Boris Johnson news: Brexit deal ‘some way off’ one week ahead of PM’s deadline as Keir Starmer attacks Covid response
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Your support makes all the difference.A Brexit deal is “some way” away as negotiations on a key obstacle remain fraught, the UK’s chief negotiator has said.
But Lord Frost added that Britain’s door “would never be closed to a deal” even if Boris Johnson’s 15 October deadline is missed.
Meanwhile, following talks with Mr Johnson, the European Council president Charles Michel urged Britain to put its “cards on the table” because although the EU wanted a deal, it would not agree to one if the cost was too high.
As difficult as Wednesday was on the Brexit front, coronavirus threw up more challenges still for the government.
Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer challenged Mr Johnson over his government’s coronavirus testing failures at PMQs, accusing him of “messing up” his response to the crisis. The Labour leader has also demanded ministers publish scientific evidence for the 10pm pub curfew.
In the north of England, regional leaders are in revolt over how local lockdowns have affected their cities. The leaders of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle city councils have written to the government, arguing its strategy is failing and that they should be put in control.
On a sunnier note, Grant Shapps and Matt Hancock have now created a taskforce designed to reduce the burden of the 14-day quarantine for travellers to the UK.
It will explore how a new testing regime can “facilitate more Covid-secure travel whilst protecting the population from imported cases”.
HS2 extension to Leeds ‘will probably not now go ahead’, former transport secretary says
The extension of HS2 to Leeds “will probably not now go ahead”, Labour former transport secretary Lord Adonis has claimed.
He made the comment after the government deferred decisions on the design of that section of the high-speed railway until after publication of an Integrated Rail Plan for the North and the Midlands.
Lord Adonis warned that this means ministers are “delaying indefinitely” the building of HS2 between Birmingham and Leeds. “By deferring decisions on (the) eastern leg of HS2 while confirming (the) Manchester leg, the Leeds leg will probably not now go ahead.”
Labour responds to Unite funding cut
What does Keir Starmer make of Unite’s 10 per cent cut in affiliation money? What does the Labour leader make of union leader Len McClusky’s ‘kept left’ warning?
Starmer’s spokesman said: “Unite have taken their decision. We have seen Len’s remarks and we acknowledge that. But Labour will continue to take the decisions that are in the best interests of the country.”
Asked if it could benefit Starmer to appear to have distance from Unite, his spokesman said: “It is for others to speculate and analyse that decision.” He added: “The whole Labour Party needs to take responsibility for the fact that we have lost four elections in a row.”
Earlier today former Labour minister Andrew Adonis suggested Starmer should ignore McCluskey’s “far-left games”.
‘Basic’ Brexit trade deal now ‘best-case scenario’, says Irish minister
We heard earlier that Ireland’s foreign affairs minister Simon Coveney believes a permanent agreement is no longer possible this year, but the UK and EU could still agree a “basic” trade deal in the weeks ahead.
“It’s clear that the best-case scenario is to get a basic trade deal, but that would be a significant achievement,” said Coveney, who said level-playing field arrangements and fishing rights remain the “two big obstacles” preventing an agreement.
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove and No 10’s chief negotiator are talking to MPs on the EU select committee – and they confirmed level-playing field arrangements and fishing rights do indeed remain sticking points.
However, Frost said “quite good progress” has been made recently. And he seemed to concur with Coveney, saying there would be “quite a lot to do” to manage the withdrawal and future relationship - even if a trade deal can be done this autumn.
Sturgeon set to announce ‘crackdown on pub drinking’
We’re expecting to hear from Nicola Sturgeon on further coronavirus measures for Scotland shortly before 3pm this afternoon.
The first minister is set to announce a “significant crackdown” on drinking alcohol in the hospitality sector, according to the BBC – but we’ll have to wait to get the detail of what that means.
It comes as the latest figures show Scotland has recorded just over 1,000 new coronavirus cases in 24 hours for the first time.
PM will tell European Council chief he wants deal ‘at pace’
Some big Brexit news for you. Boris Johnson will speak with European Council president Charles Michel later today. The PM’s official spokesman said Johnson would tell Michel that the UK wants to work “at pace to secure a deal”.
“But (the PM) will also underline that time is in short supply and ... we remain focused on the date of October 15 and the meeting of the European Council,” the spokesman added.
However, No 10 said Johnson is not expected to actually attend the European Council meeting in Brussels next week. An informal round of trade deal talks continue in London this week.
Sturgeon announces two-week crackdown on indoor pub drinking
Nicola Sturgeon has revealed a crackdown on pub drinking, as she set out further coronavirus measures for Scotland for a 16-day period.
From Friday, pubs and cafes north of the border will only be able to serve non-alcoholic drinks indoors until 6pm. Outdoor bars, restaurants and cafes will be allowed to remain open up until 10pm and will be allowed to sell alcohol up to that time.
But because of higher levels of infection, five areas – including Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley – all license premises pubs must close, with the exception of hotels for residents.
“We are not going back into lockdown,” Sturgeon insisted.
Sturgeon asks people in Scotland’s central belt to avoid public transport
People in the central belt of Scotland have also been asked to avoid public transport unless absolutely necessary for the next two weeks.
First minister Nicola Sturgeon said those in the five health board areas – Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Arran, Lothian and Forth Valley – should only use public transport when travelling to work, school or other unavoidable reasons.
UK ‘will quit Brexit talks next week if no trade deal in sight’
Boris Johnson’s government will pull out of Brexit trade deal talks with the EU next week if there is no “clear” deal in sight, according to a Bloomberg report – which cites an official “familiar” with the matter.
Is it a bluff? The PM is said to want an outline of a deal to be clear by the time of the European Council summit on 15 October. The official “familiar with the British position” said No 10 was serious about walking away next week if the outline isn’t in place.
A reminder that the PM’s official spokesman said earlier that Johnson would speak to European Council chief Michel Charles later today – and tell him that a deal was needed “at pace” and “that time is in short supply”.
Scotland lockdown: full story
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has ordered the closure of all licensed pubs, bars and restaurants for two weeks from this weekend in large parts of Scotland, with a 6pm curfew on indoor dining in other areas, writes Andrew Woodcock.
Announcing the new restrictions in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Sturgeon said that she was making £40m available to assist businesses affected by the new restrictions.
Nicola Sturgeon orders two-week pub ban across large parts of Scotland
Areas outside Central Belt face 6pm curfew on indoor dining and ban on alcohol inside premises
Brexit deal ‘some way’ away, Lord Frost says
Talks on the key obstacle to a Brexit agreement are “only just beginning”, the UK’s chief negotiator says – warning the two sides are “some way from a deal”, writes Rob Merrick.
David Frost revealed a new UK offer to limit future state aid, put forward last week, is “not an extensive text” and that “details” will not be produced until next year.
“We are some way from a deal at the moment, if I'm honest,” he told a Lords inquiry – with the date for the UK to crash out of the transition period less than three months’ away.
UK and EU ‘some way’ from Brexit deal with key talks ‘only just beginning’
New UK offer to limit future state aid - a Brussels red line - is ‘not an extensive text’….with no ‘details’ for months
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