Summary

  • David Cameron has held talks with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels

  • The prime minister says there is no deal yet on curbing welfare payments to EU migrants

  • Eurosceptics criticise talk of an "emergency brake" on in-work benefits that would have to be agreed by a majority of EU states

  1. Kate Green: More credibility needed in tax systempublished at 11:54 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    The Daily Politics

    Asked whether Labour set the wrong tax regime when it was in government, shadow minister Kate Green says she has "no idea" whether it was right at the time but "it is not appropriate now". She says more transparency and credibility is needed in the tax system, she adds.

  2. Google 'complies with the law'published at 11:50

    The Daily Politics

    A Google spokesperson has issued a statement over its tax deal with HMRC:

    Quote Message

    After a six-year audit by the tax authority we are paying the amount of tax that HMRC agrees we should pay. Governments make tax law, the tax authorities enforce the law and Google complies with the law."

  3. Minister: We want companies to pay their fair share of taxpublished at 11:45

    The Daily Politics

    Discussing the Google tax deal, minister Ed Vaizey says it was "good" that HMRC conducted a six year audit of the company and secured back taxes to 2005. He also notes the chancellor introduced the diverted profits tax - something, he says, other countries are starting to copy.

    Asked if the tax deal is a success, he says the "process is right" and adds that he won't speculate on what deal other countries will secure with Google. "We want companies to pay their fair share of tax, he adds.

  4. Is BBC right to consider asking over-75s to give up free TV licence?published at 11:40 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    The Daily Politics

    Asked for his thoughts on BBC proposals to ask over-75s to give up their free TV licence or to make a voluntary contribution, culture minister Ed Vaizey says "it's perfectly within the BBC's rights" now it has responsibility for it.

    The corporation must absorb the loss of £650m worth of licences for over-75s from 2020 as part of a funding deal agreed with ministers last year.

    Kate Green, shadow women and equalities minister, says she understands why the BBC is looking at the proposal but warns about the potential impact of the changes, saying it could affect vulnerable pensioners.

  5. 'Bedroom tax' ruling offers 'a glimmer of hope', says Labourpublished at 11:40 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary, Owen Smith, has welcomed the Court of Appeal's decision to declare the so-called bedroom tax is "discriminatory", and called on the government to scrap the policy. He said:

    Quote Message

    This victory in the Court of Appeal is a massive blow to the Tories’ bedroom tax. It provides a glimmer of hope for the hundreds of thousands of people who have been hit by this cruel policy. Labour has long argued that the bedroom tax is deeply unfair and discriminatory, which is why we have campaigned so hard against it. Surely the time has now come for the Tories to discover a conscience, listen to the courts as well as the public, and scrap the hated bedroom tax.”

  6. Cabinet Office questionspublished at 11:39

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    The first questions comes from Conservative Chloe Smith who asks the government if the plan to increase the number of young people registered to vote.

    Cabinet Office Minister John Penrose tells MPs that the government has made it "quicker and easier" to register to vote.

    "It now takes less time than boiling an egg."

    Chloe Smith
  7. Men 'more likely than women to file tax returns on time'published at 11:35 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    Tax returnImage source, PA

    Men are more likely than women to get their tax returns in on time, figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) show.

    Out of every 10,000 tax returns submitted by men, some 294 were late, while women had a higher late return rate of 303 for every 10,000 in the 2013-14 tax year. Older people are also better at getting their returns in on time, the research found.

    The research has been released ahead of the January 31 self-assessment deadline, on 31 January. HMRC's director general of personal tax, Ruth Owen, said:

    Quote Message

    Our advice is to not leave it until the eleventh hour - act now to prevent getting caught up in a last-minute rush."

  8. Today in the House of Commonspublished at 11:32 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Today will be dominated by two opposition debates - the first on housing policy, the second on prisons and probation.

    Before that Sir David Amess will introduce his ten minute rule motion on driving instructors at 12:30pm.

    This evening's adjournment debate will be on funding for flood defences in Leeds, led by Rachel Reeves,

    However first we have cabinet office questions, followed by PMQs.

  9. Lib Dems propose Scottish income tax rise to fund educationpublished at 11:30 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    ClassroomImage source, Getty Images

    The Scottish Liberal Democrats have proposed increasing income tax rates by 1p to raise extra funds for schools.

    The party said the change to rates would raise £475m a year, which it would put towards Scottish education.

    More here.

  10. Leave.EU gets 35,000 registered supporterspublished at 11:16 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    EU referendum campaign group Leave.EU says it has more than 35,000 supporters registered on its website.

    It adds that it has 384,811 Facebook friends and 50,708 Twitter followers.

    Quote Message

    Clearly the British public is seeing through the Prime Minister’s fudged negotiations and are committing to leaving the EU whatever deal he strikes."

    Liz Bilney, Leave.EU chief executive

  11. Ever wondered what MPs' singing sounds like?published at 11:16 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

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  12. Young Greens criticise Ofsted over Islamic veils stancepublished at 11:00 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    Woman wearing niqabImage source, Getty Images

    The youth wing of the Green party has criticised Ofsted for letting inspectors fail schools for allowing face veils.

    Inspectors can rate schools inadequate if wearing Islamic face veils are a "barrier to learning".

    Quote Message

    This is a transparent and unacceptable move by Ofsted to penalise the practise of Islam in our schools. For many, the niqab is an important part of their faith and identity, and as a country which preaches tolerance and multiculturalism we should be teaching children and young people to celebrate their own and each others’ religious practises - not condemning them."

    Sophie van der Ham, Young Greens co-chair

  13. Listen: Former Cameron aide says 'public feel Google is above the law'published at 10:51 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    Media caption,

    Steve Hilton says public feel Google is 'above the law'

    Steve Hilton, the PM's former strategy adviser, was speaking to Today about the Google tax deal.

  14. MEPs want Google deal explanationpublished at 10:42

  15. Government loses 'bedroom tax' casespublished at 10:40 Greenwich Mean Time 27 January 2016

    The so-called bedroom tax has been declared discriminatory by Court of Appeal judges, following a legal challenge by a domestic violence victim and the family of a disabled teenager.

    More here.  

  16. 'Muslims different to other communities' says former equalities chiefpublished at 10:30

    The Times

    Muslims communities tend to be more conservative than others, and that difference should be respected in the UK, former equalities watchdog head Trevor Phillips has said.

    "Part of the integration process is for the rest of us to grasp that people aren't going to change their views simply because we are constantly telling them that basically they should be like us," The Times, external quoted Mr Phillips as saying.

  17. Lord Forsyth seeks Scotland Bill measures delaypublished at 10:25

    Nick Eardley
    BBC Scotland Westminster correspondent

    Former Conservative Scottish secretary Lord Forsyth is calling for measures in the Scotland Bill to be postponed until the Commons and the Lords can scrutinise and approve tax and spending arrangements.

    Talks between the Scottish and UK governments are continuing on what is known as the fiscal framework.

    Last week, Nicola Sturgeon warned there is a distance left to travel before they reach an agreement, which she wants to be finalised by mid-February.

    In an amendment to the Scotland Bill, which is currently being considered by peers, Lord Forsyth says measures should not be implemented until the framework is approved by both houses of Parliament at Westminster.

    The UK government is unlikely to support the proposals.

  18. Google 'to hand €150m to Italy tax authorities'published at 10:15

    The Times

    According to The Times, external, Google is preparing to hand over €150m (£113m) in back taxes to the Italian authorities - equivalent to 15% of its €1bn revenues in the country - although it is not yet clear how many years the dispute relates to.

  19. Petition launched for English national anthem debatepublished at 10:10

    England players line up for the national anthemsImage source, Getty Images

    Labour MP Toby Perkins is continuing his campaign for England to get its own national anthem, after he proposed the idea to the Commons last month and received initial support from MPs.

    Now, the Chesterfield MP has launched an online petition, external which aims to get parliament to debate whether England should have a separate national anthem for use at sporting events.

    The Telegraph, external reports that opinion polls suggest widespread support for the idea. 'Jerusalem' and 'Land of Hope and Glory' have been mooted as possible replacements for 'God Save the Queen'.

  20. No sign of the SNP losing its lustrepublished at 09:55

    James Naughtie, special correspondent, BBC News

    Nicola SturgeonImage source, Getty Images

    Door-knocking in an election campaign in the dark when it's cold and wet is never fun. For Labour canvassers in Scotland on these long winter nights, it's often torture.

    They know that victory in the Scottish Parliament poll on 5 May is only a remote possibility, and that the likely outcome is an even bigger majority for the SNP which could then look forward to being in government until 2020, completing 13 years in power in Edinburgh - more than half the lifetime of the Scottish Parliament.

    No-one could argue against the significance of that: if they win again in May, the nationalists will be the natural party of government in Scotland.