Senior Tory reveals plot to oust Boris Johnson on first day as PM in extraordinary revelation

Former premier Sir John Major warns of constitutional crisis over ‘do or die’ Brexit plan

Tory leadership election: How the week will unfold

A former Europe minister has revealed he quit the government to table an emergency motion in parliament that could have blocked Boris Johnson from becoming prime minister.

Sir Alan Duncan‘s motion was rejected by speaker John Bercow but it exposes the depth of rifts within the Conservative Party over the expected elevation to 10 Downing Street of the Brexiteer who has vowed to take the UK out of the EU in October, deal or no deal.

At the same time Mr Johnson was warned he faces “constitutional crisis” within weeks over his “do or die” plans.

Sir John Major became the third former PM in as many days to issue a stern warning about a premiership led by Mr Johnson, who is expected to be confirmed as Britain’s next prime minister on Tuesday.

Whoever succeeds Theresa May “must choose whether to be the spokesman for an ultra-Brexit faction or the servant of the nation he leads” said the former Tory premier.

“He cannot be both,” he said.

Further pro-EU ministers are expected to follow chancellor Philip Hammond, justice secretary David Gauke and international development secretary Rory Stewart in resigning before they can be sacked by Mr Johnson.

The moves came on the day Jo Swinson was elected as the first female leader of the Liberal Democrats, defeating Ed Davey in the race to replace Sir Vince Cable.

And Jeremy Corbyn outlined proposals to accelerate the expulsion of antisemites from Labour‘s ranks.

See below for what was our live coverage

Key Points

 

[22 July 2019 08:49 · Lizzy Buchan]

Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog, where we will be bringing you all the latest updates throughout the day.

[22 July 2019 09:00 · Lizzy Buchan]

Boris Johnson has claimed that the 1969 moon landing proves that he will be able to deliver Brexit by 31 October.

The frontrunner to take over from Theresa May this week said a "sense of mission" akin to that of the Nasa project was all that was needed to take Britain out of the EU on time.

More here:

[22 July 2019 09:18 · Lizzy Buchan]

Tony Blair has urged Boris Johnson against calling a general election before resolving Brexit as he warned a snap poll could "shake British politics to its roots".

In comments unlikely to endear him to Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour prime minister said it would be "unjustifiable" for Mr Johnson to push for an election against the Labour leader and argued that a Final Say referendum would be his only way out of the chaos.

Writing in The Times, Mr Blair said: "A general election might be appealing. Confront people with a choice between Brexit and Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister and a significant proportion of Remain voters might choose the former over the latter, despite hating Brexit.

"A full analysis of what has led the Labour Party to its present state will have to wait, but the temptation for the Tories is obvious.

"Brexit would be the reason for the election but of course it would be fought across the range of issues on which the Tories would fancy themselves against Labour.

"Such a ploy would be completely unjustifiable and would shake British politics to its roots with consequences neither Johnson nor the rest of us can predict. Resolve Brexit first."

[22 July 2019 09:24 · Lizzy Buchan]

There is speculation that ministerial resignations could begin this morning before the announcement of the new PM tomorrow.

Both David Gauke, the justice secretary, and Philip Hammond, the chancellor, have said they intend to step down in the likely event Boris Johnson is named the new Tory party leader.

There are plenty of others who may be ready to jump - including Sir Alan Duncan, who served under Johnson at the foreign office and has been highly critical.

[22 July 2019 09:42 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Alan Duncan has resigned from the Foreign Office, we can now confirm.

[22 July 2019 09:54 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Alan Duncan has made it clear that he cannot serve under Boris Johnson so he has quit his post at the Foreign Office. There is no love lost between the pair after they worked together.

Sir Alan recently accused Mr Johnson of throwing Sir Kim Darroch - the UK's ambassador to the US - 'under a bus' over leaked diplomatic cables and claimed many Tory MPs were 'very, very angry' about his conduct. 

[22 July 2019 10:11 · Lizzy Buchan]

A good point here by Talk Radio's political editor - that it is a REALLY bad time for upheaval the foreign office.

Following Iran's seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, there has been muttering that the government has taken its eye off the ball.

Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, is fighting to be Tory leader, Sir Alan Duncan has now resigned and Mark Field, another minister, has been suspended for manhandling a protester at a city dinner.

[22 July 2019 10:13 · Lizzy Buchan]

Former Tory minister Greg Hands has laid into Sir Alan Duncan for resigning ahead of the appointment of the new PM.

He tweeted: "In my view, pre-emptive ministerial resignations (If reports are true) in case your own democratically-elected party leader is not to your liking are absurd.

"And I say that as a committed Jeremy-Hunt supporter. Such moves make a Corbyn government one step more likely."

[22 July 2019 10:29 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May will chair a meeting of the government's emergency committee Cobra shortly after Iran seized a British-flagged oil tanker in the Persian Gulf.

The PM is expected to receive updates from ministers and officials on the situation and will discuss the maintenance of the security of shipping in the region.

Ms May was not present at ministerial Cobra meetings over the weekend - which she spent in her Maidenhead constituency - but was kept informed of developments.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt will update the Commons on the situation on Monday afternoon, amid reports that ministers are considering freezing Iranian regime assets.

It comes amid recriminations over whether the UK's focus on domestic politics was partly to blame for the the vessel being commandeered in Omani waters in the Strait of Hormuz.

Chancellor Philip Hammond's parliamentary aide, Huw Merriman, told BBC Radio 4 that the government "have dropped the ball" over the situation.

Mr Merriman said: "Just to show that I'm not the puppet of Philip Hammond or Jeremy Hunt, I take the view that we have dropped the ball here ... we did not put in place a chain where we asked all of our vessels to leave at a certain time under convoy.

"So it was hardly a surprise when one of ours got taken," he added on the Westminster Hour.

[22 July 2019 10:42 · Lizzy Buchan]

Sir Alan Duncan has posted his resignation letter on Twitter, where he says it is tragic that the "dark cloud of Brexit" has dominated British politics.