My colleagues, Dan Sabbagh and Patrick Wintour, have produced a comprehensive write-up of the day’s main political story that’s worth a read as we close down this live blog for the evening. They report:
Theresa May has insisted she can achieve a “smooth and orderly Brexit”, at a press conference with Angela Merkel on a day when two Conservative party vice-chairs resigned in protest at her soft Brexit negotiating plan.
The prime minister sought to reassert her authority over her party as she appeared with the German chancellor, but she also had to fend off questions about whether Donald Trump was right to suggest the UK was in “turmoil”.
May looked uncomfortable as she addressed journalists at the press conference but she said the Brexit white paper expected on Thursday would keep “faith with the vote of the British people” and the UK would depart the EU in a “smooth and orderly” manner.
You can read that here:
And you can read a summary of the day’s politics live blog coverage here. Thanks for reading.
A little more on that issue:
Remarkable - Theresa May blocks Angela Merkel from answering @JasonGroves1 question asking for her views on her Chequers proposals
— Matt Dathan (@matt_dathan) July 10, 2018
Incredible: Theresa May blocks Angela Merkel from answering @JasonGroves1 question asking for her views on the #ChequersPlan pic.twitter.com/iPZtKWwlil
— Darren Grimes (@darrengrimes_) July 10, 2018
Updated
There is some discussion of May’s handling of the media at the Western Balkans summit, which focused partly on press freedom. This from the Guardian’s diplomatic editor, Patrick Wintour:
At Balkans summit Angela Merkel raised her eyebrows and gave out a thin smile when told by Theresa May she was not to answer questions from the British press, and only take a solitary question from a German reporter. One summit issue was media freedom in the Balkans.
— Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) July 10, 2018
Continuing on the theme of media freedom in the Balkans, Downing Street prearranged the media that could ask Theresa May questions. It was the Daily Mail and Sky News that in one of the freak chances came out ahead in the tombola.
— Patrick Wintour (@patrickwintour) July 10, 2018
Updated
Afternoon summary
- Two Conservative party vice-chairs have resigned over Theresa May’s Brexit plan agreed at Chequers. Maria Caulfield and Ben Bradley’s departure added to the pressure on the PM following the resignations of Boris Johnson and David Davis yesterday.
- May herself has insisted her Brexit plan “absolutely keeps faith with the vote of the British people”, while seeking to avoid discussing the resignations.
- Michel Barnier has said during a visit to the US that 80% of a deal with the UK has been agreed, suggesting a deal can be made before October’s deadline.
- Donald Trump has said the UK, where he will arrive on Thursday, is a country in “turmoil”, which will make his subsequent summit with Vladimir Putin in Helsinki seem “easy”.
- Amber Rudd has called for a report to be published detailing the civil service advice she received over immigration removal targets before she resigned for getting her facts wrong on the issue. Earlier, Sajid Javid and the Home Office’s head civil servant were put under pressure by the home affairs committee about this.
- Lord Carrington, who resigned as Margaret Thatcher’s foreign secretary over Argentina’s invasion of the Falklands in 1982, has died aged 99.
This is what May had to say in full about the Chequers plan during the Q&A. As you can see, she kept almost entirely to platitudes:
On the issue of where we are in terms of the Chequers agreement and the proposal that will be coming out in more detail later this week with the white paper, that absolutely keeps faith with the vote of the British people.
We will bring an end to free movement, and end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom, and end to sending vast sums of money every year to the European Union. We’ll come out of the common fisheries policy, we’ll come out of the common agricultural policy.
But we will do this in a way which is a smooth and orderly Brexit, a Brexit that protects jobs, protects livelihoods and also meets our commitment for no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Updated
Next up for a question is Merkel, who is asked if Germany might be willing to be flexible to help May out over Brexit talks. The German chancellor gives a distinctly blank answer, saying she is looking forwards to more discussions in a spirit of cooperation and friendship.
Morawiecki is then asked about Poland’s views on Brexit. He says it is important to secure the rights of Polish nationals in the UK, and that overall more work is needed. Poland wants to keep a “very friendly” relationship with the UK, he says.
And that’s it - the press conference is over. It’s probably fair to say we didn’t really learn much from it.
Next up is Sky News, who ask again about Trump, and about Johnson’s comments in his resignation letter that May has raised a “white flag” over Brexit.
May insists the UK can still sign trade deals with nations such as the US. On the Chequers plan, she ignores the question about Johnson and says the proposal “absolutely keeps faith with the vote of the British people”.
In brief: she’d rather talk about anything else than Trump and her former foreign secretary.
Q&A time - firstly Jason Groves from the Daily Mail asks about Donald Trump’s claim that the UK is “in turmoil”, and his praise for Boris Johnson.
May - who gives something of a grimace during the question - dead bats the issue, saying she is looking forwards to seeing the US president and talking about trade and other issues.
Angela Merkel is now speaking at the summit, and is praising the work of the event. We then hear from the Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki. He talks about the importance of battling corruption and organised crime in the Western Balkans.
