The Labour Shadow Cabinet minister responsible for drawing up the party's policies for the next election is to step down from Westminster politics in an attempt to become the first directly elected mayor of Birmingham.

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Cabinet minister Chris Huhne is fighting allegations he dodged a speeding fine

D-Day approaches fast for Huhne as speeding emails passed to police

The Cabinet minister Chris Huhne has suffered a major setback in his fight to clear his name over allegations he dodged a speeding fine, as police won the right to obtain emails about the affair from his ex-wife.

Michael Moore was promoted to the Cabinet when his fellow Scot Danny Alexander moved to replace David Laws at the Treasury

Michael Moore: 'We are much, much stronger together'

The Secretary of State for Scotland tells Matt Chorley why he is quietly confident as he takes on Alex Salmond

Leading article: In praise of MPs who refuse to be told what to do

The current Parliament is the most mutinous in 50 years, with new entrants the most unruly of all

John Rentoul: He who hesitates is ... not in a hurry

The way the Prime Minister handled the Liam Fox business suggests a man confident of his authority

Guardian of propriety behind Liam Fox investigation

Among senior politicians and officials working in and around Downing Street, the arrival of Sue Gray in a meeting is not necessarily something to be welcomed.

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Crossrail: Celebrating 60 years in transport

Jubilant Crossrail

Celebrating 60 years in transport
Grace Dent: If you were on your first foreign trip for 24 years, would you want Bono to be a part of the package?

Grace Dent

If you were on your first foreign trip for 24 years, would you want Bono to be a part of the package?
Ireland's austerity D-Day: How much pain can it take?

Ireland's austerity D-Day: How much pain can it take?

After years of savage cuts, the Irish now face a stark choice: do they hand over control of their economy to Europe โ€“ or go it alone without the safety net of future bailouts?
Is doctors' fixation on treatment making us ill?

Is doctors' fixation on treatment making us ill?

Advances in medicine have made the impossible, possible. But an over-reliance on healthcare threatens to bankrupt the world โ€“ and make all of us sick
The most complained-about advertisements of all time

The most complained-about advertisements of all time

The ASA has received 430,000 complaints during its existence, with a record 31,548 in 2011
Olympians: They're fit and don't we just know it

Olympians: They're fit and don't we just know it

From Tom Daley's six-pack to scantily clad volleyball players, Olympic athletes are being sold on their sex appeal. Why can't we appreciate talent, not totty?
Return of the unacceptable face of capitalism?

Return of the unacceptable face of capitalism?

Sir Richard Needham's resignation from the board of Lonrho brings back bad memories of the group's controversial past
Off the rails in Bermuda

Off the rails in Bermuda

Best known for beaches, it's also home to a stunning hiking trail that follows the route of an old railway line
Get ready for a royal good time

Get ready for a royal good time

There are plenty of events to help you fly the flag during the Diamond Jubilee long weekend and half term
Spain: World football's marathon men

Marathon men: Are Spain running out of puff?

They have every right to be exhausted after four taxing years of almost non-stop action but the chance to claim a unique treble is spurring them on
Usain Bolt: The Bolt show runs on

Usain Bolt: The Bolt show runs on

Friday's 'slow' 100m has done nothing to dent Jamaican's supreme confidence he will triumph in London
The weirdest and most wonderful Diamond Jubilee memorabilia

Weird and wonderful Jubilee memorabilia

Coronation Chicken ice cream and Jubilee jelly moulds
'I may be deaf, but you can still talk to me'

'I may be deaf, but you can still talk to me'

Being a teenager is hard enough โ€“ for those with hearing loss, it can be even more complicated
A right royal trip down the river

A right royal trip down the river

A new exhibition celebrates the glory days of London's mighty Thames
The 10 Best lawn mowers

The 10 Best lawn mowers

From petrol-fuelled to self-propelled