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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/jul/05/chancellor-warns-johnson-and-hunt-that-parliament-will-block-a-no-deal-brexit-live-news
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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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) | |
| And that’s it from Darlington. I’ll post a summary soon. In the meantime, Downing Street has played down reports that Johnson was shut out of intelligence briefings. | |
| Asked whether the PM had trusted Boris Johnson, a spokeswoman for Theresa May said she had done. “It is a matter of fact that it was the PM’s own decision to appoint Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary in full knowledge of all the responsibility that that job involves”. | |
| On austerity Hunt admitted that cuts went too far on police funding and social care. | |
| Jeremy Hunt says Cameron and Oborne's austerity programme "went too far" in some areas, with benefit of hindsight. He cites police numbers and social care as two areas worst hit by austerity. | |
| Q: Would a no-deal Brexit ruin the Conservative’s reputation as the party of business? | |
| Hunt: We are the party of business but also the party that respects democracy. This is a country where politicians do what people tell them. We are going to leave the EU and make it a tremendous success. | |
| Q: Name a policy to improve the environment. | |
| Hunt: We have to show young people that we are true Conservatives by leaving the planet in a cleaner state. On specifics Hunt suggests putting in charging points for electric vehicles. When installing new internet capacity he said: “Why don’t we put in electric car charging points so we get electric only car towns and cities?” | |
| Q: Does the need to avoid a hard border in Northern Ireland mean we can’t leave the EU? | |
| Hunt: I believe their is a technological solution, but it will take time. The EU must know that the backstop will never get through parliament which is why they must discuss technological solutions. | |
| Hunt agreed that the debate on this before the referendum was not good. | |
| On immigration, Hunt says he would reconsider the £30,000 salary limit. He said the current limit is not good for business. He promises a royal commission on the issue. | |
| Hunt said: “I am concerned about the £30,000 salary limit, because that is too high for the needs of many businesses.” | |
| As he answers questions from the audience, Hunt has just won the backing of John Major. “We need a serious leader for serious times,” the former prime minister told the BBC’s Hard Talk programme. | |
| Sir John: ”I do find that many of the things that have been said by Boris Johnson and by many others to be in conflict with reality as I understand it.” He added though that he was “not here for character assassination of Boris Johnson”. | |
| Q: When was the last time you let someone down? | |
| Hunt says he thinks about Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe every day. “I am letting down Nazanin Zeghari-Ratcliffe every day she remains in jail.” | |
| “I’ve tried very hard to get her out, I’ve met her husband Richard Ratcliffe on several occasions, she has a daughter the same age as my daughter.” | |
| Q: would you accept a place in Johnson’s cabinet? | |
| Hunt: After Brexit we have to come together, which is why there will always be a place for Boris Johnson in my cabinet. I would of course be proud to serve in Boris Johnson’s cabinet. | |
| The best way to get a deal is to leave no-deal on the table, Hunt repeats. | The best way to get a deal is to leave no-deal on the table, Hunt repeats. |
| To Tory colleagues he said: “Please don’t take no-deal off the table”. This is loudly applauded. | To Tory colleagues he said: “Please don’t take no-deal off the table”. This is loudly applauded. |
| Q: Is Brexit like being emancipated from Slavery? | Q: Is Brexit like being emancipated from Slavery? |
| Hunt: We need to dial down the rhetoric on all sides and be the best of friends. | Hunt: We need to dial down the rhetoric on all sides and be the best of friends. |
| 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 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. |
| Q: Are you confident you are seeing all intelligence briefings? | Q: Are you confident you are seeing all intelligence briefings? |
| Hunt: we can’t comment on intelligence. “Sorry I’m not commenting on intelligence matters.” | Hunt: we can’t comment on intelligence. “Sorry I’m not commenting on intelligence matters.” |
| “We have the finest intelligence services in the world, but that does depend on some discretion by the foreign secretary”. | “We have the finest intelligence services in the world, but that does depend on some discretion by the foreign secretary”. |
| Jeremy Hunt resolutely refusing to comment on the Boris intelligence story, to applause from the audience. | Jeremy Hunt resolutely refusing to comment on the Boris intelligence story, to applause from the audience. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Jeremy Hunt is up next. He starts by praising Darlington’s railway history and its current record on engineering and exporting bridges. | Jeremy Hunt is up next. He starts by praising Darlington’s railway history and its current record on engineering and exporting bridges. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Johnson can’t remember the location of the sausage factory he visited yesterday, describing it as “somewhere in Yorkshire”. The audience laughs. | Johnson can’t remember the location of the sausage factory he visited yesterday, describing it as “somewhere in Yorkshire”. The audience laughs. |
| 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 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.” |
| Johnson suggested he won’t accept chlorinated chicken being imported from the US after Brexit. | Johnson suggested he won’t accept chlorinated chicken being imported from the US after Brexit. |
| 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 | 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 claims he was never a fan of austerity. | Johnson claims he was never a fan of austerity. |
| “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.” | “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.” |
| 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'." | 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'." |