UK prime minister Andy Burnham has cancelled engagements today and tomorrow following the death of his father Roy, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Burnham has spoken about his father’s illness which meant that he did not know his son had become prime minister.

He said the experience was one of the driving factors in his aim to reform the social care system.

Burnham had been due to host business leaders in No 10 on Monday afternoon.

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Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns will miss party’s think-in following medical advice

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It is unclear whether a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin, scheduled for later this week, will go ahead.