Boris Johnson has been accused of watering down rights in his Brexit legislation, as his withdrawal agreement bill passed its first Commons hurdle with a majority of 124 votes.
Labour said Mr Johnson had “torn-up” protections for workers’ rights and child refugees, calling the changes “deeply cruel”. The Lib Dems said compromises had been “binned” following his march towards “unbridled” power.
As Jacob Rees-Mogg returned to frontline politics following his conspicuous absence from the Tory election campaign, campaigners railed against government plans to shake up the constitution and introduce photo ID at polling stations.
To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of events at Westminster, as the prime minister prepares to bring back his Brexit bill to the Commons.
The Tiggers say goodbye
The Independent Group for Change is shutting up shop after all its MPs lost their seats in the general election.
The party, founded 10 months ago by MPs who quit Labour and the Tories, admitted it not been able to “cut through as a distinctive political force”.
The group tweeted: “It was right to shine a spotlight on Britain’s broken politics. But having taken stock and with no voice now in parliament, we begin the process of winding up our party. Thanks to all who stood with us.”
Independent Group For Change to officially disband after failing to win any seats
‘There is clearly a need for massive change in British politics’ but now not the time, says former MP Anna SoubryBoris Johnson brings back his ‘oven-ready’ Brexit deal
MPs are set to approve Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill on Friday, triggering the final stage of the UK’s exit from the EU at the end of January.
The Commons will vote on the second reading of the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which enshrines the deal in law.
The PM’s election victory means that the draft law is certain to pass its second reading before parliament disbands for Christmas. It is expected to then be rushed through the Commons and Lords early in the New Year to deliver Brexit (at least the first stage of Brexit) by 31 January.
MPs set to approve Boris Johnson's Brexit deal
PM hails ‘beginning of a new dawn for our country’ ahead of historic voteERG boasts about being Tory ‘manifesto support group’
Tory MP Sir Bernard Jenkin said the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) is “quite happy” and joked that they are now the “manifesto support group” following the general election that saw an increased Conservative majority.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It was the Remainers that wrecked Boris Johnson's ability to get the agreement through Parliament.
“Every member of the ERG supported Boris Johnson’s agreement, so we’re generally quite happy about how all this is proceeding.
“It’s a compromise deal.”
Sir Bernard added: “I’m just reminding myself what was in our manifesto - take back control of our laws, take back control of our money, control our trade policy, introduce an Australian-style points immigration system, raise standards in areas like workers rights, animal welfare, agriculture and the environment, and ensure we're in full control of our fishing waters.
“I mean, we’re the manifesto support group now.”
PM accused of ‘binning’ compromises as Brexit bill returns
Boris Johnson faced accusations he had “binned” his withdrawal deal compromises in favour of a hard Brexit as MPs prepare to vote on his exit terms.
Critics on the opposition benches said the PM had reneged on his pledged pre-election compromises on protections for workers and child refugees now that he had been “unbridled” by his crushing win at the polls.
Sir Keir Starmer, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary, said: “The Tories have torn-up the protections for workers’ rights and child refugees - and watered-down parliament’s role in the next phase of the Brexit negotiations. It was a bad Bill before the election, and it is even worse now.”
Acting Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, added: “Barely days away from the election and this Withdrawal Agreement reveals exactly what an unbridled Boris Johnson will do with the country.
“Every compromise made before the election, from workers’ rights to protections for unaccompanied refugee children, have been binned just as we warned they would.
Labour MP Anneliese Dodds said she is “very concerned” about the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.
“I mean, clearly, with a government majority of the size that it is at the moment, it is likely that it will pass, but I think we’ve got to represent our constituents’ concerns and do at least what we can to make sure these issues are heard,” she told the BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Rees-Mogg returns after extremely quiet campaign
Jacob Rees-Mogg makes his return to frontline politics following his conspicuous absence from the Tory election campaign (his remarks suggesting Grenfell victims lacked “commons sense” made him persona non grata for CCHQ).
The Commons leader has explained that the government’s is bringing back its EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill.
He claims the Conservative government “led inspiringly by Boris Johnson is doing what it would said it would do during the election campaign”.
EU warns of ‘very short timeframe available’ for trade deal
European Parliament vice president Pedro Silva Pereira said officials expect to conclude the ratification process in the European Parliament by 29 January.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We’ve always respected the choice of the British people, but it is true that it was a very long process.”
Asked what kind of trade deal can be negotiated and how “deep” it can be if it is to be completely concluded by the end of 2020, he said: “We have a very short timeframe available.
“Eleven months to negotiate such a complex trade agreement is unprecedented. It is a different situation. We come from a level of economic integration which has no comparison with other trade agreements that we’ve done before.”
He added: “The key issue will be what kind of regulatory disalignment we will have. The political declaration that we’ve agreed with the UK envisaged a very ambitious trading relationship with zero tariffs, zero quotas.
“But this can only be achieved if we ensure some regulatory alignment.”
Clive Lewis joins Labour leadership race
The Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has become the latest Labour MP to enter the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn.
The shadow Treasury minister vowed to “unleash” the party by handing more power to its members, and accused Corbyn of “indecisiveness” and a “lack of leadership”.
Referring to the general election defeat as Labour’s “own Dunkirk”, Lewis said he was standing for leader because “if I don’t, certain necessary truths may go unspoken”.
Clive Lewis enters Labour leadership race
Shadow Treasury minister vows to ‘unleash’ party by handing more power to membersSpeaker reveals hospitalisation during election campaign
The House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who has revealed that he was diagnosed with diabetes just days before the general election, said a GP sent him to A&E, where medics told him he would have to stay in hospital.
“They said ‘We’re really probably going to have to keep you in’. I said ‘Well, that’s impossible, I’m in the middle of a general election with 10 days to go’,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
He said he is “more or less 100% sure” that it is Type 1 diabetes that he is suffering from.
Sir Lindsay said the ketones in his body were “off the scale”, adding: “The fact that suddenly I go in, and then I’ve got to start injecting insulin came as a real shock.”
He added: “Never, ever did I expect it would happen to me. And to come at such a time, it really is taking a lot of getting used to.”
Sir Lindsay said he has spoken to fellow diabetes sufferer Theresa May.
“She said to me ‘Look, if you ever need a chat, if you ever want some support...’ She was really kind, very considerate and said ‘Your life doesn’t have to change’.”
Sajid Javid announces next Bank of England governor
Andrew Bailey, the head of the Financial Conduct Authority, will be the next governor of the Bank of England.
The chancellor confirmed Bailey, former deputy governor of the Bank, for the role – saying he was the “stand-out-out candidate” and a “leader of international standing”.
He had been one of the long-term favourites to take over the position, but has come under heavy scrutiny over the past year amid a series of major auditing failures during his tenure at the regulator.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell responded by tweeting: “As an establishment figure with what some consider is a less than inspiring record at the FCA Andrew Bailey will need to demonstrate early that he appreciates the need to address the deep structural problems of our economy & like Mark Carney understands the climate change threat.”
David Lammy attacks ‘deeply cruel’ move by Boris Johnson
Labour MP David Lammy thinks the ditching of protections for child refugees in the Withdrawal Agreement Bill is “deeply cruel” – and ridicules the idea of the PM being a “compassionate Conservative”.
Harry Styles and Stormzy chant ‘f*** Boris’ on stage
Stormzy joined Harry Styles on stage at an intimate gig at the Electric Ballroom in Camden for a performance of his hit track “Vossi Bop”.
Video footage posted on social media by fans who attended the gig showed Styles with the grime star as they urged the audience to chant the lyrics: “F*** the government and f*** Boris.”
More details here:
Harry Styles chants 'f*** the government and f*** Boris' as Stormzy joins him on stage
Grime star performed his hit as the two artists celebrated the release of their new albumsPM compares Leavers and Remainers to Montagues and Capulets
Boris Johnson has been speaking in the House of Commons ahead of the big vote on his Brexit bill. In a call for unity, he claimed MPs should “act together as one”.
“This is the time we move on and discard the old labels of Leave and Remain,” he said.
The PM has also made a reference to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, comparing the terms “Leavers” and “Remainers” to the Montagues and Capulets “at the end of the play”.
Will Johnson mark Sturgeon’s letter ‘return to sender’?
The Scottish secretary has claimed Boris Johnson will give “careful consideration” to Nicola Sturgeon’s request to be handed the powers to hold a second independence referendum.
But Alister Jack said the SNP does not currently have a mandate for another vote to be held on the issue.
Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, has outlined her position that a referendum on independence should be held in the latter part of 2020.
Asked on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme whether the PM would mark Sturgeon’s letter, sent on Thursday, with “return to sender” – as he had pledged he would – Jack said: “No, he has received a letter and he is going to give it careful consideration and we’ll reply in the new year.”
Corbyn: Tory Brexit has become ‘national embarrassment’
Jeremy Corbyn is unimpressed with Boris Johnson’s call for unity. The Labour leader has accused the Tories “mishandling” and causing “political gridlock, chaos and economic uncertainty”.
He said the whole process has “paralysed our political system, divided communities and countries” and “become a national embarrassment”.
Bringing up the “brutal reality” of the Brexit bill, Corbyn again mentions the more unpleasant aspects of US food safety standards which could be a feature in a future trade agreement.
“The choice is between keeping the highest environment and food standards in order to get a future trade deal with the EU, or slashing food standards to match those of the US, where there are so-called acceptable levels of rat hairs in paprika, rat hairs in orange juice.”
Nandy says people in towns like hers have ‘warmth and empathy’ to child refugees
Labour MP Lisa Nandy – considering standing for the leadership – urges Boris Johnson to think again about ditching a clause previously in the Brexit bill to protect child refugees.
“If he thinks that people in towns like mine, who want to deliver Brexit, want to see us turn our back on decency and tolerance and kindness and warmth and empathy, he is wrong.”
Brits getting ‘screwed’ over by Tory elite, says Verhofstadt
Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit co-ordinator, is no fan of Boris Johnson. This morning he is railing against the Conservative party and its donors.
Government documents seen by Reuters show that Conservative Party donors have sought citizenship of Cyprus, an EU member state, since Britain voted to leave the bloc in 2016.
Verhofstadt said it shows that “ordinary British citizens are being screwed over by their elite”.
PM promises ‘unfettered access’ after UK leaves EU
The DUP MP Gavin Robinson said Boris Johnson “needs to understand the concerns about customs arrangements for Northern Ireland”.
He said in the Commons: “We’re not going to resolve those issues today, but will the prime minister commit to proper and thorough and detailed reconsideration using the strength he has, to deliver for the entirety of this country?”
Johnson replied: “Let me remind him that the deal commits to unfettered access, unfettered access in all parts of the UK, respects the territorial integrity of the UK and ensures that Northern Ireland is part of the UK customs territory and will therefore benefit immediately from any of our new free trade deals as soon as they are in force.”
Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards, meanwhile, asked the PM whether by ruling out extending the transition period with the EU he has “boxed himself into a corner”.
Johnson replied: “On the contrary, I think most people looking at the negotiations would agree that it strengthens our negotiating position.
“If we have learned anything... from the experience of the last three years it is that drift and dither mean more acrimony and anguish.”
PM’s ‘toxic’ Brexit bill rejected by Scots, claims Ian Blackford
The SNP’s leader in the Commons Ian Blackford has been talking as much about his party’s election results as the Withdrawal Agreement Bill itself.
“We did not vote for Brexit … Scotland voted decisively to escape Brexit and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.”
Industries will be ‘done over’ by Brexit, says Hilary Benn
Hilary Benn has told Boris Johnson businesses will soon be coming to MPs with “issues” as the government negotiates a trade deal with the EU.
“If the government gets it wrong, it will not be a question of getting Brexit done, it will be a question of some industries being done over by Brexit,” he said.
Tory former minister Maria Miller, incidentally, said MPs are repeating themselves on Brexit.
She added: “So much has been said on Brexit already, people who are tuning in to watch our debate today on the parliament channel could be forgiven for thinking they're watching a re-run – and I know it’s Christmas, but come on, we need to get this debate to move forward.”
