Stewart Hosie gets applause at the SNP conference when he calls for powers on employment and trade union law

SNP finance spokesman and deputy leader Stewart Hosie tells his party conference he's pleased Labour did eventually join them in voting against George Osborne's fiscal charter in the Commons on Wednesday night.

But he claims the party did not understand the measure and mocks claims, by Labour MP Frank Field and others, that Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn bowed to pressure from Labour's leader in Scotland Kezia Dugdale to vote with the SNP to boost the party's Holyrood election prospects.

He  tells delegates he doesn't believe that "Kezia phoned Jeremy and London Labour listened".  

Mr Hosie said London Labour hasn't listened to Scotland for years.

Robin Brant
Political Correspondent

The prime minister's office has refused to confirm or deny whether David Cameron was gifted underwear by the founder of the Ultimo lingerie brand.

A list of gifts to the prime minister made public today shows "clothing" from Michelle Mone was given to him in August 2014.

It's among 21 articles given to the PM between July last year and March 2015.

MJM International Ltd is the firm which owns the Ultimo underwear brand. Michelle Mone also owns a fake tan business. She was made a peer last month and took her seat in the House of Lords today.

The PM's official spokesman refused to give more details on the gift, describing it only as "clothing".

The official list says it has been retained by the Cabinet Office because it was "over the (allowed) limit" at which ministers can keep gifts.

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.

The prime minister is in Brussels for talks with EU Parliament president Martin Schulz ahead of a summit.

Earlier Mr Schulz called for "clarity" while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Britain needed to "clarify the substance" of what it wanted.

Mr Cameron wants to reform the EU ahead of the UK's in-out referendum.

More here.

The Daily Politics

Schools Minister Nick Gibb and the shadow schools minister Nic Dakin debated grammar schools after the Weald of Kent School in Tonbridge was allowed to open a site in Sevenoaks, apparently side-stepping a ban.

The minister said the Conservatives were not bringing them back, while his Labour shadow spoke about social mobility.

SNP MP Tasmina Sheikh tells the conference younger votes should be included in the EU referendum: 

Image source, PA

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.

Panorama has obtained police emails sent shortly after Mr Watson's statement to the Commons in 2012.

They concluded that there was no evidence the minister was guilty of any criminal complicity.

Mr Watson has made no immediate comment on the emails' dismissal.

Here's the story.

Brian Wheeler

And finally, from the Amber Rudd press gallery lunch, a joke. 

The energy and climate change secretary was trumpeting her success in securing faster trains to London from her Hastings constituency, but was dismayed to be told by one commuter the service is known locally as "the arse".

It stands for Amber Rudd Seaside Express, apparently. 

On a more serious note, the MP, who is known as an Osbornite, categorically ruled out a bid for the leadership of the Conservative Party. 

Brian Wheeler

Image source, PA

Amber Rudd hit back at claims she had pulled the rug from under the renewable energy industry by scaling back on subsidies, telling journalists: "I totally disagree that there is any sort of attack on the renewables sector."

But she said her energy and climate change department had over-spent when it was run by the Lib Dems and consumers were paying too much in subsidies.

She also cast doubt on whether the prime minster had ever said he wanted to "get rid of the green crap" in the run up to the general election: "I don't accept that he said that. I don't know where it came from." 

Brian Wheeler

Image source, Reuters

Energy Secretary Amber Rudd was also quizzed about a National Grid warning that factories may have to shut down on weekday evenings to keep the lights on in Britain's homes this winter, amid the worst power crunch in a decade.

She said: "The National Grid have the tools to deliver a secure supply going forward." 

She said she was "confident but not complacent" that she could keep the lights on but admitted that "we have under-invested in infrastructure". 

Ms Rudd also told the Westminster press gallery lunch "it's not over yet" when it comes to making energy companies pass on falling wholesale prices to consumers, adding: "I am still pressing them."

Brian Wheeler

Image source, Other

Climate change and energy secretary Amber Rudd has refused to say when an announcement will be made on building a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point, in Somerset.

There is speculation a deal will be announced next week at a state banquet for the Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

But speaking at a press gallery lunch at Westminster, Ms Rudd said: "We hope to make an announcement soon but I can't confirm next week." 

She refused to comment on reports the Chinese are playing hardball on the size of their investment in the £24.5bn project. 

The Chinese state nuclear groups, China National Nuclear Corporation and the China General Nuclear Power Group, have been reluctant to take more than 30% while French energy giant EDF, which is already having to retain a larger stake than it hoped, wants them to take 40%, according to the Daily Telegraph. 

Asked when the new plant would start operating, she said: "EDF are going to tell us when they expect to start generating. It was going to be 2023. It may be slightly later than that."

The Electoral Commission, the UK elections watchdog, says it has found "no evidence" to support allegations that the SNP and Business for Scotland were "working together" to secure a 'Yes' vote in last year's Scottish independence referendum. The watchdog said:

Dr Philippa Whitford, an SNP MP, says she feels sorry for people in England because the government will break the NHS in England "they are destroying the NHS"

New MP Dr Philippa Whitford said the behaviour in the Commons gave her cold feet about the job, saying she was shocked to find  "I'm sitting in a kindergarten where people are making animal noises."

John Nicolson and Callum McCaig are discussing life at Westminster - they say it takes too long to vote and say it can take an hour to vote three times.  

Callum McCaig MP says Westminster is an interesting place if ever there was one, but, in short, "it's no way to run a country".