Govt Beats Tory Iraq Inquiry Motion

The Government has comfortably beaten a Tory motion to revise its proposals for the Iraq inquiry following a number of concessions.

Earlier, Gordon Brown's spokesman said the Prime Minister would be willing to give evidence to the inquiry in public.

Ahead of the Opposition Day debate, his spokesman said

Iranian Diplomats Expelled From UK

The UK has expelled two Iranian diplomats after Iran forced two British envoys to leave.

Gordon Brown told MPs: "Iran yesterday took the unjustified step of expelling two British diplomats over allegations which are absolutely without foundation.

"In response to that action, we informed the Iranian ambassador today that we would expel two Iranian diplomats from their embassy in London.

Ayatollah: 'UK Is Most Treacherous'

Iran's supreme leader has insisted there was no vote-rigging in a presidential election and attacked "enemies" - naming the UK government as the "most treacherous".

Anger after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected led to the biggest street demonstrations in the Islamic Republic's history.

Junior Minister Resigns From Govt

Junior Treasury minister Kitty Ussher has resigned from the Government, saying she did not want to "embarrass" Gordon Brown.

Her decision to step down follows allegations over her claims for parliamentary expenses.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Burnley MP said she had not abused the expenses system, but did not want to cause "any embarrassment" to him or his Government.

The Daily Telegraph reported last month that within months of being elected in 2005, Ms Ussher asked the Commons authorities to fund extensive refurbishment of her Victorian family home in South London, including the removal of a "bad taste" Artex ceiling.

Further revelations about Ms Ussher's expenses are expected to be published in Thursday's Daily Telegraph.

Ms Ussher was moved to the post of Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury just 12 days ago in Mr Brown's most recent reshuffle.

She had previously served in a more junior role at the Treasury before spending nine months at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Explaining her decision to quit, she said: "I arrived at this decision because I do not want to cause you or the Government any embarrassment.

"I did not do anything wrong. At all times, my actions have been in line with HM Revenue and Customs guidance and based on the advice of a reputable firm of accountants who in turn were recommended to me by the House of Commons Fees Office.

"Neither have I abused the allowance system of the House of Commons in any way."

She added: "I support your leadership and am 100% loyal to the Labour Party which is why I do not wish to cause you or the party any difficulties."

Ms Ussher, 38, who has two children aged under five, said she had come to the decision "some time ago" to leave Parliament at the next election for family reasons.

She said in today's letter: "The hours of Parliament simply don't work with the kids. There is no other reason for this decision."

Downing Street announced that Portsmouth North MP Sarah McCarthy-Fry was being moved to the Treasury to replace Ms Ussher.

MsMcCarthy-Fry has only been in her current job at the Department for Communities and Local Government for less than a fortnight.

She was given responsibility for local democracy and council finance in the recent reshuffle.

A No 10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister has accepted the resignation of Kitty Ussher.

"Sarah McCarthy-Fry has been appointed as her replacement. A successor to Ms McCarthy-Fry will be announced in due course."

Brown Slams NI Violence As Romanian Immigrants Flee Homes

Gordon Brown has condemned the racist attacks which forced more than 100 Romanian immigrants to flee their homes in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Frightened men, women and children, including a five-day-old baby girl, had to take refuge in a local church on Tuesday night after they were targeted by thugs.

Brown holds meeting 'next steps'

The cabinet is meeting for a three-hour session to discuss the "next steps" for public sector reform as Gordon Brown tries to regain the initiative.

The PM is seeking to put recent turmoil behind him as he focuses on how tighter finances might affect domestic policy.

Brown To Outline Westminster Reforms

Gordon Brown will seek to regain the political initiative today after a week of turmoil surrounding his leadership by addressing MPs on his plans to clean up Parliament.

The PM will update the House of Commons on progress towards the introduction of an independent regulator for Parliament in the wake of the MPs’ expenses scandal.


He will also look at the wider debates on reform of the House of Lords, and the modernisation of voting methods for Westminster elections.


The moves are designed to show Mr Brown has a forward-looking agenda, and came as Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Labour had “settled” its leadership question.


In an attempt to draw a line under the failed efforts to oust Mr Brown, Mr Miliband said that even the “leading contender” to replace the PM, Home Secretary Alan Johnson, was backing him “to the hilt”.


Mr Miliband said that when news came through of James Purnell’s resignation from the Cabinet on Thursday night, he immediately assured Business Secretary Lord Mandelson that he would not follow his exit.

James Purnell: Why I Had To Resign


However, he dodged the question of whether he “flirted” with the idea of resignation, saying only: “Flirtation is dangerous for married men, I’m not going to get into that.”


Mr Brown yesterday chaired the first meeting of the National Democratic Renewal Council, set up to develop policies for reform of Parliament.


Today’s statement will spell out the Government’s position on issues ranging from a new code of conduct for MPs to strengthening the role of parliamentary select committees in scrutinising the executive.


Mr Brown is likely to unveil legislation to end the system of parliamentary self-regulation and create a statutory independent parliamentary standards authority, so that MPs will no longer decide their own pay and expenses.


On electoral reform, Downing Street played down reports that Mr Brown will propose replacing the first-past-the-post system with an alternative system similar to that used in the London mayoral election, where voters number candidates in order of preference.


A political source at No 10 said the Prime Minister was expected to say only that discussions would form part of the wider debate on renewal of British democracy, but any changes would have to be subject to a referendum.


He is not expected to put his weight behind any particular voting method or make firm proposals for electoral reform at this stage.