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Dominic Raab has written to the European Council president after he claimed the UK imposed an “outright ban” on coronavirus vaccine exports.Charles Michel accused Britain and the US of imposing bans on the movement of jabs as he used a newsletter to hit back at criticisms of the bloc’s vaccine rollout.The Foreign Secretary sought to “set the record straight” in a letter to the EU chief on Tuesday evening, writing that “any references to a UK export ban or any restrictions on vaccines are completely false”.Mr Raab insisted the Government “has not blocked a single Covid-19 vaccine or vaccine components”, adding: “We are all facing this pandemic together.”In the latest display of post-Brexit turbulence, a representative of the EU’s delegation to the UK has been summoned to a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office over the issue.
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Places of worship in Scotland are to reopen for communal gatherings on 26 March, in time for Easter and other religious festivals including Passover and Ramadan, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.In the latest relaxation to coronavirus lockdown restrictions north of the border, Ms Sturgeon also brought forward to Friday the date on which up to four people from two households will be allowed to meet in outdoor spaces, including private gardens. And she said that the rule will be relaxed further for 12-17 year-olds to allow up to four teenagers from four different households to get together with friends. In what she acknowledged were “minor” changes to the rules, Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh that from 12 March, outdoor non-contact sports involving up to 15 people will also once again be permitted. Ms Sturgeon said she will next week set out a firmer timetable for the reopening of venues including non-essential shops, pubs and restaurants and tourism destinations.The announcements came as the first minister confirmed that that 466 positive coronavirus tests and 19 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded in Scotland in the latest 24-hour period.She announced a possible, but unconfirmed, new case of the Brazilian P1 variant in Scotland, involving an individual who travelled from Rio de Janeiro via Paris on 19 February.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 weekdayBut she stressed that the infected person had followed all self-isolation rules and is believed to present no risk to the wider community. More

Opening a bank account or giving to charity requires tougher checks than donating to a political party, an investigation into “dark money” has heard.Charities must prove the cash they receive has not been laundered – yet parties receiving billions of pounds escape any such protections, a Commons committee was told.“That seems to me to be a fairly big anomaly in the ability to donate money into the political system,” he told the public administration committee.“There’s absolutely no reason why political parties shouldn’t be able to adopt those customer requirements, because we’ve all had to deal with these when we’ve opened a bank account, when we we’ve done something online.”“And I see no reason why all parties shouldn’t have to apply those money laundering regulations as well.”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 weekdayDr Clark added: “People are going to be asked for identity to vote – yet no one’s really asking for identity for those who are donating money to political parties.”The inquiry comes amid Conservative threats to overhaul – or abolish – the Electoral Commission which Amanda Milling, the Tory chairwoman, branded “not fit for purpose”.The government has been accused of a revenge mission, after the watchdog punished Vote Leave for breaking electoral law during the Brexit referendum campaign.Meanwhile, the prime minister was accused of giving the Kremlin the green light to meddle in UK politics, after dismissing many of the findings of the Russia report – after eventually releasing it.But Dr Clark said the Commission’s powers needed to be strengthened, because – with fines capped at just £20,000 – campaigners “don’t see it as serious deterrent”.“They can exploit loopholes in the law,” he warned, adding: “They will take a fine at the end of it, if they get found out.” Dr Clark added: “The ISC [intelligence and security committee] Russia report pointed to Russian being able to do this.“So the permissibility regime that we have is very much beyond its sell-by date. We really do need to be thinking about tightening up here.” Professor Toby James, of the University of East Anglia, raised fears about the elections in May – postponed from last year – with decisions left to local authorities, amid the pandemic restrictions.In Scotland, the Holyrood parliament enjoyed powers over day-to-day preparations, while in England and Wales “there is no central authority able to do that”.“Is every polling station booked? Are they all in place?” he asked, adding: “We’ll see what happens in May.” More

Explosive allegations by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex that she faced racist attitudes from both the palace and the U.K. press have sent ripples of shock around the world. But they came as no surprise to many Black Britons. Whether it’s the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on people of color or the lack of non-white faces at the top of British media and politics, ethnic minorities in the U.K. say racist attitudes and structures of discrimination are pervasive — and all too often denied by society at large.“This is a country that doesn’t want to have an honest conversation about race,” historian David Olusoga who presented the TV series “Black and British: A Forgotten History,” said Tuesday.In a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey, the former Meghan Markle said isolation and a lack of support from the royal household after her marriage to Prince Harry drove her to thoughts of suicide. She also said an unnamed member of the royal family expressed “concerns” to Harry about the color of her unborn child’s skin — a statement that drew an astonished “What?” from Winfrey.Tiwa Adebayo, a communications consultant and journalist, said the couple’s revelations in the interview bore out her worst fears.“When Meghan joined the royal family, every person of color in the U.K. was worried,” she said. “This is an institution that is rooted in colonialism. It’s based on white supremacy. I mean, for me, it kind of seemed like ‘How could this possibly end well?’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 weekday“I expected there to always be that undercurrent of racism,” she added. “But to hear it so outright, it’s really scary. It’s very shocking. And it’s hard to see how the royal family is going to come back from this.”It’s a long way from the optimism that surrounded Harry and Meghan’s royal wedding in 2018. The relationship between a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and a biracial American actress was hailed as evidence that, in modern Britain, skin color and background no longer mattered.Harold Wilson a 57-year-old local authority worker in Brixton, a district at the heart of London’s Afro-Caribbean community, said Meghan joining the royal family “should have been an opportunity for them to move forward — but the royal family are not like that.”“Even before the child has been brought into the world, they are worried about the actual tone of the skin of the baby,” he said. “That tells you everything about them.”The fairy tale image surrounding the wedding at Windsor Castle faded quickly. Meghan faced tabloid stories about her allegedly demanding behavior and was even criticized for eating avocadoes, which the Daily Mail claimed fuel “human rights abuses, drought and murder.”Even before the wedding, Harry had complained in 2017 about the “racial undertones” in British media coverage of his then-girlfriend. One tabloid columnist referred to Meghan’s “exotic” DNA. A Daily Mail headline described her Los Angeles roots as ”(almost) straight outta Compton” and claimed she came from a “gang-scarred” neighborhood. A TV host described Meghan as “uppity.”Meghan and Harry cited the intrusive, racist scrutiny of Britain’s tabloid press as a reason for their decision a year ago to give up their jobs as senior royals and move to North America. The palace is under mounting pressure to respond to Meghan and Harry’s interview, but so far it has remained silent. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also declined to comment on royal family matters.Like other countries, Britain has faced an uncomfortable reckoning with race since the death of George Floyd, a Black American, at the knee of a U.S. policeman in May 2020 sparked anti-racism protests around the world.Large Black Lives Matter protests in cities across the U.K. called on the government and institutions to face up to the legacy of the British Empire and the country’s extensive profits from the slave trade. The toppling of a statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston in the city of Bristol in June prompted a pointed debate about how to deal with that history. Many felt such statues extol racism and are an affront to Black Britons. Others argued that removing them was erasing a piece of history.Johnson, the prime minister, has criticized the removal of statues, saying “we cannot edit our past.” Opponents accuse him of trying to sweep the negative aspects of British history under the carpet.Olusoga said many Britons like to believe that racism is an American problem, something that takes place elsewhere. He said the U.K. had failed to live up to the story it told itself at the time of Harry and Meghan’s wedding: “that we were this modern multicultural country, a country with a Black princess, a country that was at ease with itself, with its history, with its multiculturalism.”“We need to look at ourselves more honestly,” he told the BBC. “Now is a moment for self-reflection, not just for the palace, but for the country.”Hilary Fox and Jo Kearney in London contributed to this story. ___Follow all stories on Prince Harry and Meghan’s interview at https://apnews.com/Prince Harry. More

Another surge in coronavirus cases in the UK is inevitable and could come in late summer, despite the success of the country’s ongoing vaccine rollout, MPs have been told.Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, said even under the most optimistic set of assumptions a further 30,000 lives could be lost to Covid-19, as he warned against the dangers of lifting restrictions too quickly.He said this was because not everyone in the UK will have been vaccinated or have full protection from the jabs as restrictions are eased, therefore allowing the virus to continue circulating among susceptible pockets of the population.”We hope it doesn’t happen soon, it might for example happen later in the summer if we open up gradually or because of the seasonal effect it might happen over the next autumn and winter,” Prof Whitty said. More

Ministers have been warned by equality and democracy campaigners that proposals to require voters to show ID during elections are “deeply damaging” and would lock people out of the democratic process.The government announced at the Queen’s Speech in 2019 the intention to introduce a Bill requiring voters in English and UK-wide elections to produce photographic identification, despite low numbers of recorded voter fraud.Reports have suggested the legislation will be introduced in the coming months and that the new rules could come into force in time for the May 2023 local elections — a year before the next general election is due.Ahead of an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on race and community on the issue, Halima Begum, the director of the Runnymede Trust, a race equality think-tank, told The Guardian: “People from black and minority ethnic groups are less likely to be registered to vote, vote and be elected.”She added: “Many voters do not have photo ID, and that ownership of ID can differ by socioeconomic groups, with citizens from Bame communities at a particular potential disadvantage. “The current proposals suggest a negative disposition towards voters at a time when trust in politicians and the democratic process is quite low.Last month the Electoral Reform Society warned the proposals were an “expensive distraction” — costing up to £20 million per general election — and risk blocking many out of the process due to a lack of ID.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 weekdayJosiah Mortimer a spokesperson from the organisation told the APPG meeting on Tuesday: “When millions of people lack photo ID, mandatory photo ID would be deeply damaging”.“This is totally the wrong priority right now, with £20m per election having the potential to pay for 600 extra nurses each year. Instead, the government seems intent on turning polling staff into bouncers. Ordinary people will be locked out of the ballot box. Ministers should be expanding voter rights, not taking a crowbar to the already-critical cracks in our democracy.”“There are 9m people missing from the electoral roll, a pressing national scandal. We have a winner-takes-all voting system that too often makes people feel it’s not worth bothering voting at all. We need stronger, fairer elections. Mandatory ID will take us further away from that goal.”In a 2019 briefing note, the House of Commons Library cited research from the Electoral Commission showing approximately 3.5 million voters (7.5 per cent) did not have an acceptable photo ID, including a passport, driving licence, public transport pass, military identification card, or Proof of Age Standards Scheme card.If limiting ID to just passport and photographic driving licences, potentially 11 million electors (24 per cent) would be without an acceptable form of ID.It added that just one person in 2017 was convicted for the crime of personation at the polling station while eight police cautions were give in relation to other offences. In the following year there were no convictions or cautions for personation. Responding to reports the new rules could be brought in for 2023, the Cabinet Office said last month it forms part of the Conservatives’ manifesto pledge “to prevent potential voter fraud in our electoral system”.“This will further strengthen the integrity of UK elections and will include ID checks at the polling station and rules that prevent abuse of postal and proxy votes,” they added. More

Watch live as Rishi Sunak takes questions in parliamentThe government has faced serious criticism over its plans to cap a pay rise for NHS workers at 1 per cent. However, justice secretary Robert Buckland hinted on Tuesday morning that ministers could amend the proposal after an independent pay review. “I think that we need to see what the recommendations are, and I very much hope that the outcome … that the work that has been done by NHS workers will be recognised in a way that is appropriate,” he told BBC Breakfast.In Brexit news, the Jewish community in Northern Ireland is having difficulty obtaining kosher meat for Passover due to trade disruption, the DUP has said. Arlene Foster, the country’s first minister, said the matter “is very concerning”.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
1615300851Places of worship in Scotland to open before Easter Places of worship in Scotland will reopen for communal gatherings on 26 March, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.The first minister said the the limit on congregations would rise from 20 – the number seen before lockdown – to 50 people.Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 14:401615300206Another coronavirus surge inevitable, warns Prof Whitty Prof Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, has told MPs that another coronavirus surge is inevitable.Speaking to the science and technology committee on Tuesday, he said this would happen because not everyone will have had the vaccine. “We hope it doesn’t happen soon, it might for example happen later in the summer if we open up gradually or because of the seasonal effect it might happen over the next autumn and winter,” Prof Whitty said.Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 14:301615299321Labour urges government to publish the 100 outstanding coronavirus contracts this week Shadow cabinet office minister Rachel Reeves has urged the government to put 100 unpublished coronavirus contracts into the public domain by the end of the week. The Labour frontbencher referred to the High Court ruling last month that ‘the public were entitled to see who this money was going to and what it was being spent on and how the contracts were awarded’.A judge confirmed last week in a court order that 100 contracts still remain unpublished. Health minister Edward Argar did not directly address Ms Reeves’ question in his response for the government. Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 14:151615298249Voter ID proposals ‘deeply damaging’ for democracy, say equality campaigners Democracy campaigners have hit out at the government’s plan to require voters to show ID, calling the proposals “deeply damaging”. Halima Begum, the director of the Runnymede Trust, a race equality think-tank, told The Guardian: “People from black and minority ethnic groups are less likely to be registered to vote, vote and be elected.”“Many voters do not have photo ID, and that ownership of ID can differ by socioeconomic groups, with citizens from Bame communities at a particular potential disadvantage,” she added. The Independent’s political correspondent Ashley Cowburn reports :Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 13:571615297413Political donations escape ‘money laundering’ checks, MPs told Political donations are not subject to the same level of checks as opening a bank account or giving to charity.Dr Alistair Clark, from Newcastle University, told MPs on the public administration committee that he saw “no reason why all parties shouldn’t have to apply those money laundering regulations as well.”Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has more: Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 13:431615296306Chancellor should raise NHS pay by 15 per cent, says Labour MPThe chancellor faced calls in the Commons to give NHS staff a 15 per cent pay hike to compensate them for a “decade of lost pay”. Zarah Sultana, the Labour MP for Coventry South, said: “NHS workers have seen their pay fall by more than 10 per cent in real terms in the past decade.“So instead of handing out fortunes to mates and donors, will the chancellor heed the calls of trade unions and NHS staff and give them the pay rise they deserve – that’s 15 per cent to make up for a decade of lost pay?”Steve Barclay, the treasury minister, responded for the government by claiming she was “simply wrong on the facts”. Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 13:251615295140Zac Goldsmith ducks Boris Johnson rebuke for accusing Prince Harry of ‘blowing up his family’Boris Johnson has refused to comment on Zac Goldsmith’s accusation that Prince Harry was “blowing up his family” at the royal’s couples much talked about interview with Oprah.On Twitter, Lord Goldsmith responded to suggestions the royal couple had “dropped bomb after heavy bomb on Buckingham Palace” by saying: “Not ‘Buckingham Palace’ – Harry’s family. Harry is blowing up his family.”The PM’s spokesman refused to get embroiled in the royal drama this afternoon and repeated Mr Johnson’s words before viewing the interview last night, when he said: “I’ve spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to depart from that today.”The Independent’s political editor Andrew Woodcock has the detailsJoe Middleton9 March 2021 13:051615294435PM has not received invite for Covid vaccine say No10Downing Street has today said that Boris Johnson is yet to be invited for a Covid vaccine.The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It remains the case I’ve not heard that he’s been invited to have one yet but when he does he will more than happily come forward and take the vaccine.”People aged 56 to 59 in England have been invited by the NHS to start booking in their jab from next week. Mr Johnson is 56, so could soon be queuing with other Brits ready to take one of the coronavirus vaccines in the weeks ahead.Joe Middleton9 March 2021 12:531615293789’The marketplace has made a decision that coal is not the future’US climate change envoy John Kerry has warned the UK that “coal has no future” amid growing consternation about plans for a large new coal mine in Cumbria, and urged action from the world’s largest polluters.Mr Kerry told BBC’s Newsnight programme: “The marketplace has made a decision that coal is not the future.”He added: “All over the world people have made a decision to move to cleaner fuel than coal, which is the dirtiest fuel in the world. In America and elsewhere … most banks will tell you ‘we’re not going to fund a new coal plant’.”Harry Cockburn reportsJoe Middleton9 March 2021 12:431615292935Brexit deal set to cost e-commerce importers £5billion a year, says reportBarriers to trade caused by Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, such as new red tape and VAT charges from January 1, are causing “major problems” to 35 per cent of retailers and traders importing from the EU.A large numbers of parcels are being blocked or returned and deliveries cancelled, said the report by international delivery company ParcelHero.The Independent’s political editor Andrew Woodcock has the detailsJoe Middleton9 March 2021 12:281615291488When will Sturgeon announce next stage of lockdown easing?Nicola Sturgeon is expected to announce an easing of outdoor restrictions in Scotland.Matt Mathers reports on when we’ll hear from the first minister: Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 12:041615290497Watch live as chancellor takes questions in the Commons Watch live as Rishi Sunak takes questions in parliamentRory Sullivan9 March 2021 11:481615290140Minister hints at U-turn over NHS pay The government has faced serious criticism over its plans to cap a pay rise for NHS workers at 1 per cent. However, justice secretary Robert Buckland has hinted that ministers could amend the proposal after an independent pay review. “I think that we need to see what the recommendations are, and I very much hope that the outcome … that the work that has been done by NHS workers will be recognised in a way that is appropriate,” he said. Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 11:421615289662Verhofstadt mocks new Turing scheme MEP Guy Verhofstadt has ridiculed the UK’s replacement to the Erasmus student exchange programme.The new Turing scheme – named after the famous English mathematician Alan Turing – is due to start in September. The Belgian politician suggested that it was a poor imitation of the EU’s scheme, saying that you don’t need to be Turing “to see who suffers from Brexit here”. Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 11:341615288672Government following scientific advice on lockdown easing, says Vallance Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, has said it is “inevitable” that coronavirus cases will go up as social mixing restrictions are lifted. But he told the Commons Science and Technology Committee that ministers were following scientific advice “consistent with minimising that increase as you open things up”.“The sequencing of opening outdoor things before indoor things is consistent with the advice Sage has given,” he added.Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 11:171615287189NHS chief confirms staff were promised higher payHealth care workers in England were due to receive a higher pay rise than the 1 per cent proposed by the government, the head of the NHS has said.Speaking to the Commons health committee on Tuesday, Simon Stevens said more than a million staff were scheduled to get a 2.1 per cent salary increase from April. He added that the pay review body should be allowed to do its work without “fear or favour”.Here’s our health correspondent Shaun Lintern with more:Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 10:531615286091Former DUP councillor speaks about party’s ‘twisted’ actions against him A former DUP councillor has said he is a happier person after leaving the party following its “twisted” and “bitter” actions against him.Guy Spence, who served as Belfast’s deputy mayor, announced his resignation from the DUP a year ago. Explaining the decision 12 months on, he tweeted: “After many years I couldn’t stand for the twisted, bitter & hateful actions set out against me & my values. “Fuelled by those wanting to cause me harm.”Matt Mathers reports: Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 10:341615284763Jewish community struggling to get kosher meat for Passover due to NI protocol, DUP says The Jewish community in Northern Ireland is having difficulty obtaining kosher meat for Passover due to post-Brexit trade disruption, the DUP has said. Arlene Foster, the country’s first minister, said: “This is something which is very concerning.“We have a very small Jewish community here in Northern Ireland. The fact that they cannot access kosher meat is something that would cause me a great deal of concern.”Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 10:121615283572Minister should do more for social care workers, sector says Ministers must do more to support “forgotten” social care workers, organisations in the sector have said. This comes after former health secretary Jeremy Hunt criticised the chancellor for not prioritising social care in his budget last week. He said the announcement gave “little hope for [a] social care sector bruised and demoralised” by the pandemic. My colleague Jon Sharman has the details: Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 09:521615282124Government to crack down on Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter protests A new crackdown on protests by Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter is necessary because of their “huge inconvenience”, the justice secretary Robert Buckland has said. The government could make it illegal for demonstrations to block parliament, the courts or the distribution of newspapers. “We’ve got to think about the sometimes huge inconvenience caused to other people going about their lawful business,” Mr Buckland said. Rory Sullivan9 March 2021 09:28 More

The prime minister’s official spokesman refused repeated requests at a Westminster media briefing to comment on the Foreign Office minister’s outburst, in which he appeared to point the finger of blame at Meghan Markle for the rift between Harry and the rest of the royal family.The spokesman confirmed that Mr Johnson had watched Harry and Meghan’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey when it was aired on ITV on Monday evening.But he refused to discuss what the PM had made of the couple’s allegations of racism within the royal family and complaints that Meghan was discouraged from seeking help with her mental health when feeling suicidal. Responding to inquiries with a brick wall of silence, the spokesman responded to every query by repeating the PM’s words before viewing the interview last night, when he said: “I’ve spent a long time now not commenting on royal family matters and I don’t intend to depart from that today.|Asked whether it was appropriate for Lord Goldsmith as a minister to comment, when the PM did not feel it right for him to do so, and whether the Tory peer would face any sanction for doing so, the spokesman again declined to respond.In an outspoken tweet on Monday, Lord Goldsmith responded to suggestions that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had “dropped bomb after heavy bomb on Buckingham Palace’ in their interview.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 weekdayLord Goldsmith wrote: “Not ‘Buckingham Palace’ – Harry’s family. Harry is blowing up his family.  ‘What Meghan wants, Meghan gets’.” More