Timing seen as moment to reset after potential loss of hundreds of council seats in England and defeat in Wales and Scotland

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Keir Starmer is planning for a new king’s speech after crunch elections in May next year as a reset moment for the government amid speculation over the prime minister’s future.

Senior sources in parliament said planning was under way to end the parliamentary session the week after local elections in England and parliamentary elections in Wales and Scotland in May, making it a significantly longer session than normal, and nearly two years since Labour first set out its legislative agenda.

Keir Starmer says oligarch must commit funds from sale of Chelsea football club or face court action

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The UK has given its final warning to Roman Abramovich to release £2.5bn from the oligarch’s sale of Chelsea FC to give to Ukraine, telling the billionaire to release the funds within 90 days or face court action.

Keir Starmer told the House of Commons the funds from Abramovich, who is subject to UK sanctions, would be converted into a new foundation for humanitarian causes in Ukraine and that the issuing of a licence for the transfer was the last chance Abramovich would have to comply.

Unions hail ‘generational shift’ as legislation introduces new rights on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts

Labour’s employment rights bill will finally become law after a battle in the House of Lords, paving the way for significant new rights for workers on sick pay, parental leave and zero-hours contracts.

Trade unions hailed a “generational shift” for workers’ rights after Tory peers conceded at the 11th hour on the legislation, which the government had promised to pass by Christmas. Royal assent is expected by Thursday.

Efforts to get PM to spend more time with his MPs appear to be bearing fruit – and few in the party see a clear path for a leadership challenge

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

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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

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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.