Election 2015: Miliband and Clegg resign party leaderships

Candidates for the Labour leadership are to make their pitch to activists after the surprise withdrawal of favourite Chuka Umunna from the race.

Declared contenders Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Mary Creagh and Liz Kendall are all due to speak at the annual conference of the Progress think tank - as is fellow frontbencher Tristram Hunt, who is also expected to run. The party is still digesting the news from Mr Umunna that he is dropping his bid to succeed Ed Miliband in the top job.

Just days after formally declaring his candidacy, the shadow business secretary said he had "very real concerns" about the impact of his ambitions on "those close to me".

Eric Pickles is to leave his position as Communities Secretary, ITV News understands.

The former Conservative Party chairman has been summoned to meet David Cameron today and it is understood he will not take up a new Cabinet role.

Labour has announced its new shadow cabinet today, with MPs Chris Leslie and Hilary Benn taking key roles as the party's Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer and Shadow Foreign Secretary.

Acting leader Harriet Harman confirmed the appointments on the same day Prime Minister David Cameron announced his new cabinet.

Other appointments include:

• Yvette Cooper MP, Shadow Home Secretary
• Lord Falconer of Thoroton, Shadow State Justice Secretary
• Rosie Winterton MP, Opposition Chief Whip
• Andy Burnham MP, Shadow Health Secretary
• Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Business, Innovation and Skills Secretary
• Rachel Reeves MP,Shadow State for Work and Pensions Secretary
• Tristram Hunt MP, Shadow Education Secretary
• Vernon Coaker MP, Shadow Defence Secretary
• Emma Reynolds MP, Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary
• Caroline Flint MP, Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary
• Liz Kendall MP, Shadow Minister for Care and Older People

Sadiq Khan asked not to be included in the new Shadow Cabinet but it is believed he may stand for London Mayor in future.

More Labour MPs have been 'testing the waters' and 'consulting colleagues' over their chances of replacing Ed Miliband as party leader.

So far only one has said she actually wants the job and another has said he does not.

ITV News Political Correspondent Romilly Weeks reports.

Labour have held on to control of Rotherham Borough Council, despite UKIP gaining three seats.

They now hold a majority of 19, losing one seat, while the Conservatives and an independent also lost one seat each.

Newly re-elected David Cameron has been joined by Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg at the Cenotaph to observe the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon also joined the Prime Minister and the outgoing Labour and Lib Dem leaders in marking a two minute silence alongside veterans of the Second World War.

Prime Minister David Cameron has paid tribute to the leaders of the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties.

Opening his speech outside Downing Street, having been to see the Queen to request permission to start a government, Mr Cameron paid tribute to his former coalition partner Nick Clegg and Labour opponent Ed Miliband.

Leeds North West MP, Greg Mulholland says he is not in the running to replace Nick Clegg as Liberal Democrat leader:

Protest singer, and defeated candidate for Calder Valley, Joe Stead, took up his banjo following the declaration of the constituency's result.

His fun was cut short however, by the returning officer.

Craig Whittaker held the seat for the Tories with 23,354 votes, while Stead, representing the World Peace Through Song party gained only 165 votes: