Friday morning news briefing: Prime Minister accuses Channel 4 of 'bias' over leaders' debate

Leaders' debate overshadowed as PM issues threat to Channel 4

Boris Johnson has threatened a major shake-up of Channel 4 after the Tories accused the broadcaster of "conspiring with Jeremy Corbyn" to shut them out of a TV debate. The Conservatives have made a formal complaint of bias to Ofcom alleging Channel 4 breached the Broadcasting Code by refusing to allow Michael Gove to take part in the debate on climate change. In an extraordinary row, Mr Gove was turned away from the studio after Channel 4 News gave Mr Corbyn a veto over who could debate against him. Here is how Mr Johnson was represented instead. It comes as Labour dispatches pro-Brexit shadow cabinet ministers to key Leave seats amid fears it has significantly underestimated a swing to the Conservatives. That follows YouGov's projection of a comfortable 68-seat majority for the Tories. Camilla Tominey examines whether Mr Corbyn's last minute attempt to woo Leavers could prove to be a case of too little, too late. And Matt pokes fun at Labour's flip-flopping on Brexit here.

Meanwhile, it has emerged Ofsted will be given the power to inspect schools without warning under Conservative plans to beef up the education watchdog. Inspections will also be lengthened from two to three days, with the extra time spent on behaviour, bullying and extra-curricular activities. Schools rated outstanding will no longer be exempt from inspection. Read on for details.

Fears jihadists may use ‘family life’ law to follow children to UK

Ministers fear the repatriation of children and wives of Islamic state suspects from Syria could pave the way for dozens of jihadis to use human rights laws to return to the UK, sources have disclosed. Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, is among ministers understood to be concerned that the women's husbands could claim denying them a right to return to the UK would breach their human right to a family life. Their fears appeared justified as a lawyer who has represented families of Isil suspects said they would be covered. Read on for details.

Elizabeth I revealed as mystery translator of Tacitus manuscript

Classics students who have struggled to decipher tricky historical texts can take heart that even English queens sometimes make mistakes. A late 16th century translation of the Roman historian Tacitus, which has languished in the library of Lambeth Palace for hundreds of years, was written by Elizabeth I, a historian has discovered. It is the first substantial work by the Tudor queen to emerge in more than a century, and even contains hastily scribbled out words, and additions where she realised she had blundered. Click here to see her work.

News digest

• 'Only one of us is telling the truth' | Duke of York's accuser on Panorama

• Talks collapse | Rail passengers face chaos over Christmas during strikes

• Hillsborough disaster | Whistleblower says others should gone to court

• Prostate cancer | Test carried out at home avoids physical check

• 18,000-year-old puppy | Perfectly preserved discovery in Siberia - pictures

Gallery: The big picture

An astronaut on board the International Space Station has captured a spectacular photo of London from above. Jessica Meir, an astronaut who is part of NASAs Expedition 61 and 62, tweeted the stunning photo of the UK capital illuminated at nightfall. Click here for more pictures of the day.

Comment

• Fraser Nelson | Why I fear the Conservatives may yet blow this election

• Jeremy Warner | Opening up failing NHS to US may not be such a bad idea

• Liz Truss | This is a choice between female empowerment or backwards step

• Harry Hodges | I may be 'posh and dim' but I defend geography degrees

• Judith Woods | We've woken up to the allure of the fiftysomething woman

Editor's choice

• Pete Townshend | 'We felt complicit in Keith Moon's death'

• 'I was so naive' | Danny Baker on that royal baby tweet

• Before the internet | Whatever happened to Ceefax and Teletext?

Business and money briefing

Luxury tea stirs up sales | Fortnum & Mason celebrated a jump in revenues and soaring profits as customers flocked to its stores for tea, biscuits, smoked salmon and champagne. Read on for details of the 312-year-old store's figures.

• The Think Tank | Corbyn takes on 'dodgy landlords' with dodgy economics

• Investment tip | It's a painful lesson but bite the bullet and sell Royal Mail

• Stay on top of the markets | Live stocks and shares updates 24 hours a day

Sport briefing

New Zealand v England | Heavy rain forced players from the field at Seddon Park in Hamilton, shortly after they returned from a tea break on the first day of the second test, with the home side's first innings ticking along nicely.

Arsenal 1 - 2 Eintracht Frankfurt | Pressure increases on Unai Emery

Astana 2 - 1 Manchester United | Comeback win in cold Kazakhstan

Manuel Pellegrini | West Ham manager defends his laid-back style

Friday night dinner

Coconut and lemongrass prawns with crispy garlic and curry oil | This dish has it all. Fragrant broth! Smoky curry oil! Crispy shards of garlic! Not to mention sweet juicy prawns. Click here for the recipe.

And finally...

Golfing first | For a sport that is long on tradition, it came as a short, sharp shock to some when bare legs made their debut at a men’s European Tour golf tournament yesterday. Golf history was made as competitors in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa were permitted to wear shorts for the first time because of the forecast extreme heat at the Leopard Creek Country Club, which borders Kruger National Park. Read on for details.