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

Live Reporting

Felicity Baker and Gavin Stamp

  1. A day in the life of a Labour leadership contender

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  2. Labour contender on share sale

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  3. MI5 and dissident 'links' concern

    A sign in Lurgan's Kilwilkie estate threatening informers

    There needs to be greater scrutiny of the relationship between MI5 agents and dissident republicans in Northern Ireland, a Sinn Féin minister has said.

    John O'Dowd accused both dissident paramilitaries and some within the security services of being "conflict junkies".

    He raised concerns that some informants may, in certain circumstances, be protected from prosecution.

    Police acknowledge MI5 has informants working within dissident groups.

    However, senior officers say the security service's role is only to gather information.

    Read More

  4. NHS trusts told to 'look again' at finances

    Hospital staff walking through wardPA

    Hospitals and health trusts in England have been told by regulators to look again at their financial plans as current ones are unaffordable.

    Monitor has written to the 46 foundation trusts with the biggest deficits "challenging" their plans.

    It urged money-saving measures such as filling only essential staff vacancies.

    The Department of Health supported the move, but Labour argued it suggested there was a financial crisis in the NHS that was "spiralling out of control".

    David Bennett, chief executive of Monitor, said the NHS was facing an almost unprecedented financial challenge this year.

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  5. Government sells £2.1bn of shares in RBS

    Woman walking past RBS bankPA

    The government has begun its sell-off of shares in part-nationalised lender Royal Bank of Scotland, raising £2.1bn, a third below the price it paid.

    It sold 630 million shares, or a 5.4% stake in the bank, at 330p each, a 7.6p discount on Monday's closing price.

    The sale cuts the government's stake in RBS to 72.9% from 78.3%.

    Chancellor George Osborne is facing criticism for selling the shares at a loss compared with the price of about 500p the government paid for them.

    The 170p difference represents a loss of about £1.07bn on the shares sold.

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  6. UK to extend air strikes in Iraq

    Michael Fallon speaking to Iraqi officialsEPA/Iraqi Ministry of Defence

    The RAF Tornado mission against Islamic State militants in Iraq is to be extended by an extra year, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.

    The jets - due to be disbanded last March - are to be kept in service until "at least" March 2017 to continue air strikes, he said on a visit to Iraq.

    Mr Fallon said the UK's campaign against IS was making progress.

    The jets had pushed militants out of key towns and would maintain "essential precision firepower," he said.

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  7. Good Morning

    The Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced the UK will extend its campaign of air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq. Meanwhile Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron and Shadow Justice Secretary Lord Falconer will make separate visits to Calais. More on all these stories on our rolling political news coverage throughout the day.