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| Brexit: Boris Johnson threatening to deselect Tory rebels to provoke early election, claims Gauke - live news | Brexit: Boris Johnson threatening to deselect Tory rebels to provoke early election, claims Gauke - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| One of the arguments that Boris Johnson makes for leaving the EU by 31 October at the latest is that voters are fed up with the Brexit crisis. They just want the whole thing over, he argues, so that the government can focus on other issues like health and crime. It is an argument that probably resonates with many people. | |
| In his speech on Brexit this morning Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, said this was not a good reason for pressing ahead. He said: | |
| It has suited [the Brexiters] to ride a wave of ‘just do it’ emotion, born of public impatience. You’re bored of Brexit. I’m bored of Brexit. We all are. But no serious political leader would suggest that we should take a decision of this magnitude by an effluxion of patience. | |
| HuffPost has a preview of the Blair speech here. I’ll post a full summary when I’ve seen the text, but the BBC’s Chris Mason has some excerpts. | |
| Tony Blair: ‘you’re bored of Brexit. I’m bored of Brexit. We all are. But no serious political leader would suggest we should take a decision of this magnitude by an effluxion of patience.’ pic.twitter.com/iHiexUdaLo | |
| Page 2 of Tony Blair speech... pic.twitter.com/apDJrAi38x | |
| Page 3 of the Blair speech...including ‘our government has been taken over by a gang of adventurers. But don’t underestimate the appeal of adventure after a long period of paralysis.’ pic.twitter.com/S1GdNBTeM7 | |
| Page 4... pic.twitter.com/XFzIQpFvjY | |
| Page 5 — including the crux of Tony Blair’s argument pic.twitter.com/pz0Xbqj3PA | |
| Page 6 — in which Tony Blair says Labour should oppose a general election until Brexit is ‘resolved.’ pic.twitter.com/mIW2Fmmvr5 | |
| Here is a Press Association list of members of the cabinet who have defied the government whip this year - sustaining Philip Hammond’s claim that Boris Johnson is being “staggeringly hypocritical”. (See 8.52am.) | |
| Boris Johnson, prime minister: Voted against Theresa May’s Brexit deal in first two votes | |
| Dominic Raab, foreign secretary: Voted against May’s Brexit deal in first two votes | |
| Priti Patel, home secretary: Voted against May’s Brexit deal in all three votes | |
| Grant Shapps, transport secretary: Voted against May’s Brexit deal in first two votes | |
| Theresa Villiers, environment secretary: Voted against May’s Brexit deal in all three votes | |
| Esther McVey, housing minister: Voted against May’s Brexit deal twice | |
| Amber Rudd, work and pensions secretary: Abstained in vote on ruling out no-deal Brexit in all circumstances in March, despite government MPs being under orders to vote against | |
| Jacob Rees-Mogg, leader of the Commons: Voted against May’s Brexit deal in first two votes | |
| The Tory rebels who are planning to vote for legislation intended to block a no-deal Brexit on 31 October don’t actually have a leader - Philip Hammond, Sir Oliver Letwin and Rory Stewart are all key players - but they do have a nickname, the Gaukeward squad, making David Gauke, the former justice secretary, at least their eponymous figurehead. | The Tory rebels who are planning to vote for legislation intended to block a no-deal Brexit on 31 October don’t actually have a leader - Philip Hammond, Sir Oliver Letwin and Rory Stewart are all key players - but they do have a nickname, the Gaukeward squad, making David Gauke, the former justice secretary, at least their eponymous figurehead. |
| On the Today programme this morning Gauke said he thought Boris Johnson was trying to orchestrate an early election. (See 8.52am.) Here are some other lines from his interview. | On the Today programme this morning Gauke said he thought Boris Johnson was trying to orchestrate an early election. (See 8.52am.) Here are some other lines from his interview. |
| Gauke said he thought there would be a 95% chance of a no-deal Brexit if efforts to legislate to block one failed in the Commons this week. He said: | Gauke said he thought there would be a 95% chance of a no-deal Brexit if efforts to legislate to block one failed in the Commons this week. He said: |
| Frankly, there’s not a credible plan coming from the government to be able to leave with a deal on October 31. I would say it’s a 95% chance, to be honest, that if parliament does not act this week that we will leave without a deal on October 31. | Frankly, there’s not a credible plan coming from the government to be able to leave with a deal on October 31. I would say it’s a 95% chance, to be honest, that if parliament does not act this week that we will leave without a deal on October 31. |
| He said he had written to Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, asking the government to confirm that it would obey any legislation passed this week. His letter was triggered by Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, refusing to confirm yesterday that the government would obey such a law. Gauke said: | He said he had written to Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, asking the government to confirm that it would obey any legislation passed this week. His letter was triggered by Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, refusing to confirm yesterday that the government would obey such a law. Gauke said: |
| The rule of law is hugely important to this country and I am concerned by some of the briefings that have been put out by the government suggesting that they won’t comply with the law, and I think Michael was equivocal on that question yesterday. | The rule of law is hugely important to this country and I am concerned by some of the briefings that have been put out by the government suggesting that they won’t comply with the law, and I think Michael was equivocal on that question yesterday. |
| I think it would be very helpful if the government could clarify that they believe in the rule of law. | I think it would be very helpful if the government could clarify that they believe in the rule of law. |
| That’s why I’m writing to the attorney general and also the lord chancellor [Robert Buckland[, who has particular responsibility for this, just to get confirmation that this government believes in the rule of law, that it will comply with the law, and if legislation is properly passed it will be complied with. | That’s why I’m writing to the attorney general and also the lord chancellor [Robert Buckland[, who has particular responsibility for this, just to get confirmation that this government believes in the rule of law, that it will comply with the law, and if legislation is properly passed it will be complied with. |
| Good morning. With MPs returning to the House of Commons tomorrow, and the Brexit confrontation between Boris Johnson’s government and parliament set to climax in MPs trying to pass legislation this week to rule out a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, last night Johnson escalated hostilities by, as Jessica Elgot puts it in the Guardian’s splash, threatening to “blow up his own parliamentary majority and withdraw the whip from dozens of Conservative MPs if they back plans to stop no-deal Brexit”. Here is the full story. | Good morning. With MPs returning to the House of Commons tomorrow, and the Brexit confrontation between Boris Johnson’s government and parliament set to climax in MPs trying to pass legislation this week to rule out a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, last night Johnson escalated hostilities by, as Jessica Elgot puts it in the Guardian’s splash, threatening to “blow up his own parliamentary majority and withdraw the whip from dozens of Conservative MPs if they back plans to stop no-deal Brexit”. Here is the full story. |
| Johnson could sacrifice majority by withdrawing whip from rebel MPs | Johnson could sacrifice majority by withdrawing whip from rebel MPs |
| Some of those Tory MPs planning to vote to the opposition to rule out a no-deal Brexit on 31 October are not backing down. Philip Hammond, the chancellor, posted this on Twitter at the weekend, after Johnson’s plan was first revealed in the Sun. | Some of those Tory MPs planning to vote to the opposition to rule out a no-deal Brexit on 31 October are not backing down. Philip Hammond, the chancellor, posted this on Twitter at the weekend, after Johnson’s plan was first revealed in the Sun. |
| If true, this would be staggeringly hypocritical: 8 members of the current cabinet have defied the party whip this year. I want to honour our 2017 manifesto which promised a “smooth and orderly” exit and a “deep and special partnership” with the EU. Not an undemocratic No Deal. https://t.co/045od2lsvD | If true, this would be staggeringly hypocritical: 8 members of the current cabinet have defied the party whip this year. I want to honour our 2017 manifesto which promised a “smooth and orderly” exit and a “deep and special partnership” with the EU. Not an undemocratic No Deal. https://t.co/045od2lsvD |
| David Gauke, the former justice secretary, told the Andrew Marr Show yesterday that he would continue with his rebellion and last night the former Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt backed him. | David Gauke, the former justice secretary, told the Andrew Marr Show yesterday that he would continue with his rebellion and last night the former Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt backed him. |
| He’s all you say. But he’s not alone. https://t.co/VXrhV1PWK8 | He’s all you say. But he’s not alone. https://t.co/VXrhV1PWK8 |
| Rory Stewart, the former international development secretary, also said he was willing to lose the whip over this issue. | Rory Stewart, the former international development secretary, also said he was willing to lose the whip over this issue. |
| And me too I hope | And me too I hope |
| Yesterday Johnson also cancelled a meeting planned for today with the rebels. On the Today programme this morning Gauke said the PM was acting as if he wanted to lose the key votes this week so that he could trigger a general election. Gauke explained: | Yesterday Johnson also cancelled a meeting planned for today with the rebels. On the Today programme this morning Gauke said the PM was acting as if he wanted to lose the key votes this week so that he could trigger a general election. Gauke explained: |
| It’s a very odd way [of trying to win round rebel MPs]. Normally there would be plenty of cajoling, friends in the cabinet would be phoning up saying, ‘Come on, why won’t you support the government, give them a bit more time.’ None of that is happening. The usual operational isn’t particularly happening. It does seem to me that they’re almost goading people into voting against the government because I think their strategy, to be honest, is to lose this week and then seek a general election having removed those of use who are not against Brexit, not against leaving the European Union, but believe we should do so with a deal. | It’s a very odd way [of trying to win round rebel MPs]. Normally there would be plenty of cajoling, friends in the cabinet would be phoning up saying, ‘Come on, why won’t you support the government, give them a bit more time.’ None of that is happening. The usual operational isn’t particularly happening. It does seem to me that they’re almost goading people into voting against the government because I think their strategy, to be honest, is to lose this week and then seek a general election having removed those of use who are not against Brexit, not against leaving the European Union, but believe we should do so with a deal. |
| Gauke’s analysis seems very reasonable, and it is in line with what many commentators are saying (for example, see this blog from the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg, and this one from Robert Peston, her opposite number at ITV), but of course under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act calling an election is no longer straightforward. Johnson could only do it with opposition support and that would only be forthcoming if the timing of the election did not make a no-deal Brexit inevitable. | Gauke’s analysis seems very reasonable, and it is in line with what many commentators are saying (for example, see this blog from the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg, and this one from Robert Peston, her opposite number at ITV), but of course under the Fixed-term Parliaments Act calling an election is no longer straightforward. Johnson could only do it with opposition support and that would only be forthcoming if the timing of the election did not make a no-deal Brexit inevitable. |
| Here is the agenda for the day. | Here is the agenda for the day. |
| 9am: Gordon Brown, the former Labour prime minister, gives a speech on a no-deal Brexit at a Hope not Hate event in Liverpool. | 9am: Gordon Brown, the former Labour prime minister, gives a speech on a no-deal Brexit at a Hope not Hate event in Liverpool. |
| 9.30am: Tony Blair, another former Labour prime minister, gives a speech on Brexit. As HuffPost reports, he will say Labour should avoid the “elephant trap” of a snap general election that could be used to ram through a no-deal Brexit. | 9.30am: Tony Blair, another former Labour prime minister, gives a speech on Brexit. As HuffPost reports, he will say Labour should avoid the “elephant trap” of a snap general election that could be used to ram through a no-deal Brexit. |
| 11am: Jeremy Corbyn gives a speech in Salford. As Jessica Elgot reports, he will argue that this week’s parliamentary confrontation is a “battle of the many against the few who are hijacking the referendum result to shift even more power and wealth towards those at the top”. | 11am: Jeremy Corbyn gives a speech in Salford. As Jessica Elgot reports, he will argue that this week’s parliamentary confrontation is a “battle of the many against the few who are hijacking the referendum result to shift even more power and wealth towards those at the top”. |
| 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. | 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although mostly I will be focusing on Brexit. I plan to publish a summary at lunchtime and another when I wrap up late afternoon. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web, although mostly I will be focusing on Brexit. I plan to publish a summary at lunchtime and another when I wrap up late afternoon. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |