Boris Johnson was branded a “liar” by the SNP’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford, who accused “the prime minister his friends, a parcel of rogues” of an alleged power grab on the devolved administrations.
The stormy exchange at PMQs came in response to the publication of Mr Johnson’s UK Internal Market Bill, which would override elements of his Brexit deal with Brussels and which Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis admitted would breach international law in a “very specific and limited way”.
The prime minister also faced a grilling from Sir Keir Starmer over what he said were “glaring holes” in the government’s coronavirus testing regime, as Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle reprimanded Matt Hancock for failing to deliver a statement to the Commons on new coronavirus restrictions, which were briefed to the media instead.
Meanwhile the government laid down its new coronavirus rules - limiting gatherings to no more than six people from different households - while the PM was urged by MPs to begin his inquest into the government’s handling of the virus in January.
