Labour takes step towards backing Final Say referendum as MPs trigger plan to thwart no-deal Brexit

Trade unions agree party should call for second public vote on EU membership

Labour must express view on Brexit now, says John McDonnell

Labour has taken a big step towards full backing for a second EU referendum, after trade unions agreed the party should demand a public vote on any Brexit outcome produced by the Tories.

Both the deal and the option to stay in the EU should be on the ballot paper, and Labour should campaign for Remain, the union leaders agreed.

The decision leaves open the possibility Labour could negotiate its own Brexit deal if it wins a general election.

It came after MPs earlier launched a new bid to stop the next prime minister opting for a no-deal Brexit without parliament’s consent.

See below for what was our live coverage.

[8 July 2019 11:20 · Benjamin Kentish]

Speculation is rife in Westminster as to the possible source of the leaked Sir Kim Darroch emails. 

It is highly unusual for a leak to have a civil servant as its target - much more common is civil servants leaking information that is damaging to politicians. This suggests there is a clear political motive at play - most likely that someone wants Sir Kim's job.

Some are pointing the finger at senior Tory ministers who might be eyeing up one of the top ambassador jobs in the new government, while others have suggested that  Boris Johnson and/or Nigel Farage might somehow be involved. There have been some reports that Mr Johnson could make Mr Farage the UK's US ambassador, if he becomes prime minister. There would be a clear political incentive to do so, as it would take him away from his role as leader of the Brexit Party, which of course poses a major electoral threat to the Tories.

However, Mr Johnson's team has strongly denied that Mr Farage would be given a job, saying such claims are "for the birds"....

[8 July 2019 11:38 · Benjamin Kentish]

Theresa May's official spokesman has insisted that the prime minister has "full faith" in Sir Kim Darroch, despite the leak of his negative comments about the Trump administration.

He told this morning's Westminster briefing:

"Our ambassadors provide honest, unvarnished assessments of politics in their country - those views are not necessarily the views of ministers or indeed of the government.

"As the foreign secretary has said, this leak is not acceptable. We would expect such advice to be handled in the correct way and a leak inquiry has been launched."

However, asked about Sir Kim's comments about the US government, he said Ms May "does not agree with that assessment":

"The prime minister has a good relationship with the president and the government works closely and constructively with the administration across a wide range of issues."

[8 July 2019 11:54 · Benjamin Kentish]

Leo Varadkar has said that EU leaders would be reluctant to grant another delay to Brexit.

Speaking in Dublin, the Irish taoiseach says:

"There would be a great deal of reluctance among European prime ministers to grant another extension beyond 31 October.

We certainly wouldn't rule it, and from Ireland's point of view we would be as facilitative to the UK as is possible, but I think a lot of other countries have become very frustrated at these rolling extension so if there was another extension I think it would really have to be for a particular purpose."

Mr Varadkar said any extension would have to be for "a very good reason", such as a general election. It would not be granted simply for more negotiations or indicative votes, he said.

[8 July 2019 12:23 · Benjamin Kentish]

Theresa May has announced that British co-operation with French operations in Mali will be expanded.

Speaking at the Norwood Headquarters in outer London, which is home to Nato's maritime command centre, the prime minister said RAF Chinook helicopters would be playing a greater role in transporting French troops to conduct anti-terror operations.

 She also paid tribute to Nato, saying:

"While the threats we face may vary and evolve, the founding principles of NATO – that we are mightier together than alone and that an attack on one is an attack on all – remain every bit as important and relevant today as they were in 1945.

Because the military and security challenges we face in 2019 are not confined to any one nation or continent.

Terrorists, people traffickers, international criminals and state and non-state aggressors do not respect national boundaries, and nor should our response to the threats they pose.

NATO has a crucial role to play in that response – and I am immensely proud of the role the UK plays in NATO."

[8 July 2019 12:36 · Benjamin Kentish]

There will be two urgent questions in the House of Commons this afternoon - one on the leaked comments from the UK ambassador to the US, and the other on NHS pensions.

[8 July 2019 12:50 · Benjamin Kentish]

Anti-Christian persecution should be described as "Christophobia", Jeremy Hunt has said.

The foreign secretary and Tory leadership contender was speaking at the launch of a report on the threats facing Christians across the world. He vowed to accept the recommendations of the report if he becomes prime minister.

He said he was not convinced that government efforts had "reflected the evidence" that it is Christians "who frequently endure the heaviest burden of persecution".

Speaking at a press conference alongside the Bishop of Truro, who authored the report, Mr Hunt said of the document"

"It says that for too long governments have preferred the vague language of general condemnation, rather than face the specific problem of anti-Christian discrimination and persecution.

"The report recommends that I instruct my officials to define this abuse and I believe we should do that by calling it out clearly with the label Christophobia."

The foreign secretary said Christians were estimated to be the target of around 80 per cent of all acts of religious discrimination or persecution.

"Perhaps because of a misguided political correctness or an instinctive reluctance to talk about religion, British governments haven't always grappled with this problem," he said.

[8 July 2019 13:05 · Benjamin Kentish]

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Labour MP Kate Hoey, a controversial figure because of her ardent support for Brexit, will stand down at the next election, she has announced.

[8 July 2019 13:19 · Benjamin Kentish]

Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, has vowed to apologise to Ivanka Trump for the leak of comments made by the UK ambassador to the US about her father's government

[8 July 2019 14:17 · Jane Dalton]

Businesses are on track to cut investment this year at the fastest pace since the financial crisis in response to Brexit uncertainty, threatening lasting damage to the economy, according to CBI forecasts: 

[8 July 2019 14:42 · Benjamin Kentish]

60 per cent of Conservative Party members believe that Islam "is generally a threat to Western civilisation", according to a new YouGov poll.

The survey found that 54 per cent thought the religion was "generally a threat to the British way of life", while only 17 per cent thought it was "generally compatible with Western civilisation".

61 per cent said they believed that Islam "breeds intolerance for free speech and calls for violent actions against those who mock, criticise or depict the religion in ways they believe are offensive". Half of party members think some parts of the UK are operating under sharia law.

Responding to the figures, Matthew McGregor, campaigns director of Hope Not Hate, said:

"These results are absolutely shocking and reveal the depth and scale of the Islamophobia crisis inside the Conservative Party. The next prime minister will enter office having been elected only by people with extreme views about Muslims. Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson cannot go on ignoring this issue. Will they show real leadership, or will they allow the UKIPisation of the Conservative Party to continue?

It's an absolute scandal that the party's leadership just isn't listening. From the grassroots to the great offices of state, Conservative members buy into racist myths, with most denying there's even an issue to confront.

As Conservative members vote for their new leader, Theresa May, Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson should take their fingers out of their ears and show some real leadership: condemn the anti-Muslim racism exposed by this polling, and call a proper independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the party."