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As it happenedended

Boris Johnson news live: No-deal Brexit looms as Gove claims EU is ‘refusing to negotiate’ with UK and Brussels rejects No 10’s tactics

All the latest developments from Westminster as they happened

Adam Forrest,Lizzy Buchan,Chiara Giordano
Tuesday 06 August 2019 16:30 EDT
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Lawrence Summers says Britain is 'desperate and delusional' about US trade deal

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EU officials reportedly believe Boris Johnson and his team have “no intention” of negotiating and are intent on delivering a no-deal Brexit, it emerged.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove responded on Tuesday by saying the EU “now seem to be refusing to negotiate with UK”.

It came as MPs opposed to no deal accused the prime minister of acting like “Stuart monarchs and claiming a divine right to rule”, amid fears he is preparing to defy a potential vote of no confidence in parliament.

As Dominic Raab sought to “fire up” trade relationships on a tour of North America, the former US treasury secretary Larry Summers said it would be “delusional” for No 10 to expect a favourable trade deal with the US.

And after a meeting with chancellor Sajid Javid in London, Irish finance minister Paschal Donohoe said Ireland's relationship with the UK would "fundamentally change" in the event of a no deal Brexit.

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The City of London will remain a large global financial centre even in adverse Brexit scenarios, according to the Central Bank of Ireland.

The Central Bank published a financial stability note on Tuesday which examines the future of global financial centres after Brexit from an EU perspective.

The report found that London will likely remain a big player, but predicted the country as a whole could “less open, productive and rich”.

The stability note stated: “How Brexit will eventually affect the City of London remains uncertain, even if several firms have already relocated from London to other EU countries in the aftermath of the vote.”

Adam Forrest6 August 2019 12:13

Six months after splitting from Conservative and Labour parties, the five MPs in the Independent Group for Change have issued a call for members to sign up to their new party.

Leader Anna Soubry said they hope the move will help transform the IGC from a small opposition grouping at Westminster into a “fully fledged political party”.

More here from our political editor Andrew Woodcock:

Lizzy Buchan6 August 2019 12:30

The Tories are flinging us into a debt-laden Brexit calamity – the least they can do is give the people a Final Say, writes Labour former cabinet minister Margaret Beckett.

Read her column:

Lizzy Buchan6 August 2019 12:45

Michael Gove has told reporters in Downing Street that he is "deeply saddened" that the EU is "refusing" to negotiate with the UK.

The cabinet secretary, who chairs a daily Brexit meeting, said Boris Johnson wants to negotiate a deal and would apply "all the energy" of government to reaching a new agreement.

However he said Theresa May's deal had failed to pass the Commons three times and there needed to a new approach.

Mr Gove said the UK would be leaving the EU on 31 October - "deal or no deal".

Lizzy Buchan6 August 2019 12:55

Michael Gove also tells ITV news that "it's the EU that seems to be saying they're not interested. They are simply saying, 'No, we don't want to talk'.

"Well I think that's wrong and sad, and it's not in Europe's interests."

Lizzy Buchan6 August 2019 13:04

The Brexit Party has spent much of today announcing more candidates set to fight the next general election across the UK.

The most surprising pick from the 50 revealed on Monday is undoubtedly Alexander Waugh – grandson of the great Tory novelist Evelyn Waugh.

He will contest the Bridgwater and West Somerset seat currently occupied by the Conservatives.

“Irritated at the way in which both the EU and the British Parliament has chosen to play fast and loose with our democracy, I have taken the decision to stop whining about it to my friends and to stand up and be counted,” Waugh told the Somerset Gazette.

Adam Forrest6 August 2019 13:08

Leo Varadkar, the taioseach, said no deal could be avoided and there was always room for negotiations.

He told reporters: "I don't accept it [no deal] is unavoidable, there are many ways by which a no deal can be avoided, either at the ratification of the withdrawal agreement, a further extension, or revocation of Article 50 - so there are a number of ways.

"I'm certainly not fatalistic about that. In terms of the EU position - the withdrawal agreement, including the backstop, is closed.

"But there is always room for talks and negotiations. For example we've said we can make changes to the political declaration and we've demonstrated before it's possible to offer clarifications."

Mr Varadkar added he had invited Boris Johnson to come to Northern Ireland.

"I stand by it," he said.

Lizzy Buchan6 August 2019 13:16

Disgraced former Labour MP Fiona Onasanya has been struck off as a solicitor for lying to avoid a speeding conviction.

The 35-year-old, who worked in commercial property law before her election to parliament in 2017, was jailed for perverting the course of justice last year by claiming someone else was driving her car.

A number of allegations were found proven by a misconduct tribunal on Tuesday, meaning she can no longer practise as a regulated solicitor.

Edward Nally, chairman of a three-member panel at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal in central London, said: "As a parliamentarian makes the law so a solicitor must uphold the law and rule of law, and sadly in this case Ms Onasanya has failed in those duties.

"We must strike off Ms Onasanya from the roll of solicitors."

The tribunal found she acted dishonestly, failed to act with integrity and failed to behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in her.

Lizzy Buchan6 August 2019 13:32

Here’s Michael Gove, the cabinet minister tasked with no deal planning, claiming that EU officials “seem to be refusing to negotiate with the UK” over a new Brexit deal.

Adam Forrest6 August 2019 13:40

Lord Adonis has been quoting Sherlock Holmes on talkRADIO.

The Labour peer – and strong advocate of second referendum – said: “I do not believe there will be no deal, because parliament has repeatedly voted against no deal.”

“Parliament will not agree to anything like the deal on the table because it’s no good. It won't agree to no deal. And therefore, as Sherlock Holmes said, you’ve eliminated the impossible and you’re just left with the improbable.”

He suggested the improbable would mean holding a Final Say referendum on Brexit at some stage.

The Holmes reference is from The Sign of the Four and several other of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, when the detective repeats his maxim: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

Adam Forrest6 August 2019 13:46

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