Summary

  • David Cameron seeks Polish support for his EU renegotiation proposals during trip to Warsaw

  • Polish PM says she support aspects of the UK's draft blueprint, such as enhanced national sovereignty and competitiveness

  • But Beata Szydlo says other areas, including curbs on EU migrants benefits, need to be 'ironed out'

  • The UK PM moves onto Denmark for talks with counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who gives full backing to his reforms

  • Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond says a UN panel's ruling that Julian Assange be allowed to go free is 'ridiculous'

  • The head of the cross-party Remain in EU campaign, Lord Rose, says he expects a substantial win in the referendum

  1. Referendum appeal to 'mushy middle'published at 08:27 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2016

    Laura Kuenssberg
    BBC political editor

    The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg says one of the big tasks the PM faces in the coming weeks and months is winning over "his own side", with many Conservatives bound to be dissatisfied that the concessions he has secured don't go far enough. Looking further forward, she says the key to winning the referendum is appealing to the undecideds or the "mushy middle", the 20% or so of people who don't have strong feelings about the UK's relationship with the EU either way and have yet to make their mind up. 

  2. Brussels 'expecting criticism of the deal'published at 08:25 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2016

    Katya Adler
    Europe Editor

    The BBC's Europe editor Katya Adler says that a high level source in Brussels had told her they were expecting criticism of the deal whatever the document said, but she adds that the text would not be published if Donald Tusk was not confident that the big European players were on board. The issue of saferguards sought by the UK for those outside the eurozone are one area, for instance, where the wording will seek to take account of French concerns, she added, before predicting:: 

    Quote Message

    There'll be a lot of haggling, bargaining and bickering in the next couple of weeks before the summit."

  3. June referendum 'extremely likely'published at 08:19 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2016

    Laura Kuenssberg
    BBC political editor

    If all goes to plan for David Cameron - and there are potential bumps in the road, such as getting other EU leaders to agree to the renegotiation deal and opposition from the SNP and others to a campaign which overlaps with the May elections - Laura tells BBC Radio 4's Today that it looks "extremely likely" that the UK's EU referendum will be held on 23 June. 

  4. EU law 'veto powers' to be unveiledpublished at 08:10 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2016

    David CameronImage source, Reuters

    National parliaments will get new powers to block "unwanted" EU law as part of the UK's renegotiations with Brussels, Downing Street sources say.

    To trigger the so-called "red card", at least 55% of the EU's national parliaments would have to join forces.

    The measure is expected to be included in the draft deal being presented by EU Council president Donald Tusk later.

    The Vote Leave campaign said it was a "trivial" proposal which would do little to restore power to the UK.

    But Downing Street sources said David Cameron had "delivered on a manifesto commitment" to secure the "explicit agreement", which could be activated up to 12 weeks after a new law had been proposed.

    Read more

  5. Tuesday - expected timings for text of draft EU dealpublished at 08:09 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2016

    Good morning - it's set to be a busy one as European Council president Donald Tusk prepares to publish the draft text of an agreement on the UK's renegotiation of the terms of its EU membership. We are expecting to get the full document at about 11:00 GMT - we'll have full expert analysis and reaction as it happens. We'll also have all the build-up this morning...

  6. Monday recappublished at 19:24 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    The main political stories today include:

    • The president of the European Council Donald Tusk says he will table proposals for a new settlement between the UK and the European Union "around noon" tomorrow
    • Earlier, UK officials said there had been progress in the talks 
    • The collapse of the Kids Company charity was a result of an "extraordinary catalogue of failures", a committee of MPs has said
    • In the Commons, ministers have rejected Labour's claims that the NHS is "buckling under the strain...of an inadequate budget", saying they are making equality and efficiency go hand in hand
    • A strike by junior doctors planned for next week is to go ahead, union leaders say 
    • Plans to force internet service providers to store everyone's internet activity are vague and confusing, a committee of MPs says 
  7. Tusk draft timetablepublished at 19:08 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    Following his tweet about a "new settlement" for the UK and the EU, Donald Tusk's office says the proposal will be sent to the 28 EU member states at about noon Brussels time on Tuesday, before being published "a bit later".

  8. Tusk says EU proposals out tomorrowpublished at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    European Council president Donald Tusk says he will table proposals for a new settlement between the UK and Brussels on Tuesday at noon following "good progress" in talks. However, he says there are still "outstanding issues" to be addressed.

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  9. Adele's politician issues aren't the firstpublished at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    The Republican presidential candidate, whose slogan is "Make America great again", has been using Rolling In The Deep as "warm-up" music.

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  10. 'Devastating consequences' of euro crisispublished at 17:28 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    UKIP MEP Patrick O'Flynn says that whilst the crisis in the Schengen area has hogged the headlines, the Euro crisis is "also having devastating consequences".

    He says he agrees that reforms are needed in Europe, particularly to improve "southern productivity".

    However, he adds that these can only ever go a "small way" to level out substantial differences in "economic strength" between the different countries sharing the single currency. 

    Instead, he says that countries need to be able to retain control over their own interest rates. 

    Patrick O'Flynn
  11. PM's security adviser quizzed about Libyapublished at 17:14

    Committee hearing on the national security strategyImage source, UK Parliament

    Conservative MP Crispin Blunt presses the PM's national security adviser on policy in Libya amid unconfirmed media reports , externalthat the UK is considering direct military intervention in the country alongside its allies to counter so-called Islamic State. Sir Mark Lyall Grant remains understandably tight-lipped on that one, making clear policy decisions are a matter for ministers. But he says he chairs a meeting once a week about the "next steps" in Libya in his capacity as the PM's adviser. These meetings, he adds, cover the instability in the country, political developments and their impact on the UK's migration and counter-terrorism policy. 

    Quote Message

    It is a regular agenda item in the national security space in the same way Syria is or migration is at the moment."

  12. Junior doctors talks 'disappointing'published at 17:13 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    BBC News health editor tweets...

  13. Keith Vaz to top diplomat - 'you are no Condoleezza Rice'published at 16:57

    Some entertaining exchanges between Sir Mark Lyall Grant and Labour MP Keith Vaz on the difference between his role and that of his US counterpart. Mr Vaz says that when the Home Affairs committee which he chairs recommended the role of national security adviser be set up, he and others were "mesmerized" by Condoleezza Rice, who was US national security adviser at the time, helpfully pointing out that "you are no Condoleezza Rice". Sir Mark accepts that his is a "much less public role" than in the US and that it would not be "appropriate" for him to be making too many public statements or "spreading himself too thinly" by appearing frequently before Commons committees. He says he has even had to discontinue his Twitter account since taking up the role five months ago, pointing out rather ruefully that he built up a "quite a large following" when he was the UK's Ambassdador to the United Nations in New York. 

  14. Simon Danczuk says expenses rules punish 'modern families'published at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    Simon Danczuk

    The Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk - who is being investigated over expense claims - has criticised what he called "poorly-worded expenses rules" which punish "modern families". The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority announced earlier that it had launched an investigation into claims, which are understood to relate to having his children to stay with him in London. The divorced MP - who has been suspended by Labour over a separate matter -  says he is co-operating fully with the investigation and welcomes the chance "to get this matter cleared up".

    Quote Message

    My original claim was made properly and based on my honest interpretation of the Ipsa regulations. I maintain that the existing rules are poorly worded and not fit for purpose when it comes to modern families like mine."

  15. 'Anchoring' UK in EU would 'boost confidence'published at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi says many of the economic challenges facing the EU are "European, or even global in nature". 

    He tells MEPs that the Eurozone is currently experiencing a "moderate recovery", driven mainly by domestic demand, but that there is risk to the currency area from developments in emerging economies. 

    He repeats his commitment to "review and possibly reconsider" the Bank's monetary policy at its next meeting.

    He adds that aiding the "resilience" of the Eurozone will be "paramount" in the ECB's decisions. 

    He says, however, that the "European project" is undergoing a period of "political uncertainty".

    On the matter of the UK's EU renegotiations, he says a deal that would "anchor" the UK's place within the EU whilst allowing the Eurozone to integrate further, would "boost confidence". 

    Mario Draghi
  16. Terror threat assessment 'unchanged' since Paris attackspublished at 16:52

    In response to a question from Labour peer Lord West, Sir Mark Lyall Grant says the terror threat to the UK is a longstanding one and the government has not "changed its assessment of the risks" the country faces in the aftermath of last November's attacks in Paris. 

  17. PM's national security adviser questioned in Parliamentpublished at 16:50

    Sir Mark Lyall GrabtImage source, UK Parliament

    Sir Mark Lyall Grant, David Cameron's national security adviser, is appearing before MPs and peers to talk about the government's national security strategy. The session is being chaired by former foreign secretary Margaret Beckett. It starts with a procedural question about the role's remit and its resources, with the former diplomat saying there are 200 people working in the UK's national security team. As the session unfolds, you can expect a range of questions on Syria, Iraq and Libya as well as possibly the security implications of the debate about the UK's future in the EU.

  18. Massive interestpublished at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    Conservative MP tweets

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  19. Surcharge 'a huge, huge burden'published at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    Immigration Bill

    House of Lords
    Parliament

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett realises that the £200 surcharge may appear modest but argues that it is not, particularly when low salaries are a factor.

    She says she suspects that all peers live comfortable lives - and would find a £200 fee merely "a nuisance".

    She therefore urges her colleagues to put themselves in the shoes of someone for whom the payment would be "a huge huge burden".

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett
  20. Bill 'does not' reduce regulationpublished at 16:43 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February 2016

    Bank of England and Financial Services Bill

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Minister Harriett Baldwin rejects the idea that the bill "reduces" regulation, as a Labour amendment to the bill claims.

    She says the current "approved persons" regulations are "discredited" and that the new "senior managers regime" will provide a paper trail of responsibility, and will make it harder for senior management at a bank to claim ignorance if something goes wrong.

    Harriett Baldwin