Boris Johnson news: Queen signs Brexit bill into law as PM warned against ‘foolish’ attempt to rush trade deals with US and EU

British tax policy ‘not a matter for the US’, says trade secretary

The international trade secretary Liz Truss has been answering questions in the Commons.

She has suggested that the government will push ahead with its plan to bring in a controversial digital services tax on US tech companies in April.

“Let me be absolutely clear – UK tax policy is a matter for the UK chancellor,” she said, answering a question from Labour’s Jonathan Reynolds on whether the government would cave to US pressure.

“It’s not a matter for the US, it’s not a matter for the EU, it’s not a matter for anybody else, and we will make the decisions that are right for Britain, whether it is on our regulatory standards, whether it’s on our tax policy, or whether it is on anything else.”

Reynolds said Truss’ answer was “genuinely interesting” – and interpreted it to mean the government “will defy US pressure” over the tax.

Government accused of ‘foolish’ twin-track US-EU trade strategy

International trade secretary Liz Truss has defended the UK’s post-Brexit trade negotiating team, amid warnings that she is “setting herself up for a fall”.

SNP trade spokesman Stewart Hosie suggested it was “foolish” for Britain to use its limited resources to hold parallel talks with the EU and the US this year – but Truss accused the SNP of “talking our country down” in the Commons clash.

Hosie said: “I’m glad the Secretary of State expects us to cut lots of free trade deals, but they don't happen by chance – they happen by detailed analysis and tough negotiations.

“Can I ask her, how does she believe we can succeed in those negotiations when the number of expert trade negotiators she has is a fraction of the 600 the EU has?

“And, more importantly, is she not setting herself up for a fall by, rather foolishly, in my opinion, embarking on parallel trade negotiations with such limited resources with both the European Union and the USA?”

Truss replied: “We have scaled up our trade negotiation expertise. We now have approximately the same number as the US trade representative, which is one of the leading trade negotiators in the world.

“Our trade negotiators have already secured £110 billion of trade continuity deals even though people like him said it couldn't be done.”

Truss outlined the expertise of those recruited, adding: “We have the staff in place ready to conduct the negotiations with the US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.”

International trade secretary Liz Truss (Parliament TV) 

Mark Brexit with fireworks that can be seen from France, says Tory MP

More now on the newly-elected Tory MP for Dover and Deal’s desires for appropriate celebrations to mark “Brexit Day” next Friday.

Along with a “We love the UK” banner to be hung from the White Cliffs of Dover, Natalie Elphicke wants Britain's exit from the EU marked with a firework display that can be seen from France

Elphicke find herself competing with a rival campaign by the Lib Dem MEP Anthony Hook – who is crowdfunding an attempt to have a 150 square metre “We still love EU” banner draped over the iconic white cliffs.

Hook’s campaign has raised more than £13,000 – more than twice his target of £5,500 – and he said he and his team have “more exciting plans to make sure our message is heard right across the continent”.

Rees-Mogg will ‘pray for the soul’ of Scottish writer

Tory MP and Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he “will pray for the soul” of the great Scottish novelist and artist Alasdair Gray – who died at the end of December at the age of 85.

The SNP MP Patrick Grady had called for a debate on the author’s life – which Rees-Mogg said he could not promise.

PM finds Bercow bullying allegations ‘concerning’

Responding to reports of a bullying complaint against former speaker John Bercow, Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “These are very concerning allegations and they need to be investigated thoroughly.

“Everyone working in parliament deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. There can be no place for bullying in Westminster or any workplace.”

Speaking ahead of the PM’s meeting with the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe later today, his official spokesman said: “Nazanin’s continued detention is inhuman and completely unacceptable.

“We remain deeply concerned about her welfare.

“The UK continues to take every opportunity to raise Nazanin’s case at the most senior levels with the Iranian government. The prime minister called for the release of Nazanin and other dual nationals when he spoke to president Rouhani.”

The Withdrawal Agreement Bill is expected to receive royal assent later today, the official spokesman said.

Government monitoring Coronavirus outbreak, says Hancock

Health secretary Matt Hancock has made a statement about the Coronavirus outbreak in the House of Commons.

“As of this morning there have been 571 cases confirmed by the Chinese government, and 17 people are reported to have died of this new strain … all the fatal have been so far contained to mainland China,” he said.

Hancock said he expected the number of fatalities to rise further.

“A small number of cases … have now been detected in other countries,” he added. “There are no confirmed cases of this new infection in the UK so far.”

He added that the government has been guided by the chief medical officer, and said Public Health England officials had been carrying out “enhanced monitoring” of direct flights from Wuhan city – the epicentre of the outbreak.

Matt Hancock speaking in Commons (Parliament TV) 

Report: UK officials recommend green light for Huawei over 5G network

British officials have formally recommended granting Huawei a limited role in the UK’s future 5G network, two people with knowledge of the matter have told the Reuters news agency.

The recommendation, made at a meeting of officials from senior government departments and security agencies on Wednesday, comes ahead of a meeting of the National Security Council next week to decide how to deploy Huawei equipment, the sources said.

US treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin said earlier that he would be meeting with British finance minister on Saturday on Huawei.

“Let me just say again, it’s a complicated issue,” Mnuchin said. “We’ve made very clear that it relates to all of the critical areas that we have significant concerns. But again, there’s ongoing discussion on these issues.”

Huawei's UK headquarters in Reading (PA) 

Starmer cancels campaign events after mother-in-law taken to hospital

A spokesperson for Labour leadership candidate Keir Starmer said: “Following an accident, Keir Starmer’s mother-in-law is critically ill and has been admitted to hospital in intensive care.

In order to support his family at this difficult time, Keir will be cancelling all campaign events today and tomorrow. We ask that his family’s privacy is respected at this time.”

Labour leadership frontrunner Keir Starmer (PA) 

Welsh Tory candidate deselected after being accused of sabotaging rape trial

A Welsh Conservative candidate accused of deliberately sabotaging a rape trial in 2018 has been deselected by his party.

Ross England was giving evidence as a witness in the trial of a male friend when it was halted after he referred to the female victim’s previous sexual history against the directions of the judge.

The judge in the case, Stephen Hopkins QC, said England had “single-handedly” and “deliberately” sabotaged the trial at Cardiff Crown Court in April 2018.

On Thursday, the Conservative Party said England’s nomination to contest the Vale of Glamorgan seat in the 2021 Welsh Assembly election had been “withdrawn”.

Former Welsh secretary Alun Cairns stepped down from his cabinet role after it was revealed he had endorsed England as an Assembly candidate eight months after the rape trial was stopped.

Cairns claimed he was unaware of the role played by England, who had been a staff member in his office, in the aborted trial until after the story broke last October. But a leaked internal email suggested he had been made aware earlier.

Amy Winehouse’s mother delivers letter to Downing Street

Janis Winehouse, mother of the late music star Amy Winehouse, has delivered a letter to Downing Street with campaigners demanding Boris Johnson makes urgent changes to the benefits system.

More than 21,000 people have signed the open letter calling on the Prime Minister to fix the process for claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

The benefit, which replaces the Disability Living Allowance, is designed to help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability. But there are concerns about the assessment process and the complexity of claims forms.

The late singer’s mother, who is an MS Society ambassador, said she wanted to “support the people living with MS whose voices still aren’t being heard”.

She added: “Some of my closest friends have been through the exhausting and demoralising process of claiming PIP, and it can’ go on any longer. MS is relentless, painful and disabling, and right now PIP is costing many people their independence rather than giving it to them.”

Janis Winehouse with MS Society campaigners outside No 10 (PA)