Boris Johnson news – live: PM launches Conservative election campaign after day of gaffes and mishaps
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson launched his general election campaign with a rally in Birmingham, where he attacked Labour’s Brexit stance as a “Bermuda Triangle” barren of intelligence, and compared Nigel Farage to “candle sellers on the dawn of the electric lightbulb”.
But Labour party deputy leader Tom Watson stole the headlines as he announced his decision to stand down as an MP in the middle of Mr Johnson’s speech, citing reasons “personal, not political” and a desire to campaign about ”the public health challenge facing our country”.
Boris Johnson’s campaign had earlier been thrown into disarray as Alun Cairns quit as Welsh secretary after being accused of “brazenly lying” about his knowledge of an allegation that his former aide sabotaged a rape trial.
The Tories were also accused of doctoring footage to falsely suggest Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer was unable to answer a question about Brexit, while James Cleverly was brutally “empty-chaired” after missing a Sky News interview.
Mr Johnson was criticised for comparing Jeremy Corbyn’s “hatred” of wealth creators to the persecution of the Kulaks – a group of landowning peasants killed by Stalin in the 1930s.
One Tory MP admitted it hadn’t been a “great day” for the party and said “people cocked things up”.
Chris Williamson not selected by Labour NEC
Chris Williamson is among three Labour figures who haven’t been selected for seats by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), according to the BBC’s Iain Watson.
Williamson was initially suspended by Labour in February after being recorded claiming that the party had been “too apologetic” and “given to much ground” on antisemitism.
He was readmitted in June following a disciplinary hearing but was swiftly suspended again after a furious backlash from Labour MPs and Jewish community groups.
His case was then referred to Labour’s main disciplinary body, the National Constitutional Committee.
Rivals call on Alun Cairns to step down as candidate
Other parties have welcomed Alun Cairn’s resignation as Welsh secretary after being accused of “brazenly lying” about his knowledge of an allegation that a Tory candidate had sabotaged a rape trial.
But many are calling for the Conservative to now step down as a candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan.
Christina Rees, shadow secretary of state for Wales said: “He has still not explained his behaviour and still not addressed the grave issues raised by the leaked emails yesterday … He should do the right thing - apologise, and step down as a candidate."
Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts said: “You simply cannot be complicit in the attempted cover-up of sabotaging a rape trial and hope to get away with it. Such conduct is neither befitting of a government minister, nor of a member of parliament.
Labour’s Angela Rayner tweeted: “Cabinet minister quitting just before PM to make his big statement launching election campaign.
“Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns resigns, this Tory Party election start staggers from one crisis to the next. Oh for the days of Strong and Stable.”
National Union of Students launches election manifesto
Students will not let their futures be torn apart by “ignorance and cowardice”, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS) has said.
Zamzam Ibrahim told supporters that students have “never been more hungry” for change, as she addressed them via Facebook live stream at Brunel student’s union in Uxbridge – Boris Johnson’s local constituency.
Her speech marked the launch of the NUS manifesto, entitled When Students Lead.
The manifesto claims students’ voices have been “ignored” on the issue of Brexit and says that the NUS will campaign to end the process “in the public interest".
“We’re collectively saying to politicians, whichever party they represent, we’re not going to stand by and let ignorance and cowardice tear our future to shreds,” said Ibrahim. “We’re going to fight for this election, we’re going to have our voices heard.”
‘What about my holiday to Fuengirola?’ Farage heckled again
Nigel Farage has been heckled for the second time today.
Out of the streets of Workington, the Brexit Party leader was engaged in debate with a male voter who said he was “bringing your hate”, when one woman shouted: “What about your German wife Nigel – how come she’s allowed in?”
She added: “What about my holiday to Fuengirola?”
Fuengirola is the Costa del Sol.
Earlier today a woman shouted “fascist” as she left the room midway through Farage’s speech in Workington. She was followed out by a woman wearing a T-shirt which said “Bollocks to Brexit”.
Farage said the idea of “Workington man” was a “load of patronising cobblers” dreamt up by a Conservative think tank.
Chris Williamson blocked from standing for Labour
Labour has blocked ex-MP Chris Williamson from standing as a candidate in the upcoming election after he was suspended form the party over accusations of antisemitism.
The party’s ruling body also refused to endorse Jarrow MP Stephen, who was kicked out of the party over allegations of sexual harassment, at a meeting on Wednesday.
Our correspondent Lizzy Buchan has all the details.
Conservative association backs Alun Cairns as candidate
Alun Cairns, who stepped down as Welsh secretary earlier today, has been offered support from his local Conservative association.
Rival parties have called on Cairns to now step down as a candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan.
But Russell Spencer-Downe, deputy chair of Vale of Glamorgan Conservative Association, told BBC Wales: “I have faith in Alun Cairns. He’s been a very good MP and has always had the support of the association.”
Jeff James, chairman of the association, added: “I have every confidence in Alun Cairns as the constituency candidate.”
Cairns is accused of “brazenly lying” about his knowledge of an allegation that a Tory aide had sabotaged a rape trial.
Corbyn says he expects to remain Labour leader into 'long-distant future'
Jeremy Corbyn has put “leadership” at the heart of his appeal for the 12 December general election, as he suggested that he expects to remain at the head of the Labour Party into the “long-distant future”.
The Labour chief’s comments appeared to be designed as a riposte to polling which regularly puts him significantly behind Boris Johnson on the issue of leadership.
He accused Conservatives of offering a style of government headed by “leaders who think they are above us all”.
Bercow calls Brexit the biggest blunder since Second World War
John Bercow has attacked Brexit as the country’s biggest blunder since the Second World War, warning it will take a decade to complete if it goes ahead.
The outspoken former Speaker said it would be “better to be part of the power bloc” – confirming Westminster’s worst-kept secret that he is a Remainer.
Speaking to foreign journalists, Mr Bercow – who quit last week – also attacked David Cameron and the “Conservative establishment” for undermining his pitch to win the Speaker’s chair.
He also turned his fire on Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, after he branded the Commons a “zombie parliament” for challenging Brexit, saying: “Parliament is no disgrace at all and did its job well.”
Greens launch election campaign with £100bn investment in tackling climate emergency
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, the Green Party has vowed to invest £100bn a year in ending the UK's use of fossil fuels and tackling the climate emergency.
Attempting to frame next month's vote as the "climate election", the Greens today set out their plans to "decarbonise every single sector" of the economy and achieving carbon neutral by 2030.
Co-leader Sian Berry told activists at the launch of the Greens' campaign: "Some things are even bigger than Brexit. This must be the climate election. Let's be honest about the situation we're in. We know these are dark times. It's easy to fear the future.
"The threat of Brexit hangs over our heads, the climate emergency rages from the Amazon to the Arctic, and our fragile democracy is under attack. But despite all this, Greens don't fear the future. We don't fear the future. We welcome the future.
"We know that we stand at the threshold of what could be the most exciting and prosperous period of British history," she said.
PM's struggle to keep the spotlight on Brexit will be disastrous for the Tories - Andrew Grice
"When Boris Johnson became prime minister in July, the talk among his advisers was about the election, not whether there would be one. The only questions were whether it would be held before Christmas or next spring, and before or after Brexit had happened.
"With hindsight, these discussions are revealing. As the election campaign gets underway officially, Johnson’s opening speech tonight will show he is fighting on a false premise. He will claim he doesn’t want an election, but had “no choice” because of “this blockading parliament.”
"Yet parliament did not block his Brexit deal - he blockaded himself. He drew stumps on the bill, implementing it after MPs rightly rejected his attempt to ram it through the Commons in just three days. Johnson then calculated his best chance of winning a majority would be in a pre-Brexit election."
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