Conservative conference - LIVE: Boris Johnson rally set to dominate as Sajid Javid lays out post-Brexit immigration plan

The third day of the Conservatives' annual conference in Birmingham is set to be dominated by the arrival of Boris Johnson, widely seen as the main rival to Theresa May..

The former foreign secretary will turn up to address a rally of over 1,000 people, where he will again demand the prime minister drop her Chequers plan for Brexit.

Elsewhere, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, will lay out the government's plans for post-Brexit immigration.

Show latest update

2018-10-02T10:53:34.896Z

NEW: Theresa May has announced that the government will give heterosexual couples the right to enter into civil partnerships. The prime minister said:

 

"This change in law helps protect the interests of the opposite-sex couples who ant to commit, want to formalise their relationship but don't want to get married.

 

"As home secretary I was roud to sponsor the legislation that created equal marriage. Now, by extending civil partnerships, we are making sure that all couples, be they same-sex or opposite-sex, are given the same choices in life."

 

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 11:58

2018-10-02T10:34:59.000Z

BREAKING: Claire Perry, a business minister, has admitted a no-deal Brexit would be “catastrophic” and would “crash the economy”...
 

'Catastrophic' no-deal Brexit would 'crash the economy', Tory business minister admits

'No deal is a recipe for a catastrophic series of consequences. It’s also a way of crashing the economy'

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 11:56

2018-10-02T10:27:23.850Z

There’s a lot coming up in the next two hours. We’re expecting David Gauke, the justice secretary, to speak around 11.45, followed by Sajid Javid, the home secretary, around midday. Boris Johnson will then address a rally at 1pm - the event many consider to be the potential highlight of the day....

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 11:27

2018-10-02T09:43:03.000Z

This could be significant... Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP, has said her party will not accept any new regulatory checks in the Irish Sea. Why does that matter? Well, accepting some new checks is a key part of Theresa May's latest compromise solution for how to manage the Northern Ireland border post-Brexit. To get that solution she needs the votes of the DUP, which is propping up her government...

 

 

 

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 10:59

2018-10-02T09:24:03.000Z

Theresa May has warned her rivals she wants to be prime minster "for the long term". She told BBC Radio 4's Today:

 

"I'm in this for the long term, not just for the Brexit deal but actually for the domestic agenda we are setting out at this conference."

 

The prime minister also played down the significance of Boris Johnson's arrival at the conference for his rally. Asked about her relationship with her main rival, she laughed and said:

"Well, I'm sure that's going to be a very lively event this evening.

"At this conference what we're focusing on is the opportunity for this country once we leave the European Union and the opportunity that we want to ensure that people in this country have."

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 10:47

2018-10-02T08:58:31.000Z

Full story: Theresa May slaps down Jeremy Hunt for likening EU to Soviet Union

 

Theresa May slaps down Jeremy Hunt for likening EU to Soviet Russia in Tory conference speech

'I can tell you that the two organisations are not the same,' the prime minister said

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 10:28

2018-10-02T08:38:31.000Z

Theresa May is already facing a backlash over her post-Brexit immigration plans. Anna Soubry, a former business minister and vocal anti-Brexit campaigner, tweets...

 

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 09:46

2018-10-02T08:13:31.000Z

There was a row brewing last night after Theresa May and Sajid Javid, the home secretary, both appeared to announce the government's post-Brexit immigration policy at the same time.

 

Downing Street appeared to rush out a press release after Javid had given an exclusive interview to the Daily Mail, prompting one MP to describe the announcement as "shambolic".

 

Joe Watts has the full story:

.

Claims of Tory turf war amid 'shambolic' release of post-Brexit immigration plan

Differing stories about who was announcing the key immigration policy were broken through the evening

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 09:45

2018-10-02T08:01:31.000Z

Theresa May has been touring the TV and radio studios this morning.

 

She slapped down Jeremy Hunt, her foreign secretary, for comparing the EU to the Soviet Union.

 

The prime minister said:

 

"As I sit around that table in the European Union, there are countries there who used to be part of the Soviet Union. They are now democratic countries.

"I can tell you that the two organisations are not the same."

Hunt drew criticism earlier in the week for likening the EU to a "prison" that did not let member states leave and comparing this to the USSR not allowing people to leave the country.

 

 

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 09:34

2018-10-02T07:50:31.000Z

Welcome to today's live coverage from Birmingham on the third day of the Conservatives' annual conference.

• Kimberley Richards
• 2 October 2018 09:35

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