Tory leadership debate: Boris Johnson brandishes kipper on stage as he declares May's Brexit deal ‘defunct' at final hustings
The final Conservative Party leadership hustings with Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, as it happened
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Your support makes all the difference.Tory leadership contenders Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt both stood by their stated approaches to handling Brexit at the final hustings before the polls close for Conservative members to vote for their party’s new leader and the country’s next prime minister.
Mr Johnson repeatedly refused to rule out suspending Parliament as PM to force through Brexit and said the UK would leave the European Union by 31 October with or without a deal.
Mr Hunt meanwhile said he could delay Brexit beyond that point if a deal was in reach, but he has also not ruled out walking away from negotiations without an agreement.
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Boris Johnson says we need to “get on with negotiating a free trade agreement” and “launching a global Britain”.
We need to think of ways we can “start diverging” from EU rules, he says.
“It’s a big opportunity for this country”.
Johnson has said he will launch a public information campaign about preparations for Brexit almost immediately upon taking office.
“We’ll make sure everybody understands all the risks and all the possible eventualities.”
This will minimise any disruption if the UK leaves the EU with no deal, he says.
Asked how he will keep the Irish border open on 1 November if we leave the EU without a deal on Halloween, Johnson said: “We will not be imposing physical checks on the Irish border.”
Johnson demurs over whether he will definitely appoint a woman to one of the great offices of state. "If I've already made that commitment, I'm not going to backtrack on it now," he tells Peston.
Peter Hain is speaking to Peston about the divisions in Labour following continuing allegations of poor handling of antisemitism within the party.
“It’s a kind of exasperation - how is it possible for us to win an general election when we have Jewish members leaving the party… We have stood up against antisemitism for the entire history of our party.”
Lord Hain added: “If we don’t root it out… it will drain our credibility as an anti-racist party.”
Peston cuts off Labour's Lisa Nandy just as she was about to speak about Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt's failure to condemn Donald Trump's racist tweets. Credits roll.
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