Carole Walker
Political correspondent

Ministers insist they will not create new grammar schools and have stuck to the existing policy of allowing good schools to expand.

But both opponents and supporters of grammar schools say the government is increasing selective education by the back door.

That's the accusation from Labour's Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell who has written to Nicky Morgan, asking her to publish the advice from civil servants and to justify her decision.

UKIP, which wants a grammar school in every town, has said the Tories are using weasel words because they are too weak to change policy.

Graham Brady the influential Tory MP who resigned from the front-bench over the issue, has said today's decision is a small but significant step in the right direction.

Campaigners believe it does pave the way for more grammars to expand or open satellite schools.

A significant number of Tory MPs want the government to go further and allow new grammar schools to open where there is local demand.

Two likely contenders for the future leadership of the party, the London Mayor Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Theresa May, have both spoken in favour of grammar schools.

And today's decision looks set to increase the pressure for a change of policy in future.

Read the full grammar schools story

Brian Wheeler

George Osborne talks about a recent visit to Orgreave, scene of violent clashes during the miners' strike, where he had meetings with Labour councillors about his "Northern Powerhouse" project.

It has taken years to get to the point where a Conservative chancellor could do this, he says.

Was Thatcher and the way she was seen in the wake of the miners' strike responsible for wiping the Conservatives out in the North of England and Scotland?

Lady Thatcher did care - particularly about the working miners - but was not always interested in showing it, preferring to be judged by her actions, says Moore.

Modern politicians "wouldn't have better at winning (the strike) but they would have been better at spinning" he adds.

Brian Wheeler

The first thing Boris Johnson does when he comes into a room is say "sorry, sorry" to everyone says Charles Moore.

"He doesn't say it to me," jokes George Osborne to laughter.

"He will, he will," adds Moore. This gets applause.

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

Image source, Reuters

Will she, or won't she? Nicola Sturgeon is a phenomenon in her own party and outside it.

But walk past the stalls, notice the memorabilia, talk to her party members at the SNP's conference in Aberdeen and there is one theme that is impossible for Ms Sturgeon to avoid - whether or not she will decide to propose a second vote on Scotland becoming an independent country.

At the opening of her party's conference she did her best to both keep the hope alive for her party, but to manage their expectations about when that might come, and send a message to the rest of the Scottish voting public that she, and the rest of the SNP, are not just obsessed with achieving independence.

Read Laura's blog in full

Brian Wheeler

The great and good of the Conservative Party are in central London tonight to watch George Osborne interview Charles Moore, who has just published the second volume of his Thatcher biography Everything She Wants.

Did he know that this is also the title of a Wham song, asks the chancellor.

"I have to confess I was told about that by somebody else," says Moore.

He thinks it's a good title, he adds, because the book covers the period in Downing Street when she was at the "zenith" of her power.

Although, he adds, she didn't get everything she wanted and felt surprisingly vulnerable, even after winning a landslide election victory in 1983.

You can watch the interview live here, external.

It's been another busy political day, with the launch of the SNP conference, David Cameron in Brussels for an EU Council meeting and grammar schools on the agenda. Here's what's been happening:

• SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has told the BBC that even a "thumping win" at next year's Scottish elections would not be enough to push for a second referendum
• Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney thinks it "highly unlikely" he would reverse the UK government's planned benefit cuts
• David Cameron says he will "quicken the pace" of his EU reform negotiations and will set out his key demands at the start of November
• Leaders of collapsed charity Kids Company have said there were four suicide attempts, stabbings and a murder in the wake of its closure, during questioning by MPs
• England is to get its first "new" grammar school for five decades after ministers allowed a grammar school to build an "annexe" in another town
• Claims by Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson of a link between a paedophile group and a current government minister were dismissed by police within two months, the BBC has learnt

And finally, Boris Johnson got a little overzealous during a game of touch rugby in Tokyo, knocking over a 10-year-old child.

Image source, PA

Image source, PA

A Downing Street official has said David Cameron’s letter to European Council President Donald Tusk setting out renegotiation demands will be shared with MPs and made public when it is sent in early November.

Read the latest on the PM's renegotiation plans

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says "I understand dissent" when asked what he made of last night's rebellion by 21 Labour MPs in the vote on the government's fiscal charter.

He told the BBC the "vast majority" of the party supported the leadership's position to oppose the spending rules, but said of the 21 who decided to abstain:

Yesterday was an "interesting" day, but ended "very positive", Mr Corbyn added.

The SNP's Angus Robertson tells the BBC's Norman Smith: "We're more focused on the Scottish elections next year....  We can talk about triggers but there's not going to be "unless there's a material change in circumstances".  

The discussions on the referendum at today¹s European Council meeting have concluded.

The only two speakers were European Council president Donald Tusk and David Cameron and it was "brief".

However an earlier lunch between Mr Cameron and European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker lasted 90 mins, during which the pair talked about the ongoing renegotiation.

Alex Forsyth
Political correspondent

Image source, AP

Downing Street officials say David Cameron will write a letter to European Council chairman Donald Tusk by early November setting out what he hopes to achieve in his renegotiation of the UK's relationship with the EU.

A No 10 source said it would be made available to EU leaders who are members of the European Council and would form the basis for more detailed discussions by setting out the changes the UK government wants to see.

Officials from some EU countries had expressed frustration that Mr Cameron had not provided a specific list of demands.

No 10 sources said the letter was a reflection of the stage they've reached in negotiations and a natural follow on from "useful and constructive" technical talks that had taken place so far.

Finland's finance minister, Alexander Stubb, says David Cameron and George Osborne are doing a "stellar job" in their EU negotiations.

Stewart Hosie criticises the government's plans for tax credits and tells SNP conference "when it comes George Osborne and the Tories, the nasty party is back".

More cheers for Stewart Hosie when he tells delegates "friends, we will never ever again accept we are too small, too poor or too stupid to take any decision for ourselves" and says their determination to see Scotland independent "will never fade".