Council tax bills in England could rise by an average of 1.6% next year - the lowest rise for more than a decade, a survey says.

Tory leader David Cameron says "never again" will powers be transferred from the UK to Brussels without a referendum.

The Conservatives say they will not hold a referendum on the EU treaty if the party wins the next general election.

Alistair Darling says the sell-offs at Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds are in the "best interest" of the banking sector.

A minister says the removal of the government's chief drugs adviser in a row over cannabis was a "big mistake".

New Year's Eve revellers will get an extra six hours of reduced-VAT drinking, the government announces.

Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group are to sell off many bank branches to appease competition concerns.

Scotland Yard "strongly" rejects a suggestion that an officer tricked a Commons official over the search of an MP's office.

A committee of MPs heavily criticise an abandoned government IT scheme to track offenders.

An MP denies equating his treatment over expenses to the Holocaust - but apologises for a "clumsily" worded e-mail.