Labour conference: shadow ministers should quit if they won’t back Corbyn on Brexit, says McCluskey – live news

Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including events from the Labour conference in Brighton

In her speech to the conference Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said Tory policies were to blame for rising crime. She said:

There is no question that the cuts in police numbers have contributed to the rise in crime. But other contributors are the cuts to education, the increase in school exclusions, all the zero-hours contracts, all the homelessness and inequality. All the cuts in mental health services have also played their part.

And these are all Tory policies. When they say they will lead the fight against crime – do not believe a word of it. They are the ones who have created the conditions for rising serious and violent crime. Senior police officers are increasingly going on record and saying that cuts to public services have created an environment where crime flourishes. Cuts have consequences. You cannot keep people safe on the cheap.

We will welcome refugees, including child refugees.

We will proudly uphold the torture ban and treat the victims of torture with humanity, not detentions and deportations.

Speaking at a fringe meeting about how Labour can win back support in its heartlands, Jon Trickett – shadow Cabinet Office minister and MP for Hemsworth – said he was fed up with the argument that the people who voted for Brexit were from “backwards” communities in the north of England. He said:

Here’s the point I want to make. Those held-back communities – the heartland communities – can be found in Hastings, they can be found in Hackney and they can be found in Hartlepool.

A very senior member of the Labour party, she said to me: ‘Well, no wonder they’re all coming down south, the young people, because you can’t be gay up north.’ That was said by somebody whose name you will have mentioned several times in the past few weeks.

Those people who are suggesting that the people who voted for Brexit did not know what they were voting for infantilises 17 million people.

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Brexit divisions threaten to plunge Labour party conference into chaos

Senior shadow ministers publicly defy Jeremy Corbyn with calls for Labour to back remain

Jeremy Corbyn was struggling to contain an open revolt by some of his most senior shadow ministers, MPs and party activists last night as anger over his refusal to back a policy of remaining in the EU threatened to wreck the Labour conference.

Related: What should Labour do about Brexit? Five key party voices

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Fresh Brexit talks row as UK asks EU to keep its proposals secret

Downing Street tells Brussels negotiators documents must not be shared with 27 states

Downing Street’s secrecy over its “underwhelming” Brexit proposals has caused a fresh rupture in the negotiations in Brussels.

The row centres on a demand that the EU’s negotiating team treat a long-awaited cache of documents outlining the UK’s latest ideas as “Her Majesty’s government property”.

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Brexit: Parliament could remain suspended even if court finds against PM, government suggests – live news

Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including the final day of the supreme court hearing to determine if Boris Johnson’s five-week suspension of parliament was lawful

From Joshua Rozenberg, the legal commentator

It looks as if Lady Hale hopes to produce a reasonably complete judgment over the weekend representing the view of the court — or of a majority if they are split. Individual sections could be written by different justices. Much better than a bald decision with reasons to follow.

Joanna Cherry says she would like the court to be as clear as possible about what should happen next if it finds against the government. She said parliament should sit again as soon as possible.

At the moment parliament is not due to reconvene until three weeks on Monday, 14 October.

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John Major’s lawyer attacks No 10 prorogation claims as ‘misleading’

Supreme court witnesses clash of two Tory PMs amid threats prorogation could be repeated despite verdict

Downing Street put out “misleading” statements about the prorogation of parliament and published excuses for Boris Johnson’s five-week suspension of the Commons that are “not the true reasons”, the supreme court has been told by a lawyer for the former prime minister John Major.

The extraordinary clash of evidence between a former Conservative prime minister and the current one surfaced on the third day of an emergency supreme court hearing before 11 justices about whether Johnson’s five-week prorogation of parliament was lawful.

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Boris Johnson given two-week EU deadline for Irish backstop plan

Ultimatum comes as sources say PM was ‘surprised’ by levels of checks on the border

Boris Johnson has been set a two-week deadline to table a plan for replacing the Irish backstop as further embarrassing details emerged of the prime minister’s chaotic visit to Luxembourg.

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, and Finland’s prime minister, Antti Rinne, told reporters in Paris that they were both “concerned about what is happening in Britain”.

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Brexit: Supreme court resumes hearing to decide if Boris Johnson’s suspension of parliament lawful – live news

Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including day two of the supreme court hearing to decide if Boris Johnson’s five-week suspension of parliament was lawful

Eadie says even Lord Pannick, who represents Gina Miller, accepts that it can be legitimate for the executive to obtain political advantage from prorogation.

If this is the case, how can a court decide what level of political advantage is acceptable, and what level is not.

Prorogation has been used by the government to gain a legislative and so political advantage. One of the most notable examples of that was its use to facilitate the speedy passage of what became the Parliament Act 1949. Under section 2 of the Parliament Act 1911 a non-money bill could only be enacted without the consent of the House of Lords if it was passed in three successive sessions by the House of Commons. In order to procure the speedy enactment of the 1949 Act the government arranged for a session of minimal length in 1948. Parliament was prorogued on 13 September 1948 to the following day. Following the passage of the parliament bill by the House of Commons, it was then prorogued again on 25 October 1948. Accordingly, even if the prorogation under consideration in the present case was, as the claimant and the interveners contend, designed to advance the government’s political agenda regarding withdrawal from the European Union rather than preparations for the Queen’s speech, that is not territory in which a court can enter with judicial review.

This is from the FT’s legal commentator, David Allen Green.

Interesting that there is now not even any lip-service at the Supreme Court that the prorogation was for a new Queen's Speech

Government submissions seem to be that the prorogation power stands, whatever its purpose and effect

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Jean-Claude Juncker says risk of no-deal Brexit is ‘palpable’ – video

The European commission president has said the risk of a no-deal Brexit is 'palpable' and he is not sure the UK and the EU can reach a deal before the 31 October deadline. Speaking at the European parliament in Strasbourg, Juncker's comments were followed by cheers from Brexit party MEPs, to which Juncker replied: 'Hi, friends.'

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Johnson humiliated by Luxembourg PM at ’empty chair’ press conference

Xavier Bettel gesticulates at empty podium as British PM skips press conference amid loud protests

Boris Johnson was left humiliated and his claims of progress in the Brexit negotiations in tatters after a chaotic visit to Luxembourg ended in the prime minister being mocked by a fellow European leader for cancelling a press appearance to avoid protesters.

Johnson was booed and jeered as he left a working lunch with the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, before opting out of plans to speak alongside Luxembourg’s prime minister, Xavier Bettel, after being targeted by a larger crowd.

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Brexit: EU must show flexibility, says Raab before Johnson-Juncker meeting – live news

Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen, including Boris Johnson’s meeting with the European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, was asked if he was confident of progress as he went in for his lunch with Boris Johnson. According to the Press Association, he replied: “We will see.”

According to the Telegraph’s James Crisp, Juncker also offered to pay for lunch.

Juncker and Johnson are having their powwow in Le Bouquet Garni. 18th C restaurant opposite ducal palace. Boris, who was greeted by a protest said nothing on way in.

Juncker on other hand
.. 1/ pic.twitter.com/ccgfgW5X3b

Juncker said he never runs out of patience before saying he would pick up the bill.

"I have no choice" he joked.

Here is some footage of Boris Johnson meeting Jean-Claude Juncker. This is from the BBC’s Larissa Kennelly.

Commission Pres @JunckerEU shakes hands with @BorisJohnson as he arrives for (s)nails and salmon in Luxembourg. Lunch on Juncker apparently. pic.twitter.com/vWFoTEYKm7

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EU dismay as Boris Johnson compares himself to Hulk

Breaking ‘manacles’ comments come a day before PM travels for Brexit talks in Luxembourg

European officials reacted with exasperation on Sunday as Boris Johnson compared himself to the Incredible Hulk throwing off the shackles of the EU the day before he is due to travel to Luxembourg for talks in pursuit of a Brexit deal.

No 10 struck a combative tone before the scheduled meeting with European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker saying Johnson would tell him that the UK must reject any new Brexit deadline.

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Brexit: UK ministers talk up Irish border compromise as key to deal

Stephen Barclay and Priti Patel insist focus is on achieving agreement before 31 October

Two of Boris Johnson’s senior cabinet ministers have talked up the possibility of securing a Brexit deal through some divergence on the rules in Northern Ireland, as the government’s rhetoric showed fresh signs of shifting ahead of crucial talks next week.

With Johnson due to meet Jean-Claude Juncker, the European commission president, on Monday, Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, and the home secretary, Priti Patel, accepted the Irish border was likely to be a key to any potential agreement.

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We must stop Brexit in any form, councillors tell Jeremy Corbyn

Grassroots leaders call for a decisive stance to stay in EU and deliver a radical new manifesto

Jeremy Corbyn has come under growing internal pressure to commit Labour to a unequivocal policy of remaining in the European Union as more than 100 councillors issued a joint warning to the party’s ruling body that any form of Brexit would threaten jobs, public services, workers’ rights and the environment.

In a letter to the national executive committee (NEC), which meets this week, the Labour councillors, including several leaders of county and borough councils, called on the party “to campaign unambiguously and energetically for a public vote on Brexit and to endorse a ‘remain and transform’ position in all circumstances”.

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Hopes of clean break with EU are nonsense, says ex-Brexit official

A no-deal exit would trigger complex negotiations, argues former top DexEU civil servant

Claiming a no-deal Brexit represents a clean break with the European Union is “nonsensical”, according to Philip Rycroft, the former permanent secretary at the Department for Exiting the EU.

Boris Johnson has promised to extricate the UK from the EU on 31 October “come what may” – and has hinted that he could try to get around legislation mandating him to request a Brexit delay.

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No 10 plays down hopes of Brexit breakthrough

Downing Street has no plans to publish proposals despite chance of border compromise

Downing Street has played down the prospect of an early breakthrough in Brexit talks despite hopes of a compromise on the Irish backstop, as Boris Johnson prepares to meet the European commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker.

There has been a renewed drive in No 10 for an agreement since parliamentarians passed a law aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit on 31 October and twice rejected Johnson’s demand for a snap general election.

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ECB announces fresh stimulus as eurozone economy falters

Mario Draghi says bank will reboot quantitative easing in month Lagarde succeeds him

The European Central Bank has announced a fresh stimulus package in an attempt to prevent the fragile eurozone economy from grinding to a halt, with an interest rate cut and plans to pump €20bn (£19bn) a month into the financial markets.

In one of his final acts in his ECB presidency, before Christine Lagarde takes charge in November, Mario Draghi said governments across the eurozone needed to take greater steps to reboot growth by ramping up public spending or cutting taxes.

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European parliament to raise alarm over UK’s treatment of EU citizens

Leaked resolution says it will use veto against any Brexit deal without an insurance policy

The European parliament is to criticise the British government’s treatment of EU citizens living in the UK and insist it will refuse to ratify a deal that fails to include an Irish backstop or provisions that tie the UK into EU standards after Brexit.

A leaked copy of a resolution of the parliament due to be voted on next week lays out a series of concerns about the conduct of Boris Johnson’s government. The parliament has a veto on any deal agreed.

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Polish MEP on mission to change Europe’s hate speech laws

Magdalena Adamowicz draws sense of purpose from murder of husband Paweł, a critic of nationalism

Newly elected MEP Magdalena Adamowicz is on a mission to craft new Europe-wide laws on hate speech, and she has more moral authority to make the demands than most.

Her husband, Paweł Adamowicz, for more than two decades the mayor of the northern Polish city of Gdańsk, was stabbed while on stage at a charity event in January and died soon after. He had been a vocal critic of Poland’s nationalist government and an advocate of tolerance in the city, which had long been a stronghold of the liberal opposition.

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Jeremy Corbyn is wise to emulate Harold Wilson’s pragmatism on Europe | Steve Howell

Wilson left it late before backing his own deal in the 1975 referendum. Corbyn should keep Labour’s options open too

It is said of Harold Wilson that he epitomised the quip: “If you can’t ride two horses at the same time, you shouldn’t be in the circus.” He was often criticised for putting pragmatism before principle in his 13 years as Labour leader, but it was an attribute that served him well in preventing the party from tearing itself apart on Europe in the 1970s.

When Wilson won a fourth general election on 10 October 1974, he faced the challenge of navigating Labour’s deep divisions on whether or not to reverse the 1972 decision to join the common market. The party’s election manifesto had promised the British people a “final say” on Britain’s membership without committing itself one way or another to a recommendation. “It is as yet too early to judge the likely results of the tough negotiations which are taking place,” it said.

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