Image source, PA Media

We've been hearing the home secretary discuss the France 'one in, one out' plan this morning.

As a reminder, the pilot scheme agreed with Emmanuel Macron earlier this summer will see some people arriving in the UK on small boats detained and returned to France.

The UK will then accept an equal number of asylum seekers who have not tried to cross in a small boat and can pass security and eligibility checks.

UK officials aim to make referrals for returns to France within three days of a migrant's arrival by small boat, with French authorities responding within 14 days.

Meanwhile, to enter the UK via a safe route, adults and families in France can apply through an online platform, and are subject to the same rules as other asylum seekers.

The government envisions the scheme will only apply to a small number of people initially, but say it could grow to become a significant deterrent against making the dangerous crossing.

It's put to Cooper that the number of asylum seekers in hotel accommodation has barely dropped since Labour came to power.

Yesterday, the prime minister indicated he wanted to bring forward a deadline to end the use of hotels by 2029, but did not give a new date.

"We want to do it more swiftly - we do believe it can be done more quickly," she says. "But we've got to clear the backlog."

She says that means overhauling the appeals system, as people are in hotels waiting for their cases to be heard.

That's the end of Cooper's first interview of the morning - but we'll be hearing again from her very shortly on Radio 4.

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The home secretary is pushed on how many people the government is expecting to return under a scheme agreed with France by the end of this month.

That will see a minority of people who have crossed the Channel in small boats potentially sent back to France, in return for the UK taking in an equal number. The government says this is a deterrent against crossing the Channel illegally.

Cooper refuses to give a figure, but says it will only be the "first phase" and part of a "step-by-step" approach.

She says 35,000 failed asylum seekers were returned during the government's first year in power, a 28% increase.

But Cooper accepts that small boat crossings are a serious problem and says the police need counter-terrorism powers to tackle criminal gangs.

The home secretary says "you have to tackle every single bit of the system" in the face of 110,000 claiming asylum in the UK last year.

This is why, she says, the government is changing family reunion rules, boosting border security, and why there is a pilot scheme to return some asylum seekers to France.

"This is serious and steady graft to turn this chaos around," Cooper says, pointing out return rates for failed asylum seekers have increased.

She describes the measures being taken together as part of a "full overhaul" of the system.

As we've been reporting, the government is actively contacting international students to warn them they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas after their studies.

Cooper says that the policy is one of a number of measures designed to make the asylum system "ordered and controlled again".

She says that up to 15,000 students each year claim asylum at the end of their study visa, even when things haven't changed in their home country, which increases the demand on accommodation.

But Cooper stresses that the government will still do its bit to support genuine refugees, giving the example of helping students from Gaza.

We're now hearing from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper for the first time this morning.

She's being interviewed on BBC Breakfast now. After that, she'll take questions on BBC Radio 4's Today programme at 08:10 BST.

We'll be bringing you all the key lines here, but remember that you can also watch both interviews live at the top of this page.

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Keir Starmer is preparing to gather his cabinet for the first time this parliamentary term, a day after overhauling his Downing Street operation.

That saw Rachel Reeves' number two in the Treasury, Darren Jones, take up the brand new role of chief secretary to the prime minister, and James Murray replace him as the Chancellor's deputy.

Former Treasury official Dan York Smith has been appointed Sir Keir's principal private secretary, and ex-Bank of England deputy governor Baroness Minouche Shafik his chief economic adviser.

Tim Allan, a former aide to Tony Blair, has returned to government as an executive director of communications.

Allan advised Blair in the 1990s, first in opposition and then taking on a Downing Street communications role when Labour won power.

In case you missed it yesterday, our chief political correspondent dug into why Starmer wanted to tweak his No 10 operation.

Away from the asylum changes announced on Monday, the Home Office has also launched a drive to warn tens of thousands of foreign students they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas.

The Home Office has contacted people directly in response to what it has called an "alarming" spike in the number of international students arriving legally on student visas, then claiming asylum when they expire.

As part of the campaign, the Home Office has for the first time proactively contacted international students directly by text and email.

Under the plans, about 130,000 students and their families in total will be sent a message telling them: "If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave.

"If you don't, we will remove you."

A little later this morning, Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair the first cabinet meeting since Parliament returned from its summer recess.

There will largely be familiar faces taking their seats around the table, after Starmer decided against a significant reshuffle of his cabinet.

However, former chief secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones was moved from the Treasury and given a new role: chief secretary to the prime minister.

That was the most notable move in a shake-up of Starmer's No 10 team - which, he told the BBC, heralds "phase two" of his government.

• On family reunion applications: The government is temporarily suspending new applications for a scheme allowing refugees to bring their family members to the UK. This would mean refugees face the same restrictions as other migrants hoping to bring family to join them
• On the 'one in, one out' deal: The home secretary also said the government aims to return the first migrants crossing the Channel in small boats back to France by the end of this month. This would be in exchange for others coming the other way
• Asylum appeals system: Cooper readdressed previously announced plans to overhaul the asylum appeals system, as she tries to cut the number of migrants staying in hotels while they await a ruling. It appears this plan "is still in the works", our home and legal correspondent wrote yesterday

• European Convention on Human Rights: Cooper says she plans to change the way Article 8 of the ECHR - the right to respect for private and family life - is interpreted and applied to immigration cases, but did not reveal much detail about how this would work in practice

Good morning.

The return of Parliament on Monday was marked by the announcement of changes to the UK asylum system.

The home secretary informed MPs of her plans in a Commons statement, after a summer dominated by criticism of the continued use of hotels to house asylum seekers.

Among several measures, Yvette Cooper said the government was temporarily suspending new applications for a scheme allowing refugees to bring their family members to the UK - more detail on that here.

This morning, Cooper's plans will face further scrutiny. She's due to appear on BBC Breakfast at 07:30 BST and BBC Radio 4's Today programme at 08:10 BST.

We'll cover the key lines from that interview on this page. Follow along by tapping watch live above.

Image source, PA/House of Commons

The summer recess has come firmly to an end today, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announcing an "overhaul" of the asylum system this afternoon.

This will see the UK temporarily suspend applications for refugees via the family reunion route until a new framework is introduced, she told MPs in the House of Commons.

The announcement has received backlash from the Conservatives, who say it won't be enough - and from charities, who say it will only encourage more people to make dangerous Channel crossings.

Her statement came after Keir Starmer announced a shake-up to his top team in Downing Street, bringing senior minister Darren Jones into the newly created post of chief secretary to the prime minister.

In an interview with the BBC, the PM said his government was entering "phase two". The focus will be on "delivery, delivery, delivery," he said.

Starmer has tried to thread the needle on some hot topics today, but the political temperature could go up if the public doesn't see clear benefits, our chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman writes.

Also in the Commons, Foreign Secretary David Lammy took questions on the government's Middle East policy, including its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood at an upcoming UN General Assembly meeting unless Israel meets certain conditions.

We're pausing our live coverage now, but you can read more about Cooper's announcement in our news story.

We can bring you more reaction now to the reforms to the asylum system announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Today's announcement will "cut off one of the only safe and managed routes" for children seeking protection, says Mubeen Bhutta, director of policy at British Red Cross.

Women and children make up the "vast majority" of those using family reunion visas, says Bhutta, and they are "often trapped in very dangerous situations". Suspending family reunion "will have a devastating impact" she says, and could encourage children to make risky journeys to the UK to join parents.

Suspension of family reunion is "simply wrong" and will have "disastrous consequences" for unaccompanied children and refugee families, says Gunes Kalkan of Safe Passage.

"This decision will leave them [children] stuck along and in camps, with no way to reach family or safety" he says, adding that many of these children from from "conflict and high human rights abuse areas".

Kalkan calls instead for an expansion of family reunion for refugees and for new safe pathways to be opened.

Image source, House of Commons

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn asks Lammy to be clearer with the House about the UK's arms sales to Israel.

The independent MP, who recently launched a new left-wing party, asks the foreign secretary if the UK is still supplying parts for F35 jets that are used by Israel to bomb Gaza.

He also asks if intel from RAF planes flying over the territory is being shared with Israel's military.

"Does he not realise that if we supply arms to a country that's complicit in war crimes including genocide, we are also complicit in those war crimes?" Corbyn asks.

"It is absolutely my job to make sure we are not complicit," says Lammy. "That's why we are not selling arms that could be used in Gaza. That's why we are not selling direct F35 kit to Israel."

As for the RAF reconnaissance flights over Gaza - the "only reason" for these is to "support hostage release", he adds.

Ellie Chowns, Green Party MP for North Herefordshire is up next, asking Lammy when the government "take action" to end the war in Gaza.

Lammy replies by saying the UK is ahead of some of its European partners.

The UK "banned arms sales that could be used in Israel" last September, whereas Germany did just a few weeks ago, he says. You can read more about arms sales to Israel in this BBC Verify explainer.

"Three rounds of sanctions" have also been levied against Israeli settlers, he adds, an action which France is yet to take.

He tells Chowns the UK is not being recognised for "leading globally" in this regard, who appears visibly frustrated by Lammy's reply.

Lib Dem MP Edward Morello asks Lammy why the UK does not "immediately" recognise a Palestinian state.

The government has previously said it would do so at the next UN General Assembly meeting in September unless Israel meets certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire.

But with the Netanyahu government increasing its activity in Gaza, what does Lammy expect to change before that meeting?

"Diplomacy is failing until it succeeds," Lammy replies. So he will not "give in" to Morello's "pessimism".

Lammy recalls a "warm embrace" he received from the Palestinian Authority's Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa at a UN meeting.

We continue to work alongside the Palestinian Authority as we make these judgements, Lammy says.

Responding to Patel, Lammy says there can be no role for Hamas, the hostages must be released, and that Gaza needs to be demilitarised, adding Labour is working with partners to try and set out a new governance arrangement for Gaza.

He adds that the government is working with the Palestinian Authority on possible reform, saying it must have a role going forward.

On aid, Lammy says he isn't sure there needs to be new solutions, saying instead that focus should be on supporting the existing mechanisms operated by the UN.

A two-state solution has been a united position of every party in the Commons, Lammy says.

He adds that unless there is a "breakthrough" on a ceasefire, the UK "will move to full recognition" of a Palestinian state at the next UN General Assembly in September, as it has set out previously.

Image source, House of Commons

Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel now responds for the Conservatives.

She references first the hostages held in Gaza by Hamas, who she says are now approaching 700 days in captivity.

"The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire," she says, adding: "We all want an urgent and sustainable end" to the conflict.

She puts three questions to the foreign secretary. Is there any action to put more pressure on Hamas? Is the UK involved in UN efforts to broker a hostage release deal? Is the UK working to mediate with the government of Israel?

Recognising a Palestinian state "should not happen" while there are hostages in captivity, she says.

• For context: Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in July that the UK will recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel meets certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in Gaza and reviving the prospect of a two-state solution

Image source, House of Commons

Before taking questions, Lammy gives the Commons an update on Iran.

He relays to MPs the decision in August by the UK, France and Germany to begin the process of restoring major UN sanctions on Iran - lifted under a 2015 deal - as tensions escalate over Tehran's nuclear programme.

The move triggers a so-called "snapback mechanism", which could result in the return of sanctions in 30 days.

Lammy says the decision was "not made lightly".

"I regret Iran has not complied with legal obligations nor chosen path of diplomacy. So, we have no choice but to act," he says.

He says this is "not the end of diplomacy" and that Iran still has time to meet the UK's full conditions.

An additional £15m will go towards funding aid and medical care for Gaza, Lammy announces.

The government is also working to get more injured and critically ill children from Gaza into the UK for treatment, he continues

He says the first patients are expected to arrive "in the coming weeks".

But this "relies entirely on Israeli permissions", Lammy says. He adds that he is pressing the Israeli government for this to happen "as quickly as possible".