Image source, Conservative Party

During the swearing in of MPs following the general election, Conservative minister Rory Stewart was asked if he wanted to swear or affirm.

He said: "Whatever is the most old-fashioned, traditional."

Told he would be taking the oath on a holy text, Mr Stewart replied: "That sounds good."

More on the State Opening of Parliament by the Queen...

The auspicious occasion is due is to take place on 21 June, after being delayed by two days by the inconclusive outcome of last week's general election.

The new date for the event, which will feature the Queen's Speech setting out the government's legislative programme for the coming year, was announced by Commons leader Andrea Leadsom.

It comes as negotiations continue between Theresa May's Conservatives and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) over a deal under which the Northern Irish party could prop up a minority Tory administration.

In a statement, Mrs Leadsom said: "The government has agreed with Buckingham Palace that the State Opening of Parliament will take place on 21 June 2017."

The State Opening was initially scheduled for 19 June - the same date when Brexit negotiations were due to begin in Brussels.

It is not yet clear whether the EU withdrawal talks will go ahead on that day, although Brexit Secretary David Davis has said they will start "next week".

The World Tonight

The Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland, Alistair Carmichael, who has worked closely with Tim Farron, says he has probably done the right thing by resigning, but the decision would not have been easy.

Mr Carmichael blames the media for badly treating Mr Farron, saying that they went at him "like a dog with a bone".

The State Opening of Parliament and Queen's Speech will take place on Wednesday 21 June, the Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom has announced.

Victoria Derbyshire

More from Labour housing spokesman John Healey, who says the government should act upon the coroner's recommendations following the 2009 fire at Lakanal House tower block in Camberwell, which claimed six lives.

He says he is glad the PM has announced a review, but says the government should start installing sprinkler systems in the highest risk high rise blocks, overhaul building regulations and make sure there's better, clearer advice and information for residents about what to do if they face a blaze.

Mr Healey says he will be joining Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in a visit to the scene later to meet firefighters and some of the people staffing community rescue centres which have been "totally swamped with clothes, blankets, food and love".

Image source, Getty Images

Theresa May has arrived back at Downing Street following a private visit to the site of the Grenfell Tower in west London.

Sources say she received a briefing from emergency services and spoke to front line staff.

Victoria Derbyshire

Labour's housing spokesman John Healey says a minister will come to the House of Commons this afternoon to answer questions about the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

"A minister will come - there will be a public session - he will make a statement," he told BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme.

He said MPs, particularly those who represent areas around the scene "who've been working with people who've been trying to deal with this terrible terrible fire" will have a chance to start asking questions.

House of Commons
Parliament

The Scottish Conservatives won 13 seats in 2017 - the party's best performance in the country since 1983.

The party unseated some high-profile SNP MPs in the process.

Douglas Ross (pictured) defeated the SNP's former Westminster leader, Angus Robertson, in Moray.

Luke Graham defeated Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh in Ochil and South Perthshire.

Stephen Kerr, who narrowly defeated the SNP in Stirling, swears on the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon.

Conservative Rishi Sunak is (we think) the first MP to swear on the Gita, a Hindu holy text.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

The Bank of England is widely expected to announce it is keeping interest rates on hold later, but some believe that's a bad idea.

Andew Sentance, an economist at PwC and former MPC member, says: "Inflation has gone up partly because the exchange rate has been weak and a higher level of interest rates would actually support the exchange rate.

"Secondly, we do need a process of normalisation and they should have started this two or three years ago, gradually pushing interest rates up."

Instead, he says consumers are being squeezed and savers have suffered from near-zero level interest rates.

Image source, Getty Images

Retail sales volumes grew at 0.9% in May 2017, compared with May 2016 - the joint slowest rate since April 2013.

The ONS also said that sales volumes grew 0.6% in the three months to May.

Theresa May has arrived at the scene of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and is meeting residents and firefighters in what is being described as a private visit.

Image source, AFP

Image source, PA

House of Commons
Parliament

The new SNP MP for Glasgow East, David Linden, affirms in the Scottish style, which involves holding the right hand in the air.

He won his seat with a majority of just 75 over Labour.

House of Commons
Parliament

Here's Plaid Cymru's new leader at Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts.

House of Commons
Parliament

Liberal Democrat Stephen Lloyd returns to the Commons after losing his Eastbourne seat in 2015.

Mr Lloyd represented Eastbourne from 2005 until 2015, then regained the seat from Conservative Caroline Ansell in the 2017 general election with a narrow majority of just over 1,600.

House of Commons
Parliament

A cohort of the new Scottish Conservatives are sworn in, starting with Andrew Bowie, MP for Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine.