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| Starmer implicitly criticises Labour leadership for sidelining him during election campaign - as it happened | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The day’s political developments as they happened, including Tony Blair’s speech on the lessons from Labour’s defeat | |
| Emily Thornberry has declared she is entering the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, revealing she warned the Labour leadership that backing a Brexit election would be an “act of catastrophic political folly”. For a full round-up of today’s developments in the Labour leadership contest, see the summary and analysis at 3.06pm. | Emily Thornberry has declared she is entering the race to succeed Jeremy Corbyn, revealing she warned the Labour leadership that backing a Brexit election would be an “act of catastrophic political folly”. For a full round-up of today’s developments in the Labour leadership contest, see the summary and analysis at 3.06pm. |
| Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has denied the government is being forced to clear up its own mistakes by announcing a partial reintroduction of bursary grants for student nurses, which the Conservatives abolished in 2016. | Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has denied the government is being forced to clear up its own mistakes by announcing a partial reintroduction of bursary grants for student nurses, which the Conservatives abolished in 2016. |
| Downing Street has confirmed a plan to allow lower courts to roll back EU legal rulings following Brexit, a plan that prompted concerns that it will become easier to challenge European standards in areas such as workers’ rights and the environment. | Downing Street has confirmed a plan to allow lower courts to roll back EU legal rulings following Brexit, a plan that prompted concerns that it will become easier to challenge European standards in areas such as workers’ rights and the environment. |
| Boris Johnson has received a warm reception from Tory MPs at the 1922 Committee. One MP described the atmosphere at this afternoon’s meeting as “euphoric”. The former minister Robert Halfon told the Press Association: | Boris Johnson has received a warm reception from Tory MPs at the 1922 Committee. One MP described the atmosphere at this afternoon’s meeting as “euphoric”. The former minister Robert Halfon told the Press Association: |
| The newly appointed chair of the Conservative party’s inquiry into its handling of complaints about discrimination, including Islamophobia, has been plunged into a row over comments he made about the disputed Kashmir region. | The newly appointed chair of the Conservative party’s inquiry into its handling of complaints about discrimination, including Islamophobia, has been plunged into a row over comments he made about the disputed Kashmir region. |
| More than 15,000 nurses in Northern Ireland are striking for better pay and increased staffing in a healthcare service mired in crisis. | More than 15,000 nurses in Northern Ireland are striking for better pay and increased staffing in a healthcare service mired in crisis. |
| A former Labour whip who lost his seat in the general election has had his clothes and private documents mistakenly incinerated by parliamentary staff. | A former Labour whip who lost his seat in the general election has had his clothes and private documents mistakenly incinerated by parliamentary staff. |
| That’s all from me for today. | That’s all from me for today. |
| Thanks for the comments. | Thanks for the comments. |
| Here is Richard Burgon explaining why he is considering standing for the deputy leadership of the Labour party. | Here is Richard Burgon explaining why he is considering standing for the deputy leadership of the Labour party. |
| Burgon is stressing the fact that he nominated Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership in 2015 because this differentiates him from Angela Rayner, who is currently the favourite amongst those likely to run for the deputy leadership. Rayner supported Corbyn in the summer of 2016, when most Labour MPs backed a motion of no confidence in him and dozens of MPs refused to serve on his front bench, but she was not one of the 35 MPs who nominated him for the leadership when he first stood the year before. | Burgon is stressing the fact that he nominated Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership in 2015 because this differentiates him from Angela Rayner, who is currently the favourite amongst those likely to run for the deputy leadership. Rayner supported Corbyn in the summer of 2016, when most Labour MPs backed a motion of no confidence in him and dozens of MPs refused to serve on his front bench, but she was not one of the 35 MPs who nominated him for the leadership when he first stood the year before. |
| In the Commons more MPs have been swearing in today. Here is the Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch swearing in yesterday with her baby. | In the Commons more MPs have been swearing in today. Here is the Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch swearing in yesterday with her baby. |
| This is from Gareth Snell, who lost his seat as Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central last week, on Keir Starmer’s Guardian interview. Snell was one of the Labour MPs in the last parliament strongly arguing that the party had to accept the result of the 2016 referendum. | This is from Gareth Snell, who lost his seat as Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central last week, on Keir Starmer’s Guardian interview. Snell was one of the Labour MPs in the last parliament strongly arguing that the party had to accept the result of the 2016 referendum. |
| Here is Sky’s Lewis Goodall on Tony Blair’s speech this morning. | Here is Sky’s Lewis Goodall on Tony Blair’s speech this morning. |
| EU diplomats have been told it will be impossible to extend the Brexit transition after 1 July 2020, if Boris Johnson decides in the second half of next year he wants extra time to negotiate the future relationship. | EU diplomats have been told it will be impossible to extend the Brexit transition after 1 July 2020, if Boris Johnson decides in the second half of next year he wants extra time to negotiate the future relationship. |
| At a private meeting on Tuesday, diplomats from the 27 member states were told by senior EU lawyers that 1 July 2020 was a hard deadline that could not be changed, if no extension was agreed in the first half of the year. | At a private meeting on Tuesday, diplomats from the 27 member states were told by senior EU lawyers that 1 July 2020 was a hard deadline that could not be changed, if no extension was agreed in the first half of the year. |
| The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 January and then falls into an 11-month transition period, where it will remain in the EU single market and customs union without voting rights. | The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 January and then falls into an 11-month transition period, where it will remain in the EU single market and customs union without voting rights. |
| Under the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May, the British government has the option to request a one-off extension of the transition of one or two years, before 1 July 2020. | Under the withdrawal agreement negotiated by Theresa May, the British government has the option to request a one-off extension of the transition of one or two years, before 1 July 2020. |
| The prime minister has promised to legislate against any extension to the transition, but that has not killed speculation that the UK may seek a last-minute delay in late 2020 if a no-deal exit is looming. | The prime minister has promised to legislate against any extension to the transition, but that has not killed speculation that the UK may seek a last-minute delay in late 2020 if a no-deal exit is looming. |
| Lawyers at the EU council’s legal service moved to quash that option on Tuesday, by delivering an uncompromising message that the transition would cease to exist after 1 July 2020, because the withdrawal agreement leaves no provision for later agreement. | Lawyers at the EU council’s legal service moved to quash that option on Tuesday, by delivering an uncompromising message that the transition would cease to exist after 1 July 2020, because the withdrawal agreement leaves no provision for later agreement. |
| The message was conveyed in stark terms by EU lawyers, who want this point transmitted to all EU27 national capitals. | The message was conveyed in stark terms by EU lawyers, who want this point transmitted to all EU27 national capitals. |
| However, the EU has a track record in declaring immovable deadlines, only to find a workaround when a no-deal deadline loomed. Some EU officials had previously insisted the UK would have to leave the EU before European parliamentary elections in May 2019, only for the UK to secure a delay and elect British MEPs. | However, the EU has a track record in declaring immovable deadlines, only to find a workaround when a no-deal deadline loomed. Some EU officials had previously insisted the UK would have to leave the EU before European parliamentary elections in May 2019, only for the UK to secure a delay and elect British MEPs. |
| EU diplomats believe Boris Johnson when he says he doesn’t want to extend the transition period. “It is probably one of the areas where Johnson isn’t lying,” quipped one person in Tuesday’s meeting, a joke appreciated by others. | EU diplomats believe Boris Johnson when he says he doesn’t want to extend the transition period. “It is probably one of the areas where Johnson isn’t lying,” quipped one person in Tuesday’s meeting, a joke appreciated by others. |
| The European commission, which will handle day-to-day negotiations with the UK, has promised to draft a comprehensive mandate for the talks in early February, soon after the UK leaves. | The European commission, which will handle day-to-day negotiations with the UK, has promised to draft a comprehensive mandate for the talks in early February, soon after the UK leaves. |
| That will be a document setting out the EU red lines on the future relationship covering trade, security, foreign policy, education and research and other areas. | That will be a document setting out the EU red lines on the future relationship covering trade, security, foreign policy, education and research and other areas. |
| “We will organise these negotiations to make the most out of the short period. On 1 February we will be ready to propose a mandate for the negotiations,” the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, told MEPs this morning. | “We will organise these negotiations to make the most out of the short period. On 1 February we will be ready to propose a mandate for the negotiations,” the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, told MEPs this morning. |
| But the commission is already warning member states not everything can be done in 11 months. Von der Leyen has said the commission will have to prioritise key topics, expected to be free trade in goods in exchange for British guarantees of fair competition, as well as fisheries. | But the commission is already warning member states not everything can be done in 11 months. Von der Leyen has said the commission will have to prioritise key topics, expected to be free trade in goods in exchange for British guarantees of fair competition, as well as fisheries. |
| EU officials continue to stress the UK parliament must ratify the withdrawal agreement. The Guardian understands that the European parliament has pencilled in 29 January for ratification of the Brexit deal, assuming the process goes smoothly at Westminster. | EU officials continue to stress the UK parliament must ratify the withdrawal agreement. The Guardian understands that the European parliament has pencilled in 29 January for ratification of the Brexit deal, assuming the process goes smoothly at Westminster. |
| In her Guardian article Emily Thornberry confirms that she will be a candidate in the Labour leadership contest. (Or at least that she wants to be a candidate; she will need to get enough nominations, but this is unlikely to be a problem.) She is the first person to announce her candidature, but within the last 24 hours at least three other possible candidates have given interviews, and Tony Blair – the last person to do the job and actually win an election – has given a detailed speech on what the party needs to do next. Here is a summary of the latest developments. | In her Guardian article Emily Thornberry confirms that she will be a candidate in the Labour leadership contest. (Or at least that she wants to be a candidate; she will need to get enough nominations, but this is unlikely to be a problem.) She is the first person to announce her candidature, but within the last 24 hours at least three other possible candidates have given interviews, and Tony Blair – the last person to do the job and actually win an election – has given a detailed speech on what the party needs to do next. Here is a summary of the latest developments. |
| Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has said that no one deserves to win the Labour leadership unless they are prepared to face up to the scale of the challenge facing the party. In a Q&A after his speech he accepted it would be counter-productive for him to endorse any of the potential candidates. He also said he accepted that candidates would not be able to be as blunt about the problems facing the party as he had been. But he said the new leader had to be someone who recognised that the “whole ideology” of Corbynism needed to be replaced. He said: | Tony Blair, the former prime minister, has said that no one deserves to win the Labour leadership unless they are prepared to face up to the scale of the challenge facing the party. In a Q&A after his speech he accepted it would be counter-productive for him to endorse any of the potential candidates. He also said he accepted that candidates would not be able to be as blunt about the problems facing the party as he had been. But he said the new leader had to be someone who recognised that the “whole ideology” of Corbynism needed to be replaced. He said: |
| Blair also said he did not accept arguments that the next leader had to be a woman, or someone from outside London. It had to be the best person for the job, he said. (See 9.36am.) | Blair also said he did not accept arguments that the next leader had to be a woman, or someone from outside London. It had to be the best person for the job, he said. (See 9.36am.) |
| Blair said the election result “brought shame” on the Labour party because failing to offer people the chance to vote for a credible opposition was “unforgivable”. In his speech he argued that the problem facing the party was not just Corbyn personally, but the far left politics that now dominated the party. He said: | Blair said the election result “brought shame” on the Labour party because failing to offer people the chance to vote for a credible opposition was “unforgivable”. In his speech he argued that the problem facing the party was not just Corbyn personally, but the far left politics that now dominated the party. He said: |
| In a later interview, Blair said Labour would be “finished” if the far left stayed in charge. (See 1.49am.) | In a later interview, Blair said Labour would be “finished” if the far left stayed in charge. (See 1.49am.) |
| No leadership candidate has come anywhere close to criticising Corbyn and his leadership in these terms. But ... | No leadership candidate has come anywhere close to criticising Corbyn and his leadership in these terms. But ... |
| Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, has launched her leadership campaign with an article in the Guardian featuring a blistering attack on Corbyn for agreeing to an early election. Until now, other candidates have been notably cautious about criticising Corbyn (reflecting an assumption that he is still held in high esteem by a large number of party members). But Thornberry said that Corbyn went ahead and ordered Labour to vote for an early election despite her sending him a note saying this would be “an act of catastrophic folly”. (Blair also warned publicly that agreeing to an early election ahead of a second referendum would be a serious mistake.) As well as going negative against Corbyn, Thornberry’s article includes an implicit swipe at Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary and the Corbynite candidate for the leadership. Someone has briefed the Evening Standard that Long-Bailey was one of those in shadow cabinet backing Corbyn’s call for an early election. (See 12.38pm.) | Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, has launched her leadership campaign with an article in the Guardian featuring a blistering attack on Corbyn for agreeing to an early election. Until now, other candidates have been notably cautious about criticising Corbyn (reflecting an assumption that he is still held in high esteem by a large number of party members). But Thornberry said that Corbyn went ahead and ordered Labour to vote for an early election despite her sending him a note saying this would be “an act of catastrophic folly”. (Blair also warned publicly that agreeing to an early election ahead of a second referendum would be a serious mistake.) As well as going negative against Corbyn, Thornberry’s article includes an implicit swipe at Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary and the Corbynite candidate for the leadership. Someone has briefed the Evening Standard that Long-Bailey was one of those in shadow cabinet backing Corbyn’s call for an early election. (See 12.38pm.) |
| Thornberry has depicted herself as someone with the ability to outperform Boris Johnson. In her article she says: | Thornberry has depicted herself as someone with the ability to outperform Boris Johnson. In her article she says: |
| Thornberry is entitled to say she was effective when it came to challenging Johnson when he was foreign secretary, at least in the Commons. What is also clever about this is that it incorporates an argument for Labour having a woman as leader (which obviously benefits Thornberry) based on the idea that Johnson reacts badly to being challenged by women (which is true), and not just based on pro-diversity sentiment. | Thornberry is entitled to say she was effective when it came to challenging Johnson when he was foreign secretary, at least in the Commons. What is also clever about this is that it incorporates an argument for Labour having a woman as leader (which obviously benefits Thornberry) based on the idea that Johnson reacts badly to being challenged by women (which is true), and not just based on pro-diversity sentiment. |
| Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, has argued that he should have been allowed to challenge Johnson’s Brexit arguments in the election campaign. (See 10.15am.) This is about as far as Starmer has gone so far in criticising Corbyn’s handling of the election, although Starmer has not yet formally announced his campaign. Starmer and Thornberry are both lawyers who perform well in the Commons and in debate, and it is understandable that they should want to talk up these qualities. | Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, has argued that he should have been allowed to challenge Johnson’s Brexit arguments in the election campaign. (See 10.15am.) This is about as far as Starmer has gone so far in criticising Corbyn’s handling of the election, although Starmer has not yet formally announced his campaign. Starmer and Thornberry are both lawyers who perform well in the Commons and in debate, and it is understandable that they should want to talk up these qualities. |
| Starmer and Yvette Cooper have both given interviews in which they have sought to distance themselves not just from Corbynism, but from Blairism. Starmer told the Today programme: | Starmer and Yvette Cooper have both given interviews in which they have sought to distance themselves not just from Corbynism, but from Blairism. Starmer told the Today programme: |
| And Cooper told the same programme: | And Cooper told the same programme: |
| Yvette Cooper and Lisa Nandy have both stressed the importance of the next Labour leader being able to win votes in towns and not just in cities. (See 11.38am and 1.25pm.) | Yvette Cooper and Lisa Nandy have both stressed the importance of the next Labour leader being able to win votes in towns and not just in cities. (See 11.38am and 1.25pm.) |
| Rebecca Long-Bailey has lost her position as the bookmakers’ favourite in the contest. At least two bookmakers have sent out press notices today saying Starmer is now the favourite, ahead of Long-Bailey, with Nandy, Jess Phillips and Cooper coming behind. Long-Bailey was installed as the favourite on the basis that she is the candidate preferred by the current Labour leadership, and particularly by John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, and Karie Murphy, the party’s elections chief. She has not declared her candidature yet, and has said nothing of substance in public since the general election on what Labour needs to do next. Bookmakers made her favourite on the assumption that, if the Labour leadership wants her as leader, the members will too. But there is no strong evidence for this. When YouGov polled Labour members in July, they found she was not their first choice. | Rebecca Long-Bailey has lost her position as the bookmakers’ favourite in the contest. At least two bookmakers have sent out press notices today saying Starmer is now the favourite, ahead of Long-Bailey, with Nandy, Jess Phillips and Cooper coming behind. Long-Bailey was installed as the favourite on the basis that she is the candidate preferred by the current Labour leadership, and particularly by John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, and Karie Murphy, the party’s elections chief. She has not declared her candidature yet, and has said nothing of substance in public since the general election on what Labour needs to do next. Bookmakers made her favourite on the assumption that, if the Labour leadership wants her as leader, the members will too. But there is no strong evidence for this. When YouGov polled Labour members in July, they found she was not their first choice. |
| Blair has rejected claims that the Labour government he led neglected the interests of working-class voters in northern seats. This is an argument being made by many people since last Thursday who are saying Labour’s problems in its heartlands go back decades, particularly Cooper and Nandy (see above). In his speech Blair said he did not accept this. He said: | Blair has rejected claims that the Labour government he led neglected the interests of working-class voters in northern seats. This is an argument being made by many people since last Thursday who are saying Labour’s problems in its heartlands go back decades, particularly Cooper and Nandy (see above). In his speech Blair said he did not accept this. He said: |
| Blair has claimed that the party could have pursued a Brexit policy since 2016 that would have been electorally successful. In his speech he said: | Blair has claimed that the party could have pursued a Brexit policy since 2016 that would have been electorally successful. In his speech he said: |
| Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, has now given an interview to Newsnight reinforcing the argument he made in his speech this morning - that Labour needs to ditch Corbynism if it wants to survive. (See 9.05am.) In an interview with Kirsty Wark he said: | Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, has now given an interview to Newsnight reinforcing the argument he made in his speech this morning - that Labour needs to ditch Corbynism if it wants to survive. (See 9.05am.) In an interview with Kirsty Wark he said: |
| From the Financial Times’ Jim Pickard | From the Financial Times’ Jim Pickard |
| Since I have been focusing mostly on the Labour leadership today, here are three clips from Lisa Nandy on Newsnight last night. | Since I have been focusing mostly on the Labour leadership today, here are three clips from Lisa Nandy on Newsnight last night. |
| In the first one she says that, although she wants time to reflect on the general election result first, if she concludes that she can find a root to regaining the trust of lifelong Labour voters, she will stand as a candidate for the leadership. | In the first one she says that, although she wants time to reflect on the general election result first, if she concludes that she can find a root to regaining the trust of lifelong Labour voters, she will stand as a candidate for the leadership. |
| In the second one she says Labour needs to come up with policies to address the needs of towns that have never recovered from the loss of heavy industry. She says in these places young people have to leave to find good jobs, leaving the towns full of people growing old without their children or grandchildren living nearby. Investing in cities and hoping that the wealth will trickle down to these towns has failed, she says. | In the second one she says Labour needs to come up with policies to address the needs of towns that have never recovered from the loss of heavy industry. She says in these places young people have to leave to find good jobs, leaving the towns full of people growing old without their children or grandchildren living nearby. Investing in cities and hoping that the wealth will trickle down to these towns has failed, she says. |
| And in this clip she says she thinks there is an opportunity for Labour because Boris Johnson is learning the wrong lessons from his election victory in northern seats. | And in this clip she says she thinks there is an opportunity for Labour because Boris Johnson is learning the wrong lessons from his election victory in northern seats. |