EU chief hails ‘new chapter’ in UK relations as Sunak unveils landmark Brexit deal

The Independent's Morning Headlines email [View online]( February 28, 2023 [Morning Headlines]( 1 / [EU chief hails ‘new chapter’ in UK relations as Sunak unveils landmark Brexit deal]( [Rishi Sunak]( and the [European Commission]( president [Ursula von der Leyen]( have ushered in a new era in UK-EU relations as they struck a historic post-[Brexit]( deal. Unveiling the Windsor Framework, Mr Sunak said it was a “major breakthrough” that would solve the long-running problem of the [Northern Ireland protocol](. The EU chief also hailed the deal as a “new chapter” as she outlined plans for the UK to join the bloc’s £80bn Horizon science research programme. The prime minister said the government had “now taken back control”, echoing Boris Johnson’s famous Brexit slogan. He also promised for the first time that MPs would have a vote on the deal, although No 10 would not be drawn on when, or in what form, such a vote might take place. Some Tory MPs have urged Mr Sunak to press ahead with a vote, fearing that a delay could give opponents of the deal the upper hand.   2 / [Police arrest aristocrat Constance Marten and partner Mark Gordon but baby still missing]( Missing couple found by officers in Brighton after a weeks-long search 3 / [Andrew Tate held for third month in Romanian prison after losing latest appeal]( ‘They weaponise lies to keep me in here. But you cannot hide the sun forever,’ he tweeted after losing latest appeal 4 / [From war crimes, to spies and cyberattacks: Ukraine’s domestic spy chief on fighting Russia across all fronts]( Exclusive: The head of the security service of Ukraine speaks to [Bel Trew]( from Kyiv about how Moscow ‘will never break us down’ 5 / [A&E delays linked to tens of thousands of patient deaths, top doctors claim]( Exclusive: Better mental health support needed for ambulance workers who are forced to see patients die     The Big Question What does Ofgem’s price cap mean for me and my energy bill? Despite falling wholesale energy prices, households are still facing eye-watering bill hikes from April. What is [Ofgem](’s price cap, how does the [Government](’s Energy Price Guarantee affect it and what does it all mean for household bills? – What is Ofgem’s price cap and what does it mean for me? Regulator Ofgem has cut the amount suppliers can charge households for energy but bills are still set to rise by an average £500 from April. – What is Ofgem’s price cap? The energy price cap was introduced by the Government in January 2019 and allows suppliers to recoup their costs while making sure consumers do not pay more than they should. It does this by setting a maximum suppliers can charge per unit of energy. – Why is it falling and how much is it now? From April 1, the energy price cap will be set at an annual level of £3,280 for a dual-fuel household paying by direct debit based on typical consumption, a reduction of almost £1,000 from the current £4,279. The fall reflects recent drops in wholesale energy prices – the amount energy firms pay for gas and electricity before supplying it to households. The £3,280 figure indicates how much consumers on their energy suppliers’ basic tariff would pay if the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) was not in place. [For the full story click here >](   Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our [welcome offer when you join today](. Watch/ [What does the ‘Windsor Framework’ mean for Northern Ireland?](   NUMBER OF THE DAY 500 – A dog at a kennels in Somerset has been looking for a forever home for 500 days. [Read more here](   QUOTE OF THE DAY “Betty was one of a kind. A sharp, witty and formidable woman – and I will miss her.” – Current Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has paid tribute to Baroness Betty Boothroyd, the first woman to be elected Commons speaker, who has died aged 93. [Read more here]( Turkey and Syria earthquake appeal £35,562 – The Independent is appealing for help in [raising urgently needed funds]( following the deadliest earthquake to hit [Turkey]( and [Syria]( in almost a century. We will update the running total here each day. [Read more here]( [Donate here](     Other stories you might like   [New Zealand win astonishing Test by one run as England fall short](   [Energy giants could be forced to return millions of pounds held in customer accounts](   [Censoring Ian Fleming and Roald Dahl is an act of greed, not sensitivity](       Articles available exclusively to subscribers Marie Le Conte - [After ‘getting Brexit done’, what next for Rishi Sunak?](   Other newsletters you might like [The Race Report]( The Race Report Fortnightly, 6pm (UK time) Written by Nadine White [Join now]( [The View from Westminster ]( The View from Westminster Every weekday, 6pm (UK time) Written by John Rentoul [Join now](   If you can spare a minute we’d love your [feedback]( on our newsletters. [The Independent]( Join the conversation or follow us [Facebook]( [Twitter]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, 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, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.