Early evening summary
Farming minister Mark Spencer reprimanded by Climate Change Committee over beef imports comment
As my colleagues Fiona Harvey and Helena Horton report, at the NFU conference yesterday Mark Spencer, the farming minister, said that a trade deal could lead to beef being imported from Mexico.
The story has prompted Lord Deben, chair of the Climate Change Committee, to write to Spencer reprimanding him for minimising the importance of agriculture playing its part in the drive towards net zero. Deben said:
The Climate Change Committee has made it quite clear that we cannot ask UK farmers to meet the high standards our carbon budgets require while importing food from nations that produce meat with higher emissions.
This is a sensitive issue all over the UK but it is particularly crucial for Northern Ireland, whose economy is so dependent on meat production. I fear your comments will undermine Northern Ireland’s commitment to the tough carbon budgets that are necessary under their new devolved climate law.
The UK cannot reach our legal commitments and international obligations under the agreements at Paris and Glasgow unless our agriculture sector plays its part. That must not be compromised by a decision to allow the importation of meat with a higher carbon footprint than our own.
Updated
YouGov has published new polling showing that Labour continues to enjoy a huge lead over the Conservatives, and that Keir Starmer’s lead over Rishi Sunak on who would make the best PM is widening.
Latest Westminster voting intention (14-15 Feb)
— YouGov (@YouGov) February 22, 2023
Con: 22% (-2 from 8-9 Feb)
Lab: 50% (+3)
Lib Dem: 9% (-1)
Reform UK: 7% (+1)
Green: 6% (=)
SNP: 4% (=)https://t.co/WMc2U2wZbs pic.twitter.com/NZ9QZygUG7
Which of the following do you think would make the best Prime Minister? (14-15 Feb)
— YouGov (@YouGov) February 22, 2023
Keir Starmer: 34% (+1 from 8-9 Feb)
Rishi Sunak: 21% (-4)
Not sure: 38% (=)https://t.co/WMc2U2xx10 pic.twitter.com/xWLIYnh3rs
During PMQs the Labour MP Tan Dhesi said money wasted on PPE contracts during Covid should be recovered so that nurses could get a decent pay rise. There was an error in the post earlier, and it made it sound as if he was asking for more money for MPs. I’m apologise for the mistake, which has been corrected. See 12.21pm.
Updated
DUP urges Sunak not to abandon Northern Ireland protocol bill
MPs have now passed the Northern Ireland (executive formation) bill. In the debate, Sammy Wilson, the DUP’s chief whip, urged the government not to abandon the Northern Ireland protocol bill, which is currently on pause in the House of Lords. The bill would allow the UK government to unilaterally ignore parts of the protocol (despite some lawyers saying this would be against international law).
Wilson said:
I believe in these negotiations the EU has to understand that there is an alternative and not to proceed with the protocol bill would be wrong because there must be a fallback position if these negotiations don’t succeed.
This is also an argument being made by some Tory Brexiters like Boris Johnson, Suella Braverman and Simon Clarke.
SNP leadership contender Ash Regan calls for end to 'mudslinging' in contest
Ash Regan, who is standing to be SNP leader and next first minister, has called for an end to “mudslinging” in the contest.
Speaking to STV News on Wednesday, Regan, who resigned last year from her post as community safety minister because of her opposition to the gender recognition reform bill, said:
I just want to put out a call for calm – I think that’s really important at the moment. Kate and Humza are really valued colleagues, they’re a really important part of the SNP.
So, I think all the mudslinging that’s been going on just now just needs to stop, everyone needs to take a breath.
We’ve all got to remember that we’re all going to be working together at the end of this.
I want us all to come back together as a strong SNP and we’re all going to be working together for the betterment of Scotland.
Regan is competing against Humza Yousaf, the health secretary who is now the favourite, and Kate Forbes, the finance secretary whose personal opposition to equal marriage has been widely criticised. Forbes has also been accused of breaking party rules banning transphobia by claiming that a trans woman in biologically male.
NEU says it will only call off next week's teachers' strikes if it gets 'serious' pay offer by Saturday
The National Education Union says it will only call off next week’s regional strikes in England if the government makes a “serious proposal” on teachers’ pay, in a rebuff to the government’s offer of talks.
Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, yesterday wrote to teaching unions in England offering to begin “formal talks” on condition that the NEU cancel next week’s strikes. (See 10.15am.)
The NEU’s leadership has responded by calling for Keegan to make concrete proposals this week, to enable the union’s national executive to postpone the strikes planned for next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
In a statement the NEU said:
If the government comes forward with a serious proposal to end the dispute ahead of Saturday and we consider it compelling enough, then we will put it to our national executive this Saturday with the recommendation to pause forthcoming strike action in order to discuss it further.
As things stand, however, no such offer has been made and the strikes remain in place.
Leaders of other teaching unions have accused the government of being “naive” by insisting on cancellation, and say that so far talks with Keegan have “meandered” without any proposals being put forward.
The NEU is planning a series of rolling one-day strikes starting on 28 February in north and north-west England, Yorkshire and Humber, followed by 1 March in the East Midlands, West Midlands and the NEU’s eastern region, and 2 March in London, south-east and south-west England.
Any moves in England will not affect the NEU’s planned strikes in Wales scheduled for 2 March.
Updated
What we learnt from PMQs about Sunak's proposed NI protocol deal
Keir Starmer used all his questions at PMQs to ask about Rishi Sunak’s proposed deal on the Northern Ireland protocol deal with the EU, and other MPs asked about it too. Sunak was not in the mood to spill all, and on some questions he was evasive. But some of what he said was revealing. Here are the main points.
Sunak said parliament would “express its view” on the protocol deal. In response to a question from Keir Starmer, who asked him to confirm that “whatever deal he brings back, this house will get a vote on it”, Sunak replied:
Of course parliament will express its view.
Starmer then said: “I take it from that that this House will get a vote and I look forward to that vote in due course.”
I’m a bit more cautious, and have taken that as Sunak suggesting that MPs will get a vote. (See 12.11pm.)
Holger Hestermeyer, a professor of international law and a former adviser to a House of Lords committee, does not agree and says Sunak may just have been promising a debate.
I tend to disagree. He did not say vote, he said express its view which can be read as a commitment to have a debate rather than a vote. There is no automatic debate on such documents (whatever the form will be). @AndrewSparrow pic.twitter.com/G01tYCLUiJ
— Holger Hestermeyer (@hhesterm) February 22, 2023
Hestermeyer may be right. (At the post-PMQs lobby briefing, No 10 refused to say exactly what Sunak meant.)
But a debate would probably entail a vote of some kind anyway. Starmer was pushing for a proper vote on a substantive motion, presumably on a three-line whip. This would be the proper thing to do on an important policy matter, even though, as Hestermeyer says, there is no procedural requirement for a vote. But Sunak will be nervous of this, because on a three-line whip some Tories would probably vote against.
To avoid a vote, Sunak could schedule a debate on the deal on a ‘take note’ motion (“that this house has considered the Northern Ireland protocol deal” etc) or even on an adjournment motion. These debates normally end with the (essentially pointless) motions being approved on the nod. But sometimes MPs treat these motions as votes on the matter of substance and force a division. If so, in this case the DUP, or Tory Brexiters, could decide to vote against just to make a point.
Sunak explained what he was seeking to achieve with the revised Northern Ireland protocol. He said:
I am a Conservative, a Brexiter and a unionist, and any agreement that we reach needs to tick all three boxes.
“It needs to ensure sovereignty for Northern Ireland, it needs to safeguard Northern Ireland’s place in our union, and it needs to find practical solutions to the problems faced by people and businesses.
I will be resolute in fighting for what is best for Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Sunak refused to confirm that his deal would involve Northern Ireland continuing to follow some EU law, and the European court of justice continuing to have some role in the region. And he refused to confirm that, if a deal is agreed, the Northern Ireland protocol bill will be permanently shelved. Starmer put these questions to him, but Sunak refused to confirm all three points because he knows all three propositions are anethema to some Tories. Jessica Parker, the BBC Brussels correspondent, says we do know what the answers are.
PM @RishiSunak dodged some key qu's about the #NorthernIreland Protocol deal at #PMQs
— Jessica Parker (@MarkerJParker) February 22, 2023
- Will NI still be subject to #EU rules?
- Will #ECJ still have a role?
- Will original treaty text be re-written?
From what I've gleaned - the answers to those qu's are yes, yes & no.
Sunak said that he understood the DUP concerns about the deal “loud and clear”. This came in response to a question from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, who said:
Can I thank the prime minister for his efforts in relation to the Northern Ireland protocol. It is unacceptable that Northern Ireland has been put in this place with a protocol imposed upon us that harms our place in the UK.
It must be replaced with arrangements that are acceptable and restore our place in the UK and its internal market. Does the prime minister accept how important the constitution and democratic issues are in relation to getting a solution and will he agree with me that is unacceptable that EU laws are imposed on Northern Ireland with no democratic scrutiny or consent and will he assure me that he will address these fundamental constitutional issues and do so not just by tweaking the protocol, but by rewriting the legally binding treaty text?
In reply, Sunak said:
I have heard loud and clear when he says he wants and needs these issues resolved so that he has a basis to work with others to restore power-sharing and I know that that is genuine.
He raises a question of practical issues and it is vital that these are addressed but he also raises a vital question about the constitutional and legal framework in which these arrangements exist and I can assure him that I agree.
Addressing the democratic deficit is an essential part of the negotiations that remain ongoing with the EU and just as he has been consistent, so have I and I can assure him that this at the very heart of the issues that must be addressed.
As Alex Wickham from Bloomberg points out, Donaldson was asking for something – change to the text of the treaty – that the EU has repeatedly ruled out, and which is not expected in the final deal.
Sunak raised hope for the DUP that he's seeking changes to existing treaty
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) February 22, 2023
"I agree" he told Donaldson on that point
But that's not where negotiations have been... EU said no... it's more a fudge overriding it...
Expectations management issues... sighhttps://t.co/oTFHmTCwwA
Given this point, there were two interesting features of the Sunak/Donaldson exchanges.
First, despite the clear policy difference between what the DUP wants and what seems to be on offer, the tone, on both sides, was polite and respectful. That is not with the DUP. Sunak may have given up hope of getting the DUP to back his deal, but he may hoping that they won’t oppose it wholeheartedly either.
Second, Sunak implied there was still a chance of getting some sort of change to “the constitutional and legal framework”. Some reports (eg this from RTE’s Tony Connelly) say that the text of the agreement has already been finalised. But Sunak implied otherwise. And he used a similar phrase in a later reply, to Sir Robert Buckland, telling him “it is absolutely right that we address the constitutional and legal framework of our arrangements”.
Unison says 8 March health strike 'serious escalation' of dispute
Unison has released more details of the strike by its health workers planned for 8 March in England. It says this is “a serious escalation of the dispute and a direct result of the government’s failure to hold proper pay talks with health unions”.
In a news release, the union states:
Health workers at NHS Blood and Transplant, Great Ormond Street hospital, the Tavistock and Portman NHS foundation trust, Liverpool Women’s hospital and the Bridgewater community trust will now be among those now walking out for the first time.
They will be joined by ambulance staff at four services in England – south central, east of England, West Midlands and east Midlands, also now able to take action following their successful strike vote last week.
This means staff will be on picket lines in all but one ambulance service in England in two weeks’ time. Colleagues working for ambulance services in London, Yorkshire, the north-east, north-west and south-west – who have already taken action on four previous occasions – will also walk out on 8 March.
Up to 32,000 NHS workers belonging to Unison in England are now able to take strike action. This follows the re-balloting of 10 NHS employers in England, where the strike vote fell just short of the legal threshold last year.
NHS workers at two trusts in Liverpool (the Liverpool University hospitals NHS foundation trust and the city’s Heart and Chest hospital) will also join the 8 March strike.
Updated
Ambulance staff in Unison to strike on 8 March, union says
Unison has announced that ambulance staff and other health workers in the union will strike on 8 March in an escalation of their dispute over pay. This is from Christina McAnea, the general secretary.
We have just announced more strike dates in the NHS. The promise of talks alone won’t be enough for us to suspend these. We want to see the colour of their money!! @unisontheunion
— Christina McAnea (@cmcanea) February 22, 2023
Jeffrey Donaldson says there's 'lot of support' in parliament for DUP's stance on NI protocol
In the Commons MPs are now debating the Northern Ireland (executive formation) bill. This is the emergency legislation being passed to ensure that, even though power sharing has not been restored at Stormont, it will not be necessary to hold another assembly election until next year.
In a speech in the debate Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, claimed that there was “a lot of support” in parliament for his party’s stance on the Northern Ireland protocol. The DUP says any deal to revise the protocol must meet its seven tests.
Donaldson said:
Obviously we haven’t seen any of the legal text of any agreement, and there remain matters that need to be addressed and those are quite significant issues.
But I welcome the progress that has been made, I welcome what the prime minister had to say in the House of Commons, that we are not just talking about tinkering around the edges of the protocol.
This is about significant, substantive change to the treaty itself, that respects Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom and our ability to operate freely within the internal market of the UK.
What is important here is we get the right deal for Northern Ireland. We are not working for a timetable, we are working to get the right outcome for Northern Ireland.
I don’t know what the timing will be for any agreement.
I am clear we have a lot of support here in parliament for the stance we are taking.
Updated
No 10 says prospect of Commons vote on NI protocol deal is 'hypothetical' because no agreement reached yet
Rishi Sunak’s press secretary has clarified that the prospect of a Commons vote is “hypothetical” as no deal on the Northern Ireland protocol has yet been struck.
“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves, talks are ongoing, we don’t yet have a deal,” she told reporters. “There is nothing to vote on yet, we don’t have a deal”.
Downing Street also revealed that Sunak spoke again with European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen last night. They discussed “good progress” that had been made on negotiations and would talk again “in coming days”.
However, there are no scheduled discussions planned for Thursday at this stage, and VDL is supposed to be in Italy, suggesting it less likely she will travel to London.
PMQs - snap verdict
That was very 2019: Keir Starmer asking about Brexit (he was shadow Brexit secretary back then); Labour offering to support a Tory PM against their own backbenchers (although this time Starmer meant it – he wants the Northern Ireland protocol row with the EU settled before the general election); and the Tories accusing Labour of “surrender”.
This script eventually played out in Boris Johnson’s favour just over three years ago. But today Rishi Sunak was clearly on the back foot, and Starmer artfully illustrated how precarious his position is.
At press conferences the trick for journalists is to identify the question that they know the politician can’t or won’t answer. That is what Starmer was doing today? Would Sunak confirm that the protocol deal was going to involve Northern Ireland continuing “to follow some EU law”? Would Sunak confirm that there will be a continuing role for the European court of justice? Would Sunak confirm that, if there is a deal, the Northern Ireland protocol bill would be abandoned? And would Sunak commit to giving MPs a vote?
Sunak half-answered the final question – implying that there would be a vote, without saying so explicitly – but the other three questions, he would not touch at all.
And Starmer had a good line ready in response to Sunak’s reticence.
The sound you here is them [Tory MPs] cheering the prime minister pulling the wool over their eyes.
In a speech in Belfast last month Starmer portrayed Sunak as being in hock to “a Brexit purity cult [in the Conservative party], which can never be satisfied”. Today’s exchanges amounted to a show and tell follow-up.
Sunak did not want to engage with Starmer’s questions. But there were a few clues as to his latest thinking on the protocol from what he said and, even though he is clearly nervous about upsetting the ERG hardliners, a massive revolt when the deal does get published does not look inevitable and could still be avoided. I will post more on the minutiae of his Brexit answers shortly.
On the politics, Sunak resorted to accuses Sunak, and Labour, of being opposed to Brexit and pandering to Brussels. He said:
It’s his usual position when it comes to the European Union, it’s give the EU a blank cheque and agree to anything they offer. It’s not a strategy, that’s surrender.
He also accused Stamer of serial inconsistency in his final response. Referring to Starmer’s plan to announce five election missions for Labour in a speech tomorrow, Sunak said:
We already know what they are: it’s uncontrolled immigration; it’s reckless spending; it’s higher debts; and it’s softer sentences; and for the fifth pledge we all know that he reserves the right to change his mind on the other four.
Given that Starmer has changed his position on some issues considerably since he ran for Labour leader, this final charge carries some clout. But the “surrender” accusation on Brexit just sounded stale. Most Brexiters realise that leaving the EU has not worked out quite as planned, and so just re-running the 2019 insults doesn’t sound plausible.
Updated
Charlotte Nichols (Lab) asks what support the government can offer people in Warrington in the light of the murder of Brianna Ghey.
Sunak says the Home Office wants to ensure that schools, and the community, get the support they need.
Sir Bill Wiggin (Con) asks the PM to publish the small boats bill next week.
Sunak says he and the home secretary are working as quickly as they can to bring in that legislation.
Sir Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary, congratulates the PM for negotiating a deal with the EU. Does the PM agree treaty change is the best way to change the protocol, not legislation in this parliament (ie, the Northern Ireland protocol bill).
Sunak says new arrangements must be in place.
He ignores Buckland’s invitation to get him to say the protocol bill will be permanently shelved.
Helen Morgan (Lib Dem) asks when the government will ensure the NHS has the GPs it needs.
Sunak says there are 2,200 more GPs in practice today, and 30,000 more nurses. That is because record funding has gone in.
David Mundell (Con) says TransPennine offers “appalling” service. And he says their decision to cancel services so the cancellations do not show up in the figures is unacceptable.
Sunak agrees this is unacceptable. The contract expires in May. If ministers conclude the service cannot be turned around, other decisons will be made.
John McNally (SNP) asks Sunak if he will follow the example of the Scottish government, and introduce a child payment.
Sunak says the best poverty strategy is to have everyone in work.
Theo Clarke (Con) asks if the govenrment will reconsider a decision to locate 500 asylum seekers in Stafford.
