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| MPs condemn Boris Johnson for his 'despicable act of cowardice' over ambassador – as it happened | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Boris Johnson has been heavily criticised by fellow Tory MPs over his role in Sir Kim Darroch’s decision to resign as the UK ambassador to Washington, with one backbencher saying the frontrunner in the Conservative leadershipcontest should come to the Commons to apologise. | Boris Johnson has been heavily criticised by fellow Tory MPs over his role in Sir Kim Darroch’s decision to resign as the UK ambassador to Washington, with one backbencher saying the frontrunner in the Conservative leadershipcontest should come to the Commons to apologise. |
| Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has stepped up his criticism of Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism in the party by backing calls for automatic exclusion of members accused of anti-Jewish racism. | Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has stepped up his criticism of Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism in the party by backing calls for automatic exclusion of members accused of anti-Jewish racism. |
| More than 30 whistleblowers including current Labour members of staff will submit evidence to the equalities watchdog about antisemitism in the party, the Guardian understands. | More than 30 whistleblowers including current Labour members of staff will submit evidence to the equalities watchdog about antisemitism in the party, the Guardian understands. |
| Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary and one of the leading cabinet opponents of hard Brexit, has publicly ditched her opposition to no deal as senior Tories jostle for position in a Boris Johnson cabinet. | Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary and one of the leading cabinet opponents of hard Brexit, has publicly ditched her opposition to no deal as senior Tories jostle for position in a Boris Johnson cabinet. |
| The Bank of England has sounded the alarm over the risks to City banks from no-deal Brexit, warning that companies across Europe could be cut off from their lenders overnight. | The Bank of England has sounded the alarm over the risks to City banks from no-deal Brexit, warning that companies across Europe could be cut off from their lenders overnight. |
| A coroner has concluded that no official support was put in place for a prominent Welsh politician who took his own life four days after being sacked amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards women. | A coroner has concluded that no official support was put in place for a prominent Welsh politician who took his own life four days after being sacked amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour towards women. |
| Parliament must adopt a raft of new employment measures to ensure that MPs’ staff are no longer subject to an unacceptable risk of bullying and harassment at work, an official inquiry has concluded. | Parliament must adopt a raft of new employment measures to ensure that MPs’ staff are no longer subject to an unacceptable risk of bullying and harassment at work, an official inquiry has concluded. |
| Police leaders have written to the two Conservative leadership candidates to say whichever of them becomes prime minister should make providing more money to police and youth services their first priority. | Police leaders have written to the two Conservative leadership candidates to say whichever of them becomes prime minister should make providing more money to police and youth services their first priority. |
| Amber Rudd has announced a review of the benefits system for terminally ill claimants, in a challenge to the next prime minister to listen to demands for reform. | Amber Rudd has announced a review of the benefits system for terminally ill claimants, in a challenge to the next prime minister to listen to demands for reform. |
| That’s all from me for today. | That’s all from me for today. |
| Thanks for the comments. | Thanks for the comments. |
| Here is a Guardian panel on the BBC Panorama programme, with contributions from Jonathan Freedland, Rachel Shabi, Jon Lansman and Keith Kahn-Harris. | Here is a Guardian panel on the BBC Panorama programme, with contributions from Jonathan Freedland, Rachel Shabi, Jon Lansman and Keith Kahn-Harris. |
| The BBC’s Panorama set out claims of antisemitism in the Labour party. Our panel responds | The panel | The BBC’s Panorama set out claims of antisemitism in the Labour party. Our panel responds | The panel |
| From Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary | From Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary |
| In addition to what I said on @Peston last night, I just wanted to say a few words regarding today's debate about Labour's failure to deal effectively with the anti-semitism crisis, something that doesn't just shame and sicken me, but truly breaks my heart. pic.twitter.com/2zSll964TD | In addition to what I said on @Peston last night, I just wanted to say a few words regarding today's debate about Labour's failure to deal effectively with the anti-semitism crisis, something that doesn't just shame and sicken me, but truly breaks my heart. pic.twitter.com/2zSll964TD |
