Brexit
Express
IF Boris Johnson holds his nerve he can kill off any lingering hopes the EU may have about an extension to the transition period as early as next week, the boss of a UK-based pro-Brexit think tank has said. The UK Government has been urged to carve out a middle way and implement a conditional extension to the EU transition period to ensure Brexit uncertainty is mitigated for businesses who have already been hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The move has been proposed by Raoul Ruparel, Theresa May’s former special advisor on Europe, who argues such a measure would “allow everyone to prepare for any deal reached”. Mr Ruparel’s suggestion differs to an outright extension of the Brexit transition period, which is due to end on December 31, 2020.
Guardian
Brexit talks risk reaching a stalemate if there is no progress in the next round of negotiations between the European Union and the British government, EU sources have said. The two sides are due to resume talks next week, the final round scheduled before a “high-level conference” in June to assess progress before the end-of-year deadline. After the chief negotiators, Michel Barnier and David Frost, exchanged testy letters last week, a senior EU official said there was a risk of stalemate if the EU did not see progress on its vital interests, including how to ensure fair competition, or a level play field, between British and EU companies under a free-trade deal.
Express
ARGENTINA has asked the EU not to include the Falkland Islands in a post-Brexit deal with the UK, despite it being a British overseas territory. Argentina’s foreign minister Felipe Solá asked his Irish counterpart Simon Coveney for support in excluding the Islands from an agreement between the UK and the EU. In a telephone call, Mr Solá expressed concerns about the implications it could have for “the Argentine territories of the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, which are under a sovereignty dispute with the UK”. He added: “Argentina would appreciate Ireland’s support so that the EU, in the framework of the trade agreement signed with Mercosur, abstains from including the Malvinas Islands in the current negotiations that are carried out with the UK as a result of Brexit, so that the future relationship between the EU and the UK does not apply or have any effect on the islands.”
Fisheries
Express
BRITISH negotiators could seal their first major victory in the trade talks with the European Union as the bloc prepares to offer concessions on its “maximalist” fisheries demands. Boris Johnson has so far refused to accept plans by Brussels to maintain the same level of access to Britain’s fishing waters as a key pillar of the post-Brexit future relationship. Instead the Prime Minister wants the fisheries agreement to recognise the country’s newly-acquired coastal independence. His chief negotiator, David Frost, has set out blueprints to agree new quota shares by using scientific methods that will be discussed as part of an annual negotiation on access.
City AM
The EU is said to be willing to ease its stance on fisheries in talks with the UK next week in what would mark a significant breakthrough in post-Brexit trade negotiations. Fishing has proved a major stumbling block in Brexit talks, with the UK pushing back against Brussels’ demands for access to British waters to be maintained. The bloc has argued that fishing is a sensitive issue for France, stating it would not sign a new trade deal without a stable agreement in place. But the EU is now prepared to soften its approach ahead of upcoming talks, Reuters reported, citing sources.
Breitbart
Brussels sources have signalled that the European Union may be planning to back down on their fishing demands following the chief British negotiator saying the UK would not accept the bloc’s “low-quality” trade deal offer. Under the current Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), European fishermen have access to more than 60 per cent of the landings coming from the UK’s territorial waters; to date, Brussels has demanded continued access in exchange for a free trade agreement (FTA). The EU may be softening on that position, however, with sources speaking to Reuters saying that the EU is willing to drop that “maximalist” approach.
EU
iNews
The European Commission is set to unveil a gigantic recovery package worth up to €2 trillion (£1.78 trillion) to help salvage the European Union’s pandemic-ravaged economies, despite fierce resistance from the bloc’s richer countries. The EU recovery package will blend grants, loans and guarantees over the next few years, including heavy leveraging of private financing, although battlelines are already being drawn up over the exact size, shape, scope and terms of the aid. It will include a two-year €500 billion recovery fund alongside a seven-year EU budget of around €1 trillion and is aimed at ensuring the most vulnerable economies in the bloc bounce back from what is likely to be the deepest recession in living memory. The plans have the backing of both Germany and France, who last week threw their weight behind the €500 billion fund, marking a bold shift in direction for Berlin.
Telegraph
A kayak and six boats carrying migrants were brought to Dover on Tuesday morning after crossing the Channel illegally, as the French Navy was alleged to have escorted them across the sea. The Telegraph understands that dozens more people made it to the UK after being shadowed across the busy shipping lane and into British waters by a French navy vessel. Already this month, a record 601 people have made it to the UK in this way.
Cummings
Express
NIGEL FARAGE claimed Brexit may be playing a large role in the Dominic Cummings row as he delivered a judgement on whether the PM’s aide was in breach of the lockdown rules. Nigel Farage stunned LBC listeners when he claimed the motivations behind the outrage against Dominic Cummings may have to do with Brexit. Boris Johnson’s chief aide has been accused of flouting the Government’s own lockdown restrictions by travelling over 200 miles when he had coronavirus symptoms. Mr Cummings addressed press from Downing Street to explain his movements in an attempt to stave off demands for his resignation.
Breitbart
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has said that Remainers want the prime minister’s adviser, Dominic Cummings, fired, in order to have an excuse to extend the transition period. “It is clear that there are many — not all, but many, in the Remain camp particularly — who would like to see the back of him, who think Cummings going now may well aid them in getting us to extend beyond the end of this year,” Mr Farage said during his LBC show on Monday.
Express
EX-EUROPEAN Council boss Donald Tusk has attacked Boris Johnson’s chief aide Dominic Cummings on Twitter, as he made another dig at Brexit. The Brexit-bashing former eurocrat used the Prime Minister’s chief adviser refusal to apologise for his actions to launch another stinging attack on the country’s departure from the European Union. Mr Tusk, who was one of the bloc’s harsh critics of the referendum result, hit out at Mr Cummings in a social media post. Writing on Twitter, he said: “This is apparently Cummings and his Brexit friends’ rule: that they leave when they should stay.”
Yahoo News
Former European Council president Donald Tusk has criticised Dominic Cummings as the crisis surrounding his alleged breach of the coronavirus lockdown rules deepens. Cummings has faced calls to step down from his role as an adviser to Boris Johnson after it was revealed he had driven 250 miles to northern England while Britain was under a strict lockdown. Tusk, who has been a vocal critic of Brexit and the Vote Leave campaign masterminded by Cummings, posted a tweet on Tuesday mocking Johnson’s aide over the scandal.
Treatment
Times
NHS patients are to benefit from a drug hailed as the “biggest step forward” in treating coronavirus. Remdesivir, an antiviral originally designed to fight ebola, is the only drug shown to have any effect in combating Covid-19. It will soon be available to some of those in greatest need, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, announced yesterday. “This is probably the biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began,” he said. The drug interferes with the life cycle of the virus and in a large trial in the US was shown to shorten the time patients took to recover by about four days.
ITV News
The UK has made “probably the biggest step forward” in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began, Matt Hancock has said. A treatment being trialled in the UK, Remdesivir, has already given “promising early results” which show coronavirus recovery could be shorted by “about four days”. The antiviral drug is being trialled on NHS patients with Covid-19, and if successful health officials will be “prioritising the use of this treatment where it will provide the greatest benefit,” the health secretary said. “This is probably the biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began,” he added.
Sun
Brit patients with severe cases of coronavirus are set to be given an experimental Ebola drug. The anti-viral drug remdesivir is being heralded as the “biggest step forward in the treatment of coronavirus since the crisis began”. The drug, which has been subjected to extensive studies on monkeys as well as select human cases, will only be administered to further select cases as part of a collaboration with manufacturer Gilead Sciences, it was announced today.
Testing
Mail
Britain could soon be carrying out a million coronavirus tests a day thanks to rapid diagnostics technology being assessed by the NHS. If approved, the technology might allow routine monthly testing of every household in the country. Documents seen by the Daily Mail reveal the NHS is in early talks over the tests, which cost less than £2.50 each. The potential breakthrough could be made if genetic testing techniques are adopted, DNA testing experts claim. They say this could increase testing capacity across the country ten-fold.
Furlough
Mail
Rishi Sunak is set to announce that companies will soon be banned from putting any more employees into the Government’s furlough scheme in plans to get Britain back to work, it is claimed. The Chancellor will this week lay out the second stage of his plans to help businesses come off Government financial support and get the country ‘back up and running’. New details are also expected to be revealed over how companies’ contributions to employee wages – of which 80 per cent are currently paid by the Treasury – will change as some firms bring back staff part time from August.
Sun
FIRMS are set to be barred from furloughing more staff as the Government looks to wind down the scheme. Rishi Sunak is expected to announce the slow end of the emergency funds set aside to help struggling companies through the first phase of the coronavirus crisis. The Chancellor is set to reveal details of the job retention scheme, which will need contributions from employers when it kicks in at the start of August. He will also unveil the rules surrounding furloughed employees returning to work on a part-time basis, the Financial Times reports.
Schools
Mail
Just one quarter of pupils in year 10 and 12 will be allowed to return to schools to see their teachers at any one time, according to new Department for Education guidance. Boris Johnson said when he announced his road map for easing lockdown that he wanted secondary school students in England who are facing exams next year to have some face-to-face time with staff before the summer holidays. But the new guidance shows that in order for schools to adhere to social distancing rules the number of pupils allowed back will be capped at 25 per cent of normal levels.
Mirror
Plans to reopen schools have been plunged into chaos – as a government minister admits England’s primaries might not all open on June 1. England’s primaries were told to prepare to bring back year R, 1 and 6 pupils back to class, with other primary years returning later in June. But those plans were hurled into doubt by a mass revolt from unions and councils. Liverpool, Hartlepool, Birmingham, and even Tory-run Solihull and Essex have warned June 1 might not be possible.
Lockdown
Sun
TOUGH local lockdowns to rapidly isolate new coronavirus sufferers could be thrown in place from Thursday, The Sun can reveal. Boris Johnson plans to announce the government’s crucial new ‘track and trace’ programme to stamp out new coronavirus contagion trails tomorrow. He will say it will go live either on Thursday or Friday, when an army of 25,000 contact tracers will begin work hunting down new cases. Whole towns could face lockdown if there are regional flare-ups and schools, businesses or workplaces may be closed.
Sky News
Future “flare-ups” of coronavirus infections could lead to localised lockdown measures, the health secretary has said. Matt Hancock revealed stricter social distancing measures could be introduced in certain areas in future as part of the NHS “test and trace” system for continuing to suppress the spread of COVID-19. “We will have local lockdowns in future where there are flare-ups,” he said at the daily Downing Street coronavirus briefing on Tuesday. “We have a system we are putting in place with a combination of Public Health England and the new joint biosecurity centre – along with the local directors of public health who play an absolutely crucial role in the decision-making in the system – to make sure if there is a local flare-up there is a local lockdown,” he continued.
Mail
‘Local lockdowns’ could be imposed on whole towns if there are regional flare-ups of coronavirus cases, Matt Hancock confirmed yesterday. The Health Secretary said the ability to tighten restrictions in individual regions will be part of the NHS test, track and trace system – which is set to expand on June 1. This could lead to local schools, businesses or workplaces being closed in areas with high prevalence of infection, according to the government’s road map on easing lockdown restrictions.
Sun
FAMILIES and friends may soon be having barbecues together under plans allowing different households to meet for the first time in months. Ministers looking to ease the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are hoping to approve small outdoors gatherings at home from next month. It will be capped at two households at a time — but will mean youngsters can see grandparents again. Ministers want to let different households meet up at their homes again for the first time since lockdown in March.
Retail
Breitbart
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday that all ‘non-essential’ shops can reopen in England on June 15th, with retailers planning on quarantining items touched by customers. “I want people to be confident that they can shop safely, provided they follow the social distancing rules for all premises,” Prime Minister Johnson said, outlining that shops will be obliged also to enforce new hygiene standards. Retailers have been told to maintain social distancing, make available hand sanitation for staff and customers, limit the number of people in premises, and restrict human contact wherever possible.
Conservative Party
Telegraph
More than 35 Tory MPs including former Cabinet ministers have called for Dominic Cummings to resign, after claiming they have been contacted by hundreds of angry constituents over his alleged breaches of lockdown. Boris Johnson’s hopes of quelling public anger over his aide’s conduct were in jeopardy on Tuesday night as opinion polls showed a sharp fall in support despite Mr Cummings hosting an unprecedented press conference to explain why he travelled to Durham to facilitate emergency childcare during the lockdown.
Times
Boris Johnson was struggling last night to contain a growing party revolt over Dominic Cummings as 39 Tory MPs demanded his resignation. With public opinion hardening against the senior adviser accused of repeated breaches of the lockdown, a new poll reveals the scale of the political damage caused by the controversy. A YouGov survey for The Times shows the Conservative lead over Labour cut by nine points in a week. Support for the Tories was down by four points, to 44 per cent. Labour added five points to 38 per cent compared with a week ago.
Sky News
Boris Johnson is facing more potentially awkward questions about his refusal to sack Dominic Cummings in a 90-minute interrogation by senior MPs. For the first time since becoming prime minister 10 months ago, he is appearing before the Liaison Committee, made up of the MPs who chair all-party select committees. Mr Johnson’s interrogation comes as more than 30 Tory MPs demand Mr Cummings is sacked and opinion polls suggest strong public support for his dismissal. The whole committee session, likely to be conducted by video link, will be about the government’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, beginning with a section allowing questions about Mr Cummings.
Guardian
Boris Johnson faced an extraordinary and growing revolt from within his own party on Tuesday over his refusal to sack his chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, for breaching lockdown rules. On a day of dramatic developments, a junior minister resigned and more than 30 other Conservative MPs called for Cummings to go, many citing inboxes overflowing with hundreds of angry messages from constituents. A further eight Tory MPs were publicly critical of the senior aide’s actions, and three said privately that he should be forced out.
Sun
COPS were called to break up an alleged illegal lockdown bank holiday birthday party at the home of a Tory MP. Balloons and banners outside Rob Roberts’ North Wales home reportedly celebrated a 40th birthday. The Mirror reports two people visiting the Mold house were asked to leave yesterday. Police confirmed they attended the Delyn MP’s home over a “possible breach of Covid-19 regulations”. It is thought Mr Roberts’ wife Alexandra turned 40 years old on Monday.
Star
An illegal birthday party was held at a Tory MP’s house during the coronavirus lockdown, with police called to the property. Two people who were visiting the house of Rob Roberts, MP for Delyn in North Wales, were asked to leave, the Daily Mirror reports. There were balloons and banners outside the house yesterday. It is understood that Mr Roberts’ wife Alexandra turned 40 on Monday. North Wales Police Superintendent Mark Pierce said: “In response to two reports of a possible breach of Covid 19 regulations we visited an address at Ty’n y Coed, Mold, yesterday (Monday, May 25).
Our MSM and ‘entitled elite’ are spitting feathers over the graphic and eloquent reporting by the nation’s hero Nigel Farage of the French Naval Forces escorting migrant dinghys for handover to Britain’s Border Force for taxi service and rapid assimilation into Britain’s Benefits Facility – Like the way this is immigration service from both sides is alleged when it is on video for all to see – And what a storm in a tea cup is the Cummings saga, it really does not look like he broke any law – The big picture anyway is that the Lockdown is only there to wreck the economy…err I mean the Lockdown is only there to slow the rate of contagion in order to flatten the curve not stop contagion – Some contact is esential to keep infection going so that the spooky herd immunity is achieved or you are theoretically in Lockdown forever – Therefore some breaches of Lockdown or a lot of breaches are of little consequence – Anyway highly likely most have been infected before Lockdown and don’t know because although this flu is highly infectious the symptoms for the majority are hardly noticeable in which case we could return to the old normal this afternoon but our masters love their new rules and many functionaries have never seen this sort of importance and don’t want to give it up.
There is a clause in the lockdown guidance that allows exceptional cases the right to seek help especially where children are concerned ! This clause allowed Cummings (and anyone else) to seek the required help. It was therefore legal and lawful for him to take his child to a safe place where the child’s autism would be least affected.
On returning to London, Cummings is a ‘key worker’ and is permitted to drive to work, as is any other key worker. The distance of travel to work is not stipulated.
Regarding the ‘test drive’ which went to Barnard Castle, he took a doctors advice about his eyesight and Barnard Castle was not a ‘destination’ but was part of that ‘test drive’
The real reason for the outcry is that, on return to work in London, Cummings scuppered a remoaners’ attempt to delay our exit from ‘transition period’ in collusion with the EU. THAT is why they want him sacked !
Ian Blackford made a trip to Skye during the lockdown….nothing said !
Four Labours MPs defied the lockdown…..nothing said !
The Scottish Medical Officer resigned for joyriding to her holiday home but Sturgeon, initally, backed her to keep her job !
In addition several other high-profile people including Rob Roberts MP, Alastair Campbell and even HRH The Prince of Wales are alleged to have breached lockdown regulations and no action has been taken against them. There have been thousands of members of the public who have acted in similar ways.
I firmly believe the furore against Cummings is politically motivated, with the majority of those complaining, including the media, being pro-EU and aware of the vital role Cummings has been playing in our struggle towards Brexit. They must not be allowed to succeed in their aim of removing him from office because of his work.
CUMMINGS AND GOINGS, is all very well, but it is clear that our MSM is in the hands of the anti democratic and stupid Remain folk ! – Repeat to them, that they lost ! – Keep smacking them until they have understood !
We have all had too much delay with the People’s decision, and further delay, of any colour at all, is out of the question ! – JUST LEAVE NOW, or if we have to, then the end of this year !
Yes Mike. The whole Cummings thing is sour grapes because he was back just in time to stop a plot hatched by civil servants and other remainers to extend. If only there was a way to get this message out loud and clear. Nigel Farage has tried I see. Good for him. And the illegal migrants issue it now being aired due to him.
Isn’t it sickening that even the PM’s own party are being conned into Remainer tactics. I wonder if it is possible to threaten deselection or withdrawal of the Whip. I do hope something is being done behind the scenes.
Also I wish unions and councils preventing children being educated could be firmly dealt with.
WE do not NEED a trade deal. Like you say JUST LEAVE asap.
From the land Down Under:
China will ‘divide Australia and rule.’
They’re becoming a bit of a problem China aren’t they. As I posted on Viv’s article:
“EU’s Michel Barnier Authorised Chinese Lab”
Mayhar Tousi
https://youtu.be/MsNLfeSkVJM
The EU seem to be becoming very close friends with China and why not they’re both Communist regimes.
Then there is the slowly emerging scandal of Hilary Clinton selling military secrets to China, some say she and the Democrats were setting the US up to loose a future war with China.
Western governments can’t get enough of immigration, when the racial tensions explode as they surely will soon, the UN will I suspect use its Kigali principles as an excuse for military involvement. Not having an army of their own, the UN will utilise the armys of its member countries and I am very sure the main contributing country will be China.
I am starting to believe that sometime perhaps in 2021 we will be given an ultimatum: surrender our countries to the UN or face a war headed by China and hence World War Three.
You may think that this is far fetched but you only have to think back as far as last Christmas and any of us would have thought that a worldwide lockdown was just as far fetched.
As a boy in the 60s at Milton High School in Rhodesia my friend and I listened to Radio Peking because it sounded so funny. It didn’t sound funny for long. I’ve been on to them all my life. They only come out of the woodwork when necessary like the iceberg that sank the titanic. They and their brothers-in-arms, the Marxists (i.e. the one’s outside of China) are everywhere. In ‘the West’ (if there is such a thing anymore) we know peace and war. They only know war. The bible puts it best: No rest for the wicked. Like most things in the bible its a Russian doll kind of saying but here it means they will not rest until we are all dead or subjugated.
However, always look on the bright side. if Trump wins the election and doesn’t get assassinated then there might not be an actual shooting war. Also the more ready we are for a war the less likely it is that there’ll be one. Which is why the EU is trying to steal our armed forces.
Good points Michael Keal.
I must admit flyer that even I am beginning to wonder about a worldwide Global Government conspiracy. Certainly China is no friend of ours. Nor is W.H.O. or U.N. Since the Global Warming Scam failed to panic us into shutting down our economies. The next step was the Chinese virus. What next?
Oh! does INFAMY rule in Australia too?
“ARGENTINA has asked the EU not to include the Falkland Islands in a post-Brexit deal with the UK …”
Yet another reason why we need to keep our Armed Forces completely separate from the EU. We need to retain the ability to take out Argentina should the need arise.
It’s also important that we retain and possibly extend the sustainable exploitation of the Islands’ fisheries.
Agreed Michael.
When a delay is not a delay…
“The move has been proposed by Raoul Ruparel, Theresa May’s former special advisor on Europe, who argues such a measure would “allow everyone to prepare for any deal reached”.
Raoul… good old-fashioned English name. Sure to be on the side of the angels.
The UK EU referendum was held on Thursday 23 June 2016. Time enough to prepare? I’d have thought so.
JF
After the referendum and TM had handed in our notice to the EU, we had a transition period ‘to prepare for our withdrawal’. That was extended and after the General Election we had yet another transition period ‘to prepare for our withdrawal’. Now this Raoul chap is suggesting a further delay ‘to prepare for any deal reached’. Just how long does it take to prepare? We’ve all had several years to do so.
The mere mention of Theresa May, whether she is involved or not, suggests a much closer agreement or arrangement with the European, than is what is on the table right now. We have all had enough of her inept brand of politics, and anyone connected with her however remote it might be, should be totally disregarded and told to take hike, in the politest way possible of course.
Conservative Party:
“More than 35 Tory MPs including former Cabinet ministers…” It would be interesting to know if those MPs are closet Remainers. It is a racing certainty that those criticising DC are trying yet another ruse to frustrate our final exit from the EU.
I have no doubt you’re right, Jack, except I don’t think these Tory MPs are ‘closet’ Remainers. They’ve nailed their colours to the mast and we all know what they’re out to get.
I suggest a letter campaign to Boris, urging him to continue to stand firm on both Brexit and Cummings.
Yes please Debbie. How do we do that?
Just write to the Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AA. Your letter doesn’t have to be long but it will have more clout if you use your own words rather than sign a pre-printed missive.
Just say something like ‘Dear Prime Minister, I believe Dominic Cummings has not broken the law and urge you to ignore those people who are demanding he resigns. Please stand firm on Brexit and finish the transition period at the end of the year as planned.’
You can add that you feel the EU is not negotiating in good faith, or that Barnier is asking too much of the UK, or that we will do far better outside the bloc, or that the EU looks like it’s on the verge of collapse, or anything else you feel would be appropriate.
Sign it and don’t forget to add your name and address.
The more letters he gets in support of Cummings and a full Brexit, the more likely he’ll keep him on and we’ll get clean away from the bloc.
Brexit:
The remoaners are creative if nothing else in proposing a “conditional extension”. No doubt they hope it will lead to a permanent one, i.e. remain an EU member in all but name.
“The move has been proposed by Raoul Ruparel, Theresa May’s former special advisor on Europe” says all we need to know about the real intent.
Let’s hope that Boris remains true to his words.
Wonder how many of these MPs calling for Cummings head on a platter are quiet friends of Boles, Soubry and Grieve? Looks like the battle to properly leave the EU is about to kick off again just when the voters thought the government was ‘getting brexit done’.
Would also be interesting to know how many of these fake tories have been contacted by constituents regarding the new cross channel taxi service operated by the French Navy, our coastguard and people traffickers? Their silence on this matter is deafening. Have they never heard of Nigel Farage? Do they rely on scum media for their info? It would seem so.
I think these fake tories are outright liars saying they have been asked by constituents to get Cummings sacked.