Image source, Former Labour leader

Labour lost the general election, in part, because it was perceived to have an anti-austerity message, an internal party analysis has concluded. Labour MP Jon Cruddas, who is looking into the reasons for Labour's defeat, says its initial research suggests voters' priority was fiscal responsibility and Labour's position on the deficit was not clear enough and ultimately a "vote loser". In an article for LabourList, external, he writes:

Image source, Getty Images

David Cameron has demanded a timetable for the publication of the Chilcot inquiry report into the 2003 Iraq invasion "pretty soon". 

It was needed for the sake of "families who want answers", the prime minister said.

Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot has said he is awaiting responses from those facing criticism in the report.

Meanwhile, Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn has suggested Tony Blair could be made to stand trial for war crimes over the US-led military action. 

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The Labour leadership candidate Andy Burnham has been speaking to Radio 4's Woman's Hour about his campaign. 

Mr Burnham said fellow candidate Jeremy Corbyn has "added something valuable to this campaign" and "brought it to life," but emphasised that his ideas are "very different to Jeremy's". 

He said he felt through the leadership election Labour could "rediscover its sense of purpose and direction". 

Mr Burnham denied that his campaign had changed tactics since the surge in support for Jeremy Corbyn, saying he was still doing everything as he had planned at the beginning.

But he went on to say that he was presenting "an alternative big vision for Labour" and it was up to members to "decide which one they prefer". 

Former Conservative Cabinet minister John Gummer, now the Conservative peer Lord Deben, is clearly not impressed by Andy Burnham's call for a progressive nationalisation of Britain's railways.

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Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham has promised to renationalise Britain's railways "line by line" if he becomes prime minister.

The shadow health secretary pledged to bring an "end to fragmentation and privatisation" across the network. 

Left-wing candidate Jeremy Corbyn has already committed himself to returning the railways to public ownership.

Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall are the other candidates hoping to replace Ed Miliband on 12 September.

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Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson says there must be "a safety net" to protect those youngsters at risk following the potential closure of the high profile charity Kids Company.

Mr Johnson said he was "a huge fan" of its founder Camila Batmanghelidjh and it was "a great shame that it (Kids Company) doesn't seem to be working."

Mr Johnson said voluntary organisations and local authorities in London would now have to provide a "safety net" to safeguard the children affected.

He said the difficulties facing the charity should not detract from the "idealism or motivation" of Ms Batmanghelidjh.

He confirmed that City Hall had previously provided funding for Kids Company.

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

Image source, PA

Sources have told the BBC that the prime minister was "mesmerised" by the Kids Company boss Camila Batmanghelidjh and over ruled concerns about the charity. 

A senior figure who was involved in funding negotiations with the charity said, "We were all over ridden by Number Ten." 

It was suggested that officials and ministers at the Department for Education had repeatedly expressed opposition to continued funding for the charity because of concerns about its performance and management. It is suggested such concerns were expressed as far back as 2012.

It was claimed that the prime minister's former adviser Steve Hilton had introduced Mr Cameron to Ms Batmanghelidjh. "Steve Hilton was a great fan," the source said. She subsequently spoke at the Conservative Party conference. The source added: "She was a good news story for the Conservative Party. It was a case of glamour over substance."

The source was also critical of the conduct of Ms Batmanghelidjh who it was claimed had repeatedly threatened to use her "powerful allies" in the media if there were any moves to curb funding. The charity received three grants of more than £4m a year from 2012 and a further grant of £3m in June 2015.

Eleanor Garnier
Political Correspondent

The Former children's minister Tim Loughton has told the BBC it always "struck" him that Kids Company and its founder Camila Batmanghelidjh were "never able to produce the sort of empirical evidence" he would have liked to have seen to demonstrate public value for money.

Mr Loughton opposed giving grants to the charity when he was a children's minister, a post he held between 2010-2012.

Tim Loughton told BBC Radio 4's Today programme, "It's even more necessary when you're an unconventional charity if you're doing things in such an interesting and effective way to show what you are doing."

Mr Loughton added that "everybody knows Kids Company is a fantastic charity and it does great work and Camilla Batmanghelidjh is inspirational - we know all that". 

Hello from Westminster and welcome to our coverage of the day's political developments. The charity Kids Company has told the government it will close its services, after officials raised concerns over how £3m it received from ministers would be spent. Meanwhile the government launches its consultation on plans to extend Sunday opening hours in England and Wales - and in the Labour leadership contest, Andy Burnham has committed to bringing the railways back under public control. More on all of this and our rolling political coverage throughout the day.