| Maybe Jeremy Hunt has seen the ConservativeHome survey (see 2.48pm) and remembered he needs to post his ballot paper ... | Maybe Jeremy Hunt has seen the ConservativeHome survey (see 2.48pm) and remembered he needs to post his ballot paper ... |
| Thought of tactical voting so it doesn’t look so bad for Boris but in the end it #HastobeHunt pic.twitter.com/CfJ24E6A7o | Thought of tactical voting so it doesn’t look so bad for Boris but in the end it #HastobeHunt pic.twitter.com/CfJ24E6A7o |
| More than 30 whistleblowers including current Labour members of staff will submit evidence to the equalities watchdog about antisemitism in the party, my colleague Jessica Elgot reports. | More than 30 whistleblowers including current Labour members of staff will submit evidence to the equalities watchdog about antisemitism in the party, my colleague Jessica Elgot reports. |
| Labour antisemitism: 30 whistleblowers to give evidence to EHRC | Labour antisemitism: 30 whistleblowers to give evidence to EHRC |
| Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary and one of the leading cabinet opponents of hard Brexit, has publicly ditched her opposition to no deal, my colleague Rowena Mason reports. | Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary and one of the leading cabinet opponents of hard Brexit, has publicly ditched her opposition to no deal, my colleague Rowena Mason reports. |
| Amber Rudd drops opposition to no-deal Brexit | Amber Rudd drops opposition to no-deal Brexit |
| In an interview with ConservativeHome last month Boris Johnson said that anyone who wanted to serve in his cabinet would have to agree to support the UK leaving the EU with no deal on 31 October if necessary. | In an interview with ConservativeHome last month Boris Johnson said that anyone who wanted to serve in his cabinet would have to agree to support the UK leaving the EU with no deal on 31 October if necessary. |
| The ConservativeHome website has published another of its regular surveys of Tory members, and it has concluded that Boris Johnson has already won the Tory leadership contest. We won’t know for sure for another 12 days, but in the past these surveys have been a fairly reliable guide to how people vote in internal Tory elections. | The ConservativeHome website has published another of its regular surveys of Tory members, and it has concluded that Boris Johnson has already won the Tory leadership contest. We won’t know for sure for another 12 days, but in the past these surveys have been a fairly reliable guide to how people vote in internal Tory elections. |
| ConservativeHome is making the claim that Boris Johnson “has won this contest already” on the basis that 71% of respondents say they have already voted. Given that the survey also suggests that Johnson is beating Jeremy Hunt by 72% to 28%, that would mean, assuming those figures were correct, that if every new vote being cast from today were to go to Hunt, he still would not be able to catch up. | ConservativeHome is making the claim that Boris Johnson “has won this contest already” on the basis that 71% of respondents say they have already voted. Given that the survey also suggests that Johnson is beating Jeremy Hunt by 72% to 28%, that would mean, assuming those figures were correct, that if every new vote being cast from today were to go to Hunt, he still would not be able to catch up. |
| A YouGov poll of Conservative members last week also gave Johnson an enormous lead over Hunt, only its was slightly bigger. | A YouGov poll of Conservative members last week also gave Johnson an enormous lead over Hunt, only its was slightly bigger. |
| In the Commons earlier Valerie Vaz, the shadow leader of the Commons, said Labour would support moves by John Major to take Boris Johnson to court if Johnson were to become PM and to prorogue parliament to try to stop MPs blocking a no-deal Brexit. During the business statement she quoted approvingly the Tory MP Dominic Grieve saying proroguing parliament in this way would be “the end of parliamentary democracy”. | In the Commons earlier Valerie Vaz, the shadow leader of the Commons, said Labour would support moves by John Major to take Boris Johnson to court if Johnson were to become PM and to prorogue parliament to try to stop MPs blocking a no-deal Brexit. During the business statement she quoted approvingly the Tory MP Dominic Grieve saying proroguing parliament in this way would be “the end of parliamentary democracy”. |
| Mel Stride, the leader of the Commons, played down the prospect of this happening. He replied: | Mel Stride, the leader of the Commons, played down the prospect of this happening. He replied: |
| The government doesn’t believe that [proroguing parliament] would be a desirable situation, not least it would put the monarch in an awkward position being involved in what is essentially a political decision given that it is prorogation based upon the advice of the pime minister but ultimately for the Queen to grant that. | The government doesn’t believe that [proroguing parliament] would be a desirable situation, not least it would put the monarch in an awkward position being involved in what is essentially a political decision given that it is prorogation based upon the advice of the pime minister but ultimately for the Queen to grant that. |
| I would also say, as I think Mr Speaker you have suggested, that it seems inconceivable that parliament will not have its opportunity to ensure that it has appropriate time to debate at the appropriate time these very, very important matters for our country. | I would also say, as I think Mr Speaker you have suggested, that it seems inconceivable that parliament will not have its opportunity to ensure that it has appropriate time to debate at the appropriate time these very, very important matters for our country. |
| These are from Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and Tory leadership contender. | These are from Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary and Tory leadership contender. |
| Latest incident with Iranian boats in the Gulf shows exactly why we must invest more in defence. We have run down our Navy too much and this must now be urgently reversed. We need to show confidence in the world by putting our money where our mouth is! | Latest incident with Iranian boats in the Gulf shows exactly why we must invest more in defence. We have run down our Navy too much and this must now be urgently reversed. We need to show confidence in the world by putting our money where our mouth is! |
| What is first duty of Government? To keep its citizens safe. Not possible if we continue to under-invest in our armed forces. Time to put things right and show the world we are a country that will always fight for our values. | What is first duty of Government? To keep its citizens safe. Not possible if we continue to under-invest in our armed forces. Time to put things right and show the world we are a country that will always fight for our values. |
| In an interview for today’s Sun Boris Johnson rejected suggestions that he contributed to Sir Kim Darroch’s decision to resign by not backing him in the ITV debate on Tuesday. Johnson told the paper: | In an interview for today’s Sun Boris Johnson rejected suggestions that he contributed to Sir Kim Darroch’s decision to resign by not backing him in the ITV debate on Tuesday. Johnson told the paper: |
| I can’t believe they’re trying to blame me for this. | I can’t believe they’re trying to blame me for this. |
| It seems bizarre to me. I’m a great supporter of Kim’s. I worked very well with him for years. | It seems bizarre to me. I’m a great supporter of Kim’s. I worked very well with him for years. |
| I spoke to him just now to offer my good wishes. I think that he’s done a superb job. | I spoke to him just now to offer my good wishes. I think that he’s done a superb job. |
| I’d be very surprised that’s the construction placed on events. | I’d be very surprised that’s the construction placed on events. |
| In an interview for Politico Europe’s London Playbook Johnson also rejected claims that he undermined Darroch in the debate on Tuesday night. Commenting on his refusal to say that he would definitely keep Darroch in office if he became prime minister, Johnson said it would be “totally, totally wrong to drag the career prospects of a civil servant into a political debate”. But he also cracked a joke about Darroch’s plight. Here is the key paragraph from Jack Blanchard’s interview. | In an interview for Politico Europe’s London Playbook Johnson also rejected claims that he undermined Darroch in the debate on Tuesday night. Commenting on his refusal to say that he would definitely keep Darroch in office if he became prime minister, Johnson said it would be “totally, totally wrong to drag the career prospects of a civil servant into a political debate”. But he also cracked a joke about Darroch’s plight. Here is the key paragraph from Jack Blanchard’s interview. |
| Why did he not voice more support for Kim Darroch in Tuesday night’s TV debate? “No, I did,” Johnson protests. “I said I believe very strongly that civil servants should not have their views leaked.” But you didn’t say you’d keep him in his job, I tell him. “No, but I think it’s totally, totally wrong to drag the career prospects of a civil servant into a political debate,” Johnson says. But maybe people want to see a leader sticking up for their own side? “I made it very clear that under no circumstances would anybody else take a decision about who is going to represent the U.K. I was absolutely categorical about that. And for the record I am a long-standing admirer of Kim Darroch. And I say furthermore that if Donald Trump can make friends with Kim Jong Un, then he can make friends with Kim Dar-roch.” | Why did he not voice more support for Kim Darroch in Tuesday night’s TV debate? “No, I did,” Johnson protests. “I said I believe very strongly that civil servants should not have their views leaked.” But you didn’t say you’d keep him in his job, I tell him. “No, but I think it’s totally, totally wrong to drag the career prospects of a civil servant into a political debate,” Johnson says. But maybe people want to see a leader sticking up for their own side? “I made it very clear that under no circumstances would anybody else take a decision about who is going to represent the U.K. I was absolutely categorical about that. And for the record I am a long-standing admirer of Kim Darroch. And I say furthermore that if Donald Trump can make friends with Kim Jong Un, then he can make friends with Kim Dar-roch.” |
