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Boris Johnson denies snubbing Sein Fein’s call for a meeting on Belfast tripThe government deliberately undermined trust with the EU by moving to unilaterally extend the post-Brexit grace period, Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said.The UK decided to extend the grace period – allowing importers time to adjust to new checks and procedures at the border – without EU approval, but the bloc has won backing from member states for legal action against the decision.“I hope there won’t be legal action as it could reinforce the division, I hope we can resolve this through discussion,” Mr Coveney said in an interview with The Times.“But David Frost is an experienced negotiator, this was a deliberate move. They must have calculated it would undermine the trust between London and Brussels.”The prime minister said he did not think arrangements he agreed with the EU would involve restrictions on the movements of food products such as sausages, on parcel deliveries and on soil from Great Britain entering Northern Ireland.Meanwhile, official statistics revealed goods sales to the EU fell 40.7 per cent in January, with experts blaming Brexit for a large chunk of the lost exports.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShow latest update
1615645145‘You’d need 4 or 5 Americas to replicate trade we lost leaving single market’Stephanie Flanders, head of economics at Bloomberg, said economists concluded that even an extraordinary trade deal with the US would not come close to replacing the trade lost through Brexit.“You’d need to find four or five Americas to do a trade deal with and unfortunately there is only one America, there’s only one economy we could get that kind of benefit from,” she told BBC Newsnight.Liam James13 March 2021 14:191615643285Ireland’s foreign minister accuses UK of ‘perverse nationalism’ over US trade approachSimon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister accused, the UK of “perverse nationalism” and “narrow-minded thinking” in attempting to race ahead of the EU to reach a trade deal with Washington alone.In his Times interview, Mr Coveney said: “The idea that Britain can get their first is narrow-minded thinking, frankly. It’s a perverse nationalism when actually Britain and the EU should work together as partners.”When later pressed on his remark in a separate interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Coveney appeared to soften his language, saying: “I was asked a question about a transatlantic trade deal and I said I don’t think it makes any sense for some in the UK to see this as a race to see who can get a trade deal with the US first.”He added: “We should be looking at a transatlantic trade deal that involves the EU, the UK, the US and Canada and others if they want to be involved.“We all run economies that are based on very similar rules and structures and in my view a transatlantic relationship involving Britain should be a powerful one economically and globally.”Liam James13 March 2021 13:481615641845Politicians remember Dunblane massacre 25 years onSeveral politicians have marked the 25th anniversary of the Dunblane massacre, in which 16 primary school pupils and their teacher were killed by a mass shooter.Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon said the victims are “forever in our hearts” and flags at the Scottish parliament were lowered to half-mast in memory. Residents of the small, Scottish town where the massacre took place will mark the occasion privately as ever, a local minister said.The first minister was joined by Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Tories, in marking the anniversary.Boris Johnson also spared thoughts for the victims and survivors of the tragedy.Liam James13 March 2021 13:241615639768‘National Day of Reflection’ to be held on the anniversary of start of Covid lockdownA “National Day of Reflection” will be held on the anniversary of the start of the Covid-19 lockdown, with the backing of political leaders including Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer, Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford.On Tuesday 23 March – a year after a sombre Boris Johnson imposed the first lockdown – a nationwide minute’s silence will be held at midday, bells will tool and and, at 8pm, prominent buildings and iconic landmarks will be lit up across the UK. Several other events will also be staged to mark the occasion.The prime minister has thrown his weight behind the idea, saying: “My thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones, and who have not been able to pay tribute to them in the way they would have wanted.”Liam James13 March 2021 12:491615637798Ministers reopen consultation on how to tackle violence against women and girls in wake of Sarah Everard caseThe government is seeking further views from the public on how to tackle violence against women and girls in response to calls for attitudes to change following the Sarah Everard case, with many saying the onus should be on men to stop the attacks.The Home Office is reopening a public consultation that will help shape an update of its strategy on tackling violence against women and girls.An online survey forming part of the consultation had received more than 15,000 responses from across the UK. Now, many more people are expected to give their views.Liam James13 March 2021 12:161615636209‘World too divided’ for EU and UK competition, says CoveneyCompetition between the UK and EU following Brexit has got out of hand, Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said in his Times interview.Touting his anglophile credentials, a love of cricket and lager among them, Mr Coveney shared his fears over the competitive nature of the two sides’ new relationship. “We need to work together as friends and neighbours as opposed to seeing this as some kind of arm wrestle between the UK and EU where one side tries to get one over on the other,” Mr Coveney said, referring to attempts by both sides to woo America’s new president and the UK’s boasts over its successful vaccine rollout.“The world is too divided a place for the EU and the UK to have that kind of fractious relationship,” he said.“Rather than the EU and UK competing for attention in Washington, looking to be first to do a trade deal, it makes sense for UK, EU and US and Canada to do one together.” “This idea that Britain can get there first is narrow minded thinking, frankly. It’s a perverse nationalism when actually Britain and the EU should work together as partners.”Liam James13 March 2021 11:501615634138Government intentionally undermined trust between UK and EU, says Irish foreign minister The government’s move to unilaterally extend the post-Brexit grace period for goods shipped into Northern Ireland must have been calculated to “undermine the trust” between the UK and EU, Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said.The UK decided to extend the grace period – allowing importers time to adjusto new checks and procedures at the border – without EU approval, but member states have backed a proposal by the European Commission to take legal action against the decision.“This move this week by the British government will force a much more rigid legalistic approach to negotiation because there simply isn’t the relationship and the trust there to find a way forward,” Mr Coveney said in an interview with The Times.“I hope there won’t be legal action as it could reinforce the division, I hope we can resolve this through discussion.“But David Frost is an experienced negotiator, this was a deliberate move. They must have calculated it would undermine the trust between London and Brussels.” More

Ireland’s foreign minister has accused the UK of “perverse nationalism” and “narrow-minded thinking” in attempting to race ahead of the EU to reach a trade deal with Washington alone.Calling for a more collaborative effort, Simon Coveney said that rather than “competing for attention” in Joe Biden’s administration, Britain, the EU, the US and Canada should work together to come to a joint agreement.In an interview with The Times, however, he also reiterated concerns about trust in the UK as a negotiating partner being weakened after the unilateral decision to extend the so-called “grace period” in the Northern Ireland Protocol.But addressing the prospect of a US trade deal — something desired by Brexiteers who argued for an independent trading policy — Mr Coveney claimed there was “enough division and competition globally rather than creating more locally”.“Rather than the EU and UK competing for attention in Washington, looking to be the first to do a trade deal, it makes sense for UK, EU and US and Canada to do one together,” he said.“The idea that Britain can get their first is narrow-minded thinking, frankly. It’s a perverse nationalism when actually Britain and the EU should work together as partners.”When pressed on his remark in a separate interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Coveney appeared to soften his language, saying: “I was asked a question about a transatlantic trade deal and I said I don’t think it makes any sense for some in the UK to see this as a race to see who can get a trade deal with the US first.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayHe added: “We should be looking at a transatlantic trade deal that involves the EU, the UK, the US and Canada and others if they want to be involved. “We all run economies that are based on very similar rules and structures and in my view a transatlantic relationship involving Britain should be a powerful one economically and globally.”His call for a joint trade deal is unlikely to be accepted by No 10, as Mr Johnson has often touted a transatlantic trade agreement between the UK and the US as a benefit of leaving the bloc and has previously said it will “reflect the unique closeness of our two great nations”.Speaking after a damaging row between the EU and the UK over the Northern Ireland Protocol, Mr Coveney also told The Times: “It has reinforced an awful lot of the doubts in Brussels about whether or not this really is a British government we can rely on to be a trusted partner when it comes to implementing what has already been agreed.”The grace period – a temporary relaxation of checks for supermarkets and suppliers – was put in place to allow firms time to adapt to new trade barriers across the Irish Sea and was due to expire at the end of March.Speaking on Friday, Boris Johnson told a virtual press conference on a visit to Northern Ireland that the Protocol needed to be “corrected”.“You can’t have a situation in which soil or parcels or tractors with mud on their tyres or whatever are prevented from moving easily from one part of the UK to another — it’s all one United Kingdom,” he said.The prime minister added: “What I didn’t want to see was loads of checks on stuff going from GB to NI in such a way as to interrupt trade and to confuse and irritate people.”“I didn’t want to see barriers to the circulation of sausages and tractors with mud on their tyres and all the rest of it, and nor did I think that would be necessary and I think that’s why we put in the easements we have, because I think it’s sensible for there to be some balance in this and I think there’s a commonsensical way forward and that’s what we want to have.” In a separate interview, the cabinet minister Brandon Lewis admitted a tweet posted by the government’s Northern Ireland Office claiming there “will be no border” in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern Ireland after Brexit had not stood the test of time.He told the News letter newspaper: “That tweet has not stood the test of time very well and you’ve got to try to learn from those experience; you’ve got to fall down a bit to know how to get back up… I’ll make sure that I’m bearing those issues in mind when I tweet in the future.” More

Boris Johnson is facing a major Conservative rebellion unless ministers accept the so-called genocide amendment that aims to prevent trade deals with countries deemed to be committing atrocities.The Independent has been told that at least 30 Tory MPs could defy the whip when the Trade Bill returns to the Commons on 22 March — potentially threatening the prime minister’s considerable majority.Spearheaded by the crossbench peer Lord Alton, the original proposal would have forced ministers to review any bilateral trade agreements with countries the High Court had determined to have committed acts of genocide.After the government narrowly avoided defeat in January, the fresh amendment has stripped out mention of the High Court and instead calls for the creation of a “parliamentary judicial committee” of five members of the Lords who have held senior positions in the judiciary.The body would examine claims of abuses and make a “preliminary determination” on whether there is sufficient evidence that a country party to a trade agreement with Britain has carried out genocide. If a determination is made a minister must respond to parliament and the government would be under immense pressure to review any trading relationship.Speaking to The Independent, the former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, said: “Many MPs in the Commons who weren’t sure, didn’t want to vote for a court of law, see that this is a compromise. This is the right way to go”.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayThe senior MP, who has held discussions with senior ministers over the issue, added: “It’s a compromise that utilises the incredible skills and experience of the Lords by using retired law Lords — you can’t get anybody better to sift evidence and to understand it.“It’s not a court, so the government’s concern about it going to a court is met. It stays in parliament. They kept saying we voted for Brexit so parliament will be stronger — answer is parliament will be stronger.”Imran Khan, a member of the 2019 intake of Tory MPs who is considering voting for the measure, added: “I am a really, truly loyal Conservative who supports the prime minister with great enthusiasm and it causes me great personal grief and torment to be divergent on a matter of policy with a government I support.”While the amendment does not specifically mention China, Tory MPs have become increasingly vocal about the treatment of the Uighur people. Despite denials from Chinese authorities, the United States has accused Beijing of genocide while the BBC, which is now banned in country, has reported allegations of women in “re-education” camps being systematically raped, sexually abused and tortured.Nusrat Ghani — a former government minister who is supporting the amendment — asked: “We have tremendous world-leading standards on the environment, on dealing with animal welfare, why would we not have world leading standards to ensure that we’re not offering preferential trade deals with genocidal states?”.Another Tory MP backing the measure, Bob Blackman, said: “We’ve got to be very cautious about trading with countries, such as China, when they treat the Uighur Muslims in such a disgraceful way.”The sort of compromise we’ve suggested is one that I think everyone should be able to live with.”Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy claimed that the despite ministers’ “tough talk” on China the government was “privately talking up the prospects of a free trade deal” with Beijing.She told The Independent: “When the amendment returns to the Commons later this month, MPs from all sides will have an opportunity to send a clear message to the world that genocide can never be met with indifference, impunity or inaction. It is time for the government to show moral leadership and be unequivocal in our commitment to upholding human rights.”However, No 10 has shown no sign of agreeing to the compromise amendment and when it was being debated in the upper chamber last month, minister Lord Grimstone claimed the “establishment of an ad hoc parliamentary judicial committee would represent a fundamental constitutional reform”.“It would blur the distinction between courts and parliament and upset the constitutional separation of powers,” he claimed. “Ultimately, the question of how we respond to concerns of genocide as it relates to our trade policy is a political question”.Chinese ambassador confronted with footage appearing to show blindfolded Uighur Muslims being led onto trainReferring to Dominic Raab’s speech last month in which he hit out the “industrial scale” of abuse against the Uighur people, Lord Alton, who proposed the revised amendment, said: “You’ve got the foreign secretary making a superb speech to the UN human rights council saying this is on an industrial scale and describing in shocking terms and accurately the torture, the forced labour, the forced sterilisation of women, saying it’s extreme and extensive.