Brexit news - live: Tory PM candidates prompt anger and derision with remarks on LGBT, feminism and opium, as Boris Johnson likened to 1930s fascists
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The EU's chief Brexit negotiator has issued a warning to Conservative leadership contenders vying to replace Theresa May, telling them the current withdrawal agreement is "the only option".
Michel Barnier made the remarks as Tory contenders publicly declare their intentions to make changes to the UK-EU agreement - including the contentious Irish backstop - despite repeated refusals from Brussels.
His comments came as the Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon issued a fresh attack on frontrunner Boris Johnson, claiming he would be a "disaster" as PM as she cited his "ridiculous" tenure as foreign secretary.
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Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog where we will be bringing you all the updates from Westminster - and the ongoing race to succeed Theresa May in Downing Street.
The race to succeed Theresa May risks descending into a Nigel Farage lookalike contest, with consequences that could blight the Conservatives’ electoral prospects for a generation, Michael Heseltine has warned.
The former deputy prime minister said the Tories are in danger of being captured by the “narrow nationalism and phobia-filled and poisonous politics” of Mr Farage, driving away millions of Conservative voters who support a Final Say referendum on EU membership.
He warned that if the new prime minister rejects a public vote, he or she will be faced with the bleak alternatives of a harmful no-deal Brexit or a general election which could lead to a Jeremy Corbyn-led government.
The EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has echoed remarks of his colleagues in Brussels, insisting Theresa May's current Brexit deal is "the only option" in a warning to Tory MPs vying to replace the PM in Downing Street.
In an interview with the New York Review of Books, the chief Brexit negotiator for the EU said: "If the choice is to leave without a deal — fine. If the choice is to stay in the EU — also fine. But if the choice is still to leave the EU in an orderly manner, this treaty is the only option,"
"We said that after the Withdrawal Agreement is accepted, we can immediately start work on a long-term solution for the Irish border," Barnier said. "It could be, for example, what we call alternative arrangements: technology, drones, invisible controls. None of these arrangements are operational today."
He added: "You cannot do it immediately. They [technologies] must be fully operational. I was the French minister of agriculture — how do you control a single cow or a truckload of pork? You need technology. You need technical infrastructure to do that. And this takes time."
Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Boris Johnson would be a "disaster as prime minister" and has slammed his time as the UK Government's foreign secretary.
In an interview with BBC Scotland's The Nine, Ms Sturgeon said there was "no part of" her wanting to see the former London mayor in Number 10 - even after suggestions it would help her cause.
She told the programme: "I think Boris Johnson would be a disaster as prime minister, he was a disaster as foreign secretary.
"I know I'm a politician and everybody thinks all politicians are dreadfully Machiavellian about these things. I don't want to see damage done to my country. I don't actually want to see damage done to the UK.
"Brexit has trashed the UK's international reputation as well as seriously damaging its economy and other aspects of society.
"But the next biggest thing that has damaged the UK's international reputation in recent years has been Boris Johnson's ridiculous tenure as foreign secretary.
"If Boris Johnson is prime minister then yes, I think that will probably make a lot more people in Scotland think it's time we were an independent country but that's not the same... I didn't want Brexit to happen, I don't want things to happen that damage the interests of Scotland or indeed the wider UK."
Philip Hammond has said Brexit may have to be put "back to the people" if the ongoing impasse cannot be resolved by parliament.
The chancellor signalled he could be willing to back a second referendum to solve the crisis, saying he was "not sure a general election can resolve the question".
Labour has said the decision to expel Alastair Campbell from the Labour party after he voted for the Liberal Democrats will be reviewed.
Shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "Now there will be a review, which is appropriate.
"I don't want to cut across this review, I'm not part of that process. I would not like to see this drag on."
She added: "Political parties have rules about people who support other parties, but I hope this case will be reviewed."
Theresa May is currently responding to the higher education review - you can read a preview of her speech, and recommendations in the report release today below.
The PM makes clear it will be for a future PM and government to implement the findings.
Dramatic divisions between London and the rest of the UK are set to widen unless drastic action is taken, according to the former head of the civil service.
Lord Kerslake branded previous efforts to reduce stark regional inequalities as "sticking plasters" and warned that divisions were growing, causing "disturbing disparities in people's life chances".
The former mandarin argued that tackling the north-south divide could help to heal tensions exacerbated by Brexit and restore trust in politicians, in a foreword to a new report by the UK2070 Commission, an independent inquiry into regional inequalities.
Back in the realms of the Tory leadership contest, Rory Stewart, who is vying to succeed Theresa May, has admitted to to smoking opium in what he described as a "stupid mistake".
He told the Daily Telegraph: "The opium pipe was passed around at a wedding.
"I thought - this is going be a very strange afternoon to walk - but it may be that the family was so poor they put very little opium in the pipe."
Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful Sir Davey has ruled out a coalition with a Tory party led by Boris Johnson or a Corbyn-led Labour if his party holds the balance of power in parliament after an election, writes political editor Andrew Woodcock.
Answering questions after launching his bid to succeed Sir Vince Cable, Davey was asked whether he could contemplate a pact of any kind with either.
He replied: "I think people's stomachs are turning. The idea that we have anything in common with Boris Johnson or the Tory Party when they are promoting this no-deal Brexit? Just no way.
"And then Jeremy Corbyn? I don't trust him on Brexit - his own party don't. And I don't trust him on the economy either.
"We are not going into coalition with these people... You won't be getting a coalition with Tories or Labour."
He declined to say whether Lib Dems would facilitate a minority Johnson or Corbyn administration by voting through their Queen's Speech, saying: "I'm here to make sure Liberal Democrats are writing that Queen's Speech."
Sir Ed said his message to Change UK MPs seeking closer co-operation with Lib Dems was "Come and join us. Come and join the biggest Remain party in the UK."
He declined to say whether there were any Change UK figures he would not welcome into the party because of their previous comments about the Lib Dems.
"I think we should be open-minded and generous and forgiving," he said. "People are entitled to make mistakes and if they sign up to liberal democracy and sign up to helping us stop Brexit, they are welcome to join our party."
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