Westminster today: Theresa May gives speech on online abuse as MPs commemorate 100 years of women having the vote - as it happened

Prime Minister speaks amid fury over Conservative MP's claims that hard Brexiteers should be kicked out Tory party

Anna Soubry calls on Theresa May to take back control from hard brexiteers who are 'not real Conservatives'

Theresa May called on social media companies to "step up" the fight against online abuse, as she delivered a speech in Manchester to mark the centenary of women being given the vote.

The Prime Minister warned of a "coarsening" public debate that she said poses "a threat to our democracy".

She said the Government will carry out a review of print journalism to assess what can be done to support ailing newspapers.

There were also calls for ministers to pardon suffragettes who were convicted of crimes while fighting for women to be given the vote. As Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, said she was "looking at" the issue, Jeremy Corbyn said a Labour government would implement the pardon.

It came as the row within the Conservative Party deepened after a pro-EU backbencher suggested Theresa May should expel hard Brexiteers from the party.

Anna Soubry said around 35 Eurosceptics should be "slung out", adding "it is about time Theresa stood up to them".

As it happened...

Key Points

Anna Soubry threatens to leave Tory party and calls on Theresa May to 'sling out' hard Brexiteers

[6 February 2018 12:49 · Kristin Hugo]

A bit of insight from the daily Downing Street briefing...the Cabinet discussed the recommendations of the Taylor Review into the gig economy, meaning we can expect the Government's response very soon - possibly even later today.

During the meeting, Theresa May said it was "a key issue for the country" but highlighted the need to “preserve flexibility” in the workplace, while ensuring workers’ rights are “preserved and enhanced” so “the country can harness the benefits of innovation in ways that work for everyone”.

The review looked into how to end insecure and exploitative working practices but there were fears last year that it could be pushed into the long grass.

Surprisingly, Downing Street also confirmed that the Cabinet did not discuss Brexit at this morning's meeting.

[6 February 2018 12:58 · Kristin Hugo]

Here's Joe Watts' report ahead of Theresa May's speech later today, in which she will warn of a "coarsening" of political debate and call on social media companies to "step up" and tackle online abuse

[6 February 2018 13:16 · Kristin Hugo]

Justine Greening has joined Anna Soubry in suggesting she might quit the Tory party if a hard Brexiteer takes over as leader.

Asked if she would remain in the party if Jacob Rees-Mogg became leader, the former Education Secretary told the BBC's Daily Politics: "Er, that might be a bit of a stretch, admittedly, but I think, again, what matters to me, probably, in any of those circumstances is what my own community thinks and who they feel is right. But we have a prime minister."

[6 February 2018 13:24 · Kristin Hugo]

Amber Rudd is giving a statement in the House of Commons on the centenary of women given the vote.

She says female MPs still face "vile sexist abuse" and condemns what she calls the "concerted effort both online and offline to destroy the confidence of women who want to be invovled in poliitcal life".

Controversially, she highlights the case of Claire Kober, the leader of Haringey Council, who announced her resignation last week citing "bullying and sexism by supporters of Jeremy Corbyn".

She also mentions Diane Abbott, saying the Shadow Home Secretary receives "endless horrible abuse" and is the victim of half of all online abuse sent to female politicians.

Ms Rudd she deals with abuse and hatred directed at herself "because I know that female voices matter in politics and in life".

"But we shouldn't have to bear it, "she adds. "We need to call this sort of behaviour out and make clear that enough is enough.

"I know, as the suffragettes and the suffragists did, that his House is for everybody and I hope we can welcome even more women here in the future."

[6 February 2018 13:30 · Kristin Hugo]

Addressing MPs, Amber Rudd also commented on the fact that barely any male MPs had turned up to listen to the statement on female suffrage:

"You're still more likely to be sitting next to a man than a woman in this House - though perhaps not in this debate."

While a lot of male MPs have tweeted and posted videos about the centenary, it doesn't seem unreasonable to ask why so few have turned up...

[6 February 2018 13:42 · Kristin Hugo]

Here are Labour MPs - almost all of them female - listening to Harriet Harman speak about the abuse faced by women in politics. 

There are a few men out of shot, but not many. As Amber Rudd mentioned, the proportion of male MPs who have turned up to listen to the debate about female suffrage and women in politics is far, far lower than you would expect in any other debate...

[6 February 2018 14:11 · Kristin Hugo]

Theresa May is now speaking in Manchester.

She begins by saying: "I worry that our public debate today is coarsening - that for some it's becomign harder to disagree without demeaning opposing viewpoints in the process.

Recalling the British traditions of free speech and open debate, she says:

Britain's liberal democracy has long been respected around the world for its tolerance and decency.

A philosophy of freedom of expression in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance has been one of this country's great intellectual gifts to the world.

Celebrating the role women play in public life, she says a number of senior positions, including the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, the director of the National Crime Agency, the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Medical Officer, heads of the CBI and TUC and both Scotland's First Minister and opposition leader are all women.

[6 February 2018 14:22 · Kristin Hugo]

May says women bring a different approach to politics because they are often more willing to listen and learn rather than just voice their opinions. Warning about widespread online abuse, she says: "Social media ... should be a force for good, but it is being exploited and abused often anonymously."

[6 February 2018 14:22 · Kristin Hugo]

[6 February 2018 14:33 · Kristin Hugo]

Theresa May has announced a review of the sustainability of Britain's printed press, which will look into funding models to ensure the continuation of high-quality journalism at national, regional and local level.

In a speech in Manchester, the Prime Minister warned that the disappearance of hundreds of titles was "dangerous for our democracy".

Mrs May warned that "when trusted and credible news sources decline, we can become vulnerable to news which is untrustworthy".