Boris Johnson news: PM abandons claim no-deal Brexit is ‘one-in-a-million’ risk, amid barrage of abuse on Facebook Q&A
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Your support makes all the difference.Speaker John Bercow has vowed to block Boris Johnson from suspending parliament to force through a no-deal Brexit “with every breath in my body”.
Mr Johnson also faced other attacks from more liberal Conservatives on Wednesday.
In a thinly-veiled attack on the Johnson’s adviser Dominic Cummings, former chancellor Philip Hammond accused the PM of listening to “unelected” saboteurs “who pull the strings” of his government.
Despite the internal party schism, Mr Johnson held his very first “People’s PMQs” event on Facebook, answering questions from the comments section – where he faced a barrage of abuse
The PM admitted a no-deal exit had become “more likely”.
He also failed to rule out a general election in order to thwart attempts to block a crash-out from the EU.
And he accused MPs fighting a no-deal – led by Philip Hammond, the former chancellor – of “a terrible collaboration” with Brussels in order to stop Brexit altogether.
“The awful thing is that the longer that goes on, the more likely it is of course that we will be forced to leave with a no-deal Brexit,” Mr Johnson said.
“That’s not what I want, that’s not what we’re aiming for, but we need our European friends to compromise.
Gordon Brown has suggested that the current government's response to another potential economic downturn would be "very different" from his actions during the 2008 financial crash.
Speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the former prime minister pointed to tariffs being imposed on Chinese imports to the US as an example of ways the current government may react to another recession.
Mr Brown, who was hosting a talk by economist Branko Milanovic, responded to a question about monetary easing, a policy he pursued in the wake of the 2008 banking crisis.
Predicting a different response, Mr Brown said: "I think it's fair to add that if there was a future financial or economic downturn, you wouldn't just see monetary policy, you would see fiscal policy.
"We've now seen trade protectionism as a reaction to (countries') own problems.
"You're seeing security issues becoming economic issues, like buying from Chinese companies.
"It's a whole range of different things that you will see that are very different from what happened in 2008."
More news out of Edinburgh where festival season is in full swing:
John Bercow, the speaker of the House of Commons, has said he is "absolutely certain" that parliament will not be suspended in order to force through a no-deal Brexit against the will of MPs.
The Speaker of the House of Commons further risked infuriating Boris Johnson with his comments at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister has refused to take the controversial measure off the table as part of his "do or die" commitment to leaving the EU by 31 October.
Mr Bercow was asked about attempts to suspend Parliament at his Fringe show by Channel 4 News.
"The prorogation that has been mooted from time to time - which I know the Prime Minister has indicated is not his intention - won't happen," he replied.
"It simply won't happen. I don't know what part of 'it won't happen' people either don't understand or refuse to believe.
"I am absolutely certain in my own mind that it will not happen."
He reportedly did not respond to questioning on how a suspension could be stopped, but did suggest the possibility of "massive public outcry" and "lengthy legal cases".
The day before, he had told his show that he would fight any attempt with "every breath in my body", according to the Herald newspaper.
Dominic Cummings has been criticised by all sides since being appointed as an adviser to Boris Johnson.
Michael Heseltine is the latest figure to lash out at the aide.
"Dominic Cummings is self-evidently a self-appointed leader of the present administration," he said during an interview with Sky News.
"He briefs everybody, he talks to everybody, he abuses politicians who get in his way.
"He's completely unaccountable. The point of parliament is to hold ministers to account.
"Now, just tell me, how Dominic Cummings is held to account by parliament?
"You can say...'well parliament, what's that?'
"I'll tell you what parliament is - it's your ultimate safeguard. It's your ultimate guarantee of freedom. It's where the great battles that have made us the parliamentary democracy that we are have been fought and won."
If you missed it earlier, our political sketchwriter Tom Peck has written about Boris Johnson's attempt at a Facebook PMQs.
"A full minute-long countdown introduced Boris Johnson’s first-ever “People’s PMQs”, streamed live on Facebook. From the start of the actual event proper, it took the prime minister less than 10 seconds to start lying," he writes.
“'At the moment, I’m afraid MPs are all still off on holiday, but I’m here in Downing Street,' he said, in a sly little Trump-esque undermining of the House of Commons, whom he knows he is about to have to fight.
"For the avoidance of all doubt, MPs are no more on holiday than he is."
Read his piece here:
The Home Office has come under fire this evening, after launching an anti-knife crime campaign focused on fried chicken shops.
The insides of the boxes are printed with real life stories of young people who have chosen to pursue positive activities, such as boxing or music, instead of carrying a knife.
“Instead of investing in a public health approach to violent crime, the Home Office have opted for yet another crude, offensive and probably expensive campaign,” Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said.
Read more here:
US vice president Mike Pence is set to visit the UK and Ireland on behalf of Donald Trump.
The Republican politician will be in the UK to discuss Brexit, Iran and the "threat of Chinese malign influence" between 4 and 5 September, the White House said.
He will then travel to Ireland on 6 September to meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
There, according to the White House, he will voice the States' "commitment to maintaining peace, prosperity, and stability in Ireland by upholding the Good Friday Agreement".
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