UK ‘faces EU trade war’ over Northern Irish rules

Latest updates and essential advice from The Independent [View in browser]( [Alternate text] Daily briefing July 22, 2021 Today’s essential news from the source you trust This morning’s headlines A [trade war between Britain and the EU is “inevitable”]( if the UK refuses to back down on its new demands for post-Brexit rules on Northern Ireland, officials warn. Brexit minister David Frost on Wednesday issued a new “command paper” that would radically rework the Northern Ireland protocol, a deal he himself negotiated and that only came into force in January, effectively removing most of a trade border created in the Irish Sea. But the proposal was swiftly rejected by the EU. “We will not agree to a renegotiation of the protocol,” said Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission’s vice president, in an official statement. Trade officials and business leaders told The Independent that time is running out to reach agreement ahead of the introduction of critical deadlines for extra processes that the UK agreed under the protocol. A rise in numbers of food supply workers being forced to self-isolate is being [blamed for empty supermarket shelves](. Shoppers across the UK have been alarmed to find shelves and fridges empty. A surge in workers being alerted by the NHS Covid app on their phones has hit industries hard because workers have to stop at home. Staff at supply companies, fruit and vegetable farms and supermarkets are among the thousands being “pinged” when they have been close to someone infected by the coronavirus. Hundreds of people - in places as far apart as Edinburgh, Devon, Hampshire, London and Liverpool - have posted photographs on social media showing shortages of certain types of goods. Andrew Opie, of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The ongoing pingdemic is putting increasing pressure on retailers’ ability to maintain opening hours and keep shelves stocked. The government needs to act fast.” Sir Keir Starmer has branded the Conservatives [“the party of crime and disorder”]( after Labour analysis found police budgets are £1.6 billion down on their level when Boris Johnson’s party came to power in 2010. Labour accused the Home Office of misrepresenting the true level of Tory cuts to police, as Sir Keir promised to scrap the prime minister’s plans for a “pointless” royal yacht and divert its £283m funding to tackling anti-social behaviour. Writing in The Independent as he [launched a campaign for safer communities](, Sir Keir compared government ministers to “contortionists” trying to twist figures to hide the true scale of damage done to police budgets by years of cuts. “The Conservative Party cut our police to the lowest level in a generation,” he wrote. “It’s no coincidence that was followed by rising anti-social behaviour, record levels of knife crime, and almost nine in ten crimes now going unsolved. Now, as our communities continue to suffer from crime and disorder, minsters are in denial. Like contortionists, they twist their own figures to try and show police funding on an upward trajectory.” . We need your support The Independent employs over 100 journalists around the world to bring you news you can trust. Please consider showing your support with a contribution. [Contribute]( . Top stories [Nurses’ strike threat over ‘appalling’ 3% NHS pay rise]( [Inside the world’s most notorious detention centre as the war on terror fades away]( [Roads melt in heatwave ahead of ‘torrential’ rain]( . . Stories chosen for you - [UK will threaten to tear up Boris Johnson’s promises in Brexit deal as businesses list problems]( - [You shouldn’t dismiss the Dominic Cummings interview for one important reason | Andrew Grice]( - [Opinion: If even Cummings is having Brexit doubts, is it time to say ‘told you so’?]( - [Do you legally have to self-isolate if pinged by the NHS Covid app?]( - [Labour threatens Johnson with Commons defeat over vaccine passports]( . News you can trust The Independent has a 100% NewsGuard trust rating [NewsGuard] [Find out more]( . If you can spare two minutes we’d love to hear your [feedback]( on our newsletters [Alternate text] Join the conversation or follow us [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's News email. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent News Daily Briefing email, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.