The Daily Politics

From one leadership contest to another, UKIP's only MP Douglas Carswell - who has ruled himself out of succeeding Nigel Farage - says there are plenty of strong contenders for the job. He names them as: Paul Nuttall, Suzanne Evans, Patrick O'Flynn, Diane James and Stephen Woolfe. They all bring real qualities, he adds.

And what of UKIP's future? Mr Carswell says the two-party system "isn't looking too healthy", adding: "We've seen an extraordinary number of people in England and Wales voting for a radical alternative".

The UKIP MP also predicts the "dysfunctional electoral system" won't be in tact for much longer. And it shouldn't end there - we need direct democracy, he adds.

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Commenting on the 1992 committee meeting with the PM, chairman Graham Brady says he's never seen the room so full. "The sense of goodwill in the party towards the prime minister and the feeling of reciprocation bodes well for the coming years," he tells the BBC.

But how long with that last? "We need to work at that but the most important thing is that we try to have disagreements quietly," Mr Brady adds. He says the big difference between the party and 20 years ago - when it was riven with internal divisions over Europe - is that this government is committed to having an EU referendum.

How will you ensure you make progress on the issue of the EU without allowing it to dominate the Tory agenda? "Because we all know it's in ours and the country's interest to take a balanced view on this," he says. There's still "a huge job" to build on the economic recovery and to address the constitutional future of the UK.

Emma Reynolds - formerly shadow housing minister - replaces Hilary Benn as shadow communities secretary.

Meanwhile Mr Benn will become shadow foreign secretary, replacing Douglas Alexander, who was one of the 39 Labour MPs swept away in the Scottish National Party's landslide north of the border.

Former shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Chris Leslie is promoted to shadow chancellor to replace Ed Balls, who lost his Morley & Outwood seat by 422 votes on Thursday.

The remainder of the shadow cabinet is unchanged:

+ shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt

+ shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker

+ shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint

+ shadow Commons leader Angela Eagle

+ shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher

+ shadow Northern Ireland secretary Ivan Lewis

+ shadow international development secretary Mary Creagh

+ shadow Wales secretary Owen Smith

+ shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle

+ shadow Cabinet Office minister Lucy Powell

+ shadow minister without portfolio and deputy Labour chair Jon Trickett

+ shadow women and equalities minister Gloria De Piero

+ shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant

+ shadow Lords leader Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

+ Labour chief whip in the Lords Lord Bassam of Brighton

The Daily Politics

Reflecting on Labour's election defeat, David Lammy, Tottenham MP, said it was "a devastating result" and shows the party is "back in its comfort zone" and perceived to be "a metropolitan liberal party".

Labour must appeal beyond its core vote to win power, he urges, as he says the agenda was "too narrow" under Ed Miliband. He's also scathing of the "35% strategy" - the idea that the party only need to get that share of the vote to win.

The Daily Politics

David Lammy has told the Daily Politics: "I am not going to be standing for the Labour leadership.

"I think we need a leader that can win back the Midlands, understand Scotland as well as the south.

"Actually we need to do better in London, my strengths are in London and the south therefore I want to be the Labour candidate for Mayor."

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Graham Stuart, former Education Committtee chair, has been at the 1992 committee of Conservative MPs - attended by the prime minister a little earlier. Mr Stuart says that what came out most strongly from the meeting was the need to put social justice at the centre of the party's work. Too often we've allowed our opponents to paint us as less interested in this, he adds.

What about Europe? He notes the "unity" of the party on Europe, saying the PM has got this one right. Regardless of the outcome of the renegotiation it's for the people to decide on our future membership of the EU. We promised a referendum - and that's what we'll deliver, he adds.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

The other notable appointment is Charlie (Lord) Falconer as shadow justice secretary, replacing Sadiq Khan who returns to the backbenches at his own request.

The likely leadership candidates - Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper and Chuka Umunna - all stay in their current positions.

Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Image source, PA

Acting Labour leader Harriet Harman has appointed a new shadow cabinet, which was necessary after shadow chancellor Ed Balls, shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander and shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran all lost their seats at the election.

Chris Leslie assumes the role of shadow chancellor, while Shabana Mahmood replaces him as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.

Hilary Benn has been appointed as shadow foreign secretary while Yvette Cooper remains in charge of her home affairs brief.

Ian Murray - as Labour's only MP in Scotland - has been made shadow Scottish secretary.

In a statement, Lord Sugar said that for the past year he found himself "losing confidence" in Labour due to its "negative business policies and the general anti-enterprise concepts they were considering if they were to be elected".

He will now sit as an crossbench - or independent - peer in the House of Lords.

Apprentice star and Labour peer Lord Sugar has announced that he is quitting the Labour Party. More to follow.