Inside Politics: Michael Gove wants trade rules relaxed in Northern Ireland

The Cabinet Office minister hopes to persuade his EU counterpart to ease Brexit barriers, writes Adam Forrest

Michael Gove held talks with devolved administrations (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A top British beekeeper fears 15 million bees could be seized and burned because of new imports rules. 15 million bees burned at the altar of Brexit bureaucracy – we didn’t see that on the side of the Vote Leave bus. Vote Leave veteran Michael Gove thinks the hive mind can help sort some of the huge problems Brexit has created in Northern Ireland. The Cabinet Office minister is hoping to pollinate some goodwill when he gathers his EU counterpart and leaders from the province for a showdown summit today. Westminster, Stormont and Brussels are buzzing for a breakthrough.

Inside the bubble

Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today:

Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer will agree on one thing at PMQs by paying tribute to Captain Tom Moore – before normal hostilities resume. A busy day on the committee corridor will see questions on Covid responses to Grant Shapps, Therese Coffey and Dido Harding, the head of NHS test and trace.

Daily briefing

ZOOM TO LIFT THE GLOOM: Michael Gove will speak with European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic – and Stormont’s first and deputy first ministers, Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill – in an effort to resolve some of the problems in Northern Ireland. Ahead of the virtual meeting, Boris Johnson called for “urgent action from the EU”. What kind of action, exactly? Well, Gove has called for Brexit grace periods in NI to be pushed on past the end of March to give firms more time to adapt to the new rules. But he also wants some checks on food and agricultural exports from Great Britain to NI to be permanently lifted, according to The Times. Ironically – after the EU’s disastrous threat to trigger the protocol to block vaccines – it is now the UK government wishing to muck about with the protocol. It comes as Brussels pulled some border officials from NI ports following security threats, condemned by all on Tuesday.

LONG IN THE TEETHING: Michael Gove finally admitted there were “serious” difficulties with Brexit implementation which must be addressed. The Cabinet Office minister conceded in the Commons that our trading woes were not simply “teething problems”. It comes as beekeeper Patrick Murfet revealed his fears that 15 million baby Italian bees he is trying to bring into Kent may be destroyed. Brexit rules have created confusion remains over whether they can be brought into Great Britain via Northern Ireland. “It’s a monumentally stupid situation,” said Murfet. Too right. As if things weren’t tense enough, the government will today set out its plans for a post-Brexit subsidy scheme to replace EU state aid rules. And raising the temperature even further, a new report from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) finds the full economic costs of Scottish independence would be “two to three times greater” than the impact of Brexit.

THE NEW MUTANTS: Matt Hancock has warned people in postcodes singled out for door-to-door testing that it is “critical” they stay at home. It looks like more postcodes will be announced soon. Scientists revealed that the Kent Covid variant has been undergoing some “worrying” mutations. The health secretary told MPs there were “mutations of concern” in Bristol and Liverpool – and the government is set to announce enhanced testing in certain areas of the two cities. The good news is that the Oxford-AstraZenenca vaccine offers 75 per cent protection for up to 12 weeks after a first dose, new analysis has found. And results also show the Oxford-AstraZenenca jab may actually reduce transmission of the virus. Hancock said it was “absolutely superb” news. Meanwhile, No 10 was forced to insist the UK’s regulator had been “very clear no corners were cut” after Ursula von der Leyen suggested Britain had compromised on “safety and efficacy” with its speedy rollout.

CAPTURE THE FLAG: Time for Labour MPs to roll out the red, white and blue. Keir Starmer’s party has been told to make “use of the [union] flag, veterans [and] dressing smartly” as part of a patriotic rebranding effort. It comes from an internal strategy presentation leaked to The Guardian. Labour’s head of research fears voters remain confused about “what we stand for”. While Keir Starmer is rated by focus groups as the party’s biggest asset, there were concerns raised about him “sitting on the fence”. Elsewhere, foreign secretary Dominic Raab is under pressure on a few different fronts. He has commissioned a review of UK aid to Myanmar in light of the coup there, but Labour is demanding action against the country’s military chiefs and their business interests. The government was defeated on its post-Brexit Trade Bill, as peers backed an amendment to block deals with countries found in violation of human rights laws.

NOT-SO-CHEERY BYE FOR CHERRY: Civil strife in the SNP continues. Senior MP Kenny MacAskill – former Scottish justice secretary – has said it was a “big mistake” to sack Joanna Cherry from the frontbench at Westminster. He said the decision had left and others “bemused”. Cherry is not going quietly. Following a whole load of online abuse, Cherry tweeted her fellow SNP MP Kirsty Blackman (who has criticised her views on transgender rights): “This what can happen when you rile up your base with lies and smears.” Ahead of today’s Holyrood debate on the financing of Donald Trump’s Scottish golf courses, his son Eric hit back at Scottish politicians on Twitter – accusing the Scottish Greens in particular of “pathetic antics”. Nicola Sturgeon will try to ignore the rows and focus on Covid. The first minister revealed she intends to introduce “managed quarantine” for everyone arriving directly into Scotland from abroad. She accused Boris Johnson of “not going far enough” with UK travel restrictions.

CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION: The Democrats have laid out their case against Donald Trump in a comprehensive 80-page memorandum accusing him of inciting a bloody insurrection at the US Capitol. The impeachment memo argues Trump should never be allowed in public office again “to protect our democracy”. Meanwhile, an account of Trump’s six-hour post-election meeting has emerged – and it’s both entertaining and terrifying. Trump, his legal team and several top advisers had an Oval Office summit that descended into a shouting and swearing match, according to Axios. “You’re quitting! You’re a quitter! You’re not fighting!” loyalist Michael Flynn screamed at senior adviser Eric Herschmann – questioning his willingness to pursue the wild, big-lie claims of election fraud. The latter is said to have replied: “Why the f*** do you keep standing up and screaming at me? If you want to come over here, come over here. If not, sit your a** down.”

On the record

“There are a number of issues that I would not describe as teething problems.”

Michael Gove acknowledges the reality of Brexit trade woes.

From the Twitterati

“Hello, World. We’re Britain and we burn baby bees now.”

Alex Andreou on the threat to have 15 million bees destroyed over Brexit rules…

“Too right. Foreign bees going over to Blighty pollinating good old British flora. What’s wrong with smiling British bees doing it? British jobs for British worker bees.”

…while Doddsy thinks it’s time we closed the border to bees.

Essential reading

John Rentoul, The Independent: Brexit’s economic costs are so much more than teething problems

Vince Cable, The Independent: We need more than hollow words to stand up for democracy

Rachel Sylvester, The Times: Tory MPs are getting a taste for mutiny – a cladding rebellion is brewing

Jess Eisinger, The New York Times: Should corporate America be afraid of Joe Biden?

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