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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/jul/08/theresa-may-next-prime-minister-andrea-leadsom-politics-live
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| Theresa May clear favourite to be next prime minister – politics live | Theresa May clear favourite to be next prime minister – politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.03am BST | |
| 10:03 | |
| Business secretary Sajid Javid is in India today, the start of a world tour which is wasting no time to start talks about the bilateral trade deals which will, post-Brexit, replace agreements the EU has with more than 50 countries. | |
| Just finished meeting with Tata Steel in Mumbai. Now off to Delhi for talks on UK/India #trade | |
| Indian conglomerate Tata, which owns Jaguar Land Rover and Tata Steel, is currently trying to find a buyer for the British steel business, but my colleague Rob Davies reports the sale process has been put on hold amid the economic uncertainty created by the vote to leave the EU. | |
| Meetings in the US, China, Japan and South Korea are also lined up over the next few months. | |
| 9.43am BST | |
| 09:43 | |
| Neil Kinnock: 'This is our party, I've been here 60 years, I'm not leaving it to anybody' | |
| Neil Kinnock, the Labour leader who saw off a leadership challenge from the left of the party, gave a “barnstorming” speech to the weekly meeting of Labour MPs on Monday night, which moved some to tears. | |
| This is the full audio, tweeted by filmmaker Ben Ferguson after it was recorded from inside the private meeting. | |
| Heard about Neil Kinnock's 'barnstorming' speech? In it's full, crappy audio glory, here it is: https://t.co/2Qqd1muXSV | |
| Here are some of the best lines, but do listen to the whole thing. | |
| There are some people who are incapable of learning from the instructions of reality. So they better wake up. | |
| He says it is not true Jeremy Corbyn has the biggest mandate from members. | |
| I don’t know what case is being made by saying that Jeremy had the biggest majority in history. He didn’t. In 1988, in a different electoral system admittedly, my majority against Tony Benn was 88.6%. | |
| Tony got 11.6%, with the assistance of Denis [Skinner] of course, and the assistance of Jeremy Corbyn of course. No talk of unity or loyalty... | |
| The Labour party has never been about the “revolutionary road” Kinnock says, it was always about “the parliamentary road to socialism”. | |
| It is vital, essential, irreplaceable that the leader has substantial support from those who go to the country and seek to become lawmakers. | |
| When people join the Labour party, they are joining a party committed to the parliamentary road and that makes it crucial to have a leader with majority support of the parliamentary Labour party. | |
| Damn them, this is our party, I have been here for 60 years, I’m not leaving it to anybody. | |
| These are some of the tweets from Monday night after that speech. | |
| It would appear that Neil Kinnock is going to save the Labour Party for the second time in my lifetime. @UKLabour #SavingLabour | |
| Neil Kinnock is a hero. A barnstorming speech tonight. | |
| Kinnock moved Lab MPs to tears just now by reminding them in 1918 Labour chose the parliamentary route to power not the revolutionary road! | |
| 9.17am BST | 9.17am BST |
| 09:17 | 09:17 |
| Libby Brooks | Libby Brooks |
| Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson is backing Theresa May as the next Tory leader, describing her as “someone who can unite the country and the party”, | Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson is backing Theresa May as the next Tory leader, describing her as “someone who can unite the country and the party”, |
| While praising Andrea Leadsom’s “guts” in putting her name forward, Davidson told BBC’s Newsnight programme that “in terms of the person who’s got the steel for the job, who can go eyeball to eyeball with Angela Merkel, and indeed Nicola Sturgeon, it can only be Theresa May.” | While praising Andrea Leadsom’s “guts” in putting her name forward, Davidson told BBC’s Newsnight programme that “in terms of the person who’s got the steel for the job, who can go eyeball to eyeball with Angela Merkel, and indeed Nicola Sturgeon, it can only be Theresa May.” |
| She also said that she believed May should offer a guarantee to EU nationals living in the UK. | She also said that she believed May should offer a guarantee to EU nationals living in the UK. |
