AUKUS deal is a 'Brexiteer's dream' says Nigel Farage
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The Prime Minister warned during the meeting in New York the gap between what industrialised nations have promised and what they are actually delivering remains “vast”. He wants them to ramp up their efforts to hit a key financial pledge to help developing nations. Mr Johnson conceded there is only a “six out of 10” chance of hitting this promise before the UK hosts the COP26 climate summit in November.
Co-hosting a discussion at the UN General Assembly, he noted “everyone nods and we all agree that something must be done”.
The Prime Minister said: “Yet I confess I’m increasingly frustrated that the ‘something’ to which many of you have committed is nowhere near enough.
“It is the biggest economies in the world that are causing the problem, while the smallest suffer the worst consequences.
“And while progress is being made all over the world, the gulf between what has been promised, what is actually being delivered, and what needs to happen… it remains vast.
“Too many major economies – some represented here today, some absent – are lagging too far behind.”
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KEY EVENTS
No10 denies Boris ‘rubbing Macron’s nose in it’
Downing Street has shot down accusations France had been snubbed by Boris Johnson at the UN meeting in New York amid the escalating row over the UK’s defence partnership with the US and Australia.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman was asked by reporters in the US is Mr Johnson was rubbing Macron’s nose in it” by meeting Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and President Joe Biden while at the UN gathering.
He replied: “No. I’d point you back to what the Prime Minister said on the plane.
“He was effusive about our relationship with the French and the closeness of that relationship is demonstrated every day, be it through our existing Lancaster House agreement, the joint work through Nato or elsewhere.”
Downing Street denies PM caught by surprise over US travel announcement
Boris Johnson had previously told reporters in regards to the US easing restrictions on UK travellers entering the country: “I don’t think we’re necessarily going to crack it this week.”
When asked if the Prime Minister was told about the change in Washington policy, which will see fully vaccinated UK travellers able to visit the US from November, his official spokesman said: “As you’d expect, officials and the Prime Minister were aware that an announcement was possible shortly, but I wouldn’t get into timings beyond that.”
When pressed on whether Mr Johnson had been “blindsided”, the Downing Street official insisted:
“No. Like I said, we were aware an announcement was pending.
“It is not for us to speak ahead of that and there are no guarantees on this sort of thing.
“We were kept in the loop.”
Boris praises vaccines in meeting with Brazil leader – who says he has not yet received one
The Prime Minister praised the effectiveness of vaccines while meeting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro – who claims not to have received one yet.
Mr Johnson said he had promised to visit Brazil before the Covid pandemic hit, adding: “But we’re working together on the vaccines.
“AstraZeneca it’s a great vaccine. I have AstraZeneca.”
As the press left the room, the Prime Minister told them: “Thanks everybody, get AstraZeneca vaccines.”
He turned to Mr Bolsonaro and said: “I’ve had it twice.”
The Brazilian President then pointed at himself and wagged his finger, “not yet”, he said through an interpreter, before laughing.
Boris insists UK relationship with France is ‘incredibly important’
The comments from the Prime Minister come after French Defence Minister Florence Parly postponed a meeting with the UK’s Defence Secretary.
France has been left furious following the announcement of the Aukus alliance, which ripped up an agreement for the French to supply Australia with diesel-electric boats.
Mr Johnson, speaking at a press conference in New York where he is attending the United Nations general assembly, said: “Our relationship with France is incredibly important, it is historic, it goes back a long, long time.
“It is founded on shared values, shared belief in democracy, we work together around the world.
“The UK and France are shoulder-to-shoulder in the Sahel fighting terrorism, we are shoulder to shoulder in the Baltic states in Nato’s largest current mission.
“And it is an extraordinary fact: there is one other country in the world with whom we share a programme to do simulated nuclear testing. Which country is that? It is France.”
PM admits lifting of US travel restrictions ‘faster than we expected’
Boris Johnson told the UN meeting in New York: “They will be able to get there by Thanksgiving. That’s a great thing.
“I thank everybody in the US-UK joint working group who have been hard at it.
“And I thank the President for the progress that we’ve been able to make.
“Yes we have done it faster than we expected but that’s thanks to the hard work of our teams.”
Boris Johnson launches huge warning over tackling climate change
The Prime Minister has warned during a meeting at the UN in New York the gap between what industrialised nations have promised and what they are actually delivering remains “vast”.
Mr Johnson urged them to increase their efforts to hit a financial promise to help developing nations.
Co-hosting a discussion at the UN General Assembly, he noted that “everyone nods and we all agree that something must be done”.
Mr Johnson said: “Yet I confess I’m increasingly frustrated that the ‘something’ to which many of you have committed is nowhere near enough.
“It is the biggest economies in the world that are causing the problem, while the smallest suffer the worst consequences.
“And while progress is being made all over the world, the gulf between what has been promised, what is actually being delivered, and what needs to happen… it remains vast.
“Too many major economies – some represented here today, some absent – are lagging too far behind.”
Liz Truss also welcomes ‘excellent news’ on UK travel to US
The Foreign Secretary welcomed the “excellent news” about the easing to US travel restrictions for the UK.
She added it was “important for our economic recovery, families and trade”.
Boris Johnson hails easing of US travel rules for UK
The Prime Minister said the news is a ‘fantastic boost for business and trade’.
He added it was ‘great that family and friends on both sides of the pond can be reunited once again’.
Fully vaccinated UK travellers can visit US from November
The White House is lifting the 18-month blanket ban on foreign travellers, including those from the UK, from entering the country.
Before the Covid pandemic began, around 3.8 million British nationals have visited the US each year, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
White House Covid co-coordinator Jeff Zients announced all foreign visitors will need to show proof of vaccination, in addition to proof of a negative test taken within the previous three days of travel.
Airlines will also need to obtain contact information from international travellers so that they can be traced if required.
Paul Withers taking over live reporting from Francesca Edwards
Additional reporting by Francesca Edwards.
Who will Boris Johnson meet today?
The Prime Minister will meet Amazon boss Jeff Bezos on Monday and has vowed to tell him the online giant must pay its fair share of taxes in the UK and address working standards for employees.
Mr Johnson is also expected to challenge Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro, a notorious climate change sceptic, on deforestation during a separate meeting.
Stark warning delivered by PM to world leaders
Boris Johnson has issued a stark warning to world leaders on what will happen if they do not redouble their efforts to hit the target of giving $100 billion a year to support developing nations to cut carbon emissions.
“If you say that the lives of their children are not worth the hassle of reducing domestic coal consumption, will they vote with you in fora such as this?” he said.
“Will they work with you, borrow from you, stand with you if you tell the world that you don’t care whether their land and their people slip below the waves?
“To be merely a bystander is to be complicit in their fate – yet that is exactly what you will be if you fail to act this year.”
US travel announcement rumoured
An announcement of relaxing US travel could come as early as this afternoon according to some reports.
Boris Johnson was expected to try and persuade President Biden that travel to the UK was “safe” during their meeting at The White House on Tuesday.
BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg said the announcement is “ahead of UK expectation” and “could be confirmed in the next hour.”
Boris Johnson growing ‘increasingly frustrated’ at lack of climate change commitments
Boris Johnson has told world leaders he is growing “increasingly frustrated” that their commitments to tackle the climate crisis are “nowhere near enough”.
The Prime Minister co-hosted a roundtable at the UN General Assembly where he told leaders that “everyone nods and we all agree that something must be done.”
He continued: “Yet I confess I’m increasingly frustrated that the ‘something’ to which many of you have committed is nowhere near enough.
“It is the biggest economies in the world that are causing the problem, while the smallest suffer the worst consequences.
“And while progress is being made all over the world, the gulf between what has been promised, what is actually being delivered, and what needs to happen… it remains vast.
“Too many major economies – some represented here today, some absent – are lagging too far behind.”
Climate change protests will continue, says activity group
The activist group behind M25 roadblocks say “actions will continue” after protestors blocked the road for the fourth time this morning.
In a statement an Insulate Britain spokesperson said action would continue until the government makes “a meaningful commitment to insulate all of Britain’s 29 million leaky homes by 2030.”
Boris Johnson told to stop negotiating with EU captials
Boris Johnson was told to stop negotiating with EU capitals in the post-Brexit issues with Northern Ireland.
Senior Dutch diplomatic sources disputed a claim by the Prime Minister, who said his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte offered to mediate in the EU-UK talks
Dutch diplomats said No10 should focus its efforts on working with the European Commission to find a solution.
READ MORE: Brexit news: Dutch officials erupt at ‘Rutte offer’ – accuse UK of splitting bloc | Politics | News | Express.co.uk
Business Secretary to give update on gas shortages
Kwasi Kwarteng will give a statement on gas shortages in the commons this afternoon.
The Business Secretary vowed “consumers come first” after a meeting with UK energy companies and consumer groups this morning.
Post-brexit issues ‘can’t go on forever’, says PM
Boris Johnson has warned that the post-Brexit issues with Northern Ireland “can’t go on forever” as ministers consider the prospect of tearing up parts of an agreement with the EU.
The Prime Minister insisted the UK is not “trying to stoke” the problems ahead of a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday.
Proud of his Irish heritage, Mr Biden has repeatedly warned the Government not to damage the peace process amid continuing issues over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Mr Johnson told reporters travelling with him in New York: “We want to fix this, we want common sense. We want no barriers in the UK for trading in our country and it’s crazy at the moment that we’ve got the protocol being enforced or being used in the way that it is.
Footage of climate change protests on M25
Environmental protesters from Insulate Britain targeted the M25 for a fourth time in little more than a week on Monday, blocking slip roads by gluing themselves to the carriageway and pouring paint on to the roads as part of their campaign to improve home insulation.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the protests are “illegal” and urged police to act more quickly to stop them.
Boris was ‘clearly delighted’ to be leaving UK
The BBC’s Laura Kuenssburg revealed that Boris Johnson was “clearly delighted” to be travelling out of the UK as he “bounded from behind the grey curtain on the plane.
Laura also said the PM put the problem of shortage of gas and supply chain to the world waking up from the pandemic, referring it to the moment people rush to “put the kettle on at the end of a TV programme.”
On the flight to the US, Boris Johnson said the problems were real “stresses and strains” but were only “temporary”
Boris Johnson to arrive in next few hours
Boris Johnson is expected to arrive at the UN Headquarters in New York in the next couple of hours.
GB News political editor Darren McCaffrey said it is “up to the Prime Minister to get leaders on board” with climate change measures because he will chair the COP26 meeting in Glasgow.
When will Boris Johnson meet Joe Biden?
The Prime Minister will meet with President Biden on Tuesday.
This will be Mr Johnson’s first visit to the White House since Mr Biden succeeded Donald Trump as US President. The two are expected to discuss the US’s withdrawal from Afghanistan which was heavily criticised in the UK.
Mr Johnson is also likely to try to make headway over the Northern Ireland border as he aims to strike a post-Brexit trade deal.
World leaders ‘must deliver’, says Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson said world leaders “must deliver” ahead of the COP26 in November.
In a tweet he said he will make the case for global recovery from the pandemic which “must be rooted in green growth”
UNGA is a ‘critical moment’ for climate change
In a video posted on social media, the COP26 conference said the UN General Assembly (UNGA) is a “critical moment for our planet”.
The video said the meeting is a chance to bring world leaders and businesses together to set out plans to tackle climate change ahead of the COP26 conference in just over a month’s time.
France demand compensation over AUKUS
The controversial AUKUS deal has ruffled a few feathers and now France is demanding compensation.
The project has led to the cancellation of a £72.8 billion deal to buy submarines from a French company and France recalling its ambassadors from both the US and Australia in protest.
Gabriel Attal, a spokesman for the French government, said compensation must be paid to France.
READ MORE: Emmanuel Macron news: France demands compensation over AUKUS submarine deal | World | News | Express.co.uk
Protestors continue to block M25
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has criticised protestors after they blocked the M25 for the fourth time this morning.
He told the PA agency it is “irresponsible” and “dangerous”.
He added: “It’s completely counterproductive as well because they’re actually creating the pollution they want to get rid of by having cars standing still, so there’s no justification for that kind of action.
“I call on them to stop and the police to intervene.”
What happens at the UN General Assembly?
This week marks the 76th annual UN General Assembly after being held visually last year due to the pandemic, but what is the meeting about?
-Over 100 world leaders are expected-World leaders not in attendance including Vladimir Putin, Chinese president Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron, and the new president of Iran Ebrahim Raisi.-Boris Johnson will call on leaders to take “concrete action” against climate change ahead of the COP26 conference in Glasgow.-Joe Biden is likely to speak about Covid recovery, the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, and address the General Debate on Tuesday.-Foreign Ministers of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, UK, US Russia, China, and France will also meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.
What will the PM’s first day involve?
GB News’s political editor Darren McCaffrey has outlined what the PM’s agenda will look like on his first full day in the US.
Climate change is set to be “at the top of the agenda” ahead of Britain holding the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November.
PM to tell Biden travel to UK is ‘safe’
Boris Johnson is hoping to persuade President Biden to resume travel to and from the UK.
James Cleverly told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the PM will make it “very, very clear that travel is safe.”
Mr Cleverly said: “Well, obviously, international travel is incredibly important for the UK, we want to get to a situation where Brits are able to travel to one of our closest partners in the world.
“It’s important to us, and as strong international partners that’s what we should be looking to do.”
He added that “there’ll be no need to bang any tables to get the point across”.
What is AUKUS?
AUKUS is the UK’s new defence project with the United States and Australia.
Boris Johnson, President Biden and Australian PM Scott Morrison announced the agreement, which will help Australia build nuclear-powered submarines using technology provided by the UK and US.
In a joint statement, the leaders said the deal aims to “sustain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
Boris Johnson added it will be one of the “most complex and technically demanding projects in the world” and gives Britain a “new opportunity to reinforces its place at the leading edge of science and technology.”
Climate change protests are ‘ego-driven’, says minister
Protestors blocking the M25 are “adding nothing” to the cause of tackling climate change, says Foreign Office minister James Cleverly.
Mr Cleverly said it is “a completely inappropriate way of making a point” and said the protests were “ego-driven”.
He said: “The UK is one of the global leaders in this and this is very much what the Prime Minister will be taking with him as a message when he goes to the United Nations, or now that he’s at the United Nations General Assembly.”
PM to shame richer countries into tackling climate change
Boris Johnson could shame richer and big polluting countries telling them they have a “duty” to step up to tackle climate change.
The PM will also put pressure on bis businesses to cut emissions including Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, telling the online giant it must pay its fair share of taxes in the UK.
The Independent is reporting that Mr Johnson will tell world leader developed countries have “collectively failed” to live up to promises first made in 2009 to help poorer nations cut their carbon emissions.
Nancy Pelosi’s warning shot
During a visit to the UK over the weekend Nancy Pelosi told British officials that a transatlantic trade was “very unlikely” if the Good Friday Agreement is harmed.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives warned that a breakdown in talks over the Northern Ireland protocol would be “problematic” for the post-Brexit trade deal.
But she added: “I’m so glad that more time has been given for the negotiations and the discussion because they have to reach an agreement.”
UK and US have ‘indispensable relationship’
Speaking on Good Morning Britain former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said “Britain is a power to be recognised” but added that Boris Johnson can’t go in blind to his meetings with the US this week.
Mr Brown said the US and the UK have an “indispensable relationship” and the world can work better when the UK and the US are working in unison.
He added that Boris Johnson and President Biden should “get down to business” and sort out the important issues, including climate change, covid recovery, and vaccinations to prove they can “make some difference.”
PM faces supply crisis back home
Boris Johnson is also facing pressure back home as the government tries to grapple with rising fears about shortages of gas and supply chains.
Speaking on the tarmac at New York’s JFK airport, Mr Johnson said the shortages were “a function of the world economy waking up after Covid”.
He added the government would do “everything we can” to prevent energy companies from going under as gas prices surge.
Foreign Secretary joins trip
The PM will also be joined by newly appointed Foreign Secretary Liz Truss who attends her first official visit in her new role.
Speaking about the four-day visit Truss said: ” I’m delighted my first international visit as Foreign Secretary is to the United States – the UK’s closest and most important partner.
“At the UN General Assembly, I look forward to convening global leaders to tackle the major issues of the day and projecting a positive, outward-looking Global Britain that delivers for people across the United Kingdom.”
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