Archbishop Of Canterbury Snubs Animal Charity

The Archbishop of Canterbury has turned down an invitation to be a patron of the RSPCA.

A spokeswoman for Lambeth Palace said it was because The Most Rev Justin Welby has "reluctantly decided to restrict his patronage".

His predecessor, Dr Rowan Williams, was vice-patron of the animal charity, which was founded by an Anglican priest in 1824.

The spokeswoman said: "Since taking office in March this year, the Archbishop has received many kind invitations to patron a large variety of charities and good causes.

Dog rescued by the RSPCA

"Each invitation has been an honour, and in an ideal world he would like to accept them all.

"However, in light of the sheer volume of the requests the Archbishop receives ... he has reluctantly decided to restrict his patronage to a manageable number of organisations, based on where he feels his support could be most beneficial.

"Nevertheless, the Archbishop has enormous admiration for the RSPCA and hopes to see its work thrive long into the future."

Last year the RSPCA was heavily criticised after it spent £326,000 on legal action against a fox hunt.

Critics claimed the "staggering" expense of bringing the prosecution against the Heythrop Hunt in the Cotswolds was a waste of money donated by supporters.

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Lampard: Move 50C Qatar World Cup To England

By Kay Burley, Sky News Presenter

Any football fan would jump at the chance to chat to Frank Lampard, one of the gentlemen of the game. But where to start?

His lengthy Chelsea career, his illustrious England role, goal line technology that could have changed the course of the last World Cup?

Then there's The Special One; Wayne Rooney, or his gorgeous fiancee Christine Bleakley. Why not all of them?

I met the Chelsea and England star, now a celebrity author, in a swanky eatery owned by musician Liam Gallagher and showbiz journalist Gordon Smart.

He strolls in relaxed and smiling and makes an instant impression on the whole team.

"Ask me anything you want," he says.

We start with his Frankie's Magic Football children's novels and his work with a reading charity.

He is at pains to underline that his books shouldn't detract from other authors striving for success but does stress he has worked on his stories for many years to bring them to life.

He is more cautious when it comes to discussing his manager, Jose Mourinho, who has returned to Chelsea after years away from the club.

Kay meets comedian James Corden

Frank stops short - just - of accepting he would have left Chelsea for LA Galaxy if The Special One hadn't returned. Instead, he body swerves the question and says his focus is playing for Chelsea.

I throw in a question about Wayne Rooney. He laughs - nervously, I suggest.

He says it's up to the manager what happens - he is a player and is not privy to managerial decisions.

Another deft swerve by the veteran player.

We move on to goal line technology, the first time it's being used in the Premier League is this season.

What a difference it could have made in the World Cup when his goal against Germany was disallowed.

He says he's tried to move on from that disappointment but Hawkeye in the English League is a no-brainer.

What about future World Cups? Should the 2022 tournament go ahead in Qatar?

James Corden (L) with Frank Lampard (C) and Gordon Smart

Super Frank wonders how it could be played in 50C heat and hopes Fifa will perhaps see sense and move the cup - maybe even to England.

"Practically, to move the World Cup to the winter, I find it quite hard," he told me.

"We all moan about how many games we've got and trying to fit games in and I don't know how you can do that in the middle of one of our seasons, let alone other countries that will have to reshuffle their diaries for it.

"If you want to see a high-level World Cup of the top quality … going to different continents and playing in different conditions is part of it.

"Brazil is going to be different for us but I don't think anyone wants to see it in 50C heat.

"I don't know what the answer is and whether it's possible.

"I wish the World Cup would come to England at that stage and be done with it. We'll see. You never know."

Finally, on a personal note, I asked when he will marry his TV presenter fiancee Christine.

He won't offer a date but says it will be a quiet gathering with just family and friends.

In a surreal twist as we're packing up to leave, comedian James Corden pops into the brasserie.

He laughs and jokes with the football star along with the owner of the Red House, Gordon Smart, and all agree to pose for a quick picture which they agreed I could share with you.

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GPs Warn Patients Could Face Long Waits

The majority of GPs fear patients could face longer waiting times because they are struggling to cope with "spiralling workloads and dwindling resources".

A survey of 206 family doctors by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) found that four in five had "insufficient resources" to provide high quality patient care, while 47% admitted they had cut back on the range of services they provide.

More than four in five GPs are worried that it will become increasingly difficult to deliver continuity of care to at-risk elderly people.

The RCGP said general practice was at "breaking point" and called for an emergency package of investment like the £500m bailout given to A&E departments last week.

Clare Gerada, chairwoman of the RCGP, warned that if general practice "starts to crumble" there could be "disastrous" consequences for patients.

She told Sky News: "Around about 90% of all NHS activity is carried out in general practice for only 9% of the budget.

"GPs are what makes the NHS cost effective. A year of care by a GP is about the same as a hospital might get for one attendance in the emergency department.

"Yet what we're finding is that the investment is being put into hospitals but it's general practice that needs the help because if it folds then the rest of the NHS will be unsustainable.

"Last week the English Government announced an additional £500m for A&E departments. What we need is our fair share of funding so that GPs can do more for our patients in their communities."

Ben Dyson, director of commissioning policy and primary care at NHS England, said: "We fully recognise that demands and patterns of healthcare are changing, and that this is increasing pressure on parts of the NHS.

"That's why we have recently published a 'call to action' about the future of general practice to help stimulate new, innovative approaches to providing services and ensuring every patient gets the care they need.

"Our key aim is to enable GP practices both to provide more coordinated care for people with more complex needs and to provide more accessible and responsive service, in conjunction with partners in community and social care."

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Top Officials Get Tax On Perks Paid By State

Some of Britain's top civil servants are having part of their tax bills paid out of public funds - leaving them tens of thousands of pounds better off, it has been reported.

Government departments have been paying the taxes on perks such as official cars, first class rail travel and rent-free accommodation.

One senior Conservative MP expressed surprise at the arrangements, saying they were out of line with what could be expected in the private sector.

However, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) insisted that it was a frequently seen practice for employers to pay the tax bills on benefits for some employees.

According to the Daily Telegraph, officials who have benefited from the system include the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood, the head of NHS England, Sir David Nicholson, and the former head of the Serious Fraud Office, Phillippa Williamson.

It said that the effect of the deal was to increase the value of their pay packages by up to £30,000 a year.

The tax is due on benefits - like free travel or accommodation - which is regarded by the tax department as extra income.

Anyone who receives these benefits, which are in addition to their salary, is supposed to pay extra tax. In the case of these individuals, the government is picking up that part of the tax bill.

According to the newspaper, Sir Jeremy has the use of a chauffeur-driven Toyota Prius which, it said, had cost taxpayers £172,100 over the past two years.

The tax bill on the car for which Sir Jeremy was liable has been estimated at more than £49,000.

Sir David Nicholson is head of NHS England

Sir David Nicholson was said have received benefits worth £320,303 over the last six years, including the cost of a rented flat in London, the use of a chauffeured car and first-class train journeys.

Phillippa Williamson has been accused of claiming expenses of more than £98,000 over three years to commute between London and her home in the Lake District.

Her tax bill on that figure was about £40,000, which, the Telegraph says, was picked up by the SFO.

Richard Bacon, a Conservative member of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, expressed concern at the arrangements.

"Most taxpayers would be surprised to find that this sort of thing is tax-free. These are out of line with what one would expect from the way people in the private sector are treated," he told the Telegraph.

"Taxpayers are already paying a lot for these people, I don't think they would be expecting to dig into their pocket to pay for the tax on the benefit as well."

HMRC said it is the choice of the employer whether it wishes to pay an employee's tax bill for any benefits they receive.

"Employers may choose to pay the tax due on the benefit. If so any such payment will constitute an additional benefit - which will also be taxable on the employee.

"This is quite a common practice by employers and is a matter between employer and employee. HMRC makes sure all the tax due is paid."

It cited 20,000 cases over the last year when employers had paid the tax bill due on employees' benefits.

A spokesman for the Department of Health, which pays the tax on benefits received by Sir David Nicholson, told the Telegraph: "Benefits in kind payments are paid to recognise [senior civil servants'] need to travel to carry out their roles."

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A £350m Donation To Nation That Can't Be Used

An unspent donation made to the Government 85 years ago, which is now worth £350m, cannot be touched because it won't fulfil conditions of its use - paying off the national debt.

The anonymous donation of £500,000 was made in 1928 and established a fund which was designed to help the Government pay off the UK's debt.

It was made with a strict request that it should not be touched until it was able to reduce the national debt to zero.

Although it has grown 700-fold since the 1920s, it is unlikely to achieve its target - the national debt currently stands at £1.3trillion.

