Government inverted values mean that ministers’ incompetence and scapegoating have led to the resignations of a series of civil servants

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Who will the prime minister throw under the bus this time?

If Bradford were to become the next UK City of Culture, the benefits for the city and region would be significant

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Will Bradford become the UK City of Culture 2025?

The government’s optimistic-boosterism approach to the cost-of-living crisis will do little to actually help those in need

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Boosterism doesn’t put food on the table

Cross-party group aiming to shore up support for NI protocol is welcomed in Dublin, but DUP meeting expected to be frosty

Unionists have responded with scorn and scepticism to a US congressional delegation that is attempting to shore up support for the Northern Ireland protocol.

The Democratic Unionist party (DUP) led accusations on Monday that the nine-strong delegation, which includes Democrats and Republicans from the House of Representatives and Senate, was partisan and out of touch.

Working from home has become part of the culture war, despite clear evidence of its benefits to employees, businesses and the economy

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Johnson and Rees-Mogg want us back in the office, but for whose benefit?

Learning Curve Group take to the skies to raise money for Ukrainian refugees; the organisation has already made donations to Ukraine.

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Learning Curve Group skydive to raise over £1,000 to support Ukrainian refugees

Households experience faster inflation than official statistics indicate, analysis suggests

The cost of basic goods and services needed by the average two-child household in the UK has risen by £400 a month, according to an analysis that suggests families are experiencing faster inflation than official figures indicate.

Costs for families with two children have risen by an annual rate of 13%, according to the research from Loughborough University, faster than the 9% rate of inflation found in official statistics – itself a 40-year high.

As Wakefield prepares to vote, voters should consider which candidate will most effectively champion children’s services in the city

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Children first: a challenge for Wakefield parliamentary candidates

The PM’s Brexit promises turned out to be not even half-baked

A corrupt and narcissistic leader has backed himself into a corner after a dirty campaign, driven by propaganda and lies; he has trashed international treaties, justifying his actions through deliberate political and historical falsehoods, propagated for decades by pliant client media; and now he is looking for a way out of a seemingly doomed situation.

But that’s enough of Boris Johnson’s Brexit disaster! Putin’s war in Ukraine isn’t going well either!! I’m here all week!!! Try the fish!!!! Sorry, you can’t. We’ve run out. Try the Own Brand I Can’t Believe It’s Not Fish Fish Substitute, you lazy extravagant peasant. But you’ll have to wait until later, after chef has done a 4pm emergency run to the yellow-stickered discount aisle. You might have to just have Party Eggs™®. Get a job! Then get another job!! And don’t forget to tip your waitress!!! Oh, there isn’t one. They’ve all gone back to Europe. Sorry.

In this interview, Judy Ling Wong CBE describes her formative experiences as an artist and immigrant and how both affect her activism.

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Judy Ling Wong CBE: a life in art and environmental activism

Foreign secretary tells Richard Neal, chair of the US Congress ways and means committee, that she cannot let the Brexit impasse drag on

Liz Truss is resisting pressure from a close ally of Joe Biden not to rewrite the Brexit deal’s Northern Ireland protocol, saying she will not let the impasse “drag on”.

The foreign secretary is facing concerted pressure from senior US politicians on the issue. Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House of Representatives, has already warned that she could endanger any hopes of a free trade deal with America.

Readers will be familiar with Norky’s Ramblings, which have been a regular feature at Yorkshire Bylines and are now available as a book.

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Norky’s Ramblings by Peter Norcliffe: a review

The latest economic figures show that the cost-of-living crisis will continue to worsen, hitting the poorest the hardest

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Poorest households continue to be the hardest hit by the cost-of-living crisis

Nicholas Walton gives up leadership of €2.8m pan-European research after dispute over Northern Ireland protocol

A Cambridge University astrophysicist studying the Milky Way and hoping to play a major part in the European Space Agency’s (Esa) next big project has been forced to hand over his coordinating role on the scheme after the row over Northern Ireland’s Brexit arrangements put science in the firing line.

Nicholas Walton, a research fellow at the Institute of Astronomy, reluctantly passed his leadership role in the €2.8m pan-European Marie Curie Network research project to a colleague in the Netherlands on Friday.

Micheál Martin visits Belfast to try to break deadlock over DUP’s opposition to Brexit protocol

• Today’s politics news – live updates

Ireland’s taoiseach has said it is unacceptable for one party in Northern Ireland to block others from taking power, as he visited Belfast to try to break the deadlock over the Brexit protocol and power-sharing at Stormont.

After meetings with party leaders, Micheál Martin said the Northern Ireland assembly and executive should be formed while negotiations continued between the UK government and the EU over the protocol. “Our view is there should be parallel discussions,” he said as he urged the DUP to abandon its decision not to return to power-sharing until “decisive action” was taken over reforms to Northern Ireland’s Brexit arrangements.

Earlier he said it was “unheard of in a democratic world” that a parliament could not convene after an election. “We can’t have a situation where one political party determines that the other political parties can’t convene in a parliament,” he said.

Yorkshire had long been centre of the conflict between Royalists and Parliamentarians. But why is the Capture of Wakefield left out of history books?

Yorkshire Bylines Local News: Bowls, beer, and battles: a not too serious guide to the capture of Wakefield, the Merrie City, May 1643

Scheme to pay farmers for nature stewardship is seen by some as one of the few positive Brexit dividends

The government’s plans to pay farmers for their stewardship of nature could be delayed or scrapped, it is feared, as hard-right Conservative MPs join the campaign against the environmental land management scheme (Elms).

The rollout of Elms, seen by some as one of the few positive Brexit dividends, is due to begin this year, with more standards beginning incrementally between 2023 and 2025.

‘Magnifique’, responds prime minister to news his father’s application has been successful

Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley, says he is “absolutely delighted” to retain a tie with the EU after Brexit as it was confirmed he had acquired French citizenship.

The former member of the European parliament said Boris responded to the news with one word: “Magnifique.”

Nine-strong team led by close Biden ally will visit Brussels, Dublin and London in significant intervention on division over NI protocol

One of Joe Biden’s closest allies is due to arrive in London on Saturday as part of an influential US congressional delegation seeking to calm tensions over Northern Ireland.

The nine-strong delegation includes Democratic and Republican delegates from the House of Representatives and Senate including members of the powerful ways and means committee chaired by Richard Neal, who will lead the group.

The EU’s flexibility has been met by the UK government talking about scrapping the protocol and breaching international law

• Leo Varadkar is Ireland’s tánaiste (deputy prime minister), and was taoiseach during Brexit negotiations

In October 2019 I met Boris Johnson in the Wirral. It was an appropriately “neutral” venue, and I was happy to meet the prime minister in the north-west of England. At the time, controversy surrounded the backstop, which the European Union had negotiated with the former prime minister Theresa May. This mechanism was designed to prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland, and to protect Ireland’s place in the EU single market while respecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s internal market. It would have kept the whole of the United Kingdom close to the European single market on regulations and customs rules, thus removing the need for many of the checks between Britain and Northern Ireland that are currently required.

May’s commitment to the union was so strong and genuine that she was willing to opt for a “soft” Brexit to protect it. I was keen to hear whether Johnson had any suggestions that could resolve the impasse, and perhaps develop into an alternative to the backstop. We had a very good meeting, much of it conducted in private, one-on-one. We both wanted a deal. I felt that we understood each other’s needs and red lines. A crucial point was democratic consent: we both agreed that only the Northern Ireland assembly should be allowed to revoke any solution that we agreed.

Leo Varadkar is Ireland’s tánaiste (deputy prime minister), and was taoiseach during Brexit negotiations

Bluntly worded intervention comes as tensions rise over plans by Liz Truss to nullify parts of the protocol

The US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has warned that unilateral UK legislation affecting the Northern Ireland protocol could endanger British prospects for a free trade deal with the US.

Pelosi’s bluntly worded intervention came two days after the UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, confirmed that the government was planning to table legislation that would nullify parts of the protocol by exempting some goods moving between Great Britain and Ireland from EU customs checks.

João Vale de Almeida warns of retaliation if UK passes law disapplying aspects of agreement

The EU ambassador to the UK has rejected Liz Truss’s demand that the Northern Ireland protocol be rewritten, and issued a blunt warning of retaliation if the government passes a law disapplying aspects of the agreement.

“Unilateral calls for unilateral; action calls for action,” João Vale de Almeida told journalists at Westminster.

This live blog is now closed. You can find our latest cost of living stories below:

• Starmer says PM ‘choosing to let people struggle’ with cost of living
• PMQs – snap verdict
• Sunak to tell CBI dinner that businesses will get tax cut in autumn
• Temporary VAT cut among options considered for cost of living crisis
• Inflation likely to experience further ‘bump’, cabinet minister warns
• EU ‘overzealous’ with checks under NI protocol, says Rachel Reeves

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international trade secretary, has warned that inflation will experience a further “bump” before prices are likely to stabilise.

In a Q&A after delivering a speech on green trade at Bloomberg’s HQ in London, she said countries around the world were facing a “a global battle against inflation”. She went on:

This is something we have to tackle across the board.

And the worry we always have is that inflation tends to have two bumps to it.

Analysis: UK among hardest-hit countries thanks to perfect storm of war in Ukraine, Covid and Brexit

Britain’s inflation rate has soared to the highest level since the early 1980s. After a record increase in gas and electricity bills in April, inflation is the highest in the G7. Having reached 9% last month, it is above the 8.3% rate in the US and Germany’s 7.4%. Japan, an economy characterised by low inflation for decades thanks to an ageing population, has the lowest rate at 1.2%.

Here are some of the reasons why prices are rising faster in the UK than in other major economies.

Analysis: leak blindsided US officials, caused shock waves in Europe and appears to have annoyed No 10

Given that it has just announced a bill that could spark a trade war in the middle of a cost of living crisis, it is remarkable how often members of the government say that what they want is for everyone to calm down.

The intention to legislate is now formally announced but when the bill will be seen by MPs is intentionally unclear. The Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, says it was never meant to be this week. Of course it wasn’t. Now the only commitment is “before the summer”.

At a time of economic crisis, Liz Truss has risked a downward spiral in relations with the EU for no good reason

At the recent Stormont elections, a majority of voters supported parties that broadly back the Northern Ireland protocol. Local business leaders have urged Boris Johnson to abandon the threat to unilaterally tear parts of it up, which would risk a trade war with the European Union when inflation rates are soaring and recession is looming. Sadly, what is truly best for Northern Ireland has rarely been allowed to disrupt this government’s choreographed games of Brexit brinkmanship with Brussels.

Tuesday’s Commons statement on the protocol by the foreign secretary, Liz Truss, was more measured in tone than some of the confrontational briefings around last week. But the tabling of a bill to abandon aspects of a treaty signed less than three years ago – when it was described as “oven-ready” – is irresponsible and recklessly destabilising. Ms Truss airily stated that the proposed legislation would not be in breach of international law, but failed to offer any evidence for that assertion. The EU was swift to warn that whatever legal casuistry may be forthcoming, it could respond to such a move with “all measures at its disposal”, which could mean shelving the entire post-Brexit free trade deal.

Tories’ Brexit derangement syndrome was in full swing as Truss gave statement on plan to disapply Northern Ireland protocol

There was going to be hell to pay when Liz Truss found out who had negotiated, agreed and signed the Northern Ireland protocol. What’s more, no one had ever said there was an election-winning, oven-ready Brexit deal on the table back in 2019. That was the kind of shameless lie only opposition parties could tell …

Boris Johnson has the knack of bringing everyone down to his level in the end. Corrupt, narcissistic, incompetent. The foreign secretary is just the latest – if entirely complicit – victim in this. So when she came to the Commons to give her statement on government plans to disapply the Northern Ireland protocol, Truss was in a full-on state of denial. Any correlation between what she said and the truth was entirely coincidental. And if she had accidentally mouthed the odd truth she would definitely make sure that she never made that mistake again.

The Tories are addicted to conflict with the EU, for fear of taking responsibility for the consequences of liberation

The Conservative party was happy with Brexit, but not for long. A deal that was great in 2019 is now not great. What could fix it? What change would bring enduring satisfaction? The answer is obvious to anyone familiar with the patterns of English Euroscepticism – nothing. There is no concession big enough, no deal good enough, just as no single fix can end the cravings of a drug addict. The long-term solution is to get sober.

That is not on Liz Truss’s agenda. On Tuesday, the foreign secretary informed parliament of a government plan to assert its own version of the Northern Ireland protocol. That is a threat designed to prod the EU into renegotiating the 2019 withdrawal agreement, which was itself the outcome of a renegotiation made necessary because Theresa May had done a deal that Conservative MPs also didn’t like.

Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist

Speaking at an event to mark the completion of London's new Elizabeth tube train line, Boris Johnson said he wanted to fix the Northern Ireland protocol and would work with EU partners to do so. The prime minister added that the government's 'higher duty' was to the Good Friday agreement and peace process, and that he would work to 'ensure the east-west trade and the integrity of the UK internal market'

• Today’s politics news – live updates
• UK to table bill to scrap Northern Ireland Brexit protocol, Liz Truss says

Liz Truss has said the government will announce 'in due course' how a law to amend the Northern Ireland protocol implementation that the government is proposing does not breach international law. 

The government will announce new legislation 'in the coming weeks', but said she is open to further talks with the EU. Speaking for Labour, shadow Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said it was 'deeply concerning' the government would break the treaty and put the relationship between the EU and UK in a downward spiral

• UK politics: latest updates

Analysis: Bloc has various retaliatory weapons available including returning to no-deal Brexit scenario

The EU could impose tariffs on UK fish and agricultural goods in just seven days if Boris Johnson goes ahead with moves to disapply parts of the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol, legal experts have said.

The short, sharp shock is one of the three key retaliatory weapons available through the trade agreement, according to Catherine Barnard, a professor of EU law at Cambridge University.

As the Convict hoped for a fudge in Northern Ireland, the Bank of England governor explained how screwed the economy is

The noises coming out of No 10 ahead of the prime minister’s visit to Northern Ireland had been rather more conciliatory. Obviously, there was no admission from Boris Johnson that he had actually negotiated and signed the deal involving the NI protocol, but that was always going to be a step too far. There’s only so much reality the Convict can take at any one time. And the bigger the truth, the harder he finds it to accept.

But at least Johnson had this time bothered to get someone with a working knowledge of some of the sensitivities endemic to Northern Ireland to write the 2,000-word opinion piece on his behalf for the Belfast Telegraph. Normally, he’d have just scribbled something off the top of his head in about 30 minutes. This time there was an awareness that he needed to produce something that in some way acknowledged the presence of both the nationalists and the unionists. Not to mention the EU.

British government is threatening to override Northern Ireland rules if bloc does not show ‘requisite flexibility’

The UK is saying it will have to take unilateral action to override part of the Northern Ireland Brexit protocol unless the EU shows the “requisite flexibility”. The EU has said it believes a deal can be done but only through negotiation.

So what are the differences between the two sides and is the latest row more about politics than substance?

Removal of checks on British sausages and other chilled meats. She also cited barriers to the supply of “Thai green curry ready meals, New Zealand lamb and Brazilian pork”.

Removal of customs declarations for parcel post, which would mean the restoration of online shopping for some of the big high street chains that have stopped delivering to Northern Ireland.

Removal of veterinary certificates for pets travelling from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK.

Ability to control the VAT rate in Northern Ireland. Truss complained that the protocol means some VAT cuts, including the relief on energy bills, which apply in the rest of the UK cannot be applied in Northern Ireland because of the protocol.

Removal of the European court of justice as the arbiter in disputes.

A green lane and red lane at ports to distinguish between goods destined for Northern Ireland and those travelling onward into the Republic of Ireland and the single market.

It offered to do away with the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on chilled meats with a new “national identity” exemption for British sausages and other goods destined for Northern Irish supermarkets. It offered a “bespoke solution” it claimed would get rid of 80% of the SPS checks on food. In exchange the UK would have to complete the construction of border controls and ensure a new “for Northern Ireland” labelling system.

It offered to reduce customs declarations by 50%.

It offered an “express lane” out of ports for goods destined for Northern Ireland only.

It offered an “enhanced” role for Stormont, business and civic stakeholders in the implementation of the protocol including attendance at meetings of specialised committees charged with overseeing the operation of the protocol.

