Babak Belurs

Jumat, 11 Juni 2021

Boris reminds himself not to shake hands as he and Carrie greet G7 leaders - Daily Mail

Beach buddies! Boris and Carrie greet Joe and Jill Biden and other world leaders - including Macron, Merkel and Trudeau - on Carbis Bay's golden sands before posing for a socially distanced G7 group photo

Emmanuel Macron has vowed to veto any attempt to renegotiate the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol
Tensions over the post-Brexit rules for NI have been threatening to overshadow the G7 summit in Cornwall
Boris Johnson has complained that the EU's implementation of arrangements are 'excessively burdensome'

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor For Mailonline

Published: 14:43 BST, 11 June 2021 | Updated: 15:51 BST, 11 June 2021

Boris and Carrie Johnson were all smiles today as they formally greeted G7 leaders on the golden sands of Carbis Bay.

The PM and his new wife, wearing a vivid fuchsia dress, welcomed the guests to the official start of the summit one by one on a beachfront board walk.

Mr Johnson, who notoriously boasted he was still shaking hands with everyone in the early stages of the pandemic, appeared to remind himself not to get too close, saying 'Elbows!'

Joe Biden was accompanied by wife Jill, while Angela Merkel was with her husband, but Justin Trudeau and Mario Draghi of Italy arrived alone. A grinning Emmanuel Macron strolled up alongside Brigitte, with Mr Johnson warmly referring to him as 'Emmanuel' despite the French president stoking the Northern Ireland row by vowing to veto an overhaul of the protocol.

Mr Biden made a quip urging people to go swimming, saying 'everyone in the water'- with Mr Johnson joking in response that he had already been in.

Jill Biden laughed: 'I feel like we are at a wedding'. Later Mr Johnson joked that it was like 'walking down the aisle.'

The leaders then posed for the traditional family photograph - again socially distanced - before heading inside for the first summit session.

But there was time for one more move from Mr Macron. As Mr Johnson led the way at the urging of Mrs Merkel, the French President took the opportunity to throw his arm around Mr Biden's shoulders and begin an animated discussion.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson bumps elbows with France's President Emmanuel Macron at Carbis Bay in Cornwall today

From left, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, President of the European Council Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, French President Emmanuel Macron, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during the 'family photo' at Carbis Bay today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson greets Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with an elbow during the G7 summit today

European Council President Charles Michel's wife Amelie Derbaudrenghien (left) gets an elbow bump from Carrie Johnson

Boris Johnson's wife Carrie Johnson greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel during arrivals for the G7 meeting today

US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are greeted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson with an elbow bump today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson greets France's President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte with an elbow bump today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (2-R) and his wife Carrie (R) welcome Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (2-L) and his wife Mariko Suga (L) during the G7 summit today

Justin Trudeau arrived alone to be greeted by the PM and Carrie on the beach at Carbis Bay

US President Joe Biden bumps elbows with Prime Minister Boris Johnson's wife Carrie Johnson in Cornwall today

A grinning Emmanuel Macron strolled up alongside Brigitte (both right), with Boris Johnson (left with Carrie) warmly referring to him as 'Emmanuel' despite the French president stoking the Northern Ireland row by vowing to veto an overhaul of the protocol

Mr Biden quipped that everyone should go for a swim in the sea - with Mr Johnson joking in response that he had already been in

Boris Johnson's wife Carrie Johnson welcomes Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko Suga today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson greets France's President Emmanuel Macron during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay today

When they were seated around a table, Mr Johnson urged the leaders to 'build back' in a more 'feminine' way.

'It is genuinely wonderful to see everybody in person. I can't tell you what a difference it makes,' he said.

'We have all been going through the most wretched pandemic our countries have faced for our lifetimes, maybe longer, much longer.

'And I actually think this is a meeting that genuinely needs to happen because we need to make sure that we learn the lessons from the pandemic, we need to make sure that we don't repeat some of the errors that we doubtless made in the course of the last 18 months or so and we need to make sure that we now allow our economies to recover.

'I think that they have the potential to bounce back very strongly and there is all sorts of reasons for being optimistic.

'But it is vital that we don't repeat the mistake of the last great crisis, the last great economic recession in 2008, when the recovery was not uniform across all parts of society and I think what has gone wrong with this pandemic, or what risks being a lasting scar, is that I think the inequalities may be entrenched.

(L-R) President of the European Council Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi pose for the group photo today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during arrivals for the G7 meeting today

President Joe Biden speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron as they put their arms round each other today

US President Joe Biden and France's President Emmanuel Macron walk together during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay today

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson gestures next to US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden this afternoon

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (C), his wife Carrie Johnson (L) and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) talk today

(L-R) Charles Michel, president of the European Council, Yoshihide Suga, Japan's prime minister, Mario Draghi, Italy's prime minister, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, U.S. President Joe Biden, Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, Emmanuel Macron, France's president, Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor, and Boris Johnson, today

Emmanuel Macron, France's president, and Brigitte Macron, his wife, attend the first day of the G7 summit in Cornwall today

(L-R) Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Council President Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, France's President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel pose

'We need to make sure that as we recover we level up across our societies and we build back better.'

Tories have voiced fury at the obstructive stance from Mr Macron and demanded 'pragmatism' amid fears the trade rules are fuelling sectarian tensions in the province.

Ramping up the so-called 'sausage war', the French president said it was 'not serious' to want to change the arrangements so quickly.

'I think it's not serious to want to review in June what we finalised after years of debate and work in December,' he said, adding that he will discuss the situation with Mr Johnson during a bilateral meeting at the G7 summit today.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson walk along the boardwalk during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay

(L-R) President of the European Council Charles Michel, US President Joe Biden, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Italy's Prime minister Mario Draghi pose for the 'family photo' today

France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) and his wife Brigitte Macron walk along the beach during the G7 summit today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel walk up a series of steps at Carbis Bay today

G7 leaders smile as US President Joe Biden makes a thumbs-up gesture during the 'family photo' at Carbis Bay today

Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) and his wife Carrie look on during the G7 Summit in Carbis Bay today

French President Emmanuel Macron, right, speaks with U.S. President Joe Biden during arrivals for the G7 meeting today

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, U.S. President Joe Biden, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and European Council President Charles Michel walk along the boardwalk during the G7 summit in Carbis Bay today

But Mr Johnson sounded defiance today, boosted by Joe Biden seemingly backing off a confrontation in their talks, insisting the trade rules are 'excessively burdensome'.

And Tory MP David Jones told MailOnline: 'It is posturing. He's actually been posturing for quite a long time.

'He's in a very precarious position domestically and quite clearly he is attempting to show toughness as a way of boosting his chances in the approach to the presidential election.

'Given that the UK and the US both agree that pragmatism is necessary, I would imagine that the EU will pay attention and, if so, he is going to be out of step with the rest of the bloc.'

EU commission president Ursula von der Leyen, council president Charles Michel and French president Emmanuel Marcon seemed pleased to see each other today

Italian PM Mario Draghi joined the fun as the summit got under way this afternoon

Tories voiced fury at the obstructive stance from Emmanuel Macron (pictured arriving at the G7 summit with wife Brigitte today)

Boris Johnson (left with Joe Biden yesterday) has branded the Northern Ireland protocol 'excessively burdensome'

Mr Biden and Mr Johnson insisted they were in 'complete harmony' last night as they tried to sweep away explosive claims of an eve-of-summit diplomatic row. Pictured, blimps of the PM and president at Carbis Bay today

The row over the Northern Ireland Protocol have been threatening to overshadow the G7 gathering at Carbis Bay.

Mr Biden and Mr Johnson insisted they were in 'complete harmony' last night as they tried to sweep away explosive claims of an eve-of-summit diplomatic row.

After their first face-to-face talks, the Prime Minister said he and President Biden shared 'common ground' over maintaining Ulster peace and the Good Friday Agreement.

Brussels is threatening to retaliate if Britain takes unilateral action to continue the flow of British-produced chilled meats to Northern Ireland when a grace period ends this month.

G7 leaders including Angela Merkel arrived for the summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall today

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his wife Mariko were among the arrivals today

Italian PM Mario Draghi waved to waiting media as he arrived at the summit in Cornwall today

There have been colourful climate protests going on near the gathering of world leaders

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden are greeted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson, ahead of the G-7 summit, Thursday, June 10

The President of the United States, Joe Biden stands next to the The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson giving a thumbs up in front of the G7 sign while at the G7 Leaders' Summit. Carbis Bay, Cornwall

How sausages sparked a cold meat war between the UK and EU

The 'sausage war' row is the latest front in the ongoing stand-off between Britain and the European Union over Northern Ireland.

When Boris Johnson agreed a Brexit deal with Brussels to make Brexit happen it included the Northern Ireland Protocol.

This is a complex trade agreement that tries to deal with the fact that Ulster is the only part of the UK with an EU land border, with Ireland.

The new arrangements have caused some disruption to trade since the start of the year as firms have struggled with new processes and administration.

Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which ended decades of sectarian violence in Ulster, the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland must remain 'soft', ie no 'hard' border posts with checks on traffic.

The NIP, which was signed off by both sides, effectively keeps Northern Ireland in the European single market for goods in order to avoid a hard border with Ireland.

Despite Mr Johnson's claims to the contrary, it has meant erecting a trade barrier in the Irish Sea for goods crossing from Great Britain, which have to face customs checks before entering Northern Ireland - even if they are not being taken into the Republic.

A six-month 'grace period' for these checks was agreed to allow the infrastructure to be put in place, which runs out at the end of June.

But the checks have infuriated the loyalist community in Northern Ireland, who are outraged at the internal UK free market is being interrupted.

Earlier this year, armed loyalist groups said they were temporarily withdrawing support for the 1998 peace agreement due to concerns over the Brexit deal.

The groups said they believed Britain, Ireland and the EU had breached their commitments to the peace deal.

The UK Government has not ruled out unilaterally extending the check-free period after June 30, but that has angered the EU, which says that the UK must honour the deal it signed up to less than six months ago.

Brussels has threatened to launch a trade war against Britain if it fails to implement checks on goods entering Northern Ireland under the terms of the Brexit 'divorce' settlement which Mr Johnson signed.

European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic last said patience with the UK was wearing 'very, very thin' after talks in London ended in deadlock.

Britain accused the EU of adopting a 'purist' approach to the Brexit withdrawal deal in Northern Ireland amid warnings that sales of sausages from the rest of the UK could be blocked.

Mr Johnson, who will hold talks with EU leaders over the course of the G7 summit, told the BBC: 'You will understand that there are ways of enforcing the protocol, ways of making it work, that may be excessively burdensome.

'I just give you one statistic: 20% of the checks conducted across the whole of the perimeter of the EU are now done in Northern Ireland, three times as many as happen in Rotterdam.'

The new post-Brexit arrangements came into effect on January 1 and the dispute is still simmering, but Mr Johnson insisted 'I think we can sort it out'.

Downing Street has been urging Brussels to show 'common sense and pragmatism'.

The appeal came after European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said the EU would act 'swiftly, firmly and resolutely' if the UK tried to backtrack on its obligations under the deal.

It came amid reports Britain is ready to act unilaterally to delay imposition of checks on chilled meats such as sausages and chicken nuggets coming to Northern Ireland from Great Britain when the current 'grace period' expires at the end of June.

While the Prime Minister's official spokesman refused to be drawn on what steps the Government would take if there was no agreement by that point, he insisted there was no justification for barring chilled meats from Northern Irish shops.

