Tory leadership debate: Johnson rules out general election before Brexit, as he and Hunt attack Corbyn over 'antisemitism'

Withering response to Boris Johnson's plan from Lib Dem leadership hopeful Jo Swinson.

A journalist who Boris Johnson discussed helping a friend to have beaten up has called for an apology from the Tory leadership front runner.

Stuart Collier, the reporter at the centre of the incident almost three decades ago, said he believed that Mr Johnson was unfit to be prime minister.

In 1990, Mr Johnson was secretly recorded agreeing to provide Mr Collier's address to friend Darius Guppy, who wanted to arrange for the journalist to have his ribs cracked in revenge for investigating his activities.

In the event no attack took place, and after the recording came to light in 1995, Mr Johnson - who had been the Brussels correspondent of The Daily Telegraph at the time - dismissed the conversation as a joke.

However, Mr Collier, 69, who had been working for the News of the World, told The Guardian that although he had only found out about it long after the fact, it had left him worried for the safety of his family.

He said he thought it was "disgraceful" that Mr Johnson could be prime minister and said he should "definitely apologise".

"I didn't treat it as a joke. That's why I warned my wife to be careful about who she answered the door to," he said.

"I took it seriously at the time and it concerned me. I was worried, certainly worried enough to put my wife on a warning."

Mr Collier's wife, Jennifer, added: "He should be accountable for the things that he's done. I think it's disgraceful behaviour."

In a slight diversion from Brexit, Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of England, has announced that the new £50 note will feature computer scientist Alan Turing.

Theresa May has refused to criticise the Metropolitan Police for warning the press not to publish leaked diplomatic cables.

Her official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “The Metropolitan Police has issued two statements and both are a matter for them. I won’t comment on either."

He added: "A free press is one of the foundations on which our democracy rests”

Read the background on this row here.

Theresa May has condemned Donald Trump's attack on female Democrat politicians, saying the US president's remarks were "completely unacceptable".

The victorious England cricket team is expected to attend a Downing Street reception at 7pm.

Theresa May, a die-hard cricket fan, said: "Yesterday was a brilliant performance by a brilliant team. They showed flair, courage and an absolute determination to become world champions.

"The achievement, delivered in such a thrilling style on home soil, will live forever in our sporting history.

"It's also exciting to think just how many children will be inspired by this victory to pick up a bat for the first time and hopefully become the great cricketers and World Cup winners of tomorrow.

"We must build on this success, and only yesterday we published the school sport and activity plan. This has been welcomed by nearly 40 leading sports organisations as well as Sport England who said it was a great step forward."

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson is quick out of the blocks to condemn Donald Trump's comments, following Ms May's intervention.

Theresa May has refused to criticise the Metropolitan Police for its controversial warning to journalists not to publish Kim Darroch's leaked criticisms of Donald Trump.

Both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, the two candidates for No 10, have attacked the threat of possible prosecutions of the media – but the prime minister’s spokesman insisted she would not comment.

He also declined to back The Mail on Sunday’s decision to publish the diplomat’s top-secret communications, because there was an “ongoing investigation”.

Labour staff have put forward a motion to the GMB union over the party's handling of last week's Panorama investigation into antisemitism in Labour's ranks.

"As trade unionists, it is unacceptable for an employees workload or the culture of an organisation to cause staff to have breakdowns or to contemplate suicide," the motion states. 

"There is a mental health crisis amongst Labour Party staff caused by the culture, rise in antisemitism and unsustainable workloads."

It also calls for protections for whistleblowers, and should be "commended and supported, never attacked" - especially in the Labour Party.

ITV's Paul Brand has more here