Boris Johnson ‘will consider’ Lords amendments to Brexit bill

Cat Neilan
·62 min read
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Boris Johnson was facing defeat over his plans to override the Brexit divorce deal this evening, as peers accused the Government of behaving like a “third world dictatorship”.

Lords expressed their concerns ahead of a vote to remove the sections of the Internal Market Bill which ministers admitted would break international law in a “very specific and limited way”.

Tory grandee Lord Clarke said the legislation was a “rather Donald Trump like gesture” and urged peers to vote against it.

“I’ve never heard anybody describe any particular proposal that is being forced upon us in these negotiations by Brussels which should have such a horrendous and catastrophic consequence then we need to be allowed to behave like the government of a third world dictatorship," he said.

The former chancellor added that no Government he served in would have “contemplated for one moment” proposing the powers set out in the Bill.

Meanwhile former Conservative leader Lord Howard said the UK would set a "lamentable example" if the UK were to break international law.

He said he was “dismayed” that the Government would choose to “break its word, to break international law and to renege on a treaty” as its first act of independence.

He said: “I voted and campaigned for Brexit and I do not for one moment regret or resign from that vote.

08:45 PM

That's all from us for now.

Peers will continue debating the Bill over in the Lords for now, with a vote anticipated around 10.30pm.

A full story with the results of the vote will be up on The Telegraph website later. 

For now, we will leave you with the results from today's poll: Will Joe Biden be bad for Global Britain?

Half of you said yes: He's anti-Brexit & will put UK at the back of the queue 

A further 17% said: No, but he'll be bad for Boris Johnson. More pressure on PM.

While 33% said: No, he is statesmanlike and has promised to heal divisions. 

We will see you in the morning.

08:02 PM

Debate on question now adjourned

The House will adjourn until 8.30pm

08:02 PM

What's the mood in the house?

The Lords have been debating  clauses linked to the most contentious part of the Internal Market Bill, namely part five which gives ministers the power to breach the Withdrawal Agreement, for some hours now.

Clearly there is a universal discontent for these controversial sections of the Bill. 

Language has been emotive as a huge number of Peers have expressed concern as to what they fear breaks international law.

Speaking ahead of the expected votes, Lord Howard said "nothing has changed" since Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis admitted the Bill breaks international law in a "very specific and limited way".

Lord Howard, who is a Brexit backer, added: 

I wanted to be an independent country which truly is a beacon unto the nations and I am dismayed that the Government, the Government which I have supported for so long and which I have very, very rarely disagreed with and rebelled against, that that Government has chosen as one of the first assertions of its newly-won sovereignty to break its word, to break international law and to renege on a treaty it signed barely a year ago.

07:42 PM

Unionists 'frustrated' over proposed trading arrangements

Lord Dodds said that there are many unionists who feel "deeply frustrated" about the proposed trading arrangements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain at the end of the transition period.

The DUP's former Westminster leader said: 

Just as it is unacceptable to nationalists to have that border on the island of Ireland, it is equally unacceptable to create barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.That is why we feel strongly that some of the emphasis on the Belfast Agreement that has been made in this House and other places has I think erred somewhat to emphasise one side of the situation.Many, many unionists feel deeply, deeply frustrated and angry tonight in Northern Ireland about the way in which it's OK to have a free border north-south but you can do whatever you like east-west.We must come to sensible, pragmatic arrangements.

07:18 PM

UK risks losing 'moral compass' over clauses

Tory Lord Cormack has told the House that the law-breaking clauses in the Bill must go, as he threatened to vote against them "again and again" if necessary.

Lord Cormack warned that if they were allowed to remain "we would be rightly accused of losing our moral compass as a nation".

Meanwhile Tory former minister Baroness Altmann joined those opposing the controversial clauses.

She said: "We cannot allow the Government to just re-write an international agreement to suit ourselves and undermine the very foundation of our democracy based on the rule of law and parliamentary sovereignty."

Tory grandee Lord Clarke said the legislation was a “rather Donald Trump like gesture” and urged peers to vote against it.

He said: "I’ve never heard anybody describe any particular proposal that is being forced upon us in these negotiations by Brussels which should have such a horrendous and catastrophic consequence then we need to be allowed to behave like the government of a third world dictatorship." 

06:50 PM

UK warned of damage to 'international reputation' over Bill

A former head of the judiciary has called on the Lords to be "neither complicit nor supine", as he instructed them to vote against clauses in the UK Internal Market Bill which breach international law. 

Lord Judge told the Lords: "We are being asked by the executive to give a minister authority to break international law, to subvert the rule of law, to damage our international reputation."

He asked  when Government would "check the pernicious, subliminal process of allowing the sovereignty of Parliament to be refashioned into the sovereignty of the executive?"

"In this part, the executive is seeking powers that Parliament should never have been asked to give," he added.

"But as we have been asked to give them, we must not be complicit, we must not be supine.

"And the only way available to us to indicate that we are neither complicit nor supine is for us to say 'not content' to each clause in this part of the Bill."

06:28 PM

What do all lawbreakers say?

Former Tory leader Lord Howard has said the UK would set a "lamentable example" if it breaks international law.

He said "nothing has changed" since Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis admitted the Bill breaks international law in a "very specific and limited way".

Lord Howard added: Since then, as far as I'm aware no Government minister has sought to resile from his words.Instead, what minsters have done, both in your Lordships' House and elsewhere, is to seek to make the case that circumstances make it expedient to break international law.Isn't that what lawbreakers always say? Isn't that the excuse of lawbreakers everywhere? What sort of a precedent is the Government setting when it admits that position?How can we reproach other countries - Russia, China, Iran - if their behaviour becomes reprehensible when we ourselves have such scant regard for the treaties we sign up to, when we ourselves set such a lamentable example?"

06:15 PM

Over in the House of Lords ...

Brexit legislation is being discussed before the Lords vote on clauses of the internal market bill. 

Lord Empey, Ulster Unionist Party, has warned that while "no one wants to see Northern Ireland decoupled from the rest of the United Kingdom I see this whole measure, this whole agreement, as a dagger pointed at the heart of the union".

The union is in serious trouble. But there are alternative ways out which can maintain stability, which don't break up the United Kingdom and which don't set one section of the community in Northern Ireland against the other.

05:59 PM

Have your say: How will a Biden presidency affect Britain?

Boris Johnson had a good personal relationship with Donald Trump, which in some respects boded well for Global Britain in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. 

But the 45th president's mercurial moods and protectionist rhetoric could never really be counted on for a long-term strategy. 

His successor Joe Biden will be a steadier pair of hands - but has he already made his mind up about our Prime Minister, and could that be bad for the country?

Have your say in the poll below:

05:57 PM

Boris Johnson: Lower rates down to 'heroic efforts' to follow guidance

Boris Johnson is asked about parts of the country such as London where the rate of transmission is not rising as fast as other parts, and what is in store from December 2.

The Prime Minister says it is "no accident" but down to "heroic collective efforts". 

He added: "People are following the guidance, making a huge effort to distance themselves."

But - alas - it is still doubling in some places faster than elsewhere, and overall - alas - one in 90 people have got coronavirus. 

"We are going to see those cases sadly feeding through into our hospitals," he adds, saying "in the run up to December 2 people really do need to follow guidance so we can all have as normal a Christmas as possible."

And that is it, the press conference is over. 

05:50 PM

Boris Johnson urges people to comply with rules to have chance of 'normal Christmas'

Jonathan Van-Tam is asked what the vaccine means for "normality". 

He dodges any specifics, but says "over a period of time, they will make a significant difference to the kind of disease levels we see in the UK at the moment". 

The crucial factor is that we do not know whether they will stop transmission, and that is what will "take us to the kind of future you aspire to". 

He says scientists are working on that and in the meantime people "must hold the R-rate below one" for as long as possible. 

Boris Johnson repeats that "the more we comply...the better all of us our chances of having a Christmas as close as possible to normal".

05:47 PM

Boris Johnson hails Joe Biden's climate change action - but gets Cop26 name wrong

Boris Johnson is asked about the rise of the anti-vaxx movement, which he says "holds no water", and says getting the vaccine will help people's friends and families "so IO hope people won't be listening to those arguments". 

Jonathan Van-Tam says it is "misinformation and I don't propose to give it any more air time", predicting "very significant demand" when the vaccine comes. 

Asked about the US elections, the Prime Minister congratulates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. 

"Yes this country has had a good relationship with the White House over the last few years, but it has had a good relationship for many years," he says, adding the has "no doubt" that will continue. 

He praises "their willingness to join the UK" in the battle against climate change - but gets the name of the conference that the UK is hosting wrong (he calls it Cop27 - it is Cop 26). 

Asked if it is time for Donald Trump to concedes, he says "I don't wish to offer any other commentary.... although clearly we want to congratulate President Biden."

05:43 PM

People must not get 'mentally side-tracked by optimism' of vaccine breakthrough, says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson is then asked if Cabinet ministers would be considered high priority. He says they will be guided by the joint committee, and that doses will be directed to best save life and to drive down infection. 

He is also asked about what happens in December, and says people are "really pulling together", and although R-rates are rising, "I do believe this package of measures... will get the R-rate below one."

The Prime Minister says it is important not to be "mentally side tracked by a sudden surge of optimism" prompted by the vaccine breakthrough. 

05:40 PM

Boris Johnson and Jonathan Van-Tam stress long wait before vaccine is ready

Boris Johnson repeats his cautious view that people do not think of the vaccine as "a home run, a slam dunk", saying there is "a long way to go before we have got this thing beaten". 

Jonathan Van-Tam notes that each batch of the drug has to be quality assured "and things can, and do, and have always gone wrong... for perfectly good reasons."

He says we can be "optimistic" but says we should wait and see. 

He offers another analogy - someone standing on a wet and windy station and sees a train two miles away. 

The train has to get to the station, stop at the platform and the doors have to open at which point "I hope there is not an unholy scramble for the seats". 

"Right now it is a couple of miles down the tracks and we have just seen the lights come around the bend," he adds. 

05:36 PM

Do not allow vaccine enthusiasm 'to run away with us', says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson says he has been "very very hesistant" to get people's hopes up on the vaccine, noting that there is still no effective vaccination against Sars. 

"There are still a lot of hurdles that need to be overcome," he says. However the UK has acquired "a large proportion of the supply Pfizer will be making", alongside 300m doses of other types of vaccine. 

The Prime Minister notes Jonathan Van-Tam's words - that this vaccine offers "a ray of hope" for others under development - but says it is "crucial we do not overdo it. We cannot let our enthusiam tonight run away with us, folks."

He says the measures will continue until December 2, and urges people to stick with them. 

05:31 PM

Vaccine will lead to 'very dramatic decline' in critical care, says Jonathan Van-Tam

The next question is about the prospects of the vaccines, including how much we know about their ability to halt transmission, which Jonathan Van-Tam says is limited. 

"We do not know yet if these vaccines will prevent asymptomatic transmission", he says, and it is "not possible" to know if they will stop community transmission. 

However we do know that "the vast majority of the burden of hospitalisation and death" falls on the elderly, and if a vaccine can be deployed "when authorised", there will be a "very dramatic decline in the burden in hospitals". 

But that won't happen all at once, he says. It will take time to roll that vaccine out. 

05:28 PM

Jonathan Van-Tam acknowledges the 'rubbish feeling' lockdowns cause

Boris Johnson is then asked about mental health during the pandemic, which he notes is a very important issue. 

"The loneliness, the sense of not being able to see other people," he adds - giving us his second alas of the press conference. 

The Prime Minister highlights the support the Government has given to mental health charities but says the best thing is to "follow the guidance" and allow things to get better as soon as possible. 

Jonathan Van-Tam notes there is an "enormous mental health burden" and even a "feel really rubbish feeling" across the country because of the ban of "nice things" and the inability to interact normally.

The best way to make restrictions shorter is to "follow them to the letter," he adds. 

05:26 PM

Guidance for university students returning before Christmas to be issued 'tomorrow or very shortly'

The first question from the public is about university students safely returning home for Christmas. 

Boris Johnson praises students and universities for tackling the outbreaks on campuses. 

He says "tomorrow or very shortly" guidance will be issued for what should be done to avoid passing the virus onto elderly family members. 

Jonathan Van-Tam says colleagues are "working on a solution for how to get university students home as safely as possible", but he won't comment until the guidance is issued. 

05:24 PM

'Colossal mistake' to relax now, says Jonathan Van-Tam

Jonathan Van-Tam says the breakthrough is a "huge milestone" because until now we did not know if a vaccine would work. 

"This is like getting to the end of a play-off final... the first player goes up and scores a goal. You haven't won the cup yet but it tells you the goalkeeper can be beaten," he says. 

"We don't know what this means yet for when we can get life back to normal," the deputy CMO says. He adds it is unlikely to make any difference for the current wave, which we will have to "battle through", although it could help with future waves. 

"We have seen the swallow but this is very much not the summer, "he adds. "It would be a colossal mistake for anyone of us to relax at this stage."

05:21 PM

Jonathan Van-Tam: 'Stand fast, but do not get too excited' about vaccine breakthrough

Jonathan Van-Tam says the vaccine announcement is "a really important scientific breakthrough" and thanks the people who have been volunteering for the trials. 

He also thanks the "unsung scientists in the vaccine industry" who are working around the clock. 

"Today's news it the first vaccine and the first step - and it really is exciting," he adds. But the message is "stand fast, rather than get too excited about where we are."

The deputy chief medical officer explains the process of the trials, saying the UK regulators will "in time, form judgements about this and future vaccines - they are the only people involved in that". 

Then a joint committee on vaccination and immunisation is guiding the Government on the priority list for those who should receive a jab, but he stresses it is preliminary at this stage. 

Age is the biggest priority, he adds, noting that he is hopeful some vaccine might come through by Christmas. 

05:16 PM

Boris Johnson urges people to stick to the rules despite vaccine breakthrough

Boris Johnson says it is "more important than ever" to follow the rules, stressing that mass testing and the prospect of a vaccine are not enough now. 

He says "we must get through this to 2 Dec", if we are to "get the virus back in its box" before Christmas. 

He hands over to Brigadier Joe Fossey, to explain what has been happening in Liverpool. To date, 19 sites have been established and more are being created each day. 

He emphasises that the troops are there to support those who are running the mass testing pilot, "demonstrating partnership in action". 

Brig Fossey demonstrates a lateral flow test, which he has taken this morning, and praises some of his colleagues.

"Our message to the people of Liverpool is clear: we are set up and ready for you to come and get tested. Please do not hesitate." 

It is a "possible route out of lockdown and a way to get on with our lives," he adds.  

05:11 PM

Toot of distant bugle telling us pandemic is over is louder 'but still some way off', says Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson says the "toot" of the "distant bugle" telling us the pandemic is all over is getting louder "but it is still some way off". 

He says the country "absolutely cannot rely" on the news as a solution and "the biggest mistake would be to slacken our resolve at a critical moment". 

We get our first alas of the press conference for the rising hospitalisations and death tolls, as he urges people to do everything they can "right now" to keep rates down.

Then he turns to the mass testing pilot in Liverpool, and asks people to "get yourselves along to a testing centre... do it for your friends, for your relatives, your community". 

05:08 PM

Boris Johnson offers cautious optimism on vaccine breakthrough

Boris Johnson is joined by Brigadier Joe Fossey and deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam. 

The Prime Minister says that people are asking if the Pfizer vaccine breakthrough spells the beginning of the end. 

He notes "we haven't yet seen the full safety data" and they must be peer reviewed, so there are still some hurdles to clear. But if and when they are, the UK has ordered 40 million doses - enough for a third of the population "as you need two doses each". 

That puts us "at the front of the pack", he adds, paving the way for an NHS-led programme, prioritising people according to expert recommendations. 

This is what we expect that to broadly look like: 

05:00 PM

Northern Ireland Secretary attacks Lord Kilclooney over 'ignorant and racist' tweet

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has waded into the row over Lord Kilclooney's tweet regarding vice president-elect Kamala Harris. 

The crossbench peer this morning tweeted: "What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President. Who then becomes Vice President?"

Despite several calls for him to delete the post, it is still up. 

The Cabinet minister said: "This ignorant & racist behaviour is abhorrent - action must be taken & an apology issued."

Noting that Ms Harris had made history by becoming "the first female, black and Indian-American Vice President", he added: "Know her name."

04:52 PM

UK will 'tweak and flex regulation' to ensure financial services remains 'competitive', says Rishi Sunak

Cities of London and Westminster MP Nickie Aiken asks Rishi Sunak what further measures will be taken after transition to ensure the UK "maintains and enhances" its position within the sector, which is central to her constituency. 

The Chancellor says she is right that "we should not rest on our laurels" if the sector is to remain competitive and world-beating. 

He points to initiatives such as the listings reform, or investment funds reform, will "all provide opportunities to tweak and flex our regulation going forward, attract capital, attract business, so that the industry can continue to grow and go from strength to strength". 

04:45 PM

SNP MP attacks Rishi Sunak for 'disrespectful' approach to opposition MPs

Alison Thewliss, the SNP's economy spokesperson, sticks up for Anneliese Dodds, saying a technical discussion was not possible because opposition MPs had received "a heavily redacted" document at "one minute to four". 

She tells the Speaker this is disrespectful, and happens repeatedly. 

Rishi Sunak says "Scotland has a proud heritage in financial services". 

04:42 PM

Rishi Sunak accuses shadow chancellor of 'sneering and sniding' at financial services

Rishi Sunak has attacked Anneliese Dodds for not giving "praise or recognition for this industry", accusing her of "trying to score political points" with her response. 

The Chancellor claimed that while he was praising the hard working people in the financial services industry "all I heard was muttering".

There was "no recognition, and sneering and sniding," he added - as she waved papers in front of him. 

He argues that the team has produced "2,500 pages of responses to the Commission responses", to which there has been no question back, and accuses her of "being more willing to defend the EU in their conduct of this". 

Mr Sunak says the UK "adopted a constructive approach" because the regulatory environment is known, and insists the Government has prioritised the sector "to enshrine our reputation as a place where global firms can come and do business". 

04:36 PM

Labour attacks Rishi Sunak for being 'too late' on post-Brexi vision for financial services

Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds says the green investment "can't come soon enough", and asks if Rishi Sunak will "immediately ban" the financing of fossil fuel projects through UK Export Finance. 

The Labour frontbencher welcomes the mandatory disclosure move, but says it doesn't go far enough. "The climate crisis requires bolder action", she says, asking for him to bring it forward to 2021/22. 

She adds that his statement about "stable coins is hardly the talk in living rooms", and attacks him for "mishandling of market access for our firms to our largest trading partner" after Brexit, noting that City of London Corporation has said it feels like a neglected child during divorce talks. 

Equivalence "should have been done months ago," she adds, noting the many jobs that have been relocated already "and potentially worse to come". 

"It is too late now," she says. 

04:30 PM

Rishi Sunak's three-point plan for the financial services sector

Rishi Sunak tells the Commons there are three steps in realising the best future for Britain's financial services sector:

  1. Equivalence. As there are "many areas where the EU is not prepared to assess the UK", it is time to move forward "and do what is right" for the sector, he says, announcing the publication of a set of equivalence decisions for EU and EEA member states. It will be a technical, outcomes-based approach that prioritises "stability, openness and transparency" , he says, pointing to opportunities outside the EU, in Switzerland, India and Japan.
  2. Technology. The Chancellor says the UK will "start, grow and invest" in fintech, and be "staying at" the cutting edge of payment technologies. He announces plans for a new consultation to make sure privately issued digital currencies "stable coins" meet the same "high standards" as other currencies, while the Bank of England and the Treasury is considering whether central banks can issue their own digital currencies "as a complement to cash". 
  3. Climate change. Mr Sunak announces the UK's intention to mandate climate disclousres across economy by 2025, the first G20 country to do so. He also confirms plans to launch the country's first ever sovereign green bond next year, promising it will be "the first in a series of new issuances as we look to build out a green curve in the coming years". 

04:19 PM

Rishi Sunak promises no 'race to the bottom' for financial services after Brexit

Rishi Sunak is giving his first statement about financial services since becoming Chancellor nine months ago. 

He says the sector has been "fundamental to Britain's economic strength for centuries and they remain fundamental today". 

He emphasises that two-thirds of those who work in the sector live outside London - pre-empting any criticism that the Government is going back on its promise to focus investment outside the capital. 

"As we leave the EU we have an opportunity to set out a new vision for this sector, based not on a race to the bottom but is open, innovative and leads the world in green finance, he says. 

04:05 PM

Tobias Ellwood calls on Lord Kilclooney to delete his Kamala Harris tweet

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood has joined the chorus of voices calling on Lord Kilclooney to delete his tweet describing vice-president elect Kamala Harris as "the Indian". 

The cross-bench peer's original message has now had more than 12,300 comments and been retweeted more than 6,400 times. 

Ian Blackford, SNP's Westminster leader, said it was "disgraceful", comparing it to "BorisJohnson ’s racist comments about President Obama".

He added: "Westminster is an embarrassment to the world."

04:01 PM

Tory MP husband of Dido Harding self-isolating - but Test and Trace boss is not

The MP husband of NHS Test and Trace chief Baroness Harding has been told to self-isolate after potentially coming into contact with someone who has coronavirus.

Tory MP John Penrose was alerted by the NHS Covid-19 app, part of the operation overseen by his wife.

The Weston-super-Mare MP said: 

Asked if he had spoken to his wife about it, he told the PA news agency: "We are trying to make sure we are doing it by the book, if I can put it that way.

"Her NHS app has not gone off, so it's someone I have been in contact with rather than her."

In response to a suggestion that it showed the system worked, Mr Penrose said: "I suppose it does."

Dido Harding cycles to Westminster this morning - London News Pictures

03:47 PM

Lord Speaker tells Lord Kilclooney to 'retract and apologise' for Kamala Harris tweet

Norman Fowler, Speaker of the House of Lords, has called on Lord Kilclooney to "retract and apologise" after he called vice president-elect Kamala Harris "the Indian". 

Earlier today the crossbench peer and former Ulster Unionist Party deputy leader tweeted: "What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President. Who then becomes Vice President?"

In the wake of a Twitter storm, he defended his use of the phrase, arguing: "Afraid I did NOT know her name. She is totally new to me. Now I know it is Harris. Biden is proud to be Irish and Harris to be Indian. Both have every right to do so. I deplore some media describing her as being black. Colour racism should not be introduced!"

But the Lord Speaker said:  "This is an offensive way to refer to anyone, let alone a woman who has just made history. The comment is entirely unacceptable and has no place in British politics.

"I could not be clearer."

03:36 PM

Boris Johnson announces creation of new Office for Investment

Boris Johnson has used social media networking site LinkedIn to announce the launch of a new Office for Investment to ensure that Britain will be "not just open for business but the best place in the world to conduct it". 

The Prime Minister insisted that Brexit "is not and has never been about walling our islands off from the outside world".

"Rather, it is about building bridges to friends, allies and trading partners old and new in every corner of every continent. An opportunity for even more of the world to see just what we have to offer and for all of us to benefit from that," he said. 

The new Office for Investment will comprise a "crack team of investment specialists... tasked with providing a single front door for high potential investors, identifying and help us secure the kind of game-changing international investment that has already done so much for this country and which has the potential to do so much more".

Based with Liz Truss' Department for International Trade, the OFI "will bring together business expertise from across Whitehall and beyond", he added. "A targeted, agile organisation designed for the fast-moving society in which we now live, and a great big flashing neon sign that advertises both our openness to the world and our desire to do business with it. 

03:23 PM

Former defence worker admits breaching Official Secrets Act

A former defence worker, who disclosed top secret details of a UK missile system, has dramatically changed his plea and admitted breaching the Official Secrets Act.

Simon Finch, 50, had become disillusioned by British authorities after he reported being the victim of homophobic attacks in 2013.

In 2018, he sent an email containing secret information to eight people, which he also claimed to have shared with "hostile" foreign states, the Old Bailey heard. He had initially pleaded not guilty to two charges of breaching the Official Secrets Act and a charge of refusing to give authorities access codes to three electronic devices.

Explaining his actions, he said: "I had to do something to generate national exposure. It had to be quite serious. It had to be something to gather national attention."

In her ruling in the absence of the jury, the senior judge said such a defence could be made in an "extreme case" where a person faced an "impossible choice".

Finch's case did not come anywhere near to meeting the threshold of "seriousness and imminence of threat" and other options were open to him, she said.

The judge also rejected Finch's psychiatric defence based on a diagnosis of autistic traits. 

03:06 PM

WHO special envoy urges public not to jump the gun on Pfizer vaccine news

The breakthrough in a coronavirus vaccine reported by Pfizer today is "great news" but is not "a complete game-changer", the WHO's special envoy on Covid has said. 

David Nabarro, co-director of Imperial College London's Institute of Global Health Innovation, told the BBC: "Everybody who's hearing and watching this will be saying 'wow, does this mean that life can go back to normal in the near future?'

"Life will go back to a new normal, but we're not there yet," he said. "We do need to be following through on all the basic rules that we now know are important for dealing with this virus - our own behaviour, the way in which governments run their health systems, and also unity between nations.

"And I just want to stress that these principles that we've been working for over the last 10 months are still absolutely essential.

"Even if a vaccine arrives in the near future we've got many months of still dealing with the virus as a constant threat that we've got to make certain that we continue to do all that is necessary to solve the virus causing major problems."

02:48 PM

Pfizer vaccine is 'reason for optimism in 2021', says Chris Whitty

England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty said there was "reason for optimism for 2021" following the announcement pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and biotech firm BioNTech's vaccine is 90% effective in preventing the disease.

He tweeted:

 

02:38 PM

Nick Timothy: The election of Joe Biden tells us nothing about politics in Britain

It was always inevitable, as Joe Biden was confirmed 46th President of the United States, that politicians and campaigners in Britain would seek to turn the US election result into a narrative about our own politics.

“The mainstream is back,” gushed George Osborne, hoping for a return to the liberal and technocratic policies that made him a much-loved national treasure. “It is now up to the UK public,” declared David Lammy, who sees Donald Trump and Boris Johnson as one and the same, “to make sure both Trumps are consigned to the political scrapheap.”

The rush to set a British narrative about the election is as nonsensical as it is self-serving. There is, after all, little agreement about what the results mean in America itself. Yes, Trump is out and Biden is in.

In the end, the presidential election was not especially close, yet it was not the overwhelming repudiation of the Trump presidency many Democrats had wanted.

Even if there were a clear domestic narrative about the meaning of the election, Nick Timothy argues, it is fatuous to claim it would transfer seamlessly to Britain. 

02:30 PM

Labour attacks Government's 'woeful' disinformation deal

Labour has attacked the Government for a 'woeful' response to online disinformation, saying a failure to act is leading to a rise in the anti-vaxxer movement and conspiracy theories.

Yesterday Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden announced that social media giants have agreed "to endorse the principle that no company should be profiting from Covid-19 vaccine mis/disinformation and commit to swifter responses to flagged content". Platforms will also step up work with public health bodies to promote factual and reliable messages.

But Jo Stevens, shadow digital, culture, media and sport secretary, said the package of measures agreed with social media giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google was "woeful". 

She added: "Relying on social media companies to only remove content that they make a profit from when it is flagged to them by government covers a tiny percentage of this dangerous material.

"There’s been a tsunami of disinformation on social media throughout the pandemic undermining trust and sowing confusion. We’ve all seen it and Labour has repeatedly raised the issue with the Secretary of State but it's taken months for him to act.

"One person who refuses to be vaccinated because of disinformation on social media is one too many".

02:05 PM

Further 167 people die with coronavirus in England

A further 167 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 34,663.

Patients were aged between 23 and 97 years old. All except five - aged between 49 to 77 years old - had known underlying health conditions. The date of death ranges from 1 to 8 November 2020.

The North East & Yorkshire was the worst affected region, with 47 registered deaths, followed by the Midlands with 45 and the North West, with 36 deaths. There were 15 deaths in the South East, 12 in the East of England, eight in London and four in the South West.  

02:03 PM

Pfizer breakthrough shows 'you can make a vaccine against this critter', says Government scientist

The success of the latest coronavirus vaccine trials by Pfizer and BioNTech could pave the way for the rollout of a least one vaccine in the UK early in the new year, a scientist advising the Government has said.

Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University and a member of the Government's vaccine taskforce, said that other vaccines were now likely to become available in the near future.

"I am really delighted with this result - it shows that you can make a vaccine against this little critter. Ninety percent is an amazing level of efficacy," he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One.

"It rolls the pitch for other vaccines because I can't see any reason now why we shouldn't have a handful of good vaccines."

Asked if people could look forward to a return to normal life by the spring, Sir John replied: "Yes, yes, yes, yes. I am probably the first guy to say that but I will say that with some confidence."

02:01 PM

Labour frontbencher accuses Lord Kilclooney of racism over Kamala Harris tweet

A Labour frontbencher has accused Lord Kilclooney of racism for describing vice president-elect Kamala Harris as "the Indian".

Lord Kilclooney tweeted: "What happens if Biden moves on and the Indian becomes President. Who then becomes Vice President?"

The crossbench peer and former Ulster Unionist Party deputy leader has previously denied being racist, after calling Leo Varadkar, who was then Ireland's taoiseach, a "typical Indian".

Ms Harris, a senator for California, also made history by being the first woman to be elected vice president when voters chose her and Joe Biden to replace Donald Trump in the White House.

The House of Lords is yet to comment.

01:47 PM

Have your say: How will a Biden presidency affect Britain?

Boris Johnson had a good personal relationship with Donald Trump, which in some respects boded well for Global Britain in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. 

But the 45th president's mercurial moods and protectionist rhetoric could never really be counted on for a long-term strategy. 

His successor Joe Biden will be a steadier pair of hands - but has he already made his mind up about our Prime Minister, and could that be bad for the country?

Have your say in the poll below:

01:46 PM

Boris Johnson remains 'confident' in UK prospects without Brexit trade deal

As Brexit talks resume in London today, Number 10 has again highlighted the "significant gaps" that remain between the UK and EU positions in the negotiations.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The PM would like us to do a deal, and that's what we have been working to achieve, and we will carry on working to find solutions that fully respect the UK's sovereignty.

"But, equally, people should get ready for January 1 with arrangements which are more like Australia's."

Australia does not have a comprehensive trade deal with the European Union and trading with bloc under such terms would involve the imposition of tariffs.

The spokesman said: "Time is now very short and any agreement needs to be in place before the end of  the transition period."

If no deal was reached Boris Johnson remained "confident we will be ready". 

01:35 PM

'Too early to tell' if UK-US trade deal will be priority for Biden, minister says

It is "too early to tell" whether a UK-US trade deal will be a priority for Joe Biden, a Cabinet minister has said, amid growing concerns that Boris Johnson faces an uphill battle to establish himself within the new White House administration. 

George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, confirmed the pair still had not spoken but played down Mr Biden's comments about the Prime Minister as part of campaign rhetoric.

He told the BBC "I suspect that now Joe Biden is President, he and the Prime Minister will want to cement a very important relationship".  

He said he hoped the new administration would be "happy to pick up" on the work already carried out on a UK-US trade deal, but admitted: "It remains to be seen how much priority Joe Biden would place on trade in general... but it is too early to tell." 

01:35 PM

Biden his time: Downing Street shrugs off demotion in pecking order

Boris Johnson has still not yet spoken to Joe Biden - but Number 10 is not concerned. 

The US President-elect  has begun calling world leaders but the Prime Minister is expected to be snubbed, with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Irish PM Micheal Martin likely to hear from Mr Biden first as he rebuilds relations  after Donald Trump's hostility towards the EU.

Mr Biden, who has described himself as Irish, has already crossed swords with Downing Street over the Internal Market Bill, warning that a UK-US trade deal would be off the table if anything was done to jeopardise the Good Friday Agreement. 

Asked if it was a worry that the UK may not be the among the first nations Mr Biden will speak to, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "No, that's not something that we're concerned about."

US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris  - AFP

01:27 PM

Boris Johnson will consider Lords' amendments to key Brexit bill, Downing Street concedes

Boris Johnson will consider any amendments made by Lords to the controversial Brexit bill today, his spokesman has said - but stressed that the Prime Minister believes the legislation to be "a vital safety net". 

Downing Street defended the UK Internal Market Bill as peers prepared to vote on the measures which could give the Government the power to break international law by tearing up parts of the Brexit divorce agreement.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "MPs backed the Internal Market Bill by 340 votes to 263 in September and our position remains that the clauses are a vital safety net.

"We have been clear that as a responsible Government we cannot allow the peace process or the UK's internal markets to inadvertently be compromised by unintended consequences of the protocol.

"Any Lords amendments will be considered when they return to the House of Commons but we do consider these clauses to be a vital safety net."

01:21 PM

No evidence of mink mutation of coronavirus in UK, says Downing Street

Downing Street has said there is no evidence to suggest that a novel strain of coronavirus associated with Denmark's mink farms is in the UK.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The restrictions were put in place on the recommendation of the chief medical officer overnight on Friday and that is a precautionary measure.

"What it's in response to is the fact there have been widespread outbreak of coronavirus in Danish mink farms with a variant strain spreading through local communities.

"We will keep our response under constant review but the purpose of these measures is a precautionary step to safeguard UK public health.

"There are no fur farms in the UK so we're not at risk in that regard. There's no evidence to suggest that this new strain is currently in the UK."

01:20 PM

Pfizer vaccine breakthrough 'promising' but there are 'no guarantees', says Downing Street

Downing Street has welcomed the results from Pfizer's vaccine tests as "promising" - but warned there are "no guarantees" that it spells the beginning of the end of coronavirus and lockdowns. 

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The results are promising and while we are optimistic of a breakthrough, we must remember there are no guarantees.

"We will know whether the vaccine is both safe and effective once the safety data has been published and only then can licensing authorities consider making it available to the public.

"In the meantime, the NHS stands ready to begin a vaccination programme for those most at risk once a Covid-19 vaccine is available before being rolled out more widely.

"In total, we've procured 40 million doses of the Pfizer candidate vaccine, with 10 million of those doses being manufactured and available to the UK by the end of the year if the vaccine is approved by the regulators."

01:01 PM

Wales sees 'important and encouraging' fall in cases after firebreak

Wales is "starting to see some signs" that cases of coronavirus are falling following the country's firebreak lockdown, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said. 

"The all-Wales level has fallen back from 250 cases per 100,000 people to just under 220 cases," he said as the lockdown was lifted today. 

"In Merthyr Tydfil, which saw rates as high as 700 cases per 100,000 in the population, we are now seeing rates down to around 520 - still far too high, of course, but an important and encouraging fall."

Mr Drakeford said the number of people admitted to hospital continues to rise, with more than 1,400 coronavirus-related cases in Welsh hospitals, higher than in April.

"Sadly we are still seeing high numbers of deaths being reported to Public Health Wales every day," he said.

"That's why it's so important that we get coronavirus under control to make sure that we do not see that continuing."

Wales' firebreak included vehicle patrols on the border with England - PA

12:45 PM

Nicola Sturgeon welcomes 'real hope' provided by Prizer vaccine breakthrough

Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the "good news" about a potential new coronavirus vaccine, saying it provides "real hope" of a return to normality.

Giving her daily update, Scotland's First Minister said while the vaccine had been shown to "perhaps be more than 90 per cent effective, there was still a long way to go".

She said: "This is news that should give us some tentative hope today and, let's be honest, all of us could do with that."

She described the vaccine news as being "perhaps amongst the best news we've had in recent weeks".

Ms Sturgeon said: "It's not going to provide us with a way out of this today, or tomorrow, or next week, or perhaps not even in this calendar year.

"But that development ... does give us right now real hope that in the not too distant future science is going find us the way out of this terrible time."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon - AFP

12:26 PM

Light at the end of the Covid tunnel: Politicians react to Pfizer vaccine breakthrough

MPs are hailing the coronavirus vaccine breakthrough announced by Pfizer just moments ago. 

Last week Kate Bingham, chairwoman of the Government's vaccine task force, said 10 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine could potentially be available by January.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said: "This is really encouraging news."

Bob Seely, the MP for the Isle of Wight, tweeted: "Some possible light at the end of this Covid tunnel". 

Jackson Carlaw, former leader of the Scottish Tories, said: "Good news indeed. Cautious optimism required but making sure we follow current restrictions still vital."

12:04 PM

Prime Minister to give press conference at 5pm today

Boris Johnson is to give another press conference at 5pm today. 

It is not clear what the Prime Minister will be updating the country on, however Downing Street confirmed he would speak shortly after a breakthrough on trials with one of the coronavirus vaccines. 

Pharmaceutical firm Pfizer has announced that interim findings from its Covid-19 vaccine study showed the jab to be more than 90 per cent effective in preventing the disease.

The press conference will also follow Rishi Sunak's first speech on financial services since becoming Chancellor, which is expected to centre on post-Brexit plans for the sector. 

Meanwhile the House of Lords will be debating the UK Internal Market Bill, with a vote expected after Mr Johnson has finished speaking, at around 6:30pm this evening. 

11:50 AM

Government making 'very good progress' on airport testing regime, says Grant Shapps

The Transport Secretary has insisted the Government is making "very good progress" in developing a testing regime to reduce the 14-day quarantine period for international arrivals.

In a speech to the annual conference of trade body the Airport Operators Association, Grant Shapps said: "I want you to know that we've been making very good progress on a test to release programme, to launch once we're out of this lockdown.

"This will consist of a single test for arrivals into the UK provided by the private sector at a cost to the passenger, allowing us a much-reduced period of self-isolation.

"Beyond the lockdown, this should encourage more people to be able to book flights with confidence, knowing there is an option which allows them to shorten self-isolation if they're going somewhere which isn't in - or does become outside - a travel corridor."

Mr Shapps said the taskforce - which is due to make its initial recommendations by the end of this month - has been "working extensively" with health experts and the private testing sector on the new regime.

Grant Shapps is under pressure to deliver a solution for the aviation industry - AFP

11:39 AM

Chancellor to unveil post-Brexit plan for financial services

The Chancellor is expected to set out his plans for the UK's post-Brexit financial services sector, including its approach to equivalence. 

The statement, expected at around 4:30 this afternoon, will be Rishi Sunak's first on the industry since taking on the Treasury reins in February.  

The Chancellor is expected to stress that the Government’s approach to financial services will be guided by what is right for the UK, noting that its attractiveness as a global financial centre is underpinned by openness to international markets and robust regulatory standards.

Proposals to bolster the UK’s position as a world-leading green finance hub and accelerate the drive for net zero ahead of COP 26 are also expected, along with plans to ensure the UK can seize the opportunities presented by new financial technologies. 

Rishi Sunak ahead of yesterday's Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Whitehall - Anadolu

11:21 AM

Michel Barnier tells UK negotiators there are 'three keys' to unlock Brexit trade deal

Michel Barnier has said there are "three keys to unlock a deal" as the EU's chief negotiator returns to the table for the next round of Brexit talks. 

There is nothing new in what those demands are: the long-stated position on fishing, the level playing field guarantees and enforcement of the deal. 

This morning George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, signalled a willingness to compromise on fisheries - but he also reiterated the UK's firm position that any deal must recognise our independent coastal status after Brexit. 

11:00 AM

Have your say: How will a Biden presidency affect Britain?

Boris Johnson had a good personal relationship with Donald Trump, which in some respects boded well for Global Britain in the immediate aftermath of Brexit. 

But the 45th president's mercurial moods and protectionist rhetoric could never really be counted on for a long-term strategy. 

His successor Joe Biden will be a steadier pair of hands - but has he already made his mind up about our Prime Minister, and could that be bad for the country?

Have your say in the poll below:

10:46 AM

Joe Biden will give No 10 'pause for thought' as Brexit reaches 'end game', says Irish minister

Ireland's deputy premier has said that US president-elect Joe Biden will make a difference to the Brexit negotiations, which are now in the "end game". 

Mr Biden, whose ancestral home is in Co Mayo, has warned that the Good Friday Agreement cannot "become a casualty of Brexit".

Simon Coveney, who is also the foreign affairs minsiter, told RTE's Morning Ireland: "He's somebody who, in the middle of this presidential campaign, has taken the time to make a very clear statement in relation to Ireland, the need to protect the Good Friday Agreement and the need to prevent a hard border at any point in the future linked to to Brexit policy and Brexit negotiations.

"Now that Joe Biden is going to be the next president of the United States, I certainly think that will be pause for thought in Number 10, to ensure that that the Irish issues are prioritised as we try to close out this phase of the Brexit negotiation." 

Mr Coveney said noted that "this is arguably the most important week that we've had in the Brexit negotiations since this time last year when we were trying to close out a Withdrawal Agreement, which was tense and difficult and this is too."

10:33 AM

EU 'will feel stronger' in Brexit trade talks after Joe Biden win

How will Joe Biden's victory in the US elections affect Britain? It is the question on everyone's lips today - not least because of Boris Johnson's previous comments about Barack Obama which led former aide Tommy Vietor to label the Prime Minister a “racist” and a “shapeshifting creep.”

