Boris Johnson faces business anger over Brexit disruption as scale of food waste revealed – follow live

It looks like David Frost – the man who negotiated the Brexit trade deal on behalf of Boris Johnson – isn’t getting away from Brexit.

He is reportedly set to become the UK’s “Brexit and International Policy Representative” rather than take up a national security adviser role as expected. A sign the post-Brexit period is trickier than expected, perhaps?

The former Tory chancellor Philip Hammond has urged the government to give “greater focus” to Britain’s financial services industry in its post-Brexit talks with the EU.

Lord Hammond stressed the importance of financial services not just to London but the economy of the whole of the UK. He said he wanted to “plead, even at this late stage, for a greater focus on it in our ongoing discussions with the EU”.

He said the financial services sector was facing the challenge of what, for them, was a “no-deal Brexit,” with the inevitable loss of EU business.

So what exactly did Michael Gove tell business chiefs at last night’s big meeting about Brexit problems? Well, the Cabinet Office minister vowed to “pull out all the stops” to help firm adjust to new trade rules.

“To this end, we have set up export helplines, invested millions in the customs intermediaries market, and continue to direct them to the Brexit Checker Tool to see exactly what actions they need to take.

“We will continue to work hand in hand with the businesses community through the Brexit business taskforce to get them the tailored support to tackle any outstanding issues. Together we will seize new opportunities open to a fully independent global trading UK.”

Satisfied with that, business owners?

Despite Nicola Sturgeon’s pledge to publish detailed vaccine supply data next week, a junior minister has said that the UK government cannot publish details of the AstraZeneca vaccine supply contract.

Prisons minister Lucy Frazer said the government had been transparent as possible with data but could not publish the details for national security reasons.

Speaking to LBC radio, the former barrister said her “understanding is it risks national security” if the UK were to publish the data, but refused to say how it would do so. She also told Sky News an “incredible amount of information” is already in the public domain.

Junior minister Lucy Frazer said AstraZeneca’s dispute with the EU is a “commercial matter” but added that the UK will help neighbouring countries “where we can”.

Asked about the ongoing row about supplies, she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “That is a commercial matter between AstraZeneca and the EU. But we are confident that the supplies that we have put in place with AstraZeneca.”

Pressed further, she added: “As I said, our priority is to ensure we vaccinate people in the UK, but of course, where we can help our friends and neighbours, we would do that.”

So. What’s the latest on the vaccine row? The EU Commission plans to give national regulators the power to block exports, which could – in theory – lead to millions of doses being prevented from leaving the bloc.  

The new export ban could be put in place “within days”, according to reports this morning – and would threaten Britain’s supply of the Pfizer jabs being produced in Belgium.

No 10 is keeping quiet about it. Big Pharma is not happy. The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations warned it could lead to a breakdown of global supply. “Not in anyone’s best interest,” the group said. No kidding.

AstraZeneca – the firm at the centre of storm – is now prepared to publish the contract it has with the EU in an attempt to show the bloc cannot demand any diversion in supplies, according to German media reports.

But EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is confident the contacts will show its demands are justified. On Friday morning she told German radio: “There are binding orders and the contract is crystal clear.”

Meanwhile, Downing Street continues to insist there will be “no interruption” to UK supplies.  

Millions of Hong Kong residents will be offered a path to citizenship in the UK on Sunday, as the government launches its new visa scheme.

The government anticipate around 300,000 of the 2.9 million Hongkongers with British National (Overseas) status could apply will use the route over the next five years.

“I am immensely proud that we have brought in this new route for Hong Kong BN(O)s to live, work and make their home in our country,” said Boris Johnson.

“In doing so we have honoured our profound ties of history and friendship with the people of Hong Kong, and we have stood up for freedom and autonomy – values both the UK and Hong Kong hold dear.”

Up to 142,000 tonnes of food could be wasted over the next six months because of Brexit border disruption, ministers have admitted.

The estimate drawn up by the government as an “illustration of what we could reasonably expect” suggests food, drink and feed equivalent to 96 million whole chickens may end up being thrown away.

Food minister Rebecca Pow said: “Over a six-month period the reasonable worst-case scenario for perishable goods including food, feed and drink was 142 kilotonnes and to date disruption has been minimal.”

Labour’s shadow environment and food secretary Luke Pollard, said: “No-one wants to see food stuck rotting in lorry queues at ports,” adding that the government must “take action now to support our exporters and prevent this costly food waste”.

The leaders of Britain’s five largest business groups met with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove last night to discuss Brexit red tape.

It seems they weren’t impressed by what they heard. They sent a letter to the government afterwards, asking ministers to accept the “substantial difficulties” firms are facing – with the prospect of a “significant loss of business” unless action is taken to ease bureaucracy.  

The letter – which complained about the lack of “informed advice” from government – was issued from the CBI, the British Chambers of Commerce, Make UK, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors.

And it warned of the “substantial difficulties faced by firms adapting to the new customs processes, sizeable obstacles to moving goods through the Dover-Calais route and the shortage of informed advice from both government and specialist advisers alongside a number of others”.

Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of trying to “curry favour” with the EU in its vaccine battle.

Sturgeon has said she will publish confidential vaccine supply data – revealing how many vaccine doses Scotland expects each week – to counter claims her administration has been too slow at getting the jab rolled out.

Sturgeon accused the UK government of double standards by briefing vaccine figures for different parts of the country “through spin to the media”.

Some Tories think she’s playing a dangerous game. Sir Iain Duncan Smith accused her of “showboating to try and curry favour” with the EU by picking a fight with London.

Conservative MP David Jones, deputy chair of the ERG, said she was “trying to ingratiate herself” in Brussels.