Boris Johnson news – live: Nigel Farage lays out conditions for pact with PM in conversation with Trump
Follow all the latest developments
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.Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have traded blows on the first day of the general election campaign trail as parties tool up for the 12 December poll.
Mr Johnson blamed the failure to meet his “do or die” pledge to deliver Brexit today on the Labour leader, while Mr Corbyn has lashed out at the “elite” at Labour’s campaign launch. He claimed the party would “get Brexit sorted within six months”.
As the UK braced itself for a gruelling campaign, US president Donald Trump waded into British politics by claiming Mr Corbyn would be "so bad for your country".
‘Which side are you on?’ asks Corbyn
Jeremy Corbyn vows to “go after” tax dodgers, dodgy landlords, big polluters and “the bad bosses”.
He says: “And the big question of this election is: whose side are you on? … The dodgy landlords like the Duke of Westminster, Britain’s youngest billionaire, who tried to evict whole blocks of families to make way for luxury apartments? Or the millions of tenants in Britain who struggle to pay their rent each month?
“Whose side are you on? The bad bosses like Mike Ashley, the billionaire who won’t pay his staff properly and is running Newcastle United into the ground? Or his exploited workforce like the woman who was reportedly forced to give birth in a warehouse toilet because she was terrified of missing her shift?
“Whose side are you on? The big polluters like Jim Ratcliffe, Britain’s richest man, who makes his money by polluting the environment? Or the children growing up in our cities with reduced lung capacity because of choking pollution?”
“Whose side are you on? The greedy bankers like Crispin Odey, who makes millions betting against our country and has donated huge sums to Johnson and the Conservative Party? Or are you on the side of working people who create the wealth that’s then squirreled away in tax havens?
“And whose side are you on? The billionaire media barons like Rupert Murdoch, whose empire pumps out propaganda to support a rigged system. Or the overwhelming majority who want to live in a decent, fair, diverse and prosperous society?”
Poll shows 17-point lead for Tories
Another bad poll for Labour. An IpsosMORI one this time, showing a mammoth 17-point lead for the Tories after a major increase since the company’s last survey.
‘It’s not about me’: Corbyn dismisses his poor poll ratings
The Labour leader has been answering questions from the media after his speech. Asked about his own poor poll ratings, Corbyn said: “It’s not about me. It is not about any individual on this platform. It’s not a presidential election.”
To loud applause from the audience of activists, he said: “I ask our media, as good journalists, to just report what we say.”
Asked how he would vote in a second referendum on Brexit, Corbyn said Labour would immediately negotiate a new deal.
“Within six months that offer, alongside Remain, would be put to the British people.
“In the meantime, our party will come together in the way we always do, discuss that, and decide what we’re going to do.
“But basically it will be about bringing our communities together and putting the issue behind us.”
MPs call for 'young man' Bercow to be made Lord or Archbishop
Jacob Rees-Mogg has been leading the love-in for Speaker John Bercow. The Commons leader said Bercow’s language – including the use of words such as “chunter” – had been popularised during his time in the role and praised the speaker for becoming known as the “backbenchers’ champion”.
Tory MP Michael Fabricant Bercow should be given the post of Archbishop of Lichfield in his retirement. Fabricant told the Commons that both the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York are “overworked”, and that another post would help ease the pressure.
“Then the hard work done by the Archbishop of Canterbury and York can be shared. We have that precedent. We want him now.”
Second Church Estates Commissioner Dame Caroline Spelman said King Offa had struck a deal to have an Archbishop in Lichfield in exchange for “an annual shipment of gold to the Pope”. She said Fabricant might like to make a “similar offer” to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Labour MP Barry Sheerman said: “You are a young man, you've got the career in front of you, I’m hoping you’re going to do startling things.
“And I hope this miserable prime minister, who couldn’t even pay tribute to the Father of the House yesterday [Ken Clarke], will put you in the House of Lords, where your office deserves.”
Speaker John Bercow on his final day in the Commons
'Very sad’ to see female MPs quitting over abuse, says Jo Cox Foundation
A foundation set up in the name of murdered MP Jo Cox has attacked the “abhorrent” abuse aimed at female MPs, after four women cited bullying as their reason for recently standing down from parliament.
In the past week, Tory MPs Caroline Spelman and Nicky Morgan, former Labour MP Louise Ellman and Lib Dem MP Heidi Allen have all cited abuse as contributing to their decision not to run again.
It comes three years after Cox was murdered in the street by a far-right activist, while earlier this year a white supremacist was jailed for a plot to kill fellow Labour MP Rosie Cooper.
Catherine Anderson, chief executive of the Jo Cox Foundation, said: “One of Jo’s great passions was encouraging more women to come forward as candidates, so it is very sad to see talented women standing down at this time.”
She added that ”while abuse and intimidation directed at those in public life is always abhorrent”, evidence collected by the foundation showed "women are disproportionately more likely to be targets”.
“We all have a responsibility to call out threats and unacceptable behaviour, whether online or offline,” she said.
Jeremy Corbyn's claim to get Brexit done in six months branded 'laughable'
The Labour leader vowed his party will get Brexit sorted within six months at an election campaign launch today.
Tory chairman James Cleverly said: "This is a laughable claim. He promised to honour the first referendum result and then did precisely the opposite.
"Corbyn’s second referendum would mean years more of dither, division and delay.
"Only a vote for Boris Johnson and the Conservatives will get Brexit done so we can get on with investing more in our NHS, getting more police on our streets and improving every one of our schools."
Campaigners mock Boris Johnson on failure to deliver Brexit
Anti-Brexit campaign group Led By Donkeys have set up outside Conservative HQ today, where they are merrily playing clips of the prime minister's (broken) promise to leave the EU on 31 October.
Nigel Farage dismisses speculation Brexit Party could stand down candidates
Nigel Farage has dismissed "idle speculation" that the Brexit Party may withdraw candidates in hundreds of constituencies to concentrate resources on a small number of Labour-held seats.
In a move that would boost Boris Johnson's chances, reports suggested that Mr Farage was mulling only standing candidates in 20 northern seats and would not stand against Brexiteer Tories.
But Mr Farage said: "This is idle speculation.
"I have not spoken to anyone of any seniority in the party (about this)."
Final day as Speaker for John Bercow
As John Bercow prepares to stand down after more than a decade as Commons Speaker, my colleague Ben Kentish has taken a look at why the decision to quit has been lamented by some and celebrated by others.
Lib Dems won’t stand against Dominic Grieve
The Lib Dems won’t be putting a candidate up against Dominic Grieve, the expelled Tory, in Beaconsfield to help boost the chances of a leading pro-Remain politician defeating the Conservative candidate.
The former Lib Dem candidate Rob Castell confirmed it on Twitter.
“If you can’t understand that our one-time agreement serves only to diminish Johnson’s chances of delivering a damaging Brexit, then I can’t help you.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments