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| Cameron dismisses Johnson's DfID/FCO merger as 'mistake' that will lessen respect for UK - live news | Cameron dismisses Johnson's DfID/FCO merger as 'mistake' that will lessen respect for UK - live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| PM announces merger in Commons; Johnson makes U-turn on free school meals after Rashford campaign; UK official death toll rises by 233 | PM announces merger in Commons; Johnson makes U-turn on free school meals after Rashford campaign; UK official death toll rises by 233 |
| Political leaders from across the political spectrum in Scotland called on the UK government to protect around 900 Dfid jobs based in East Kilbride after Boris Johnson confirmed the department would be merged with the Foreign Office. | |
| Its large base in Scotland is frequently cited by pro-UK parties and the Scotland Office as evidence of the UK government’s investment in the union; alongside HM Revenue and Customs and various armed services, DfID has the largest presence of any Whitehall department in Scotland. | |
| Ian Murray, the shadow Scottish secretary and MP for Edinburgh South, said losing Dfid “would be a deeply retrograde step at any time, let alone at a time when global cooperation is needed more than ever”. He went on: | |
| The Scottish government’s prospectus for independence in the 2014 referendum proposed one ministry for foreign affairs and global development. However, Jenny Gilruth, the Scottish minister for Europe and international development, said merging Dfid with the Foreign Office was a “deplorable decision”. She said: | |
| Johnson told MPs the Dfid jobs in East Kilbride would stay. (See 2.08pm.) | |
| The full text of Boris Johnson’s opening statement to MPs about the merger of Dfid and the FCO is here. But, as is often the case with exchanges in the Commons, some of his impromptu language was more revealing. Two replies to MPs were particularly striking because they suggested that his instinctive view of British foreign policy is inherently reactionary. | |
| Johnson calls DfID ‘a giant cashpoint in the sky’ | |
| Replying to a question from the Tory MP Steve Double, Johnson said: | |
| This phrase was condemned by the former Conservative Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt, who posed these on Twitter. | |
| Johnson suggests diplomacy is about dealing with leaders who cut their opponents’ heads off | |
| In response to a question from the SNP’s Kirsty Blackman, Johnson said: | |
| After saying “cut the head off his opponent”, Johnson paused, as if he had realised that he had said something wrong. He probably had, although no one seemed to object at the time. This sounded like a line from one of his reactionary Daily Telegraph columns, redolent of an imperialist world view in which foreigners are assumed to be less civilised. | |
| Tony Blair has said that he is “utterly dismayed” by the decision to merge DfID with the FCO. | Tony Blair has said that he is “utterly dismayed” by the decision to merge DfID with the FCO. |
| Boris Johnson has now managed to unite three former prime ministers - two Labour ones and one Conservative - in opposition to his plan to get rid of DfID as a stand-alone department. | Boris Johnson has now managed to unite three former prime ministers - two Labour ones and one Conservative - in opposition to his plan to get rid of DfID as a stand-alone department. |
| We are yet to hear from Sir John Major and Theresa May on the subject. But Major never set up an independent department for international aid himself, and so is unlikely to feel any attachment to DfID, and May showed little interest in this area during her short, Brexit-dominated premiership. | We are yet to hear from Sir John Major and Theresa May on the subject. But Major never set up an independent department for international aid himself, and so is unlikely to feel any attachment to DfID, and May showed little interest in this area during her short, Brexit-dominated premiership. |
| Arlene Foster, the first minister of Northern Ireland, has said she will be proposing the extension of free school meal support to the region’s pupils over the summer holidays. She told told the Northern Ireland assembly she would make the proposal to colleagues in the power-sharing coalition. The measure would be dependent on the necessary funds being found, she said. | Arlene Foster, the first minister of Northern Ireland, has said she will be proposing the extension of free school meal support to the region’s pupils over the summer holidays. She told told the Northern Ireland assembly she would make the proposal to colleagues in the power-sharing coalition. The measure would be dependent on the necessary funds being found, she said. |
| For the record, this list shows how today’s UK coronavirus daily death figure, 233 (see 3.36pm), compares to the equivalent figures for the past two weeks. | For the record, this list shows how today’s UK coronavirus daily death figure, 233 (see 3.36pm), compares to the equivalent figures for the past two weeks. |
| Tuesday 2 June - 324 | Tuesday 2 June - 324 |
| Wednesday 3 June - 359 | Wednesday 3 June - 359 |
| Thursday 4 June - 176 | Thursday 4 June - 176 |
| Friday 5 June - 357 | Friday 5 June - 357 |
| Saturday 6 June - 204 | Saturday 6 June - 204 |
| Sunday 7 June - 77 | Sunday 7 June - 77 |
| Monday 8 June - 55 | Monday 8 June - 55 |
| Tuesday 9 June - 286 | Tuesday 9 June - 286 |
| Wednesday 10 June - 245 | Wednesday 10 June - 245 |
| Thursday 11 June - 151 | Thursday 11 June - 151 |
| Friday 12 June - 202 | Friday 12 June - 202 |
| Saturday 13 June - 181 | Saturday 13 June - 181 |
| Sunday 14 June - 36 | Sunday 14 June - 36 |
| Monday 15 June - 38 | Monday 15 June - 38 |
| The Department of Health and Social Care has released the latest coronavirus death figures for the UK. There have been a further 233 deaths, taking the total to 41,969. | The Department of Health and Social Care has released the latest coronavirus death figures for the UK. There have been a further 233 deaths, taking the total to 41,969. |
| These headline figures only include deaths where someone tested positive for coronavirus. But thousands of people have died without having a test, which is why the ONS totals are higher. (See 10.19am.) | These headline figures only include deaths where someone tested positive for coronavirus. But thousands of people have died without having a test, which is why the ONS totals are higher. (See 10.19am.) |
| NHS England today recorded a further 79 hospital deaths in England. The full details are here. | NHS England today recorded a further 79 hospital deaths in England. The full details are here. |
| In Wales a further eight deaths have been recorded. | In Wales a further eight deaths have been recorded. |
| Scotland has recorded five more deaths today. | Scotland has recorded five more deaths today. |
| And there has been one further death in Northern Ireland. | And there has been one further death in Northern Ireland. |
| Another former prime minister, Gordon Brown, has also criticised the decision to merge DfID and the FCO. He says Boris Johnson is “abolishing one of the UK’s great international assets”. | Another former prime minister, Gordon Brown, has also criticised the decision to merge DfID and the FCO. He says Boris Johnson is “abolishing one of the UK’s great international assets”. |
| In the Commons Labour’s Emma Hardy asks Johnson if he agrees with David Cameron. (See 2.46pm.) | In the Commons Labour’s Emma Hardy asks Johnson if he agrees with David Cameron. (See 2.46pm.) |
| Johnson says he does not. He says at the moment there is “an incoherence” in foreign policy. He says the merger will make aid specialists more influential. | Johnson says he does not. He says at the moment there is “an incoherence” in foreign policy. He says the merger will make aid specialists more influential. |
| And David Cameron, who appointed Andrew Mitchell as international development secretary and who was PM when the UK finally hit the 0.7% aid spending target (which was never popular with Tory activists), has also criticised the move. He says it is a “mistake” that will lead to the UK being less respected abroad. | And David Cameron, who appointed Andrew Mitchell as international development secretary and who was PM when the UK finally hit the 0.7% aid spending target (which was never popular with Tory activists), has also criticised the move. He says it is a “mistake” that will lead to the UK being less respected abroad. |
| For Cameron, speaking out in these terms is quite a big deal. Since leaving No 10 in 2016 he has largely avoided criticising his successors, even though Theresa May and Boris Johnson have both pursued policies that he would not support. | For Cameron, speaking out in these terms is quite a big deal. Since leaving No 10 in 2016 he has largely avoided criticising his successors, even though Theresa May and Boris Johnson have both pursued policies that he would not support. |
| Earlier Sir Keir Starmer said Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative international development secretary when David Cameron was PM, had described the DfID/FCO merger as a mistake. The Birmingham Mail has the full quote from Mitchell. Mitchell said: | Earlier Sir Keir Starmer said Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative international development secretary when David Cameron was PM, had described the DfID/FCO merger as a mistake. The Birmingham Mail has the full quote from Mitchell. Mitchell said: |
| These are from Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, on the DfID/FCO merger. | These are from Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, on the DfID/FCO merger. |
| The Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse says the PM seems to be saying the UK will only help the poorest in the world if they are buying British goods. | The Lib Dem MP Wera Hobhouse says the PM seems to be saying the UK will only help the poorest in the world if they are buying British goods. |
| Johnson says Hobhouse should be proud of what the UK is doing around the world. | Johnson says Hobhouse should be proud of what the UK is doing around the world. |
| Labour’s Kevin Brennan asks if Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international development secretary, will both have to apply for the post to run the new department. | Labour’s Kevin Brennan asks if Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, and Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international development secretary, will both have to apply for the post to run the new department. |
| Johnson sidesteps the questions. | Johnson sidesteps the questions. |
| The SNP’s Kirsty Blackman asks if the purpose of the new department will be to help the poorest in the world, or if it will be to enhance British power abroad? | The SNP’s Kirsty Blackman asks if the purpose of the new department will be to help the poorest in the world, or if it will be to enhance British power abroad? |
| Both, says Johnson. | Both, says Johnson. |
| He says there is no point in having a British ambassador asking a foreign leader not to cut the head off one of his rivals if another British official is going to turn up a day later with a cheque for £250m. | |
| UPDATE: I’ve corrected this post because Johnson said “cut the head off”, not “chop the head off”, and he said £250m, not £250,000. I’ve posted the full, direct quote at 4.25pm. | |
| Johnson says British ambassadors will be listened to more seriously if they represent a department in charge of all UK government overseas spending. | Johnson says British ambassadors will be listened to more seriously if they represent a department in charge of all UK government overseas spending. |