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| Farage says remainers have been 'radicalised' after he is hit with milkshake - live news | Farage says remainers have been 'radicalised' after he is hit with milkshake - live news |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Electoral Commission has said it will attend the offices of Nigel Farage’s Brexit party to “review its systems” after Gordon Brown urged them to investigate concerns over the legality of the party’s funding. | |
| Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, has said that normal campaigning is becoming impossible because some remainers have been “radicalised”. (See 2.42pm.) He was speaking after a milkshake was thrown at him as he campaigned in Newcastle. According to the Telegraph’s Christopher Hope, Farage wants the person who threw the milkshake at him to be charged with assault. | |
| BREAKING Nigel Farage has now made a statement to Northumbria Police and told them that he will press charges for assault against the man who threw milkshake over him. | |
| The attack has been condemned by Downing Street and by some of Farage’s other political opponents. (See 4.10am.) | |
| Penny Mordaunt, the defence secretary, has played down the significance of a document released at the weekend saying ministers can share information obtained from third parties where there is a “serious risk” of torture “if ministers agree that the potential benefits justify accepting the risk and the legal consequences that may follow”. Speaking in response to a Commons urgent question about the document, Mordaunt said: | |
| The UK government stands firmly against torture and does not participate in, solicit, encourage or condone the use of torture or cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment for any purpose. Our policy and activities in this area are in accordance with both domestic and international law. | |
| Mordaunt said the new document, released in response to a freedom of information request, dated from 2018 and did not introduce any “substantial changes” from previous policy. But she also said the wording of the current guidance on this matter was being reviewed. | |
| Esther McVey has launched a campaign to reconnect the Conservatives with working-class voters by promising to slash the overseas aid budget and give the money saved to schools and police. | |
| The former Labour minister Jane Kennedy has said the party is “broken to the core” and has been hijacked by “something really nasty and dark in the hard left”. As Josh Halliday reports, Kennedy, the police and crime commissioner for Merseyside, quit the Labour party in March after the resignation of Luciana Berger, saying it had failed to get to grips with antisemitism.The former Liverpool Wavertree MP, who served as a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, said on Monday that other centre-left figures were being “hounded out” as a result of ongoing antisemitism and homophobia in local Labour parties. | |
| The home secretary has applied to the high court for a secret hearing to prevent public disclosure of the nature of “serious” breaches recently admitted by MI5 in its surveillance safeguards. | |
| That’s all from me for today. | |
| Thanks for the comments. | |
| Workers at two government departments, including cleaners and caterers, will launch a fresh campaign of strikes on Tuesday in disputes over pay and conditions. As the Press Association reports, members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) at the Foreign Office (FCO) will walk out for two days, while workers at the Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Department (BEIS) will take action for four days. The dispute at the FCO involves Interserve, which the union accuses of making “repeated blunders” on pay, while PCS says ISS and Aramark are refusing to pay the London living wage. | |
| Sky’s Beth Rigby has a useful tweet on divisions in the Tory leadership race. | |
| Emerging battle lines in Tory leadership race- Brexit Deal v No Deal ( McVey comes out as 1st contender prepared to leave with No Deal Oct 31 - HS2 (Osborne/Rudd want to save it, Johnson/McVey/Leadsom want to scrap it )- Foreign Aid Budget (McVey today proposes £7bn cut) | |
| Off the top of my head, here are a few other questions that are likely to matter in the leadership contest, with different candidates taking different views. | |
| A pact with the Brexit party? (Esther McVey would not rule one out, see 2.47pm, although Nicky Morgan has said it would be a death knell for the party.) | |
| Holding an early election? (There is not much enthusiasm for one in the party, but some candidates might be more willing to rule one out than others.) | |
| Increasing defence spending? (In truth, the division will be more about, by how much? Jeremy Hunt wants to double it.) | |
| Cutting taxes? (Again, the division will be about how firmly this can be promised, and by how much. Dominic Raab is already talking about a penny of the basic rate.) | |
| Banning Huawei from 5G infrastructure contracts? | |
| These are from ITV’s Daniel Hewitt, who’s been covering a Brexit party rally in Wakefield. | These are from ITV’s Daniel Hewitt, who’s been covering a Brexit party rally in Wakefield. |
| At a @brexitparty_uk rally in Wakefield. The first 4 people I speak to are all Conservative Party councillors, including the vice chair of the local party. They’ve already voted for the Brexit Party and they all say they’re here to support Nigel Farage. pic.twitter.com/On3gyWTaX8 | At a @brexitparty_uk rally in Wakefield. The first 4 people I speak to are all Conservative Party councillors, including the vice chair of the local party. They’ve already voted for the Brexit Party and they all say they’re here to support Nigel Farage. pic.twitter.com/On3gyWTaX8 |
| NEW: Nigel Farage tells me he is “100% confident” the @brexitparty_uk has followed the rules on party funding and 100% confident they haven’t broken the law. I asked him if he’s 100% sure he’s not received a penny from foreign donors outside the UK, he says he “99% sure.” | NEW: Nigel Farage tells me he is “100% confident” the @brexitparty_uk has followed the rules on party funding and 100% confident they haven’t broken the law. I asked him if he’s 100% sure he’s not received a penny from foreign donors outside the UK, he says he “99% sure.” |
| Nigel Farage had planned to do a walkabout in Wakefield but after the milkshake in Newcastle, he said his safety cannot be guaranteed. So he stayed on the bus, gave a short speech to his supporters from the top deck and left. Next stop, Bolton. pic.twitter.com/GIBLPtsArs | Nigel Farage had planned to do a walkabout in Wakefield but after the milkshake in Newcastle, he said his safety cannot be guaranteed. So he stayed on the bus, gave a short speech to his supporters from the top deck and left. Next stop, Bolton. pic.twitter.com/GIBLPtsArs |
| Gordon Brown’s office has tweeted this joke from his speech at the Labour rally earlier. | Gordon Brown’s office has tweeted this joke from his speech at the Labour rally earlier. |
| Investigate funding of Nigel Farage and Brexit Party @OfficeGSBrown tells rally in Glasgow. ‘Farage not a man of the people - he’s a man of the PayPal.’ pic.twitter.com/wYsLE7JLad | Investigate funding of Nigel Farage and Brexit Party @OfficeGSBrown tells rally in Glasgow. ‘Farage not a man of the people - he’s a man of the PayPal.’ pic.twitter.com/wYsLE7JLad |
| Ray Bassett was one of the senior Irish diplomats advising Bertie Ahern’s government the during the run up to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement peace deal for Northern Ireland in 1998. Bassett then served as Irish joint secretary to the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Belfast between 2001 and 2005, just prior to the signing of the second major peace deal between unionism and nationalism - the St Andrews Agreement. He also served as an ambassador, but after leaving the Republic’s Department of Foreign Affairs stunned some of his former colleagues by turning against the EU and getting involved with the Eurosceptic Irish Freedom party. | Ray Bassett was one of the senior Irish diplomats advising Bertie Ahern’s government the during the run up to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement peace deal for Northern Ireland in 1998. Bassett then served as Irish joint secretary to the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Belfast between 2001 and 2005, just prior to the signing of the second major peace deal between unionism and nationalism - the St Andrews Agreement. He also served as an ambassador, but after leaving the Republic’s Department of Foreign Affairs stunned some of his former colleagues by turning against the EU and getting involved with the Eurosceptic Irish Freedom party. |
| Today Bassett claims that Irish/EU pressure leading to Theresa May not getting a deal she could sell will result in a real Brexiter entering 10 Downing Street. On his Facebook page the former senior Irish diplomat warns: | Today Bassett claims that Irish/EU pressure leading to Theresa May not getting a deal she could sell will result in a real Brexiter entering 10 Downing Street. On his Facebook page the former senior Irish diplomat warns: |
| With the imminent ending of Theresa May’s leadership of the British Conservative party, and also [her time] as prime minister, the Irish government should reflect on the part they played in her, and indeed moderate Conservatism’s, demise in our neighbour. The likely prospect now seems that Boris Johnston will be the next PM of the UK, or Dominic Raab. | With the imminent ending of Theresa May’s leadership of the British Conservative party, and also [her time] as prime minister, the Irish government should reflect on the part they played in her, and indeed moderate Conservatism’s, demise in our neighbour. The likely prospect now seems that Boris Johnston will be the next PM of the UK, or Dominic Raab. |
| The failure to give the UK a reasonable deal in the withdrawal agreement politically killed off May and those around her. It was extremely short sighted to place all Ireland’s eggs in the Brussels basket. We needed a good deal for Britain, in our own interests, but the EU Commission needed to teach the deserting Brits a lesson. It was a repeat of the fiasco of the Cameron renegotiation, where our political establishment’s excessive Europhilia trumped the national interest. A sad day for Ireland. | The failure to give the UK a reasonable deal in the withdrawal agreement politically killed off May and those around her. It was extremely short sighted to place all Ireland’s eggs in the Brussels basket. We needed a good deal for Britain, in our own interests, but the EU Commission needed to teach the deserting Brits a lesson. It was a repeat of the fiasco of the Cameron renegotiation, where our political establishment’s excessive Europhilia trumped the national interest. A sad day for Ireland. |
| Three in five British voters say politics in Westminster and Brussels is broken, according to a poll that finds pro- and anti-Brexit parties are running neck and neck ahead of the European elections on Thursday, my colleague Mark Rice-Oxley reports. | Three in five British voters say politics in Westminster and Brussels is broken, according to a poll that finds pro- and anti-Brexit parties are running neck and neck ahead of the European elections on Thursday, my colleague Mark Rice-Oxley reports. |
| Here is the key chart. | Here is the key chart. |
| And here is Mark’s story. | And here is Mark’s story. |
| Pro- and anti-Brexit parties neck and neck in EU election, says poll | Pro- and anti-Brexit parties neck and neck in EU election, says poll |
| The milkshake attack on Nigel Farage is being widely condemned. | The milkshake attack on Nigel Farage is being widely condemned. |
| Downing Street has criticised what happened, PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield reports. | Downing Street has criticised what happened, PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield reports. |
| Downing St on Farage milkshaking: “The Prime Minister has been clear that politicians should be able to go about their work and campaign without harassment, intimidation and abuse.” | Downing St on Farage milkshaking: “The Prime Minister has been clear that politicians should be able to go about their work and campaign without harassment, intimidation and abuse.” |
| The former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has said the attack was “horrible”, the Telegraph’s Harry Yorke reports. | The former Labour prime minister Tony Blair has said the attack was “horrible”, the Telegraph’s Harry Yorke reports. |
| Tony Blair wades into the milkshake row in Farage's defence: "Horrible and ridiculous and people shouldn't do it. I can't stand this, I really feel very strongly about this. The guy is entitled to his point of view." | Tony Blair wades into the milkshake row in Farage's defence: "Horrible and ridiculous and people shouldn't do it. I can't stand this, I really feel very strongly about this. The guy is entitled to his point of view." |
| This is from the former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron. | This is from the former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron. |
| I’m not laughing along with the attack on Farage. Violence and intimidation are wrong no matter who they’re aimed at. On top of that, it just makes the man a martyr, it’s playing into his hands. | I’m not laughing along with the attack on Farage. Violence and intimidation are wrong no matter who they’re aimed at. On top of that, it just makes the man a martyr, it’s playing into his hands. |
| And this is from Brendan Cox, whose Labour MP wife Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right terrorist during the 2016 referendum campaign. | And this is from Brendan Cox, whose Labour MP wife Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right terrorist during the 2016 referendum campaign. |
| I dislike @Nigel_Farage ‘s politics profoundly. His willingness to pander to hatred &division even more so. But I don’t think throwing stuff at politicians you disagree with is a good idea. It normalises violence &intimidation and we should consistently stand again it. https://t.co/B2padhJBTg | I dislike @Nigel_Farage ‘s politics profoundly. His willingness to pander to hatred &division even more so. But I don’t think throwing stuff at politicians you disagree with is a good idea. It normalises violence &intimidation and we should consistently stand again it. https://t.co/B2padhJBTg |
| YouGov has released some European elections polling for ITV and Cardiff University showing Labour, which has been the dominant party in Welsh politics for almost a century, on course to come third, behind the Brexit party and Plaid Cyrmu. And the Conservatives are on course to come sixth, also behind the Liberal Democrats and the Greens. | YouGov has released some European elections polling for ITV and Cardiff University showing Labour, which has been the dominant party in Welsh politics for almost a century, on course to come third, behind the Brexit party and Plaid Cyrmu. And the Conservatives are on course to come sixth, also behind the Liberal Democrats and the Greens. |
| Here is an excerpt from Prof Roger Awan-Scully’s write-up for ITV. | Here is an excerpt from Prof Roger Awan-Scully’s write-up for ITV. |
| These poll results clearly have immediate potential implications for Thursday’s election. But there is a broader historical context here. Since Lloyd George’s victory in the December 1918 general election, there have been 39 Wales-wide electoral contests. The Labour party have come first in 38 of those 39 contests – the sole exception being the 2009 European election when, at the absolute lowest point of Gordon Brown’s unhappy period as prime minister, Labour finished narrowly behind the Conservatives in Wales. | These poll results clearly have immediate potential implications for Thursday’s election. But there is a broader historical context here. Since Lloyd George’s victory in the December 1918 general election, there have been 39 Wales-wide electoral contests. The Labour party have come first in 38 of those 39 contests – the sole exception being the 2009 European election when, at the absolute lowest point of Gordon Brown’s unhappy period as prime minister, Labour finished narrowly behind the Conservatives in Wales. |
| Unless our poll is horribly inaccurate, or Labour stage an astonishing resurgence in the last few days of the European election campaign, we are going to see Labour defeated in Wales for only the second time in the last one hundred years. Mark Drakeford’s first electoral test as Welsh Labour leader will have been failed. We don’t yet know what political implications might follow from such an outcome, but this result in itself would be truly historic. | Unless our poll is horribly inaccurate, or Labour stage an astonishing resurgence in the last few days of the European election campaign, we are going to see Labour defeated in Wales for only the second time in the last one hundred years. Mark Drakeford’s first electoral test as Welsh Labour leader will have been failed. We don’t yet know what political implications might follow from such an outcome, but this result in itself would be truly historic. |
| The Greens have been in touch to clarify their policy on a universal basic income (UBI). (See 10.56am.) At the last general election the Green party was campaigning for a universal basic income - a basic payment to everyone, regardless of whether they are working or not working, rich or poor. In these European elections, the Greens and their fellow EU Green parties are calling for EU legislation forcing member states to guarantee people a minimum income. This would involve top-pay payments going to the poor but, unlike a UBI, it would not involve payments to the rich. The Greens think this a realistic EU aspiration for the near future. They also want UBI to be piloted on an EU-wide basis, but they accept that it would take much longer to introduce this across Europe. | The Greens have been in touch to clarify their policy on a universal basic income (UBI). (See 10.56am.) At the last general election the Green party was campaigning for a universal basic income - a basic payment to everyone, regardless of whether they are working or not working, rich or poor. In these European elections, the Greens and their fellow EU Green parties are calling for EU legislation forcing member states to guarantee people a minimum income. This would involve top-pay payments going to the poor but, unlike a UBI, it would not involve payments to the rich. The Greens think this a realistic EU aspiration for the near future. They also want UBI to be piloted on an EU-wide basis, but they accept that it would take much longer to introduce this across Europe. |
| I’ve just been to see Esther McVey formally launch a new group called Blue Collar Conservatism, an internal party campaign intended to push for policies attracting working voters in former industrial areas, which is also viewed as a vehicle for McVey’s own leadership ambitions. | I’ve just been to see Esther McVey formally launch a new group called Blue Collar Conservatism, an internal party campaign intended to push for policies attracting working voters in former industrial areas, which is also viewed as a vehicle for McVey’s own leadership ambitions. |
| The ex-work and pension secretary, who left government at the end of last year in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit plans, is seen as an outsider, but as with many of these efforts the aim is as much to push the individual MP’s policy aims and stature in the party. | The ex-work and pension secretary, who left government at the end of last year in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit plans, is seen as an outsider, but as with many of these efforts the aim is as much to push the individual MP’s policy aims and stature in the party. |
| Speaking in a packed room in parliament – she had made the wise move of both booking a fairly small space and removing all the chairs – McVey said the Conservatives must take votes from those who felt abandoned by Labour, in part by delivering Brexit quickly. | Speaking in a packed room in parliament – she had made the wise move of both booking a fairly small space and removing all the chairs – McVey said the Conservatives must take votes from those who felt abandoned by Labour, in part by delivering Brexit quickly. |
| If that sounds a bit like the Brexit party, there were definite similarities, not least a video featuring uplifting music, the views of annoyed voters and a claim that Labour has abandoned working class people. In a brief Q&A afterwards, McVey declined to say whether she would ever work with Nigel Farage’s party. | If that sounds a bit like the Brexit party, there were definite similarities, not least a video featuring uplifting music, the views of annoyed voters and a claim that Labour has abandoned working class people. In a brief Q&A afterwards, McVey declined to say whether she would ever work with Nigel Farage’s party. |
| The main policy specific was to pare back overseas aid funding to 2010 levels and to spend what Mcvey said would be the left over £7bn a year on schools and the police. | The main policy specific was to pare back overseas aid funding to 2010 levels and to spend what Mcvey said would be the left over £7bn a year on schools and the police. |
| There were some hiccups more reminiscent of Change UK than the Brexit party – the first video took some lengthy laptop key-pressing to start, while McVey mis-read her script and referred to having to “clear up the mess that was left by the Conservatives” but the event saw a fair turnout of fellow Tory MPs. | There were some hiccups more reminiscent of Change UK than the Brexit party – the first video took some lengthy laptop key-pressing to start, while McVey mis-read her script and referred to having to “clear up the mess that was left by the Conservatives” but the event saw a fair turnout of fellow Tory MPs. |
| McVey also made it clear that she would only back a die-hard Brexiter to replace May, Asked whether someone like Jeremy Hunt or Sajid Javid would suffice, she said it had to be someone who “believes in Brexit with a passion”. | McVey also made it clear that she would only back a die-hard Brexiter to replace May, Asked whether someone like Jeremy Hunt or Sajid Javid would suffice, she said it had to be someone who “believes in Brexit with a passion”. |
| Here is my colleague Matthew Weaver’s story about Nigel Farage being hit with a milkshake in Newcastle. | Here is my colleague Matthew Weaver’s story about Nigel Farage being hit with a milkshake in Newcastle. |
| Nigel Farage doused with milkshake in Newcastle | Nigel Farage doused with milkshake in Newcastle |
| Farage has posted this message on Twitter about the incident. | Farage has posted this message on Twitter about the incident. |
| Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible.For a civilised democracy to work you need the losers consent, politicians not accepting the referendum result have led us to this. | Sadly some remainers have become radicalised, to the extent that normal campaigning is becoming impossible.For a civilised democracy to work you need the losers consent, politicians not accepting the referendum result have led us to this. |
| This is the first time I’ve heard Farage talk about losers’ consent - a concept that it very well explained in this Twitter thread from Richard Wyn Jones, a professor of Welsh politics. Jones argues that Welsh devolution has been successful because, after a very narrow vote for devolution in 1997, Labour made an effort to obtain losers’ consent to ensure wide support for the assembly that was set up. He posted this Twitter thread to make a point about Brexit, where, he argues, the government has singularly failed to make an effort to accommodate the concerns of remainers. | This is the first time I’ve heard Farage talk about losers’ consent - a concept that it very well explained in this Twitter thread from Richard Wyn Jones, a professor of Welsh politics. Jones argues that Welsh devolution has been successful because, after a very narrow vote for devolution in 1997, Labour made an effort to obtain losers’ consent to ensure wide support for the assembly that was set up. He posted this Twitter thread to make a point about Brexit, where, he argues, the government has singularly failed to make an effort to accommodate the concerns of remainers. |
| Unexpectedly, the 1997 referendum on Welsh devolution is back in the news. Setting aside Theresa May's misremembering/rank hypocrisy [delete according to taste] concerning her own and her own party's position, the lesson of Wales 1997 is actually about 'loser's consent' 1/ | Unexpectedly, the 1997 referendum on Welsh devolution is back in the news. Setting aside Theresa May's misremembering/rank hypocrisy [delete according to taste] concerning her own and her own party's position, the lesson of Wales 1997 is actually about 'loser's consent' 1/ |
| Even though Farage has used the term, it is not apparent that he understands the concept. He is using it to say remainers should just accept Brexit. Jones is arguing that remainers consent would only be forthcoming if the government adopted a softer version of Brexit - something that would appal Farage. (He thinks Theresa May’s Brexit, which would involve being outside the single market and the customs union, is too soft, and is pushing for no-deal as the only proper Brexit.) | Even though Farage has used the term, it is not apparent that he understands the concept. He is using it to say remainers should just accept Brexit. Jones is arguing that remainers consent would only be forthcoming if the government adopted a softer version of Brexit - something that would appal Farage. (He thinks Theresa May’s Brexit, which would involve being outside the single market and the customs union, is too soft, and is pushing for no-deal as the only proper Brexit.) |
| Farage is also not someone who has shown much willingness to grant losers’ consent himself. Famously, before the 2016 referendum he said that if leave lost narrowly, he would be pushing for a further referendum. | Farage is also not someone who has shown much willingness to grant losers’ consent himself. Famously, before the 2016 referendum he said that if leave lost narrowly, he would be pushing for a further referendum. |