Labour is today revealing more details about its housing plans, should it form the next government.

Speaking to Sky News, the party's shadow housing secretary Matthew Pennycook accused the Tories of "presiding over an acute and intensifying housing crisis", saying there is "no aspect of that housing crisis that is not improved by building many more homes across the country".

He went on: "What we're announcing today is a strategic release of some greenbelt land in order to meet housing need across the country."

Despite the government's claim it is "protecting every inch" of the green belt, he said it is releasing land, but in "an inconsistent and haphazard manner".

"Labour is saying there's a smarter way to do this when we have to release greenbelt land to meet local housing targets, we can ensure we're releasing the right parts of the green belt," Mr Pennycook says.

"So low quality grey belt land in the green belt. Disused petrol stations. Abandoned car parks. 

"And when that is released, we can ensure through our golden rules that the development that takes place on it does meet local housing with high rates of affordable housing, first class infrastructure and amenities, and access to local green space."

He rejected suggestions of a potential backlash from environmental groups, saying the move is backed by Natural England, for example.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was out on a visit this morning visiting a housing development in the East Midlands.

He told broadcasters: "Having a secure roof over your head is one of the dreams of so many people across the country. 

"Because it's a base camp, if you like. For life, for security, for everything they want to achieve."

The site he visited was "derelict", he said, and is now being developed, and he said: "We want to see more of that."

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

A Tory activist who reported an MP over claims he misused party funds has told Sky News she is disappointed by the way her complaint has been handled.

Mark Menzies voluntarily quit the Conservative parliamentary party this week after a report in The Times claimed he called his ex-campaign manager Katie Fieldhouse, 78, early one day to say he was locked in a flat by "bad people" and needed £5,000 as a matter of "life and death".

The sum, which rose to £6,500, was eventually paid by his office manager from her personal bank account and subsequently reimbursed from funds raised from donors in an account named Fylde Westminster Group, the newspaper said.

But despite the incident taking place in December - and Ms Fieldhouse submitting her complaint in January - the Fylde MP had remained part of the parliamentary party and as a trade envoy for the government until the press reports surfaced.

He has now lost the Conservative whip and was suspended as one of Rishi Sunak's envoys.

Mr Menzies strongly disputes the claims, which also include accusations he used campaign funds to pay his personal medical bills.

Speaking to Sky News' Frazer Maude, Ms Fieldhouse said: "I am feeling dreadful because I am a devout Tory and as I have said to everybody else, I reported his actions to the chief whip… it is now the middle of April.

"Come to your own conclusions [about] what is happening."

Read her full comments here:

People voting in local elections in England on 2 May will need to provide photo ID.

It is the second year the requirement has been in place - but in 2023, 14,000 people couldn't cast their ballot because they didn't take ID to the polling booth.

There are 22 different types of ID you can use - and if you don't have any of them, you can register for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Here's everything you need to know to avoid being caught out:

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has breached government rules by being "evasive" about his links to a hedge fund that set up a meeting between him and the president of Venezuela, a watchdog has said.

Mr Johnson raised a few eyebrows earlier this year after his spokesman confirmed he had flown to the country to meet its controversial leader Nicolas Maduro.

But now, the chairman of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (Acoba) Lord Pickles, has highlighted further controversary around the meeting which was arranged by a company called Merlyn Advisors - a hedge fund.

Under government rules, any minister leaving office must run new jobs or appointments by the Acoba watchdog before taking them up.

But Lord Pickles said despite "repeatedly" being asked to "clarify his relationship" with the firm, Mr Johnson had "not done so", nor had he "denied the reports in the media that he had been working with Merlyn Advisors on a non-contractual basis".

As we reported yesterday, the SNP's former chief executive and husband of ex-first minister Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, has been charged in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the party.

We heard from SNP leader and Scotland's first minister Humza Yousaf a few moments ago.

He told broadcasters: "These are serious, serious developments. And as per the police statement, we now know that an individual has been charged, Peter has been charged, [with] the allegation of embezzlement from party funds, and that's a really serious matter indeed.

"Many people in the SNP, right across Scottish politics, will be shocked by the news and this is an ongoing investigation.

"Police, the Crown have a job to do, just as I have a job to do as first minister."

He said he found out about the charges when the news broke in the press yesterday afternoon.

Mr Murrell has resigned his SNP membership, and although they have not been charged with any crimes, Mr Yousaf was asked if Ms Sturgeon and ex-party treasurer Colin Beattie should be suspended from the party.

When asked the same question following their arrests a year ago, Mr Yousaf said they have not been charged, and therefore their membership status should remain.

Today, the first minister said: "The circumstances in relation to those individuals hasn't changed."

As we've been reporting this week, MP Mark Menzies has been suspended from the Tory parliamentary party in light of allegations he used local party funds to pay off "bad people".

The MP for Fylde in Lancashire strongly disputes the claims, which also include accusations he used campaign funds to pay his personal medical bills.

According to The Times newspaper, the Conservative Party has been investigating the claims for three months, and the Labour leader says they appear to have "sat on their hands".

Sir Keir Starmer told broadcasters: "In the last 24 hours we have found out that the government was told months ago about this, and they seem to have sat on their hands.

"If they thought they could sweep this under the carpet somehow they were obviously very mistaken and that is why I think there are very serious questions now that need to be answered.

"Not just by the individual but also by the government on this."

Sir Keir Starmer is out and about today ahead of the local elections on 2 May.

But questions about his deputy's tax affairs continue to dog him out on the campaign trail.

He is in Derby with Angela Rayner today, who is being investigated by Greater Manchester Police over what property was her main residence 10 years ago, before she was an MP, and whether she paid the correct tax on the profit from the sale of her ex-council home in Stockport (she denies any wrongdoing).

Sir Keir has previously said he has not seen the tax and legal advice Ms Rayner has obtained that she has said clears her of wrongdoing, and when asked by broadcasters today if the Labour Party has paid for any such advice, he refused to be drawn.

The Labour leader said: "I have said I am absolutely pleased to be out with Angela today, and that is the focus that she has, that is the focus that I have had.

"We have both answered no end of questions.

"But we are actually out here, positive, on the front foot, putting our housing offer to people here in Derby, talking to residents about how they feel about what we are saying about housing, being well-received, that is really good."

As we have reported, Lord David Cameron is in Capri, Italy at the meeting of G7 foreign ministers.

The G7 is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, as well as the High Representative of the EU, and the foreign ministers have just released a joint communique on events in the Middle East.

They reiterate their condemnation "in the strongest terms" of Iran's attack on Israel on Saturday night, which they describe as "a dangerous escalation".

They also condemn the Iranian boarding and seizure of a Portuguese-flagged shipping vessel near the Strait of Hormuz, calling for its immediate release and that of its crew.

On the Middle East, they say: "Israel and its people have our full solidarity and support and we reaffirm our commitment towards Israel's security.

"Iran's actions mark an unacceptable step towards the destabilisation of the region and a further escalation, which must be avoided.

"In light of reports of strikes [by Israel on Iran] on April 19, we urge all parties to work to prevent further escalation."

The foreign ministers call on Iran to stop giving support to its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, and that they "cease their attacks".

"We will hold the Iranian government accountable for its malicious and destabilising actions and we stand ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures, now and in response to further destabilizing initiatives," they add.

Jennifer Scott, political reporter

Almost one million private renters in England have been handed no-fault evictions since the Conservative government promised to abolish them, new data has shown.

Research carried out by YouGov on behalf of homelessness charity Shelter - and shared exclusively with Sky News - showed that since April 2019 a total of 943,000 people had been given Section 21 notices, which is the equivalent of more than 500 renters every day.

The figures also showed unwanted moves were costing private renters in England £550m a year, with 830,000 people having to move in the last 12 months alone due to either their fixed tenancies coming to an end, being priced out by rent increases or being served with a Section 21.

Add in the soaring upfront costs for rents and deposits and unwanted moves are costing more than £1bn a year - or an average of £1,245 per person.

Polly Neate, Shelter's chief executive, said tenants were "bearing the cost of the government's inaction" and warned any further delays to banning no-fault evictions would see more people "tipped into homelessness".

But Levelling Up minister Jacob Young defended the government. He said abolishing Section 21s was "the biggest change to the private rented sector in more than 30 years" so it "takes time to make sure we get it right".

Read more here: