Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

Government sources have warned they are ready to impose new contracts on junior doctors if no deal is reached.

It is understood the new contracts could be imposed on new junior doctors from the summer.

There would then be a rolling programme of introducing the new contracts for existing junior doctors as they moved on to different levels of seniority.

It is understood this could mean the new contracts being in place by the middle of next year.

A government source said: "There is no lack of determination on our side."

Some 20,000 appointments and 3,200 operations were cancelled as a result of the 24 hour strike yesterday. Twice as many are likely to be hit by the planned 48 hour strike in a fortnight - which in London will also coincide with a Tube strike.

However sources say they still hope to reach a settlement.

"We are not as far apart as some people would have you believe," said the source. The government claims agreement has been reached on 15 of the outstanding 16 issues.

Privately government insiders believe the BMA is divided over its approach to the dispute - with some much more ready to reach agreement.

They also claim widespread disquiet  among junior doctors at the prospect of the planned all-out strike - which would also hit emergency care - in February.

NHS bosses have today warned that patient safety could be compromised and lives put at risk should the all out strike go ahead.

BMA leaders say emergency care would still be provided by consultants and other medical staff.

The British Medical Association (BMA) said the threat of imposing new junior doctor contracts has been one of the key areas of disagreement from the start.

“T’was ever thus,” a spokeswoman said when it was put to the BMA that the government could press ahead regardless of industrial action.

“This has always been the backdrop to the dispute. They could press ahead but the impact on patient care and safety would be unacceptable to junior doctors. That’s what we’ve been taking action over.”

The spokeswoman said the BMA hopes to sit down for further talks with the Department of Health this week but there are “still big differences – over safe working and unsociable hours”.

The suggestion that agreement has been reached on 15 out of 16 points is a “misrepresentation of the talks”, which “completely glosses over the negotiations that have taken place so far”, she added.

Hilary Benn, shadow foreign secretary, has defended the need of Trident, the UK's nuclear deterrent. 

Speaking to Channel 4 news, external he said: "Although the cold war threat of the past is not what it was any more, nobody could say with any confidence what those threats would be in 20 or 40 year’s time."

Last week Mr Benn held on to his job in the shadow cabinet after heavy speculation he would be sacked for contradicting party leader Jeremy Corbyn's view against the air strikes in Syria. It was reportedly agreed Mr Benn would not criticise the leader's policy positions from the front bench in future.

Mr Benn said last night he would continue to speak out as he had always done on these matters since he was appointed shadow foreign secretary. 

Labour's official position still supports the renewal of Trident and Mr Benn said he had absolute confidence in Labour’s upcoming defence review, saying that there would be a full and frank debate.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Lord Patten, former Conservative minister, Hong Kong governor and BBC chairman, is currently chancellor of Oxford University. He has defended a controversial statue of Cecil Rhodes in the city.

He said "safe spaces" in universities were a "terrible, terrible idea" and said universities should be a place to "spark ideas" debate and challenge each other, he called the idea of avoiding debate "complete madness".

Mr Patten said people needed to "face up to facts in history" that they don't like while at university. He added "what do you do about our history?". Lord Patten said Mr Rhodes' views on the British empire and race were "common of his time".

His advice to those students who wanted a "bland diet of bran" was to study in China where they are not allowed to talk about "Western values". He said if students didn't want to embrace the values of an open society they should think about being "educated elsewhere".

Read about the statue row here.  

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

Junior doctors have been out on strike in the first protest like it for decades.

Thousands of them have been on picket lines and the hostilities between the government and the doctors' union, the BMA, show few signs of abating.

There's no question this is a very significant problem for the government. Thirty eight per cent of junior doctors did go to work today, but that figure includes the planned emergency cover, and those non-members of the BMA.

And falling out with the medical profession, allowing relations to have got so bad, potentially risking patients' health, is a serious risk for any government.

There's not much sign though of ministers backing down. In terms that could hardly be stronger, one well-placed government source told me today: "We all know they are going to lose."  

Read Laura's full blog

Image source, Thinkstock

Millions of households in England and Wales are paying too much for their water supply because of poor oversight by Ofwat, says a committee of MPs.

A report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the regulator consistently overestimated water companies' costs.

It said many householders would be "appalled" to learn their water bills could have been smaller.

Ofwat said it would "carefully consider" the PAC's report.

Read more

Image source, Getty Images

MPs are expected to vote later on the idea of England adopting an official national anthem.

God Save the Queen, the national anthem for the UK as a whole, is currently used for England during most sporting events.

However, Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins believes England needs its own anthem and the idea has the support of several campaigners.

If the vote is passed his bill will be debated again at a second reading.

Read more

Image source, AFP

Attempts are under way to avert a second doctors' strike in England, as hospitals battle to re-arrange thousands of operations postponed because of the contract dispute.

A 24-hour walkout by junior doctors ended at 08:00 GMT, and conciliation service Acas says it hopes formal talks can restart by the end of the week.

The next proposed strike is a 48-hour one beginning on 26 January.

More than 4,000 operations were postponed amid the dispute.

Read more

Good morning and welcome. The main event today is set to be Prime Minister's Questions at noon. Later Theresa May, home secretary, is speaking at a joint committee about the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill. Lord Strathclyde will be opening a debate into his proposed reforms on the House of Lords. There is also action from various committees on HMRC and tax evasion, the Financial Settlement 2015 and air quality.

The junior doctors' strike has been the major political story on Tuesday - it's due to end at 08:00GMT. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt described it as "completely unnecessary", while the BMA said it was sending a "clear message" to the government. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg has taken a look at the political battle.

Prime Minister David Cameron gave a sometimes tense appearance before the liaison committee (see earlier updates) with subjects including Syria, climate change and flooding.

This evening we've also seen the first use of new "English votes" rules.

Top of the bill on Wednesday is Prime Minister's Questions - we'll have all the build-up, live coverage and reaction to Jeremy Corbyn's clash with the PM.

London's Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith has defended the government's plans to extend right-to-buy to housing association tenants.

But Labour's mayoral candidate, Sadiq Khan, said the reforms were "rubbish".

He insisted housing association homes sold in London ought to be replaced within the same area.

But Mr Goldsmith disagreed, arguing instead two homes should be built for every one sold, irrespective of location.

Read the full story

New "English votes for English laws" rules have been implemented in the House of Commons for the first time.

Conservative MPs cheered as English and Welsh members prepared to give their consent to parts of the Housing and Planning Bill that only apply to their constituencies.

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said he was "very proud" to be implementing the reforms. But the SNP said the changes were "driving Scotland out of the door".

Read the full story

Image source, PA

Junior doctors have been out on strike in the first protest like it for decades.

Thousands of them have been on picket lines and the hostilities between the government and the doctors' union, the BMA, show few signs of abating.

There's no question this is a very significant problem for the government. Thirty eight per cent of junior doctors did go to work today, but that figure includes the planned emergency cover, and those non-members of the BMA.

And falling out with the medical profession, allowing relations to have got so bad, potentially risking patients' health, is a serious risk for any government.

There's not much sign though of ministers backing down. In terms that could hardly be stronger, one well-placed government source told me today: "We all know they are going to lose."

Read more from Laura

The session ends with Andrew Tyrie listing all the areas in which Mr Cameron has agreed to respond to concerns raised by MPs during the past 90 minutes or so, including on intelligence on drone strikes and help for Syria refugees The PM says that he will be "writing a lot of letters" and looks forward to his next appearance before the committee, which he expects to be between Easter and the summer recess.

The PM has another entertaining exchange with Andrew Tyrie about whether a civil servant who won a prize for an essay he wrote about how the UK could exit the EU could give evidence to a parliamentary committee on the issue of Brexit. Mr Cameron sounds sceptical about this, saying he is not aware of the case but the government will make a recommendation about whether the UK should stay or leave following the conclusion of his negotiations and this will be a recommendation "to which the civil service should act". In a note released on Tuesday, the PM said that the civil service would be expected not to provide any briefings to ministers who opposed the official government line. 

With the session nearing its end, Crispin Blunt returns to foreign policy and asks about the prospect of UK military forces being engaged on the ground in Syria. The PM says this is not his goal and says the existing strategy to counter ISIL-Daesh is already working, saying 25% of the militant group's oil revenues and 10% of its total revenues have already been choked off.

Neil Parish asks what Mr Cameron's "long-term vision" for flooding is, saying levels of rainfall which once happened ever 100 years are now happening every five or six years. The PM says he is committed to long-term investment, working in partnership and managing water in rural uplands. But he rejects what he calls "simplistic" solutions such as banning all housebuilding on flood plains, pointing out that London is sited on a flood plain. He says the Environment Agency has improved its performance in recent years, saying its staff now work routinely on Christmas Day and Boxing Day and are prepared to countenance dredging of rivers. He notes that the body is looking for a new chairman following Sir Philip Dilley's resignation, and in response to Mr Parish's call for a Dutchman to be given the job, says that there are a lot of talented Dutch businessmen in the UK.  

Image source, Reuters

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has been interviewed in connection with a rape allegation dating from 2006, police have said.

Lancashire Police said a 49-year-old old man had "voluntarily" attended a station by prior appointment.

He was not arrested but interviewed under caution regarding a rape allegation made on 4 January, it said.

Earlier this month the Labour MP called the rape allegation against him "malicious, untrue and upsetting".

He was suspended by the party last month after he admitted sending lewd texts to a 17-year-old girl