Politics latest: Braverman responds to Tory 'mental health' briefing about her Reform defection

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Suella Braverman's defection to Reform UK sparked a strong response from the Conservative Party.

But that statement - which included a reference to Ms Braverman's "mental health" - has itself sparked a reaction.

In the statement, which the Tories later said was a "draft" that was released in "error", a party spokesperson said: "The Conservatives did all we could to look after Suella's mental health, but she was clearly very unhappy."

A Reform UK spokesperson described it as "gutter politics", while a Tory peer called it "nasty and unpleasant".

Braverman herself reacted, echoing earlier comments from her new party leader, Nigel Farage, and saying: "Those attacks say more about them, than they do about me."

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp was asked about the row in an interview with broadcasters earlier today.

Tap the video below to see his reaction:

Our chief political correspondent Jon Craig has been in parliament this evening where the attorney general - and key ally of Sir Keir Starmer - Lord Hermer has been addressing Labour MPs.

He says the meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) lasted almost exactly an hour and that there were "plenty of gripes" about the handling of Andy Burnham's blocked bid to run as an MP.

Jon says the decision by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee's not to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to run as the party's candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election has upset "older MPs mainly, who think the prime minister has bungled this badly and treated Andy Burnham unfairly, and made himself weaker".

Speaking at the meeting, Lord Hermer sought to rally MPs by listing the prime minister's recent achievements as a basis for uniting around his leadership, including Sir Keir Starmer's defence of British troops in wake of remarks by Donald Trump, and his performance at PMQs last Wednesday. 

He said: "I do not for one minute underestimate the political challenge we face, or how many people do not trust politicians and will not do so until they can at least feel we are making a difference.

"But nor do I underestimate this party, and my passionate belief that as our policies take hold, we will change this country for the better and for the long-term."

A former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands says he hopes his new political movement will "reconnect" the "politically homeless".

Andy Street was speaking about the new centre-right movement, called Prosper UK, which he is co-launching with former Scottish Tory leader, Ruth Davidson.

Speaking to Matt Barbet on the Politics Hub, he said: "Of those people who identify themselves as middle ground people, centrist, centre right, a third of them are saying they're not committed to a particular party at the moment.

"You might say in simple language that they're politically homeless. 

"A lot of them might have been conservatives in the past. Some of them might have attitudes that you'd think would be conservative. 

"So the purpose of the Prosper movement is actually try to reconnect with these people, actually show there is a platform that they can buy in that there are the ideas, the proposals, the solutions that will actually get them to commit."

Matt asked whether a sticking point in the new movement would be its position on Brexit, and Britain's future relationship with the EU.

"In terms of supporters, we're ambitious. Don't put a limit on it," Davidson says.

"We want thousands of people up and down the country to get involved, and they will come from all political views on Brexit. 

"But we have no wish to reopen the Brexit wars of the past. Literally no wish at all. The country made its decision. 

"What we're looking at now is how we can drive this country forward, how we can make sure people feel that they've got a bit more of a pound in their pocket."

Sky's deputy political editor Sam Coates has been on the Politics Hub, talking about Suella Braverman's defection to Reform UK - and what the consequences should be?

You can watch his analysis by tapping the video below:

By Faye Brown, political reporter 

Bev Craig, the Labour leader of Manchester City Council, has told Paste BN she has not applied to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election.

Several Labour MPs saw her as the best option to win the seat following the decision by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to block Andy Burnham.

One MP said she would be an "excellent candidate" as she is "popular" locally and works closely with the Greater Manchester Mayor in her devolved role. 

They said it was "disappointing" she was not going for it. 

Burnham was blocked by Labour's ruling NEC on Sunday. They blamed the unnecessary costs of having to hold an election for a new Manchester mayor. 

However, the decision has angered Labour MPs who believe he had the "star power" to win the seat at a time when Labour's popularity has collapsed across the country. 

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has said Burnham standing would have reduced his own party's chance of winning. The Green Party also say Labour have "blown it" and the fight is now between the Greens and Reform. 

Gorton and Denton has a Labour majority of 13,000. 

The seat has become available after former health minister Andrew Gwynne resigned on health grounds. 

The by-election is expected to take place on 26 February.

The Politics Hub has started live on Paste BN, and tonight it is presented by Matt Barbet.

Radio presenter Nick Ferrari and Labour MP Catherine Atkinson make up the panel.

While, former mayor of West Midlands, Andy Street, and ex-Scottish Tory leader Baroness Ruth Davidson, will speak about their new political movement, Prosper UK.

In September - when rumours were abound Andy Burnham was on leadership manoeuvres - Niall Patterson profiled Burnham on Paste BN Daily.

Niall was joined by Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester and a senior fellow at UK in a Changing Europe.

Listen back to the pod to hear more...

By Martin Brunt, crime commentator

Like doctors and lawyers, all police officers will have to have a licence to practise under the Home Office reforms.

I wonder what effect that might have on recruitment. Might it reduce policing as a career choice for some potential officers?

The licence would be renewable, probably every five years and would mean officers must demonstrate they've absorbed their training and guidance and have updated their skills to cope in an evolving crime world.

If they flunk the licence test, they can try again, but continued failure would mean the sack.

The Home Secretary believes the licence would show the public that officers had reached a certain professional standard and were worthy of their uniform.

But this new regular assessment on top of a stringent vetting process, low public confidence in policing and the daily possibility of personal danger might dissuade young men and women from wanting to be police officers.

A friend at the Met told me there were new recruits signing up for five years' service, not interested in a lifelong career that used to be the norm, when many young men and women followed their parents into policing.

A new generation may believe it would be an interesting, exciting job for a while, but not something they want to do forever.

And it would look good on their CV, enhancing their career prospects once they've decided what they really want to do with their lives.

I understand the Home Office isn't worried about such a prospect and believes there’s no evidence that budding doctors and lawyers are put off by renewable licences to practise.

Let's see what happens.

By Katie Barnfield, North of England correspondent reporting from Gorton and Denton

The part of Manchester I call home has suddenly found itself thrust into the political spotlight.

Gorton and Denton is the seat where Andy Burnham wanted to run as Labour's Westminster candidate - before being swiftly blocked by the party's executive, triggering an internal crisis.

For a long time, these parts have been Labour through and through - the former constituency of Manchester Gorton was one of its safest seats in the whole country. It would have been unthinkable for another party to have a chance of winning here - until now.

"I would probably lean to the Greens - I'm a Green member", says Josh Marsden, who lives in Levenshulme, to the west of the constituency.

It's an area that has been attracting left-leaning young professionals in increasing numbers over the past decade, many who have been priced out of upmarket areas like Chorlton and Didsbury.

But over in Denton, just 15 minutes drive to the east of Levenshulme, the political mood seems miles apart. Locals talked of growing up in families that had voted Labour for generations - but are now being tempted by Reform.

For Danny Armour, who manages Firwood Carpets on the high street, blocking Burnham from standing was the wrong decision.

He says: "If you want to stand as an MP, you should stand as an MP."

Although he's not convinced on Reform leader Nigel Farage - who he says "mouths off about everything" - the party's candidate might still get his vote in the upcoming by-election.