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| Tory leadership: Jeremy Hunt to face Boris Johnson after Michael Gove eliminated – live news | Tory leadership: Jeremy Hunt to face Boris Johnson after Michael Gove eliminated – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| We’re going to close down this live blog now. Here’s a summary of the day’s most consequential events: | |
| The next prime minister will be either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt. Tory members will choose between the two after Sajid Javid was eliminated from the running in the fourth round of voting this afternoon, followed by Michael Gove in the fifth this evening. | |
| Labour criticised the process, saying the effective decision on who becomes the next prime minister should not be in the hands solely of the Tory party membership. Labour also described the choice facing those members as one between the “man who broke the NHS [and] the man who wants to sell it to Donald Trump”. | |
| There were claims of underhand tactics as Hunt made it through to the run-off. Some Gove supporters muttered darkly that Boris Johnson’s camp may have lent votes to their candidate’s preferred opponent to give him the best chance of winning. Other Tory figures dismissed the suggestion. | |
| There is “enormous hostility” within the EU to the idea of granting the UK a further Brexit extension, according to the Irish taoiseach. Leo Varadkar said he believed an extension would only happen if there was a general election or a second referendum. | |
| A technical advisory group has been established to advise the government on arrangements that could help keep the Irish border invisible after Brexit. Experts from Rolls Royce, Queens University and the Police Force of Northern Ireland met for the first time today. | |
| If you’d like to read yet more, my colleagues Heather Stewart and Peter Walker have the full story: | |
| Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson are final two in Tory leadership race | |
| The Conservatives say there have been 20,000 applications for places at the 16 members’ hustings around the country. The party’s chairman, Brandon Lewis, has said: | The Conservatives say there have been 20,000 applications for places at the 16 members’ hustings around the country. The party’s chairman, Brandon Lewis, has said: |
| I’d like to congratulate Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson on reaching the final stage of the leadership contest. | I’d like to congratulate Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson on reaching the final stage of the leadership contest. |
| I’m delighted with the strong interest in our hustings to date, showing the vitality of our party in every nation and region of the UK. | I’m delighted with the strong interest in our hustings to date, showing the vitality of our party in every nation and region of the UK. |
| We are conscious that the Conservatives are not just selecting a new leader but also the next prime minister, and we take that responsibility extremely seriously at such an important time for our nation. | We are conscious that the Conservatives are not just selecting a new leader but also the next prime minister, and we take that responsibility extremely seriously at such an important time for our nation. |
| Jeremy Hunt claims he is gong to give Johnson “the fight of his life” in a video posted to his Twitter account: | Jeremy Hunt claims he is gong to give Johnson “the fight of his life” in a video posted to his Twitter account: |
| Thank you so much to my colleagues who have backed me to get this far - and to Lucia for all her incredible support. The campaign starts now. Please make sure you join me by volunteering here: https://t.co/JP6DslIj8V #HastobeHunt pic.twitter.com/R3ZMLAz7Ur | Thank you so much to my colleagues who have backed me to get this far - and to Lucia for all her incredible support. The campaign starts now. Please make sure you join me by volunteering here: https://t.co/JP6DslIj8V #HastobeHunt pic.twitter.com/R3ZMLAz7Ur |
| Of course, it may be a moot point. Mark Francois has told Sky News this evening that Johnson has promised the hard Brexit-supporting ERG, of which Francois is vice chairman, that Brexit will happen on 31 October “come hell or high water” if he becomes prime minister. | Of course, it may be a moot point. Mark Francois has told Sky News this evening that Johnson has promised the hard Brexit-supporting ERG, of which Francois is vice chairman, that Brexit will happen on 31 October “come hell or high water” if he becomes prime minister. |
| The former Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith, is backing Boris Johnson, whom he describes as the man to “inspire and lead” the UK out of the EU. | The former Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith, is backing Boris Johnson, whom he describes as the man to “inspire and lead” the UK out of the EU. |
| Duncan Smith also said remain-supporting MPs should “stop bellyaching and moaning” and claimed Johnson had been misinterpreted in the BBC debate. | Duncan Smith also said remain-supporting MPs should “stop bellyaching and moaning” and claimed Johnson had been misinterpreted in the BBC debate. |
| When Boris said it was eminently achievable he was talking about a trade agreement. He said at the beginning of the programme if we don’t leave on October 31 we will face a cataclysm. | When Boris said it was eminently achievable he was talking about a trade agreement. He said at the beginning of the programme if we don’t leave on October 31 we will face a cataclysm. |
| Duncan Smith arguably has a point – and it’s one he made in his post-debate spin. But he isn’t strictly right. | Duncan Smith arguably has a point – and it’s one he made in his post-debate spin. But he isn’t strictly right. |
| At the beginning, Johnson did indeed say the UK “must come out on the 31st October”. But when asked later by the host, Emily Maitlis, for an absolute guarantee the UK would leave on 31 October under his stewardship, he said: “Michael [Gove] was guaranteeing to get out by the end of December [2019]. I think that October 31st is eminently feasible.” (Johnson had been responding to a question from Gove about “getting [a] deal over the line” on or around that date or “ripping it up” just to keep to the timetable.) | At the beginning, Johnson did indeed say the UK “must come out on the 31st October”. But when asked later by the host, Emily Maitlis, for an absolute guarantee the UK would leave on 31 October under his stewardship, he said: “Michael [Gove] was guaranteeing to get out by the end of December [2019]. I think that October 31st is eminently feasible.” (Johnson had been responding to a question from Gove about “getting [a] deal over the line” on or around that date or “ripping it up” just to keep to the timetable.) |
| He also spoke later about the importance of leaving with a deal, saying no one wanted a “disorderly Brexit”. | He also spoke later about the importance of leaving with a deal, saying no one wanted a “disorderly Brexit”. |
| So, it’s – at best – debatable whether Johnson was failing to guarantee Brexit in any form on 31 October, or just failing to guarantee having a negotiated settlement done and dusted by that date. | So, it’s – at best – debatable whether Johnson was failing to guarantee Brexit in any form on 31 October, or just failing to guarantee having a negotiated settlement done and dusted by that date. |
| However, what is less debatable is the accuracy of Duncan Smith’s “trade agreement” comment. No such document is on the table for Johnson to have referred to. | However, what is less debatable is the accuracy of Duncan Smith’s “trade agreement” comment. No such document is on the table for Johnson to have referred to. |
| The portions to be determined prior to Brexit – and those which Theresa May had such trouble getting through Parliament – are the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration. | The portions to be determined prior to Brexit – and those which Theresa May had such trouble getting through Parliament – are the withdrawal agreement and the political declaration. |
| Broadly speaking, these set out the terms of the UK’s exit and the foundations upon which a future trade deal could be built. Neither is a “trade agreement” in the most common understanding of that term and no trade deal would be agreed before Brexit. | Broadly speaking, these set out the terms of the UK’s exit and the foundations upon which a future trade deal could be built. Neither is a “trade agreement” in the most common understanding of that term and no trade deal would be agreed before Brexit. |
| The Labour party has had its say on the news that Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt will face each other for the Tory leadership – and the keys to No 10. | The Labour party has had its say on the news that Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt will face each other for the Tory leadership – and the keys to No 10. |
| There’s perhaps little surprise in the fact that Labour wants a general election. Andrew Gwynne, its national campaign coordinator, has said: | There’s perhaps little surprise in the fact that Labour wants a general election. Andrew Gwynne, its national campaign coordinator, has said: |
| What a choice: the man who broke the NHS or the man who wants to sell it to Donald Trump. A handful of unrepresentative Conservative members should not be choosing our next prime minister. People should decide through a general election. | What a choice: the man who broke the NHS or the man who wants to sell it to Donald Trump. A handful of unrepresentative Conservative members should not be choosing our next prime minister. People should decide through a general election. |
| In April, in one of its regular surveys of Conservative party members, the ConservativeHome specifically asked how they would vote faced with a choice between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt. | In April, in one of its regular surveys of Conservative party members, the ConservativeHome specifically asked how they would vote faced with a choice between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt. |
| Johnson won by a landslide, beating Hunt almost two to one (61% to 33%). | Johnson won by a landslide, beating Hunt almost two to one (61% to 33%). |
| It is only a survey, and this time there will be a campaign, hustings, and debates, but this is probably a fair guide as to what the party thinks at the moment. It shows the scale of the challenge facing Hunt. | It is only a survey, and this time there will be a campaign, hustings, and debates, but this is probably a fair guide as to what the party thinks at the moment. It shows the scale of the challenge facing Hunt. |
| That’s all from me for tonight. | That’s all from me for tonight. |
| My colleague Kevin Rawlinson is taking over now. | My colleague Kevin Rawlinson is taking over now. |
| From the Financial Times’ George Parker | From the Financial Times’ George Parker |
| If you were @gavinwilliamson you couldn't have invented a more perfect result. @borisjohnson wins over half of Tory MPs; @Jeremy_Hunt sneaks past the feared @michaelgove but not in such a way that anyone could prove electoral jiggery pokery | If you were @gavinwilliamson you couldn't have invented a more perfect result. @borisjohnson wins over half of Tory MPs; @Jeremy_Hunt sneaks past the feared @michaelgove but not in such a way that anyone could prove electoral jiggery pokery |
| Mel Stride, Michael Gove’s campaign manager said Gove’s cocaine admission had damaged his leadership bid. “It stalled us and meant momentum was lost at that time,” he said. | Mel Stride, Michael Gove’s campaign manager said Gove’s cocaine admission had damaged his leadership bid. “It stalled us and meant momentum was lost at that time,” he said. |
| Here is a useful chart with all the voting numbers from this round of the contest. | Here is a useful chart with all the voting numbers from this round of the contest. |
| Clear summary of the five leadership ballots and a graphic demonstration of how well organised @BorisJohnson’s campaign and team have been. #BackBoris pic.twitter.com/U1kLBfyPYf | Clear summary of the five leadership ballots and a graphic demonstration of how well organised @BorisJohnson’s campaign and team have been. #BackBoris pic.twitter.com/U1kLBfyPYf |
| Conor Burns, the Bournemouth MP and a key member of the Boris Johnson team, dismissed the idea that they had lent votes to Hunt to make sure he progressed. He said: | Conor Burns, the Bournemouth MP and a key member of the Boris Johnson team, dismissed the idea that they had lent votes to Hunt to make sure he progressed. He said: |
| The message came from Boris: if people want to support me they vote for me, no pissing around. We wanted at every stage to make progress. We wanted to go to the members will more than half of the party voting for Boris. That’s a really strong mandate and message from our parliamentary colleagues to our members in the country – get on board and let’s bring it all together. | The message came from Boris: if people want to support me they vote for me, no pissing around. We wanted at every stage to make progress. We wanted to go to the members will more than half of the party voting for Boris. That’s a really strong mandate and message from our parliamentary colleagues to our members in the country – get on board and let’s bring it all together. |
| And here is Jeremy Hunt praising the final four candidates in the contest (but not the others). | And here is Jeremy Hunt praising the final four candidates in the contest (but not the others). |
| Reflection on this race: someone who started in care & reformed the education system, someone who took on the hard left and transformed London, the son of a bus driver who became Home Secretary and in case I forgot to mention an entrepreneur...a credit to our brilliant party | Reflection on this race: someone who started in care & reformed the education system, someone who took on the hard left and transformed London, the son of a bus driver who became Home Secretary and in case I forgot to mention an entrepreneur...a credit to our brilliant party |