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Monday morning news briefing: Prince Andrew under fire from Palace

One of the Duke of York's 'alibis' involved dining at Pizza Express in Woking - Blower
One of the Duke of York's 'alibis' involved dining at Pizza Express in Woking - Blower

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Queen did not give blessing to 'excruciating' BBC interview

Excruciating… extraordinary… a car crash. The fallout from the Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein is intensifying after it was revealed the Queen did not give her approval. Palace insiders have accused Prince Andrew's private office of "operating in a silo" as it emerged Her Majesty was only made aware of the primetime interrogation after it had been set up. Rather than ending speculation about the Duke's behaviour, the programme revived the controversy and generated fresh questions about his movements. One former courtier described the interview as "excruciating". The Prince of Wales is being urged to consider downgrading the Duke's status as a working royal when he becomes king. And ex-royal spokesman Dickie Arbiter said the interview was a "daft idea for an arrogant, not very bright, man".

Serious concerns are being raised at the Palace about why the Duke was exposed to a no-holds-barred interview. It left him having to answer repeated questions about whether he had ever had sex with Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an Epstein sex slave. The prince's various "alibis" - one involving his "inability" to sweat and another a dinner at Pizza Express in Woking - are facing intense scrutiny. We examine and test the key claims made by the Duke.

PM promises tax cut as he tries to get business back on side

Boris Johnson will promise to cut employers' National Insurance contributions and three other taxes on companies as he lays out the Tories' credentials as the party of business. The Prime Minister will make a major election pledge to reduce business rates and taxes holding firms back. Gordon Rayner explains how Mr Johnson will try to heal the rift between the Government and the corporate world over Brexit. Meanwhile, a flagship Labour policy is in tattersafter the party caved in to union barons over an environmental pledge. But our polls tracker shows that history tells us not to write off Jeremy Corbyn just yet.

CBeebies rocks boat by teaching that Gibraltar is Spanish

The BBC has been accused of rewriting history in a CBeebies programme that appears to teach children that Gibraltar is part of Spain. In the episode of Go Jetters, animated explorers learn about the migration route of birds from the Rock. But one of the characters says they are flying from "Spain to Africa", with no explanation of Gibraltar being a British overseas territory. View the advert.

News digest

Gallery: The big picture

Bumpy ride | A BMW R71 replica motorcycle makes a splash at the Living History Weekend at Eden Camp in Malton, North Yorkshire. Click through our gallery of today's best pictures from around the world.

The bike is based on a 1938 model - Credit: Charlotte Graham for The Telegraph  
The bike is based on a 1938 model Credit: Charlotte Graham for The Telegraph

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Business and money briefing

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Sport briefing

Kosovo 0 England 4 | Gareth Southgate believes England are in better shape than they were going into last year's World Cup - but there remains plenty of work to do before Euro 2020. Read Jason Burt's match report following the thumping win in Kosovo and view our player ratings.

And finally...

Bah humbug! | Mulled wine has been deemed off limits at a town's festive market. It has been banned from the council event over fears it could encourage street drinking, with the local authority branded "anti-Christmas".