Rolling coverage of all the days political developments as they happen, including Theresa May giving evidence to the intelligence and security committee and Nick Clegg hosting his Call Clegg phone-in
3.16pm BST
Glenis Willmott, the leader of Labours MEP, has issued this statement about the collapse of Ukips EFDD group in the European parliament.
While a massive blow to Nigel Farage, this news makes little difference for Britain. Ukips group may have given Nigel Farage a front-seat soapbox from which he could preen for the cameras, but it has never helped advance British interests. The EFDD comprised people with extreme views - and to resurrect his group, Mr Farage will probably have to turn to even more racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic allies.
3.09pm BST
The Local Government Association has said that it is disappointing that Labours plan to encourage house building do not include removing the cap on what local authorities can borrow to fund building. This is from Peter Box, a Labour councillor who chairs the LGAs environment, economy, housing and transport board.
We are pleased the Lyons Review recognises the central role councils need to be given in ending the housing crisis, but it is disappointing it has not recommended removing the housing borrowing cap, which is the single biggest obstacle to delivering the thousands of homes the country desperately needs.
The housing borrowing cap is fundamentally flawed and places unnecessary restrictions on the amount of money councils can invest in housing. Until this is removed councils will continue to be hampered in our efforts to provide the homes residents need.
2.22pm BST
The description of the haystack is a good one, because if youre searching for the needle in the haystack you have to have the haystack in the first place in order to look for that needle ...
Its hugely important, this ability to have a large amount of communications data. We can not emphasise enough that the collection of bulk data is not mass surveillance. Precisely because what happens is this targeted process, which means this is not about just some sort of mass look at everybodys data. Most of the data will not be looked at all, will not be touched.
If you cannot agree to this people will only conclude that your government has something to hide, that you cannot publicly defend your position in relation to disabled peoples entitlement to the minimum wage, and your inaction will haunt you.
Anyone who denies that the minimum wage is a barrier to employment for the less able is living in cloud cuckoo land.
The Lyons review is the first political review that actually looks at comprehensive policies rather than piecemeal sound bites. Better connecting infrastructure and housing is key and can help to get buy in from local communities for new developments.
We were told that the Lyons Review would be meaty, and it has certainly proved to be so. The sensible review is extremely comprehensive and pinpoints exactly where problems in the planning system are and comes up with thoughtful solutions. While some proposals, for example those surrounding use it or lose it, may be difficult to implement, on the whole the review shows a clear understanding of the major problems of the planning system, and how these impact on development in the UK.
What did feature was the foreign secretarys assessment the coalition air campaign has stabilised the strategic picture. I have to say, this seems to be a somewhat complacent assessment, given the air strikes initiated in recent weeks have so far failed to prevent Isil from conquering almost all of Anbar province, coming close to overrunning the Syrian town of Kobani. Indeed, it is reported Isil also drew to within 15 miles of Baghdads international airport only last weekend.
The backdrop to the authorisation granted by this parliament for UK air strikes in Iraq was the expectation that the Iraqi military and the Kurds would provide resistance on the ground, while the US have directed significant resources to supporting he Free Syrian Army within Syria - yet only one of these forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga, have so far resisted Isil effectively.
1.44pm BST
Heres the full quote David Cameron gave in Rochester this morning when he was talking about taking further action to restrict migration from the EU.
That full Cameron quote on immigration. Does he mean an emergency brake? An Australian points system? Something else? pic.twitter.com/4YhViGeuvl
1.36pm BST
And here is some more reaction to the reports that the Conservatives are planning to demand the right to impose controls on EU migrants coming to the UK.
From Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Business for Britain, a Eurosceptic group campaigning for EU reform
The PM has to secure changes to freedom of movement as he knows otherwise the public will simply vote Out come what may in an EU referendum.
David Cameron needs to be careful not to talk up what he can achieve on EU migration in Europe, not least since Ukip can always move the goalposts.
An emergency brake on numbers will be very hard and risky but may just be possible to achieve if thats the only thing Cameron goes for, given that there are precedents for other areas in the EU treaties.
1.33pm BST
Heres Steven Woolfe, Ukips migration spokesman, commenting on the reports (see 8.59am and 1.13pm) that David Cameron is going to demand the right to impose controls on EU migrants coming to the UK.
This is hot air from a cold, hard, calculating politician whose interests are saving his own skin and not the jobs of the British people. The prime minister is running scared of Ukip and the voters who have called for total control of our borders from Europe. With this latest PR trick he is seeking to pull the wool over our eyes for he knows in advance that the EU will never restrict free movement of European migrants.
1.13pm BST
David Cameron has said he is going to have one last go at negotiation a better deal for Britain in the EU.
We should have one last go at negotiating a better deal.
We need further action to make sure we have more effective control of migration. ... I think we need to be clear that the immigration system hasnt been working properly. Greater control is required, but fairness should be at the heart of it.
People recognise that Britain is an open, tolerant country, but immigration in recent years has been too high.
1.01pm BST
The Labour partys Lyons review into housing, which was previewed in the Guardian this morning, has now been published.
The Lyons Housing Report is the most radical and comprehensive plan to tackle the #HousingCrisis in a generation http://t.co/Ebtdm1NRGq
12.50pm BST
Lord Ashcroft has published some fresh polling today from 11 marginal constituencies. They are all Conservative seats, with Labour in second place. The results suggest that Labour is on course to become the largest party at polling day.
But the figures do not necessarily point to Ed Miliband gaining a majority.
Where does this leave our wider analysis of the general election battleground? Let us return to the equation I explained in my presentation at the Conservative conference last month.
The calculation revolves around the Magic Number, which is the difference between the number of Conservative seats in the House of Commons and the number of Labour seats. Today, the Tories have 303 Members of Parliament, and Labour have 257: the Magic Number is 46. (This could of course change again after next months by-election in Rochester & Strood, and again after any further by-elections or defections).
12.18pm BST
The Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group in the European parliament, set up by Ukip and other Eurosceptics parties after the European elections, has collapsed.
This is from Jaume Duch, the European parliaments spokesman.
Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule left #EFDD group today. #EFDD no longer has members from at least 7 countries, so declared dissolved today. #EP
Le groupe europhobe Europe de la Liberté et de la Démocratie directe formé au Parlement européen et dirigé par le Britannique Nigel Farage a été dissous après la défection de son élue lettone Iveta Grigule, a annoncé le Parlement européen.
12.04pm BST
Here are some of the key points from the hearing.
(Because I missed quite a lot of it when the video feed went down, this is not a very comprehensive summary. Ill post more later.)
11.59am BST
The Daily Mirrors Jack Blanchard is not impressed by what he heard during the hearing.
Not entirely sure either the Home Secretary or the members of the ISC really understand very much about the Internet. Which is worrying
Listening to these very important politicians talk incoherently about "the cloud" is like listening to my Dad talking about "the interweb"
11.32am BST
Labours Fiona MacTaggart goes next.
Q: Do you feel informed about what the intelligence agencies are doing?
11.29am BST
George Howarth takes over again.
Q: Nick Clegg and Yvette Cooper both said the two intelligence commissioners should be replaced by a single figure. Do you agree?
11.27am BST
Labours Hazel Blears goes next.
Q: But it is judges who authorise search warrants. Whats the difference?
11.26am BST
Labours George Howarth goes next.
Q: You have already said you think it should be ministers who authorise warrants. Some people say these decisions should be taken by judges, or by a technical panel. Why do you think ministers should take on this task?
11.23am BST
Sir Menzies Campbell goes next.
Q: Do you see a distinction between post and emails?
11.20am BST
Michael Ancram (Lord Lothian) goes next.
Q: Isnt the cloud based in the US?
11.17am BST
Lord Butler, the former cabinet secretary, is asking questions now.
Q: Do you accept that human rights apply to foreigners, not just people in the UK?
11.16am BST
Q: If a communication is sent from someone in the UK, to someone in the UK, the fact that it might be routed through somewhere else in the world does not mean that it counts as an external communication in terms of the surveillance rules.
May says that is right.
11.14am BST
Mark Field, a Conservative, goes next.
Q: Can we arbitrage? Do we go abroad to take advantage of laxer surveillance regimes?
11.13am BST
Sir Menzies Campbell is asking questions now.
Q: Am I right in thinking you see a difference between investigations in the UK and investigations abroad, in terms of the surveillance regime?
11.10am BST
Im sorry what weve missed. Ill catch up later. But Im in the committee now, and online.
Q: Should looking at data require the same level of authorisation as looking at content?
10.56am BST
My colleague Alan Travis has been tweeting from the hearing.
Theresa May says that she has to spend a 'significant' part of her day signing intercept and surveillance warrants
Theresa May defends bulk collection of everyone's personal data by GCHQ: "We have to have a haystack to be able to find the needle we need."
Theresa May strongly resisting pressure from ISC to release stats showing how often bulk data mining leads to target being identified
Theresa May: "This country is not subject to mass surveillance. There is a lot written about this that is not accurate."
Theresa May is asked how many requests for surveillance from security services she actually turns down. "The number is very very small."
Theresa May: We will issue a new code of practice to police re. spying on journalists' sources
Theresa May: "Collecting bulk data is not in itself an invasion of privacy."
May says bulk data collection an "important part" of fighting terror. But refuses point blank to give stats on no. of cases solved this way
10.41am BST
Im watching the hearing on the parliamentary website, but were having problems with the video feed.
10.40am BST
May says she does question surveillance warrants.
She gives a significant amount of time each day to these matters, she says.
10.38am BST
Hazel Blears go next.
Q: What would you say to people who say we are constantly under surveillance?
10.35am BST
The hearing is starting now.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the chairman, says this is the committees seventh public hearing.
10.28am BST
Theresa May, the home secretary, is about to start giving evidence to the intelligence and security committee.
The committee is holding an inquiry into privacy and security, largely prompted by the Edward Snowden revelations about internet surveillance published by the Guardian, and it has been taken evidence in public this week.
Legislation is to be introduced shortly setting up a privacy and civil liberties board within government to counterbalance the strong security interests in Whitehall, the deputy prime minister has said.
Nick Clegg said the details of the civil liberties board were being worked on but it would be modelled on its equivalent American body, which scrutinises policy initiatives at an early stage for their potential impact on privacy and civil liberties.
10.10am BST
Here are the key points from Nick Cleggs phone-in.
I think what was so offensive to people about the remarks recorded at the Conservative party conference that Lord Freud made was when he used this word worth and he said some people with disabilities werent worth the minimum wage. I think that is what has, quite rightly, touched a raw nerve because its making a comment about someones individual value. I think that was just so offensive to people.
The Conservatives have got to ask themselves a really fundamental question: are they going to constantly run after Ukip, which I dont think is going to impress anybody. It only has one destination, by the way, they become interchangeable with Ukip, which is what Boris Johnson seemed to imply last week [in his Marr interview]. Why doesnt the Conservative party leadership just come clean and say what they really want is to leave the European Union altogether ... This constant shilly-shallying, where every week they edge a little bit closer to Ukip, I think is a disastrous political strategy.
9.48am BST
The crime figures are out.
Overall, crime is down according to the crime survey (which measures peoples experience of crime), but the overall figures for crimes recorded by the police are unchanged.
Rape in England and Wales has surged to a record level, according to police figures.
The number of rapes recorded by the police increased 29% to 22,116 incidents in the year to June, the highest level recorded, the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
9.43am BST
Q: Ive heard you have not quit smoking. Do you smoke in parks?
Clegg says he does not smoke in parks. But he agrees with Boris Johnson that the proposal to ban it in London parks is a bad idea.
9.36am BST
Q: Will you support Theresa May in her plans to impose a limit on the amount of time people can be kept on police bail?
Yes, says Clegg. He has called for this in the past.
9.35am BST
Q: If Anne Robinson can have 15 contestants on the Weakest Link, why cant the broadcasters have all the parties in their proposes TV leaders debates?
Clegg says he enjoyed the debates last time.
9.31am BST
Q: Why are so many childminders leaving the profession? There is a ridiculous amount of paperwork now.
Clegg invites the caller to give him more details about the extra paperwork she is talking about.
9.29am BST
Q: What should be done about the people issuing death threats on Twitter to Judy Finnigans daughter Chloe in relation to Finnigans comments about the Evans case?
Clegg says this is just awful. There are already laws that allow these people to prosecuted, he says.
9.27am BST
Q: Should the Sheffield United footballer Ched Evans be allowed to play for the team again when he comes out of jail after his sentence for rape?
Clegg says that is for the football club to decide.
9.24am BST
Q: Will you support the prime minister when he makes immigration a red line in his talks with Europe?
Clegg says the Tories are in a blind panic. These ideas (ie, the proposals in the Times today - see 8.59am) have not been floated in government, he says.
9.21am BST
Q: Is there anything you can learn from Ukip?
Clegg says Ukip has one MP. The Lib Dems have 55.
If Ukip came into power, it would be an absolute disaster for this country.
9.17am BST
Q: If Ebola is so dangerous, shouldnt we stop planes coming to the UK?
Clegg says the government acts on medical advice. There is screening for some passengers. There are no direct flights from west Africa. But it would not be practical to stop all flights to the UK.
9.14am BST
Nick Ferrari picks up on this.
Q: If someone wants to work for £2 an hour, why shouldnt they? We had a call this morning from someone whose son used to work for £1 an hour. When the minimum wage came in that was scrapped, and now he just watches TV all day.
9.11am BST
Nick Clegg is hosting his LBC phone-in.
The first caller brings up Lord Freuds comments yesterday.
8.59am BST
Theres plenty around today. Theresa May, the home secretary, will be giving evidence to the intelligence and security committee as part of its inquiry into privacy and security (pfd). Theres Call Clegg, as usual on a Thursday. And there may be considerable interest in a story in the Times and the Sun saying David Cameron is on the verge of demanding the right to curb EU migration. Heres an extract from the Times story (paywall).
David Cameron is considering demanding that Britain be given an emergency brake on the number of European jobseekers after promising MPs a game-changing new immigration policy.
The prime minister has so far said only that he wants to curb benefit tourism and extend blocks on migrants from newly joined EU countries. Under increasing pressure from Ukips poll surge, however, Downing Street is now drawing up more radical options ...
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