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Brexit: Corbyn says Boris Johnson should apologise as Gove claims PM did nothing wrong – live news Brexit: Corbyn says Boris Johnson should apologise as Gove claims PM did nothing wrong – live news
(32 minutes later)
Boris Johnson is back in the UK after his trip to the UN in New York. His RAF Voyager touched down a few minutes ago, the Press Association reports.
Lord Heseltine, the former Conservative deputy prime minister, has criticised Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, for describing the supreme court judgment as a “constitutional coup”. (See 10.08am.) He said Rees-Mogg used to be a “pillar of rectitude”. But in the last few weeks he has been seen lounging on the front bench, and criticising the supreme court, Heseltine said. He went on:
This is a Tory, this is someone who believes in the high principles of Conservatism, taking about a constitutional coup when he’s lost a legal case. If I’m arraigned on some sort of criminal charge in the courts, and I then said ‘Well, of course it’s a personal vendetta’, people would laugh. Yet we’ve got the leader of the House of Commons talking about the unanimous judgment of 11 judges, calling it a constitutional coup.
Heseltine is an arch-remainer, and so you would expect him to be critical of Rees-Mogg. But Sir Geoffrey Clifton Brown, a Tory Brexiter, told the same programme that he also thought Rees-Mogg’s language was wrong. Clifton-Brown said:
I do think it’s a lapse of judgment on Jacob’s behalf. And, like Lord Heseltine, I’m surprised that he said that. As a result of 24 hours since the judgment, I think cooler minds will prevail. Michael Gove was very careful what he said this morning about criticising the supreme court. We are the party of law and order. We will accept and uphold the judgment.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, reportedly described the supreme court judgment as a “constitutional coup” when cabinet ministers spoke on a conference call last night.
This morning, in an interview on Sky News, Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister refused to deny the story. Sky’s Sarah-Jane Mee asked him three times if the reports about what Rees-Mogg were wrong, and each time Gove sidestepped the question. When she asked a fourth time, he replied:
I don’t recognise that language at all.
This sounds like a denial, but actually it isn’t. It is a formula frequently used by politicians at the moment when they want to sound as if they are denying a story but don’t feel comfortable saying it is untrue.
The justification for using the phrase is that the reality of what happened was rather different from the way it was reported. But that is true of almost any event reported second-hand as seen by someone who was involved in person.
In his Today interview Jeremy Corbyn seemed to rule out Labour voting for a short Commons recess next week to allow the Conservative party conference in Manchester to go ahead. (See 8.41am.) But Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, told Sky’s All Out Politics that the shadow cabinet would be discussing this issue when it meets this morning. She suggested that the Labour party might agree to the Commons not sitting early next week. Asked whether Labour would let a mini conference recess go ahead, she replied:In his Today interview Jeremy Corbyn seemed to rule out Labour voting for a short Commons recess next week to allow the Conservative party conference in Manchester to go ahead. (See 8.41am.) But Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, told Sky’s All Out Politics that the shadow cabinet would be discussing this issue when it meets this morning. She suggested that the Labour party might agree to the Commons not sitting early next week. Asked whether Labour would let a mini conference recess go ahead, she replied:
The Labour party is very benevolent and believes in fair play. So we’ll see what [the Conservatives] come forward with. But we want to be benevolent.The Labour party is very benevolent and believes in fair play. So we’ll see what [the Conservatives] come forward with. But we want to be benevolent.
Normally, when the Conservative conference is on, the Commons is in recess for the whole week. The opposition parties will almost certainly want it to be sitting next Wednesday for PMQs, when Boris Johnson was meant to be delivering his party conference speech, but one option might be to agree for the Commons not to sit for a day or two at the start of the week, so a shortened conference could go ahead.Normally, when the Conservative conference is on, the Commons is in recess for the whole week. The opposition parties will almost certainly want it to be sitting next Wednesday for PMQs, when Boris Johnson was meant to be delivering his party conference speech, but one option might be to agree for the Commons not to sit for a day or two at the start of the week, so a shortened conference could go ahead.
We are likely to know more about what is happening by the end of the day.We are likely to know more about what is happening by the end of the day.
On the subject of who might head an interim government, if Boris Johnson were to lose a confidence vote and if the opposition parties were to unite behind someone else who could take over solely to negotiate a Brexit delay with the EU and then hold a general election, Newsnight’s Nicholas Watt says Margaret Beckett is a possible candidate.On the subject of who might head an interim government, if Boris Johnson were to lose a confidence vote and if the opposition parties were to unite behind someone else who could take over solely to negotiate a Brexit delay with the EU and then hold a general election, Newsnight’s Nicholas Watt says Margaret Beckett is a possible candidate.
