BBC Breaking News

UK party leader #GE2015 #TVdebates confirmed for ITV - 2 April, BBC - 16 April, Sky/Channel 4 - 30 April

Ex-UKIP councillor Rozanne Duncan was roundly condemned on Sunday by Nigel Farage for what he called racist comments. But she's still talking... this morning to LBC radio. BBC political correspondent Robin Brant has been listening to her appearance.

He tweeted, external: Asked what would she do if she saw a black person she said 'I just don't want to look. It's really quite strange'. #UKIP

He also tweeted, external: Asked if she thought @Nigel_Farage would win Thanet south at #ge2015 she said 'not if I can help it', adding 'don't get mad get even'.

Here's a quick recap of Jack Straw's position, when he spoke to BBC News earlier. He said he had "acted with complete probity and integrity throughout [his] parliamentary career". Click here to watch a video of him.

Tweets, external: Of 180 MPs with additional jobs, 112 are Tories. 43 are Labour. 15 are Lib Dems. #telegraph

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Tweets, external: Mood of Tory tearoom? 1 MP: "lots of anger" at Telegraph ("+ their hands are hardly clean") + Ch 4. Colleagues "glad Rifkind pushing back."

Image source, Getty Images

The leader of the Green Party has responded to the "cash for access" story. Natalie Bennett said: "These latest allegations further cast the shadow of distrust over our political class. It's right that Jack Straw and Malcolm Rifkind have referred themselves to the authorities, but the damage to public trust in politics is likely to be great. The influence of big business in politics is corrosive, and seems to run through the veins of the entire political establishment. That's why we need real change now. Fulltime MP's should only have one job: representing their constituents. That's why the Green Party would end second jobs for MPs. The close ties between our parliamentarians and the multinational commercial healthcare industry, the oil and gas sector, and the financial sector, among others, are grave cause for concern."

Image source, PA

On the revelation that some jobs in the Church of England are paying below the living wage - despite its calls for businesses to adopt it - the Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted they are "embarrassing". But, Justin Welby also said the church had been clear the "move towards" having the living wage paid across all parishes, cathedrals and diocese was a gradual process which would take time.

"The British people need to know that when they vote they are electing someone who will represent them directly, and not be swayed by what they may owe to the interests of others" - so says Ed Miliband in his letter to the prime minister on the subject of MPs having second jobs.

"The low levels of trust in politics demands clarity and I urge you to follow my lead in banning paid directorships and consultancies. There have been too many scandals about conflicts of interest in recent years. It is time to draw a line under this and ensure these current allegations are the last."

Tweets, external: Costing of #NHS policies and practicality of measures an issue for @UKIP though as it tries to broaden policy appeal

Tweets, external: Nigel, Suzanne, Louise and Mark in Rochester today for big #UKIP push on health. Two more set piece policy speeches to come I'm told.

BBC Radio 4 Today

Watch former Labour foreign secretary Jack Straw defend himself over 'cash for access' allegations

Image source, Getty Images

Former prime minister Tony Blair said: "I have known Jack [Straw] for over 30 years. He is a byword for being a hard-working constituency MP and parliamentarian. I can think of no-one who has more dedicated himself to public service. I am really sorry he has been caught up in a sting operation about a job offer after he retires from Parliament. It is typical of Jack that as soon as he was alerted of the sting against him he immediately contacted the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and asked her to investigate the case. I hope that the Commissioner will clear his name as soon as possible."

David Singleton, news editor, PoliticsHome.com

Tweets:, external As @paulwaugh points out today, big winners from the latest cash for access scandal are Ukip, SNP and Greens

Tom Watson, Labour MP

Tweets:, external Whatever the rights and wrongs of the Straw/Rifkind story, the rules governing the ISC need to be tightened

Image source, Channel 4

The other person involved in the 'cash for access' allegations is Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who told the BBC he will be "hugely irritated and angry" when he watches the programme later.

Kevin Maguire, Daily Mirror associate editor,

Tweets:, external Decent, hardworking MPs(and there are many) hate these lobbying scandals most. Feeds cynicism, undermines politics

Channel 4's Dispatches, which will be aired tonight, used a hidden camera to film the meeting between former foreign secretary Jack Straw and a fictitious Chinese firm. This is a still from their footage. He denies any wrongdoing.

Image source, Channel 4

In his speech later, David Cameron will insist that no-one can say older people have not paid their fair share towards deficit reduction. "Of all the difficult decisions we have taken in government, the biggest saving we've made is raising the age of retirement... The fact is, if something happens to you when you're old, or to your income, you can't so easily change your circumstances like younger people can. You can't as easily move house, or change job, or go full-time. You need to know support is always there for you - and that's another reason why I want to protect these benefits."

Louise Bours, UKIP's health spokesman, has outlined plans to invest an extra £3bn in frontline NHS services. Speaking to BBC Breakfast ahead of the party's first big policy launch of the general election campaign, she dismissed the idea of an insurance-based system.

The Sun

Voters have delivered a "huge snub to Nigel Farage's UKIP", writes the Sun, by declaring: "We don't want you in government." The tabloid has published the results of an exclusive YouGov, which suggests that more than half of Britons want David Cameron and Ed Miliband to rule out any post-election deal which would bring UKIP into No 10.