Brexit news: Boris Johnson warned chancellor could join Tory rebellion to scupper his no-deal plans as Jeremy Hunt vows to rip up backstop

Funding for local government has faced such deep cuts that one third of councils fear they will have run out of money to provide lifeline services like adult social care, protecting children and preventing homelessness, by the next scheduled general election, a survey has found.

Cash-strapped councils in England and Wales left “completely in the dark” by government are being overwhelmed by unprecedented demand for services and are being forced to make budget cuts mid-way through the financial year in an attempt to balance the books, a report by the Local Government Association (LGA) said.

Labour is to ask the civil service to start drawing up plans for a second Brexit referendum, John McDonnell has said

MPs from some of the smaller parties have today launched a cross-party bid to replace the UK's first-past-the-post electoral system. Writing for The Independent, Plaid Cymru's Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, explained why...

Chancellor Philip Hammond has been given a "parting" gift of a "rebel" walking guide by Labour in the Commons.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell offered the book across the despatch box as he noted it might be Mr Hammond's "last Treasury questions".

The gesture prompted laughter from MPs and a light-hearted exchange between the pair, as both recalled the time Mr McDonnell gave then Tory chancellor George Osborne a copy of China's Communist leader Chairman Mao's Little Red Book.

Mr McDonnell said: "With your permission, Mr Speaker, if I may, this may be the Chancellor's last Treasury questions.

"I just want to thank him for the civility in which he's always maintained our relationship, admit also that at times we've enjoyed his dry sense of humour.

"I gave his predecessor a little red book as a present; we have another red book, but this is a guide to London's rebel walks and we hope he'll enjoy it in his leisure periods."

Mr Hammond replied: "That's very kind of (him) and I much prefer this little red book (to the one) that he gave to my predecessor, although I have to say I haven't read this one and I have read the other one."

Jon Trickett, shadow cabinet office minister has accused the government of protecting its own over its refusal to launch an independent investigation into civil service leaks on Jeremy Corbyn's health.

He said: “The refusal of the government to launch an independent investigation into this clear and unprecedented breach of civil service neutrality at a senior level, shows every sign of the establishment closing ranks to protect its own. 

“When senior civil servants, who are obliged to be impartial, instead spread disinformation about the Leader of the opposition, it is an attack on our democratic system.

"In these circumstances, nothing less than a thorough investigation, independent of the Cabinet Office, will restore confidence.”

Talks in Brussels have been running since Sunday as European leaders try to hammer out who should be the next European Commission president and the next European Council boss.

Our Europe correspondent Jon Stone has written a helpful explainer on Frans Timmerman - the frontrunner to be the next EU Commission president, and whose appointment is causing controversy.

A Tory MP has called for a law change to entitle women aged under 40 and with a family history of breast cancer to screening services.

Andrew Griffiths warned the "inconsistent provision" of screening was risking lives, as not all young women were being offered such screening despite health service recommendations.

The MP for Burton said he was moved to introduce the bill by Nicola Morgan-Dingley, who began a campaign for early screening for young women after being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 36.

He described her as "one of the most inspiring young women I have ever met", adding that she succumbed to breast cancer aged just 38.

He said: "So I'm here today as a tribute to Nicola to carry on her campaign with what I'm calling Nicola's law."

Breast cancer, he said, remained the leading cause of death in women under 50 in England and Wales, adding: "Early detection is surely a vital part of any national strategy to help reduce breast cancer deaths."

He said: "We know that women who have breast cancer in their family are more likely to develop it and to develop the more aggressive form and we know that detecting breast cancer early gives women the best possible chance to survive."

NICE, he said, recommended that women with a confirmed family history of breast cancer should be offered annual mammograms from aged 40 and that women at highest risk may also be offered MRI scans from age 30, but this was not always happening.

His Breast Cancer Screening (Women under 40) Bill was not given a firm date for second reading, but is unlikely to become law due to a lack of parliamentary time.

Theresa May has warned that the "threat of bigotry is still a daily reality" for LGBT people in the UK, as she highlighted the importance of inclusive relationship education for children.

The PM also expressed her concern over the "transphobic aggression" and "frequent misrepresentation" of trans people in some segments of the media.

The opinion piece, published on PinkNews on Tuesday, comes after the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, which accelerated the fight for LGBT rights.

Ms May pointed towards the "appalling" homophobic attack on a couple on a bus in London last month to demonstrate the threat still posed to the community.

"People say they cannot believe that this sort of thing still happens in the UK in 2019, not least in our capital city, but for LGBT people, even in a country as open and inclusive as ours, the threat of bigotry is still a daily reality," she wrote.

Five teenagers were arrested over the assault on 28-year-old Melania Geymonat and her girlfriend Chris, who were attacked by a gang when they refused to kiss.