| I’ve publicly said that I think she should make that guarantee. I think she knows that if she takes on this role she’s got a lot of work to do in ensuring Brits abroad are being looked after, but I think the person in that role should be able to say irrespective of that that [EU nationals in the UK] should stay. | I’ve publicly said that I think she should make that guarantee. I think she knows that if she takes on this role she’s got a lot of work to do in ensuring Brits abroad are being looked after, but I think the person in that role should be able to say irrespective of that that [EU nationals in the UK] should stay. |
| Asked specifically about Leadsom’s comments on gay marriage, and her own forthcoming marriage, Newsnight’s James O’Brien asked bluntly whether she wanted to be part of a party “led by a woman who is unhappy about the fact that you can marry your fiance in a church?” | Asked specifically about Leadsom’s comments on gay marriage, and her own forthcoming marriage, Newsnight’s James O’Brien asked bluntly whether she wanted to be part of a party “led by a woman who is unhappy about the fact that you can marry your fiance in a church?” |
| Davidson responded: “Well this is my party and I’ve very happy that there are people who have been huge proponents of [gay marriage], like Theresa May.” | Davidson responded: “Well this is my party and I’ve very happy that there are people who have been huge proponents of [gay marriage], like Theresa May.” |
| I don’t know Andrea Leadsom very well. I think she said it was something to do with her faith. As a woman of faith myself who has talked openly about my Christianity and some of the difficulties that I have had in my past having to reconcile my faith and my sexuality I know that it can take some people some time to do that. | I don’t know Andrea Leadsom very well. I think she said it was something to do with her faith. As a woman of faith myself who has talked openly about my Christianity and some of the difficulties that I have had in my past having to reconcile my faith and my sexuality I know that it can take some people some time to do that. |
| She added that “whoever becomes prime minster they will get an invitation to my wedding”. | She added that “whoever becomes prime minster they will get an invitation to my wedding”. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.17am BST | at 9.17am BST |
| 9.01am BST | 9.01am BST |
| 09:01 | 09:01 |
| Jessica Elgot | Jessica Elgot |
| Good morning, I’m Jessica Elgot taking over from Claire Phipps this morning. You can reach me in the comments below (as with Andrew Sparrow, I’ll have more chance of spotting it if you mention me by name if you’ve got a query) or on twitter on @jessicaelgot. | Good morning, I’m Jessica Elgot taking over from Claire Phipps this morning. You can reach me in the comments below (as with Andrew Sparrow, I’ll have more chance of spotting it if you mention me by name if you’ve got a query) or on twitter on @jessicaelgot. |
| Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, has been speaking to BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme in the last hour about the Nato summit in Warsaw today. | Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, has been speaking to BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme in the last hour about the Nato summit in Warsaw today. |
| He is asked about the deployment of 500 UK troops to Estonia and 150 to Poland, and whether it looks like ‘a new Cold War’ | He is asked about the deployment of 500 UK troops to Estonia and 150 to Poland, and whether it looks like ‘a new Cold War’ |
| No, Nato is a defensive alliance, these are measures to reassure those countries on the eastern side, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, that we are ready to come to their assistance. They are not there to be aggressive to anyone. | No, Nato is a defensive alliance, these are measures to reassure those countries on the eastern side, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, that we are ready to come to their assistance. They are not there to be aggressive to anyone. |
| He does not agree it is a worsening of relations with Russia. | He does not agree it is a worsening of relations with Russia. |
| There are plenty of areas of the world we want to work with Russia, we did over the deal with Iran, we are trying to work with Russia in bringing the war in Syria to an end. | There are plenty of areas of the world we want to work with Russia, we did over the deal with Iran, we are trying to work with Russia in bringing the war in Syria to an end. |
| But we can’t forget what happened that Russia tried to change international borders by force [in Ukraine] and that has destabilised countries on the eastern side. This is the kind of reassurance they’ve been seeking. | But we can’t forget what happened that Russia tried to change international borders by force [in Ukraine] and that has destabilised countries on the eastern side. This is the kind of reassurance they’ve been seeking. |
| Fallon says he will try to reassure leaders about the UK’s internationalism post-Brexit. | Fallon says he will try to reassure leaders about the UK’s internationalism post-Brexit. |
| It isn’t fine, it’s a disappointment that we’re leaving the European Union. But Nato is the cornerstone of our defence... we’ll be doing more in Nato to compensate for our withdrawal from the EU. That’s the purpose of the deployment we’re announcing today. | It isn’t fine, it’s a disappointment that we’re leaving the European Union. But Nato is the cornerstone of our defence... we’ll be doing more in Nato to compensate for our withdrawal from the EU. That’s the purpose of the deployment we’re announcing today. |
| We’re working hard, the chancellor and others, to make sure we stabilise the economy and we may see a pause of investment... but the defence budget is going up, it went up for the first time in six years in April, and committed to increasing every year of this parliament. | We’re working hard, the chancellor and others, to make sure we stabilise the economy and we may see a pause of investment... but the defence budget is going up, it went up for the first time in six years in April, and committed to increasing every year of this parliament. |
| He says that it “maybe so” that it becomes easier to meet the 2% GDP target on defence spending set by Nato if the economy shrinks. He says more announcements will be made at the Farnborough airshow about new defence spending. | He says that it “maybe so” that it becomes easier to meet the 2% GDP target on defence spending set by Nato if the economy shrinks. He says more announcements will be made at the Farnborough airshow about new defence spending. |
| Let’s not talk ourselves down, we’re committed to spending more on our defence. | Let’s not talk ourselves down, we’re committed to spending more on our defence. |
| What will Fallon say to defence ministers at Nato about the prospect of a “complete novice” [Andrea Leadsom] being prime minister? (He is backing May). | What will Fallon say to defence ministers at Nato about the prospect of a “complete novice” [Andrea Leadsom] being prime minister? (He is backing May). |
| Obviously, I’m a supporter of Theresa May because at this point, she has the experience, the track record to take the country forward now. I’m not going to knock her opponent but I’ve worked with Theresa May on security day in and day out. | Obviously, I’m a supporter of Theresa May because at this point, she has the experience, the track record to take the country forward now. I’m not going to knock her opponent but I’ve worked with Theresa May on security day in and day out. |
| She’s already a member of the security council. I’ve seen her deal with crisis, I’ve seen her chair COBRA, and she is committed to keeping this country safe. | She’s already a member of the security council. I’ve seen her deal with crisis, I’ve seen her chair COBRA, and she is committed to keeping this country safe. |
| 8.25am BST | 8.25am BST |
| 08:25 | 08:25 |
| Someone at the Nato summit in Warsaw has a sense of humour. Or there’s a security flaw. I’m sure it’s the first. Got to be. | Someone at the Nato summit in Warsaw has a sense of humour. Or there’s a security flaw. I’m sure it’s the first. Got to be. |
| Wifi options at the NATO Summit... pic.twitter.com/y3HQjCGp1j | Wifi options at the NATO Summit... pic.twitter.com/y3HQjCGp1j |
| 7.59am BST | 7.59am BST |
| 07:59 | 07:59 |
| US president Barack Obama – in Warsaw today for the Nato summit alongside David Cameron – has written in the Financial Times that Brexit “raises significant questions” about the future of Europe. But he adds: | US president Barack Obama – in Warsaw today for the Nato summit alongside David Cameron – has written in the Financial Times that Brexit “raises significant questions” about the future of Europe. But he adds: |
| As difficult as it will be, I am confident that the UK and the EU will be able to agree on an orderly transition to a new relationship, as all our countries stay focused on ensuring financial stability and growing the global economy. And, while the relationship between the UK and the EU will change, it is worth remembering what will not change. | As difficult as it will be, I am confident that the UK and the EU will be able to agree on an orderly transition to a new relationship, as all our countries stay focused on ensuring financial stability and growing the global economy. And, while the relationship between the UK and the EU will change, it is worth remembering what will not change. |
