Boris Johnson has refused to rule out suspending parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit as he stepped up his campaign to become the next prime minister.
The Tory leadership frontrunner confirmed the option was on the table after Jeremy Hunt urged him to be “straight with the people” and accused him of getting “some important facts wrong”.
It came as a senior ally of Angela Merkel savaged the former foriegn secretary by saying he "invented stories" while working as the Daily Telegraph's Brussels reporter - and that he "has not changed".
Meanwhile, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn came under huge pressure to sack Chris Williamson following a row over antisemitism - before the outcast Derby North MP had the whip suspended for a second time.
Mr Williamson, a close ally of Mr Corbyn, was first suspended in February after being recorded claiming Labour had “given too much ground” and been “too apologetic” in tackling antisemitism.
Theresa May met with Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Japan in a chilly encounter that will likely be remembered for the no-love-lost handshake the pair shared in front of press photographers.
The meeting followed the Russian president's claim that liberal values were now obsolete in the face of populist surges in the US and Europe.
See below how we covered the day's events
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the latest developments in the Tory leadership contest, Brexit and UK politics in general.
At last night's Conservative Party hustings in Bournemouth, Boris Johnson gave the clearest signal yet that he was prepared to suspend parliament to force through a no-deal against the will of MPs.
The former foreign secretary, who has previously skirted round the question, said it would be "absolute folly" to take the option off the table, describing it as "an essential tool of our negotiation".
He told party members he wanted to be the prime minister of a "representative democracy, a great representative democracy in which we believe in our elected representatives to take the right decision".
But challenged to categorically rule out the option, he said: "I'm not attracted to the idea of a no-deal exit from the EU but, you know, I think it would be absolutely folly to rule it out. I think it's an essential tool of our negotiation. I don't envisage the circumstances in which it will be necessary to prorogue parliament, nor am I attracted to that expedient."
Mr Johnson has previously pledged to take the UK out of the EU by 31 October "do or die" - though he described the chances of a no-deal Brexit as "a million-to-one against".
Before the debate Jeremy Hunt sent a letter to his rival suggesting he had "got some important facts wrong" and urging Mr Johnson to be "straight with people" over his Brexit plans.
Referring to Mr Johnson's claims that the odds of No Deal were "a million to one against", he wrote: "Those odds are wildly different to those given by those in the business of actually judging the odds (some bookmakers put the chance of No Deal at 2:1), so I fear that this statement flies in the face of reality."
Asked if he stood by the odds during Thursday's hustings, Mr Johnson replied: "Yes I do... Well I mean there's not a bookies... but I do."
Jeremy Hunt on Twitter
“Dear Boris...”The two candidates are still wrangling over taking part in further TV debates. Both are committed to take part in a head-to-head on ITV on 9 July, though it is expected many of the party's 160,000 members will have returned their ballots by that date.
Sky had scheduled a debate for this week but cancelled it when Mr Johnson refused to attend.
In his letter, Mr Hunt asked him to take part in a TV debate next Monday: "Over the past few days you have got some important facts wrong. I believe it is now more vital than ever that we conduct head-to-head debates this week before ballot papers go out."
Boris Johnson's suitability for the job of UK prime minister has been questioned by a key ally of German leader Angela Merkel, writes Jon Stone.
"It’s fun to talk to him – it’s really fun to talk to him, intellectual fun. But to run a country?”, asked Elmar Brok, a senior MEP from the chancellor's CDU party.
Senior Merkel ally questions Boris Johnson's suitability to run a country
Elmar Brok says he likes Mr Johnson's company but suggests he cannot be trustedFollowing Mr Johnson's comments about pushing through a no-deal Brexit, the prime minister said her successor must work with parliament to secure a deal.
Ms May, who spent two years attempting to work with parliament without success, said she was not prepared to offer her unconditional support from the backbenches. She was speaking to the Independent on a trip to Japan for her swansong global summit.
Theresa May says successor must 'work with Parliament' to secure Brexit deal
Prime minister says successor cannot expect unconditional support from her over BrexitMeanwhile Jeremy Corbyn is coming under increasing pressure to withdraw the whip from Chris Williamson following an antisemitism row.
The Derby North MP - a strong supporter of the Labour leader - was controversially readmitted to the party on Wednesday after being issued with a formal warning by a National Executive Committee (NEC) anti-Semitism panel.
It prompted a backlash from MPs, who demanded Mr Corbyn step in to withdraw the Labour whip. Since our story last night, the number of protesting MPs and peers has risen to more than 120.
90 Labour MPs and peers demand Corbyn withdraw whip from Chris Williamson over antisemitism row
Decision to readmit Derby North MP was ‘inappropriate, offensive and reputationally damaging’, letter organised by Tom Watson warnsMr Williamson was suspended four months ago after saying the party had been "too apologetic" in the face of criticism of the way it dealt with anti-Semitism within its ranks.
Following his readmission, the MP tweeted: "I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks for the avalanche of goodwill messages from grassroots members. I can now focus on representing local people in Derby Nth and working for a Corbyn-led Labour govt to positively transform the lives of millions. Together anything is possible!"
It prompted a further backlash, with Jon Lansman, the founder of the grassroots Momentum group, responding by saying Mr Williamson had not shown "one iota of contrition". He tweeted: "Such contempt for the party's verdict! He has to go!"
Labour MP Jess Phillips also called for the whip to be withdrawn from Mr Williamson.
She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "This is a matter of principle about racism, about the Labour Party being the party of equality, the party that is anti-racist. That reputation is slipping away from us every day."
In Japan, Theresa May has begun her meeting with Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit.
The pair shook hands but did not smile, reports Press Association.
They are holding their first formal bilateral talks since the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia, with nerve agent in March 2018.
Ms May is to tell Vladimir Putin that the two chief suspects in the Salisbury chemical weapon attack should be made to face justice, writes political editor Andrew Woodcock.
May to demand Putin turns over Salisbury poisoning suspects at face-to-face G20 meeting
Russia refuses to extradite suspects from assassination attempt to face trial in UKMr Putin said in a recent interview that the Salisbury poisoning attack was "not worth five kopeks" (a fraction of a penny).
“Listen, all this fuss about spies and counterspies, it is not worth serious interstate relations," he told the Financial Times. "This spy story, as we say, it is not worth five kopeks. Or even five pounds, for that matter."
Asked about the attack, Mr Putin said: “Treason is the gravest crime possible and traitors must be punished. I am not saying that the Salisbury incident is the way to do it. Not at all. But traitors must be punished.”
Russia does not allow the extradition of its citizens but Ms May pledged to bring two suspects to justice "as soon as they set foot outside" the country.
Ahead of the talks, Mrs May defended her decision to meet Mr Putin.
"It's not business as usual and it can't be business as usual with Russia until they stop the sort of acts we have seen them doing around the world," she said.
"We in the UK have seen the use of a nerve agent, a chemical weapon, on the streets of Salisbury.
"We see other Russian activity around the world, we see the use of disinformation, cyber attacks and we need to see Russia desisting from that activity."
Mrs May told reporters that the meeting gave her the chance to deliver a "very clear message, leader to leader".
Boris Johnson has not responded to reports that he called the French "turds" over Brexit while he was foreign secretary.
He is said to have made the comment while being filmed for a BBC fly-on-the-wall documentary "Inside the Foreign Office".
However the insult did not feature in the three-part programme when it was aired last year. The remark was removed at the request of the Foreign Office, after a Whitehall memo suggested the comment would adversely affect relations with close ally Emmanuel Macron.
Boris Johnson 'called the French turds' over Brexit in comment cut from BBC documentary
'I imagine that there were discussions between the Foreign Office and the Beeb saying: 'Please don't put that in... or that, or that, or that, or that'. This was perhaps one of them'In another signal to party members that he is prepared for a no-deal Brexit, Mr Johnson's campaign team have revealed their plans for a an "emergency budget" in September.
The proposals include tax cuts, abolishing stamp duty on homes worth less than £500,000 and a "Trump-style" block on new regulations.
Mr Johnson has already promised to raise the threshold for the 40 per cent income tax rate from £50,000 to £80,000 - which is estimated to cost the treasury £9.6 billion.
He may also adopt Dominic Raab's plan to increase the national insurance contribution to £12,500, according to reports.
Former leadership rival Sajid Javid is being lined up for the job of chancellor, it is claimed.
The prime minister was determined to put on a grim face when she met Vladimir Putin for talks at the G20, having said she would demand the Russian president hand over the two prime suspects in the Salisbury poisoning attack.
Here's political editor Andrew Woodcock's report on Mr Putin's dismissal of the spy row ahead of the talks in Japan.
'Traitors must be punished': Putin dismisses May's demand for Skripal suspects
The prime minister warned that UK-Russia relations cannot return to 'business as usual' unless Moscow changes its waysBoris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt will appear at another hustings today, in Exeter.
Iain Dale, who chaired the first debate, has called for "sensible" suggestions about questions to ask the candidates.
Jeremy Hunt managed to attack Jeremy Corbyn and Vladimir Putin in a single tweet as he prepared for the fourth hustings with party members.
Responding to Mr Putin's claim that liberalism was "obsolete" and multiculturalism was "no longer tenable", Mr Hunt said: "This just shows what we’re up against. Corbyn at home, and people trying to subvert our values from abroad. Our democratic system based on rules, respect for individual rights & human dignity has created more happiness & wealth than any other way of life anywhere in the world."
The scene at the hustings in Exeter. While some photographs showed a long queue of members to get into the event, there are still some seats empty at the back. Others have described it as "packed".
Downing Street has said in a statement that Theresa May told Vladimir Putin at the G20 talks that the relationship between the two countries cannot be normalised until Russia stops its "irresponsible and destabilising activity".
The use of a deadly nerve agent on the streets of Salisbury formed part of a wider pattern of unacceptable behaviour and was a truly despicable act that led to the death of a British citizen, Dawn Sturgess.
She was clear that the UK has irrefutable evidence that Russia was behind the attack - based on painstaking investigations and co-operation with our allies.
She said that this behaviour could never be repeated and that the UK wants to see the two individuals responsible brought to justice.
The Prime Minister underlined that we remain open to different relationship, but for that to happen the Russian government must choose a different path.
The Prime Minister said the UK would continue to unequivocally defend liberal democracy and protect the human rights and equality of all groups, including LGBT people.
