As the Politics Live Page retires for the night, time for a quick look back at the main stories of the day:
David Cameron has been in Latvia for EU talks and has told other leaders of changes Britain wants.
He's said reforming the EU won't be easy, but he's confident he can get a better deal for the UK.
Former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael has admitted authorising the leak of a memo which suggested Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister.
Welsh Assembly pay rise
The TaxPayers' Alliance have attacked a decision to give members of the Welsh Assembly a £10,000 pay rise next year. It's calling for a re-think.
Its chief executive Jonathan Isaby said:
Quote Message: It can't be one rule for most of the public sector and another for Assembly Members. We are trying to find necessary savings across government through serious restraint on salaries, so clearly now is not the time for a pay rise of this extraordinary size."
It can't be one rule for most of the public sector and another for Assembly Members. We are trying to find necessary savings across government through serious restraint on salaries, so clearly now is not the time for a pay rise of this extraordinary size."
Ed Balls: Yvette's campaign
The former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls says he's going to be supporting his wife Yvette Cooper in her bid for the Labour leadership, but that he won't be "playing any part in her campaign".
"While you never say never...the next phase for me is going to be outside of politics. But there's ways in which you can make a difference in the world outside of parliament and that's something I'd like to do. Who knows if there'll be a chance to be in public service again in the future. But for me now, out of politics is where it is."
And he added:
Quote Message: In politics, you have to take your calling when it comes."
In politics, you have to take your calling when it comes."
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Ed Balls: Politics is brutal
In his first interview since Labour lost the election the former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has told the BBC of his "sense of loss" at Labour's defeat and said losing his own seat was "a symbol of the vibrancy of our democracy."
Asked by the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson about election night, he said: "I always knew if the Tories won a majority I was probably a goner, but the reason I travelled 7,500 miles and went to 45 seats was because I was fighting to win."
He said politics was "a brutal business," because he'd felt it was "a real possibility" his party might have won and he might have become Chancellor.
Ed Balls defended Labour's record on spending in government. He said Labour should have been more pro-business and that he'd wanted to be..."but I also backed Ed Miliband 100%".
Quote Message: He was the leader I was the shadow chancellor. We both worked very hard and in the end neither he or I persuaded people and we need to take our responsibility for that. It's not all on him it's on all of us."
He was the leader I was the shadow chancellor. We both worked very hard and in the end neither he or I persuaded people and we need to take our responsibility for that. It's not all on him it's on all of us."
An update on another issue which cropped up at David Cameron's news conference in Riga this afternoon ...
The prime minister seemed to back Home Secretary Theresa May over her pre-election plans to give the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom greater powers to tackle extremists.
A letter leaked to the Guardian from the then Culture Secretary Sajid Javid warned against proposals to allow the regulator to vet television programmes for extremist content before they air.
But the PM told journalists:
Quote Message: "I haven't seen this particular memo or whatever it is so I can't really comment. All I know is that I think our proposals on extremism are extremely sensible and ...need to be put into place. I think Ofcom has got a role actually to make sure we don't broadcast extremism and extremist messages through our media as well."
"I haven't seen this particular memo or whatever it is so I can't really comment. All I know is that I think our proposals on extremism are extremely sensible and ...need to be put into place. I think Ofcom has got a role actually to make sure we don't broadcast extremism and extremist messages through our media as well."
'Election dirty tricks' says Sturgeon
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Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the leaking of a memo which alleged she would have preferred David Cameron to win the general election over Labour was a "blatant election dirty trick".
Nicola Sturgeon said: "Alistair Carmichael has written to me accepting that the account of my conversation with the French Ambassador was not correct, and apologising for what was a blatant election dirty trick in having it leaked.
"I accept his apology, but the real issue is that he should be apologising to the people of Orkney and Shetland, because he clearly contested the election on false pretences."
She added:
Quote Message: He needs to seriously reflect ...on whether his actions and attempt to cover them up are consistent with his position as an honourable member of the House of Commons."
He needs to seriously reflect ...on whether his actions and attempt to cover them up are consistent with his position as an honourable member of the House of Commons."
Arise Sir Eric...
EU reaction
EU leaders have been reacting to the message David Cameron took to the EU talks at Riga in Latvia.
Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb said: "Finland is very much in favour of the pro-reform agenda that David Cameron drives. We believe that there are issues that can be discussed with Britain."
Dara Murphy, Europe minister for the Republic of Ireland, said Taoiseach Enda Kenny would be meeting Mr Cameron early next month to discuss his plans. Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas said he was "open to discussion" but warned that he would oppose any attempt to roll back the free movement of labour within the EU.
He told the BBC: "I accept full responsibility for what's happened here. This happened in my department while I was Secretary of State. It involved my special advisor. It was something that I could have stopped and very much should have stopped."
Mr Carmichael said he deeply regretted his actions and added: "For the consequences of that error of judgement I've apologised to the first minister and to the French ambassador.
"If I were still a cabinet minister at this point I would tender my resignation.
"Obviously the Liberal Democrats are no longer in government so I am not, but I have said to the cabinet secretary that I will not accept the ministerial severance payment.
"I've said in the past I don't think that would be appropriate in other cases and I'm not going to do it myself."
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Carmichael's apology
SNP leader and Scotland's first minister tweets...
Polling inquiry
Details of an inquiry into why the opinion polls were so wide of the mark in the run up to the general election have been revealed.
An eight-member panel is being set up by the British Polling Council and the Market Research Society and aims to pin-point why the polls were wide off the mark.
It is due to report its findings by the beginning of March next year and will make recommendations for future polls.
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Leak inquiry report
Britain's top civil servant tweets...
NHS trusts deficit
Figures out this afternoon from the health regulator, Monitor, show that England's leading health organisations - known as Foundation Trusts - have run up their first annual deficit. BBC health editor Hugh Pym says the total deficit - run by both the foundation trusts and the rest of the NHS trusts - is around £800m. That compares with a shortfall of £115m the previous year. A big rise in spending on agency nurses has contributed to the deficit.
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Leak found
Sunday Times Politics Editor tweets...
Sturgeon leak 'error of judgement'
The former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has admitted that he was behind a leak to the media of a controversial memo which suggested Scotland's first minister wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister.
BBC political correspondent Tim Reid says Mr Carmichael gave permission for his former special adviser to disclose the confidential memo to the Daily Telegraph during the general election campaign.
Mr Carmichael says it was an "error of judgement" and if he'd still been a cabinet minister today he would have resigned. He's written to Nicola Sturgeon to apologise - describing it as a "breach of protocol".
There's been an inquiry in to the leak, which concluded that Mr Carmichael "could and should have stopped the sharing of the memo".
The document concerned was written by a civil servant in the Scotland Office and suggested that Nicola Sturgeon had told the French Ambassador that she would prefer David Cameron to remain as Prime Minister and that Ed Miliband wasn't prime minister material.
Mr Carmichael has admitted that he should not have let Mr Roddin leak the memo and accepts "full responsibility for the publication".
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Cameron's cough
Daily Mail political correspondent tweets...
'No wall of love'
The Prime Minister told reporters he had not been "met with a wall of love" at the EU meeting of leaders in Riga, Latvia.
He has been paving the way for talks on changes to Britain's relationship with the EU.
Asked if he would recommend leaving the EU if he did not get what he wanted in future negotiations, David Cameron said he had set out the main issues, which he thought were deliverable, but had always said he would "rule nothing out".
Cameron's mandate
We have some serious problems with the way things work in the EU, David Cameron tells reporters. There are many other things that Europe needs to discuss, but I think other leaders can see that there has been an election and the EU should see that Britain has a mandate for changes. But he stresses that today's talks were "not the start of detailed negotiations".
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Referendum timings
Asked about when the UK referendum will be held, Mr Cameron said it would happen before the end of 2017 but earlier if possible. He added: "I'm not going to give time lines and deadines and a running commentary on the referendum plans."
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Cameron on EU talks
"These are complicated issues and it will take time, but better to make a start," says David Cameron on the start of his efforts to persuade other EU leaders to accept his reform proposals.
Cameron news conference
At a news confernce in Riga, the prime minister has said Britain strongly supports the independence and sovereign rights of Eastern European nations to determine their futures.
"It's not about competing with Russia," he says, but about standing up for the rights of countries.
He said the EU summit had been an opportunity to talk to other leaders about how to reform the EU and that the organisation needed to address the concerns of British people.
"They are not happy with the status quo and neither am I," he told reporters.
There's concern they are being driven towards "an ever-closer union", he said , and concern about a "huge increase in people migrating from Europe".
Ed Balls interview
BBC News Political Editor tweets...
Treaty change
Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris has urged David Cameron to aim for far-reaching treaty change that would address some of the EU's fundamental principles.
As the prime minister met other European leaders at an EU meeting in Latvia, he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "Yes I do think he needs to push for treaty change
Quote Message: We need to have a discussion on fundamental principles with our EU partners at the very start of this renegotiation so everybody is clear about where we all stand."
We need to have a discussion on fundamental principles with our EU partners at the very start of this renegotiation so everybody is clear about where we all stand."
Dugdale 'proud'
Any Questions
Iraqi army
Polling inquiry
BBC FOI expert tweets...
Migrants in work
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
David Cameron is expected to stress the importance of stopping "benefit tourism" in talks with EU leaders ahead of Britain's referendum.
Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said the employment rate of EU migrants in the UK was quite high:
Quote Message: "If you look at out of work benefits last year the data suggests that there were about 130,000 EU migrants who were claiming out of work benefits of some kind. And depending on how you make the calculation that's roughly 6% of that population so it's a relatively small share if you're thinking how many people might be influenced by out of work benefits - especially if you bear in mind that a lot of those people, receiving the benefits would have been here for many years."
"If you look at out of work benefits last year the data suggests that there were about 130,000 EU migrants who were claiming out of work benefits of some kind. And depending on how you make the calculation that's roughly 6% of that population so it's a relatively small share if you're thinking how many people might be influenced by out of work benefits - especially if you bear in mind that a lot of those people, receiving the benefits would have been here for many years."
Juncker to meet PM for talks
Officials say European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will meet Mr Cameron for talks on Monday at the prime minister's official country residence at Chequers.
Ofcom role in tackling extremism
Carole Walker
Political correspondent
The prime minister's spokesman says the government is considering how to strengthen the role of Ofcom to tackle extremist material, but David Cameron said always keeps in mind the importance of free speech.
Speaking after the leak to the Guardian of a letter from Sajid Javid warning against any move towards censorship, he would not comment on leaks and said there would be a "range of discussions to ensure the right framework is in place in terms of how we deal with the risk of extremist views".
He added that the prime minister was "very clear about the importance of freedom of speech" and that this would inform any decisions. One of the issues to be considered, he said, would be the threshold of what is considered extremist content.
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Labour leadership hustings
BBC Newsnight is to broadcast Labour’s first official hustings for candidates in its leadership election.
