Rebel MPs are plotting to rewrite the Commons rulebook and rip up parliament’s standing orders in a bid to prevent Boris Johnson from forcing through a no-deal Brexit, The Independent has learnt.
It comes as No 10 pinpoints Monday 9 September as the critical day for a legislative battle with the cross-party campaign to block a no-deal departure.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott suggested Labour was gearing up to table a no-confidence motion in the PM.
Green MP Caroline Lucas, meanwhile, apologised after not including any people of colour in her proposed all-female “emergency cabinet”.
The fractured British political scene also played host to John Bolton, the US’ National Security Adviser, who arrived in the UK to meet with British officials.
Speaking following a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a visit to London, Mr Bolton said the US could focus on certain sectors like manufacturing and car-making where the two countries may agree, and work out more complicated areas later.
Mr Bolton said US trade negotiators think this is acceptable under World Trade Organisation rules.
Mr Bolton also said issues like security in Iran, and fears over Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network could wait until after Brexit to be resolved.
A Downing Street statement said: “The Prime Minister joined a meeting at Downing Street today between senior officials and US National Security adviser John Bolton.
“They discussed the close UK-US trading relationship and our shared commitment to an ambitious free trade agreement once the UK leaves the EU.
“They also spoke about Brexit and a range of other issues – including Iran, Hong Kong and 5G.”
If you would like to see how the day’s events unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of developments at Westminster and beyond, as Boris Johnson chairs a Downing Street meeting of leaders from police, probation and prison sectors to discuss his plans for law and order.
Can the rebels stop a no-deal Brexit? Secret talks are being held by cross-party MPs on a plan to rip up parliament’s standing orders with the aim of coming up with a bill compelling the prime minister to seek an extension from the EU.
Read all the details in The Independent’s exclusive story.
MPs plotting to rewrite Commons rulebook to stop Boris Johnson forcing through no-deal Brexit
Exclusive: ‘If we have a populist in government who is flouting convention and acting in a way that bypasses the sovereignty of parliament, parliament will respond accordingly’Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott has refused to say whether Labour will move a vote of no confidence against Boris Johnson’s government in the first week of parliament’s return, said:
“It’s above my pay grade to say when we’ll move the vote of no confidence,” she told Radio 4’s Today programme.
“But who has confidence in Boris Johnson apart from the people around him? The more he announces these bogus, unfunded announcements, I think the less confidence there will be in him in the general public.”
Told the motion has to be moved soon to stop Brexit, Abbott replied: “Yes it does. But one of the things we have to do is consult with other parties – it’s no good moving a vote of no confidence if the Lib Dems, for instance, are not going to vote for it.”
She added: "We are talking to all of the other parties in parliament and if we move for a vote of no confidence we'll want to do it with confidence that we can win it.”
Boris Johnson has said dangerous criminals must be taken off the streets and punishments “truly fit the crime” if the public was to have confidence in the justice system.
He also announced an extra £85m for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to help it manage its caseload. It follows a series of announcements over the weekend in which he promised to “come down hard” on crime, including a £2.5bn programme to create 10,000 additional prison places and the extension of police stop-and-search powers.
Here’s our home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden with the details.
Boris Johnson seeks to keep 'dangerous criminals' in jail for longer with sentencing review
Current law means offenders are automatically released on licence half way through sentencesJustice secretary Robert Buckland has been reminded he previously said it was the duty of government to avoid the “chaos of a crash-out Brexit” on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme,
“I have consistently argued that point and I still do [believe] that … that’s why I think the work that’s been done within government to ensure an orderly Brexit is vital,” he said.
“The choice that faces us now is either disorder in terms of Brexit or an orderly, sensible approach and that’s why I’m really pleased the structure of cabinet committees, the way in which government is bearing down upon the issues, shows a sense of urgency and purpose that is absolutely essential if we’re to avoid the sort of disorder I’ve talked about.”
Buckland said he believes the PM is in favour of “as orderly a Brexit as possible – that is why the work of government at the moment is focused hugely on that effort.”
He added “there is a difference between crashing out and not achieving a deal”, and said ongoing work will “avoid the chaos of a crash-out”.
One leading think tank has warned that the government is “running out of time” to block a no-deal Brexit in parliament.
The Institute for Government (IFG) has said MPs may have limited opportunities to stop it, saying if Johnson loses a vote of confidence he may still try to plough on regardless.
The IFG report explores why there was less scope for MPs to make their voices heard than there was under Theresa May in the run up to the previous March 29 deadline.
Even if MPs do succeed in forming an alternative government, it would still need to go to Brussels to seek another Brexit extension and the EU would have to approve it, all with time rapidly running out.
In a strategy note circulated to 300 MPs, Labour MP Margaret Beckett and Tory MP Dominic Grieve have urged their colleagues to focus on the arguments for a second Brexit referendum.
The memo warns that getting caught up solely on constitutional battles in the months’ ahead risks playing into Downing Street’s hands.
Here’s Ashley Cowburn with the details.
Second referendum campaigners urge supporters to focus on democratic outrage of Boris Johnson imposing no-deal Brexit
Focusing only on constitutional battles risks playing into Downing Street’s ‘frame that MPs are frustrating rather than protecting democracy’, strategy note saysAmid much talk of cancelled holiday plans, the rebel Tory MP David Gauke – who tweeted photos of himself messing about with the inflatable unicorn made famous by the England World Cup squad – has revealed his vacation is over.
Today marks the first day of grouse hunting season – the “glorious twelfth”. Or, as animal rights activists have it, the “inglorious twelfth”.
Labour has called for an immediate review of the practice over concerns the burning of the Scottish moors is causing environmental damage. The party has suggested hunters could do some “simulated shooting” instead.
Ashley Cowburn has more.
Labour demands review into grouse shooting over environmental damage concerns
Call coincides with start of annual four-month-long grouse shooting seasonLib Dem leader Jo Swinson has responded to comments made by justice secretary Robert Buckland.
Having previously warned of the “chaos of a crash-out Brexit”, Buckland told Today that a no-deal Brexit need not be chaotic if properly planned for. Swinson, unsurprisingly, is not convinced.
Caroline Lucas has called for an all-female “emergency cabinet” to resolve the Brexit crisis.
Safe to say the response has been largely cynical, with one of the leading women contacted by Lucas – Labour MP Emily Thornberry – turning down her invitation.
Here’s Tom Embury-Dennis with more.
Caroline Lucas proposes all-female 'emergency cabinet' to stop no-deal Brexit and push through second referendum
'I believe women have shown they can bring a different perspective to crises,' Green Party MP says
Boris Johnson has been accused of “unevidenced electioneering” over his crime policy proposals.
The Reform think tank responded after the prime minister ordered an urgent review of sentencing policy which could mean violent and sexual offenders could serve more of their sentences behind bars.
Charlotte Pickles, Reform director, said: “Boris Johnson’s criminal justice reforms are a monumental waste of money. His proposed sentencing reforms ignore evidence that shows that longer prison sentences are ineffective at deterring crime or reducing re-offending.
“His unequivocal embrace of stop and search is dumbfounding – research shows it does little to prevent violence.
“Intelligent investment is clearly need, but these pledges are costly election baubles, not a serious attempt to make this country safer.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced that government funding for on-street electric car charging will double, with an extra £2.5m given to local authorities to install more charge points on residential roads.
Here’s all the details.
Electric cars to enter next gear as government doubles funding for charging points on residential streets
After recent criticism of government green vehicle strategy as 'road to nowhere', plan for 1,000 more charging points on neighbourhood streets could be road to somewhereGreen MP Caroline Lucas has been criticised for the lack of diversity of the list of 10 female MPs she attempted to enlist in her proposal for an all-female cabinet.
Labour MP Clive Lewis said: “One genuine question: Where are the BAME women politicians?”
Neil Findlay, a Labour MSP, asked why the Greens “want to see a white, middle class, single gender government picked by their sole member of parliament”.
The left-wing commentator Ash Sarkar said it appeared Lucas had “forgotten that black and brown women are MPs too”.
Lucas said the 10 women she wrote to “simply represent the nations of the UK and the leadership of the relevant political parties/groupings”.
Some on social media noted that Diane Abbott was the more senior Labour figure than Emily Thornberry, who was included on Lucas’ list.
Others pointed out that Heidi Allen, also on the list of 10, doesn’t represent a party grouping, sitting as part of a looser group of independents.
Nigel Farage said the Queen Mother was an “overweight, chain-smoking gin drinker” in a series of incendiary remarks about members of the royal family, it has been claimed.
