EU
Express
NEXIT campaigners lashed out against the EU Commission over the ongoing rule of law row between Brussels and Poland.
Brussels is at loggerheads with Warsaw and Budapest over issues such as the independence of the judiciary and press freedoms, a conflict which deepened this week as Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled the country should not comply with demands from the EU’s top court, while the European Commission took legal action against both countries over LGBT rights.
The European Union’s top court ruled on Thursday that Poland should suspend a disciplinary chamber for judges it says fail to meet the necessary standards of independence.
A day earlier the Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled a previous demand for the chamber’s suspension ran counter to Poland’s constitution and the country should not comply.
On Friday, the first president of Poland’s Supreme Court, Malgorzata Manowska, issued a statement in which she said she was “deeply convinced” that the disciplinary chamber was independent.
Sharing a video of a spokesman for the European Commission reiterating that EU law has supremacy over member states’ court decisions, Nexit Denktank campaigners wrote: “The EU thinks that EU law takes precedence over national law, because a judge in 1964 said that EU law has supremacy over national law.
Independent
EU politicians and lawmakers called on Monday for “full inquiry” over the hacking of the cellphones of politicians, activists and journalists, saying the EU is infected by “dictatorship”.
Guy Verhofstadt, a prominent MEP and one of the most outspoken politicians on freedoms and law within the EU, tweeted that he is concerned “the EU has a dictatorship growing inside of it,” saying that “We need a full inquiry by the European Parliament!”
Opposition lawmakers in Hungary’s parliament have also demanded an inquiry into findings by an international investigation that the country’s right-wing government under prime minister Vektor Orban used powerful malware to spy on critical journalists, politicians and business figures.
The investigation by global media outlets suggested that military-grade spyware from Israel-based NSO Group, was used in Hungary to infiltrate the digital devices of a range of targets — including at least ten lawyers, one opposition politician and at least five journalists.
This comes amid legal warfare between the European Commission and Poland and Hungary over LGBTQ rights, asylum rights and judicial reform, which raised concerns that the EU legal order is under threat.
Express
THE CITY of London could be replaced as Europe’s financial capital by the likes of Amsterdam, Dublin and Frankfurt, the European Commission’s financial service chief has pledged, as she lightly poured cold water on an equivalence deal with the UK.
The UK was hoping to strike a deal over the British financial sector’s role in Europe, which would allow for mutual recognition of financial service rules between London and Brussels. But despite a “memorandum of understanding” being provisionally agreed in March this year allowing for engagement on financial industry matters, no “equivalence” deal for the sector has been signed.
Last night, Mairead McGuinness, European Commissioner for Financial Services also admitted “no negotiations” were taking place on securing a deal.
The Irish politician stressed when it came down to equivalence, Brussels were “now looking at what happens in the future.”
Ms McGuinness also argued any financial services deal would be in the “best interests of the financial stability of the European Union.”
Brexit
Express
LORD ADONIS sparked a chorus of laughter in the House of Lords after his verbal pitch to Lord David Frost to be considered for the lead role of his ‘Brexit Unit’.
The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator Lord David Frost struggled to hold back his laughter after an odd request from Remainer Lord Andrew Adonis. Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Adonis verbally offered his services for the lead role for Lord Frost’s Brexit Opportunities Unit. Despite the ongoing laughter from others in the room, Lord Adonis insisted he would be a valued asset as director and would be prepared to do it for free.
Continuing to pitch his expertise, Lord Adonis then demanded that the UK should look at effectively rejoining the European Union as a key goal for the unit, much to the amusement of the other Lords.
Lord Adonis said: “I am thinking of applying for this job, it is such an exciting opportunity.
“I would be prepared to do it for nothing.
“I was wondering what the noble Lord would think of my application.
“Can I give him pitch for the job?
“That being that the biggest opportunity for the director of the Brexit opportunities unit would be to reapply to join the single market and the customs union.
NHS
Telegraph
The Government is set to increase the NHS staff pay rise to three per cent in the coming days, it is understood.
In March a proposed one per cent rise for staff was announced which was met with widespread criticism.
Defending the proposal at the time Matt Hancock, the former Health Secretary, said the decision was made “on the basis of affordability”.
Boris Johnson also defended the proposal, but added that the final figures would be set once independent pay review bodies had given their recommendations in the spring.
“I’m massively grateful to all NHS staff and indeed for social care workers who’ve been heroic throughout the pandemic,” Mr Johnson said following the backlash.
“What we have done is try to give them as much as we can at the present time. The independent pay review body will obviously look at what we’ve proposed and come back.
“Don’t forget that there has been a public sector pay freeze, we’re in pretty tough times.”
A similar story appears in the Guardian
Illegal immigrants
Evening Standard
At least 430 migrants made the journey across the English Channel to the UK on Monday, a new record for a single day.
Dozens of people, including women and young children, were seen walking ashore after one beach landing on the Kent coast, while more arrived elsewhere.
Today’s figure passes the previous daily high of 416 set in September 2020, according to data compiled by the PA news agency.
High numbers of crossings have continued this summer despite Home Secretary Priti Patel’s vow to make the Channel crossings “unviable”.
Also on Monday, plans for sweeping reforms of the asylum system, dubbed the anti-refugee Bill by critics and campaigners, were debated again in Parliament.
In Dungeness in Kent, around 50 people were seen landing on a beach after crossing aboard in a single dinghy.
Similar stories appear in the ITV News, BBC News
Breitbart
Home Secretary Priti Patel’s plan to imprison illegal migrants would cost the British taxpayer £412 million per year, a study from the Refugee Council has claimed.
The Nationality and Borders Bill, which is set to be voted on by MPs in the House of Commons on Monday, would introduce four-year prison sentences for any migrants “arriving in the UK without a valid entry clearance” — at least in theory.
Under the existing framework, only those who “enter” the country illegally face prosecution, but many illegal boat migrants are actually brought ashore by the British Border Force after being intercepted in the English Channel and are therefore exempt from prison under the current rules.
A report from the Refugee Council found that the new law would apply to the vast majority of illegal boat migrants and would come at a cost of £412 million per year. When applied to a full four-year prison sentence the cost to the taxpayer would rise to an estimated £1.65 billion.
The charity also claimed that the cost of imprisoning illegals would be five times higher than the current practice of putting them in taxpayer-funded accommodation, with migrants being put up in hotels across the country.
The Refugee Council further claimed that imprisoning illegal migrants is a “brutal, cruel and cold-hearted response by this government” to the Channel migrant crisis.
Vaccine passports
Telegraph
Vaccine passports will be required by law in England for the first time, Boris Johnson said on Monday, in a bid to increase Covid vaccination uptake among the young.
The Prime Minister announced that everyone who wants to go to a nightclub from the end of September will have to show proof of having received two doses of a Covid vaccine.
He also said “other venues where large crowds gather” could also be made to adopt the checks, opening the door to their potential use at concerts, theatres and sports matches.
Mr Johnson did not even rule out requiring them in pubs, stressing that was not his desired outcome but making it clear that it remained an option the Government could adopt.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, the Prime Minister, who is self-isolating at Chequers, said: “As we said last week, we do reserve the right to mandate certification at any point if it is necessary to reduce transmission.
Similar stories appear in the Mail, Sun, Independent, ITV News,
Covid
Mail
Britain’s daily Covid cases rose by just 16 per cent today, as an expert hailed the small rise as a ‘remarkably good’ sign that the outbreak may already be starting to slow.
The Department of Health’s usual update showed there were 39,950 infections across the UK in the past 24 hours, up on the 34,471 recorded last Monday.
There were also another with another 19 Covid deaths registered today, which was more than triple the six victims reported a week ago but still 16 times lower than at the same point in previous waves.
Professor Paul Hunter, an epidemiologist at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline that gloomy warnings of 200,000-plus daily cases and tens of thousands more deaths at the peak this autumn seemed ‘a bit over the top’. He suggested infections could actually start to drop on Thursday, if England’s Covid crisis plays out in the same way Scotland’s did following the surge of cases during Euro 2020.
Nationally, there are currently 45,000 new infections every day across Britain, on average, and the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) expects this to reach at least 100,000 in August or September.
A similar story appears in the Mail
Social care
Express
BORIS JOHNSON is expected to announce a 1 percent increase in national insurance contributions to fund reforms to social care in England.
The Prime Minister is said to have agreed with senior ministers that an increase in national insurance will help pay for his reforms to social care, The Times has revealed. The one penny in every pound increase – which will hit both employers and employees – is expected to raise an extra £10billion per year and it is believed the increase will also help reduce NHS waiting times post-COVID.
The report comes as the former Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, warned BBC’s Newsnight programme: “You will never fix the problem in the NHS if you ignore the social care system”.
Between 2010 and 2019, a period in which Mr Hunt spent almost seven years as Health Secretary, spending on social care was slashed by 17 percent.
A similar story appears in the Times
Heat
Mail
The Met Office has issued its first ever extreme heat warning as parts of the UK are set to swelter in 91.4F temperatures until Thursday with further advice over travel chaos, power cuts and ‘adverse health effects’.
Thunderstorms and showers are expected to hit the south of the country tonight and will stay for the next few days interspersed with more boiling weather.
Parts of Sussex have already seen heavy rain and thunderstorms taking place this afternoon as the Met Office has warned there could be up to 50mm of rainfall before 7pm tonight.
The heat warning – which is similar to those issued when heavy rain or snow is forecast – covers a large part of Wales, all of south-west England and parts of southern and central England, and will remain in force until the end of Thursday.
It is the first time the warning has been issued since the Met Office said last month that it would launch weather warnings for extreme heat after a record-breaking number of heatwave deaths were recorded in England last summer.
Temperatures are expected to reach 91.4F in some western areas later this week, with mid to high 80s expected elsewhere.
Similar stories appear in the Telegraph, Independent, Sun, Mirror, Times
Vaccine passports will be required in England by law. Boris said.
Well that does it for me. He MUST BE GOT RID OF.
Indeed he must go Pauline but a permanent solution is needed so that he cannot bounce back.
Vaccine passports …..my money is on the young people who are now going to be leaned on to get vaxxed. I hope they kick back as only the young know how to do! With a bit of luck they will scupper these plans with their rebellious streak. They clearly have been rebelling against the vaxx otherwise Johnson wouldnt be targeting them in this way! Might do us all a favour!
Another one percent tax!
= black economy + bartering – VAT – income tax – national insurance – . . .
The country went through all this in the 1970s.
A few days ago it was reported that:- “…plan to imprison illegal migrants would cost the British taxpayer £412 million per year, a study from the Refugee Council has claimed.”
How much does it actually cost the Taxpayer to provide free housing, benefits, free health care and Legal Aid? Does anyone know?
Julian Flood is right. If they were faced with a guaranteed prison term, how many would come. Think of the savings.
But isnt the UN Global Migration Compact going to legaliseall immigration? The ones they’ll imprison are jab refuseniks andCovid offenders
Replying to Richard Mawdley: “If they were faced with a guaranteed prison term, how many would come?” What a question!
Of course they would come hell or high water! Free food and accommodation, fleeing from warring zones into the safety of a roof over their heads? Who wouldn’t come? Wouldn’t you, if you were persecuted with bombs falling around you no matter where you hide? That question is as potent as Angela Merkel’s “Welcome one and all economic migrants from anywhere in the world!” and what a disaster that had proven to be for many of the EU member-states, especially for Hungary with a Christian population.
Does Lord Adonis qualify for the title of “The Enemy Without”?
However, I note Lord Frost was outlining something about “Brexit Opportunities” I made a comment in yesterday’s news review about our need to establish an in depth formal infrastructure combined national effort to facilitate Liz Truss’s Commonwealth and 70 Others inter trading initiative and the necessary establishment of a quantative New Industrial Revolution to supply the vast quantity of our goods they will require in return.
This initiative should also go along with and not be at the mercy of the present initiative that I am sure we are immediately undertaking to find new markets for our products now not accepted in the EU (or those which which we have already found alternative world markets)
I was on a walking holiday on the Isle of Wight last week, during which time I was informed that both Camp Hill and Albany Prisons have been closed. There appears to be nothing wrong with the buildings themselves and the Ministry of Justice is supposedly spending £250,000 per year on making these establishments secure by employing private security contractors to prevent people from breaking in and causing damage. Setting aside the fact that our existing prisons are already overcrowded without closing down suitable prisons, why have our ruddy useless government not utilised these prison complexes to house illegal migrants. The Isle of Wight would be a good place to keep these people because you can’t get off of it without using the ferry or having your own boat. The incompetence and ineptness of Boris Johnson’s government knows no bounds. We the citizens of this country deserve so much better than what we are being served up with right now on so many fronts.
Why would the Tory Party seek to take such drastic action that may cause ructions in the Party when electorally they don’t need to? They still get elected!!! We all know Labour would try to do their best to match or surpass even the record numbers of migrants achieved under 11 years of Tory rule. Mass immigration is here to stay as long as people fear Labour taking power more than they fear mass immigration.
Colin Hussy, Can you imagine Priti Patel suggesting the use of the Isle if Wight’s Camp Hill and Albany Prisons to house our refugees? There will be mayhem from the Tory backbenchers, saying these are not criminals, why should they be put in prisons? The Tories are a peculiar lot: cats are cats and they cannot be dogs; so nothing gets done with these beautiful buildings that’s spending taxpayers’ hard-earned money to secure the place. The only way we could get any change done is to be prepared to be elected when the time comes. All of your are capable of being MPs, you just have to use your brains to carry out the duties assigned to you by whoever is prime minister. But if you fail, you need thick skin to bear the criticism. If all else fail, you just lose your jobs and sure you will be able to find another job as a backbencher. Let’s make up our minds to change things for the better. Commit yourself to be elected at the next general election. With the right message the country will definitely see sense and vote for those with the right ideas. Go for it – make it happen! Don’t sit on the fence like an old nanny goat. If I were younger than 82, I’d definitely join you.
If each illegal immigrant faced a 4 year prison sentence without the option, how many would come?
Damn few would cost damn all
JF
Too good an idea for government to adopt. I’d like to see the government employees who say the right words then do nothing jailed along with them. Of course Boris is fully signed up to UN policy…
It has always been an offence under the Immigration Act 1971 to enter this country unlawfully, so why Johnson and Co want to create yet another law is beyond me. HM Immigration/UK Border Force need to use their current powers, or more likely the politicians need to allow them to use their current powers. Politics of the madhouse, what a bunch of clueless numpties our politicians are……..
They want to create more laws and wave more sticks to give the impression they are tough on immigration Gotta to keep the credulous Tory members/voters onside. And it works too……
I agree with you up to a point insofar as keeping the average Conservative voter onside, but the English Channel migrant crisis is rapidly getting out of hand and at long last it is being reported in the newspapers, now the editors of these worthless rags are running out of things to say regarding Covid 19. Yesterdays 461 entry of illegal migrants may be the tipping point of patience in Johnson’s government over this matter, especially if it is repeated daily, weekly and monthly. All we hear is that the authorities are targeting the criminal gangs bringing these people here, in which case they are patently not doing a very good job, as they continue to come seemingly in ever greater numbers. They need to change tack and target the individual illegal migrant and prosecute them and if convicted at court, jail them for a specified term ending with an immediate deportation order, with no if’s and but’s. Any idiot knows no matter where they live that entering a foreign country without the required documentation and elsewhere other than a designated port is unlawful. Prosecutions under the existing Immigration laws occurred when I was in the police when we worked alongside HM Immigration Service, so there is no reason whatsoever why it cannot be done now, apart from the political will that is. Johnson should urgently get a grip. If he had been in any other job he would have failed his probationary period dismally and been kicked out.
Surely the mass immigration is being used by the EU as a weapon against us, probably with remoaner cooperation.
Jack my sentiments entirely! But as Johnson is a closet ‘rejoiner’ we aren’t going to get any kind of push back!
If 75-80 per cent were immediately deported how many would come? I think those arriving know exactly what to expect from our sanctimonious government and it is certainly not a swift deportation.
If every tenth ILLEGAL was shot dead, there would be even less coming.
Biscotte, that is such a silly remark to make and doesn’t help the argument one iota. What needs to be done needs to be done lawfully, backed up by a government with a backbone to take the matter seriously. However no government can be taken seriously with Boris Johnson at the helm, and as a result few take him or it seriously…