Brexit news – live: Farage accuses Tories of ‘corruption’ over alleged offer of peerages for election favours
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Nigel Farage has accused the Tories of “corruption” over claims that several Brexit Party candidates were offered peerages and negotiating roles in return for stepping down in the general election race.
Dominic Raab has left the door open for Britain to crash out of the EU without a deal if future Brexit negotiations with the bloc don’t go the government’s way, telling Andrew Marr: “I don’t think it’s remotely likely.”
Jeremy Corbyn reiterated his party’s commitment to a second referendum but refused four times to say whether he backed Leave or Remain, insisting he wants to “bring people together on both sides”.
The Labour leader refused to say whether the party would seek to continue freedom of movement, despite it being current policy. He hinted their now-finalised manifesto would lay out plans for “a great deal of movement” but would not be drawn to explain in more detail.
Elsewhere, a “heartbroken” Jennifer Arcuri has accused Boris Johnson of casting her aside like “some fleeting one-night stand” as she “kept [his] secrets” amid the media firestorm over whether he misused public funds in awarding her cyber-firm £100,000.
The US businesswoman told ITV she wished the PM had declared their mysterious personal relationship a conflict of interest at the time to avoid her “humiliation”, in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday evening.
Labour candidate to report Lib Dem's Sam Gyimah to police over Grenfell accusation
Emma Dent Coad, the Labour candidate for Kensington, has stated an intention to report her rival Sam Gyimah to the police over claims he made that she had been "part of all the discussions that went on" about cladding on Grenfell tower.
Ms Dent Coad claims she has received an anonymous threat in relation to the "lie", involving someone calling her and claiming she would be imminently arrested.
Labour's Dawn Butler called on Jo Swinson to "stop this", while John McDonnell criticised Mr Gyimah for the "smear".
In the wake of Ms Dent Coad announcing her intention to involve the authorities, the People's Vote campaign gave Mr Gyimah their backing as the London constituency's pro-second referendum candidate.
Prospective Labour MP's campaign office windows smashed
Natalie Fleet, Labour's candidate for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire, has posted pictures of damage done to the front of her campaign office.
Another Labour candidate Luke Pollard, has suffered a spate of vandalism at his Plymouth office, with "homophobic graffiti" spraypainted on the windows and building. The most recent incident occurred on Wednesday.
Jeremy Corbyn refuses to commit Labour to continuing freedom of movement after Brexit
The Labour leader has refused to say whether his party would continue freedom of movement after Brexit, despite it being current Labour policy, Benjamin Kentish reports.
Mr Corbyn promised that a Labour government would allow "a great deal of movement" between countries, but would not confirm that the party's manifesto, set to be released this week, would continue the party's commitment to "maintain and extend free movement rights".
Read more on Labour's immigration identity crisis here:
Boris Johnson told to "get out of here" in aftermath of Bolton fire
The prime minister has been given another warm welcome while visiting the scene of a disaster.
Footage from The Telegraph shows the Mr Johnson in Bolton yesterday, the day after a fire tore a now-eviscerated block of student flats in a manner reminiscent of Grenfell, sparking widespread fury that not enough was being done about buildings still housed in flammable cladding.
"Don't talk to us, get out of here," the PM was told. "How dare you come up here a day late."
Mr Johnson also received a frosty welcome when he eventually visited communities devastated by flooding this week.
"Innovate" your way out of skills shortage, Raab tells business owners
Dominic Raab has told businesses to “invest in innovation” to find solutions to skills shortages after the government pledged to make it harder for workers to come to the UK from abroad, Benjamin Kentish reports.
The foreign secretary, who is Boris Johnson’s de facto deputy, said the government would “plug gaps in specific areas” but suggested that businesses should find ways to operate with fewer staff.
Read more here:
Johnson should "reflect on" Tory Islamophobia in wake of Tommy Robinson endorsement, Muslim Council of Britain tells The Independent
The Muslim Council of Britain has called on Boris Johnson "to reflect on whether his party's attitude towards Muslims and inaction on Islamophobia may have played a role in such endorsements" after Tommy Robinson told reporters: "Everyone should vote for Boris Johnson."
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson also penned Mr Johnson a letter, urging him to condemn Robinson and his "dog-whistle politics".
Roughly 24 hours later, a spokesperson for Mr Johnson told The Independent: "The prime minister is clear that divisive politics has no place in our society and does not condone the views of Tommy Robinson.”
Read more here:
In case you missed it earlier, a new poll has found almost a third of voters are planning to cast their ballot tactically in the general election to keep out a candidate or party they dislike.
Here's our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, with the story:
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