On this week’s episode of the Guardian’s politics weekly podcast, Heather Stewart is joined by Polly Toynbee, Jill Rutter and Tom McTague to discuss what Boris Johnson will do after parliament voted to reject his timetable for the passage of the Brexit withdrawal bill.
Peter Walker also reports on who’s in the running to be the next Speaker of the House of Commons
Thanks for following the blog today. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.
One last footnote though in relation to moves we reported on earlier this week by Ukip to suspend its leader Richard Braine amid a fresh power struggle within the party.
This comes from Companies House filings:
Meanwhile in the land of UKIP (leadership tussle number 4,459,333) pic.twitter.com/oFNG2s2SB0
— Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) October 23, 2019
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Evening Summary
• Downing Street is pushing the possibility of a general election after talks between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn on a new timetable for his Brexit bill broke up without agreement, but Labour declined to say it would support an immediate poll.
No 10 also said that Johnson spoke to Donald Tusk on Wednesday morning, telling the European council’s president, who has called for EU leaders to allow a further Brexit extension, that he does not personally want one.
• The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the European parliament’s president have backed Donald Tusk’s call to grant the UK government a Brexit delay up to 31 January 2020.
Following a phone call between Tusk, the president of the European council, and Varadkar on Wednesday morning, the two men agreed the EU27 should agree to the request reluctantly tabled by Boris Johnson on Saturday.
• Unionist MPs have branded the government’s approach to Northern Ireland in the Brexit talks “despicable” and a “betrayal”.
In his first appearance before the Northern Ireland affairs select committee, Julian Smith, the Northern Ireland secretary, was questioned about plans to require businesses selling or transiting goods from the region to Britain to complete special paperwork in order to trade post-Brexit.
• The home secretary, Priti Patel, has told MPs that immigration officials were working closely with the police after 39 bodies were found inside a Bulgarian-registered lorry on an industrial estate in Essex.
A murder investigation is under way after police officers were called by the ambulance service shortly before 1.40am on Wednesday following the discovery of a container with people inside. Appearing at the home affairs committee, Patel said: “As a live investigation, there is not much we can add to that right now. And from what I gather things are moving quite quickly on that.
Updated
The European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, has this on a meeting today, which adds weight to shortening odds of a “Flextension” being the preferred reply to the UK government’s request for an extension.
The @Europarl_EN's Brexit Steering Group met today & is of the opinion that a flextension, not going beyond the 31st Jan, is the only way forward. This is an important agreement & the European Parliament needs time to scrutinise in detail, especially concerning citizens rights.
— Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) October 23, 2019
Updated
The Tory former leader of the House of Commons, Mel Stride, has been elected as the new chairman of the influential Treasury committee.
The Speaker, John Bercow, informed MPs of the result of the ballot in the Commons in a statement during the Queen’s speech debate.
Stride, who was present alongside his fellow nominees to hear the news, said he hoped his committee could “bring forward some illumination and light” at a time of “great sound and fury in this chamber”.
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Proposals for “A&E locals” were compared to Tesco Express shops as Labour raised concerns about government reforms to the NHS during the ongoing debate on the Queen’s speech.
The shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, sought answers over changes to the Princess Royal hospital in Telford after the health secretary, Matt Hancock, asked NHS England to keep open the service.
It is among those being considered under plans for “A&E locals” although health bosses have questioned what this means.
Ashworth also claimed the government’s immigration plans could leave 60,000 NHS workers unable to stay in the UK.
Speaker John Bercow selected Labour’s amendment which notes “regret” over the Queen’s Speech failure to repeal the Health and Social Care Act 2012, arguing this needs to happen to “protect” the NHS from future trade agreements which could allow increased privatisation.
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Irish deputy PM: Brexit extension likely to be 'flexible' one
Any Brexit extension is likely to be a flexible one that would allow the UK to leave the EU prior to the end of January, Ireland’s deputy premier has said.
Simon Coveney, said the Irish government would be supportive of an extension but he cautioned that he was not speaking on behalf of the other EU states and said it was a case of “wait and see” if any of them raised “issues” with the move.
Speaking to business leaders in Belfast, he said:
From the Irish government’s perspective we are supportive of facilitating an extension.
I think that extension will be a flexible one that will allow the United Kingdom to leave the EU, if they can get a deal done, well in advance of the end of that extension period, which looks like it might be the end of January.
Updated
The former Labour (now independent) MP, Ivan Lewis, appears to have moved with some certainty into the cohort of those supporting the prime minster’s Brexit deal.
Lewis, who voted against Theresa May’s deal, has tweeted:
There is no perfect deal. But the time has come to make progress. After 3 years more delays and extensions are not in our interest+ continued uncertainty can tip us into recession.
— Ivan Lewis (@IvanLewis_MP) October 23, 2019
There is still plenty of opportunity for us to influence the Uks future relationship with the EU. https://t.co/iPXqmNO919
YouGov has been carrying out some snap polling and finds that votes are fairly split on when they would prefer a general election.
One in the spring (40% support) shades it over one by the end of the year.
SNAP POLL: By 50% to 23% Brits would support the calling of an early General Election, with both Labour and Conservative voters firmly in favour https://t.co/3ndfumdGhg pic.twitter.com/DmONnaTrZL
— YouGov (@YouGov) October 23, 2019
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Government thinking on development and aid priorities following Brexit should take note of new research out today showing that the British public remains firmly behind efforts to support people in poorer countries, according to aid organisations.
Almost two-thirds of people canvassed in a survey of EU citizens believe that maintaining overseas aid at its current level should be “a major priority”, the Guardian’s Lucy Lamble reports.
It’s perhaps worth keeping in mind also that while any impending general election is likely to be firmly centred around Brexit, overseas aid has increasingly become a political football, with the Brexit party making pledges to slash the spending.
The results from Eurobarometer, the EU’s polling organisation, also found that almost 90% of people thought helping people in developing countries should be a priority of the EU and national governments.
Claire Godfrey, interim director of policy, advocacy and research at Bond, the British network for organisations working in international development, said the survey was “incredibly timely” as the UK government begins to redefine its role in a post-Brexit world.
The government, and any future government, should take note of these results when thinking about what our development and aid priorities should be following Brexit.
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There has been a response of studied fury to Boris Johnson’s response to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford during FMQs today that the Scottish parliament “has no role” in approving his current withdrawal deal.
While it was immediately pointed out that the bill’s own explanatory notes list more than a dozen instances where consent of the devolved administrations is required, the first ministers of Scotland and Wales, Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford, this afternoon accused the prime minister of trying to rush through the EU withdrawal agreement without scrutiny.
They both added that said the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly were likely to refuse to give consent for the withdrawal agreement bill, and called for the devolved nations to be given a greater say.
SNP MP and Brexit legal challenger Joanna Cherry said that the prime minister was “wholly wrong” and “a stranger to the truth”, while Scotland’s Brexit secretary, Michael Russell, described Johnson’s dismissal as “completely wrong”, adding that the Scottish government had already identified a number of additional parts of the bill that required legislative consent too.
Point of info: since 1999, the Sewel convention has held that Westminster will not legislate on devolved matters without the consent of the devolved parliaments, but in 2017 the supreme court appeared to undermine this convention by ruling that because it is political in nature, enforcing it was not a matter for the courts.
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Businesses and the public should continue to get ready for a no-deal Brexit, the government has warned, as a minister said there was still uncertainty about how the UK will leave the EU.
This was from earlier when minister without portfolio James Cleverly told MPs that the “only responsible course of action”, is to “accelerate” no-deal planning.
He said more preparations were needed because the EU has not yet responded to calls for an extension to the 31 October Brexit deadline.
Cleverly told the Commons:
Making sure business and the public are ready for Brexit is a priority of the government; that is why the prime minister negotiated a new withdrawal agreement with the EU which will end the uncertainty, secure the implementation period and ensure we leave with a business-friendly deal.
As the EU has not responded to parliament’s letter, the only responsible course of action now is to accelerate preparations for a no-deal outcome.
Those comments are interesting to read alongside this piece in the Guardian by a civil servant who is currently part of the Operation Yellowhammer planning for a no-deal scenario.
Much of this Yellowhammer shtick is just for show, they write, adding:
Heaven help us if no deal actually happens. Because, even with the best efforts of civil servants like me, Operation Yellowhammer won’t be enough, even with its enormous price tag.
Not even close. And while – outrageously – there won’t be any economic analysis prepared by the government on the impact of the new deal, we already know – thanks to Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts – that the impact of no deal will make the £6.3bn spent this year on no-deal planning look like peanuts.
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The intransigence of members of the hardline European Research Group (ERG) in the face of attempts by Theresa May to get MPs to accept her Brexit deal was one of the principle flashpoints of her time in office.
So what changed? Phil Burton-Cartledge, a lecturer in sociology at the University of Derby, argues that their volte-face may have been encouraged by aligned financial interests:
A deskilled, low-wage workforce with few rights, and the UK a playground for footloose corporations to shake their tail at the EU’s regulatory regime from 21 miles across the Channel, would suit them perfectly.
Therefore when you look at the kind of businesses associated with or owned by ERG notables, such as Jacob Rees-Mogg’s emerging markets fund or Steve Baker’s financial services holdings, it suggests their penchant for transforming the country into a no-regulation tax haven may align with their interests. Ideology and principles come second.
If the EU does agree to a three-month delay to Brexit until 31 January then the prime minister has three options if he decides to push for an election.
The Guardian’s Kate Proctor has been looking at all three, which are:
• A motion for a general election.
• A one-line bill.
• A no-confidence motion.
Of the first option, which is seen as the government’s favoured option because it is unamendable and gives a fixed election date, she writes:
Under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011, an election may be called if it is agreed by two-thirds of the total number of MPs.
Boris Johnson presented motions for an election on 4 and 9 September and failed on both occasions when the majority of Labour MPs abstained. Jeremy Corbyn said he would only back an election once the threat of a no-deal Brexit had been taken off the table.
Johnson could try this again and potentially get Labour backing because the Benn act has removed the imminent possibility of a no-deal Brexit.
Updated
For those wondering when Brussels will make any concrete pronouncements on that reluctant Boris Johnson request for a Brexit extension:
Part of delay will be seeking clarification from Johnson over whether he has agreed a new timetable on the WAB with Jeremy Corbyn. If he has, and is able to publicly request an extension of a month (that poss under Benn Act?)then that would be in play too.
— Daniel Boffey (@DanielBoffey) October 23, 2019
Businesses remain “at a loss” about what Brexit preparations they should be making amid continued confusion about the future, according to a business leader.
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) said progress on parliament’s support for a deal had been undermined by the timetable being voted down and the “inflexibility” of the government’s response.
Chief executive Ann Francke said:
Businesses are again lost as to what Brexit preparations they should be making, creating economic uncertainty. Are we deal or no-deal? Clearly we should deal.
To do so, the prime minister needs to take a pragmatic, cooperative approach to his work with both parliament and the European Union, to ensure the UK secures a deal.
Kevin Brundish, chief executive of AGM Batteries, said each day of Brexit uncertainty means firms are withholding key investment decisions.
As demand for batteries continues to rise, leading UK manufacturers like ourselves are hoping for the UK government to settle on the right deal, fast.
The fragile economy needs promise of ongoing stimulation if we are to keep up with the expansion of the market.
One place where there appears to be some confusion around Brexit preparations is at this London bus stop, where government “Get Ready” digital advertising appears to be in some disarray.
Posted without comment (near city hall) pic.twitter.com/pdkL1Rn1tL
— Casmilus (@Casmilus) October 23, 2019
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Corbyn hits out at abuse of Labour MPs who supported Brexit bill
The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, has criticised the abuse directed at the 19 Labour MPs who voted to support the WAB’s second reading on Tuesday.
As reported earlier, Lisa Nandy MP tweeted emails sent to her labelling her “scum”.
Morning! pic.twitter.com/MJOtjDY2u9
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) October 23, 2019
A spokesman for Corbyn told the Press Association: “He has made very clear that there shouldn’t be abuse inside the Labour party or inside politics and that we would seek to rely on persuasion to keep the Labour party together in this process and that’s what we’ve done all the way through.”
Asked whether there would be repercussions for the Labour rebels after defying the whip, the spokesman said: “As Jeremy has made clear throughout the whole Brexit process, we have sought to rely on persuasion in relation to keeping the Labour party together in parliament and outside.
“I think most of those MPs were making clear their support for a second reading was in order to try and make changes to the proposals to bring them into line with the kind of Brexit deal we have been talking about.
“The chief whip has made clear these things will be taken into account as a whole once the process is finished.”
Updated
Adam Bienkov, UK Political Editor of Business Insider, tweets an exchange he had with the prime minister’s spokesman when attempting to ask why Boris Johnson has insisted that there won’t be checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, even though his own impact assessment states that there will.
— Adam Bienkov (@AdamBienkov) October 23, 2019
A useful overview now of where things really stand in relation to the Brexit timetable which MPs rejected this week, the EU’s response and whether or not European leaders will agree to a Brexit extension.
Dan Boffey, the Guardian’s Brussels bureau chief, reports that Donald Tusk, president of the European council, will be arguing that the EU should remain neutral.
Dan adds:
By granting the UK government the extension it requested, the bloc can best avoid being dragged into the British debate. Should Johnson formally and publicly propose a different extension length, then the situation will be very different.
The successful vote on the second reading has offered some hope to Brussels that there is a majority for ratification, and that a general election might not be necessary.
But a new request from Johnson would not appear to be in compliance with the Benn act, which instructed him to make a specific request and then agree it with the EU if they were in accord. Sources in Paris have suggested there should be a further delay of only a “few days” to allow for ratification.
That would leave the EU jointly culpable for a no-deal Brexit, if swift ratification was not possible. Tusk will counsel against it.
Updated
Poland’s Europe minister has rejected a plea by the Polish-born Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski to veto an extension to Brexit, according to Jakub Krupa, the former UK correspondent for the Polish Press Agency.
Krupa was told that a “no-deal Brexit is not in the Polish interest and we will have no part in this”.
Not that the news comes as any particular surprise.
(In other breaking and surprising news, the Pope is still Catholic.) https://t.co/qzOJjAsXor
— Jakub Krupa (@JakubKrupa) October 23, 2019
Updated
A split in Downing Downing street has opened up between Boris Johnson’s chief aide, Dominic Cummings, other senior officials and Tory ministers and MPs over what to do after the failed attempt to ram a Brexit deal through parliament this week, BuzzFeed reports.
A piece from Alex Wickham says: “It is the latest dividing line in the story of Johnson’s “two governments” – the factional rivalry of two sides of Number 10 vying for influence that has been one of the defining features of his premiership.
“Cummings has been the main driving force behind the renewed push for an immediate election, multiple sources familiar with the conversations in Downing Street told BuzzFeed News.”
Sky’s Sam Coates tweets a denial from Downing Street:
However a No10 source now denies any split between Cummings and other aides in Downing Street...
— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) October 23, 2019
... challenging the suggestion in the piece that the idea a split is right.
It has to be said, cabinet ministers and MPs have suggested to me they believe in a split tho.
Updated
A bit more is coming out now on where things stand in relation to engagement between Labour and the Tories on a possible election.
From a Labour briefing, the BBC’s Nick Watt says on Twitter that it looks like the party would need a cast iron legally binding assurance from the prime minister of an election date before backing it.
If the EU grants an extension to 31 January then Labour would need a legal guarantee of election before then, he adds.
Updated
Boris Johnson said earlier that the events which had come to light in Essex were ‘truly heartbreaking,’ while other MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn, also spoke about the incident and paid tribute to the emergency services.
We’ve got some footage of those contributions:
The SNP MP Peter Grant asked the home secretary what assurances could be given to anyone with information about the case in Essex but who were afraid to come forward that they would be treated as a victim of crime.
Patel described this as a really important point but that the legislation which had been put in place on modern slavery meant that there were active support measures in place and she would encourage anyone with information to come forward.
Hywel Williams, a Plaid Cymru MP for Arfon, said: “Holyhead is the second busiest roll on, roll off port in the United Kingdom, yet there is no permanent immigration enforcement presence at the port.”
“Why?”
Patel replied that she had made it clear that when it came to Border Force and checks they took place through intelligence-led operations. Because what was being dealt with in Essex was potentially an illegal criminal act she wanted to leave it to investigators to deal with.
Updated
During questions to the home secretary in the House of Commons, the DUP MP Ian Paisley junior said around 39 to 40 MPs were sitting on the benches on his side of the House of Commons.
One way of getting a picture of the scale of human destruction inside the lorry container in Essex was to bear that in mind.
While not commenting on the specific case in Essex, he went on to urge Priti Patel to look into what he said was a broader problem of paramilitary gangs in Northern Ireland attempting to circumvent border checks and to see what additional checks were needed on the UK’s existing border along Northern Ireland.
John Woodcock made a call for sentencing in relation to people smuggling to be brought into line with sentences allotted in the case of murder.
Updated
Unionist MPs have branded the government’s approach to Northern Ireland in the Brexit talks “despicable” and a “betrayal”.
In his first appearance before the Northern Ireland affairs select committee, Julian Smith, the Northern Ireland secretary, was questioned about plans to require businesses selling or transiting goods from the region to Britain to complete special paperwork in order to trade post-Brexit.
Smith’s said the checks would be minimal and the focus should be on the “great opportunities” awaiting Northern Ireland.
He said the government would work with businesses to ensure the withdrawal agreement bill would as far as possible allow unfettered trade between Northern Ireland and Britain.
Ian Paisley, the DUP MP for North Antrim, said it was disgraceful to expect any business to complete paperwork for goods being sold in “our country, not a foreign country”.
Updated
In the House of Commons, the former immigration minister Damian Green has sought assurances from Priti Patel that the UK border force authorities would be able to cover not just Holyhead and other major ports but all ports around the UK.
“It is going to require a defence of the whole United Kingdom if we are going to be be successful in saving lives in the future,” said Green.
Patel replied that there had been a “great deal of work” done on preventing people trafficking through routes such as Kent on small boats and the UK was committed to working far more collaboratively to ensure all ports are prepared.
Christine Jardine, an Edinburgh Liberal Democrat MP, asked Patel to agree with her that “we have to look at our own immigration system and repair it to ensure that what we provide is fair, compassionate and effective for those who want to come here”.
Thanking Jardine for her comments, Patel added: “I think today is not the day to be talking about an immigration system at all.”
“We have migration challenges that we are seeing around the world. People are being displaced in record numbers and many are being displaced and preyed upon through some of the most appalling behaviours, through criminal gangs.”
This is Ben Quinn picking up the liveblog now from Frances. You can contact me on @BenQuinn75 or below the line.
Updated
Lunchtime summary
- Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn met on Wednesday morning but failed to agree a timetable for pressing ahead with the “paused” Brexit bill. Corbyn was accompanied by his key adviser Seumas Milne, and Johnson by Dominic Cummings, as well as the two parties’ respective chief whips. The meeting took place in the prime minister’s House of Commons office. The pair later clashed at prime minister’s questions. Both said the discovery of 39 bodies in a lorry in Essex was a horrible tragedy.
- Labour’s shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon has said that his party would back a general election if the EU grants the UK an extension to its deadline for Brexit. He told Sky news:
I’d like to see an election before Christmas. I want to get Boris Johnson and his Thatcherite mates out of Downing Street as soon as possible. So as soon as the EU has agreed that extension, so that Boris Johnson cannot push us through a no-deal without a mandate to do so, then we want a general election.
- The Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, and the European parliament’s president have backed Donald Tusk’s call to grant the UK government a Brexit delay up to 31 January 2020. Following a phone call between Tusk, the president of the European council, and Varadkar on Wednesday morning, the two men agreed the EU27 should agree to the request reluctantly tabled by Boris Johnson on Saturday.
“The taoiseach confirmed his support for President Tusk’s proposal to grant the request for an extension, which was sought by the UK,” a statement from the Irish government said. David Sassoli, the European parliament president, pointed out there was only one request “on the table” and it deserved the EU27’s support.
- Home secretary Priti Patel has made a statement to the commons on the discovery of 39 bodies in a shipping container in Essex. She said: “My thoughts and my condolences are with the victims and their loved ones at this utterly terrible time.” Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said it was a “terrible tragedy, the worst of its kind”. “Each of the 39 will have partners, family and friends who perhaps even now don’t know how their loved one died and the horrible circumstances,” she said.
Updated
Responding to Patel, Labour’s shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said:
Any death under these circumstances is truly appalling. The fact that there has been 39 reported deaths in this incident, it’s a terrible tragedy, one of the worst of its kind.
And each of the 39 will have partners, family and friends who perhaps even now don’t know how their loved one died and the horrible circumstances … It’s important to remember that these 39 poor, unfortunate people are the victims in this. They are preyed on by the greedy, the unscrupulous and people who simply have a wilful disregard for the lives of others.
But we should take account of the wider context. Nobody leaves the homes on a journey like this with so much risk and fear on a whim. They often do it because they are actually desperate, they can be victims of economic privation, war, famine, catastrophic climate change. There are many adverse conditions that people are fleeing from…
I would also like an assurance from the home secretary that the cooperation with the EU27 on people trafficking, which is vital to make sure these events don’t happen in the future, will actually not become harder or imperilled because we are actually leaving the EU…
There should be safe and legal routes for genuine refugees to make their way here. If they do not, then I fear there could be more tragedies like this.
Updated
The home secretary, Priti Patel, just read a statement to the Commons on the discovery of 39 bodies in a shipping container in Essex. She said that police were called to an industrial park at 1.40am. The bodies of 38 adults and one teenager were found. The vehicle is believed to be from Bulgaria and entered the country at Holyhead. A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder.
I think the whole house will agree that this is a truly shocking incident. My thoughts and my condolences are with the victims and their loved ones at this utterly terrible time and I’m sure the whole house will also convey their condolences at this sad time.
She said the nationalities of the victims were not known, but her officials were providing all the assistance they could.
Updated
Here’s our story on that meeting between the prime minister and Jeremy Corbyn.
Some more details are emerging about the meeting held between Corbyn and Boris Johnson this morning.
Govt sources confirm
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) October 23, 2019
“PM met Corbyn this morning in his office in the HoC labour to discuss whether labour would back a timetable that allows us to actually get Brexit done rather than yet more delay.”
Tory source adds: Corbyn made clear he has no policy except more delays and to spend 2020 having referendums.
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) October 23, 2019
So talks broke down pretty quickly then.
Fascinating detail from meeting, from one of those present. Govt side predicted Macron would veto EU extension. Labour ppl present couldn't hide their incredulity at the idea.
— Paul Waugh (@paulwaugh) October 23, 2019
(Like many, they believe Macron will not defy Varadkar let alone Merkel on 3 month extension)
On this basis we have to assume a general election is coming soon pic.twitter.com/ivGAeyJDwo
— Robert Peston (@Peston) October 23, 2019
The father of the house, Kenneth Clarke, says that the PM got the Commons to vote “by a comfortable majority” for Brexit. He says that if Johnson proceeds in a sensible way he could deliver Brexit in a month or two’s time.
“Will my right honourable friend get over his disappointment and accept that Oct 31 is now Halloween and it is devoid of any symbolic or political content and will fade away into historical memory very rapidly,” he says.
He asks Johnson to table a reasonable timetable motion.
Johnson says he still thinks it is in the best interests of the country to “get Brexit done” by 31 October. He says he is waiting for the EU to decide whether or not to grant the UK a Brexit extension.
