Category Archives: Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson vows to ban all-out strikes on public transport

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PM says sorry for describing Muslim women in veils as ‘letterboxes’ and promises EU trade deal by end of 2020

Boris Johnson has claimed that all-out strikes on public transport will be made illegal under a new Conservative administration following major disruption on UK train routes.

On a day when the prime minister also apologised “for any offence caused” by his comments about Muslim women and refused to concede it could take more than a year to agree a trade deal with the EU, he said it was “absurd” that rail workers could bring the system to a halt.

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​Joke’s on Trump? World leaders react after hot-mic controversy – video

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Donald Trump has cut short his attendance at the Nato summit in London and accused Justin Trudeau of being 'two-faced' after the Canadian leader was heard apparently mocking the president's predilection for long, impromptu press conferences at a Nato reception at Buckingham Palace. 'He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top,' Trudeau could be heard saying, as other world leaders laughed. Boris Johnson, one of those present, denied they had been joking about Trump

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Princess Anne, Johnson, Trudeau and Macron appear to joke about Trump at Nato summit – video

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Boris Johnson, Justin Trudeau and Emmanuel Macron appear to be joking about Donald Trump at the opening of this week’s Nato summit in London along with other world leaders. In the video, Johnson asks Macron: 'Is that why you were late'  before Trudeau interjects: 'He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top.'

Trump is never mentioned by name in the video, which was widely shared on social media, but the exchange could relate to the US president, who is known for his long, rambling press conferences 

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General election: Swinson condemns Johnson over Trump friendship ahead of London visit – live

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Lib Dem leader said leaders should be ‘very careful’ about relationship with US president, ahead of his arrival for Nato

Morning, Amy Walker here, I’ll be taking over the politics liveblog for the next hour or so.

The former head of the parole board, Nick Hardwick, has criticised government changes to the criminal justice system after London Bridge attacker Usman Khan was released from prison under licence.

PA Media reports a vigil will be held to pay tribute to the victims killed in the London Bridge terror attack and to honour the emergency services and members of the public who responded to the incident.

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London Bridge attack: Boris Johnson ignores family’s plea not to exploit victims’ deaths

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PM accused of ‘distasteful’ attempt to turn London Bridge attack into election issue

Boris Johnson has been accused of twisting the facts of the London Bridge terror attack in a “distasteful” attempt to turn it into an election issue, as he tried to blame Labour for the release of the terrorist who stabbed two people to death.

Despite one of the victims’ families pleading for their son’s death not to be used as an excuse for kneejerk political reaction, Johnson claimed that “a lefty government” was responsible for Usman Khan being freed.

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Boris Johnson urged to challenge Trump on climate denial

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350 experts call on PM to address president’s ‘dangerous’ and ‘irresponsible’ claims

Boris Johnson is being urged by 350 leading climate researchers to robustly challenge Donald Trump on his “dangerous” and “irresponsible” denial of the risks of climate change during the US president’s visit to the UK this week.

Putting the prime minister under more pressure over his stance on global heating, leading academics involved in climate research said he must try to persuade Trump to take strong domestic and international action.

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London Bridge attack: woman killed was former Cambridge student – live news

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University says both victims were alumni, with member of staff also injured, as Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn pressed on counter-terrorism policies

The campaigner and businesswoman Gina Miller has called on Remain voters to vote tactically in the general election, saying that doing so could prevent a Conservative majority.

Presenting a new poll and MRP seat projection for ‘Remain United’ on ‘Sophy Ridge on Sunday’, she said: “With no tactical voting, just based on voter intention at the moment and where the polls are sitting and the difference between the seats, there would be a 12 seat majority for the Conservatives.”

The Conservatives appears to have acquiesced to BBC demands that they take down Facebook adverts featuring footage of journalists Laura Kuenssberg and Huw Edwards.

As reported by the Guardian’s Jim Waterson, the broadcaster had argued that their inclusion could damage perceptions of the corporation’s impartiality.

Conservative ads pulled on copyright grounds for using BBC footage of Laura Kuenssberg and Huw Edwards. (Background: https://t.co/T9sykIwXkA) pic.twitter.com/zS9H4KIo58

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Boris Johnson thrusts London Bridge attack into centre of election battle

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Prime minister says terrorists convicted of the most serious offences should never be released from prison

Boris Johnson on Saturday said that those convicted of the most serious terrorist offences should never be released from prison, as arguments over the blame for Friday’s London Bridge attack were thrust centre stage into the election campaign.

The prime minister reacted to the latest terrorist incident – in which three people died, including the assailant – by promising a package of hardline reforms which also included mandatory minimum 14-year sentences, an end to automatic early release for terrorist and extremism offences, and a new system under which those convicted will have to serve every day of sentences handed down by judges.

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Johnson ‘did not keep word’ to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

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Other dual nationals also in jail because of UK failure to repay debt to Iran, says husband

Boris Johnson made only “placebo promises” to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and is responsible for putting more British-Iranian dual nationals in the jails in Iran, her husband, Richard Ratcliffe, claims in a private letter to the prime minister.

Ratcliffe sent the letter 100 days ago, seeking a meeting alongside his daughter, Gabriella, to discuss his wife’s three-and-a-half-year imprisonment.

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Johnson dodges LBC radio host’s questions about his children

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PM refuses to comment when asked how involved he is in his children’s lives

Boris Johnson has refused to disclose how many children he has or whether he is involved in their lives, in an appearance on a radio phone-in show during which he was questioned over past comments about single mothers.

Answering listeners’ questions on LBC, Johnson was challenged by one caller about an article he wrote in 1995 in which he blamed single mothers for “producing a generation of ill-raised, ignorant, aggressive and illegitimate children.”

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Jeremy Corbyn reveals dossier ‘proving NHS up for sale’

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Labour leader says documents leave Boris Johnson’s denials on post-Brexit US trade deal ‘in tatters’

Labour has obtained official documents showing that the US is demanding that the NHS will be “on the table” in talks on a post-Brexit trade deal, Jeremy Corbyn has said.

The Labour leader said the uncensored papers gave the lie to Boris Johnson’s claims that the NHS would not be part of any trade talks, and revealed that the US wanted “total market access” after the UK leaves the EU.

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Antisemitism is vile, says Corbyn after rabbi’s criticism

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Labour leader says there is no place for antisemitism in party and it will not be tolerated

Jeremy Corbyn has reiterated his belief that there is no place in Labour for antisemitism and vowed it would not be tolerated following claims from the chief rabbi that he has allowed the Labour party to become poisoned with antisemitism.

Ephraim Mirvis on Tuesday accused the Labour leader of allowing a “poison sanctioned from the top” to take root in Labour, saying Jews were justifiably anxious about the prospect of the party forming the next government.

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BBC admits ‘mistake’ in editing out laughter at Johnson in TV debate

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The broadcaster cut out laughter during leaders’ debate on Question Time in later news bulletin clip

The BBC has claimed it made a “mistake” in editing a clip where it cut out an audience laughing at Boris Johnson, insisting the decision was made due to time constraints rather than political bias.

In the Question Time leaders’ debate special, broadcast on BBC One on Friday night, an audience member asked the prime minister: “How important is it for someone in your position of power to always tell the truth?”

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Johnson tax pledge to ‘put money back in pockets’

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At launch of manifesto, PM says he will not raise income tax, VAT or national insurance for five years

Boris Johnson will commit a Tory government to not raise income tax, VAT or national insurance for five years as he promises to “put more money back in people’s pockets” after Brexit.

Launching the Conservatives’ general election manifesto on Sunday, the prime minister will also pledge to protect the value of state pensions, boost spending by £1bn on childcare during school terms and holidays, and cut energy bills by up to £750 a year for those in social housing.

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General election 2019: Corbyn vows to take on wealthy elite during Labour’s manifesto launch – live news

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Party promises record investment blitz and to scrap tuition fees and universal credit

Corbyn is now responding to questions from students at the venue, Birmingham City University.

He says young workers will benefit from the living wage.

Q: Some voters do not see you as patriotic. Is that fair?

Corbyn replies:

Yes, I do support this country. I am patriotic about this country.

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Boris Johnson lets slip manifesto pledge to cut national insurance

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PM’s apparent blunder over £12,500 threshold could benefit him amid ‘factchecking’ row

Boris Johnson has said he wants to raise the national insurance threshold to £12,500, letting slip a major Tory tax cut from the manifesto as he was speaking to workers in Teesside.

The prime minister blurted out the key announcement as he was pressed by an employee at a fabrication yard about whether he would help “people like us”, not just the rich.

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Election debate: Johnson and Corbyn clash over NHS future

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Labour leader claims service will be sold by PM, who keeps repeating Brexit mantra

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn have clashed over which of them is best placed to safeguard the NHS if they win the general election, with the Labour leader accusing the prime minister of being ready to sell it off to US corporations.

In a testy live debate on ITV, during which the prime minister repeatedly returned to the claim that he would “get Brexit done”, both men lavished praise on the NHS, but Corbyn said Johnson would put it up for sale.

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General election live: Corbyn should not resign immediately if Labour loses election, says McCluskey – live news

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All the day’s developments on the campaign trail before Johnson and Corbyn’s first TV debate

Boris Johnson has gone for some Rocky Balboa-type posturing ahead of tonight’s ITV debate. (See 2.33pm and 4.50pm.) As you would expect, Jeremy Corbyn’s warm-up routine is rather different.

Labour leader @jeremycorbyn has arrived for the #ITVdebate, saying he hopes for a respectful debate and prepared by eating a Caesar salad#GE2019 #Leadersdebatehttps://t.co/itw9efaa2W pic.twitter.com/Z2PVqCmgEd

And here is another useful Twitter thread on the likely impact of the debate tonight, from the academic Prof Tim Bale. It starts here.

THREAD: Did a @SkyNews bit today on debates. Here's (some of) what we think we know from research in the UK and elsewhere. 1/8

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Swinson says language of Prince Andrew on sex ‘very troubling’

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Lib Dem leader and Labour MP condemn royal’s BBC interview, while PM stays quiet

Jo Swinson has led criticism from political leaders over Prince Andrew’s “disheartening” remarks about his friendship with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Liberal Democrat leader condemned his use of language about sex and failure to put the late financier’s victims at the centre of his BBC interview.

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Scientists and climate advisers condemn Tory environmental record

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Party under pressure on climate crisis as Corbyn says Johnson can not be trusted

The Conservative party’s record on tackling the climate crisis was condemned by leading scientists and former government advisers on Sunday, as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn warned that the forthcoming election was the last chance to halt the escalating emergency.

Experts accused the Conservatives of copying rightwing politicians in the US by deliberately weakening environmental protections. Meanwhile, new analysis by Labour reveals that environmental policies put forward since 2017 and opposed by the Tories would have led to emissions reductions of over 70m tonnes a year by 2030 – more than the annual emissions of Portugal.

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