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'Brexit means Brexit': May launches Tory leadership bid as Gove abandons Johnson – live Boris Johnson says he will not run for Tory party leadership after Gove challenge – live
(35 minutes later)
11.32am BST 12.03pm BST
11:32 12:03
Theresa May's leadership launch - Summary Boris Johnson's surprise announcement in full
Here are the main points from Theresa May’s speech and Q&A. It was a solid, serious speech, with more detail than Stephen Crabb’s speech earlier, and concessions designed to appeal to Tory Brexiteers and Tory liberals (there are a few) respectively. Here is Johnson’s surprise announcement at the end of his speech. It came after he called for measures to cut inequality and spread opportunity.
Here are the main points. That is the agenda for the next prime minister of this country.
Britain still needs a Government that is capable of delivering a programme of serious social reform and realising a vision of a country that truly works for everyone. Well, I must tell you, my friends, you who have waited faithfully for the punchline of this speech, that having consulted colleagues and in view of the circumstances in parliament, I have concluded that person cannot be me.
The evidence of this need has been known to us for a long time. If you’re born poor, you will die on average nine years earlier than others. If you’re black, you’re treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you’re white. If you’re a white, working-class boy, you’re less likely than anybody else to go to university. If you’re at a state school, you’re less likely to reach the top professions than if you’re educated privately. If you’re a woman, you still earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there’s too often not enough help to hand. If you’re young, you’ll find it harder than ever before to own your own home. These are all burning injustices, and - as I did with the misuse of stop and search and deaths in police custody and modern slavery - I am determined to fight against them. My role will be to give every possible support to the next Conservative administration to make sure that we properly fulfil the mandate of the people that was delivered at the referendum and to champion the agenda that I believe in, to stick up for the forgotten people of this country.
She also said it was important to look after those once described by Ed Miliband as “the squeezed middle”. And, if we do so, if we invest in our children and improve their life chances, if we continue to fuel the engines of social mobility, if we build on the great reforming legacy of David Cameron, if we invest in our infrastructure and we follow a sensible, one nation Conservative approach that is simultaneously tax-cutting and pro-enterprise, then I believe that this country can win and be better and more wonderful and, yes, greater than ever before.
But the mission to make this a country that works for everyone goes further than fighting these injustices. If you’re from an ordinary, working-class family, life is just much harder than many people in politics realise. You have a job, but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about mortgage rates going up. You can just about manage, but you worry about the cost of living and the quality of the local school, because there’s no other choice for you. 12.00pm BST
Some need to be told that what the Government does isn’t a game, it’s a serious business that has real consequences for people’s lives. 12:00
She also cracked a joke about his negotiating abilities. Corbyn accused of comparing Israel with Isis
While it is absolutely vital that the government continues with its intention to reduce public spending and cut the budget deficit, we should no longer seek to reach a budget surplus by the end of the Parliament. If before 2020 there is a choice between further spending cuts, more borrowing and tax rises, the priority must be to avoid tax increases since they would disrupt consumption, employment and investment.
The second point is while the ability to trade with EU member states is vital to our prosperity, there is clearly no mandate for a deal that involves accepting the free movement of people as it has worked hitherto. Now is not the time for me to set out my full negotiating principles - that will come later. But I want to be clear that as we conduct our negotiations, it must be a priority to allow British companies to trade with the single market in goods and services - but also to regain more control of the numbers of people who come here from Europe. Any attempt to wriggle out of that - especially from leadership candidates who campaigned to leave the EU by focusing on immigration - will be unacceptable to the public.
This seems to be a reference to Johnson’s Telegraph article on Monday, in which he played down the importance of controlling immigration. That article seems to have done huge damage to Johnson’s campaign.
I will therefore create a new government department responsible for conducting Britain’s negotiation with the EU and for supporting the rest of Whitehall in its European work. That department will be led by a senior Secretary of State - and I will make sure that the position is taken by a Member of Parliament who campaigned for Britain to leave the EU.
With Chris Grayling, a prominent leave campaigner, running her campaign, he may now be the obvious candidate for that job.
Brexit means Brexit. The campaign was fought, the vote was held, turnout was high, and the public gave their verdict. There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to rejoin it through the back door, and no second referendum.
Lots of people on the Tory left couldn't support a candidate who would pull the UK out of the ECHR, so May is dropping that pledge now
I know some politicians seek high office because they’re driven by ideological fervour. And I know others seek it for reasons of ambition or glory. But my reasons are much simpler. I grew up the daughter of a local vicar and the granddaughter of a regimental sergeant major. Public service has been a part of who I am for as long as I can remember.
I know I’m not a showy politician. I don’t tour the television studios. I don’t gossip about people over lunch. I don’t go drinking in Parliament’s bars. I don’t often wear my heart on my sleeve. I just get on with the job in front of me.
And you can judge me by my record. As Home Secretary, I was told I couldn’t take on the Police Federation, but I did. I was told I couldn’t cut police spending without crime going up, but crime is lower than ever. I was told I shouldn’t start asking questions about police corruption, but everywhere I’ve seen it - from Stephen Lawrence to Hillsborough - I’ve exposed it. I was told I couldn’t stop Gary McKinnon’s extradition, but I stood up to the American Government and I stopped it. I was told I couldn’t deport Abu Qatada, but I flew to Jordan and negotiated the treaty that got him out of Britain for good.
11.23am BST
11:23
Haroon SiddiqueHaroon Siddique
Tory MP Nigel Evans, who is backing Boris Johnson, was asked whether Theresa May had stabbed his favoured candidate in the back and Michael Gove had stabbed him in the front. He replied: Meanwhile, the embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corby has put the cat among the pigeons at the launch of a report into antisemitism within the party with a quote which appeared to liken Israel to Islamic State (Isis):
That’s about it. It makes House of Cards look like Teletubbies. Corbyn: "Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions of Israel than our Muslim friends are for the self-styled Islamic State"
He later said himself that Gove had “stabbed Boris in the front”. He then denied he was comparing them:
Although laughing, he said he was a “bit irritated” as the leave side, which he is part of, is in disarray, while things are relatively orderly on the remain side, with May the clear frontrunner (he thinks she will win the first round). .@PolhomeEditor asking Corbyn whether he's comparing Israel to Isis. Corbyn says no. No questions taken from UK Jewish media. Shambolic
I think there’s almost an expectation that it should be Theresa and Boris. I think they’d be real surprise if it ended up with someone else. They were not just a slip of the tongue either, as the remarks were in his prepared text:
Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions of Israel or the [Binyamin] Netanyahu government than our Muslim friends are for those of self-styled Islamic states or organisations.
Jewish supporters of Labour party, after Corbyn compares Israel to ISIS, during launch of report on antisemitism pic.twitter.com/zlyo2UAfFh
Corbyn refused to take questions about his leadership travails.
11.54am BST
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He is not taking questions.
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Johnson has finished his speech now.
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Johnson pulls out of Tory leadership contest
Johnson says that this is the agenda for the next leader.
But that person will not be him.
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Johnson says the biggest gains in life expectancy have been made in London amongst the poor.
He says the prophets of doom were wrong about Brexit.
He says London and the whole of the UK will flourish outside the EU. It is in the EU’s deal to negotiate a free trade deal, he says, while allowing the UK to take back control of its immigration system.
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Johnson says the party needs to unite now. He wants the most talented people in the country to come together.
London has been transformed from relative stagnation to a dynamic economy.
He says he brought down crime. Deaths by fire were cut. And road traffic accidents came down to the lowest levels ever.
And, when you think that crime and accidents affect the poorest disproportionately, those are victories for social justice, he says.
He says he managed to build a record number of affordable homes.
And when he left office there were 44,000 sites in the city under construction.
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Johnson says now is the chance to strike trade deals.
He says some countries have already been in touch.
And our friends in America can be at the front of the queue, he says.
He says he would like to tell people who come here, no matter what their race or religion, they are part of our great British family.
Immigrants should be welcome. And everyone, regardless of their sexuality, can get married. He says marriage equality is one of David Cameron’s finest achievements.
11.44am BST
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Boris Johnson launches his leadership bid
Boris Johnson says people voted to leave the EU last week. It was a cause he passionately supports.
This is our chance, he says. We need to create an economy where everyone benefits from success.
There are too many people who have not seen their wages rise. Or have seen them fall.
FTSE 100 bosses now receive 150 times as much as their workers. It used to be 50 times, he says.
He says he is no communist. But he wants a society where everyone has chance.
UpdatedUpdated
at 11.26am BST at 11.48am BST
11.16am BST 11.39am BST
11:16 11:39
Airport capacity decision deferred
Haroon SiddiqueHaroon Siddique
The decision on expanding airport capacity in south-east England has been deferred until a new Conservative leader is elected, the government has confirmed. David Cameron was expected to confirm whether projects at Heathrow or Gatwick would get the go-ahead in the coming weeks if the UK voted to remain in the EU. Liam Fox set out his case to be the next Tory leader and prime minister on Sky News (quotes from Politics Home). Like everyone else, he tried to portray himself as the unifying candidate.
But Cameron’s resignation following the Brexit vote means the decision will not be made until the autumn. I think that we’ve just been through quite a traumatic period in our referendum and I think we need to try to heal the divisions on that and I think I can do that having been on the leave side of that equation but having many friends on the other side who were in the remain camp and all through that referendum I urged people to be civil and courteous to one another which I think is the tone we should also adopt, incidentally, in the leadership campaign.
