Summary

  • New works and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb rules out more welfare cuts

  • David Cameron defends his record in the Commons amid Conservative infighting over welfare and economic policy

  • Despite his sadness at Iain Duncan Smith's resignation, the PM says compassionate conservatism is not over

  • No 10 says David Cameron has "full confidence" in George Osborne as the chancellor misses Commons statements

  • Labour says the Budget has an "enormous hole" in it and should be withdrawn

  1. UK lockdown extended for 'at least' three weekspublished at 22:24 British Summer Time 16 April 2020

    Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says relaxing measures too early would harm public health and the economy.

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  2. UK will refuse any Brexit extension requestpublished at 18:19 British Summer Time 16 April 2020

    The UK will not let the transition period last beyond December even if the EU requests more time.

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  3. Huawei warns UK against 5G U-turn after pandemicpublished at 06:02 British Summer Time 13 April 2020

    The telecoms firm faces risk of being cut out of 5G networks as part of a backlash against China.

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  4. UK must avoid 'chaotic' no deal exit - Labourpublished at 00:04 British Summer Time 10 April 2020

    The new shadow chancellor urges ministers not to put "ideology over national interest" in EU trade talks.

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  5. Tributes paid to 'Westminster institution' Lambertpublished at 12:44 British Summer Time 9 April 2020

    Leading journalists remember Paul Lambert - known as "Gobby" - as a central character at Westminster.

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  6. 'Duck island' MP Sir Peter Viggers dies aged 82published at 10:52 British Summer Time 9 April 2020

    The floating Stockholm duck house became emblematic of the MPs' expenses scandal.

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  7. Why do we talk about 'fighting' coronavirus?published at 02:42 British Summer Time 9 April 2020

    Dominic Raab's been criticised for his comments on Boris Johnson's coronavirus, but is this fair?

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  8. My thoughts and prayers are with Boris - Maypublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 7 April 2020

    Former prime minister Theresa May has said she is hoping for a "speedy and good recovery" for Boris Johnson.

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  9. Welsh MP named new shadow home secretarypublished at 18:51 British Summer Time 5 April 2020

    Nick Thomas-Symonds is given the job in new Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's shadow cabinet.

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  10. Council mulling ways to keep parks openpublished at 14:11 British Summer Time 5 April 2020

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    Southwark Council has said it will look into how it can keep its parks open following calls from an MP to allow people without gardens to be given access.

    Harriet Harman has suggested councils set up a rota system to allow people to use parks for exercise and fresh air.

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    Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, said: “We will explore all possible options so that we can keep our parks available to everyone but we need residents to keep their distance wherever they can.

    "I’m calling on our residents to do the right thing and think of others - not just those who we need to protect with social distancing, but also those who have no gardens or outdoor space.

    "We already have police and council wardens out this weekend, patrolling our parks, and if everyone plays by the rules we can keep them open for all, especially those who need them most.”

    Southwark has 24 open spaces including Nunhead Cemetery which has been closed following abuse of social distancing measures on Saturday.

    Lambeth Council has closed Brockwell Park today after people were seen by police not observing social distancing rules.

    Brockwell Park, London
    Image caption,

    Brockwell Park, London closed after social distancing rules were flouted

  11. MP calls for parks to be used 'on rota'published at 12:24 British Summer Time 5 April 2020

    Mariam Issimdar
    BBC News

    Harriet Harman is urging councils to allow parks to be used on a rotation basis to enable residents without a garden to get outdoors.

    The MP for Camberwell and Peckham, who is also Mother of the House of Commons, tweeted saying parks were needed since not all families had access to outdoor spaces.

    "The answer is rota for parks not closure. Families in flats with young children need our precious green spaces," she wrote.

    Sunbathers in Greenwich Park, south London on SaturdayImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Sunbathers in Greenwich Park, south London on Saturday

    Her comments follow the announcement by Lambeth Council that Brockwell Park will be closed today after more than 3,000 people spent the day there sunbathing or in large groups yesterday.

    “Unfortunately, the actions of this minority means that, following police advice, Brockwell Park will be closed on Sunday," the council said.

    “We thank people for their understanding at this incredibly difficult time."

    Sunbathers were also photographed at Greenwich Royal Park in south-east London on Saturday flouting social distancing guidance.

    The latest coronavirus death toll in the UK reached 4,313 on Saturday.

  12. Corbyn's leadership in two minutespublished at 06:32 British Summer Time 4 April 2020

    Labour had never had a leader like Jeremy Corbyn before, here are key moments from his time in charge.

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  13. The End of the Thirty Year Itchpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 3 April 2020

    With the Crash of 2008, the free market orthodoxy that had framed British politics for thirty years hit the rocks. As the 'thirty year itch' for new thinking set in, no single leader or big idea seemed capable of shaping a new normal. We were governed by coalitions and minority governments, with four general elections and three referendums inside a decade.

    Since 2008, there have been repeated attempts to reshape our politics, based on the idea of taking power away from both the free market and the centralised state, and re-empowering local communities. But these 'post-liberal' projects - the Big Society, Red Toryism and Blue Labour - failed to win the popular enthusiasm and the political leadership needed to establish a new political consensus.

    In the wake of Theresa May's failure to win a majority in the 2017 election, which broke yet another attempt at a new political settlement, BBC Radio documentary-maker Phil Tinline talked to those involved in this long process for an edition of Archive on 4 called The Thirty Year Itch. And he compared their experiences with the last time British politics had been through such a long period of turmoil: the 1970s.

    Then suddenly, last December, the general election delivered the first big majority for years. Was this the end of our decade of political flux?

    In The End of the Thirty Year Itch, Phil updates the story, asking whether Boris Johnson’s new government, born in crisis, can really effect a radical redistribution of power to its new northern voters - and how the Covid-19 crisis might speed or slow that process.

    Speakers include: Jason Cowley, Maurice Glasman, Mark Harrison, Danny Kruger, Adrian Pabst, Steve Richards, Dominic Sandbrook, David Skelton, Rachel Wolf

    Producer: Phil Tinline

  14. MP demands more tests after uncle dies of Covid-19 caught in hospitalpublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 2 April 2020

    The MP for Brent says she's "angry" and has called for more testing for Covid-19 after her uncle caught the virus while in hospital and died.

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    The criticism by Dawn Butler who is on Labour's frontbench comes after the government said they were "ramping up" testing.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson said testing was "massively increasing" and it was "the way through" the pandemic.

    But cabinet minister Michael Gove claimed this was being hindered by a worldwide shortage of chemicals needed for the tests.

    It meant the NHS - which employs 1.2m in England - could not screen all workers.

    The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK is on the rise, with more than 29,000 now testing positive across the country.

    At least 2,352 people confirmed to have had the the virus have died; over a third of those in London.

  15. Virus crisis 'has paused Whitehall backbiting'published at 01:12 British Summer Time 1 April 2020

    But a union boss questions whether ministers will value civil servants more "over the long term".

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  16. New job starters 'petrified' over wage help schemepublished at 16:55 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    Workers who started new jobs in March are not eligible for the government's wage grant scheme.

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  17. Home abortions allowed during coronavirus outbreakpublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 31 March 2020

    The government in England has changed its mind on home abortion several times.

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  18. SNP urges UK government to 'hit pause' on Brexitpublished at 00:07 Greenwich Mean Time 29 March 2020

    The party says UK ministers should focus on the coronavirus pandemic and seek to extend the transition period.

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  19. Brexit: EU-UK meeting to go ahead via video linkpublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time 27 March 2020

    The government insists the coronavirus crisis will not slow its timetable for reaching a trade deal.

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  20. Support migrants who can't claim benefits, say MPspublished at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 27 March 2020

    They say some individuals and organisations are not covered by the government's coronavirus plans.

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