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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2016/oct/27/labour-to-warn-theresa-may-against-bankers-brexit-politics-live
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| Labour warns Theresa May against 'bankers' Brexit' - Politics live | Labour warns Theresa May against 'bankers' Brexit' - Politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.47pm BST | |
| 17:47 | |
| UK protests at children stranded outside Calais migrant camp | |
| Alan Travis | |
| This from my colleague Alan Travis: | |
| The prospect of 50 refugee children being stranded outside the Calais migrant camp for a second night has triggered a high level protest from the British government and a demand that the children be provided with an immediate safe place to go. | |
| The home secretary, Amber Rudd, spoke to her French counterpart, Bernard Cazenuve, on Thursday afternoon, telling him that the children who remained in Calais had to be properly protected. | |
| “She reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to working with the French to make sure all minors eligible to come to the UK continue to be transferred as quickly as possible,” a Home Office spokesperson said. | |
| “Any child either not eligible or not in the secure area of the camp should be cared for and safeguarded by the French authorities. We understand specialist facilities have been made available elsewhere in France to ensure this happens.” | |
| The clear implication of the pressure from the home secretary is that the promised buses should be provided for those refugee children who have been pushed outside the camp to take them to a new reception centre. | |
| The Home Office confirmed that a further group of Calais children arrived in Croydon on Thursday with more expected in the coming days. | |
| The call followed renewed pressure from amongst others Yvette Cooper, the chair of the Commons home affairs committee. She said had been in touch again with Home Office ministers to urge them to put serious pressure on the French authorities to provide an immediate safe place for children to go. | |
| “They also need to accelerate the British assessments and transfers to get more children and teenagers into stable accommodation and to urgently free up more places in the container camp too,” Cooper said. | |
| “Children need safe accommodation to stay in tonight – they cannot be left to sleep rough by the side of the road again. This has to be sorted before it is too late.” | |
| 5.32pm BST | |
| 17:32 | |
| The written statement in which the Department for Education smuggled out the news that it had dropped an education bill which had been in the Queen’s speech was certainly worded in an opaque way – on this link to the statement it’s the last sentence of the fourth paragraph. | |
| This seems to have confused Labour’s education team, which has released a statement from Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, saying the plan for new grammar schools had “been abandoned as a result of the huge pressure Labour has put the government under”. | |
| But it’s not the grammar school plans. This was an entirely different education bill, mainly related to obliging schools to become academies, some of which had already been dropped. | |
| Updated | |
| at 5.37pm BST | |
| 5.17pm BST | |
| 17:17 | |
| Rowena Mason | |
| My colleague, Rowena Mason, has written about the government’s refusal to say what, if any, special deal has been promised to Nissan in return for the Japanese carmaker committing to its Sunderland plant. Here’s an extract: | |
| Downing Street is refusing to disclose what state support has been given to Nissan in order to convince the car manufacturer to boost production Sunderland plant, despite its worries about Brexit. | |
| N0 10 insisted there was no “sweetheart deal” with the Japanese company but acknowledged that Theresa May had given some assurances to the wider industry that they would protected from the impact of Brexit. | |
| The prime minister hailed the car company’s decision as “fantastic news” and a vote of confidence in the UK, as Nissan said it will build the next Qashqai and X-Trail models at its Sunderland factory, safeguarding more than 7,000 jobs. The company said this had been made possible by government “assurances and support”. | |
| The news that thousands of jobs would be safe for some years was widely welcomed but May quickly came under political pressure from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to be transparent about any private sweeteners offered to Nissan to encourage it to make the announcement. | |
| She has met privately with Nissan executives and Greg Clark, the business secretary, has also met its representatives on a recent trip to Japan.... | |
| No 10 refused to say what has been promised to the car industry in the aftermath of Brexit and declined to say if any public money was involved, although it signalled it had not made any declaration to the EU about a proposal to offer state aid. | |
| “The assurances are that we will get the best possible deal from | |
| leaving the EU,” May’s deputy official spokesman said. “There was no special deal for Nissan.” | |
| Asked whether Nissan had been promised it will not face tariffs when it exports to Europe, he added: “I can’t be any clearer. The dialogue we’ve had with Nissan as we do with other companies is a reassurance that we are determined to get the British industrial sector the best possible deal. It is a reassurance. There is no deal. We have a dialogue with Nissan and many other companies.” | |
| 5.04pm BST | 5.04pm BST |
| 17:04 | 17:04 |
| Liberal Democrats suspend Jenny Tonge | |
| Harriet Sherwood | Harriet Sherwood |
| My colleague Harriet Sherwood has filed this: | My colleague Harriet Sherwood has filed this: |
| The Liberal Democrats have suspended Jenny Tonge, a member of the House of Lords, from the party following renewed criticism by the Jewish community over alleged antisemitic comments. | The Liberal Democrats have suspended Jenny Tonge, a member of the House of Lords, from the party following renewed criticism by the Jewish community over alleged antisemitic comments. |
| Tonge was previously suspended from the Lib Dems in 2012 over alleged anti-Israel comments. She has not taken the party’s whip in the Lords since. | Tonge was previously suspended from the Lib Dems in 2012 over alleged anti-Israel comments. She has not taken the party’s whip in the Lords since. |
| A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: “She has been suspended. She was not a member of our group in the House of Lords, she was an independent peer, she has had her membership suspended.” | A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: “She has been suspended. She was not a member of our group in the House of Lords, she was an independent peer, she has had her membership suspended.” |
| He added: “We take her comments very seriously and have acted accordingly.” | He added: “We take her comments very seriously and have acted accordingly.” |
| Thursday’s move came after Tonge hosted a meeting at the House of Lords this week at which Israel was reportedly compared to terror group Islamic State and Jews were blamed for the Holocaust. The remarks were made by a speaker at the meeting, which was organised by the Palestinian Return Centre, which live-streamed the event on its Facebook page. | Thursday’s move came after Tonge hosted a meeting at the House of Lords this week at which Israel was reportedly compared to terror group Islamic State and Jews were blamed for the Holocaust. The remarks were made by a speaker at the meeting, which was organised by the Palestinian Return Centre, which live-streamed the event on its Facebook page. |
| The Israeli embassy in London said the meeting was a “shameful event which gave voice to racist tropes against Jews and Israelis alike”. | The Israeli embassy in London said the meeting was a “shameful event which gave voice to racist tropes against Jews and Israelis alike”. |
| Updated | |
| at 5.48pm BST | |
| 4.56pm BST | 4.56pm BST |
| 16:56 | 16:56 |
| Richard Adams | Richard Adams |
| There has been a very quietly-announced change to the government’s education plans. My colleague, Richard Adams, has more: | There has been a very quietly-announced change to the government’s education plans. My colleague, Richard Adams, has more: |
| The government has announced it is dropping the education bill unveiled in this year’s Queen’s speech, abandoning a raft of proposals that had already proved unpopular but vowing to press ahead with plans to reintroduce grammar schools. | The government has announced it is dropping the education bill unveiled in this year’s Queen’s speech, abandoning a raft of proposals that had already proved unpopular but vowing to press ahead with plans to reintroduce grammar schools. |
| The bill had been introduced by former education secretary Nicky Morgan in March but was quickly shorn of its most controversial clauses, including forcing all state schools in England to become academies by 2020, and ending statutory places for parent governor. | The bill had been introduced by former education secretary Nicky Morgan in March but was quickly shorn of its most controversial clauses, including forcing all state schools in England to become academies by 2020, and ending statutory places for parent governor. |
| Justine Greening, the education secretary, signaled the ditching of the bill with elliptic phrases in a written statement to parliament on the unrelated Technical and Further Education bill. | Justine Greening, the education secretary, signaled the ditching of the bill with elliptic phrases in a written statement to parliament on the unrelated Technical and Further Education bill. |
| “We have rightly reflected on our strategic priorities and the proposals for education legislation put forward at the time of the Queen’s speech,” Greening said in the statement. | “We have rightly reflected on our strategic priorities and the proposals for education legislation put forward at the time of the Queen’s speech,” Greening said in the statement. |
| “My department has renewed its focus on ensuring everything we do drives towards improving social mobility with an emphasis on not just the most disadvantaged families but also on those that are just about managing. Our ambition remains that all schools should benefit from the freedom and autonomy that academy status brings. | “My department has renewed its focus on ensuring everything we do drives towards improving social mobility with an emphasis on not just the most disadvantaged families but also on those that are just about managing. Our ambition remains that all schools should benefit from the freedom and autonomy that academy status brings. |
| “Our focus, however, is on building capacity in the system and encouraging schools to convert voluntarily. No changes to legislation are required for these purposes and therefore we do not require wider education legislation in this session to make progress on our ambitious education agenda.” | “Our focus, however, is on building capacity in the system and encouraging schools to convert voluntarily. No changes to legislation are required for these purposes and therefore we do not require wider education legislation in this session to make progress on our ambitious education agenda.” |
| With two bills already in the legislative pipeline – the Children and Social Work bill and the Higher Education and Research bill – and a third announced today, the Department for Education was unable to cope with the further workload entailed by the remnants of Morgan’s bill. | With two bills already in the legislative pipeline – the Children and Social Work bill and the Higher Education and Research bill – and a third announced today, the Department for Education was unable to cope with the further workload entailed by the remnants of Morgan’s bill. |
| 4.39pm BST | 4.39pm BST |
| 16:39 | 16:39 |
| A quick note: earlier I mentioned that the by-election for Richmond Park, at which Zac Goldsmith will seek to re-take his seat while standing as an independent, was likely to take place on 1 December. This date has now been confirmed. | A quick note: earlier I mentioned that the by-election for Richmond Park, at which Zac Goldsmith will seek to re-take his seat while standing as an independent, was likely to take place on 1 December. This date has now been confirmed. |
| 3.56pm BST | 3.56pm BST |
| 15:56 | 15:56 |
| Our latest Politics Weekly podcast is up. My colleague Rowena Mason hosts chat on everything from Heathrow and Zac Goldsmith to Calais. | Our latest Politics Weekly podcast is up. My colleague Rowena Mason hosts chat on everything from Heathrow and Zac Goldsmith to Calais. |
| 3.08pm BST | 3.08pm BST |
| 15:08 | 15:08 |
| Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, has written a long Facebook post about her decision to use an opposition day debate in parliament to demand the UK withdraw support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, which has been implicated in numerous civilian casualties. | Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, has written a long Facebook post about her decision to use an opposition day debate in parliament to demand the UK withdraw support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, which has been implicated in numerous civilian casualties. |
| In it she details the reason why she felt the motion was necessary, saying support for the Saudis in Yemen “must be suspended until the alleged violations of international humanitarian law in that conflict have been fully and independently investigated” | In it she details the reason why she felt the motion was necessary, saying support for the Saudis in Yemen “must be suspended until the alleged violations of international humanitarian law in that conflict have been fully and independently investigated” |
| The motion was defeated by 283 to 193, a tally that reflects the fact that a number of Labour MPs did not vote. Thornberry is critical of both this and the Conservative opposition to the move: | The motion was defeated by 283 to 193, a tally that reflects the fact that a number of Labour MPs did not vote. Thornberry is critical of both this and the Conservative opposition to the move: |
| [Withdrawing UK support] would have been the right message to send to the rest of the world. That would have reflected what we should stand for as a country. And that is why I was so disgusted that all but one brave Tory MP voted against sending such a message, and disappointed that some of my Labour colleagues abstained from doing so. | [Withdrawing UK support] would have been the right message to send to the rest of the world. That would have reflected what we should stand for as a country. And that is why I was so disgusted that all but one brave Tory MP voted against sending such a message, and disappointed that some of my Labour colleagues abstained from doing so. |
| 2.51pm BST | 2.51pm BST |
| 14:51 | 14:51 |
| Libby Brooks | Libby Brooks |
| Some Brexit hotline news from my colleague Libby Brooks. | Some Brexit hotline news from my colleague Libby Brooks. |
| When is a hotline not a hotline? Nicola Sturgeon revealed at this lunchtime’s first minister’s questions that the so-called Brexit hotline to David Davis, offered to devolved leaders by Theresa May at their meeting on Monday, has a significant time delay. | When is a hotline not a hotline? Nicola Sturgeon revealed at this lunchtime’s first minister’s questions that the so-called Brexit hotline to David Davis, offered to devolved leaders by Theresa May at their meeting on Monday, has a significant time delay. |
| “The only new information we got on Monday was that the UK government has set up what they have called a ‘hotline’ to David Davis – I can share with the Chamber today that [Scottish government Brexit minister] Michael Russell’s office called that hotline this week.” | “The only new information we got on Monday was that the UK government has set up what they have called a ‘hotline’ to David Davis – I can share with the Chamber today that [Scottish government Brexit minister] Michael Russell’s office called that hotline this week.” |
| “He called it just before midday on Tuesday, it took until after 6pm yesterday to actually get David Davis on the hotline, that’s 36 hours. So yes, there is now a telephone line we can call, it’s just currently not very hot.” | “He called it just before midday on Tuesday, it took until after 6pm yesterday to actually get David Davis on the hotline, that’s 36 hours. So yes, there is now a telephone line we can call, it’s just currently not very hot.” |
| 2.41pm BST | 2.41pm BST |
| 14:41 | 14:41 |
| Lunchtime summary | Lunchtime summary |
| It’s a slightly late lunchtime summary, but just about qualifies: | It’s a slightly late lunchtime summary, but just about qualifies: |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.58pm BST | at 2.58pm BST |
| 2.14pm BST | 2.14pm BST |
| 14:14 | 14:14 |
| Jeremy Corbyn has called for the details of any government deal with Nissan to be made public. On a visit to Blackburn to see motor mechanic apprentices, he said (quotes via PA): | Jeremy Corbyn has called for the details of any government deal with Nissan to be made public. On a visit to Blackburn to see motor mechanic apprentices, he said (quotes via PA): |
| It must be made public, because it is public money that will be used if there are any inducements that have been offered and quite obviously, if you are offering big inducements to one industry or one manufacturer, then all the others will quite reasonably say, ‘Well, what about us?’ | It must be made public, because it is public money that will be used if there are any inducements that have been offered and quite obviously, if you are offering big inducements to one industry or one manufacturer, then all the others will quite reasonably say, ‘Well, what about us?’ |
| We are only a few months into Brexit and we don’t know what the terms of the agreement are between Nissan and the government. | We are only a few months into Brexit and we don’t know what the terms of the agreement are between Nissan and the government. |
| I’m pleased there’s going to be continued investment in Sunderland that protects those jobs and obviously helps to develop manufacturing industry, but the concerns are still there. We have to have market access in Europe in order to keep British engineering industries going. | I’m pleased there’s going to be continued investment in Sunderland that protects those jobs and obviously helps to develop manufacturing industry, but the concerns are still there. We have to have market access in Europe in order to keep British engineering industries going. |
| 2.10pm BST | 2.10pm BST |
| 14:10 | 14:10 |
| In a political endorsement that Zac Goldsmith might not entirely welcome, Ukip has backed the now-former MP for Richmond Park over his opposition to the expansion of Heathrow. | In a political endorsement that Zac Goldsmith might not entirely welcome, Ukip has backed the now-former MP for Richmond Park over his opposition to the expansion of Heathrow. |
| Ukip has also decided to not stand a candidate against Goldsmith, who is seeking re-election as an independent. The Ukip candidate took 4.2% of the vote in the 2015 election, finishing fifth. | Ukip has also decided to not stand a candidate against Goldsmith, who is seeking re-election as an independent. The Ukip candidate took 4.2% of the vote in the 2015 election, finishing fifth. |
| You’ll remember that some Labour MPs called for their party to not oppose the Lib Dems in seeking to re-take the seat, but were rebuffed. The Greens, meanwhile – who got 6% of the vote in 2015 – are reportedly thinking about withdrawing their candidate to help the Lib Dems. | You’ll remember that some Labour MPs called for their party to not oppose the Lib Dems in seeking to re-take the seat, but were rebuffed. The Greens, meanwhile – who got 6% of the vote in 2015 – are reportedly thinking about withdrawing their candidate to help the Lib Dems. |
| A Ukip spokesman said: | A Ukip spokesman said: |
| Zac Goldsmith has resigned on a matter of principle and Ukip admire him for having the courage to do so. Ukip have always believed that Gatwick was a preferred option to Heathrow. | Zac Goldsmith has resigned on a matter of principle and Ukip admire him for having the courage to do so. Ukip have always believed that Gatwick was a preferred option to Heathrow. |
| Recognising Zac as a principled man, who was fully committed to helping get Britain out of the European Union, Ukip Leader Nigel Farage, in conjunction with our national executive committee, have agreed that we will not be fielding a candidate in the upcoming by-election for Richmond Park. | Recognising Zac as a principled man, who was fully committed to helping get Britain out of the European Union, Ukip Leader Nigel Farage, in conjunction with our national executive committee, have agreed that we will not be fielding a candidate in the upcoming by-election for Richmond Park. |
| 1.53pm BST | 1.53pm BST |
| 13:53 | 13:53 |
| It’s a bit delayed, but I’ve finally got a full copy of John McDonnell’s speech on Brexit. Here’s a few sections from it: | It’s a bit delayed, but I’ve finally got a full copy of John McDonnell’s speech on Brexit. Here’s a few sections from it: |
| The EU is a flawed institution, but we judged it better to fight for its reform than to leave. By a majority, the referendum shows that the British people made a different choice. | The EU is a flawed institution, but we judged it better to fight for its reform than to leave. By a majority, the referendum shows that the British people made a different choice. |
| Britain voted to leave the EU, and that decision should be and must be respected. We have to now think about what Britain after Brexit will be like. | Britain voted to leave the EU, and that decision should be and must be respected. We have to now think about what Britain after Brexit will be like. |
| As the negotiations get underway, we will face a series of choices. “Hard” versus “soft” Brexit does not cover it. We will need to decide on our openness to trade, investment, and migration. | As the negotiations get underway, we will face a series of choices. “Hard” versus “soft” Brexit does not cover it. We will need to decide on our openness to trade, investment, and migration. |
| Labour will always prioritise supporting jobs, growth, and the public finances in making those choices. | Labour will always prioritise supporting jobs, growth, and the public finances in making those choices. |
| But this is not only about getting the best possible deal for the British people in any negotiations. It is about our values, and who we are as a society. It is about our identity, as much as it is about the kind of economy we live in. | But this is not only about getting the best possible deal for the British people in any negotiations. It is about our values, and who we are as a society. It is about our identity, as much as it is about the kind of economy we live in. |
| And: | And: |
| There ought to be a political consensus on finding a deal that protects jobs, prosperity, and the public finances. Yet there is a minority Tory opinion that favours a scorched earth approach. They are making the running in the government’s own Brexit negotiations. | There ought to be a political consensus on finding a deal that protects jobs, prosperity, and the public finances. Yet there is a minority Tory opinion that favours a scorched earth approach. They are making the running in the government’s own Brexit negotiations. |
| The government is hurtling towards a chaotic Brexit that will damage our economy, and hurt the poorest and most vulnerable most of all. By pulling up the drawbridge and tearing up longstanding ties to Europe, we will inflict huge and unnecessary pain on our society. | The government is hurtling towards a chaotic Brexit that will damage our economy, and hurt the poorest and most vulnerable most of all. By pulling up the drawbridge and tearing up longstanding ties to Europe, we will inflict huge and unnecessary pain on our society. |
| Yet a hard-line Tory minority believe that if we allow market forces to tear through our society in the wake of Brexit, we will emerge a more productive society. It is the fantasy of turning our whole country into a giant offshore tax haven, with rock-bottom wages and no public services.... | Yet a hard-line Tory minority believe that if we allow market forces to tear through our society in the wake of Brexit, we will emerge a more productive society. It is the fantasy of turning our whole country into a giant offshore tax haven, with rock-bottom wages and no public services.... |
| Let me be clear: those who voted Conservative in 2015 are not the same as the Tory establishment. Like me, you will have friends who have voted Conservative. They don’t want a bankers’ Brexit any more than I do. | Let me be clear: those who voted Conservative in 2015 are not the same as the Tory establishment. Like me, you will have friends who have voted Conservative. They don’t want a bankers’ Brexit any more than I do. |
| The simple truth is that the Tory establishment cannot be trusted to make a success of Brexit. They want to take control for themselves, not the many. They want to turn Britain into a Singapore of the north Atlantic. | The simple truth is that the Tory establishment cannot be trusted to make a success of Brexit. They want to take control for themselves, not the many. They want to turn Britain into a Singapore of the north Atlantic. |
| And: | And: |
| We are also committed to making sure that Brexit works for everyone not an elite few. The Tories want to cut special deals for bankers, and cut taxes for big multinationals. | We are also committed to making sure that Brexit works for everyone not an elite few. The Tories want to cut special deals for bankers, and cut taxes for big multinationals. |
| Labour would work with our European neighbours to protect our key industries like steel, and negotiate deals with the EU to make sure big multinationals like Google pay their fair share in tax. | Labour would work with our European neighbours to protect our key industries like steel, and negotiate deals with the EU to make sure big multinationals like Google pay their fair share in tax. |
| Labour will take back the economic levers of power currently in the hands of the EU, such as state aid rules, and return them to the people. | Labour will take back the economic levers of power currently in the hands of the EU, such as state aid rules, and return them to the people. |
| Not a bankers’ Brexit for the lucky few, but a people’s Brexit for the many. | Not a bankers’ Brexit for the lucky few, but a people’s Brexit for the many. |