While the fund is growing at a rate of £5m to £10m a year, Britain's national debt rocketed by an estimated £121bn in 2011/12.

In the meantime, the fund, called The National Fund, is now managed by Barclays and is likely to keep on growing.

The anonymous donor who set it up at its outset is believed to have done so in response by a call from Conservative Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin, who wrote to the Financial Times in 1919.

He suggested it would be patriotic for British citizens to contribute towards paying off the national debt, which at that point had reached 140% of the total amount of money earned in one year by the UK (GDP).

Barclays Wealth and Investment Management is the fund's trustee

By 1927, the national debt had reached 160% of GDP and it is thought that the donor was prompted to set up the fund with the belief that it would grow sufficiently to pay it off.

The National Fund has now grown to become one of the largest charities in the UK by net assets.

But unlike most charities, it takes in no donations and provides no handouts to needy causes.

Papers lodged with the Charities Commission in 2012 said: "The aim of the charity is to create a fund, that either on its own or combined with other funds, is sufficient to discharge the National Debt.

"The ultimate beneficiary of the National Fund is the National Debt Commissioners."

The papers say the fund increased in value by £12m in 2012 which all came from dividends on investments. Last year it spent £570,000 on managing the fund and £430,000 on other activities.

Barclays has been trying for four years to get permission to use the money to make charitable grants or to turn it over to the Treasury, but any change would have to be approved by a court.

A spokesman for Barclays said: "We've been working ever since we became the trustee to change the original objects, which say the funds can be used only to pay off the entire national debt.

"We are working with the Charity Commission and the attorney general's office to look at how best to take the fund forward."

This week it emerged Joan Edwards left £520K to the Government

A spokesman for the attorney general's office said: "There has been correspondence between the Charity Commission, the trustees and ourselves over the National Fund.

"We are looking at a number of options for the future of the Fund, consistent with its object of extinguishing or reducing the national debt.

"It would not be right to comment further whilst this process continues."

A spokeswoman for the Charity Commission said is it continuing dialogue with the trustee and the attorney general's office regarding the charity.

This week, the Tories and Liberal Democrats gave up a £520,000 bequest from former nurse Joan Edwards amid confusion over whether she actually meant the money to go to the state or to the political parties in power.

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Peru Drugs: Melissa Reid Reunited With Father

The father of a British woman being held on suspicion of drug-smuggling in Peru has had an emotional reunion with his daughter.

William Reid told Melissa Reid, who turns 20 today, to "be strong" and vowed to bring her home after flying to the capital Lima.

Ms Reid, from Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, 20, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, are suspected of trying to leave the country with £1.5m worth of cocaine in their luggage.

They were detained while trying to board a flight from the Peruvian capital to Spain last week.

The pair both deny the accusations, and say they are victims of a violent gang who coerced them into carrying the drugs.

Lawyer Peter Madden, who is representing Ms McCollum Connolly, is expected to arrive in Peru later on Friday.

As he left Belfast for Lima he said she would deny any allegations if charged, but warned that legal proceedings could be lengthy.

He said: "She is saying she has done nothing wrong, that she is innocent and that as far as any offences are concerned, if she is charged she will be denying it."

According to the Daily Mail, during their meeting at the Dirando police station,  Ms Reid told her father: "They made me do it."

She told him that while she worked on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza she was introduced to a British man who eventually forced her into meeting a gang of Colombian gangsters, who put a gun to her head.

She told her father the gang forced her to fly to Peru, saying: "I wanted to tell the air hostesses or anyone in the airports, but the men said they would know if we had spoken to anyone, that they were watching all the time.

"It was a choice between doing what I was told and getting it over and done with and hopefully getting back to Spain or trying to escape and being killed."

Ms Reid said she fears evidence in Peru has been contaminated by police because they did not wear gloves as they handled the food bags in which the drugs are said to have been stored, according the newspaper.

When she was told to return to her cell, her father told her: "We will do everything we can to get you out of here. We will work something out."

He told the Irish Independent that he "of course" believes his daughter is innocent, saying she was in the "wrong place at the wrong time".

He added that he is hoping to raise money for his daughter's defence with a new business he is setting up.

He told the newspaper: "It's a new venture, but it's not an easy time to do anything with all this going on.

"At the same time, it'll take loads of money to fund this situation so I'm going to have to get this going and try and earn some money to put into funding my daughter's case."

Police are waiting for a translator before officially questioning the two women, which is expected to happen in the next few days.

They may be held pre-charge for up to 30 days and could then spend up to three years in prison before a trial.

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Corrie Star Chris Fountain Suspended Over Rape Rap

A Coronation Street star has been suspended from the soap after he was found to have a "totally unacceptable" rapper alter-ego.

In an apology, Chris Fountain, who plays Tommy Duckworth, said he is "deeply ashamed" of the offensive lyrics in his raps, which glorify rape and violence.

The YouTube clips, which are no longer available online, show Fountain in his rapper persona, The Phantom, wearing a Halloween mask and delivering expletive-laden performances.

In a statement, the 25-year-old, who has starred in Hollyoaks and been a contestant in Dancing On Ice, said: "I would like to sincerely apologise for any offence I have caused. I am deeply ashamed by the lyrics and very much regret my behaviour.

"The videos were made over a year ago when I was experimenting with music and I've not done anything like it since and nor will I."

A Coronation Street spokeswoman said: "ITV find both the language used and the views expressed in this video totally unacceptable.

"Chris Fountain has been suspended pending further inquiries into this matter."

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King Richard III's Family Set For Court Battle

A group of relatives of King Richard III have won the right to challenge a plan to rebury his remains in Leicester.

The king's body was unearthed from a council car park last year.

His descendants want his remains to be reburied in York, saying that is what the king himself wanted.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave told the Plantagenet Alliance at a hearing in London: "The archaeological discovery of the mortal remains of a former King of England after 500 years is without precedent.

"In my judgment, it is plainly arguable that there was a duty at common law to consult widely as to how and where Richard III's remains should appropriately be re-interred.

Leicester Cathedral is not reportedly where Richard himself wanted to be

"I grant permission to the claimant to bring judicial review proceedings against the Secretary of State for Justice and the University of Leicester on all grounds."

The judge urged both parties to treat the matter with care.

"It is ironic that the Wars of the Roses appear to be returning whence they started, the Temple.

"Legend has it that John Beaufort and Richard Plantagenet picked the symbolic red and white roses in Inner and Middle Temple gardens.  

"I would, however, urge the parties to avoid embarking on the (legal) Wars of the Roses Part 2.

A stone plaque where it was incorrectly thought the king was buried

"In my view, it would be unseemly, undignified and unedifying to have a legal tussle over these royal remains.

"This would not be appropriate, or in the country's interests.

"The discovery of Richard III's remains engages interests beyond those of the immediate parties, and touches on Sovereign, State and Church.  

"For these reasons, I would strongly recommend that parties immediately consider referring the fundamental question - as to where and how Richard III is reburied - to an independent advisory panel made up of suitable experts and Privy Councillors, who can consult and receive representations from all interested parties and make suitable recommendations with reasonable speed."   

Richard was killed at the battle of Bosworth in 1485 and was hurriedly buried in the church of the Greyfriars in Leicester, which was subsequently lost during redevelopment.

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Sterilisation Case: Vasectomy Agreed By Court

A High Court judge has agreed to the sterilisation of a man because it is "in his best interests".

It is the first time a UK court has made such a decision.

Referred to as "DE", the 37-year-old has an IQ of 40, meaning he has the mental age of a child aged between six and nine.

The judge said a vasectomy could take place after hearing that DE does not want to become a father again, and another child could cause him "psychological harm".

He already has a young son, born in 2010, with his girlfriend.

Experts said DE was capable of consenting to sexual relationships but could not properly make decisions about contraception.

They said he could not be relied on to use condoms or other birth control methods effectively.

The case came to court because of evidence that DE lacks the capacity to decide whether or not to agree to the sterilisation.

A routine was in place to stop the man meeting his girlfriend without supervision to "keep them safe", the court was told.

Sky News' Senior Correspondent Michelle Clifford, who was at the High Court, said experts believed the man "did not have the power to resist unprotected sex".

There were worries that the man's partner - who also has learning difficulties - could become pregnant again.

Clifford said the first pregnancy had caused "great distress" to the man.

"In the beginning he could not even understand how the birth of the child had anything to do with what he had done.

"He was very unhappy and very disorientated."

The man's mother - as well as expert witnesses - all said he was adamant he does not want another child.

It is hoped the vasectomy will give the man greater independence in his relationship and that he can see his girlfriend without supervision.

A local NHS trust made the application for sterilisation with the support of DE's parents and his GP.

Some critics have said giving consent for the vasectomy could pave the way for sterilisation of other people with learning difficulties.

Judge Mrs Justice Eleanor King acknowledged the sensitivities of the case and said her decision required "strong justification".

However, she added: "In my judgement it is overwhelmingly in his best interests to have a vasectomy."

Mental health charity Mencap previously said it would support the decision if all the man's interests were properly weighed up.

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Hannah Smith: Funeral For Cyberbullying Teen

Full Statement From Ask.Fm Founders

Updated: 5:52pm UK, Thursday 08 August 2013

We would firstly like to again express our sincerest sympathies to the family of Hannah Smith, whose death was a true tragedy.

As we explained to the press earlier this week, as soon as we heard the news we approached the Leicestershire police and have been speaking to them throughout this week.

We are committed to supporting the Leicestershire police in their investigation to ensure that they are able to uncover the true circumstances surrounding Hannah's suicide.

We ask the press and public to respect that for legal and privacy reasons neither we - nor the police - are able to discuss the circumstances surrounding Hannah's case any further. We will therefore not be giving any interviews on this subject.

However, in view of the unprecedented press interest in the role of social media platforms such as Ask.fm, Facebook, Twitter and others, we would like to reassure all users and parents of users that we are committed to ensuring that our site is a safe environment.

We do not condone bullying of any kind, or any form of unacceptable use of our site.

We have implemented various measures over the past months to continue to improve our users' safety, and we have implemented improved reporting policies.

We have been working with experts at the UK's Safer Internet Centre, and thus the wider EU InSafe organisation, and are in constant discussions with them regarding our privacy and safety policies and the ways in which we may be able to enhance them.

This is an on-going activity, which Ask.fm is wholly committed to.

In view of this week's events, we wish to highlight a number of existing "safety" features available for users for Ask.fm:

1) The site has an 'in-question' reporting function, which has been in place since 2012, and is similar to the in-Tweet function announced by Twitter this week. This feature enables our users to report with just one click any question that they may find objectionable or offensive.

2) It is integral to the site that users should have control over what appears on their Ask.fm feed. We have never allowed questions to be published on the site before they've been answered.

Thus - if a user receives a question that they find objectionable or offensive, they don't need to respond and we encourage them to report the question to us.

3) We believe one of our site's advantages is that everything is open - rather than hidden in private inboxes. This means that anyone can report anything they see that may be of concern.

If parents see something on their teenager's Ask.fm page that they are concerned about, they too can click the in-question reporting button and alert our moderators.

4) Anonymity can be switched off in a user's privacy settings - our users have always been able to elect not to receive anonymous questions, and equally our users can also elect never to ask an anonymous question.

5) Although it is possible to post anonymously to the site, we would like to reassure parents that in almost all cases it is possible for Ask.fm to identify users - through IP technology, everything on the internet is traceable.

And in extreme circumstances such as those we've experienced this week we work through existing legal frameworks to ensure this information is accessible to the appropriate legal authorities.

6) While many sites use automated machines to monitor content, we have a team of human moderators that works around the clock - 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days per year.

They manually check every photograph or video that is posted to our site - ensuring that anything of a sexual, pornographic or violent nature is removed.

Our moderators also read and deal appropriately with every concern or report that is raised by a user; we remove content if we feel it infringes our Terms of Service.

7) We have a direct working relationship between Ask.fm and the EU's InSafe organisation. This means that if a concern is ever raised through the EU InSafe channels, they have a designated contact liaison at Ask.fm.

8) We comply with the United State's Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (1998) and we are working with a renowned expert to ensure that our moderation policies continue to lead the way in this area.

As we stated above, we are constantly working to improve our site, including its safety features. We are currently working on a series of updates with more safety features and information.

In view of some of the recent press reporting, what is important to note is that the vast majority of our users are using the site appropriately and are just having fun.

However, we would like to reiterate that it's really important that anyone who sees anything they do not like or feel uncomfortable with uses the appropriate reporting mechanisms to bring these issues to our team's attention as soon as possible.

Our site has grown rapidly over the past year and one of our greatest challenges (like any fast growing business) has been ensuring that our internal resources and capabilities are able to expand at a proportional and appropriate rate.

We strive to ensure we have the best people and this includes our moderators and customer services staff, where we have invested heavily to reflect this growth. We will continue to do this.

We hope that this corrects some of the recent media reports and offers reassurance to our users and their parents that our site has safety features which are in-line with, if not better than, other social networking sites.

The vast majority of our users are very happy teenagers, who use Ask.fm to converse with their peers around the world about the things that interest them. Bullying is an age-old problem that we in no way condone - and while its evolution online is disturbing, it certainly is not unique to our site.

We will continue to work with the appropriate organisations to safeguard against bullying on Ask.fm - and we would welcome the opportunity to align with the rest of industry and society in fighting it on a higher level.

We are proud of the phenomenal popularity of the social network we have created and strive every day to make it better and safer.

Mark and Ilja Terebin

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Lewisham Murder: Woman, 21, Found Stabbed

Police are investigating the killing of a young woman found stabbed to death in south east London late on Wednesday afternoon.

Police were called to a property in Lewisham following concerns for the occupant of an address there.

Officers forced their way into the building and found the body of the 21-year-old woman.

She had suffered suspected stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene, a Met Police spokesman said.

Although the victim has not yet been formerly identified, her next of kin have been informed.

There have been no arrests at present.

A post-mortem will be arranged later.

Police are asking witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to contact them on 0208 721 4805 or 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Rise In Migrants From Romania And Bulgaria

The number of Romanians and Bulgarians working in the UK has risen by more than a quarter in three months, official figures have revealed.

The Office for National Statistics said that 141,000 were employed during the period from April to June, an increase of almost 26% on the 112,000 in the previous three months.

This represents a rise of 35% from the same time last year.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: "This increase of just over a third in Romanian and Bulgarian workers in the UK over the past year is a sharp increase on the previous trend.

"It suggests that still larger numbers will arrive next year when our labour market is fully open to them.

"This is consistent with our central estimate that net migration from Romania and Bulgaria will run at about 50,000 a year for the next five years"

Temporary restrictions on the types of jobs migrants from the two countries can do, imposed when they joined the EU in 2007, will lapse on December 31.

Romanians and Bulgarians will then have full rights to come to Britain and look for work. If they obtain a job, they will qualify for a raft of welfare support.

Under EU free movement laws, the Government cannot extend the restrictions and there are fears of a sharp rise in numbers.

Ministers have so far refused to put a figure on the number of people it expects to come to the UK when the labour market becomes fully open to the two countries.

Officials from Romania and Bulgaria have also repeatedly attempted to allay fears over a wave of immigration from their countries.

Earlier this year Bulgarian ambassador Konstantin Dimitrov estimated between 8,000 and 10,000 would enter Britain during 2014.

Ambassador Ion Jinga has predicted 20,000 might arrive from Romania.

A new Immigration Bill announced in the Queen's Speech will make it easier to remove people from the UK by limiting rights to appeal and tightening the use of human rights law, as well as access to health care.

Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant MP said: "How can local areas make proper plans to avoid pressures on infrastructure or public services if the Government refuse to publish their own estimates of the numbers they expect to arrive?

"The Government need to address these issues and it's clear from the figures released today that they need to do this now and not wait for January 2014.

"They should be taking action now to prevent any increase in exploitation of migrant workers distorting the labour market yet further next year."

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A-Level Results: Another Fall In Top Grades

The proportion of A-levels awarded at least an A grade has fallen for the second year in a row, official figures have revealed.

A total of 26.3% of entries scored an A or A* this year, down from 26.6% in 2012 when the pass rate at both grades fell for the first time in more than 20 years.

The 0.3% drop is believed to be the second biggest fall in the history of the exam.

The number of A* grades achieved also dipped, with 7.6% of pupils reaching the top grade compared to 7.9% last year.

However, the overall pass rate at A*-E rose slightly by 0.1% with some 98.1% of exams given at least an E compared to 98% last year.

More than 300,000 school leavers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their results today.

A record number of applicants - 385,910 - have already been accepted onto university courses as interest rallies after a drop-off in 2012 when fees trebled.

The national results picture shows boys outperformed girls at the very top and widened the gap, with 8% achieving an A* compared to 7.4% of girls.

Tom Woodward had treatment for cancer but still managed an A* and two As

Girls are still slightly ahead on A* and A grades combined but their results fell half a percentage point this year to lessen the difference.

There was also a major contrast between the subjects picked by each gender.

For example, girls accounted for seven in 10 entries in English but in physics, four in every five pupils were boys.

Officials said the gender gap had been present for some time but had "extenuated" this year.

The fall in the overall number of top grades came as rising numbers opted to study science and maths at A-level.

It appears to bear out the suggestion that more youngsters choosing to take traditional subjects to help their chances of a university offer could fuel a slight fall.

Biology, chemistry and physics accounted for 17.8% of all entries, up from 17% last year and 15% in 2009, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

Diver Tom Daley also got an A* and two As

One in eight (12%) were for maths and further maths, up from 11.5% in 2012 and 9.8% five years ago.

A-level economics also appears to be enjoying a surge in popularity, with entries up 50% since 2007 and at 26,139 in 2013.

However, young people are still turning their backs on modern languages with both French and German entries down again this year - although Spanish bucked the trend.

JCQ director Michael Turner said: "The continued rise in subjects such as the sciences, mathematics and the extended project, will be welcomed.

"However, that so few students take a language A-level is disappointing and, though Spanish continues to show growth, the overall trend remains downwards."

Neil Bentley, deputy director-general of the CBI, added: "It's clear students are being savvier in the face of higher degree costs and a tougher labour market, by taking subjects which maximise their future job chances.

"Higher take-up in science and maths is good news, given the critical skills gaps in key sectors, like manufacturing and engineering, which drive long-term growth."

Admissions service Ucas said 31,600 more applicants had been accepted by UK universities and colleges than last year, a rise of 9%.

Around 345,300 were accepted by their first choice. Another 98,740 are waiting for their results or decisions and 145,730 are eligible for clearing.

Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said: "Demand for higher education has recovered after a dip last year and universities are keen to accept qualified applicants."

Hackers attempted to sabotage the Ucas website on Wednesday night but were successfully blocked and no personal data was obtained.

Universities and Science Minister David Willetts said the Ucas figures showed school leavers were not being put off higher education but stressed there are also now more options.

"We've doubled the number of apprenticeships and so young people now have got a real choice," he said.

"They have got the apprenticeships route with vocational qualifications, they have also got the university route, which is more flexible than ever before, and that is investing in our nation's future."

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Policeman Jailed For Sex Assaults On Women

A police officer who sexually assaulted two vulnerable women has been jailed for three years.

Jeffrey Howard Davies, 42, took advantage and preyed upon the victims for his own sexual ends, said the judge.

Swansea Crown Court heard Davies was a family liaison officer with South Wales Police and his role was to help victims of domestic violence.

Davies, who had been with the force since 2000, denied the two counts of sexual assault, both in 2010, calling the allegations "nonsense".

But the prosecution said he abused his position of authority to try to persuade his victims to have sex with him.

In the first attack, he rubbed the leg of a woman who had complained of domestic abuse while the two were travelling in a car discussing the case.

Davies took advantage of his victims

A victim impact statement read aloud by prosecutor John Hipkin said the woman had found it difficult to come to terms with what had happened.

She said: "What this man has done to me has traumatised me psychologically. I now panic if I see a male police officer in the street."

In the second attack, Davies forced a woman's hand against his groin after he interviewed her, before asking her for oral sex.

She too had come to him for help after suffering domestic abuse.

In her statement the woman said: "I was angry and shocked after it happened. I did not think anybody would believe me because he was a policeman.

"I do not trust the police as fully as I used to. I've started having panic attacks again - I haven't had them in four years."

Judge Paul Thomas told the disgraced former officer he should expect a tough time in prison.

"The sexual assaults you perpetrated on these women were a gross betrayal of your position as a police officer.

"You took advantage and preyed upon vulnerable women for your own sexual ends.

"You targeted them as you viewed them as women who would obviously not have the confidence to complain or be believed if they did.

"Prison will prove difficult due to your status as a former police officer, but my ultimate duty is to redress the public's confidence in the integrity of the legal system."

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Peru Drugs: Women 'Exasperated' At Treatment

The two women accused of trying to smuggle cocaine out of Peru are "exasperated" and "frustrated" at the way Peruvian authorities are dealing with their case.

Melissa Reid, 19, and Michaella McCollum, 20, are being held after 11kg (24.2lbs) of cocaine with an estimated street value of £1.5m was found in their luggage.

Reid, from Scotland, and McCollum, from Northern Ireland, have not yet had a formal interview or a chance to properly give their version of events, said Daily Mirror journalist Christopher Bucktin.

Despite the situation, he said the women were still "very strong".

He told Sky News: "They're becoming exasperated and increasingly frustrated over the lack of guidance from the Peruvian authorities.

"They have not had a full interview yet, they've not had an interpreter.

The cocaine allegedly carried by the two women was in food bags

"They were supposed to be in court today but it has been put back at the eleventh hour. They are in court now next Tuesday, they hope."

The two women reportedly said that Colombian gangsters forced them at gunpoint to carry the drugs.

Bucktin, who has been allowed to speak to the two women, said they seem "very strong still but they have moments where they get very despondent".

Melissa Reid's father has arrived in Lima and should be reunited with her soon, said the reporter.

However, he added that Michaella McCollum had spoken to her parents but the 20-year-old did not know whether they would travel to Peru.

Melissa Reid's father has now reportedly arrived in Peru

The women could be moved to Peru's "notorious" Santa Monica prison after next week's court appearance, Bucktin told Sky News.

The prison holds more than double its intended capacity, according to a US State Department document, which says jails in Peru are violent and unhygienic with "near epidemic levels" of HIV and tuberculosis.

The women were arrested last week and in police footage Reid told officers: "I was forced to take these bags in my luggage."

Asked if she knew the bags contained drugs, Reid replied: "I did not know that."

The women were detained at Lima airport

Police video also shows an officer examining a row of food bags, in which the drug was allegedly hidden.

Reid's father told Sky News Scotland Correspondent Jane Chilton that his family was devastated by the arrest.

William Reid said his daughter was a beautiful and intelligent young woman who would never do anything like this of her own free will.

The two women had been living in Ibiza before travelling to Peru and said they were planning to fly on to Majorca when they were arrested.

They could face a jail term of up 25 years if convicted.

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Whipps Cross Hospital 'Unsafe And Uncaring'

An NHS trust has been issued with three formal warnings after inspectors found "unsafe" conditions including filthy maternity wards and water placed out of the reach of elderly patients.

Barts Health NHS Trust "failed to protect the safety and welfare of patients" at Whipps Cross University Hospital in Leytonstone, east London, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said.

The trust must now make "urgent improvements", following unannounced inspections in May and June.

The hospital was failing to meet 10 of the 16 national standards for quality and safety, inspectors found.

On maternity wards, "serious shortfalls" were noted, such as blood-stained equipment, filthy curtains, staff not cleaning their hands and midwives failing to carry out proper checks on newborns.

Resuscitation equipment for babies did not have an oxygen supply and was not checked regularly, while some equipment was not sterile, inspectors found.

"We saw examples of poor care, unacceptable staff behaviour and poor infection control in maternity services," inspectors said in their report.

"In surgery, theatre processes and communication arrangements put people's safety at risk."

During just one visit, inspectors identified "serious shortfalls" in eight out of the 16 essential standards hospitals are required to meet by law.

Staff on postnatal wards were found to be "uncaring".

The report said: "We saw a woman in a blood-stained gown and bed. About 10 minutes later we saw the same woman crying in the corridor.

"The midwife on duty asked the woman 'Why are you crying?' The woman replied 'I am in pain'. 'Pain!' the midwife repeated in a sarcastic manner.

"The midwife got some medication and handed her a white pot which contained tablets without telling the woman what the tablets were.

"We observed the same midwife bringing the wrong formula milk (as it was different to what the woman had previously been feeding her baby). When asked by the woman, the midwife did not accept she had brought the wrong milk and did not offer the woman the correct alternative."

On the labour wards, the theatre sluice pipe had previously leaked onto the floor.

"We saw visible dried stains on that sluice pipe and floor," inspectors said.

Inspectors also found shortages of staff on elderly care wards, including a lack of qualified nurses.

Barts Health NHS Trust chief executive Peter Morris said: "Barts Health is committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of every one of our patients and we are extremely sorry for the failings in some of our services at Whipps Cross Hospital.

"We have taken immediate action to rectify the failures to ensure we meet standards across the hospital at all times."

Barts Health NHS Trust is already under scrutiny by chief inspector of hospitals Professor Sir Mike Richards.

It is one of 18 trusts being examined due to potential risks to patients, and is one of five on the list, announced in July, that is considered to be "high risk".

