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As it happenedended1537896643

Labour conference - as it happened: Brexit rows deepen as senior party figures make series of conflicting statements

All the updates from Liverpool, as they happened

Lizzy Buchan
Political Correspondent
Tuesday 25 September 2018 11:58 EDT
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Keir Starmer at Labour conference: 'We do not accept that the choice is whatever the PM manages to cobble together or no deal'

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Labour members have overwhelmingly backed a Brexit approach that leaves a second referendum on the table, following a day of splits among senior party figures.

Delegates backed a motion that said Labour "must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote" on the penultimate day of the party's annual conference.

It came after Sir Keir Starmer received a standing ovation from delegates when he vowed "nobody is ruling out Remain" from the ballot paper in a new Brexit vote.

The shadow Brexit secretary risked reigniting tensions at the top of the party with the promise, which came after John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, appeared to rule it out.

Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, also said Labour should seek to delay Brexit by extending article 50, if it won a snap general election. But Jeremy Corbyn later told journalists that Brexit would happen on March 29 next year.

See below for live updates

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Best for Britain chief, Eloise Todd said: "Keir Starmer's speech today has put staying in the EU firmly on the table.

"After an unprecedented grassroots effort mainly from Corbyn’s supporters, Labour look set to back a public vote should an election not happen.

"The delegates should listen to the standing ovation that accompanied Keir’s words and confirm the motion this afternoon.”

Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 13:40
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Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 14:00
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Breaking story here - Emily Thornberry has said that if Labour wins power it should seek to delay Brexit by extending the Article 50 period.  

The shadow foreign secretary said the country should abide by the 2016 referendum result, but argued that we “cannot obviously leave in the current circumstances”.

More here:

Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 14:28
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Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 14:50
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Emily Thornberry is now making her speech to delegates in the main conference hall.

She says the Tories are "hurtling towards a false choice between the ‘Chequers Deal’ and ‘No Deal’, either one of which will kill jobs and growth all across our country, and neither one of which we will accept".

She takes a swipe at Donald Trump, condemning "the rise of leaders projecting a form of nationalism not defined by love of one’s country and one’s people, but by hatred towards everyone else; by the erosion of democracy and free speech; and by the demonisation of any minority, any religion, and indeed any media outlet deemed to be ‘the enemy’."

Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 15:09
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Thornberry gets rapturous applause from the audience for her praise of Labour's efforts to fight racism and hatred throughout the years.

She tackles the antisemitism row head on, saying the first thing Labour must do is root out fascism and hatred from its ranks.

Thornbrry tells delegates: "We all support the Palestinian cause, we are all committed to recognise the Palestinian State, and I stand here with no hesitation when I condemn the Netanyahu government for its racist policies and its criminal actions against the Palestinian people.

"But I know as well, and we must all acknowledge, that there are sickening individuals on the fringes of our movement, who use our legitimate support for Palestine as a cloak and a cover for their despicable hatred of Jewish people, and their desire to see Israel destroyed.

"Those people stand for everything that we have always stood against and they must be kicked out of our party the same way Oswald Mosley was kicked out of Liverpool."

Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 15:23
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Emily Thornberry also warns against factionalism and calls for an end to "the pointless conflicts which divide our movement, which poison our online debate, and which distract us from fighting the Tories".

Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 15:25
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Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 15:30
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A senior union leader has said he detested the late former prime minister Margaret Thatcher so much he set his alarm clock an hour early so he could “hate her for an hour longer” each day.

Tosh McDonald, president of train drivers union Aslef, told the Labour Party conference that while Jeremy Corbyn could “rise above” hate, he could not.

Story here:

{"type":"article-link","data":{"title":"Union leader set alarm clock earlier 'so I could hate Margaret Thatcher for an hour longer'","url":"
Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 15:47
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Diane Abbott is the last shadow cabinet member to make a speech to conference today.

She will say that undercover police operations could not be launched without a judge's approval under a Labour government amid an inquiry into spying.

Our home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden has the story:

Lizzy Buchan25 September 2018 16:02

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