Boris Johnson latest news: EU will ‘restart legal action’ against Britain over Northern Ireland protocol bill

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Boris Johnson admits he signed Northern Ireland Protocol hoping EU would not ‘apply it’

The EU says it will restart legal action against the UK over Boris Johnson’s “damaging” move to rewrite post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.

Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s Brexit commissioner, said renegotiating the protocol is “unrealistic”.

“As the first step, the commission will consider continuing the infringement procedure launched against the UK government in March 2021,” he said. “We had put this legal action on hold in September 2021 in the spirit of constructive cooperation to create the space to look for joint solutions. The UK’s unilateral action goes directly against the spirit.”

He told colleagues that EU officials are working on devising a number of retaliatory measures against the move, including drawing up a list of British goods that Brussels could hit with trade tariffs.

The EU is expected to launch three separate lawsuits against Britain, including for failure to conduct checks on agrifoods, and two new “infringement dates” for not sharing data or not establishing order posts with the European Commission.

Key pointsShow latest update 1655184017Nicola Sturgeon to launch new Scottish independence campaign

First minister Nicola Sturgeon will launch a fresh campaign for Scottish independence, unveiling the first details later today.

She will release the first documents relating to the Scottish government’s “Building a New Scotland” plan at Bute House in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

She said that the papers would “set out openly the challenges a newly independent Scotland would face”.

“Had we known in 2014 everything we know now about the path the UK would have taken, I’ve got no doubt Scotland would have voted yes back then,” she added.

It comes after Ms Sturgeon’s SNP won the 2021 Holyrood election on a manifesto which included a commitment to hold another referendum on Scotland’s place in the UK.

The first referendum took place in 2014 when 55 per cent people said “No” to independence, and 45 per cent said “Yes”

Shweta Sharma14 June 2022 06:20

1655180962EU to take legal action over ‘damaging’ Northern Ireland protocol bill

The EU will restart legal action against the UK, launching three separate lawsuits over Boris Johnson’s “damaging” move to scrap post-Brexit checks and standards in Northern Ireland.

Maroš Šefčovič, the EU’s Brexit commissioner, said the UK’s unilateral action goes directly against the spirit of the Brexit deal, describing it as “damaging to mutual trust”.

“As the first step, the commission will consider continuing the infringement procedure launched against the UK government in March 2021. We had put this legal action on hold in September 2021 in the spirit of constructive cooperation to create the space to look for joint solutions. ”

He told colleagues that his officials are pursuing a number of potential retaliatory measures, including drawing up a list of British goods that Brussels could hit with trade tariffs.

The EU could also consider ending financial equivalence for the City of London to European markers, sources told the Telegraph.

The Johnson government has said that it is relying on a “doctrine of necessity” that provides a “clear basis in international law to justify the non-performance of international obligations under certain exceptional and limited conditions”.

Shweta Sharma14 June 2022 05:29

1655178113Rwanda deportations ‘shame Britain’, church leaders say hours before first flight to leave

Church of England leaders joined opposition parties to condemn the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, describing it as an “immoral” policy that “shames Britain”.

In a letter to The Times, the Archbishops of Canterbury, York and 23 other bishops wrote that no attempts were made by the government to “understand the predicament” of the affected.

“The shame is our own, because our Christian heritage should inspire us to treat asylum seekers with compassion, fairness and justice, as we have for centuries,” it said.

“This immoral policy shames Britain.”

The first flight to take asylum seekers to Rwanda is set to leave the UK after two legal challenges failed in their last-ditch attempt to halt the controversial deportation policy.

The government has justified the deportations by saying that it was compliant with Britain’s national and international obligations and was necessary to combat the activities of the human trafficking gangs.

Shweta Sharma14 June 2022 04:41

1655172000Hundreds protest outside Home Office against Rwanda deportation plan

A lawyer who attended a protest outside the Home Office has said there is “righteous anger” at the Government plan to send some asylum-seekers to Rwanda.

Hundreds of protesters took part in a demonstration outside the Home Office in Westminster on Monday.

Lauren Chaplin, 28, who works as a lawyer in London, attended the protest and called the controversial Government policy “violent and repressive”.

Emily Atkinson14 June 2022 03:00

1655168400Watch: George Eustice warns NI protocol is ‘serious threat’ to Good Friday Agreement

George Eustice warns NI protocol is ‘serious threat’ to Good Friday Agreement

Emily Atkinson14 June 2022 02:00

1655164800Only seven asylum seekers set to be on Rwanda deportation flight after dozens of successful appeals

The first Rwanda deportation flight appears to be in doubt after a series of legal challenges have pushed the number of asylum seekers booked onboard into single figures.

The Care4Calais group said only seven people were approved for removal on Tuesday’s flight after sucessful individual challenges in recent days.

Up to 130 people were told they could be sent to Rwanda under home secretary Priti Patel’s highly controversial scheme. But the Home Office said last week that 31 people were due to leave on the first flight.

Emily Atkinson14 June 2022 01:00

1655161200Former Just Eat CEO appointed as new ‘cost of living business tsar’

The government has appointed the founder of Just Eat as its new “cost of living business tsar”.

The Cabinet Office said David Buttress, former CEO of the online food delivery service, will work with the private sector to develop new business-led initiatives to help people struggling with the squeeze on living standards.

Announcing the appointment, Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay said Mr Buttress would bring a “wealth of experience” and the “vigour and ingenuity of business” to the role.

“Businesses and organizations across the country have stepped up time and time again when the nation needs it most. The financial pressures people are facing as a result of current global challenges will be no different,” he said.

Emily Atkinson14 June 2022 00:00

1655158550What is the government’s food strategy and why is it under fire?

The government has published its new food strategy which aims to tackle rising food costs and obesity levels.

The strategy sets out what the government will do to deliver “healthier, more sustainable and affordable diets for all”.

It follows the government-comissioned independent review of the food system known as the National Food Strategy, led by restauranteur Henry Dimbleby.

Boris Johnson pledged the blueprint, being launched in a white paper on Monday, will “back” British farmers.

My colleague Maryam Zakir-Hussain reports:

Emily Atkinson13 June 2022 23:15

1655156750Charities pin hopes on next High Court challenge after today’s Rwanda appeals failed

Charities who hoped a last-ditch legal bid to halt migrant deportations to Rwanda have told of their disappointment of its failings, but say they will continue to press ahead with a full legal challenge to the policy due to be heard next month.

“Throughout these injunction hearings, we have heard powerful evidence against this policy and we are confident that, when our full legal challenge is heard in the High Court in July, this government will be forced to abandon this policy and bring back who is ultimately removed,” said deputy director of Detention Action James Wilson.

Emily Atkinson13 June 2022 22:45

1655154650Government launch probe into Oxford Uni donation from Vietnamese company

The government is investigating a £155 million donation to a University of Oxford college from a Vietnamese company.

It comes after concerns were raised in the Commons over Linacre College’s memorandum of understanding with Sovico Group to receive the gift.

The investment group was represented by its chairwoman, Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao.

Last November, the college said it would approach the Privy Council to ask permission to change its name to Thao College, following the first gift of £50 million.

Education minister Michelle Donelan told MPs she is “actively investigating” the matter and could provide an update in the coming days.

Emily Atkinson13 June 2022 22:10

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