Titanic Violin May Fetch World Record Price

The violin famously played by the Titanic's bandmaster as the liner sank beneath the waves is expected to fetch a world record price when it goes under the hammer today.

Wallace Hartley has become part of the doomed ship's legend after leading his fellow musicians in playing as the vessel went down, most famously the hymn Nearer My God To Thee.

Hartley and his seven fellow band members all died in the tragedy on April 14 1912, when the cruiser hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sank, killing 1,500 people.

His violin, which had been a gift from his fiancee Maria Robinson, was apparently found in a case strapped to his body when it was recovered from the icy waters.

Its re-emergence in 2006, when it was reportedly discovered in an attic in Yorkshire, prompted heated debate over its authenticity.

An engraving from Wallace Hartley's fiance Maria Robinson on the violin

Titanic specialist auctioneers Henry Aldridge and Son say nearly seven years of research and tests have proved it to be the genuine article.

Now the violin - accompanied by a leather luggage case initialed WHH - is being put up for sale along with a host of items from the ship at an auction in Devizes, Wiltshire.

Andrew Aldridge, a valuer with the auctioneer, said worldwide interest in the instrument meant it was likely to break the world record fee for a single piece of memorabilia from the Titanic.

The violin has a reserve price of between £200,000 and £300,000, but is expected to fetch as much as £400,000.

Mr Aldridge said: "It symbolises love, with a young man strapping it to his body because it was an engagement present from his fiancee. It also epitomises bravery. He knew there would be no lifeboats.

"It symbolises everything that's good about people, not just Wallace Hartley and his band, but all the men, women and children who lost their lives."

A photograph showing bodies being buried at sea could fetch £5,000

The previous record sale saw a 32ft plan of the Titanic used in the 1912 inquiry into the sinking of the ship fetch £220,000 two years ago.

The violin has been on exhibition at Titanic museums in the US and Northern Ireland.

Mr Aldridge also took the violin to Mr Hartley's hometown of Dewsbury, Yorkshire, this week ahead of its sale.

"I hope it stays in the UK and goes on exhibition," he said. "There have buyers in the UK but also in the US and Asia so it could go anywhere."

Among the other items on sale is a photograph showing victims being buried at sea.

The black and white image of bodies in sacks piled three high on deck is expected to fetch up to £5,000.

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Veiled Muslim Slams MPs For 'Public Hysteria

By Hind Hassan, Sky News Reporter

A woman who wears the niqab has accused UK politicians of whipping up public hysteria against the Islamic face veil.

Sahar al Faifi says comments such as those by Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne and Labour MP Jack Straw are irresponsible and make women who cover their face a target of anti-Muslim sentiment.

The 28-year-old said: "We are the victims in the street because of these politicians who made it so normal and so ok to be anti-Muslim."

When asked about the kind of abuse she had received, Ms al Faifi said: "They will call me funny stuff like ninja or even Batman, or say go back to your country. Sometimes it's physical and they'll try to take it off."

Ms al Faifi works as a molecular geneticist in Cardiff and is a community activist. She has worn the niqab for 14 years and doesn't fit the stereotype of a woman oppressed by her full veil.

She said: "Negative prejudices are promoted as facts among the wider British society ... and it's not true. Have you ever interacted or talked to a woman in niqab rather than talking on her behalf?"

While she gets on with her life, she can't understand why others view the niqab as a threat.

"It's an action that Muslim women believe in as an act of modesty to get closer to God. It's a religious symbol, it is not an oppressive symbol, it's not a barrier, it's an act of worship," she said.

"Most of the women here in Britain wear it out of their personal choice and deep beliefs, there's no one who can force them and if so there are certain laws and policies that prevents that."

According to Ms al Faifi, it's a fear of the unknown, rather than the face veil, that creates divisions.

"The niqab is different. I'm not trying to say I look like other people, but we are here in Britain. Multifaith and multiculture is part of civil society, yes I'm different but what's wrong with being different?"

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Boy Sought Over University Sex Attacks

Police have said a boy, who could be as young as 12, may be responsible for a string of sex attacks around a university campus.

Greater Manchester Police are linking the assaults which have taken place in the last month near The University of Manchester and have released an evofit image of the young offender which they said made the incidents "even more shocking".

The first two attacks took place within 15 minutes of each other on Saturday September 21.

A 27-year-old was approached from behind and grabbed in Lloyd Street North at 6.15pm before she screamed and the offender ran off.

The next incident followed in Oxford Road when a 21-year-old woman was approached by a boy who made lewd comments as she left John Rylands library.

She carried on walking on Moss Lane East and was sexually assaulted by her assailant who was described as a young Asian boy aged 12 who wore green jeans and glasses.

The third attack took place at the Manchester Science Park in Lloyd Street South at about 2.15pm on Saturday October 5.

A 32-year-old woman was approached by two young boys and sexually assaulted by one of them described as being Asian, 12 to 13 years old, of slim build, with a small frame who wore baggy trousers and carried a rucksack on his back.

She pushed the boy away but he approached her again and sexually assaulted her for a second time before running off towards Pencroft Way in company with the second child, also described as a young Asian boy.

Detective Constable Pam Collins from Longsight Police Station said: "After speaking to the women, we have managed to complete an evofit of the offender. As you can see from the image he looks fairly young which makes these assaults even more shocking.

"After each woman has told the offender to go away he has followed this up with violent threats so we are keen to find this individual as soon as possible.

"I would ask anyone who either recognises the image, witnessed any of the assaults or may have fallen victim to this person to call us."

Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 4223 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Oxfordshire: Fire At Immigration Detention Centre

Two men have been taken to hospital after a fire at an immigration detention centre in Oxfordshire, the Home Office says.

The cause of the blaze at the privately-run Campsfield House centre in Kidlington is not yet known.

A Home Office spokesman said around half the detainees were being moved to other centres because of damage to the building.

The spokesman added: "All the detainees have been accounted for and two male detainees are now in hospital.

"The cause of the fire is being investigated by police and the fire service." 

Campsfield can hold over 200 detainees

The blaze started at 9pm on Friday night in one of the three blocks that make up the centre and was brought under control by midnight.

Ten fire engines were sent to put it out.

Campsfield is a long-term centre where male detainees are kept pending the outcome of their immigration case and subsequent removal.

It is run by MITIE and has space for 216 beds.

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Felix Dexter: Real McCoy Star Dies From Cancer

Real McCoy star Felix Dexter has died at the age of 52 following a battle with multiple myeloma - a type of bone marrow cancer.

He came to prominence in the flagship black comedy and was once named Time Out comedian of the year.

Felix Dexter enjoyed a long career in stand-up comedy

He went on to work in BBC comedies The Fast Show, Absolutely Fabulous and most recently Citizen Khan.

Fellow comedians, colleagues and friends paid tribute to him on Twitter - calling him "one of our British kings of comedy".

Comedian David Baddiel wrote: "Felix Dexter? Doesn't seem possible. Very funny, very gentle man: his death is a real loss to comedy."

Comedian Bill Bailey said: "Very said news about my old friend Felix Dexter. A brilliant comedian, a superb comic actor, a lovely man I feel privileged to have known."

Dexter, who was born in St Kitts and moved to the UK when he was seven, studied law before entering the stand-up circuit.

Later he featured in Have I Got News You and Grumpy Old Men, as well as Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge.

As an actor, he had parts in Casualty and the Bill and appeared in the West End alongside Christian Slater.

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Hunt: 'Nation's Shame Of Forgotten Elderly'

Britain should be ashamed of how elderly people are being treated in this country, according to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Hunt said there was a collective "national shame" in ignoring the emotional needs of pensioners who after often isolated and lonely.

Speaking at the National Children and Adults Services (NCAS) conference, he insisted entering old age "should not involve waving goodbye to one's dignity". 

"According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, there are 800,000 people in England who are chronically lonely," Mr Hunt said.

"Some five million people say television is their main form of company - that's 10% of the population.

"We know there is a broader problem of loneliness that in our busy lives we have utterly failed to confront as a society.

"Each and every lonely person has someone who could visit them and offer companionship. A forgotten million who live amongst us - ignored to our national shame."

Campaigners say 800,000 people are chronically lonely

Mr Hunt, who is married to a Chinese woman, compared the way older people are treated in the UK to other cultures.

He said he had been "struck by the reverence and respect for older people in Asian culture", where residential care was only considered as a last resort.

"The social contract is stronger because as children see how their own grandparents are looked after, they develop higher expectations of how they too will be treated when they get old," he said.

"If we are to tackle the challenge of an ageing society, we must learn from this - and restore and reinvigorate the social contract between generations.

"And uncomfortable though it is to say it, it will only start with changes inthe way we personally treat our own parents and grandparents."

Mr Hunt also spoke about cases of abuse in care homes, saying there is a need to apply rigorous, unflinching standards towards the regulation of care in both the private and public sector.

He told delegates that 112,000 cases of alleged abuse were referred by English councils in 2012/13, the majority involving over-65s.

"Something is badly wrong in a society where potentially 1,000 such instances are happening every single week," he said.

Mr Hunt said new Chief Inspector of Social Care, Andrea Sutcliffe, will act as a champion of the people who use the services - the nation's whistleblower-in-chief.

Ms Sutcliffe will start giving ratings to care homes from April 2014, and all locations - some 25,000 in total - will be inspected by March 2016 and then receive official ratings.

"Just as we know how good all our local schools are thanks to rigorous, independent inspections by Ofsted, I want us all to know how good our local care is," Mr Hunt said.

Age UK's charity director, Caroline Abrahams, said a "seismic shift" was needed in attitudes towards older people and ageing.

She added: "At Age UK we are extremely concerned that cuts to local authority budgets are exacerbating the problem of loneliness because they are causing the closure of many support services for older people, like lunch clubs, which can be a lifeline for those on their own.

"These cuts are also pushing to breaking point many families who are trying to care for their older relatives in the absence of adequate support. Caring is often a 24/7 role that can have a huge physical and emotional impact on the carer."

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Family 'Disgusted' By Dog Death Sentence

The family of a 14-year-old girl savaged to death by four dogs have said they are "disgusted" after the owner walked free from court with a suspended sentence.

Beverley Concannon admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the four dogs, which killed Jade Lomas-Anderson in March.

The teenager died after she was attacked by two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers in Wigan, Greater Manchester.

The dogs turned on her while she was visiting the 45-year-old's daughter, and armed police were later forced to kill the animals.

Jade suffered "horrific" injuries "from head to toe" and a policeman told Wigan Magistrates' Court he found the dogs covered in blood.

Concannon hid from reporters as she left the court in Wigan

The judge said Concannon, who is on benefits, had subjected the animals to "prolonged neglect" and that she should have been aware of the dogs' aggressive behaviour.

The court heard that the distressed animals were cooped up together in the house and had become "hyper aggressive".

One of the dogs, an American bull mastiff described as "stir crazy", was kept in a cage not big enough for it to raise its head or turn around properly.

Neighbours said they had complained to the council about the way the dogs were kept, as well as their barking, but Concannon was allowed to keep the animals.

Hundreds of lanterns were released at Jade's school after she died

Speaking outside court, Jade's stepfather Michael told reporters that the family had been let down.

He said: "I'm devastated and disgusted in the justice system.

"Today was just about dangerous dogs. I think she should be held responsible for Jade.

"We have got a life sentence. It has absolutely ripped us apart."

Two of the dogs were Staffordshire bull terriers (file picture)

District Judge Mark Hadfield said Concannon's 16-week sentence could be suspended for one year because she had pleaded guilty, had no previous convictions, was sole carer of her daughter, and had expressed remorse for the attack.

She was also disqualified from owning and keeping dogs indefinitely.

The Crown Prosecution Service had said there was not enough evidence to bring a charge of manslaughter.

It also said it could not bring charges under the Dangerous Dogs Act because the dogs were not banned breeds and were not out of control in a public place.

Jade's family want the Government to tighten dangerous dogs laws.

The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill is currently being examined by Parliament.

It aims to remove the immunity from prosecution of dog owners whose animal attacks someone on private property, such as inside their home.

The plans - for England and Wales - are designed to protect people who visit houses as part of their job, such as postmen, utility workers and healthcare employees.

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Northern Irish Leave For Greener Pastures

Immigration: For And Against

Updated: 8:59am UK, Friday 18 October 2013

As Sky News' immigration week continues, two Britons give their arguments about whether immigration is good or bad for the nation.

AGAINST:

:: Nigel Sykes, 51, sales manager, Yorkshire

Before any debate on immigration can take place, let us rid ourselves of one word: "racism".

Until this word is put in its correct place there will never be reasoned debate.

My views come as I watch my country slide deep down into the abyss of which it will never return.

Coming from an area and background that was "everyone votes Labour round here", you may be surprised to now hear the same people are beginning to turn their back on this old custom.

Here are some reasons which I hear people give every day in pubs, clubs, parks, workplace etc.

Our two main political parties have had to revise immigration policy. Why? Because another party has gained ground by listening to the views of its citizens. After all, these citizens are the ones who put them there - something which seems to evade 650 MPs.

These are the same people who are now subject to the strains of mass uncontrolled immigration introduced by the Labour Party intending to create a one-party state.

Without going too in depth, let's look at some facts.

We have a huge housing shortage even amongst our own populace but continue to allow migrants to pour in and take housing that should be available for our own people.

Our hospitals and schools are at breaking point for one reason only: immigration.

We cannot look after our own pensioners, many who have paid their dues all their life, but we can give benefits to immigrants who have paid nothing.

Many of our truly unhealthy or disabled have had benefits cut, yet we can somehow afford to give immigrants money to give to claimants back in their homeland.

No doubt people will say: "They will do work no Brit will do."

Please, show me the jobs and I guarantee I can have a Brit ready to start.

People are fed up of the complete disregard by immigrants for our own laws, our schools, our British heritage, customs and way of life.

FOR:

:: Angelo Iudice, chairman, Accademia Apulia UK

I am a naturalised British subject who has lived in London for over 30 years.

During this time I have seen what was once a depressing pub-centred society turning into the centre of the world.

In today's multicultural Britain, the most important, world-acclaimed architects, doctors, scientists and artists are leaving their mark, and they are not all English.

I would say to anyone who is anti-immigration that they should be proud of the fact that migrants from every corner of the world want to come here. Britain is the most civilised country in the whole world.

I was aged 18 when I first arrived on these shores searching for meritocracy within an open-minded society - a dimension I cherished from day one.

From day one I paid my taxes and upheld my social responsibilities.

Humanity and civilisation know no borders and modern Britain, in my view, is about tolerance and acceptance.

I believe the focus should not be on migration, but that politicians should be searching for solutions and strategies to fight world poverty in order to safeguard the future of our planet.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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Immigration: Complaints Over 'Go Home' Texts

Fight Against Slavery Stepped Up

Updated: 1:52pm UK, Friday 18 October 2013

By Michelle Clifford, Sky News Correspondent

People convicted of human trafficking could face life in jail under new penalties being introduced by the Government to crack down on slavery.

The Modern Slavery Bill, which Home Secretary Theresa May intends to publish in draft later this year, is due to be introduced in 2014.

Ministers want to toughen up the law to give it a "hard edge" and the aim is to have it on the statute book before the end of this Parliament.

Mrs May unveiled plans for the Bill at the Tory party conference last month and it will be informed by evidence sessions in the next two months.

The Government has told Sky News it is putting "the full weight of its machine" into fighting modern-day slavery.

The changes will make it easier to prosecute traffickers, after a new report showed there was a 25% rise in cases in the UK last year.

Some 1,186 victims were referred to the authorities in 2012 and trafficking from Albania saw the biggest increase - up by 300%.