Sunak says this is why the government must stem the tide and stop the boats. He says Clarke can have a meeting with the Home Office.
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says MPs are united in their support for Ukraine.
He says the Tory manifesto promised 40 new hospitals. But most of those have not got planning permission yet. He says some staff and patients are dealing with unacceptable conditions.
Sunak says he is proud the government is investing record sums in the NHS. The most recent figures show considerable improvement in waiting times for emergency care, he says.
Tan Dhesi (Lab) asks about money wasted during Covid on contracts for equipement that was not suitable. When will that money be recovered so nurses can get a decent pay rise?
Sunak says he is glad talks with the RCN are happening. If Dhesi cares about his constituents, he should stand up to Labour’s union paymasters and back the strikes bill.
UPDATE: Dhesi said the money should be recovered so that nurses can get a decent pay rise. The original post said “MPs” instead of “nurses”, which was a mistake because I was typing at speed, and not what Dhesi was intending at all. I am sorry for the error.
Updated
Sunak says addressing democratic deficit is 'essential part' of ongoing talks on NI protocol
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, thanks the PM for his efforts in relation to the protocol. But it must be replaced, he says. Does the PM accept how important the constitutional and democratic issues are? Does he agree it is unacceptable for EU laws to be imposed on Northern Ireland without its consent? And does he agree the legal text of the protocol must be rewritten.
Sunak says he knows the concerns raised by Donaldson are genuine. He says addressing the democratic defict is an “essential part” of the negotiations with the EU that are ongoing.
Jereme Mayhew (Con) asks about a hospital in his Broadland constituency.
Sunak says the hospital has already had money to address its immediate problems.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP leader at Westminster, says wholesale gas prices have fallen by 75% from their peak. So why are gas bills going up?
Sunak says the government is spending tens of billions providing MPs with help with their energy bills. He quotes an SNP figure saying, if the SNP were a pizza company, their products would be “slow, wrong and costly”.
Flynn says the fall in wholesale energy prices has given the government a windfall of £15bn. He says bills should be reduced, not increased.
Sunak says households are saving £900 from the energy price guarantee.
Starmer says Labour will support the government in any vote.
Sunak says Starmer is due to announce five missions tomorrow. The fifth one will be Starmer confirming he has the right to change his mind, he says.
Sunak suggests MPs will vote on his proposed NI protocol deal
Starmer tells Tory MPs they are cheering Sunak pulling the wool over their eyes. Will Sunak confirm that MPs will get a vote on the final deal.
Sunak says of course the Commons will express its view.
This suggests that there will be a vote of some kind.
Updated
Starmer asks Sunak to confirm that, if he gets a deal with the EU, he will pull the Northern Ireland protocol bill.
Sunak refuses to answer, and attacks Starmer’s record on Brexit.
Sunak accuses Starmer of backing 'surrender' to EU
Starmer accuses Sunak of not being open about what is planned.
Sunak says the deal is still not finalised. He says Starmer is following his usual strategy of giving the EU what it wants. That is “surrender”, he says.
Sunak refuses to say Northern Ireland would still have to follow some EU law under his proposed deal
Starmer says Boris Johnson told businesses there would be no checks or barriers of any kind. That was “nonsense” and damaged trust. Will the deal Sunak is seeking involve Northern Ireland having to follow some EU law?
Sunak says Starmer is jumping ahead. They are still in discussion, he says. His deal must respect sovereignty for Northern Ireland.
Updated
Keir Starmer backs what Sunak said about Ukraine, and says he saw the courage of the Ukrainains for himself on his visit last week.
Labour is proud to be the part of the Good Friday agreement. Does the PM agree the protocol has been badly implemented, and unnecessary checks on goods must be removed.
Sunak says he is a Conservative, a Brexiter and a unionist. Any deal must tick all three boxes.
Andrew Selous (Con) says his constituents were upset when bookings for weddings and other family events were cancelled because the hotel was booked for asylum seekers.
Sunak says the government is trying to find alternative sites for asylum seekers.
Andrew Western (Lab) asks Sunak to commit to ensuring every domestic complaint to the police receives a response.
Sunak says just this week a package of measures on domestic abuse was announced.
Rishi Sunak starts by saying he is delighted a delegation from Kyiv is in the gallery to watch.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, says live subtitles are now available for PMQs on the parliament channel.
From the i’s Paul Waugh
Two notable backbench arrivals ahead of #PMQs.
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) February 22, 2023
1.Nadhim Zahawi is here, first PMQs since his resignation re tax affairs.
2. Theresa May resplendent in blue and yellow outfit, in support of Ukraine 🇺🇦 1 yr on from invasion.
PMQs is starting soon.
Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.
Humza Yousaf, favourite in SNP leadership contest, confirms his personal support for equal marriage
Humza Yousaf, the Scottish health secretary and favourite in the contest to be next SNP leader, was grilled on his views on equal marriage and gay sex in an interview on the Today programme this morning.
Amol Rajan, the presenter, said Yousaf has said he will not use his Islamic faith as a basis of for legislation. But he said that people were also entitled to know what Yousaf’s personal views were. Did he think gay marriage was wrong? Yousaf replied:
No, I don’t. As first minister, I think it’s so important that people are upfront and honest about their positions, and I know my opponent [Kate Forbes] has had a difficult time. But in fairness she has been open about her position. I’ll be open about mine too.
That’s why I supported equal marriage at the time. What scripture says or faith says, is not something that one individual is going to be able to change, or one politician is going to be able to change. What we can demonstrate through that actions is what we believe …
As leader of a country, you’ve got to espouse a vision that says everybody should be included, that diversity should be celebrated, that we are going on a progressive journey together. That’s what the first minister, Nicola Sturgoen, has been doing, and that’s the legacy I’d hope to be able to continue.
Rajan then asked if Yousaf approved of gay sex. (Questions about gay sex in particular, not gay marriage, caused a problem for Tim Farron, an evangelical Christian, when he was Lib Dem leader in the 2015 election campaign.) Asked if he thought gay sex was sinful, Yousaf said: “No.”
John Swinney, Scotland’s deputy first minister, has said he “profoundly” disagrees with the views of Kate Forbes, the SNP leadership contender who is personally opposed to equal marriage and having children outside marriage on the basis of her faith.
Swinney told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme this morning:
I think the thing for me that I would want to say at this stage is all of the debate that has been aired about Kate Forbes’s position for me has got absolutely nothing to do with Kate’s faith.
I am a man of deep Christian faith, but I don’t hold the same views that Kate has set out in the course of the last couple of days.
I think it has been unhelpful that the debate has been focused on the question of faith, because in my view it has got nothing to do with faith.
The Church of Scotland undertakes same-sex marriage, and I warmly congratulate and compliment the Church of Scotland on getting carefully to that position over some years.
Swinney said that Forbes was “perfectly entitled to express her views” but that SNP members were also “equally entitled to decide if someone who holds those views will be an appropriate individual to be SNP leader and first minister”.
British Steel announces 260 job losses in Scunthorpe works
British Steel has announced the closure of the coking ovens at its Scunthorpe works with the loss of 260 jobs, my colleague Jasper Jolly reports.
Graeme Wearden has reaction to this on his business live blog.
Thérèse Coffey booed by farmers at NFU conference after refusing to accept there's 'market failure' in egg industry
Photograph: Jacob King/PA
Thérèse Coffey, the environment secretary, has been booed by a roomful of farmers during a robust question and answer session.
She was responding to NFU president Minette Batters, who said there has been a “market failure” in pork and eggs, with farms going out of business. Readers may have seen empty egg shelves in the supermarkets; this is due to the loss of a million laying hens as high costs and avian flu means farmers have left the industry.
Coffey rather snappily said “there is not a market failure, Minette”, prompting Batters to respond: “Is losing a million hens not a market failure?”
Batters is popular among her members, so this inspired a loud boo.
Extraordinarily, Coffey then took charge of proceedings, cut the NFU president off, and said she wished to take a question from a farm manager from a nearby constituency, Jake Fiennes, and said “it’s not my problem if the NFU cannot start on time”, referencing the fact her session started ten minutes late.
Coffey managed to rouse one round of applause in her hour-long appearance, when she told farmers that the government is not prioritising species reintroductions of animals such as sea eagles, lynx and wolves.
However, farmers did not seem impressed by her other answers. She flippantly said “we can’t control the weather in Spain”, referencing the vegetable rationing in British supermarkets which is hitting the front pages of newspapers today.
Coffey must know that soaring energy costs are causing Britain’s greenhouses, which grow vegetables, to go out of business and this is hitting production too.
With that, Coffey said she had to cycle to Birmingham station to catch her train.
Updated
Blair and Hague issue joint report calling for 'fundamental reshaping of the state around technology'
More than 20 years ago Tony Blair, the then Labour PM, and William Hague, the Conservative leader, were opponents in a general election. Blair won the vote by a landslide (although arguably, at least on “Save the pound”, his key campaign theme, Hague won the argument). Now they have teamed up to promote a report calling for “a fundamental reshaping of the state around technology".
It’s a bit Dominic Cummings, although that doesn’t make it wrong. You can read the report here. And they have summarised it in a joint article in the Times. They say:
Trying to achieve any political dream of left or right, whether that be a growing economy, a more equal society, flourishing trade, more profitable firms, an efficient public sector, world-class education, a healthier population, stronger defence, a way forward after Brexit, or an optimistic future for young people — you name it — will come to little unless we lead in science, technology and innovation …
Our report, published today, sets out our ideas for a fundamental reshaping of the state around technology. This is not about traditional left and right debates. It should lead to a more strategic state with an entirely new operating model.
We advocate reorganising the centre of Whitehall to drive the use of data and AI across government, including digital ID for every citizen, a national health infrastructure that uses data to improve care and keep costs down, and sovereign AI systems backed by supercomputing capabilities.
Coffey responds to Starmer's NFU speech by telling farmers Tories understand their concerns
Thérèse Coffey, the environment secretary, used her speech to the National Farmers’ Union conference this morning to try to counter Keir Starmer’s pitch to farmers yesterday.
Starmer, perhaps unconvincingly, claimed farming was “in my DNA”, despite being a lawyer from Islington, because his first job was picking up stones on a farm for 50p a pop when he was a teenager.
However his remarks went down very well with the farmers, who traditionally have been seen as for the most part solidly Tory.
Coffey pointed out that Mark Spencer, her farming minister, is from an agricultural background, and went on:
Of course, Mark is not the first conservative farming minister to have such a fine pedigree, Indeed there are many active farmers on our backbenchers who are strong advocates for you, as well as many MPs like myself, who represent rural farming constituencies.
She made the rather tautologous claim that “Let me be clear - keeping the country fed is what farming is for.”
Coffey also announced that she is to make an announcement on biosecurity at the UK’s borders in coming weeks, told farmers they were the “original friends of the Earth” and reassured them that the £2.4bn agricultural support amount will remain in place. Starmer yesterday refused to commit to maintaining or increasing funding for farming payments to replace the Common agriculture policy post Brexit.
Some of the initial Twitter response suggests she did not make a good impression.
@theresecoffey; through transition funding will remain exactly the same. Totally missing the point that ELMS etc all incurs cost. Coupled with no inflationary increase & wider delivery, bottom line funding is falling!! 🤬#NFU23
— Rob Halliday (@cvfarming) February 22, 2023
ELMSs are environmental land management schemes.
Did mark Spencer leave his speech here for Coffey? Nothing new #NFU23 pic.twitter.com/3h9KJfQu2p
— luke palmer (@fenboy01) February 22, 2023
Shamima Begum loses appeal against removal of British citizenship
Shamima Begum, who left Britain as a schoolgirl to join Islamic State (IS), has lost an appeal against the decision to remove her British citizenship, my colleague Haroon Siddique reports.
Gillian Keegan says she will hold pay talks with NEU only if it calls off strikes planned for next week
Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, says she is prepared to start “formal talks” with England’s teaching unions over pay – but only if the National Education Union (NEU) cancels its regional strikes planned for next week.
Keegan’s demand has annoyed leaders of other teaching unions, who described the DfE’s talks to date as polite and “meandering”.
Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said:
A fair [pay] offer will be key to moving beyond the polite discussions so far to a point where we can hope for tangible progress towards an agreement.
However, we have no control over action by a fellow union and it would be naive beyond belief for the DfE to pull the plug on these talks even before they have begun on that basis. That would demonstrate a government out of its depth when it comes to industrial relations with little clue about what it takes to come to an agreement.
Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, called for greater urgency, saying the talks with Keegan were “frankly meandering, and with industrial action on the horizon once again it is actions that are now required”.
The NEU said its regional strikes planned for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week would go ahead pending a decision by the union’s national executive meeting on Saturday.
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Boris Johnson reportedly considering whether to criticise Sunak's Brexit deal in public
One person who did sell out the DUP over Northern Ireland is Boris Johnson. In 2019 he negotiated the current Northern Ireland protocol, requiring controls and checks on goods going from Great Britain to NI, despite the fact that a year before he had explicitly told the DUP conference that no British government could agree to such a damaging proposition.
Boris Johnson has not spoken out in person about the Sunak deal yet, although a “source close to” him told journalists at the weekend that Johnson was unhappy about Sunak’s decision to shelve the Northern Ireland protocol bill. In a story for the Times, Oliver Wright says Johnson is considering going public. Wright says:
Boris Johnson has privately claimed Rishi Sunak’s negotiating strategy with the European Union is “wholly irrational” and is considering whether to come out publicly against a deal …
Allies say Johnson would “100 per cent” criticise the deal publicly if he felt it took Britain towards closer alignment with the EU. “He says this is either a government of Brexit or it is nothing,” said one.
In truth, if Johnson were confident that destabilising Sunak over the protocol deal would improve his chances of a return to No 10, he would probably have filed articles for the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail already. But he may be concluding, like Downing Street, that any Tory backbench backlash against the deal could turn out be relatively contained. If Sunak does announce an agreement and the only Tory opponents turn out to be Bill Cash, David Jones and a minority of ERG diehards, then Johnson would gain little by being their figurehead.
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Sunak 'not going to sell anyone out' on Northern Ireland protocol, says minister
Johnny Mercer, the veterans minister, was the government voice on the media this morning. Asked about the Northern Ireland protocol, he said Rishi Sunak was “not going to sell anyone out”. He told Sky News:
Let’s give the prime minister a chance to come out with something.
He’s attacking this, he is throwing everything he can. He voted for and campaigned hard for Brexit, right?
So he is not going to sell anyone out or come up with a solution that is unfair or doesn’t deliver on what he thinks is Brexit.
I think, let’s give him a chance, let’s give him an opportunity to bring some sort of resolution to the protocol and then let’s get behind him and get on with all the other challenges we face as a country at the moment.
Mercer is not involved in the Northern Ireland protocol talks. Ministers are given lines to take by No 10 before they do a media round, but often, when talking about subjects outside their portfolio, they don’t seem to know much more than a reasonably well-informed commentator. Asked if there would be a deal this week, Mercer replied: “I don’t know, I hope so.”
Sunak to take PMQs as talks resume on nurses’ pay but Brexit deal announcement remains on hold
Good morning. Rishi Sunak is taking PMQs today. It comes as two of the biggest problems in his in-tray edge closer to resolution, although as yet there is no guarantee that either story will end in something that counts as a success.
Sunak has still not unveiled his Northern Ireland protocol deal, but an announcement on Thursday seems possible, and the PM is said to be increasingly willing to ignore DUP/ERG objections. Our story on that is here.
The i has had a similar briefing.
Wednesday's i: “Resign if you want to, Sunak tells ministers, as he calls Tory rebels' bluff on Brexit deal” #BBCPapers #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/YesPmzl75K pic.twitter.com/Ic9k2MlBgr
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 21, 2023
In its story, it says:
One minister told i they were not aware of colleagues threatening to quit and another suggested such rumours were just veiled threats to keep the PM on his toes. A source close to the PM dismissed talk of resignations, arguing they were “flippant remarks” from junior ministers.
Steve Barclay, the health secretary, is holding talks with the Royal College of Nursing in the hope of resolving the pay dispute that has led to strikes. The government seems to be relaxing its opposition to reopening the pay offer for this year. And the Financial Times this morning says that, although government submissions to the pay review bodies yesterday proposed a 3.5% pay rise for public sector workers next year, an internal government memo suggests it is considering 5% [paywall]. The FT says:
The Treasury has indicated in a private memo, seen by the Financial Times, that public sector awards of up to 5 per cent for 2023-24 would have only a “low risk” of setting a benchmark for protracted high private-sector pay growth.
Wednesday's FT: “Sunak weighs 5% public sector pay rise after £30bn Treasury windfall” #BBCPapers #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/7TBAjvENoY pic.twitter.com/QQIrc7sZQK
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) February 21, 2023
Here is the agenda for the day.
9.50am: Thérèse Coffey, the environment secretary, speaks to the NFU conference.
10am: The privileges committee meets in private. At some point soon it is due to announce details of when it will take evidence for its inquiry into whether Boris Johnson misled MPs about partygate.
10am: The Special Immigration Appeals Commission will rule on whether Shamima Begum should have her British citizenship restored.
10.30am: The high court hears a case brought by the Good Law Project challenging the Metropolitan police’s failure “to properly investigate Boris Johnson’s attendance at three lockdown gatherings”.
12pm: Rishi Sunak faces Keir Starmer at PMQs.
After 12.45pm: MPs debate all stages of the Northern Ireland (executive formation) bill, which will remove the legal requirement for an election this year because power-sharing has not been restored.
2.15pm: Simon Thompson, the Royal Mail chief executive, gives evidence to the Commons business committee, which recalled him in response to claims he did not tell the truth when he appeared before it in January.
5pm: James Cleverly, the foreign secretary, speaks at a private meeting of the Conservative backbench 1922 committee.
And at some point today Steve Barclay, the health secretary, will be holding talks with the Royal College of Nursing about pay.
I’ll try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.
If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
Alternatively, you can email me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com.
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