Theresa May should not be taking to the stage in Birmingham this Sunday. It’s a highly unusual move for a party’s leader to address its conference on day one, before it has even got into its swing: Traditionally the leader only appears on stage to close out proceedings.

This subtle but significant decision points to a simple truth: though the past year’s dramatic Labour infighting has distracted from it, the Tory party is facing one of the biggest ideological crises in its history.

On the surface, the split is simple and clear – it’s between Remain-backing Tories who fear Theresa May will take Britain out of the EU single market and customs union – a so-called “hard Brexit”, and Leave supporters who argue that this is in fact exactly what the British public voted for.

May will address the issue on day one, in a session entitled “Global Britain: making a success of Brexit”, alongside three of her pro-leave ministers: Brexit secretary David Davis, International Development secretary Priti Patel, and Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/alanwhite/the-tory-party-is-bracing-itself-for-all-out-brexit-war

The former leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, has flown to the US to coach the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, for his next debate with Hillary Clinton.

Farage, who announced he would step down as leader of Ukip less than two weeks after the country voted to leave the European Union, left for the US after the first presidential debate, which it is now widely accepted Clinton won.

...

Bringing in Farage suggests he is keen to sharpen his debating skills. Politics aside, Farage is considered a skilled orator and debater. In the days leading up to the June EU referendum vote, the then prime minister, David Cameron, refused to debate with him, agreeing only to appear on the same programme. And following a one-on-one televised clash with former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg on the issue of Europe, polls suggested viewers were swayed by Farage.

However, Farage is unlikely to steer Trump away from making outlandish and controversial remarks, to which Farage is no stranger. In debates, speeches and radio station appearances, the former Ukip leader has called for immigrants with HIV to be banned from Britain, said he would be concerned if his neighbours were Romanian, suggested breastfeeding mothers should “sit in a corner”, and said women were paid less because they were simply “worth far less”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/01/nigel-farage-donald-trump-ukip-presidential-debate-us

Ukip denies that Nigel Farage is coaching Donald Trump for next debate

Ukip has denied reports that Nigel Farage has flown to the US to coach the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, for his next debate with Hillary Clinton.

Farage hinted in his farewell speech at Ukip’s conference last month that he might return to Trump’s side following an appearance with the Republican candidate in August, saying: “Who knows, I may even go back to the United States of America at some point.” Ukip sources at the conference also confirmed Farage would travel to the US to help support Trump before the election.

It had been reported that Farage, who announced he would step down as leader of Ukip less than two weeks after the country voted to leave the European Union, left for the US after the first presidential debate, which it is now widely accepted Clinton won.

A Ukip spokesman denied the reports but did not confirm or deny if Farage would be heading to the US in the future.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/01/nigel-farage-donald-trump-ukip-presidential-debate-us

Explosive new book by No10 spin chief reveals the inside story of Brexit

* No10 became so fed up with Theresa May disappearing during the Brexit campaign they nicknamed her 'Submarine May'
* Boris Johnson reassured Cameron in secret text Brexit would be 'crushed' – nine minutes before putting himself at the head of the Leave campaign
* Michael Gove went back on a pledge made to Cameron at a family gathering at Chequers at Christmas to stay loyal to him in the referendum
* Cameron considered clinging to power after losing the vote, but decided against it as it would leave him 'being prepared for the slaughterhouse'
* Revelations made by Craig Oliver, who was PM's head of communications

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3805977/How-Theresa-torpedoed-Cameron-Boris-Johnson-said-Leave-LOSE-Explosive-new-book-No10-reveals-inside-story-Brexit.html

William Keegan

Shortly before the fateful referendum, Lord Carrington, the Tory party’s most distinguished elder statesman, was at a Sunday lunch in the country, listening patiently to the younger element discussing the merits or otherwise of one Alexander (Boris) Johnson. When they eventually paused for breath, the great man spoke, and brought the conversation to a halt with the simple remark: “Anyway, he won’t do.”

I recalled this episode last week when Ken Clarke, one of my favourite Tories of the generation after Carrington, and now in turn very much an elder statesman in his own right, was reported as saying something that could be paraphrased as “anyway, the referendum won’t do”.

What Ken apparently wrote in an email to a constituent was that most politicians “paid lip-service to the supposedly democratic nature of the [referendum] exercise”, but he would do his best “to contribute to mitigating the disaster that this decision on 23 June might otherwise cause”.

He said he would probably vote against any move to trigger, via the infamous article 50, the Brexit process, and noted the shambles the government has already got itself into over trying to square the circle of remaining in the single market and customs union while satisfying the anti-immigration lobby.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/sep/17/brexit-not-time-to-move-on-time-to-fight-eu-referendum?CMP=share_btn_tw

Skinner: "Half the Tory Members opposite are crooks"

Speaker: "The honourable member MUST withdraw that remark"

Skinner: "OK, half the Tories are NOT crooks"