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General election: Corbyn 'in disarray' over Scottish independence after policy clarification, Tories claim – live news General election: Corbyn 'in disarray' over Scottish independence after policy clarification, Tories claim – 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
Who’s making promises they can’t keep and who do the voters trust to spend their money? To try and figure this out, Heather Stewart is joined on the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast by the Guardian’s economics editor Larry Elliott, Momentum’s national coordinator Laura Parker, and professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London Tim Bale.
In an interview with LBC Jeremy Corbyn was asked about the killing of the Islamic State leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, by US special forces in Syria last month. Corbyn replied:
In response the Conservative party has put out a statement from the security minister Brandon Lewis claiming that Corbyn’s comment shows his “inability to stand up to people who reject our values” and that: “Every time [Corbyn] is given the opportunity to take the side of this country’s enemies he does so.”
But it is hard to see how Corbyn’s quote does amount to siding with Baghdadi. Even President Trump, announcing Baghdadi’s death, said that capturing or killing him were both objectives for the US armed forces.
ITV has some footage of Boris Johnson speaking to residents in Doncaster about the flooding. When Tory MPs chose him as their leader in the summer, some of them thought he had a magic touch with voters. There doesn’t seem to be much evidence of that from the video footage we’ve seen of him today (although of course that’s not to say Theresa May would have been any better).ITV has some footage of Boris Johnson speaking to residents in Doncaster about the flooding. When Tory MPs chose him as their leader in the summer, some of them thought he had a magic touch with voters. There doesn’t seem to be much evidence of that from the video footage we’ve seen of him today (although of course that’s not to say Theresa May would have been any better).
Alastair Campbell, the former communications director for Tony Blair who was expelled by Labour in the spring for voting Lib Dem in the European elections, has said that he will be campaigning for David Gauke, the Tory-turned-independent pro-European, in South West Hertfordshire. He told the ITV election podcast, Calling Peston:Alastair Campbell, the former communications director for Tony Blair who was expelled by Labour in the spring for voting Lib Dem in the European elections, has said that he will be campaigning for David Gauke, the Tory-turned-independent pro-European, in South West Hertfordshire. He told the ITV election podcast, Calling Peston:
A prominent campaigner for a second referendum, Campbell has also argued on Twitter that it is essential for the pro-remain parties to cooperate.A prominent campaigner for a second referendum, Campbell has also argued on Twitter that it is essential for the pro-remain parties to cooperate.
The call from Leave.EU’s Arron Banks for Nigel Farage withdraw candidates in Labour seats to avoid splitting the rightwing vote has been rubbished in Peterborough by the Brexit party candidate, Mike Greene, who told the Guardian: “I have never been driven by Arron Banks.”Labour squeaked to victory in the Midlands marginal by just 683 votes in the June byelection but only after the Conservatives and Greene gathered 17,044 votes between them - 6,560 more than Labour’s Lisa Forbes. Greene, a multi-millionaire businessman who is campaigning in a Brexit Party-branded Land Rover Defender with personalised plates, predicted that far from allowing the Conservatives to win if he stood aside, as hundreds of Brexit candidates did in Tory-held seats on Monday, Labour would increase its majority.“I am not going to step aside for party politics,” Greene said while campaigning in the pro-leave ward of Werrington. The call from Leave.EU’s Arron Banks for Nigel Farage withdraw candidates in Labour seats to avoid splitting the rightwing vote has been rubbished in Peterborough by the Brexit party candidate, Mike Greene, who told the Guardian: “I have never been driven by Arron Banks.”Labour squeaked to victory in the marginal by just 683 votes in the June byelection but only after the Conservatives and Greene gathered 17,044 votes between them - 6,560 more than Labour’s Lisa Forbes. Greene, a multi-millionaire businessman who is campaigning in a Brexit party-branded Land Rover Defender with personalised plates, predicted that far from allowing the Conservatives to win if he stood aside, as hundreds of Brexit candidates did in Tory-held seats on Monday, Labour would increase its majority.“I am not going to step aside for party politics,” Greene said while campaigning in the pro-leave ward of Werrington.
Voters in Peterborough appear in confusion with some Brexit party voters saying they will switch to Conservative, and Labour voters switching to Lib Dem and Conservative depending on Brexit allegiances. Many others are losing faith with parliament to deliver whatever they vote and considering abstaining. Labour is hoping it can focus on the impact of austerity on public services rather than Brexit, to bolster its slim lead.Voters in Peterborough appear in confusion with some Brexit party voters saying they will switch to Conservative, and Labour voters switching to Lib Dem and Conservative depending on Brexit allegiances. Many others are losing faith with parliament to deliver whatever they vote and considering abstaining. Labour is hoping it can focus on the impact of austerity on public services rather than Brexit, to bolster its slim lead.
Greene admitted Brexit would mean “you are going to go through some pain” but dismissed as biased a recent study by economists at Kings College London and London School of Economics suggesting annual economic losses of up to £2,500 per capita after a decade. He said:Greene admitted Brexit would mean “you are going to go through some pain” but dismissed as biased a recent study by economists at Kings College London and London School of Economics suggesting annual economic losses of up to £2,500 per capita after a decade. He said:
Plaid Cymru is today calling for for the establishment of a national health and care service, with social care provided free at the point of need.Plaid Cymru is today calling for for the establishment of a national health and care service, with social care provided free at the point of need.
On social care, we do seem to be getting closer to the point where the parties are reaching consensus on the need for a national care service. Yesterday the IPPR thinktank published a report calling for free personal care to be introduced in England, at a cost of up to £10bn. The IPPR is a leftwing thinktank, but its recommendations were quite similar to those from the House of Lords economic affairs committee in a report this summer, and that committee is chaired by Michael Forsyth, who was about the most Thatcherite member of the cabinet when the Tories were in power in the mid-1990s. Labour has already proposed a “national care service”, and it is due to publish further details of how this might work soon. And there are rumours that the Conservatives will offer something similar. Plaid may be pushing at an open door.On social care, we do seem to be getting closer to the point where the parties are reaching consensus on the need for a national care service. Yesterday the IPPR thinktank published a report calling for free personal care to be introduced in England, at a cost of up to £10bn. The IPPR is a leftwing thinktank, but its recommendations were quite similar to those from the House of Lords economic affairs committee in a report this summer, and that committee is chaired by Michael Forsyth, who was about the most Thatcherite member of the cabinet when the Tories were in power in the mid-1990s. Labour has already proposed a “national care service”, and it is due to publish further details of how this might work soon. And there are rumours that the Conservatives will offer something similar. Plaid may be pushing at an open door.
From the New Statesman’s Jeremy CliffeFrom the New Statesman’s Jeremy Cliffe
At his news conference this morning John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said that 95% of taxpayers would not pay higher rates of income tax or national insurance under Labour. (See 11.23am.) Sajid Javid, the chancellor, signalled last week that the Conservative manifesto will include tax cuts.At his news conference this morning John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, said that 95% of taxpayers would not pay higher rates of income tax or national insurance under Labour. (See 11.23am.) Sajid Javid, the chancellor, signalled last week that the Conservative manifesto will include tax cuts.
But the Resolution Foundation, an economic thinktank, has published a report (pdf) today on tax policy saying that, whoever wins the election, tax increases will be likely. Here is an extract from the summary in its news release.But the Resolution Foundation, an economic thinktank, has published a report (pdf) today on tax policy saying that, whoever wins the election, tax increases will be likely. Here is an extract from the summary in its news release.
The Tories have not announced their plans yet, but there is speculation that the party will propose lifting the national insurance threshold, to bring it into line with the income tax personal allowance. “This would give most workers a tax cut of up to £480, at a cost of £11bn,” the report says. But it says low-income families would not get much benefit from this. It explains:The Tories have not announced their plans yet, but there is speculation that the party will propose lifting the national insurance threshold, to bring it into line with the income tax personal allowance. “This would give most workers a tax cut of up to £480, at a cost of £11bn,” the report says. But it says low-income families would not get much benefit from this. It explains:
The Liberal Democrats are now looking for a new candidate in High Peak after their original candidate, Guy Kiddey, said people should vote Labour, the BBC’s Chris Doidge reports. High Peak is a Labour/Tory marginal.The Liberal Democrats are now looking for a new candidate in High Peak after their original candidate, Guy Kiddey, said people should vote Labour, the BBC’s Chris Doidge reports. High Peak is a Labour/Tory marginal.
Kiddey was angry about his party not standing down in Canterbury. (See 10.02am.)Kiddey was angry about his party not standing down in Canterbury. (See 10.02am.)
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: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.
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.
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.