Campaign countdown - PMQS 4 February

1. David Cameron and Ed Miliband clash over their tax and business policies at Prime Minister's Questions
2. Sir John Chilcot hopes will not set date for his report of his inquiry into the Iraq War
3. Control of Rotherham council to be handed over to commissioners after child abuse scandal; New Zealand judge to head historical abuse inquiry
4. Rolling coverage from the BBC's political team - from Today and Breakfast through to Newsnight and Today in Parliament

Goodnight

That's all from the Politics Live team for tonight, at the end of a day which saw the home secretary announce that the inquiry into historical child sexual abuse will be led by a High Court judge from New Zealand and will have statutory powers. Earlier, the chairman of the inquiry into the Iraq War, Sir John Chilcot, told MPs that the publication of his report "must not be rushed". And at Prime Minister's questions, David Cameron seized on shadow chancellor Ed Balls' failure to recall the full name of one of Labour's main business supporters as evidence that Labour was "anti-business". But Labour leader Ed Miliband hit back, saying the Tories were the party "of Mayfair hedge funds and Monaco tax avoiders".

We'll be back at 06:00, with the latest news and comment, including from the Today programme and BBC Breakfast.

Gordon Brown's last Commons speech?

Gordon Brown's speech earlier could have been his final Commons address. The former Labour prime minister warned David Cameron that Conservative plans for English votes for English laws could have "lit the fuse which ultimately blows the Union apart". Mr Brown, first elected 32 years ago, is standing down at the next election. He told the debate the Tory plan created two classes of MPs, which had never proved successful anywhere in the world.

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News UK

tweets: The i: Archbishop takes on the tax dodgers via @hendopolis #tomorrowspaperstoday#bbcpapers

The i

Going back to the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt's comments on LBC radio about introducing an "online version" of the NHS 111 care line in future. An online sympton checker does already exist on the NHS Choices website. It promises to provide users with self care information and other advice about seeking help.

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News, UK

tweets: Thursday's Independent: "Private education, private education, private education" (via @hendopolis) #BBCPapers

The Independent

Abuse inquiry head interviewed

How will the head of new statutory inquiry into historical child sex abuse in England and Wales approach her duties? New Zealand judge Lowell Goddard will be speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme at 08:10 GMT on Thursday. The 66-year-old is a serving judge of the High Court of New Zealand and UN committee member who has experience of working with victims of sexual assault. A reminder that you can read more about her background here.

Home Office

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News, UK

tweets: Thursday's Financial Times: "Tories double number of big City donors in five years" (via @hendopolis) #BBCPapers

Financial Times

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News, UK

tweets: Thursday's Times: "Rotherham: finally the truth behind the lies" (via @hendopolis) #TomorrowsPapersToday #BBCPapers

The Times

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News UK

tweets: Thursday's Express: "£100,000 boost for your pension" (via @hendopolis) #TomorrowsPapersToday #BBCPapers

Daily Express

Euro crisis back on the agenda

The Financial Times

The European Central Bank's governing council has decided to bring forward tighter rules on cash access for Greek banks, reports the Financial Times. Could the political attention on Thursday switch back to the debt crisis in Europe?

BBC Newsnight

BBC Two, 22:30

Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy is sounding upbeat, despite the poll looking at 16 Scottish general election constituencies which suggests the SNP was ahead in 15 of them. Speaking to BBC Newsnight, he predicts that "numbers will switch during the campaign" when voters start to consider the candidates for prime minister.

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News, UK

tweets: MAIL: At last! A crackdown on foreign patients abusing the NHS #tomorrowspaperstoday #BBCPapers

Daily Mail

Tomorrow's papers

BBC News, UK

tweets: Thursday's Telegraph: "Fees cap boosts pensions by £100,000" (via @hendopolis) #TomorrowsPapersToday #BBCPapers

Daily Telegraph

IFS - UK spending squeeze to be biggest in developed world

Another interesting angle in the IFS report is its comparison of UK spending plans with other advanced economies. If current government plans are pursued, Britain would cut spending by more than any of the 32 most advanced economies, including austerity-hit Greece. The Daily Telegraph highlights the Institute's suggestion tax rises might be preferred to the deepest cuts. It quotes the report: "None of the parties is talking about significant tax rises, but history suggests that general elections tend to be followed by tax rises. The first year after each of the last five elections has seen the announcement of net tax rises of more than £5bn in today's terms.

Beth Rigby, Financial Times deputy political editor

tweets: Number of big City backers for Tories doubles: http://on.ft.com/1CvSv9b > FT analysis finds big increase in City support for Cameron

Remembering names

The shadow chancellor has attracted much comment for forgetting what someone was called. Ed Balls has put it down to an "age thing" and Dr Phil Beaman, associate professor of cognitive science from the University of Reading agrees the "phenomenon can increase" as people get older. He also says is likely to be worse when tired or under stress "both of which may well apply to a leading politician giving a high-profile interview at the start of an election campaign".

But what's the best way to remember names - and how do you get out of a tight spot when you've forgotten them again? Ben Milne from the BBC News website Magazine offers some suggestions.

BBC

Good economy

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been speaking at an event in Westminster organised by the all-party parliamentary group on inclusive growth. The Most Rev Justin Welby said the paying of the living wage, good and affordable housing, and excellent education and training are all key to a "good economy". A former oil trader, the Archbishop has been vocal on economic matters.

"There is no such thing as a level playing field if human beings are involved, there's no such thing as a fully fair and free market, it doesn't exist," he told the gathering, which also heard from CBI head Sir Michael Rake and Frances O'Grady, general secretary of the TUC.

PA

Sunnier times ahead for some - IFS

The IFS report makes more cheerful reading for people unlikely to be affected by public spending cuts. It predicts zero inflation and 3% growth this year with what one of its authors calls "a big turnaround in household finances". According to the IFS, Labour and the Liberal Democrats' plans require departmental spending cuts of £5.2bn and £7.9bn respectively. If either Labour or the Tories were to maintain their fiscal plans into the 2020s, the national debt would fall by 19% of GDP under the Tories and 9% under Labour. In favour of the deeper cuts is the argument that less public debt would make it easier for the UK to withstand another global economic shock comparable to 2007-8.

Online 111 help?

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has suggested people who are feeling unwell could be diagnosed at home by their computers in future. He told LBC radio ministers hoped to introduce an online version of the NHS 111 care line within the next two years, as the government seeks to ease pressure on accident and emergency units in England.

Earlier this month it was reported that there has a big increase in the number of people being referred to GP surgeries and A&E departments, after ringing the NHS 111 urgent care line in England. It prompted the British Medical Association to suggest that non-clinically trained staff were incorrectly directing people to busy hospitals and GP surgeries.

PA

IFS study 'sharpens party divide'

Today's Green Budget from the Institute of Fiscal Studies looks set to give all sides in the campaign something to chew on. The report, which looks at options and issues ahead of next month's real Budget, is positive about growth but says the worst of the public spending cuts are still to come. It says if the Conservatives lead the next government and stick with the plans announced in last year's Autumn Statement, spending cuts of £51.4bn or 14.1% will be needed within the next parliament. That would cut public spending to its lowest share of national income since at least 1948 and mean fewer people working in the public sector than at any time since 1971.

According to BBC economics editor, Robert Peston, the IFS has starkly illustrated the central economic choice facing voters in May: Bigger cuts with a Tory or Tory-led government; higher public sector debt with a Labour one.

Chris Mason, BBC Political Correspondent

tweets: Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael: "there is going to be no easy answer here, there is absolutely no quick fix to this."

Commons rises

House of Commons

Parliament

Debate in the Commons ended shortly before 20:00 GMT. Business resumes at 09:30 GMT tomorrow with a series of backbench debates on NHS services.

We will Photoshop you

The Huffington Post has reacted to news that Queen guitarist Brian May is considering running as an MP by imagining how his trademark hairstyle would look on some prominent politicians.

BBC

Chris Mason, BBC Political Correspondent

@ChrisMasonBBC

tweets: Gordon Brown: The Prime Minister "could have lit a fuse that eventually blows the Union apart."

Chris Huhne pass

House of Commons

Parliament

There has been comment in Parliament following the revelations in a Freedom of Information request that former Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has been given a Commons pass. In a point of order, Conservative MP Matthew Offord called for the ex-Lib Dem minister to lose his access privileges. He asked if there was "any method that we can actually rescind this application".

Speaker John Bercow said MPs did not discuss security-related matters on the floor of the chamber before adding that while Mr Offord had a view "there is also a thing called the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act".

'Two classes' of representative

House of Commons

Parliament

Gordon Brown argues the government have deliberately "driven a new wedge between" Scotland and England through its plans for English votes for English laws which, he says, "mean nothing other than restricting the rights of Scottish representatives in this House".

"At the very time they should be attempting to unify and reconcile the different nations of the UK... they have summarily rejected one of the recommendations of the Smith Commission," he argues.

BBC

Scottish representation

House of Commons

Parliament

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is now leading the day's final business - the adjournment debate on Scottish representation in the Union.

Labour business row

The Daily Mirror's political editor Kevin Maguire is downplaying the significance of the observations of Lord Digby Jones on Labour's approach to business. The former CBI director general, who served as a minister under Gordon Brown, has said he saw problems in the tone adopted by the party. Mr Maguire told BBC News he believed Mr Milband was "tapping into something" that would appeal to voters as "there is an issue with fairness" in UK society.

Illuminated tower

A number of MPs, including Tracey Crouch, Conservative MP for Chatham & Aylesford, have tweeted photographs of the Elizabeth Tower, home of Big Ben, which has been illuminated with projections to mark National Voter Registration Day on Thursday.

Organised by campaign group Bite the Ballot, the aim of the day is to register 250,000 young people and help engage the millions of people who are currently not registered before the general election.

Tracey Crouch

SFO plans 'disruptive'

Sky News

Conservative proposals to abolish the Serious Fraud Office would potentially jeopardise ongoing investigations, the organisation's director has said. The plans to roll the SFO into the National Crime Agency if the Tories win the next election could prove "disruptive" and it would be a mistake to move to an unknown model, David Green QC told Sky News.

Jim Pickard, Financial Times

tweets: Labour six point lead?

Latest TNS-BMRB poll (29 Jan - 02 Feb):

LAB - 33% (+2)

CON - 27% (-4)

UKIP - 18% (+2)

GRN - 8% (+1)

LDEM - 6% (-2)

House of Commons

Parliament

In the House of Commons, Labour's Siobhain McDonagh makes a suggestion which she predicts will unite all MPs against her.

She suggests that if an individual wants to access a public service they should be required to register to vote.

"If you want the benefits of an advanced welfare democracy then you should sign up," she says.

People would not be allowed a drivers licence, access to tax credits or to use a library under this system, she adds.

Journalists' sources

Theresa May says she will accepts the recommendation of the Interception of Communications Commissioner that judicial oversight should be required before police officers look at journalists' phone records. Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg wrote to the home secretary asking her to back an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill. The commissioner, Sir Anthony May has said the current Home Office rules for for using the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (ripa) did not "provide adequate safeguards to protect journalistic sources".

Recap: Election build-up

And in developments related to the general election, a poll of 16,000 voters in Scottish constituencies suggests the Scottish National Party could be on course to win most of the country's 59 seats. Among those said to be at risk of losing their seats are Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander and the First Secretary to the Treasury the Liberal Democrat Danny Alexander.

At Prime Minister's Questions, David Cameron seized on shadow chancellor Ed Balls' failure to recall the full name of Bill Thomas, one of Labour's main business supporters. He said it was evidence that Labour was "anti-business and anti-enterprise" but Labour leader Ed Miliband hit back, saying the Conservative Party was the party "of Mayfair hedge funds and Monaco tax avoiders" and that Mr Cameron was unwilling to clamp down on City firms because many of his friends "would get caught in the net". Mr Balls earlier described his memory lapse on the BBC's Newsnight programme on Tuesday as "an age thing".

PA

Recap: Foreign Affairs Committee

Earlier in the day, the chairman of the inquiry into the Iraq War, Sir John Chilcot, told MPs that none of the witnesses involved was deliberately trying to hold up the publication of his final report. Giving evidence to the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, he insisted the process "must not be rushed".

Reuters

Recap: Abuse inquiries

A recap on what has turned out to be a busy day on the political front.

Seven months after the government announced an inquiry into child sexual abuse, the home secretary has given details of a new, replacement, inquiry. Theresa May told MPs it will be led by Lowell Goddard a 66-year-old high court judge from New Zealand and will have statutory powers.

Meanwhile, the entire cabinet of Rotherham Council has resigned after a report found the authority was in "resolute denial" about the extent of child sex abuse in the town in the past. The government will take control, and early elections will take place next year, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told the Commons.

PA

UK Parliament

tweets: 800 years on from the sealing of #MagnaCarta, find out more about its significance for Parliament #Parliament2015 http://goo.gl/ewywW3

Clare Kendall/British Library

More cash for police data gathering

Police spending on data gathering from private emails, texts and phone calls is to receive a £20m boost. The money will go to the Communications Capabilities Development programme, which is intended to help police gather better data within the framework of existing laws. The money has been reallocated from the Police Capital Grant.

In a written ministerial statement, Police Minister, Mike Penning, said: "This will reduce overall infrastructure costs, maintain capabilities to comply with current legislation, and develop future communications capability."

Tory 'gunfire'

PA

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson has been reflecting on Ed Miliband's strategy at Prime Minister's questions and why he appeared to willingly "walk towards the sound of Conservative gunfire" over the issues of business backing and tax.

'News we needed'

Lucy Duckworth, the co-chair of the Survivors' Alliance, says the home secretary's announcement on the inquiry into historical sexual abuse was the "news we really needed to hear". Theresa May "really listened to our concerns", she told BBC News. New Zealand High Court judge Lowell Goddard has been named as the head the inquiry, which will have statutory powers and a new panel.

BBC

SNP swing?

Can suggestions of a huge swing from Labour to the Scottish nationalists be believed? John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, has been examining the polls of voting intentions for May's general election.

PA

Act now to boost electoral register say Labour

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Opening the day's second opposition debate, Shadow Justice Secretary, Sadiq Khan said: "It is unacceptable that so many people are unregistered and being deprived of their say in the way the country is run." He was disappointed that the government and the Electoral Commission were being, as he put it, "so complacent" about the state of the Electoral Register. What was needed, he said, was a goal for reducing the number of missing voters."

Labour lead debate on the electoral register

House of Commons

Parliament

MPs have now moved on to the second of today's opposition day debates - on electoral registration. A new system of voter registration was introduced in June 2014 requiring people to register individually. Under the previous system, one member of each household filled in a registration form listing every eligible voter. In October, the Electoral Commission reported that 5.5m people had not transferred onto the new Electoral Register. Labour accuse the Government of an "act of democratic vandalism".

Abuse inquiry

BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani looks at the background to Theresa May's announcement on the new inquiry into historical sexual abuse and examines why the two previous attempts failed to get off the ground.

Scottish Government Budget

PA

Away from Westminster, John Swinney has been unveiling details of the Scottish Government's Budget in Edinburgh. The SNP finance minister and deputy first minister said spending on frontline NHS services would increase by £383m next year.

Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill

House of Lords

Parliament

Peers are embarking on the second of two report stage days on the Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill. The bill provides for the retention of communications information, exclusion powers and security. It incorporates government plans to stop people travelling overseas to fight for terrorist organisations and seeks to place an obligation on schools and universities to report suspected radicalisation of students.

Report stage, which follows the detailed scrutiny of committee stage, gives peers another opportunity to try to amend the bill.

Apprenticeships: Motion rejected

House of Commons

Parliament

MPs reject the Labour motion by 294 votes to 218, a government majority of 76. Business, Innovation and Skills Minister Nick Boles earlier told MPs that according to Treasury figures, Labour's plans for apprenticeships would cost £1.38bn in 2015/16.

Labour response on apprenticeships

House of Commons

Parliament

Shadow business, innovation and skills minister Liam Byrne is now responding to the debate on apprenticeships behalf of Labour.

He congratulates the government on "building on the firm foundations" for apprenticeship growth left, he says, by the previous Labour administration. However the government's ambition has fallen short of the "level that is needed to get us out of the whole they put us in", he argues.

'Skills imbalance'

House of Commons

Parliament

Chair of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, Labour's Adrian Bailey, says the investment in apprenticeships is not "addressing the skills imbalance" in the UK.

There has been only a small increase in the number constructions and engineering apprenticeships "which are incredibly important in the development of our economy" he warns.

BBC

Cable on apprenticeships

House of Commons

Parliament

Business Secretary Vince Cable calls Labour "brave" for tabling a debate on apprenticeships.

The number of apprenticeships doubled to two million in this parliament and the proportion of advanced and higher apprenticeships has risen "systematically as a result of the reforms" brought in under this government, he says.

He tells MPs the only subject this government are more "confident about" is job creation - which is tabled for a backbench business debate next week.

'Work to do'

In an interview with Mandy Rhodes for Holyrood magazine, Labour peer Maurice Glasman seeks to downplay the importance of Scotland to Labour's chances of victory at the forthcoming general election. He says a 1% or 2% swing to Labour in England would offset any losses in Scotland. "Labour has got to win the general election in England. If Labour had a very strong offer to England, it could win without Scotland," he adds.

Pressed on whether he thinks Ed Miliband is up to the job, Lord Glasman says: "He's the leader we've got." There is still a sense that people "don't quite know where we're at", he says, and adds that the party has a "huge amount of work to do to reconnect with people."

Ebola medics medal

More about the medal for Britons who have travelled to west Africa to help the fight against Ebola. David Cameron told MPs he would recommend the new award to The Queen as a mark of the "immense debt of gratitude" owed to NHS medics, the armed forces, civil servants and aid workers.

Hodge not for London mayor

PA

Labour MP Margaret Hodge says she will not be in the race to become the next London mayor and has urged the party to choose an ethnic minority candidate. Mrs Hodge, MP for Barking, had been touted as a potential candidate but had not officially put herself forward.

Miliband vision 'compelling'

And speaking to the BBC, Mr Thomas said, "I absolutely back Labour and I absolutely believe in Ed Miliband.

"I've spent a significant amount of time with Ed Miliband going through the contents of my report talking through various policy areas and I believe that Ed Miliband has a compelling vision for what kind of country he wants to lead as PM and that kind of country it will look after the weakest people in society as well as the strongest people in society."

Bill Thomas

Moving briefly back to Bill Thomas, the man who helped draw up Labour's small business policies, and who shadow chancellor Ed Balls failed to name on Newsnight...

A former executive with Hewlett Packard Europe, Mr Thomas is on the board of the Co-operative Bank, chairman of the advisory board of Cranfield University School of Management and on the management and Board of Leeds University Business School. He is also a non-executive director of tech firms XChanging plc and GFI SA, and of construction giant Balfour Beatty. More on his background can be found in our news story.

BBC

SNP ahead in 40 seats, say Ladbrokes

Bookmaker's Ladbrokes say the SNP is now favourite in 40 out of 59 Scottish seats at Westminster. Ladbrokes say they are now sitting on "some hefty losses" if the SNP does as well as Lord Ashcroft's latest polling suggests.

BBC Radio 4 PM

tweets: A report on chocolate wars in the US & Forgotten that name? Ed Balls isn't alone.We offer tips for a Labour peer from a memory expert. 5pmr4

'Downgraded' apprenticeships

House of Commons

Parliament

Back to the House of Commons for a moment, where MPs are currently engaged in a Labour-led debate on apprenticeships. It is being kicked off by shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna, who says apprenticeships have been "downgraded" under the coalition government. If Labour wins power in May, it would provide more and better quality apprenticeships, he adds.

If I were prime minister...

The Independent

In the run-up to the general election, the Independent is inviting one contributor daily to describe what he or she would do as prime minister. Today's candidate is Andrew Harrop, general secretary of the Fabian society. His key aims? Higher living standards, less inequality and action on climate change.

Death of Baroness Platt

House of Lords

Parliament

In the House of Lords, Lord Speaker Baroness D'Souza announces the death of Conservative peer Baroness Platt of Writtle. Lady Platt, who entered the House of Lords in 1981, died on 1 February, she informs peers.

Cameron 'PMQs winner'

The New Statesman

David Cameron's "exuberant confidence" helps him to victory at PMQs, according to the New Statesman.

Don't Stop Me Now

PA

Queen guitarist Brian May might stand for Parliament at this year's general election, according to his spokesman. He said May was considering standing over "frustration at a system that he sees as failing the electorate". The musician, who could run under his Common Decency project, has been a prominent campaigner against the government's badger culls.

'Shouting in my ear'

House of Commons

Parliament

Following Mr Pickles' response, Mark Reckless complains that he was unable to hear it due to Labour MP's "shouting in [his] ear".

The secretary of state gets up to respond to Mr Reckless for a second time.

'Held to account'

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

UKIP MP Mark Reckless says single-party Labour control of Rotherham Council "allowed" abuse to take place, though it did not "cause it".

He asks if the planned 2015 council elections will go ahead, to allow "Labour councillors to be held to account at the ballot box".

May 2015 elections will take place, Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles confirms.

But he warns that if this scandal is turned into a "political football... we will be as bad as the failing councillors of Rotherham".

Taxi regulations call

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP Julian Smith asks Eric Pickles to look at taxi regulations across the north of England in wake of the scandal.

The Jay Report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham said taxi drivers played a "prominent role" in the abuse of more than 1,400 children.

Mr Pickles says he is "particularly irked" about they way taxis were used and he will ensure that "lessons are learned very quickly".

PMQs reaction

"Cameron rides roughshod over Miliband again", writes George Eaton in his review of Prime Minister's Questions for the New Statesman. He says the Conservatives are "purring with confidence" at the moment and can sense victory at the general election. The Labour benches, by contrast, were "deathly silent", he observes.

He also notes the "respectful silence" with which Labour MP Dan Jarvis was heard, saying this shows why "many" tip him to potentially be a future Labour leader.

Not a political issue

House of Commons

Parliament

Eric Pickles makes a point of saying that he does not regard this as a political issue.

He tells MPs he could point to lots of Conservative councils where this would never happen, but he could also point to many Labour councils where this would never happen as well.

Funds needed

House of Commons

Parliament

The Rotherham MP, Labour's Sarah Champion says, despite the report, Rotherham has still not got the funds it needs to put "resources in place so that help young victims get on with their lives".

Ms Champion says she has campaigned for five months for the funds.

The report only came about because of "the tenacity of the survivors", she says. "They are champions because they have caused the changes the town so desperately needed."

PMQs catch up

If you missed Prime Minister's Questions earlier today (or are desperate wait to watch it back...) you can catch up with some of the highlights of the half-hour session in the Key Video tab at the top of this page. The whole session in full will be available a little later.

How was the report carried out?

The inquiry led by Louise Casey into what was happening in Rotherham saw inspectors review approximately 7,000 documents, look in detail at all case files and speak to more than 200 people, including current and former staff, council members, partners, victims and parents.

Labour support

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Shadow communities and local government secretary Hilary Benn is now responding to the statement.

He says he welcomes the announcement that Rotherham Council's cabinet has resigned. He says the Casey report is "damning".

Labour supports Mr Pickles' intervention as the circumstances in Rotherham "warrant" it, he said.

A return to 'good governance'

House of Commons

Parliament

Eric Pickles says there will be five commissioners who will all report to him.

He says he hopes his actions will "restore good local governance."

Eric Pickles at the despatch box

BBC

Eric Pickles says it is with "a heavy heart" that he is having to resort "to such central intervention"

Commissioners announced

House of Commons

Parliament

Eric Pickles announces he will send in commissioners to take over the executive functions of Rotherham Council's cabinet in children and young persons services and taxi licensing functions.

The commissioners will also take over in services where Rotherham Council have lost the public's confidence, he said.

'Intervention package'

House of Commons

Parliament

Following the report Eric Pickles says he is satisfied it shows that the council is "failing" in its duties.

As such he announces he will be making an "intervention package" to fix the problems, highlighted in the report, in the political leadership of the town.

BreakingBreaking News

House of Commons

Parliament

Eric Pickles says he will move an order under the Local Government Act to force Rotherham Council into holding a full election in 2016, following Louise Casey's reports into its failings to deal with child sexual exploitation in the town.

Rotherham statement

House of Commons

Parliament

Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles is now making a statement on Rotehrham Council, after a report found it "not fit for purpose".

Louise Casey's report found a culture of bullying, sexism, suppression and misplaced "political correctness". It also has a "deep-rooted" culture of cover-ups and silencing whistleblowers, she added.

PMQs reaction

BBC Radio 4

The World at One provides us with some more analysis of Prime Minister's Questions, during which Labour leader Ed Miliband called for an end to the system where hedge funds do not need to pay stamp duty on share transactions.

Conservative Treasury minister Andrea Leadsom tells the programme that the government has cracked down on tax avoidance, and adds that it is part of the government's overall tax avoidance measures. However, shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves contends that tax avoidance is getting worse under the coalition government.

SNP deputy leader Stewart Hosie expresses his surprise that the subject formed the basis of PMQs - a point echoed by DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds who says that while it may go down well in certain parts of some constituencies, it was a "narrow" issue for the country as a whole.

Guilty by association

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP Matthew Offord asks how those who are called as witnesses to the historical child abuse inquiry will be protected from being attacked for their association with child abuse.

Mr Offord tells peers one of his constituents had their life "personally and financially ruined" based on unfounded accusation of child abuse.

Theresa May says great care will be taken to clearly indicate when individuals are found not guilty after being investigated.

BreakingBreaking News

Rotherham Council's cabinet is to resign en-masse in the wake of Louise Casey's damning report "as soon as transitional arrangements can be put in place".

And another inquiry...

House of Commons

Parliament

Theresa May says that Kincora Boys' Home should be investigated by a separate inquiry led by retired judge Sir Anthony Hart.

The two inquiries can act in tandem when their subject matters cross, she suggests.

Several senior Northern Irish politicians have campaigned for the east Belfast home to be included in the ongoing Westminister child sex abuse inquiry.

Inquiry to take 'years'

BBC Radio 4

Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who exposed child sex abuse allegations against former Liberal MP Cyril Smith, has told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme that it is an advantage that Justice Lowell Goddard is not from the UK.

He says it is "helpful" that she is not connected to the British establishment, adding that she would have time to find her feet - predicting the inquiry would take years, rather than months.

Andy Bell, Channel 5 News

tweets: May not pulling punches - "many in positions of authority have abused their power" #CSAinquiry

Police advisor

House of Commons

Parliament

Green MP Caroline Lucas calls for a senior police adviser to be appointed to the inquiry to act as a liaison with police and ensure the inquiry does not interfere with any ongoing police investigations

Theresa May says this will be the role Ch Con Simon Bailey will have on the inquiry.

A taxing issue?

No 10 has been reacting to reports in the newspapers that Smythson, the stationery firm that employs Samantha Cameron as a creative consultant, is owned by a firm based in Luxembourg, which is regarded as a tax haven. The issue briefly cropped up at PMQs earlier. Downing Street says it does not comment on individual firms but says the government's job is "to set out and ensure we have in place the robust, vigorously-enforced tax rules that we have".

Daniel Sandford, BBC News

tweets: The new chair of the #CSAInquiry is not in the UK at the moment. She is believed to be in New Zealand today

Danny Shaw, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

tweets: It's understood Theresa May personally interviewed Lowell Goddard by video-link before deciding to appoint her as #CSAinquiry chair

'Not another Chilcot'

House of Commons

Parliament

Labour MP David Winnick suggests the new inquiry into historical child abuse should set itself a target of reporting its findings within 12 months, to prevent it lasting as long as the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq War.

Theresa May agrees that the inquiry should set itself a deadline, even if more work needs to be done after that point, but she warns it will be longer than 12 month. She agrees that she does not want it to "go on endlessly".

Steve Hawkes, The Sun

tweets: At first glance Justice Lowell Goddard has a great CV in New Zealand - Theresa May says she's more determined than ever to expose abusers

Exaro News

tweets: Theresa May says that "voice of survivors" is important to #CSAinquiry. But she does not commit to abuse survivors on panel.

Danny Shaw, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

tweets: Terms of reference for new #CSAinquiry will be revised, possibly going back further than 1970. Ben Emmerson QC to remain as legal adviser.

'An inquiry panel'

House of Commons

Parliament

Theresa May confirms the new inquiry will be "an inquiry panel" that will be "informed by the voices of survivors."

She admits she cannot say there has been no Whitehall cover- up in the past. It will be for the inquiry to decide if there was a cover up, she says.

She has made it clear to the police and the security services that if they have information relevant to the inquiry they should present it, she adds.

Labour response

House of Commons

Parliament

Yvette Cooper agrees that the inquiry should be put on a statutory footing.

She also seeks clarification over whether this is a panel inquiry or an inquiry advised by a panel.

If the panel is to investigate accusations of a Whitehall paedophile ring, will the Goddard inquiry be able to look at top secret information and will the police and social services have the resources they need to deal with this, she asks.

Paul Waugh, editor of Politics Home

tweets: No10 spksman says if Labour tax crackdown on Hedge funds was introduced, "the companies would move elsewhere".

'Cannot fail again'

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is now responding to the statement. She accuses Theresa May of overseeing "three false starts" during the 213 days since the government first announced the inquiry. "We cannot afford for this to fail again", she tells MPs.

Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent

tweets: Home Secretary says a nationally-led police team will follow up allegations of criminality that emerge from the new inquiry

Nick has the last word

Daily Politics

Live on BBC Two

A final word from Nick Robinson, who predicts there will now be a fully-fledged argument about "who is on what side in the business debate", and about what proper business practice is.

"One of the most potent phrases in any general election, and Labour know this, is 'whose side are you on?'. It's the phrase that Ed Miliband has always believed, rightly or wrongly, will get him to Number 10."

Dominic Casciani, BBC Home Affairs Correspondent

tweets: So after two false starts, the original inquiry is being disbanded and replaced by a tougher body with greater legal investigatory powers

'Got it right'

BBC Radio 4

Labour's Simon Danczuk, the backbench Labour MP who has led calls for a child abuse inquiry, has told BBC Radio 4's World at One that he is "quietly confident" that the home secretary has got the appointment "right this time". Having discussed it with the home secretary this morning, Mr Danczuk added that he thought the appointment process had been sophisticated. You can hear more from the interview on The World at One, coming up at 1300.

Can you explain what a hedge fund is?

Daily Politics

Live on BBC Two

Shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker says Labour is pro-business, but the party wants a debate on tax avoidance and the sort of business practices that are wanted in the UK. He and Ms Mordaunt are asked if they know what a hedge fund is; answers are forthcoming but both seem on shaky ground here.

£2.8m for a new fund

House of Commons

Parliament

Theresa May announces a second £2.8m fund to help organisations dealing with increased demands because of people coming forward following the launch of the inquiry. This will go alongside a a £2m fund for announced last year.

These funds are now "up and running", she says.

Daily Politics

Live on BBC Two

Conservative minister Penny Mordaunt defends the government's record on cracking down on tax avoidance. She says Ed Miliband's questions show he is pursuing a "core vote strategy". He has to go beyond that and say something about good business practice, she says, adding that there won't be a strong NHS without a strong economy, which requires a healthy business environment.

No bar to information

House of Commons

Parliament

Theresa May says a "clear protocol" will be put in place to ensure no "information falls through the cracks". She once again assures the house that the Official Secrets Act will not be a bar to giving evidence to this inquiry.

'Free to apply'

House of Commons

Parliament

PA

QC Ben Emmerson is to remain at the inquiry's counsel

QC Ben Emmerson, counsel to the current inquiry, will stay on as counsel to the new one and existing panel members will be "free to apply" for the places on new inquiry, Theresa May tells MPs. Mrs May also says she is considering extending the inquiry's remit to the period before 1970s.

Who is Justice Lowell Goddard?

House of Commons

Parliament

PA

A little background on Justice Lowell Goddard. The 66-year-old commenced practice as a barrister in 1975. She was appointed Deputy Solicitor-General for New Zealand in 1992 and then to its High Court bench in 1995.

In 2007 she was appointed chairwoman of the Independent Police Conduct Authority, the first New Zealand woman to hold the position. While she was in that role, the authority released a report on the outcome of its inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases in New Zealand.

Panel 'dissolved'

House of Commons

Parliament

Theresa May also announces she will "dissolve" the current Child Abuse inquiry panel and start again. Mrs May says she will consult with Justice Goddard to appoint a new panel.

'Wealth of experience'

House of Commons

Parliament

Theresa May says the Home Office considered 150 names for the post of chair and after consultation with victims decided on Justice Goddard, who will bring a "wealth of experience to the role".

PMQs analysis

Nick Robinson

Political editor

BBC political editor Nick Robinson is on BBC 2's Daily Politics programme, offering his analysis of the leaders' exchanges. He says it was an interesting decision by Ed Miliband to choose "to walk towards the sound of Tory gun fire". That tells us something quite interesting - that he believes that if the argument is not about business, but bad business practices, namely tax avoidance, then he is on "winning turf". Better to have the row and try to define it in his own terms than allow the Conservatives to have a go at him, our correspondent adds.

BreakingBreaking News

Home Secretary Theresa May announces that Justice Lowell Goddard, a serving judge in New Zealand's High Court, is to lead the UK's inquiry into historical child sex abuse.

Child abuse statement

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Theresa May says she has held dozens of meetings with abuse survivors.

She is "more determined than ever" to expose abusers, and expose those who did not act and in some cases "positively covered up evidence" of abuse, she says.

Child abuse inquiry statement

House of Commons

Parliament

PMQs has now finished and Home Secretary Theresa May is now on her feet to announce who's going to chair the inquiry into historical child abuse. The first two people appointed by Ms May resigned after perceived conflicts of interest - as they were seen to be too close to the British establishment which would be under investigation.

University funding

House of Commons

Parliament

After a question from Conservative MP Jesse Norman, David Cameron says a long-term plan for funding our universities is needed and cites criticism of plans being considered by Labour to reduce tuition fees from £9,000 to £6,000.

Caroline Lucas, Green MP

tweets: #PMQs descending into even more rowdy childishness than usual - grown men (primarily) barracking, bullying & booing is parliament at worst..

Pic: Government benches

BBC

Nick Robinson, BBC Political Editor

Nick Robinson

Political editor

tweets: Q- Why did @Ed_Miliband walk into gunfire on Lab & business at #PMQs? A - Believes voters back his attacks on Tory tax avoiding "predators"

Schools defended

House of Commons

Parliament

David Cameron defends the government's education reforms after a question from Labour backbencher David Anderson, who attacked changes to the education system.

Supportive question

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP Graham Stuart - helpfully for the PM - shoehorns the Conservatives' "long term economic plan" in his question to the PM, as he invites David Cameron to visit a pork factory in his constituency. He welcomes government efforts to increase exports to China.

Mark Wallace, Conservative Home

tweets: Chaos versus competence gets a run out - we'll hear lots more of that. #PMQs

Jane Merrick, The Independent

tweets: Ed Balls and George Osborne are arguing like a couple in the kitchen at a dinner party. They cannot stop being at each other's throats #pmqs

Labour attack on Cameron record

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Steve Rotheram, Liverpool Wavertree MP, seeks to hold David Cameron to account for his pre-2010 election promises, saying he has broken pledges on immigration and the deficit and should go. David Cameron replies that his government has turned the economy round, created more jobs, cut the deficit and protected the NHS.

Rotherham's 'unhealthy' culture

BBC News Channel

BBC

More damning words from Louise Casey's report on what she calls Rotherham Council's failure "to accept, understand and combat the issue of child sexual exploitation" in the town. She has been on the BBC News Channel expanding on her report, which says: "The council's culture is unhealthy: bullying, sexism, suppression and misplaced 'political correctness' have cemented its failures."

Pic: Margot James

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Ebola workers' medal

House of Commons

Parliament

Tory MP Margot James praises British health workers and armed forces personnel who are in Sierra Leone to help eradicate Ebola. She says a way should be found to help recognise their bravery. David Cameron acknowledges the difficult conditions they are working in and echoes her tributes. He announces plans to recommend to the Queen a new medal to pay tribute to their efforts. Details will be out in due course, he adds.

Iain Martin, political journalist

tweets: A win for Cameron in narrow House of Commons terms. But this shouty #PMQs might as well be happening on another planet.

Constituent case raised

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP for Calder Valley Craig Whittaker uses his question to raise the plight of one of his constituents who has been arrested and detained, and asks him to urge the home secretary to look into the case. David Cameron says it sounds "very concerning" and pledges to speak with the home secretary.

George Eaton, The New Statesman

tweets: Striking how high Tory morale and unity is at the moment. Feuds suspended until after the election. #PMQs

The sun's shining

House of Commons

Parliament

Adrian Sanders, a Liberal Democrat MP, challenges the PM over the Conservatives' planned spending cuts for the next Parliament, if the party wins power. David Cameron defends his party's policy, saying you need to fix the roof while the sun is shining, which he says only the Tories can offer.

Pic: Angus Roberston

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Pic: Miliband attacks Cameron

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Scottish devolution

House of Commons

Parliament

SNP MP Angus Robertson is called to speak, and attacks the Conservatives and Labour on Scottish devolution. He says they are not standing by the vow, and says the SNP will always put Scotland first. Responding, David Cameron says the coalition government has taken part in a massive exercise of devolution to the Scottish Parliament. He goes on a tangent and criticises hospital waiting times in Scotland, where an SNP government is in power.

Tim Montgomerie, The Times

tweets: LyntonCrosby will be pleased with Cameron's #pmqs performance. V on message with the competence versus chaos line #longtermplanforsoundbites

Pic: Cameron makes his point

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Rotherham's 'unhealthy' culture

More damning words from Louise Casey in her report into what she says is Rotherham Council's failure to "accept, understand and combat" the exploitation of local children for sexual abuse.

"The council's culture is unhealthy: bullying, sexism, suppression and misplaced 'political correctness' have cemented its failures," she says.

Police and crime commissioners

House of Commons

Parliament

Over to backbench contributions now. Susan Elan-Jones, a Labour MP, calls for police and crime commissioners to be scrapped, but David Cameron defends their introduction and says they are a good thing.

Cameron final response to Miliband

House of Commons

Parliament

David Cameron responds and says Mr Miliband's economic, health and university policy has "collapsed", and brands the party anti-enterprise and anti-business. The choice at the election is "competence from us, chaos from them", he concludes.

Miliband's final attack

House of Commons

Parliament

Ed Miliband claims the PM has been "found out", and insists the hedge fund tax loophole should be closed to pay for the NHS. But he says David Cameron can't tackle tax avoidance because it would affect too many of his "friends". It's one rule for those at the top and another rule for everyone else, he adds.

Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun

tweets: Ouch. Conspiracy theorists may suggest Ed Balls's 'Bill Somebody' gaffe was intentional to shaft Ed Mili at #PMQs after that Cameron slap.

Rotherham grooming scandal

Rotherham Council has been deemed "not fit for purpose" by a report into the grooming scandal in the borough published by Louise Casey, the head of the head of the government's Troubled Families unit.

Hedge fund taxes

House of Commons

Parliament

Ed Miliband is going on the attack of Tory party donors, and asks the prime minister once again to promise to act on the stamp duty paid by hedge funds. David Cameron hits back with an attack of his own, and claims the Labour leader has chosen to focus on the issue because he's got nothing else to talk about.

Gaby Hinsliff, Grazia

tweets: now feeling a bit sorry for Bill Somebody. Whose forgettableness is, you feel, not going to be forgotten this election #pmqs

Hedge funds

House of Commons

Parliament

Ed Miliband says everyone pays stamp duty on share transactions apart from hedge funds, who he says are "protected", It could raise £100m, the Labour leader says.

James Chapman, Daily Mail

tweets: "Bill Somebody is not a person, Bill Somebody is Labour's policy". Cameron's best gag for a while #PMQs

Pic: Labour reacts to Cameron joke

BBC

Isabel Hardman, The Spectator

tweets: Here's Bill, shoehorned in early doors. Fascinating that Miliband has decided to attack on hedge funds #PMQs

Picture: Ed Miliband

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Cameron attacks Balls

House of Commons

Parliament

David Cameron responds by saying the government has done more than any other to ensure people pay their fair share of tax. He then goes on the attack, bringing up Ed Balls' failure to remember the name of a prominent Labour business supporter on Newsnight. He quotes Mr Balls as saying it was "Bill somebody?" with the PM adding that "bill somebody" was a Labour policy.

Miliband on hedge funds

House of Commons

Parliament

Ed Miliband gets onto his feet. He asks about stamp duty paid by hedge funds and asks why the government is not doing anything about it.

Julian Huppert, Lib Dem MP

tweets: In the Chamber for #PMQs. I had a question last week, so can't try to get another this week #fb

Tuition fees

House of Commons

Parliament

Conservative MP David Willetts is next up. He asks about recent figures on the number of students attending university and says it is a vindication of the government's policy on tuition fees. Mr Cameron uses it to attack Labour, saying "when will they make up their mind" on the issue.

Income tax

Labour MP Phil Wilson asks the first question about the amount of income tax and NI paid by one of his workers. The PM says he is looking at exploitation by "so-called umbrella companies" and brings up the government's record in reducing the amount of tax people have to pay.

Greg Hands, Tory MP

tweets: Plenty of empty seats on Labour side at #PMQs. Scottish Labour MPs staying at home? #AshcroftPoll

Picture: Prime Minister at the despatch box

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

We're off

House of Commons

Parliament

David Cameron is on his feet in the Commons. He starts by condemning the "sickening murders" of two Japanese journalists and a Jordanian pilot by Islamic State militants.

Likely topic?

Nick Robinson

Political editor

Asked about what will happen this week, Nick Robinson wonders whether Ed Miliband will raise school funding in England.

Picture: David Cameron in the Commons

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

'Weaponise'

Nick Robinson

Political editor

Nick Robinson was a key figure in last week's exchanges when David Cameron referred to suggestions - first reported by the BBC's political editor - that Ed Miliband wanted to "weaponise" the issue of the NHS. Unfortunately, Nick Robinson was in bed at the time with a case of man flu - he jokes on Daily Politics that being referred to as "one of the UK's most influential journalists" did not aid his recovery.

Nick Robinson

Nick Robinson

Political editor

The BBC's Nick Robinson reflecting on Chilcot evidence today: He tells the Daily Politics we learnt that former Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell opposed the release of private conversations between Tony Blair and President George W. Bush and both Downing Street and the White House tried to resist the process.

Syrian refugees

House of Commons

Parliament

Last month Home Office Minister James Brokenshire told MPs 90 Syrian refugees, mostly women and children, had been accepted by the UK between March and September.

Syrian Refugees

House of Commons

Parliament

Labour MP Fiona O'Donnell calls on the Government to allow more Syrian refugees into the country. "For some of these children it isn't possible for them to receive the support they need in countries like Lebanon and Jordan" she tells MPs.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening says the government is working "hand in hand with the Lebanese government" to improve provision in refugee camps.

BBC

Mud sticks?

Daily Politics

Live on BBC Two

More on Labour and business after Ed Balls' memory lapse over the identity of one of its main backers. Tory MP Penny Mordaunt suggests the "mud is sticking" to Labour over the issue because the opposition does not understand enterprise "all the way down from big business to small traders".

Sarah Champion, Labour MP

tweets: Horrendous revelations in @thetimes more in power abusing children in #Rotherham Meeting with Cameron after #PMQ to demand extra resources

Rebuilding Gaza

House of Commons

Parliament

BBC

Labour MP Dame Anne McGuire warns that material from the UN-sponsored reconstruction of Gaza may be being "diverted by Hamas for military purposes"

The Israeli government has argued that basic building materials such as cement, bricks and steel reinforcing - which it says have in the past been diverted by Hamas to build infiltration tunnels and bunkers - are "dual-use" materials with a military application.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening says "there is no evidence" that this is happening but that the materials are being monitored.

House of Commons

House of Commons

Parliament

Business in the House of Commons has kicked off.

MPs begin the day with questions to International Development Secretary Justine Greening and her ministerial team.

Pop Quiz: Name Labour's business backers

Back to the issues of Labour's links with business. On Daily Politics, shadow defence secretary Vernon Coaker is asked to name a few other business leaders who support Labour. He cites former ITV chairman Charles Allen and entrepreneur Alan Sugar, who is a Labour peer, among strong backers.

Daily Politics

Daily Politics

Live on BBC Two

BBC Two's Daily Politics is now starting the build-up to Prime Minister's Questions, coming up at midday. You can watch Andrew Neil and his knowledgeable panel by clicking on the "live coverage" tab at the top of the page.

Peston: IFS spells out election choices

Robert Peston

Business editor, BBC News

blogs on the Institute for Fiscal Studies' Green Budget, which says the worst of UK spending cuts are still to come:

"The IFS has provided a useful numerical way of understanding the Tories' and Labour's conflicting economic visions - which is essentially that the Conservatives believe the imperative is to cut debt and the size of the state, whereas Labour wants potentially bigger budgets for building roads, rail and schools, and for funding the police and prisons (both parties promise to protect spending on health, education and overseas aid).

Read more from Robert

Rentoul reaction

But the Independent's John Rentoul is more understanding of the current situation Sir John finds himself in, arguing that speed is not of the essence when it comes to finishing the report.

The reaction begins...

Some initial Twitter reaction to Sir John Chilcot's answers: Labour blogger and journalist Dan Hodges does not seem that impressed, questioning whether he was the right man to chair the inquiry.

Anything to add?

BBC

Before bringing the session to a close, Sir Richard Ottaway (pictured) asks Sir John if he would like to say anything else.

After more than an hour of facing questions, Sir John says he is happy to leave things there, explaining that his mind is still "troubled" by the news about Sir Martin Gilbert's death.

Sir Richard thanks him for appearing before the committee, saying "a lot" has been learnt.

Commons statements to come

House of Commons

Parliament

PA

It's shaping up to be a busy day in the House of Commons. After Prime Minister's Questions at 12:30 GMT we are now told there will be two statements. Firstly from Home Secretary Theresa May on the Independent Panel Inquiry on Child Abuse, then, an hour or so later, Communities Secretary will make a statement on Rotherham Council.

'No views' on future reports

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Asked whether his report would include views on how similar inquiries should be conducted in future, Sir John says there is no plan to. When pressed over how long it took to reach agreement with the cabinet secretary on disclosure of the notes between Tony Blair and George Bush, Sir John tells MPs it took about 13 months, but adds: "I may stand corrected on that."

Sir Martin Gilbert

PA

Who was Sir Martin Gilbert, the member of the inquiry team that Sir John explained had died overnight? The 78-year-old was a distinguished historian who was Winston Churchill's official biographer. His website says his 88 books included his twin histories First World War and Second World War, a comprehensive history of Israel and his three-volume work A History Of The Twentieth Century. He was also renowned for the book The Holocaust: The Jewish Tragedy.

What would you do differently?

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

The committee's questioning of inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot has just passed the hour mark. Conservative MP Sir John Stanley is the current questioner, and asks him whether - if he were to start the inquiry again - he would do anything differently.

Sir John replies by saying the big issue is whether the inquiry could or should have waiting "years" to go through all the documentary archive before holding the public hearings, "so they could begin to embody potential criticisms". But he predicts there would have been tremendous public angst, adding that it was essential to start the process as quickly as possible.

No 'scamping'

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Sir John reiterates that he wants the report to be published as soon as possible, but he stresses that it will not be done by "scamping the work".

BreakingBreaking News

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Asked by Sir John Stanley whether there is anyone taking an "unreasonable" amount of time to make their response to his findings, Sir John Chilcot states: "As of today, I have no reason to think that anyone is seeking to spin out time."

'No evidence of delay'

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Sir John Chilcot says there is no evidence to suggest that people are trying to use the Maxwellisation process to delay publication of the report. He says people have to have a reasonable amount of time to respond to the report but repeats that this does not amount to an indefinite period.

