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

Jeremy Hunt claims Angela Merkel is willing to look at new deal as PM hopeful lays out withdrawal plans

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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Key Points

• Jeremy Hunt claims Angela Merkel will consider new Brexit deal
• Speaker blocks MP's plan to stop no-deal Brexit
• Boris Johnson called ‘crazy’ by garden centre heckler
• Jeremy Hunt pledges £6bn war chest and vows to end Brexit talks early
• ... as plan to ban civil service summer leave sparks fury

[1 July 2019 13:10 · Adam Forrest]

Some discussion about the future of Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, when either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt becomes PM. Theresa May is keen that the head of the civil service stay in place, apparently.

[1 July 2019 13:18 · Adam Forrest]

Sir Mark Sedwill will, incidentally, be contacting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after reports emerged that government officials had claimed he was “too frail” to be prime minister.

Theresa May’s official spokesman said the cabinet secretary “will be writing to the leader of the opposition shortly”. Labour has already demanded an independent investigation.

Here’s political correspondent Lizzy Buchan with the details.

[1 July 2019 13:21 · Adam Forrest]

Here’s our chief business commentator James Moore’s take on some of the outlandish tax and spending claims made by Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt.

[1 July 2019 13:26 · Adam Forrest]

A heckler at a garden centre has told Tory frontrunner Boris Johnson his ideas were “preposterous” and said it was “a shame your brother’s not running”.

[1 July 2019 13:49 · Adam Forrest]

More on this afternoon’s heckling incident. Boris Johnson was confronted in Polhill garden centre, near Sevenoaks, during a whistle-stop visit on his campaign trail. As he toured the centre, a passing woman told Mr Johnson: “Good luck with your preposterous ideas.”

She then added “It’s a shame your brother's not running” while another man, who appeared to be with her, branded the former foreign secretary “crazy”.

Mr Johnson’s brother Jo Johnson is the Conservative MP for nearby Orpington, which is next to the garden centre’s Sevenoaks constituency, represented by Sir Michael Fallon.

An apparently unfazed Mr Johnson only responded by saying “thank you very much” before quickly walking away from the pair.

His visit on Monday morning was mostly met with support from shoppers, with many posing for photos or shaking hands with Mr Johnson. He only spent around 15 minutes at the centre before he was driven by his entourage back to London.

[1 July 2019 14:05 · Lizzy Buchan]

The head of the civil servants union has fired off an angry salvo at Jeremy Hunt over his plan to ban leave for Whitehall officials to prepare for no deal.

Dave Penman, general secretary of FDA, described the comments as "bullsh*t" in a furious tweet.

[1 July 2019 14:18 · Lizzy Buchan]

Here is the moment Boris Johnson was heckled at a garden centre while on a visit to Kent.

[1 July 2019 14:31 · Lizzy Buchan]

The Commons is about to kick off with Work and Pensions questions, followed by a statement on the NHS Long Term plan by health secretary Matt Hancock.

[1 July 2019 14:48 · Lizzy Buchan]

An EU summit to choose Jean-Claude Juncker's successor and other top Brussels jobs will carry over into an unplanned third day of talks after EU leaders failed to find consensus.

The European Council was finally suspended at lunchtime on Monday so that leaders could get some sleep, after pulling at 18-hour shift in the Belgian capital's Europa building – but it will return again on Tuesday morning for more urgent discussions.

More from our Europe correspondent Jon Stone:

[1 July 2019 15:06 · Adam Forrest]

The Northern Ireland secretary has refused to be drawn on her future. There has been speculation Karen Bradley will be replaced once Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt become prime minister.

“Today I am focused on getting the executive restored as soon as I possibly can … Nobody wants to answer questions on their own job and I won't be asking you any questions about your job either,” she said.

There had been an expectation that the latest round of powersharing talks would be paused at the end of June, acknowledging the challenges of striking a political deal in Northern Ireland around the often volatile marching season.

Asked whether the process would be parked, she said: “I don’t want to get into the process and the progress - what I am determined to do is deliver this as soon as I can.”