Summary

  • Labour U-turns over support for bill to force future governments to keep a budget surplus

  • Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says he's changed his mind on the parliamentary tactics

  • The move prompts anger among some Labour MPs

  • The UK withdraws from a prospective £5.9m contract to provide prison services to Saudi Arabia

  • Plans to clamp down on illegal immigration pass their first Commons hurdle

  1. MPs to debate immigration billpublished at 09:10

    Passport control at Portsmouth ferry portImage source, Getty

    Legislation to clamp down on illegal immigration in the UK is to be debated by MPs for the first time later.

    The Immigration Bill proposes a new offence of illegal working, with the power for police to seize wages.

    The bill would also deny illegal migrants access to banking and housing, and boost immigration officers' powers.

    The government says it wants to stamp out abuse of the system, but Labour has branded the bill "disproportionate, divisive [and] deceitful".

    The second reading debate, which will cover the general aims and principles of the government's plans, will take place in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon.

    Read our full story

  2. MP: Labour 'not credible'published at 09:01

    Labour MP Mike Gapes, who is on the right of the party, has attacked the leadership for its U-turn on the issue of a budget surplus. He said: "There is now no collective shadow cabinet responsibility in our party, no clarity on economic policy and no credible leadership." Responding to criticism that he should show loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn, he drew attention to Mr Corbyn's own record of rebellions over the past few decades. 

    Quote Message

    I will show loyalty in the same way as he was loyal to Kinnock, Smith, Blair, Brown, Beckett, Miliband and Harman."

  3. Saudi 'prison row'published at 08:54

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    The Times is reporting a row, external in the cabinet over the government's plans to help "modernise" the prison system in Saudi Arabia amid controversy over the country's human rights record, highlighted by the case of a British expat pensioner who is potentially facing 360 lashes after being caught with homemade alcohol. The newspaper suggests Justice Secretary Michael Gove wants to withdraw from a proposed contract to provide "training-needs analysis" to one of the UK's key allies in the Middle East while Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond disagrees and wants to press ahead. William Patey, a former British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, says he sides with Mr Hammond. He tells the BBC that the UK could "take a moral stand" on the issue but "we won't achieve anything by disengaging". On the other hand, by providing training for guards and other services it could help to make the Saudi penal system - which he says is still based on "traditional Saudi values" - "more humane". "If you do nothing the system will not get any better," he says, adding that he expects the British authorities to try and intervene in the case of Karl Andree.

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  4. Laura Kuenssberg on Abbottpublished at 08:30

    BBC political editor's analysis

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    Quote Message

    I think it's optimistic of Diane Abbott to hope that within weeks Labour MPs who didn't choose Jeremy Corbyn will suddenly be understanding of where he wants to take the party. Last night many MPs, significantly not all Blairites, were downcast about how the meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party went. One said it was the worst meeting of the group they had been too. Shouting could be heard outside in the corridor."

  5. 'All parties have unhappy MPs'published at 08:18

    Diane Abbott brushes off the reports of unhappy Labour MPs at the gathering of the parliamentary party on Monday evening. She says all parties will always have some members who are not happy. Asked about new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's anti-Trident position - which is at odds with many Labour MPs - Ms Abbott rejects the idea the party "has real problems", adding:

    Quote Message

    Some people are only slowly coming to terms with the fact that Jeremy won. Once they come to terms with that they will be happy."

    How long will that take, she is asked:

    Quote Message

    I hope weeks, rather than months."

  6. Abbott: Labour takes deficit seriouslypublished at 08:14

    Diane AbbottImage source, EPA

    Diane Abbott says that Labour has always taken tackling the deficit seriously, but says Chancellor George Osborne's bill - which aims to force any future government to run a budget surplus each year - was all about politics and trying to force Labour into a corner on the issue. She says it is a "one day process story" and says Osborne will be judged on his "mismanagement" of the economy.

  7. Abbott: Not a shamblespublished at 08:12

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    Diane Abbott begins her interview by saying "no, no no" when she is introduced with the statement that the U-turn on  George Osborne's budget surplus is a "shambles". She says that it is a "gimmicky" bill by the chancellor and claims most of the parliamentary Labour Party is happy with the current "Keynsian" position.

  8. Good morningpublished at 08:10

    Hello and welcome to our rolling coverage of political developments - we're starting straight off with the current turmoil in the Labour Party, with Diane Abbott being interviewed on the Today programme.