Summary

  • Text updates, video clips and BBC political programmes streamed live

  • Former prime minister Tony Blair is quizzed by MPs on UK foreign policy towards Libya

  • Business groups angry about further delay to airport expansion decision as internal Tory row erupts

  • Transport secretary insists it is not a political move to avoid the London mayoral contest

  1. Coming up on BBC Newsnightpublished at 21:29 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2015

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  2. Trump UK ban petition passes 300,000 signaturespublished at 21:10

    Donald TrumpImage source, Getty Images

    A petition calling for Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump to be barred from entering the UK has gathered more than 300,000 names, so MPs will have to consider debating it.

    The petition went on Parliament's e-petition website on Tuesday.

    It was posted in response to Mr Trump's call , externalfor a temporary halt on Muslims entering the United States.

    Chancellor George Osborne criticised Mr Trump's comments but rejected calls for him to be banned from the UK.

    More here.

  3. Fizzy drinks tax backed by AMspublished at 21:05

    Fizzy drinkImage source, Thinkstock

    Labour Assembly Members have voted to support Plaid Cymru's call for a Welsh tax on sugary drinks.

    First Minister Carwyn Jones had previously criticised plans to use the tax to pay for extra doctors.

    Finance Minister Jane Hutt told the Senedd it could "add to the armoury of initiatives" to tackle obesity but "there are practical difficulties" which need investigating.

    On Wednesday, AMs voted by 38 to 10 in favour of the motion.

    More here.

  4. Cameron in Poland for EU reform talkspublished at 21:03 Greenwich Mean Time 9 December 2015

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  5. Foster looks set to lead DUP in Januarypublished at 20:50

    Arlene FosterImage source, PA

    Arlene Foster looks set to be the next leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) as no other DUP member has put their name forward for the role.

    The current leader Peter Robinson said on Twitter that he will step down on 11 January, the day MLAs are due to return to Stormont after the Christmas break.

    Mr Robinson added the deadline for nominations to replace him has passed and Mrs Foster is the only candidate..

    She said she is "up for the challenge" and will work with Sinn Féin.

    More here.

  6. Immigration levels 'unsustainable', says David Cameronpublished at 20:00

    David Cameron and the Romanian presidentImage source, AFP/Getty Images

    The current level of net migration to the UK is "not sustainable", David Cameron has said, as he continued his diplomatic push for EU benefits reform.

    The PM wants to curb migrants' benefits to cut immigration, but some European leaders are said to oppose the move.

    After talks in Bucharest with the Romanian president, Mr Cameron said he was "confident" of reaching a deal on his four key renegotiation aims.

    The UK PM is also visiting Poland on his two-day trip to eastern Europe.

    More here.

  7. Government rejects calls to release Shrewsbury 24 filespublished at 19:50

    Mike Penning

    The government has rejected calls to release confidential files about a trade union dispute in the 70s, despite claims of "compelling new evidence".

    The papers relate to the so-called Shrewsbury 24, who were charged with various offences after a national building workers' strike.

    Minister Mike Penning said the files could not be released on the grounds of national security.

    Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said it amounted to "a cover up".

    More here.

  8. Wednesday afternoon recappublished at 18:00

    A round-up of today's main political stories:

    • Labour's Angela Eagle poked fun at David Cameron's EU reforms as she traded jokes with George Osborne at Prime Minister's Questions
    • A legal action challenging the election of Lib Dem Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has failed
    • The current state of the Labour Party is a "tragedy", former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said
    • George Osborne has announced a £50m fund for families and businesses hit by floods in Cumbria and Lancashire
    • The security services could remotely take over children's toys and use them to spy on suspects, MPs have been told
    • The televised debates that took place before the general election performed a "crucially important civic role", according to a new study
    • Senior Tories have rallied round party chairman Lord Feldman who is facing calls to quit over claims of bullying in the party's youth wing

  9. PM: Net migration levels 'are not sustainable'published at 17:20

    David Cameron has been meeting the Romanian president as part of his ongoing negotiations on EU reform, ahead of the UK's planned in-out referendum, which is being held by the end of 2017.

    Mr Cameron repeated his desire for Britain stay in a "reformed" EU. He said talks on his push for change were making "good progress" but some areas were more difficult than others "particularly the reforms I have proposed on welfare". 

    Quote Message

    I support the principle of free movement to work - it is a basic treaty right and a key part of the single market. And Romanians, alongside other Europeans, make a valuable contribution to the United Kingdom in a wide range of fields, from finance to science and medicine. But it was never envisaged that free movement would trigger quite such vast numbers of people moving across our continent. And countries have got to be able to cope with all the pressures that can bring - on our schools, our hospitals and other public services."

    Mr Cameron set net migration levels to the UK were "not sustainable", and argued that EU countries eed to be able to "make changes to their social security systems" to help them deal with immigration pressures.  

    He added that he was "confident we can find solutions in each area".

  10. Nicola Sturgeon criticises Trump's 'repugnant' remarkspublished at 17:15

    Carole Walker
    Political correspondent

    Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has said Donald Trump's comments about Muslims were "repugnant,  reprehensible and had offended the vast majority of people not just in US but across the world". 

    She said she had written to Mr Trump to tell him he had been stripped of his membership of the GlobalScot network.

    The SNP leader said as a member of the network he was in "a very privileged position promoting Scotland" and said she did not believe somebody expressing such views was suitable for the job.

  11. Farage casts doubt over Merkel's accoladepublished at 17:09

    UKIP leader tweets...

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  12. Arlene Foster 'only nomination for DUP leadership'published at 17:08

    The outgoing Northern Ireland first minister tweets...

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    Mr Robinson said he looked forward to handing over his @DUPleader Twitter handle to the new leader.

  13. Watch: Health minister Alistair Burt says government is focused on mental healthpublished at 17:03

    Media caption,

    Health Minister Alistair Burt says politcians understand the importance of mental health

  14. Peter Lilley: Benefit curbs won't have 'significant impact' on reducing immigrationpublished at 17:02

    The World at One
    BBC Radio 4

    Former Conservative cabinet minister Peter Lilley MP talked to presenter Mark Mardell earlier about the likely impact introducing a 4-year ban on EU migrants' access to benefits would have on migration flows. 

    Media caption,

    Former cabinet minister Peter Lilley MP on the impact of migrant benefit curbs.

  15. Senior Conservatives back Lord Feldmanpublished at 17:00

    Lord FeldmanImage source, Getty Images

    Senior Tories have rallied round party chairman Lord Feldman who has faced calls to quit over claims of bullying in the party's youth wing.

    Lord Feldman is alleged to have been handed a document in 2010 which named Tory campaigner Mark Clarke.

    Mr Clarke was recently expelled from the party over bullying claims, which he denies.

    Tory sources say Lord Feldman may never have been given the dossier or been told of the seriousness of its claims.

    More here.

  16. Porn easier to talk about than faith, says ministerpublished at 16:59

    Stephen Crabb

    Watching porn or smoking drugs is easier for politicians to admit to than praying to God, Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb has said.

    In a lecture on faith and politics, he said talking about prayer was a "total no-go area" for a UK prime minister.

    A practising Christian, Mr Crabb warned that faith was being pushed to the margins of national life.

    He said it left a society "less resilient to the poison of the extremists".

    More here.

  17. Watch: MP Keeley says mental health parity still long way offpublished at 16:58

    Media caption,

    Shadow health minister Barbara Keeley says mental health parity long way off

  18. Ben Howlett praises fellow MPs for speaking openly about mental healthpublished at 16:43

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Media caption,

    MP Ben Howlett praises MPs for speaking openly about mental health

  19. Labour launches fresh bid to lower EU poll voting agepublished at 16:43

    BBC assistant political editor tweets...

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  20. Environment Secretary chairs Floods COBR meetingpublished at 16:35

    Vicki Young
    Chief Political Correspondent

    The Environment Secretary, Liz Truss, has chaired another emergency Whitehall meeting to discuss the floods in Cumbria. 

    The situation is "generally improving" but experts are keeping a close eye on a weather system which is heading towards the UK. 

    The expectation is that this system will pass to the south of the affected area. The focus of efforts now is on infrastructure, including surveying bridges and roads to make sure they're safe.