Boris Johnson news: PM insists he can do new Brexit deal despite admitting EU leaders refusing to ‘change their position’

UK on 'almost inevitable path to no-deal Brexit', warns Sturgeon after first meeting with PM

Who is in Boris Johnson's cabinet?

Boris Johnson secretly wants a no-deal Brexit, Nicola Sturgeon has claimed after his first meeting with Scotland’s first minister.

The new prime minister faced a frosty reception north of the border, with Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, having warned about the impact of his Brexit policy.

He arrived at Bute House, Ms Sturgeon’s official residence in Edinburgh, to boos from a crowd of independence campaigners and pro-EU demonstrators gathered across the street.

Mr Johnson will also travel to Wales and Northern Ireland later in the week as part of a whistle-stop UK tour designed to show he is a “passionate believer” in the union.

But following talks with Ms Sturgeon, the first minister warned Mr Johnson’s government had set the country on an “almost inevitable path to a no-deal Brexit” and was “dangerous” for Scotland.

She said: “I think that this is a government that is pursuing a no-deal strategy, however much they may deny that in public.

“If he were in this room right now, he would deny this vehemently, but I think he wants a no-deal Brexit.”

Downing Street insisted the government’s preference was to negotiate a new Brexit deal, but admitted the EU was refusing to budge on the Northern Ireland backstop and said “the UK will be leaving the EU on October 31st come what may”.

A Number 10 spokesman added Mr Johnson would “work tirelessly to strengthen the United Kingdom and improve the lives of people right across Scotland”.

This live article has now ended. Here’s how we covered developments as they happened:

Key Points

• Boris Johnson to meet Nicola Sturgeon on first trip to Scotland as prime minister
• ... but faces a frosty reception from Scottish Tories over no-deal Brexit support
• UK government planning for direct rule in Northern Ireland in event of no-deal exit
• Investigation into former minister who manhandled protester dropped
• Vauxhall set to close UK factory if no-deal Brexit happens, with loss of 1,000 jobs

[29 July 2019 14:14 · Benjamin Kentish]

A bit more from Boris Johnson, who tells Sky News during a visit to Scotland:

"The backstop is no good. It's dead. It has got to go. The withdrawal agreement is dead, it's got to go. But there is scope to do a new deal."

He added:

"We are talking to the Irish today what the limits are, what we want to do, and we are very confident that with good will on both sides, two mature political entities, the UK and the EU, can get this thing done."

The prime minister insisted he was "absolutely not" assuming there would be a no-deal Brexit, saying: "My assumption is that we can get a deal, we are aiming for a deal."

[29 July 2019 14:35 · Benjamin Kentish]

Labour has called for Mark Field to be expelled from the Conservative Party, saying his sacking as a minister is insufficient punishment for having manhandled a female protester.

Louise Haigh, the shadow policing minister, said:

"Never mind not being fit for a job in government, Mark Field isn't fit to be an MP.

It's not good enough for the prime minister to say that he considers the matter settled. Having previously failed to condemn his actions, this is a test of Boris Johnson's attitude towards women. He should kick him out of the Conservative Party immediately."

[29 July 2019 14:51 · Benjamin Kentish]

Boris Johnson has said he sees "no reason" for another referendum on Scottish independence.

The new prime minister said:

 

"In 2014 there was a historic vote, I think it was the only one there has been in my lifetime that I can remember, the only vote on Scottish independence that I can remember in my lifetime, and I'm 55, it is the only time it has happened and it was decisive, there was I think at least a 10-point margin.

"Everybody made clear at the time in 2014, even the Scottish Nationalist Party, I seem to recollect, said that this was a once in a generation vote and I think that the confidence of the public in politicians would be undermined yet further if we were to go back on that and hold another referendum."

[29 July 2019 15:12 · Benjamin Kentish]

Opinion: Boris Johnson's no-deal Brexit threat could lay waste to the north, warns Labour MP Mary Creagh

[29 July 2019 15:28 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill accused Boris Johnson of "snubbing" the Irish premier Leo Varadkar.

She raised the matter during a meeting with Northern Ireland's new secretary of state Julian Smith at Stormont on Monday.

"I would judge that it is highly discourteous that the new prime minister Boris Johnson is not engaging with the Taoiseach," she said.

"That is highly offensive given the disastrous impact of Brexit on the island of Ireland."

Ms O'Neill said Mr Smith did not offer an explanation as to why there had been no contact between the prime ministers.

[29 July 2019 15:48 · Lizzy Buchan]

Fresh concerns have been expressed over Boris Johnson's decision to appoint ex-Vote Leave chief Dominic Cummings as a senior Downing Street aide.

[29 July 2019 16:01 · Lizzy Buchan]

A warm welcome was waiting for Boris Johnson at Holyrood, as this clip shows.

[29 July 2019 16:26 · Benjamin Kentish]

Opinion: The Home Office is out of control - will Priti Patel end the cruelty?, asks Emily Kenway

[29 July 2019 16:36 · Benjamin Kentish]

Boris Johnson was loudly booed as he arrives at Bute House to meet Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon

[29 July 2019 16:57 · Benjamin Kentish]

Speaking after her meeting with Boris Johnson, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said:

"We had an incredibly constructive meeting.

"We covered a number of areas, talking about Brexit, the need to make sure we can get a deal across the line, and I support the prime minister wholeheartedly in getting that deal.

"We talked about how we can continue to have the UK government deliver in Scotland, for Scots, and how we can build on that delivery, and also how we can continue to take on Nicola Sturgeon and oppose her obsession with another independence referendum."

She added:

"We've seen a dynamic first week - this is my third conversation with him and he's already up here, so he's clearly engaged and wanting to be engaged.

"He has a very clear idea of what he wants to do and how he wants to get it done.

"I think that judging by some of the issues we talked about today there's a real will there to support me in my aim to be able to have the UK government deliver for Scots."