Tonight that will change when Starmer gives a speech detailing this policy. In it, Starmer will confirm that a Labor government will not rejoin the single market or customs union, nor restore free movement for EU citizens. According to a preview of his remarks in the Financial Times, he will say that something such would simply be “a recipe for more division.” Will say: Nothing about revising these rows will help boost growth or lower food prices or help British business thrive in the modern world – it would just be a recipe for more division. There are many on the left who will find such a steadfast rejection of the idea of rejoining the single market disappointing. Even Daniel Hannan, the Tory peer and ultra-Brexiter, was much more positive about the single market in a recent Sunday Telegraph column in which he said it would be far better for the UK to stay in it. Like Starmer, however, Hannan concluded that it was now too late to reconsider that decision. According to the FT, Starmer will also use his speech to detail how Labor will make Brexit work. He will propose: a veterinary agreement with the EU to reduce controls on agri-food products. a mobility agreement to reduce the need for visas for artists touring Europe and people making short business trips; mutual recognition of product standards and professional qualifications; alignment with data sufficiency rules; and more justice and police cooperation; including a new “security compact”. Here is the agenda for the day. 10.30am: Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labor leader, gives a speech in Westminster about Labour’s plans to reform Scotland’s place in the UK. 11.30am: Downing Street briefs lobby. 12.30pm: Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative former foreign secretary and potential future leadership contender, takes part in a Q&A at the Institute for Government. After 3.30pm: Boris Johnson is expected to make a statement to MPs about the NATO, G7 and Commonwealth summits. 5pm: Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, talks about the ‘representation gap’ in Westminster at an IPPR event. Evening: Keir Starmer delivers a speech on Brexit at the Center for European Reform. Also, Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, is attending the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland. I’m trying to follow the comments below the line (BTL) but it’s impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, include “Andrew” somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I try to answer questions and if they’re of general interest I’ll post the question and answer above the line (ATL), though I can’t promise I’ll do it for everyone. If you want to get my attention quickly, it’s probably best to use Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow. Alternatively you can email me at [email protected] Updated at 10.27 BST
Minister claims he can’t imagine Prime Minister describing disgraced MP as ‘stings by name, stings by nature’
Will Queens, minister for children and families, was the government’s spokesperson for the morning interview round. He was there to talk about the plan to relax the staff-to-child ratio in nursery school, but inevitably spent most of his morning talking about Chris Pincher and Boris Johnson’s handling of the biggest dozing scandal to hit his prime ministership. As Peter Walker reports in his story, Pincher said he was given a “categorical assurance” by No 10 that Johnson was not aware of any “specific” allegations against Pincher when he appointed him to the post of deputy leader earlier that day. year. But he would not comment on whether Johnson was aware of general allegations about Pincher’s behavior at the time of the reshuffle, saying he had not asked that question when he was briefed before it went on air. It has been widely reported that Johnson was aware that there were concerns about Pincher’s behavior when he made the appointment, and that this was one reason why Pincher only got the deputy position, not the full promotion to captain that he expected. Here are a few more lines on this topic from Quince’s interviews.
Quince said he couldn’t imagine Johnson used to refer to Pincher as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature.” Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former chief adviser, made the claim at the weekend. Asked if it was true, Quince replied:
I think this quote came from Dominic Cummings, who is not someone I give a huge amount of credence to given past experience. Asked if he could imagine the prime minister using that phrase, Quince told LBC: “No, I can’t.” Here is Cummings’ tweet. If 🛒 he didn’t know about Pincher as he claims, why did he repeatedly refer to him laughingly at number 10 as a “tweezer by nature” long before he appointed him…? spin the latest lies… #RegimeChange is coming — Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) July 2, 2022
But Quince also said that, before today’s media round, he had not specifically asked No 10 whether the claim about Johnson describing the MP as a “pincher by name, pincher by nature” was true. No 10 has not denied that Johnson used the expression.
Quince claimed it would be wrong for Johnson not to appoint Pincher to the position of deputy captain based on unsubstantiated rumours. He said:
I think these cases are difficult because, like any professional organization, you cannot act on hearsay or gossip. As you know, there is a lot of rumor or gossip in Westminster. But Johnson was not called upon at the time of the reorganization to punish Pincher on baseless allegations. he was simply urged by some colleagues not to promote him. In another tweet on the matter Cummings from last week claimed it was routine to consider issues like this during a reshuffle. When you’re sitting in makeover mtngs it’s normal to go down a list like:PervertUnder investigation by NCA (don’t know) DrunkSex parasiteSheet bad faith donors Yeah she’s ok but she’s uselessMoronMoronHe’s OkSex parasite She’s really good [laughter]Dodgepot…etc — Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) July 1, 2022
Quince declined to say whether he himself had heard rumors about Pincher’s behavior before his resignation last week. Asked repeatedly about this on the Today programme, Quince just said:
There’s a lot of rumor and gossip around Westminster… If I had a pound for every rumor I’ve heard about another MP, then I’d be a very rich man.
Quince rejected suggestions that he, a junior minister, was doing the broadcast rounds before cabinet ministers refused to appear. When he was given this, he replied:
I was booked four days ago, actually five days ago I think it was, to talk about a very important childcare announcement. The claim that Cabinet ministers are refusing to defend the Prime Minister on air is in the Daily Telegraph. In their story Camilla Turner and Dominic Penna report: Ένας[πηγήτουυπουργικούσυμβουλίου[είπεστηνTheTelegraphότιείναιπιθανόοικατώτεροιυπουργοίνα«απομακρυνθούν»στιςσυνεντεύξειςπουμεταδίδονταικαθώςοιανώτεροισυνάδελφοίτουςαπότουπουργικόσυμβούλιοείναιπιθανόναπροσπαθήσουννα«αποκτήσουν»καινααρνηθούνναβγουνσταερτζιανά[cabinetsource[toldTheTelegraphthatitwaslikelythatjuniorministerswouldbe“wheeledout”onbroadcastinterviewsastheirmoreseniorcabinetcolleagueswerelikelytotryto“pullrank”andrefusetogoontheairwaves[πηγήτουυπουργικούσυμβουλίου[είπεστηνTheTelegraphότιείναιπιθανόοικατώτεροιυπουργοίνα«απομακρυνθούν»στιςσυνεντεύξειςπουμεταδίδονταικαθώςοιανώτεροισυνάδελφοίτουςαπότουπουργικόσυμβούλιοείναιπιθανόναπροσπαθήσουννα«αποκτήσουν»καινααρνηθούνναβγουνσταερτζιανά[cabinetsource[toldTheTelegraphthatitwaslikelythatjuniorministerswouldbe“wheeledout”onbroadcastinterviewsastheirmoreseniorcabinetcolleagueswerelikelytotryto“pullrank”andrefusetogoontheairwaves “Most have already done their fair share of excruciating interviews – you may find out more with a dentist appointment or bereavement this week,” they said. Here’s an example of one of those “killer interviews”, given yesterday by Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary. Thérèse Coffey: Prime Minister was unaware of any sexual harassment allegations against Chris Pincher – video These are from David Hennig, head of the UK Trade Policy Project and a former official at the Department for International Trade, on Labour’s Brexit policy presented tonight in a speech by Keir Starmer. Outside the single market and customs union, UK businesses will always face comparatively more barriers than their European neighbors – but a government that prioritized regulatory stability and at least a working relationship with the EU would be a huge relief. https://t.co/N32OVQ4xtr — David Henig 🇺🇦 (@DavidHenigUK) July 4, 2022 Expecting many supporters of the government to comment that it is impossible to negotiate with the EU, but that means generalizing their own failures to make the hard work happen. It’s far from easy, ask any EU neighbor, but you can’t afford to give up. — David Henig 🇺🇦 (@DavidHenigUK) July 4, 2022 Also, whisper it quietly, that Labor making Brexit work may be the only way to save the Leave vote in the referendum. More years of ideology and economic turmoil and that re-voting number will increase. Also because there will be a lot of pressure on Labor from different directions. — David Henig 🇺🇦 (@DavidHenigUK) July 4, 2022 Little debate already about whether Labour’s EU relations plan would be negotiable. I would suggest that in all areas some progress could be made, but it would still leave many barriers in place – this is the reality of trade policy we have faced since 2016. — David Henig 🇺🇦 (@DavidHenigUK) July 4, 2022 The really big question about which there has been virtually no serious thought in London or in the EU is – what is…
