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| EU referendum: Emergency legislation will extend voter registration deadline to midnight Thursday | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.51pm BST | |
| 15:51 | |
| ITV’s Robert Peston has a good line from the Q&A after William Hague’s speech. | |
| Hague: in Conservative Party there are eurosceptics who want to leave & eurosceptics who want to remain.There aren't really any other people | |
| 3.47pm BST | |
| 15:47 | |
| Peter Walker | |
| The Green MP Caroline Lucas has responded to Owen Paterson’s speech. She said: | |
| I’m as likely to ask Donald Trump for advice on race relations as I am to trust Owen Paterson on protecting our environment. | |
| The simple fact is that the EU has been essential for environmental protection and that Owen Paterson is wrong to say that ‘environmentalism works best at local level’ – in fact it only works if problems are tackled at every level. | |
| Challenges like air pollution, sewage in the seas and threats to migrating species don’t queue up politely at national borders, waiting for their passports to be checked. Indeed if we didn’t have the EU to bring together countries to work on these issues, then we’d have to invent it all over again. | |
| 3.44pm BST | |
| 15:44 | |
| EU is bad for the environment, Paterson says | |
| Peter Walker | |
| I’ve just watched the former environment secretary, Owen Paterson, make a speech which, according to the advance billing, would “tear apart the EU’s record on the environment”. That was a tough brief, but he did his best, arguing that the EU imposed too many “one size fits all” green remedies on countries. He was scathing about the idea that a vote for Remain was a vote for nature. | |
| “It is nothing of the sort,” Paterson said. | |
| A vote for the EU is a vote for the continuation of the remote, insensitive bureaucracy that insists on deciding everything on a continental level, ignoring local environmental conditions and imposing clumsy regulations on matters which should be decided at the level of the nation state or below. | |
| It was certainly a wide-ranging speech, taking in the great crested newt (Paterson says these are not threatened in the UK and so don’t need protection here), South Georgia (he sees the island’s environmental policies as a future model for Britain) and the Pitcairn Islands (the UK has recently created the world’s largest marine reserve around them). | |
| It also contained what is certainly the best quote of the campaign so far about the EU’s fisheries policy: “The sheer insanity of this is incomprehensible unless you see it yourself, with a haddock in your hand.” | |
| I seemed to be the only member of the media there, so it fell to me to ask Paterson whether he could be trusted as a self-styled champion of the environment given the chilly reaction from environmental groups to his time as environment minister. He insisted this was unfair, arguing that some of the bigger green organisations get EU funding and so are hardly neutral. | |
| Owen Paterson speaking now on environment policy after #Brexit pic.twitter.com/La2zpYDIMP | |
| 3.37pm BST | |
| 15:37 | |
| The Electoral Commission has welcomed Matthew Hancock’s announcement about extending the voter registration deadline. (See 3.23pm.) Alex Robertson, its director of communications, said: | |
| No one should miss out on voting in this historic referendum because of the problem with the government’s registration website last night. We said this morning that legislation should be introduced to extend the registration deadline and we’re pleased the government will now be making this change. | |
| We are urging everyone who is not already registered to vote to take this last chance to do so before the end of Thursday. | |
| 3.33pm BST | |
| 15:33 | |
| Hague says Vote Leave economic claims are 'total fantasy' | |
| William Hague, the Conservative former foreign secretary and former party leader, gave a speech on the EU referendum earlier this afternoon. Here are the key points. | |
| The idea that we can leave the EU without any serious economic consequences for jobs and businesses in Britain, and somehow have more money to spend on the NHS and other services at the same time, is a total fantasy, and people need to know that before they vote. | |
| I’m the first to say Europe isn’t perfect. I’ve spent my political life standing up to it. But for all its imperfections, it protects jobs and boosts our standing and power in the world. Let me tell you straight, as someone who’s an outright eurosceptic, leaving the European Union would be downright irresponsible. | |
| There are two things that such investors hate most: a prolonged period of uncertainty and definitely losing an advantage they have long enjoyed. Leaving the European single market would produce exactly those two things. With fifteen days to go to the referendum, there is no sign of any agreement, consensus, worked-up proposal, clear scenario or even coherent idea about what we would try to negotiate if we left the EU, let alone how we would succeed in it. | |
| Leave campaigners have tried to reassure people that all of this would end in a satisfactory negotiation: Germans, they say, would have no interest in imposing vengeful tariffs on the UK when they sell even more to us than we do to them. However, this bland assurance overlooks three crucial points. | |
| The first is that the main problem for many businesses once we were outside the single market would not just be tariffs but all the bureaucracy of customs and the uncertainty of future tariffs. | |
| The second is that Germany and the rest of the EU would have no incentive to strike an easy trade deal with any nation leaving the union because of the attraction it might hold for others. And some countries would have every interest in using the opportunity to persuade international businesses located in Britain, such as in financial services, to move their operations or headquarters. | |
| The third point is that once the UK has served notice under article 50 of our intention to leave the union, the treaties provide for two years to negotiate the arrangements for withdrawal, extendable only by unanimous agreement. There would be far greater pressure on the UK, because of all the uncertainties surrounding investment decisions, to conclude the negotiations within the two years than there would be on the rest of the EU. As everybody knows, even from buying a house or a car, the side under the greatest time pressure is in the weakest negotiating position. | |
| 3.23pm BST | 3.23pm BST |
| 15:23 | 15:23 |
| Matthew Hancock has also issued this statement. | Matthew Hancock has also issued this statement. |
| Following discussions with the Electoral Commission and strong cross party support expressed in the House of Commons, we will introduce secondary legislation to extend the deadline for voter registration until midnight tomorrow. Having taken the decision today, we think it is right to extend to midnight tomorrow (9 June) to allow people who have not yet registered time to get the message that registration is still open and get themselves registered. | Following discussions with the Electoral Commission and strong cross party support expressed in the House of Commons, we will introduce secondary legislation to extend the deadline for voter registration until midnight tomorrow. Having taken the decision today, we think it is right to extend to midnight tomorrow (9 June) to allow people who have not yet registered time to get the message that registration is still open and get themselves registered. |
| 3.22pm BST | 3.22pm BST |
| 15:22 | 15:22 |
| Voter registration deadline extended until midnight tomorrow | Voter registration deadline extended until midnight tomorrow |
| Matthew Hancock, the Cabinet Office, has announced that the voter registration deadline will be extended until midnight tomorrow. | Matthew Hancock, the Cabinet Office, has announced that the voter registration deadline will be extended until midnight tomorrow. |
| Delighted at huge voter registration levels. Due to technical problems with the website yesterday we'll extend deadline to midnight tomorrow | Delighted at huge voter registration levels. Due to technical problems with the website yesterday we'll extend deadline to midnight tomorrow |
| 3.05pm BST | 3.05pm BST |
| 15:05 | 15:05 |
| Jeremy Corbyn is going to do a TV event with Sky on the EU referendum, it has been announced. | Jeremy Corbyn is going to do a TV event with Sky on the EU referendum, it has been announced. |
| Labour leader @jeremycorbyn will do a live TV event on @skynews with young voters... Chaired by me Jun 20th | Labour leader @jeremycorbyn will do a live TV event on @skynews with young voters... Chaired by me Jun 20th |
| 2.49pm BST | 2.49pm BST |
| 14:49 | 14:49 |
| Government to introduce emergency legislation to extend voter registration deadline | Government to introduce emergency legislation to extend voter registration deadline |
| The government is going to introduce emergency legislation to ensure people registering to vote today can have their applications accepted, Sky News has reported. | The government is going to introduce emergency legislation to ensure people registering to vote today can have their applications accepted, Sky News has reported. |
| This is from Sky’s Kay Burley. | This is from Sky’s Kay Burley. |
| Breaking: Govt to rush through legislation to extend deadline for registering to vote #EUref | Breaking: Govt to rush through legislation to extend deadline for registering to vote #EUref |
| This is from Chris Byrant, the shadow leader of the Commons. | This is from Chris Byrant, the shadow leader of the Commons. |
| Statement at 7pm https://t.co/aZ7BZoe4cz | Statement at 7pm https://t.co/aZ7BZoe4cz |
| And this is from Sky’s Beth Rigby. | And this is from Sky’s Beth Rigby. |
| On .@joncraig newsbreak on extension for voter registration: statement tonight (just after 7pm). Emergency legislation tomorrow | On .@joncraig newsbreak on extension for voter registration: statement tonight (just after 7pm). Emergency legislation tomorrow |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.52pm BST | at 2.52pm BST |
| 1.57pm BST | 1.57pm BST |
| 13:57 | 13:57 |
| Blair criticises Gove, Boris Johnson, Twitter and Trump - but praises Cameron | Blair criticises Gove, Boris Johnson, Twitter and Trump - but praises Cameron |
| And here are some more lines from Tony Blair’s interview with Bloomberg. Bloomberg has written it up here and here. | And here are some more lines from Tony Blair’s interview with Bloomberg. Bloomberg has written it up here and here. |
| The wall of noise around [Cameron] as he makes decisions is larger and louder than anything before. Twitter and all these things, if you’re not careful, they create the era of the loudmouth. You read this stuff on Twitter -- 140 characters and you’re trying to sum up foreign policy. | The wall of noise around [Cameron] as he makes decisions is larger and louder than anything before. Twitter and all these things, if you’re not careful, they create the era of the loudmouth. You read this stuff on Twitter -- 140 characters and you’re trying to sum up foreign policy. |
| It’s not clear to me what his policies really are. If they are some of the things that have been talked about, obviously you couldn’t agree with them. An actual trade war with China would be devastating for both sides so I can’t believe that’s what he’d actually want to do. If you literally say that no Muslims are going to come into America, that’s not a policy we can go along with. I’ve no idea what a Trump presidency would look like. It’s not clear to me what the common ground would be. | It’s not clear to me what his policies really are. If they are some of the things that have been talked about, obviously you couldn’t agree with them. An actual trade war with China would be devastating for both sides so I can’t believe that’s what he’d actually want to do. If you literally say that no Muslims are going to come into America, that’s not a policy we can go along with. I’ve no idea what a Trump presidency would look like. It’s not clear to me what the common ground would be. |
| One of the things I find strange is when people say: ‘Look, I had to agonize over this decision.’ This is not one of those decisions. This is a decision where you should only be for ‘Leave’ if you’re absolutely clear. If you’re not clear, don’t do it ... | One of the things I find strange is when people say: ‘Look, I had to agonize over this decision.’ This is not one of those decisions. This is a decision where you should only be for ‘Leave’ if you’re absolutely clear. If you’re not clear, don’t do it ... |
| If you’ve been in government and been mayor of London, you know how big this decision is with those consequences,” he said. “If Britain leaves, you’re going to get the beginnings of what will be an economic shock for the country. How can you not think you’re at least going to suffer several years of economic insecurity? | If you’ve been in government and been mayor of London, you know how big this decision is with those consequences,” he said. “If Britain leaves, you’re going to get the beginnings of what will be an economic shock for the country. How can you not think you’re at least going to suffer several years of economic insecurity? |
| We’ve now got to the somewhat absurd situation where if someone’s an ‘expert,’ that’s the worst insult you can level. Occasionally, rational evidence is a good thing to work on. | We’ve now got to the somewhat absurd situation where if someone’s an ‘expert,’ that’s the worst insult you can level. Occasionally, rational evidence is a good thing to work on. |
| 1.40pm BST | 1.40pm BST |
| 13:40 | 13:40 |
| Blair accuses Corbyn of just being interested in 'the politics of protest' | Blair accuses Corbyn of just being interested in 'the politics of protest' |
| In his Bloomberg interview Tony Blair also accused Jeremy Corbyn of being only interested in “the politics of protest”. Blair said: | In his Bloomberg interview Tony Blair also accused Jeremy Corbyn of being only interested in “the politics of protest”. Blair said: |
| There’s a guy whose face is on the placard. That’s me: Hate that guy. You’re the person in power taking difficult decisions. Jeremy is the guy with the placard, he’s the guy holding it. One’s the politics of power and the other’s the politics of protest. | There’s a guy whose face is on the placard. That’s me: Hate that guy. You’re the person in power taking difficult decisions. Jeremy is the guy with the placard, he’s the guy holding it. One’s the politics of power and the other’s the politics of protest. |
| 1.26pm BST | 1.26pm BST |
| 13:26 | 13:26 |
| Blair attacks Corbyn for doing nothing to stop Syria being barrel-bombed | Blair attacks Corbyn for doing nothing to stop Syria being barrel-bombed |
| Tony Blair has given an interview to Bloomberg which includes his strongest attack yet on Jeremy Corbyn. As Patrick Wintour wrote in his Guardian splash this morning, Blair objects to being accused of being a potential war criminal by someone who refused to back military action against the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who is generally viewed as an undisputed war criminal. | Tony Blair has given an interview to Bloomberg which includes his strongest attack yet on Jeremy Corbyn. As Patrick Wintour wrote in his Guardian splash this morning, Blair objects to being accused of being a potential war criminal by someone who refused to back military action against the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who is generally viewed as an undisputed war criminal. |
| Now Blair is saying this on the record. He told Bloomberg. | Now Blair is saying this on the record. He told Bloomberg. |
| I’m accused of being a war criminal for removing Saddam Hussein -- who by the way was a war criminal -- and yet Jeremy is seen as a progressive icon as we stand by and watch the people of Syria barrel-bombed, beaten and starved into submission and do nothing. | I’m accused of being a war criminal for removing Saddam Hussein -- who by the way was a war criminal -- and yet Jeremy is seen as a progressive icon as we stand by and watch the people of Syria barrel-bombed, beaten and starved into submission and do nothing. |
| 1.10pm BST | 1.10pm BST |
| 13:10 | 13:10 |
| Labour’s Wes Streeting asks why the boundary review is going ahead on false figures. | Labour’s Wes Streeting asks why the boundary review is going ahead on false figures. |
| Hancock says the boundary review has to operate on electoral roll figures from an agreed period. The electoral roll figures used to 10 years out of date. Now, as a result of the government’s changes, the information is only five years out of date. | Hancock says the boundary review has to operate on electoral roll figures from an agreed period. The electoral roll figures used to 10 years out of date. Now, as a result of the government’s changes, the information is only five years out of date. |
| 1.07pm BST | 1.07pm BST |
| 13:07 | 13:07 |
| Almost 60,000 people have signed a 38 Degrees online petition saying the voter registration deadline should be extended for 24 hours. | Almost 60,000 people have signed a 38 Degrees online petition saying the voter registration deadline should be extended for 24 hours. |
| 1.05pm BST | 1.05pm BST |
| 13:05 | 13:05 |
| Hancock says there are no plans to change the deadline for applying for postal votes. | Hancock says there are no plans to change the deadline for applying for postal votes. |
| 1.05pm BST | 1.05pm BST |
| 13:05 | 13:05 |
| Hancock says he cannot say how many people were unable to register last night. Some of those who tried to register and failed will have tried again and succeeded on their second attempt. | Hancock says he cannot say how many people were unable to register last night. Some of those who tried to register and failed will have tried again and succeeded on their second attempt. |
| 1.04pm BST | 1.04pm BST |
| 13:04 | 13:04 |
| No10 reveals 214,000 people tried register for #euref btwn 9-10pm last night. Compared to 74k before similar deadline for GE2015 | No10 reveals 214,000 people tried register for #euref btwn 9-10pm last night. Compared to 74k before similar deadline for GE2015 |
| 1.02pm BST | 1.02pm BST |
| 13:02 | 13:02 |
| David Cameron on voter registration | David Cameron on voter registration |
| This is what David Cameron said about the government ensuring people who register today will be able to vote. | This is what David Cameron said about the government ensuring people who register today will be able to vote. |
| It’s extremely welcome that so many people want to take part in this massive democratic exercise. Last night there was record demand on the Gov.uk website ... This caused an overload on the system. I’m very clear that people should continue to register today. The Electoral Commission made a statement today urging the government to consider options including extending the deadline ... We’re working urgently with them to do just that and to make sure those who registered today and who registered last night will be able to vote in the EU referendum. | It’s extremely welcome that so many people want to take part in this massive democratic exercise. Last night there was record demand on the Gov.uk website ... This caused an overload on the system. I’m very clear that people should continue to register today. The Electoral Commission made a statement today urging the government to consider options including extending the deadline ... We’re working urgently with them to do just that and to make sure those who registered today and who registered last night will be able to vote in the EU referendum. |