Markus Andrews

Sir David Amess was one of Westminster’s longest-serving MPs and known as a passionate champion of his Southend West constituency and a colourful and knowledgable presence in the House of Commons.His stabbing was a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of MPs who meet members of the public to discuss their concerns at constituency surgeries, usually on Fridays when they are free of parliamentary duties.It came after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox as she left a surgery in her West Yorkshire constituency in 2016, the stabbing of East Ham MP Stephen Timms as he spoke to constituents in 2010 and a samurai sword attack on Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, which killed an aide in Cheltenham in 2000.Many MPs have only recently restarted face-to-face meetings after 18 months in which coronavirus restrictions have limited them to phone and video discussions. Amid growing concern about their vulnerability to attack by terrorists, political opponents or angry members of the public, some have chosen to hold surgeries only in their own offices, where staff are present and panic buttons may be available.But Sir David advertised today’s surgery in a Leigh-on-Sea church on social media, inviting all-comers to book a meeting with him.Father-of-five Sir David, 69, was born in Plaistow, Essex, and first entered parliament in 1983 as MP for nearby Basildon, later moving to Southend West in 1997. His victory in Basildon in 1992 was seen as an early indicator of John Major’s surprise general election victory.Firmly on the traditional right wing of the Conservative party, he served as an aide to Michael Portillo during the Thatcher and Major administrations, but has not reached ministerial rank himself.Instead, he used the freedom of the backbenches to promote the interests of his constituency and to pursue personal concerns such as animal welfare and fuel poverty. He successfully ushered a bill banning cruel tethering of horses and ponies onto the statute book and was a strong supporter of the ban on fox-hunting.Fellow MPs described him as an affable and effervescent figure, who was respected and liked by colleagues from all sides of the House for his parliamentary expertise and his dogged determination to shoe-horn references to Southend into debates.As one of the most experienced MPs in the Commons, he served as a member of the Panel of Chairs, chairing committee sessions and Westminster Hall debates. A devout Roman Catholic, he voted against liberalisation of laws on abortion and assisted suicide and consistently opposed same-sex marriage.He was a long-standing eurosceptic and campaigned for Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum.As recently as last month, he spoke out about anti-social behaviour and violent crime, joining other MPs to warn of the dangers around one-punch assaults, which he said could have “a devastating and often life-threatening impact”.Amess was famously spoofed in an episode of satirical TV show Brass Eye, where presenter Chris Morris hoodwinked him into filming a warning against the fictional drug “cake” – even asking a question about the supposed threat in the Commons. He and wife Julia had one son and four daughters, including actress Katie Amess. He was knighted in 2015 for services to politics and public service. More

MP David Amess dead after stabbing at constituency surgeryConservative MP Sir David Amess has died after being stabbed during a constituency surgery in Essex.The attack took place at Belfair’s Methodist Church in Leigh at about midday. Essex Police said a 25-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder.Counter-terror police are involved in the early investigation.Sir David, who was first elected to parliament in 1983, leaves a wife and five children. He was 69.Show latest update

1634309359Calls for security review after stabbingSecurity arrangements for MPs should be reviewed in the wake of David Amess’ murder at a constituency surgery event, according to an ex-parliamentarian.Harvey Proctor, Sir David’s predecessor as Basildon representative, also paid tribute to the slain MP.He told the PA news agency: “The news that my friend David Amess has been attacked and died in his constituency is horrible.”David took over my Basildon constituency in 1983. My thoughts and best wishes go to his wife Julia and their children and his family.”He supported me in good times and in bad. He was a wonderful member of parliament for Basildon and Southend-on-Sea West.”It’s now time to consider again the security of MPs, especially when they are present at fixed events and times such as constituency surgeries.”Our parliamentary democracy is under threat and parliament must respond.”Sir David had advertised the surgery, which is a regular opportunity for constituents to air their views and seek assistance, on his Twitter page on Tuesday, giving the location and contact details to book an appointment.In another tribute statement, the former MP Denis Macshane reflected: “Five years ago Jo Cox. Now this. Rise of hate in politics in 21st century is so worrying.” Jon Sharman15 October 2021 15:491634308897Ex-PM Cameron says murder ‘devastating’David Cameron, the former PM, has called Sir David Amess’ murder “devastating”.Mr Cameron tweeted: “This is the most devastating, horrific & tragic news. David Amess was a kind & thoroughly decent man – & he was the most committed MP you could ever hope to meet. Words cannot adequately express the horror of what has happened today. Right now, my heart goes out to David’s family.”Jon Sharman15 October 2021 15:411634308477Read more: Tributes flood in for ‘hugely kind and good’ MPTributes have flooded in for the Conservative Party MP Sir David Amess after he was stabbed to death at a surgery meeting in his Essex constituency, writes Adam Forrest.Boris Johnson’s wife Carrie said the shocking news of Sir David’s death in Leigh-on-Sea on Friday was “absolutely devastating”.Ms Johnson added: “He was hugely kind and good. An enormous animal lover and a true gent. This is so completely unjust. Thoughts are with his wife and their children.”Jon Sharman15 October 2021 15:341634307841Tributes begin to come in for Sir DavidSir David Amess, who has died aged 69 after being stabbed during a constituency surgery in Essex, has been hailed as a “true parliamentarian” by colleagues.Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, said of the Southend West MP: “A dedicated, thoughtful man and a true parliamentarian, who lost his life while serving the constituents who he worked relentlessly for throughout his career. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.”And Sajid Javid, the health secretary, tweeted: “Devastated to learn of Sir David Amess’ murder. A great man, a great friend, and a great MP killed while fulfilling his democratic role. My heart goes out to Julia, his family, and all who loved him. Let us remember him and what he did with his life.”Michael Gove added: “David Amess’s passing is heart-breakingly sad. Just terrible, terrible news. He was a good and gentle man, he showed charity and compassion to all, his every word and act were marked by kindness. My heart goes out to his family.”Jon Sharman15 October 2021 15:241634306812Sir David Amess has died after being stabbedSir David Amess has died after being stabbed during a constituency surgery in Leigh, Essex.Essex Police said in a statement: “A man has been arrested on suspicion murder after a man was stabbed in Leigh on Sea.“We were called to Eastwood Road North shortly after 12.05pm.“Sadly, a man later died.“A man was arrested at the scene.“We are not looking for anyone else.”You can read our full report below:Jon Sharman15 October 2021 15:061634306737Brendan Cox condemns ‘attack on democracy’Brendan Cox, the widower of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, has commented on the attack on Sir David Amess.He wrote on Twitter: “Attacking our elected representatives is an attack on democracy itself. There is no excuse, no justification. It is as cowardly as it gets.”Jon Sharman15 October 2021 15:051634306497Eyewitness describes ‘distressing’ scenes after stabbing of MP David AmessEyewitness describes ‘distressing’ scenes after stabbing ff MP David AmessJon Sharman15 October 2021 15:011634305837David Amess: A profile of one of Westminster’s longest-serving MPsSir David Amess is one of Westminster’s longest-serving MPs and known as a passionate campaigner for his Southend West constituency, writes Andrew Woodcock.Today’s attack is a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of MPs who meet members of the public at constituency surgeries, usually on Fridays when they are free of parliamentary duties.It comes after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox as she left a surgery in her West Yorkshire constituency in 2016, the stabbing of East Ham MP Stephen Timms as he spoke to constituents in 2010 and a samurai sword attack on Liberal Democrat MP Nigel Jones, which killed an aide.Jon Sharman15 October 2021 14:501634305581Air ambulance waiting near sceneSir David Amess is still at the church where he was stabbed, the BBC cited a local councillor as saying.Live footage showed an air ambulance hovering nearby.Jon Sharman15 October 2021 14:461634305282More from Leigh More

Grants Shapps admits he can’t guarantee every product will be in stock at ChristmasLord Frost has distanced himself from reports of an imminent agreement with the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol, telling reporters in Brussels “there is still quite a big gap” between the bloc and the UK.Speaking as he arrived at the European Commission for talks with vice president Maros Sefcovic, the Brexit minister commended the EU for making “an effort in pushing beyond where they typically go in these areas” – adding the UK government was “quite encouraged”.However, he told reporters, the role of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in policing the Protocol remains an issue. It comes as post-Brexit supply chain issues continue to wreak havoc across Britain, with Grant Shapps admitting earlier he cannot say with absolute certainty “that every line of every product will be available” in the run up to Christmas – despite temporary changes to allow EU lorry drivers on British roads unlimited pick-ups and drop-offs.Pressed on comments he made just hours before about the holiday being safe, the transport secretary conceded to ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Goods and food will be available, maybe a few lines that you normally want to get aren’t, but I think it’s at that level, rather than … thinking Christmas will be cancelled”.Show latest update

