Boris Johnson news: Tory minister ridiculed over Brexit claim as senior Labour figure forced to abandon leadership bid
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Tory health minister Nadine Dorries has been widely mocked for claiming “Brexit got done” after the Withdrawal Agreement Bill cleared the Commons. The bill still needs approval in the Lords, and a UK-EU trade deal still needs to be forged after 31 January.
It comes as Northern Ireland could see a return to power-sharing arrangements today after the UK and Irish governments published a draft deal, urging the five main parties to get back to work at Stormont.
Meanwhile, Labour leadership candidate Clive Lewis has called for a referendum on the future of the monarchy, saying: “Let the British public decide.” It follows shadow trade secretary Barry Gardiner’s decision to rule himself out of the contest.
To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below:
Draft deal back by NI police chief
Simon Byrne, the chief constable for the Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI), said he “welcomed” the publication of the draft agreement for a return to powersharing in Stormont.
“There is much in this document which is good for policing,” he said – backing the plan to raise the number of officers to 7,500.
“We welcome plans to reform and streamline our outdated criminal justice processes and also address the issue of legacy investigations which drain our focus on policing the issues of here and now.
“A fresh emphasis on tacking the scourge of paramilitary crime and intimidation, supported by legislation to tackle unexplained wealth, sits four square with our operational priorities.”
The Police Federation for Northern Ireland and NI Policing Board also backed the plan.
McDonnell pleads on behalf of deputy leadership hopefuls
Let’s have a look at the where the Labour deputy leadership contest stands. As of last night, Angela Rayner and Ian Murray have the nominations they need to pass the first hurdle.
But three others are tantalisingly close to the 22 MPs’ nominations they need by Monday. Richard Burgon has 18 endorsements, Rosena Allin-Khan has 16 and Dawn Butler has 14.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has appealed for “sufficient” support for these three “great” candidates, saying: “I believe Labour members will want to select from a broad church range of candidates at least in the deputy leader election.”
Clive Lewis: ‘Labour must modernise or die’
Labour MP Clive Lewis only has four nominations from colleagues in his bid to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as leader – but he is still hoping to pick up the required 22 by Monday.
He is setting out his vision for how Labour can win the next election at a speech in Brixton this morning (our correspondent Ashley Cowburn is there).
Keen to be avoid the idea of continuity Corbynism, he is expected to say: “We can’t have more of the same. The Labour party needs to modernise, or it will die.
Lewis believes it is time to start “devolving power in our party away from head office” and is calling for the House of Lords to be abolished and replaced with an elected second chamber.
Corbyn given ‘6 out of 10’ by Labour deputy leadership candidate
Rosena Allin-Khan – still looking for another six nominations to make it to the next stage – is the latest Labour figure to give Jeremy Corbyn a leadership rating.
While Rebecca Long Bailey gave the current boss “10 out of 10” for his leadership, the MP for Tooting has handed him a more mediocre score.
“I would have to give him six out of ten,” she told The Huffington Post. “He did get us to a point where we are an anti-austerity party and we have a record number of young people signed up to the party and registered to vote, but the biggest judge is the electorate and we didn’t wow anyone at the last election, did we?”
Although Corbyn claimed his party “won the argument”, Allin-Khan said: “It’d be an incredible error to not recognise that we have suffered a catastrophic defeat and a blow to our party.”
Clive Lewis backs PR and elected second chamber
The Labour leadership hopeful has been setting out his vision for constitutional reform, including his support for scrapping first past the post and the House of Lords.
“We must come out in favour of proportional representation – not only because it is the fairest way to elect a parliament, but also because it will put into practice our fundamental belief in the value of collaboration and cooperation,” he said.
On the first past the post system, Lewis said Labour “can remain the biggest centre-left force in Britain … but it will never be in power because too much is weighted against it if it tries to win with the current model.”
And on the Lords he added: “We must abolish the House of Lords and move towards an elected second chamber. How can the public have faith in politics when people like Zac Goldsmith can lose their seat in a democratic election one week, get put in the House of Lords the week after, and be back in cabinet. It’s a public scandal and just demonstrates the crisis in our democracy.”
Clive Lewis: Why not have a referendum on the royals?
Labour leadership hopeful Clive Lewis has suggested a referendum on the “future” of the royal family.
Asked about his views on the monarchy after his speech, Lewis said: “Why not have a referendum in this country in the future of the royal family?
“We’re a democracy – I’d rather see as citizens than subjects in the 21st century.”
“Let the British public decide what the future of the monarchy is and what shape it should be.”
Government to keep ban on chlorinated chicken after Brexit, raising fresh doubts over UK-US trade deal
The UK will continue to ban the import of chlorine-washed chicken and hormone-injected beef after Brexit, the environment secretary has said, raising doubts over the prospect of a trade deal with the US.
Theresa Villiers said the government would adopt an EU ban on the two products once Britain leaves the EU.
However, the comments are likely cause problems during trade deals with the US, which is expected to demand access to UK markets for US food producers.
Clive Lewis says it is democratic to hold referendum on royal family
Labour leadership hopeful Clive Lewis has put out a tweet following his speech in London, which is sure to attract controversy.
See our story here:
No 10 praises plans to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland
Downing Street said the new deal designed to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland was “a fair and balanced deal” and urged parties in the region to accept the terms.
A spokesman for the prime minister told journalists in Westminster: “The Northern Ireland Secretary, working with the Northern Ireland parties and Irish government, has published a fair and balanced deal to get Stormont back up and running after three years.
“Agreement could see the executive and assembly restored as early as today.
“Should an agreement be reached, reforms to the health service, education and justice will be prioritised by a new executive.
“It is up to the parties to come together now and accept this deal in the interest of everyone in Northern Ireland.”
Boris Johnson’s real battle with the EU is only just beginning
The prime minister has got MPs to back him – but his next test, on a trade deal, will be even tougher, writes Sean O'Grady.
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