Victoria Derbyshire

The Guardian

Writing in The Guardian, external John Harris writes about Momentum - the grassroots organisation set up in the wake of Jeremy Corbyn's election victory.

He says the group is caught between "the twentysomethings" attracted to the party by the election of Jeremy Corbyn and those who have returned to the party after "self-imposed exile" describing them as "white, male and over 55" who "have a deep attachment to the writings of dead Russians".

He says "it is difficult to shake off the sense that Labour’s older troublemakers remain a big part of Corbyn and John McDonnell’s essential tribe".

He says "forward-thinking" activists tell him "they have a battle on with their group’s old-school elements but they are trying to change Labour’s culture and practices, not single out particular MPs, and fixating on the party rule book."

But Harris adds "even at the heart of what Corbyn supporters call 'the new politics' there are tensions and contradictions that may yet explode."

The Daily Telegraph

William Hague, former Conservative Party leader, has urged the Conservative government to "get on" with making a decision on airport expansion. 

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, external he says there is a "very obvious economic reason why this decision is now urgent". 

He says he supports the decision by the independent commission recommending a third runway at Heathrow saying: "That's good enough for me - let's make the decision and get on with it." 

He adds the "national interest comes first" over opposition from MPs such as Zac Goldsmith and Boris Johnson. He adds that if it is politically too difficult to build at Heathrow then "go for Gatwick, the second best option but perfectly viable".

The Spectator

Tony Blair has written an article defending his time as leader of the party in the Spectator, external. He calls the current situation in the party a "tragedy" and calls on them to be braver and more progressive in order to win power.

He says "I have never written about this in this way before; but let me explain how my thinking developed and why."

He says "the public liked what we stood for in broad terms, but distrusted us as a Party of Government":

Image source, El Pollock/Geograph

Widespread improvements to trains in the north of England and Scotland have been promised with the announcement of new contracts for two rail franchises.

The Northern Rail franchise is being awarded to Arriva Rail North Ltd, while TransPennine Express is going to First Trans Pennine Express Ltd.

The Department for Transport said the deals would see the introduction of 500 brand-new carriages.

The outdated and unpopular Pacer trains would also be phased out.

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Vital care services for older and disabled people in England remain at risk - despite government attempts to protect the sector, care leaders say.

Last month, George Osborne announced plans he said would lead to an above-inflation rise in care budgets.

But council chiefs, NHS managers and care bosses have cast doubt on those claims in a letter to the chancellor.

It warns his plans would leave a funding gap and put vulnerable people at risk - denied by the government.

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Image source, PA

The result of legal action challenging the election of Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael is due on Wednesday.

Four constituents raised the action against the Lib Dem MP under the Representation of the People Act 1983.

They claimed Mr Carmichael misled voters over a memo which was leaked before May's general election.

The result of the special election court hearing will be announced on Wednesday morning.

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Image source, AP

Syrian rebels have begun evacuating the last area they hold in the city of Homs under a ceasefire deal reached with the government, a monitoring group has said.

The deal means the entire city returns to government control.

Those leaving are due to go to areas of Idlib province still in rebel hands.

Homs, in central Syria, was once dubbed the "capital of the revolution" and saw some of the first protests against President Bashar al-Assad, in 2011.

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Image source, Getty Images

Donald Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric undermines US national security by boosting the so-called Islamic State group, the Pentagon has warned.

The leading Republican presidential candidate has said Muslims should be banned from entering the US, in the wake of the deadly California attacks.

But Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said such talk "bolsters Isil's narrative", referring to IS.

There has been a global outcry since Mr Trump made his remarks.

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Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

A former Conservative Party Treasurer has told the BBC he considers Lord Feldman "a man of considerable integrity and professionalism".

Lord Feldman has faced suggestions he knew about bullying allegations within the youth wing much earlier than he says.

This morning Michael Spencer, who was Conservative Party Treasurer from 2007 to 2010 said: "It's clearly a dreadful dreadful series of events that has taken place here. I didn't know... some of the key characters involved.

"Certainly in my period and I was very closely involved in the Conservative Party as Treasurer from 2007 through until after the election in 2010... there was no bullying that I was aware of at all. I know Andrew Feldman very well personally I consider him a man of considerable integrity and professionalism.

"Clearly the Conservative Party have got to investigate this properly, thoroughly and independently and cleanse any issues that are remaining and I hope that I believe they will do that."  

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Image source, Getty Images

Morgan Stanley has said former Chancellor Alistair Darling will join the bank's board of directors.

Mr Darling, who served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010, will take up the role in January.

His move follows former Prime Minister Gordon Brown's appointment to an advisory panel at the global investment firm Pimco.

Mr Darling, 62, played a key role in addressing the global economic crisis.

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Image source, Getty Images

A 20-page dossier detailing a culture of bullying within the Conservative Party's youth wing was handed to party chairman Lord Feldman in 2010, according to a former activist.

The activist, who says he was himself a victim of bullying, told BBC Newsnight that the dossier was given by Ben Howlett, now an MP, to Lord Feldman.

Lord Feldman insists he was not aware of any complaints before August 2015.

Two activists involved in producing the document say it named Mark Clarke.

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Image source, AFP

David Cameron regards comments made by US presidential hopeful Donald Trump as "divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong", Downing Street has said.

Mr Trump called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States following a mass shooting in San Bernadino.

A Muslim couple, believed to have been radicalised, killed 14 people at a health centre.

The prime minister's official spokeswoman said Mr Cameron "completely disagrees with Donald Trump".

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Image source, PA

Labour is threatening to oppose government plans to extend spying powers unless it releases papers about a "politically motivated show trial" of trade unionists in the 70s.

The so-called Shrewsbury 24 were charged with various offences after a national building workers' strike.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham will accuse the government of "perpetuating a cover up", in a speech later.

Officials refuse to release the papers on the grounds of national security.

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The main thing on the Wednesday agenda is normally Prime Minister's Questions. And today it will be a bit different as David Cameron is off to Romania and Poland as he continues his EU renegotiations. So at noon today standby for the first PMQs clash between Chancellor George Osborne and Labour's Angela Eagle. That's for later - next though we'll bring you a series of entries on what are currently the top political stories on the BBC website. 

There’s been international condemnation of comments by US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, who has called for a ban on Muslims entering the US following a mass shooting in San Bernadine. Downing Street said David Cameron regarded the remarks as “divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong”.

Here’s a run-down of today’s other top political stories:

• Limiting EU migrant workers' rights to benefits will do little to cut inward migration, according to a member of the Office for Budget Responsibility
• Green MP Caroline Lucas has quit her role as patron of the Stop The War Coalition, citing disagreements with some of the anti-war group's "recent positions"
• MPs rejected an attempt by the House of Lords to give 16 and 17-year-olds a vote in the planned referendum on Britain's EU membership
• Momentum, the grassroots group set up by backers of Jeremy Corbyn, is to curb the influence of far-left groups in it
• London mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith said he regrets promising to quit as an MP if David Cameron gives the go-ahead for a third runway at Heathrow
• Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has taken up a role on an advisory panel at a global investment management firm.

Our rolling coverage of political news resumes on Wednesday morning. We'll bring you the latest lines from BBC Radio 4's Today programme, and this week's Prime Minister's Questions - which will be a head-to-head between Chancellor George Osborne and Labour's Angela Eagle in David Cameron's absence.