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| Tory leadership: May will continue to warn against no-deal Brexit from backbenches, No 10 signals - live news | Tory leadership: May will continue to warn against no-deal Brexit from backbenches, No 10 signals - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Speaking to journalists after PMQs, a Downing Street spokesman was asked about the prime minister’s future role, once she steps aside. He said: | |
| She will certainly play her full part in serving her constituents of Maidenhead. | |
| She very quickly when she announced her intention to step down as prime minister made very clear that she wanted to serve for at least the remainder of the parliament. I think she’s totally focused on that. I think that’s what you would expect from her. | |
| As for her stance in relation to a no-deal Brexit, he said: | |
| You can expect her to examine any future proposals on their merits. | |
| And asked whether the PM could vote against a no-deal plan, he said: | |
| It’s not something I have discussed with her; but she has always been very clear about what she sees as the virtues of leaving in an orderly way, with a deal. | |
| One of the most interesting exchanges in the statement came when Chris Leslie, the Change UK MP, asked Theresa May if she thought Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were being realistic in claiming to be able to renegotiate Brexit in a few weeks. He asked: | One of the most interesting exchanges in the statement came when Chris Leslie, the Change UK MP, asked Theresa May if she thought Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt were being realistic in claiming to be able to renegotiate Brexit in a few weeks. He asked: |
| [Johnson and Hunt] are absolutely adamant that during August and September they can negotiate a superior withdrawal agreement, perhaps with extra positive energy says the former foreign secretary. Does [May] think that it will be that simple? | [Johnson and Hunt] are absolutely adamant that during August and September they can negotiate a superior withdrawal agreement, perhaps with extra positive energy says the former foreign secretary. Does [May] think that it will be that simple? |
| May did not criticise her two potential successors directly, but she would not say that she thought they were being realistic, and her answer implied that in private she might be almost as sceptical as Leslie. She told him: | May did not criticise her two potential successors directly, but she would not say that she thought they were being realistic, and her answer implied that in private she might be almost as sceptical as Leslie. She told him: |
| Obviously it is up to whoever succeeds me to take forward negotiations and to look at the relationship for withdrawing from the European Union and our future relationship with the European Union in the way that they best think fit. The EU council has made statements about the negotiations so far and about their position on those negotiations, but obviously it will be up to my successor to take this forward. | Obviously it is up to whoever succeeds me to take forward negotiations and to look at the relationship for withdrawing from the European Union and our future relationship with the European Union in the way that they best think fit. The EU council has made statements about the negotiations so far and about their position on those negotiations, but obviously it will be up to my successor to take this forward. |
| The reference to EU council statements was a reference to comments like this one, from Donald Tusk, president of the European council, after the EU summit in June. On 21 June Tusk said this (I’ve added the bold type): | The reference to EU council statements was a reference to comments like this one, from Donald Tusk, president of the European council, after the EU summit in June. On 21 June Tusk said this (I’ve added the bold type): |
| At the end of our meeting, the EU27 briefly came back to the issue of Brexit. We have agreed on the following, united approach of the EU27: we look forward to working together with the next UK prime minister; we want to avoid a disorderly Brexit and establish a future relationship that is as close as possible with the UK; we are open for talks when it comes to the declaration on the future UK-EU relations if the position of the United Kingdom were to evolve, but the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation; and we have been informed on the state of play of planning for a no-deal scenario. | At the end of our meeting, the EU27 briefly came back to the issue of Brexit. We have agreed on the following, united approach of the EU27: we look forward to working together with the next UK prime minister; we want to avoid a disorderly Brexit and establish a future relationship that is as close as possible with the UK; we are open for talks when it comes to the declaration on the future UK-EU relations if the position of the United Kingdom were to evolve, but the withdrawal agreement is not open for renegotiation; and we have been informed on the state of play of planning for a no-deal scenario. |
| The May statement is now over. She was at the despatch box for two hours. | The May statement is now over. She was at the despatch box for two hours. |
| Labour’s Chris Bryant congratulated Theresa May on the expression she managed when she met President Putin at the G20. He said it has “more ice in it than a polar ice cap”. | Labour’s Chris Bryant congratulated Theresa May on the expression she managed when she met President Putin at the G20. He said it has “more ice in it than a polar ice cap”. |
| May told him that, referring to Putin’s comments about liberalism being obsolete, she told him liberalism had done more than any other system to spread prosperity. And, on the subject of her expression, she said, unlike the polar ice cap, “I’m not melting”. | May told him that, referring to Putin’s comments about liberalism being obsolete, she told him liberalism had done more than any other system to spread prosperity. And, on the subject of her expression, she said, unlike the polar ice cap, “I’m not melting”. |
| HuffPost’s Paul Waugh has another line from the No 10 briefing. | HuffPost’s Paul Waugh has another line from the No 10 briefing. |
| No10 makes strong defence of sugar tax. PM spokesman points out "45 million kilograms of sugar" per year have been removed from drinks since its introduction. Says of those drinks not reformulated the cash raised goes to school sport. | No10 makes strong defence of sugar tax. PM spokesman points out "45 million kilograms of sugar" per year have been removed from drinks since its introduction. Says of those drinks not reformulated the cash raised goes to school sport. |
| Craig Mackinlay, a Conservative, asks May if she agrees that the behind-closed-doors selection process for the new EU leaders shows disrespect for the views of EU voters. | Craig Mackinlay, a Conservative, asks May if she agrees that the behind-closed-doors selection process for the new EU leaders shows disrespect for the views of EU voters. |
| May says it will be up to the EU to decide how it changes its procedures going forward. | May says it will be up to the EU to decide how it changes its procedures going forward. |
| This is from my colleague Heather Stewart, who has been at the post-PMQs/statement briefing by Number 10. | This is from my colleague Heather Stewart, who has been at the post-PMQs/statement briefing by Number 10. |
| Interesting from Downing St spox on the role the PM could play in Brexit as a backbencher: “You can expect her to examine any future proposals on their merits.” Adds, “she has always been very clear about what she sees as the virtues of leaving in an orderly way, with a deal”. | Interesting from Downing St spox on the role the PM could play in Brexit as a backbencher: “You can expect her to examine any future proposals on their merits.” Adds, “she has always been very clear about what she sees as the virtues of leaving in an orderly way, with a deal”. |
| Chris Leslie, the Change UK MP, asks May if she thinks it is credible for Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt to claim they can renegotiate a new Brexit deal with the EU within weeks. | Chris Leslie, the Change UK MP, asks May if she thinks it is credible for Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt to claim they can renegotiate a new Brexit deal with the EU within weeks. |
| May notes what the EU has said, but says it will be for her successor to decide his approach. | May notes what the EU has said, but says it will be for her successor to decide his approach. |
| May refuses to say whether she thinks that it will be possible for Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt to renegotiate Brexit within weeks. | May refuses to say whether she thinks that it will be possible for Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt to renegotiate Brexit within weeks. |
| Alistair Burt, the Tory former Foreign Office minister, asks May to condemn the “childish” and “unfortunate” anti-German rhetoric sometimes coming from Tory MPs. He is referring to Bill Cash. (See 1.17pm.) | Alistair Burt, the Tory former Foreign Office minister, asks May to condemn the “childish” and “unfortunate” anti-German rhetoric sometimes coming from Tory MPs. He is referring to Bill Cash. (See 1.17pm.) |
| May does not refer to Cash’s comment directly, but she says she wants to maintain good relations with the EU. | May does not refer to Cash’s comment directly, but she says she wants to maintain good relations with the EU. |
| Labour’s Pat McFadden asks May about the Brexit party protest in the European parliament yesterday. Does she agree the UK is not a colony of Europe? | Labour’s Pat McFadden asks May about the Brexit party protest in the European parliament yesterday. Does she agree the UK is not a colony of Europe? |
| May says the UK has played a constructive role in Europe. She wants to see it respected. | May says the UK has played a constructive role in Europe. She wants to see it respected. |
| May refuses to condemn Brexit party’s protest against European anthem in the European parliament yesterday. | May refuses to condemn Brexit party’s protest against European anthem in the European parliament yesterday. |
| Hilary Benn, the Labour chair of the Brexit committee, asks May if she has had a discussion with her Canadian opposite number about the roll-over of the Canadian free trade deal with the EU, Ceta. There are reports Canada will not roll it over. And he praises Philip Hammond, the chancellor, who is on the front bench alongside May, for his warnings about a no-deal Brexit. | Hilary Benn, the Labour chair of the Brexit committee, asks May if she has had a discussion with her Canadian opposite number about the roll-over of the Canadian free trade deal with the EU, Ceta. There are reports Canada will not roll it over. And he praises Philip Hammond, the chancellor, who is on the front bench alongside May, for his warnings about a no-deal Brexit. |
| May says the government is continuing to talk to Canada about rolling over Ceta. | May says the government is continuing to talk to Canada about rolling over Ceta. |