Brexit news live: Pacific trade deal worth tiny fraction of UKs EU losses as Johnson warned over exports – The Independent

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Official figures released today show the benefit to the UK economy of a new proposed trade deal with Asian countries is small compared to the losses expected from Brexit.

The Government launched negotiations to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on Monday, which Boris Johnson said would open up unparalleled opportunities.

Figures released today by the Department for International Trade (DfT) forecast a boost to UK GDP of 1.8bn in 15 years time from the partnership, compared to the 4 per cent long-term hit to GDP forecast by the governments independent Office for Budget Responsibility as a result of Brexit.

It comes as Mr Johnson has today been warned that the EU could slow down exports or shut off the flow of important business data in the event of a trade war.

If the dispute over the Northern Ireland Protocol worsened then Brussels has a number of levers that could cause significant economic consequences for the UK, said Jonathan Portes, of the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank.

The prime ministers former aide Dominic Cummings ordered senior civil servants to ignore protocol by immediately sending a 530,000 grant to a data research project, leaked emails show.

In messages seen by the Guardian, the BBC and Source Material, the political strategist urged them to transfer the funds to Our World in Data, a not-for-profit organisation. The move had the backing of health secretary Matt Hancock, it has been reported.

Writing to senior officials about the transfer, Mr Cummings wrote: No procurement, no lawyers, no meetings, no delay please just send immediately.

This comes after Mr Cummings told a Commons committee last month that the procurement system is completely unfit for its purposes in Whitehall.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 19:55

Sir David Attenborough has accused the government of making short-sighted political and financial attacks against British television channels.

The famous naturalists intervention comes as ministers are reportedly preparing to privatise Channel 4.

The 95-year-old television presenter announced his support for the British Broadcasting Challenge campaign, which has warned against the move.

In a letter to culture secretary Oliver Downden, the group said it is calling for an open and transparent debate on the future of public service broadcasting.

On Tuesday, Alex Mahon, Channel 4s chief executive, said government should not do anything irreversible which could possibly damage some of those things that we do for the sector.

She added that the broadcaster is financially in a really strong position, explaining that the government should only act to make Channel 4 stronger.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 19:30

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald will meet her DUP counterpart next week.

The TD for Dublin Central tweeted that she had already spoken with the newly-elected DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson.

We will meet early next week. There is much work to be done. Powersharing must deliver for all our people, she said.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 19:08

Labour has called on the Conservatives to return 900,000 in donations received from a former CEO of a company under investigation for alleged bribery, corruption and money-laundering.

Ayman Asfari, who ran the oil firm Petrofact for almost two decades, and his wife Sawsan gave almost 1 million to the party between 2009 and 2017.

The final donation was given on 4 May 2017, a matter of days before the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) started its investigation.

In response, Anneliese Dodds, the chair of the Labour Party, said: The Conservatives must explain why they accepted so much cash from Ayman Asfari a man described by the scandal-hit Petrofac as the personification of many of its achievements.

The public will also be wondering why senior Tory ministers including a sitting prime minister then lobbied on behalf of this company, which is now under investigation for bribery and corruption.

This is about the company that the Conservatives are keeping and where theyre getting their money from. They should do the right thing and hand back that cash.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 18:25

There was a 13 per cent rise in the number of households affected by thebenefit capfrom November to February, official figures show.

A leading charity has blamed the spike on people losing their jobs or working hours during the pandemic.

The ChildPoverty Action Group (CPAG) estimates that scrapping the cap would lift 100,000childrenout of deep poverty, with its chief executive calling the policy an unjust punishment on families.

Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 18:00

Some Conservative MPs are concerned that their partys annual conference will be cancelled, as tickets have yet to go on sale.

William Wragg, the Tory MP for Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, is among those who fear the event will not take place in Manchester as planned from 3 to 6 October.

Addressing the speaker, he said: How might we be reassured that the conference recess will be used for its intended purpose rather than simply as a means to keep backbenchers away from this House asking awkward questions?

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 17:34

Northern Irelands first minister Paul Givan has echoed the newly-elected DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donalds words by criticising the protocol.

Speaking at Stormont, Mr Givan said this part of the Brexit deal is not working and needs to go because of the disruption it is causing.

Stormont has a job to do on the bread and butter issues, but absolutely the Northern Ireland protocol creates instability because of the way it has violated the workings of the internal United Kingdom market, he said.

Mr Givan, who has only been in the role for a matter of days, added that he expects Sir Jeffrey to replace him as first minister, following the MPs appointment as the head of the DUP.

The Sinn Fein politician Conor Murphy accused the DUP of creating its own problems with the protocol arrangements. They wouldnt have been necessary if it hadnt been for the new leader of the DUP and his party colleagues pushing the hardest possible Brexit with the Tory party, that is why the protocol was necessary, to try and undo some of that damage, he said.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 17:15

The Scottish government has rejected a demand from Manchester for compensation, after Holyrood introduced a travel ban affecting the north-west of England at short notice.

Deputy first minister John Swinney said compensation was not appropriate.

Speaking in Holyrood on Tuesday, Mr Swinney said: Travel to the north west of England has previously been prohibited last year, before local levels regulations were introduced and no compensation was offered.

We are all responsible for putting in place, in our respective parts of the United Kingdom, the financial support to arrangements for business and thats exactly what the government will continue to do here in Scotland.

Mr Burnham has accused the Scottish government of being hypocritical, claiming it acted without consulting him, something Holyrood complains about in its treatment from Westminster.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 16:53

No part of Scotland will see further lockdown easing next week, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

Instead, the target is for the whole country to be moved to the lowest lockdown level by 19 July. This would represent a significant step back to normality, the first minister said.

We want to move beyond Level 0 as quickly as it is prudent to do so, she added, saying that 9 August was a provisional date for the removal of all remaining legal restrictions.

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 16:33

A cross-party group of MPs have failed in a bid to launch a legal challenge against the government for its alleged failure to investigate potential Russian interference in British elections.

Mr Justice Swift refused to allow a full hearing, saying: The claimants concerns exist at the level of politics, not as a matter of law.

Our home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden has the story:

Rory Sullivan22 June 2021 16:13

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Brexit news live: Pacific trade deal worth tiny fraction of UKs EU losses as Johnson warned over exports - The Independent