Select Committee
Parliament

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This might, just might be, the start of something where a rising generation in the party makes it plain to the older, they need to shape up or ship out.

Select Committee
Parliament

From 10:30am MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee will hear from Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore, of the Leave.EU campaign group.

Their appearance in front of the committee's inquiry into "fake news" comes days after a story in The Observer newspaper, external that detailed closer than previously acknowledged links between the Mr Banks and Russian officials.

The newspaper said it had seen communications suggesting multiple meetings between Russian officials and Leave.EU leaders.

Previously Mr Banks had said his only meeting with Russian officials was "one boozy lunch" with the Russian ambassador. The Observer story also claims that Mr Banks was offered a lucrative business opportunity in Russia.

Arron Banks bankrolled Leave.EU and another group, Grassroots Out, with more than £9m of loans, donations and services. Leave.EU was Nigel Farage's campaign on the leave side of the referendum but was not the officially designated campaign.

Yesterday in an interview with Nigel Farage on LBC Andy Wigmore said that "not one penny" of Russian money had been donated to Leave.EU.

And welcome to our live page on what promises to be a dramatic day in Westminster.

Later on today, MPs will begin consideration of Lords amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill. It's the first of two days set aside in which MPs can look at the changes the House of Lords voted on, and decide which should remain part of the bill.

We'll be guiding you through every step of the way here on the live page, and you can watch the drama unfold by using the live stream at the top of this page - or by tuning in to BBC Parliament.

Before that debate gets started (at about 1pm), we'll be going to a session of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, who are questioning Leave.EU founder Arron Banks and supporter Andy Wigmore.

Thanks for joining us.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Today was dominated by an urgent question and two statements in Parliament.

The prime minister went before the House to explain what happened over the weekend at the G7 summit in Quebec, Canada. Mrs May admitted that the summit had been difficult at times, with "strong debate and disagreement on some issues".

Mrs May told MPs that US concerns that some countries were "not playing by the rules" when it came to international trade could not be ignored but said the solution "cannot be done by taking unilateral action against your partners"..

She acknowledged the EU would have to respond to the tariffs with its own penalties on US imports but she hoped that it would not lead to wider "tit-for-tat" reprisals.

Questions were raised by Sir Vince Cable, leader of the Lib Dems, who asked what the relevance of the G7 is without the huge economies of China and India taking part.

An urgent question was asked by Labour's Keith Vaz on the planned operation against the Hodeidah Port in Yemen by Saudi and Emirati forces. In all, 80% of the humanitarian aid going into the country arrives in Hodeidah. The Emiratis have given a three day warning that they intend a military campaign against the area to international development workers.

A statement was given by the Communities Secretary James Brokenshire on Grenfell Tower, in which he admitted that the government still has not made enough progress on helping families and households affected by the fire. Labour were quick to criticise the government once again on what they say has been a slow response to the tragedy.

The day wrapped up with relative harmony across the House on the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Bill. Labour say they will amend the bill at the next stage, but are happy with the general ideas in the potential legislation.

The Commons returns tomorrow at 11:30am with Business questions. Then it's the first of two days on consideration of Lords amendments to the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Home Office Minister Ben Wallace says he intends to do as he can to make sure that the legislation is delivered in a cross-party manner.

"Something must be done," he says, adding that he is proud that the government did not immediately rush to introduce new laws after the London and Manchester terror attacks. He says he read all 1,300 pages of the reviews which were published from these attacks.

Responding to Labour's earlier concerns of the Prevent strategy, he says that the scheme is all about safeguarding young people from being "exploited".

"It is not a big brother spying operation," he says, referring to Prevent, saying that 500 people are no longer considered a threat who have been put through the programme.

He says he will work across the House to "get a bill that works to keep us safe".

House of Commons
Parliament

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Shadow home office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds says that the Commons thinks of murdered colleague Jo Cox, those in the London and Manchester terror attacks, as well as the emergency services and security services.

In all, 25 terror attacks have been foiled since 2013, he says.

Labour is concerned at the wider impact of terrorist incidents "on surrounding communities and businesses," he says - and that "business interruption costs" are not covered where there is no damage to premises.

Labour will be pressing the government to provide compensation to businesses which have lost out in the past 15 months rather than in the future.

He says that journalists and legitimate researchers must not be criminalised for looking up extremist content online.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Sir Ed Davey says that he is trying to balance the needs of civil liberties and keeping the UK safe.

"No-one who has witnessed the horrors in London and Manchester last year" can doubt the need to work on increasing safety for people in the UK, he says.

Following an independent review of the counter-terror legislation in the UK, set up by the government last year, he says this bill does not change UK laws too much.

"The counter-terrorism bill does not contain a single new terrorist offence," he states.

He raises concerns that the bill may catch "genuinely innocent people" who are browsing video sharing sites and may come across terrorist content.

He says he wants assurances that data on people incorrectly arrested for terrorist offences will be deleted in a verifiable and correct way.

House of Commons
Parliament

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Conservative Kevin Foster says it is important to end the current state of affairs where streaming a video on making a bomb is permissible under UK law, but downloading such a video is not, which is something the bill would change.

He says that "no religion genuinely backs the actions of extremists walking into a concert and blowing women and children up", adding that the UK should look at increasing sentences for terrorism offences, something, again, which the bill aims to alter.

He disagrees with Labour, who earlier raised concerns that the bill allows the police to keep biometric data on those arrested but not charged under terror offences.

He says there needs to be a balance between "throwing away potentially valuable evidence" which might be useful "at a later stage" and civil liberties.

"This bill is timely," as threats in the UK "are growing."

House of Commons
Parliament

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Labour's Neil Coyle concentrates his remarks on insurance for individuals and businesses affected by terror attacks.

Eight people were murdered last June in London Bridge, which falls within his Southwark constituency.

He says there is a "renewed sense of community" there, but 150 local businesses were closed immediately following the attack, bookings were lost and it's estimated £2m was lost by companies in the area.

He points out some insurers have not yet paid out for the damage caused, and welcomes measures in the bill to close this loophole.

However he calls it "unacceptable" that it does not make retrospective compensation possible.

House of Commons
Parliament

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The SNP's Gavin Newlands highlights that terrorists are using increasingly sophisticated measures and therefore it is important to keep counter-terror policy under continual review.

He says the SNP regards it as essential that this is done in a way which "respects and upholds civil liberties".

His party will consider whether counter-terror powers are "proportional and appropriate" in each instance, he tells MPs.

He also mentions the role of social media providers, which he says are often "slow and unwilling" to remove material which glorifies terrorism and should be subject to statutory regulation.

Theresa May tells Tory rebels any defeats on the Withdrawal Bill will send the wrong message to the EU.

Westminster Hall

On behalf of the petitioners, Labour MP Liz Twist thanks those in attendance, calling the debate "invaluable".

However, she says she fears the petitioners will be "disappointed" by the government's response.

"I hope [the lead petitioner] will be heartened by the shouting we heard a moment ago, which to my ears sounded like 'stop Brexit'," she concludes.

House of Commons
Parliament

Image source, HoC

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott says "it is reasonable that the government should review, and if necessary, update counter-terrorism legislation".

"What makes us free is often what makes us safe," she tells MPs, adding that Labour will be seeking to amend the bill in Committee, she says.

She says she is concerned that biometric data for people will be retained even in the event of wrongful arrest or a conviction being overturned.

"The state has no business keeping records on people who are not criminals," she warns.

She raises further concerns that the bill will allow local councils to refer people of concern to the Prevent strategy. ,

"Prevent as a whole is a tainted brand, particularly among sections of the Muslim community," she argues, claiming that over 95% of de-radicalisation programmes are ineffective.

She calls for a review of the Prevent strategy, saying that she is worried that young men are being radicalised in Britain's prisons.

Westminster Hall

Suella Braverman, the government minister attending the debate, says a vote by MPs to stay in the EU would see parliament going against "the biggest democratic mandate" ever given.

The referendum "cannot be ignored" and "we are now honouring it", she says. She specifies doing anything else would "undermine" democracy.

She goes on to say the time has passed for building caveats into the referendum - and amendments should have been made to the EU Referendum Act in 2015.

Westminster Hall

Labour MP Paul Blomfield insists that the majority of MPs calling for a meaningful vote respects the referendum result on leaving the EU.

He says that, nevertheless, the same majority is in favour of a "sensible Brexit" and would not vote for Brexit at any cost.

That, too, is reflected and respected the popular vote, he says.