TV Licence Dodgers May Not Be Prosecuted

TV licence dodgers may no longer face prosecution in the courts under new plans being considered by the Government.

Justice Secretary Chris Grayling says "serious work" on the plan is under way, with more than 100 cross-party MPs in support.

"The Culture Secretary (Maria Miller) and I both agree that this is a really interesting idea, particularly given the pressure on our courts system," Mr Grayling told The Daily Telegraph.

"Our departments will be doing some serious work on the proposal."

Efforts to change the law are being spearheaded by Tory MP Andrew Bridgen.

He said that for some cash-strapped families, the current law was "criminalising them for being poor".

"It is outrageous that so many people are brought into the criminal justice system through this means. I believe that non-payment should be treated in the way that parking tickets are," Mr Bridgen told the newspaper.

"It is absurd that the courts are being clogged up by such a minor offence."

Offenders currently face a £1,000 fine and a criminal record, as well as possible time in jail if fines are not paid.

Some 180,000 people faced magistrates last year after being accused of not paying the £145.50 fee, accounting for in excess of one in 10 of all criminal prosecutions.

Of those, 155,000 people were convicted and fined.

The proposed changes could see dodging payment of the TV licence become a civil matter, with a fine set by the Government.

A BBC spokesman said: "Legislation is a matter for the Government. However, changing the law could lead to higher evasion. Just a 1% increase in evasion would lead to the loss of around £35m, the equivalent of around 10 BBC Local Radio stations."

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Clare's Law Rolled Out To Expose Abusers

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

New measures to protect victims of domestic abuse come into effect today.

Clare's Law, which enables people to check the police records of partners, has been launched across England and Wales after being piloted by four police forces.

The father of murder victim Clare Wood, whose name has been given to the scheme, has welcomed its introduction, describing it as "a bittersweet moment".

Clare's killer George Appleton

Michael Brown discovered five years ago that his daughter had been raped and strangled at her Salford home by ex-boyfriend George Appleton, who set fire to her body before going on the run. He was found hanged several days later.

Appleton, who Clare met on Facebook, had a history of violence against women, including knife-point kidnapping.

Mr Brown told Sky News: "When you lose a family member in these circumstances it is always with you. To realise that the last moments of your daughter's life were kicking and screaming in a room in Salford sticks with you."

The 70-year-old said Clare's Law was "not a panacea for domestic violence" but added: "If it can help others - just one - I and all the other campaigners will have succeeded. 

"This is just another piece of armour plate for people to put on when they are in trouble."

The launch coincides with International Women's Day and also marks the introduction of Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPOs), which are designed to provide support for victims in the immediate aftermath of violent incidents.

Michael Brown has fought for a new law to help women like his daughter

DVPOs can last for up to 28 days, during which time a perpetrator can be prevented from having contact with the victim.

Speaking about Clare's Law, Home Secretary Theresa May said: "What we saw from the pilots was a real benefit for women who were able to go to the police where they had suspicions about the behaviour of their partner.

"As a result of that, they were able to make a decision about whether to stay with that partner or to leave."

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Driver Who Took Baby On 100mph Chase Is Jailed

A banned driver who drove a stolen car at 100mph on icy roads with his pregnant girlfriend and a baby in the back seat has been jailed for 22 months.

Ashton Dellamonica, 21, took police on an 11-mile chase on Christmas Day last year after he was spotted by officers in an unmarked car in Nottingham.

He avoided a police stinger operation on the A610 to burst the vehicle's tyres before continuing on at speeds in excess of 100mph.

A police helicopter filmed Dellamonica driving through six sets of red lights before he crashed the stolen Audi in The Meadows area of the city.

Police then continued to chase him on foot.

Dellamonica went through six sets of red lights during the chase

He was arrested after police found him hiding under a parked car in a residential street.

Detective Constable Emma Pollard, of Radford Road CID, said: "Officers involved said they had not seen such dangerous driving in years of policing.

"Anyone seeing the footage of his driving will be shocked that no one was seriously hurt by such wilful and dangerous behaviour.

"Claiming he was concerned about a small amount of cannabis on his person, he chose to risk the life of his unborn child, his girlfriend, brother and baby, by driving at speeds of more than 100mph in icy and wet conditions.

"I am pleased with the sentencing and I hope it sends out a message that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in our communities."

Earlier this week, Dellamonica pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, and having no insurance.

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Blackpool 'Methadone' Toddler: Two Charged

A man and a woman have been charged in connection with the death of a two-year-old girl found to have ingested methadone.

Barry Jones, 41, and Michelle King, 29, have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Blackpool Magistrates Court today.

They have both been charged with causing or allowing the death of a child by means of an unlawful act contrary to Section 5 of the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004.

An ambulance was called to Jameson Street on Tuesday night

Sophie Jones was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital from a house in Jameson Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, on Tuesday night but later died.

Toxicology tests have confirmed Sophie ingested the synthetic heroin substitute methadone but a post-mortem examination has failed to ascertain the cause of death.

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Sochi Paralympics: Jade Etherington Wins Silver

Visually-impaired skier Jade Etherington has won ParalympicsGB's first medal at the Winter Games in Sochi, less than an hour into the event.

She took silver in the women's downhill, clocking a time of one minute 34.28 seconds with the aide of her guide Caroline Powell.

It is Britain's first Paralympic slope medal in 20 years and means the team has already bettered its haul from Vancouver four years ago.

The medal is an early birthday present for the 22-year-old from Lincoln

Etherington and Powell had not even met a year ago, and this was only their third competitive downhill run together.

The pair communicate on the slopes via radio.

There was a worrying moment when Etherington crashed crossing the finish line, but she was soon back on her feet.

Jade Etherington is helped by her guide Caroline Powell

The 22-year-old trainee teacher from Lincoln, who celebrates her birthday on Sunday, said: "I can't believe what's just happened.

"We knew it was it was a solid run because we were shouting 'go, go, go' and we had good, solid communication.

"I'm so proud and excited and I can't wait to get that medal in my hands."

Powell added: "We were really excited today and we knew that being excited rather than nervous usually means we'll have a good run. I'm so proud of Jade and what she's done."

Etherington's teammate Kelly Gallagher, skiing with her guide Charlotte Evans, finished sixth.

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Network Rail Boss Crossing Deaths Apology

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The boss of Network Rail has apologised for failing the families of those killed on level crossings after a report by a committee of MPs criticised the firm for putting lives at risk.

The House of Commons Transport Committee said that the company had shown "callous disregard" for families who had lost loved ones on the tracks.

And it warned there were hundreds of crossings where lives were still being put at risk.

The MPs said that there should be a zero deaths limit set and that executive bonuses should be assessed in light of the failure to ensure safety.

Speaking after the report, chief executive Mark Carne, a former oil and gas executive who is on a salary of £675,000, issued an "unreserved apology".

Speaking to Sky News he said: "First and foremost I want to reiterate this full and unreserved apology to all of those people we have let down through our failure to properly manage the risk associated with level crossings.

"But I want to go further than that and I also want to apologise for the behaviour of Network Rail in the way that we have dealt with the bereaved in these tragic circumstances.

"We have not always demonstrated the sensitivity that I would expect in such awful circumstances."

Network Rail has closed nearly 800 crossings since 2010

The report warned that there may be many hundreds of crossings "which exceed Health and Safety Executive guidance on the acceptable level of fatality risk to the public".

He said £100m would be spent over the next five years improving safety at the country's 6,500 crossings and that 500 would be closed.

Publishing the report committee chairman Louise Ellman said: "The number of deaths on level crossings must come down and Network Rail must aim for zero deaths by 2020.

"NR has lowered the risk of death at a level crossing by 25% since 2008, but when suicides and trespass are excluded, level crossings still account for one half of all fatalities on the railway in recent years including nine people who died in 2012-13.

"Every one of those deaths was a personal tragedy which could have been averted. Yet looking back it's clear that on too many occasions Network Rail showed a callous disregard for the feelings of the families of people killed or seriously injured in accidents at level crossings."

Charlotte Thompson and Olivia Bazlinton died at a crossing in Essex

Those families include the relatives of Olivia Bazlinton, 14, and Charlotte Thompson, 13, who were killed at Elsenham in Essex in December 2005.

They have always argued that key documents were withheld at the inquest and that they faced "a conspiracy of silence".

Mrs Ellman said the lack of transparency around safety concerns at the Elsenham crossing "was particularly shocking and raises profound questions about Network Rail's internal culture and accountability".

The committee's comments have been welcomed by Olivia's father Chris.

"It totally vindicates our view that NR have not done enough in the past to improve safety on level crossings, and that they treated us very badly - not just us but other families who lost relatives in accidents.

"Other families shouldn't have to go through what we have experienced, and we welcome the fact that the committee wants to see NR transform the way it which it treats families, the way it handles legal issues and that bereaved families should be entitled to legal support at inquests."

The MPs also made it clear that they would be concerned if Network Rail executives were to receive bonuses after being prosecuted and fined £500,000 last year over safety failings at a crossing in Beccles, Suffolk.

But the company has stated that if targets are met, bonuses of as much as 60% of salary will be paid.

Mr Bazlinton said: "I think bonuses are wrong and until the safety issue is resolved and until the safety record is much better, they should not be paid bonuses."

Network Rail says significant progress is being made across the network.

It has closed nearly 800 crossings since 2010 and spent £130m on safety. A further 500 will be shut by 2019.

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James Bulger's Mother Suffers Twitter Abuse

The mother of toddler James Bulger has been subjected to vile abuse about her son's murder on Twitter.

Denise Fergus received a series of offensive tweets to her account on Thursday evening.

The messages were written in the form of poetry from an account with the username @SirJVenables, which has since been disabled.

Merseyside Police said it was investigating the offensive tweets.

Twitter users reacted in fury at the offensive messages

On her own Twitter account, Mrs Fergus wrote: "Here we go again, I'm not interested... #TickTock."

But other users of the microblogging site have reacted with fury at the posts.

Gingio wrote: "I hope @MerseyPolice/@metpoliceuk or someone in Police are doing something to find sicko behind @SirJVenables. Vile isn't strong enough."

James Bulger was murdered in February 1993

FlutterbyLpool added: "Sure somebody from @MerseyPolice will be investigating this sick individual. Words fail me. @SirJVenables."

James Bulger was just two years old when he was abducted from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993.

Then schoolboys Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted of his murder and given life sentences in November 1993.

The account from which the messages were sent has been disabled

In June 2001, they were both released and given new identities.

Venables was jailed again in 2010 for downloading images of child abuse.

He was given a second new identity and released last year.

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Tree Populations Ravaged By Winter Storms

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

The winter storms that battered the UK have resulted in the greatest loss of trees in a generation in some areas, according to the National Trust.

Surveys of more than 50 woodlands, parks and gardens managed by the trust have revealed that many have suffered the worst damage in more than two decades.

On some properties, the last time so many trees were uprooted was during the 'Great Storm' of 1987.

Many trees were blown over by the strong winds

At least a dozen storms swept in from the south west between December and February, with the west of England, Wales and Northern Ireland hit particularly hard.

But National Trust properties at Tatton Park near Manchester, Nymans in Sussex and Scotney Castle in Kent have also been affected.

Many trees were blown over rather than being snapped at the trunk, because the ground was so saturated.

Killerton Estate in Devon suffered some of the biggest losses, with more than 500 trees felled, including 20 that were significant to the landscape of the estate.

A fallen tree covering a railway line in Farnham after storms in October

In Stourhead, Wiltshire, 400 trees were lost, including an oak which could have been 200 to 250 years old.

Nature and wildlife specialist at the Trust Matthew Oates said: "People love and need trees, and the loss of specimen trees in gardens and parks, and of ancient beeches and oaks in the woods and the wider countryside, hurts us all and damages much wildlife.

"Increased storminess, and the increased extreme weather events generally, are likely to stress trees further, especially veteran trees.

"We will have to think carefully about where we establish trees and what species to plant."

It is likely that nature will restore areas of damaged woodland.

The October 1987 storm brought down 15 million trees across southern England.

But the gaps in forests created new habitats for wildlife, and were eventually closed in by the growth of new trees.

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Coastal Areas Bid For £64m Storm Relief Fund

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Coastal communities affected by flooding will be able to bid for a share of a £64m fund.

The Government has said projects to strengthen flood defences will be prioritised.

The fund was originally set up to ensure investment was made in seaside towns and villages, reduce unemployment and create apprenticeships and job opportunities for young people.

During the series of winter storms many coastal communities with already fragile economies have taken a battering both physically and financially.

In Aberystwyth, in west Wales, where the Victorian promenade was badly damaged as high tides and high winds combined to create the worst storms in living memory, the race is on to repair the seafront in time for the start of the tourist season at Easter.

The damaged rail line at Dawlish, in Exeter

Richard Griffiths who owns the Richmond Hotel on the seafront, describes how the waves broke over the promenade and through a sea wall before pummelling the front of his hotel.

He told Sky News investment in stronger defences will be essential to prevent future storms causing similar damage because tourism is a major source of income in the town.

"It's vital for the local economy that Aberystwyth is up and running. It is key to the whole area," he said.

The Government has announced that in England £17m is being allocated to flood hit areas including Great Yarmouth, Weymouth, Devon and North Tyneside.

New projects to help boost tourism across the UK include £170,000 to develop the Arran Coastal Way in Scotland, £270,000 to develop Northern Ireland's first lobster hatchery and £100,000 is being spent on a new water sports centre in Colwyn Bay in Wales.

Residents battle floodwater in Tirley, Gloucestershire

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander, said: "The Coastal Communities Fund allows us to help communities across the UK to rebuild and regenerate their local economy, with projects this year supporting nearly 4,000 jobs and 1,000 training places.

"This is even more important given the extreme weather and I'm very pleased we're giving £17m of the fund to projects in areas hit by floods.

"Additionally, we have invested £5m from the fund's reserve into the government's programme for flood recovery."

But one expert has told Sky News that if, as he expects, we will see more frequent storms on the scale of those seen over the winter some communities may not withstand the damage.

Dr Stephen Tooth is a geography lecturer at Aberystwyth University. He has studied erosion and says it will be impossible to protect all coastal areas. 

He told Sky News: "There are some very difficult social and political decisions to be made here as to what we value and wish to defend. It's certainly not the case that you can protect everywhere. 

"Tough decisions are going to have to be made at various levels as to where the investment is going to be to protect our coastline, but I think there is tacit acknowledgement that we can't defend everywhere and to some extent, some sections of coastline are going to have to be allowed to erode."

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Londonderry Letter Bomb 'Addressed To Prison'

A letter bomb intercepted at a postal sorting office in Northern Ireland was addressed to a prison, Sky News sources understand.

The device, which was found in Londonderry and described by police as "viable", is believed to have been posted to Maghaberry Prison in Lisburn.

It was contained within a white A4 envelope, on which the address had been written in grey ink using a stencil.

Another suspicious package found at a sorting office in Lisburn is also thought to have been addressed to Maghaberry Prison.

A bomb disposal robot was seen outside the building, which was cordoned off by police.

In a joint statement, First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said they "utterly condemn" the devices.

"The people behind these letter bombs are opposed to the democratic will of the people and want to drag us back to the past," they added.

The discovery of the devices comes less than a month after explosive packages were posted to seven Army careers offices in England.

A group calling itself the IRA claimed responsibility for the packets, which were found in Oxford, Brighton, Canterbury, Slough, Aldershot, Reading and Chatham.

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland advised members of the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious packages.

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Legoland Closes Hotel Over Far-Right Threats

Legoland has closed its Windsor hotel for the weekend after threats were made to staff and visitors over a Muslim family fun day that had been due to be held at the theme park.

More than 4,000 people were expected to attend the private event organised by the Muslim Research and Development Foundation (MRDF).

But following threats from far-right groups the fun day was cancelled on February 24 and now Legoland has gone a step further and closed its hotel for the weekend.

A Lego dragon at the hotel entrance. Pic: Legoland

The Berkshire theme park itself is due to reopen to the public for the 2014 season on March 14.

A Legoland spokeswoman said the park had been contacted by a number of right wing groups "relentlessly and aggressively online and via the telephone".

"The safety and security of our guests and our members of staff has to be our number one priority, which is why we've made the difficult decision to close the hotel," she said.

Before the fun day was cancelled, a BNP blogger said Legoland should be "ashamed of themselves for bowing to these Muslims".

The blogger added: "This is disgusting and should NOT be allowed to go ahead.

"If someone would organise a white Christian-only day, people would be up in arms, calling them racist and God knows what, but no one says a thing when it's Muslims."

A picture of a Muslim Legoland worker was also posted on Facebook with an offensive comment, a Legoland spokeswoman said.

Legoland said it had told callers it would also hire the park to them: "We certainly do not discriminate in any way. 

"The company who have hired the park also welcome friends and family of all faiths."

The MRDF also said the fun day was "open to people of all faiths and backgrounds", as were many of the events its holds designed to bring communities closer together.

The theme park is due to open for the season on March 14. Pic: Legoland

A statement said: "Although we worked hard with Legoland to find a solution to the threats and negative press, Legoland made the decision to cancel the event as they could not guarantee the safety of the attendees and their staff."

Legoland said people booked to stay in the hotel would get a full refund. "We are extremely sorry that we've had to cancel guest bookings and whole heartedly understand the disappointment of those families that will be unable to attend," said the spokeswoman.

Thames Valley Police said abusive and threatening messages would not be tolerated and an investigation was under way to determine whether any offence has been committed under the Malicious Communications Act (1988) in connection with offensive messages posted on social media.

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Cowell Worried About Preferring Pets To Son

Simon Cowell has admitted he was worried he might like his dogs more than his son before baby Eric was born.

In an interview with his ex-girlfriend Terri Seymour, the X Factor creator said he was "born to be a dad" and would consider having more children.

The 54-year-old said: "I wouldn't rule out (more children).

Cowell was in London when Silverman went into labour

"Well, I've got (Yorkshire terriers) Squiddly and Diddly, and I couldn't imagine Squiddly or just Diddly ...

"I had a brother when I was younger, so I kind of think it's cool to have two or three ... two."

Cowell had to make a mad dash from London, where he was filming Britain's Got Talent, to be at girlfriend Lauren Silverman's side when she gave birth to Eric in New York on Valentine's Day.

He said he cried when his first son was born and said any trepidation he felt quickly dissipated. 

"I actually said to Lauren beforehand, 'What if I like the dogs more than him?', because I've never had a baby before, and she said, 'You're gonna be absolutely fine', and then literally within seconds of him being born, I got it," he said.

He told Seymour on Extra that his mother Julie was "really excited" and "touched" that the couple had decided to name the baby Eric, after Simon's father.

He added: "I look at him, Eric, and I think of my dad all the time, so it's a really good thing."

He said of life since the baby was born: "Lauren's actually been crying more than Eric, so I've had to put one of those pacifiers in her which she likes ... has to be fed every three hours, otherwise she gets a little bit grumpy, and Eric's absolutely fine!"

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Mikaeel Kumar's Mum Shown Body Before Funeral

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

The mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular, who is accused of his murder, has been allowed to see his body ahead of his funeral.

Rosdeep Kular was taken under escort from prison to a funeral parlour in Fife to view her son's remains on Tuesday, it has emerged.

However, she did not attend his funeral at Kirkcaldy Crematorium the following day.

The 33 year-old is currently being held on remand at Cornton Vale prison in Stirlingshire.

She has been charged with murdering her son and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

Mikaeel's body was found in woodland behind a house in  Kirkcaldy on January 18.

His disappearance from his home in Edinburgh had prompted a massive search in which hundreds of local people joined police and other emergency services.

The youngster's death certificate lists his cause of death as "peritonitis and infra-abdominal haemorrhage (pending investigation)". 

Peritonitis is the inflammation of the peritoneum, the lining of the stomach.

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Max Clifford 'Bullied Women Into Sex'

Publicist Max Clifford used his ties to celebrities to "bully and manipulate" young women into performing sex acts with him, a court has heard.

Speaking as the trial of the 70-year-old got under way at Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor Rosina Cottage said Clifford "knows how to manipulate, lie and get what he wants".

The celebrity agent denies 11 counts of indecent assault against seven teenage girls.

He is accused of committing the offences between 1966 and 1985, when the girls were aged between 14 and 19.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges at a hearing in May.

Ms Cottage told the jury of six women and six men: "In his actions, we say he breached the trust of parents he had encouraged to trust him and young women working for him or seeking jobs in the world in which he worked."

Clifford listened from the glass-walled dock as the prosecution outlined its case.

Ms Cottage added: "Many of you, but not all of you, will have heard of the name Max Clifford. He is wealthy, he is well-connected.

"He is the maker of the kiss-and-tell celebrity and the breaker of reputations. He is the man called upon by television to speak about celebrity and media manipulation.

"He is a man who likes to play games with people and you will hear evidence of the games that he played with these girls and young women.

"As the years went by, he got away with his behaviour, he must have thought he was untouchable and no doubt thought no one would complain and if they did they would not be believed."

She said the case would hear not only from women to whom the charges relate, but other women who would give evidence of Clifford's "sexually predatory behaviour".

The jury was told that two of the charges relate to separate occasions when Clifford allegedly forced a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old into sex acts in a car.

One alleged victim said she was 19 when Clifford forced himself on her in a taxi, while another - who was also said to be 19 at the time - said he assaulted her in his office.

Other assaults were also alleged to have taken place in cars and the office.

Clifford, who has counted celebrities such as Simon Cowell and Jade Goody among his clients, was arrested in December 2012 and charged last April.

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Stephen Lawrence Report Sparks Public Inquiry

Home Secretary Theresa May has ordered a public inquiry into undercover policing following a report into police corruption in the Stephen Lawrence murder case.

The inquiry will be judge-led and will look at the work of undercover officers and the operation of the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad, Mrs May told MPs.

The SDS is a unit that has been at the heart of a wide range of allegations.

Doreen Lawrence, Stephen's mother, continues to campaign for justice

Mrs May's decision to hold an inquiry comes after the publication of what she called a "deeply troubling" report reviewing policing of the investigation following Mr Lawrence's murder in 1993.

The report by barrister Mark Ellison QC found there was evidence to suspect former Detective Sergeant John Davidson of acting corruptly.

Flowers left in memory of Stephen after two of his killers were convicted

Mr Ellison suggested there were still lines of inquiry which might show evidence of corruption among other policemen although, he pointed out, the evidence did not exist at present.

A Metropolitan Police "spy" was working within the "Lawrence family camp" during the course of the judicial inquiry into matters arising from Stephen's death, the report found, with the unnamed officer deployed by the SDS.

Steven's father, Neville, now lives in Jamaica, where his son is buried

Responding to news of a new inquiry, Stephen Lawrence's father, Neville, said: "What the Home Secretary has announced today is 21 years overdue.

"Mark Ellison's report has simply corroborated what I have known for the past 21 years and our long fight for truth and justice continues.

A memorial service was held last year on the 20th anniversary of his murder

"I sat through the last inquiry but I have yet to decide whether I can go through another inquiry.

"I'm not sure can go back to square one again. It is very painful. While all this has been happening, our family has been destroyed. I now live 5,000 miles away from my children and my grandchild."

Mark Ellison was commissioned by Mrs May to conduct the review after successfully prosecuting Gary Dobson and David Norris for Stephen's murder in 2012.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were prosecuted in 2012

The 18-year-old was stabbed to death in an unprovoked racist attack as he waited with a friend at a bus stop in Eltham, southeast London.

It was more than 18 years before two of his killers were convicted.

Following Mrs May's announcement Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: "Like the Home Secretary, I find the conclusions of the Stephen Lawrence review profoundly shocking. It's important we have a full inquiry."

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No 10 'Covered Up Aide Child Abuse Pic Claims'

Prime Minister David Cameron's office has been accused of a cover-up after a senior aide was arrested over child sex abuse images allegations.

Patrick Rock resigned from his role as deputy head of Downing Street's policy unit almost three weeks ago, after officials were made aware of a potential offence.

This was revealed by the Daily Mail on Monday evening and confirmed by Number 10.

Backbench Labour MP John Mann said it was "mysterious" this had not emerged earlier.

"There has been a bodged attempt at media manipulation which is wholly unacceptable from 10 Downing Street," he said.

"Of course they should have revealed it proactively."

Mr Cameron said on Tuesday he had been "profoundly shocked" by the allegations against Mr Rock, who resigned on February 12, the day before he was arrested.

"I don't think it would be right to pre-emptively brief out a criminal investigation and that's why we did not do that.

"But as soon as questions were asked, as questions would inevitably be asked, we have given very full and straightforward answers, which is absolutely the right way to answer this.

"I've been clear right along and I was told about this issue pretty much as soon as it was discovered and I have been very clear we must handle this in an absolutely correct way and I am satisfied that is what number 10 Downing Street has done."

Mr Rock, who is not married and is from west London, was involved in drawing up the Government's policy on internet pornography filters.

The 62-year-old was brought back into Downing Street in 2011 by Mr Cameron after working with him at the Home Office under Michael Howard in the 1990s.

He is reported to have been in line for a peerage.

Mr Rock was the subject of an unrelated complaint of "inappropriate behaviour" towards a female civil servant 18 months ago.

Downing Street said this was "appropriately resolved with the consent of and in consultation with the individual who raised the issue".

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GPs To Trial Skype And Email Appointments

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Experimental plans to make family doctors more accessible using Skype appointments and email consultations are due to be announced within the next few weeks.

At least 40,000 patients will be covered by pilot schemes in England designed to improve access to GPs through extending opening hours, weekend opening and better use of technology.

GPs in West Yorkshire have been using video conferencing to assess patients for the past eight years through a pioneering scheme at Airedale General Hospital.

First used with patients in prisons, more recent use with elderly people in care homes has shown it can cut the number of A&E appointments by 69% and hospital admissions by 45%.

Dr Colin Renwick, a GP from Settle in North Yorkshire, has been involved with the project since 2006 and says video conferencing could easily be extended to a patient's home.

"There's no reason why you couldn't do (that)," he said.

"A lot of what you base a diagnosis on is actually what the patient is telling you on the history, and if you're listening to the patient the actual physical hands-on examination often doesn't add a lot to what they've told you."

The pilot scheme areas are due to announced later this month, with a commitment to rapid implementation and to delivering what the government calls "tangible patient benefits".

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Being Overweight 'Normalised', Health Chief Says

Being overweight has become "normal" and a "sugar tax" may be needed to tackle the problem, the chief medical officer for England has warned.

Professor Dame Sally Davies said the Government should intervene to tackle child and adult obesity by regulating the food and drinks industry to protect against the dangers of excess calorie consumption.

She told the House of Commons Health Select Committee: "We need to be both strong and prepared to regulate. I think that the science is going such that that we will find sugar is addictive.

"We haven't managed to get over to the public how calorie packed fruit juices are, smoothies are, colas and carbonated drinks. We need to have a big education to know one is fine, but not lots of them.

"We may need to move to some sort of sugar tax, but I hope we don't have to."

Dame Sally said being overweight has been "normalised"

A "generation" of overweight children are in danger of not living as long as their parents, Dame Sally said.

"I worry that we have re-sized a women's dress size so that a size 14 now was a size 12 when I was a student," she said.

"We have normalised being overweight.

"We have to find a new way - not of ostracising people who are obese and making them feel bad about themselves - but somehow of helping them to understand this is pathological and will cause them harm."

She also warned promoting physical education alone would not solve the problem.

In January, health experts set up the Action on Sugar campaign group, which works to reduce the amount of sugar added to food and soft drinks, and inform the public about "hidden sugars".

The group identified flavoured water, sports drinks, yoghurts, ketchup, ready meals and even bread as everyday foods that contain large amounts of sugar.

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Warm Weather For Weekend After Floods Misery

Temperatures could peak at 17C (62.6F) this weekend as spring conditions give many people a welcome break from months of miserable weather.

Sunday is likely to be the warmest day of the year so far, with temperatures in much of southern England set to hit the mid-teens.

The average high for March is 8.9C (48F).

"This week is set to turn milder as a large area of high pressure builds giving lots of sunshine through the coming week, as well as dry weather - especially in the south," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

Predictably perhaps, not all areas will enjoy the pleasant conditions.

"There will still be some rain sweeping across Scotland at times and it will be chilly at night with localised frost and fog patches," she added.

England and Wales have suffered the wettest winter for 250 years

There will also be some wet weather for northern parts of the UK and Ireland.

Winter has been a weather nightmare for many, with large parts of the country hit by devastating floods, and fierce winds cutting power and disrupting travel.

Weeks of rain have made it the wettest winter for England and Wales for nearly 250 years

It has also been the wettest for the UK as a whole since records began in 1910.

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Asteroid To Fly Between Earth And Moon

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

Scientists say a 30m-wide (100ft) asteroid will pass between the moon and Earth later, providing spectacular views for anyone with a good telescope.

The space rock called 2014 DX110 is the length of three double-decker buses and will come within 214,745 miles (346,599km) of the planet at around 9pm UK time.

It will be moving at 33,000mph (53,108kph).

Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been monitoring its flight and classifies it as one of a number of Apollo-class asteroids, which cross the Earth's orbit.

The Chelyabinsk asteroid which exploded over the Russian region last year was also Apollo-class.

It will be travelling at 33,000mph (artist impression of an asteroid)

Professor Tim O'Brien, from the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory, said: "There is an incredibly tiny chance of 2014 DX110 getting closer to Earth but everything indicates that it's nothing to worry about.

"This asteroid was only spotted last month and we now know there are many more like it that are, as yet, undetected.

"The Chelyabinsk meteor event was a reminder of the damage these things can do so it's important to keep monitoring and looking for them.

"On a comforting note though, it's good to remember that there are many more smaller, and harmless objects, than large ones out there."

Scientists say the rock will be too faint to see with the naked eye but should be visible with a reasonably sized telescope.

Astronomers will also need to work out exactly where it will cross the night sky, so more experienced stargazers might have a better chance of spotting it.

The Virtual Telescope Project and Slooh will be sharing real-time images in a live, online event.

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Ukraine: Document Reveals UK Stance On Crisis

A document detailing the UK's position on the Ukraine crisis has been seen being taken into Downing Street.

It was photographed as an official went into Downing Street for a meeting of the National Security Council as the crisis deepened.

It makes clear the Government is not considering curbing trade with Russia - or closing London's financial centre to Moscow as part of any possible package of sanctions against the country.

The papers also suggest the UK will lobby to exclude any talk of a military response to the deepening crisis.

Sky's Jason Farrell said: "It looks like some kind of a briefing document that's being taken into the meeting.

"It does give away some of Britain's position towards Russia.

The unknown official with the document in Downing Street

"It does suggest there may be suspension of contracts with Russia. There is talk about suspending Russia from the G8 and putting in visa restrictions.

"But it says the UK should not support, for now, trade sanctions or close London's financial centre to Russia.

"It also talks of what the UK can do for Ukraine - technical assistance packages - ideally jointly with Germany and about the EU working to provide some kind of alternative gas supply if Russia cuts them off."

The document also talks of pushing UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon "to take the lead in calling and creating a forum for engaging Russia on Ukraine", and accepting "a special European Council" for leaders to meet and discuss the crisis.

It also says the UK should "discourage any discussion" of any "contingency military preparations".

Farrell added: "It is extremely embarrassing that the points of discussion have come out in this way."

Prime Minister David Cameron said after the meeting Russia would face "diplomatic, political, economic" pressure in response to "violating the sovereignty" of Ukraine.

"What we want to see is a de-escalation rather than a continuation down the path that the Russian government has taken, violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of another country.

"So we shall have to bring to bear diplomatic, political, economic and other pressures in order to make this point.

"That is the very clear message the whole world needs to send to the Russian government."

EU leaders are to hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the situation in Ukraine.

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Top Rugby Player May Lose Eye In Street Attack

Police have released CCTV images of three men they want to speak to over an attack on a Super League rugby player who may now lose an eye.

Sean Gleeson was punched in the face a number of times outside a nightclub in Wigan, Greater Manchester, around 4am on Sunday.

Following a row with three men, Gleeson was involved in a fight with one of them near Ibiza Bar in King Street, police said.

The others joined in before they left the Hull KR centre in the road and ran away.

He suffered serious injuries to his eye and eye socket and was taken to hospital where he is still being treated.

The three men that police want to trace

Wigan-born Gleeson, 26, signed for Hull KR last year but has had a string of injury problems.

He previously played for Salford City Reds, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Widnes Vikings and Wigan Warriors. He has represented Ireland at international level.

Detective Chief Inspector Howard Millington, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "We are now in a position to release images of three people we are very keen to speak to.

"If you recognise these men I would urge you to get in contact. A young man has been left with serious, potentially life changing, injuries as he could lose his eye.

"Imagine if this was your son, brother, cousin, or close friend who was ill in hospital, you would want answers.

"In addition, if anyone was there that night and saw the assault or if you know something that might be relevant to our investigation I would urge them to get in contact with police.

"You might not have seen the actual attack but you may have seen a group of white men running away. I would urge anyone who thinks they may know who is responsible to come forward and speak to us."

Anyone with information should call Wigan police on 0161 856 7259 / 7967 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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No 10 Aide Quits Over Abuse Images Claims

A government aide has been arrested over child abuse imagery allegations.

Patrick Rock was arrested at his home in the early hours of February 13 - hours after Downing Street reported the matter to police.

The 62-year-old, who was the deputy head of Downing Street's policy unit and a key aide of David Cameron's, had resigned the previous day.

Mr Rock, who is not married and is from west London, was one of a number of advisers and officials involved in drawing up the Government's policy on internet porn filters.

The search engine companies Google and Microsoft agreed last year to introduce changes to make it harder to find child abuse images online.

A spokesperson for Number 10 said: "Subsequently, we arranged for officers to come into Number 10 have access to all IT systems and offices they considered relevant.

"This is an ongoing investigation so it would not be appropriate to comment further, but the Prime Minister believes that child abuse imagery is abhorrent and that anyone involved with it should be properly dealt with under the law."

The spokesperson stressed the work was "led by somebody else, and decisions were taken by ministers".

According to the Daily Mail, which broke the news of the arrest, Mr Rock had particular responsibility for home affairs issues in the policy unit.

Mr Cameron brought Mr Rock back into Downing Street in 2011 after working with him at the Home Office under Michael Howard in the 1990s.

He was a protege of Margaret Thatcher and is credited with coining the phrase "cows moo, dogs bark. Labour puts up taxes".

Mr Rock stood for MP in 1984 for the Tory safeseat of Portsmouth South but after a disastrous by-election campaign he suffered a crashing defeat losing out to the then Liberal SDP Alliance candidate, Mike Hancock.

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Childcare 'Costs Families More Than Mortgage'

The cost to families for part-time childcare is more than the monthly mortgage repayment, figures show.

According to the Family and Childcare Trust study, parents are spending more than £7,500 a year on part-time childcare for two children - around 4.7% more than the average mortgage bill.

Those with two children in full-time childcare are hit with an annual bill of £11,700 - 62% higher than the average yearly mortgage bill.

Its also says some families may be spending more on childcare than they do on their weekly shopping.

Information for the report came from family or children's information services at councils in England, Wales and Scotland.

Each local authority was asked to give the cost of 25 hours and 50 hours of childcare as provided by nurseries and childminders.

They were also asked to give figures on the average cost of 15 hours childcare in an after-school club, or for a childminder picking youngsters up from school.

It found a family with one two-year-old child attending nursery part-time and a five-year-old in an after-school club will be forced to spend £7,549 a year on average.

This is higher than the UK average annual UK mortgage, which the report puts at £7,207.

Education and childcare minister Elizabeth Truss insisted the cost of childcare in England had stabilised for the first time in 12 years.

"In fact, once inflation is taken into account costs for the majority have actually fallen," she said.

"This means more parents are able to access affordable childcare and support their families.

"These reductions contrast with rising costs in Scotland and Wales, highlighting the difference this Government's reforms are making."

The Department for Education said that the survey shows that the cost of nursery for a child over two was now £106.19, compared to £106.52 per week last year, which it said was a 2% reduction in real terms.

Dr Steven Toole, head of policy at 4Children, said: "The cost of childcare remains a major challenge for too many families, resulting in some parents getting into debt and others having to give up or being prevented from taking up work.

"Recent 4Children research shows the scale of the struggle parents face with childcare, with one in four saying that affordable, flexible and accessible childcare would make the most real, positive difference to their family life."

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Girl Found In Grave: Cause Of Death Revealed

A teenager found dead in a freshly disturbed grave died from "pressure to the neck", police have said.

The body of 17-year-old Jayden Parkinson was discovered in the Great Western Cemetery in Didcot, Oxfordshire, in December.

Her ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley, 22, has been charged with murder and perverting the course of justice.

Toxicology tests were ordered after an initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive.

Jayden was last spotted alive on CCTV

"Those results have now been received and Thames Valley Police can confirm that the cause of death is consistent with pressure to the neck," a police spokesman said.

The Oxford teen was last seen leaving Didcot railway station on December 3.

Police were led to the graveyard by "significant" information. Some 100 officers searched for her body.

Blakeley, of Christchurch Road in Reading, is due to appear at Oxford Crown Court for a plea hearing on March 17.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with perverting the course of justice by allegedly helping to dispose of Jayden's body and other evidence.

A third person, a 48-year-old woman from Didcot, was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and has been bailed.

Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating whether Thames Valley Police's response to Jayden's was "appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances".

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Leytonstone Murder: Victims Stabbed To Death

Police investigating a double murder say the two victims found in a car were stabbed to death.

Officers were called by paramedics to Montague Road, Leytonstone, northeast London, shortly before 1am on Saturday.

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Post-mortem examinations found that Aaron Carriere, 21, died after being stabbed in the neck while the other, Josiah Manful, 20, died from stab wounds to the chest, shock and haemorrhaging, according to Scotland Yard.

Flowers were left at the scene of the killings in Leytonstone

No arrests have been made and a police incident room has opened in Barking.

Part of Montague Road was cordoned off while police forensic teams combed the area, including checking gutters and drains.

Flowers have been left at the scene.

A note attached to one bunch said: "rip aaron, always in our hearts, miss you. From jordan & mum xxx."

In one tribute a person wrote: "Nothing but love my brothers, may you rest in peace. Love Tony."

Young mourners turned up to pay their respects

One resident said: "I left and when I came back I saw it. It's horrible and I just heard what happened. I am so sorry - it's terrible."

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the killings to come forward, by calling the incident room on 020 8345 3715 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Queen Gives Green Light For George's Oz Trip

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

Prince George will accompany his parents on a tour of New Zealand and Australia after the Queen gave permission for two heirs to travel on the same plane.

According to protocol, in order for two heirs to travel on the same plane, permission must be sought from the reigning monarch.

Royal aides say she has given permission, meaning the royal baby will join William and Kate on the three-week tour.

It is the first time the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George will have travelled overseas together on official business.

Prince George, the future king, will be just eight months old when he joins his parents on board the 24-hour flight to New Zealand for the first leg of their tour Down Under.

The trip mirrors that undertaken by Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales with Prince William to New Zealand and Australia in 1983. Then, the young Prince William was a matter of a few days older than his son is now.

It's anticipated Prince George will accompany his parents on one or two official engagements in New Zealand and Australia, but according to Kensington Palace: "The couple will make a final decision on those moments much closer to the time.

"The Duke and Duchess are content enough to know that he (Prince George) will be with them in the two countries."

Unlike previous tours conducted by William and Kate, this time around the itinerary has been formed largely with Prince George in mind.

The couple will spend two nights away from their son during the tour

Instead of hopping from city to city, the Duke and Duchess will operate out of three "hubs" to which they will return most evenings in order to minimise the upheaval for their son.

While in New Zealand most travel will be conducted from Wellington, while Sydney and capital Canberra will be the Australian hubs.

Kensington Palace confirmed the couple would spend two nights away from their son during the 19-day tour, but would not confirm whether this would be the first time since Prince George was born in July last year.

This is new territory for Kate too, who is yet to visit both countries.

An aide to the Duke of Cambridge told Sky News: "It's a tremendously exciting visit and I can tell you Their Royal Highnesses are looking forward to it immensely.

"As you know, the Duchess has never visited either country, so this is a chance for her to meet the people of New Zealand and Australia for the first time."

Prince William last visited New Zealand in 2011 shortly after the Christchurch earthquake. During the same trip the Duke also visited Victoria and Queensland which had been badly affected by natural disasters.

The Duke's private secretary added: "This visit, at around three weeks in length, represents a wonderful opportunity on the one hand for the Duke to deepen his personal relationship with, and admiration for, New Zealand and Australia; and on the other, for the Duchess to experience some of the extraordinary warmth and hospitality for which the people of both countries are renowned the world over."

Prince George at his christening in October last year

William, Kate and Prince George arrive in New Zealand on Monday, April 7, before travelling to Australia on Wednesday, April 16. The royal tour concludes on Friday, April 25.

The three-week tour will see an official party of 11 accompany the Duke and Duchess. It includes two private secretaries, three communication officers, a tour secretary, a personal assistant, a hairdresser and an orderly to look after logistics.

A new addition to the party will be Prince George's nanny. Kate will not take a "dresser" with her on the lengthy tour.

Sir David Manning, appointed by the Queen to a part-time advisory role in the newly formed Kensington Palace household in 2009, will also join the travelling party. In addition a number of close protection officers will be on hand to ensure the Cambridge's safety.

In New Zealand the Duke and Duchess will visit the capital city Wellington as well as Blenheim, Auckland, Hamilton, Cambridge, Dunedin, Queenstown and Christchurch.

Among the many engagements the couple will conduct in the country that brought the world the bungee jump, will be an adrenaline fuelled 50mph white water ride through the canyons of the Shotover River.

Among the many visits in Australia, the royal couple will visit Uluru, the traditional Aboriginal name given to Ayers Rock.

"This will be a very special moment for both of them, because the rock itself is utterly captivating," explained a Kensington Palace spokesperson.

While in Australia, the couple will visit Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Brisbane, Uluru, Adelaide and Canberra.

A palace spokesman concluded: "The Duke has no doubt that his wife will fall in love with New Zealand and Australia every bit as much as he did, some years ago."

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Computer Coding Skills For Children 'Crucial'

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

A generation of British schoolchildren risks being left behind in an analogue world unless they learn computer programming skills, a group of some of the UK's leading digital entrepreneurs warn today.

Writing on the Sky News website, figures including Baroness Martha Lane Fox, co-founder of Lastminute.com, and Ian Livingstone CBE, whose company created Tomb Raider, say young people could miss out on jobs if they are not taught skills like coding.

"Employers, entrepreneurs and government are aware how important the digital world will be in the future and we have to have a workforce with the right skills. It is vital that the UK is not left behind because we don't have the right talent who understand problem solving and are digitally literate," they write in an open letter.

"To ensure the next generation doesn't miss out on the potential this digital world will bring and the ability for them to succeed in it, we need to teach them about the fundamentals that underpin it."

The warning comes as the Hour of Code campaign is launched the UK, an initiative encouraging everyone to spend one hour learning how to write code.

It is part of a series of projects which will also see code taught in schools for the first time, following changes to the national curriculum from September.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has encouraged children to learn code

Computer science will be taught in all schools for the first time - and at one school in central London where classes are already under way, pupils voiced their enthusiasm.

"I think this should be taught everywhere," said Arb, a Year 9 pupil at City Academy at Westminster City School. "It will enrich children, it will inspire them to go into coding and software production.

"It's more fun than actually playing [computer games], it's fantastic," Arb added. "You play the game but you don't actually appreciate how much time is put into making it. Now you realise that just making a simple game like this is incredible."

But one tech entrepreneur warned that root and branch reforms of the education system were needed if young people are really to be equipped with the right skills in a changing world.

"There is a massive skills shortage of digital savvy teachers - it's an unfortunate reality of the internet revolution moving a lot faster than anyone would imagine," said the enterpreneur, who wanted to remain anonymous. "I'm supportive of the Hour of Code and the changes to the curriculum, but we are still taking baby steps."

The Government said its changes to the curriculum would give children the right start.

Education Minister Elizabeth Truss said: "It is vital our children have the skills they need to succeed in the modern-day world which is why we are scrapping the old curriculum and replacing it with a forward-thinking programme that will teach them how to make computers work for them.

"From September every student will be learning code in the classroom so the Hour of Code is a great way for young people to learn about this exciting new skill and get a head-start for the new school year."

As people of all ages are encouraged to learn code this week, Ian Livingstone said he believed the UK could become a world leader if coding skills were more widespread.

"I would argue that we are the most creative nation in the world - if you look at our music, our fashion, our film, our design, our architecture, our advertising, and of course our games," said Mr Livingstone. " But we have to release digital creativity, and by learning how to code we can do that."

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Poor 'Driven To Food Banks' By Benefits Curbs

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

A think-tank close to the Conservative Party has broken ranks to warn that 68,000 jobseekers are being wrongly stripped of their benefits each year.

The Policy Exchange says the mistakes - followed by draconian sanctions - are forcing people to food banks as they suffer "unnecessary hardship".

The Government's welfare reform has been criticised by the church

The warning will be particularly worrying for the Prime Minister because the Policy Exchange is a centre-right organisation chaired by the Conservative peer, Daniel Finkelstein.

The report says that recipients are being sanctioned and then later appeal and have the decision overturned - but many suffer unfairly in the meantime, it claims.

Iain Duncan Smith says his changes will get people back to work

It calls for a new system in which first-time offenders are not immediately sanctioned but instead given a "benefits card" credited weekly for up to eight weeks. If recipients continue to breach job search conditions then the card would be removed.

The think-tank then suggests more stringent penalties for serial offenders.

"This system would provide a safety net, mitigating hardship whilst a sanction is appealed, forcing claimants to re-engage with Jobcentre staff and deterring non-compliance through the added inconvenience of daily sign on," it concludes.

The warning comes after a barrage of criticism of welfare reforms from church leaders and charities.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has hit back, insisting his policies will help move people out of a dependency culture and back into work.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "Every day, Jobcentre Plus advisers are successfully helping people off benefits and into work as part of the Government's long term plan to build a stronger, more secure economy.

"We have seen record numbers of people in work - the number of people in a job went up by 193,000 over the last three months and the number of unemployed people fell by 125,000.

"It's only right that people claiming benefits should do everything they can to find work if they are able. Sanctions are used as a last resort and anyone who disagrees with a decision can appeal."

She said there was a "well-established" system of hardship provision for those who face sanctions.

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Hague Says 'No Military Action' Over Ukraine

Putin Is Cracking The Whip On The West

Updated: 10:29am UK, Monday 03 March 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor

He's done it again.

With the swashbuckling approach to international affairs that fits his popular bare-chested public persona, Vladimir Putin has outmanoeuvred his Western rivals and local challengers.

Barack Obama, the leader of the world's greatest superpower, has been left looking like a salmon gasping on a river bank.

John Kerry, the US Secretary of State, unwittingly put his finger on why.

"You just don't in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pretext," he harrumphed.

Well, if you're Mr Putin, you do.

You destabilise regions where you have cultural linguistic ties, like Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, and then if you feel the time is right you invade them like a 19th-century Tsar and take charge in the name of protecting your natural subjects.

There is nothing surprising about what happened in the Crimea. Only that the Western powers, nests of super-expensive spy agencies and cyber surveillance, were left entirely gormless and thunderstruck when Russian commandos, posing as "gunmen", quietly took over airport and government buildings.

But one did not need MI6, the CIA, European spooks and cyber nerds to guess that Mr Putin meant business when he identified the new government in Kiev as being the products of a fascist revolution and mobilised 150,000 troops on Ukraine's borders. You just had to keep your head out of the sand.

But that is where Western powers have been shoving it throughout the recent Putin years.

They did this because they are powerless to stop him. They don't have his dash or his amoral lack of concern for anything other than what he perceives to be Russia's interests.

He has not been wringing his hands over Syria - a country he has repeatedly said should be left to make its own sovereign way (unlike Ukraine).

He has behaved with the total hypocrisy and certainty of purpose that made nations great in the 19th century.

Empires were built, the biggest by the Brits, on perfidy, dash, ruthlessness and clarity.

He has backed Bashar al Assad. He has backed Iran.

As a result he has the most influence in the Syria nightmare.

He also has the most influence in determining or at least shaping Iran's nuclear future - and if Tehran gets the bomb, then making sure that he's on the right side of its leadership.

As in Ukraine, the West is enjoying baying at the Russian bear from the moral high ground.

But it has no levers that it is serious about pulling, either in the Middle East or in Crimea.

Threats of snubbing the G8 pow-wow in Sochi in June, even of economic sanctions, hardly matter to the Kremlin.

Moscow can cause economic mayhem in Europe just by turning off the gas taps.

Mr Kerry told the CBS programme Face The Nation that there would be "very serious repercussions" for Moscow and said G8 nations and some other countries are "prepared to go to the hilt to isolate Russia" with an array of options.

"They're prepared to put sanctions in place, they're prepared to isolate Russia economically, the rouble is already going down. Russia has major economic challenges," he said.

That may be true.

But Mr Putin has the whip in his hand, and he's already doing the cracking.

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Connery 'Shakes And Stirs' Scotland Debate

James Bond actor Sir Sean Connery is urging fellow Scots to vote for independence as the opportunity is "too good to miss".

The Hollywood star claimed a "new nation" with more hope would be created if Scotland backs leaving the UK in September's referendum.

Sir Sean, who does not live in the country but is a well-known supporter of independence, said a yes vote would "capture the world's attention".

He said: "I fully respect the choice facing Scotland in September is a matter for the people who choose to work and live there - that's only right.

"But as a Scot with a lifelong love of Scotland and the arts, I believe the opportunity of independence is too good to miss.

He added: "Scotland has the chance to make a step change

"Simply put there is no more creative an act than creating a new nation."

David Bowie wants Scotland to remain part of the UK

Sir Sean said he was "particularly excited" about the prospects that independence could offer the film and creative industries.

He claimed these could be boosted by more investment, helping to create jobs north of the border with the "international promotion of Scotland as an iconic location".

Writing in an article in the Sun on Sunday and the New Statesman, he said a "a bigger and more confident film and broadcast sector" could help bring about "an inflow of resources and new jobs and training".

But the Better Together campaign - which wants Scotland to stay in the UK - says independence would mean losing jobs, and create more uncertainty, instability and barriers for businesses.

Last month, singer David Bowie, in a message read by model Kate Moss at the Brits, urged Scots to remain a part of the UK, saying:  "Stay with us Scotland."

:: 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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Moazzam Begg Remanded Over Terror Charges

Ex-Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg has appeared in court charged with providing terrorist training and funding terrorism overseas.

The 45-year-old British citizen, from Hall Green, Birmingham, was one of four people arrested earlier this week on suspicion of terrorism offences linked to the Syria conflict.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today alongside a woman, Gerrie Tahari, 44, of Sparkbrook, Birmingham, who also denied funding terrorism overseas.

Begg was remanded in custody and will next appear at the Old Bailey on March 14.

Both were arrested on Tuesday with two other men held on suspicion of facilitating terrorism overseas.

Begg was released from Guantanamo Bay in January 2005

The pair - a 36-year-old man from Shirley, Solihull, and a 20-year-old man from Sparkhill, Birmingham, who is the son of Tahari - remain in police custody.

Begg was held by the US government at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba for nearly three years after being arrested in Pakistan in February 2002.

He was detained on suspicion of being a member of al Qaeda before being released without charge in January 2005.

He was allowed to return to the UK where he was arrested by police before being released without charge.

Begg is a director of Cage - which campaigns "against the War on Terror" - and has always maintained that he has never been involved in any kind of terrorist activity.

:: 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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Floods Fund: £2m To Support Tourism Firms

Tourism businesses affected by the recent flooding are to get a £2m boost from the Government.

Culture Secretary Maria Miller says the money will fund experts who will visit affected areas and offer practical advice to tourism firms such as how to access business support measures.

The advice sessions will be hosted by VisitEngland and run throughout March.

The fund comes on top of  the £10m set aside by Prime Minister David Cameron last month to help flood-hit businesses generally.

Ms Miller said: "We want to help all those tourism businesses that have been affected by the horrendous floods get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

"Experts will be put on the ground to help small businesses with practical advice and communications while a bespoke Easter marketing will bring people back to the areas hit."

Welcoming the funding, VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford said: "Our message to customers is 'Business as usual'.

"Despite many areas having been affected by bad weather and some travel disruption, the tourism infrastructure is largely unaffected."

VisitBritain chief executive Sandie Dawe said: "International tourism is worth around £1.5bn to the economies of south west England and Wales.

"We are already getting out the message that it is a great time to travel to Britain and will be intensifying that activity over the coming months."

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

:: Watch Sky News' special programme 'Battered Britain: From The Air' about the effect of the recent storms on the UK's landscape on Sunday, March 2, at 4pm.

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Newcastle Boss Fined £100,000 For 'Headbutt'

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew was sent off during his side's match against Hull City after appearing to headbutt an opposing player.

Midfielder David Meyler barged into Pardew as he tried to get the ball for a throw-in during the second half of Saturday's match at the KC Stadium.

Pardew squared up to Meyler and was seen to move his head in the direction of the player. Referee Kevin Friend then sent him to the stands. He was later fined £100,000 for his behaviour.

The incident overshadowed Newcastle's win

Speaking to Sky Sports News after the match, which Newcastle won 4-1, Pardew said it was a "heat of the moment thing" he "massively regrets".

"I think I'm going to sit down now because that's two or three incidents I've been involved in. I think I'm going to sit now.

"I didn't meant to do anything aggressive but I moved my head forward and that's enough."

The Football Association could take further action against Pardew

Hull boss Steve Bruce said the club had accepted Pardew's apology and wanted to move on from the incident.

"I think Alan knows he's been stupid and apologised.

"In the heat of the game we all do silly things and I think he regrets it. It's a game of football with emotions."

Pardew apologised after the match

At least one bookmaker has suspended betting on the next Premier League manager to leave after the run-in.

Pardew has been involved in touchline clashes with three opposition managers in the last year, and was given a two-game ban for pushing an assistant referee in 2012.

Later that year he signed an eight-year contract extension up until 2020.

:: 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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Leytonstone Murder: Victims Stabbed To Death

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8:46am UK, Sunday 02 March 2014

Police forensic teams combed the scene of the double murder

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