This current Government manages to sit on fences in a way that reminds me of Corbyn in relation to the EU.
Let me give 2 examples from my own family.
My eldest works in the village pub. IF this Government had ordered pubs to close, they could claim on their insurance. But it hasn't, so the pub is staying open.
My youngest was due to go to a London theatre tomorrow. Not a jolly-the ensuing critique of that play counts for 40% of the Drama A-level. London theatres all closed yesterday-again, it is believed many cannot claim on insurance as they are not compelled to close. They hope that the withdrawal of attendance of emergency workers may help.
Let's put this into perspective. This Government has not banned the public from attending. But it is saying that it is too dangerous for trained paramedics to attend. Really? Compare/contrast with schools...
This current Government manages to sit on fences in a way that reminds me of Corbyn in relation to the EU.
Let me give 2 examples from my own family.
My eldest works in the village pub. IF this Government had ordered pubs to close, they could claim on their insurance. But it hasn't, so the pub is staying open.
My youngest was due to go to a London theatre tomorrow. Not a jolly-the ensuing critique of that play counts for 40% of the Drama A-level. London theatres all closed yesterday-again, it is believed many cannot claim on insurance as they are not compelled to close. They hope that the withdrawal of attendance of emergency workers may help.
Let's put this into perspective. This Government has not banned the public from attending. But it is saying that it is too dangerous for trained paramedics to attend. Really? Compare/contrast with schools...
SAME
We were due to trade at an event this coming weekend-at a significant cost to us with limited public attendance inevitable- and the company’s position first thing this morning was unless it was a ‘ govt directive’ they intended to remain open....... strong email followed ...just received a phone call to say that they have decided to cancel....
We didn’t discuss whether I and the general public who bought tickets will get a full refund...tbf that’s a conversation for another time!
Whilst we will have a difficult few months ahead for our business , you’ve got to feel for all those small businesses that will try to remain open, carry all their On costs and have a govt advising people to stay at home....
( hmmm wish I could afford to invest in shares in Netflix, Amazon prime video and Britbox...)
This current Government manages to sit on fences in a way that reminds me of Corbyn in relation to the EU.
Let me give 2 examples from my own family.
My eldest works in the village pub. IF this Government had ordered pubs to close, they could claim on their insurance. But it hasn't, so the pub is staying open.
My youngest was due to go to a London theatre tomorrow. Not a jolly-the ensuing critique of that play counts for 40% of the Drama A-level. London theatres all closed yesterday-again, it is believed many cannot claim on insurance as they are not compelled to close. They hope that the withdrawal of attendance of emergency workers may help.
Let's put this into perspective. This Government has not banned the public from attending. But it is saying that it is too dangerous for trained paramedics to attend. Really? Compare/contrast with schools...
This current Government manages to sit on fences in a way that reminds me of Corbyn in relation to the EU.
Let me give 2 examples from my own family.
My eldest works in the village pub. IF this Government had ordered pubs to close, they could claim on their insurance. But it hasn't, so the pub is staying open.
My youngest was due to go to a London theatre tomorrow. Not a jolly-the ensuing critique of that play counts for 40% of the Drama A-level. London theatres all closed yesterday-again, it is believed many cannot claim on insurance as they are not compelled to close. They hope that the withdrawal of attendance of emergency workers may help.
Let's put this into perspective. This Government has not banned the public from attending. But it is saying that it is too dangerous for trained paramedics to attend. Really? Compare/contrast with schools...
SAME
We were due to trade at an event this coming weekend-at a significant cost to us with limited public attendance inevitable- and the company’s position first thing this morning was unless it was a ‘ govt directive’ they intended to remain open....... strong email followed ...just received a phone call to say that they have decided to cancel....
We didn’t discuss whether I and the general public who bought tickets will get a full refund...tbf that’s a conversation for another time!
Whilst we will have a difficult few months ahead for our business , you’ve got to feel for all those small businesses that will try to remain open, carry all their On costs and have a govt advising people to stay at home....
( hmmm wish I could afford to invest in shares in Netflix, Amazon prime video and Britbox...)
Most of the front pages focus on what the Daily Mail calls "Rishi's £350bn kiss of life". The Express describes the coronavirus rescue package, announced by the chancellor on Tuesday, as a "war chest to keep Britain in business". Its leader suggests that "as many in the country prepare to self-isolate with their livelihoods uncertain, this will be a massive relief and comfort". The Sun is also wholeheartedly behind the move, saying, "the colossal bailout - more than twice what it cost Britain to rescue our banks in 2008 - is what the Sun wanted to hear". But it does strike a note of caution - with the observation that "as impressive as this rescue package is, UK plc will need even more if this disaster drags on for many months".
On its front page, the Times points out that Rishi Sunak "stopped short of offering larger grants, rather than loans, to businesses". And it says he has faced criticism for promising mortgage relief to home owners - while not giving details of any measures to help those who rent. The government insists these will follow. The i also focuses on the issue of tenants, contrasting the lack of action in the UK with a scheme in New York, under which landlords have agreed to abide by a voluntary 90-day moratorium on evictions.
The HuffPost UK website highlights differences in how the chancellor and the prime minister approached the news conference. Boris Johnson, it suggests, was acting as "the nation's cheerer-upper - in a way that seemed to jar with the public mood". It continues by saying "at times it seemed that Sunak was the grown up politician in the room". HuffPost acknowledges that Mr Johnson won the election partly by promising to confound what he called "the doomsters and the gloomsters". But it concludes that "he is clearly still finding difficult the switch from campaign mode to governing mode". The Financial Times looks at the impact of the coronavirus on the property market. It says that a post-election "bounce" in house sales is rapidly fading. Estate agents say this is because sellers are concerned about the potential infection risk posed by people coming to view their homes - while buyers fear being exposed to the virus when they visit properties.
There is a photo on the front of the Telegraph of the British-Iranian woman, Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe. She is among tens of thousands of prisoners to have been temporarily released by the authorities in Iran, because of the pandemic. She is smiling - but a security tag is clearly visible on her ankle. Under the headline "get Naz home", the Mirror's leader welcomes the move - but says it's only a "tiny step in the right direction". Finally, the Guardian responds to the official advice - encouraging people to stay away from pubs during the outbreak - by putting together a column called "view from the pub". One drinker at the Duke of Wellington at Wareham in Dorset is quoted saying: "If and when the government says that we absolutely can't go out, I'll think about it. Until then, we're going to do our self-isolating right here".
This current Government manages to sit on fences in a way that reminds me of Corbyn in relation to the EU.
Let me give 2 examples from my own family.
My eldest works in the village pub. IF this Government had ordered pubs to close, they could claim on their insurance. But it hasn't, so the pub is staying open.
My youngest was due to go to a London theatre tomorrow. Not a jolly-the ensuing critique of that play counts for 40% of the Drama A-level. London theatres all closed yesterday-again, it is believed many cannot claim on insurance as they are not compelled to close. They hope that the withdrawal of attendance of emergency workers may help.
Let's put this into perspective. This Government has not banned the public from attending. But it is saying that it is too dangerous for trained paramedics to attend. Really? Compare/contrast with schools...
In a wider context. We have gone through 10 years of austerity measures, which has affected crime, by the reduction in police officer numbers, under funding of the NHS, and social care, as well as forcing more people to live in conditions of poverty, savage cuts to Local Authorities, and many communities quite rightly feeling that they have been left behind. All this under the guise of improving our economy. Yet during this period the Tories have increased The National Debt by around £600 billion.
At the drop of a hat The Chancellor is able to lash out hundreds of billions of pounds.
I am not saying that this is wrong, but what happens next?
When we get past the coronavirus, do they intend sacking the 20,000 police officers, 50,000 nurses, 6000 GPs, under funding the NHS, creating more poverty, and leaving more communities behind?
The front pages of many of the morning papers focus on the UK school closures and cancellation of exams in England and Wales. The Guardian calls it the "first countrywide school shutdown in modern times"; the Sun "the most drastic move yet", which it warns could lead to "exam chaos". The Daily Mirror suggests the plans have confused parents and staff. A union chief tells the paper that they raised "more questions than answers". The Times says "pupils were left in limbo", as they waited to find out how their grades would be awarded. According to the paper, head teachers plan to lobby ministers to consider some form of tests. The Daily Telegraph believes different models are being considered including using predicted grades, teacher-led assessments and a fresh set of exams. The Guardian urges that the issue be given careful thought, so they don't penalise those who could have improved their grades by June.
Melanie McDonagh writes in the Spectator about the headache of working from home with children around. She surmises that not a lot of schooling will be done either, despite the offerings of Google Classroom. HuffPost UK offers a few tips on how to cope from following your normal routine to creating a designated workspace so your children know when you're busy.
The Daily Telegraph is among several papers to speculate on whether restrictions could be brought into London as early as Friday. The Daily Mail points out that more than a third of coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in the capital. With no confirmation of what might happen, the Telegraph says it has not been ruled out that people could require paperwork to travel. The Financial Times goes further - based on a single source it moots the idea that only one person might be allowed to leave their home at a time. Such unconfirmed thoughts are dismissed by a City Hall source, who tells the Daily Express they have heard nothing, suggesting any action is not imminent.
The European Union has called on Netflix and YouTube to limit their services because of fears the continent's broadband networks could crash, according to the Financial Times. There are worries that domestic broadband connections which were designed to cope with evening surges could not handle adults' video conferences and children's online classes. Vodafone tells the FT that peak time now stretches from midday to 21:00 GMT, and raises concerns about the launch next week of Disney's new streaming service.
The Mirror, Express and Daily Star all report the concerns of the family of Harry Dunn about the time it took the ambulance to reach the 19-year-old, who died after being hit by a car outside an American military base. They have talked to Health Secretary Matt Hancock about the 43-minute delay, which they believe was caused by bed blocking. And as families worry about the anxieties of self isolating, the Sun reports that the model Naomi Campbell is relishing the experience. Apparently it gives her time to wallow in the tub in what the paper calls a "crisp bath". The 49-year-old adds Epsom salts, Kosher salts and vinegar to the water, which she claims is very calming for the nervous system.
Boris Johnson accused of 'putting his head in the sand' over coronavirus threat to Brexit deal Prime minister 'reckless' to stick to end-of-year deadline for EU trade deal, says Lib Dem acting leader
Boris Johnson has been accused of “putting his head in the sand” over the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak to a Brexit deal, after saying he has no intention of extending talks with the EU. The prime minister is coming under growing pressure to ditch his self-imposed deadline of 31 December to reach a trade agreement with the remaining 27 states or take Britain to a no-deal Brexit on disadvantageous World Trade Organisation terms.
Many in Brussels are expecting a climbdown after the second round of talks, due to take place in London this week, were cancelled due to the health emergency on both sides of the Channel.
The EU has made clear it would accept a request for an extension to the 11-month negotiation process, which was regarded as extremely tight even before Covid-19 hit Europe.
"BoJo the bog roll bandit" is the headline on the front page of the Daily Star, which carries a picture it says shows a "mountain" of luxury loo roll being dropped off at the prime minister's Downing Street home. It comes as most of the public are struggling to get just a single packet, the paper adds.
"We can turn the tide in 12 weeks," runs the main headline in the Metro, which focuses on Boris Johnson's assertion that the virus can be "sent packing" - but only if people observe what the Mail describes as the "extraordinary restrictions" designed to slow its spread. Writing for the Spectator, Isabel Hardman notes that the prime minister does tend to "err on the side of optimism". She says it is not clear whether he was basing his assertion on scientific evidence or simply hoped his upbeat tone would encourage the public to stick to the government advice, knowing there could be an end in sight.
The Times focuses on the package of tax cuts and wage subsidies for workers struggling with the economic impact of the virus expected to be unveiled today. It quotes a source as saying the government could, in effect, underwrite 60% of the average national wage for each worker. The Guardian says the aim is to prevent "hundreds of thousands of layoffs"; the Daily Telegraph believes it could be the state's biggest intervention in the economy since World War Two.
New fees for British people travelling to EU delayed until 2023
The introduction of visa-style fees and forms for British travellers visiting EU countries has been delayed until 2023. The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) had been due to "become operational by the end of 2021" with "full implementation" expected in 2022, according to the EU's border service Frontex.
But EU officials have said that the system, which will apply to around 60 non-EU countries when it goes online, has been delayed and is now due to come in by 2023.
Under the new system passengers will have to complete an online application form that covers questions ranging from security to personal data. The application is expected to be processed within 96 hours, with passengers' names cross-checked against police databases, and the results sent by email.
It says that on average the number of deaths in Italy has risen by less than 20%, while Britain is seeing them increase by 45%.
The Mail describes the shutdown as the "day Britain changed forever." It's a theme taken up several papers. The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland looks at the transformation within the UK over a week. He writes about the deserted streets, the economy facing what could be "a collapse more catastrophic than the Great Depression", the switch on social media from "armchair Brexit experts miraculously reborn as amateur epidemiologists". But the greatest change, Freedland detects, is the switch of emotion to fear. The Mirror also notes a mood change. Its columnist Fiona Phillips says gone is the UK's world-renowned "chivalry and orderly queuing". In its place is a "selfish, rapacious me-me-me Britain," she says, where "crazed individualists" stack their trolleys high.
The Independent website says ministers have been told the government should "promote a sense of collectivism" to avoid the risk of panic buying progressing to looting and rioting. The Mail makes a list of what is now open and closed in case of confusion. Clothes shops, takeaways and hairdressers are still trading, while pubs, bookies and leisure centres have shut. A photograph shows a restaurant in central London being boarded up. But the Times warns that non-food stores may also be at risk unless they can stop customers handling goods. People, its survey indicates, are not following government advice, with only 37% avoiding public transport.
People are also apparently not avoiding travelling further afield. The manager of a shop in the Cornish resort of Polzeath tells the Guardian that out-of-towners are heading for their second homes. She worries about the risks this could pose to elderly locals. Cornish authorities are concerned, too, and have urged people to stay away.
Key Points Dominic Raab tests negative for virus – as more Tory MPs self-isolate ‘Superficial’ PM has no grasp of public health, says expert Austerity not over yet, says think tank amid recession warnings Johnson given no warning of Trump travel ban Government urged to close parliament to public Clip emerges showing self-isolating minister coughing in Commons
Some countries in the EU are already bickering about putting money into the budget. If s hit happens,we’ll see how strong their Union is.
Britain must follow ‘rules of the game’ if it wants access to our markets, EU president warns Ursula von der Leyen says UK must make up its mind
Britain must follow the “rules of the game” if it wants tariff-free trade with the EU from the end of this year, the European Commission president has warned. In a press conference to mark the end of her first 100 days in office Ursula von der Leyen said that the UK had to “make up its mind” whether it wanted to keep access.
Brexit trade talks kicked off last week in Brussels but stumbled on the issue of whether the UK would stay aligned with some EU rules as part of a “level playing field” of regulations.
“It will be important that the UK makes up its mind – the closer they want to have access to the single market, the more they have to play by the rules that are the rule of the single market.
“If this is not the UK’s choice then they will be more distant and it will be more difficult for the UK to access the single market. So I think it’s up to the UK within these negotiations to think about the trade-offs they want to take into account.”
UK officials say they are happy to sign up to some form of level playing field but that they are not prepared to go as far as the EU wants. British negotiators are keeping on eye on a potential trade deal with Donald Trump’s United States, which would be more difficult There are three other main stumbling blocks in talks identified by officials on both sides of the divide. One is the format of the agreement: the EU wants a single “association agreement” while the UK says a number of separate agreements would be better.
The question of fishing and access to UK waters is also seen as a difficult, as is the issue of criminal justice and judicial cooperation – where the UK has refused to sign guarantees that it will protect human rights.
The British government has rejected close alignment with the EU that would allow frictionless trade with the bloc in the future.
Even if Downing Street does sign up to a level playing field for regulations, there would still be new customs checks on goods that are expected to have a significant negative economic impact.
Coronavirus: Wetherspoon scraps dividend and warns on profit
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has scrapped the pub chain’s dividend and issued a profit warning after Boris Johnson urged Brits not to visit pubs and restaurants amid the UK coronavirus outbreak. A rapid escalation in UK coronavirus cases has already seen a 4.5 per cent decline in Wetherspoon pub sales in the week to 15 March. But Martin warned today: “Following the Prime Minister’s advice to avoid pubs, sales have declined at a significantly higher rate.” That has led Wetherspoon to delay spending on pubs and cancel its interim dividend despite strong profit growth in the first half of its financial year. Martin also warned full year profit will miss market expectations. “We now anticipate profits being below market expectations, so long as the current health scare continues,” Wetherspoon chairman Martin said.
Earlier this week Martin warned a lockdown of the hospitality sector could “cripple” the economy.
Free cash flow sank 31.2 per cent to 46.7p, down from 67.9p in 2019. Wetherspoon blamed the drop on the timing of supplier payments, an earlier payment for corporation tax and higher spending.
Tumbling pound, virus strategy, Brexit fears lead to heavy slide in UK domestic stocks
LONDON (Reuters) - A falling currency, doubts about the UK government's response to the coronavirus crisis and fresh fears of leaving the European Union without a trade deal are prompting investors to ditch shares of companies exposed to the local economy.
Beneath a picture of a line of shoppers queuing to get into a supermarket, the headline for the Independent online newspaper is "Food banks in crisis amid panic buying spree". It reports that providers are being hit by the dual impact of "soaring demand" and "dwindling supplies". The website says people have been fishing donations out of food bank deposit points in supermarkets. The consequence, it warns, is "real hunger" on a scale that hasn't been seen for decades. It is the absence of people that makes the image on the front page of the Sunday Telegraph striking. It shows a view of Westminster Bridge, looking towards the Houses of Parliament, without a single person in sight. "Life in lockdown begins", is the caption. The Sunday Express is one of several papers to suggest the Queen is to follow up the statement she issued several days ago with what it calls a "historic address to lift morale during the crisis". It says Downing Street has revealed talks have taken place with the palace about what it describes as a "royal intervention". It would be only the fourth special address of the Queen's 68-year reign, the Sunday Times notes, and the first since the eve of her mother's funeral, in 2002.
Finally, what do you do when the shops have sold out of eggs? The answer, according to the Sunday Telegraph, is buy a chicken. It reports that live poultry breeders across the UK have "seen their barns stripped of birds" over the past seven days as people look to get round egg shortages - and possibly also occupy children now schools are closed. One breeder in Bristol tells the paper: "I've been selling chickens for 12 years and I've never seen anything like it."
Jeremy Corbyn's aides including general secretary Jennie Formby face the axe in expected new leader Keir Starmer's 'purge of lunatic Lefties'
Labour's controversial general secretary Jennie Formby will head a list of pro-Corbyn figures to be 'purged' by expected new party leader Sir Keir Starmer, it was claimed last night. Backers of Sir Keir are urging him to stamp his authority on the party by replacing Ms Formby as well as removing party official Karie Murphy, a former chief of staff to outgoing leader Mr Corbyn. Current party chairman and key Corbyn ally, Ian Lavery, is also expected to be sacked, with insiders saying that the new leader will need his own 'enforcer' to begin the process of ridding the party of 'lunatic Lefties'.
Several of the newspapers have pictures of crowds taking advantage of the spring sunshine to get outdoors - in spite of the guidelines on social distancing. "Madness" is the Daily Mirror's headline. "Stay home or face lockdown", is the Sun's warning, while for the Daily Mail it's: "Obey the virus rules - or else." The Daily Telegraph says there's been deep concern within Whitehall as it emerged over the weekend that public messages urging people to stay at home and avoid socialising were apparently being ignored. According to the Times, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing calls from his cabinet and senior advisers to impose a full lockdown in London. A senior government source tells the paper: "It is inevitable - you just have to look at other countries." Buzzfeed News says the prime minister faces a "full scale mutiny" from his cabinet and senior aides if he doesn't enforce a lockdown of London in the next 24 hours. It adds that Mr Johnson has deep ideological reservations about turning Britain into an effective police state.
Some Americans also appear to have been flouting guidelines on close contact with others. The New York Times says the governor, Andrew Cuomo, went out of his way to criticise the behaviour of some residents, describing it as insensitive and arrogant. The Los Angeles Times reports that California's sweeping stay-at-home order resulted in a weekend like no other, with people staying indoors and, when outside, keeping at least six feet apart. But there were exceptions, it adds - with crowds gathering on beaches. Most sports pages lead with the admission by the International Olympic Committee that the Tokyo Games may have to be postponed. The Financial Times, on its front page, reports that talks between Olympics and Japanese officials in recent days have focused on the length of a delay. The likely new date is the summer of 2021, although other options include the autumn of next year and even pushing the Games to 2022, the paper adds. With churches now closed, the Times says yesterday was a day of virtual vicars taking to the internet to preach to their congregations. At home, people joined in the prayers, sent each other uplifting messages or just watched from the comfort of their beds. The Mail says that at St Martin-in-the-Fields, in Central London, more than 1,000 people have been joining the online daily service of morning prayer, a larger congregation than the 850 it welcomes through its doors at Christmas.
Brexit: Boris Johnson's father 'applies for French passport' Move revealed by prime minister's sister Rachel
Boris Johnson's father is in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with Europe after Brexit. Stanley Johnson, a former MEP who voted Remain in the referendum, has requested to become a French citizen as his mother Irene was born in Versailles.
The move was revealed by the prime minister's sister Rachel, an ardent Europhile, in her new book, Rake's Progress.
Ms Johnson said that her father is “en route to becoming a French citizen, as his mother had been born in Versailles and his grandmother had been in Paris”.
She added: “This is good news — I might be able to become French too.”
UK's 9 demands for a Brexit trade deal - and why they'll start a fight with the EU The UK government is warning Boris Johnson could walk away from Brexit trade deal talks as soon as June. So what is Britain demanding - and why is it a problem for Brussels? Here are the 9 sticking points
Britain and the EU have kick-started frantic talks on a Brexit trade deal as both sides lay out their demands. The EU published its 46-page "negotiating directives" on Tuesday - and now the UK has hit back with a 30-page document of its own.
