No10 admits it has no plan to plug £15billion defence black hole facing Andy Burnham

No10 has admitted that it has no plan to plug the £15billion black hole in Britain's defences facing Andy Burnham.

Upon possibly moving into Downing Street later this month, the Makerfield MP will have to weigh up whether he should make cuts across Whitehall - or burden Britons with higher taxes.

On Tuesday, outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer promised an extra £15billion for defence over the course of four years as part of his delayed Defence Investment Plan.

But it was later revealed the outgoing PM had lumbered his successor with a staggering £4.7billion in the public purse in his first October Budget.

Then, the Prime Minister's Office failed to explain where the remaining £10.3billion would be sourced on Wednesday, leaving the door open to where the money will be found.

The Tories have ripped into the state of the defence plan, which was branded as Sir Keir's last-ditch attempt to curate his lasting legacy in power.

The Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said the plan "completely unravelled barely a day after it was published", telling The Telegraph: "The increase in spending is far too little, the capability promised comes far too late, and now we learn that they don’t even know how to fund it.

"Keir Starmer is kicking the can down the road for his successor because he has failed to take the tough decisions needed to keep the country safe."

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Shabana Mahmood bans asylum seekers from being housed near schools and nurseries

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has introduced new rules banning asylum seekers from being housed in new-build homes or near schools and nurseries.

The measures were brought in following a backlash over plans to house more than 80 asylum seekers in £250,000 new-build properties on a housing estate in Stoke Heath, Shropshire.

However, the Stoke Heath scheme had already been approved before the new guidance came into force, allowing the plans to proceed.

The new-build estate in the rural Shropshire village has earmarked 21 homes for asylum-seeking families.