Rolling coverage of the day’s political developments as they happen
- Labour leadership poll opens as Starmer promises jobs to rivals
- Priti Patel bullying claims dismissed as ‘absolute nonsense’
- Starmer’s morning interviews – Summary
10.39am GMT
This is from Amélie de Montchalin, the French Europe minister. She is saying that France will not sign up to a bad trade deal with the UK just to meet Boris Johnson’s December 2020 deadline. (Johnson has set this deadline by ruling out an extension to the post-Brexit transition.)
Je serai à Bruxelles demain et à Londres vendredi avec un message #Brexit clair : ce n’est pas parce que Boris Johnson veut un accord coûte que coûte le 31/12 que nous signerons sous la pression du chantage ou du calendrier un mauvais accord pour les Français. #Les4V @France2tv pic.twitter.com/v9VU8zPyaE
France’s Europe minister: “Just because Boris Johnson wants an agreement at any cost doesn’t mean we will sign a bad deal for the French, under pressure of blackmail or the timetable.”
France will not sacrifice, she says, French fishermen, farmers or companies. https://t.co/GCsIjx5VqO
EU ambassadors meeting this afternoon to have one last go at agreeing Michel Barnier’s mandate, with France holding out for full dynamic alignment. Ministers expected to sign off text Tue.
EU diplomat expects agreement, which would enable negotiations to start next week.
10.31am GMT
On the subject of who might get appointed to Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet, if he wins the Labour leadership, the Economist’s Duncan Weldon has a Twitter thread on who might be appointed shadow chancellor. It starts here.
Labour’s next Shadow Chancellor. A mini thread. After some chats last week.
The numbers suggest Keir Starmer will win. So, assuming he does… who does he appoint as Shadow Chancellor?
So, if I were a betting man, I’d say if Kier wins none of the above get Shadow Chancellor. I think political logic implies going for a less publically known figure. Reynolds or Dodds would be my bets.
Category: Politics, UK news, Labour, Labour party leadership, Keir Starmer, Brexit
