Tuesday morning news briefing: Inside story of Nigel Farage's retreat from every Tory seat

Farage retreat: Will Brexit Party pull out of every marginal?

His hand was forced. After Nigel Farage decided not to contest any Tory-held seats at the general election, the Brexit Party is in full retreat mode. Having bowed to immense pressure to pull candidates after conceding that splitting the Leave vote would put Brexit at risk, Mr Farage hinted he could also give Boris Johnson a clear run at dozens of Labour marginals. Bookies immediately slashed the odds of a Tory majority on December 12. Christopher Hope and Camilla Tominey have the the inside story on how the Brexit Party suffered a "haemorrhaging" of support. Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Farage says he had to put "country before party". But in a special edition of Chopper's Election Podcast, he admits that he is "going to have some upset people". ComRes polling chairman Andrew Hawkins explains what the Brexit Party's move could do to the polls. And Matt has his own take on the saga in today's cartoon.

Meanwhile, workers will lose a month's wages in higher taxes to pay for Labour's spending plans, according to the Tories. They claim every taxpayer in Britain will have to foot a £2,400 bill if Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister. Nicknamed the true "Cost of Corbyn" by the Conservatives, the figure is equivalent to a month's pay for an average earner. What about other areas of your finances? Here is what a Corbyn government would mean for your money.

'Vape at your peril', doctors warn, after teenager nearly dies

People should regard e-cigarettes as safer than tobacco at their "peril", NHS doctors have said, after treating a teenage vaper who almost died from "catastrophic" respiratory failure. Ewan Fisher was put on life support aged just 16 after suffering from an allergic inflammatory reaction that could have cost him his life. Health Editor Laura Donnelly has pictures of the schoolboy in hospital - and the medics' call for more caution over the use of e-cigarettes.

Licence to stray: Unseen letters reveal Ian Fleming's adultery

Rumour has it that James Bond is a married man in the new film, but if his creator's life is anything to go by, do not expect him to be faithful. A trove of letters between the author Ian Fleming and his wife, Ann, reveals how their tempestuous relationship fizzled out after they wed. As Anita Singh reports, the letters show that Fleming used Bond novels as "an outlet for his libido", according to Sotheby's, which is selling the collection. Read the letters here.

News digest

• Jimmy Carter | Ex-President, 95, has operation to relieve brain pressure

• Australia burns | Six million residents brace for catastrophic bushfires

• Doctor will not see you now | GPs say they are 'too busy' for home visits

• Black pupils play 'race card' | Head says take claims with 'pinch of salt'

• Reason we hiccup | Scientists suggest reflex in adults is 'inner baby talking’

Gallery: The big picture

Wall of names | Terry Coffey pauses for a moment of reflection at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium, during yesterday's Remembrance parade - 100 years after the first memorial service. View our gallery of more of today's best images.

Comment

• William Hague | It's time Lib Dems came clean on putting Corbyn in No 10

• Michael Deacon | Deflated Nigel Farage ends up with 'the left behind'

• Richard Dannatt | Time, finally, to end the witch-hunt of veterans

• Celia Walden | Do we really want everyone to know what we earn?

• Debora Robertson | Hipsters discover Granny was right about pot pourri

Editor's choice

1. Power of shyness | Confessions of a secret, shrinking violet: How do you compare?  

2. Friendship files | My pal flirts with every man, including my husband. Should I be worried?  

3. Marijuana for pain | 'I was in chronic pain. Medicinal cannabis gave me my personality back'

Business and money briefing

Rescue deal | After a Chinese firm pledged to pump £1.2billion into British Steel, saving up to 4,000 jobs, foreign policy experts said Jingye must be vettedbefore a sale went through. Chief City Commentator Ben Marlow writes that the government is ignoring the risks of selling to the Chinese.

• The Think Tank | Three job market charts that will scare the Tories

• Investment tip | Brave smell treasure chance as investors fear 'incubators'

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

Sport briefing

Euro 2020 | Raheem Sterling has sensationally been dropped from England's qualifier against Montenegro as punishment for trying to reopen his Anfield row with Joe Gomez on international duty. As Matt Law reports, he apologised to the squad for his behaviour at St George's Park on Monday - but that was not enough to escape punishment from manager Gareth Southgate.

• Warren Gatland | 'I've turned down All Blacks to stay with the Lions'

• Liverpool FC | How Jurgen Klopp succeeded where predecessors failed

• Gareth Southgate | 'England job a poisoned chalice - but I was motivated'

And finally...

Quiet, please? | If you plan to visit Tate Britain in the next six months, it will help if you like children. That is partly because Steve McQueen's new installation, Year 3, features 76,000 of them, smiling out from 3,128 class photographs. It is also because all of those children have been invited to visit the gallery - and Tate Britain's director has warned that it will be a very noisy affair.