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Boris Johnson tells cabinet ministers to cut wasteful spending and focus on manifesto priorities - live news '10 out of 10': Long Bailey gives verdict on Corbyn as Labour leader, blaming media for his poor image - live news
(32 minutes later)
Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happenRolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
This is from John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, responding to the report that Boris Johnson has told cabinet ministers to cut wasteful spending. (See 2.21pm.) McDonnell said:
In an interview before Christmas Dan Jarvis refused to rule out standing for the Labour leadership. But he has finally ruled it out now.
Jarvis already has a second job in addition to being MP for Barnsley Central; he is mayor of Sheffield city region. Normally MPs with metro mayor positions stand down from parliament, but Jarvis has been able to hang on to both posts because the Sheffield city region mayor currently has only very limited powers and responsibilities.
Rebecca Long Bailey, the Labour leadership candidate, has recorded an interview with ITV’s Paul Brand. In it she insisted, as she did earlier today, that she was not a Jeremy Corbyn continuity candidate. (See 11.53am.) But when Brand tried to get her to identify any differences between them, he did not get very far. This is from the transcript sent out by ITV.
Labour does employ press officers whose job it is to present the party to the media in a positive light. And Corbyn has his own press team too. Long Bailey is implying either that they weren’t very good (not true, in my experience as a “customer”), or that they should have been more pro-active in responding to media criticism. She is not attaching any blame to Corbyn himself for the way he was presented in the media.
Brand also asked Long Bailey what she did for fun. She replied:
Turning back to Treasury questions, Rishi Sunak, the chief secretary to the Treasury, made what may be a revealing slip of the tongue when he spoke about the government’s plans to hire extra police officers. He said:Turning back to Treasury questions, Rishi Sunak, the chief secretary to the Treasury, made what may be a revealing slip of the tongue when he spoke about the government’s plans to hire extra police officers. He said:
When he said “seats”, MPs erupted with laughter.When he said “seats”, MPs erupted with laughter.
This is from my colleague Peter Walker, who is reporting back from the afternoon Downing Street briefing.This is from my colleague Peter Walker, who is reporting back from the afternoon Downing Street briefing.
In the Commons Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, is giving a statement to MPs updating them on the Iran crisis. What he said at the start did not really go beyond what the government has already said about the UK killing of Qassem Suleimani (lukewarm endorsement, combined with a call for restraint and de-escalation) and the most lively opening exchanges came when Wallace clashed with Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, who was responding for the opposition. In the Commons Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, is giving a statement to MPs updating them on the Iran crisis. What he said at the start did not really go beyond what the government has already said about the US killing of Qassem Suleimani (lukewarm endorsement, combined with a call for restraint and de-escalation) and the most lively opening exchanges came when Wallace clashed with Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, who was responding for the opposition.
Wallace started by saying the UK would always defend the right of countries to defend themselves. He said the US had in the past shown restraint when its bases in Iraq were under attack, and he said the UK was urging all parties to de-escalate the crisis as soon as possible.Wallace started by saying the UK would always defend the right of countries to defend themselves. He said the US had in the past shown restraint when its bases in Iraq were under attack, and he said the UK was urging all parties to de-escalate the crisis as soon as possible.
Travel advice for Iran and Iraq has been revised, he said. And he said non-essential UK personnel had been moved out of Baghdad. He went on:Travel advice for Iran and Iraq has been revised, he said. And he said non-essential UK personnel had been moved out of Baghdad. He went on:
Wallace said the Iraqi parliament had voted to end the coalition presence in Iraq. But that vote was only one part of the process, he said. The UK government was speaking to the Iraqi government about what this might mean, he said. He said the coalition was only in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government.Wallace said the Iraqi parliament had voted to end the coalition presence in Iraq. But that vote was only one part of the process, he said. The UK government was speaking to the Iraqi government about what this might mean, he said. He said the coalition was only in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government.
He said the UK would be urging Iran to take a different path. Its aggressive behaviour, including targeting dissidents in Europe and hijacking civilian ships, was never going to go unchallenged. He went on:He said the UK would be urging Iran to take a different path. Its aggressive behaviour, including targeting dissidents in Europe and hijacking civilian ships, was never going to go unchallenged. He went on:
In response Corbyn said Boris Johnson was “hiding behind” his defence secretary and that he should be making the Commons statement himself. He said the “assassination” of Suleimani put British servicemen and women in danger, but Johnson was afraid to say so. Corbyn explained:In response Corbyn said Boris Johnson was “hiding behind” his defence secretary and that he should be making the Commons statement himself. He said the “assassination” of Suleimani put British servicemen and women in danger, but Johnson was afraid to say so. Corbyn explained:
Corbyn asked Wallace if he thought the killing of Suleimani was legal. And he criticised the government for saying that the onus was on Iran to de-escalate. If an American general had been killed, the government would not be telling the US to de-escalate.Corbyn asked Wallace if he thought the killing of Suleimani was legal. And he criticised the government for saying that the onus was on Iran to de-escalate. If an American general had been killed, the government would not be telling the US to de-escalate.
Responding to Corbyn, Wallace said what he was saying was “usual anti-American tripe”.Responding to Corbyn, Wallace said what he was saying was “usual anti-American tripe”.
On the issue of the legality of the killing, Wallace said it was for the US to make its case. But Wallace also said it was clear that a legal defence of self-defence could be made in this case relating to Suleimani going to Iraq plotting to murder American citizens.On the issue of the legality of the killing, Wallace said it was for the US to make its case. But Wallace also said it was clear that a legal defence of self-defence could be made in this case relating to Suleimani going to Iraq plotting to murder American citizens.
My colleague Matthew Weaver has more about the Iran crisis on a separate live blog.My colleague Matthew Weaver has more about the Iran crisis on a separate live blog.
Boris Johnson likes to adopt a positive, optimistic approach to life and his outlook seems to be rubbing off on the chancellor, Sajid Javid, who has just told MPs that the UK has just ended “an unprecedented decade of growth”.Boris Johnson likes to adopt a positive, optimistic approach to life and his outlook seems to be rubbing off on the chancellor, Sajid Javid, who has just told MPs that the UK has just ended “an unprecedented decade of growth”.
Javid was responding to a question from Peter Dowd, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, who asked what the government was going to do about falling productivity. Javid replied:Javid was responding to a question from Peter Dowd, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, who asked what the government was going to do about falling productivity. Javid replied:
Javid’s claim may well be true, because the UK economy has grown every year since 2010 and this may well be only the third time since 1700 (although the economic data was probably a bit haphazard back then). But “unprecedented decade of growth” implies something to boast about. What has been unprecedented about the last 10 years is quite how feeble growth has been.Javid’s claim may well be true, because the UK economy has grown every year since 2010 and this may well be only the third time since 1700 (although the economic data was probably a bit haphazard back then). But “unprecedented decade of growth” implies something to boast about. What has been unprecedented about the last 10 years is quite how feeble growth has been.
As this Bank of England chart shows, growth in recent years has been well below the post-war average.As this Bank of England chart shows, growth in recent years has been well below the post-war average.
And as this Financial Times chart (paywall) shows, this government’s record on growth is worse than any other postwar government.And as this Financial Times chart (paywall) shows, this government’s record on growth is worse than any other postwar government.
And my colleague Larry Elliott wrote about what happened to growth in the last decade in a recent column. He says that what was remarkable about the 2010s was that the recovery expected 10 years ago never materialised.And my colleague Larry Elliott wrote about what happened to growth in the last decade in a recent column. He says that what was remarkable about the 2010s was that the recovery expected 10 years ago never materialised.
In the Commons, in response to Javid, Dowd said the chancellor’s claim was “pathetic, absolutely pathetic” and that Javid was just engaging in bluster. He said Britain had had the worst recovery since the Industrial Revolution.In the Commons, in response to Javid, Dowd said the chancellor’s claim was “pathetic, absolutely pathetic” and that Javid was just engaging in bluster. He said Britain had had the worst recovery since the Industrial Revolution.
