Ex-Labor MPIan Austinhas urged people to vote forBoris Johnson, claimingJeremy Corbynhad failed to tackled antisemitism and was “unfit” to run the country. Shadow chancellorJohn McDonnelldismissed Mr Austin’s remarks, saying he was “employed by the Tories”.
It comes asBaroness Sayeeda Warsi, former co-chair of the Conservatives, said the Tories had “lost the moral high ground” on racism because of the failure to tackle Islamophobia. She warned against “weaponising racism” as a political tool.
The Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens have announced they will not run candidates against each other in seats across England and Wales.Jo Swinsonsaid it was a “significant moment for all people who want to support remain candidates”.
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Labor and Tories are “writing promises on checks that will bounce”, says Lib Dems
Ed Davey, Lib Dem treasury spokesman, criticized both parties after Sajid Javid and John McDonnell both made major speeches on their fiscal plans.
He said: “Any form of Brexit, whether red or blue, will make Britain’s economy weaker and people poorer. It means much less tax revenue for the Treasury.
“Neither Labor or the Tories can square their spending promises today with the cost of Brexit. They are writing promises on checks that will bounce.
“In contrast, every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Brexit, build a brighter future and invest the £ 50 bn Remain bonus in our vital public services and tackle inequality. ”
Labor’s Brexit policy in (less than) (seconds)
Momentum, the grass-roots activist network, has put out a slick and pretty funny video about Labor’s Brexit position. It’s a clever move, as the Tories are going on the attack in a big way over their stance on leaving the EU.
Labor candidate’s disastrous interview over under-fire PPC
Jane Aichison, Labor’s candidate in Pudsey, was silent for an excruciating 12 seconds during an interview with Emma Barnett on BBC Radio 5 Live.
The mammoth pause came when she was asked whether Coventry South candidate Zara Sultana should still be allowed to stand after social media posts emerged saying she would “celebrate” the deaths of Tony Blair, George Bush and Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ms Sultana has now apologized for the posts, which were written in
Ms Aic hison said: “People do celebrate deaths, sometimes, it’s not good is it? Is it really good to celebrate deaths? It’s not. But people do sometimes, because they feel strongly about whatever that person represented. “
Pressed on this point, she said: ‘What I’m saying is that people, for instance… they celebrated the death of Hitler. “
Labor raises £ 1m in small donations in 10 days
Labor has received more than £ 1m in small donations since the election was announced 10 days ago – with the average donation totalling just £ 26
The party raised as much cash in the first two days of the campaign as in the first two w eeks of the 2017 push.
Andrew Gwynne, the party’s campaign co-ordinator said: “I am delighted that our campaign has inspired people all over the country to make small donations to help our people powered movement bring real change to Britain.
“People know that a Labor government will be on the side of our NHS, not Donald Trump and on the side of millions of workers who pay their taxes and serve our communities, not the wealthy few who fund the Conservative Party.
“Our movement is powered by people and volunteers making small contributions they can afford, because they want to change the country for the better.”
Sajid Javid hints at tax cuts in Tory manifesto
Sajid Javid has signalled there could be tax cuts in the Tory manifesto as he tore up fiscal rules in a bid to woo voters.
In his first appearance on the campaign trail, the chancellor announced he would take advantage of low interest rates by borrowing an additional £ 20 BN a year for capital projects such as roads and hospitals.
Mr Javid insisted that he could still deliver cuts to taxes under his new rules, but refused to set out where the ax might fall ahead of the publication of the Tory election manifesto.
Brexit Party chairman reveals he is standing in Hartlepool
Richard Tice, the Brexit Party’s chairman, says he’s standing as a candidate in the north -east constituency of Hartlepool.
“We plan to win,” he says. “The Labor Party have neglected Hartlepool for far too long. I have a track record of getting things done. I’m ready to deliver for the people of this town. ”
Dawn Butler bidding to replace Tom Watson as Labor deputy
Dawn Butler, Labor’s equalities spokeswoman, has confirmed she will stand to be the party’s deputy leader following Tom Watson’s decision to resign from the post.
Speaking to Bloomberg TV on Thursday, Butler said: “I’ve thought very carefully about who should replace Tom and, after giving it some thought, I will be throwing my hat in the ring.
“I think I’ve got a track record of countering, holding people to account around race, equality and justice.
“I’ve got a track record of being very supportive to our leader Jeremy Corbyn and ensuring the Labor Party is on the front foot. ”
Jo Swinson: setting Lib Dem campaign alight?
Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson is in Somerset, the south-west being a key region for her party, and has been chatting to staff and children during a visit to an eco-friendly nursery.
Swinson managed to light a fire using wood and cotton wool to spark the flames, before whittling a stick and toasting marshmallows.
She was told children at the eco-friendly center are taught to “respect fire”.
Ian Austin accuses John McDonnell of ‘complete lie’
The ex-Labor MP Ian Austin has said shadow chancellor John McDonnell’s claim he is now employed by the Tories is “a complete lie”.
The former Labor MP tweeted: “I was appointed an unpaid trade envoy in July, along with 27 other MPs and peers from different parties, including Labor, to promote UK trade and exports. John should withdraw this lie and apologize. ”
Remainers ‘arrogant’ for carving up seats, says union boss
More alcohol chat. The TUC leader Frances O’Grady has been having a go at the Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru for their electoral pact – which will see candidates step aside from the strongest Remain candidate in 60 seats across England and Wales.
“It feels pretty arrogant for those on high to be sat around a nice bottle of wine carving up seats, ”she said.
Plaid’s Liz Saville Roberts denies any wine was consumed during their meetings.
Tea and whiskey tour for Boris Johnson
The prime minister has taken to the skies aboard “Con Air” – an apparent nickname for the Conservative campaign plane – as part of a three-nation campaign trip.
The PM landed in Teesside for the opening stop on the first full day and visited the Tetley Tea factory in Eaglescliffe, where he was heard discussing with staff whether it was best to leave the tea bag in the cup.
On the tea he was drinking, the PM said: “I need it, the plane was freezing.”
Then he headed off to the north-east of Scotland, where he’s visiting the Roseisle whiskey distillery in Elgin – and enjoying a wee dram by the looks of things.
Have gaffes and mistakes ever changed the course of an election?
We’ve seen plenty of unforced errors in this election campaign already. Our chief political commentator John Rentoul has taken a look at whether such negative stories can really change the outcome.
Can a Remain alliance rally anti-Brexit voters?
Candidates from pro-EU parties have entered a pact to give voters a single Remain choice in 60 seats across England and Wales.
Our political editor has taken a look at whether the alliance’s candidates can effectively hoover up the anti-Brexit vote.
Lib Dem says he is ‘extremely unhappy’ about electoral pact – and vows to stand as independent
Mike Powell, a Welsh Lib Dem , who was intending to stand in Pontypridd as a Lib Dem candidate, has vowed to stand an independent after he was asked to stand aside as part of the Unite to Remain pact.
He toldThe World At Onehe made it clear he did not want to stand down, and said Lib Dems in Wales are “extremely unhappy” with the way the negotiations were dealt with.
Powell said there is “disquiet and discomfort” within the Welsh Lib Dems at the moment.
As part of the pact, a Plaid candidate will stand in Pontypridd.
Layla Moran, Lib Dem candidate for Oxford West & Abingdon, said it i s “really regrettable” that Powell is standing as an independent.
She said there was a “bigger picture” is what is so historic about the Unite to Remain cause.
“I think for the vast majority of candidates it is with agreement, and some of the ones I’ve spoken to have actually done it almost enthusiastically because they can see that bigger picture of how working together puts across that strong message of actually grown-up politics, and fighting first past the post, and we all know that the electoral system is not our friend in these situations, ”she said.
Baroness Warsi says Tories have ‘lost the moral high ground’ on racism
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who co-chaired the Conservatives between 2010 and 2012, has tweeted a warning to the Tories not to make the general election about racism.
The former Tory and former-independent MP Nick Boles tweeted: “A vote for Corbyn is a vote for a racist. It’s as simple as that. ”
Baroness Warsi responded by saying“ we lost the moral high ground on racism along time ago ”.
“If we genuinely believe in rooting out bigotry then we should root it out in our own Party too – don’t you think?”
Responding to the right-wing commentator Julia Hartley-Brewer calling her thoughts “nonsense”, Baroness said: “I’m astonished at the number of Conservatives colleagues who have seen clear evidence of racism within our Party & have failed to speak out . ”
Responding to this week’sJewish Chroniclefront page, which urges British people not to vote for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labor, John McDonnell insists Labor is “doing everything [the Jewish community] asked of us to address this issue “.
Answering questions after his speech in Liverpool, the shadow chancellor says:“ Go and ask the Tories what they’re doing about racism within their own party. How dare the Tories raise the issue of racism at all when they have a leader who has consistently in his journalistic career written statements which are racist in themselves. ”
Dawn Butler, Labor’s shadow women and equalities minister, has told Bloomberg that she will stand to succeed Tom Watson as deputy leader …
A second former Labor MP has announced that he will be voting Conservative at the general election and urged others to do likewise.
John Woodcock, the retiring MP for Barrow, was speaking at the launch of the new “Mainstream” campaign against political extremism.
He said:
“There are one of two people who are going to be prime minister after an election. It is Boris Johnson or it is Jeremy Corbyn ….
“We pleaded with our friends in the Labor Party to face up to this choice, not to leave it until too late. Now all of that to an extent is water under the bridge, but we have arrived in a campaign where one of two people are going to be prime minister. “
” The choice to keep Jeremy Corbyn away from Downing Street, to stop him getting his hands on the levers of national security and defense has to be to vote Conservative in this election and that’s what I’ll be doing as well. “
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