Brexit news: Jeremy Hunt claims Merkel is willing to look at new deal as PM hopeful lays out withdrawal plans
All the developments from Westminster on Monday
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Tory leadership hopeful Jeremy Hunt has unveiled his 10-point plan to handle a no-deal Brexit, vowing to “cease all discussions” with Brussels on 30 September if the EU fails to budge.
He also claimed to have been told by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, that she would be willing to look at any new Brexit the next British PM comes up with.
It came as his rival, Boris Johnson, was heckled at a garden centre and accused of misrepresenting the ideas of a 14th century Tunisian scholar after claiming he could cut taxes and increase revenue.
Meanwhile, pro-Jeremy Corbyn organisation Momentum has launched a fresh drive to unseat Mr Johnson – who could not name the amount paid under the living wage during his latest TV interview – at the next general election.
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Following Tory MP Liam Fox’s warning about the possibility of the break-up of the union in a no-deal scenario, a former Labour minister at Holyrood has said Scottish independence could soon “become inevitable”.
Malcolm Chisholm, who served as both health minister and communities minister, said that both Brexit and the current state of the Tory party had “given great impetus to the move towards independence”.
He told the Edinburgh Evening News: “I would go as far as to say if we have continuing Conservative governments independence will become inevitable.”
The former MSP added: “I might in future vote for independence but it would totally depend on what the situation was and what the alternatives on offer were in terms of the UK.”
According to the BBC’s political editor, some Tory members are switching from Boris Johnson to Jeremy Hunt.
As Jeremy Hunt prepares to outline his no-deal Brexit plan at the latest leadership hustings event, he is facing heavy criticism for his admission he is prepared to accept jobs losses and the collapse of businesses.
Lib Dem MP Chuka Umunna called him “out of touch” and his comments on Sunday “a load of nonsense from someone who should know better”.
And Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has attacked his ideas as “turbocharged disaster capitalism”.
Although Nigel Farage has unveiled 100 parliamentary candidates for his Brexit Party, he has yet refused to name any of the would-be MPs.
Here’s our political correspondent Lizzy Buchan with the details.
Jeremy Hunt has taken to the stage at his Policy Exchange hustings event and is unveiling a 10-point plan to handle a no-deal Brexit.
“All government departments will be expected to act on the basis that we are leaving without a deal on October 31,” he says.
He has pledged to create a special no-deal cabinet task force, and a new negotiating with members of the ERG, DUP, One Nation Group & Welsh & Scottish Conservatives”.
Hunt has also claimed he and the Brexit Secretary “will engage with European leaders and the European Commission during July and August”.
More details. Alongside pledging extra protection for the fishing and farming industries by way of a £6bn stimulus package, Jeremy Hunt will produce a no-deal Brexit budget, with corporation tax slashed to 12.5 per cent and 90 per cent of high street businesses exempted from having to pay rates.
Jeremy Hunt says he will allow only three weeks for negotiations with EU after a vote for a “new plan” in the Commons.
“As PM I will make a judgement on 30th September as to whether there is a realistic chance of a new deal being agreed that can pass the House of Commons,” he says.
“If my judgement is that there is no deal to be done I will immediately cease all discussions with the European Union and focus the whole country’s attention on no deal preparations.”
Cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill will write to Jeremy Corbyn after the Labour leader demanded an inquiry into civil service leaks on his health, according to our correspondent Lizzy Buchan, attending this morning’s lobby briefing.
The PM’s official spokesman said: “Impartiality is one of the fundamental values of the civil service and underpins its ability to effectively serve the government of the day.
“It would clearly be inappropriate and unacceptable for comments of this sort to have been made or briefed to the press.
“The cabinet secretary will be writing to the leader of the opposition shortly. I don’t think you would expect me to divulge the contents of that letter in advance of it being sent.”
Jeremy Hunt has also warned MPs against any attempt to block a no-deal Brexit.
Here’s Jeremy Hunt explaining how he imagines August, September and October could pan out under his no-deal Brexit preparation plan.
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