Sajid Javid opposes fans booing England team for taking the knee
Matt Hancock’s resignation as health secretary made Boris Johnson look weak and the government sleazy in the eyes of voters, according to a poll.
The Savanta ComRes survey for The Independent found the public was not convinced by the prime minister’s suggestion that he had forced Hancock out after he was caught on camera breaking social distancing rules with a married aide.
Meanwhile, the new health secretary Sajid Javid has said he is opposed to football fans booing England’s national team over their decision to take a knee in protest against racism before Euro 2020 matches.
On Tuesday morning, Mr Javid told BBC Radio 4’s Today show that it was “up to the players” how they wanted to express themselves on the issue after home secretary Priti Patel dismissed the act as “gesture politics”.
“I can understand why some players choose to do that, it’s completely up to them but what I don’t understand is those people in the crowd that then boo them or shout at the players for doing that,” the health secretary said.
Repealing Fixed-Term Parliaments Act will ‘keep faith with democracy’, Gove claims
The UK government is “keeping faith with democracy” in proposing to repeal the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act (which controls when elections can be held), Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has claimed.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Gove told MPs: “This Bill contains within it provisions to ensure that we supersede the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act with appropriate, democratic and timely reform, in order to ensure that we restore this place and to the people an opportunity to ensure that the government that governs in their name can command the confidence of this House and the confidence of the public.”
The minister added that repealing the Act was a manifesto promise of both the Conservatives and Labour in the 2019 general election.
“In making sure that we return to a situation where we don’t have the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act we’re keeping faith with democracy,” he said.
Border Force officers could be allowed to turn away migrants at sea under new laws
Border Force officers could be given powers to turn migrants away from the UK while at sea, under laws proposed as part of a series of changes to Britain’s asylum system.
As part of the Nationality and Borders Bill put forward by home secretary Priti Patel, there are provisions to set up offshore processing centres and allow asylum seekers to be sent away from the UK while their claims are determined.
The legislation has been described as an “anti-refugee Bill” by campaigners as it intends to make it a criminal offence to knowingly arrive in the UK without permission.
It means that, for the first time, how someone enters the UK – legally or “illegally” – will have an impact on how their asylum claim progresses and on their status in the UK if that claim is successful.
According to documents setting out the proposals, Border Force would be given the power to intervene at sea to tackle people-smugglers and turn migrant boats away from the UK – so long as they have the agreement of other states to push them back into foreign waters.
The documents also suggest officers may be able to use “reasonable force, if necessary”.
UK must lead the way by making ‘ecocide’ a criminal offence, Green Party peer says
The UK government should lead the way by making acts of serious and intentional harm against the natural world a criminal offence in Britain, a leading Green Party figure has said.
Green peer Natalie Bennett told The Independent that ministers should support calls for “ecocide” to be treated as a crime as the government gears up to host the global climate conference Cop26 in less than six months’ time.
Our climate correspondent, Daisy Dunne, has the full story below:
Reveal forecasts for deaths from ending Covid restrictions, MPs tell Johnson
Ministers have been told to end the secrecy surrounding the predicted increase in serious illnesses and deaths from ending Covid restrictions in England later this month.
Layla Moran, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on coronavirus, said on Tuesday that health secretary Sajid Javid needed to clarify what a potential spike in cases to 100,000 a day would mean for hospitalisations, deaths and long Covid cases.
Our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, has the full story below:
DUP leader picks new economy minister for Northern Ireland
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has picked Gordon Lyons for the role of Northern Ireland’s economy minister, replacing his predecessor after just a few weeks in the job.
Mr Lyons, the MLA for East Antrim, will take up the role as part of a minor reshuffle of Sir Jeffrey’s Assembly team, before a more substantial reshuffle takes place in September.
Paul Givan will remain as first minister, with Michelle McIlveen continuing as education minister.
Mr Frew had been appointed as economy minister by previous DUP leader Edwin Poots last month – who was removed from his position after an internal push in the party against him.
Announcing the new appointment, Sir Jeffrey said: “I have taken the decision to make limited ministerial and post-holder changes at this time so as to minimise any impact personnel changes would have on the business of delivering for people across Northern Ireland.”
“I am mindful that our Executive team, in conjunction with ministers from other parties, has further significant work to do in the next short period. I do however intend to conduct a more fundamental reshuffle of posts in September.”
Minister removes herself from decision on energy project over Tory donor links
An energy minister has removed herself from the decision-making process for a planned cross-Channel power cable project due to its links with a Conservative Party donor.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan told MPs on Tuesday that she could not answer questions in the Commons on the Aquind Interconnector, which aims to provide a new electricity link between the south coast of England and Normandy in France.
She said that this was because the Northumberland Conservatives had received funding from one of the company’s owners.
Alexander Temerko, who was born in the former Soviet Union but is now a British citizen, has donated more than £1m to the Tories and is listed as a director of Aquind Limited.
ICYMI: Labour MP Kim Johnson accused the Metropolitan Police of racial profiling earlier this week after officers stopped her and her family while they were out in central London.
Our reporter, Colin Drury, has more details on the story below:
Our reporter, Adam Forrest, has more details below on the government’s decision to let England’s pubs stay open late on the night of the Euro 2020 final:
Marie Le Conte: Hear me out – Andy Burnham is Labour’s Boris Johnson
What or who comes to mind when you think of Andy Burnham? Do you think of the north of England? “Twenty-four hours to save the NHS”? Biscuits and gravy, perhaps? How about Boris Johnson?
It may not be the most obvious comparison, as the two men have little in common, but there are some similarities worth discussing. Last week, a poll run by Sky News found that 69 per cent of Labour members believe that the mayor of Greater Manchester would be a better leader than Keir Starmer.
Here is Marie Le Conte’s take on how the two men compare:
Pubs to open late for Euros final, says No 10
Downing Street has said pubs in England will be permitted to open until 11.15pm on Sunday 11 July in case the Euros football final ends up going into extra time and penalties.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are taking forward plans to allow pubs to open until 11.15pm on Sunday.
“The entire nation has been gripped by the Euros and this will ensure people can come together to enjoy the final in pubs, should they wish to do so.”
