Summary

  • Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner tells Laura Kuenssberg that Labour is "determined" to meet its target of building 1.5 million new homes

  • She also says the government has plans to digitalise the land registry to speed up property purchases

  • Rayner says there will never be a consensus on what to do about Grenfell Tower, which the government said earlier this week will be demolished

  • Israeli President Isaac Herzog says he is concerned about the conditions of the Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas. However, he rejects claims of mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners

  • Four parents suing TikTok over their children's deaths call for tech giants to be held accountable for harmful content online

  • Tory MP Alex Burghart tells Laura the Conservatives will set out their migration plans before the next election - adding that anyone taking polls seriously this far ahead of a vote "needs to get a life"

Could the Tories do a deal with Reform?

Live Reporting

Edited by Tinshui Yeung and Jamie Whitehead

  1. Rayner’s focus last week: Council tax, elections and Grenfell

    It’s been a busy lead-up to today’s interview for deputy prime minister and local government secretary Angela Rayner.

    On Monday, there was the news that six areas have been given permission to bypass a 5% cap on council tax increases meaning bigger bills for millions of households.

    It was also announced that elections scheduled for May in nine English council areas have been postponed for one year due to reorganisation plans.

    And at a meeting she held with bereaved relatives and West London residents midweek it was confirmed that Grenfell Tower, the site of a devastating fire that killed 72 people in 2017, will be dismantled.

  2. Grenfell Tower to be demolished, confirms government

    Looking up from the ground at Grenfell Tower, a large apartment block covered in white cladding so you can’t see the shell of the building. There are two large black banners at the top. One has a green heart in it, the other says Grenfell, forever in our hearts. In the foreground is the top of a wall, which is green and has a green heart with the word Grenfell inside it.Reuters

    Almost eight years after 72 people died when Grenfell Tower caught on fire, the building will be taken down.

    The Labour government confirmed the plans on Friday, in a move they say will take two years and be carried out “sensitively”.

    The community is divided over the decision. Some are pleased, as they want the presence of the 2017 tragedy removed. Others say they want it to stay as a reminder.

    Angela Rayner attended a meeting with representatives of bereaved families and survivors on Wednesday. Downing Street said she did so to make sure they heard the government’s plan before anyone else.

    A faulty fridge caused the 2017 blaze, which ripped through the building which was covered in highly flammable cladding.

    A public inquiry concluded in September that the disaster had been the result of numerous government and construction industry failures.

  3. Parents suing TikTok over child deaths speak to Kuenssberg

    Hollie Dance and her son Archie smile for the cameraHollie Dance

    Hollie Dance and her son Archie

    Later this morning we will hear from parents who are taking TikTok to court.

    The social media company is being sued by the parents of four British teenagers who believe their children died after taking part in viral trends that circulated on the video-sharing platform in 2022.

    The wrongful death lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company ByteDance was filed on Thursday.

    The lawsuit claims Isaac Kenevan, Archie Battersbee, Julian "Jools" Sweeney and Maia Walsh died while attempting the so-called "blackout challenge".

    According to the firm, searches for videos or hashtags related to the challenge have been blocked on its app since 2020.

    The complaint was filed in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware on behalf of Archie's mother Hollie Dance, Isaac's mum Lisa Kenevan, Jools' mother Ellen Roome and Maia's dad Liam Walsh. We'll meet the four parents on the programme today.

  4. Health minister Andrew Gwynne sacked over offensive messages

    Former health minister Andrew GwynnePA Media

    Health minister Andrew Gwynne has been sacked after a newspaper revealed he sent a string of offensive and abusive WhatsApp messages.

    The MP for Gorton and Denton was also suspended from the Labour Party after the Mail on Sunday reported the messages, which insulted constituents, fellow MPs and councillors.

    A government spokesperson said Prime Minister Keir Starmer was "determined to uphold high standards of those in public office" and "will not hesitate to take action against any minister who fails to meet these standards".

    Gwynne said on X that he was sorry for any offence caused by the "badly misjudged" comments.

    You can read the full story here.

  5. Good morning and welcome

    It’s that time again – Laura Kuenssberg is here to break down the day’s big political stories and put politicians to the test.

    The show starts at 09:00 GMT, but until then, we’ll bring you up to speed on the key issues and a bit of background on this week’s guests.

    Today, we’ll hear from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Conservative frontbencher Alex Burghart.

    We’ll also speak to four parents who sued TikTok, saying their children died after taking part in viral trends on the platform in 2022.

    We’ll get into all the details shortly, along with the latest updates and analysis.

    And don’t forget, when the programme starts, you’ll be able to watch it at the top of this page.