Brexit news: Theresa May warns against no-deal Brexit as Tory leadership race swells to 10 candidates

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Theresa May warns against no-deal Brexit

Theresa May has warned her successor against pursuing a no-deal Brexit as the EU rebuffed the hopes of Tory leadership contenders by refusing to reopen talks.

Ms May told reporters in Brussels that the next Tory leader must "get a consensus" as the number of Conservatives jockeying to replace her reached double figures.

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, one of the candidates, warned the Tories a no-deal exit would be "catastrophic", in a warning to rivals such as Esther McVey who are actively pursuing such an outcome.

Elsewhere, Speaker John Bercow fanned the flames by telling an audience in Washington that it would "inconceivable" for parliament to lack a voice over the shape of Brexit.

In another dramatic day in Westminster, the equality watchdog announced a formal investigation into antisemitism in Labour, while the Muslim Council of Britain demanded the Conservatives face a probe into claims of Islamophobia.

Tony Blair's former spin doctor Alistair Campbell was also expelled from Labour after admitting he voted for the Liberal Democrats in the European election

See below for live updates

Key Points

• Theresa May warns her successor against pursuing a no-deal Brexit
• ... as Speaker John Bercow says it is 'inconceivable' parliament would not have a say
• Labour faces formal investigation over handling of antisemitism complaints
• Muslim Council of Britain demands probe into Islamophobia among Tories 
• Alastair Campbell expelled by Labour after voting for Lib Dems in protest at Brexit stance

[28 May 2019 15:49 · Lizzy Buchan]

John Bercow says "legally" no-deal is the default on October 31 but adds: "There is a difference between a legal default position and what the interplay of different political forces in parliament will facilitate."

[28 May 2019 15:55 · Lizzy Buchan]

John Bercow says he has 'nothing to add to or subtract from' his comments when he banned US president Donald Trump from addressing the Commons.

He says 'no request had been received' from the president on this trip but acknowledges there was 'some correspondence' about it during his last visit.

[28 May 2019 16:00 · Lizzy Buchan]

[28 May 2019 16:12 · Lizzy Buchan]

John Bercow name checks Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt for the second time in his Washington speech as those seeking compromise.

Clearly both cabinet ministers are on his radar for the leadership.

[28 May 2019 16:21 · Lizzy Buchan]

John Bercow has warned Tory leadership contenders threatening to crash out of the EU without an agreement in October that the Commons is likely to block it.

The Speaker dismissed expert opinion that MPs had lost their opportunity to stop a no-deal Brexit, insisting: “The idea the House won't have its say is for the birds.”

Full story here: 

[28 May 2019 16:33 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May has warned her successor against leaving the EU without a deal, after several Conservative leadership candidates said they would be open to the Brexit policy.

Arriving in Brussels for a meeting with EU leaders, the prime minister said she was "not going to comment on the views of individual candidates".

"I've always take a view that the best option for the UK is to leave the European Union with a deal. I'm not going to comment on the views of individual candidates.

"There will be a process of selecting my successor as leader of the Conservative party but I continue to have the view that it's best for the UK to leave with a deal," she told reporters on the doorstep of the summit."

[28 May 2019 16:41 · Lizzy Buchan]

Full piece on Theresa May's warning to her successor on arrival in Brussels:

[28 May 2019 16:52 · Lizzy Buchan]

Here's the clip of Theresa May's interview on arriving in Brussels:

[28 May 2019 17:08 · Lizzy Buchan]

The EU has once again ruled out renegotiating Theresa May’s Brexit deal, in a major blow to several Conservative leadership candidates who have insisted that they would re-open talks if elected.

Arriving at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday, an exasperated Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters: “I was crystal clear. There will be no renegotiation.”

More from our Europe correspondent Jon Stone:

[28 May 2019 17:25 · Lizzy Buchan]

Tory leadership contenders have been invited to take place in a BBC News leadership debate, in what will surely be a cracking bit of TV.

Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis will host a hustings in mid-June, while the final two candidates will take part in a single special edition of Question Time with presenter Fiona Bruce.

The final two will also be grilled by veteran broadcaster Andrew Neill.

Fran Unsworth, Director BBC News and Current Affairs, said: “The decision being made by Conservative party members will profoundly affect us all, so it feels right that BBC audiences get a chance to see the candidates’ debate with each other, and that we scrutinise the various policy proposals they will be standing on.”

The key question is how many candidates will there actually be? At least 10 Tories have said they will run, including Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt and Matthew Hancock. 

Brexit minister James Cleverly is said to be considering a tilt, as well as defence secretary Penny Mordaunt and ex-1922 committee chairman Graham Brady.