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) London regional director Bernell Bussue said: "It's deeply concerning to see these failures in relation to basic standards of infection control, hygiene, waiting times and providing adequate food and drink."

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Lee Rigby Terror Videos: Woman In Court

A 21-year-old woman has appeared in court on terror charges for allegedly distributing video clips about the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby.

Rebekah Dawson, from Hackney, east London, appeared briefly at Westminster Magistrates Court.

It is alleged she made two video recordings on May 22, the day of Lee Rigby's murder in Woolwich, and distributed them "with the intention of encouraging others in the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".

She is also accused of encouraging terrorism by publishing a statement entitled "Muslim laughs at British Soldier killing".

Dawson is jointly charged along with Royal Barnes, 22, who appeared at the same court on Monday to face terror charges linked to the footage.

The pair are due to appear at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Drummer Rigby, 25, was hacked to death in broad daylight near Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale have been charged with his murder and are due to stand trial on November 18.

Drummer Rigby served in Afghanistan as a machine gunner and was attached to the regimental recruiting team when he was killed.

His murder sparked nationwide shock and revulsion and led to an outpouring of support for his family from the public.

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Sky News Cameraman Killed In Egypt

Sky News cameraman Mick Deane has been shot and killed in Egypt this morning.

Mick had worked for Sky for 15 years, based in Washington and then Jerusalem.

He was part of our team covering the violence in Cairo. The rest of the team are unhurt.

The Head of Sky News John Ryley described Mick as the very best of cameramen, a brilliant journalist and an inspiring mentor to many at Sky.

Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall called Mick "a friend, brave as a lion but what a heart… what a human being", adding he was "humorous and wise".

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "I am saddened to hear of the death of cameraman Mick Deane, covering Egyptian violence.

"My thoughts are with his family and the Sky News team."

More follows...

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Jobs: Claimant Count Hits Four-Year Low

The number of people claiming unemployment benefit dropped by almost double the forecast figure last month to a four year low.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Jobseeker's Allowance claims tumbled - for the ninth consecutive month - by 29,200 in July as the labour market strengthened

There was also a favourable revision to June's number which was revised to 29,400 - the largest monthly drop since May 2010.

While the total number of people unemployed fell by 4,000 between April and June to 2.51 million, unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds increased by 15,000 to reach 973,000, while the number of people out of work for more than two years rose by 10,000 to 474,000, the highest since 1997.

The number of people in work increased by 69,000 in the quarter to 29.78 million, the highest since records began in 1971 but the ONS said the unemployment rate held steady at 7.8%.

That statistic is now closely watched after the Bank of England's new governor Mark Carney confirmed the monetary policy committee (MPC) did not envisage raising the base rate of interest until the jobless rate dropped to 7%.

It emerged today, in minutes from the bank's last MPC meeting that one member, Martin Weale, voted against the new policy of giving forward guidance on the possible movement of interest rates.

The ONS data provided better news for household incomes as average weekly earnings growth, including bonuses, accelerated to 2.1% in the period, compared with a year earlier.

The body said it represented the fastest growth since late 2011 though it still lagged way behind inflation - standing at 2.8% in July according to figures released on Tuesday.

Giving his reaction to the job statistics Employment Minister Mark Hoban said: "With 29,000 fewer people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance compared to this time last month, and more people in work than ever before, today's figures paint a positive picture of the UK labour market.

"There are now more jobs available than at any time since the end of 2008, and more hours being worked than ever before - which shows that there are opportunities out there for people who want to work and get on in life."

But Dave Prentis, general secretary of the Unison union, was less upbeat.

He said: "Today's small drop in unemployment rates masks the damaging growth of under-employment plaguing the country and stifling economic recovery.

"A toxic combination of part-time, minimum wage, zero-hours working is spreading across the country, as decently paid, full-time opportunities become increasingly rare.

"We know that just a few months ago there were, on average, almost four people chasing every vacant job in England, Scotland and Wales. For young people desperate to get their first job, these are desperate times. Getting the work experience they need to get a start in life is hard to find."

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Ed Miliband Is Egged On Campaign Visit

Ed Miliband has been pelted with eggs on his first public appearance in weeks as he attempted to reboot the Labour party.

The Labour leader was campaigning in London when a volley of eggs was thrown at his back.

At least one hit the politician on the head and jacket as he visited East Street market in Walworth, south London.

The egg thrower, named as Dean Porter, reportedly told journalists he felt Labour no longer stood up for the poor

And in another blow, he suggested the party's approach would have been different had Mr Miliband's older brother David become leader.

An aide hurriedly removed Mr Miliband's jacket and he continued his tour, chatting to shoppers and stallholders apparently unperturbed.

A man in a fluorescent jacket was seized and quickly bundled away by market security officers.

Mr Porter had earlier written on Twitter: "Watch the news tonight. I suspect I might be on it."

He later wrote: "I tried to egg Ed Milliband as he came down to East Street in southwark, watching the news to see if its on."

Minutes later, he sent a message to the Prime Minister saying: "@David_Cameron hi pleb, can you come to East Street Market so I can egg you like I've egged your chum @Ed_Miliband lol."

He also wrote: "I got the b*****!!! Lol."

The incident distracted from the Labour leader's attempts to galvanise his party after a difficult summer and attack the coalition over the cost of living.

Senior figures have questioned the shadow cabinet's "deafening silence" and warned the party must "shout louder" or face electoral defeat in 2015.

The jitters have been compounded by a rise in Tory fortunes thanks to a string of data suggesting the British economy is at last turning the corner.

New figures on Wednesday showed unemployment fell by 4,000 between April and June and average earnings rose by 2.1% in the year to June.

On Tuesday, data revealed inflation fell to 2.8% in July and house prices rose by 3.1% in June and last month growth of 0.6% was given for the second quarter.

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Rail Fares To Rise By 4.1% In January 2014

Rail users will face an increase of around 4.1% in fares in the new year after new inflation figures were revealed.

Campaigners have been protesting at 50 train stations across the country against the rise of fares compared with average earnings.

Retail price index (RPI) inflation rose by 3.1% in the year to July, down from 3.3% last month, but regulated fares - such as season tickets - will rise by an extra 1% when the new prices are announced from January.

Campaigners claim fares have risen three times faster than wages in the last six years.

The next price hike will be the sixth time in seven years that rail fares have outstripped wages, they say.

Between 2008 and next January rail fares will have jumped by 40%, compared with a 15% increase in average earnings, it is claimed.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) warned unregulated tickets could rise by 9%, against forecasts of a 2.4% increase in average earnings next year.

It said rail privatisation was costing taxpayers £1.2bn a year despite "minimal" investment in trains and stations.

The TUC and the Action For Rail campaign group organised demonstrations at stations including Birmingham New Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Glasgow Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Newcastle Central and London's Paddington, King's Cross and Victoria.

Campaigners protested at King's Cross and other stations

Rail Maritime and Transport union leader Bob Crow said: "This latest inflation-busting hike in fares is a kick in the teeth for the British people who are condemned for another year to pay the highest prices in Europe to travel on clapped-out, overcrowded and unreliable trains while the private operators are laughing all the way to the bank."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said nobody liked paying more for fares but the Government was investing heavily in the railways.

"Nobody likes to see rail fares go up. I don't like to see it and passengers don't like to see it," he said.

"We are massively investing in the railways, with £130m being spent here at Nottingham, £800m at Reading and £600m at Birmingham.

"Running the railways is a very expensive business."

Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle told Sky News that some train companies were "fiddling" the fare cap.

"A 4.1% average increase, yes, but up to 9.1% because the current government gave back to train companies the power to increase some fares by an extra 5% on top (of RPI)," she said.

"The first thing they could and should do is put a stop to that."

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Asda Parking Space Killing: Man In Court

A man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of a 64-year-old in an alleged row over a disabled parking space.

Alan Watts, 65, appeared before magistrates and was remanded on bail following the death of Brian Holmes.

Mr Holmes, from Sandy, Bedfordshire, died from head injuries the day after the August 3 incident at the Asda supermarket in Biggleswade.

His family were at his bedside when he died.

In a statement released through police, they said: "The family are devastated by the loss of Brian in such shocking circumstances.

Mr Holmes died from a serious head injury the day after the incident

"A wife has lost her husband, best friend and carer all in one go.

"Brian was a family man who adored his grandchildren and family, and had only this week been given the all-clear following treatment for cancer.

"Brian and his wife were only just starting to make plans for the future that they only dared to dream of."

Alan Watts appeared at Bedford Magistrates' Court only to confirm his name and address and that he understood the charge.

He will next appear at Luton Crown Court on August 28 for a preliminary hearing.

Mr Watts has surrendered his passport as part of bail conditions and must also report daily to a local police station.

He is also barred from driving and must not visit the Asda store where the alleged row took place.

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Charlatans Drummer Jon Brookes Dies At 44

The Charlatans drummer Jon Brookes has died at the age of 44, three years after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The band's frontman Tim Burgess wrote on Twitter: "Jon Brookes, my friend, our drummer and inspiration to so many, passed away this morning.

"We are torn apart. Love & thoughts to Jon's family."

Brookes was diagnosed with the tumour after he collapsed on stage during a gig in Philadelphia.

Brookes with the band at the Isle of Wight festival in 2004

The musician is survived by his wife and three daughters.

A statement on the band's website said Brookes died on Tuesday morning.

"Following a seizure on tour in Philadelphia in 2010, Jon had been receiving treatment for a brain tumour and had undergone several operations, although he had been working on new material with the band over the summer," the statement said.

"He passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning with his family at his bedside.

Burgess is the band's frontman

"Jon was a brilliant drummer, an inspiration, a founding member of The Charlatans, part of our family and a friend to everyone in and around the band.

"Losing someone who was always so full of life is a tragedy that will be shared by so many. Our thoughts are with Debbie and all of Jon's family."

Another founding member of the band, keyboard player Rob Collins, died in a road accident in 1996.

The Charlatans have had more than 20 hits after releasing their debut single, Indian Rope, in 1990.

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Gibraltar Row: Spain 'Creating A Diversion'

The Chief Minister of Gibraltar has accused the Spanish government of "banging the nationalistic drum" to divert the people's attention from the country's domestic problems.

Tensions between London and Madrid have deepened, with Spain imposing checks at the border and Downing Street saying it was drawing up plans for legal action over what it said were "politically motivated" controls.

While most of the queues have formed from the Gibraltar side travelling into Spain, long lines are now being reported on the Spanish side, the Gibraltar government said. The waiting time is up to five hours, a spokesman said, calling the queues there the longest in years.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo told Sky News that Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was trying to make people lose focus on problems at home in the same way that the head of Argentina's military junta, Leopoldo Galtieri, did in 1982 in the Falkland Islands.

Fabian Picardo is Gibraltar's top politician

"What is happening in the background is that the Spanish government has been engulfed in allegations of corruption which affect Mr Rajoy himself," Mr Picardo said.

"I think what we are seeing is a little bit like what Mr Galtieri deployed in Argentina in 1982, which is an attempt to bang the nationalistic drum to make people look away from the national problems that Spain is suffering and the PM himself is labouring under."

The Chief Minister was referring to a corruption scandal that has engulfed Mr Rajoy's People Party, forcing the prime minister to deny he or his party have accepted illegal payments. 

Mr Rajoy has rejected opposition calls to step down, but Mr Picardo said a British Prime Minister facing the same allegations "wouldn't last five minutes".

"And yet in Spain Mr Rajoy remains comfortable in his post trying to create diversions like this one," he said.

The 1713 Treaty of Utrecht gave The Rock to the British

Mr Picardo also called Jose Garcia-Margallo "the least diplomatic of the Spanish foreign ministers in history".

Downing Street said it was looking at the "unprecedented step" of taking legal action after the Spanish government failed to lift the additional border checks over the weekend. The measures have caused tailbacks of several hours.

Madrid has remained defiant, saying it would not abandon what it called "legal and proportionate" checks.

Mr Picardo claimed that in a fair international court Gibraltar would win "game, set and match".

The European Commission plans to send a team of investigators to the border in the next couple of weeks to observe the controls following complaints from several MEPs and EU citizens about long waits there.

Spain insists the border checks are legitimate

Adding to the tensions, three Royal Navy warships set sail for the Mediterranean in what defence officials stressed was a long-scheduled deployment. The vessels included the flagship HMS Bulwark, helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious and frigate HMS Montrose.

The diplomatic spat between the UK and Spain was sparked by the creation of an artificial reef by the Gibraltarian authorities, which the Spanish say will destroy fishing in the area.

Madrid responded by beefing up border controls, leading to lengthy queues, and suggesting that a 50 euro (£43.30) fee could be imposed on every vehicle entering or leaving the Rock through the fenced border with Spain.

Mr Picardo said that while Madrid is "playing games", the people of Gibraltar do not worry about the spat "because we've lived through so many".

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Teen Stabbing Death: Arrest Over Poplar Killing

A 16-year-old boy, named locally as Ajmol Alom, has died and another is in hospital with facial injuries after a knife attack in east London.

The two teenagers were attacked in Spey Street, Poplar, east London at around 9.50pm on Monday.

Ajmol was pronounced dead at hospital while the other 16-year-old is still being treated for his injuries, which are not life-threatening.

A 19-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Tuesday morning and is being questioned.

Ajmol's headteacher at Langdon Park School, Chris Dunne, described him as a "splendid young man".

"Hardworking, industrious, but also a very caring and thoughtful young man. He was very able in all areas, but that didn't mean he didn't work incredibly hard," he said.

A second 16-year-old was hurt in the stabbing in Poplar

"He came to all the revision classes, he worked flat-out. The exam results will come out next Thursday and he will have very good results."

Mr Dunne added that Ajmol was planning to take A-levels before going on to a "very good university" where he had spoken of studying medicine.

He said the teenager had recently taken part in a conflict resolution project with other young people from Northern Ireland, in which he was "hugely active".

A man who said Ajmol's father was his cousin said he believed the teenager was predicted to get an A* in his maths GCSE but "was hanging around with the wrong crowd".

"He was really quiet, he was into sports. He was really into boxing and got a medal for it," he said.

Ajmol's family has been told about his death and a post-mortem examination will be held, Scotland Yard said.

Former mayor of Tower Hamlets Doros Ullah said he visited the murder scene after hearing what had happened.

A forensic team searches an area on Spey Street

He said: "The chap that got killed was a very good boy. He used to pray five times a day. He was not someone who had been involved in any trouble in the past."

Mr Ullah said he had been told the teenager was the victim of mistaken identity.

"He was outside with some man who, we understand, had been in some trouble in the past, and three boys that came around were looking for him, so he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and became the victim," he said.

Detective Chief Inspector Colette Smyth said: "We believe there were a number of people in the area at the time and we would appeal for any witnesses or anyone with information to please come forward.

"We are keeping an open mind about any possible motive at this stage."

Anyone with information can call police on 0208 3580100 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 to remain anonymous.

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CCTV Code Of Practice Comes Into Force

A new code of practice for the use of surveillance cameras in England and Wales has come into force.

The new rules - introduced by the Home Office - state that CCTV cameras should be used to protect and support people, not to spy on them.

The code states that: "The purpose … will be to ensure that individuals and wider communities have confidence that surveillance cameras are deployed to protect and support them, rather than spy on them.

"The Government considers that wherever overt surveillance in public places is in pursuit of a legitimate aim and meets a pressing need, any such surveillance should be characterised as surveillance by consent."

More than 1.85 million CCTV cameras are in operation across Britain, according to Association of Chief Police Officers research in 2009.

Most are operated by private companies, businesses and individuals.

Some 51,600 CCTV cameras are controlled by local authorities, while 2,107 schools operate a further 47,806 cameras. MOre than 100,000 watch us while we use public transport.

Campaigners say the code does not go far enough in ensuring CCTV systems are not misused.

Emma Carr, from civil liberties group Big Brother Watch, said CCTV remains a vital issue.

"We're getting an increasing amount of phone calls and letters from people who are concerned about their neighbours putting up CCTV cameras in their gardens, which cover their own private areas and sometimes look into their houses," she told Sky News.

"And then there's also the technological development in terms of CCTV. Facial recognition and HD CCTV cameras. These are all available online to pretty much anybody."

Britain's first town centre CCTV system was installed in King's Lynn in 1987.

Since that time the use of CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) in England and Wales has grown rapidly.

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Bryant Attacks Tesco Over 'Unfair' Migrant Use

Changes To Chris Bryant's Speech

Updated: 1:49pm UK, Monday 12 August 2013

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

The before and after sections on Tesco and Next in Chris Bryant's immigration speech are barely recognisable.

The speech delivered by the Shadow Immigration Minister was very different from extracts released in advance at the weekend.

In the Q&A after his speech, he denied he had been nobbled or spoken personally to the two companies.

But, after the angry denials by Tesco and Next at the weekend, by Monday morning the passages had been substantially rewritten and the tone had been dramatically transformed from hostile to complimentary.

:: ON TESCO:

Before:

"Take the case of Tesco, who recently decided to move their distribution centre in Kent.

"The new centre is larger and employs more people, but the staff at original site, most of them British, were told that they could only move to the new centre if they took a cut in pay. The result? A large percentage of the staff at the new centre are from Eastern bloc.

"Then there are the recruitment agencies that specialise in recruiting staff from elsewhere in the EU."

After:

"Take Tesco. A good employer and an important source of jobs in Britain. They take on young people, operate apprenticeships and training schemes and often recruit unemployed or disabled staff through job centres.

"Yet when a distribution centre was moved to a new location existing staff said they would have lost out by transferring and the result was a higher proportion of staff from A8 countries taking up the jobs.

"Tesco are clear they have tried to recruit locally. And I hope they can provide more reassurance for their existing staff. But the fact that staff are raising concern shows how sensitive the issue has become."

Comparison:

After Tesco said they had no distribution centre in Kent, that reference has gone. So too has the allegation about the cut in pay. Instead, Tesco is "a good employer" that is clear it has "tried to recruit locally".

ON NEXT:

Before:

"Look at Next PLC, who last year brought 500 Polish workers to work in their South Elmsall warehouse for their summer sale and another 300 this summer. They were recruited in Poland and charged £50 to find them accommodation.

"The advantage to Next? They get to avoid Agency Workers Regulations which apply after a candidate has been employed for over 12 weeks, so Polish temps end up considerably cheaper than the local workforce which includes many former Next employees.

"The recruitment agency Next used, Flame, has its website http://www.flamejobs.pl entirely in Polish. It's not illegal. But is it fair? Does it inspire long-term commitment to the business?

"In mentioning this I'm not looking for special favours for anyone. I'm just looking for fairness."

After:

"Next PLC recruited extra temporary staff for their South Elmsall warehouse for the summer sale - last year and this year.

"South Elmsall is in a region with 9% unemployment and 23.8% youth unemployment.

"Yet several hundred people were recruited directly from Poland. The recruitment agency Next used, Flame, has its website http://www.flamejobs.pl entirely in Polish.

"Now of course short term contracts and work are sometimes necessary in order to satisfy seasonal spikes in demand.

"But when agencies bring such a large number of workers of a specific nationality at a time when there are one million young unemployed in Britain it is right to ask why that is happening.

"It's not illegal for agencies to target foreign workers. But is it fair for them to be so exclusive? Is it fair on migrant workers who can find themselves tied into agency accommodation deals? And is it good practice for the long term health of the economy when so many local young people need experience and training?

"Next also say they have tried to recruit locally."

Comparison:

The allegation that Next "get to avoid Agency Workers Regulations" has gone. So too has the claim that "Polish temps end up considerably cheaper than the local workforce".

Mr Bryant did, however, make new allegations in his speech against the tourism industry:

"Tourism is one of our largest industries and yet I have heard horror tales of hotel management deliberately cutting hours of young British workers and adding hours to migrant workers who do not complain about deductions from earnings that almost certainly take people below the minimum wage," he said.

But he didn't name names.

More anecdotal accusations, I suspect.

Mr Bryant obviously wanted to avoid another bruising clash with big business.

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Asda Car Park Death: Pensioner Charged

A pensioner has been charged with killing a grandfather who died following a row over a disabled space in an Asda car park.

Alan Watts, 65, will appear before magistrates charged with manslaughter following the death of 64-year-old Brian Holmes in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

Mr Holmes, from Sandy, Bedfordshire, died from head injuries at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge the day after the August 3 attack.

A Bedfordshire Police spokesman said: "On the direction of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Bedfordshire Police have charged a man in relation with an incident which took place at the Asda car park in Church Street, Biggleswade, on Saturday August 3.

"Alan Watts, of Lindsell Crescent, Biggleswade, has been charged with one count of manslaughter."

The spokesman said Watts had been bailed to appear at Bedford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Mr Holmes' family were at his bedside when he died the afternoon after the attack.

In a statement released through Bedfordshire Police after his death, his family said: "The family are devastated by the loss of Brian in such shocking circumstances.

"A wife has lost her husband, best friend and carer all in one go.

"Brian was a family man who adored his grandchildren and family, and had only this week been given the all-clear following treatment for cancer.

"Brian and his wife were only just starting to make plans for the future that they only dared to dream of."

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Missing Teenager Erika Kacicova: Man Arrested

Police searching for missing teenager Erika Kacicova have arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of child abduction.

The arrest comes as the 13-year-old's father told Sky News he has not been eating or sleeping since his daughter went missing.

Detectives have said they "will not stop" until they find Erika.

Police have appealed to the teenager to contact them so they can visit her to make sure she is safe and well.

They have stressed "she is not in trouble", but have called on her to return to her "distraught" family.

Erika's disappearance has been described as 'out of character'

Erika was last seen leaving her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield at around 4pm on Monday, August 5.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries there, and have expanded their search to Bradford, where the suspect was arrested.

He is being taken to Sheffield where he will be questioned by officers from South Yorkshire Police.

There have been a number of unconfirmed sightings of the youngster and police say they have some "really positive" lines of enquiry.

But they are still asking the public for any information they have about the missing child.

Detective Inspector Helen Tate told Sky News: "When we cross-reference the various sightings we've had, it gives us some really positive lines to follow up.

"I need to stress to Erika she's not in trouble. We just need to see she is safe and well.

"We're asking the public to call in with sightings, any information they have got.

"Most importantly it's about Erika picking up that phone and letting us know she is OK and allowing us to come and see her and make sure she is well and safe.

"Our investigation has not slow paced in any way. We will not stop until we actually find Erika."

Her disappearance has been described as "out of character".

Erika is described as being slim and around 4ft 11ins tall. She has long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

A 22-year-old man from Bradford was released on police bail on Sunday after being arrested on suspicion of child abduction.

He approached police on Friday, the day officers made an urgent appeal for information about Erika's whereabouts.

:: Anyone with information about missing Erika is asked to call police on 101.

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Lee Rigby: Man Charged Over 'Terror Videos'

A 22-year-old man has been charged with terror offences after allegedly making video recordings about Drummer Lee Rigby's murder.

Royal Barnes, from Hackney, east London, is accused of creating clips about the father-of-one's death and publishing a statement entitled "Muslim laughs at British Soldier killing".

He is accused of circulating the videos with the intention of "encouraging others into the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".

Barnes was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court after being arrested on Friday along with a 21-year-old woman.

Hundreds lined the streets of Bury for Drummer Rigby's funeral

He is also charged with encouraging an act of terrorism by publishing a statement that glorified the killing, and inciting terrorism overseas.

It is claimed that on June 12 he "incited another to commit an act of terrorism, wholly or partly outside the United Kingdom".

Drummer Rigby, 25, was hacked to death in broad daylight near Woolwich barracks in southeast London on May 22.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale have been charged with his murder and are due to stand trial at the Old Bailey on November 18.

Drummer Rigby served in Afghanistan as a machine gunner and was attached to the regimental recruiting team when he was killed.

His murder sparked nationwide shock and revulsion and led to an outpouring of support for his family from the public.

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High Street Housing Plans Come Under Fire

Store Vacancies Hit New High Level

Updated: 11:50am UK, Monday 20 May 2013

A surge in shopping centre vacancies means almost one in every eight British stores is now empty, according to a new survey.

Empty shops now account for 11.9% of retail space, after failures including Comet and Jessops knocked holes in the shopping hubs and out-of-town retail parks.

The percentage of UK shop vacancies in April worsened from 10.9% in January and was the highest rate since the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard survey began in 2011.

It said high streets have been "vastly outperforming" malls and retail parks, boosted by a 5% increase in evening drinkers, diners and clubbers.

The retail sector has been battered by a wave of failures this year, with entertainment retailer HMV and camera chain Jessops both entering administration in January.

Electricals retailer Comet slumped into administration in November.

BRC director general Helen Dickinson said: "It's a major concern that the vacancy rate has reached a record high, driven by increases in almost every part of the UK, with some regions like the South West seeing a significant leap in empty shop numbers."

But rising temperatures lifted April footfall 1% on a year earlier, a marked improvement on the 5.2% fall in March, as more shoppers ventured out compared with a rainy April 2012.

Ms Dickinson added: "The unsettled weather at the start of the month seems to have created pent-up demand, which brought many of us out to shop when more spring-like weather finally made an appearance."

High street footfall was up 3.4%, the strongest performance since December 2011, but shopping centre visitors fell 3%.

Greater London was the strongest-performing region with footfall rising 4.2% and just 7.4% of its shops vacant.

Footfall in Northern Ireland slumped 6.4% in April, while its shop vacancy rate hit 18.1%. In Wales, shoppers were down 2.1%, with a vacancy rate of 17.9%.

The South West saw footfall slide 1.3% and shop vacancies hit 14%.

The UK's surging vacancy rate follows recent downbeat sales figures from the BRC, which showed retail sales slumped at the fastest rate for a year in April as the timing of Easter and a freezing start to the month offset improvements in fashion and beauty.

Like-for-like sales fell 2.2% in April from a year earlier, with the early Easter hitting food sales in particular, it said.

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Wages: UK Workers In Europe's Bottom Four

Warning Over High Charity Wages

Updated: 10:36am UK, Tuesday 06 August 2013

Six figure salaries for staff at Britain's taxpayer-funded foreign aid charities risk bringing the industry into disrepute, the Charity Commission's chairman William Shawcross has warned.

Some 30 people working at the 14 leading UK charities that make up the 50-year old Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) are paid more than £100,000 a year, according to new figures. 

A Daily Telegraph investigation into charity industry salaries showed British Red Cross CEO Sir Nick Young earns £184,000 a year. 

James Forsyth, chief executive of Save the Children, earns £163,000, while the charity's chief operating officer Anabel Hoult earns £168,653.

Mr Shawcross told the Daily Telegraph: "It is not for the commission to tell charities how much they should pay their executives. That is a matter for their trustees.

"However, in these difficult times, when many charities are experiencing shortfalls, trustees should consider whether very high salaries are really appropriate, and fair to both the donors and the taxpayers who fund charities.

"Disproportionate salaries risk bringing organisations and the wider charitable world into disrepute."

Three years ago, 19 staff members at the DEC charities, which are mandated to raise funds quickly for crisis-struck parts of the world, earned more than £100,000.

DEC says it has run 62 appeals and raised more than £1.1bn since launching in 1963.

The charities involved with DEC include Action Aid, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

Sir Stephen Bubb, chief executive of charity leaders organisation Acevo, said the intervention by Mr Shawcross was "deeply unhelpful".

The average salary for a charity chief executive was £58,000, he said and added: "The big national and international charities are very demanding jobs and we need to attract the best talent to those jobs and that's what we do."

Sir Stephen denied that the high salaries could put off donors.

He said: "This simply isn't an issue for donors. Donors are more concerned about the outcomes, the performance and the efficiency of these organisations.

"To keep talent, really strong people, at the top of these organisations they need to be paid properly. These are still not excessive salaries when you compare them to the public and private sectors."

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Murder Arrest As Man Dies In Stab Attack

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a stabbing in Bristol.

The 41-year-old was held after police were called to an address in Egerton Road, in the Bishopston area of the city, amid reports a 24-year-old had been attacked.

The victim was taken to hospital on Friday evening but later died.

A police spokeswoman said: "A 41-year-old man from the local area has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

"He is being held in police custody."

Forensics officers were still at the scene of the attack on Sunday morning.

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Labour Attacks Tesco Over Foreign Staff

Labour has ignited a row with supermarket giant Tesco by planning to attack the chain for employing foreign workers.

Shadow immigration minister Chris Bryant is due to condemn Tesco and other leading companies for being "unscrupulous" and pursuing cheap labour from Eastern Europe.

In a speech on Monday, he is expected to claim Tesco moved its distribution centre to Kent where a "large percentage" of the staff are from the eastern bloc.

The firm has already hit back, denying having a distribution centre in the county and insisting it does not actively seek to recruit abroad.

A spokesman said: "It is wrong to accuse Tesco of this. We work incredibly hard to recruit from the local area and have just recruited 350 local people to work in our Dagenham site."

The company is also understood to be writing to Labour to complain about the "unfair" slight.

Controversial: Frontbencher Chris Bryant

Mr Bryant's speech appears to be the Opposition's latest attempt to wrestle back the initiative on immigration, which is a top concern for British voters.

The party is also battling to get on the front foot after a quiet summer which has seen their poll lead slip and Ed Miliband face internal criticism for failing to set the agenda.

Mr Bryant will admit immigration can have a negative effect on labour markets, according to extracts from the draft speech reported in The Sunday Telegraph.

"The biggest complaint I have heard, from migrants and settled communities alike, is about the negative effects migration can have on the UK labour market. And I agree," he is due to say.

"It is unfair that unscrupulous employers whose only interest seems to be finding labour as cheaply as possible will recruit workers in large numbers in low-wage countries in the EU, bring them to the UK, charge the costs of their travel and their substandard accommodation against their wages and still not even meet the national minimum wage.

"That is unfair. It exploits migrant workers and it makes it impossible for settled workers with mortgages and a family to support at British prices to compete."

He will claim Tesco had recently decided to move its distribution centre in Kent but slashed pay for existing staff, penalising Britons.

"The new centre is larger and employs more people, but the staff at the original site, most of them British, were told that they could only move to the new centre if they took a cut in pay," he will say.

"The result? A large percentage of the staff at the new centre are from [the] Eastern bloc."

As well as highlighting the recruitment of hundreds of local staff, Tesco made clear that the distribution centre is in the east London borough of Barking and Dagenham and was formerly in Essex, not Kent.

Next is also criticised for allegedly seeking out Polish staff

Mr Bryant's address is also set to target high street chain Next, who he accused of printing leaflets in Polish to attract workers from the country.

Extracts from his speech say: "Look at Next Plc, who last year brought 500 Polish workers to work in their South Elmsall warehouse for their summer sale and another 300 this summer.

"They were recruited in Poland and charged £50 to find them accommodation. The advantage to Next? They get to avoid Agency Workers Regulations, which apply after a candidate has been employed for over 12 weeks, so Polish temps end up considerably cheaper than the local workforce, which includes many former Next employees."

The MP's speech will make clear that neither firm has broken the law.

After the extracts emerged, Next admitted using Polish agency workers to help fill slots during the summer sale but vehemently denied it was done to cut costs.

A spokesman said: "We are deeply disappointed Mr Bryant did not bother to check his facts with the company before releasing his speech.

"In fact agency workers from Poland cost us exactly the same as local agency workers, and our existing employees.

"The only reason we seek the help of people from Poland is that we simply can't recruit enough local people to satisfy these spikes in demand for temporary work."

The firm also made clear the nationality of workers had no effect on their rights under Agency Workers Regulations.

"We very much hope that Mr Bryant, being apprised of the facts, will reconsider his claims when he comes to make his speech," it said.

Tesco, which is the third largest retailer in the world, has 3,146 stores in the UK and employs more than 300,000 staff here.

Next has more than 500 shops across the country, employing around 54,000 people.

Tory MP for Harlow Robert Halfon attacked Labour for allowing "uncontrolled immigration" during its time in office, but also joined the row against Tesco.

On Sky News, he accused the supermarket chain of behaving "disgracefully" towards staff when it closed its distribution centre in his constituency.

"They said they were building a new Dagenham plant and the Harlow plant in my own constituency would be alongside it," he said.

"The moment the plant was built it was suddenly announced the Harlow plant would close. They then said to the British Harlow workers yes, they could have jobs in Dagenham, but it would be at lower pay after transitional costs had been taken in.

"As a result the majority of them couldn't afford to work in Dagenham and had to take redundancy. Tesco in my view behaved quite disgracefully and quite ruthlessly."

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Missing Teen Erika Kacicova: Suspect Bailed

A man arrested on suspicion of child abduction has been released on bail as police continue to search for a missing 13-year-old.

The 22-year-old from Bradford was allowed to leave a police station after questioning on Sunday morning, having come forward on Friday.

Officers looking for Erika Kacicova have been making house-to-house inquiries.

The teenager has not been seen since she left her home in the Darnall area of Sheffield nearly a week ago.

Teams of officers are focusing their search around her home, where they have been speaking to her parents, and in Bradford.

Police issued an urgent appeal for information on Friday, appealing for Erika to get in touch because of concerns for her safety.

She was last seen leaving her home at around 4pm on Monday, August 4.

Erika's home in Poole Road, Darnall, in Sheffield

Detective Inspector Helen Tate said: "We know she has gone missing before but not for this long. She is a young girl, away from home and our main aim is for her to return safe and well.

"We know Erika's family have friends and acquaintances in the Bradford area, so she may well have travelled to West Yorkshire.

"We are grateful for the calls from the public, so please contact us if you think you know where Erika is."

She added: "Erika, if you are reading this, please let us know you are okay. You aren't in trouble; we just need to know you are safe."

Erika is described as being slim and around 4ft 11ins tall. She has long, dark-brown, straight hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink polo-style shirt and a silvery-grey coloured jacket.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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