No numbers...

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Questioned over the extent of the Maxwellisation process, Sir John declines to say how many people are involved. If he gives numbers, people could start to work out who is and is not involved, he warns, stressing that he has an absolute duty to sustain confidentially around the inquiry until the report is complete.

All he will say is that no-one other than witnesses are involved in the Maxwellisation process, the upper limit of which is 150.

BreakingBreaking News

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Sir John says he has not come under pressure to delay publication of the report because of the upcoming general election. He stresses that the inquiry is independent, and says the panel could not be forced to put their signatures to a report which was incomplete or unfinished.

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Asked whether the delay is the inquiry's fault, Sir John indicates that there has been "long and difficult" debates over whether some documents can or cannot be declassified. He says that the panel has been successful in overturning "long-standing conventions" against publishing certain categories of information, but stresses that this does not happen overnight..

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Asked about the evidence in the report, Sir John says it is "highly unlikely verging on impossible" for a respondent to the Maxwellisation process to say "you cannot publish that". However, it can result in more documentary evidence being submitted which would extend the process further, so there is "no fixed body of evidence" before that process is complete.

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Asked by Labour MP Sandra Osborne about the conduct of cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood, Sir John says he has "no indication" that he acted anything other than properly throughout.

Tory MP's 'inaccurate mileage claims'

Conservative MP Bob Blackman might have to repay more than £1,000 in wrongly-claimed expenses. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) found the Harrow East MP submitted more than 700 "inaccurate" mileage claims. In a provisional report on its inquiry, the watchdog said claims submitted by Mr Blackman were "in almost every instance not accurate and greater than the distance travelled". Mr Blackman disputes IPSA's findings.

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Sir John is asked whether the inquiry has experienced obstruction from the government over the course of its inquiry, to which he says it has not. However, he says the inquiry has placed "great demands" on government departments to produce "huge amounts" of material, and adds that they have found it difficult to respond as quickly as the panel would have liked.

A promise met

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Sir John says a promise to have access to any government documents has been honoured. He adds that the inquiry has had to review more than 150,000 documents, of which 7,000 the panel will want to deploy in the report.

'Not an indefinite amount of time'

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Explaining the process by which those likely to be criticised in the report are invited to respond - seen as the main reason for the delays in his findings seeing the light of day - Sir John says of those being given time to respond: "A reasonable amount of time is by no means the same as an indefinite amount of time."

Staff shortage?

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

After questioning, Sir John tells the committee that staffing levels were not a factor in the report's delay, but says they will probably need more resources as the inquiry enters its final stages.

Pic: Committee questions Sir John Chilcot

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

BBC

When will report be out?

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Sir John Chilcot says: "What I'm determined to do is get the report to the prime minister and out as soon as possible."

Why the delay?

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Conservative MP Sir John Stanley says he is still unclear as to why the report has taken nearly six years, and not two years as expected.

Sir John says it was not possible then to have foreseen the nature and range of issues which would be disclosed progressively from the hearings and wide-ranging archive. When questions come up you cannot simply put them aside and say that does not matter, he says.

Getting answer

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Referring to his letter to the prime minister saying the report would not be published before the general election, Sir John tells the committee: "We have to maintain the principles by which we have operated throughout, of fairness, thoroughness and impartiality."

He adds: "It's our duty to deliver a report which gives the government, parliament, the public, and particularly all those who have been deeply affected by events in Iraq, the answers they deserve."

Sir John Chilcot delivers opening statement

BBC

Sir John (pictured) continues his opening statement until committee chairman Sir Richard Ottaway politely urges him to finish his opening statement so that the committee can get to their questions.

What's this all about?

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

Unsure what this issue is here? Although Sir John Chilcot never set a deadline for the Iraq report's publication, most people expected it to be completed by the end of 2011. No-one really knows why it has dragged on for so long, although the fact that it is expected to be a million words in length could have something to do with it.

Many of the leading figures in the decision to go to war, including Tony Blair, have long since left frontline politics. Mr Blair has insisted he is not holding up the process and wants the report published as soon as possible.

Opening words

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

In an opening statement, Sir John says he welcomes the opportunity to explain why it is taking longer than expected. He also informs the committee, with "great sadness", that Iraq Inquiry member Sir Martin Gilbert died last night after a long illness, and pays tribute to him and sends his condolences to his family.

Chilcot ready to take questions

Chilcot Inquiry

UK inquiry into Iraq War

The Foreign Affairs Committee's one-off evidence session with Iraq Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot is under way. He has been invited in for questioning by MPs about delays in publication of his report, after telling the prime minister he could see no realistic prospect of being published before the general election on 7 May.

'Poorly judged'

BBC Radio 5 live

Labour donor John Mills has told BBC Radio 5 live that the accusation that Labour does not support big business has been "blown up beyond all reasonable bounds".

Responding to criticism by Boots boss Stefano Pessina and Yo! Sushi founder Simon Woodroofe he said: "Some of the comments that have been made over the past few days have been really rather poorly judged because these companies are going to have to work with a Labour government if it gets elected in 2015."

He added that Labour was well aware that it would have to "work together" with the business community if it wins power, saying: "No government can work successfully if it doesn't have the business communities interests' at heart and I'm sure Labour will do so when they get elected."

University or apprenticeship?

BBC

Is going to university always a good thing? Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said that the last Labour government's target of getting 50% of all young people through university was misguided, saying that university can be "disaster" for those who are more suited to apprenticeships. He was speaking during a visit to the the Sony factory in Pencoed.

Guardian loves a 'mischievous eye'

The Guardian

It's fair to say that the Guardian's TV man Sam Wollaston was impressed by the first episode of Inside The Commons. In his review, he points out it uncovers characters far more interesting than the MPs.

He adds: "Cockerell records it all impartially and fairly, I think, but also with humour and a mischievous eye. I enjoyed the parliamentary sniffer dogs with "the eyes to the right and the nose to the floor". And after the mention of a bar (as in a place where you drink) immediately cutting to Charles Kennedy. Coincidence? I don't think so. It looks like it was fun to make and that translates to the viewing experience."

The 'beasts' of the Commons

The Independent

The Independent's Sally Newall says the opening episode of Inside The Commons is "as much about the crumbling, leaking mock-gothic building as the people populating it".

She adds: "The rousing score and Cockerell's own stage skills added to the theatrics. 'The big beasts of the Commons jungle arrive just before noon, hoping for the smell of blood,' he said in Attenborough-esque tones. And it's the fact he manages to find the human side of those beasts, big and small, that makes this revealing series a winner so far."

Cockerell's 'fresh approach'

The Daily Telegraph

So what did the TV critics think of Michael Cockerell's BBC Two documentary Inside The Commons. The Daily Telegraph's Gerard O'Donovan says it was "always going to be required viewing for anyone interested in the inner workings of politics in Britain".

But he adds: "You also got the sense that even those without any firm interest in politics could be enthused by this film. That was largely down to the freshness of Cockerell's approach, looking not just at the function of the Commons and its absurd yet historically vital conventions, but also at the decaying fabric of the building itself.

'Fear and trepidation'

BBC

As the clock ticks down to today's Prime Minister's Questions, spare a thought for the two leaders who take part in the weekly Commons drama. In Michael Cockerell's documentary of the Commons, which broadcast on BBC Two last night, David Cameron said there was not a Wednesday "when you don't feel total fear and trepidation about what is about to happen". About five minutes beforehand, he said, "you think 'oh, have i got to do this again'. I think prime minister's have always felt that".

And what does Labour leader Ed Miliband make of the weekly battle? He told the same documentary that the anticipation was often worse than the reality, as once you get into it "you forget about the nerves". He said he had met no leader of the opposition or prime minister that has ever said they looked forward to it.

Norman Smith, BBC assistant political editor

tweets: Am told Foreign Affairs Committee want to publish report into Chilcot delays next week. A tad faster than Iraq report.

Hammond speaks out

EPA

Foreign Secretary Phillip Hammond says the murder of Jordanian fighter pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh by Islamic State militants will only strengthen international resolve against the group, which is also known as ISIL.

He said: "I'm appalled by the brutal murder of the Jordanian fighter pilot held prisoner by ISIL following as it does on the execution of the Japanese hostages that were also held.

"This brutality will be confronted and it will be defeated. It only makes us stronger, and more determined to defeat the menace that is ISIL."

A packed agenda

PA

As mentioned earlier, the two big ticket items in Parliament today are the Foreign Affairs Committee's questioning of Iraq Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot, and the weekly Prime Minister's Questions. But what else is coming up?

The House of Commons kicks off its business at 11.30 GMT with questions to international development ministers. That'll be followed by the introduction of a bill on public sector efficiency by Lib Dem John Pugh. There'll also be opposition debates - called by Labour - on apprenticeships, and electoral registration. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown will close the day with a half-hour debate on Scottish representation in the Union.

Across the corridor in the House of Lords, peers will start the day with their usual daily half-hour question session, before turning their attention to scrutiny of the government's Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill.

Confidence 'knocked'

BBC Radio 4 Today

More from Tim Loughton on the historical child abuse inquiry: "People's confidence has been completely knocked because of this constant tsunami of historic cases coming out.

"We need to get to the bottom of it, we need to see where it went wrong, how society appears to have covered up, is that cover-up still happening in certain places, are people responsible for that cover-up still in places of responsibility.

"That's why we need an over-arching inquiry on top of all these different reviews and prosecutions going on, which must continue to go on, and we have got to get this back on track."

Child abuse inquiry

BBC Radio 4 Today

Tim Loughton, former children's minster in the coalition, tells John Humphrys: "Nobody should doubt the home secretary's absolute sincerity and commitment to get to the bottom of a very long and complicated sex abuse story."

Child abuse inquiry

Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to announce the new chairman and terms of reference for the inquiry into claims of historical child abuse later today. It comes after the resignation of two former chairwomen who stepped down following claims about their perceived closeness to establishment figures.

Defence of Balls

‏tweets: Really don't think @edballsmp shd be lacerated for briefly forgetting surname of one of the many dozens of ppl he interacts with every day

Ashcroft poll

Colin Blane, BBC News Scotland correspondent

Labour's foreign affairs spokesman Douglas Alexander and Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander could lose their seats in Scotland at the general election, according to an extensive opinion poll out today.

The research by the Conservative peer and former party treasurer Lord Ashcroft looked at more than a quarter of Scottish constituencies and suggested the SNP was ahead in 15 of 16.

In Glasgow, Labour would be on track to lose six of its seven seats to the nationalists under the survey results. Over the 16 constituencies polled, Lord Ashcroft found a swing of 21% from Labour to SNP. Such a swing would endanger 35 of Labour's 41 Scottish seats.

Forgetful Balls

BBC Newsnight

BBC Two, 22:30

BBC

You can watch the moment Ed Balls struggles to remember the name of a Labour business supporter. by clicking on the "key video" tab at the top of this page.

Yo! Sushi boss joins the attack

BBC Newsnight

And another top business leader weighed in on Newsnight last night. Simon Woodroffe, the founder of restaurant chain Yo! Sushi and a former Labour supporter who once appeared in a party political broadcast, said the party's current approach "scared" him.

"What I worry about with Ed Miliband is that he is appealing to the popular by saying 'look at these fat cats making lots of money, it should be for the workers'."

He added: "I want somebody who really appreciates that business has got to succeed first before we can share out the money."

'Defining fight'

Nick Robinson

Political editor

BBC political editor Nick Robinson, analysing Labour's row with business, says Stefano Pessina's comments were not a "calculated political attack" and that the Boots chief executive "slightly regrets saying what he thought".

But some in Labour saw it as a "defining fight", our correspondent says, to give Ed Miliband "definition" before the general election. He says that the ensuing reaction from business was orchestrated in part either by the Conservative party or the Tory press, but it has had the desired effect as Labour is "desperately trying to ratchet it down" and insist the party is pro-business.

Chilcot report

BBC Radio 4 Today

Some more on the Iraq Inquiry report now, ahead of Sir John Chilcot's evidence session with the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee later. Conservative MP Sir Richard Ottaway, who chairs the committee, says the session will be an opportunity for Sir John to set out the reasons for the delays.

He says the panel of MPs want to question him about the evidence and to probe the "Maxwellisation process, which seems to be holding up the inquiry". Asked whether he will give Sir John a hard time, Sir Richard says he hopes the session will be "dignified but focused".

Balls comes under fire

BBC Radio 4 Today

Lord Jones, the former CBI chief who also served as a trade minister in Gordon Brown's government, says Ed Balls' slip on Newsnight (see 0725) is indicative of "a much bigger problem with business" for the Labour party.

"They haven't got the support that New Labour used to have years ago," he tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Ed puts it right

tweets: I know, I know. Bill Thomas, our Small Business Taskforce Chair, will never forgive me. It's an age thing! @Newsnight

Welfare spending

The Daily Telegraph

Analysis of welfare spending by the Department for Work and Pensions, leads the front page of the Daily Telegraph, as official figures indicate the welfare state growing at its slowest rate since 1948. The paper quotes Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith hailing the coalition's "monumental reversal of reckless spending" on benefits, and says the figures offer a pre-election boost to the Conservatives.

What's his name again?

Norman Smith

BBC Assistant Political Editor

Labour is playing down a gaffe by shadow chancellor Ed Balls after he was unable to remember the name of the head of the party's small business task force.

Mr Balls, being interviewed interviewed on BBC Two's Newsnight, could not remember the name of Bill Thomas.

This morning a Labour source called it "a perfectly human slip up", adding: "It happens. There is no significance to it."

Sex and relationships education

The Daily Mail

The Daily Mail's front page story says Labour wants to introduce sex and relationships education for children aged five to seven. It quotes party sources as saying the move would help to tackle problems of domestic violence, rape and homophobic bullying in later life. But the paper says critics are concerned it could sacrifice childhood innocence.

Three-person babies

The Independent

The Independent leads with yesterday's historic vote by MPs in favour of allowing three-person babies. The technique is designed to stop genetic diseases being passed from mother to child.

Today's papers

various

A quick look at the papers now, with many front pages leading with condemnation on the killing of Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh by so-called Islamic State (IS) militants. IS posted a video appearing to show the pilot, who was seized after crashing during an anti-IS mission over Syria in December, being burned alive. Jordan has executed two convicts, including a female jihadist, following the killing.

Stormont and schools

A political development from Stormont, where Northern Ireland's education minister is coming under pressure from schools to retain the £16m Signature project. The two-year scheme funded the work of newly qualified teachers. The NI Department of Education has said no decision has been made on whether to extend it, but warned that times are tough for public finances.

Coming up later....

House of Commons

Parliament

David Cameron and Ed Miliband will face each other across the despatch box at Prime Minister's Questions, from the usual time of noon. We'll be bringing you all the action and reaction.

Chilcot inquiry

House of Commons

Parliament

PA

The main event this morning in Parliament is set to be Sir John Chilcot being questioned by MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee about his long-delayed report into the Iraq War. The session starts at 10:00 GMT and we'll have a live video stream, and text commentary, on this page.

Chilcot inquiry

BBC Breakfast

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, BBC political correspondent Ben Wright predicts that the committee's questioning of inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot will be "robust" and "angry" but that little detail about the report will emerge. Sir John has said he can see "no realistic prospect" of publication before the general election on 7 May.

Prime Minister's Questions

Alex Hunt

Politics editor, BBC News Online

BBC

We got a fresh angle on Prime Minister's Questions in Michael Cockerell's documentary on BBC Two last night, which is where this pic is from. The stakes are getting higher every week for David Cameron and Ed Miliband at their weekly PMQs clash, which begins at noon. We'll have all the build-up to the main event, and the reaction throughout the rest of the day.

Good morning

Alex Hunt

Politics editor, BBC News Online

Hello and welcome to a fresh day's coverage of political developments ahead of the 7 May General Election. There are now 92 days to go. You'll be able to listen or watch all the BBC's political output today on this page and we'll be bringing you all the best clips, quotes, analysis, reaction and breaking political news throughout the day. If you want to catch up with what happened on Tuesday, here's yesterday's campaign countdown.