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Boris Johnson denies he was shut out of intelligence briefings – live news Boris Johnson denies he was shut out of intelligence briefings – live news
(32 minutes later)
Q: Should we have a written constitution to enshrine free speech? The best way to get a deal is to leave no-deal on the table, Hunt repeats.
Free speech has been protect in Britain since the 18th century, Johnson said. He added that we don’t need any protection for free speech from the EU he claims. To Tory colleagues he said: “Please don’t take no-deal off the table”. This is loudly applauded.
“I deplore xenophobia and hate speech but I do think we should be able to speak our minds frankly without the fear that we’re going to get our heads bitten off.” Q: Is Brexit like being emancipated from Slavery?
On Education, Johnson described student debt as “massive Ponzi” scheme. He says wants to give young people a better chance of owning their own home. Hunt: We need to dial down the rhetoric on all sides and be the best of friends.
He also claims the Conservatives are the party for a cleaner environment, which he claims is a vote winner for young people. Asked about Islamophobia, Hunt said “we have to root out all prejudice in our party” which is why he said he backs an inquiry into the issue.
Asked about the fishing industry, Johnson refuses to say whether the UK will scrap the 12 mile limit. But he repeats that the UK will be taking controls of our waters. Q: Are you confident you are seeing all intelligence briefings?
Johnson insists he is not selfish by claiming that he could have made more money by not being a politician. Hunt: we can’t comment on intelligence. “Sorry I’m not commenting on intelligence matters.”
“It is obviously possible to make more money not being a politician. But you have to make sacrifices sometimes,” he said. “We have the finest intelligence services in the world, but that does depend on some discretion by the foreign secretary”.
He claims he could have earned more by writing a book about Shakespeare. Jeremy Hunt resolutely refusing to comment on the Boris intelligence story, to applause from the audience.
Boris Johnson, who earns £275,000 a year from his Telegraph column and has been paid hundreds of thousands of pounds for corporate speeches, says he has made personal “sacrifices” by not leaving politics and taking a job in the private sector. Hunt promises that he won’t take the Tories into a general election until it recruits more young people as members. He said: We could elect our own populist, or we could do better, we could elect our Jeremy.
Slightly odd moment. Boris Johnson is asked to give an example of when he has put self-interest aside for the national interest. His answer is that he could earn more money and finish his book on Shakespeare if he wasn’t involved in politics. pic.twitter.com/AKY42GUeEZ Jeremy Hunt is up next. He starts by praising Darlington’s railway history and its current record on engineering and exporting bridges.
Johnson criticises Theresa May’s government for slipping in its preparation for a no-deal Brexit. “We sagged on our oars,” he said. He said the main difference between him and Johnson is his ability to negotiate a deal, and trots out his well-worn lines about being an entrepreneur.
The most important thing is to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, he said. Johnson can’t remember the location of the sausage factory he visited yesterday, describing it as “somewhere in Yorkshire”. The audience laughs.
On that BBC intelligence story Johnson said: “I am extremely dubious about the provenance of this story”. Asked about Tory MPs voting against whatever Brexit deal has been present to parliament, Johnson said: “I think that they’re just going to have to get used to the fact that unless we get on and do this we’re going to keep on haemorrhaging support.”
Asked about gaffes, Johnson says: “When people say you are making a gaffe, what you are doing is saying something true and necessary.” Johnson suggested he won’t accept chlorinated chicken being imported from the US after Brexit.
Johnson is asked by CNN’s Hannah Vaughan Jones about a BBC report that he was kept away from intelligence briefings. Boris Johnson says any future international trade deals will uphold UK’s agricultural and animal welfare standards - I.e, no chlorinated chicken. pic.twitter.com/psjnKBSn8g
Johnson says he does not comment on intelligence maters. Johnson claims he was never a fan of austerity.
But then adds: “It is not true. But I cannot comment any further on intelligence matters. I am sure the prime minister will not comment on security matters.” “Austerity is not a helpful term. I never liked it. I remember Dave Cameron saying he wanted an austerity Olympics and I said: ‘No way mate.’ That’s not the stuff to give the troops.”
Johnson repeats his joke about the ingredients for Mars bars but adds a local reference to parmos. Boris Johnson on austerity: "I never liked it. I remember Dave Cameron saying to me he wanted to have an austerity Olympics. I said 'No way mate! That's not the stuff to give the troops'."
I can’t remember the last time I turned on a TV and Boris Johnson wasn’t telling his “where there’s a will there’s a whey” joke
BREAKING: Boris Johnson says “there will be parmos” in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Middlesborough crowd are delighted.
Johnson begins by lamenting the Conservative’s standing in the polls. He says he can’t remember when the party last sank to 9%, but claims this the dark before the dawn.