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Rolf Harris pictured at an earlier court hearing
Former Labour minister Denis MacShane has been jailed for six months after admitting making £13,000 of bogus expense claims.
The ex-MP previously pleaded guilty to false accounting by filing 19 fake receipts for "research and translation" services from 2005 to 2008.
MacShane, 65, used the money to fund a series of trips to Europe, including one to judge a literary competition in Paris.
His guilty plea followed more than four years of scrutiny into his use of Commons allowances.
Mr Justice Sweeney, sitting at the Old Bailey, stressed that this expenses case was different to others because it was not for "personal profit".
But he added: "The dishonesty involved was considerable and was repeated many times over a period.
"In your case you have no one to blame but yourself."
Flanked by two security officers, MacShane, wearing a dark suit with a blue striped tie and glasses, said "Cheers" as the sentence was delivered, before adding, "Quelle surprise" as he was led from the dock.
MacShane resigned as MP for Rotherham Sky's Darren McCaffrey, at the court, said MacShane argued with the dock officer before sentencing after being told he could not take his luggage and mobile phone in with him.
MacShane was told he must serve half his sentence in prison and was ordered to pay costs of £1,500 within two months.
Parliamentary authorities began looking at his claims in 2009 when the wider scandal engulfed Westminster, and referred him to Scotland Yard within months.
But the principle of parliamentary privilege meant detectives were not given access to damning correspondence with the standards commissioner in which MacShane detailed how signatures on receipts from the European Policy Institute (EPI) had been faked.
The body was controlled by MacShane and the general manager's signature was not genuine. One message, dated October 2009, said he drew funds from the EPI so he could serve on a book judging panel in Paris.
It was not until after police dropped the case last year that the cross-party Standards Committee published the evidence in a report that recommended an unprecedented 12-month suspension from the House.
MacShane, 65, who served as Europe minister under Tony Blair, resigned as MP for Rotherham last November before the punishment could be imposed.
Police then re-opened their inquiry in the light of the fresh information and he was charged in May - even though the letters are still not thought to be admissible in court.
MacShane is reportedly in a relationship with Vicky Pryce, the ex-wife of former Energy Secretary Chris Huhne.
Huhne and Pryce were released from jail in May after serving sentences for perverting the course of justice.
Marks & Spencer has apologised after a Muslim member of staff refused to sell a customer alcohol.
The retailer said that where employees have religious beliefs that restrict what foods or drinks they can handle, it tries to place them in a "suitable role".
An M&S spokeswoman said: "We regret that in the case highlighted we were not following our own internal policy."
The issue arose after an unnamed customer at a London store told the Telegraph they were "taken aback" when an "extremely apologetic" Muslim checkout worker asked for them to wait for another till to become available.
The customer told the newspaper: "I had one bottle of champagne, and the lady, who was wearing a headscarf, was very apologetic but said she could not serve me. She told me to wait until another member of staff was available.
"I was taken aback. I was a bit surprised. I've never come across that before."
Drinking alcohol is forbidden in Islam, and some Muslims refuse to handle it.
M&S said its policy applied to staff of other religions, not just Islam.
The spokeswoman said: "Where we have an employee whose religious beliefs restrict food or drink they can handle, we work closely with our members of staff to place them in suitable role, such as in our clothing department or bakery in foods...
"As a secular business we have an inclusive policy that welcomes all religious beliefs whether across our customer or employee base.
"This policy has been in place for many years, and when followed correctly, we do not believe that it should compromise our ability to offer the highest level of customer service.
"We apologise that this policy was not followed in the case reported."
The case highlighted differences among retailers on whether religious staff should have to carry out certain jobs, the Telegraph said.
Sainsbury's guidelines say that there is no reason why staff who don't drink alcohol or eat pork on religious grounds could not handle them, the paper said, while Tesco said it made "no sense" for staff who refuse to touch items for religious reasons to work on a till.
Muslims working at Asda would not have to work on tills if they objected to handling alcohol, and Morrisons would "respect and work around anyone's wishes not to handle specific products for religious or cultural reasons", the paper added.
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By Vicki Hawthorne, Ireland Correspondent
Intensive political negotiations are taking place between Northern Ireland's main political parties to try to find a way to deal with three issues which still cause division in society.
Flags, parades and dealing with the past in Northern Ireland are the main issues of focus of the talks.
US diplomat Richard Haass was asked in July by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to chair discussions around the three contentious issues.
The talks were prompted by the widespread and sometimes violent street protests which took place across Northern Ireland at the start of the year.
Then, Belfast City Council voted to only fly the Union flag above City Hall on 17 designated days throughout the year.
Protests in Belfast in January Until last December, the flag had flown from the building every day of the year for over 100 years.
The move evoked intense anger among the loyalist / unionist community which wants to maintain the country's place within the United Kingdom.
Parades in Northern Ireland have also always been contentious, again sometimes descending into violence.
The third issue about how the country should deal with its past, is focused very much on families of people killed during the Troubles and the idea of a process to bring truth and perhaps justice for some relatives.
Mr Haass was given a deadline of the end of the year to report back to the First and Deputy First Ministers, but he made it clear last Friday that he was keen to bring the talks to a conclusion before Christmas.
It's understood that some progress has been made on the issues of dealing with the past and parades, but the flag issue may be "parked" because the parties cannot agree on a way forward.
The fact that no agreement can be reached on the flag issue, will be seen by some as a failure of the entire negotiations.
The political parties including the DUP, UUP, Sinn Fein, SDLP and the Alliance Party have been given three different drafts of the proposals to deal with the problems.
A round-table meeting involving all the parties was due to take place at a Belfast hotel this morning, but that has now been pushed back to allow more time for the negotiators to consider another draft of the document.
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Dozens of flood alerts are in place as driving rain and winds of up to 80mph sweep across the country, bringing chaos for Christmas travellers.
The stormy weather started this morning in the South West and is moving eastwards and northwards as the day continues.
Almost all of the UK will be affected by the relentless rain falling on already saturated ground and winds whipping to 70-80mph in eastern and central areas through this afternoon and overnight.
East Coast has already announced cancellations to and from London Hundreds of homes are without power in Cornwall after high winds brought down power lines.
The Dartford QEII bridge is about to be closed until 4am tomorrow morning and the M48 Severn Bridge is closed to high-sided vehicles.
The Met Office's has issued more than 100 amber "be prepared" warnings for London, southeast and southwest England, and South Wales.
Six areas, including three in the South West, have been issued with "immediate action required" flood warnings.
Localised flooding is possible and winds of 50-60mph are forecast in inland areas, gusting up to 80mph along the coast.
A police spokesman said: "The tunnels will remain open to help maintain the flow of traffic, but congestion is expected so drivers are advised to seek alternative routes if possible or avoid the Thurrock and Dartford areas of Essex and Kent."
More than 100 'be prepared' alerts have been issued Sky News' weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said rain would be the biggest problem for most people today.
"There will be heavy downpours bringing 20-40mm of rainfall quite widely and over 60mm likely across parts of the high ground.
"As the rain is falling on already saturated ground that could cause both surface water and river flooding in these areas."
:: See the latest weather forecast here.
Emma Compton from the Met Office said earlier: "By lunchtime it will be everywhere. It's going to be fairly persistent."
But it is the trains that are expected to bear the brunt of the nasty weather and at least 21 train companies are predicting changes to timetables and cancelled services.
Virgin Trains is one of many operators warning of delays and disruption An emergency go-slow limit of 50mph is likely on many routes.
Train bosses say "hundreds of engineers" will be on call over the next two days to deal with any blocked tracks or technical problems.
Passengers are being urged to check the latest information before setting out.
Network Rail Managing Director Robin Gisby said: "I want to be very clear that our priority is running as many trains as we can safely, rather than worrying about hitting the timetable bang on."
Many companies have removed limits on day tickets to deter people from travelling at the height of the bad weather.
Virgin Trains is advising passengers to travel before 3pm and says advance tickets for specific trains will be accepted on any service.
The A82 in Scotland, where there is an ice alert. Pic: @pressscotland It says fewer trains than normal will run between London and Manchester, and London and Birmingham - where the 50mph limit is likely to be enforced.
South West Trains is another operator warning of "significantly reduced speeds" on its network.
Motorists are also being urged to be take special care on the roads and check the flood updates ahead of their journey.
The Environment Agency and the AA strongly advise not entering flood water that is moving or more than 10cm deep.
David Jordan, Director of Operations at the Environment Agency, said: "Tragically people die because they've taken risks and attempted to drive through flood water just to save a few minutes.
"Flood water is dangerous. If there is widespread flooding in your area then don't travel and if a road is closed then turn around and make a detour."
The Highways Agency said high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists should be especially careful in the high winds and and has put out a list of potentially treacherous routes.
John McTaggart, head of on-road services at the agency, said: "We are working closely with the Met Office to monitor conditions.
"In the event of persistent high winds we may need to close certain bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow the clearly signed diversion routes."
The RAC is predicting that 13 million people will take to the roads from December 24 to 26.
Visitor attractions are also playing it safe, with the popular Winter Wonderland in London's Hyde Park staying shut on Monday as well as Kew Gardens' Christmas attraction.
The worst of the weather is expected to clear by the end of Christmas Eve.
:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.
Millions of travellers preparing for the Christmas getaway are being warned to expect delays on the roads and railways as strong winds and heavy rain are expected across Britain tomorrow.
At least 27 rail networks are expected to be affected by the weather on Mondaywith gusts of up to 60mph likely nearly everywhere in the afternoon, possibly reaching 80mph later in the day in some areas.
Weather disruption on the A9 South in Scotland (pic: @EuanWest) The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for the day, and motorists are being told to brace for problems - particularly those heading to the southwest of England and parts of Scotland.
The Cumbrian Coast Line between Carlisle and Barrow is already shut due to a landslide, while flooding has closed part of the line in Crowborough.
Many delayed passengers vented their frustration on Twitter Cumbrian Police are urging people to take extra care and be prepared for flooding caused by heavy rain.
The Highways Agency, in conjunction with the Met Office, is advising drivers of high-sided or other vehicles vulnerable to high winds to avoid several roads including the M4 from junctions 22 to 23 and the M5 from junctions 18 to 19.
John McTaggart, head of on-road services at the Agency said: "We are working closely with the Met Office to monitor conditions ahead of tomorrow.
"Road users are urged to check traffic and weather conditions before setting out on journeys and to heed any advice such as speed restrictions once they are on the strategic road network.
"Be aware of sudden gusts of wind, and give high-sided vehicles, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles plenty of space.
The Met Office 'Be Aware' warning covers the whole UK "In the event of persistent high winds we may need to close certain bridges to traffic for a period, so please be alert for warnings of closures and follow the clearly signed diversion routes. "
Arriva Trains Wales, c2C, Chiltern Railways, Cross Country, First Capital Connect and trains to Heathrow Airport are all expected to be affected.
Virgin Trains said delays were "likely" but that tickets dated for travel on Sunday or Monday would be accepted for travel "on any train on either day".
Approximately two trains per hour are expected to run between Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and all other stations into London St Pancras International from noon on Monday.
Rail operators say passengers with tickets for trains tomorrow should travel today if possible. East Midlands Trains have confirmed that anyone with ticket for tomorrow may travel today. Advance ticket holders may also travel on services earlier than the time specified on the ticket.
The Environment Agency say flood alerts are in place in several areas across the country and motorists are advised to contact the Highways Agency if roads start to flood with a build-up of surface water. The RAC is predicting that 13 million people will take to the roads from December 24 to 26.
Sky News Weather Presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "Very strong winds are expected [on Monday] as the deep area of low pressure across the southwest moves northwards past the Western Isles of Scotland.
"Gusts are expected to reach 60mph almost everywhere during the afternoon. During the evening and overnight, wind gusts may reach 70-80mph across central and south-eastern parts of England.
"Heavy rain is also expected to spread eastwards to most of the UK during the afternoon and overnight. So it will be a very wet and very windy day for all areas."
The worst of the weather is expected to clear by the end of Christmas Eve.
:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.
By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent
Glasgow's comedians are lining up to raise a laugh for victims of the Clutha Pub tragedy.
They also hope tonight's comedy gig will raise several thousand pounds for the Clutha Appeal Fund, which has already amassed more than £220,000.
Friends and relatives of the 10 people who died when the Police Scotland helicopter crashed into the Glasgow pub have been invited to the show at the city's O2abc Academy.
They will be joined in the audience by emergency service workers who helped at the scene of the tragedy.
Comedian Janey Godley told Sky News: "The love and affection of Glaswegians will carry every laugh from that stage right up into the rafters. That's who we are, as a people; you might knock us down but we'll get up and - do you know what? - we'll get up laughing."
Jai McDowall recording the tribute song Won't Forget The comedy show is one a number of initiatives aimed at raising cash for bereaved families suffering financial hardship as a result of the crash on November 29.
Those who died included the three occupants of the helicopter along with seven customers in the pub. Five people remain in hospital, being treated for a range of serious injuries.
Four police officers who attended the scene of the accident have recorded a song called Won't Forget, which features Britain's Got Talent winner Jai McDowall on vocals.
Police officers Paul Keenan (L) and Jamie Easton PC Paul Keenan, who wrote the song, told Sky News: "It obviously involved our friends and colleagues, so we felt personally touched by it. It was a tragic loss of life, so we came up with the idea of recording a charity single."
PC Jamie Easton said: "The police is such a close-knit family and it was such a terrible disaster, everybody felt it. Being at the scene myself, it was terrible both for the emergency services and the public. You could see the effect it had on everybody, so I'm grateful to be able to play on the track."
:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.
Heather Mills has revealed her anger over a dispute about a ski boot which ended her hopes of representing Britain at next year's Paralympic Games.
Speaking in a six-minute video posted on YouTube, the ex-wife of Sir Paul McCartney claimed an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) official "had it in for me".
The row erupted when the 45-year-old Paralympic skiing hopeful was told by IPC official Sylvana Mestre that she would have to change her ski boot to comply with IPC rules.
Ms Mills reacted angrily to the request, and reportedly told Ms Mestre she would "make your life a misery".
Ms Mills competing in Queenstown, New Zealand, in August The IPC later accused Ms Mills of having committed a "disgraceful outburst".
But in her statement on YouTube, Ms Mills said Ms Mestre "wouldn't listen to me at all" and rejected reports that she had threatened to harm the official.
"She wouldn't listen to me at all. I never physically touched her, like the misreporting in the media (said I did)," she said.
"She has never made a statement saying I physically harmed her. The ridiculous reports that she begged me not to hit her are just tabloid rubbish.
"I just said to her, very loudly, I was very upset, that I'd had enough of this, and that I wouldn't be involved in these ridiculous rules."
Ms Mills had her left leg amputated below the knee after a road traffic accident in 1993.
She earned a place in the development squad of the British Disabled Ski Team (BDST) in 2010 and won a silver medal in a slalom race in New Zealand in August.
She has since quit the BDST, ending her hopes of competing at the Games in Russia next March.
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By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent
A front-line team of volunteers has been confronted with the aftermath of assaults, drug abuse and too much to drink as the Christmas festivities for some got out of hand in Norwich.
Sky News spent the night following staff on board the city's SOS bus and medical unit as they coped with one of the busiest party nights of the year.
It was not until after 1am that the trouble really started.
The police called the bus to say a woman was intoxicated nearby. It emerged she had not only drunk too much but had also taken drugs.
She was taken in a minibus back to the main bus to be checked over.
Shift leader Holly Brown said: "People can go unconscious, choking on their own vomit, they can be incontinent.
The volunteers help ease the workload for emergency services "We need to judge what has happened. We need to make sure they are OK as we want them to get home safely."
Next it was a trip to a report of an assault on a young woman inside a club. She had cuts on her face and was ushered onto the minibus.
Some people will still end up in hospital, but by responding to reports of injury and sickness the pressure is taken off other services such as Accident and Emergency and ambulance crews.
Leigh Baggaley, 25, works for St John's Ambulance Service and first started helping on the bus five years ago.
"It's an eye-opener. If we weren't here there would be lots more A&E admissions.
"We don't tell people what to do but we try to educate people on how they should drink."
The SOS bus was the first of its kind to be set up in the UK The volunteers even keep every type of phone charger so that drinkers can get back in touch with lost friends. And they offer flip-flops in return for a small donation for those finding their high heels a challenge.
The SOS bus was the first of its kind to be set up in the country back in 2001 and operates every Friday and Saturday night.
Action was taken after two teenagers were found dead in the river following a night out in Norwich. A short time later, the body of a 21-year-old was discovered in the toilets of a nightclub in the city after drinking too much.
As well as the setting up of the bus, a radio system was installed linking the SOS team with the police, pubs and nightclubs.
Toby Middleton is operations manager of four clubs in the city including Roccos and Mercy.
He said: "Having the facility of having the bus and the people who are prepared to do it free of charge and help us with our duty of care ... is a great asset."
In the past five years alone the SOS bus and medical unit have looked after more than 3000 people.
It has proved such a success that towns and cities are following Norwich's lead.
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The body of British doctor Abbas Khan, who died while in custody in Syria, has arrived at London's Heathrow Airport.
His mother Fatima Khan and brother Afroze were on the plane carrying the coffin which is being driven to Romford Hospital.
It was received by his family in Lebanon on Saturday - almost a week after his death - who intend to bury their loved one as soon as possible.
The 32-year-old father of two - and one of seven siblings - was arrested more than a year ago after travelling to the rebel-held city of Aleppo to treat injured civilians.
Dr Khan's family believe he was abused while in custody and have blamed the Syrian regime for his death, despite authorities in Damascus claiming he took his own life.
Dr Khan's brother and sister, Shahnawaz and Sara Khan His brother and sister, Shahnawaz and Sara Khan, told Sky News earlier that nobody has explained to the family how or why he died and that they feel he was let down by the British authorities.
Shahnawaz Khan told Sky News: "We are still unclear why there's been such a protracted process in releasing his body.
"Everything that the Syrian government has done over these past 13 months to us has been arduous and has inflicted much insult upon us. I guess this was their final attempt to inflict as much misery upon us as they could.
"They had already embalmed him and carried out some tests that we had requested them not to.
"It has been a difficult time. We haven't had a chance to grieve properly because we are still fighting to get him back."
The married British surgeon was due to be released from prison and allowed home for Christmas.
Sara Khan said: "We still haven't been given a clear explanation as to what happened to him, which is absolutely despicable, that the Syrians can feel that they can give us multiple explanations for his death.
"We want the British Government to help the family in getting those answers from the Syrians as somebody needs to own up for this absolutely cruel injustice that has been done to my brother."
The family has criticised what they said was a lack of support given to them by the Foreign Office during Dr Khan's incarceration.
Foreign Office minister Hugh Robertson has said: "There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment that he has suffered by the Syrian authorities who have in effect murdered a British national who was in their country to help people injured during their civil war."
An FCO spokesman said on Sunday: "Responsibility for Dr Khan's death lies with the Syrian authorities and we are pressing for answers about what happened. As Mr Robertson, the Minister of State for the Middle East, said there can be no excuse whatsoever for the treatment Dr Khan suffered from the Syrian authorities.
Dr Khan was arrested in Aleppo where he was helping civilians "We are in regular contact with Dr Khan's family and are providing consular support to them.
"We consistently sought consular access to Dr Khan and information on his detention, directly and through the Russians, Czechs and others. In November, Minister Robertson wrote making clear our concerns about his welfare and treatment, stressing that the regime's failure to provide any information indicating Dr Khan's continued detention was legitimate meant his position should be reviewed immediately. These requests were consistently ignored.
"All UK consular services in Syria were suspended some time ago and we continue to advise against all travel to Syria."
Claims that the surgeon had picked sides and had jihadi links, and was in the country without a visa, were dismissed by his brother.
"The accusation of any sort of terrorist activities has never been levied to us," Shahnawaz Khan said.
"There is no sense that he was ever involved in any sort of activities.
"The only reason why that question is raised is because he is a British Muslim, and throughout he has been treated with a degree of suspicion by their authorities and unfortunately the authorities in the British Government.
"In Syria he has been executed for being British and he has been let down by his own government for not being British enough."
He added: "We will have to move on, but moving on now will include attaining some answers around the circumstances of his death and the steps that could have possibly saved him."
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