Inside Politics: Boris Johnson finally reveals his trade deal demands

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Thursday 27 February 2020 08:51 GMT

Brexit briefing: How long until the end of the transition period?

What if we let the robots take over for a while? A new survey has found more than one fifth of the population thinks artificial intelligence (AI) could handle the post-Brexit trade negotiations better than politicians. Would HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey be any worse than PM 2020? As Boris Johnson prepares to outline his demands for a bare bones deal that could crash the economy, perhaps it’s time for a sentient supercomputer to step in and save us. “I’m sorry Boris, I’m afraid I can’t let you do that...” I’m Adam Forrest, and welcome to The Independent’s daily Inside Politics briefing.

Inside the bubble

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock on what to look out for at Westminster today:

Boris Johnson’s government will set out its mandate for the upcoming negotiation of post-Brexit trade relations with the EU – though it will fall to Michael Gove to answer MPs’ questions in the Commons, rather than the PM. Johnson is set to visit a homelessness charity as he announces £236m for rough sleepers. Meanwhile trade secretary Liz Truss will meet with Donald Trump’s trade envoy, as doubts grow over whether British reservations on chlorinated chicken will get in the way of a transatlantic trade deal.

Daily briefing

BALLS TO THE WALL: A second consecutive day of public engagements for Boris Johnson. He’ll be knackered, poor guy. After Jeremy Corbyn accused the “part-time” prime minister of “schmoozing with Tory donors” rather than visiting flood victims, details of the schmooze-fest in questions have emerged. One donor paid £60,000 for a game of tennis with Johnson at the Tories’ black and white ball in Battersea earlier this week. Sixty grand. You cannot be serious. Meanwhile, the never-ending rally between Downing Street and Brussels has turned more agressive. The two sides are accusing each other of reneging on parts of the political declaration. No 10 sources told The Telegraph elements of the declaration had been superseded by promises made in the Tory manifesto – on Northern Ireland, fishing rights and state aid. Michel Barnier is not happy. The EU’s chief negotiator is worried about “a distancing in what is being said” by the Brits – insisting agreed commitments must be implemented “to the letter”. Remember when Brexit was supposed to be done?

FRONT RUNNING MAN: Keir Starmer probably wishes the leadership contest was over and done with already. A new YouGov poll of Labour members shows him commanding 53 per cent support – enough to give him victory in the first round of voting. Rebecca Long-Bailey is trailing well behind on 31 per cent, with Lisa Nandy on 16 per cent. The survey suggests the huge majority of Long-Bailey backers actually just want their beloved Corbyn to stay on instead. Asked how they would vote if Jez were also standing, 40 per cent opted for Starmer but only 8 per cent chose Long-Bailey. Some 28 per cent said that they would back Corbs again. Angela Rayner is strolling away with the deputy leadership – almost 30 points ahead of closest rival Richard Burgon. Funnily enough, the Labour candidate with the least support – lonely Ian Murray on just 9 per cent – is the only one to be endorsed by Tony Blair. Another Labour election winner saying things members don’t want to hear is Sadiq Khan. Endorsing Starmer, the London mayor said: “You have to compromise with the electorate. As someone who believes in democracy and winning elections, the electorate is always right.”

FLICKING THE V: Ever given a farewell speech two weeks after you walked out of a job? Me neither. The ex-chancellor Sajid Javid was allowed to give a strange and elegant statement in the Commons – and offered some advice for his successor Rishi Sunak. Warning against a spending splurge and the relaxation of fiscal rules, Javid said it wouldn’t be right “to pass the bill for our day-to-day consumption to our children and grandchildren”. Javid claimed he’d rather not go into the “comings and goings” of the row that led to his departure (Cummings and goings – get it?). But he said Sunak should be given the “space to do his job without fear or favour” – another dig at the No 10 power grab over Treasury advisers. The latest speculation suggests Sunak and his handlers next door won’t be imposing a “mansion tax” or cut pensions tax relief for high earners at next month’s budget. Could there be an increase in fuel duty? Tory MP Robert Halfon said hiking it would “flash multiple V-signs at the millions of blue-collar voters who lent us their vote”.

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW: If anyone is into offering old-school deference, there might be a butler’s job going in Whitehall. An advert for a “specialist government butler” – explaining applicants must know how to make a “discreet breakfast” – was put on the Foreign Office’s website. The Mirror said the £30,000-a-year role was removed after they had called the department for comment. Perhaps the Commons authorities could hire a butler for Jacob Rees-Mogg, a man who reeks of being waited on hand and foot. We know the cabinet minister opens his own bag of crisps (probably), after he posed next to some Walker’s ready salted. Attempting to join in with the fun and games over the chancellor’s love of Yorkshire Tea, Rees-Mogg tweeted: “I am a Walker’s crisps man or Pringles when I’m feeling extravagant.”

JUKING THE STATS: Sometimes it’s actually worth calling for an investigation. Labour demanded a review into the homelessness crisis after it emerged more than 28,000 people were recorded sleeping rough – five times as many as in the official government stats. Hey presto: the government has announced a review into rough sleeping, led by Dame Louise Carey. Boris Johnson will walk among the people at a homelessness charity today (we don’t know which one yet), as he commits an extra £236m to tackle the growing problem. The money is set to go on new accommodation, refurbishment of existing units, and the leasing of some private rented properties. Yet more homelessness stats are out today.

On the record

“Advisers advise, ministers decide, and ministers decide on their advisers.”

Sajid Javid reminds Boris Johnson how things are supposed to work.

From the Twitterati

“I can reassure the manufacturers of artisan crisps that they are in no danger, in fact I am a Walker’s crisps man or Pringles when I’m feeling extravagant.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg reveals his fave crisp brands...

“Our social media team has never been so chuffed to see someone eat Walkers crisps.”

...leading Tyrrells’ hand-cooked crisp company to reveal Rees-Mogg is not their fave politician.