Of the total, 786 were women and 400 were men, 815 were adults and 371 were children.

The greatest number of potential victims referred came from Nigeria, Vietnam, Albania, Romania and China.

The Bill will pull together the offences used to prosecute slave drivers into a single act.

Home Office minister Damian Green said tougher sentences and sanctions would target gangmasters and criminals who exploit foreigners and many Britons who are also affected.

The senior Tory said the National Crime Agency, which has operations abroad, on the borders and domestically, will have a critical role to play.

"We used to think this was just a international problem but now know there are British citizens who might be trafficked around the country and used in labour gangs," he said.

A new Anti-Slavery Commissioner will be appointed to hold law enforcement and other organisations to account.

And Trafficking Prevention Orders will be used to restrict the activity and movement of convicted traffickers and stop them from committing further offences

As he outlined the new approach, Mr Green also became the first man ever to enter one safe house for trafficked women in the south of England.

Run by the charity Hestia, working alongside the Salvation Army, the refuge houses up to six female victims at one time.

One resident told how she had been duped by a family friend into travelling from Nigeria to the UK with the promise of work and prospects and then forced to become a sex slave.

Rita, whose name has been changed to hide her identity, was forced to sleep with many men and women and threatened so that she would not try to run away.

She said: "When it happened it was like a dream to me. I was waiting for someone to wake me up. I couldn't understand what was happening. I ended up being raped by many men.

"He told me if I tried to escape he would kill me and my entire family. I was very frightened. He was evil, horrible. It was a nightmare in my life."

Mr Green pledged to target traffickers using any legal means.

"The gangs and people that traffic people may also be trafficking drugs and guns. They are unlikely to pay taxes so there are lots of ways to bring them down," he said.

In a sign of how seriously the Government is taking the issue, David Cameron personally chaired a meeting this week of all the agencies and departments involved in implementing the Bill.

At the same time, a series of police raids targeted premises believed to house trafficking victims. One swoop in Cambridgeshire saw 80 people released.

As well as legal avenues, the Government is expanding education and awareness programmes, particularly abroad.

Mr Green said they are working with foreign embassies to spread the message that people should be suspicious of promises of a perfect life or the perfect job in the UK.

That is a message Rita only wishes she had heard before she innocently left with that family friend - now a man she despises.

She told me: "I had never heard of this thing (trafficking). I did not understand what was happening. I would really like that they catch the man. I don't know who else he is doing it to."

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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Toddler Dies In House Fire In South Yorkshire

A toddler has died following a house fire in South Yorkshire, police have said.

A neighbour alerted the emergency services to the blaze in Don Street, Conisbrough, near Doncaster.

The two-year-old girl was rescued from a bedroom window by firefighters but died later in hospital.

Shocked neighbour Zoe Backhouse

Police say no-one else was injured in the blaze.

Although the girl has not been named officially, flowers left at the scene were addressed to Libby. One note read: "Love you Libby", while another said: "Sleep tight Libby. Goodnight. God bless."

Neighbour Zoe Backhouse, whose daughter is the same age as the youngster and went to the same nursery, told Sky News: "It's awful to think the family has lost such a little angel.

"They really are a nice family. It's heart-breaking."

Sky's North of England Correspondent Becky Johnson also spoke to another neighbour who witnessed what happened.

Johnson said: "She was in floods of tears. She said it was just a dreadful scene.

"She saw the little girl, who neighbours have told me is called Libby, being brought from the house.

The upper floor of the house

"She said that there was a young teenager, who she understood to be the babysitter, running up and down the street calling out for help.

"She said that when Libby was taken to hospital in the ambulance, it was some 20 minutes later that her mum turned up having been told what happened, and of course was distraught."

A statement from South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said two crews battled the fire, which broke out shortly before 8pm on Thursday.

"A team of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the property and located the fire in an upstairs bedroom," it said.

"A young child was rescued from the bedroom but sadly died."

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire, a spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said.

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Madeleine McCann: 500 Calls From Germany

German broadcaster ZDF has received 500 phone calls and emails after airing a programme on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Madeleine's parents launched an appeal for information to help them find their daughter on the television show "Aktenzeichen XY ungeloest," Germany's version of BBC's Crimewatch programme.

Some 7.26 million people watched the show, its highest rating in 15 years.

E-fit images of a man police want to talk to in connection with the case

The missing girl's mother Kate McCann told the programme: "Please have the compassion and courage to tell us what happened to her."

It is not known how many of the 500 tip-offs will prove useful to police, who received 150 phone calls from the public after a similar appeal was aired on Dutch television.

Officers at Scotland Yard said they received the calls after the appeal was broadcast on the crime programme Opsporing Verzocht.

Mrs McCann and her husband Gerry said they were "absolutely delighted" with the "overwhelming" response to the new appeal for information about their daughter's disappearance which first featured on Crimewatch.

Following a similar appeal on Norway's TV2 channel, a Norwegian woman claimed to have seen a girl resembling Madeleine with a strange man when she was on holiday in Spain two years ago.

Detectives have released two e-fit images of a man they want to speak to in connection with the case based on the accounts of two witnesses.

Both described seeing him in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the evening of the three-year-old's disappearance on May 3, 2007.

:: Madeleine: The New Investigation, Friday at 7.30pm on Sky News

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Teachers' Strike Closes Thousands Of Schools

Thousands of schools in England have been closed or are facing serious disruptions after teachers walked out in a row over pay, pensions and working conditions.

The industrial action - organised by the NASUWT and the National Union of Teachers - is being staged in the North East, Cumbria, the South West, South East and London.

In Brighton, more than 2,000 people including teachers from across the city and elsewhere in Sussex staged a noisy march.

Part of the city centre was brought to a temporary standstill as the convoy of placard-waving demonstrators wove their way through as police looked on.

Chants of "What do we want? Gove out. When do we want it? Now" and "No ifs, no buts, no education cuts" were shouted as the march progressed.

Community school teacher Rachel Henocq said: "I think it's unfair what the Government is doing to education. It's ruining children's lives at the moment.

"Someone has got to take a stand. No-one wants to go on strike. I love teaching and I love children.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: "No teacher has any wish to inconvenience parents or disrupt pupils' education, but this action is not the failure or due to the unreasonableness of teachers.

"It is the failure and unreasonableness of the Secretary of State (Michael Gove), who day-in, day-out is disrupting the education of children and young people through his attacks on the teaching profession."

However, David Cameron blamed unions for the strikes and said it was "disappointing" they had decided to go ahead.

"It is very inconvenient for parents, it is not good for pupils' education, and when we look at the things they are striking over, pensions and pay, they are things that have been decided independently by well-led reviews," he said.

"I was at my children's school today in London. One class was not there but the rest of the school was operating," he told BBC Sussex radio:

"So every praise to those teachers who have gone ahead and kept our schools open for our kids."

A Department for Education spokesman added: "All strikes will do is disrupt parents' lives, hold back children's education and damage the reputation of the profession."

The unions are opposed to Government plans to allow schools to set teachers' salaries, linked to performance in the classroom, and argue that pension changes will leave their members working longer, paying in more and receiving less when they retire.

They also accuse the coalition of attacking their working conditions, including introducing reforms that will allow schools to have longer school days and longer terms.

Research published earlier this month by the Varkey GEMS Foundation revealed that the British public think teachers should be paid around 15% more than their current salaries.

Almost three-quarters (74%) were in favour of performance-related pay for teachers, according to the study.

Regional strikes have already taken place in the North West on June 27, and in the East of England, the East Midlands, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside on October 1.

Plans for a national one-day walkout before Christmas have also been announced by the two unions.

The latest action comes days after a major international report put England 22nd out of 24 western countries on literacy and numeracy.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found England was performing worse than nations including Estonia and Slovakia.

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NHS: Has Immigration Saved The Health Service?

