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General election: Sajid Javid makes speech on cost of Labour manifesto – live news General election: Sajid Javid makes speech on cost of Labour manifesto – live news
(32 minutes later)
Follow the latest from the election campaign, including speeches by Javid, Boris Johnson and Jeremy CorbynFollow the latest from the election campaign, including speeches by Javid, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn
Q: [From my colleague John Crace] In the Tory leadership contest you managed to get all candidates to agree to an inquiry into Islamophobia in the Conservative party. Are you disappointed it has been watered down into a general inquiry?
No, says Javid. He says “nothing has been watered down”. He says when people see the terms of inquiry, they will see how serious it is.
And that’s it.
I will post a summary soon.
Q: Why have you not committed to the whole of Northern Powerhouse Rail if you can afford it under your borrowing rules?
Javid says the party has not set out all its borrowing under the new borrowing rules. If they win the election, the Conservatives will say more in their first budget.
But he says he is “very keen” on Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Q: Boris Johnson says he wants to raise the national insurance threshold eventually to £12,500. But that is not in the manifesto. Will it happen in the next parliament?
Javid says the Tories are a tax-cutting party. The national insurance threshold will go up to £9,500, saving people around £100.
But he says he cannot say when the national insurance threshold will rise further.
Q: What extra spending would come to Bolton under a Tory government?
Javid says people think the north does not get enough infrastructure spending. He says he wants to address that.
Q: What about Boris Johnson’s use of Islamophobic language?
Javid says Johnson has defended the language he used in his Telegraph article that compared Muslim women to letterboxes. He says Johnson has given an explanation for this. Johnson was making a point about how women should be free to wear what they want.
He says the Labour situation is different. The Conservative party has not had MPs leaving because of the views of the party leader.
Q: Would you use that language? Incidents of Islamophobia went up 375% after that article.
Javid says Johnson has defended his language.
Q: Would you use that language?
Javid says politicians decide what language they want to use.
Q: So you are not saying you would not say that?
Javid says he wants to bring people together.
Javid is now taking questions.
Q: Why do you think Labour would not be able to borrow to spend more? And, given that both main parties are planning to spend more, why should people trust you more on spending then them?
Javid says Labour itself admits it would put tax up.
It is also proposing higher borrowing. But there remains a black hole, Javid claims.
Javid says Labour would not just borrow more because it has fiscal rules. He says he is taking them at their word, assuming they would meet their fiscal rules. And if Labour does borrow more, taxpayers will eventually have to pay for that anyway, he says.
He says the Conservatives have published their own costs. In most cases he used Treasury figures in that costings document, he says. He says Labour has not challenged the figures in that document.
And he says his fiscal rules are much stricter than Labour’s.
Javid claims there are six tax rises in the Labour manifesto that would hit ordinary people.
Javid says the Labour claim that 95% of taxpayers would not have to pay more under its plans is not plausible.Javid says the Labour claim that 95% of taxpayers would not have to pay more under its plans is not plausible.
Javid says the Tories published a claim earlier in the campaign that a Corbyn government would spend £1.2 trillion. He claims that, now the Labour manifesto, has been published, the Tories have been able to review the figure. It could be an underestimate, he claims. Javid says the Tories published a claim earlier in the campaign that a Corbyn government would spend £1.2tn. He claims that, now the Labour manifesto has been published, the Tories have been able to review the figure. It could be an underestimate, he claims.
Here is an article by my colleague Richard Partington explaining why the original £1.2tr figure was flawed. Here is an article by my colleague Richard Partington explaining why the original £1.2tn figure was flawed.
Sajid Javid, the chancellor, is giving a speech in Bolton on the cost of Labour’s plans.Sajid Javid, the chancellor, is giving a speech in Bolton on the cost of Labour’s plans.
We will have a live feed at the top of the blog soon.We will have a live feed at the top of the blog soon.
The most aggressive and forensic interviewer on TV at the moment is the BBC’s Andrew Neil and he is interviewing the party leaders during the campaign. Jeremy Corbyn gets the Neil treatment tonight. Last night Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, was put through the Neil wringer. I would not normally post on something that happened last night, but in the comments below the line some readers have been asking why we did not cover the interview in more detail, it came up briefly at the Scottish Tory launch earlier and I can’t find a good summary elsewhere on the web, so here is a round-up of the main points. You can watch the half-hour programme here.The most aggressive and forensic interviewer on TV at the moment is the BBC’s Andrew Neil and he is interviewing the party leaders during the campaign. Jeremy Corbyn gets the Neil treatment tonight. Last night Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, was put through the Neil wringer. I would not normally post on something that happened last night, but in the comments below the line some readers have been asking why we did not cover the interview in more detail, it came up briefly at the Scottish Tory launch earlier and I can’t find a good summary elsewhere on the web, so here is a round-up of the main points. You can watch the half-hour programme here.
Sturgeon said she did not think it was “credible” to believe that Jeremy Corbyn would refuse to grant the SNP demand for a Scottish independence referendum if he needed the SNP to support a Labour minority government. But she admitted that the SNP would back the Labour proposal for a second Brexit referendum whatever, and Neil put it to her that her bargaining position would be weak if Corbyn refused her request, because the SNP would not support a Tory government. Sturgeon rejected this. Asked if she would really be willing to withhold support from a minority Labour government if it did not agree to an independence referendum, she replied:Sturgeon said she did not think it was “credible” to believe that Jeremy Corbyn would refuse to grant the SNP demand for a Scottish independence referendum if he needed the SNP to support a Labour minority government. But she admitted that the SNP would back the Labour proposal for a second Brexit referendum whatever, and Neil put it to her that her bargaining position would be weak if Corbyn refused her request, because the SNP would not support a Tory government. Sturgeon rejected this. Asked if she would really be willing to withhold support from a minority Labour government if it did not agree to an independence referendum, she replied:
But Sturgeon also said compromise would be necessary.But Sturgeon also said compromise would be necessary.
She claimed that, even if UK were to vote to remain in the EU in a second referendum, a second independence referendum would still be justified. Neil put it to her that in those circumstances Scotland would not have undergone the “material change” that the SNP said would be needed for a re-run of the 2014 independence referendum to be justified. Sturgeon rejected this. She claimed that the experience of the last three years was enough to justify one because of “the way in which Scotland has had it completely demonstrated to [it] over the past three years that our views and our views doesn’t matter”.She claimed that, even if UK were to vote to remain in the EU in a second referendum, a second independence referendum would still be justified. Neil put it to her that in those circumstances Scotland would not have undergone the “material change” that the SNP said would be needed for a re-run of the 2014 independence referendum to be justified. Sturgeon rejected this. She claimed that the experience of the last three years was enough to justify one because of “the way in which Scotland has had it completely demonstrated to [it] over the past three years that our views and our views doesn’t matter”.
She refused to say how long it would take Scotland to rejoin the EU if Scotland voted for independence after Brexit. Neil put it to her that it would be five to 10 years, because that is how long the SNP’s growth commission report said it would take for Scotland to establish its own currency.She refused to say how long it would take Scotland to rejoin the EU if Scotland voted for independence after Brexit. Neil put it to her that it would be five to 10 years, because that is how long the SNP’s growth commission report said it would take for Scotland to establish its own currency.
She rejected claims that Scotland would need its own independent currency before it would be allowed to join the EU. She said an independent Scotland would start off using the pound. Neil claimed the EU would not allow this. But Sturgeon did not accept that. She said:She rejected claims that Scotland would need its own independent currency before it would be allowed to join the EU. She said an independent Scotland would start off using the pound. Neil claimed the EU would not allow this. But Sturgeon did not accept that. She said:
She was unable to say how an independent Scotland would build up the currency reserves needed to support a new currency. Neil pointed out that Scotland was running a deficit. Sturgeon accepted this, but said the deficit was coming down.She was unable to say how an independent Scotland would build up the currency reserves needed to support a new currency. Neil pointed out that Scotland was running a deficit. Sturgeon accepted this, but said the deficit was coming down.
She was unable to explain why the SNP says leaving the EU would lead to job losses in Scotland, but why leaving the United Kingdom would not lead to similar job losses. Neil said the Scottish government has accepted research showing that 80,000 jobs in Scotland could go after Brexit because of the impact of trade friction. Asked why the same thing would not happen after Scottish independence, if Scotland ended up in the EU and the rest of the UK was outside, Sturgeon just said we did not know yet what England’s final relationship with the EU would be. She said:She was unable to explain why the SNP says leaving the EU would lead to job losses in Scotland, but why leaving the United Kingdom would not lead to similar job losses. Neil said the Scottish government has accepted research showing that 80,000 jobs in Scotland could go after Brexit because of the impact of trade friction. Asked why the same thing would not happen after Scottish independence, if Scotland ended up in the EU and the rest of the UK was outside, Sturgeon just said we did not know yet what England’s final relationship with the EU would be. She said:
She claimed that a confirmatory referendum was necessary on Brexit because leavers did not give details of what they were planning in 2016, but she said that if Scotland had voted for independence in 2014, a second confirmatory referendum would not have been necessary because the SNP had been very clear about what it was planning. But Neil rejected this argument, saying that the SNP plan in 2014 assumed oil revenues of £8bn by 2016, but that the actual figure was £300m in 2016.She claimed that a confirmatory referendum was necessary on Brexit because leavers did not give details of what they were planning in 2016, but she said that if Scotland had voted for independence in 2014, a second confirmatory referendum would not have been necessary because the SNP had been very clear about what it was planning. But Neil rejected this argument, saying that the SNP plan in 2014 assumed oil revenues of £8bn by 2016, but that the actual figure was £300m in 2016.
She admitted that the NHS in Scotland was only meeting two of its eight key waiting time targets. Neil said: “You’ve called for legislation to protect the NHS from Donald Trump. Maybe the NHS needs legislation to protect it from Nicola Sturgeon?” Sturgeon said obviously she did not accept that.She admitted that the NHS in Scotland was only meeting two of its eight key waiting time targets. Neil said: “You’ve called for legislation to protect the NHS from Donald Trump. Maybe the NHS needs legislation to protect it from Nicola Sturgeon?” Sturgeon said obviously she did not accept that.
Lord Falconer, who was lord chancellor when Tony Blair was PM, told the World at One that he thought the chief rabbi’s criticism of Labour over antisemitism was justified.Lord Falconer, who was lord chancellor when Tony Blair was PM, told the World at One that he thought the chief rabbi’s criticism of Labour over antisemitism was justified.
Here are the main points from Boris Johnson’s Q&A at the launch of the Scottish Conservative manifesto in Fife.Here are the main points from Boris Johnson’s Q&A at the launch of the Scottish Conservative manifesto in Fife.
Johnson ruled out agreeing to a second referendum on Brexit or Scottish independence if rival parties demanded them as the price for supporting the Tories in a hung parliament. Asked what would happen if the Tories were the largest party in a hung parliament, and another party demanded a second referendum on Scottish independence or on Brexit as the price for putting Johnson in power, he replied:Johnson ruled out agreeing to a second referendum on Brexit or Scottish independence if rival parties demanded them as the price for supporting the Tories in a hung parliament. Asked what would happen if the Tories were the largest party in a hung parliament, and another party demanded a second referendum on Scottish independence or on Brexit as the price for putting Johnson in power, he replied:
Johnson said the chief rabbi’s comments about Labour and antisemitism were “very serious” and showed that Jeremy Corbyn was guilty of “a failure of leadership”. Asked about the comments, he said:Johnson said the chief rabbi’s comments about Labour and antisemitism were “very serious” and showed that Jeremy Corbyn was guilty of “a failure of leadership”. Asked about the comments, he said:
But Johnson said Corbyn was also showing a “general failure of leadership”, particularly by refusing to take a position on Brexit.But Johnson said Corbyn was also showing a “general failure of leadership”, particularly by refusing to take a position on Brexit.
Johnson laughed off a question about his unpopularity in Scotland. (See 12.35pm.)Johnson laughed off a question about his unpopularity in Scotland. (See 12.35pm.)
Jackson Carlaw, the Scottish Tories’ interim leader, said his party would block requests from Holyrood for the powers to hold a second independence referendum “for a generation”, accusing Nicola Sturgeon of supporting “disposable democracy” by insisting on one.Jackson Carlaw, the Scottish Tories’ interim leader, said his party would block requests from Holyrood for the powers to hold a second independence referendum “for a generation”, accusing Nicola Sturgeon of supporting “disposable democracy” by insisting on one.
Speaking to reporters after Boris Johnson launched the Scottish Tory election manifesto at a hotel only a mile or so from Gordon Brown’s home in North Queensferry, Carlaw said there were no circumstances in which a Conservative government at Westminster would transfer those powers to Holyrood.Speaking to reporters after Boris Johnson launched the Scottish Tory election manifesto at a hotel only a mile or so from Gordon Brown’s home in North Queensferry, Carlaw said there were no circumstances in which a Conservative government at Westminster would transfer those powers to Holyrood.
Citing the Scottish government’s white paper on independence in 2013, Scotland’s Future, Carlaw said:Citing the Scottish government’s white paper on independence in 2013, Scotland’s Future, Carlaw said:
In a combative BBC interview on Monday night with Andrew Neil, Sturgeon was pressed on how she would defend staging a second vote if Labour succeeded next year in holding a fresh EU referendum in which the UK voted to stay in the EU.In a combative BBC interview on Monday night with Andrew Neil, Sturgeon was pressed on how she would defend staging a second vote if Labour succeeded next year in holding a fresh EU referendum in which the UK voted to stay in the EU.
Neil said that staying in the EU would neutralise Sturgeon’s argument for justifying a second independence vote so soon after 2014 – that Brexit was a substantial change to Scotland’s constitutional position.Neil said that staying in the EU would neutralise Sturgeon’s argument for justifying a second independence vote so soon after 2014 – that Brexit was a substantial change to Scotland’s constitutional position.
Sturgeon, who supports a second EU referendum, said the chaos of the last three years was argument enough. She said:Sturgeon, who supports a second EU referendum, said the chaos of the last three years was argument enough. She said:
Ahead of the SNP’s manifesto launch tomorrow, Nicola Sturgeon is visiting a nursery this afternoon to announce a proposal to “transform” parental leave, by extending shared leave to 64 weeks at an increased rate, including 12 weeks’ ringfenced “daddy leave”.Ahead of the SNP’s manifesto launch tomorrow, Nicola Sturgeon is visiting a nursery this afternoon to announce a proposal to “transform” parental leave, by extending shared leave to 64 weeks at an increased rate, including 12 weeks’ ringfenced “daddy leave”.
The proposal was welcomed by campaigners; Working Families has been calling for a similar scheme aimed at fathers for a long time, given the uptake of shared parental leave remains low and the evidence suggests that fathers who do have some leave from work with young children are more involved as their families grow up. The Westminster government is currently consulting on parental leave, although neither Tories nor Labour have proposed anything aimed directly at fathers in their manifestos.The proposal was welcomed by campaigners; Working Families has been calling for a similar scheme aimed at fathers for a long time, given the uptake of shared parental leave remains low and the evidence suggests that fathers who do have some leave from work with young children are more involved as their families grow up. The Westminster government is currently consulting on parental leave, although neither Tories nor Labour have proposed anything aimed directly at fathers in their manifestos.
This follows a difficult interview for Sturgeon with Andrew Neil on the BBC last night, in which she was pressed hard on her economic plans for independence and the state of the Scottish NHS.This follows a difficult interview for Sturgeon with Andrew Neil on the BBC last night, in which she was pressed hard on her economic plans for independence and the state of the Scottish NHS.
Meanwhile Boris Johnson – writing in this morning’s Scottish Daily Mail ahead of his visit to Fife – has pledged that he would never allow another “chaotic and divisive” independence referendum, his strongest statement yet.Meanwhile Boris Johnson – writing in this morning’s Scottish Daily Mail ahead of his visit to Fife – has pledged that he would never allow another “chaotic and divisive” independence referendum, his strongest statement yet.
This is what Jeremy Corbyn said in the Q&A (see 1.42pm) about antisemitism, and about what Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, said about Labour’s record.This is what Jeremy Corbyn said in the Q&A (see 1.42pm) about antisemitism, and about what Ephraim Mirvis, the chief rabbi, said about Labour’s record.
Q: How would you combat Islamophobia?
Q: Can you assure Muslim communities they would be safe?
Corbyn says this arts centre is not far from Finsbury Park, where a far-right killer murdered a Muslim just near where Corbyn lives. After the attack happened, the imam from the mosque intervened to protect the attacker.
He says he would not tolerate attacks on mosques any more than attacks on any other places of worship.
He says the Conservative party should address the Islamophobia problems they have in their own party.
Islamophobia will always be challenged in any form in which it raises itself, he says.
Jeremy Corbyn is now taking questions. (There was a suggestion earlier that there would not be a Q&A.)
Q: If the chief rabbi thinks most Jews are worried about a Labour government, how can the wider public vote Labour?
Q: There have been complaints about antisemitism during the whole of your time as Labour leader. You say you are addressing this. But you have not persuaded the chief rabbi. Why?
Q: Do you accept you have failed personally on this?
Corbyn repeats the point he made in his speech: there is no place for antisemitism in society, or in Labour, and there never will be.
He says he has introduced processes in Labour to deal with this that were not there before.
He wants to live in a country where people respect each other’s faiths.
He wil have an open door as PM. So he invites the chief rabbi, and other faith leaders, to come and talk to him.
He says no faith community will be at risk under his government. He has spent his life fighting racism – including right out here, on Tottenham High Road.
He says people with concerns should tell him about them, and engage. You only learn by engagement, he says.
Butler says we need to be honest about what Britain did wrong in the past.
When people ask why people can’t get over this, they don’t realise how offensive that is.
Turning to the Windrush scandal, she refers to the case of Hubert Howard, a Windrush victim who died recently without having had compensation or an apology. Butler says the system that created that injustice is still in place.
Butler is now talking about the value of diversity.
She says Norman Tebbit used to talk about the cricket test as a way of evaluating if people were loyal to the country. But this year England won the cricket World Cup with a team that included a West Indian, a Pakistani, a South African, a New Zealander and an Irishman.
She says Labour will establish an independent review into the rise of the far right.
And it will ensure more black history is taught in schools. Because black history is British history, she says.
She says, within a month of taking power, Labour would launch a review into the shortage of BAME teachers in schools.
Jeremy Corbyn says he is just the warm-up act for Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities.
Butler takes to the stage. She says there are people trying to divide the country. She says a video has gone viral of a man and his children receiving antisemitic abuse on a train. It is unsettling to watch, she says. She says some of the people on the train did not intervene. But it was a woman in a hijab who intervened, she says. She says the woman said she knew what it was like to be abused like this.
Butler says all forms of racism are wrong.
She says after Boris Johnson compared Muslim women to letterboxes the number of incidents of Islamophobia went up by 375%.
Corbyn says running through the Labour manifesto is the “golden thread” of a society that works for all and respects all.
He is very proud to lead a party of diversity. And he would be proud to speak on the world stage on behalf of a country proud of its diversity, he says.
His manifesto can change lives for millions of people, he says.
Corbyn says sometimes when people are challenged they are asked if they are “tolerant” of others. He does not like the word, he says. He prefers the idea of being respectful, he says.
He says abuse has no place in our society. Attacks on people, and attacks on churches or synagogues or mosques, are attacks on all of us, he says. He says Labour would ensure there was full protection for places of worship. And attacks on places of worship would count as aggravated crimes, he says.
He says:
He says Labour has a rapid process for dealing with these complaints. That process is constantly being reviewed. And Labour supports educating people about the problem, he says.
Corbyn says he wants to work with people of all faiths and none. It has always been his pride and his pleasure to do this, he says. In government, his door will be open to all faith leaders, he says.
He says the chief rabbi will be very welcome, as will be the archbishop of Canterbury, and leaders from other faiths.
Corbyn says he thinks history may be the most important thing children learn at school.
Labour would promote the emancipation education trust, to ensure that children learn more about slavery. It should not just be taught during black history month. It should be taught all year round, he says.
Corbyn says there is not proper BAME representations at the top of public life. There are only 25 black female professors in British universities. He says a Labour government would carry out a review to ensure BAME people are properly represented at the top of the education system.