Brandon Lewis has insisted that new legislation designed to overturn part of the Northern Ireland Protocol is legal and critics will “see” it when it is published tomorrow. The Northern Ireland minister told Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday that the move would not violate international law. However, he refused to guarantee that the ministers would publish the legal advice they had received on the matter. The government is facing an uprising over the plans by Tory lawmakers, who are worried the legislation will violate the UK’s international obligations. However, Mr Lewis said: “Mr Lewis said: ‘The legislation we will present tomorrow is within the law. “What we are going to do is legal and right.” The cabinet minister also accused the EU of being “dishonest” about offering “flexibility” to the Northern Ireland Protocol. He told the BBC’s Sunday Morning Show: “What the EU has to offer is some flexibility based on a fully implemented protocol. That would be, in fact, worse than the situation we are in today. “

Basic points

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Boris Johnson “fully involved” in trying to help British soldiers sentenced to death in Donetsk

Brandon Lewis said the prime minister and secretary of state were “completely committed” to trying to help two British soldiers who had been sentenced to death for fighting with Russian forces. Boris Johnson has instructed ministers to do “everything in their power” to secure the release of Sean Piner, 48, and Eden Aslin, 28, after being sentenced to death by the United States government. Vasileiou described it as a “false” conviction. Asked if Britain could do anything, the Northern Ireland minister told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “It is difficult to go into detail about any particular case. And, obviously, especially without the consent of the people. “But the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister, I know, are fully committed to this, working with the Ukrainians because they served in the Ukrainian armed forces, and are therefore protected by the Geneva Convention, something that is respected by all governments around the world. . for decades. “It’s something that Russia should also respect. As I said, we have seen (Vladimir) Putin act in a rather hateful and illegal way consistently in recent months. “We have to keep up the pressure and do what we can to support not only these families, but virtually everyone who is fighting for democracy in Ukraine.” Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 10:35 1655025984

Brandon Lewis accused the EU of being “dishonest” about offering “flexibility” to the Northern Ireland Protocol. He told the BBC’s Sunday Morning Show: “What the media is constantly saying and saying is that they are offering flexibility. Well, it is not. “What the EU is offering is some flexibility based on a fully implemented protocol. That would, in fact, be worse than the situation we have today.” He added: “So I think they have been dishonest in suggesting that they are flexible, when in fact they have not shown the flexibility needed to resolve these issues for the people of Northern Ireland.” Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 10:26 1655025532

NI Secretary Brandon Lewis has insisted that the new legislation designed to repeal part of the NI protocol is legal and that critics will “see” it when it is published tomorrow. The cabinet minister told Sky News Sophy Ridge on Sunday that the move would not violate international law. However, he refused to guarantee that the ministers would publish the legal advice they had received on the matter. The government is facing an uprising over the plans by Tory lawmakers, who are worried the legislation will violate the UK’s international obligations. Mr Lewis said: “We will formulate our legal position on this. “People will see that what we are proposing resolves key issues within the protocol that do not work.” He added: “The legislation that we will present tomorrow is within the law. “What we are going to do is legal and right.” Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 10:18 1655025024

Government plans to allow agency workers to fill “outrageous” strike staff, union says

A union leader has described as “outrageous” the government’s possible plans to allow agency workers to go on strike. PCS Secretary-General Mark Serwotka said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps should “try to resolve the dispute, not throw gasoline on the flames and make things worse.” Asked about the government’s plans, Mr Serwotka told Sky’s Sophy Ridge program on Sunday: “It would be outrageous if the government followed this path. “We already have the most restrictive anti-union legislation in all of Western Europe. It is already incredibly difficult for unions and workers to retire. There are so many legal loopholes that need to be filled. “If you think about what Grant Shapps is trying to do with this legislation, it is to make labor action ineffective, and I think it is a basic human right to be able to retire. “You only do it as a last resort and any attempt to bring people in to undermine the differences will not solve the problems.” Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 10:10 1655024424

Brandon Lewis accused of “talking in his hat”

Sinn Féin’s president, Mary Lou MacDonald, said Brandon Lewis was “talking in his hat”, insisting that legislation giving ministers the power to repeal parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol would not violate international law. Ms McDonald said: “Brandon Lewis is talking through his hat, not for the first time. “Brandon Lewis must know, the Tory government must know that where there are issues that need to be resolved with the protocol, issues of smoothing its implementation, there are mechanisms through which this can happen. “There is a willingness here, a commitment from the European Commission. “But the British government refused to participate, it was not constructive, it called for a catastrophic path and now it is proposing legislation that will undoubtedly violate international law. “And against the expressed democratic aspirations of the people in Northern Ireland who went to the polls, who made their democratic decision and who returned the majority of the members who support the protocol.” Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 10:00 1655023524

Brandon Lewis said the government would determine the “legal basis” based on its new Northern Ireland Protocol legislation. Asked how people can be sure that Monday’s move does not violate international law, and in particular whether the government will publish the legal advice it relies on, he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “We consider the legal basis for which we promote this legislation “. the environment secretary added: “We will determine our legal position on this. People will see that what we are proposing resolves key issues within the protocol that do not work.” Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 09:45 1655022700

Ministers “should act as firefighters, not arsonists,” says Rachel Reeves

This is news from Whitehall publisher Kate Devlin: Suggesting that the government could change the law to allow agency workers to replace strikers, Labor Rachel Reeves told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that ministers “should act as firefighters, not arsonists.” . Chiara Giordano12 June 2022 09:31 1655022024

The government “will violate international law” with a proposal to repeal elements of the Northern Ireland protocol, say Labor

The government “plans to violate international law” by proposing to repeal elements of Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade agreements, Labor suggested. Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “It seems the government is planning to violate international law. “This government seems to be setting a record for breaking the law and it can not support the Labor Party. “We helped to reach the agreement on Good Friday, we are deeply, passionately committed to it. “We want the Northern Ireland Protocol to work, but we know that for it to work we need to negotiate and work with our European partners.” He added that Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer had shown “leadership he’s honestly missing from the prime minister” by visiting the island of Ireland last week, adding that Labor would seek a veterinary deal with the EU if it were in government. Chiara Giordano 12 June 2022 09:20 1655020824

George Eustice calls on the public sector to “lead by example” in choosing local foods

The environment minister called on the public sector to “lead by example”, as a new strategy is expected to suggest that half of its food should be produced locally or certified to higher standards. A draft of an imminent government plan for the leaked UK food system has been described as “half-baked” and “more flattered than pancake” by militants, with particular concern over the apparent rejection of a sugar and salt tax proposal. The ministers were accused of devising a plan “bordering on irrationality”, with the document suggesting that they would avoid key recommendations from a major overhaul of the restaurant by Leon restaurant co-founder Henry Dimbleby. The document, published in its entirety by The Guardian on Friday, states that the vision is for food and public catering to be an “example for the wider society, with positive effects on health, animal welfare, environment and socio-economic impact “. George Eustice told The Sunday Telegraph: “The public sector must set an example when it comes to …