Brexit news: EU pours scorn on UK ‘spin’, as Boris Johnson told now is 'moment of truth'

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UK and EU are 'some way' from a Brexit deal, says David Frost

EU officials have urged scepticism about British “spin” over the rising chances of a Brexit trade deal, claiming Boris Johnson’s government was “pushing a sense of positivism and momentum – but we just don’t see it”.

Charles Michel, the European Council president, with whom the PM spoke yesterday, warned that the UK needed to take “significant steps” to secure a deal, adding: “The coming days are crucial, this is the moment of truth."

Meanwhile, trade secretary Liz Truss rebuffed fresh calls to guarantee food standards in law after Brexit and avoid chlorinated chicken from the US.

Elsewhere, two Tory select committee chairs, Greg Clark and Jeremy Hunt, have launched an inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was another difficult day for the government regarding Covid-19 as northern leaders raged at Boris Johnson’s failure to keep them in the loop about impending lockdown restrictions.

Finally, Thursday saw the appointment of Allegra Stratton as Downing Street’s White House-style spokesperson. The former ITV journalist, who had been working as Rishi Sunak’s communications chief, will front televised briefings for the government.

Key Points

• EU officials sceptical about British positivity and ‘spin’
• PM needs to make ‘significant steps’ for Brexit deal, says EU
• Tory committee chiefs launch inquiry into No 10’s Covid response
• Labour won’t side with Tory rebels on 10pm curfew, says Starmer
• Truss deflects concerns about chlorinated chicken

[8 October 2020 19:31 · Jon Sharman]

Melting Arctic ice caps bolstering China’s military, warns UK navy chief

The melting of the Arctic ice cap is opening up a fast new sea passage in the ‘High North’ for the rapidly expanding Chinese Navy to get into the Atlantic in a fresh challenge to Britain and the West, the chief of the Royal Navy has warned, writes Kim Sengupta.

The shift in the ecological balance is also likely to be exploited by Russia to assert itself even more in waters which are of vital strategic importance to Europe and America, said Admiral Tony Radakin. 

[8 October 2020 19:52 · Jon Sharman]

‘Lessons to be learnt’ on implementing lockdowns and about consent, ex-first minister says

Emergency legislation brought in by Holyrood in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic does not contain the necessary checks and balances needed for scrutiny, a former first minister has claimed.

Lord McConnell said the relation to the exercising of the new powers the "original vision of a new kind of parliament" envisaged for Scotland when the country’s devolved government was established "seems to have lost its way".

While he admitted that emergency powers were necessary in March, he added: "The Scottish legislation does not contain all the checks needed for opposition to scrutinise and question ministers' decisions, and MSPs have few opportunities to speak up for their worried constituents."

He made his comments during the Donald Dewar memorial lecture at Glasgow University, 20 years on from the death of Scotland's first first minister.

Lord McConnell, who was first minister between 2001 and 2007, went on to suggest that some controversies might have been avoided if the Scottish parliament had been "more engaged" in decision-making.

He stated: "The dithering over reopening schools and the exams results fiasco might have been avoided with parliament more engaged in the decisions, and perhaps some of the inconsistency in local lockdown restrictions and some of the anger and frustration from businesses, patients and others about not being heard might be avoided too.

"Consent is precious and should not be taken for granted."

Six months after lockdown was first imposed, he said there were "lessons to be learned in tackling the pandemic in Edinburgh and in London".

[8 October 2020 20:15 · Jon Sharman]

Could local lockdowns end up making left behind places even poorer?

Is the coronavirus actually levelling Britain down?    

Different parts of the UK have been subject to different levels of restrictions in this pandemic. On the face of it this discrepancy is justified by the varying rates at which the infection is spreading around the country, writes Ben Chu.

[8 October 2020 20:40 · Jon Sharman]

#icymi

Keir Starmer says Labour will not side with Tory rebels to vote down 10pm pub curfew

Labour will not side with Tory rebels to defeat the government over its 10pm coronavirus pub curfew, Keir Starmer has indicated.

The leader of the opposition said that his party would not vote down the restriction, but warned there was “growing concern” about it.

It comes ahead of a parliamentary vote on the issue next week in which Conservative backbenchers are expected to voice concerns about the measures.

[8 October 2020 21:00 · Jon Sharman]

4 million applications to settled status scheme

More than four million applications have been made to the EU settlement scheme so far, figures suggest.

EU citizens and their families are asked to apply to the Home Office scheme by June next year, in order to carrying on living and working in the UK when the Brexit transition period and freedom of movement ends.

According to provisional Home Office figures to the end of September, 4,061,900 applications have been received since the scheme opened in March last year.

Some 2,172,200 have been granted settled status, allowing them permanent leave to remain.

And 1,614,600 have been granted pre-settled status, meaning they need to reapply after living in the country for five years to gain permanent residence.

But 16,600 applications have been refused, 34,600 were withdrawn or void and 42,400 were deemed invalid - meaning the Home Office decided the applicants were not eligible to apply or had failed to provide sufficient proof of residence.