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As it happenedended1556122523

Brexit news - live: Tories prompt confusion over European election plan as Change UK face second racism resignation in 24 hours

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
Wednesday 24 April 2019 15:05 BST
Comments
Theresa May participates as marshal Easter race in Maidenhead

Senior Conservative backbenchers are expected to regroup today and decide whether to press ahead for changes to the party's rule book to enable an early leadership challenge to Theresa May.

It comes after MPs on the Tory 1922 Committee failed to reach a decision on Tuesday night amid growing pressure on the prime minister to name the date of her departure.

Ms May and Jeremy Corbyn have travelled to Belfast to attend the funeral of murdered journalist Lyra McKee, leaving the PM's deputy David Lidington and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry to face off over Brexit and Northern Ireland at prime minister's questions.

During the session, Mr Lidington said both parties were making a "genuine attempt" to reach a solution to the Brexit impasse at Westminster, and said cross-party talks between negotiating teams hd been "constructive".

Ms Thornberry also used her remarks to urge the government to be "serious" about "putting the country first" by putting the option of a customs union - something Labour has demanded - on the table.

The shadow foreign secretary also criticised the forthcoming state visit by the US President Donald Trump, claiming: "The government is going to spend millions giving Donald Trump the red carpet, golden carriage treatment in June."

This live blog has now closed, but you can follow Wednesday's events below

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Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 08:27
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Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 08:28
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Senior Conservative backbenchers are expected to regroup today and decide whether to press ahead for changes to the party's rule book to enable an early leadership challenge to Theresa May.

It comes after MPs on the Tories' 1922 Committee failed to reach a decision on Tuesday evening at Westminster amid growing pressure on the prime minister to name the date of her departure.

It is reported that there will be further discussions ahead of the weekly meeting of the full 1922 Committee on Wednesday.

Under current party rules, MPs cannot mount a fresh leadership challenge until 12 months after last December's failed attempt.

However, amid growing frustration over the latest delays to Brexit, some MPs now want to the rules to be rewritten to allow another challenge as early as June.

Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 08:31
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Breaking: Downing Street has just announced Theresa May will travel to Belfast today to attend the funeral of Lyra McKee, who was murdered last week.

Stepping in for her at prime minister's questions will be her effective deputy, David Lidington. 

Here is a piece from the Indy's Ben Kelly on the killing of the prominent journalist

Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 09:14
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Former British negotiator to Northern Ireland Jonathan Powell has said Brexit is contributing to sectarian violence in Northern Ireland – although he was careful to stress it was not the cause.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "I think it would be quite wrong to say either the political crisis in Northern Ireland - the institutions having fallen over and not being put back up again, the essence of the Good Friday Agreement - nor Brexit caused this.

"The trouble with it is it's sitting out there as a political crisis and this sort of mindless violence can then fall into that."

"If we [the government] took stupid steps this could lead to a real crisis.

"I don't believe for a second the British government will do that, but the fact the political crisis is out there - both Brexit and the failure to put the institutions up again - is a real problem and that is a tinder for this kind of violence.

"This kind of violence is pointless by itself but it could affect this political wasteland out there, which is not really being addressed by the British government in a sufficient way."

Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 09:21
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Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 09:26
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Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 09:35
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Jeremy Corbyn's team has confirmed he will also travel to Belfast for the funeral of the murdered journalist Lyra McKee later today. 

Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 09:41
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Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 09:58
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Ashley Cowburn24 April 2019 10:09

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