Miliband Outlines 'One Member, One Vote' Plan

Ed Miliband wants to scrap the system which gave him a thin victory over brother David in the race for the Labour leadership and replace it with a 'one member, one vote' election.

The proposals will "let people back into our politics" and complete 20 years of unfinished business, Mr Miliband said.

He told The Guardian: "These are the biggest changes to who can become involved in the Labour Party since probably its formation."

Under the current electoral college system for leadership elections, a third of votes go to trade unions, with the same proportion for party members, MPs and MEPs.

The unions will keep their collective voice at party conferences, with 50% of the vote, and their quota of seats on the national executive, although Mr Miliband has pledged to look at this in the future.

Under changes announced by Mr Miliband last year, individual trade union members will no longer be automatically affiliated with the party through the payment of a political levy.

They will be able to take part in elections if they chose to become an affiliated member for a fee of £3, Mr Miliband revealed in the interview.

The electoral college system gave Ed a close victory over David in 2010

The party hopes this will encourage them to become more involved in campaigning and provide a new source of activists.

The reforms were sparked by the controversy surrounding the selection of Labour's candidate in Falkirk.

The Unite union was accused of signing up members in the constituency to try and influence the outcome. An internal inquiry found no evidence of wrongdoing, but some have said it did not have all of the facts.

While he hailed the reforms as a "great advance", Mr Miliband admitted the changes are a risk. There are warnings altering the automatic levy will see the party suffer a significant drop in funding.

To ease these concerns the changes will be implemented over five years.

A decision on whether to adopt the reforms will be made at a special conference in London on March 1.

Some MPs have voiced their unease with the plans. There are warnings the proposals will increase the power of unions, who could try and persuade affiliated members to back their preferred candidate.

"This would be disastrous," one former minister told the Daily Mirror.

"It could be the death of the Labour Party."

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Reception Children Face Compulsory Tests

Four-year-old children will have to sit tests when they start primary school under new Government plans.

The compulsory tests, designed to measure each child's level of development at the start of their formal schooling, will come into force by 2016 under the new proposals.

It comes after a Department for Education (DfE) consultation last year which proposed a "baseline assessment" in primary schools in order to measure how children have progressed by age 11.

The tests are to be carefully crafted to estimate a child's academic abilities in very basic literacy, reasoning and cognition, rather than testing their knowledge as in a traditional exam.

As a result, it is believed the current key stage one tests that take place at the end of year two, when most pupils are aged seven, will be scrapped.

The Government is soon expected to shortly announce the results of the consultation and reveal the new reception class test, which was first reported in The Times newspaper.

A DfE spokesperson said: "We have consulted on our proposed primary school assessment and accountability measures and we are considering our response."

Some educational campaigners fear the tests for the younger age group will place children under undue stress.

Deborah Lawson, general secretary of Voice The Union - a union representing education professionals, told Sky News: "I want to know what is the purpose? Why should we be putting children at a younger and younger age through a testing regime.

"I think also we have to remember that developmentally is this the right thing for young children?"

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Lloyds Sets Target For Women Executives

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Lloyds Banking Group is to break new ground in the debate about gender diversity in British business by pledging that 40% of its top 5,000 jobs will be occupied by women within six years.

Sky News can reveal this weekend that the taxpayer-backed lender will become the first FTSE-100 company to establish a formal gender target for its most senior management positions.

The pledge, to be outlined by Antonio Horta-Osorio, Lloyds' chief executive, in a speech next week, will come at a time of unprecedented scrutiny of boardroom diversity and governance.

Mr Horta-Osorio is expected to set the target as part of a broader set of objectives aimed at demonstrating Lloyds' awareness of its wider societal role as the UK's biggest high street lender.

Sources said that he was also planning to establish formal annual goals for lending to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) and to first-time house-buyers.

Targets for the number of female executives and a commitment to the level of funding for Lloyds' charitable causes would be made over a six-year period, they added.

It is the gender diversity target, which will entail the appointment of an additional 600 women to senior jobs at Lloyds by 2020, that is likely to attract the greatest attention.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News, Fiona Cannon, the bank's director of diversity and inclusion, said the initiative made sound business sense.

Fiona Cannon says the workforce should reflect the diversity of customers

"One of our visions is to be the best bank for customers. As the largest UK bank we are located in communities across the country and our customers are incredibly diverse," she said.

"There is a whole body of research suggesting that where organisations have a diverse senior management team they are much more financially successful than those that do not."

The Lloyds executive said that a 40% target was stretching but achievable. 28% of the bank's top 5000 jobs are currently held by women, a spokesman said.

"Creating an organisation that is meritocratic is good for everyone, not just for women," Ms Cannon said.

Lloyds' pledge comes amid mixed results from a concerted push in recent years to get more women elevated to board positions, with advocates arguing that greater diversity improves the stewardship of major companies.

That argument has acquired more weight in the aftermath of the financial crisis, although empirical evidence backing the superior performance of boards populated by women remains patchy.

The Government has thrown its weight behind a voluntary campaign to ensure that 25% of the directorships of FTSE-100 companies are held by women by the end of next year and has threatened to impose formal quotas if the objective is not met.

Since the initiative was launched by the former Trade Minister, Lord Davies, the proportion of women on boards has grown from 12% to 20%.

However, amid additional pressure from Brussels for the introduction of legally-binding quotas, there are concerns that the pace of change has been insufficiently rapid.

Vince Cable supports voluntary targets for women on boards

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, said he supported Lloyds' work and hoped it would become a template for other major businesses.

"We are not tapping into the talents of half the population. If we are going to get proper balanced representation in companies, it has got to start with senior executives, working up to chief executive level," he said.

Mr Cable has been a supporter of voluntary rather than mandatory targets for women on boards, saying there was little evidence that more female leadership of financial institutions would have averted the 2008 banking crisis.

"I don't buy into that stereotype one way or the other," he said.

"All the evidence we have suggests that companies which do make use of the female labour force do very well at the top end. We need to make sure that becomes standard practice in the UK."

Lloyds' plan to announce the gender target is understood to have been signed off by the bank's board on Friday, less than two weeks before it reports full-year results for 2013.

The company, which provoked a row with Mr Cable by axing more than 1000 jobs this week, is preparing for a return to full private sector ownership in the coming months.

Ms Cannon dismissed the idea that Lloyds' proposals could be labelled as a publicity stunt, although critics of gender targets have argued that they are tokenistic and risk promoting mediocrity at the expense of genuine talent.

The 'gene pool' of available women to fill senior positions is questioned

Only four FTSE-100 companies - Burberry, easyJet, Imperial Tobacco and Royal Mail - have female bosses. Severn Trent, the water company, has also named a woman as its next chief executive, although Angela Ahrendts, the boss of Burberry, has resigned to take up a role with Apple.

Even fewer companies have a female chairman, with reform-minded businesspeople urging the pipeline of executives to be bolstered in order to facilitate future boardroom appointments.

Speaking to Sky News, Ruth Lea, an economist and director of Arbuthnot Banking Group, said doubts remained about the "gene pool" of available women to fill senior positions.

"I don't think positive discrimination is the best way forward for women. It breathes tokenism and suggests that somehow women cannot make it on their own merits," she said.

"It isn't a matter of discrimination. There simply isn't the gene pool of qualified and experienced women in comparison with the number of men. Men and women make different choices about their lifestyles and careers."

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Weather: Rain And High Tides Are 'Risk To Life'

Heavy rain, large waves and strong winds wreaked havoc in Britain and Ireland today, cancelling flights and sparking a "significant risk to life" warning.

The worst of the weather was battering the Republic of Ireland and gusts are expected to pick up across Wales and southern parts of England during the day.

Flooding in central Limerick, Ireland (pic: Sean Keogh/@Fame_For_Sale)

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is to chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra emergencies committee by conference call at 3pm.

The Environment Agency warned "extraordinary measures" may be taken in Gloucestershire today to keep back tidal and river floods.

England and Wales are covered by flood warnings and alerts

It issued severe flood warnings - meaning there is an imminent danger to life - for several parts of the county and the coasts of Cornwall and north Devon.

Further warnings are in place along the length of the River Severn amid fears it could burst its banks.

Flood barriers have already been installed in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and Bewdley, Worcestershire, as the water level rises.

River Parrett in Burrowbridge in the 1960s when it was regularly dredged In Spring 2013, without dregdging (pic Flooding on the Levels Action Group) The same river today

The Environment Agency warned against all non-essential travel amid fears drivers could become stranded, while Gloucestershire Police urged people to stay away from river banks.

Lesser warnings remain in place for many parts of Britain, including the already blighted Somerset levels and west Wales, where 49 flood warnings and 15 alerts have been issued this morning.

In the the Republic of Ireland, there were reports of severe flooding in Limerick City with the river Shannon bursting its banks.

With gusts of almost 80mph in coastal areas of the country, several parts were hit by flooding and at one stage 5,500 homes and properties were left without power, 4,000 of them in Ennis, Co Clare.

The Severn laps over a road in Arley, Worcestershire. Pic: Neill Woodward

Flights out of Dublin airport were affected because of the gales force winds. Flights to Manchester, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Cardiff, Paris and Madrid had to be cancelled.

Isabel Webster, reporting from the River Parrett in Burrowbridge, Somerset, tweeted at 8.30am: "High tide in Burrowbridge this morning. It's just touching the sand bags."

Minutes later she tweeted: "Water is seeping through giant sandbags onto road beyond at high tide here in Burrowbridge."

Amid fears the bags would not hold back the water an emergency team from the Environment Agency, rushed to the scene to bolster the defences.

As heavy rain fell in the South, snow swept across parts of the North

There are fears that flooding in the area will worsen as river levels rise over the coming hours and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, David Cameron has admitted a "long-term" action plan is needed to reduce the devastating impact of flooding on communities.

He insisted the Government was doing "everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible".

However, he admitted there was work to do, especially in Somerset, where some residents remain cut off after the wettest January on record.

Residents in the village of Muchelney, Somerset, have been cut off

In a letter to the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "Like everybody across the country I feel enormous sympathy for the people who live on the Somerset Levels and are suffering from the devastating impact of the flooding."

He added: "We need long-term action to reduce the risk of this happening again. That is why (Environment Secretary) Owen Paterson is working with the Environment Agency (EA) and local agencies in Somerset to deliver a robust plan for the next 20 years."

The Prime Minister said plans to dredge rivers will begin "as soon it is safe to do so" and the EA will spend "the coming months improving river flows" across the south west, dredging and weed clearance.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has claimed a lack of river dredging for the past 40 years has worsened the impact of the flooding in Somerset.

"The EA decided to abandon the dredging for the sake of the river bank and they sold the wonderful dredging machines for scrap," said the dairy farmer.

"Can you believe it? That was 40 years ago. This (flooding) is the result of that decision."

In the Republic of Ireland, Munster, Leinster, Connacht, Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan were told to prepare for possible flooding, while communities in west Wales and along the south coast from Dorset to Kent were also put on alert.

Hundreds of university students in Aberystwyth were told to leave accommodation on the town's seafront amid fears high tides could hit the town for the second time in a month.

Wintry weather swept across northern areas on Friday, closing the Lake District's exposed Kirkstone Pass and causing hazardous driving conditions elsewhere.

The latest forecasts will be met with trepidation in flood-stricken communities in Somerset, where the military is on standby to help with the relief effort.

On Tuesday, Prince Charles will meet people who remain cut off by water after the wettest January on record.

Some residents have criticised the Government and the Environment Agency for what they say is a lack of action to prevent the floods.

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Baby Boy's Death: Mother Arrested In Oldham

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police are questioning a mother on suspicion of murdering her seven-week-old baby in Oldham.

The 23-year-old mother's partner, a man aged 35, and the couple's lodger, a 26-year-old man, have also been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby, named locally as Thomas Gacek, was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious head injuries last Saturday.

Hospital staff contacted police and the child's mother and her partner were originally arrested on suspicion of assault.

Following the baby's death and the results of a postmortem examination they were re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby was taken to Royal Oldham Hospital

Along with their lodger they are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

All three remain in police custody.

Detectives are searching the house where the child lived in the Clarksfield area of Oldham.

The couple's next door neighbour, who did not want to be named, told Sky News she was "shocked" to hear the news.

She said she understood the couple had only moved into the house in November and said they had put up balloons and banners when the baby was born.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the child's father.

The infant died at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Detective Inspector Andy Cunliffe from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "This is a tragic case in which a very young baby has lost his life.

"We are determined to find out exactly what the circumstances were that led to him suffering such injuries.

"News of the death of such a little boy will no doubt come as a great shock to people.

"And I would like to try to reassure the community as much as I can that we have a team of detectives dedicated to working on this investigation, and they will today be interviewing the three people in our custody.

"If anyone has any information at all that they believe may assist us with our enquiries, then please get in touch and tell us what you know."

Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP's Major Incident Team on 0161 856 1722 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Live Updates: Phone Hacking Trial

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Sellafield Nuclear Workers Told To Stay Home

Non-essential staff at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria have been asked to stay at home due to elevated radiation levels.

The plant was operating normally but with "reduced manning levels" while the cause of the higher reading at the north end of the site was investigated.

"Levels of radioactivity detected are above naturally occurring radiation but well below that which would call for any actions to be taken by the workforce on or off the site," it said in a statement.

All day personnel were asked to stay home unless specifically requested to report for duty but that laundry, canteen, utilities and transport staff were told to work as normal.

Those who could work from home were advised to do so if that was approved by their supervisors.

Sellafield later tweeted that it had found no evidence of a nuclear event.

"No risk to the workforce or the public, and no evidence of a nuclear event. All measures taken as a precaution," it said.

Nuclear expert Malcolm Grimston told Sky News that Sellafield was taking sensible steps.

"They have very carefully set out plans for anything of this nature and they'll simply be following those plans," said Mr Grimston.

A 2012 report by the National Audit Office said some facilities at the 68-year-old site had "deteriorated so much that their contents pose significant risks to people and the environment".

Sellafield, the UK's largest and most hazardous nuclear site, stores enough high and intermediate level radioactive waste to fill 27 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

It also has two nuclear plants which are currently being decommissioned.

The cost of cleaning up the waste at Sellafield has been put at £67.5bn.

In 1957, the UK's worst nuclear disaster also occurred at the site when one of the nuclear reactors caught fire, releasing radioactive material that spread across the UK and Europe.

The Government has announced that it wants to build a new nuclear reactor at Sellafield by 2025.

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Midwife Shortage 'Putting Mums-To-Be At Risk'

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

Maternity services in the UK are at risk from a national shortage of 2,300 midwives and lack of NHS funding, MPs have said.

The damning report by the Public Accounts Committee criticised the Department of Health and NHS England for being unable to tell it who is accountable for "ensuring something as fundamental" as whether the NHS has enough midwives.

It said it had gathered evidence that "many maternity services are running at a loss, or at best breaking even, and that the available funding may be insufficient for trusts to employ enough midwives and consultants to provide high quality, safe care".

The cross-party group of MPs also said more than a quarter of maternity units had to close to new patients for half a day or more between April and September 2012, with one of the reasons being a lack of midwives.

Expectant mother Nikki Cornfield, waiting to give birth at St George's Hospital in Tooting, told Sky News that she agreed with some of its findings.

She said: "I think the care is excellent, let me say that first of all. The staff are brilliant and they are doing a really good job.

"But often, there just aren't enough of them. They're just busy, busy, busy.

"At one point yesterday it looked like I was going to be induced, but there wasn't sufficient staff to do it."

The report said: "Although there has been a welcome increase in midwives, there is still a national shortage of some 2,300 midwives required to meet current birth rates.

Expectant mum Nikki Cornfield said there are not enough staff in hospitals

"Pressure on staff leads to low morale and nearly one-third of midwives with less than 10 years' work experience are intending to leave the profession within a year."

Labour MP Margaret Hodge, who chairs the committee, said: "The vast majority of women who use NHS services to have their babies have good experiences, but outcomes and performance could still be much better.

"Despite an overall increase in the number of midwives there is still a shortage of 2,300 that are required to meet current birth rates - a truly worrying figure.

"What's more, the Department of Health and NHS England struggled to tell my committee who is accountable for ensuring something as fundamental as whether the NHS has enough midwives."

But Minister for Health and Maternity Dr Dan Poulter argued that the "NHS remains one of the safest places in the world to give birth" and added that "most women would recommend their maternity care to their friends and family".

He said: "We have reversed the historic decline in midwife numbers. There are now 1,500 more working in our NHS and we have a record 5,000 in training.

MPs have said there is a national shortage of 2,300 midwives

"The number of consultants working on maternity wards has gone up too. But of course there is always much more to do.

"We are investing significantly in improvements to maternity services right across the country so women have more choice and a better environment when giving birth."

The report also found that rates of stillbirth and babies dying within seven days of birth were still higher in England than other UK nations and there was too much variation in the quality of care offered by different trusts.

The MPs also called for women to be given more choice over where to give birth, with research on more than 5,000 women showing that only a quarter wanted to give birth in a hospital obstetric unit.

Nevertheless, 87% of women gave birth in this setting in 2012.

Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "Maternity services are many thousands of midwives short of the number needed to deliver safe, high quality care.

"The birth rate remains exceptionally high and as this and the National Audit Office report state, births are also becoming increasingly complex.

"This puts even more demands on midwives and maternity services.

"We are seeing areas such as antenatal and postnatal care in particular suffering because trusts often do not have enough midwives to provide consistent and high quality care before and after pregnancy."

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Flooding: Army On Standby As Heavy Rain Hits

The Army is on standby to move in to flood-hit Somerset, with further heavy rain and high tides due to hit parts of the UK in the next 48 hours.

An amber severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for southwest England on Friday, parts of which have been flooded for more than a month.

The public has been warned of significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels.

Northern Ireland, Wales, the South East have yellow weather warnings for rain and Northern Ireland is also expected to be affected by strong gales into the weekend.

A Land Rover makes its way through floodwaters in Muchelney

Military officials were on the ground in Somerset on Thursday to draw up contingency plans amid fears of further flooding.

Pat Flaherty, deputy chief executive of Somerset County Council, said: "With potential for high winds and high tides and more rain... falling on an already soaked catchment we have potential for further flooding over the weekend.

"And with that, ongoing flooding for a number of weeks to come.

"We're still working very closely with the military who remain in Somerset, planning with us and we also have the resilience of knowing that their equipment  and personnel are ready to be mobilised should we require them."

Flood-damaged furniture outside a farm near Langport, Somerset

The Ministry of Defence has tweeted that personnel involved in helping with Somerset floods are drawn from all three services, with the majority from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

In addition to vehicle crews, up to 100 military personnel are on stand-by for duties likely to include sandbag filling and loading.

The Red Cross has also sent the 7.5-ton Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater.

Drainage experts blame two decades of under-investment in flood defence work for turning the Levels into a "disaster area" and said it was "very, very urgent" that rivers are dredged to prevent more damage to homes, livelihoods and wildlife.

Flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency on Friday

Despite coming under fire from MPs and local councils, the Environment Agency (EA) insists that increased dredging of the rivers would not have prevented the recent flooding and was "often not the best long-term or economic solution".

The EA has issued 43 flood warnings on Friday - most in the Midlands surrounding the River Severn.

Flood barriers have been put up at Frankwell in Shrewsbury and temporary defences are also set to be erected at Bewdley on the Severn.

Another 162 less severe flood alerts are also in place, mostly in the South East.

Rain will sweep into the western UK from Friday afternoon

Teams have been running dozens of pumps to try and drain away an estimated 1.5 million ton of water in Somerset - the equivalent of 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

University students in Aberystwyth, Wales, have also been told to leave the seaside resort over fears high tides could hit the town for the second time in a month.

Coastal areas in the South West, parts of the South East, North West, Yorkshire and Hull could also be affected by high tides, rain and strong winds.

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Shrien Dewani Loses Bid To Delay Extradition

The family of a woman murdered on honeymoon in South Africa say they are a step closer to "getting justice" after her husband, who is accused of killing her, lost a High Court bid to delay his extradition.

Three judges ruled it would not be "unjust and oppressive" to extradite Shrien Dewani, if the South African authorities gave a commitment over how long he would be kept in the country without trial.

The country's government has signalled it would give such an undertaking, the court heard.

Dewani, who is currently being held in hospital under the Mental Health Act, faces allegations that he hired a hitman to kill his 28-year-old bride, who was shot dead on the outskirts of Cape Town in November 2010.

Anni Dewani's family said the ruling was a step closer to getting justice

Authorities in South Africa say Dewani, 33, paid for others to hijack their taxi, throw him out and shoot her before abandoning the vehicle - claims he strongly denies.

He has been fighting his extradition from the UK to face trial over his wife's death until he is fit to stand trial.

His lawyers have stressed at various hearings that he will be willing to defend himself in court once he has recovered.

A lawyer for the South African government said it was "delighted" with the court's ruling and expected it would be able to give the undertaking required, but needed 14 days "for final clarification".

Speaking on behalf of the family outside London's High Court, Amit Karia, a first cousin to Anni said: "We are happy with the judgement. We have waited for it for three years, three months."

He said: "It seems a step closer to finally getting justice for our Anni."

But he warned there was still a possibility of Dewani launching a last-ditch appeal over the ruling to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land.

Mr Karia said: "We are always worried and don't take anything for granted."

He described the situation for Mrs Dewani's parents as "immensely difficult - they do not have normal life anymore."

He added: "They just want the truth - that is all we have ever wanted."

So far three men have been convicted over Mrs Dewani's death.

South African Xolile Mngeni was convicted of premeditated murder for shooting her.

Prosecutors claimed that he was a hitman hired to carry out the killing.

Taxi driver Zola Tongo was jailed for 18 years after he admitted his part in the killing, and another accomplice, Mziwamadoda Qwabe, also pleaded guilty to murder and was given a 25-year prison sentence.

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Flooding: Military Ride To Rescue In Somerset

Military planners have swung into action as part of a ramped up relief effort to help areas hit by severe flooding.

Service personnel on the ground told Sky News that they were assessing the situation, and seeing what practical help they can given to residents in Somerset.

The Government's emergency Cobra committee is to meet again later.

It comes as more heavy rain and high winds are forecast into the weekend, raising concerns of further flooding.

Troops accompany a local authority official to survey flood-hit areas

Speaking about the military operation in Somerset, Major Al Robinson of the Royal Engineers told Sky News: "We are currently on reconnaissance, working in support of Somerset County Council.

"We are looking at the key areas under threat, and specifically at routes in and out the area, particularly at what we might be able to do in terms of assisting the local authority, particularly in the removal of waste and rubbish, and support current planning."

A local authority official accompanying the troops, said: "It's a general reconnaissance, showing them the flooding situation."

The Ministry of Defence has tweeted that personnel involved in helping with Somerset floods are drawn from all three services, with the majority from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

In addition to vehicle crews, up to 100 military personnel are on stand-by for duties likely to include sandbag filling and loading.

The Red Cross has also sent the 7.5-tonne Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater, which has also been used to help people stranded on the Somerset Levels after nearly a month of flooding.

On Wednesday, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said specialist Army vehicles could be drafted in to help tackle the flooding, delivering food and sandbags and transporting people.

Parts of the Somerset Levels have been flooded since Christmas

His intervention came after David Cameron said rapid action is needed to deal with floodwaters in the Somerset Levels and promised the dredging of rivers would begin as soon as water levels were reduced to a safe level.

The Government said the first time Somerset County Council had requested assistance was on Wednesday, but the deputy leader of the authority David Hall told Sky News they had been asking for help "for weeks".

Welcoming the deployment of troops, he said: "We will have more support for the things we are already doing, supplying the essential services and support for people who have really in some cases been cut off and marooned for very many days and weeks.

The British Red Cross has sent a Unimog supply vehicle to the affected area

"We will have more capacity to help us with that."

They would also provide the flexibility to "react very quickly" if weather conditions worsened.

Sky's weather presenter Isobel Lang said Somerset is particularly at risk of further flooding given the low-lying nature of the Somerset Levels and Moors, and that the forecast rain will probably be heaviest in the west.

The arrival of the military came as farmers, politicians and church leaders demanded immediate action to alleviate what furious residents describe as "Third World" conditions.

Many parts of the Levels have been flooded since Christmas and there are fears it could be months before the water is completely pumped away.

Sky's Kay Burley tweeted this picture of the road to Muchelney in Somerset

Teams from the Environment Agency (EA) have been running dozens of pumps around the clock to drain away an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of water - the equivalent of 600 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Drainage experts blame two decades of under-investment in flood defence work for turning the Levels into a "disaster area" and said it was "very, very urgent" that rivers are dredged to prevent more damage to homes, livelihoods and wildlife.

Despite coming under fire from MPs and local councils, the EA insists that increased dredging of the rivers would not have prevented the recent flooding and was "often not the best long-term or economic solution".

Flood victims had become so desperate that Somerset County Council leader John Osman said the authority had been prepared to place its own order for amphibious vehicles out of public funds.

Flood warnings in place across the UK

He added that some residents were being forced to pay insurance excesses of up to £35,000 in some of the worst-hit areas.

The Environment Agency has issued 30 flood warnings - where flooding is expected and immediate action required - mostly in the Southwest and Midlands. Another 157 flood alerts are also in place.

Labour's shadow environment secretary Maria Eagle said: "Almost a week after Somerset County Council declared the flooding a major incident, the Government has finally decided to respond."

She accused Mr Paterson of "dithering" and failing to take flooding seriously.

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Rachael Slack Murder 'Could Not Be Predicted'

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A serious case review has found that the murders of a mother and her young son could not have been "reasonably predicted", even though she told police about threats to kill them days before they were stabbed to death.

Rachael Slack, 38, and her 23-month-old son Auden were found with 48 stab wounds at their home in the picturesque village of Holbrook, Derbyshire, on June 2, 2010.

They were killed by Ms Slack's former partner and Auden's father, 44-year-old Andrew Cairns, who had a history of mental illness, and was angry that she was in a new relationship, and pregnant.

He then took his own life.

Police deemed Ms Slack to be at "high risk" of being murdered - but did not tell her.

Ms Slack's partner at the time said she was frightened - but was not convinced Cairns would hurt her.

"Both Rachael and I were very alert, very wary in the evening," Robert Barlow told Sky News.

"We made sure everything was locked, we had plenty of communication in the day - texts, phone calls, but it still comes down to, if some professional body had told myself or Rachael that she was at high risk of homicide, we would definitely have done things differently."

The report makes no mention of an inquest finding that officers failed Ms Slack and Auden.

Derbyshire Constabulary say they now deal with domestic abuse differently.

"What we've now done is to ensure that every victim assessed by us as high risk, we're absolutely explicit, so they understand exactly where our risk assessment takes us," said ACC Karl Smethem.

"Then we can talk through written down protective measures we might suggest and they might be able to agree to in order to protect them better."

Other recommendations have featured in serious case reviews both locally and nationally for years.

The review found that agencies had focussed on the needs of Cairns, who had depression and possibly a personality disorder, rather than the needs of Auden and Ms Slack.

Christine Cassell, independent chair of the Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: "A strong priority for DSCB is making sure that agencies understand that they must think about the entire family, that regardless of the person they're working with primarily they must think about the implications for other vulnerable people in the family, whether it's a vulnerable adult or a child or children."

It also found that police and health professionals had been acting in isolation, not recording events properly, and not sharing information.

While agencies say they have already put their learning from this case into action, Ms Slack's family say they will pursue a civil claim.

Domestic violence charity Refuge released a statement responding to the Serious Case Review.

Chief executive Sandra Horley, CBE, said: "I am concerned that the review describes incidents of murder/suicide involving a family with a child as 'incredibly rare'.

"The truth is that domestic homicide is alarmingly common. Every week two women are killed by current or former partners in England and Wales.

"Analysis of serious case reviews has also found that domestic violence was a factor in the lives of 63% children who were seriously harmed or killed between 2009-2011.

"All too often, victims of domestic violence do not get the support and protection they deserve.

"That's why Refuge is calling on the Government to open a public inquiry into the police and state response to victims of domestic violence.

"We need the Government to take a coordinated approach to understand why so many women and children experiencing domestic violence continue to be badly let down."

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Immigration Bill: Govt Braced For Rebellion

By Darren McCaffrey, Political Reporter

The Home Secretary has announced a last-minute change to the Immigration Bill so British terror suspects can be stripped of their citizenship, even if it leaves them stateless.

It comes as the Government faces a significant backbench rebellion later, with Conservative MPs calling for tougher measures in the new legislation as the debate gets under way in the House of Commons.

Theresa May has tabled an amendment which will allow the removal of a UK passport from any person whose conduct is deemed "seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the UK".

The Home Secretary already has the power to take away British citizenship from those with dual nationality.

But this change would allow her to make people stateless if they have been naturalised as a British citizen.

The Home Office insisted powers to make British citizens stateless will be used sparingly and in strict accordance with the UK's international obligations.

Theresa May tabled an amendment which could face a Conservative rebellion

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said: "Those who threaten this country's security put us all at risk. This Government will take all necessary steps to protect the public.

"Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. These proposals will strengthen the Home Secretary's powers to ensure that very dangerous individuals can be excluded if it is in the public interest to do so."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also backed the move. Speaking during his weekly LBC radio phone-in, the Lib Dem leader said while plans that would allow terror suspects to have their citizenship revoked were "controversial", they were "justified".

Up to 70 Conservative backbenchers have signed a tweaked amendment to the legislation, originally tabled by Nigel Mills MP, calling on the Government to reinstate restrictions on migrants from Romania and Bulgaria working in Britain until the end of 2018.

Meanwhile a further 100 MPs have come out in support of a move by Tory MP Dominic Raab to completely block foreign criminals appealing deportation by claiming a right to a "family life" in the UK.

Mr Raab's amendment - which would give the Home Secretary rather than judges the final say over whether deportation would breach the human rights of foreign criminals - has been selected by the Speaker and will be voted on.

More than 200 foreign criminals successfully challenge deportation on human rights grounds every year, with around 90% relying on the "right to private and family life" set out under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Foreign criminals who can prove they face torture, ill-treatment or death in their home country will still be able to overturn deportation orders under separate human rights measures.

David Cameron is seeking to minimise a rebellion by reassuring backbenchers he shares their concerns, but has appealed for them to allow legislation to proceed uninhibited.

He told MPs yesterday at Prime Minister's Questions: "The Immigration Bill makes all of those important changes and many more besides, including making it possible for us to deport people who don't face arrest back in their own country before they have appealed and they can appeal from overseas.

The plans would allow terror suspects to have their passports revoked

"These are all very good changes and I hope that we won't delay too much before passing this important Bill."

While the Government has refused repeated calls to publish estimates of the number of Bulgarians and Romanians expected to arrive this year, the Prime Minister said early signs seemed to be acceptable.

Though the Prime Minister rushed through new measures to ensure EU migrants are unable to claim out-of-work benefits for their first three months in the UK, this was not enough to satisfy Mr Mills and his backers.

However, Mr Mills has lost the significant support of influential backbencher Douglas Carswell MP, who despite having signed the amendment announced he would no longer vote for it.

He said: "If we want to restrict the free movement of people into Britain from the European Union, then there is only one thing we can do - leave."

Other measures the Government has already announced include migrants having to pay for primary care services such as minor surgery carried out by GPs, while prescription charges will be extended.

The Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary unveiled proposals that would see jobless migrants from within the European Union denied access to housing benefit from April this year.

When asked, Downing Street said the Government was considering all amendments.

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Lee Rigby Killer Adebolajo Lodges Appeal

Michael Adebolajo, one of two men found guilty of murdering off-duty soldier Lee Rigby, is appealing his conviction.

The 29-year-old's decision follows his conviction along with co-defendant Michael Adebowale, 22, last month.

Adebolajo's brother, Jeremiah, told Sky News he knew of the application but did not want to comment on the details.

He said he was not aware anything had changed in his brother's outlook since he tried to justify his actions while giving evidence during the trial.  

The pair, who had been lying in wait near Woolwich Barracks, assumed the 25-year-old was a soldier as he was wearing a Help for Heroes hooded top and carrying a camouflage rucksack.

Lee Rigby had served in Cyprus, Germany, and Afghanistan

The British Muslim converts ran Fusilier Rigby down in a car before hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives in a frenzied attack.

They dumped his body in the middle of the road close to the barracks in southeast London on May 22, 2013.

Shocking footage of Adebolajo, with bloodied hands confessing to the killing and claiming his actions were "an eye for an eye", was shown during the trial.

Both men were shot by police in scenes captured by CCTV.

Adebowale (pictured) said he was a 'soldier of Allah'

Adebolajo was seen dropping the meat cleaver as he sprinted across the road towards a police car. He collapsed to the ground when he was shot.

Adebowale was seen folding over as he was shot by one of three armed officers.

Both men asked to be called by their adopted Islamic names in court - Adebolajo as Mujahid Abu Hamza, and Adebowale as Ismail Ibn Abdullah.

They claimed they carried out the murder because they were "soldiers of Allah".

Mr Justice Sweeney said he will sentence the pair after a key Court of Appeal ruling on the use of whole-life jail terms.

A date for the ruling has not been announced following a recent hearing before a panel of five leading judges.

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Record Rainfall For January, And More To Come

Heavy rain will sweep across most of the UK on Friday bringing the risk of further flooding in Somerset as new figures show parts of the south saw the wettest January since 1910.

The Met Office said the UK would see between 10mm and 20mm of rain, which, combined with high spring tides and saturated ground, could cause more misery for places like Somerset.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said: "During tomorrow an Atlantic frontal system will sweep across us bringing in strong winds, heavy rain and mountain snow

"The highest rainfall is likely to be across the west, especially across Wales and southwest England, although the south still looks more at risk from flooding due to a combination of recent rain, high ground water and river levels."

A military Land Rover negotiates a flooded road in Somerset

It comes as southeast and central southern England recorded the wettest January since records began in 1910.

The Met Office statistics reveal both regions have received more than twice their average rainfall with 175.2mm between January 1 and 28. This beats the previous record of 158.2mm set in January 1988.

A large area from East Devon to Kent and inland across parts of the Midlands has already seen twice the average rainfall for the month.

Southwest England and south Wales saw the fifth wettest January on record with rainfall reaching 222.6mm up to January 28. It was the wettest since 1995, when 224.4mm fell.

A flooded road in Somerset

The wettest January on record in this region was in 1948, when 244.3mm of rain was recorded.

Although the UK as a whole has seen above average rainfall in January, Scotland only saw a 6% increase while Northern Ireland saw a 25% rise and England 35%.

Inverness and Kinross in Scotland were drier than normal.

"For the UK as a whole, 164.6 mm of rain has fallen so far this month, 35% above the long-term average, with all nations having above average rainfall," a Met Office spokesman said.

"We have seen quite a contrast from south to north across the UK, with northern Scotland having received 85% of its long-term average rainfall so far this month, a sharp contrast to the 200% over southern England."

The wet weather has been accompanied by milder temperatures with the mean temperature across the UK up to January 28 at 4.9C, 1.2C above average.

"The main reason for the mild and wet weather so far is that we have seen a predominance of west and south-west winds, bringing in mild air from the Atlantic - as well as the unsettled and at times stormy conditions."

The wettest winter on record was in 1915 with 437.1mm of rainfall.

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Smoking In Cars With Children Ban Bid

By Ashish Joshi, Sky Correspondent

Smoking in cars when children are present could soon become illegal.

Peers are set to vote on the issue and Labour wants to see the creation of a specific offence claiming the move will help save to lives.

A ban is already in place in parts of the world including some states in America, Australia, Canada and a few countries in Europe.

Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham says it is time Britain followed suit.

He said: "When it comes to improving the health of children, we are duty bound to consider any measure that might make a difference.

"Adults are free to make their own choices but that often does not apply to children and that's why society has an obligation to protect them from preventable harm.

"Evidence from other countries shows that stopping smoking in the confined space of a car carrying children can prevent damage to their health and has strong public support."

But pro-smoking groups think a ban is disproportionate.

They insist most adult smokers choose not to smoke when they are in a car with children.

They are also angry at what they see as a stealth ban, after smoking in enclosed public spaces was made illegal.

They fear the prohibition will eventually be extended into people's homes.

Simon Clark, director of Forest, said: "I think this legislation is very heavy-handed, totally unnecessary and according to surveys 84% of adults wouldn't dream of lighting a cigarette in a car, in a small enclosed space with a child present.

"So adults already know how to behave, they don't need the state interfering in their lives like this. If there are still some people who smoke in a car with children, then lets educate them, but lets not legislate.

"It's almost going to be impossible to enforce anyway and the danger is that the police will have to ban smoking in all cars.

"We could have a situation were a lone driver, in his own car will be committing an offence by lighting a cigarette and what's the next logical step after that? Are we going to ban smoking in the home as well if children are present."

According to supporters of the ban there is overwhelming public support.

Labour cites a YouGov poll from 2011 that found 78% of adults in Great Britain agreeing that smoking should be banned in cars carrying children younger than 18 years of age, while 44% agreed that smoking should be banned in all cars.

And to support its case further it quotes a Mumnsnet survey that found 86% of respondents supported a ban (including 83% of smokers).

Some smokers think leaving a window open will protect their younger passengers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, but that argument has been dismissed by experts.

Professor Robert West , from UCL, has extensively studied the potential dangers of second hand tobacco smoke: "We know that the smoke is toxic, we know that the smoke has carcinogens in it.

"If you imagine someone lighting up a cigarette in a club lets say, you would know about it within seconds the other side of the room. In a car it is a much more confined space.

"If you can smell smoke you are being exposed to carcinogens, so you don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that even if you are trying to smoke out the window the child in the back is going to be exposed to carcinogens."

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William Roache: Corrie's 'Deirdre' In Court

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent, at Preston Crown Court

Coronation Street stars have been arriving at court to support William Roache who is on trial on charges of sexual offences against girls.

Anne Kirkbride, who plays the actor's on-screen wife Deirdre Barlow, was the first to arrive at Preston Crown Court.

She was followed by Chris Gascoyne, who plays his fictional son Peter Barlow. 

Helen Worth who plays the character of Gail Platt is also at court.

Roache arrives at court with his son Linus and daughter Verity

All three actors have been called as part of Roache's defence case. 

All the offences are alleged to have happened between 1965 and 1971 and all are said to be against girls aged 16 or under.

The 81-year-old actor of Wilmslow in Cheshire, who has played the role of Ken Barlow since 1960, denies four charges of indecent assault and two of rape and has told the jury he is not sexually attracted to underage girls.

Granada location manager John Newman earlier told the jury that security at the Coronation Street studios in Manchester was very tight. 

He said that strangers found in the corridors would be challenged.

Mr Newman said that he had once had Manchester's Lord Mayor removed because he had not recognised him.

Under cross-examination Mr. Newman said he had had no connection with the Granada studios in the 1960s and that the security level had intensified in recent years.

More follows...

For live updates from the trial, click here.

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Report: Average House Price Up 8.8% In 2013

UK house prices climbed by an annual rate of 8.8% in January, extending the fastest pace of increase since 2010.

According to the Nationwide, values were up in January by 0.7% month-on-month, making the average home worth £176,491.

The high street lender said it was the 13th continuous monthly rise as confidence in the economy returns.

But it said prices are still around 4% beneath the peak levels of 2007.

The results come just a day after the Office for National Statistics revealed UK economic growth in 2013 reached 1.9%, with four quarters of growth.

Nationwide's chief economist Robert Gardner said: "The housing market is continuing to gather momentum on the back of further solid gains in employment, record low mortgage rates and rising confidence."

Mr Gardner said indications were that the sector is approaching pre-recession "normal levels".

HM Revenue and Customs revealed that last month a total of 103,000 house sales occurred across the country.

That figure was a rise of 30% on the same month in 2012.

The British Bankers' Association recently said that mortgage approvals hit 46,000 in December and the figure was the highest number for six years.

Mr Gardner added: "The pick-up in activity appears to be fairly broad-based, and it is encouraging that first-time buyers are a key driving factor behind the upturn."

On Tuesday, the Government said that nearly 13,000 Help To Buy scheme new build loans occurred since its launch nine months ago.

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Weather: Floods Feared As Insurance Bill Rises

Residents in parts of the South West are preparing for more flooding as fresh warnings are issued and more showers forecast.

The Environment Agency has issued some 24 flood warnings and 151 flood alerts, mostly in the South East and South West.

Residents have been advised to take immediate action in areas including the River Severn and Severn Ham, Lower Frome from Dorchester for Wareham, the South Winterbourne Valley and the River Yeo from Yeovil to Langport.

More showers were expected across England and Wales today although forecasters said they should clear by this afternoon. It is also forecast to be cold and icy across parts of Scotland.

Tomorrow, rain is also expected to spread across the Republic into Northern Ireland and there will be more patchy rain for southeast England

The weather warnings come as it is revealed insurance claims from the floods and storms over Christmas and the New Year could reach £426m.

A number of farmers in Somerset have been hit by the weather

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that between 23 December 2013 and 8 January 2014, insurers dealt with some 174,000 claims for damage to homes, businesses and cars.

Aidan Kerr, ABI spokesperson said: "Insurers are playing a crucial role in helping customers affected by the storms and floods recover.

"Together with loss adjusters, insurers reacted quickly to help flood victims get through Christmas. Insurers will continue to work closely with customers to ensure the repair process is completed as soon as possible.

"This was a traumatic event for those affected, and shows the importance of having adequate property insurance. The insurance industry is fully prepared to deal with the damage caused by bad weather like this."

The Environment Agency has advised claimants to request insurance pay for repairs that will better protect properties from flooding in future.

Claimants should also mark the height of flood water on the wall with a permanent marker in all flooded rooms and take pictures of property damage.

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Failures Blamed For Red Arrows Pilot's Death

Red Arrows pilot Sean Cunningham died because of "serious communication failures" and RAF training issues, an inquest has decided.

Giving a narrative verdict, the coroner described as "very serious" ejector seat manufacturer Martin Baker's failure to pass on a "risk to life warning" about ejector seat bolts to the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Flight Lieutenant Cunningham died because he did not separate from the Mk10 ejector seat and his parachute did not deploy because a shackle jammed, the verdict said.

The 35-year-old Iraq War veteran suffered fatal injuries when he was propelled 200-300ft in the air from his Hawk T1 aircraft while it was on the ground at RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire, in November 2011.

Central Lincolnshire coroner Stuart Fisher has heard nearly three weeks of evidence concerning the death. 

In his verdict, Mr Fisher described how a shouldering bolt fitted by Martin Baker in 2013 to fix the problem that caused the accident could have been fitted as long ago as 1991.

He said the company had also failed to communicate a warning about  the tightening of a nut to the MoD, despite warning other users.

The RAF's failure to ensure crew were aware that a pin could be in seat firing handle but still be unsafe had also clearly contributed to Flt Lt Cunningham's death, said Mr Fisher

He added that there was a repeated failure not to notice that a pin had been incorrectly replaced, leaving the ejector handle raised.

Flt Lt Cunningham also missed in his checks that the pin was not correctly housed and the seat firing handle was unsafe.

More follows...

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Corrie's William Roache: I Did Not Abuse Girls

By Mike McCarthy, North Of England Correspondent

Coronation Street star William Roache has flatly denied raping or indecently assaulting girls.

The actor also told jurors at his trial that he did not know any of the five alleged victims who accuse him of the offences.

As soon as he went into the witness box on the first day of his defence case, his barrister Louise Blackwell QC asked him: "Have you committed any of the offences with which you are charged?"

The actor replied: "No. I have not."

The lawyer continued: "Do you have any memory of being in the company of any of these people who have made the allegations against you?"

Roache: "No. Not one of them."

He went on to say that he had an interest in things "beyond the norm and spiritual matters".

The celebrity told the jury that he was hard of hearing because of a mortar bomb explosion he had witnessed while in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Roache arrived at court with his family

He said he had wanted to follow his father into the medical profession but found he performed better in arts subjects.

He was asked about his life in the 60s, which he said was dominated by the pressures of rehearsing and filming for Coronation Street.

Speaking from a glass witness box in an assured voice he said that autograph hunters would gather outside Granada studios in Manchester where the programme was filmed.

"I would always stop," he said. "People had been waiting there all day so I liked to give autographs.

"You would wind down your window in the car, you would sign them and then on you go."

He denied ever inviting young fans into his dressing room or onto the Coronation Street set during filming.

"It was an extremely difficult and dangerous thing to do.  Basically no - other than occasionally very close family," he said.

Roache's children Verity, James and Linus, have been in the public gallery every day of the trial so far.

The actor denies four charges of indecently assaulting girls and two charges of raping a 15-year-old girl in 1967.

The trial continues.

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Missing York Student Triggers Police Appeal

Police have said they are very concerned for the safety of a young female university student who has not been seen since a night out in York more than four days ago.

The mother of 20-year-old Megan Roberts reported her daughter's disappearance after a friend raised the alarm when she failed to hear from her.

Megan's mother contacted the police after a friend raised the alarm

Megan, who is originally from Wetherby and is studying at York St John University, was last seen in Popworld nightclub, on George Hudson Street, at around 2am on Thursday, January 23.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire police said: "Nobody has heard from Megan since, which is very out of character and officers are very concerned for her safety."

Megan is described as around 5ft 6in tall, of medium build with long dark brown hair.

When she was last seen she was wearing a cream knee-length dress which had large brown and orange flowers on it and black plimsoll-type shoes.

Police are appealing for anyone who has seen Megan since the early hours of Thursday or knows where she is to contact them urgently.

They are also appealing to Megan herself to contact her friends, family or the police to let them know she is safe.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101.

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Royal Estate Overspend Leaves £50m Repair Bill

By Rachel Younger, Sky News Correspondent

Financial mismanagement within the Royal household is putting the future of some of our finest buildings at risk, according to the parliamentary watchdog responsible for scrutinising Royal finances.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) believes over a third of the Royal estate, which includes both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, is in disrepair and has put the cost of fixing it at around £50m.

Margaret Hodge MP, who chairs the committee, told Sky News: "Forty per cent of it needs something doing to it.

"The boilers at Buckingham Palace haven't been replaced for 60 years.

"Windsor Castle has problems with the bedrooms and the Royal Picture Gallery has buckets to catch the water coming through."

It is the first time that Parliament has scrutinised the Sovereign Grant given to the Queen to support her public duties.

Windsor Castle needs repairs to its bedrooms

Since the Civil List was abolished in 2013, the Royal household has been given a percentage of revenue from the Crown Estate and is meant to be more accountable to the taxpayer.

But the committee has criticised the household for spending over its means.

According to the committee report, in 2012/13 it received £31m from the taxpayer, but spent £33.3m, raiding its reserves.

That has left a contingency of only £1m - a historic low - with no plan drawn up to pay for the backlog of repairs.

The report demands that the household "must get a much firmer grip on how it plans to address its maintenance backlog", adding "it has not even costed the repair work".

It also calls on the Palace to do more with less.

In a financial climate where many public institutions have had to make dramatic cuts the Royal household has only managed to reduce its expenditure by 5% in the last six years.

The Queen receives the Sovereign Grant to support her public duties

The committee believes there is scope to generate more income and reduce costs - possibly by opening Buckingham Palace to the public for more than just one month a year.

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "The Royal household was charged by the PAC in 2009 to generate more income to supplement the funding it receives from Government.

"This has been done successfully. In 2012-13 the household generated £11.6m in comparison with £6.7m in 2007-8. Work on income generation continues.

"A significant financial priority for the Royal household is to reduce the backlog in essential maintenance across the occupied Royal palaces.

"Recent examples of work include the renewal of a lead roof over the royal library at Windsor and the removal of asbestos from the basement of Buckingham Palace."

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Economy Grows At Fastest Rate Since Crash

Cable Warns About Wrong Type Of Recovery

Updated: 11:47am UK, Tuesday 28 January 2014

Business Secretary Vince Cable has warned that Britain's economic recovery could prove to be a "short-term bounce" if it is based on a housing boom.

He made the comments on the eve of the publication of the latest GDP figures, which have shown the country's strongest growth since the financial crisis began in 2007.

But the senior Liberal Democrat expressed concern that the recovery is too heavily based on housing prices and consumer spending.

"Despite a fall in real earnings, consumers have had the confidence to start spending again - dipping into their savings held for a rainy day and making use of rising house prices, at least in London and the South East, to borrow more easily," he said.

"Despite these encouraging signs, the shape of the recovery so far has not been all we might have hoped for."

In the speech at the Royal Economic Society at Bank of England, Mr Cable said that a "real recovery is taking place".

But he said sustained growth is dependent on rebalancing the economy and preventing a return to "boom-bust cycle".

"The big question now is whether and how recent growth and optimism can be translated into long-term sustainable, balanced, recovery without repeating the mistakes of the past," he said.

"We cannot risk another property-linked boom-bust cycle which has done so much damage before, notably in the financial crash in 2008.

"Indeed, unless our government put long term rebalancing at the heart of economic decision-making I believe the recovery could prove to be short-lived."

Mr Cable did stress he is "confident" the government is taking action to ensure the UK has a "sustainable, balanced, long term recovery" - rather than a "short-term bounce".

But he said he was concerned about the effects of loose monetary policy on asset prices but stopped short of calling for a tightening.

Sky's Political Correspondent Sophy Ridge says: "There will be a few eyes rolling in the Treasury because we do have these positive GDP figures Vince Cable is still sending out a warning that this is not the kind of growth we want.

"To be fair to the Business Secretary though, there are some economists that do agree with him.

"Vince Cable's concerns are that there is not enough growth in exports, business investment - it's all based on consumer-driven spending and crucially on a housing boom."

"He's concerned that the Government's Help to Buy policy could essentially cause a housing bubble, which could drive up growth in the short term, but not in the long term."

The Cabinet minister has previously expressed concerns about the Government's Help to Buy policy.

Under the scheme, which came into effect at the beginning of October, people can buy homes of up to £600,000 with a deposit of just 5% as the Government guarantees up to 20% of the mortgage.

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Lloyds Cuts 1,380 Jobs Amid Strategic Review

Lloyds Banking Group is cutting 1,080 jobs and outsourcing another 310 roles, the company has confirmed.

It said the losses are part of the previously announced in its 2011 strategic review.

The cuts affect the retail, risk, operations and commercial banking divisions.

The company said 90 new roles would be created within the risk, operations and commercial departments.

The taxpayer-backed group hoped a number of roles would be shed through natural attrition.

Voluntary redundancy would be an option and compulsory cuts taken where necessary as a "last resort".

Lloyds said that since the strategic review about a third of job losses have resulted in redundancies.

The bank said in a statement: "Lloyds Banking Group is committed to working through these changes with employees in a careful and sensitive way.

"All affected employees have been briefed by their line manager today. The Group's recognised unions Accord, Unite and LTU were consulted prior to this announcement and will continue to be consulted."

The Unite union slammed the job losses and said nearly 35,000 people have been affected at the bank since 2008.

Unite national officer Rob MacGregor said: "While staff at Lloyds Banking Group continue to work hard to deliver half year profits of £2.1bn, management has confirmed it is to give 1,390 staff another kick.

"Lloyds Banking Group is well on the road to recovery, with the CEO being recently rewarded handsomely with a share bonus in the region of £2.5m, yet staff are being made redundant.

"Unite will continue to oppose these job losses and has sought an urgent meeting with Lloyds to outline the union's concerns. 

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'Mini Tornado' Sweeps Through Parts Of Britain

A "mini tornado" has swept through parts of the Midlands and southern Britain, bringing down trees, knocking out power causing damage to outbuildings.

The funnel-shaped formation was spotted above several towns in Surrey including Chobham, Epsom and Knaphill, as well as in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and in Harlow, Essex.

Ferocious thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain and hail were reported in Birmingham, Nottingham and Milton Keynes, as well as parts of Kent and Essex.

Twitter and Facebook were flooded by messages and pictures from people caught up in the severe weather.

Pam Steadman said parts of an equestrian centre next to her house in Epsom were lifted over trees at the bottom of her garden.

Flashes of lightning lit up the sky in Birmingham. Pic: B1Bobs/Twitter

Heather Riley reported "lots of damage to houses and cars" in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Darran Jaques, who described the weather as "wild", said scaffolding had been ripped down and shop fronts damaged in northeast Surrey, while Jean Ramgoolam tweeted: "Looks like a mini tornado just went past!"

It is thought the intense weather may have been caused by a squall line - a band of thunderstorms that precedes a cold front.

Satellite pictures showed a clear line of heavy storms moving slowly across the country from the North West to the South East.

As well as damage to property, the severe weather caused widespread power cuts across the country.

The weather brought snow to other places, including the Northern Pennines

UK Power Networks, which maintains electricity cables and lines across London, the South East and the East, said it received a "high number of calls" from customers as the storm swept through.

In the area around Tonbridge, Kent, more than 8,000 people were left without power, although supplies have since been restored for most.

The storms come as communities in the South and South West prepare for possible flooding, with further heavy rain forecast to fall on already saturated ground.

Sedgemoor District Council has declared a "major incident" on the Somerset Levels, where pumps are being used to keep floodwater away from homes.

Other parts of the country, including the Northern Pennines and parts of western Scotland, saw a sprinkling of snow.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Rickets Baby Death: Father Admits Manslaughter

The father of a five-month-old baby who died of acute rickets has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Nkosiyapha Kunene, 36, is accused of killing Ndingeko Kunene in June 2012.

His wife, Virginia Kunene, 32, joined him in the dock at the court in central London.

She had admitted the same charge at an earlier hearing.

Judge Mr Justice Singh told the  Zimbabwe-born couple he was "considering all options".

"I do not think anyone should go away with any illusions about that," he said.

"The seriousness of the offence of which the life of a baby is lost will be apparent to everyone so I must bear that in mind," he added.

The case was adjourned and the pair, who are on conditional bail, will be sentenced on February 28.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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UK Set To Freeze Amid Fears Of More Floods

Motorists and commuters have been warned of ice, sleet and snow as well as hail and thundery showers, with temperatures expected to plummet to around freezing across the UK.

And amid warnings of heavy rain, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson admitted the Government could have done more to help residents in parts of the country worst-affected by flooding - and that dredging of some rivers in the county should have happened.

The Met Office's weather warning for UK

It means more misery for flood-hit areas with some communities in Somerset - where the council has declared a "major incident" - facing a fourth week under water.

Mr Paterson was visiting Northmoor Green in the county where he held crisis talks with council chiefs and farmers whose crops have been devastated by the recent stormy weather.

Facing tough questions from locals on the official response to the flooding, Mr Paterson told Sky News: "How shocking it is for people to be flooded and I really do appreciate the impact floods have had on people ... they are quite right to be angry."

In defence of the Environment Agency, Mr Paterson said it had protected a million homes and was "working incredibly hard".

He said he had asked local officials to present him with "a very clear action plan" within six weeks to enable him "to make a categoric decision once and for all" on a "long-term serious plan" for the area for the next 20 years.

Several counties including Hampshire and Dorset also remain at risk of flooding, while further snowfall is expected across Wales, Scotland and northern England.

The Environment Agency has issued more than 150 flood warnings and alerts across England and Wales.

The Environment Agency's flood alerts and warnings

Matthew Lay, national officer of Unison, said: "Far from offering any comfort to residents affected by flooding, Owen Patterson is a major part of the problem.

"He is overseeing massive cuts to the Environment Agency despite all the scientific evidence showing that climate change is a major reason for a rise in the number of floods.

"The Government must put in place an Environment Secretary who accepts that the risk of flooding is increasing year-on-year.

"Communities up and down the country will remain in danger until the Environment Agency is given adequate resources and] funding to prevent and handle disasters caused by floods."

Temperatures are expected to fall to or just below freezing, according to the Met Office, which has warned of "blizzard conditions".

A view of flood water surrounding the village of Muchelney in Somerset

This will result in the risk of icy patches on roads and the potential for travel disruption.

Its chief forecaster said: "Rain or sleet is expected at lower levels however, above 250m, some wet snow is likely at times with perhaps 2-5 cm of snow accumulating, whilst above 400m a further 10 to 20cm is possible.

"Strong to gale force south to southeasterly winds will combine with heavy snow to result in blizzard conditions at times."

And with a band of rain across the country edging north-eastwards towards the far north-east of England and central and northern Scotland, the forecaster added: "With saturated ground and rivers already high in these areas there is the risk of some localised flooding."

Fourteen serious flood warnings are in place for parts of the South West, South East, Midlands and North East with the Environment Agency advising people in affected areas to take immediate action.

Snowfall over Middleton-in-Teesdale

The Somerset Levels, which run south from the Mendip Hills to the Blackdown Hills, are particularly vulnerable with 31,000 acres under water, as further heavy rain falls on already saturated ground.

There is also potential for further river flooding across the South West and southern counties including parts of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex, West Berkshire and Surrey into next week.

The Environment Agency is running more than 60 pumps around the clock to drain an estimated 65 million cubic metres of floodwater from the Levels.

A temporary pontoon has been erected near the village of Langport to allow residents to get to their homes and a boat service is ferrying people to and from work and school.

As well as the flood alerts, parts of Scotland have been told to brace for strong winds gusting up to 80mph.

Twitter user Grant Kavanagh saw 'strange weather' in Knaphill, Surrey

Nazaneen Ghafar, Sky News Weather Presenter, said: "Currently we have low pressure anchored to the north-west of the UK. This area of low pressure will sink south-wards over the next couple of days, and as it does this will change the wind direction to an easterly flow. The easterly winds will bring in very cold air from Europe, where temperatures across Scandinavia are currently well below freezing.

"As a result, any showers or spells of rain that meet the cold air will have a greater risk of turning wintry, especially for eastern parts of the UK. Wintry showers are likely and the risk of some overnight snow across northern areas from Wednesday onwards.

"There will also be the continued chance of hail at times, and ice will be an increasing problem."

On Sunday, light snow flurries affected parts of northern England, including in Cumbria, where snow ploughs were used to clear sections of the A66.

A "mini tornado" was reported in parts of the Midlands and southern Britain, where trees were brought down, power supplies knocked out and outbuildings damaged.

:: Watch Sky News live on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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