I am best for new EU job - Ashton
Labour peer Baroness Ashton - the surprise choice as EU foreign minister - rejects claims she lacks experience for the role.

Tories ponder Army's German role
UK troop levels in Germany could be scaled back if the Tories win power, the shadow defence secretary has said.

Police urged to visit all victims
Police should visit each victim of crime no matter how minor the offence, the home secretary says.

Lib Dems can keep £2.4m donation
The Electoral Commission rules that the Lib Dems can keep £2.4m in donations which was said to came from a fraudster.

Standards MP faces expenses row
The new head of the Commons standards committee stands down pending an inquiry into his own expenses.

'Gang asbos' extended to children
Children as young as 14 could be banned from wearing gang colours or having violent dogs, under government plans.

Tory donor probe 'could drag on'
The Electoral Commission is accused of dragging its feet over a probe into donations to the Tories by the company of Lord Ashcroft.

Blair fails in EU president bid
The UK fails to get Tony Blair chosen as the president of the EU Council, the job going to the Belgian prime minister.

Police 'may quit over Tory plans'
Police chiefs may quit if a Conservative government forced directly elected commissioners on them, Sir Hugh Orde has said.

Council red tape 'wasting £4.5bn'
Needless bureaucracy is costing councils in England £4.5bn a year - money that could be spend on front-line services, according to a report.

Belgian PM named as EU president
Belgian PM Herman van Rompuy is named as the new EU president and the UK's Baroness Ashton becomes foreign policy chief.

Harman faces driving prosecution
Commons Leader Harriet Harman will be prosecuted over a minor car accident in her Peckham constituency in July.

Labour peer attacks care proposal
Labour peer Lord Lipsey calls plans for free personal care for the frailest pensioners a "gimmick" and urges a rethink.

Tories urge overhaul of UK media
The Conservatives are to call for "massive reform" of the media industry to boost local news and help commercial broadcasters.

Cameron suffers laptop trouble during webchat on mums' site
David Cameron has blamed laptop trouble after coming under fire during a live chat on the Mumsnet website.

Hedge watch
Labour pledged to cut high hedges in 2003. Did it work?

Puzzling choices
What EU appointments mean for bloc's future

After Farage
Testing the mood at UKIP leadership hustings

Remarkable rise
Profile of EU foreign affairs chief, Briton Baroness Ashton

Primary schools must teach history
Primary school children in England will have to learn about evolution and British history under a shake up of the national curriculum.

MSPs expenses claims rise by 8%
The allowances bill for MSPs increased last year by more than 8% to £10.9m, according to Scottish Parliament figures.

Sacked adviser urges drugs probe
Former government drugs adviser Prof David Nutt says the UK needs a Royal Commission on the decriminalisation of cannabis.

PM attacked on expenses 'silence'
David Cameron accuses the government of a "big omission" in not mentioning MPs' expenses in the Queen's Speech.

Karzai sets Afghan forces target
President Karzai says he wants Afghan forces in charge within five years, as he is sworn in for a second term amid fresh violence.

Jobs support for service families
Job centres in England and Wales are to get "armed forces champions" to help military spouses find work under new government proposals.

Labour out of ideas, says Cameron
David Cameron says the Queen's Speech shows that the government has run out of "time, ideas and courage".

Clegg attacks 'fantasy' proposals
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg attacks the Queen's Speech as a "fantasy" package full of "unnecessary" measures.

Helmand to get more Afghan troops
Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai is to provide 5,000 troops to be trained and mentored by British forces in Helmand, Gordon Brown has said.

UK to pay for safer roads abroad
The UK government announces £1.5m in funding to improve road safety in developing countries.

Queen outlines new banking laws
The government outlines bills in the Queen's Speech to strengthen financial regulation and reduce UK debt levels.

Brown to offer more graduate help
Gordon Brown announces more help for unemployed young people and recent graduates to find work and training.

More powers for Wales says report
Full law-making powers for Wales should be given through a referendum, a major inquiry concludes.

PM 'broke pledge to world's poor'
The Lib Dems accuse Gordon Brown of breaking his "promise to the world's poorest people" in the Queen's Speech.

Archie Norman to be ITV chairman
ITV ends a long search by naming former Asda chief executive Archie Norman as chairman, replacing Michael Grade.

Brown plans Afghan handover talks
Prime Minister Gordon Brown plans to hold talks in London to discuss a timetable for the handover of security in Afghanistan.

No new rules on fish conservation
New EU rules aimed at conserving fish stocks have been voted down, but the current restrictions will remain.

Education body 'to miss deadline'
Education Minister Caitriona Ruane admits a new single education body is unlikely to be in place by the new year deadline.

Helpline for 'ignored' children
A helpline for children who feel their personal problems are ignored is announced along with a five-year plan on children's rights.

In full: Brown's new cabinet
Here is the full reshuffled cabinet announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Shadow Cabinet: Who's Who
Here is a minister-by-minister guide to the members of Tory leader David Cameron's Cabinet.

In full: Lib Dem front bench
Here is a spokesman-by-spokesman guide to the members of Nick Clegg's front bench team.

Political websites
Links to parties and other useful websites covering UK politics.

Guide to Parliament
What is Parliament for and how does it work?