NEW: The former SNP chief executive - Peter Murrell - is facing a charge of embezzling £459,000 from the party over a period of more than 12 years, it has emerged. He is accused of illicitly purchasing items including luxury goods, jewellery, cosmetics, two cars and a motorhome.

NEW: The High Court has ruled that the ban of Palestine Action under terrorism legislation is unlawful - but the ban remains in place for now

NEW: The UK's most senior civil servant, Sir Chris Wormald, is to stand down "by mutual agreement" with the Prime Minister He was appointed by Sir Keir Starmer in December 2024

PM says Lord Doyle [Matthew Doyle] did not give 'full account' over links to sex offender

The PM has said he 'will never walk away from the mandate' he was given by the electorate Sir Keir was making a speech in Hertfordshire where he vowed to keep fighting for working people.

NEW: PM told political cabinet “the whole of the Labour Party wants Anas Sarwar to become FM and will fight for a Labour government in Scotland”. It comes after Sarwar called for the PM to resign. The PM thanks political cabinet colleagues for their support and said “they were strong & united”.

Chris Mason: Labour sticks with Starmer for now but this is not over

Seeing quite a lot of the Cabinet now publicly posting their support of the PM Eyes will now be looking to see who stays silent 👀

NEW: A Downing Street spokesperson says Starmer “has a clear 5yr mandate from the British people to deliver change and that is what he will do”. This is evidently in response to Scottish Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar, calling for the PM to resign.

NEW: Anas Sarwar, Leader of Scottish Labour, has called for Sir Keir to resign He says the “distraction needs to end and the leadership in Downing Street has to change”

NEW: Deputy Prime Minister posts his support on X (Twitter) backing Sir Keir Starmer

NEW: Leader of Scottish Labour is expected to call on the Prime Minister to resign. Anas Sarwar MSP has hastily arranged a press conference for this afternoon. It’s understood he will set out his position on Sir Keir Starmer

Morgan McSweeney quits as PM's chief of staff following Mandelson scandal

Three African countries agree to UK migrant returns after visa penalty threat The government had previously warned it would stop granting visas to people from Angola, Namibia and the DRC if their governments did not improve co-operation on removals.

Starmer 'sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies' on Epstein as anger grows over appointment The PM says he shares "the anger people feel" when those in positions of power escape scrutiny. "I am sorry", he says to victims.

Dark mood among Labour MPs as PM tries to contain Mandelson scandal - via Henry Zeffman

“Morgan McSweeney is an essential part of my team. He helped me change the Labour Party and win an election. Of course I have confidence in him” The Prime Minister throws his support behind his Chief of Staff when questioned by Kemi Badenoch 📲 More from PMQs via BBC News ⬇️

Sir Keir Starmer says Lord Mandelson “lied repeatedly to my team” before and during his tenure as Ambassador and continues “I regret appointing him”. 📲 Follow PMQs via BBC News ⬇️

Met Police to launch criminal investigation into Mandelson, BBC understands

NEW: Mandelson to retire from House of Lords tomorrow Peter Mandelson has told parliamentary officials he intends to retire from the Lords from tomorrow. The announcement was made at the start of business by the new Lord Speaker, Lord Forsyth.

Mandelson reported to police by SNP and Reform after files suggest he sent government information to Epstein www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...

Lord Mandelson resigns from Labour Party over Epstein links 🔹 Mandelson says he “feel[s] regretful and sorry” about links to Epstein 🔹 but says he believes claims that Epstein made financial payments to him are false Conservatives says Starmer should have kicked Mandelson out

Andy Burnham has been blocked by Labour’s NEC from running in the Gorton & Denton by-election Some NEC members were concerned about an expensive mayoral election to replace Burnham. Allies of the PM feared Burnham could mount a leadership challenge, should he return to Westminster.

NEW: Andy Burnham is running for selection for the Gorton and Denton by-election

Andy Burnham has until tomorrow evening (5pm) to decide if he wants to run in the Gorton & Denton by-election As he's an elected Mayor he'll need to ask the NEC for approval to submit an application. The BBC understands if he does want to run he'll be told 'over the weekend' whether he's eligible

Sir Keir Starmer has said Donald Trump's remarks about British troops in Afghanistan were "insulting and frankly appalling" He continued: "If I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologise"

Downing Street has said Donald Trump is "wrong to diminish" the role of Nato and British troops in Afghanistan It comes after the US President claimed that NATO allies "stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines"

Leader of the ‘Red Wall’ group of MPs, Jo White, says: “Let the North decide who their Labour candidate should be for the Gorton and Denton by election. A London stitch up will be a disaster for Labour.” Comes as allies of the PM have suggested they’ll block Andy Burnham standing as candidate

Andrew Gwynne has stood down as an MP He had been sitting as an Independent MP after being suspended from the Labour Party last year Could Andy Burnham stand as the Labour candidate? It's not that straight forward, but certainly something Team Burnham will be considering

Could Andy Burnham be on his way to the House of Commons? Ministers, Labour MPs and officials all believe that the MP Andrew Gwynne is on the brink of standing down from parliament. If Gwynne triggers a by-election, there’s an opportunity for the Greater Manchester Mayor to run for Parliament…

UK holds off joining Trump's peace board over Putin concerns

Latest twist in Trump diplomacy brings relief for Starmer Analysis from BBC Political Editor, Chris Mason ⬇️

The House of Lords have backed a move to ban U16s from social media BUT, the government has indicated it will try overturn the amendment while they consult on a ban. This could be politically tricky for the government as some of their backbench MPs are in favour of the ban…

Trump says he "won't use force" to acquire Greenland. He told the World Economic Forum: "I don't have to use force, I don't want to use force, I won't use force" but said he wanted "immediate negotiations" More via BBC News⬇️

Starmer toughens stance on Trump as pressure from Labour MPs grows (via @hzeffman.bsky.social & @joepike.bsky.social)

A prominent Welsh Tory is being kicked out of his party for telling his party leader he was thinking about defecting to Reform UK The Conservative Senedd leader said James Evans MS has been removed from the shadow cabinet and had the whip withdrawn. Evans will sit in the Senedd as an independent

BREAKING: The UK Government has approved plans for huge Chinese embassy in London The site is at Royal Mint Court - critics had warned of a potential threat to national security given the site's proximity to the City of London 📲 Follow live on BBC News ⬇️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...

Trump's Chagos dig poses massive strategic question for Starmer Analysis from BBC Political Editor Chris Mason ⬇️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Trump says UK handing over Chagos Islands sovereignty is act of 'great stupidity' 📲 More on BBC News ⬇️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cp...

President Trump has criticised the UK over the government’s Chagos Islands deal. The US President said it’s an “act of total weakness” and “great stupidity”. The President says that it’s why the US needs Greenland

US Speaker Johnson has said he had a “great meeting” with the Prime Minister in Number 10. Asked if the special relationship was still special, he responded "very special, yes"

More than 60 Labour MPs have urged the Prime Minister to ban social media for U16s -- Sir Keir Starmer has said this morning he is "looking at a range of options" Additionally, he said he was "particularly concerned" about screen-time for under 5's www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The PM has said Trump's Greenland threat is "completely wrong" adding a "tariff war is in nobody's interest" but said the UK-US relationship "matters profoundly". Sir Keir Starmer said he is "not surprised" that the US President's threat of tariffs has been "very badly received" across the UK

The Prime Minister will deliver a speech from Downing Street this morning Keir Starmer is expected to reiterate his position that the future for Greenland is for Greenland/Denmark. He is also expected to say Trump’s tariffs threat on NATO allies is a mistake 📺Watch from 9am on BBC One / BBC News

NEW: Andrew Rosindell has defected to Reform UK In a statement Rosindell said 'the Conservative Party is irreparably bound to the mistakes of previous governments and unwilling to take meaningful accountability' He said he has joined Reform following a conversation with Nigel Farage this evening

Leaders of eight NATO countries (🇬🇧, 🇩🇰, 🇸🇪, 🇫🇮, 🇫🇷, 🇩🇪, 🇳🇱, 🇳🇴) warn Trump’s tariff threats “risk a dangerous downward spiral" The Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy MP, has said an “adult debate” with the White House is required, but the UK won’t “compromise on our position” www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...

Starmer brands Trump's plan to apply tariffs over Greenland 'completely wrong' The PM said: "Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of Nato allies is completely wrong. We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration." www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...

Trump announces plan to hit UK, Denmark and other European countries with extra tariffs over Greenland 📲 More on BBC News ⬇️ www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c1...

Green Party calls for under-22s to get free bus passes The party’s leader, Zack Polanski, says all "Green councillors elected in May will be using their influence to implement this scheme in their areas”. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Sir Tony Blair has been appointed to President Trump’s Gaza 'Board of Peace' The US President’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has also been named www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...