Daily politics briefing: January 30

A look at the key figures and dates in the world of politics on January 30, as the EU reverses its decision to override part of the Brexit deal amid an ongoing row over Covid vaccine supplies in the bloc.

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  • Emmanuel Macron challenged by fellow EU leaders over AstraZeneca vaccine criticism

    European Union leaders challenged Emmanuel Macron over his inaccurate claims that the AstraZeneca vaccine was “quasi-ineffectual”, it emerged on Wednesday. The French president said the jab did not appear to work on the over 65s in late January just hours before the EU’s medicines regulator approved it for use on all adults. A senior EU official revealed that Mr Macron was asked about his comments, which have been linked to a reluctance in some European countries to take the AstraZeneca jab. EU leaders have held regular video summits, including one on Thursday where they will call for coronavirus restrictions to continue, since the pandemic. “The point was raised by some leaders indeed. I cannot say who and when it was raised,” the official said. “There are in some countries some doubts and I think that the question was more to get clarification on if it was true or not and since then I think the commission has reacted to this."

  • Nicola Sturgeon backtracks over lockdown plan by suggesting lower tier of restrictions in April

    Nicola Sturgeon has backtracked over her controversial lockdown plan by conceding that parts of Scotland could move in April to a lower tier of restrictions that allows domestic travel and pubs to serve alcohol. The First Minister faced a barrage of criticism over her blueprint after stating that the entire mainland would initially move to Level 3 of her five-tier system when full lockdown formally ends on April 26. The beleaguered tourism and hospitality industries said many of their businesses would have to remain shut, with alcohol and travel outside council areas banned under the Level 3 restrictions that operated last year. Ms Sturgeon has conceded that parts or all of the country could instead speedily move to Level 2, which previously allowed restaurants and pubs to serve alcohol and open later. In a second about-turn, she said she hoped that travel restrictions within Scotland could be lifted from the end of April. The previous day she said they needed to continue "for some time yet" and her blueprint gave no indication of when they would be eased. Adopting a markedly more optimistic tone, after she was accused of failing to give people hope, she predicted that Scotland "could move to lower levels of restrictions fairly quickly over May and June."

  • Trump Jr deposed by DC attorney general over inaugural funds lawsuit

    Ex-president’s son is latest family member interviewed over alleged misuse of 2017 inaugural money

  • Holby City's Laila Rouass details extent of horrific racist abuse

    "If you tell people they don’t believe it happens so often."

  • Parents of child who died of Covid share the warning signs of the virus in kids

    Parents of Gigi Morse, 6, say she seemed fine except for a few unusual ailments.

  • Piers Morgan shocks Good Morning Britain viewers after host ‘admits’ he’s a ‘b***end’ on live TV

    “I just spat coffee in my cornflakes,’ one surprised viewer said

  • Sturgeon blasts Salmond but faces claim she is 'acting like tin pot dictator'

    Nicola Sturgeon has launched an astonishing attack on Alex Salmond after she was accused of behaving like a “tin pot dictator” who risked bringing UK politics into worldwide disrepute. The First Minister accused her former mentor of inventing an “alternative reality” around claims of sexual assault and suggested it was his behaviour towards women, rather than a grand conspiracy, that were the "root" of the allegations against him. Ms Sturgeon was also forced to deny leaning on Scottish prosecutors to censor damning evidence put forward by Mr Salmond, following a fiasco that saw large chunks of his written testimony deleted. The episode over the written evidence, which saw Holyrood quickly back down to the Crown Office which is run by a member of Ms Sturgeon's government, has been seen as a major humiliation for the legislature.

  • Hong Kong's freedoms threadbare as China removes last vestiges of political opposition

    China’s Communist Party wields much, if not all, of the political power in Hong Kong, having chipped away at the “one country, two systems” model meant to guarantee the former British colony’s unique freedoms after being returned to mainland rule. Four elected opposition lawmakers were ousted last year and those remaining resigned in protest, further skewing the city legislature toward Beijing loyalists. Mainland allies have also long represented the majority on a committee that selects the city’s leader. Outsized political influence has allowed Beijing the ability to exercise its will over Hong Kong, often thinly disguising it as ‘process’ – for instance, passing a law last June through city legislature making it illegal to insult the Chinese national anthem. In some instances, China has completely bypassed Hong Kong, imposing new laws at will, including introducing a sweeping national security law last summer criminalising any behaviour deemed as subversion, secession, terrorism or foreign collusion. Now, China is moving to remove the last threads of political opposition in Hong Kong by introducing restrictions on the city’s electoral system to identify and bar candidates deemed unpatriotic from running for any elected office. China is expected to press forward with plans to create a senior group of government officials with the legal authority to investigate and determine whether candidates are loyal to Beijing. Hong Kong officials also plan to introduce a bill requiring district councillors, one of the lowest elected offices, to take loyalty oaths and ban them from running again for five years if deemed unpatriotic. Local councillors have no legislative power and instead oversee community affairs, such as upgrading public facilities or organising cultural activities. But in November 2019, Beijing was alarmed when pro-democracy candidates tripled their seats on district councils to hold a record 389 of 452 elected spots in a stunning victory – viewed as a referendum against China’s leadership at the end of a long year of mass protests. Such actions – blocking candidates, no matter how little power they have while in office – are aimed at ensuring only one voice in government is allowed to shine through, and to snuff out future revivals of the pro-democracy movement. It also serves to prompt more Hongkongers, worried about a lack of liberties in the city, to move abroad – giving them even further reason to flee. Already activists are seeking asylum in countries including the UK. Protesters during mass unrest in 2019 spoke of fears that Hong Kong would soon become ‘just another Chinese city’ – governed by an ever-tightening authoritarian government that demands complete deference and punishes any pocket of dissent. Beijing has done everything in its power to first squash the protests and create a culture of fear, and now to ensure that political dissent never returns, suggesting that those fears are indeed quickly coming true. Telegraph View: Democracy in Hong Kong is now nothing more than a charade

  • Biden news - live: Trump Jr deposed over inaugural funds as White House defends migrant camp after AOC attack

    Follow all the latest news from the White House

  • Strictly’s Karen Hauer details jealousy and painful split from Kevin Clifton

    She said she wanted to fight for their relationship.

  • Piers Morgan's wife reveals they've had panic button installed after death threats

    The couple had a visit from the police and have beefed up their home security.

  • Brexit news - live: EU ‘tone deaf’ on Northern Ireland, says DUP as Sturgeon defends Salmond censorship

    Follow updates below

  • Second phase of Covid vaccine rollout should be decided by age, adviser says

    Vaccine distribution in the second phase should be decided by age because prioritising teaching or other occupations would slow down the rollout, a leading government adviser has said. Prof Anthony Harnden, the deputy chairman of the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI), said there "isn't a strong scientific argument" to immunise teachers, telling MPs on the science and technology committee that workers in meat processing factories would have a better case to jump the queue. Prof Harnden said deviating from the age-based approach at all could lead to "harm" by slowing down the overall number of doses administered each day. The committee has submitted its recommendations to ministers, who are expected to make a final decision on the second stage of the rollout in the coming days. All adults aged 50 and above, as well as patients of all ages over 16 with underlying health conditions, are expected to have been offered a first vaccine dose by the end of April.

  • Trump-appointed judge overturns Biden 100 day ban on deportations

    Mr Biden pitched 100-day pause during campaign as part of rollback of Trump immigration policies

  • Threat to summer holidays as WHO says vaccines should not be condition of entry to countries

    Summer holidays face a new threat after the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that Covid vaccinations should not be used to determine whether people can enter a country. The WHO said there were still "critical unknowns" about the efficacy of vaccinations in reducing transmission and preventing the virus even as governments work on vaccine certificates as a way to kickstart travel. It said that, as a result, national authorities, airlines and travel operators "should not introduce requirements of proof of Covid-19 vaccination for international travel as a condition for departure or entry". Vaccination should not exempt travellers from having to undergo other "travel risk-reduction measures", such as testing or quarantine, it added. Vaccination documents are seen as critical to enable holidaymakers to travel abroad this summer. In his roadmap out of lockdown, announced on Monday, Boris Johnson signalled that international travel could restart as early as May 17.

  • Latest weekly Covid-19 rates for local authority areas in England

    Corby, Peterborough and Leicester are recording the highest rates.

  • PM and Starmer in first PMQs since roadmap announcement

    Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer faced each other across the despatch box at PMQs on Wednesday. The Labour leader challenged the prime minister on financial support for people who are required to self-isolate, and argued against tax rises for families and businesses in next week’s Budget.

  • Nicola Sturgeon denies political influence behind censorship of explosive evidence in Salmond affair

    Former first minister expected to answer questions at inquiry hearing on Friday

  • Priti Patel blames asylum seekers after nearly 200 test positive for coronavirus at Napier Barracks

    Home secretary accuses residents forced to sleep 28 to a dormitory of ‘not following rules’ on Covid safety

  • BBC rules itself out of running for UK rights to Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview

    The BBC will not be “pulling out its cheque book” for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Telegraph can reveal. The Duchess, 39, is understood to have wanted the highly anticipated tete-a-tete to be broadcast on the most prestigious British channel. But as the corporation ruled itself out, ITV became the frontrunner to win the UK rights. The 90-minute special - the couple’s first sit-down interview since they got engaged in November 2017 - is expected to attract huge viewing figures. It will begin with a no-holds barred, “intimate” chat between Ms Winfrey and the Duchess, in which the pregnant 39-year-old will spill the beans about everything from stepping into life as a royal to how she is handling “life under intense pressure”. They will then be joined by the Duke as they speak about “their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family.”