Downing Street launches investigation after Boris Johnson fooled by Russian pranksters - as it happened
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Downing Street has launched an investigation into how Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, spent 18 minutes speaking on the phone to two Russian pranksters pretending to be the Armenian prime minister.
Earlier in the day, the Commons' Brexit committee warned that the UK remaining in the customs union well into the next decade is likely to be the "only viable option".
The commitee's report was endorsed by all committee members, including prominent Brexiteers such as Jacob Rees-Mogg.
It comes as Jeremy Corbyn warned that Tory 'fantasists' risk undermining peace in Northern Ireland.
Delivering a speech in Belfast, the Labour leader said the Conservatives' "reckless" approach to Brexit "risks undermining and destabilising the cooperation and relative harmony of recent years".
The speech took place amid controversy over Mr Corbyn's renewed calls for a united Ireland.
Elsewhere, the UK and the EU were again at loggerheads - this time over Brussels' plan to exclude Britain from the Galileo satellite project.
As it happened...
Answering questions after his speech in Belfast, Jeremy Corbyn said he would not push for a referendum on reuniting Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Labour leader is a long-standing supporter of reunification, and caused a stir yesterday when his spokesman said this remained his view.
But asked about the prospect of a referendum, Mr Corbyn said:
"That would be a decision that could be made within the terms of the Good Friday agreement. If that is the wish, then clearly such a poll would happen. I’m not asking for it, I’m not advocating it.
What I’m asking for is a return to the fullness of the Good Friday agreement which would open up the opportunities and possibilities for the future of Ireland as whole.That is the point of the Good Friday agreement - not direct rule, not imposition of a political view from Westminster, but devolution of powers to Stormont here and of course the relationship with the Republic. And it is quite clear that it’s there for a poll on both sides of the border, should that be something that is demanded."
The Commons' Brexit committee has just published a new report saying the UK remaining in the customs union for part of the next decade is likely to be the "only viable option". The report was agreed unanimously by the committee, which includes prominent pro-Brexit MPs such as Jacob Rees-Mogg.
The DUP has accused Jeremy Corbyn of not responding to an invitation to meet with victims of the IRA during his trip to Northern Ireland...
Boris Johnson appears to have fallen victim to two Russian pranksters. The pair claim they held an 18-minute phone call with the UK Foreign Secretary while one of them pretended to by the Armenian prime minister. They reportedly discussed action against Vladimir Putin and the response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack. We'll have more on that soon.
Here's the full story on Boris Johnson's conversation with two Russian pranksters, whose "childish actions' were dismissed by the Foreign Office
Foreign office dismisses 'childish actions' of hoax callers
The Department for Exiting the European Union has published a series of papers on Brexit negotiations and the UK's future relationship with the EU. We'll be bringing you a summary shortly, but the documents in full can be found here:
The UK has claimed the Russian pranksters who duped Boris Johnson were backed by the Kremlin.
A senior UK diplomatic source told the Press Association: "This seems to be the latest desperate attempt by the Kremlin to save face after it was internationally shamed in the wake of the Skripal attack.
"Boris rumbled them pretty quickly and ended the call.
"It is tragic to see a major international power reduced to failed pranks you would usually only see on Trigger Happy TV."
The Home Office has revealed more than 5,000 people have been identified as potential Windrush cases - but says they will have no right to appeal if they are rejected under the scheme.
Latest here:
Police time is being wasted by a complaint against the Commons Speaker, according to a Tory former minister.
The Metropolitan Police has said an allegation of misconduct in public office against John Bercow is being "assessed".
But Sir Desmond Swayne criticised the move in a question to Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom, who Mr Bercow was alleged to have called a "stupid woman" and "f****** useless" in muttered comments in the chamber earlier this month.
On Monday, the Speaker admitted using the word "stupid" amid frustration at the Government's handling of business but offered no apology.
Conservative former minister James Duddridge has since made a formal complaint to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone over the apparent outburst.
Speaking in the Commons, Sir Desmond alluded to the police complaint against Mr Bercow when he asked: "Can we have a debate on wasting police time? There's been a great deal of it about recently."
Mrs Leadsom started her reply by saying: "I'm not sure of the specific context (Sir Desmond) raises this point."
One Tory MP could be heard saying: "We are."
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