The Brexit Party leader – in a speech in Australia to Sydney’s Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday – reportedly ridiculed comments by the Duke of Sussex that he and wife Meghan planned to have a “maximum” of two children for the sake of the planet.
And Farage – who described the Queen as an “amazing, awe-inspiring woman” – said he hoped she would live a “very, very long time” to stop the Prince of Wales becoming king.
Media were not present at the event, but TheGuardian said it had heard a recording of part of Farage’s speech.
“When it comes to her son, when it comes to Charlie Boy and climate change, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Her mother, Her Royal Highness the Queen’s mother was a slightly overweight, chain-smoking gin drinker who lived to 101 years old,” he reportedly said. “All I can say is Charlie Boy is now in his 70s... may the Queen live a very, very long time.”
In reply to a question about women choosing not to have children because of climate change, Farage said: “Well, if I want the Queen to live a long time to stop Charlie Boy becoming king, I want Charlie Boy to live even longer and William to live forever to stop Harry becoming king.
“Terrifying! Here was Harry, here he was this young, brave, boisterous, all-male, getting into trouble, turning up at stag parties inappropriately dressed, drinking too much and causing all sorts of mayhem.
“And then – a brave British officer who did his bit in Afghanistan – he was the most popular royal of a younger generation that we've seen for 100 years.
“And then he met Meghan Markle, and it’s fallen off a cliff. We’ve been told in the last week that Meghan and Harry will only have two children... and we’re all completely ignoring the real problem the Earth faces.
“And that is the fact the population of the globe is exploding but no one dares talk about it, no one dares deal with it, and whether Prince Harry has two kids is irrelevant given there are now 2.6 billion Chinese and Indians on this Earth.”
If you missed one of the weekend’s big stories, the chancellor Sajid Javid is considering putting special 50p Brexit coins into mass circulation to mark the UK’s planned withdrawal from the EU on 31 October.
But the idea has already sparked a backlash from Anti-Brexit campaigners, who have pledged to boycott the coins, and return any of the special 50p pieces handed over at the tills.
Here’s Vincent Wood with more of the details.
Activists threaten to boycott Brexit 50p coin as Javid draws up plans for millions to be minted by 31 October
Prospective Lib Dem MP says she would return the coinage to the bank 'and ask them to swap it for a proper one'Households have already spent £4bn on stockpiling goods in preparation for a possible no-deal Brexit, new research suggests.
One in five of us has started hoarding food, drinks and medicine, spending around £380 each, according to a survey by Premium Credit.
The survey also found that around 800,000 people have spent more than £1,000 on stockpiling, ahead of the 31 October deadline. However, the amount spent is £600m less than in the build-up to the original March 31 deadline.
If the UK leaves with no deal, businesses predict there will be short-term supply problems, which the government says it is mitigating.
Boris Johnson has been accused of “unevidenced electioneering” with his latest law and order policies, but the prime minister still has the power to get serious people around a table at No 10.
He is hosting leaders from police, probation and prison sectors to discuss the criminal justice system in Downing Street this morning.
Here’s our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn with more on Diane Abbott’s suggestion Labour are getting ready to table a motion of no confidence in Boris Johnson’s government in early September.
Labour preparing ground for no-confidence motion in Boris Johnson in early September, Diane Abbott indicates
'Who has confidence in Boris Johnson apart from the people around him,' says shadow home secretary
Boris Johnson has told leading figures in the criminal justice system that young people must be prevented from getting on “the conveyor belt to crime”.
The prime minister said “you cannot just arrest your way out of a problem” as he addressed a group assembled in No 10, including the most senior police officer, Cressida Dick.
Johnson said “faster justice” was required and cited pledges including increasing prison capacity and employing more officers.
“But no matter what we do with the criminal justice system we also have to recognise that you cannot just arrest your way out of a problem,” he added. “And I think all police officers, all representatives of the criminal justice system, will know that.
“You have to address the whole problem and, number one, you’ve got to stop young people becoming criminals, stop them getting on what used to be called the conveyor belt to crime, turn their lives around earlier, give them opportunities, hope and encouragement that they need.”
Home secretary Priti Patel was among the group alongside Metropolitan Police Commissioner Ms Dick invited into the State Dining Room in Downing Street, as was Sir Brian Leveson, who previously held the title of the most senior criminal judge in England and Wales, and Solicitor General Michael Ellis QC.
