It's been a day largely dominated by reaction to the new strike laws being proposed by the government, which would introduce minimum turnouts in strike ballots, time limits on mandates for industrial action and changes to political levies.

- David Cameron and Harriet Harman clashed over the proposals at PMQs, with the acting Labour leader accusing the government of "attacking" workers' rights and the PM saying Labour's opposition showed it was "utterly in hoc" to the unions.

- Also during the session, Mr Cameron insisted the UK will not contribute to emergency EU funding for Greece , saying it's for the eurozone to sort out

- The PM vowed to "look carefully" at cuts to child tax credits to ensure women who become pregnant as a result of rape are not "penalised"

- The latest unemployment figures were published, showing the number of UK jobless has risen for the first time in two years

- Theresa May has refused to allow t he use of water cannon in England and Wales by police - a year after three of them were bought by the Metropolitan Police

- And MPs continue to debate the government's plans to give England MPs a veto over English laws

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On proposed changes to political levies, Alan Johnson says the major parties have "always had a consensus" that when you're in majority government "you don't act against the other p to reduce their source of funding". 

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Kwasi Kwarteng says the proposals will not abolish the right to strike. But he says it's right to make them more difficult as the public have a right "to be defended against militant action". Having a threshold is right, he adds.

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Conservative MP Kwasi Kwarteng tells the BBC the government has a "duty" to protect the public "and it can't be right that a small minority of activists can hold a strike which impedes the ability of working people to make their living and get to work".

Former Labour minister Alan Johnson - a former union leader - contends that the bill is "spiteful" and designed to "gerrymander votes in favour of the employer and against the employee".

Here, in two screengrabs, are the costs and then the benefits of the Trade Union Bill according to the government's impact assessment:, external

Image source, Reuters

It's just been announced that Grant Shapps has been made a Foreign Office minister in addition to his role at the Department for International Development. Press release here., external

Mr Shapps was previously co-chairman of the Conservative Party.

The Metropolitan Police has said it is "naturally disappointed" by Theresa May's refusal to allow forces to use water cannon. The home secretary said that "without safeguards" they had "the capacity to cause harm".

Image source, EPA

David Cameron has held talks with Ukraine's prime minister, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, at Downing Street today.

Mr Yatsenyuk told the PM Britain could teach Greece lessons on how to impose successful economic austerity measures.

He said their two countries shared a record of showing painful spending squeezes could revive a country's fortunes - and that between them they could help "make the world better".

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Aslef general secretary Mike Whelan says the UK already has the most “draconian” strike laws in Europe, saying there are third world countries with more rights to free association than here.

Image source, PA

Earlier today British Gas announced a 5% cut in their household gas prices. Labour welcomed the move but said it was "long overdue".

House of Commons
Parliament

In the debate on 'English votes for English laws', shadow leader of the House Angela Eagle says the opposition recognises that in light of ongoing devolution, it is important that the views of English MPs are heard clearly on English matters.

But, she says, the Labour party cannot support the proposals put forward today, as they are not "wise or viable", are likely to jeopardise the union because they produce an English "veto, rather than a voice", produce two classes of MPs and would produce legislative gridlock.

Former Conservative minister John Redwood says it would "quite wrong" for the UK to make any contribution to funds being used in the Greek bailout. The UK is resisting the use of an EU-wide emergency fund to make bridging loans to the crisis-hit country. The European Commission, meanwhile, believes it has the legal authority to use the fund. Mr Redwood, a Eurosceptic, said David Cameron had struck a deal in 2010 for the fund not to be used for eurozone bailouts.

Creditors like the IMF and the European Central Bank who made these "foolish loans" should "sort it out among themselves" he adds, saying that if Brussels forces the issue the UK should amend the 1972 European Communities Act to protect its interests.

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Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn has apologised to students for his party's introduction of tuition fees in a HuffPost interview, external.

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Commenting on the news water cannon will not be allowed in England and Wales, Boris Johnson says "it is the wrong decision" by the home secretary. Citing the 2011 London riots, he says there is appetite among police forces to have them as "an intermediate means of crowd control" in exceptional circumstances.

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Continuing the strikes theme, London Mayor Boris Johnson says Britain "has been very slow" in tightening up strike laws, noting that other countries have ballot thresholds on strikes. The 40% threshold is "reasonable" and comparable with those in other world cities, he adds.

The Conservative MP goes on to say that strikes harm the economy and are "personally disruptive" to millions, "and it is not reasonable for that kind of vital labour to be withdrawn for wildcat strikes that are very often a bit political in their motivation".

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Liz Kendall rejects the notion put to her that she, Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham are being "dragged to the left" by the other leadership contender, Jeremy Corbyn. "I've always spoken my mind and said what I believed and think is right," she says - repeating her argument that the Conservative proposals are "a political attack".

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier in the Commons, Theresa May refused to allow the use of water cannon in England and Wales - a year after three of them were bought by the Metropolitan Police.

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