Cameron plays down UK troop cuts
Conservative leader David Cameron says the number of UK troops in Afghanistan is "unlikely" to be cut next year.

Brown 'unequivocal' on climate
Gordon Brown says scientific case for action against climate change is 'clear,' ahead of Copenhagen summit.

FROM PANORAMA >>
Blears: PM lacked expenses facts
Ex-minister Hazel Blears says the Commons' fees office forced the decision to change her primary residence to London.

Treasury accused over Iraq funds
The Treasury refused to release extra funds for the reconstruction of Basra, the Iraq war inquiry is told.

Fuel aid plea for cancer patients
The UK's leading cancer specialist calls for sufferers facing spiralling winter fuel bills to be given urgent help.

1,700 jobs to go at Corus plant
Steelmaker Corus says it will curtail production at its Teesside Cast Products factory, putting 1,700 people out of work.

Duck island town picks candidate
Caroline Dinenage wins the open primary contest to replace Sir Peter Viggers as the Coservative candidate in Gosport.

Council homes for locals proposal
Councils in England are being urged to set aside homes for people with a connection to their local area in new government guidelines.

UK banking bail-out 'justified'
The Treasury was "justified" in using taxpayers' money, totalling £850bn, to bail out banks, an official report says.

McGuinness warns of NI 'crisis'
Stormont faces a "crisis" if Sinn Fein and the DUP do not resolve differences before Christmas, warns Martin McGuinness.

Expert slams 'tabloid' e-mail row
A colleague of the UK professor at the centre of the climate e-mails row says "sceptics" have embarked on a "tabloid-style character assassination".

Moment US revealed Iraq war plans
A senior British military figure describes the moment the US "drew back the curtain" on its plans for possible military action in Iraq.

Nappy talk: Miliband's choice of disposables sparks eco-anger
Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband incurs the wrath of eco-conscious mumsnet users by admitting he uses disposable nappies for his six-month-old son.

Pledge Watch
Dangerous dogs were banned in '91. What happened?

Hot air
Those who talk most about climate also emit most CO2

In the firing line?
Fingers point at US during week two of Iraq inquiry

Martha's week
Is the US caught in another Vietnam quagmire?

Clinton expects Nato troop pledge
Hillary Clinton is confident Nato allies will pledge more troops for Afghanistan, as she arrives in Belgium for talks.

Bin Laden 'seen in Afghanistan'
A Taliban detainee in Pakistan says Osama Bin Laden was seen in Afghanistan in January or February this year.

Brown U-turn on childcare charges
Plans to scrap tax breaks for childcare have been scaled back after a revolt by Labour MPs.

MPs go clubbing for drugs inquiry
MPs will get a taste of nightclubbing when they take part in a fact-finding mission on the cocaine trade.

UK Iraq aid team 'sat in tents'
UK development experts were told "not do anything" in the aftermath of the Iraq war, says ex defence chief Lord Boyce.

Forces chief urges public support
Declining public support may harm the UK's military mission in Afghanistan, the head of the armed forces warns.

Mandelson 'wanted EU foreign job'
Lord Mandelson says he would have liked to have become the EU's first "foreign secretary", but is committed to the government.

Bankers 'need to join real world'
A government minister calls on bankers "to come back into the real world" after RBS directors threaten to resign over bonuses.

US 'assumed' UK war involvement
The US refused to believe warnings that the UK would not back an invasion of Iraq without UN efforts first, an inquiry hears.

PM told Bin Laden not in Pakistan
Pakistan's prime minister tells UK counterpart Gordon Brown he does not think Osama Bin Laden is in his country.

MP vows to tighten tenancy laws
A Labour MP is to introduce a parliamentary bill offering greater protection for tenants whose landlords' properties are repossessed.

MLAs asked to make justice choice
The first and deputy first minister invite MLAs to nominate their choice for justice minister by next week

Drink-drive limit to be examined
The government asks a legal expert to examine the case for lowering the legal alcohol limit for drivers.

Brown sorry for condolence delay
Gordon Brown apologises for delays in sending condolence letters to people who have lost loved ones in Afghanistan.

PM 'should have called snap poll'
"In hindsight" Gordon Brown should have called a general election in the autumn of 2007, says Jack Straw.

Tories accused of prisons U-turn
The Conservatives are accused of a U-turn on their pledge, made last March, to build 5,000 new prison places.

MPs given fresh expenses appeal
MPs will be allowed to appeal against repaying expenses judged to have been overclaimed, says a Commons committee.

The full story: PM's questions
All the action, key points, analysis and reaction from Gordon Brown's weekly grilling in the House of Commons.

Councils warned over social care
Eight local authorities are told to improve social care for adults, in an annual report which finds overall improvement in services.

Tories seek PM recession apology
The Tories call on Gordon Brown to apologise for "misleading" MPs over the recession during prime minister's questions.

Ashton 'won't be extension of UK'
Baroness Ashton says she will be a strong voice for the EU - and denies taking "direct money" from communists when at CND.

Row over MP on new expenses panel
MPs approve the new independent body which will run their expenses system - despite a row about a former Lib Dem MP who will sit on its board.

Salisbury MP will not stand again
The long-serving MP for Salisbury, Robert Key, is to quit the Commons at the next general election.

Nato must follow US example - PM
Gordon Brown welcomes a planned US troop surge in Afghanistan and urges Nato allies to follow suit.

Thousands march on climate change
Thousands are expected at what has been billed as Scotland's largest ever protest in support of action on climate change.

FROM DEMOCRACY LIVE >>
Guide to the Scottish Parliament
BBC Democracy Live takes you on a tour of the Scottish Parliament.

DUP reject McGuinness' deadline
Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson rejects Martin McGuinness' Christmas deadline to resolve their differences.

FROM DEMOCRACY LIVE >>
Guide to N.Ireland Assembly
A tour of the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.

New leader joins in poll planning
Days after becoming Welsh Labour leader, Carwyn Jones joins fellow party figures to prepare for the general election.

FROM DEMOCRACY LIVE >>
Guide to the Welsh Assembly
A guide to the National Assembly for Wales.

The Cabinet: Who's Who
Here is a minister-by-minister guide to the members of Gordon Brown's Cabinet.

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.

FROM DEMOCRACY LIVE >>
Guide to the House of Commons
An introduction to the working of the House of Commons.

FROM DEMOCRACY LIVE >>
Guide to the House of Lords
What does the House of Lords do? Who sits there?

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