The Daily Mail

The Mail is reporting, external that UKIP spokesperson Winston MacKenzie has been sacked from the party.

Mr MacKenzie told the paper: "I've had a very good run and thought I was doing pretty well with it, but bigger people than me have been moved around jobs. You look at the Tory party and Michael Gove. He was doing a fantastic job as education secretary and was moved on. It's a bit of a shock to the system."

Mr MacKenzie previously compared Nigel Farage to Jesus. He appeared on Newsnight to defend Mike Reid's UKIP Calypso.

The Kensington Conservative nomination fell vacant when the current MP, Sir Malcolm Rifkind, decided not to stand again after he was secretly filmed apparently offering his services to a private firm for cash. He referred himself to Parliament's standards watchdog and denied breaching Commons rules but said he would not be seeking a further term to "end uncertainty". Sir Malcolm had a majority of over eight thousand.

Tweets, external: For those as nerdy as me to care deeply about PPCs, Kensington tory shortlist is Shaun Bailey, Charlotte Vere, and Victoria Borwick

tweets:, external Congratulations to @ShaunBaileyUK for making the Kensington shortlist. He'd be an excellent MP

Charlotte Vere stood for the Conservatives party in 2010 in Brighton Pavilion, coming a close third against Caroline Lucas and the Labour candidate Nancy Platts. Ms Vere is a former CEO of Big White Wall and is currently acting general secretary of the Independent Schools Council.

Shaun Bailey has previously advised the Prime Minister on youth and crime. He stood in 2010 in Hammersmith but came second to Labour's Andy Slaughter. The Telegraph reported that Mr Bailey lost his job in Downing Street because he asked awkward questions and felt pushed out by a clique of old Etonians.

Victoria Borwick is currently a Deputy Mayor of London and London-wide Assembly member and a former councillor for Kensington and Chelsea.

The Conservatives have named a shortlist of three for Kensington:

Charlotte Vere

Shaun Bailey

Victoria Borwick

The winning candidate will be chosen at a special general meeting on Friday.

House of Commons
Parliament

Concluding the adjournment debate, Mr Hancock said his party would: "stand up for businesses on red tape, for exporters on free trade, for industry on the free movement of capital and we'll restore fairness to the free movement of people for work rather than benefits and, before the end of 2017, we will put that reformed Europe to the British people in a referendum so that they may decide on our future".

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, PA

There was a important moment of procedure in the Commons about an hour ago, although it passed in the blink of an eye. MPs were asked to approve a change to regulations authorising the introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes in England. However, a number objected and, as a result, there will be what is known as a deferred division tomorrow. MPs will be asked to vote for or against the change by filling in a slip included in their Commons order papers. The result should be known some time on Wednesday afternoon. The government backs the move, as does Labour, but a number of Conservative MPs have said they are opposed.

Tweets, external: Alas Gordon Brown in lecture mode refuses to give way to any questioning of his bonkers view that UK out of EU would become like North Korea

Tweets, external: Agree with @JGForsyth: poor show for shadow Cabinet not to turn up for Gordon Brown's final Commons appearance

Tweets, external: If Matt Hancock can pay tribute 2 Gordon Brown on what may be his last Commons appearance, surely some of the shad Cab could have turned up?

House of Commons
Parliament

Mr Hancock thought it was odd that Mr Brown was arguing against a referendum on Europe. He had been a champion of the referendum to give Scotland its Parliament and he had spoken movingly in the referendum to keep Scotland a part of the United Kingdom. But "he stands steadfast against giving the people of the UK a debate and a vote on our membership of the EU." The UK needed that debate and vote because no one could be happy with the status quo. The whole of Europe needed to work better and Britain needed to resolve its relationship with it once and for all.

House of Commons
Parliament

Business minister Matthew Hancock opened his response to Gordon Brown in tonight's adjournment debate by speculating that this may be former PM's final speech in the Commons.

Mr Hancock said: "It falls to me to respond for the government on this historic occasion of what may be the last speech in this House by the right honourable member for Kirkaldy and Cowdenbeath"

Mr Brown made no move to confirm this, but simply smiled from the benches opposite.

James Landale
Deputy Political Editor, BBC News

The focus of the day that the BBC's James Landale spent with Ed Miliband has been on the rare interview he got with the Labour leader's wife Justine. But the two men also went back to Mr Miliband's former school in north London, where they met one of his old teachers Chris Dunne. Ed Miliband says his time at Haverstock comprehensive "toughened him up" and taught him to "look after himself".

House of Commons
Parliament

Mr Brown said: "I stand for Britain in Europe. Because, just as I came into this House believing in Britain, I leave this House believing in a Britain which can lead in Europe."

House of Commons
Parliament

Gordon Brown has defended Britain's membership of Europe in tonight's adjournment debate.

He told the Commons: "I acknowledge the strength of anti-European sentiment in the country and I believe passionately that there is no way forward for Europe other than reform"

But he went on to warn against "indulging the delusion of discounting the three million jobs" connected to trade with Europe.

House of Commons
Parliament

Gordon Brown is defending Britain's membership of the EU in tonight's adjournment debate on trade with Europe.

The former PM told the Commons: "The question for Britain is never whether we are in Europe but whether we lead it."

He went on: "Our destiny is never to be a bit player or bystander heckling from the wings."

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs have just started their last business of the day. Gordon Brown is leading a debate on proposed reforms to trading relationships with Europe. Mr Brown is not standing at the election and this could be his final speech in the Commons.

@MSmithsonPB

tweets:, external Betfair Sportsbook inevitably making the debates odds on favourite as EdM's 1st at tomorrow's PMQs.