Early evening summary
The alleged Chinese spy with links to Prince Andrew and who made connections at the heart of the UK establishment has been named as Yang Tengbo, a businessman also known as Chris Yang. In the Commons Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, accused Keir Starmer of being “sycophantic” to the Chinese president. (See 4.04pm.) Dan Jarvis, the security minister, said at least Starmer did not take Xi Jinping to the pub, as David Cameron did.
A woman who threw a milkshake over Nigel Farage during the general election campaign has been given a 13-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. In a post on social media, Farage said the sentence was too light.
We now live in a country where you can assault a Member of Parliament and not go to prison.
The latest example of two-tier justice.
The removal of district councils in England could leave to parish and town councillors playing a bigger role, says Prof Joanie Willett, a local government specialist at the University of Exeter. In a comment on the government’s plans, she says:
Removing borough councils raises questions about the potential for town and parish councils to take a step up in local governance, with a more important profile. This could boost democracy, if town and parish councils can be adequately supported.
