Fisheries
Express
FRENCH FISHERMEN have made a shocking threat to the Channel Islands following a massive escalation in a row with Jersey over fishing.
Tensions have reached breaking point following a massive row between French fishermen and the island of Jersey after new post-Brexit fishing laws published on Friday reduced French fishing opportunities in the area. French officials insisted the new rules are “null and void” and have now cut all ties with Jersey. And in a huge escalation, the fishermen have now threatened to “cut electricity” to Jersey as a cable runs from northern France to Jersey, in response to the row.
A new post-Brexit licencing law that came into effect in Jersey on Friday has meant French boats that want to fish in Jersey waters need a licence issued by the Jersey Government.
An official list of 41 vessels that had received their licences was published on Friday.
The licences are issued to French boats as long as they can prove they have previously fished in Jersey waters – this includes including proof that they have fished around Jersey on at least 10 occasions in any one of the last three years.
The new laws also place a limit on the number of days for fishing (seven to 170 depending on the boat), restrictions on types of fishing vessels, what equipment they can use, what they can catch and where and there has also been closure of certain fishing areas.
Times
France is threatening to plunge Jersey into darkness in an escalating dispute over fishing rights after Brexit.
Annick Girardin, minister for the sea, warned yesterday that France could cut the power supply to the Channel island after denouncing what she said was a breach of the Brexit agreement allowing French trawlers to continue fishing in British waters.
Giradin said 41 French boats had been given licences to fish off Jersey, but with limits on the zones in which they could work and the number of days per year they are allowed to remain in those waters.
She told the French parliament she was “revolted” by the British restrictions, which she claimed contravened the deal signed by Boris Johnson.
Guardian
The French government could cut off the electricity supply to Jersey in an escalating row over post-Brexit fishing rights, a French minister has suggested.
Responding to questions in the national assembly, Annick Girardin, the minister for maritime affairs, said she was “revolted” by the UK government’s behaviour over its waters and France was ready to retaliate.
The British crown dependency of Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, relies on “the transmission of electricity by underwater cable”, Girardin said as she was questioned by assembly members, raising the supply as a point of leverage.
“I would regret it if we were to get there,” the minister said, but “we will do so if we have to.”
The comments mark a major escalation in a row over claims by French fishers that they are being denied access to UK waters.
David Frost, the former chief Brexit negotiator who is now the minister responsible for relations with the EU, held scheduled talks with the French minister of European affairs, Clément Beaune, on Tuesday afternoon.
It is claimed that the UK government is using red tape to limit the operations of French fishing vessels, in contravention of the trade and cooperation agreement struck with the EU on Christmas Eve. The UK government denies the claim, saying Jersey alone is responsible for the management of its waters.
Telegraph
France threatened to cut off Jersey’s electricity supplies on Tuesday as the row over post-Brexit fishing rights between Paris and London deepened.
“We are ready to use these retaliation measures,” Annick Girardin, the maritime minister, told lawmakers in the French parliament. “I am sorry it has come to this. We will do so if we have to.”
Ms Giradin mentioned the underwater cables that supply Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, with about 95 percent of its electricity and suggested they could be shut down. The remaining five per cent of its electricity is provided by on-island diesel generators.
The self-governing British Crown Dependency would face all-island power cuts if the French threat was carried out. There were three island-wide power cuts in six years until a new £40 million pound, 16.7-mile cable was laid between Jersey and France in 2016.
Mail
France has threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Jersey in retaliation at ‘revolting’ post Brexit rules restricting access to British waters.
Paris and London have clashed over fishing in recent weeks, as French fishermen say they are being prevented from operating in British waters because of difficulties in obtaining licences.
Last Friday The British government authorised 41 trawlers with Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) technology – which allows ships to be located – to fish in waters off Jersey.
But the list was accompanied by new demands ‘which were not arranged or discussed (with France).
And as a result Maritime Minister Annick Girardin told the French Government they are prepared to use ‘retaliation measures,’ mentioning consequences involving the underwater cables supplying electricity from France to the largest Channel Island.
