Conservative Party conference LIVE - Theresa May accuses her Brexit critics of 'playing politics' with future of country

Theresa May has accused those who refuse to back her blueprint for Brexit as “playing politics” with the future of the country as the Conservative Party conference entered its first day.

It comes after the party was hit by a humiliating security gaffe in the official conference app, which allowed members of the public to access the contact details and mobile phone numbers of senior members of the government and prominent journalists. 

On Sunday, a sizeable protest is also expected in Birmingham as demonstrators demand a second public vote on the final Brexit deal.

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Key Points

• Foreign buyers to be hit with higher stamp duty, May announces
• PM says festival will be held after Britain leaves the EU
• May's deputy demands Tories stop squabbling or risk losing power

Show latest update

2018-09-30T10:27:04.310Z

Tory chairman unable to confirm the extent of conference app data breach which leaked MP's mobile numbers

Data watchdog is looking into the system flaw, which allowed anyone to access private data belonging to conference attendees

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 11:27

2018-09-30T10:02:53.773Z

On rough sleeping, May concedes: "We've seen rough sleeping going up".

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 11:02

2018-09-30T09:56:40.383Z

Asked about the "burning injustices" set out at the beginning of her premiership - she says there is "not a single answer" and there is a "myriad" of issues. 

 

On the Windrush generation, May says she has apologised for what happened to them. "We asked those people to come here - they deserved to be treated better."

 

This is quite clearly the most uncomfortable part of the interview for May, who, of course, was Home Secretary between 2010-16 and responsible for the hostile environment policies of the department. 

 

She refuses to apologise for the policy itself. "I apologise for the fact that some people who should not have been caught up in that had been caught up."

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 10:56

2018-09-30T09:45:48.140Z

"This [Chequers] is challenging for the EU. I accept that. We believe it does not destroy the Single Market and need to have that conversation with them."

 

Asked about a no-deal, May says she is working towards the "best deal" for the British people. "We will make a success of Brexit, regardless of the outcome of the negotiations. 

 

"My message to the Labour Party is that they should stop playing politics with Brexit," she says. 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 10:45

2018-09-30T09:41:18.993Z

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 10:41

2018-09-30T09:40:59.083Z

Andrew Marr is now interviewing Theresa May on the first day of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham. 

 

Asked whether the Chequers plan is dead, he says: "No, it isn't."

 

Are you prepared to alter your plan? "Let's hear what the detailed proposals are. Let's hear what the counter proposals [from the EU] are. Let's hear what the EU's concerns are with the Chequers plan."

 

"I think we should ambitious Britain - we shouldn't take an off-the-shelf model. 

 

She avoids saying whether she is willing to compromise on her Chequers plan - but doesn't rule out. 

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 10:40

2018-09-30T09:25:30.946Z

On the Andrew Marr Show, Tom Watson, the deputy leader of Labour, says his party's six Brexit tests were not plucked out of "thin air". 

 

He says it's impossible to leave the EU while being in the single market.

 

"Jeremy Corbyn reached out in the conference speech. That was rejected. That's a great tragedy," Watson adds.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 10:25

2018-09-30T09:19:01.620Z

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 10:19

2018-09-30T08:57:57.706Z

On Theresa May's leadership - and whether she should fight the next election, Davis says: "That's up to her, frankly."

 

Asked how he would vote in a "no confidence" vote, Davis says: "To keep her in."

 

On Boris Johnson - and the suggestion to build a bridge to Ireland - Davis is quite brutal about his former colleague in cabinet. He says: "Fantastic ideas that cost a fortune and don't do that much good. Quite a lot of his ideas are good headlines but not good policies"

 

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:59

2018-09-30T08:50:34.436Z

David Davis, the former Brexit secretary, is now on Sky News. "Boris specialises in more dramatic language than me, but it's just wrong," Davis says on Theresa May's Chequers plans.

 

"It's not the right answer. I told her at each stage where I thought we were going wrong - the prime minister at the end of the day is the lead negotiator. It is so far off from what is the right strategy."

 

He concedes: "I failed to persuade the prime minister".

 

"You say its six months - that's actually plenty of time. I think it's 80-90 % likely there will be a deal. But we're going to have a very scary few months - all sorts of brinkmanship will go on."

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:50

2018-09-30T08:43:05.806Z

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:43

2018-09-30T08:37:59.970Z

'Significant' number of Tory MPs would back new Brexit referendum, says Dominic Grieve

PM facing a 'polite rebellion' of pro-EU Tories, who think a new vote is 'indispensable' to avoiding a damaging no-deal Brexit.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:38

2018-09-30T08:37:53.410Z

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:37

2018-09-30T08:34:43.340Z

Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, says people don't have to have your mobile number to be toxic to you when asked about the conference security breach. 

 

"There's no doubt it was embarrassing," she says. 

 

On Brexit, she says there are areas of "impasse" between the UK government and the EU, but we know that officials are working together

 

Asked whether she wanted a no-deal or a second referendum, Davidson says: "It's a false choice."

 

"There is a deal there to be done - the party should be giving her the space to get on and get done with it."

 

Asked about Boris Johnson's use of the word "deranged" to describe the Chequers plan put forward by the PM, Davidson says she wouldn't use that particular language. 

 

She says if there were another referendum, she would vote to Remain in the European Union - again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:42

2018-09-30T08:18:31.000Z

This is the Conservative MP George Freeman, who formerly advised Theresa May, commenting on one Independent story from last night with remarks from the prime minister's former deputy, Damian Green.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:18

2018-09-30T08:15:51.456Z

Lewis says there will be a concentration at conference this year beyond Brexit - on the "domestic agenda".

 

Are you ready for an election, he is asked.  "I am not working in hypotheticals - the next general election is in 2022."

 

Will Theresa May lead the Conservatives into the next general? "I hope she will, yeah." 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:15

2018-09-30T08:07:59.530Z

Conservative party chairman, Brandon Lewis, is now talking on Sky News about the party's app after the security gaffe yesterday.

 

"Any breach of data is a serious matter - we've spoken to the company that supplied it. We are contacting the delegates concerned, but any breach is a serious breach."

 

Lewis says members of the public "had to have their email addresses" to access delegates numbers. 

 

He refuses to say whether he considered resigning over the debacle. 

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 09:07

2018-09-30T07:48:29.596Z

'Don't mention the C-word' – Cabinet ministers will try to pull back from Chequers in bid to force Theresa May to change tack on Brexit

Exclusive: Cabinet ministers go cold on Ms May's approach as she prepares ‘Chequers 2’

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 08:48

2018-09-30T07:03:17.233Z

Foreign buyers to be hit with higher stamp duty, Therea May announces after criticism over housing crisis

Foreign buyers of UK homes will be hit with higher stamp duty, as Theresa Mayseeks to counter criticism that her “mission” to tackle the housing crisis is a flop.

The one per cent hike – possibly rising to three per cent – will raise tens of millions of pounds to cut the number of rough sleepers, the prime minister will announce.

The government believes there is evidence that allowing foreign buyers to snap up homes while paying the same duty as British residents “is inflating house prices”.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 08:03

2018-09-30T07:02:45.826Z

Theresa May just announced a new festival to be held after Britain leaves the EU

The UK will host a major new festival to celebrate culture, sports and innovation in 2022, in an attempt to showcase its post-Brexit future, Theresa May has announced.

Ministers will pour £120m into preparations for The Festival, a nationwide celebration inspired by the 1851 Great Exhibition during Queen Victoria's reign and the post-war Festival of Britain some 70 years ago.

The prime minister said the event would come at a moment of “national renewal” as the nation seeks to establish itself outside the European Union, and will coincide with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

• Ashley Cowburn
• 30 September 2018 08:02

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