By Gillian Joseph, Sky News Presenter

The majority perception of immigration, as suggested by a Sky News exclusive poll, is that immigrants have been detrimental to British society, that they have taken out far more than they have put in.

But is that the true picture? There are those who would suggest that in fact immigration has saved at least one British institution from ruin - the NHS.

In his immigration speech in March, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Our country has benefited immeasurably from immigration.

"If you go into any hospital you'll find people from Uganda, India and Pakistan who are caring for our sick and vulnerable."

Immigrant workers have been bolstering the NHS since its inception

That's the situation today and it has been the case since the 1940s.

Immigrant workers have been bolstering the NHS from its inception and seem set to continue to be its backbone.

The NHS is celebrating its 65th birthday this year. It was July 1948 that saw the birth of the Welfare State.

The idea was to provide health care free at the point of use for all. But resourcing the venture was problematic from the outset.

Nurses from the Commonwealth were invited to join the NHS

The main issue was the chronic lack of nurses and so initially, young women from the Commonwealth were invited to come to Britain after World War Two to assist with labour shortages.

The message was loud and clear - Britain Needs You.

The arrival of the ship the SS Empire Windrush in 1948 marked the beginning of post-war mass immigration.

Having made an 8,000-mile journey, the 492 passengers on board from various Caribbean Islands were keen to start work and a new life in what they called the "Mother Country".

SS Empire Windrush brought in workers from the Caribbean

Once they arrived though, many found the welcome to be far from warm.

Immigrant nurses tell of patients refusing to be touched by them unless they washed themselves first, so as to remove the dirt from their skins.

Having to explain that they were not dirty but it was in fact their skin colour was never something they envisaged having to do.

But despite the overt racism and sometimes difficult conditions, substantial numbers were still prepared to make the journey.

By 1955 there were official nursing recruitment programmes across 16 British colonies and former colonies.

Over the next two decades, the British colonies and former colonies provided a constant supply of cheap labour to meet staffing shortages in the NHS.

The number of women entering Britain to work in the Health Service grew steadily until the early 1970s.

Ten years after the Windrush docked in Essex, Shirla Philogene arrived in the UK from St Vincent to train to become a nurse.

Shirla Philogene was given an OBE in recognition of her services to nursing

She retired in 1989 after 31 years of service and is confident that her contribution and that of others like her has made the NHS what it is today.

Shirla, who has been honoured with an OBE to acknowledge her services to nursing, believes the Windrush nurses were dedicated with a particularly robust work ethic.

They were determined and prepared to face whatever challenges were thrown at them in order to care for their patients.

The hard work of nurses like Shirla was generally recognised and in the early 60s a second invitation was extended, when the then Conservative health minister Enoch Powell asked members of the Commonwealth to come to the UK to work in the health service.

Enoch Powell spoke of the burden of immigration

But that invitation was to eventually morph into a stark prediction about the negative consequences of immigration.

Mr Powell's infamous 1968 Rivers of Blood speech warned that the legislation proposed in the Race Relations Bill would provide immigrant communities with the impetus to rise up against their fellow citizens.

He wrote: "As I look ahead, I am filled with foreboding; like the Roman, I seem to see the River Tiber foaming with much blood."

Thirty years after the speech, Edward Heath said that Mr Powell's remarks on the economic burden of immigration had been "not without prescience".

In 1991, Margaret Thatcher said Mr Powell had "made a valid argument, if in sometimes regrettable terms".

But without immigration, would we have today's health service?

Dr Peter Carter, head of the Royal College of Nursing, is unequivocal in his analysis.

He believes that had nurses and other workers not been recruited from overseas, the NHS simply could not have functioned.

Looking to the future, he predicts that in three years' time there will be a deficit in the workforce in London and elsewhere, forcing hospitals to look overseas to fill the gap.

Today there are 85,000 immigrant nurses registered in the UK and recent General Medical Council figures suggest 37% of all NHS doctors qualified abroad.

If there is one institution where immigration has had a profound impact, it has to be the National Health Service.

With a worldwide shortage of health workers, its reliance on immigrants looks set to continue.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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English Not The First Language In 240 Schools

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

There are 240 schools in England where over 90% of students do not speak English as a first language, according to official figures analysed by Sky News.

In the last academic year, Department of Education census figures reveal five primary schools in England - of nearly 17,000 in total - had no native speakers, with 100% of their pupils speaking English as a second language.

Sky News has visited one of the five schools - the Sacred Heart Primary School in Tipton, West Midlands - which has since admitted three native speakers.

Staff at the primary school believe they have a winning formula for teaching children from a diverse community.

English is the second language for 95% of the school's 128 pupils - the vast majority of them with parents from Pakistan or Bangladesh.

Children are encouraged to speak in English in school

Sacred Heart Primary has recently won a regional award for its inclusive policy and standards of education.

Head teacher Melanie Gee told Sky News she takes a pragmatic approach: "Our school is really no different to any other. We have a curriculum and all the lessons are taught in English.

"We have got bilingual staff. Children in the very early days will probably communicate to the staff in nursery in their home language, but within a couple of weeks we find that they are communicating in English.

"The majority of our bilingual staff, if we use them, are actually to communicate more with the parents rather than with the children."

The school has children who speak Urdu, Bengali, Punjabi, French, Polish and Tamil as well as English.

Helen Pflaumer, ethnic minority achievement leader at Sacred Heart, said they encourage the children to interact with staff in English the majority of the time.

"There may be an occasion where if they want to discuss something in more depth we can say use your home language if that's going to be easier for you.

"But obviously we tend to feed back in English largely because of the English speaking teachers. The children pick up English so quickly and they and the parents are very happy about that."

Occasionally, says Ms Gee, they need to bring in an interpreter which stretches the budget. But she maintains that it never compromises the running of the school.

 :: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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Energy Bills: British Gas Ups Prices By 9.2%

British Gas has become the second major supplier of household energy to announce a rise in its prices - by an average 9.2%.

The company said its electricity and gas prices will rise by 10.4% and 8.4% respectively from November 23 - affecting 7.8 million households.

Regional variations mean some Scottish customers will see prices rise on average by as much as 11.2% while those in London will suffer a 10.6% increase and households in Yorkshire will have a 10.5% lift.

The move comes despite a pledge by British Gas earlier this year to use an annual earnings windfall from the cold weather last winter to keep a lid on tariffs.

Angry customers took to Twitter to complain ahead of a planned Q&A session with customer services director Bert Pijls.

Twitter users flocked to complain ahead of a British Gas Q&A session

One user asked: "Hey @BritishGas how many vulnerable people do you think you will push into fuel poverty whilst continuing to make billions in profit?."

The average increase is higher in percentage terms than that confirmed by rival SSE last week which is raising its bills by 8.2% from November 15, although research from price comparison website uSwitch suggested it brought their average dual fuel tariffs together in terms of cost.

The Prime Minister David Cameron described the latest increase as "disappointing" and urged households to try to save money by switching suppliers.

E.ON, Scottish Power, EDF Energy and npower are the other so-called 'big six' providers yet to make announcements on their winter pricing.

Electricity prices are rising faster than those for gas

British Gas said it was a hard decision for the company, which is owned by Centrica.

Its statement said: "We recognise that energy bills are a real worry for hard-pressed households, particularly at a time when the cost of living is rising faster than incomes.

"Today's announcement, which will add about £2 a week to the average dual fuel bill, reflects the increasing cost of: buying energy in global markets, delivering gas and electricity to the home, and the Government's social and environmental programmes, which are paid for through customers' bills."

It pledged that more than 500,000 of its elderly and most in-need customers would be protected by an automatic discount to offset the price increase throughout the winter - worth £60 per dual fuel household.

This was, British Gas said, in addition to the £135 that will be paid to many of these customers who qualify for the Government's Warm Home Discount scheme.

Ed Miliband used Labour's conference to announce his 'bill freeze' plan

Ian Peters, managing director of British Gas Residential Energy, added: "I know these are difficult times for many customers and totally understand the frustration that so many household costs keep on rising when incomes aren't keeping pace.

"We haven't taken this decision lightly, but what's pushing up energy prices at the moment are costs that are not all directly under our control, such as the global price of energy, charges that we have to pay for using the national grid that delivers energy to the home, and the cost of the Government's social and environmental programmes.

"Energy efficiency is the best way to keep bills down, and I encourage anyone who has not benefitted from them to go online and check if they are eligible."

The cost of energy bills sparked a political frenzy last month when the Labour leader Ed Miliband pledged to freeze prices for 20 months if his party won power at the 2015 general election.

Shares in both SSE and British Gas-owner Centrica fell sharply in the wake of the announcement, wiping a combined £2.7bn off the value of the firms.

Caroline Flint, Labour's Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, said: "These latest price rises show clearer than ever why Labour's price freeze is needed.

"People are sick and tired of being left out of pocket because of David Cameron's failure to stand up to the energy companies.

"Britain's energy market isn't working for ordinary families and businesses. Labour's energy freeze will save money for 27 million households and 2.4 million businesses and our plans to reset the market will deliver fairer prices in the future."

In an interview with Sky News, Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "I think British Gas is going to lose a lot of customers over this.

"British Gas in their press release is trying to blame the Government for social and environmental costs but we've looked at their figures and it looks like they're being very inefficient in managing these Government programmes."

Ministers have been encouraging households to switch suppliers as the best way of keeping their bills as low as possible.

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Employment: Jobless Benefit Claims Tumble

The number of people claiming jobless benefits saw its biggest monthly fall in more than 16 years in September.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) measured a drop of 41,700 in the number of Jobseeker's Allowance claims in September - the biggest drop since June 1997.

It follows a revised total of 41,600 in the previous month - 9,000 more than first reported - and means the so-called claimant count has fallen for 11 consecutive months to 1.35 million.

While the jobless rate remained at 7.7%, unemployment in the three months to August fell by 18,000 to 2.48 million.

Employment rose by 155,000 to 29.87 million, the biggest total ever recorded, giving a rate of 71.7%.

People classed as economically inactive also fell, down 83,000 to 8.95 million, while job vacancies rose by 6,000 over the latest quarter to 541,000, the highest for five years.

But the ONS data also showed that 1.45 million people were working part-time because they could not find full-time jobs, the highest figure since records began in 1992.

Average earnings growth fell back from 1.2% to 0.7% for the year to August compared to the previous month.

Youth unemployment fell between June and August

Average weekly earnings in private firms increased by 1.1% but the annual growth rate in the public sector slumped to minus 0.5%, the lowest since 2001.

There were 958,000 unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds in the latest three months, down by 1,000 over the quarter.

More than 1.1 million people have been unemployed for up to six months, down 32,000, but those out of work for between six months and a year rose by 29,000 to 446,000.

The number of people out of work for over a year fell by 15,000 to 900,000.

The Government's new Employment Minister Esther McVey paid tribute to the work of British business in keeping people in employment amid the deepest recession in a lifetime, saying one million more people were now in work compared to when the coalition took office.

But TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady pointed to the drop in average wage rises and said: "While it's good news that unemployment is still falling and more jobs are being created, there is still plenty to be worried about.

"People's pay packets continue to fall in real terms, earnings growth has never been lower and the longest wage squeeze in over a century is becoming even tighter.

"We need more high quality jobs and proper pay rises if this recovery is to begin to feel real for hard-working people."

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Rotherham 'Machete' Murder Victim Named

By Gerard Tubb, North Of England Correspondent

A butcher stabbed to death in the Eastwood area of Rotherham has been named as father-of-three Parvaiz Iqbal.

Emergency services were called to his Grosvenor Road shop at around 2pm as 999 calls were made to report a man brandishing a machete on streets between Eastwood and Rotherham town centre.

Mr Iqbal is understood to have died from stab wounds. A shop worker was also stabbed and seriously injured but was able to raise the alarm. He is said to be stable in hospital.

A 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently in police custody after being detained in a nearby supermarket car park.

Forensic officers work outside Mr Iqbal's shop

Relatives of the dead man, who was in his forties, say he had taken on an extra worker the previous day to help with orders for the Muslim Eid-al-Adha festival, the shop's busiest time.

It is thought the man, a butcher, had been previously employed by Mr Iqbal but had been laid off some months ago after injuring himself at work.

Grosvenor Road, a quiet residential street, was cordoned off for several hours, with scenes of crime officers gathering evidence inside the shop and from damaged cars in the area.

Witnesses said a man had smashed car windows as he ran up the road and turned towards Rotherham town centre.

Butcher Parvaiz Iqbal was described as "courteous and kind"

Writing on Twitter, Richard Cattley said: "A man has just ran past me in Rotherham town centre wielding a machete covered in blood shouting move!! Police everywhere!

"All I saw him run past me with knife in hand shouting move adjacent to where the buildings are being knocked down opp market."

Local councillor Mahroof Hussain, whose wife was Mr Iqbal's cousin, told Sky News no one knew why he had been attacked.

"Eid should be a happy day, but now it will always be remembered for this," he said.

The alleyway beside Mr Iqbal's shop was cordoned off by police

Speaking after morning prayers at the nearby Abu Bakar mosque, he said Mr Iqbal's family were distraught.

Omar Mehban, a family friend said: "This is such a shock and I feel really deeply for his family.

"He was such a wonderful person, always courteous and kind. All the times I went in his shop, I can never recall him not smiling.

"It's absolutely devastating."

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'Plebgate' Row: Cameron Blasts Police Conduct

MP Andrew Mitchell is owed an apology over the conduct of three police officers accused of lying about a meeting with him, the Prime Minister has claimed.

In a deepening row over the long-running 'plebgate' saga, senior police had hit back after Home Secretary Theresa May gave her support to an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The report questioned the "honesty and integrity" of Inspector Ken MacKaill, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton and Sergeant Chris Jones, and said the trio should have faced misconduct hearings for their actions.

And speaking at Prime Minister's questions, David Cameron said Mr Mitchell was "owed an apology, the conduct of these officers was not acceptable" and "these things should be properly investigated".

The Home Affairs Select Committee's chairman Keith Vaz raised the row with Mr Cameron in the Commons, saying the IPCC report was "damning".

The PM said: "I agree 100% with what the Home Secretary said yesterday and I think we should be clear about what we are discussing here.

"The whole case about what happened outside 10 Downing Street, that's with the CPS and we have to leave that on one side until they make their decision.

"What's being discussed here is the fact that ... the former chief whip had a meeting with Police Federation officers in his committee where he gave a full account of what had happened, they left that meeting and claimed he had given them no account at all.

"Fortunately this meeting was recorded so he has been able to prove that what he said was true and what the police officers said was untrue."

Theresa May said the IPCC statement made "troubling reading"

"He is owed an apology, the conduct of these officers was not acceptable, these things should be properly investigated, as the Home Secretary has said."

Mrs May had previously backed the IPCC report that said West Mercia Police had been "quite wrong" not to take disciplinary action against the three men.

They are accused of lying about what chief whip Andrew Mitchell said in a private meeting about the so-called 'plebgate' affair last year.

Chief Constable David Shaw, of West Mercia Police, has been summoned to give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on the issue.

However, in a joint statement with police in Warwickshire and the West Midlands, the force defended its handling of the case.

"Andrew Mitchell MP has never made a complaint to police," it said.

"West Mercia, with the support of West Midlands and Warwickshire Police, recognising the public interest in this case, independently decided to investigate this incident and made a referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

"We asked for the matter to be independently investigated by the IPCC because we recognise the significant public interest in the matter, however this was declined.

"The IPCC have supervised this investigation throughout and have been invited to reconsider their position on more than one occasion.

"The decisions following this investigation were carefully considered, with the support of appropriate legal advice.

"Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands Police have separately considered the findings of the investigation and all three forces agree on the outcome."

West Midlands Police Commissioner Bob Jones told Sky News said he had not seen conclusive evidence that the officers had lied.

"My job is to ensure there is a proper investigation," he said.

"There's been a very thorough investigation supervised by the IPCC."

West Mercia police commissioner Bill Longmore expressed surprise about comments by IPCC deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass and said he was seeking an urgent meeting with Mrs May.

"Given the critical statement which the IPCC deputy chair has made in the last few hours, I am frankly surprised the IPCC did not resume conduct of the investigation," he said.

"They certainly had the power to do so."

The chairman of the Police Federation, Steven Williams, also questioned the intervention by Ms Glass.

"My concern is that by releasing her personal view that she disagrees with the findings of the West Mercia investigation, she displays a lack of independence," he wrote in a letter to Mrs May.

Mr Mitchell met Mr MacKaill, Mr Hinton and Mr Jones, federation representatives of West Mercia, Warwickshire and the West Midlands respectively, on October 12 to "clear the air".

A transcript shows Mr Mitchell apologised for swearing at the police officers but denied using the word "plebs".

In comments made after the meeting, Mr MacKaill claimed the former Tory chief whip would not provide an account of the incident.

Giving evidence to MPs, Mrs May said: "The IPCC statement makes troubling reading.

"If it is indeed the case that warranted police officers behaved in the way Deborah Glass has described, that's not acceptable at all."

Asked if the chief constable of West Mercia Police should apologise to Mr Mitchell, Mrs May said: "I think that would be appropriate."

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Huawei To Build £125m Research Base In Britain

By Mark Stone, Beijing Correspondent

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei is to open a £125m research and development centre in the UK, despite MI5 warnings of security concerns about the company.

The announcement came on the fourth day of the Chancellor's visit to China, during which he spent the day at the company's global headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen.

By visiting the sprawling campus-based site with a delegation of small and medium-sized British tech firms, George Osborne gave a clear endorsement of a controversial company.

The United States has banned Huawei from selling everything except its mobile handsets and broadband devices.

Huawei employs some 150,000 people worldwide

A US congressional report expressed serious security concerns about the company because of its alleged links to the Chinese government and Chinese military.

Huawei's founder and chairman Ren Zhengfei is a former officer in the Chinese army, while the company also has a Communist Party "cell" operating within it, although this is a standard requirement for all Chinese companies employing a certain number of people.

In June, the UK Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) also published a report into the issue.

Mr Osborne responded to some of the security concerns, saying: "I know that there are some countries which are a little bit nervous of Huawei. That is not the United Kingdom.

"I think Huawei is a fantastic company with a great future - and a great future in the United Kingdom."

The firm's chief, Ren Zhengfei, held private meetings with George Osborne

The main purpose of the ISC report was to explore a decision in 2005 to award Huawei a contract to replace BT's copper cabling infrastructure with fibre optics.

However, within the report were expressions of concern about Huawei's operations from the UK Security Service MI5 and the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).

"An attack would be very difficult to detect or prevent and could enable the Chinese government to intercept covertly or disrupt traffic passing through Huawei-supplied networks," the JIC was quoted as saying.

The Chancellor's announcement represents a further commitment to invest in the UK by a massive Chinese firm.

Huawei has gained ground in the competitive tablet market

Describing China's growth in hi-tech industries as a "huge opportunity" for Britain, he said: "We have some of the most innovative tech companies in the world and China offers them a huge export market.

"I am delighted to be introducing some of China's tech giants in Shenzhen to some of Britain's leading tech entrepreneurs."

Mr Ren said the UK was home to "some of the best hi-tech professionals in the world", adding: "Their creativity is a major asset to our research and development efforts, helping us produce the most advanced and competitive telecoms and broadband services available."

Huawei employs 150,000 people worldwide. Forty thousand of them are based at the Shenzhen HQ, where the average age is 26. The company boasts that it employs China's best brains.

The location of the new UK site has not been decided, but it is expected to employ 300 people.

More than 70% of Huawei's operations are dedicated to telecoms infrastructure - big ticket items like fibre optic cables and telecom network equipment.

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Madeleine McCann: 150 Calls After Dutch Appeal

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 9:48am UK, Monday 14 October 2013

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: Feb 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: Feb 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: Feb 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

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Armed Raiders Push Father-Of-Two Under Lorry

A father-of-two was killed after being pushed under a moving lorry as he defended his shop and wife from a gang of 10 armed raiders.

Scene of the incident in east London

Shammi Atwal confronted the gang, who were armed with metal bars and a sledgehammer, as they attempted to rob his cash and carry .

Scotland Yard said up to 10 men entered the Glen & Co Cash and Carry in Barking, Essex, on Monday morning but Mr Atwal fought them off.

As he chased them from the premises, he was pushed in front of a lorry.

Mr Atwal, who was in his 40s, and his wife, who are co-owners of the business, tried to stop them, causing the gang to flee.

Police say they know the identity of the victim

Detective Chief Inspector Neale Baldock, who is leading the Metropolitan Police murder probe, said: "This was a man trying to stop thieves robbing his business.

"He acted bravely in defence of his wife and managed to chase the robbers from his premises only for him to be pushed in front of a moving lorry.

"People in the community know who committed this appalling and cowardly crime and I would urge them to contact my officers."

Next of kin have been informed

His 37-year-old widow, who police have not identified, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

The driver stopped at the scene in River Road and was not arrested.

The suspects are described as white men. It is not known how they got away.

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Immigration: Brit Workers 'Against The World'

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

Immigration is changing Britain. This is not merely a theory - it's statistical fact. Back in 2004, less than a decade ago, one in 11 of those living in Britain were born abroad. Today the proportion is one in eight - 12.4%.

And, just as is the case for economic growth and productivity, the immigration picture varies throughout the country. Some 42% of London's population was born outside the UK, compared to just 5% in the North of England.

Though more attention tends to be focused on the flows of immigration - in other words people entering and leaving the country, the gradually-changing make-up of the UK population represents a significant shift - both in social and economic terms.

On the one hand, there's the question of how much immigrants cost Britain's welfare state. A quarter of new-born babies in Britain last year had non-UK-born mothers - the highest proportion since records began in 1969.

But you can only really get a clear sense of the absolute impact by taking a step back and comparing the cost of immigration with the related income - the taxes these new members of the population pay.

Research from the OECD shows that immigrants actually bring in over £7bn more than they cost. That's the equivalent of a penny off the basic rate of income tax.

There are other economic arguments in favour: Free movement of labour is usually good news for businesses, since it allows them to attract workers from all over the world, not merely locals.

But there are clearly challenges as well. Immigration increases GDP (though not necessarily GDP per capita), but it also increases the demand for housing - a real problem in a country facing a chronic shortage of property. And more potential workers means more competition for British employees.

In pure statistical terms, immigrants work harder than their UK counterparts. Some 71% of foreign nationals are economically active, compared with 67% of UK nationals. They are better-qualified: 38% of non UK-born people in Britain have degrees, compared with 30% of UK nationals.

And contrary to popular opinion, they are not just plumbers. The biggest proportion of immigrants actually work in finance, followed by health, then retail, then manufacturing.

According to the OECD half of all immigrants hired in Britain are high-skilled - and the proportion is increasing.

This has had an undeniable impact on Britons' job prospects. Since the start of the crisis in 2008, seven British workers have lost their jobs for every one non-British worker to have lost theirs.

Some are likely to see this as an argument against immigration. However, the economic message is just as significant. Britons need to work harder if they want to compete. That's the inevitable consequence when you're competing against a whole world's worth of workers, rather than just one country.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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Missing British Teacher Feared Dead In Qatar

A British teacher is feared dead after going missing in Qatar.

Lauren Patterson disappeared in the early hours on Saturday in the state's capital Doha.

Local media are reporting the primary school teacher was last seen outside the city's five-star La Cigale hotel.

