The defence secretary, Penny Mordaunt, who is backing Jeremy Hunt, said after the debate:
Tonight, Jeremy again showed that he is the candidate the country can rely on to deliver Brexit and also the leader we need to win a majority at the next general election and take our country forward.
Throughout the campaign, and all he has been dealing with as our foreign secretary, he has shown that he is a strong leader with solid judgment based on deeply-held values.
He is a leader with a clear vision, deep values and sound judgment. I see it and the public see it. I hope the membership do too because our country needs to come together, get Brexit done and show the world what our country can do.
Debate summary
That’s all from this evening’s debate, here’s a summary of the main points:
- Both candidates to be prime minister refused to explicitly denounce Donald Trump’s comments about ethnic minority congresswomen as racist. While both backed Theresa May’s criticism of the US president, who used racist language to attack political opponents at the weekend, neither was actually willing to describe the remarks in such terms.
- Boris Johnson refused to commit to lowering the net migration figure after Brexit. His opponent, Jeremy Hunt, said it was what people voted for when they voted to leave the European Union and to ignore that would constitute a “betrayal”.
- Johnson refused to say whether or not he had costed the no-deal Brexit he says the UK should seriously consider. He claimed the costs could be minimised with thorough preparation but said the Treasury would come up with “spine-chilling figures”. Hunt said there would be hefty costs but promised to hand out cash to deal with them.
- Johnson refused to apologise for homophobic comments he has made in the past. Both men talked up their records on LGBT rights and Johnson claimed to have been one of the earliest and most vociferous supporters. But he refused to apologise for language he used in newspaper columns in the past that display the opposite.
- Both men accused Jeremy Corbyn of being antisemitic. Hunt said: “Unfortunately, he may be,” while Johnson said he had allowed antisemitism to flourish, which amounted to the same thing.
- Each candidate refused to fully commit to ending the benefits freeze. But Hunt said he would end the five-week Universal Credit wait and would be sympathetic towards a plan to end a freeze on working age benefits freeze. Johnson refused to commit to any plan.
Updated
Will each continue to freeze fuel duty? Each refuses to say, adding they want to make no more spending commitments.
When was the last time each cried? Hunt refuses to answer. Johnson says it was when his bicycle was stolen from outside Parliament.
Will Ben Stokes get a knighthood? Each says yes.
Would Johnson keep Hunt as foreign secretary? He refuses to say, though he says he holds him in high regard. Johnson says he doesn’t think it’d be right to hand out jobs at this point.
Would Hunt return Johnson to the foreign office? He says he would give him a big job.
Will they go out for a pint after the contest? Both agree they would.
Who do they want to win Love Island? Hunt says he doesn’t watch it. Johnson says he has been watching vaguely, before asking the audience for help. He jokes that Amber should win, deliberately mistaking her for the work and pensions secretary.
They are asked: Is Jeremy Corbyn personally antisemitic?
“Unfortunately, he may be,” says Hunt, nodding.
“I think, by condoning antisemitism in the way he does, I’m afraid he’s effectively culpable of that vice, yes,” says Johnson.
The questions from the audience are finished, the candidates are moving to a “quick-fire round”.
Each says he would stick to the pledge to achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2050.
Asked about the difficulty young people have in getting on the property ladder, Hunt restates his “right to own” policy – under which he proposes to hand over land that has planning permission and invite young people to pay for a house to be built upon it.
Johnson says the UK must build much more “good quality part buy, part rent” homes to help young people who cannot afford a whole property immediately. These would be built on brownfield sites, he says.
Hunt says the work and pensions secretary, Amber Rudd, has persuaded him to end the five-week wait before people can claim Universal Credit, saying it was the right reform but had unexpected consequences. And he says he would look very sympathetically at Rudd’s proposal to end the freeze on working age benefits.
Johnson refuses to back the plan, saying he’s “probably made enough spending commitments in the last week for the time-being”.
The pair share a laugh about Rudd’s support as Hunt jokingly offers Johnson the DWP job.
Johnson and Hunt are asked what changes they would make to the tax system to help the lowest paid.
Johnson says he would raise the threshold for National Insurance and talks up the living wage. He repeats his somewhat opaque claim about his success in cutting poverty in London while serving as its mayor.
Hunt says the country cannot afford the reforms he wants to make but, once he feels it can, he commits to allowing people to earn their first £1,000 per month “without paying any tax or any National Insurance”.
The candidates are asked how much right the public have to know about a potential prime minister’s private life. Hunt says he’s happy to have had his wife with him on the campaign trail.
Johnson says he made it a rule years ago not to bring his family into his public life. His private life, of course, was the basis for serious questions about his character earlier in the campaign.
Both candidates commit to making a woman either chancellor, foreign secretary or defence secretary. Johnson did so after some hesitation, saying: “Yes, I think so. Well, I dunno. I’ve chucked it out there a – make of it what you will.”
The candidates are asked about diversity and LGBT rights – are they issues that are important to Tories?
Both respond that they are proud of their record on the latter while in government.
