Iain Watson
Political correspondent

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin cast fresh doubt over whether Heathrow would get a third runway, and whether there would be a final decision by next summer. 

He told the Today programme: "Get off the fixation of a third runway [at Heathrow] - it could be a second runway at Gatwick."

"All three viable options" that the Airport Commission identified - including expanding an existing Heathrow runway - were on the table he said.

Asked about the government's apparent indecision, he said: "we have come to a conclusion that the extra capacity is needed either Gatwick or Heathrow"

He denied the delay was related to next Spring's London Mayoral election he said "the simple fact is that we've know for a very long time when the mayoral election would be so could have just set timetable for another 12 months".

But he cast doubt on whether a final decision would be taken by next summer - he said it would be taken: "hopefully in the summer of next year" and he "believed" that's when it would happen.

He said that timescale would allow a new runway to operate from 2030.

BBC 5Live

The London Mayor, Boris Johnson has denounced suggestions that Heathrow had a new environmental plan to deal with airport expansion as "a load of cobblers". 

He told BBC 5 Live there was "an element of political fudgerama" to the decision to delay until summer 2016 but said a new runway would be "an environmental catastrophe" and "it was getting clearer to people in government that this is undeliverable."

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Stop the War coalition is "more anti-West, than anti-war" says Labour MP Emma Reynolds who has called on Jeremy Corbyn to not attend the organisation's Christmas fundraiser tonight. 

Ms Reynolds replies "the mask is slipping" and says the groups has not condemned military action by Russia in Georgia and Ukraine.

Chris Nineham, deputy chair of Stop the War, denies the accusations from Ms Reynolds saying they do not support President Assad or Russian aggression and speak out against all military action.

"We need to move on" from tittle-tattle and smears says Mr Nineham and talk about "substantial issues".

Image source, PA

It isn't every day that you get a former prime minister appearing before a parliamentary committee but MPs on the Foreign Affairs Committee will get a chance to grill Tony Blair, from 10.30 GMT, about his dealings with Libya when he was in power and the history of the country since. 

When he was in Downing Street. Mr Blair supported the international community's rapprochement with the Gaddafi regime and even visited the Libyan leader in his tent outside the capital Tripoli. 

No doubt he will be asked about that encounter and the country's troubled history since then following the ousting of the former dictator in 2011. 

MPs are unlikely to be able to resist asking the former Middle East envoy about other subjects, such as religious fundamentalism, so-called Islamic State and the history of outside military intervention in the region. 

You can follow the session in text and video on this page.

An independent panel should assist the Home Office in devising a new funding formula for police forces in England and Wales, a committee of MPs has said, external.

A statistical error in October led some forces to wrongly assume they would be losing money for 2016-17, while others thought their budgets were to increase.

The Home Affairs Select Committee says it hopes its proposal will help remedy "the shambles we have seen so far".

The government said it would consider the recommendations carefully.

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Image source, Thinkstock

The Care Quality Commission, the health watchdog in England, is "not yet an effective regulator", MPs say.

Staff shortages and weaknesses in consistency, accuracy and timeliness of inspection reports have all been flagged up as areas of "concern" by the Public Accounts Committee, external.

Chairwoman Meg Hillier said there was an "alarming lack of attention to detail" when reports were prepared.

The CQC - set up six years ago - said it was proceeding with improvements.  

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Image source, PA

What else is happening in Westminster on Friday? 

Well, Jeremy Corbyn is due to attend a Stop the War fundraising event later on Friday. 

A few months ago this engagement would not have attracted much attention since the MP was a vice-chair of the organisation who was a key figure in its creation in 2001. 

But Mr Corbyn isn't a backbencher now, he is Labour leader and his association with the anti-war group is proving controversial in the wake of Paris terror attacks and the Commons vote to bomb Syria. 

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas has "stepped back" from her formal role with the group, citing statement made by Stop The War in recent weeks, but Mr Corbyn has insisted he will maintain his links with the organisation and plans to attend this evening's event. 

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin says the government has made "important movements" on airport expansion.

He says they have accepted the Davies report that there needs to be more capacity. 

When pressed that the decision for Heathrow expansion will probably go ahead, he says "no" and adds "it could be a second runway at Gatwick".

Mr McLoughlin says "hopefully" there will be a decision in Summer 2016. He says by that time extra work would have been done to allow a "firm recommendation" to be made - "hopefully".

He denies it is a political move to delay the decision until after the London mayoral election - adding if that were the case, they would have just set the original timetable to deliver a decision after the election.

Image source, AP

Elsewhere, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is continuing to make waves in the UK. On last night's Question Time, Communities Secretary Greg Clark called him an "offensive idiot" and said he hoped he "got the result he deserves" in the forthcoming primary elections. But Mr Clark downplayed talk that the businessman could be barred from entering the UK, suggesting it would do him the "power of good" to come here and witness the tolerance and diversity that characterised British society. It comes as a petition calling for Mr Trump to be barred from the UK has become the most popular ever on the government's website.

Image source, AFP

Good morning and welcome to Friday's live coverage of events at Westminster. The decision to delay an announcement over the future of Heathrow and airport expansion in the south east of England for at least another six months is likely to dominate debate for the first part of the morning. The move has been slammed by business although campaigners against a third runway are happier. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin will be on Today at 8.10 GMT to explain the government's thinking.

The latest delay to a decision on UK airport expansion has dominated this evening's political headlines. There's more reaction to the announcement of no decision until at least the summer on the Business Live page.

Earlier, David Cameron insisted he could still reach a deal on benefit curbs for EU migrants despite the Polish prime minister saying the two countries did not see "eye-to-eye" on the issue, and the government said it was profoundly shocked by a report which found the NHS failed to investigate the unexpected deaths of more than 1,000 people.

Friday's diary includes an appearance , externalby Tony Blair before the Foreign Affairs Committee, where he will be asked about the UK's links with Libya during his time as prime minister.

We'll also find out whether Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will attend the Stop the War Coalition's Christmas fundraiser - he's currently billed , externalas its special guest but has faced calls to reconsider.

 A decision on whether to expand Heathrow Airport has been delayed until next summer, the government has confirmed.  

A decision on whether to expand Heathrow Airport has been delayed until next summer, the government has confirmed.

Read more as the story develops

A summary of today's main political stories:

• David Cameron says he has yet to reach agreement with Poland over his call for benefit curbs for EU migrants
• The result of the referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union will be announced in Manchester, the Electoral Commission said
• The government is "profoundly shocked" by the findings of a report which said the NHS failed to investigate the unexpected deaths of more than 1,000 people, Jeremy Hunt has said
• Proposed new surveillance laws are so broad they could allow spies to monitor people's banking and shopping habits, MPs and peers have been told
• The Civil Service has paid Jeremy Corbyn more than £1,000 for him to lecture Foreign Office staff
• Ministers are meeting on Thursday to decide on the future expansion of Heathrow airport
• Donald Trump has hit back at high-profile Scottish snubs in the wake of his call for Muslims to be banned from entering the US

The Christmas tree lights outside the PM's 10 Downing Street residence have just been turned on. David Cameron led a short countdown, before the (rather enormous) tree was lit. The festive occasion was followed by some carol singing.

The Daily Politics

Thursday's guest of the day, David Willetts, and journalist Matthew Parris - both former MPs - discussed whether being intellectual helps in politics.

Mr Willetts, who is now a member of the House of Lords,said that wisdom and putting your knowledge to good use was more important than being bright or not.

"It's what you do with it that matters," he said.   

Image source, Getty Images

A Scottish government attempt to block the Trade Union Bill from applying to Scotland has been rejected by the presiding officer.

Ministers wanted to lodge a legislative consent memorandum, claiming Holyrood should have a say on the bill as it could affect devolved areas.

However, Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick turned down the motion.

The Scottish government said it was considering other options to block the bill.

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