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General election: Corbyn claims Trump/Farage/Johnson pact poses threat to rights in UK – live news General election: Corbyn claims Trump/Farage/Johnson pact poses threat to rights in UK – live news
(32 minutes later)
Jeremy Corbyn and Angela Rayner speak in Blackpool as Johnson chairs Cobra meeting on floodsJeremy Corbyn and Angela Rayner speak in Blackpool as Johnson chairs Cobra meeting on floods
Labour plans to complain to the broadcast regulator, Ofcom, over Sky News’ branding of the upcoming vote as the “Brexit election”. The party believes that is tied too closely to what it sees as a Conservative strategy to focus the campaigning on Brexit.
Officials have been making representations directly to Sky News in recent days but feel that route has now been exhausted. A Labour source has said:
The news was first reported by HuffPost UK this evening. It is worth noting, however, that the prime minister has sought to include NHS funding and other issues he’s described as the “people’s priorities” in his campaigning.
A Channel 4 election debate was scrapped because the chancellor, Sajid Javid, was “terrified” and refused to take part, according to the man who was due to face him; John McDonnell. In a video posted on Twitter, the shadow chancellor has claimed:
Boris Johnson has claimed that the situation is “stabilising” for those affected by the flooding in northern England, as he spoke to broadcasters after chairing a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee to consider the situation. He rejected claims that the government had been complacent in its handling of the matter. But No 10 only announced the Cobra meeting after Jeremy Corbyn publicly called for one (although Downing Street says it was scheduled anyway), and Corbyn and the Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson both made personal visits today to residents affected. During his visit Corbyn said Labour would spend £5.6bn over 10 years improving flood defences
Jeremy Corbyn has unveiled what he described as one of Labour’s most transformative plans - a lifelong learning proposal that he said would give every adult an entitlement to six years of free education. This plan will delivered by Labour’s national education service, and the proposals will be based on ideas set out in a report (pdf) from the party’s lifelong learning commission. At a launch in Blackpool Corbyn said that this was one of the party’s plans he was “most excited about”. Although he announced the plan at the event, he left it to Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary, to outline most of the details. Rayner said that people taking up the party’s offer (up to six years’ free study for qualifications up to level 4-6) would be able to get the same maintenance support available to students in higher education. And workers would have the right to paid time-off for study, she said. Rayner’s speech was powerful because she was able to recount how, as a teenage mum, her own life was transformed by adult education and her performance will do nothing to quell speculation that, if she is not setting up a national education service after the election (and the polls continue to imply she won’t be), she might be running for the leadership instead.
Corbyn told reporters at the event that British voters were now at risk from a Trump/Farage/Johnson alliance that would threaten the NHS, workers’ rights and safe food.
Labour has described a Tory claim that personal taxes would go up by £2,400 a head under a Jeremy Corbyn government as “fake news”. It is. The costings on which the claim is based are flawed, making it even more dubious than these election projections normally are.
Nigel Farage has branded Conservative calls for the Brexit party to stand down in Labour marginals as “almost comical”, saying his party needs to get MPs into parliament to hold Boris Johnson’s feet to the fire.
But Farage has also faced a backlash from with some of the Brexit party candidates asked to stand down, with one candidate saying he only learned the news when a passing driver asked him why he was still campaigning.
Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jeremy Corbyn have led tributes to Frank Dobson, the former Labour health secretary, who has died at the age of 79. An MP for 36 years, socialist, campaigner, loyalist, wit and raconteur, he was widely admired, and even more widely liked.
Labour’s Anna Turley, who is suing the union Unite, has told the high court that the party has moved too far to the left under Jeremy Corbyn and has refused to apologise for insulting the union’s leader, Len McCluskey.
The Labour party has faced a second cyber-attack in two days, a day after experiencing what it called a “sophisticated and large-scale” attempt to disrupt its digital systems.
Labour has responded to a backlash among voters of Indian heritage in the UK by shifting its stance on the Kashmir dispute and insisting it is a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan in which Labour will not interfere.
That’s all from me for today.
My colleague Kevin Rawlinson is writing the blog now.
Johnson adds that he’s concerned some people are not heeding the authorities’ advice and calls on them to evacuate when they’re told that do so is necessary.Johnson adds that he’s concerned some people are not heeding the authorities’ advice and calls on them to evacuate when they’re told that do so is necessary.
He denies political opponents’ accusations that a disproportionate amount of money is being spent in south-east England than in the north and the Midlands, saying the “whole country is protected”.He denies political opponents’ accusations that a disproportionate amount of money is being spent in south-east England than in the north and the Midlands, saying the “whole country is protected”.
Since a political point has been raised, Johnson says, he feels he should respond by pointing out the Tories’ public sector spending plans.Since a political point has been raised, Johnson says, he feels he should respond by pointing out the Tories’ public sector spending plans.
The prime minister is delivering a briefing after the Cobra meeting on the flooding that hit parts of England last week. He’s asked why he has only just convened it now – five days after the crisis started.The prime minister is delivering a briefing after the Cobra meeting on the flooding that hit parts of England last week. He’s asked why he has only just convened it now – five days after the crisis started.
He does not answer that directly, instead saying he visited Derbyshire and that, in all, 850 homes have been flooded and about 3,000 people have been evacuated. He says things “perhaps are stabilising” but that waterlogged ground means we need to prepare for the possibility of more flooding this winter.He does not answer that directly, instead saying he visited Derbyshire and that, in all, 850 homes have been flooded and about 3,000 people have been evacuated. He says things “perhaps are stabilising” but that waterlogged ground means we need to prepare for the possibility of more flooding this winter.
Boris Johnson adds that he is looking into where the army might be able to help and he adds that the “Environment Agency hasn’t done too bad a job” but there’s no room for “complacency”.Boris Johnson adds that he is looking into where the army might be able to help and he adds that the “Environment Agency hasn’t done too bad a job” but there’s no room for “complacency”.
Jeremy Corbyn has been visiting a site of flooding in Doncaster, eight miles from where the Lib Dem leader made her visit earlier in the day. He used the visit to announce Labour’s plans for a new £5.6bn fund to level up flood defences over 10 years, funded through the party’s £250bn “green transformation fund”.Jeremy Corbyn has been visiting a site of flooding in Doncaster, eight miles from where the Lib Dem leader made her visit earlier in the day. He used the visit to announce Labour’s plans for a new £5.6bn fund to level up flood defences over 10 years, funded through the party’s £250bn “green transformation fund”.
The Labour leader was shown around Custom Windows and Doors in Bentley that has become the site of a community effort to help people affected by the floods back on their feet, with piles of donations of clothes and food.The Labour leader was shown around Custom Windows and Doors in Bentley that has become the site of a community effort to help people affected by the floods back on their feet, with piles of donations of clothes and food.
Asked whether politicians were guilty of taking advantage of the disaster in south Yorkshire, Corbyn said the policy announcement was necessary. He said:Asked whether politicians were guilty of taking advantage of the disaster in south Yorkshire, Corbyn said the policy announcement was necessary. He said:
Emma King, 36, showed Corbyn around the home she lives in with her three children and partner. Her house was flooded on Friday and she said it now smelled like “stale, rotten fish”. King’s house was last flooded in 2007. “It shouldn’t have happened again,” she said. “Defences should have been put up.”Emma King, 36, showed Corbyn around the home she lives in with her three children and partner. Her house was flooded on Friday and she said it now smelled like “stale, rotten fish”. King’s house was last flooded in 2007. “It shouldn’t have happened again,” she said. “Defences should have been put up.”
“Oh isn’t he a lovely man,” said added, looking on at Corbyn admiringly as he gave media interviews outside her house.“Oh isn’t he a lovely man,” said added, looking on at Corbyn admiringly as he gave media interviews outside her house.
Here is Neil Kinnock’s tribute to Frank Dobson.Here is Neil Kinnock’s tribute to Frank Dobson.
Sajid Javid, the chancellor, returned to his father’s old shop in Bristol and described how his family had to “watch every single penny” when living there, the Press Association reports. The PA story about Javid’s visit goes on:Sajid Javid, the chancellor, returned to his father’s old shop in Bristol and described how his family had to “watch every single penny” when living there, the Press Association reports. The PA story about Javid’s visit goes on:
YouGov has released some new polling, intended to take into account the impact of the Brexit party not standing in Tory-held seats, that gives the Conservatives a 14-point lead over the Labour. As with all polling, it may not tell you precisely what would happen if there were an election tomorrow - but it’s a lot better than guessing. This is from the Times’ Matt Chorley.YouGov has released some new polling, intended to take into account the impact of the Brexit party not standing in Tory-held seats, that gives the Conservatives a 14-point lead over the Labour. As with all polling, it may not tell you precisely what would happen if there were an election tomorrow - but it’s a lot better than guessing. This is from the Times’ Matt Chorley.
Boris Johnson will shortly be recording a clip for broadcasters about this afternoon’s Cobra meeting about the flooding.Boris Johnson will shortly be recording a clip for broadcasters about this afternoon’s Cobra meeting about the flooding.
Labour has suffered a second cyber attack, the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar reports.Labour has suffered a second cyber attack, the Mirror’s Pippa Crerar reports.
In a blog the New Statesman’s Stephen Bush has more information about what happened in the first one.In a blog the New Statesman’s Stephen Bush has more information about what happened in the first one.
Liz Evenden-Kenyon, the Lib Dem candidate in Boris Johnson’s constituency, Uxbridge and South Ruislip, has announced that she is standing down for personal reasons (an illness in her family). She says she expects the party to select another candidate before nominations close on Thursday.
The European parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, has said he has “doubts” that a trade deal can be negotiated in under a year as claimed by the UK when “in other cases it takes five, seven or nine years”.
Speaking to the European parliament’s committee on constitutional affairs, Verhofstadt said:
Boris Johnson claims that he would be able to negotiate a trade deal by the end of next year, and on that basis he has ruled out extending the transition period beyond December 2020 - a statement that helped persuade Nigel Farage not to stand Brexit party candidates in Tory-held seats.
Verhofstadt, the former Belgian prime minister, also said today that the solution on Northern Ireland in the revised withdrawal agreement was the concept proposed by the EU “on day one” of the talks with the UK.
He said that he was “disappointed” with the political declaration on the future relationship as it was “less ambitious” than the document agreed with Theresa May.
He said that the May version had included an “association agreement” with a “large number of [areas of] cooperation” while the latest declaration provides for a “downsized free trade agreement”.
Verhofstadt said that the scope of the trade agreement would be determined by the UK commitment to keep up with EU standards on workers’ rights, environmental standards and taxation. He said:
Survation has published some new polling figures today. Most recent polls have given the Conservative party a very large lead over Labour - the Guardian poll tracker, which averages all polls over the last two weeks, has the Tories 12 points ahead - but this Survation survey has the Conservatives just six points ahead.
Of course, at the last two general elections the polls did not provide a reliable guide to the final - although in other elections they have turned out to be fairly accurate.
Yesterday a separate ICM poll put the Conservatives eight points ahead of Labour.
According to Labour, a proposed TV debate between the chancellor, Sajid Javid, and his Labour shadow, John McDonnell, that was scheduled for Sunday 17 November has been shelved. Ed Davey and Kirsty Blackman, the Lib Dem and SNP Treasury spokespeople respectively, were also invited to the 90-minute programme on Channel 4. Labour says it has now been told the debate will not go ahead because Javid won’t participate.
I’ve asked the Conservatives for a comment and have been told someone will get back to me. I’ll post their reply when I get it.
For many years Welsh independence was never seen as a particularly serious proposition. Even Plaid Cymru, the Welsh nationalist party, used to treat it as more of a long-term ideal than a realistic goal. But the Brexit vote in 2016 (arguably an English nationalist vote) has stirred up separatist sentiment in Wales as well as in Scotland, Plaid Cymru elected a new leader last autumn, Adam Price, much more committed to independence and now in Wales there now even marches for independence.
Today Price has announced that he has set up a commission to consider how an independent Wales could work. It will be chaired by Jocelyn Davis, a former minister in the Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition government in the Welsh assembly. Explaining what the commission would do, Price said:
The National Cyber Security Centre has said that it regards the cyber-attack on Labour as an incident that is now closed. In a statement it said: