Brexit news - live: Government agrees to compromise with rebels over Brexit bill as Tory minister quits

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UK does not have enough testing capacity, Boris Johnson admits

Boris Johnson has admitted to the Liaison Committee that the UK does not have sufficient testing capacity, but continued to defend the coronavirus testing system amid chaos.

Earlier, he faced deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner at prime minister’s questions as she filled in for isolating Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons, where he failed to answer questions from the deputy Labour leader about how much care home workers earn per hour in the UK.

He was also accused of pushing the blame on the public for massive delays in the coronavirus testing system.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has been warned by US congress members that the UK government’s “disturbing” plan to breach the terms of the Brexit deal puts at risk any future trade deal between the two countries.

Key Points

• Joe Biden speaks out on US-UK trade agreement
• Drop ‘disturbing’ Brexit plan or risk US trade deal, Johnson warned
• UK cannot unilaterally disregard Brexit treaty, says EC president
• UK does not have enough testing capacity, Boris Johnson admits
• Lord Keen has officially resigned, confirms Downing Street
• Boris Johnson forced to give MPs vote on controversial Brexit bill

[16 September 2020 09:09 · Liam James]

Raab in US after Brexit Bill warnings

Dominic Raab will meet today with senior US politicians after a warning that any potential free trade deal with the UK is “inextricably linked” to the upholding of the Good Friday Agreement.

The foreign secretary is set to meet with Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, and Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who warned there would be “absolutely no chance” of a trade deal passing through Congress should the UK government override the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

Commenting after Boris Johnson unveiled plans to renege on aspects of the deal regarding trade with Northern Ireland, Ms Pelosi said: “Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday Agreement, including the stability brought by the invisible and frictionless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland.

"The UK must respect the Northern Ireland Protocol as signed with the EU to ensure the free flow of goods across the border."

Warnings followed on Tuesday from four US Congress members, who signed a joint letter to the prime minister saying:  “Many in the United States and in Congress consider the issues of the Good Friday Agreement and a potential US-UK Free Trade Agreement inextricably linked.

“With the issues raised in this letter in mind, we therefore urge you to abandon any and all legally questionable and unfair efforts to flout the Northern Ireland protocol of the Withdrawal Agreement and look to ensure that Brexit negotiations do not undermine the decades of progress to bring peace to Northern Ireland and future options for the bilateral relationship between our two countries.”

[16 September 2020 08:37 · Liam James]

Starmer to miss PMQs

Labour leader Keir Starmer will not take part in prime minister’s questions this afternoon as he remains in isolation awaiting the coronavirus test result of a family member.

Angela Rayner, the deputy leader, will take his place at the despatch box where she will face Boris Johnson for the first time in the Commons.

[16 September 2020 08:33 · Liam James]

Johnson faces testing questions

Boris Johnson will face a grilling from MPs after the health secretary admitted testing shortages affecting coronavirus outbreak hotspots are expected to last for weeks. 

Amid reports that patients are visiting A&E seeking Covid tests, the prime minister will face off against deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner at PMQs before giving evidence to select committee chairs on the government’s pandemic response.

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, admitted on Tuesday that it may be a “matter of weeks” before testing shortages are remedied and announced that vulnerable people will take priority on testing as part of rationing.

Following the health secretary’s announcement, the chair of Bolton NHS trust, Professor Donna Hall said a failing test and trace system places “huge pressure on the NHS and social care”.

In Bolton — which has the highest infection rate in England  — Professor Hall said: “We're seeing wards full of people. We've now got 30 people who are Covid-positive and we've got five people in our high dependency unit so this is not going away, this virus is not going away.”

[16 September 2020 08:15 · Liam James]

Good morning and welcome to Wednesday’s blog. We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates in UK politics today