Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Maret 2015 | 20.14
Ed Miliband is facing embarrassment after it emerged one of the Labour Party's largest donors is a hedge fund manager.
It has been disclosed that a "mystery" donor who has given the party nearly £600,000 is Martin Taylor, who describes himself as "a born and bred Londoner, who also happens to be a hedge fund manager".
The revelation will be particularly awkward for Mr Miliband, who routinely criticises the Conservatives over their reliance on funding from hedge fund mangers and businessmen.
Last month during a heated exchange in the Commons Mr Miliband dubbed the Tories "the party of Mayfair hedge funds and Monaco tax avoiders".
Electoral Commission records show Mr Taylor has made eight donations, totaling £591,000, to Labour since 2012, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
Video:Sky News To Host 'Chancellors' Q&A
His identity had been unclear because parties need only to provide a name for donors of amounts above £7,500 and not further details.
This makes it difficult for the public to fully identify those people on the donors' register who have a common name.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Taylor, of Nevsky Capital, insisted there was "no mystery" about his donations and said his family had always been Labour, including his father, who was a councillor in Lewisham.
He said: "This Martin Taylor is me. I am a born and bred Londoner, who also happens to be a hedge fund manager. And I am proud to support the Labour Party.
"This may seem a bit odd to many people. It is commonly believed that everyone in the financial sector supports the Conservative Party, in a quest to pay ever lower levels of tax ...
"I believe very strongly that everyone should contribute to society and those who are lucky enough to earn a lot more should contribute more than others.
"This principle has become particularly important since the global financial crisis in 2008 threw Western economies into recession, reduced living standards and sparked a wave of cutbacks on government spending: cutbacks that have hit those with the least hardest."
He added that he also supported Labour's controversial mansion tax policy, which has recently drawn fire from the pop stars Cheryl Fernandez Versini and Myleene Klass.
A Labour Party spokesman said: "We are grateful to people from all walks of life who support the Labour Party and our better plan.
"Unlike David Cameron and the Conservatives who increasingly rely on the money of an exclusive group of donors - the same people who they have rewarded with tax breaks - Ed Miliband will enter Downing Street owing nothing to anybody."
The Liberal Democrats have called in a standards watchdog following allegations that a donation "bought" access to Nick Clegg.
The party has referred the matter to the Electoral Commission after it allegedly accepted the gift from the 'stepfather' of a Daily Telegraph journalist posing as a businessman.
Party fundraiser Ibrahim Taguri was also recently accused of impropriety
It is claimed that Lib Dem peer Lord Strasburger was secretly filmed discussing how to keep the donation secret by sidestepping disclosure rules.
Nick Clegg has also reportedly been filmed by Channel 4's Dispatches programme meeting the undercover reporter.
Video:Sky News To Host 'Chancellors' Q&A
It comes as the party's former chief fundraiser Ibrahim Taguri stands accused of bypassing party funding laws and has stepped down as an election candidate while the claims are looked into.
A Lib Dem spokesman said: "It is common practice for senior party figures from all parties to meet with potential and current donors.
"Dispatches has raised important questions about one particular donation, which the party is taking seriously.
"The Party had no reason to believe that the donation was made by anyone other than the person who signed the cheque.
"When we were alerted to the claim that this donation may, without our knowledge, have been made on someone else's behalf, we referred this matter to the Electoral Commission, and requested their advice on whether the donation should be handed to the Commission or returned to the donor.
"We shall comply fully with their investigation and any recommendations they may make as a result.
"The party has also introduced an additional level of scrutiny to donations to the federal party, over and above legal requirements. This will apply with immediate effect."
Lord Strasburger has resigned the Lib Dem whip in the House of Lords while an investigation takes place and he has accused Channel 4 of "entrapment".
He said: "In the last few months I have been very active in the House of Lords fighting to protect the freedom of the press, but I never had in mind the sort of cynical and contrived entrapment-style journalism to which I have been personally subjected by Channel 4.
"I am a retired businessman, I am not a career politician... In a purely voluntary capacity, I have been helping the party with fundraising. I have gained no personal benefit in doing so.
"Whatever Channel 4 may say in their Dispatches programme, I do not think I have committed any offence.
"Having said that, I believe that we should all be accountable for what we do, so I have invited the Electoral Commission to carry out an investigation into my actions."
Five teenage girls who are said to have shown an interest in going to Syria have been barred by a High Court judge from travelling abroad.
The two 15-year-olds and three 16-year-olds were made wards of court by Mr Justice Hayden.
The judge's decision prevents them from leaving the jurisdiction of England and Wales.
He made the ruling at a hearing in London after Tower Hamlets local authority raised concerns.
Shamima Begum, Amira Abase and Kadiza Sultana are said to be in Syria
The judge, who said the girls could not be identified, also made orders removing their passports and those of a number of adults involved in their care.
Mr Justice Hayden said he made the order involving the adults because of evidence that, in at least one other case, young girls had travelled on passports belonging to members of their family.
Video:New Footage of Schoolgirls
More importantly, there was evidence suggesting the family members in the case had not been full and frank with social services, and that the girls had been moving to a more radicalised position.
He said: "It seems to me that that must have been known to the parents and they deliberately did not share it with the authorities who were keen to protect these vulnerable young girls."
The judge, who made a similar order in relation to a 16-year-old boy earlier this week, admitted it was a "draconian" step, as was the removal of a passport.
He said: "But the risk contemplated here is as grave as it can be for it is common knowledge that so many have lost their lives in Syria and so many have gone knowing that would be likely."
The girls and adults concerned, who were not in court, can challenge the emergency ruling at a future date if they wish.
Three girls who attended Bethnal Green Academy in east London disappeared last month and are believed to have travelled to Syria to join Islamic State militants.
Shamima Begum, Amira Abase, both 15, and Kadiza Sultana, 16, took flights to Istanbul in February.
Video:British Teens Seen In Istanbul CCTV
The schoolgirls are thought to be staying at a house in the IS stronghold of al Raqqa, Sky sources have said.
Their disappearance led to criticism from Turkey's deputy prime minister, who said officials had not been given enough warning about them going missing.
Three young British men suspected of planning to join IS militants in Syria were arrested in Turkey earlier this week.
CCTV video of the teenagers was taken at an airport in Istanbul just before they were stopped allegedly heading to the Syria border.
The trio, two aged 17 and one aged 19, were arrested and flown back to the UK but have since been released on bail.
Security services estimate 600 Britons have gone to Syria or Iraq to join militant groups, including Mohammed Emwazi, also known as "Jihadi John", who has appeared in several IS beheading videos.
The UK's first eSports arena will open this weekend allowing hundreds of spectators to watch professional gamers take part in contests.
The tournaments will be held at a converted multiplex cinema in Fulham, west London, over seven months.
eSports - or electronic sports - are popular video games played over the internet.
There are thought to be some five million eGaming fans in the UK
Internet developments in the past 10 years have meant millions of people worldwide can follow top players gaming live, in real time, and hear their commentaries on their performance.
