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General election: Tony Blair says Tories and Labour both 'peddling fantasies' – live news General election: Tony Blair says Tories and Labour both 'peddling fantasies' – live news
(32 minutes later)
A day after Boris Johnson launched Tory manifesto, Labour leader will announce big shift in housing planA day after Boris Johnson launched Tory manifesto, Labour leader will announce big shift in housing plan
The Chuka Umunna Q&A is now over. This is what Umunna said in response to the question from my colleague Peter Walker about whether he thought Boris Johnson was fit to be prime minister. Umunna replied:
Umunna did not give examples of Johnson lying in his examples, but there is at least one website devoted to false and misleading things Johnson has said. For examples of Johnson’s displaying prejudice, the BBC’s Fiona Bruce came out with a list on Question Time on Friday.
Q: Do you believe your friend Tony Blair when he says he will not be voting for you personally? (See 11.27am.) Do you think he is telling the truth?
Umunna says he did not see the Blair speech. He says he accepts Blair’s point about how Blair is in a special position personally. But Umunna says he thinks Blair was saying other people in the Cities of London and Westminster would be voting for him.
Q: Have you been surprised by the extent to which the Lib Dem vote is being squeezed?
No, says Umunna. He says this is his first election as a Lib Dem. But older hands in the party tell him they are not surprised.
Umunna says he thinks there will be more tactical voting during this election than in any election since 1997.
Q: You did not mention revoking article 50. Have the Lib Dems abandoned this as a plan?
No, says Umunna. He says it is still the case that, if they won a majority of MPs, they would revoke article 50. But the party is also campaigning for a people’s vote. And, unlike Labour, all Lib Dem MPs would be campaigning for remain.
Chuka Umunna is now taking questions at the end of his speech.
Q: Was it a mistake for the Lib Dems to start the campaign by saying that Jo Swinson could end up being PM?
Umunna says he does not accept that. It is the Lib Dems’ job to fight every seat with the intention of trying to win. It would be strange if they said anything else, he says. He says it will be for the voters to decide how many MPs the Lib Dems get.
Q: Do you think Boris Johnson is fit to be PM?
Umunna says he is worried that Johnson can do what he does, and it is treated as if it is “priced in”. He says he is worried that Johnson can “lie again and again and again”, and spew out racist language in his career, and that this is not a general election issue.
Here are some of the main lines from Chuka Umunna’s speech, from the text released by the Lib Dems in advance.
Umunna, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, said Britain could become a “vassal state” of the US under Boris Johnson’s Brexit plan. He said:
Umunna said Johnson was as populist and rightwing as Donald Trump. He said:
Umunna confirmed the Liberal Democrats were committed to spending 2% of GDP on defence.
As part of a new series you can ask our political team any questions you have about the general election, and they will post their responses on the politics live blog between 12.30pm and 1.30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until polling week.As part of a new series you can ask our political team any questions you have about the general election, and they will post their responses on the politics live blog between 12.30pm and 1.30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until polling week.
Today at 12.30pm, the deputy political editor, Rowena Mason, will answer your questions about the Tory manifesto, campaign and policies, just how realistic the pledges are and what they might mean for you. You can ask your question via our form here.Today at 12.30pm, the deputy political editor, Rowena Mason, will answer your questions about the Tory manifesto, campaign and policies, just how realistic the pledges are and what they might mean for you. You can ask your question via our form here.
Chuka Umunna, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, is giving a speech on foreign policy. There is a live feed here.Chuka Umunna, the Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman, is giving a speech on foreign policy. There is a live feed here.
Tony Blair was critical of both main parties in his speech and Q&A this morning. That probably won’t worry the respective party leaderships very much; Tory Brexiters and Labour Corbynites are both united in their scorn for Blair and much of what he represents, and they tend to believe that any criticism from the former PM ends up being counter-productive. Maybe with some audiences it is, but Blair can still present a political argument with a clarity that very few others can match. Tony Blair was critical of both main parties in his speech and Q&A this morning. That probably won’t worry the respective party leaderships very much; Tory Brexiters and Labour Corbynites are both united in their scorn for Blair and much of what he represents, and they tend to believe that any criticism from the former PM ends up being counterproductive. Maybe with some audiences it is, but Blair can still present a political argument with a clarity that very few others can match.
At one point quite recently it was assumed that Blair was hoping that a new centrist party might emerge to challenge Labour. But the demise of Change UK may have killed that off as an aspiration for the foreseeable future, and one of the interesting features of the Q&A was Blair’s confirmation that he wants to stay in the Labour party to contribute to the debate he expects it to be having about its post-Corbyn future after the election. At one point quite recently it was assumed that Blair was hoping a new centrist party might emerge to challenge Labour. But the demise of Change UK may have killed that off as an aspiration for the foreseeable future, and one of the interesting features of the Q&A was Blair’s confirmation that he wants to stay in the Labour party to contribute to the debate he expects it to be having about its post-Corbyn future after the election.
Here are the main points from the speech and Q&A.Here are the main points from the speech and Q&A.
Blair accused both the Conservatives and Labour of peddling “fantasies” to voters in the election campaign. (See 9.17am.) He also said as a result he did not think it would be good for the country for either main party to win a majority.Blair accused both the Conservatives and Labour of peddling “fantasies” to voters in the election campaign. (See 9.17am.) He also said as a result he did not think it would be good for the country for either main party to win a majority.
He said there was no chance of Boris Johnson being able to negotiate a Canada-style trade deal with the EU before the end of next year. Johnson claims that this will be possible, and he says he will not extend the Brexit transition. But Blair said a trade deal within this timeframe would only be acceptable if the UK agreed to stay aligned to the single market - an option that Johnson has ruled out. (See 9.21am.) Blair said under the Tories trade talks with the EU could in fact go on for years. (See 9.22am.) This is an argument that Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon have also been making forcefully. He said there was no chance of Boris Johnson being able to negotiate a Canada-style trade deal with the EU before the end of next year. Johnson claims that this will be possible, and he says he will not extend the Brexit transition period. But Blair said a trade deal within this timeframe would only be acceptable if the UK agreed to stay aligned to the single market – an option Johnson has ruled out. (See 9.21am.) Blair said trade talks with the EU could in fact go on for years under the Tories. (See 9.22am.) This is an argument that Jeremy Corbyn and Nicola Sturgeon have also been making forcefully.
He said a no-deal Brexit was now a “probable outcome” if Johnson was telling the truth about not being willing to extend the Brexit transition. (See 8.57am.) In the Q&A he also said he did not think Tory Brexiters understood how damaging a no-deal Brexit would be. He said:He said a no-deal Brexit was now a “probable outcome” if Johnson was telling the truth about not being willing to extend the Brexit transition. (See 8.57am.) In the Q&A he also said he did not think Tory Brexiters understood how damaging a no-deal Brexit would be. He said:
He described what Labour was proposing as “a revolution” and implied its promises were unrealistic. (See 9.23am.)He described what Labour was proposing as “a revolution” and implied its promises were unrealistic. (See 9.23am.)
He implied that he backed tactical voting against Brexiter candidates. In his speech he said:He implied that he backed tactical voting against Brexiter candidates. In his speech he said:
But he said he would be voting Labour himself - even though he understood why people in his constituency, the Cities of London and Westminster, would be voting for the Lib Dem candidate Chuka Umunna. Blair said as a former party leader he was in a special category, and he implied that he thought it was important to remain as a party member (he would get thrown out if he publicly backed a candidate from another party) because he wanted to have a say in the party’s post-Corbyn future. He said:But he said he would be voting Labour himself - even though he understood why people in his constituency, the Cities of London and Westminster, would be voting for the Lib Dem candidate Chuka Umunna. Blair said as a former party leader he was in a special category, and he implied that he thought it was important to remain as a party member (he would get thrown out if he publicly backed a candidate from another party) because he wanted to have a say in the party’s post-Corbyn future. He said:
He said that he thought the chances of an outright Labour majority were “negligible”.He said that he thought the chances of an outright Labour majority were “negligible”.
He said British politics was chaotic, crazy and “utterly dysfunctional”. He said this could end up causing “serious economic and social damage” to the UK. (See 9.08am.)He said British politics was chaotic, crazy and “utterly dysfunctional”. He said this could end up causing “serious economic and social damage” to the UK. (See 9.08am.)
He said Britain need to “up the quality” of its political discourse. In the Q&A he said: He said Britain needed to “up the quality” of its political discourse. In the Q&A he said:
On a visit to Derbyshire this morning Jeremy Corbyn met a group of Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners to promote the Labour plan to spend £58bn to compensate them. He told them:On a visit to Derbyshire this morning Jeremy Corbyn met a group of Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) campaigners to promote the Labour plan to spend £58bn to compensate them. He told them:
Blair is wrapping up now.Blair is wrapping up now.
He says, whatever happens, Britain is a great country.He says, whatever happens, Britain is a great country.
He recalls a visit to an African country recently. The president told him he was sorry for what was happening in Britain.He recalls a visit to an African country recently. The president told him he was sorry for what was happening in Britain.
Q: Is it getting harder and harder to stay optimistic. What are the chances this will go your way?Q: Is it getting harder and harder to stay optimistic. What are the chances this will go your way?
Blair says he is naturally optimistic. But he is not sure he still is. He is worried, he says. Some days he thinks this problem will blow itself out. Other days he thinks the problems are really deep.Blair says he is naturally optimistic. But he is not sure he still is. He is worried, he says. Some days he thinks this problem will blow itself out. Other days he thinks the problems are really deep.
But we need to think deeply as a country, he says. He says he does not think the country can go on like this for long without “severe damage”.But we need to think deeply as a country, he says. He says he does not think the country can go on like this for long without “severe damage”.
People are less deferential, which is good. And they want a say, which is good. But people have to share responsibility.People are less deferential, which is good. And they want a say, which is good. But people have to share responsibility.
When this is over, “we’ve got to up the quality of political discourse”, he says.When this is over, “we’ve got to up the quality of political discourse”, he says.
He says what populism does is “ride the anger”.He says what populism does is “ride the anger”.
He says he is passionate about technology because he thinks that is an essential part of what a modern political agenda looks like.He says he is passionate about technology because he thinks that is an essential part of what a modern political agenda looks like.
And that’s it. The Q&A is over.And that’s it. The Q&A is over.
I’ll post a summary soon.I’ll post a summary soon.
Q: Where is Labour facing the most difficulties?
Blair says it is probably in the seats with electorates seen as working class.
He says his successor in Sedgefield is facing a tough election. But when he was MP there, the Labour vote was very solid. He says when he first used to canvass there in 1983, based on his experience in London, he would knock on doors and ask people if he could count on their vote for Labour. He says people used to be offended by that; they would think he was questioning their loyalty to Labour.
He says in some ways it is good that people are not as tribal as they used to be. But it has created problems for Labour, he says.
Q: Is Jeremy Corbyn a fit and proper person to become prime minister?
Blair says he will choose his words carefully. His differences with Corbyn are well documented, and his views have not changed. But he thinks there is a “pretty negligible” chance of Corbyn winning a majority.
Q: You make a distinction between extremists and moderates. Where do the SNP fit in?
Blair says he does not agree with the Scottish National party on Scottish independence, but he does not see them as extremists.
Q: What are the prospects of a trade deal with the US?
Blair says trade deals are like “reform”. Politicians always say they are in favour of both. But when it comes to the details, that is a different matter.
He says anything happening in UK-US trade talks would impact on trade talks with the EU.
And he says, any trade deal would have to pass Congress. He suggests he does not think that is likely.
Blair is now taking questions from the audience.
Q: Do you think a government of national unity is still possible?
Yes, says Blair. He thinks that is a possibility.
Q: If the Tories get a majority, will you give up fighting Brexit?
Blair says, if the Tories get a majority and the UK leaves on 31 January, we are going to have to make it work.
But he says at that point there will still be an argument to be had about Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Blair says some in the Tory cabinet would support a WTO Brexit (ie, a no-deal Brexit, with the UK trading on World Trade Organisation terms). He says he does not think they understand what it would be like. He has spoken to the WTO about this, he says. He says no serious person would advocate this for the UK.
More from the Blair Q&A - from the Independent’s John Rentoul and HuffPost’s Paul Waugh
Tony Blair is now taking questions from Alex Threlfall from Reuters.
Blair said that he would be voting Labour at the election. He said the Lib Dem Chuka Umunna is a candidate in the constituency where he lives (Cities of London and Westminster). Blair said he understood why people might want to vote for Umunna, but he said his position as a former Labour leader meant that he was in a special position. He implied that he thought it was important for him to remain in the Labour party (he would be thrown out if he publicly backed a candidate for another party) because he wanted a say in what would happen to the party next.
Blair ended his speech by saying he expects the next parliament to agree to a second referendum at some point.
He also said he hoped that at some point in the future someone would rebuild “the sensible mainstream” in British politics.