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”.
Pub giant Greene King to cut around 800 jobs following 10pm curfew
NHS England chief warns of ‘disturbing’ coronavirus signs as hospital admissions surge
The chief executive of NHS England has warned the health service will need to be “agile” in its response to “disturbing” increases in coronavirus infection rates and hospital admissions, writes Shaun Lintern.
Speaking at a virtual conference of NHS leaders Sir Simon Stevens warned the numbers of patients in hospital had increased from a few hundred a month ago to almost 3,000 today.
NHS England chief warns of ‘disturbing’ coronavirus signs as hospital admissions surge
Hospital admissions are rising warns NHS England boss in speech to NHS leaders
Starmer insists he has good relationship with Unite boss
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he has a "very good relationship" with Unite boss Len McCluskey after the union moved to cut its affiliation money to the Labour Party.
Mr McCluskey warned Sir Keir not to move too far right in his leadership, before the executive of the party's largest donor was due vote to reduce affiliation by 50,000, or 10 per cent.
The union leader, a close ally of Sir Keir's predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, warned that activists would question Labour if he moved it in "different directions" ahead of Tuesday's vote.
On Wednesday, Sir Keir told reporters: "I haven't spoken to Len in the last 24 hours but I speak to Len McCluskey on a regular basis, we've got a very good relationship.
"That's a decision for Unite as to what they do with their money. I will continue to work constructively with them, to campaign with them on jobs and on the really important issues such as people not being fired and rehired on worse conditions."
MSPs vote overwhelmingly against internal markets bill
Members of the Scottish parliament have voted massively against the UK government’s internal markets bill.
Holyrood voted to reject legislative consent to the measure by 90 votes to 28.
SNP, Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat MSPs all united to vote against the Bill, with just the Tories backing it.
However, the vote will not prevent Boris Johnson's government at Westminster from pushing through the new law.
Nonetheless, Scottish Constitution Secretary Mike Russell demanded that ministers in London must "abandon this deeply damaging bill".
He said the Scottish Parliament had "explicitly - and comprehensively - rejected " it, adding: "As far as Scotland is concerned, today's strong endorsement of the Scottish government's stance means this unnecessary bill should now be withdrawn."
Boris Johnson’s government has admitted its proposed legislation breaks international law.
It has been introduced at Westminster in a bid to ensure trade between the four nations of the UK can continue unrestricted when the Brexit transition period ends.
Mr Russell said the law would reduce powers for the Scottish government by imposing lower food standards.
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