This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/nov/14/general-election-pay-gap-promises-from-labour-and-lib-dems-as-johnson-navigates-floods-anger-live-news

The article has changed 35 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 11 Version 12
General election 2019: Farage claims Tories using 'abuse' to get Brexit party candidates off ballot – live news General election 2019: Farage claims Tories using 'abuse' to get Brexit party candidates off ballot – live news
(32 minutes later)
Farage claims party under pressure from Tories as opposition parties use Equal Pay Day to announce equalities packages, while Johnson tries to brush off hostile reaction from flood victimsFarage claims party under pressure from Tories as opposition parties use Equal Pay Day to announce equalities packages, while Johnson tries to brush off hostile reaction from flood victims
We have received a briefing from the monarch of UK psephologists, Prof Sir John Curtice of Strathclyde University, about what might happen in the election, and the short version is this: while there are many imponderables in play, it seems a toss-up between a Boris Johnson majority and a hung parliament.
Curtice said it was “pretty much a binary contest” between the two. And what of a Labour majority? The answer will not be welcomed by Jeremy Corbyn:
He said the issues for Labour included Corbyn’s personal unpopularity with voters (although he also noted that Johnson was “the most unpopular new prime minister in polling history”), and the fact that they had lost both remain and leave votes through a middle-ground approach to Brexit. Cutice said:
The current Tory lead of about 10 percentage points would most likely be enough for Boris Johnson, Cutice said.
But given the likelihood the Tories will lose a “fair chunk” of seats in Scotland and to the Lib Dems, Johnson needed to keep the lead above about six or seven percentage points:
The key battle in northern Tory target seats, he said, would be for the Conservatives to hang on to gains made by Theresa May in 2017, and for the Lib Dems to take seats from Labour. Curtice said: “Boris Johnson would love the Liberal Democrats to go up.”
The one exception to the binary end point, he noted, would be the very particular result where the Tories won 320 or so seats, just below a working majority, and the DUP held the balance. With the Northern Irish party wanting neither to support Corbyn or back Johnson’s Brexit deal, this could bring a new deadlock.
According to the Press Association, which had a pool reporter accompanying Boris Johnson when he visitedWest Monkton primary school, near Taunton, Johnson held Rosie the rabbit and sang songs with pupils.
The PM then suggested singing The Wheels On The Bus, remarking: “The wheels are staying very much on the bus.”
According to PA, Johnson asked a separate group of pupils for their favourite book before asking: “Have you got the Incredible Hulk? That’s the one I like.” In a newspaper article in the autumn Johnson famously compared himself, or the UK as a whole, to the Incredible Hulk.
Then he ended up talking about breasts. As PA reports, while looking at a Hulk book, one pupil shouted “boobies” to which the PM replied: “Those aren’t boobies, they are muscles.”
While Johnson was inside the school, chants of “Boris out” could be heard outside, where Labour, Liberal Democrat and climate change activists were gathered.
Jeremy Corbyn is now saying that he would not agree to a Scottish independence referendum in the first two years of a Labour government - which would rule out one being held in 2020 or 2021. This is a change from what Corbyn was saying at one point yesterday, when he was ruling it out for the entire five years of a Labour government, although the party subsequently said it would be open to one after the Holyrood elections in spring 2021 (which, given the amount of time preparing for a referendum might take, would be close to saying 2023 at the earliest).
In response, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, has posted this on Twitter.
My colleague Steven Morris says it is starting to look as if Boris Johnson might be giving Glastonbury a miss after all.
Boris Johnson is due in Glastonbury shortly. According to my colleague Steven Morris, who is there, not everyone wants to give him a warm welcome.Boris Johnson is due in Glastonbury shortly. According to my colleague Steven Morris, who is there, not everyone wants to give him a warm welcome.
Here is some footage of Jeremy Corbyn being confronted by a heckler at a meeting in Dundee. (See 10.53am.) According to the Press Association, the heckler later identified himself as Bob Costello, a former SNP activist.Here is some footage of Jeremy Corbyn being confronted by a heckler at a meeting in Dundee. (See 10.53am.) According to the Press Association, the heckler later identified himself as Bob Costello, a former SNP activist.
It is often assumed that being heckled reflects badly on a politician, but it is hard to watch this and think that Costello emerges with much credit. “Is this democracy?” he shouted at one point, during his prolonged interruption of proceeding. Corbyn replied:It is often assumed that being heckled reflects badly on a politician, but it is hard to watch this and think that Costello emerges with much credit. “Is this democracy?” he shouted at one point, during his prolonged interruption of proceeding. Corbyn replied:
Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, had to delete a tweet this morning saying he would be “live from South Yorkshire” when he was in Hull. Hull is in East Yorkshire, as he subsequently acknowledged.Nigel Farage, the Brexit party leader, had to delete a tweet this morning saying he would be “live from South Yorkshire” when he was in Hull. Hull is in East Yorkshire, as he subsequently acknowledged.
The Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, has pledged to revoke article 50 on day one of her premiership if she is elected to Number 10. Speaking to the PA news agency on a visit to the Guru Nanak Sikh temple in Glasgow, she said:The Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, has pledged to revoke article 50 on day one of her premiership if she is elected to Number 10. Speaking to the PA news agency on a visit to the Guru Nanak Sikh temple in Glasgow, she said:
She also stressed her opposition to a second referendum on Scottish independence.She also stressed her opposition to a second referendum on Scottish independence.
Here is the full quote from Nigel Farage alleging that Tories have been using underhand methods to try to persuade Brexit party candidates to stand down. He did not give any specific examples, and he did not say where this was happening, or who was responsible, but it was clear that he was claiming that this pressure was coming from Conservatives.Here is the full quote from Nigel Farage alleging that Tories have been using underhand methods to try to persuade Brexit party candidates to stand down. He did not give any specific examples, and he did not say where this was happening, or who was responsible, but it was clear that he was claiming that this pressure was coming from Conservatives.
Farage said:Farage said:
The battle for Scotland’s anti-Tory vote between Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon became bitter and personal on Wednesday evening after the Labour leader accused Sturgeon of “being willing to usher in another heartless Conservative government”.The battle for Scotland’s anti-Tory vote between Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon became bitter and personal on Wednesday evening after the Labour leader accused Sturgeon of “being willing to usher in another heartless Conservative government”.
The two clashed on Twitter after Corbyn’s two-day campaigning visit to Scotland got off to a rocky start, when he had tied himself in knots over Labour’s referendum policy.The two clashed on Twitter after Corbyn’s two-day campaigning visit to Scotland got off to a rocky start, when he had tied himself in knots over Labour’s referendum policy.
He first ruled out backing one for a full five-year term, before retracting that after being corrected by his aides to say Labour would not support one for the first few years. He simultaneously rejected Sturgeon’s calls for a “progressive alliance” to defeat the Tories, insisting it was “their choice” whether to back Labour or allow the Tories to regain power.He first ruled out backing one for a full five-year term, before retracting that after being corrected by his aides to say Labour would not support one for the first few years. He simultaneously rejected Sturgeon’s calls for a “progressive alliance” to defeat the Tories, insisting it was “their choice” whether to back Labour or allow the Tories to regain power.
Sturgeon retorted that Scottish National party MPs would only support a minority Labour government if it allowed Holyrood to stage a fresh independence referendum at a time of its choosing. Sturgeon wants one next year.Sturgeon retorted that Scottish National party MPs would only support a minority Labour government if it allowed Holyrood to stage a fresh independence referendum at a time of its choosing. Sturgeon wants one next year.
Corbyn retaliated by tweeting back footage from 1979, when SNP support for a vote of no confidence helped topple James Callaghan’s Labour government, allowing Margaret Thatcher to win her first general election and heralding 18 years of Tory government.Corbyn retaliated by tweeting back footage from 1979, when SNP support for a vote of no confidence helped topple James Callaghan’s Labour government, allowing Margaret Thatcher to win her first general election and heralding 18 years of Tory government.
The SNP leader hit back by accusing Corbyn of “desperate stuff”, pointing out she was in primary school in 1979.The SNP leader hit back by accusing Corbyn of “desperate stuff”, pointing out she was in primary school in 1979.
The SNP had tabled a no-confidence motion after Callaghan’s government decided not to introduce devolution to Scotland as the 1979 devolution referendum required 40% of all Scotland’s voters to say yes. After a low turnout, that threshold was not met.The SNP had tabled a no-confidence motion after Callaghan’s government decided not to introduce devolution to Scotland as the 1979 devolution referendum required 40% of all Scotland’s voters to say yes. After a low turnout, that threshold was not met.
With backing too from the Liberal party, Thatcher tabled an early day motion stating the house had no confidence in Callaghan’s government which went to a vote. Along with unionist MPs from Northern Ireland, the SNP’s 11 MPs voted against Labour, which lost the motion by one vote.With backing too from the Liberal party, Thatcher tabled an early day motion stating the house had no confidence in Callaghan’s government which went to a vote. Along with unionist MPs from Northern Ireland, the SNP’s 11 MPs voted against Labour, which lost the motion by one vote.
Those events are engrained in Labour folklore as proof of the SNP’s dishonesty about opposing the Tories. With the polls showing Labour support as low as 12% in Scotland, they face another wipeout on 12 December and are desperately trying to mobilise disillusioned and apathetic Labour voters.Those events are engrained in Labour folklore as proof of the SNP’s dishonesty about opposing the Tories. With the polls showing Labour support as low as 12% in Scotland, they face another wipeout on 12 December and are desperately trying to mobilise disillusioned and apathetic Labour voters.
Scottish Labour’s Facebook page features film of Ian Lavery, the party chairman and a former National Union of Mineworkers president, insisting a minority Labour government would challenge the SNP to vote down its budget, including £70bn extra spending for Scotland, rather than agree a deal.Scottish Labour’s Facebook page features film of Ian Lavery, the party chairman and a former National Union of Mineworkers president, insisting a minority Labour government would challenge the SNP to vote down its budget, including £70bn extra spending for Scotland, rather than agree a deal.
He concluded: “Let the SNP decide whether they want to accept that or not. Let them decide whether they want to stick their fingers up at the Scottish people.”He concluded: “Let the SNP decide whether they want to accept that or not. Let them decide whether they want to stick their fingers up at the Scottish people.”
Farage says in September he offered to work with the Tories on a “leave alliance”. That could win an 80 or 100-seat majority. But the Tories were not interested, he says.
He claims this shows the Tories are putting party before country.
Here is one of the Farage quotes.
Farage says if his candidates get to Westminster they will not be “good little boys and girls”. They will fight for Brexit.
He cannot understand why people think it makes sense for the UK to be shackled to 15% of the world’s economy, he says.
Farage says the Tories have not been grateful for his decision not to stand candidates in Tory-held seats.
Instead, all that the party has had from the Tories has been “wall to wall abuse”, he says.
And he claims something “disgraceful” is happening that the audience do not know about. Brexit party candidates are coming under relentless pressure to stand down. They are getting phone calls, emails and abuse, he says.
Farage claims, again, that Boris Johnson signalled a “marked change of direction” in a video he posted on Twitter on Sunday about Brexit.
(Actually, he didn’t.)
Farage says he would be happy with a Canada-style trade deal, or a no-deal Brexit. Under either option, the UK would not be bound by EU laws.
Farage says the Tories are today talking about reducing immigration. “Are you having a laugh?” In the last three elections they have promised this, but failed, he says.
Farage says democracy only works if you have losers’ consent. The losers must accept the result of the election, he says.
He says the Brexit party will fight Labour in every seat in this country.
Farage says the audience probably used to think they lived in a 21st century democracy. But all the promises made by politicians have not been delivered, he says.
He claims Labour think people did not know what they voted for. Labour wants people to do it all again.
Labour is treating voters with contempt, he says.
In May the highest Brexit party vote came in areas with the most Labour MPs, he says. He says Labour is now more about Hoxton than Hull.
In Labour areas there is no enthusiasm for Jeremy Corbyn, he says. He claims many Labour voters will stay at home. That gives the Brexit party a phenomenal opportunity, he claims.
Nigel Farage is speaking at the Brexit party event.
He is in Hull, and he says this is Brexit country.
He says the Brexit party reset the political agenda when it was set up earlier this year. Its success in the European elections led to the removal of Theresa May as prime minister, he claims.
He welcomes Michelle Dewberry to the party.
At the Brexit party event Michelle Dewberry is speaking now. A former winner of the TV reality show The Apprentice, Dewberry is the Brexit party’s candidate in Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle.
Maybe this is the “big announcement” the party promised earlier. (See 10.15am.)
Dewberry stood as an independent, pro-Brexit candidate in the same constituency in 2017.
She says in this campaign it seems as though wanting to speak up for the north has become trendy. But for years the north has been neglected by Westminster, she says.
She says Brexit will allow the UK to decide how the country should be run. There should be deeper devolution, she says. She says she is tired of having the north treated “as an afterthought”. This has to stop, she says.
She says politics is broken. There has been a lot of talk of tactical voting. That shows the system does not work. Parliament should truly reflect the desires of the people. First-past-the-post does not achieve that.
She says the Brexit party wants constitutional reform.
She also rejects the claim that by standing in Hull West and Hessle (a seat Labour held in 2017 with a majority of 8,025) she is splitting the pro-Brexit vote. Every person can use their vote way they wish, she says.