Renditions urgent question - as it happened: Government faces angry backlash over 'abhorrent and shameful' failure to object to death penalty

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What is still needed to complete a deal with the EU?

The government is facing an angry backlash over the "abhorrent and shameful" decision to drop its blanket opposition to the death penalty in the case of two Isis fighters.

In a significant shift, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, told the US attorney general Jeff Sessions that he would not seek "death penalty assurance" for Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, two British members of the brutal "Beatles" set of executioners.

The move prompted an outcry from senior Tories and opposition MPs, with shadow home secretary Diane Abbott describing the decision as "abhorrent and shameful".

Elsewhere, Theresa May insisted responses to her new Brexit vision have been "constructive" as she took part in a rare town hall-style session with workers in Newcastle.

The prime minister took the whole cabinet to Gateshead on Monday, as part of efforts to bolster support for her Chequers proposals at home and abroad.

In a slightly awkward exchange, Ms May also revealed that she likes walking, cooking and watching the American procedural TV show, NCIS, when pressed by the audience on how she liked to unwind.

See below for live updates

Key Points

• Government faces backlash over 'abhorrent' decision to drop death penalty opposition for two Isis fighters
• Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt says there is a 'real risk' of Brexit no-deal 'by accident'
• No-deal Brexit could spark 'civil unrest', warns UK head of Amazon
• Brexit: EU citizens in UK at risk of 'devastating consequences' on housing and jobs, MPs warn
• Labour MP accuses party of 'veiled attempt' to silence her over antisemitism

[23 July 2018 16:51 · Lizzy Buchan]

[23 July 2018 17:06 · Lizzy Buchan]

Letter from the head of the Howard League for Penal Reform to Mr Javid on the death penalty. 

[23 July 2018 17:16 · Lizzy Buchan]

Over in the Lords, Tory former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine has branded Brexit a "disaster" and said there is a growing argument for a second referendum.

After publication of the government's Brexit blueprint, Lord Heseltine said the Chequers document was "dead and won't work".

He told peers it had been "disowned" by the Europeans, the right wing of the Conservative party and parts of the Labour party as well - leaving an amended white paper or no deal.

"There is a growing argument for another referendum," he said, as peers began a major debate on the UK's preparations for leaving the EU.

[23 July 2018 17:28 · Lizzy Buchan]

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[23 July 2018 17:35 · Lizzy Buchan]

Tory former attorney general Dominic Grieve told BBC's PM programme: "We can't be seen to be facilitating a prosecution in the United States where individuals face the death penalty, which as a matter of policy we are opposed to."

Mr Grieve said Mr Wallace appeared "embarrassed" at the despatch box and gave an "unsatisfactory" response to MPs' concerns, adding: "I don't think this issue is going to go away."

"When I asked him when was the last time that this has happened, he wasn't able to answer," said Mr Grieve. "Since we've been signed up to a policy of opposing the death penalty, I wonder if it has ever happened at all.

"To have done this in this way seems to me to have been quite unnecessary because all we had to do was to say to the US that we were happy to co-operate if the US wanted to bring these two individuals to justice, but we required our usual assurance about the death penalty. I can't see why we haven't done that."

[23 July 2018 17:40 · Lizzy Buchan]

David Isaac, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “Opposing the death penalty is one of the fundamental principles that underpins our country’s commitment to human rights. There is no conflict between these values and ensuring that justice is served.

"We believe the Home Secretary should first have sought assurances that the death penalty will not be used in this case. The same basic human rights should apply to everyone and they must be exercised without exception.

"Failing to do so risks setting a dangerous precedent and jeopardises our ability to hold other countries to account for human rights breaches.”

[23 July 2018 17:52 · Lizzy Buchan]

That's it for The Independent's politics liveblog for the day. Thanks for following!