Politics round-up: 6 July

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On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London, the BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner has been examining whether we are any safer now than we were then. He writes: 

Quote Message: Since the London bombings there have been enormous improvements in the way the police, the security service, community leaders and the public all tackle the threat from international terrorism. The authorities believe that it would be far harder, in 2015, for terrorists to carry out a complex, co-ordinated bomb plot like 7/7 without being detected. But conversely, that threat has diversified into something far harder to detect and stop." from Frank Gardner

Since the London bombings there have been enormous improvements in the way the police, the security service, community leaders and the public all tackle the threat from international terrorism. The authorities believe that it would be far harder, in 2015, for terrorists to carry out a complex, co-ordinated bomb plot like 7/7 without being detected. But conversely, that threat has diversified into something far harder to detect and stop."

This just in from our political correspondent Iain Watson. 

Unite sources say the union will remain affiliated to Labour. 

There had been an attempt to prevent their political fund from being used to support any political party but this has been defeated at the union's rules conference in Brighton.

Unite is Labour's biggest trade union funder. 

The political week has got off to a busy start, with plenty of reaction to the Greek referendum result, which saw the country vote to reject the terms of an international bailout. Here are the latest developments from today:

- Chancellor George Osborne pledged that the government will do "whatever is necessary" to protect the UK's economy against the Greek referendum fallout

- His comments came after David Cameron chaired a meeting to assess the impact on the UK of the situation in Greece

- The BBC is to cover the cost of providing free TVlicences for over-75s, Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has confirmed

-  Labour has "gone to sleep" since its election defeat and is shirking tough decisions about its future purpose and direction, says Lord Mandelson

- The press regulator has upheld a complaint against the Daily Telegraph over a story about a leaked government memo involving Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

- The opportunity for the London Olympics to inspire a generation of children to participate in sport has been squandered , Tessa Jowell's said

- The government has pledged £30m to speed up finding adoptive parents for children in care in England.

David Cameron has spoken on the phone to German Chancellor Angela Merkel after her call with the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras. The prime minister's spokeswoman said the call was an opportunity to exchange views on the Greek situation and how the next few days will go. She said Mr Cameron believes that at this stage the issue is primarily for the Eurozone and that the ECB meeting today and tomorrow's Eurozone summit should not be  prejudged.

Mr Whittingdale made clear he wants to see the BBC reducing its "over reliance" on the tax payers - that means the BBC will have to find £650 million of its budget to cover those costs. But he also said the licence fee will be modernised to include catch up services. The licence fee will go up in line with the Consumer Price Index - as long, he warned, as the BBC demonstrates it is undertaking serious cuts. 

There's lots to unpick. Why wouldn't you just cut the licence fee rather than shifting it to include the free offer to the over 75s? Why would you increase the fee in line with CPI ? And how much will the modernised licence fee - including iPlayer - bring in to a service now grappling with thousands of job cuts?

The curious thing is the timing. Everyone was expecting this to come in the budget. And to come from the chancellor. The fact that it has come two days early will leave many wondering what the political game is at stake.  

Read Emily's full analysis here

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Up next, presentation of the Bat Habitat Regulation Bill, from Christopher Chope. Yes, you heard that right. That's swiftly followed by committee-stage scrutiny of the Scotland Bill.

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Charles Walker, a Conservative MP, uses the point of order procedure to raise concerns about minicab app Uber, saying he has spoken to 55 black cab taxi drivers who are worried about its impact. He says he cannot bring the concerns to the floor of the Commons because they are devolved to the London Assembly.

Speaker John Bercow says he's satisfied that the matter raised by Mr Carmichael "is proper to be discussed". The opposition parties rise to their feet to show their support for the move - and the debate is granted. It will take place tomorrow, 7 July, and last for three hours.

Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael makes an urgent application under Standing Order 24 for an emergency debate on the government's plans for English votes for English laws.

He says the plans will result in "an exclusion on Scottish members voting on issues such as the budget", which, he says, would effectively set up "an English parliament within the House of Commons".

Mr Carmichael - the Lib Dems' only Scottish MP - says this is not the way to address the so-called West Lothian question. He says it appears the democratic position for England is to addressed "in one day from scratch", and that the people of England deserve better.

Quote Message: We are dealing with a fundamental constitutional change. To seek to do this in one day may be technically competent, but is an outrageous abuse of process."

We are dealing with a fundamental constitutional change. To seek to do this in one day may be technically competent, but is an outrageous abuse of process."

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In an earlier question the the chancellor, Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz said that 360 people a day were travelling illegally from Turkey to Greece and the country needed urgent help to police its border and the border of the EU. He asked what the government could do to help them with this.

The chancellor said Mr Vaz was right to draw attention to the "very serious" migrant problems in Greece. He said the home secretary, Theresa May, had spoken to the Greek government about the direct assistance the UK can provide to help with border policing.

Rachael Maskell, Labour Co-operative MP, says infant moralities have doubled, and there have been significant increases in HIV and other diseases in Greece since the debt crisis began. The chancellor is asked what Britain is doing to prevent a humanitarian crisis occurring.

Mr Osborne says: "There is some real human suffering happening in Greece, and there are reports of a shortage of medicines." He says the government has been talking to British pharmaceutical companies to make sure they are still shipping to Greece, and that the UK remains a long term ally of Greece and will do whatever it can to help.

Labour's Andrew Gwynne asks what the chancellor is doing to make sure the EU's single market is not undermined by events in Greece. George Osborne tells him the key is making sure the Eurozone finds "a communal way forward" to make sure political tensions do not "spill out" and affect the economy.

On the outgoing Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis - who resigned last night, Mr Osborne says: "I doubt the next finance minister will have quite the dress sense of the one Greece has just lost."

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UK banks have reduced their exposure to bad debt compared to a few years ago because of the financial crisis, George Osborne tells MPs. But he says the UK is still vulnerable because it is an open economy, and a crisis in Europe "would not pass Britain by".

George Osborne says the worst scenario for the UK coming out of the Greek debt crisis is that we have a "completely disorderly" situation over the next few weeks. He says it's a challenge for the UK as an "open economy".

The chancellor is asked whether there are any tour operators unduly exposed to the situation in Greece, and at risk of failing. Mr Osborne says most British tour operators have very big operations in Greece - but adds that most are happy with the support they are receiving, and are going ahead with all future bookings - which is also helping bringing money into the Greek economy, he adds. He says the advice for tourists is not "don't travel to Greece" - it's "travel prepared".

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Greek people should not feel "ashamed" to get out of the "straitjacket" of the Eurozone and its "vulture funds", says Conservative Eurosceptic MP Christopher Chope. Mr Osborne says he agrees that Britain is "well out" of the Eurozone and "happy to stay that way",

George Osborne says the situation of British nationals in Greece who get a British pension but who have a Greek bank account is a challenge. He says the government is continuing pension payments because "we don't know if stopping them might disrupt rent payments" and other bills

So far, Mr Osborne goes on to say, the Greek government has not put restrictions on pensioners bank accounts. The UK government has contacted several thousand Britons in Greece, and advice is under daily review, he adds.

Labour MP Helen Goodman asks whether any assistance has been given to Greece along the lines of that given to eastern European countries, in finding ways to increase tax revenue. Mr Osborne says there is "a tradition of non-payment" in Greece. He says British civil servants have gone to Greece to try and improve revenue collection - but that it has all but dried up at the moment.

Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards says history suggests that "crippling austerity" isn't the only way forward for Greece. The chancellor agrees with him that there are different approaches, and says the UK government is urging the two sides to find a common view.

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Andrew Tyrie, Conservative chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, earlier told MPs that Greece couldn't recover under the current euro exchange rates and almost certainly wouldn't be able re-pay all its debts He said "the best course now for Greece and the Eurozone would be to encourage Greece to recreate it's own currency and for the Eurozone to take all the necessary steps to prevent contagion."

To chuckles from around the House, Mr Osborne tells him: "When people try to tell us what currency we should adopt we don't take too kindly to it. I think we should respect the decision of the Greek government."

David Winnick, Labour MP, says the reason Greece voted no was because of the "constant humiliation that the country has suffered" at the hands of other EU nations. He says Greece has a history of standing up to oppression - including Mussolini and the Nazis.

Mr Osborne responds: "If you join the Eurozone, you are joining an agreement with other nations and other institutions. That is why the UK did not want to join the EU."

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Labour leader hopeful Jeremy Corbyn asks whether the chancellor agrees there is something "remarkable" about the young people of Greece rejecting austerity and asking their government to renegotiate the terms of the bailout, despite the levels of youth unemployment  there. He argues that further austerity will only create "misery" for people in Greece.

Former Conservative Chancellor Ken Clarke says the Greek government cannot simply "print a new Drachma", and there is no option for them but to accept the proposals from the EU.

Mr Osborne, in response, says it is clear that there needs to be major structural reform of the Greek economy, but equally other governments in the EU need to be open to options.

The chancellor says he believes markets have not reacted much in response to the Greek referendum result because ministers in various EU countries have been "sensible" in their reaction.

Mr Osborne says there is a helpline for business, and help should be available in individual constituencies as well. The governor of the Bank of England remains in contact with the head of the European Central Bank, he adds.

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SNP Treasury spokesman Steward Hosie questions whether, given Greece voted No in the referendum, the chancellor will try to persuade his colleagues in the EU to respect the outcome, "stay calm", but find an outcome in everyone's interests? He also asks what plans there are to protect British businesses that export to Greece,

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The chancellor says that so far the financial market reaction to the Greek No vote has been "relatively contained" but the risks are growing and he is in regular discussion with the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney.

He says the "blunt truth" is that there are two timetables: the political timetable within the EU for talks, and timetable of the financial situation in Greece. The challenge is to find an "orderly situation", he says.

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The economic risks to Britain of the Greek No vote are clear to see. But what of the political impact?

In the short term, the No vote will shape the context of this week's Budget. George Osborne will once again seize on the example of Greece to press home his argument for continued deficit reduction.

The chancellor will argue that it shows not only what happens to countries that do not get on top of their deficits, but also that greater fiscal restraint is needed to protect Britain against economic shocks such as the possibility of Greece exiting the eurozone.

Mr Osborne's opponents might wonder if such a resounding rejection of continued austerity by the Greek people is really to his advantage as he prepares to announce more spending cuts himself. But the chancellor is adamant.

Read more from James.

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Responding to Mr Osborne's statement, shadow chancellor Chris Leslie asks the chancellor what can be done to help British businesses dealing with Greece, and whether the consular staff will be able to cope with the volume of requests for assistance from British tourists. He also asks what the government can do to help the two sides reach an agreement.

"This is a critical moment" for the Eurozone, and no one should be under any illusions about the seriousness of the situation, George Osborne says. He tells MPs that Britain will be affected, adding: "We must redouble our efforts to put our own house in order. In the budget in two days' time I will set out how we will do that."

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The chancellor says the Department of Work and Pensions has spoken to 2,000 British pensioners living in Greece, and advised them on setting up a British bank account - as capital controls have been placed on Greek accounts.

UK government payments, including pensions, will continue to be made in the usual way, he says.

He adds that they government is advising British tourists, and the government has deployed more consular staff to the Greek islands.

Time now for a statement from Chancellor George Osborne, on Greece. He says Greece is a long-standing ally of the UK, but the country needs to be realistic about the prospects of a happy outcome to the situation. "We are urging all sides to have a final go at diffusing the crisis," he says. "We will do anything we can to protect the UK's economy"

There's a term in football called a "hospital pass". This is defined as "a pass to a player likely to be tackled heavily as soon as the ball is received."

Following the news that George Osborne is going to offload the £650m annual cost of providing free TV licences to the over-75s, it seems that the Chancellor is about to give the BBC one of those hospital passes.

Let's play a game of "good chart, bad chart" for the BBC.

Click here for more.

In response to another backbench question, the culture secretary says it's time for "a thorough review of every aspect of the BBC's activities", which he says will be done during the charter review.

Peter Bone, the Conservative MP for Wellingborough, says Labour's Chris Bryant made an important point in his speech about the information appearing in the media before the Budget. I'm sure the chancellor would be as concerned as the minister at this, he says (somewhat sarcastically), before asking whether a leak inquiry has been established.

"I cannot enlighten him as to how this information did come before the newspaper," Mr Whittingdale responds, but he says that as a result it was right for a minister to respond to the urgent question "in detail".

Tory Jason McCartney says many BBC productions have been filmed in Yorkshire, where his constituency is based, and asks if he'll encourage the BBC to continue to invest in regional production. Mr Whittingdale agrees, and says the organisation has a duty to serve all the nations and regions of the country.

Labour MP Kate Hoey says she thinks the BBC has become involved in "too much frippery", and gone wide of what its remit should be. 

Mr Whittingdale says that exactly the kind of matter that the government will consider when looking at Charter Renewal.

Labour's Seema Malhotra asks the culture secretary what impact he thinks the move will have on the BBC's ability to invest and remain a "world leader" in programming. Mr Whittingdale stresses that the move has been agreed by the BBC and says he's "confident" the organisation will continue to provide "world-class quality programming".

Barry Gardiner, Labour MP for Brent North, says the government is happy to say it won't break its manifesto commitments - but it also happy "to get someone else to pay for them". He wants details about the impact it will have on the BBC's budget - and whether it will affect the World Service. Mr Whittingdale says he's already given the details of the costs in his statement.

Conservative MP David Nuttall says the licence fee model may have worked in the 1920s but it is "no longer justified" today. He adds that if the BBC's output is "as popular as everyone claims" a subscription model would be no problem. John Whittingdale says his argument is one of those "I'm sure we can consider at the time of charter review".

Helen Goodman, a Labour MP, says it would have been "more sensible" to have ended the "foolish subsidy" rather than "messing up" the BBC's finances. Mr Whittingdale responds with a defence of the Conservative's position to guarantee free TV licences for over-75s until 2020.

"This is a significant assault on the BBC's independence", says Ben Bradshaw, a Labour former culture secretary. "I'm extremely disappointed," he tells Mr Whittingdale. 

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The SNP's John Nicolson presses the minister to say whether the government will allow the BBC to means-test licences for the over-75s.

The culture, media and sport secretary said there is "a very clear commitment" in the Tory manifesto that all over-75s will be eligible for a free TV licence over the course of his Parliament "and that will be honoured". He says the BBC takes on responsibility for the free licences in the next Parliament.

Jessie Norman, the Conservative chairman of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, says the scope and funding of the BBC must be considered together, suggesting this hasn't always been the case in the past. Mr Whittingdale assures him it will be at "the heart"of the process. He adds that the licence fee will rise in line with the CPI measure of inflation "subject to the conclusion of the charter review".

Responding to his Labour counterpart, John Whittingdale says the Charter Renewal process will be "open and transparent" and involve a wide range of people. The case for decriminalisation of the licence fee and the future scale and scope of the BBC will also be considered, he adds.

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"What an utter shambles," says shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant - who complains that the move was briefed to the press ahead of Chancellor George Osborne's Budget on Wednesday. Chancellors used to have to resign when elements of their budgets were leaked, he adds.

He stresses that the process for Charter Renewal must be "open and transparent", Mr Bryant says, adding this is "no way to run a whelk stall let alone the world's most respected broadcaster".

John Whittingdale tells MPs the government is "pleased" that the BBC has agreed to "play its part" to contributing to reductions in public spending "like much of the rest of the public sector". He says the government will introduce legislation to enable the BBC to "modernise" the licence fee to cover the BBC iPlayer.

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Home Secretary Theresa May says 10 years since the 7 July London bombings, the terror threat to the UK remains "severe".

London was "cruelly and despicably attacked", she says, adding that as well as those who died there are many "who still live with the terrible consequences". 

She says the UK "must fight the threat we face on every front", by forming partnerships with communities and confronting "pernicious ideologies".

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The BBC's Huw Williams says a meeting between the RMT union and ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne in Scotland has just broken up. 

