NEW: Folkestone & Hythe MP Tony Vaughan has co-ordinated a letter from 100 Labour MPs to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressing concerns about her asylum reforms. "We can change our immigration system for the better without forgetting who we are as Labour."

NEW: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage says the government's U-turn over delaying elections in Sussex is "a victory for democracy in this country".

NEW: Local elections "should never have been cancelled in the first place", says Lib Dem MP Jess Brown-Fuller. Chichester MP tells ITV News Meridian that the U-turn "shows the Government does not have a strategic vision for this country".

NEW: Labour MP Peter Lamb calls on Sir Keir Starmer to do the “responsible thing” and set out a “timetable for departure in May”. The Crawley MP tells ITV News Meridian this would allow the party to “get on with electing a new leader”.

Could the Mandelson scandal spell the end of Keir Starmer’s premiership? We debate that, plus Suella Braverman’s defection, assisted dying bill stalemate in the Lords and celebrating food and drink from the South. ITV's The Last Word is available now on YouTube 👇 youtu.be/VAwDDfzRJb8?...

NEW: Chair of the National Maternity Investigation tells ITV News Meridian she "remains committed" to publishing her final report in the Spring. Baroness Amos admits meeting the deadline will "take a lot of hard work" as she calls for more women to share their experiences.

EXCL: South East Water's under-fire CEO is refusing to attend Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's scrutiny meeting on Monday. In a letter seen by ITV News Meridian, David Hinton argues it's “happening too soon” for him to be able to give the committee “the answers they understandably want”.

BREAK: The Government cancels East and West Sussex County Council elections – for a second year in a row. Polls originally due in 2025, now won’t happen until 2027 at the earliest.

If you missed January's The Last Word on ITV1, you can get your fix of regional political discussion anytime on ITVX and YouTube! We discuss government U-turns, cancelling local elections and South East Water failures. 📺 www.itv.com/watch/news/t... 💻 www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2B-...

NEW: Lib Dem MP Layla Moran says South East Water "seems to have done the extraordinary thing of making Thames Water look good". The Oxford West & Abingdon MP says water firms should be run as "public benefit companies". 📺 'The Last Word' tonight on ITV1, ITVX & YouTube

NEW: Poole Labour MP Neil Duncan-Jordan tells me the party’s leadership sees backbenchers like him as a "nuisance not an asset". His advice for the PM: "Listen to backbench MPs more". 📺 'The Last Word' tonight on ITV1, ITVX & YouTube

NEW: Conservative MP Kit Malthouse tells me Robert Jenrick's sacking "doesn't come as any surprise" and that Kemi Badenoch has been "decisive". "You need an ideological coherence within a political party." 📺 'The Last Word' tonight on ITV1, ITVX & YouTube

NEW: South East Water CEO David Hinton tells Parliament his phone call to Tunbridge Wells MP during December’s outage “wasn’t his finest moment”. Mike Martin alleges to EFRA Committee Mr Hinton asked him “how he could sleep at night after politicising the issue”.

EXCL: Sir Keir Starmer tells me the SEND system “isn’t working” and commits to “bringing forward reforms in the new year”. The PM also reveals to ITV News Meridian that the issue of supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities is raised with him more than any other.

Pre-Budget speculation, Downing Street briefing wars, and whether climate change is being crowded out... lots to discuss tonight! The Last Word panel: 🟠 Charlie Maynard MP 🔵 Mims Davies MP 🔴 Jim Dickson MP On ITV1 in the Meridian region at 10.50pm 📺

Newly-elected Lib Dem president @joshbabarinde.bsky.social tells me he'll be "the last line of defence against Reform". The Eastbourne MP plans to "campaign hard" to offer "solutions of hope and optimism that bring our communities together rather than tear them apart".

Exclusive: The family of British Army veteran Mark Houghton MBE say he feels "deserted by the state" after being denied disability benefits following a "catastrophic" E-scooter crash in Dubai. Mark's son, Lawrence, says they're fighting "tooth and nail" for support. 🧵 (1/3)

EXCLUSIVE: Plans to introduce so-called “mega councils” in the South will cost an initial £12 million over two years, figures obtained by ITV News Meridian reveal. ▫️Surrey: £6.4m ▫️Essex: £2.8m ▫️Hampshire: £1.03m ▫️Sussex: £920,000 ▫️Oxfordshire: £736,000 ▫️Kent: £440,000 www.itv.com/news/meridia...

NEW: The Prime Minister refuses to commit to holding delayed local elections in 2026. Sir Keir Starmer would only tell me he “wants them to go ahead” next year in Essex, Sussex and Hampshire.

It’s the last day of Parliament before MPs head off on their summer recess. It’s also my first anniversary as ITV News Meridian’s political correspondent. What a year. I feel my ability to multitask has improved. And my coffee intake. Here’s to Year 2! ☕️

Are cuts to disability and sickness benefits justified? And is the government ploughing enough money into the military? Lots to debate on The Last Word: 🔴 Anneliese Dodds, Oxford East MP 🔵 Dame Penny Mordaunt 🟠 James MacCleary, Lewes MP 📺 10.45pm tonight: ITV1 Meridian

NEW: Labour MP Peter Lamb describes the Air India plane crash as “absolutely tragic news” and says he is “there to try to help” any constituents affected. The MP's Crawley constituency includes Gatwick Airport, where the flight was headed.

The new Reform UK leader of Kent County Council defends the removal of Ukraine’s flag from the council chamber. Cllr Linden Kemkaran tells me: “I don’t think most Ukrainians will have noticed the flag was there in the first place”.

