EU warns of Brexit 'consequences' amid backlash over PM's 'politically unsustainable' decision to rule out Indyref2
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Boris Johnson has backed Donald Trump to come up with a new agreement to “replace” the existing Iran nuclear deal, describing the US president as “a great deal maker” in an interview with the BBC.
The PM also backed the royal family to “sort out” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s exit from full-time duties – and claimed he would consider a crowdfunding campaign to encourage the public to “bung a bob for a Big Ben bong” to mark Brexit on 31 January.
It comes as Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed Mr Johnson was “fuelling support for independence” after he formally rejected her request to hand referendum powers from London to Edinburgh.
As it happened...
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Lisa Nandy says voters found idea of Labour government ‘frightening’
Labour leadership hopeful Lisa Nandy has claimed voters found the prospect of a Jeremy Corbyn-led government “frightening” rather than empowering ahead of the party’s worst electoral defeat of the post-war era.
Delivering the first major speech of her campaign to succeed Corbyn, the Wigan MP urged party members to make the “brave, not the easy choice” and change course with a different type of leader.
Nandy is one of five contenders to reach the second stage of the contest after a scramble for nominations went down to the wire on Monday.
She will now join Jess Phillips, Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Emily Thornberry - secured the required number of nominations at the last minute after Clive Lewis pulled out of the race - in lobbying for the backing of key unions and Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) across the country.
Senior Tory urges ‘slaughter’ of international development department
Former Tory cabinet minister Liam Fox is calling for the Department for International Development (DfID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to be merged.
Dr Fox will use an address to the Institute for government in London on Tuesday to urge Downing Street to “slaughter sacred cows” in a Whitehall shake-up.
The former international trade secretary will say: “New roles and new responsibilities will require new ways of doing business.
“With a new government in place with a strong mandate at such a key moment in our history, this is the time to slaughter the sacred cows to which successive governments have given a last-minute reprieve in order to buy political peace.
“Our victory has created a political moment which is as important as Mrs Thatcher’s victory in 1979.”
Speaking ahead of Dr Fox’s speech, international development minister Andrew Stephenson told MPs on Monday evening that Boris Johnson had not made any decisions on the future of the DfID.
But he insisted that the government is “proudly maintaining our commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GNI (gross national income) on development”.
Stephenson's comments came after The Sunday Times reported that Johnson had planned a "revolutionary" structure that would see the DfID merge with the FCO.
Liam Fox outside Cabinet Office (Reuters)
Francois ‘disappointed’ after he’s told Big Ben won’t bong for Brexit
Big Ben will remain hushed for Brexit due to financial and logistical issues, according to reports.
The issue was discussed at a meeting of the House of Commons Commission on Monday, however it was ultimately ruled out after it was revealed that it would cost £500,000 - up from the original estimate of £120,000.
The expanded budget stems from the need to put in and remove a temporary floor in order to ring the bell.
A source told The Daily Telegraph: “No-one in the meeting thought it was worth spending £500,000 on having Big Ben strike the hour on one occasion.
“When you consider what else that money could be spent on, it's very hard to make an argument in favour of it.”
Another source reportedly said there wasn’t enough time to plan for the bell to ring, saying the project team would need “at least two weeks” to prepare.
Tory MP Mark Francois told the paper he was “very disappointed” with the commission's decision.
“I’ve already offered to go up Big Ben myself, ably assisted by (European Scrutiny Committee chair) Bill Cash, to ring the bell myself to save money,” he said.
“If all else fails, the BBC must have a recording of Big Ben chiming they could play at 11pm at no cost whatsoever to taxpayers.”
Tory Brexiteer Mark Francois (Getty)
‘Let’s replace it with the Trump deal’: Johnson wants US president to come up with new nuclear agreement with Iran
Boris Johnson has backed Donald Trump to come up with a new agreement to “replace” the existing Iran nuclear deal.
In an interview with BBC Breakfast, the PM said: “Somehow or other we’re got to stop the Iranians acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“The problem with the [existing] agreement, from an American perspective, it was a flawed agreement, it expires, plus it was negotiated by president Obama – from their point of view it has many, many faults.
“If we’re going to get rid of it, let’s replace it and let’s replace it with the Trump deal. I think that would be a great way forward. President Trump is a great deal maker.
Johnson said he “did not envisage” any escalation in the tensions between the US and Iran.The PM said: “I’m glad the Iranians have accepted responsibility and identified it as an appalling mistake and it does appear that it was a mistake.
“It is very important that the bodies are repatriated in a dignified way and that the families are allowed to grieve and to have closure.
“Clearly, as president Rouhani has said, Iran made a terrible mistake. It is good they have apologised. The most important thing now is that tensions in the region calm down.”
PM wants people to ‘bung a bob for a Big Ben bong’
Boris Johnson said the government is considering a crowdfunding campaign to allow Big Ben to chime on 31 January to mark the country’s exit from the EU.
The 13.7-tonne bell has been largely silent since 2017 while renovation works are carried out on the Elizabeth Tower which houses it, sounding only for important events such as New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Johnson said one of the main problems was that it would cost £500,000 pounds to allow Big Ben to sounded at 11pm on “Brexit day”, but were looking at how to fund it – and suggested people could donate cash to pay for it.
“But we are working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong,” Johnson said in his BBC interview. “We’re looking at whether we can fund it.”
He said “we need to restore the clapper, in order to bong Big Ben on Brexit night, and that is expensive”.
Boris Johnson speaking on BBC Breakfast (BBC Breakfast / PA Wire)
PM admits social care crisis solution could be five years away
Boris Johnson has admitted he does not have a worked-up plan to end the social care crisis and that a solution could be five years away.
In his BBC interview, the prime minister backtracked on his pre-election claim to have a ready-to-go rescue package – instead saying he would be “bringing forward a proposal” later this year.
Asked for a date for action to finally be taken to improve social care, Johnson said: “We will certainly do it in this parliament” – prompting interviewer Dan Walker to point out: “That’s five years away.”
More details here:
Stormont funding package ‘falls way short’
The Northern Ireland assembly’s finance minister, Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy, said the government’s offer for extra funding to help restore power-sharing arrangements and boost public services “falls way short” of what was promised.
“The political parties have fulfilled their responsibilities, now it is time for the British government to do the same,” said Murphy after the parties met Northern Ireland secretary Julian Smith on Monday.
“It’s not just about money,” said Boris Johnson on his trip to Belfast on Monday. But DUP leader and first minister Arlene Foster said Johnson should “must deliver” the cash.
“We have stepped up to the plate in relation to the political agreement.
“He [Johnson] put forward an agreement, he asked us to sign up to it. We have all signed up to it and come into a multi-party executive, therefore it is now incumbent on the prime minister to step up to the plate in relation to financial resources.”
The Stormont executive meets again today to discuss the financial offer to support the power-sharing deal – but no word on what the sum on the table actually is.
NI finance minister Conor Murphy (PA)
PM claims veganism a ‘crime against cheese lovers’
Boris Johnson said he wants to lose weight in 2020, but will not do “Veganuary” – the popular practice of becoming vegan in January
He said the process would take too much concentration and mean giving up his beloved cheese.
“I had thought of it but it requires so much concentration. I do take my hat off to vegans who can handle it,” he said during his interview with BBC Breakfast, having confessed he wanted to shed some pounds in the next year.
“You can’t eat cheese if you’re a vegan. It’s just a crime against ... cheese lovers,” he added.
On the royal family’s problems, Johnson was reluctant to be drawn on the Megxit drama – other than saying he was “confident” the palace would resolve the withdrawal of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex from full-time duties.
“I am absolutely confident that they are going to sort this out,” he said. “And you know what, I think they’re probably going to be able to sort this out all the easier without any particular commentary from me.”
PM vows not to ‘prejudice’ security over Huawei 5G involvement
Boris Johnson said he would not risk Britain’s security when upgrading the nation’s 5G communications network – but said critics of Chinese tech giant Huawei must come up with an “alternative” provider.
It was reported on Tuesday that Washington had stepped-up efforts to try and persuade Downing Street against backing Huawei’s involvement in Britain’s switch over to 5G.
Senior US officials, according to the Financial Times, presented the British government with technical information in a bid to prevent the company getting a foothold in the UK.
Asked about the reports in an interview with BBC Breakfast, Johnson said: “The British public deserve to have access to the best possible technology.
“I have talked about infrastructure and technology. We want to put in gigabit broadband for everybody. Now, if people oppose one brand or another, then they have to tell us which is the alternative.
“On the other hand, let’s be clear, I don’t, as the UK prime minister, want to put in any infrastructure that is going to prejudice our national security or our ability to co-operate with Five Eyes intelligence.”
Johnson also addressed the fortunes of the stricken regional airline Flybe. With the company’s finances at breaking point, government officials will meet later to discuss potentially cutting air passenger taxes on all domestic flights to help rescue it.
“It is not for government to step in and save companies that simply run into trouble, but be in no doubt that we see the importance of Flybe in delivering connectivity across the whole United Kingdom,” Johnson said. “We’re working very hard to do what we can.”
Huawei could be involved in the UK's 5G network (Reuters)
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