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George Freeman, the Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk, has stepped back from his role as a UK trade envoy after he referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog.

It comes after the ex-minister was alleged to have been paid by a firm that helped him write questions to government about its own sector.

Freeman, who reportedly tabled the questions to the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, became a paid adviser with GHGSat, a monitoring service for greenhouse gas emissions, in April last year.

Number 10 said it was "right" that he should be asked to step back from his trade role while the watchdog's investigation is carried out.

Freeman had been acting as an envoy for Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Brunei.

The government's proposed changes to how welfare is administered would lead to "very serious breaches" of human rights law, a senior legal expert has said. 

Jamie Burton KC of Doughty Street Chambers, said the reforms would constitute "human rights violations for disabled people", and called the changes "aggressive measures", which are "regressive".

The criticisms will have an added sting for the prime minister, as they are from the very firm he used to work for.

Equity, the performing arts and entertainment union, commissioned the legal opinion from the firm, saying the cuts would hurt disabled performers and artists "who already struggle to make ends meet".

What did the legal opinion say?

Burton's legal assessment said the reforms "inevitably result in very serious breaches of the UK's obligations under the UNCRPD [UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities]  and by ICESCR [the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]".

He wrote: "They are likely to be condemned by the treaty monitoring bodies, who have become all too familiar with very similar reforms designed to cut the welfare bill and promote work, but which ultimately result in yet further and long-standing human rights violations for disabled people."

'No doubt' reforms are regressive 

But he also noted the system is already failing disabled people and violates the UK's human rights obligations under international law.

The changes, therefore, will "exacerbate those violations".

Burton added that "there can be no doubt" that the reforms are regressive, in human rights terms. 

He said this means the government will have to prove how the welfare changes don't breach human rights law.

Labour MPs are still unhappy with the handling of welfare reforms and with the botched communications from Number 10.

A shaky performance from Liz Kendall didn't win many over in the chamber and committee chairs who were supposedly signed up to the changes stood to raise questions rather than offer support.

In the Commons, one disgruntled rebel who still plans to vote against the legislation tomorrow said rumours about threatened suspensions had gone down like "a rat sandwich".

Other loyal MPs were privately questioning the new plan for a review, which appears to conclude just as the PIP changes come into force - one asking "what's the point?"

Another added: "It's all too vague."

Watch: 'My entire community is at risk'

Other centrists who previously signed the anti-government amendment before last week's partial U-turn said they had been grudgingly won over.

One told me it was a "big mess that I will be voting for to try to move beyond the mess". Another said that now his constituents already on PIP were protected, he was happy to support the bill.

A third wavering MP added: "I'm voting for it. It's not perfect, but it's an incredible deal considering where we were with it last week."

So despite a difficult few days, it does seem like the number of rebels is dwindling on the eve of the big Commons vote.

Kemi Badenoch has confirmed the Conservatives will vote against the government's welfare reforms tomorrow.

Tory MPs had been sitting on the fence somewhat until now, suggesting they might be willing to back the prime minister as they too believe the benefits bill needs to come down.

But Badenoch says Labour's plans are "not serious".

PM has 'watered down' plans

"Last week, we challenged them to cut the welfare budget, to bring in measures that would get people back into work, and to assure us there wouldn鈥檛 be new taxes to fill the gap," Badenoch says.

"Keir Starmer has not met those challenges, in fact he's watered down the small savings Labour were making. 

"We have a government that is incapable of governing. For that reason, we will be voting against the welfare bill tomorrow."

The Conservatives have said the BBC "failed profoundly" in its coverage of Bob Vylan at Glastonbury Festival.

Responding to Lisa Nandy's statement, Stuart Andrew says he is a "strong advocate of the BBC". 

But the shadow culture secretary adds: "The national broadcaster, funded by the licence payers, must adhere to the highest standards of impartiality, responsibility, and commitment to social cohesion. 

"And I hope we can all agree that in this instance it has failed profoundly.

"Free speech and political activism are the sign of a healthy democracy essential to it. But when you cross the line to incitement to violence, then there must be a consequence."

'Indefensible'

He calls broadcasting an "active choice" and says airing the performance a "disgraceful affront to the Jewish community".

"Hateful rhetoric should never be cloaked as artistic expression," he adds.

Andrew criticises the BBC for giving Northern Irish trio, Kneecap, a platform, too. 

The Irish-language rap trio were on stage afterwards, and led chants of "f*** Keir Starmer". They also referenced rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh's upcoming court date - he is facing a terror charge, accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah at a gig in London last November.

Andrew said the BBC's decision to initially offer the band's Glastonbury performance on iPlayer is "as indefensible as it is shocking."

Lisa Nandy is now addressing MPs about the events of the weekend at Glastonbury Festival. 

It follows chants led by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan of "death, death to the IDF", which were broadcast by the BBC. 

In the last few minutes, the police have confirmed a criminal investigation has been launched into Bob Vylan's performance and a performance by Northern Irish trio Kneecap.

Bob Vylan have also been dropped by their US representatives and had their US visas revoked ahead of a tour there.

Antisemitism 'must be rooted out'

Speaking in the Commons, Nandy says she can't comment on the police investigation but adds: "This government will not tolerate antisemitism".

"It has no place in our society," she adds.  "It is a poison and a cancer that must be rooted out, and we will be relentless in our work to do so."

Turning to the fact that the BBC broadcast Bob Vylan's performance in full (which the BBC has since said it regrets doing), the culture secretary says "key outstanding questions remain".

These include why Bob Vylan's performance was broadcast live (by comparison, the BBC chose not to broadcast Kneecap's performance live, but initially made it available on iPlayer).

Nandy also asks why the feed was "not immediately cut when the chants of 'death to the IDF' began" and "what due diligence was done prior to the decision to broadcast this particular act".

She adds: "I expect answers to these questions without delay."

'We do not accept hate speech is art'

She then says she has spoken to members of the Jewish community, and that they have raised concerns about "imagery and slogans that were on display at the festival". 

The government is now "looking into the specifics of these alarming reports" and has contacted the organisers of Glastonbury about these.

She concludes that the government "strongly support[s] freedom of expression", but that "we do not accept that incitement to violence, hate speech or antisemitism is art".

Lisa Nandy is giving a statement in the Commons after a criminal investigation was launched into the Glastonbury performances of Kneecap and Bob Vylan.

You can watch live in the stream above. We'll bring you any noteworthy updates and you can read more on this developing story below.

 Liz Kendall has just been asked if she can name "a single disabled people or organisation that supports this legislation".

The embattled work and pensions secretary doesn't give any names. 

But she does recognise that she "understand[s] why disability organisations are making the points that they do - that is their job".

"Our job is something different," she says. 

"Our job is to take the right decisions that we believe are fair, to make sure we have a system that works for people who need support, but it is also sustainable for the future. That is not easy."

She later says she's met with "many disabled organisations" along with the disability minister.

She adds: "We want to make sure people's views and voices are heard."

MPs have been accusing Liz Kendall of creating a "two-tier" welfare system through the government's reforms. 

Qualifying for personal independence payments is to be tightened up for those who claim it from November 2026.

It's not just Conservatives who've been saying this, with Labour politicians and former party leader Jeremy Corbyn also levelling the charge at the work and pensions secretary.

Not to be outdone, the chair of the women and equalities committee (another rebel) has said Kendall is creating a system with "three tiers".

That refers to the timing of a government review into PIP, which won't report back until November 2026 - when the tighter rules come in.

Sarah Owen MP suggests that, depending on what the review says, it could leave us in a position where there are three sets of criteria for PIP.

Kendall dismisses that idea, and says a future system would "focus 鈥� on those with higher needs".

Could claimants move between tiers?

But Labour's Vicky Foxcroft - who quit as a government whip over the reforms - asks: "If claimants request a reassessment because of worsening health conditions, will they be assessed on the current criteria or new eligibility criteria?"

Kendall says existing claimants will "remain under the new rules unless they request a reassessment until November 2026".

At that point onwards, "there will be that four-point minimum", she adds.