Updated
The SNP leader in Westminster says: “Our parliament doesn’t matter, that’s what this prime minister thinks ... He wants Scotland to trust him, but how can we? … The parliament of Scotland cannot trust this prime minister.”
Blackford says the PM should secure an extension then “bring on an election”.
Johnson says Blackford’s support for an election is an exciting development. “Perhaps he might pass some of his courage down the line [to the Labour party],” he says.
Updated
The SNP’s Ian Blackford says that the first ministers of Scotland and Wales have joined forces to stop “this toxic Tory Brexit”. He asks him to confirm that he won’t allow the legislation to pass unless consent is given by the Scottish parliament.
Johnson says that the Scottish parliament has no role in approving the deal – it is up to the members of the Westminster parliament. Johnson asks him to back a general election.
Corbyn says:
Northern Ireland will remain on single market rules within the EU on goods and agricultural products, the rest of the UK will not … It does create a very real border down the Irish sea, something he said in terms to a DUP conference he would never do, and it wasn’t that long ago.
Johnson says the UK is preserved “whole and entire” in the deal and the whole of the UK will be allowed to come out of the EU customs union. “There will be no checks between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. There will be no tariffs between Northern Ireland and Great Britain because we have protected the customs union.”
He attacks Corbyn’s defence of the union again, citing “his support of the IRA”, and his support for a second independence referendum in Scotland.
Updated
Corbyn says the deal damages the fabric of the union. Johnson says it’s a bit rich to hear from the Labour leader about his “sentimental attachment” to the union when he has spend most of his political lifetime supporting the IRA.
Updated
Corbyn says:
I hate it to break it to the prime minister, but under his government and that of his predecessor privatisation has more than doubled to £10bn in our NHS. There are currently 20 NHS contracts out to tender. And when he’s promised 40 hospitals, he then reduced that to 20 and then it turns out reconfiguration is taking place in just six hospitals.
Johnson says Corbyn is completely wrong in his assessment of privatisation in the NHS. He says the 47,000 extra clinical staff he’s promised were paid for from public funds and that was possible because the Tories believe in sound management of the economy.
Updated
“I’m afraid that the right honourable gentleman has no other purpose in seeking to frustrate Brexit than to cause a second referendum,” says Johnson.
“I must say I find it peculiar that [Corbyn] now wants this bill back because he voted against it last night and he whipped his entire Labour party against it,” says Johnson.
Corbyn says the prime minister has not answered his question on workers’ rights and that the provisions in the Brexit bill offer no real protections.
Updated
Johnson says it was a remarkable thing that so many MPs approved the second reading of the Brexit bill last night, but a great shame that they voted for a delay.
Jeremy Corbyn stands up and expresses his own remorse for those who were found dead in Essex. “This is an unbelievable human tragedy that happened in our country at this time,” he says. He says we should think about what inhumanity is done to other human beings.
Corbyn goes on to say that yesterday the prime minister “decided to delay his own withdrawal bill”. Predictably, Tory MPs don’t like that interpretation of events.
Johnson opens with the horrible news that 39 bodies have been found in a lorry in Essex. He says it is an awful tragedy.
Labour MP Rupa Huq asks him why he doesn’t get rid of Dominic Cummings. Johnson says he receives excellent advice from his advisers and he takes full responsibility for everything the government does.
Updated
Boris Johnson is in his place for prime minister’s questions. My colleague Daniel Avelar and I will bring you updates when he starts speaking.
Updated
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has said the EU27 need some clarification on what the UK will do next, before they decide on another Brexit extension.
EU’s Chief Brexit Negotiator @MichelBarnier on possible #Brexit extension: “First of all we need some clarification on the UK side what will be the next step for them & as far as the request asked last week by the British Gov for the extension, it’s for EU27 to decide” - @SkyNews pic.twitter.com/SrGftEXR9f
— Sophia McBride (@sophiacmcbride) October 23, 2019
Updated
Corbyn and PM to discuss new Brexit bill timetable
This is from the Times’s political editor, Francis Elliott:
EXCL: I understand Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn are meeting to discuss a new programme motion.
— Francis Elliott (@elliotttimes) October 23, 2019
The shadow justice secretary, Richard Burgon, said this morning that the withdrawal agreement would take “a couple of weeks” to debate, not months.
“I don’t think three months will be required to discuss the bill,” he told the BBC. “I would have thought it can be done in a matter of weeks, but it’s not for me to decide. The reality is, what was put forward was completely insufficient.”
You can see a reminder here of what exactly a programme motion is –
Updated
The first minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, and the first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, are holding a press conference in Westminster to set out the Welsh and Scottish governments’ position on the Brexit withdrawal bill. Guardian political correspondent Peter Walker is there tweeting.
I’m at a double-first-minister press conference in Westminster with Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford. Sturgeon says Johnson’s deal is not the solution even if passed, and she wants an extension long enough for an election. pic.twitter.com/6EZoXwsaEu
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) October 23, 2019
Both Sturgeon and Drakeford note that the UK govt asked Scottish and Welsh devolved assemblies for consent on the Brexit deal - and that both are withholding this. This remains a difficult narrative for Boris Johnson given his talk about Brexit benefitting the union.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) October 23, 2019
Mark Drakeford notes that Welsh ports and businesses will be “at the front line” of a new customs border with Northern Ireland, and that increased regulations will hamper this. It was “a huge breach of trust” by Johnson, he says.
— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) October 23, 2019
In comments briefed ahead of the conference, Sturgeon said:
The UK government has sought to pass the withdrawal bill through Westminster without an opportunity for detailed scrutiny in either the UK or Scottish parliaments. That is unacceptable.
It is imperative that this bill is subject to detailed scrutiny in all of the UK’s legislatures and that the views of the Scottish parliament and Welsh assembly are taken into account.
Updated
European parliament backs a Brexit extension
The European parliament, which doesn’t have a say over the decision, has also come out in support of an extension until 31 January.
President of the European parliament, David Sassoli, said:
After the vote of the British parliament to allow more time to examine details of the withdrawal agreement and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to pause the bill following the vote, the British government’s request for an extension until January 31 remains on the table.
I think it is advisable, as requested by President Donald Tusk, that the European council should accept this extension.
This extension will allow the United Kingdom to clarify its position and the European parliament to exercise its role.
Donald Tusk, president of the European council, tweeted last night that he would recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension. Here is a story from the Guardian’s Brussels bureau chief, Daniel Boffey:
Updated
Varadkar confirms support for Brexit extension
The Irish taoiseach (prime minister), Leo Varadkar, has hinted that a Brexit extension to 31 January is the panacea to the latest impasse to hit Boris Johnson’s deal.
He spoke to the European council president, Donald Tusk, today and they “noted” that an extension to the end of January would not prohibit an earlier departure from the bloc. The issue will be discussed at a key meeting in Brussels tonight.
Here’s the full statement from the Irish government:
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, spoke with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, this morning regarding the UK’s request for an extension.
The Taoiseach confirmed his support for President Tusk’s proposal to grant the request for an extension which was sought by the UK. They noted that it would still be possible for the UK to leave before January 31st 2020 if the Withdrawal Agreement has been ratified in advance of that date.
The matter is likely to be discussed further at tonight’s meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives in Brussels.
Updated
More from Lisa O’Carroll, who is watching Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith giving evidence at the Northern Ireland affairs committee.
DUP MP Jim Shannon furious over Brexit deal. Tells Julian Smith it is an "absolutely despicable deal" "which alienates unionist people".
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
"The union flag in Northern Ireland is a week bit tattered at the moment"
Paisley says "£18bn worth of trade" from NI to GB has been "burdened" to satisfy £3.2bn (to EU) worth of trade.
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
Smith tells him that is "scaremongering"
Paisley incredulous: "They are Brendan's (NIO's) figures.
Smith: "We are scaremongering on the fact there will be burdens"
Anti-Brexit activist Gina Miller has been making the case for a general election “as soon as possible”.
"We'll see day after day of torturous voting."
— Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) October 23, 2019
Anti-Brexit campaigner @thatginamiller says 'it is time' for an election and if one is called she'll create a 'tactical voting website' to advise those who want to #StopBrexit.
Get the latest #Brexit news: https://t.co/u3VyGgJu0o pic.twitter.com/dmqAuNsKIw
"Even if Boris Johnson was to bring back this EU treaty, I've no doubt that Parliament would amend it by adding back in to it a customs union" says Brexit Party leader Nigel Faragehttps://t.co/t67F2xRpxt pic.twitter.com/om22NEzhMc
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 23, 2019
Nigel Farage has told the BBC that a general election is now the “only possible route to get some resolution”.
The Brexit party leader said:
Obviously what they want is a general election or a second referendum - they want some degree of resolution. So I would have thought at least until the end of January, perhaps even longer.
On an electoral pact, he said:
I would work with anybody that wanted to honour the result of the referendum for us to leave the European Union and to leave its institutions and to be an independent country, but right at the moment that looks very unlikely.
Guardian readers have reacted to last night’s developments in the commons.
“This may seal Boris’s fate. The EU looks [prepared] to grant the extension now because there will be nothing to stop the vote of no confidence and a GE [general election],” said one. “The outcome of that is obviously uncertain, but in this situation, risks have to be taken to try to avert catastrophe.”
Boris Johnson has issued a short statement about the 39 people who were found dead in a lorry container in Essex.
I’m appalled by this tragic incident in Essex. I am receiving regular updates from the Home Office & will work closely with Essex Police as we establish exactly what has happened. My thoughts are with all those who lost their lives & their loved ones.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 23, 2019
Another angry exchange, this time with Sylvia Hermon, independent unionist MP. Asks Smith what in deal guarantees Belfast/GFA won't be undermined. He points to article 2 of protocol. "Exactly," replies Hermon. "Can you explain why the PM could not remember or recall the details"
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
When I asked about this on Saturday. Did Boris Johnson not know the details of his own deal? "This was deeply unhelpful to the unionist community who needed reassurances at that stage not now.
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
Guardian Brexit correspondent, Lisa O’Carroll, is following the Northern Ireland select committee.
Smith asked by Labour MP Conor McGinn would he like to "say sorry to unionists for making a promise you couldn't keep".
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
Smith says: He'd like to say "this has no impact on the constitution of NI". "It has no impact on the workings of the assembly"
Ian Paisley." I have to go out and tell businesses in my community I don’t know what you have to do to carry out £18bn worth of trade with our country, not a foreign country.. I do not know what you will be charged and you want me to vote for this?
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
"You can’t be serious."
Paisley lets rip at Tories. Asks Smith bluntly what county he lives in.
— lisa o'carroll (@lisaocarroll) October 23, 2019
Smith: I like in N Yorkshire and London
Paisley If you had to move goods from N Yorkshire to Lon and have to fill in a form, you’d fill pretty aggrieved ..
We are in the same country, it is disgraceful
Updated
The Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith is giving evidence at the Northern Ireland affairs committee.
He said the government would be doing anything they could make any checks on goods moving between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK as “reduced and limited as possible”.
Smith said we now have a deal where Northern Ireland is out of the European Union.
NI Secretary Julian Smith says checks for goods between NI and GB post-Brexit will be “minimal” but he can’t say whether an entirely new IT system will be needed to enforce them.
— Rachel Wearmouth (@REWearmouth) October 23, 2019
Julian Smith - who was said to be on resignation watch after Amber Rudd left government - tells the NI committee that “no deal is a very, very bad idea for Northern Ireland” and his priority has been avoiding it
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) October 23, 2019
Updated
A reminder of what we have to look forward to in the commons today.
Proceedings kick off with questions to the cabinet office minister Michael Gove at 11.30am, before prime minister’s questions at midday.
Since the progress of the withdrawal agreement bill has been paused, the queen’s speech is back on the agenda. MPs will debate it this afternoon, with a special focus on the NHS.
From the former chancellor –
I believe in delivering Brexit.
— Philip Hammond (@PhilipHammondUK) October 23, 2019
But I also believe in Parliamentary scrutiny.
