The Times

Image source, Getty Images

Shoppers from the Republic of Ireland are heading north to take advantage of the weak pound.

The Times visited a shopping centre in Newry where hundreds of people from the Irish Republic are converting their euros into pounds to spend in Northern Ireland. This comes after the pound's fall in value post-Brexit

The article notes that video game accessories costing €440 in the Republic of Ireland now cost the equivalent of €277 in Northern Ireland. 

Read more: Cheap pound lures Irish shoppers north in search of bargains (paywall), external

UKIP's Scottish MEP David Coburn tells the BBC he would "do his best" if colleagues asked him to stand for the party's leadership.

Image source, Getty Images

UKIP's chairman Paul Oakden has defended the party against former leadership contender Steven Woolfe's claim that it has entered a "death spiral."

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Oakden admitted that UKIP was facing challenges, and that the incident involving Mr Woolfe in Strasbourg had let down the party and the public. 

Mr Oakden said he respected Mr Woolfe's abilities, but that UKIP would rather he focus his time on recovery after his "significant health issue".

UKIP's National Executive Committee has reopened nominations for a fresh leadership contest, following the resignation of Diane James.

Ms James resigned after spending 18 days as leader. 

BBC Radio 5 live

Two pupils at schools in Lincolnshire talk about how their schools compare.

Ellie is a student at Carre's Grammar School, while Sam goes to St George's Academy.

“The standards of teaching are just as good, and environments are very similar,” says Ellie. 

Sam says: “I really enjoy coming to class, I get to do English and maths, as well as subjects like drama – I am happy with it.”  

Former UKIP MEP and leadership contender Steven Woolfe yesterday resigned from the party in an interview with the BBC's Alex Forsyth. 

Mr Woolfe described the impact of an incident involving a UKIP colleague earlier this month, calling it "a horror story".

He also revealed his fears for UKIP's future, saying the party had entered a "death spiral", and that the party itself could even cease to exist. 

Mr Woolfe spoke of the "huge amount of sadness" he felt at resigning his membership of UKIP. He highlighted divisions in the party, saying UKIP's elected politicians were letting down both members and themselves. 

Read more: MEP Woolfe quits 'death spiral' UKIP

Image source, Reuters

The UKIP national executive has opened nominations for a new party leader, following the resignation of Diane James. 

Nominations opened on Monday and will close at midday on 31 October. 

Former leader Nigel Farage stepped back in as interim leader when UKIP MEP Diane James resigned after 18 days in the post. 

Members will receive ballots after 11 November before the party announces the winner on 28 November. 

A previous favourite to lead the party, Steven Woolfe, resigned from UKIP yesterday.

Mr Woolfe said UKIP had become "ungovernable".

Image source, afp

Melania Trump has insisted that her husband is a "gentleman" and says she does not believe the women who allege that he sexually assaulted them.

She also said that lewd comments Donald Trump made about women that were caught on videotape were unacceptable but did not represent the man she knows.

The Republican presidential nominee was guilty of "boy talk" but was "egged on" by TV host Billy Bush, she added.

The tape prompted dozens of Republicans to drop their support for him.

Read more...

Image source, PA

Ryanair has reduced its forecast for full-year profits, blaming the drop in the pound following the Brexit vote.

The budget airline said net profit would be €1.3bn to €1.35bn (£1.17bn-£1.2bn), 5% below its earlier guidance.

Ryanair said the pound's fall would cut the revenues they receive from fares in the second half by 13% to 15%.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said while better cost control and stronger growth would help to offset the impact it was "prudent" to adjust its guidance.

Read more...

Image source, getty

Fewer than half of England's grammar schools give poor pupils priority in allocating places, BBC research shows.

An analysis of the 163 grammar schools' admissions policies found 90 do not take account of a child's eligibility for free school meals.

Ministers want to ensure new selective schools take in more poor pupils.

The Grammar School Heads Association said grammars were at the forefront of giving admissions priority to disadvantaged pupils.

Read more...

Image source, science photo

A flagship government initiative to help the most disadvantaged families in England has made no significant impact, according to analysis of the scheme.

The Troubled Families Programme was launched in 2012 at an initial cost of £448m, before it was later extended.

However, independent analysis has suggested the programme has had no measurable effect on employment, school attendance or anti-social behaviour.

But Communities Minister Lord Bourne said it had "transformed" lives.

Read more...

Coming up today: UKIP reaction as Steven Woolfe quits the party, the judicial review into triggering Article 50 enters its third and final day and Professor Alexis Jay, the new head of the inquiry into child sexual abuse appears in front of the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Plus, all the usual updates from today's business in the Houses of Parliament.

• Former UKIP leadership contender Steven Woolfe told the BBC he was quitting the party
• The MEP gave his first interview since being taken to hospital following a row at a party meeting
• Mr Woolfe said the party was "ungovernable", suggesting it was in a "death spiral"
• Home Secretary Amber Rudd faced questioning by MPs on the troubled inquiry into child sex abuse and the resignation of Justice Lowell Goddard
• A legal challenge to the government's Brexit plans entered its second day at the High Court
• Downing Street quashed suggestions that Chancellor Philip Hammond was at the centre of a cabinet split over Brexit
• Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg warned of rising food prices after Brexit

UKIP MEP Steven Woolfe, who spent three nights in hospital after a row with a party colleague, is quitting the party, saying it is in a "death spiral".

House of Lords
Parliament

The Liberal Democrat amendment is rejected by 293 to 75.

Powers to order telecoms providers to retain communications data will still extend to internet connection records, if the government issues a "retention notice".

House of Lords
Parliament

"It is very easy to avoid these measures," Lord Paddick insists, replying to the debate on the bill's powers to allow retention of data on internet connection records.

For those suspected of terrorism, GCHQ can be involved and can make use of internet connection records, he insists.

He pushes the amendment, which would exclude internet connection records from the bill's powers, to a vote.

House of Lords
Parliament

Labour home affairs spokesman Lord Rosser says the Lib Dem amendment would "weaken the effectiveness" of the bill.

Government spokesman Lord Keen of Elie says the bill's powers to access internet connection records are "preferable to a dark pool where criminals move unseen and with impunity".

House of Lords
Parliament

Lord Paddick gets the backing of his fellow Liberal Democrat Lord Oates, who says powers to retain internet connection records are a "massive threat" to privacy.

He claims that the powers to retain data on every website that a person has visited are ones that "no even nominal democratic government in the world has".

Green Party peer Barones Jones says the government has gone to the security services and asked what they want, adding: "It's not always good to give the intelligence services what they want."

She says she is "disappointed" that there is not more support for Lord Paddick's amendment in the House.

House of Commons
Parliament

Labour's Rebecca Long Bailey says the Opposition supports the bill but is worried about the impact on pensions.

She cites a report by the Work and Pensions Committee, which said it was worried about the threat to auto-enrolment, external for pensions, as people may think that the ISA proposed in the bill is part of the pensions structure. 

Ms Long Bailey asks the minister what safeguards can be put in place to ensure people do not opt out of their pension; or regard it as their main pension product.

Labour and Plaid Cymru strike a deal to pass the Welsh budget, Plaid leader Leanne Wood tells BBC Wales.