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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/dec/04/general-election-tories-juggle-trump-nato-and-campaigning-live
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| Boris Johnson denies joking about Donald Trump at Nato reception and not taking him seriously – live news | Boris Johnson denies joking about Donald Trump at Nato reception and not taking him seriously – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US president says he criticised Canada’s defence spending and suggests Trudeau was unhappy about that | US president says he criticised Canada’s defence spending and suggests Trudeau was unhappy about that |
| Commenting on his interview with Johnson, Labour’s Barry Gardiner said to Peston: | |
| On the prime minister being questioned about Brexit, Gardiner said: | |
| Asked about reports he forced Tory MPs to sign up to his withdrawal agreement deal, Johnson said: “I have not forced them, that is totally unfair, there was absolutely no lobotomy” | Asked about reports he forced Tory MPs to sign up to his withdrawal agreement deal, Johnson said: “I have not forced them, that is totally unfair, there was absolutely no lobotomy” |
| He insisted “no, not at all” when asked by ITV’s Robert Peston whether he had said they “couldn’t be candidates?” | He insisted “no, not at all” when asked by ITV’s Robert Peston whether he had said they “couldn’t be candidates?” |
| Boris Johnson, in his interview with ITV, has insisted the UK “will be out” of the EU on 31 January, while simultaneously acknowledging that the country will actually enter the transition period – during which it will still be subject to the EU’s rules and regulations. | Boris Johnson, in his interview with ITV, has insisted the UK “will be out” of the EU on 31 January, while simultaneously acknowledging that the country will actually enter the transition period – during which it will still be subject to the EU’s rules and regulations. |
| Johnson said the UK would legally have left the EU on 31 January and said it could end the transition period at any point it chose to thereafter. | Johnson said the UK would legally have left the EU on 31 January and said it could end the transition period at any point it chose to thereafter. |
| Last month, the Brexit experts Anand Menon and Catherine Barnard wrote an interesting opinion piece for the Guardian on what this might all mean in reality: | Last month, the Brexit experts Anand Menon and Catherine Barnard wrote an interesting opinion piece for the Guardian on what this might all mean in reality: |
| Wrapping up the interview, Swinson indicated she believed she would be able to stay on as Lib Dem leader, even if the party secured fewer seats than it held in the last Parliament. | Wrapping up the interview, Swinson indicated she believed she would be able to stay on as Lib Dem leader, even if the party secured fewer seats than it held in the last Parliament. |
| Pressed on whether she would stand down following poor results, she added: | Pressed on whether she would stand down following poor results, she added: |
| Swinson declined to say whether she would begin campaigning for the UK to rejoin the EU immediately after Brexit. Asked if the country should join the Euro if it were deemed necessary to demonstrate commitment to “being at the heart of the European Union”, she added: | Swinson declined to say whether she would begin campaigning for the UK to rejoin the EU immediately after Brexit. Asked if the country should join the Euro if it were deemed necessary to demonstrate commitment to “being at the heart of the European Union”, she added: |
| Swinson confirmed she would want to extend voting in any second Brexit referendum to 16- and 17-year-olds. Asked if she would go ahead with it even if it meant delaying the referendum, she said: | Swinson confirmed she would want to extend voting in any second Brexit referendum to 16- and 17-year-olds. Asked if she would go ahead with it even if it meant delaying the referendum, she said: |
| Asked whether she would sacrifice a second Brexit referendum if the price of securing one was a second Scottish independence referendum, Swinson said: | Asked whether she would sacrifice a second Brexit referendum if the price of securing one was a second Scottish independence referendum, Swinson said: |
| Swinson insisted again that she would not “put Jeremy Corbyn in No 10” but she said she would vote with him – or any other government – to secure a second Brexit referendum. | Swinson insisted again that she would not “put Jeremy Corbyn in No 10” but she said she would vote with him – or any other government – to secure a second Brexit referendum. |
| Asked about her personal approval rating, which Neil said was “even lower than Nigel Farage” at minus 31 – down from minus 20 at the start of the campaign – she said: | Asked about her personal approval rating, which Neil said was “even lower than Nigel Farage” at minus 31 – down from minus 20 at the start of the campaign – she said: |
| In a reference to her election campaign tactics, Swinson was asked if she would now acknowledge she will not be the next prime minister. She said: | In a reference to her election campaign tactics, Swinson was asked if she would now acknowledge she will not be the next prime minister. She said: |
| The BBC’s interview with the Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, has started. She has been defending her personal popularity ratings and her tactics in the election campaign; particularly her decision to insist on reversing Brexit unilaterally. | The BBC’s interview with the Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, has started. She has been defending her personal popularity ratings and her tactics in the election campaign; particularly her decision to insist on reversing Brexit unilaterally. |
| The prime minister has claimed people will stop talking about Brexit after the extension period ends on 31 January 2020, despite the fact the UK would then enter the transition period and no future trade deal is in place to come into force at that point. | The prime minister has claimed people will stop talking about Brexit after the extension period ends on 31 January 2020, despite the fact the UK would then enter the transition period and no future trade deal is in place to come into force at that point. |
| Asked whether such could happen by ITV News in an interview due to air on Tuesday evening, Boris Johnson said: | Asked whether such could happen by ITV News in an interview due to air on Tuesday evening, Boris Johnson said: |
| The interview, Robert Peston, interjected to tell Johnson that his claim was untrue. | The interview, Robert Peston, interjected to tell Johnson that his claim was untrue. |
| Earlier, we reported that the EU had drawn up plans for how Brexit talks might run if the Tories win the election (see: 5:47pm). | Earlier, we reported that the EU had drawn up plans for how Brexit talks might run if the Tories win the election (see: 5:47pm). |