Shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey says it is "absolutely absurd and makes no sense" to advocate for Labour supporters to vote Tory.

Her comments come after former Labour MP Ian Austin said Jeremy Corbyn was "not fit" to be prime minister and voters should back Boris Johnson.

She said: "I hope, when Jeremy is prime minister, that he [Mr Austin] will change his mind."

"I think it is very sad. Ian did great work as an MP. He has been an Independent for some time and I don't think it is any secret that he differs on policy and he doesn't like Jeremy," she added.

BBC News Travel

A fault with the signalling system at Kenilworth is delaying rail services in the area.

Rob Mayor
Political reporter, BBC WM

Ian Austin has made his dislike of Jeremy Corbyn so clear over the last few years, he ended up quitting the Labour Party in February and becoming an independent MP.

Image source, PA Media

But publicly calling for people to vote Conservative next month is an extraordinary step for the man who has been a member of the Labour party since he was a teenager.

For him it’s a lack of action on anti-semitism that’s led him to this moment, though critics may suggest his wafer thin majority of just 22, the fourth smallest in the country, has played it’s part

Image source, Reuters

Meanwhile Labour activists in West Bromwich East were as surprised as anyone at the decision of Tom Watson to stand down.

There’s been shock and sadness from some, but others are happy to see the back of a deputy leader who so often clashed with Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Watson has gone on a health journey losing more than seven stone (46kg) and reversing his type two diabetes.

He says he wants to concentrate on becoming fitness instructor and writing a book, what odds on a Strictly Come Dancing appearance next year?

There has been a lot of reaction to former Labour MP Ian Austin expressing his criticism of the party leadership and calling on voters to back Boris Johnson.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says it should be made clear that Mr Austin "has been a very sharp critic of Jeremy Corbyn for a long time".

She says he made no secret of his anger over the handling of anti-Semitism allegations and "he quit the party in fury" a long time ago, but she reiterates that he was someone who was “Labour to his core, Labour to his fingertips”.

She adds: "For a former Labour man to go on the record – not just saying ‘I’m off, I’m not happy about the party’ - to recommend voting for their traditional enemy is quite something."

She says the Conservatives will look to capitalise on that moment and the clip “will go wild on social media”.

BBC Hereford and Worcester

As well as leaving thousands of homes without water, the burst main in Hereford this morning has also flooded the road.

It happened in the Putson area of the city and Welsh Water said the repairs haven't been easy because there is a high voltage cable in the ground nearby.

As you can see, the water appeared to be pretty deep in places.

Danny Shaw
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

It's rare for a police officer to be charged with murder following the death of someone they were in contact with on duty, as has happened today in the case of Dalian Atkinson.

Image source, ITFC

The last time this happened in the UK was five years ago when a retired Metropolitan Police firearms officer was acquitted of murdering a robbery suspect in London in 2005.

The exact circumstances of Mr Atkinson's death in Telford, Shropshire, in 2016 haven't been revealed and it's not known whether the Taser contributed to or caused his death.

However it is believed to be the first time an officer has been charged with murder after a person has been Tasered by police.

In 2017-18, police officers fired Tasers 1,872 times across England and Wales, according to Home Office statistics.

That's out of a total of 17,084 occasions when Tasers were used, such as being drawn or aimed.

Worcester News

A few of the headlines from the Worcester News:

• Bridge will 'open up Worcester and tackle congestion' as plans take huge step forward, external
• Knowles in Worcester to close down after 135 years in business, external
• City technology firm says it wants to relocate to controversial site, external

Allen Cook
BBC News

A police constable's appeared in court charged with the murder of retired footballer Dalian Atkinson who died after being Tasered.

Image source, Shaun Botterill/Allsport

The ex-Aston Villa striker, 48, was restrained by police officers at his father's house in Telford, Shropshire, on 15 August 2016.

The Crown Prosecution Service today announced the charging of two officers after the death.

They were referred at Birmingham Magistrates' Court to as constables A and B with A charged with murder - he was remanded into custody and not asked to enter a plea.

Constable B pleaded not guilty to causing actual bodily harm and was given bail.

Both are due to appear at Birmingham Crown Court later today.

BBC Business News

Bicycles and car parts retailer Halfords has revealed its half-year profits fell 2.5% to £27.5m.

Image source, Getty Images

The company, which has its head office in Redditch, blamed a drop in consumer confidence with customers delaying big purchases due to the current economic and political uncertainty.

The latest fall follows Halfords revealing an 18% drop in annual profits in May, to £58.8m.

Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke

One man's been given a conditional caution and three others released without charge after police said fireworks were thrown at cars.

Image source, Staffordshire Police

Staffordshire Police said , externalit happened on Bonfire Night on Waterloo Road, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent.

The four arrested were aged between 18 and 23.

BBC Sport

Championship strugglers Stoke City have made an official approach for Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill.

Image source, Inpho

The Potters, bottom of the table, are seeking a successor to Nathan Jones who was sacked on 1 November after just nine months in charge.

Former international player O'Neill, 50, has been NI boss for eight years, leading them to the Euro 2016 finals.

It is believed Stoke are negotiations with the Irish FA over how much compensation would have to be paid.

Shropshire Star

Here are some of the stories appearing on the Shropshire Star website this lunchtime:

• Police officer on murder charge over Taser death of footballer Dalian Atkinson in Telford, external
• Gas firm fined for delays to work in Shrewsbury town centre, external
• Shropshire landmark name-dropped by Christian Bale in new Hollywood blockbuster, external

Nicola Goodwin
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Work's ongoing to try and restore water to thousands of people in Hereford today.

Welsh Water said a water main burst in the Putson area, affecting up to 5,000 properties which either lost their supply altogether or are getting discoloured water. , external

Bottled water is being supplied to vulnerable residents and the firm admits it could take until this evening before it's fixed.

Several roads have been flooded today in Cheshire after heavy rain through the morning.

Part of the A51 Nantwich Road, Calverley, near Nantwich, has been shut by Cheshire East Council so water can be pumped away., external

Image source, Cheshire Police

While Gresty Lane in Shavington, near Crewe, is also closed due to flooding, Cheshire Police said., external

BBC News Travel

Trains are now being cancelled between Crewe and Chester due to the railway lines being flooded.

National Rail Enquiries tweeted, external disruption would now last until at least 14:00 and buses were replacing services "where available".

A man who claimed to have been carjacked at gunpoint has been arrested after officers found evidence he'd invented the story.

West Midlands Police say it could have been an attempt to cover up a drink drive crash.

Mobile phone footage was retrieved of the crash on Alum Rock Road after officers received reports the vehicle had been stolen by three men armed with a gun.

The video showed people fleeing the collision, including a man who was a "dead ringer" for the man claiming to have been robbed, the force said.

A 29-year-old man from Tyseley was arrested on suspicion drink driving and remains in police custody.

Hannah Wilson, 31, gave confidential details to others, including her sister, over 10 months.

Allen Cook
BBC News

A police officer's been charged with murder over the death of former footballer Dalian Atkinson who was shot with a Taser.

Image source, Getty Images

The ex-Aston Villa striker, 48, died in August 2016 after contact with officers at his father's house in Trench, Telford.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said two West Mercia Police officers were being charged, one with murder and manslaughter, the other with a charge of causing actual bodily harm.

The CPS said the officers hadn't been named as lawyers representing them would be asking the court to grant them anonymity.

Mr Atkinson's family's released a statement welcoming the decision to take the case to a jury trial.

Stoke-on-Trent Live

A few of the stories making the headlines on the Stoke-on-Trent Live website:

• First images of £18m Center Parcs-style holiday attraction opening in north Staffordshire, external
• Multi-million pound plan to open another new 900-pupil high school in Stoke-on-Trent, external
• Police hunt for duffle coat-wearing prowler peering through windows in early hours , external

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Ian Austin, an ex-Labour minister and former press secretary to Gordon Brown, said it was "enormously significant" that Tom Watson quit as deputy Labour leader and MP on Wednesday.

"If Tom thought that Jeremy Corbyn was fit to lead our country and fit to form a government, then he would have been in that Cabinet. Would he really be standing down?

"Anybody who has spoken to Tom knows what he thinks about Jeremy Corbyn.

"More importantly, they know how appalled he is, like so many other people, by the scandal of anti-semitisim that has poisoned the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership."

Tom Watson has in the past been very critical of the party's handling of anti-semitism, but he said last night his decision to stand down was for "personal, not political" reasons.

The former MP for West Bromwich added that he would continue to campaign for the party in the run up to the general election.

In an open letter to Mr Corbyn he thanked Mr Corbyn and paid tribute to their "shared interests" which he said were less well-known than their "political differences".

Mr Austin, the adoptive son of Czech Jewish refugees, quit the party in February accusing leader Jeremy Corbyn of failing to tackle anti-Semitism.

His majority was just 22 in 2017 and he told the Express & Star newspaper he would be standing down as an MP.