“...Once no-deal has been taken off the table, if it is taken off the table, they think [ex-Tory rebels] there may be the numbers for a caretaker PM. The name I’m hearing is Margaret Beckett, former deputy leader of the Labour Party.”- Political editor @nicholaswatt#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/XLFwuhsDiD“...Once no-deal has been taken off the table, if it is taken off the table, they think [ex-Tory rebels] there may be the numbers for a caretaker PM. The name I’m hearing is Margaret Beckett, former deputy leader of the Labour Party.”- Political editor @nicholaswatt#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/XLFwuhsDiD
Beckett, a former foreign secretary and former leader of the Commons, is respected by MPs from all sides of the Commons. Unlike Hilary Benn, another Labour backbencher sometimes tipped as leader of an interim, cross-party anti-no-deal government, she would be more amenable to Jeremy Corbyn and his team. She would also be seen as someone with no ambition to hold on to the job beyond a general election.Beckett, a former foreign secretary and former leader of the Commons, is respected by MPs from all sides of the Commons. Unlike Hilary Benn, another Labour backbencher sometimes tipped as leader of an interim, cross-party anti-no-deal government, she would be more amenable to Jeremy Corbyn and his team. She would also be seen as someone with no ambition to hold on to the job beyond a general election.
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Simon Murphy.Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Simon Murphy.
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, was on the Today programme earlier this morning and he said something potentially important about what might happen after a vote of no confidence in the Commons.Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader at Westminster, was on the Today programme earlier this morning and he said something potentially important about what might happen after a vote of no confidence in the Commons.
One plan would be for the opposition parties to install an interim PM who could request a delay to Brexit and then hold a general election. In the past the SNP has been very negative about the idea of installing Jeremy Corbyn as PM. But this morning Blackford indicated that the SNP might support putting Corbyn into Downing Street on this interim PM basis. Asked whether he could support Corbyn taking over in those circumstances, Blackford said:One plan would be for the opposition parties to install an interim PM who could request a delay to Brexit and then hold a general election. In the past the SNP has been very negative about the idea of installing Jeremy Corbyn as PM. But this morning Blackford indicated that the SNP might support putting Corbyn into Downing Street on this interim PM basis. Asked whether he could support Corbyn taking over in those circumstances, Blackford said:
We’re only talking about putting somebody in place in order to call an election, and on that basis I wouldn’t be opposed to that. I’m less concerned about the individual.
I think it is fair to say that, in such a scenario, the official leader of the opposition is the first point of contact as far as that is concerned.
But we are only talking about putting someone in place in order to call an election. On that basis, I wouldn’t be opposed to that [Corbyn being interim PM].
Reaction here from some lobby journalists on Corbyn’s interview.Reaction here from some lobby journalists on Corbyn’s interview.
Quite impressed by Corbyn on Today. Sounds reasonable, measured and convincing. He should do these kinds of slots more often.Quite impressed by Corbyn on Today. Sounds reasonable, measured and convincing. He should do these kinds of slots more often.
Corbyn says he’s not scared of a GE. “I am very happy to have a GE when No Deal is taken off the table” > context: Corbyn also has worst approval ratings for any opposition leader in nearly 50 years according to recent pollCorbyn says he’s not scared of a GE. “I am very happy to have a GE when No Deal is taken off the table” > context: Corbyn also has worst approval ratings for any opposition leader in nearly 50 years according to recent poll
And this, from the Times’ Matt Chorley, on a dig Corbyn made about what he considers to be unfair media coverage.And this, from the Times’ Matt Chorley, on a dig Corbyn made about what he considers to be unfair media coverage.
Corbyn's complaints about how he doesn't get a fair hearing in the media outside election campaigns might carry more weight if he actually agreed to be interviewed more oftenCorbyn's complaints about how he doesn't get a fair hearing in the media outside election campaigns might carry more weight if he actually agreed to be interviewed more often
The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who has already called on Boris Johnson to resign, says the prime minister should apologise to the Queen and the British people following the supreme court ruling.The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who has already called on Boris Johnson to resign, says the prime minister should apologise to the Queen and the British people following the supreme court ruling.
In a rare appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said Johnson abused his powers.In a rare appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said Johnson abused his powers.
I think he should apologise both to her [the Queen] for the advice he gave her [over suspending parliament] but, more importantly, apologise to the British people for what he’s done in trying to shut down our democracy at a very crucial time when people are very, very worried about what will happen on 31 October.I think he should apologise both to her [the Queen] for the advice he gave her [over suspending parliament] but, more importantly, apologise to the British people for what he’s done in trying to shut down our democracy at a very crucial time when people are very, very worried about what will happen on 31 October.
Johnson did speak to the Queen yesterday after the supreme court ruling, although No 10 has refused to say whether he apologised.Johnson did speak to the Queen yesterday after the supreme court ruling, although No 10 has refused to say whether he apologised.
"Our priority is to prevent a no deal exit and when that has been achieved... we will then be ready with a motion of no confidence," says @jeremycorbyn #r4Today https://t.co/L23wB5cHNF pic.twitter.com/zAkzBp14CW"Our priority is to prevent a no deal exit and when that has been achieved... we will then be ready with a motion of no confidence," says @jeremycorbyn #r4Today https://t.co/L23wB5cHNF pic.twitter.com/zAkzBp14CW
In his interview Corbyn said his priority was to prevent a no-deal exit but he would not be bounced into a general election before that is secured.In his interview Corbyn said his priority was to prevent a no-deal exit but he would not be bounced into a general election before that is secured.
Asked about accusations he is scared of holding a general election because of his party’s dire poll ratings, he replied:Asked about accusations he is scared of holding a general election because of his party’s dire poll ratings, he replied:
I’m very happy to have a general election when we’ve taken no deal off the table and the EU has granted that extension.I’m very happy to have a general election when we’ve taken no deal off the table and the EU has granted that extension.
Pressed on his party’s poor polling, he claimed Labour had been a “very effective opposition”.Pressed on his party’s poor polling, he claimed Labour had been a “very effective opposition”.
Corbyn also confirmed Labour will not vote for a short recess for Conservative party conference next week.Corbyn also confirmed Labour will not vote for a short recess for Conservative party conference next week.
Reaction here from the editor of Politics Home, Kevin Schofield, to that Gove interview.Reaction here from the editor of Politics Home, Kevin Schofield, to that Gove interview.
Michael Gove very rattled on #r4today, even more passive aggressive than normal.Michael Gove very rattled on #r4today, even more passive aggressive than normal.
Michael Gove denied the government did anything wrong by suspending parliament – despite the supreme court’s ruling yesterday. The Tory cabinet minister, who is in charge of no-deal planning, said he respected the court’s position but would not accept being at fault over prorogation.Michael Gove denied the government did anything wrong by suspending parliament – despite the supreme court’s ruling yesterday. The Tory cabinet minister, who is in charge of no-deal planning, said he respected the court’s position but would not accept being at fault over prorogation.
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether the government did something wrong by proroguing parliament, Gove said: “I don’t believe so.”Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme whether the government did something wrong by proroguing parliament, Gove said: “I don’t believe so.”
Accused of having a lack of humility during a testy interview, he replied:Accused of having a lack of humility during a testy interview, he replied:
I absolutely respect the integrity of the supreme court, I respect the judgment, the government will comply with it. That is the law.I absolutely respect the integrity of the supreme court, I respect the judgment, the government will comply with it. That is the law.
It is also the case that the principle of judicial review is a well-understood one, it has often been the case that government ministers have taken actions which they believed were right and then the courts, whether it’s been the high court or other courts, have said: ‘Actually, do you know what? Your exercise of your executive power or your prerogative power was wrong’.It is also the case that the principle of judicial review is a well-understood one, it has often been the case that government ministers have taken actions which they believed were right and then the courts, whether it’s been the high court or other courts, have said: ‘Actually, do you know what? Your exercise of your executive power or your prerogative power was wrong’.
Tory grandee Ken Clarke – who has been tipped as a potential caretaker prime minister – stops short of calling for Boris Johnson to resign but says the supreme court ruling “leaves us back in a more sensible constitutional position”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme:
I think it just leaves us back in a more sensible constitutional position. The smash, bang, wallop approach to government of the country in the last few weeks was in danger of leaving us in an extraordinary situation. It was as if we were going to have President Trump but with no checks and balances, just a presidential system.
Asked about the next steps in parliament, he said:
The most important task is to decide as quickly as we can how we are going to move forward on Brexit. It’s not true, which is being repeated over and over again by ministers, that everybody who’s involved in parliament is just trying to stop Brexit, defy the people … I voted for Brexit three times with a deal on these three preliminary points. I think the best thing to do is to produce a majority in parliament on a cross-party basis – which people would normally approve of the parties co-operating – to actually have those three points disposed of, leave with that preliminary deal and then have an election and get a government that explains what its long-term negotiations are going to be.
He added:
You might have to add a referendum on whatever interim withdrawal agreement you reach. I’m not in favour of referendums. Having a referendum with such a simplistic question and answer for such a huge number of complex – they’re quite technical – issues has caused all the trouble. But if you had to have a referendum to validate the withdrawal agreement or to decide on what the alternatives are if you don’t, I might resign myself to that. Now, whether enough people would resign themselves to that to get a majority in parliament, I’m not sure.
According to the Financial Times’ economics editor, Chris Giles, his paper never calls for “heads to roll in editorials” but, in a thundering piece, it says today: “Faced with such a damning judgment, any premier with a shred of respect for British democracy and the responsibilities of his office would resign.”
The @FinancialTimes never* calls for heads to roll in editorials. It is a policy*https://t.co/e5UGt4b7Uh* broken today pic.twitter.com/FAt3eSKTtw
Good morning, folks. Simon Murphy here taking the helm of the live blog ahead of parliament opening its doors to MPs this morning following the extraordinary supreme court ruling yesterday. Another big day of politics in store …
Quite a lot was made of Lady Hale’s remarkable spider brooch yesterday. There is a lovely piece of analysis from the Guardian’s senior fashion writer and senior social reporter here about what Hale might be telling us with her fashion choice, with a brief history of subversive brooches.
Since then, I’ve started seeing a few people adding a spider into their Twitter name. Trudy Harpham has done this and offers this explanation as to why.
Hi Kate. Yes I did. Because I'm a Girly Swot (a UK Prof) too and I wanted to signal my admiration and respect fo Lady Hale. Her combination of intelligence, clarity, experience and- let's face it- elegant style is inspiring. Hope she becomes role model for many young women/girls.
Say it with a brooch: what message was Lady Hale's spider sending?
The stunning supreme court ruling, which found Boris Johnson’s suspension of parliament “unlawful”, is unsurprisingly the lead on all the newspapers today, with very mixed takes on the news.
The Guardian front page, Wednesday 25 September 2019: He misled the Queen,the people and parliament pic.twitter.com/4hdeHerzeN
Wednesday’s SCOTSMAN: Unlawful #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/P32I0UGhBR
Wednesday’s i: Humiliated PM refuses to resign #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/l6s5Sjf13J
Wednesday's @DailyMailUK #MailFrontPages pic.twitter.com/6HPmSKKJ5p
Tomorrow's front page: There's a special place in history waiting for you, Prime Minister#TomorrowsPapersToday https://t.co/KtNG2EuMzg pic.twitter.com/ICEQwroAlq
The Sun front page. pic.twitter.com/OUsc9Qatec
Wednesday’s TIMES: PM flies back to chaos #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/cPBOcIQOoJ
Wednesday’s TELEGRAPH #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/9PvkorgXKl
Wednesday’s EXPRESS: Unlawful? Whats unlawful about denying 17.4m Brexit! #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/KsFAWh3sDO
Wednesday’s FT: Johnson faces calls to resign as judges rule Parliament’a closure ‘unlawful’ #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/MPmhK0qHRz
Lord Adonis is up, he is angry and he is tweeting.
The Labour peer has called the Tories “a revolutionary rabble – with Eton accents”, published an imagined Queen’s speech, and tweeted a quote from a (real) speech from Margaret Thatcher, in which she asserts the importance of an independent judiciary whose decisions aren’t undermined for the rule of law.
The Tories are now a revolutionary rabble - with Eton accents https://t.co/FQOnevKEwv
What Johnson should have said in that phone call to the Queen: ‘I am extremely sorry. I should not have abused you & the constitution in this way. I have been found out. I resign immediately’
Margaret Thatcher on the rule of law requiring independent judges whose decisions aren’t undermined - & telling politicians in emerging democracies to ‘see what is happening in this country.’ Those were the days! h/t @nathlloyd pic.twitter.com/kUO0hEvvVE
‘One has been given a list of Bills to read out on education, health and life sentences for offences for which my prime minister merits multiple convictions. But as I’m told he said to a young lady who he took on a trade mission, they are all poppycock to try and win an election’
From the Labour MP Kevin Brennan
Travelling back to Westminster today as Parliament resumes - I said from the start that prorogation in this way was an abuse - effectively an executive coup - and it is right that we’ve been called back to the Commons
Overnight, Boris Johnson delivered his inaugural speech to the UN General Assembly. It was, let’s just say, a remarkable speech.
My colleague Graham Russell pulled together a selection of quotes from the address, which was meant to be about the opportunities and challenges of technology, in which Johnson ranged from mattresses that can monitor your nightmares to a diet of “terrifying limbless chickens”. Enjoy.
1.
“In the future, voice connectivity will be in every room and almost every object: your mattress will monitor your nightmares; your fridge will beep for more cheese.”
2.
“A future Alexa will pretend to take orders. But this Alexa will be watching you, clucking her tongue and stamping her foot.”
3.
“You may keep secrets from your friends, from your parents, your children, your doctor – even your personal trainer – but it takes real effort to conceal your thoughts from Google.”
4.
“AI – what will it mean? Helpful robots washing and caring for an ageing population? Or pink-eyed terminators sent back from the future to cull the human race?”
5.
“What will synthetic biology stand for – restoring our livers and our eyes with miracle regeneration of the tissues, like some fantastic hangover cure? Or will it bring terrifying limbless chickens to our tables?”
6.
“When Prometheus brought fire to mankind. In a tube of fennel, as you may remember, that Zeus punished him by chaining him to a Tartarean crag while his liver was pecked out by an eagle. And every time his liver regrew the eagle came back and pecked it again. And this went on forever – a bit like the experience of Brexit in the UK, if some of our parliamentarians had their way.”
Martin Farrer has written this helpful guide to what happens next in parliament. The full guide is here, but here are the answers to a few key questions:
What’s happening with parliament on Wednesday?
The president of the UK’s highest court, Lady Hale, announced on Tuesday that “parliament has not been prorogued”. The unanimous judgment of all 11 justices was that it was for parliament - and particularly the speakers of both houses - to decide what to do next. Commons Speaker John Bercow has already said that parliament must be reconvened as a “matter of urgency”and that MPs will sit at 11.30am. The usual Wednesday session of prime minister’s questions would not take place, he said, although there would be opportunities for MPs to hold the Government to account.
What does it mean for Brexit?
Corbyn was meeting the leaders of the Scottish Nationalists, Lib Dems and other opposition parties last night to work out how to exert maximum pressure to achieve their number one goal: making sure Johnson cannot escape the legal obligation set out in the Benn-Burt bill to delay Brexit if he has not reached a deal of any description by 19 October. Johnson has always insisted he will not request an extension of article 50 and may be hoping that the EU summit on 17 October will provide a breakthrough.
Government ministers have repeatedly dodged questions about whether they think there are loopholes they could use to avoid complying with the Benn legislation. But it would risk another potentially humiliating legal battle with the courts if Johnson chose to go down that route. In a hint he could have another go at suspending parliament he said there was a “good case for getting on with a Queen’s speech”.
Does any of this make an election more likely?
Johnson would like to have an election as soon as possible, but he has failed to force the necessary legal instrument through parliament. As he put it, “we have a parliament that is unable to be prorogued” and “doesn’t want to have an election”. The opposition parties don’t want an election until Johnson has asked for the Brexit extension. Their calculation is that Johnson will be weakened by doing so because he has made delivering Brexit on 31 October “come what may” the totem of his prime ministership. They can therefore go to the country portraying him as someone who has failed to deliver his promises.
What happens next in parliament after supreme court ruling?
Good morning and welcome to the politics live blog.
Yesterday was a fairly extraordinary day on both sides of the Atlantic. Just hours after the supreme court handed down its ruling declaring Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament was “unlawful, void and of no effect”, Nancy Pelosi announced an official impeachment inquiry into US president Donald Trump. Quite the day for brash, blonde world leaders.
The Supreme Court verdict has meant that Johnson has had to cut short his visit to New York, where he was attending the United Nations general assembly. He is due to arrive in London around lunchtime on Wednesday after an overnight flight.
Parliament will resume at 11:30am, with MPs returning to the House of Commons two weeks after it was suspended in chaotic scenes. A government official in New York with the prime minister said it was impossible to say whether Johnson would appear before the Commons.
“I would anticipate there would be statements to the house, I’m just not in a position to say what they will be on,” the official said.
Downing Street suggested the prime minister would continue to push for a snap general election, while opposition parties attempted to inflict maximum embarrassment on Johnson.
“In the coming days parliament is likely to be put on the spot to see if it will have an election or whether it will continue to keep the country in zombie-parliament stasis. The only way out is an election and they will be given another opportunity to let the public decide if and when we leave the EU,” said a No 10 source.
I’ll be at the helm of this blog in the early hours, before I hand it over to my brilliant colleagues. As always, you can get in touch via Twitter or email (kate.lyons@theguardian.com).
We don’t know what the day will bring, but it’s a fairly sure bet that it will bring drama, so buckle up and thanks for reading along.