Brexit News Live: Latest Updates As Boris Johnson Is Silent On The US Election Controversy

UK faces ‘rolling shutdowns’ unless government pays people to isolate themselves, Independent Sage warns

The Independent Sage warned that while England’s lockdown will likely keep cases under control, a similar policy would be needed again next year unless the test, trace, isolation and support system is quickly fixed, our policy correspondent Jon stone reports.

Sir David King, who chairs the shadow committee, said that people who were told to isolate themselves should be sure that they “will not suffer by isolating themselves” and that the government’s strategy of simply fining people who violate the rules was not working.

Read the full report here:

As the world awaits the outcome of the US elections and watches Donald Trump’s increasingly desperate attempts to retain power, the 12-year-old son of Labor MP David Lammy apparently maintains the joyous atmosphere at home …

Downing Street has yet to ‘internalize’ the commitments needed for the Brexit trade deal

Michel Barnier is reported to have told European Union ambassadors that the UK has shown no signs of movement on issues delaying a Brexit trade deal and suggested that Johnson will need to make a political decision to change his stance if he is to get there. an agreement. , our political deputy director Andrew Woodcock reports.

News wire Bloomberg reported that Barnier told diplomats that he believes London wants a deal, but has yet to “internalize” the necessary compromises and concessions.

Angus Robertson to challenge Ruth Davidson’s seat in Edinburgh

After a fierce battle against SNP stalwarts Joanna Cherry and Marco Biagi, it has been announced that Angus Robertson will run for the Edinburgh Central seat in the May elections at Holyrood.

The constituency currently belongs to former Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who plans to move into the House of Lords, and Robertson will be hopeful of success in his attempt to return to frontline politics after he was ousted in 2017 by the current Conservative leader Douglas Ross. .

Welsh government faces calls to extend restrictions in some areas after ‘firewall’ blocking

In contrast to much of the anti-lockdown rhetoric on the right-hand side of the UK House of Commons, the Welsh Tories are pressuring the national Labor government to enact a “selective intervention” in the South Wales valleys after their 17-day national “firewall” lockdown. amid an increase in cases there.

The last week of the country shutdown saw more Covid-19 patients in Welsh hospitals than during the April peak of the first wave.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said it would be a “massive breach of trust” if lockdown restrictions were extended in the worst affected areas.

But the Welsh conservatives asked the Welsh government to explain “urgently” what steps it will take if the number of cases does not drop in places like Merthyr Tydfil.

Conservative Minister’s ‘Unconscious’ Local Party Association Received £ 10,000 From Covid Relief Fund

A Conservative minister has claimed that he ‘did not know’ that his local electoral party received £ 10,000 relief under a Treasury fund designed to help small businesses overcome the pandemic, our political correspondent Ashley cowburn reports.

Nigel Adams, a foreign minister, said he “knew nothing” about the grant awarded to the Conservative Association Selby and Ainsty in Tadcaster, which is also listed as the address of the MP’s election office.

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Boris Johnson ‘has full confidence in the checks and balances of the United States Constitution’

After a significant silence on events in the United States, Boris Johnson told reporters during a visit to the East Midlands: “If I were a voter in the United States, I don’t think I would want anyone in another government to comment on my election.

“I think while the votes are being counted, we should wait and see. And I have full confidence in the checks and balances of the American constitution. “

When asked if he would miss his ally Donald Trump, Johnson said: “The prime minister of the United Kingdom is always going to work closely with whoever the president of the United States is.

“That will be the case whatever the outcome of this election.

“I don’t think that at this time you would expect any foreign international leader to comment on the democratic processes of a very friendly country, that’s not what we do.”

Scottish government accused of ‘unacceptable delays’ in Alex Salmond investigation

The length of time the Scottish government is taking to deliver information to the Alex Salmond investigation is “totally unacceptable,” a Holyrood committee has said.

The committee examining the failed investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against the former prime minister said it has to extract evidence “for attrition” during questioning of witnesses rather than cooperation from the government.

The investigation was launched after the Session Court ruled in January 2019 that the government’s investigation had been “procedurally unfair” and “tainted with apparent bias”, resulting in a payment of £ 512,250 to Mr Salmond.

In a letter to Deputy Prime Minister John Swinney, the committee chair, Linda Fabiani, also accused the government of using legal privilege to withhold documents beyond those that only contain legal advice.

Voices: Boris Johnson’s Trumpian Tactics Could Still Ruin EU Trade Deal

In the last comparison of the day between conservative politicians and Donald Trump, our main political commentator John rentoul suggests that since “at least we know Johnson reads books,” the resemblance is “superficial,” but relates to the way the couple enters into business deals.

Britain’s economic recovery from coronavirus will be held back for two years by Brexit, EU predicts

In its regular autumn economic forecast, the European Commission warned that the new trade agreements adopted by Boris Johnson will “significantly slow the recovery” for two years, our policy correspondent. Jon stone reports.

“Business investment is expected to take longer to recover due to the long-term effects of the pandemic and the need to adapt to new and significantly less beneficial trade relations with the EU,” the forecast warned.

It comes after the UK’s own National Audit Office predicted that leaving the single market and customs union on December 31 would lead to a disruption to trade, whether or not a free trade agreement is signed before then. .