Summary

  • The government has begun the process of selling off its stake in RBS - raising £2.1bn from a 5.4$%

  • The UK is to extend air strikes by RAF Tornados against the Islamic State group by an extra year

  • Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn launches his economic plans for the north

  • Fellow contender Andy Burnham unveils plans to cut rail season tickets for part-time workers

  • An inquiry is under way about how police handled child abuse allegations against ex-PM Sir Edward Heath

  1. Political sensation or false prophet?published at 13:33

    Labour commentator tweets...

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  2. Corbyn: Lessons to be learned from 1970spublished at 13:28

    Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn

    Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn has said there are lessons to be learned from the James Callaghan administration of the late 1970s. 

    Speaking in Leeds, Mr Corbyn said: "The Labour government that lost in 1979 - no government is ever perfect, but it was investing in high technology, it was investing in growing industries, it was investing in computing and many, many other industries. I'm accused of being a throwback to the 1980s, but I'll go back one decade further and just say there are lessons to be learned from what that government was trying to do." 

  3. Who was Ted Heath?published at 13:00

    Sir Edward HeathImage source, Getty Images

    Most people should know that he used to be UK Prime Minister. But how much else do you know about the man who died ten years ago. Here's an easy-to-read guide to his life.

  4. Should the UK do more in the fight against Islamic State?published at 13:08 British Summer Time 4 August 2015

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  5. Corbyn's Northern Powerhouse alternativepublished at 12:38

    Jeremy Corbyn's paper is the first in a series of plans as part of his wider "Vision for Britain 2020" ambitions. The document criticises Local Enterprise Partnerships as being too Treasury-led, attacks the unfair funding of the arts, condemns policies it claims have deliberately led to the decline of UK manufacturing and calls for rebalancing transport investment towards the North of England.

    Read more

  6. A new nation?published at 12:35

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  7. Government welcomes US climate actionpublished at 12:23

    Roger Harrabin
    BBC environment analyst

    The UK government has welcomed President Obama's plan to cut greenhouse gases and boost clean power.

    A spokeswoman for the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change said it would lift chances of a global deal at a Paris climate summit in December.

    When asked if the US had now overtaken Europe in its ambition on climate she declined to comment.

    And she declined to say why renewables were deemed affordable by the US but apparently unaffordable in the UK.

    Read more here:

  8. Andy Burnham: I would fear Boris leastpublished at 12:10

    Labour leadership candidate Andy BurnhamImage source, PA

    Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham has given an interview to GQ magazine, external where he talks about which potential Cameron successor he would fear least at the dispatch box. Mr Burnham says Theresa May is a "formidable" politician, but describes Chancellor George Osborne as looking "scheming and tactical and I think that's quite unappealing". He goes on to say he would fear Boris Johnson least, "He seems to me to be somebody that the vast majority of the country would think: 'How out of touch is this bloke?' The things he gets away with now he wouldn't in the top job."  

  9. Corbyn and the Northern Powerhousepublished at 12:03

    Labour leader of Manchester City Council tweets...

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  10. 'Abject failure'published at 11:55

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  11. Green Party leader: RBS sell-off 'baffling'published at 11:49

    Green Party leader Natalie Bennett speaking at rallyImage source, Reuters

    Green Party leader Natalie Bennett has called the government's sell-off of shares in RBS a "baffling" decision.

    Ms Bennett said: "George Osborne's decision to sell our shares in Royal Bank of Scotland when they are at their lowest price this year is baffling, and raises questions about the cosy relationship between the Treasury and the banks."

    "The billion pound loss we are likely to see on this sale allows Osborne to continue to plead poverty and inflict more spending cuts on those least able to afford them, while the bankers walk away with a tidy profit. It is high time the ties between government and the banking lobby were severed."

  12. Corbyn calls for apology to minerspublished at 11:33

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  13. Alan Johnson to back Yvette Cooper?published at 11:25

    The Huffington Post

    Alan Johnson MP

    The Huffington Post, external, and several newspapers, is reporting that former Home Secretary Alan Johnson is poised to endorse Yvette Cooper's campaign to become leader of the Labour party.

    The support of Mr Johnson, who is respected across the party, will be seen as a major coup for the shadow home secretary's bid to win the leadership. 

    Mr Johnson, who has been urged to run for the leadership himself by MPs in the past, previously told the BBC he "could live with any of the other candidates" except Jeremy Corbyn. 

  14. Met investigating Heath abuse claimspublished at 11:21

    Former prime minister Sir Edward Heath in 1970

    The BBC understands former prime minister Sir Edward Heath is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police looking into allegations of historical child sex abuse by establishment figures. Read our full story

  15. Corbyn's plans for the Northpublished at 11:13

    Jeremy CorbynImage source, EPA

    There is little doubt Jeremy Corbyn is the man of the moment in Westminster. The Labour leadership contender is currently unveiling his alternative to George Osborne's Northern Powerhouse, pledging to "reindustrialise" the north of England through increased investment in transport, housing, broadband and the arts. After his speech in Leeds, he will return to London, where he will be addressing a large rally in Croydon this evening. His recent campaign events have drawn large crowds. Read our full story

  16. IEA: RBS sell-off 'should be first of many'published at 11:02

    Royal Bank of Scotland branchImage source, PA

    The Institute of Economic Affairs has described the government's sell-off of shares in RBS as a "welcome relief". 

    "The sooner the bank is returned to the private sector the better, so while the Chancellor is right to be cautious, today's sell-off should be the first of many more to come," it says. 

    "The public should never again have to pick up the pieces for the careless behaviour of banks. If the mistakes of RBS are ever repeated, then the bank responsible should have no choice but to face the full consequences of its actions".

  17. Labour MP calls for national police inquiry into abuse claimspublished at 10:49

    Labour MP Tom Watson

    Police are appealing for anyone with information relating to allegations of child abuse against former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath to come forward. The Labour MP Tom Watson says he passed information regarding allegations of abuse to police several years ago.

    "Since 2012 I've referred two allegations regarding Edward Heath to the police but it's already clear to me that in the historic cases, different police services have dealt with investigations differently. That's why we need a national police inquiry, not just at regional level."

  18. Labour and 'SpAd thinking'published at 10:36

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  19. Get involved in sports consultationpublished at 10:27

    Sports minister tweets...

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  20. Corbyn call to nationalise RBSpublished at 10:25

    Norman Smith
    Assistant political editor

    The Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn is calling for RBS to be nationalised. Mr Corbyn recently tweeted: "We need to take RBS into public control." This morning aides to Mr Corbyn confirmed that remained his view.

    In a statement Mr Corbyn said: "It's a disgrace that Osborne is selling off RBS shares tonight at a sizeable loss to the taxpayer. It's inexplicable that he is forcing the sale through now and especially in August when markets are least active."