Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells arrived in Kabul this morning on his fourth visit to the country. On arrival in Kabul he said:

The Red Ensign will fly over the headquarters of the Department for Transport to mark the UK's seventh Merchant Navy Day today.

Tony Blair has been speaking about social exclusion ahead of a lecture he will deliver soon, the third in the Our Nation's Future series.

Tony Blair has issued a statement following the death of 14 British servicemen in Afghanistan.