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| May refusing to budge on Brexit customs union, says Labour | May refusing to budge on Brexit customs union, says Labour |
| (1 day later) | |
| The government is refusing to budge on Labour’s central demand for a permanent customs union in cross-party talks on Brexit, according to Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary. | The government is refusing to budge on Labour’s central demand for a permanent customs union in cross-party talks on Brexit, according to Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary. |
| She also said the government’s plan to put May’s withdrawal agreement back before parliament without first reaching agreement with Labour was a “dangerous” stunt. | She also said the government’s plan to put May’s withdrawal agreement back before parliament without first reaching agreement with Labour was a “dangerous” stunt. |
| Long-Bailey, a key member of Labour’s negotiating team in the talks, said the issue of the customs union remained the key sticking point. | Long-Bailey, a key member of Labour’s negotiating team in the talks, said the issue of the customs union remained the key sticking point. |
| “In terms of the customs union, we’ve been repeatedly pushing them on this point, and they haven’t reached the position that we would like them to get to by any stretch at the moment,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday. | “In terms of the customs union, we’ve been repeatedly pushing them on this point, and they haven’t reached the position that we would like them to get to by any stretch at the moment,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday. |
| Asked if the government had moved at all on the issue, Long-Bailey said: “At the moment, no, they haven’t moved to the position that we need them to. And what worries us … is we also see letters from Tory MPs stating that they categorically shouldn’t support a customs union type arrangement.” | Asked if the government had moved at all on the issue, Long-Bailey said: “At the moment, no, they haven’t moved to the position that we need them to. And what worries us … is we also see letters from Tory MPs stating that they categorically shouldn’t support a customs union type arrangement.” |
| Long-Bailey was not asked whether Labour would support, or abstain on, the withdrawal agreement bill when it returned to parliament in the first week of June. Although she is considered the most pro-Brexit member of Labour’s negotiating team, she suggested the party was not ready to back it. | Long-Bailey was not asked whether Labour would support, or abstain on, the withdrawal agreement bill when it returned to parliament in the first week of June. Although she is considered the most pro-Brexit member of Labour’s negotiating team, she suggested the party was not ready to back it. |
| “It’s imperative that this is sorted out as quickly as possible,” she told BBC Breakfast. “And I think stunts and pushing things forward without consensus within parliament are very dangerous at this stage.” | “It’s imperative that this is sorted out as quickly as possible,” she told BBC Breakfast. “And I think stunts and pushing things forward without consensus within parliament are very dangerous at this stage.” |
| She later told Today: “If it fails for a fourth time, I think people are very quickly going to start losing faith in our abilities as a parliament to be able to deal with this. So the government really needs to recognise this and very, very quickly.” | She later told Today: “If it fails for a fourth time, I think people are very quickly going to start losing faith in our abilities as a parliament to be able to deal with this. So the government really needs to recognise this and very, very quickly.” |
| She said Labour was worried that whatever was agreed in the talks could be “ripped into pieces” by Theresa May’s successor. | She said Labour was worried that whatever was agreed in the talks could be “ripped into pieces” by Theresa May’s successor. |
| The former deputy chair of the party and an under-secretary in DExEU, Cleverly has only been in parliament since 2015. The MP for Braintree announced his candidacy to his local paper saying the Conservatives needed to “look new and sound different”. | The former deputy chair of the party and an under-secretary in DExEU, Cleverly has only been in parliament since 2015. The MP for Braintree announced his candidacy to his local paper saying the Conservatives needed to “look new and sound different”. |
| The environment secretary is to pitch himself as a “unity candidate” capable of attracting leavers and remainers, as he formally declared his candidacy saying: “I believe that I’m ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, ready to deliver Brexit and ready to lead this great country.” But robust Brexiters in particular dislike the fact that he stayed loyal even in the final days of the crumbling May regime. | The environment secretary is to pitch himself as a “unity candidate” capable of attracting leavers and remainers, as he formally declared his candidacy saying: “I believe that I’m ready to unite the Conservative and Unionist party, ready to deliver Brexit and ready to lead this great country.” But robust Brexiters in particular dislike the fact that he stayed loyal even in the final days of the crumbling May regime. |
