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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Politics
Lizzy Buchan

Brexit news: Tory leadership candidates deepen party splits over no-deal and cabinet appointments

Conservative leadership hopefuls have clashed over whether to back a no-deal Brexit, as party bosses tightened the rules to limit the number of candidates to succeed Theresa May.

Esther McVey said she would only have "committed Brexiteers" in her cabinet until the UK was out of the EU, which she pledged would happen by 31 October, with or without a deal.

But rival candidate Matt Hancock said no deal is "not a credible option" as he pledged to go back to the EU to discuss the Irish border issue.

To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below

Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog, where we will be bringing you the latest updates throughout the day.

As we enter the final days of Theresa May's tenure as Conservative leader, Tory party bosses have been forced to change the rules to reduce the number of candidates.

Some 13 Tory MPs had declared they would run, before two hopefuls - Kit Malthouse and James Cleverly - dropped out on Tuesday.

The 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives has now agreed candidates would need eight MP nominations – rather than just two – to enter the race next week.

Read more here:

Leadership hopeful Matt Hancock said no deal is not a "credible policy" and argued that the "most urgent task" facing a new prime minister was to achieve a Brexit deal that faced the "hard truths".

He told a Policy Exchange event: "A credible plan to deliver Brexit must be grounded in reality and the reality is there are hard truths.

"The first hard truth - No deal is not a credible policy choice available to the next prime minister.

"As the Speaker has made clear, parliament will block it as it did in March.

"That means the alternative is either a deal to leave the EU or a general election or second referendum and potentially no Brexit at all."

He claimed there was no need to rip up Theresa May's Brexit deal, as he laid out his plan to set up a Border Council to ensure there would be no hard border on the island of Ireland and to set a time limit on the backstop.

"I'm confident that this as a whole package can be negotiated," he said.

"We know the EU was considering proposing a time limit in the previous negotiations... The time limit would be an addendum rather than reopening of the withdrawal agreement."

On the other side of the Brexit divide, Tory leadership hopeful Esther McVey has said she would have a Brexiteer-only cabinet until the UK leaves the EU.

Ms McVey, one of 11 candidates jostling to succeed Theresa May, said she would ban Remain-backing ministers from her top team until the official deadline on 31 October.

Read more here:

It's nearly time for PMQs - and it is clash of the deputies this week.

Theresa May is in Portsmouth for the D-Day commemorations, so her de-facto deputy David Lidington is standing in, as he tends to do when she is abroad or otherwise engaged.

Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey is making her PMQs debut for Labour - in a sign of highly-rated she is by Jeremy Corbyn. Interestingly, Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, is not deputising as she normally does...

Could it be to do with her public criticism of Mr Corbyn's stance on a second referendum?

And we're off. David Lidington explains Theresa May is in Portsmouth to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

He also sends his best wishes to Muslims celebrating Eid.

Tory MP Tim Loughton takes aim at 'hate-fuelled' demonstrators who were shouting 'Nazi scum' at American tourists after Donald Trumps' visits yesterday.

He says they demean the memory of the troops who fought in Second World War.

Lidington agrees and says the freedom of speech and protest is derived from the actions of the war-time generation.

Rebecca Long-Bailey is on her feet. She echoes his comments about D-Day and says it is vital to remember the bravery of troops during the war.

She goes in on the row over whether the NHS is 'on the table' in a US-UK trade deal.

Lidington welcomes her and says Emily Thornberry has been dispatched to 'internal exile' - and warns Long-Bailey that she might be consigned to the backbenches if she 'outshines the dear leader'.

Amid the jeers, he says the NHS is not for sale.

Long-Bailey is having none of it - saying 'he's all about the banter today'. She says May did not challenge Mr Trump on the NHS.

She then condemns the president's record on climate change and asks if May even challenged him on it.

Lidington says May did raise it as she made clear in her press conference and the UK has a better record than any other G7 state.

Long-Bailey says he is taking credit for Labour's efforts. She also says there are three cabinet ministers who have denied climate science and several Tory leadership hopefuls have a dubious links to organisations which deny climate change.
 
She says the government is off track in reducing emissions.
 
Lidington denies this, saying the UK has gone through a long period without relying on coal-powered parts. He claims Labour would reopen them.
Long-Bailey denies Labour wants to reopen any coal mines for energy purposes. She mentions an FT report which claims the government is trying to "fiddle" its emissions stats.
 
She asks Lidington if the government will ban fracking and support renewables such as wind power.
 
Lidington claims the government has "outperformed" its climate targets.
Long-Bailey says parliament declared a climate emergency but the government is not taking it seriously. What is he doing to help the collapsing steel industry.
 
Lidington says she has got her facts from "ideological tracts" and says the government will set out plans for the next carbon budget this year.
Long-Bailey says he is peddling 'empty rhetoric' and calls for a green industrial revolution. She says it could create hundreds of thousands of jobs but the government will not act.
 
She says the government has recklessly run down the clock on Brexit and it will recklessly run down the clock on the planet.
 
Lidington hits back, saying Labour's renationalisation plans would cost billions to the taxpayer.
There's a fair bit of praise for Rebecca Long-Bailey on Twitter.
 
 
SNP's Kirsty Blackman is going on the NHS, asking why the government is so obsessed with doing a trade deal with the US, which could put the health service at risk.
 
The NHS is devolved in Scotland. She says the Tories will never be forgiven if they put the NHS at risk.
 
Lidington says the NHS is not for sale and the Scottish Tories are fighting for Scotland, not the SNP.
Tory leadership hopeful Mark Harper asks an easy question about how the Tory candidate in Peterborough by-election is the best for the job.
 
Lidington - surprisingly - agrees.
Labour MP Laura Pidcock asks about May's legacy - 'as the vultures are circling' around the PM. She says there is widespread poverty and division.
 
Lidington accuses her of talking the UK down and the Tories prefer to raise people up.

Tory MP David TC Davies condemns private prosecutions, in the wake of a case against Boris Johnson.

Lidington defends free speech but he says he cannot comment on the case itself.

Shadow Brexit minister Matt Pennycook says the government must commit to cutting emissions by 2050, following the recommendations from the UK Committee on Climate Change.
 
Lidington says the government is considering the recommendations but he shares his concerns.
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