Brexit news - live: Boris Johnson vows to secure EU exit if Tories win election, as Lib Dems lay out Remain stance
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson has said he is prepared for a “tough” general election battle after MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of holding a pre-Christmas poll.
The prime minister last night warned Tory MPs against complacency despite the party’s commanding lead over Labour in most opinion polls.
He is aiming to restore the party’s Commons majority lost by Theresa May in 2017 so he can end three years of deadlock and get his Brexit deal through Parliament.
However, his failure to deliver Brexit by October 31 means the election could prove to be a gamble, with the Tories at risk of losing key Leave-voting seats to the Brexit Party.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the poll offered a “once-in-a-generation” chance to transform the country, while the Lib Dems are confident of picking up seats in key Remain-backing areas.
Labour MP criticises Tories for mocking Corbyn's Grenfell tie
The Labour leader is wearing a green tie, to pay tribute to those killed in the Grenfell Tower fire.
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson asks for PM to take part in TV debates
Swinson says voters have a right to have a pro-Remain voice in debates and asks for Johnson to take part in three-way debates or be accused of running scared.
Johnson asks why her party leaflets promise to stop Brexit in London but don't mention Brexit at all in the south west. He tells her support the Tories instead.
Sandbach to run as an independent
Away from the chamber, exiled Tory Antoinette Sandbach says she will stand as an independent candidate in the upcoming election.
Bumper PMQs runs well over an hour
John Bercow has allowed this session to run on for well over an hour. He tries to bring in MPs who are leaving today, including Tory MP Richard Benyon and Labour's Ronnie Campbell.
Boris Johnson opens debate on Grenfell Tower fire report
The prime minister begins the debate on the public inquiry report, published today.
“No apology will ever make good the loss suffered and the trauma experienced … today the country, the whole world, is finally hearing the truth,” he says.
Boris Johnson begins Grenfell debate
Boris Johnson says report highlights failures
The prime minister calls the inquiry report a “substantial piece of work” and suggests many MPs will not yet have had a chance to digest in detail.
Boris Johnson says the government will schedule a further debate “at the earliest possible opportunity … this may be after the election, but of course we will make sure that it will happen.”
He salutes the work of Sir Martin Moore-Bick for producing the report. “His recommendations are clear and numerous … and where there are failures to highlight, he does so without fear or favour.”
He adds: “Sir Martin is clear the cladding was fitted in breach of building regulations.”
David Lammy questions why people are still living in flats with unsafe cladding
Labour MP David Lammy asks Boris Johnson why “it is still the case there are men, women and children sleeping tonight with that cladding”.
The prime minister says the government has put millions of pounds into cladding replacement.
Johnson also says it is the government’s intention to “name those companies” who are failing to comply with regulations on cladding.
And he pledges that the government will take action to force building owners to remove the cladding in question. “They must make their buildings safe.”
Labour MP for Tottenham David Lammy
PM says firefighters were ‘doing their damndest’ to tackle blaze
Labour MP Rushanara Ali asks Boris Johnson if he regrets cuts to the fire services that happened when he was mayor of London. Johnson say criticisms in the inquiry report does not refer to resources.
Discussing the fire service’s actions during Grenfell disaster, he says the firefighters were “doing their damndest to tackle a fire that should never have happened”.
The PM has also been talking about the “stay put” policy.
He says a vital part of the inquiry – including phase 2 to come – is working out why so many people were told “to stay in their homes when they could and should have being fleeing for safety”.
Boris Johnson promises ‘appropriate’ memorial to Grenfell victims
“We will continue to make sure that those affected by the fire have an active and engaging role to play in implementing the lesson of Grenfell … I will not allow the lessons of this tragedy to fall through the cracks.”
He says there will be “a beautiful and appropriate memorial” on the site of the tower.
Amber Rudd says PM asked her to stand at election
Amber Rudd has dismissed the government chief whip Mark Spencer’s claim that she won’t be getting the whip because she would not be trusted.
Rudd – who will not be standing at the election in December – says the “funny thing” is that Boris Johnson asked her to stand only last week.
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