It confirms Boris Johnson's plans to insist on full control over key areas including state aid, workers' rights, environmental standards and fishing rights. And that means it heralds major rows over areas including business competition - the so-called "level playing field" - after No10 junked previous commitments to Brussels. What's more, Boris Johnson will threaten to walk away from the talks as soon as June if things are not moving fast enough. These are only the starting points, of course
If there is a trade deal, both sides will probably meet somewhere in the middle. But if they start too far apart, it'll scupper any hope of an agreement and we'll be left high and dry. These talks are crucial for the future of the UK. If we don't have a trade deal with the EU by 31 December 2020, transitional rules will expire. That means it'll be harder to travel, new checks will spring up, and billions of pounds worth of goods will be whacked with major tariffs as they pass through ports like Dover.
Yet it's understood the UK government has no plan to publish an impact assessment of today's planned deal. Meaning we'll have little clue the extent of how it hits businesses and your family. Here's our guide to the key sticking points in the coming talks - the areas where they could fall apart.
1. Fishing
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU wants to let EU fishermen continue fishing in UK waters - avoiding any "economic dislocation". It wants a fishing arrangement to follow some EU laws. And crucially, it wants a new fisheries deal to be signed and ratified by 1 July 2020. EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier said a free trade deal with the UK had to include fishing rights "or there won't be any agreement at all". He added: "Fisheries is part of a package as regards our trade relations, which are to be discussed, and that package is one you can't break up. There will be no ambiguity at all around that." WHAT THE UK SAYS: The UK says Britain must become an "independent coastal state". That means agreeing annual negotiations on access to fishing waters - and any EU vessels granted access to fish in UK waters would have to follow UK rules. The UK insists it won't trade away fishing rights in return for a trade deal.
2. European courts
WHAT THE EU SAYS: To enforce the overall deal, the EU and the UK will have to agree to a dispute settlement system. The EU insists the European Court of Justice must have the final say on some disputes under this - and the dispute body must agree to follow whatever decision it makes. WHAT THE UK SAYS: The UK flat-out rejects this. The document says there will be "no role" for the ECJ in the dispute resolution mechanism or any of the arrangements reached between the two sides.
3. Extending the transition period
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The transition period will end on 31 December 2020, but a joint committee can decide before July 1 this year to extend it by up to one or two years. EU chiefs have encouraged an extension, saying there isn't enough time to figure out a full trade deal. WHAT THE UK SAYS: Britain has totally ruled out extension. Page four of the document states: "The government will not extend the transition period." That effectively means that at the June summit, if a deal doesn't look likely by the end of the year, the UK will prepare to walk away with no trade deal.
4. Business competition
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU's big demand is a 'level playing field'. This means having similar trade rules for both sides - and guaranteeing the UK can't use leaving the EU to undercut its former partners to scoop up business. In return, it would mean UK businesses get tariff-free access to EU markets. WHAT THE UK SAYS: The phrase "level playing field" doesn't appear anywhere in the 30-page document. Britain says the trade deal should "maintain effective competition laws" - but this does not require "regulatory alignment" or linking the UK's rules to the EU's. The document explicitly adds: "Both parties should have the regulatory freedom to respond to new and emerging challenges in these areas." If Britain signed up to the EU's request the implications would be far-reaching, limiting its abilities to strike wide-ranging deals with the rest of the world, including potentially the US.
5. State aid
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU wants the UK to keep following EU rules on 'state aid' - the amount of government support that can be given to industries like steel. Under EU rules, governments are allowed to provide state aid only with approval from Brussels. Any disputes would have to be dealt with through a joint process. WHAT THE UK SAYS: Britain rejects the idea of a binding 'level playing field' - and the document proposes a more woolly commitment to be fair to both sides. It says any state-owned enterprises should "operate in a fair and transparent manner" and "not discriminate against businesses in the other party." Effectively, they're saying they won't sign up to EU rules, but within the terms of the agreement the UK and EU can agree not to drastically undercut each other.
WHAT THE EU SAYS: EU leaders say the UK must uphold all of Brussels' environmental standards that are in force as at 31 December 2020. Britain would also have to commit to the EU's climate change targets "where relevant". And the UK would need a system of carbon pricing to "cost" pollution that has "at least the same effectiveness and scope" as the EU's. Brussels wants Britain to simply link its emissions trading system to the EU's. WHAT THE UK SAYS: Again, Britain rejects a binding 'level playing field'. Instead it calls for 'reciprocal commitments not to weaken or reduce' environment standards on either side.
7. Workers' rights
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The document says Britain must not lower any labour or social protection laws below the level of the EU's as at 31 December 2020. Those include workplace rights; health and safety; consultation rules; and fair conditions. This stops short of "dynamic alignment" - following EU rules as they change. WHAT THE UK SAYS: As with state aid and the environment, Britain agrees to include "reciprocal commitments" not to weaken workers' rights laws. But the UK rejects the demand to follow EU laws, saying "the agreement should recognise the right of each party to set its labour priorities and adopt or modify its labour laws."
8. A security treaty
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU wants to include security and defence as part of the talks on a trade deal. That's because the UK has the upper hand in this, as one of the continent's leading powers. WHAT THE UK SAYS: A UK source confirmed the British government is unwilling to follow that path. "We expect to cooperate closely with our allies, including the EU," the source said. "We don't think we need an institutional treaty framework to achieve this." The UK is only looking to discuss legal agreements on much narrower elements of security cooperation, including to be able to share sensitive and classified information with the bloc. Britain will also not take part in the European Arrest Warrant and instead develop a new system based on Norway and Iceland.
9. Financial services
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU has spoken of "voluntary" cooperation in financial regulation - which governs billions of pounds in the City of London. Brussels would want this co-operation to maintain the EU's independence on financial matters. WHAT THE UK SAYS: Britain wants stronger "legally binding" obligations on access to the EU financial market - with arrangements for keeping trust as rules evolve. The UK wants this to provide a "predictable, transparent, and business-friendly environment" for City firms.
Majority of Britons support extending Brexit transition period amid coronavirus outbreak, new poll shows Latest round of negotiations delayed last week as governments scramble to contain outbreak
The majority of Britons want the Brexit transition period to be extended after negotiations were put on ice due to the coronavirus outbreak, a new poll shows. Britain left the EU on 31 January but remains in a transition period until the end of the year, allowing negotiators on both sides to hammer out a vital trade deal.
Senior figures in Brussels had warned that the 11-month period was too short to strike such a complex agreement even before the coronavirus crisis hit.
Britain's embattled logistics industry calls for Brexit to be delayed
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's logistics industry is urging the government to delay its departure from the European Union because it cannot prepare for Brexit while battling to get food and medical supplies into the country during the coronavirus pandemic. The FTA, which represents members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, said it was petitioning government to urgently seek an extension to the transition period before the planned departure date at the end of the year. "This is not about the relative merits of Brexit, or any trading arrangements which our industry will need to adopt," said Elizabeth de Jong, Policy Director at FTA. "Logistics is facing unprecedented challenges, both in terms of keeping the UK economy supplied with all the goods it needs to function, as well as coping with the increased disruption to staffing levels caused by sickness and self-isolation and concerns about the viability of their businesses."
What are the red lines that could block a Brexit trade deal?
It looks like someone’s red lines will have to turn pink, or we’re headed for a no-deal disaster at the end of 2020.
EU ministers have signed off on a 46-page mandate for trade talks beginning next week – and chief negotiator Michel Barnier said the UK must agree to a “level playing field” on rules and regulations or there won’t be any deal. “We will not conclude an agreement at any price,” he said.
No 10 – due to publish the UK’s mandate on Thursday – decided to issue a response in five tweets. Downing Street demanded “autonomy” to set its own rules and claimed the EU had forged a deal with the US “without the kind of level playing field commitments ... they have put in today’s mandate.”
What are the red lines that could block a Brexit trade deal? The negotiations between the UK and EU begin on Monday and could founder over fish, finance, data or regulations,
For anyone who thought Boris Johnson had “got Brexit done” with the deal he struck with Brussels in October and passed through parliament in January, the fact that fresh negotiations will begin in Brussels on Monday may come as some surprise. And the fact that these talks could lead to a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020 is something so contrary to the prime minister’s narrative that he refuses to use the term himself, preferring to call it an “Australian-style settlement”.
Perhaps you could remind me of which paper Boris was working for until recently?
Heres a reminder,
Journalism
In July 2018, Johnson signed a 12‑month contract to write articles for the Telegraph Media Group.[406] In August, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACoBA) reported that this employment was a breach of the Ministerial Code.[407][406] In December, Johnson was ordered to apologise to Parliament for failing to declare £50,000 of earnings. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found that the errors were not inadvertent and that Johnson had failed on nine occasions to make declarations within the rules.[408]
In April 2019, the Independent Press Standards Organisation ruled that a claim in a 6 January 2019 article in The Daily Telegraph, "The British people won't be scared into backing a woeful Brexit deal nobody voted for", authored by Johnson,[411] that a no-deal Brexit was "by some margin preferred by the British public" was false, and "represented a failure to take care over the accuracy of the article in breach of Clause 1 (i)" of its guidelines, and required that a correction to the false claim be published in the print edition, and appended to the online version.[412]
Comments
Let me give 2 examples from my own family.
My eldest works in the village pub. IF this Government had ordered pubs to close, they could claim on their insurance. But it hasn't, so the pub is staying open.
My youngest was due to go to a London theatre tomorrow. Not a jolly-the ensuing critique of that play counts for 40% of the Drama A-level. London theatres all closed yesterday-again, it is believed many cannot claim on insurance as they are not compelled to close. They hope that the withdrawal of attendance of emergency workers may help.
Let's put this into perspective. This Government has not banned the public from attending. But it is saying that it is too dangerous for trained paramedics to attend. Really? Compare/contrast with schools...
We were due to trade at an event this coming weekend-at a significant cost to us with limited public attendance inevitable- and the company’s position first thing this morning was unless it was a ‘ govt directive’ they intended to remain open....... strong email followed ...just received a phone call to say that they have decided to cancel....
We didn’t discuss whether I and the general public who bought tickets will get a full refund...tbf that’s a conversation for another time!
Whilst we will have a difficult few months ahead for our business , you’ve got to feel for all those small businesses that will try to remain open, carry all their On costs and have a govt advising people to stay at home....
( hmmm wish I could afford to invest in shares in Netflix, Amazon prime video and Britbox...)
Most of the front pages focus on what the Daily Mail calls "Rishi's £350bn kiss of life".
The Express describes the coronavirus rescue package, announced by the chancellor on Tuesday, as a "war chest to keep Britain in business".
Its leader suggests that "as many in the country prepare to self-isolate with their livelihoods uncertain, this will be a massive relief and comfort".
The Sun is also wholeheartedly behind the move, saying, "the colossal bailout - more than twice what it cost Britain to rescue our banks in 2008 - is what the Sun wanted to hear".
But it does strike a note of caution - with the observation that "as impressive as this rescue package is, UK plc will need even more if this disaster drags on for many months".
On its front page, the Times points out that Rishi Sunak "stopped short of offering larger grants, rather than loans, to businesses".
And it says he has faced criticism for promising mortgage relief to home owners - while not giving details of any measures to help those who rent. The government insists these will follow.
The i also focuses on the issue of tenants, contrasting the lack of action in the UK with a scheme in New York, under which landlords have agreed to abide by a voluntary 90-day moratorium on evictions.
The HuffPost UK website highlights differences in how the chancellor and the prime minister approached the news conference.
Boris Johnson, it suggests, was acting as "the nation's cheerer-upper - in a way that seemed to jar with the public mood". It continues by saying "at times it seemed that Sunak was the grown up politician in the room".
HuffPost acknowledges that Mr Johnson won the election partly by promising to confound what he called "the doomsters and the gloomsters". But it concludes that "he is clearly still finding difficult the switch from campaign mode to governing mode".
The Financial Times looks at the impact of the coronavirus on the property market. It says that a post-election "bounce" in house sales is rapidly fading.
Estate agents say this is because sellers are concerned about the potential infection risk posed by people coming to view their homes - while buyers fear being exposed to the virus when they visit properties.
There is a photo on the front of the Telegraph of the British-Iranian woman, Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe. She is among tens of thousands of prisoners to have been temporarily released by the authorities in Iran, because of the pandemic. She is smiling - but a security tag is clearly visible on her ankle.
Under the headline "get Naz home", the Mirror's leader welcomes the move - but says it's only a "tiny step in the right direction".
Finally, the Guardian responds to the official advice - encouraging people to stay away from pubs during the outbreak - by putting together a column called "view from the pub".
One drinker at the Duke of Wellington at Wareham in Dorset is quoted saying: "If and when the government says that we absolutely can't go out, I'll think about it. Until then, we're going to do our self-isolating right here".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51938921
We have gone through 10 years of austerity measures, which has affected crime, by the reduction in police officer numbers, under funding of the NHS, and social care, as well as forcing more people to live in conditions of poverty, savage cuts to Local Authorities, and many communities quite rightly feeling that they have been left behind.
All this under the guise of improving our economy. Yet during this period the Tories have increased The National Debt by around £600 billion.
At the drop of a hat The Chancellor is able to lash out hundreds of billions of pounds.
I am not saying that this is wrong, but what happens next?
When we get past the coronavirus, do they intend sacking the 20,000 police officers, 50,000 nurses, 6000 GPs, under funding the NHS, creating more poverty, and leaving more communities behind?
The front pages of many of the morning papers focus on the UK school closures and cancellation of exams in England and Wales.
The Guardian calls it the "first countrywide school shutdown in modern times"; the Sun "the most drastic move yet", which it warns could lead to "exam chaos".
The Daily Mirror suggests the plans have confused parents and staff. A union chief tells the paper that they raised "more questions than answers".
The Times says "pupils were left in limbo", as they waited to find out how their grades would be awarded. According to the paper, head teachers plan to lobby ministers to consider some form of tests.
The Daily Telegraph believes different models are being considered including using predicted grades, teacher-led assessments and a fresh set of exams.
The Guardian urges that the issue be given careful thought, so they don't penalise those who could have improved their grades by June.
Melanie McDonagh writes in the Spectator about the headache of working from home with children around. She surmises that not a lot of schooling will be done either, despite the offerings of Google Classroom.
HuffPost UK offers a few tips on how to cope from following your normal routine to creating a designated workspace so your children know when you're busy.
The Daily Telegraph is among several papers to speculate on whether restrictions could be brought into London as early as Friday.
