This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2019/dec/16/boris-johnson-new-mps-parliament-labour-arrive-at-westminster-as-boris-johnson-prepares-mini-reshuffle-live-news
The article has changed 22 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| BBC 'played a part' in Labour's election defeat, says shadow cabinet minister - live news | BBC 'played a part' in Labour's election defeat, says shadow cabinet minister - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Rolling coverage of the day’s political events as they happen | Rolling coverage of the day’s political events as they happen |
| Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, has also given an interview to the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire. In it, he partly toned down his criticism of the BBC. He said that he was not blaming it for Labour’s defeat. And he said that he treasured it. But he repeated his claim that some its coverage was slanted against Labour. He said: | |
| Derbyshire said McDonald’s use of the word “consciously” on the Today programme this morning (see 9.48am) implied he thought BBC reporters were deliberately slanting coverage to increase the chances of a Conservative victory. McDonald replied: | |
| McDonald said Labour would be reviewing what went wrong with its campaign, and he said he hoped the BBC would review its coverage too. | |
| The Labour MP Jonathan Reynolds has criticised his colleague Andy McDonald for part-blaming the BBC for their party’s defeat. (See 9.48am.) | The Labour MP Jonathan Reynolds has criticised his colleague Andy McDonald for part-blaming the BBC for their party’s defeat. (See 9.48am.) |
| According to the Press Association, Sajid Javid, the chancellor, declared: “Welcome to the people’s government,” as he left 11 Downing Street this morning. | According to the Press Association, Sajid Javid, the chancellor, declared: “Welcome to the people’s government,” as he left 11 Downing Street this morning. |
| Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, told the Today programme this morning that he thought the BBC was partly to blame for Labour’s defeat at the election. In an interview with Justin Webb, McDonald said: | Andy McDonald, the shadow transport secretary, told the Today programme this morning that he thought the BBC was partly to blame for Labour’s defeat at the election. In an interview with Justin Webb, McDonald said: |
| When Webb asked him if he was blaming the BBC for the fact that Jeremy Corbyn did not win, McDonald replied: | When Webb asked him if he was blaming the BBC for the fact that Jeremy Corbyn did not win, McDonald replied: |
| Asked if he was saying the BBC “consciously” played a part in slanting coverage against Labour, McDonald replied: | Asked if he was saying the BBC “consciously” played a part in slanting coverage against Labour, McDonald replied: |
| McDonald seemed to be referring to the BBC political correspondent Alex Forsyth, who during one live broadcast referred to Boris Johnson winning “the majority that he so deserves.” From the context it seemed obvious to many that she meant to say “the majority he so desires”. | McDonald seemed to be referring to the BBC political correspondent Alex Forsyth, who during one live broadcast referred to Boris Johnson winning “the majority that he so deserves.” From the context it seemed obvious to many that she meant to say “the majority he so desires”. |
| Webb put it to McDonald that this was just “a slip of the tongue” and that it was “madness” to read too much into it. McDonald replied: | Webb put it to McDonald that this was just “a slip of the tongue” and that it was “madness” to read too much into it. McDonald replied: |
| As my colleagues Matthew Taylor and Jim Waterson report, the BBC is also under pressure at the moment from the government, with No 10 seriously considering decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee, while boycotting Radio 4’s Today programme over the broadcaster’s supposed anti-Tory bias. | As my colleagues Matthew Taylor and Jim Waterson report, the BBC is also under pressure at the moment from the government, with No 10 seriously considering decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee, while boycotting Radio 4’s Today programme over the broadcaster’s supposed anti-Tory bias. |
| Good morning. Or at least it is for newly-elected members of parliament, most of whom, of course, are Conservative. There are 109 new Tory MPs, and they have started arriving at Westminster already. The Commons is not sitting today – it does not commence formally until 2.30pm tomorrow, when MPs will assemble in the chamber to re-elect the Speaker - but MPs are coming to parliament to start the business of settling in. | Good morning. Or at least it is for newly-elected members of parliament, most of whom, of course, are Conservative. There are 109 new Tory MPs, and they have started arriving at Westminster already. The Commons is not sitting today – it does not commence formally until 2.30pm tomorrow, when MPs will assemble in the chamber to re-elect the Speaker - but MPs are coming to parliament to start the business of settling in. |
| Here are tweets from three newly-elected Tories. | Here are tweets from three newly-elected Tories. |
| From Christian Wakeford, MP for Bury South: | From Christian Wakeford, MP for Bury South: |
| From Aaron Bell, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme: | From Aaron Bell, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme: |
| From Jonathan Gullis, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North: | From Jonathan Gullis, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North: |
| Journalists are going to have to spend the next few months getting to know the new intake of MPs, because for most of us they are something of an unknown quantity. CCHQ may be keen to learn a bit more about them too. One consequence of a surprise election victory is that it results in people who were never expected to win getting into parliament. It remains to be seen whether the new Tories, particularly those elected to represent previously safe Labour seats, will end up behaving, culturally and politically, in similar ways to conventional Conservative MPs, or whether they will be noticeably different, pushing the party in a new direction. | Journalists are going to have to spend the next few months getting to know the new intake of MPs, because for most of us they are something of an unknown quantity. CCHQ may be keen to learn a bit more about them too. One consequence of a surprise election victory is that it results in people who were never expected to win getting into parliament. It remains to be seen whether the new Tories, particularly those elected to represent previously safe Labour seats, will end up behaving, culturally and politically, in similar ways to conventional Conservative MPs, or whether they will be noticeably different, pushing the party in a new direction. |
| Boris Johnson reportedly wants the party to change. According to the Sunday Times, after the exit poll was announced on Thursday night he told his team: | Boris Johnson reportedly wants the party to change. According to the Sunday Times, after the exit poll was announced on Thursday night he told his team: |
| One of the big questions in politics over the next parliament will be whether or not Johnson does transform his party in the way he is proposing. | One of the big questions in politics over the next parliament will be whether or not Johnson does transform his party in the way he is proposing. |
| And as new Conservative MPs arrive at Westminster, Labour MPs are preoccupied with the inquest into their defeat, and the forthcoming leadership contest. | And as new Conservative MPs arrive at Westminster, Labour MPs are preoccupied with the inquest into their defeat, and the forthcoming leadership contest. |
| Here is the agenda for the day: | Here is the agenda for the day: |
| 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. | 11am: Downing Street lobby briefing. |
| Early evening: Boris Johnson is due to address Tory MPs at a reception in Westminster. | Early evening: Boris Johnson is due to address Tory MPs at a reception in Westminster. |
| At some point today we are also due to get announcements from No 10 about who is being appointed to the two vacant cabinet posts – culture secretary (because Nicky Morgan stood down at the election) and Welsh secretary (because Alun Cairns “resigned” in the early stages of the election campaign over what he knew about the role of a former aide in sabotaging a rape trial). | At some point today we are also due to get announcements from No 10 about who is being appointed to the two vacant cabinet posts – culture secretary (because Nicky Morgan stood down at the election) and Welsh secretary (because Alun Cairns “resigned” in the early stages of the election campaign over what he knew about the role of a former aide in sabotaging a rape trial). |
| As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up. | As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary when I wrap up. |
| You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. | You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow. |
| I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. | I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone. |
| If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. | If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter. |