As Johnson finishes a point about having changed the rules to allow British embassies to fly the Rainbow Flag because the country must stand for its values, he is asked if he will, therefore, apologise for writing about “tank-topped bumboys in the Ministry of Sound” in a column.
If you’re going to excavate and disinter every single quotation from the millions of words I have written, you can of course try and twist things one way or another but I have a very proud record.
He claims he was one of only a small number of Tories to support gay marriage when he was first elected to Parliament.
Next question: How will each convince the public they are not simply “self-serving posh boys”.
Johnson goes first, saying he will win trust by pushing through Brexit, then by pursuing classic conservative policies, such as backing business.
“As a Charterhouse boy, I’m never going to criticise Boris for going to Eton,” Hunt replies – adding that the party has not done enough on attracting people. That’s because it hasn’t looked at issues like the cost of living, Hunt says.
Asked about the possibility of the UK joining in hypothetical future US military strikes on Iran, both of the candidates say they don’t believe such an outcome is likely and they do not seek a confrontation with the country.
Tory leadership candidates refuse to call Trump's comments racist
The candidates are asked if they back Theresa May’s criticism of Donald Trump. The US president used racist language to attack Democratic congresswomen at the weekend.
Hunt says he does and says he would be furious if someone spoke about his children in such terms.
Johnson says relations between the two nations are important but that the US president “simply cannot” use such language. He repeatedly refuses to say explicitly whether or not he considers the remarks racist.
Hunt says that, as foreign secretary, it wouldn’t be helpful to use that term in reference to the US president.
Johnson is asked whether or not he’ll stand up to Donald Trump and asked about the Sir Kim Darroch case.
Johnson repeats his line that he was sad to see Darroch resign and, after having influenced that decision by publicly and repeatedly refusing to explicitly back him, he claims he now does support the UK’s outgoing envoy.
The final question on Brexit: How likely is a trade deal with US?
Hunt says it’s “very likely” and claims the Trump White House is very enthusiastic about such a move. He says “we are not going to put the NHS up for sale” and says Trump’s comments on the NHS were “misinterpreted”.
Trump initially said: “When you’re dealing on trade, everything is on the table. So NHS or anything else. A lot more than that.”
Then he changed his mind, saying: “I don’t see [the NHS] being on the table. Somebody asked me a question today and I say everything is up for negotiation, because everything is. But that’s something I would not see as part of trade. That’s not trade.”
Read more on that here:
Johnson says “we can start trade negotiations right away”. It’s pointed out to him that that’s illegal and he clarifies that he means immediately after Brexit. He says the US is “ruthless” in negotiations and will be “very, very tough”. But he says the UK can nevertheless do a good deal and that he will not import goods that reduce UK standards.
The candidates are asked whether they would prefer a second referendum or a general election if they cannot push through Brexit.
Hunt says he will accept neither option and that’s the reason for his refusal to set a hard deadline for Brexit. If he did set one, he says, he would have no option but to call a general election if Parliament blocked his deal.
Johnson agrees that neither option is attractive and rules out any general election until Brexit is delivered. It’s perhaps worth noting at this point that, should Brexit be delayed be a significant period, Johnson’s hands would be tied on that point by the Fixed Term Parliaments Act.
The candidates are asked how the Good Friday Agreement can be respected in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
Johnson refers to a “spirit of optimism” and repeats his claims that the border discussions should be part of the free trade agreement negotiations.
Hunt says there cannot be a hard border and that the technology exists to avoid one. But, he acknowledges, such measures are not going to be ready in time for Brexit, meaning there will be a gap.
Johnson reiterates his claim that the border question can and should be answered during free trade negotiations – not as part of the withdrawal agreement.
However, Channel 4 News’ FactCheck quotes the European Commission’s spokesperson as saying that “it is possible to rework the Political Declaration on the framework of the future EU-UK relationship, but the Withdrawal Agreement [the deal struck by Theresa May] is not open for renegotiation”.
In other words, Johnson is claiming the EU will agree to do something it has explicitly and repeatedly said on the record it has no intention of doing.
Johnson is asked how costly a no-deal Brexit would be. He refuses to say whether or not he has costed it, adding that the “Treasury will come up with spine-chilling figures”, but that the cost can be minimised if the UK prepares.
Hunt says there are “real costs for businesses” that will not go away. He says he will hand £6bn to farming and fishing communities to minimise the costs. “But I don’t think you can say they’re vanishingly small.”
Updated
What if the Commons blocks a no-deal Brexit, they are asked?
Hunt says his “Plan A” is to avoid such a scenario by securing a deal. He also attacks Johnson over his record while in cabinet, pointing out that he did not resign when the backstop plan was put in place and then subsequently voted for it once (while he acknowledges he voted for it three times).
Newton Dunn asks if net immigration will come down under each of the candidates. Johnson says he wants control but refuses to say it will fall.
Hunt agrees that control is the point but says people wanted overall levels of net migration to fall when they voted for Brexit. He claims not reduce net levels of immigration would be a betrayal and says the UK must train people currently in the country in order to reduce its reliance on migration to fill key jobs.
Johnson says it’s important not to send out a signal to the EU that the UK’s willing to contemplate a further delay.
The Sun’s political editor, Tom Newton Dunn, asks if it’s not unreasonable to suggest there’s sufficient time to renegotiate a deal that took two years to negotiate in the first place.
Johnson responds that he believes there’s willingness within the EU to do a deal. And he says the UK must prepare for a no deal or risk lacking credibility on the continent.
Hunt says he shares the enthusiasm for leaving on 31 October, saying that failing to leave at the end of March was a low-point for British politics. But he says Johnson’s promising something he knows he cannot deliver when he pledges to leave at the end of October regardless of whether or not there’s a deal in place.
The foreign secretary says his plan his to be more flexible on the deadline if there’s some sort of deal in place – though not quite finalised – at the end of September.
The first half of the debate will address questions on Brexit. Luke Black, a Tory member, gets the first question: How can the candidates convince young Tories they are the person to push Brexit through?
Johnson says he offers “clarity of purpose” to which the EU will respond.
Hunt says he the real question is: “Who has the plan?” Both he and Johnson are willing to pursue no-deal, he says, but it’s high-risk. There’s less risk in sending a prime minister to Brussels to negotiate a deal. One presumes he means himself.
The debate begins with one-minute opening statements from the two candidates. Johnson goes first, kicking off with his familiar “get Brexit done” line. Then he moves on to claim he has a plan to win people round to conservatism.
Hunt says he too wants to “deliver Brexit” and “stop Corbyn”. He says people who “think with their heads as well as their hearts” will favour his plan for the former. And he says he wants to convince more young people to vote for the Conservatives.
The head-to-head debate between Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson is about to get underway. We’ll bring you updates from that as they come in.
Senior Labour figures to discuss antisemitism claims
Numerous reports are now coming through that a shadow cabinet meeting will be convened on Monday – as requested by the shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer – to discuss claims of antisemitism within the Labour party.
Jeremy Corbyn will then face the parliamentary Labour party (PLP).
Starmer has demanded that the party work with the EHRC to shine a light on the claims.
Starmer says Corbyn will attend PLP next Monday before a special shadow cabinet meeting. On EHRC he says: “Throw open the books, throw open the files, and access to any member of staff. We cannot circle the wagons.”
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) July 15, 2019
NEW: John Cryer announces that there will be a special shadow cabinet meeting to discuss antisemitism on Monday. Jeremy Corbyn will then attend PLP that evening.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
And Cryer, the PLP’s chair, reportedly had some serious criticism of his own party at this evening’s meeting:
NEW: Understand at PLP John Cryer said “attack on whistleblowers was gross misjudgment and bottom line is we have racists in party and who are not being dealt with”.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
Louise Ellman said antisemitism was “a shame and a scourge and the leader’s response was disgraceful”.
The #plp chair John Cryer, i am told, was 'furious' at how the party leadership had handled #Panorama - parliamentary committee is writing to the 'whistleblowers' to express support for them And Louise Ellman denounced the leadership response to the programme as 'disgraceful'
— iain watson (@iainjwatson) July 15, 2019
An update from ITV’s Paul Brand on that video footage he said showed the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, apparently trying to avoid the cameras after addressing party staff:
I understand Jeremy Corbyn did not raise antisemitism with staff. Instead, topics of conversation on his walk around the office included the Durham Miners' Gala on the weekend.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
Am told Jeremy Corbyn was actually slipping off to get in the lift.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
Either way, moments later he left out of a discreet exit round the back of a department store rather than the main front / back exits where he’d spotted our cameras.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
And there are reports of confrontation at this evening’s PLP meeting over Labour’s response to antisemitism allegations:
New - At tonight’s PLP Keir Starmer is calling for dedicated shadow cabinet meeting on antisemtism, saying the party needs to throw open the books to the EHRC investigation
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) July 15, 2019
Am told PLP chairman John Cryer has said that Labour’s parliamentary committee will be offering its full support to Panorama whistleblowers...
— Harry Yorke (@HarryYorke1) July 15, 2019
On Labour’s response to Panorama, Siobhan McDonagh tells PLP: “The party of the workers? Don’t make me sick.”
— Kevin Schofield (@PolhomeEditor) July 15, 2019
At PLP several angry interventions over antisemitism already. @Siobhain_MP stood up to defend her constituent Sam Matthews who was one of the whistleblowers in the Panorama documentary.
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, has posted an interesting Twitter thread looking at what concessions Boris Johnson might get out of Europe. In short - not much, he thinks, but do read the whole thread. It starts here.
Having met some key officials Brussels, a thread on how the EU views the imminent arrival of a BJ government. The changes in top EU personnel will not make much difference, as Brexit policy will continue to be driven mainly by FRA, GER and a few other capitals. @CER_EU /1
— Charles Grant (@CER_Grant) July 15, 2019
And last night he published this Brexit forecast.
