Image source, Reuters

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will hold a press conference later this afternoon.

We'll bring you more details when we get them.

We've just received this statement from Durham police on the so-called beergate investigation:

Following the emergence of significant new information, an investigation was launched by Durham Constabulary into a gathering at the Miners’ Hall, in Redhills, Durham on 30th April 2021.

That investigation has now concluded.

A substantial amount of documentary and witness evidence was obtained which identified the 17 participants and their activities during that gathering.

Following the application of the evidential Full Code Test, it has been concluded that there is no case to answer for a contravention of the regulations, due to the application of an exception, namely reasonably necessary work.

Accordingly, Durham Constabulary will not be issuing any fixed penalty notices in respect of the gathering and no further action will be taken.

The investigation has been thorough, detailed and proportionate.

The final evidence supplied by participants from the local constituency was returned to Durham Police on 5th July and analysed by investigators against all the evidence before the investigation was concluded on 8th July 2022.

In line with established national policing guidelines, we will not name or otherwise identify any of those present at the gathering, all of whom have been informed of the investigation outcome by their legal representatives.

A Labour Party spokeswoman says: "Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner have always been clear that no rules were broken in Durham.

"The police have completed their investigation and have agreed saying that there is no case to answer."

Image source, PA Media

Labour leader Keir Starmer was filmed drinking beer in the constituency office of City of Durham MP Mary Foy on 30 April.

He always maintained he did nothing wrong and had "stopped for something to eat" during meetings while working.

Durham Constabulary initially decided no rules had been broken but reinvestigated the matter after receiving what it described as "significant new information".

Read more about what the rules were at the time here.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner have been cleared of breaking Covid rules by Durham police.

An event they attended last year was investigated, with both politicians pledging to resign if they were fined.

Just this morning Angela Rayner re-asserted that "lawmakers can't be lawbreakers".

Read more details here.

Image source, PA Media

Helen Catt
Political correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Rehman Chishti, the Conservative MP for Gillingham and Rainham, says he is “actively considering” running for the party leadership.

The backbencher, who was born in Pakistan, was a party vice chair for communities under Theresa May, and a trade envoy to Pakistan under Boris Johnson.

He says: “We need leaders who best reflect modern Britain and can provide solutions to the challenges our nation is facing now.

"As someone who came to our great country at the age of six not speaking a word of English...our country is a land of opportunity for all and I want everyone to get the best chance in life possible."

Answering your questions on the situation in Westminsterpublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 8 July 2022

12:12 BST 8 July 2022

Image source, Reuters

Following days of drama in Westminster you've been emailing us asking what happens next in the Conservative Party leadership election, how a new cabinet is formed and many more questions.

BBC political correspondent David Wallace Lockhart has been busy answering your queries.

Stay with us and we'll provide David's answers over the next few hours.

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He's announced he's standing to be the next leader of the Conservative Party - and prime minister.

"I have served before - in the military, and now in Parliament. Now I hope to answer the call once again as prime minister," he said, writing in the Daily Telegraph today., external

But what do we know about Tom Tugendhat? Here are a few facts about the Tonbridge and Malling MP.

• He's a former soldier and served in Iraq and Afghanistan
• The 49-year-old is married, with two children
• He's never served in government, but is currently chair of the foreign affairs select committee
• He holds dual British and French citizenship
• First elected in Kent in 2015, he was re-elected in 2019
• Tugendhat’s father is the High Court Judge Sir Michael Tugendhat and his uncle is the Conservative politician and former EU Commissioner, Christopher Tugendhat

Ben Wallace has won many admirers at Westminster for his straight-talking approach, and his handling of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the evacuations from Afghanistan.

The defence secretary, who served in the Scots Guards, has also impressed Tory MPs by arguing for increased defence spending. He's topped regular polls conducted by website Conservative Home of party members’ favourite cabinet ministers.

He has yet to declare himself a candidate for the top job. But that hasn't stopped people backing him on social media. Except that many have been backing American former basketball player Ben Wallace, who spent most of his career in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons.

He's playing along, tweeting a picture of himself in front of Big Ben.

And the other Ben Wallace has responded...

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Jeremy Hunt is considering a leadership bid.

Allies say he is attracting a lot of support from colleagues.

Hunt ran for the Conservative leadership in 2019 and made the final two, before being beaten by Boris Johnson by a margin of 2 to 1 in the ballot of party members.

He declined to serve in Mr Johnson's cabinet, and now chairs the health and social care select committee.

Image source, .

Image source, Reuters

We've been getting some behind the scenes insight into the sacking of Michael Gove by the prime minister on Wednesday.

The levelling up secretary was the lone firing on a day when almost 60 MPs resigned from Boris Johnson's government.

According to Gove's ex-wife Sarah Vine, he delivered a sharp one-liner to Johnson when informed of his impending sacking.

In her Daily Mail column, external, she relates the phone call she had with Gove shortly afterwards, and quoting him directly, she writes: "'The prime minister rang me a few minutes ago and told me it was time for me to step back. I said, respectfully, prime minister, if anyone should be stepping back, it is you."'

