Select Committee
Parliament

Labour's David Winnick questions Mark Sedwill on the home secretary's evidence to the committee on 7 September.

He recalls that the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, said Justice Goddard stood down because she was a long way from home and lonely.

He suggest that if the complaints about leadership and racist comments had not come out in the media, members of the committee would still be under the impression that Lowell Goddard left because of her personal situation.

Mr Sedwill points out that the committee had only asked about Justice Goddard's own motives.

"So it's our fault," exclaims David Winnick. "Sir Humphrey would have done better."

"I've never been very good at Sir Humphrey," replies the Permanent Secretary. 

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Helen Goodman says that the draft charter shows that even though there's been a chance of secretary of state, the "obsession" with the BBC's impact on other parts of the broadcasting industry remains. 

She says this shows that the "hand of Murdoch is evident in the document", referring to the owner of Sky TV, The Sun and The Times.

Conservative Kelly Tolhurst says the agreement will produce a BBC which reflects the "modern broadcasting environment" and thinks the charter will "guarantee the BBC's important place in our society for many years to come".

Norman Smith
Assistant political editor

A final decision on whether to give the go ahead to Heathrow or Gatwick will not be taken for another year.

In a letter to cabinet colleagues the Prime Minister said a final decision would be made in the winter of 2017-18.

This would follow a decision next week by the cabinet sub-committee on a preferred option and then "a full and fair public consultation."

"An exceptional and limited arrangement" would be put in place for those ministers "who have previously expressed strong opinions" to allow them to make their case.

Cabinet ministers however will have to ask the PM's permission first; then will also be not allowed to criticise the government in the House of Commons or to "actively campaign" against the government.

No 10 declined to comment on whether there would be a free vote.

The Daily Politics

MPs only have a one-in-22 chance of getting their private members' bill chosen, which means few put a lot time into preparing them and they end up being rushed, says Conservative MP Charles Walker.

He told Daily Politics presenter Jo Coburn, and former minister Nick Boles, that the system was a "farce and a charade".

The chairman of the procedure committee was speaking about its report, out on Tuesday, calling for an overhaul.

The Daily Politics

Civil servants started reports that between 1,000 and 3,000 pharmacies would close, says Labour MP Kevin Barron, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on pharmacies.

He was talking to Daily Politics presenter Jo Coburn and Conservative MP Nick Boles after MPs debated the future of pharmacies in England.

Labour used an urgent question in the Commons yesterday to warn the plans were a false economy, while ministers said it was too early to talk about pharmacies shutting their doors.

Adam Fleming
Reporter, Daily Politics

Across the Batley and Spen constituency, voters are preparing to go to the polls four months after the killing of the Labour MP Jo Cox.

Other major parties are not contesting the West Yorkshire seat on Thursday, but Daily Politics reporter Adam Fleming looks at why there is still a choice of 10 candidates.

The Daily Politics

Britain's youngest ambassador for more than 200 years has put the case for a digital revolution to transform the diplomatic service.

Tom Fletcher - the UK's former man in Beirut - claimed "diplomacy is now much too important to be left to diplomats."

The self-styled 'recovering ambassador' talked Trump, Brexit and the rise of extremism in a personal film for the Daily Politics soapbox series.

Ellie Price
Daily and Sunday Politics reporter

The parliamentary system for allowing backbenchers to get their own laws onto the statute books is "broken and discredited", according to a report published on Tuesday.

The Commons procedure committee wants to stop private members' bills being blocked by MPs 'talking them out', and says the government is dodging its calls for reform.

Daily Politics reporter Ellie Price looks at what these bills are and how they work now.

Select Committee
Parliament

Mark Sedwill tells the committee that he only found out about the allegations of racist comments by Dame Lowell when he read the newspapers on Friday.

Are you going to investigate, asks Ranil Jayawardena.

"No complaint has been made," Mr Sedwill replies.

The Daily Politics

UKIP MEP Bill Etheridge, who is standing for leader, and the NEC member and former leadership hopeful Liz Jones, want the party to move on after Steven Woolfe quit the party and its leadership race.

They spoke to Daily Politics presenter Jo Coburn about the latest contest to find a party leader.

