Brexit

Michael Gove faces Brexit questions from MPsThe government has rejected claims that its handling of Brexit is to blame for a reported drop in exports to the EU in January after new figures suggested exports had plunged by 68 per cent.In the letter, RHA head , Richard Burnett appeared to blame the government’s handling of Brexit, asserting that he had “warned repeatedly” of how the lack of clarity on post-Brexit rules would impact hauliers, traders and manufacturers. In a statement to The Guardian on Monday, a Cabinet Office spokesperson rejected the accusations, asserting that the government does not “recognise these figures at all”. “We know there are some specific issues and we are working with businesses to resolve them,” they said. Meanwhile, the government is facing fresh accusations of “cronyism” from Labour, with shadow Cabinet Office minister Rachel Reeves accusing leadership of passing over businesses with experience in favour of companies with close ties to the Conservative Party.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
1612794408Boris Johnson says government is ‘very confident’ in all vaccines being used Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said his government is “very confident” in all of the vaccines being used in the UK, despite recent findings suggesting the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine may offer only limited protection against mild disease caused by the South African variant of Covid-19. “All of the vaccines are effective in protecting against death and serious illness,” Mr Johnson said, according to Sky News, as the UK marked seeing more than 12 million people vaccinated so far. Addressing concerns over the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine head-on, the PM said: “We also think, in particular in the case of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, that there’s good evidence it’s stopping transmission as well.”He said he had “no doubt that vaccines generally are going to offer the way out”. Mr Johnson made the comments during a visit to a coronavirus test manufacturing facility in Derby, where millions of rapid response tests are being produced for rollout in the UK. Chantal Da Silva8 February 2021 14:261612792984Forcing employee to have Covid vaccine is ‘discriminatory’, No 10 says Forcing an employee to have the coronavirus vaccine in order to keep their position would be “discriminatory,” No 10 has said. In a Westminster briefing on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said taking a vaccine is “not mandatory and it would be discriminatory to force somebody to take one”. The comment came after The Telegraph reported that some ministers believe companies that adopt a “jab for a job” stance would be protected by health and safety laws. The outlet quoted a government source as saying: “Health and safety laws say you have to protect other people at work, and when it becomes about protecting other people the argument gets stronger.”No 10 does not appear to agree, however, making clear it could be considered discriminatory to threaten someone’s job or withhold employment over their vaccination status.Chantal Da Silva8 February 2021 14:031612791628Wales Health Minister Vaughan Gething ‘deeply sorry’ over Covid-19 death toll Wales Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said he is “deeply sorry” to have to mark the milestone of more than 5,000 coronavirus-related deaths in the country. “I’m deeply sorry for every single life that’s been lost, every family who’s been affected,” Mr Gething said, according to PA. “Right from the outset of this pandemic, we made a point of recognising that these aren’t just numbers, these are people who are loved and valued and leave others behind.”He said the Welsh Government had taken “extraordinary measures” to prevent the spread of coronavirus and reduce its impact. However, he said: “Despite all of that, we know that more than 5,000 people have lost their lives.””I’m afraid we can be terribly confident that without the measures that we’ve all taken together, more people would have come to harm and more families would be grieving the loss of a loved one,” he said. “That’s why it’s so important that we all stick with what we’re doing to help drive down rates even further.”Chantal Da Silva8 February 2021 13:401612790618Boris Johnson suggests border controls could play greater role to block new Covid variants Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suggested border controls could play a greater role in the effort to prevent new coronavirus variants from reaching the UK when infection rates are further reduced. Asked about the possibility of introducing tougher measures, the PM told reporters: “They are most effective, border controls, when you’ve got the rate of infection down in your country,” according to PA. “At the moment we’ve greatly reduced the rate of infection from the peak, where it was a few weeks ago, but it’s still extremely high and for border controls really to make that final difference so you can isolate new variants as they come in, you need to have infections really much lower so you can track them as they spread,” he said. The prime minister noted that it was true that “we in the UK are capable of seeing variants arise here,” as has been the case with the Kent variant of Covid-19.However, he said: “That doesn’t mean we’re not going to be relying very much on border controls as we get the rates of infection down overall.”Chantal Da Silva8 February 2021 13:231612789901Tories take 4 point lead over Labour, new poll showsThe Conservatives have regained their lead over Labour, according to a new poll, as the opposition party continues to struggle to maintain a consistent lead over the government.Research by YouGov, conducted last week, showed the Tories on 41 per cent, up by 4 percentage points, and Labour on 37 per cent, down by 4 points.You can find the full results below:Conrad Duncan8 February 2021 13:111612788879Rogue agents with no ‘knowledge’ offering Brexit trade help, adviser warnsRogue customs agents with no “knowledge or experience” are offering help with post-Brexit chaos after Michael Gove failed to recruit enough officials to guide firms through the new red tape, a trade adviser has warned.Anna Jerzewska, an independent customs expert, said firms were being “dumped by their long-term customs broker in favour of a larger client that they can charge more”.Our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick, has the full story below:Conrad Duncan8 February 2021 12:541612787805DUP MP under pressure after attacking gospel music ‘Songs of Praise’ specialA Democratic Unionist Party MP has been condemned for referring to an all-black line-up for a gospel edition of Songs of Praise as “the BBC at its BLM [Black Lives Matter] worst”.Campaigners have accused Gregory Campbell of “race-baiting” over his comments and called on him to apologise.Our reporter, Matt Mathers, has the full story below:Conrad Duncan8 February 2021 12:361612787308UK terrorism threat level reduced from ‘severe’ to ‘substantial’The UK’s terrorism threat level has been reduced from “severe” to “substantial” due to a significant reduction in the momentum of attacks across Europe, the government has said.Home secretary Priti Patel told MPs that the lowered threat level still meant an attack on the UK remained “likely” and warned that the public should remain vigilant.“The decision to lower the threat level from severe to substantial is due to the significant reduction in the momentum of attacks in Europe since those seen between September and November 2020,” Ms Patel said.“However, the UK national threat level is kept under constant review and is subject to change at any time.“Terrorism remains one of the most direct and immediate risks to our national security.”Conrad Duncan8 February 2021 12:281612786712Buckingham Palace denies Queen lobbied government to conceal private wealthBuckingham Palace has rejected a report that suggested the Queen blocked legislation in the 1970s to conceal her private wealth as “simply incorrect”.The Guardian reported that the monarch’s private lawyer lobbied ministers to change a draft law enabling companies used by “heads of state” to be exempt from new transparency measures.Our reporter, Tom Batchelor, has the full story below:Conrad Duncan8 February 2021 12:181612785825Derby company’s rapid result Covid tests will ‘strengthen national response ‘significantly’, Matt Hancock says Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said a contract with a diagnostics company in Derby to supply millions of rapid lateral flow coronavirus tests will strengthen the national response to the coronavirus pandemic “significantly”. SureScreen Diagnostics has become the first British manufacturer contracted to supply Covid-19 tests to the government. In a Monday tweet, Mr Hancock said said the deal with SureScreen Diagnostics would see at least 20 million more rapid lateral flow tests rolled out.”These tests strengthen our national response to the virus significantly, helping identify the around 1 in 3 asymptomatic people & break chains of transmission,” he said.The tests are expected to be used as part of the government’s rapid testing programme for people without Covid-19 symptoms, including home care staff, school workers and others.Chantal Da Silva8 February 2021 12:03 More

The new data, based on a survey of the RHA’s members, was detailed in a letter sent by the association to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Monday pleading for “urgent intervention” to support critical supply chains. Largely blaming Brexit for the dramatic drop, Richard Burnett, the RHA’s chief executive, wrote that he “warned repeatedly that there was a lack of clarity over how the new arrangements would work and that hauliers, traders and manufacturers were confused, having had insufficient time to prepare” ahead of 31 December, which marked the end of the Brexit transition period. “Since transition, we have worked tirelessly to demonstrate the devastating consequences these changes are having but it is very clear that Government are not doing enough to address them,” he said in the letter, which was first reported on by the Observer. Mr Burnett stressed that he did not believe the coronavirus pandemic was to blame for the dramatic drop in exports, writing: “For clarity, the current situation should not be considered a consequences of Covid. If anything, the absence of the pandemic would have made it worse, because volumes would be greater.”In an interview with the Observer, the RHA head said that in addition to the 68 per cent drop in exports, around 65 to 75 per cent of vehicles coming over from the EU were going back empty due to issues on the UK side and as a result of some British companies temporarily or permanently stopping exports to the EU. 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 situation, Mr Burnett told the publication, has been “deeply frustrating”, with the RHA head accusing ministers of failing to listen to repeated warnings from the RHA and other industry experts. The RHA head took specific aim at Mr Gove, calling him the “master of extracting information from you and giving nothing back”.The Independent has contacted Mr Gove’s office for comment. The RHA has also been contacted for further response. More

Speaking in an interview with the BBC, Mr Staley, who has held the top job at Barclays since December 2015, said he believed Brexit had the potential to deliver a more “positive” future for Britain. “I think Brexit is more than likely on the positive side than on the negative side,” he said.While jobs in the financial services sector that might have been created in the UK have been moved to EU countries as a result of Brexit, Mr Staley the situation was an opportunity for the UK and London to look beyond Europe. “I think what London needs to be focused on is not Frankfurt or not, Paris – it needs to be focused on New York and Singapore,” the Barclays boss said. “Brexit gives the UK the opportunity to define its own agenda and in defining that agenda around financial services staying competitive with other markets outside of Europe is really what the government here should be focused on and I think that is what they’re focusing on,” he said.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 Staley also said that Britain needs to make sure London “is one of the best places, whether it was regulation or law or language, or talent that manages these flows of capital well.”While the Barclays boss advocated for competing with countries outside Europe to do that, he said he could not support widespread deregulation to achieve that goal. “I wouldn’t burn one piece of regulation,” he said. Rather, he suggested that the UK’s strong regulation was a strength, rather than a weakness, with the Barclays boss praising a recent effort to crack down on firms offering “buy now, pay later” schemes. “You see what’s happening right now with ‘buy now, pay later’, you know… The FCA is going to come in and start to increase the regulation of that marketplace. That’s the right thing to do,” he said. “And, in a funny way we’ve gotten pretty good at working inside the regulatory framework that is here. It protects the financial industry in London as we learn how to deal with this regulation, and it makes the bank safer,” he said. More

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Michael Gove claims the government is ‘learning in real time’ from its mistakesMichel Barnier has admitted Britain “won” the “situation” over fisheries in post-Brexit trade talks between the EU and UK.Brussels’ former chief negotiator said the UK had “regained sovereignty over their waters” and that it was “reasonable” to say “the British have won over the current situation”.Speaking to the Times magazine on Saturday, Mr Barnier said the two nations could continue having a healthy relationship if the “treaty is applied correctly, in good faith, by both sides”.It comes as reports suggest around two-thirds of lorries travelling from the UK to the EU via Calais and Dunkirk have nothing in them, according to new figures in a blow to Boris Johnson. An average of 3,400 lorries a day travelled from the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel in France – but 65 per cent were empty of goods, according to figures from the Prefecture Hauts-de-France et du Nord, first cited by ITV News.Meanwhile, the prime minister attempts to deal with growing support for the so-called indyref2 – a vote for Scottish independence. Support for independence averages 54 per cent in the opinion polls, boosted by Brexit and coronavirus. 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
1612015434Arrests made after disturbance at Covid-hit military barracksFive men have been arrested following a “disturbance” at a coronavirus-hit military barracks in Kent where hundreds of asylum seekers have been living.Heavy smoke and flames were seen pouring from Napier Barracks in Folkestone on Friday afternoon amid blaring alarms.Kent Police said a “significant amount” of damage was caused to one part of the site following a fire, which is believed to have been started deliberately.A 31-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a security guard on Friday evening, the force said.A further four men were arrested in connection with the incident the following morning.Detectives are appealing for anyone with information, including mobile phone footage and photographs of the disturbance, to get in touch.Sam Hancock30 January 2021 14:031612014234Barnier receives criticism for claiming UK ‘won’ on fisheriesSam Hancock30 January 2021 13:431612013010‘The EU vaccine disaster has played into Boris Johnson’s hands’Our columnist John Rentoul has said:“It is so unusual to see Boris Johnson on the high moral ground that it might take a while for our eyes to adjust. The prime minister who trashed the UK’s reputation by threatening to repudiate a treaty months after signing it has now been matched by the other side doing exactly the same thing, and with less justification.The prime minister of a country with one of the worst death tolls in the world, who used to be lectured on how the Germans could do test and trace because of their labs, has turned out to be the prime minister of a country that can do vaccines because of its labs.”Read the full story here:Sam Hancock30 January 2021 13:231612010723Barnier: ‘Britain won fisheries argument’ Michel Barnier has admitted Britain “won” the “situation” over fisheries in post-Brexit trade talks between the EU and UK.Speaking to the Times magazine on Saturday, Brussels’ former chief negotiator said: “A third country can always sovereignly, freely, choose to move closer to the single market through different models that remain available. This is the British choice, the sovereign choice of the British, and according to what they consider to be in their interest.“I don’t understand this criticism since the British have gained around 25 per cent more fishing opportunities and we have lost this 25 per cent.”He added: “The British have regained sovereignty over their waters. In the reasonable agreement that we have found, the British have won over the current situation.”He said the two nations could still have a “good” relationship, providing the deal was “applied correctly”. “If this treaty is applied correctly, in good faith, by both sides, I think we can avoid acrimony and I think we have an interest to because we are going to face new and serious events and situations in the coming years and it will be better to face them by co-operating.”It comes amid a row between the EU, UK and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca over the Union’s shortage of AZ’s Covid vaccine. Sam Hancock30 January 2021 12:451612009578UK government must ‘intervene to protect Northern Ireland’ Ulster Unionist Party leader Steve Aiken has described the actions of the EU in a dispute over vaccine supplies as a “tipping point” and urged the UK government to intervene to protect Northern Ireland. In a statement, he said:“The EU cynically and deliberately used Northern Ireland in an attempt to cover up their vaccine omnishambles with a political one.“The EU’s actions show that they do not have our best interests at heart. Northern Ireland and its people have been cynically used and exploited as a negotiating chip by the EU and they will do it again in the future for selfish political reasons.“Therefore it’s long past time for the UK government to step in to protect Northern Irelands interests.”The reasons given by the EU for triggering Article 16 were unwarranted, however Northern Ireland’s are very real, including disruptions to trade and growing societal anger.”It would be a weak UK government that would continue to sit on the sidelines as an observer and let its people be treated in such a manner.”Sam Hancock30 January 2021 12:261612008319Journalist arrested after photographing protest outside asylum campFreelance photographer Andy Aitchison, 46, has been arrested after attending a demonstration outside Napier Barracks, in Folkestone, and taking photos as protesters threw buckets of fake blood at the gates of the site. The images were later used in local press reports.The protest, which saw demonstrators holding signs reading: “Close Napier now” and “There will be blood on your hands”, came in response to mounting concerns about poor living conditions in the barracks where more than 100 people have contracted coronavirus in the last two weeks.Our social affairs correspondent May Bulman has the story:Sam Hancock30 January 2021 12:051612004053Johnson warned to stay out of debate around Scottish independenceIn an interview with the Daily Record, former head of the Better Together campaign Blair McDougall, who led the No campaign to a 55 per cent victory in the 2014 referendum, agreed with Labour MP Ian Murray who said Boris Johnson poses a “greater threat to the UK than any nationalist does”.His comments come as Scottish independence looks to be one of the key areas heading into May’s Holyrood elections, with Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party (SNP) holding a strong lead in the polls.The party has outlined its road map to independence if a majority of supportive MSPs are elected, which includes plans to hold another referendum even if Westminster refuse permission, effectively daring them to take legal action to stop it.The PM visited Scotland on Thursday, where he talked up the positives of co-operation within the UK in tackling coronavirus, while claiming the SNP uses independence as a diversionary tactic from domestic problems.With Mr Johnson’s personal ratings in Scotland consistently skewing negative, Mr McDougall told the PM not to give the SNP a foil.“I’d say to him ‘stop being the villain that the SNP want you to be. Step into the background and box clever’,” he said. “You should recognise that this is a battle that will be won or lost in Scotland.”He added: “There is a distinct lack of that artistry from Boris Johnson where every intervention is briefed as being the intervention that will save the Union.“If [former PM] David Cameron understood that he was not the man who was going to save the Union, and that it was going to be saved in Scotland, Boris Johnson certainly isn’t.”In the last 20 opinion polls on the subject, Scottish independence has been the favoured view when undecided voters are removed.Sam Hancock30 January 2021 10:541612002579‘Johnson must replace NI Protocol after vaccine row,’ Foster saysIn some coronavirus-related news, Northern Ireland’s first minister Arlene Foster has urged Boris Johnson to replace the NI Protocol after the EU sparked a row over vaccine controls.The EU caused outrage on Friday evening when it invoked Article 16 of the post-Brexit mechanism, to stop the unimpeded flow of vaccines from the European bloc into the region.Brussels subsequently reversed the move following condemnation from London, Dublin and Belfast.Ms Foster said it was an “absolutely incredible act of hostility towards those of us in Northern Ireland”.“It’s absolutely disgraceful, and I have to say the prime minister now needs to act very quickly to deal with the real trade flows that are being disrupted between Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday morning.The DUP leader reiterated calls for Mr Johnson to enact Article 16 of the protocol over delays being face by hauliers.“We’ve been asking the PM to deal with the flow problems and indeed, since January 1, we’ve been trying to manage along with the Government the many, many difficulties that have arisen between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are actions he could take immediately,” she said.“There is great unrest and great tension within the community here in Northern Ireland so this protocol that was meant to bring about peace and harmony in Northern Ireland is doing quite the reverse.“The protocol is unworkable, let’s be very clear about that, and we need to see it replaced because otherwise there is going to be real difficulties here in Northern Ireland.”Additional reporting by PASam Hancock30 January 2021 10:291612001710Millions of promised government cash for ‘collapsing’ youth services ‘missing’Anger is growing over the failure to open up the flagship £500m Youth Investment Fund – amid fears the money will be redirected to other crisis services as part of a “review” of priorities.Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has more:Sam Hancock30 January 2021 10:151612000974Scottish Labour facing ‘fight for survival’The Scottish Labour Party is facing a fight for “survival” and its resurgence is critical for Sir Keir Starmer’s chances of forming a majority government in 2024, a candidate in the party’s leadership contest has warned.Fighting to replace Richard Leonard, who quit as Labour leader in Scotland earlier this month, Anas Sarwar told The Independent he was not “naive” about the party’s prospects following a spate of disastrous election results in recent years.If Mr Sarwar defeats the only other candidate in the contest, Monica Lennon, next month, he will be the fifth person to lead the Scottish Labour Party in just five years and will face his first key electoral test just nine weeks later at the Holyrood elections.Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn reports:Sam Hancock30 January 2021 10:02 More

Meanwhile, the EU has made clear the UK’s access to some security and policing “facilities” will be downgraded More