An uninterrupted supply of medicines was offered.

After an initial shock to businesses, manufacturing jobs are growing four times faster here than the UK average

Whenever Boris Johnson’s government wades into battle over the Northern Ireland protocol, it wields one assertion like a broadsword: that the protocol is ruining the region’s economy. Checks on goods entering Northern Ireland are disrupting trade, increasing prices and bankrupting businesses, and the damage will worsen unless the protocol is changed, goes the argument.

The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), a rightwing thinktank, joined the fray last week with a report that estimated the annual cost of the agreement at £850m.

As Simon Kuper points out in his excellent book, both groups betrayed us to Moscow – but the former did it deliberately

The chaos caused by Brexit is here for all but the most pigheaded Brexiters to see. Why, no less a figure than the minister for Brexit “opportunities”, one Jacob Rees-Mogg, finds himself having to delay further implementation of customs bureaucracy because of the damage even he can see in front of him. Bringing in full checks the government had agreed in order “to get Brexit done” would, said Rees-Mogg, have been “an act of self-harm”, adding an extra £1bn to the already enormous cost of Brexit. No, I am not making this up.

There was another priceless example of what a nonsensical government we have when Conor Burns, the minister of state for Northern Ireland, appeared on Channel 4 News last Wednesday.

Ireland was the scene of a Boris Johnson masterclass in deception. In the 2019 election, he fooled millions into believing his “oven-ready deal” would “Get Brexit Done!” and we need not worry about the warnings of John Major, Tony Blair and Theresa May of the threat to the Northern Ireland settlement. Johnson’s straight lie that his withdrawal agreement would not put a border in the Irish Sea – “over my dead body,” he cried and yet the border is there and Johnson still lives – fooled the supposedly hard-nosed Democratic Unionist party. Finally, he conned the European Union into believing he was a man of his word when he signed a treaty confirming Northern Ireland’s special status that he had no intention of honouring.

At every stage, the attorney general, Suella Braverman, has covered his back. She has disgraced herself, her office, her profession and her country.

Sinn Féin’s vice-president has condemned the Democratic Unionist party for paralysing Northern Ireland's Stormont assembly and executive over the Northern Ireland protocol. Michelle O’Neill said the DUP was 'denying democracy' and 'punishing the public' after the party announced earlier on Friday that it would refuse to nominate a speaker.

Under power-sharing rules, the assembly and executive cannot function without a unionist party, and the row turned what was supposed to be the inaugural day of the assembly into a stalemate; newly elected representatives signed the roll – and become eligible to collect salaries – but faced being left without duties, functions or power

• DUP condemned for paralysing Stormont as protocol row deepens

The DUP has moved to stall power sharing by refusing to back the election of a new speaker

• Follow all today’s political developments – live updates

The Democratic Unionist party has chosen not to back the election of a new speaker for the Northern Ireland assembly as members gathered for the first time after last week’s elections.

The move, which leaves the assembly unable to function, marks an escalation after the party previously indicated it would not nominate for the position of deputy first minister because of its hostility to the post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Boris Johnson has said Northern Ireland's 'institutions of democracy have collapsed', as the row with the EU over the UK potentially scrapping parts of the Northern Ireland protocol deepens. The foreign secretary, Liz Truss, had earlier warned the EU that the UK could revoke some parts of the Brexit agreement and asked for flexibility

• UK politics: latest updates

UK has threatened laws to disapply parts of deal as negotiations with EU on food checks are due to restart

The UK is set for another bust-up with the EU over Brexit, testing the patience of European leaders trying to maintain a united front against Vladimir Putin.

What is the UK threatening, why now and what are the consequences?

At 2pm this Sunday, 15th May, we will be outside Downing Street to show Boris Johnson and his cronies that we’ve had enough of their lies, excuses, and attacks on democracy. Our message is clear: Boris Johnson is not fit to lead, and we need to act now to stop the rot that is killing our political system.

We’re proud to announce that Rosie Holt, political comedian and satirist known for playing a role as a Conservative MP, will be our host for the afternoon. 

The following speakers will highlight different aspects of the rotten politics we have in Boris Johnson’s Britain, and point out how we can respond positively: 

• David Lammy: Labour MP for Tottenham and Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs.

