Politics

Today marked the first day back after the summer break in Westminster and it was also Sir Keir Starmer’s chance to reshuffle his shadow cabinet team. With an election expected next year – it could be the last time to promote key allies and let go of others.

Two schools in North Wales have been closed over concerns about concrete.

Scotland’s First Minister has told parents there’s “no need for alarm” after RAAC was confirmed in 35 schools there.

We’ve been to Honywood school in Essex which has had to close around half the school  after they found Raac in the ceilings.

We spoke to the schools minister Nick Gibb.

The failure to fix dangerous concrete in school classrooms was today laid at Rishi Sunak’ s door after he was accused of cutting spending on school repairs when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Prime Minister insisted that was “completely and utterly wrong” – and claimed  the majority of schools were unaffected. But a…

More than 100 schools across England need to find temporary classrooms after potentially dangerous concrete was discovered. We asked shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson  what should happen now?

The miniest of mini re-shuffles has seen Grant Shapps take on the role of defence secretary, following the resignation of Ben Wallace. For Mr Shapps, it’s a fifth ministerial job in the past year – while his old brief as Energy and Net Zero secretary will be taken on by Claire Coutinho, a Rishi Sunak…

We spoke to the former head of the prison service Phil Wheatley who’s had more than 50 years experience working in the prison system.

Prisons in England and Wales are so full that the government’s had to turn to police cells to house prisoners. We can reveal the cost is running into the millions. It’s called Operation Safeguard – an emergency scheme, allowing the Ministry of Justice to take over police cells and use them to lock up prisoners…

We spoke to London mayor Sadiq Khan.

Another controversial anti pollution strategy – London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone – has just been expanded to the whole of Greater London – meaning drivers whose vehicles don’t meet minimum emission standards will have to pay a daily £12.50 fee. The city’s mayor Sadiq Khan said it would help five million people breathe cleaner air.…

Now the London mayor Sadiq Khan has accused the Government of “weaponising” air pollution – days before his plan to expand the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone comes into effect.

The Conservatives are facing what could be another challenging by-election after Nadine Dorries resigned from her Mid Bedfordshire seat with a scathing attack on Rishi Sunak. Tory ministers admitted they would have to “work hard” to win over votes – while Labour and the Liberal Democrats are both keen to snap up the seat, ruling…

We spoke to the Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey.