Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to begin formal Brexit talks with the EU by the end of March 2017 have been widely discussed by the press on the Continent. The papers expect difficult talks on "operation Great Divorce".

Here's a round-up of the big stories as the the Conservative conference draws to a close and UKIP faces another leadership contest just weeks after its last one.

• The Conservatives will use the power of government to "restore fairness" in Britain and spread prosperity more widely, Theresa May said in her closing speech to the party faithful
• The prime minister told the Conservative conference the UK must change after the "quiet revolution" of the Brexit vote, and claimed Labour were now "the nasty party"
• Home Secretary Amber Rudd has defended plans to make firms do more to employ British people, saying "don't call me a racist" for talking about immigration  
• Labour accused the Conservatives of "xenophobic" language in its announcements of plans to restrict immigration, and business groups have raised concerns over their ability to recruit the staff they need
• Nigel Farage is back as UKIP's leader after Diane James unexpectedly quit the job after 18 days at the helm
• The party's leader in Wales, Neil Hamilton, said Ms James' resignation was "inevitable", calling her "too fragile" for the post
• Mr Hamilton ruled himself out of running to be UKIP leader, but MEP Steven Woolfe said he would stand and previous contenders Liz Jones, Lisa Duffy and Bill Etheridge have said they will consider running again

BBC News Channel

Matthew Goodwin, professor of politics at the University of Kent, tells BBC News that the former UKIP deputy leader under Nigel Farage, Paul Nuttall, was "groomed" for the job of leader.

Mr Nuttall decided not to stand for the leadership over the summer but Prof Goodwin wonders if he will do so now.

Half of UKIP's voters are former Conservative voters, but Mr Nuttall thinks the party should focus more on Labour areas, Prof Goodwin adds.

Also, UKIP is "still averaging over 10%" in the polls, meaning "whatever's going on inside the party" hasn't hurts its poll ratings so far.

BBC News Channel

BBC political correspondent Glenn Campbell says Diane James has not given any interviews or set out in detail why she quit as UKIP leader after only 18 days, though she says she "didn't feel she had sufficient authority".

Now it has emerged that she wrote the Latin words "Vi Coactus" on her leadership paperwork for the Electoral Commission, suggesting "an agreement signed under duress".

As a result, the Electoral Commission "queried" the information and, in effect, Nigel Farage remained leader.

However, Glenn adds, "this time, Mr Farage insists, he really does want to hand over".

"I have been enthused by the start to Theresa May's premiership," says UKIP leadership candidate Steven Woolfe.

"Her support of new grammar schools, her words on social mobility and the growing evidence that she is committed to a clean Brexit prompted me, as it did many of my friends and colleagues, to wonder whether our future was within her new Conservative Party.

"However, having watched the prime minister's speech on Sunday I came to the conclusion that only a strong UKIP can guarantee Brexit is delivered in full and only our party can stand up for the communities of the midlands and the north."

Foreign doctors in Wales will not be told to "go home", Carwyn Jones says, urging Labour members to fight "gutter" Tory politics on immigration.

Tom Moseley
Political reporter, Conservative conference in Birmingham

Image source, Getty Images

Despite their best efforts, the Conservatives still lag behind Labour when it comes to attracting black and minority ethnic voters.

But a new campaign group hopes to capitalise on the "disarray" in the opposition's ranks to regain ground.

The organisation, Modern Britain, held a packed fringe event at the party's conference in Birmingham.

One of the panellists, former minister Helen Grant, offered a blunt verdict on her party's record, warning it would "let down millions of people" and miss out on black and minority ethnic (BME) voters in 2020 unless it properly addressed issues of racism, integration and community cohesion.

Read more.

Image source, Heidi Allen

Conservative MP Heidi Allen has said the government is not doing enough to help child refugees. Politics Home, external reports that she told a Unicef and Conservative Home reception about a visit to Lesbos.

"She saw people, for the first time, queue for basic necessities such as food and toilets. Although the Greek economy was 'on its knees', she saw people scrabble together bits of food to help these refugees," the article says.

"I know the government has money," she told the audience at the Unicef reception. The Cambridge MP explained that although there were many Britons giving out food and supplies, the government was not there.

"'There was not a single Home Office official. I find this unacceptable.'"

Ms Allen also criticised the government for not doing enough since the passing of an amendment from Labour peer Lord Dubs, requiring the government to arrange for the transfer to the UK of unaccompanied refugee children from Europe.

Small business owners react to government proposals that could require companies to disclose what percentage of their workforce is non-British.

Glenn Campbell
BBC political correspondent

The UKIP MEP Steven Woolfe has indicated that he will be a candidate in the party's leadership contest. Mr Woolfe was not allowed to stand last time because he submitted his nomination papers late.

A fresh contest is to be held after Diane James quit as leader after just 18 days. Interviewed on the BBC News channel News, Mr Woolfe said he "certainly won't be making that mistake again" and that he will have his papers ready to go as soon as a date is announced for the election of a new leader.

Former leadership candidates Liz Jones, Lisa Duffy and Bill Etheridge have said they will consider running again. There's also speculation that Suzanne Evans will run. She was unable to be a candidate last time because she was suspended from the party at the time. She has since been reinstated.

Opposition parties have lined up to criticise government proposals which could see firms being required to disclose what percentage of their workforce is non-British as a way to encourage them to hire more locals.

Now, according to Buzzfeed, external, a Conservative MP has joined them. Neil Carmichael, who chairs the Commons Education Committee, said: "This unsettling policy would drive people, business, and compassion out of British society and should not be pursued any further.

“People coming to the UK to work hard, pay their taxes and make a contribution to our society should be celebrated not shamed.

“This kind of divisive politics has no place in 21st Century Britain.”

BBC News Channel

UKIP MEP Steven Woolfe says Diane James made a "quite courageous" decision to stand down as leader of the party, as she had family problems.

In addition, he tells the BBC News channel, "there were members of the party who were making it quite difficult for her to carry out her vision" - pointing the finger at UKIP's ruling national executive.

He says Ms James "worked incredibly hard for us as an MEP" and he hopes she will continue to do so.

Mr Woolfe, who intends to run to succeed her, says his vision is of UKIP "championing" social mobility, more affordable housing and support for entrepreneurs.

Carole Walker
Political correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Theresa May sought to define herself as the leader of the post-referendum era; the woman who voted to remain in the EU who now understands that the vote to leave was a vote for more profound change.

There was a powerful warning that if the government fails to respond to the demand for change, resentment will grow, divisions will become entrenched.

In advance of the speech, many of the pro-Tory newspapers were headlining an attack on the liberal elite, who dismiss people's concerns about immigration and crime. But the big targets for Theresa May were the rich and powerful, the big businesses and vested interests who ignore the wider needs of society. Her promise was to stand up for ordinary working people against those who pay no heed to their needs.

Image source, Getty Images

The Tory leader made a direct claim on Labour's territory, saying the Conservatives are now the party of the workers. Her opponents, she said, were not just divided but divisive. Her best line was a re-working of her famous soundbite, as she said it was Labour which was now being called "the nasty party".

But there were challenges for her own party too. She stressed the importance of the role of the state, the need for government to be a force for good. She promised a new industrial strategy and enhanced workers' rights. It was a very different message from that of previous Tory leaders who have sought to reduce state intervention and roll back the size of government.

There were no new policies - no concrete proposals for how she would right the wrongs in society. But we are told this was her vision, identifying what needs to change. The details of how this will happen will come from her ministers "in due course".

Image source, PA

Of course she was given a standing ovation. It was a commanding, confident performance from a leader who has swiftly assumed an air of powerful authority. But she will be judged on whether she does manage to deliver far-reaching change. And on whether she can get a Brexit deal which protects jobs and businesses whilst giving people the control over their lives that they were promised in the EU referendum.  

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon said:

The European Parliament says it's considering giving out free interrail passes to 18-year-olds.

BBC News Channel

UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge tells BBC News he is "thinking" of standing for the leadership of his party.

"I'm looking forward to it," he says. "It should be good fun."

Presenter Simon McCoy suggests that Diane James did not find being leader fun, especially when she was spat at at Waterloo station.

"I'm a pretty tough nut," Mr Etheridge replies. "I'm not really afraid of anything."