Politics LIVE: Keir Starmer shuts down leadership challenge rumours as PM says he wants decade in power and lays out 10-year plan

Downing Street refuses to say if Rachel Reeves broke ministerial code over renting

Downing Street declined to say whether Rachel Reeves broke the ministerial code when she failed to follow local housing rules when renting out her family home.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said that the ministerial code sets out that an apology is a "sufficient resolution" in certain cases but would not confirm when asked repeatedly that the Chancellor’s failure to obtain a licence required to rent out the property was a breach of the code.

He said: "The Chancellor rightly acted with urgency on this matter. She has set out that it was an inadvertent mistake and as soon as it was brought to her attention took immediate action, applying for the licence and speaking to the independent adviser on ministerial standards.

"She made the Prime Minister aware of this issue at the earliest opportunity, at which point he immediately sought advice from the independent adviser.

"It was advised that in the light of the Chancellor’s prompt action to rectify the position, including her apology, further investigation is not necessary.

"The ministerial code makes clear that in certain circumstances, an apology is a sufficient resolution."

WATCH: Kemi Badenoch calls for Rachel Reeves to be 'axed' if she raises taxes for Britons

Reform UK issues warning against SNP and Plaid Cymru 'progressive alliance'

Reform UK has warned voters in Scotland and Wales against a potential "progressive alliance "between the SNP and Plaid Cymru.

Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney and Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth held talks where they vowed to work with each other to combat the rise of Reform UK.

First Minister Swinney said: "A strong, centre-left SNP and Plaid governments, we will also be sending a clear message that the hateful, extreme politics of Nigel Farage will never be allowed to win in our nations."

In response, a Reform UK Wales spokesman said the meeting had "raised the stakes for next year's Senedd elections even further".

They told the BBC: "Plaid Cymru are copying the SNP's homework, even though they have delivered the highest drug deaths in Europe, higher income tax than the rest of the UK and an obsession with breaking up the union to the detriment of our NHS."

Bristol Labour councillor defects to the Greens - 'The party left me, rather than the other way around'

A Labour councillor has defected to Zack Polanski's Green Party with a damning message to Sir Keir Starmer.

Councillor Alsayed Al-Maghrabi criticised Labour for "enabling genocide and echoing Reform’s divisive rhetoric on immigration."

Mr Al-Maghrabi, who represents Frome Vale on Bristol City Council told BristolLive: "I joined Labour seven years ago to fight for fairness, compassion and social justice. Sadly, I no longer recognise those values in the national Labour Party.

"Over time, it has become apparent that the party left me, rather than the other way around, making myself and many others on the left in Labour politically homeless.

"My decision is based on the deep disappointment with the direction of the national leadership."

Mr Polanski welcomed the councillor's decision, accusing Labour of "upholding the status quo of austerity, inequality and division."

WATCH: Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride dismisses claims that he suggested Rachel Reeves should increase taxes

Kemi Badenoch refuses to say if Tories would scrap 2p income tax rise

Kemi Badenoch has declined to commit to reversing a 2p tax rise in income tax if it is introduced by Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.

The Tory leader told The Telegraph: "This is one of those things where we have to see where we are in four years time.

"We talked about the things which we are going to reverse, the family farms tax, family business taxes, taxes on education.

"We want to abolish stamp duty. We want to scrap business rates for high streets.

"But we don’t know what kind of mess Labour is going to be leaving in four years time. All we know is that they’re going to be leaving one hell of a mess.

"And we’ve got to clear it up, and we will do that through applying our golden economic rule, making sure that we’re paying down the deficit as well as making investments."

WATCH: Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride criticises the Labour Government for ‘destroying’ growth and businesses in Britain, saying they have ‘broken their word’.

Sir Mel Stride has said Labour has "broken its promises" over taxation

The Shadow Chancellor said: "This was a party that went into last GE and promised not to put up taxes left right and centre but in a period of a few months they have just done that."

Sir Mel was stood surrounded by Tory MPs holding signs saying "If She Puts Up Tax, Give Reeves the Axe."

Labour minister defends decision to give Epping migrant sex offender £500

A policing minister has defended the decision to give £500 to a migrant sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison after he threatened to disrupt his deportation flight.

Sarah Jones said removing him from the flight and taking him back into custody would have cost thousands of pounds, which is why the choice was made that it was "better to get him out of our country."

"And that was the choice, galling, though that is … I hope people understand that that was the choice they faced, and that was the right thing to do," she told Sky News.

Ms Jones, the MP for Croydon West, added: "So it sticks in the throat, right? I get that. It does for me. It does for most people."

Kemi Badenoch calls for a 'budget of good news' in tax hike warning

Kemi Badenoch has called for a "budget of good news" as she warned against potential tax rises.

The Tory Leader said: "Ducks quack, Cows moo, Labour puts up tax. We need to get spending under control, that is the only way to get the economy back on track."

"If the Chancellor can't even got on top of her own paperwork how is she going to get on top of the country's paperwork.

"Our message is simple, if she puts up tax, give Reeves the axe."

Mel Stride takes aim at Rachel Reeves in blistering speech

Sir Mel Stride has said Labour has "broken its promises" over taxation

The Shadow Chancellor said: "This was a party that went into last GE and promised not to put up taxes left right and centre but in a period of a few months they have just done that."

Sir Mel was stood surrounded by Tory MPs holding signs saying "If She Puts Up Tax, Give Reeves the Axe."

John Curtice issues warning to Reform as polling stalls

Polling guru Sir John Curtice has issued a warning to Reform UK, suggesting Nigel Farage's party may have "stood on a landmine."

Writing for GB News members, the Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University said: "It first reached an average of 30 per cent in the polls in the immediate wake of its success in winning control of ten councils in the English local elections in May.

"Yet it has made no discernible further progress since then.It briefly hit 32 per cent in September when the party’s new proposals for curbing migration hit the airwaves.

"However, it has since fallen back again to the 30 per cent mark. Rather than gradually forging further ahead, the party’s support has been flatlining, as though there might be a ceiling to what the party can achieve."

GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ SIR JOHN'S ANALYSIS HERE

Pensions tax raid would slash £50BILLION from retirement savings, Rachel Reeves warned

Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces stark warnings that proposed reforms to pension tax relief could drain £50billion from Britain's retirement savings within five years, new analysis has found.

Implementing a uniform 25 per cent tax relief rate would significantly discourage pension contributions, particularly among higher earners who currently benefit from more generous allowances.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Nigel Farage wins 'Politician of the Year' at Spectator Awards

Nigel Farage scooped the Politician of the Year at the prestigious annual Spectator Awards.

Meanwhile, Green Party Leader Zack Polanski won Leader of the Year, while Political Moment of the Year went to Reform Mayor Andrea Jenkyns‘ performance of "Insomniac" at the party's annual conference.

Reform policy boss Zia Yusuf won Resignation of the Year, while Survivor of the Year went to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.

What's happening today in Westminster?

We'll be hearing business questions to Leader of the House of Commons Alan Campbell, followed by a select committee statement on the first special report of the Foreign Affairs Committee: "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Government response."

This afternoon, there'll be a general debate on ageing communities and end of life care, led by DUP MP, Jim Shannon.

On GB News, we'll be joined by Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride from 8am, followed by Policing Minister Sarah Jones MP at 9.05am.

Keir Starmer refuses to take action against Rachel Reeves after she broke housing rules

Keir Starmer has refused to take action against Rachel Reeves after the Chancellor admitted to breaking housing rules.

Late on Wednesday evening, No10 released an exchange of letters between the pair detailing their correspondence to the breach.

Ms Reeves told the PM she "sincerely apologised" for the "error" after alerting parliamentary authorities.

In response, Sir Keir told his Downing Street neighbour that it was "right you have taken the appropriate steps... to address this".

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

WATCH: Charlie Rowley believes that Rachel Reeves needs to apologise for failing to obtain a rental licence for her property in Dulwich

David Lammy hits back at Sarah Pochin over advert comments

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy says comments by a Reform MP about the number of ethnic minorities appearing in television adverts "normalised" and marked a return to "flagrant racism."

Sarah Pochin said she was driven "mad" by seeing "adverts full of black and Asian people", comments that sparked widespread criticism.

Writing in The Independent to mark Black History Month, Mr Lammy said many people were "disgusted" by the remarks, criticising those "who would have us believe that we are more divided than we really are".

"They feel the peril of such comments becoming normalised and stand with us against the return of such flagrant racism,” he said.