Conservative conference: Boris Johnson demands Theresa May 'chuck Chequers' in highly anticipated speech - as it happened
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Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson demanded Theresa May "chuck Chequers" as he delivered a hotly-anticipated speech on the third day of the Conservatives' annual conference in Birmingham.
The former foreign secretary addressed a rally of over 1,000 people, where he laid out what was widely seen as a manifesto for his potential leadership bid.
He accused Ms May of seeking to leave the UK "in manacles" and called her Brexit plan "dangerous and unstable...an outrage".
Earlier, Sajid Javid, the home secretary, outlined the government's plans for post-Brexit immigration in a wide-ranging address that many saw as fleshing out his own leadership ambitions.
As it happened...
Welcome to today's live coverage from Birmingham on the third day of the Conservatives' annual conference.
Theresa May has been touring the TV and radio studios this morning.
She slapped down Jeremy Hunt, her foreign secretary, for comparing the EU to the Soviet Union.
The prime minister said:
"As I sit around that table in the European Union, there are countries there who used to be part of the Soviet Union. They are now democratic countries.
"I can tell you that the two organisations are not the same."
Hunt drew criticism earlier in the week for likening the EU to a "prison" that did not let member states leave and comparing this to the USSR not allowing people to leave the country.
There was a row brewing last night after Theresa May and Sajid Javid, the home secretary, both appeared to announce the government's post-Brexit immigration policy at the same time.
Downing Street appeared to rush out a press release after Javid had given an exclusive interview to the Daily Mail, prompting one MP to describe the announcement as "shambolic".
Joe Watts has the full story:
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Theresa May is already facing a backlash over her post-Brexit immigration plans. Anna Soubry, a former business minister and vocal anti-Brexit campaigner, tweets...
Full story: Theresa May slaps down Jeremy Hunt for likening EU to Soviet Union
Theresa May has warned her rivals she wants to be prime minster "for the long term". She told BBC Radio 4's Today:
"I'm in this for the long term, not just for the Brexit deal but actually for the domestic agenda we are setting out at this conference."
The prime minister also played down the significance of Boris Johnson's arrival at the conference for his rally. Asked about her relationship with her main rival, she laughed and said:
"Well, I'm sure that's going to be a very lively event this evening.
"At this conference what we're focusing on is the opportunity for this country once we leave the European Union and the opportunity that we want to ensure that people in this country have."
This could be significant... Arlene Foster, leader of the DUP, has said her party will not accept any new regulatory checks in the Irish Sea. Why does that matter? Well, accepting some new checks is a key part of Theresa May's latest compromise solution for how to manage the Northern Ireland border post-Brexit. To get that solution she needs the votes of the DUP, which is propping up her government...
There’s a lot coming up in the next two hours. We’re expecting David Gauke, the justice secretary, to speak around 11.45, followed by Sajid Javid, the home secretary, around midday. Boris Johnson will then address a rally at 1pm - the event many consider to be the potential highlight of the day....
BREAKING: Claire Perry, a business minister, has admitted a no-deal Brexit would be “catastrophic” and would “crash the economy”...
NEW: Theresa May has announced that the government will give heterosexual couples the right to enter into civil partnerships. The prime minister said:
"This change in law helps protect the interests of the opposite-sex couples who ant to commit, want to formalise their relationship but don't want to get married.
"As home secretary I was roud to sponsor the legislation that created equal marriage. Now, by extending civil partnerships, we are making sure that all couples, be they same-sex or opposite-sex, are given the same choices in life."
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