Brexit news - LIVE: Rory Stewart attacks Boris Johnson as Labour reveals plan to block no deal
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Labour has joined with MPs from other parties, including senior Conservatives, to launch a fresh bid to block a no-deal Brexit. The party will force a vote on Wednesday on a motion to stop the government taking Britain out of the EU without an exit deal.
The news came shortly after the EU dismissed Tory leadership candidates’ claims that they will be able to renegotiate Theresa May’s deal. A spokesperson for the European Commission insisted the bloc would “not change the parameters of what is on the table”.
Boris Johnson picked up further endorsements from Tory Brexiteers to succeed Ms May. Launching his leadership bid on Tuesday evening, Rory Stewart attacked the credentials of Mr Johnson and jokingly compared him to a “prancing elephant”.
At his husting to Tory MPs, leadership contender Mark Harper has said he did not think promising to leave the European Union on 31 October 31, deal or no-deal, was a realistic promise.
He told reporters afterwards: “I think promising it and failing to do so would put rocket boosters under Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party, whereas what I want to do is destroy the Brexit Party.”
He also said it was “not surprising” he had not received many public endorsements as he was not one of the front runners, but that he was “confident” he would survive the first round of voting.
Boris Johnson is very much the frontrunner to be the next Tory leader and PM, but who exactly is running his campaign to enter No.10?
John Rentoul has taken a look at the team trying to guide the gaffe-prone politician through the next few weeks.
Rory Stewart has taken aim at frontrunner Boris Johnson during his campaign launch event.
Asked if the former foreign secretary was unstoppable, he said that his question to Conservative members was: “Do you really feel that this is the person that you want engaging in the detail of the future of your health and education? Is this the person that you want writing the instructions to your nuclear submarines? Is this the man that you want embodying your nation on the world stage and guiding you through the most difficult choice that Britain has faced for 50 years?”
And he added: “I trust the Conservative members to arrive at the correct answer.”
Rory Stewart has denied that the launch event venue – a circus tent on London’s South Bank – reflected badly on the seriousness of his claim to the Tory crown, saying: “In the competition for who's standing as the greatest clown in this race, there may be some competition.”
He added: “I would feel very strongly that Mrs Thatcher could sit in this tent, because I am a conservative. Why am I a conservative? I’m the only conservative in this race who believes in fiscal and economic prudence. I’m the only conservative in the race who cares about not making tax cuts we can’t afford. I'm the type of conservative – like Mrs Thatcher or Winston Churchill – who cares about detail.”
Having launched his leadership campaign on Monday, Michael Gove has more to say about a no deal Brexit, saying he would choose it over no Brexit at all.
Robert Peston is impressed by Rory Stewart’s speech this evening, calling him a “proper star”. ITV’s political editor isn’t optimistic about his chances, however.
Rory Stewart has now finished his leadership launch event on London’s Southbank.
One of the most significant aspects of his speech, was his indication he could back a motion, set to be tabled by Jeremy Corbyn for debate on Wednesday, to give MPs the power to block no-deal Brexit or the prorogation of parliament.
Mr Stewart said that prorogation - which would involve asking the Queen to suspend sittings of the Commons to stop MPs blocking Brexit – would be “undemocratic, unconstitutional and profoundly offensive”.
Referring to the Corbyn motion, he said: “I’m entirely against no-deal and I‘m entirely against prorogation. I haven’t read the details of this, but my instinct is I would be wholly supportive of a move to try to do that. Why? Because no-deal is not a credible threat. Nobody can get no-deal through parliament, because we – including me – will stop no-deal going through parliament.”
A reminder of the main talking points from Rory Stewart’sTory leadership launch event at a circus tent on London’s Southbank.
He attacked the credentials of his rival Boris Johnson. “Is this the man that you want embodying your nation on the world stage and guiding you through the most difficult choice that Britain has faced for 50 years?”
He also joked about Johnson at the beginning of his speech, saying he wanted to talk about “the great prancing elephant in the room in this great circus tent” before clarifying he was talking about no deal Brexit rather than the frontrunner.
Stewart also suggested he could back a motion, set to be tabled by Jeremy Corbyn for debate on Wednesday, to give MPs the power to block no-deal Brexit or the prorogation of parliament. “My instinct is I would be wholly supportive of a move to try to do that.”
Rory Stewart greets cheering supporters at the Udderbelly Festival Southbank (Getty)
Here’s the moment Rory Stewart went for the jugular when discussing leadership rival Boris Johnson, whom he (jokingly) compared to a “prancing elephant”.
Labour MPs have had more to say about that angry meeting with leader Jeremy Corbyn. Here’s Lizzy Buchan with all the details.
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