EU’s Maros Shefcovic says renegotiating the Northern Ireland Protocol bill is “unrealistic”
The European Union will set out its response to Boris Johnson’s plan to cancel the Brexit deal in Northern Ireland, with a new lawsuit pending against the United Kingdom.
European Commission Vice-President Maros Shefcovic is ready to resume the trial against the United Kingdom, which was suspended last September “in a spirit of constructive co-operation”.
Mr Shefcovic said Mr Johnson’s unilateral action to effectively destroy elements of the Brexit agreement signed by the prime minister “went directly against that spirit”.
In addition to resuming this frozen trial over allegations that the United Kingdom has failed to properly implement the Northern Ireland Protocol, the EU may also launch a new round of infringement proceedings against the government.
Mr. Shefcovic will present current information at a press conference in Brussels at 10 am.
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Thomas Kingsley June 15, 2022 07:30
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The mayor of London will present a package of 18 million pounds to tackle violence against women
The mayor of London will present a new £ 18 million package today to fight the scourge of violence against women and girls in the city.
Sadiq Khan will announce the Strategy for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAMG) during a visit to Waltham Forest in north-east London.
The campaign will use a “holistic approach” to improve the safety of women and girls across the city, while improving services for victims and survivors, according to a statement issued before the official announcement.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan speaks to the media in front of London City Hall about the cost of living crisis
(PA)
The money from the mayor’s office will be used to improve the responsibility of perpetrators of gender-based violence and to provide better education for men and boys about sexism.
“The violence epidemic is a crisis that should embarrass us all, which is why I am uniting with partners from all over London to not only support women and girls, but also to help educate and inform all Londoners, especially men, about the danger posed by misogynistic attitudes and behavior, “said Mr Hahn.
“Apart from record investments in services for victims and survivors, I am also funding initiatives that address the behavior of those at risk of insult or recidivism to help prevent them from turning to violence,” he added. .
Change will not happen overnight, but I believe that together we can help stop men who want to harm women and promote lasting change in the culture of our society so that women and girls can finally live their lives without fear, harassment or violence.
Sadiq Khan
Namita Singh June 15, 2022 06:59
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Democratic Party accuses Tories of wanting rail strike ahead to keep activists out of by-elections
The Liberal Democrats have accused the government of “sitting on its hands” and allowing an upcoming national rail strike to be held – to keep its activists away from crucial by-elections.
In a letter to Grant Shaps, Sarah Olney, the party’s transport secretary, accused ministers of “playing games with people’s lives” to “help save” Boris Johnson.
Conservatives are facing a crucial test for by-elections in Tiverton and Honiton following the resignation of Tory MP Neil Parish, who left after admitting to watching pornography at work.
Despite a huge majority of 24,339 votes in the last election, the party is worried about losing its seat to the Liberal Democrats, who believe they are now “on the doorstep” amid aversion to the Johnson government.
Our policy correspondent John Stone reports:
Namita Singh15 June 2022 06:36
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Explained: Will Nicola Sturgeon’s push for an independence referendum be successful?
At first glance, it is difficult to understand why Nicolas Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is launching his latest campaign for a Scottish independence referendum right now, writes our associate editor Sean O’Grady.
This is not because it is a bad time because of the Brexit situation, the war in Ukraine or the cost of living crisis, as its opponents suggest.
The SNP’s view, which is entirely plausible, is that Scotland could do better with these challenges if it were responsible for its own destiny and not governed, at least in some of the most important policy areas, by the Conservative a party that has not won an election in Scotland since 1955.
Read this article in Politics Explained to find out why Sturgeon called for a poll now.
Namita Singh June 15, 2022 06:17
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Families of British people detained abroad have called on the UK government to do more
The families of British detainees have accused the UK government of “lacking compassion” and “ignoring” them, while calling on ministers to do more to free their loved ones.
A group gathered in Westminster on Tuesday to share their stories, while others – such as the daughter of imprisoned geologist Jim Fitton – joined in with video messages.
Everyone called on Foreign Minister Liz Truss to intervene to release their loved ones detained in various countries abroad.
Zoe Tidman describes in detail some of the accounts in this report:
Namita Singh June 15, 2022 06:02
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Airlines order to cancel summer flights to avoid vacation misery
The government has ordered airlines to cancel flights for July and August to “relieve the risk of summer” for tens of thousands of passengers.
In a joint letter to the airlines, they said: “Cancellations at the earliest opportunity to provide a more stable schedule are better for consumers than cancellations with late notice on the day.
Our travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:
Namita Singh June 15, 2022 06:00
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Border checks are among the challenges for an independent Scotland, Sturgeon admits
Nicolas Sturgeon has acknowledged that border customs checks will be needed with the rest of the UK, as he has promised to be “outspoken” about the challenges of an independent Scotland.
The prime minister said he would set out in more detail how trade between Scotland and the rest of the UK would work in future documents that would form its independence prospect.
On Tuesday, she published the first of these articles, part of a series called “Building a New Scotland”.
My colleague Alistair Jamieson has the details:
Namita Singh15 June 2022 05:48
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The bill to repeal the NI protocol is “irresponsible”, criticize US congressmen
Boris Johnson’s plans to break the post-Brexit agreement on Northern Ireland have come under fierce attack from Washington, with senior congressmen on both sides of the US political divide warning that the “irresponsible” move is a threat to peace in the province.
In a strong joint statement, a group of senior members of Congress called on the United Kingdom and the EU to “continue negotiations in good faith to reach lasting solutions to the post-Brexit trade challenges.”
“The introduction of legislation in the United Kingdom undermines the Northern Ireland Protocol, threatens international law and, most alarmingly, could threaten the nearly 25-year peace established by the Good Friday Agreement,” they warned.
Andrew Woodcock and Andrew Feinberg report:
Namita Singh15 June 2022 05:43
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Johnson to face PMQ amid growing tensions over NI protocol bill
Boris Johnson will face questions from the Prime Minister (PMQs) for the first time since the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol bill was introduced in parliament earlier this week.
He downplayed the changes to the bill as “not a big deal”, although Brussels threatened the UK with a new lawsuit.
Johnson also said he had told his ministers to “de-escalate” rhetoric on Tuesday to prevent trade wars with the EU.
Meanwhile, European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič hinted at further action against the United Kingdom, saying the government’s unilateral action had undermined the confidence needed for its post-Brexit trade agreements to work effectively.
Read the details in this report here:
Namita Singh June 15, 2022 05:30
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Welcome to The Independent’s Live Policy Blog for the UK on June 15, 2022.
Namita Singh15 June 2022 05:02
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