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| Brexit: Corbyn says Johnson must come to parliament to rule out no deal – live news | Brexit: Corbyn says Johnson must come to parliament to rule out no deal – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he would back an election if the prime minister came to parliament on Monday and made a commitment to take the threat of a no deal Brexit off the table. He told ITV’s This Morning that Labour would support a parliamentary vote to hold an election ... | |
| providing the prime minister comes to Parliament on Monday and makes it absolutely clear he is going to make sure that there is no crash out - because his deal includes the possibility of a no-deal exit. | |
| Asked if he thought Boris Johnson would do that, Corbyn said: | |
| He’s going to have to do that because that’s how Parliament works: we’ve got to hold him to account. I think a no-deal exit is very dangerous. If he comes on Monday and says that, OK. | |
| Speaking this morning, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott also repeated that her party would not vote for an election on Monday (when the prime minister plans to put it to a vote in parliament) until they had seen what kind of extension offer the EU would make to the UK. | |
| But that was before the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said the EU27 had not yet been able to make a decision on the length of the next Brexit delay, though it is thought there is full agreement on the need for an extension. Barnier said this was due to the ongoing debate in the UK over Boris Johnson’s demand for a general election. The EU decision is now not expected until early next week (it was previously expected today), making it even more unlikely that the vote on a general election will pass. | |
| Boris Johnson has repeatedly refused to rule out the UK leaving the EU on 31 October, contradicting statements made by the chancellor this morning. “Of course 31 October is still possible,” Johnson said. | |
| Unfortunately it depends on what the EU says. We’re in a situation in which, under the terms of the surrender act, which was passed by parliament, it is up to the EU to decide whether or not we stay in the EU and it is up to the EU how long that extension would be. | |
| Johnson also denied that the government could go “on strike” if the opposition refused to support an election, despite comments from a spokesman that the government would only put the “bare minimum” amount of legislation before parliament if they lost the vote. | |
| Chancellor Sajid Javid told broadcasters this morning that the government would repeatedly push for a general election if parliament rejected Boris Johnson’s motion on Monday. He said that if the opposition opposed an election “we will keep bringing back to parliament a motion to have an election. And we will keep doing that again and again”. | |
| Boris Johnson has refused to say that the UK will not leave the EU on 31 October, saying we are still waiting on the extension decision from the EU. “As things stand we can leave on October 31st,” he said. (The chancellor said this morning that the UK couldn’t leave on 31 October.) He said Jeremy Corbyn should “man up” and support an election. | |
| Johnson said: | |
| Of course 31 October is still possible. Unfortunately it depends on what the EU says. We’re in a situation in which, under the terms of the surrender act, which was passed by parliament, it is up to the EU to decide whether or not we stay in the EU and it is up to the EU how long that extension would be. | |
| He appeared to row back on the idea that the government would go “on strike” if MPs did not back an election. (A spokesman for the prime minister previously said: “Nothing will come before parliament but the bare minimum. We will pursue a general election every day from then onwards and do everything we can to get it.”) | |
| The PM said: | |
| I think you’re totally confused here. We are going to be governing in the interests of the country. We are going to be continuing with our dynamic one-nation Conservative agenda, investing in our NHS, levelling up funding of education across the country, doing everything we can to take this country forward. | |
| What we won’t do is engage in pointless ‘brexitology’ in parliament when parliament is simply committed to a delay. | |
| Downing Street has rejected suggestions Boris Johnson could force through a no-deal Brexit in the middle of an election campaign, the Press Association reports. | Downing Street has rejected suggestions Boris Johnson could force through a no-deal Brexit in the middle of an election campaign, the Press Association reports. |
| Some MPs have expressed concern that once Parliament has been dissolved, the Prime Minister could postpone the election date until after the end of the Brexit extension period, at which point the UK would leave the EU with nothing MPs could do to prevent it. | Some MPs have expressed concern that once Parliament has been dissolved, the Prime Minister could postpone the election date until after the end of the Brexit extension period, at which point the UK would leave the EU with nothing MPs could do to prevent it. |
| The prime minister’s official spokesman said: | The prime minister’s official spokesman said: |
| It is the official position of the Cabinet Office that this would be impossible. Under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, Parliament dissolves 25 working days before the date of the election. At the moment of dissolution the date of the election is locked. Once Parliament is dissolved the PM cannot change the date of the election. | It is the official position of the Cabinet Office that this would be impossible. Under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act, Parliament dissolves 25 working days before the date of the election. At the moment of dissolution the date of the election is locked. Once Parliament is dissolved the PM cannot change the date of the election. |
| The Brexit party has renewed its calls for a leave alliance with the Conservative party in the general election, our Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll reports. | The Brexit party has renewed its calls for a leave alliance with the Conservative party in the general election, our Brexit correspondent Lisa O’Carroll reports. |
| The party’s chairman Richard Tice said latest blockages in parliament showed that “the Tories alone are powerless to deliver Brexit on 31 October”. | The party’s chairman Richard Tice said latest blockages in parliament showed that “the Tories alone are powerless to deliver Brexit on 31 October”. |
| The Tory party is struggling to get anything past parliament and the remain establishment, partly because so many within their own ranks are in the remain establishment. | The Tory party is struggling to get anything past parliament and the remain establishment, partly because so many within their own ranks are in the remain establishment. |
| The Brexit party has offered to put country before party and work with fellow, committed Brexiteers to secure a proper Brexit. | The Brexit party has offered to put country before party and work with fellow, committed Brexiteers to secure a proper Brexit. |
| Only a ‘clean-break Brexit’ will fully protect the independence of Britain’s fishing, defence, and trade, and the integrity of our precious union, which the current treaty sells out. | Only a ‘clean-break Brexit’ will fully protect the independence of Britain’s fishing, defence, and trade, and the integrity of our precious union, which the current treaty sells out. |
| Tice repeated his claim, made on Newsnight earlier this week, that Michel Barnier had said there would be “at least three years of the so-called transition” under the Johnson deal. | Tice repeated his claim, made on Newsnight earlier this week, that Michel Barnier had said there would be “at least three years of the so-called transition” under the Johnson deal. |
| The Brexit negotiator’s words in reality referred to the range of time negotiations for a free trade deal would take, something which it is widely assumed could take up to three years. | The Brexit negotiator’s words in reality referred to the range of time negotiations for a free trade deal would take, something which it is widely assumed could take up to three years. |
| But others have rejected this saying it would be possible to complete a deal within a year as the starting position was full alignment of trading regulations. | But others have rejected this saying it would be possible to complete a deal within a year as the starting position was full alignment of trading regulations. |
| What Barnier said was: “We will have to renegotiate for one year, two years, three years, maybe more in some areas, to rebuild all that will have been pulled apart by the desire of those backing Brexit”. | What Barnier said was: “We will have to renegotiate for one year, two years, three years, maybe more in some areas, to rebuild all that will have been pulled apart by the desire of those backing Brexit”. |
| Jeremy Corbyn has been speaking to ITV’s This Morning again, this time about the prime minister’s push for an election. | Jeremy Corbyn has been speaking to ITV’s This Morning again, this time about the prime minister’s push for an election. |
| He said that Boris Johnson needed to come to parliament on Monday and rule out a no-deal Brexit. Asked if he thought the prime minister would do that, Corbyn said: | He said that Boris Johnson needed to come to parliament on Monday and rule out a no-deal Brexit. Asked if he thought the prime minister would do that, Corbyn said: |
| He has got to understand that the protection of jobs and the protection of the Good Friday agreement and peace process in northern Ireland are very, very important. His proposals don’t do any of that. | He has got to understand that the protection of jobs and the protection of the Good Friday agreement and peace process in northern Ireland are very, very important. His proposals don’t do any of that. |
| Asked if he thought he’d win an election, Corbyn said yes. “In the last election in 2017 we were written off by everybody and look what happened,” he said. | Asked if he thought he’d win an election, Corbyn said yes. “In the last election in 2017 we were written off by everybody and look what happened,” he said. |
| Corbyn said the 12 December election date was “odd for many reasons – it’s so near Christmas, it’s after universities finish their terms”. He said Labour might want an election before 12 December, but there would be discussions about that. | Corbyn said the 12 December election date was “odd for many reasons – it’s so near Christmas, it’s after universities finish their terms”. He said Labour might want an election before 12 December, but there would be discussions about that. |
| Richard Madeley asked Corbyn how it would work having a chancellor who wants the downfall of capitalism in Downing St. The Labour leader said that when they have meetings with business groups there was a lot of agreement on how to manage things. | Richard Madeley asked Corbyn how it would work having a chancellor who wants the downfall of capitalism in Downing St. The Labour leader said that when they have meetings with business groups there was a lot of agreement on how to manage things. |
| EU source says there is "full agreement on the need for an extension" among EU27 and there will not be a special summit. But decision on length of extension will not be made until Monday or Tuesday. | EU source says there is "full agreement on the need for an extension" among EU27 and there will not be a special summit. But decision on length of extension will not be made until Monday or Tuesday. |
| Here’s a bit more from Daniel Boffey about those Michel Barnier comments: | Here’s a bit more from Daniel Boffey about those Michel Barnier comments: |
| Michel Barnier has said the EU27 has not yet been able to make a decision on the length of the next Brexit delay due to the ongoing debate in the UK over Boris Johnson’s demand for a general election. | Michel Barnier has said the EU27 has not yet been able to make a decision on the length of the next Brexit delay due to the ongoing debate in the UK over Boris Johnson’s demand for a general election. |
| Speaking after a two-hour meeting of ambassadors in Brussels, the EU’s chief negotiator said an “excellent” discussion had not concluded with any clear way forward. “No decision,” he said. | Speaking after a two-hour meeting of ambassadors in Brussels, the EU’s chief negotiator said an “excellent” discussion had not concluded with any clear way forward. “No decision,” he said. |
| It may not take until Monday for the EU to make public its offer on an extension after parliament votes on whether there will be a general election. | It may not take until Monday for the EU to make public its offer on an extension after parliament votes on whether there will be a general election. |
| A majority of member states want to accept the terms of an extension reluctantly requested by Johnson in a letter sent last Saturday under which Brexit could be delayed up until 31 January. The UK would leave earlier if the withdrawal agreement was ratified in Westminster and by the European parliament. | A majority of member states want to accept the terms of an extension reluctantly requested by Johnson in a letter sent last Saturday under which Brexit could be delayed up until 31 January. The UK would leave earlier if the withdrawal agreement was ratified in Westminster and by the European parliament. |
| Read the full story here: | Read the full story here: |
| Barnier: EU not yet able to decide on length of next Brexit extension | Barnier: EU not yet able to decide on length of next Brexit extension |
| Jeremy Corbyn is on ITV’s This Morning with eight-year-old Luis Walker, who has cystic fibrosis, to talk about the deal agreed between the NHS and US manufacturers to provide the drug Orkambi to sufferers. | Jeremy Corbyn is on ITV’s This Morning with eight-year-old Luis Walker, who has cystic fibrosis, to talk about the deal agreed between the NHS and US manufacturers to provide the drug Orkambi to sufferers. |
| Corbyn said that the NHS should have the ability to be able to manufacture its own generic medicines so that everybody has access to the best medicines. | Corbyn said that the NHS should have the ability to be able to manufacture its own generic medicines so that everybody has access to the best medicines. |
| Last month Luis asked me to join his campaign to make the life changing drug Orkambi available to patients with cystic fibrosis.Today it has been. This is a victory for all the campaigners who have taken on big pharmaceutical companies' greed and government inaction. pic.twitter.com/S34aPYz7mf | Last month Luis asked me to join his campaign to make the life changing drug Orkambi available to patients with cystic fibrosis.Today it has been. This is a victory for all the campaigners who have taken on big pharmaceutical companies' greed and government inaction. pic.twitter.com/S34aPYz7mf |
| At its party conference last month Labour pledged to create a publicly-owned company to make cheap versions of medicines the NHS needs but cannot afford. | At its party conference last month Labour pledged to create a publicly-owned company to make cheap versions of medicines the NHS needs but cannot afford. |
| NHS England agrees price for 'unaffordable' cystic fibrosis drug | NHS England agrees price for 'unaffordable' cystic fibrosis drug |
| From our Brussels bureau chief, Daniel Boffey: | From our Brussels bureau chief, Daniel Boffey: |
| Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, has said the EU27 has not yet been able to make a decision on the length of the next Brexit delay because of the ongoing debate in the UK over Boris Johnson’s election demand. | Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, has said the EU27 has not yet been able to make a decision on the length of the next Brexit delay because of the ongoing debate in the UK over Boris Johnson’s election demand. |
| Some light relief ... | Some light relief ... |
| BREAKING Sajid Javid has "postponed" production of the new Brexit 50p coins due to the likelihood that the UK will not leave the European Union next Thursday.https://t.co/dh5kbLuWrj | BREAKING Sajid Javid has "postponed" production of the new Brexit 50p coins due to the likelihood that the UK will not leave the European Union next Thursday.https://t.co/dh5kbLuWrj |
| A Treasury source told The Daily Telegraph: "We have paused production of the Brexit coin and will take a final decision in due course."The Treasury declined to comment further but it is likely that hundreds of thousands of the coins have already been minted. | A Treasury source told The Daily Telegraph: "We have paused production of the Brexit coin and will take a final decision in due course."The Treasury declined to comment further but it is likely that hundreds of thousands of the coins have already been minted. |
| If you’re finding it hard to absorb everything that’s happened this week (you’d be forgiven) then you might find this summary from our Brussels correspondent, Jennifer Rankin, useful. | If you’re finding it hard to absorb everything that’s happened this week (you’d be forgiven) then you might find this summary from our Brussels correspondent, Jennifer Rankin, useful. |
| The end of 'do or die': what we learned in a crucial week for Brexit | The end of 'do or die': what we learned in a crucial week for Brexit |
| The Liberal Democrats have launched a new poster campaign that parodies the “Careless Talk Costs Lives” second world war poster. | The Liberal Democrats have launched a new poster campaign that parodies the “Careless Talk Costs Lives” second world war poster. |
| Their “Careless Votes Cost Lives” poster replaces the two gossiping diners in the original with Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn. | Their “Careless Votes Cost Lives” poster replaces the two gossiping diners in the original with Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn. |
| The quote reads: “…thanks for your help comrade, we finally got Brexit over the line!” | The quote reads: “…thanks for your help comrade, we finally got Brexit over the line!” |
| Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said he would like to see a united Ireland in his lifetime, but only in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement, the Press Association reports. | Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said he would like to see a united Ireland in his lifetime, but only in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement, the Press Association reports. |
| Asked if he would like to see a united Ireland on Irish radio station Today FM, he said: | Asked if he would like to see a united Ireland on Irish radio station Today FM, he said: |
| I would, but only in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement so that is only in consent of the majority of people in Northern Ireland. That is really important stuff. Nobody should be forced into anything. | I would, but only in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement so that is only in consent of the majority of people in Northern Ireland. That is really important stuff. Nobody should be forced into anything. |
| Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has tweeted to say that if Sajid Javid doesn’t bring a budget forward, he will. Javid confirmed earlier this morning that the the budget scheduled for 6 November would be cancelled. | Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has tweeted to say that if Sajid Javid doesn’t bring a budget forward, he will. Javid confirmed earlier this morning that the the budget scheduled for 6 November would be cancelled. |
| Message to Sajid Javid: Stop playing games putting our economy at risk. If you won’t bring a budget forward, move over and I will. Your irresponsible party political messing around will cost people their jobs. Grow up. | Message to Sajid Javid: Stop playing games putting our economy at risk. If you won’t bring a budget forward, move over and I will. Your irresponsible party political messing around will cost people their jobs. Grow up. |