20% chance of no deal, 50% chance of leaving with a deal similar to May’s deal, 30% chance of Referendum. Those options could precede or follow an election, which seems quite likely. @CER_EU https://t.co/dTgNAqLiZ0
— Charles Grant (@CER_Grant) July 14, 2019
Key factor for me is how many Labour MPs are ready to vote for May-type deal. It may be 25. In which case the vote could be close. https://t.co/WieA9l9wnF
— Charles Grant (@CER_Grant) July 14, 2019
That’s all from me for tonight.
My colleague Kevin Rawlinson is taking over now.
This is from Naz Shah, the shadow minister for women, commenting on our story about Boris Johnson arguing in an essay some years ago that Islam caused the Muslim world to be “literally centuries behind” the west. (See 5.03pm.) Shah said:
This is as historically inaccurate as it is Islamophobic. Boris Johnson must fully apologise for his record of racist remarks.
After his previous comments describing women wearing the burqa as ‘letterboxes’ and ‘bankrobbers’, which has been linked to a rise in hate crime targeting Muslim women, Johnson’s disgraceful views make him unfit to be an MP, let alone prime minister.
His words will embolden the Islamophobes who, according to recent polling, make up over half of Conservative party members, who are about to choose the next prime minister of our country.
From ITV’s Paul Brand
WATCH: Jeremy Corbyn appears to slip behind a pillar in the foyer of Labour HQ to avoid the cameras awaiting his departure. He was there to speak to staff, apparently all part of a 'semi-regular' visit, as he faces criticism of the way the party's handled antisemitism. pic.twitter.com/6nSCD9IBpq
— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) July 15, 2019
Theresa May held a roundtable in Downing Street today with representatives from the car industry. Number 10 has just sent out a press release that reads a bit like another attempt to define a legacy of sorts for her premiership. Here is an extract.
The prime minister also set out a number of new commitments aimed at making electric vehicles more convenient than ever before to own, which were welcomed by attendees including:
making England the first place in the world where every new-build home will be fitted with an electric car chargepoint, under a consultation launched today
bringing forward plans to regulate chargepoints so that they use ‘smart’ technology which will send signals to electric vehicles to charge them at different times of the day, encouraging off-peak charging to keep costs down for consumers and helping prepare the energy system for mass uptake of electric vehicles
all new rapid and higher powered chargepoints to provide ‘pay as you go’ debit or credit card payment options by spring 2020 – ending the current wide variety of payment systems which is a source of frustration for drivers
The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s ambition for better access to rapid chargepoints by 2030, following her recent announcement that the office of low emission vehicles will undertake a review to develop a vision for a core network of rapid chargepoints along England’s key roadways. This would allow drivers to access them in a range of locations across the road network, including through and around cities.
But one of the biggest issues for the car industry is Brexit, and in particular how no-deal would threaten the just-in-time supply chains used by factories in Britain. The press notice does not mention the risk of no-deal at all.
Boris Johnson has been strongly criticised for arguing Islam has caused the Muslim world to be “literally centuries behind” the west, in an essay unearthed by the Guardian, Frances Perraudin reports.
At the risk of over-doing the Matthew Parris references today, Frances’ story is a very good example of a Johnson trait that Parris described in his Times’ column on Saturday (paywall). It is a very perceptive article on an essential Johnson trait. Here’s an extract.
There is communism; there is capitalism, Conservatism, Catholicism — and there is columnism. It’s a cast of mind. Its practitioners are a type. First, foremost and for ever, Boris will be a columnist. The reflections on his and my trade which follow should be read also as thoughts on Johnson himself.
Columnism is striking poses which (as any method actor will tell you) will only convince others if you yourself can temporarily inhabit the belief. You are counsel for the prosecution or defence of an idea, or dream, or fear, hatred, party or politician. You take a brief, elbow doubt and ambiguity aside, and go — joyously or ferociously but always (in the moment) with passion and conviction — full pelt. What columnism is not is making absolutely sure first that you’re right. To be frank, you sometimes rather doubt it.
Columnism is embracing a plan or project as a faithless man might embrace a woman: with an intensity no less sincere for being passing, ever-ready to flip the project or lady once their usefulness is past. It is hugging a set of principles fiercely to your breast while (should these principles not work out) keeping a wandering eye out for some spare ones down the back of the sofa.
Citizens' assembly to meet in Wales
With parliament deadlocked over Brexit, there is growing interest in the idea that citizens’ assemblies could be used to find policy solutions to problems that cannot be resolved by MPs. Gordon Brown, the former Labour prime minister, has been arguing for almost a year that a citizens’ assembly could provide a solution to Brexit. Rory Stewart put the same idea at the heart of his Brexit plan during his short-lived bid for the Conservative party leadership. And the Guardian is also formally backing the idea.
Unfortunately a Guardian endorsement does not always mean an idea is actually going to happen, and both possible future Tory leaders, as well as Jeremy Corbyn, have expressed no interest at all in using citizens’ assemblies.
But, not for the first time, progressive initiatives are being introduced first in Scotland and Wales. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, has already announced that she is setting up a citizens’ assembly to consider what kind of country Scotland should be in the future, and how it should handle Brexit. And today the Welsh assembly has announced that Wales’ first citizens’ assembly will meet for the first time in Newton, for three days starting from 19 July. Some 60 citizens were selected to take part, from a pool of 10,000 families randomly invited to apply, and they will consider ways to improve the democratic process in Wales. It is part of a series of events to mark 20 years of devolution.
Elin Jones, the assembly’s presiding officer, said:
The first citizens’ assembly for Wales is a landmark event and an important step on our devolution journey.
Public engagement is at the heart of the national assembly’s work. We want people in all parts of Wales to get involved with the democratic process by sharing their views and ideas with us.
For a democracy to thrive and improve, everyone must be involved. The Citizens’ Assembly is a pioneering way in which we can make sure our work is in line with the priorities of people across the country.
Here is the story by my colleagues Rowena Mason and Jessica Elgot on the offer by Labour peers to help Jeremy Corbyn address the antisemitism issue.
And here is the full text of the peers’ letter.
BREAKING: @UKLabour peers call for an independent complaints system for #anti-semitism and offer to help set it up pic.twitter.com/3OtaWraDMD
— iain watson (@iainjwatson) July 15, 2019
Labour peers offer to mediate in antisemitism row
These are from my colleague Rowena Mason.
NEW Labour’s leaders in the House of Lords have written to Jeremy Corbyn offering peers to investigate antisemitism in the party and advise on a new complaints system, warning him that without decisive leadership it is a “cancer that will continue to grow” > story soon
— Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) July 15, 2019
The letter is signed by Labour's leader in the Lords, Angela Smith, and Tommy McAvoy, the chief whip, both in the shadow cabinet, plus Diane Hayter, deputy Lords leader, and Toby Harris, chairman of the peers group. The letter is copied to all Lab peers as well as Corbyn's office
— Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) July 15, 2019
The 4 senior peers say: “It is now a toxic and endemic problem that we have failed to eradicate. Whatever action has been taken has failed to give confidence to Jewish and non Jewish members alike that there is an absolute determined will to effectively deal with their concerns."
— Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) July 15, 2019
They are offering:
— Rowena Mason (@rowenamason) July 15, 2019
1) A Lords panel to review the Panorama allegations with full access to existing and former party staff, as well as all paper and electronic records
2) Lords experts to set up a new complaints process 3) Advice on improving party’s governance arrangements
In an article for the Big Issue, Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and Tory leadership candidate, says as PM he would spend £30m rolling out a new approach to homelessness in London and two other cities. He explains:
I want to roll out the Housing First Approach that has been trailed in the West Midlands, Liverpool and Manchester.
This approach operates on the basis of two key principles. That housing is basic human right, and that once homelessness is resolved other clinical and social issues will be resolved faster.
It essentially means adopting the following approach –
Immediate or near immediate access to permanent accommodation for people on the streets without a housing readiness assessment.
No preconditions of treatment access or engagement are required to get this accommodation. They get unconditional access to whatever treatment they need.
I don’t think we have time to wait for the results of these pilots. So I will commit an extra £30m to roll it out immediately in London and at least two other UK cities. That could help at least an extra 1000 people off the streets. This would be an immediate step-change but longer-term I will publish a full cross-government strategy to use every lever at my power to eradicate this scourge.
And this is from the Labour MP David Lammy on the Trump tweets.
Too often people are more allergic to the term racism than the acts of racism themselves. Trump's tweets, calling for Congresswomen of colour to "go back", were not "racially-charged" or "racially-loaded." They were racist. Silence is complicity. https://t.co/6qqfjDbTEC
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 15, 2019
This is from Nick Boles, the former Conservative MP who now sits as an independent.
We are about to find out if @BorisJohnson puts his desire for a trade deal with the US above British values. If he does not condemn Trump’s racist comments, any protestations of his commitment to diversity and equal respect will be totally hollow.
— Nick Boles MP (@NickBoles) July 15, 2019
This is from Tortoise’s Polly Curtis, who has been watching the morning news programmes in New York.
The anchor on CNN now asking: "How come we've heard from Theresa May and next to no Republicans?"
— polly curtis (@pollycurtis) July 15, 2019
Lunchtime summary
- Theresa May has criticised Donald Trump’s “completely unacceptable” language towards four Democratic congresswomen, which has been condemned for racism, putting pressure on her likely successor, Boris Johnson, to speak out as well. The Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has urged Johnson and Jeremy Hunt to denounce Trump in similar terms. (See 12.06pm.)
- Jeremy Hunt, the underdog in the Tory leadership contest, has rejected claims that Boris Johnson’s victory next week is inevitable.
Getting back to the UK and reading a raft of stories that assume Boris will be next PM. Don’t! We have been getting huge numbers of switchers, won both the ITV debate and Neil interview and this all depends on how far Boris was ahead at start which no one knows...
— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) July 15, 2019
- More than 200 current and former Labour staffers, party members and supporters have written an open letter to Jeremy Corbyn challenging him to justify his handling of the antisemitism issue, Sky News is reporting. The signatories argue that if Corbyn is not prepared to face questions in public on this matter “from an experienced interviewer”, people will conclude he is not fit to lead a Labour government. (It sounds like they are hoping this might be another assignment for Andrew Neil.)
NEW - Over 200 current and former Labour staff and supporters write to condemn Labour’s handling of the Panorama documentary, accusing them of trying to “smear Jewish victims” and posing 5 questions for Corybn to answer pic.twitter.com/ud1ZuIz5pF
— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) July 15, 2019
Updated
This is from my colleague Jennifer Rankin in Brussels.
Commission president candidate Ursula von der Leyen has said she would support a Brexit extension if "good reasons".
— Jennifer Rankin (@JenniferMerode) July 15, 2019
That's a very logical position, as decision would be taken by EU leaders. And extension is a very hypothetical question. pic.twitter.com/mVrugI7yN3
UK in a Changing Europe, an academic network, have been holding a Brexit conference today. Here are some of the highlights.
. @bernardjenkin: the UK would reject the EU with greater force in a further referendum #BrexitConstitution pic.twitter.com/85IqFgTkHS
— The UK in a Changing Europe (@UKandEU) July 15, 2019
You can read the full text of the speech from Bernard Jenkin, the Tory Brexiter and chairman of the Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee, here.
. @bernardjenkin: the variety of our newspapers is something we should celebrate, the BBC is another matter and has an institutional bias on the EU issue #BrexitConstitution pic.twitter.com/B2ztLGoSlc
— The UK in a Changing Europe (@UKandEU) July 15, 2019
. @bernardjenkin: a basic goods agreement with the EU, leading to a more comprehensive one, would include ongoing harmonsation with EU rules until we reached a deal later #BrexitConstitution pic.twitter.com/QgtvcUlFMn
— The UK in a Changing Europe (@UKandEU) July 15, 2019
. @bernardjenkin: the cosy relationship between business and politicians has got to change, the public has lost faith in big business #BrexitConstitution pic.twitter.com/0xhY2Pt5NT
— The UK in a Changing Europe (@UKandEU) July 15, 2019
. @Gus_ODonnell: there is a basic knowledge gap on trade in this country, but we also need a more economically literate foreign office #BrexitConstitution pic.twitter.com/8BxmIwwwZD
— The UK in a Changing Europe (@UKandEU) July 15, 2019
Gus O’Donnell is a former cabinet secretary.
Sir Vince Cable, the outgoing Lib Dem leader, has just told the BBC’s Politics Live that he expects to see more MPs defecting to his party “before the summer is out”. There were a small number of Tory and Labour MPs who have given up on their parties, he said. But he would not be drawn on reports that the Tory MPs Phillip Lee and Guto Bebb are poised to switch if (as expected) Boris Johnson becomes party leader next week.
Jo Swinson, a candidate in the Lib Dem leadership contest, has denounced President Trump as a racist.
The President of the United States is a racist. Every political leader should call this out. Will you @BorisJohnson? #JoinJo https://t.co/d9nV1Btcem
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) July 15, 2019
Nadhim Zahawi, an education minister and a supporter of Boris Johnson, told the BBC’s Politics Live that he thought President Trump’s tweets were “inappropriate”. But he would not describe them as racist, and argued that British politicians should not get involved in domestic internal politics, BuzzFeed’s Alex Wickham reports.
Nadhim Zahawi on #PoliticsLive says Trump's tweets were "inappropriate" but won't call them racist... says it's a domestic US issue and UK politicians should not interfere
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) July 15, 2019
UPDATE: Here’s the clip.
Donald's Trump tweets on congresswomen: Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi says the UK should not "interject" in US politics
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) July 15, 2019
"This is inappropriate; it is not language I would use. I am condemning it, but this is domestic US policy" #politicslive https://t.co/UsAVE8BsOK pic.twitter.com/6l2VH47N1k
Updated
From my colleague Jessica Elgot
New - Understand Labour staff in the GMB union branch are to propose a motion this week condemning the party’s response ex-staff speaking to Panorama
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) July 15, 2019
UPDATE: PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield has the text of the motion.
As per ace @PaulBrandITV scoop, the Labour staff GMB branch motion on anti-semitism, Panorama and the use of NDAs is very strong. pic.twitter.com/zp6r9bJazG
— Kevin Schofield (@PolhomeEditor) July 15, 2019
Updated
How Theresa May is starting to open up about her enemies in her final days in office
Theresa May is famously reserved. Even before she became prime minister she was notorious amongst journalists for her reluctance to any anything indiscreet - Nick Robinson once turned down a lunch with her when she was home secretary and he was BBC political editor because he thought it would be a waste of time - and as PM she has got through countless interviews giving almost nothing away.
But another rather less well-known characteristic of hers is that she is, in the words of Tory journalist Matthew Parris, “a good hater”. As Parris explained last year in a very good Times article (paywall) about his various encounters with her:
I learnt that this well-mannered woman was a good hater. At the mention of a particular colleague’s name her lip curled, she made no attempt to conceal her dislike, and rather seemed to enjoy the disdain.
