Tory leadership debate - live: Boris Johnson challenged on ‘letterbox’ comments, as candidates quizzed on Brexit, tax cuts and climate change
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Your support makes all the difference.The remaining Tory leadership candidates have clashed over Brexit, tax cuts and public spending during a heated televised debate that saw Boris Johnson go head-to-head with his rivals for the first time.
The five contenders put forward different plans on Brexit, with Michael Gove and Jeremy Hunt saying they would be willing to delay Britain's departure from the EU in order to secure a deal, while Mr Johnson and Sajid Javid said they would not. Rory Stewart promised never to allow a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Stewart also attacked his rivals for making promises he said they could not deliver, including on tax cuts. But they returned fire, with Mr Gove pushing him on his plan for public services.
Mr Johnson apologised for the offence caused by his previous comments about Muslim women but insisted they had been unfairly “escalated”, while Mr Hunt defended saying he agreed with the “sentiment” of Donald Trump's tweets about Sadiq Khan.
The debate followed the second round of voting by Tory MPs, which resulted in Dominic Raab being eliminated after failing to meet the threshold of 33 votes. Mr Johnson maintained a huge lead and Mr Stewart also increased his support, but Mr Javid only narrowly scraped through to Wednesday's third round.
See how the day unfolded below:
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Rory Stewart's team seem hopeful that he has secured the magic number of 33 supporters required to progress through the second round of the Tory leadership vote this evening.
The independent development secretary picked up only 19 votes in the first ballot, but his campaign has since gathered momentum.
"I think we're there, but it's tight," a source close to Stewart told the Press Association today.
Sajid Javid got 23 votes in the first round, and a campaign source acknowledged it was "close" and they were "making no predictions" about what would happen.
An ally of former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, who got 27 votes last week, said they were "quietly confident" he would pass the required threshold today.
A man has been spared jail for throwing a milkshake over Nigel Farage in one of a spate of similar incidents targeting right-wing figures.
Paul Crowther today pleaded guilty to common assault and criminal damage at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court, where he was sentenced to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay the Brexit Party leader compensation.
My colleague Lizzie Dearden has the full story:
Conservative backbencher Alberto Costa has called on whoever succeeds Theresa May as prime minister to "ratchet up" work to guarantee citizens' rights regardless of how Brexit plays out.
Asking an urgent question in the House of Commons, the MP for South Leicestershire said: "It is inconceivable that a British government, let alone a Conservative government, could allow the rights of British nationals working, living and studying in the EU to vaporise overnight on October 31.
"But we find ourselves in this deeply unpalatable position where our fellow citizens, as well as EU nationals resident in this country, have had their rights wrongly placed on the negotiating table."
He called for an "urgent taskforce" to meet with Michel Barnier, Donald Tusk and other stakeholders in the EU to "convey the unanimous will of this House".
His question came after Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, rejected an appeal by the UK's Brexit secretary Stephen Barclary for citizens' rights to be safeguarded in the event of no deal.
Replying to Costa in parliament, Brexit minister Robin Walker said : "I can assure him whoever takes forward the leadership of our party and our country will feel the pressure not only from him but backbenchers from across this House to continue to press on this issue."
He said a "large" citizens' rights team in his department was working closely with colleagues in other departments, such as the Home Office.
Former Tory MP Anna Soubry has torn into her former Change UK colleague Chuka Ummuna following his defection to the Liberal Democrats:
Theresa May has been urged to confront China over violent demonstrations in Hong Kong by Chris Patten, the former governor of the territory.
In a new campaign video, Dominic Raab said nothing had "wracked me with nerves in quite the same way" as competing in karate or boxing.
"Certainly it has been pretty good in terms of preparing me for other big moments," he said.
Mr Raab used the video to highlight the importance of education and said he wanted to bring back apprenticeships for 14-16-year-olds.
"Giving young people a good education is crucial if we are going to improve social mobility," he said.
"Everyone should have the opportunity to go as far as their talents can take them."
A poll of members of the Conservative pressure group Tory Reform Group has put Rory Stewart ahead of the other candidates in head-to-head contests.
Voting in the second secret ballot has begun. The result will be declared around 6pm.
Tory leadership contender Boris Johnson has been called on to clarify his position on British and EU citizens' rights after Brexit, with an MP saying nobody "seems to be hearing a word from him".
Change UK MP Christopher Leslie called on ministers to clarify Mr Johnson's position on securing EU citizens' rights after Brexit given the "crippling doubt and uncertainty" facing families.
Speaking in the House of Commons during an urgent question on British and EU citizens' rights after Brexit, Mr Leslie said: "I would like to know how many of the citizens affected the minister has actually spoken to.
"Do you actually understand the crippling doubt and uncertainty that is affecting so many hundreds of thousands of people, particularly with the spectre of no-deal hanging over their heads?
"And is there somebody else that the minister should be speaking to at this particularly crucial moment? The right honourable member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, who he should go and speak to right away to find out what on Earth he is planning to do, because nobody else seems to be hearing a word from him."
Brexit minister Robin Walker replied: "I have met with EU citizens groups up and down the UK in a number of embassies and a number of events that we have held across the country.
"I have met with British citizens in a number of EU member states I have been visiting and their representatives. I continue to listen to their concerns and to make sure they are reflected at the highest levels of government.
"I am sure my right honourable friend for Uxbridge can answer for himself, but I will certainly be making the case to whoever takes on the leadership of our party and our country for securing the rights of EU citizens and UK citizens - needs to be a top priority."
A senior union leader has launched a scathing attack on Boris Johnson, branding him an "absolute disgrace" and warning of the "damage" he could cause as prime minister.
Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said the future of the UK was in the hands of the Tory Party's "flying circus", describing the leadership candidates as a cross between "Britain's got no talent and I'm a nonentity, get me out of here".
He told the union's annual conference in Liverpool that Mr Johnson topped the list of the "rogues gallery of chancers".
He said: "He plans a tax cut for the richest in our society, while our care services are in meltdown.
"He's an absolute disgrace. It doesn't bear thinking about, the damage he could cause."
Mr Prentis said the UK needed a general election, so the future of the country could be decided by the people, not the "out-of-touch elite" of the Conservative Party.
He added that he had high hopes for the next Labour government, but warned it would never happen while there is "division and distrust".
Politicians had failed on Brexit, so the only option was to take the decision back to the people, he said.
Mr Prentis said that Brexit had unleashed the "stench of extremism", forcing Unison to fight harder than ever against racism and hate.
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