Boris Johnson has downplayed a law that would override swathes of the Northern Ireland Brexit deal as a “trivial adjustment” but Dublin warned it marked a new low in relations with the EU.
Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, will publish legislation this afternoon that would allow the government to disregard key elements of the Northern Ireland protocol — a move that critics claim would breach international law.
This morning the prime minister denied this, saying Britain had a “higher and prior legal commitment” under the Good Friday agreement to ensure peace in Northern Ireland.
Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, will deny that the UK government is breaching international law
ANDY RAIN/EPA
“What we have to respect — and this is the crucial thing — the balance and the symmetry of the Belfast Good Friday agreement. And we have to understand there are
A former British soldier has died fighting Russian forces in the Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk, his family have said.
Jordan Gatley left the British Army in March "to continue his career as a soldier in other areas" and flew to Ukraine soon after to help fend off Russian forces and train Ukrainian soldiers.
Announcing the news on Facebook, his father Dean wrote: "Yesterday (10/06/22) we received the devastating news that our son, Jordan, has been shot and killed in the city of Severodonetsk, Ukraine."
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it is "supporting the family of a British man who has died in Ukraine".
His father added: "His team say they all loved him, as did we, and he made a massive difference to many peoples lives, not only soldiering, but also by training the Ukrainian forces.
"Jordan and his team were so proud of the work they were doing and he often told me that the missions they were going on were dangerous, but necessary.
More on Ukraine
Related Topics:
"He loved his job and we are so proud of him. He truly was a hero and will forever be in our hearts."
Mr Gatley's post, written late on Saturday, has been met with hundreds of messages of condolence.
Will Murray, who was in the 3rd Battalion The Rifles with Jordan, told Sky News: "Jordan was a really good lad. He took his job very seriously and was very professional."
Mr Murray said they were not deployed into a conflict during the time they served together, but as he left The Rifles in 2020 it was possible that Jordan could have been on such a deployment between then and March of last year.
"I was surprised [he went out to Ukraine]. I didn't think he would. But like I said he took it very seriously," added Mr Murray.
Another person who served with Jordan in the 3rd Battalion The Rifles, Billyjoe Powers, told Sky News: "When I got into the army, Gatley was already there as a Lance Corporal. He always put you first, he was a top lad. In the field he was perfect, always looking out for others. Top lad.
"He always had a smile on his face."
Responding to the news of his death, he added: "I couldn't even believe it. I didn't know he had gone out there until I saw the RIPs."
Image:Jordan is pictured during his British Army days with his father Dean. Pic: Dean Gatley/Facebook
Second Briton to die in Ukraine since war began
His son is the second Briton to have been confirmed dead in Ukraine during the war.
Scott Sibley, 36, died in late April and was also a former member of the British Armed forces.
The city of Severodonetsk has become the main focus of the Russian offensive in recent weeks.
It is one of the last areas in the occupied eastern Luhansk region that is still under Ukrainian control.
On Sunday the Ministry of Defence (MoD) posted in its latest intelligence update that "Russia is using its overmatch in force ratio and artillery to gradually seize territory in and around Severodonetsk".
Temperatures could rise above 30C in parts of the UK next week, forecasters say.
As the remnants of Tropical Storm Alex bring a low-pressure system to our shores, the country is going to be graced with a mixed bag of weather, according to the Met Office.
That means some parts of the north of the UK could experience gusts in excess of 55mph, alongside frequent showers and possible thunder.
Hot air over Iberia and France will be spreading north - and come Friday and Saturday, when Royal Ascot will be reaching its climax, things are going to be feel warmer - hotter even than Hawaii, which is only due to reach 25C (77F).
The weather in the south is likely to be fine and dry, with temperatures in London due to peak at 29C (84F) on Friday and 24C (75F) on Father's Day, although some experts predict them going into the low 30s.
Advertisement
Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said: "From Wednesday it looks like temperatures are on the rise, as hot air over Iberia and France spreads further north.
"The south will reach the mid-20s, potentially the low-30s on Friday or Saturday."
More on Uk Weather
Related Topics:
The hottest day of the year so far was recorded in May, when the mercury hit 27.5C at Heathrow.
"Particularly potent" pollen caused by recent warm and wet weather is causing worse-than-usual symptoms for hay fever sufferers.
The combination of damp and warm weather in May means that despite pollen counts being no higher than usual, the pollen itself is stronger, experts said.
Yolanda Clewlow, from the Met Office, said: "The potency of these pollen grains could be more intense this year, and that comes down to the weather we've had in spring.
"A warm and wet May, coupled with a relatively warm spring, mean there's a chance that the pollen that has developed is particularly potent."
The family of a British man sentenced to death by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine have said they are "devastated and saddened" at the outcome of the "illegal show-trial".
Shaun Pinner was captured in Mariupol in April alongside fellow Brit Aiden Aslin during the intense fight for control of the port city.
The pair were found guilty of "mercenary activities and committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the Donetsk People's Republic," though their families maintain they were fighting legitimately as part of the Ukrainian army and should be treated as prisoners of war.
Boris Johnson was said to be "appalled" by the sentences handed to the men and has ordered ministers to do "everything in their power" to secure their release.
Advertisement
It comes as war rages on in Ukraine with fierce fighting ongoing in the key city of Severodonetsk.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned the world faces "an acute and severe food crisis and famine".
More on Ukraine
Related Topics:
Image:Shaun Pinner and Aiden Aslin in Ukraine
'Our family miss him so much'
In a statement, Mr Pinner's family said: "Firstly, our whole family is devastated and saddened at the outcome of the illegal show-trial by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic.
"As a Ukrainian resident for over four years and contracted serving Marine in the 36th Brigade, of which he is very proud, Shaun should be accorded all the rights of a prisoner of war according to the Geneva Convention and including full independent legal representation.
"We sincerely hope that all parties will co-operate urgently to ensure the safe release or exchange of Shaun.
"Our family including his son and Ukrainian wife, love and miss him so much and our hearts go out to all the families involved in this awful situation."
A Number 10 spokesperson said the prime minister "has been following the case closely and has asked ministers to do everything in their power to try and reunite them with their families as soon as we can".
'You are not abandoned and will not be forsaken'
The rallying call from the Mr Johnson came as Diana Okovyta, Mr Aslin's fiancee, travelled to London to try to campaign for his release.
And in an emotional social media post, she assured her partner that he was not "abandoned".
She said: "How I wish you knew you aren't forgotten, you're not alone, you are not abandoned and will not be forsaken.
"I hope that anyway deep down in your soul you know and feel it. I believe that soon in newspapers we will see pictures of you smiling."
The UK has not announced any plans to speak to Russian officials.
Boris Johnson 'appalled' at death sentences for Britons
'Intense street to street fighting' in Severodonetsk
Zelenskyy famine warning over Russian blockade
Intense fighting in Severodonetsk as battle for Luhansk rages on
Fierce fighting continues in Ukraine's south and east as Russian forces attempt to take full control of the Luhansk region.
The city of Severodonetsk - seen as a key objective for Moscow and the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance in the region - has seen "intense street to street fighting", UK intelligence says.
The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said: "Russia is massing fires with its artillery and air capabilities, in an attempt to overwhelm Ukrainian defences."
It also said Moscow is using 1960s-era 5.5-tonne anti-ship missiles against land targets.
"Russia is likely resorting to such inefficient weapon systems because it is running short of more precise modern missiles, while Ukrainian air defences still deter its tactical aircraft from conducting strikes across much of the country", the MoD said.
Image:A Ukrainian tank is in position during fighting on the front line in Severodonetsk. Pic: AP
World faces risk of 'acute and severe food crisis', Zelenskyy says
President Zelenskyy said stopping the Russian invasion is crucial for the whole world as he warned of the risk of famine.
"It is on the battlefields of Ukraine that the future rules of this world are being decided along with the boundaries of the possible," he told an event in Singapore by videolink.
He noted that Russia is blocking ports in the Black Sea and Azov Sea, keeping Ukrainian food exports from the world market.
"If ... due to Russian blockades we are unable to export our foodstuffs, the world will face an acute and severe food crisis and famine in many countries in Asia and Africa," he said.
A pub part-owned by England and Nottinghamshire cricketer Stuart Broad has been badly damaged by a fire.
Firefighters were called to the Tap and Run in the village of Upper Broughton, on the border of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, at about 03:20 BST.
The roof and first floor of the pub - which is also owned by former cricketer Harry Gurney - have been destroyed.
There are no reports of any injuries but the owners said they were "devastated" by the fire.
In a statement, Broad and Gurney said: "We are devastated to announce that due to a significant fire in the early hours of June 11th The Tap & Run will not be trading for the foreseeable future.
"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the outpouring of support.
"And finally... we will be back! Watch this space."
The blaze came as Broad was preparing to face New Zealand on day two of the second Test at Trent Bridge.
His England team-mate James Anderson told Test Match Special: "He's obviously devastated but he's here and will be out there.
"He's just happy that no-one's hurt. It's obviously gutting because it's such a huge part of his and Harry's lives."
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue
Eight fire crews from Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire were at the scene at the height of the blaze.
The A606 Upper Broughton Road remains closed at the junction with the pub.
The fire service said an aerial ladder platform, water carrier and command support vehicle were also deployed.
People living nearby were advised to keep their doors and windows closed.
A leaked version of the government's new food strategy advises people to eat wild venison as a low-carbon alternative to beef and grow their own cucumbers to save the planet, reports claim.
The 27-page document, due to be officially released on Monday, follows two reports carried out by the co-founder of restaurant chain Leon, Henry Dimbleby, into the UK's food system.