A union spokesman described discussions as "positive", and said they are due to resume tomorrow afternoon. 

The RMT is concerned there may be redundancies and a loss of terms and conditionsas the Scottish government puts the contract for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services out to tender. 

Two firms are bidding for the contract - CalMac and the international services provider, Serco. 

The RMT says it wants a no compulsory redundancy guarantee either written in to the tender document, or written into its collective agreement with CalMac.

Asking how many Syrians have been granted asylum in the UK in the last four years, SNP MP Owen Thompson says the international community, including the UK, needs to provide more places for resettlement to relieve Syria's neighbours of the numbers they are trying to cope with.

Home Office Minister James Brokenshire tells the House that since the Syrian crisis began in 2011 the UK has received over 6,800 asylum claims and granted asylum or other forms of leave to over 4,200 Syrians so far. 

He says the government believes the right focus should be on aid in the areas affected and that the international development secretary has committed another £100m to assist with the crisis.

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Theresa May is telling the Commons that the terrible events in Tunisia show the importance of work to defeat terrorism both at home and overseas. She says the government has increased counter-terrorism funding but is "determined to go further". 

She says the government's counter-extremism strategy will set out a wide ranging response - part of which will be set out in the Counter-Extremism Bill.

The Green Party has accused Labour of "pandering to big business” over airport expansion with "little regard" for people and the environment.

It comes after the party called for a "swift decision" from the government in support of a third runway at Heathrow, following publication of the Airports Commission's report  which backed Heathrow expansion.

Green leader Natalie Bennett said any airport expansion would threaten the environment and the health of local residents.

Quote Message: Rather than endlessly expanding airports to meet growing demand for air travel, we should be seeking to reduce that demand by investing in public transport to make domestic flights less attractive and introducing a frequent flyer tax.”

Rather than endlessly expanding airports to meet growing demand for air travel, we should be seeking to reduce that demand by investing in public transport to make domestic flights less attractive and introducing a frequent flyer tax.”

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The British Army has appointed its first ever female Major General. Brigadier Susan Ridge said she was "delighted" to become Major General Susan Ridge, the new director general of army legal services. She will be in charge of some 1,500 personnel, and will take up the post in September.

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In the Commons, MPs have moved onto policing. Policing minister Mike Penning chides Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock, after he protests that police forces in Wales are facing 10% cuts to frontline services. The minister accuses the MP of "running down" the police rather than supporting the "fantastic job" they are doing in reducing crime levels, saying such an approach is a "disgrace". But Labour MP Barry Sheerman rides to his colleague's defence, saying he was asking a legitimate question about resources. Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh then suggests that policing in Lincolnshire is in crisis and that there is barely a single police car on duty throughout his county overnight. He urges money to be transfered from overseas aid to bolster police budgets, saying "charity should begin at home". In response, Mr Penning says officials have looked into policing in the county and found that it was holding up, and crime had fallen significantly.  

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Listen to Simon Danczuk's full interview on The World at One about the impact he says his campaign on child abuse had on his family life and mental health.

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Lord Williams of Oystermouth - better known as Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury - has just sworn in to the House of Lords.

In the Commons, Theresa May faces a series of questions about violence against women and girls, including one from former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer, now a Labour MP, in light of what the opposition says is a critical report from the United Nations special rapporteur.

Mrs May says more can always be done to bring offenders to justice but points out that prosecutions and convictions were at their highest level in their history last year and says the criminal justice system is doing its job. 

So, following on from the last tweet, what is SO (Standing Order) 24?

Well, it's a rule that allows an MP to ask the Speaker to allow time for an emergency debate on a particular topic.

The MP making the request must notify the Speaker in advance that they intend to do so.

Immediately after oral questions and, if there are any, urgent questions or ministerial statements, the MP can make a speech lasting up to three minutes giving the reasons that they believe a debate on a particular topic should be held urgently.

The speaker has total discretion over whether or not such a debate should be granted - and nearly always refuses.

If a debate is granted it will take place within 24 hours.

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Coming up in the House of Commons in just a minute, Home Secretary Theresa May will be taking questions from MPs for an hour.

The government is to pledge £35m to try to speed up the process of finding adoptive parents for children in care in England. 

In his Budget on Wednesday,  Chancellor George Osborne will promise the money to councils, in order to cover the £25,000 fee they have to pay if they find a potential adoptive family outside their own local authority area. 

Children and Families minister, Edward Timpson, said:

Quote Message: By waiving that fee, particularly for those harder to place children - so children who've been waiting more than 18 months, who are older than five years of age and a sibling group, who have a disability or from a BME background - we want those children to get the chance to move on so they get the childhood they deserve and this £30m is focused directly on achieving just that."

By waiving that fee, particularly for those harder to place children - so children who've been waiting more than 18 months, who are older than five years of age and a sibling group, who have a disability or from a BME background - we want those children to get the chance to move on so they get the childhood they deserve and this £30m is focused directly on achieving just that."

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A Westminster Abbey service has been held to remember thousands of Muslim men and boys from Srebrenica killed by Bosnian Serb forces 20 years ago.

About 100 events are being organised across the UK over coming days in memory of the genocide in 1995.

Prime Minister David Cameron led tributes ahead of the Westminster service, saying people "must never, ever forget what happened".

The massacre was the worst in Europe since World War Two.

More here

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More than 60% of Greeks have voted to reject eurozone cash-for-reform proposals, although Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras says it is not a mandate against Europe.

And yet several European leaders had warned that a "No" vote would mean a decision to leave the eurozone.

So what happens next? Will Greeks remain in the euro or lurch out of the single currency - which has come to be known as Grexit?

More here

Professor George Katrougalos, the Greek minister for administrative reform, said: "We want to remain in a Europe, but a social Europe. It's not a question of money."

Quote Message: Both sides have to compromise. It's not a question just concerning Greece. We have to leave some room for alternative approaches within the EU - we cannot say there is only one economic policy, otherwise why have elections?"

Both sides have to compromise. It's not a question just concerning Greece. We have to leave some room for alternative approaches within the EU - we cannot say there is only one economic policy, otherwise why have elections?"

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Mr Danczuk says campaigning on child sex abuse was all consuming and affected his family life: "There were nights my wife had to say can we not speak about child abuse for one evening."

As already mentioned, Labour MP Simon Danczuk has told The World at One he's been suffering from depression for a year caused by his work on child sexual abuse.

Quote Message: I get flashbacks to what people have told me they've experienced. I would say I've been suffering depression, and I'm seeking help. I was getting angry and aggressive about things. I've been drinking more than I should... it's a lonely place."

I get flashbacks to what people have told me they've experienced. I would say I've been suffering depression, and I'm seeking help. I was getting angry and aggressive about things. I've been drinking more than I should... it's a lonely place."

Elmar Brok chairs the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, and is a close ally of Chancellor Merkel. 

He told The World at One he didn't want to see "the same old tricks" from Greece in any upcoming negotiations. 

"If you ask for money, you have to show a programme that afterwards your country is better," he said.

He said Ireland, Portugal and others had had to accept a programme of austerity, and for Greece not to do so would "set a bad example".

Mr Bini Smaghi adds:

Quote Message: This is dramatic, because it would have geopolitical consequences. What is the price of keeping Greece in the EU? It might be too high. How costly it is to have on board members who refuse to agree to things other members have agreed to?"

This is dramatic, because it would have geopolitical consequences. What is the price of keeping Greece in the EU? It might be too high. How costly it is to have on board members who refuse to agree to things other members have agreed to?"

Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, who for five years until 2011 was a member of the ECB's executive, says the possibility of a country exiting the euro "was "never so highly probable as it is now". He says there's a risk of not just economic, but political, contagion in the rest of Europe. Asked about the future of the eurozone, he says Europe needs to progress towards political and monetary union.

Dara Murphy, European Affairs minister, underlines the need to come to an agreement with Greece, which he says has to come back to the negotiating table with a "sustainable set of proposals". He says there was progress in the economy before Syriza came to power, adding that reform is of utmost importance.

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The BBC's Jenny Hill in Berlin says there's a "huge amount of anger and dismay" in the German capital over the Greek situation.

She says the German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold talks with French president Francois Hollande tonight - but she is facing increasing political pressure at home, with many German voters saying they've had enough of taxpayers money being poured into what one described as a "bottomless pit".

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Labour MP Simon Danczuk says he is stepping back from his campaigning work on child sexual abuse to get help for depression.

The Rochdale MP said he had sought help from a psychiatrist after listening to victims' accounts took its toll on his mental health.

In an interview with Becky Milligan for BBC Radio 4's The World at One programme, he said it had also affected his marriage.

More here.

Commons Speaker John Bercow has granted Labour's request for an urgent question on reports that the BBC will have to meet the cost of free TV licences for over-75s. It is understood George Osborne will announce the move in his Wednesday Budget. A minister will have to come to the Commons to respond to the urgent question - which will be asked by shadow culture secretary Chris Bryant at about 15:30. Will it be the chancellor himself? Time will tell. Although it's more likely to be a minister from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Either way, it pushes Mr Osborne's statement on Greece back by 30-40 minutes.

MPs are to debate whether abortion law should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

The change is one of several being proposed to the legislation which will transfer additional powers to Holyrood.

It will be discussed on the fourth and final day of line-by-line scrutiny of the  Scotland Bill  in the House of Commons later.

It comes amid a growing row over the refusal of UK ministers to support amendments to the bill.

Here's our story.

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Talks aimed at averting a strike by London Underground staff have resumed. Almost 20,000 workers are due to strike for 24 hours from Wednesday evening - Budget Day - in a dispute over the new all-night Tube services. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), Aslef, Transport Salaried Staffs Association and Unite are unhappy over pay being offered for the new service, due to start at weekends from mid-September, as well as rosters. Talks last week ended without any sign of progress and both sides, with both sides meeting again today.

BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says the comments by the PM's spokeswoman underlines the "apprehension" in government circles about the potential impact the Greek crisis could have here if it spreads into the Eurozone - pointing out that this is where about half of UK exports go.

Talks aimed at averting a 48-hour strike by workers on First Great Western from Wednesday evening have broken down, the RMT rail union has said.

This morning's contingency meeting chaired by the prime minister was attended by the chancellor, business secretary, work and pensions secretary, Europe minister, chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster and the Bank of England governor, with video links to the British ambassador in Athens and Britain's EU representative in Brussels.

The prime minister's spokeswoman said they discussed a whole range of issues on how people could be affected now and if the situation were to deteriorate further, including the affects on people living or holidaying in Greece, the consequences for the banking and financial sector and other UK businesses.

The spokeswoman said the ambassador said the situation in Greece was calm, with ATMs dispensing cash and no significant increase in queues. The government's travel advice has been updated and travellers are being urged to check the latest travel advice before they go. The prime minister has also spoken by phone to the Dutch prime minister.  

Speaking after David Cameron's contingency planning meeting on Greece, the prime minister's spokeswoman said the question of whether Greece should leave the eurozone was "a matter for Greece and the Eurozone" . Pressed on whether Mr Cameron believed Greece should leave the euro, she said: "Greece and the eurozone need to sit down and talk through the implications of the result and find a sustainable solution."

The BBC's business correspondent Ben Thompson says markets haven't reacted in quite the way many would have expected.

He says the markets are down, but not the sort of losses some were expecting - perhaps because people have factored it in. 

But he says "markets want certainty" - and the issue of whether Greece will leave the Eurozone or stay will continue to have an impact.

More here

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CBI Director-General John Cridland has called on the chancellor to use his first Budget of the new government to provide "stability for companies of all sectors and sizes".

Among their demands is making the £250,000 Annual Investment Allowance - which allows businesses to invest in new plant and machinery for maximum tax benefits - permanent from 2016.

Quote Message: We’re looking for detail on the fiscal rules the chancellor intends to live by and progress on a comprehensive business tax roadmap, to remove complexities and ensure it doesn’t act as barrier to firms with ambitions to scale up."

We’re looking for detail on the fiscal rules the chancellor intends to live by and progress on a comprehensive business tax roadmap, to remove complexities and ensure it doesn’t act as barrier to firms with ambitions to scale up."

AFPCopyright: AFP

The press regulator has upheld a complaint against the Daily Telegraph over a story about a leaked government memo involving First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The article contained details of a private meeting between Ms Sturgeon and the French ambassador, Sylvie Bermann.

It suggested that, before the general election, Ms Sturgeon wanted David Cameron to remain as prime minister.

The Independent Press Standards Organisation ruled against the paper.

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A website which allows users to rate their MPs as hot - or not - has become the most popular banned website in Parliament, a freedom of information request has shown. Founder Francis Boulle - of Made in Chelsea reality TV fame - says he was "kind of bored and it was a bit of a joke" when he created it. He says he has “no idea” why it's so popular in Parliament, saying “maybe people are motivated to pursue a career in politics perhaps from a vanity perspective”.

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Labour MP Jo Cox and Conservative Nusrat Ghani both say they haven't heard about the website - but are pleased not to have been on it. Not for long though, they're told, as Mr Boulle reveals that an updated version will be released tomorrow, which will include the 2015 intake of MPs.

"They do say that politics is showbiz for ugly people,” adds Ms Ghani.

Labour MP Jo Cox says the Conservatives are "putting cart before horse".

Quote Message: I'm massively in favour of attempts to end the scourge of low pay, but you can't cut tax credits for people who really need it before wages rise."

I'm massively in favour of attempts to end the scourge of low pay, but you can't cut tax credits for people who really need it before wages rise."

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Speaking about the anticipated welfare cuts to be announced in George Osborne's budget on Wednesday, Conservative MP for Wealden Nusrat Ghani says: "This is what people voted for. It's absolutely right that we cap welfare". She says it's unfair that working people are earning less than people on benefits. 

Gemma Tetlow, from the Institute of Fiscal Studies, says that after initially seeing tax measures up front that hit highest earners, now we're seeing "much more in terms of welfare cuts and public services, more likely to hit lowest earners".     

George Osborne is due to give his budget on Wednesday. What can we expect?

Sam Coates, journalist at the Times, says Tory MPs have been told to "brace for an eye-watering set of decisions".

Announcements are likely on welfare cuts and public sector cuts, he says.

He says Osborne wants to "get out as much bad news as possible" early on: "Maybe 100,000 public sector jobs, maybe £5-10bn out of tax credits."

BBCCopyright: BBC

BBCCopyright: BBC

Commenting on the Greek crisis, Jo Cox, a Labour MP, predicts that the eurozone project will "win the day". She says she understands the 'No' vote but thinks voters were offered "a false promise" by their prime minister, Alexis Tsipras.

New Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani says the situation in Greece is an "absolute tragedy" for the Greek people who, she says, have been let down by their politicians. They may be dancing in the street but there’s "more misery to come", she adds.

PACopyright: PA

We've heard a lot from George Osborne about the 'Northern Powerhouse', the devolution from Whitehall being led by Greater Manchester. Now a group of councils in the Midlands have come together to form their own version, which is being called the West Midlands Combined Authority. But as the Birmingham Post reports, there is disagreement over the name, with some, including city MP Gisela Stuart, calling for it to be called "Greater Birmingham" instead.

Full story here.

Tim Marshall adds that the current right-wing governments of Spain and Portugal will side with Germany - and that "the glue" of the EU project is the EU itself, not the euro.

But he says "the enemies are gathering" in the form of Euro-sceptic parties such as UKIP here and Podemos in Spain.

The New Statesman's Stephen Bush has been reflecting on the impact of the situation in Greece on David Cameron's ambition to renegotiation Britain's membership of the European Union. And he concludes: "Far from making David Cameron's prospects for a deal better, events in Greece show how poor the prospects for renegotiation are." Find out why he thinks that, here.

Quote Message:

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Journalist Tim Marshall, who was foreign affairs editor of Sky News until recently, says Greece will probably "stagger on" this week, but the situation is grim.

Quote Message: You saw people dancing in the fountains last night, but they made a desert and called it a victory, because there is nothing positive for Greece. In this game of poker, Greece has the weakest hand."

You saw people dancing in the fountains last night, but they made a desert and called it a victory, because there is nothing positive for Greece. In this game of poker, Greece has the weakest hand."

APCopyright: AP

So what is the Greek government's plan to save its banks and stay in the euro?

These are the elements, according to Georgios Stathakis, the economy minister, in an exclusive BBC interview.

First and foremost, the European Central Bank must keep Greek banks alive for a week to 10 days, so that rescue talks can progress between Athens and its creditors, eurozone governments and the International Monetary Fund. In a best case, he said, the ECB would provide an additional €3bn of Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) later today.

But even if the ECB simply continues to freeze ELA, Mr Stathakis said the current cash withdrawal and transfer restrictions on banks could stay in place until Friday, without any of them collapsing.

Read more from Robert.

PACopyright: PA

European and Asian stock markets and the euro have all fallen after Greece rejected the terms of an international bailout in Sunday's referendum.

The euro fell 0.4% against the dollar and 0.5% against the pound after the vote, which has heightened fears that Greece could exit from the eurozone.

Japan's Nikkei index fell more than 2%, while Paris' Cac 40 and Frankfurt's Dax dropped 1.4% and 1.6% respectively, a more muted reaction than forecast.

In London, the FTSE 100 slipped 0.9%.

More here

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

David Cameron has chaired a meeting of senior ministers and officials to assess the impact on the UK of Greece's "no" vote to its austerity package.

Bank of England governor Mark Carney and Chancellor George Osborne - who will address MPs later - were there.

Number 10 said contingency plans were already in place following the "decisive" referendum outcome.

The Greek people rejected the latest proposed international bailout by 61.3% to 38.7%.

More here.

AFPCopyright: AFP

Chancellor George Osborne will give "full details" about the situation in Greece in a Commons statement this afternoon.

Leaving a contingency meeting chaired by the prime minister this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "Obviously there are consequences but the chancellor will make a statement later on so you will get full details about it." 

Also departing from the meeting, Europe minister David Lidington said "detailed advice" had been published for British holiday makers "about taking extra cash with them and being prepared", saying "at the moment that's how things stand".

What does the Greek crisis mean for Britain, and David Cameron's EU renegotiation? 

People will have observed how the EU behaved over the last week - "bullying, threatening, lying" - but also that a small country can "stand up, have self belief and assert its democracy", says Mr Hannan. 

The UK would be able to live under its own laws if it left the EU, he adds.

David Cameron has embarked upon a renegotiation of Britain's terms of membership of the EU, with an in/out vote to be held by the end of 2017 at the latest.

Conservative eurosceptic MEP Daniel Hannan says there are "no easy outcomes" for Greece, but the "least bad" option is for it to leave the euro, devalue its currency, default and "start pricing its way back" in to the market. Shipping and tourism both stand to gain from this, he argues.

Reflecting on the No vote, Mr Hannan says things have been "so bad" for Greece and, until now, "there was no end in sight". Things will be "really tough" in the short term, he concedes, "but at least now there is the hope of eventual recovery".

AFPCopyright: AFP

There has been a large increase in the number of illegal immigrants detained or arrested by police at Dover.

Some 563 were held or arrested by Port of Dover police officers last year - up from 148 in 2013, a BBC Radio Kent Freedom of Information request shows.

The figures come days after dozens of migrants attempted to storm the Channel Tunnel's Calais terminal.

The Home Office said it was providing funding to bolster security and that many crossing attempts had been foiled.

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BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith, who has been stationed in Whitehall this morning, says the situation in Greece matters "big time" to Britain as almost two million Britons holiday in Greece every year, with questions over what happens if they can't access cash and get stranded. Not to mention the 40,000 Britons living in Greece, and the businesses who have contracts with Greek companies, he says, adding that advice is being offered to all.

Moreover, if the eurozone goes into a tailspin it may have "huge ramifications" for the British economy, which is why the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has been at the PM's meeting this morning.

AFPCopyright: AFP

Nigel Farage welcomes Greece's decision to vote ‘No’ yesterday's referendum despite the “scaremongering and bullying from those in Brussels” saying it would mean a Greek exit from the euro.

The UKIP leader cites one poll which suggested that 67% of Greeks under the age of 35 voted to reject the bailout deal, which he says shows “just how much the seismic plates are shifting within European politics”. 

Quote Message: With younger generations now turning against the EU project, we can see support for the EU's dream of a United States of Europe fading fast. An outdated European Union has been found out and rejected emphatically by young Greeks in the 21st century."

With younger generations now turning against the EU project, we can see support for the EU's dream of a United States of Europe fading fast. An outdated European Union has been found out and rejected emphatically by young Greeks in the 21st century."

Final decisions about changes to the health service in Wales could be taken out of the hands of politicians under new proposals by the Welsh government.

The public is being given a say on a range of ideas, including a merger of the health and social care watchdogs.

There would be a legal duty for NHS staff to be more open with patients, not just when things go wrong, and patients would be asked if they would be willing to share personal health data for medical research.

More here.

Met policeCopyright: Met police

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe says he "regrets" the fact that 24-year-old Azelle Rodney was killed by police - but stops short of apologising.

