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| Commons to pay tribute to Charles Kennedy - politics live | Commons to pay tribute to Charles Kennedy - politics live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Andy Couslon has made a brief statement following his acquittal for perjury. | |
| He said “after four pretty testing years my family and I have had a good day”. He also described his prosecution as a “gross waste of public money”. He refused to take questions from reporters outside the high court in Edinburgh. | |
| Ken Macintosh has formally launched his bid to become leader of Scottish Labour with call for the party to stop defining itself by its opposition to the SNP and the Tories. PA reports: | |
| The Eastwood MSP, who also stood to be party leader in 2011, will compete with Kezia Dugdale for the job. | |
| Jim Murphy is stepping down as party leader later this month after Scottish Labour lost all but one of its MPs north of the border to the SNP. He survived a motion of no confidence but announced he will step down after tabling a report on how the party should move forward. | |
| Last month, Macintosh said his supporters were being “bullied and intimidated by the party machine” in an attempt to close down a leadership contest but with enough official support he is now formally launching his campaign. | |
| He has called for a major shake-up of the way the party elects its leaders and wants a move from the current electoral college system to one member one vote, and he also favours introducing open primaries, where leadership candidates could be questioned by registered supporters of the party rather than just paid-up members. | |
| He said he will be a “reformist” leader and called on party members and affiliated organisations to support his proposals to change the rules of electing a new leader. | |
| Macintosh launched his candidacy after meeting students at Glasgow University today. | |
| He said: “Our fightback will not be successful unless we stop defining ourselves and our party by our opponents. We need to take a fundamentally different approach to our politics. | |
| “I do not want to ask people to vote Labour to block the Tories in London or to stop the SNP in Edinburgh; I want them to want to vote Labour because we have the ideas, the vision and the values to deliver a better future for Scotland. | |
| “I have been in the Labour Party all my adult life, but I only stood for election because I believe in the Scottish Parliament. Devolution offers a new way of doing politics in Scotland, less tribal and confrontational, more collaborative, more about sharing power with civic Scotland, with the voluntary sector, with businesses, with the people of Scotland. | |
| “That is why I am standing to be Leader of Scotland’s Labour Party. It is time we focus on Scotland’s future, not Labour’s past.” | |
| Macintosh set out his proposals for the leadership election in a letter to Murphy, Scottish Labour Party chair Jamie Glackin and general secretary Brian Roy. | |
| They include reducing party joining fees during the leadership contest, in a bid to attract more members, and holding the leadership contest quickly. | |
| More on the Andy Coulson decision from Severin Carrell and Lisa O’Carroll: | More on the Andy Coulson decision from Severin Carrell and Lisa O’Carroll: |
| Lord Burns told Coulson at the high court in Edinburgh he had been formally acquitted of lying under oath about his knowledge of phone hacking at the News of the World while he was the paper’s editor. | Lord Burns told Coulson at the high court in Edinburgh he had been formally acquitted of lying under oath about his knowledge of phone hacking at the News of the World while he was the paper’s editor. |
| The judge’s dramatic decision came following five days of legal debate and deliberations after Coulson’s defence advocate, Murdo MacLeod QC, successfully argued that Scottish prosecutors had misunderstood the Scottish law on perjury. | The judge’s dramatic decision came following five days of legal debate and deliberations after Coulson’s defence advocate, Murdo MacLeod QC, successfully argued that Scottish prosecutors had misunderstood the Scottish law on perjury. |
| Burns had delivered his ruling on Monday morning with the jury absent from court but then agreed to a Crown request for time to consider an appeal. He told Coulson, 47, from Preston in Kent, on Monday that, pending the appeal: “I must suspend the acquittal that I have just given.” | Burns had delivered his ruling on Monday morning with the jury absent from court but then agreed to a Crown request for time to consider an appeal. He told Coulson, 47, from Preston in Kent, on Monday that, pending the appeal: “I must suspend the acquittal that I have just given.” |
| Despite earlier suggestions the prosecution was planning to lodge an urgent appeal on Wednesday, the Crown Office decided late on Tuesday not to contest Burns’s decision. | Despite earlier suggestions the prosecution was planning to lodge an urgent appeal on Wednesday, the Crown Office decided late on Tuesday not to contest Burns’s decision. |
| Breaking: Andy Coulson, David Cameron’s former head of communications, has been cleared of lying in court after a Scottish judge threw out charges of alleged perjury. | Breaking: Andy Coulson, David Cameron’s former head of communications, has been cleared of lying in court after a Scottish judge threw out charges of alleged perjury. |
| The education secretary, Nicky Morgan, has vowed to “sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes” obstructing the takeover of as many as 1,000 struggling local authority schools in England and their rapid conversion into academies, writes Richard Adams and Frances Perraudin. | The education secretary, Nicky Morgan, has vowed to “sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes” obstructing the takeover of as many as 1,000 struggling local authority schools in England and their rapid conversion into academies, writes Richard Adams and Frances Perraudin. |
| The education bill published on Wednesday details how council-maintained schools rated as inadequate by Ofsted will have their legal options curtailed or removed, enabling the Department for Education (DfE) to more quickly replace their management and impose sponsors. | The education bill published on Wednesday details how council-maintained schools rated as inadequate by Ofsted will have their legal options curtailed or removed, enabling the Department for Education (DfE) to more quickly replace their management and impose sponsors. |
| But the government has held back on its policy announced during the general election campaign to parachute new leadership into “coasting” schools, with the bill proposing plans to be subject to consultation over the summer. | But the government has held back on its policy announced during the general election campaign to parachute new leadership into “coasting” schools, with the bill proposing plans to be subject to consultation over the summer. |
| Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham says he won’t accept a proposed 10% pay rise for MPs. | Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham says he won’t accept a proposed 10% pay rise for MPs. |
| I have always been clear that 10% pay rise for MPs cannot be justified. I won't accept it. Will turn down at source or give to local groups. | I have always been clear that 10% pay rise for MPs cannot be justified. I won't accept it. Will turn down at source or give to local groups. |
| The stance has been backed by Labour’s Stella Creasy, who is standing for deputy leader. | The stance has been backed by Labour’s Stella Creasy, who is standing for deputy leader. |
| MP pay rise unjustifiable - if it goes through will let my Walthamstow residents panel decide how to spend it on our local area ! | MP pay rise unjustifiable - if it goes through will let my Walthamstow residents panel decide how to spend it on our local area ! |
| Such Labour positioning suggests a possible line of attack at the first PMQs of the new parliament will be to try to exploit David Cameron’s shifting stance on MPs pay. | Such Labour positioning suggests a possible line of attack at the first PMQs of the new parliament will be to try to exploit David Cameron’s shifting stance on MPs pay. |
| On Tuesday officials said it was expected the 10% pay rise, recommended by Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, would go ahead at the end of this month despite a public sector pay freeze and deep cuts to government departments. | On Tuesday officials said it was expected the 10% pay rise, recommended by Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, would go ahead at the end of this month despite a public sector pay freeze and deep cuts to government departments. |
| David Cameron appeared to back away from previous suggestions that he would block the change. | David Cameron appeared to back away from previous suggestions that he would block the change. |
| “The prime minister has been absolutely clear that he does not agree with the proposed increases but ultimately it is up to Ipsa – the independent body – to make [its] determination,” the prime minister’s spokeswoman said. | “The prime minister has been absolutely clear that he does not agree with the proposed increases but ultimately it is up to Ipsa – the independent body – to make [its] determination,” the prime minister’s spokeswoman said. |
| Before the election, Cameron appeared to threaten to disband Ipsa if it went ahead with the recommended pay rise. | Before the election, Cameron appeared to threaten to disband Ipsa if it went ahead with the recommended pay rise. |
| In December 2013, he told the Commons: “Ipsa do need to think again and, unless they do so, I don’t think anyone will want to rule anything out.” | In December 2013, he told the Commons: “Ipsa do need to think again and, unless they do so, I don’t think anyone will want to rule anything out.” |
| An online poll of Mirror readers shows overwhelming opposition to the proposed pay rise. | An online poll of Mirror readers shows overwhelming opposition to the proposed pay rise. |
| Also on the agenda today is Grant Shapps’ debut facing international development questions since he was demoted in the post election reshuffle. | Also on the agenda today is Grant Shapps’ debut facing international development questions since he was demoted in the post election reshuffle. |
| First PMQs of the new Parl will follow @grantshapps' first IntDev Qs today from 12pm. Tributes to the Rt. Hon. Charles Kennedy afterwards | First PMQs of the new Parl will follow @grantshapps' first IntDev Qs today from 12pm. Tributes to the Rt. Hon. Charles Kennedy afterwards |
| Shapps was has sacked as Tory party chairman after a series of embarrassing revelations about his alleged attempts to mould his image on social media. | Shapps was has sacked as Tory party chairman after a series of embarrassing revelations about his alleged attempts to mould his image on social media. |
| David Cameron appointed him to the lesser role of minister of state at the Department for International Development. | David Cameron appointed him to the lesser role of minister of state at the Department for International Development. |
| Steve Bell’s cartoon tribute to Charles Kennedy has been greeted with much approval including from the writer Bonnie Greer, Independent editor Amol Rajan, and the New Statesman’s George Eaton. | Steve Bell’s cartoon tribute to Charles Kennedy has been greeted with much approval including from the writer Bonnie Greer, Independent editor Amol Rajan, and the New Statesman’s George Eaton. |
| The @guardian 's Steve Bell can draw poignantly, too. Pictures always speak louder than words. #CharlesKennedy pic.twitter.com/lNrCh60cJX | The @guardian 's Steve Bell can draw poignantly, too. Pictures always speak louder than words. #CharlesKennedy pic.twitter.com/lNrCh60cJX |
| Good morning, Matthew Weaver here, standing in for Andrew Sparrow. | Good morning, Matthew Weaver here, standing in for Andrew Sparrow. |
| MPs from across the political divide will pay tribute to Charles Kennedy today in the House of Commons following his shock death. | MPs from across the political divide will pay tribute to Charles Kennedy today in the House of Commons following his shock death. |
| Westminster was left in disbelief yesterday as it emerged the former Liberal Democrat leader had died suddenly on Monday at his home in the Highlands. | Westminster was left in disbelief yesterday as it emerged the former Liberal Democrat leader had died suddenly on Monday at his home in the Highlands. |
| Commons Speaker John Bercow said he was a “principled, progressive and passionate” man as he announced plans to set aside time immediately after prime minister’s questions to commemorate the well-liked politician. | Commons Speaker John Bercow said he was a “principled, progressive and passionate” man as he announced plans to set aside time immediately after prime minister’s questions to commemorate the well-liked politician. |
| Bercow said the occasion would mean “people can say what they think and feel and remember about our departed colleague, Charles Kennedy”. | Bercow said the occasion would mean “people can say what they think and feel and remember about our departed colleague, Charles Kennedy”. |
| Here’s the Guardian view on Charles Kennedy’s legacy. | Here’s the Guardian view on Charles Kennedy’s legacy. |
| David Cameron will engage in his first weekly sparring match with the opposition leader since leading the Conservatives to victory in May’s general election. Today he will of course be facing interim Labour leader Harriet Harman. Perhaps Kennedy’s death may bring a more respectful tone to proceedings but as we know tempers can flare from the dispatch box. | David Cameron will engage in his first weekly sparring match with the opposition leader since leading the Conservatives to victory in May’s general election. Today he will of course be facing interim Labour leader Harriet Harman. Perhaps Kennedy’s death may bring a more respectful tone to proceedings but as we know tempers can flare from the dispatch box. |
| Elsewhere, there will likely be some political reaction to the latest developments with Fifa after the football organisation’s president Sepp Blatter announced plans to step down shortly before reports emerged claiming he is subject to FBI and US prosecutors’ investigations into federal corruption. | Elsewhere, there will likely be some political reaction to the latest developments with Fifa after the football organisation’s president Sepp Blatter announced plans to step down shortly before reports emerged claiming he is subject to FBI and US prosecutors’ investigations into federal corruption. |
| Also Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, has vowed to “sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes” obstructing the takeover of as many as 1,000 struggling local authority schools in England and their rapid conversion into academies with a new education bill. | Also Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, has vowed to “sweep away bureaucratic and legal loopholes” obstructing the takeover of as many as 1,000 struggling local authority schools in England and their rapid conversion into academies with a new education bill. |
| Please comment below the line and do feel free to tweet me - @matthew_weaver. | Please comment below the line and do feel free to tweet me - @matthew_weaver. |