No 10 says Michelle Mone has lost Conservative whip ‘by default’ – as it happened

Baroness Michelle Mone at the state opening of parliament in the House of Lords. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

5.44pm GMT

Afternoon summary

• Rishi Sunak has said he was “shocked” to read allegations about the Conservative peer Michelle Mone, as it emerged that her loss of the Tory whip in the Lords only came about because she voluntarily took leave of absence.

• Striking NHS workers could be targeted as part of Rishi Sunak’s promised “tough” new measures to curb a wave of industrial action, Downing Street has suggested. No 10 said the government had not ruled out plans to stop industrial action by nurses and ambulance drivers – a significant escalation from previous threats to clamp down on striking rail workers. At PMQs Rishi Sunak told MPs that he was planning a “tough” new law to protect people from strike disruption. (See 2.29pm.) In response, Frances O’Grady, the outgoing TUC general secretary, accused Sunak of engaging in “cheap political shots”. She said:

The right to strike is a fundamental British liberty. With inflation running at 11 per cent, Rishi Sunak wants to make it harder for working people to win better pay and conditions.

Public sector workers would love to be able to deliver minimum service levels. But 12 years of Conservative cuts and mismanagement have left our public services falling apart at the seams.

Rather than attempting cheap political pot shots, the government should be getting around the table and negotiating with unions about pay. So far, ministers have seemed more interested in sabotaging talks than trying to resolve disputes.

• UK Border Force staff are to strike over the festive holidays at airports across the country in a dispute over pay and conditions, a union has announced.

• Pharmacists are reporting UK-wide shortages of the antibiotics used to treat strep A, despite Steve Barclay, the health secretary, insisting that the government is “not aware” of a problem. At PMQs Rishi Sunak also claimed antibiotics were available. He told MPs:

Strep A can be treated appropriately with antibiotics. There are no current shortages of drugs available to treat it.

• Matt Hancock is to step down as an MP, the former health minister and tunnel-crawling, exotic-offal-eating reality TV contestant has announced, sparking an immediate row over whether he was being forced out or quitting voluntarily.

Rishi Sunak at PMQs today. Photograph: Jessica Taylor/Reuters

Updated at 6.04pm GMT

5.28pm GMT

The Home Office has said the strike by Border Force staff will lead to delays for passengers. In response to the PCS strike announcement, a spokesperson said:

We are disappointed at the union’s decision to strike on the proposed dates which will cause an inconvenience to the public and businesses.

We are working closely with all UK ports and airports and have robust plans in place to minimise any delays if strike action goes ahead. However, passengers should be prepared for disruption.

Those intending to travel over strike days should plan ahead and contact relevant travel operators before travelling to check how the proposed strike action will affect their journey.