“Meanwhile you’ve got the resumption of restoring trade arrangements with China, which were suspended in the aftermath of what happened in Hong Kong.”He added: “This is all tied with this conflict that goes on within government, where part of government still believes we’ve got a golden age opportunity with China as part of George Osborne’s legacy and you’ve got another part of it — Dominic Raab and others — saying what is happening in Xinjiang is comparable to things that we thought we’d never see again.” More

British exports to the EU plunged by more than 40 per cent in January – the first month since the Brexit transition period ended.It was the biggest monthly decline in 20 years, and imports from the EU also fell by a significant amount – around 29 per cent. The government has said to be careful interpreting the numbers. Brexit minister Lord Frost, who negotiated the deal, said a “unique combination of factors made it inevitable that we would see some unusual figures”. More

The headline figures seem to say it all. In January – the first month after the end of the post-Brexit transition – UK exports to the rest of Europe collapsed by 40 per cent, according to the latest official trade figures from the Office for National Statistics.By contrast exports to non-EU countries rose slightly in the month.This seems to be clear evidence that Brexit is having the negative impact on UK exporters to the EU that businesses and economists warned about so loudly. More

The majority of Britons believe Brexit has been bad for the economy and trade, according to new polling for The Independent. The findings offer the first indication that the damage caused by leaving the EU’s single market and customs union in January is cutting through with voters.Official statistics showed on Friday a precipitous 40.7 per cent fall in goods sales to the EU in January, with experts blaming Brexit for a large chunk of the lost exports. The slump – which also saw imports from the EU decline by 28.8 per cent – represented the largest monthly decline in trade with the UK’s largest commercial partner since records began in 1997.Boris Johnson’s Brexit minister, Lord Frost, blamed the effect of pre-Christmas stockpiling by businesses and Covid lockdowns reducing the demand for goods on the continent. He also said the number of lorries going to and from the EU were now back to normal levels – though experts pointed out that many were returning to the continent empty.Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayThe Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed no similar falls in Britain’s trade with non-EU countries, in apparently firm evidence that Brexit red tape was to blame.Professor Thomas Sampson of the London School of Economics said that the figures represent a “major shock”, with Brexit “likely to be the primary explanation”. Worst-affected sectors had seen massive declines, such as 83 per cent in fish and shellfish exports and 73 per cent for live animals.John Springford at the Centre for European Reform calculated that Brexit had reduced Britain’s total goods trade by £16bn (22 per cent), on top of a 10 per cent reduction in volume in the years after the 2016 referendum.Prof Sampson told The Independent that some sort of bounce-back could be expected in the coming months as “teething problems” are dealt with. But he said a steady decline was then likely, both due to new import checks – deferred this week to 2022 as Michael Gove admitted the UK was not ready – and permanent barriers to trade which will be exacerbated if London diverges from Brussels rules.“If anything like these numbers goes on in the future, it means businesses that were previously viable based on exporting to the EU will no longer be viable and will shut down, and people will lose their jobs,” said Prof Sampson. Friday’s poll by Savanta ComRes showed that 39 per cent thought Brexit had so far been bad for trade, against just 18 per cent who said it had been good, while 37 per cent rated it bad for the UK economy, compared to 25 per cent who said its effects have been beneficial.It also suggests voters have yet to feel a Brexit impact on their pockets, with 26 per cent reporting an improved financial position and 18 per cent worse since the start of the year. Some 36 per cent said the UK’s standing in the world had improved, against 27 per cent who believed it had deteriorated.Some 32 per cent said the UK government was principally to blame for disruption to trade, against 30 per cent who named Brussels and 27 per cent who said they were equally culpable.Participants were split 50-50 on whether they would vote to Remain or Leave in a referendum held now, and 54 per cent said they would vote to stay out, compared to 46 per cent who want to rejoin the EU.Professor Anand Menon, director of the thinktank UK in a Changing Europe, said the figures indicated that voters are likely to hang onto their views from the time of the referendum unless they feel a direct financial hit.“For quite a while there has been a general drift among voters – including Leave voters – towards thinking that Brexit will be bad for the economy,” he told The Independent. “But whether that translates neatly into seeing Brexit as a bad idea is a lot less clear. The simple answer is no, it doesn’t. “There’s still very little evidence for believers changing their minds, which indicates either that they’re willing to take an economic hit for the sake of Brexit, or they think that the sort of economics we’re talking about won’t impact on them. Many people would say ‘Yes, it’s bad for trade, but I don’t trade’.Prof Sampson said there were moments when apparent technical changes to trade policy have the power to spark a bitter political backlash, as seen with the decline of heavy industry in the US “rust belt”.“It will be very interesting to see whether there is a similar backlash to Brexit in the UK triggered by the hits we are seeing to agriculture and fishing,” he said.In a pamphlet for the Tony Blair Institute, former Foreign Office trade expert Anton Spisak said that economic frictions in Northern Ireland will “likely get worse in the short term”, with a “regulatory gulf” adding new costs and barriers to trade as London separates from EU rules.Failure by the UK to comply with the Northern Ireland Protocol could lead to court cases and attempts by Brussels to impose fines, risking a breakdown in trust and tit-for-tat tariff war, he warnedWith mutual mistrust liable to test the protocol “to the point of destruction” and a Stormont vote on its continuation due in 2024, the durability of the arrangements negotiated by Mr Johnson in 2019 is “uncertain”, he said.Unless London drops its “denialism” about the customs border in the Irish Sea and both sides agree to negotiate an “equivalence” deal on animal health checks and minimise barriers, the UK and EU face “the gradual disintegration of their relations into a fractious relationship that will serve no-one,” he warned.Savanta ComRes interviewed 2,129 UK adults between 5 and 7 March More

£15bn spending cut is ‘change in forecast’, Sunak saysThe prime minister’s Brexit negotiator has sought to downplay official figures showing UK goods exports to the EU plunged by a record 40.7 per cent in January after the end of the transition period.UK gross domestic product (GDP) is also estimated to have fallen by 2.9 per cent in January, as government restrictions reduced economic activity.David Frost said a “unique combination of factors” made it “inevitable” there would be some “unusual figures” in January.He added that “caution should be applied” when interpreting statistics because there were many other factors at play, such as coronavirus lockdowns, aside from Brexit.Meanwhile, Arlene Foster has urged Boris Johnson to “stand up for Northern Ireland” and ditch the “intolerable” Northern Ireland protocol governing Irish Sea trade post-Brexit.Ms Foster, Stormont’s first minister and DUP leader, welcomed Mr Johnson’s announcement setting out plans to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland’s formation, but said: “The prime minister must also stand up for Northern Ireland and replace the Protocol, which is damaging to the economic and constitutional position of Northern Ireland.”She added: “We need the prime minister to act to deliver unfettered trade from GB to NI and to restore the balance of relationships between East-West as well as North-South.”Inside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayInside Politics newsletterThe latest news on Brexit, politics and beyond direct to your inbox every weekdayShow latest update
1615559591Proposals to help make school uniforms more affordable clears CommonsProposals to help make school uniforms more affordable have moved closer to becoming law.The Education (Guidance About Costs of School Uniform) Bill, which would make guidance given to schools about the cost of uniform policies legally binding, cleared its final stages in the House of Commons after a lengthy debate.The proposed legislation aims to keep branded items, such as blazers, to a minimum in order to cut the cost of school uniforms for parents.Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 14:331615558704Prime minister in ‘listening mode’ during ‘frank’ conversations on Northern Ireland tripPrime minister Boris Johnson has held “frank” conversations with the DUP on the Northern Ireland Protocol as he visited the region.Extra checks on goods passing through its ports from the rest of the UK following Brexit have angered unionists.Mr Johnson toured a mass vaccination centre in Arlene Foster’s Co Fermanagh constituency.Ms Foster urged him to “stand up for Northern Ireland” and ditch the “intolerable” Protocol governing Irish Sea trade post-Brexit.She said he had been in “listening mode” and “alive to the issues”.The first minister also told Mr Johnson a school in Fermanagh was unable to order trees from England due to red tape surrounding the transport of soil.Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 14:181615557671Michelle O’Neill refuses to greet Boris Johnson during Northern Ireland visitBoris Johnson has been snubbed by deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill, who refused to greet him during a visit to Northern Ireland.Ms O’Neill, Sinn Fein’s deputy leader, refused to welcome the prime minister to Belfast today in her Stormont role after a request for a meeting with her and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald was turned down.Mr Johnson is, however, to hold a meeting with first minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster during the trip, tied to the response to the coronavirus pandemic.Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 14:011615555220David Frost ridiculed for denying his Brexit deal caused exports crashGoods sales to the EU plunged by 40.7 per cent in January – and imports slumped by 28.8 per cent – the largest declines since comparable records began in 1997.But David Frost, picked by Boris Johnson to negotiate the Christmas Eve agreement, pointed to pre-Christmas “stockpiling” and “Covid lockdowns across Europe” as explanations for the slump.Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has the full report:Sam Hancock12 March 2021 13:201615554620Post-Brexit checks at NI border ‘could cost council £5m’Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, in Northern Ireland, has said it could cost up to £5m for workers to deliver post-Brexit food standards checks at a Northern Irish harbour once full regulation is introduced.Each shift at Larne Port would require 17 officers if 100 per cent checks are required following the end of soft-touch grace periods.A council spokesman said: “Mid and East Antrim Borough Council understands it could be required to provide 72 full-time staff at a cost of almost £5m to deliver on its obligations at Larne Port for 100 per cent checks to be completed at the end of the grace period.“Data has been provided to council by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and assuming there are no changes, they have advised council that potentially each shift at Larne Port would require a total of 17 officers.“Council is currently operating four shifts with three staff per shift, so the total staff complement could rise to 17 staff across four shifts – meaning 68 staff would be required.”The government has unilaterally extended grace periods limiting bureaucracy linked to the Northern Ireland protocol until October. They had been due to expire at the end of March.Sam Hancock12 March 2021 13:101615554020Sunak admits to being ‘very bad on sugar’It seems Rishi Sunak likes more than the odd sweet treat.The chancellor has admitted he remains “very bad on sugar,” consuming a cinnamon bun, muffins, cokes and cake every day.“I’m very bad on sugar. I eat a lot of sugar,” Mr Sunak told Politico’s Westminster Insider podcast. “I have cinnamon bun in the morning, chocolate chip muffins for breakfast, cookies and cake in the afternoon. So I eat quite a lot of sugar.”My colleague Adam Forrest has more: Sam Hancock12 March 2021 13:001615553120Labour: ‘Government must up their ambition’ over export slumpThe Institute of Directors (IoD) and Labour Party have each given their verdict on the mass EU export slump caused by Brexit. The IoD’s senior policy adviser Allie Renison said: “The fact that services trade was far less affected and goods exports to non-EU rose marginally all in the same period reflects the particular impact that disruption from new Brexit changes has had.”Meanwhile, Labour’s Rachel Reeves said: “Businesses have been appealing to the government to start listening to the problems they’ve been facing, but they’ve been left out in the cold.“The government must up their ambition here, and take practical action, hand-in-hand with businesses, to build on the limited deal they negotiated with the EU.”Because the value of imports fell more than exports in January, the trade deficit for the month narrowed by £3.7bn to £1.9bn.Companies had been stockpiling ahead of the end of the transition period and may also have been using their stock instead of buying new goods in January.Sam Hancock12 March 2021 12:451615552455Government ‘levelling-up’ fund sends cash to Tory areas, ignoring deprivationLabour has criticised the £4.8bn fund for disproportionately directing regeneration cash to wealthier Tory-voting areas above ex-industrial and mining towns, prompting the government to publish its methodology for allocating cash.It appears to explain why areas like leafy Richmondshire and Newark are ranked above Barnsley and Salford as a priority for money. The former two areas’ MPs are chancellor Rishi Sunak and communities secretary Robert Jenrick, respectively.Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:Sam Hancock12 March 2021 12:341615551316Labour challenges Tory London mayor hopeful to rebel over nurses’ payLabour has stepped up its election campaign attack over nurses’ pay by issuing a direct challenge to the Conservative candidate for London mayor to rebel against Boris Johnson’s 1 per cent offer.Our political editor Andrew Woodcock explains more in this exclusive report:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 12:151615550202PM’s Brexit negotiator downplays 41% slump in EU exportsThe prime minister’s Brexit negotiator appears to have attempted to downplay today’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures which show UK goods exports to the EU plunged by a record 40.7 per cent in January after the end of the transition period.David Frost tweeted: “I have been looking at today’s trade numbers. This month’s unique combination of factors made it inevitable that we would see some unusual figures this January. As ONS has pointed out, caution should be applied when interpreting these statistics.”He added: “The latest information indicates that overall freight volumes between the UK and the EU have been back to their normal levels for over a month now, ie since the start of February.”Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 11:561615549871Green Party peer suggests 6pm curfew for men to make women saferA Green Party peer has suggested a 6pm curfew for men following the disappearance and suspected murder of Sarah Everard.Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb argued the move would “make women a lot safer” and reduce “discrimination of all kinds”.Emily Goddard has more details:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 11:511615548712Arlene Foster urges PM to ‘stand up for Northern Ireland’ over protocolArlene Foster has urged Boris Johnson to “stand up for Northern Ireland” and ditch the “intolerable” Northern Ireland Protocol governing Irish Sea trade post-Brexit.Stormont’s first minister and DUP leader welcomed Mr Johnson’s announcement setting out plans to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland’s formation, but added: “The prime minister must also stand up for Northern Ireland and replace the Protocol, which is damaging to the economic and constitutional position of Northern Ireland.””Not a single unionist party in Northern Ireland supports this unworkable Protocol. Rather than protect the Belfast Agreement and its successor agreements, the Protocol has created societal division and economic harm,” she said.”Whilst grace periods have been extended unilaterally, we need a permanent solution so business can plan and the integrity of the United Kingdom internal market can be restored.””We need the prime minister to act to deliver unfettered trade from GB to NI and to restore the balance of relationships between East-West as well as North-South.”Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 11:311615547646Cheese maker upset at £180 post-Brexit Stilton export fee to EUOne of the few dairies allowed to make Stilton has said it lost 20 per cent of its online turnover ‘overnight’ due to Brexit.Hartington Creamery at Pikehall, Derbyshire, said the paperwork needed to send orders to the European Union was too expensive to make business with the EU viable.Ella Glover has more details:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 11:141615545991Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe case branded ‘failure of diplomacy and campaigning’The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe says her case has been a “failure of diplomacy and campaigning” ahead of her return to court in Iran on Sunday.Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 42, last week completed a five-year sentence in Tehran on spying charges levied by Iranian authorities, the last year of which was spent under house arrest due to the pandemic.But she must return to court to face more charges in the case some observers have linked to a long-standing debt Iran alleges it is owed by the UK.Speaking to Times Radio on Friday, Mr Ratcliffe said: “She served her full sentence, she’s still being held. That’s a failure of diplomacy. It’s also a failure of campaigning.“I don’t think it ever occurred to me at the beginning that it would last this long, because it shouldn’t have done.”Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 10:461615545366Boris Johnson facing backlash after government ‘calls in’ plan for coal mine Boris Johnson is facing a huge backlash from Conservative MPs in the north of England after the government decided to “call in” a controversial plan for a new deep coal mine in Cumbria.Workington MP Mark Jenkinson said the move represented a “capitulation to the climate alarmists”.Adam Forrest has more on this story:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 10:361615543858Priti Patel says ‘majority’ of police serve with ‘utmost integrity’ amid Sarah Everard disappearancePriti Patel has said the “vast majority” of police officers “represent the very best of public service” in the wake of the arrest of a constable over Sarah Everard’s disappearance.Joanna Taylor has more on the home secretary’s comments:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 10:101615542728UK economy is managing ‘seven times better than during first lockdown’, says PwC economistPwC’s chief economist has said figures released by the Office for National Statistics today suggest the UK is “managing from an economic perspective” about seven times better than during the first lockdown in April last year.Jonathan Gillham said: “Looking back to April last year, when the country had gone into lockdown, the economy shrunk by 20.4 per cent. This was the largest decline in GDP that the country had ever seen. “However, now the economy is becoming much more adaptable to lockdown and the figures published for January suggest that we are managing from an economic perspective around seven times better than last April. “The 2.9 per cent reduction in GDP is slightly worse than our own prediction of 2.6 per cent and it should not be forgotten that this contraction is still substantial and is a reflection of the difficulties that many businesses and households are facing. “Our services-focused economy is still taking the brunt of the lockdown impacts, shrinking by 3.5 per cent, and manufacturing also fared badly – down 2.3 per cent, the first decline since April. Despite their adaptability and resilience many businesses are still struggling – 19 per cent of the workforce is estimated to still be on furlough and many businesses are close to using up their cash reserves. “Data released today suggests that businesses are still struggling to import and export. With only roughly 40 per cent of businesses saying they have no problems, and many saying they are struggling with transportation costs, paperwork and tariffs.” Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 09:521615541341Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe ‘a victim of torture’ and in urgent need of medical support, report warnsSpeaking ahead of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s return to court in Iran on Sunday, her husband said keeping her “visible” had “kept her a bit safer”.Richard Ratcliffe said his wife “remains in harm’s way until she gets on the plane” and that her case had been a failure of both diplomacy and campaigning.”I think we’ve kept her a bit safer. It sounds a bit rich given all she’s been through already but some of the stories from her cellmates… are even more harrowing,” he said.”I don’t think it ever occurred to me that it would last this long, because it shouldn’t have done.”His comments came after a new report warned the British-Iranian national is “a victim of torture” and in urgent need of medical support. Mayank Aggarwal has more details:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 09:291615539931PM accused of ‘callous disregard for others’ over articles denouncing gun ban after Dunblane massacreBoris Johnson has been accused of “a callous disregard for others” by the father of a child killed in the 1996 Dunblane massacre, over an article he had written as a journalist calling a move to ban firearms “something-must-be-done-ism” and implying the action was “authoritarian”.Vincent Wood has more details:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 09:051615539391Government considering stepping up anti-harassment education for menThe government is exploring whether anti-harassment education should be given to men in the wake of the Sarah Everard case, ministers have said.Education minister Michelle Donelan said the school system should not just be about academia but also “developing people’s character and their interactions with others”.Our policy correspondent Jon Stone has more details:Chiara Giordano12 March 2021 08:56 More

The director of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at University of London has accused critics of “politicizing the issue” after coming under fire for using the N-word in a video call with students.Adam Habib, who is of Indian descent, uttered the slur during a webinar discussion with students in response to concerns about lecturers historically saying the word without facing repercussions.During a short clip circulated on twitter, the 56-year-old said: “The issue around that is …. firstly, even N****r , somebody making that allegation … I don’t know the case. This is the first i’ve heard of it.”When a student took offence, Mr Habib is heard to reply: “You do? Well, I don’t actually. I come from a part of the world where we actually do use the word (…). The context matters.” A student commented: “You’re not a black man, you cannot use that word. You have not faced the trauma and oppression of black bodies what we go through 24/7 for the last 500 years.“You do not embody our history so therefore you cannot use the word.”The student continued: “Many writers, even our own alumni, have written as to why – peers, non-black peers – should not use the N-word because when it comes from that perspective then it means a whole different story than when it comes from our own perspective which is the autonomy, agency and reclamation of our own history.”Mr Habib then apologised “if he caused offence”.However, Mr Habib has since justified his use of the slur in a 17-part thread posted on Twitter on Friday, accusing critics of attempting to “politicize the issue”.“The question is why is it that after this apology, some are still politicizing the issue?” he wrote.“So why don’t I think it was problematic to use the word when I did. Well, because context matters and I was arguing for taking punitive action. You cannot impute maligned intention without understanding context. Do I believe that only blacks can verbalize the word. No, I don’t.”Mr Habib told The Independent: “A student did indeed pose a question that SOAS was not responsive to anti-black racism and suggested that a staff member who used the word is still on the payroll.“I did indeed use the word and said the following: ‘If someone used the word against another staff member, then it would violate our policy and the case should be brought to my attention’. I also said that this is the first that I had heard of the incident.“Another student objected, making the argument that only those who were ‘black‘ (or what I in South Africa would describe as ‘black African’) could actually verbalise the word. I was taken aback by this because the case was being argued devoid of any understanding or explanation of immediate context. “I did say that I am surprised by the reaction because I could have easily made the same statement in the same context back home without provoking this reaction.“I then did apologise saying that no offence was intended, and I again said that if the word was used by a member of staff against another human being, then it would be a disciplinary offence as it would violate our policies.”He added: “I did not say we use the word in South Africa. This is a deliberate distortion.”The Independent has queried what Mr Habib meant in the recording when he said the slur is used in the “part of the world’ he comes from.The director was born in South Africa and was appointed as SOAS director in January 2021.The Economic Freedom Fighters, a South Africa-based campaign group, has called on the University of London to sack Mr Habib. More