EU will not accept ‘pig in a poke’ agreement

Following the trade negotiation talks with the EU, European Council president Charles Michel warned the bloc would not accept a “pig in a poke” agreement.

He said a “broad and ambitious” agreement was “in our mutual interest”.

The EU was “ready to put a tiger in the tank but not to buy a pig in a poke”.

The “level playing field” commitments – where the UK would agree to EU standards on the environment, workers’ rights and state subsidies – were “essential”.

EHRC wants ‘urgent action’ on racial inequality

The Equality and Human Rights Commission chairman David Isaac has said the government should take “urgent action” to address racial inequality, and noted that there were already countless reports on the issue.

“We know the scale of the problems we face to tackle the entrenched racial inequality in our country. It is not new. There have been countless reports and the data exists exposing all the issues.”

“Now is the time for urgent action. We need to see a clear and comprehensive race strategy with clear targets and timescales from government. We hope this new commission will help deliver that and we stand ready to work with it.”

Hancock failed to respond social care ‘scandal’ warning nine months after deadline

Health secretary Matt Hancock has failed to respond to a parliamentary call to end the “national scandal” of failing social services for almost one year, it has emerged.

Last summer, an inquiry called for an immediate £8bn cash injection to rescue the system, warning that 400,000 people have been stripped of help.

But Hancock broke with convention by failing to respond within two months and 11 months have now elapsed, the House of Lords economic affairs committee has revealed.

“I expect to receive the response to our report imminently,” says a sternly-worded letter to Mr Hancock from Lord Forsyth, the committee’s Conservative chairman.”

PM urges EU to agree Brexit trade deal by ‘end of summer’

The UK has urged the European Union to reach a post-Brexit free trade agreement “by the end of the summer” as Boris Johnson held talks with Brussels chiefs.

The UK had previously indicated that it could walk away from talks with the EU if the “broad outline” of a deal was not visible by the June meeting. But officials played down the prospect of “drama” at the summit, which was being conducted by video link.

Johnson was expected to say that the talks need to be “swiftly concluded”, providing the public and business with certainty on the way forward.

The PM’s official spokesman said: “You can expect the prime minister to welcome the fact that the European Commission president has agreed to an intensified timetable for FTA negotiations in July and also expect the prime minister to urge renewed energy and commitment to reach an agreement by the end of the summer.

“The high-level meeting was always envisaged as a moment to push the negotiations forward. We now need to get this resolved and deliver certainty for businesses at home and in the EU as soon as possible.

“We are looking to agree a high quality FTA based on the agreements the EU has already reached with other countries, but whatever happens we will be ready for January 1 when we will take back control of our laws, border and money.”

English Heritage reviewing blue plaques in London

A London-wide review of diversity in public spaces will include the nearly 1,000 commemorative blue plaques and statues overseen by English Heritage, the charity has said.

Alongside its ongoing effort to improve recognition of influential black and ethnic minority figures, English Heritage said it wanted to “ensure that the stories and the sometimes painful and controversial actions of those commemorated by the London statues in our care are told in full”.

Plaques that have “problematic connections” will have more detailed, warts-and-all descriptions created digitally on the associated smartphone app, a spokesperson confirmed to The Independent.

“We need to ensure that the actions and the legacies of those commemorated are told in full,” English Heritage’s curatorial director Anna Eavis said in a statement.

More details here:

Two-metre review may not be finished for pub re-openings

A review of the two-metre social distancing rule may not be completed in time for the 4 July date for the proposed re-opening of pubs and restaurants, Downing Street has indicated.

Boris Johnson’s official spokesman confirmed that the review will be conducted by No 10 permanent secretary Simon Case and will receive advice from scientists, but the final decision on any change will be a political decision for the Covid strategy committee chaired by the PM.

The spokesman said that the aim was to complete the review “in the coming weeks” – but could not offer a guarantee that recommendations will be available by the date set out for the possible reopening of the hospitality sector.

Review into racial equality will also look at ‘white working class boys’, says No 10

Boris Johnson’s promised review into racial inequalities will also consider wider disparities such as issues facing white working class boys at school, Downing Street has said.

No 10 said the new Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities would be led by equalities minister Kemi Badenoch, and it would report back by the end of the year.

Pressed on the scope of the review, the PM’s official spokesman told journalists that it “will look at wider inequalities, including issues facing working class white boys in schools, for example”.

“It will examine continuing racial and ethnic inequalities in Britain,” the spokesman went on.

“The aim is to set out a new policy agenda for change, balancing the needs of individuals, communities and society, maximising opportunities and ensuring fairness for all.”

Sturgeon wants ‘enhanced support’ for pupils learning at home

Nicola Sturgeon went on to state the Scottish government would be working with councils to ensure “enhanced support” is available “for any time that young people do spend learning at home”.

The first minister made clear it was the government’s “clear intention” that exams will go ahead in in 2021.

“Our aim will be to return to normal schooling as quickly as we possibly can, recognising that along the way we must build the confidence of parents, young people and teachers that schools are safe,” she said.

“It is absolutely not the case that we are planning for blended learning, with children learning at home for part of the school week, to last a year or anything like it.

“On the contrary, we do not want blended learning to last a single second longer than is absolutely necessary, so we will be working with councils to return schools to normal as quickly as we can.”

PM ‘will respond’ to Marcus Rashford’s letter

Boris Johnson will reply to footballer Marcus Rashford’s plea for the government to extend its free school meal voucher scheme through the summer holidays, No 10 has said.

The Manchester United and England striker urged the authorities to make a U-turn and allow vulnerable pupils who have been getting free meals during the lockdown to still receive them over the summer break.

The 22-year-old’s open letter – which calls on the government to reconsider its decision not to extend the current food voucher scheme –has received support from education leaders and teachers’ unions.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The PM will respond to Marcus Rashford’s letter as soon as he can – he has been using his profile in a positive way to highlight some very important issues.”

‘Anecdotal’ evidence people complying with UK quarantine as no fines issued

A week after its introduction, Downing Street said there was “anecdotal” evidence that people were complying with quarantine measures on arrival in the UK.

The Home Office was still considering how to publish official figures on the quarantine regime.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “As of midnight, no fines have been issued.

“Anecdotally we are not aware of anyone refusing to provide details when asked to do so.”

Government has received no applications to ban protests from senior officers

In response to Police Federation calls for a ban on further protests, Downing Street said it was a matter for senior officers.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We continue to urge people not to attend further protests because gatherings of over six people remain illegal.

“Ministers have no powers to initiate a ban on marches themselves, it’s an operational matter for police.”

At the request of their local police force, councils – or in London the head of the Metropolitan Police or City of London Police – can apply to the home secretary, Priti Patel, for consent to make a banning order.

“No applications have yet been received,” the spokesman said.

No issue in government relations with scientists, Downing Street claims

Number 10 insisted there was not an issue in the government’s relations with the scientists who appear at the daily coronavirus press conferences.

Asked if there was a problem as there are now fewer appearances by the scientists, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “No – last week you saw, from memory, the chief medical officer, the chief scientific adviser, you saw NHS England’s medical director, you saw Baroness Harding who is in charge of test and trace, you also saw the Health and Safety Executive and a couple of others as well…

“There won’t be an expert there every day but you will still see them.”

It comes after reports that Professor Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance were on “resignation watch”.

A government review into the two-metre social distancing rule will be completed in the “coming weeks”, Downing Street has confirmed.

The prime minister’s official spokesman said the review would be led by Simon Case, permanent secretary at Number 10, and will report to the Covid Strategy Committee chaired by Boris Johnson.

“It will look at evidence around transmission of the virus in different environments, incidence rates and international comparisons,” the spokesman told a Westminster briefing.

“It will draw on advice from scientific and medical experts as well as economists and papers from Sage.

“It will take advice from a range of experts including the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser.”

Asked when it would be completed, the spokesman said: “It will be completed in the coming weeks.”

No new coronavirus deaths in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon announces

No new coronavirus deaths have been reported in Scotland in the last 24 hours, the third time the figure has remained the same since lockdown began, the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced.

A total of 2,448 patients have died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, no change on Sunday’s figure.

The death total previously remained the same on June 7 and June 8.

But the First Minister stressed that deaths are lower at weekends.

Speaking at the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon said a further 29 people have tested positive for the virus.

New data means this brings the total number of people testing positive for the virus to 18,030.

There are 870 people in hospital with confirmed or suspected Covid-19, a decrease of 94.

Of these patients, 18 were in intensive care, an increase of three.

Tougher penalties for damaging protected marine areas demanded by MSP

A Labour MSP is pushing for tougher penalties to be brought in for those who damage protected areas at sea.

Claudia Beamish wants to change the law so those caught illegally damaging marine protected areas are sentenced to up to a year behind bars – in addition to fines of up to £50,000 that were introduced in 2010.

The changes she is proposing to the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill would mean that, for the first time, offences against marine wildlife would be dealt with in the same way as similar wildlife crime on land.

There have been 112 reports of suspected incursions into Scotland’s protected seas between 2015 and 2019 – with Marine Scotland having in some cases gathered sufficient evidence to charge vessels operating illegally and proceeded to issue fixed penalty notices.

In recent years, no fine has exceeded £10,000 for illegal fishing in a closed area in Scotland – with penalties usually less than this.

Campaigners have backed her amendments, which will be debated by MSPs at Holyrood on Wednesday.