| Although there were various factors behind Darroch’s decision to resign, as the Guardian reports the ambassador took the final decision after watching Johnson on Tuesday night repeatedly refusing to say he wanted him to stay. | Although there were various factors behind Darroch’s decision to resign, as the Guardian reports the ambassador took the final decision after watching Johnson on Tuesday night repeatedly refusing to say he wanted him to stay. |
| Towards the end of the urgent question on Kim Darroch the Conservative MP David Morris said Boris Johnson should apologise for not supporting Darroch in the ITV debate on Tuesday. He said: | Towards the end of the urgent question on Kim Darroch the Conservative MP David Morris said Boris Johnson should apologise for not supporting Darroch in the ITV debate on Tuesday. He said: |
| It is incumbent on every member of parliament in this place to back up our excellent diplomats and civil servants and [Johnson] should come to the house and apologise. | It is incumbent on every member of parliament in this place to back up our excellent diplomats and civil servants and [Johnson] should come to the house and apologise. |
| Here are extracts from the mini speech that the Labour MP Pat McFadden gave as he asked his urgent question about the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch. | Here are extracts from the mini speech that the Labour MP Pat McFadden gave as he asked his urgent question about the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch. |
| The resignation of Sir Kim Darroch marks a dark moment for our democracy and for the standing of the United Kingdom. | The resignation of Sir Kim Darroch marks a dark moment for our democracy and for the standing of the United Kingdom. |
| McFadden said Darroch was hugely respected, and was just doing his job. He praised Darroch for the “professionalism” of his response to this affair. He went on: | McFadden said Darroch was hugely respected, and was just doing his job. He praised Darroch for the “professionalism” of his response to this affair. He went on: |
| The response of [Boris Johnson] was an appalling abandonment of someone in the firing line. Real leaders protect their people. They don’t throw them to the wolves because they can sniff a prize for themselves. His actions were a chilling warning of what is to come if he becomes prime minister. How can the civil service be expected to do their jobs properly now? How can they operate if they fear leaks followed by abandonment by our political leaders? | The response of [Boris Johnson] was an appalling abandonment of someone in the firing line. Real leaders protect their people. They don’t throw them to the wolves because they can sniff a prize for themselves. His actions were a chilling warning of what is to come if he becomes prime minister. How can the civil service be expected to do their jobs properly now? How can they operate if they fear leaks followed by abandonment by our political leaders? |
| Then he went on to make a wider point. | Then he went on to make a wider point. |
| Those who welcome Kim Darroch’s departure believe that we need a civil service of true believers. They are profoundly wrong. We do not need a civil service of true believers. We need a civil service able to do its job without fear or favour, and that has become much harder this week. | Those who welcome Kim Darroch’s departure believe that we need a civil service of true believers. They are profoundly wrong. We do not need a civil service of true believers. We need a civil service able to do its job without fear or favour, and that has become much harder this week. |
| Does the minister share this concern that this attack on the civil service is part of the broader attack on institutions essential to the functioning of our democracy? Judges called enemies of the people. MPs called traitors to their country. Broadcasters vilified as having hidden agendas. Our democracy is under fire and those who value and cherish it must speak up and defend it. Whipping up anger against one institution after another, and dressing it up as an attack on the establishment, is doing profound harm to the country and we must call it out for the insidious agenda that it is. | Does the minister share this concern that this attack on the civil service is part of the broader attack on institutions essential to the functioning of our democracy? Judges called enemies of the people. MPs called traitors to their country. Broadcasters vilified as having hidden agendas. Our democracy is under fire and those who value and cherish it must speak up and defend it. Whipping up anger against one institution after another, and dressing it up as an attack on the establishment, is doing profound harm to the country and we must call it out for the insidious agenda that it is. |
| Responding, Sir Alan Duncan, the Foreign Office minister, praised McFadden for his wisdom and said his words should be “pinned on every wall” as an instruction to people how to act. | Responding, Sir Alan Duncan, the Foreign Office minister, praised McFadden for his wisdom and said his words should be “pinned on every wall” as an instruction to people how to act. |