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| Brexit: Johnson denies going back on level playing field terms he agreed with EU last year - live news | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including Michael Gove publishing the government’s negotiating mandate for the post-Brexit trade talks with the EU | Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including Michael Gove publishing the government’s negotiating mandate for the post-Brexit trade talks with the EU |
| Boris Johnson has rejected claims that he is going back on promises he made in the political declaration last year to agree level playing field rules with the EU. (See 10am.) When this suggestion was put to him in an interview this morning, he replied: | Boris Johnson has rejected claims that he is going back on promises he made in the political declaration last year to agree level playing field rules with the EU. (See 10am.) When this suggestion was put to him in an interview this morning, he replied: |
| Johnson is correct about this; his desire for the UK to be able to diverge from EU regulations after Brexit has always been clear. But that does not explain why he signed the political declaration (pdf) last year saying that in a future UK-EU relationship there should be “robust commitments to ensure a level playing field”. | Johnson is correct about this; his desire for the UK to be able to diverge from EU regulations after Brexit has always been clear. But that does not explain why he signed the political declaration (pdf) last year saying that in a future UK-EU relationship there should be “robust commitments to ensure a level playing field”. |
| The Liberal Democrats have accused the government of watering down the UK’s membership of the Erasmus+ student exchange scheme, after the Brexit negotiating strategy bluntly described UK participation as “time limited”.The strategy document has a single reference to the scheme, stating: “The UK will consider options for participation in elements of Erasmus+ on a time-limited basis, provided the terms are in the UK’s interests.”The Lib Dems say the wording suggests the UK will seek looser membership of Erasmus after 2021, with lower funding for British universities and colleges, which would need to rely on partners in EU member states to manage student and staff exchanges on their behalf. Layla Moran, the Lib Dem education spokesperson, said: | The Liberal Democrats have accused the government of watering down the UK’s membership of the Erasmus+ student exchange scheme, after the Brexit negotiating strategy bluntly described UK participation as “time limited”.The strategy document has a single reference to the scheme, stating: “The UK will consider options for participation in elements of Erasmus+ on a time-limited basis, provided the terms are in the UK’s interests.”The Lib Dems say the wording suggests the UK will seek looser membership of Erasmus after 2021, with lower funding for British universities and colleges, which would need to rely on partners in EU member states to manage student and staff exchanges on their behalf. Layla Moran, the Lib Dem education spokesperson, said: |
| The number of people moving to the UK long-term from non-EU countries is at its highest level on record, according to the latest estimates. As the Press Association reports, in the year to September immigration from non-EU countries hit 379,000 – the highest it has been since records began in 1975 when it was 93,000. | The number of people moving to the UK long-term from non-EU countries is at its highest level on record, according to the latest estimates. As the Press Association reports, in the year to September immigration from non-EU countries hit 379,000 – the highest it has been since records began in 1975 when it was 93,000. |
| Net migration from outside the EU – the balance between the number of people entering and leaving the UK – is at its highest level (250,000) since 2004 when it peaked at 265,000, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. | Net migration from outside the EU – the balance between the number of people entering and leaving the UK – is at its highest level (250,000) since 2004 when it peaked at 265,000, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. |
| Meanwhile, EU net migration stood at 64,000, slightly higher but broadly similar to the 57,000 recorded a year earlier, PA reports. | Meanwhile, EU net migration stood at 64,000, slightly higher but broadly similar to the 57,000 recorded a year earlier, PA reports. |
| Explaining the figures, Jay Lindop, the director of the centre for international migration at the ONS, said: | Explaining the figures, Jay Lindop, the director of the centre for international migration at the ONS, said: |
| Responding to the government’s announcement that it may abandon trade talks with the EU if there is not enough progress by June, the European commission spokeswoman Dana Spinant told reporters at a briefing: | Responding to the government’s announcement that it may abandon trade talks with the EU if there is not enough progress by June, the European commission spokeswoman Dana Spinant told reporters at a briefing: |
| Asked whether the EU was preparing for the talks to fail, she said it would be “premature to speculate” about the result of the negotiations. | Asked whether the EU was preparing for the talks to fail, she said it would be “premature to speculate” about the result of the negotiations. |
| Mujtaba Rahman, the Brexit specialist for the Eurasia Group consultancy, has posted a revealing Twitter thread on the state of UK-EU relations. It starts here. | Mujtaba Rahman, the Brexit specialist for the Eurasia Group consultancy, has posted a revealing Twitter thread on the state of UK-EU relations. It starts here. |
| Here is my colleague Lisa O’Carroll’s analysis of what the government is proposing in its “Future Relationship with the EU” document, which sets out its negotiating stance in trade talks with the union. | Here is my colleague Lisa O’Carroll’s analysis of what the government is proposing in its “Future Relationship with the EU” document, which sets out its negotiating stance in trade talks with the union. |
| Here are the main points from Michael Gove’s statement to MPs about the UK’s position in the forthcoming trade talks with the EU. | Here are the main points from Michael Gove’s statement to MPs about the UK’s position in the forthcoming trade talks with the EU. |
| Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, said the UK would “not link access to our waters [for fishing] to access to EU markets”. In his opening statement he went on: | Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, said the UK would “not link access to our waters [for fishing] to access to EU markets”. In his opening statement he went on: |
| And when asked by the Conservative MP Steve Double to confirm that fishing would not be used as a “bargaining chip” in the negotiations, Gove replied: | And when asked by the Conservative MP Steve Double to confirm that fishing would not be used as a “bargaining chip” in the negotiations, Gove replied: |
| He confirmed that the UK would “not accept nor agree to any obligations where our laws are aligned with the EU or the EU’s institutions, including the court of justice”. (See 11.16am.) | He confirmed that the UK would “not accept nor agree to any obligations where our laws are aligned with the EU or the EU’s institutions, including the court of justice”. (See 11.16am.) |
| He claimed that the British people would be “even safer” after Brexit because the UK would be able to take full control of its borders. He said the government did want an agreement with the EU on law enforcement and judicial cooperation. But he also said: “We will not allow our own legal order to be compromised.” | He claimed that the British people would be “even safer” after Brexit because the UK would be able to take full control of its borders. He said the government did want an agreement with the EU on law enforcement and judicial cooperation. But he also said: “We will not allow our own legal order to be compromised.” |
| He insisted that the UK was just asking for trade terms of the kind offered by the EU to other nations. | He insisted that the UK was just asking for trade terms of the kind offered by the EU to other nations. |
| He said the UK wanted a free trade deal that protected standards without obliging the UK to follow EU rules. He said: | He said the UK wanted a free trade deal that protected standards without obliging the UK to follow EU rules. He said: |
| He rejected the EU argument that it needed to impose tougher trade terms on the UK than it does on a country like Canada because of the UK’s proximity to the EU. He said: | He rejected the EU argument that it needed to impose tougher trade terms on the UK than it does on a country like Canada because of the UK’s proximity to the EU. He said: |
| Gove was referring to the EU argument famously embodied in this chart (pdf). | Gove was referring to the EU argument famously embodied in this chart (pdf). |
| Gove said the government was committed to “respecting and enacting” the Northern Ireland protocol, the part of the withdrawal agreement setting new customs rules for Northern Ireland. Later, when asked if the government would actually implement the protocol, Gove said the government would ensure it was “appropriately implemented”. | Gove said the government was committed to “respecting and enacting” the Northern Ireland protocol, the part of the withdrawal agreement setting new customs rules for Northern Ireland. Later, when asked if the government would actually implement the protocol, Gove said the government would ensure it was “appropriately implemented”. |
| He insisted that it would be possible to recruit 50,000 new customs officers before the end of the year to operate the new border controls that will come into force from 2021. He was responding to a question from Labour’s Christian Matheson, who said 50,000 officials would be needed. | He insisted that it would be possible to recruit 50,000 new customs officers before the end of the year to operate the new border controls that will come into force from 2021. He was responding to a question from Labour’s Christian Matheson, who said 50,000 officials would be needed. |
