China should be ‘sent signal’ on human rights as aid cuts deemed ‘unlawful’ – follow live

The Queen’s speech, which marks the official state opening of parliament, is scheduled to take place on 11 May.

It is expected to focus on the government’s agenda for the next session and its plans to build back better from the pandemic.

In a statement, Downing Street said the Queen’s speech will also confirm the continuation of a number of bills carrying over from this parliamentary year, including the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, the Environment Bill and the Armed Forces Bill.

The government has also already confirmed it will introduce legislation to improve the building safety regulatory regime, reform our asylum system and to repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act.

The opening will be adapted due to Covid restrictions, with reduced ceremonial elements, “significantly fewer MPs and peers in attendance”, a reduced royal procession into the Lords Chamber and no diplomatic or non-parliamentary guests.

“While we are still in the middle of a pandemic this Queen’s speech will look quite different, but it is important we take forward our plans and deliver policies to improve the lives of people across the country through a new Parliamentary session,” a No10 spokesperson said.

“We are working closely with Public Health England to ensure arrangements are Covid-secure.”

A Conservative Party MP shared an image of his gratified office, based in Bolton West, on which angry constituents had written: “Scrubs like you can’t silence the youth”.

Chris Green wrote alongside the picture: “I know that some people are feeling the pressure under lockdown, but this sort of behaviour is not acceptable for any reason or at any time.”

The artwork also featured various swear words and offensive drawings, including one of a middle finger.

Sir Keir Starmer said Labour would not fight “yesterday’s wars” while defending the party’s pro-EU candidate in the Hartlepool by-election.

Dr Paul Williams, who was an opponent of Brexit and backed a second referendum, is standing in the constituency in which almost 70 per cent voted to Leave in the 2016 referendum.

Sir Keir said: “We have left the EU, neither Paul nor I are suggesting a people’s vote, we have left the EU, we have got a deal, we have got to make it work and we don’t want to rejoin. That’s the position of the Labour Party. We can’t go on fighting yesterday’s wars. The referendum was five years ago now, we don’t want further division. We accept we’ve left, we’ve got a deal, let’s make it work.”

The by-election will be a key test of Sir Keir’s leadership as he attempts to defend a seat in Labour’s heartlands after a large chunk of it fell to Boris Johnson’s Tories in the 2019 election – which Brexit played a major part in.

The Labour leader defended Dr Williams after he apologised for his past “inappropriate” tweets, including one about “a favourite Tory milf”. But the NHS doctor said on Friday that he “wouldn’t dream of making comments like this now” after the decade-old messages came to light.

The foreign secretary is due to make a statement later today in the House of Commons, on what is being described as a “human rights update”.

It comes after a leaked audio clip of Dominic Raab appeared to show him sanctioning the UK’s continued trade deals with nations that do not meet European standards on human rights.

The Speakers of both Houses of Parliament will lead a minute’s silence on 23 March to mark the anniversary of the first lockdown or, as charity Marie Curie has branded it, a National Day of Reflection to show support for the millions of people across the world who have been bereaved since the pandemic began.

Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “None of us has escaped the ordeal of Covid-19 – from the shock of having our liberty taken away, to the heartbreak of losing someone we loved.

“So, a year on, it is right that we take a moment to reflect on what we as a nation have been through; that we pay tribute to the many lives lost and the families that mourn them and we say a big ‘thank you’ to our NHS staff who have worked so tirelessly on the frontline caring for people in need.”

Meanwhile, Lord Fowler, the Lord speaker, said: “A year ago today we were asked to stay at home to combat the spread of Coronavirus. Since then, many thousands have been lost and the lives of those left behind have been changed forever. The public have made enormous sacrifices to protect the lives of others.

“It is right that we in the House of Lords pause now, together with the Commons and the whole country, and remember those who have died and those who are bereaved.”

The minute’s silence, which will begin at 12pm, will be televised via Parliament TV in both Chambers.

A government minister has repeatedly declined to say whether Britain will respond to a possible EU export ban on vaccines with retaliatory measures.

Pressed on what the UK government would do if it went ahead, Health minister Helen Whately told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Well I don’t think it’s very helpful to speculate at the moment. The prime minister has made it clear is that we expect the EU to stand by their commitments and the commitment that the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen made, which is that the EU wouldn’t stop companies fulfilling their contractual obligations. That is what should happen.”

Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has more:

A string of police and political figures have hit out at the “scenes of violence” in Bristol on Sunday.

Police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: “I cannot condemn enough the scenes of violence and destruction that we witnessed yesterday and I know these feelings are felt by the majority of the city and beyond.

“Twenty officers were injured last night and this is unacceptable. These men and women went to work yesterday with public safety as their number one priority and still faced a level of violence that cannot be justified.

“Such a violent demonstration is shameful at any time, let alone during a pandemic that has seen local people make many sacrifices.

“Those who clearly acted with intent to cause damage and destruction showed reckless disregard for the safety of local people, police officers and the general community. The financial cost of this to the public is also going to be substantial.”

Avon and Somerset Police chief constable Andy Marsh said there was no “prior intelligence” that any disorder was planned “on this scale”.

“No specific organiser was identified prior to the event but we did engage with a number of organisations who had expressed an interest in attending to discourage them due to the current Covid-19 restrictions,” he said.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said: “There is a debate to be had and there’s debate to be had about all proposed Government legislation. But I think there are particular concerns about this Bill and we’ll speak about those more on another occasion.

“The violence that happened in a city last night goes nowhere to actually reducing the likelihood of this Bill winning support. In fact, it does quite the contrary … It runs absolutely against what they claim to be in fighting for – political illiteracy at large.”

It comes as police announced that at least seven people have been arrested in connection with the “riot”.

Transport for London (TfL) has accepted the government’s offer to extend financial support by seven weeks, as lockdown restrictions continue to significantly impact the network’s performance.

“We have today agreed with the government that our funding will be extended until May 18 on the same terms that have applied to our funding for the second half of 2020-21,” a TfL spokesman said.

“We continue discussions with the government on our need for further financial support and a long-term capital funding deal.

“This is vital for us to support a strong and robust recovery from the pandemic, and to provide confidence to our UK-wide supply chain.”

A £1.8bn funding package agreed in November 2020 by Sadiq Khan, to keep services running, was due to expire next week.

Plans to introduce new laws feared to heavily infringe on the nation’s right to protest have been met with violence, as the latest in a series of “Kill the Bill” demonstrations saw police officers injured.

Sunday’s march was initially described by Bristol Live as having a “festival atmosphere”, with thousands – many wearing face masks and socially distancing – gathering typically enough at the city’s College Green, carrying placards opposing a “police state” and warning against the “silencing” of the public.

But a “small minority” eventually attacked the police station in Bridewell Street and were met with mounted officers, police dogs and riot shields. Footage showed rioters smashing the station’s windows, while two heavily graffitied police vehicles were set alight and two officers hospitalised with broken bones, according to Avon and Somerset Police.

My colleague Andy Gregory reports:

The DUP’s Peter Weir has rejected a suggestion his party is considering pulling down the Stormont institutions in protest at the Northern Ireland protocol.

The education minister was responding to comments from David Campbell, chairman of the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), an umbrella group representing loyalist paramilitary groups.

Mr Campbell claimed DUP leader Arlene Foster had told the LCC that collapsing the Executive was within her party’s “thinking” but only after all other avenues to ditch the protocol had been exhausted. But Mr Weir said the issue was not raised at the meeting between the LCC and the DUP leadership last month.

“I think we’re somewhat bemused by the comments and I think we’re seeking David to clarify the situation, whether he’s misinterpreted,” Mr Weir told BBC Radio Ulster earlier.

“But you know the reality is in terms of the meeting that was held between the DUP and David’s group, we didn’t raise the issue of bringing down the Assembly, it wasn’t discussed, it’s not within our thinking, and I think that would be counterproductive.”

He added: “I think what we are looking to see across the board, across unionism as a whole, is constructive co-operation on an entirely sort of peaceful constitutional manner to see what actions can be taken against the protocol and that’s where the focus of our activities is. We’re not and we haven’t suggested bringing down the Assembly or the Executive nor indeed was it discussed at the meeting.”