Later this afternoon MPs will start debating the committee stage of the EU (withdrawal agreement) bill. Eight hours have been set aside for debate, and the list of amendments tabled to the bill (pdf) runs to 78 pages.Later this afternoon MPs will start debating the committee stage of the EU (withdrawal agreement) bill. Eight hours have been set aside for debate, and the list of amendments tabled to the bill (pdf) runs to 78 pages.
Throughout the whole of 2019 the government’s lack of a majority meant that every Brexit vote was fraught with peril. But given that the government now has a majority of 88 (taking into account the seven Sinn Fein MPs who haven’t taken their seats), there is no need to stay up late to find out whether the government is going to beat the opposition.Throughout the whole of 2019 the government’s lack of a majority meant that every Brexit vote was fraught with peril. But given that the government now has a majority of 88 (taking into account the seven Sinn Fein MPs who haven’t taken their seats), there is no need to stay up late to find out whether the government is going to beat the opposition.
Ministers always have the option of deciding to accept opposition amendments without letting them go to a vote. But on the BBC’s Politics Live programme earlier James Duddridge, a Brexit minister, said the government was not planning to accept any amendments. He told the programme:Ministers always have the option of deciding to accept opposition amendments without letting them go to a vote. But on the BBC’s Politics Live programme earlier James Duddridge, a Brexit minister, said the government was not planning to accept any amendments. He told the programme:
A large number of amendments have been tabled by the DUP, and on some issues the DUP is lining up with the SDLP and the Alliance party to propose measures that would protect businesses in Northern Ireland from the impact of the plan that would effectively place a customs border down the Irish Sea. When asked specifically about these amendments, Duddridge said that Robin Walker, a Northern Ireland minister, would say more on this topic in the debate tomorrow. But Duddridge also said that some of these amendments were “probing amendments” (ie, amendments tabled with the intention of provoking debate, not with the intention of being passed into law).A large number of amendments have been tabled by the DUP, and on some issues the DUP is lining up with the SDLP and the Alliance party to propose measures that would protect businesses in Northern Ireland from the impact of the plan that would effectively place a customs border down the Irish Sea. When asked specifically about these amendments, Duddridge said that Robin Walker, a Northern Ireland minister, would say more on this topic in the debate tomorrow. But Duddridge also said that some of these amendments were “probing amendments” (ie, amendments tabled with the intention of provoking debate, not with the intention of being passed into law).
At cabinet Boris Johnson and the chancellor, Sajid Javid, also unveiled a plan for what was described as “tough decisions” on spending ahead of March’s budget and the subsequent spending review.At cabinet Boris Johnson and the chancellor, Sajid Javid, also unveiled a plan for what was described as “tough decisions” on spending ahead of March’s budget and the subsequent spending review.
“Ministers need to root out any waste, particularly anything that is not aligned with the government’s priorities and demonstrate value for money of every pound of taxpayers’ money that we spend,” the pair told the meeting, according to the No 10 spokesman. The spokesman went on:“Ministers need to root out any waste, particularly anything that is not aligned with the government’s priorities and demonstrate value for money of every pound of taxpayers’ money that we spend,” the pair told the meeting, according to the No 10 spokesman. The spokesman went on:
The project will involve ministers and officials examining all ongoing projects, even those begun under the last nine years of Conservative rule, to both assess them for waste and for compliance with Johnson’s stated aim of spreading wealth around the country.The project will involve ministers and officials examining all ongoing projects, even those begun under the last nine years of Conservative rule, to both assess them for waste and for compliance with Johnson’s stated aim of spreading wealth around the country.
Such campaigns against supposed waste or flabbiness in Whitehall are traditional for new governments, and generally meet with mixed success.Such campaigns against supposed waste or flabbiness in Whitehall are traditional for new governments, and generally meet with mixed success.
David Cameron’s much-touted “bonfire of the quangos” in 2010, intended to abolish unnecessary quasi-government agencies, ended up costing twice as much to implement as planned, the National Audit Office concluded two years later.David Cameron’s much-touted “bonfire of the quangos” in 2010, intended to abolish unnecessary quasi-government agencies, ended up costing twice as much to implement as planned, the National Audit Office concluded two years later.
Declining to give specifics on what projects could be at risk, the No 10 spokesman was asked how Johnson’s war on waste would differ from others in the past. He said:Declining to give specifics on what projects could be at risk, the No 10 spokesman was asked how Johnson’s war on waste would differ from others in the past. He said:
Downing Street has indicated that it has abandoned plans to reshape or merge a series of ministerial departments, and will instead focus on more traditional new-government priorities such as a war on wasteful spending.Downing Street has indicated that it has abandoned plans to reshape or merge a series of ministerial departments, and will instead focus on more traditional new-government priorities such as a war on wasteful spending.
Ahead of the election aides around Boris Johnson said that a new government would merge the Department for International Development (DfID) with the Foreign Office, and create borders and immigration department, spun off from the Home Office, among other changes.Ahead of the election aides around Boris Johnson said that a new government would merge the Department for International Development (DfID) with the Foreign Office, and create borders and immigration department, spun off from the Home Office, among other changes.
But asked whether these ideas had been abandoned following reports this was the case, a No 10 spokesman indicated this was correct.But asked whether these ideas had been abandoned following reports this was the case, a No 10 spokesman indicated this was correct.
While stressing that he could not discuss the “machinery of government changes”, the spokesman hinted that the decision had been taken to avoid the organisational turmoil.While stressing that he could not discuss the “machinery of government changes”, the spokesman hinted that the decision had been taken to avoid the organisational turmoil.
“The PM has set out his ambitious programme to get Brexit done and level up the country,” the spokesman said, citing priorities such as investing in the NHS. “The government’s focus will be on delivery of these priorities.”“The PM has set out his ambitious programme to get Brexit done and level up the country,” the spokesman said, citing priorities such as investing in the NHS. “The government’s focus will be on delivery of these priorities.”
Here are some of the lines from the Downing Street lobby briefing earlier.Here are some of the lines from the Downing Street lobby briefing earlier.
Downing Street said that force protection measures for British troops in Iraq were kept under “constant review”. The prime minister’s spokesman said:Downing Street said that force protection measures for British troops in Iraq were kept under “constant review”. The prime minister’s spokesman said:
The spokesman said Boris Johnson briefed ministers on the situation in Iraq at cabinet. The spokesman said:The spokesman said Boris Johnson briefed ministers on the situation in Iraq at cabinet. The spokesman said:
A more “substantial” discussion would take place at the national security council following cabinet, the spokesman said.A more “substantial” discussion would take place at the national security council following cabinet, the spokesman said.
The spokesman defended Johnson’s decision not to give the oral statement to MPs this afternoon about the Iran crisis himself. Instead Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, will address the Commons. Asked why the PM was not doing it, the spokesman said:The spokesman defended Johnson’s decision not to give the oral statement to MPs this afternoon about the Iran crisis himself. Instead Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, will address the Commons. Asked why the PM was not doing it, the spokesman said:
The spokesman said the government had raised “numerous concerns” about the judicial process in the Cyprus rape case case with the Cypriot authorities. The spokesman said:The spokesman said the government had raised “numerous concerns” about the judicial process in the Cyprus rape case case with the Cypriot authorities. The spokesman said:
UK ministers could make provision in areas of devolved policy as a result of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, according to a new report. As the Press Association reports, a briefing (pdf) by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) says new powers in devolved policy areas will be handed to Scottish ministers under Boris Johnson’s EU (withdrawal agreement) bill to ensure it is properly implemented. But the powers will also be conferred on UK ministers, allowing them to act “alone or jointly with Scottish ministers”, according to SPICe. It means the powers granted to UK ministers in the bill will extend to the whole of the UK and relate to both reserved and devolved matters.UK ministers could make provision in areas of devolved policy as a result of Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, according to a new report. As the Press Association reports, a briefing (pdf) by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) says new powers in devolved policy areas will be handed to Scottish ministers under Boris Johnson’s EU (withdrawal agreement) bill to ensure it is properly implemented. But the powers will also be conferred on UK ministers, allowing them to act “alone or jointly with Scottish ministers”, according to SPICe. It means the powers granted to UK ministers in the bill will extend to the whole of the UK and relate to both reserved and devolved matters.
The SPICe document states:The SPICe document states:
Jeremy Corbyn has conducted a mini reshuffle to fill three gaps in his frontbench team left by the general election. Tracy Brabin has been appointed shadow culture secretary to replace Tom Watson, who stood down. Rachael Maskell has been appointed shadow employment rights secretary to replace Laura Piddock, who lost her seat. And Luke Pollard has been appointed shadow environment secretary to replace Sue Hayman, who also lost her seat.
Corbyn has also appointed Tan Dhesi as his parliamentary private secretary.
Jess Phillips, the Labour leadership candidate, has said she is opposed to holding a second referendum on Scottish independence. Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme this morning, she said:
Phillips also said she thought one of the reasons why Labour lost in Scotland was that it did not necessarily have a clear position on the two big constitutional questions of the day (Brexit and Scottish independence). On Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn said he would be neutral in a second referendum on the topic. And, although Corbyn did not support Scottish independence, he did not rule out allowing Scotland to hold a second referendum on the issue.
In a clip recorded for Sky News Rebecca Long Bailey, the Labour leadership candidate, dismissed claims she was a continuity Corbyn candidate. She said:
Tom Watson, the former Labour deputy leader, became the most senior party figure to level this accusation against Long Bailey yesterday, when he said she represented “Corbynism in its purest sense”.
Despite her comment to Sky, Long Bailey’s Tribune article shows that, in terms of policy at least, she does want to continue with the approach championed by Jeremy Corbyn. She says:
Last night the Labour MP Alison McGovern posted this on Twitter.
It attracted this response from someone who presents on Twitter as a Jeremy Corbyn supporter.
In response, Rebecca Long Bailey, the Labour leadership candidate, posted this.
The shadow sports minister, Rosena Allin-Khan, has also announced this morning that she is standing to be Labour’s next deputy leader. In a statement the MP for Tooting, who still works as a practising A&E doctor, said the party needed to listen with “humility” to voters who abandoned the party at last month’s general election. She said:
Here is her campaign video.
Allin-Khan is the sixth candidate to declare for the deputy leadership. The others are: Angela Rayner, the shadow education secretary (and probable favourite); Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary; Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities; Khalid Mahmood, the shadow Europe minister; and Ian Murray.
Ian Murray, the only Labour MP in Scotland, has confirmed he is standing to be Labour’s deputy leader. In a statement he said:
As he sets out in an article for the Daily Mirror, he has four campaign priorities: 1) making sure Labour listens to voters who have given up on the party, particularly in Scotland; 2) being clear on key issues like Brexit and Scottish independence; 3) reforming Labour’s organisation; and 4) having an open policymaking process.
Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, is travelling to Brussels today for talks with his European counterparts on the situation in the Middle East following the death of Qassem Suleimani and the escalating conflict in Libya, the Foreign Office has confirmed. As the Press Association reports, Raab will have a bilateral meeting with the French foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, before they join their German and Italian counterparts and the EU high representative for talks on Libya.
The so-called “E3” – Britain, France and Germany – will then meet to discuss the tensions between the US and Iran, with all three pushing for de-escalation, a Foreign Office spokesman said.
I have already posted on two of the main lines from Rebecca Long Bailey’s Today interview. (See 9.18am.) Here are some of the other points she made.
Long Bailey cited Brexit and antisemitism as two of the reasons for Labour’s election defeat. In her first answer, speaking about why Labour lost, Long Bailey said:
In her Tribune article published last night she did not mention Brexit or antisemitism at all. Instead, in that article she said one reason for Labour’s defeat was that the campaign “lacked a coherent narrative”.
She accepted that Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership was a factor in Labour’s defeat, but she implied that his unpopularity was down to critical coverage in the media. When it was put to her that Corbyn’s name came up repeatedly on the doorstep, she replied:
She stressed her support for Corbyn. She said:
She said Labour lost the trust of leave voters during the election and that all the parliamentary effort focused on blocking a no-deal Brexit obscured the fact that Labour was “trying to get a good deal”.
She said Labour was not “strong enough” when it came to dealing with antisemitism. Asked if Corbyn was responsible, she said: “Ultimately he has to take responsibility as the leader of the party.” She also said Labour should accept all the recommendations of the Equality and Human Rights Commission report into the party when it was published.
She rejected claims that she had given a misleading account of remembering the impact of the closure of the Salford docks on her family. Asked about this story in the Sunday Times (paywall), she said:
She praised Angela Rayner, her flatmate in London, who is standing for the deputy Labour leadership. Asked what last made her laugh out loud, she said it was probably Rayner, because she was “always coming out with cracking jokes”.
Here is some Twitter comment on the Rebecca Long Bailey interview from journalists.
From the BBC’s Norman Smith
From my colleague Gaby Hinsliff
From the Daily Mirror’s Dan Bloom
From the Bureau of Investigative Journalism’s James Ball
From the Mail on Sunday’s Harry Cole
Cole is rarely positive about any Labour figure, and so this counts as a compliment.
Good morning. At one stage Rebecca Long Bailey, the shadow business secretary, was seen as the favourite in the Labour leadership contest because she is the candidate most favoured by Jeremy Corbyn and his inner circle. But she kept a low profile after the general election, avoiding interviews, and Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, is now seen as the favourite based on polling showing that he is more popular with members.
But Long Bailey has now given her first interview as a candidate for the Labour leadership. She did so after using an article for Tribune published last night to formally announce that she will be a candidate. My colleague Rajeev Syal has written it up here.
In her interview Long Bailey mostly struck a note likely to go down well with Labour members. Two of her answers were particularly revealing.
Long Bailey insisted that Labour should be pro-immigration. In her Tribune article she said that Labour should never again “put ‘controls on immigration’ on a mug”, as it did in the 2015 general election, and, when asked if that meant she was opposed to any immigration controls, she said the 2015 policy was a “nod towards quite dangerous politics”. She said:
Long Bailey said she did not accept claims that immigration depressed wages. She said that, when the UK left the EU, EU freedom of movement would end. But when asked what should replace it, she said that was the “million dollar question”. When it was put to her that as party leader she should have a response to the million dollar question, she said it was vital to protect the rights of EU nationals living in the UK. And she added:
This stance is likely to meet the approval of Labour members who, at the party conference last year, passed a motion saying that freedom of movement should be extended (even though quite what this meant has subsequently become a matter for debate).
Long Bailey expressed very strong reservations about using the nuclear deterrent - without ruling it out. Asked if she would be willing to authorise the nuclear deterrent as PM, she said:
When asked if that included using the nuclear deterrent, she replied:
This is probably the right answer for the Labour membership too. They will interpret the “warmonger foaming at the mouth” line as a reference to the former Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, who is much disliked by Labour activists and who stressed her willingness to push the nuclear button during the election campaign. In the early days of his leadership Corbyn did firmly rule out using nuclear weapons, but the party as a whole backs the nuclear deterrent (not least because a lot of union jobs are tied up with the nuclear submarine programme) and later he became more evasive when asked if he would ever use nuclear weapons.
I will post more on the interview shortly.
Here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: Boris Johnson chairs cabinet.
12pm: Downing Street lobby briefing.
2.30pm: Sajid Javid, the chancellor, takes questions in the Commons.
After 3.30pm: Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, makes a statement in the Commons about the Iran crisis.
Around 5pm or later: MPs begin the committee stage debate for the EU (withdrawal agreement) bill.
6pm: Labour leadership candidates speak at a private hustings for Labour MPs organised by the parliamentary Labour party.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. We plan to post a summary when we wrap up.
You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.
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