Inside Politics: Protocol ‘only way’ to avoid hard border, EU reminds UK

EU Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic will tell Michael Gove agreed arrangements for Northern Ireland must be ‘made to work’ when the pair meet today, writes Adam Forrest

(REUTERS)

Towie star James Lock has accused home secretary Priti Patel “inciting hate” against influencers after she attacked them for showing off about trips abroad. “We’ve been bombarded with hate,” he says. Tory MPs have made clear they hate new travel rules threatening 10-year jail sentences for those lying about visits to variant hotspots. But there is love – or at least tolerance – in the air for a special traveller from the EU today. Michael Gove will make nice with his Brussels counterpart Maros Sefcovic, as he touches down in London for talks aimed at easing our Brexit blues.

Inside the bubble 

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

All eyes will be on European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, visiting London for talks with Michael Gove on trade disruption between Northern Ireland and the British mainland. Elsewhere, health secretary Matt Hancock will launch a consultation on proposals to reverse market-based NHS reforms introduced under the previous Tory government.

Daily briefing

THE ONLY WAY IS WORK: Things feel very 2020 this morning. Ahead of his big meeting in London today, Maros Sefcovic has written a letter to Michael Gove reminding him the protocol is “the only way” to avoid a hard border in Ireland. He said both sides must “work tirelessly to make the protocol work”. The letter suggests grace period extensions would have to be short, rather than pushed on until 2023 (as Downing Street wants). DUP bosses appear to be hardening their anti-protocol stance, if that’s possible. First ministerArlene Foster claimed Sefcovic was “putting his head in the sand and his fingers in his ears”, adding: “You can’t even get a pot plant from Great Britain.” Meanwhile, the Bank of England governor has raised the threat that the EU will lock Britain out of its banking market. Andrew Bailey said it would be a mistake to refuse access, with Brussels yet to give permission to British institutions under so-called “equivalence” rules. It come as the FT reports that Amsterdam has surpassed London as Europe’s biggest share trading centre.

MAGIC MOMENTS: Boris Johnson said “now is the moment” for final two million people in the in the top four most vulnerable groups to come forward and get the vaccine. With growing concern about those not coming forward, Priti Patel has told Facebook and Twitter they have a big responsibility to remove false anti-vaccination posts. The home secretary told The Times that social media companies were at least partly to blame for the lower take-up of the jab among ethnic minorities. No 10 is delighted by the support from the World Health Organisation for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.The WHO recommended it even in countries tackling new variants, saying theOxford vaccine can be used in people aged over 65. In more alarming news, the head of the UK’s genetic surveillance programme has predicted that the variant detected in Kent will become the planet’s dominant strain. Prof Sharon Peacock said: “It’s going to sweep the world, in all probability.”

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Backbenchers are in a sour mood at the moment. A top Tory MP has warned Boris Johnson to “get a grip” of his ministers. Sir Charles Walker, vice-chair of the 1922 committee, said he was “very disappointed” in both Matt Hancock and Grant Shapps over the idea of a decade-long prison sentence for breaching travel rules. Sir Charles fumed: “Ten years for crying out loud!”. He accused Hancock of “demeaning his office”. Shapps’ call for everyone to halt their summer holiday plans – including staycations – has also enraged MPs. One MP present at the 1922 committee meeting earlier this week said Hancock had told them he had already booked his own holiday in Cornwall. “He says we should be looking forward to a great summer.” Labour branded it “chaos”. Keir Starmer said the government needs to“stop putting out mixed messages” over holidays in 2021. Starmer was also scathing about the 10-year jail term for red-list liars: “I know an empty threat when I see it.”

STINKING THINKING: Nicola Sturgeon denied breaking the ministerial code by meeting Alex Salmond at her home in the early stages of harassment claims against him, during feisty exchanges in the Scottish parliament. Scottish Tory leader at Holyrood Ruth Davidson said there was a “cover up at the heart of government” –claiming the SNP leader had “chosen not to tell officials in advance and not keep a record” of the meetings with Salmond. “This whole affair stinks to high heaven!” But the first minister said she would end all the “ridiculous conspiracy theories” soon, confirming she would testify at the Holyrood inquiry next Tuesday morning. Things got heated in the Commons too, when Speaker SirLindsay Hoyle gave Boris Johnson a telling off for referring to the SNP as the Scottish “Nationalist” Party – something he knows annoys Ian Blackford. TheSpeaker said: “We both know that you are only teasing him and trying to wind up the leader of the SNP, please let’s drop it – let’s move on.”

SHAGGY DOG STORY: No 10 has been forced to justify using taxpayers’ cash to fund a photoshoot of Boris Johnson’s dog Dilyn playing in the snow. Downing Street said no less than three photographers on the payroll do a vital job of“documenting the work not just of the prime minister but of the whole cabinet”.Cabinet, eh? That’s quite a promotion for wee Dilyn. Labour’s deputy leaderAngela Rayner was unimpressed. “There is apparently no limit on the budget fora coterie of vanity photographers for Boris Johnson.” In more important government business, communities secretary Robert Jenrick was accused of “betrayal” after setting out a £3.5bn package of grants and loans to remove unsafe cladding. Tory MP Stephen McPartland agreed with campaigners and said measures did not go far enough. “The support … does not help most people because people who’ve got excessive insurance premiums, fire safety defects – that’s where the real costs are,” he said. 

CANDID CAMERA: Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate has offered new glimpses into last month’s attack on the US Capitol. Republican Mitt Romney was seen running for his life after Proud Boys and other rioters smashed their way inside in previously unseen video footage played at the trial on Wednesday. Other footage, also not previously seen, showed a police officer leading rioters away from vice president Mike Pence. It wasn’t exciting enough for some Republicans. Senator Rand Paul was seen doodling during proceedings, while Senator Josh Hawley sat up in the gallery reading papers. Democrats implored them to consider again what actually happened. The mob had been “sent here by the president” said Jamie Raskin, while his colleague Joaquin Castro said Trump “wanted to make sure that his supporters were angry” – showing some of his unhinged post-election tweets.

On the record

“It’s too early to give that information. The best advice to people is: do nothing at this stage.”

Grant Shapps says don’t plan ahead on summer holidays.

From the Twitterati

“I campaigned for the whole of the UK to Leave the EU ... Northern Ireland has not got Brexit – we have the protocol damaging the economy and treating NI citizens as second class within the UK.

Brexit-backing Baroness Kate Hoey rails against the protocol…

“Northern Ireland voted to remain because they predicted the future better than you did. They are not surprised, they are angry … You get rewarded with a seat on the HOL and they get to live with the dire consequences.”

…and Deborah Meaden from Dragon’s Den offers a fiery comeback.

Essential reading

Tom Peck, The Independent: Jenrick is here to sort cladding problem – by doing bare minimum

John Rentoul, The Independent: Starmer made Johnson look slow and bumbling at PMQs

Marina Hyde, The Guardian: Ten years for breaking travel rules? Borders are the latest Boris Johnson fail

David Frum, TheAtlantic: There is no defence of Trump from Republicans – only complicity

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