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Brexit: Tory MP defects as Johnson confronts rebels ahead of key Commons vote – live news Bercow allows emergency Brexit debate – live news
(32 minutes later)
Here is the official text Downing Street text of Boris Johnson’s G7 statement. I normally write “full text” here, but this is not the full text because there several passages where what the civil service call “political content” (party political material - mostly anti Labour) has been removed. MPs are now starting the SO24 debate.
But journalists have been sent the entire text. It will appear on Hansard online later but, for the record, here is Johnson’s peroration - where he claimed the Benn bill should be seen as “Jeremy Corbyn’s surrender bill”. Johnson said: Sir Oliver Letwin, the former Cabinet Office minister, is moving the motion that he has tabled. See 12.24pm for an explanation of what it says.
An application for an #emergencydebate on the European Union (Withdrawal) has been submitted. The Speaker will consider it later today. If successful, the debate takes precedence over today's scheduled business under Standing Order 24.https://t.co/mmWOWfREgI pic.twitter.com/vnZFlbNRBA
George Osborne, the Evening Standard editor and former Tory chancellor, says Nicholas Soames is following in the footsteps of his grandfather.
To be fair, the Tory Party also tried to deselect his grandfather in the 1930s https://t.co/7dlnWRmrHm
But Churchill never was deselected by the Tories. He did, however, do a Phillip Lee and join the Liberals before the first world war.
Chris Philp is now proposing his 10-minute rule bill on clean air. It probably won’t take a full 10 minutes.
Bone rises to make a point of order. He complains that Letwin did not follow the right procedure. Bercow tells him that Letwin did lodge his application properly.
Letwin does not use his full three minutes. It is more like 30 seconds.
He says this is an urgent matter, and MPs should debate it.
Bercow says it is a proper matter for an emergency debate. He asks if Letwin has the support of the house for MPs.
Some MPs shout “no”, but more than 40 MPs stand up to indicate their assent (the procedure required) and so Bercow allows the debate.
He says Peter Bone was the MP shouting no. And he says more than 40 MPs were standing up.
Bercow says the debate will start after the forthcoming 10-minute rule bill, and that will last for three hours, or finish at 10pm if it is still going on then.
John Bercow, the Speaker, says he will now take the application for the SO24 debate.
That means Sir Oliver Letwin gets three minutes to make a speech explaining why MPs must debate this.
From my colleague Jessica Elgot
Soames' decision is a big blow for the government - had heard he had been genuinely torn this afternoon after meeting with PM earlier
This is from Rory Stewart, the former international development secretary.
I will be voting today against a no-deal Brexit pic.twitter.com/ELmBfNBMjq
And it has attracted this response from Sir Nicholas Soames, who has confirmed that he will be voting with the rebels. This means, of course, that Boris Johnson will end up effectively deselecting Winston Churchill’s grandson.
#MeToo
From HuffPost’s Paul Waugh
Labour chief whip Nick Brown just told PLP the party would not back PM's snap election bid. He said party wanted Johnson to "stew in his own juices" and be made to "own" his mess, one present says.John McDonnell didnt demur.
Here is the official Downing Street text of Boris Johnson’s G7 statement. I normally write “full text” here, but this is not the full text because there several passages where what the civil service call “political content” (party political material – mostly anti Labour) has been removed.
But journalists have been sent the entire text. It will appear on Hansard online later but, for the record, here is Johnson’s peroration – where he claimed the Benn bill should be seen as “Jeremy Corbyn’s surrender bill”. Johnson said:
Yesterday a bill was published – a bill that the leader of the opposition has spent all summer working on.Yesterday a bill was published – a bill that the leader of the opposition has spent all summer working on.
This is not a bill in any normal sense of the word. It is without precedent in our history – it is a bill that, if passed, would force me to go to Brussels and beg an extension. It would force me to accept any terms offered. It would destroy any chance of negotiations or a new deal. And indeed it would enable our friends in Brussels to dictate the terms of the negotiation, that is what it does.This is not a bill in any normal sense of the word. It is without precedent in our history – it is a bill that, if passed, would force me to go to Brussels and beg an extension. It would force me to accept any terms offered. It would destroy any chance of negotiations or a new deal. And indeed it would enable our friends in Brussels to dictate the terms of the negotiation, that is what it does.
There is only one way to describe this bill – it is Jeremy Corbyn’s surrender bill. It means running up the white flag.There is only one way to describe this bill – it is Jeremy Corbyn’s surrender bill. It means running up the white flag.
I want to make clear to everybody in this House – there are no circumstances in which I will ever accept anything like it. I want to make clear to everybody in this house – there are no circumstances in which I will ever accept anything like it.
I will never surrender the control of the negotiations in the way the leader of the opposition is demanding.I will never surrender the control of the negotiations in the way the leader of the opposition is demanding.
We promised the people we would get Brexit done. We promised to respect the result of the referendum and we must do so now.We promised the people we would get Brexit done. We promised to respect the result of the referendum and we must do so now.
Enough is enough. This country wants this done. They want the referendum respected. We are negotiating a deal and though I am confident of getting a deal we will leave on 31 October in all circumstances. There will be no further pointless delay.Enough is enough. This country wants this done. They want the referendum respected. We are negotiating a deal and though I am confident of getting a deal we will leave on 31 October in all circumstances. There will be no further pointless delay.
This House has never before voted to force the prime minister to surrender such a crucial decision to the discretion of our friends and neighbours overseas. This house has never before voted to force the prime minister to surrender such a crucial decision to the discretion of our friends and neighbours overseas.
What is this bill would mean is that unless we agree to the terms of our friends and partners they would be able to keep us in the EU for as long as they want and on their terms.I urge therefore this House to reject this Bill tonight so that we can get the right deal for our country, deliver Brexit and take the whole country forward. What is this bill would mean is that unless we agree to the terms of our friends and partners they would be able to keep us in the EU for as long as they want and on their terms. I urge therefore this house to reject this bill tonight so that we can get the right deal for our country, deliver Brexit and take the whole country forward.
Steve Baker, a leading Tory Brexiter, has confirmed that he has replaced Jacob Rees-Mogg as chair of the European Research Group, which represents those Tories most in favour of a harder Brexit. Baker was chair before being made a Brexit minister in 2017.Steve Baker, a leading Tory Brexiter, has confirmed that he has replaced Jacob Rees-Mogg as chair of the European Research Group, which represents those Tories most in favour of a harder Brexit. Baker was chair before being made a Brexit minister in 2017.
Many thanks to colleagues for once again asking me to Chair the ERGMany thanks to colleagues for once again asking me to Chair the ERG
From ITV’s Robert PestonFrom ITV’s Robert Peston
Here is the paradox that is doing my head in. Later tonight, when up to 20 odd Tories are stripped of the Tory whip, @BorisJohnson's minority in parliament will go from minus 2 to minus a lot. He will have no control of parliament. And yet his attempt tomorrow to hold a...Here is the paradox that is doing my head in. Later tonight, when up to 20 odd Tories are stripped of the Tory whip, @BorisJohnson's minority in parliament will go from minus 2 to minus a lot. He will have no control of parliament. And yet his attempt tomorrow to hold a...
general election on 14 October may flop. None of this makes any sense. Chaos. Madnessgeneral election on 14 October may flop. None of this makes any sense. Chaos. Madness
In the Commons the Michael Gove statement is now over and MPs are now on the Gavin Williamson education spending statement. At this pace, there is a good chance that they will get going on the SO24 motion and the no-deal Brexit debate by around 6.30pm, which would mean the voting would start at around 9.30pm.In the Commons the Michael Gove statement is now over and MPs are now on the Gavin Williamson education spending statement. At this pace, there is a good chance that they will get going on the SO24 motion and the no-deal Brexit debate by around 6.30pm, which would mean the voting would start at around 9.30pm.
If the SO24 motion gets passed by the Commons later, MPs will get the chance to pass all stages of the Benn bill tomorrow. It will then go to the House of Lords.If the SO24 motion gets passed by the Commons later, MPs will get the chance to pass all stages of the Benn bill tomorrow. It will then go to the House of Lords.
Normally there are no time limits on debates in the Lords. Peers do not use programme motions, which are used in the Commons to curtail debates so that bills complete all their stages by a particular time. This led to fears that pro-Brexit peers might filibuster the bill, so that it fails to clear the Lords before prorogation. But Angela Smith, the Labour leader in the Lords, has tabled a motion to be debated tomorrow that would ensure that all stages of the Benn bill must be completed by 5pm on Friday.Normally there are no time limits on debates in the Lords. Peers do not use programme motions, which are used in the Commons to curtail debates so that bills complete all their stages by a particular time. This led to fears that pro-Brexit peers might filibuster the bill, so that it fails to clear the Lords before prorogation. But Angela Smith, the Labour leader in the Lords, has tabled a motion to be debated tomorrow that would ensure that all stages of the Benn bill must be completed by 5pm on Friday.
There had been talk of peers sitting over the weekend to deal with the bill, but this motion would kill off that prospect. The Benn bill would then go back to the Commons on Monday, when MPs would debate any Lords amendment.There had been talk of peers sitting over the weekend to deal with the bill, but this motion would kill off that prospect. The Benn bill would then go back to the Commons on Monday, when MPs would debate any Lords amendment.
The Smith motion has the support of the Lib Dems, which means it is very likely to get through because there is no Conservative majority in the Lords.The Smith motion has the support of the Lib Dems, which means it is very likely to get through because there is no Conservative majority in the Lords.
Commenting on her plan, Smith said:Commenting on her plan, Smith said:
Should MPs agree to the proposed bill, it would be completely unacceptable for the government to try and use its peers to scupper that legislation. In fact, it would go against a key constitutional principle of the primacy of the elected House of Commons – the House of Lords does not block laws agreed by MPs.Should MPs agree to the proposed bill, it would be completely unacceptable for the government to try and use its peers to scupper that legislation. In fact, it would go against a key constitutional principle of the primacy of the elected House of Commons – the House of Lords does not block laws agreed by MPs.
My business motion invites peers to debate and discuss the bill in an orderly way, including an additional sitting this Friday, to allow full consideration of the proposals before next week’s scheduled prorogation of parliament.My business motion invites peers to debate and discuss the bill in an orderly way, including an additional sitting this Friday, to allow full consideration of the proposals before next week’s scheduled prorogation of parliament.
These are from Tony Connelly, RTE’s Europe editor.
The most striking quote is in the final tweet. This is what an EU source told Connelly about the UK’s plan for an alternative to the backstop:
Nothing has been put on the table, not even a proper sketch or hint of a plan. We’re waiting. But for the moment there is zilch.
Breaking: EU member states have been told by the European Commission Task Force that the UK under Boris Johnson is rengeging on its commitments to protect the all-Ireland economy and meaningful North-South cooperation, as enshinred in the Joint Report of December 2017 1/
An EU source said 2 warnings from the Commission set "alarm bells" ringing: that Johnson was reducing the ambition of the Joint Report (no hard border, protecting North South cooperation + the all island economy) to a pledge to have trade that is "as frictionless as possible" 2/
Secondly the UK is now resisting the ambition of having a “legally operable” solution for border in the event of a renegotiated Withdrawal Agreement, instead pushing for what was described as “aspirational” measures to avoid a hard border. 3/
The warnings came during a 90-minute briefing of diplomats from EU27 member states by a senior figure from the European Commission Task Force 4/
The overall message was that the UK has not brought forward any concrete proposals to replace the backstop. 5/
“The one message that came back very forcefully from the meeting was that there are no concrete proposals,” says one source. “Nothing has been put on the table, not even a proper sketch or hint of a plan. We’re waiting. But for the moment there is zilch.” 6/
A government spokesman has said that it is not just Tory MPs who vote with the opposition on the SO24 motion this evening, enabling the bill designed to rule out a no-deal Brexit on 31 October, who will lose the Tory whip, meaning they should be prevented from standing for the party at the general election; those who abstain will lose the whip too, the spokesman said. He explained:
The prime minister would not expect people who have voted to take power away from this government and to hand it to the opposition, to be a Conservative candidate or a Conservative MP.
Boris Johnson is to visit Dublin to meet Leo Varadkar on Monday, the Irish government has confirmed.
A spokesman said that while Brexit would be on the agenda, the talks would not amount to negotiations on the backstop.
“We don’t negotiate bilaterally,” a spokesman said. “The government has consistently stressed that negotiations on Brexit take place between the UK and the EU27, for which Michel Barnier speaks.”The meeting comes weeks after Johnson was accused of snubbing the taoiseach by not including him in the first round of phone calls to foreign premiers after he became prime minister.
In his response to Trickett, Gove criticised Labour for backing the SO24 motion. Referring to Geoffrey Howe’s quote in the speech he gave after he resigned from Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet, Gove says people sometime talk about the team captain breaking someone’s bat before they go out to face the bowling. Gove says that Labour’s approach would be so damaging to the government’s strategy that it would amount to “blowing up the whole pavilion”.
Responding to Gove for Labour, Jon Trickett, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, says the government should publish the Operation Yellowhammer document so that people can see how damaging the government thinks a no-deal Brexit would be.
Yesterday a story in the Financial Times (paywall) said that Gove had been planning to publish the document today, but that he had dropped the idea because it was too negative. Here is an extract from George Parker’s story.
Mr Gove, minister for no-deal planning, had been expected to publish extracts of the document on Tuesday as part of his efforts to prepare the UK for the possibility of Brexit taking place without an agreement on 31 October.
Government officials worked throughout the weekend overhauling the Operation Yellowhammer document, and Mr Gove had hoped to use the work to prove that he had a grip on potential no-deal problems.
But, on Monday, Mr Gove and fellow cabinet ministers decided to abandon Tuesday’s publication of the document. “The meeting didn’t go well,” said one person close to the meeting. “The whole thing was seen as far too pessimistic about no deal.”
Gove concludes by saying a no-deal Brexit would pose undoubted risks and real challenges for the UK. But he says there would also be opportunities.
Michael Gove is now making a Commons statement about planning for a no-deal Brexit.
He says a no-deal Brexit would present difficulties, but he says people can prepare for them. He says the Operation Yellowhammer plan sets out a “reasonable worst-case scenario” for what might happen. It is not a prediction, he says.
He says today the government is announcing an extra £20m of spending to ensure that traffic can flow freely in Kent in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
He urges EU states to reciprocate the assurances that the UK has given for EU nationals living in the UK in the event of no deal.
Boris Johnson’s statement is now over. Unusually, John Bercow wrapped it up while some MPs still wanted to ask questions. That means we are running slightly ahead of the timetable I anticipated earlier. (See 2.30pm.)
Here are some comments from journalists on how Boris Johnson is performing in this statement.
From my colleague Jonathan Freedland
The quiet precision of Philip Hammond, David Gauke, Yvette Cooper, Hilary Benn and others is exposing Johnson's bluster to damning effect
From Sky’s Lewis Goodall
He has never been an especially effective Commons performer. Chamber doesn't play to his strengths. He needs laughter, an audience which wants to play along and give him energy. Today he's getting the exact opposite.
From the Mail on Sunday’s Dan Hodges
Boris is having a shocker here. Stumbling over response to Hammond.
Boris now floundering in response to Hilary Benn. Much more of this and the 1922 will be getting a raft of letters asking for Theresa May to come back.
From my colleague Peter Walker
I haven't seen a prime minister take such as kicking in the Commons as Boris Johnson is experiencing now since... well, probably since the last time Theresa May stood at the despatch box. But you know what I mean.
From my colleague John Crace
Boris Johnson is really struggling here. It’s as if his own MPs have just woken up to the fact he’s a bit shit
Johnson says he expects the final deal to be agreed at the EU summit starting on Thursday 17 October.
Jeremy Lefroy, a Conservative, asks if MPs will be able to pass all the required legislation between that summit and 31 October.
Johnson says that is what the government is planning. He offers to ensure Lefroy gets a briefing on how this would happen.