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General election: McDonnell says 95% of taxpayers won't face income tax or NI increases under Labour – live news General election: McDonnell says 95% of taxpayers won't face income tax or NI increases under Labour – live news
(32 minutes later)
The prime minister will deliver the first big set-piece speech of the campaign as Labour pledges £26bn extra per year for NHSThe prime minister will deliver the first big set-piece speech of the campaign as Labour pledges £26bn extra per year for NHS
The Conservatives have claimed that Jeremy Corbyn is “in complete disarray’ over Scottish independence in the light of his comment this morning, and the subsequent briefing clarifying the party’s stance. (See 1.21pm.) Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Conservative candidate for Stirling said:
From HuffPost’s Paul Waugh
The person who heckled Jeremy Corbyn in Scotland (see 12.45pm) was a Church of Scotland minister, as the Church Times’ Adam Becket reports.
He is also a minister who allegedly has what appear to be extreme views. These are from Sky’s Tom Rayner.
These are from Torsten Bell, a former Labour policy adviser who now runs the Resolution Foundation, an economic thinktank, on Labour’s health proposals.
In a statement issued by the SNP, Neil Gray, the party’s candidate in Airdrie and Shotts, has said that Jeremy Corbyn would not have the right to refuse Scotland a second independence referendum. (See 1.21pm.) Gray said:
In his interviews this morning Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, rejected claims that there might be a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020 because negotiating a trade deal with the EU within a year may prove impossible and because Boris Johnson has ruled out extending the Brexit transition into 2021 or 2o22. But, in an interview with ITV’s Daniel Hewitt, Gove could not give an example of a trade deal like this being negotiated so quickly.In his interviews this morning Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, rejected claims that there might be a no-deal Brexit at the end of 2020 because negotiating a trade deal with the EU within a year may prove impossible and because Boris Johnson has ruled out extending the Brexit transition into 2021 or 2o22. But, in an interview with ITV’s Daniel Hewitt, Gove could not give an example of a trade deal like this being negotiated so quickly.
Boris Johnson has been accused of doing nothing to help flood victims as he visited one of the worst hit areas and told residents: “We’ve been on it round the clock.” My colleague Josh Halliday has written up his visit here.Boris Johnson has been accused of doing nothing to help flood victims as he visited one of the worst hit areas and told residents: “We’ve been on it round the clock.” My colleague Josh Halliday has written up his visit here.
Jeremy Corbyn’s key union supporter, Unite’s Len McCluskey, has told the Labour leader that victory in the general election means winning over the party’s traditional working-class supporters with a tough line on free movement of workers, my colleague Larry Elliott reports.Jeremy Corbyn’s key union supporter, Unite’s Len McCluskey, has told the Labour leader that victory in the general election means winning over the party’s traditional working-class supporters with a tough line on free movement of workers, my colleague Larry Elliott reports.
Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader, has insisted that her party will field candidates in Canterbury, a Labour/Tory marginal where local activists want the party to stand down to help the pro-remain Labour candidate (see 10.02am), and in South West Hertfordshire, where the pro-remain former Tory cabinet minister David Gauke is standing as an independent.Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem leader, has insisted that her party will field candidates in Canterbury, a Labour/Tory marginal where local activists want the party to stand down to help the pro-remain Labour candidate (see 10.02am), and in South West Hertfordshire, where the pro-remain former Tory cabinet minister David Gauke is standing as an independent.
On a visit to a boxing club in Crouch End in north London, Swinson was asked if she was losing control of Lib Dem candidates. She told the Press Association.On a visit to a boxing club in Crouch End in north London, Swinson was asked if she was losing control of Lib Dem candidates. She told the Press Association.
And here is more footage of Boris Johnson getting a frosty reception from residents affected by flooding in South Yorkshire.
Jeremy Corbyn also had his own encounter with a hostile member of the public this morning, the BBC reports.
Probably the most powerful attack line used by the Conservatives against Labour in this campaign is the charge that, under Jeremy Corbyn, there would be two referendums in 2020. The latest incarnation of this allegation is in Boris Johnson’s onanism quote. (See 9.43am.)
It is true that Labour would hold another Brexit referendum next year. And it is true that the SNP wants to hold a Scottish independence referendum in 2020, and that it would demand one from a Labour government. It is also true that Corbyn would agree to one at some point, but Labour has ruled out holding one in the early years of a Labour government.
In an interview in Glasgow this morning Corbyn said something that appeared to close down this Tory line of attack. He said there would be:
But, according to the Press Association, aides later clarified the party’s position, saying that if the SNP won a majority in the Holyrood elections in 2021 (although in government, the SNP does not currently have a majority in the Scottish parliament), Labour’s position could change.
This is from the BBC’s Scotland editor, Sarah Smith.
And these are from the BBC’s Nick Eardley.
Meanwhile, in South Yorkshire, not everyone has been happy to see the prime minister ...
Q: Under the Tories NHS staff have to ask patients at A&E for their passports to check they are entitled to treatment. Would you stop this?
Ashworth says this policy is “obnoxious”. Labour has asked for the impact assessment of this policy, but the government has not published it. He says Labour would suspend those regulations.
Ashworth says Labour would stop hospital staff having to check the nationality of patients to be sure of their entitlement for free treatment.
The Q&A is now over.
Ashworth says Labour will introduce plans in its first Queen’s speech to end privatisation in the NHS.
Q: Would you extend the sugar tax?
Ashworth says Labour would expand it to milky drinks, milkshakes.
He says Matt Hancock thinks all you need to improve public health is a smartphone and an app. Ashworth says he does not agree with this.
He says A ”Future Generations Wellbeing Act” would make a big difference. There is something similar in Wales, he says. Legislation like this would force public bodies to get serious about public health.
He says Nye Bevan described the NHS as “socialism in action” when he set it up. But it has never addressed health inequalities. It is not right that people living in the constituencies that he and McDonnell represent will die 10 years on average before people in other places.
Q: Are you happy to have a Labour candidate who posted a picture on social media of a gun being held to Theresa May’s head?
McDonnell says people can make mistakes, and learn from them. He says, as a Catholic, he was brought up to believe in redemption.
Q: Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, used to work for a big US health company. People think he is a privatiser. Would you get rid of him?
Ashworth says Stevens also used to work for Frank Dobson. He says it is not right to comment on civil servants, but he says that he has worked well with Stevens and that he respects him.
Q: Under a Labour Brexit would you allow freedom of movement to continue?
Ashworth says his position is that trusts should be able to continue to recruit internationally.