normal” by then, he added.