Boris Johnson scored an own goal over Brexit at G7 despite favourable conditions
An England football victory as the G7 summit wrapped up in Cornwall was something to celebrate, but even with a home advantage, Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not emerge from this global gathering with a win.
This was a big opportunity for Mr Johnson and in favourable conditions.
Serendipitous that the UK was the host nation in its year of Brexit – this the perfect setting to prove global Britain was more than just an empty slogan at a moment when western democracies wanted to turn the page on the bad tempered years of Donald Trump and make the summit work.
And yet, it became an opportunity missed – with the prime minister managing over the course of the weekend to score an own goal over Brexit.
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Boris Johnson has told Sky News that some Europeans don’t understand that the UK is a ‘single country’
In his closing remarks, Mr Johnson said the issue of post-Brexit trading relationships in Northern Ireland – the protocol agreed in the 2019 Withdrawal Agreement – took up a “vanishingly small” part of these global deliberations.
But it certainly loomed large in the minds of President Emmanuel Macron and other European leaders as they jetted out of Cornwall after Mr Johnson – offered an opportunity by President Biden to park the issue for the duration of this summit on Thursday – fanned the tensions.
The PM used his broadcast round to warn European leaders that he would do “whatever it takes” to protect the integrity of the UK and was prepared to invoke Article 16 of the protocol, which allows either side to take unilateral action if its implementation were to lead to “serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties”.
And he didn’t stop there; asked if he thought a trade war was coming around the corner he replied: “I think it highly unlikely.
“But if I may say so, I’ve talked to some of our friends here today who do seem to misunderstand that the UK is a single country and a single territory. I think they just need to get that into their heads.”
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Dominic Raab demands respect over Northern Ireland
Sources within the UK delegation then doubled down on this overnight by claiming President Macron had told the prime minister that Great Britain and Northern Ireland were not the same country, a remark that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Sunday he found “offensive”.
A diplomatic row then that could have been avoided entirely (this weekend at least) stoked up by the UK.
President Macron left irritated, telling reporters at his closing press conference that the two sides should stop wasting time on disputes about sausages when there are bigger global issues to tackle, pointedly telling Mr Johnson: “Let’s not waste time with controversies that are created in corridors and backrooms.”
The singular ambition of this summit is to demonstrate that the world’s wealthy liberal democracies can work together – the G7 a force for good in a world beset by problems – and there was some progress on the vaccination programme, as well as pitch rolling to implement the 2009 Copenhagen commitment, which pledged to give $100bn-a-year from public and private sources to help developing countries to transition to green energy, in time for COP26 in November.
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The PM denied any accusations of ‘moral failure’ over vaccines at the G7
But it’s true too that the row over the implementation of the Brexit deal repeatedly disturbed this summit.
And it’s true too that these European leaders – and President Biden too – are united in their differences with Mr Johnson over the post-Brexit settlement.
The host of this summit learned that global Britain when you’re no longer part of the gang is a lonely place to be. An opportunity missed.
Politics
Labour MPs table ‘reasoned amendment’ in attempt to halt welfare bill – with enough backers to defeat government
Moderate Labour MPs are planning a “reasoned amendment” to oppose the government’s disability benefit cuts, Sky News understands.
Nearly 100 Labour MPs are understood to have given their backing to this measure, which means the government could be defeated on its flagship welfare reforms.
MPs who have not yet gone public with their criticisms have signed the motion, calling for a delay to assess the impact of cuts to personal independence payments (PIP).
They express concerns, according to a draft seen by Sky News, about the government’s own figures showing 250,000 people could be pushed into poverty, and what the forecast is for how many may find employment.
The reasoned amendment was tabled by Dame Meg Hillier, chair of the Treasury select committee, with the support of 12 other select committee chairs.
Other senior figures, who are normally loyal to the party leadership, are understood to be spearheading the reasoned amendment, which would need to be selected by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle when MPs debate the legislation next week.
It is an attempt to force the government to water down the benefit changes, in advance of the vote. It is understood that 99 MPs had signed it by Monday evening.
The amendment emerged as Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall was addressing the weekly gathering of Labour MPs and peers to sell the reforms to PIP and universal credit. The government argues the welfare bill is rising “unsustainably”.
Opponents of the changes to sickness and disability benefits say opinion among Labour MPs has hardened since the draft legislation was published last week.
Dozens of MPs are said to have expressed concerns to party bosses, including junior ministers and aides. A party whip resigned her post last week to oppose the reforms.
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Government’s battle over welfare reforms
Some MPs, who have not yet spoken publicly, told Sky News the chances of the government losing the vote were “under-priced”.
It is understood that No 10 officials have told concerned MPs they would be “voting with Nigel Farage” and “will bring us all down” if they vote against the changes.
On Monday night, Ms Kendall told a meeting of Labour MPs that they must back the changes, saying the survival of the welfare state depended on it.
Some current PIP claimants are set to lose their benefits when they are reassessed from the end of next year.
Ms Kendall said: “There is no route to social justice based on greater benefit spending alone.
“The path to fairer society – one where everyone thrives, where people who can work get the support they need, and where we protect those who cannot – that is the path we seek to build with our reforms.
“Our plans are rooted in fairness – for those who need support and for taxpayers.
“They are about ensuring the welfare state survives, so there is always a safety net for those who need it.”
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The warfare v welfare dilemma
The first vote on the legislation is next week, and a defeat would be a major blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to cut the welfare bill, which the government say is becoming “unsustainable”.
Ms Kendall has been reassuring MPs that nine out of 10 PIP claimants will keep their benefits, and those who are most vulnerable will be protected.
The proposed bill from Senator Adam Schiff followed similar legislation in the House of Representatives from Maxine Waters in response to the president’s memecoin dinner.
The digital assets subcommittee in the Senate will hold a Tuesday hearing to discuss a bipartisan effort to establish a crypto market structure.
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