Summary
Thank you for following the blog today. Here is a summary of the main developments:
- The shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, has compared her previous support for the defeat of the British army in Northern Ireland to a haircut that is no longer in fashion. Asked on BBC1’s Andrew Marr show about her 1984 comments that “every defeat is a victory for all of us”, Abbott said: “I had an afro. It was 34 years ago. The hairstyle has gone and some of the views have gone.” She also said she no longer supported previous calls for the abolition of MI5 because it has “reformed”.
- Jeremy Corbyn declined to comment directly on Abbott’s comments but defended his own record of voting against some anti-terror legislation as him being “assiduous in his scrutiny of anti-terror laws”. He also pointed out that David Davis and Theresa May had voted with him on occasions.
- Both the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, and the home secretary, Amber Rudd, claimed more lives would be lost to terrorism if Jeremy Corbyn were to be prime minister. Fallon said Corbyn would “presumably” revoke some of the terror legislation he does not like, although the Labour leader has never said that.
- Fallon denied there was a rift within the Conservative party about the social care U-turn and the recent dip in their poll lead, describing the report as “tittle-tattle”. He also denied that the Tories were exclusively concentrating on negative campaigning against Corbyn, while failing to present their own positive vision for the future.
Updated
In interviews this morning, both Fallon and Rudd were keen to present Jeremy Corbyn as having “justified” terrorism by talking about the impact of Britain’s foreign policy. In response, Corbyn said that Theresa May and David Davis had joined him in voting against aspects of anti-terrorism legislation in the past.
Labour peer Stewart Wood has dug out a quote by Davis, illustrating the point:
Here's David Davis echoing Boris Johnson echoing Jeremy Corbyn, on the link between foreign policy & terrorism. https://t.co/Ap99JdvZA6 pic.twitter.com/qc2oCEjbgP
— Stewart Wood (@StewartWood) May 28, 2017
During his interview with Peston, the defence secretary, Michael Fallon, dismissed reports that the Tories were in disarray over the controversial social care plans as “Westminster tittle tattle”.
No, this is Theresa May leading our party. We’ve put into the policy now some additional reassurance because of the scaremongering of Labour after the manifesto was published, further reassurance that people will not lose their home, they will not lose all of their savings.
But yes, some people will be asked to make a contribution to raising the quality of social care.
The Lib Dems have criticised Amber Rudd’s refusal to spell out the social care cap when asked about it on the Andrew Marr Show.
Their health spokesman, Norman Lamb, said:
The refusal of the Conservatives to tell us what the cap on social care costs will be shows they are holding the public in contempt.
Theresa May must stop flip-flopping and do what her party had committed to, implement a £72,000 cap on care.
Conservative plans for a dementia tax are cruel and not properly thought through. It shows Theresa May is taking people for granted.
The Liberal Democrats will keep campaigning to scrap the dementia tax and ensure no one has to face catastrophic costs to pay for their care.
Updated
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, is on Peston. He says:
We would certainly be less safe if Jeremy Corbyn was prime minister.
Fallon says Corbyn would “presumably” revoke some of the terror legislation he does not like, claiming he is “soft on terrorism”. Peston points out that Corbyn has not made any suggestion that he would water down terror legislation.
There is a lot of toing and froing about Boris Johnson’s comments on how the Iraq war impacted the UK with respect to the terror threat.
Help us out @BorisJohnson. What did you mean in THAT article on the causes of terrorism? #Peston pic.twitter.com/PN1w87CgsI
— Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) May 28, 2017
Fallon claims Corbyn has justified terrorist attacks based on the UK’s foreign policy. Peston responds by saying Corbyn said no such thing.
Peston suggests negative campaigning is going to lose the Tories like it lost Zac Golsmith the London mayoral election.
Fallon says the PM has set out her view for positive Brexit negotiations.
Peston asks Fallon about the IFS saying reducing immigration to tens of thousands would cost money.
Fallon says there are benefits as well.
Updated
This was Corbyn’s response when confronted about Abbott’s comments on the IRA/her hairstyle:
Diane's hairstyle is a matter for her says @jeremycorbyn and adds they've all learnt a lot from the experience of Northern Ireland #Peston pic.twitter.com/90vh9mNSoo
— Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) May 28, 2017
.@Peston asks @jeremycorbyn: was Britain right to offer asylum to the parents of the Manchester bomber Salman Abedi? #Peston pic.twitter.com/ofySSELIrL
— Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) May 28, 2017
.@jeremycorbyn explains why @UKLabour tax rises on corporations and the rich are justified #Peston pic.twitter.com/s03NCVmX6A
— Peston on Sunday (@pestononsunday) May 28, 2017
Updated
Next up on Peston is Ukip leader Paul Nuttall.
Peston says you’re a party that says it believes in freedom but seems to want a return to a police state.
Nuttall says more bobbies on the beat will mean people talking to them about potential threats.
He is asked how Ukip can get the integration they want if they have policies targeting Muslims, such as the burqa ban.
Nuttall repeats previous Ukip claims that part of the reason for the ban is that it causes vitamin D deficiencies. He says he would ban all face coverings - not just Muslim ones - but there would be “special dispensation” for masks at carnivals, as in other countries.
Peston says reducing immigration to zero would harm the economy in the views of every economist he has spoken to.
Nuttall says that is “debatable”.
Updated
Were we right to allow Salman Abedi’s parents, who were Libyan refugees, into the country, Corbyn is asked by Peston.
He says we have a clear obligation to take people who are under serious threat but that does not preclude monitoring people where appropriate.
Which of Britain’s wars since the end of the second world war have been appropriate Corbyn is asked.
He says when Britain has participated in UN operations and brought about peace. Helping bringing ceasefires in Zimbabwe, East Timor. He says bombing in Kosovo went too far.
Corbyn arguing on #peston that corporation tax back to 26% and income tax over 80k needed or alternative is more food banks.
— Anushka Asthana (@GuardianAnushka) May 28, 2017
A viewer question asks Corbyn what would happen if companies leave Britain as a result of corporation tax rising. The Labour leader says they would still be doing business in the UK.
People are worried increasing the minimum wage will mean people don’t want to employ young people, Peston suggests.
Corbyn says he recognises it could be a problem for small businesses, suggests there could be subsidies.
Updated
Corbyn says:
The cuts in police numbers have led to some very dangerous situations emerging.
Peston asks if the Labour leader regrets having referred to terrorists as “freedom fighters”.
Corbyn denies he has done that and says he condemns individual acts of terrorism.
Asked to clarify whether he met members of the IRA.
I’ve met former prisoners who have told me they are not in the IRA.
After the Paris attacks, Corbyn called for a negotiated settlement in Syria, which Peston puts to him suggested that he would talk to Isis.
The Labour leader rejects that interpretation.
Asked about Diane Abbot’s comments on Marr about her hair style changing with her views, Corbyn looks uncomfortable.
He says with a straight face that her hair style is a matter for her and does not answer Peston’s question as to whether her comments are “trivialising” terror.
Will Abbott be home secretary in a Labour government?
Corbyn: She is our home affairs spokeswoman.
Jeremy Corbyn is on Peston on Sunday now.
After talking about Arsenal’s FA Cup final victory (they are both Gunners fans), Peston says Corbyn voted 17 times “against laws designed to keep us safe”.
The Labour leader says he has been “assiduous in his scrutiny of anti-terror laws” and yes voted against them but so did David Davis and Theresa May in some instances.
He says he represents a constituency with a lot of Irish people who were detained in the 1970s without independent judicial oversight. He says you must have independent judicial oversight.
Caroline Lucas has clarified her comments to Andrew Marr about encryption earlier.
Too many "ends" in one question! To be clear, Greens do not want to end "end to end" encryption #Marr
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) May 28, 2017
"I've changed my hairstyle a few times too, but I haven't changed my views on how to keep the British people safe" says @AmberRuddHR #marr pic.twitter.com/HJlXlIaFXi
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) May 28, 2017
"MI5 looking at 500 different terror plots" Home Secretary @AmberRuddHR tells #marr pic.twitter.com/31sh7NWzse
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) May 28, 2017
Home Secretary says police and security services have tools they need. No new legislation needed.
— Alan Travis (@alantravis40) May 28, 2017
Rudd is asked by Marr about the abolition of control orders, “which seemed to be effective”. He says if Abedi was subject to one he would not have been able to commit the Manchester atrocity.
Rudd says terrorism prevention and investigation measures (Tpims) are more effective. Asked about the low number of Tpims, she says it is up to the security services to request them.
On end-to-end encryption, Rudd says she is making “good progress” with a number of companies.
Marr says banning end-to-end encryption would “devastate the internet economy”, banking etc.
Rudd says she never suggested that.
The home secretary says Jeremy Corbyn, Abbott and John McDonnell all have a history of voting against anti-terrorism legislation and taking a dig at Abbott’s earlier comment to Marr, says:
I have changed my hair style too in 34 years but I have not changed my view on how to keep the British people safe.
Updated
More members of Manchester network 'potentially' at large
It’s Amber Rudd’s turn now. Asked if some of the Manchester network are still at large, she says “potentially”.
She will not answer “what the security services did or did not know [about Salman Abedi]” at this stage.
Andrew presses @HackneyAbbott on whether she regrets supporting the IRA #marr pic.twitter.com/6ebiCgsqeZ
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) May 28, 2017
Abbott says she is in favour of a DNA database but not in favour of keeping the DNA of children on the DNA database.
Asked about end-to-end encryption, Abbot says we have to work with WhatsApp to access messages and would hope companies would want to work with us.
A difficult interview ends with Abbot pledging:
I will run the best Home Office I can.
'My views changed like my hair-style' - Abbott
Diane Abbott is up now and asked about the perception by some people that she cannot be trusted.
Abbott says she worked in the home office as a graduate trainee for three years so understands it.
She also has worked with diverse communities, she says.
Marr asks about an early-day motion signed by Abbott calling for the abolition of MI5.
Abbot says MI5 has reformed since then and she supports it now.
Asked about her voting against anti-terrorism legislation on a number of occasions, she says lots of Tories voted against them, including Theresa May and David Davis. Abbott also says that courts later effectively upheld some of the decisions she took in her voting.
Next, Marr asks about her voting against al-Qaida being proscribed prior to 9/11. Abbott says it was not just al-Qaida on the list. Marr reads out the names of the other organisations and says they were all terrible organisations. Abbott says the issue with some of the groups was whether they were dissidents in their country.
Next Marr asks about a statement of support Abbott made for the IRA 34 years ago. She replies:
I had a rather splendid afro at the time ...The hair style has gone and some of the views have gone.
Updated
Caroline Lucas also said she would like to see end-to-end encryption, where only the communicating parties can read the messages, ended. She said she would do what the security services deemed necessary.
The Green party co-leader, Caroline Lucas, is on now speaking to Marr and - echoing Wood – says that targeted surveillance works, not mass surveillance.
People like myself are on the domestic extremist list.
She is asked about her description of the Prevent anti-extremism scheme as “xenophobic”. Lucas says it must be “broad and exclusive”, but it is viewed by Muslims as toxic.
Updated
The Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, is speaking to Andrew Marr. She says it makes “no sense” for the emergency services that rushed to help in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack to have their budgets cut.
We wouldn’t need troops on the street if there were enough police officers on the street.
Wood says her party remains opposed to mass surveillance.
It’s better that they watch those people at most risk ... rather than the entire population.
Talking about the forthcoming Champions League football final in Cardiff, Wood says people should not be put off coming and should be reassured by the extra security presence.
Updated
Good morning. Welcome to the Guardian’s continuing coverage of the general election campaigning.
The home secretary, Amber Rudd, and the shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, will be on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show from 9am talking about how to keep Britain safe in the wake of the terrorist outrage in Manchester.
Peston on Sunday, on ITV at 10am, features the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, defence secretary Michael Fallon, Ukip leader Paul Nuttall, Vince Cable from the Lib Dems, and the SNP’s Tasmina Sheikh.
The awful events in Manchester obviously remain at the forefront of everyone’s mind. But as the parties get back to campaigning in earnest, the narrowing of the gap between the Conservatives and Labour in the opinion polls is likely to be a major talking point.
The Sunday Times reports that the Tories will relaunch their campaign after it was pushed off course by “their manifesto mess” and events in Manchester. It says this will mean a return to the core message: “Only Theresa May can be trusted to negotiate Brexit.” It reports divisions within the Conservative camp over who is to blame for a two-thirds fall in the Tory lead since the launch of the election campaign.
The Observer reports that Corbyn has dramatically cut Theresa May’s previously commanding lead in approval ratings among voters, according to its latest poll, carried out by Opinium:
More than a third of voters (37%) say their opinion of the prime minister is more negative than at the start of the campaign, against 25% who say it is more positive.
The opposite is true of the Labour leader, with 39% saying they have a more positive view of Corbyn compared with 14% who now have a more negative view.
Updated
