BBC News Channel

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says there "has never been a leak of this magnitude" since the National Security Council was set up nine years ago.

The NSC handles confidential information and anyone who leaks from it would have "broken that circle of trust", he says.

He says he has been told that Gavin Williamson "was not co-operating fully" with the leak inquiry, and this is unlikely to have helped his case.

Image source, Reuters

The now former defence secretary is a key power-broker in Conservative circles and someone who had not hidden his ambition of one day becoming prime minister.

When he was chief whip, responsible for keeping MPs in line and enforcing party discipline, he kept a tarantula called Cronus on his desk.

Now Mr Williamson has found himself badly stung, although he continues to deny any wrongdoing over what No 10 says is the "unauthorised disclosure of information".

Read more about Mr Williamson here.

Gavin Williamson has "strenuously denied" being involved in a leak from a top-level National Security Council meeting.

He was sacked as defence secretary following an inquiry, but in a letter to the PM, he says he appreciated being given the option to resign but that would have been to accept responsibility.

He writes: "I strenuously deny that I was in any way involved in this leak and I am confident that a thorough and formal inquiry would have vindicated my position."

Image source, PA

Some more breaking news from Westminster - there will be a by-election in Peterborough after 19,261 people signed a recall petition to remove the city's MP Fiona Onasanya.

Ms Onasaya was jailed for lying about about a speeding offence. In January, she was sentenced to three months in prison for perverting the course of justice and expelled from the Labour Party. She continued to sit in the Commons as an independent.

Image source, EPA

Following Mr Williamson's sacking, the prime minister has appointed International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt to replace him as defence secretary.

She will be replaced by current Prisons Minister Rory Stewart.

In a letter to Gavin Williamson, the prime minister says the investigation revealed "compelling evidence" that he was responsible for the National Security Council (NSC) leak.

"No other, credible version of events to explain this leak has been identified," she added.

She said she was “concerned” by the manner in which Mr Williamson had engaged with the investigation into the Huawei leak.

She added that his conduct during the probe had not been "of the same standard" as others who were questioned.

Image source, EPA

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has been sacked after an investigation into a leak from a National Security Council meeting.

It comes after the Daily Telegraph reported that the NSC had agreed to let Chinese firm Huawei help build the UK's 5G network.

In a statement, Downing Street said the prime minister had "lost confidence" in his ability to serve in the cabinet.

The motion tabled by Labour would see Parliament declare an “environment and climate emergency” following warnings made by UN scientists about global warming.

It says the UK is “currently missing almost all of its biodiversity targets”, and calls cuts to the funding of Natural England “counterproductive”.

It calls on the government to increase the “ambition” of its existing climate targets, in order to achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2050.

It urges ministers to bring forward proposals within the next six months to “restore the UK’s natural environment and to deliver a circular, zero waste economy”.

House of Commons
Parliament

Over in the House of Commons, the Labour-led debate on climate change is still ongoing.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn opened the debate earlier, calling on MPs to back his party's call for Parliament to declare an environment and climate emergency.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove defended the government's record on the environment, telling the Commons no party had a "monopoly of virtue".

Select Committee
Parliament

After at least an hour and a half of questioning, the meeting of the Commons Liaison committee has drawn to a close.

Select Committee
Parliament

Mrs May is asked whether she accepts Huawei is linked with the Chinese government.

The PM says it is officially owned by its employees and is a private Chinese company with "robust procedures in place" to manage security risks.

"I don’t think you can describe me as someone who has been lax in term of national security," she says.

Mrs Mays adds: "Cyber security is not an issue of one country or one company."

She says it is an issue that the UK has put significant resources into.

Her comments follow a Daily Telegraph report that the UK had agreed to allow Huawei limited access to help build Britain's new 5G network, amid warnings about possible risks to national security.

The paper also reported that various ministers had raised concerns about the plan.

Select Committee
Parliament

Ms Wollaston asks Mrs May if she will be seeking an extension to the Brexit transition period - which is due to finish at the end of December 2020.

Mrs May says it is "possible" to achieve what they need by the end of 2020.

She says the time needed for negotiating trade deals is "a lot shorter than many people think".

Select Committee
Parliament

Liaison committee chairwoman Sarah Wollaston asks whether Mrs May would consider a further referendum on a deal.

"I'm afraid I haven't changed my view on this," Mrs May says.

"The British people said we want to leave the European Union...

"I don't think it's right to say to people: 'think again'."

Ms Wollaston asks: "How can you be sure this is the will of the people unless you go back to the people?"

"They just want us to get on and do it," Mrs May said of the British public.

Select Committee
Parliament

Mrs May is asked whether her preference would be a 'no-deal' Brexit or remaining in the EU.

"I feel we should leave the EU because that's what the British people want," she says.

She is asked whether she would support a 'no-deal' Brexit.

"I've just said the important thing is to deliver on result of referendum and leave the EU," she says.

But she adds that the position of government is the best option is to leave with a deal.