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The Environment Minister, Rory Stewart, who is in Cumbria says parts of the UK had experienced "the highest rainfall we've ever had". 

He says that flood water went over the top of flood defences in some places and the government would look again at the models they used for planning for floods. 

He says the flooding was "unpredictable and unprecedented". He says the government was spending £2.3 billion on flood defences over this parliament. He describes the situation as horrendous and said lifeboats and mountain rescue teams were going from house to house to check if people were safe.

France's far-right National Front appears to have made big gains in the first round of regional elections, estimates show.

They put the party ahead in at least six of 13 regions in mainland France.

The elections are the first electoral test since last month's Paris attacks, in which 130 people were killed.

The centre-right Republicans party led by former President Nicolas Sarkozy appeared to be in second place ahead of the governing Socialist Party.

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Image source, Getty Images

A former shadow minister has called on Jeremy Corbyn to "step back" from the Stop the War Coalition, calling the group a "disreputable organisation".

Tristram Hunt said the anti-war group had been "irresponsible" before and after the vote on Syria air strikes.

Mr Hunt said the Labour leader should not attend a fundraiser this week.

Stop the War rejected what it called an "unfounded attack", while Mr Corbyn's spokesman said the anti-war movement was a "vital democratic campaign".

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Image source, PA

The Conservatives are delivering on manifesto pledges on childcare, home ownership and skills training, David Cameron will argue as he sets out the "progress" made since the election.

The prime minister will use a speech to re-assert his key domestic priorities after 10 days in which the political agenda has been dominated by Syria.

He will say he is "marking commitments off" not heading in a "new direction".

And he is set to announce an expansion of the shared home ownership scheme.

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The number of Church of England bishops who sit as peers in the House of Lords should be cut to make way for leaders of other faiths, a new report argues.

At the moment, 26 "Lords Spiritual" attend the Upper House, including the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

The Commission on Religion and Belief in Public Life urged a rethink on this and other issues to reflect a "general decline" in Christian affiliation.

Britons of all faiths and none needed a "new settlement" in public policy.

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Iain Duncan Smith has said he has "complete faith" in David Cameron's ability to secure welfare reforms as part of the UK's EU renegotiations.

Despite reports of opposition to UK efforts to limit EU migrants' access to in-work benefits, the work and pensions secretary said he remained "upbeat" about plans to curb "benefit tourism".

The PM, he said, wanted a deal he "could sell to the British people".

But one MP said the UK's overall demands were "trivial" and "lame".

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Hello and welcome to our rolling coverage of political developments - the floods are the top news story with Commons exchanges expected later and the question of flood defences likely to be raised. There's also a big David Cameron speech, the latest EU view on the UK's renegotitations and a report on the role of religion in public life.