The Daily Mail points out that more than a third of coronavirus cases have been diagnosed in the capital.
With no confirmation of what might happen, the Telegraph says it has not been ruled out that people could require paperwork to travel.
The Financial Times goes further - based on a single source it moots the idea that only one person might be allowed to leave their home at a time.
Such unconfirmed thoughts are dismissed by a City Hall source, who tells the Daily Express they have heard nothing, suggesting any action is not imminent.
The European Union has called on Netflix and YouTube to limit their services because of fears the continent's broadband networks could crash, according to the Financial Times. There are worries that domestic broadband connections which were designed to cope with evening surges could not handle adults' video conferences and children's online classes.
Vodafone tells the FT that peak time now stretches from midday to 21:00 GMT, and raises concerns about the launch next week of Disney's new streaming service.
The Mirror, Express and Daily Star all report the concerns of the family of Harry Dunn about the time it took the ambulance to reach the 19-year-old, who died after being hit by a car outside an American military base.
They have talked to Health Secretary Matt Hancock about the 43-minute delay, which they believe was caused by bed blocking.
And as families worry about the anxieties of self isolating, the Sun reports that the model Naomi Campbell is relishing the experience.
Apparently it gives her time to wallow in the tub in what the paper calls a "crisp bath". The 49-year-old adds Epsom salts, Kosher salts and vinegar to the water, which she claims is very calming for the nervous system.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51955022
Boris Johnson accused of 'putting his head in the sand' over coronavirus threat to Brexit deal
Prime minister 'reckless' to stick to end-of-year deadline for EU trade deal, says Lib Dem acting leader
Boris Johnson has been accused of “putting his head in the sand” over the threat posed by the coronavirus outbreak to a Brexit deal, after saying he has no intention of extending talks with the EU.
The prime minister is coming under growing pressure to ditch his self-imposed deadline of 31 December to reach a trade agreement with the remaining 27 states or take Britain to a no-deal Brexit on disadvantageous World Trade Organisation terms.
Many in Brussels are expecting a climbdown after the second round of talks, due to take place in London this week, were cancelled due to the health emergency on both sides of the Channel.
The EU has made clear it would accept a request for an extension to the 11-month negotiation process, which was regarded as extremely tight even before Covid-19 hit Europe.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-accused-of-putting-his-head-in-the-sand-over-coronavirus-threat-to-brexit-deal-a9410156.html
"BoJo the bog roll bandit" is the headline on the front page of the Daily Star, which carries a picture it says shows a "mountain" of luxury loo roll being dropped off at the prime minister's Downing Street home. It comes as most of the public are struggling to get just a single packet, the paper adds.
"We can turn the tide in 12 weeks," runs the main headline in the Metro, which focuses on Boris Johnson's assertion that the virus can be "sent packing" - but only if people observe what the Mail describes as the "extraordinary restrictions" designed to slow its spread.
Writing for the Spectator, Isabel Hardman notes that the prime minister does tend to "err on the side of optimism".
She says it is not clear whether he was basing his assertion on scientific evidence or simply hoped his upbeat tone would encourage the public to stick to the government advice, knowing there could be an end in sight.
The Times focuses on the package of tax cuts and wage subsidies for workers struggling with the economic impact of the virus expected to be unveiled today.
It quotes a source as saying the government could, in effect, underwrite 60% of the average national wage for each worker.
The Guardian says the aim is to prevent "hundreds of thousands of layoffs"; the Daily Telegraph believes it could be the state's biggest intervention in the economy since World War Two.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51969418
New fees for British people travelling to EU delayed until 2023
The introduction of visa-style fees and forms for British travellers visiting EU countries has been delayed until 2023.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) had been due to "become operational by the end of 2021" with "full implementation" expected in 2022, according to the EU's border service Frontex.
But EU officials have said that the system, which will apply to around 60 non-EU countries when it goes online, has been delayed and is now due to come in by 2023.
Under the new system passengers will have to complete an online application form that covers questions ranging from security to personal data. The application is expected to be processed within 96 hours, with passengers' names cross-checked against police databases, and the results sent by email.
https://www.skypoker.com/secure/poker/sky_lobby/community/forums#/discussion/173576/brexit
It says that on average the number of deaths in Italy has risen by less than 20%, while Britain is seeing them increase by 45%.
The Mail describes the shutdown as the "day Britain changed forever."
It's a theme taken up several papers.
The Guardian's Jonathan Freedland looks at the transformation within the UK over a week.
He writes about the deserted streets, the economy facing what could be "a collapse more catastrophic than the Great Depression", the switch on social media from "armchair Brexit experts miraculously reborn as amateur epidemiologists".
But the greatest change, Freedland detects, is the switch of emotion to fear.
The Mirror also notes a mood change.
Its columnist Fiona Phillips says gone is the UK's world-renowned "chivalry and orderly queuing".
In its place is a "selfish, rapacious me-me-me Britain," she says, where "crazed individualists" stack their trolleys high.
The Independent website says ministers have been told the government should "promote a sense of collectivism" to avoid the risk of panic buying progressing to looting and rioting.
The Mail makes a list of what is now open and closed in case of confusion.
Clothes shops, takeaways and hairdressers are still trading, while pubs, bookies and leisure centres have shut.
A photograph shows a restaurant in central London being boarded up.
But the Times warns that non-food stores may also be at risk unless they can stop customers handling goods. People, its survey indicates, are not following government advice, with only 37% avoiding public transport.
People are also apparently not avoiding travelling further afield.
The manager of a shop in the Cornish resort of Polzeath tells the Guardian that out-of-towners are heading for their second homes.
She worries about the risks this could pose to elderly locals. Cornish authorities are concerned, too, and have urged people to stay away.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51984258
Dominic Raab tests negative for virus – as more Tory MPs self-isolate
‘Superficial’ PM has no grasp of public health, says expert
Austerity not over yet, says think tank amid recession warnings
Johnson given no warning of Trump travel ban
Government urged to close parliament to public
Clip emerges showing self-isolating minister coughing in Commons
Ursula von der Leyen says UK must make up its mind
Britain must follow the “rules of the game” if it wants tariff-free trade with the EU from the end of this year, the European Commission president has warned.
In a press conference to mark the end of her first 100 days in office Ursula von der Leyen said that the UK had to “make up its mind” whether it wanted to keep access.
Brexit trade talks kicked off last week in Brussels but stumbled on the issue of whether the UK would stay aligned with some EU rules as part of a “level playing field” of regulations.
“It will be important that the UK makes up its mind – the closer they want to have access to the single market, the more they have to play by the rules that are the rule of the single market.
“If this is not the UK’s choice then they will be more distant and it will be more difficult for the UK to access the single market. So I think it’s up to the UK within these negotiations to think about the trade-offs they want to take into account.”
UK officials say they are happy to sign up to some form of level playing field but that they are not prepared to go as far as the EU wants. British negotiators are keeping on eye on a potential trade deal with Donald Trump’s United States, which would be more difficult
There are three other main stumbling blocks in talks identified by officials on both sides of the divide. One is the format of the agreement: the EU wants a single “association agreement” while the UK says a number of separate agreements would be better.
The question of fishing and access to UK waters is also seen as a difficult, as is the issue of criminal justice and judicial cooperation – where the UK has refused to sign guarantees that it will protect human rights.
The British government has rejected close alignment with the EU that would allow frictionless trade with the bloc in the future.
Even if Downing Street does sign up to a level playing field for regulations, there would still be new customs checks on goods that are expected to have a significant negative economic impact.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-trade-deal-eu-uk-von-der-leyen-barnier-single-market-a9387596.html
Coronavirus: Wetherspoon scraps dividend and warns on profit
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has scrapped the pub chain’s dividend and issued a profit warning after Boris Johnson urged Brits not to visit pubs and restaurants amid the UK coronavirus outbreak.
A rapid escalation in UK coronavirus cases has already seen a 4.5 per cent decline in Wetherspoon pub sales in the week to 15 March.
But Martin warned today: “Following the Prime Minister’s advice to avoid pubs, sales have declined at a significantly higher rate.”
That has led Wetherspoon to delay spending on pubs and cancel its interim dividend despite strong profit growth in the first half of its financial year. Martin also warned full year profit will miss market expectations.
“We now anticipate profits being below market expectations, so long as the current health scare continues,” Wetherspoon chairman Martin said.
Earlier this week Martin warned a lockdown of the hospitality sector could “cripple” the economy.
Free cash flow sank 31.2 per cent to 46.7p, down from 67.9p in 2019. Wetherspoon blamed the drop on the timing of supplier payments, an earlier payment for corporation tax and higher spending.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/business/coronavirus-wetherspoon-scraps-dividend-and-warns-on-profit/ar-BB11rBws?ocid=spartandhp
LONDON (Reuters) - A falling currency, doubts about the UK government's response to the coronavirus crisis and fresh fears of leaving the European Union without a trade deal are prompting investors to ditch shares of companies exposed to the local economy.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/tumbling-pound-virus-strategy-brexit-162548273.html
Beneath a picture of a line of shoppers queuing to get into a supermarket, the headline for the Independent online newspaper is "Food banks in crisis amid panic buying spree".
It reports that providers are being hit by the dual impact of "soaring demand" and "dwindling supplies".
The website says people have been fishing donations out of food bank deposit points in supermarkets. The consequence, it warns, is "real hunger" on a scale that hasn't been seen for decades.
It is the absence of people that makes the image on the front page of the Sunday Telegraph striking. It shows a view of Westminster Bridge, looking towards the Houses of Parliament, without a single person in sight. "Life in lockdown begins", is the caption.
The Sunday Express is one of several papers to suggest the Queen is to follow up the statement she issued several days ago with what it calls a "historic address to lift morale during the crisis".
It says Downing Street has revealed talks have taken place with the palace about what it describes as a "royal intervention". It would be only the fourth special address of the Queen's 68-year reign, the Sunday Times notes, and the first since the eve of her mother's funeral, in 2002.
Finally, what do you do when the shops have sold out of eggs?
The answer, according to the Sunday Telegraph, is buy a chicken.
It reports that live poultry breeders across the UK have "seen their barns stripped of birds" over the past seven days as people look to get round egg shortages - and possibly also occupy children now schools are closed.
One breeder in Bristol tells the paper: "I've been selling chickens for 12 years and I've never seen anything like it."
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51991952
Labour's controversial general secretary Jennie Formby will head a list of pro-Corbyn figures to be 'purged' by expected new party leader Sir Keir Starmer, it was claimed last night.
Backers of Sir Keir are urging him to stamp his authority on the party by replacing Ms Formby as well as removing party official Karie Murphy, a former chief of staff to outgoing leader Mr Corbyn.
Current party chairman and key Corbyn ally, Ian Lavery, is also expected to be sacked, with insiders saying that the new leader will need his own 'enforcer' to begin the process of ridding the party of 'lunatic Lefties'.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/jeremy-corbyns-aides-including-general-secretary-jennie-formby-face-the-axe-in-expected-new-leader-keir-starmers-purge-of-lunatic-lefties/ar-BB11wtxk?ocid=spartandhp
Several of the newspapers have pictures of crowds taking advantage of the spring sunshine to get outdoors - in spite of the guidelines on social distancing.
"Madness" is the Daily Mirror's headline.
"Stay home or face lockdown", is the Sun's warning, while for the Daily Mail it's: "Obey the virus rules - or else."
The Daily Telegraph says there's been deep concern within Whitehall as it emerged over the weekend that public messages urging people to stay at home and avoid socialising were apparently being ignored.
According to the Times, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing calls from his cabinet and senior advisers to impose a full lockdown in London.
A senior government source tells the paper: "It is inevitable - you just have to look at other countries."
Buzzfeed News says the prime minister faces a "full scale mutiny" from his cabinet and senior aides if he doesn't enforce a lockdown of London in the next 24 hours.
It adds that Mr Johnson has deep ideological reservations about turning Britain into an effective police state.
Some Americans also appear to have been flouting guidelines on close contact with others.
The New York Times says the governor, Andrew Cuomo, went out of his way to criticise the behaviour of some residents, describing it as insensitive and arrogant.
The Los Angeles Times reports that California's sweeping stay-at-home order resulted in a weekend like no other, with people staying indoors and, when outside, keeping at least six feet apart.
But there were exceptions, it adds - with crowds gathering on beaches.
Most sports pages lead with the admission by the International Olympic Committee that the Tokyo Games may have to be postponed.
The Financial Times, on its front page, reports that talks between Olympics and Japanese officials in recent days have focused on the length of a delay.
The likely new date is the summer of 2021, although other options include the autumn of next year and even pushing the Games to 2022, the paper adds.
With churches now closed, the Times says yesterday was a day of virtual vicars taking to the internet to preach to their congregations.
At home, people joined in the prayers, sent each other uplifting messages or just watched from the comfort of their beds.
The Mail says that at St Martin-in-the-Fields, in Central London, more than 1,000 people have been joining the online daily service of morning prayer, a larger congregation than the 850 it welcomes through its doors at Christmas.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-51999665
Brexit: Boris Johnson's father 'applies for French passport'
Move revealed by prime minister's sister Rachel
Boris Johnson's father is in the process of applying for a French passport to maintain his ties with Europe after Brexit.
Stanley Johnson, a former MEP who voted Remain in the referendum, has requested to become a French citizen as his mother Irene was born in Versailles.
The move was revealed by the prime minister's sister Rachel, an ardent Europhile, in her new book, Rake's Progress.
Ms Johnson said that her father is “en route to becoming a French citizen, as his mother had been born in Versailles and his grandmother had been in Paris”.
She added: “This is good news — I might be able to become French too.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-stanley-johnson-boris-french-passport-rachel-book-rakes-progress-a9416636.html
The UK government is warning Boris Johnson could walk away from Brexit trade deal talks as soon as June. So what is Britain demanding - and why is it a problem for Brussels? Here are the 9 sticking points
Britain and the EU have kick-started frantic talks on a Brexit trade deal as both sides lay out their demands.
The EU published its 46-page "negotiating directives" on Tuesday - and now the UK has hit back with a 30-page document of its own.
It confirms Boris Johnson's plans to insist on full control over key areas including state aid, workers' rights, environmental standards and fishing rights.
And that means it heralds major rows over areas including business competition - the so-called "level playing field" - after No10 junked previous commitments to Brussels.
What's more, Boris Johnson will threaten to walk away from the talks as soon as June if things are not moving fast enough.
These are only the starting points, of course
If there is a trade deal, both sides will probably meet somewhere in the middle. But if they start too far apart, it'll scupper any hope of an agreement and we'll be left high and dry.
These talks are crucial for the future of the UK. If we don't have a trade deal with the EU by 31 December 2020, transitional rules will expire.
That means it'll be harder to travel, new checks will spring up, and billions of pounds worth of goods will be whacked with major tariffs as they pass through ports like Dover.
Yet it's understood the UK government has no plan to publish an impact assessment of today's planned deal. Meaning we'll have little clue the extent of how it hits businesses and your family.
Here's our guide to the key sticking points in the coming talks - the areas where they could fall apart.
1. Fishing
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU wants to let EU fishermen continue fishing in UK waters - avoiding any "economic dislocation". It wants a fishing arrangement to follow some EU laws. And crucially, it wants a new fisheries deal to be signed and ratified by 1 July 2020.
EU Brexit chief Michel Barnier said a free trade deal with the UK had to include fishing rights "or there won't be any agreement at all". He added: "Fisheries is part of a package as regards our trade relations, which are to be discussed, and that package is one you can't break up. There will be no ambiguity at all around that."
WHAT THE UK SAYS: The UK says Britain must become an "independent coastal state". That means agreeing annual negotiations on access to fishing waters - and any EU vessels granted access to fish in UK waters would have to follow UK rules. The UK insists it won't trade away fishing rights in return for a trade deal.
2. European courts
WHAT THE EU SAYS: To enforce the overall deal, the EU and the UK will have to agree to a dispute settlement system. The EU insists the European Court of Justice must have the final say on some disputes under this - and the dispute body must agree to follow whatever decision it makes.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: The UK flat-out rejects this. The document says there will be "no role" for the ECJ in the dispute resolution mechanism or any of the arrangements reached between the two sides.
3. Extending the transition period
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The transition period will end on 31 December 2020, but a joint committee can decide before July 1 this year to extend it by up to one or two years. EU chiefs have encouraged an extension, saying there isn't enough time to figure out a full trade deal.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: Britain has totally ruled out extension. Page four of the document states: "The government will not extend the transition period." That effectively means that at the June summit, if a deal doesn't look likely by the end of the year, the UK will prepare to walk away with no trade deal.
4. Business competition
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU's big demand is a 'level playing field'. This means having similar trade rules for both sides - and guaranteeing the UK can't use leaving the EU to undercut its former partners to scoop up business. In return, it would mean UK businesses get tariff-free access to EU markets.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: The phrase "level playing field" doesn't appear anywhere in the 30-page document. Britain says the trade deal should "maintain effective competition laws" - but this does not require "regulatory alignment" or linking the UK's rules to the EU's. The document explicitly adds: "Both parties should have the regulatory freedom to respond to new and emerging challenges in these areas."
If Britain signed up to the EU's request the implications would be far-reaching, limiting its abilities to strike wide-ranging deals with the rest of the world, including potentially the US.
5. State aid
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU wants the UK to keep following EU rules on 'state aid' - the amount of government support that can be given to industries like steel. Under EU rules, governments are allowed to provide state aid only with approval from Brussels. Any disputes would have to be dealt with through a joint process.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: Britain rejects the idea of a binding 'level playing field' - and the document proposes a more woolly commitment to be fair to both sides. It says any state-owned enterprises should "operate in a fair and transparent manner" and "not discriminate against businesses in the other party."
Effectively, they're saying they won't sign up to EU rules, but within the terms of the agreement the UK and EU can agree not to drastically undercut each other.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/uks-9-demands-brexit-trade-21588077
WHAT THE EU SAYS: EU leaders say the UK must uphold all of Brussels' environmental standards that are in force as at 31 December 2020. Britain would also have to commit to the EU's climate change targets "where relevant".
And the UK would need a system of carbon pricing to "cost" pollution that has "at least the same effectiveness and scope" as the EU's. Brussels wants Britain to simply link its emissions trading system to the EU's.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: Again, Britain rejects a binding 'level playing field'. Instead it calls for 'reciprocal commitments not to weaken or reduce' environment standards on either side.
7. Workers' rights
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The document says Britain must not lower any labour or social protection laws below the level of the EU's as at 31 December 2020. Those include workplace rights; health and safety; consultation rules; and fair conditions. This stops short of "dynamic alignment" - following EU rules as they change.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: As with state aid and the environment, Britain agrees to include "reciprocal commitments" not to weaken workers' rights laws. But the UK rejects the demand to follow EU laws, saying "the agreement should recognise the right of each party to set its labour priorities and adopt or modify its labour laws."
8. A security treaty
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU wants to include security and defence as part of the talks on a trade deal. That's because the UK has the upper hand in this, as one of the continent's leading powers.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: A UK source confirmed the British government is unwilling to follow that path. "We expect to cooperate closely with our allies, including the EU," the source said. "We don't think we need an institutional treaty framework to achieve this."
The UK is only looking to discuss legal agreements on much narrower elements of security cooperation, including to be able to share sensitive and classified information with the bloc. Britain will also not take part in the European Arrest Warrant and instead develop a new system based on Norway and Iceland.
9. Financial services
WHAT THE EU SAYS: The EU has spoken of "voluntary" cooperation in financial regulation - which governs billions of pounds in the City of London. Brussels would want this co-operation to maintain the EU's independence on financial matters.
WHAT THE UK SAYS: Britain wants stronger "legally binding" obligations on access to the EU financial market - with arrangements for keeping trust as rules evolve. The UK wants this to provide a "predictable, transparent, and business-friendly environment" for City firms.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/uks-9-demands-brexit-trade-21588077
Latest round of negotiations delayed last week as governments scramble to contain outbreak
The majority of Britons want the Brexit transition period to be extended after negotiations were put on ice due to the coronavirus outbreak, a new poll shows.
Britain left the EU on 31 January but remains in a transition period until the end of the year, allowing negotiators on both sides to hammer out a vital trade deal.
Senior figures in Brussels had warned that the 11-month period was too short to strike such a complex agreement even before the coronavirus crisis hit.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-brexit-transition-period-extension-when-eu-poll-a9415701.html
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's logistics industry is urging the government to delay its departure from the European Union because it cannot prepare for Brexit while battling to get food and medical supplies into the country during the coronavirus pandemic.
The FTA, which represents members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, said it was petitioning government to urgently seek an extension to the transition period before the planned departure date at the end of the year.
"This is not about the relative merits of Brexit, or any trading arrangements which our industry will need to adopt," said Elizabeth de Jong, Policy Director at FTA.
"Logistics is facing unprecedented challenges, both in terms of keeping the UK economy supplied with all the goods it needs to function, as well as coping with the increased disruption to staffing levels caused by sickness and self-isolation and concerns about the viability of their businesses."
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/britains-embattled-logistics-industry-calls-140824025.html
Heres a reminder,
Journalism
In July 2018, Johnson signed a 12‑month contract to write articles for the Telegraph Media Group.[406] In August, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACoBA) reported that this employment was a breach of the Ministerial Code.[407][406] In December, Johnson was ordered to apologise to Parliament for failing to declare £50,000 of earnings. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found that the errors were not inadvertent and that Johnson had failed on nine occasions to make declarations within the rules.[408]
In April 2019, the Independent Press Standards Organisation ruled that a claim in a 6 January 2019 article in The Daily Telegraph, "The British people won't be scared into backing a woeful Brexit deal nobody voted for", authored by Johnson,[411] that a no-deal Brexit was "by some margin preferred by the British public" was false, and "represented a failure to take care over the accuracy of the article in breach of Clause 1 (i)" of its guidelines, and required that a correction to the false claim be published in the print edition, and appended to the online version.[412]