Updated
Theresa May is speaking at a press conference at the end of the Western Balkans summit in London – where Boris Johnson had been due to appear yesterday if he had not resigned. She assures guests the UK will not withdraw from the region after Brexit.
Many people will not have heard of Maria Caulfield or Ben Bradley, or the roles they filled. Both were made (unpaid) party vice chairs only in January, and both immediately saw some controversy.
Caulfield, the MP for Lewes since 2017, saw criticism over her role as s vice chair for women because of her views on abortion.
Bradley, elected in Mansfield last year – and is a remainer –faced criticism after comments emerged showing he had once suggested that unemployed people should opt for free vasectomies rather than continuing to have children they could not afford to support.
In a blogpost, Bradley claimed that the country would be soon “drowning in a vast sea of unemployed wasters” if workless families had four or five children while others limited themselves to one or two.
A month later, Bradley was forced to apologise to Jeremy Corbyn and make a donation to charity over a tweet making claiming the Labour leader “sold British secrets to communist spies”.
Updated
Here are the resignation letters from the two (now ex) Tory party vice chairs, via Henry Zeffman of the Times.
Bradley's resignation letter: pic.twitter.com/zeGRRr0nqO
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) July 10, 2018
Caulfield's resignation letter: pic.twitter.com/YoNRTX3AIg
— Henry Zeffman (@hzeffman) July 10, 2018
Updated
The Downing Street response to Donald Trump’s comments earlier (see 1.27pm):
Number 10 said it was “positive” that US president Donald Trump had praised former foreign secretary Boris Johnson.
“I think it’s a positive for the UK that the former foreign secretary had a good relationship with the president,” May’s spokesman said. “It’s important for the special relationship, to have a strong relationship at political level. I know Jeremy Hunt is looking forward to forging his own relationships with his US counterparts.”
Asked if it was embarrassing that the president considered the UK to be in “turmoil”, the spokesman said: “The PM is looking forward to showing the president the UK and is confident he will leave with a very positive impression.”
Trump also said he anticipated his meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin would be his easiest meeting. “I received that as being humorous,” May’s spokesman said.
Updated
Two Tory party vice chairs quit over Chequers plan – report
It’s not cabinet ministers going, but this is more bad news for Theresa May.
Two of Tory vice chairs, Ben Bradley and Maria Caulfield, are quitting in protest at Chequers plan
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) July 10, 2018
Theresa May spent some of her day at the ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the RAF. Here’s some photos of the 100-aircraft flypast over London, the culmination of the events.
Amber Rudd calls for Windrush advice report to be published
Earlier, (see 11.01am) Sajid Javid and the Home Office’s head civil servant were put under pressure by the home affairs committee about publishing a report into the advice given to Amber Rudd over immigration removal targets before she resigned for getting her facts wrong on the issue.
It seems someone else also believes the report should be made public – Rudd herself. She has clearly read the news story on the issue by my colleague Jessica Elgot.
Quite right, it should be published @CommonsHomeAffs https://t.co/oBaljDuOgp
— Amber Rudd MP (@AmberRuddHR) July 10, 2018
Theresa May has released a statement in tribute to Lord Carrington, who has died aged 99 (see 12.36pm):
The death of Peter Carrington at the age of 99 marks the end of an era and the loss of a statesman who was respected globally for his remarkable lifetime of public service.
There can be few people who have served our country for as long, and with such dedication, as Lord Carrington did – from his gallantry as a tank commander in the Second World War, for which he was awarded the Military Cross, to his service in government under two monarchs and six prime ministers, dating back to Winston Churchill.
He was a much loved and widely respected member of the House of Lords for nearly eight decades, and served with great honour and integrity in government as foreign secretary, defence secretary, leader of the House of Lords, chairman of the Conservative party and much more besides.
These were qualities that he also brought to bear as a highly esteemed secretary general of Nato – and, in the week of the Nato Summit, I know that my fellow leaders will join me in offering our gratitude for his lifetime of service and our deepest condolences to his family.
All is not harmony on the much-talked about WhatsApp group for the ERG, the caucus for Brexit-minded Tory MPs, according to Alex Wickham of the Guido Fawkes website.
Laurence Robertson accused Brexiteer colleagues who support the PM's deal of being "sycophants and careerists" - his tone not going down well with those on the other side of the argument https://t.co/ZAgi4DOM7q pic.twitter.com/2vaPXgIs0J
— Alex Wickham (@WikiGuido) July 10, 2018
Philip Davies accused Tory MPs in safe seats who back the deal of "not giving a stuff" about colleagues in Leave-voting marginals https://t.co/ZAgi4DOM7q pic.twitter.com/3OWc1RLdna
— Alex Wickham (@WikiGuido) July 10, 2018
Philip Davies also accused Downing Street of telling "lies" https://t.co/ZAgi4DOM7q pic.twitter.com/ZVELFrli70
— Alex Wickham (@WikiGuido) July 10, 2018
Michel Barnier says 80% of Brexit deal has been agreed
Michel Barnier has declared that as much as 80% of the Brexit deal has been agreed, in a change of narrative that suggests that a full agreement can be sealed soon.
Speaking in New York, Barnier said he was looking forward to a “constructive conversation” with the UK after the white paper on Brexit is published on Thursday.
“After 12 months of negotiations we have agreed on 80% of the negotiations,” Barnier said, adding that he was determined to reach agreement on the remaining 20% by October or November
Less than a week after he declared that the EU would willing to compromise if Theresa May changed softened her right lines, Barnier suggested that although there were challenges ahead they were far from insurmountable.
Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, Barnier said he welcomed “that the UK is discussing the future relationship, taking positions... and avoiding a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland”.
Anticipating the latest round of negotiations starting next Monday, he said: “We need clarity for these negotiations to move forward for the time is very short.”
Asked to comment upon whether the upheaval in Theresa May’s cabinet might put a deal in jeopardy, Barnier said he did not “want to make any comment on domestic and national policy in the UK”
He added: “But as EU negotiator I will negotiate only with the British government… so our next negotiations will be Next Monday with the British delegation appointed by Mrs May.”
Labour is to keep up the pressure on Esther McVey after the work and pensions secretary (partly) apologised for giving the Commons some incorrect information about a report into universal credit.
The opposition has tabled a motion of censure for Wednesday which calls for McVey to be “sanctioned” for her failings over UC, using the term associated with benefits being withheld. This would, if passed, call for McVey to lose four weeks’ pay – though of course the power of MPs to enforce this is pretty doubtful.
Scotland’s justice secretary Humza Yousaf has called for “further clarity” around Donald Trump’s plans to visit Scotland this weekend, as he urged those wanting to protest against the US President’s visit to do so safely and peacefully.
After being briefed this morning by Police Scotland on the £5m security operation attending this weekend’s visit, Yousaf said: “It is clear that President Trump’s visit will have significant operational implications for Police Scotland...Further clarity around President Trump’s plans whilst visiting Scotland would greatly aid the planning that is being taken forward by our police and wider partners.”
Trump is expected to spend Saturday and Sunday at his luxury resort in Turnberry, on the west coast, although Police Scotland told the Guardian that they had yet to have this confirmed. He will avoid mass protests planned in Glasgow and Edinburgh, but will perhaps see the Trump baby balloon which organisers hope to transport from London to fly outside the resort’s four-mile perimeter.
Yousaf added that he understood that Scots would want to protests agains the visit: “We understand that many people feel very strongly about President Trump and his administration’s policies, and will want to express that this weekend when he is in the country.”
“That is why there are a number of organised protest locations across the country this weekend and I would urge people who want to exercise their right to demonstrate in those locations, to do so in a safe and peaceful manner.”
Trump will not meet Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who has been highly critical of his policies, while he stays in the country.
Donald Trump might praise Boris Johnson as a friend – and the former foreign secretary did suggest last month Trump could do a better job of Brexit negotiations than Theresa May – but it was not always thus.
In 2015, when Johnson was still mayor of London and Trump was seeking the Republican nomination, he responded robustly to Trump’s claim parts of the UK capital were so overrun by Islamist radicalisation that they were no-go areas for police. Let’s remind ourselves of Johnson’s response:
Donald Trump’s ill-informed comments are complete and utter nonsense. As a city where more than 300 languages are spoken, London has a proud history of tolerance and diversity and to suggest there are areas where police officers cannot go because of radicalisation is simply ridiculous.
I would welcome the opportunity to show Mr Trump first hand some of the excellent work our police officers do every day in local neighbourhoods throughout our city.
Crime has been falling steadily in both London and New York - and the only reason I wouldn’t go to some parts of New York is the real risk of meeting Donald Trump.
Donald Trump says UK is in "turmoil", praises Boris Johnson
Donald Trump has shown his visit this week to the Nato summit and the UK is likely to be a diplomatic minefield. Speaking to the US media at the White House before getting onto Marine One, his official helicopter, en route to Europe, he has said Britain is in “turmoil” and predicted his meeting with Vladimir Putin next week, after the UK could be his “easiest” engagement.
He also praised Boris Johnson as “a friend of mine” – without any similarly supportive words for Theresa May. He also said he might hope to speak to Johnson in the UK on Thursday or Friday. Here’s what he said:
The UK, that’s a situation that’s been going on for a long time. I have Nato, I have the UK, which is in somewhat turmoil, and I have Putin. Frankly, Putin may be the easiest of them all, who would think? Who would think? But the UK certainly - they certainly have a lot of things going on.
In response to a question which was inaudible above the sound of the helicopter, the US president said:
Boris Johnson is a friend of mine, he’s been very, very nice to me, very supportive. And I maybe will speak to him when I get over there. I like Boris Johnson, I’ve a;ways liked him.
Brexit white paper to be published on Thursday
The much-awaited Brexit white paper will be published on Thursday, No 10 has confirmed at the post-cabinet lunchtime briefing. There had been suggestions yesterday it might be delayed until next week.
There was no discussion of Boris Johnson’s resignation statement at cabinet, Theresa May’s spokesman said. May expressed thanks for the work of Johnson and David Davies before ministers talked about Brexit ahead of the white paper, a discussion led by the new minister Dominic Raab.
The spokesman said there was further discussion of planning for a no-deal Brexit, but would not supply any details.
Cabinet members also agreed on a message of support to the England team ahead of the World Cup semi final on Wednesday night, although rather than send a message, this was noted in the cabinet papers.
Former foreign secretary Lord Carrington has died.
Lord Peter Carrington, the Conservative foreign secretary under Margaret Thatcher, who famously resigned after Argentina invaded the Falklands, died yesterday aged 99, it has been announced.
A hereditary peer, he was the last surviving member of Winston Churchill’s postwar 1951-55 government, and was later secretary general of Nato.
He is perhaps most remembered for resigning as foreign secretary as he believed she should take responsibility for the surprise Argentine invasion, even though there was no suggestion he had been negligent.
Very sorry to learn of the death of my constituent Lord Carrington, former Defence and Foreign Secretary & last surviving member of Churchill's post-war govt. His career was given to public service. My deep sympathy to his family. 1/2
— David Lidington (@DLidington) July 10, 2018
More disquiet on May’s Chequers plan from another leaver who also left the cabinet – although Priti Patel did not go of her own accord. Speaking on BBC2’s Daily Politics, the former international development secretary said she could understand Boris Johnson’s worries:
I can see exactly why there’s not just frustration but concern over our ability to go out there in the world , be the buccaneers, grasp free trade opportunities.
Patel said that while there was more detail to come, she feared such a plan would not see the UK becoming “independent in the way we have spoken about being independent”.
Who is the new attorney general, Geoffrey Cox? Our legal affairs correspondent, Owen Bowcott, explains:
The swiftest promotion in the latest reshuffle advances the Conservative backbencher Geoffrey Cox QC to the front line cabinet role of attorney general. A highly successful barrister, his outside earnings in 2014 were £820,867 - making him one of parliament’s highest earners.
He resigned from Westminster’s standards committee after failing to declare part of his income within the required time limit. Three years ago his claim for 49p for a bottle of milk was rejected by the Commons authorities; Cox said the claim was a mistake by staff after hospitality rules changed.
The MP for Torridge and West Devon, aged 58, studied law at Cambridge university and was first elected to parliament in 2005. He founded, and now heads, Thomas More chambers where he specialises in commercial, fraud, defamation and human rights cases.
Cox has appeared in many high profile claims in the court of appeal, supreme court and Privy Counci as well as in financial cases in the Cayman Islands. He has represented the millionaire businessman Nicholas Van Hoogstraten and a British soldier accused of war crimes in Iraq. He successfully defended the Sun’s deputy editor who faced charges in 2015 of making payments to public officials for stories.
Cox campaigned for a leave vote in the EU referendum. In Who’s Who, his listed interests include “political history and enjoying rural life” .
Donald Trump is up and looking forward to the NATO summit, which starts on Thursday.
NATO countries must pay MORE, the United States must pay LESS. Very Unfair!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2018
A fairly long section of Javid’s appearance at the home affairs committee has involved Yvette Cooper seeking to get an answer on whether post-Brexit immigration arrangements will mean anyone seeking work in the UK from the EU will need some form of visa. Javid says more details will come in the government’s imminent white paper, adding:
It will necessitate a series of changes in a number of categories, and depending what that category is – visitors, businesspeople, scientists– there will be differences. But what they will all share is that there will be no right to freedom of movement.
Asked to clarify, Javid says there will be “some process involved”, whether or not that involves a visa.
Quizzed at the home affairs committee about post-Brexit immigration plans, Javid says a full system has yet to be determined. But he is adamant on one point – the free movement of people from EU nations will end:
What I can tell you, because the prime minister has said this, so I’m not pre-empting something that’s in the white paper, is that there will be a complete, total end to freedom of movement.
Freedom of movement as we understand it today will end, but also there will be no version of that, no derivative of that, no type of free movement, no backdoor version of free movement. Free movement will end.
MPs call for publication of report into advice which saw Amber Rudd resign
The home secretary, Sajid Javid, and Sir Philip Rutnam, the department’s permanent secretary, are appearing before the home affairs committee, and have come under immediate pressure over a report into the civil service advice given to Amber Rudd before she resigned.
Rudd stepped down as home secretary in April after giving the same committee seemingly incorrect facts about targets for removing illegal migrants from the UK, as she answered questions about the Windrush crisis.
Rutnam asked Sir Alex Allan, the prime minister’s adviser on ministerial standards, to produce a report on the advice Rudd received from civil servants. This is complete, but Rutnam told the committee today it will remain private as it contains personnel details and other confidential information.
This annoyed Tory MP Douglas Ross, who started the questioning, and Labour’s Yvette Cooper, who chairs the committee. She called Rutnam’s answers a “hugely inadequate set of responses”. Cooper asks Javid if he will publish the report. Javid says he will look into it.
