Dominic Cummings has been told that his explosive claims against Matt Hancock will be “unsubstantiated” unless he provides evidence to back them up.

Appearing before MPs last month, Boris Johnson’s former aide said the health secretary was dishonest and should have been fired on up to 20 occasions.

Greg Clark and Jeremy Hunt, who chair the Health and Social Care and Science and Technology Committees, wrote to Mr Cummings after the deadline for submitting evidence elapsed on 4 June.

They acknowledged that “providing documentary evidence of these conversations may not be possible”.

“However, we are sure you understand that without further evidence we have to consider these allegations as unsubstantiated,” they added.

Ministers made policing “even harder” during the pandemic through unclear and ever-changing laws, the chair of the Police Federation has said.

John Apter, whose organisation represents officers in England and Wales, said: “For the past 15 months we have been required to police in a way that none of us ever expected to when we joined the job.

“We knew it was never going to be easy. But our job was made even harder by the ever changing rules and regulations.”

He added that police officers were often sent out on patrol several hours after new regulations, which “were not always crystal clear”, were imposed.

A coalition of MPs, including Labour’s John McDonnell, unions, and environmental campaigners are demanding the government ensure a shorter working week is discussed at the UN climate summit hosted by the UK.

In a letter to Alok Sharma, who was appointed earlier this year by Boris Johnson as Cop 26 president, the signatories urge consideration of the “benefits that a shorter working week could offer in the race to limit the worst effects of climate change”.

It comes as the government prepares to host the crucial climate conference in November, with world leaders being asked to come forward with “ambitious 2030 emissions reductions targets” that align with UK’s legally-binding target of net zero by the middle of the century.

The letter highlights a recent report by Platform London— commissioned by the 4 Day Week campaign — which suggested last month the introduction of a four-day working week with no loss of pay would aid efforts in reducing Britain’s carbon footprint, with a possible reduction of 127 million tonnes per year by 2025.

Read Ashley Cowburn’s exclusive here:

The EU has said its patience with the UK is “wearing thin” and has threatened to “suspend” parts of the Brexit trade agreement unless London complies with the Northern Ireland protocol.

Speaking after failed Brexit talks on Wednesday, Maroš Šefčovič, the EU commission vice-president, said Brussels could slap tariffs on UK exports and even “suspend cooperation in certain sectors”, pointing to deals on trade and services.

Rob Merrick has this breaking story:

The UK and the EU have finished their “frank and honest” Brexit discussion on Wednesday without striking an overall agreement.

Kate Devlin has more details about what happened:

Boris Johnson has weighed in on the “culture wars” battle over the removal of a portrait of the Queen from an Oxford students’ common room by sending out a message that he “supports” education secretary Gavin Williamson’s criticism of the decision.

Breaking story by Andrew Woodcock here:

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic has said that the EU is “at a crossroads” in its relationship with the UK after a deal was not reached over the Northern Ireland protocol, adding that patience in the EU is “wearing very, very thin”.

Mr Sefcovic said: “We have always shown solidarity with Ireland and will continue to stand by Ireland which is the member state most affected by Brexit. This is a matter between the EU and the UK, not between the EU and Ireland.

“Today I can say we are at a crossroads in our relationship with the UK.

“If the UK were to take further unilateral action in the coming weeks the EU will not be shy in acting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure the UK abides by its international obligations.”

He said that Brussels would consider all its options, adding: “Of course as you would understand, the fact that I mentioned that we are at a crossroads, means that our patience really is wearing very, very thin, and therefore we have to assess all options we have at our disposal.

“I was talking about the legal action, I was talking about arbitration, and of course I’m talking about the cross-retaliation.

“We do not want this to happen, therefore I came here, therefore we had very intense debate this morning, and also yesterday evening with Lord Frost, because I believe that there are possible solutions.”

Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister has said there was some progress in today’s meeting on post-Brexit trade, including on medicine.

Michelle O’Neill added that there was “still a way to go” on other issues.

“I think certainly we’re probably at a crossroads point, I think that was certainly the indication from the EU side,” she said.

Brexit minister David Frost has said the EU wants the Northern Ireland protocol to be implemented in an “extremly purist way”.

His comment comes at the end of an discussion with his European counterpart Maros Sefcovic, which did not lead to a breakthrough.

Referring to the protocol, he said: “The reality is that it’s a very balanced document that’s designed to support the peace process and deal with the very sensitive politics in Northern Ireland.”

The Tory peer called for “pragmatic solutions” and did not rule out the unilateral extension of grace periods.

Boris Johnson has hit out at opponents of his foreign aid cuts, accusing them of “lefty propaganda”.

This comment was presumably aimed not just at opposition MPs but also at members of his own party, given that his predecessor Theresa May has spoken out against the slashing of the foreign aid budget.

Andrew Woodcock has the details: