Nigel Farage has accused the Institute for Fiscal Studies of being an organisation funded by British and EU taxpayers with the aim of spreading "doom and gloom".

The UKIP leader, responding to the IFS report outlining the cost of Brexit, says a vote to leave will give British people "back control of our lives".

To the theme tune of the WW2 movie "The Great Escape", Mr Farage told fans from the top of UKIP's purple battle bus: "We want to escape from political union because we want our country back."

The UKIP leader is touring the country on the bus, which is emblazoned with signs saying: "Make June 23rd independence day" and "we want our country back".

Select Committee
Parliament

BIS Committee chair Iain Wright raises an intriguing detail in the deal struck between Retail Acquisitions Ltd and investment company Cornhill Capital. It promises a fee paid to Cornhill "subject to the competition of the transaction and the subsequent acquisition of the Arcadia Group".

"Is that a mistake?" asks Iain Wright. Or did Dominic Chappell intend to buy Arcadia too?

Andrew Frangos of Cornhill says the deal "was very ambitious when it came through the door" and that Chappell had "indicated that he could go on to do other deals, including other retail brands".

The chair then asks the panel "what led you to believe that Dominic Chappell could turn around BHS in a way that Philip Green couldn't?"

Mark Byers of accountancy firm Grant Thornton brings up the large rents BHS was paying, which were a major source of financial trouble for the firm. 

He says that the "perception was that while BHS remained a part of Arcadia, it was very difficult to renegotiate those leases" because landlords wouldn't find the idea that a part of the Arcadia Group couldn't afford rents believable.

Why has Britain Stronger In Europe recruited a baby to make the case for staying in the EU in its referendum broadcast?

Liberal Democrat former leader Lord Menzies Campbell has hit out at claims the EU is trying to set up its own army - saying not one of the 28 member states wants one.

The former MP was responding to concerns expressed by Veterans for Britain - a campaign group set up by serving and former military personnel - whose member General Sir Michael Rose said an EU army could undermine the Nato alliance.

Lord Campbell said:

Lord Campbell said EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker "may have a pipe dream about a European army but I'm afraid it will all go up in smoke".

Turning the spotlight on to other issues... the elections' watchdog says 10 political parties registered in Britain reported accepting almost £12 million in donations between 1 January and 31 March 2016.

According to new figures released by the Electoral Commission, this quarter saw over £2.7m more in reported donations than in the fourth quarter of 2015.

The five political parties to report the most in donations are:

• Conservative and Unionist Party – £6,714,768
• Labour Party – £3,709,108
• Liberal Democrats – £528,912
• Co-operative Party – £363,300
• UK Independence Party (UKIP) – £187,080

Many people will be turned away from polling stations because they mistakenly think they are on the electoral register, campaigners warn.

Image source, Getty Allsport

Image source, Ron Brown

Could UKIP pro-Leave campaigners be on to something here? According to sources speaking to BBC political correspondent Chris Mason, the battlebus being used by UKIP to tour the country spreading the message for Brexit, was used by Torvill and Dean for their Olympic victory parade. In 1984.

Interestingly, the British ice skaters who won gold in the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics, also wore purple - the colour of UKIP - for their famous Ravell's Bolero routine.

Select Committee
Parliament

Image source, Ian West/PA Wire

One person hanging over this whole story is Sir Philip Green himself, owner of BHS until March 2015. Sir Philip is a billionaire known for his lavish lifestyle, collection of super yachts and successes on the UK high street, including Top Shop, Top Man and Miss Selfridge.

Work and Pensions Committee Chair Frank Field asks former BHS pension fund trustees chair Margaret Downes: "I want to get a flavour of Sir Philip from you, was there one person who called the shots?"

She says that Sir Philip "never attended a trustee meeting in my time" and that she "met him four times in 13 years". Of his attitude to the pension scheme, she says her perception was that he was "much more interested in the reinvestment side, he would have ideas as to what we might include in our investment strategy, we would always take those into account".

"I do believe that he had a caring approach" to the members of the pension scheme, she says, and the was "conscious of" the impact problems could have on the fund's mainly low paid members.

The committees will be able to get their own flavour of Sir Philip when he appears before them next month.

The Daily Politics

Jo Coburn and Andrew Neil will will be joined by Labour MP Gisela Stuart and Conservative minister Matt Hancock for live coverage, and a review of, Prime Minister’s Questions.

They will look at the EU referendum, and the military veterans who want the UK to leave the EU - and will hear from Major General Tim Cross, who was commander of UK Forces in Iraq, 

And former Former DJ Mike Read will join the panel to the look at a planned music concert, planned to support the Brexit campaign.  You can watch the programme on the Live Coverage tab above from 11:30 to 13:00.

House of Commons
Parliament

Another day, another debate on the Queen’s Speech – today MPs will concentrate on education. 

First however, we have questions to the Welsh Secretary and then Prime Minister's questions.

David Cameron is in Japan so the understudies - George Osborne and Angela Eagle – will get a turn at the dispatch box. 

Proceedings get under way at 11:30am. 

Image source, HOC

Image source, AFP

In other news.... Prime Minister David Cameron - in Japan for the G7 summit - tells journalists the government is continuing to work for "a good outcome" for the steel industry in South Wales.

He says there are a number of serious companies involved in the bidding process for Tata Steel "but there are no guarantees" of success. 

Meanwhile, hundreds of steelworkers will protest in London later to highlight the crisis facing their industry in the UK.  

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

More from former Conservative cabinet minister John Redwood's assertion that in his view, the Institute for Fiscal Studies is "part of this cosy establishment which desperately wants to keep us in the European Union".

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he accuses the IFS, which has launched a report warning Brexit could hit UK finances by up to £40bn, of buying into a general view "that there would be unspecified negatives on our trade if we were to leave the European Union”.

The Huffington Post

Image source, PA

According to Labour MP Dan Jarvis in an article for the Huffington Post, external, the choice voters face in the EU referendum "will be profound and permanent for our economy and our security".

In his piece, the former British army major says that "is why I am making the patriotic case to secure our national interest in a changing world. By choosing to lead, not leave".

The Barnsley Central MP says serving in the Balkans taught him something about the fragility of peace in Europe.

Read more, external

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Image source, PA

More from Labour former chancellor Alistair Darling, who is urging his party's leader to step up his involvement in the campaign to keep the UK in the European Union.

Lord Darling says Jeremy Corbyn has a "big role to play" in the debate ahead of the 23 June vote.

The Labour In campaign is being led by former cabinet minister Alan Johnson rather than Mr Corbyn, who has a history of Euroscepticism.

Lord Darling says he believes Mr Corbyn is playing his part in the campaign but adds: "I hope he will be more involved" as the referendum date draws nearer.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme:

Victoria Derbyshire