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As it happenedended1559325074

Brexit news - live: Tories considering changing leadership rules amid 'chaos' as 12th candidate enters race

Labour 'complicit' in Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister with incoherent Brexit position, says Alistair Campbell

The Conservatives are considering a review of their leadership contest rules after the 12th candidate entered the race to succeed Theresa May as prime minister.

Nigel Evans, executive secretary of the 1922 Committee, warned the field could swell to as many as 20 as Mark Harper, the former chief whip, announced his intention to stand.

Meanwhile Jeremy Corbyn was facing increasing pressure over Labour party policy on Brexit as former spin doctor Alastair Campbell described it as “bonkers”.

This live blog has now closed, but you can see Friday's events below

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Ed Miliband has admitted running naughtily through a field of wheat. Fortunately he has only provided evidence of standing in the field of wheat.

Peter Stubley31 May 2019 15:13
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Labour MP David Lammy has stepped into the row over comments made by Brexit campaigner Andy Wigmore.

Peter Stubley31 May 2019 15:49
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Peter Stubley31 May 2019 16:02
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Peter Stubley31 May 2019 16:09
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The Queen is set to meet Donald Trump when the US president visits Britain on 13 July.

Her Majesty has met every president since 1945, with the exception of Lyndon Johnson, and it appears likely she will entertain Mr Trump at Windsor Castle.

Here's our run-through of the Queen's previous encounters with American presidents:

Lizzy Buchan31 May 2019 16:23
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David Cameron has been hired by an American artificial intelligence company, in his most prominent business appointment since stepping down as prime minister almost three years ago. 

The former Tory leader will head up the advisory board of Afiniti - a company specialising in AI-based behavioural pairing technology.

More here:

Lizzy Buchan31 May 2019 16:40
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Despite the Conservatives’ calamitous fifth place in the European elections and their divisive leadership election, Labour somehow managed to match their bad headlines this week, writes political commentator Andrew Grice.

Its poor third place behind Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party and the Liberal Democrats came as a shock to Jeremy Corbyn, who was badly advised by aides about the likely impact of his “all things to all people” approach to Brexit.

Ashley Cowburn31 May 2019 17:01
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  ↵Politics Explained: The recall of Labour’s Fiona Onasanya has left an opening for a new MP, but the leader of the Brexit Party says he is too busy to put himself forward

Ashley Cowburn31 May 2019 17:34
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Whoever comes out on top in the race to succeed Theresa May will have a place in the history books as the first prime minister directly elected by the members of their party, writes political editor Andrew Woodcock.

The last two PMs to take over outside a general election – Ms May herself and Gordon Brown – were effectively chosen by acclamation, as no rivals made it on to the ballot paper.

In earlier days, Tory leaders were selected by the party’s MPs (Margaret Thatcher, John Major) or – in the distant past – by a wholly undemocratic process of anointment by unidentified grandees. Labour picked leaders like Tony Blair or Neil Kinnock by a complex system of “electoral colleges” carefully balancing the interests of members, unions and MPs.

Ashley Cowburn31 May 2019 17:49
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Jo Swinson has announced she will stand for the Liberal Democrat leadership, pledging to lead a movement to tackle “nationalism and populism”.

The party’s deputy leader said she was the right person to lead the “liberal movement” as she entered the contest to succeed Sir Vince Cable.

The leadership contest comes as the Lib Dems received an opinion poll boost, with a YouGov study suggesting they are currently the most popular party in the UK.

Ashley Cowburn31 May 2019 18:08

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