Inside Politics: Matt Hancock hails speedy vaccine approval

There’s no such thing as society – so said our first female prime minister. Try telling that to the angry society of thousands who’ve pledged to turn up for “egg-throwing contest” at the unveiling of the Margaret Thatcher statue in Grantham town centre. No doubt Boris Johnson would love to unveil a statue of himself in some hallowed square one day. But at the moment it’s more likely he’ll get egged in the street. Perhaps even by some of his own MPs. Johnson has been forced to endure his biggest backbench rebellion yet, after more than 50 Tories turned on him over the new tier system. The PM will have to hope the imminent roll-out of the vaccine changes the picture.

Inside the bubble

Political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for today:

On the day new Covid restrictions take effect, expect Boris Johnson to taunt Keir Starmer at PMQs for abstaining in last night’s Commons vote on the new rules. Look out for Ed Miliband, who has secured an urgent question on the impact for jobs of Philip Green’s Arcadia group going into administration and Debenhams into liquidation. Matt Hancock will do the morning broadcast round on Good Morning Britain at 8.30am and Times Radio at 9.20am.

Daily briefing

PRINCE OF TIDES: Boris Johnson’s new tier system for England did pass last night – but only because Labour abstained, since 55 Tory MPs rebelled against the government. The PM tried everything to avoid such a large and worrying revolt, confirming an extra £40m for pubs in tiers two and three. Apparently, Johnson and his health secretary Matt Hancock even stood at the entrance of the voting lobby, pleading with backbenchers. One Tory MP told The Telegraph they were “telling people ‘don’t do it – the tide is turning’”. Rebels then went through in groups so they couldn’t be picked off by the guilt trip. One former minister told the BBC “the mood is toxic” – suggesting relations between MPs and No 10 are getting worse. “The tom toms are beating.” The man who saved Johnson, Keir Starmer, said some kind of restrictions needed to continue, but he was “far from convinced” the new tier system will work. The Labour leader claimed economic support was “nowhere near sufficient”.

NEW YEAR FEARS: The smart money seems to be on utter chaos in early January, regardless of whether there’s a Brexit trade deal. MPs on the public accounts committee certainly think so. They warned of the “risk of serious disruption and delay” at border crossings, and found that the necessary systems to avoid such problems would not be in place in time. “We can only hope that we are not facing catastrophe,” said Meg Hillier, the committee’s chair. On Tuesday the OECD said the failure to negotiate a UK-EU trade deal would land a “serious” blow to the UK economy, having a “strongly negative effect on trade, productivity and jobs in the longer term”. How are those negotiations going? Michel Barnier is said to be facing anger from French officials, who fear he’s ready to give too much away on fishing rights. One diplomat told The Times that Barnier has received a “serious warning” from France against any “dangerous” concessions on key red lines.

LIKE A MILITARY OPERATION: Some good news on the vaccine front. The government has approved the Pfizer jab, and the NHS and the Army have reportedly started preparations for its distribution within the next few days. Matt Hancock said he was “very proud” that the UK had become the first place in the world to have a clinically authorised vaccine. Military chiefs have been told to transform 10 sites into vaccine centres, according to The Telegraph. Also some good news for families with loved ones in care homes, as Hancock said 1 million rapid-turnaround testing kits which would allow regular visits over Christmas and beyond. Looking further ahead, it’s unclear whether the government hopes to establish a “vaccine passport” system to allow people access to various venues. Michael Gove said “that’s not the plan”. But health minister Nadhim Zahawi – the man now in charge of the vaccine roll-out – suggested it was. “I think you’ll probably find that restaurants and bars and cinemas and other venues … will probably also use that system.”

LEFT HOOK: Those working in the legal professional may wish to look away. Despite repeated warnings about her dangerous rhetoric, Priti Patel has renewed her attack on “lefty lawyers”. The Home Office is furious at protections for “murderers and rapists” after 30 criminals were taken off a deportation flight to Jamaica following late court challenges. Patel replied to a group of 70 Labour MPs who had urged her to cancel the flight by stating: “Lefty lawyers are trying to get people who have committed heinous crimes dragged off this flight.” Elsewhere, there are complaints about the suitability of business secretary Alok Sharma to head the COP climate conference in Glasgow. Former foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood said Sharma lacks the “bandwidth” to lead the crucial conference alongside his cabinet job. Ellwood said a “grand fromage” was required – someone who can “march into any door of any president or prime minister”. Marcus Rashford, anyone?

EGGING THEM ON: Nicola Sturgeon’s government has been accused of “stoking up division” by urging the Treasury to make its £500 bonus payment for NHS and care staff tax-free. The Treasury said it was up to the Scottish government “to gross up the payment if it wishes”, and Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called on Sturgeon to “stop playing politics with the pandemic”. Over 2,300 people have already pledged to play politics with Margaret Thatcher’s statue – signing up to attend an “egg-throwing contest” on the same day as the unveiling. Anger was sparked by the potential cost of the whole affair. Many are furious with Kesteven District Council for considering whether to spend £100,000 on unveiling ceremony events. Speaking of eggs, confusion remains about the Scotch variety following comments made by Michael Gove. Asked whether Scotch eggs count as a substantial meal in pubs, the Cabinet Office minister said: “As far as I’m concerned it’s probably a starter.”

THIS HAS TO STOP: Donald Trump and his cowardly enablers are in the death throes of doomed attempts to overturn the election. His loyal attorney general William Barr revealed the Department of Justice has been entertaining the demagogue’s delusions by investigating allegations of voter fraud, but has not uncovered evidence to have results changed. Some Republicans have had enough of this nonsense. The GOP’s election official in Georgia Gabriel Sterling said: “It’s all gone too far! All of it! It has to stop!” Sterling revealed he had been forced to get a police guard outside his home, while the wife of Georgia’s secretary of state was “getting sexualised threats through her cell phone”. Condemning Trump directly, Sterling added: “You have not condemned these actions or this language.”

On the record

“I’m making a direct appeal to every European Londoner – make sure that you and all your eligible family and friends have applied to the settlement scheme before Christmas.”

Sadiq Khan offers a warning to EU citizens in the capital.

From the Twitterati

“This is Boris Johnson’s biggest defeat since the election and a blow to his authority.”

The Mirror’s Pippa Crerar thinks the tier system rebellion was significant…

“This is the beginning of the end of Boris Johnson – sad to say that it now has to happen and fast. This Covid-fearful government has lost the plot.”

…and anti-lockdown TalkRadio host Mike Graham thinks the Tories should get rid of him.

Essential reading

Vince Cable, The Independent: Brexit nostalgia about the countryside is based on a past that never existed

Chris Stevenson, The Independent: Starter or substantial meal? The curious case of Schrodinger’s Scotch egg

Rachel Sylvester, The Times: Boris Johnson’s cavalier instinct has gone puritan

Andrew Prokop, Vox: Trump’s attempt to overturn the election has finally sputtered out

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