The debate will be presented by Laura Kuenssberg and will be broadcast live from Nuneaton, in front of an audience at 1900 on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel.
Nuneaton, in Warwickshire, was chosen because it's seen as an example of the kind of constituency which Labour needed to win to regain power, but failed to convince on 7 May.
Labour's acting leader Harriet Harman said there was a need for "robust, tough, televised hustings which involve the public" and for hustings to be held not just in Labour heartlands, but in places where the party did not win seats.
She added:
Quote Message: If there is one question that should drive the thinking as we elect a new leadership team it is this - which candidate has the best qualities and leadership skills most likely to win over the support of the public? That’s why our hustings have got to be different."
If there is one question that should drive the thinking as we elect a new leadership team it is this - which candidate has the best qualities and leadership skills most likely to win over the support of the public? That’s why our hustings have got to be different."
Newsnight Editor Ian Katz said the programme had staged the first televised hustings in the race to succeed Gordon Brown as Labour leader and it was "delighted to be giving viewers a ringside seat for the fascinating argument over the future of the party at this pivotal moment".
SNP get two top committee posts
The SNP are to chair two Commons select committees - Energy and Climate Change and Scottish Affairs, BBC Parliamentary correspondent Susan Hulme reports. It is the first time the party has chaired a select committee scrutinising government departments.
The SNP's chief whip, Mike Weir, said he was delighted:
Quote Message: We will be seeing one of the major bills coming forward in the Scotland Bill on more powers for Scotland, and of course the Energy and Climate Change committee is of particular importance with our oil and gas sector and renewables industry. The SNP chairing these committees will allow us to make progress on these important issues, and will help us get the best deal for Scotland."
We will be seeing one of the major bills coming forward in the Scotland Bill on more powers for Scotland, and of course the Energy and Climate Change committee is of particular importance with our oil and gas sector and renewables industry. The SNP chairing these committees will allow us to make progress on these important issues, and will help us get the best deal for Scotland."
No sugar tax
Carole Walker
Political correspondent
The prime minister's official spokesman said the government does not support a "sugar tax". He said it was working with the food industry and public health bodies to tackle public health issues, but "we don't believe the right approach is to put sugar taxes on hard working people to increase the cost of shopping baskets".
He added:
Quote Message: The government is tackling issues such as obesity in a number of ways but ...does not believe the way of addressing that is to introduce new taxes on families."
The government is tackling issues such as obesity in a number of ways but ...does not believe the way of addressing that is to introduce new taxes on families."
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Labour on the deficit
Labour say the Chancellor has "officially missed his own deadline to eliminate the deficit".
It follows the
publication of figures
this morning from the Office for National Statistics which show UK government borrowing fell in the year to April.
The Chancellor, George Osborne, plans to hold a new Budget in July, when he is expected to outline his strategy to eliminate the deficit by the end of 2017.
Labour's Shadow Chancellor, Chris Leslie, said:
Quote Message: "Low wages and weak productivity have caused tax revenues to fall short in the past year. We need sensible spending reductions and a stronger focus on productivity to raise living standards, generate prosperity and get the deficit down."
"Low wages and weak productivity have caused tax revenues to fall short in the past year. We need sensible spending reductions and a stronger focus on productivity to raise living standards, generate prosperity and get the deficit down."
Eric Pickles knighthood
The Conservative MP and former Cabinet minister Eric Pickles is to be knighted.
Downing Street says it's in recognition of his public service as an MP and to local government.
Mr Pickles was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government until earlier this month, when he was replaced by Greg Clark.
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Time for change
A bit more from Kezia Dugdale, who has thrown her hat in to the ring to stand for the Labour leadership in Scotland...
The 33-year-old says this is a "moment when Scottish Labour must and will change.... It's time for a new generation with a vision for the future of Scotland".
She went on...
Quote Message: Labour lost badly in the general election. Nothing we can say or do will disguise that fact. The job of our next leader isn't to explain away that loss or find excuses - it's to understand why people were so reluctant to vote for us and find a way of regaining the trust of the people of Scotland. The great social change we fight for is not a partisan cause. I can be a unifying figure across our party and our country."
Labour lost badly in the general election. Nothing we can say or do will disguise that fact. The job of our next leader isn't to explain away that loss or find excuses - it's to understand why people were so reluctant to vote for us and find a way of regaining the trust of the people of Scotland. The great social change we fight for is not a partisan cause. I can be a unifying figure across our party and our country."
Greens: Give young vote in EU referendum
The Green Party is launching a petition calling for 16 and 17-year-olds to be given a vote in the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.
The petition says that decision "will have a huge impact on young people's futures - so it's vital that they are allowed to vote on it".
Natalie Bennett, the leader of the Green Party, said:
Quote Message: "It is vital that those who will be affected most by the outcome of the referendum are able to have a say. A precedent was set with the Scottish independence referendum that proved 16-18-year-olds are engaged and want a vote on decisions as vitally important as this. To deny our young people a say in their future would taint this referendum’s legitimacy."
"It is vital that those who will be affected most by the outcome of the referendum are able to have a say. A precedent was set with the Scottish independence referendum that proved 16-18-year-olds are engaged and want a vote on decisions as vitally important as this. To deny our young people a say in their future would taint this referendum’s legitimacy."
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
All-male boards
BBC Business Editor tweets...
Kezia interview coming up
World at One presenter tweets...
Cameron's EU conundrum
Mark Urban
Newsnight Defence and Diplomatic Editor
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
David Cameron faces challenges over EU reformImage caption: David Cameron faces challenges over EU reform
Today's Riga summit marks the start of David Cameron's campaign for a re-negotiation of UK powers in Europe, prior to the referendum. Like many a politician at the start of a long and difficult process he has urged patience, but privately must know that every move will be subject to a running commentary on whether he has or has not achieved anything.
"There will be ups and downs", he said as he arrived at the Riga meeting, "you will hear one day that 'this is possible'; the next day something is impossible". And not only will this be going on among his supporters and critics back home, but also politicians in other European countries will be spinning it their way - either with a view to trying to stop more countries from drawing the EU into time consuming and difficult negotiation or, on the other side, to addressing their own national concerns.
So far it's Eastwood MSP Ken Macintosh - the only other person to step forward.
Kezia Dugdale is currently the deputy leader of the Labour party in Scotland. The party lost heavily at the general election, in the SNP landslide.
Scottish Labour leadership
Kezia Dugdale says she will stand to be the leader of the Scottish Labour Party. There's a vacancy following the resignation of Jim Murphy after the party's near-wipeout in Scotland in the general election.
The current deputy leader of the party in Scotland, she says her key priority would be to transform Scotland's education system to make it fairer for all.
She said:
Quote Message: I am standing to be Scottish Labour Leader and I intend to transform my party for the good of my country. This is a moment when Scottish Labour must and will change. It’s time for a new generation with a vision for the future of Scotland."
I am standing to be Scottish Labour Leader and I intend to transform my party for the good of my country. This is a moment when Scottish Labour must and will change. It’s time for a new generation with a vision for the future of Scotland."
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Public sector finances
A Treasury spokesman said the figures out this morning showed the deficit reduction plan was working, "with borrowing down £2.5 billion compared to a year ago".
He added:
Quote Message: We have more than halved the deficit, but at just under 5%, it is still one of the highest in the developed world. There is no shortcut to fixing the public finances so we have to continue with the hard work of identifying savings and making reforms necessary to finish the job and build a resilient economy."
We have more than halved the deficit, but at just under 5%, it is still one of the highest in the developed world. There is no shortcut to fixing the public finances so we have to continue with the hard work of identifying savings and making reforms necessary to finish the job and build a resilient economy."
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Public sector borrowing falls
Public sector net borrowing, excluding public sector banks, fell in the financial year to April. It was £87.7bn - a decrease of £10.8bn compared with the previous financial year and amounted to 4.8% of GDP.
However, net debt was £1,487.7bn - 80.4% of GDP, the Office for National Statistics said.
Cameron's European tour
British officials said Mr Cameron, who is meeting other EU leaders at a summit in Riga, would be travelling to Berlin and Paris in the next few weeks for talks with the German leader Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande of France about his reform proposals.
One official said:
Quote Message: The focus more of these discussions today is to set out the reason why he is doing this, the views of the British people about the EU, the fact that they are not happy with the status quo and what they need to change...It will be broader brush than really specifics of working through things."
The focus more of these discussions today is to set out the reason why he is doing this, the views of the British people about the EU, the fact that they are not happy with the status quo and what they need to change...It will be broader brush than really specifics of working through things."
Welsh Assembly pay rise
BBC political correspondent tweets...
£10,00 pay rise
Members of the Welsh Assembly are to have a£10,000 pay riseafter next year's assembly election.
Backbenchers' pay will increase from £54,000 to £64,000 in May 2016, under plans that are meant to take account of further devolution.
The 18.5% pay rise was confirmed on Friday by the body which sets pay and allowances for the body.
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Broadcast ban?
There's been no confirmation from the Home Office about reports in the
Guardian
that there was a plan for the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom to approve programmes before they were shown, in an effort to tackle extremism.
The paper has published a leaked letter to the Prime Minister from the former Culture Secretary Sajid Javid in which he warns against the watchdog becoming a "censor".
Stuwart Pervis, Professor of Television Journalism at City University, London and a former Ofcom chief, told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, he had known instances when politicians had tried to get broadcasters to pull programmes before they were broadcast. Robust systems were needed, he said, to stop political interference.
'Lost opportunity'
Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan has sounded a less-than-optimistic note about Mr Cameron's EU trip - and the government's agenda.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the prime minister had a "huge opportunity in theory" after winning the election, to say Britain wanted a free trade-based deal while opting out of non-economic policies.
But he added: "He's not doing that and I think that opportunity is going to be lost. I think we're going for these quite minor technical changes - taking out the words 'ever closer union' or saying they'll dis-apply to Britain, changing the rules on benefits, which I think we can do by domestic legislation.
"I don't think politicians get an automatic benefit of the doubt this time. I think there is a readiness to look at the small print and to be sceptical of big claims when people come back from these summits and declare victory."
US view?
BBC presenter tweets...
Armed forces
Home Editor for BBC News tweets...
Referendum plans
A reminder of where the UK stands on its plans for an EU referendum can be found here.
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'Red line' of free movement
Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas says he's "open to discussion" with the UK about changes to the European Union.
But he says he'll oppose any attempt to clamp down on people's freedom to move around for work in the EU.
Quote Message: I wouldn't scroll back the basic freedoms - freedom of movement being one of them - but saying no to all ideas of change would be wrong as well...If there is enough positive openness from both sides, everything is possible."
I wouldn't scroll back the basic freedoms - freedom of movement being one of them - but saying no to all ideas of change would be wrong as well...If there is enough positive openness from both sides, everything is possible."
EU talks
The Prime Minister was greeted by the EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker when he arrived in Riga this morning for EU talks. David Cameron told reporters he was determined to deliver "a reform of the European Union", but warned there would be "lots of noise, lots of ups and downs along the way".
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Cameron in Riga
James Landale
Deputy political editor
David Cameron arrived in Latvia knowing two things have changed since he last met his EU counterparts. He has a renewed electoral mandate and they know for sure that Britain will hold a referendum. So the prime minister said that discussions about EU reform could now begin in earnest. He sought to temper expectations by saying these talks won't be easy, nor quick, and there'll be disagreements along the way but he said a solution could be found that satisfied the British people and improved the EU as a whole.
The prime minister won't begin detailed negotiations today, but officials said he would set out the context of the changes he wants, including benefit curbs for migrants. After the Queen's Speech next week, Mr Cameron will undertake a whirlwind tour of European capitals to begin detailed talks and sound out his chances of securing a deal.
Free schools
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has fired the starting gun for the next wave of free schools.
In the Conservative manifesto, the Tories pledged to open 500 more free schools in England. Applications for this latest wave of schools is now open.
Labour is critical of the plans.
APCopyright: AP
Blind date
The Sun's Sunnation website has gone back in time for a story about Andy Burnham's wife appearing on the TV programme Blind Date in the early 90s.
Marie-France van Hee, a marketing executive, is photographed choosing her "date".
It was not a match made in heaven, clearly, and Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham married Marie-France in 2000. The couple met at Cambridge University.
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'Censorship' - leaked letter
The Guardian
is reporting that the former Culture Secretary,
Sajid Javid wrote to the Prime Minister criticising plans to give the
broadcasting watchdog, Ofcom, new powers to act against "extremist
content".
The newspaper published a letter Mr Javid (now the business secretary) wrote on 12 March this year attacking plans by Home Secretary Theresa May to give Ofcom the power to take action before a programme was broadcast. In the leaked memo, Sajid Javid, argues that, "extending Ofcom's powers to enable it to take pre-emptive action would move it from its current position as a post-transmission regulator into the role of censor".
The Home Office and Ofcom have declined to comment.
Euro smiles
BBCCopyright: BBC
The Prime Minister has posed for his first official photos at the start of the EU summit in Riga.
The meeting has been called to discuss relations with ex-Soviet states, but David Cameron plans to talk to as many other EU leaders as possible to open up discussions about the UK's relationship with the European Union.
He will outline changes he wants to see, including restrictions on benefits for migrants.
The prime minister said he expected "lots of ups and downs" but was focused on giving people a "proper choice" in a referendum due to be held by 2017.
Good morning
Good morning from the Politics Live team, where at the moment, all eyes are on Latvia where David Cameron is for a meeting of the European Union.
We're told he plans to meet as many other European leaders as possible, to pave the way for more detailed talks about his manifesto pledge to reform the UK's relationship with the EU.
Arriving in Riga, the prime minister said there would be "ups and downs" but he was "determined to deliver for the British people a reform of the European Union".
Live Reporting
Angela Harrison and Brian Wheeler
All times stated are UK
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Latest PostLook back
As the Politics Live Page retires for the night, time for a quick look back at the main stories of the day:
David Cameron has been in Latvia for EU talks and has told other leaders of changes Britain wants.
He's said reforming the EU won't be easy, but he's confident he can get a better deal for the UK.
Former Scottish secretary Alistair Carmichael has admitted authorising the leak of a memo which suggested Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister.
Welsh Assembly pay rise
The TaxPayers' Alliance have attacked a decision to give members of the Welsh Assembly a £10,000 pay rise next year. It's calling for a re-think.
Its chief executive Jonathan Isaby said:
Ed Balls: Yvette's campaign
The former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls says he's going to be supporting his wife Yvette Cooper in her bid for the Labour leadership, but that he won't be "playing any part in her campaign".
In an exclusive interview with the BBC's political editor Nick Robinson, he said he would do more to "help the family" while the shadow home secretary was busy with her campaign.
"While you never say never...the next phase for me is going to be outside of politics. But there's ways in which you can make a difference in the world outside of parliament and that's something I'd like to do. Who knows if there'll be a chance to be in public service again in the future. But for me now, out of politics is where it is."
And he added:
Ed Balls: Politics is brutal
In his first interview since Labour lost the election the former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has told the BBC of his "sense of loss" at Labour's defeat and said losing his own seat was "a symbol of the vibrancy of our democracy."
Asked by the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson about election night, he said: "I always knew if the Tories won a majority I was probably a goner, but the reason I travelled 7,500 miles and went to 45 seats was because I was fighting to win."
He said politics was "a brutal business," because he'd felt it was "a real possibility" his party might have won and he might have become Chancellor.
Ed Balls defended Labour's record on spending in government. He said Labour should have been more pro-business and that he'd wanted to be..."but I also backed Ed Miliband 100%".
'Consider his position'
BBC political correspondent tweets...
Extremists and Ofcom
An update on another issue which cropped up at David Cameron's news conference in Riga this afternoon ...
The prime minister seemed to back Home Secretary Theresa May over her pre-election plans to give the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom greater powers to tackle extremists.
A letter leaked to the Guardian from the then Culture Secretary Sajid Javid warned against proposals to allow the regulator to vet television programmes for extremist content before they air.
But the PM told journalists:
'Election dirty tricks' says Sturgeon
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the leaking of a memo which alleged she would have preferred David Cameron to win the general election over Labour was a "blatant election dirty trick".
The Lib Dem MP and former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has admitted he approved a controversial leak to the Daily Telegraph in the run-up to the general election.
Nicola Sturgeon said: "Alistair Carmichael has written to me accepting that the account of my conversation with the French Ambassador was not correct, and apologising for what was a blatant election dirty trick in having it leaked.
"I accept his apology, but the real issue is that he should be apologising to the people of Orkney and Shetland, because he clearly contested the election on false pretences."
She added:
Arise Sir Eric...
EU reaction
EU leaders have been reacting to the message David Cameron took to the EU talks at Riga in Latvia.
Finnish prime minister Alexander Stubb said: "Finland is very much in favour of the pro-reform agenda that David Cameron drives. We believe that there are issues that can be discussed with Britain."
Dara Murphy, Europe minister for the Republic of Ireland, said Taoiseach Enda Kenny would be meeting Mr Cameron early next month to discuss his plans. Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas said he was "open to discussion" but warned that he would oppose any attempt to roll back the free movement of labour within the EU.
Further Carmichael action?
Channel 4 News political reporter tweets...
No severance pay
Lib Dem Alastair Carmichael says he will not accept the ministerial severance payment normally due to ministers when they leave office, after it emerged he was behind a leak that suggested Nicola Sturgeon preferred the idea of David Cameron remaining in Downing Street over the former Labour leader, Ed Miliband.
He told the BBC: "I accept full responsibility for what's happened here. This happened in my department while I was Secretary of State. It involved my special advisor. It was something that I could have stopped and very much should have stopped."
Mr Carmichael said he deeply regretted his actions and added: "For the consequences of that error of judgement I've apologised to the first minister and to the French ambassador.
"If I were still a cabinet minister at this point I would tender my resignation.
"Obviously the Liberal Democrats are no longer in government so I am not, but I have said to the cabinet secretary that I will not accept the ministerial severance payment.
"I've said in the past I don't think that would be appropriate in other cases and I'm not going to do it myself."
Carmichael's apology
SNP leader and Scotland's first minister tweets...
Polling inquiry
Details of an inquiry into why the opinion polls were so wide of the mark in the run up to the general election have been revealed.
An eight-member panel is being set up by the British Polling Council and the Market Research Society and aims to pin-point why the polls were wide off the mark.
It is due to report its findings by the beginning of March next year and will make recommendations for future polls.
Leak inquiry report
Britain's top civil servant tweets...
NHS trusts deficit
Figures out this afternoon from the health regulator, Monitor, show that England's leading health organisations - known as Foundation Trusts - have run up their first annual deficit. BBC health editor Hugh Pym says the total deficit - run by both the foundation trusts and the rest of the NHS trusts - is around £800m. That compares with a shortfall of £115m the previous year. A big rise in spending on agency nurses has contributed to the deficit.
Leak found
Sunday Times Politics Editor tweets...
Sturgeon leak 'error of judgement'
The former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has admitted that he was behind a leak to the media of a controversial memo which suggested Scotland's first minister wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister.
BBC political correspondent Tim Reid says Mr Carmichael gave permission for his former special adviser to disclose the confidential memo to the Daily Telegraph during the general election campaign.
Mr Carmichael says it was an "error of judgement" and if he'd still been a cabinet minister today he would have resigned. He's written to Nicola Sturgeon to apologise - describing it as a "breach of protocol".
There's been an inquiry in to the leak, which concluded that Mr Carmichael "could and should have stopped the sharing of the memo".
The document concerned was written by a civil servant in the Scotland Office and suggested that Nicola Sturgeon had told the French Ambassador that she would prefer David Cameron to remain as Prime Minister and that Ed Miliband wasn't prime minister material.
Mr Carmichael has admitted that he should not have let Mr Roddin leak the memo and accepts "full responsibility for the publication".
Cameron's cough
Daily Mail political correspondent tweets...
'No wall of love'
The Prime Minister told reporters he had not been "met with a wall of love" at the EU meeting of leaders in Riga, Latvia.
He has been paving the way for talks on changes to Britain's relationship with the EU.
Asked if he would recommend leaving the EU if he did not get what he wanted in future negotiations, David Cameron said he had set out the main issues, which he thought were deliverable, but had always said he would "rule nothing out".
Cameron's mandate
We have some serious problems with the way things work in the EU, David Cameron tells reporters. There are many other things that Europe needs to discuss, but I think other leaders can see that there has been an election and the EU should see that Britain has a mandate for changes. But he stresses that today's talks were "not the start of detailed negotiations".
Referendum timings
Asked about when the UK referendum will be held, Mr Cameron said it would happen before the end of 2017 but earlier if possible. He added: "I'm not going to give time lines and deadines and a running commentary on the referendum plans."
Cameron on EU talks
"These are complicated issues and it will take time, but better to make a start," says David Cameron on the start of his efforts to persuade other EU leaders to accept his reform proposals.
Cameron news conference
At a news confernce in Riga, the prime minister has said Britain strongly supports the independence and sovereign rights of Eastern European nations to determine their futures.
"It's not about competing with Russia," he says, but about standing up for the rights of countries.
He said the EU summit had been an opportunity to talk to other leaders about how to reform the EU and that the organisation needed to address the concerns of British people.
"They are not happy with the status quo and neither am I," he told reporters.
There's concern they are being driven towards "an ever-closer union", he said , and concern about a "huge increase in people migrating from Europe".
Ed Balls interview
BBC News Political Editor tweets...
Treaty change
Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris has urged David Cameron to aim for far-reaching treaty change that would address some of the EU's fundamental principles.
As the prime minister met other European leaders at an EU meeting in Latvia, he told BBC Radio 4's The World At One: "Yes I do think he needs to push for treaty change
Dugdale 'proud'
Any Questions
Iraqi army
Polling inquiry
BBC FOI expert tweets...
Migrants in work
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
David Cameron is expected to stress the importance of stopping "benefit tourism" in talks with EU leaders ahead of Britain's referendum.
Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, said the employment rate of EU migrants in the UK was quite high:
Juncker to meet PM for talks
Officials say European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker will meet Mr Cameron for talks on Monday at the prime minister's official country residence at Chequers.
Ofcom role in tackling extremism
Carole Walker
Political correspondent
The prime minister's spokesman says the government is considering how to strengthen the role of Ofcom to tackle extremist material, but David Cameron said always keeps in mind the importance of free speech.
Speaking after the leak to the Guardian of a letter from Sajid Javid warning against any move towards censorship, he would not comment on leaks and said there would be a "range of discussions to ensure the right framework is in place in terms of how we deal with the risk of extremist views".
He added that the prime minister was "very clear about the importance of freedom of speech" and that this would inform any decisions. One of the issues to be considered, he said, would be the threshold of what is considered extremist content.
Labour leadership hustings
BBC Newsnight is to broadcast Labour’s first official hustings for candidates in its leadership election.
The debate will be presented by Laura Kuenssberg and will be broadcast live from Nuneaton, in front of an audience at 1900 on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel.
Nuneaton, in Warwickshire, was chosen because it's seen as an example of the kind of constituency which Labour needed to win to regain power, but failed to convince on 7 May.
Labour's acting leader Harriet Harman said there was a need for "robust, tough, televised hustings which involve the public" and for hustings to be held not just in Labour heartlands, but in places where the party did not win seats.
She added:
Newsnight Editor Ian Katz said the programme had staged the first televised hustings in the race to succeed Gordon Brown as Labour leader and it was "delighted to be giving viewers a ringside seat for the fascinating argument over the future of the party at this pivotal moment".
SNP get two top committee posts
The SNP are to chair two Commons select committees - Energy and Climate Change and Scottish Affairs, BBC Parliamentary correspondent Susan Hulme reports. It is the first time the party has chaired a select committee scrutinising government departments.
The SNP's chief whip, Mike Weir, said he was delighted:
No sugar tax
Carole Walker
Political correspondent
The prime minister's official spokesman said the government does not support a "sugar tax". He said it was working with the food industry and public health bodies to tackle public health issues, but "we don't believe the right approach is to put sugar taxes on hard working people to increase the cost of shopping baskets".
He added:
Labour on the deficit
Labour say the Chancellor has "officially missed his own deadline to eliminate the deficit".
It follows the publication of figures this morning from the Office for National Statistics which show UK government borrowing fell in the year to April.
The Chancellor, George Osborne, plans to hold a new Budget in July, when he is expected to outline his strategy to eliminate the deficit by the end of 2017.
Labour's Shadow Chancellor, Chris Leslie, said:
Eric Pickles knighthood
The Conservative MP and former Cabinet minister Eric Pickles is to be knighted.
Downing Street says it's in recognition of his public service as an MP and to local government.
Mr Pickles was Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government until earlier this month, when he was replaced by Greg Clark.
Time for change
A bit more from Kezia Dugdale, who has thrown her hat in to the ring to stand for the Labour leadership in Scotland...
The 33-year-old says this is a "moment when Scottish Labour must and will change.... It's time for a new generation with a vision for the future of Scotland".
She went on...
Greens: Give young vote in EU referendum
The Green Party is launching a petition calling for 16 and 17-year-olds to be given a vote in the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU.
The petition says that decision "will have a huge impact on young people's futures - so it's vital that they are allowed to vote on it".
Natalie Bennett, the leader of the Green Party, said:
All-male boards
BBC Business Editor tweets...
Kezia interview coming up
World at One presenter tweets...
Cameron's EU conundrum
Mark Urban
Newsnight Defence and Diplomatic Editor
Today's Riga summit marks the start of David Cameron's campaign for a re-negotiation of UK powers in Europe, prior to the referendum. Like many a politician at the start of a long and difficult process he has urged patience, but privately must know that every move will be subject to a running commentary on whether he has or has not achieved anything.
"There will be ups and downs", he said as he arrived at the Riga meeting, "you will hear one day that 'this is possible'; the next day something is impossible". And not only will this be going on among his supporters and critics back home, but also politicians in other European countries will be spinning it their way - either with a view to trying to stop more countries from drawing the EU into time consuming and difficult negotiation or, on the other side, to addressing their own national concerns.
Read the full post on Newsnight Live.
Scottish Labour leadership
Now that MSP Kezia Dugdale has thrown her hat in to the ring to be the next leader of the Labour party in Scotland , a quick reminder of who else is in the frame....
So far it's Eastwood MSP Ken Macintosh - the only other person to step forward.
Kezia Dugdale is currently the deputy leader of the Labour party in Scotland. The party lost heavily at the general election, in the SNP landslide.
Scottish Labour leadership
Kezia Dugdale says she will stand to be the leader of the Scottish Labour Party. There's a vacancy following the resignation of Jim Murphy after the party's near-wipeout in Scotland in the general election.
The current deputy leader of the party in Scotland, she says her key priority would be to transform Scotland's education system to make it fairer for all.
She said:
Public sector finances
A Treasury spokesman said the figures out this morning showed the deficit reduction plan was working, "with borrowing down £2.5 billion compared to a year ago".
He added:
Public sector borrowing falls
Public sector net borrowing, excluding public sector banks, fell in the financial year to April. It was £87.7bn - a decrease of £10.8bn compared with the previous financial year and amounted to 4.8% of GDP.
However, net debt was £1,487.7bn - 80.4% of GDP, the Office for National Statistics said.
Cameron's European tour
British officials said Mr Cameron, who is meeting other EU leaders at a summit in Riga, would be travelling to Berlin and Paris in the next few weeks for talks with the German leader Angela Merkel and President Francois Hollande of France about his reform proposals.
One official said:
Welsh Assembly pay rise
BBC political correspondent tweets...
£10,00 pay rise
Members of the Welsh Assembly are to have a£10,000 pay riseafter next year's assembly election.
Backbenchers' pay will increase from £54,000 to £64,000 in May 2016, under plans that are meant to take account of further devolution.
The 18.5% pay rise was confirmed on Friday by the body which sets pay and allowances for the body.
Broadcast ban?
There's been no confirmation from the Home Office about reports in the Guardian that there was a plan for the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom to approve programmes before they were shown, in an effort to tackle extremism.
The paper has published a leaked letter to the Prime Minister from the former Culture Secretary Sajid Javid in which he warns against the watchdog becoming a "censor".
Stuwart Pervis, Professor of Television Journalism at City University, London and a former Ofcom chief, told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, he had known instances when politicians had tried to get broadcasters to pull programmes before they were broadcast. Robust systems were needed, he said, to stop political interference.
'Lost opportunity'
Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan has sounded a less-than-optimistic note about Mr Cameron's EU trip - and the government's agenda.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the prime minister had a "huge opportunity in theory" after winning the election, to say Britain wanted a free trade-based deal while opting out of non-economic policies.
But he added: "He's not doing that and I think that opportunity is going to be lost. I think we're going for these quite minor technical changes - taking out the words 'ever closer union' or saying they'll dis-apply to Britain, changing the rules on benefits, which I think we can do by domestic legislation.
"I don't think politicians get an automatic benefit of the doubt this time. I think there is a readiness to look at the small print and to be sceptical of big claims when people come back from these summits and declare victory."
US view?
BBC presenter tweets...
Armed forces
Home Editor for BBC News tweets...
Referendum plans
A reminder of where the UK stands on its plans for an EU referendum can be found here.
'Red line' of free movement
Estonian prime minister Taavi Roivas says he's "open to discussion" with the UK about changes to the European Union.
But he says he'll oppose any attempt to clamp down on people's freedom to move around for work in the EU.
EU talks
The Prime Minister was greeted by the EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker when he arrived in Riga this morning for EU talks. David Cameron told reporters he was determined to deliver "a reform of the European Union", but warned there would be "lots of noise, lots of ups and downs along the way".
Cameron in Riga
James Landale
Deputy political editor
David Cameron arrived in Latvia knowing two things have changed since he last met his EU counterparts. He has a renewed electoral mandate and they know for sure that Britain will hold a referendum. So the prime minister said that discussions about EU reform could now begin in earnest. He sought to temper expectations by saying these talks won't be easy, nor quick, and there'll be disagreements along the way but he said a solution could be found that satisfied the British people and improved the EU as a whole.
The prime minister won't begin detailed negotiations today, but officials said he would set out the context of the changes he wants, including benefit curbs for migrants. After the Queen's Speech next week, Mr Cameron will undertake a whirlwind tour of European capitals to begin detailed talks and sound out his chances of securing a deal.
Free schools
Education Secretary Nicky Morgan has fired the starting gun for the next wave of free schools.
In the Conservative manifesto, the Tories pledged to open 500 more free schools in England. Applications for this latest wave of schools is now open.
Labour is critical of the plans.
Blind date
The Sun's Sunnation website has gone back in time for a story about Andy Burnham's wife appearing on the TV programme Blind Date in the early 90s.
Marie-France van Hee, a marketing executive, is photographed choosing her "date".
It was not a match made in heaven, clearly, and Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham married Marie-France in 2000. The couple met at Cambridge University.
'Censorship' - leaked letter
The Guardian is reporting that the former Culture Secretary, Sajid Javid wrote to the Prime Minister criticising plans to give the broadcasting watchdog, Ofcom, new powers to act against "extremist content".
The newspaper published a letter Mr Javid (now the business secretary) wrote on 12 March this year attacking plans by Home Secretary Theresa May to give Ofcom the power to take action before a programme was broadcast. In the leaked memo, Sajid Javid, argues that, "extending Ofcom's powers to enable it to take pre-emptive action would move it from its current position as a post-transmission regulator into the role of censor".
The Home Office and Ofcom have declined to comment.
Euro smiles
The Prime Minister has posed for his first official photos at the start of the EU summit in Riga.
The meeting has been called to discuss relations with ex-Soviet states, but David Cameron plans to talk to as many other EU leaders as possible to open up discussions about the UK's relationship with the European Union.
He will outline changes he wants to see, including restrictions on benefits for migrants.
The prime minister said he expected "lots of ups and downs" but was focused on giving people a "proper choice" in a referendum due to be held by 2017.
Good morning
Good morning from the Politics Live team, where at the moment, all eyes are on Latvia where David Cameron is for a meeting of the European Union.
We're told he plans to meet as many other European leaders as possible, to pave the way for more detailed talks about his manifesto pledge to reform the UK's relationship with the EU.
Arriving in Riga, the prime minister said there would be "ups and downs" but he was "determined to deliver for the British people a reform of the European Union".