Brexit news: Tory leadership candidates deepen party splits over no-deal and cabinet appointments
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Conservative leadership hopefuls have clashed over whether to back a no-deal Brexit, as party bosses tightened the rules to limit the number of candidates to succeed Theresa May.
Esther McVey said she would only have "committed Brexiteers" in her cabinet until the UK was out of the EU, which she pledged would happen by 31 October, with or without a deal.
But rival candidate Matt Hancock said no deal is "not a credible option" as he pledged to go back to the EU to discuss the Irish border issue.
To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below
Welcome to The Independent's politics liveblog, where we will be bringing you the latest updates throughout the day.
As we enter the final days of Theresa May's tenure as Conservative leader, Tory party bosses have been forced to change the rules to reduce the number of candidates.
Some 13 Tory MPs had declared they would run, before two hopefuls - Kit Malthouse and James Cleverly - dropped out on Tuesday.
The 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives has now agreed candidates would need eight MP nominations – rather than just two – to enter the race next week.
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Leadership hopeful Matt Hancock said no deal is not a "credible policy" and argued that the "most urgent task" facing a new prime minister was to achieve a Brexit deal that faced the "hard truths".
He told a Policy Exchange event: "A credible plan to deliver Brexit must be grounded in reality and the reality is there are hard truths.
"The first hard truth - No deal is not a credible policy choice available to the next prime minister.
"As the Speaker has made clear, parliament will block it as it did in March.
"That means the alternative is either a deal to leave the EU or a general election or second referendum and potentially no Brexit at all."
He claimed there was no need to rip up Theresa May's Brexit deal, as he laid out his plan to set up a Border Council to ensure there would be no hard border on the island of Ireland and to set a time limit on the backstop.
"I'm confident that this as a whole package can be negotiated," he said.
"We know the EU was considering proposing a time limit in the previous negotiations... The time limit would be an addendum rather than reopening of the withdrawal agreement."
On the other side of the Brexit divide, Tory leadership hopeful Esther McVey has said she would have a Brexiteer-only cabinet until the UK leaves the EU.
Ms McVey, one of 11 candidates jostling to succeed Theresa May, said she would ban Remain-backing ministers from her top team until the official deadline on 31 October.
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It's nearly time for PMQs - and it is clash of the deputies this week.
Theresa May is in Portsmouth for the D-Day commemorations, so her de-facto deputy David Lidington is standing in, as he tends to do when she is abroad or otherwise engaged.
Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey is making her PMQs debut for Labour - in a sign of highly-rated she is by Jeremy Corbyn. Interestingly, Emily Thornberry, the shadow foreign secretary, is not deputising as she normally does...
Could it be to do with her public criticism of Mr Corbyn's stance on a second referendum?
And we're off. David Lidington explains Theresa May is in Portsmouth to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
He also sends his best wishes to Muslims celebrating Eid.
Tory MP Tim Loughton takes aim at 'hate-fuelled' demonstrators who were shouting 'Nazi scum' at American tourists after Donald Trumps' visits yesterday.
He says they demean the memory of the troops who fought in Second World War.
Lidington agrees and says the freedom of speech and protest is derived from the actions of the war-time generation.
Rebecca Long-Bailey is on her feet. She echoes his comments about D-Day and says it is vital to remember the bravery of troops during the war.
She goes in on the row over whether the NHS is 'on the table' in a US-UK trade deal.
Lidington welcomes her and says Emily Thornberry has been dispatched to 'internal exile' - and warns Long-Bailey that she might be consigned to the backbenches if she 'outshines the dear leader'.
Amid the jeers, he says the NHS is not for sale.
Long-Bailey is having none of it - saying 'he's all about the banter today'. She says May did not challenge Mr Trump on the NHS.
She then condemns the president's record on climate change and asks if May even challenged him on it.
Lidington says May did raise it as she made clear in her press conference and the UK has a better record than any other G7 state.
Long-Bailey says he is taking credit for Labour's efforts. She also says there are three cabinet ministers who have denied climate science and several Tory leadership hopefuls have a dubious links to organisations which deny climate change.
She says the government is off track in reducing emissions.
Lidington denies this, saying the UK has gone through a long period without relying on coal-powered parts. He claims Labour would reopen them.
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