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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/sep/26/boris-johnsons-brexit-rhetoric-condemned-as-mps-tell-of-death-threats-politics-live
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| Brexit: Boris Johnson unrepentant over 'surrender' rhetoric as Corbyn calls him 'reprehensible' – live news | Brexit: Boris Johnson unrepentant over 'surrender' rhetoric as Corbyn calls him 'reprehensible' – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| David Gauke, the former Tory justice secretary, who now sits as an independent have had the whip removed over a Brexit rebellion, says at best what Boris Johnson said last night could be described as “deeply insensitive”. But Gauke says what he is concerned about is that the government is deliberately pursuing a strategy intended to entrench division. He asks the minister to concern that this is not government policy. | |
| Foster says the Tories will go into the next election committed to uniting the country. | |
| Here is an extract from Jeremy Corbyn’s statement at the start of this UQ. (See 12.24pm.) Corbyn said: | |
| It’s extremely disappointing that the prime minister has not respected this House by attending here today. | |
| The prime minister’s language and demeanour yesterday was frankly nothing short of disgraceful. | |
| Three years ago our colleague, our member, Jo Cox, was murdered by a far-right activist shouting ‘Britain First, this is for Britain’. The language that politicians use matters and has real consequences. | |
| To dismiss concerns from members about the death threats they receive and to dismiss concerns that the language by the prime minister is being repeated in those death threats is reprehensible. | |
| To dismiss those concerns in an abusive way as he did is completely unacceptable ... | |
| I’ve written to all members of the parliamentary Labour party expressing my solidarity to my friends and set out the conduct expected of all colleagues. | |
| No side of this House, as you’ve said Mr Speaker, has a monopoly of virtue. | |
| Inappropriate language has been used by all sides. But we all have a duty to keep our debates political and not to descend into personal abuse. | |
| Labour’s Paula Sherriff says she asked Boris Johnson to moderate his language last night. She says she accepts that in the past she has heckled ministers loudly. | |
| She says she was horrified to see this tweet from the Tory MP Simon Clarke after her intervention last night. | |
| This is the face of the Labour Party today. Utterly toxic. https://t.co/YidW5GppfE | |
| She says she would not refer to Clarke as honourable. | |
| She asks the Cabinet Office minster Kevin Foster if the government supports this. | |
| Foster says that the government wants MPs to moderate their language, but he does not comment on Clarke’s tweet. | |
| The Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge tells MPs that, when she came into the Commons last night, she felt as if she was attending a meeting of the Bullingdon Club. | |
| The Lib Dem MP Luciana Berger says, as someone who has seen six people convicted for hate crimes directed at her, she wants Boris Johnson to tone down his inflammatory language. | |
| Kevin Foster tells Berger that her party campaigned on the slogan “bollocks to Brexit”. | |
| More on the 1922 Committee meeting. This is from the FT’s Jim Pickard. | |
| Apparently the biggest cheer at the 1922 meeting of Tory MPs was when Julian Lewis called for an electoral pact with the Brexit Party and Boris Johnson rejected it, arguing it would repel as many voters as it would attract | |
| Ed Miliband, the former Labour leader, tells the Commons that he never saw David Cameron use the sort of language Boris Johnson did yesterday. | |
| He says talking about “surrender” implies we are at war with Europe. But we are not at war with Europe and we are not at war with each other, he says. He says this language is intended to cause division. | |
| Some people say this strategy will work. I say this strategy will not work because the British people are better than this. | |
| Justine Greening, a former Tory cabinet minister who now sits as an independent, having had the whip removed, tells the Commons she was “shocked” by the language Boris Johnson used yesterday. | Justine Greening, a former Tory cabinet minister who now sits as an independent, having had the whip removed, tells the Commons she was “shocked” by the language Boris Johnson used yesterday. |
| She says she thinks there is a “deliberate race to the bottom” in British politics now, that disadvantages MPs who are not prepared to go along with it. | She says she thinks there is a “deliberate race to the bottom” in British politics now, that disadvantages MPs who are not prepared to go along with it. |
| Here is more from what Boris Johnson told Conservative backbenchers at his private meeting with the 1922 Committee. | Here is more from what Boris Johnson told Conservative backbenchers at his private meeting with the 1922 Committee. |
| From my colleague Rowena Mason | From my colleague Rowena Mason |
| Boris Johnson told MPs at 1922 that he would carry on using the phrase surrender bill but did say MPs must all be careful about using language of violence | Boris Johnson told MPs at 1922 that he would carry on using the phrase surrender bill but did say MPs must all be careful about using language of violence |
| Boris Johnson left the 1922 to shouts of “Will you apologise?” from journalists - he scuttled off with no comment | Boris Johnson left the 1922 to shouts of “Will you apologise?” from journalists - he scuttled off with no comment |
| From HuffPost’s Paul Waugh | From HuffPost’s Paul Waugh |
| In 1922 meeting there was a sombre moment when @PennyMordaunt told MPs she was with @BorisJohnson in 2016 when news came through that Jo Cox had died. She said 'Boris's reaction was so human'. "It was a moving moment in there," one Tory MP says. | In 1922 meeting there was a sombre moment when @PennyMordaunt told MPs she was with @BorisJohnson in 2016 when news came through that Jo Cox had died. She said 'Boris's reaction was so human'. "It was a moving moment in there," one Tory MP says. |
| From Mail Online’s David Wilcock | From Mail Online’s David Wilcock |
| Striking how few Tory MPs leaving 22 Committee with Boris after around 30 mins stopped to chat to reporters compared with the dying days of Theresa May’s premiership. Not many smiling faces either tbh. | Striking how few Tory MPs leaving 22 Committee with Boris after around 30 mins stopped to chat to reporters compared with the dying days of Theresa May’s premiership. Not many smiling faces either tbh. |
| Boris Johnson was described as ‘ebullient’ and ‘full of bonhomie’ by two walking out, others looked pretty sullen. | Boris Johnson was described as ‘ebullient’ and ‘full of bonhomie’ by two walking out, others looked pretty sullen. |
| Jeremy Corbyn is speaking on this topic for Labour. | Jeremy Corbyn is speaking on this topic for Labour. |
| He says it is “extremely disappointing” that Boris Johnson is not here himself to answer the UQ. | He says it is “extremely disappointing” that Boris Johnson is not here himself to answer the UQ. |
| Johnson’s language last night was “nothing short of disgraceful”, Corbyn says. He says the way Johnson dismissed concerns about the murder of Jo Cox and the role language can play in inciting attacks like that was “reprehensible” and “completely unacceptable”. | Johnson’s language last night was “nothing short of disgraceful”, Corbyn says. He says the way Johnson dismissed concerns about the murder of Jo Cox and the role language can play in inciting attacks like that was “reprehensible” and “completely unacceptable”. |
| Corbyn says Johnson was trying to “entrench divisions”. | Corbyn says Johnson was trying to “entrench divisions”. |
| He urges the PM to apologise. Johnson’s language “fell well below the standards expected by the people of this country”, Corbyn says. | He urges the PM to apologise. Johnson’s language “fell well below the standards expected by the people of this country”, Corbyn says. |
| Corbyn says Boris Johnson should apologise for his “reprehensible” comments about threats to MPs yesterday. | Corbyn says Boris Johnson should apologise for his “reprehensible” comments about threats to MPs yesterday. |
| The Tory MP Maria Miller questions the appropriateness of Jess Phillips raising this point. She says that during last night’s statement Phillips herself was one of the Labour MPs shouting the loudest at Johnson. | |
| Foster is responding to Phillips. | Foster is responding to Phillips. |
| He says he does not consider anyone in the Commons as a traitor. | He says he does not consider anyone in the Commons as a traitor. |
| He says, as the minister responsible for the government’s “defending democracy” programme, he would be happy to meet Phillips. | |
| He repeats the points he made earlier about how the government is trying to increase security for election candidates. | He repeats the points he made earlier about how the government is trying to increase security for election candidates. |
| Ultimately it is for everyone to think about the language they use, he says. | Ultimately it is for everyone to think about the language they use, he says. |
| He says the government wants to respond with “calm dignity” and to create a safe environment for all. | He says the government wants to respond with “calm dignity” and to create a safe environment for all. |
| He does not say whether the PM himself will be willing to meet Phillips, and he does not comment on Johnson’s language. | He does not say whether the PM himself will be willing to meet Phillips, and he does not comment on Johnson’s language. |
| Jess Phillips is speaking now. | Jess Phillips is speaking now. |
| She says the language used by Boris Johnson last night was “clearly designed to inflate hatred”. | She says the language used by Boris Johnson last night was “clearly designed to inflate hatred”. |
| She says she was appalled to hear him describe a reference to the murder of Jo Cox as “humbug”. | |
| Johnson should apologise, she says. | Johnson should apologise, she says. |
| She asks the minister Kevin Foster whether the PM will be willing to meet her, and some of Cox’s friends and families, so that they can tell him how hurt they were by his language. | |
| John Bercow, the Speaker, is making a statement in the Commons. | John Bercow, the Speaker, is making a statement in the Commons. |
| He says in light of the “appalling atmosphere in the chamber yesterday and the toxicity that it can spawn or exacerbate in the country at large” he has granted an urgent question. | He says in light of the “appalling atmosphere in the chamber yesterday and the toxicity that it can spawn or exacerbate in the country at large” he has granted an urgent question. |
| The Labour MP Jess Phillips wants a statement on whether the PM will reflect on the language used by MPs. | |
| She wanted Boris Johnson to answer, but instead the junior Cabinet Office minister Kevin Foster is replying. | |
| Foster says the government understands the importance of language. He says it is going to make intimidating election candidates an offence. And he says the police have been reviewing security for MPs. | Foster says the government understands the importance of language. He says it is going to make intimidating election candidates an offence. And he says the police have been reviewing security for MPs. |
| He does not say anything about the language used by Boris Johnson yesterday. | He does not say anything about the language used by Boris Johnson yesterday. |
| The Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, will travel to Brussels on Friday for a meeting with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Downing Street has said. But the PM’s spokesman has also said that although progress has been made in negotiations with Brussels, “there are significant obstacles remaining to concluding a deal”. | The Brexit secretary, Steve Barclay, will travel to Brussels on Friday for a meeting with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Downing Street has said. But the PM’s spokesman has also said that although progress has been made in negotiations with Brussels, “there are significant obstacles remaining to concluding a deal”. |
| From my colleague Matthew Weaver | From my colleague Matthew Weaver |
| Here's a word cloud of Boris Johnson's opening statement to Parliament last night pic.twitter.com/uQjZUWQeYM | Here's a word cloud of Boris Johnson's opening statement to Parliament last night pic.twitter.com/uQjZUWQeYM |
| From the Spectator’s James Forsyth | From the Spectator’s James Forsyth |
| At 1922 meeting just now, Boris Johnson told Tory MPs that ‘they [Labour] are trying to drive us off the word surrender because they know it is cutting through’. Clear he is not going to stop using the phrase | At 1922 meeting just now, Boris Johnson told Tory MPs that ‘they [Labour] are trying to drive us off the word surrender because they know it is cutting through’. Clear he is not going to stop using the phrase |