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Boris Johnson: Premiership will be the start of a golden age Boris Johnson: Premiership will be the start of a golden age
(about 1 hour later)
Boris Johnson has promised the "beginning of a new golden age", as he made his first Commons statement as PM.Boris Johnson has promised the "beginning of a new golden age", as he made his first Commons statement as PM.
Speaking to MPs, Mr Johnson said his government would throw itself into Brexit negotiations with energy.Speaking to MPs, Mr Johnson said his government would throw itself into Brexit negotiations with energy.
He also assured EU citizens living in the UK they would have "absolute certainty" of their right to live and remain in the country. He said Michael Gove would make planning for a no-deal Brexit a "top priority", and EU citizens living in the UK would have their rights protected.
On Brexit, he told MPs, minister Michael Gove would make planning for a no-deal Brexit a "top priority". But Jeremy Corbyn said people "do not trust" the new PM to deliver.
Despite emphasising the importance of preparing for a no deal, Mr Johnson said he would "much prefer" to leave the EU with a deal and added that he will work "flat out to make it happen". Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also written to Mr Johnson to say it is "essential" her country has an alternative option to his Brexit plan.
However he told MPs the withdrawal agreement - negotiated by Theresa May with the EU - was "unacceptable to this Parliament and to this country". The statement came after the first meeting of Mr Johnson's new cabinet, who he said had all committed to leaving the EU on or before 31 October, "no ifs, no buts".
One of the controversial parts of the withdrawal agreement is the Northern Ireland backstop - a mechanism to avoid physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. New secretaries of state include former leadership contender Sajid Javid as Chancellor, and leading Brexiteers Dominic Raab, as foreign secretary, and Priti Patel, as home secretary.
Mr Johnson said other arrangements for the backstop were "perfectly compatible" with the Good Friday Agreement. More junior ministers are expected to be announced later, with further reshuffling on Friday.
On immigration, he told MPs he wanted to change the system and would be asking the Migration Advisory Committee to come up with new proposals. What did the PM say in his statement?
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded to the statement saying: "The country is deeply worried the new prime minister overestimates himself. Much of Mr Johnson's statement focused on his plans for Brexit.
"People do not trust this prime minister to make the right choices for the majority of the people in this country when he's also promising tax giveaways to the richest of big business - his own party's funders," he said referring to a tax policy Mr Johnson proposed during the leadership campaign. Despite emphasising the importance of preparing for no deal, the new prime minister said he would "much prefer" to leave the EU with an agreement, saying he would work "flat out to make it happen".
He also asked Mr Johnson to rule out "once and for all that our NHS is not going to be part of any trade deal with President Trump and the US". However, he told MPs the withdrawal agreement his predecessor, Theresa May, had negotiated with the EU was "unacceptable to this Parliament and to this country".
The new PM replied that "under no circumstances would we agree to any free-trade deal that put the NHS on the table." That plan was voted down three times by MPs, with one of the controversial parts being the Northern Ireland backstop - a mechanism to avoid physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in case of a no-deal Brexit.
On Thursday, Mr Johnson addressed his cabinet for the first time as prime minister. Mr Johnson has pledged to scrap this element of the plan, saying alternative arrangements to keep checks away from the border were "perfectly compatible" with the Good Friday Agreement - the peace agreement signed in 1998.
He told the cabinet they had "a momentous task ahead", as he repeated his commitment for the UK to leave the EU on 31 October. But the Labour leader said the country was "deeply worried the new prime minister overestimates himself".
Mr Corbyn added: "People do not trust this prime minister to make the right choices for the majority of the people in this country when he's also promising tax giveaways to the richest of big business - his own party's funders [a policy Mr Johnson proposed during the leadership campaign]".
The Labour leader also asked the PM to rule out "once and for all" that the NHS would form part of a trade deal with the US, following comments made by President Donald Trump on his visit to the UK in June.
Mr Johnson said: "Under no circumstances would we agree to any free-trade deal that put the NHS on the table."
What did Mr Johnson tell Cabinet?What did Mr Johnson tell Cabinet?
Speaking to his cabinet Mr Johnson said: "As you all know we have a momentous task ahead of us, at a pivotal moment in our country's history. After a raft of resignations, sackings and appointments on Wednesday night, Mr Johnson addressed his cabinet for the first time as prime minister early on Thursday.
"We are now committed, all of us, to leaving the European Union on October 31 or indeed earlier - no ifs, no buts. He told the cabinet they had "a momentous task ahead", as he repeated his commitment for the UK to leave the EU on 31 October - calling it "a pivotal moment in our country's history".
"But we are not going to wait until October 31 to get on with a fantastic new agenda for our country, and that means delivering the priorities of the people." He said the new team respected the "depth and breadth of talent in our extraordinary party", who were "not going to wait until 31 October to get on with a fantastic new agenda for our country... delivering the priorities of the people."
He also told the room it was "wonderful to see this new team assembled here" which respects the "depth and breadth of talent in our extraordinary party".
Who is in Cabinet?Who is in Cabinet?
On Wednesday, Mr Johnson gave key roles to leading Brexiteers. The appointments saw Sajid Javid as chancellor, and Dominic Raab and Priti Patel return to government. The swift changeover of cabinets between the previous premiership and Mr Johnson's saw more than half of Theresa May's ministers - including leadership rival Jeremy Hunt - quit or be sacked.
Mr Raab was made foreign secretary and Ms Patel is home secretary. Former Foreign Secretary Mr Hunt said he had been offered an alternative role but had turned it down, while leading Brexiteers Penny Mordaunt and Liam Fox were also replaced as defence secretary and international trade secretary respectively.
More than half of Theresa May's old cabinet, including leadership rival Jeremy Hunt, quit or were sacked.
Other key appointments included:Other key appointments included:
See the full cabinet here You can see the full cabinet here.
Following his appointment as Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led the pro-Brexit Tory European Research Group (ERG), denied there had been a "Leave" takeover of the cabinet. The appointments have already faced criticism from the opposition, with the chair of the Labour Party, Ian Lavery, calling it "a cabinet of hardline conservatives who will only represent the privileged few".
He comments were echoed by Independent MP Nick Boles - who resigned the Conservative whip over Brexit - who said the "few elements remaining of the liberal one-nation Conservative style are neutered captives in this cabinet".
But the new Leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led the pro-Brexit Tory European Research Group (ERG), denied there had been a "Leave" takeover of the cabinet.
"Boris is bringing the country together, the party together, through his cabinet appointments," he said."Boris is bringing the country together, the party together, through his cabinet appointments," he said.
And who lost out? The newly appointed Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, has tabled an early day motion expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister - although such motions are rarely debated and generally used to draw attention to an issue.
Mr Johnson's new cabinet saw 17 of Mrs May's former senior ministers being axed or stepping down.
Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he had been offered an alternative role but had turned it down, while leading Brexiteers Penny Mordaunt and Liam Fox were also replaced as defence secretary and international trade secretary respectively.
Both supported Mr Hunt in the Tory leadership contest.
'A prime minister in a hurry''A prime minister in a hurry'
These are the decisions of a prime minister in a hurry.These are the decisions of a prime minister in a hurry.
One who is aware that he's up against the clock. One who is aware that he's up against the clock. One who has to pull off - within a few months - what his predecessor could not manage over years.
One who has to pull off - within a few months - what his predecessor could not manage over years.
The team surrounding Boris Johnson has been put together with one goal in mind - to help him keep the promise he's made, to see the country leave the European Union in good time.The team surrounding Boris Johnson has been put together with one goal in mind - to help him keep the promise he's made, to see the country leave the European Union in good time.
Number 10 believes it shows strength of purpose - a new administration determined and willing to take decisions after years of drift and disappointment.Number 10 believes it shows strength of purpose - a new administration determined and willing to take decisions after years of drift and disappointment.
Brexit believers have the top roles. But it is not a cabinet made up purely of the most burning Eurosceptics.Brexit believers have the top roles. But it is not a cabinet made up purely of the most burning Eurosceptics.
Read more from LauraRead more from Laura
What has been the response?
Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell said if Mr Johnson campaigned on the platform of a no-deal Brexit in any forthcoming general election, his own party would "almost certainly be Remain".
However, he told ITV that Labour would still look at any new deal Mr Johnson negotiated with the EU.
"But at the moment I can't see him stitching up a deal that's acceptable either to Labour or to quite a bit of his own side as well - so it looks as though we will then be in a straight situation between a no deal and Remain," he added.
Meanwhile, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has written to the new prime minister to say it is "essential" Scotland has an alternative option to his Brexit plan - and to indicate she would continue to press for a referendum on Scottish independence.
Independent MP Nick Boles - who resigned the Conservative whip - criticised the cabinet appointments arguing that "the Conservative Party has now been fully taken over top to bottom by the hard right."
"The few elements remaining of the liberal one-nation Conservative style are neutered captives in this cabinet," he said.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has tabled an early day motion expressing a lack of confidence in the prime minister.
An early election could happen if the government loses a no-confidence vote.
However, motions such as the one Ms Swinson has laid down are rarely debated and generally used only as a way of drawing attention to an issue.