Boris Johnson news – live: By-election ‘neck and neck’ in Tory stronghold

For the Conservative Party to lose one by-election would be unfortunate – to lose two would be a sign it is at risk of foregoing its electoral footing, writes Professor John Curtice.

Read his full analysis here:

A collapse in Conservative support across the South-West of England could see the party lose 11 seats in a general election – and come within a hair’s breadth of losing the constituency of Jacob Rees-Mogg.

YouGov found that Tory vote share in the seats which they dubbed the “Conservative Celtic Fringe” has dropped a remarkable 19 points since the 2019 general election, leaving Boris Johnson’s party on 38 per cent in the region.

Our politics editor Andrew Woodcock reports:

Boris Johnson found it “utterly shocking” to witness the images and physical memorials of the genocide in Rwanda as he was led around a museum by survivors.

The prime minister bowed his head during a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where the remains of an estimated 250,000 people are interred.

Mr Johnson wrote a lengthy message in the visitors book before pausing at the flame of remembrance marking 28 years since the 100 days that saw Hutu extremists claim the lives of around 800,000 Tutsi and moderate Hutus.

“It has been utterly shocking to see these images, and so many physical memorials, of the appalling and inexplicable genocide against the Tutsis,” it read.

“We must do everything we can to ensure that human hearts never again are allowed to breed such hatred.”

Rail workers will “pause” and “consider” their position next week following three days of walkouts, a union boss has said.

Mick Lynch, secretary general of the RMT, spoke to Sky News earlier.

Watch some of his interview below:

Left-wingers in the Labour Party are upping the ante on the party’s MPs to support this week’s rail strike, after Keir Starmer banned frontbenchers from picket lines.

Our policy correspondent Jon Stone reports:

Boris Johnson is too busy to visit some of the accommodation sites in Rwanda earmarked for hosting asylum seekers deported from the UK, Downing Street has suggested.

Mr Johnson is in the African country for the first time since becoming prime minister.

But a No 10 spokesman suggested it would not be a good use of the PM’s time to visit the hotels, which are being paid for by UK taxpayers.

The spokesman said: “You will know that the prime minister’s time is always limited and to make time to do that he would therefore have to leave elements of the programme whereby he’s working with a unique set of world leaders on quite crucial issues.

“We think that the best use of his time for this short period he’s in Rwanda is to dedicate himself to some of the issues that will be raised at the summit and to work with other world leaders on some of those issues we’ve talked about, not least Ukraine and global security.”

A minister has called on people to avoid using wet wipes amid pressure to ban those containing plastic.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow asked that if members of the public do need to use wet wipes, they do not flush them down the toilet.

Labour MP Fleur Anderson has said a ban on wet wipes containing plastic is “very achievable” and has tabled legislation to bring it about.

But the Putney MP’s Plastics (Wet Wipes) Bill is unlikely to become law without Government support.

Speaking during a session of questions on the environment, food and rural affairs in the Commons, Ms Anderson told MPs: “Billions of wet wipes containing plastic are still being used across the country, causing environmental damage, blocking our sewers.”

She asked the minister to meet her to discuss a potential ban on those containing plastic following the end of a Government consultation on commonly littered single-use plastic items, which included wet wipes, in February.

Ms Pow responded: “Obviously we got a huge response to this call for evidence.

“We are working our way through the details and, of course, we have to make sure that, if a ban is brought in, it doesn’t have knock-on effects that will cause similar problems because, even though other wet wipes might be deemed suitable to flush, they still get stuck in sewers, so we have to be mindful of all of that.

“What I would say to everybody is if you don’t need to use a wet wipe don’t, but also don’t chuck them down the loo.”

As we’ve been reporting, voters are heading to the polls in two crucial by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton.

Boris Johnson is likely to come under pressure if the Tories lose both seats, while Keir Starmer will face tough questions if his party fails to get a victory in the ‘red wall’ seat of Wakefield in Yorkshire.

My colleague Joe Sommerlad looks at what time to expect the results from both:

Boris Johnson said he will stress the “obvious merits” of his Rwanda asylum policy to Prince Charles when they hold talks in Kigali, after they royal was reported to have called the stalled scheme “appalling”.

The prime minister struck out at “condescending” opponents of plans to forcibly remove migrants to the East African nation, as he prepared to defend the faltering policy on Friday when Charles hosts him for talks over cups of tea in the Rwandan capital, where they are attending a Commonwealth summit.

During an interview with broadcasters at a school in Kigali, Mr Johnson said: “People need to keep an open mind about the policy, the critics need to keep an open mind about the policy. A lot of people can see its obvious merits. So yeah, of course, if I am seeing the prince tomorrow, I am going to be making that point.”

Downing Street has given a non-committal response when asked if the true economic impact of Brexit will ever be known.

Asked if former Brexit minister Lord Frost was right to say the consequences may never be clear, a No 10 spokesman pointed to trade deals struck with countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

“Again, we’ve seen recently global pressures on things like energy prices and others that have caused instability in financial markets and in other sectors as well, and it’s had an impact on economies across the world,” he added.

“But as I say we’re committed to making sure that we realise all the benefits of Brexit as the prime minister said, and as Jacob Rees-Mogg set out in the House yesterday.”

Pressed on whether the extent of any benefits may never be know, economically speaking, he said: “As I say, we will see the benefits as we continue to reach more trade deals with countries across the globe and similarly the ability to control things like import tariffs and other economic levers that we now have full control over.”