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin told the House of Commons: He pointed to his experience outside politics (as a doctor) and his working class background. Fox also said he would not talk about the personalities in the contest “tempting though that is”, describing them all as friends.
I had hoped that we would be able to announce a decision on airport capacity this summer. I think we’ve just broken free from the EU into a much wider, greater opportunity, one that Britain is very well placed to take advantage of and so it’s with a great sense of optimism that I come into this contest. I know people are saying ‘look at the difficulties of the world around us’ – I think there’s really a new dawn here for this country and we’re particularly well-placed to take advantage of the challenges and the opportunities out there.
Clearly any announcement on airport capacity would have to be made when the House is in session and being realistic, given recent events, I cannot now foresee an announcement until at least October. He said it was “easier” to have credibility if coming from the leave side but not absolutely necessary and stressed that he would not back any deal with the EU involving keeping free movement of people.
Heathrow and Gatwick responded to the announcement by reiterating their respective claims for expansion. In terms of the EU I think we need to make it very clear that we intend to honour the instruction given to us by the British people last week, we will leave the EU. I don’t believe the British public will accept the concept of free movement in return for full membership of the single market, I think we need a more free trade approach.
11.13am BST Fox reiterated his support for an an Australian-type points system “so that it’s fair and not discriminatory against the non-EU, for example, commonwealth citizens who might want to come here”.
11:13 Updated
Here is Nicky Morgan’s statement on why she is backing Michael Gove. And here’s an extract. at 11.40am BST
It is equally important that we now secure the right deal for Britain – and the next leader must have the skill and credibility to put together the right team to renegotiate our exit from and future relationship with Europe and explain the final terms to the British people.
Having spent the past week talking to colleagues in parliament, party members and constituents I have concluded unequivocally that the right person to do that is Michael Gove and I am delighted to be endorsing his candidacy today.
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11:12
And Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary, who was also mulling over his own leadership bid, has announced that he is backing Theresa May. He said:
I have decided that now is not the right time for me to run for the leadership - though I remain completely committed to ensuring we secure our position as a great trading nation with sensible controls on migration. I believe that Theresa May has the strength, judgement and values to deliver those things. She is the right choice to lead Britain in a challenging period and will make a truly outstanding prime minister.
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11:10
According to Sky News, Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has said she will not stand for the leadership. She is backing Michael Gove, Sky says.
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Tory MP Nadine Dorries not part of the alleged “stampede” to Gove. She is typically outspoken about his candidature for the leadership, suggesting he cannot be trusted. She also says Conservative party members will be furious if Boris Johnson does not make the final two.
Conservative party members will be very very angry if Boris not on final 2. Treachery of Gove won't be forgiven easily
Gove didn't get the big job Mrs Vine wanted for him - Boris doesn't do bribes
Conservative party members have no forgiveness for opportunism and treachery - those days are gone
' I don't want to be PM' who can ever believe a word Gove says again
11.05am BST
11:05
Haroon Siddique
Channel 4’s Tim Bouverie quotes an MP saying there is a “stampede” from Johnson to Gove.
There is "a stampede away from Boris to Gove" - Tory MP.
Nick Boles who had declared for Boris is running Gove's campaign. Other defections: Raab, Hayes, Gibb
Michael Gove is the man the party and country can trust to deliver Brexit. He's a passionate believer in social justice and a true reformer.
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11:01
Dominic Raab, the justice minister, was backing Boris Johnson. But he’s just told Sky News that he is now backing Michael Gove.
As 5 News’s Andy Bell points out, Raab has an article in today’s Sun saying why Johnson should be the leader.
Just watched Dominic Raab backing Michael Gove while reading his Sun article backing Boris #ToryLeadership pic.twitter.com/46LAggVoWW
10.59am BST
10:59
Haroon Siddique
Good morning, this is Haroon Siddique, I’ll be helping Andrew out with blog today as there is so much going on today.
Bookies have installed Michael Gove as the second favourite behind Theresa May.
William Hill quotes May as 8/13, Gove as 3/1 and Johnson at 11/1.
However, the former Conservative chair Sayeeda Warsi has made some very damning comments about Gove, suggesting that he is a political opportunist and not a unifier.
She told BBC News:
I am quite surprised [by his announcement]. I never really thought it [the referendum campaign] was about Michael’s political ambitions ...
I am also surprised at what he said. He talks about healing and speaking for all and bringing the country together. From my experience of Michael and his approach towards teachers, the legal profession, ethnic minorities, that is not the Michael Gove I see.
By contrast, Warsi described May’s speech as “brilliant”.