His probes into obesity and the environment, commissioned by former environment minister Michael Gove, resulted in recommendations to expand free school meals, impose a long-campaigned for salt and sugar tax, and introduce GP prescriptions for fruit and veg.
But according to a version of the strategy, seen by The Guardian and The Telegraph, these proposals have been ignored in favour of "a statement of vague intentions" - Rob Percival, head of food policy at the Soil Association, said.
They include encouraging fish farming, long seen as highly damaging for the environment, increasing consumption of "responsibly sourced venison", food from algae proteins, and producing technology to help cattle produce less methane.
Advertisement
Compulsory vegan meal options in schools, prisons and across the public sector also feature alongside animal welfare warnings on restaurant menus - if premises use factory-farmed meat.
While a cost of living crisis grips the UK, with recent ONS data revealing most Britons are cutting down on food and other essentials, the government says the cost of food "isn't the business of government food strategy".
More from UK
There are also no recommendations for any state interventions on obesity, despite 64% of UK adults and 40% of children being overweight.
Mr Percival told Sky News: "They're letting a cost of living crisis go unaddressed, they're allowing unsustainable diets to continue, and they're exacerbating the ecological crisis."
He described the references to wild venison as "a little peculiar" and heavily criticised the government's position on not intervening in people's diets and failing to expand the free school meals programme.
According to reports, the strategy document states: "Government can set a clear direction for industry and ensure that consumers are empowered with information to make improved dietary choices.
"Government should also incentivise industry to reformulate and promote healthier food that is more accessible, and design and deliver policy actions that drive improvements across the food environment."
Image:Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of restaurant chain Leon, led two reports into food, the environment and obesity
Jim McMahon, Labour's shadow secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, responded: "The UK is in a cost-of-living crisis with food prices spiralling, real-wages falling, growth plummeting and taxes up.
"It is clear now that the government has absolutely no ambition to fix the mess they have created.
"This is nothing more than a statement of vague intentions, not the concrete proposals to tackle the major issues facing our country. To call it a 'food strategy' is bordering on the preposterous."
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) refused to comment on the leaked document.
"We will be setting out the contents of our ambitious new food strategy in due course," a spokesperson said in a statement.
Jurors in a murder trial have heard a recording of a former soldier telling a 999 operator "I went round with a knife, I've stabbed both of them" moments after he killed his neighbours.
Collin Reeves, 35, stabbed Stephen and Jennifer Chapple, 33, to death at their home in Somerset as their two children slept upstairs in November last year.
Reeves, a former commando engineer in the British Army, has admitted to killing the couple and pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
He jumped over a fence to gain access to the property in Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, after a long-running row over designated parking.
Ten days before the incident on 21 November Reeves is alleged to have shouted at Mrs Chapple outside her house after an exchange between her and his wife.
Advertisement
He called 999 minutes after attacking her and her husband with a ceremonial dagger he was given when he left the Army.
On Friday, a recording of the emergency call was played at Bristol Crown Court.
More on Bristol
Related Topics:
The operator mistook Reeves for the victim, asking if he had been harmed, the court heard.
Reeves said: "I went round with a knife, I've stabbed both of them."
When asked if the couple were awake when he left, he responded: "No, I think they were sort of drifting. He was lying on the floor, she was lying on the sofa."
When officers arrived at the scene, the couple's children were still asleep upstairs.
Image:Jennifer Chapple, 33, and her husband, Stephen Chapple, 36. Pic: Facebook/LinkedIn.
'White as a ghost'
Giving evidence, Reeves' mother, Lynn, wept as she told jurors how she found her son "as white as a ghost" on the night of the attack.
"He was just standing, he just looked right through us as if he wasn't there and said 'I had to protect my family'," she said.
Opening the case for the prosecution on Wednesday, Adam Feest QC said Mrs Chapple didn't have a chance to get up off the sofa to defend herself during the attack.
Image:A court artist's impression of Reeves in court Pic: Elizabeth Cook
She suffered six stab wounds to her upper chest and shoulder, causing fatal injuries to a major blood vessel and her heart.
Mr Chapple, 36, also received six stab wounds together with minor injuries.
The court heard he stabbed them in a minute-long attack using the ceremonial dagger.
When speaking to the emergency call handler Reeves said he had stabbed the couple "two or three times each".
Footage captured on the back door camera showed Reeves entering the property before Mrs Chapple could be heard screaming in terror.
Image:Jennifer and Stephen Chapple on their wedding day
Reeves then shouted "die you f****** die", the court heard.
When he made the 999 call he said he was at home with his wife, with his children asleep upstairs.
Reeves served in the Army between 2002 and 2017, including in Afghanistan.
It was claimed that he appeared to have been struggling with his mental health since he returned and he said he was suffering from an "abnormality of mental functioning" at the time of the attack.
