House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow leader of the House Chris Bryant begins his response to the business statement by reminding the House of Commons that today is St Ethelbert's day.

He says this is especially relevant as St Ethlbert, when King of Kent, was the first monarch to establish laws banning blood feuds, which he says is relevant for the Conservatives cabinet splits on the EU referendum.

House of Commons
Parliament

MPs now move to the Business Statement, where Leader of the House Chris Grayling sets out the business in the House of Commons for the coming weeks.

House of Commons
Parliament

SNP environment spokesman Calum Kerr says while he welcomes the decision he asks "where was the rapid decision making process" to go along side the rapid response to floods.

He goes on to ask how the funds will be made available to Scotland. 

James Wharton replies that one of the factors that delayed the application to the EU solidarity fund "has been the slowness in getting the information out of the Scottish government".

If the SNP Scottish government had given its response more quickly "maybe we would have been able to announce with more clarity what is going to be done", he says.

At a press conference on the BBC Savile inquiry, Lord Hall, director general of the organisation, has a message to the victims. He says it was "a dark chapter" in the BBC's history, "but a much darker one for you".

He pledges that lessons will be learned.  

Image source, Reuters

David Cameron's "ill-tempered response" to Boris Johnson backing Brexit was probably "personally satisfying" in he short term "but strategically wrong in the long", so says the PM's former communications director, Andy Coulson in the Daily Telegraph, external. "By slapping Boris down, Mr Cameron has bigged him up", he says.

Mr Coulson notes Mr Johnson's "popularity" and ability to generate media coverage and says he cannot be ignored by the PM. But he suggests the London mayor is more popular than "persuasive" - and warns that its Justice Secretary Michael Gove who is a "far more dangerous opponent".

Mr Coulson recommends Home Secretary Theresa May should be the one to take on Boris Johnson in the referendum campaign, saying the mayor has "always struggled to take on female opponents".

BBC Trust chairman Rona Fairhead today said that the BBC "failed" victims of Jimmy Savile and Stuart Hall, adding: 

Mark Mardell
Presenter

Image source, PA

Earnest, passionate, and slightly shiny - the prime minister is in his element. The messy diplomacy behind him, he is selling a simple message.

Whether on Andrew Marr's comfy chair, behind a podium in Downing Street or on the front bench he is campaigning, slamming home a single point we will hear over and over again.

With no deviation or hesitation, but constant repetition, he is telling those thinking of voting to leave the European Union they are contemplating a "leap in the dark".

We will have to do our best over the coming weeks to find a torch and shine a little light into the shadows. It won't be easy.

Read more

Some more reaction to the immigration figures. The Institute of Directors (IoD) is calling for a review of migration, saying the government's target to get net migration to the UK down to the "tens of thousands" makes "no sense".

Noting the fall in the number of people leave the UK, Seamus Nevin, the IoD's head of employment and skills policy, said: "It means the government’s attempts to hit its arbitrary target are reliant not just on reducing the numbers arriving here but on increasing the number of people leaving this country as well." 

He added:

He predicted the figures would "get caught up in" the EU referendum debate, but said neither side of the campaign is "being straight with the voters".  

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour environment minister Alex Cunningham, who tabled the question, calls the announcement “extremely welcome” but complains that it has “taken an urgent question” to get the information from the government.

He tells MPs that he has been asking questions on the EU solidarity fund to the DCLG and Defra, but neither appeared to know whose responsibility it was.

He adds that despite the government's confusion he is "delighted" the government has "finally figured out" what's happening and applied to the fund.

House of Commons
Parliament

Defra Minister James Wharton announces that the government will be making an application to the EU solidarity fund.

Defending the late application, Mr Wharton says the fund is “not designed to be a rapid response instrument” and that it will now take “several months” for the money to be paid.

He adds that the government’s Business Recovery Scheme, which he says was designed to “provide ready support and help individuals and business to return to normality”, has already paid out £21m for Storm Desmond and £26m for Storm Eva.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour environment minister Alex Cunningham is now asking an urgent question on whether the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs seeking assistance from the European Union (EU) Solidarity Fund for flood hit communities.

EU member states are entitled to apply for money from the EU Solidarity Fund when a natural disaster causes substantial damage, calculated as a percentage of Gross National Income.

David Cameron has previously said, external that it’s “it’s quicker and better” to use the government money to respond to the problem.

The UK has yet to apply for funds, but member states have 12 weeks to apply for access to the fund. This makes the deadline the Sunday 28 February, Labour argue.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour MP, and former Director Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer asks what steps the Government is taking to secure long-term funding for domestic violence services, the future of which he says is currently uncertain.

Pounding the despatch box to enhance her point Home Office Minister Karen Bradley replies that while there have been some "issues" around locally commissioned services "central government funding has not been cut".

The immigration stats, published by the ONS, external, also show a rise in National Insurance Number registrations to adult overseas nationals - up 8% (or 60,000) to 828,000.

Image source, Getty Images

In other breaking news, Dame Janet Smith has published her long-awaited report into cases of sexual abuse by DJ Jimmy Savile. She says BBC staff knew of complaints against Savile, but senior management were not told because of a culture of fear that still exists.

Another report says BBC management in Manchester were aware of the inappropriate sexual conduct of ex-broadcaster Stuart Hall.

More on that story here

Trying to predict anything about the future of the UK and its place in Europe is near-impossible, says Mark Mardell.

As the UK contemplates what life might be like outside the EU, some say the small city state of Singapore may hold some lessons.

The EU offers Wales "huge" tourism and business opportunities, Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron says, launching the party's campaign for the referendum

House of Commons
Parliament

Shadow Attorney General Karl Turner raises Amnesty Internationals annual report, external, which he says "criticises" the government's decision to "scrap Labour's Human Rights Act".

Reading from the report Mr Turner argues that the government's behaviour towards China , Saudi Arabia and Egypt -  which he characterises as "kowtowing without challenging their Human Rights records" - sends out the wrong message to dictators in rogue state 

Attorney General Jeremy Wright says it is "wrong to say that the government doesn't challenge countries that have doubtful human rights records".

Referring to the Amnesty International report, Mr Wright argues they have "overstated their case just a little".