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| Tory leadership: Johnson, Gove and Hunt progress as Javid is eliminated – live news | Tory leadership: Johnson, Gove and Hunt progress as Javid is eliminated – live news |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| David Lidington, the de facto deputy PM and formerly a Rory Stewart supporter, has emerged from the fifth round of voting to warn the final two candidates, whoever they are, to not focus too narrowly on issues like Brexit, saying the union of the UK is at the most risk he has ever seen, while the party faces “existential” challenges. | |
| Lidington told waiting reporters he would welcome a “vigorous” debate, but urged the final two to pitch their appeal widely. On Brexit, he also said a no-deal departure would risk the UK splitting up. He said: | |
| I think the members deserve a proper debate about the challenges that face the country and the Conservative party. Now clearly, Brexit is going to be a key issue, but I really hope that the candidates do look beyond that. | |
| You have to think back to 1992 since the Conservative party last won a clear overall majority, and even that was a fairly small one, and 2015 was smaller still. If you’re going by age group, you get to 51-year-olds before you find more people willing to vote Conservative than Labour. In 2017 we went backwards in BAME voters, who are a more important part of the electorate in many constituencies – in the suburbs, small towns. | |
| The Tory party is facing some existential political challenges, and the union of the United Kingdom is under greater strain than I have never known it in my lifetime. There are some key constitutional issues, some really key political challenges for the party, and I think it’s really important that the candidates show they’re up for addressing that. | |
| Echoing what Philip Hammond is saying in his Mansion House speech tonight (see 9.56am), on the union Lidington said: | |
| The fact that England and Wales voted to leave in the referendum and Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain adds to those political tensions. We have to rediscover ways in which people can be both proudly Scottish and proudly British at the same time. I think the union of the UK needs to be a priority that runs through the heart of the next government. | |
| I certainly believe that a no-deal Brexit would add to the risks to the union – I don’t think it’s a secret I believe that – but I think, too, that we have to be confident about demonstrating that the union of United Kingdom brings benefits to every part of the Unitred Kingdom. | |
| The Conservative MP Kevin Foster, who voted for Sajid Javid this morning, says he has switched to Boris Johnson. | |
| Just been to vote in the Conservative Party Leadership election. It was a privilege to back @sajidjavid yet in this round I decided to vote for @BorisJohnson who has the best chance of delivering Brexit & who as Mayor of London reached out beyond our core vote. #BackBoris pic.twitter.com/z7N50njkxh | |
| Lord Heseltine, the Conservative former deputy prime minister and veteran pro-European, has told the BBC’s PM programme that he finds the state of his party “deeply depressing”. | |
| “I think it’s deeply depressing great swathes of the traditional Conservative supporting vote is now basically disenfranchised.” Lord Heseltine talks to @EvanHD about the state of the Tory party #ConservativeLeadershipRace #bbcpm | |
| From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn | |
| 40 minutes to go in the final ballot, and it’s one helluva finale. Senior Gove team source says they’re confident they have half of Sajid’s backers, with most others going to Boris: “Hunt only beats us now if Boris lends him votes, and that’s a really bad look”. | |
| More from the committee corridor where MPs have been voting | |
| One Gove-supporting MP reveals he is casting 9 proxy votes this afternoon. “That might make all the difference,” I say. “It bloody better do!” they say. | |
| No indication from Brexit minister and former Javid supporter Robin Walker as to how he voted. | |
| With an hour more of voting to go it’s all gone pretty quiet here. Lots of proxy votes being made on behalf of absent colleagues. One MP said he was delivering nine. | |
| One Jeremy Hunt voter claims it's "very tight" and they've even been warned of a tie - which would force another ballot later tonight. Team Boris has a whole stack of proxy votes ready to go in case there's a bonus ballot. | |
| Senior Boris Johnson supporter says all his backers being told in no uncertain terms to vote for him to ensure “momentum” - but predicts a few will vote for Hunt tactically to get him into final two | |
| Great line from Liam Fox walking in to vote: ‘you walk in as one of 313, and walk out as one of 160,000.’ | |
| Trade Sec @LiamFox - who’s backing Hunt - says it would be an “odd dynamic”if two ex-journalists (Johnson/Gove) were in the final two - but adds it would be good for the “employment prospects” of political reporters 1/ | |
| Liam Fox says that “if we are smart we will use final two to set out our vision of what the country can be, rather than a story of who we are” - says MPs should “showcase the best of the Conservative party” - the Hunt pitch here - setting him out as the adult in the room 2/ | |
| Liam Fox is backing Jeremy Hunt. | |
| Asked if he's seen any vote-lending Liam Fox says: "Yeah, there's more churn here than an average washing machine." Adds sarcastically: "Oh I'm sure it's not organised. Perish the thought!" | |
| From the Economist’s Anne McElvoy | From the Economist’s Anne McElvoy |
| Lots of MPs telling me @michaelgove now overtaking @Jeremy_Hunt in final ballot for 2nd place. But this may be one of those rare days on which you cannot absolutely trust last thing an MP said | Lots of MPs telling me @michaelgove now overtaking @Jeremy_Hunt in final ballot for 2nd place. But this may be one of those rare days on which you cannot absolutely trust last thing an MP said |
| The Conservative MP Richard Benyon seems a bit fed up with all the voting. | The Conservative MP Richard Benyon seems a bit fed up with all the voting. |
| Committee corridor in House of Commons. This is what voter fatigue looks like #BrendafromBristolwas right pic.twitter.com/7QgTAZ65hD | Committee corridor in House of Commons. This is what voter fatigue looks like #BrendafromBristolwas right pic.twitter.com/7QgTAZ65hD |
| These are from Sky’s Beth Rigby. | These are from Sky’s Beth Rigby. |
| .@SCrabbPembs on the matter of vote lending. Tells me earlier it’s a “bit odd” that Javid lost 4 votes. Says any hint of vote lending would smack of “massive hypocrisy” and says he “genuinely doesn’t know if it’s going on” pic.twitter.com/qnuvwQjm2n | .@SCrabbPembs on the matter of vote lending. Tells me earlier it’s a “bit odd” that Javid lost 4 votes. Says any hint of vote lending would smack of “massive hypocrisy” and says he “genuinely doesn’t know if it’s going on” pic.twitter.com/qnuvwQjm2n |
| @SCrabbPembs is Stephen Crabb, the former cabinet minister who was backing Sajid Javid. | @SCrabbPembs is Stephen Crabb, the former cabinet minister who was backing Sajid Javid. |
| Two votes between Gove and Hunt. Frantic chasing of those 34 Javid votes. Hearing that Javid supporters splitting between the three camps, but most going to Johnson/Gove, less to Hunt. Too close to predict..... | Two votes between Gove and Hunt. Frantic chasing of those 34 Javid votes. Hearing that Javid supporters splitting between the three camps, but most going to Johnson/Gove, less to Hunt. Too close to predict..... |
| Theresa May arrived at what could be her last European Union summit, stressing the UK’s separate future as “global Britain”, while expressing her hope for “a close and deep partnership” in the future. | Theresa May arrived at what could be her last European Union summit, stressing the UK’s separate future as “global Britain”, while expressing her hope for “a close and deep partnership” in the future. |
| The prime minister is attending a regular EU summit, devoted to the climate crisis and foreign policy problems, from Russia’s annexation of Crimea to a drilling dispute with Turkey. | The prime minister is attending a regular EU summit, devoted to the climate crisis and foreign policy problems, from Russia’s annexation of Crimea to a drilling dispute with Turkey. |
| EU leaders will also hold the first round of serious negotiations over divvying up the EU’s top jobs, replacements for Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk - a matter previous British prime ministers once strove to influence. | EU leaders will also hold the first round of serious negotiations over divvying up the EU’s top jobs, replacements for Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk - a matter previous British prime ministers once strove to influence. |
| Asked about British politics and her likely successor Boris Johnson, May sounded a familiar note. | Asked about British politics and her likely successor Boris Johnson, May sounded a familiar note. |
| People will be looking for the UK to do what we have always said we would do, which is to make a constructive contribution as we remain a member of the European Union. For that period of time we will continue to meet our rights and obligations, but of course we will be leaving the EU and we look forward to developing a close partnership with the EU when we have left. | People will be looking for the UK to do what we have always said we would do, which is to make a constructive contribution as we remain a member of the European Union. For that period of time we will continue to meet our rights and obligations, but of course we will be leaving the EU and we look forward to developing a close partnership with the EU when we have left. |
| She was also asked if she would miss attending EU summits, but swerved away from expressing personal feeling. | She was also asked if she would miss attending EU summits, but swerved away from expressing personal feeling. |
| I will continue to do what we have always done as the UK, which is to play a constructive role within the European Union while we part of the discussions around the table. | I will continue to do what we have always done as the UK, which is to play a constructive role within the European Union while we part of the discussions around the table. |
| But with EU leaders divided over top jobs, May could return for a special summit before the end of June or in early July. | But with EU leaders divided over top jobs, May could return for a special summit before the end of June or in early July. |
| Sarah Wollaston, the former Conservative MP who now sits as an independent (after a detour through Change UK), thinks there will be a snap election if Boris Johnson becomes PM. | Sarah Wollaston, the former Conservative MP who now sits as an independent (after a detour through Change UK), thinks there will be a snap election if Boris Johnson becomes PM. |
| Once the 0.25% have crowned Boris, suspect we will see a Boris/Farage alliance with Farage promised a seat at the negotiating table in return for Brexit party endorsement & free run for Boris at a snap election | Once the 0.25% have crowned Boris, suspect we will see a Boris/Farage alliance with Farage promised a seat at the negotiating table in return for Brexit party endorsement & free run for Boris at a snap election |
| Here are some questions from below the line that I can help with. | Here are some questions from below the line that I can help with. |
| would be great to get some analysis from @ANDREW on this. if they announce on, say, Thurs or Friday, and parliament goes away for the summer that day:1) could the new PM have the whole summer without having to face parliament ?2) is there a way the opposition can get parliament recalled? .. to get a no confidence vote done?3) what if the DUP don't play ball, and the new PM has no majority?4) is it possible that the new PM cannot take over until Sept for any reason? | would be great to get some analysis from @ANDREW on this. if they announce on, say, Thurs or Friday, and parliament goes away for the summer that day:1) could the new PM have the whole summer without having to face parliament ?2) is there a way the opposition can get parliament recalled? .. to get a no confidence vote done?3) what if the DUP don't play ball, and the new PM has no majority?4) is it possible that the new PM cannot take over until Sept for any reason? |
| 1) In theory the recess could start before the new prime minister has been appointed. But the Commons has to approve recess dates (there is never normally a division, because they are agreed on a cross-party basis) and Labour would probably object if the government tried to start the recess before the new PM takes over. Downing Street has said, anyway, that it won’t do this. But it does look as though the new PM will only have two or three days with the house sitting before recess starts. (See 10.52am.) | 1) In theory the recess could start before the new prime minister has been appointed. But the Commons has to approve recess dates (there is never normally a division, because they are agreed on a cross-party basis) and Labour would probably object if the government tried to start the recess before the new PM takes over. Downing Street has said, anyway, that it won’t do this. But it does look as though the new PM will only have two or three days with the house sitting before recess starts. (See 10.52am.) |
| 2) No. The government has to request a recall of parliament. | 2) No. The government has to request a recall of parliament. |
| 3) The new PM will not have to prove he has a Commons majority before he gets appointed, and I think it is unlikely that the majority will get tested in the two or three days before the summer recess starts. There will be no key legislation to pass. Labour could go for a no confidence vote, but they are likely to wait until some Tories, or the DUP, have said they will vote with the opposition, and I would be surprised if that happens on day one. The potential Tory rebels are likely to give the new PM, even Boris Johnson, a chance, and see what he does first. | 3) The new PM will not have to prove he has a Commons majority before he gets appointed, and I think it is unlikely that the majority will get tested in the two or three days before the summer recess starts. There will be no key legislation to pass. Labour could go for a no confidence vote, but they are likely to wait until some Tories, or the DUP, have said they will vote with the opposition, and I would be surprised if that happens on day one. The potential Tory rebels are likely to give the new PM, even Boris Johnson, a chance, and see what he does first. |
| 4) No. | 4) No. |
| @Andrew | @Andrew |
| You have reported the dates of the recess; however it would be interesting to know if any MP raised objection to this and suggested they should be sitting to hold a new PM to account, deal with Brexit, actually carry out some work . . . | You have reported the dates of the recess; however it would be interesting to know if any MP raised objection to this and suggested they should be sitting to hold a new PM to account, deal with Brexit, actually carry out some work . . . |
| As far as I can see, at business questions no MP did object to the proposed date of the recess, although Labour’s Valerie Vaz asked for clarification as to when the new PM would take over. (See 10.52am.) | As far as I can see, at business questions no MP did object to the proposed date of the recess, although Labour’s Valerie Vaz asked for clarification as to when the new PM would take over. (See 10.52am.) |
| Sajid Javid would not say he was voting for when he cast his vote, the BBC’s Iain Watson reports. | Sajid Javid would not say he was voting for when he cast his vote, the BBC’s Iain Watson reports. |
| Sajid Javid refuses to say who he voted for in the latest Tory leadership ballot | Sajid Javid refuses to say who he voted for in the latest Tory leadership ballot |
| Boris Johnson managed to jump the queue, apparently. | Boris Johnson managed to jump the queue, apparently. |
| Front runner @BorisJohnson being allowed to jump the queue to vote by a fellow MP #ToryLeadershipElection | Front runner @BorisJohnson being allowed to jump the queue to vote by a fellow MP #ToryLeadershipElection |
| Johnson has voted and marched off down the corridor at high speed, muttering more unintelligible vowels under his breath. No discernible words. Looked, as has been the case for the past few weeks, like a man struggling to not crack a glib joke. | Johnson has voted and marched off down the corridor at high speed, muttering more unintelligible vowels under his breath. No discernible words. Looked, as has been the case for the past few weeks, like a man struggling to not crack a glib joke. |