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Short attacks US over tsunami aidFormer Cabinet minister Clare Short has criticised the US-led tsunami aid coalition, saying the UN should be leading efforts.President Bush has announced that an alliance of the US, India, Australia and Japan will co-ordinate a humanitarian drive. But Ms Short said the effect of the par... | But Ms Short said the effect of the parallel coalition would be to undermine the UN.She said only the UN had the "moral authority" to lead the relief work.The US was "very bad at coordinating with anyone" and India had its own problems, Ms Short said.Ms Short said the countries involved could not boast good records on ... |
Jack Cunningham to stand downVeteran Labour MP and former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham has said he will stand down at the next election.One of the few Blair-era ministers to serve under Jim Callaghan, he was given the agriculture portfolio when Labour regained power in 1997. Mr Cunningham went on to become Tony Bla... | Veteran Labour MP and former Cabinet minister Jack Cunningham has said he will stand down at the next election.Mr Blair said he was a "huge figure" in Labour and a "valued, personal friend".One of the few Blair-era ministers to serve under Jim Callaghan, he was given the agriculture portfolio when Labour regained power... |
Campaign 'cold calls' questionedLabour and the Conservatives are still telephoning the millions of people who have signed up to make sure they do not get marketing "cold calls".The parties say they can stick to the rules by ensuring that their calls are not marketing - for instance by asking about people's voting inten... | Assistant information commissioner Phil Jones said it was classed as marketing if political parties telephoned people to encourage them to vote for them.Mr Taylor argues there should be new guidelines so all parties can act in the same way if the watchdog believes the rules allow parties to ring TPS numbers about votin... |
School sport 'is back', says PMTony Blair has promised that "sport is back" as a priority for schools.The prime minister launched a £500m initiative to allow school sports clubs in England to provide up to three hours of extra activity a week by 2010. "It's an important part of education and it's an important part of h... | He said: "You've got to bring back school sport.The prime minister launched a £500m initiative to allow school sports clubs in England to provide up to three hours of extra activity a week by 2010.Shadow spokesman for sport Hugh Robertson said: "I suspect the correct way to tackle it is to look at the other end of the ... |
PM apology over jailingsTony Blair has apologised to two families who suffered one of the UK's biggest miscarriages of justice.The prime minister was commenting on the wrongful jailing of 11 people for IRA bomb attacks on pubs in Guildford and Woolwich in 1974. Mr Blair said: "I am very sorry that they were subject to ... | However, one of the so-called Guildford Four, Gerry Conlon - who was wrongly convicted of planting the bombs - said the families were delighted with the apology.In a statement recorded for television, Mr Blair said the families deserved "to be completely and publicly exonerated".He made the apology to members of the Co... |
Straw praises Kashmir movesThe UK has welcomed the decision by India and Pakistan to open a bus link across the ceasefire line dividing the disputed region of Kashmir.Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, touring South East Asian countries, praised the "spirit of cooperation" in achieving the breakthrough. Media reports in bot... | The UK has welcomed the decision by India and Pakistan to open a bus link across the ceasefire line dividing the disputed region of Kashmir."This will make a real difference to the lives of Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control," he said.Mr Straw said he hoped the agreement would make a difference to Kashmiris... |
'Super union' merger plan toutedTwo of Britain's big trade unions could merge to form a "super union" of two million members.The move by Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) would be a seen as a bid to carry more weight with ministers and employers. Amicus has 1.2 million members and the TGWU has 8... | Both unions are remaining tight-lipped about the merger rumours, but one insider pointed out to the BBC News website that "nobody is denying suggestions a merger could be on the agenda" when the two unions' executives hold their meetings on Wednesday.The move by Amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU)... |
Drive to 'save' festive holidaysEfforts are being made to 'protect' workers' days off on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.Support is being sought for a bill which would ensure that large retailers in Scotland remain closed on Christmas Day and 1 January. The Usdaw trade union said shop workers should be able to enjoy a... | Efforts are being made to 'protect' workers' days off on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.Usdaw general secretary John Hannett added: "Christmas Day and New Year's Day are special days for everyone in Scotland and the fact that shops do not open is an important part of making them special.In recent years, more stores h... |
Brown 'proud of economy record'Gordon Brown has delivered a rousing speech to Labour's spring conference setting out the government's agenda for the next general election.The chancellor said he was proud of his party's record on the economy, and would strive for continuing stability if elected. The Gateshead conference... | Analysing Mr Brown's position before the speech, BBC correspondent James Hardy said Mr Brown would draw "sharp dividing lines" with the Conservatives for the forthcoming election campaign.Mr Blair has "the same passion and the same commitments for the job" as when Labour came to power in 1997, he said.The Conservatives... |
Blair congratulates Bush on winTony Blair has said he looks forward to continuing his strong relationship with George Bush and working with him during his second term as president.Mr Bush's re-election came at a crucial time for a world that was "fractured, divided and uncertain", Mr Blair said. It had to be brought to... | Mr Bush's re-election came at a crucial time for a world that was "fractured, divided and uncertain", Mr Blair said.Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Menzies Campbell said a win by Mr Kerry would have given Mr Blair the chance of a fresh start, adding it was almost as if there was an "umbilical cord" between Mr Bush an... |
Blair sees greater Bush consensusGeorge W Bush will display a more consensual approach to world politics as he begins his second term as US President, Tony Blair has said.The prime minister said Mr Bush had learned military force was not the only way to fight terrorism. He understood that "the best prospect of peaceful... | The prime minister said Mr Bush had learned military force was not the only way to fight terrorism.Mr Blair said he believed the president was keen to work with other countries while trying to spread democracy and human rights.Mr Blair had personally seen the change over time in conversations with Mr Bush.Following cla... |
Top Tories on Lib Dem 'hit list'The Liberal Democrats are aiming to unseat a string of top Tories - including leader Michael Howard - at the next general election.Mr Howard's seat is at the top of the Liberal Democrats' list. Others targeted include Oliver Letwin, David Davis and Theresa May, Lib Dem's elections chief ... | A Conservative spokesperson said: "The Liberal Democrats can talk all they like about strategy.Mr Howard's seat is at the top of the Liberal Democrats' list.He said it was "nothing personal" but that "very many of the prominent Conservatives" had slender leads in seats where the Lib Dems were second.In 2001, Michael Ho... |
Kinnock to urge reform in LordsNeil Kinnock has said his acceptance of a seat in the House of Lords will allow him to help "achieve further progress with substantial democratic reform."On the BBC's Breakfast with Frost it was put to Mr Kinnock that he had once referred to Lords members as "brigands, muggers, bribers an... | He said advocates for reform needed to be inside the Lords to vote for it.Neil Kinnock has said his acceptance of a seat in the House of Lords will allow him to help "achieve further progress with substantial democratic reform."Mr Kinnock added that the second factor behind his acceptance of the peerage was his appoint... |
Voters 'reject EU by two to one'British voters would reject the European constitution by two to one, according to a poll posing the question the government will put to the country.The Daily Telegraph poll suggests that 45% of people would vote against the constitution and 24% in favour. However the YouGov poll, which q... | British voters would reject the European constitution by two to one, according to a poll posing the question the government will put to the country.The Daily Telegraph poll suggests that 45% of people would vote against the constitution and 24% in favour.But he accused the government of trying to confuse the issue by p... |
Labour chooses ManchesterThe Labour Party will hold its 2006 autumn conference in Manchester and not Blackpool, it has been confirmed.The much trailed decision was ratified by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee in a break with the traditional choice of a seaside venue. It will be the first time since 1917 tha... | The Labour Party will hold its 2006 autumn conference in Manchester and not Blackpool, it has been confirmed.For years the main political parties have rotated between Blackpool, Bournemouth and Brighton.In 1998 the party said it would not return to Blackpool but did so in 2002.And the news the much larger annual confer... |
Campbell returns to election teamEx-Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell will return to the fold to strengthen Labour's general election campaign, the party has confirmed.Mr Campbell has consistently made public his keenness to play a part in the poll, expected in May. Both Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and De... | A Labour source told the Sunday Times Mr Campbell would "effectively front" the election media campaign but said he would be given no formal title.Ex-Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell will return to the fold to strengthen Labour's general election campaign, the party has confirmed.Mr Campbell was at the cent... |
Boateng to step down at electionPaul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, is to step down as a Labour MP at the forthcoming general election.Mr Boateng, 53, is to become the UK's high commissioner to South Africa. He was the UK's first black cabinet minister when appointed to his post in 2002, promoted from the Ho... | Mr Boateng, 53, is to become the UK's high commissioner to South Africa."Mr Blair's appointment of Paul Boateng is the latest example of a worrying trend of failed Tony's cronies being appointed to senior diplomatic posts," he said.Mr Boateng said: "I am honoured to be asked to take on this role, especially as it comes... |
Blair returns from peace missionPrime Minister Tony Blair has arrived back from his diplomatic mission to the Middle East to try to resurrect the peace process.Mr Blair held talks with his Israeli counterpart, Ariel Sharon, and the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. He confirmed that a renewed drive to reform the Pales... | At a news conference following talks with Mr Blair, Mr Abbas said the British prime minister was "in a unique position to help us progress in our peaceful pursuit".Mr Blair also made a surprise trip to Iraq this week.Mr Blair acknowledged some people believed he was too close to the Israelis, but said the Israelis were... |
Blair and Brown criticised by MPsLabour MPs have angrily criticised Tony Blair and Gordon Brown amid renewed reports of a rift between the two men.A meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party saw a succession of normally loyal members warn that feuding could jeopardise Labour's election hopes. The PM insisted nothing wo... | Labour's Paul Flynn said Mr Blair and Mr Brown had a "scorching" from MPs adding: "It was a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting like no other."Relations between Mr Brown and Mr Milburn are widely reported to be cool ever since Mr Blair brought the latter back into the Cabinet to run Labour's election campaign, a role su... |
Tories 'would cut number of MPs'The Conservative Party would cut the number of MPs by about one-fifth if they were elected, Tory leader Michael Howard has said.The plan forms part of the party's "smaller government bill", to be unveiled later this week. Mr Howard told the Sunday Times the party would also reduce the nu... | Mr Howard said the plan would also even out the "great unfairness" of there being proportionately more Scottish and Welsh MPs at Westminster than those from England.Mr Howard told the Sunday Times the party would also reduce the number of government special advisers.The Conservative Party would cut the number of MPs by... |
Row over 'police' power for CSOsThe Police Federation has said it strongly opposes giving Community Support Officers (CSOs) the power to detain suspects for up to 30 minutes.The powers - piloted in six areas - were extended to all police forces in England and Wales on Thursday. The federation said CSOs do not have the ... | The Police Federation has said it strongly opposes giving Community Support Officers (CSOs) the power to detain suspects for up to 30 minutes.Police Federation chairman Jan Berry said civilian officers should act as "eyes and ears" for the police.She said more powers would mean more paperwork and less time on the stree... |
Howard hits back at mongrel jibeMichael Howard has said a claim by Peter Hain that the Tory leader is acting like an "attack mongrel" shows Labour is "rattled" by the opposition.In an upbeat speech to his party's spring conference in Brighton, he said Labour's campaigning tactics proved the Tories were hitting home. Mr... | "Something tells me that someone, somewhere out there is just a little bit rattled," Mr Howard said.In reference to the appearance of Mr Howard's family on the conference stage with him, Mr Milburn said: "Michael Howard is perfectly entitled to pose with his family today.Michael Howard has said a claim by Peter Hain th... |
'Debate needed' on donations capA cap on donations to political parties should not be introduced yet, the elections watchdog has said.Fears that big donors can buy political favours have sparked calls for a limit. In a new report, the Electoral Commission says it is worth debating a £10,000 cap for the future but now i... | It also says there should be more state funding for political parties and candidates should be able to spend more on election campaigning.A cap on donations to political parties should not be introduced yet, the elections watchdog has said.The commission says capping donations would mean taxpayers giving parties more c... |
Kennedy looks to election gainsThey may not know quite how to describe their position in British politics - the real opposition, the valid opposition, the effective opposition or the authentic opposition.But the Liberal Democrats are entering the expected 2005 election campaign determined to prove it is they, not the T... | They would argue that, by the time of the election after next, the Liberal Democrats may genuinely have replaced the Tories as the party challenging Labour for power.He was also happy to offer a pledge that he would be doing no deals to "prop up" either of the other big parties after the election.On the war on Iraq, id... |
Protesters plan airport challengeCampaigners against the expansion of Britain's airports have begun challenging the government's plans in the High Court.BAA's expansion of Stansted Airport in Essex by building an extra runway is one of the most fiercely opposed plans. Opponents say the £2bn cost of the new runway could... | BAA also says it has attempted to involve communities in any future airport plans.BAA are also owners of the airports at Heathrow and Gatwick.BAA's expansion of Stansted Airport in Essex by building an extra runway is one of the most fiercely opposed plans.But BAA has said it has attempted to involve communities in any... |
Peace demo appeal rejectedPeace protestors have lost a landmark appeal over police actions in stopping an anti-war demonstration days after the start of the Iraq war.They had appealed against a High Court decision that it was not unlawful for police to forcibly turn protestors away near RAF Fairford, Glos, in 2003. The... | They had appealed against a High Court decision that it was not unlawful for police to forcibly turn protestors away near RAF Fairford, Glos, in 2003.Fairford Coach Action, representing more than 80 people who appealed against the police actions, say they are prepared to take their case to the European Court of Human R... |
Lib Dems stress Budget trust gapPublic trust in the handling of the economy can only be restored if Gordon Brown opens up his books for unbiased inspection, say the Lib Dems.City experts say there is a £10bn "black hole" in the public finances, a claim denied by the chancellor. Lib Dem spokesman Vince Cable said the pu... | Mr Cable said 40% of all pensioners were now paying marginal tax rates of 50%.It was because he had rejected previous Lib Dem proposals, such as scrapping the New Deal, that Britain's economy was successful, claimed Mr Brown.Mr Cable said people did not know whether to believe the chancellor or the consensus among expe... |
Blair says UK tsunami aid to soarTony Blair has predicted the British Government will eventually give "hundreds of millions" of pounds in aid to countries hit by the tsunami.The prime minister was speaking publicly for the first time since returning from his holiday in Egypt. Mr Blair insisted he had been "intimately i... | Asked whether he had not returned to work immediately because he was under doctors orders to rest, Mr Blair said there was also a story he had been away for plastic surgery.Asked about criticism that he did not cut short his holiday, Mr Blair told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I don't think this is a situation in whi... |
Asylum children to face returnsThe UK government is planning to return asylum seeker children without parents to Albania.The trial scheme, which could start in weeks, may be extended to apply to children from other countries. Children's charities have reacted with alarm, saying the policy amounts to forcible removal an... | 'If these decisions are not in the best interests of the child, then that is a forced removal because the child will not have any choice in the final decision."The UK government is planning to return asylum seeker children without parents to Albania."We are developing a returns programme for unaccompanied asylum-seekin... |
Tory leader urges Harry apologyPrince Harry should personally make clear how sorry he is about wearing a Nazi uniform to a friend's fancy dress party, says Tory leader Michael Howard.Mr Howard, whose grandmother died in Auschwitz, said many people would be offended by the prince's actions Clarence House has issued a st... | Mr Howard, whose grandmother died in Auschwitz, said many people would be offended by the prince's actions Clarence House has issued a statement saying the prince has apologised and realised it had been a poor costume.Mr Howard acknowledged the prince's apology and said he had no doubt the prince's father and family wo... |
Blair sets date for Africa reportThe Commission for Africa's report will be released on 11 March - Comic Relief day, Tony Blair has said.July's G8 summit in Gleneagles in Perthshire - chaired by the prime minister - will use the report as the basis for talks on Africa. The announcement followed the final meeting of the... | The Commission for Africa's report will be released on 11 March - Comic Relief day, Tony Blair has said.As well as more aid, fairer trade and less debt, the commission is likely to demand action on corruption in Africa.Bob Geldof, in characteristically blunt style, promised that the commission would not just be a talki... |
Citizenship event for 18s toutedCitizenship ceremonies could be introduced for people celebrating their 18th birthday, Charles Clarke has said.The idea will be tried as part of an overhaul of the way government approaches "inclusive citizenship" particularly for ethnic minorities. A pilot scheme based on ceremonies in ... | Britain's young black and Asian people are to be encouraged to learn about the nation's heritage as part of the government's new race strategy which will also target specific issues within different ethnic minority groups.Citizenship ceremonies could be introduced for people celebrating their 18th birthday, Charles Cla... |
Prime minister's questionsSo who, if anyone, is playing politics with the security of the nation?Michael Howard has no doubt it is the prime minister who, he claims, is "ramming" through Parliament the controversial new anti-terror measures without proper debate. He didn't say so, but the Tories believe the prime minis... | The prime minister claims this is the clearest indication that it is the Tories who are playing politics with the issue by attempting to score cheap political points in parliament.He didn't say so, but the Tories believe the prime minister is playing the fear card on this one so he can look tough in the run up to the g... |
Mandelson warns BBC on CampbellThe BBC should steer away from "demonising" ex-Downing Street media chief Alastair Campbell, Peter Mandelson has said.The European commissioner and former Labour minister was speaking amid claims that Mr Campbell is part of a Labour "dirty tricks" campaign. That charge was denied by Mr Ma... | Mr Mandelson, a former Labour communications director, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I understand why the Tories will be gunning for Alastair Campbell because they fear his campaigning skills.That charge was denied by Mr Mandelson, who said the Tories were afraid of Mr Campbell's campaigning skills.He warned the... |
Retirement age could be scrappedThe "myth that ageing is a barrier" to contributing to society needs to be "exploded", the work and pensions minister has said.This was why the government was considering scrapping the retirement age entirely, Alan Johnson said. It was also committed to "stamping out" age discrimination ... | Mr Johnson told Age Concern's Age Agenda in London the government was "seriously considering" introducing pensions based on residency rather than national insurance contributions.This was why the government was considering scrapping the retirement age entirely, Alan Johnson said.Speaking at the London conference he sai... |
At a glance: Tory health checksThe UK' opposition Conservatives have unveiled plans to introduce health checks for immigrants if they win the General Election. Here's a guide to the plan:People coming to live and work in Britain from outside the EU. If they plan to stay six months or more and are from a country with lo... | If they plan to stay six months or more and are from a country with lots of TB, they would have to have a chest x-ray and further tests if appropriate.People coming to Britain for less than six months would not be medically tested unless they intended to work in health care, childcare or teaching.People would have to p... |
What the election should really be about?A general election is the best chance most pressure groups get to make a real impact on government policy. Here is how six leading lobbies plan to make sure their cause is being debated ahead of an expected Spring poll.We've called for the state pension to be increased from £79.... | The issue that we think is the most important for this election is choice.We have got the issue in the public consciousness to an extent, but it is difficult to say whether an election will raise its importance in the public mind or whether it will be pushed out by big issues like Iraq.We would like the support of poli... |
McConnell details Scots wave tollAt least three people from Scotland died in the tsunami disaster and a further three are on the missing list, the first minister has told MSPs.The figures came out during a statement by Jack McConnell to the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday. He formally expressed Scotland's sympathy for... | At least three people from Scotland died in the tsunami disaster and a further three are on the missing list, the first minister has told MSPs.He said he was proud of the generous response of people in Scotland to the disaster appeal, which is expected soon to top £20m.But he said Scotland was "in it for the long term"... |
Blair joins school sailing tripThe prime minister has donned a life jacket and joined school children in a sailing dinghy as he sought to sell his party's education policies.Tony Blair sailed across the lake in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, while on a visit with Education Secretary Ruth Kelly to back school outings. Mr B... | The pledge on education - "your child achieving more" - was one of six election pledges unveiled by Mr Blair last week.Mr Blair later stressed Labour's election pledge to focus on education, when he met parents in the area.The prime minister has donned a life jacket and joined school children in a sailing dinghy as he ... |
Tories reject rethink on axed MPSacked MP Howard Flight's local Conservative association has insisted he will not be its candidate at the general election.Russell Tanguay, agent for Arundel and South Downs Tories, said Mr Flight was ineligible to be a candidate and the association was seeking a substitute. The news com... | Mr Flight says he will not stand down as a candidate unless his local party instructs him to do so at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).Mr Tanguay backed that view on Tuesday, saying: "Howard Flight is ineligible to stand as a Conservative Party candidate.Russell Tanguay, agent for Arundel and South Downs Tories, ... |
Jamieson issues warning to bigotsScotland's justice minister has warned bigoted soccer fans that she wants to hit them "where it hurts most" by banning them from matches.Cathy Jamieson said exclusion orders are one of a series of measures being considered in the Scottish Executive campaign against sectarianism. She pra... | Ms Jamieson said the executive should have a role in tackling the soccer troublemakers.Ms Jamieson praised the police for their action and said: "The police do want to identify whether there are particular individuals who are going over the top and inciting hatred or violence - they will crack down very effectively on ... |
Fox attacks Blair's Tory 'lies'Tony Blair lied when he took the UK to war so has no qualms about lying in the election campaign, say the Tories.Tory co-chairman Liam Fox was speaking after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda". Dr Fox told BBC Radio: "If you are willing to lie about the ... | Mr Blair said that whether the public chose Michael Howard or Mr Kennedy, it would result in "a Tory government not a Labour government and a country that goes back and does not move forward".Tory co-chairman Liam Fox was speaking after Mr Blair told Labour members the Tories offered a "hard right agenda".Dr Fox refuse... |
Candidate resigns over BNP linkA prospective candidate for the UK Independence Party (UKIP) has resigned after admitting a "brief attachment" to the British National Party(BNP).Nicholas Betts-Green, who had been selected to fight the Suffolk Coastal seat, quit after reports in a newspaper that he attended a BNP meeting... | Nicholas Betts-Green, who had been selected to fight the Suffolk Coastal seat, quit after reports in a newspaper that he attended a BNP meeting.A UKIP spokesman said Mr Betts-Green's resignation followed disclosures in the East Anglian Daily Times last month about his attendance at a BNP meeting."He did once attend a B... |
Observers to monitor UK electionMinisters will invite international observers to check the forthcoming UK general election is fairly run.The move comes amid claims the poll could be marred by electoral fraud. A report by two MPs committees called on Thursday for urgent changes to the electoral registration system to co... | The report said individual registration should be treated carefully as 12% of voters disappeared from the electoral roll in Northern Ireland when it was introduced in 2002.ODPM committee chairman Andrew Bennett said individual voter registration, as opposed to registration by household, should be quickly introduced as ... |
Vouchers 'to cut winter deaths'Pensioners are being promised energy savings by the Liberal Democrats, as snow and cold temperatures continue.The party says the plans could save the average pensioner £100 every year and cut winter deaths. The government gives £200 for winter fuel to households with people over 60, or £3... | The plan would boost energy conservation, says the party - and insulation could save £100 every year for pensioner households, so using the money more "intelligently" than at present.The Lib Dems would allow people to swap these winter fuel payments for discounts on home insulation.The party says the plans could save t... |
Borders rail link campaign rallyCampaigners are to stage a rally calling for a Borders rail link which was closed in 1969 to be reopened.They will mark the 36th anniversary of the line closure, which ran from Edinburgh through the Borders and on to Carlisle, with a walk at Tweedbank. Anne Borthwick, of Campaign for Bor... | Anne Borthwick, of Campaign for Borders Rail, said reopening the Waverley Line would restore the area's prosperity.Ms Borthwick said reopening the line would be a prosperous move and protect the character of the Scottish Borders.Campaigners have said that reopening the Waverley Line, which could cost up to £100m, would... |
Tory expert denies defeatismThe Conservatives' campaign director has denied a report claiming he warned Michael Howard the party could not win the next general election.The Times on Monday said Australian Lynton Crosby told the party leader to focus on trying to increase the Tories' Commons presence by 25 to 30 seats. ... | Mr Howard appointed Mr Crosby as his elections chief last October.Mr Crosby's statement said: "The Conservative Party has been making an impact on the issues of lower tax and controlled immigration over the past week."Mr Howard later added there was not "one iota" of truth in the report.But Mr Crosby said in a statemen... |
Tsunami 'won't divert Africa aid'UK aid to help the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster will not take much needed relief from Africa, Prime Minister Tony Blair has promised.Mr Blair told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost show the money spent on the tsunami would not "invade" the money Britain wanted to spend on Africa. ... | As Britain takes up its presidency of the G8 group of leading nations, Mr Blair said ministers had a big agenda for Africa.Mr Blair told the BBC's Breakfast with Frost show the money spent on the tsunami would not "invade" the money Britain wanted to spend on Africa."For the first time we have a plan that won't just de... |
Blair to face trust issue head onTony Blair says he will be facing the issue of trust and his own integrity head on during the election campaign.During a question and answer session with first-time voters on Five News, Mr Blair said he had no option but to "confront it" by talking to people. He also dismissed claims go... | During a question and answer session with first-time voters on Five News, Mr Blair said he had no option but to "confront it" by talking to people.In answer to a question from 22-year-old Liverpool student David Dunne about concerns over the prime minister's personal integrity, Mr Blair said talking was the only answer... |
Blunkett row should end - BlairPrime Minister Tony Blair said it was time to draw a line under the controversy surrounding David Blunkett.The Tories and the Lib Dems have called for a second inquiry into the fast-tracking of a visa application for Mr Blunkett's ex-lover's nanny. Sir Alan Budd found a "chain of events" ... | At the end of his Middle East trip, Mr Blair said he still admired Mr Blunkett and thought his integrity was intact.He said Mr Blunkett's integrity remained intact: "He was the person first of all who asked for this inquiry to be set up.Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was time to draw a line under the controversy sur... |
New drink limit 'would cut toll'More lives than previously thought could be saved by cutting drink-drive limits by a third, a report says.University College London research claims cutting the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg would save 65 lives a year. The findings are being published by the Parlia... | The findings are based on the assumption that drivers who currently keep below the legal limit would continue to do so were it to be lowered and that those who tend to exceed the limit slightly would also lower their drinking.University College London research claims cutting the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of ... |
'Nuclear dumpsite' plan attackedPlans to allow foreign nuclear waste to be permanently stored in the UK have been branded "deeply irresponsible" by the Liberal Democrats.The government has confirmed intermediate level waste (ILW) that was to have been shipped back to its home countries will now be stored in the UK. The... | The government has confirmed intermediate level waste (ILW) that was to have been shipped back to its home countries will now be stored in the UK.Plans to allow foreign nuclear waste to be permanently stored in the UK have been branded "deeply irresponsible" by the Liberal Democrats.Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt said... |
Mrs Howard gets key election roleMichael Howard's ex-model wife, Sandra, is to play a leading role in the Conservative election campaign.Mrs Howard will make solo visits to target seats as well as accompanying her husband on his helicopter campaign trail criss-crossing the country. Mr Howard will host a news conference... | Mr Howard will host a news conference at the party's London HQ every morning, Tory co-chairman Liam Fox said.On Mrs Howard's role, Mr Fox said: "Sandra has already been campaigning with Michael on a number of visits and has been undertaking short visits herself."We want Michael to be as accessible as possible," Mr Fox ... |
Former NI minister Scott diesFormer Northern Ireland minister Sir Nicholas Scott has died at a London hospice, his family has announced.The former Conservative MP for Kensington and Chelsea, died after a long illness diagnosed as Alzheimer's. The 71-year-old served in Northern Ireland from 1981 to 1987 during the premi... | Former Northern Ireland minister Sir Nicholas Scott has died at a London hospice, his family has announced.As a Northern Ireland minister he dealt with education and later security where he rode out the mass IRA escape from the Maze in 1983.After leaving Northern Ireland in a reshuffle, he became a UK disability minist... |
US casino 'tricks' face ban in UKControversial new UK casinos will be banned from using American tricks of the trade to ensure they are "socially responsible", it has been suggested.Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said proposed super-casinos will be different from their US counterparts. In America, pheromones have repor... | A spokesman for the British Casino Association, which represents the UK industry, said the government was trying to allay fears over a "UK Las Vegas"."The UK industry is one of the world's most respected," he said."The UK gambling industry is being totally frozen in time, and the foreign companies will take over."He sa... |
Straw backs ending China embargoUK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has defended plans to end the European Union's arms embargo on China, despite opposition from the US and Japan.Mr Straw, visiting Beijing, noted arms embargoes applied to China, Burma and Zimbabwe but not to North Korea, which he said had a terrible rights... | Mr Straw, visiting Beijing, noted arms embargoes applied to China, Burma and Zimbabwe but not to North Korea, which he said had a terrible rights record.But Mr Straw insisted the EU's code of conduct on arms exports meant tough criteria on human rights still had to be met if the embargo was lifted."The result of any de... |
Labour attacked on Howard posterLabour has been accused of using anti-Semitic images in posters which critics claim depict Tory leader Michael Howard as Fagin.The poster shows Mr Howard hypnotising people with a pocket watch, saying: "I can spend the same money twice." The image prompted concern from the editor of the ... | Labour has been accused of using anti-Semitic images in posters which critics claim depict Tory leader Michael Howard as Fagin.Mr Howard did not comment on the anti-Semitism claims when asked about the poster on Monday.The image simply portrayed Mr Howard as a hypnotist, he argued.Labour campaign spokesman Fraser Kemp ... |
End Bush 'denial' Blair tells EUTony Blair is urging European leaders to wake up from their "state of denial" over President Bush's re-election."America has spoken. The rest of the world should listen," the prime minister said in an interview with The Times newspaper, published on Friday. Mr Blair is at a summit in Bru... | Mr Blair has probably been closer to President Bush than any other European leader.Mr Chirac denied there was any snub - he is going to a memorial service for the United Arab Emirates' late leader and says he would be happy to meet Mr Allawi.Mr Blair is at a summit in Brussels, where Iraq and European justice and immig... |
UK's 'useless' quangos under fireThe UK has 529 quangos financed with billions of pounds of taxpayers' cash - many of which are useless or duplicate each other's efforts, a report claims.Essential Guide to British Quangos 2005 author Dan Lewis said at least 111 of the appointed bodies had been set up since Labour won p... | Essential Guide to British Quangos 2005 author Dan Lewis said at least 111 of the appointed bodies had been set up since Labour won power in 1997.They were the British Potato Council, the Milk Development Council, the Energy Savings Trust, Agricultural Wages Committees, the Wine Standards Board, the Westminster Foundat... |
Army chiefs in regiments decisionMilitary chiefs are expected to meet to make a final decision on the future of Scotland's Army regiments.A committee of the Army Board, which is made up of the most senior defence figures, will discuss plans for restructuring regiments on Monday. The proposals include cutting Scotland's... | "They are very much not for the good and will destroy Scotland's regiments by moulding them into a single super regiment which will lead to severe recruitment problems, a loss of local connections to those regiments and a loss to Scotland of an important part of her heritage and, most importantly, her future - the regi... |
Kilroy names election seat targetEx-chat show host Robert Kilroy-Silk is to contest the Derbyshire seat of Erewash at the next general election.Labour's Elizabeth Blackman won the seat in 1997 and has a 6,932 majority. She says she will fight on her record "as a hard-working constituency MP". Mr Kilroy-Silk announced h... | UKIP's leader, Roger Knapman, has said he is glad to see the back of Mr Kilroy-Silk."He has remarkable ability to influence people but, sadly, after the [European] election it became clear that he was more interested in the Robert Kilroy-Silk Party than the UK Independence Party so it was nice knowing him, now 'goodbye... |
Blunkett sorry over murder planDavid Blunkett has apologised to MPs after the Home Office announced "prematurely" via press release a review of murder laws.The home secretary confirmed the review was to get under way in the wake of a Law Commission report which branded the current murder law as "a mess". He said the re... | But speaking after the report was published, Home Office minister Baroness Scotland said: "Murder is the most serious of crimes and we have no intention of abolishing the mandatory life sentence.The home secretary confirmed the review was to get under way in the wake of a Law Commission report which branded the current... |
Blunkett tells of love and painDavid Blunkett has spoken of his love for married publisher Kimberly Quinn for the first time.The home secretary described how it affected his friends and personal life, but said he was a great believer in personal responsibility. Mr Blunkett is taking legal action to gain access to Mrs Q... | Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart said she hoped Mr Blunkett would survive in his job.Shadow home secretary David Davis says Mr Blunkett should quit if he is found to have influenced the visa process even indirectly.The Home Office has said it would be up to Sir Alan's inquiry to decide if any such meeting was rele... |
Tories unveil quango blitz plansPlans to abolish 162 quangos have been unveiled by the Conservatives as part of their effort to show how government red tape can be cut.Six government units would also be scrapped under proposals which the Tories say would save more than £4.3bn. Among the targets are strategic health aut... | Six government units would also be scrapped under proposals which the Tories say would save more than £4.3bn.Tory frontbencher John Redwood said Britain needed a slimmer government and lower taxes to be competitive.The government has announced plans to cut 100,000 civil servants as part of its efficiency drive."The Con... |
Top judge clashes with ministersThe UK's top judge has revealed he has clashed with ministers about how the heads of public inquiries are chosen.Lord Woolf said he was determined his current veto on whether a judge should chair an inquiry should continue as a guard for judicial independence. But he told MPs the Lord Ch... | "As Lord Woolf also acknowledged, it is highly unlikely that the lord chancellor would appoint a judge against the wishes of the lord chief justice.Lord Woolf said the current rules were not written down but it was inconceivable in practice that the lord chancellor would overrule his concerns.In written evidence to the... |
Muslims discuss election concernsIssues that Muslims should be considering before voting in the next general election are to be debated by UK community representatives.The event is being held by the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), which believes Muslim voters could influence the result in up to 50 constituencies. ... | "This meeting is not anti-party in particular, it's anti-policy, it's on the issues we are going to ask Muslims to vote on," MAB spokesman Dr Azzam Tamimi said of Tuesday's event.Last year MAB, which opposed the war in Iraq, urged Muslims not to vote for Labour in the European elections.Dr Tamimi said the main issues M... |
Will the Budget bring out smiling voters?As Tory spokesman Oliver Letwin said - any chancellor would use his pre-election budget to offer some vote winning sweeteners, wouldn't he.And everyone does, indeed, expect Gordon Brown to do just that in his last budget before the expected polling day of 5 May. There will be pl... | Mr Brown will undoubtedly claim the forecasts are simply wrong and that he will have absolutely no need to raise taxes after the election, should Labour win.That is the size of the financial "black hole" the Tories, backed by some independent forecasters, believe Mr Brown will have to fill with tax increases after the ... |
Baron Kinnock makes Lords debutFormer Labour leader Neil Kinnock has officially been made a life peer during a ceremony in the House of Lords.He will be known Baron Kinnock of Bedwellty - after his former constituency. Lord Kinnock - who led Labour from 1983 until 1992 - was until recently one of Britain's EU commissio... | Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock has officially been made a life peer during a ceremony in the House of Lords.During his induction into the Upper House, Lord Kinnock was accompanied by Lords Leader Baroness Amos and Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, a former aide to the ex-Labour leader.Lord Kinnock - who led Labour from 1... |
Kelly trails new discipline powerTeachers could get more powers to remove unruly pupils from classes under a "zero tolerance" drive, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has suggested.Ms Kelly told the BBC progress had been made against severely disruptive children but parents were still worried about lower level problems. T... | Asked if she was a member of the group, Ms Kelly said: "I do have spiritual support from Opus Dei and that is right.Ms Kelly told the BBC progress had been made against severely disruptive children but parents were still worried about lower level problems.The minister also confirmed she received "spiritual support" fro... |
Clarke plans migrant point schemeAnyone planning to move to the UK will have to pass a test to prove they can contribute to the country, Home Secretary Charles Clarke has said.He is proposing a points system similar to Australia's but would avoid the quota system planned by the Tories. Mr Clarke, who will unveil his pl... | Anyone planning to move to the UK will have to pass a test to prove they can contribute to the country, Home Secretary Charles Clarke has said.Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Mark Oaten said: "Whilst it is good that Labour has rejected the Tory idea of quotas on asylum, the jury is still out on the Home Office'... |
Student 'fee factor' played downA rise has been recorded in the number of students from south of the border applying to universities in Scotland.However, Lifelong Learning Minister Jim Wallace said that this would not result in Scottish students missing out. Applications from England and Wales rose by 17% between Janua... | In June last year, Mr Wallace announced proposals to increase tuition fees for English students studying in Scotland by £2,000 in an attempt to prevent a cross-border flood, although no figure has yet been agreed.Universities Scotland, which represents university principals, claimed that an increase in applications did... |
New UKIP defection to 'Veritas'The UK Independence Party has lost one of its two London Assembly members to Robert Kilroy-Silk's new political party, expected to launch on Wednesday.Damian Hockney said ex-chatshow host Mr Kilroy-Silk would "deliver better" as the leader of a eurosceptic party. He said Mr Kilroy-Silk ha... | Damian Hockney said ex-chatshow host Mr Kilroy-Silk would "deliver better" as the leader of a eurosceptic party.Sources close to Mr Hockney said around eight other members of London UKIP were also planning to jump ship.On the suspension of Mr Houston, UKIP said those who selected him knew nothing of his views.A spokesm... |
'Few ready' for information actThousands of public bodies are ill-prepared for the Freedom of Information Act, due to come into force next month, because of government failures, say MPs.From next month anyone will have the power to demand information from a range of public bodies - from Whitehall departments to doctors... | Committee chairman Alan Beith said: "The DCA has had four years to prepare for freedom of information, but with less than a month to go it appears that some bodies may not be well enough prepared."Our report shows that in the past support and guidance from the DCA, which has overall responsibility for guiding the publi... |
New foot and mouth action urgedA senior Tory MP has criticised agriculture department Defra's "lackadaisical" approach to planning for a future foot and mouth outbreak.Public accounts committee chairman Edward Leigh was giving his reaction to a report by a government watchdog on lessons to be learnt from the crisis. Th... | But Mr Leigh said the department was "dragging its heels"."Four years after the outbreak, Defra is yet to begin its planned review of some of its contractors' costs, and £40m of invoices remain unpaid," Mr Leigh said.The National Audit Office said Defra had improved its capacity to deal with future livestock disease ou... |
Economy focus for election battleBritain's economic future will be at the heart of Labour's poll campaign, Chancellor Gordon Brown has said.He was speaking after Cabinet members held their last meeting at No 10 before the expected election announcement. He said voters would recognise that Labour had brought stability a... | Party election supremo Alan Milburn said the apparent drop in average incomes was because self-employed people had been affected by a "world downturn" which hit their profits.Shadow foreign secretary Michael Ancram said: "We have fought a very positive campaign.The Foreign Secretary told the BBC: "I was making the obse... |
Minimum rate for foster parentsFoster carers are to be guaranteed a minimum allowance to help cover their costs, the government has announced.Payment levels vary from area to area, with some carers getting just £50 a week for clothes, food and other costs. Minister for Children, Young People and Families Margaret Hodge... | About 50,000 children live with foster families in the UK and carers have said they need more money to make ends meet."And with a shortage of over 8,000 foster carers in England, it's not a sustainable situation to expect carers to fund foster care from their own pockets.""We need to make sure that arrangements for pay... |
Petrol duties frozen, Brown saysChancellor Gordon Brown has announced a freeze on fuel duty in his pre-budget speech to the Commons on Thursday.Mr Brown told the House that government policy is to raise fuel duty at least in line with inflation each year to fulfil environmental commitments. But this financial year, bec... | Mr Brown told the House that government policy is to raise fuel duty at least in line with inflation each year to fulfil environmental commitments."But this financial year because of the sustained volatility in the oil market I propose to match the freeze in car vehicle licence duty with a continuation on the freeze on... |
Kennedy's cautious optimismCharles Kennedy is far too canny to make any grand claims about how his party may fare at the general election.In his 22 years in the Commons, he has seen his fair share of such claims dashed on the rocks of bitter experience and, he might say, the UK's political and electoral system. But eve... | He also believes being the only major party promising to increases taxes will not land him in the same trouble a similar policy did to Old Labour.Mr Kennedy is also eager to dispel any impression his party is the new party of the left and is likely to attract mostly disillusioned Labour voters."This is really going to ... |
Campaign 'cold calls' questionedLabour and the Conservatives are still telephoning the millions of people who have signed up to make sure they do not get marketing "cold calls".The parties say they can stick to the rules by ensuring that their calls are not marketing - for instance by asking about people's voting inten... | A spokesman for the Information Commissioner's Office said it would be classed as marketing if political parties telephoned people to encourage them to vote for them."If a political party was doing that than it may be that also would not be marketing," he said.The spokesman said it might be considered unsolicited marke... |
Malik rejects all-black MP listsA call for ethnic minority shortlists to boost the number of black and Asian MPs has been rejected by one of Labour's most senior Asians.Shahid Malik, who is on Labour's ruling NEC, accepted people's frustration but said there should be targets not lists to boost representation of minori... | Labour MP Diane Abbot, who backs Mr Phillips' proposal of shortlists, said she had been elected along with three other ethnic minority MPs - Keith Vaz, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant - in 1987 but it took another 10 years before another black woman was able to win a seat.A call for ethnic minority shortlists to boost th... |
Lib Dems highlight problem debtPeople vulnerable to problem debts should be afforded greater protection from banks aggressively promoting financial products, the Lib Dems say.Vincent Cable says one in eight households already struggle with debt and that will worsen if there is a hike in interest rates or unemployment. ... | Labour say a Lib Dem vote could "let the Tories in", while the Tories say the Lib Dems would mean "higher taxes, soft crime laws, more power to Europe".People vulnerable to problem debts should be afforded greater protection from banks aggressively promoting financial products, the Lib Dems say.Speaking to the BBC's We... |
Kennedy questions trust of BlairLib Dem leader Charles Kennedy has said voters now have a "fundamental lack of trust" of Tony Blair as prime minister.He said backing his party was not a wasted vote, adding that with the Lib Dems "what you see is what you get". He made his comments at the start of a day of appearances o... | Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy has said voters now have a "fundamental lack of trust" of Tony Blair as prime minister.He said backing his party was not a wasted vote, adding that with the Lib Dems "what you see is what you get".But he said Mr Blair had lost the trust of the British people."There is a fundamental lack o... |
Whitehall cuts 'ahead of target'Thousands of civil service jobs have already been cut or moved out of London as part of a major cost-cutting drive.Chancellor Gordon Brown said 12,500 jobs had gone while 7,800 were being moved out of the South East. He plans to axe 104,000 jobs to free up money for education, health, de... | In his Budget statement, the chancellor said the first 12,500 civil service jobs had been cut, on target.Unions oppose the plans but Mr Brown said £2bn savings had already been made and more jobs had been cut than had been expected at this stage.Chancellor Gordon Brown said 12,500 jobs had gone while 7,800 were being m... |
Tory leader 'cleared' over workScottish Conservative Party leader David McLetchie claims he has been cleared over a potential conflict of interest.The Edinburgh MSP earns up to £30,000 a year from the law firm Tods Murray, where he is a partner. Mr McLetchie said he has taken advice from Holyrood officials about what d... | Mr McLetchie said: "I'm quite clear that no conflicts of interest arise in my case, that the judgement I took has effectively been vindicated when you look at the advice that has been given to me and that these allegations are unfounded.""The firm and I have a very good working relationship and we have done for the las... |
Jowell confirms casino climbdownTessa Jowell has announced plans to limit the number of new casinos in the UK to 24, in a move branded a "humiliating retreat" by the Tories.It puts an end to plans for up to 40 super casinos, originally outlined in the government's Gambling Bill. Instead there will be a cap of eight new... | "Limiting the number of regional casinos to eight in the first phase is a cautious move that will allow us to test the impact of a new kind of casino on the levels of problem gambling," he said.Tessa Jowell has announced plans to limit the number of new casinos in the UK to 24, in a move branded a "humiliating retreat"... |
Labour pig poster 'anti-Semitic'The Labour Party has been accused of anti-Semitism over a poster depicting Michael Howard and Oliver Letwin - who are both Jewish - as flying pigs.Prospective Tory candidate Andrew Mennear, whose Finchley constituency contains a large Jewish community, branded it "tasteless" and offensiv... | Labour said the poster was "not anti-Jewish, but anti-Tory".He said there was nothing more distasteful for a Jewish person than to be associated with a pig."As we said at the time the James report (the Tory backed inquiry into possible public spending savings) was published pigs will fly before the Tory's sums will add... |
Blunkett hints at election callEx-Home Secretary David Blunkett has given fresh clues that the general election will be announced on Monday.He told BBC Radio Five Live: "I'm out in my constituency getting ready for what we presume will be an announcement very shortly at the weekend." He clarified that he meant he would... | He clarified that he meant he would be in his Sheffield seat this weekend, not that he expected an election call then.Ex-Home Secretary David Blunkett has given fresh clues that the general election will be announced on Monday. |
Labour targets 'hardcore truants'A fresh crackdown on persistent truants in England has been launched by Education Secretary Ruth Kelly.Serial truants make up one in 13 pupils. Previous initiatives brought 40,000 pupils back to school since 1997, according to official statistics. Parenting contracts, penalty notices an... | "It is clear form these figures that schools and local education authorities are now seizing the tools we have given them to improve school attendance and crack down hard on the very small numbers of pupils which account for almost half of the nation's truancy."Police and education welfare officers patrol problem hotsp... |
Brown to outline presidency goalsNext year will be "make or break" for development in poorer countries Gordon Brown will say as he sets out UK goals for its EU and G8 presidencies.The chancellor is due to outline a series of key targets the government will be judged on in 2005. They will include doubling aid from donor... | Mr Brown also wants other G8 nations to match his target for overseas aid - spending 0.7% of national income."That is why next year is a test," he said.Mr Brown said much had been achieved on issues such as debt relief in the last seven years.The report said the G8 of top industrialised nations had agreed in 1970 to sp... |
Councils 'must find Gypsy sites'Ministers are telling councils to find more sites for travellers, amid continuing rows concerning a string of unauthorised encampments.Councils are also to be given stronger powers to move on illegal settlements by Gypsy communities on rural land. More money is to be given to councils to... | In November, MPs urged ministers to make councils create sites because 3,500 travellers have no place to stop.Ms Cooper said an annual scheme to refurbish existing traveller sites would now be extended to consider council bids for new stopping places."There are two major problems in the planning system at the moment co... |
Act on detention ruling, UK urgedThe government must act quickly on the Law Lords' ruling that detention of foreign terror suspects without trial is unlawful, Mary Robinson has said.The former UN commissioner for human rights and Irish president told Radio 4's Today the government's response would be scrutinised intern... | The government must act quickly on the Law Lords' ruling that detention of foreign terror suspects without trial is unlawful, Mary Robinson has said."If the government were not to accept this ruling then there is further redress, including possible damages for the individuals who could claim that the government either ... |
Howard's unfinished business"He's not finished yet," whispered the Conservative Party person as your reporter attempted to slip quietly from the hall. And indeed he wasn't. Michael Howard had already broken away from the printed text of his speech, at his party's spring conference in Brighton, to deliver a smart rebuff... | Mr Howard claimed, with some justification, that the Tories' campaign has got off to a "great start".But as they gear up for the start of the campaign proper, the party at least has reason to hope that, like his Australian namesake, Mr Howard really isn't finished yet.But Mr Howard's overall message - that the Tories h... |
Hospital suspends 'no Welsh' planAn English hospital has suspended plans to stop treating Welsh patients who have waited more than three months.Hereford County Hospital had earlier said that from the new year patients waiting longer than this would be taken off waiting lists for hip and knee operations. GPs in Wales ha... | "But Powys Local Health Board is committed to ensuring our patients receive the care that is appropriate," said the assembly government.The contract with the Powys health board was worth £7m a year for the hospital and accounts for 12% of its patients.Mr Williams had said he did not think it was a Welsh-English issue, ... |
Sport betting rules in spotlightA group of MPs and peers has called for a tightening of regulations controlling betting on sport.The Parliamentary Group on Betting and Gaming held a substantial inquiry into betting last year. It followed fears that a massive increase in betting on sport, such as that done using the int... | As well as the growth of internet and mobile phone betting, there has been the creation of betting exchanges which allow punters to fix odds between themselves.Lord Faulkner of Worcester, who chaired the inquiry, said: "Whilst we accept that the greater part of sports betting is neither corrupt nor unfair to punters, t... |
Ex-PM Lord Callaghan dies aged 92Former Labour prime minister Lord Callaghan has died on the eve of his 93rd birthday.He passed away at home in East Sussex, just 11 days after his wife Audrey died aged 91. Lord Callaghan, who leaves a son and two daughters, was the longest living former British PM in history. He entere... | He held each of the major offices of chancellor, home secretary, foreign secretary and prime minister during his career and became Lord Callaghan of Cardiff in 1987.Former Labour prime minister Lord Callaghan has died on the eve of his 93rd birthday.Conservative peer Lord Heseltine said that despite their political dif... |
Blair and Blunkett Sheffield tripTony Blair is to join Home Secretary David Blunkett in a visit to Sheffield on Thursday.Mr Blunkett's conduct is being looked at to establish whether he abused his position in relation to his ex-lover. The Parliamentary standards watchdog is looking at his decision to give Kimberly Quin... | Mr Howard said Mr Blunkett had complained he had inherited a "giant mess" when he took over at the Home Office from Jack Straw, now foreign secretary.Downing Street has stressed Mr Blair's support for the home secretary.On Wednesday during Prime Minister's Questions, Tory leader Michael Howard went on the offensive ove... |
Hunt ban support is 'in decline'Support for a ban on hunting has fallen in the past six years, a poll suggests.Less than half the UK wants a ban compared to almost two-thirds in 1999, the Mori survey of 2,000 adults for BBC One's Countryfile programme suggests. The number opposed to a ban remains constant, but those "n... | In July 1999 they asked 801 adults if they supported the ban for the Mail on Sunday.The Mail on Sunday survey found that 63% supported a hunting ban compared with 24% against.Less than half the UK wants a ban compared to almost two-thirds in 1999, the Mori survey of 2,000 adults for BBC One's Countryfile programme sugg... |
Blair dismisses quit claim reportTony Blair has dismissed reports he told Gordon Brown he would quit before the next general election."You don't do deals over jobs like this," the prime minister told BBC One's Breakfast with Frost programme. According to a new book, Brown's Britain, Mr Blair went back on a pledge to ma... | Former welfare minister Frank Field MP said the prime minister should sack Mr Brown, but did not believe Mr Blair was strong enough to do so.Mr Blair said the claims were "reheated from six months ago" and that he was concentrating on running the country.The Liberal Democrat parliamentary chairman Matthew Taylor said t... |
Custody death rate 'shocks' MPsDeaths in custody have reached "shocking" levels, a committee of MPs and peers has warned.The joint committee on human rights found those committing suicide were mainly the most vulnerable, with mental health, drugs or alcohol problems. Members urged the government to set up a task force ... | "Yet throughout our inquiry we have seen time and time again that extremely vulnerable people are entering custody with a history of mental illness, drug and alcohol problems and potential for taking their own lives."There was one prison suicide every four days between 1999 and 2003, MPs said.The report, which followed... |
Watchdog probes e-mail deletionsThe information commissioner says he is urgently asking for details of Cabinet Office orders telling staff to delete e-mails more than three months old.Richard Thomas "totally condemned" the deletion of e-mails to prevent their disclosure under freedom of information laws coming into for... | All e-mails are subject to the freedom of information laws, but the important thing was the content of the e-mail, said Mr Thomas.The timing of the new rules just before the Freedom of Information Act comes into forces was "too unlikely to have been a coincidence", Mr Beith said.Mr Beith urged the information commissio... |
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