Mini-panic over with Michael Gove, it seems. He missed the oceans event due to a genuine scheduling clash, sources say, and “all is fine”. So he has not decided to flounce out of government following a row in cabinet.
It is a sign of how febrile the atmosphere around May’s government is that such a possibility seemed credible when Gove cancelled.
In the meantime, No 10 has tweeted this image of the revamped cabinet, plus a message of support for England at the World Cup.
“Productive Cabinet meeting this morning – looking ahead to a busy week. And sending our best wishes to @England for tomorrow!” – PM @Theresa_May pic.twitter.com/PScxaG1xsj
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 10, 2018
Or perhaps Michael Gove is staying. ITV has tweeted this footage – which seems to be from earlier this morning – in which a doorstepped Gove is asked if he is going to resign. “Absolutely not,” comes the reply. He backs May’s Brexit plan “100%”, he says.
Michael Gove reveals what he thinks about Boris Johnson and David Davis's resignations from the cabinet and the PM's future pic.twitter.com/H9sWCLdaxw
— ITV News (@itvnews) July 10, 2018
Michael Gove pulls out of planned speech
Michael Gove, the environment secretary, had been due to attend a press conference at 11am on the ocean conservation alongside Lewis Pugh, the endurance swimmer and UN-designated oceans advocate. However, Gove has now pulled out – his department says he has “other diary commitments”.
Could those commitments involve writing a letter of resignation to Theresa May? There’s not necessarily a reason why – Gove attended cabinet this morning – but in the current atmosphere anything is possible.
Theresa May leaves No 10 after cabinet. She’s not dressed up for her new ministers – she was heading immediately to Westminster Abbey for a service to mark the 100th anniversary of the RAF.
In economic news, GDP rose by 0.3% in May, the ONS has said, as growth in the service sector compensated for a contraction in manufacturing. GDP growth for the March-to-May quarter was 0.2%, the ONS said, the same as the first quarter of 2018.
More in our business live blog with Graeme Wearden.
The noted political commentator Danny Dyer has been airing his views again, this time in a hugely contemporaneous snippet of EastEnders dialogue from last night, which referenced both England’s World Cup semi-final against Croatia on Wednesday, as well as the departure of David Davis as Brexit secretary. The suggestion of Dyer – or rather this character, Mick Carter – was for Gareth Southgate to get the job.
Today on #EastEnders. Quite literally. pic.twitter.com/CyVk68SY3I
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) July 9, 2018
Hello, this is Peter Walker, taking over from Jessica Elgot (for those who haven’t seen – Andrew Sparrow is elsewhere today).
The Commons is sitting from 11.30am, today, and kicks off with questions to the justice secretary, the ever-busy David Gauke. Away from the chamber, from 10.30am the home secretary, Sajid Javid, is being quizzed by the home affairs committee.
The ever-useful Labour whips Twitter feed says there are no ministerial statements today – but isn’t ruling out other missives from ministers.
There are no oral ministerial statements today. Doesn’t rule out any letters from Ministers later . . .
— Labour Whips (@labourwhips) July 10, 2018
The new health secretary Matt Hancock has arrived for the cabinet meeting in Downing Street, taking place now.
He is showing photographers the NHS pin badge on his lapel - the same as the one worn every day by his predecessor Jeremy Hunt. No word on whether it is the same badge...
Updated
Here are a few more cabinet ministers arriving for the meeting at Downing Street - including a very jolly looking Jeremy Hunt, the new foreign secretary.
Fallon says Boris Johnson should 'deal with the real world'
The former defence secretary Michael Fallon has been speaking on the Today programme. He hints he does not think the resignations from the cabinet will be fatal.
He says Johnson’s resignation letter that “the Brexit dream is dying” is not the reality.
He uses this phrase, the dream is over, and dreaming is good for everyone but in the real world, the vast bulk of trade and manufactured goods, whether you like it or not... is at the moment with that huge common market on our doorstep.
He says there is “no alternative” apart from ensuring the UK has a smooth entry to the European market after Brexit.
Updated
Cabinet ministers are now beginning to arrive in Downing Street. There are two new attendees - Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and attorney general Geoffrey Cox. It will be the first cabinet in new roles for foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, health secretary Matt Hancock and culture secretary Jeremy Wright.
Updated
Gauke does not rule out making further concessions. He says it is a negotiation.
It requires compromises from both sides... What we are doing is taking the initiative.
He says the job of cabinet ministers now is to explain the deal to parliamentary colleagues and European counterparts.
Gauke suggests a ‘no deal’ scenario is not attractive but cannot be ruled out.
What I would say to my colleagues, for those who think this is a pain-free solution we can ride over easily is that no deal will have a negative impact on our constituents, the British people.
Gauke says businesses have repeatedly made the case for frictionless trade with the EU and warning about the significant economic impact if that happens. That will not happen under this plan, he says.
He says that if people do not like this proposal - “what is their alternative?”
It is all very well for people to say ‘I wouldn’t do this’ but remember the three options in front of us are the EEA, which doesn’t respect the referendum result, a free trade agreement, which leaves Northern Ireland in a different position which is very threatening to the union or a no deal. A no deal on bad terms as well.
If that is the situation we are in, it is necessary for the UK government to come forward with another proposal.
Gauke says it has long been the position of the government that Brexit should not undercut employment or environment regulation.
He says he does not know which regulation Johnson is specifically objecting to.
Gauke says regulation for goods has not changed significantly in recent years, which is not the case with services. The Chequers deal proposes a UK-EU free trade area for goods, by using a “common rulebook” with the EU, but accepts there may be new restrictions on services.
Gauke says it is right that Davis and Johnson resign if they cannot defend the policy
George Osborne and his chief of staff Rupert Harrison used to famously say “Uncork the Gauke” when they had a tricky policy to defend and send out David Gauke, then a Treasury minister, on the airwaves and to the Commons.
After the drama of yesterday, Number 10 has decided to follow their advice and has un-corked the now Justice secretary.
He says he was surprised by the resignations given the “convivial” atmosphere of Chequers on Friday.
Clearly David and Boris have reached their conclusions that they couldn’t support the policy. I think it is right the cabinet backs the prime minister and speaks with one voice and if people don’t do that then clearly the honourable thing to do is go.
He says he does not accept Johnson’s verdict that UK is becoming a colony. He says parliament will still have a vote on whether to accept future regulation.
Justice secretary David Gauke is about to speak on BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
Presenter John Humphrys reveals first that Boris Johnson turned down the invitation to appear on the programme this morning in the main 8.10 slot, unlike David Davis who was on the show on Monday morning. He speculates that is because Johnson may not have ruled out a run for the leadership, unlike Davis, who explicitly did.
Here are how some of the papers view the departure of Boris Johnson and the future of May’s Brexit plan.
The Guardian says it is “good riddance to a national embarrassment.”
Mr Johnson is the most overrated politician in Britain, especially by himself. He was an embarrassingly useless foreign secretary. He diminished Britain’s standing in the world and he diminished his own reputation by the way he played his role, not least by his praise for Donald Trump. He was simply not up to the job. But Mr Johnson does not do serious. He does self-interest. The British government is better off without him.
The Times is equally damning about Johnson’s tenure.
This is a resignation that has been coming for some time. Few will be surprised. Mr Johnson has been insubordinate for a while, seeming to dare Theresa May to sack him. He has shown no inclination to compromise on anything while at no point offering a constructive suggestion about what the government might feasibly do.
If his resignation does not trigger serious consequences for the government’s future, Mr Johnson’s departure will be greeted warmly in international capitals, where he has not been taken at all seriously.
It is impossible to see his resignation through any prism other than his own overweening ambition.
Across the pond, the
New York Times also says Johnson’s departure is good news.
Good Riddance, Boris Johnson. The resignation of Britain’s foreign secretary could make it easier for Prime Minister Theresa May to reach a more reasonable agreement on Brexit.
If her government weathers the resulting storm, their departures could help resolve the tortuous divorce negotiations with the European Union, which are approaching crucial deadlines.
Only the Telegraph defends its former columnist, saying May must rethink.
In our view, she should think again. The Chequers deal is a bad set of proposals that will encourage the EU to demand yet more concessions.
Mrs May continues to assert that the UK will be leaving the customs union and the single market; yet the Chequers deal means we will be retaining elements of both.
Mr Johnson says we will be a colony of the EU. Are Conservative MPs happy with that? If not, what do they propose to do about it?
Even the Sun says there is no alternative plan on the table.
For all the justified rage of Brexit-backing Tories, which The Sun shares, we don’t hear a strategy that could win a vote in a Remain-dominated Parliament or secure a deal in Brussels.
They may vote down Mrs May’s — or even topple her. How will they stop Remainers from signing us up to the Customs Union, an even greater disaster for Brexit?
Boris’s resignation letter said the Government strategy was ‘suffocated by needless self-doubt’. Absolutely bang on — but is there a Plan B for Boris?
Updated
Tom Watson says Labour keeping options open on second referendum but backing is 'highly unlikely'
Labour leader Tom Watson is on BBC Radio 4 Today. He says Labour want to work to get the best deal for the country.
Is the current meltdown in the government good for anyone? Obviously electorally it might help my party but we want a good deal because families out there require parliament to vote on a good deal.
He is scathing about Boris Johnson saying he has “got a career ahead of him on ‘love yourself island.”
Presenter John Humphrys says the name of the programme is Love Island, but Watson said it should be a new programme.
He’s the only politician in history who posed to signing his own resignation letter.
Watson says Labour is clear about its different set of priorities and its tests for the deal, though he confesses he may not be able to remember them all.
He says it is conceivable that there is “no majority in parliament for any Brexit deal” and says Labour has not ruled out a second referendum.
It is highly, highly, highly unlikely we would support a people’s vote but we haven’t taken that off the table because there are a rare set of circumstances where Parliament just can’t make a decision. And so you keep your options open.
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Tom Watson says Labour is keeping options open about supporting another referendum, if Parliament cannot make a decision.
Michael Howard says MPs must not seek to topple the prime minister
Michael Howard, the former Conservative leader, has been speaking on Radio 4 Today’s programme. He says MPs should not seek to topple the prime minister.
Perhaps a degree of humility is called for all round.
I do think it would be extremely foolish and ill-advised for anyone to send in letters to mount a motion of no confidence in the prime minister.
Howard says there is no prospect of May abandoning the plan but says he hopes there is a chance of modification. He said he would have preferred the original concept of “alignment” rather than a common rulebook.
He says there will be deep unhappiness if further concessions are made in negotiations.
"I don't believe the Brexit dream is dying - there is much water to run through many bridges," Michael Howard tells @BBCr4today, confirming that the Tory party has reached the Simon And Garfunkel stage of its break-up.
— Robert Hutton (@RobDotHutton) July 10, 2018
Updated
Here’s the verdict of Boris Johnson’s tenure at the FCO by the Attorney General of Anguilla, who doesn’t mince words.
Meeting the worst Foreign Secretary we’ve ever had amongst the destruction of Hurricane Irma in Anguilla. Disinterested and out of his depth he cared nothing for our situation. Good riddance pic.twitter.com/udzzpoZ7OW
— John McKendrick QC🇦🇮🇬🇧🇵🇦🇪🇺🏳️🌈 (@JohnMQC) July 9, 2018
So who are the other cabinet Brexiters and is there a chance of more resignations? For now, May appears to be safe, though that could change quickly.
The Telegraph reports Penny Mordaunt and Esther McVey have no plans to resign, the other cabinet members who have stayed quiet since the Chequers’ summit. Michael Gove was on the BBC on Sunday defending the deal and both Chris Grayling and Liam Fox have authored newspaper op-eds on its merits.
Another Brexiter, Andrea Leadsom, leader of the House of Commons was on Newsnight last night. “I don’t agree with Boris on this,” Leadsom said.
I have the greatest regard for him, but at the same time I judge this by our red lines as Brexiteers. Are we leaving the EU? Are we taking back control? Are we leaving the customs union and the single market? Will we get rid of free movement? And we will do all of those things.
Theresa May to meet new cabinet after Boris Johnson's Brexit resignation
Good morning, I’m Jessica Elgot taking over from Graham Russell while Andrew Sparrow is away.
Theresa May is preparing to meet her new-look cabinet this morning, including foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, health secretary Matt Hancock, culture secretary Jeremy Wright and new attorney general Geoffrey Cox, who will be attending cabinet. Also newly attending is Dominic Raab, the new Brexit secretary.
Three of them have been publicly effusive about the Chequers deal, agreed at the cabinet summit last Friday, suggesting it is not quite dead yet despite the resignations of David Davis and Boris Johnson, plus a number of other junior ministers.
Huge honour to be appointed Foreign Secretary at this critical moment in our country’s history. Time to back our PM to get a great Brexit deal - it's now or never...
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) July 9, 2018
Hunt was on the airwaves yesterday defending the deal immediately after Davis’ resignation, Hancock has been publicly supportive and just hours before his promotion, keen Brexiter Cox was giving a tub-thumping speech at the 1922 committee of backbenchers on why the deal was a “radical step” in taking back control of UK law.
Missing from the airwaves - so far - is Boris Johnson, although he did invited a professional photographer to capture him signing his resignation letter.
We all know that Boris Johnson’s decision to quit is absolutely not about one man and his personal ambitions, but I’m struggling to think of another time where a Secretary of State called in the photographers to record the moment a resignation letter was signed. https://t.co/35FEuuh9dV
— Sam Macrory (@sammacrory) July 9, 2018
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson is on Today and I’ll bring you those comments shortly. The cabinet minister being sent out to bat today by Number 10 is David Gauke, another May loyalist and soft Brexiter, who’ll be on the Today programme later.
All eyes are now on the reaction from Europe. German chancellor Angela Merkel arrives in London for the second day of the Western Balkans summit - the one Johnson never turned up to because he was in the process of quitting his job.
Later in the day, there will be a joint press conference featuring May, Merkel and other European leaders.
Here’s our main story this morning:
You can read all today’s Guardian politics stories here. Here is the Politico London Playbook round-up of this morning’s political news from Jack Blanchard.
Updated
If you wanted to mull over the death of Johnson’s Brexit vision writ large across some of today’s front pages, here is his letter of resignation in full, followed by May’s response.
Dan Sabbagh has taken at look at where the three key figures now stand:
Theresa May
She remains in a strong position. Two high-profile critics of her Brexit approach have quit and there appears to be no immediate prospect of a challenge to her leadership. Even if there were, May remains the favourite. She now has the opportunity to consolidate her grip on the cabinet and develop her Brexit approach, assuming the European Union responds positively to her Chequers plan. Nevertheless, the next 48 hours remain critical.
Michael Gove
The ambitious environment secretary appears eager to prove his loyalty to May, at least judging by his appearance on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show where he said “in all the important areas” the UK would be a sovereign country under May’s Brexit plan. Gove’s reputation within the Tory party was in tatters after he broke with Boris Johnson in 2016 and ran for the leadership: he now has the opportunity to show he can be loyal and perhaps earn promotion.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
The European Research Group, chaired by Rees-Mogg, has a choice to make. Do they try to rally 48 names to force a vote of no confidence in May at a time when it appears she would be likely to see off a challenge? Party rules say there can be no further challenge for 12 months, making biding time an attractive option if they are convinced May will come unstuck negotiating a soft Brexit deal they find unpalatable.
Rees-Mogg was emphasising in interviews on Monday that he would not be able to vote for May’s final exit deal if it were on the lines of the Chequers agreement.
Today’s Guardian editorial after Johnson’s resignation (“good riddance to a national embarrassment”) looks at the Conservative party’s tensions and May’s exhausting efforts to maintain stability.
The Tory party has a historic reputation for being serious about power. But the modern Tory party can also be an extraordinarily febrile hothouse. It now faces a battle that was always going to have to be fought eventually, between the fanatics of the right and the pragmatists of the centre-right. Mrs May has been tenacious and sometimes skilful (though sometimes not) in postponing the battle. But the moment has arrived – and it must be resolved.
Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind appears relaxed about the departures of Boris Johnson and David Davis and believes the cabinet will be stronger for it.
Some excerpts from his opinion piece published today:
As the dust settles, and as British industry adapts to us not being in the EU, we will be able to assert greater freedom even if, over the longer term, we sacrifice some automatic access to European markets. It might take five or 10 years but what is that in the life of a nation?
The resignations of the foreign and Brexit secretaries are causing a short-term crisis, but a large majority of Conservative MPs do not support them. They are what the Chinese would call ‘paper tigers’.”
Johnson’s behaviour has been disgraceful. Having insulted the prime minister at Chequers he then found, over dinner that evening, unconvincing reasons for continuing in her cabinet. Now he lamely follows in Davis’s wake.
If Dominic Raab succeeds in his mission, we will have a highly credible new potential successor to the prime minister. John Major came from behind to claim the crown from Margaret Thatcher; this may be the day we see history repeating itself.
This is what happens when you have men in government who've been raised from birth to believe it's someone else's job to clean up after them. They throw tantrums when they finally make a mess no-one can fix. #Brexit
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) July 9, 2018
Justin Madders , Labour’s shadow health minister, has responded to Jeremy Hunt’s ascension, accusing him of overseeing “the worst collapse in patient standards of any health secretary in the history of the NHS”.
“His time in charge will be remembered for soaring waiting lists, huge staffing shortages, and patients left with treatments rationed and operations cancelled in record numbers,” he said.
The pound was frail on Tuesday after this week’s departures raised worries about a hard Brexit. Sterling stands lower at $1.323.
Simon Derrick, London-based chief currency strategist at BNY Mellon, said: “Current thinking is that May would win a party confidence vote. However, there is a risk that were May to make further compromises in the negotiations with Brussels, more hardline Conservative MPs might be theoretically prepared to abstain or even vote against her in a no confidence vote,” he said.
Feeling very proud of my friend @MattHancock tonight - and proud too that my country will be represented abroad by @Jeremy_Hunt. Hard work, moderation and good sense rewarded
— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) July 9, 2018
The prime minister faces murmurings of a leadership challenge (note: 1922 committee head Sir Graham Brady said on Monday night that point had not been reached). May’s response focused on the repercussions rather than, say, her own merits: divided parties lose elections.
“If we don’t pull together, we risk the election of Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister,” one cabinet minister said in summary of a party meeting last night.
The Sun’s plea: don’t let this ruin the World Cup.
The Telegraph says May is preparing for a leadership challenge.
Daily Mail says Boris Johnson is going “in for the kill” after accusing Theresa May of killing Brexit.
The Daily Mirror focuses on denouncing Johnson.
The FT calls it a “Brexit spat”.
This morning’s front pages – a round-up of which is here – consist of two main strands: May’s tenure is under threat, and the Brexit “dream is dying” (©Boris Johnson) . The Sun reminds us that this is a distraction from the World Cup, and I cannot disagree with that.
May faces down Brexit rebels, for now
Hello and welcome to a particularly early edition of the UK politics blog.
Today Jeremy Hunt is the new Boris Johnson, shortly after Dominic Raab became the new David Davis. Theresa May is still the prime minister and is due to chair a meeting of her new-look cabinet.
The rest of last night’s reshuffle is as follows:
- Matt Hancock is the new health secretary.
- Jeremy Wright is the new culture secretary.
- Geoffrey Cox is the new attorney general.
Also, Kat Malthouse earlier became the housing minister. And Chris Heaton-Harris became a junior minister at the Brexit department, replacing Steve Baker.
If you need to get up to speed, our wrap of where we stood last night is here.
