The UK and Australia have announced the outlines of a free trade agreement that would eliminate tariffs on a wide range of products, written Tom Batchelor.

British-made cars, Scotch whiskey, cookies and ceramics will be cheaper to sell under the pact, while Australian producers are expected to benefit from increased exports of lamb and wine, the government said.

However, the deal has sparked controversy, both among British farmers who fear being compromised by cheap imports, and by environmental activists who warn it opens the door to “destructive mega farms” and to the “chaos of biodiversity”.

Government delays over whether to continue allowing early home abortions leave women confused and fearful, activists warned, written Maya Oppenheim.

Major healthcare providers have repeatedly called for the possibility of having early home abortions, which were rolled out following the lockdown measures in spring 2020, to be made permanent.

Having a medical abortion involves taking two pills – with medical professionals claiming that the pills have fewer harmful consequences than paracetamol.

Before the pandemic, obtaining the first pill, mifepristone, required a visit to an abortion clinic.

Boris Johnson condemned the “shameful” footage of a BBC journalist harassed and pursued by anti-lockdown protesters in London.

The images showed Nicholas Watt, NewsnightThe political editor of, was accosted by several people during a demonstration outside Downing Street on Monday.

Mr Watt, who was wearing a BBC lanyard, was forced through the crowd past a line of police officers as people shouted ‘traitor’ and other slurs at him.

On Tuesday, the Prime Minister tweeted: “It’s a shame to see the hunt for Nick Watt doing its job. The media must be able to report the facts without fear or favor – they are the cornerstone of our democracy. “

Dozens of anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protesters marched through Westminster on Monday afternoon as Boris Johnson announced that further easing of coronavirus restrictions would be delayed by a month amid an increase in cases.

Keir Starmer says Boris Johnson is to blame for the delay in lifting Covid-19 restrictions because he did not put India on the travel redlist until too late, written Jean Rentoul.

Matt Hancock, the Secretary of Health, told the House of Commons last night that the government could not be expected to act on the basis of evidence that was not available at the time.

Tens of thousands of children and babies in the UK could be left in limbo within weeks due to growing delays in processing their EU claims, lawyers and organizations have warned. charities.

Experts warn of “looming catastrophe” as more than 80,000 young people still await a decision, written Mai Bulman.

While many more are said to have yet to file a claim due to difficulties meeting “rigid” proof requirements or parents simply unaware that they should apply for their children.

All EU nationals and their family members in the UK, including children of all ages, must register for the EU Settlement Program by June 30, those who do not automatically become illegal immigrants.

Dominic Raab and his cabinet colleagues have “blood on their hands” because of the reduction in foreign aid spending, a lawmaker said.

The government’s decision to cut the aid budget from 0.7 to 0.5 percent of GDP equates to a reduction of £ 4 billion.

Speaking to Foreign Secretary on the issue, Hannah Bardell of the SNP said: “The rest of the G7 countries have increased their aid budgets, but the UK is the only one to cut it. utterly ashamed… how does he and his Conservative government sleep at night knowing it has blood on the hands of some of the poorest people in the world? “

Former Conservative Minister David Davis warned that the move could potentially have “the fatal consequences of a medium-sized war.”

Mr Raab has denied such claims, saying Ms Bardell used “somewhat unsavory” language.

Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland was unlikely to fully lift the lockdown by the end of the month as originally planned.

Speaking on Tuesday, the Scottish Prime Minister said the delay “would save us enough time” to administer as many doses of the vaccine as possible.

“The current situation is not what we want, but neither is the lockdown. And vaccination helps us, every day, to change the situation, ”she added.

The SNP criticized the UK government for keeping decentralized nations in the dark about the UK’s trade deal with Australia.

Scottish Trade Minister Ivan McKee said the UK government was supposed to brief decentralized administrations about this this morning. However, this meeting was postponed “because we were told ‘not enough of the deal is being done’,” he said.

He tweeted that he was therefore “very interested in reading so much informed coverage” on the pact.

Mr McKee’s party colleague Ian Blackford, SNP leader in Westminster, echoed his words. “Once again Scotland is being kept in the dark and is not being consulted on a deal that could have serious and damaging consequences for our economy,” he said.

Earlier today, the National Farmers Union expressed concern over the lack of animal welfare details in the trade deal with Australia.

In response, a spokesperson for No 10 said: “We are absolutely not compromising our high standards of animal welfare and food safety.

“The government continues to stand up for top quality products from UK farmers for both home consumption and overseas markets. “

They added that the hormone-injected beef would not appear in UK supermarkets as a result of the deal and more details would be given shortly.

Cabinet Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg defended fans who booed the England football team for taking the knee, saying there was no evidence they were racist.

Talk to Conservative house, the Commons leader said: “I think they are booing the BLM movement – I think this is pretty clearly a reaction to what is now known about the BLM and the underlying political message that is not not sympathetic to the UK as a nation “.

His claims are at odds with the prime minister, who said he wanted “to see fans cheering, not booing”.

Our political correspondent Ashley cowburn to the story: