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       Related: Starmer criticises PM over NI take hike

       Shortages of some food products on supermarket shelves due to Britain's ongoing supply chain crisis could be permanent, a leading industry figure has warned.

       Ian Wright, chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation, said the days when UK consumers could pick up almost any product they like are over.

       "The result of the labour shortages is that the just-in-time system that has sustained supermarkets, convenience stores and restaurants - so the food has arrived on shelf or in the kitchen, just when you need it - is no longer working,” he said.

       “And I don't think it will work again, I think we will see we are now in for permanent shortages.”

       Elsewhere, Labour has taken a surprise poll lead after support for the Conservatives slumped to its lowest level since the general election on the back of Boris Johnson’s tax rise.

       Tories hit by five-point poll slump as Labour takes first lead in 2021 Will the DUP’s Brexit gamble pay off? Gove receives ￡100k in donations from London property mogul

       Key Points Shortages of some food products could be permanent, industry leader warns Labour takes takes poll lead for first time in 2021 - why has Tories support slumped? UK to delay imminent new Brexit border checks on food amid shortages Channel row escalates DUP leader says he could collapse Stormont by November over Brexit border

       Show latest update 1631275147 Brexit: EU’s Sefcovic warns against NI protocol renegotiation

       The vice-president of the European Commission said any attempt to renegotiate the post-Brexit agreement between the EU and the UK would cause “instability, uncertainty and unpredictability” in Northern Ireland.

       Speaking in Belfast, Maros Sefcovic also said the Northern Ireland Protocol, which has created a trade border in the Irish Sea, must be “properly implemented”.

       He said the EU had been “engaging constructively” with the UK government to limit the impact of the protocol on everyday life in Northern Ireland but that full implementation would require compromises on both sides.

       Liam James 10 September 2021 12:59

       1631274427 DUP leader vents over Northern Ireland Protocol discussions

       DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, airing his frustrations over the Northern Ireland Protocol earlier on BBC Radio Ulster, said: “I have been reasonable, I have given people time to take the action that I feel is necessary to remove this Irish Sea border.

       “I have worked with the government, I have engaged with the EU, I have put forward proposals and suggestions in terms of how we can address these issues.

       “There reaches a point where, with the decision taken to extend the grace periods indefinitely, that it appears to me that this will be dragged out for months, if not years, and we simply can't afford that.

       “The harm that is being done to our economy every day is not sustainable.”

       Liam James 10 September 2021 12:47

       1631273767 Brexit: DUP leader says he could collapse Stormont by November

       The leader of the DUP has indicated he would pull his ministers out of Stormont before November if his demands on post-Brexit border checks are not met.

       Sir Jeffrey Donaldson yesterday said his party was seeking to challenge the legality of checks introduced with the Northern Ireland Protocol. If it was determined that Stormont lacked the power to prevent border checks, the position of DUP ministers in the executive would become untenable, he said.

       Asked today on the BBC if he would pull his ministers out of the Executive before November if the UK government did not legislate to rmeove the checks in October, Sir Jeffrey said: “I think that is the sort of timescale we are working to now.”

       Liam James 10 September 2021 12:36

       1631272867 UK cities and towns to lose 500,000 jobs due to pandemic, report warns

       UK city centres and towns are set to lose half a million jobs due to changes brought by the pandemic including increased working from home, a report commissioned by the Local Government Association has warned.

       Most of the job losses are expected to be in manufacturing, finance, hospitality and retail.

       Ben Chapman has more on this:

       UK cities and towns to lose 500,000 jobs due to pandemic, report warns Unemployment expected to rise in coming weeks as furlough comes to an end

       Liam James 10 September 2021 12:21

       1631271950 ICYMI: Kim Leadbeater pays tribute to sister Jo Cox in maiden Commons speech

       Labour Party politician Kim Leadbeater has paid tribute to late sister Jo Cox in emotional maiden Commons speech.

       The Batley and Spen MP said she would ‘give literally anything not to be standing’ in the House of Commons in place of her sister Jo Cox who was murdered in 2016.

       Ms Leadbeater paid tribute to the ‘best big sister anybody could ask for’ and rose to her feet with a ‘huge feeling of pride and a significant amount of nervousness’ as she made her maiden speech during a debate to celebrate Mrs Cox’s legacy.

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       Kim Leadbeater Pays Tribute To Murdered Sister Jo Cox In Maiden Commons Speech M199908

       Matt Mathers 10 September 2021 12:05

       1631271050 Ripping up post-Brexit trade rules would punish Northern Ireland economy, EU warns

       Ripping up post-Brexit trade rules would punish Northern Ireland, an EU leader has warned its people, as he again ruled out a renegotiation.

       Warning the UK demand would bring “instability, uncertainty and unpredictability”, the Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic also said it would be bad for the economy of the province.

       Our deputy politics editor Rob Merrick reports:

       Ripping up post-Brexit trade rules would punish Northern Ireland, EU warns ‘Doing this would effectively mean cutting Northern Ireland off the EU’s single market and related opportunities’

       Matt Mathers 10 September 2021 11:50

       1631270150 Don’t mix politics with business interests, Tory co-chair told by watchdog

       Conservative Party co-chair Ben Elliot has been told by the government’s lobbying watchdog that he must uphold a “clear distinction” between his political role and his private business interests.

       My colleague Adam Forrest reports:

       Don’t mix politics with business, Tory co-chair told by watchdog Ben Elliot warned he must make ‘clear distinction’ between roles with party and firm

       Matt Mathers 10 September 2021 11:35

       1631269338 More comments from Ian Wright

       The boss of the Food and Drink Federation has said that the days when UK consumers could expect to pick up nearly whatever product they want whenever they want from supermarket shelves are over.

       Ian Wright, the body's chief executive, said that a shortage of lorry drivers is in part due to them moving to online retailers and starting to deliver for Amazon and Tesco.

       He said: “It’s going to get worse, and it’s not going to get better after getting worse any time soon,” Mr Wright told listeners at an event organised by the Institute for government”.

       He added: “The result of the labour shortages is that the just-in-time system that has sustained supermarkets, convenience stores and restaurants - so the food has arrived on shelf or in the kitchen, just when you need it - is no longer working.

       “And I don’t think it will work again, I think we will see we are now in for permanent shortages. Now these shortages don’t mean that you’re going to run out of food.”

       Matt Mathers 10 September 2021 11:22

       1631267830 Voters will reward us in long term, Dowden says

       Culture secretary Oliver Dowden responded to the YouGov poll by saying he thinks the electorate could “reward” the government for its plan to hike National Insurance to pay for social care.

       “In the end, the electorate reward governments who are willing to take difficult decisions in order to protect the long-term national interest, and that is what that decision is all about,” he told Sky News.

       “I think when you come to the next general election, which is some time away, people will weigh that up and what they will see as a result of this is, because we have put the extra money into the NHS.

       “And we have finally, after many governments previously ducked this challenge of social care … finally the prime minister has actually done something about this.”

       He also confirmed Priti Patel, the home secretary, is considering plans to turn migrant boats back in the English Channel – but claimed all plans would be in accordance with maritime law.

       More on those comments below:

       Matt Mathers 10 September 2021 10:57

       1631266889 Why has support for the Tories slumped?

       Following a big week in parliament, the Tories have dropped five points in a YouGov survey for The Times.

       It means Labour has taken the lead for the first time since January on 35 per cent, compared to the Conservatives 33 per cent.

       On the face of things, it seems Boris Johnson has been punished for his decision to hike NI contributions to pay for health and social care.

       Reports suggested internal Downing Street surveys showed public support for the policy.

       But throughout the week economic experts and pundits pointed out this was because most people were unaware that NI is essentially just another tax.

       As reporting on the health and social care levy increased - and the public became more aware of what NI insurance is - separate polling showed support for the levy beginning to ebb away.

       Labour strongly opposed the move and appears to have been rewarded for doing so.

       The Tories also broke a second manifesto pledge by pausing the triple lock on pensions.

       So it may be a combination of the NI rise, triple lock - and the principle of breaking election promises - that has seen the party's fortunes decline (for now).

       One interesting aspect of the YouGov survey was the surge in support for Richard Tice's right-wing, low-tax outfit Reform UK party, suggesting it may be the tax rise that did the most damage.

       A boost for Labour, coupled with voters moving to Reform UK, has the Tories down.

       Matt Mathers 10 September 2021 10:41

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