And what does one do when one is fired by their boss?

"Have a glass of wine and a slice of salami and see what tomorrow brings," Gove is quoted as responding.

Boris Johnson is planning to stay on in 10 Downing Street until a new Tory leader is elected by the autumn.

Labour and the other opposition parties may have something to say about that, however, with talk of a no-confidence vote being brought before Parliament, long before the leaves start to change.

The spotlight is turning to who might succeed the prime minister, with some potential candidates indicating their interest in running already.

It is expected that the leadership contest timetable and rules will be set out on Monday by the 1922 Committee, the group of backbench Conservative MPs.

Elections will take place to the executive of the committee and under current rules, MPs will vote in a series of secret ballots - depending on how many candidates there are - with the final two going forward to a vote of the Conservative Party membership.

It is likely the two frontrunners will become clear by the summer recess, with a leadership contest expected to culminate in a new leader being revealed at the start of September.

As it stands, there is a growing sense that Johnson will remain in the hot seat throughout the summer until then.

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Image source, PA Media

Boris Johnson has tweeted about the assassination of Japan's former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was pronounced dead a little over an hour ago.

He says news of Abe's death is "incredibly sad", adding: "The UK stands with you at this dark and sad time."

You can keep up to date with all the latest developments from Japan here.

"I will be available to promise you the moon on a stick. Ask and it shall be yours."

These are the words of one Tory MP who let his thoughts be known about the leadership contest, and potential candidates.

Mark Jenkinson, MP for Workington, belittled the "inflated sense of self-importance" of some of his ambitious colleagues, leading him to joke he should add his own name to the ballot.

Less than 24 hours after Boris Johnson announced his resignation, he jokingly said in a tweet:, external "Let me worry about how I deal with three chancellors and a cabinet of 160. It is having the answers to those questions that makes me the most suitable candidate."

Jeremy Hunt was asked about his leadership ambitions at the end of his morning run.

The former health secretary's response was quite coy - take a look:

Image source, .

David Wallace Lockhart
BBC political correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The Daily Mirror and others have suggested that one of the reasons Boris Johnson is keen to stay on as prime minister for now is that he and wife Carrie were due to host a big wedding party - delayed by the pandemic - at Chequers, the prime minister's official country residence, at the end of this month.

The BBC now understands the party will not be held at Chequers.

A government source tells the BBC "nothing had been 100% firmed up" and an alternative location will be used.

A tweet by the Sun's political editor Harry Cole quotes a source saying the idea this has had any bearing on why Mr Johnson is staying on is “frankly absurd” and the party's location doesn’t matter to the couple.

This morning, new Education Secretary James Cleverly told the BBC a new PM should let the Johnsons have their wedding party at Chequers even if Mr Johnson was gone by then. He said to do otherwise would be "churlish".

Read more here.

Rishi Sunak offered no comment when asked about whether he will run to become the next Conservative leader and prime minister as he left his home this morning.

The former chancellor is thought to be among those who will run in the Tory leadership race to replace Boris Johnson.

We'll provide details of any fresh leadership candidates as they emerge.

One Tory MP who came out to bat for his party this morning says the Conservatives are "a force for good" and maintained that the government is "absolutely" functioning.

James Daly, who represents Bury North, says he has been contacted about potential party leader candidates as the race to succeed Boris Johnson gets under way.

As it stands, Tom Tugendhat, Suella Braverman and Steve Baker have indicated their interest in becoming the next Tory leader.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Daly, who resigned as a parliamentary private secretary for the Department for Work and Pensions on Wednesday, would not be drawn on who else might be throwing their name in the ring.

He said: "We've now got an exciting interesting period where a number of eminently qualified Conservative candidates...are going to lay out their case."

Image source, Getty Images

Turning briefly to Ukraine now, where the country's president Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Boris Johnson for Britain's support since the Russian invasion.

Zelensky, who met with the prime minister during his surprise trip to Kyiv last month, said Ukrainians feel a "personal gratitude to Boris".

In his regular late-night address, he said Johnson's resignation announcement has become a main topic in Ukraine, adding that "Britain's role in protecting freedom is truly global".

"And although this is a reflection of the position of British society, the leadership and charisma of the state leader are always of special importance," he said.

"[But] Great Britain's support for Ukraine should not change, no matter what happens in London's power circles, both Boris and all our friends in the United Kingdom assured me of this."

Confidence vote not a tempting idea for Tory MPspublished at 08:39 British Summer Time 8 July 2022

08:39 BST 8 July 2022

Chris Mason
Political editor

The mechanism for dislodging a prime minister - as opposed to a Conservative Party leader - who isn't particularly keen on budging is pretty limited.

The most obvious one is the nuclear one: a vote of confidence in the government, which could lead to a general election.

Given where the opinion polls are, given that the Conservative Party currently doesn't have a leader, it doesn't - on the face of it - look like a particularly tempting prospectus for a Conservative MP.

Many might see pressing that button as relatively extreme.