Boris Johnson faced an angry backlash over his plan to freeze levies on unhealthy food and drink products pending a review into whether they are effective.
The Tory leadership frontrunner was condemned by health groups, doctors and MPs after announcing the proposal on so-called "sin taxes". Tory MP Steve Brine, who was public health minister when the tax was introduced, said he "totally despair[ed]" and accused Mr Johnson of "transparent dog whistle politics dressed up as something thinking."
The former foreign secretary hit back, claiming that extending the tax to milkshakes would be "paid disproportionately by poorer families".
It came as Penny Mordaunt, the defence secretary and equalities minister, put pressure on the Tory leadership candidates to agree to change abortion laws in Northern Ireland, saying the impact they were having on women in the region was "really shocking".
Later, Jeremy Hunt was criticised by the Chinese ambassador to the UK over his comments about the unrest in Hong Kong.
Liu Xiaoming said: "I think it is totally wrong for Jeremy Hunt to talk about the freedom - this is not a matter about the freedom, it's a matter about breaking laws in Hong Kong."
But Mr Hunt hit back, tweeting: "Message to [the] Chinese government: good relations between countries are based on mutual respect and honouring the legally binding agreements between them. That is the best way to preserve the great relationship between the UK and China."
As it happened...
"Parliament has been very vocal on this issue and if a government didn't act, parliament would and there would clearly be a free vote on that.
"I think this needs to be resolved. The paucity of care that women have endured in Northern Ireland is the most appalling thing and it must change, that is my view."If we have this ruling by the court, I think government will act.
"Certainly that has been indication of the Northern Ireland Office which leads on these issues, but if government did not, parliament would and clearly all members of parliament, including prime ministers, would have a free vote."
Westminster will act to overturn 'appalling' Northern Ireland abortion ban if human rights breached, says senior Tory
Criticism comes as Tory leadership rivals say abortion and same-sex marriage laws in Northern Ireland will remain
“This is extraordinary even by Boris Johnson’s standards. On the same day that Cancer Research UK is warning of the rising cancer threat of obesity, and with his own cheerleader Matt Hancock supporting a plan to strengthen the obesity strategy, Johnson wants to water down the plan to tackle it.
“He has serious questions to answer about the role of corporate lobbyists for the soft drinks and tobacco industries in his campaign.
“Boris Johnson has shown that his priority is representing the interests of his wealthy supporters, with no concern for the health and wellbeing of the general public.”
"It struck me as being really off. It's obviously just some spam from some old database.
"Just proactively emailing in that way is not kosher these days."
"In case of a no-deal Brexit, Canada and the UK had been discussing a transitional agreement based on CETA while recognising the UK’s lack of jurisdiction to negotiate a free trade agreement as long as it remains an EU member state.
"In the event that the UK leaves the EU without an agreement, it has proposed to provide all WTO partners, including Canada, with duty-free access for 95% of tariff lines.
“Post-Brexit, any future trade arrangement between Canada and the UK would be influenced by the terms of the withdrawal agreed between the UK and the EU, as well as any unilateral UK approaches.”
"One of the successes of the last Conservative government was the introduction of the sugar levy for soft drinks. The evidence shows that the sugar levy has worked.
"We should be building on the success of the sugar levy, not turning back the clock on the progress that has been made so far."
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said of so-called "sin taxes":
"They have been highly effective in bringing down smoking rates to record lows, including within deprived communities.
"Physical activity is one way to lose weight but the government also has a big role to play if we are to significantly reduce obesity levels."
"I strongly support having an evidence-based review into how these taxes are working."Of course there's the tax, but there's more ways we can make sure that we tackle obesity.
"And Boris himself is a great example of how we can all get fit and svelte without the need of the nanny state by getting on and doing more exercise and cycling to work.
"It's a very good example."
"I and the vast majority of Conservative members in this House voted to protect their jobs - the Labour Party whipped three times against the deal."
Corbyn says this government is "an irrelevance" and condemns the comments that the two Tory leadership candidates have made about no deal. The best option now is to "go back to the people" and let them decide, he says.
May says many in the shadow cabinet do not support Brexit and claims Labour wants to stop the UK leaving the EU.
Paraphrasing Labour's slogan, she says this would be "a betrayal of the many by the few".
"Obesity is a huge public health challenge, probably now our number one public health challenge. It costs the NHS absolutely billions, we have got to deal with obesity but we have got to do it in a way that is evidence based and what I want to see is evidence, actually evidence that new taxes on this or that item of food, taxes which fall disproportionately on poorer families, actually stop people from being so fat.
"You have got to make sure that it is discouraging people from consuming what they are doing, or whether it is just a bit of a gesture.
"Now everybody struggles with their weight, me no less than anybody else, we all know what the issues are but my question is, is it really sensible to put a new tax on milkshakes which will be paid disproportionately by poorer families when the evidence seems to be at the moment ambiguous about whether those taxes actually reduce consumption and help people with their obesity, so that is the issue."
He said:
"I have met Ursula, the new commission president, a couple of times and I very much look forward to working with her if I am lucky enough to get elected but I have no doubt that all our European friends and partners now have a powerful incentive to get this thing over the line.
"They have got a radical change in the complexion of the European Parliament, 29 Brexit MEPs not exactly showing a great fervour for the mission of federalist integration that Ursula supports, it is time that the UK came out, I think they understand that, I think we are going to get a great, great deal, and we will work very, very hard with all of them."
