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| General election: Johnson's record of lying and prejudice makes him unfit to be PM, say Lib Dems – live news | General election: Johnson's record of lying and prejudice makes him unfit to be PM, say Lib Dems – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A day after Boris Johnson launched the Tory manifesto, the Lid Dems have questioned whether the prime minister can be trusted. Keep up with the latest | A day after Boris Johnson launched the Tory manifesto, the Lid Dems have questioned whether the prime minister can be trusted. Keep up with the latest |
| Next up will be the Guardian’s political editor, Heather Stewart. She will be answering any questions you may have about the Labour party’s manifesto, campaign and policies at 12.30pm on Wednesday. | |
| You can ask your question via our form here. | |
| Q: Does the manifesto mention whether the Conservatives support reform of the Gender Recognition Act to allow ‘self-identification’ of gender – as the Lib Dems and Labour do? By the way what happened to the results of the 2018 consultation on this reform? Anonymous, London | |
| Johnson’s government has downgraded reform of the Gender Recognition Act as a priority, although it denies that it has been dropped altogether. There is no mention of either transgender rights or self-identification in the manifesto. | |
| Q: Boris’ agreement: when do we see it and can parliament scrutinise, amend and agree it – or will they? Mike Humphrey, retired, Glasgow | |
| The new withdrawal agreement and political declaration is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-withdrawal-agreement-and-political-declaration. | |
| If Boris Johnson is returned with a majority, he will attempt to rush some or all of it through parliament after a Queen’s Speech on Thursday 19 December. MPs will probably have limited time to debate it but all Tory candidates have signed up to supporting the text as it stands so would be certain to vote it through at the earliest opportunity. | |
| Q: Have they outlined any details of how their Australian style points based immigration policy will work. Robert Greasley, 63, retired police officer, Volkringhausen, Germany | |
| In the party’s manifesto, the document said the new system would prioritise those who 1) Have a good grasp of English 2) Have been law-abiding citizens in their own countries 3) Have good education and qualifications. It also said “most people coming into the country will need a clear job offer”. It does not explain how it would work to bring over family members to live in the UK, but says it would equalise the system for EU and non-EU citizens so the best guess is that the rules applying to the rest of the world would apply to family members from the EU. | |
| Q: Do they intend to maintain the marriage allowance? That is the £250 from the transferable tax allowance if one partner has income below the tax threshold? D, Wales | |
| The Conservatives made no mention of the marriage tax allowance, suggesting they would maintain it but changes can be made at any fiscal event. Both Labour and the Lib Dems have said they would axe it. | |
| Q: There has been no or little mention of Leveson two? Has this been dropped by all the parties? Anonymous, Pudsey | |
| The Tories have said they will drop Leveson two and “repeal section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2014, which seeks to coerce the press”. That is the clause that would force newspapers to pay both sides’ costs when losing defamation and privacy cases if they have not signed up to a Royal Charter approved regulator. Labour says it would “address misconduct and the unresolved failures of corporate governance raised by the second stage of the abandoned Leveson Inquiry”. | |
| Q: Would it be of any use in the outside toilet, either for wiping, or blocking the door draughts? Chris, 71, retired headmaster, Bury St Edmunds | |
| It is quite a shiny document, so not great for absorption. But might be more useful under a door or propping up a table leg. | |
| Only 15 minutes left to ask any questions you may have on the Tory manifesto. Send them into us here. | |
| Q: Is there five-years worth of action in there? Is there a perception about where the Tories intend on going, as a country? Anonymous, SW Scotland | |
| Definitely not – although the manifesto does commit to repealing the fixed term parliament act, so it might not be five years until the next election. Paul Johnson, of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said the manifesto was so empty that it would be thin for a budget let alone a multi-year programme for government. It means Johnson would undoubtedly come up with other plans for taxes, social care, and other big issues that are not in the manifesto. But in reality, a lot of a new Tory government’s time is still going to be spent on sorting out Brexit, including aiming for a trade deal with the EU by the end of 2020. | |
| Q: What plans have the Conservative party to eliminate people’s reliance on food banks and when will they be gone? Anonymous, retired civil servant, East Yorkshire | |
| There is no mention of food banks or eliminating their use in the Tory manifesto. The prime minister was asked about this by an audience member at Friday night’s Question Time debate. He said: “Of course we want to deal with not just the expression of poverty but also the causes of poverty. And that means dealing with educational standing. It means spreading ambition and hope around the country by investing in education and investing in social services.” | |
| Q: Does the Tory manifesto promise to address the Waspi women’s pension issue and if so what measures are envisaged and at what cost? Anonymous, Carlisle | |
| No there is no promise to the Waspi women in the manifesto, unlike Labour’s promise to compensate them with £58bn for the rise in their pension age. Boris Johnson has said: “We have looked at it and looked at it and I would love to magic you a solution but it is very expensive to come up with the solution that you want.” | |
| And this is what Jeremy Corbyn said in response to Tony Blair’s claim that Labour and the Conservatives are both peddling “fantasies”. (See 11.27am.) Corbyn replied: | |
| This is what Jeremy Corbyn said in Derbyshire this morning when asked if his £58bn promise to pay compensation to the so-called Waspi (Women Against State Pension Inequality) women meant Labour was breaking its promise to borrow only to invest. He replied: | |
| Here are some more of your questions answered: | |
| Q: Has the Tory manifesto been clearly costed and when will it be released for public scrutiny? I would like to read it as I don’t trust the accuracy and completeness of media coverage, or sadly promises made by our current prime minister, as he has proven time and again that he lacks integrity. Anonymous, Eastbourne | |
| It is available here: https://vote.conservatives.com/our-plan | |
| Q: Has it been independently costed? Anonymous, London | |
| The Tory manifesto has been costed but not independently. | |
| Q: On BBC Question Time, Boris Johnson appeared to be wearing a ‘hearing aid’ in his right ear. If he was, presumably this was so that someone could speak to him, perhaps give him the answers. Do you know anything about this? Or was it fake news? Robert, Retired NHS surgeon, Dungannon | |
| I’m afraid this was a false rumour. Johnson has a slightly unusual looking right ear that sometimes reflects the light in an odd way. There was definitely no earpiece. | |
| Some of you have been sending in your questions about the Tory manifesto. I will be answering them until 1.30pm. You can share your questions with us via our form here. | Some of you have been sending in your questions about the Tory manifesto. I will be answering them until 1.30pm. You can share your questions with us via our form here. |
| Q: As the proposed increase in national insurance allowance will not be of benefit to pensioners, are there any tax incentives to encourage older people to vote for the Conservatives? Anonymous, Lancashire | Q: As the proposed increase in national insurance allowance will not be of benefit to pensioners, are there any tax incentives to encourage older people to vote for the Conservatives? Anonymous, Lancashire |
| Not really. There is the so-called triple lock that guarantees that the basic state pension will rise by a minimum of either 2.5%, the rate of inflation or average earnings growth, whichever is largest. But there is not much else and no pledge to restore free TV licences for over-75s. | Not really. There is the so-called triple lock that guarantees that the basic state pension will rise by a minimum of either 2.5%, the rate of inflation or average earnings growth, whichever is largest. But there is not much else and no pledge to restore free TV licences for over-75s. |
| Q: What’s happened to the national insurance threshold increase promised by Johnson? William, Portugal | Q: What’s happened to the national insurance threshold increase promised by Johnson? William, Portugal |
| This was promised in the Tory manifesto. The party is saying it will raise it to £9,500 next year – amounting to a tax cut of around £85 per household. A longer term raising of the threshold to £12,500 is planned amounting to £500 but there is no word on when this will actually happen. | This was promised in the Tory manifesto. The party is saying it will raise it to £9,500 next year – amounting to a tax cut of around £85 per household. A longer term raising of the threshold to £12,500 is planned amounting to £500 but there is no word on when this will actually happen. |
| Q: Why couldn’t Boris give a straight answer to the Guardian’s question regarding factcheck? Jay, 47, Hertfordshire | Q: Why couldn’t Boris give a straight answer to the Guardian’s question regarding factcheck? Jay, 47, Hertfordshire |
| It can only mean he does not want to criticise the Tory fake fact-check stunt because he knows very well what the problem was and accusations are. He was asked a similar question off-camera last week, so it was obfuscation to say that he hadn’t been paying attention. | It can only mean he does not want to criticise the Tory fake fact-check stunt because he knows very well what the problem was and accusations are. He was asked a similar question off-camera last week, so it was obfuscation to say that he hadn’t been paying attention. |
| The Welsh Labour leader and first minister, Mark Drakeford, has described this as the most important general election since 1945. Speaking at the launch of his party’s manifesto at a further education college in Wrexham, Drakeford said: | The Welsh Labour leader and first minister, Mark Drakeford, has described this as the most important general election since 1945. Speaking at the launch of his party’s manifesto at a further education college in Wrexham, Drakeford said: |
| Drakeford said that many of the radical policies that the UK Labour party wanted to introduce in England had already been implemented in Wales, such as free prescriptions; free school breakfasts, free hospital parking, the abolition of right to buy, keeping guards on trains and banning fracking. | Drakeford said that many of the radical policies that the UK Labour party wanted to introduce in England had already been implemented in Wales, such as free prescriptions; free school breakfasts, free hospital parking, the abolition of right to buy, keeping guards on trains and banning fracking. |
| He said UK Labour’s plans to end austerity would mean a £3.4bn increase to Wales’ annual budget. The party promised to revive the stalled Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project, work with people on the island of Anglesey to “maximise its potential for new nuclear energy” and invest in railways. | He said UK Labour’s plans to end austerity would mean a £3.4bn increase to Wales’ annual budget. The party promised to revive the stalled Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project, work with people on the island of Anglesey to “maximise its potential for new nuclear energy” and invest in railways. |
