This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/jun/13/conservative-leadership-tory-mps-start-voting-for-new-leader-live-news
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Boris Johnson leads Tory leadership race with 114 votes; Leadsom, McVey and Harper out – live | Boris Johnson leads Tory leadership race with 114 votes; Leadsom, McVey and Harper out – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Tory MP Ken Clarke also said he agreed with Rory Stewart’s comment about how, if Boris Johnson were to suspend parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit, MPs would “bring him down”. (See 2.32pm.) Clarke said: | |
| I agree with that … There would be absolute outrage if a new prime minister suddenly decided because he didn’t get a majority in parliament for a policy that he would close parliament down and use dictatorial powers … It’s a bizarre suggestion. | |
| Clarke said that although we have an uncodified constitution, it is nonetheless clear that governments should only pursue policies for which they have parliament’s approval. | |
| Just four of the 11 members of the foreign affairs select committee went on its road trip to Northern Ireland today. | |
| Four of the five Conservative MPs and three of the five Labour MPs did not turn up in Armagh, where the first of two outreach events with local communities are taking place. | |
| It is not clear why so few turned up, but the Conservative leadership vote was not a barrier, as the Tory committee chair, Tom Tugendhat, was able to attend and take part in the ballot by arranging a proxy vote. | |
| The committee is meeting community groups, representatives from local businesses and elected public representatives. | |
| Among those not attending are the Brexiter Priti Patel and Andrew Rosindell, who has said the stalemate over the border is a “red herring from day one” and the only way to resolve it is through bilateral talks between the UK and Ireland. Rosindell made the comments in Ireland last month, when he attended a session of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, which he co-chairs. | |
| The Conservative former chancellor and veteran pro-European Ken Clarke has accused Boris Johnson of not knowing what he wants, and said some Conservatives fear the idea of him being prime minister. In an interview, he said: | |
| Some are extremely fearful about the idea that he becomes prime minister. This isn’t some TV reality show … We’re not choosing the winner of the Great [British] Bake Off – we’re talking about government and policies. | |
| The father of the house, who supported Rory Stewart in the leadership vote today, said Johnson muddles through, often forgetting what he believes in from one day to the next. | |
| He doesn’t have any policies, certainly none that are consistent from day to day in the way he puts them. I don’t actually think he knows what he would do to get us out of the Brexit crisis. | He doesn’t have any policies, certainly none that are consistent from day to day in the way he puts them. I don’t actually think he knows what he would do to get us out of the Brexit crisis. |
| He doesn’t always say the same thing, partly because he doesn’t always remember what he said the day before. | He doesn’t always say the same thing, partly because he doesn’t always remember what he said the day before. |
| He tends to work day to day and just get his way through it – he’s not a man who’s interested in detail. | |
| Here is more from the Rory Stewart interview with Sky News quoted earlier. See 1.42pm.) | Here is more from the Rory Stewart interview with Sky News quoted earlier. See 1.42pm.) |
| Stewart said Boris Johnson would be acting like Charles I if he prorogued parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit. King Charles’s confrontations with parliament led to the civil war. | |
| Somebody who attempted to subvert our constitution, our liberties, our parliament, this place, who dared to stand as prime minister and claim that they could lock the doors on parliament, would not deserve to be prime minister. And this parliament would meet, whether he locked the doors or not, and we would bring him down. | Somebody who attempted to subvert our constitution, our liberties, our parliament, this place, who dared to stand as prime minister and claim that they could lock the doors on parliament, would not deserve to be prime minister. And this parliament would meet, whether he locked the doors or not, and we would bring him down. |
| If he locked the doors of parliament, he would be doing it because he knew that parliament was entirely and completely against the central plank of his policy. And he would try to stop parliament from bringing him down by not allowing parliament to sit. That’s what Charles I did. That led to very, very disturbing things in this country. I’m sure he doesn’t mean it. I’m sure, like his taxation policy and his employer national insurance policy, he just hasn’t thought it through. So please think it through. | If he locked the doors of parliament, he would be doing it because he knew that parliament was entirely and completely against the central plank of his policy. And he would try to stop parliament from bringing him down by not allowing parliament to sit. That’s what Charles I did. That led to very, very disturbing things in this country. I’m sure he doesn’t mean it. I’m sure, like his taxation policy and his employer national insurance policy, he just hasn’t thought it through. So please think it through. |
| Stewart said it was important for politicians to be straight with people. He said: | Stewart said it was important for politicians to be straight with people. He said: |
| I’m very worried if [Johnson] will not tell us what he stands for. Because in the end we have had too much politics where people don’t trust politicians, people have been afraid to speak about reality, to be straight with people. People said, when I began this campaign, that you are never going to get anywhere because you are being straight about parliament, about the problems in Europe. People said you are not going to get anywhere because you are not making tax and spending pledges. What I have discovered is it’s immensely popular to be straight with people, and that’s why I think we can win this. | I’m very worried if [Johnson] will not tell us what he stands for. Because in the end we have had too much politics where people don’t trust politicians, people have been afraid to speak about reality, to be straight with people. People said, when I began this campaign, that you are never going to get anywhere because you are being straight about parliament, about the problems in Europe. People said you are not going to get anywhere because you are not making tax and spending pledges. What I have discovered is it’s immensely popular to be straight with people, and that’s why I think we can win this. |
| Stewart said he was beginning to think he might just make it on to the final ballot of Tory members. | |
| Andrea Leadsom has tweeted this about her departure from the leadership race. | Andrea Leadsom has tweeted this about her departure from the leadership race. |
| What a ride! Loved being back on the leadership campaign trail. Great effort by colleagues @Mark_J_Harper and @EstherMcVey1 and best of luck to the remaining candidates. Thank you to the many #TeamLeadsom supporters. - AL @andrealeadsom pic.twitter.com/490vidbMnh | What a ride! Loved being back on the leadership campaign trail. Great effort by colleagues @Mark_J_Harper and @EstherMcVey1 and best of luck to the remaining candidates. Thank you to the many #TeamLeadsom supporters. - AL @andrealeadsom pic.twitter.com/490vidbMnh |
| My colleague Jessica Elgot has coined a new and very useful term for Tory MPs who back Rory Stewart – but are unwilling to come out and say so. | My colleague Jessica Elgot has coined a new and very useful term for Tory MPs who back Rory Stewart – but are unwilling to come out and say so. |
| Do we have a new phenomenon - the "shy Rories"? @DavidGauke says he believes @RoryStewartUK did better than expected because there is "hidden support" from MPs who didn't declare publicly. | Do we have a new phenomenon - the "shy Rories"? @DavidGauke says he believes @RoryStewartUK did better than expected because there is "hidden support" from MPs who didn't declare publicly. |
| Michael Gove, the environment secretary, who came third, says it’s “all to play for”. He is probably the best debater in the House of Commons, and seems to be looking forward to the Channel 4 hustings on Sunday. | Michael Gove, the environment secretary, who came third, says it’s “all to play for”. He is probably the best debater in the House of Commons, and seems to be looking forward to the Channel 4 hustings on Sunday. |
| It’s all to play for. Very much looking forward to the Channel 4 and BBC debates - hope to see all other candidates there! #ReadyToLead #Gove4PM pic.twitter.com/iwwsG6zx1H | It’s all to play for. Very much looking forward to the Channel 4 and BBC debates - hope to see all other candidates there! #ReadyToLead #Gove4PM pic.twitter.com/iwwsG6zx1H |
| And this is from Dominic Raab, who came fourth today. | And this is from Dominic Raab, who came fourth today. |
| I’m honoured to have the support of so many brilliant colleagues today. This campaign is just getting started, and we've got a good base to build on. I'm the change candidate who can be trusted to deliver Brexit by October, and has the vision and energy to take Britain forward. | I’m honoured to have the support of so many brilliant colleagues today. This campaign is just getting started, and we've got a good base to build on. I'm the change candidate who can be trusted to deliver Brexit by October, and has the vision and energy to take Britain forward. |
| These are from Mark Harper, who was eliminated from the contest today. | These are from Mark Harper, who was eliminated from the contest today. |
| Thank you to all of the people who supported me: colleagues in Parliament and the many voters who I met along the way. (1/3) | Thank you to all of the people who supported me: colleagues in Parliament and the many voters who I met along the way. (1/3) |
| I continue to believe we need a credible plan that delivers Brexit, keeps our promises and then takes our country forwards. (2/3) | I continue to believe we need a credible plan that delivers Brexit, keeps our promises and then takes our country forwards. (2/3) |
| Only then can we restore trust with the British people and beat Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party at the next General Election. (3/3) | Only then can we restore trust with the British people and beat Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party at the next General Election. (3/3) |
| The odds on Boris Johnson becoming the next prime minister are now 1/5, down from 4/7 this morning, the betting website Oddschecker says. That’s an implied probability of 83.3% that he will win the Conservative leadership contest. | The odds on Boris Johnson becoming the next prime minister are now 1/5, down from 4/7 this morning, the betting website Oddschecker says. That’s an implied probability of 83.3% that he will win the Conservative leadership contest. |
| Here is the Green MP, Caroline Lucas, on the results of the first round of voting. | Here is the Green MP, Caroline Lucas, on the results of the first round of voting. |
