Boris Johnson news live: Brexit trade issues with NI cant go on forever, says PM as energy crisis deepens – The Independent

Alok Sharma insists gas supplies are secure

Boris Johnson has warned that post-Brexit trade complications with Northern Ireland cant go on forever, as his government considers whether to override parts of its agreement with the EU.

Speaking from New York on Monday, the prime minister said he was not trying to stoke the situation up for political purposes, insisting he just wanted common sense to prevail.

Critics, however, suggest that his government signed up to an agreement it knew would cause trade friction between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has admitted the energy crisis could last for months, as ministers scramble to protect businesses and consumers from a sharp increase in gas prices, brought about by a surge in global demand and a shortage of wind power in the UK this summer.

Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will meet gas industry bosses on Monday to discuss the issue, after wholesale costs spiked 70 per cent in August alone. Four energy firms have gone bust in recent days, with others warning they could follow suit.

Farmers might have to kill their own animals due to a shortage of space and feed, the chairman of the National Pig Association (NPA) has warned.

Rob Mutimer told the PA news agency: If the situation doesnt change, its going to spiral completely out of control.

And the only end game there is we as farmers are going to end up slaughtering our livestock - not for the food chain but to put them into rendering, to dispose of carcasses like what happened in foot and mouth.

And thats a terrible situation to be in.

Rory Sullivan20 September 2021 14:03

France is still a close ally and friend of the UK despite the recent diplomatic fallout, No 10 has insisted.

Tensions between the countries grew after Australia ditched a submarine deal with France in favour of an agreement with the US and the UK.

The British governmeny has insisted the Aukus deal was in no way intended to be exclusionary.

Speaking on Monday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: France remains a close ally and friend of the UK, and we are proud of the relationship we have with France.

We will continue to work closely with them. We work extremely closely in many areas - Mali being a good example, on counter-terrorism operations and in many other areas, and that work will obviously continue.

Rory Sullivan20 September 2021 13:45

The prime minister has said that post-Brexit trade complications with Northern Ireland cant go on forever.

Speaking from New York, Boris Johnson said: I hope everybody knows this isnt something that the UK government is trying to stoke up for our own political purposes.

On the contrary, we want to fix this, we want common sense. We want no barriers in the UK for trading in our country and its crazy at the moment that weve got the protocol being enforced or being used in the way that it is.

Critics, however, suggest that his government knew full well that the Brexit agreement it signed would lead to trade friction between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Mr Johnsons latest comments on Brexit come the day before he meets US president Joe Biden, who has been clear that the British government should do nothing to imperil peace in Northern Ireland.

Rory Sullivan20 September 2021 13:23

Kwasi Kwarteng, the business secretary, will update the House of Commons on the energy crisis around 3.30pm.

Liam James20 September 2021 13:05

The government is not considering a delay to the 20 a week cut to Universal Credit despite the additional cost households will bear from rising energy bills.

Downing Street said the uplift to Universal Credit was always temporary and was designed to help claimants through the economic shock and the toughest period of the pandemic.

The end of the uplift is set for 6 October.

Liam James20 September 2021 12:56

Downing Street was asked if there was a contingency plan to help CF Industries, the UK's biggest supplier of CO2, which recently closed two large fertiliser plants in Teesside and Cheshire which produce CO2 as a byproduct.

A spokesman for the prime minister said: "We have a highly diverse source of supplies but, as I say, Kwasi Kwarteng has spoken to the company involved over the weekend and will consider any contingency plans as appropriate."

Liam James20 September 2021 12:41

No 10 said the government was not thought to be considering an end to the energy price cap.

Alok Sharma yesterday suggested the cap could be subject to change if gas prices were to continue rising.

A spokesman for the prime minister today said: The price cap remains in place, as I say, to protect consumers from sudden increases in global gas prices and it will save them money this winter.

Pushed on whether the cap could change between October and the next review date in April 2022, he added: I'm not aware of any proposed change to the price cap.

Liam James20 September 2021 12:26

Labour has hit out at the government over the energy crisis, accusing it of fundamental failure.

Ed Miliband, the shadow business secretary,said: A basic dutyof governmentis to ensure secure, affordable energy supplies for businesses and consumers.It is a fundamental failure of long-term government planning over the last decade that we are so exposed and vulnerable as a country and it is families and businesses that are paying the price.

The government must take all necessary steps to ensure stability for customers and do everything in its powers to mitigate the effects of this crisis on businesses and consumers.

Rory Sullivan20 September 2021 12:00

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has hit out at vaccine wastage in wealthy countries, as poorer nations continue to struggle to obtain enough doses for their populations.

He sent a recent study, which suggests 100 million doses will be wasted by rich nations by Christmas, to US president Joe Biden ahead of a jabs summit on Wednesday.

It is unthinkable and unconscionable that 100 million vaccines will have to be thrown away from the stockpiles of the rich countries, whilst the populations of the worlds poorest countries will pay for our vaccine waste in lives lost, Mr Brown said.

Rory Sullivan20 September 2021 11:44

Keir Starmer should welcome former leader Jeremy Corbyn back to the Labour Party, the leading left winger John McDonnell has said.

He doesnt have to endorse everything Jeremy believes in or says or has said, Mr McDonnell toldThe Independent. He just has to demonstrate that actually Jeremy is a valuable member of our party like everybody else, and use his talents. Jeremy could mobilise for Keir Starmer.

The former shadow chancellor also warned that the upcoming Labour conference could be the current leaders last chance to unite his party.

Heres Andrew Woodcocks exclusive:

Rory Sullivan20 September 2021 11:23

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Boris Johnson news live: Brexit trade issues with NI cant go on forever, says PM as energy crisis deepens - The Independent