In countries like South Korea, where eGaming is virtually a national sport, with huge stadiums packed with up to 40,000 spectators, the best players are celebrities.
Currently the numbers of fans eGaming in the UK is thought to be around five million. Those behind the UK arena think the UK scene is about to take off.
Neville Upton, from Gfinity, told Sky News: "The growth is phenomenal. The last big event we did we got 8.7 million people watching just over a weekend.
"Twitch TV is the main platform where we actually stream all our events. This time last year they had 45 million people watching every month - that figure is now a hundred million."
The revenue from sponsorship and advertising is already impressive as the eSports demographic is mainly men in their teens and twenties - a key, hard-to-reach demographic.
And that money is making some of the best young players precociously wealthy.
Sky News asked 20-year-old Nathan 'NBK' Schmitt how much he earned in a typical year.
"Including all the tournaments, sponsorship and extras it's currently hundreds of thousands of dollars… me and my team mates. Yes. Wow."
The Government has been accused by a charity of dragging its heels over a new meningitis vaccine that could "save lives now".
The Department of Health was told by its immunisation advisory body it should make the new meningitis B vaccination available to children a year ago.
However, the department has been wrangling with the drugs company over the price of the Bexsero MenB vaccine since August.
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor John Watson, said he hoped a "cost effective price" could be reached quickly but warned that NHS funds must be used "as effectively as possible".
Last week health official announced a plan to launch an immunisation programme to protect teenagers against the meningitis W after a sharp increase in cases.
The charity Meningitis Now welcomed the announcement but said it was "deeply concerned" about the delay with the meningitis B vaccine, which would also offer children protection against meningitis W.
There are an average of 3,223 cases of meningitis in the UK every year, one in ten of those results in death. Of the total 1,761 cases are meningitis B.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said that the new vaccine should be made available to children at two, four and 12 months.
Sue Davie, of charity Meningitis Now, said: "We also note the JCVI's recognition that the Men B vaccine is likely to provide direct protection to infants against the Men W strain, but remain deeply concerned that the introduction of the Men B vaccine continues to be held up in negotiations, some eight months after they began.
"Surely now we will see the negotiations between the Government and vaccine producer being concluded and the Men B vaccine introduced to save lives now and protect babies not only against MenB but MenW as well."
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the manufacturers had not been offering a "fair price" but said they had made a lower offer and he hoped there would be a deal in the near future.
He said an independent body advised the Government on how much to pay for vaccines to ensure taxpayers' money was correctly spent.
Mr Hunt told Sky News: "No healthcare system in the world can buy every single new drug or new vaccine that comes out."
Dr Ian Maconichie, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, told the BBC: "One year on, we appeal that a decision is made imminently, so should the vaccine be introduced, it can begin to save children's lives and spare some from severe preventable disability as soon as possible."
Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Maret 2015 | 20.14
Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson appeared to be back on provocative form as he declared on stage that the BBC had sacked him.
Speaking at a fundraising event in London on Thursday night, Clarkson joked with the audience as he said: "I don't know when I did my last-ever lap of the Top Gear test track before the f***ing b******s sacked me."
Amid laughter and applause the presenter apparently repeated the claim which was caught on camera.
The BBC has not commented but said on Thursday afternoon that director general Tony Hall is to be given a dossier on the matter next week and will subsequently make a decision.
Earlier, a BBC executive suggested Clarkson's co-hosts James May and Richard Hammond had been offered the chance to finish this season's Top Gear shows but had refused to do so.
Video:Stig Delivers BBC Clarkson Petition
They "didn't want to do it without Jeremy", the executive was reported as saying.
Clarkson was suspended from the show earlier this month after allegedly punching a producer over a row about the lack of a hot meal at a hotel following a day's filming.
Both Clarkson and producer Oisin Tymon have now given their evidence to an inquiry set up to investigate the matter.
Video:Clarkson 'Off To The Job Centre'
The show makes millions of pounds for the BBC and, while some at the corporation are believed to want the presenter off Top Gear, he has a strong fan base, with almost a million people signing a petition for his reinstatement.
Meanwhile, Clarkson's co-hosts May and Hammond have been tweeting about what they have been doing on their enforced days off.
May on Thursday revealed his empathy with the unemployed as he wrote: "Seriously, if you really are unemployed, good luck to you. It's not funny in reality."
Video:Clarkson Off For Lunch, Not Inquiry
Richard Hammond tweeted a picture of his dog and said: "Not trying to be cryptic, just enjoying a gorgeous morning. Off."
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Brusthom Ziamani was 'groomed' by older men, his lawyer said
A teenager has been jailed for 22 years for hatching a plot to behead a British soldier inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.
Brusthom Ziamani, 19, stood impassively in the dock as the sentence was handed down at the Old Bailey.
He was arrested in an east London street carrying a 12in knife and a hammer in a rucksack.
He had earlier researched the location of army cadet bases in the south east of the capital.
The court was told how he had earlier shown his ex-girlfriend weapons, described Fusilier Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo as a "legend".
1/5
Gallery: Ziamani: 'This Is Islamic State Of Ireland And Britain'
In this letter, Brusthom Ziamani told his parents that he had an obligation to fight for Allah - and as he couldn't travel to Iraq and Syria, he would have to wage war on the British Government. 'This is Islamic State of Ireland and Britain,' the 19-year-old adds
The man, from southeast London, said the heads of British soldiers would be removed and burned - and claimed: 'you cannot defeat the Muslims because we love to die the way you love to live'
]]>
He chillingly added: 'we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day, everyday'
]]>
As the letter continued, Ziamani told his mother and father that he planned to die a martyr and leave this world - 'so please do not grieve, as I will be in paradise'. He also asked his parents to forgive him for the stress he had caused them in the past
]]>
In the final section, the teenager urged his parents not to mix with Christians, Jews and non-believers - and said they should all be killed with no pity. 'But do not kill the women and children,' he added
]]>
He told his girlfriend he would "kill soldiers".
The defendant was radicalised after being befriended by members of a radical Muslim organisation which held meetings in London.
Ziamani was found guilty last month of preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced by Judge Timothy Pontius.
Judge Pontius said: "A realistic and sensible assessment of the whole of the evidence leads inescapably to the conclusion that this defendant, had he not by sheer good fortune been spotted and stopped by the police on the street in east London, would have carried out the intention he had so graphically expressed to his ex-girlfriend just a few hours before."
The judge told Ziamani that he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his 22-year sentence before being eligible for parole.
Earlier, in mitigation, Ziamani's lawyer, Naeem Mian, said his client was not an "entrenched extremist".
Mr Mian said Ziamani was a young man who while destitute had been groomed by people who were "more sophisticated and mature" than him.
He said: "It is worrying to say the least that those who groomed him are able to groom and radicalise a young man in such a short period of time.
"On any view it is a tragic case because this young man will spend a long time in custody after which he will inevitably be unemployable.
"His foolish, naive acts have resulted in him throwing his life away at his tender age.
"He has nothing to look forward to now. The only glimmer of hope he has is the fact his parents - in particular his mother - has been to see him a number of times since his conviction.
"They are still not comfortable with the fact he has converted to Islam. As you would expect of caring and loving parents, they have been to see him."
The trial was told how Ziamani had "reverted" to Islam only last year and was kicked out of home in Camberwell, south London, by his parents.
1/3
Gallery: Knife Shown To Terror Trial Jury
Police have released images of material shown to the jury in the trial of Brusthom Ziamani
The knife along with this Shahada flag were found in Ziamani's rucksack when he was arrested, the court heard
]]>
Ziamani was born in London to Congolese parents. His mother worked as a nursery nurse and his father was a psychiatric nurse.
He said he first became interested in Islam at the age of 15 through rap music and decided to convert again in the months before his arrests.
He initially turned to his local mosque for support before he fell in with the Muslim group al-Muhajiroun - or ALM.
The group gave him money, clothes and a place to stay.
He attended their talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations.
He said he was going "to rock it everywhere I go in the Kaffirs' face".
The court was told how he posted comments on Facebook that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah".
He added: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. We will implement it, it's part of our religion."
At the time he was first arrested last June on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket.
In the letter he wrote about mounting an attack on a British soldier and expressed the desire to die a martyr.
But Ziamani denied he was planning a copycat terror atrocity like the murder of Fusilier Rigby.
On the letter, he said: "I was ranting and raging about the situation in Muslim countries which was described in these talks. I did not believe it at all."
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Teen Gets 22 Years For Plot To Behead Soldier
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Brusthom Ziamani was 'groomed' by older men, his lawyer said
A teenager has been jailed for 22 years for hatching a plot to behead a British soldier inspired by the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.
Brusthom Ziamani, 19, stood impassively in the dock as the sentence was handed down at the Old Bailey.
He was arrested in an east London street carrying a 12in knife and a hammer in a rucksack.
He had earlier researched the location of army cadet bases in the south east of the capital.
The court was told how he had earlier shown his ex-girlfriend weapons, described Fusilier Rigby's killer Michael Adebolajo as a "legend".
1/5
Gallery: Ziamani: 'This Is Islamic State Of Ireland And Britain'
In this letter, Brusthom Ziamani told his parents that he had an obligation to fight for Allah - and as he couldn't travel to Iraq and Syria, he would have to wage war on the British Government. 'This is Islamic State of Ireland and Britain,' the 19-year-old adds
The man, from southeast London, said the heads of British soldiers would be removed and burned - and claimed: 'you cannot defeat the Muslims because we love to die the way you love to live'
]]>
He chillingly added: 'we should do a 9/11, 7/7 and a Woolwich all in one day, everyday'
]]>
As the letter continued, Ziamani told his mother and father that he planned to die a martyr and leave this world - 'so please do not grieve, as I will be in paradise'. He also asked his parents to forgive him for the stress he had caused them in the past
]]>
In the final section, the teenager urged his parents not to mix with Christians, Jews and non-believers - and said they should all be killed with no pity. 'But do not kill the women and children,' he added
]]>
He told his girlfriend he would "kill soldiers".
The defendant was radicalised after being befriended by members of a radical Muslim organisation which held meetings in London.
Ziamani was found guilty last month of preparing an act of terrorism and was sentenced by Judge Timothy Pontius.
Judge Pontius said: "A realistic and sensible assessment of the whole of the evidence leads inescapably to the conclusion that this defendant, had he not by sheer good fortune been spotted and stopped by the police on the street in east London, would have carried out the intention he had so graphically expressed to his ex-girlfriend just a few hours before."
The judge told Ziamani that he would have to serve at least two-thirds of his 22-year sentence before being eligible for parole.
Earlier, in mitigation, Ziamani's lawyer, Naeem Mian, said his client was not an "entrenched extremist".
Mr Mian said Ziamani was a young man who while destitute had been groomed by people who were "more sophisticated and mature" than him.
He said: "It is worrying to say the least that those who groomed him are able to groom and radicalise a young man in such a short period of time.
"On any view it is a tragic case because this young man will spend a long time in custody after which he will inevitably be unemployable.
"His foolish, naive acts have resulted in him throwing his life away at his tender age.
"He has nothing to look forward to now. The only glimmer of hope he has is the fact his parents - in particular his mother - has been to see him a number of times since his conviction.
"They are still not comfortable with the fact he has converted to Islam. As you would expect of caring and loving parents, they have been to see him."
The trial was told how Ziamani had "reverted" to Islam only last year and was kicked out of home in Camberwell, south London, by his parents.
1/3
Gallery: Knife Shown To Terror Trial Jury
Police have released images of material shown to the jury in the trial of Brusthom Ziamani
The knife along with this Shahada flag were found in Ziamani's rucksack when he was arrested, the court heard
]]>
Ziamani was born in London to Congolese parents. His mother worked as a nursery nurse and his father was a psychiatric nurse.
He said he first became interested in Islam at the age of 15 through rap music and decided to convert again in the months before his arrests.
He initially turned to his local mosque for support before he fell in with the Muslim group al-Muhajiroun - or ALM.
The group gave him money, clothes and a place to stay.
He attended their talks in the basement of a halal sweet shop in Whitechapel and bought a black flag to take on their demonstrations.
He said he was going "to rock it everywhere I go in the Kaffirs' face".
The court was told how he posted comments on Facebook that he was "willing to die in the cause of Allah".
He added: "Sharia law on its way on our streets. We will implement it, it's part of our religion."
At the time he was first arrested last June on an unrelated matter, police found a ripped-up letter in his jeans pocket.
In the letter he wrote about mounting an attack on a British soldier and expressed the desire to die a martyr.
But Ziamani denied he was planning a copycat terror atrocity like the murder of Fusilier Rigby.
On the letter, he said: "I was ranting and raging about the situation in Muslim countries which was described in these talks. I did not believe it at all."
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Breaking News: 'Eerie' Solar Eclipse Casts Shadow Across Europe
Breaking News: Live: Solar Eclipse Moves Across The Earth
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Millions of people across Europe have defied gloomy weather forecasts to watch a solar eclipse cast its shadow across the continent.
Some lucky observers in Britain got to experience the full extent of the event as the moon crossed in front of the sun, covering up to 97% of its face.
One of the best vantage points was in South Gloucestershire, where amateur astronomer Ralph Wilkins described the "eerie" feeling as a chilly gloom descended and shadows sharpened.
Elsewhere there were reports of birds "going crazy" and flocking to trees, confused by the fading light.
Skywatchers in Newquay, Cornwall, got a clear view of first contact as the moon cut across the Sun at 8.20am, shortly after observers in Spain saw the eclipse begin.
As the spectacle began, astronomer Tom Kerss told Sky News: "You're seeing the Moon's rugged mountainous and valleyed surface starting to cut into the face of the Sun. That will just grow and cut more of the Sun away."
Video:Whoops Of Joy As Eclipse Appears
:: Live Updates: Countdown To The Solar Eclipse
First contact in London was visible at 8.47am, with a large crowd of enthusiasts choosing the Royal Observatory at Greenwich as the ideal spot to watch as the Sun was partially obscured.
Members of the public and commuters who might have caught sight of the eclipse on the way to work had been warned that looking directly at the Sun could seriously damage their eyesight.
Despite fears that cloud cover could ruin the event, there were good views in many areas, from the South West to London, Lincolnshire and the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.
But some were left disappointed, including in cloudy Eastbourne, Glasgow, Bristol and Sheffield.
Video:Eclipse From Space
Twitter user @RGGoldie wrote from Jersey: "So cloudy I can't even tell where the sun is right now."
Even in gloomy areas darker skies and a slight drop in temperature were experienced during the event that will not be seen again in the UK until 2026.
It was the deepest solar eclipse shadow to fall across Britain since 1999.
The Faroe Islands and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the North Atlantic were the only places to get a total eclipse.
There were clouds in the Faroes, where Jill and Valerie Lucas, who travelled from Pennsylvania in the US to watch the eclipse, told Sky's Senior Correspondent Ian Woods: "This is a thrill in itself, to be this dark at nine o'clock in the morning - it's like nine o'clock at night."
Video:Children In Awe At First Eclipse
But moments later there were gasps from the delighted crowd when the Sun broke through the darkness of total obscuration at 9.42am.
Around the UK, the proportion of the sun covered by the moon increased towards the north, ranging from 84% in London to 89% in Manchester, 93% in Edinburgh and 97% in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles.
:: London
The partial phase of the eclipse commenced at 8.25am. One hour and six minutes later at 9.31am the maximum eclipse occurred with 85% of the Sun blocked out. The event ended at 10.41am.
:: Manchester
Viewers in the northwest saw 90% of the Sun obscured. The event began at 8.27am, and reached maximum coverage at 9.32am. It lasted two hours and fifteen minutes finished at 10.42am.
Video:How To View The Eclipse Safely
:: Belfast
The event began a minute later than London at 8.26am and lasted two hours and 13 minutes, ending at 10.39am. The eclipse reached maximum coverage at 9.31am when 95% of the Sun was obscured.
:: Scotland
Further north, eclipse watchers enjoyed a slightly better show. Viewers in Edinburgh saw 93% of the Sun covered and from Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, the Moon obscured 97% of the solar disk.
:: Aberystwyth
Viewers watched the eclipse from 8.24am and the event lasted a total of two hours and 14 minutes. The event reached maximum at 9.29am when 90% of the Sun was obscured.
Despite the excitement, Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy, warned the event could become memorable for the wrong reasons if observers failed to heed warnings of the dangers.
Video:Solar Eclipse: Myths And Magic
"This one takes place right in the middle of the rush-hour," he said. "It's not the best time from a safety point of view.
"A partial eclipse is more risky by far than a total eclipse because people don't realise that even looking at a thin sliver of sun is dangerous. It's absolutely true that there is a serious risk to people's eyesight.
"If people can't find a way to view the eclipse correctly then they shouldn't look because they're likely to damage their eyes."
A tourist visiting Norway for the eclipse has described the terrifying moment a polar bear dragged him out of his tent as he slept.
:: Watch a Sky News special report on the solar eclipse today at 2.30pm, 4.30pm, 6.30pm and 9.30pm on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132 and Freesat channel 202. Also available on skynews.com, iPad, iPhone and Sky Go.
Detectives are investigating bogus expense claim allegations which led to the suspension of a UKIP MEP and General Election candidate.
Party leader Nigel Farage said he was "deeply shocked" over the allegations a member of Janice Atkinson's staff attempted to defraud EU expenses.
He said a full disciplinary hearing would be held on Monday into the accusations and to establish whether Ms Atkinson had been aware of her staff member's alleged behaviour.
Meanwhile, a Kent Police spokesman said: "The Kent and Essex serious crime directorate has received a report of fraud. The allegation is being reviewed and the investigation is ongoing.
"You'll appreciate this investigation is at a very early stage. Kent Police will not be releasing further details at this time."
Ms Atkinson was due to stand at the General Election in the Folkestone and Hythe seat - one of UKIP's top election targets.
But she has now been stripped of the party whip and removed as a candidate while a UKIP panel investigates the allegations.
Janice Atkinson with Nigel Farage in May last year
Mr Farage said he had spoken to Ms Atkinson late on Thursday night but "did not get a clear answer".
He was speaking after The Sun newspaper claimed it had filmed a member of Ms Atkinson's staff "apparently plotting to make a substantial bogus expenses claim" in relation to a UKIP party in Margate.
The newspaper said the person told the manager of the restaurant: "The idea is we overcharge them slightly because that's the way of repatriating (the money)."
Speaking on his LBC radio phone-in show, Mr Farage said: "I was deeply shocked when I saw it (the film footage).
"It was one of the most incredibly stupid and dishonest things I have ever seen in my life.
"This was a member of staff. Exactly what the relationship between that member of staff asking for a false bill and Janice Atkinson is, I don't know.
"On the evidence of what that member of staff did, it doesn't look very good."
He added: "I am not going to prejudge this.
"But certainly as far as the member of staff is concerned, they have asked a commercial enterprise to do something that as I understand it is against the law."
Mr Farage went on: "I actually wasn't angry, I was just shocked.
"I just couldn't believe we could find ourselves potentially in this position."
In a statement announcing the MEP's suspension, a UKIP spokesman said: "The party is incredibly disappointed with Ms Atkinson, who appears to have exercised extremely poor judgment in acting in a way that the party has never, and would never condone.
"The party has acted swiftly and immediately. We always maintain a zero-tolerance attitude towards acts of this nature."
Ms Atkinson caused controversy last year after being caught on camera referring to a Thai constituent as a "ting tong from somewhere".
The 52-year-old - elected to the European Parliament last year - said she was "incredibly sorry" and had not intended any malice.
Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Maret 2015 | 20.14
By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent
The six-year investigation into what happened to missing York cook Claudia Lawrence has taken a new direction with police hinting they could be close to making more arrests.
In a carefully choreographed event close to her home in the Heworth area of the city, detectives invited locals to the screening of previously unreleased CCTV pictures and issued a warning that those with information should speak up.
North Yorkshire Police initially thought Claudia, 35, had no boyfriend when she went missing in March 2009, but discovered she apparently hid relationships from her family and friends.
Those turning up to view the CCTV footage were filmed by police
Despite a massive police operation, no evidence of Claudia has ever been found and no-one was arrested until the investigation was re-launched with a new team of detectives in 2013.
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn has said he believes some people are lying to him.
Video:People 'Lying' To Claudia Police
"If I reach the point where we believe people continue to obstruct this investigation or assist or cover up for the person or persons responsible, they will be arrested," he said in a statement.
A man who was arrested last year on suspicion of murdering Claudia has since been released without charge while another man remains on police bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
The CCTV footage, displayed on a large screen for six hours, shows someone walking along the lane that leads to the back of Claudia Lawrence's home a short while before her last known contact with anyone.
Video:May 2014: York House Searched
The same person returns with what appears to be a bag over their shoulder and pauses to let someone else pass by before continuing.
Detectives hope someone can identify the two people and were filming those who turned up to view the video.
Claudia's father Peter Lawrence held a news conference on the sixth anniversary of the day she was last seen and gave his support to the police operation.
Video:March 2014: Father Makes Appeal
"It just really hurts so much and it galls me that someone out there knows what has happened to Claudia and has not said anything," he said.
"All we can hope is that we find out what happened to Claudia. If she was murdered as the police believe then I want to be able to bury her."
Det Supt Malyn said further arrests could follow "in the coming weeks and months".
The most detailed-ever map of Britain's genetic ancestry has revealed the influence of European migration over thousands of years.
High resolution DNA analysis identified 17 genetic clusters around the UK, each with a unique lineage to settlers from France, Germany or Scandinavia.
It found the Caucasian population of central and southern England is relatively homogeneous and can trace around 20% of its genetic heritage to the Anglo Saxon people who arrived in the country around 450AD, after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
But the study also shows that people who would consider themselves to have Celtic origin are in fact several distinct genetic groups - in many cases more similar to the English than they are to each other.
Researchers at the University of Oxford took DNA samples from more than 2,000 people who lived within 50 miles of their grandparents' place of birth. This meant the scientists were, in effect, able to look at the genetic make-up of different regions before the mass migrations of the 20th century.
They also took DNA samples from 6,000 people from around Europe to identify the origins of migrant groups.
The study examined how immigration affected the languages spoken in the UK
Lead researcher Professor Peter Donnelly told Sky News: "One of the nice things about our study is that it reminds us that everyone in Britain is an immigrant.
"There was no-one in Britain 10-11,000 years ago. It is only a question of when people arrived."
According to results published in the science journal Nature:
:: Much of 'white British' DNA can be traced to people who colonised the island soon after the end of the Ice Age.
:: From the south coast to Yorkshire there is a distinct genetic pattern of the Angles - people who came from the southern Danish peninsula - and the Saxons, who came from North West Germany.
:: The populations of Cornwall and Devon are genetically distinct from each other, with a remarkable alignment with the county boundary.
:: There are other genetically distinct clusters on the English-Welsh borders, Pembrokeshire, North Wales, Cumbria, West Yorkshire, Northern Ireland and West Scotland and North East Scotland
:: Orkney is the only place in the UK with a significant genetic heritage from the Vikings, with 25% of the DNA originating from the Norse.
Dr Michael Dunn, Head of Genetics and Molecular Sciences at the Wellcome Trust, which funded the study, said: "These researchers have been able to use modern genetic techniques to provide answers to the centuries' old question: 'Where do we come from?'.
"Beyond the fascinating insights into our history, this information could prove very useful from a health perspective, as building a picture of population genetics at this scale may in future help us to design better genetic studies to investigate disease."
The question of what happened to York University cook Claudia Lawrence is simultaneously a family tragedy, a thorn in the side of North Yorkshire Police, and one of the country's most intriguing unsolved crimes.
Claudia, 35 and apparently single, is assumed to have been murdered after failing to turn up to work in March 2009, leaving no obvious clues about what had happened to her.
In the six years she has been missing there have been just two arrests and no charges.
It is little wonder that people are asking if the police have run out of ideas.
So is the recent renewed police activity around her former home, and the claim that more arrests could be imminent, just an attempt to silence the critics, or are the police on to something?
And why are there so many undercurrents to the mystery, with some people still unwilling to talk to journalists, and others issuing warnings or threats?
To find the answers you have to look at the history of the investigation and at the police team trying to move it forward.
There were undoubtedly mistakes made in the spring of 2009. For months after Claudia vanished the entire publicity effort of Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway's investigation showed her with the wrong colour hair, while detectives allowed the misleading narrative that Claudia was an unassuming young woman to run away with them and never really recovered from the belated attempt to correct it.
The truth - that her relationships involved what Mr Galloway eventually described as "complexity and mystery" - was not made public until three months after she disappeared, many weeks after they had built up what one described to me as a "rogues' gallery" of some of the men she had been involved with.
With a continued insistence from Claudia's family and friends, from whom it seems she hid much of her private life, that the police were wrong, and with many locals knowing differently all along, it set the tone for mistrust and conflict.
To be fair the police did not know what they were walking into: Claudia apparently lived a significant part of her life in secret and her parents had endured such a bitter divorce that to this day they have never made a joint appeal over their daughter's disappearance.
Meanwhile, journalists were finding the story hard to tell. For a privately-educated daughter of a country solicitor Claudia had some unusual acquaintances and this remains the only missing person case where I've been warned off or threatened - not once, but twice.
Journalists and the police alike have found it hard to break the silence surrounding some of her relationships.
Fast forward five years and following the retirement of Ray Galloway a new police team has relaunched the investigation.
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, the senior investigating officer, has described the investigation as engrossing and quickly said he had "spotted things" to work on.
Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Mason, the force's head of crime, knows the Police and Crime Commissioner wants a result.
Neither give the impression of police officers who would spin lines for publicity or conduct stunts to make themselves look busy.
So far they've arrested two men, with one released without charge and the other still on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
They have re-examined Claudia's house, carried out a much-publicised fingertip search outside and re-interviewed key individuals and in doing so they have created a buzz which might yet solve the crime.
Det Supt Malyn is now talking about new leads, continuing obstruction, cover-ups and lies by some people and the possibility of more arrests soon.
But he's a realist too: "Ultimately we may not be able to prove what happened to Claudia, or be able to find her," he admitted this week.
There is a feeling among Claudia's family and the reporters who have covered this case from the start that if North Yorkshire Police fail to solve this crime it will not be for the want of trying.
A former detective has told Sky News he is "ashamed to be a retired officer" after a systematic cover-up to protect the late MP Cyril Smith from child abuse allegations.
The officer, who did not want to be identified, joined Greater Manchester Police in the early 1970s and served for over 20 years working on many high-profile investigations.
He spoke exclusively to Sky News and said he and his colleagues were amazed at how they were closed down when they had the evidence to prosecute Smith, who died in 2010.
He said: "To have all that taken away in the blink of an eye, put into a box … it is similar to watching the X-Files when you see a box being taken into a big warehouse and it is never to be seen or heard of again. That was how it felt."
He revealed his team were ordered never to speak about the investigation again.
Video:Ex-Cop: Cyril Smith Probe Halted
"It was a senior police officer. In those circumstances when you are confronted by a very senior police officer, unless you are working with them, you don't remember the names, you remember the rank. It is the rank that is giving the order."
He cannot say who the man was but he suspects he was from the Metropolitan Police. "We only had our suspicions, the suspicions led back down to London," he said.
"I have to say that I am getting to be ashamed to say I am a retired police officer," he added.
The ex-detective believes there could be hundreds of retired officers who are aware of what happened but still would not have the confidence to speak out.
He said: "People coming forward will feel frightened and nervous, but once the story has been revealed they will feel an awful lot better.
"The more officers that come forward the better because the powers that be just wouldn't be able to cope with it."
Video:2014: 'Cover-Up' To Be Investigated
He believes the IPCC-led investigation into allegations of police misconduct will face many barriers but urged officers to speak out and do what is "morally right".
His comments were echoed by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said: "I want to make an appeal for anyone who has information about the way the authorities including Greater Manchester Police dealt with reports of child abuse to come forward.
"I also appeal to victims who suffered abuse in care homes and other institutions who made complaints then or have suffered in silence and not reported what they went through to consider contacting the police or indeed one of the children's or survivors' charities."
He said the GMP had allocated "considerable resources" to the investigation, adding "we are committed to investigate all the allegations as best we can".
"... We have already interviewed a large number of people and still have numerous enquiries to undertake. We are speaking to everyone no matter what status they have held or still hold to get to the truth.
Video:Ex-PM 'Turned Blind Eye' To Abuse
"Greater Manchester Police has no interest in covering up any of these issues," he said.
On Wednesday Prime Minister David Cameron told MPs people would not be prosecuted for speaking out about child abuse cover-ups.
"I don't want to see anyone prosecuted for uncovering wrongdoing in this way," he said.
Greater Manchester Police has urged anyone with information to call the incident room on 0161 856 0310, the Police and Crime Commissioner's office or the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
George Osborne dismissed fears over spending cuts to public services raised by the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Osborne said the cuts were necessary but did not pinpoint exactly where the axe would fall.
He said: "People know that we have been careful with public money, we want to go on doing that at the same pace we have been doing that over the next couple of years."
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) report released on the day of the Budget says the Conservatives' cuts leave "a rollercoaster profile of implied public services spending through the next parliament".
The OBR report projects a "much sharper squeeze" on spending in 2016-17 and 2017-18, which would be followed by a sharp increase in 2019-20.
Video:Balls: Rollercoaster Budget Cuts
Discussing his plans for a further £12bn welfare savings cuts, Mr Osborne said: "I'm not suggesting that these things are easy, but they are necessary if we are going to go on living within our means.
"We've saved £21bn in this parliament and we need £12bn in the next ... People can judge me by my track record.
"I'm a Chancellor who's made these sensible, balanced decisions and we can see the benefits in this massive moment for the UK, when debt as a share of national income is falling."
Shadow chancellor Ed Balls criticised Mr Osborne's cuts as "extreme" and told Sky News: "I think it is risky and dangerous. That is not what Labour will do. We will have a balanced plan to get the deficit down in the next parliament, to cut the Budget deficit, to get the national debt falling."
Video:Budget 2015: Video Highlights
However, he admitted: "We will have to make sensible spending cuts and we will have some tax rises on the highest incomes, from the people at the top and also we will have a focus on raising people's wages.
"We are going to scrap the police and crime commissioners and save £250m in police budgets, £500m savings in local government, £230m in education and defence procurement ..."
The Lib Dem today unveiled their own Budget to distance themselves from their coalition partner's Budget.
George Osborne's no-gimmicks, no-frills Budget has set the dividing lines between the parties ahead of May's election.
Video:The Budget In 77 Seconds
He claimed Britain was "walking tall again" after five years of austerity.
Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna said: "I'm not sure that I would want my public services to be on a roller coaster, I would want to have decent provision for my constituents and all across the country."
Mathew Hancock, the Conservative Business Enterprise and Energy Minister, responded to the criticism.
He said: "We have a plan to deliver and anyone who wants to spend more money or go more slowly will see the debt rising as a proportion of GDP, and that is exactly the sort of mistake that got us into this mess in the first place."
Video:Analysis: Your Budget Need-To-Know
Mr Osborne's Budget did have some sweeteners for first time buyers and savers, including the first £1,000 of savings being tax free for a basic rate tax payer.
He also announced a help-to-buy ISA under which first-time buyers saving for a deposit will receive a 25p top-up from the Government for every pound they put aside up to a maximum of £3,000, on top of savings of £12,000.
Police searching for missing chef Claudia Lawrence are "actively pursuing new leads" and may make further arrests shortly.
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn of North Yorkshire Police was speaking on the sixth anniversary of her disappearance.
He said his team had made "significant progress" since the force began reviewing the case in 2013.
Police search the alleyway at the back of Miss Lawrence's home
Miss Lawrence was last seen on Wednesday 18 March 2009 and was reported missing by her father two days later.
He contacted police after she failed to turn up for her 6am shift at York University.
Video:People 'Lying' To Claudia Police
Officers believe the 35-year-old was murdered.
A number of fresh searches have been carried out since 2013, including a detailed re-examination of her house in the Heworth area of York and the alleyway at the rear.
A 60-year-old man, arrested last year in connection with her disappearance, was released without charge, while a 47-year-old man remains on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
Video:May 2014: York House Searched
Det Supt Malyn said: "In the months since we started our review, we have made very significant progress.
"In the coming weeks and months we may make additional arrests as we continue to develop our lines of inquiry.
"In the light of information that has only recently come to the fore, we are actively pursuing what are rightly described as new leads."
Video:March 2014: Father Makes Appeal
Mr Malyn warned anyone withholding information about their relationship with Miss Lawrence or events in the days before her disappearance to come forward or risk being arrested.
He added: "Six years have passed since Claudia disappeared. For her loved ones, the pain caused by her absence and the circumstances of her disappearance has not faded.
"Ultimately, we may not be able to prove what happened to Claudia, or be able to find her. But that will not be for lack of determination, tenacity and meticulous detective work."
Chancellor George Osborne has delivered his pre-election budget. Here are his key points so far.
Click to refresh for the latest lines...
:: Pension pot lifetime allowance to be reduced from £1.25m to £1m from next year, saving £600m annually.
:: Deficit forecasts from Autumn Statement revised downwards to 4% in 2015/16, 2% in 2016/17 and 0.6% in 2017/18.
:: Forecasted budget surplus of 0.2% forecast for 2018/19 and 0.3% for 2019/20.
:: Borrowing forecast for this year revised downwards to £90.2bn, then £75.3bn in 2015/16, £39.4bn, £12.8bn in subsequent years - a total of £5bn less borrowing than forecast in December.
:: Debt as a share of GDP falls from 80.4% in 2014/15 to 80.2% in 2015/16, then 79.8%, 77.8% and 74.8% in subsequent years before reaching 71.6% in 2019/20.
:: To deliver falling debt, Government must achieve £30bn more in savings by 2017/18 - £13bn from Government departments, £12bn from welfare savings and £5bn from clamping down on tax avoidance and evasion.
:: Legislation next week on diverted profits tax aimed at multinationals shifting profits offshore, with policy to take effect at the start of April.
:: The Office for Budget Responsibility says Britain's economy grew by 2.6% last year.
:: Growth forecast for 2015 revised up by 0.1% to 2.5%, up 0.1% for 2016 to 2.3%, and down 0.1% for 2017 to 2.3%.
:: Unemployment set to fall by 0.1% from 5.4% to 5.3%.
:: National Minimum Wage to be at least £8 by the end of the decade - and will rise by 20p an hour to £6.70 from October.
:: Farmers will be allowed to average their incomes for tax purposes over five years.
:: OBR revises 2015 inflation forecast down to 0.2%.
:: Sale of £13bn of mortgage assets held by the Government after the bailout of Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley is going to be launched. This will be used to pay down the national debt.
:: Squeeze on public spending to end a year earlier than planned, so 2019/20 spending grows in line with the growth of the economy - bringing state spending as a share of national income to the same level as in 2000.
:: Bank levy increased to 0.21%, raising an additional £900m a year.
:: Charities for British servicemen and women to receive £75m, funded by Libor fines.
:: New investment in transport and regeneration across London, and funding to address acute housing shortages in the capital.
The match commander on the day of the Hillsborough disaster has denied being part of a conspiracy to cover up the police's role.
Giving evidence for a seventh day to the inquests into the deaths of the 96 Liverpool fans, David Duckenfield admitted "very serious professional failings", but denied telling other officers to lie about what happened.
He was asked by his own barrister, John Beggs QC: "If there was a conspiracy to interfere with a fair collection of the evidence, did you have any part in that?"
Mr Duckenfield replied: "None at all, sir."
Mr Beggs continued: "Did you tell other officers how they should record their evidence in relation to this tragedy?"
Mr Duckenfield stated: "No, sir."
The barrister went on: "Did you at any stage ever encourage any other police officer or police civilian to change his or her statement?"
Mr Duckenfield responded: "No, sir."
The former chief superintendent has already admitted lying in the aftermath of the disaster by not revealing that he had given the command for an exit gate to be opened, allowing around 2,000 fans to surge into the already crowded stadium shortly before kick-off.
He also admitted that his failure to close a tunnel through which the fans entered packed pens where the fatal crush happened "was the direct cause of the deaths of 96 people".
He admits that his "preoccupation" ahead of the match was segregating fans to avoid public disorder and fighting.
Even as fans began to emerge onto the pitch as they tried to escape the crush at the front of the pens, Mr Duckenfield admits that from his position in the police control box, his initial reaction was that it was a pitch invasion.
He told the inquest jury it was not until eight minutes past three when he heard a radio message calling for a "fleet of ambulances" that it became obvious it was not primarily a public order matter.
Mr Duckenfield was asked if he was able to sleep the night of the disaster.
The question of what happened to York University cook Claudia Lawrence is simultaneously a family tragedy, a thorn in the side of North Yorkshire Police, and one of the country's most intriguing unsolved crimes.
Claudia, 35 and apparently single, is assumed to have been murdered after failing to turn up to work in March 2009, leaving no obvious clues about what had happened to her.
In the six years she has been missing there have been just two arrests and no charges.
It is little wonder that people are asking if the police have run out of ideas.
So is the recent renewed police activity around her former home, and the claim that more arrests could be imminent, just an attempt to silence the critics, or are the police on to something?
And why are there so many undercurrents to the mystery, with some people still unwilling to talk to journalists, and others issuing warnings or threats?
To find the answers you have to look at the history of the investigation and at the police team trying to move it forward.
There were undoubtedly mistakes made in the spring of 2009. For months after Claudia vanished the entire publicity effort of Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway's investigation showed her with the wrong colour hair, while detectives allowed the misleading narrative that Claudia was an unassuming young woman to run away with them and never really recovered from the belated attempt to correct it.
The truth - that her relationships involved what Mr Galloway eventually described as "complexity and mystery" - was not made public until three months after she disappeared, many weeks after they had built up what one described to me as a "rogues' gallery" of some of the men she had been involved with.
With a continued insistence from Claudia's family and friends, from whom it seems she hid much of her private life, that the police were wrong, and with many locals knowing differently all along, it set the tone for mistrust and conflict.
To be fair the police did not know what they were walking into: Claudia apparently lived a significant part of her life in secret and her parents had endured such a bitter divorce that to this day they have never made a joint appeal over their daughter's disappearance.
Meanwhile, journalists were finding the story hard to tell. For a privately-educated daughter of a country solicitor Claudia had some unusual acquaintances and this remains the only missing person case where I've been warned off or threatened - not once, but twice.
Journalists and the police alike have found it hard to break the silence surrounding some of her relationships.
Fast forward five years and following the retirement of Ray Galloway a new police team has relaunched the investigation.
Detective Superintendent Dai Malyn, the senior investigating officer, has described the investigation as engrossing and quickly said he had "spotted things" to work on.
Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Mason, the force's head of crime, knows the Police and Crime Commissioner wants a result.
Neither give the impression of police officers who would spin lines for publicity or conduct stunts to make themselves look busy.
So far they've arrested two men, with one released without charge and the other still on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
They have re-examined Claudia's house, carried out a much-publicised fingertip search outside and re-interviewed key individuals and in doing so they have created a buzz which might yet solve the crime.
Det Supt Malyn is now talking about new leads, continuing obstruction, cover-ups and lies by some people and the possibility of more arrests soon.
But he's a realist too: "Ultimately we may not be able to prove what happened to Claudia, or be able to find her," he admitted this week.
However, if they can't crack the case it won't be for the want of trying.
George Osborne urged voters to "choose the future, choose jobs and choose economic security" as he set out his vision for the economy.
With just 50 days to go to the General Election, the Chancellor spelled out to voters they had a choice between a plan that was working or the "chaos" of the past.
As he opened his sixth Budget, Mr Osborne confirmed the UK has grown faster than "any other major advanced economy in the world" and he said the coalition had set out a plan and that it was working.
He said the national debt was falling and added: "The hard work and sacrifice of the British people has paid off. The original debt target I set out in my first Budget has been met.
"We will end this Parliament with Britain's national debt share falling. The sun is starting to shine – and we are fixing the roof."
Video:"Choose The Future"
Mr Osborne announced a £9bn windfall from bank sales, and said there had been lower debt interest and lower welfare bills but said this would be used to pay down the national debt.
The Chancellor urged people to "choose the future" and pledged he would "use whatever additional resources we have to get the deficit and the debt falling."
Mr Osborne announced there would be investment in manufacturing and science and promised a "truly national recovery" in which he would continue to pursue his dream of creating a "northern powerhouse".
The Chancellor continued to use his the "choose aspiration, choose families, choose the future" slogan he first set out in his conference speech and which saw him compared to Renton in the film Trainspotting.
Mr Osborne said:
Video:Budget Speech: Growth Revised Up
:: The lifetime allowance on pensions would be reduced from £1.25m to £1m.
:: The Government would legislate to tackle multinationals who move their profits to cut tax.
:: Tax evasion will be a criminal offence with new penalties for those who assist them.
:: The rate of the bank levy would be increased to 0.21%, raising an additional £900 million a year.
Mr Osborne said that growth had been revised up to 2.5% and had been greater in The North than in The South.
Video:UK Growth '50% Faster Than Germany'
He also hailed the employment figures out today which he said showed "under this Government, 1,000 more jobs have been created every single day".
In recent days the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have been keen to stress there would be no giveaways, although better than expected Budget deficit forecasts meant the Chancellor had around £5bn to play with.
Speaking ahead of Mr Osborne's statement, the Business Secretary Vince Cable stressed the Budget was a "joint effort" and not an electioneering Budget by the Tories.
Dr Cable told Sky News the Liberal Democrats will be delivering their own Budget plans on Thursday.
:: Updates and analysis with the Sky News team
Video:Cable: No Big Giveaway Budget
Mr Osborne is delivering his plans for the recovery of the nation's economy against a backdrop of the most unpredictable election for a generation.
A Sky News projection, following analysis of the latest polls, suggests a hung parliament with the two parties virtually neck and neck.
It also comes after new figures showed the number of unemployed falling by more than 100,000 to 1.86m, which is the lowest since 2008.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 16 Maret 2015 | 20.14
By Ashish Joshi, Sky News Correspondent
A senior police officer has told Sky News his officers spend 20% of their time dealing with mental health issues even though they are not trained or equipped to do so.
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton from Devon and Cornwall Police said tensions were rising between police forces and mental health care providers, possibly as a result of shrinking budgets.
"Certainly over the last few years that tension has been growing. We are all in austerity. We understand that," he said.
"The problem is that the Government funded the health service to provide the establishments for these people to go to. The challenge for the health service is that they've got to provide the staff to look after the patients and they are simply having to make some very tough choices.
"The view of the police service is we understand that but it's never right that these patients are coming into police premises and we're having to look after them.
Video:Mother Speaks Of Daughter's Trauma
"We haven't got the skills, we haven't got the facilities. And to be frankly honest a custody block is never somewhere you should put someone who is suicidal."
ACC Netherton took to social media last year after his officers were forced to arrest and detain a mentally-ill schoolgirl.
The 16-year-old, with a history of serious self-harm, was taken into police custody and had to stay in a police cell for three days because a secure hospital bed could not be found anywhere in the country.
The police officer's tweets described the situation as "unacceptable" and added "this can't be right".
The scandal forced high level government intervention and focused attention on the use or misuse of police detentions under section 136 of the Mental Health Act.
Video:£1.25bn Mental Health Pledge
"When I was a young police officer it was all about catching car thieves and criminals. Now my officers are spending about 20% of their time dealing with the after effects of mental health issues or dealing with people suffering from mental health episodes."
The mother of the schoolgirl told Sky News she had nothing but respect for ACC Netherton and said his tweets had helped her daughter's case but she hoped the vulnerable teenager has not been damaged by the detention.
"She would have been very scared. She would have had to obviously hear whatever was going on in the other cells, the drunks coming in on a Friday night. I know she was asleep a lot of the time because of the medication so I'm hoping she wasn't damaged too much by it."
The misery for the sick girl and her family is continuing. She is currently being held at a hospital in Norwich but her family lives on the other side of the country in Devon. The long journey takes time, money and effort - it explains why the girl's mother has only been able to see her daughter twice since Christmas.
The mother said: "She needs us and when we are with her it's amazing because all the staff tell us how well my daughter is doing and why she needs to be near her family, but it's crazy because she's so far away and I'm having to fight for my child to get what she needs to get better."
Video:Mental Health Needs More Attention
At least one police force in the country is achieving results with reducing the number of people it detains under the Mental Health Act.
West Midlands Police began trialling a triage service last year. An unmarked ambulance with a police officer, a psychiatric nurse and a paramedic are dispatched to emergencies. The hope is people suffering from mental health issues can be identified and referred for treatment.
Chief Inspector Sean Russell, who leads the initiative, told Sky News the force is significantly reducing the number of police detentions.
"We've seen a 51% reduction in the number of people detained. That's over 300 people in Birmingham and Solihull in the last 12 months. So that's really significant. We've also stopped nearly 700 people being admitted to A&E because of the way our process works with the paramedic now."
But the success of the West Midlands project is not being replicated everywhere, meaning police forces, against their will, are still having to criminalise society's most vulnerable.
Video:Blue Light Programme Launched
In a statement Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I have always been clear that people experiencing a mental health crisis should receive care and support rather than being held in a police cell.
"The police are not medics. They are not mental health nurses. They are not social workers. How the police and other agencies respond to vulnerable people goes right to the heart of the British model of policing by consent.
"Our reforms in this area are bearing fruit and reflect the important steps this Government has taken to vastly improve the police's response to people experiencing mental health problems."
A near-total solar eclipse will occur in the skies above Britain this week, prompting warnings about the dangers of watching the spectacle without taking precautions.
The eclipse will begin around 8.30am on Friday and last for two hours as the moon moves in front of the Sun.
The proportion of the Sun covered by the moon will increase the further north you are.
In London, 84% of the Sun will be covered, while in Edinburgh the proportion is 93%.
The last solar eclipse of such significance took place in August 1999, when a total eclipse occurred.
Video:1999: Solar Eclipse
Tour operators have organised trips based around the event, which will briefly allow the Sun's outer atmosphere to be seen.
Robin Scagell, vice-president of the Society for Popular Astronomy (SPA), who will be travelling on the P&O cruise ship Oriana to witness the eclipse, said the event will be "memorable".
"We won't experience totality in the UK, but it will still be a memorable event," he said.
"Depending on where you are, up to 90% of the Sun will be covered over."
Organised events are being held in London's Regent's Park and the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
In the lead up to the event, experts have offered advice on safety and warned of the perils of Sun-watching.
1/10
Gallery: 3 Nov, 2013: Rare Hybrid Eclipse Of The Sun
A bird flies across the sun in Sidon, Lebanon.
People in equatorial Africa got the best view of the hybrid eclipse, with totality lasting up to a minute.
Three British teenagers suspected of attempting to join Islamic State have been released on bail.
A man aged 19 and two 17-year-old boys, all from northwest London, were arrested on Saturday night on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts after returning to the UK, police said.
They were apprehended at Sabiha Gokcen airport in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
It is believed they travelled from England to Spain before flying on to the country.
A Met police spokesman said: "Officers alerted the Turkish authorities who were able to intercept all three males, preventing travel to Syria.
Video:Girls 'Pictured On Way To Syria'
"On Saturday, March 14 the three males returned to the UK and at approximately 11.10pm were arrested on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts contrary to section five of the Terrorism Act 2006.
"They have been bailed to return to a central London police station pending further enquiries."
The trio have not been named, but Sky sources in Turkey say the initials of the men are GH, MNG, and MA.
The Met police said counter-terrorism officers were alerted on Friday that two 17-year-olds from northwest London had gone missing and were believed to be travelling to Syria. Inquiries revealed they had gone with a third male, aged 19.
Reports suggested their families told police they were missing and believed to be travelling to Syria.
Scotland Yard declined to say exactly how long in total they had been away from home.
The developments point to a new level of cooperation between the UK and Turkish police forces, which has faced criticism after three British schoolgirls travelled to Syria to join IS.
Kadiza Sultana, 16, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15, flew to Istanbul on 17 February and are feared to have continued to Syria to become so-called "jihadi brides".
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Gallery: Three Schoolgirls From East London Missing
These pictures were taken from Kadiza Sultana (l) and Shamima Begum's (r) Twitter accounts
Kadiza and Shamima are feared to be on their way to Syria with a third girl, 15-year-old Amira Abase
