Michael Gove

The EU has rejected a call from Michael Gove to change the Northern Ireland Protocol – with the European Commission insisting it is the “only way” to protect the Good Friday Agreement. In a letter to the Cabinet Office minister on the eve of their meeting in London, the Commission’s vice president Maros Sefcovic wrote: “The […]

The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator has called for the EU to adopt a ‘different spirit’ during discussions over issues between Westminster and Brussels. Shortages on some food products have been experienced in Northern Ireland, businesses have struggled with red tape and Brussels recently threatened to override part of a post-Brexit agreement on the region to […]

Michael Gove has called for a ‘reset’ and ‘refinement’ of the Brexit deal which only came into force at the start of the year. The Cabinet Office minister has expressed frustration at the lack of progress in talks with Brussels aimed at resolving difficulties in Northern Ireland’s Brexit arrangements ahead of a meeting with the […]

A survey of international hauliers has found the volume of exports travelling from British ports to the EU fell 68% last month compared with the same period last year. The research by the Road Haulage Association (RHA) prompted it to write to Cabinet minister Michael Gove to call for assistance, particularly with increasing the number […]

No 10 has said a three-month Brexit grace period for retailers in Northern Ireland should be extended in order to avoid further trade disruptions. Cabinet minister Michael Gove admitted there had been “significant” problems at the Northern Ireland border ever since the UK left the single market on January 1. Supermarkets in the region have been […]

A Tory MP who refused to apologise for misleading comments about Covid-19 may still face disciplinary action by his party, Michael Gove has hinted. Sir Desmond Swayne wrongly told a group of vaccine sceptics that some Covid-19 data had been “manipulated” while encouraging them to “persist” with their campaign against lockdown restrictions. Gove, a cabinet minister, said […]

Cabinet minister Michael Gove has said there is “an opportunity to look back” at government decisions made during the pandemic as he dismissed concerns it should not have allowed households to mix over Christmas. Gove suggested the government was not to blame for a spike in infections after Christmas during an interview on Good Morning Britain (GMB). No […]

A Tory minister has refused to say if one of their MPs should lose the whip for “completely out of order” comments about Covid-19 statistics. Swayne was interviewed by a US anti-vaccine campaigner and urged an anti-lockdown group to persist with their efforts, suggesting official data should not be trusted. He said he is a […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has claimed that Boris Johnson is a ‘huge asset’ to Scotland. Gove was interviewed by BBC Breakfast after they pointed out that a rise in support for Scottish independence was down to Johnson’s Brexit project and his handling of the pandemic. Asked if he thought he was an “asset” or […]

Michael Gove has insisted it is safe for Boris Johnson to visit Scotland. The senior Cabinet minister told BBC Radio Scotland: “It is the case that the prime minister will be operating in a Covid-secure way. “There will be no danger to anyone’s health as a result, in fact quite the opposite, what the prime […]

Michael Gove and 13 Conservative MPs – including ministers and cabinet ministers – reportedly joined a social media platform favoured by the far right before it was forced offline last week. Nine Tory backbenchers joined Parler in an apparent show of support for free speech following Donald Trump’s clashes with Twitter over remarks he made following […]

Two of Britain’s most popular cars will cost £1,700 more this year thanks to new post-Brexit tariffs. Ford has increased the price of sport versions of its Fiesta and Puma ranges, which were both made in the EU and exported for sale in the UK. The motoring giant said it was passing on the costs to customers and […]

Hauliers are spending tens of thousands of pounds bringing empty lorries to Northern Ireland, an industry spokesman has said. Seamus Leheny, of Logistics NI, said exports of goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain are doing well, however, less is coming back across the Irish Sea as suppliers are faced with new customs demands. There […]

Cabinet Office minister and Brexiteer Michael Gove has been accused of insulting EU citizens by claiming that their mandatory applications to the EU Settlement Scheme were a “vote of confidence in Britain”. Appearing in the Commons to support the prime minister’s Brexit bill, he told MPs: “It is important to remember that there are now […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has rejected claims that Britain’s fishermen will be worse off as a result of the post-Brexit trade deal struck with the EU. Fishermen’s leaders have accused Boris Johnson of betraying the industry over the compromise struck with Brussels over future fishing rights in UK waters. However, Gove insisted they would […]

Cabinet minister Michael Gove, writing in The Times, has said the government’s Brexit deal will end the “ugly” politics since the 2016 Brexit referendum. The leading Brexiteer said he “won’t deny it’s been difficult” for many people since then. “Friendships have been strained, families were divided and our politics has been rancorous and, at times, […]

Urgent talks are taking place between the leaders of the devolved administrations and Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove as calls mount to scrap plans for an easing of Covid-19 restrictions over Christmas. The move comes as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer demanded an urgent review into the easing of rules after leading medical journals warned […]

Michael Gove has been told to “correct the record” after misleading statements made about Brexit. Gove had claimed that key health and education benefits will be saved “for a while” – even if there is no deal – while interviewed by the Today programme. There is currently no guarantee the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Erasmus will […]

Michael Gove has been compared to Bart Simpson for his refusal to accept responsibility for the “chaos” caused by Brexit. But instead the Cabinet Office minister compared himself to Groundskeeper Willie – the fictional Scottish school janitor – only to be told that Willie declared his support for Scottish independence at the 2014 referendum. SNP MP Owen […]

Piers Morgan has told Michael Gove his attempt to deny No 10 had pursued a policy of herd immunity “would not survive” a public inquiry. Michael Gove sought to downplay the claims brought forward by senior SAGE (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) scientist Sir Patrick Vallance. The cabinet minister, who chairs the government’s Covid committee, told Good Morning Britain England’s […]

Michael Gove has been challenged to explain why it is a good thing that Northern Ireland is given the “best of both worlds” with access to the benefits of the UK and European Union, but that it should not apply to England, Scotland or Wales. Gove told reporters that the agreement with the EU will […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has been reminded that he swore on his job that the government would not back down on the Internal Market Bill. Hours after MPs voted to reinstate clauses which break international law into the Brexit bill after the Lords rejected them, Gove announced that it would drop parts of the […]

Piers Morgan has slammed the government’s coronavirus response, pointing out that the “disastrous” death toll was higher than the number of civilians who died in the Second World War. Morgan criticised the handling of the pandemic as he interviewed minister Michael Gove, as the MP denied that it had been a bad response. The Good […]

Michael Gove has been accused of going “full Trump” after he attacked Good Morning Britain‘s rating figures. Gove attacked the show after he was accused of telling a “blatant lie” about Boris Johnson’s polling numbers. Responding to Piers Morgan’s question about becoming prime minister, Gove responded: “I don’t want to be prime minister, Piers. “Firstly, I think […]

Michael Gove has inflamed tensions with Piers Morgan after he said he received “good advice” from colleagues to boycott Good Morning Britain (GMB). Morgan accused Gove of “suppressing free speech” after the minister admitted he he had been “told” to avoid the show. Referencing a Scottish anecdote, Gove said: “When you get good advice from your colleagues, […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has said that it is for “common sense” to decide what a “substantial meal” is that will enable people to have a drink in pubs as lockdown lifts in England. Gove was challenged by Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan as to whether a Scotch egg fitted the criteria after […]

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has said he is confident another lockdown in England could be avoided, but that the government could not rule one out. Appearing on Kay Burley at Breakfast, he said: “I am as confident as confident can be that we won’t need one because the tiers that we have now are […]

A transport boss has called the government’s handling of Brexit border proceedings a “complete shambles”. The chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) Richard Burnett said the software needed to facilitate the transport of goods to and from the EU was not ready, Sky News has reported. In a letter seen by the outlet, Burnett […]

Britain’s chief Brexit negotiator has told Boris Johnson that a trade deal with the EU could be ready as early as next week. Lord David Frost is reported to have told the prime minister there would be a “possible landing zone” for an agreement as soon as next Tuesday, the Sun has revealed. The latest round […]

The fallout of Dominic Cummings’ departure from government continues, with a newspaper claiming the aide said Johnson was “indecisive” and that Michael Gove was left to provide clarity on decisions. Cummings left his role after a power struggle that has rocked the administration, amid claims he had briefed against Boris Johnson and his fiancee Carrie […]

Michael Gove has been challenged to pick which unelected bureaucrat he supports in the internal war in Number 10. During questions in the House of Commons, the Cabinet Office minister was asked to decide whether he was on the team of “Dom or Carrie”. It came as director of communications Lee Cain resigned, and chief […]

Michael Gove has been criticised by Labour for failing to answer a “basic question” on how many customs agents are ready to deal with Brexit at the end of the transition period in six weeks’ time. Shadow cabinet office minister Rachel Reeves was asking Brexiteer Gove about the fact that the transition period now ends […]