Boris Johnson news – live: PM 'suppressing the truth' by blocking report on Russia interference, as Rees-Mogg apologises for blaming Grenfell victims for their deaths

Gove denies Labour claim UK-US trade deal could cost NHS £500m a week

The senior cabinet minister Michael Gove has dismissed a claim by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn that a post-Brexit trade deal with the US could cost the NHS £500m a week in increased costs of medicines.

In a campaign speech in Harlow, the Labour leader will say that US pharmaceutical companies will demand full access to the NHS - pushing up the price of drugs - as part of any free trade agreement.

However Gove said: “It is the most ridiculous nonsense I have ever heard in my 52 years on this earth.

“It is a fantasy. It is a figure plucked from thin air in order to try to distract attention from the weakness of Jeremy Corbyn’s position on Brexit.”

Speaking to ITV News, Gove insisted there was “no way” a Conservative government would allow the price of drugs to increase in a UK-US trade deal, and said any such deal would not lead to a drop in current food standards.

Labour remember, are claiming it will result in a lowering food standards that could see “maggots in orange juice” and “rat hairs in paprika”.

Labour condemns Rees-Mogg’s Grenfell remarks

A lot of criticism now coming in for Jacob Rees-Mogg, and his suggestion it would have been “common sense” to leave Grenfell Tower despite the fire service’s “stay put” advice.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “What possesses someone to react to an entirely avoidable tragedy like Grenfell by saying the victims lacked common sense? People were terrified, many died trying to escape. Jacob Rees Mogg must apologise for these crass and insensitive comments immediately.”

Labour MP David Lammy said: “How dare you insult and denigrate those who died in Grenfell Tower Jacob Rees-Mogg? The victims of this crime of gross negligence followed the instructions they were given by the fire authorities. Do not blame them.”

Rees-Mogg apologises for Grenfell remarks

The Tory MP and Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has now apologised for his comments suggesting Grenfell Tower victims lacked “common sense” for not leaving building.

“I profoundly apologise,” he said in a statement.

“What I meant to say is that I would have also listened to the fire brigade’s advice to stay and wait at the time. However, with what we know now and with hindsight I wouldn’t and I don’t think anyone else would.

“What’s so sad is that the advice given overrides common sense because everybody would want to leave a burning building.

“I would hate to upset the people of Grenfell if I was unclear in my comments. With hindsight and after reading the report no one would follow that advice. That’s the great tragedy.”

Jo Swinson says she’s ‘candidate for prime minister’

The Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson is speaking at her party’s election campaign launch. She said she is proud to stand as “your candidate for prime minister”.

She says people may ask: “What’s happened to the Liberal Democrats? Why are they being so ambitious all of a sudden?”

Swinson claims she is entitled to be ambitious because “politics is in a state of flux”.

“This is not a normal election,” Swinson adds. “It’s not about whether you want the red team or the blue team to be in government for a few more years.”

She says the Lib Dems might usually look to “double our seats – maybe a bit more. But the country needs us to be more ambitious right now. And we are rising to that challenge”.

She says she is “absolutely certain she could do a better job” than both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn at No 10 – to massive cheers from the Lib Dem faithful.

Jo Swinson at Lib Dem campaign launch 

Swinson speech hit by sound problems: 'Sounds like she's in a bathroom'

Plenty of people picking up on the sound problems that have marred Jo Swinson’s Lib Dem campaign launch speech.

At the beginning both the BBC and Sky News struggled to pick up what she was saying, before there was some distortion in the microphone. One Twitter user said it sounded like “her lapel mic is obviously plugged into a slab of cheese”.

Swinson ‘absolutely, categorically’ rules out deal with Labour

The Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson is answering questions from journalists. She says she wants to “end the chaos” of Brexit – either by revoking Article 50 if her part wins the election outright or agreeing a second referendum.

Asked about a second referendum in Scotland, she explains why she is opposed: “What the SNP wants is to take a situation where there is already chaos as a result of Brexit and add more Brexit to the mix.”

The Lib Dem leader says she is “absolutely, categorically” ruling out any means of propping up a Labour government and helping Jeremy Corbyn reach No 10. She says he is not fit to be prime minister.

Asked about the US president, Swinson says she cannot rule out dealing with him. “I won’t refuse to engage with Donald Trump,” she says. “I think there’s a big difference between and engaging and rolling out the red carpet – which is what this government has done for Donald Trump.”

Jeremy Corbyn says PM will bring in ‘Thatcherism on steroids​’

The Labour leader has begun speaking in Harlow, accusing the prime minister of attempting to “hijack Brexit to sell out our national health service and the working people of this country”.

Corbyn says: “What Boris Johnson's Conservatives want is to hijack Brexit to unleash Thatcherism on steroids.

“Johnson and the Leave campaign promised to rebuild our NHS. Johnson stood in front of a bus and promised £350m a week for the NHS.

“Now we find out that £500m a week could be taken out of the NHS and handed to big drugs companies under his plans for a sell-out trade deal with Donald Trump.”

It’s a claim cabinet minister Michael Gove has dismissed as a “fantasy” and “nonsense”.

Corbyn leads the crown of supporters in a chant of: “Our NHS is not for sale.”

The Labour leader says: “Shout it loud and shout it clear on the doorsteps.”

Jeremy Corbyn addresses supporters in Harlow 

Corbyn claims Tories will allow ‘rat hairs in paprika’

The Labour leader claimed the Conservatives want to strip away a whole raft of employment and environmental protections in a move to a more deregulated US-style economic model.

“Given the chance, they’ll run down our rights at work, our entitlements to holidays, breaks and leave,” he will say.

“Given the chance, they’ll slash food standards to US levels where acceptable levels of rat hairs in paprika and maggots in orange juice are allowed and they’ll put chlorinated chicken on our supermarket shelves.

“And given the chance, they’ll water down the rules on air pollution and our environment that keep us safe. They want a race to the bottom in standards and protections.”

‘I don’t want to live in half a country’: Corbyn appeals to both Leave and Remain voters

Addressing the party’s “clear and simple” Brexit policy, the Labour leader said: “People sometimes accuse me of trying to take to both sides at once in the Brexit debate – people who voted Leave and people who voted Remain.

“Do you know what? They’re dead right. They’re absolutely dead right. Why would I only want to talk to half the country? I don’t want to live in half a country. Anybody seeking to become prime minister must talk to and listen to the whole country.”

He adds: “Labour stands not just for the 52 per cent of the 48 per cent – but for the 99 per cent.”

Corbyn claims claims his party can deliver a Brexit that doesn’t hurt. “If you want to leave the EU without trashing our economy or selling out our NHS you’ll be able to vote for it,” he says. 

“If you want to remain in the EU, you’ll be able to vote for that. Either way, only a Labour government will put the final decision in your hands. And we will immediately carry out your decision so Britain can get beyond Brexit.”

Corbyn says new Brexit negotiations would work in ‘parallel’ with parliament

Asked by reporters about whether Labour’s June 2020 deadline for getting a Brexit deal was achievable, Corbyn said it was a “realistic” target.

“The deadline we’ve set is a realistic one. We wouldn’t be saying it if we didn't think it was do-able and possible,” he said.

Corbyn said the party would work in “parallel” with parliament to legislate for second referendum on the Labour deal within six months.

Speaking about the speedy renegotiations with the EU, Corbyn joked: “Keir has a season ticket on the Eurostar so the cost will be minimal to continue those discussions with Brussels.

“He’s a fit man - he plays football!”