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| Daniel Morgan murder: Priti Patel says case ‘one of most devastating episodes’ in history of Met – live | Daniel Morgan murder: Priti Patel says case ‘one of most devastating episodes’ in history of Met – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Home secretary says she has asked Cressida Dick to respond to report that found police force was ‘institutionally corrupt’ in handling of 1987 murder | Home secretary says she has asked Cressida Dick to respond to report that found police force was ‘institutionally corrupt’ in handling of 1987 murder |
| Sturgeon says the Scottish government needs more evidence about the impact of the Delta variant. | |
| She advises MSPs to read the research about the Delta variant based on Scottish data published by the Lancet yesterday. | |
| Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, is making a statement to MSPs about Covid. | |
| She says there will be no changes to Covid regulations in Scotland this week. | |
| The next three weekly review will be a week today, she says. | |
| And she reads out the latest figures. | |
| She says cases are now five times higher than they were in early May. | |
| Here are the main points from the Downing Street lobby briefing. | |
| Downing Street condemned the conduct of the anti-lockdown protesters in London yesterday who harassed and threatened the BBC reporter Nicholas Watt. Asked about the treatment of Watt, Newsnight’s political editor, the PM’s spokesman said: | |
| Here is footage of the incident. | |
| Labour has also condemned what happened to Watt. Jo Stevens, the shadow culture secretary, said: | |
| The PM’s spokesman said No 10 was taking the Speaker’s complaints about what happened yesterday very seriously. Asked about Johnson’s meeting with the Speaker to discuss this (see 2.16pm), the spokesman said: | |
| The spokesman said Johnson still has confident in Dame Cressida Dick, commissioner of the Metropolitan police. | |
| Boris Johnson still has confidence in the Metropolitan Police Commissioner following the publication of the Daniel Morgan report, according to Downing Street.Asked if the Prime Minister still had full confidence in Dame Cressida Dick during a Westminster briefing, his official spokesman simply replied: “Yes.” | |
| Boris Johnson is due to meet Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, this afternoon to discuss Hoyle’s complaint about parliament being sidelined when No 10 announced the delay in easing lockdown restrictions, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, told MPs. | |
| The National Farmers’ Union has now issued its response to the news the UK has concluded a free trade deal with Australia and, while the NFU is still expressing concerns, it is less hostile than it was in the statement issued last month. In her response Minette Batters, the NFU president, said: | The National Farmers’ Union has now issued its response to the news the UK has concluded a free trade deal with Australia and, while the NFU is still expressing concerns, it is less hostile than it was in the statement issued last month. In her response Minette Batters, the NFU president, said: |
| Batters also said the formal announcement from the government did not mention animal welfare or environmental standards. “While the government has previously been keen to highlight how our free trade agreements will uphold our high standards of food production, there has always been a question mark over how this can be achieved while opening up our markets to food produced to different standards,” she said. | Batters also said the formal announcement from the government did not mention animal welfare or environmental standards. “While the government has previously been keen to highlight how our free trade agreements will uphold our high standards of food production, there has always been a question mark over how this can be achieved while opening up our markets to food produced to different standards,” she said. |
| Speaking to the media earlier Boris Johnson said the deal would “adhere to the strongest possible standards for animal welfare”, adding that “that is what the British consumer is going to want”. | Speaking to the media earlier Boris Johnson said the deal would “adhere to the strongest possible standards for animal welfare”, adding that “that is what the British consumer is going to want”. |
| And Scott Morrison, the Australian PM, said: | And Scott Morrison, the Australian PM, said: |
| Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has urged the government to speed the allocation of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to the capital so that young people can get vaccinated there more quickly. | Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has urged the government to speed the allocation of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to the capital so that young people can get vaccinated there more quickly. |
| The brother of Daniel Morgan said the Met commissioner, Cressida Dick, should “absolutely” be considering her position in light of the report into his murder. After the panel report found the Met was institutionally corrupt, Daniel’s brother Alastair was asked whether Dick should consider resigning. He responded: “Absolutely she should.” | The brother of Daniel Morgan said the Met commissioner, Cressida Dick, should “absolutely” be considering her position in light of the report into his murder. After the panel report found the Met was institutionally corrupt, Daniel’s brother Alastair was asked whether Dick should consider resigning. He responded: “Absolutely she should.” |
| As PA Media reports, the family’s solicitor Raju Bhatt added: | As PA Media reports, the family’s solicitor Raju Bhatt added: |
| Stuart McDonald (SNP) asks if Patel will make a statement about the implications of the report for the media. And he says the report backs the case for phase two of the Leveson inquiry to be allowed to go ahead | Stuart McDonald (SNP) asks if Patel will make a statement about the implications of the report for the media. And he says the report backs the case for phase two of the Leveson inquiry to be allowed to go ahead |
| Patel says the Leveson report made a series of recommendations about the relationship between the police and the media. She says the government consulted Sir Brian Leveson about whether or not to go ahead with phase two, and he agreed it was no longer appropriate. | Patel says the Leveson report made a series of recommendations about the relationship between the police and the media. She says the government consulted Sir Brian Leveson about whether or not to go ahead with phase two, and he agreed it was no longer appropriate. |
| Theresa May, the Conservative former PM who set up the panel when she was home secretary, says the report provides yet another example of “an organ of the state, whose job was to protect the public, prioritising the reputation of the institution over the delivery of justice”. | Theresa May, the Conservative former PM who set up the panel when she was home secretary, says the report provides yet another example of “an organ of the state, whose job was to protect the public, prioritising the reputation of the institution over the delivery of justice”. |
| Patel tells Thomas-Symonds the government will consider the recommendation about a duty of candour. | Patel tells Thomas-Symonds the government will consider the recommendation about a duty of candour. |
| Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, responds for Labour. | Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, responds for Labour. |
| He says paragraph 60 of the report is particularly shocking. It says: | He says paragraph 60 of the report is particularly shocking. It says: |
| He says the report recommends a “duty of candour” on law enforcement agencies. He asks if the government will accept this, particularly in the light of the Covid inquiry due to start next year. | He says the report recommends a “duty of candour” on law enforcement agencies. He asks if the government will accept this, particularly in the light of the Covid inquiry due to start next year. |
| Patel says the government tightened laws on police corruption when Theresa May was home secretary. | Patel says the government tightened laws on police corruption when Theresa May was home secretary. |
| But she says the government must respond to this report. | But she says the government must respond to this report. |
| She says she is writing to Cressida Dick, the Met commissioner, asking for a detailed response to the panel’s recommendations. | She says she is writing to Cressida Dick, the Met commissioner, asking for a detailed response to the panel’s recommendations. |
| She says she has also written to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services asking it to consider the issues raised by the report. | She says she has also written to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services asking it to consider the issues raised by the report. |
| And she also announces a review of the effectiveness of the Independent Office for Police Conduct. | And she also announces a review of the effectiveness of the Independent Office for Police Conduct. |
| Priti Patel, the home secretary, says no redactions to the report were required. But she had to take account of national security issues, he says. | Priti Patel, the home secretary, says no redactions to the report were required. But she had to take account of national security issues, he says. |
| The report is over 1,200 pages long, she says. | The report is over 1,200 pages long, she says. |
| It is “deeply alarming” and finds examples of corrupt behaviour, not limited to the first investigation. | It is “deeply alarming” and finds examples of corrupt behaviour, not limited to the first investigation. |
| She says the report accuses the Metropolitan police of a form of institutional corruption. | She says the report accuses the Metropolitan police of a form of institutional corruption. |
| We look to the police to protect us, she says. She says the overwhelming majority of officers used their powers properly. But it is terrible when officers misuse this power. | We look to the police to protect us, she says. She says the overwhelming majority of officers used their powers properly. But it is terrible when officers misuse this power. |
| She says this has been “one of the most devastating episodes in the history of the Metropolitan police”. | She says this has been “one of the most devastating episodes in the history of the Metropolitan police”. |
| The full report from the Daniel Morgan independent panel is here. It runs to three volumes. | The full report from the Daniel Morgan independent panel is here. It runs to three volumes. |
| Here is a statement (pdf) from Nuala O’Loan, the crossbench peer who chaired the panel. | Here is a statement (pdf) from Nuala O’Loan, the crossbench peer who chaired the panel. |
| And here is an extract from O’Loan’s statement. | And here is an extract from O’Loan’s statement. |
| Priti Patel, the home secretary, is about to make a statement about the Daniel Morgan murder inquiry report. | Priti Patel, the home secretary, is about to make a statement about the Daniel Morgan murder inquiry report. |
| Our story on what the report says is here. | Our story on what the report says is here. |
| Savanta ComRes has released some snap polling on the PM’s announcement last night about the four-week delay in lifting the remaining Covid restrictions for England. | Savanta ComRes has released some snap polling on the PM’s announcement last night about the four-week delay in lifting the remaining Covid restrictions for England. |
| Only 13% of people thought the rules should have been lifted on 21 June as originally planned, the poll suggests. | Only 13% of people thought the rules should have been lifted on 21 June as originally planned, the poll suggests. |
| Another 31% support 19 July (the new date set by Boris Johnson) as the best time to lift the remaining restrictions. | Another 31% support 19 July (the new date set by Boris Johnson) as the best time to lift the remaining restrictions. |
| But 43% think that what Johnson calls the “terminus date” should come later, the poll suggests. | But 43% think that what Johnson calls the “terminus date” should come later, the poll suggests. |
| But when the question about the PM’s decision is framed in a different way, a majority of voters support it, the poll suggests. | But when the question about the PM’s decision is framed in a different way, a majority of voters support it, the poll suggests. |
| Although the UK has made progress this morning on trade ties in the southern hemisphere (see 10.10am, 11.24am and 12.03pm), relations with its largest trading partner, which is on its doorstep, remain problematic. This morning Mairead McGuinness, the European commissioner for financial services, told an Irish parliamentary meeting that, if the UK takes further unilateral action to undermine the Northern Ireland protocol, the EU will retaliate. She said: | Although the UK has made progress this morning on trade ties in the southern hemisphere (see 10.10am, 11.24am and 12.03pm), relations with its largest trading partner, which is on its doorstep, remain problematic. This morning Mairead McGuinness, the European commissioner for financial services, told an Irish parliamentary meeting that, if the UK takes further unilateral action to undermine the Northern Ireland protocol, the EU will retaliate. She said: |
| Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, has said that the trade deal with the UK is “the most comprehensive and ambitious agreement that Australia has concluded”. The only similar one is Australia’s deal with New Zealand, he said. | Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, has said that the trade deal with the UK is “the most comprehensive and ambitious agreement that Australia has concluded”. The only similar one is Australia’s deal with New Zealand, he said. |
| Speaking at No 10, Morrison also that the deal could “open the pathway” for the UK’s entry into the the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership). He said: | Speaking at No 10, Morrison also that the deal could “open the pathway” for the UK’s entry into the the CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership). He said: |
| Labour has sought to capitalise on what it thinks is one of the strongest lines of attack against the delay in lifting restrictions across England, blaming Boris Johnson for letting the Delta variant that originated in India seep through Britain’s “lax” borders. | Labour has sought to capitalise on what it thinks is one of the strongest lines of attack against the delay in lifting restrictions across England, blaming Boris Johnson for letting the Delta variant that originated in India seep through Britain’s “lax” borders. |
| In a speech this morning, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, said the “Johnson variant” had only fuelled so many case rises because of ministers’ “negligence and incompetence”. | In a speech this morning, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, said the “Johnson variant” had only fuelled so many case rises because of ministers’ “negligence and incompetence”. |
| Trying to counter the government’s dismissal that “hindsight is a wonderful thing”, Thomas-Symonds said India should have been put on the red list 14 days earlier, when Pakistan and Bangladesh were - dubbing the wait a “fortnight of failure”. He said: | Trying to counter the government’s dismissal that “hindsight is a wonderful thing”, Thomas-Symonds said India should have been put on the red list 14 days earlier, when Pakistan and Bangladesh were - dubbing the wait a “fortnight of failure”. He said: |
| Thomas-Symonds told the Guardian that Johnson only delayed putting India on the red list because he wanted a photo op with the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, at a trade agreement signing, branding the prime minister “unbelievably reckless”. | Thomas-Symonds told the Guardian that Johnson only delayed putting India on the red list because he wanted a photo op with the country’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, at a trade agreement signing, branding the prime minister “unbelievably reckless”. |
| Ahead of a vote in parliament tomorrow on extending restrictions which Labour will support, Thomas-Symonds emphasised that he wants 19 July to be the final stage of unlocking - but “whether it will be, will depend upon the measures the government actually takes”. | Ahead of a vote in parliament tomorrow on extending restrictions which Labour will support, Thomas-Symonds emphasised that he wants 19 July to be the final stage of unlocking - but “whether it will be, will depend upon the measures the government actually takes”. |
| Ideas he suggested included increasing financial support for people who need to self-isolate or rely on statutory sick pay, and scrapping the amber list, meaning any travellers arriving from risky countries would have to pay to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days. | Ideas he suggested included increasing financial support for people who need to self-isolate or rely on statutory sick pay, and scrapping the amber list, meaning any travellers arriving from risky countries would have to pay to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days. |
| Labour’s popularity has plunged since the vaccine rollout got under way and Johnson set out the roadmap out of lockdown back in February, leaving the party searching for an effective series of attack lines that resonate strongly with the public. | Labour’s popularity has plunged since the vaccine rollout got under way and Johnson set out the roadmap out of lockdown back in February, leaving the party searching for an effective series of attack lines that resonate strongly with the public. |
| Given opinion polls suggest the majority of people back keeping restrictions in place for another month, Labour’s focus will be on painting this latest delay as avoidable. In particular, expect it to point to a figure from the Civil Aviation Authority, which said 20,000 passengers arrived from India in the two weeks before it was put on the red list. | Given opinion polls suggest the majority of people back keeping restrictions in place for another month, Labour’s focus will be on painting this latest delay as avoidable. In particular, expect it to point to a figure from the Civil Aviation Authority, which said 20,000 passengers arrived from India in the two weeks before it was put on the red list. |
| Whether the public will let that fly, remains to be seen. | Whether the public will let that fly, remains to be seen. |