• Peter Tatchell: Human rights activist, campaigner and founder of LGBT rights direct action group Outrage!

• Nathalie Bennet: Green Party peer. Former leader of the Green Party of England & Wales

• Andrew Adonis: "Labour peer and leading anti-Brexit campaigner.

• Supertanskiii: Political commentator and satirical comedian of online fame.
  

• Marina Purkiss: Political commentator, writer, activist, and campaigner.

• Mandu Reid: Leader of the Women’s Equality Party (WEP) and prominent spokesperson for women’s rights in the UK. 
  

• Tom Brake: Former Lib-Dem MP for Carshalton and Wallington and founder/director of cross-party campaigning organisation Unlock Democracy. 
  

• Catherine Mayer: Author, activist and member of Covid Bereaved Families for Justice.

• Additionally, we’re lucky to have DJ Cozette,(London-based DJ, designer, connector and a British Fashion Council Change Maker), providing some tunes to keep things light.
  
  

JOIN THE PROTEST | STOP THE ROT | CHOOSE YOUR FUTURE

If you are as concerned as we are about the state of our politics, you won’t want to miss this event. Thanks to the activists above, #StopTheRot will be an afternoon of politics, entertainment and action. We’re going to send Boris a message loud and clear, showing that we’re united against the rot that he and his government have brought to our politics.

We want to know:

WILL YOU BE THERE ON MAY 15th?

CAN YOU DONATE TO HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN?

What might the UK government do next and where would this leave Northern Ireland?

The protocol was part of the UK’s 2019 Brexit divorce deal with the European Union. To avoid imposing a trade-and-customs border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland it put one in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which in effect remained part of the EU trading bloc. It requires checks on some goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Unionists say this undermines Northern Ireland’s position in the UK and could lead to an economic united Ireland. The issue has returned to centre stage because the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) says it will not join a new executive at Stormont unless Boris Johnson’s Tory government alters the protocol.

Boris Johnson’s supporters say he is a great Prime Minister, that he gets all the ‘big calls’ right, and that he’s a champion of peace, freedom and democracy. But, under his watch, our country has been crumbling under an increasingly rotten political system, characterised by lies, incompetence and corruption. The longer Johnson stays in power, the worse that rot will become. It’s time to #StopTheRot so that we can begin to get our country back on track.

If you agree that it’s time to #StopTheRot, come and make your voice heard at our protest rally outside Downing Street between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday 15 May. Speakers will set out the truth about this government’s record on Brexit, the Covid pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, upholding our democratic rights, and more, and explain why the first step to getting our country back on track is getting this crooked Prime Minister out of Number 10.

If you want to register to come to the protest, please click here.

If you would like to help make the protest as powerful as possible, you can donate here.

'How many citizens of the United Kingdom died because of Brexit? Zero,' said Petro Poroshenko after the British prime minister likened Ukraine's resistance to the Russian invasion to the UK 'choosing freedom' in leaving the EU

• Please don’t compare Ukraine to Brexit, Petro Poroshenko asks Boris Johnson
• Russia-Ukraine war: latest updates

“The Health and Care Bill is a clear and disturbing illustration of how much disguised legislation a Bill can contain and offends against the democratic principles of parliamentary scrutiny.”

Don’t take my word for it, this was the conclusion drawn in December 2021 by the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee in the House of Lords. If the Bill were to pass unamended, it would give ministers the powers to steer the UK’s healthcare system in any direction they choose, without further scrutiny by parliament or the courts. The approach taken to this Bill mirrors the new powers being given to the Tory dominated Speaker's Committee which will have the power to direct the Electoral Commission’s priorities (a key danger of the Elections Bill).

This weekend we took our StopBoris campaign message to the skies above Old Trafford and Elland Road football grounds as part of our effort to ensure that the debate about Boris Johnson’s future in Downing Street isn’t confined to the Westminster bubble or to those who already take a significant interest in politics and democracy.

David Frost says his resignation as Brexit minister was over policy not Boris Johnson's leadership. 

In his resignation letter (pdf) Lord Frost cited two policy issues he said had prompted his resignation: Covid restrictions, and the 'current direction of travel' in terms of taxation and regulation, generally. But many commentators thought he was being disingenuous and that a dispute over Brexit policy was the key factor

• Raab disagrees with Frost’s concerns over coercive Covid rules

The 2019 parliamentary intake was the most gender balanced in British history, with women now making up 220 out of 650, or 34% of MPs. Yet although significant progress has been made, we must not get complacent. In order for meaningful change to occur, we first need to elect a more diverse set of Parliamentarians who bring a diverse set of life experiences to the Chamber. 

Britain and the EU appear on the brink of a trade war after Brussels accused Boris Johnson of lacking sincerity in negotiations over Northern Ireland’s future. After the latest talks, the EU commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said that despite Brussels’ attempts to find a compromise, 'we have seen no move at all from the UK side'

• Brexit: EU warns of ‘serious consequences’ if UK invokes article 16

The environment secretary has welcomed France's step back from threats to impose a blockade on British boats and goods in a dispute over post-Brexit fishing licenses. George Eustice denied the UK had acted in any way improperly and said it continued to abide by its obligations. France has been infuriated that some of its small boats are being denied permission to fish in waters around the UK and Channel Islands. 'We had an agreement on fisheries that we all concluded at the end of last year. We've been implementing that in good faith,' Eustice said

• France backed down in fishing row when it ‘looked at evidence’, says George Eustice

The British foreign secretary criticises the French, accusing Paris of making unreasonable and unwarranted threats and again hinting that President Emmanuel Macron is playing to the crowd, with the forthcoming election in mind. 'The French have behaved unfairly. It’s not within the terms of the trade deal,' she adds. 'And if someone behaves unfairly in a trade deal you’re entitled to take action against them and seek some compensatory measures'

• France has 48 hours to back down in fishing row, warns Liz Truss
• French fishing industry divided over sanctions on UK trawlers
  

George Eustice, the environment secretary, has said the UK is considering retaliatory measures against French vessels as a row over fishing rights escalates. 'It is always open to us to increase the enforcement we do on French vessels, to board them, if that is what they do to our vessels,' Eustice said.

The UK has summoned France's ambassador in London and put two Royal Navy patrol vessels on a state of 'high readiness' to tackle potential port blockades after France reacted with fury over reduced access to post-Brexit fishing permits. On Thursday, French maritime police seized a British trawler found in its territorial waters without a licence 

• Macron’s re-election hopes may be driving Brexit fishing row, says Eustice
• UK summons French ambassador as fishing rights row escalates
• France to use ‘language of force’ in post-Brexit fishing rights row

In March of this year, the government released a report on racial inequality that concluded “we no longer see a Britain where the system is deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities”. The report was a whitewash, with the government focussing more on stoking culture wars than coming up with an effective policy response to the still searing inequalities outlined by Black Lives Matter activists throughout last summer. 

From the COVID-19 pandemic to Climate Change, the world is currently facing unprecedented challenges. Therefore, when a proposal for a new government policy with a hefty £120 million price tag was revealed, it would be fair to assume that such a large amount of taxpayer money would be spent on protecting the NHS or funding innovative technology to help create a more sustainable future.

I am well aware of the arguments against proportional representation. I even sympathise with some of them. But, for me, the case in favour of proportional representation is emphatic.

In a matter of weeks, the decades-long dominance of the Conservative party in Chesham & Amersham has been swept away. Gone because a progressive majority of Labour, Greens, and Conservatives voted tactically in support of Sarah Green, the Liberal Democrat candidate.

You only need to look at recent press coverage in Australia to see how much benefit that country thinks it will get from our newly announced free trade agreement. But what’s the deal for the UK?

It’s no coincidence that both Boris Johnson and Joe Biden have chosen ‘Build Back Better’ as their mantra. From education to employment, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated inequality within society, and many people have come to realise that the pre-pandemic ‘normal’ was simply unsustainable. As the summer sunshine finally arrives and we cautiously begin to look towards a post-pandemic world, we have a real opportunity to create a better future than the one we had before.

As the old saying goes, nothing is certain, except death and taxes. If the fresh round of chaos brought on by the recent local elections is anything to go by, perhaps Labour infighting should be added to that list.