Summary

  • Michael Gove uses first big justice speech to say system is "creaking and outdated"

  • Lib Dem leader hopefuls, Norman Lamb and Tim Farron, answer questions on the Victoria Derbyshire show

  • Fresh allegations against ex-Labour MP Lord Janner are made during a Parliamentary debate

  1. 'Kylie Minogue of politics'published at 14:25

    Tessa JowellImage source, PA

    Former culture secretary Tessa Jowell is one of those hoping to be Labour's candidate for London mayor. But according to the Huffington Post, , externalfellow MP Alan Johnson told a meeting of supporters on Monday he'd heard that some of her rivals were "using Tessa's age against her". 

    Ms Jowell, 67, is up against Sadiq Khan, 44, Diane Abbott, 61 and David Lammy, 42, as well as journalist Christian Wolmar, 65.

    Mr Johnson reportedly said Ms Jowell was the "Kylie Minogue of British politics" and it was "ridiculous" to suggest her age was a problem.

    The former home secretary is yet to formally endorse any candidate for the mayoralty.  

  2. Phased withdrawal...published at 14:10

    House of LordsImage source, AP

    A Conservative MP has suggested the size of the House of Lords could be reduced gradually by removing peers' right to vote in the chamber once they reach the age of 75.

    David Morris told a Westminster Hall debate it would be a way of cutting the size of the Lords by 250 members over a 20-year period. Once they reach 75, peers would join a Lords Council, he said, and would still be able to sit on committees and retain influence. They would also still be remunerated, but couldn't vote in the chamber.

    Constitutional reform minister John Penrose, whose wife Dido Harding is a life peer, called Mr Morris' idea "interesting" and a good "starter for 10", which he hoped would be the "blue touch paper" for a wider debate.

  3. Corporation tax cut 'still possible'published at 14:05

    Arlene Foster

    Finance Minister Arlene Foster has said it is still possible that a corporation tax rate cut could be introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2017.

    On Monday, she told the assembly it was "probably not going to be the case" that the 2017 target would be achieved.

    But today she told the BBC that 2017 is still "possible", but only if there is a deal on welfare reform in the coming months.

    This power will not be devolved until the Treasury assesses that Stormont's finances are on a sustainable footing.

    Read the full story.

  4. Leveson reviewpublished at 13:53

    Sir Brian Leveson

    We mentioned Lord Leveson's review of the justice system several times during our coverage of the World at One Here's a bit more detail on what his report recommended: 

    - more use of technology to allow "remote hearings"

    - "tighter case management" by judges, including, in appropriate cases, the provision of timetables for evidence and speeches

    - more "high-quality equipment" in courts to ensure footage from police body-worn cameras can be shown

    - "flexible opening hours" in magistrates' courts to accommodate those who cannot attend during normal working hours

    - contracts requiring "greater efficiency" from those who deliver prisoners to courts, to avoid delays

    The cost of implementing all of Leveson's plans has been put at £700 million.

    Asked if he would find that money, Michael Gove told The World At One:

    Quote Message

    I fully agree with the judiciary, we do need that money. I'm confident the business case... will be persuasive and ensure that the Treasury provide the money."

  5. Pro bono 'not a substitute'published at 13:45

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Shortly before Mr Gove spoke to WATO, Andrew Caplin, president of the Law Society, welcomed the reforms outlined this morning, but warned that none of them would be possible without an end to the "chronic underfunding" that he says has dogged the justice system for many years.

    On the suggestion that lawyers should do more pro bono work, Mr Caplin says a lot is already being done, adding:

    Quote Message

    Pro bono is not a substitute for a properly funded legal aid system."

  6. Labour numbers updatepublished at 13:35

    Ross Hawkins
    Political correspondent

    Labour contenders

    Labour sources say around 9,000 people have become 'registered supporters' who will get a vote in the leadership contests since the general election.

    Just under a quarter of a million people are eligible to vote in Labour's leader and deputy leadership elections as of now. Registered supporters get a say for just £3. A Twitter campaign running under the hashtag #ToriesForCorbyn has encouraged Conservatives to register to back Jeremy Corbyn.

    Party sources say as of today there are 246,469 members, 9,115 registered supporters (from almost none at the election) and 3,788 affiliated supporters; membership numbers have risen by around 50,000 since the election.

    People will get a vote in the leader and deputy elections providing they register or join by August 12.

  7. 'Operationalising'published at 13:35

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Michael Gove says he received a text from Stephen Fry picking him up on his own grammar after it emerged he'd sent a list of golden rules for language to justice department staff. Actually, he says, they were more "preferences" than golden rules...

    Confronted with a clip of himself promising to "operationalise" the Conservative manifesto during the election campaign, Mr Gove is contrite.

    "Yeah I think I'll have to have a word with some of the keepers of the arc of the English language..." he says, agreeing that operationalising is "a particularly ugly construction unfitted for broadcast".

  8. Human Rights Actpublished at 13:31

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Is it still a possibility that the UK withdraws from the European Convention on Human Rights? "Absolutely," the justice secretary replies. He insists neither he nor the prime minister want to withdraw from it, but it cannot be ruled out if changes can't be made.

  9. 'More pro bono work'published at 13:29

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Michael Gove says he does want to review the impact of legal aid cuts, but it's definitely the case that too much was being spent. He says it "isn't the case that people who need legal aid are being denied it". 

    He says many solicitors do not currently provide pro bono work and that must change. He repeats the line from his speech that the law is "a community not a market place".

  10. Leveson reviewpublished at 13:28

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Michael Gove himself is now on The World At One - he confirms he wants to fully implement Lord Leveson's plans to overhaul the criminal justice system - and spend all the money Leveson recommended to do so.

    The Treasury are "never patsies", he says, and will want to make sure the business case is "robust", but the justice secretary says he's confident the proposals will be accepted.

  11. Welcome newspublished at 13:24

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Legal affairs expert Joshua Rozenberg says the legal profession had been waiting to hear Michael Gove's opinion on reforms suggested by reviews of the criminal and civil systems.

    Following the speech, he's spoken to Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas who welcomed Mr Gove's acknowledgement that those reforms could now be taken forward.

    They include, Lord Thomas says, using email and other technology in civil disputes and "reconfiguring the estate". That in practice, means things like using town halls part-time as courts.

  12. Lib Dem catch-uppublished at 13:22

    Lib Dems

    If you missed it earlier, you can watch Tim Farron and Norman Lamb being quizzed on the Victoria Derbyshire programme via the Live Coverage tab on this page. If you scroll down this page there are the key points and a handful of key clips (multiple entries between 10:15am and 11am). You can read the full story here.

  13. Lobby briefing on EU Councilpublished at 13:18

    Carole Walker
    Political correspondent

    David Cameron has briefed the cabinet on his objectives for the EU Council on Thursday. 

    The PM's spokeswoman said the current phase of the renegotiation of Britain's relationship with the EU consists of high level talks with political leaders on Britain's views. The next phase is talks at officials level to work through the details, and then the prime minister will go back to leaders for further discussions.

    The spokeswoman said this was the first EU council since the election and "if we move into technical talks that will be an important step forward". She said that was the objective but the precise format had yet to be finalised. The objective was to get official level talks under way this summer.  The spokeswoman said she had said yesterday that the talks at official level would take "several months" and there had been different interpretations of this. She saw this as "at least a handful or more" .. but others seem to have had a quicker interpretation.

    The spokeswoman said people would need to be patient: "It's going to take time", the discussions would be "led by substance, not by schedule" and there would be "ongoing engagement" by the PM, foreign secretary, Europe minister and others throughout the process.

    The PM told the cabinet there was a "packed agenda" for the summit, with an agenda including Greece, the migration crisis in the Mediterranean and EU economy.

  14. Freedom of Information 'must be looked at'published at 13:15

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Justice Secretary Michael Gove says it is "absolutely vital" that the government "revisits" the Freedom of Information Act.

    After reports Mr Gove was considering making it harder to request information under FOI, the prime minister's spokeswoman said yesterday there were no plans to make further changes. But Mr Gove told MPs a short time ago that changes were needed.

    Quote Message

    It is absolutely vital we ensure that the advice that civil servants give to ministers of whatever government is protected so civil servants can speak candidly and offer advice in order to ensure ministers do not make mistakes. I think there has been a worrying tendency in our courts and elsewhere to erode protections for that safe space for policy advice and I think it absolutely needs to be asserted."

    Quote Message

    There is no contradiction between making sure that we give civil servants the protection that they deserve and also ensuring that the data, for example, the amount that we spend in any government department, is more transparent than ever."

  15. Fracking decisionpublished at 13:06

    Natalie BennettImage source, PA

    Green Party leader Natalie Bennett will join anti-fracking protesters in Lancashire tomorrow. The county council will decide on Wednesday whether to give the go-ahead to the first fracking site in the UK for four years.

    Speaking ahead of the demo, Ms Bennett said:

    Quote Message

    I would urge councillors to consider the strength of opposition to fracking in the surrounding communities, and around the country - which polls have demonstrated have only grown as the public has learnt more about extreme energy extraction. I will be joining what will I am sure be huge protests against fracking outside the council meeting. I would urge everyone who wants our government to not just talk about climate change, but actually take the actions necessary to cut emissions, to join me.”

  16. Copyrighting buildings...published at 13:03

    The Daily Politics

    The London EyeImage source, AFP/Getty

    More discussion about Europe but this time on a very different subject - a suggestion that famous buildings and landmarks should be protected so that their images can't be commercially exploited. Labour MEP Mary Honeyball defends the idea, put forward by a French MEP, saying that it would only apply to new buildings on which there was existing copyright and would merely require those wanting to use a building as a backdrop to seek authorisation from its creator to do so rather than requiring royalties to be paid. But UKIP's Peter Whittle says such a move would curb artistic expression, saying it is typically of Brussels "one-size-fits-all" attitude to culture. David Blunkett says that the idea is nonsense and would "discredit real issues" about copyright violations. 

  17. Just dinner...published at 13:07 British Summer Time 23 June 2015

    Daily Mirror political editor tweets....

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  18. Herculean taskpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 23 June 2015

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  19. Tribute to Woodheadpublished at 12:59 British Summer Time 23 June 2015

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