Boris Johnson news: Care home workers excluded from ‘shambolic’ new NHS visa, as Brexit ad blitz warns of higher travel cost
Follow all the latest developments
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK
Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight
Downing Street has confirmed social care workers would not be able to take advantage of the new NHS visa, as home secretary Priti Patel sets out the government’s post-Brexit points-based immigration system.
The GMB trade union said the exclusion was an “embarrassing shambles” and accused the government of making “no acknowledgement of the vital job care workers have been doing” during the coronavirus crisis.
It comes as the government launches an ad campaign, warning of higher travel costs at the end of the Brexit transition period. Boris Johnson said people should “get ready” for new “opportunities”, but the European Movement group said the rhetoric was “what Orwell called Newspeak”.
National security comes first when it comes to Huawei, says minister
Justice secretary Robert Buckland said he “noted” the concerns raised by BT in removing Huawei from the telecommunications network.
He told the BBC: “I think the National Security Council will be making a carefully informed assessment of the situation and an announcement will be made as soon as practical.
“Clearly there are massive practical considerations here and the interchange between 4G and 5G needs to be understood. Of course, a lot of the equipment we have was expected to have a fairly long life.”
Buckland also said national security must be put “first” when considering Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s communications network.
“I think what we have to do as a government is maintain that balance - we want to race ahead and have the best form of internet connectivity that we can because it means this country is more competitive economically and it brings greater quality of life to our citizens.
“But, at the same time, national security comes first and I know the NSC (National Security Council) and the whole of government will be placing a huge priority on our national security.”
Days left to prevent ‘wave of evictions and homelessness’
Just days are left to pass a new law to prevent “a wave of evictions and homelessness” from the impact of the coronavirus crisis, Labour has warned.
Ministers are accused of ignoring the threat facing renters, when a temporary ban on kicking them out lapses next month – even as second home owners and landlords are given new tax breaks.
Labour also pointed to the “broken promise” of a permanent ban on no-fault evictions, seven months after it was made in Boris Johnson’s post-election Queen’s Speech.
A survey by the charity Shelter found 230,000 renters are at risk of eviction, while the generation Rent group said 45,000 are at risk of homelessness this autumn.
Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has more details:
‘The passport office has been in complete disarray’
Our very own travel correspondent Simon Calder has been on Sky News, helpfully explaining some of the potential problems facing British travellers from the start of next year.
Calder says his own passport is valid until February 2023. “But from the 1 January Europe will regard it as only being valid until May 2022 because that’s 10 years after it was issued.”
“The big problem for a lot of people is that the passport office has been in complete disarray because of the coronavirus crisis, and already there is the most almighty backlog of applications … If you don’t need to renew your passport just yet, please don’t.”
Government urged to give ‘firm direction’ on face mask in shops
James Daunt, managing director of Waterstones book stores, said asking customers to wear a mask is a “reasonable measure” and called on the government to give “firm direction”.
But the book shop boss said “shop workers should not be the police” of people wearing masks in stores, adding: “That would not be right.”
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There will be a tiny, tiny minority of people who will be confrontational over it and it is not the position of shop workers to enter into that situation.”
It comes as both public health experts and retail chiefs urge the government to look again at making face masks mandatory in shops to encourage people to make a safe return to the high street.
Jon Stone has more details.
Salons and tattoo shops to reopen in England, as Scotland and Wales ease restrictions
A reminder of the lockdown changes coming into play today. Beauty salons, nail bars and tattoo shops are to reopen for the first time since March in England.
Spas, massage studios and physical therapy businesses have been allowed to welcome customers again but will be required to follow coronavirus guidelines, with restrictions on treatments which involve work directly in front of a customer’s face.
Government guidance has stated that face waxing, eyelash treatments, make-up application and facials should not be provided because of the greater risk of Covid-19 transmission.
Meanwhile in Scotland, hospitals will reopen to visitors, children will be allowed to play contact sports outdoors and shopping centres will welcome back customers on Monday.
In Wales, pubs, bars and restaurants can now serve customers outdoors and hairdressers can also reopen.
Freeport plan: Green light for ‘micro tax havens’?
Reports suggests chancellor Rishi Sunak chancellor is preparing to open the bidding for towns and cities hoping to get post-Brexit “freeports” – special zones free of UK taxes and tariffs – in his autumn Budget.
Yet they won’t be “fully operational” until at least 18 months after the transition period, according to The Telegraph.
Not everyone is bowled over by the idea. The campaign group Tax Justice UK has told the Financial Times freeports could create “micro tax havens”, with potential for both tax avoidance and money laundering.
Migrant crossings high daily high
On the day Priti Patel announced a “new operational approach” to dealing with small boat crossings, a record number of migrants made it to the UK.
At least 180 migrants were able to cross the English Channel to the UK on Sunday – a new single-day record. They were among more than 380 migrants who attempted the crossing on Sunday, the Home Office confirmed on Monday morning.
More than 200 migrants were intercepted by French authorities and prevented from reaching the UK. Patel and French interior minister Gerald Darmanin have agreed to create a Franco-British “intelligence cell” to deal with the issue.
We’re expecting Patel to announce new details about the planned, post-Brexit immigration system in the Commons later.
UK frontline worker death rate second highest in the world, report finds
At least 540 health and social care workers having died from Covid-19 in England and Wales alone, according to a new report by Amnesty International.
The organisation has found that the UK is second only to Russia, which has recorded 545 health worker deaths.
Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK’s director, said: “There appears to have been a catastrophic failure to provide proper PPE and a failure to grapple with the alarmingly high death rates among Bame health workers.
“This crisis is far from over and an independent inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic is urgently needed.”
Only 25 per cent businesses ready for end of transition period, survey finds
Only a quarter of business leaders say their companies are fully ready for the end of the transition period, in a new survey from the Institute of Directors (IoD) published today.
IoD chief Jonathan Geldart said: “With so much going on, many directors feel that preparing for Brexit proper is like trying to hit a moving target. Jumping immediately into whatever comes next would be a nightmare for many businesses.”
Naomi Smith, chief executive of the Best for Britain group campaigning for a comprehensive trade deal with the EU, said the government’s £93m ad campaign drive would not be enough to prepare businesses.
“Having chosen to end our existing trading relationship with the EU under such a tight timetable, it’s little wonder the government feels the need to launch a public information blitz,” she said.
“We’ve had two information campaigns before this one, costing the taxpayer millions. But the main worry is that neither businesses nor public sector bodies have enough time to make the significant operational changes needed by the end of the year.”
How does £93m ad campaign compare?
Reports suggest the cost of the latest Brexit-related advertising campaign will be £93m. What has the government spent so far on the communications blitz?
Details from the public accounts committee show 2019’s ‘Get Ready” campaign cost £46m, despite a budget of £100m.
Prior to that, there was an ad campaign to prepare the country for leaving at the end of March 2019 costing of £15m.
This new campaign is reportedly set to cover a longer period, however, and could run until May 2022.
'UK's New Start - Let's Get Going' billboard (PA)
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies