We’re not writing our usual blog today but here, as an alternative, is the Politics Live readers’ edition. It is a place for you to discuss today’s politics, and to share links to breaking news and to the most interesting stories and blogs on the web.
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You can read all today’s Guardian politics stories here.
And here are some of the main ones on our site this morning.
- Theresa May was left fighting to save her Chequers Brexit plan and with it her authority as prime minister after she was ambushed at the end of the Salzburg summit when EU leaders unexpectedly declared that her proposals would not work.
- A referendum on the Brexit deal would take at least six months to organise legally, making it very difficult to have a second vote before the UK is scheduled to exit the EU on 29 March next year, constitutional experts have said.
- Leading Brexiters have criticised the French president, Emmanuel Macron, for his extraordinary break in diplomatic convention in which he branded prominent leavers as liars who had misled the British people.
- For all the pre-event talk about Brexit and internal rules, Labour’s annual conference will have an official focus on boosting living standards and helping communities, themes central to the party’s election campaign last year.
- The Ministry of Defence is at serious risk of failing to run a working nuclear deterrent, parliament’s spending watchdog has concluded.
On Thursdays local council byelections take place. There were six yesterday. Britain Elects and Epsom and Ewell council have the results.
Six council by-elections tonight. Three Conservative defences, two local party defences, one Labour defence. @andrewteale's previews on https://t.co/QzghnN5ONi https://t.co/aYhQhN5Yzu
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) September 20, 2018
Ottery St Mary Rural (East Devon) result:
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) September 20, 2018
IEDA: 59.4% (+4.8)
CON: 33.1% (-12.3)
LDEM: 4.0% (+4.0)
GRN: 1.9% (+1.9)
LAB: 1.6% (+1.6)
Independent (East Devon Alliance) HOLD.
Upper Meon Valley (Winchester) result:
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) September 20, 2018
CON: 51.6% (-18.0)
LDEM: 44.9% (+24.1)
LAB: 1.9% (-7.6)
GRN: 1.5% (+1.5)
Conservative HOLD.
Limbury (Luton) result:
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) September 20, 2018
LAB: 48.7% (-11.6)
CON: 27.8% (-11.9)
LDEM: 23.5% (+23.5)
Labour HOLD.
Bewdley & Rock (Wyre Forest) result:
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) September 20, 2018
CON: 51.8% (+6.2)
LAB: 34.5% (+9.3)
LDEM: 7.7% (+3.8)
GRN: 6.0% (+2.1)
Conservative HOLD.
No Health Concern (-21.3) as prev.
Westminster voting intention:
— Britain Elects (@britainelects) September 20, 2018
CON: 39% (+1)
LAB: 37% (-1)
LDEM: 13% (+3)
GRN: 5% (+2)
UKIP: 2% (-4)
via @IpsosMORI, 14 - 18 Sep
Chgs. w/ 24 Jul
The result for the Nonsuch ward by-election has just been declared - Colin Keane (Residents Association) has been elected
— Epsom&Ewell Council (@EpsomEwellBC) September 20, 2018
