Summary

  • Speaker addresses MPs saying in last night's debate "culture was toxic"

  • Labour MP Jess Phillips questions government about use of political language

  • Boris Johnson says in an interview, that "tempers need to come down"

  • MPs vote not to adjourn for the Conservative party conference

  • Ken Clarke and Harriet Harman call for an inquiry into parliamentary culture

  • Boris Johnson's sister says he uses the Commons as a "bully pulpit"

  1. Business Statement: Rees-Mogg at the despatch boxpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg is speaking now. He's going through the order of business before dealing with MPs' queries.

  2. Election timing commentpublished at 14:12 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's Richard Burgon makes a point of order. He says the soonest a general election can take place is 5 November. Speaker John Bercow says his understanding is "the same", from his reading of current law.

  3. Government loses parliamentary recess votepublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 26 September 2019
    Breaking

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs vote by 306 to 289 against the government's motion calling for a three-day parliamentary recess next week.

    The break would have coincided with the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

  4. Parliamentary recess plan timetablepublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    If the motion calling for a three-day recess succeeds, Parliament will adjourn from the end of business today and resume next Thursday.

    The proposed recess is timed to coincide with the Conservative Party conference in Manchester.

  5. Politicians 'must show respect'published at 13:54 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, David Isaac, has written to party leaders to remind them of "the need for respectful debate at all times - no matter how difficult the issues".

    "Sadly this has not happened," he adds. "I urge all our politicians to show the best version of themselves, so all views are heard."

    Using "hard-line rhetoric and gestures" will create "a more polarised society", Mr Isaac writes.

  6. MPs vote on three-day Commons recesspublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    MPs are voting on a government motion calling for a three-day Commons recess starting on Monday.

    This would allow Conservative MPs and ministers to attend the party's conference in Manchester as normal.

  7. Aid budgets and emissionspublished at 13:49 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory Julian Lewis asks if UK aid budgets are used to encourage other countries to reduce emissions. Business Andrew Leadsom replies that they are.

  8. Amazon destruction querypublished at 13:45 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Labour's Kerry McCarthy asks for a comment on ongoing deforestation in the Amazon and the UK's importation of agricultural goods from the region. Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom says the environment secretary will address the House on this at some stage.

  9. India and China 'must be urged to cut emissions'published at 13:42 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Tory MP Alex Chalk says countries like China and India must cut carbon emissions. Business Secretary Andrew Leadsom agrees that the UK must "encourage" them to do so.

  10. Leadsom: UK innovating on climate issuespublished at 13:28 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom says her department is working "flat out" to reduce carbon emissions. She adds that it is looking at "many innovations, including nuclear fusion".

  11. Cox's sister: A 'turning point'published at 13:25 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    BBC News Channel

    Kim Leadbeater

    Politicians should reassess their tone after last night's heated debate, says Kim Leadbeater, sister of the murdered MP Jo Cox.

    "We all need to take a step back and I hope last night is actually a turning point, for once, where we can do this - to think about the way we speak to each other, the language we use, and the tone of that language," she says.

    She adds that Boris Johnson's assertion that the best way to honour he sister was to get "Brexit done" made her "uncomfortable", saying: "I hope that he's had the opportunity to reflect on those comments."

    "Things were very heated, and we do all do say things that are probably not the most helpful or useful thing to say at that moment in time," she adds.

  12. Watch: Corbyn criticises PM's comments on Jo Cox and Brexitpublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

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  13. Commons moves onto climate change statementpublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The urgent question on language has come to an end.

    Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom is now updating the House on this week's United Nation climate change summit.

  14. Noakes: I was called a traitor who deserved to be shotpublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    Independent MP Caroline Noakes described how earlier this month someone called her a "traitor who deserved to be shot" on a walkabout in her constituency.

    She asked how she should respond to that "when the language of 'traitor' is heard in this House".

    Responding for the government, Kevin Foster replied: "There is no-one in this House who is a traitor. There is no-one in this House who should be threatened in that way."

    Meanwhile, Labour MP Stella Creasy said the prime minister's conduct was "feeding a culture and a language that normalises extremism".

    Correction 15 January 2020: This entry inaccurately referred to Caroline Noakes as a “Tory MP” and has been amended to clarify that she was sitting as an independent at this time.

  15. Sherriff: 'Words have consequences'published at 13:07 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Paula Sherriff

    The MP who raised the issue of language in the Commons first last night says she desperately wants to remind the prime minister that "words have consequences".

    Labour's Paula Sherriff referred to Jo Cox - who was killed by a right-wing extremist days before the EU referendum in 2016 - and said MPs faced death threats from people using similar language to the PM.

    But Boris Johnson said he had "never heard such humbug in all my life".

    Ms Sherriff says she "accepts it is necessary for all us of to reflect" on the issue, admitting she has been known to make the "odd heckle".

    She says she was "literally horrified" to see a Tweet by Tory MP Simon Clarke after the debate "appearing to mock" her and calling the Labour Party "toxic" - which she claimed led to further abuse online.

    The Labour MPs asks the minister is the tweet reflects the message of the government, and if he stands by the PM's comments last night.

    Minister Kevin Foster says he "recognises the spirit... of passionate competition" in her heckles.

    And he promises her the government is taking action.

  16. How to argue constructively about Brexitpublished at 13:03 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    Let's be honest - it's a minefield.

    For more than three years, Brexit has been sparking disagreements among families and friends.

    Even Boris Johnson's family avoid the topic of Brexit his sister revealed after the siblings' brother, Jo, quit as a minister and Tory MP.

    But how should you deal with arguments over Brexit - and when should you give up?

    Read our piece where experts explain the art of arguing.

    A Remainer and a Leaver face offImage source, Getty Images
  17. Ellwood: PM needs to 'reach across the aisle'published at 13:02 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    BBC News

    Conservative former minister Tobias Ellwood said Boris Johnson needed to offer "reasoned and measured leadership" if he was to stand a chance of getting a Brexit deal through Parliament.

    He called for "more temperate" use of language to build bridges in the Commons, especially as the government does not have a majority.

    "If we want to get a Brexit deal we need to reach across the aisle," he said. "So we need to have more temperate language which actually increases the opportunity of those saying 'Let's get this done'."

    "We need to show some reasoned and measured leadership from No 10 to actually allow us that space for that debate to continue.

    "What happened yesterday is far from that. There were heated exchanges on both sides of the House."

  18. Watch: We are not at war with Europe, says Milibandpublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

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  19. MP: People have told me I should be hung, drawn and quarteredpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    BBC Politics Live
    BBC2's lunchtime political programme

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  20. Tory MP: 'PM was very determined, he was well supported'published at 12:58 British Summer Time 26 September 2019

    Speaking on BBC Politics Live, Conservative MP Tim Loughton said: “I think he [Boris Johnson] realised he might have not used the best language himself, in the references to Jo Cox.”

    He also said that the prime minister was "well supported" at the 1922 Committee held this morning.

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