Brexit latest news – Amazon to STOP selling some items in parts of UK but City convinced we can 'thrive' outside EU

BORIS Johnson tore into the EU for threatening to block the export of the UK's Pfizer vaccine supply.

He warned we expected the EU to honour contracts to provide tens of millions of doses.

Speaking at the No 10 press conference yesterday, Mr Johnson insisted: “I don’t want to see restrictions on vaccines or their ingredients across borders.”

It was revealed that, due to delays approving the vaccine and the EU's joint-procurement system, the bloc will receive just 30 million doses of the UK-made AstraZeneca rather than the 80 million they ordered.

The development has left the EU fuming and threatening to hinder supplies of the lifesaving Belgium-made Pfizer vaccine heading into Britain by demanding companies ask for permission to take vaccines out of the bloc.

The move sparked widespread fury in the UK but this afternoon the EU doubled down on its threat – even suggesting Britain had squirrelled away the EU's 50 million dose order deficit for itself, the Telegraph reported.

Follow our live blog below for the very latest on Brexit and the EU…

  • Chris Bradford

    'NO DESIRE FOR A BONFIRE OF REGULATION', SAYS CITY CHIEF

    London has no desire for a bonfire of regulations to retain its position as a top international finance centre after Brexit but it is ready to act if the EU blocks access, the City of London's political leader said.

    The financial hub has suffered some job losses in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum and financial services were largely excluded from UK/EU divorce talks.

    Christine McGuinness said London could not become a "rule taker".

    She said: "We're not looking for a bonfire of regulation, we're not looking for a move away from international standards – absolutely not.

    "We're not expecting any major deregulation at all."

  • Chris Bradford

    HANCOCK BRANDED VACCINE PROTECTIONISM AS 'NARROW NATIONALISM'

    Matt Hancock denounced vaccine “protectionism” after the EU threatened to tighten rules on exports of jabs produced within its boarders.

    The health secretary said what he deemed “narrow nationalism” was “not the right approach in a pandemic.

    Leading financial experts warned that Britain’s economy is set to become significantly smaller.

  • Chris Bradford

    AMAZON STOPS ALCOHOL SALES IN NI

    Amazon has halted sales of wines, beers and spirits in Northern Ireland and is preparing to de-list more products due to new Brexit customs rules.

    The online retailer is concerned that excise duty will now have to be paid twice on shipments of alcohol which are sent from the British mainland across the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland, ITV reports.

    Britain left the EU's single market and customs union on Dec. 31, introducing paperwork and customs declarations for those businesses that import and export goods with the bloc.

    The NI Protocol was agreed in order to keep the border open between the province and the Irish Republic. There is a regulatory border in the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

    The Government said the overwhelming majority of parcels continued to move smoothly, and there was no reason for businesses not to send goods to Northern Ireland.

    A government spokesman said: "These goods will not be taxed twice, and we will issue new guidance clarifying the position to ensure any remaining issues are addressed."

    Credit: AP:Associated Press
  • Chris Bradford

    'IRONIC'

    Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said it is “ironic” that the Government has not imposed stricter measures at the borders despite the Brexit rhetoric.

    It comes as Home Secretary Priti Patel prepares to unveil strict hotel quarantines on high-risk travel destinations.

    The new measures, imposed to stop the spread of potential vaccine-busting Covid mutations, are set to be introduced on nations where new strains have emerged.

    It means strict isolation rules, which will see returning passengers fork out around £1,500 for a ten-day stay in a hotel, will only apply to countries already on a travel ban list.

    It’s understood the list will include South Africa and Brazil where new strains have emerged, alongside Portugal, and the Cape Verde Islands.

    When asked about travel restrictions, Mr Ashworth said it is “ironic” the Government has not imposed stricter quarantine controls, given the Brexit rhetoric about "taking back control at our borders".

  • Chris Bradford

    NORTHERN IRISH EEL CAN'T BE SOLD IN BRITAIN

    Eel fisherman in Northern Ireland cannot sell their stock to Britain under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

    It means finding new buyers for almost 50 tonnes of eels – just months before the start of the season.

    The fish from Lough Neagh would've have been exported to Billingsgate market in London and sold as jellied eels, The BBC reports.

    European eels are considered an endangered species and the EU has banned sales with any country outside the trading bloc.

    A total of 80 per cent of the catch goes to EU markets – predominately the Netherlands.

  • Chris Bradford

    MAJORITY OF CALAIS REFUGEES 'THINK BREXIT WILL MAKE GETTING UK ASYLUM EASIER'

    Refugees living in Calais believe Brexit has made it easier to secure asylum in the UK, a new poll has found.

    About 1,000 people are staying in makeshift camps along the French coast, with many intending to try to cross to Britain.

    A survey of migrants in Calais revealed that more than half (55 per cent) think they have a better chance of getting asylum in the UK since December 31, with only 18 per cent thinking they had a worse chance.

    The poll also revealed widespread fears, with a majority saying they felt less safe in 2021.

    The Government vowed to "take back control" of its borders but a majority of migrants in Calais believe they have a better chance of getting asylum in the UK than before it left the single market on December 31.

  • Chris Bradford

    NISSAN TO CUT 160 OFFICE-BASED JOBS IN UK

    Nissan will cut around 160 office-based jobs in Britain as the Japanese company faces reduced sales amid plans to turn around its performance.

    Last week, it committed to its north-east England factory and will source more batteries locally to avoid tariffs on electric cars after the UK's trade deal with the EU, calling the Brexit agreement an "opportunity" for the Sunderland site.

    Nissan opened what is now Britain's biggest car plant in 1986 and made nearly 350,000 vehicles there in 2019.

    Globally it has faced a torrid time in recent years and is cutting production capacity, model numbers and operating expenses.

    "We continually adapt our business to maximise efficiency in line with market conditions and we are currently in consultation with some of our office based staff," the company said in a statement.

  • Chris Bradford

    'WE'LL THRIVE WITHOUT EU ACCESS, BUT WE MUST BE NIMBLE,' SAYS THE CITY

    London's loss of some financial business due to Brexit has not been catastrophic and the world's premier international financial capital will thrive even if the EU "irrationally" blocks access, the City of London said.

    The financial centre has seen some business and job losses since the 2016 referendum and financial services were largely forgotten during the divorce negotiations, cutting off the City from its biggest single customer.

    Catherine McGuinness, who is the political leader of the City of London Corporation, said: "It's disappointing to lose business but it's not at all catastrophic.

    "We are very confident in London's basic strengths and that we will make up business elsewhere."

    She added: "No matter what happens, London will continue to thrive."

    Credit: PA:Press Association

     

  • Chris Bradford

    BREXIT-THEMED TEXT SCAM CIRCULATING UK

    Brits are being urged to be vigilant as a Brexit-themed text scam reportedly makes it's way around the UK.

    The Chartered Standards Trading Institute reported receiving evidence of a text scam, themed around the UK's exit from the European Union.

    The message read: "we need to verify your identity to keep up with EU standards".

    It then instructed the recipient that "to avoid restrictions" they must visit a website to upload their personal details. 

    Lead officer at CTSI, Katherine Hart, urged recipients of the message to report it to authorities.

  • Abe Hawken

    THE SUN SAYS

    The vaccine roll-out proves Britain’s better off without the Euro Mafia.

    Read the column here.

  • Abe Hawken

    COPS 'CONFIDENT'

    Police chiefs have expressed confidence in the UK’s security agreement under Brexit, despite losing access to a European criminal database.

    Senior figures at the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) told peers a “good deal” was in place after the end of the transition period, which largely mirrored existing arrangements, and at this stage they do not think it has left “gaps” in their ability to fight crime.

    Earlier this month Government officials insisted the UK was not missing out on intelligence about wanted criminals after losing access to the European Union’s Schengen Information System II (SIS II) database of alerts about people and stolen items such as guns and cars, which it has been using since 2015.

  • Abe Hawken

    'BETTER CHANCE'

    Refugees living in Calais believe Brexit has made it easier to secure asylum in the UK, according to a poll.

    About 1,000 people are staying in makeshift camps along the French coast, with many intending to try to cross to Britain.

    A survey of migrants in Calais revealed that more than half (55%) think they have a better chance of getting asylum in the UK since December 31 with only 18% thinking they had a worse chance.

  • Hana Carter

    BREXIT-THEMED TEXT SCAM CIRCULATING UK

    Brits are being urged to be vigilant as a Brexit-themed text scam reportedly makes it's way around the UK.

    The Chartered Standards Trading Institute reported receiving evidence of a text scam, themed around the UK's exit from the European Union.

    The message read: "we need to verify your identity to keep up with EU standards".

    It then instructed the recipient that "to avoid restrictions" they must visit a website to upload their personal details. 

    Lead officer at CTSI, Katherine Hart, urged recipients of the message to report it to authorities.

  • Hana Carter

    CAN I DRIVE IN THE EU AFTER BREXIT?

    From January 1, many EU countries will need you to get an International Driving Permit.

    That costs £5.50 at your local Post Office.

    You will also have to apply for a ‘green card’ to prove you have the right car insurance.

    The certificates are free of charge – but they’re also really important.

    Travellers who forget them will be forced to buy expensive ‘frontier’ insurance in the country they are visiting.

  • Hana Carter

    JOHNSON HITS OUT AT EU IN JAB ROW

    Boris Johnson has tore into the EU for threatening to block the export of millions of Covid jabs to Britain.

    Furious, the PM said the virus "knows no boarders" in the row over contracts.

    In a warning shot at the EU he added: "All I would say is obviously we expect and hope that our EU friends will honour all contracts.

    "And we continue to work with friends and partners in the EU, and indeed around the world, because the delivery of the vaccine has been a multinational effort, the creation of the vaccine has been a multinational effort, and the delivery of the vaccine is multinational as well, because the virus knows no borders." he said. 

  • Hana Carter

    AMAZON PREPARES TO REMOVE PRODUCTS

    Amazon has stopped selling booze to customers in Northern Ireland as it battles with new custom rules post-Brexit.

    The online giant fears taxes will now have to be paid twice on all shipments of wine, beer and spirits sent from British mainland across the Irish Sea.

    One Amazon customer from Belfast, who didn’t want to be identified, told ITV News his subscription for a delivery of whisky every three months had been cancelled. 

    “My biggest issue is they will no longer supply any alcohol to Northern Ireland, despite me being a Prime customer and having bought hundreds of items over the past fifteen years,” he said.

  • Hana Carter

    EUROPE: COVID JAB SPOTS

    The PM insisted he has "total confidence in our supplies" of jabs and called on the EU to "honour all contracts" in a slap down to eurocrats.

  • Hana Carter

    HANCOCK BRANDED VACCINE PROTECTIONISM AS "NARROW NATIONALISM"

    Matt Hancock denounced vaccine "protectionism" after the EU threatened to tighten rules on exports of jabs produced within its boarders.

    The health secretary said what he deemed “narrow nationalism” was “not the right approach in a pandemic.

    Leading financial experts warned that Britain's economy is set to become significantly smaller.

  • Jon Lockett

    DUTCH WAREHOUSE BOOM

    Warehousing companies in the Netherlands have been inundated with requests from British businesses looking to rent space, say reports.

    Thousands of small businesses have been plunged into crisis by the UK’s departure from the EU.

    Many have now been left with no option but to invest in distribution networks within mainland Europe.

    The number of British companies searching for a base in the Netherlands has doubled in the last 18 months, says the country's Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA).

     

  • Hana Carter

    HISTORIC ENGLISH SHOE-MAKER COUNTS THE COSTS OF BREXIT

    At Tricker’s, a 192-year-old maker of English luxury shoes beloved by Prince Charles and Japanese fashionistas, relief at averting a no-deal Brexit quickly turned to dismay at the new price of doing business with the European Union.

    Invoices are mounting from parcel firms that ship the company’s heavy brogue shoes and boots – which typically sell for £450 pounds to EU clients, saddling it with extra costs that could hit £100,000 a year.

    A last-gasp trade deal between London and Brussels avoided the big barrier of border tariffs.

    But Tricker’s, like many firms on both sides of the border, is finding that paying value-added tax has become a lot more complicated for direct sales to consumers.

  • Hana Carter

    BORIS DECLINES TO GIVE NHS STAFF BONUS

    Boris Johnson has not yet decided to give NHS staff in England a financial bonus after health and social care colleagues in Scotland were given a £500 payment as a thank you for their hard work during the pandemic.

    When asked about the bonus, Mr Johnson instead said: “We do our absolute utmost to support our wonderful NHS staff and indeed have had a three-year pay package for nurses, that I think was 12.8 per cent, and will continue to invest record sums in the NHS.

    “I think the amount we invested in the NHS even before the pandemic began was more than any time in modern memory, £34bn package of investment, and that will continue under this government.”

  • Hana Carter

    BORIS 'BEHIND THE CURVE'

    Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of being "behind the curve" in a damning interview today.

    “There's a strong sense I think that our government has been behind the curve at every stage," Sir Keir Starmer said as Boris Johnson addressed the nation after the UK death toll from the pandemic passed 100,000.

    “There has been a reluctance to take tough decisions when they needed to be taken," the Labour leader told reporters.

    “And here we are today, we find ourselves with this awful milestone of 100,000 deaths from Covid.”

  • Hana Carter

    BREXIT-THEMED TEXT SCAM CIRCULATING UK

    Brits are being urged to be vigilant as a Brexit-themed text scam reportedly makes it's way around the UK.

    The Chartered Standards Trading Institute reported receiving evidence of a text scam, themed around the UK's exit from the European Union.

    The message read: "we need to verify your identity to keep up with EU standards".

    It then instructed the recipient that "to avoid restrictions" they must visit a website to upload their personal details. 

    Lead officer at CTSI, Katherine Hart, urged recipients of the message to report it to authorities.

  • Patrick Knox

    DON’T BE FOOLED

  • Patrick Knox

    ENVIRONMENT BILL DELAY SLAMMED

    Friends of the Earth campaigner Kierra Box said the delay was “not the action of a government wanting to demonstrate world leadership on the environmental crisis” in the post-Brexit world. 

    Meanwhile, Sarah Woolnough, chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation raised concerns that the “national health crisis” of air pollution was being “pushed aside”.

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