Keir Starmer vows to oppose new law to rip up parts of Northern Ireland Protocol

Sir Keir Starmer has said Labour will vote against the Government’s new Brexit laws which will give ministers the power to unilaterally override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Government will publish the controversial legislation on Monday in a move which will prompt a furious backlash from the EU.

Brussels believes the legislation could put the UK in breach of international law but ministers have insisted the plans will be legal.

Sir Keir said during a visit to Belfast today: “We will vote against the legislation the Government is putting before parliament. We think it is the wrong approach.”

The Labour leader said he believes the problems caused by post-Brexit border rules in Northern Ireland “can be overcome around the negotiating table with statecraft, with high levels of trust”.

The Government has said its preference remains striking a negotiated solution with the EU but it is laying the groundwork to go it alone after months of talks failed to deliver a breakthrough.

​​Follow the latest updates below.

03:00 PM

That is all for today…

Thank you for joining me for today’s politics live blog.

I will be back early on Monday morning.

02:28 PM

Pictured: PM takes a selfie as he attends Royal Cornwall Show today

02:21 PM

PM ‘needs to get a move on’

Lord Frost, the former Cabinet minister, has warned Boris Johnson that he “needs to get a move on” if he is going to save his premiership. Writing for The Telegraph, he said:

Story continues

You can read Lord Frost’s piece here.

02:04 PM

Tory MP: Conservative Party suffering from ‘complacency’ and exhaustion’

Andrew Bowie, the Tory MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, has warned the Conservative Party has lost its way and is suffering from “complacency” and “exhaustion”.

Writing for the Conservative Home website, Mr Bowie said: “We see evident now in the Conservative Party, my party, a strange mix of complacency, entitlement, fear and exhaustion.”

He suggested the current offering from the Tories is confused: “Talking the talk of lowering tax whilst increasing National Insurance. Giving investment incentives to increase our domestic oil and gas production whilst imposing a windfall tax.”

He argued the party needs to “rediscover” the confidence it had in the past when David Cameron became leader in order to set out an appealing vision for the future.

01:51 PM

UN agency moves to block Priti Patel’s Rwanda migrant plan

The UN refugee agency has mounted a last minute intervention to try to block Priti Patel’s plans to deport migrants to Rwanda, as it backed an injunction to halt the first flights next week.

In a late submission of evidence, the UNHCR claimed the scheme failed to meet the required standards of “legality and appropriateness” for transferring asylum seekers from one country to another.

Lawyers for the two charities and Border Force staff union bringing the challenge claimed it undermined the Home Secretary’s claim to have the backing of the UNHCR for the Rwanda deportation plan.

You can read the full story here.

01:48 PM

Confidence in Bank of England crashes to record low

Public confidence in the Bank of England has slumped to an all-time low as pressure mounts on Andrew Bailey to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

For the first time on record, more people were dissatisfied than satisfied with the performance of the central bank when it comes to controlling prices, according to the Bank’s own survey.

Along with the slump in approval – just 25pc said they were happy with the job the Bank of England is doing – respondents said they were more pessimistic about inflation than at any time since the survey began in 1999.

You can read the full story here.

01:42 PM

Ben Wallace visits Kyiv

Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, has visited Kyiv to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President.

The Ministry of Defence said a secret “working visit took place this week to allow the Defence Secretary to hear first-hand how the operational needs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces are developing as the nature of the conflict continues to change”.

Mr Wallace met with Oleksii Reznikov, Ukraine’s defence minister, before then speaking to Mr Zelensky “about how the UK support will continue to meet Ukraine’s needs as the conflict enters a different phase”.

The MOD said: “The three agreed to work even more closely going forward in support of their shared goal of enabling Ukraine to liberate itself from illegal Russian occupation.”

01:35 PM

Government’s Brexit plan ‘will breach international law’

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has claimed the Government’s Brexit plans “will breach international law”.

He told the BBC: “I don’t think that the remaining issues under the protocol are incapable for resolution. So I don’t think that this legislation is the way forward. I think it will breach international law for starters.

“I also think it will be an impediment to the negotiations. We need a negotiated settlement to this.”

12:52 PM

Sir Keir Starmer slams Rwanda plan

The Government’s Rwanda plan is a “chaotic diversion” and it will not solve the migrant Channel crossings crisis, Sir Keir Starmer has claimed.

Speaking in Belfast, the Labour leader said: “The Government’s Rwanda scheme is a chaotic diversion, not-thought-through scheme which isn’t going to solve the problems.

“Of course we don’t want people making that dangerous crossing, of course we want to clamp down on people smugglers.

“The way to do that is to have a proper plan with the French authorities and a proper plan for upstream operations to intercept these groups before they even arrive on the north coast of France.”

12:12 PM

Labour will oppose Government’s Brexit legislation

Sir Keir Starmer has said Labour will vote against the Government’s new Brexit law which will give ministers the power to unilaterally override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Speaking in Belfast, Sir Keir said: “We will vote against the legislation the Government is putting before parliament. We think it is the wrong approach. I’m not pretending there aren’t issues and challenges with the protocol, of course there are.

“We have been listening to the political parties here, to communities, to business groups. I think those challenges can be overcome around the negotiating table with statecraft, with high levels of trust.

“It is that high level of trust that is missing with this Prime Minister and I think he is making a mistake by going down the route of legislation which will breach international law and, actually, I think, be an impediment to the negotiations that, in the end, are going to resolve these difficult issues.”

12:07 PM

Pictured: Boris Johnson campaigns in Cornwall

12:02 PM

Downing Street issues Brexit warning to peers

Tory peer Ken Clarke told the Daily Mail that the House of Lords could delay the passage of the Government’s new Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.

The former chancellor said the legislation will be ‘seriously challenged’ in the upper chamber and he expects a ‘very large majority’ of peers will ‘hold it up for a considerable time’.

Asked what Boris Johnson’s message is to peers on the issue, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “We know the significant disruption that it is causing to individuals and businesses.

“You have seen the fact that they are unable to get the Executive at Stormont up and running given one of the major political party’s disagreements with the protocol so it is important that we introduce this Bill but it obviously remains the case that we want to reach a negotiated agreement with the EU.”

11:45 AM

Downing Street confirms Brexit law will be published on Monday

No 10 has confirmed the Government will publish its controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill on Monday (see the post below at 08.49).

It will also publish a “summary” of the legal advice it has been given on the plans.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “You are correct that the Bill has been agreed by the relevant Cabinet committees and will be introduced to Parliament on Monday.

“I think we have set out that we will, alongside the Bill, publish a summary of the legal advice so you can expect to see that on Monday also.”

11:39 AM

No 10 issues strike warning to rail unions

Downing Street has warned the rail industry that major strikes planned for later this month could prompt passengers to permanently abandon travelling by train, threatening the long term sustainability of the sector.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “We remain thoroughly disappointed and we have said before that we think this is a self-defeating approach that could see those who are using rail services turn away from them for good.

“We already know that the number of people using train lines across the country has decreased since the end of the pandemic.

“But ultimately what we want to urge is unions to continue discussions so that we can work together to try and reach an agreement.”

11:30 AM

Downing Street refuses to be drawn on ‘role model’ criticism

Katharine Birbalsingh, the chairman of the Social Mobility Commission, has said she does not believe Boris Johnson is a “good role model” for children (see the post below at 08.18).

No 10 would not be drawn on whether Mr Johnson believes he is a good role model.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “I am obviously not going to get into private or individual comments. I think what the Prime Minister is focused on is what you heard in his speech yesterday.”

11:27 AM

No 10 will not repeat minister’s claim of ‘strong case’ for fuel duty cut

Downing Street has declined to echo Robin Walker’s argument that there is a “strong case” to bring forward an additional fuel duty cut.

Mr Walker, the schools minister, made the comments this morning (see the post below at 08.25).

Asked if Boris Johnson agreed there is a “strong case”, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “We set out a few weeks back now the 5p reduction for fuel to help those who are struggling with the cost of living.

“We continue to want to do everything we can to support those people which is why the Chancellor recently announced the extra package of £15 billion worth of support, the majority of which of that goes to the most vulnerable households in our society.

“It obviously remains the case that the Chancellor and the Treasury will keep taxes under review but I think you have seen the Government continue to try and help working families and those who are struggling as much as we can.”

11:19 AM

No 10 resists calls to speak to Russia directly

There have been calls for the UK Government to consider summoning the Russian ambassador to directly raise the case of two Britons who have been sentenced to death for fighting Russian forces (see the post below at 09.28).

Downing Street has not ruled out calling in the ambassador but it is clear it is not a route the Government wants to go down.

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “You know that we don’t have regular interaction with [Russia].

“Our priority is working with the Ukrainian government to try and ensure their release as quickly as possible.”

11:12 AM

PM ‘appalled’ by ‘sham’ death sentences

Downing Street said Boris Johnson was “appalled” by two Britons being sentenced to death for fighting Russian forces (see the post below at 08.27).

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman told journalists: “The Prime Minister was appalled at the sentencing of these men.

“He has been following the case closely and has asked ministers to do everything in their power to try and reunite them with their families as soon as we can.

“We completely condemn the sham sentencing of these men to death. There is no justification at all for this breach of the protections which they are entitled to.”

10:51 AM

‘This is not true’

John Glen, a Treasury minister, has said claims Rishi Sunak has wasted £11 billion of taxpayer money by paying too much interest servicing Government debt are “not true” (see the post below at 08.44).

Mr Glen tweeted: “The Treasury has inaccurately been accused of wasting billions of pounds. This is not true and the proposed measures come with huge economic risks and could undermine the Bank of England’s independence.”

He added: “This Government has always managed the economy responsibly and carefully, and respected the independence of the Bank of England completely. This will always be the case.”

10:44 AM

Sir Keir Starmer holds talks in Northern Ireland

Sir Keir Starmer has met some of Northern Ireland’s political leaders amid a deepening row over post-Brexit trading arrangements for the region.

The Labour leader was at Stormont this morning for discussions with Alliance leader Naomi Long and SDLP chief Colum Eastwood.

He was welcomed to Parliament Buildings by outgoing Stormont Speaker Alex Maskey.

He held meetings with DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and UUP head Doug Beattie in London earlier this week, and met Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald in Belfast on Thursday evening.

10:20 AM

Half of households cutting back on energy usage

More than half of UK households have cut back on their use of energy in response to cost-of-living concerns, according to new data.

The Office for National Statistics has revealed that 52 per cent of people said they are using less fuel such as gas and electricity at home following major cost increases, in a survey carried out between May 25 and June 5.

10:15 AM

Lord Frost delivers warning to PM

Boris Johnson must deliver a new Conservative vision for Britain or risk being forced out by the autumn, Lord Frost, his former Brexit minister, has warned.

Writing in The Telegraph, the Tory peer urged the Prime Minister not to “ignore” the scale of discontent among his own MPs, as revealed in Monday’s vote of confidence in his leadership.

Lord Frost predicted that another attempt to oust Mr Johnson could come after the Conservative Party conference in early October, unless he changes course.

He called for tax rises to be reversed, VAT on energy bills to be slashed and the formulation of a “10-year Conservative plan” for changing Britain.

You can read the full story here.

09:46 AM

More than three quarters of adults worried about cost of living

More than three quarters of UK adults are very or somewhat worried about the rising costs of living, according to new data published by the Office for National Statistics.

Some 77 per cent of respondents said that they are very or somewhat worried about rising costs as household budgets feel the strain.

The numbers came from an ONS survey conducted between April 27 and May 22.

It is the first time the ONS has asked the specific question about cost of living concerns but it does now intend to make it a regular question so that changes can be monitored.

09:37 AM

Six in 10 voters would have voted no confidence in PM

Almost six in 10 voters – 59 per cent – would have voted against Boris Johnson at Monday’s confidence vote if they were a Tory MP.

A new survey by Redfield & Wilton Strategies found 30 per cent of people would have voted for the PM while 11 per cent would have abstained.

09:20 AM

Labour takes eight point poll lead over Tories

The Labour Party has taken an eight point opinion poll lead over the Tories, according to a new survey published by Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

Labour gained two points in the wake of Boris Johnson’s bruising confidence vote victory on Monday while the Tories dropped two points.

The survey, conducted on June 8-9, puts Labour on 40 per cent and the Tories on 32 per cent.

A poll conducted on June 5 put Labour on 38 per cent and the Tories on 34 per cent.

08:58 AM

Government faces legal fight over Rwanda plan

Migrants due to be flown to Rwanda are likely to be released into the community and tagged amid fears they will try to abscond if the Government loses an injunction battle today.

The Home Office cannot keep the asylum seekers in detention indefinitely under legal rules despite fears that the threat of deporting the migrants to the African country could increase the likelihood of them seeking to abscond.

Lawyers for two charities and the PCS union representing Border Force staff will today seek an injunction to block the Home Office’s first deportation flight to Rwanda on Tuesday pending the outcome of their legal challenge to the policy.

You can read the full story here.

08:45 AM

Labour repeats call for emergency Budget

Labour has repeated its call for Rishi Sunak to hold an emergency Budget amid growing concerns over rising fuel costs.

Asked what Labour would do reduce the cost of filling up, Alex Norris, the shadow levelling up minister, told Sky News: “From talking to constituents there is so much anxiety about their ability to even get to work because of the cost now of travel to do so.

“We think it was significant the action we secured on the windfall tax… and that will start to filter through and help people.

“But what we called for then and what we are calling for now is an emergency Budget that helps tackle the things that are pushing up prices and that are putting so many pressures on people.”

08:28 AM

Labour suggests UK should consider calling in Russian ambassador

Alex Norris, Labour’s shadow levelling up minister, has suggested the UK should consider summoning the Russian ambassador to discuss the case of two Britons sentenced to death for fighting Russian forces (see the post below at 08.27).

Asked during an interview on Sky News if the ambassador should be called in, Mr Norris said: “Diplomatic efforts now must start… that now must happen. Whether that is calling in the ambassador or one of the other channels that are open we must use all of them and show a united front that we expect their rights to be upheld.”

08:25 AM

Government not ruling out ‘naming and shaming’ petrol firms

Robin Walker, the schools minister, said the Government should not “rule out any options to name and shame” retailers who are failing to pass on the Government’s fuel duty cut to customers.

He told Times Radio: “I think this is really important that we do have visibility and transparency. Some of that consumers can see for themselves, but I think it’s very important that we should make sure if it’s clear that retailers haven’t passed on the benefits of that 5p cut in fuel duty.

“I don’t think Government should rule out any options to name and shame people who aren’t. But I think what we do need to make sure as well is that we’re supporting people in other ways.”

08:11 AM

‘Mistakes were made’ as Government plans to burn unusable PPE

A new report by the Public Accounts Committee has revealed the Government plans to burn £4 billion of unusable personal protective equipment (PPE) to generate electricity.

Schools minister Robin Walker defended the Government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic but admitted “some mistakes were made” when asked about the news during an interview on Times Radio.

He said: “Clearly there were huge pressures on government at the start of the pandemic, we needed to make sure that we secured as much protective clothing and vaccines, and everything else that was required, in as short a time as possible.

“I think it’s clear that some mistakes were made during that time period and it’s right that there have been apologies for that.”

07:49 AM

Government’s new Brexit law to be published on Monday

It looks like the Government will be publishing its controversial Northern Ireland Protocol Bill on Monday next week.

The legislation will allow UK ministers to unilaterally tear up post-Brexit border rules in Northern Ireland without having to seek the permission of the EU.

The EU believes the plans will break international law but the UK has repeatedly insisted its proposals will be legal.

The order paper for Monday in the House of Commons states that the Bill is scheduled to be presented. The publication of the legislation is likely to spark a political firestorm.

07:44 AM

Rishi Sunak under fire over Government debt

Rishi Sunak has been accused of losing £11 billion of taxpayers’ money by paying too much money to service the Government’s debt.

The losses come from the Chancellor’s failure to insure against higher interest rates a year ago on the £895bn created through quantitative easing, according to analysis by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

Jagjit Chadha, director of Niesr, told the Financial Times that Mr Sunak’s decisions had left the UK with “an enormous bill and heavy continuing exposure to interest rate risk”, adding that it was the Treasury’s fault.

You can read the full story here.

07:40 AM

‘If I were a member of the RMT… I would be voting to go on strike’

A Labour frontbencher has said he would vote to go on strike if he was a member of the RMT union.

Asked if he supported rail strikes which are being planned for later this month, Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, told the BBC’s Question Time programme: “As I say, I’d prefer they weren’t going ahead.

“Put it this way, if I were a member of the RMT and my jobs were at risk like this then I would be voting to go on strike and I would be voting to defend my jobs, terms and conditions.

“If I were a Government minister right now, it is not my job to be on the picket line, it is not my job to be condemning unions, it is my job to solve the problem, to get people round the table to make sure passengers aren’t inconvenienced.”

07:31 AM

‘There is no basis on which they can be put on trial’

Robin Walker, the minister for school standards, said Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, should not have been put on trial and must be treated as prisoners of war (see the post below at 08.27).

He told Sky News: “We have been absolutely clear throughout that these people should be treated as prisoners of war.

“Under the Geneva Convention there is no basis on which they can be put on trial. This is an illegal court in a sham government that has held this trial and obviously we don’t recognise it has any authority.

“We will continue to use all diplomatic channels to make the case that these are prisoners of war who should be treated accordingly.”

07:27 AM

Liz Truss to raise case of two Britons sentenced to death

The Foreign Secretary will raise the case of two Britons sentenced to death for fighting Russian forces when she speaks with her Ukrainian counterpart on Friday.

Aiden Aslin, 28, and Shaun Pinner, 48, were convicted of taking action towards violent seizure of power at a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

Liz Truss has called it a “sham judgement” and insisted it has “absolutely no legitimacy”.

She will speak about the matter during a phone call with Dmytro Kuleba later on Friday, according to the BBC, while No 10 has said the men are entitled to combatant immunity as prisoners of war.

07:25 AM

Minister: ‘Strong case’ for fuel duty cut

The AA yesterday called on the Government to bring forward a new 10p cut to fuel duty to help motorists as they face surging prices at the pumps.

A minister has now said there is a “strong case” to bring forward a further cut.

Asked if the Government could cut the tax again, Robin Walker, the schools minister, told Sky News: “I think that is obviously a question for the Treasury. I think there is always a strong case for looking at whatever we can do to help on these things.

“As I say, the most recent fiscal event we had the biggest cut in fuel duty that has ever been delivered by a government. That is a substantial move.”

07:22 AM

Minister hints at future help for motorists

Robin Walker, the minister for school standards, has suggested that Rishi Sunak could soon be forced to bring forward additional support for motorists to combat rising fuel prices.

He told Sky News: “This is an enormous challenge and I recognise, I have constituents who are profoundly affected by the cost of energy. “I have always campaigned both as a backbencher and a minister to try and keep fuel duty down, to reduce the impact of that.

“I think the Chancellor will continue to have to look at all the tools at his disposal to try and keep these costs down because of course it is the case that when fuel duty or fuel prices rise substantially it has a broader impact on the cost of living.”

07:20 AM

5p fuel duty cut ‘more than outweighed’ by price rises

A minister has admitted that the 5p fuel duty cut unveiled by Rishi Sunak in March has been “more than outweighed” by surging prices at the pumps.

Robin Walker, the school standards minister, told Sky News: “First of all we saw in the recent spending review the 5p cut to fuel duty which is the biggest cut in many years but I recognise that has been more than outweighed by the pressure on the wholesale cost of energy, that is why we have helped people directly.”

07:19 AM

Minister insists PM is a ‘good role model’

Robin Walker, the minister for school standards, has rejected a claim made by Katharine Birbalsingh, the Government’s social mobility tsar, that Boris Johnson is not a “good role model” for children.

He told Sky News: “Well, that is her opinion, of course she is entitled to her opinion on that.

“I think actually anyone who leads this country is a role model, someone that children can look up to. “The Prime Minister has shown phenomenal resilience through the Covid pandemic and leadership and I think that is something that children should learn about, understand about in schools.

“I think it is also, he is a great communicator and one of the things we seek to teach in all our schools is the importance of communication…”

07:18 AM

Social mobility tsar: PM is not a good role model

Katharine Birbalsingh, the chairman of the Social Mobility Commission, has said she does not believe Boris Johnson is a “good role model” for children.

Speaking to Beth Rigby on Sky News, she said: “No, I don’t think so, I don’t. I wish he could be but he isn’t and that is a bit sad.

“But you know I can’t get into the ins and outs because I don’t know enough about you know, people say, well should he be there or should he not be there, I don’t know. You know I like Boris, I don’t think he’s a bad guy you know, but I don’t know enough about what he’s got up to but I do not think that he is a good role model for children.”

Asked what is “not good about him”, she said: “Well his personal life for instance, that does make me raise an eyebrow.”

She also criticised the PM’s haircut as she suggested it does not look “professional”: “It’s important to look professional. And sometimes Boris looks professional, but sometimes he’s not professional enough for me.”

07:07 AM

Good morning

Good morning and welcome to today’s politics live blog.

Boris Johnson is expected to visit Tiverton and Honiton today as he heads out on the by-election campaign trail one day after trying to reset his premiership with a major speech in Blackpool.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, is in Belfast for talks with Stormont leaders on the Northern Ireland Protocol.

There is plenty going on in the world of Westminster today and I will guide you through the key developments.