Brexit news – live: Boris Johnson 'confident' in US vote count amid Trump 'rigged' election controversy

Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen to discuss Brexit trade talks 

Earlier today we reported that the EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier was believed to have refused Boris Johnson’s request to meet one-on-one with EU political leaders in order to find common ground, reportedly claiming No 10 wanted to trigger a “tug of war” over the trade talks’ unresolved issues.

But just hours later, the bloc has said that EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will speak with the prime minister on Sunday to discuss the negotiations.

Mr Barnier had reportedly said the EU should avoid giving Mr Johnson last-minute compromises at all costs…

David Lammy condemns ‘stupid’ No 10 silence over US election

The Labour MP has accused Downing Street of “failing to support democracy”, branding the decision “an appalling act of moral cowardice”.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy stopped short of naming Donald Trump, but tweeted this shortly after he intensified his baseless claims that the election was rigged during a White House speech:

PM and Urusla von der Leyen to ‘take stock’, Downing Street says

A phone conversation between Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen this weekend wil allow the leaders to "take stock" of the Brexit trade negotiations, Downing Street has said.

Meetings between UK chief negotiator Lord Frost his EU counterpart Michel Barnier are due to continue next week, after both said there were serious “divergences” remaning.

Nicola Sturgeon compares UK aversion to IndyRef2 with Trump’s attack on democracy

As UK ministers continue to double down on their opposition to allowing the SNP the second independence referendum it is pushing for, the first minister went as far to compare their denials to Donald Trump’s attempt to subvert the outcome of the US election using baseless claims of voter fraud.

“It’s no for a generation,” Scottish secretary Alister Jack had said of a second referendum, in an interview with the BBC.

Asked to clarify the length of a generation, the Conservative minister said: “Is it 25 years, or is it 40 years? You tell me. But it’s certainly not six years. Nor 10.”

Britain's economic recovery from coronavirus will be slowed for two years by Brexit, EU forecasts

In its regular autumn economic forecast, the European Commission has warned that the new trading arrangements adopted by Boris Johnson will "slow down the recovery considerably" for two years, our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports.

"Business investment is expected to take longer to recover due to the longer-term effects of the pandemic and the need to adapt to the new, significantly less beneficial trading relations with the EU," the forecast warned.

It comes after the UK's own National Audit Office predicted that leaving the single market and customs union on 31 December would cause disruption to trade whether a free trade agreement is signed or not before then.

Voices: Boris Johnson’s Trumpian tactics could still scupper an EU trade deal

In the latest comparison of the day between Tory politicians and Donald Trump, our chief political commentator John Rentoul suggests that – given “at the very least we know that Johnson reads books” – the likeness is “superficial”, but relates to the way the pair conduct trade deals.

Read his analysis here:

Scottish Government accused of ‘unacceptable delays’ in Alex Salmond inquiry

The time the Scottish Government is taking to hand over information to the Alex Salmond inquiry is “totally unacceptable”, a Holyrood committee has said.

The committee examining the botched investigation into claims of sexual harassment against the former first minister said it is having to extract evidence “through attrition” during witness questioning rather than government co-operation.

The inquiry was set up after the Court of Session ruled in January 2019 the government's investigation had been “procedurally unfair” and “tainted with apparent bias”, resulting in a £512,250 payout for Mr Salmond.

In a letter to Deputy First Minister John Swinney, committee convener Linda Fabiani also accused the government of using legal privilege to withhold documents beyond those just containing legal advice.

Boris Johnson ‘has every confidence in the checks and balances of the US Constitution’

After significant silence over events in the US, Boris Johnson told reporters during a visit to the East Midlands: "If I were a voter in America I don't think I'd want anybody in another government commenting on my election.

“I think while the votes are counted, we should wait and see. And I have every confidence in the checks and balances of the American constitution.”

Asked if he would miss his ally Donald Trump, Mr Johnson said: "The prime minister of the United Kingdom is always going to work closely with whoever is the president of the United States.

"That's going to be the case whatever the outcome of this election.

“I don't think at this stage you'd expect any foreign international leader to comment on the democratic processes of a very friendly country, that's just not what we do.”

Conservative minister ‘unaware’ local party association received £10,000 from Covid relief fund

A Tory minister has claimed he was “unaware” his local constituency party was awarded a £10,000 relief under a Treasury fund designed to help small businesses through the pandemic, our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn reports.

Nigel Adams, a foreign office minister, said he didn’t “know anything” about the grant provided to the Selby and Ainsty Conservative Association in Tadcaster, which is also listed as the MP’s constituency office address.

Read the full report here:

Welsh Government faces calls to extend restrictions in some areas after ‘firebreak’ lockdown

In contrast with much of the anti-lockdown rhetoric on the right side of the UK Commons chamber, Welsh Tories are pressuring the national Labour government to enact “targeted intervention” in the south Wales valleys after its 17-day national “firebreak” lockdown, amid rising cases there.

The final week of the country's lockdown saw more Covid-19 patients in Welsh hospitals than there were during the April peak of the first wave.

Health minister Vaughan Gething said it would be a “massive breach of trust” if lockdown restrictions were extended in the hardest-hit areas.

But the Welsh Conservatives called on the Welsh Government to “urgently” explain what steps it will take if case numbers fail to drop in places like Merthyr Tydfil.