There are high hopes that some accord can be reached on climate change, which the president elect has made clear he takes very differently to his predecessor. 

But the more pressing issue is Brexit, with Mr Biden taking a dim view of the controversial UK Internal Market Bill, which is expected to be defeated in the Lords today.  That in itself will ruffle no feathers in Number 10. But the question of how this piece of legislation is viewed by the negotiators is another matter.

Tory MPs believe the UK might have to change approach now that the balance of power has shifted, with Mr Biden saying a UK-US trade deal would be contingent on what happens on the island of Ireland.  "Taskforce 50 [the European Commission's team] will feel stronger," said one. 

Trade talks resume in London today and Michel Barnier has just arrived. 

Michel Barnier on his way to trade talks in London this morning - Shutterstock

10:17 AM

Coronavirus deaths in UK pass 65,000

Just over 65,000 deaths involving Covid-19 have now occurred in the UK, according to the latest available figures.

A total of 61,498 deaths have so far been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, according to reports published last week by the Office for National Statistics, the National Records of Scotland, and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

This breaks down as 55,796 deaths in England and Wales up to October 23 (and registered by October 31); 4,649 deaths in Scotland registered up to November 1; and 1,053 deaths in Northern Ireland up to October 30 (and registered by November 4).

But since these figures were compiled, a further 3,526 deaths are known to have occurred in the UK, according to additional data published on the Government's coronavirus dashboard.  

10:05 AM

Reform think tank objects to Nigel Farage's Brexit Party rebrand

Nigel Farage's plan to rebrand the Brexit Party as the anti-lockdown Reform UK has been attacked by a think tank with the same name. 

As revealed by the Telegraph, the Brexit Party has applied to the Electoral Commission to formally change its name, with Mr Farage arguing that as well as keeping an eye on Boris Johnson's negotiations with the EU "further reform in many other areas" is needed.

But the Reform think tank has written to the Electoral Commission saying he plans could lead to "voter confusion", and has written to Mr Farage asking him to reconsider.

"We are determinedly independent and strictly non-party political," the think tank said. "As a charity, this independence is absolutely core to our reputation and work, and therefore the longstanding goodwill in our name."

It warned Mr Farage that "renaming the Brexit Party 'Reform UK' risks undermining that goodwill through the confusion and/or presumed association with a political party".

09:57 AM

Planet Normal: If the models were wrong, why are we in lockdown?

Back in the pre-Covid era, whenever a tabloid devoted its front page to news of the “latest model”, readers could expect something salacious. An ageing MP’s “close friendship” with a young aspiring actress, perhaps? Or gossip about the love life of the latest catwalk star.

These days, the “latest model” makes headlines across all types of newspapers. But the articles are more frightening than fun. For mathematical models, built by faceless scientists across Whitehall and academia, have lately been used to generate terrifying predictions of Covid hospital admissions and deaths.

Such models, and the boffins who build them, have been driving the Government’s approach to tackling this virus. Why the return to national lockdown last week? Because of official scientific advisers citing blood-curdling forecasts of Covid-related carnage.

09:40 AM

Sir Keir Stamer will 'talk to Shami' about legal challenge over Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will "talk to Shami" Chakrabarti about her plans to bring a legal case over Jeremy Corbyn's suspension from the party. 

The peer and former shadow attorney general, who authored a report in 2016 exonerating the party from charges of anti-Semitism, is planning to challenge the decision to kick the former leader out of the party after he said: "The scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media."

Speaking to LBC radio today, the new Labour leader said: "I don't think anyone wants to see ye more legal cases... I don't want to see any Labour party money or time tied up with yet more legal cases. I will talk to Shami when I next see her."

09:32 AM

Free school meals U-turn is 'just astonishing', says Keir Starmer

The Government U-turn on free school meals is "just astonishing", Sir Keir Starmer has said, noting it is the 15th reversal on policy during the pandemic. 

The Labour leader told LBC: Three weeks ago, the Government votes against free school meals... now Marcus Rashford scores another - I think it's Marcus two, Government nil."

He suggested the U-turn was as a result of the "humbling effect of seeing local authorities providing meals that the Government wouldn't provide over half term."

"Well done Marcus," Sir Keir added. "In a pandemic, nobody expects the Government to get everything right. You could forgive one or two U-turns, but I think we are on number 15 and counting." 

Read more: Ministers eat their words over Marcus Rashford's free school meals campaign

09:26 AM

Lockdown is right action, despite dodgy data, says Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted a lockdown is the right approach, despite growing criticism of the 'dodgy data' used to justify it. 

The Labour leader told LBC listeners that looking at actual cases rather than projections showed an increase in daily deaths from 11 in September when Sage first recommended a circuit breaker to "last week, the highest number touching on 500". 

He said: "That is looking at what is actually happened rather than projections... I completely understand [business owners] are tearing your hair out, which is why we need proper support for businesses."

He added: "Those that say don't have a lockdown - nobody wants a lockdown - have to answer what is the number of deaths you would stop at and say 'hang on, got a bit far now'."

But he acknowledged the inconsistencies in measures, saying Parliament should have had more time to scrutinise them and called for the ability to amend restrictions "in the next few weeks". 

09:21 AM

Government must 'take responsibility' for migrant crisis, says Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has said the Government must "take responsibility" for the migrant crossing crisis. 

The Labour leader said: "People forget they have been in power for 10 years, if there are failings the govt has got to take responsibility for them."

He told LBC he would work "internationally in a different way, particularly with France", including processing legitimate claims from the other side of the Channel. 

"These are desperate cases, we have got to have a humane response," he added. "I have been to the camps in northern France - they are really shocking."

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent,  - PA

09:16 AM

Government should 'look again' at curfew ahead of lockdown end, says Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has said the Government should "look again at the 10pm curfew" when England comes out of the month-long lockdown on December 2. 

The Labour leader told LBC that he understood "what the Government was trying to achieve, but I don't think it worked". 

He suggested that one option might be to stagger the closing time, saying if  "people left at different times it would be far better". He noted that a number of Conservative MPs agreed that the curfew would need to be reviewed, saying Number 10 had three weeks to come up with a solution, as well as fixing Test and Trace.

"The Government needs to think about what kind of regime will be in place when we come out of lockdown and where things have not worked very well," he added. 

09:12 AM

Sir Keir Starmer: It was not a political decision to suspend Jeremy Corbyn

Sir Keir Starmer has stressed it was "not a political decision" to suspend Jeremy Corbyn from the party. 

During a regular call-in with LBC radio, the Labour leader said alongside his promise to unite the party and "stop the factional fighting", he was determined to address anti-Semitism, which included "those who pretend it is exaggerated...  only factional"

He added:  "It is quite something when the EHRC.... finds Labour in breach of law that Labour party passed."

But Sir Keir told a listener "it was not a political decision, it was decision from the general secretary but I completely support that decision." 

09:08 AM

Joe Biden's stance on Brexit could help trade deal progress, says Keir Starmer

Joe Biden's position on the Good Friday Agreement could "actually help the process" in the final stage of Brexit trade talks, Sir Keir Starmer has said. 

The Labour leader told LBC: "Biden brings a degree of clarity on Brexit. He has been very strong on the Good Friday Agreement, and actually a bit of focus on that might help both sides."

He said Labour would be looking and learning from Biden's promise to heal the rift. 

"I do think there is something about coalition building here, and bringing people together... that sense of coming together now."

08:56 AM

No 10 could give differently worded briefings to ministers in bid to find lockdown leaker

Boris Johnson is being urged to hand differently worded briefings to Cabinet ministers in order to catch the leaker who revealed the second national coronavirus lockdown early.

The Prime Minister is said to be determined to stop future leaks, and one idea being considered by Government whips is for Number 10 to give out differently worded documents. The method – known as a "canary trap" – sees different versions of a sensitive document being given to several people and waiting to see which version gets leaked.

One source in the whips' office said Mr Johnson was being urged to sanction "different messages to different Cabinet ministers to try to track down who is leaking".

Read the full details here.

08:35 AM

How Boris Johnson can establish relations with Joe Biden

When news of Barack Obama's election victory broke in November 2008, Gordon Brown, the then Prime Minister, said in his congratulatory statement that he had "talked to Senator Obama on many occasions", adding: "I know that he is a true friend of Britain."

Eight years later, Theresa May, always an unlikely acquaintance of Donald Trump, enjoyed no such relations with the US president. But his strong affection for Britain saw her become the first foreign leader to meet the newly inaugurated president in the White House in 2017.

For Boris Johnson – who was severely critical of Mr Obama over a series of interventions in the Brexit debate – establishing relations with his vice president was never going to be easy, let alone in an environment in which Number 10 could not arrange even an introductory telephone call to a president he has never met.

Indeed, insiders suggest Britain has hardly featured in discussions about the direction of the Biden administration.

08:24 AM

Joe Biden will block UK-US trade deal if Good Friday Agreement is breached, says Gordon Brown

Joe Biden will not "allow a trade deal with Britain" if the Good Friday Agreement is breached, Gordon Brown has said. 

The former Labour prime minister told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the president-elect was a "natural negotiator" and added: "If Ronald Reagan was the great communicator, he is the great conciliator and he is capable of bringing people together."

When asked whether it mattered that some of Mr Biden's senior people did not like Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mr Brown said: "Joe Biden has always been a great friend of Great Britain.

"I think he wants to be a friend of Britain. I think he plans, from what I know, to come to Britain within the first six months of becoming president, probably to the G7.

"He would prefer us to be in the European Union, I know that. He is also worried about the Good Friday Agreement - he is not going to allow a trade deal with Britain to happen if we in some way breach the Good Friday Agreement."

08:22 AM

George Eustice dismisses Joe Biden's pledge to Delaware farmers

George Eustice has insisted there will be no change to the ban on chlorinated chicken, despite Joe Biden's claim that any UK-US trade deal would have to make the "chicken farmers of Delaware" happy. 

The Environment Secretary said the UK Government had "been very clear" that the food standards would be set domestically after Brexit and that they would remain high. 

"We set the rules for goods coming into this country," he added. "The UK has high animal welfare standards and a culture around food safety... the so-called farm to fork approach, and we are not going to be changing that."

Asked about Mr Biden's past comments, he said: "That is a position you would expect a US politician to take, but the UK Government is not going to sign anything that is against our interest as well." 

08:16 AM

George Eustice insists there will be no hard border on Ireland after Brexit

George Eustice has sought to assure US President-elect Joe Biden that there will be no need for a hard border within the island of Ireland.

The Environment Secretary insisted the UK Internal Market Bill was important to protect the integrity of the UK after Brexit and provided "legal clarity" which was "sensible" to protect the peace process. 

But challenged on the law-breaking nature of the bill, and whether it risked  trade deal with the US, he stressed it was a case of understanding that it was "about protecting [the Good Friday Agreement], not undermining it". 

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are putting in place the facilities that will be needed to check agri-food goods as they enter and we're developing the customs procedures that will be needed for goods at risk of entering the EU.

"All of that work is being done and because that work is being done there will be no need for checks on the Northern Ireland border."

He also insisted the UK is "committed to the spirit of the Withdrawal Agreement".

08:11 AM

Government will reinstate any UKIM clauses removed by peers, says Cabinet minister

The Government would seek to reinstate any controversial clauses stripped out of the UK Internal Market Bill by the Lords, George Eustice has confirmed.

The Prime Minister insisted this weekend that he would push on with an unamended Internal Markets Bill, despite peers being expected on Monday or Tuesday to reject half a dozen clauses which breach the withdrawal agreement hammered out with the European Union last year.

Asked if ministers would put any clauses that they vote out, the Environment Secretary told Sky News: "We will.

"The UK Internal Market Bill is not about undermining the Belfast Agreement, it's about standing behind it, making sure that it works and looking after the interests of Northern Ireland, making sure the peace and stability that's been hard-won there can carry on.

"The limited number of areas where we took a power subject to Parliament agreeing it, to be able to create legal clarity and legal certainty should there be areas of the joint-committee process in our negotiations with the EU, if there are areas that can't be agreed, we've got to provide that legal certainty and clarity."

08:08 AM

Environment Secretary signals fisheries compromise in Brexit trade deal

The Environment Secretary has indicated a possible compromise on fisheries in post-Brexit trade negotiations with the EU.

The UK-EU trade talks restart in London today. It is yet another crunch week ahead of a mid November deal deadline - which is looking increasingly unlikely. 

George Eustice told Sky News: "On fisheries, we've always been open to doing a sensible approach looking particularly at agreements that might span a couple, three years for instance.

"We're going to be sensible in how we approach this but making sure that we have control of our own waters again and controlled access to our waters has always been a red line for us in these negotiations."

He added that the UK was "not giving ground" on the question that the UK would become and independent coastal state after Brexit, saying this was "a point of international law rather than matter for negotiations", but noted the issue was how to decide what quotas were agreed. 

"That is a discussion that will happen annually but it is the partnership agreement that sets the ground rules," he added. 

Read more: How fishing became the deal's biggest stumbling block

07:56 AM

PM risks Biden rift as he moves ahead with controversial Brexit legislation

Boris Johnson will risk a rift with Joe Biden by pushing ahead with a Brexit law the US president-elect has said he fears will jeopardise peace in Northern Ireland.

The Prime Minister insisted that he would push on with an unamended Internal Markets Bill, despite peers being expected on Monday or Tuesday to reject half a dozen clauses which breach the withdrawal agreement hammered out with the European Union last year.

In September, Mr Biden warned that the unamended Bill could jeopardise the peace process in Northern Ireland by imposing a hard border on the island of Ireland. That came after the UK Government admitted that the legislation breaks international law in a "specific and limited way".

Mr Biden wrote on Twitter at the time: "We can't allow the Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to Northern Ireland to become a casualty of Brexit."

On Sunday, the Prime Minister moved to reassure the US, saying the peace process would not be undermined.