Markus Andrews

Boris Johnson has warned Emmanuel Macron that any attempt to settle the conflict in Ukraine now will give Russian president Vladimir Putin “license to manipulate” other countries.The prime minister told the French president that compromise will “only cause enduring instability” as the pair met to discuss the war at the G7 summit in Germany.Mr Macron was criticised for negotiating with Putin at the start of the invasion and saying Russia must not be “humiliated” – raising fears Ukraine could be pushed into giving up territory.The PM “stressed any attempt to settle the conflict now will only cause enduring instability and give Putin licence to manipulate both sovereign countries and international markets in perpetuity,” said a No 10 spokesperson after Sunday’s talks.Earlier on Sunday, Mr Johnson said there was some “fatigue in populations and politicians” when it came the conflict. “I think the pressure is there and the anxiety is there, we have got to be honest about that.”No 10 sought to play down talk of a dispute with the French president, saying the pair had enjoyed a “very friendly and useful” discussion on Ukraine.Asked whether Mr Johnson’s warning against a “bad peace” was aimed at Mr Macron, the PM’s official said it was aimed at “those who would seek to suggest it was right to settle for Ukraine to somehow settle or cede territory”.“Both the prime minister and president Macron stressed the need to support Ukraine to strengthen their hand in both the war and any future negotiations,” said No 10.The Independent understands that Mr Johnson’s team is hopeful the final communique of the G7 will include a clear commitment to long-term support for Ukraine.Mr Johnson is keen to push EU leader to provide more military support. Asked whether France and Germany ware doing enough over Ukraine, the PM only mentioned the German response.“I never believed in my lifetime that I would see a German chancellor stepping up in the way that Olaf Scholz has and sending weaponry to help the Ukrainians to protect themselves,” he said. “He has made huge, huge strides.”The PM’s spokesman said the pair had not discussed the contentious top of small boat crossings in the English Channel, choosing instead to focus on “very significant geopolitical issues”.A French official said Mr Johnson had told Mr Macron that he was favourable towards the idea of Britain joining a “European political community” – an idea the French president first floated last month. Mr Macron had suggested a new network could include both the UK and Ukraine.The PM’s spokesman played down the idea Mr Johnson was enthusiastic about the idea. “We’re always looking at ways to further partner with likeminded European countries … It makes sense to listen to any idea put forward by like-mind countries.”No 10 pushed back against any suggestion the UK would return to pre-Brexit free movement of people as part of the community. “As far as I’m aware of, the prime minister hasn’t had any formal details put to him on that.” Seen arm in arm during brief exchanges before their talks, Mr Johnson told the French president, who had taken off his suit jacket in the hot meeting room, that he was “looking well”.Mr Johnson was also seen in jovial mood with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, as the pair mocked the Russian president.The British PM asked assembled G7 leaders if they should keep their jackets on or off, saying: “We have all got to show that we’re tougher than Putin.”Mr Trudeau joked: “Bare-chested horseback ride,” before Mr Johnson then said: “We’ve got to show our pecs.” More

A senior Labour figure has toughened the party’s stance ahead of a ‘Summer of Discontent’ over falling pay by saying he does not “support strikes”, triggering a backlash.David Lammy, the shadow foreign secretary, said he “categorically” does not support a walkout by BA check-in staff, dismissing their call for a 10 per cent pay increase.Calling it “very sad when any union calls its members out,” Mr Lammy also said: “I don’t support strikes” – before adding: “I support the right to strike of course.”The stance was criticised by John McDonnell, Labour’s former shadow chancellor, who said striking rail workers were right to seek “protection against the cost of living”.The chair of Young Labour, Jess Barnard, attacked the party leadership for “sending out its senior politicians to attack 50 of its own MPs and thousands of workers on national television”.Earlier, the respected backbencher Jon Cruddas, an adviser to Tony Blair on unions, said Labour must back families facing an historic slump in their incomes.“The rail strikes are arguably the canary down the coalmine. You cannot dodge this. Labour has to be supportive of those seeking to defend their living standards,” Mr Cruddas said.Mr Lammy said the party’s chief whip would speak to up to frontbenchers who defied Keir Starmer by joining RMT picket lines – and hinted the order will be repeated for future strikes.He acknowledged “further disputes” are likely – with teachers, NHS staff and legal aid solicitors all contemplating strike action – and warned the rebels: “I don’t think it’s helpful to stand on picket lines.”Last week, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, defied Sir Keir by backing the rail workers’ decision to strike, saying they “have been left with no choice”.But Mr Lammy denied his leader had “lost control of his own MPs”, after up to 50 backed the strikers, adding: “The Labour party is not divided.”In the BA strike, unions are seeking to reverse a 10 per cent pay cut imposed on workers during the pandemic when global lockdowns grounded flights – not a pay rise.On the rail strikes, the shadow foreign secretary, told Times Radio: “It hurts working people who need to get to work by using the railway. And of course, those within the union are hurt as well.“So I absolutely support the right to strike, but I’m very sad that it’s reached this stage and it’s reached this stage because the government’s not showing leadership.”Mr McDonnell told the same programme: “I heard David. Like a lot of people in the labour and trade union movement, I was pretty disappointed.“On all of these occasions, you have to do what you think is right. And, on the RMT dispute. I just think I can’t see how people can’t see this as a just cause.” More

Boris Johnson has said he is considering extending steel tariffs, despite concerns the move could break international rules and put him on course for another major row with the EU.The prime minister is reportedly drawing up plans to slap “safeguard” limits of steel imports from several developing countries, and extend existing tariffs already imposed on China and others.But critics have warned the move to widen tariffs will “violate” World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, with the EU ambassador to Britain warning against any “protectionism”.Lord Geidt, the PM’s ex-ethics adviser, cited steel tariff plans in his resignation letter earlier this month – saying he had been put in the “odious position” of being asked to license a breach of the rules.Mr Johnson said on Sunday he wanted UK steel to enjoy the “same protections” other EU steel economies have – arguing that the industry was going through a hard time due to energy prices.“I think it is reasonable for UK steel to have the same protections that other European, absolutely every other European steel economy does,” he told reporters at the G7 summit in Germany.The PM added: “The difficulty is, is that possible to do while staying within our WTO, our World Trade Organisation obligations? That’s the problem. But these are tough choices that you have to make.”Mr Johnson’s government proposed on Thursday to extend for a further two years an existing package of tariffs, and quotas on five steel products to protect domestic steelmakers.However, The Sunday Telegraph said wider measures were being finalised for announcement in the coming week. No 10 is preparing to hit several developing countries with new “safeguard” import limits, according to the newspaper.A government figure opposed to the widening of tariffs said it would “screw the economy” and was “anti-Conservative”, adding: “It is a total violation of the WTO rules.”But Mr Johnson insisted that Britain should not have to “take off” steel tariffs as scheduled in the coming week. “I don’t think that’s the right way forward. I want another solution.”Asked about the tariff plan, the PM’s official spokesperson said: “No decision has been made. They will be made soon, and they will balance our international obligations and the national interest.” The UK ambassador to the EU Joao Vale de Almeida warned that Brussels would be “very tough” on any breach of trade rules.“I don’t think protectionism is the solution to any of our problems,” he told Sky News on Sunday. “Of course we need to be attentive to the rules of the game. When we find this kind of non-compliance, we are very tough, as needs be.”Labour’s shadow foreign David Lammy suggested that opposition party could support the government plan if it meant extending steel tariffs. “I think it’s the extension that [Mr Johnson] was suggesting … we would support him,” he told Sky News.The plan to override parts of the protocol, agreed by Mr Johnson as part of the Brexit withdrawal deal, sparked outrage in Brussels and raised fears of a trade war if the EU decides to take retaliatory action on tariffs and other controls. More

Boris Johnson and Justin Trudeau were seen mocking Vladimir Putin at the G7 summit in Germany, joking about his infamous bare-chested horseback riding photographs.As the leaders sat down together at Schloss Elmau in the Bavarian Alps on Sunday, the British prime minister questioned whether they should keep their suit jackets on.Warming to his theme, Mr Johnson then added, “Shall we take our clothes off?” – before suggesting: “We all have to show that we’re tougher than Putin.”Amid the laughter Mr Trudeau joined in, suggesting a “bare-chested horseback ride” in a reference to when Mr Putin was pictured shirtless riding a horse in 2009.Mr Johnson then told the group: “We’ve got to show our pecs.”The British PM and his Canadian counterpart were also heard joking about the relative sizes of their jets used to get to the G7 summit, where they will be discussing climate change, among other topics.The two leaders had both flown separately from Rwanda’s Commonwealth meeting to Bavaria.Mr Johnson said he had seen “Canada Force One” on the tarmac, before Mr Trudeau joked that it was “not quite as big as yours”On the size of his official Airbus jet, Mr Johnson replied: “No, ours is very, very modest.” More

Ministers who oppose Boris Johnson should have the courage to resign, a senior Tory MP says – arguing that would provide the “momentum” to force him from power.Tim Loughton lashed out at his colleagues who secretly voted against the prime minister in the no-confidence vote, yet remain in office, calling their position “untenable”.The former minister said he opposes changing the rules, to allow a second vote, but called for ministers who have remained silent to “stand up for their principles”.“We haven’t seen, as we did under previous prime ministers, the resignation of other ministers, particularly within the cabinet,” Mr Loughton said.“If we did start to see some ministerial resignations – by people who I think must have voted no confidence in the prime minister to justify the figures that we had – then that might get some momentum going.”The call came as Mr Loughton branded Mr Johnson “a little arrogant” for saying he wants to serve three terms in power, saying he should “concentrate on getting the first term back on track”.He said he decided in January that the prime minister’s position had “become untenable and that he should resign”, telling Times Radio: “Nothing has happened since then to change that view.”The comments come after Mr Johnson fuelled Conservative anger that he is leading them to electoral disaster by rejecting calls to change style, while insisting criticism of him “doesn’t matter”.He mocked the idea of him undergoing a “psychological transformation” to recover from disastrous by-election defeats, saying: “That’s not going to happen.”However, no further resignations have followed the shock walkout of Oliver Dowden, the party chair, hours after last week’s disastrous byelection defeats.Mr Loughton said: “I’d like to see some ministers stand up to the prime minister, stand up for their own principles and stand up for the Conservative Party and the government.”On ministers who secretly voted against Mr Johnson, he said: “If they’re in government, their position is untenable. So they should have stood down as well.:And he added: “What I want to see in the cabinet is fewer people who say, ‘Yes, prime minister’ and rather more who are much more prepared to say, ‘Are you mad, Boris, if you’re thinking about doing that’.”Mr Loughton said: “We need to have a proper debate within government, behind closed doors – rather than people who are there because they want to agree with the prime minister.”On Mr Johnson’s hopes of staying in No 10 until 2030, he pointed out: “I seem to recall Mrs Thatcher, when she was slightly on the ropes, talking about going on and on and on” – not long before Tory MPs ousted her. More

Labour is on course to win the next general election “with a comfortable majority” after Boris Johnson’s byelection thumpings, David Lammy says.The shadow foreign secretary argued the results in Wakefield and in Tiverton and Honiton showed there was no need for an electoral pact with the Liberal Democrats – because Labour will win outright.The Conservatives are seeking to provoke a public backlash against an informal agreement between the parties which sees each focus on seats where they are stronger, describing it is a backstairs pact.But Mr Lammy denied it and said of Labour’s win in Wakefield: “If that result was replicated across the country, I would be foreign secretary and Labour would, in fact, be forming the government.”He added: “On that result in Wakefield, and indeed Tiverton, we would be forming the next government with a comfortable majority – that’s what that result tells us.”Speaking on the BBC, he added: “There will be no pact with the SNP, there will be no pact with the Liberal Democrats, there will be no pact with the Greens.”The shadow foreign secretary declined to say what punishment will be imposed on Labour frontbenchers who defied Keir Starmer by joining RMT picket lines – and hinted the order will be repeated for future strikes.Mr Lammy said the party’s chief whip would speak to the rebels in the coming days and be “making it very clear that a serious party of government does not join picket lines”.He acknowledged “further disputes” are likely – with teachers, NHS staff and legal aid solicitors all contemplating strike action – and warned the rebels: “I don’t think it’s helpful to stand on picket lines.”But Mr Lammy denied Sir Keir had “lost control of his own MPs”, adding: “The Labour party is not divided.”He declined to say whether Labour supports the striking rail workers demand for a seven per cent pay rise – arguing it is not the opposition’s job to “pretend we can negotiate”.And he urged Labour supporters to drop their hopes of rejoining the EU, pointing to the referendum result and saying: “The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again.”Later, Mr Lammy said he “categorically” does not support GMB and Unite staging a strike of BA check-in staff.“All of us are feeling the pinch with inflation. Many of us might want a [pay] rise of 10 per cent in truth, most people understand it’s unlikely that you’re going to get that,” he said.“It absolutely would not be right, it would not be responsible opposition, if I suggested yes to every strike.”Asked if he supports the proposed strike by check-in staff, he said: “No, I don’t. No I don’t – it is a no, it’s a categorical no.”Asked why, he said: “Because I’m serious about the business of being in government and the business of being in government is that you support negotiation.” More

It is “fine” for Prince Charles to have accepted a suitcase containing €1m in cash from a controversial Qatari politician, a Cabinet minister says.Brandon Lewis backed the heir to the throne amid a gathering row over the money he accepted the former prime minister of the Middle East state.However, the Northern Ireland secretary avoided a question about whether the Prince of Wales’ actions threw “his judgement” into doubt – arguing it was not “appropriate” for a government minister to answer.The Sunday Times revealed that the €1m was one of three lots of cash, totalling €3m, which Prince Charles personally received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani.Clarence House said the money was “passed immediately to one of the prince’s charities who carried out the appropriate governance and assured us that all the correct processes were followed”.Asked if the prince should have accepted the cash, Mr Lewis said he was “confident” from his dealing with the Palace that it “will have gone through proper due process”.“As long as it’s following the law and it goes through proper due process. I think that’s fine,” he told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme.Mr Lewis also lashed out at Tory MPs seeking to topple Boris Johnson by changing party rules to allow another no-confidence vote, probably in the autumn.“We shouldn’t even really be talking about it,” he said, ahead of crucial elections to the executive of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers next month.“We have had a vote, had a decision made,’ Mr Lewis told Times Radio, adding: “We all get on, we come together, we focus on delivering for people across all these policy areas where we are all in agreement.”The Northern Ireland Secretary also argued it is “absurd” for the EU to threaten a trade war with the UK over London’s plans to collapse the Northern Ireland Protocol – because sanctions on Russia have not been implemented fully.Both the Irish prime minister, Micheal Martin, and the European Commission vice president, Maros Sefcovic, have stepped up the war of words in recent days.But Mr Lewis said: “It’s absurd for people and Europe to be talking about that kind of language of a trade war, particularly when we’ve not yet seen Europe fully putting sanctions on Putin for an invasion of Ukraine.”He claimed: “What we’re talking about is fixing here some of the issues in terms of the implementation of the Protocol that is so detrimentally affecting Northern Ireland.”Mr Lewis also alleged that “the Jewish community can’t technically practise their religion” – reheating a previous row over the threat to imports of kosher food.And he said: “We have seen Stormont collapse. That means the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in all three strands is either under pressure or not functioning at the moment.”The Bill to override the Protocol, which Mr Johnson hailed as “fantastic” when he signed it in 2019, returns to the Commons on Monday. More

Boris Johnson appeared to backtrack on his pledge to cling onto power until the 2030s, as the prime minister faced claim he is “completely delusional” about winning three terms.Speaking in Rwanda about leading the Conservatives into the next election, he said: “Will I win? Yes,” before adding: “At the moment I’m actively thinking about the third term.”Asked at the G7 summit if he was being “delusional” about staying at No 10 until the next decade, the PM played down his remarks – suggesting he had been talking about the long-term ambitions of government.“What I’m saying is this is a government that is getting on with delivering for the people of this country and we’ve got a huge amount to do,” he told reporters as the summit in Germany got under way.No 10 had suggested the prime minister may have been joking with his remarks about a third term, but cabinet minister Brandon Lewis said on Sunday that the PM was serious.The Northern Ireland secretary said Mr Johnson’s desire to look “long term” when it comes to his own leadership “has got to be a good thing” – praising the PM’s “zest”.But Tory MPs hoping to see him ousted him before the next elections were scathing. One former supporter of the PM described his remarks as “completely delusional”.Another MP from a “red wall” seat also told The Observer that he was “showing increasing signs of a bunker mentality, and that never ends well”.Mr Johnson urged Tory MPs plotting to oust him not to focus on the issues he has “stuffed up” after his authority was further diminished by a Cabinet resignation.And he insisted questions over his leadership were now settled after the loss of Wakefield and Tiverton, claiming that the “endless churn” of claims against him were “driving people nuts”.But the attacks keep on coming. Damian Green, who chairs the One Nation caucus of Tory MPs, saying the government had to change “its style and content” – and called on cabinet members with leadership hopes to show their stripes.Former minister David Davis also lashed out at the PM’s claim the only argument of “substance” from his critics was for the UK to return to the EU single market – arguing this is “plainly not true of me, or many others”.Oliver Dowden resigned as Tory party co-chairman, saying he and Tory supporters were “distressed and disappointed by recent events” and telling the PM that “someone must take responsibility”.Speaking ahead of a bilateral meeting with French president Emmanuel Macron on Sunday morning, Mr Johnson said the “golden rule” was to “focus on what we are doing”.He said the immediate priorities were addressing the cost of living and “making sure that the UK continues to offer the kind of leadership around the world that I know our people want”. More