Boris Johnson news – live: PM 'suppressing the truth' by blocking report on Russia interference, as Rees-Mogg apologises for blaming Grenfell victims for their deaths
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Your support makes all the difference.Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry has accused the government of “suppressing the truth” for delaying the publication of the report on alleged Russian interference in the UK until after the election. “What have you got to hide?” she asked.
It came after Jeremy Corbyn claimed Labour can deliver Brexit next year without trashing the economy or the NHS and attacked the prospect of “Thatcherism on steroids” under the Tories, as the parties ramp up general election campaigning.
Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, meanwhile, was forced to apologise after he caused outrage for suggesting Grenfell Tower fire victims lacked “common sense” for not leaving the building in spite of the fire brigade’s stay put advice.
The outgoing Leader of the House faced widespread calls to resign, and was branded “callously irresponsible” by the Fire Brigades Union and “an actual piece of s***” by grime star Stormzy.
Dozens of MPs also lined up to say their final farewell to the Commons ahead of the dissolution of parliament. Political heavyweights such as Ken Clarke, Nicholas Soames, Justine Greening and Owen Smith are among those who shall not stand for office at the next election.
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of events at Westminster and beyond.
Russia report should be published, former security officials demand
Boris Johnson’s government is under intense pressure over a parliamentary special report on alleged illicit Russian activities in Britain – with former security and cabinet officials demanding that it stops blocking publication of the document.
One intelligence official told The Independent: “All the redactions necessary have been done ... We have no objections to the report being published now.”
Our diplomatic editor has more details:
Former MI5 chief says Russia report should be released
The former head of MI5 has backed calls for a parliamentary report into alleged Russian interference in the UK democratic process to be published before the election.
Downing Street has been accused of holding back the report by the Intelligence and Security Committee after indicating it would not be cleared for release before parliament is dissolved on Wednesday.
However Lord Evans of Weardale, who was MI5 director general until 2013, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that if ministers were not prepared to release it, they should explain why.
“In principle, I think it should be released,” he said.
“Part of the reason for having an Intelligence and Security Committee is that issues of public concern can be properly considered and the public can be informed through the publication of the reports once they have gone through the security process.
“If the government have a reason why this should not be published before the election, then I think they should make it very clear what that reason is.”
Corbyn says Labour can deliver a Brexit that doesn’t hurt
Brexit can be carried out without “trashing” the economy or the NHS, Jeremy Corbyn will claim as he campaigns in the Essex town of Harlow today.
In a move set to irritate his Remain-backing colleagues, the Labour leader will underline his determination to stay neutral in the EU debate, while negotiating “a sensible deal” to be put to a second referendum.
Corbyn will say: “If you want to leave the EU without trashing our economy or selling out our NHS you’ll be able to vote for it.
“If you want to remain in the EU, you’ll be able to vote for that. Either way, only a Labour government will put the final decision in your hands. And we will immediately carry out your decision so Britain can get beyond Brexit.”
Our deputy political editor has the details.
Labour challenged on ‘maggots in orange juice’ claim
Labour is claiming that Boris Johnson’s desired trade deal with the US will result in a lowering food standards that could see “maggots in orange juice” and “rat hairs in paprika”.
Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer has been challenged on the claims this morning.
Asked by Sky News’ Kay Burley if the party was scaremongering, he said: “If we move away from the standards we enjoy in the EU, we move to different standards and I think the US standards are inferior to the standards we’ve got.”
“It’s illustrating a point about standards,” he said when asked if the idea of maggots and rat hair in food was hyperbole.
But the claims do not come out of nowhere. In the US producers adhere to a “Defects Levels Handbook,” which sets out the maximum number of foreign bodies like maggots, insect fragments and mould that can be in food products before they are put on the market.
US producers are allowed to include up to a 11 rodent hairs in a 25g container of paprika; or 3mg of mammalian excreta (typically rat or mouse excrement) per each pound of ginger.
Starmer also said there was a “real prospect” of a crash out Brexit at the end of 2020, saying the government plans means we could leave without a deal at the end of next year.
The shadow Brexit secretary has also said he is confident Labour can negotiate a new Brexit deal with the EU within three months if they win power.
Starmer said he believed the timetable was “very realistic”, with negotiations on a new deal being completed within three months.
Gove rules out trade deal extension – raising risk of no-deal Brexit
Senior cabinet minister Michael Gove has said there will be no extension to the planned Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020, leaving open the possibility of a no-deal Brexit..
He said that, while preparations would continue for a no-deal Brexit, he was confident they could get a new free trade agreement with the EU by that date.
“We will ensure that we will have a proper free trade agreement with the European Union,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“It is always the case that we need to prepare for every eventuality, but I am confident that we will be able to get a good relationship with the EU at the end of this period.”
Gove also refused to say when the report into alleged Russian interference in the UK will be released. Asked why the government was sitting on the report, Gove would only say that Jeremy Corbyn was “the real threat” to the UK’s security.
The shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer, criticising Boris Johnson “hard-right deal”, said: “It does leave the every prospect that we leave without a deal at the end of next year.
“You have to ask for an extension by July of next year … the idea the whole of the new deal will be negotiation by July of next year I think is for the birds, I don’t think it’s going to happen and therefore we do have that risk of a no-deal Brexit at the end of it.”
Sturgeon says exclusion from TV debates ‘wrong democratically’
Sky News has said it wants to include Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson in a leaders’ election debate, angering Nicola Sturgeon.
Scotland’s first minister has said this morning "wrong democratically" to exclude the third biggest political party in the Commons – the SNP.
Speaker pledges to end ‘bear pit’ politics
The new Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has pledged to end the “bear pit” atmosphere of confrontation in the House of Commons.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said his priority would be to encourage tolerance and respect. He said the public could not believe some of the behaviour they witness by MPs and said it is up to parliament to set “the right tone” for the rest of the country.
“What I want to do is make sure that we have respect in the House, we have tolerance in the House and everybody is valued in the House,” he said.
“I want to bring in a better respect, better tolerance, and try and change that bear pit anger that seems to have come out in recent years, that seems to have got worse and worse.
“The public just cannot believe the behaviour. It is about setting the right tone. If Parliament gets it right, hopefully the country will follow.”
He also stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of election candidates at a time of rising abuse aimed at MPs.
“It is not just about MPs, it is about all candidates, and making sure that the local police are supporting them as well,” he said. “I do worry about the abuse and the level of threat. I will be doing a letter with the home secretary to advise people and to make sure people understand there is support there.”
Rees-Mogg suggests Grenfell victims lacked ‘common sense’ for not leaving building
The families of Grenfell victims have urged Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg to apologise after he suggested people killed in the tower block fire should have used their “commons sense” to get out.
Ahmet Chellat, who lost five family members, said Rees-Mogg should say sorry for “insensitive” comments.
Speaking on LBC yesterday, the Commons leader suggested it would have been “common sense” not to obey the fire brigade’s “stay put” instructions.
“The more one’s read over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer,” said Rees-Mogg.
“And I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do. And it is such a tragedy that that didn’t happen.”
Chellat told The Mirror: “He has got to apologise. Who is going to challenge this man over saying this? What common sense is he talking about?
“People died on the stairs trying to leave, they couldn’t breathe. People needed help and directions, they tried to open doors and there was smoke everywhere. What is he talking about?”
Victim support group Grenfell United described Rees-Mogg’s remarks as “extremely painful” and “beyond disrespectful”, while the Yvette Williams, chairs of Justice4Grenfell, added: “Rees-Mogg has a privileged background, what is his experience of living in social housing? How many tower blocks has he lived in?”
PM tells cabinet they’re ‘full of beans’
Boris Johnson has praised members of his cabinet on Tuesday morning, telling them: “We have achieved something that people thought we really could not do, and that was get a new deal - a great new deal – on our Brexit from the European Union.
“They said it couldn’t be done.”
He said that a priority was to get Brexit done quickly, adding: “Do you want to waste 2020, which could be a fantastic year for the nation with two more referenda? What a disastrous, what a calamitous way to spend 2020.”
The PM ended his speech by rallying cabinet members ahead of the election campaign, saying: “You look as though you’re all full of beans.”
Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay and health secretary Matt Hancock turn up for cabinet meeting (Getty)
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