Public inquiry launched into the death of Litvinenko
Home Secretary Theresa May announced that a public inquiry will be held into the death of the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko today.
Miliband stakes his claim as an international statesman
The Labour leader's 'brush-by' with Barack Obama is designed to help fashion the image of an international statesman in waiting.
Michael Gove's shuffle - it wasn't Lynton Crosby
Michael Gove will attend all cabinet committees AND the National Security Council is likely to be a very powerful Chief Whip indeed.
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Tory MP apologises over assault of former partner
A Tory MP has apologised for his "inappropriate action" after being given a police caution for common assault following an incident between him and his former partner.
Former police minister David Ruffley said his partner had accepted his apology for the March incident.
Mr Ruffley stressed that he did not condone domestic violence "under any circumstances".
His local Conservative association is due to meet to discuss the issue next week amid suggestions he is losing support in his Bury St Edmunds constituency.
"I regret this matter in its entirety and the position in which I put my former partner and I now ask that her privacy be respected," his statement added.
UK accused of 'double standards' over Russia arms deals
Before MH17 flight was shot down over eastern Ukraine, the UK government announced arms sales to Russia would end due to the conflict in the region.
But millions of pounds worth of weapons continue to be shipped, prompting MP's to suggest the Conservative government has double standards.
ITV News' Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks reports:
More: Britain 'exporting millions of pounds of arms to Russia'
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Ex-MEP Nicole Sinclaire charged with money laundering
Former MEP Nicole Sinclaire has been charged with money laundering and misconduct in a public office, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.
Ms Sinclaire, who represented the We Demand A Referendum Party, allegedly used funds paid into her bank account by the European Parliament "in respect of false travelling expenses claims."
She denies all the charges.
Boris: Carry out checks on Russian tennis match donor
Boris Johnson says checks should be made on the Russian banker who bid £160,000 for a tennis match involving the London Mayor and David Cameron.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Johnson appeared to suggest the match might not go ahead if her husband - Russian ex-finance minister Vladimir Chernukhin - turned out to be "an intimate or a crony" of Mr Putin's.
"I think you have to do stuff that actually hits Putin and his government where it hurts," he said.
"I know about this tennis match they volunteered me for with some geezer. It is very important full checks are carried out to make sure this is not someone who is an intimate or a crony."
PM urged to return £160,000 tennis match donation
The Conservative Party has been urged to return a £160,000 donation it received from the wife of one of Vladimir Putin's former ministers for a tennis match with David Cameron and Boris Johnson.
Banker Lubov Chernukhin, whose husband served in the Russian Cabinet in 2000, made the winning bid for a doubles match last month.
It is one of more than £900,000 of donations that Labour say the Tories have received from people with links to the Russian government or "who may be hit by the sorts of sanctions" sought by the PM.
Opposition figures have called on the Prime Minister to ensure the money is returned, with MP Sheila Gilmore saying: "There can be no impression of conflicts of interest or hypocrisy at such an important time."
Come on David Cameron. Pay back the Tory donations from Putins pals
A Conservative spokesman said: "All donations to the Conservative Party are fully and transparently declared to the Electoral Commission and published on their website."
French minister attacks British 'hypocrisy' over Russia
A senior French minister has suggested Britain should look at its own dealings with Russia after David Cameron appeared to criticise the country for continuing a lucrative warship trade deal with Moscow.
Mr Cameron had told Parliament on Monday that the plans to sell two Mistral helicopter carriers to Vladimir Putin's government would be "unthinkable" in Britain following the MH17 disaster.
Speaking to TF1 television after a meeting with European foreign ministers, Laurent Fabius responded: "The English in particular were very pleasant so to speak saying we would never do that, but I told my dear British friends let's talk about the financial sector."
"I am led to believe that there are quite a few Russian oligarchs in London."
Mr Fabius was also asked if that meant Britain should take care of its own business first.
"Exactly," he replied.
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MH17 has shown Ukraine 'is getting out of control'
The "terrible" crash of flight has show unrest in Ukraine is "getting out of control", a former British diplomat to eastern Europe and Moscow told Good Morning Britain.
Charles Crawford, a former ambassador to Sarajevo, said it would be "difficult" to offer Russia a deal which was "not completely morally unacceptable as well as politically unacceptable."
Crossrail project 'still has considerable risks'
There are still considerable risks in delivering a multi-billion cross-London railway programme by its target time of 2019, an influential group of MPs have concluded.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warned the £15.8 billion Crossrail project had been undersold by the Department for Transport (DfT).
As a result, the DfT had mixed success securing contributions from businesses and Heathrow Airport Ltd would now only provide £70 million - less than a third of the funding originally agreed.
Costing £14.8 billion, with the trains costing a further £1 billion, Crossrail will stretch from Reading in Berkshire to the west as far east as Shenfield in Essex and will transform cross-London train journeys.
However, PAC praised the project for being "broadly on schedule and delivered within budget"
MPs blast 'questionable' sale of chemicals to Syria
Successive governments have been criticised by a group of MPs for issuing and continuing export licenses which allow chemicals to be sold to Syria.
- The CAEC hit out at the previous Labour government's decision to issue five licenses for sodium fluoride, which it described as "highly questionable".
- MPs were also critical of the Coalition for issuing two licences for sodium and potassium fluoride after the civil war had begun. CAEC said this was irresponsible.
- They also said the current Government's claim that it had no grounds to refuse the licences was "grossly inaccurate".
MPs warn Britain is still 'exporting arms to Russia'
The UK continues to export millions of pounds of weapons and dual-use military equipment to Russia, despite accusations Moscow has been arming separatist rebels in Ukraine, MPs have warned.
Read: MH17 bodies begin long journey back to the Netherlands
The Commons Committees on Arms Export Controls (CAEC) found 251 export licenses had been issued, and were still in use, for £132 million in controlled goods to be sold to Russia.
Only 31 licenses had been revoked or suspended since former foreign secretary William Hague promised to stop military sales to Russia in March earlier this year, CAEC said.
Among the licences which remained valid were permits covering sniper rifles, night sights, small arms ammunition, gun mountings, body armour, military communications equipment, and "equipment employing cryptography".
CAEC chairman Sir John Stanley said: "Russia is an authoritarian regime. We should have been applying a more cautious approach for some time in regard to Russia."