She said: ‘We are ready to use these retaliation measures.
‘I am sorry it has come to this [but] we will do so if we have to.’
She added she was ‘revolted, that’s the word’ when she discovered new access conditions had been decided ‘unilaterally’ on the British side.
Brexit
Express
THE EU is determined to “not give up on Brexit” and could use the potential rejoining of an independent Scotland as “an opportunity to break up the UK”, an economist has warned.
Professor David Blake, professor of finance at London’s City University, warned of possible dire consequences ahead for Scots and their fellow Britons if Nicola Sturgeon’s ambitious plan comes to fruition. Scotland’s First Minister continues to pursue a second independence referendum despite her nation’s deficit tripling to £40billion last year during the Covid crisis.
And she has vowed to tie Scotland to EU rules if voters accept her independence vision and vote to sever ties with Britain.
Prof Blake said if Ms Sturgeon came knocking on Brussels’ door asking to be readmitted the bloc’s bosses could seize it as a unique opportunity to create instability on the UK’s borders.
He said Brussels may welcome Scots back with open arms, but for sinister rather than honest reasons.
He suggested the Europeans could go as far as to station military personnel in Scotland in a bid to intimidate Britons living a few miles away in England and across the water in Northern Ireland.
Elections
Mail
Keir Starmer has pleaded for more time to turn Labour’s fortunes around after bombshell polls suggested the party is on course for disaster in elections tomorrow.
The Conservatives are set for a remarkable victory in the Hartlepool by-election, continuing Boris Johnson‘s demolition of the ‘Red Wall’, according to the latest polling.
One poll yesterday put Tory candidate Jill Mortimer on 50 per cent – giving her a thumping 17-point lead over Labour in a seat it has held since it was created in 1974.
A Tory win would be only the second time a ruling party has snatched a seat from the Opposition in a by-election in 38 years.
Labour’s own canvassing data shows only 40 per cent of the party’s previous supporters in Hartlepool have pledged to back it tomorrow, The Guardian reported last night. The figures come from 10,000 doors knocked during the campaign.
Party sources said Labour are in ‘huge trouble’ and they are also in danger of losing Durham and Sunderland councils for the first time in 50 years.
Internal data shows just over 40 per cent of previous Labour supporters said they will vote again for the party this week.
An insider said: ‘If we were knocking on every single door and getting 40 per cent, we could win it, depending on how it splits.
‘But we’re only getting about 40 per cent of people who we think are Labour, so it’s not great.’
Vaccine
Express
A THIRD coronavirus vaccine could be offered to over-50s later this year in a bid to completely eliminate the risk of contagion, it has been reported.
The risk of spread of the deadly virus could be completely eliminated by this Christmas thanks to an extra jab, according to the Times. The third vaccine would be offered to all members of the public aged 50 or over. There are two possible jabs being tested in a project overseen by Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer.
One of the options involved taking an extra shot of the three vaccines already distributed in the UK – Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.
The other alternative would require a jab specifically altered to ward off new mutations of the pathogen.
Existing jabs are able to fight off mutations, but have proven weaker against certain variants such as the one that originated in South Africa.
Times
A third jab is to be offered to everyone over 50 in the autumn in an attempt to eradicate the threat from Covid-19 entirely by Christmas, The Times has been told.
Trials of two options are under way, supervised by Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England.
The first involves vaccines specifically modified to tackle new variants. The second is for a third shot of one of the three versions already in use: Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca or Moderna. While the approved vaccines successfully tackle the Kent variant, the amount of protection they offer against others, such as that from South Africa, is weaker.
Mail
Everyone aged over 50 in Britain will be offered a third COVID-19 vaccination jab in the autumn in an attempt to eradicate the threat from the infection entirely by Christmas.
Trials of two options are under way, supervised by Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England. The first involves vaccines specifically modified to tackle new variants, while the second is for a third shot of one of the three versions already in use – Pfizer-BioNTech , Oxford-AstraZeneca or Moderna, The Times reported.
Early findings from trials have raised hopes in the Government that the two approaches can nullify the threat from existing and new variants, it is understood.
It is also believed that only higher risk Britons such as those over 50 and those with underlying health conditions will need a third jab. One possible way of administering the jab would be alongside the annual flu jab, with separate injections given in each arm.
A senior government minister said: ‘We will have a lot to say about the booster programme soon. It’s looking really positive so far.
‘We think that the level of protection in the population to any variant will be so high that by Christmas, Covid-19 should have just faded away into the background like any other illness in circulation. So much so that we don’t think there will be any need to give a booster shot to younger people because transmission will have got so low.’
Sun
A THIRD jab is set to be offered to over 50s this autumn in an attempt to tackle the new threat of variants this winter.
The third shot will be given in conjunction with the annual flu jab and will either be a new vaccine designed to fight variants or another dose of an existing vaccine.
A senior government minister told The Times: “We will have a lot to say about the booster programme soon.
“It’s looking really positive so far.
“We think that the level of protection in the population to any variant will be so high that by Christmas, Covid-19 should have just faded away into the background like any other illness in circulation.
“So much that we don’t think there will be any need to give a booster shot to young people because transmission will have got so low.”
Third wave
Times
A bad third wave of Covid this summer is now “very unlikely”, according to government modellers.
Updated models for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) due to be released on Monday are expected to show there is little prospect of the NHS being overwhelmed even as cases rise again after the end of coronavirus restrictions.
Increasingly positive data on the effectiveness of vaccines in preventing illness death and now transmission of the virus have meant scientific advisers are increasingly optimistic about avoiding a severe surge as normal life resumes.
However, there is uncertainty about next winter, with the emergence of vaccine-resistant variants now the major concern, as well as worries about seasonal increases and waning immunity.
BBC News
The UK government is pledging extra money to fast-track vaccines that fight new variants of coronavirus.
Existing vaccines still protect against variants such as those identified in Kent and South Africa – but experts say it is also vital to stay a step ahead of a virus that keeps mutating.
The concern is about future variants that might escape this immunity.
Meanwhile, a minister says no decision has been made yet as to whether booster jabs will be given to everyone over 50.
Responding to reports in the Times that over-50s would get a third jab before winter, Nadhim Zahawi said it had not yet been decided but NHS teams plan to be ready to give booster jabs from September.
Timing of third jabs will depend on how well clinicians believe protection from vaccines has lasted for the most vulnerable groups, Mr Zahawi told BBC Breakfast, and it could be September “or later in the year, or early next year”.
London
Evening Standard
Covid-19 cases have plummeted to just one confirmed new infection a week per 10,000 Londoners aged 60 and over, official figures reveal today.
The fall is a clear sign of the vaccine roll-out’s success and is crucial as individuals in this age group were far more likely to get severe disease if they contracted coronavirus.
The majority of these Londoners have now been vaccinated and their seven-day Covid-19 rate has dropped to 9.6 confirmed infections per 100,000 in the week to April 29, or just under one per 10,000.
For the whole city, it means there were 142 confirmed cases in the 60 plus age category in that week.
The rate for people in the city aged 59 and younger is more than double at 22.1 per 100,000, or 1,655 cases.
The seven-day rates for the end of April may still rise slightly as more cases are confirmed and could also increase more substantially as the easing of restrictions continues.
Holidays
Guardian
Hopes that holidays to popular tourist destinations could soon restart have been boosted after the government scrapped advice that said people should avoid all but essential travel to areas including mainland Portugal and Spain’s Canary Islands.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said the updates meant the level of Covid risk in some places was no longer “unacceptably high”, prompting speculation about which countries will be put on the “green list” when international travel is allowed again.
Ministers are putting the finishing touches to their traffic light system, that will grade countries green, amber or red, determining whether travellers returning from those countries need to quarantine at home, in a hotel or not at all. The final lists are expected to be signed off on Thursday and announced on Friday.
Covid passports have also been promised by the government to help travellers prove their vaccine status but on Tuesday, Downing Street hinted the repurposed NHS app may not be ready to carry them by 17 May.
Social care
Mail
Boris Johnson must change the law to put an end to ‘completely unacceptable’ blanket bans on care home visits, MPs and peers said last night.
The cross-party group said the widespread restrictions were causing ‘rapid declines’ in residents’ physical and mental health – and could breach international human rights laws.
The joint human rights committee warned that too many care homes were still flouting official guidance which states they must carry out an individual assessment and give a reason if family members are barred from seeing their loved one.
Instead, some are still banning all visits or restricting them to just 30 minutes. Others are making families endure ‘prison-style’ appointments behind glass.
The committee, which consists of members of both Houses of Parliament, said a new law – which they have drafted – would force homes to explain exactly why visits were being banned and would allow relatives to challenge rulings.
On a lighter note – I’ve had an email from my Tory M.P. reminding me to vote tomorrow, for my Tory controlled council. I resisted the impulse to reply that nothing would persuade me to vote Con., or Lib/Lab/Green.
Brexit:
“THE EU is determined to “not give up on Brexit” and could use the potential rejoining of an independent Scotland as “an opportunity to break up the UK”, an economist has warned”
This is precisely why Blair’s devolution needs to be reversed. Surely he saw this was a likely consequence if not the intent?
A way has to be found to reverse the devolution or we will end up building a replacement for Hadrian’s wall and defending the border. Yet another warning too that we should support our friends in Europe to bring about the end of the EU, and restore our military to its proper strength.
It was Bliars intention Jack. All Bliar/Brown measures point towards Britain becoming a group of ‘regions’ within the Empire of Europe I.M.H.O..
I agree with you on all points.
maybe move all the wind farms to jersey = energy independance.
Or ship some coal out
euge. I wondered whether we could spare loads of diesel generators and fuel for them. Though I must admit I’d like some myself.
Bilge monger in chief has had another look at his spreadsheet and now thinks a third wave very unlikely .
Am I alone in finding the latest forecast very worrying …given the track record.
euge. Depends which bits you look at. Surely it is obvious even to those numbskulls that wuflu is seasonal like most other flus.
They have to boost B.J.’s credentials over the jabs of course but jabs, jabs and more jabs are worrying in themselves.
As I understand it the M.M.R. jab for kids is already near as damn it, compulsory, in spite of as near as possible proof of it causing autism and other problems.
Let’s face it NO MEDICAL INTERVENTION should be COMPULSORY. AND the compulsory wearing of muzzles, is very much like the Jews having to wear yellow stars.
As for covid passports, well that smacks of communist China.
Politics:– cannot resist polishing , repolishing and referring to a re re re re polish of any sucess real or imaginary or minor. However dangerous and destructive
So another pointless jab. They’ll continue forever. Have you hadyour 2052 jab thru the bottom of your left foot. The only space left. Mothers and pregnant girls to take the Macro-jab in case of tummy-ache.
A vomit-worthy piece of news. But a significant trend. Yaah We won the covid war of 2021
Does Jersey have its own methods of generating electricity, surely the power cable from France is only used as “back up”
If Jersey solely relies on power from France, then I think if France did cut off the supply arbitrarily they could be in trouble internationally (act of war?)
Jersey does indeed have it’a own power station. Plus an energy from waste plant. I have seen it personally. But some electricity is imported.
Takes ten seconds to find on Google Maps.
https://www.jec.co.uk/
The mind boggles Roger. Were you thinking of the Falklands war or the Berlin air lift?
Take your pick Pauline, it ,might be the one Camoron was forecasting when he came back from some “negotiation”, maybe EU budget, where, for once he must have been so furious that his EUphile mask slipped.
However since our friend Harry(not)again (he got told to “go away pest on Conservative woman) kindly informed us they have their own resouces a cut off by the French could only be regarded as a spiteful irritant (typicall French I would have thought).
They ought to be able to get by with help from the mainland (us) as you suggest.
Thank you Roger. You’ve just made me chuckle.