| On Brexit, Drakeford made it clear that the Welsh Labour government would campaign “unapologetically, unreservedly and enthusiastically to remain”. He said: | On Brexit, Drakeford made it clear that the Welsh Labour government would campaign “unapologetically, unreservedly and enthusiastically to remain”. He said: |
| He ended his speech by quoting Aneurin Bevan, who said: “Private charity can never be a substitute for organised justice.” Drakeford added: | He ended his speech by quoting Aneurin Bevan, who said: “Private charity can never be a substitute for organised justice.” Drakeford added: |
| The government has announced plans for a slimmed down Queen’s speech on Thursday 19 December, as Boris Johnson has said he would want to push through his Brexit bill as soon as possible if he wins a majority. | The government has announced plans for a slimmed down Queen’s speech on Thursday 19 December, as Boris Johnson has said he would want to push through his Brexit bill as soon as possible if he wins a majority. |
| Preparations are being made for a curtailed process that cuts down on ceremony, in case Johnson is the new prime minister and wants to push ahead with a second reading of the withdrawal agreement bill before Christmas recess. | Preparations are being made for a curtailed process that cuts down on ceremony, in case Johnson is the new prime minister and wants to push ahead with a second reading of the withdrawal agreement bill before Christmas recess. |
| The election is due to happen on 12 December and the results will emerge through the early hours of Friday 13 December. | The election is due to happen on 12 December and the results will emerge through the early hours of Friday 13 December. |
| Parliament will then resume on Tuesday 16 December and then there would be the election of the new Speaker and several days of new MPs being sworn in. | Parliament will then resume on Tuesday 16 December and then there would be the election of the new Speaker and several days of new MPs being sworn in. |
| A Queen’s speech would need to take place after that to allow legislation to brought forward, with the first and second readings of the Brexit bill possibly happening that week. | A Queen’s speech would need to take place after that to allow legislation to brought forward, with the first and second readings of the Brexit bill possibly happening that week. |
| A government spokesman said: | A government spokesman said: |
| Q: Where will the 50,000 nurses come from? Robert Footman, Hong Kong | Q: Where will the 50,000 nurses come from? Robert Footman, Hong Kong |
| Boris Johnson’s nurse numbers are as follows: 12,500 from abroad, 14,000 from the undergraduate route and 5,000 nurse apprentices. That leaves 18,500 who are not new nurses but nurses would otherwise have left and have been retained in the profession by various incentives. The Tories argue improving retention rates is a way of boosting nurse numbers but Labour say the headline 50,000 figure is fake. | Boris Johnson’s nurse numbers are as follows: 12,500 from abroad, 14,000 from the undergraduate route and 5,000 nurse apprentices. That leaves 18,500 who are not new nurses but nurses would otherwise have left and have been retained in the profession by various incentives. The Tories argue improving retention rates is a way of boosting nurse numbers but Labour say the headline 50,000 figure is fake. |
| Q: Much has been made of increases to public spending to the tune of £2.9bn including 50,000 nurses. With no increases in taxes or national insurance who will this be paid for? Gareth Jenkins, Pwllheli, north Wales | Q: Much has been made of increases to public spending to the tune of £2.9bn including 50,000 nurses. With no increases in taxes or national insurance who will this be paid for? Gareth Jenkins, Pwllheli, north Wales |
| The biggest tranche of cash for this comes from a decision to postpone a cut in corporation tax, which Johnson claims will raise £6bn. Tories have in the past argued corporation tax cuts don’t cost any money but Johnson has acknowledged this is not really the case. | The biggest tranche of cash for this comes from a decision to postpone a cut in corporation tax, which Johnson claims will raise £6bn. Tories have in the past argued corporation tax cuts don’t cost any money but Johnson has acknowledged this is not really the case. |
| Q: Can you really trust them to deliver any of this – even the ones that appear to be socially responsible like extra nurses? Brian Robinson, 65, Bristol | Q: Can you really trust them to deliver any of this – even the ones that appear to be socially responsible like extra nurses? Brian Robinson, 65, Bristol |
| That is something voters are going to have to grapple with. But Johnson’s record on keeping pledges has not been great even in his short time as prime minister (leaving the EU “do or die” by 31 October, tax cuts for higher earners). | That is something voters are going to have to grapple with. But Johnson’s record on keeping pledges has not been great even in his short time as prime minister (leaving the EU “do or die” by 31 October, tax cuts for higher earners). |
| I’m Rowena Mason, deputy political editor of the Guardian, and will be answering your questions about the Tory manifesto today. I have written about Westminster politics for eight years, covering three elections and two referendums. During this election, I have been tracking the Tories since Boris Johnson’s first stump speech in Birmingham and was at the party’s manifesto launch in Telford on Sunday. | I’m Rowena Mason, deputy political editor of the Guardian, and will be answering your questions about the Tory manifesto today. I have written about Westminster politics for eight years, covering three elections and two referendums. During this election, I have been tracking the Tories since Boris Johnson’s first stump speech in Birmingham and was at the party’s manifesto launch in Telford on Sunday. |
| If you have a question you can send it to us by filling in the form here. | If you have a question you can send it to us by filling in the form here. |
| 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: | 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. | 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. |