The EU is planning a “carrot and stick” approach for the UK movement in Northern Ireland
And here is my colleague Daniel Boffey’s previous story about Maroš Šefčovič’s announcement.
He says the EU will take a “carrot and stick” approach to Boris Johnson’s plan to unilaterally rewrite post-Brexit agreements for Northern Ireland, taking legal action against the UK while providing new bases for negotiations.
The United Kingdom is likely to challenge the European court’s decision to stop Rwanda’s deportations
The UK is likely to challenge the European Court of Human Rights’ decision to stop the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda and is already preparing for the next flight, said Labor and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey. My partner Rowena Mason has the story here.
Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Brexit negotiations with the United Kingdom, is about to hold a press conference to announce the EU’s response to the publication of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.
There should be a live feed here.
Ministers downplay suggestions that the government should consider withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights
Yesterday Boris Johnson suggested that if the courts continue to block Rwanda’s expulsion policy, the government could withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights to ensure that it can use deportation as a means to deal with applicants for asylum. When asked if the ECHR withdrawal was an option, he replied:
Will we need to change some laws that will help us as we move forward? It may be fine. And all of these options are under constant review.
It was difficult to know whether Johnson a) invented it as he went; b) floating an idea that is just an option, to cause a commotion and see what reaction it provoked; or c) the launch of a policy to be adopted in the future. (Maybe 70% b) and 30% c), but we don’t know.)
This morning, two ministers wanted to cancel the proposal.
Pension Minister Guy Opperman told Times Radio:
I do not think so [withdrawal from the EHCR] it is our policy, nor would it be something I will defend, to withdraw from the ECHR. I think the situation is that, as I understand it, the courts of the United Kingdom have the upper hand in this matter, but as I understand the decision last night of the ECHR, it was decided that not everything had been considered by the courts of the United Kingdom. United in those circumstances. .
And Thérèse Coffey, the secretary of labor and pensions, told Sky News:
I think we never put it on [withdrawal from the EHCR]as far as I know, in our manifesto, without a doubt the 2019 manifesto …
I am not aware of any decision or suggestion, not even in this regard. Most importantly, we are addressing this issue right now. We will return to the ECHR to challenge this initial ruling.
He used a similar language in the Today program.
Opperman and Coffey have voted to stay. Although the European Court of Human Rights, which judges the convention, has nothing to do with the EU, the most opposed Conservative MPs are generally Brexiters.
It was unclear in the interviews whether Opperman or Coffey were self-sufficient, or whether they reflected the number 10’s desire to back down from what the prime minister suggested yesterday. Perhaps we will understand each other better than he says to the PMQ.
Updated at 09.42 BST
Priti Patel says preparations for next flight to Rwanda for asylum seekers “start now”
Good morning. Last night, the government abandoned its plan to send its first flight to Rwanda with seven asylum seekers after a last-minute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights caused the seven people who they were still to be on the plane they received legal compensation. The government had originally planned to have many more asylum seekers on the flight, but yesterday its deportation orders had already been suspended.
Here is our story of the night.
And here is the ECHR intervention.
Today we will have a reaction in the House of Commons – Priti Patel, the Secretary of the Interior, is expected to make a statement from the House of Commons – and we are likely to hear a lot of anger over the obstruction of government policy by the courts. in particular a foreigner. But will Boris Johnson really be so unhappy with what happened? Bernard Donoughue tells a story about how, when he worked for Harold Wilson in the 1970s, Wilson often complained about a political issue related to what was then the EEC. Donoughue, thinking it was useful, left and found a solution. He remembers:
I took our summary to the studio. Wilson read it, looked at me sympathetically, returned the letter to him, and said sadly, “Bernard, you don’t understand, I don’t want the solution, I want the complaint.”
There is a strong suspicion that Johnson just wants the complaint as well. While a solution to the problem of small boats crossing the Canal may be desirable, it can also be seen why he might want to go to the polls alleging that a policy with strong public support was thwarted by the liberal establishment, the lawyers, the Labor Party and a foreign court.
Last night, Patel made a defiant statement saying that preparations for the next flight to Rwanda are now underway. She said:
Earlier this year, I signed a world-leading migration association with Rwanda to see those who arrive in the UK in a dangerous, illegal or unnecessary way move to build their lives there. This will help break the business model of human traffickers and prevent the loss of lives, while ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable.
Access to the UK asylum system should be based on necessity, not the ability to pay traffickers. Demands for the current system, the cost to the taxpayer and blatant abuse are on the rise, and the British public has had enough.
I have always said that this policy will not be easy to implement and I am disappointed that the legal challenge and last minute claims have made today’s flight unable to take off.
It is very surprising that the European Court of Human Rights has intervened despite the previous successes in our national courts. These repeated legal barriers are similar to those we experience with other moving flights, and many of those removed from this flight will be placed on the next one.
We will not be deterred from doing the right thing and offering our plans to control the borders of our nation. Our legal team is reviewing all decisions made about this flight and preparations for the next flight are now underway.
Expect more of this in the Commons later.
Here is the agenda of the day.
10am: Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Brexit negotiations with the United Kingdom, holds a press conference to announce the EU’s response to the publication of the draft
12pm: Boris Johnson faces Keir Starmer in the PMQ.
12.30pm: Priti Patel, the Secretary of the Interior, is expected to make a statement from the Commons on Rwanda’s deportation policy.
After 1.30pm: MPs debate a government motion condemning the railway unions for proposing a strike next week.
I try to control the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, include “Andrew” somewhere and you’re more likely to find it. I try to answer questions and, if they are of general interest, I will post the question and answer over the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do it for everyone.
If you want to get my attention quickly, it’s probably best to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
Alternatively, you can email me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com
Updated at 09.40 BST