Boris Johnson news: PM faces new grilling on groping claim, as talks on toppling him stall and senior MP expelled from Tory conference
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Boris Johnson has admitted he cannot remember the lunch at which he is alleged to have groped a female journalist – despite repeatedly denying the incident took place.
It comes as opposition talks to oust the PM if he tries to force through a no-deal Brexit have been plunged into fresh turmoil amid splits over who should lead a temporary government.
And Conservative MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has been sent home from the party's annual conference in Manchester after what a Tory spokesperson described as a "totally unacceptable" clash with security staff.
Late in the evening details emerged of Mr Johnson's planned offer to Brussels. In a speech tomorrow he is to say that the EU must "engage" with his proposals or see the UK walk away without a deal.
The plans, reportedly including the offer of a four-year period inside the EU's regulatory framework for Northern Ireland following the end of the transition period in 2021, represent a "reasonable compromise" on his part, the PM is to say.
Mr Johnson's ultimatum will be delivered despite the passing of the Benn Act, which is designed to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
His opponents accused him of being determined to “force an undemocratic and destructive vision of Brexit on the country”.
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Dominic Grieve, co-Chair of the People’s Vote Political Committee, has responded to reports about the government’s final Brexit plan, saying: “It is difficult to see these proposals as a serious effort to secure a deal on Brexit.
“A plan to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland that actually creates two such borders is a plan that is going to fail. It is no surprise that the Irish government has responded to say the proposals are unacceptable.
“Nor should they be acceptable to anyone in the United Kingdom who is serious about preserving the letter and the spirit of the Belfast and other agreements in Northern Ireland.
“Proposals such as this leave one with the impression that Boris Johnson does not want any sort of deal. Instead he seems to want someone else to blame for No Deal, and if that is the Irish government or the EU Commission, so much the better.”
The expelled Tory rebel added: “Boris Johnson is not making the right decisions on Northern Ireland. He seems incapable of being able to act in our national interest. In all the circumstances it would be very much better to trust to the people to decide on Brexit in a final say referendum.
“This is only fair and democratic way out of the crisis.”
Here’s Boris Johnson giggling as he is asked about comparing himself to the Incredible Hulk:
Labour, the SNP, the Lib Dems and the smaller parties have decided to put plans for a no-confidence vote on ice for now, and deep rifts remain over who would lead any temporary government.
Jo Swinson has insisted “Jeremy Corbyn is not going into Number 10 on the basis of Liberal Democrats’ votes”. Swinson has claimed some Labour MPs could not support Corbyn as caretaker PM.
Labour MP Ben Bradshaw says the parliamentary party is “unanimous” in their support of Corbyn as the leader of a temporary government, “but to deliver a referendum before an election – a general election is not going to solve anything”.
Opposition parties need to “go the extra mile” and act together to remove “toxic” PM Boris Johnson from Downing Street, the SNP’s Westminster leader said.
Ian Blackford warned those trying to prevent a no-deal Brexit were now running out of time to attempt to “bring down” the Conservative leader.
He spoke out after talks between Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP and others broke down over the crucial issue of who should be installed as a caretaker prime minister.
He told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “Everyone has to accept their responsibility. We are willing to do our part to bring Boris Johnson down - why are the other parties not prepared to do what is necessary to remove this man from office?
“We are not prepared to sit back and let Scotland be dragged off the cliff edge by Boris Johnson.”
Allowing Johnson to take Britain out of the EU without a deal would be a failure of leadership by the opposition collectively, the SNP Westminster leader insisted.
“All of us have got to recognise the responsibility we have, it is up to the others that have failed to do that to recognise the challenge, and woe betide anyone that puts us in the situation that we run that risk of Boris Johnson driving us out on a no-deal basis - they will pay a price for that.
“Let’s take this toxic prime minister and his government out of office. We can only do that with a motion of no confidence.”
Oh no. We regret to inform you Theresa May is thinking about writing a memoir.
Speaking at the Henley Literary Festival in Oxfordshire, she has been asked whether she would write a book about her career, the 63-year-old said: “I am thinking about whether to do it.
“It has been suggested to me that people involved in significant events should write about them so historians can look back and see what those who were at the centre of events were thinking, why they took decisions and so forth.”
Asked if she had any regrets about how things worked out for her, May replied: “No I don't think so. I have had a fantastic time.”
Theresa May asked about her time in office (PA)
The expelled Tory MP David Gauke – founder member of the Gaukeward squad – has been talking about his desire to return to the fold.
“I would like to come back … but it depends upon the price of re-entry. If it’s a question of coming back and signing up to leaving without a deal, signing up to a manifesto that says, “Do you support no deal?” – that’s not something I can support.”
“Fundamentally I am a Conservative and I think there are millions of Conservatives that have similar views to mine.”
Reports of an incident outside parliament. Huw Merriman is the Tory MP for Bexhill and Battle.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has been talking about the allegations made by Charlotte Edwardes that Boris Johnson squeezed her thigh.
In sure-to-be-criticised remarks, the Commons leader said “these things are always a matter of power”.
Speaking at the recording of ConservativeHome’s podcast Moggcast at the Conservative party conference,
Rees-Mogg said: “I’m not going to talk about any specific accusations or any pair of individuals, I think that would be quite wrong."
When pushed in general terms on how problematic it would be if accusations like those made against the PM were true, Rees-Mogg added: “Well that was David Cameron’s argument, wasn’t it, that politicians were entitled to a private life before they got into politics, and that the standards that you apply to politicians are different from those that apply to non-politicians.
“A true answer is that these things are always a matter of power and the relationship of power between the individuals concerned.
“And that if it is an employer/employee relationship that is improper because the employer has the opportunity to pay bonuses, to increase salaries, possibly even fire the individual concerned.
“If it is two teenagers at school together it’s in a different sort of magnitude and so you’ve got to be very careful about the specific circumstances.”
Rees-Mogg continued: “Does that mean automatically on entering politics you are senior enough in the general run of things that you should never do this? Well, again it depends on the power relationship.
“But there are questions that get raised when the person is a young intern who is working for the member of parliament hoping for a political career, and the example of that happening is well known and led to impeachment.”
Speaking about those wanting to remain in the EU, Rees-Mogg added: “They will throw any bit of mud at Boris Johnson they can find.”
Boris Johnson’s right-hand man Dominic Cummings behaves like an inquisitive child in cabinet meetings – constantly breaking into discussions with the question “why?”, one minister has said.
The minister told The Independent: “In meetings, it’s a lot like having a small child in the corner – ‘Why? Why? Why?’”
Our political editor has all the details.
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