Brexit news - LIVE: EU slaps down Boris Johnson plans as Corbyn's team rage over no-deal claims
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Leadership contenders Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt have clashed over the Halloween Brexit deadline, as the foreign secretary said he is the candidate that can be trusted to reach a deal with the EU.
It comes after Mr Johnson, the frontrunner to replace Theresa May, pledged to take Britain out of the EU "do or die, come what may" by the 31 October, and called on Jeremy Hunt
The move led to Mr Johnson being criticised by the UK's former civil service chief, Lord Kerslake, who said the ex-foreign secretary's premiership would be an "opportunity for disaster".
The European Commission also reiterated that the Brexit withdrawal agreement will not be negotiated, “full stop” – despite claims by Boris Johnson that he would somehow be able to re-open talks.
When asked whether the agreement could be reopened under any circumstances – including to stop a no-deal or prevent a hard border in Ireland, – a spokesperson for the Commission was emphatic: “I can confirm, as has been repeated several times, we will not be renegotiating the withdrawal agreement, full stop,” she told reporters in Brussels.
This liveblog has now closed, but you can view Wednesday's events below
On the overseas aid budget, Jeremy Hunt says he would protect the aid budget. "I am very proud that despite all the problems we have at home - we are a compassionate country," he says.
Theresa May is calling for new design standards for house builders to ensure future owners and tenants are not forced to live in “tiny” homes with inadequate storage space.
In her latest move to secure a political legacy, the prime minister will hail figures showing that by the autumn, a million new homes will have been added in under five years.
But her comments come as a parliamentary report warns that the government’s target of delivering 300,000 new homes a year is “way off track” because of problems at the heart of the planning system.
Ministers have been condemned after admitting they have not carried out any assessment on the impact that a no-deal Brexit would have on disabled people
Jeremy Hunt has accused Boris Johnson of making promises he cannot deliver after the Tory leadership frontrunner made a "do or die" pledge to deliver Brexit by 31 October.
Speaking during a campaign visit in Essex, Mr Hunt said parliament could block a no-deal Brexit, possibly triggering a general election,
He said:
"If you want to be prime minister, make promises you can actually deliver.
"I'm the person who's far, far more likely to deliver Brexit by October 31 because I can negotiate a deal with the European Union and that's what I'm going to do."
"The trouble with 'do or die' is you could end up with a general election, Corbyn in Downing Street and no Brexit at all, and I want to offer a more positive future than that."
Boris Johnson’s original strategy of winning the Tory leadership contest by placing himself under effective house arrest came unstuck at the weekend when he somehow managed to still cock everything up, from inside the house in which he had arrested himself, writes political sketch writer Tom Peck.
But now we are on to Plan B, namely the media blitz, at least we all know why Plan A was the preferred option.
Claims Jeremy Corbyn's aides will accept any Brexit have been rubbished by Labour's spokesman, who also denied Mr Corbyn was "under the influence" of Unite boss Len McCluskey.
When asked directly if he was the problem, the spokesman also denied this, saying "there are many people around Jeremy Corbyn".
"I think we're all familiar with the trope of good kings and their bad advisers," he said. "The idea that Jeremy doesn't make his own decisions or decide what he wants to do is laughable.
"Jeremy has his own views and takes his own decisions and decisions are not taken for him by anybody."
The spokesman insisted Mr Corbyn was working to "find a common position" and said he expected this to reach a conclusion "in the next few weeks", indicating this would be before recess.
Arlene Foster - the DUP leader - has said it is "very important" the UK leaves the EU by 31 October, but declined to back either Jeremy Hunt or Boris Johnson for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
Ms Foster told the Policy Exchange think tank: "It's very important that we leave on October 31.
"Of course, we should have left by now and I think a lot of the discontent within the United Kingdom is caused by the fact that we haven't left, and we've seen that in the European election results."
She refused to back either Mr Johnson or Mr Hunt as next Tory leader at the event on Wednesday in central London, but said she has a "good relationship" with both.
"That is not a matter for me, thankfully," she said, referring to the leadership contest. But she added she will "look forward" to working with either and has conversations with both "all the time".
The European Commission has again reiterated that the Brexit withdrawal agreement will not be negotiated, “full stop” – despite claims by Boris Johnson that he would somehow be able to re-open talks, writes Europe Correspondent Jon Stone.
When asked whether the agreement could be reopened under any circumstances – including to stop a no-deal or prevent a hard border in Ireland, – a spokesperson for the Commission was emphatic:
“I can confirm, as has been repeated several times, we will not be renegotiating the withdrawal agreement, full stop,” she told reporters in Brussels.
Theresa May is to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at this week’s G20 summit in Japan, the Kremlin has announced.
A spokesman for Mr Putin told reporters in Moscow that the pair would discuss “sensitive questions” around the British-Russian relationship, which has been in the deep freeze since the chemical attack in Salisbury last year.
The spokesman signaled Russian willingness to explore the possibility for a thaw in relations, saying that Moscow would welcome any opportunity to “establish new co-operation”.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has announced she is backing Jeremy Hunt in the Conservative leadership contest.
"Any Conservative leadership candidate must put the Union first. Jeremy has done so and will get my vote," she said.
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