| So a serial liar, racist and one of most incompetent ministers ever leads the poll in the #Toryleadership contestConservative MPs should hang their heads in shamehttps://t.co/RregBVMqyj | So a serial liar, racist and one of most incompetent ministers ever leads the poll in the #Toryleadership contestConservative MPs should hang their heads in shamehttps://t.co/RregBVMqyj |
| This is what Rory Stewart, the international development secretary who is standing to become Conservative leader, said about bringing down Boris Johnson if he tried to prorogue parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit. | This is what Rory Stewart, the international development secretary who is standing to become Conservative leader, said about bringing down Boris Johnson if he tried to prorogue parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit. |
| Asked what he would do, Stewart told Sky News: | Asked what he would do, Stewart told Sky News: |
| Number one, let’s get Boris to be straight. Does he or does he not consider locking the doors of parliament to be acceptable? That is an unconstitutional, improper, really disturbing suggestion that you try to get something through by locking the doors of parliament. Answer us. I’ve been asking for a week, ‘Boris, are you going to lock the doors of parliament?’ If so, tell people, because we want to know what kind of leader or prime minister we are voting for. | Number one, let’s get Boris to be straight. Does he or does he not consider locking the doors of parliament to be acceptable? That is an unconstitutional, improper, really disturbing suggestion that you try to get something through by locking the doors of parliament. Answer us. I’ve been asking for a week, ‘Boris, are you going to lock the doors of parliament?’ If so, tell people, because we want to know what kind of leader or prime minister we are voting for. |
| But he won’t be able to. I guarantee you, if he were to try, I and every other member of parliament will sit across the road in Methodist Central Hall and we will hold our own session of parliament and we will bring him down, because you do not, ever, lock the doors on parliament in this country, or in any other country with any respect in the world. | But he won’t be able to. I guarantee you, if he were to try, I and every other member of parliament will sit across the road in Methodist Central Hall and we will hold our own session of parliament and we will bring him down, because you do not, ever, lock the doors on parliament in this country, or in any other country with any respect in the world. |
| Dominic Raab is the Brexiter leadership candidate who has publicly floated the idea of proroguing parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit (because sending MPs away from the House of Commons would stop them legislating to prevent a no-deal departure). Raab is not actively advocating this, but he says it would be a mistake to rule it out. | Dominic Raab is the Brexiter leadership candidate who has publicly floated the idea of proroguing parliament to facilitate a no-deal Brexit (because sending MPs away from the House of Commons would stop them legislating to prevent a no-deal departure). Raab is not actively advocating this, but he says it would be a mistake to rule it out. |
| Johnson has said he is not attracted to the idea of using prorogation in this way, but today’s Times reports that, in private talks with Tory Brexiters, he has not ruled out the idea. Here’s an extract from the Times story (paywall). | Johnson has said he is not attracted to the idea of using prorogation in this way, but today’s Times reports that, in private talks with Tory Brexiters, he has not ruled out the idea. Here’s an extract from the Times story (paywall). |
| The former foreign secretary was said, however, to have privately assured the hard-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) of backbenchers that he would not explicitly rule it out. | The former foreign secretary was said, however, to have privately assured the hard-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) of backbenchers that he would not explicitly rule it out. |
| Some Brexiteers have urged the next prime minister to end the parliamentary session – known as proroguing – so MPs are unable to stop a no-deal exit from the EU on October 31, which would require the Queen’s permission. | Some Brexiteers have urged the next prime minister to end the parliamentary session – known as proroguing – so MPs are unable to stop a no-deal exit from the EU on October 31, which would require the Queen’s permission. |
| “He’s told the ERG he won’t take prorogation off the table and that he’s signed up to their plan for a ‘managed no-deal’,” a source on another campaign said. | “He’s told the ERG he won’t take prorogation off the table and that he’s signed up to their plan for a ‘managed no-deal’,” a source on another campaign said. |
| A senior Brexiteer confirmed last night that Mr Johnson had discussed the option of suspending parliament at a private meeting late last week. Another said: “I didn’t hear him rule it out.” | A senior Brexiteer confirmed last night that Mr Johnson had discussed the option of suspending parliament at a private meeting late last week. Another said: “I didn’t hear him rule it out.” |
| The idea of getting a shadow parliament to sit in Methodist Central Hall is not as novel an idea as it sounds. In 2002, the then Labour MP Graham Allen investigated the idea of hiring Church House at Westminster for an informal recall of parliament to discuss the threat of war with Iraq. In the event, Tony Blair did recall parliament, and Allen’s plan was dropped. | The idea of getting a shadow parliament to sit in Methodist Central Hall is not as novel an idea as it sounds. In 2002, the then Labour MP Graham Allen investigated the idea of hiring Church House at Westminster for an informal recall of parliament to discuss the threat of war with Iraq. In the event, Tony Blair did recall parliament, and Allen’s plan was dropped. |
| Here is my colleague Rafael Behr on Boris Johnson. | Here is my colleague Rafael Behr on Boris Johnson. |
| Boris Johnson has an unfair advantage in the leadership race … there’s two of him | Rafael Behr | Boris Johnson has an unfair advantage in the leadership race … there’s two of him | Rafael Behr |
| And here is an extract. | And here is an extract. |
| One of the two Johnsons served as mayor of London from 2008-2016. He has liberal, metropolitan instincts – broadly pro-immigration, old-fashioned in his use of idiom, but a moderniser at heart. Then there is 2016-2019 Johnson, figurehead of the Vote Leave campaign, the ultimate Brexit-booster. He is a more aggressive, divisive figure – a partisan of nationalistic culture wars who has consorted with Steve Bannon. Both Johnsons are dispensing wild promises to Tory MPs behind closed doors. The self-styled “one-nation” Conservatives and rightwing ultras each seem to think the other side is being taken for a ride, which suggests they all are. | One of the two Johnsons served as mayor of London from 2008-2016. He has liberal, metropolitan instincts – broadly pro-immigration, old-fashioned in his use of idiom, but a moderniser at heart. Then there is 2016-2019 Johnson, figurehead of the Vote Leave campaign, the ultimate Brexit-booster. He is a more aggressive, divisive figure – a partisan of nationalistic culture wars who has consorted with Steve Bannon. Both Johnsons are dispensing wild promises to Tory MPs behind closed doors. The self-styled “one-nation” Conservatives and rightwing ultras each seem to think the other side is being taken for a ride, which suggests they all are. |
| Matt Hancock surpassed expectations, a spokesman for his campaign said. The spokesman went on: | Matt Hancock surpassed expectations, a spokesman for his campaign said. The spokesman went on: |
| MPs have responded well to Matt’s energetic and positive campaign. His pro-business message, his focus on taking the fight to Corbyn and the Lib Dems, not just the Brexit party, and his argument that the Tory party “need a leader for the future, not just for now”, has gone down well with colleagues. | MPs have responded well to Matt’s energetic and positive campaign. His pro-business message, his focus on taking the fight to Corbyn and the Lib Dems, not just the Brexit party, and his argument that the Tory party “need a leader for the future, not just for now”, has gone down well with colleagues. |
| Here is a graph with the results. | Here is a graph with the results. |
| Full results of the Conservative leadership election - round 1 | Full results of the Conservative leadership election - round 1 |
| Here is Jeremy Hunt commenting on the result. | Here is Jeremy Hunt commenting on the result. |
| Delighted to come second today. We face a crucial choice: who can negotiate some better choices than the bad ones we face. The stakes have rarely been higher for our country. This serious moment calls for a serious leader. #hastobehunt | Delighted to come second today. We face a crucial choice: who can negotiate some better choices than the bad ones we face. The stakes have rarely been higher for our country. This serious moment calls for a serious leader. #hastobehunt |
| “Serious leader” is, of course, code for “not Boris Johnson”. | “Serious leader” is, of course, code for “not Boris Johnson”. |
| This is from Rory Stewart. | This is from Rory Stewart. |
| This is amazing - we’re getting some real momentum here. Thank you so, so much. Let’s push this through to the end. It’s increasingly clear it’s me against Boris. And let’s win #rorywalks pic.twitter.com/YvvAf8oEE5 | This is amazing - we’re getting some real momentum here. Thank you so, so much. Let’s push this through to the end. It’s increasingly clear it’s me against Boris. And let’s win #rorywalks pic.twitter.com/YvvAf8oEE5 |
| Here is a Labour response to the Rory Stewart interview. | Here is a Labour response to the Rory Stewart interview. |
| If only there had been an opportunity to stop this potentially happening yesterday, which he originally said he’d vote for, before swiftly changing his mind and voting against? https://t.co/Fs3eK7kd6G | If only there had been an opportunity to stop this potentially happening yesterday, which he originally said he’d vote for, before swiftly changing his mind and voting against? https://t.co/Fs3eK7kd6G |
| Rory Stewart has just given an extraordinary interview, PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield and BuzzFeed’s Alex Wickham report. I will post the quotes in a moment. | Rory Stewart has just given an extraordinary interview, PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield and BuzzFeed’s Alex Wickham report. I will post the quotes in a moment. |
| Woah. Rory Stewart says that if PM Boris Johnson prorogued Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit "we will hold our own session of Parliament across the road in Methodist Central Hall and we will bring him down". | Woah. Rory Stewart says that if PM Boris Johnson prorogued Parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit "we will hold our own session of Parliament across the road in Methodist Central Hall and we will bring him down". |
| Rory Stewart on Sky: "If Boris Johnson dared to lock the doors of parliament we would bring him down". That TV debate is gonna be something now Rory is thru... | Rory Stewart on Sky: "If Boris Johnson dared to lock the doors of parliament we would bring him down". That TV debate is gonna be something now Rory is thru... |