| The former universities minister is calling for a 'final say on the Brexit deal' as the only way to break the parliamentary deadlock. Gyimah is the only candidate offering a second referendum on Brexit, saying 'There is a wide range of candidates out there but there is a very narrow set of views on Brexit being discussed'. | |
| The health secretary remains a relative outsider, but the longer the race goes on, the more he gains ground for the seemingly basic virtues of being apparently competent and broadly similar to a normal human being, albeit a particularly energetic one. A concerted effort would probably require an image consultant. | The health secretary remains a relative outsider, but the longer the race goes on, the more he gains ground for the seemingly basic virtues of being apparently competent and broadly similar to a normal human being, albeit a particularly energetic one. A concerted effort would probably require an image consultant. |
| The former immigration minister and chief whip was behind the controversial 'go-home' vans when working under Theresa May at the Home Office. He resigned as immigration minister in 2014after it emerged he was employing a cleaner who did not have permission to work in the UK. He later served as David Cameron’s chief whip. But he has not served in Theresa May’s government and has, therefore, sought to cast himself as the candidate who offers 'fresh thinking. | The former immigration minister and chief whip was behind the controversial 'go-home' vans when working under Theresa May at the Home Office. He resigned as immigration minister in 2014after it emerged he was employing a cleaner who did not have permission to work in the UK. He later served as David Cameron’s chief whip. But he has not served in Theresa May’s government and has, therefore, sought to cast himself as the candidate who offers 'fresh thinking. |
| Fears that the foreign secretary would be another overly woolly compromise choice were hardly assuaged when after a set-piece speech he seemed unable to outline why his brand of Conservatism might appeal to voters. | Fears that the foreign secretary would be another overly woolly compromise choice were hardly assuaged when after a set-piece speech he seemed unable to outline why his brand of Conservatism might appeal to voters. |
| The home secretary still has the same weaknesses: he is an uninspiring speaker and some worry he is too fond of headline-grabbing, illiberal political gestures. But he is almost as ubiquitous as Liz Truss, and clearly believes this is his time. | The home secretary still has the same weaknesses: he is an uninspiring speaker and some worry he is too fond of headline-grabbing, illiberal political gestures. But he is almost as ubiquitous as Liz Truss, and clearly believes this is his time. |
| The out-and-out favourite, so popular with the Tory grassroots that it would be hard for MPs to not make Johnson one of the final two. He has been relatively quiet recently, beyond his regular Telegraph column, but this is very deliberate. | The out-and-out favourite, so popular with the Tory grassroots that it would be hard for MPs to not make Johnson one of the final two. He has been relatively quiet recently, beyond his regular Telegraph column, but this is very deliberate. |
| The former House of Commons leader, who left Theresa May as the last candidate standing when she pulled out of the previous leadership race in 2016, has decided to have another tilt at the top job, saying she has the “experience and confidence” to “lead this country into a brighter future”. But even with her staunch Brexiter tendencies, she would be seen as an outsider. | The former House of Commons leader, who left Theresa May as the last candidate standing when she pulled out of the previous leadership race in 2016, has decided to have another tilt at the top job, saying she has the “experience and confidence” to “lead this country into a brighter future”. But even with her staunch Brexiter tendencies, she would be seen as an outsider. |
| The housing minister is credited as the convener of both Conservative leavers and remainers to develop a compromise on May’s withdrawal agreement. He said there was a “yearning for change”. The 52-year-old is a former deputy mayor of London and entered the Commons in 2015 when David Cameron’s Conservatives won a majority. His name was given to the “Malthouse compromise” – a proposal drawn up by backbenchers from leave and remain wings of the Tory party, which would have implemented May’s Brexit deal with the backstop replaced by alternative arrangements. | The housing minister is credited as the convener of both Conservative leavers and remainers to develop a compromise on May’s withdrawal agreement. He said there was a “yearning for change”. The 52-year-old is a former deputy mayor of London and entered the Commons in 2015 when David Cameron’s Conservatives won a majority. His name was given to the “Malthouse compromise” – a proposal drawn up by backbenchers from leave and remain wings of the Tory party, which would have implemented May’s Brexit deal with the backstop replaced by alternative arrangements. |
| The former work and pensions secretary, who quit last year over May’s Brexit plans, has launched her own in-party campaign group/leadership vehicle called Blue Collar Conservatism, promising to make the party more amenable to voters in deprived communities – mainly through a promise to deliver a strong Brexit and policies such as diverting much of the foreign aid budget to schools and police. | The former work and pensions secretary, who quit last year over May’s Brexit plans, has launched her own in-party campaign group/leadership vehicle called Blue Collar Conservatism, promising to make the party more amenable to voters in deprived communities – mainly through a promise to deliver a strong Brexit and policies such as diverting much of the foreign aid budget to schools and police. |
| Few things say “would-be leader in waiting” like a kitchen photoshoot with your spouse, and the former Brexit secretary duly obliged with this imageawash with tasteful pastel hues. He formally launched his bid in the Mail on Sunday. Among the more core constituency of Conservative MPs, Raab has been pushing hard, as has his semi-official “Ready for Raab” Twitter feed. | Few things say “would-be leader in waiting” like a kitchen photoshoot with your spouse, and the former Brexit secretary duly obliged with this imageawash with tasteful pastel hues. He formally launched his bid in the Mail on Sunday. Among the more core constituency of Conservative MPs, Raab has been pushing hard, as has his semi-official “Ready for Raab” Twitter feed. |
| The cabinet’s most recent arrival – Mordaunt’s promotion to defence led to Stewart becoming international development secretary – certainly has the necessary ambition and self-belief, plus a privileged if unorthodox backstory covering Eton, Oxford, a senior role in postwar Iraq and a bestselling book about walking across Afghanistan. He remains an outsider, not least because of his remain tendencies and slightly 2010 view of compassionate Conservatism. | The cabinet’s most recent arrival – Mordaunt’s promotion to defence led to Stewart becoming international development secretary – certainly has the necessary ambition and self-belief, plus a privileged if unorthodox backstory covering Eton, Oxford, a senior role in postwar Iraq and a bestselling book about walking across Afghanistan. He remains an outsider, not least because of his remain tendencies and slightly 2010 view of compassionate Conservatism. |
| Sir Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt and James Brokenshire are yet to declare their intentions. Liz Truss and Amber Rudd have ruled themselves out. | Sir Graham Brady, Penny Mordaunt and James Brokenshire are yet to declare their intentions. Liz Truss and Amber Rudd have ruled themselves out. |
| Among other senior figures not expected to run are Brandon Lewis, Chris Grayling and Philip Hammond. Gavin Williamson’s recent sacking after the Huawei leak inquiry will also surely rule him out as an option this time around. | Among other senior figures not expected to run are Brandon Lewis, Chris Grayling and Philip Hammond. Gavin Williamson’s recent sacking after the Huawei leak inquiry will also surely rule him out as an option this time around. |
| Later on Thursday, May will face a showdown with members of the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs over their demand for a firm resignation date. | Later on Thursday, May will face a showdown with members of the executive of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs over their demand for a firm resignation date. |
| Before the meeting, the committee’s treasurer, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, told the Press Association: “It would be infinitely preferable if she set a date rather than us force her out. It’s better that she does it than we have a vote of confidence. What I would like to see is her set out a timetable to trigger a leadership contest.” | Before the meeting, the committee’s treasurer, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, told the Press Association: “It would be infinitely preferable if she set a date rather than us force her out. It’s better that she does it than we have a vote of confidence. What I would like to see is her set out a timetable to trigger a leadership contest.” |
| After May’s appearance before the committee, it will consider changes to the party’s leadership rules that currently prevent another leadership contest before December. | After May’s appearance before the committee, it will consider changes to the party’s leadership rules that currently prevent another leadership contest before December. |
| May’s former joint chief of staff Nick Timothy wrote in the Daily Telegraph that it was “beyond time” for her “to accept that the game is up”. | May’s former joint chief of staff Nick Timothy wrote in the Daily Telegraph that it was “beyond time” for her “to accept that the game is up”. |
| In order to avoid a “national humiliation” and save the Conservative party, Timothy said May must “do her duty and stand aside” rather than cling to power. | In order to avoid a “national humiliation” and save the Conservative party, Timothy said May must “do her duty and stand aside” rather than cling to power. |
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