Brexit news: Labour votes against backing Remain in new referendum, as Boris Johnson denies misusing public funds
The latest developments as they happened
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Labour‘s annual conference has rejected a motion calling for the party to oppose Brexit in all circumstances.
Delegates at the gathering in Brighton voted down a plan that would have seen the party support Remain in any future referendum. They instead backed a proposal from the party leadership that will see Labour delay deciding its position until after a general election.
The decision – which was based on a show of hands – proved highly controversial, with some observers suggesting it was a “stitch up”.
However others were pleased with the approval of the leader’s stance on Brexit, and around half of the delegates began chanting “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn”.
Elsewhere, Boris Johnson is facing a probe into allegations he failed to declare potential conflicts of interest as London mayor over the allocation of public money to an American businesswoman.
Officials at City Hall and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport are looking into Mr Johnson’s ties with Jennifer Arcuri, with MPs calling for the PM to quit if claims are substantiated.
Mr Johnson initially refused to answer questions about the allegations before eventually insisting that “everything was done with complete propriety”.
The prime minister went on to meet European Council president Donald Tusk at the UN General Assembly in New York. Mr Tusk later tweeted that there had been “no breakthrough”.
It came as Mr Johnson awaited Tuesday’s ruling by the Supreme Court on whether his decision to shut down parliament was unlawful or not.
See below for our coverage of events as they happened
Jeremy Corbyn has launched an angry tirade at journalists trying to speak to him at the conference centre here in Brighton, telling them their behaviour was "totally unacceptable".
Here's the full video of Jeremy Corbyn's outburst at the media:
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, is now speaking in the conference hall.
He starts by launching a scathing attack on Boris Johnson, although stops short of naming him directly.
He says:
.
"We have seen before in our history what kind of forces can be unleashed by politicians who have a total disregard for the truth in their ruthless pursuit of power for power’s sake.
Politicians who attack the very institutions and practices no matter how flawed that protect and uphold our democracy. Parliament, the courts and the rule of law. The best antidote to those who attack our democratic rules and institutions is more democracy itself."
John McDonnell pledges that Labour would end in-work poverty within its first term in office.
He says:
"Transforming people’s lives means ending the modern evil of in-work poverty. Labour has traditionally been committed to full employment. We have always believed that getting a job should be a means to lift yourself out of poverty. But under the Tories the link between work and escaping poverty has been broken.
So I commit today that within our first term of office Labour will end in-work poverty. That means completely transforming the way our economy works."
John McDonnell pledges that Labour would end in-work poverty within its first term in office.
He says:
"Transforming people’s lives means ending the modern evil of in-work poverty. Labour has traditionally been committed to full employment. We have always believed that getting a job should be a means to lift yourself out of poverty. But under the Tories the link between work and escaping poverty has been broken.
So I commit today that within our first term of office Labour will end in-work poverty. That means completely transforming the way our economy works."
In the big policy announcement of his speech, John McDonnell says a Labour government would reduce the working week to 32 hours.
He says the conference hall:
"We should work to live, not live to work. Thanks to past Labour governments but mainly thanks to the trade union movement, the average full-time working week fell from nearly 65 hours in the 1860s to 43 hours in the 1970s.
As society got richer, we could spend fewer hours at work. But in recent decades progress has stalled. People in our country today work the longest average full-time hours in Europe apart from Greece and Austria. And since the 1980s the link between increasing productivity matched by expanding free time has been broken. It’s time to put that right.
So I can tell you today that the next Labour government will put in place the changes needed to reduce average full-time hours to 32 a week within the next decade. A shorter working week with no loss of pay."
Video: John McDonnell promises to reduce working week to 32 hours within a decade under Labour government
This is interesting from John McDonnell, who tells the conference hall:
"In July, at our inaugural International Social Forum, I reiterated our support for socialist internationalism. We recognise that the first Industrial Revolution meant Britain was the first major contributor to climate change – something that left a lasting legacy for the Global South.
And to begin making some reparations for our colonial past, I pledge we will provide to the citizens of the Global South free or cheap access to the green technologies developed as part of our Green Industrial Revolution."
Full story: Jeremy Corbyn erupts at journalists over 'unacceptable behaviour' at Labour conference
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments