EU
Express
BRUSSELS has published plans to tackle the threat of a medicines shortage in Northern Ireland by bending the EU’s own laws to protect supplies.
In a “non paper” published today by the European Commission, eurocrats set out plans to ease restrictions on drugs between shipped from mainland Britain to the region. The offer is part of a package of concessions by the EU tabled in the hope of ending the row over the implementation of the Brexit deal’s protocol to avoid a hard border. It comes after warnings that about 2,000 medicines currently offered to patients in Northern Ireland could be withdrawn as drugs manufacturers grapple with EU red tape.
EU Brexit chief Maros Sefcovic said: “These solutions have an unambiguous common denominator – they were brought about with the core purpose of benefitting the people in Northern Ireland.
“Ultimately, our work is about ensuring that the hard-earned gains of the Good Friday (Belfast) Agreement – peace and stability in Northern Ireland – are protected, while avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland and maintaining the integrity of the EU Single Market.”
Under the post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland, the region must essentially remain part of the EU’s regulatory system for medicines.
This means that drugs made in Great Britain for use in the area will have to be licensed separately as well as undergo safety inspections and other checks.
Illegal immigrants
Mail
Britain has made a dramatic offer to pick up and return migrant boats in the Channel that resist French intervention, it emerged last night as roughly 2,000 migrants gathered by the Channel.
The UK’s offer – made as a result of growing exasperation with the crisis in the Channel – has been rebuffed by France.
Amid record numbers of crossings, it is understood that UK officials have been left hugely frustrated at the inability to intercept migrants at sea and turn them around.
Privately, the UK authorities admit that the surge in arrivals will continue for the rest of the year because they do not have a ‘silver bullet’ to solve the issue.
It is now believed that the number of migrants in northern France has roughly doubled since March, with more than 9,000 already having reached Britain so far in 2021, The Times reports. Around 8,000 people have been prevented from crossing.
Organised gangs now rely to an extent on small boats due to reductions in ferry crossing amid the Covid pandemic.
Last week, Home Secretary Priti Patel agreed to pay France £54million for extra policing and the use of drones in a controversial deal. But yesterday it emerged that the UK has been hindered by a French legal ruling that has prohibited the use of drones by its police due to privacy concerns.
Sun
A NEW wave of migrants risking their lives crossing the Channel is being fuelled by a two-tier pricing system — dubbed “economy and business class”.
Some are understood to have paid round £3,000 a head to row themselves through the treacherous waters in the “economy class” dinghies that take ten hours of paddling.
To secure a place in engine-propelled boats, they have to cough up £10,000 each and make the 21-mile “business class” crossing in just three hours.
On Sunday, one over-inflated small dinghy was shadowed by French patrol boat P618 Escaut for part of its journey.
The vessel appeared to make no effort to stop or attempt to rescue the fatigued men who were finally picked up by a UK vessel and taken to Dover, Kent, after being spotted by Brit fishermen.
Tim Loughton MP, a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, fumed: “The French are complicit in allowing such a dangerous boat to cross the Channel.
“That craft isn’t seaworthy and, if migrants are in peril or looking like they may soon be in peril, they are under obligation to apprehend it, for the French to say they have no power to stop boats is rubbish.”
A similar story appears in the Times
Northern Ireland
Guardian
Boris Johnson has rejected Brussels’ latest attempt to iron out problems with the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland, insisting that the withdrawal agreement signed last year must be renegotiated.
A series of proposals published by the European Commission on Monday with the aim of easing implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol were said to be insufficient for the scale of the problems.
A UK government spokesperson said the two sides instead needed “comprehensive and durable solutions”. David Frost, the minister responsible for Brexit issues, has said that without a major change to the legal text of the protocol, the government will consider triggering article 16 of the EU-UK agreement to suspend parts of the deal.
Such a move would be permitted where it can be shown that “serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties” are arising. But the commission would probably challenge such a decision. It would be likely to go to arbitration, raising the risk of trade sanctions down the line.
The government issued a command paper last week detailing the key changes it wishes to make to the arrangements under which Northern Ireland in effect stays in the EU’s single market and the bloc’s customs rules are enforced on goods passing across the Irish Sea.
Fisheries
Express
A TENSE row over post-Brexit fishing licences between France and Jersey could last for months with no clear end in sight.
Island ministers also claimed Paris officials were withholding data for the new licences submitted by French fishermen from British counterparts. A dispute over the licences initially flared in May when France and Britain sent patrol vessels off the shores of Jersey after a flotilla of French fishing boats sailed to the island in protest against the new licence arrangements after the UK left the EU.
An interim agreement had been due to expire on June 30 under the UK’s Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union, but this will now last until September 30 giving vessels from Brenton and Normandy less restrictive access to the British Crown Dependency waters before stricter measures are introduced.