The shadow cabinet reshuffle continues with a list of appointments to the opposition whips' office:

Chief Whip – Rt. Hon Nick Brown MP

Opposition Whip – Thangam Debonnaire MP

Opposition Whip – Nick Smith MP

Opposition Whip – Chris Elmore MP

Opposition Whip – Karl Turner MP

Opposition Whip – Rt. Hon Alan Campbell MP

Opposition Whip – Mark Tami MP

Opposition Whip – Jessica Morden MP

Opposition Whip – Judith Cummins MP

Opposition Whip – Vicky Foxcroft MP

Opposition Whip – Jeff Smith MP

Opposition Whip – Nic Dakin MP

Also announced were:

Shadow Minister for Civil Society – Steve Reed MP

Shadow Minister for Housing and Shadow Minister for London – Andy Slaughter MP

Additional responsibilities: 

Shadow Minister for International Climate Change – Barry Gardiner MP

Shadow Minister for International Trade – Bill Esterson MP

Leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "“I am pleased to announce the appointments of our whips, and also to welcome back to the front bench Andy Slaughter MP and Steve Reed MP. I look forward to working together as we hold this government to account over their shambolic handling of Brexit.”

Select Committee
Parliament

Conservative Ranil Jayawardena asks how thorough the process was for appointing Lowell Goddard.

Mark Sedwill believes it was thorough, noting that references were sought from the New Zealand judiciary, interviews conducted with senior officials and a hearing held with the Home Affairs Select Committee.

He says issues only arose "under the particular pressure of this inquiry".

Image source, Reuters

Select Committee
Parliament

Tim Louhgton tells Mr Sedwill that the then Home Secretary Theresa May only met Lowell Goddard once before appointing her chair of the inquiry. 

"Odd?"

No, Mr Sedwill replies.

He explains that as home secretary, Theresa May was "very clear" that the inquiry had to have "actual and perceived" independence.

Image source, Press Association

Image source, Sports Interactive

A range of "Brexit scenarios" will face players of the Football Manager 2017 game when it is released next month.

Gamers will have to manage the transfer of virtual football players in "soft" and "hard" versions of Brexit - affecting whether they are able to move freely between the UK and the EU.

However, in a further scenario, work permits may be made available under special conditions.

Managers will receive an alert informing them of new circumstances.

Read more...

Select Committee
Parliament

The next witness is Mark Sedwill, Permanent Secretary at the Home Office.

Tim Loughton tells him that the committee has heard that concerns were formally raised with senor officials in the Home Office back in April. "Were you aware of that?" he asks.

Mark Sedwill replies that he was not aware of concerns until 29 July.

Select Committee
Parliament

The first part of the inquiry draws to an end but before it does, Ivor Frank seeks to make one thing clear.

He tells MPs that the inquiry will "jealously guard our independence".

He says the panel members do not intend to make regular trips to give evidence to the committee - particularly as the House of Commons is one of the institutions the inquiry is investigating.

Mr Loughton tells the witnesses that the committee has no wish to be a further distraction. 

House of Lords
Parliament

Crossbench peer Lord Warner speaks in support of an amendment to require local authorities in England to "undertake a screening of... children and young people to identify any neurodevelopmental disorders or neurodisability needs".

Lord Warner, who put his name to the amendment, says he is the grandparent of a child on the autism spectrum and is a "staunch supporter" of the National Autistic Society.

"If the state is going to take the drastic step of taking responsibility for these children," he argues, screening of children in care for such disorders is "the least it could do".

Liberal Democrat Baroness Benjamin speaks in support of an amendment to require mental and emotional health needs to be assessed. "We the state, corporate parents, have a moral duty to do so," she says.

Former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls tells the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he thinks his "time" in politics is over.

Select Committee
Parliament

Select Committee
Parliament

Labour's David Winnick argues that the inquiry is receiving "a good deal" of public money. 

"Are we therefore to be in position where the counsel to the inquiry resigns and no information is given as to why?" he asks.

"Do you expect MPs to leave it at that?"

Alexis Jay replies that she can't speculate as to what was in Mr Emerson's mind when he resigned.

However she adds that there is no truth in the suggestion that she herself had a disagreement with Mr Emmerson.