The 24-year-old's mother and boyfriend both took to Facebook to describe her as "truly amazing" and "remarkable" amid unconfirmed reports that a body has been found.

Doha police said they could not confirm whether Ms Patterson had died, what had happened to her, or the progress of their investigation.

Ms Patterson, originally from Chislehurst in south-east London, was working at the Newton British School in Doha.

Reports suggested she had returned to Doha on Friday after attending her grandmother's funeral in Britain.

Her mother, Allison Patterson, who is reported to have flown to Doha, wrote on Facebook: "Thank you so much to everyone for all their wonderful words about Lauren.

The Qatari capital Doha is a popular destination for British expats

"She was a truly remarkable girl my rock always there for everyone. I know she's in heaven now in her Daddy's arms."

Her boyfriend, James Grima, from Malta, wrote: "You really were the most smart, kind, beautiful and amazing woman I've ever met.

"I keep going through our messages and your pictures, and it reminds me of how lucky I was just to even know you and be a part of your life.

"Although I don't know if I will ever come to terms with what happened, I have all our funny & beautiful memories that we shared together."

Friend Lorna Ann Campbell wrote: "I can't get my head around why someone so special has been taken from us.

"She meant the world to us and we will never forget how beautiful she was.

"You couldn't ask for a better friend. Her family meant everything to her and she was always talking about you all. Sending love and prayers to you all.xxxx"

Friends had desperately been appealing for help to find her on social media.

Up to 500 British expats are thought to be arriving in Doha every day as the city expands into a global hub, built on the back of Qatar's enormous oil and natural gas wealth.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of a British national, Lauren Patterson, reported missing in Qatar.

"We are providing the family with consular assistance."

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Plebgate: IPCC Questions Police 'Honesty'

The police watchdog has questioned the "honesty and integrity" of officers who held a key meeting with Andrew Mitchell before he resigned.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said a new inquiry should decide whether the three officers lied to try to discredit the former Tory chief whip.

Deputy IPCC chair Deborah Glass disagreed with West Mercia Police, who earlier ruled the Police Federation representatives had no case to answer.

She claimed officers at the summit were motivated by an "anti-cuts campaign" and knew their actions would put huge pressure on Mr Mitchell.

However, she added that she was powerless to launch misconduct proceedings because the senior Tory had chosen not to make a formal complaint.

Mr Mitchell welcomed her response but said he and his family were still waiting "in vain" for an apology from the officers involved.

The meeting was held in last October as the MP battled to keep his job after being accused of calling Downing Street police "****ing plebs".

Andrew Mitchell argued with police at the Downing Street gates

Inspector Ken MacKaill, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton and Sergeant Chris Jones were accused of using interviews to deliberately misrepresent what he said.

An investigation by West Mercia Police concluded their comments had contributed to pressure on Mr Mitchell and his decision to quit but ruled they should not face action.

But Ms Glass said: "The investigating officer concluded that while the Federation representatives' comments to the media could be viewed as ambiguous or misleading, there was no deliberate intention to lie. I disagree.

"In my view, the evidence is such that a panel should determine whether the three officers gave a false account of the meeting in a deliberate attempt to support their Metropolitan Police colleague and discredit Mr Mitchell, in pursuit of a wider agenda.

"In my opinion, the evidence indicates an issue of honesty and integrity, not merely naive or poor professional judgement.

"In the media and political climate of the day, I do not consider that the officers could have been in any doubt about the impact of their public statements on the pressure being brought on Mr Mitchell.

"As police officers, they had a responsibility to present a fair and accurate picture. Their motive seems plain: they were running a successful, high-profile,anti-cuts campaign and the account that he provided to them did not fit with their agenda."

She added: "It was clear that the parties had very different agendas for the meeting. Mr Mitchell saw it as an attempt to clear the air, while the officers focused on Mr Mitchell's 'version of events'."

Mr Mitchell said there should be "considerable public concern" that the officers involved would face no disciplinary action for their behaviour.

He said: "The meeting was demonstrably held under false pretences and its outcome, a call for my resignation, was almost certainly pre-determined.

"The inconvenient truth that I gave a full explanation of what happened was not allowed to get in the way of that agenda.

"I flatly reject the conclusion of the police that 'there was no deliberate intention to lie' and I welcome the statement from Deborah Glass disagreeing with that conclusion and holding that the officers should have been made the subject of disciplinary proceedings."

He added: "My family and I have waited nearly a year for these Police Officers to be held to account and for an apology from the Police Forces involved. It seems we have waited in vain."

Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands Police insisted it did not believe there was sufficient evidence to stage misconduct proceedings.

"Our view is that the officers have demonstrated poor judgement in arranging and attending the meeting in the first place. In light of this, our position is that management action is a proportionate response," a spokesman said.

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Hard Work And Ambition Pay Off For Immigrant

Labour 'Was Wrong' On Immigration

Updated: 5:59am UK, Tuesday 15 October 2013

By Jeff Randall, Sky News Business Presenter

Since Ed Miliband became leader, the Labour Party has tried to reformulate its stance on immigration.

The new approach contains an admission that the last government "got it wrong", largely because it did not listen to the people's concerns, in particular those of Labour supporters such as Gillian Duffy, who was dismissed by Gordon Brown as a "bigoted woman" simply for airing her anxieties.

That ghastly moment grabbed the headlines, but the flaw in the Blair-Brown immigration policy was far more fundamental than the casual traducing of a Rochdale voter who dared to challenge an angst-ridden Prime Minister.

From 2002 to 2010, Labour opened the United Kingdom's doors to more than 500,000 legal incomers a year.

At the same time, it launched a propaganda offensive to persuade us that immigration on this scale would not only make us all better off, because it expanded national output by £6bn a year, but also help solve our long-term pensions crisis, because diligent newcomers would pay into the nation's retirement pot, which an ageing indigenous population was rapidly exhausting.

These were fallacies masquerading as serious politics. Neither element was true, as a House of Lords report, The Economic Impact of Immigration, made clear in 2008. Its conclusion was, in effect, the British public had been sold a false prospectus.

Yes, mass immigration increases GDP, but not GDP per head, because the expanded cake has to be shared amongst many more people.

As for pensions, the arrival of half a million overseas workers a year merely delays the day of reckoning, because they too will grow old and need retirement care. Expecting ever greater numbers of immigrants to keep the system in credit is to have faith in a Ponzi scheme.

That's not to say immigration changes nothing. For the employer class, it provides a ready supply of child-minders, cleaners and plumbers who are grateful for a job and prepared to work for the minimum wage. Life for the rich improves.

But, as Cambridge University economist Professor Robert Rowthorn points out: "It does not benefit indigenous, unskilled Britons who have to compete with immigrants willing to work hard for very low wages in unpleasant conditions."

What's more, British companies have little incentive to train domestic workers if they able to import foreign staff with higher skills and a stronger work ethic.

Then there is Britain's chronic housing shortage. This is not the fault of immigrants, but it's disingenuous to pretend that 176,000 net arrivals (the figure for 2012) do not make an acute problem even worse. They do, after all, have to live somewhere.

Some arrive with enough wealth to buy homes in desirable neighbourhoods. But the vast majority end up competing for space on the lower rungs of the property ladder, where working-class Britons are already struggling to make ends meet.

It was, says Professor Rowthorn, bizarre that Labour, ostensibly the party of the poor and vulnerable, endorsed a policy which created, as Marx put it, a "reserve army of labour", whose presence ensures that bottom-end pay rates are suppressed.

Ed Miliband, it seems, now recognises his predecessors' blunder.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.

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Serial Manchester Rapist Jailed For Life

By Mike McCarthy, Manchester Crown Court

A "sadistic" serial rapist who targeted lone women while cruising Manchester's streets in his works van has been jailed for life.

Adam Downworth subjected his five victims to brutal sexual assaults, with one woman needing reconstructive surgery to her face and another strangled until she was unconscious.

The 32-year-old randomly selected lone females while driving around Stockport and Gorton at night, before stalking them on foot.

Police in the area became so fearful of further attacks during the office cleaner's 10-month reign of terror that they began offering women lifts home in patrol cars.

In sentencing Downworth, the judge at Manchester Crown Court said: "The vicious physical attacks were accompanied by verbal assaults calculated to terrify and humiliate."

He was told he would serve a minimum of 15 years in prison.

There were cheers and applause from the public gallery as the sentence was delivered, with one woman shouting: "I hope he dies a slow death."

The court previously heard Downworth took a "sadistic pleasure" in the attacks.

He evaded detection by wearing surgical gloves during his first four rapes, but was spotted fleeing after his fifth assault - which lasted around 40 minutes.

Officers found him and his van nearby, before using CCTV of his van, petrol receipts and mobile phone records to link him to the other attacks.

Searches of his home later revealed martial arts manuals and books on choking and strangling, forensic science and the psychological profiling of criminals.

The court heard he told one victim: "I'll have to kill you now", after attacking her - but that she had managed to escape bloodstained and covered in dirt.

Victims suffered serious and lasting psychological harm and people in the pubic gallery in court wept while hearing the women's accounts of how their lives had changed.

One described attempting suicide, while another said she had had difficulty in speaking and chewing as a result of injuries sustained during her beating.

"My life has changed so much since the attack," one woman told the court.

"The smallest noise scares me. I have flashbacks of the night it happened. I find it hard to chew because my jaw was broken in so many places.

"If I walk anywhere on my own I am always looking over my shoulder. I am scared of my own shadow. I am not the same person and never will be.

"What saved my life was my daughters. I was thinking this could be one if them. I used every last little bit of my strength. I thought I was going to die.

"I just went numb after all the kicks in the face. My face is in constant pain. It is like I am dreaming. I look in the mirror and I don't look or feel like the same person."

Another victim said: "Every time I look in the mirror it brings it all back. I have tried to hide the scars in my face with make-up but it doesn't work. The attack has made my face look rough. I will never feel truly safe again."

One woman told the court:  "I was a happy person. I always used to see the best in people. Now I only see the worst. I put up barriers. I am cynical about all men now. Adam Downworth made me feel worthless. But I will move on. I will try to find happiness."

He used a mobile phone stolen off one victim to send crude, threatening and sexual text messages to strangers found on Facebook.

In one he said: "You are a proper slag from what I hear.  Dya really fink really ur so atraktive, ha."

He was found guilty after a three-month trial of 13 charges including rape, attempted rape, assault by penetration and assault occasioning grious bodily harm.

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Boy, 10, Held Over Pensioner's Death In Leeds

A 10-year-old boy has been arrested over the death of a 79-year-old church volunteer who was found with a head injury, police have confirmed.

Officers were alerted by an ambulance crew called out to help the victim - named locally as Victor Hepworth - at 6.19pm on Sunday in Leeds.

The pensioner was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment, but was pronounced dead a short time later.

It is understood the 79-year-old lived in the street in the Harehills area of the city where the incident happened. He is yet to be formally identified.

Shocked neighbours described him as an "exceptional" man who had lived in the community for many years.

Abdul Hannan told Sky News: "He's been in this street for a considerable number of years. He's a personal friend and a family friend.

"He used to live in the street that my mum lives in. He would go out of his way to help the community.

"He would put the bins out, he would pick up litter from the streets, he would tell kids to put litter in the bins. He also volunteered in the local church on a regular basis.

"He was an exceptional helper in the community - we're shocked and disturbed by what's happened." 

It is thought the victim lived in Back Hill Top Avenue in Leeds

Liaqat Ali, manager of the Abubakar supermarket on nearby Roundhay Road, said the man was a regular customer and that he had seen him the previous day.

He said: "The old gentleman used to come to the shop all the time, God rest his soul. I've been here for 10 years and he'd been living in the area at least that long. I think he had a son.

"I saw the old man walking around yesterday afternoon, but I didn't speak to him. He was quite well-known in the area.

"Everyone's surprised that this has happened. I'm shocked they've arrested a little kid."

A forensic tent has been put up at the scene in Back Hill Top Avenue, a street of terraced houses, and the area has been cordoned off by police.

West Yorkshire Police is appealing for information about the man's death.

Any witnesses are asked to contact officers from the homicide and major inquiry team on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Immigration: Britons Want 'Drastic Action'

By Joey Jones, Deputy Political Editor

More than two thirds of the British public believe the UK population is too large and the Government needs to take "drastic action" to reduce immigration, a Sky News poll has found.

Some 67% of people questioned do not believe the coalition's attempt to reduce net migration to 100,000 a year is sufficient and think more should be done.

More than a quarter of those polled (27%) believe the wave of immigration Britain has experienced in the last decade has brought no positive benefit to the nation.

And more than half (52%) say they will be more likely to vote for a party that promises to "significantly" reduce the level of migration.

The poll of 1,508 adults was conducted for Sky News by Survation

The poll, conducted by Sky News as part of a week-long examination of the issue of immigration, found the people most concerned about the impact of immigration are the ones least likely to have been exposed to migrants.

For example, 71% of people who live in the countryside think drastic action is needed, compared with 53% in urban areas.

And 71% of people who don't know any immigrants well support drastic action, compared with 58% who say they know immigrants well.

David Cameron's spokesman agreed the issue was a "real priority" for people and said the Government was taking "very real and important measures in this area".

Chancellor George Osborne, speaking from Beijing, also stressed the determination to cut immigration and pointed out it had already fallen by a third since 2010.

He told Sky News: "We inherited a situation from the Labour government where they had signed away all these treaties which allowed these new countries to join the European Union to come to Britain.

Two thirds of the rising population is likely to come from immigration

"There were no controls on the borders. We have got a grip on that situation. David Cameron, Theresa May and the whole government have imposed limits on immigration."

Championing foreign investment, he added: "One of the things Britain has to do is not rely on immigration for its economic success. We need to go and make our own way in the world."

Boris Johnson, also in Beijing, told Sky's Mark Stone that "in an ideal world" Mr Cameron would make control over access from EU countries part of his renegotiation with Brussels.

He called for longer periods before people coming to Britain could claim UK benefits, but admitted the way forward was now "very, very hard".

"You have got to crack down on illegal immigrants and stop them coming with a much tougher border regime. But at the same time you don't want to throw the baby out with the bathwater," he said.

"We have had something like a 60% reduction in imigration from New Zealand and I'm not sure that is entirely what we wanted to achieve."

The UK population is set to rise from 62 million in 2010 to 73 million by 2035.

Approximately two thirds of the increased population is likely to come from increased immigration.

Between 2001 and 2011 the population of England and Wales grew by 3.7 million - the biggest increase in 200 years - with 2.1 million immigrants accounting for the majority of the increase.

The poll of 1,508 adults - conducted for Sky News by Survation - found widespread concern among the public about the impact immigration has had on public services.

The majority of those questioned believe the NHS, education system, and housing and welfare systems have been negatively affected by immigration.

And almost three quarters (74%) are concerned about the prospect of Romanians and Bulgarians being allowed free entry to Britain later this year.

Almost two thirds of those who took part in the poll (64%) believe employers should be given tax breaks for employing young, unemployed Britons.

And over half (52%) say companies should be forced to offer jobs to UK-born workers first.

Some 42% of those questioned believe the current debate about immigration in the UK is being unfairly shut down by accusations of racism.

A similar number, 40%, feel they will be labelled a bigot if they raise the issue in public.

In some good news for the coalition, almost two thirds of people (63%) support a new rule for British people to have a minimum income of £18,600 if they want to bring a non-EU spouse into the country.

A similar number, 65%, agree with a Home Office proposal that travellers from certain countries judged to be "high-risk" should pay a £1,000 bond to be allowed to visit Britain.

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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