Brexit news – live: EU ‘deeply regrets’ protocol mistake as Liz Truss accused of ignoring trade disruption

Labour has written to the Cabinet secretary asking him to publish details on meetings with Tory-linked firms that have secured contracts during the pandemic.

The shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves last week revealed she had written to 10 firms with connections to the Conservatives awarded contracts during the crisis. Reeves has now asked the nation’s top civil servant Simon Case to disclose details of meetings in the past year.

She requested details of all people present at the meetings, including ministers, MPs, special advisers, civil servants and Conservative Party staff members. “As outlined, to restore transparency and public trust, this information is extremely important,” she said in the letter.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has also written to Tory co-chairwoman Amanda Milling seeking similar information on such meetings.

Returning now to the row over trade secretary Liz Truss’s apparent refusal to answer questions about post-Brexit trade problems at the despatch box.

Oxford University’s Dr Jennifer Cassidy said it was “not surprising that Liz Truss ordering the removal of questions relating to trade difficulties with Europe”.

The leading Brexit critic added: “What’s more frightening is that even the questions she kept for the public, she still can’t or won’t answer truthfully.”

Labour’s Emily Thornberry said opposition parties had been informed by the Speaker’s Office that their EU-related questions had been transferred to other ministers at the request of Truss’ department.

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has rejected the idea of Scottish participation in the Erasmus+ education scheme.

In a letter to MEP Terry Reintke, the commission chief said Scotland was a “constituent nation” of the UK so could not take part independently. “The only possibility is for the UK to associate as a whole, or not at all,” said Von der Leyen.

Reintke found it “noteworthy” that the commission remains “ready to negotiate should the UK reconsider its position”.

So what did we learn from culture minister Caroline Dineage appearance before MPs today? She revealed there have been no talks to ease some of the damage failure to reach an agreement with the EU on visa-free music tours.

Asked if talks had begun with any EU countries – after musicians pointed to Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy and Spain as key targets – she said: “There are no current negotiations taking place.”

A “working group” to explore the devastating impact of huge new costs and paperwork was only set up in January, the culture committee heard.

Despite laying blame at Brussels door, Dineage did say the government was open to talks. “I’m really, really keen to look at this again if the EU are willing to reconsider.”

Deborah Annetts, chief executive at Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), told the committee of the incredible costs for up-and-coming musicians. “The costs are absolutely huge. £600 for a one night gig in Spain, £500 for Italy,” she said.

Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has more details:

Stormont’s economy minister Diane Dodds has denied “political stunts” over her party’s refusal to engage with the Irish Republic over the Northern Ireland protocol.

The DUP said it wants to send a “strong signal” to the Dublin government by stopping north-south activities related to the protocol.

There was a sharp exchange of views between Dodds and Sinn Fein’s Caoimhe Archibald in the NI Assembly on Tuesday. Archibald accused the minister of “engaging in silly political stunts”.

Dodds rejected this, hitting back: “I am not in the position of stunts and if I was I need only to look at the party opposite.”

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic has accused the UK of failing to live up to “very clear obligations” under the Northern Ireland protocol.

Mr Sefcovic identified numerous “shortcomings” in the UK’s observation of the Brexit deal on Monday, complaining that EU officials were not being granted access to data on imports in line with the agreement.

Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:

The government is desperate to argue that Conservative students’ free speech is under attack at universities but the evidence does not support that case, according to Tory student Jason Reed.

Earlier today, education secretary Gavin Williamson unveiled a series of measures supposedly aimed at protecting free speech on university campuses, citing “unacceptable silencing and censoring”.

However, Jason writes:

“The problem here is that the government is operating according to a narrative which it would very much like to be true, but has no actual basis in fact, no matter how many sensationalist news stories are published on the subject. As I have written before, Tory students like me are not censored on campuses in this country, however convenient it might be if we were.”

You can find his full piece below:

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has questioned why the government is setting up its so-called “Heritage Summit” as millions struggle during the coronavirus pandemic.

Culture secretary Oliver Dowden is reportedly set to lead a roundtable discussion with about two dozen organisations, such as the National Trust and British Museum, to discuss the reevaluation of the UK’s colonial history.

“3 million still excluded from public support, no functioning system of self-isolation support, thousands of kids still without access to online learning, students getting a very raw deal,” Mr Burnham wrote on Twitter.

“Struggling to see how a ‘Heritage Summit’ can be such a high priority right now.”

Culture minister Caroline Dinenage has been explaining her department’s failure to reach an agreement with the EU on visa-free music tours.

Tory MP Damian Green asked how Britain’s creative industries “effectively ended up with a no-deal Brexit”.

The minister appeared to blame Brussels for the arrangements, saying: “I deeply regret that the EU rejected our proposals … The proposals the EU put on the table wouldn’t have addressed the [creative] sector’s concerns.”

“I’m really, really keen to look at this again if the EU are willing to reconsider.”

Deborah Annetts, chief executive at Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), said UK artists are already losing summer bookings due to post-Brexit visa challenges.

“If you’re the Foo Fighters you won’t have a problem,” she told MPs on the digital and culture committee. “If you’re at an early stage in your career then you’re going to find [touring] problematic … Musicians are already thinking in quite desperate terms whether they have a career left.”

She added: “At the moment we have got a window, bizarrely enough, because of Covid, to try and sort this out, so we really need to pick this up and move this forward.”

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke called the government “spineless f****” after The Independent revealed that the UK rejected an offer of visa-free tours.