Polling stations are open until 10pm tonight 🗳️ – Kent County Council – Oxfordshire County Council – Wiltshire Council – Buckinghamshire Council Full #localelections coverage on ITV Meridian tomorrow 📺

Could the Conservatives lose control of Kent County Council next week? “Anything is possible”, Kemi Badenoch tells me on a visit to Sevenoaks. The party leader says “the public are still angry” with the Tories ahead of polling day on 1st May. #localelections

"Did you go back to bed?" Heathrow CEO, Thomas Woldbye, refuses to tell me whether he went to sleep after first being told of the substation fire, which led to the total shutdown of Europe's busiest airport.

“If I lose my PIP, I won’t be able to afford to live” Poppy May, from Crawley, tells me why she travelled to Downing Street to protest against planned cuts to benefits, including Personal Independence Payments. #SpringStatement

BREAKING: Government approves the multi-billion pound Lower Thames Crossing tunnel between Kent and Essex. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has formally granted permission for the scheme, which could be finished by 2031.

NEW: Crawley’s Labour MP Peter Lamb tells me that if the “rapid expansion” of Gatwick Airport is ultimately approved later this year then the local area “desperately needs more investment” in transport infrastructure.

NEW: Green Party MP Sian Berry calls Transport Secretary’s statement on Gatwick Airport “outrageous” and accuses Heidi Alexander of “bending over backwards to push this decision through” – after the minister said she was minded to approve expansion.

Labour's Laura Kyrke-Smith pays tribute to her "incredibly smart" friend Sophie, who took her own life 10 weeks after giving birth. The Aylesbury MP called for better maternal mental health support in Parliament this week. Full ITV Meridian story: www.itv.com/news/meridia...

NEW: Leader of Kent County Council Roger Gough tells ITV News Meridian he’s “stunned” that the county has missed out on getting fast-track devolution while Essex and Sussex have been accepted by the government.

BREAKING: Angela Rayner confirms plans new elected mayors for 'Greater Essex', Hampshire and Solent, Sussex including Brighton & Hove. First mayoral elections planned for May 2026, as part of government's fast-track scheme for English devolution.

"We all belong to the same family" – Janine Webber's message of respect and tolerance on #HolocaustMemorialDay. The 92-year-old shares her incredible story of survival with ITV News Meridian.

Government announces major new hospital projects in Berkshire, Hampshire and East Sussex – first promised by the Conservatives – won't begin construction until 2037. It will delay plans for a new NHS facilities in Reading, Basingstoke and Eastbourne.

BREAK: The schools division of the University of Brighton has told the government it wants to hand over control of its three secondaries and 11 primary schools in Sussex to other academy trusts. Decision confirmed in letter to parents today, seen by ITV News Meridian.

Should local elections be delayed to get devolution in the South? Discussing that on The Last Word: 🟥 Labour's Luke Murphy, MP for Basingstoke 🟩 Green Party's Siân Berry, MP for Brighton Pavilion 🟦 Conservative Lord Mackinlay of Richborough 📺 10.45pm on ITV1 @itvmeridian

Mid Sussex MP Alison Bennett urges ministers to rethink their approach to teachers' pay in order to end sixth form college strikes. Seven colleges in Sussex, Hampshire & Oxfordshire have been impacted by NEU strikes since Nov. ITV Meridian report ⬇️ www.itv.com/news/meridia...

Protests were held outside County Hall in Lewes today, by those opposed to a potential delay to East Sussex County Council elections under devolution plans. Lib Dem MP, James MacCleary, says it's an attempt to delay judgement on the Conservative’s council record.

NEW: Local elections in Kent and Sussex - due in May - could be postponed after County Councils applied for the government’s fast-track devolution scheme. Kent County Council leader Roger Gough told ITV Meridian why he thinks the controversial delay would be worth it.

Clocking off for Christmas 🎄 After a whirlwind 6 months in Westminster, I’m ready for “a bottle of something creamy and a box of chocolates”. See you in 2025!

You can now catch up on December's edition of The Last Word on ITVX. My panel of MPs from the South discuss: 🏠 Housebuilding targets 🏥 Terminally ill adults bill 🌊 Sea swims cancelled 🎄 Christmas message to the PM www.itv.com/watch/news/t...

It’s the final Last Word of the year, and on my political panel for December: 🔴 Labour MP Sojan Joseph 🔵 Conservative MP Kieran Mullan 🟡 Lib Dem MP Vikki Slade 📺 ITV1 in the Meridian region at 10:55pm tonight & ITVX

Hundreds of workers on the Isle of Wight are at risk of redundancy tonight. Danish manufacturer Vestas is ending production of offshore wind turbine blades, with the loss of 300 jobs. The Newport factory is in the constituency of Labour MP Richard Quigley.

The Chancellor Rachel Reeves launches her spending review of government departments at Maidstone Hospital in Kent. She tells staff “taxes are high” and she’s sure “efficiencies can be found”.

NEW: Angela Rayner insists big increases in house building targets for councils in the South of England are achievable. The Deputy PM also told me she’ll use her powers to ‘call in’ planning decisions on major developments, when necessary.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner speaks to ITV News Meridian about "ambitious housebuilding targets" and whether they’ll soon be directly-elected mayors for large parts of the South of England. 📺 6pm, ITV1

Sussex PCC Katy Bourne welcomes government pledge to change police guidance to give stalking victims the right to know the identity of their stalker at the earliest opportunity.

Kit Malthouse, Conservative MP for North West Hampshire, tells me he's wept after hearing the stories of dying and bereaved people. He'll be backing the assisted dying bill tomorrow.

NEW: Labour MP for Ashford, Sojan Joseph, tells me why his experience as a mental health nurse means he’ll vote against the assisted dying bill tomorrow.