Carswell rules out Ukip leadership bid

Ukip’s only sitting MP has ruled himself out of the running to be the party’s next leader after the resignation of Nigel Farage.

Douglas Carswell, who held his Clacton seat, praised Mr Farage as a “heroic and inspirational figure” but told the Times: “I am not going to be running as leader.”

Mr Farage said he was taking a break after failing to win his target seat South Thanet, but left the door open for a return.

He said: “There will be a leadership election for the next leader of Ukip in September and I will consider over the course of this summer whether to put my name forward to do that job again.”

Greens aim for ‘second surge’ after breaching 1m vote mark

Green party leader Natalie Bennett has said she is the right person to lead the “second stage of the green surge”.

She finished third in Holborn and St Pancras but did not follow the examples of Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage in resigning her leadership.

She said the party had firmly established itself on the national scene after winning 1.1m votes – up from 285,000 in 2010 – and finishing second in four seats.

Earlier this year Green party membership shot past the Lib Dems and Ukip, piling on more than 2,000 members in a single day.

Ms Bennett said: “We’ve had the first stage of the green surge and what I’m aiming to do from today onwards is build the second stage of the green surge.”

What Cameron must do to become ‘a truly great prime minister’

The future of the union and Britain’s relationship with the EU are the dominant issues confronting David Cameron, says Eurosceptic and former Tory government minister John Redwood.

He tells Cordelia Lynch the prime minister is the one man in British politics to save the union and that, to this end, it’s very important for the Conservatives in the Commons to build bridges to Labour and the SNP.

“The whole constitutional settlement represents David Cameron’s biggest challenge,” he says. “If David can see us safely through these (challenges), he will be a truly great prime minister.”

But Mr Redwood warns that if home rule is not good enough for the Scottish people, “then there will come a point where they need to be asked again whether they wish to have full independence”.

Cameron returns to No.10 as opponents lick their wounds

David Cameron spent the first day of his second term as prime minister holed up at No.10, working out the finer details of his new cabinet.

At the same time, the two issues set to dominate that second term are emerging: Scotland and Europe. Already, Conservative MPs are agitating for reform.

Meanwhile, for Labour and the Lib Dems, still licking deep wounds, it’s the start of new leadership contests.

‘There’ll be a few surprises in Westminster’

Corny as hell, contrived, cheesy – yes, all of the above. And yet when you actually get up close to the Forth railway bridge, all that drains away.

The SNP machine is nothing if not slick. Hi-vizzers out early doing the parking (and letting us sneak in into the double yellow by that posh Jag – thanks).

Bacon butty and square sausage man was there with coffee and tea – all free.

The stage, thought out: wide area for the 56, the forward areas for Nicola Sturgeon – even miniature Jagger-esque platforms for extended selfie work should Nicola Queen of Scots want to get nearer the crowd.

And along the road they came with mates and rellies, a Salmond among them hi-fiving toddlers on front of our camera then joking to me: “There’ll be a few surprises in Westminster.”

Read more on Alex Thomson’s blog

#LondonProtest – anti Tory demonstrations held outside Downing Street

Protesters and police face off at the gates of Downing Street during a protest in London

An unplanned protest against the new Conservative government took place outside Conservative headquarters and then moved to Downing Street.

Large numbers of police faced off against hundreds of protesters and angry scuffles resulted in two police staff being treated in hospital. At least four protesters have been arrested.

Police try to push back demonstrators at the gates of Downing Street.

A war memorial was also defaced by some of the protesters which has angered many people, as events are being held across the country to mark the defeat of Nazi Germany 70 years ago.

Police corral protesters behind expletive graffiti spray painted onto a war memorial.

Although there were some angry encounters, many protesters say the event was largely peaceful. However photos posted on social media show some protesters scuffling with police amidst what appears to be smoke from a cannister.

have some respect for your fellow citizens and the injustice they feel and report this #londonprotest #GE2015 pic.twitter.com/c20oI6AlXa

— Caitlin Diamond (@caitdiamond12) May 9, 2015