Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson’s fiancee not helping run UK, No 10 says, as DUP launches legal action

The DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley suggested advantages to the protocol “did not exist” and insisted it should be “destined for the dustbin” during a session at the Northern Ireland assembly.

Urging the DUP to stop playing “silly games”, Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill replied: “My own personal view is, thank goodness for the protocol.

“What we’re experiencing right now is the fact that the British government didn’t prepare, they didn’t work with businesses in terms of being ready for a post-Brexit world.

The deputy first minister said: “What we’re dealing with now is the new trading reality as a direct result of Brexit. So what this executive has to focus on … is actually ironing out the difficulties that have now arisen as a direct result of Brexit

“It’s around stability, it’s around certainty, and it’s not around playing games with the protocol that has been agreed over the course of four years.”

We heard earlier from the Irish premier Micheal Martin, who reaffirmed the value of the protocol. The EU Commission is having to do the same today in the face of attacks from the DUP and other unionist parties in Northern Ireland.

Asked for its response to the legal action supported by the main NI unionist parties, commission spokesman Dan Ferrie said the protocol was about “protecting the gains of the peace process, protecting and maintaining stability, avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland”.

He added that it was also about “minimising the impact of Brexit on the everyday lives of communities north and south of the border”. But that’s certainly not the way the DUP feels about its impact.

We were expecting the Scottish parliament’s authorities to publish Alex Salmond’s “bombshell” dossier later today. The controversial document contains claims about what Nicola Sturgeon knew and when during the early stages of Scottish government inquiries into harassment claims against Salmond.

But Rape Crisis Scotland has demanded Scottish parliamentary authorities convene an “emergency” meeting today to rethink the decision to publish, according to Scotland’s Daily Record.

The charity’s chief executive Sandy Brindley said accused the parliament of “knowingly” publishing material which would risk identifying a complainer. “I think the lack of priority given to protecting complainers by the [Scottish parliament] corporate body is a disgrace, and makes me ashamed of the parliament.”

Dominic Raab has placed pressure on the UN to respond to China’s “appalling treatment” of the Uighur Muslims and people in Hong Kong.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, the foreign secretary said “no one can ignore the evidence any more” of a deteriorating human rights situation in China and called for a UN motion to be passed to allow investigators into Xinjiang.

In his online speech, Mr Raab said people’s rights in Hong Kong are being “systematically violated” and that the national security law is a “clear breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration” that is having a “chilling effect on personal freedoms”.

He told council members the situation in Xinjiang was “beyond the pale”, saying: “The reported abuses – which include torture, forced labour and forced sterilisation of women – are extreme and they are extensive. They are taking place on an industrial scale.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, or another independent fact-finding expert, must – and I repeat, must – be given urgent and unfettered access to Xinjiang.

“If members of this Human Rights Council are to live up to our responsibilities, there must be a resolution which secures this access.”

China has constantly defended the so-called “re-education” camps in Xinjiang, saying they aim only to promote economic and social development in the region and to stamp out radicalism.

It comes after a former teacher at two of the camps spoke to CNN on Friday, to share the systematic abuse she witnessed Uighur people suffering at the hands of guards. You can read our report on that interview here:

Boris Johnson’s official spokesman has has said No 10 is “concerned” about Facebook’s decision to pull news content from its platform in Australia.

“We are obviously concerned about access to news being restricted in Australia,” he told a Westminster briefing. “As we always have done, we will be robust in defending free speech and journalism.

“And as you know are setting up a Digital Markets Unit to promote competition in digital markets and ensure major tech companies cannot exploit dominant market positions.

“The Digital Markets Unit will be established within the Competition and Markets Authority from April and we will consult on proposals on its form and function later this year.”

The spokesman added that culture secretary Oliver Dowden is expected to meet executives from Facebook some time this week.

Here’s our political editor Andrew Woodcock on No 10 denying Carrie Symonds has any unelected role in running the country:

Downing Street has responded to claims Boris Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds plays a central role in running the country, rubbishing them as “incorrect”.

Conservative think tank The Bow Group called for an inquiry into her activities following reports of her influence within No 10.

Allegra Stratton, the PM’s press secretary, said there was “no response to that at all” and stressed Mr Johnson was focused on getting the coronavirus crisis under control.

Asked whether Ms Symonds was taking a central role with no authority or accountability, Ms Stratton said: “It’s incorrect. The prime minister’s fiancee is on maternity leave, she’s raising their son Wilf and shortly she will be taking up a new role at the wildlife charity the Aspinall Foundation.”

Bookmakers have increased the odds on the UK seeking to rejoin the EU in five years due to the impact the messy divorce deal continues to have on businesses and various parts of the travel industry.

Betfair is giving odds of 5/1 of the UK rejoining by 2026, and 1/10 for it remaining outside.

It comes as Boris Johnson continues to downplay complaints from businesses, particularly in the fishing industry, that the deal has damaged their exports and impacted key sectors.

“It might fall to a new generation of politicians, in both main parties, to have the honest conversation about Brexit that’s so far failed to materialise,” Betfair said on Monday.

“Getting that done in time for 2026 looks tight. But five years is a long time – think how much has happened in UK politics since 2016 – and the market on the UK rejoining is worth watching.”

The bookies also gave the Tories a 11/5 chance of winning a majority in the next general election – if the vaccine rollout continues to prove a success with voters. It gave Labour a 16/5 chance of gaining a majority and a 6/5 chance no overall majority would be reached.

It also predicts that Brexit will remain the biggest factor during 2024 election campaign, giving it 4/11 odds.

“Perhaps Brexit will be the biggest factor at the next election … just as it was at the last. It’s not going away and will continue to cause problems for both main parties. It remains to be seen which will suffer most and whether anyone will have the guts to advocate reversing it,” the company said on its website.

It comes amid major backlash to the fallout of Brexit, with musicians and actors last week demanding talks reopen over work visas that will stop them being able to tour the EU. A new report by several Conservatives also revealed that Brexit had left the UK “less safe and less secure” and called for Mr Johnson to reopen negotiations with the bloc.

Downing Street has just confirmed that Boris Johnson will host Monday evening’s Covid press conference – where the PM will set out his long-awaited roadmap to easing England out of lockdown – at 7pm.

Chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance will also be present at the news event.

Mr Johnson will first announce the plans to fellow ministers in the House of Commons at 3.30pm, before making the televised speech to Britain later this evening.

Concerns have been raised over a “big bang” reopening for schools, as Boris Johnson is expected to announce that all students will be allowed to return in three weeks’ time.

Education unions have called for a “safe and sustainable” approach, days after warning it would be “reckless” to bring all pupils back en masse.

Geoff Barton from the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL) said while his union shared the government’s goal to bring all children back onsite as soon as possible, it remains “concerned about the idea of a ‘big bang’ approach of a full return of pupils all at the same time”.

My colleague Zoe Tidman reports: