Renditions urgent question - as it happened: Government faces angry backlash over 'abhorrent and shameful' failure to object to death penalty
The government is facing an angry backlash over the "abhorrent and shameful" decision to drop its blanket opposition to the death penalty in the case of two Isis fighters.
In a significant shift, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, told the US attorney general Jeff Sessions that he would not seek "death penalty assurance" for Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, two British members of the brutal "Beatles" set of executioners.
The move prompted an outcry from senior Tories and opposition MPs, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott describing the decision as "abhorrent and shameful".
Elsewhere, Theresa May insisted responses to her new Brexit vision have been "constructive" as she took part in a rare town hall-style session with workers in Newcastle.
The prime minister took the whole cabinet to Gateshead on Monday, as part of efforts to bolster support for her Chequers proposals at home and abroad.
In a slightly awkward exchange, Ms May also revealed that she likes walking, cooking and watching the American procedural TV show, NCIS, when pressed by the audience on how she liked to unwind.
David Isaac, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “Opposing the death penalty is one of the fundamental principles that underpins our country’s commitment to human rights. There is no conflict between these values and ensuring that justice is served.
"We believe the Home Secretary should first have sought assurances that the death penalty will not be used in this case. The same basic human rights should apply to everyone and they must be exercised without exception.
"Failing to do so risks setting a dangerous precedent and jeopardises our ability to hold other countries to account for human rights breaches.”
Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve told BBC's PM programme: "We can't be seen to be facilitating a prosecution in the United States where individuals face the death penalty, which as a matter of policy we are opposed to."
Mr Grieve said Mr Wallace appeared "embarrassed" at the despatch box and gave an "unsatisfactory" response to MPs' concerns, adding: "I don't think this issue is going to go away."
"When I asked him when was the last time that this has happened, he wasn't able to answer," said Mr Grieve. "Since we've been signed up to a policy of opposing the death penalty, I wonder if it has ever happened at all.
"To have done this in this way seems to me to have been quite unnecessary because all we had to do was to say to the US that we were happy to co-operate if the US wanted to bring these two individuals to justice, but we required our usual assurance about the death penalty. I can't see why we haven't done that."
Over in the Lords, Tory former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine has branded Brexit a "disaster" and said there is a growing argument for a second referendum.
After publication of the government's Brexit blueprint, Lord Heseltine said the Chequers document was "dead and won't work".
He told peers it had been "disowned" by the Europeans, the right wing of the Conservative party and parts of the Labour party as well - leaving an amended white paper or no deal.
"There is a growing argument for another referendum," he said, as peers began a major debate on the UK's preparations for leaving the EU.
Lidington reiterates 'without reserve the error that was made last week' after Brandon Lewis, the Tory chairman, broke a voting pact with Jo Swinson, who is on maternity leave.
He says there are no plans to change underlying arrangements and reveals that 2,000 pairs have been agreed since the general election. He says the majority have worked well.
Seven of the eight pairs remained in place last week during the trade bill, including two for MPs on baby leave.
He says some changes may be needed and there will be a debate on proxy voting in September.
A No.10 spokesperson just told a Westminster briefing: "The ultimate aim for all of us in our discussions with the US is to make sure that these men face the rest of their lives in prison.
"That is also what the victims' families want, and in this instance, after careful and considered advice, government took the decision not to seek assurances. That was deemed by ministers to be appropriate.
"The prime minister was aware of these plans and supports the way that these are being handled."
Tom Tughendhat, the chair of the foreign affairs committee, says the two men should be tried for 'betrayal' of their country.
Mr Wallace seeks to reassure him that they will be brought to justice. He says Britain tries very hard not to break international laws, as has happened before in parliament.
Responding to a question from Labour's Stella Creasy, Mr Wallace said the PM was aware of the letter, which was the joint effort of Sajid Javid and Boris Johnson, when he was foreign secretary.
This takes us further than what Downing Street said earlier.
Ex defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon asks if we should 'take back control' by leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (EHCR) - if the convention means that these people cannot be prosecuted.
Mr Wallace says it is not necessary to withdraw from the convention. The government took the decision to share evidence with the US in this case.
Wallace says Isis are "one of the most abhorrent organisations" walking this earth - and says they should be prosecuted somewhere, even if they cannot be prosecuted at home.
