Tributes have been paid to the former Labour MP Leo Abse who has died at the age of 91.

Official figures have shown that Britain's public finances improved slightly in July but were still weaker than a year ago.

Ministers have announced £2.25m of funding to increase the number of special constables to 20,000.

The Conservatives are attempting to define the autumn's political debate with George Osborne saying the party is now best placed to promote fairness.

Measures to tighten controls on the movements of paedophiles have been announced by home secretary Jacqui Smith.

A Conservative frontbencher has said it is "now impossible" for Labour to win the next general election but warned that "it's perfectly possible for us to lose it".

A Lords committee has called on the government to do more to encourage businesses to reduce the amount of waste they generate.

The London 2012 Olympic Games will not be getting any extra government cash, Tessa Jowell has said.

The government has launched a trial involving the use of facial recognition scanners at a UK airport.

A Conservative frontbencher has said Gordon Brown does not know what he wants to achieve and that the government is "rudderless".

The foreign secretary has called for Russia to fully implement its pledge to withdraw troops from Georgia and said the UK will play its "full part" in monitoring the ceasefire.

Gordon Brown has returned to Downing Street from his summer holiday with a poll finding that voters would overwhelmingly prefer to have David Cameron as prime minister.

Shadow chancellor George Osborne has launched a fresh attack on Labour saying that the UK was less "fair" after more than 10 years in government.

A Conservative frontbencher has said Gordon Brown does not know what he wants to achieve and that the government is "rudderless."

Gordon Brown is "back at the helm" after a three-week summer holiday marred by damaging speculation about his future as prime minister.

More than 55,000 people have been stopped and searched since the government launched a £2m crackdown on knife crime, the home secretary has announced.

Ministers are set to strip under-performing specialist schools of their status, and the funding that accompanies it, it has been reported.

Yvette Cooper has attacked David Cameron saying he uses "photo ops and warm words" to distract from his "risky and destructive ideological agenda".

David Cameron has said his aim in government would be to bring about a social revolution equivalent to the economic revolution under Margaret Thatcher.

Gordon Brown has been urged by one of his ministers to consider a new tax on top earners to help ordinary families through the economic downturn.