1634281576Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s rolling UK politics coverage. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates on the same day transport secretary Grant Shapps claims Christmas will not be tinged by supply chain concerns. Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:061634281878Shapps eases rules for EU lorry drivers to tackle supply crisisEU lorry drivers on British roads will be allowed to make unlimited pick-ups and drop-offs as rules are temporarily relaxed by ministers in a bid to ease the supply crisis.Grant Shapps has altered limits on trading rights in order to allow more deliveries, reports Joe Middleton.The transport secretary said he hopes the waiver will help fix fuel and food shortages as complaints grow over empty shelves, though he denied the issues would impact Christmas. Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:111634282404UK handling HGV shortages ‘resiliently,’ claims ShappsGrant Shapps is, unsurprisingly, doing the media rounds this morning. The transport secretary first appeared on Sky News to say issues with supply chains are a problem internationally but they are being dealt with “resiliently” in the UK.He also warned “we shouldn’t report ourselves into a crisis”, in an apparent nod to the narrative in which news outlets are blamed for shortages that already exist. “We know that the globe has woken up after coronavirus with huge supply chain issues everywhere around the entire world,” Grant Shapps told the broadcaster. “In this country we have taken 24, now 25, different steps on the domestic side of that – the lorry drivers side of things – and we’re seeing it have a big impact.”He also claimed Britain now had “three times as many people applying to become lorry drivers every single day than before the crisis”.Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:201634282551Transport secretary says Christmas will not be ruined by shortages Next up, Grant Shapps said Christmas is not at risk from consumer shortages and there will be food and gifts come 25 December.Speaking on Times Radio, Grant Shapps said: “Unfortunately, unlike last year where there was a genuine question about whether we’ll be able to see friends and family and it was very restricted, that’s not the case.“Christmas will go ahead, we’ll be able to see our friends and families. There will be food, there will be gifts.”He blamed the “squeeze” on the “entire world’s supply chain” on post-Covid activity as well as the UK’s “expanding economy”.“But we’re taking a whole range of measures,” Mr Shapps said, “including one that I’m announcing today about the way lorry drivers from abroad pick up and drop things off … that will mean they can, in an unlimited way by Christmas, pick up and drop off goods within this country within a 14-day period.”Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:221634283247Port boss questions government’s confidence on supply issuesThe head of a port group has said that despite the government saying the supply chain crisis is getting better, we should not “fool ourselves”.Tim Morris, head of the Major Ports Group, told Sky News: “This week has seen improvements in what we call stack levels, so the amount of containers, for example, sat on the ground. But let’s not fool ourselves, it has been an extraordinarily busy 12 months now.“And what we’ve seen over the last week, fortnight, have been some of the UK supply chain congestion issues sort of matching up and catching ports … between surging global demand and shipping and very congested inland here in the UK.”Despite this warning, though, Mr Morris said while there will be “one or two bumps in the road” he is “confident” in supply chains ahead of Christmas.Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:341634283532Pig industry ‘positive’ after govt issues 800 visas to butchersA leading pig vet has said there is a “general positive feeling” in the industry after the government decided to issue up to 800 foreign butchers with temporary visas over fears that as many as 150,000 British pigs could be culled due to a backlog in abbatoirs.Duncan Berkshire told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme there was a “light at the end of the tunnel” after Boris Johnson “and the government have indeed now listened, that they’ve engaged properly this week, which has been a relief, and there is an element of a light at the end of that tunnel”.Speaking about the incoming butchers, he added: “We need that to be swift, we need them to be over here as soon as possible and we need them to be on the butchery lines as soon as possible.”Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:381634283611Government to let 800 more foreign butchers into UKFollowing my last post, here’s some more detail on the decision to let up to 800 foreign butchers work in the UK temporarily. The government announced that pork butchers from overseas can apply up until 31 December for the visas that would allow them to work in the UK for six months.The move is temporary, and the scheme is in addition to foreign butchers already being eligible since December 2020 to apply to come to the UK through the existing skilled worker route, reports Adam Forrest.Under the plans, there will also be funding for additional meat storage, moves to introduce processing of animals on Saturdays, and the potential for longer working hours.Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:401634283913RHA slams ‘pathetic’ decision to allow non-UK drivers ‘unlimited’ workIt seems not everyone in the industry is happy about the government easing cabotage rules for foreign lorry drivers. Rod McKenzie, managing director of policy and public affairs of the Road Haulage Association, said changing the visa processes for overseas hauliers amounted to “taking work from British operators and drivers”.“I spoke to some of our members last night and they were appalled – ‘ridiculous, pathetic, gobsmacked’ were some of their more broadcastable comments,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.He continued:“The government has been talking about a high-wage, high-skill economy and not pulling the lever marked ‘uncontrolled immigration’, and to them this is exactly what it looks like.“Allowing overseas companies and drivers to come over for perhaps up to six months on a fortnightly basis to do unlimited work at low rates, undercutting UK hauliers.“So this is about taking work from British operators and drivers and giving it to Europeans who don’t pay tax here and pay peanuts to their drivers.”Mr McKenzie then told the BBC “cabotage is sabotage” before logging off. Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:451634284121Queen’s remarks on Cop26 ‘should have stayed private,’ says ShappsSome news on the Queen now. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said this morning comments made by the monarch, suggesting she is irritated by a lack of action in tackling the climate crisis, should have “stayed in private”. Asked about the remarks, which including the 95-year-old royal saying she found it “irritating” when world leaders “talk but don’t do”, Mr Shapps told Sky News: “I think comments made in private should stay private, but we all share the desire to see progress made and we know there will be hundreds of leaders coming to Glasgow for Cop.”“We will wait to see whether it lives up to – whether they all live up to – expectation, it’s very important we get this job done.”The Queen had been attending an event at the Welsh Senedd when her conversation with the Duchess of Cornwall and a presiding officer was picked up on the live stream. “I don’t think her comments were for broadcast,” Mr Shapps repeated.Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:481634284715In case you missed it: Queen’s anger at ‘irritating’ world leaders who ‘talk but don’t do’Queen’s Cop26 anger at ‘irritating’ world leaders who ‘talk, but don’t do’Sam Hancock15 October 2021 08:58 More

The government is threatening to stop granting visas to entire countries if they are “not cooperating” with attempted deportations from the UK.Proposals contained in amendments to the controversial Nationality and Borders Bill would allow Priti Patel to slow or suspend visa services, or increase charges, based on her “opinion” and any matters she “considers appropriate”.Campaigners branded the powers “simply oppressive” amid concerns that they could spark tit-for-tat diplomatic retaliation affecting British citizens wanting to travel for work, holidays or to see family.The law, being added to the bill more than three months after it was published, would apply to failed asylum seekers, foreign national offenders and anyone deemed to have no legal right to remain in the UK.The Home Office has not said how many people they are unable to deport because of a lack of cooperation, or what nations are presenting an issue.It said the powers would “incentivise other countries to cooperate with the UK government to remove those who have no right to be in the country”, but presented no evidence that would be the case.The home secretary said: “The UK has a proud history of being open to the world but we rightly expect our international partners to work with us to remove those who have no right to be in the UK, such as dangerous foreign national offenders. “It is unfair on UK citizens and taxpayers that pressure is put on our public services by foreign nationals with no legal right to be here. ”Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said “penalising” someone – whether by refusing their application or increasing the fee – because the Home Office had an issue deporting somebody else was “simply oppressive”. “It should not be given yet more arbitrary power – Parliament should throw out this measure along with much else in the Nationality and Borders Bill,” he added.The law would create a sliding scale of penalties for targeted countries, from imposing an £190 surcharge on applications to come to the UK, increasing visa processing times or suspending visas entirely.It applies to all kinds of visas, including for visitors, study and settlement in Britain, but the block could be waived for individuals in “exceptional circumstances”.The draft law says the power can be used where “the government of the country is not cooperating in relation to the return to the country from the UK of any of its nationals or citizens, who require leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom but do not have it”.Issues include countries’ willingness to identify citizens and provide documentation, or allow people to be transported there by the UK. The home secretary will take into account existing return arrangements, the “extent of the lack of cooperation” and reasons for it. Any penalty would be reviewed after two months.Other government amendments to the Nationality and Borders Bill revealed on Friday include introducing “scientific” age assessments for child asylum seekers and moves to establish an Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme. The law also makes it a criminal offence for asylum seekers to reach the UK in small boats or by other irregular means, and provides a legal defence for Border Force personnel if they kill refugees during planned push-back operations at sea. More

Climate change campaigners have warned that government plans to phase out gas boilers are not ambitious enough to deliver on UK commitments to cut carbon emissions.Long-heralded plans to end the sale of new gas boilers by 2035 are set to be confirmed when Boris Johnson launches strategies for net-zero emissions and heat and buildings at the start of next week, just a fortnight before he chairs the United Nations COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow.The boiler upgrade scheme will also include a £5,000 grant for householders who switch early to heat pump systems to warm their homes in a more green way.But campaigners warned that the cash on offer will not be enough to fund the installation of new-style heating systems which cost around £6-8,000 per home for air source pumps or £10-18,000 to extract heat from the ground.Friends of the Earth head of science, policy and research Mike Childs told The Independent that grants on this scale would provide incentives only for well-off households.“Heat pumps have to be affordable for every household to install and run and a £5,000 grant doesn’t cut the mustard,” said Mr Childs. “In time costs will come down of course, but the government needs to bridge the gap more. “If we are going to get ahead on climate change, we have to upgrade and update home heating and switch to heat pumps which are a smart and simple tech – a bit like a reverse fridge because they take heat naturally stored in the air or ground, compress it and pump it into homes.”He added: “This scheme has huge potential but only if accompanied by grants for home insulation, and a training programme to skill-up thousands of young people to be heat pump engineers. The climate friendly jobs aspect of a massive programme to replaces boilers that burn gas means it’s well worth government investing properly now.”Despite widespread support for measures to combat climate change, recent surveys suggest that as few as 6 per cent of consumers have installed low-carbon central heating systems – such as pumps, hydrogen-fuelled boilers and heating networks – in their homes.First promised in July, the heat and buildings strategy has been delayed by wrangles with Tory MPs sceptical of the cost to consumers of making the change.Government sources said that the 2035 date for ending the sale of new gas boilers had been chosen to reassure consumers that no-one will be forced to tear out heating systems from their homes.Ministers believe the 14-year run-in time to the ban will grant householders and landlords an incentive to opt for green alternatives when they next upgrade boilers, rather than facing an expensive decision to bring work forward. And even after 2035, existing gas boilers will be permitted to remain until they reach the end of their lives.Unveiling the plans on Monday or Tuesday next week, Mr Johnson will say that he wants to incentivise householders to make the change to green heating as part of his pledge to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.And, with gas prices currently spiking to unprecedented levels, he will say that the switch will reduce UK exposure to price instability on fossil fuels imported from abroad.But Greenpeace UK head of climate Kate Blagojevic said the government’s plans did not go far enough.“While £5,000 grants and a 2035 boiler phase-out date are a decent start, they aren’t ambitious enough to adequately tackle emissions from homes or support low income households to switch,” said Ms Blagojevic.“What’s also missing from these reports is any mention of a programme to insulate the UK’s millions of draughty homes.“Low-carbon heating must go hand in hand with improving energy efficiency. You can’t have one without the other.“Then it’s up to the chancellor to deliver the required £12bn a year in his Spending Review to make cutting emissions from homes a reality.“Without these other key elements, the strategy will be like a builder who comes without his tools and simply won’t be up the job.” More

The Brexit brawl kicked into high gear Friday on sticking points over Northern Ireland and French fishing, coming almost a year after a deal on a free trade agreement was supposed to have officially sealed the separation between the European Union and the United Kingdom. The top Brexit negotiators from both sides entered talks again, with troublesome trade issues in Northern Ireland taking center stage. If they fail to find a common solution, the suspension of the trade deal and even retaliatory measures might be possible between the two. The EU is looking for a deal by Christmas. “Obviously, there is still quite a big gap. And that’s what we’ve got to work through,” U.K. chief negotiator David Frost said as he entered a lunch meeting with his EU counterpart, Maros Sefcovic. Making matters worse, fish might also be pushed onto the menu, with French fishermen more vocal about blocking ports for what they see as British duplicitousness in refusing to grant them all the fishing licenses they want. While fishing licenses might be easily solved with some goodwill, the standoff over Northern Ireland is different and fundamental.Northern Ireland is U.K. territory but effectively remained part of the EU’s borderless trading market for goods when the U.K. left the bloc last year, causing practical problems for businesses and institutional wrangling over which side is in charge of what.The U.K. also is insisting the EU cede final legal oversight by its top court of any disputes on Northern Ireland trade and instead make them subject to independent arbitration, something the 27-nation bloc is flatly rejecting. “The governance arrangements as we have them don’t work,” Frost said. “We need to take the (EU) court out of the system as it is now, and we need to find a better way forward.”Beyond rejecting any moves on the court, the EU is proposing concessions to the U.K. on how to ease transport and customs between Britain and Northern Ireland. Under the new rules put in place this year, goods must be checked between Britain and Northern Ireland and meet EU standards. Sefcovic proposed changes that he said could cut checks on food, plants and animals by 80% and paperwork for transport companies in half. He said some trucks crossing the Irish Sea from Britain into Northern Ireland could see their red tape reduced from 100 forms to just one.Frost acknowledged that the EU had seized the initiative. “The EU have definitely made a good effort in pushing beyond where they typically go in these areas, and we’re quite encouraged by that, but obviously there is still quite a big gap,” he said.Sefcovic sounded more optimistic after visiting Northern Ireland on Thursday. “I believe that we could be in the home stretch with our proposals on the table,” Sefcovic told the BBC. “Let’s try to solve all these issues before Christmas, because I think that would be the best Christmas gift we can give to the people of Northern Ireland.” The fishing issue, however, is making post-Brexit relations even tougher, especially with key EU member state France.France wants its EU partners to act as one if London won’t grant more licenses for small French fishing boats to roam close to the U.K. crown dependencies of Jersey and Guernsey, just off France’s Normandy coast. French fishermen on the English Channel are now threatening blockades in ports like Calais and Boulogne, something that could have a quick and direct impact on trade with the U.K. ___Associated Press writer Jill Lawless contributed from London.___Follow AP’s coverage of post-Brexit developments at https://apnews.com/hub/Brexit More

The European Union reiterated Friday that anti-Semitism “has no place” in the 27-nation bloc after Slovenian Prime minister Janez Jansa posted a message on social media that was criticized by some European lawmakers as anti-Semitic.Jansa, whose country currently holds the rotating EU Council presidency, accused several members of the European Parliament of being “puppets” of George Soros. The Hungarian-American billionaire investor, who is Jewish has been the subject of anti-Semitic attacks and conspiracy theories for decades.Jansa made his comments on Twitter during a visit to Slovenia by a European Parliament delegation assessing press freedom and the rule of law in the Balkan state. “Social media should be a space for constructive and respectful debate,” said European Commission spokesman for rule of law, Christian Wigand. “It should not be a place for personal attacks, against individuals, be it private or public figures, as was the case with the tweet you mention.”Wigand added that anti-Semitism is not “only a threat to Jewish communities but also to an open and diverse society.” Jansa was also involved in a Twitter clash with Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte who said he condemned the “tasteless” tweet “in the strongest possible terms,” and that he had conveyed the message to the Slovenian ambassador in The Hague. Jansa responded by urging Rutte not to “waste time with ambassadors and media freedom in Slovenia” and instead “protect your journalists from being killed on the streets.” That was an apparent reference to the murder of crime reporter Peter R. de Vries in Amsterdam.The EU has repeatedly expressed concerns about media freedom in Slovenia.Jansa has long been under scrutiny for keeping a stranglehold on the country’s only news agency, STA The head of the agency has recently stepped down over a new public service contract that would dictate the way it is funded.Jansa, a nationalist politician with close links to hardline Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, insists that much of Slovenia’s media is biased against him, but he said in July that the funding issue would be resolved this fall.Earlier this year. the EU’s executive arm condemned Jansa for a series of aggressive comments he made about journalists. More

The UK’s supply chain problems have been much more intense than those suffered in the EU because of Brexit, a senior French minister has said.Finance minister Bruno Le Maire said the UK could not adapt to labour shortages as well as countries on the continent because it quit the single market and no longer enjoyed free movement.“We are facing the same situation,” said Le Maire on supply issues in France. “But the fact that we are a member of a very important single market helps us facing these bottlenecks.”Speaking to the BBC after the G7 meeting in Washington, Le Maire said France was coping better with because of its membership in the EU.“I think it [the single market] is helping us because we can have access to other job markets. When you are asking for some more people in restaurants, in hotels, for truck drivers, for instance, you have access to other labour markets.”Le Maire held talks chancellor Rishi Sunak and other G7 finance ministers in the US capital this week – where major powers discussed co-operation on global supply chain issues and ways to reduce dependence on China and east Asia.“We share the same values within the G7 … we share the same approach on the economic issues on trade, so building these new value chains, among partners and among friends might be one of the solutions,” he said.But in pointed remarks, Le Maire claimed the UK had chosen to reduce its clout on the international stage by leaving one the world’s three big economic powers.“I don’t want to criticise the British approach because this [Brexit] is the sovereign choice made by the British people,” said the senior figure in Emmanuel Macron’s government.“But you know, when you have a careful look at the current world situation, you have in the right side, the United States, on the other side, the rise of China, then there is one single place left – and this will not be for the UK. This will be for Europe. Let’s be clear about that.”Boris Johnson’s government continues to claim supply issues are a global problem as Britain suffers from empty shelves in the supermarket, disruption to fuel supply and a backlog at ports.Transport secretary Grant Shapps claimed on Friday that “our supply chain is pretty robust” – but could not guarantee there would not be shortages in the run-up to Christmas.The cabinet minister also claimed the country’s problems would not be solved by returning to uncontrolled immigration – but was accused of hypocrisy by the organisation representing lorry drivers.Shapps has announced emergency plans to lift the limit on the number of deliveries foreign lorry drivers can make in the UK for up to six months. But the Road Haulage Association (RHA) complained that it would undercut British drivers.“Allowing overseas companies and drivers to come over for perhaps up to six months on a fortnightly basis to do unlimited work at low rates, undercutting UK hauliers,” said the RHA’s Rod McKenzie.The haulage boss added: “The government has been talking about … not pulling the lever marked ‘uncontrolled immigration’ … this is exactly what it looks like.”Olaf Scholz, the man set to replace Angela Merkel as German chancellor, also recently suggested Brexit was a factor in the particular acute supply issues experienced in the UK.“The free movement of labour is part of the European Union,” said the SPD leader last month. “We worked very hard to convince the British not to leave the union. Now they decided different and I hope they will manage the problems coming from that.” More