'Any ban would be contrary to the aims of the protocol and the interests of the people of Northern Ireland,' the spokesman said.

'The protocol was a compromise. We didn't expect the EU to take a purist approach when implementing it. We are working very hard to try to resolve these issues consensually.

'The Prime Minister has always made clear we will consider all our options in meeting our responsibility to sustain peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.

'We hope that the EU will show the common sense and pragmatism needed to make progress.'

His comments came after Environment Secretary George Eustice dismissed the idea of controls on the movement of chilled meats between the rest of the UK and Northern Ireland as 'bonkers'.

'I think that's a nonsense. I think we've got a very good sausage industry in this country, we've got the highest standards of food hygiene in the world,' he told LBC.

Earlier, Mr Sefcovic raised the prospect of a trade war - with Brussels imposing tariffs and quotas on British exports - if the UK failed to meet its international obligations under the the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The deal - intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with the Republic - means that Northern Ireland remains part of the EU single market, which in turn requires checks on some goods coming from Great Britain.

But Mr Sefcovic - who will hold talks with Brexit minister Lord Frost on Wednesday - said there had been 'numerous and fundamental gaps' in the UK's implementation of the agreement.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph, he said that if Britain took further unilateral actions the EU 'will not be shy in reacting swiftly, firmly and resolutely to ensure that the UK abides by its international law obligations'.

Asked yesterday if the President had made his alarm about the situation with the Northern Ireland Protocol clear, Mr Johnson said simply: 'No, he didn't.'

He added: 'What I can say is that America – the United States, Washington – the UK, plus the European Union, have one thing we absolutely all want to do and that is to uphold the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and make sure we keep the balance of the peace process going. That's absolutely common ground and I'm optimistic that we can do that.'

Claims of a row over the Northern Ireland Protocol and the post-Brexit trading relationship between the UK and the EU had threatened to overshadow the G7. Asked yesterday if the President had made his alarm about the situation with the Northern Ireland Protocol clear, Mr Johnson said simply: 'No, he didn't'

Meanwhile, a senior US administration official also tried to play down the row yesterday, insisting that the President had not come 'to give a lecture' on the issue.

'The US is not in those negotiations and not seeking to be in those negotiations,' the official said.

'We are instead a strong and vigorous supporter of practical, creative, flexible, results-oriented negotiations that, at the end of the day, produce a result that protects all of the gains that the people of Northern Ireland have made.

Pair discuss Harry Dunn

The Prime Minister raised the case of teenage motorcyclist Harry Dunn in his first face-to-face meeting with Joe Biden.

Boris Johnson reiterated that the UK wants justice for Harry, 19, who was killed when a car on the wrong side of the road crashed into his motorbike outside RAF Croughton, a US intelligence base in Northamptonshire, in August 2019.

Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US intelligence official at the base, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving but had sought diplomatic immunity and returned to the US, sparking an international controversy. The Dunn family said they were 'very pleased' to see the case raised at the 'first available opportunity'.

They have challenged Mrs Sacoolas's immunity, which will be heard in the Court of Appeal next year. Mr Dunn's parents have also brought a civil claim against the suspect and her husband in Virginia in the US.

'It will not be confrontational or adversarial or... he didn't come here to give a lecture. He came merely to communicate what he believes very, very deeply about peace in Northern Ireland.'

It was alleged yesterday that Mr Biden had ordered officials to issue a rare diplomatic rebuke to the UK only last week over its continued opposition to the full implementation of the Protocol.

It was reported that Yael Lempert, America's most senior diplomat in Britain, had told Lord Frost, the Brexit minister, that the Government was 'inflaming' tensions with its opposition to checks at Northern Irish ports.

Minutes of the meeting on June 3 were said to have revealed that Lord Frost was told of Mr Biden's 'great concern' over his stance.

It was said to have resulted in a 'demarche' – a formal diplomatic communication or protest.

The disclosure of Mr Biden's apparent protest sparked anger in some quarters yesterday, with new DUP leader Edwin Poots saying that the President's alleged intervention was 'not well informed'.

He accused America of potentially 'ignoring' problems with the Protocol. Mr Poots warned BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'America may be prepared to drive a coach and horses through the Good Friday Agreement.'

A Whitehall source played down the significance of the demarche, saying it was 'not uncommon' for allies to voice their disagreements in diplomatic notes.

There was irritation at the leaking of the note, with some suspecting it was done by anti-Brexit officials to damage the Government.

Brexiteer MP Peter Bone said: 'If he is just urging a resolution of the dispute, that's fine – we want a resolution. But he should not be taking the EU's side.'

Pro-Remain Tory MP Tom Tugendhat said: 'I'm surprised that the President decided to enter this debate so publicly at a very sensitive time for all parties.'

But Irish premier Micheal Martin said Mr Biden's rebuke was a call to do the 'sensible thing' and resolve trade issues with the EU.

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2021-06-11 13:43:52Z
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Covid: Unvaccinated most at risk from Delta variant - BBC News

A young woman is vaccinated by a medic from Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps outside Bolton Town Hall on 9 June

Nearly two-thirds of people infected with the Delta variant, and more than half of those who have died with it, have not had a Covid vaccine at all, the latest official data suggests.

There have been nearly 30,000 new UK cases of the variant in the past week.

The Public Health England report says it is likely to spread more easily and could make people more seriously ill.

Officials also say two doses of the vaccine provide "significantly more protection" than one.

It comes as the Office for National Statistics estimates coronavirus infections are continuing to rise in England, with one in 560 people testing positive.

But the ONS found no obvious increase in infections in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Delta variant, which was first identified in India, is now the dominant variant in the UK - accounting for 90% of cases.

It is being closely monitored by PHE, which is using new genotyping tests to detect the variant more quickly as cases continue to rise.

These suggest that the Delta variant is roughly 60% more spreadable than the Alpha, or Kent, variant.

Analysis of hospital admission rates suggests people infected by the Delta variant are twice as likely to end up in hospital than those with Alpha.

The numbers are still small, however.

Out of 33,000 cases analysed by PHE and confirmed to be the Delta variant since February, 223 have been admitted to hospital - most were unvaccinated or had only had only dose, and 20 people were fully vaccinated.

And of 42 deaths in people with Delta variant infections, 23 were unvaccinated and seven had received only one dose. The other 12 had received two doses more than two weeks before.

In the UK, more than half of all adults have now been fully vaccinated with a Covid vaccine and more than three-quarters have had one dose. But that means more than 10 million adults, mostly in their 20s, have yet to have a single dose.

As more young people are vaccinated, protection against the new variant will rise.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said "vaccination is our best defence".

"If you are eligible, we urge you to come forward and be vaccinated. Remember that two doses provide significantly more protection than a single dose."

However, Dr Harries warned that while vaccination reduces the risk of severe disease, it does not eliminate it because Delta is "significantly more transmissible than Alpha".

Prof Adam Finn, a member of the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told the BBC the current wave of infections was increasing "faster than we hoped", but the vaccines "do still work".

"The more population immunity we've got, the smaller this wave will be," he added.

Meanwhile, the latest R number - or reproduction number - in England is estimated to have risen to between 1.2 and 1.4, up from between 1 and 1.2 last week, according to the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies.

If the R number is above one, then the number of cases keeps increasing.

Analysis box by James Gallagher, health and science correspondent

This is some of the last data we're going to see before the decision is made on whether to fully unlock in England on 21 June.

So what are these numbers really telling us?

They show both the incredible power of vaccines - and reasons for concern.

Most cases, people needing hospital treatment and deaths were in those who haven't been vaccinated.

However, it also shows the Delta variant is more transmissible and vaccines aren't a perfect defence. Some fully vaccinated people needed hospital treatment and died after catching the variant.

Part of the variant's advantage over Alpha is its ability to partially evade the immune system in some vaccinated people.

The worry, from government science advisers, is a large summer wave of this more transmissible variant could still put the health service under pressure.

The ONS data, for the week to 5 June, found infection rates were highest in the North West of England at 0.5%, and across the rest of England they were either 0.1 or 0.2%.

And secondary schools had the highest infection rates (0.5%), followed by young adults (0.4%) - both groups which are yet to be vaccinated.

The lowest rates (0.1%) were in adults over 70 and those aged 50-69, the majority of whom are fully vaccinated, and therefore protected to some degree against infection.

ONS estimates of how UK coronavirus levels are changing

Related Internet Links

Gov.uk vaccination data

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Boy, 15, stabbed to death in west London - Sky News

A 15-year-old boy has died after being stabbed in west London.

Officers were called to reports of a fight on Blyth Road in Hayes at just before 8.35am.

The victim was found suffering from multiple stab wounds and died at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police said a suspect had been detained, but provided no further details.

Formal identification of the victim has yet to take place and a post-mortem will be held, the force added.

Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference Cad 1681/11Jun, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

On Thursday police arrested seven people after a teenager was stabbed to death in Streatham, south London.

Scotland Yard said four men and three women had been detained "on suspicion of various offences".

It comes after police were called to Prentis Road just after 4pm to reports of a stabbing.

Officers and the London Ambulance Service found a male with a stab wound to the chest.

He was taken to a central London hospital, where he was pronounced dead just before 5pm.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting CAD 5897/10JUNE.

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2021-06-11 11:17:20Z
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G7 summit: Bonhomie with the Bidens won't solve Boris Johnson's dilemmas - BBC News

The prime minister is known for his optimism. It irritates some people, but inspires others.

But on Thursday he came practically bouncing out of his bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden, ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall.

The meeting was personal as well as political for both men, and their partners.

At their first encounter at Carbis Bay, the 78-year-old American made a beeline to greet the new Mrs Johnson, joking, 'Wait a minute, wait a minute!' to Boris Johnson before their introductions.

The quartet strolled obediently, admiring the view for the cameras before jokes were cracked as the men sat down.

The First Lady then took a barefoot walk on the beach with Carrie Johnson and her young son.

What politicos would call the "optics", splashed on most front pages, could hardly have been much better even though the Cornish mizzle put paid to the original plan of the meeting taking place on the spectacular St Michael's Mount.

It's what happened in the meeting proper which matters most, though.

And after more than an hour of talks, the prime minister was plainly pleased.

He was at pains to point out that the president had not ticked him off over the stand-off between the UK and the EU over Northern Ireland, even though in the run-up to the summit the United States had made its displeasure and concern about what's going on crystal clear.

Jill and Joe Biden, Boris and Carrie Johnson

He said he and Mr Biden had discussed more than 20 topics in "terrific" talks.

Cooperation on vaccines, a UK promise to send a 100 million doses to developing countries within the next 12 months alongside America's commitment to 500 million, the economy, and their common promises on climate change were among the subjects covered.

And Mr Johnson gave a hint that President Biden was keen to find ways to help find justice for the family of British teenager Harry Dunn, evoking the president's own personal history.

As with so many issues the UK and the UK both want progress - but agreeing on how to make that happen is a different question.

After letting it be known that he was uneasy about the clichéd term "special relationship", the prime minister even coined a new phrase, the "indestructible relationship", or the "deep and meaningful" one.

Carrie Johnson plays with her son Wilfred on the beach with Jill Biden

The two leaders' first real-life introduction clearly went well.

Boris Johnson and his team believe chemistry between leaders matters, and that the simple fact of gathering in person sends an important message too.

The prime minister won't escape political pressure this week on whether his big promises stand up to reality.

He has infuriated the EU by, as they see it, not sticking to a deal he signed only last year.

Meetings with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and the EU Commission boss won't be easy.

Mr Johnson's made a huge pledge on vaccines, but only five million doses will go to developing countries soon, and unlike some other G7 countries, the UK won't waive intellectual property rights on jabs.

And for all his talk about wanting to help poorer parts of the world, to the rage of some of his own MPs, he's cutting the amount of aid the UK spends.

The issues the prime minister wants to confront this week can't be solved by just bonhomie at the beach.

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2021-06-11 09:44:08Z
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Assisted dying campaigner Noel Conway dies aged 71 - BBC News

Campaigner Noel Conway, who brought a legal challenge against the ban on assisted dying in the UK, has died at the age of 71.

Mr Conway, of Shropshire, had motor neurone disease and only had movement in his right hand, head and neck.

He took his campaign to the Supreme Court, arguing for his right to die, but lost the appeal in 2018.

His wife Carol said he had died at home on Wednesday after deciding with his family to remove his ventilator.

She said his carers "ensured Noel had a painless and dignified death, demonstrating empathy and concern for us all".

"Noel was in control, which was so important," Mrs Conway said.

"Ultimately, Noel wanted the choice of an assisted death and I hope his campaigning will bring this option closer to becoming a reality for other terminally ill people in this country."

He composed a statement in which he said his quality of life "has dipped into the negative".

He asked Dignity in Dying, which supported his legal action, to release his final words after his death.

"My voice has depleted to the extent that many people cannot now tell what I say and my eyesight recently deteriorated," he wrote.

"I'm already a paraplegic and I cannot use my hands or fingers but I am aware that my neck muscles are weakening as are my mouth and speech muscles.

"I recognise that the time has come to take the decision now to do something about this.

"I am not leaving it until I'm completely bed-ridden and unable to communicate at all."

He wrote how he felt he had "no alternative to ending my life without pain and suffering and without compromising others".

"This is not something I would have chosen."

Noel Conway outside The Royal Courts of Justice with his family in 2017

Mr Conway, a former lecturer, argued the current law is an unjustifiable interference with the right to respect for private life under the European Convention on Human Rights.

However, in September 2018 his legal battle for reform ended when the Supreme Court rejected his bid to appeal against a High Court ruling that refused him the option of assisted dying.

He wanted a doctor to be allowed to prescribe a lethal dose when his health deteriorated, but the current law means any doctor who did so risked 14 years in prison.

After the ruling, he said his remaining options were to "effectively suffocate" by removing his ventilator, or spend thousands travelling to the Dignitas assisted dying clinic in Switzerland to end his life and have his family risk prosecution.

Mrs Conway said her husband had been left with "considerable anxiety" when he had decided to remove his ventilator on Wednesday due to "the uncertainty over how long this would take for Noel and what he might experience".

In his statement, Mr Conway said he understood it could take him up to eight hours to die after removing his ventilator.

Mr Conway was totally dependent on it to breathe and Dignity in Dying released a statement to say he had taken it off to hasten his death.

The campaign group paid tribute to Mr Conway, saying: "Noel will be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, friend, lecturer, mentor and for playing an instrumental role in bringing us closer to having a safe, compassionate assisted dying law in this country."

May 2018 - Noel Conway and his wife Carol pose for the media outside Telford County Court before watching a video link to the London Court of Appeal

The campaigner, who lived in Garmston, near Shrewsbury, spoke openly about how he felt "entombed" by his illness since his diagnosis in 2014 and could not accept the standard of living he expected at the end of his life.

His case was among several high profile attempts to challenge the UK's law on assisted dying, and divided opinion.

Care Not Killing, which had opposed Mr Conway's appeal, argued his case failed to give enough weight to "the sanctity of life" and that a complete ban on assisted suicide and euthanasia was the safest law.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, support is available via BBC Action Line.

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