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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jun/27/brexit-live-george-osborne-economy-corbyn-shadow-cabinet
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| Version 22 | Version 23 |
|---|---|
| Brexit live: Labour MPs to hold no confidence vote in Jeremy Corbyn | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 8.07pm BST | |
| 20:07 | |
| This is the view from the platform where Corbyn was speaking: | |
| I was as elected as the Labour Party's leader to redistribute wealth and power pic.twitter.com/J8F0f4qooO | |
| 8.06pm BST | |
| 20:06 | |
| Corbyn has finished speaking. | |
| He spoke defiantly in front of a rally by the pro-Corbyn organization Momentum in parliament square. He didn’t mention the no-confidence vote he’s facing from the Parliamentary Labour Party. | |
| He left that to his shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who made clear that Corbyn would not be resigning his position, and would be a candidate in any future Labour leadership race. | |
| 8.04pm BST | |
| 20:04 | |
| Corbyn calls for “greater respect in the way we treat each other.” | |
| I do not want to live in a country where there are people sleeping in the streets while the mansions are empty. I do not want to walk away from discussions on human rights ... because to me, human rights are universal, not national. | |
| In the background as Corbyn speaks, Big Ben tolls the hour. | |
| I don’t want to be somebody that says to young people, ‘sorry, you’re not going to have it as good as we did because the nation can’t afford it’ ... and we cascade poverty and debt down the generations. | |
| Or are we going to say that the brilliance of science and engineering must be the opportunity for the redistribution of wealth, and that we develop an economy that excites a whole generation that have been told they can only look forward to a future of debt. | |
| 8.00pm BST | |
| 20:00 | |
| More Corbyn, speaking in the shadow of the Palace of Westminster: | |
| We have a government that is giving tax breaks to the super rich. We have a government that is systematically privatising at least half of our NHS, and if you overlay the map of poverty in Britain, one of those heat maps, and then you overlaid it with where the biggest cuts are taking places, they would be exactly the same, because that is the priority of this govt. | |
| John McDonnell as Shadow Chancellor has called this out and turned out party into an anti austerity party, and I thank John for all the work he’s done. | |
| He thanks Diane Abbott, who is standing beside him, for her work as shadow secretary for international development. | |
| “All these issues have to be linked together to economic inequality,” he says. | |
| It’s the spirit of hope or the spirit of despair. Which are we? | |
| No mention so far of the no-confidence vote among Labour MPs that he’s facing. | |
| 7.56pm BST | |
| 19:56 | |
| Jeremy Corbyn addresses his supporters in Parliament Square | |
| “Friends. Straight after we won the leadership election last year we came to this very same spot to speak up for the rights of refugees to live in our society,” he begins. | |
| And one of the horrible disfigurements of our society is racism, intolerance ... and sadly this has increased in the last few days. Can we agree we are going to unite as one society to oppose racism in any form. | |
| And recognise that the grotesque exploitation of workers on zero hours contracts called out by Dennis Skinner in the house of commons shows that we don’t need the blame culture, we need the unite culture to work for the social justice to which we all aspire. | |
| Here’s a video of the rally: | |
| 7.52pm BST | |
| 19:52 | |
| “We will not allow the democracy of our movement to be undermined by a handful of MPs who refuse to accept Jeremy’s mandate,” McDonnell continues defiantly. | |
| We’re not going anywhere. We’re standing solid in solidarity together to ensure we maintain the democracy of our movement, and to ensure that Jeremy Corbyn remains the leader of the Labour Party. | |
| “Solidarity!” he ends. | |
| 7.50pm BST | |
| 19:50 | |
| Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell addresses the pro-Corbyn rally in Parliament Square. | |
| “Let me make this absolutely clear,” he says. “Jeremy Corbyn was elected only nine months ago with the biggest mandate any political leader has had from the rank and file of their party. The biggest. We call that democracy.” | |
| What we have seen in the last few days is a small number of MPs seeking to undermine the democratic decisions of the labour party members and trade union movement | |
| Let me make it absolutely clear. Jeremy Corbyn is not resigning. He’s staying on. | |
| If there are MPs who disagree with Jeremy and his policies, it is open to them under our constitution to seek another election. But let me make it clear: if there is another election, Jeremy Corbyn will be standing again and I will be supporting him. | |
| 7.45pm BST | |
| 19:45 | |
| The no-confidence vote will be a secret ballot of the Parliamentary Labour Party. They would then have to collect 51 names in support of a leadership challenge. | |
| According to Iain Watson, a BBC political reporter, on Twitter: “Jeremy Corbyn’s spokespeople say he will stay in post until there is a formal challenge and will be a candidate in any leadership contest.” | |
| In Parliament square, where Corbyn is expected to speak imminently, his supporters are chanting “Jez we can”. | |
| 7.40pm BST | |
| 19:40 | |
| Drama outside the PLP as Corbyn’s spokesman reportedly has a shouting match with John Woodcock MP over briefing against Corbyn “every day” - a row they just had in front of more than 30 reporters. | |
| Shouting match between Corbyn spokesman and John woodcock in corridor. Drama | |
| John Woodcock having remarkable stand-up row with Corbyn's spokesman outside the PLP. | |
| Big argument between John Woodcock MP and Corbyn press team with 30 journalists in corridor. "You criticise us in media every day, John." | |
| Woodcock taking issue with the 'extraordinary' and 'highly distorted account' of PLP meeting - says Corbyn an existential threat to party | |
| 7.38pm BST | |
| 19:38 | |
| “No-one on the leave side doesn’t want free trade with Europe,” prominent pro-leave MEP Daniel Hannan just said on BBC News. | |
| As far as Europe goes, it should be possible to stay inside an arrangement with the EU with bilateral deals, which would allow for free movement, but what we will not have are foreign courts deciding who can come into the UK. | |
| 7.26pm BST | 7.26pm BST |
| 19:26 | 19:26 |
| PLP decides to go ahead with no confidence vote | PLP decides to go ahead with no confidence vote |
| The PLP meeting has finished with MPs deciding to move forward with a vote of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. | The PLP meeting has finished with MPs deciding to move forward with a vote of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. |
| Key conclusion :There WILL be a vote on Margaret Hodge motion of no confidence, PLP decided. | Key conclusion :There WILL be a vote on Margaret Hodge motion of no confidence, PLP decided. |
| Senior Labour MP tells me after PLP that "Jeremy just won't take responsibility. The people around him bear a heavy responsibility" | Senior Labour MP tells me after PLP that "Jeremy just won't take responsibility. The people around him bear a heavy responsibility" |
| "writing on the wall is 8 metres high" says one Labour MP about Corbyn. "Very depressing. A vacuum surrounded by an emptiness" #labour | "writing on the wall is 8 metres high" says one Labour MP about Corbyn. "Very depressing. A vacuum surrounded by an emptiness" #labour |
| Chuka Umunna describes the PLP meeting as "pretty catastrophic " | Chuka Umunna describes the PLP meeting as "pretty catastrophic " |
| Outside the meeting, the Momentum rally in support of Corbyn continues to gain strength. | Outside the meeting, the Momentum rally in support of Corbyn continues to gain strength. |
| The Momentum Corbyn rally. Big crowd. pic.twitter.com/aeSd2Jo3WU | The Momentum Corbyn rally. Big crowd. pic.twitter.com/aeSd2Jo3WU |
| 7.21pm BST | 7.21pm BST |
| 19:21 | 19:21 |
| S&P’s two-notch downgrade comes hot on the heels of Moody’s, which downgraded the UK’s outlook to negative on Friday night, Graeme Warden reports over on the business liveblog. | S&P’s two-notch downgrade comes hot on the heels of Moody’s, which downgraded the UK’s outlook to negative on Friday night, Graeme Warden reports over on the business liveblog. |
| Losing the Triple-A credit rating might not have any immediate impact on Britain’s ability to borrow. | Losing the Triple-A credit rating might not have any immediate impact on Britain’s ability to borrow. |
| That’s because worried investors have been keen to buy UK government bonds since the Brexit crisis erupted, driving borrowing costs down to record lows. | That’s because worried investors have been keen to buy UK government bonds since the Brexit crisis erupted, driving borrowing costs down to record lows. |
| But it’s a humiliating moment for the government, which put ‘repairing the public finances’ at the heart of its strategy (not always successfully). | But it’s a humiliating moment for the government, which put ‘repairing the public finances’ at the heart of its strategy (not always successfully). |
| Moody’s and Fitch both downgraded the UK in 2013. S&P maintained the AAA through the eurozone debt crisis, but has now lost the faith. | Moody’s and Fitch both downgraded the UK in 2013. S&P maintained the AAA through the eurozone debt crisis, but has now lost the faith. |
| 7.12pm BST | 7.12pm BST |
| 19:12 | 19:12 |
| Standard & Poor's downgrades the UK's credit rating | Standard & Poor's downgrades the UK's credit rating |
| Nicky Woolf here taking over from my colleague Andrew Sparrow on the fourth evening since the UK voted to leave the EU. | Nicky Woolf here taking over from my colleague Andrew Sparrow on the fourth evening since the UK voted to leave the EU. |
| The UK has lost its AAA credit rating from S&P in the wake of the country’s decision to leave the EU. | The UK has lost its AAA credit rating from S&P in the wake of the country’s decision to leave the EU. |
| The agency blamed the Brexit vote, saying it has weakened the UK’s “predictability, stability and effectiveness” of policymaking in the UK. | The agency blamed the Brexit vote, saying it has weakened the UK’s “predictability, stability and effectiveness” of policymaking in the UK. |
| It also believes that growth will be ‘significantly lower’ between 2016 and 2019, averaging just 1.1% per year. | It also believes that growth will be ‘significantly lower’ between 2016 and 2019, averaging just 1.1% per year. |
| They also warned that foreign firms are less likely to invest in the UK and the sterling could also lose its role as a global reserve currency. | They also warned that foreign firms are less likely to invest in the UK and the sterling could also lose its role as a global reserve currency. |
| S&P says: | S&P says: |
| “In our opinion, this outcome is a seminal event, and will lead to a less predictable, stable, and effective policy framework in the U.K. We have reassessed our view of the U.K.’s institutional assessment and now no longer consider it a strength in our assessment of the rating.” | “In our opinion, this outcome is a seminal event, and will lead to a less predictable, stable, and effective policy framework in the U.K. We have reassessed our view of the U.K.’s institutional assessment and now no longer consider it a strength in our assessment of the rating.” |
| More details available on our Business liveblog here. | More details available on our Business liveblog here. |
| 7.04pm BST | 7.04pm BST |
| 19:04 | 19:04 |
| Andrew Sparrow | Andrew Sparrow |
| And these are from my colleague Anushka Asthana. | And these are from my colleague Anushka Asthana. |
| PLP mood described as "despairing". Lots of MPs, one by one, saying that he owes the party his resignation or he will destroy it. | PLP mood described as "despairing". Lots of MPs, one by one, saying that he owes the party his resignation or he will destroy it. |
| Corbyn tells PLP that he can win a general election... | Corbyn tells PLP that he can win a general election... |
| Oh correction: Corbyn said he wants to win a GE. MPs shouting resign. Yikes. One MP says he done what Corbyn never has: won marginal seat | Oh correction: Corbyn said he wants to win a GE. MPs shouting resign. Yikes. One MP says he done what Corbyn never has: won marginal seat |
| That’s all from me for today. | That’s all from me for today. |
| My colleague Nicky Woolf is taking over now. | My colleague Nicky Woolf is taking over now. |
| 7.00pm BST | 7.00pm BST |
| 19:00 | 19:00 |
| Here is more from the Momentum rally, from PA’s David Wilcock. | Here is more from the Momentum rally, from PA’s David Wilcock. |
| .@jennyunite tells crowd Jeremy Corbyn took the right tone during #euref campaign | .@jennyunite tells crowd Jeremy Corbyn took the right tone during #euref campaign |
| Apologies that's @JennieUnite | Apologies that's @JennieUnite |
| Union chap Dave Ward: "There is a virus and we are the antidote." | Union chap Dave Ward: "There is a virus and we are the antidote." |
| Tosh McDonald of Aslef wants the pits and power stations renationalised. pic.twitter.com/2f6QBhV29y | Tosh McDonald of Aslef wants the pits and power stations renationalised. pic.twitter.com/2f6QBhV29y |
| Tosh McD "I used to get up an hour early to hate Thatcher. Some of current PLP are running her close for how much I hate them." | Tosh McD "I used to get up an hour early to hate Thatcher. Some of current PLP are running her close for how much I hate them." |
| Boos for the name of @RhonddaBryant from the crowd. | Boos for the name of @RhonddaBryant from the crowd. |
| Tosh MacDonald: "People are tired of strong leaders." #Jexit | Tosh MacDonald: "People are tired of strong leaders." #Jexit |
| Backstage @jonlansman of Momentum keeps a watchful eye on events. pic.twitter.com/tx8OnLn8uP | Backstage @jonlansman of Momentum keeps a watchful eye on events. pic.twitter.com/tx8OnLn8uP |
| Speakers now moving to top of a fire engine so back of crowd can see them. | Speakers now moving to top of a fire engine so back of crowd can see them. |
| Boos for @margarethodge "she couldn't even get her own constituency to vote remain." Ditto @hilarybennmp | Boos for @margarethodge "she couldn't even get her own constituency to vote remain." Ditto @hilarybennmp |
| 6.55pm BST | 6.55pm BST |
| 18:55 | 18:55 |
| On Twitter some of those at the Momentum rally, or observing it, are complaining about the large number of Socialist Worker party baners. | On Twitter some of those at the Momentum rally, or observing it, are complaining about the large number of Socialist Worker party baners. |
| This is from Progress’s Richard Angell. | This is from Progress’s Richard Angell. |
| Where are the Labour members? They are all SWP/SP banners! Entryists have taken over #LabourReshuffle pic.twitter.com/1VUArdTZ0s | Where are the Labour members? They are all SWP/SP banners! Entryists have taken over #LabourReshuffle pic.twitter.com/1VUArdTZ0s |
| This is from the New Statesman’s Helen Lewis. | This is from the New Statesman’s Helen Lewis. |
| If all those people with SWP placards care so deeply about the Labour party, maybe they should join it? https://t.co/bvkNnrcGPZ | If all those people with SWP placards care so deeply about the Labour party, maybe they should join it? https://t.co/bvkNnrcGPZ |
| This is from the Economist’s Jeremy Cliffe. | This is from the Economist’s Jeremy Cliffe. |
| Jeremy Corbyn is about to address an SWP rally outside Parliament. | Jeremy Corbyn is about to address an SWP rally outside Parliament. |
| 6.51pm BST | 6.51pm BST |
| 18:51 | 18:51 |
| Anushka Asthana | Anushka Asthana |
| Alan Johnson’s intervention at the PLP (see 6.46pm) came as emails leaked to the Guardian reveal that staff in both Corbyn and John McDonnell’s offices removed sentences from statements and speeches, which had been suggested by the remain campaign and workers in Labour’s headquarters. | Alan Johnson’s intervention at the PLP (see 6.46pm) came as emails leaked to the Guardian reveal that staff in both Corbyn and John McDonnell’s offices removed sentences from statements and speeches, which had been suggested by the remain campaign and workers in Labour’s headquarters. |
| In one chain of emails referring to the publication of a Treasury report, McDonnell was repeatedly pressed to make his statement more clearly about the EU referendum. | In one chain of emails referring to the publication of a Treasury report, McDonnell was repeatedly pressed to make his statement more clearly about the EU referendum. |
| The final wording included a reference to the impact of a Tory Brexit, but removed - “Labour will continue to campaign for Britain to remain in Europe to protect jobs, growth, trade, investment and working people” - which had been suggested by the party’s central press office. | The final wording included a reference to the impact of a Tory Brexit, but removed - “Labour will continue to campaign for Britain to remain in Europe to protect jobs, growth, trade, investment and working people” - which had been suggested by the party’s central press office. |
| In a separate piece of correspondence, Corbyn’s team edited the sentence, “I am clear just like my shadow cabinet, the trade union movement and our members, that it is in the interests of the people of this country to remain in the European Union”, to take out any personal reference. | In a separate piece of correspondence, Corbyn’s team edited the sentence, “I am clear just like my shadow cabinet, the trade union movement and our members, that it is in the interests of the people of this country to remain in the European Union”, to take out any personal reference. |
| They also changed, “we have just nine days to go and I will be working night and day to convince Labour supporters to vote Remain” to “we have just nine days to convince Labour supporters to vote Remain”. | They also changed, “we have just nine days to go and I will be working night and day to convince Labour supporters to vote Remain” to “we have just nine days to convince Labour supporters to vote Remain”. |
| 6.46pm BST | 6.46pm BST |
| 18:46 | 18:46 |
| Alan Johnson attacks Corbyn for his performance in EU referendum campaign | Alan Johnson attacks Corbyn for his performance in EU referendum campaign |
| Alan Johnson, chair of Labour In for Britain, has been attacking Jeremy Corbyn at the PLP meeting, according to reports. | Alan Johnson, chair of Labour In for Britain, has been attacking Jeremy Corbyn at the PLP meeting, according to reports. |
| This is from Politico’s Tom McTague. | This is from Politico’s Tom McTague. |
| One MP texts from inside the PLP: "Alan Johnson batters Corbyn over Europe." | One MP texts from inside the PLP: "Alan Johnson batters Corbyn over Europe." |
| And this is from PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield. | And this is from PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield. |
| Alan Johnson "eviscerating" Corbyn and his office at PLP. "I'll take my responsibility, you need to take yours." | Alan Johnson "eviscerating" Corbyn and his office at PLP. "I'll take my responsibility, you need to take yours." |
| And this is from Huffington Post’s Paul Waugh. | And this is from Huffington Post’s Paul Waugh. |
| 1 of biggest cheers of the PLP just went to Alan Johnson. Key causus belli is TeamCorb undermining Remain campaign and sanguine 're Brexit | 1 of biggest cheers of the PLP just went to Alan Johnson. Key causus belli is TeamCorb undermining Remain campaign and sanguine 're Brexit |
| For more on what Johnson thinks of Corbyn’s contribution to the referendum, see 2.19pm. | For more on what Johnson thinks of Corbyn’s contribution to the referendum, see 2.19pm. |