House of Commons
Parliament

Back in the Commons, MP for the Indepedent Group for Change Chris Leslie urges Michael Gove to "pause and reflect" after what he calls "the deliberate dog-whistle briefing put out by No 10 against Angela Merkel" after her call with the prime minister.

He says the statements have "sparked a series of frankly racist attacks against the Germans", including a derogatory tweet from campaign Leave.EU.

Mr Leslie adds: "This is an extremely dangerous course for the government to embark on and I want to hear right now the minister condemn it and distance himself from it."

Mr Gove praises Germany and its people, before adding: "I take this opportunity to entirely disassociate myself from any sort of racist or demeaning language towards Germany.

"They are our friends, our allies and they are a great country."

Irish Tánaiste (Deputy PM) Simon Coveney tells a press conference he has heard "conflicting reports from London" and a "hard line from those who have been briefing the media".

He says the offer from the UK is a "big step forward" but "significantly more work" is needed in the customs area, and the area around consent from the Northern Ireland executive.

"I suspect there are different views in the British system, some hard-line, some wanting a deal.

"All I can say is there is an ongoing conversation in Brussels.

"We cannot respond to an approach that says 'give us what we want or no deal' and everyone gets damaged."

He added: "We will not strike a deal at any cost."

BBC Radio 5 Live

House of Commons
Parliament

Independent MP in Northern Ireland Lady Sylvia Herman warns Michael Gove the prime minister and his government "will never be forgotten or forgiven" if their decisions over Brexit "undermine the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, which has guaranteed peace and stability for all of us for the 21 years since it was signed".

She says that agreement was "endorsed by two referendums - one in Northern Ireland and one in the Republish of Ireland" and "thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people voted".

Lady Sylvia asks him: "When is the prime minister going to feel honour-bound to respect those referendums?"

Mr Gove says he doesn't believe it is the prime minister's "intention, for a moment, to undermine the Belfast agreement".

"Far from it," he adds.

"We believe the proposal we have put forward is consistent with the agreement, but I understand that there will be people of good conscience who may disagree."

BBC Radio 5 Live

House of Commons
Parliament

Tory backbencher Andrew Mitchell thanks Michael Gove for his "courteous and helpful statement", but turns his attention to Downing Street officials briefing the media this morning.

He asks the minister: "Is he proud of the tone and character of quasi-official briefings and language coming out of No 10?

"Does he think it is helpful?"

Mr Gove returns the compliment on how courteous his colleague is in the Commons.

But getting to his answer, he says: "It is important for all of us in public life, whether we are appearing here at the dispatch box or working for government ministers or for opposition figures, to use language that shows our respect for different points of view, even as we hold robustly to our own."

The impact on toilet paper supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit have been raised in Parliament by Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards.

In a written question, he asked for details on how long stocks could last.

Cabinet Office minister Simon Hart says the government is working to ensure the "best possible preparation".

"In the event of no-deal the government will prioritise the flow of goods at the border while continuing to take a risk-based approach to controls and checks on goods to minimise additional friction."

House of Commons
Parliament

The SNP's Cabinet Office spokesman, Tommy Sheppard, brings up what he calls a "damning report" from the Institute of Fiscal Studies released this morning.

He says the report "tears away all credibility for there to be an economic case for Brexit".

And he quotes the IFS, which says the difference between asking for an extension and "crashing out" without a deal is 4% of GDP.

"As we finish a decade of Tory austerity, are he and his government are preparing for a second decade?"

Michael Gove says the government "respectfully disagrees" with some, although not all, of the IFS report.

He says an extension would "generate further uncertainty", and claims business leaders - "including many of those who backed Remain" - have now argued that we need to leave, deal or no-deal, "in order to have the certainty to plan for the future".

Jessica Parker
BBC political correspondent

This is not a stark, revelatory assessment of the possible risks that come with a no-deal Brexit.

In fact, the document begins with a meaty - and pretty political - foreword from the prime minister about the need to deliver on the EU referendum result.

He also praises the "herculean effort" by thousands of civil servants to help get the country ready.

And overall, this document attempts to spell out quite how herculean ministers feel that they’ve been in - for example - providing extra resources, pushing out a public information campaign and holding plenty of high-level planning meetings.

But what takes up the largest proportion of this 155 page document?

It’s all about how you - as a citizen, worker or business owner - might need to prepare for the potential changes to come.

In a sea of acronyms, there’s guidance on everything from customs forms to healthcare cover to how to take your pet ferret abroad.

So these papers, whilst obviously important, are not an expansion on the “worst case scenario” Yellowhammer documents that were published last month.

And, as a result, they will likely be deemed a fairly unsatisfactory item by opposition parties.

House of Commons
Parliament

Michael Gove tells the shadow Brexit secretary that the prime minister isn't in the House as he is "talking to our EU partners attempting to secure a deal".

Mr Gove says: "The question many will be asking is why is he so anxious for a deal when he had three opportunities to vote for a deal and declined each time."

He accuses Sir Keir Starmer of caring about "politics rather than policy" and "positioning rather than practicalities".

House of Commons
Parliament

The shadow Brexit secretary attacks the leaks from Downing Street.

In a harsh tone, Sir Keir says: "Sources from No 10 say the deal is overwhelmingly likely.

"Sources from No 10 say it is essentially impossible.

"Sources from No 10 start blaming other people - it's Parliament's fault, it's the opposition's fault, it's the Benn Act, it's Germany, it's Ireland."

He adds: "It absolutely defines the character of this prime minister who never takes responsibility for his own actions".

The farmers' union says the government has "missed an opportunity" by not imposing more import taxes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer attacks the prime minister for not answering questions at the disptach box.

He says that talks with the EU are "collapsing as we speak" and the proposals Boris Johnson put to Brussels last week "were never going to work".

Sir Keir adds that Mr Johnson is "intent on collapsing the talks", and playing a "reckless blame game" which will see "working people pay the price".

He adds: "The prime minister should be here to account for his actions."

House of Commons
Parliament

Michael Gove says his document outlining preparations for no-deal also include the "opportunities from Brexit".

He says that the UK will have control of its trade policy "for the first time in 50 years" and be able to "take its seat" at the World Trade Organisation.

Mr Gove also says the UK can "continue its leading role in setting standards" on things like farming, fishing and environment".

He adds: "Of course, no-deal will bring challenges... and it is not my preferred outcome or the government's.

"But whatever challenges, no-deal may create in the short term- and they are significant - these can and will be overcome."

The World at One
BBC Radio 4

Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer says an early general election is "inevitable" if a Brexit extension beyond 31 October is agreed.

Sir Keir told BBC Radio 4's World at One: "We have said that we won't have an election until that extension is secured.

"As soon as it is secured, obviously, we will come back to this question and address it."

He adds: "I think it's inevitable."

House of Commons
Parliament

Michael Gove says while the government is preparing in case of a no-deal, businesses need to get ready too.

If they don't, companies will "face challenges in trading goods and services with EU".

And citizens "need to act" if they are living abroad too, he says.