European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic is holding emergency talks with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, after he demanded the British government “elaborates” on its plan to override key parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
Ahead of discussions in London, Mr Sefcovic told reporters: “I called for an extraordinary meeting. I came here to express the serious concerns that the European Union has … Let’s hear what Michael Gove will tell me this afternoon.”
It comes the EU considers the possibility of legal action against Boris Johnson’s government over the plan to renege on last year’s agreement, according to draft document circulating in Brussels seen by The Independent.
Cummings’ ‘hard rain’ comment a mishearing, says Gove
Michael Gove, speaking to the Commons’ constitutional affairs committee, has denied No 10 advisor Dominic Cummings ever threatened a “hard rain” was coming for the civil service (as weas reported in June).
It was a “mishearing,” says the Cabinet Office minister.
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 15:56
EU warns Boris Johnson’s bill is ‘extremely serious violation of international law’
The EU’s European Commission has warned in stern terms that any bid to amend or reinterpret the Withdrawal Agreement unilaterally would be “an extremely serious violation of international law”.
In a statement the European Commission said: “The Withdrawal Agreement entered into force on 1 February 2020 and has legal effects under international law. Since that point in time, neither the EU nor the UK can unilaterally change, clarify, amend, interpret, disregard or disapply the agreement.
“The Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland is an essential part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Its aim is to protect peace and stability on the island of Ireland and was the result of long, detailed and difficult negotiations between the EU and the UK.
“Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič stated that if the Bill were to be adopted, it would constitute an extremely serious violation of the Withdrawal Agreement and of international law.”
Vincent Wood10 September 2020 15:51
Attorney General stresses importance of ‘parliamentary sovereignty’ in defence of government move to breach international law
The Attorney General has published her legal advice in defence of the government’s position on the Internal Market Bill, parts of which undermine the Withdrawal Agreement.
It comes after Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said the bill would break international law “in a specific and limited way”.
The legal advice from Suella Braverman says: “It is an established principle of international law that a state is obliged to discharge its treaty obligations in good faith. This is, and will remain, the key principle in informing the UK’s approach to international relations
“However, in the difficult and highly exceptional circumstances in which we find ourselves, it is important to remember the fundamental principle of Parliamentary sovereignty.”
Vincent Wood10 September 2020 15:47
Covid marshals will have no formal power, says ministry
“Covid-secure marshals” announced as part of a plan to enforce stricter rules on social gatherings will have no formal powers and must be paid for by local authorities, the government has said.
Boris Johnson told a press conference on Wednesday the marshals would “boost the local enforcement capacity” as he announced new rules designed to slow the spread of coronavirus.
But the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said they will not be given enforcement powers in new legislation banning people in England from meeting in groups of more than six from Monday.
More details on the marshals here:
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 15:21
Gove: new Brexit bill is ‘primarily an economic measure’
The man of the hour, Michael Gove, is speaking in the parliament’s committee corridor.
The Cabinet Office minister is now speaking to the Commons’ constitutional affairs committee (PACAC). “I think the important thing to stress about the UK Internal Market Bill is that it is primarily an economic measure,” he said.
“And the UK Internal Market Bill is there to ensure that as we leave the European Union … that we have a robust legal framework to underpin that.”
Gove added: “One of the reasons for making sure that we can proceed with the UK Internal Market Bill is that businesses have told us that they would prefer to have certainty at the end of the transition period on how the UK internal market will operate.”
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 15:03
UK set to miss this year’s UN deadline for climate plan
The UK is poised to miss a UN deadline to set out a plan to tackle the climate emergency, in the latest blow to Boris Johnson’s claim to be leading the world.
All nations are expected to announce tougher “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs) by the end of this year – but Alok Sharma, the business secretary, repeatedly refused to make the commitment.
Instead, he told MPs that the UK would be “seeing what we can do” and would “try and put our best foot forward on this”.
It is also potentially embarrassing for the government since the UK is hosting the crucial Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow next year after it was delayed 12 months by the pandemic.
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 14:46
No 10: Government still committed to Northern Ireland Protocol
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove is expected to tell European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic that the government remains committed to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol during talks scheduled to last two hours.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “I would expect him to reiterate the UK’s commitment to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol and to the joint committee process with the hope that an agreement remains possible within that framework.
“I would expect him also to explain that as a responsible government we must provide a safety net that removes any ambiguity and ensure that the government can always deliver on its commitment to the people of Northern Ireland.”
Downing Street also said trade deal negotiations with the EU could resume next week if both sides agree. The PM’s spokesman said: “Currently there’s the prospect of talks next week if both sides agree that they should go ahead.”
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 14:38
Government guilty of ‘stinking hypocrisy’, says top Labour peer
Labour’s shadow attorney general Lord Falconer has taken the government to task – accusing it of “stinking hypocrisy” in demanding others obey the rule of law while admitting it would break it itself.
The Labour frontbencher said: “Brandon Lewis’ acceptance that this government is deliberately breaking international law will be thrown in the UK’s face for years.
“Expect dictators to justify murderous breaches of international law by relying on the Lewis mantra ‘specific and limited’.
“We expect everyone to obey the law, the prime minister said, demanding compliance for anti-Covid measures.
“The home secretary condemned Extinction Rebellion for law-breaking. The rule of law is not pick and mix, with acceptable laws chosen by the home secretary or an adviser in Number 10.
“This stinking hypocrisy chokes our country’s reputation and destroys our government’s ability to lead at home and make agreements aboard.”
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 14:30
Former Tory Party leader lambasts government
Michael Howard, a staunch Brexiteer who led the Tory Party between 2003 and 2005, has described his horror at Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis’s admission that the government’s new trade bill breaks international law by violating the Brexit withdrawal agreement agreed with Brussels.
Responding to insistences from the Advocate General for Scotland, Lord Keen, that there are “occasions where we find some conflict between different international law obligations”, the Tory peer replied: “Does my noble and learned friend not understand the damage done to our reputation for probity and respect for the rule of law by those five words uttered by his ministerial colleague in another place on Tuesday.
“Words, which I never thought I would hear uttered by a British minister, far less a Conservative minister. How can we reproach Russia or China or Iran when their conduct falls below internationally accepted standards when we are showing such scant regard for our treaty obligations?”
Adam Forrest10 September 2020 14:15
Just over £2m compensation handed out to Windrush victims so far
The overwhelming majority of people who have applied to the Windrush Compensation Scheme have still not received payment, MPs have heard.
Based on 11,500 eligible claims, the Home Office expects between £90 million to £250 million to be paid out in total through the scheme, however the department’s permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft admitted just over £3m has yet been paid.
“The scheme, I think it was fair to say, was quite slow to get off the ground, because it was so complex,” he told the Commons Public Accounts Committee.
“The first million pounds offered took 14 months, the second million pounds offered took less than two months. So, we have now offered over £2m.”
In July, the government said a total of £1,053,223.17 had been paid out in response to 143 claims.
MPs have warned that there is a risk of people dying before they receive compensation owed, unless the government steps up its efforts.
Andy Gregory10 September 2020 13:43