Jersey’s Home Affairs Minister Deputy Gregory Guida claimed the “withhold” approach taken by Paris on licences is a sign the “French are pitting their fishermen against us.”
Rejoin
Express
A STAUNCH rejoiner A C Grayling has plotted Britain’s return to the European Union and claimed it will take less than 10 years.
The author and philosopher has been a vocal critic of Brexit and has continued to campaign for Britain to return to the EU. And now, Mr Grayling has predicted the UK will rejoin the bloc in less than 10 years.
Taking to Twitter, the rejoiner said: “We will be back in the EU in less than 10 years.
“Here’s how: electoral reform, through progressive alliance for next election.
“A reformed parliament with LDs & Greens in the coalition will be receptive to another say on EU membership.
“We will win that referendum conclusively.”
However, many people took to social media to hit back at the rejoiner with many claiming he is disillusioned.
One person tweeted: “Jesus, haven’t they come and sectioned you yet?
“Get help! You are obsessed and not well.”
Another added: “Daydreaming again Tone.”
Covid
Telegraph
More than half of Covid hospitalisations are patients who only tested positive after admission, leaked data reveal.
The figures suggest vast numbers are being classed as hospitalised by Covid when they were admitted with other ailments, with the virus picked up by routine testing.
Experts said it meant the national statistics, published daily on the government website and frequently referred to by ministers, may far overstate the levels of pressures on the NHS.
The leaked data – covering all NHS trusts in England – show that, as of last Thursday, just 44 per cent of patients classed as being hospitalised with Covid had tested positive by the time they were admitted.
The majority of cases were not detected until patients underwent standard Covid tests, carried out on everyone admitted to hospital for any reason.
Overall, 56 per cent of Covid hospitalisations fell into this category, the data, seen by The Telegraph, show.
A similar story appears in the Times.
Quarantine
Guardian
Some Britons who have been double-vaccinated abroad will soon be able to travel to the UK more easily as the government prepares to recognise jabs administered overseas.
Current restrictions mean only those who have been fully inoculated by the NHS are able to take advantage of avoiding quarantine if coming from countries graded amber under the traffic light system.
Hundreds of thousands of British citizens who are dual nationals or have been living or working abroad have still been forced to isolate for up to 10 days, but the rules are expected to be changed for some from August.
Those who have had both jabs in other countries but are registered with a GP in the UK will be able to apply to register these with the NHS – but the doses must have been made by either Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech or Janssen.
The vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, signalled the move in a little-noticed response to an MP during a Commons debate last week.
He said: “By the end of this month, UK nationals who have been vaccinated overseas will be able to talk to their GP, go through what vaccine they have had, and have it registered with the NHS that they have been vaccinated.”
A similar story appears in the Independent.
NHS
ITV News
The NHS is as stretched now as it was at the height of the pandemic in January and things will get worse before they get better, health leaders have said.
In a letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay, and NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, NHS Providers said a combination of pressures are being experienced by the health service.
“This combination means that many trust chief executives are saying that the overall level of pressure they are now experiencing is, although very different in shape, similar to the pressure they saw in January of this year when the NHS was under the greatest pressure in a generation,” the letter said.
It called on the Government to make “the right decisions” over the next month as it finalises NHS funding for the second half of the financial year.
Pressures on the NHS include going “full speed” to address the backlog of care across hospital, mental health and community services; and record levels of demand for urgent and emergency care.
TV Licence
Express
OLDER viewers who have refused to buy a TV licence have been threatened with visits from enforcement officers to make them pay up.
Over 75s across the country have received letters telling them they face a knock on the door if they fail to take action by August 4. The £159 fee was imposed on the age group a year ago and 260,000 are still refusing to hand over the cash. BBC bosses insist they are taking a gentle approach to encourage payment as the 12 month anniversary looms on Sunday.
But over 75s in Maidstone, Bath, Cambridge, Guildford and Scotland all reported receiving a letter in the last few days warning them their details will be passed to local enforcement teams for investigation if they fail to make contact with TV Licensing.
Capita, which enforces licence fee payment, is making so-called customer care visits to pensioners’ homes from next month.
But the BBC last night insisted it is “simply not true” that enforcement letters have been sent to older people who previously held a free licence.
Silver Voices said it had been contacted by six members over 75 who have received the “threatening” letter and at least two have confirmed did hold the free licence previously.
Nuclear war
Express
MOSCOW is making two new military aircraft that can be used in the event of a nuclear war.
Russia is building two new planes that will be used to evacuate top Kremlin officials and as an aerial command post, according to a state-owned news agency. The report from RIA Novosti revealed on Monday that work on the jets has already started in Voronezh, a city 321 miles south of Moscow.
The news agency said the planes would be used “to evacuate the country’s senior leadership and coordinate the troops in case of the destruction of ground and satellite infrastructure.”
The so-called “Doomsday” planes, named for their ability to withstand a nuclear blast, will be hooked up with technology so they can manage Russia’s nuclear defences.
This includes submarines, strategic bombers and missile launchers based up to 3,700 miles away.
The two new planes are set to replace the Il-80 aircraft.
They will also be windowless in an attempt to protect passengers onboard from a nuclear blast.
The ‘Doomsday’ aircraft first hit the international headlines in December after Russian police started an investigation into a break-in at a top-secret nuclear command centre and the theft of one of the plane’s equipment.
Jake Bennett, well said re. UKIP. I’ve been & still am, a member for the past 23 years & can assure I.D. supporters that we’ve NEVER, despite the adverse propaganda, DISAPPEARED!!!
Rejoin
Express
A STAUNCH rejoiner A C Grayling has plotted Britain’s return to the European Union and claimed it will take less than 10 years…… One person tweeted: “Jesus, haven’t they come and sectioned you yet? ”
Tony Grayling should be sectioned, not for wanting to rejoin the EU, but for believing that Britain has left. You would have thought that a former Oxford don like Grayling would understand the Withdrawal Agreement & Political Declaration and the Trade & Cooperation Agreement, which govern Britain’s withdrawal from membership of the EU. If he did understand the WA & PD and the TCA he would see that all they have done is to turn Britain into a colony of the EU instead of a member.
Derrr . . . . . I’m confused. Who does Russia think will attack her with nuclear weapons?
T.V.Licence. I ain’t had this threatening letter yet. Mind you I’m not in those counties or that silver wotsit group. (I’m in the age group but not joined Silver Voices.)
E.U., N.I., David Frost/B.J. seem to be sticking firm at the moment.
But Channel Islands situation still very confusing.
Illegals crossing channel in boats – that’s a bit confused – we’ve offered to pick’em up and take them back? I wish!
What else, well the vocal Rejoiner does need to be sectioned, or ignored, otherwise shut down.
As for the Covid news and N.H.S. needing more money, no news there is there. We knew most of the ‘positives’ were false and we know N.H.S. will turn any and everything into a plea for more money – into the wrong pockets.
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/07/27/young-britons-start-to-ditch-masks-after-deleting-covid-app-poll/
Young Britons Start to Ditch Masks After Deleting Covid App:
52 per cent of young people who had downloaded the NHS’s COVID-19 app had either deleted it or were misusing it, such as switching off the Bluetooth or not using it to check in to venues.
There is hope for us yet
Richard M. YES. Hope yet. Hooray.
Illegal migration ‘Privately, the UK authorities admit that the surge in arrivals will continue for the rest of the year because they do not have a ‘silver bullet’ to solve the issue’
There is a silver bullet but the Tories refuse to use it because they have committed the Party to a global solution to dealing with the illegal/legal migration of principally poor people to rich countries. Labour/Lib/Green are also committed to this approach.
UKIP will rescind the UK’s assent to the Barcelona Declaration (1995) and the Marrakesh Declaration (2018) and UN Global Migration Compact (2018). These documents pave the way for yet more uncontrolled and unlimited immigration from Africa, the Middle East and beyond.
UKIP calls on the government to regain control of its borders by withdrawing from the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights.
“…migration of principally poor people to rich countries. ..”
If it weren’t for the existence of China which is a whole subject in itself I would say this:
The people of Sub Saharan Africa for example may be poor; but I understand it is a rich country, rich in gold, deep underground water reserves and probably minerals too which our enemies the globalists and Communist China and others covet.
If the globalists were taken out of the equation, would this not create at least some potential for the subsaharan African countries to prosper, so that the inhabitants wouldn’t seek to emigrate?
But instead the globalists seek to bring Africans to “first world countries” (ha) , encouraging them to hate us through woke propaganda, resulting in conflict and the replacement of the indigenous people.
The globalists have caused most of the evil, misery and conflict with their meddling . Someone aptly described them as a giant squid sucking all the life out of the rest of the world.
“If the globalists were taken out of the equation”. I expect that the only way to do that is with a traditional permanent solution.
mary. There is loads of oil and water under the ground north of the Sahara too. Probably even under the Sahara. In fact the whole of the continent of Africa is rich in valuable resources.
Really Jake Bennett? Are you telling us Ukip is stirring into life again? I’ll vote for that given the chance.
Better still – get some skin in the game by joining the Party!
Well said, Jake.
Here’s something that caught my eye and as the title suggests, it is terrifying. Take a look, it only takes a moment and only one paragraph to read. This won’t end well for the West.
“THE MOST TERRIFYING MAP IN THE WORLD”
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2021-07-26/most-terrifying-map-world
Worrying indeed.