Westminster today - as it happened: MPs vote down plan for Leveson part two inquiry

Jeremy Corbyn taunts Theresa May over Boris Johnson's 'crazy' comments

MPs have rejected a new statuary inquiry – dubbed Leveson part two – into relations between the media and the police by 304 votes to 295.

The amendment was put forward by the former Labour leader Ed Miliband, who during the Commons debate accused ministers of “fearing” the press and said their actions had been “contemptible”.

Labour also abandoned an attempt to force media organisations to pay all legal costs in libel cases whether they win or lose, unless they sign up to a state-backed regulator.

It came after Theresa May was challenged at Prime Minister's Questions today over the stark split in the Cabinet over post-Brexit customs arrangements with the EU, after Boris Johnson branded her proposals "crazy".

Jeremy Corbyn taunted the prime minister - asking her whether she agreed with her Foreign Secretary, or with her business secretary, Greg Clark, who supports the "customs partnership" idea.

Ms May was unable to answer - or say whether her customs plans would be ready for the end of the transition period she hopes to agree, ending in 2020.

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Key Points

• MPs vote down a Leveson part two inquiry into the press by 304-295
• Corbyn mocks May at Prime Minister's Questions, asking whether her 'customs partnership' proposal is 'crazy'
• Boris Johnson says UK has no intention of walking away from Iranian nuclear deal
• As Emily Thornberry says Donald Trump risks creating a 'nuclear arms race' in the Middle East

[9 May 2018 16:55 · Ashley Cowburn]

Mr Miliband tweeted: "Very disappointed for the victims of phone-hacking and press abuse that we did not win the vote for Leveson 2.

"The battle goes on to keep our promise to them to get the truth they deserve and protection for victims in the future."

[9 May 2018 17:11 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 May 2018 17:36 · Ashley Cowburn]

During the Downing Street briefing this afternoon, it was announced that Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish President, will come to the UK next week for talks with Theresa May. 

More here from the Press Association: 

Number 10 said that his trip would be an opportunity for Britain and Turkey to demonstrate their close relationship.

Mrs May met Mr Erdogan in Turkey on a one-day visit in January last year, when they agreed a £100 million defence deal to help develop fighter jets for the Turkish air force.

Mr Erdogan has been widely accused of a campaign of repression against perceived opponents in the press, academia and judiciary following an unsuccessful coup in 2016.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "The visit is an opportunity for the UK and Turkey to demonstrate our close bilateral relationship and to have important discussions about issues of shared interest."

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas MP, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign against a hard Brexit, said: "As we hurtle towards Brexit it's clear that the Government is increasingly willing to cosy up to repressive leaders from across the world.

"President Erdogan is an autocrat, who inflicts serious harm on his own population - yet we've flogged him millions of pounds worth of weapons and now we're inviting him over for tea.

"It would be utterly appalling if Theresa May doesn't take this opportunity to stand up to Erdogan's human rights abuses, and if the only outcome from these meetings was smiling photos with a leader who we're desperately trying to court before the Brexit crunch begins.

[9 May 2018 18:11 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 May 2018 18:17 · Ashley Cowburn]

[9 May 2018 18:24 · Ashley Cowburn]

MPs have also defeated Labour's new clause four, which sought to introduce a "Bill of 

Data Rights in the Digital Environment", by 283 votes to 309, majority 26. 

[9 May 2018 18:47 · Ashley Cowburn]

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You can see highlights from today's events in Westminster below.