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| John McDonnell says Jeremy Corbyn will be gone in 8 to 10 weeks – as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow all the day’s developments as they happened | |
| Thanks for all your comments. It’s been a pretty quiet day after the initial flurry of activity on the political chat shows. Here’s a summary of the main developments this afternoon. | |
| The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, has denied referring to voters as “fools” after Caroline Flint made the claim on Sophy Ridge on Sunday on Sky News. Flint, who lost her seat as Labour MP on Thursday, quoted Thornberry, a potential leadership candidate to replace Jeremy Corbyn as saying: “I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours.” In response., Thornberry said it was “a total and utter lie”. Flint said the likes of Thornberry, Keir Starmer and Yvette Cooper had helped bring about the loss of 59 Labour seats by advocating for remain. | |
| Concerns have been raised about reports that Boris Johnson is planning to abolish the Department for International Development (DFID) and merge its aid functions into the Foreign Office. Save the Children chief executive Kevin Watkins warned it would be a “deeply damaging move”. The former international secretary of state for international development, Andrew Mitchell MP, said any changes must not damage what is “a huge soft power asset” for Britain. | |
| The chief executive of Save the Children has voiced concerns at a Sunday Times report that Boris Johnson is planning to merge the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development. Kevin Watkins said: | The chief executive of Save the Children has voiced concerns at a Sunday Times report that Boris Johnson is planning to merge the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development. Kevin Watkins said: |
| The former head of Ukip in Scotland has been blocked in his bid to join the Scottish Conservatives. | The former head of Ukip in Scotland has been blocked in his bid to join the Scottish Conservatives. |
| David Coburn, a former Ukip MEP, told the BBC on Saturday that he had joined the Tories in order to help the prime minister “save the Union” in the event of a second independence referendum. | David Coburn, a former Ukip MEP, told the BBC on Saturday that he had joined the Tories in order to help the prime minister “save the Union” in the event of a second independence referendum. |
| However Jackson Carlaw, the leader of the Scots Tories, appears to have effectively rejected his application in a tweet posted on Sunday . | However Jackson Carlaw, the leader of the Scots Tories, appears to have effectively rejected his application in a tweet posted on Sunday . |
| He said: | He said: |
| Coburn, a former MEP, has previously been forced to apologise after making an Islamophobic slur against SNP minister Humza Yousaf, comparing him to convicted terrorist Abu Hamza. | Coburn, a former MEP, has previously been forced to apologise after making an Islamophobic slur against SNP minister Humza Yousaf, comparing him to convicted terrorist Abu Hamza. |
| He was also banned from Wikipedia indefinitely after trying to alter an article about himself 69 times in the space of six days. | He was also banned from Wikipedia indefinitely after trying to alter an article about himself 69 times in the space of six days. |
| Reports this morning suggested that Boris Johnson is preparing a huge shakeup of Whitehall, including abolishing the Department for International Development (DFID) and merging its aid functions into the Foreign Office. | Reports this morning suggested that Boris Johnson is preparing a huge shakeup of Whitehall, including abolishing the Department for International Development (DFID) and merging its aid functions into the Foreign Office. |
| Responding to the stories, the former international secretary of state for international development, Andrew Mitchell MP, said any changes must be well thought out: | Responding to the stories, the former international secretary of state for international development, Andrew Mitchell MP, said any changes must be well thought out: |
| Emily Thornberry has maintained that she did not call voters “stupid”, as former Labour MP Caroline Flint claimed earlier she did (see 9.05am). | Emily Thornberry has maintained that she did not call voters “stupid”, as former Labour MP Caroline Flint claimed earlier she did (see 9.05am). |
| John McDonnell has said if anyone is to blame for Labour’s election defeat it is him. But he also criticised media vilification of Jeremy Corbyn. The shadow chancellor told BBC One’s Andrew Marr show he and Corbyn would be gone within 8 to 10 weeks, early in the New Year, and they were in no way trying to ensure the successor would be someone they approved of. | John McDonnell has said if anyone is to blame for Labour’s election defeat it is him. But he also criticised media vilification of Jeremy Corbyn. The shadow chancellor told BBC One’s Andrew Marr show he and Corbyn would be gone within 8 to 10 weeks, early in the New Year, and they were in no way trying to ensure the successor would be someone they approved of. |
| The Wigan MP, Lisa Nandy, said she is “seriously considering” running for the Labour leadership. She told Marr that Corbyn was a major problem during the election but not the only one. Nandy said Labour’s HQ should be moved out of London and party conferences should be held in towns rather than cities. | The Wigan MP, Lisa Nandy, said she is “seriously considering” running for the Labour leadership. She told Marr that Corbyn was a major problem during the election but not the only one. Nandy said Labour’s HQ should be moved out of London and party conferences should be held in towns rather than cities. |
| Richard Burgon said he backed Rebecca Long-Bailey for the leadership, although she has not declared her intention to stand. The shadow justice secretary told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that he was considering running to be deputy. McDonnell said Long-Bailey is “brilliant” and also mentioned Angela Rayner and Dawn Butler as contenders. | Richard Burgon said he backed Rebecca Long-Bailey for the leadership, although she has not declared her intention to stand. The shadow justice secretary told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday that he was considering running to be deputy. McDonnell said Long-Bailey is “brilliant” and also mentioned Angela Rayner and Dawn Butler as contenders. |
| Michael Gove has categorically promised the UK will have a trade deal with the EU by the end of next year, ignoring reservations in Brussels about whether that is viable. He told Ridge the centrepiece of Thursday’s Queen’s speech would be legislation to enshrine extra funding for the NHS in law and measures to spread “equality of opportunity” across the country. | Michael Gove has categorically promised the UK will have a trade deal with the EU by the end of next year, ignoring reservations in Brussels about whether that is viable. He told Ridge the centrepiece of Thursday’s Queen’s speech would be legislation to enshrine extra funding for the NHS in law and measures to spread “equality of opportunity” across the country. |
| Nicola Sturgeon has insisted that Scotland cannot be “imprisoned in the UK against its will”, warning Boris Johnson’s refusal to grant a second referendum will only increase support for Scottish independence. Gove ruled out another referendum on Scotland in the next five years, insisting that the first was described as settling the issue “for a generation”. | Nicola Sturgeon has insisted that Scotland cannot be “imprisoned in the UK against its will”, warning Boris Johnson’s refusal to grant a second referendum will only increase support for Scottish independence. Gove ruled out another referendum on Scotland in the next five years, insisting that the first was described as settling the issue “for a generation”. |
| With attention turning, within Labour, to who will be the next leader, here is a useful guide from the Institute for Government as to how she or he will be elected. It also includes results from past contests and shows how the mechanics of the contest have changed over time. | With attention turning, within Labour, to who will be the next leader, here is a useful guide from the Institute for Government as to how she or he will be elected. It also includes results from past contests and shows how the mechanics of the contest have changed over time. |
| Emily Thornberry has denied the claim by Caroline Flint that she told one of Flint’s colleagues: “I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours,” (see 9.05am), says the Mirror’s online editor. | Emily Thornberry has denied the claim by Caroline Flint that she told one of Flint’s colleagues: “I’m glad my constituents aren’t as stupid as yours,” (see 9.05am), says the Mirror’s online editor. |
| John McDonnell says he was not ignoring Lisa Nandy as a potential candidate to succeed Corbyn when questioned about candidates this morning. Andrew Marr mentioned the Wigan MP’s name twice but McDonnell did not respond. | John McDonnell says he was not ignoring Lisa Nandy as a potential candidate to succeed Corbyn when questioned about candidates this morning. Andrew Marr mentioned the Wigan MP’s name twice but McDonnell did not respond. |
| The former Labour home secretary, Alan Johnson, has written a scathing assessment of Jeremy Corbyn in the Mail in Sunday, urging the party to rid itself of the “cult” of Momentum. | The former Labour home secretary, Alan Johnson, has written a scathing assessment of Jeremy Corbyn in the Mail in Sunday, urging the party to rid itself of the “cult” of Momentum. |
| He says: | He says: |
| HuffPost’s executive editor for politics, Paul Waugh, says John McDonnell’s refusal to include Lisa Nandy in his list of preferred Labour leadership candidates (Marr prompted him twice but McDonnell did not respond see 9.46) is significant | HuffPost’s executive editor for politics, Paul Waugh, says John McDonnell’s refusal to include Lisa Nandy in his list of preferred Labour leadership candidates (Marr prompted him twice but McDonnell did not respond see 9.46) is significant |