Boris Johnson news: PM faces fresh court action over Brexit ‘lies’, amid more jeers on UK tour as Irish leaders unite against him

PM faces unified anger over 'catastrophic' Brexit policy

Boris Johnson: The Brexit backstop is dead

Boris Johnson has faced unified anger over his “catastrophic” Brexit policy as he met politicians at Stormont on the third day of his UK tour.

The new PM was also criticised for "wining and dining" the Democratic Unionist Party – whose MPs propped up Theresa May’s government – ahead of talks aimed at restoring powersharing in Northern Ireland.

Amid growing speculation over the prospect of an early general election, Mr Johnson was warned the Tories could be “annihilated” at the polls unless the UK leaves the EU by Halloween.

Elsewhere, video footage emerged of Mr Johnson’s top aide, Dominic Cummings, claiming that Tory MPs do not care about poorer people.

This live article has now ended. Recap how we covered developments as they happened below:

Key Points

• Boris Johnson faces Supreme Court bid to make him stand trial for Brexit 'lies'
• Johnson met with jeers and unified anger from Irish leaders on third day of UK tour
• DUP's Arlene Foster accuses EU of being 'belligerent" over Brexit
• Labour would be 'off our rockers' not to back remain in referendum, says Thornberry
• Tories could be 'annihilated' at the polls if Brexit is not delivered, says Farage

[31 July 2019 10:41 · Lizzy Buchan]

Labour's Alison McGovern, who sits on the Treasury committee, is furious about the decision to appoint an all-male team at the Treasury. 

[31 July 2019 10:56 · Lizzy Buchan]

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Johnson at Stormont, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said it was clear the new PM had “set the compass for a disorderly and crash Brexit”, which she said would be “catastrophic” for the Irish economy and the peace accord.

She said Sinn Fein told him that his planning for a no-deal outcome must include the issue of a border poll for Ireland.

“Brexit in any event - but certainly a disorderly Brexit - represents in anybody’s language a dramatic change of circumstances on this island,” said Ms McDonald.

“It would be unthinkable in those circumstances that people would not be given the opportunity to decide on our future together.”

[31 July 2019 11:20 · Lizzy Buchan]

Ireland‘s opposition leader has accused Boris Johnson of abnormal political and diplomatic behaviour, in a public showing of unity between Ireland’s fierce rival political parties.

Micheál Martin, leader of Fianna Fáil, criticised the UK prime minister’s treatment of “our Taoiseach” Leo Varadkar, whose Fine Gael party is the longstanding opponent of his own.

“To be absolutely clear; the refusal by prime minister Boris Johnson to engage with European leaders and our Taoiseach without preconditions on the issue of Brexit is unacceptable and is not within the realms of normal diplomatic or political behaviour,” he said on Tuesday evening.

More here:

[31 July 2019 11:31 · Lizzy Buchan]

DUP leader Arlene Foster has launched an attack on a "belligerent" EU, less than a day after Boris Johnson blamed the bloc for intensifying the Brexit crisis.

Ms Foster's comments came the morning after the pair enjoyed a private dinner and appeared to suggest both are determined to pin blame on Brussels should efforts to secure a deal fail in the coming weeks and months.

On Tuesday, Mr Johnson said it was now the EU's "call" on whether a Brexit agreement was reached or not, as the bloc presented a united front against his attempts to renegotiate Theresa May's withdrawal agreement.

[31 July 2019 11:45 · Lizzy Buchan]

Interesting poll looking at the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, which is taking place tomorrow. 

[31 July 2019 12:10 · Lizzy Buchan]

[31 July 2019 12:30 · Lizzy Buchan]

'What would no-deal Brexit mean for UK farmers,' asks Independent science correspondent Phoebe Weston.

Read her helpful explainer:

[31 July 2019 12:43 · Lizzy Buchan]

Boris Johnson has left Stormont to a chorus of jeers and boos, after several hours of talks with Stormont politicians.

[31 July 2019 13:04 · Lizzy Buchan]

Boris Johnson has doubled down on his commitment to leave the EU on 31 October "come what may" in a meeting with Northern Irish politicians.

The new PM said the government was "steadfast" in its commitment to the Good Friday Agreement in all scenarios and insisted there would not be any physical checks on the Irish border.

Mr Johnson also told the parties he would do everything he could to kickstart powersharing in the region.​

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The PM told all of the parties that he was determined to bring this process to a successful conclusion and that he would do everything he could to make it happen.

“He said that while there had been constructive progress in recent weeks at Stormont, that there now needed to be serious and intense engagement to get this done and that he had faith that all parties would step up to the challenge."

The spokesperson added: “The discussions also included Brexit, where the prime minister made clear that the UK would be leaving the EU on October 31 come what may, and restated his intention to do so with a deal. 

“He said that in all scenarios, the government is steadfast in its commitment to the Belfast-Good Friday Agreement and that in no circumstances would there be physical checks or infrastructure on the border."

[31 July 2019 13:06 · Benjamin Kentish]

Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry has said people would think Labour was "off our bloody rockers" not to back staying in the European Union.

The remarks came during an interview with Sky News Australia, and appear to be at odds with Labour's official policy.

Ms Thornberry said: "The vast majority of people in Britain, if they want to leave, believe it is in our interests to leave with a deal with the European Union."