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As it happenedended

Boris Johnson news – live: Nigel Farage lays out conditions for pact with PM in conversation with Trump

Follow all the latest developments

Adam Forrest,Lizzy Buchan
Thursday 31 October 2019 19:15 GMT
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What to watch out for in a pre-Christmas election

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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".

Election 'not about Brexit, but the climate emergency'

Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, says the election must not be about Brexit, but about the climate - the most urgent emergency the human species has ever faced - something the prime minister has "repeatedly ignored":

Jane Dalton31 October 2019 16:02

Poorer people 'will be denied vote under council canvassing change'

Voters from poorer backgrounds will drop off the electoral register under a change being “sneaked though” parliament, Labour is warning.

Jane Dalton31 October 2019 16:14

Johnson 'booed' at hospital

Boris Johnson received "boos" as he ended a hospital visit a day after coming under fire over claims of creeping NHS privatisation. 

The prime minister Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where he was given a tour of the facilities at the hospital and met staff and patients.

Footage posted on Twitter appeared to show him him receiving a mixture of calls, boos and whistles as he walked out. He gave a brief wave for those in the crowd who were supportive.

Jane Dalton31 October 2019 16:35

Arcuri grant 'appropriate'

A £100,000 grant awarded to US businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri's Hacker House company by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has been judged "appropriate" by the Government Internal Audit Agency.

The report said: "This review concludes that although the initial gateway questions were not considered for the 19 applications received, the rationale for considering all applications was not unreasonable.

"In respect of the grant award to Hacker House Ltd, the assessment of eligibility and subsequent award of a reduced value of £100,000, is considered appropriate."

Boris Johnson had been accused of a conflict of interest over grants given to the company belonging to his close friend Ms Arcuri while he was London mayor.

Jane Dalton31 October 2019 16:47

Johnson seat switch 'categorically untrue'

The prime minister's office has flatly denied Mr Johnson is swapping his Uxbridge seat for Rutland and Melton.

Reports have surfaced on social media that the prime minister was switching to the Leicestershire and Rutland seat at the election. 

But a spokesman said this was "categorically untrue" and that he had been reselected by his local Conservative association.

Jane Dalton31 October 2019 16:52

Remain lobby under fire for backing third-placed Lib Dems in tactical voting drive

An anti-Brexit campaign has been forced to defend its new tactical voting tool after drawing criticism for advising voters to back the Liberal Democrats in some seats where the party trails behind Labour.

Best for Britain unveiled an online guide for pro-EU voters on the best way to thwart Boris Johnson by tactical voting, in many cases pushing the Lib Dems, reports Lizzy Buchan.

Jane Dalton31 October 2019 16:57

Christmas election is on after bill becomes law

Legislation triggering an early general election on 12 December has become law after receiving royal assent. 

Lizzy Buchan31 October 2019 17:09

MPs condemn ITV for ‘failure of responsibility’ over Jeremy Kyle guests

MPs have condemned ITV for a “corporate failure of responsibility” over producers’ treatment of guests on The Jeremy Kyle Show.

Participants on the tabloid talk show were “exploited” for the “purpose of entertainment,” said members of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

The panel viewed behind-the-scenes footage from the programme, which was produced by the broadcaster’s company ITV Studios, as part of a wider investigation into reality television.

Lizzy Buchan31 October 2019 17:20

Lib Dem MP abused by members of the public

Luciana Berger, the former Labour MP who joined the Lib Dems earlier this year, condemned a group of men for shouting "traitor" as she passed by a Westminster pub.

It comes as 17 female MPs decided to stand down at the next election, with some citing relentless abuse and intimidation among their reasons for quitting.

Lizzy Buchan31 October 2019 17:32

Donald Trump says Jeremy Corbyn is 'so bad for your country'

US president Donald Trump has given a surprise interview to Nigel Farage's LBC show, which starts at 6pm.

In pre-released audio, Trump said: "Corbyn would be so bad for your country, he'd be so bad, he'd take you on such a bad way. He'd take you into such bad places.

"Your country has tremendous potential. It's a great country."

He also dismissed Corbyn's warnings that the NHS will be up for grabs for the US after Brexit.

The president said: "Not at all. We wouldn't even be involved in that, no.

"It's not for us to have anything to do with your health care system. No, we're just talking about trade."

Trump described Boris Johnson as a "fantastic man" who is "the exact right guy for the times".

He told Farage: "I know that you and him will end up doing something that could be terrific if you and he get together as, you know, an unstoppable force."

But he criticised the PM's Brexit deal, which he said could hinder trade with the US.

"We want to do trade with UK and they want to do trade with us," he said.

"To be honest with you... This deal... under certain aspects of the deal... you can't do it, you can't do it, you can't trade.

"We can't make a trade deal with the UK because I think we can do many times the numbers that we're doing right now and certainly much bigger numbers than you are doing under the European Union."

Lizzy Buchan31 October 2019 17:44

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