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Related video: ‘Frustrating’ lack of flexibility from EU over protocol, says Northern Ireland secretary
The foreign secretary Liz Truss has said the UK "will not shy away" from taking action on the Northern Ireland Protocol after Boris Johnson indicated the situation was "now very serious".
Ms Truss argued against introducing “more checks, paperwork and disruption”, apparently setting the stage for the UK to take unilateral action on the post-Brexit treaty and claimed that some EU proposals “could take us backward”.
The EU commissioner Maros Sefcovic said that “renegotiation is not an option” – and urged London to match Brussels’ “determination and creativity” to finalise solutions to the dispute.
Ms Truss pushed back saying “the current EU proposals fail to properly address the real issues affecting Northern Ireland and in some cases would take us backward.”
Elsewhere, asylum seekers could be sent to Rwanda for “spending a couple of weeks in Brussels staying with friends” while journeying to the UK, or for being found with foreign receipts and train tickets.
Home Office guidance – made public following threats of legal action by refugee charities – includes examples of reasons that people can be selected for removal under Priti Patel’s new scheme.
Recommended Liz Truss ‘will not shy away’ from taking action on Northern Ireland Protocol Risk of LGBT refugees sent to Rwanda facing persecution over sexual orientation is ‘justified’, says Home Office Johnson and Starmer have fought to a standstill over Partygate and Beergate – now it’s time to refocus Boris Johnson to visit Sweden and Finland as they consider Nato membership Cabinet talks could spark further cost-of-living help, minister suggests
Key points Liz Truss ‘will not shy away’ from taking action on NI Protocol Asylum seekers could be sent to Rwanda for ‘spending a couple of weeks in Brussels’ Gene editing of animals and plans to get green light Neighbours could be allowed to vote on home extensions in their street
Show latest update 1652251836 ‘Nothing off table’ on protocol, says Gove
Michael Gove said the government would keep talking to the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol – but did not rule out unilateral UK action to ditch checks.
“We’re going to talk to the EU, but nothing is off the table,” he told Sky News – saying it was important to be “prepared to walk away”.
Asked about EU threats to launch a trade war, Mr Gove said: “There are some actors who will say certain things. And that’s fine, I’m not going to criticise them. Boris and Liz, they are negotiating duo whom I place my trust.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain 11 May 2022 07:50
1652251236 Michael Gove says government is working towards tackling cost-of-living crisis
The Prime Minister made his comments in the Queen’s Speech debate in the Commons on Tuesday, prompting suggestions ministers were preparing an emergency budget.
However, Mr Gove told Sky News: “There won’t be an emergency budget. It is sometimes the case that the words from a prime minister or minister are overinterpreted.
“The Prime Minister is right. We will be saying more and doing more in order to help people with the cost-of-living challenge we face at the moment, but that doesn’t amount to an emergency budget. It is part of the work of government.
“Last night the Prime Minister convened a group of ministers - we have all done work on some of the things we could do to help. Those policy initiatives will be announced by individual departments in due course as they are worked up.
“It is part of the process for a Government that is always and everywhere thinking of how we can help and how we can provide support, both short term and long term.”
Boris Johnson’s assertion that ministers would be saying more “in the days to come” about the help they can give to people to cope with the cost-of-living crisis was “overinterpreted”, Communities Secretary Michael Gove has said.
Watch the full clip here:
Maryam Zakir-Hussain 11 May 2022 07:40
1652250636 ICYMI - Rental and social housing reforms will put stop to damp and unsafe homes, says Michael Gove
New legislation announced in the Queen’s Speech will put a stop to renters living in “damp, unsafe and cold homes”, according to the housing secretary.
Tuesday’s timetable for new laws included the Renters Reform Bill, which Michael Gove said represented a “new deal” for people renting in England.
The Bill will extend the Decent Homes Standard to the 4.4 million households privately renting in a bid to tackle the conditions facing 21 per cent the sector who currently live in homes of an unacceptable quality, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said.
My colleague Patrick Daly has more:
Rental and social housing reforms will put stop to damp and unsafe homes, says Gove Renters Reform Bill and Social Housing Regulation Bill were both announced in Queen’s Speech
Maryam Zakir-Hussain 11 May 2022 07:30
1652250036 Lib Dem leader says prime minister failed to address cost of living crisis in Queen’s Speech
Sir Ed Davey has said Boris Johnson provided “nothing” to address the cost-of-living crisis in the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday.
The Lib Dem leader said he was “very disappointed” by the policies announced and attacked Mr Johnson for providing “drama” instead of solutions.
He said: “There are millions of families and pensioners who are really struggling already, they know it’s going to get worse in the autumn when energy bills go up again.
“The Prime Minister literally offered nothing yesterday.
“The chutzpah of the Prime Minister as he thumps the despatch box and brushes his hair and all that sort of drama, I’m afraid it’s not good any more - the joke’s not there.”
Sir Ed called on the Government to ease inflation by cutting VAT, adding: “Instead, they’re raising taxes, I just don’t get it.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain 11 May 2022 07:20
1652249586 Sadiq Khan blames Trump for sharp rise in racist online abuse
London mayor Sadiq Khan has blamed the former US president Donald Trump for a rise in racial abuse directed at him.
Addressing students of Stanford University in California, Mr Khan said that he received at least 233,000 “explicitly racist or racialised social media messages” since he was elected as London’s mayor in 2016.
Partly blaming Mr Trump for a 1,892 per cent rise in the abuse against him, Mr Khan told the audience that the banning of Mr Trump from Twitter led to a sharp drop in such abuse.
“During those four years he was president, that led to me having to receive police protection and a lot of racial abuse,” he was quoted as saying by the BBC. “In the last year of him being president, once he was banned from Twitter, I received the least racial abuse of any time over five years.”
The feud between the two started when Mr Trump, elected six months after Mr Khan began his tenure as London mayor in May 2016, criticised him for his response to the London Bridge terror attacks.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan takes part in a Q&A with students at Stanford University in California on 10 May 2022
(PA)
Namita Singh 11 May 2022 07:13
1652248570 ICYMI: Boris Johnson accused of abandoning families to poverty
Boris Johnson has been accused of abandoning British families to a life of poverty, after his legislative programme for the coming year contained no new measures to deal with the cost of living crisis.
One think tank described the package set out in the Queen’s Speech as “cosmetic surgery for an economy facing a heart attack”. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also denounced it as “a thin address, bereft of ideas or purpose” delivered by a government “whose time has passed”.
Mr Johnson told MPs that measures including a Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to enable councils to boost renewal of run-down towns and a Brexit Freedoms Bill empowering ministers to scrap remaining EU rules would help get Britain “back on track” after the Covid pandemic.
But he continued to reject demands for an emergency budget to help households who are being forced to choose between heating and eating, reports our political editor Andrew Woodcock.
Queen’s Speech: Boris Johnson accused of abandoning families to poverty ‘Their time has passed’: Keir Starmer accuses government of failing to address pressing issue of the moment
Namita Singh 11 May 2022 06:56
1652247623 Oils firms collect ￡22bn as energy prices soar
Oil, gas and electricity companies have raked in billions of pounds in extra profits this year as families struggle with massive rises in fuel prices and gas bills.
Shell, BP, Exxon Mobil and Chevron have all seen profits rise, boosted by high oil prices in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Between them, the four companies reported $27.3bn (￡22bn) in profits during the first three months of this year.
Energy suppliers have also enjoyed bumper earnings, with British Gas owner Centrica updating the stock market on Tuesday to say it expected profits to be at the top end of previous guidance.
Ben Chapman reporting the details.
Oil firms collect ￡22bn in profits as fuel and energy bills soar BP, Shell and Exxon among firms reporting big rises in revenues, while Britsh Gas and SSE have boosted their earnings expectations
Namita Singh 11 May 2022 06:40
1652247316 More announcements 'to come' on tackling cost-of-living crisis
Ministers could make further announcements to respond to the cost-of-living crisis after a cabinet meeting this week, the Welsh secretary said.
The prime minister, in his response to the Queen’s Speech, warned about the limits on public money he was prepared to commit to addressing a global economic crisis.
“We will continue to use all our ingenuity and compassion for as long as it takes,” he told MPs.
“The chancellor and I will be saying more about this in the days to come.”
A handout photograph released by the UK Parliament shows Britain’s prime minister Boris Johnson speaking during the first day of a debate on the Queen’s Speech, in the House of Commons, in London, on 10 May 2022
(AFP via Getty Images)
The suggestion of assistance was immediately attenuated with No 10 sources telling PA news agency to not expect any relief in the “next few days”.
Cabinet talks could spark further cost-of-living help, minister suggests Wales Secretary Simon Hart said the squeeze on household budgets was ‘now the most important challenge’ in Britain.
Namita Singh 11 May 2022 06:35
1652245504 Gene editing of animals and plants to get green light
Boris Johnson’s government will push ahead with legislation to allow the gene editing of animals and crops in a bid to improve Britain’s agricultural productivity.
The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill outlined in the Queen’s Speech is aimed at promoting “efficient” farming and food production – stripping out rules inherited from the EU after Brexit.
Gene editing is considered to pose less of a risk than genetic modification (GM) since it does not involve the introduction of DNA from another species.
But the practice is still controversial, with campaigners warning about potentially “catastrophic” animal welfare implications from a “high-tech free-for-all”.
Read this report by Adam Forrest to find out how gene editing works and why the government is keen on allowing it.
Gene editing of animals and plants to get green light Bill to relax regulations part of plan to ditch EU rules after Brexit
Namita Singh 11 May 2022 06:05
1652244860 Neighbours could be allowed to vote on home extensions in their street
Neighbours could be allowed to vote on granting permission for home developments on their street.
The Queen’s Speech, read by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday, said “the planning system will be reformed to give residents more involvement in local development” as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.
Under the proposals, communities would be able to vote on whether planning permission should be granted for extensions to existing homes on their street, according to a report by the BBC.
Namita Singh 11 May 2022 05:54
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