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The Politics Hub is signing off for the day.

It's been another busy day as we speed towards parliament's return on Monday, with the prime minister having sparked quite the debate by moving a portrait of Margaret Thatcher.

For a full round-up of what you need to know, tap through the key points above.

Have a good afternoon, we'll see you next time.

Border Force staff at Heathrow Airport will launch a four-day strike on Saturday in a long-running dispute over rosters.

Around 650 members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will walk out amid complaints that new rosters are inflexible.

The staff will then work to rule and refuse to work overtime from 4 to 22 September.

The union said its research showed that four in five Heathrow Border Force workers suffer from stress at work.

More than one in four have taken time off due to stress or related mental health reasons since the introduction of the new rosters in April, said the union.

Most staff regularly worry about managing home commitments around work, according to the PCS.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "We appreciate the tireless work that Border Force do to keep our borders safe and secure, and we are committed to continuing our conversations with the union so we can find an agreement that works for both the public and staff.

"We will have robust plans in place to minimise disruption where possible, but we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel."

By Tim Baker, political reporter

The government is pledging to end the culling of badgers within the next five years.

The controversial practice has seen more than 230,000 badgers killed in the past decade in a bid to reduce the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

More than 278,000 cattle have been killed to try and control the disease in the same period.

Instead of culling the striped mammals, Labour wants to implement a vaccination strategy to protect both cows and badgers.

This will include introducing a new "badger vaccinator field force", as well as a survey of the badger population and TB infection rates.

The plan is to end the cull by the end of the current parliament - which expires in summer 2029.

Minister for food security and rural affairs Daniel Zeichner said: "Bovine tuberculosis has devastated British farmers and wildlife for far too long.

"It has placed dreadful hardship and stress on farmers who continue to suffer the loss of valued herds and has taken a terrible toll on our badger populations.

"No more. Our comprehensive TB eradication package will allow us to end the badger cull by the end of this parliament and stop the spread of this horrific disease."

Campaigners like Queen guitarist Brian May have long campaigned for an end to the cull, while some farmers have argued to increase it to protect livestock from tuberculosis.

Beth Rigby and Ruth Davidson have some news! They’vegot a new permanent co-host on Electoral Dysfunction.

Labour legend and former deputy prime minister Harriet Harman is joiningthe line upevery week to take you behind the curtain of the biggestpolitical stories and answer your questions.

This week, they discuss the prime minister’s abrupt end to summer and how heis preparing thecountry for a busypolitical autumn.

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Harriet is also joining Beth and Ruth live on tour.For more information on dates and tickets for our tour, go tohttps://www.aegpresents.co.uk/event/electoral-dysfunction-live/

Email Beth, Ruthand Harriet atelectoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.

We have been reporting plenty on the tax rises that could be coming in October's budget.

One of the levies that could be in line for changes is council tax, so we thought we'd have a look at how it works now and how the Labour government might tweak it.

The current system

Council tax is paid on domestic properties and collected by local councils.

Some people don't have to pay it or get discounts, for example those living alone, but most people over 18 who aren't students living with other students are charged.

There are valuation bands which dictate how much tax needs to be paid, based on the value of properties as they were in 1991.

New build properties developed after that date are estimated by the Valuations Office Agency and banded accordingly.

Different local councils charge different rates for each of the bands, with rates in central London often some of the cheapest, and those in more rural areas usually higher.

Current laws stipulate that any local authority wanting to raise council tax by 5% or more has to hold a referendum first.

Is it fit for purpose?

The current system was introduced in 1993.

Property values have changed significantly in the last three decades, with some London house prices having risen by more than 800%, whereas in places like Hartlepool, in County Durham, they have barely tripled.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has labelled use of the current system as "absurd" while the Institute for Government has called it "incredibly poorly designed".

What has Labour said before?

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is among those to have previously called for a council tax revaluation.

A leaked recording from March revealed chief secretary to the Treasury, Darren Jones, saying he was frustrated by the "out of date" system and hinted those with homes worth over £1m may have to pay more.

In Wales, the Labour Party has promised to introduce new council tax bands and tax band rates, but that has been pushed back to 2028.

Sir Keir Starmer previously described the Welsh Labour government as a "blueprint for what Labour can do across the UK," but later told Sky News council tax was "too high for too many people".

What could the government change?

There have been reports the government could replace the banding system in favour of a 0.5% tax on the value of a property per year.

This would mean that someone in a property worth £350,000, for example, would pay £1,750 a year.

However, the move could particularly impact those living in London, where the average one-bedroom flat peaked at £327,000 in 2020.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has been spotted raving with a top DJ at a superclub in Ibiza.

Video footage shows Ms Rayner dancing enthusiastically in a DJ booth while being cheered on by the crowd at Hi Ibiza, a 5,000-capacity club on the Spanish party island.

Actress and singer Denise van Outen posted video footage and photos on Instagram on Thursday night of the housing minister wearing a red dress that would not be out of place in the House of Commons.

Sir Keir Starmer's number two could be seen singing along to a remix of Gotye's hit song Somebody That I Used to Know.

Conservative leadership hopeful did not rule out making former prime minister Boris Johnson a member of a future Tory cabinet if she takes the job,

She described him as "phenomenal" for the party and the country.

Asked if she could see Mr Johnson serving in her cabinet, Ms Patel said: "Our party owes Boris Johnson a great deal.

"He's a man that won us a 2019 general election and motivated the grassroots, and actually was a true leader. He really was.

"That's a matter for him now, obviously, in terms of his choices, what he chooses to do going forward."

She added: (Mr Johnson) has just been phenomenal to our party and actually for our country, in my view, as well."

First Minister John Swinney has warned that cuts by the UK government will leave his ability to serve Scotland "under real threat".

Speaking ahead of his first conference as party leader in almost two decades, Mr Swinney urged Scots to rally against any potential spending cuts at a UK level, which would impact on the funding provided to Scotland.

Both the UK and Scottish governments find themselves fighting against dire financial outlooks, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing a more than £20bn black hole in public finances, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the budget expected in October will be "painful".

Mr Swinney said: "The prime minister's speech on Tuesday has made clear that Scotland is facing years of austerity under Labour, which will have profound consequences for public services and living standards.

"Be in no doubt - our ability to serve the people of Scotland is under real threat by the sweeping spending cuts that the Labour government are introducing - cuts that, only a few months ago, they were denying would take place.

"The SNP, and indeed Scotland as a whole, must come together to stand up against Labour's cuts."

Conservative leadership candidate Priti Patel has pledged to "revive" the party after Labour's landslide win at the general election in July.

Speaking in Westminster, former home secretary Ms Patel said she will get the Tories back to their "winning ways".

She added: "If you back me to be your leader, I will unite our party."

The ex-minister also promises to work to get a Tory mayor elected in London, where Labour's Sadiq Khan has held the post since 2016.

Ms Patel said: "We are a patriotic party, a national party who believes in the union and the matters which concern hard-working people every single day.

"And I will lead us from opposition to government, so that we can serve the British people again and give them back the freedoms and the dignity that Labour will take away from them.

"And to do that, we will work with one team, with one voice, and with a meritocratic team built on our collective skills and experience."

In an "offer" to Conservative colleagues in parliament, she added: "Support me to be our next party leader and I will lead you and support you to be the success we all want to see for our country and for our party.

"The professionalism I will bring to the party will restore our ability to campaign so that you can be leaders in your communities and take on and defeat the other parties challenging us from wherever they come on the political spectrum: the reds, the yellows, the greens, and that non-Conservative shade of blue which occasionally pops up at election time."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused to deny reports Labour are planning to ban smoking in some outdoor spaces, like pub gardens.

Sir Keir said the government has "got to take the action to reduce the burden on the NHS and reduce the burden on the taxpayer".

It comes after former prime minister Rishi Sunak ran out of time to pass his smoke-free generation bill at the end of the last parliament.

What are the laws around smoking at the moment?

Smoking has been illegal in enclosed public places - and workplaces - since 2007 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Scotland took action a year earlier, banning the practice in 2006.

This prohibits smoking cigarettes in any enclosed workplace, public building and public transport - but does not apply to e-cigarettes.

People can be fined up to £200 - or £50 in Scotland - if they smoke in the workplace.

Likewise, businesses can be handed a £2,500 penalty if they don't stop people from using cigarettes. This is £200 in Scotland.

What was Rishi Sunak proposing?

Under the proposed ban, someone who was born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be allowed to buy tobacco.

It would effectively raise the legal age for buying cigarettes in England by one year every year, until it applies to the whole population.

"A 14-year-old today will never legally be sold a cigarette and... they and their generation can grow up smoke-free," Rishi Sunak told the annual Tory party conference last year.

Smoking will not be criminalised and the phased approach means anyone who can legally buy cigarettes now will not be prevented from doing so.

However, older people may have to carry ID if they want to buy cigarettes in the future.

And what could Labour do?

Rumours emerged today that Sir Keir Starmer could be considering a smoking ban in pub gardens and other outdoor venues.

The prime minister said ministers are looking at banning smoking in various places, including pub gardens, outdoor restaurants and outside sports venues, hospitals, nightclubs and in small parks.

Sir Keir confirmed the proposal on Thursday following a leaked report seen by The Sun newspaper.

However, details of this have yet to be confirmed.

During the last parliament, Labour said they would have supported the Sunak proposal too.