Summary

  • MPs back George Osborne's fiscal charter by a majority of 62 following a heated Commons debate

  • As many as 20 Labour MPs defy the party leadership by abstaining rather than opposing the plans

  • Speaking in the Commons, shadow chancellor John McDonnell admits his u-turn on the issue was "embarrassing"

  • David Cameron faces Jeremy Corbyn for second time at Prime Minister's Questions

  • The two clash over tax credits and affordable housing

  1. Corbyn to raise Chinese rights issuepublished at 14:06

    Eleanor Garnier
    Political Correspondent

    Chinese President Xi JinpingImage source, AP

    The leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, will raise concerns about China's human rights at next week's state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

    A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn said the opposition leader would be “using the opportunity” of the Chinese President's state visit to the UK to raise the subject, adding that discussions were being held to try and arrange private meetings.

    The spokesman added that Mr Corbyn was "always concerned that the government doesn't raise human rights issues". 

    In relation to what Mr Corbyn would be wearing at the state banquet - the first he will attend as Labour leader - the spokesman was unable to say whether he would wear white tie or if he owned white tie.

    Asked if Mr Corbyn would be singing the national anthem, the spokesman said: "Jeremy will take full part."

    He confirmed that the invitation was a "plus one" but that he didn't think Mr Corbyn would be taking his wife.

  2. Half of Green Party candidates womenpublished at 14:07 British Summer Time 14 October 2015

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  3. Lucas: Surveillance ruling a 'body blow'published at 13:55

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Caroline LucasImage source, AP

    Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has attacked the ruling from the Investigatory Powers Tribunal stating that MPs have no special protection from having their communications read by UK security agencies. Read our full story here

    Ms Lucas, who brought the case before the tribunal arguing that the so-called Wilson Doctrine protecting MPs was being breached, said that it was a "body blow to parliamentary democracy" and it threw into question David Cameron's assurances over the issue. 

    The ruling really affected MPs' ability to do their work, she added.

    Quote Message

    When you are communicating with constituents or whistleblowers they need to know that their communications are not being spied upon.

  4. Watch: 'Policy clear' on tax credits says Gaukepublished at 13:50

    The Daily Politics

    "No. That's a no," says David Gauke, when Andrew Neil asks the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if there is any chance of a government re-think on changes to child tax credits being announced in the Autumn Statement.  

    Media caption,

    David Gauke on tax credit policy and Autumn Statement

  5. Corbyn reacts to Wilson Doctrine rulingpublished at 13:44

    A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn has said that "everyone has concerns about intelligence" after the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) ruled that MPs have no protection from having their communications read by UK security agencies.

    Earlier today the IPT said the so-called "Wilson Doctrine" was no bar to the incidental collection of data.

    Asked if Jeremy Corbyn was worried he had himself been bugged the spokesman said that "every MP has personal concerns" adding that is was "rightly raised today" and it is "something we'll comment on further".

    The prime minister's official spokeswoman said the government "welcomes" today's finding by the IPT adding that the Wilson Doctrine maintains its status as a "long standing political commitment".

    The ruling, she added, recognises the need to act with caution and in a targeted way and the Wilson Doctrine "shouldn't undermine the ability of the intelligence agencies to act in a targeted way".

  6. Housing plans 'big numbers and bluster'published at 13:38

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Building siteImage source, PA

    Housing was one of the key areas of debate at PMQs. Reflecting on the leaders' clash, housing minister Brandon Lewis says levels of housebuilding have been "too low for decades" and although progress has been made since 2010, "much more" needs to be done. The government is determined to push up levels of home ownership, he says, by making more homes available at discounted prices. But Labour's John Healey says that home ownership has fallen in each of the last five years and there "is very little in the housing bill to reverse that" despite the "big numbers and the bluster". While he supports the intention of providing so-called starter homes for first-time buyers, he says there are serious problems about the way it will be delivered. 

  7. Corbyn technique at PMQs 'odd'published at 13:31 British Summer Time 14 October 2015

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  8. Budget surplus rowpublished at 13:31 British Summer Time 14 October 2015

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  9. Budget surplus: Corbyn advisers 'not consulted'published at 13:26

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Ann Pettifor, one of Jeremy Corbyn new panel of economic advisers, tells the BBC that she and her colleagues were not consulted over the budget surplus charter U-turn. She says the change of heart was politically "messy" but that Labour has made the right decision, because George Osborne's fiscal charter is a "very flimsy parliamentary procedure" with no legal basis that could be overturned "at a whim" by any future government. 

    She says Labour has no need to be "defensive" over the issue as it has a better historical record of balancing the books than the Conservatives. However, she reveals that she and her colleagues have asked to meet shadow chancellor John McDonnell to discuss this and other issues.

  10. PMQs: Corbyn developing 'own style'published at 13:17

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs

    Jeremy Corbyn is "developing his own style" at Prime Minister's Questions, shadow minister John Healey reflects. By "bringing the real life pressures that people face into the Commons chamber", he says the opposition leader is asking direct questions that David Cameron is "having to give more direct answers to". 

  11. Conservative minister: Bigger picture on tax creditspublished at 13:16

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    People worried about cuts to tax credits need to look at the "bigger picture," says Conservative minister Brandon Lewis, who insists those affected will be allowed to keep more of their own money. 

    Labour's John Healey says the IFS think tank is clear that it is "arithmetically impossible" for low paid workers not to lose out.

  12. Generous streakpublished at 13:06

    The Daily Politics

    Stephen Tall

    Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie has just handed over a cheque for £5,000 to Medicins Sans Frontiers - because a Lib Dem blogger sprinted "naked" down Whitehall.

    Who said Westminster was a bit weird?

    It all stems from a wager Mr MacKenzie had with Stephen Tall on the Daily Politics before the general election.    

    Mr Tall said he would run naked down along Whitehall - past Downing Street - if the Lib Dems did not have more than 24 MPs elected. Mr MacKenzie then said he'd give him £5,000 if he ever fulfilled that pledge.

    Well we all know what happened next. Mr MacKenzie happily wrote a cheque to the charity of Mr Tall's choice after he proved as good as his word - even though he was not quite naked (see tastefully cropped photo above). BBC Health and Safety (and presumably the law) wouldn't allow it....

  13. Cobyn's mix of questionspublished at 13:08 British Summer Time 14 October 2015

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  14. Norman Smith's verdict on Corbyn's second PMQspublished at 12:56

    By the BBC's assistant political editor

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  15. Watch: PM tells Speaker 'hold on a minute'published at 12:55

    The prime minister told noisy MPs he was implementing a Labour policy and wanted to carry on his explanation, as he told the Speaker: "Hold on a minute." 

    But John Bercow closed the exchange when he said he was "extremely grateful" David Cameron had finished his answer. 

    And he moved on to a backbencher without allowing the PM time to expand, saying progress had been very slow in the session.  

    Media caption,

    PMQs: Bercow 'very grateful' that Cameron has finished

  16. 'First big face-off'published at 12:54

    The Daily Politics

    John McDonnell will have his "first big face-off" with Chancellor George Osborne in the Commons later over the fiscal charter, says Laura Kuenssberg.

    Some mainstream Labour MPs are "really quite distressed" about Mr McDonnell's shifting position on whether the party should back Mr Osborne's plan to prevent future government's running deficits, and will miss the vote.

  17. Watch: SNP question on Syria and PM's responsepublished at 12:54

    The SNP’s Westminster leader asked the prime minister about UK military interventions around the globe. 

    But the prime minister accused Angus Robertson of asking a question with “so many errors” about a lack of UK help for Syrian refugees who have made it to Europe, when he asked about learning lessons from Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. 

    David Cameron said the UK had done “more than any almost other country in the world to help Syrian refugees” as he outlined UK help, and asked if the SNP would be happier with Gaddafi running Libya.

    Media caption,

    PMQs: Cameron and Robertson on UK help for Syrian refugees

  18. Labour MP defends use of specific examplespublished at 12:52

    The Daily Politics

    Every MP knows constituents like Kelly, the single mother facing tax credit cuts mentioned by Jeremy Corbyn  so it doesn't matter that we don't know the details of individual cases, says shadow transport secretary Lillian Greenwood.

    Pressed on how Labour would fill the £4.5bn hole created by not cutting tax credits, she says there are lots of options, without getting into specifics. 

    Investing in productive things like building houses will boost tax receipts, she suggests.

  19. Five fiscalspublished at 12:48

    The Daily Politics

    Andrew Neil says Mr Cameron mentioned the budget charter five times during PMQs. If he had been asked a question about life on Mars, he would probably have worked in a mention, adds the Daily Politics host.

  20. Laura Kuenssberg: More combative Corbyn?published at 12:45

    The Daily Politics

    Jeremy Corbyn had clearly "had his Lucozade this morning" (other energy drinks are available) and gave a more focused performance this time, says BBC Political Editor Laura Kuennsberg.

    There were a few signs that he was becoming more combative, despite his calls for a kinder PMQs.

    The danger of Mr Corbyn's new approach is that we don't know anything about the detail of the cases raised by the Labour leader - and it often leads to a sterile debate about stats without putting the PM under real pressure, adds Laura.