Boris Johnson news: Threat of no-deal Brexit returns as UK and EU harden trade positions and PM on collision course with France over 'blackmail' claim

  Our radical socialist tradition must remain at the heart of Labour - Sir Keir Starmer

"My socialism is rooted in a burning desire to stand up for the powerless against the powerful," writes the Labour leadership contender Sir Keir Starmer.

"When I see inequality and injustice, I want to put it right. That has been the guiding principle throughout my life, whether it was when I marched against the Iraq War or stood alongside trade unions as a human rights lawyer.

"I know that Labour members across the country have this same drive too – and it would guide me if I were to be elected leader of our party."

MI5 denies Priti Patel shut out of intelligence briefings

The civil war within the Home Office has deepened after MI5 was dragged into a row over whether the home secretary had been shut out of intelligence briefings.

A security source denied that MI5 bosses were failing to share information with Priti Patel as they “do not trust her”, insisting she received the same briefings as previous home secretaries.

The extraordinary row stems over claims in The Sunday Times that officials had reduced the amount of intelligence given to the home secretary and regularly “roll their eyes” at her interventions.

  Labour won’t just win in 2024 – it’ll turn the next vote into a climate election, says Rebecca Long-Bailey

"The general election was devastating if you desperately wanted a Labour government," writes the Labour leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey

"I wouldn’t blame you for looking for an easy option. Change the man at the top and give up on a few things and we can win, you might hope. But, as we’ve seen for social democratic parties in country after country, the path of despair is also the path to defeat.

"After seven weeks of this contest, I am the only candidate with that detailed path to power. I laid it out in a speech last week and members can join me to discuss it further on a Zoom call on Sunday night."

Rebecca Long-Bailey has also been in the Yorkshire village of Mytholmroyd today, where residents have been calling for more flooding funding after properties were damaged during Storm Ciara.

 Brexit has shown us that Labour has been ignoring voters on immigration - Lisa Nandy

"The immigration system which the government has just announced is nothing more than a platform to show how tough it is. It is ignoring the fact that its new plans will run down our NHS and put our social care system into crisis," writes Labour leadership contender Lisa Nandy

"This sort of dead-end politics is the consequence of having Boris Johnson as prime minister.

"I’m standing to lead the Labour Party, because I want us to start making the political weather and stop being blown off course by it. Over the last few years Labour has been true to its values, but too often we’ve let the Tories frame debates and lay political traps for us and the country."

UK will not extend transition period, Boris Johnson tells Croatian prime minister

Boris Johnson has been banging the drum about seeking a Canada-style trade deal during a meeting with Croatian leader Andrej Plenković this afternoon.

He set out his demands after EU leaders have cast doubt on whether an agreement is possible by the end of the transition period on 31 December.

EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has also suggested that a Canada-style deal would not be possible due to the proximity of the UK to Europe.

However the PM told Mr Plenkovic that "we are not seeking a special or bespoke agreement, but rather one like those the EU has already struck with other friendly countries like Canada."

Downing Street said in a statement that Mr Johnson "emphasised that the UK will not extend the transition period or accept any arrangements which subordinate us to EU rules."

Meanwhile the prime minister was mocked in Germany with a carnival float that showed Mr Johnson losing his Scottish legs.

The Boris Johnson float at a carnival in Dusseldorf, Germany (AP)

House of Lords debate emergency terrorism bill

Former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer of Thoroton has criticised the retrospective nature of the new legislation, which effectively increases sentences for convicted terrorists currently in prison.

The Labour peer said: "I support this Bill say in one significant respect, and the respect in which I do not support this Bill is in relation to existing prisoners - increasing the point at which they would be considered for release from half of their determinate sentence to two thirds of their determinate sentence.

"What is objectionable about it is it is not the courts who are deciding how long you are in prison, it is the executive or the legislative deciding, pursuant very frequently to public pressure, and that really undermines the rule of law."

Lord Falconer added that Streatham attacker Sudesh Amman "would have been released four months later if it had been up from a half to two thirds".

For the Liberal Democrats, Lord Marks of Henley-on-Thames raised concerns about its retrospective nature and the lack of new measures to improve de-radicalisation or rehabilitation.

He said it "offends against the common law principle against retrospectivity, which is that new criminal legislation should not have the effect of increasing the length of a prison sentence imposed on an offender who was sentenced before the new legislation was passed".

Yorkshire Tea 'dragged into political mudfight'

The decision of new Tory chancellor Rishi Sunak to tweet a picture of himself making a cuppa using a particular brand appears to have set off yet another Twitter storm.

"We've spent the last three days answering furious accusations and boycott calls," says the brand's social media spokesperson. "For some, our tea just being drunk by someone they don't like means it's forever tainted, and they've made sure we know it.

"It's been pretty shocking to see the determination some have had to drag us into a political mudfight. But it's been lovely to see others speak up for us - we're so grateful to everyone who's done that in a civil way (and gutted to see some use it as a reason for more nastiness)."

As they point out, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn did a similar thing two years ago.

EU ambassadors agree negotiating mandate on trade talks with the UK

EU ambassadors have agreed the negotiating mandate on trade talks with the UK, ahead of the formal signing off by ministers at a meeting in Brussels tomorrow.

Negotiations are due to begin on 1 March. The UK's own negotiating mandate is due to be published on Thursday.

Government accused of 'dog whistle politics' over new immigration system

Shadow immigration minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy has accused the Government of "dog-whistle politics" by requiring migrants to speak English - because most of them already do.

She told MPs: "It's very difficult to function in the labour market without English at all which is why they already do speak English when they come here."

Ms Ribeiro-Addy added: "There is no such thing as low-skilled work, just low-paid work. All work is skilled when it is done well."

It followed home secretary Priti Patel's statement that there would be no "endless exemptions for low-paid, lower-skilled workers".

Ms Patel replied by accusing the shadow minister of having not read the policy paper. As Labour MPs grumbled, she quickly added: "Actually, no, I wasn't putting her down. She's obviously - if you would like to listen - conflating a number of issues with a new immigration system."

In a Commons statement, Ms Patel said: "We will continue to refine our immigration system and build on flexibility where it is needed.

"Over time more attributes for which points can be earned may be added, such as previous experience and additional qualifications, allowing us to respond effectively to the needs of the labour market and the economy.

"But to be effective it must be simple so there will not be the endless exemptions for low paid, lower-skilled workers.

"And we are not going to end free movement only to recreate through other routes in name only."