Romanian PM Warns UK: We're Not Second-Rate

Romania's Prime Minister has called on Britain not to treat Romanians as "second-rate citizens" when work restrictions for Romanian and Bulgarian workers are lifted in January.

It follows Prime Minister David Cameron's pledge to toughen welfare rules for migrants from the European Union, amid concern in the UK that people from Romania and Bulgaria will exploit the British welfare system.

Mr Cameron has said one million people from Central and Eastern Europe are living in Britain, with migration at a level not seen since wartime.

Some fear a rise of Romanian camps, like the 400 estimated sites in France

Romanian leader Victor Ponta said people should be punished for abusing Britain's welfare system, but restrictions should not be used to "generate or justify abuse or discrimination toward European citizens".

"We will not accept being treated as second-rate citizens," Mr Ponta said.

He added that research showed "there is no reason for concern regarding a migrant wave" from Romania to Britain.

Millions of Romanians had already chosen to work abroad in "southern Latin states", referring to Spain and Italy, which have a Latin-based language like Romanian.

Ford has closed facilities in the UK and moved some to Romania

He said he hoped Mr Cameron was not trying "to attack the fundamental principles of the EU, among which the freedom of movement is one of the most important values".

Mr Cameron's comments were criticised on Wednesday by European employment commissioner Laszlo Andor as an "unfortunate over-reaction".

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Identity Of Man Found Dead In Well Revealed

A man whose bound body was found in a well in Surrey has been identified by police as Damian Chlywka, a 30-year-old Polish national.

Workmen discovered Mr Chlywka's body in the well outside an address in Audley Drive in Warlingham on November 15.

A team of specialist officers, including Metropolitan Police divers, found Mr Chlywka's body showed injuries "consistent with an assault".

He had been tied up and it is thought he had been there for around two years.

Further tests are being carried out as a post-mortem held on November 17 did not provide a cause of death.

A 41-year-old man and a 33-year-old man have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

They are being held in custody at south London police stations.

Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons, the officer leading the investigation, said: "Damian had lived at various addresses across London including two known to be in the Croydon area. At one point he had lived at 11A Audley Road.

"Our focus now is to build up a fuller picture of Damian's life in the UK.

"We have given the difficult and heartbreaking news to his family who are distraught that this has happened to their loved one.

"I am appealing to anyone who knew or previously worked with him to contact the police and help us to piece together a picture of Damian's life and how it came to end in these distressing circumstances."

Police initially arrested seven men, aged between 21 and 27, on suspicion of murder.

They were subsequently released on bail until a date in late December.

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Helicopter Fell 'Like A Stone Out Of The Sky'

Eyewitnesses have described the "terrifying" moment when a police helicopter spun out of control and plunged into a bar which was hosting a live music gig.

Grace MacLean was in The Clutha in Stockwell Street, Glasgow, and said people became aware of the crash only when the ceiling of the venue started to cave in.

She told Sky News: "There was a band on, they were quite loud, and we just kinda heard a whoosh and some smoke.

"We looked around and no-one really knew what was going on. Everyone just carried on listening to the band.

Emergency services at the scene

"And then we kind of looked again and the roof was gradually coming down.

"Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is.

"No-one had a clue what was going on. There was no loud noise.

"People were helping each other out. Everyone started helping people who were hurt. People had some head injuries. Lots of people were covered in dust. There were lots of people shocked.

"No-one knew it was a helicopter crash until people told you."

Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy happened to be driving past the pub immediately after the crash.

Firefighters on the roof of the pub where the helicopter crash-landed

"I jumped out and tried to help," he said. "There were people with injuries. Bad gashes to the head. Some were unconscious."

He described how a human chain formed to help pass unconscious casualties out of the pub so that "inch by inch, we could get the people out".

Scores of passers-by in the area ran to the venue after seeing or hearing the aircraft go down.

Connor Gillies, from Radio Clyde News, told Sky News of the "scenes of chaos" and "continuous stream of sirens" in the area on Friday evening.

Mr Gillies described seeing "blood on the shirt" of Mr Murphy, who he said was "clearly very shaken, very upset by the whole thing".

Wesley Shearer, who posted pictures on Twitter of the scene, said: "This is unbelievable. Just spent 20 minutes pulling people out of the bar."

Jan Hollands, who also tweeted pictures from the scene, said she heard the crash and described it as "scary".

MP Jim Murphy helped people out of the venue

At 7am, one worried man was waiting at a police barrier hoping to hear of news about his father, who was in the pub on Friday night.

"My dad was sitting there with his lady friend. She went to the toilet and boom, it came straight through the roof … right on top of the spot where they were sitting.

He added: "That was the last I heard. I'm going to stay here … It cannot get much worse."

:: Police have issued an emergency telephone number for concerned relatives - 0800 092 0410.

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Ministers To Fund £300m Energy Bill Rebates

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Ministers are to fund a £300m plan for a £12 rebate on every domestic electricity bill in the country as part of a Government effort to combat a round of inflation-busting energy price hikes.

Sky News has learnt that the Government is finalising plans this weekend for a series of measures ahead of next week's autumn statement by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

The debate over energy costs has intensified in recent days as ministers have sought ways to regain the political initiative following the Labour leader Ed Miliband's pledge to impose an energy price freeze for 20 months if Labour wins the next general election.

Five of the 'Big Six' energy companies, including Centrica, the owner of British Gas, and Npower, have announced plans for substantial price increases in the last six weeks. The hikes have sparked a furious row in Westminster and the City about the industry's profitability.

Insiders said on Saturday that the Government package would include an agreement between the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and a group of companies known as distribution network operators, whose charges account for approximately 20% of consumers' energy bills.

The deal between ministers and these companies, which include National Grid, would involve restructuring their cost-profile over the 15-year period during which they have set out their investment plans.

This measure is expected to lead to an average of £5 off customers' bills, although the precise amount will vary by region, with some parts of the country not seeing any such saving, a source said.

Details of the package of measures could be announced as early as Sunday following intense Whitehall horse-trading over what has become one of the Government's most pressing domestic challenges.

The £300m rebate will be funded by altering the funding of the Warm Home Discount, which funds one-off electricity discounts for thousands of vulnerable customers. This is expected to be transferred to general taxation rather than being funded by the energy companies.

A Whitehall source said the £12-per-account rebate would require licence changes to be overseen by Ofgem, the energy regulator, but that this was unlikely to prove a significant obstacle.

DECC is understood to be keen for the £12 rebate to be clearly marked on consumers' bills and is extracting assurances from the big energy suppliers that they will agree to this.

The largest cut to energy bills is expected to be generated by a roughly £40-per-household saving on a green levy called the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO), which was introduced only this year.

The cost of the ECO, which costs the major suppliers about £1.3bn annually, is to be lowered by lengthening a programme of providing home insulation to 2017.

According to a letter from the Government to energy companies cited in reports this weekend, ministers want to introduce legislation to implement the changes.

"The government intends to make changes to the ECO order with a view to extending the period over which the obligation will run and reducing the expected cost of compliance. The government will consult on detailed proposals shortly and will subsequently look to introduce the necessary legislation as soon as possible," the letter said.

"The changes include extending ECO beyond its current March 2015 deadline. The government's specific proposal in this respect is that a new binding target should be set for March 2017."

David Cameron and Nick Clegg are understood to have been discussing the publication of a joint article in a Sunday newspaper to announce the moves, although it is unclear whether that plan will go ahead.

Ed Davey, the energy and climate change secretary, has informed the energy industry of the full package of proposals in recent days although sources insisted that they were not yet finalised.

The Big Six are expected to announce price cuts or reductions to their planned price increases as soon as the Government's proposals are unveiled.

The overhaul of the ECO will represent something of a u-turn by the Government. The levy places legal obligations on the larger energy suppliers to deliver energy-efficiency measures to domestic energy customers.

It operates alongside the Green Deal and is designed to help people make energy efficiency improvements to buildings by allowing them to pay the costs through their energy bills rather than up-front.

On Friday, Downing Street denied a report that it was pressing the Big Six to agree to freeze prices until after the next election, underlining Mr Cameron's sensitivity about Labour's recent eye-catching policies.

In a statement, Jonathan Reynolds MP, the Shadow Energy and Climate Change Minister, said:

"The Energy Company Obligation is David Cameron's scheme. He only introduced it this year and a few months ago he was even boasting that it was bigger than previous energy efficiency schemes.

"Labour has consistently said that ECO should be reformed to make it better value for money and targeted at those in fuel poverty. But what the public really needs is a Labour government implementing a price freeze until 2017 and resetting the energy market so that it works for the long term."

A Downing Street spokeswoman declined to comment while the Treasury could not be reached on Saturday.

A DECC spokeswoman said: "Government is looking closely at the impact of green levies on consumer bills and how the measures they support are paid for. Details of this review will be announced by the autumn statement."

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Glasgow Helicopter Crash: At Least Six Dead

Police have warned that the number of people killed when a police helicopter crashed into a busy Glasgow pub will rise in the "coming hours" after confirming one death.

The Chief Constable of Police Scotland said they were now dealing with a "search and recovery operation" after rescue teams worked through the night to try to pull people from the wreckage of The Clutha Vaults pub. 

But he said they were still hoping to find survivors alive in the remains of the building.

According to Sky News sources at least six people died after the helicopter crashed through the roof of the lively city nightspot, which was packed with more than 100 people listening to a band, at 10.25pm on Friday.

Firefighters on the roof of the pub

Eyewitnesses have described the helicopter "falling like a stone" on to the roof, while some have suggested that there was a problem with the aircraft's rota.

Grace MacLean, who had been inside the pub when the helicopter struck, told Sky News: "Someone started shouting and the band cut the music ... and then all of a sudden this cloud of dust came.

"You couldn't breathe for inhaling a mouthful of dust. You couldn't see anything. You were clawing at the walls to see where the exit is."

Those who helped at the scene told how they worked to form a human chain to carry unconscious people out of the pub.

Among them was Labour's international development spokesman Jim Murphy, who told Sky News: "I just saw dozens and dozens of people coming out of the pub. It is a horrible, horrible scene."

The scene of the rescue operation on Friday night

Speaking at a news conference on Saturday morning, Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: "Sadly at this time I can confirm one fatality. We expect that number to increase over the coming hours."

He confirmed that a further 32 people had been taken to Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Western Infirmary with "multiple injuries".

Sir Stephen said that specialist teams were working to stabilise the building in a "difficult and sensitive" operation and said:  "We're still in a search and recovery phase, and as always our prayers are that it is successful and we do recover people alive.

He said: "There are people on the scene trying to make contact with anyone who may be alive... All we can do is confirm there has been one fatality but we are fearful there will be more."

Rescue teams had said they had contacted people inside the pub overnight but Sir Stephen could not say when the last contact had been made.

Those inside the pub gather outside after the crash Pic: Paul Agnew

One worried relative at the scene of the crash, Alice Healy, told Sky News how she had not heard from her cousin who had been inside the pub when the aircraft hit.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This is a black day for Glasgow and Scotland but it's also St Andrew's Day and it's a day we can take pride and courage in how we respond to adversity and tragedy."

He praised the "instinctive bravery of ordinary Glaswegians" who went to the rescue of those trapped inside the pub and the emergency service saying: "... it's a day we can take great pride in how we've responded to this extraordinary tragedy".

The police have given no details of what has happened to the crew of two officers and a civilian pilot on board the helicopter.

It is still unclear what caused the crash, with one eyewitness saying the aircraft "dropped like a stone" and police have now launched a full investigation into the crash under the direction of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. 

An EC135 T2 like the one that crashed into the Clutha Vaults

Investigators from the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) were on the scene on Saturday morning trying to piece together what had happened.

Deputy Chief Constable Rose Fitzpatrick said: "A full investigation is now underway. However, at this early stage it is too early to provide details on why the helicopter came down. There were three people on board the helicopter - two police officers and a civilian pilot - and on a busy Friday night, there were a number of customers in the bar."

A tent had been erected on top of the pub on Saturday morning over the wreckage of the aircraft, whose rotor could be seen protruding from the roof.

The helicopter, a EC135 T2, which is widely used in the police force, has a good safety record with one incident in 2007 after which the AAIB asked manufacturers Eurocopter to look at a stability system switch.

The Clutha is situated in Stockwell Street in Glasgow

Gordon Smart, editor of the Sun's Scottish edition, saw the crash from a multi-storey car park nearby.

He told Sky News: "I thought it was a plane that was going to crash. I looked up at the sky and I could see the helicopter falling, tumbling ... and then there was an eerie silence for the last part of the fall.

"But the thing that was disturbing and shocking was there was no explosion. I couldn't understand why a helicopter would fall from that height and not explode. To see the angle, the speed and the trajectory of the fall ... it was a horrific sight."

Members of Esperanza, the band playing at the time, all escaped from the wreckage unharmed.

They posted on their Facebook site: "Best wishes to everyone from tonight...Hope everyone who got out managed to get home or somewhere safe to stay. To everyone who was injured...please get fixed soon. And please please please let us know of the people who we haven't heard from yet...hope they're found ok."

In a statement, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "This is a tragic event and our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends who lost a loved one last night.

"I want to thank the emergency services who worked tirelessly throughout the night and I also want pay tribute to the bravery of the ordinary Glaswegians who rushed to help.

"We have offered the Scottish Government our support in any way we can and we are all wishing a speedy recovery to those who are injured."

Labour leader Ed Miliband told Sky News: "There will be lots of people worried about their loved ones who are unaccounted for, and my thoughts are with them, and also with the people of Glasgow, who are an incredibly strong people, who showed last night in reaction when the helicopter hit, great bravery, great courage, great calm, in the midst of all this."

A number of St Andrew's Day events were being cancelled on Saturday morning as the tragic toll of Friday night's crash started to become apparent.

The Scottish Football Association said there would be a minute's silence at the 13 Scottish Cup games today.

Members of the public concerned about relatives who may have been involved in the crash can call an emergency helpline on 0800 092 0410.

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Woolwich Trial: 'Killer Nearly Beheaded Soldier'

Lee Rigby's mother and widow left the Old Bailey in tears today after hearing how the soldier was nearly decapitated outside a primary school.

Relatives fled the packed Old Bailey courtroom moments before the jury was shown video footage of the Fusilier being hit by a car, driven by the alleged killers.

There were gasps from the public gallery as the video showed a Vauxhall Tigra knocking the soldier down before crashing into a road sign.

A tribute to Lee Rigby who died in south east London

The court was told that the two men then got out of the car, dragged the unconscious soldier into the street, and attacked him with a meat cleaver and knives.

The defendants chose the middle of the road - just yards from a primary school - to mutilate the soldier so that members of the public could watch, the court was told.

One witness - whose account was relayed in court by the prosecution - described how one of the attackers "knelt down" by Lee Rigby and took hold of his hair.

"He then repeatedly hacked at the right side of his neck just below the jawline," Mr Whittam, QC, prosecuting, said.

The Old Bailey was told that the soldier was initially hit by the car from behind as he walked back to Woolwich Barracks in south east London, on May 22.

Mr Whittam QC told jurors that Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, drove the Tigra "straight at" him, at around 30mph to 40mph.

He said: "Both men then dragged his body into the middle of the road. They wanted members of the public to see the consequence of what can only be described as their barbarous acts.

The death of the soldier triggered a massive police investigation

"They had committed, you may think, a cowardly and callous murder by deliberately attacking an unarmed man in plain clothes from behind, using a vehicle as a weapon, and then they murdered him and mutilated his body with that meat cleaver and knives."

Adebolajo tried to decapitate the soldier while Adebowale stabbed and cut him, the jury heard.

Mr Whittam said: "They both attacked the motionless body of Lee Rigby.

"He was repeatedly stabbed and it appears it was Michael Adebolajo, the first defendant, who made a serious and almost successful attempt to decapitate Lee Rigby with multiple blows to his neck made with the meat cleaver."

Mr Whittam said one eyewitness, Amanda Bailey saw the events from inside her Peugeot 206.

She saw the Tigra strike Fusilier Rigby and carry him until the car crashed into a road sign.

"The young man flew off the bonnet and landed about two feet in front of the car," Mr Whittam said.

"She (Bailey) saw that his eyes were open but they looked frozen."

The soldier was dragged into the middle of the road before being attacked

Mr Whittam told the jury that members of the public showed "bravery and decency" in the aftermath of the alleged attack.

"Such heinous behaviour is in distinct contrast to the bravery and decency shown by some of the members of the public present.

"Despite the abhorrence of the scene, one woman went to the lifeless body of Lee Rigby and stroked him to provide some comfort and humanity to what had unfolded.

"Others went to see if they could provide first aid.

"Another woman engaged Michael Adebolajo in conversation despite the fact that he was still holding the meat cleaver and his hands were covered in blood."

The court heard that the two men were also armed with a gun.

Sky's Mark White, at the Old Bailey, said the court was packed with friends and relatives of Mr Rigby and they listened intently as the disturbing details were revealed to the jury.

Mr Whittam told the jury of eight women and four men that the firearm was part of the plan the pair had made, and was used partly to frighten off members of the public before the emergency services arrived.

As a police vehicle swung into Artillery Place, both men moved towards it, Mr Whittam said, and Adebolajo raised the meat cleaver above his head.

Adebolajo and Adebowale are both accused of attempting to murder a police officer, and conspiracy to murder a police officer on or before May 22.

Armed officers shot both defendants and they were arrested, the court heard.

Mr Whittam said: "Lethal force can only be used where there is a real danger to life, as clearly there was here."

The events took place within yards of the Mulgrave Primary School, Mr Whittam said, to which children were returning from a visit to the library. Members of the public turned them back to avoid the "awful" scene.

Young and old people, as well as a heavily pregnant woman, did witness what happened, he added.

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'Slavery Victim' Met Relatives, Claims Nephew

The nephew of one of three women allegedly held as slaves for more than three decades has said his aunt occasionally met family members during that period.

However, Zan Azlee said Aisha Wahab was always accompanied by what he described as "escorts".

He told Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt: "She was a brilliant student in school.

"She would have been the first Malay female to come back with a quantity surveying degree - at that time. The family was very proud of her.

The property where the alleged victims lived has been boarded up

"Then, slowly, she started mixing with a different crowd, more of the leftist movement."

The Malaysian student went missing in London in the 1970s and it was during these early years that several relatives visited her.

"Some of them managed to meet her, some did not, and those who did meet her, they did not manage to persuade her to go home," said Mr Azlee.

"My mother once told me that when her mother came here to look for her, she came out and met her mother, but she had escorts.

"It seemed like she was okay and she wanted to be here."

Mr Azlee, who has travelled to Britain to see his aunt for the first time, hopes he will not have to wait too long.

A policeman stands guard outside the home

"To now know that she was here, not really of her free will, it kind of makes things really sad," he added.

The 69-year-old woman is one of three alleged victims to have been kept as domestic slaves.

The others are a 30-year-old Briton and 57-year-old Irish national.

All three - now in the care of a specialist non-governmental organisation - are believed to have suffered years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of Aravindan and Chanda Balakrishnan.

The husband and wife, aged 73 and 67 and of Indian and Tanzanian origin, were arrested last week on suspicion of keeping three women in permanent servitude, and released on bail.

They are believed to have been well-known to the police in the 1970s after setting up a communist squat, the Mao Zedong Memorial Centre, in Acre Lane, Brixton, in 1976.

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Bodies In Home Of Woman 'Not Seen For Decades'

A woman not seen by neighbours for more than 30 years has been found dead at her home in Oxford, with the body of her daughter nearby.

Police broke into the terraced property after reports of a pungent smell and initially recovered the body of daughter Caroline Jessett.

She is thought to have been dead for several months.

However, officers were unable to go upstairs amid fears the property could collapse and engineers spent a week shoring up the walls.

When police returned yesterday, they discovered the body of mother Pauline Jessett, in her 70s, in an upstairs room.

Sources suspect she may have been dead for months, or even years.

Post-mortem examinations are being carried out and the deaths are so far unexplained. 

Neighbours, in Cowley Road, Littlemore, south Oxford, described both women as reclusive and some said they had not seen Pauline Jessett for 30 years.

They told journalists that the curtains at the home were always drawn and the Jessetts refused to answer calls at the front door.

One neighbour, who did not want to be named, told reporters she had not seen Pauline since the 1980s when her husband had died.

Caroline had not been spotted for at least six months and also rarely ventured out, the neighbour added.

Photographs at the property revealed an overgrown garden and furniture piled up inside the house.  

Investigating officer Detective Inspector John Turner said: "There continues to be nothing at this stage to suggest these deaths are suspicious.

"Investigations are now being carried out to determine the circumstances."

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Three Charged Over FA Computer Hacking

Three men have been charged over allegations of computer hacking at the Football Association, Greater Manchester Police have said.

Referee Dean Mohareb, 30, from Woodley, Stockport, has been charged with perverting the course of justice and unauthorised access to computer data.

Liam Cliff, 18, from Manchester, and Vincent Rossi, 46, from Wilmslow, have been charged with perverting the course of justice.

The trio will appear before Stockport Magistrates Court on Thursday, December 5.

Mohareb is a senior member of the FA's Referees Department in his role as national referee development manager.

He was first arrested over allegations that he hacked into a colleague's email account in October last year. Police seized a number of electrical items from his home on that occasion.

Greater Manchester Police have been investigating allegations of computer hacking and the dissemination of private information at the FA.

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Mairead Philpott's Appeal Refused By Judge

Mairead Philpott has lost her appeal against the 17-year prison sentence imposed for the killing of her six children.

Mairead Philpott, 33, was jailed alongside her husband Mick at Nottingham Crown Court in April after being found guilty of the manslaughter of Jade Philpott and her brothers John, Jack, Jesse, Jayden and Duwayne.

There was applause from the public gallery as Court of Appeal judges sitting at Nottingham Crown Court dismissed a renewed application by Philpott to challenge her jail term.

Mick Philpott was jailed for life with a minimum term of 15 years after being branded a "disturbingly dangerous" man.

His wife, who is likely to be released after serving half of her 17-year term, took part in a plan to set fire to the couple's home in Victory Road in an effort to frame his former mistress.

The children were aged between five and 13.

Back (l-r) Duwayne and John, Front (l-r) Jack, Jessie, Jade and Jayden

Members of Mairead's family including her mother Vera, father Jimmy and sisters Bernadette and Jennifer, were in the public gallery for the hearing. Mairead Philpott was not in court.

Setting out Philpott's grounds of appeal, her barrister Shaun Smith QC said: "The essence is the utter dependence of Mairead Philpott on Mick Philpott, whilst not excusing culpability, legally or morally, was not given sufficient weight in assessing the length of her sentence."

He said Mairead was "particularly vulnerable" to a man like Philpott who specialised in taking advantage of young girls with no family support or self esteem.

Mr Smith said Mairead, who had been a loving mother, would forever be known as a child killer and that her sentence would be "a lifetime reminder of her inability to stand up to a disturbingly dangerous man".

The court heard co-accused Paul Mosley had abandoned an appeal of the length of his sentence.

Dismissing the appeal, The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, said there was "no doubt" Philpott had loved her children but that as their mother she had a responsibility to them.

A wedding photo of Mick and Mairead Philpott

Lord Thomas dismissed Mr Smith's claims that she could not stand up for herself against her husband.

"This was not a spur of the moment plan. The risks of pouring petrol inside a building must have been obvious.

"She participated in the setting of the fire as petrol was found on her clothes.

"Her conduct after arrest was one where she continued to maintain the lie that others were responsible.

"It may be that she was under the continuing domination of Michael Philpott."

"It is extremely difficult to understand that during that custody time and the lengthy trial she did not admit the truth, expose the lie and own up to abusing her responsibilities.

The house at Victory Road being demolished

"She was capable of standing up. She could make a choice. She had a responsibility that was not overborne by the will of Michael Philpott."

The decision comes after she lost the first round of a bid to challenge the length of her sentence in July.

The hearing was the first to be held outside London since legislation was passed to allow Court of Appeal hearings to be broadcast.

Philpott's father Jimmy Duffy said outside court that he believed his daughter should have been given a life sentence.

He also told reporters his daughter had ignored his last letter and "has nothing to do with us".

Mr Duffy said: "There is love there because she is my flesh and blood, but I'll never forgive her for what she's done."

He added: "At the beginning I said that the whole trio should've got a life sentence."

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David Cameron 'U-Turn' Over Cigarette Packaging

Smoke And Mirrors Behind Tobacco 'O-Turn'

Updated: 12:55pm UK, Thursday 28 November 2013

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

Flip-flopping? A double U-turn? An O-turn? Whatever you call it, the Government has got itself into a twist when it comes to plain packaging of cigarettes.

First it was doing it, then it wasn't and now it might.

A review into how successful the policy has been in Australia will report in March. If - as is widely expected - it finds in favour the law could be changed by the General Election.

It is a long time since Andrew Lansley said he was convinced.

I interviewed him last April when he was still Health Secretary. In that interview, published in the Times newspaper, he argued persuasively in favour of plain packaging.

"We don't work in partnership with the tobacco companies because we are trying to arrive at a point where they have no business in this country."

By the time David Cameron put the brakes on the plans in July, Mr Lansley was no longer in the Department of Health. The Prime Minister was probably taken aback by the storm of controversy that the decision triggered.

He came under sustained attack because of the suggestion that he might have been influenced by a key strategist. Lynton Crosby, it emerged, was a partner in a company that had advised a tobacco giant.

Mr Cameron insisted he had not been lobbied by Mr Crosby, but did not deny that the two men had discussed the issue.

So why the change of heart now? Some claim it is because the Government felt it was going to lose a vote in the House of the Lords on the issue, after crossbench peers tabled an amendment.

Better to jump before they are pushed?

The Government rejects that notion, saying that it was always prepared to listen to the evidence and will do so now.

Paul Burstow, the Lib Dem MP, was a health minister until late last year and was part of negotiations on this issue. He said plenty of evidence had been gathered already - including 34 different studies - that showed plain packaging could boost the nation's health and stop teenagers from smoking.

He today accuses the Government of "kicking the can down the road" on the issue. He suspects Mr Crosby was to blame for July's delay.

Even as Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, talks about the need for a review he says the evidence is already showing the likely outcome.

But there will certainly be some trying hard to persuade the Government to maintain the status quo. They argue that the move will damage British business - and that while the number of people wanting to quit in Australia has risen, the numbers actually doing it have not.

Those against the ban will not welcome today's change of heart - but they will be glad to have at least a few months to make their arguments.

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Plane Bomb Threat Accused: No Case To Answer

Two men - dubbed "idiots not terrorists" - have been cleared of threatening to blow up a plane.

Tayyab Subhani, 30, and Mohammed Safdar, 42, were arrested on May 24 after a Boeing 777 heading from Lahore, Pakistan, to Manchester, was forced to make an emergency landing at Stansted Airport in Essex.

It had been claimed Mr Safdar, supported by Mr Subhani, had made threats to kill crew and passengers after an argument broke out with air stewards at 30,000 feet.

But jurors at Chelmsford Crown Court were instructed to find the men, from Nelson in Lancashire, not guilty of endangering an aircraft.

Judge Charles Gratwicke described the case as "tenuous and peppered with inconsistencies".

He added: "Under the circumstances no jury can properly convict these men."

Prosecutor Brian O'Neill said: "In light of the state of the evidence, it has been decided it is no longer appropriate to seek convictions in this case."

The Boeing 777 was forced to make an emergency landing at Stansted Airport

A series of witnesses told the court that although the men had acted like idiots, they had not heard a bomb threat.

In statements read outside court, both men said they were relieved that their ordeal was over, and they had cleared their names after wrongly being branded terrorists.

Solicitor Raza Sakhi said: "This is a victory for Mr Safdar, his loved ones and those that knew he was innocent of the allegations he was facing."

The court heard that Pakistan International Airlines had released its own internal inquiry, which contradicted evidence given by its staff to police and in court, only when ordered to by the court.

Barristers for both men said they did not blame the police or Crown Prosecution Service for the case being brought to court.

Speaking for Mr Safdar, Mr Sakhi added: "Due to the misinformation supplied to the UK authorities by members of the crew of flight PK709, the UK was put to considerable expense.

"Mr Safdar was wrongly vilified as a terrorist based on the same information.

"Mr Safdar was separated from his family and remanded in custody for 73 days as a result of this misinformation."

Biant Bansai, speaking on behalf of Mr Subhani, said: "This case has collapsed after it became clear that witnesses against him had not told the truth.

"This brings an end to six months of stress and anxiety for Mr Subhani and the cost to him and his family has been very high.

"He's delighted that his name has now been cleared and we will press for a full inquiry as to the conduct of Pakistan International Airlines in this case."

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Professionals Star Lewis Collins Dies In LA

Lewis Collins, 67, who played Bodie in 1970s TV series The Professionals, has died after suffering from cancer for five years.

The actor, who played Bodie in the crime drama alongside co-star Martin Shaw as Doyle, died on Wednesday, his agent said.

"He died peacefully at his LA home surrounded by his family. Privacy is asked for at this very sad time."

The Professionals, which made stars of Collins and Shaw, was based around the adventures of a fictional crime fighting unit called CI5.

The Professionals was a huge hit in the 1970s and 80s

Its memorable theme tune and action-packed plots made it a huge hit on ITV in the late 1970s and early 1980s for 57 episodes.

Martin Shaw said: "I was very sad to hear today that Lewis has died.

"We spent a very tough four years together in making The Professionals, and shared in the production of what has become an icon of British television.

"He will be remembered as part of the childhood of so many people, and mourned by his fans. I send my love and condolences to his family, and the great many who will miss him."

Collins' other most notable role came in 1982's Who Dares Wins, when he played a member of the SAS.

Lewis Collins (r) with co-stars Martin Shaw (l) and Gordon Jackson

He was born on Merseyside and worked as a drummer in local bands and as a hairdresser before getting into acting.

Collins married teacher Michelle Larrett in 1992 and had three sons Oliver, Elliot and Cameron.

Although he still dabbled in acting, he ran a successful computer business in LA, according to his biography on the film website IMDb.

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Life For Killing Man Mistaken For Paedophile

By Isabel Webster, West of England Correspondent

A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years following the brutal murder of an innocent man he mistook for a paedophile.

Lee James, 24, admitted killing 44-year-old Bijan Ebrahimi, from Iran, outside the victim's home in Bristol on July 14, 2013.

A second man, Steven Norley, 25, was jailed for four years for assisting an offender.

Mr Ebrahimi was a vulnerable, disabled man who was devoted to his garden and was mistaken for a paedophile by his neighbours when he was seen taking pictures of young people who were damaging his plants.

On July 11 a crowd had reportedly gathered outside his home calling him a "paedo" and the police arrested Mr Ebrahimi for breach of the peace.

Neighbour Beryl Smith recalled: "I said it's weird. A man out there taking pictures of children and leaning out the window then running in the house and shutting the door.

"The neighbours, by all accounts were shouting 'get out of here you dirty paedo'. Now he could have said 'its of your children damaging my plants'."

Mr Ebrahimi was released without charge the following day, but two days later, in the early hours of Sunday, he was beaten unconscious outside his home by James and dragged into the street where he was doused in white spirit and set alight.

He was later declared dead at the scene.

There are serious questions about whether the authorities did enough to protect a vulnerable man after it emerged that Mr Ebrahimi was well known to Avon and Somerset Police, Bristol City Council and to a Bristol-based hate-crime charity SARI.

Mr Ebrahimi's family said last month: "It should not be forgotten that Bijan had been the victim of hate crimes for a number of years before his death, both due to his race and his physical disability.

"It was for this reason that the police should have taken especially seriously his calls for help in the days before he was murdered."

Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan issued an apology after the tragedy, saying: "Mr Ebrahimi was someone who deserved the protection of all of us and we are very sorry about what happened to him."

Mr Gargan's apology continued: "The IPCC are carrying out a thorough investigation into the events that led to his death and we await their findings.

"Even before we hear their final conclusions, it's clear there are steps that we can collectively take to keep vulnerable people in our communities safe from harm."

The IPCC have questioned six officers over their handling of the case, three under police caution. All were served notices of gross misconduct and three have been suspended on full pay.

Today the IPCC confirmed they have also questioned six civilian staff from the Constabulary who are believed to be call-handlers.

Bristol City Council has also launched a review into the case.

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Carole Waugh Killer Gets Life Sentence

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

A conman has been sentenced to life in prison after he was found guilty of murdering a wealthy woman who was stabbed to death in her flat.

Rakesh Bhayani, 41, was convicted by the jury at the Old Bailey of killing Carole Waugh, who was said to have been a lonely woman who worked as an amateur escort and who believed that he was her friend.

Sentencing Bhayani, Mr Justice Wilkie said he "ruthlessly targeted" Ms Waugh and "left her body to rot".

The judge said the killer must serve at least 27 years for the murder.

Bhayani caught on CCTV after withdrawing some of Ms Waugh's money

Bhayani had admitted perverting the course of justice by concealing the death.

Co-accused Nicholas Kutner, 48, was found not guilty of murder but guilty of perverting the course of justice by concealing the death. He was sentenced to seven years in jail.

Both men - described in court as professional conmen and lifelong gamblers who knew each other through prison - admitted conspiracy to defraud.

Ms Waugh, 49, died at her flat, where she lived alone, in Marylebone, central London.

Her body was found in a rented garage in New Malden, southwest London, nearly four months after she disappeared.

Bhayani's co-accused Nicholas Kutner was jailed for seven years

During that time, Bhayani withdrew money from Ms Waugh's accounts and on one occasion pretended to be her brother in an attempt to sell her £600,000 home.

He also hired a number of women to impersonate her and buy expensive handbags from Chanel and Selfridges.

The 41-year-old claimed in court that he only found out about Ms Waugh's death seven days after she was killed.

He said he did not contact police because he was involved in a fraud with Kutner and Ms Waugh and feared he would be linked to her murder.

Ms Waugh's body was found in a Surrey lock-up

Bhayani, of Wembley, northwest London, told the court that he went with Kutner to Ms Waugh's flat to remove her body from under a bed.

He said he put the corpse into a bag which was carried to a blue Volkswagen Golf that was initially left in a central London car park before being driven to the lock-up.

The judge said the murder and subsequent dumping of the body was done with "greed, callousness and total lack of any regard" for Ms Waugh.

The judge described Ms Waugh as a 'risk-taker' vulnerable to conmen

The murder was "arising out of an argument about money", and the judge described Ms Waugh as a "risk-taker and manifestly vulnerable to conmen".

The judge told Bhayani: "Without a second thought, you calmly and comprehensively set about stealing her identity.

"You took steps to ensure her body would not be found for a sufficient time."

Mr Justice Wilkie said Bhayani embarked on the complete "asset-stripping of her persona".

Ms Waugh's family were in court for the sentencing and heard the murder was "not premeditated or pre-planned".

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Bulger Killer Tweet: Baines Spared Jail

James Baines, who tweeted images purporting to be of James Bulger's killer Jon Venables as an adult, has avoided jail.

Baines, 27, was sentenced at London's High Court to a 14-month suspended jail sentence for contempt of court.

The security guard from Liverpool, who is friends with the Bulger family, will also have to pay £3,000 in court costs.

In 2001, a court injunction prohibited the publication of any images purporting to identify the appearance, whereabouts, movements or new identities of Venables or Robert Thompson, who were convicted of two-year-old James' murder in 1993.

Both Thompson and Venables were 10 years old when they tortured and killed James in Bootle, England.

Due to the crime's disturbing nature, it was determined the pair would face serious physical threat or death upon their release from prison.

Baines' tweeted a photo of Venables as a child alongside that of an adult male on February 14 this year – two days after the 20th anniversary of the murder.

Accompanying the pictures was the message: "Its on bbc news about the jon venables pic on twitter saying its been removed eerrm no it hasn't."

Baines' counsel, Peter Lownds, said the pictures were posted at a highly emotional time in the community. 

"He (Baines) had a very strong emotional reaction to the anniversary. He accepts it is not an excuse for his behaviour but it is offered as some explanation for why he became involved in the very substantial social communication over Twitter and Facebook at about that time."

Following the sentence, the Attorney General released a statement saying the worldwide injunction was in place for good reason.

"The order has been in place for many years and applies to both media organisations and individuals. It is meant not only to protect Venables and Thompson but also those members of the public who have been incorrectly identified as being either of them."

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Man Charged Over Death Of 'Much-Loved' Cyclist

A driver has been charged with causing the death of an elderly cyclist following a collision.

Kile Straker is accused of knocking George Searle off his bike in Stafford Road, Wolverhampton.

The 74-year-old retired printer suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene after the incident in July.

Following his death, his wife of 43 years, Cynthia, 68, said he was a "much-loved husband and father".

She added: "We believe he died instantly and wouldn't have known anything about it."

Unemployed Straker, 23, was arrested by police at his home in August and has been charged after answering police bail on Tuesday.

The suspect, from Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton, is also accused of failing to stop at the scene of a traffic collision and other traffic offences.

Straker has been bailed to appear before magistrates in the city on December 13.

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'Bedroom Tax' Leaves Disabled Fearing Eviction

By Jason Farrell, Sky News Correspondent

Thousands of disabled people are cutting back on food and heating to pay for the so-called "bedroom tax", according to a group of leading charities.

The chief executives of leading groups including Disability Rights UK, Scope, Carers UK, The Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Council For Disabled Children say the policy is having a "devastating impact" on people with disabilities.

More than 50 organisations have signed a letter to Iain Duncan Smith calling for immediate action to exempt disabled people from the Spare Room Subsidy.

They claim that it is harder for people in adapted housing to move and that "it is hitting disabled people who need an extra room for essential home adaptations or equipment which enable them to live independently".

The letter to the Department of Work and Pensions states: "We have been deeply frustrated at reports that disabled people and their families are protected from this policy.

The introduction of the "bedroom tax" has proved controversial

"The stark evidence since the policy was implemented in April clearly shows they are not.

"None of these groups are exempt and our organisations are seeing the devastating impact it is having on those who now face a shortfall in their rent as a result of the changes."

The Government does offer help with extra discretionary housing payments (DHPs) for disabled social housing tenants.

However, the letter points to research conducted by the Papworth Trust which showed that one in three disabled people applying for DHPs are refused, the same number as non-disabled people, and that 90% of disabled people refused a DHP are already cutting back on food, drink, household bills and medication or therapies.

Charities have written to Iain Duncan Smith about the bedroom tax

The letter claims that carers and families of disabled children are "being forced deeper and deeper into debt and falling behind on their rent, putting them at risk of eviction".

Sky News spoke to 47-year-old Heather Simpson from Battersea who suffers from a degenerative disease and needs an adapted property with wheelchair access and a stair-lift.

She has been told by her local housing association that it is unable to find her an appropriate smaller home. 

Come December she is worried she may have to find an additional £80 a month to cover her spare room.

She told Sky News: "I'm stuck basically, there's nowhere for me to go.

"I understand there's overcrowding, but there's nowhere for me to go. So I'll just get into debt."

Council tenants judged to have extra bedrooms now receive less benefit

In a letter sent to Heather last week, her Housing Association, Peabody, said it had 1,600 applicants for rehousing and only 145 places.

In a statement, Peabody told Sky News: "The Government's under-occupancy charge has a significant impact on vulnerable people, and we are working with other housing associations and councils to try and increase the options for people needing to move …

"We would like to see the Government take action to mitigate the impact of this policy particularly for the most vulnerable residents in our homes."  

A Department of Work and Pensions spokesperson told Sky News: "We are determined to support those who might need extra help through these necessary reforms.

"That is why we set aside £190m this year to do precisely this, with £25m specifically for disabled people living in specially adapted properties.

"The courts have ruled we are meeting our equality duties to disabled people who are affected by the policy.

"The removal of the spare room subsidy means we still pay the majority of most claimants' rent, but the taxpayer can no longer afford to pay the £500m cost of claimants' extra bedrooms."

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Litvinenko Documents Will Stay Secret

The Government has been told it can keep secret the documents linked to the proposed inquest into the death of former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko.

Foreign Secretary William Hague had wanted to overturn coroner Sir Robert Owen's decision to reveal the documents which, the coroner said, were necessary if the inquest was to be "fair and meaningful".

Sir Robert had partly agreed to Mr Hague's request for secrecy in relation to the role of the Russian state and whether the UK could have done anything to prevent the death.

But the coroner refused to exclude all of the public interest immunity (PII) certificate signed by Mr Hague.

Mrs Litvinenko said she was "disappointed but not surprised"

Government lawyers contended the documents were "sensitive to the highest degree" and public disclosure would damage the national interest.

At London's High Court Lord Justice Goldring, sitting with two other judges, has declared the material must remain secret.

Quashing the coroner's decision to reveal it, the judge said: "I am driven to the conclusion that the weight the coroner gave to the views of the Secretary of State was insufficient and amounted to an error of law."

The judge, sitting with Lord Justice Treacy and Mr Justice Mitting, said the issues raised by the case "concerned the risk of significant damage to national security" and added: "Nothing we have decided reduces the importance of open justice."

The coroner is considering whether to appeal.

Mr Litvinenko, 43, a Russian dissident and former KGB agent, was poisoned in 2006 by radioactive polonium-210 while drinking tea during a meeting with former security colleagues at the Millennium Hotel in London's Grosvenor Square.

He died three weeks later.

His death raised questions over whether the Russian state was involved, as alleged by Mr Litvinenko's widow Marina and his son Anatoly.

Mrs Litvinenko said through her QC she was "disappointed but not surprised" by today's ruling and she was "gathering her strength" for what might be her last attempt "to see the truth emerge about the Russian state's responsibility" for her husband's death.

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Lostprophets Ian Watkins: Appeal For 'Victims'

Police have appealed for possible further victims of Ian Watkins to come forward after the ex-Lostprophets singer admitted a string of sex offences.

They included attempting to rape a woman's baby in a case the lead officer called "the most shocking and harrowing child abuse evidence I have ever seen".

Detectives are continuing their investigation into the Welsh rock singer, 36, amid speculation there could be more victims in the UK and overseas.

Officers from South Wales, where he lived, have been working with agencies including Interpol, the NSPCC and the Department For Homeland Security in the US - one of the countries where Lostprophets toured.

Watkins also confessed to aiding and abetting another woman to sexually abuse her own child.

And he pleaded guilty to possessing and making indecent photographs of children as well as having extreme pornographic material involving bestiality on his computer hard drive.

He had faced 24 sex offence charges but admitted 11 at the last minute as his trial was due to begin at Cardiff Crown Court alongside the two women, who pleaded guilty to 13 offences in total between them.

Watkins is due to be sentenced in December

Lead investigator Detective Chief Inspector Peter Doyle said: "There is no doubt in my mind that Ian Watkins exploited his celebrity status in order to abuse young children."

He added Tuesday's "outcome does not mark the end of our investigations and we will work tirelessly to identify any other victims or witnesses and seek the justice they deserve.

"Above all this investigation has been focussed on the protection of children and my thoughts today are with those victims".

Watkins, from Pontypridd, will be sentenced on December 18 at the same court.

Meanwhile, a child expert has warned the sex abuse of young children is increasing in number and severity as the age of defenceless victims continues to go down.

Des Mannion, NSPCC Wales national head of service, spoke of his "horror" as the extent of Watkins' secret abuse was made public.

"The desire to sexually abuse small babies is something most of us find too horrific to comprehend," he said.

"However within the significant rise in the number of child abuse images being distributed online over the past year, agencies have noted both an increase in their severity and a significant decline in the ages of the children involved."

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Sex Survey Says Brits Are More Adventurous

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

British men and women are having increasingly adventurous sex, with more partners, well into old age, according to the most comprehensive ever survey of its kind.

The study of 15,000 people's sexual behaviour also reveals the nation is more tolerant of same-sex experiences, but less forgiving of sex outside marriage.

The National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles was first carried out in 1990 and has been repeated every 10 years.

Results published in The Lancet medical journal show that of those aged 16-24, 31% of men and 29% of women had sex before the age of 16.

That is unchanged from the last survey in the year 2000.

At the other end of the demographic spectrum, the survey shows pensioners are also having sex. According to the figures, 60% of men and 42% of women aged 65-74 reported having at least one opposite sex sexual partner in the previous year.

Lead author Dr Cath Mercer, from University College London, said: "As men and women are living longer, have healthier lives and continue to have active sex lives well beyond their reproductive years, we need to view sexual health and wellbeing as an issue of lifelong importance."

The anonymous questionnaire shows people are having less sex on average than they used to.

Compared with the last survey in 2000, the frequency of sex has fallen from just over six times a month to just under five.

This is partly because fewer people are married or cohabiting, but even those who live with their partner are having less sex, possibly because of pressures caused by the recession.

The results show people are becoming more experimental with their sexual practices, at all ages.

And women are closing the gap on men in the number of sexual partners they have.

Women aged 16-44 now have an average of 7.7 partners, compared with 3.7 in 1990. Men now have 11.7, up from 8.6 in the last survey.

There has been a small increase in men who have ever had a same-sex partner - up from 3.6% to 4.8%.

But there has been a big rise in women having a same-sex partner, up from 1.8% to 7.9%.

Professor Kaye Wellings, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who also contributed to the report, said: "The change in women's behaviour across the three surveys has been remarkable.

"In some areas of sexual behaviour we have seen a narrowing of the gender gap, but in others we have seen women overtaking men in the diversity of their behaviour.

"These trends need to be seen against the backdrop of the profound changes in the position of women in society, the norms governing their lifestyles and media representations of female sexuality."

The survey shows 20% of men see "nothing wrong" in a one-night stand, a figure that is unchanged from the 1990 survey. For women, the figure has risen from 5.4% to 13%.

The proportion of men disapproving of sex outside marriage has increased from 45% to 63%. For women it has risen from 53% to 70%.

The survey, the third in the series, was conducted between September 2010 and August 2012.

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Scottish Independence: £600 Better Off Claim

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Better childcare, education and a reformed, fairer tax system are being promised under an independent Scotland.

Laying out his blueprint for Scotland's future, the First Minister, Alex Salmond, also said that each Scot would be £600 better off.

It is a figure which sharply contrasts with a Treasury analysis, which claims independence would cost the average Scot £1,000 in tax.

But at the launch event in Glasgow, Mr Salmond has robustly argued that Scotland's public finances are "healthier than those of the UK as a whole".

Independence supporters say it will be fairer to 'divorce' the UK

As a result of this, the Scottish National Party (SNP) blueprint says: "There will be no requirement for an independent Scotland to raise the general rate of taxation to fund existing levels of spending."

In the 670-page document entitled Scotland's Future - Your Guide Mr Salmond has vowed to end controversial and unpopular welfare reforms introduced by Westminster, including the bedroom tax and the Universal Credit System.

He has also pledged an independent Scotland would provide free childcare for all pre-school children. It also promised a cap on payday lenders - one policy he has in common with the Chancellor George Osborne.

Scotland's Future pinpoints "three overriding reasons" for Scotland to leave the UK - it will create a more democratic, prosperous and fair state.

Speaking at the launch Mr Salmond said: "Our vision is of an independent Scotland regaining its place as an equal member of the family of nations. However, we do not seek independence as an end in itself, but rather as a means to changing Scotland for the better.

"We know we have the people, the skills and resources to make Scotland a more successful country. What we need now are the economic tools and powers to build a more competitive, dynamic economy and create more jobs.

"This guide contains policies which offer nothing less than a revolution in employment and social policy for Scotland, with a transformational change in childcare at the heart of those plans.

Pro-independence supporters march through Edinburgh in September

"Our proposals will make it far easier for parents to balance work and family life, and will allow many more people, especially women, to move into the workforce, fostering economic growth and helping to boost revenues - which will in itself help pay for the policy.

"With these policies, we can begin the job of undoing the damage caused by the vast social disparities which have seen the UK become one of the most unequal societies in the developed world."

The SNP also plans to keep the pound in a currency union with the Bank of England, although opponents claim there is no guarantee that the rest of the UK would find that acceptable. 

The paper states "the pound is Scotland's currency just as much as it is the rest of the UK's" saying that an independent Scotland would also make a "substantial contribution" to a "sterling zone".

It also states that  the membership of an independent Scotland in the European Union and Nato would continue, although critics point out that this cannot be guaranteed.

Under the proposals, if the people of Scotland vote for independence in a referendum then Scottish Independence Day would be March 24, 2016. 

The date will resonate with the Scottish people as on March 24, 1707, the Act of Union, which joined the parliaments of England and Scotland, was signed.

Former chancellor Alistair Darling, who is also leader of the Better Together Campaign, accused Mr Salmond of asking people to buy a "one-way ticket to a very uncertain destination".

He said: "They have ducked the big questions like on currency: how can we guarantee to keep the pound and if we don't what currency will we use, will we have our own or will we join the Euro?

"Debt, defence, welfare, pensions: they haven't answered any of those questions and you would have thought that at this time we would get the answers we are entitled to."

He said that the referendum vote on September 16 next year would be closer than people thought - with 1 million of the 4 million electorate still undecided.

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Pensioner Was Hit-And-Run Victim Say Police

An elderly man found fatally injured on a street was the victim of a hit-and-run driver, West Midlands Police say.

The 75-year-old man's injuries were so severe that police believe he must have been hit by a 4x4 or a van and left for dead.

He was found lying in Beakes Road, Smethwick, near Birmingham, at around 9.30pm on Saturday night and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead a few hours later.

Nobody has come forward to report a collision in the road that night.

Inspector Paul Bennett, from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit, said: "We have launched a major investigation to determine exactly what led to this elderly man's death.

"At this stage we believe he has been struck by a large vehicle, possibly a 4x4 car or a van.

"Whoever was driving must have known they had hit a person but rather than stop to help, they left him in the road to die.

"The vehicle itself would have sustained collision damage and I want to hear from anyone who may have information that could lead us to the vehicle and driver involved."

He appealed to garage mechanics who may be asked to fix damage on a car or van and also to members of the public for information.

Mr Bennett said: "Have you seen a car or van parked in your neighbourhood with serious damage that isn't usually there? If you have, call us on 101.

"Please come forward if you think you can help, no matter how insignificant the information you have may seem."

Anyone with information should call Inspector Bennett from the Regional Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Winter Deaths Up Nearly 30% To 31,000

The cold winter saw 31,100 excess deaths in 2012/13 compared with 24,200 the previous year - a rise of 29%, figures show.

The majority of the deaths in England and Wales were among the elderly with over-75s accounting for 25,600, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The sharp increase came in a bitterly cold start to the year - with the coldest March since 1962, which saw an average monthly temperature of just 2.6C (36.7).

There were 18,000 winter-related female deaths, a rise from 13,610 the previous year. The number of excess male deaths was 13,100 - up from 10,590 in 2011/12.

The figures have been released amid warnings from senior doctors that A&E departments are to face their worse winter ever and concerns that pensioners and vulnerable families are being forced to choose between "heating and eating".

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced plans to make sure the NHS is fully prepared for winter with a £250m boost which will mean the equivalent of nearly 3,000 extra staff.

This consists of temporary staff, extended hours of existing staff and new positions, and almost 2,500 extra beds will be made available across England.

The ONS report claims that the cold winter coupled with a peak in flu illnesses over the Christmas period helped to drive the excess deaths.

The report stated: "Winter 2012/13 was characterised by a milder than average December, followed by a prolonged period of lower than average temperatures.

"The number of deaths peaked in the first week of January, which coincided with a peak in rates of influenza-like illness over the Christmas weeks. The mean number of daily deaths was higher than average for a prolonged period between February and April 2013."

The ONS said excess winter mortality for 2012/13 was highest in the North West of England and lowest in London.

This bucks the trend of the previous year when the highest excess winter death rates were observed in the capital.

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Five Officers Face 'Plebgate' Misconduct Charges

A police officer has been charged with misconduct linked to the 'Plebgate' affair but the Crown Prosecution Service says the former chief whip Andrew Mitchell was not "victim of a conspiracy".

PC Keith Wallis, a member of the Metropolitan Police Diplomatic Protection Group, has been charged with misconduct in a public office over the incident at Downing Street last year.

The officer is accused of sending an email to the deputy chief whip, John Randall, who was his MP, falsely claiming that he had witnessed the incident and then arranged for his nephew to support his false claims.

Separately, the Independent Police Complaints Commission has announced that PC Wallis and four other police officers, all from the Metropolitan Police Diplomatic Protection Group, will now face gross misconduct disciplinary proceedings.

Mr Mitchell became embroiled in a heated row with an armed police officer on September 19 last year when he was refused permission to cycle through the main gate.

In a statement Alison Saunders, Director of Public Prosecutions, said "We have considered all of the evidence in this case, including previously unseen, unedited CCTV footage from Downing Street, not referred to by the media.

"Taking it all into account, including the accounts of the officer at the gate of Downing Street and that of Andrew Mitchell MP before, during and after the incident, we have found that there is insufficient evidence to show that the officer at the gate lied in his account.

"The CPS has also found that there is insufficient evidence to show that Mr Mitchell was the victim of a conspiracy of misinformation."

There were 10 officers being considered for charges in the wake of the scandal.

The allegations made by Mr Mitchell have led to an extensive police investigation in which hundreds of witness statements from police and Downing Street staff have been taken, the CPS said.

During the incident, which prompted the resignation of Mr Mitchell as chief whip, the officer at the gate claimed that Mr Mitchell shouted at him: "You should know your f***ing place, you don't run this f***ing government, you're f***ing plebs," the CPS statement says.

However, Mr Mitchell claimed he said: "I thought you guys were supposed to f***ing help us."

Crucially the CPS says there is not enough evidence to support the claim that the officer lied about Mr Mitchell using the word "pleb" - a term the MP has always denied using and the word deemed to have cause the political fallout.

The CPS report pointed out that "Mr Mitchell's account has varied since the incident."

A Police Federation statement following the CPS announcement said: "We note the charge announced today by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and await the outcome of the matter once the full criminal justice process has been completed.

"We welcome the decision by the CPS that there was insufficient evidence to show that the officer at the gate lied in his account and that there was insufficient evidence to show that Mr Mitchell was the victim of a conspiracy of misinformation.

"We have always been concerned by the selected information that has been put into the public domain and it is noteworthy that the CPS came to its conclusions after reviewing all the evidence, including unedited CCTV footage from Downing Street."

More follows...

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Government To Publish 50,000-Page HS2 Bill

The Government is to make its case for the £50bn high speed rail line amid claims it is not giving campaign groups long enough to make their objections to the plans.

The Hybrid Bill with its environmental statement – effectively the Government's planning application for the first phase of HS2 from London to Birmingham – will be published later today.

Those opposing the bill claim that at 49,910 pages, the eight-week consultation limit is not long enough for them to respond sufficiently.

Campaigners say they will have to read 891 pages a day simply to get through the documents and then respond to the points raised. It is the largest bill the UK has ever seen.

Woodland Trust: 21 ancient woodlands destroyed or badly damaged

Woodland Trust policy director Hilary Allison said: "We have recruited a new full time conservation expert whose sole priority over the coming weeks will be the dissection of these documents.

"The enormity of the task being asked of all who have something to contribute to this consultation is undeniable; given its immense length, we feel the timescale given to read and respond is unfair."

The trust has calculated that 21 ancient woodlands will be destroyed or significantly damaged by the first phase of the project.

As part of the bill, opponents will be given the chance to petition Parliament and have their case heard by a committee of MPs.

The first phase will run from London to Birmingham

The Government is expecting up to 25,000 objections, according to the Financial Times.

The publication of legislation for phase one marks a significant milestone in the project. The Government hopes it will be passed by 2015.

Once Royal Assent has been achieved, the Government will be able to start forcibly purchasing land needed to build the line.

It is expected that construction of the line from London to Birmingham will begin in 2016/2017 allowing it to open in 2026.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "HS2 is the most ambitious and important infrastructure project in the UK since we built the M25 30 years ago, and in 30 more it will be just as integral a part of the nation's prosperity.

"The Bill will give us the powers we need to get the railway built and start delivering the extra room on our railways that this country so desperately needs. It will also start the process of rebalancing the economy and bringing our great cities closer together."

Phase two will run from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds

There have been significant objections that the rail line will have a devastating environmental impact on vast swathes of England's countryside.

In addition Labour has raised concerns over the increasing costs of the project.

The TSSA transport union has warned that high speed rail must not become a "rich man's toy" and that fares must be affordable.

The British Chambers of Commerce said HS2 had to be built "to avoid crippling delays, stifling carriage conditions and weekend chaos that conventional upgrades will bring" while the city councils of Manchester, Derby and Leeds are among the local authorities fully backing the project.

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London 'Slavery' Case: New Homes Investigated

Detectives say they are investigating 13 addresses as part of their probe into claims that three women were held as slaves in London.

The inquiry began after one of three alleged victims told a charity she had been kept against her will for more than 30 years in a house in south London.

The three women - a 30-year-old Briton, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 69-year-old Malaysian - are believed to have suffered years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of a couple.

Police carried out house-to-house enquiries over the weekend in and around Peckford Place in Brixton, where the three women were found.

It has emerged that the couple - a man aged 73 and a 67-year-old woman - were previously arrested in the 1970s, although police have not said why.

They are of Indian and Tanzanian origin.

Police outside the property where the women were allegedly held

Officers have recovered a birth certificate for the 30-year-old woman, who is believed to have lived her entire life in servitude, but no other official documents for her have been found.

The case came to light after the Irish woman rang the Freedom Charity last month after seeing its founder Aneeta Prem in a Sky News report about forced marriages.

The Metropolitan Police said part of the agreement on October 25 when the women were removed from the address was that police would not take any action at that stage.

None of the women was reported missing after being rescued, police said. All three are now in the care of a specialist non-governmental organisation.

Some 37 officers from the Met's human-trafficking unit are working on the case.

On Sunday, Home Secretary Theresa May said tackling modern slavery in Britain was a "personal priority", saying many other victims were "hidden in plain sight" across the country.

"It is walking our streets, supplying shops and supermarkets, working in fields, factories or nail bars, trapped in brothels or cowering behind the curtains in an ordinary street: slavery," she wrote in The Sunday Telegraph.

"Something most of us thought consigned to history books, belonging to a different century, is a shameful and shocking presence in modern Britain."

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Toddler Khaleel Hussain: Murder Appeal Launched

Police investigating the murder of a toddler have appealed to people who had contact with him to come forward.

Detectives are trying to build up a picture of Khaleel Hussain's life and are keen to speak to further witnesses with information which could assist their inquiries.

The two-year-old boy died at Birmingham Children's Hospital on October 22 following a serious head injury.

He was taken there after being admitted to the University Hospital Coventry the previous day after falling ill at his home in the Stoke area of Coventry, police said.

They are particularly keen to talk to anyone who had contact with him in the days and weeks before he lost his life.

Although a post-mortem examination proved inconclusive, the case is being treated as murder.

Further tests are being carried out to establish a cause of death.

A 21-year-old man and 25-year-old woman arrested in connection with the investigation remain on police bail.

Detective Chief Inspector Dean Young, from the Coventry Police Public Protection Unit, said: "We are still trying to piece together exactly what happened before Khaleel suffered the injuries that ultimately led to his death.

"As part of our ongoing inquiry I am keen to speak to anyone who had contact with him or his family during his very short life, particularly in the days and weeks before he died.

"We have spoken to lots of people as part of the investigation so far, but I'm sure there are others out there who may have information that could help us and I would urge them to come forward."

Anyone who can assist the investigation should contact the Public Protection Unit at Coventry Police on 101 or the Crimestoppers service anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Belfast: Explosion At Victoria Square Centre

Police are blaming dissident republican terrorists for a 60kg (132lbs) car bomb that partially exploded outside a shopping centre in Belfast.

Masked men in boiler suits hijacked a car in the north of the city at 9.30pm on Sunday and ordered the driver to take the bomb to the Victoria Square centre, the PSNI said.

The device - made of homemade explosives packed into a beer keg - was left at a car park entrance and detonated at 11.15pm as army bomb disposal experts prepared to examine it.

Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes before the explosion near one of Belfast's main police stations and the city's court complex.

The security alert ended without any reports of injuries and the city centre has reopened, although Monday morning commuters faced traffic delays.

PSNI Chief Superintendent Alan McCrum told BBC Radio Ulster the bomb could have been "catastrophic" for the city.

The silver Renault Laguna car used in the attack, registration number CJZ 4697 car, was hijacked in Jamaica Street, in the Ardoyne area of north Belfast.

Victoria Street and Chichester Street were closed during the alert and people were evacuated from their homes and a nearby cinema, with dozens spending the night in the Ulster Hall concert venue.

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott said there would be an increased police presence in the city in response to the latest incident.

He said dissident republicans seemed to be involved in a "bizarre competition" driven by a philosophy that is "simply hatred".

Northern Ireland's Justice Minister David Ford said the bomb could have caused "untold death and injury".

He said: "Those responsible for this attack have shown a total disregard for life, including that of the driver they forced to carry the device.

"They also have a disregard for the people of Belfast."

The incident was the third security alert to hit Belfast on Sunday and Sky News Ireland Correspondent Vicki Hawthorne said it follows a surge in terrorist activity from dissident republicans opposed to the peace process.

She said: "Last week a female bus driver was also forced by hijackers to drive a bomb to a police station in Londonderry.  The driver abandoned the bomb before she got to the station and was praised for her heroism.

"Terrorists also targeted a former police officer when they planted an booby trap bomb under his car in east Belfast.  The former officer managed to raise the alarm before the device exploded.

"And last month several letter bombs were sent in the post to the Chief Constable and another senior officer as well as the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers."

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Monty Python Tickets Sell Out In 44 Seconds

Four new dates have been announced after tickets for the first Monty Python live show for 30 years sold out within 44 seconds.

The veteran comedy troupe - John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones - announced they were getting back together last week.

A spokesman for the Pythons said the July 1 event sold out in 43.5 seconds on Monday morning and tickets for four further shows had immediately gone on sale.

Tickets for the show appeared for resale on ticket listing websites within minutes for up to £3,000 each.

The concerts at the venue in Greenwich, southeast London, come more than 30 years after their last stage performance.

Speaking at last week's news conference, they said they would include some of their most famous routines including the dead parrot sketch.

But Cleese ruled out a rerun of one of his best loved moments, the Ministry of Silly Walks, saying: "I have an artificial knee and an artificial hip so there's no chance of that".

Idle said fans could "expect a little comedy, a lot of pathos, some music and a tiny bit of ancient sex".

Their last major live show was at the Hollywood Bowl in 1982.

The Pythons amassed millions of fans for their comedy series and films, which also launched their own successful solo careers.

Monty Python's Flying Circus was made for TV between 1969 and 1974. The team went on to make films including Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975) and Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979).

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Scottish Independence Date In 'Blueprint'

Scotland could become an independent country on March 24, 2016 if voters back leaving the UK in next year's independence referendum, the Deputy First Minister has announced.

The date is included in the Scottish Government's white paper, described as a "blueprint" for independence, which will be published on Tuesday.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said it is a "landmark document" which has economic growth, jobs and fairness at its heart.

She said the 670-page document will drive the independence debate, providing the positive case for a vote in favour of independence.

She said: "This guide to an independent Scotland will be the most comprehensive and detailed blueprint of its kind ever published, not just for Scotland but for any prospective independent country.

"It demonstrates Scotland's financial strengths and details how we will become independent - the negotiations, preparations and agreements that will be required in the transition period from a vote for independence in September next year to our proposed Independence Day of 24th March 2016 and in time for the first elections to an independent Scottish Parliament in May of that year."

Ms Sturgeon said the document is designed above all for the public and urged people to read it, compare it with any alternative future for Scotland and make up their own minds.

Ms Sturgoen has urged everyone in Scotland to read the document

"The white paper has economic growth, jobs and fairness at its heart. The route to a successful Scotland is greater economic growth that benefits all and which supports greater participation - particularly amongst women - in the workplace and the economy as a whole," she said.

"Ensuring that work pays, for example through a decent minimum wage, is central to our economic and social approach.

"We won't succeed and reach our full potential as long as we are locked into an unbalanced Westminster-controlled economy that disproportionately benefits one region and one section of society."

But a Scotland Office spokesman said naming the date of independence ahead of the referendum result "would only weaken the Scottish Government's negotiating position" if Scotland voted to leave the UK.

"People in Scotland still don't know the full terms the Scottish Government would try to negotiate but the 28 members of the EU, Nato and the rest of the UK would all know that for the Scottish Government the date is more important than the deal," he said.

"We agree people should read the White Paper and the UK Government's evidence and make up their own mind on the referendum issue.

"We are confident the case for staying in the UK is far stronger than the untested, uncosted and unconvincing claims the Scottish Government have made to date."

An initial print run of 20,000 copies of the Scottish Government's white paper has been produced but it will be made available to everyone who requests a copy.

The independence referendum will take place on September 18 next year.

The proposed Independence Day of Thursday, March 24, 2016 follows the dissolution of the current Scottish Parliament, which is set to be scheduled to take place at midnight on Wednesday, March 23, 2016.

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London 'Slavery': Neighbours' Shock At Claims

People living near to a house where three women were allegedly held as slaves for more than three decades have spoken of their shock at the claims.

The women - a 69-year-old from Malaysia, a 57-year-old from Ireland and a 30-year-old Briton - were taken from the property in Brixton, south London, last month after calling a support charity asking for help.

Police said the women, two of whom who lived in a "collective" with a 67-year-old man they met through a "shared political ideology", had suffered "emotional and physical abuse".

The man and a woman, also 67, who came to the UK in the 1960s and are of Indian and Tanzanian origin, were arrested and released on bail.

Commander Steve Rodhouse, of the Metropolitan Police, said: "Somehow that collective came to an end and the women ended up continuing to live with the suspects.

"How this resulted in the women living in this way for over 30 years is what are seeking to establish, but we believe emotional and physical abuse has been a feature of all the victims' lives."

Kamal Francis described the women as having unkempt appearances

As police carried out door-to-door inquiries to establish more details about the alleged victims, neighbours described the area around the block in Peckford Place, where the women had been living, as a "quiet" area.

One woman, who gave her name only as Valerie, said: "Seeing all this going on is quite surprising to me. It's shocking really."

Abdul Rogers said many people did not speak to each other, adding: "I don't even know my next door neighbour. If I met them on the street now I would not be able to tell it was my next door neighbour, which is not good for community cohesion."

Kamal Francis is a regular visitor to the block of flats as his partner lives directly above where the women were held.

He told Sky News: "One would be wearing a long, baggy, cardigan and a long skirt touching the floor. They had messy hair. They were not neat people."

Investigators believe the youngest of the alleged victims may have spent her entire life as a domestic slave.

Cmdr Rodhouse said police had found her birth certificate but no further documentation.

The women lived in the Angell Town estate in Brixton

"We believe she has lived with the suspects and the other victims all her life, but of course at this early stage we are still seeking out evidence," she said.

The woman who called Freedom Charity asking for help said she had been held against her will for more than 30 years.

Aneeta Prem, who founded the organisation, said it had seen an "extraordinary" rise in calls to its helpline since the rescue of the three women came to light.

"These women have had traumatic and distributing experiences," she said.

"What needs to happen now is that the three victims, who have begun a long process of recovery, are able to go through their rehabilitation undisturbed, without being identified."

Officers said they were taking "every step" to protect the "emotionally fragile and highly vulnerable" victims.

Lambeth Council has told Sky News it is investigating whether it had ever come into contact with any of the women.

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Miliband Accuses PM Of 'Reaching A New Low'

Labour leader Ed Miliband has accused the Prime Minister of resorting to a strategy of mud-slinging in an effort to win the 2015 election.

He hit out at David Cameron for using the Paul Flowers scandal to attack his party's links to the co-operative movement.

Writing in the Independent on Sunday, Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron "hit a new low by trying to use the gross errors and misconduct of one man, Paul Flowers, to impugn the integrity of the entire Labour movement".

He said: "We all want proper answers as to what went on at the Co-operative Bank, and the public deserves better than the desperate attempts by the Tory party to score the cheapest political points, including ludicrous claims that Labour's historic links with the Co-op movement were the invention of Rev Flowers.

"Of course, the credibility of their smears was undermined when it emerged that the Chancellor himself was promoting the Co-op's bid to take over Lloyds Bank branches."

The Tories have attacked Labour's links with the Co-op Bank

The Tories have sought to highlight the close links between Labour and the Co-op, including "soft loans" at preferential rates and a £50,000 donation to Ed Balls' office from the Co-operative Group.

But Labour have used the row over the near collapse of the lender to put pressure on George Osborne over the Co-op's aborted bid for Lloyds branches.

Mr Miliband claimed the heated exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions over Labour and the Co-op, along with attacks over the trade unions and seeking to blame Andy Burnham for NHS failings, were part of a plan to fight the "dirtiest general election campaign" for 20 years, masterminded by Tory strategist Lynton Crosby.

"David Cameron cannot resist a low blow when the British public craves a politics on the high ground. His main political strategy is now to sling as much mud as possible in the hope that some of it sticks. When he does so, he demeans his office."

Mr Shapps accused Mr Miliband of 'evading serious issues'

Tory chairman Grant Shapps hit back at the Labour leader, highlighting the activities of Gordon Brown's former spin doctor Damian McBride.

"This is a pathetic attempt to evade the serious issues. Labour have big questions to answer, and when they are asked, they simply try to avoid them by claiming they are smears," he said.

"It is an obvious tactic from the party that brought you the most disgraceful smear operation of modern times, fronted by Damian McBride, and known about, encouraged and tolerated by Ed Balls and Ed Miliband.

"And McBride was simply the latest in a long line of bullying Labour spin doctors, including Alastair Campbell and Charlie Whelan. Incredibly, Labour's new campaign chief Michael Dugher used to be McBride's right-hand man - it's the same old Labour.

"We suggest they explain how the corruption at Falkirk happened, and how the Rev Flowers was allowed to become and remain an adviser, rather than dismiss legitimate questions as smears."

:: Mr Miliband has also been speaking about how his relationship with his brother David has not fully recovered, more than three years after they fought for leadership of Labour.

He told BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs the relationship was "healing" and that David was still his best friend.

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