Economic growth central to No 10's pitch on closer EU tiespublished at 19:19 BST 12 October

19:19 BST 12 October

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

We now know that the UK and EU will meet on 20 November to discuss a "deeper cooperation" on some key issues - including youth mobility, food and drink and energy.

The prime minister is confident a closer relationship in these areas will help drive economic growth.

And it is increasingly clear that economic growth - and cooperation on illegal immigration - are going to be at the centre of No 10's arguments when it comes to selling a closer relationship both at - and beyond - next month's summit.

We don't know for sure how far the prime minister is prepared to go. He has committed to the Labour manifesto, which promised to not rejoin the customs union or single market.

But what about after the next election - if Labour stands on a different manifesto?

In interviews after the Labour conference, Burnham did not rule out going further - even rejoining the EU.

We're now ending our live coverage - thanks for joining us.

Image source, UK Parliament

It's been a busy day in the Commons, with statements by Prime Minister Andy Burnham on UK-EU relations and by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on the threats facing political figures in the UK.

Here's a quick recap of what we heard:

• Burnham said a UK-EU summit has been set for next month. Leaders will discuss a trade deal on food and drink, energy, and stronger cooperation on immigration
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued the PM was "unpicking" an existing deal the UK signed with the EU, a decade after the Brexit referendum
• Badenoch and Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey called on Burnham to provide evidence for his remarks on The Rest is Politics podcast that Russia interfered in UK politics
• Later on in Parliament, Mahmood announced expanded police support for political figures, and a public inquiry into the deaths of the Heaton Park Synagogue victims in Manchester

We'll be ending our live coverage soon, but you can read more on the UK-EU summit here, and about Mahmood's political protection announcement here.

In announcing the expansion of protection to political figures who are not MPs, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also spoke about the growing threats posed by terrorism and extremism to serving colleagues - citing the example of murdered MPs Jo Cox in 2016 and David Amess in 2021.

According to data released to the BBC in April, MPs reported 4,064 crimes to the Metropolitan Police's Parliamentary Liaison Team between 2019 and 2025.

The figures show the number of alleged offences against MPs have increased year-on-year, with 976 recorded in 2025, compared to 364 in 2019.

The most numerous recorded offences were related to malicious communications (2,066 in total across the six-year period), followed by harassment, and criminal damage to a building.

In 2025, there were 50 death threats reported - up from 31 the previous year.

• You can read more about the rate of reported crimes against MPs in our story

What is the EU's fingerprint database the UK lost access to after Brexit?published at 18:51 BST 12 October

18:51 BST 12 October

By Tamara Kovacevic

Earlier, Prime Minister Andy Burnham was asked about the UK losing access to the EU’s asylum database after Brexit.

He replied: “The loss of immigration control has come with the inability now to access data across the European Union… we are in a weaker position when it comes to controlling immigration.”

After Brexit, the UK lost its access to Eurodac - a database of fingerprints - which allows EU countries to see whether asylum seekers and “irregular migrants” have already made an asylum claim in another EU country.

In 2020 - the last year of the UK's access - half of the 8,466 people who arrived in small boats were flagged on Eurodac for crossing the EU border illegally.

Some might have made an application in more than one EU country.

Peter Walsh from the independent Migration Observatory based at the University of Oxford told BBC Verify last year that leaving the Eurodac database was a “big deal”.

"We would know that they claimed asylum in another country and that would enable us to issue an immediate refusal - you are inadmissible, you have a claim in another country, or you'd been refused, and that would allow us to make a speedy refusal and then try to remove them.”

Image source, PA Media

Warning: This post contains distressing details.

We've been hearing from MPs about the death of Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe, amid concerns over the safety of political figures.

Widdecombe was found dead in her Dartmoor home with serious head injuries on 8 July.

Joshua Kerry, 28, has been charged with the 78-year-old's murder and is due to go on trial next year.

He has also been charged with a second offence of preparing terrorist acts.

Prosecutors told a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in July that Kerry entered the house through the front door and hit Widdecombe with a hammer 21 times as she ate lunch in her kitchen.

They said Kerry was in the property for two minutes, and took Widdecombe's wallet before driving off.

An earlier inquest hearing heard that emergency services were called on the day Widdecombe was found, and she was pronounced dead at 12:20 BST.

Mahmood is back on her feet responding to the shadow home secretary's questions, and says she's not going to comment on the investigation into Ann Widdecombe's murder.

Responding about antisemitism, Mahmood says she will always use her powers "appropriately" by looking at threats and the impact on communities, but her approach remains "robust" to limit "threats to our communities here at home".

She concludes her response and the floor then opens up to questions from MPs.

Mahmood is still in the House of Commons answering questions, stay with us as we bring you more analysis of today's statements.

More now from Philp, who says threats to elected representatives are threats to democracy.

He welcomes the extension of protective measures including for those outside Parliament.

Philp also pays tribute to the victims of the Heaton Park Synangogue attack and says it is more important than ever to fight antisemitism and Islamist extremism.

He says there is a wide range of threats to the safety of the country, political leaders and the Jewish community, adding that the House will be united in wanting to fight those threats.

Image source, House of Commons

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp is now delivering the opposition's response.

On the incident at RAF Fairford, he asks whether Mahmood thinks "it was reasonable" to release the suspects as quickly as they were, and whether there was any previous knowledge of threats to the base beforehand.

Philp also questions whether the government will expel Iranian diplomats, especially those believed to be "involved in hostile activity or in espionage".

He then moves on to security arrangements, saying the threat to public figures is "a very real one".

Philp is then briefly interrupted by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who warns of the potential risk in affecting the prosecution with his discussion of reports of a break-in at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's home ahead of Ann Widdecombe's murder.

Mahmood goes on to say "we can defeat those who mean us harm but we are strongest when we act together".

She says the UK is strengthening and adapting its defences, but acknowledges there is more to be done to protect the country.

Mahmood urges MPs in the House to join together in delivering that work, adding "it is so much greater than our differences".

Speaking about the incident at RAF Fairford, Mahmood says evidence shows the likely participation of Iranian actors and that it was "almost certainly directed by Iran's IRGC".

She adds that the foreign secretary has summoned the Iranian ambassador and will condemn "Iran's continued attempts to undermine" UK safety.

Mahmood says the UK is also sanctioning two individuals "conducting espionage and attacks" on behalf of Iran, in the US and Europe.

Mahmood also announces a public inquiry into the deaths of the Heaton Park Synagogue victims in Manchester last year.

She says this was one of a series of attacks on the Jewish community and there have been several others in the year since.

The government has increased funding to boost a police presence in Jewish areas and tackle antisemitism on the streets, Mahmood says.

"We must root out the evil of antisemitism, wherever it lurks in society," she adds.

• You can read more about the synagogue attack here

The home secretary says it is clear there is "insufficient protection" for those who serve in public life.

Mahmood announces she will expand "with immediate effect" police support to political figures who are not currently MPs, which includes peers, former MPs, and party spokespeople.

She adds there will be an independent review of security arrangements provided to public figures.

It will be led by former national security advisor Stephen Lovegrove, to examine physical threats, online risks and the dangers "posed within our more polarised society".

Image source, UK Parliament

Mahmood begins by talking about the threats the UK faces from terrorists and extremists.

She says it has been three months since the murder of Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe - whose suspected attacker has been charged with a terrorism offence.

"We must stand together as one house," Mahmood adds, saying murdered MPs David Amess and Jo Cox must also be remembered.

She says they were "beloved colleagues" and "champions of democracy".

Labour MP Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in 2016, and Conservative MP David Amess was fatally stabbed in 2021.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has just started delivering a national security update to the House of Commons.

We'll bring you the latest on this now.

Image source, Getty Images

As we reported earlier, the PM said it was "highly likely" that Iran was involved in last month's incident at RAF Fairford.

Here's a quick reminder about what happened at the airbase last month:

• On 27 September, five UK nationals were arrested close to RAF Fairford on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act
• A major incident was declared and dozens of homes were evacuated after police were alerted to three suspicious vehicles near the airbase
• Two other men were later arrested. All seven have been released on bail

Earlier this year, the UK permitted the US to use RAF Fairford for strikes against Iran. In July, Iran said "any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces".

Image source, PA Media

In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of 29 countries - including the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Bulgaria and New Zealand - have condemned "Iran's use of violent attacks", including plotting, arson, sabotage, cyber-attacks and other hybrid activities.

The statement notes the RAF Fairford incident comes after the "recent campaign of attacks across Europe targeting Jewish communities, Iranian journalists, and US interests".

As a reminder, the prime minister earlier told MPs it is "highly likely" that Iran was behind the RAF Fairford incident - where five men were arrested and then bailed - and that it was "almost certainly directed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard".

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen says she is "really looking forward to" the EU-UK Summit next month.

"The EU and the UK have so much to achieve together," she writes on X, including "strengthening our security and defence" and tackling illegal migration.

"Let's be ambitious and deliver for citizens on both sides of the Channel," she adds.

The President of the European Council, António Costa, also says he is looking forward to welcoming Burnham to Brussels for the second EU-UK Summit.

He adds both sides aim to "strengthen our resilience, enhance our ability to tackle shared challenges, and promote stability in Europe and beyond".

Image source, House of Commons

Back in the Commons, Ellie Chowns from the Green Party has asked the prime minister about his government's response to challenges posed by climate change.

"The climate crisis is one of the biggest international challenges facing us," she says, adding that "it requires keeping fossil fuels in the ground".

She calls on the government to rule out Jackdaw and Rosebank - oil and gas projects - and "move with all speed to the future of clean, green, renewable energy on which this country's future prosperity depends".

In response, Burnham says his government will be "pragmatic" on oil and gas as "the country will continue to need to use it in the future".

But the PM says he agrees it's "essential" that the UK builds a strong bridge towards a renewable future.

Image source, EPA

The EU and UK reached a post-Brexit deal in 2025. With the PM now angling for closer ties with the bloc, let's take a look at what has already been agreed.

• Fishing: The new deal kept the current status quo, giving EU boats continued access to UK waters until 2038
• The UK would continue to agree yearly quotas (the amount of fish allowed to be caught) with the EU and Norway, and issue licences to control who fishes in its waters
• Farming: In return, the UK secured a deal to reduce checks on food exports to the EU, meaning the vast majority of routine border checks on animal and plant shipments to and from the EU would be dropped
• The new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement meant the UK can sell raw burgers and sausages back into the EU for the first time since Brexit
• Under the deal, the UK was expected to follow EU rules it does not write – overseen by the European Court of Justice. But it can break away if it keeps similar standards and avoids harming EU trade
• Migration: The UK and the EU agreed to co-operate on a "youth experience scheme", which the government said would allow "young people able to work and travel freely in Europe again" but would be "capped and time-limited"

Back in the House, Labour MP Melanie Onn asks Burnham to confirm that there will not be a return to freedom of movement in the upcoming EU negotiations, and that the UK will not join the eurozone.

Burnham repeats what he said in response to Ed Davey earlier: "We will honour the manifesto in full and the red lines are in place and they will remain in place."