Inside Politics: Defence chiefs accuse Russia of firing space weapon

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Michel Barnier: UK’s position makes a “trade agreement, at this point, unlikely”

It’s been such a deeply weird year that the sudden arrival of space aliens hovering over us in giant ships wouldn’t necessarily surprise me. 2020’s latest warped development does actually sound like an outlandish sci-fi plot. The UK and US are accusing the Russian of launching a space weapon from a satellite. Back down on Planet Earth, Boris Johnson’s team are still acting like it’s the good old days of 2019 – a stand-off with the EU before a looming Brexit deadline. If it wasn’t so serious, it could almost make you nostalgic for the times before everything turned totally bizarre.

Inside the bubble

Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick on what to look out for today:

Boris Johnson will be working from home as he marks one year in power, a full 12 months since he vowed to banish “the doomsters, the gloomsters” that were holding back our nation. And what a rollercoaster year it has been – one where he “won the leadership, divorced his wife, secured a fiancée, fathered a child and nearly died of Covid”, as one Tory put it. Of course, the PM can also celebrate delivering his pledge, made on 24 July, 2019, to solve the terrible social care crisis … oh no, wait.

Daily briefing

SPACE FARCE: Well then. The UK and the US have accused Russia of launching a weapon-like projectile from one its satellites, Cosmos 2543. Gen Jay Raymond, head of the US space command, said there was evidence “that Russia conducted a non-destructive test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon”. The head of the British space directorate, air vice-marshal Harvey Smyth, said the manoeuvres “threaten the peaceful use of space”. What the hell are we supposed to make of it? Is it a really big deal? One defence source told The Daily Mail: “They’ve crossed a line when it comes to the scale of this.” Defence secretary Ben Wallace said the West remained “deeply vulnerable” in space, adding: “The threat … is regretfully real.”

LET ME LEVEL WITH YOU: EU negotiator Michel Barnier, downbeat at the end of another round of talks, said a trade deal looked “at this point unlikely” – given the UK’s unwillingness to budge on fishing rights and level playing field competition rules. Barnier said an agreement would be needed by October “at the latest” so it could be ratified, adding: “I don’t think we’ve got time for these games.” His British counterpart David Frost said a deal could still be reached by the end of September, but we must now “face the possibility” it will not be struck. One senior UK official said they were “equally close” to both a breakthrough or a breakdown. Elsewhere, trade secretary Liz Truss had a breakthrough in understanding, saying she was “outraged” by the threat of hiked US tariffs on British products. Is the penny dropping?

FACE TIME: Today’s the big day face coverings become the norm in enclosed public spaces in England – including shops, supermarkets, banks and post offices. After several days of confusion, the government finally clarified that they must also be worn when buying takeaway food and drink (although they can be removed when sitting inside places like Pret). Public Health England has given Blackburn with Darwen “area of intervention” status following a spike in coronavirus cases – which means more support but no local lockdown. Tony Blair, meanwhile, has given some gloomy warnings. The former PM said the virus might never be eliminated and there remains “at least a 50/50 chance” the UK would see a resurgence in the autumn.

DUNKING THE JUNK: Boris Johnson is set to propose a ban on junk food adverts before the 9pm watershed next week as part of his new anti-obesity kick, according to The Times. There will, apparently, be a “consultation” on restricted advertising. The PM posed with healthy-looking seafood during Wednesday’s trip to Scotland, and caused a stir by claiming the 2014 independence referendum was a “once in a generational” event and the union remained “fantastically strong”. Nicola Sturgeon said she didn’t think the PM should be highlighting action taken during his government during the pandemic to make “a constitutional argument”. But she made a constitutional argument of her own – claiming Johnson’s trip “highlighted the argument for Scottish independence”.

CANCEL THE RED BALLOONS: Donald Trump has done the responsible thing (first time for everything, I suppose). The president cancelled next month’s Republican party convention in Florida, citing the “flare-up” in Covid-19 cases. “It’s not the right time for that,” he said, explaining that he would still give a convention speech in some form. “It’s a different world, and it will be for a little while.” Yet Trump again stressed he wants all schools open in the autumn. It’s become easy to let coronavirus figures wash over you, but it’s worth taking stock of the staggering failure of the US to get the disease under control. There were a total of 69,707 new infections reported on Wednesday. It takes America close to four million cases.

LOAD OF OLD TIT-FOR-TAT: China has ordered the US to close its consulate in the city of Chengdu within 72 hours. It’s the latest in a series of tit-for-tat diplomatic moves, after the Americans ordered China to shut its consulate in Houston, Texas. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo had said that decision was made because China was “stealing” intellectual property – but in truth it could have been made over a growing number of issues causing tension between the superpowers. The Chengdu consulate was deemed strategically important because of its closeness to the Tibet. Beijing said shutting it down was a “necessary response” to US actions.

On the record

“I don’t think any of us, and I include myself in this, should be trying to use Covid … as some kind of political campaigning tool.”

Nicola Sturgeon asks for the impossible.

From the Twitterati

“My strong advice is this: do take the opportunity to live abroad when you can, learn the language, experience another culture (you can’t understand your own if you haven’t experienced another).”

Tory trade minister Greg Hands with some patronising pearls of wisdom…

“Are you taking the p**s? Do you have any idea what you are saying? … Your Govt has taken free movement away which will make it nearly impossible! Good grief man, stop it!”

…leaving anti-Brexit campaigner Lesley Knibb enraged.