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| Brexit: MPs vote against motion for recess for Tory conference – live news | Brexit: MPs vote against motion for recess for Tory conference – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The Labour MP Jess Phillips, who represents Birmingham Yardley, has revealed that a man has been arrested after trying to “kick the door” of her constituency office while reportedly shouting that she was a fascist. She told LBC Radio: | |
| I’ve only just heard about it myself but my staff had to be locked into my office while the man tried to smash the windows and kick the door, I believe. I don’t know what I can say because the man has been arrested. | |
| According to HuffPost’s Paul Waugh, Boris Johnson is planning to go ahead with his speech to the Tory conference on Wednesday – even though PMQs is scheduled. | |
| Tory source confirms @BorisJohnson speech to Tory Tory conf going ahead next Weds."PM's speech continues as is" | |
| If Johnson does skip PMQs, that would be seen as a gross discourtesy to the Commons. Earlier I speculated that he might send Dominic Raab in his place (see 3.13pm), but given the state of relations between No 10 and the Commons he might even palm MPs off with Kevin Foster, the junior Welsh Office minister and interim Cabinet Office minister who responded to the UQ about Johnson’s language today. | |
| From the BBC’s Chris Mason | From the BBC’s Chris Mason |
| There will be a Political Cabinet at 5pm — this is different from a conventional cabinet meeting where civil servants are present and instead a forum for discussing party political tactics | There will be a Political Cabinet at 5pm — this is different from a conventional cabinet meeting where civil servants are present and instead a forum for discussing party political tactics |
| Here are various accounts of an incident in the voting lobbies this afternoon. | Here are various accounts of an incident in the voting lobbies this afternoon. |
| From Sky’s Beth Rigby | From Sky’s Beth Rigby |
| MP tells me that Johnson had an ‘angry meltdown’ in voting lobbies. Am told that @jessphillips personally challenged him as did others . MP tells me PM saw a group watching through the doors & then started jabbing his finger towards us all | MP tells me that Johnson had an ‘angry meltdown’ in voting lobbies. Am told that @jessphillips personally challenged him as did others . MP tells me PM saw a group watching through the doors & then started jabbing his finger towards us all |
| From the Tory MP Nadine Dorries, a Boris Johnson supporter | From the Tory MP Nadine Dorries, a Boris Johnson supporter |
| I was there. The only finger jabbing and raised voice came from Jess as her friends photographed and filmed it. The PM could barely get a word in and was embarrassed and bemused as Jess shouted. But then again, I suppose she does have a book to sell. https://t.co/6KrOMtJ9LP | I was there. The only finger jabbing and raised voice came from Jess as her friends photographed and filmed it. The PM could barely get a word in and was embarrassed and bemused as Jess shouted. But then again, I suppose she does have a book to sell. https://t.co/6KrOMtJ9LP |
| From Labour’s Jess Phillips | From Labour’s Jess Phillips |
| I've read a few wild accounts of Boris Johnson and I in the lobby, can I just say I don't recall any shouting or aggression I asked him some questions, he failed to answer any of them properly, he went to vote the end. | I've read a few wild accounts of Boris Johnson and I in the lobby, can I just say I don't recall any shouting or aggression I asked him some questions, he failed to answer any of them properly, he went to vote the end. |
| UPDATE: Here is another witness, the Tory MP Claire Perry | UPDATE: Here is another witness, the Tory MP Claire Perry |
| @BethRigby I don’t condone for a moment the tactics and language used in the House yesterday. But we cannot keep this division and dissent running. Jess may have seen it differently as she was very cross but this account is 100% wrong from my standpoint of 4ft away. | @BethRigby I don’t condone for a moment the tactics and language used in the House yesterday. But we cannot keep this division and dissent running. Jess may have seen it differently as she was very cross but this account is 100% wrong from my standpoint of 4ft away. |
| The Conservative party is expected to clarify later what impact the decision not to have a mini-recess next week will have on its party conference. | |
| James Cleverly, the chairman, has already said it is not going to be cancelled. Political parties make a huge amount of money from their party conferences, because members and lobbyists have to pay to attend (you can see the Tory charges here - pdf) and so it was always going to go ahead, regardless of what the supreme court decided on prorogation. | |
| But the timetable may have to be rearranged. Boris Johnson was due to speak around lunchtime on Wednesday. Now he will be due in the Commons at that point, for PMQs, and so his speech is likely to be moved. For him to boycott the Commons and send, say, Dominic Raab in his place as a PMQs stand-in would be grossly disrespectful to parliament - although, on those grounds, the idea might appeal to Dominic Cummings. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, has told MPs he expects Boris Johnson to be in the house on Wednesday (see 2.45pm), but in the current circumstances, that could easily change. | |
| What is also not clear is whether or not the opposition, aka the “rebel alliance”, will try to seize control of the Commons timetable next week to pass more anti-no-deal Brexit legislation. | |
| Yesterday Labour whips offered the government a non-aggression pact, saying that as long as the Commons sat on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, they would be happy to debate non-contentious business (meaning there would be not need for a three-line whip, and most MPs would be able to go to Manchester). The conference is said to be worth £30m to the Manchester economy, and Labour did not want to take the blame for the city losing out. The government whips did not take up the offer, pushed for a recess instead, and lost the vote. | Yesterday Labour whips offered the government a non-aggression pact, saying that as long as the Commons sat on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, they would be happy to debate non-contentious business (meaning there would be not need for a three-line whip, and most MPs would be able to go to Manchester). The conference is said to be worth £30m to the Manchester economy, and Labour did not want to take the blame for the city losing out. The government whips did not take up the offer, pushed for a recess instead, and lost the vote. |
| The business now tabled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (see 2.13pm) is non-contentious and in normal circumstances there would be no need for a three-line whip. But does the non-aggression offer still hold? Probably not. That offer was made before Boris Johnson spent three hours in the Commons disrespecting the memory of Jo Cox and using language seen as “inciting hatred towards MPs”. (See 10.50am.) As my colleague Rowena Mason reports, opposition parties are meeting now to discuss what they will do next week. There is no reason to think they won’t want to do all they can disrupt next week for the government. | The business now tabled for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (see 2.13pm) is non-contentious and in normal circumstances there would be no need for a three-line whip. But does the non-aggression offer still hold? Probably not. That offer was made before Boris Johnson spent three hours in the Commons disrespecting the memory of Jo Cox and using language seen as “inciting hatred towards MPs”. (See 10.50am.) As my colleague Rowena Mason reports, opposition parties are meeting now to discuss what they will do next week. There is no reason to think they won’t want to do all they can disrupt next week for the government. |
| Cross-party rebel meeting led by Jeremy Corbyn to discuss strengthening of Benn bill - happening shortly. Lib Dems want PM to be forced to request extension sooner than Oct 19 - SNP and Lab likely to support too. Will they use time next week and disrupt Tory party conference? | Cross-party rebel meeting led by Jeremy Corbyn to discuss strengthening of Benn bill - happening shortly. Lib Dems want PM to be forced to request extension sooner than Oct 19 - SNP and Lab likely to support too. Will they use time next week and disrupt Tory party conference? |
| If the opposition does try to use next week to pass emergency legislation to firm up the Benn Act, then the government will want its MPs in London on a three-line whip. If that is the case, the Tory conference can still go ahead, but a lot of fringe events might look a bit empty. | |
| Jacob Rees-Mogg has told MPs that he expects Sajid Javid to be in the Commons on Tuesday for Treasury questions, and Boris Johnson to be there on Wednesday, for PMQs, the Independent’s John Rentoul reports. | Jacob Rees-Mogg has told MPs that he expects Sajid Javid to be in the Commons on Tuesday for Treasury questions, and Boris Johnson to be there on Wednesday, for PMQs, the Independent’s John Rentoul reports. |
| Rees-Mogg provisionally confirms the chancellor will take Treasury Qs on Tues and Johnson will take PMQs on Weds | Rees-Mogg provisionally confirms the chancellor will take Treasury Qs on Tues and Johnson will take PMQs on Weds |
| Valerie Vaz, the shadow leader of the Commons, asks whether Rees-Mogg can arrange for Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, to apologise to the Commons for calling it “dead”. | |
| She says Rees-Mogg himself should also apologise to the doctor he criticised, David Nicholl. | She says Rees-Mogg himself should also apologise to the doctor he criticised, David Nicholl. |
| She asks Rees-Mogg to explain why he reportedly called the supreme court judgment at cabinet a “constitutional coup”. | She asks Rees-Mogg to explain why he reportedly called the supreme court judgment at cabinet a “constitutional coup”. |
| And she asks how long a prorogation would need to be before a Queen’s speech. | And she asks how long a prorogation would need to be before a Queen’s speech. |
| Rees-Mogg says he would not describe parliament as dead himself. He would describe it as addled, like the 1614 parliament. | Rees-Mogg says he would not describe parliament as dead himself. He would describe it as addled, like the 1614 parliament. |
| He says he is happy to repeat the apology to Nicholl he has already given. | He says he is happy to repeat the apology to Nicholl he has already given. |
| On the “constitutional coup” comment, Rees-Mogg says cabinet minutes are revealed after 30 years. He tells Vaz: “Just because newspapers print gossip from cabinet meetings does not make it fact.” | |
| (Actually, the 30-year rule is becoming a 20-year rule.) | (Actually, the 30-year rule is becoming a 20-year rule.) |
| On prorogation, he says it does not take much time at all to get the Commons ready for the state opening of parliament. But quite a lot of changes have to be made in the Lords, he says. And he says before the ceremony the “unsightly barriers” outside the Houses of Parliament which are there for security purposes have to be removed. | On prorogation, he says it does not take much time at all to get the Commons ready for the state opening of parliament. But quite a lot of changes have to be made in the Lords, he says. And he says before the ceremony the “unsightly barriers” outside the Houses of Parliament which are there for security purposes have to be removed. |
| Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, delivers a business statement for next week. | Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, delivers a business statement for next week. |
| On Monday MPs will hold debates on Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act. On Tuesday they will vote on various statutory instruments. On Wednesday MPs will debate the second reading of the domestic abuse bill. And on Thursday there will be a general debate on women’s mental health, and on MoJ spending. | |
| Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, is making a point of order. | Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, is making a point of order. |
| He says the Commons library has confirmed to him today that the soonest an election could take place would be Tuesday 5 November. | He says the Commons library has confirmed to him today that the soonest an election could take place would be Tuesday 5 November. |
| This would be after the 31 October deadline for Brexit, he says. | This would be after the 31 October deadline for Brexit, he says. |
| He asks the Speaker, John Bercow, to confirm this. Burgon says he think it is important for the public to understand that, even if Labour backed an election now, it could not take place before the PM’s deadline for Brexit. | He asks the Speaker, John Bercow, to confirm this. Burgon says he think it is important for the public to understand that, even if Labour backed an election now, it could not take place before the PM’s deadline for Brexit. |
| Bercow confirms that this is his understanding of the rules. | Bercow confirms that this is his understanding of the rules. |
| Boris Johnson has suffered another Commons defeat. MPs have voted down the government motion for a mini-recess next week during the Tory conference by 306 votes to 289 – a majority of 17. | |
| The BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler, has posted a good thread on Twitter about the latest thinking within the EU as to what will happen with Brexit. She says EU sources think the chances of a deal at the October summit are now “pretty much nil”. Here are the first two tweets, but it is worth reading the whole thing (which you can do by clicking on the first post). | The BBC’s Europe editor, Katya Adler, has posted a good thread on Twitter about the latest thinking within the EU as to what will happen with Brexit. She says EU sources think the chances of a deal at the October summit are now “pretty much nil”. Here are the first two tweets, but it is worth reading the whole thing (which you can do by clicking on the first post). |
| As EU watches open-mouthed the scenes in Westminster.. in Paris, Berlin, Dublin, Brussels and the rest - leaders are asking: What Next?? And since no one knows for sure, there’s some contingency planning going on /1 | As EU watches open-mouthed the scenes in Westminster.. in Paris, Berlin, Dublin, Brussels and the rest - leaders are asking: What Next?? And since no one knows for sure, there’s some contingency planning going on /1 |
| Chances of getting a deal with UK by the EU leaders’ mid Oct summit were never seen here to be high. Now contacts describe the likelihood as « pretty much nil ». Remember EU governments would need to see the text of a legally operable alternative to the backstop b4 the summit /2 | Chances of getting a deal with UK by the EU leaders’ mid Oct summit were never seen here to be high. Now contacts describe the likelihood as « pretty much nil ». Remember EU governments would need to see the text of a legally operable alternative to the backstop b4 the summit /2 |
| MPs are now voting on whether to have a mini-recess for the Tory conference. | MPs are now voting on whether to have a mini-recess for the Tory conference. |
| There has been no debate. After a statement on climate change, they went straight into a vote on a government business motion saying the house should rise today and return next Thursday. | There has been no debate. After a statement on climate change, they went straight into a vote on a government business motion saying the house should rise today and return next Thursday. |
| The Tory conference in Manchester starts on Sunday, and is due to finish on Wednesday. | The Tory conference in Manchester starts on Sunday, and is due to finish on Wednesday. |
| Dismissing concerns that incendiary language can contribute to the culture leading to MPs getting death threats and Jo Cox being murdered as “humbug” (see 1.15pm) was probably the most provocative thing that Boris Johnson said last night. But another jaw-dropping moment came when he said: “The best way to honour the memory of Jo Cox, and indeed to bring this country together, would be, I think, to get Brexit done.” | Dismissing concerns that incendiary language can contribute to the culture leading to MPs getting death threats and Jo Cox being murdered as “humbug” (see 1.15pm) was probably the most provocative thing that Boris Johnson said last night. But another jaw-dropping moment came when he said: “The best way to honour the memory of Jo Cox, and indeed to bring this country together, would be, I think, to get Brexit done.” |
| Cox, of course, was passionately anti-Brexit. She was killed by a far-right terrorist motivated by hatred for people he referred to as “collaborators” and “traitors”. | Cox, of course, was passionately anti-Brexit. She was killed by a far-right terrorist motivated by hatred for people he referred to as “collaborators” and “traitors”. |
| Rachel Johnson, the prime minister’s sister, has joined those condemning the PM for his language, and on Sky she singled out this comment for particular criticism. She said: | Rachel Johnson, the prime minister’s sister, has joined those condemning the PM for his language, and on Sky she singled out this comment for particular criticism. She said: |
| I do think it was particularly tasteless for those grieving a mother, MP and friend to say the best way to honour her memory is to deliver the thing she and her family campaigned against. I think it was a very tasteless way of referring to the memory of a murdered MP, murdered by someone who said “Britain first”, of the far right tendency, which you could argue is being whipped up by this sort of language. | I do think it was particularly tasteless for those grieving a mother, MP and friend to say the best way to honour her memory is to deliver the thing she and her family campaigned against. I think it was a very tasteless way of referring to the memory of a murdered MP, murdered by someone who said “Britain first”, of the far right tendency, which you could argue is being whipped up by this sort of language. |
| In an interview with Sky, Rachel Johnson also criticised her brother’s language generally. | In an interview with Sky, Rachel Johnson also criticised her brother’s language generally. |
| My brother is using words like surrender and capitulation as if the people standing in the way of the blessed will of the people as defined by 17.4m votes in 2016 should be hung, drawn, quartered, tarred and feathered. I think that is highly reprehensible language to use. | My brother is using words like surrender and capitulation as if the people standing in the way of the blessed will of the people as defined by 17.4m votes in 2016 should be hung, drawn, quartered, tarred and feathered. I think that is highly reprehensible language to use. |
| Although close to her brother, Rachel Johnson has never agreed with him on Brexit. She voted remain, joined the Lib Dems after the referendum, and then switched to Change UK, who adopted her as a candidate during the European elections. Like all the Change UK candidates, she failed to get elected. | Although close to her brother, Rachel Johnson has never agreed with him on Brexit. She voted remain, joined the Lib Dems after the referendum, and then switched to Change UK, who adopted her as a candidate during the European elections. Like all the Change UK candidates, she failed to get elected. |
| The prime minister's sister, Rachel Johnson, has said it was "tasteless" to say the best way to honour Jo Cox's murder is to deliver what she had campaigned against.Read more: https://t.co/siPGb217U7 pic.twitter.com/5KEZx7nzSW | The prime minister's sister, Rachel Johnson, has said it was "tasteless" to say the best way to honour Jo Cox's murder is to deliver what she had campaigned against.Read more: https://t.co/siPGb217U7 pic.twitter.com/5KEZx7nzSW |