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| Conservatives should form electoral pact with Brexit party at next general election, says senior Tory - live news | Conservatives should form electoral pact with Brexit party at next general election, says senior Tory - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Bridget Prentice, a former Labour MP who served as a minister in the last Labour government, has announced that she is leaving the party. She has explained why in an open letter to Karie Murphy, the acting general secretary, that she has posted on Twitter. | |
| Prentice, who was MP for Lewisham East for 18 years, left parliament in 2010 and she is not exactly a huge figure in the party. But she is not a maverick or an extremist or a natural troublemaker either, and her letter will probably strike a chord with others in the party who are unhappy about Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. | |
| In her long letter, she says she is leaving the party because in various areas the leadership has “fallen short”. She cites: Corbyn’s response to the antisemitism complaints; his approach to Europe; the way support for Corbyn has supposedly been turned into a “cult”, with opponents condemned as Blairites; and the way the views of the members are supposedly ignored if they do not align with the views of the leadership. | |
| With the European elections coming next week, Prentice’s claims about Corbyn’s stance on the EU are particularly damning. Here is an extract. | |
| I have come to the conclusion that [Corbyn] not only did not campaign vigorously for the Labour party’s position on remain, but where he could, he undermined it ... The recent comments about the local elections telling the major parties to deliver Brexit would be laughable if it were not so palpably wrong and pathetic. The damage to this country and most importantly to the poorest, the most vulnerable, the dispossessed, the underclass - all those that the Labour party was born to protect - will be devastating. That Jeremy and those of you around him either cannot see that, or feel justified in disregarding it because of a narrow ideological pursuit, flies in the face of the moral right to lead a party which wants to transform the lives of those most in need. | |
| My resignation letter. 45 years but enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/qaV6O7ONMK | |
| pic.twitter.com/RscESHwDLW | |
| In an interview on the Today programme this morning the Brexiter Sir Michael Fallon, another of the former ministers who signed the letter to Theresa May (see 9.43am), said that staying in the customs union was such a bad option that he would prefer to remain in the EU. He said: | In an interview on the Today programme this morning the Brexiter Sir Michael Fallon, another of the former ministers who signed the letter to Theresa May (see 9.43am), said that staying in the customs union was such a bad option that he would prefer to remain in the EU. He said: |
| If they are going to include permanent membership of a customs union then, frankly, we would be better off staying in the European Union because at least then we would have a voice in the trade arrangements that are being negotiated. | If they are going to include permanent membership of a customs union then, frankly, we would be better off staying in the European Union because at least then we would have a voice in the trade arrangements that are being negotiated. |
| Fallon, a former defence secretary, also used the interview to say that it would be “very dangerous” to let the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei have a role in constructing the UK’s 5G infrastructure. He said: | Fallon, a former defence secretary, also used the interview to say that it would be “very dangerous” to let the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei have a role in constructing the UK’s 5G infrastructure. He said: |
| Britain is a democracy and our governments are accountable to parliament. China isn’t, it’s an autocracy, there aren’t the same safeguards there and Chinese companies are, to some extent, always an arm of the state. | Britain is a democracy and our governments are accountable to parliament. China isn’t, it’s an autocracy, there aren’t the same safeguards there and Chinese companies are, to some extent, always an arm of the state. |
| So I think it’s right that we should take account of American warnings here and I think it would be very dangerous to let Huawei particularly into the infrastructure of the next generation of telecommunications. | So I think it’s right that we should take account of American warnings here and I think it would be very dangerous to let Huawei particularly into the infrastructure of the next generation of telecommunications. |
| Nick Boles, who left the Conservative party and now sits as an independent MP because he was angry at the failure of his colleagues to compromise and back a softer Brexit, posted a message on Twitter this morning criticising the 14 Tories who signed the letter to the PM opposing a customs union for apparently describing themselves as the “loyal middle” of the party. (See 9.43am.) | Nick Boles, who left the Conservative party and now sits as an independent MP because he was angry at the failure of his colleagues to compromise and back a softer Brexit, posted a message on Twitter this morning criticising the 14 Tories who signed the letter to the PM opposing a customs union for apparently describing themselves as the “loyal middle” of the party. (See 9.43am.) |
| Just imagining the reaction in No 10 on reading a group that includes Boris Johnson, David Davis, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab describing itself as the “loyal middle” of the Conservative Party... | Just imagining the reaction in No 10 on reading a group that includes Boris Johnson, David Davis, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab describing itself as the “loyal middle” of the Conservative Party... |
| Greg Hands, one of the MPs who signed the letter, says Boles has misread it. | Greg Hands, one of the MPs who signed the letter, says Boles has misread it. |
| That isn’t what the letter says. The words “more fundamentally” mean one is moving to a different point. And the letter includes Remainers like me, Miller, Fallon, Shapps, Harper and Halfon who are certainly more loyal middle than anyone who has walked out on the Party... https://t.co/9u0ZZGdy12 | That isn’t what the letter says. The words “more fundamentally” mean one is moving to a different point. And the letter includes Remainers like me, Miller, Fallon, Shapps, Harper and Halfon who are certainly more loyal middle than anyone who has walked out on the Party... https://t.co/9u0ZZGdy12 |
| Unemployment has hit a new 44-year low, my colleague Graeme Wearden reports. He has all the details on his business live blog. | Unemployment has hit a new 44-year low, my colleague Graeme Wearden reports. He has all the details on his business live blog. |
| UK unemployment rate hits new 44-year low but wage growth slows - business live | UK unemployment rate hits new 44-year low but wage growth slows - business live |
| Sir Vince Cable, the Lib Dem leader, is holding his LBC phone-in now. Asked to defend the Lib Dem decision to use “Bollocks to Brexit” as a slogan in the European elections, he said this was “acceptable vulgarity”. | Sir Vince Cable, the Lib Dem leader, is holding his LBC phone-in now. Asked to defend the Lib Dem decision to use “Bollocks to Brexit” as a slogan in the European elections, he said this was “acceptable vulgarity”. |
| The government needs to “deliver Brexit urgently”, Andrea Leadsom, the Brexiter leader of the Commons, told journalists before she went into Number 10 for cabinet, the BBC’s Nick Eardley reports. | The government needs to “deliver Brexit urgently”, Andrea Leadsom, the Brexiter leader of the Commons, told journalists before she went into Number 10 for cabinet, the BBC’s Nick Eardley reports. |
| Andrea Leadsom this morning on way to cabinet: "We had the local elections a couple of weeks ago and I totally get the message. We've got to get on with Brexit, we have to deliver it. So whatever that takes we have to deliver Brexit urgently". | Andrea Leadsom this morning on way to cabinet: "We had the local elections a couple of weeks ago and I totally get the message. We've got to get on with Brexit, we have to deliver it. So whatever that takes we have to deliver Brexit urgently". |
| Olly Robbins, the PM’s chief Brexit adviser, is not meeting any EU officials in Brussels today, the BBC’s Norman Smith reports. | Olly Robbins, the PM’s chief Brexit adviser, is not meeting any EU officials in Brussels today, the BBC’s Norman Smith reports. |
| Seems no meetings planned today between Ollie Robbins and EU officials. #moules #frites...... | Seems no meetings planned today between Ollie Robbins and EU officials. #moules #frites...... |
| Here is the text of the letter that 13 former ministers or cabinet attendees, as well as Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, urging Theresa May not to sign up to Labour’s plan for a customs union with the EU. | Here is the text of the letter that 13 former ministers or cabinet attendees, as well as Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee, urging Theresa May not to sign up to Labour’s plan for a customs union with the EU. |
| The 13 former ministers included four cabinet ministers who resigned from Theresa May’s cabinet because of their opposition to her Brexit plans. They are: David Davis, Boris Johnson, Esther McVey, and Dominic Raab. | The 13 former ministers included four cabinet ministers who resigned from Theresa May’s cabinet because of their opposition to her Brexit plans. They are: David Davis, Boris Johnson, Esther McVey, and Dominic Raab. |
| The other former ministers are: Iain Duncan Smith, Sir Michael Fallon, Robert Halfon, Greg Hands, Mark Harper, Maria Miller, Grant Shapps, John Whittingdale and Gavin Williamson. | The other former ministers are: Iain Duncan Smith, Sir Michael Fallon, Robert Halfon, Greg Hands, Mark Harper, Maria Miller, Grant Shapps, John Whittingdale and Gavin Williamson. |
| 13 ex-Cabinet & Sir Graham Brady letter to the PM: “A Customs Union Brexit deal with Labour is both bad policy and bad politics”. Letter in full here. pic.twitter.com/fHaKxJruLp | 13 ex-Cabinet & Sir Graham Brady letter to the PM: “A Customs Union Brexit deal with Labour is both bad policy and bad politics”. Letter in full here. pic.twitter.com/fHaKxJruLp |
| Most of the letter is devoted to policy arguments against staying in a customs union with the EU, and some ministers still in the cabinet would almost certainly agree with these points. In fact the second paragraph, which says access to UK markets would end up being “traded” if the UK were in the customs union, sounds almost word-for-word like an argument that Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, was making last week. | Most of the letter is devoted to policy arguments against staying in a customs union with the EU, and some ministers still in the cabinet would almost certainly agree with these points. In fact the second paragraph, which says access to UK markets would end up being “traded” if the UK were in the customs union, sounds almost word-for-word like an argument that Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, was making last week. |
| But the authors also argue a deal with Labour on a customs union would be pointless anyway because a future Tory leader would rip it up. They say: | But the authors also argue a deal with Labour on a customs union would be pointless anyway because a future Tory leader would rip it up. They say: |
| No leader can bind his or her successor , so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worse illusory. | No leader can bind his or her successor , so the deal would likely be at best temporary, at worse illusory. |
| Given that Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary who has signed the letter, is the current favourite to replace Theresa May, his warning that he would not be bound by any deal with Labour agreed by May is particularly significant. | Given that Boris Johnson, the former foreign secretary who has signed the letter, is the current favourite to replace Theresa May, his warning that he would not be bound by any deal with Labour agreed by May is particularly significant. |
| On his LBC phone-in Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, has just claimed that remain voters will be among those voting for his party. One of his candidates even voted remain, he said. He said that was because people were supporting the party because they supported the principle that the referendum result should be honoured. | On his LBC phone-in Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, has just claimed that remain voters will be among those voting for his party. One of his candidates even voted remain, he said. He said that was because people were supporting the party because they supported the principle that the referendum result should be honoured. |
| Theresa May is chairing cabinet today and ministers will discuss whether they want to continue with the cross-party talks with Labour, which are widely viewed at Westminster as doomed to fail. As my colleagues Heather Stewart and Rowena Mason report in their overnight story, Jeremy Corbyn is also facing pressure from MPs on his own side who want Labour to adopt a clearer anti-Brexit stance. | Theresa May is chairing cabinet today and ministers will discuss whether they want to continue with the cross-party talks with Labour, which are widely viewed at Westminster as doomed to fail. As my colleagues Heather Stewart and Rowena Mason report in their overnight story, Jeremy Corbyn is also facing pressure from MPs on his own side who want Labour to adopt a clearer anti-Brexit stance. |
| Senior Tories press May to abandon Brexit deal talks with Labour | Senior Tories press May to abandon Brexit deal talks with Labour |
| With a poll yesterday suggesting the Brexit party is on course to get more than three times as many votes in next week’s European elections as the Conservatives, one senior Tory has called for the two parties to form a pact at the next general election. This is what Crispin Blunt, a former chair of the foreign affairs committee, told Newsnight last night. | With a poll yesterday suggesting the Brexit party is on course to get more than three times as many votes in next week’s European elections as the Conservatives, one senior Tory has called for the two parties to form a pact at the next general election. This is what Crispin Blunt, a former chair of the foreign affairs committee, told Newsnight last night. |
| In my judgment, we are going to have to come to an accommodation with the Brexit party. The Conservatives, as a Brexit party again, being very clear about their objectives, are almost certainly going to have to go into some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit party, otherwise Brexit doesn’t happen. | In my judgment, we are going to have to come to an accommodation with the Brexit party. The Conservatives, as a Brexit party again, being very clear about their objectives, are almost certainly going to have to go into some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit party, otherwise Brexit doesn’t happen. |
| Blunt said his preference would be for a pact involving the Tories standing in the seats they hold, and the Brexit party standing in all the other seats. He claimed that, if they united, the two parties could win handsomely. | Blunt said his preference would be for a pact involving the Tories standing in the seats they hold, and the Brexit party standing in all the other seats. He claimed that, if they united, the two parties could win handsomely. |
| Listen to what Nigel Farage said; he would “do a deal with the devil” to get Brexit over the line. The Conservative party is very far from being the devil in this. Eighty per cent of the membership of the Conservative party are very keen to make sure that Brexit happens, will be in a position to enthusiastically support leaving the European Union with no deal. If we are then able to agree a position to put to the country, I think we would hit the ball out of the park. | Listen to what Nigel Farage said; he would “do a deal with the devil” to get Brexit over the line. The Conservative party is very far from being the devil in this. Eighty per cent of the membership of the Conservative party are very keen to make sure that Brexit happens, will be in a position to enthusiastically support leaving the European Union with no deal. If we are then able to agree a position to put to the country, I think we would hit the ball out of the park. |
| “The Conservatives are almost certainly going to have to go into some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit Party, otherwise Brexit doesn’t happen,” says Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, but he refrains from suggesting a coalition government@CrispinBlunt | #newsnight pic.twitter.com/MPIWwMG0Pt | “The Conservatives are almost certainly going to have to go into some kind of electoral arrangement with the Brexit Party, otherwise Brexit doesn’t happen,” says Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, but he refrains from suggesting a coalition government@CrispinBlunt | #newsnight pic.twitter.com/MPIWwMG0Pt |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 9am: Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, takes part in an LBC phone-in. | 9am: Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, takes part in an LBC phone-in. |
| 9am: John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, is among the speakers at a Wall Street Journal CEO conference. A senior cabinet minister is also due to speak. | 9am: John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, is among the speakers at a Wall Street Journal CEO conference. A senior cabinet minister is also due to speak. |
| 9.30am: Theresa May chairs cabinet. | 9.30am: Theresa May chairs cabinet. |
| 9.30am: Sir Vince Cable, the Lib Dem leader, takes part in an LBC phone-in. | 9.30am: Sir Vince Cable, the Lib Dem leader, takes part in an LBC phone-in. |
| 9.30am: Unemployment figures are published. | 9.30am: Unemployment figures are published. |
| 10.30am: Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem deputy leader, and Lib Dem MP Sir Ed Davey launch an election poster. | 10.30am: Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem deputy leader, and Lib Dem MP Sir Ed Davey launch an election poster. |
| 11.30am: Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, takes questions in the Commons. | 11.30am: Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, takes questions in the Commons. |
| 12pm: Downing Street lobby briefing. | 12pm: Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| Also, Olly Robbins, the PM’s chief Brexit adviser, is due to travel to Brussels for talks on how the political declaration could be changed. | Also, Olly Robbins, the PM’s chief Brexit adviser, is due to travel to Brussels for talks on how the political declaration could be changed. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary at lunchtime and another when I wrap up. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary at lunchtime and another when I wrap up. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |