UK has no credible plan to mobilise volunteers in event of war, ex-defence minister admits – as it happened

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The National Farmers' Union has announced that it will hold a day of unity" on Saturday 25 January to allow people to show support for its campaign to stop the extension of inheritance tax to cover farms. Its sister organisations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are also involved. On that day, its says, towns in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, from Land's End to Shetland and from the Giant's Causeway to Dover, will see farmers gathering to thank the British public for their overwhelming support, and to underline to their parliamentarians that our campaign will not stop until the tax is finally subject to consultation and proper scrutiny."

In its manifesto Labour said it would protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties". There has been renewed interest in what this might mean since Elon Musk, the tech billionaire and Trump ally, starting floating the prospect of giving to Reform UK - although, as Michael Savage reported in the Observer at the weekend, ministers are worried about acting too quickly in case it looks as if they are only bothered about stopping the Musk donation.