| The special relationship between the US and the UK will endure. I have no doubt that the UK will remain one of Nato’s most capable members – a nation that pays its full share for our common security and is a leading contributor to alliance missions. And, given the current threats facing Europe, I fully expect that Britain will continue to be a major contributor to European security. | The special relationship between the US and the UK will endure. I have no doubt that the UK will remain one of Nato’s most capable members – a nation that pays its full share for our common security and is a leading contributor to alliance missions. And, given the current threats facing Europe, I fully expect that Britain will continue to be a major contributor to European security. |
| 7.52am BST | 7.52am BST |
| 07:52 | 07:52 |
| As the National launched in Scotland to speak to the 45% who voted to leave the United Kingdom, today sees a fresh newspaper aiming to grab the 48% who voted not to leave the EU: the New European. | As the National launched in Scotland to speak to the 45% who voted to leave the United Kingdom, today sees a fresh newspaper aiming to grab the 48% who voted not to leave the EU: the New European. |
| It is, undeniably, a tough time to launch a new newspaper – New Day folded after just two months. | It is, undeniably, a tough time to launch a new newspaper – New Day folded after just two months. |
| the first front page of a new national UK newspaper. doesn't happen every day. #tomorrowspaperstoday #theneweuropean pic.twitter.com/Rr9SAhJWc5 | the first front page of a new national UK newspaper. doesn't happen every day. #tomorrowspaperstoday #theneweuropean pic.twitter.com/Rr9SAhJWc5 |
| 7.39am BST | 7.39am BST |
| 07:39 | 07:39 |
| Jeremy Corbyn’s column in the Guardian today addresses what he sees to be the reasons behind the vote to leave the EU: | Jeremy Corbyn’s column in the Guardian today addresses what he sees to be the reasons behind the vote to leave the EU: |
| To bring the country back together, we have to understand what lay behind the narrow majority to leave. Part of it was clearly about the impact of immigration on a deregulated jobs market and investment-starved housing and public services. | To bring the country back together, we have to understand what lay behind the narrow majority to leave. Part of it was clearly about the impact of immigration on a deregulated jobs market and investment-starved housing and public services. |
| But leave voters were also concentrated in former industrial areas hit hardest by low pay, job insecurity and economic stagnation. In fact, Labour-supporting cities that voted remain, such as London, Bristol and Manchester, have far higher migrant populations than many that backed leave. | But leave voters were also concentrated in former industrial areas hit hardest by low pay, job insecurity and economic stagnation. In fact, Labour-supporting cities that voted remain, such as London, Bristol and Manchester, have far higher migrant populations than many that backed leave. |
| The difference is that the latter are areas that have benefited least from a lopsided economic recovery. This was a vote by the people of left-behind Britain against a political establishment that has failed them. | The difference is that the latter are areas that have benefited least from a lopsided economic recovery. This was a vote by the people of left-behind Britain against a political establishment that has failed them. |
| He says he will meet this week with “fellow European socialist leaders” in Paris “to discuss the refugee crisis and Europe’s future after Britain’s vote to leave”. | He says he will meet this week with “fellow European socialist leaders” in Paris “to discuss the refugee crisis and Europe’s future after Britain’s vote to leave”. |
| 7.23am BST | 7.23am BST |
| 07:23 | 07:23 |
| Rowena Mason | Rowena Mason |
| During the Nato summit in Warsaw today, David Cameron will announce that hundreds more British troops are to be deployed to eastern Europe as part of a show of strength by Nato in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia. | During the Nato summit in Warsaw today, David Cameron will announce that hundreds more British troops are to be deployed to eastern Europe as part of a show of strength by Nato in the face of an increasingly assertive Russia. |
| The UK will send a 500-member battalion to Estonia, with a further company of 150 troops to be stationed in Poland “on an enduring basis”. | The UK will send a 500-member battalion to Estonia, with a further company of 150 troops to be stationed in Poland “on an enduring basis”. |
| Ahead of the trip, Cameron said: | Ahead of the trip, Cameron said: |
| This summit is a chance for us to reiterate our strong support for Ukraine and our other Eastern allies to deter Russian aggression. | This summit is a chance for us to reiterate our strong support for Ukraine and our other Eastern allies to deter Russian aggression. |
| Actions speak louder than words and the UK is proud to be taking the lead role, deploying troops across eastern Europe. It is yet another example of the UK leading in Nato, as underlined by our pledge to spend 2% of GDP on defence for the rest of this decade. | Actions speak louder than words and the UK is proud to be taking the lead role, deploying troops across eastern Europe. It is yet another example of the UK leading in Nato, as underlined by our pledge to spend 2% of GDP on defence for the rest of this decade. |
| With a battalion commitment to Estonia as part of Nato’s enhanced forward presence, a company group in Poland and UK command of the very high readiness taskforce – which will involve committing 3,000 British troops – as well as our continued commitment to Baltic air patrols throughout 2017, Britain is clearly demonstrating its crucial contribution to Nato. | With a battalion commitment to Estonia as part of Nato’s enhanced forward presence, a company group in Poland and UK command of the very high readiness taskforce – which will involve committing 3,000 British troops – as well as our continued commitment to Baltic air patrols throughout 2017, Britain is clearly demonstrating its crucial contribution to Nato. |
| 6.59am BST | 6.59am BST |
| 06:59 | 06:59 |
| Morning | Morning |
| Claire Phipps | Claire Phipps |
| Good morning and welcome to our daily politics live blog. I’m kicking things off with the morning briefing to set you up for the day ahead and steering the live blog until Jessica Elgot steps in. Do come and chat in the comments below or find me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps. | Good morning and welcome to our daily politics live blog. I’m kicking things off with the morning briefing to set you up for the day ahead and steering the live blog until Jessica Elgot steps in. Do come and chat in the comments below or find me on Twitter @Claire_Phipps. |
| The big picture | The big picture |
| So, it’s Theresa May v Andrea Leadsom in the fight to be the next prime minister, and as a result the talk today is all about Margaret Thatcher. Because – stay with me – she was a woman. And May and Leadsom are also women. | So, it’s Theresa May v Andrea Leadsom in the fight to be the next prime minister, and as a result the talk today is all about Margaret Thatcher. Because – stay with me – she was a woman. And May and Leadsom are also women. |
| It’s not nothing, of course, that the UK will have its second female prime minister. As Tim Loughton, Leadsom’s campaign manager, put it: | It’s not nothing, of course, that the UK will have its second female prime minister. As Tim Loughton, Leadsom’s campaign manager, put it: |
| We can now give the party a real choice. A remain woman; a leave woman. They both happened to go to state schools. They are both women. | We can now give the party a real choice. A remain woman; a leave woman. They both happened to go to state schools. They are both women. |
| (He also added that this was “pretty quirky for the Tory party”, which is a shame, really, given that female + state-educated = the majority of the population.) | (He also added that this was “pretty quirky for the Tory party”, which is a shame, really, given that female + state-educated = the majority of the population.) |
| But is it obligatory for either of them to be the new Thatcher? Have a look at their track records – I was going to say CVs but that’s a whole different question – instead. Maybe there’s more to it than a chromosome and a blouse. | But is it obligatory for either of them to be the new Thatcher? Have a look at their track records – I was going to say CVs but that’s a whole different question – instead. Maybe there’s more to it than a chromosome and a blouse. |
| With more votes than her two rivals combined, May steps into the next couple of months – sorry, yes, months – of campaigning with the confidence of knowing the bulk of her parliamentary colleagues are behind her. For as we know, there’s often little to choose between the views of MPs and the views of party members… | With more votes than her two rivals combined, May steps into the next couple of months – sorry, yes, months – of campaigning with the confidence of knowing the bulk of her parliamentary colleagues are behind her. For as we know, there’s often little to choose between the views of MPs and the views of party members… |
| What happens next? Here’s a guide to how the voting process works, but in a nutshell: the 150,000 members of the Conservative party each have a vote, and the winner is announced as prime minister on 9 September. Take that, unelected EU bureaucrats! | What happens next? Here’s a guide to how the voting process works, but in a nutshell: the 150,000 members of the Conservative party each have a vote, and the winner is announced as prime minister on 9 September. Take that, unelected EU bureaucrats! |
| Boris Johnson, his dreams of traversing the country in support of his own No 10 bid now more tattered that than £350m NHS promise, is expected instead to tub-thump for his new favourite, Leadsom. He wasn’t, however, on hand yesterday for what could qualify as the least comfortable (and I don’t mean footwear: all mention of footwear in connection with the Tory leadership is banned on this blog) political march seen in a long while: the Rally for Leadsom. | Boris Johnson, his dreams of traversing the country in support of his own No 10 bid now more tattered that than £350m NHS promise, is expected instead to tub-thump for his new favourite, Leadsom. He wasn’t, however, on hand yesterday for what could qualify as the least comfortable (and I don’t mean footwear: all mention of footwear in connection with the Tory leadership is banned on this blog) political march seen in a long while: the Rally for Leadsom. |
| Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers looked particularly thrilled to be there: | Northern Ireland secretary Theresa Villiers looked particularly thrilled to be there: |
| And what of Michael Gove, erstwhile scourge of teachers and longstanding friends? As Marina Hyde points out, he has at least scored his long professed goal of not being prime minister. Now we will never know if he truly was, as he told us, “constitutionally incapable of it”. Still, perhaps we’ve had our fill of constitutional upheavals this year. | And what of Michael Gove, erstwhile scourge of teachers and longstanding friends? As Marina Hyde points out, he has at least scored his long professed goal of not being prime minister. Now we will never know if he truly was, as he told us, “constitutionally incapable of it”. Still, perhaps we’ve had our fill of constitutional upheavals this year. |
| Gove is “naturally disappointed” not to have made the cut, he told reporters. Although now she’s not busy campaigning for her husband, we might be blessed with more details in Sarah Vine’s next Daily Mail column. | Gove is “naturally disappointed” not to have made the cut, he told reporters. Although now she’s not busy campaigning for her husband, we might be blessed with more details in Sarah Vine’s next Daily Mail column. |
| Which takes us seamlessly – in format, if not in content – to Jeremy Corbyn’s column in the Guardian this morning. | Which takes us seamlessly – in format, if not in content – to Jeremy Corbyn’s column in the Guardian this morning. |
| The Labour leader writes about the 100,000-strong surge in members signing up to join the party since the vote to leave the EU – taking membership to more than 500,000, the largest number in modern party history. As political editor Heather Stewart reports, we can’t know (and won’t until if/when there is ever that rumoured challenge) whether the boost has come from Corbyn-keepers or would-be ousters: | The Labour leader writes about the 100,000-strong surge in members signing up to join the party since the vote to leave the EU – taking membership to more than 500,000, the largest number in modern party history. As political editor Heather Stewart reports, we can’t know (and won’t until if/when there is ever that rumoured challenge) whether the boost has come from Corbyn-keepers or would-be ousters: |
| The Keep Corbyn campaign, coordinated by the grassroots group Momentum, believes the bulk of new members would back Corbyn in a challenge; but a rival Saving Labour campaign has been signing up members of the public who want him to stand down. | The Keep Corbyn campaign, coordinated by the grassroots group Momentum, believes the bulk of new members would back Corbyn in a challenge; but a rival Saving Labour campaign has been signing up members of the public who want him to stand down. |
| Corbyn, for one, sounds confident: | Corbyn, for one, sounds confident: |
| MPs also need to respect the democracy of our party and the views of Labour’s membership, which has increased by more than 100,000 to over half a million in the past fortnight alone – by far the largest it has ever been in modern times. | MPs also need to respect the democracy of our party and the views of Labour’s membership, which has increased by more than 100,000 to over half a million in the past fortnight alone – by far the largest it has ever been in modern times. |
| Our priority must now be to mobilise this astonishing new force in politics, and ensure people in Britain have a real political alternative. Those who want to challenge my leadership are free to do so in a democratic contest, in which I will be a candidate. | Our priority must now be to mobilise this astonishing new force in politics, and ensure people in Britain have a real political alternative. Those who want to challenge my leadership are free to do so in a democratic contest, in which I will be a candidate. |
| But the responsibility of our whole party is to stand up in united opposition to the Tory government. If we come together, we can take them on and win. | But the responsibility of our whole party is to stand up in united opposition to the Tory government. If we come together, we can take them on and win. |
| Perhaps we are now due a quieter spell: Corbyn’s off on holiday, David Cameron’s off to the Nato summit, and the Tory leadership contenders are off to win over the members. Presumably somebody is minding the country. | Perhaps we are now due a quieter spell: Corbyn’s off on holiday, David Cameron’s off to the Nato summit, and the Tory leadership contenders are off to win over the members. Presumably somebody is minding the country. |
| Does anyone have a Brexit plan yet? | Does anyone have a Brexit plan yet? |
| Oh yes, that. Oona King, in a short debate in the House of Lords yesterday, thinks there ought to be a re-run of the referendum, arguing: | Oh yes, that. Oona King, in a short debate in the House of Lords yesterday, thinks there ought to be a re-run of the referendum, arguing: |
| Many British people, possibility the majority, were unaware of the far-reaching consequences of the EU referendum … After the dust has settled in the immediate aftermath of the referendum vote, we don’t actually know what we voted for. | Many British people, possibility the majority, were unaware of the far-reaching consequences of the EU referendum … After the dust has settled in the immediate aftermath of the referendum vote, we don’t actually know what we voted for. |
| Nato leaders meeting Cameron in Warsaw today might also have a few questions along those lines, with Brexit likely to be a matter for concern, according to one official: | Nato leaders meeting Cameron in Warsaw today might also have a few questions along those lines, with Brexit likely to be a matter for concern, according to one official: |
| How can it not affect western cohesion? How can trillions being wiped out in market value not affect perceptions of western strength? | How can it not affect western cohesion? How can trillions being wiped out in market value not affect perceptions of western strength? |
| You should also know: | You should also know: |
| Diary | Diary |
| Read these | Read these |
| In the Times, Philip Collins argues that May’s victory in the vote “was so overwhelming that the contest should be stopped”: | In the Times, Philip Collins argues that May’s victory in the vote “was so overwhelming that the contest should be stopped”: |
| There are 84 Conservative MPs, people actually paid out of public funds to conduct politics, who believe that Andrea Leadsom should be prime minister. Somebody as smart as former leader Michael Howard should be ashamed of himself … | There are 84 Conservative MPs, people actually paid out of public funds to conduct politics, who believe that Andrea Leadsom should be prime minister. Somebody as smart as former leader Michael Howard should be ashamed of himself … |
| It is, in any case, a democratic outrage that the next prime minister will be chosen by the 0.3% of the electorate who happen to be odd enough to be members of the Conservative party. Can any of them, I wonder, see the irony of their regular sermons about the lack of ‘democracy’ in the EU? Probably not. These are people who have taken hold of the wrong end of the stick in order to beat the country with it. The candidate of their looking-glass world is the wholly ill-prepared Mrs Leadsom. | It is, in any case, a democratic outrage that the next prime minister will be chosen by the 0.3% of the electorate who happen to be odd enough to be members of the Conservative party. Can any of them, I wonder, see the irony of their regular sermons about the lack of ‘democracy’ in the EU? Probably not. These are people who have taken hold of the wrong end of the stick in order to beat the country with it. The candidate of their looking-glass world is the wholly ill-prepared Mrs Leadsom. |
| In the Spectator, Ross Clark wonders why the all-female shortlist isn’t being lauded as a win for feminism (editorialising alert: feminism doesn’t in fact mean agreeing with anything any woman ever does. Though, hey: feel free to disagree with me): | In the Spectator, Ross Clark wonders why the all-female shortlist isn’t being lauded as a win for feminism (editorialising alert: feminism doesn’t in fact mean agreeing with anything any woman ever does. Though, hey: feel free to disagree with me): |
| So now it is certain: the Conservatives will produce Britain’s second female prime minister … So why isn’t the left cheering this social advance? Instead, the bitching has already begun. Andrea Leadsom is being savaged for being less than 100% enthusiastic about gay marriage (bizarrely, she voted for and against in the same vote); while Theresa May is eviscerated for her proposal – since dropped – to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights. | So now it is certain: the Conservatives will produce Britain’s second female prime minister … So why isn’t the left cheering this social advance? Instead, the bitching has already begun. Andrea Leadsom is being savaged for being less than 100% enthusiastic about gay marriage (bizarrely, she voted for and against in the same vote); while Theresa May is eviscerated for her proposal – since dropped – to withdraw from the European Court of Human Rights. |
| Laurie Penny in the New Statesman says we ask the wrong questions about women in power: | Laurie Penny in the New Statesman says we ask the wrong questions about women in power: |
| The truth is that women are not, in fact, magic. Women are, in fact, people, and people who happen to be female are no less complicated and unpredictable than those who happen to be male. Women have just as much capacity to be venal, petty and egomaniacal as men do, although they are less likely to be indulged in such behaviour … | The truth is that women are not, in fact, magic. Women are, in fact, people, and people who happen to be female are no less complicated and unpredictable than those who happen to be male. Women have just as much capacity to be venal, petty and egomaniacal as men do, although they are less likely to be indulged in such behaviour … |
| It remains to be seen if the situation for women throughout the country will be made any better by women in Westminster. Poor and vulnerable men, after all, have not historically been guaranteed a good deal just because they shared a gender with their political leaders. Gender equality, like wealth, tends not to trickle down. | It remains to be seen if the situation for women throughout the country will be made any better by women in Westminster. Poor and vulnerable men, after all, have not historically been guaranteed a good deal just because they shared a gender with their political leaders. Gender equality, like wealth, tends not to trickle down. |
| Baffling nickname of the day | Baffling nickname of the day |
| I’m going to make a wild guess here and assert that Theresa May has never gone by the name of “Tezza”: | I’m going to make a wild guess here and assert that Theresa May has never gone by the name of “Tezza”: |
| Here is tomorrow's front page: Britain is guaranteed to have its second woman Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/LaOJIF997U | Here is tomorrow's front page: Britain is guaranteed to have its second woman Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/LaOJIF997U |
| Celebrity endorsement of the day | Celebrity endorsement of the day |
| Does Nigel Farage count as a celebrity these days? He’ll need something to do once he’s replaced as Ukip leader and out of work as an MEP. Anyway, he’s terribly pleased that Andrea Leadsom could be in No 10. | Does Nigel Farage count as a celebrity these days? He’ll need something to do once he’s replaced as Ukip leader and out of work as an MEP. Anyway, he’s terribly pleased that Andrea Leadsom could be in No 10. |
| Congratulations to @andrealeadsom. Important the next Prime Minister is a Brexiteer - she has my backing. | Congratulations to @andrealeadsom. Important the next Prime Minister is a Brexiteer - she has my backing. |
| If today were a Beyoncé song | If today were a Beyoncé song |
| It would be Run the World (Girls). But only because there isn’t a song entitled Women Make Up Half the World’s Population, Stop Being Surprised When Some of Them are Allowed to be in Charge of Things. | It would be Run the World (Girls). But only because there isn’t a song entitled Women Make Up Half the World’s Population, Stop Being Surprised When Some of Them are Allowed to be in Charge of Things. |
| And another thing | And another thing |
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| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.09am BST | at 7.09am BST |