Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said today he was “completely staggered” when David Cameron branded him a “muttering idiot” during an angry outburst in the Commons.

David Cameron today dismissed Labour leader Ed Miliband and shadow chancellor Ed Balls as "muttering idiots" as he lost his temper at their heckling during Prime Minister's Questions.

The new man in charge of the UK's borders faces a grilling from MPs this week as further evidence emerged of bungled planning over staffing levels.

Nearly 4,000 foreign criminals are still at large in the community despite being earmarked for deportation, it emerged last night.

If things had worked out differently, Frank Parr could have been one of the great characters of post-war English cricket. An acrobatic wicketkeeper, he caught the eye almost as soon as he appeared in the Lancashire side. At The Oval in 1952, in only his second county match, he was tipped by The Times to be Godfrey Evans' successor in the England side. Herbert Strudwick, England keeper in the 1920s, thought he was very special. The following year Parr came close to being selected for the winter tour of the West Indies.

Almost 4,000 foreign criminals whom the Government wants to deport are at large in the community, figures showed today.

A £38 billion black hole in the UK's defence budget has been eliminated, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond confirmed today.

More than 700 victims of last year's riots are still waiting for their claims for compensation to be looked at nine months after the disturbances, official figures show, despite promises from David Cameron to get businesses "back up and running quickly".

This is the text of the Queen's Speech to both Houses of Parliament today:

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries has warned Tory leader David Cameron he will be kicked out of office by his own backbenchers within the next year unless he "dramatically" changes the party's policies.

Rupert Murdoch's grip on the global media empire he founded was under direct threat last night as the first moves began in America to oust him as chairman of News Corp.

Nearly half of the population believe embattled Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt should resign, a poll has indicated.

Every time the Government caught a glimpse of blue sky... the rain came down again

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt defended his conduct during News Corporation's takeover bid for BSkyB today as he battled for his political life amid demands for his resignation over claims that he was a "cheerleader" for Rupert Murdoch's company.