Markus Andrews

The lone climate activist unfurled a banner reading “Climate Assembly, be bold” as part of a call for a more radical approach from Scotland’s Climate Assembly on Thursday morning.Police officers were waiting at the entrance of the Scottish Parliament and arrested the 61-year-old protester upon descent. The Climate Assembly, which was created as part of the 2019 Climate Change Act, has been accused of being “frightened of rocking the boat”. Extinction Rebellion, the radical climate activism group, said they were part of the assembly’s stewarding group but had pulled out. Justin Kenrick, a former member of the stewarding group, said: “There was never any evaluation of the seriousness of the climate emergency.“There was a lot of focus on being fair to different sectors in Scotland but not fairness to those elsewhere in the world suffering now or to future generations. To be fair in that fundamental way you have to first assess how serious the emergency is, and the assembly never collectively had the opportunity to do that.” More

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has refused to apologise for telling Britons to “live without fear” shortly before the massive second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths over the winter. Mr Sunak was hailed by Conservative backbenchers in September when he used his Winter Economy Plan to defend moves to open up society, such as his Eat Out to Help Out scheme in the summer, insisting that “our lives cannot be put on hold”.The statement came just days after the government’s Sage advisory group had recommended a two-week “circuit-breaker” lockdown to reduce the danger a second wave of Covid-19. Their advice was not accepted by Boris Johnson, who instead stuck with regionalised restrictions until rising numbers of infections forced a second England-wide lockdown in November.In an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Sunak was asked why voters should trust his judgement in the light of these comments.“Back in September you were telling us we should live our lives without fear,” said presenter Mishal Husain. “Since then we’ve doubled the number of Covid deaths.“Perhaps we should have not been following your advice at that point and living with more fear?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 weekdayMr Sunak responded: “In terms of having come back over the past year, I’m not going to apologise for that. “We’re dealing with a – hopefully – once-in-a-century situation for which there isn’t a playbook for how to respond. “As the health situation was evolving it’s absolutely right that we adjust our economic response. That’s the right thing to do.”Mr Sunak said that the UK will have to learn to live with Covid-19 in the future, as it will not be possible to eradicate the disease altogether.“In terms of living with the virus, that is something we’re going to have to learn to do,” he said.“As other members of government have also talked about, this will hopefully become something like flu that we do learn to live with. Vaccinations and other treatments will enable us to live with it. “We are not going to completely ever be able to eliminate Covid, so like flu it will be something we learn to live with but can do so in a way that doesn’t require the degree of restrictions we’ve had to endure over the past 12 months, which obviously have enormous implications for lots of other things, not least for our children’s education in school.” More

The move would extend a ‘grace period’ designed to allow UK supermarkets and suppliers time to adapt to new trade barriers across the Irish Sea.But Maros Sefcovic, vice president of the European Commission, said that would be a “violation” of the protocol agreed with the UK. He also warned it would be the “second time that the UK government is set to breach international law”, following a similar row last year. In a statement the European Commission said Sefcovic would inform Lord Frost, the minister who helped negotiate the Brexit deal, that it would “respond to these developments in accordance with the legal means established by the Withdrawal Agreement and the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.” It added that the EU had “strong concerns over the UK’s unilateral action, as this amounts to a violation of the relevant substantive provisions of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland and the good faith obligation under the Withdrawal Agreement. 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“This is the second time that the UK government is set to breach international law.“This also constitutes a clear departure from the constructive approach that has prevailed up until now, thereby undermining … the mutual trust necessary for solution-oriented cooperation.”The grace period – a temporary relaxation of checks – had been due to expire at the end of this month.At that point supermarkets in Northern Ireland, which have struggled with supply problems since the government’s Brexit deal came into force on 1 January, had expected to see their woes worsen. But Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis said the government would be “taking several temporary operational steps to avoid disruptive cliff-edges as engagement with the EU continues through the Joint Committee”.Controversially he announced the new grace period would continue until at least 1 October.Ministers had asked the EU to extend the grace period until 2023, but Brussels had declined to do so so far.Like Brussels, the Irish government has also criticised the UK government’s plans, branding them “deeply unhelpful”. Irish foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney said unilaterally continuing the grace period undermined the UK’s commitment to the protocol.He said: “A unilateral announcement is deeply unhelpful to building the relationship of trust and partnership that is central to the implementation of the protocol.” More

Today’s daily politics briefingThe EU has shelved plans to approve the Brexit deal because it believes the UK has “violated” the agreement.The decision comes after the UK said it would extend grace periods for Irish Sea border checks to help British businesses. “The conference of presidents this morning decided not to agree a date to ratify the TCA, pending developments yesterday,” one EU source toldThe Independent.Elsewhere, the chancellor’s decision to cut £16bn from public spending has been criticised, with the director of the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank saying it will cause “real additional pain”,Rishi Sunak announced on Wednesday that a further £4bn would be cut, following the £12bn reduction he outlined in last year’s spending review.IFS director Paul Johnson said the spending figures look “implausibly low”, adding that he would bet against them being achieved. 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
1614869050PM appeals to vaccinated over-80s not to break Covid rules Boris Johnson has asked anyone over-80 who has been vaccinated to abide by the coronavirus restrictions.The plea comes after an Office for National Statistics survey found that more than 40 per cent of this group have met someone outside their household or bubble. Tim Wyatt and Andrew Woodcock report: Rory Sullivan4 March 2021 14:441614868043Labour calls on PM to lower tension in Northern Ireland Labour has urged Boris Johnson to “take responsibility” and find “lasting solutions” that make the Northern Ireland protocol work. Shadow Northern Ireland secretary Louise Haigh tweeted that the prime minister must lower the tension and stop “provoking instability”.“It is time to lead. He should convene talks with all parties to the Protocol, and the political parties in NI,” she added.Rory Sullivan4 March 2021 14:271614867090EU and Dublin informed about grace periods extensions, says No 10Both Brussels and Dublin were informed that the UK would unilaterally extend post-Brexit grace periods, Downing Street has said.A No 10 spokesperson said the European Commission was notified earlier this week. They added: “We also informed the Irish government earlier this week and then Lord Frost last night in his call to (European Commission vice-president Maros) Sefcovic obviously discussed this at length and set out the rationale and the reasons for it.”Rory Sullivan4 March 2021 14:111614866242UK welcomes US’ decision to halt export tariffs The US has agreed to halt all retaliatory tariffs on UK exports for four months.The duties came into force under the Trump administration over a trade conflict on aerospace tariffs.International trade secretary Liz Truss said she was “delighted” by the development, while Boris Johnson hailed the “fantastic news”.The decision means that the current 25 per cent tariff rate on Scotch whisky will drop to 0 per cent.Rory Sullivan4 March 2021 13:571614865392EU shelves Brexit deal vote after UK ‘violates’ agreementThe EU has shelved plans to approve the Brexit deal because it believes the UK has “violated” the agreement.The decision comes after the UK said it would extend grace periods for Irish Sea border checks to help British businesses. “The conference of presidents this morning decided not to agree a date to ratify the TCA, pending developments yesterday,” one EU source told The Independent.Rory Sullivan4 March 2021 13:431614864616‘We don’t forget, we don’t forgive’Michael Gove’s name, address and a threatening message against him have been spray painted on a wall in a traditionally loyalist area of Belfast amid rising anger over Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol.The Cabinet Office minister’s details were scrawled on hoarding in the Sandy Row area of the city, along with the message: “We don’t forget, we don’t forgive.”Loyalists have been staunchly opposed to the protocol, arguing that it created trade barriers between NI and the rest of Great Britain, therefore threatening the province’s constitutional status within the UK.My colleague Matt Mathers has the full story:Kate Ng4 March 2021 13:301614863716Loyalist paramilitaries remove support for Northern Ireland’s historic peace dealThe Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), which represents the views of outlawed groups including the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commandos, have written to Boris Johnson to inform him that they are temporarily withdrawing their support from the Good Friday accord.The decision was made to protest at Brexit’s Irish Sea border. The group called on the prime minister to scrap the NI protocol.Matt Mathers reports:Kate Ng4 March 2021 13:151614862816‘Goodwill and common sense’ will help solve post-Brexit trade issues in NI, says Boris JohnsonThe prime minister has said that “goodwill and common sense” would help to solve the problems around post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland.Boris Johnson was asked what he made of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) umbrella group saying it had written to him to tell him the main loyalist paramilitary groups were withdrawing support for the Good Friday agreement.He told reported at Teesport, Middlesbrough: “I haven’t seen which groups you’re talking about.“But what I can say is we are taking some temporary and technical measures to ensure that there are no barriers in the Irish Sea, to make sure things flow freely between GB and NI and that’s what you would expect.“Obviously these are matters for continuing intensive discussions with our friends.“I’m sure with a bit of good will and common sense all these technical problems are eminently solvable.”Kate Ng4 March 2021 13:001614861958Highest ever support for Welsh independence, new poll showsRecord-breaking numbers of people in Wales are in favour of independence, a new poll suggests.Conducted for ITV News Tonight by Savanta ComRes, the new survey found just under 40 per cent of Welsh citizens to be in favour of separating from the UK, representing the highest levels of support for Welsh independence ever recorded.My colleague Chantal da Silva has more on this story:Kate Ng4 March 2021 12:451614860541Government urged to apologise to fishing firmsLabour has demanded that the environment secretary, George Eustice, apologise for pushing fishing businesses to the brink of “collapse” because of the Brexit deal.Tory backbenchers have also pressed him to ease the additional red tape facing UK fishers.Speaking in the Commons, shadow environment secretary Luke Pollard said: “Fishing boats are tied up, fish exporters are tied up with red tape.“Fishing was promised a sea of opportunity but the reality is many fishing businesses are on the verge of collapse. Much of the so-called extra fish may not even exist or be able to be caught by British boats.“The fishing industry feels betrayed. Isn’t now the time for the Secretary of State to apologise to the fishing industry for the Brexit deal his Government negotiated?”Mr Eustice replied: “I’ve made clear all along that the Government had hoped to get closer to a zonal attachment sharing arrangement in that first multi-annual agreement, but there is a significant uplift of 25% of the fish that the EU has historically caught in our waters that they’ve been required to forfeit as the price for continued access.“That additional fishing quota is worth £140 million.”But Mr Pollard added: “There was no apology, no sense of reality from the Secretary of State. He can’t wriggle out of this one, the net is closing in on him.“The reality is that fishing has lost trust and confidence in the actions of Defra for all the broken promises.”Mr Eustice defended the Government’s deal on fishing and said there had been some new “administrative processes” in place which had proved “challenging” for the sector in January, with a support fund put in place.Kate Ng4 March 2021 12:22 More

One of the oddities of British political tradition is that it is the leader of the opposition, rather than the shadow chancellor, who responds to the Budget statement (and the deputy speaker rather than the speaker presides over proceedings). Often, this has wrongfooted the leader of the opposition for a number of reasons. First, the opposition leader may not be as thoroughly grounded in the contemporary political debate over the economy as the shadow chancellor, who lives and breathes it. Second, the chancellor may do something quite unexpected, and complicated, that renders the opposition leader’s pre-prepared speech instantly out of date and useless, and leaves them utterly exposed. For example, a chancellor introducing a dramatic new lower tax rate of, say, 10p or 20p in the pound (as Gordon Brown and Norman Lamont did, respectively, in 1999 and 1992) left William Hague and Neil Kinnock, in their turn, having to bluster through it, unable to tell, at a glance, whether it necessarily made taxpayers better off. Third, the response is more or less immediate, with little time for improvisation. With social distancing in the Commons chamber, it wasn’t even easy for the shadow chancellor, Anneliese Dodds, to whisper an answer or two in Keir Starmer’s ear. This year was rather different all round. The most striking departure from the past, apart from the scale of the numbers for borrowing and spending, is that the Budget was trailed so extensively. The whole convention of Budget secrecy has been silently abandoned with hardly anyone seeming to notice. In the past, Budget “leaks” have warranted the resignation of ministers, but no longer. So far from the “purdah” under which the chancellor and his colleagues used to remain silent for weeks before Budget day, they now do the media round and drop as many heavy hints as they wish. The rest is provided to the media, with suitable spin. More

Britain will be paying the bill for Covid for decades to come after Rishi Sunak’s Budget set the nation on track for the highest tax burden in more than 50 years to pay for total spending of £407bn on pandemic support. The chancellor announced a further £65bn lifeline for firms and workers, extending furlough, business rate relief and VAT breaks. The £20-a-week universal credit uplift has also been extended for another six months.But he reversed 10 years of tax-cutting Conservative policy on corporation tax by announcing a hike from 19 to 25 per cent, to be introduced in 2023. And he froze income tax personal allowance thresholds until 2026, dragging 1.3 million low-paid people into paying it as their earnings increase.The Institute for Fiscal Studies described it as the biggest tax-raising budget since 1993, increasing the state’s net take by £29bn in 2025-26.The overall tax burden of 35 per cent of GDP will be the highest since Roy Jenkins was chancellor in the 1960s. And IFS director Paul Johnson said it can be expected to remain high for years, warning: “We are in a new phase of UK economic history. Taxes likely to be at their highest sustained level in history.”Meanwhile, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) warned that Mr Sunak’s plans make no provision for pandemic spending after 2022.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 weekdayIndeed, the Treasury’s figures suggest that rapidly falling Covid-19 expenditure will allow a £30bn drop in overall health and social care funding in 2021/22 – something which Labour warned would “increase pressure on staff and do nothing for patients stuck on growing waiting lists”.Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused the chancellor of “papering over the cracks” in a Budget which delivered no new money for social care, health or schools and set other spending departments up for cuts in the coming years.But Mr Sunak said he was “using the full measure of our fiscal firepower to protect the jobs and livelihoods of the British people” after the worst economic contraction in 300 years.The success of the UK’s vaccination programme allowed the OBR to bring forward the date at which it expects the economy to return to pre-Covid levels by six months to mid-2022 and slash its forecast of peak unemployment from 11.9 per cent to 6.5 per cent. Its growth forecast for next year was up from 6.6 to 7.3 per cent.But predicted GDP growth was cut for every other year until 2025. And the official forecaster’s projection of long-term “scarring” remained unchanged, with the economy expected to be 3 per cent smaller in five years than it would have been if the pandemic had not happened.Mr Sunak told MPs he wanted to be “honest” with British voters about the scale of “corrective action” needed to rebalance the public finances, with borrowing at £355bn – 17 per cent of national income – the highest since the Second World War.Under his plans, this will tumble to just 0.9 per cent of GDP by 2025-26. But the underlying national debt will continue to rise from a historic high of £2.2 trillion now to more than £2.8 trillion at the end of the forecast period, peaking as a share of GDP at 97.1 per cent in 2023-24.“The amount we’ve borrowed is comparable only with the amount we borrowed during the two world wars,” said the chancellor.“It is going to be the work of many governments, over many decades, to pay it back.“Just as it would be irresponsible to withdraw support too soon, it would also be irresponsible to allow our future borrowing and debt to rise unchecked.”In one of the most comprehensively trailed Budgets in history, Mr Sunak had few surprises in his red box.He announced a “super-deduction” mechanism, which will cut companies’ tax bill by 25p for every pound they invest in new equipment over the next two years, designed to unlock a £118bn corporate cash pile built up during the pandemic to be spent in the immediate period after coronavirus restrictions are lifted.He named the first eight areas – East Midlands airport, Felixstowe and Harwich, Humber, Liverpool City Region, Plymouth, Solent, Thames and Teesside – to take on freeport status, which he said would generate jobs and unlock billions in private sector investment, but which critics argue will relocate rather than create economic activity.And he sparked controversy with a £4.8bn “levelling up fund”, which includes his own constituency, as well as those of cabinet colleagues Robert Jenrick, Brandon Lewis, Simon Hart and Alister Jack, as priority areas to bid for cash, ahead of deprived authorities like Barnsley, Flintshire, Coventry, Plymouth, Salford and the Wirral.Other measures included: – Stamp duty holiday for properties less than £500,000 extended until the end of June, followed by a lower £250,000 threshold until the end of September.- State-backed guarantee for mortgages of up to £600,000 with a 5% deposit.- Furlough worth up to 80 per cent of wages extended to September, with employers expected to contribute from July.- Temporary 5 per cent VAT rate for tourism and hospitality sector extended to the end of September, with an interim rate of 12.5 per cent for six months after that.- Business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors extended until the end of June, with a discount applying for the rest of the financial year.- “Restart grants” totalling £5bn worth £6,000 to non-essential retail businesses as they reopen and £18,000 to pubs, restaurants and gyms. – Freeze on alcohol and fuel duties.Mr Sunak avoided breaking the “triple tax lock” promise in the Conservatives’ 2019 manifesto, which pledged not to increase rates of income tax, national insurance or VAT.But his personal allowance freeze will rake in an additional £8.2bn a year by 2025-26 by forcing workers into higher bands as their earnings rise.The point at which income tax becomes payable will increase by £70 to £12,570 in April, but stay at that level until April 2026. Meanwhile, the 40p rate threshold will increase by £270 to £50,270 before being frozen. The change will mean 10 per cent of adults paying the higher rate, compared to around 8 per cent now. It will result in the richest fifth of households paying £826 per year more on average, compared to £56 for the bottom 20 per cent, according to calculations by the Resolution Foundation think tank.The Institute for Fiscal Studies said about 1.3 million people would be brought into the income tax system, with about 10 per cent of adults brought into the higher 40p rate.The corporation tax increase to 25 per cent will raise £17.2bn in 2025-26, although only firms with profits of £250,000 or more will pay the full rate.Mr Sunak insisted the UK would still have the lowest effective corporation tax rate in the G7 group of industrialised economies.But Tony Danker, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said the move would “cause a sharp intake of breath for many businesses and sends a worrying signal to those planning to invest in the UK”. More