Summary

  • First Secretary Damian Green takes PMQs

  • Emily Thornberry stands in for Jeremy Corbyn

  • Both seem to enjoy the spotlight

  • They clash over Brexit 'no deal' plans

  • King and Queen of Spain on state visit

  • Parties clash over abuse faced by MPs

  1. Michel Barnier on Brexit and the NI peace processpublished at 11:32 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Michel Barnier says he is "very attached" to the Good Friday Agreement and "trying to maintain conditions of peace and stability in Northern Ireland".

  2. 'No whistling, just the clock ticking'published at 11:29 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    "The sooner we receive clarification on the British positions... the better," Michel Barnier says.

    All sides in the Brexit talks should "explain what their line is on all the points" about the "topics of divorce", as he describes them.

    Mr Barnier says he anticipates "many points of agreement" but the negotiators also need to identify the "points of disagreement" and try to converge.

    His comments come after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the European Union can "go whistle" for any "extortionate" final payment from the UK.

    Invited by a reporter to "whistle us a tune", Mr Barnier says: "I am not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking."

  3. EU Brexit negotiator to meet Labour leader and devolved administrationspublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Michel Barnier

    EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier is holding a news conference in Brussels and calling for "clarification from the British side" on a number of matters.

    "I want to listen to the different points of view in the British debate," he says, announcing he will meet a delegation from the House of Lords, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and the first ministers of Scotland and Wales.

    "Of course, I will only negotiate with the UK government," he adds.

  4. On Wednesday's Daily Politicspublished at 11:21 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

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    Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke and shadow business minister Jack Dromey will join Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn throughout the programme from 11:30 to 13:00 BST.

    As well as full coverage and analysis of Prime Minister’s Questions, with Damian Green and Emily Thornberry, they will look at the increasing problem of abuse aimed towards MPs on all sides ahead of a Westminster debate on the subject later today.

    And Labour’s Chris Bryant, who came top of the ballot for Private Members' Bills, will reveal on-air what legislation he has chosen to put forward. You can watch his previous Daily Politics interview talking about his options below.

    Media caption,

    Chris Bryant tops list of MPs for a private members' bill

    And in a rare move for the weekly contest to win a mug, the former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, who is swapping politics for comedy this summer when he will host his own show at the Edinburgh Fringe, will introduce the quiz.

    Alex Salmond
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  5. Today in the Commonspublished at 11:16 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    House of Commons
    Parliament

    Events in the Commons chamber start at 11.30 BST with questions to international development ministers.

    It's PMQs at noon of course, which will be followed by a statement by International Development Secretary Priti Patel on the humanitarian situation in the Iraqi city of Mosul.

    The Iraqi government has declared victory against so-called Islamic State in the city, though sporadic clashes have continued. The UN's humanitarian co-ordinator said hundreds of civilians were probably still trapped in the area.

    The main business in the Commons is a debate on the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry, while in Westminster Hall MPs will hold a debate on abuse and intimidation of candidates and the public in elections.

  6. Co-founder of Momentum: 'We have zero tolerance policy on abuse'published at 10:49 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    BBC Radio 5 live tweets...

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  7. Battle of the first secretaries: Emily Thornberrypublished at 10:49 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Emily ThornberryImage source, Getty Images
    • Age: 56
    • MP for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005
    • Shadow first secretary of state and shadow foreign secretary
    • Before entering politics, she practised as a barrister
    • She is married to the High Court judge Sir Christopher Nugee and has three children
    • She quit the frontbench in 2014 after row about tweeted picture of a white van outside a house decked with St George Cross flags
    • Returned to the frontbench after Jeremy Corbyn became leader and played high profile role in election campaign
  8. Battle of the first secretaries: Damian Greenpublished at 10:49 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Damian GreenImage source, Getty Images
    • Age: 61
    • MP for Ashford since 1997
    • First Secretary of State and Cabinet Office minister
    • Before entering politics, he was a journalist at the BBC, Channel 4 and The Times
    • He is married to barrister Alicia Collinson and has two children
    • His arrest in Parliament in 2008 over allegations relating to the leaking of sensitive documents sparked a political row
    • He was not charged with any offences and a civil servant who passed him information was subsequently sacked
  9. When is a breach not a breach?published at 10:35 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    From the Information Commissioner's Office blog

    The ICO has ruled that Virgin Trains East Coast did not break data protection law when it published CCTV footage of Jeremy Corbyn looking for a seat on a service from London.

    But the company did breach the law when it published images of other passengers on the same service. The ICO found that Virgin should have taken better care to obscure the faces of other people on the train. Publication of their images was unfair and a breach of the first principle of the Data Protection Act, external.

    Read the full blog entry here., external

  10. Virgin Trains did not break data protection law with Corbyn footagepublished at 10:30 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Press Association

    Jeremy CorbynImage source, YANNIS MENDEZ
    Image caption,

    Mr Corbyn said he was experiencing a problem that was common to commuters

    Virgin Trains East Coast did not break data protection law when it released CCTV footage of Jeremy Corbyn looking for a seat on a train in August last year but the operator "should have taken better care" to obscure other passengers' faces, the Information Commissioner's Office has ruled.

    Last year Virgin Trains questioned footage showing Jeremy Corbyn sitting on the floor of a "ram-packed" service.

    In a film shown on The Guardian, external, the Labour leader said he was experiencing a problem "many passengers face every day" on the London to Newcastle train.

    But Virgin said CCTV showed Mr Corbyn and his team walking past available seating before starting filming.

    According to The Guardian's report, the footage of the Labour leader was taken by Yannis Mendez, a freelance filmmaker who volunteers for his campaign.

    The Labour leader chose the spot on the floor instead of upgrading to first class, it said.

  11. From 15:00 BST: Lords questions on Brexit and electric carspublished at 10:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

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  12. Call for UK's European Parliament seats to be reallocatedpublished at 10:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    BBC Brussels reporter tweets...

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  13. UK unemployment drops to 1.49mpublished at 10:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    UK unemployment fell by 64,000 to 1.49 million in the three months to May, official figures show.

    It meant the unemployment rate fell to its lowest since 1975, at 4.5%, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) added.

    But wage increases continued to fall further behind inflation.

    Excluding bonuses, earnings rose by 2.0% year-on-year. However, inflation had hit an almost four-year high of 2.9% in May.

    "Despite the strong jobs picture... there has been another real-terms fall in total earnings, with the growth in weekly wages low and inflation still rising," said Matt Hughes, senior statistician at the Office for National Statistics.

  14. Wednesday's papers: Different takes on abuse of MPs and campaignerspublished at 10:28 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Metro front pageImage source, Metro

    Many of Wednesday papers lead with Donald Trump Jr's alleged links with Russia and Johanna Konta becoming Britain's first women's Wimbledon semi-finalist for 39 years.

    The Metro and the Mail have two different takes on abuse of MPs and political campaigners, ahead of a Westminster debate later.

    "Racist aristo facing prison," says the Metro after Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, the 4th Viscount St Davids, was found guilty of two charges of making menacing communications concerning businesswoman and campaigner Gina Miller.

    Meanwhile, the Daily Mail says a cross-party report has exposed "the appalling extent of abuse of Tory MPs and candidates by a left-wing hate mob".

    Read the BBC's roundup of the day's papers.

    Daily Mail front pageImage source, Daily Mail
  15. No PM at PMQspublished at 10:27 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

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  16. MPs to debate election campaign abusepublished at 10:27 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Jeremy CorbynImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Labour said it had fought a "positive, hopeful campaign"

    MPs are to take part in a debate on abuse faced by MPs - but Labour and the Conservatives have clashed ahead of it.

    Labour has accused the Conservatives of putting "vitriolic personal attacks" at the heart of their election campaign, while Theresa May suggested Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had not done enough to condemn abuse.

    The PM has called for parties to unite against "bullying and harassment".

    Since last month's general election, attention has focused on abuse suffered by MPs from across the political spectrum, including Tory Sheryll Murray who said she had faced social media comments like "burn the witch".

    On Saturday, Labour MP Yvette Cooper said some of her party's supporters had targeted female Conservative MPs - as well as Labour members - with "vitriolic abuse".

    Conservative Simon Hart has secured the debate on "the abuse and intimidation of candidates and the public in UK elections". It will take place away from the main Commons chamber, in Westminster Hall at 16:30 BST.

  17. Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia begin UK state visitpublished at 10:27 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    King Felipe and Queen LetiziaImage source, Getty Images

    The Queen is to formally welcome the king and queen of Spain to the UK as they begin a three-day state visit.

    King Felipe and Queen Letizia will be greeted by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Horse Guards Parade later.

    The trip is the first state visit by a Spanish king to the UK since Felipe's father, Juan Carlos, came 31 years ago.

    The visit is beginning one day later than usual for such trips, meaning Theresa May will miss Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons to attend the Horse Guards welcome.

    Read more.

  18. A rather different PMQs daypublished at 10:26 British Summer Time 12 July 2017

    Damian GreenImage source, PA

    Welcome to our Wednesday PMQs coverage, as First Secretary of State Damian Green prepares to stand in for Theresa May.

    Mrs May is attending the official state arrival of the King and Queen of Spain, as they begin a three-day visit to the UK.

    When the prime minister is absent from PMQs it is customary for the leader of the opposition to sit out the session as well.

    Shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry will stand in for Jeremy Corbyn.