Westminster today - as it happened: Theresa May faces fresh questions over destruction of Windrush landing cards

All the latest updates from Westminster, as they happened

Former civil service chief Lord Kerslake says 'hostile environment' policy on illegal immigration 'almost reminiscent of Nazi Germany'

Theresa May has faced fresh questions over the destruction of thousands of landing cards amid the escalating row over the treatment of the Windrush generation.

Documents recording the arrival of children of Caribbean migrants were destroyed by the Home Office in 2010 - when Ms May was home secretary - but she tried to blame the previous Labour administration by saying the decision was taken in 2009.

Downing Street later said it was an "operational" decision taken by officials rather than ministers, but Lord Kerslake, a former head of the civil service, said it was "pretty unlikely" that the Home Office would destroy records.

The row began when it emerged many of the Windrush generation had been denied medical care, lost their jobs or threatened with deportation to Caribbean countries they left as children.

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Key Points

• Michael Gove claims the UK is most "immigration friendly" nation in the EU
• Jeremy Corbyn says the rise in homelessness shows 'something deeply wrong with our country'
• Theresa May's 'hostile environment' policy reminiscent of 'Nazi Germany', says former civil service chief
• Amber Rudd faces calls to resign over as mother of Windrush citizen blames passport wrangle for his death
• Senior Tory and Labour MPs join force to push through customs union vote in the Commons

[19 April 2018 12:31 · Lizzy Buchan]

A band of cross-party rebels has table the motion, including Labour home affairs committee chair Yvette Cooper, Tory former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan and the SNP's Pete Wishart. 

[19 April 2018 12:50 · Lizzy Buchan]

Nigel Farage has revealed two of his children possess British and German passports, meaning they will maintain their free movement rights in the European Union (EU) after Brexit.

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[19 April 2018 13:06 · Lizzy Buchan]

The Queen has publicly endorsed the Prince of Wales as her successor as head of the Commonwealth during the opening ceremony of a major Commonwealth summit for world leaders.

In a highly unusual move the Queen made clear her thoughts, telling the presidents and prime ministers gathered at Buckingham Palace she hopes one day they will choose Charles to carry on the important work started by her father King George VI.

There has been speculation for a number of years about whether the heir to the throne will succeed the Queen, who has been head of the Commonwealth since coming to the throne in 1952.

[19 April 2018 13:30 · Lizzy Buchan]

Theresa May's former co-chief of staff, Nick Timothy, has stirred up the row over the Windrush controversy by claiming the PM did not approve the notorious "go home or face arrest vans" when she was home secretary.

However a written question asked by Labour's Tulip Siddiq confirmed May did know about the vans.

[19 April 2018 13:39 · Lizzy Buchan]

Boris Johnson has announced the opening of nine new diplomatic posts across the Commonwealth in Lesotho, Swaziland, The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

He said: “As a Commonwealth family of nations, it in our shared interest to boost prosperity, tackle security issues and clear up the environment.

“These new diplomatic posts are in regions which provide huge potential and opportunity post-Brexit for British businesses and will help us to deepen our relationships across the Commonwealth.

“After we leave the EU, Global Britain will remain outward facing, open for business and a champion of the rules-based international order.”

[19 April 2018 13:59 · Lizzy Buchan]

John McDonnell offered City bosses a chance to help shape Labour economic policy as part of his pitch to financiers on Thursday.

The shadow chancellor proposed a ”new start in the relationship between Labour and the finance sector”, in a speech at Bloomberg’s headquarters in London.

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[19 April 2018 14:16 · Lizzy Buchan]

A Home Office statement has appeared to contradict claims by Theresa May's former chief of staff suggesting the prime minister was opposed to controversial "Go Home" immigration enforcement vans.

Nick Timothy, who served as one of Ms May's special advisers at the Home Office and became her joint chief of staff when she entered Downing Street, said the decision had been made when the then Home Secretary was on holiday.

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[19 April 2018 14:27 · Lizzy Buchan]

More pressure on Theresa May over the Windrush scandal, as a recording emerged of her calling on a Home Office minister to resign in 2004 for losing control of her department.

Labour MP David Lammy, who has been campaigning on this issue, raises the question of whether May should take responsibility.

Listen here: 

[19 April 2018 14:38 · Lizzy Buchan]

Ministers want the EU’s “geographical indications” system to keep protecting British foods such as Stilton and Cornish pasties from imitation after Brexit – but has been unable to secure an agreement with Brussels.

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[19 April 2018 14:53 · Lizzy Buchan]

Senior Conservatives have backed a plan to force a vote in the Commons aimed at pushing Theresa May into negotiating for Britain to stay in a customs union with the EU after Brexit.

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