Tory leadership hopefuls told: Get on with day job
Labour and the SNP are both demanding the Scottish Government have a role in the UK’S Brexit talks, with Jeremy Corbyn insisting: “We are clear that the voice of the Scottish people must be heard.”
A year after the UK voted to leave the European Union, both Mr Corbyn and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon pressed the UK government to give the country’s devolved administrations a greater say in negotiations.
Ms Sturgeon, the SNP leader, claimed so far Scotland and Northern Ireland – which both voted to remain part of the EU – had been “disregarded” by Tories at Westminster as they pursued “a reckless drive to impose an extreme Brexit”.
Writing in a Sunday newspaper, Ms Sturgeon said leaders from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had “often been left frustrated by highhanded actions of Whitehall ministers who seem unwilling to accept there are now four national governments in the UK”.
After the Tories lost their Commons majority in the snap general election, the First Minister said Prime Minister Theresa May and her government must recognise the reality of devolution and meet its constitutional obligations.
Meanwhile, Mr Corbyn said Labour was “clear that the voice of the Scottish people must be heard – and the same goes for the other devolved administrations”.
Writing in the same paper, he added: “The EU will only negotiate with the British government. But Scotland needs a clear input into the Brexit negotiating process.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson wrote in the same paper that the UK needs “to up our game in ensuring that Britain intends to remain a key partner to our friends and allies across the Continent”. A leading contender to replace Theresa May has refused to rule out seeking the leadership of the Conservative Party despite a warning that ousting the Prime Minister would be “catastrophic” for negotiations with the EU.
International Development Secretary Priti Patel said she disagreed with suggestions that Mrs May would not be Tory leader at the next election, but refused to deny speculation that she would run herself.
Reports suggest Philip Hammond is also being lined up as a possible replacement for the wounded Tory leader, with allies of the Chancellor quoted as saying he could serve as an interim prime minister until the UK has left the European Union, with Brexit Secretary David Davis as his deputy.
But Mr Davis warned a Tory leadership contest would be “catastrophic” for negotiations with the EU, insisting the country needed stable leadership.
Mrdavistoldtorympsseeking a leadership battle: “Don’t be so self-indulgent. Get on with the day job. The more self-indulgent nonsense you go in for, the more difficult you make it to do our proper job.” Up to 90 email accounts were compromised during the cyber attack on Westminster, parliamentary officials have said, but said less than 1 per cent of the system’s 9,000 users were directly affected by the “determined and sustained” attack.
The incident gave rise to blackmail fears after hackers tried to break in to the accounts of MPS, peers and their staff by searching for weak passwords.
Investigations are under way to see whether any data has been lost.
Officials said both Houses of Parliament will meet today as planned after staff worked to ensure the business of Parliament could continue in the wake of the hacking.
A parliamentary spokesman said: “Parliament’s first 0 Priti Patel refused to deny she would run for Tory leader
However, Mr Davis refused to rule out a leadership bid of his own, and criticised the Conservative election campaign despite admitting that he lobbied the Prime Minister to hold the snap vote. “It didn’t work, did it?” Mr Davis told the Andrew Marr Show.
Ms Patel told ITV’S Peston on Sunday programme: “I’m pretty clear that we are in government, getting on with the job of government and actually – and really importantly right now – working with Theresa as Prime Minister to get on and do the job of leaving the EU.”
Meanwhile, SNP MP Kirsty Blackman claimed that Tory infighting was putting Brexit talks at risk.
She said: “It really is groundhog day as the Tories queue up to stab each other in the back just a year after their last leadership contest.” priority has been to protect the parliamentary network and systems from the sustained and determined cyber attack to ensure that the business of the Houses can continue.
“This has been achieved and both Houses will meet as planned.
“Investigations are ongoing, but it has become clear that significantly fewer than 1 per cent of the 9,000 accounts on the parliamentary network have been compromised as a result of the use of weak passwords that did not conform to guidance issued by the Parliamentary Digital Service.
“As they are identified, the individuals whose accounts have been compromised have been contacted and investigations to determine whether any data has been lost are under way.
“Parliament is now putting in place plans to resume its wider IT services.”