With the news that a second deported small boat migrant has returned across the Channel, it is unsurprising to see Kemi Badenoch go studs up on the government. 

She has just posted on social media: "A SECOND migrant sent to France under Labour’s failing 'one-in-one-out' scheme is already back. Rinse-and-repeat chaos from a government with no backbone and no plan.

"Only the Conservatives have a plan to deport every illegal immigrant and secure our borders."

Joining in on the criticism, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson MP said: "Once again, the Home Office has shown staggering levels of incompetence. 

"Labour - and the Conservatives before them - have failed to break the grip of the gangs and bring the numbers down. Failures like this show just how broken our system is. Enough is enough.

"Now is the time for Labour to back up their big promises with actions.

"They must stop hotels being used to house asylum seekers up and down the country and finally get this scheme functioning properly, using large-scale returns agreements with all safe countries so those who have a right to stay can start integrating and paying tax, and those who don't have a right to be here are swiftly returned."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has been speaking to broadcasters just now, and has launched a full-throated defence of the BBC, including against Donald Trump.

Asked for his thoughts on Nigel Farage claiming the corporation was guilty of election interference, Davey said: "I think it's far too extreme.

"The interference we've seen in elections has come from Nigel Farage, his friend Vladimir Putin. 

"We've seen Russian interference in the most profound, appalling ways. 

"And yet, Nigel Farage calls Vladimir Putin the world leader he most admires. 

"I think people need to see through Nigel Farage, see through Donald Trump, and realise what they're trying to do to our great country and our British values."

Asked if he is surprised he is the only political leader providing such a stalwart backing of the BBC, Davey said: "I'm slightly worried to be honest. 

"That's why I've written to Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage in the hope that they will back me to criticise Donald Trump for his attack on our BBC."

You can read more about the letter in our 11.42am post.

At his news conference in Westminster, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is asked by journalists for his thoughts on the BBC.

A BBC journalists asks if Farage thinks the corporation is institutionally bias.

"The BBC has been institutionally biased for decades," Farage says.

He references the coverage of issues like Europe, migration, net zero, the climate and Gaza in recent years.

Farage also says the coverage of Trump has been biased.

The Reform UK leader says: "I spoke to the president on Friday.

"He just said to me: 'is this how you treat your best ally?' Quite a powerful comment, isn't it."

Asked by Paste BN political correspondent Mhari Aurora about whether Trump should be weighing in on the UK broadcaster, Farage says: "If I was the person making sure that the United Kingdom had security guarantees, that meant that it could be defended, whereas on its own it would be helpless, and I'd been stitched up on the eve of a national election...

"I mean, people talk about election interference - what the BBC did was election interference.

"If you put yourself in Donald Trump's shoes, I think you'll understand why, when I had a chat with him on Friday, he made his feelings on the subject known to me in no uncertain terms - and not in a quotable form."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has written to Sir Keir Starmer, Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch about Donald Trump's criticism of the BBC.

In a version of the letter posted on social media, Davey said: "President Trump's assault on the BBC is a serious threat to our national interest, and I urge you to join me in standing up against it."

He added: "It should be extremely concerning to us all to see the president of the United States pressuring the BBC over its leadership and attacking its journalists as 'corrupt', and his press secretary telling everyone to 'watch GB News'.

"It should not be up to foreign powers to dictate where the British people get their news from.

"We must stand united to defend our democracy from foreign interference like this - even when it comes from a crucial ally."

He asks if the others will "join me in condemning Donald Trump's attack on the BBC".

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is hosting a news conference in Westminster, this time on the topic of small business.

In his speech, Farage highlights thinks like the Employment Rights Bill and rising minimum wage as measures that harm small business owners.

As part of this, the Reform leader attacks big businesses for their lobbying and influence on policy.

He says: "Some will tell you, oh well, the economy is failing because capitalism is failing.

"No, we're not living in capitalism. 

"We're living in an age of global corporatism. 

"We're living in an age where the big businesses virtually control and own the political arena."

Farage goes on to bring Kevin Byrne, the founder of CheckaTrade, as a new backer for the Reform UK party.

Byrne says he has backed Reform out of "desperation" and "dissapointment".

By Mark Kleinman, City editor

The Post Office has agreed a further extension to its scandal-hit software deal with the Japanese company Fujitsu as it plots a move to a rival supplier in the next couple of years.

Paste BN has learnt that the Post Office, which is owned by the government, is to pay another £41m to Fujitsu for the use of the Horizon system from next April until 31 March 2027.

The move comes as Post Office bosses prepare to sever the company's partnership with Fujitsu, which is under pressure to pay hundreds of millions of pounds for its part in the scandal.

Hundreds of sub-postmasters were wrongfully imprisoned for fraud and theft because of flaws with Fujitsu's software, which it subsequently emerged were suspected by executives involved in its management.

Last week, Paste BN revealed that Sir Alan Bates, who led efforts to seek justice for the victims of what has been dubbed Britain's biggest miscarriage of justice, had settled his multimillion pound compensation claim with the government.

Sir Alan received a seven-figure sum, which one source said may have amounted to between £4m and £5m.

Dame Caroline Dineage, the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, is speaking to Paste BN this morning.

Asked about the resignation of Tim Davie as head of the BBC, she says: "I wasn't expecting the resignations. They are very sad. 

"I think it's really regrettable that Tim Davie had to step down, [he had a] huge commitment to the BBC and public service broadcasting.

"But I think he was right to do so. I think restoring trust in the corporation has got to come first."

Dineage is expecting to get a letter from the BBC today after her committee wrote to them last week.

The group of MPs wanted to know more about various issues - including the edited Panorama video of Donald Trump's 6 January 2021 speech.

Who is to blame for two more inmates being wrongly freed from prison? The Conservatives attempted a mic drop moment with David Lammy this week by trying to get the justice secretary to admit to it live in the House of Commons.

So why did Lammy avoid the question five times? And when 262 prisoners were released by mistake in the year to March - how is this happening every week?

At the very least, Harriet sees the saga as an opportunity for the government to sort out the prison service.

Plus Beth, Ruth and Harriet are joined by pollster Luke Tryl, and a group of voters who tell us why they're not convinced by the prime minister so far.

So how tricky is this budget going to be for Rachel Reeves when most people's top worry is the cost of living? Can she actually put up taxes? And will more people just end up supporting Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski?

You can listen to today's episode below, or wherever you get your podcasts.