Brexit news: Final Tory leadership candidates confirmed, as Boris Johnson condemned over tax cuts for the wealthy
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Your support makes all the difference.Ten Conservative MPs have formally entered the race to succeed Theresa May, as several outsiders scored enough support to get onto the ballot paper.
Sam Gyimah, who was the only second referendum candidate, withdrew from the race moments before senior Tories announced the shortlist, which included big-hitters such as Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt and Dominic Raab.
Outsiders Rory Stewart, Andrea Leadsom, Esther McVey and Mark Harper also made it to the starting line, despite speculation that some would struggle to secure the necessary support.
It comes as Mr Johnson, the frontrunner in the race, faced an angry backlash over his plan to raise the 40p income tax threshold at a cost of nearly £10bn – handing thousands of pounds a year back to people on salaries of between £50,000 and £80,000.
To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below
In a bit of red meat for Tory members, Gove says he will change human rights laws to stop “money grubbing lawyers” from pursuing soldiers and putting “a sword of Damocles over their service”.
This will go down well with backbenchers - who have been lobbying Theresa May on this in recent weeks.
Time for the Q&A and Nick Watt from the BBC is straight in with the question Gove is braced for - how can he be PM after his use of cocaine 20 years ago.
Gove says he wants to be judged by his reforming record as justice secretary. He says he answered these questions in detail on the Andrew Marr Show - but he regrets his actions.
Asked whether he would delay Brexit, he says he will if he needs to. Otherwise the Tories will usher in a general election and Jeremy Corbyn.
Similar stance to Jeremy Hunt there.
Gove says he is sure he will make it to the final two - he says he will tell Boris Johnson not to pull out.
In a dig at Mr Johnson, who pulled out in 2016, he said: "Give the Tory members a proper vote."
Michael Gove is clearly trying to spawn Gove vs Johnson headlines - to get the drugs story out of the headlines.
But it keeps coming up, with lots of questions on how voters can "trust" Gove.
Asked whether he would name Boris Johnson in his cabinet, Gove says the first person he would discuss that with is the Queen.
Ministers has been condemned following the BBC's decision to means-test licence fees for the elderly.
The broadcaster was set to take on the financial burden of providing free licences for over 75s from government in 2020.
After a review, the concession will now be available only to households receiving pension credit, a move which has been followed by a furious response.
Only around 1.5 million households will be eligible under the new scheme, sparking anger from MPs and campaigners.
The deputy leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson has branded the burden placed on pensioners an "outrage", and activists for the elderly have warned that the move will directly impact the "sick and disabled".
Mr Watson said: "It is an outrage that this Government is overseeing the scrapping of free TV licences for three million older people, leaving a Tory manifesto promise in tatters.
"I challenge all Tory leadership candidates to honour the commitment they made in 2017. You cannot means test for social isolation.
"You cannot means test for loneliness. Millions of elderly and isolated people will lose because of this announcement."
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK's charity director, said: "Make no mistake, if this scheme goes ahead we are going to see sick and disabled people in their eighties and nineties who are completely dependent on their cherished TV for companionship and news, forced to give it up.
"The BBC's decision will cause those affected enormous anxiety and distress, and some anger too, but in the end this is the Government's fault, not the BBC's."
John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, has hit out at Boris Johnson’s tax cut proposal.
He said: “This hand-out to high earners, at a time when public services are crumbling, shows just how out of touch Boris Johnson is from the realities of life in this country.
“This money is more than what we spend every year on justice, or children’s social care – and Johnson wants to give that away to his wealthy friends.
“The Tories do not have the interests of the many at heart, and it’s now time for a general election, a Labour government, and a fairer society.”
Amid all the excitement, Theresa May's spokesman had this utterly unsurprising piece of news...
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