Politics Live: Reaction to EU talks on UK renegotiation

Summary

EU leaders discuss the UK's renegotiations at a dinner in Brussels
David Cameron says progress has been made and he can see a "path" towards a deal next year
But he says there is a "lot of hard work" still to be done, including on the issue on curbs on benefits for EU migrants
Angela Merkel says she believes solutions can be found but she won't agree to anything discriminatory
UKIP's MP Douglas Carswell calls for a new party leader - but Nigel Farage tells him to "put up or shut up"
Text updates, video clips and BBC political programmes streamed live

Live Reporting

Gavin Stamp

Thatcher auction attracts bids from around the worldpublished at 17:13
Image source, AFP
The blue velvet wedding dress worn by Margaret Thatcher in 1951 has sold at auction in London for £25,000.
The dress is one of 150 items belonging to the late Prime Minister being auctioned at Christie's., external
Bids have come from as far away as the US, Australia and South Korea for lots including jewellery and speech notes.
Her prime ministerial red dispatch box, handbags and the rain coat she famously wore to drive a tank in 1986 are also being sold.
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Chancellor hosts charity Christmas partypublished at 17:05
Celebrities have been arriving for Chancellor George Osborne's annual Starlight Christmas party at No 11 Downing Street. The Starlight charity grants wishes for seriously and terminally ill children and provides entertainment to more than half a million children every year in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK.
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Strictly Come Dancing contingent
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Rupert Grint, best known for playing Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter films
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Former Spice Girl, Geri Horner (Halliwell)
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Blue Peter presenter, Radzi Chinyanganya
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Celebrity choreographer, Brian Friedman
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Chancellor George Osborne
Thatcher red box sold for £242,500published at 16:55
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Reflections on May's longevity at Home Officepublished at 16:50
The Daily Politics
Media caption,
MP and former MP discuss home secretary's tenure
Theresa May is now the longest-serving home secretary since Henry Matthews in 1892, overtaking Rab Butler's 2,007 day stint under Harold Macmillan.
Conservative MP Peter Bone and former Labour Home Office minister Chris Mullin joined Jo Coburn to discuss her time in the position.
Does fashion matter in politics?published at 16:36
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
As Lady Thatcher's handbags and glad rags go up for auction today, ex-Labour minister Tessa Jowell and the Economist's Anne McElvoy discussed whether fashion matters in politics:
David Cameron speaks to Czech counterpartpublished at 16:35
Image source, Reuters
David Cameron has been speaking to his Czech counterpart Bohuslav Sobotka, one of a series of calls he is making to EU leaders ahead of Thursday's EU Council meeting. According to Downing Street, the two men discussed the UK's renegotiation objectives, which will be discussed in detail at a dinner on Thursday night. In a statement, No 10 said:
Quote Message
The prime minister updated prime minister Sobotka on progress, noting that we had seen positive movement on economic governance, competitiveness, and sovereignty, as reflected in President Tusk’s recent letter, and that welfare reform and migration was obviously the most difficult issue. Prime Minister Sobotka agreed that progress had been made, making clear the Czech Republic supported many of the UK’s proposals, and was ready to work for a non-discriminatory solution on welfare."
Downing Street
On the subject of Thursday's meeting, the prime minister's official spokeswoman said the PM welcomed the opportunity to have a "full, frank and substantive discussion" on the UK's objectives - including the potential sticking points of welfare and migration.
She said the discussion would be an "important milestone in the UK renegotiating it's relationship with the EU".
Attlee letter sold for £500,000published at 16:30
Image source, PA
A letter written by Communist leader Mao Zedong to the-then future British Prime Minister Clement Attlee in 1937 has been sold at auction in London for £500,000.
The letter, which called for the Labour leader's urgent assistance in the war against Japanese imperialism, was snapped up by a private Chinese collector at Sotheby's.
The £500,000 figure was well above the letter's estimated sale price of £100,000 to £150,000.
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Thatcher auction beginspublished at 16:25
Channel 4 political correspondent tweets...
An auction of some of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher's outfits, accessories and other personal effects is under way in central London. Channel 4's Michael Crick has been following the items as they go under the hammer.
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What are the prospects for the Tories in Wales?published at 16:13
The Daily Politics
Media caption,
Conservative leader in Wales discusses plans
At May's general election the Conservatives had their best results in Wales for more than 30 years and the party will be under pressure to repeat that success at next year's elections to the Welsh Assembly.
But it is Labour that is still Wales's dominant party, getting the biggest share of the vote at parliamentary elections and controlling the assembly in Cardiff.
The Tories are hoping that an offer of lower income taxes in Wales, using powers that are set to be devolved from Westminster, could give them a boost.
Jo Coburn was joined by the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies.
Watch: Why has Theresa May lasted so long as home secretary?published at 16:06 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2015
The Daily Politics
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She is now the longest-serving incumbent since 1892
Watch: Should there be a Lib-Lab pact?published at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2015
Former ministers Vince Cable and Chris Mullin discuss...
The Daily Politics
Media caption,
Former ministers discuss prospect of electoral co-operation between Labour and the Lib Dems
Tusk warns EU 'still far from agreement' on British reformspublished at 16:04
In a letter to all the leaders of the EU member states ahead of Thursday's summit, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has said that the EU is still "far from an agreement" on the reforms David Cameron is seeking ahead of a referendum.
Quote Message
We have achieved significant progress in negotiations; however we are still far from an agreement on several topics. We will need to focus especially on the most controversial ones. The stakes are so high that we cannot escape a serious debate with no taboos.
Donald Tusk, European Council President
There has been considerable opposition among the 27 other leaders to David Cameron's plan to ban in-work benefits for migrants for four years.
Tim Farron compares cabinet minister with Jose Mourinhopublished at 15:27
House of Commons
Parliament
Image source, PA
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron has invoked Chelsea football club's recent poor form as he attacked the government's record on their green agenda despite efforts to secure a climate change deal in Paris last week.
Speaking in a Commons debate on climate change and flooding the Cumbrian MP, whose constituency was affected in the recent flooding, drew an analogy between the Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho and the Climate Change Secretary, Amber Rudd.
Quote Message
She did indeed play a blinder in Paris. However, it's very difficult on the one hand, to stack up signing an agreement in Paris and then on the other hand, slashing subsidies for renewables, ending the Green Deal and privatising the Green Investment Bank. The secretary is perhaps the Jose Mourinho of environmental politics - very impressive on the international stage, woeful domestically.
Tim Farron, Lib Dem leader
Chelsea are currently struggling in the Premier League but comfortably reached the last 16 in the Champions League.
Test yourself with The Times Christmas quizpublished at 15:15
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Watch: Chris Mullin says Corbyn should be given a chancepublished at 15:14
The Daily Politics
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Former Labour minister says leader entitled to be taken seriously
Watch: What lies ahead in EU membership debate?published at 15:13
The Daily Politics
Peers rejected a Labour Party proposal designed to give 16 and 17-year-olds a vote in the EU membership referendum on Monday, ending the parliamentary back-and-forth over the EU Referendum Bill.
The government now hopes it will receive Royal Assent and be passed into law by Christmas. So with that hurdle out of the way, what lies ahead on the road to the referendum?
Bill Cash from the Commons European Scrutiny Committee and former Labour MP Chris Mullin discuss with Jo Coburn.
Media caption,
Guests debate the road to the referendum
Should House of Commons be told of MPs' arrests?published at 15:12
Image source, UK Parliament
MPs should not be named when they are arrested over alleged criminal behaviour in their "private" lives, a cross-party Commons committee has recommended.
Long-standing rules require the House of Commons to be informed any time a member is arrested by police.
The practice was historically intended to protect the principle of parliamentary privilege - symbolising the right of the House to have MPs attend its sittings.
Police are supposed to tell the Speaker if a politician is detained, and they then inform the Commons.
The last occasion in which the House was notified of an MPs' arrest was 12 months ago, when Tory Mark Pritchard over an allegation that was later dropped.
A report from theProcedure Committee, externalhas proposed dropping the rule that names should automatically be made public. It concluded:
Quote Message
The committee recognises that some arrests may occur in relation to activities which are essentially private and where the member has not chosen to make the fact of the arrest public or has not behaved in such a way as to make public knowledge inevitable. It is important to make clear that in no other circumstance would a police force or a public authority be able to put the details of an arrest in the public domain in such circumstances without the consent of the arrested individual."
MEPs reject new standards for diesel car emissionspublished at 15:10
Image source, Getty Images
The European Parliament's environment committee has rejected new EU standards for diesel car emissions, arguing that they are not strict enough.
The standards agreed by EU governments in October would allow diesel cars to continue exceeding the maximum level set by laboratory tests.
From September 2017 new models would be able to emit double that maximum. The EU Commission says actual emissions are currently five times the limit.
MEPs can force changes to the rules. Read more
Miliband: UK needs stronger climate policypublished at 15:07 Greenwich Mean Time 15 December 2015
Ed Miliband tweets
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Watch: What action has the RAF taken in Syria?published at 14:24
BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale reports
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The BBC's Jonathan Beale provides an update