Key points
- Government under fire over airport decision
- Analysis:An element of class war to attacks on airport expansion
- PM touts green credentials on visit to Wales
- Pay talks with rail union end with no sign of outcome
- Starmer holds call with Netanyahu amid hopes of ceasefire
- Listen:Can police and courts cope with prison overcrowding?
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Government defends decision to approve London City Airport expansion
London City Airport has been given permission to get a lot busier.
The travel hub by the Thames has been granted a more than 30% increase in annual capacity, going from 6.5m passengers to nine million.
It'll also be able to fly three extra flights in the morning during the week.
Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Transport Secretary Louise Haigh signed off on the expansion - and critics are questioning their green credentials, given it comes as Sir Keir Starmer touts the government's commitment to clean energy while on a trip to Wales.
'Worrying precedent'
Zack Polanski, deputy leader of the Green Party, said the move "flies in the face of action to cut emissions".
Greenpeace said it would "undermine the UK's climate leadership" and only benefit "wealthy frequent flyers", with the environment costs dumped upon "some of London's poorest neighbourhoods".
The Green Alliance described it as a "disappointing decision" that set a "worrying precedent" for planning applications at Luton and Gatwick, which also want to expand, while climate charity Possible said it went against the advice of the government's own scientific advisers.
Government claims it will keep to climate targets
A government spokesperson said they are "committed to securing the long-term future of the aviation sector", while also "protecting our climate obligations".
The airport's application had previously been knocked back by the local Newham Council, which is run by Labour.
The government has maintained the council's ban on Saturday afternoon flights.
And it's goodnight from us
We're bringing the Politics Hub in for landing after a day dominated by fallout from the government's decision to approve an expansion at London City Airport.
The move has been criticised by climate campaigners on a day the prime minister spent touting his green ambitions on a trip to Wales.
From planes to trains (no automobiles today, sorry), and talks between the transport department and the RMT union on a pay deal for rail workers ended without any news on a possible outcome.
The union is hoping to join Aslef (which represents train drivers, RMT represents other rail workers) in securing a pay rise.
And we also got news of a call between Sir Keir Starmer and Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
The two men spoke about the prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza.
That's all from us today, but we'll be taking off again tomorrow morning.
Join us for the latest political news and analysis, and no more plane puns.
Why has the government approved the London City Airport expansion?
The timing of today's news about London City Airport does somewhat clash with the prime minister's visit to Wales to admire the kind of clean energy projects he says his government will prioritise.
An expansion of flights at the travel hub on the Thames, green campaign groups argue, undermines efforts on renewable energy and eventually reaching net zero.
So why has the Labour government gone ahead and approved the airport's application, which had previously been opposed by Labour-run Newham Council?
Our chief political correspondent Jon Craig notes the airport is rather popular with politicians "because it's not that far from Westminster".
You can do it using a DLR-Tube combo in well under an hour, and if the traffic's not bad a taxi ride may only take 25 minutes.
It's an attractive route for politicians coming down from Scotland, or - back when the UK was in the EU - flying back from Brussels.
"I recall flying back from Edinburgh with Nicola Sturgeon going back a few years," says Jon.
That may well partly explain why the government "has looked favourably" upon the expansion plan - and business leaders are of course happy with it too, which plays into Labour's economic growth agenda.
Tories offer free conference tickets to former MPs who lost seats
Annual conferences are a major source of fundraising for the UK's political parties, but the Tories will be swallowing the cost of tickets for former MPs who were defeated at the election last month.
Rishi Sunak guided the Conservative Party to a catastrophic defeat, ending up with just 119 seats in parliament.
The party had 365 after the 2019 election.
A spokesman said the party was happy to offer free tickets to those who were booted out by voters, which included ex-cabinet ministers like Penny Mordaunt and Grant Shapps.
Defeated MPs will 'help us rebuild'
"We are committed to drawing on the expertise and talent in our party in helping us rebuild – and that includes our former MPs," they said.
The conference will be in Birmingham from 29 September to 2 October, and tickets for party members are currently going for £242.
It will be a key moment in the leadership contest to replace Mr Sunak, with candidates vying to impress the membership.
They are James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel, Kemi Badenoch, Mel Stride, and Tom Tugendhat.
Pensioners urged to check if they can still receive winter fuel payment
Ahead of the Labour government stripping away winter fuel payments from around 10 million pensioners, ministers have launched a campaign urging those still eligible not to miss out.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled plans last month to introduce means testing for the winter fuel payment, which was previously open to everyone above state pension age.
Those who are still eligible could receive up to £300.
The last date to apply is 21 December - that's the deadline for applying for backdated pension credit, the means testing that now determines whether someone's eligible for the winter fuel payment.
There are concerns people who are close to the poverty line could be pushed into destitution if they miss out.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall acknowledged the decision on winter fuel payments was "difficult" but said she is "determined to ensure low-income pensioners are supported".
Starmer holds talks with Netanyahu amid hopes of Gaza ceasefire
Downing Street has revealed the prime minister spoke to his Israeli counterpart this afternoon.
Sir Keir Starmer and Benjamin Netanyahu are said to have "discussed diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages".
Hopes of a deal that would stop the fighting between Israel and Hamas have grown since last week, after a deal brokered by the US, Egypt, and Qatar gained the backing of Mr Netanyahu.
Hamas, however, have so far poured cold water on the proposal.
De-escalation in 'everyone's interests'
Downing Street said Sir Keir "welcomed Israel's support" for the proposed deal and "emphasised the need to move quickly".
The two leaders agreed regional de-escalation, amid fears of a possible Iranian attack against Israel, is in "everyone's interests".
Sir Keir also urged his opposite number to allow for more aid to be delivered into Gaza, and "ensure international law was upheld" in the military campaign there, but reiterated the UK's "steadfast support" for Israel's right to self-defence.
The call had begun with Sir Keir "expressing his sincere condolences" over the deaths of six Israeli hostages recovered in Gaza today, including British national Nadav Popplewell.
It's time for your evening bulletin, a snackable dose of political news, perfectly consumed while you sit on the train home, wait for your bus, or dare we say it…. chill in an airport departure lounge.
Allow us to explain...
- Sir Keir Starmer's government is under fire from climate groups after ministers approved an expansion at London City Airport;
- The airport's application had been knocked back by the local Labour-run Newham Council, but - while Saturday afternoon flights remain banned - it will now be able to work towards increasing its annual passenger capacity and putting on more flights in the morning;
- The Green Party and Greenpeace are among the critics, with the former saying the move "flies in the face of action to cut emissions";
- Our chief political correspondent Jon Craig said it was a "controversial move", especially given the PM has been in Wales today touting his plan to embrace clean energy.
- The transport department's talks with the RMT rail union ended today without any sign of a pay deal;
- Union boss Mick Lynch is seeking the same offer that was offered to train drivers with the Aslef union last week - this new one would be for other railway workers.
- Elsewhere, the Scottish health secretary has said a rise in drug deaths is "hugely concerning";
- And Labour MP Clive Lewis has avoided disciplinary action over a tweet he sent about Israel's military action in Gaza.
That's all for now - have a safe journey home if you're on the move.
Another 206 migrants cross Channel
The Home Office has said small boat crossings are "undermining border security and putting lives at risk".
Its statement comes after the department's latest figures showed 206 migrants crossed the Channel yesterday, spread across just three boats.
It takes the total for the year so far to 19,294 - a 10% increase on the same period in 2024.
The Home Office's main policy when it comes to stopping crossings is launching its so-called Border Security Command, which will work with European partners to target the gangs behind the crossings.
It is still in the process of recruiting someone to lead the initiative, which will have "new counter-terror-style powers and hundreds of personnel stationed in the UK and overseas".
No action taken against Labour MP after complaint over social media post
By Alexandra Rogers, political reporter
No action will be taken by Labour against an MP who was the subject of a complaint from antisemitism campaigners, Sky News understands.
Labour Against Antisemitism submitted a formal complaintabout a post written by Clive Lewis, the Labour MP for Norwich South, which they argued blamed Jews for theriots that took place across UK towns and cities at the end of July and into the beginning of this month.
In the post on X on 10 August, Mr Lewis replied to an article in The Guardian which reported the number of dead following an Israeliattack on a Gaza shelter and wrote: "The link between the daily inhumanity being meted out to Palestinians and rising Islamophobia in the UK, are not unconnected.
"The inhumanity being shown to one is giving 'permission' for the other.
"These actions diminish us all."
Scottish government under pressure over 'hugely concerning' rise in drug deaths
Scotland's health secretary has said the number of drug-related deaths there remains "hugely concerning".
The country's record is the worst in Europe, with new figures showing 1,172 people died due to drugs last year - up by 121.
Neil Gray said the SNP government was "taking a wide range of actions", including opening drug-checking facilities, piloting a facility for "safer drug consumption", and improving access to rehab.
But he acknowledged the rise was "unwelcome" and said the administration would "intensify" its efforts to improve things.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross branded the figures "shocking and shameful", while Labour's Scottish health spokesperson said the SNP had "failed to live up to its promises" to tackle the issue.
Read more on this story from our Scotland reporter Jenness Mitchell:
An element of class war to attacks on government's controversial airport decision
Our lead story in the Politics Hub today is the government approving plans for London City Airport to expand.
The transport hub on the Thames, not far from Canary Wharf, has been given permission to increase its annual capacity from 6.5 million to nine million over the next seven years.
While a ban on Saturday afternoon flights has been upheld, the capacity increase has not gone down well with green campaigners - especially as it comes after the airport's application was initially knocked back by the local council, Labour-run Newham.
Our chief political correspondent Jon Craig says it's a "controversial move" from the government, especially given the prime minister is in Wales today talking up his green energy plans.
"Environmentalists have reacted angrily to this decision and are claiming the government has gone against advice from official bodies such as the Climate Change Committee," says Jon.
"But there's also an element of the class war here - green groups are hitting out at the fact London City Airport is one of the main centres for private jets."
They've pointed out it's people living in poorer neighbourhoods near the airport who will suffer from air and noise pollution, and that many of the European cities served by the airport can be reached by train.
The government of course rejects such criticisms, but it seems the prime minister's finding out it might not be easy being green.
