General election: Boris Johnson launches Conservative election campaign – as it happened

That’s all from us this night. Thanks for studying and commenting. Right here’s a abstract of the day’s occasions:

• The prime minister launched the Conservative social gathering’s election marketing campaign, saying he didn’t need the vote, however felt he had had not alternative however to name it. Boris Johnson, whose trustworthiness has been questioned by some who’ve labored with him, gave a speech in Birmingham that was riddled with misleading and outright false claims. Johnson had earlier used No 10 as a backdrop for a speech through which he made a number of related claims.
• The talk about Labour’s path underneath Jeremy Corbyn threatened to erupt once more because the social gathering’s deputy chief, with whom he has typically clashed, introduced he was stepping down. Tom Watson will go away his place inside the social gathering and won’t search reelection to the Commons. He stated the choice was a “very private” one. Learn the total story on that in our splash:

• The Welsh secretary resigned as he confronted questions over what he knew in regards to the alleged function of a former aide within the collapse of a rape trial. There have been calls for Boris Johnson to drop Alun Cairns as a Conservative social gathering candidate as the difficulty threatened to overshadow the party’s election campaign launch.
• The Tory MP, Andrew Bridgen, apologised for comments about Grenfell Tower catastrophe survivors. Bridgen was searching for to defend his social gathering colleague, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who had instructed individuals who died within the tower lacked the “frequent sense” to disregard the recommendation of the fireplace brigade and go away.
• Jeremy Corbyn said he would be a very different type of PM to Boris Johnson. The Labour chief set out 10 goals for the government he hopes to form as he delivered a marketing campaign speech in Telford. Corbyn refused to confirm John McDonnell’s declare they might each have to face down if Labour loses and stated billionaires had been in a “very strong position to pay lot more in tax”.
• Three of the smaller opposition events introduced an electoral pact in some elements of the UK. The Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens finalised a plan to step apart for one another in 60 seats throughout England and Wales. Scottish Labour ruled out post-election pact with the SNP.
• The Inexperienced social gathering launched its marketing campaign in Bristol, the place it has vital assist. The native social gathering believes it has a good chance of ousting Labour’s Bristol West incumbent, Thangam Debbonaire, within the 79% remain-voting constituency.
• Brexit is the UK’s “largest mistake” for the reason that conflict, according to the recently retired Commons Speaker, John Bercow. He stated the Brexit disaster won’t be resolved any time quickly.

The Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens have finalised a plan to step apart for one another in 60 seats throughout England and Wales within the basic election, Peter Walker and Heather Stewart write.

The alliance is meant to offer a free run to 1 pro-remain social gathering in every constituency.

The settlement, which doesn’t embrace Labour, covers 49 seats in England and 11 in Wales. It was made underneath the banner of a cross-party group known as Unite to Stay, which has spent a number of months attempting to dealer the plan.

A so-called progressive alliance plan, additionally together with Labour, was tried earlier than the 2017 election however preparations had been solely made for a handful of seats – partially due to the problem of getting native events to agree.

The Lib Dem chief, Jo Swinson, has stated:

We’re delighted that an settlement has been reached. We wish to thank Unite to Stay for making this doable. It is a vital second for all individuals who wish to assist stay candidates throughout the nation. We look ahead to sharing the element of the seats tomorrow.

Labour’s outgoing deputy chief, Tom Watson, says his choice to step down and give up parliament was a “very private” one.

Watson, who has represented West Bromwich East since 2001 and is one in all Labour’s most recognisable figures, denied the transfer was the results of considerations over the path of the social gathering underneath Jeremy Corbyn, with whom he has typically clashed.

I need each Labour supporter campaigning for the Labour staff to ensure we will get a Labour authorities elected.

The previous Derby North MP, Chris Williamson, has resigned his membership of the Labour social gathering and introduced he’ll stand as an impartial within the basic election. The social gathering’s nationwide govt committee dominated earlier at this time that they might not endorse him.

Within the letter to Labour’s basic secretary, Jennie Formby, Williamson wrote:

I’m dismayed that Labour social gathering officers have enabled and executed what I imagine to be a witch hunt towards tons of of socialists loyal to Jeremy Corbyn and his transformative, socialist, anti-imperialist worldview.

Most of the victims of this witch hunt have been Jewish socialists, whose anti-Zionism is anathema to the apartheid apologists apparently influencing Labour international and home coverage.

Harvey Proctor, the previous Conservative MP who was falsely accused of being a part of a VIP pedophile ring in Westminster, has stated Watson has “accomplished his constituents an important favour” by stepping down.

Proctor, who served within the Commons within the 1970s and 1980s, has now deserted his plans to run towards Watson in subsequent month’s basic election. He stated:

By standing down, Tom Watson has accomplished his constituents an important favour. The subsequent parliament will probably be a more healthy place with out him. He will probably be unable to make use of public workplace in future to advertise false accusers for private and political ends.

Though this isn’t the top of it for Tom Watson, I really feel vindicated. I can now affirm I cannot be standing within the West Bromwich East constituency on the basic election.

Daniel Janner, the son of Lord Janner – one of many victims of the VIP abuse probe sparked by Carl Beech – stated Tom Watson’s place had grow to be “untenable”. Janner has been a fierce critic of Watson, whom he has beforehand accused of making use of “stress on the police”.

Tom Watson whipped up the post-Savile hysteria which broken falsely accused harmless distinguished figures like my late father Lord Janner. His place had grow to be untenable. He has stood down as a result of he would have been defeated.

Returning to Labour, right here’s a little bit response to the information the social gathering’s deputy chief, Tom Watson, is standing down.

From Labour:

And from the Conservatives:

In his letter to Watson, the Labour chief, Jeremy Corbyn has stated:

Few individuals have given as a lot to the Labour motion as you’ve and I do know that many 1000’s of members and commerce unionists that you’ve got impressed and labored with through the years will probably be very sorry to see you go.

Right here’s the total letter:

Johnson has concluded his speech, thanking supporters and telling them: “I’ll see you on the barricades.”

The prime minister repeated the declare that Corbyn has accomplished a cope with the SNP. We covered the provenance of that here.

And he stated he didn’t know what Corbyn needed to attain in renegotiations with the EU. Writing for the Guardian in September, the Labour chief outlined what he needed to see in his Brexit deal:

And the social gathering backed a movement at its convention that stated:

Labour’s go away deal would come with a brand new UK-EU customs union, an in depth relationship with the only market, protections of the Good Friday settlement with no onerous border, securing the everlasting rights of three million EU nationals within the UK and a million UK nationals in Europe, ensures of staff’ rights and environmental protections, and membership of key our bodies to make sure joint cooperation in areas like local weather change, counter-terrorism and medicines.

Johnson has stated Corbyn needs “limitless and uncontrolled immigration”.

Labour has expressed assist for no such factor. At its convention, the social gathering backed a coverage that might shield the present precept of free motion rights loved by EU residents and lengthen them; although it’s not completely clear to what extent. It’s additionally dedicated to closing all immigration detention centres and ending “no recourse to public funds” insurance policies.

Right here’s the full motion.

Johnson has additionally attacked the Brexit social gathering chief, Nigel Farage:

And Johnson makes additional claims in regards to the variety of cops he plans to recruit. We lined that here.

Johnson claims “40 new hospitals [have been] green-lighted” as a part of the Tories’ insurance policies.

This declare is fake. The federal government has introduced six hospital upgrades. Dozens of different hospitals have obtained cash to develop plans for upgrades – however not for the precise upgrades themselves. Full Reality have a great explainer here.