Boris Johnson news: PM discusses Brexit with Trump in phone call, after critical date for commons bid to block no-deal revealed
John Bolton arrives in UK as rebel MPs plot against prime minister
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Your support makes all the difference.Rebel MPs are plotting to rewrite the Commons rulebook and rip up parliament’s standing orders in a bid to prevent Boris Johnson from forcing through a no-deal Brexit, The Independent has learnt.
It comes as No 10 pinpoints Monday 9 September as the critical day for a legislative battle with the cross-party campaign to block a no-deal departure.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott suggested Labour was gearing up to table a no-confidence motion in the PM.
Green MP Caroline Lucas, meanwhile, apologised after not including any people of colour in her proposed all-female “emergency cabinet”.
The fractured British political scene also played host to John Bolton, the US’ National Security Adviser, who arrived in the UK to meet with British officials.
Speaking following a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a visit to London, Mr Bolton said the US could focus on certain sectors like manufacturing and car-making where the two countries may agree, and work out more complicated areas later.
Mr Bolton said US trade negotiators think this is acceptable under World Trade Organisation rules.
Mr Bolton also said issues like security in Iran, and fears over Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s 5G network could wait until after Brexit to be resolved.
A Downing Street statement said: “The Prime Minister joined a meeting at Downing Street today between senior officials and US National Security adviser John Bolton.
“They discussed the close UK-US trading relationship and our shared commitment to an ambitious free trade agreement once the UK leaves the EU.
“They also spoke about Brexit and a range of other issues – including Iran, Hong Kong and 5G.”
If you would like to see how the day’s events unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below:
More reaction to the PM’s law and order policies.
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Labour’s shadow solicitor general, responding to the announcement that the Crown Prosecution Service will receive an extra £85m to tackle violent crime, said: “This does not come anywhere near reversing the effect of nine years of deep cuts to the Crown Prosecution Service’s budget and staff.
Marian FitzGerald, visiting professor of criminology at the University of Kent, responding to plans to extend the use of stop and search, accused home secretary Priti Priti Patel of “knowingly misusing the figures for arrests for offensive weapons in order to justify making it easier for the police to use an emergency power to search the public at random in certain areas”.
Hauliers have struck back at suggestions from the head of the French Channel ports that the trade route between Dover and Calais will continue to run smoothly after Brexit.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA), which represents the UK industry, said it is “clear” that British authorities are not “Brexit-ready” and warned of an “information abyss”.
France’s Jean-Marc Puissesseau had accused “certain individuals” of scaremongering with talk of transport chaos.
But RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “From the meetings we have had it is clear that they are not (ready),” he said.
“Since day one we have been pressing government for clarity as regards future border crossing procedures and we have conveyed our concerns about the future to Monsieur Puissesseau on many occasions.
“If everybody turns up in Calais with the right documents there will be no problems, but today, with only 80 days until we leave the EU, we still cannot establish what is needed and what qualifies as ‘lorry ready’. It’s an information abyss.”
He said that if “decisive, clear action” is implemented and distributed immediately there is “every chance” of keeping disruption to a minimum.
“But until we get the clarity that is so desperately needed, optimism is in very short supply.”
Downing Street have just confirmed Boris Johnson held a phone call with US President Donald Trump this afternoon. Naturally, the readout of the discussion leaves much to be desired.
A Number 10 spokesperson said: "The prime minister spoke to resident Trump today. They discussed global economic issues and trade, and the prime minister update the present on Brexit."
Kuba Shand-Baptiste says the prime minister is pushing a racist policing agenda, with the “come down hard on crime” rhetoric helping enforce the criminalisation of working-class black communities.
Boris Johnson‘s most senior ally Dominic Cummings intends to make this year’s Conservative Party conference about one thing only: severing ties with the EU on 31 October.
Rather than cabinet ministers setting out their departmental priorities for the coming year, hammered home in every carefully crafted speech will be the government’s commitment to deliver Brexit by Halloween, “do or die”.
The three-day gathering of the party faithful, in Manchester from 29 September to 2 October, will be a rally for Brexit and a likely taste of how the Conservatives intend to fight any general election campaign that may follow. Given Labour’s recent equivocating on the issue, it is the battleground on which Johnson will want to tackle Jeremy Corbyn.
Tom Peck, our political sketch-writer, says it has taken Dominic Cummings less than two weeks to become everything he hates:
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem former climate change secretary, took a swipe at the prime minister by reviving an old clip of Mr Johnson telling someone to "get stuffed".
In the footage, from 2013 when Mr Johnson was London mayor, he makes the remark in the London assembly when accused of lying.
Caroline Lucas has apologised after she put together an all-white list of women she wanted to fight a no-deal Brexit, admitting she was "wrong to overlook" her "women of colour colleagues".
The former Green party leader wrote to 10 other female politicians opposed to a no-deal break with the EU, inviting them to form an "emergency cabinet".
But after criticism, she issued a statement of apology, which said: "There are women of colour colleagues who are standing up to this government’s reckless gamble with Britain’s future, and it was wrong to overlook them. I apologise to them and all who’ve been hurt by their exclusion. There are always lessons to be learnt, and I will do my utmost to support, value and uplift women of colour working in politics, particularly those with whom I share common ground."
The public back Mr Johnson's plan to give police greater stop-and-search powers, a poll suggests.
YouGov said nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) out of 2,153 adults questioned backed the idea compared to 14 per cent against it.
The remaining 12 per cent did not know.
John Bolton has claimed a no-deal Brexit has "zero chance" of affecting the Good Friday Agreement.
Ireland is extremely concerned that a no-deal Brexit would cause chaos at the border between the country and Northern Ireland.
But the US national security adviser told UK officials that his country wanted "to be helpful" on Brexit.
He also said he believed there was overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress for a US-UK trade deal.
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