Dominic Raab denies being abusive towards anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller – UK politics live

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Rail operators declare talks pinch Aslef to resoluteness salary conflict 'going backwards'

Steve Montgomery, chair of nan Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, told Sky News this greeting that negotiations pinch Aslef are “going backwards” and “the talks person not moved connected arsenic quickly arsenic we’d like”. He said:

We each understand that we want to springiness our unit a salary increase, [it’s] people important, peculiarly successful these economical climates.

But drivers’ mean wages are £60,000 astatine this moment. We are offering up to £65,000 complete 2 years. That’s rather a important summation for people.

Montgomery said he thought nan RDG was person to a woody pinch nan RMT union.

The departure committee astatine Euston position this morning, wherever trains are not moving because of nan obstruction strike. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

Aslef leader suggests obstruction strikes could proceed for years if drivers don't get due salary rise

As my workfellow Gwyn Topham reports, almost nary trains are moving successful England coming because of a onslaught by members of Aslef, nan obstruction drivers’ union.

This greeting Mick Whelan, nan Aslef wide secretary, suggested nan strikes could spell connected for years if his members grounded to get a decent salary rise. He told LBC this greeting that his members had not had a salary emergence for 4 years. Asked really agelong nan strikes mightiness continue, he replied:

I deliberation we’re successful this for nan agelong haul. How agelong is simply a portion of string?

If we don’t get a salary emergence for 4 years will it beryllium five, will it beryllium six, will it beryllium seven?

Will it beryllium stupid to extremity this now past restart it immoderate clip successful nan future, because you’d suffer immoderate impetus that you’ve gained?

Home Office shelves plans to location asylum seekers successful Southport Pontins

The Home Office has reportedly abandoned plans to location asylum successful a Pontins vacation parkland successful north-west England, my workfellow Jamie Grierson reports.

As mentioned earlier, Dominic Raab besides features successful a beforehand page communicative successful nan Times - albeit 1 that is much problematic for Rishi Sunak and Simon Case, nan furniture secretary. In their story, Henry Zeffman and Chris Smyth opportunity Case was told of a written title astir Raab’s curen of officials erstwhile he was justness caput earlier Sunak reappointed him to that role.

This is superior because, though Sunak and No 10 person not denied that concerns astir Raab’s behaviour were raised informally earlier Sunak put him successful his cabinet, they person insisted that Sunak was not alert of immoderate “formal” complaints,

In their communicative Zeffman and Smyth say:

Officials person told Adam Tolley, nan KC starring an enquiry into Raab’s conduct, that they judge No 10 was aware of a written complaint past summer. A group of mid-ranking civilian servants astatine nan MoJ complained successful March past twelvemonth that Raab had created a “perverse civilization of fear”, pinch officials visiting their GPs complete stress.

An charismatic intimately progressive successful nan title told The Times: “A general title was made successful March. Nobody said that it wasn’t a general complaint, aliases that it wasn’t submitted successful nan correct measurement aliases utilizing nan correct template. That conscionable ne'er happened. It was treated formally astatine nan time. Obviously — it was really superior stuff.”

Dominic Raab denies being abusive towards anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller

Good morning. And apologies for nan precocious start.

The aged Alastair Campbell norm astir how, if a ungraded keeps making nan beforehand pages for 7 days successful a statement (or 10, aliases 11, aliases 13 – nary 1 seems to cognize for judge nan nonstop number, including Campbell himself), a curate has to resign is starting to look ominous for Dominic Raab, nan justness caput and lawman premier minister. The online-only Independent has splashed connected a caller allegation against him from nan anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller.

Miller’s article is simply a beefed-up type of a declare she made connected Twitter early yesterday morning. She claims that erstwhile she appeared connected nan Today programme pinch Raab successful 2016 to statement Brexit, he was abusive towards her, describing her arsenic a rich | female trying to artifact nan will of nan people. She claims that she sewage nan amended of him by exposing nan truth that he had not publication her ineligible lawsuit (arguing that parliament had to o.k. nan determination to trigger article 50).

She goes on:

As we made our measurement retired of nan studio, nan young runner showed america to nan assistance and said he would meet america downstairs. As nan doors closed, Raab stared astatine maine and said: “I can’t dress up my mind if you’re naive, sewage excessively overmuch money aliases conscionable stupid. Just because you person heavy pockets and friends successful precocious ineligible places you deliberation you tin conscionable spell to tribunal to extremity nan will of nan people.”

I was stunned and stayed quiet.

Miller says Raab past mislaid his temper pinch a young BBC worker because nary car had been organised to return him away. She goes on:

Raab was fierce and intimidating, and I was bullied and demeaned. This was an fierce antheral expressing seemingly misogynistic behaviour. This benignant of behaviour is not acceptable from anyone, particularly not from a powerful, influential politician.

Raab has denied these claims. A root adjacent to him said:

These are baseless and malicious claims, timed to jump connected a governmental bandwagon and springiness Gina Miller nan publicity she craves.

Raab is besides connected nan beforehand of nan Times. More connected that soon.

Here is nan schedule for nan day.

9.30am: MPs statement backstage members’ bills.

11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.

I’ll effort to show nan comments beneath nan statement (BTL) but it is intolerable to publication them all. If you person a nonstop question, do see “Andrew” successful it location and I’m much apt to find it. I do effort to reply questions, and if they are of wide liking I will station nan mobility and reply supra nan statement (ATL), though I can’t committedness to do this for everyone.

If you want to pull my attraction quickly, it is astir apt amended to usage Twitter. I’m connected @AndrewSparrow.

Alternatively, you tin email maine astatine [email protected]