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Responding to former deputy Labour leader John Prescott's comments, that Lord Warner was "no great loss", the now ex-Labour ex-minister says: "Well I've never been on his Christmas card list and I don't ever expect to be." He maintains it would be "ethically wrong" to remain in a party "where I strongly oppose their policies and their approach to opposition".

BBC News Channel

As already reported, Lord Warner, who has quit the Labour Party in protest at its direction under the new leadership, says the party has traditionally believed "it has to be a government-in-waiting to convince". He adds: "We look nothing like that."

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Some police forces in England and Wales may not be able to withstand further cuts because they are not efficient enough, the police watchdog has warned.

HM Inspectorate of Constabulary said many forces lack the skills to tackle future policing demands such as cyber-crime and child sexual exploitation.

It said maintaining neighbourhood policing is likely to be a "challenge".

Home Secretary Theresa May said police forces must work together better and do more to prevent crimes.

Here's the full story.

He has a celebrity wife, loves football and is one of the most powerful men in the world. We look at the CV of the Chinese president visiting Britain.

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Lord Ashcroft has missed the UK launch party of the controversial book he co-authored about David Cameron, after suffering liver and kidney failure.

The Conservative peer became ill last month and spent 18 days in intensive care, he confirmed on Twitter, external.

A spokeswoman said Lord Ashcroft was now recovering in the US and was "out of danger".

More here.

Former Labour health minister Lord Warner has said the party doesn't have a "hope in hell" of winning power under Jeremy Corbyn after he resigned the whip in protest at the party's direction.

The peer told the BBC Labour faced an "existential threat" and was "anything other than a government in waiting".

He also took a swipe at the system used to elect Mr Corbyn, describing it as "bizarre and unacceptable".

Lord Warner has insisted he will not defect to another party.

Read more.

Some more on the tax credits story. The government has defended the proposed cuts, saying reforms it has made since 2010 will save taxpayers £15bn a year.

The Treasury released to the BBC its analysis of the proposed cuts, as ministers faced calls to rethink the latest changes, which come into force in April.

London mayor Boris Johnson is among those to have warned about the need to protect low-paid workers.

Labour has pledged to reverse the changes and is urging Tories to oppose them in a Commons vote on Tuesday.

More here.

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Members of the Royal Family and politicians are meetin China's President Xi Jinping on the first full day of his state visit to the UK.

Mr Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, will take part in a procession down The Mall to Buckingham Palace later, ahead of a state banquet held by the Queen.

He will also address both Houses of Parliament and meet PM David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Mr Cameron's spokeswoman said "nothing is off the table" in talks with Mr Xi.

Here's the full story.

TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has been campaigning for a sugar tax, tells a committee of MPs that talks with the government have been "robust".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

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Labour has said it would reverse the tax credits cuts if it was in government. Asked how it would raise the money to do this, Ms Malhotra says Labour would ensure higher productivity through investment in skills and the economy to boost wages.

Pressed for further details, she repeats that Labour would seek to boost investment to grow the economy. Asked if the party would raise taxes, she says it "would make different choices" to the Conservative government.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

The government has defended its cuts to tax credits, saying reforms made since 2010 will save taxpayers £15bn a year.

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra says the government's defence of the cuts will "absolutely backfire". Chancellor George Osborne is "choosing between the working poor and the non-working poor" and giving tax cuts "to the wealthiest in society", she argues.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Former Labour Health Minister Lord Warner has resigned the party whip in protest at the party's approach under new leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Seema Malhotra tells Today it's "very disappointing" but adds that "I don't think he speaks for the majority".

She says the new leadership is still "bedding in" and Jeremy Corbyn, who has "surprised every step of the way", is "still a story being written for the Labour Party". She says it's important for people to stay in the party.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Philip Hammond says the UK's EU reform negotiations are "going well" - at both a political and technical level. The foreign secretary defends the PM's decision to publish a letter next month setting out his renegotiation aims.

He says ministers are "scoping the areas that we want change" and will then look at what can be done to address UK's concerns, regarding over-regulation; "infringement" of national sovereignty; defining the relationship between the Eurozone and other EU countries, and abuse of welfare system by migrants.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

David Cameron has pledged to talk to the Chinese president about subsidised Chinese steel. Philip Hammond says the steel imports regime is managed at an EU level, with "substantial tariffs" on Chinese steel imports. He goes on to highlight government investment in the UK steel industry.

The foreign secretary says the government is protecting the industry "in a sensible way" but warns that "we have to recognise we're operating in a global economy" - saying that if UK steel prices were out of line with the rest of the world it would reduce competitiveness.

The UK foreign secretary's appearance on Today comes an hour after one China expert accused the UK of behaving like a "panting puppy" towards China.

The chairman of consultancy group APCO Worldwide's Chinese operations, James McGregor, told Today: 

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Philip Hammond says Britain's relationship with China, and the investment it brings about, isn't based on political considerations, but because it makes good business sense. "We are developing a mature relationship with the Chinese", the foreign secretary adds.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Put to him that America is surprised by the apparent warmth of the relationship with China, Philip Hammond says the US is and "will remain" Britain's closest ally. "But that does not prevent us from engaging with a country like China" which, he says, has an "increasingly important" economy and is playing an increasing international role.

The foreign secretary adds that there will be talks on how Britain and China can work together to help "foster development" in African countries.