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As it happenedended1573670580

Boris Johnson news: PM delivers rambling Brexit speech on election trail, after being repeatedly jeered by angry members of public

Follow all the latest developments, as they happened

Adam Forrest,Lizzy Buchan
Wednesday 13 November 2019 14:40 EST
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Boris Johnson heckled on visit to flood-hit Yorkshire: 'You took your time'

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Boris Johnson has delivered a rambling election speech after being repeatedly heckled by residents during his visit to South Yorkshire – six days after severe flooding hit the area.

It comes as the People’s Vote campaign group has released a list of more than 100 “Remainer” candidates who will receive backing in a bid to stop the Conservatives winning the general election.

Lib Dem Tim Walker withdrew from the race in Canterbury in a bid to help the Labour candidate keep out the local Tory Brexiteer. But party bosses provoked outrage when they said the party will field another candidate instead.

To see events as they unfolded, follow our coverage below

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Schools to be ordered to let children wear gender-neutral uniforms under Lib Dem plans

Schools would be ordered to allow children to wear gender-neutral school uniforms under a new policy put forward by the Liberal Democrats.

Layla Moran, the party's education spokesperson, said the existing rules were "totally out of date" and vowed to legislate to force schools in England to revise their uniform codes to ensure they are more inclusive.

Under plans to be unveiled in the Lib Dem election manifesto, headteachers would be compelled to allow children to wear shorts, trousers or skirts, regardless of their gender.

Lizzy Buchan13 November 2019 17:52
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SNP takes legal action against ITV over leaders' debate

Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the action after the broadcaster said it would host Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn in a head-to-head on November 19.

Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson earlier this week said her party will launch a legal challenge over the decision to exclude all parties other than the Conservatives and Labour from the debate.

Scottish First Minister Ms Sturgeon said it is "fundamentally unfair" for other parties to be cut out of the debate.

She said: "This election may be the most important of our lifetimes. It is quite simply unacceptable for the SNP and other parties to be cut out of proposed leaders' debates by broadcasters.

"This is fundamentally unfair and it fails to recognise that the UK is no longer a two-party state.

"And in Scotland, this would not be a debate between the two leading parties - instead it would ignore the country's largest party, which according to the latest polls is also on track to win the third largest number of seats UK-wide.

"By contrast, the latest polls show Labour in fourth place in Scotland."

Lizzy Buchan13 November 2019 18:02
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UK on course for record number of ethnic minority MPs, new analysis suggests

The UK is on course for a record number of ethnic minority MPs after the general election, a new analysis suggests.

 A “late diversity surge” in selections by both the Labour and Conservative parties is expected to boost numbers by 15 from the total in the parliament that just ended.

“The next parliament looks set to be our most-diverse ever, with more ethnic minority candidates likely to be elected whichever way the political pendulum swings on election night,” said Sunder Katwala, the director of the think-tank British Future.

Lizzy Buchan13 November 2019 18:18
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Boris Johnson’s 'calculated ‘average Joe’ act is dead'

"Everything about the prime minister is as confected and invented as any teenage pop group star," writes Sean O'Grady for The Independent.

"Finally, after years of pulling the wool over our eyes, the public can see it for themselves."

Read more here:

Lizzy Buchan13 November 2019 18:34
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That's it for The Independent's politics blog for the day. Thanks for following!

Lizzy Buchan13 November 2019 18:41

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