Boris Johnson: 'The Incredible Sulk chickens out' of Brexit press conference amid noisy protests as EU decries lack of 'concrete proposals'
MPs warned of 'flaw' in legislation to block no-deal
Boris Johnson was branded "The Incredible Sulk" after he cancelled a planned press conference because of noisy protests in Luxembourg following his meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker, as the European Commission president said the UK has still “not yet made” proposals to replace the Irish backstop.
It comes as Jolyon Maugham QC and rebel MPs warned that there is a “flaw” in the legislation demanding the prime minister asks Brussels for a three-month Brexit delay.
The Lib Dems’ foreign spokesperson Chuka Umunna said the party could win 200 seats at the next election, while leader Jo Swinson ruled out any electoral pact with Labour or forming a coalition with Jeremy Corbyn.
Here's how we covered developments as they happened:
Senior Lib Dem MP Sir Norman Lamb warned that the party’s new policy of revoking Article 50 was “playing with fire … the polarisation that we are seeing is incredibly dangerous.”
Our political editor has all the details of the row here.
Former Tory MP Sarah Wollaston says leaving the Conservatives to join the Lib Dems was like walking into “a wall of love”.
Wollaston has told The Times that “several” rebel Tories are considering defecting, with independent Heidi Allen also thought to be gearing up to join Jo Swinson’s team.
Now word yet on whether any announcements will happen at this week’s conference.
If you’re interested in more of the latest details from the David Cameron book, the former PM has revealed he immediately rang European leaders and then-US president Barack Obama to apologise after losing the 2016 Brexit referendum.
“To each I said the same thing: ‘I had a strategy to keep Britain in the EU. I executed the strategy. It didn’t work. I’m sorry.’”
He branded Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond “the slipperiest of characters” and said Dominic Cummings had “something of the night” about him.
Cameron has also admitted to getting “off his head” on cannabis at Eton. More amusingly, he revealed he had a stiff gin at 8.10am on the morning of his resignation, and began smoking roll-ups in his last days No 10.
He also suggested Boris was among the crew who initiated him into the Bullingdon club at Oxford by standing on the table of his room, smashing bottles of booze with a golf club.
A Labour government would set up a royal commission to consider the legalisation of drugs.
“There is nothing more important than preserving the life of our citizens,” said Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary. “Our current approach to drugs is simply not doing that.”
More details here.
Jo Swinson has said the Lib Dems are in talks with other parties about standing down in certain seats at the next general election to ensure that pro-remain candidates – but ruled out the prospect of the party stepping aside for Labour candidates.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Swinson said that such an agreement had worked well in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election last month.
Asked whether the party would stand aside for Labour candidates, the Lib Dem leader said: “That’s a different question because Labour are not a remain party, Labour are trying to deliver a Labour Brexit.
“But where we agree with others on stopping Brexit, we are in those discussions.
Swinson added: “They (Labour) want to deliver a Labour Brexit, they’ve been very clear about that, they’ve said they’re not a remain party.
“I’m a Liberal Democrat, I’m about stopping Brexit, I’m about keeping our place in the European Union, so I want to make sure that people have the choice to vote for a remain candidate who will stop Brexit and therefore, standing down for Labour doesn’t achieve that.”
Are we actually ready for a general election this autumn? The Cabinet Office has been urged to undertake a risk assessment of its own capabilities to support a snap election events.
The Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA) warned there was an “unrealistic expectation” that polls will always be delivered regardless of the “landscape, timing, funding or the capacity of the professionals administering them”.
They said that they remained concerned that an apparent “lack of capacity” and the government’s “unwillingness” to allow officials to engage with the electoral community to make “sensible contingency preparations”.
Boris Johnson is heading for a “working lunch” with Jean-Claude Juncker at Le Bouquet Garni restaurant in Luxembourg.
Here’s the official place setting for the occasion. Snails, salmon and cheese on the menu, we’re told.
The BBC’s Adam Fleming has provided further details.
A place setting at Le Bouquet Garni restaurant (PA)
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier have arrived together for their lunch with Boris Johnson’s group.
Boris Johnson and Jean-Claude Juncker are posing for photos before they get down to their first face-to-face Brexit discussions since he became PM.
Johnson was asked he was optimistic about the talks. “Cautious, cautious,” he told reporters.
Juncker was asked if he was confident of progress as he entered. “We will see,” he replied.
Boris Johnson and Jean Claude-Juncker (Reuters)
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