Brexit news - live: Majority unhappy with trade deal as Boris Johnson ‘driving Scottish independence support’
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Your support makes all the difference.Significant backlash has forced Northern Ireland’s ruling DUP into backtracking on measures intended to ease agri-food trade disruption in NI caused by Brexit.
Under post-Brexit customs rules, checks are required on animal-based products entering the UK from the EU, and subsequently on goods moving between Great Britain and NI too.
It was decided that a ‘Swiss-style’ trading arrangement with the bloc would ease such regulations, therefore mitigating trade disruption, but the DUP’s economy minister Diane Dodds on Tuesday ruled out such an arrangement – because it would require the UK to “slavishly” follow EU rules “in every respect”.
Meanwhile, Wales’ former Labour first minister accused Boris Johnson’s “anti-Scottish” outlook of driving support for Scottish independence. Carwyn Jones told the Constitutionally Unsound podcast that Downing Street was playing into the hands of the SNP.
“If you keep on saying ‘no’ to democrats you give succour to people who are far more extreme,” he said, referring to Mr Johnson’s repeated refusal to allow an indyref2 vote to go ahead. “How do you say in the long term ‘no, no, no’ when people in Scotland keep voting yes, yes, yes? That’s a fundamental problem that can only end badly.”
‘Now or never’ for social care reform, says Jeremy Hunt
The former health secretary has said ministers have failed to address key recommendations from the Health and Social Care Committee’s report on the social care sector’s funding and workforce issues.
Jeremy Hunt, chairman of the committee, said he was disappointed that the government “appears to have made no progress towards a genuine long-term solution to the crisis in social care”.
The report, published in October last year, recommended that the sector in England needs £7bn more a year, which would be an “essential starting point for putting social care on a more sustainable long term footing”.
It also recommended the government bring forward a plan to streamline the training of social care workers, and urgently prioritise tackling problems in the sector.
The government said in response that it remains committed to “ambitious reform” and will set out proposals later this year, adding that councils will have access to more than £1bn in extra funding for social care across 2021/22.
It said it will keep the need for further funding under review.
Mr Hunt said in a letter to Care Minister Helen Whately: “It is very disappointing that the Government has failed to engage with our call to commit to increasing investment in social care by £7 billion a year by the final year of the parliament.
“This is the starting point for wider reforms and we repeat our warning that doing nothing is no longer an option.
“Despite promises, ministers appear to have made no progress towards a genuine long-term solution to this crisis. Resolving it must be set as a priority.
“An intention to announce plans ‘this year’ rings hollow in the absence of detail on process or timescale and the failure to address this alongside NHS reform.”
European Commission vice president needs to engage with NI retailers on trade
Independent retailers in Northern Ireland have urged Marcos Sefcovic to engage with them on post-Brexit trade, ahead of the European Commission vice president’s meeting with business leaders tomorrow.
Mr Sefcovic’s meeting will discuss problems with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Glyn Roberts, chief executive of Retail NI, said his independent members face a double-whammy of complications in obtaining supplies from the rest of the UK and pressures from the pandemic.
“I do think it is important that the European Commission vice-president engages with a wide cross-section of the business community, one that is representative of the economy here,” he said.
“We have got a contribution to make. This is a small business economy. Retailers play a bigger role in our economy than is the case in the rest of the UK.
“We want to ensure that voice is heard.”
Mr Roberts added: “We should ensure that we have appropriate changes in the protocol that work for all retailers and wholesalers, whether they are independent or multiple.
“There is an emerging clear consensus that we need the grace period extended and we need long-term solutions.”
Keir Starmer outlines post-pandemic priorities in new video
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has posted a new video in which he outlines his priorities post-Covid for the UK.
They include: “Protecting our NHS by cutting waiting lists, rewarding our key workers and fixing our broken care system” and “Securing our economy by supporting good businesses to create good jobs in every village, every town and every city”.
Watch the video below:
ICYMI: Pubs and restaurants likely to be among last to come out of lockdown, says PM
Boris Johnson has hinted that the hospitality industry will likely to be among the last to reopen its doors, as he said the easing of coronavirus restrictions in his roadmap to recovery will be “cautious and prudent”.
The prime minister is due to deliver his blueprint for relaxing restrictions in England on Monday. He backed a member of Sage who said that any removal of curbs must be driven by “data not dates”.
Our Political Editor Andrew Woodcock has the story:
Pubs and restaurants likely to be among last to come out of lockdown, Boris Johnson says
Roadmap out of lockdown will set out ‘cautious and prudent’ approach next Monday
Nicola Sturgeon accused of misleading public on Covid-19 vaccine target
The Scottish First Minister has been accused of misleading the public on coronavirus vaccinations, with Tory ministers insisting a key target had been missed.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Nicola Sturgeon has been “caught spinning the stats and misleading the public” after she said the target of vaccinating everyone over 70 and all clinically extremely vulnerable people had been achieved.
Ms Sturgeon said on Monday she was “satisfied that we have met that target” - but latest figures show that 80 per cent of people on the shielding list have had their first jab.
Mr Ross has demanded that Ms Sturgeon “apologise for this completely unacceptable attempt to hide the truth”.
He said: “The public need to know they’re getting honest and accurate information from the First Minister. She must apologise for this completely unacceptable attempt to hide the truth.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish government said the claim was “completely untrue” and that the government had “not only met but exceeded our targets” as of 15 February.
“Up to 15 February, the statistics showed we have given first doses to 88% of those aged 70-74 (that is now at 90 per cent) while the number vaccinated in the 75-79 age group has exceeded the estimated population set out in the vaccination deployment plan,” she said.
“The deployment plan was based on an uptake of at least 80 per cent in each cohort, and that was met yesterday for those who have been advised to shield.”
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