James Landale
Deputy political editor

David Cameron is preparing to use the full force of the law to clip the wings of the House of Lords after it blocked his welfare cuts, the BBC has learned.

A review will say peers should lose their absolute veto over detailed laws known as secondary legislation.

Peers will instead be offered a new power to send these laws back to the Commons, forcing MPs to vote again - but will only be able to do this once.

The review was ordered after peers voted to delay tax credit cuts.

Read more

Image source, Getty Images

David Cameron's EU reform proposals are to be discussed by European leaders - with many said to be hostile to his bid to curb migrants' welfare payments.

The first substantial political discussion of the detail of the PM's plans is expected over dinner at the European Council summit in Brussels.

The EU Council president has predicted a "serious debate with no taboos".

Mr Cameron wants to reform the UK's relationship with the EU ahead of an in-out referendum by the end of 2017.

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Good morning and welcome to today's rolling political coverage. All eyes today will be on a meeting at the European Union of leaders which will discuss - over dinner tonight - demands David Cameron has made for reform, ahead of a UK referendum on whether to stay or leave the union. Back at Westminster, Lord Strathclyde is expected to report back with his review of the powers of the House of Lords. In the House of Commons ministers will set out plans for police funding and there will be quite a few statements - 35 or so - as Parliament winds up for Christmas.

Wednesday's politics saw new regulations allowing fracking under national parks approved, the government surviving a Lords challenge to its academies policy, and details emerging of ministers' plans to curb the powers of the House of Lords.

Earlier David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn clashed at PMQs for the final time in 2015, and Sir John Major warned Mr Cameron against "flirting" with leaving the EU.

The PM's EU reform bid will loom large on Thursday, as his fellow leaders consider his proposals over dinner in Brussels. Will they agree to his controversial welfare curbs, or will an alternative solution be proposed? We'll have all the build-up to the event here live.

James Landale
Deputy political editor

David Cameron is preparing to use the full force of the law to clip the wings of the House of Lords after it blocked his welfare cuts, the BBC has learned.

A review will say peers should lose their absolute veto over detailed laws known as secondary legislation.

Peers will instead be offered a new power to send these laws back to the Commons, forcing MPs to vote again - but will only be able to do this once.

The review was ordered after peers voted to delay tax credit cuts.

Read the full story

House of Lords
Parliament

The government has survived an attack in the Lords on its plans to force failing schools in England to become academies this evening - even though the vote was a tie.

Because the votes were equal, 219 each way, the rules say the government's bill should remain unchanged.

Ministers want poorly-perfoming schools to be made academies as a matter of course. Labour and the Liberal Democrats had argued that there should be no compulsion, and that parents, teachers and local communities should have a say.

Image source, Getty

The Duke of Cambridge occasionally receives copies of confidential cabinet documents, the BBC has learned.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Prince Charles receives such material routinely - as does the Queen.

BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said Prince William receives documents to help him understand Whitehall procedure and to prepare him for becoming king.

A Cabinet Office spokesman told the BBC it is "appropriate that he is regularly briefed on government business".

Read the full story

A round up of today's main political stories so far:

• Sir John Major has warned David Cameron against "flirting" with leaving the EU "at a moment when the whole world is coming together"
• MPs have voted to allow fracking for shale gas 1,200m below national parks and other protected sites
• Russian air strikes in Syria are "giving advantage" to so-called Islamic State, the UK foreign secretary has said
• Scotland's  finance secretary John Swinney has ruled out an increase in Scottish income tax when Holyrood gets new financial powers next year
• David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn  exchanged seasonal wishes and barbs at 2015's last Prime Minister's Questions
• Donald Trump's claim that pockets of London are so radicalised that the police do not dare enter them are "nonsense", Theresa May has said
• Trade unions and left-wing groups are set to be given formal roles helping to run the Jeremy Corbyn-supporting campaign body Momentum
• The UK unemployment rate fell to the lowest for nearly 10 years at 5.2% in the three months to October

Image source, Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

Scotland's finance secretary John Swinney has ruled out an increase in Scottish income tax when Holyrood gets new financial powers next year.

Mr Swinney made the announcement as he unveiled his draft budget to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.

He also announced a tax rise on many second homes and buy-to-let propertiesthrough a Land and Buildings Transaction Tax levy

And Mr Swinney confirmed that the council tax freeze would continue.

More here.

BBC chief Lord Hall "has failed to adequately justify" why the BBC won't withdraw Tyson Fury’s nomination for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, Labour has said.

Lord Hall defended the decision to shortlist the boxer, when he gave evidence to MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport Committee earlier today.

Shadow culture secretary Michael Dugher said the sportsman had caused "serious offensive" with "recent homophobic and sexist remarks" and had failed to apologise.

Image source, bbc

The Wales Green Party has named its new leader at the opening of a campaign office in Cardiff.

Alice Hooker-Stroud, assembly election candidate for Mid and West Wales, will take over from Pippa Bartolotti.

"This is an exciting time for the Wales Green Party - we enter the Welsh assembly election as a determined and energetic party, we can and we will win seats," said Ms Hooker-Stroud.

Hannah Pudner will succeed Anthony Slaughter as deputy leader.

Read more.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, UK Parliament

As their discussion on foreign prisoner deportation continues, Keith Vaz raises the case of a Jamaican drug dealer who he says has reportedly been given indefinite leave to remain in the UK because of mistakes the Home Office made in trying to deport him. Theresa May says she is aware of the case but will not go into further detail, adding that her department makes every effort to remove foreign criminals. She adds:

The Daily Politics

People's drinking water is "at risk of contamination" by fracking, Friends of the Earth has warned. Responding to today's vote which authorises shale gas exploration under national parks, energy campaigner Rose Dickinson said "these new rules will put our drinking water and national parks at risk of fracking; a complete U-turn on earlier promises".

Following MPs' approval of the government's plan to allow fracking under national parks and areas of outstanding beauty, Labour has called for a suspension of shale gas exploration. Lisa Nandy, the party's shadow energy and climate secretary, said:

She also criticised the way the changes were put to Parliament, accusing ministers of trying to "sneak through these weak fracking rules without any proper parliamentary debate".

House of Commons
Parliament

Back at the Home Affairs Select Committee, Theresa May defends her overall record on reducing immigration, conceding that the Conservative target of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands has not been met but the objective is still valid and change does not happen easily. The need for constant intervention, she adds, is reflected by the amount of legislation emanating from the Home Office in recent years. She also takes issue with Mr Vaz when he suggests the UK is failing to deport any foreign nationals from countries such as Ireland and Poland. He says "they are just not going back" but she replies.  

British links with the new Star Wars film “clearly show the force is with us”, George Osborne has claimed.

Speaking as the film premiered in the UK, the chancellor said it was a “huge day, not just for Star Wars but for the British film industry”.

Mr Osborne said his favourite character was the smuggler Han Solo, adding that he had seen him on posters and was now looking forward to seeing him in the film.