UK politics - as it happened: Conservatives turn on Boris Johnson over Brexit 'suicide vest' jibe at Theresa May

My colleague Ben Kentish is in Manchester for the annual Trade Unions Congress (TUC), where TUC boss France O'Grady will use a speech to call for the power of technology to be used to give workers a four-day working week.

Read his piece here:

Here's what's on the agenda in the Commons today, where MPs will kick off with education questions at 2.30pm.

The UK economy picked up speed in the three months to July, boosted by warm weather and the World Cup, writes Indy Economics Editor Ben Chu.

The Office for National Statistics reported on Monday that GDP expanded by 0.3 per cent in July, better than the 0.2 per cent expected by City of London analysts and up from the 0.1 per cent growth rate in June.

More here:

UK GDP growth lifted to 0.6% due to summer heatwave and World Cup

Downing Street has slapped down Boris Johnson over his comments comparing the Chequers plan to a "suicide vest" wrapped around the constitution.

Theresa May's official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: "This isn't language the prime minister would choose to use.

"Further than that, I don't propose to give this article further oxygen."

Downing Street also said there was no alternative to the Chequers plan, Theresa May's Brexit blueprint which has divided MPs.

"Chequers is the only plan on the table which will deliver on the will of the British people while avoiding a hard border in Northern Ireland," the PM's official spokesman said.

"The Prime Minister is working hard to secure a deal and hopes all MPs will be able to support it."

Ms May will chair a special cabinet meeting on Thursday to discuss no-deal preparations, which will coincide with a tranche of new technical papers.

France O'Grady, the leader of the trade union movement, has warned Theresa May to drop her support for a hard Brexit or the TUC will back a second referendum.

Read more:

Powerful union boss Len McCluskey will say a public vote on the Brexit deal "must be left on the table" in a speech to the Trades Union Congress in Manchester today.

The Unite chief, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, stopped short of throwing the union's backing behind the plan, saying a general election would be a better goal as it could usher in a Labour government.

He was expected to say: "The vote we will need above all is a general election that can deliver a Labour government which will not only conduct honest and friendly talks with the EU, but will tackle the underlying economic and social problems that led so many to give the establishment a well-deserved kicking two years ago.

“I understand the argument for a so-called ‘people’s vote’ on the deal, on the deal – not on leaving the EU. That people’s vote has already happened.

“And I accept that option must be left on the table, if for no other reason than as a safety net if Tory MPs become spineless and don’t have the courage of their own convictions to oppose what the Prime Minister brings back.

“But let’s focus on the prize – sweeping this government away in a general election and giving a Labour government under Jeremy Corbyn the chance to repair two wasted years of Tory wrangling."

Men in the Labour Party should aspire to be deputy leader, as the party's next boss must be a woman, Harriet Harman has said.

The Labour veteran told The International Congress of Parliamentary Women's Caucuses that when she was first elected in 1982, the Commons was 97% male.

She said: "In my party, we regard ourselves as the party for women, yet in 100 years we have never had a woman leader, it appears only men are able to rule the Labour Party.

"Next time, we have to have a woman.

"Don't get me wrong, we have many brilliant men, and I encourage their ambition, I tell them: 'You are an asset, I want to encourage you to aspire because one day, you could be deputy leader'."

Ms Harman, who is Mother of the House, the longest serving female MP, said: "When I was first an MP, I was subjected to death threats, I didn't publicise this, as I was worried my constituents would think I was too preoccupied and scared to represent their views in parliament.

"I now think that was a mistake, because its not about proving we're tough, attacks on women MPs are not just misogyny, they're anti-democratic, if a woman is elected, she is entitled to get on with her job.

"Our dear friend Jo Cox, was murdered for doing her work as an MP. We have to take threats seriously, it's not us being weak but voicing that this is a problem.

"There are many countries in world where there is a reemergence of misogyny, and don't expect to be popular as a woman in public life.

"You will be described as loud and aggressive when you are just doing your job.

"I mostly believe, if you're not having a row you are not doing anything, if you're popular, step up your act a bit."

If Jeremy Corbyn wants to secure victory in the next general election he could do worse than heed the call of the Trade Union Congress and promise to legislate for a four-day week, writes Will Gore.

Read his take here: