Brexit news: DUP demands ‘freedom’ from NI protocol as trade deal to wipe £45bn from UK economy
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Your support makes all the difference.The DUP has demanded to be “freed” from the Northern Ireland protocol, as it thinks post-Brexit trade disruption is severing its country from the rest of the UK.
Arlene Foster, Stormont’s first minister, tweeted on Friday that trade issues between Great Britain and Northern Ireland required solutions, not just “sticking plasters”.
“Northern Ireland needs [to be] freed from the protocol,” the DUP leader wrote. “We must have unfettered trade between GB & NI ... EU must recognise the absence of unionist support.”
Her party has been calling for the agreement to be ditched for several weeks now, ever since the EU threatened to override parts of the agreement in a row over coronavirus vaccines last month.
On Friday, Ms Foster warned London, Dublin and Brussels that something needed to be done “quickly” about the issue, as people in the unionist community were “very angry” about it.
She also announced that a DUP petition to trigger article 16 of the protocol, which has so far gained almost 140,000 signatories, would be debated in the Commons on 22 February.
Liz Kendall, a Labour MP, told ITV’s Peston she had little time for the DUP’s position, suggesting the current trade issues are the “inevitable” consequences of the hard Brexit the party wanted.
Elsewhere, analysis from Brussels has predicted that the UK economy stands to lose £45bn in two years because of Brexit.
By the bloc’s calculations, this will make the Brexit trade agreement four times more costly for the UK than the EU.
Brexit could cost £45 billion in two years, new analysis suggests
The Brexit trade deal will wipe around £45 billion from the UK economy over two years, new analysis from Brussels has suggested.
If this prediction proves to be accurate, the Christmas Eve agreement - hailed as “fantastic” by Boris Johnson - could be four times more costly for the UK than the EU.
The latest projection comes amid trade disruptions between Britain and its trading partners in both continental Europe and Northern Ireland.
Brexit trade deal to swipe £45bn from UK economy over two years, EU analysis finds
Damage will be four times greater than hit to EU, study says - after Boris Johnson refused to carry out his own
Online quarantine hotel booking system still down
The government’s online booking system for mandatory hotel quarantine is still out of action, just three days before the start of the new policy.
The website was meant to go live on Thursday but is experiencing unspecified “technical issues”, according to No 10.
Under the new system, adults travelling from 33 “red list” countries must pay £1,750 ahead of their journey - to cover the cost of staying in hotel quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival in the UK.
On Friday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “Work is under way to fix a technical issue with the online booking portal. We expect the system to be back up and running today.”
Government should reform ‘old fashioned’ GCSEs , says leading headteacher
The government should consider changing “old-fashioned” GCSEs, a leading headteacher has suggested.
Jane Prescott, headmistress of Portsmouth High School, said it would be “timely” for ministers to decide whether the qualifications should be ditched.
She expressed her concerns about the consequences of “over-testing on young people’s state of mind”, adding that GCSEs are “not the best measure” for preparing students for their futures.
Her words came after GCSEs and A-Level exams in England were cancelled for the second year in a row because of the pandemic.
Ministers have ‘absolute confidence’ in Met commissioner, says No 10
Boris Johnson and home secretary Priti Patel have “absolute confidence” in the Metropolitan Police commissioner Cressida Dick, No 10 has said.
A Downing Street spokesperson said of the Met’s flawed investigation into false allegations of a VIP sex abuse ring in Westminster: “This was a deeply concerning case and the PM’s thoughts are with Lady Brittan, her late husband (Leon Brittan) and others affected.”
“The Prime Minister has complete confidence in the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, as does the Home Secretary,” they added.
This declaration of trust came after Ms Patel told LBC on Friday that there were “questions” about the force’s performance.
SNP says UK government’s coronavirus border measures are ‘insufficient’
Scottish ministers are considering whether to introduce tougher border controls to stop people who have flown into other parts of the UK from travelling to Scotland.
This comes three days before all travellers arriving in Scotland from abroad will have to self-isolate for 10 days in hotel quarantine.
While Scotland has a blanket policy, England will only require arrivals from 33 “red-list” countries to quarantine in hotels.
Speaking on Friday, the SNP’s health secretary Jeane Freeman said: “We continue to discuss with the UK Government because we think their approach, which confines itself to the red zone areas, is insufficient and we continue to work with them to try and persuade them that they should adopt the tougher stance that we’re adopting.”
“However while we do that, we do have to give serious thought to the options that may be available to us,” she added.
PM appoints new special Gulf envoy
Boris Johnson’s adviser Lord Udny-Lister has been appointed as the UK’s new “special envoy for the Gulf and special projects”.
Lord Udny-Lister, who has been the acting chief of staff at No 10, will work to strength connections with the region in his new role, which begins later this month.
“His appointment marks my ambition to achieve a wholescale modernisation of our Gulf relationships, creating jobs and driving prosperity at home while delivering on our priorities and values overseas,” Mr Johnson said.
UK and EU call for release of government officials in Myanmar, following coup
The UK and the EU have called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of Aung San Suu Kyi and other government officials in Myanmar, after they were detained in a military coup.
In a draft resolution presented to the UN’s Human Rights Council on Friday, the UK and the EU also demanded that internet restrictions in the country be lifted.
“The seizure of power by the Myanmar military earlier this month constitutes a profound setback for the country after a decade of hard-won gains in its democratic transition,” said Nada al-Nashif, the UN’s deputy high commissioner for human rights.
Samuel Osborne reports:
UN Human Rights Council holds urgent session on Myanmar coup
‘Growing reports and photographic evidence’ security forces have used live ammunition against protesters, investigator says
Welsh tourism sector could reopen by Easter, says Drakeford
Wales’ tourism sector could open again by Easter as part of a gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions, Mark Drakeford has said.
The country’s first minister said this would, of course, depend on case numbers of Covid-19, hospitalisation rates and the speed of the vaccine rollout.
Mr Drakeford added that any easing of restrictions would be done “slowly and cautiously”.
Wales currently has 102 coronavirus infections per 100,000 people, down from 650 per 100,000 before Christmas.
Patel to ‘go after’ pet thieves
Home secretary Priti Patel has vowed to “go after” people who steal pets, following a spike in animal thefts during the pandemic.
The minister told LBC Radio on Friday that she was “looking into what kind of measures can be put in place in terms of the criminality”.
“This is absolutely shocking, it’s a shocking crime that is taking place,” Ms Patel added.
This follows former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith’s call for tougher sentences for the crime.
Arlene Foster warns unionist community are ‘very angry’ over Northern Ireland protocol
Arlene Foster said people right across the unionist community are “very angry” about the protocol and the way in which the Belfast Agreement has been interpreted by the Irish Government, Brussels and London.
Mrs Foster said the Belfast Agreement has three parts - the parties in Northern Ireland, the North/South dimension and the East/West dimension.
“Once you start damaging one of those strands of the Belfast Agreement, then it does have an impact on the overall operation and I have been saying that for some time,” she said.
“People need to listen to what we’re saying, they need to take heed of what is being said by the unionist community and I hope that the message is being heard in London, and in Dublin and Brussels because we need to deal with this issue and deal with it quickly.”
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