UK politics - as it happened: Labour adopts 'all' internationally recognised IHRA antisemitism examples

Ukip has issued a bizarre statement calling for people to boycott joining the British army - seemingly because of Brexit.

The party's leader, Gerard Batten, said British forces "are no longer fighting for Queen and country but under a foreign military command"...

Here's his full statement:

"Nick Clegg once said that the idea that the EU was developing its own military was a 'dangerous fantasy'. This news has revealed Nick Clegg to be the fantasist.

"No one should now join the British Army until we have left the EU and this has all been reversed. Our soldiers are no longer fighting for Queen and Country but under a foreign military command. 

"Our ancestors, the heroes of The Armada, Waterloo, Trafalgar, Passchendaele, El-Alamein, and others too numerous to mention, did not fight so that their descendants could serve under the flag of a foreign power.  Mrs May has already stated her intention to tie us into the EU’s military ambitions even if we nominally leave under her plan.

"The sooner we are out of the EU, the sooner we will be able to rebuild our military into a force which serves the interests of our nation first and foremost. Meanwhile British men and women should vote with their feet and not join the armed forces."

Members of Labour's NEC have reportedly been told to hand in their phones ahead of today's crunch meeting, in an attempt to stop leaks. 

The meeting kicks off at 1.30pm and is likely to run for several hours, meaning we probably won't hear the outcome until at least late afternoon.

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To recap, Labour's National Executive Committee is currently meeting to vote on the party's new code of conduct, including the contentious definition of antisemitism. 

Members of the committee were reportedly told to hand over their phones before entering the room, and The Independent understands staff members who would usually attend the meeting have been barred as party leaders desperately try to prevent leaks. 

The meeting is likely to last several hours, meaning news of a decision is unlikely before early evening. It is expected that the NEC will agree to adopt the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, including the accompanying examples, but may also issue a statement including number of clarifications about criticism of Israel.

Labour has adopted “all” of the internationally-recognised examples of antisemitism, as the party attempted to end its summer turmoil over the issue.

But it announced it had also approved a statement which “ensures this will not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians”.

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