General election news – live: Tories accused of spreading false claim aide was hit by Labour protester
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Boris Johnson has come under fire for failing to address a shocking image of a four-year-old boy forced to sleep on a NHS hospital floor – snatching the phone of a reporter attempting to show the image to him and putting it in his pocket.
Health secretary Matt Hancock was met with protesters shouting “shame on you” as he visited Leeds General Infirmary later on Tuesday. The Tories were accused of trying to “cheat and manipulate the media” after incorrectly briefing broadcasters that Mr Hancock’s aide had been punched by a protester.
It came as Mr Johnson faced a backlash over his remarks about EU citizens being able to “treat the UK as if it’s part of their own country”.
Meanwhile, John McDonnell unveiled Labour plans to begin nationalising utility companies within 100 days, while the DUP leader Arlene Foster said the prime minister “broke his word” that the Brexit deal would not include a customs border in the Irish Sea.
During a Question Time special to address the concerns of voters under 30, Nigel Farage was accused of “peddling racism” and “dog-whistle politics” during the Brexit referendum by Jo Swinson and Angela Rayner.
Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley described Mr Farage standing in front of the infamous anti-migration “breaking point” poster as “the lowest moment of my life”.
McDonnell promises to end austerity – and pledges 5 February budget
John McDonnell is speaking about Labour’s economic plans for the first 100 days in office at an event in central London.
Announcing the date of the first Budget, McDonnell said: “I can tell you today that my first act as chancellor will be write to the Office for Budget Responsibility, asking them to begin their preparations for my first budget, which will be given on the 5th of February – the date when almost ten years of cuts will come to an end.”
He said there would not be a run on the pound if Labour enters government, and claimed: “My fear is that the pound will start going up because of our investment plans.”
McDonnell also said: “We’ll set up our National Transformation Unit immediately - before Christmas - so it can start work in the Treasury, before being moved out to its new office in the north of England early next year.
“It will provide the initial finance for our new National Investment Bank, regional development banks and Post Bank, using the power of the Treasury to get affordable finance onto every high street in Britain.
“We’re creating new institutions … Central among those institutions will be publicly owned and democratically run utilities, because when Labour put money in your pockets, we will also put power back in your hands.”
The shadow chancellor also insisted his party was on course to a majority in the election.
Asked if he could become an interim leader if Jeremy Corbyn stands down, he replied: “It's not going to happen because we’re going to have a majority Labour government.”
McDonnell: ‘I can’t see a better deal than Remain’
Labour’s John McDonnell has been asked about the party’s Brexit policy – and how he would vote in any second EU referendum.
The shadow chancellor said he would assess whatever deal is negotiated, adding: “I’ve said consistently I can’t see a better deal than Remain.
“But when we bring that deal back, people will make their own assessment of it, and I will as well.”
He said the bottom line is that Labour will protect jobs and the economy “no matter what comes out of this”, adding: “It will be the people who decide this issue once and for all.”
John McDonnell speaking in central London (PA)
‘Nauseating xenophobia’: Gary Lineker condemns PM
More criticism for Boris Johnson’s negative remarks about EU citizens being able to “treat the UK as if it’s part of their own country.”
The Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker said the PM was guilty of “nauseating xenophobia,” while the Labour-supporting comedian Rob Delany accused the Tories of possessing “bigoted” dreams”.
The prime minister has also been accused of “hate-mongering” and “dog-whistle politics” for his attacks on EU migrants living in the UK.
Anti-Brexit campaigners say Remain parties have let down voters
Best for Britain, the pro-EU campaign, has identified the 36 marginal seats where tactical voting could prevent the Tories from winning a majority.
Ranging from Dewsbury, where 82 votes could make a difference, to 2,454 votes in Bolton West, their analysis suggests that tactical voting is the only way to get to a Final Say vote.
Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, said voters need to take matters into their own hands as they have been let down by the failure of the larger parties to work together.
Speaking at an event in Westminster, she said: "The Remain parties have failed the Remain movement. Farage stood down in over 350 seats for his fellow leaver Boris Johnson. With the honourable exception of a handle of Unite to Remain seats, our side failed to fight fire with fire.
"The inability of Corbyn and Swinson to work together mean Remain voters have to do their job for them."
But she added: "If enough Remainers can hold their nose, we are in touching distance of getting a Final Say referendum."
Best for Britain survey shows tactical voters can snatch victory from Boris Johnson
Here are some of the tables from the anti-Brexit campaign Best for Britain, with projections with and without tactical voting.
Boris Johnson refuses to look at photo of four-year-old boy on hospital floor
Johnson was confronted by ITV reporter Joe Pike, who showed him an image of Jack Williment-Barr, a 4-year-old sleeping on coats on the floor of a Leeds hospital.
While the PM expressed his sympathies, he would not look at the image and then took the phone away.
‘I can’t comment either way on a situation in Leeds,’ says Tory candidate
Conservative candidate Paul Scully was asked for his reaction to the photo of a four-year-old boy, with suspected pneumonia, sleeping on a hospital floor.
Scully told BBC Politics Live: “It’s terrible. No-one should have to undergo that level of service, as it were, in a hospital.”
Asked whether he’d like to apologise for what happened to Jack Williment-Barr or his family at Leeds General Infirmary, he says: “I can’t comment either way on a situation in Leeds from one single photo. I just want to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.”
‘Appalling … bananas’: Reaction to PM’s extraordinary interview
Some more reaction to that astonishing ITV interview with Boris Johnson – during which he repeatedly refused to look at a photo of a sick, four-year-old boy sleeping on a hospital floor.
ITV’s Robert Peston said “it could be the moment of the campaign”. The Labour supporting commentator Ellie Mae O’Hagan said it was “genuinely bananas”.
The former Tory MP Anna Soubry said it was “appalling,” with Labour’s Andy McDonald called it an “utter disgrace.”
The comedian David Schneider said: “Can there be a clearer demonstration of the Tories trying to hide the reality of the NHS from us than Johnson grabbing a phone with a photo of a 4-year old forced to sleep on an A&E floor and trying to hide it?”
Labour peer Stewart Wood said: ““You’ve refused to see the photo, you’ve taken my phone and put it in your pocket prime minister,” is now my most memorable interviewer’s remark of the campaign.”
‘We don’t want Boris’: Boris Johnson booed in north-east
Labour activists booed as Boris Johnson arrived for a north-east campaign visit. A man on a megaphone could be heard saying: “We don’t want Boris in the north east of England.”
The PM was given a tour of Fergusons Transport, near Washington, and shown some tyres. “This would fit on my Toyota,” Johnson said.
Boris Johnson visits Fergusons Transport (AFP)
PM grilled on why he ‘struggled’ to look at photo of sick boy
Laura Kuenssberg has asked Boris Johnson (answering questions in Washington, near Sunderland) about why he “struggled” to look at a photo of four-year-old Jack Williment-Barr, forced to sleep on a hospital floor.
“Well I’m very proud to have invested in Leeds General Infirmary, and it’s one of the hospitals that we will rebuild … it will be a fantastic project,” he replied before going on to talk about his party’s investment plans for the NHS.
He is asked again why he couldn’t look at the photo and took away a reporter’s phone, and what it said about how much he really cared, Johnson said: “I think I’ve answered that question,” he replied, before again talking about investment.
Boris Johnson answering questions at Fergusons Transport (PA)
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