30/06/2016 Daily Politics

Hello and welcome to the Daily Politics.

The Conservative leadership race has been turned

Frontrunner Boris Johnson now faces a challenge

Mr Gove sensationally threw his hat in the ring hours before

Boris Johnson was due to make his launch, saying he hopes

So, what does it do to the chances of Boris Johnson?

Several key supporters have peeled away from the former Mayor of London

but he's still pushing ahead with his leadership launch.

Meanwhile, Theresa May has also launched her leadership bid this

morning, saying Brexit means Brexit and that,

there won't be a snap election before 2020.

And talking of challenges, Angela Eagle is expected to announce

she's taking on Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership.

Yes, we will try and cram all that in to the next 30 minutes.

Let's kick off with the extraordinary news this morning

that Michael Gove has thrown his hat in to the ring to be the next

Mr Gove said he had originally hoped to back Boris Johnson,

but in a statement this morning the Justice Secretary says he has

come to the conclusion that, "Boris cannot

provide the leadership or

Mr Johnson is due to launch his beard in half an hour.

So, before we discuss what all this means for the race to replace

David Cameron, let's take a look at the main runners and riders.

Yesterday the first to declare themselves formally were Work

and Pensions Secretary, Stephen Crabb.

And former defence secretary Liam Fox, an MP on the right

of the party who's well-liked by the grass-roots.

This morning Teresa May, the longest serving Home Secretary

of modern times, launched her bid, as did Leave campaigner and Energy

And in a surprise move, so did Justice Secretary Michael Gove.

But with nominations closing in less than

an hour, we could also see Education Secretary

Nicky Morgan, Remain campaigner and current

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, And backbencher John Baron

And last but definitely not least, Boris Johnson will be

announcing his intentions in the next few minutes.

Out of them all, Teresa May is the current bookies' favourite,

We have immediate work to do to restore political stability

and economic certainty, to bring together the party

a sensible and orderly departure from the European Union.

But more than that, we have a mission to make Britain

Not for the privileged and not for the few,

And, together, we, the Conservative Party,

I'm joined by a bevy of Conservative MPs who are backing

Dominic Raab is backing Michael Gove.

Alan Duncan is backing Theresa May and Steve Baker will join us

from the Boris Johnson launch in central London.

Yesterday my team phoned you to appear today as a backer of Boris

Johnson but today you are backing Michael Gove. 24 hours is a long

time in British politics. What happened? Firstly, Michael Gove is

the right leader for two reasons, he can speak to the aspirational

underdog in society, the kid from the council estate, from the humble

backgrounds, and that is the key thing, social mobility, that the

Conservatives have to do, to add to our economic message. When it comes

to the crucial Brexit negotiation, we need somebody with the passion

and the mastery of the detail. He combines both. You are saying that

Boris Johnson lacked those things and that changed your mind? We were

striving, struggling for a long time to make sure not just that there was

a dream ticket, Gove Johnson, but a Dream Team. From my point of view,

the single most important thing about signing up, because we need to

unify the country and the party. Efforts went on and we had certain

reassurances about the team that were treated in a rather cavalier

fashion. You can see this morning, the outcome of that. I'm not going

to get into any more of the Westminster tittle tattle but

putting together a really strong unifying theme was a absolute

condition and when that fell away, Michael felt actually that things

have changed. It isn't tittle tattle to ask who fell away or who did

Boris Johnson not promise to give jobs to in a Boris Johnson Cabinet.

Again, I'm going to be careful what I say, conversations I had, but the

key thing is that if you look at the full range of candidates, some of

them were not expected. People we wanted to have an side are now

running in their own right. We thought we had avoided that and had

a unified team but it didn't happen because Boris was cavalier with the

assurances he made. I'm going to let others comment on that but we are

going to move quickly and say that this is the reality, we are picking

a Prime Minister, not school prefect. The membership and the

parliamentary party need the wisest choice and they must make the right

choice. Michael Gove, the man you are backing, was an integral part of

Boris Johnson and the Leave campaign. He persuaded Boris Johnson

to come out for Leave at a time when he was still considering what to do.

This is a huge betrayal of Boris Johnson, from the very man who said,

come with me, we can do this, and actually Boris Johnson motivated the

country to leave. We had a strong team but if I may say, it is very

Westminster bubble to think this is about individual personalities. You

just said we can't have a school prefect, we need somebody to leave

the country. This choice is so important that even at the 11th

hour, you must get it right. The point is about the team, teamwork

and people fulfilling their assurances. It is right to say that

Michael Gove has come in at the 11th hour and he will be the underdog. He

is also the underdog fighting for the underdog, if you look what he

achieved in schools and his social message, which is what we need. Are

you saying, and can you explain that Michael Gove, we know from his wife,

we know that she said to her husband that he must get assurances about

jobs when he discusses this with Boris Johnson and before he signed

up to his leadership. Is that what happened, he and you couldn't get

the assurance? It wasn't to do with his position, it was making sure

that assurances were given, not specific jobs, pork barrel. George

Osborne and others? You can work it out when you look at the runners and

riders. We hoped for a unified team and the assurances were not followed

through. It wasn't about what Michael wanted for him, it was about

the team. Boris couldn't give assurances to some of the people who

are now putting their hats into the ring for the leadership? That's

right. Theresa May has held her press conference and she has stood

and she is standing on a platform in contrast to Boris Johnson, who she

saw, until now, as her chief rival. How can a Remain supporter be the

leader when most Tories voted for Leave? The stark contrast she offers

is the contrast between stability and if you like, chaos. Clearly

there has been a bust up here, I'm not really interested in that.

Having been to her launch, everyone was impressed by the stability,

competence, the drive that will address the problems following the

European referendum, but also the broader challenges of being the

Prime Minister, domestic policy, bringing people together again, she

has a very inclusive and liberal agenda. She is very tough when it

comes to it, like chucking out Abu Qatada, things like that. She is the

own person. She doesn't do any stitch up deals behind the scenes,

it is just her, you get what you see, no promises, no little deals in

smoke-filled rooms. You get what you and she is fit to do the job. I can

tell you that Jeremy Hunt is now not going to stand, he is backing

Theresa May. You may have been expecting that. That is very good,

that is important for the kind of broad, inclusive... The is also a

remainder come on the same side that Theresa May was. -- he is. As

Dominic Raab said, people will be expecting somebody to lead the party

whom they can trust, to handle those Brexit negotiations. Is Theresa May

the woman to do that? Firstly, being the Prime Minister is not just about

the referendum, but the consequences are crucial. She will set up a

dedicated Brexit Department with a Secretary of State, permanent

secretary and a full negotiating team. Who would you like it to be?

It will be led by somebody who was a lever. Very sensible proposal,

broadly answering the questions people may have about the

negotiations being in the hands of people who might have had an

alternative agenda. I think that's reassuring, sensible. Inclusive but

practical. There isn't anything that should stop Theresa May appealing to

the party. If you take the bookies and the favourite at the moment, it

is Theresa May and that is with the members. I'm not here to knock

Theresa. You think she would be a good Conservative by Minister?

ALL TALK AT ONCE. Villa I went through four is of the campaign

without bad-mouthing anybody and I went through the campaign with

people telling me, the pundits and the polls, that I've got it wrong.

If I look at what the country needs, it is vision, especially the

aspirational message, principal and energy. Somebody who can unite. I

think that the United team must come from the Brexit side although that's

not the most important thing. It is more likely to happen. Michael has

got the ability to galvanise the energy and also the team. But

Michael Gove always said he never wanted to be Prime Minister. Was he

lying about it? Or is his entry into the race just about blocking Boris

Johnson? I think he didn't want to do this. If you are going to

announce your candidacy, I don't think this is how you would do if it

was planned -- if it was planned. They wanted to be part of a Boris

team but when it was clear that it couldn't happen, he looked at the

field and he was ultimately convinced that he had the vision and

determination to leave the country. But it isn't about Boris Johnson and

moving behind another campaign like Theresa May's? No. He is going for

Prime Minister. You would have to say that now, you couldn't say

anything else and I'm sure you believe it entirely! I'm going to

bring in Steve Baker who I think is waiting outside where the Boris

launch is taking place. Is there any point with him doing the launch? Of

course there is, he is an electoral phenomenon and in 45 minutes the

nominations will close and we will know what the field is. I am here to

support Boris and I hope things will calm down. Calm down in what way? I

think it would be nice if everybody decided they were back in one

candidate and stuck with the candidate. I was very much hoping

that Michael would be supporting Boris and bringing back into the

team but I'm looking forward to hearing what Boris has to say and

after nominations I feel sure that we'll have a clear view of the

picture. What do you say to Dominic Ryan, your colleague here, who has

decided to change his support from Boris Johnson and is now backing

Michael Gove? Dominic Raab. I haven't heard what Dominic had to

say, we have been great friends and allies and I'm looking forward to

chatting to him later and hearing his arguments. Power seems to be

seeping away from Boris Johnson because others are following suit in

terms of Dominic, changing their support to Michael Gove and you know

what Michael Gove has said, that he didn't feel that Boris Johnson had

it to be a leader of the country. Well of course I'm a great admirer

of Michael Globe, great intellectual, great character and

tremendous integrity and I'm disappointed that he's not part of

the Boris team. I'm looking forward to catching up with Michael later --

Michael Gove. I haven't spoken to him since he declared. They love to

be said and a lot will be said after the nominations have closed. Do you

think that there has been a problem, confusion over Boris' message on the

critical issue for many supporters of the Leave campaign about freedom

of movement? There was an upset, of course. I think most of us are

extremely clear that the British public expect migration policy to be

on the basis of British citizenship and fully under our control so it

can be as open as we would wish to be, so it can be fairer and we can

get the numbers down. We made promises that can be kept. I think

the vast majority of us are very clear, we don't want any backing

away from those pledges to get migration under control of the

British government. There was an upset. I'm looking for Boris to make

a fantastic speech launching the campaign, for him to make it clear

what the platform is and then we can start having a sensible conversation

with a range of talented candidates standing for the leadership.

What do you say to Theresa May who says she is not a showy politician,

she has negotiated in Europe. It is time for a serious politician. It's

a direct jibe at Boris Johnson. It is time for somebody serious and all

of the candidates are serious. I don't think we should engage in

personal attacks, it wasn't helpful during the course of the EU

referendum campaign, it won't be helpful now. Ter resay didn't

campaign to back the EU, I will be backing a Conservative candidate who

believes heart and soul that this country's prospects will be better

outside the EU, so I can't support Theresa May. Well Nicky Morgan, who

we thought has launched her own bid, has come out to support Michael Gove

and we have had Jeremy Hunt saying he will be support Theresa May. I

put it to you now, power is slipping away from Boris Johnson. I have

great faith he will leap back into the limelight now, set out his case

and we'll see where colleagues be land up when the polls close on

Tuesday and first round of voting. Stay with us for a few more moments.

'S phenomenon and he is the only man who could win out in the country, as

Steve baker says, he will take the timelight back in a few minutes'

time. I'm not sure you have accurately reflected what he said.

He did say he was a phenomenon We all agree. I'm not going to bad

mouth Boris or ter resa. Ultimately, we are going to have - the easiest

sell I will have is that Michael Gove is the underdog candidate

fighting for the underdog. Look at what he did at schools, look at his

principles leadership and that he has the enthusiasm Steve says, we

need to deliver Brexit and people know he is a good team player. I

have worked with him for a year, I know he is a phenomenal organiser

and good at putting a team in place. Well, also, Dominic Raab, Steve

Baker said earlier before you joined us that it was the attitude of Boris

Johnson, his cavalier attitude towards the team towards people who

had perhaps been talked to about jobs and it hasn't materialised. Do

you accept he is not a team player, Boris Johnson? ? No I don't accept

that. When I have spoken to people who have worked directly for him on

the mayoral campaign, they have been clear he lets people get on with

their job and backs them when times are tough. You should speak to James

Cleverly about that, Boris was there for him when he had a tough job. He

has a record of leading well, of allowing people it meet their own

brief within their own parameters and sticking with them in difficult

times. I think he is a team player and any of us could support him as

Prime Minister. You are not going to switch sides. You are going to back

him all the way. At this point. We can't talk about definitelies. Only

this morning we have woke up to discover Michael has put himself on

the ballot paper. He is talented. I'm looking to hear what he says in

more detail or Boris. And at this stage, nominations are closing

shortly. We'll see a full field. In a sense we have an embarrassment of

riches. All the candidates have unique strengths and I look forward

to talking to each of them. OK, right. That doesn't sound like a

full commitment to me. We shall wait and see. Can I ask you finally on

immigration, as Home Secretary, Theresa May is part of the

Government's failure to bring net migration down to the tens of

thousands, why should the country trust her as the next Conservative

leader and Prime Minister, to do anything about the issue of

immigration? Well, the whole issue of immigration is actually

extraordinarily complicated but a will the will be addressed by the

issue of Brexit. I think the negotiations we will see will

address the main part of that. Going to the launch, it's going to be

very, I think, a theatrical occasion but I still think Boris will

probably get more votes amongst MPs than Michael Gove. All right, I will

thank all of you at this point for coming on. Steve Baker, Alan Duncan

and you, Dominic Raab. Now then, you wait ages for a party

leadership contest to come along, Angela Eagle, who resigned

from Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet earlier this week, is expected

to launch a leadership challenge today, as calls continue to mount

for the Labour Leader to stand down. Ed Miliband and Gordon Brown both

said Mr Corbyn's position was untenable yesterday

after an avalanche of resignations But the Labour Leader is standing

firm - here is what Jeremy Corbyn told a gathering of his

supporters last night. Surely together we cannot be afraid

of press barons who attack us. Mobilising ideas, in order to

concentrate those policies that can actually improve the lives

of everybody in our society. That's why we contested

the leadership of this That's why I'm very proud

to be carrying on with I'm joined now by former Shadow

Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, who resigned from Jereny Corbyn's

ministerial team earlier this week and Matt Wrack, General Secretary

of the Fire Brigades Union Snr welcome to both of you. He says

he is carrying on. Should he go. -- Welcome to both of you.

I do think. It is with the utmost of reluctance. I feel the best thing

for my constituency is a Labour Government in the autumn, possibly

under a united party. I think Jeremy should consider his position, it is

what I have said. My worry about it is, this it is beyond Members of

Parliament now. We see members of the European Parliament asking

Jeremy to go and constituency parties last night, including

Holborn and St Pancras and Tooting express no confidence in him. I

would still, at this late stage - I believe he is a decent man, he

served under him loyally tin respected his mandate and enjoyed

working with him. He is a decent man, and I still would ask him at

this late stage to do that. You have made that Matt Wrack, but Jeremy

Corbyn has lost the confidence of about 80% of Labour MPs in

Parliament. He hasn't been able to fill all his shadow ministerial

posts. This is a parliamentary democracy. It is not sustainable for

him to carry on as Leader of the Opposition? It I can take up the

first point. I have heard this several times - he is an honourable,

decent, honest person. It seems to imply to me that that is not what we

want in politics, which people will be shocked at. In terms of the

Parliamentary Labour Party, it seems to me that the MPs in the Labour

Party seem to think that they want a veto over the decisions of Labour

Party members, a process that they agreed to, a whole party agreed to,

to elect a leader. That only took place in September. Jeremy got a

magnificent support across the board, in all three categories of

the party. Now the MPs, greatably in Parliament, can launched this coup

in a very co-ordinated way. I don't know Nick's role but certainly for

other people it was very well co-ordinated. On the hour, over the

weekend, age damaging to the Labour Party. Were you part of a coup. I

wasn't, I spoke to nobody before I gave my resignation. I accept that.

I want to take up the point Matt is making about the Members of

Parliament. I think the real issue is exsitential, it is a moment of

peril, I think for the Labour Party. I worked with Jeremy and Matt, I

have a lot of personal respect for him, and it is looking realistically

now at who can unite us and who can actually win at a general election.

I don't want to subject my constituents to a long period of a

Conservative Government. 500 Labour counsellors have signed up MPs did

not support Jeremy Corbyn by in large when he stood for election.

But this is 80% of the Labour Party. It is a democratic process involving

Labour Party members. Nobody gets to be a Labour MP simply because of

their name, whether it is Jeremy Corbyn or anyone else. They get to

be MP because the Labour Party members locally select them. Let's

talk about the Labour Party members, do you agree at this point, still,

Jeremy Corbyn commands the support of the majority of Labour Party

members and if he was on a ballot, he would win again? I just don't

know is the straight answer to that. At the moment it is anecdotal. It

is. I have had people who did back Jeremy last year - incidentally I

think the issue new is that the EU referendum result has changed

everything. That's my concern. But I have got members who said - yes, we

backed him but now we see for the wider interests of saving the party.

It is anecdotal evidence, Nick is right but there is anecdotal

evidence that is gathering pace now, that some constituency Labour

Parties are seeing a change in their membership, that the prove European

part of the Labour Party membership is furious with Jeremy Corbyn for

his part in the EU referendum. They saw it, that he didn't make enough

effort I reject that. Leader Labour Party MPs, including Angela Eagle

were praising Jeremy for his role... I'm talking about the local parties.

The The heckler was a Liberal Democrat candidate. Some things have

been deliberately created. There was more than one. There was one. In

terms of the referendum - I went to a Labour In briefing where we were

told - don't mention any criticisms of the EU, the other side will be

doing enough of that. The idea you could go to firefighters or any

other group of working people and say - don't worry about the. U,

everything is fine, it would be ludicrous, we would be laughed off

the pitch. I think Jeremy Corbyn's approach reflected the concerns that

many people in the Labour movement have. But nevertheless, I voted

Remain. Now we have to deal with the aftermath of exit. Instead of

dealing with that and fighting for jobs, pay, services, the PLP have

cre auted a crisis which has put the Labour Party in an appalling

poechlingts - created. I take that but has the mood changed amongst the

membership. I don't think there is. I know you reject it. Do you accept

any change? What has changed. You can read articles in the Telegraph

from three weeks ago that set out of plan for this coup in great detail

so people have been plotting this for months and there has been report

after report about when it is going to happen. They took this

opportunity to launch. I want to get on to the other candidates. Jeremy

is saying #-7.5 out of ten is one thing but what I have been concerned

is what Alan Johnson said in his letter to his constituency party

last night is at least three members of Jeremy's office were actively

working to undermine the campaign. A it is a different level of

allegation I think is concerning. Angela Eagle is expected to launch a

leadership challenge against him today. Will you support her? I don't

know quite where all this Sol coming from. I want to support a consensus,

unity candidate to save the Labour Party. Would that be... Angela Eagle

would be excellent. I'm not sure a consensus has emerged it should be

Angela Eagle. Do you think there should be a challenge to his

leadership, or are you hoping or would it be better to wait until he

resigns? I'm still hoping and I said at the start of the interview that

he resigns. If he doesn't, that is the procedure, the procedure of the

party is there should be achallenge. I'm not sure we have reached a point

where we are behind one consensus candidate. Who would be your unity

candidate? I will not get into names today. We should someone to unite

the party and be ready to go to the party.You made it clear that it

wouldn't necessarily be Angela Eagle. I did not say that. She would

be a good candidate. I am saying, we haven't reached the stage where

there is a consensus behind one. What about Owen Smith, he was your

former boss, would he be a good bet I think he would be an excellent

candidate. I think he has a very strong track record and has,

frankly, been brilliant in Parliament against Iain Duncan Smith

when he was in post over the past year. We are in the closing seconds.

Could anyone beat Jeremy Corbyn? I don't think anyone can. We have the

whole establishment, including David Cameron, trying to get rid of him

which should send warning signals. When the Tory Prime Minister asked

Jeremy Corbyn to g then I think Nick should reconsider his position. Well

thank you both very much. Andrew will be on This Week

tonight from 11.45 And join him again here at 11am

tomorrow. Goodbye. On the 30th of June,

we'll be coming together to commemorate the centenery

of the Battle of the Somme.