That’s why I voted for the Brexit bill to progress to the next stage, but against No10’s plan to rush it through at breakneck speed.
Now’s the time for cool heads, to calmly consider the Bill.
Good point here from the Guardian’s diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour. Speaker John Bercow said he would stand down by 31 October.
Is Bercow standing down as Speaker do or die on 31st October ? Could there be a technical extension on the basis this is "no time for a novice" ?
— Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) October 23, 2019
Michael Heseltine: Johnson would not win an election
Former Conservative deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine has been speaking to Sky News.
Asked whether he thought the Tories would win an election, he said: “No, I don’t.”
The issue is can the Brexit aspect of the Tory party peel off enough Labour votes, enough Labour marginal constituencies, to counter the number that the Tories are going to lose.
They are going to lose seats in Scotland and seats to the Lib Dems. I think they have alienated the Irish to such an extent that they won’t come back and support them, so you can see quite clearly where the Tories are going to lose seats. And I know where they think they can win Labour seats, but when it comes to it that’s a pretty big gamble.
My own guess is that a general election will be a re-run of what we have today – another period of uncertainty.
He said an election might put Johnson back in No 10, but without a majority.
Updated
Here are the full Burgon quotes from Sky News –
I’d like to see an election before Christmas. I want to get Boris Johnson and his Thatcherite mates out of Downing Street as soon as possible. So as soon as the EU has agreed that extension, so that Boris Johnson cannot push us through a no-deal without a mandate to do so, then we want a general election.
Not only to get Brexit sorted by under a Labour government putting it to a public vote between a credible leave option and remain, but also sorting out all the other crises that the Tories have caused in the last nine years in government, whether it be housing, jobs, public services or austerity.
Updated
Former Conservative and now independent MP Ken Clarke has told BBC News that the narrative on last night’s debate has been spun by “these strange people that Boris has put in Downing Street” (aka Dominic Cummings).
He said parliament voted by a clear majority in favour of leaving the European Union with a deal. “The only thing that was killed off was the idea that it had to be on halloween,” he said.
It’s always been a mystery to me why that date has been given a sacred significance. It’s a completely unimportant date. It was plucked out of the air last time the eurosceptics caused delay and stopped us leaving twice earlier this year and it has no significance.
Clarke said that even ministers were still discovering yesterday what the deal in its present form actually means. He said the Brexit secretary found out yesterday that, as it stands, the deal requires customs documents for all goods that pass between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
“Things like that have got to be sorted out,” he said. “Parliament is not defying the people, it is just insisting that we have something that is sensible and works and is practical.”
Asked about the idea that “parliament is broken”, Clarke says: “This bloke in Downing Street (Cummings) keeps saying that. Even Boris has not said that ... The government has just got the second reading of its bill.”
Burgon: Labour will back an election once EU agrees extension
Richard Burgon has been clear about Labour’s position when speaking to Sky news.
Labour’s @RichardBurgon VERY clear with @KayBurley
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) October 23, 2019
“I would like to see an election before Christmas to get Boris and his Thatcherite mates out of Downing st. As soon as the EU has agreed an extension we will support a general election”
Says ignore the polls “we will win”
The Lord chancellor and justice secretary Robert Buckland has been speaking to Sky news. Asked why the government wouldn’t just allow parliament to debate the withdrawal agreement bill for a bit, he says that the EU chose the 31 October deadline date and that we should respect that. “We’re not going to give up and walk away and pretend that this is too difficult,” he said.
.@KayBurley: "An election before Christmas?"
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 23, 2019
Lord chancellor and justice secretary @RobertBuckland: "If that's the only way of resolving this (#Brexit deadlock), than yes, bring it on."
Watch #KayBurley at #Breakfast: https://t.co/cMHO7fsDYJ pic.twitter.com/4cZ84TbNRG
Labour’s justice secretary Richard Burgon has been speaking to the BBC. He said more time was needed for the government and the opposition to discuss a sensible way forward.
He refused to put an exact number of days on how long was needed to examine a withdrawal agreement bill, saying it didn’t make a difference to people if it was debated for two or two and a half weeks.
Burgon said it was the government who is allowing the matter to drag on –
One of the reasons it’s dragging on is because the government is putting a stop to the progression of the bill. The second reason was passed in parliament – though we voted against it – but the government isn’t proceeding with it at the moment. They could be. So actually it’s the government who are behaving in a strange way, not the other political parties. But we need to get this sorted.
Burgon dodged the question of whether Labour would back an election if the EU granted the UK an extension.
This is from ITV’s political correspondent –
NEW: Ken Clarke says if the PM presents a one line bill calling for an election (remember he needs a way round that Fixed Term Parliaments Act), then MPs will amend it. For example, to reduce the age of voting to 16. Snap election might not be so easy for PM after all.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) October 23, 2019
Former attorney general Dominic Grieve has been speaking on Sky news.
Dominic Grieve tells @KayBurley the “sensible thing” for the PM to do would be a longer timetable for the bill as he has a majority in principle.
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) October 23, 2019
But he suspects the PM is trying to ”bulldoze” it through because he doesn’t want MPs to scrutinise the detail
Grieve baits the Brexiteers saying extending the transition period from - “in which we are entirely subservient” from end of 2020 to 2022 would be worse than remaining, and that they have a point
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) October 23, 2019
Grieve - who wants a second referendum says - “there is still opportunity there” but he doesn’t want to exaggerate the chances
— Tamara Cohen (@tamcohen) October 23, 2019
Grieve said that the fixed-term parliaments act 2011 – which makes it harder for a prime minister to call a general election at a time that is convenient for them – was a terrible piece of legislation, which he regrets.
Former Tory culture secretary John Whittingdale, appearing on Sky just now, said he agreed with Grieve on the fixed-term parliaments act. He said that the 31 October deadline would probably be missed.
I think Boris has pulled off an extraordinary achievement. Not only did he manage to get the EU to reopen the deal and make the changes necessary for people like me to support it, he then managed to get it through the House of Commons.
Stephen Kinnock from Labour said that while he was open to voting for a deal, he couldn’t vote for this one which “would make a bonfire of workers rights, environmental standards and consumer protection”.
He said that the prime minister should sit down with Corbyn and agree a sensible programme motion so the bill could be scrutinised and amended.
“I have huge respect for colleagues who too the decision to vote last night in the way that they did. It simply wasn’t a deal I could support,” he said.
David Lidington, a former Tory Europe minister, was just on the BBC’s Today programme. He said that the EU would want to ensure that they don’t get blamed for a no-deal Brexit, so will offer an extension.
He said the majority for the withdrawal agreement bill was bigger than most people had expected and that the government should propose a longer timetable to try and get it through parliament again.
“I see no way that the October 31st deadline can be met anyway now the bill has been paused in the commons,” he said.
I think the fear in Downing street is partly of rafts of amendments to the bill, but also about the difficulty of governing without a majority ... There are broader questions that underly the disputes about the timings of the Brexit bill
Lidington said the most likely timing for an election was the end of November or early December, though he warned that the public would not welcome an election in the run-up to Christmas.
It’s Frances Perraudin here now, taking over from Kate Lyons. You can contact me on @fperraudin or below the line.
Updated
An unpleasant start to the day for Lisa Nandy, Labour MP for Wigan.
Morning! pic.twitter.com/MJOtjDY2u9
— Lisa Nandy (@lisanandy) October 23, 2019
Peter Walker has this extremely helpful Q&A in which he answers some key questions. The full article is here and a selection of answers are below:
So what just happened?
In brief: the bill seeking to put into law Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal was passed by MPs on its second reading, the initial opportunity that MPs have to vote on a bill. It passed by 329 votes to 299, the first time the Commons has formally approved a Brexit plan. However, only 20 minutes later, MPs rejected the government’s so-called programme motion, which set out the accelerated timetable for the bill, by 308 votes in favour to 322 against.
So what happens now?
Under a backbench-instigated law intended to ward off a no-deal Brexit, Johnson wrote to the EU on Saturday to formally request a delay to departure until 31 January, despite the PM not wanting this to happen. Responding in the Commons, Johnson said he would “pause this legislation” and await information from the EU on a possible delay. In the interim, he said, no-deal preparations would be ramped up. For now, the bill is “in limbo”, Speaker John Bercow said, using what he said was the technical term.
Is the bill getting pulled?
Downing Street had strongly hinted this would be the response to losing the programme motion. However, this seems to have been a lever to pressure MPs into backing the motion. Speaking during the debate ahead of the votes, Johnson pledged he would pull the bill and seek an election in the event of a delay until January or longer. But he did not promise to do this in any circumstances, holding open the possibility of a brief delay being acceptable. After the vote, Johnson was similarly equivocal, saying: “One way or another, we will leave the EU with this deal.”
Does all this make a general election more likely?
Probably. If the EU insists on a lengthy delay, which is put in place, Johnson could push for an election. Crucially, if an imminent no-deal Brexit was now averted, Labour would be expected to now back an election, making it happen. However, for all his protestations against a longer delay, the 30-vote majority for his Brexit deal could tempt Johnson into trying to push the bill through parliament before an election, allowing him to stand as the prime minister who delivered departure.
What will MPs do for the rest of this week?
On Wednesday and Thursday, when they should have been finishing off the stages of the WAB, they will instead return to debating the Queen’s speech. Remember that? The government’s planned legislative programme was presented on Monday last week, but the scheduled five-day debate was suspended for the WAB debate. It now comes back.
But it’s hard to beat the Sun’s front page today.
Tomorrow's front page: MPs finally backed Boris Johnson's #Brexit deal - then wrecked it within minutes by rejecting his three-day timetable to push it through Parliament https://t.co/HDF8fUegpy pic.twitter.com/XSehkDKrJ1
— The Sun (@TheSun) October 22, 2019
Most of today’s papers – whose fronts pages we round up here – blame Parliament for the latest sting in the Brexit tale. Here is a selection:
The Guardian front page, Wednesday 23 October 2019: Parliament puts brakes on Johnson's race for Brexit pic.twitter.com/vl3sFN8Mtg
— Guardian news (@guardiannews) October 22, 2019
Tomorrow's front page: PM's Brexit horror #TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/Trnv17lX9k pic.twitter.com/NDeqY8Uxb2
— Daily Mirror (@DailyMirror) October 22, 2019
Wednesday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/yRzZHAM86q
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) October 22, 2019
Wednesday's front page: Boris Johnson's Halloween Brexit in tatters #tomorrowspaperstoday #skypapers #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/YUdbIWlBbv
— i newspaper (@theipaper) October 22, 2019
This from the Brexit coordinator for the European Parliament
You’re all thinking: another extension. I am thinking: another three weeks listening to Farage pic.twitter.com/Cob2wPmghP
— Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) October 22, 2019
Summary
Hello and welcome to the politics blog, bringing you the latest out of Westminster and Brussels in the wake of Tuesday night’s partial victory in the Commons for Boris Johnson.
Here’s a very brief summary of events to get you started:
- Donald Tusk has said he will recommend the EU 27 leaders accept Johnson’s somewhat reluctant request for a Brexit extension. He made the request as soon as MPs rejected the PM’s three-day timetable to push through his deal.
- Downing Street will have to decide whether to carry through with the PM’s threat to abandon the bill and call for a general election in the event of a lengthy extension. Here is a video of his speech. Note: he dropped the threat after losing the second vote, but No 10 is still making noises about it in the event of an extension until January.
- However, an EU source said that if the bloc was to think again on the length of the extension then Johnson would need to make a second formal request for a shorter delay.
- Jeremy Corbyn has urged the government to agree to an alternative timetable, to allow the legislation to continue to be debated.
I’ll be gently steering us through these choppy news waters during the early hours before handing over to my esteemed and highly entertaining colleagues. As always, you can get in touch via email (kate.lyons@theguardian.com) or Twitter.
Thanks for reading along, let’s do this.
