Efforts to get PM to spend more time with his MPs appear to be bearing fruit – more so than any macho briefing war

In the corner of one of Westminster’s endless Christmas receptions, a Conservative veteran of the Brexit years admits they are somewhat baffled by the frenzied leadership speculation among the new Labour ranks.

It was easy to forget, they said, given how many Tory leaders the party cycled through – but prime ministers were not that easy to dislodge.

Ian Murray says he has still not been given an explanation for his demotion to technology minister

The former Scottish secretary Ian Murray has hit out at the prime minister for his “humiliating” sacking, despite deciding to remain a minister in the government.

In a candid interview Murray said he had felt underappreciated in his cabinet role, and that he had been in two minds whether to accept his current position as technology minister.

Letter says there is danger of Lords losing legitimacy as more than 1,000 amendments tabled, delaying any vote

• What is happening to the assisted dying bill in the Lords?

• Letter: Lords’ block on assisted dying bill is a big risk

Senior opponents of assisted dying legislation have called on peers not to hold up the progress of the bill through parliament, warning there was a serious danger of the Lords losing democratic legitimacy.

Many supporters now admit the bill is in serious danger of running out of time in the Lords before the end of the parliamentary session, meaning it will fail to pass, because of the slow pace of considering more than 1,000 amendments means the bill will probably run out of time for a vote.

No more concessions, says minister after legislation was thwarted in upper house despite manifesto climbdown

• UK politics live – latest updates

The government has vowed that there will be no more concessions on the employment rights bill and that it will force the Lords to vote on it again next week, after Conservative and cross-bench peers blocked it on Wednesday night.

Ministers and trade unions expressed fury that the bill was voted down again in the House of Lords by peers protesting against the lifting of the compensation cap for unfair dismissal, calling it “cynical wrecking tactics that risk a constitutional crisis”.

Tory leader says head of Reform should ‘put on his big boy pants’ and apologise over allegations from ex-schoolmates

• UK politics live – latest updates

Kemi Badenoch has questioned why Nigel Farage has not apologised for alleged racist and antisemitic comments while at school, saying the weight of the evidence of more than 20 former schoolmates is significant.

In her strongest comments yet on the issue, the Conservative leader said she was struck that Farage had not admitted any fault or apologised, saying it would have been her first instinct as a politician.