Priti Patel defends new immigration points system

Priti Patel has defended the Government's new immigration points system as she insisted it was "not the end of the Polish builder". The Home Secretary said so long as labourers "have the right kind of skills" they would be welcome to come to the UK. But business leaders warned industries will face "critical" worker shortages under the plans, which will limit migration to skilled workers who have a job offer, speak English and command a salary of £25,600 a year or more. Tom Rees has details of the business backlash. SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon called the plans "offensive in principle". Danielle Sheridan's liveblog has more.

With the Budget due three weeks today, experts have warned the Government's plan to reform pension tax relief could be cut short by the "inevitable" problems it would create for businesses that offer gold-plated final salary pensions. Boris Johnson and new Chancellor Rishi Sunak are considering plans to cut pension tax relief for higher earners in the upcoming Budget, which has been confirmed for March 11. Jessica Beard explains the issues with any raid on pension tax relief.

Caroline Flack hanged herself at home, inquest says

Love Island presenter Caroline Flack hanged herself at home, an inquest into her death has disclosed. Coroner's officer Sandra Polson said police were driving through Stoke Newington on Saturday when they were flagged down. The inquest then detailed how police attempted resuscitation, which was then continued by paramedics, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The hearing came hours after Flack's family released an unpublished Instagram post she wrote before she died. Martin Evans reconstructs the presenter's tortured final weeks.

Queen tells children she had braces a 'long time ago'

The Queen has empathised with children having their braces fitted in hospital, telling them: "I had wires, luckily it was a very long time ago." The Queen, who was hailed by NHS staff as a "consummate professional", told young people their treatment would be "worth it in the end", during her first public visit since her Christmas break. The 93-year-old monarch admired paper crowns made by young patients, praised a little girl for her "splendid" plans to throw a party for her cochlear implants, and confided details of her own dental treatment as a child. It comes as the Duke of York's 60th birthday has been marked by the Royal Family with a short social media message, following the scandal surrounding his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. A picture of the royal as a baby was posted along with their good wishes. Click here to see it.

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Video: Dave calls Boris Johnson 'racist' at Brit Awards

The Brit Awards were spread around pretty evenly, with rapper Dave winning Album of the Year for his widely praised, sensitive and provocative Psychodrama, which had previously collected the Mercury Prize. As he performed his political hit Black on the night, he got a sneaky dig into Boris Johnson, changing the lyrics to his polemical track.