UK politics live - Angela Rayner facing ‘multiple’ allegations say police as Rwanda bill set to pass

LIVE – Updated at 10:57

The police probe into Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner is looking at multiple allegations and is not limited to potential electoral law offences.

Greater Manchester Police reportedly has a team of at least a dozen officers investigating where Ms Rayner lived in 2010s and the sale of her former council house in Stockport.

The force previously announced it was investigating Ms Rayner over the sale of the property  and whether she broke electoral law by giving false information of her address.

The probe will also look into tax matters relating to the sale.

“It’s very well resourced, it’s not a single issue,” a source told The Times. “There is a volume of material and a clear public interest to fully investigate.”

The source also emphasised it was possible no offences would be identified.

Ms Rayner has insisted she has done nothing wrong and vowed toresign if found to have committed any offences.

She said the story was a smear being pushed by the Conservative Party to hurt her and Labour ahead of the local elections on 2 May.

Elsewhere, the government’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda is expected to become law by the end of the week.

Parliamentary ‘ping-poing’ will continue on Wednesday as the bill is sent back to the Commons after the House of Lords made a number of changes to it.

Key Points

• Rayner facing ‘multiple’ allegations amid row over sale of house
• Rwanda bill could become law by end of the week
• Libertarian Tories hit out at ‘absurd’ smoking ban

Minister confident Rwanda flights will take off in spring

10:57 , Matt Mathers

Ministers are confident deportation flights to Rwanda will take off this spring, despite the legislation underpinning the plan remaining in parliamentary deadlock.

Treasury minister Laura Trott said there were “many definitions of spring” when pressed about a timeline for getting planes off the runway.

Ms Trott told Sky News: “We will be ready for flights to take off in the spring when the legislation passes.”

She added: “I think there are lots of definitions of spring but we are hoping to get them up and running as quickly as possible.”

Watch: Nigel Farage says ‘big political decision’ to be announced when quizzed on joining Conservative Party

10:44 , Matt Mathers

Nigel Farage said he is going to make a big political decision within the “next few weeks” after he was quizzed on whether he would join the Conservative Party.

Mr Farage was quizzed on his political future after Liz Truss said she would like to see him “join the party”.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday (17 April), Ed Balls quizzed Mr Farage about his future plans.

He said: “In terms of what i may or may not do, I simply haven’t decided, but I notice Reform is getting stronger.

“I’m going to make a big decision about this within the next few weeks.”

Watch the clip here.

Rees-Mogg criticises ‘absurd’ smoking ban

10:40 , Matt Mathers

Jacob Rees-Mogg has criticised the government’s “absurd” smoking ban, saying it will do nothing to help his party’s prospects at the general election.

The former business secretary was one of 165 Tory MPs who either abstained or voted against the ban last night in the House of Commons.

“The Conservative Party has an electoral mountain to climb. If we want to overturn the Labour lead in the opinion polls, we need to start pursuing conservative policies and show a sense of proportion,” he told GB News.

“How many voters will switch back to the Tories because of this complex and impractical ban, aggressively pushed by the people who gave us endless lockdowns?”

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg (PA Wire)

Rwanda stand-off continues as peers inflict fresh defeats on asylum policy

10:36 , Matt Mathers

The parliamentary “ping-pong” over prime minister Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda scheme will continue on Wednesday after peers gave the controversial policy a fresh beating.

Despite MPs overturning previous changes by the House of Lords, the unelected chamber on Tuesday again pressed demands for revisions to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, prolonging the parliamentary wrangling.

However, the bill is still expected to become law by the end of the week – potentially being cleared in the Commons tonight

Full report:

Rwanda stand-off continues as peers inflict fresh defeats on asylum policy

In full: Manchester police chief suggests multiple allegations made against Rayner

10:31 , Matt Mathers

Police investigating Angela Rayner have suggested there are multiple allegations which may extend beyond her housing arrangements.

Greater Manchester Police had previously announced they are investigating the Labour deputy leader over the sale of her council house in Stockport and whether she broke electoral law by giving false information of her address during the 2010s.

Full report:

Manchester police chief suggests multiple allegations made against Rayner