Summary

  • A post mortem has found former Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy died of a "major haemorrhage" that was "a consequence of his battle with alcoholism"

  • Mr Kennedy's family say they have been "touched beyond measure by the outpouring of warmth" from all parts of the country and all sides of politics

  • Former Chancellor Lord Lawson warns David Cameron is unlikely to achieve anything of significance as he seeks to renegotiate the UK's EU membership

  • The public spending watchdog warns Whitehall has failed to plan properly for the implications of past and future cuts to civil service staffing

  • The High Court has ruled a delay in paying welfare benefits to two disabled people "unlawful"

Live Reporting

Nick Eardley and Brian Wheeler

  1. Signing off

    That's it from Politics Live for Friday. Here's a recap of what's happened today:

    Charles Kennedy's family said the former Liberal Democrat leader died of a major haemorrhage linked to alcoholism 

    Two Conservative MPs told the BBC they will accept the pay rise recommended by the independent pay body 

    The High Court ruled that a delay in paying welfare benefits to two disabled people was unlawful 

    Former Chancellor Lord Lawson said David Cameron is unlikely to achieve anything of significance as he seeks to renegotiate the UK's EU membership

    We'll be back on Sunday morning for the Andrew Marr Show, Pienaar's Politics and Sunday Politics. See you then. 

  2. Optimistic Yvette

    Speaking on her visit to Scotland earlier, Labour leadership hopeful Yvette Cooper also said she wanted to offer an "optimistic vision" to voters in an attempt to improve her party's fortunes. 

    From Aberdeen to Bethnal Green, Exeter to Edinburgh we should be championing high tech new jobs for the future, support for working families and building a country where every child has a great start in life."

  3. PIPs delays 'very common

    Eddie Mair
    PM on BBC Radio 4

    Rachel Badger from Citizens Advice has been speaking to PM about Personal Independence Payment (PIPs) delays. Earlier, the High Court ruled a delay in paying the benefits to two disabled people was unlawful. 

    Ms Badger says the problem is very common and the second biggest benefits issue people bring to Citizen's Advice. The body has seen 320,000 cases since PIPs were introduced in 2013. 

    The delays, she says, can be very hard and often have a significant impact on those involved. Although there has been some progress recently, she says we are not "out of the woods" yet in terms of delays.

  4. Yvette Cooper in Scotland

    Yvette CooperReuters

    Labour leadership candidate Yvette Cooper has been in Scotland today, following the party's near wipeout in the country at the general election. She met with senior figures and also spoke with some SNP voters during visits to Edinburgh and Glasgow. 

    Setting out her vision for the party's future, she said Labour should champion devolution. 

    We should be arguing hard for powers to be devolved not just to Holyrood but to our cities, local councils and communities across Scotland - really giving power back to the people. And supporting Scottish Labour's strong and distinctive voice standing up for the people of Scotland.

    She also said the party north of the border could not wait until the next general election to win back support. 

    Labour has to win again in Scotland - not in 2020, but in 2016 in the Scottish Parliament elections. Our defeat was profound, and Labour has to reach out and rebuild."

  5. MPs' pay

    Two Conservatives say they will take pay rise...

  6. Sunday Andrew Marr Show line-up

  7. Will Corbyn make the cut?

    Jeremy CorbynPA

    Will Jeremy Corbyn - the veteran left-wing Labour MP - attract enough support for his leadership campaign to make it onto the ballot? Potential candidates have to win the support of 35 MPs and Stephen Bush, writing on the New Statesman website, assess the likelihood Mr Corbyn will make the cut. 

    The Labour left is stronger in Parliament than it has been for some time. 10 newly-elected MPs signed an open letter calling for the party's new leader to embrace a leftwing agenda. Eight of the 10 added their names to a coded attack on the party's right, published last week on the New Statesman website."

      You can read the piece here.     

  8. No change

    In by-election news, the Tories have held two seats and Labour one in the by-election for three seats in the Rothwell ward at Kettering Borough Council.

  9. 'Learn from Kennedy's death'

    BBC News Channel

    Charles Kennedy's friend Alastair Campbell has urged MPs who were paying tribute to the former Lib Dem leader this week to consider changes in the law, such as minimum alcohol pricing, to prevent future tragedies. 

    Mr Campbell, who had his own battle with alcohol, said he did not think Mr Kennedy would have wanted to be used as a "political tool" in a campaign.

    But he said Westminster and wider British society had a "troubled relationship" with alcohol "and you have to do something about that". 

  10. Blast from the past

  11. Lord Howard urges 'powerful message' on climate change

    Michael Howard

    Former Tory leader Lord Howard has urged David Cameron to press for action on climate change and clean energy at the G7 meeting in Germany this weekend. 

    Bringing in policies to tackle climate change and promote clean energy, as the Conservatives have done, is good for growth, good for jobs, and good for the environment, which is a powerful message that the prime minister can take to the G7."

  12. Your comments

    Dave Jago writes...

    I fully support MP Paul Flynn’s comments about PMQs. Regarding Cameron’s response, I would suggest that there is nothing wrong with being robust, but there is no need to be downright rude and insulting, and answers should be given.  

  13. 'Meaningful powers'

    Stewart HosieEPA

    At a speech in London today, the depute leader of the SNP Stewart Hosie has urged to UK to deliver more powers to Scotland. He also questioned the strength of the government's mandate. 

    What we need from the UK government is an adequate response to the SNP's overwhelming success in 2015 and that means substantial additions to the Scotland Bill to transfer meaningful powers over job creation and tax and welfare and wages."

    Mr Cameron must also accept the limited nature of his own mandate. The Tories were opposed by almost two-thirds of voters across the UK. They didn't even get a majority in England, and lost in three of the four home nations. They may have Parliamentary authority but not a parallel moral authority, and as we move forward on the constitution the government must do so in full knowledge of their position."

  14. 'On top form'

    BBC News Channel

    Willie Rennie, the Scottish Lib Dem leader, has been paying further tribute to Charles Kennedy. 

    Charles Kennedy

    I enjoyed many campaign moments with him just in the recent general election. One in Inverness in fact, where characteristically he was able to deliver exactly the message he wanted to convey with one take and in a way that many people absolutely understood what he was talking about. Right up to the end, he was on top form despite the battle he was having."

  15. Time for a rethink?

    Political columnist tweets...

  16. 'Spur to more action'

    Charles Kennedy's friend tweets...

  17. 'The legacy of Charles is far greater'

    Charles Kennedy's former campaign manager Conn O'Neill has issued a statement following a post mortem into his death. 

    Today's revelation that his death is related to alcohol in no way diminishes the great tragedy of his loss. Charles's long suffering from a terrible illness should not be trivialised as a problem or 'his demons'. The legacy of Charles Kennedy is far greater. Let us continue to reflect upon the positive impact he has had on the lives of so many."

  18. Kennedy family statement

    You can read the full statement from Charles Kennedy's family here . 

  19. Snowden files caused 'considerable damage'

    A former terror laws watchdog has said the disclosure of the Edward Snowden files has "done considerable damage" to national security in a number of countries. 

    Lord Carlile's comments come exactly two years after the first press reports based on files leaked by Snowden, an ex-National Security Agency (NSA) worker.

    The Lib Dem peer is a former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation for the UK government.

    I am absolutely certain that the way in which the Snowden cache was revealed has done considerable damage to the national security of numerous countries."

    I regret very much that so much Snowden material has appeared on the internet. If Edward Snowden is a legitimate whistleblower, and he may be, I don't know, but if he were a legitimate whistleblower, there are different ways in which it could have been done."

  20. 'Remember his life'

    Charles KennedyPA

    Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has said he hopes one legacy of Charles Kennedy's untimely death will be a better public understanding of the dangers of excessive drinking. "

    "We knew he had a battle with alcoholism and it was one that he ultimately lost. I can only hope that people will have a greater understanding of alcoholism as an illness," he said. "That he was such an outstanding public figure whilst he was ill shows how remarkable he was."

    It is important to remember how Charles lived and not just how he died. The warmth of the appreciation for Charles' life from far and wide has touched his family and friends."