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| Brexit: UK set to publish new plan as Varadkar says what he has heard about it 'not promising' – live news | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach (prime minister) has said what he has heard about the UK’s Brexit plans is “not promising” and “does not appear to form the basis for an agreement”. He said: | |
| What I can say is from the leaks, it’s not promising, and does not appear to form the basis for an agreement, but we’ll keep talking but I’d want to see them in writing first. | |
| I hope to speak to the prime minister later this evening. I expect him to talk me through the proposals, and for me to ask him to listen to the voice of the people of Northern Ireland. As prime minister he must act with impartiality and listen to all the parties of Northern Ireland, and the people of Northern Ireland, who voted against Brexit and do not want to see customs posts on the border. | |
| It will be necessary to have checks, but we believe they should be done at ports and airports, but not along the 500km border. That’s our position and makes sense to us. | |
| No one on the island of Ireland wants checks at the border. Why would any British government want to force that on Irish people, north and south? | |
| Varadkar said he did not hear Boris Johnson deliver his speech this morning. But Varadkar also said this, implying he had read or heard what Johnson had to say about how if the UK and the EU failed to agree that would be because of a “technical” disagreement about customs: | |
| It’s much more than technical, it’s deeply political, legal, and the technical aspects are a small part of that. | |
| Although Varadkar’s comments sound negative, here he has just been focusing on the unacceptability of customs checks at or on the border. This may be significant because Johnson is stressing that the checks he envisages would take place elsewhere. (See 11.52am.) | |
| From RTE | |
| Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he will speak by phone to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson this evening #Brexit | |
| Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley, did not get the embrace he was expecting from his son after the speech, this clip shows. Bloomberg’s Robert Hutton thinks Stanley might have been getting the Falstaff treatment. | Boris Johnson’s father, Stanley, did not get the embrace he was expecting from his son after the speech, this clip shows. Bloomberg’s Robert Hutton thinks Stanley might have been getting the Falstaff treatment. |
| "I know thee not, old man. How ill white hairs become a fool and jester." pic.twitter.com/4EkSfeWpnp | "I know thee not, old man. How ill white hairs become a fool and jester." pic.twitter.com/4EkSfeWpnp |
| This is what PA Media has filed about PMQs, which featured Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, standing in for the PM, and Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, standing in for the leader of the opposition. | This is what PA Media has filed about PMQs, which featured Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, standing in for the PM, and Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, standing in for the leader of the opposition. |
| Tory MPs need to learn how to treat women “less cruelly”, Diane Abbott has claimed during a landmark PMQs | Tory MPs need to learn how to treat women “less cruelly”, Diane Abbott has claimed during a landmark PMQs |
| The shadow home secretary raised the issue of abuse aimed at MPs, abortion rights in Northern Ireland, the so-called “rape clause” connected to tax credits and the plight of workers at Thomas Cook, before accusing the government of letting women down. | The shadow home secretary raised the issue of abuse aimed at MPs, abortion rights in Northern Ireland, the so-called “rape clause” connected to tax credits and the plight of workers at Thomas Cook, before accusing the government of letting women down. |
| Her appearance at the dispatch box meant she became the first black person to lead their party at PMQs. | Her appearance at the dispatch box meant she became the first black person to lead their party at PMQs. |
| She faced Dominic Raab at the session, with the pair deputising for their leaders as Boris Johnson was delivering his keynote speech at the Conservative conference in Manchester. | She faced Dominic Raab at the session, with the pair deputising for their leaders as Boris Johnson was delivering his keynote speech at the Conservative conference in Manchester. |
| Their exchanges included lighthearted moments, too, as Raab initially got to his feet too early after believing Abbott had finished her first question. | Their exchanges included lighthearted moments, too, as Raab initially got to his feet too early after believing Abbott had finished her first question. |
| Abbott later tried to ask a seventh question – one beyond the allotted six – before being stopped by the Speaker, John Bercow. | Abbott later tried to ask a seventh question – one beyond the allotted six – before being stopped by the Speaker, John Bercow. |
| The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington began by asking Raab to apologise for remarks made by the Johnson last week after he said “humbug” in response to concerns raised by Labour’s Paula Sherriff about threats received by MPs. | The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington began by asking Raab to apologise for remarks made by the Johnson last week after he said “humbug” in response to concerns raised by Labour’s Paula Sherriff about threats received by MPs. |
| Abbott added Sherriff had received “four further death threats” since her exchange with the PM, noting some again quoted Johnson’s words. | Abbott added Sherriff had received “four further death threats” since her exchange with the PM, noting some again quoted Johnson’s words. |
| Raab did not apologise on behalf of the PM but called for a “zero-tolerance” approach to any abuse or threats against MPs. | Raab did not apologise on behalf of the PM but called for a “zero-tolerance” approach to any abuse or threats against MPs. |
| Abbott also highlighted billboards put up in Walthamstow, east London, targeting the Labour MP Stella Creasy for her support of decriminalising abortion in Northern Ireland. | Abbott also highlighted billboards put up in Walthamstow, east London, targeting the Labour MP Stella Creasy for her support of decriminalising abortion in Northern Ireland. |
| Abbott later said: “Whether it’s women members in this house, women claiming benefits, women’s reproductive rights in Northern Ireland, and the failure to support women workers at Thomas Cook, isn’t this a government letting women down?” | Abbott later said: “Whether it’s women members in this house, women claiming benefits, women’s reproductive rights in Northern Ireland, and the failure to support women workers at Thomas Cook, isn’t this a government letting women down?” |
| Raab replied: “On this side of the house we’re proud to be on our second female prime minister.” | Raab replied: “On this side of the house we’re proud to be on our second female prime minister.” |
| And here is some comment on Boris Johnson’s speech from journalists and commentators. | And here is some comment on Boris Johnson’s speech from journalists and commentators. |
| From the BBC’s Nick Robinson. | From the BBC’s Nick Robinson. |
| The Irish border problem is summed up by @BorisJohnson as “essentially a technical discussion of the exact nature of customs checks.” The EU see it as about peace in Ireland, defending the European ideal & the single market. This gulf in understanding may not be bridgeable | The Irish border problem is summed up by @BorisJohnson as “essentially a technical discussion of the exact nature of customs checks.” The EU see it as about peace in Ireland, defending the European ideal & the single market. This gulf in understanding may not be bridgeable |
| From the Daily Mirror’s Jason Beattie. | From the Daily Mirror’s Jason Beattie. |
| Verdict on Boris Johnson speech: he will always be a showman rather than a statesmanhttps://t.co/4UC60B8I0I pic.twitter.com/aWjXzUBNEZ | Verdict on Boris Johnson speech: he will always be a showman rather than a statesmanhttps://t.co/4UC60B8I0I pic.twitter.com/aWjXzUBNEZ |
| From Sky’s Lewis Goodall. | From Sky’s Lewis Goodall. |
| In many ways, that speech showed the best and worst of the Boris Johnson premiership. Funny, unpredictable but he hasn’t quite found a prime ministerial voice. It’s just his old one. | In many ways, that speech showed the best and worst of the Boris Johnson premiership. Funny, unpredictable but he hasn’t quite found a prime ministerial voice. It’s just his old one. |
| Also there’s a rhetorical difference between being London Mayor and Prime Minister. You can’t just excitedly list all the things which are progressing (electric planes, genetic research etc) whilst you happen to be in office. You have to communicate a reason to govern. | Also there’s a rhetorical difference between being London Mayor and Prime Minister. You can’t just excitedly list all the things which are progressing (electric planes, genetic research etc) whilst you happen to be in office. You have to communicate a reason to govern. |
| From ITV’s Robert Peston. | From ITV’s Robert Peston. |
| No new policy in @BorisJohnson speech. It was a repositioning speech, a statement that - putting the Brexit arguments to one side - he wants to see seen as a socially liberal, ecology-championing, big-infrastructure investing, science-loving One Nation Conservative. | No new policy in @BorisJohnson speech. It was a repositioning speech, a statement that - putting the Brexit arguments to one side - he wants to see seen as a socially liberal, ecology-championing, big-infrastructure investing, science-loving One Nation Conservative. |
| To put another way, that was Boris Johnson saying “I hate being called an extreme right-wing ideologue”. https://t.co/83D0O4bEfb | To put another way, that was Boris Johnson saying “I hate being called an extreme right-wing ideologue”. https://t.co/83D0O4bEfb |
| From the Manchester Evening News’ Jennifer Williams. | From the Manchester Evening News’ Jennifer Williams. |
| I’ve got to say I’m no clearer on what exactly Boris Johnson stands for after that speech. Everything. He stands for everything. What was the line? Help | I’ve got to say I’m no clearer on what exactly Boris Johnson stands for after that speech. Everything. He stands for everything. What was the line? Help |
| There was one nation in there (although there is a joke to be made about which nation, which I will leave) and there was also crowd pleasing brexit rhetoric. And some stuff about turbot. So...yeah sorry I still think it was a bit all over the place | There was one nation in there (although there is a joke to be made about which nation, which I will leave) and there was also crowd pleasing brexit rhetoric. And some stuff about turbot. So...yeah sorry I still think it was a bit all over the place |
| From the Guardian’s Rafael Behr. | From the Guardian’s Rafael Behr. |
| This is utterly banal. Off the shelf mainstream Tory comfort zone speech, with some of Johnson's after-dinner reject lines sprinkled on top. The actual news was in @pmdfoster scoop. | This is utterly banal. Off the shelf mainstream Tory comfort zone speech, with some of Johnson's after-dinner reject lines sprinkled on top. The actual news was in @pmdfoster scoop. |
| Interesting also, on reflection, that there was no foreign policy chapter in the speech. No China, no Russia, no Iran. Commonwealth got a shout out, but no serious attempt to explain UK role in the world. | Interesting also, on reflection, that there was no foreign policy chapter in the speech. No China, no Russia, no Iran. Commonwealth got a shout out, but no serious attempt to explain UK role in the world. |
| From HuffPost’s Paul Waugh. | From HuffPost’s Paul Waugh. |
| In 21 years of covering party conferences, I've never heard a leader's speech, let alone a PM's speech, which hasn't got a single new policy.He is obvs storing some up for the election, but felt like missed opportunity.Overall felt like he dialled it in after a heavy night. | In 21 years of covering party conferences, I've never heard a leader's speech, let alone a PM's speech, which hasn't got a single new policy.He is obvs storing some up for the election, but felt like missed opportunity.Overall felt like he dialled it in after a heavy night. |
| From Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan. | From Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan. |
| Say what you like about Boris but he’s a smart, funny & charming guy, and his relentlessly positive message is a blessed relief after all the doom-and-gloom Remoaning. If he can deliver Brexit, he’ll be a national hero. We’re all sick of this pathetic partisan farce. | Say what you like about Boris but he’s a smart, funny & charming guy, and his relentlessly positive message is a blessed relief after all the doom-and-gloom Remoaning. If he can deliver Brexit, he’ll be a national hero. We’re all sick of this pathetic partisan farce. |
| From the Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff. | From the Guardian’s Gaby Hinsliff. |
| This whole speech is a triumph of rhetoric over reality; built around a Brexit offer whose wheels were coming off before he stood up, nothing much in the way of new policy. The hall loved it; it changes nothing outside. | This whole speech is a triumph of rhetoric over reality; built around a Brexit offer whose wheels were coming off before he stood up, nothing much in the way of new policy. The hall loved it; it changes nothing outside. |
| From the Telegraph’s Peter Foster. | From the Telegraph’s Peter Foster. |
| What to know the UK 'blame game' strategy for the #brexit deal? It's right here in @BorisJohnsonspeech.Just dismiss the 'kerfuffle' over the Irish border as a mere "technical" issue. Definitely NOT about lives & livelihoods; peace & identity. Mmm. pic.twitter.com/c7omYmiAFC | What to know the UK 'blame game' strategy for the #brexit deal? It's right here in @BorisJohnsonspeech.Just dismiss the 'kerfuffle' over the Irish border as a mere "technical" issue. Definitely NOT about lives & livelihoods; peace & identity. Mmm. pic.twitter.com/c7omYmiAFC |
| From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn. | From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn. |
| A vintage Tory conference darling speech from Boris Johnson, fizzing with optimism and ad-libbed humour, but devoid of any new policy and almost no new detail on his Brexit deal offer. The hall adored it, but will have no impact in Brussels where he most needs it #cpc19 | A vintage Tory conference darling speech from Boris Johnson, fizzing with optimism and ad-libbed humour, but devoid of any new policy and almost no new detail on his Brexit deal offer. The hall adored it, but will have no impact in Brussels where he most needs it #cpc19 |
| From Politico Europe’s Emilio Casalicchio. | From Politico Europe’s Emilio Casalicchio. |
| Here is the Trump/Farage style dog-whistle in the Boris Johnson conference speech: People suspect "forces in our country" trying to stop Brexit. #CPC2019 pic.twitter.com/WZwNX6wcGZ | Here is the Trump/Farage style dog-whistle in the Boris Johnson conference speech: People suspect "forces in our country" trying to stop Brexit. #CPC2019 pic.twitter.com/WZwNX6wcGZ |
| From the BBC’s Nick Eardley. | From the BBC’s Nick Eardley. |
| PM expected to speak to various European leaders this afternoon about his Brexit offer.MPs will get a chance to see plan this afternoon, but no chance to question ministers until tomorrow. | PM expected to speak to various European leaders this afternoon about his Brexit offer.MPs will get a chance to see plan this afternoon, but no chance to question ministers until tomorrow. |
| Most senior politicians take speech-giving seriously, and important moments in their careers are defined by the speeches they gave at the time. With David Cameron, for example, there was the “hug a hoodie” speech that set out his vision for liberal Conservatism, or the 2013 Bloomberg speech that announced a referendum on Europe. The highlights of Theresa May’s career include her “nasty party” speech as Tory chairman, her speech attacking the Police Federation, and her 2016 conference speech as PM setting Britain on course of a hard Brexit. | Most senior politicians take speech-giving seriously, and important moments in their careers are defined by the speeches they gave at the time. With David Cameron, for example, there was the “hug a hoodie” speech that set out his vision for liberal Conservatism, or the 2013 Bloomberg speech that announced a referendum on Europe. The highlights of Theresa May’s career include her “nasty party” speech as Tory chairman, her speech attacking the Police Federation, and her 2016 conference speech as PM setting Britain on course of a hard Brexit. |
| But Boris Johnson is different. He mostly just gives the same speech every time, and we heard it again today – a jolly confection of jokes meandering around the theme of how Conservatism should be about combining the benefits of a market economy with strong public services, with copious references to his time as London mayor. Even the jokes were old: dispatching Jeremy Corbyn into outer space, SNP leaders having fish surnames, and the line about wind turbines – although, when Johnson said today that “only a few years ago people were saying that … wind turbines would not pull the skin off a rice pudding”, he failed to mention that one of the people using that line was Johnson himself. Essentially, it was just an extended version of one of his Telegraph columns. | But Boris Johnson is different. He mostly just gives the same speech every time, and we heard it again today – a jolly confection of jokes meandering around the theme of how Conservatism should be about combining the benefits of a market economy with strong public services, with copious references to his time as London mayor. Even the jokes were old: dispatching Jeremy Corbyn into outer space, SNP leaders having fish surnames, and the line about wind turbines – although, when Johnson said today that “only a few years ago people were saying that … wind turbines would not pull the skin off a rice pudding”, he failed to mention that one of the people using that line was Johnson himself. Essentially, it was just an extended version of one of his Telegraph columns. |
| On the plus side, Johnson’s Telegraph columns were always worth a read; he can deliver an entertaining speech and the whole performance was more enjoyable than having to listen to Theresa May. People respond well to leaders exuding optimism, not misery, and Johnson certainly manages this. He is not so much a glass half-full sort of person as a glass full-to-overflowing. | On the plus side, Johnson’s Telegraph columns were always worth a read; he can deliver an entertaining speech and the whole performance was more enjoyable than having to listen to Theresa May. People respond well to leaders exuding optimism, not misery, and Johnson certainly manages this. He is not so much a glass half-full sort of person as a glass full-to-overflowing. |
| But, on the down side, was there any substance to support this inverted pyramid of puff? This was not a speech that made any sort of serious argument about the challenges facing the country, and it did not have anything new to say about domestic policy at all. Surprisingly, given that an election is expected soon, it did not even try to make a very robust case as to why the country would be better off for the next five years under the Conservatives, beyond claiming that Labour would prolong Brexit “chaos” (see 11.33am) – a claim, that in the current circumstances, you would have thought the Tories might have thought twice about wanting to revive. | But, on the down side, was there any substance to support this inverted pyramid of puff? This was not a speech that made any sort of serious argument about the challenges facing the country, and it did not have anything new to say about domestic policy at all. Surprisingly, given that an election is expected soon, it did not even try to make a very robust case as to why the country would be better off for the next five years under the Conservatives, beyond claiming that Labour would prolong Brexit “chaos” (see 11.33am) – a claim, that in the current circumstances, you would have thought the Tories might have thought twice about wanting to revive. |
| The most important passage was probably the one summarising Johnson’s Brexit offer to the EU. (See 11.52am.) In a line that sounded desperate, or mildly threatening, Johnson suggested that if the EU rejected his plan, that would just be a “technical” matter relating to “the exact nature of future customs checks”. Doubtless EU leaders will see it very differently. But they might take some consolation from the fact that, although No 10 was briefing last night that the plan being put forward today would be the UK’s “final offer”, Johnson did not use those words in his speech. | The most important passage was probably the one summarising Johnson’s Brexit offer to the EU. (See 11.52am.) In a line that sounded desperate, or mildly threatening, Johnson suggested that if the EU rejected his plan, that would just be a “technical” matter relating to “the exact nature of future customs checks”. Doubtless EU leaders will see it very differently. But they might take some consolation from the fact that, although No 10 was briefing last night that the plan being put forward today would be the UK’s “final offer”, Johnson did not use those words in his speech. |
| Boris Johnson is now leaving the conference hall. He is shaking hands on the way out. Carrie Symonds, his partner, joined him on the way out, but she did not take to the stage. | Boris Johnson is now leaving the conference hall. He is shaking hands on the way out. Carrie Symonds, his partner, joined him on the way out, but she did not take to the stage. |
| Johnson is now on his peroration. | Johnson is now on his peroration. |
| This country has long been a pioneer. We inaugurated the steam age, the atomic age, the age of the genome. We led the way in parliamentary democracy, in female emancipation. And when the whole world had succumbed to a different fashion, this country and this party pioneered ideas of free markets and privatisation that spread across the planet. | This country has long been a pioneer. We inaugurated the steam age, the atomic age, the age of the genome. We led the way in parliamentary democracy, in female emancipation. And when the whole world had succumbed to a different fashion, this country and this party pioneered ideas of free markets and privatisation that spread across the planet. |
| Every one of them was controversial, every one of them was difficult, but we have always had the courage to be original, to do things differently, and now we are about to take another giant step to do something no one thought we could do. | Every one of them was controversial, every one of them was difficult, but we have always had the courage to be original, to do things differently, and now we are about to take another giant step to do something no one thought we could do. |
| To reboot our politics, to relaunch ourselves into the world, and to dedicate ourselves again to that simple proposition that we are here to serve the democratic will of the British people. | To reboot our politics, to relaunch ourselves into the world, and to dedicate ourselves again to that simple proposition that we are here to serve the democratic will of the British people. |
| And if we do that with optimism and confidence then I tell you we will not go wrong. Let’s get on with sensible moderate one nation but tax-cutting Tory government, and figuratively if not literally, let us send Jeremy Corbyn into orbit where he belongs. | And if we do that with optimism and confidence then I tell you we will not go wrong. Let’s get on with sensible moderate one nation but tax-cutting Tory government, and figuratively if not literally, let us send Jeremy Corbyn into orbit where he belongs. |
| Let’s get Brexit done. Let’s bring our country together. | Let’s get Brexit done. Let’s bring our country together. |
| Johnson repeats his attack on Corbyn for wanting to delay Brexit. | Johnson repeats his attack on Corbyn for wanting to delay Brexit. |
| It has become absolutely clear that he is determined now to frustrate Brexit | It has become absolutely clear that he is determined now to frustrate Brexit |
| What do we want and need? Do we want more dither and delay | What do we want and need? Do we want more dither and delay |
| Do we want to spend another billion pounds a month that could be going on the NHS? | Do we want to spend another billion pounds a month that could be going on the NHS? |
| Let’s get Brexit done | Let’s get Brexit done |
| Johnson is setting out the choice facing the country at the election. | Johnson is setting out the choice facing the country at the election. |
| When the chlorinated chickens waddle from the hencoop where they are hiding, that is the vision of the country that we will put to the people. And the choice is clear. | When the chlorinated chickens waddle from the hencoop where they are hiding, that is the vision of the country that we will put to the people. And the choice is clear. |
| We put up wages – with the biggest expansion of the living wage for a generation; Corbyn would put up taxes for everyone. | We put up wages – with the biggest expansion of the living wage for a generation; Corbyn would put up taxes for everyone. |
| We back our superb armed forces around the world; Corbyn has said he wants them disbanded. | We back our superb armed forces around the world; Corbyn has said he wants them disbanded. |
| We want an Australian-style points based system for immigration; Corbyn says he doesn’t even believe in immigration controls. | We want an Australian-style points based system for immigration; Corbyn says he doesn’t even believe in immigration controls. |
| If Jeremy Corbyn were allowed into Downing Street, he would whack up your taxes, he would foul up the economy, he would rip up the alliance between Britain and the USA, and he would break up the UK. | If Jeremy Corbyn were allowed into Downing Street, he would whack up your taxes, he would foul up the economy, he would rip up the alliance between Britain and the USA, and he would break up the UK. |
| We cannot allow it to happen. | We cannot allow it to happen. |