Conservative conference - as it happened: Philip Hammond insists Theresa May's Brexit plan is not dead as he urges warring Tory MPs to stand 'foursquare behind' her

All the updates from Birmingham, as they happened

Conservative Party Conference: Five things to watch

Philip Hammond won applause from the Tory faithful when he urged them to stand “foursquare behind the prime minister” to rescue her Brexit plan.

The Chancellor rejected claims from both pro and anti-EU Tories that the Chequers proposals were dead, after their mauling by the EU – insisting they could still deliver an agreement.

“Mr Tusk [the European Council president] says it won’t work - but that’s what people said about the lightbulb in 1878,” he told the Conservative conference. “Our job is to prove him wrong.”

The run-up to the Birmingham conference has been dominated by infighting over Theresa May's Brexit approach, which Boris Johnson described as "deranged".

See below for live updates

Key Points

• Philip Hammond says Chequers plan is not dead and urges Tory MPs to 'stand foursquare' behind the PM
• Three Tory cabinet ministers support a new Brexit referendum, a former minister has revealed
• Jeremy Hunt rebuked by Latvian ambassador for likening EU membership to Soviet occupation
• Senior Tories acting like ‘political jihadis’ over Brexit, major donor warns
• Philip Hammond on Boris Johnson chances of being PM: 'I don't expect it will happen

[1 October 2018 17:12 · Lizzy Buchan]

Another story from one of the fringes earlier today.

Nicky Morgan, a former cabinet minister, said Brexit will not answer the "frustrations" that many leave voters had with society and the economy.

She warned that prior to free trade agreements and deals being struck there will be many who are "potentially at risk" of losing their jobs.

She said: "One of the reasons people voted Brexit was immigration, of course we're still waiting to find out an immigration white paper and immigration bill.

"We want to have free trade agreements and immigration is definitely going to be a part of that, so are people going to get the immigration system they thought they were going to get when they voted to leave?"

She added: "Let's be optimistic and let's say that we're going to get these trade agreements and they can be renegotiated, we're going to have to do something in Parliament that we haven't done for 40 years, which is approve those trade deals and those treaties."

[1 October 2018 17:18 · Lizzy Buchan]

[1 October 2018 17:30 · Lizzy Buchan]

[1 October 2018 17:42 · Lizzy Buchan]

Don’t believe the hype – Theresa May has more support than ever at this Tory conference, says Tory MP Gillian Keegan.

Writing for The Independent, she said: "I still remain hopeful that both the EU and parliament will come to their senses and agree a practical deal when the final choice comes."

Read her column here: 

[1 October 2018 17:49 · Lizzy Buchan]

That's it for The Independent's politics liveblog for the day. Thanks for following!