Brexit news: Boris Johnson warned chancellor could join Tory rebellion to scupper his no-deal plans as Jeremy Hunt vows to rip up backstop

Boris Johnson is now up. He says it is important to get Brexit done, to leave the EU by 31 October. He says that will be a 'huge relief' across the board.

He says he is determined to ensure the union remains intact when Brexit is done - and restates his pledge to be minister for the union in Downing Street.

Johnson says it is vital to fight for the union and defend it. He also calls for Conservatives to 'get out mojo back' and to stand up for Tory ideas as 'they are the right ideas', such as standing up for wealth creators and entrepreneurs.

He launches into a lengthy attack on Jeremy Corbyn, accusing him of siding with the "mullahs of Iran rather than our allies in the United States".

The way to fight Corbyn is to get Brexit done and energise the Tory party, he says, and argues that he is the best person for the job.

Johnson points to his record defeating Ken Livingstone in the London mayoral race, who he says was a much wilier customer than Corbyn.

Moving onto the Q&A, Boris Johnson is asked the same question about the failure to revive the Northern Ireland Assembly.

He calls on both sides to get on with it and says there is scope for compromise to get it done. He says he would do whatever he can personally to energise the talks but everyone needs to recognise that it is the citizens of Northern Ireland were losing out.

On the backstop, he says it presents a PM with an impossible choice between accepting EU rules and giving up control of government of Northern Ireland.

That's a choice I completely reject, he says.

Johnson dismisses Theresa May's Brexit deal as 'dead' but says some of the elements - such as citizens rights - can be salvaged.

The backstop really represents the 'incoherence' of the strategy pursued by Ms May, he claims.

Asked if there should be a snap referendum in Northern Ireland on the backstop, Boris Johnson says the 'only thing that will snap is people's patience'. The Tory party will not recover as a 'fighting force until we get Brexit done', he says.

On same-sex marriage and abortion laws in NI, he takes a similar line to Hunt and says it is for the Northern Irish Assembly to decide. He says he voted for same-sex marriage many years ago and he understands the sentiment but the UK government should not be imposing decisions.

Asked if the Tory party should organise better in Northern Ireland, Johnson says the event looks pretty well-organised to him. He says is the only candidate left who has addressed the local associations in the area before.

Asked if he identifies with a Game of Thrones character or a Star Wars one (both filmed in NI), Boris Johnson says he doesn't know GOT that well. He does identify with “the guy with the light sabre”.

He tells a story he loves to tell about how light sabres are made in his constituency, Uxbridge. He has one in his office.

And that seems to be it for the Tory leadership hustings for today.

The live feed has returned from Boris Johnson's hustings appearance and he is still taking questions.

Mr Johnson committed to keeping the role of Northern Ireland secretary after a newspaper report suggested he was being urged to reduce the number of Government departments.

"What the Telegraph said was that I was being urged to do that. And no one took the trouble to urge me in person before telling the Telegraph they were urging me to do it," he said.

"Whatever urgings were taking place they were not directed personally at me."

Asked if the role of Northern Ireland secretary will remain, he said: "There certainly will."

Asked if he gets frustrated by being referred to a right-wing populist, Johnson says it is strange. He dismisses concerns as 'hysteria'.

And that is it for the hustings for today.

Meanwhile, Philip Hammond has claimed a "disruptive" no-deal Brexit could have a £90 billion "hit" on the exchequer and suggested there will be "no money available" for Theresa May's successor.

The Chancellor poured scorn on pledges from Tory leadership hopefuls Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson, telling MPs he is not in favour of "ad hoc" spending or tax cut commitments being made.

He added all of the £26-27 billion "fiscal headroom" built up, and more, would be needed to respond to the immediate impacts of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

In a further nod to the pledges made by Mr Hunt and Mr Johnson, the Chancellor said this meant there would be no cash available for long-term tax cuts or spending increases.

Government analysis suggesting a multibillion-pound "hit" to the exchequer in a no-deal scenario would also have to be factored in to future decisions, Mr Hammond added.

The government has rejected calls for an independent inquiry into comments reportedly made by senior civil servants about Jeremy Corbyn's health.

Downing Street said the probe would be carried out by the Civil Service and dismissed Labour's demand that the investigation should be independent.