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Brexit: David Davis says May will have to renegotiate 'dreadful deal' - Politics live Brexit: Theresa May refuses to rule out allowing Tory MPs free vote on her deal in LBC phone-in - Politics live
(35 minutes later)
The final caller tells May she is like Neville Chamberlain. May rejects the comparison.
And that’s it. The phone-in is over.
I will post a summary soon.
Nick Ferrari asks May about her enthusiasms for Geoffrey Boycott. Does May know what happened on his last first class innings?
May does not know (or says she doesn’t).
Ferrari says she was run out by someone on her team. That player was Jim Love, a Yorkshireman. Is Michael Gove her Jim Love?
May says Gove is Scottish.
Q: Will the cabinet get a free vote?
May says they will be looking at the deal when it comes back. There is collective responsibility on this.
Q: So they won’t get a free vote?
May says Nick Ferrari is asking about voting matter. She will bring a deal back to parliament. Then MPs will have to decide what to do.
Q: So there could be a free vote.
May says there is collective responsibility. The government will put its position to the House of Commons.
May refuses to rule out allowing Tory MPs a free vote on her Brexit deal.
These questions were prompted by reports that Penny Mordaunt, the Brexiter international development secretary, has been pushing May to allow Tory MPs (and some ministers, apparently) a free vote.
Q: The EU has got the best out of this deal. Shouldn’t you stand aside and let Jacob Rees-Mogg take over.
May says on some issues the EU has given in.
But this is a negotiation. In any negotiation, there are compromises.
Q: Which resignation annoyed you more -Dominic Raab or Esther McVey?
May says she feels sorry when anyone feels they have to leave.
Q: How important is it to keep Michael Gove on the team sheet?
May says he has been doing a really great job. His department, environment, has probably more Brexit planning to do than any other. He has also done a good job on fishing.
Q: So you can’t afford to lose him?
May says she hopes he carried on.
Q: Do the police need more resources?
We are putting more resources in, says May.
Q: Weren’t you the home secretary who accused the police of crying wolf over police numbers?
May says she is not sure she did say that. The point she has always made to the police is that there is more to stopping crime than just police numbers.
Q: And you told them to stop using stop-and-search.
May says her argument was that it has to be used properly. She says one quarter of stop-and-searchs were being conducted unlawfully.
Q: I work in the NHS. Many people voted for Brexit to get the £350m a week for the NHS. But we don’t hear about that now.
Nick Ferrari, as a supplementary, asks if the figure was correct.
May says there were debates about that figure. But that is not the one to focus on now. She says the government will be putting more money into the NHS.
Q: Was Boris Johnson right to stand by that bus during the campaign?
May says the figure for extra money going into the NHS will be £394m a week.
Q: So was Boris right?
May says Johnson was highlighting how, if the UK left the EU, there would be money that could be diverted to the NHS.
Q: At cabinet on Wednesday Matthew Hancock, the health secretary, said he could not guarantee no one would die in the event of a no deal Brexit.
May says she does not comment on cabinet discussions, but she is not sure that is what Hancock did say.
She feels this personally, she says. She says, as a diabetic, she relies on insulin. Her insulin comes from Denmark.
Q: How does the stress of your job affect it?
May says if you are stressed, or have adrenalin in your system, your blood sugar level tends to go up.
Q: It has been reported, from sources close the the DUP leader Arlene Foster, that they will withdraw support from the government unless there is a new leader.
May says she is aware of lots of reports.
Q: So you have still got their support?
Yes, says May.
Q: So will they back the deal?
May says she hopes to persuade all MPs to back the deal.
May says, when the deal is finalised, she hopes all MPs consider the need to deliver on the result of the referendum, and also on what is best for their constituents and their jobs.
Q: Northern Ireland will be treated differently, won’t it?
May says she needs to give a lengthy explanation.
One bit of the deal is about what happens as the UK leaves, the withdrawal agreement.
Q: Will the EU be able to impose a different VAT rate on Northern Ireland?
No, says May,
Coming back to her main argument, she says the backstop is about ensuring that the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic stays open.
She says she has negotiated to ensure there will be no customs border down the Irish Sea.
The EU wanted to separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. They wanted a customs border down the Irish Sea. They proposed that in February. May says she rejected that. She says eventually, in October, the EU backed down.
May is now taking a question from a caller.
Q: The deal will commit the UK to a never-ending backstop. We will keep having to pay the EU, and we will have to accept free movement. Why would the EU agree to a new deal when they can keep us in the backstop forever. You are going to struggle to get this through the Commons. So you should stand down as PM and let a Brexiter take the lead.
May says the caller raised a lot of point.
She says the deal will end free movement. There will be no free movement in the backstop, she says. And when the future relationship is in place, free movement will end.
Q: But we don’t know when that will be?
May says everything in the deal is intended to ensure that is in place on 1 January 2021.
Q: What can you achieve in 21 months that you have not been able to negotiate in two years?
May says the negotiation will build on what has been decided already. Parliament will be able to decide, under the future relationship, who comes in and how we spend our money.
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Kate Lyons.Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Kate Lyons.
Theresa May is on LBC now, doing a phone-in.Theresa May is on LBC now, doing a phone-in.
Q: When did you last see Michael Gove?Q: When did you last see Michael Gove?
May says she had a good conversation with him yesterday.May says she had a good conversation with him yesterday.
Q: Did you offer him the role of Brexit secretary?Q: Did you offer him the role of Brexit secretary?
May says she won’t discuss that.May says she won’t discuss that.
Simon Fraser, the former head of the foreign office has reacted angrily to Davis’ claims in his BBC interview that the EU deliberately delayed negotiations, calling Davis a “terrible Brexit secretary”.Simon Fraser, the former head of the foreign office has reacted angrily to Davis’ claims in his BBC interview that the EU deliberately delayed negotiations, calling Davis a “terrible Brexit secretary”.
David Davis was a terrible #Brexit Secretary. He could hardly be bothered to go to Brussels & rapidly lost respect there. Preposterous for him now to suggest that EU deliberately delayed negotiations. They spent months waiting for him to engage..David Davis was a terrible #Brexit Secretary. He could hardly be bothered to go to Brussels & rapidly lost respect there. Preposterous for him now to suggest that EU deliberately delayed negotiations. They spent months waiting for him to engage..
John Whittingdale, former culture secretary, confirms to the BBC that he has sent a letter of no confidence in Theresa May to 1922 chairman Graham Brady.John Whittingdale, former culture secretary, confirms to the BBC that he has sent a letter of no confidence in Theresa May to 1922 chairman Graham Brady.
Michael Gove has left his home, got into his car and said nothing.Michael Gove has left his home, got into his car and said nothing.
Where is he heading? To Downing St to deliver a letter perhaps? We’ll keep you posted.Where is he heading? To Downing St to deliver a letter perhaps? We’ll keep you posted.
Former Brexit secretary David Davis spoke to the Today programme from the US, he calls the agreement a “dreadful deal” that is “very, very favourable to [the EU]”.Former Brexit secretary David Davis spoke to the Today programme from the US, he calls the agreement a “dreadful deal” that is “very, very favourable to [the EU]”.
“It really does not fly by any measure, it doesn’t meet the requirements of the people, it’s not what they voted for, it doesn’t meet the requirements of the Conservative manifesto.”“It really does not fly by any measure, it doesn’t meet the requirements of the people, it’s not what they voted for, it doesn’t meet the requirements of the Conservative manifesto.”
Davis disagrees with May’s assertion that it is this deal or no deal on Brexit, saying that negotiations are not over, that the UK could reopen the discussion and the EU have “spun this [process] out” to pressure the UK into accepting a bad deal.Davis disagrees with May’s assertion that it is this deal or no deal on Brexit, saying that negotiations are not over, that the UK could reopen the discussion and the EU have “spun this [process] out” to pressure the UK into accepting a bad deal.
Asked what he thinks should happen to Theresa May, Davis said “I do not get into criticism of the prime minister” because he is “sitting in a room in Washington”, saying that a refusal to criticise the PM while out of the country was a “long-standing convention”, something disputed by the BBC interviewer.Asked what he thinks should happen to Theresa May, Davis said “I do not get into criticism of the prime minister” because he is “sitting in a room in Washington”, saying that a refusal to criticise the PM while out of the country was a “long-standing convention”, something disputed by the BBC interviewer.
“From the beginning I’ve said I want to deal with policy on this matter. The policy is going to be rejected by the House of Commons, then we have to come up with an alternative. We all of us have to accept the House of Commons decision. When they reject it, and they will, she will have to go back to renegotiate. We want a deal that gives us back control of our country and this deal doesn’t do that.”“From the beginning I’ve said I want to deal with policy on this matter. The policy is going to be rejected by the House of Commons, then we have to come up with an alternative. We all of us have to accept the House of Commons decision. When they reject it, and they will, she will have to go back to renegotiate. We want a deal that gives us back control of our country and this deal doesn’t do that.”
Davis said that throughout the negotiation process the UK was too willing to accept the EU’s conditions. He doesn’t include himself in this, despite being in charge of the UK negotiating team as Brexit minister for all but a few months of the process, citing his resignation letter as proof.Davis said that throughout the negotiation process the UK was too willing to accept the EU’s conditions. He doesn’t include himself in this, despite being in charge of the UK negotiating team as Brexit minister for all but a few months of the process, citing his resignation letter as proof.
“The EU has things to lose by not having a deal at the end of this. Simply rolling over and being supine, rolling over and saying we’re frightened of the outcome, is not going to get the outcomes we want.”“The EU has things to lose by not having a deal at the end of this. Simply rolling over and being supine, rolling over and saying we’re frightened of the outcome, is not going to get the outcomes we want.”
A key Scottish Conservative figure has played down fears that Theresa May’s Brexit deal poses a significant threat to the union.A key Scottish Conservative figure has played down fears that Theresa May’s Brexit deal poses a significant threat to the union.
Writing for the Scotsman, the MSP Adam Tomkins, a close ally of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who is currently on maternity leave, warns against “rushing to judge” whether the differentiated deal for Northern Ireland will play into Scottish nationalist hands and undermine the integrity of the union, as the likes of Raab, McVey and Rees-Mogg suggested in their resignation letters on Thursday.Writing for the Scotsman, the MSP Adam Tomkins, a close ally of Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who is currently on maternity leave, warns against “rushing to judge” whether the differentiated deal for Northern Ireland will play into Scottish nationalist hands and undermine the integrity of the union, as the likes of Raab, McVey and Rees-Mogg suggested in their resignation letters on Thursday.
Tomkins writes: “How much further differentiation between the home nations the Union can accommodate is a question of political judgement,” and urges colleagues: “Let it be taken to the European Council, and let it be subject now to the intense parliamentary and external scrutiny that, among other matters, will draw out precisely where it will leave Northern Ireland and the Union as a whole.”Tomkins writes: “How much further differentiation between the home nations the Union can accommodate is a question of political judgement,” and urges colleagues: “Let it be taken to the European Council, and let it be subject now to the intense parliamentary and external scrutiny that, among other matters, will draw out precisely where it will leave Northern Ireland and the Union as a whole.”
At First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish parliament on Thursday , Nicola Sturgeon referred to Raab and McVey’s concerns, asking where that left Mundell and Davidson, who wrote to the prime minster in October, warning that “any deal that threatens the integrity of the UK’s internal market” was a red line issue for them.At First Minister’s Questions in the Scottish parliament on Thursday , Nicola Sturgeon referred to Raab and McVey’s concerns, asking where that left Mundell and Davidson, who wrote to the prime minster in October, warning that “any deal that threatens the integrity of the UK’s internal market” was a red line issue for them.
Mundell later dismissed Raab as a “carpetbagger”, telling the BBC: “I’m not impressed by his latter-day commitment to the union. I’m sure this is more about manoeuvring and leadership.”Mundell later dismissed Raab as a “carpetbagger”, telling the BBC: “I’m not impressed by his latter-day commitment to the union. I’m sure this is more about manoeuvring and leadership.”
While it’s clear that there remains deep unease amongst Scottish Tory ranks about the impact of the Northern Ireland deal on the constitutional debate, Tomkins’ call for a cool head may head off any potential rebellion for now.While it’s clear that there remains deep unease amongst Scottish Tory ranks about the impact of the Northern Ireland deal on the constitutional debate, Tomkins’ call for a cool head may head off any potential rebellion for now.
And if you wanted to call LBC and see if you can get a question in to the prime minister (who is appearing at 8am), the number to call is: 0345 60 60 973And if you wanted to call LBC and see if you can get a question in to the prime minister (who is appearing at 8am), the number to call is: 0345 60 60 973
A reader has shared this cartoon from the front page of Italys’ Corriere della Sera.A reader has shared this cartoon from the front page of Italys’ Corriere della Sera.
@MsKateLyons - Front Page of Italy's Corriere della Sera. pic.twitter.com/iclGhRfsE0@MsKateLyons - Front Page of Italy's Corriere della Sera. pic.twitter.com/iclGhRfsE0
Katie Perrior, Theresa May’s former director of communications, is speaking on the Today programme and says she thinks May will face a vote of no confidence in the next few days.
Perrior said May’s performance yesterday, particularly in her press conference last night was far more personal than usual, which shows that she is giving everything she can in order to keep her job.
“This talk of ‘head and heart’, ‘every fibre of my being’, she is throwing everything at it, this is not the usual Theresa May.”
More tweets coming in from readers (thanks everyone), with reportage from around the world.
And, ding, ding, ding, I think we have a winner from Jornal de Negócios in Portugal, which runs the headline “Mayday, Mayday”.
@MsKateLyons from @JNegocios, Portugal: “Mayday, Mayday” pic.twitter.com/jZlaw7Pjvu
The Irish Times has: “Embattled May fights on in bid to deliver Brexit deal”
And Copenhagen’s free daily metro paper takes a similar line to Norway’s Aftenposten, saying “Theresa May fights for her political life”.
@MsKateLyons - not quite the leading story, but Copenhagen’s free ‘metro’ daily has similar wording to the Norwegians. pic.twitter.com/TpFDBHtD97
A commenter, Abhishek Mallik, has pointed out that Daily Mail readers are NOT HAPPY with the newspaper’s about-face on Brexit.
As Mallik points out, it’s not as if the Mail has become a remain paper, but its strong support for May today, and fury at those critical of her (a group that includes hard-line Brexiters) is a big shift from the paper’s tone under Paul Dacre. Under the previous editor, one imagines the Mail would not have been so supportive of a “soft” Brexit deal like this one.
The comments are worth a read, some of them are pretty funny. Click on the timestamp of the below tweet (the bit that says 9:33am - 16 Nov 2018) to see the comments.
Friday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/NVovLCKzbM
A Norwegian reader has been in touch with the front page of Aftenposten, Norway’s largest printed newspaper by circulation.
The headline reads: “Heavily weakened May fighting for her political life”
Thanks to the reader, please get in touch if you’re seeing interesting coverage of Brexit where you live on Twitter.
My colleague Rajeev Syal has published this piece analysing six possible scenarios we could see in light of the draft agreement.
The six scenarios are:
The wizards on the Guardian’s interactives team have built this simulator to show you what happens when each of the various voting blocs chooses to back the prime minister, to reject her bill or to abstain.
Apart from being quite fun, it shows the absolute uphill slog May has of getting this deal through parliament, even if nothing else goes wrong for her.
And this is how it looks:
A reminder that the prime minister will be on LBC this morning at 8am and will be taking calls from the public.
You’ve got two hours to plan your questions folks.
Exclusive: Prime Minister Theresa May will host an LBC phone-in tomorrow morning from 8am with Nick Ferrari @theresa_may | @NickFerrariLBC pic.twitter.com/r9iKMrfp2L
As for the foreign papers, many of them were quite straight with their reporting. The Austrian paper Die Presse described May’s “struggle for survival”, and Spain’s El Pais reported that a day of resignations had “muddied” the Brexit deal.
In Germany, Die Zeit noted that May was “not giving up”, while Süddeutsche Zeitung warned of a looming “Showdown for the prime minister”.
Der Spiegel went with a football analogy: “Theresa May in Brexit finals: The thrashed prime minister”. Meanwhile Bild Zeitung summed the drama up like this: “Government crisis in London: Resign? No way! May defends her Brexit deal”.
In France Le Figaro says “The Brexit of Theresa May hangs by a thread”, Le Monde says “‘I will go to the end’ says Theresa May”.
To the papers now, which have all led with yesterday’s Brexit chaos, the resignation of Dominic Raab and Esther McVey and Theresa May’s leadership troubles.
Chief among May’s champions is the Daily Mail, which continues its eye-watering about face in the wake of Paul Dacre’s exit. The Mail is furious with those seeking to undermine the prime minister, running the headline: “Have they lost the plot?”
Friday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/NVovLCKzbM
The Daily Express is also supportive of the PM, splashing on: “Defiant May: I’ll fight to the end”.
Friday’s Daily EXPRESS: “Defiant May: I’ll Fight To The End” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/k1SGA4JGgv
The Daily Telegraph uses May’s speech for its headline: “Am I going to see this through? Yes I am.”
Also on the front page is commentary from Allison Pearson on why the Prime Minister should resign immediately saying she is not the “chess grandmaster” they need to negotiate with Brussels, she is merely “the runner-up in the 1973 Towcester tiddlywinks competition”.
If anyone can explain that reference to me, please do so (I’m probably more likely to see it on Twitter, so get in touch).
The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'Am I going to see this through? Yes, I am' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/ejFGiMa0MJ
The Times paints a sorry picture of May and her fortunes: “Lonely May staggers on”.
Friday’s TIMES: “Lonely May staggers on” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/AIqyFOqN1N
Other papers play things with a straighter bat:
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, international edition, Friday 16 November https://t.co/p5NPGcLiaD pic.twitter.com/B3jFIJZYlB
Guardian front page, Friday 16 November 2018: Resignations, a coup and a day of hostility. But May fights on pic.twitter.com/zDycxDfGUY
Friday’s SCOTSMAN: “May battles on as her power drains away” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/VQKUQaMsvU
Friday’s i - “Plotters move in on the PM” #bbcpapers #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/VKLrGTi3Ii
The Sun and the Mirror continue with the rather tortured cricket analogy used by a journalist at May’s press conference – “She’s on a sticky wicket” says the Sun, “Stumped”, reports the Mirror.
Tomorrow's front page: May vows to dig in like cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott as she’s STILL stuck in Brexit mire https://t.co/8qvVOnBAsN pic.twitter.com/8x9qiJp34Y
Tomorrow's front page: Stumped #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/SV0sdT5KEo pic.twitter.com/TedRVz6B3T
Our full papers wrap is here.
Good morning and welcome back to Politics live.
I’m Kate Lyons, bringing you the Brexit news for the next few hours. I’ll be handing over to the esteemed Andrew Sparrow at about 8am, but will be shepherding us through the early morning news. You can get in contact in the comments or on Twitter (@mskatelyons).
Well, Theresa May survived the night as prime minister, and there were no reports of overnight resignations from cabinet ministers.
But who knows how many ministers spent the night pacing their lounge rooms deciding whether to quit or stay, and whether any of them will be having an uncomfortable conversation with the prime minister this morning. Michael Gove is top of the list of those to watch here.
Yesterday’s cabinet resignations weakened May, and there is a question of whether May herself will survive the week as prime minister. As we know, leading Brexit Jacob Rees Mogg called for a vote of no confidence in Theresa May yesterday, claiming she had broken her own red lines on Brexit. Up to a dozen other Tory backbenchers have confirmed they have submitted letters calling for May to step down over her Brexit proposal.
Here’s a reminder of how that process works: Conservative MPs can submit formal letters of no confidence in the leader of the party to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady.
If Brady receives 48 such letters, he is obliged to trigger a confidence vote. Downing Street confirmed on Thursday that May would contest such a vote and expected to remain prime minister until the Brexit process is complete.
She would need the backing of 158 Tory MPs to see off the Brexiters’ challenge, and her position would then be safe for 12 months.
All clear? Let’s get this show on the road.