On Friday, a police marksman was cleared of murder 10 years after he shot dead Mr Rodney, a suspected armed robber in Mill Hill, north London, in April 2005.

Sir Bernard said the incident was "a terrible thing" for Mr Rodney's mother, Susan Alexander, and he would be meeting her.

"For her, she's lost a son, I regret that," he said.

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Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme earlier this morning, John Redwood, a former Conservative cabinet minister, said cutting the top rate of tax from 45p to 40p would encourage the wealthiest to pay more tax.

Quote Message: The way to get more money off the rich is to have tax rates they are prepared to pay. We have just seen a big surge of revenues when we cut the 50p rate to 45p and that's very encouraging. Of course, Gordon Brown knew the right answer, the right answer was a 40% rate."

The way to get more money off the rich is to have tax rates they are prepared to pay. We have just seen a big surge of revenues when we cut the 50p rate to 45p and that's very encouraging. Of course, Gordon Brown knew the right answer, the right answer was a 40% rate."

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Women are being worst hit by controversial welfare reforms brought in by the UK government, according to Scottish MSPs.

A report by Holyrood's Welfare Reform Committee said benefits cuts had a disproportionate impact on women.

The report made a number of recommendations to the UK and Scottish governments to mitigate the effects.

The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) said there were a record number of women in work in Scotland.

More here

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Boris Johnson says he thinks the top rate of income tax should be cut from 45p to 40p. But he says, in his Telegraph column, that before this could be done a "very serious problem" must first be addressed.

Quote Message: That problem is fairness, and how such a cut would be seen by the wider population."

That problem is fairness, and how such a cut would be seen by the wider population."

He says it would not be right to boost the pockets of the rich while simultaneously cutting in-work benefits for the less well off "without any compensating improvements in pay". The solution he suggests is this:

Quote Message: Yes we should be cutting taxes all round – cutting the top rate as well as lifting the thresholds and taking the poor out of tax. We should have the most competitive tax regime in Europe. But we need to make clear to the business leaders of this country that we can only cut tax for them at the top if they do the right thing: treat their workers properly and pay them a living wage."

Yes we should be cutting taxes all round – cutting the top rate as well as lifting the thresholds and taking the poor out of tax. We should have the most competitive tax regime in Europe. But we need to make clear to the business leaders of this country that we can only cut tax for them at the top if they do the right thing: treat their workers properly and pay them a living wage."

BBCCopyright: BBC

Britian's "top cop" says the UK "can't get much higher" in terms of terrorist threat. Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the issue had been aggravated by people returning from Syria "brutalised". 

Following last week's major counter-terrorism exercise in London, he said the police were preparing for different possible scenarios - "all frightening", including a "lone wolf" attack. 

He said parents regularly contacted the police with concerns their children were becoming radicalised, and urged more to do so.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has said Greeks made a "brave choice" in voting to reject the terms of an international bailout in Sunday's referendum.

Thousands celebrated in the streets after hearing the final result was 61.3% "No", against 38.7% "Yes".

But European officials warned that it could see the country ejected from the eurozone and the euro fell across the board in Asian markets on Monday.

Greece's finance minister, who often clashed with creditors, has resigned.

Here's the full story.

Doctors have raised fresh concerns about the level of support people with dementia and their carers get from the NHS and social services in the UK. And the Royal College of GPs says until the situation improves, doctors will have to weigh up whether there is any advantage in early diagnosis.

The college was responding to a survey of GPs for the Alzheimer's Society. The poll suggests some patients are forced to rely on family, friends and unpaid carers due to gaps in services.

Here's the full story.

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BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says that the prime minister, chancellor and Bank of England governor will shortly be meeting to put together some contingency measures for Britons who live in Greece - about 40,000, including about 6,000 pensioners.

Those who get their pensions paid into British banks will be OK, he says, but those with Greek accounts may have more difficulty in getting their money out due to the capital controls in place. The Treasury is advising pensioners on how to move their accounts into British ones, Norman adds. Meanwhile, holidaymakers are still advised to take cash with them if they are travelling to Greece this summer.

The government has pledged £30m to speed up finding adoptive parents for children in care in England. The money will be provided this year to local authorities to cover costs they incur finding parents beyond their geographical borders.

It currently takes 18 months on average for children entering care in England to move in with adoptive families.

Campaigners welcomed the money but warned some children have "complex issues", making adopters hard to find.

More here

ThinkstockCopyright: Thinkstock

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The opportunity for the London Olympics to inspire a generation of children to participate in sport has been squandered, Tessa Jowell has said.

The former Olympics minister, who is standing to be Labour's candidate for London mayor, blamed her "wicked and negligent successors" in government.

But Dame Tessa said the other key legacy pledge - the regeneration of east London - had been a success.

The government said 1.4 million more people were playing sport each week.

More here

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There was more discussion of the planned £12bn of welfare cuts yesterday. 

Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show, Chancellor George Osborne said he had identified how the government will make cuts promised in the Conservative election manifesto.

He will announce the bulk of the savings in his Budget on Wednesday, the BBC understands.

Those known so far include a reduction in the benefit cap and removing subsidies for social housing.

Mr Osborne is also expected to announce the BBC will have to meet the £650m cost of TV licences for over-75s.

More here

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of all things political today. There's sure to be lots of reaction to yesterday's events in Greece, after the country voted to reject the terms of an international bailout in a national referendum. Later today, David Cameron will chair a meeting on Greece - we'll bring you the latest lines when we get them.