In her final days in office this side of May’s character seems to be coming out - at least, a little. The Number 10 lobby briefing this morning (see 11.48am) seems to give a clue as to what she really feels about the US president who showed his gratitude for a state visit by insulting her in public. I can think of three other examples in recent weeks where she gave a glimpse of who else is on her hate list.
1 - Jeremy Corbyn. May has often denounced Corbyn at PMQs, but two weeks ago there seemed to be an added bitterness in her voice as she effectively accused him of hypocrisy, saying Labour had no right to criticise no-deal when it repeatedly voted down her own proposed Brexit deal.
2 - Nicola Sturgeon. Barack Obama once said that the only people determined to obstruct anything he did, regardless of their own interests, were Vladimir Putin and congressional Republicans. In a recent speech in Edinburgh, May said something broadly similar about Sturgeon and the Scottish government.
3 - Boris Johnson. May has been reluctant to criticise her likely successor directly, but just occasionally we get a clue as to what she may be thinking privately. There was a good example on Friday when she spoke out about people who think being PM is all about power, not service. It was not hard to decipher who she meant
Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Conservative leader, says Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt should both also condemn President Trump’s racist tweets. (See 11.48am.)
She's right. And both men vying to be her successor should say so. https://t.co/hEtt4yp9HM
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) July 15, 2019
So far both Johnson and Hunt have been silent on this. (See 11.17am.)
Updated
Unusually Theresa May, via her press secretary, managed to issue a condemnation of President Trump’s latest outrage before Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, who is normally much more ready to denounce him. But Sturgeon has now issued her own criticism on Twitter.
The President of the United States telling elected politicians - or any other Americans for that matter - to ‘go back’ to other countries is not OK, and diplomatic politeness should not stop us saying so, loudly and clearly. https://t.co/HorD7wQOvP
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) July 15, 2019
Downing Street says Trump's 'go back home' tweet to congresswomen 'completely unacceptable'
This is from the BBC’s Nick Eardley who is just back from the Downing Street lobby.
NEW: PM hits out at @realDonaldTrump tweets to US congresswomen. Official spokesman says President’s comments “completely unacceptable”.
— Nick Eardley (@nickeardleybbc) July 15, 2019
Here is the Guardian story about how Donald Trump posted a racist tweet on Sunday attacking four progressive Democratic congresswomen, telling them to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime-infested places from which they came”.
And here are the Trump tweets.
So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly......
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
....and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
What’s remarkable about this is that, until now, Theresa May has been extremely reluctant to criticise Donald Trump.
Perhaps her stance has shifted in response to what he had to say about her last week. Here’s a reminder.
...handled. I told @theresa_may how to do that deal, but she went her own foolish way-was unable to get it done. A disaster! I don’t know the Ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool. Tell him the USA now has the best Economy & Military anywhere in the World, by far...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2019
Updated
Vince Cable to become visiting professor at Centre for Brexit Studies at Birmingham City University
Sir Vince Cable has got a new job for when he stands down as leader of the Liberal Democrats next week. Birmingham City University has just announced that he will be joining them as a visiting professor at their Centre for Brexit Studies. “Sir Vince will take up the position this summer and will focus on looking at the economics and scenarios related to Britain’s exit from the EU,” the university says.
From BuzzFeed’s Alex Wickham
Have checked with Johnson/Hunt teams and as of 11am neither are criticising Trump's racist tweets (maybe they will be asked at tonight's debate)
— Alex Wickham (@alexwickham) July 15, 2019
Hours *after* the tweets, Team Johnson briefed out that 'resetting relations' with Trump is one of his first priorities as PM...
This week the Guardian is running a series called the real Boris Johnson. You can read all today’s articles here. They are all good, including Jennifer Rankin and Jim Waterson’s article about how he made his names as a Brussels correspondent filing wilfully misleading stories about the EU.
On the same theme, Martin Fletcher has written an article for Tortoise listing some of those exaggerated stories. But the highlight is probably this final paragraph, from the further reading box.
Last year Der Spiegel admitted that one of its star reporters, Claas Relotius had likely embellished reports and fabricated entire events for years. He apologised, was stripped of various awards, and is not currently running for high office in Germany.
Boris Johnson proposes tax breaks to encourage firms to spend more on workers' mental health
In his Daily Telegraph column (paywall) Boris Johnson says that, if he becomes prime minister, his first budget would include tax breaks for firms that spend money helping their employees deal with stress and mental health problems. He says:
As things stand, mental health and occupational health services are taxable as benefits in kind. That means they incur both income tax and national insurance.
At most, employers can get a modest reimbursement of £500, but only if an employee is off for more than 28 days – a hopeless incentive, since the whole objective should be to keep the employee in the workplace, or to ensure that time off is as brief as possible.
So let me make a suggestion. I believe it is time to offer preferential tax treatment to companies that look after employees in work – giving them the counselling and the help they need to do their jobs.
It is time for the Treasury and the NHS to work together to review the rules. And if they can come up with a plan – and I am sure that they can – we should put it into effect this autumn in what, if I am lucky enough to be elected, would be the first budget of the new government.
Iran nuclear deal 'isn't dead yet', says Hunt
Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, has insisted that the Iran nuclear deal is not yet dead. Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, and referring to the agreement, he said:
Well, it isn’t dead yet.
And we are totally committed to keeping the Middle East denuclearised.
If Iran acquires nuclear weapons then other countries in the region will acquire nuclear weapons. It becomes a very, very toxic and dangerous situation.
We are looking to find a way to preserve the nuclear deal.
Iran is still a good year away from developing a nuclear weapon.
We think there is still some closing but small window to keep the deal alive, and that’s what I’m here to talk about.
What we are looking for is to give Iran a way out of this so that they can get back into compliance with that nuclear deal.
Here are my colleagues John Crace and Marina Hyde on Liam Fox’s Today interview.
When Boris is being fact-checked by Liam Fox, you know the country is in even worse a state than you feared https://t.co/mUBFCNCL5u
— John Crace (@JohnJCrace) July 15, 2019
Of all the indignities this leadership contest has forced us into, the fact that I have now twice had to nod in agreement with Liam Fox is possibly the most despair-inducing
— Marina Hyde (@MarinaHyde) July 15, 2019
In his Today interview Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, also said there was no need for Sir Kim Darroch, the ambassador to Washington, to be replaced by a career diplomat. A politician could do the job, he suggested.
I’ve always thought that we should be using a wider range of people in some of our diplomatic posts ... Some senior members of parliament have gone on to take up posts, for example the high commission in Australia, and have been very successful at doing so.
It did sound a bit as though Fox, an Americanophile with extensive Washington contacts, might be putting in a bid for the job himself, although given that he is supporting Jeremy Hunt in the Tory leadership contest, he is unlikely to feature on Boris Johnson’s list of suitable candidates.
The Times story saying that Boris Johnson would try to agree a partial UK-US trade deal by 31 October, covering just one area of trade, is sourced to an unnamed ally of Johnson’s. (See 9.20am.) Asked to comment by the paper, the Johnson campaign did not confirm or deny the story, but insisted they were just focusing on winning the leadership election.
However, this morning campaign sources are being more definitive. “It’s not from us,” a senior figure told me, adding that the story was “nonsense”.
Liam Fox says Boris Johnson's ambition to get US to adopt UK food standards in trade deal unrealistic
In his Today interview Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, was also asked about a recent claim by Boris Johnson, the favourite in the Tory leadership contest, that the UK should try to get the US to adopt British food standards in a trade deal. At a hustings last week Johnson said:
I don’t want us to do any deal with the US which in anyway jeopardises our animal welfare standards or our food hygiene standards. The quality of food in this country must be protected and if anything we should be insisting that if the Americans want to trade with us they should be obeying our standards.
When asked if he thought this was realistic, Fox told Today:
Well, I think if you go to the US and you say we are going to take any discussions on agricultural access off the agenda, you’ll find that they close down pretty quickly in terms of their willingness to discuss things. When you go into a trade negotiation, both sides will have their asks, both sides will have their defensive elements, but it is certainly true that we should be trying to get an agreement with the United States as quickly as we possibly can.
Updated
Today the Times splashes on a story (paywall) claiming that Boris Johnson plans to make “resetting relations with President Trump one of his first acts in Downing Street” and that he wants to negotiated a limited trade deal with the US in time for when the UK leaves the EU on 31 October. Here’s an extract.
Under plans being discussed by Mr Johnson’s team he would strike a limited trade deal in “one area” of goods in time for October 31. He and Mr Trump would also establish the broad outlines of a fully fledged deal. “There is no question that the moment we leave on the 31st we should be in a position to get some kind of arrangement with the US,” the source said.
Monday’s TIMES: “Johnson to seek Trump deal in first move as PM” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/N74uoaDp37
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) July 14, 2019
But on the Today programme this morning Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, who is backing Jeremy Hunt for the Tory leadership, said that Johnson’s plan was impossible. He explained:
We can’t negotiate anything with the US until after we’ve left the European Union ... It would be in breach of European law for us to do that.
Negotiating a UK-US trade deal would take time, he said. He went on:
You’ve got the added complication, just remember, that we’re now getting very close to the American pre-election year where it is quite hard to get things through congress. So even if you negotiate them quickly, you would not necessarily be able to ratify them.
In the interview Fox also dismissed another Johnson proposal, for the UK to insist that any trade deal requires the US to match UK food standards. I will post the relevant quotes in a moment.
UPDATE: This morning the Johnson camp has described the Times story about an early, partial trade deal with the US as “nonsense”. (See 9.32am.)
Here is the agenda for the day.
9am: Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, gives a speech on violent crime. As Vikram Dodd reports, he will argue that serious youth violence, such as stabbings and shootings, is strongly connected to social exclusion and austerity.
11am: Downing Street lobby briefing.
2.30pm: Sajid Javid, the home secretary, takes questions from the Commons.
7pm: Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt take part in a debate hosted by the Sun.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary at lunchtime and then another when I finish.
You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.
If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter.
Updated