| Gove claimed the UK would be better placed to succeed economically by being independent of the EU. In response to a question from Labour’s Pat McFadden, who said the government had chosen “to prioritise sovereignty over any economic argument or consequence either for goods or for services”, Gove said: | Gove claimed the UK would be better placed to succeed economically by being independent of the EU. In response to a question from Labour’s Pat McFadden, who said the government had chosen “to prioritise sovereignty over any economic argument or consequence either for goods or for services”, Gove said: |
| Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has issued a rather non-committal tweet responding to the publication of the government’s Future Relationship with the EU (pdf) document. The reference to “prior commitments” in the political declaration refers above all to what the UK and the EU said last year about how “the future relationship must ensure open and fair competition, encompassing robust commitments to ensure a level playing field”. (See 10am.) | Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, has issued a rather non-committal tweet responding to the publication of the government’s Future Relationship with the EU (pdf) document. The reference to “prior commitments” in the political declaration refers above all to what the UK and the EU said last year about how “the future relationship must ensure open and fair competition, encompassing robust commitments to ensure a level playing field”. (See 10am.) |
| This is from my colleague Jamie Grierson, the Guardian’s home affairs correspondent. | This is from my colleague Jamie Grierson, the Guardian’s home affairs correspondent. |
| He is referring to this paragraph in the government’s Future Relationship with the EU (pdf) document. | He is referring to this paragraph in the government’s Future Relationship with the EU (pdf) document. |
| This is from Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, on the court of appeal’s heathrow decision. | This is from Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, on the court of appeal’s heathrow decision. |
| Gove has now finished his statement. I will post a summary soon. | Gove has now finished his statement. I will post a summary soon. |
| Back in the Commons, asked if the government is implementing the Northern Ireland protocol (which will require new border rules at the border between Britain and Northern Ireland), Gove says the government will “appropriately” implement it. | Back in the Commons, asked if the government is implementing the Northern Ireland protocol (which will require new border rules at the border between Britain and Northern Ireland), Gove says the government will “appropriately” implement it. |
| This is unlikely to assuage EU concerns that the UK is seeking to water down the commitments it made (or the commitments that the EU assumed the UK had made) in the protocol. | This is unlikely to assuage EU concerns that the UK is seeking to water down the commitments it made (or the commitments that the EU assumed the UK had made) in the protocol. |
| Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, says the government’s Brexit negotiating strategy is putting jobs at risk. In a statement she says: | Frances O’Grady, the TUC general secretary, says the government’s Brexit negotiating strategy is putting jobs at risk. In a statement she says: |
| The SNP’s Martin Docherty-Hughes asks why the document does not mention defence. | The SNP’s Martin Docherty-Hughes asks why the document does not mention defence. |
| Gove says the UK’s defence is guaranteed by its membership of Nato. | Gove says the UK’s defence is guaranteed by its membership of Nato. |
| Labour’s Stephen Doughty asks if the government would be happy to lose access to the European arrest warrant. That is the implication of saying the UK will not allow the European court of justice to have any jurisdiction in the UK, he implies. | Labour’s Stephen Doughty asks if the government would be happy to lose access to the European arrest warrant. That is the implication of saying the UK will not allow the European court of justice to have any jurisdiction in the UK, he implies. |
| Gove says this will be a matter for the EU. The EU will have to decide what is in the interests of its citizens, he says. | Gove says this will be a matter for the EU. The EU will have to decide what is in the interests of its citizens, he says. |
| Labour’s Kate Green asks how the government will be able to protect the UK if it fails to strike a deal with the EU, with the result that the UK does not have access to EU crime and justice databases. | Labour’s Kate Green asks how the government will be able to protect the UK if it fails to strike a deal with the EU, with the result that the UK does not have access to EU crime and justice databases. |
| Gove says the EU benefits just as much, if not more, from the UK’s participation in these databases. | Gove says the EU benefits just as much, if not more, from the UK’s participation in these databases. |
| These are from Newsnight’s Lewis Goodall. | These are from Newsnight’s Lewis Goodall. |
| And here is what the government document says about alignment with EU rules. It says: | And here is what the government document says about alignment with EU rules. It says: |
| Here is the Green MP Caroline Lucas on Michael Gove’s statement. | Here is the Green MP Caroline Lucas on Michael Gove’s statement. |