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Clarke 'warned about riot prison'

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Image Justice ministers were warned about staffing concerns at an open prison just weeks before rampaging inmates torched buildings in a New Year prison riot. The Independent Monitoring Board delivered a report to Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke on December 16 about Ford Open Prison near Arundel, West Sussex, which warned about night staffing and said: "Whilst there have only been minor incidents in the last year we do not consider that proper control is being exercised at night and are sceptical of the response received in the past that it must be adequate because there has not been a serious incident yet." About 40 offenders took control of the prison, smashing windows and setting fire to buildings and it is thought the violence started after guards attempted to breathalyse inmates for contraband alcohol in the early hours of New Year's Day. During the early stages of the rebellion, just two officers and four support staff were on duty at the centre, which holds around 500 inmates. The guards were forced to retreat as the violence increased. Scores of riot police and specialist prison officers were brought in before authorities eventually regained control. Rioters caused extensive damage to six accommodation blocks, a gym, mail room and snooker and pool rooms. The IMB reports notes that in the past three years since the introduction of a dog handler with two dogs, a large amount of contraband has been discovered including 360 mobile phones, 323 chargers, 115 SIM cards, £1,221 of cash, 200 items of drug paraphernalia, 11 parcels and 51 litres of alcohol. The 2009-10 annual report states: "We are delighted to hear that the dogs have been put up for a national award. However, we believe that more use could be made of them if there were more staff available to support the searches." But it makes clear that "drugs, alcohol, mobile telephones and other illicit substances continue to find their way into the prison". Earlier this week, Mr Clarke told the Commons lessons must be learned about what happened at Ford. The National Offender Management Service is carrying out an investigation. Mr Clarke said: "As far as I am aware the prison was staffed at its normal level, we had made no changes since we took office and the arrangements under the previous Government. I don't think we should start leaping to conclusions about whether there was anything that was at the heart of this apart from the appallingly bad behaviour of people who had been acquiring alcohol in the run up to New Year's Eve." The publication of the report comes after Mr Clarke announced three prisons will be closed with the loss of almost 850 places. Ashwell prison in Rutland and Lancaster Castle, Lancashire, will be closed by March and a third jail, Morton Hall women's prison in Lincolnshire, will be turned into an immigration detention centre.

Ripper loses appeal over sentence

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Image Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe has lost a challenge against an order that he can never be released. A High Court judge ruled last year that the serial killer of 13 women must serve a "whole life" tariff. Sutcliffe, who is now known as Peter Coonan, had his appeal against that order rejected by the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith and Mr Justice Griffith Williams at the Court of Appeal. The former lorry driver, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1981. Sutcliffe, now 64, received 20 life terms for the murder of 13 women and the attempted murder of others in Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. Lord Judge said the "passage of time does not make the appellant's account at trial of how he came to commit these offences any more likely to be credible now than it was then". He said: "We are not, of course, suggesting that the man who perpetrated these crimes was in any ordinary sense of the words 'normal' or 'average'." The "sheer abnormality of his actions themselves suggest some element of mental disorder", he said. But he added: "There is, however, no reason to conclude that the appellant's claim that he genuinely believed that he was acting under divine instruction to fulfill God's will carries any greater conviction now than it did when it was rejected by the jury." An examination of the "entire catalogue of the offences as a whole demonstrates that this was criminal conduct at the extreme end of horror", he said. The three judges ruled that the interests of justice required "nothing less" than a whole life order.

Man jailed for loyalty points theft

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Image A Sainsbury's IT manager who stole millions of Nectar points after finding a "loophole" in the system has been jailed for 20 months. James Stevenson, 45, set up accounts for the reward card scheme using false names and credited them with £81,000 worth of the points. The father-of-two, of Muswell Hill, north London, admitted using some of them to purchase goods worth £8,120 from the store. Stevenson, an IT team leader who worked at the supermarket's headquarters in Holborn, central London, pleaded guilty to fraud and theft at a previous hearing. The Old Bailey heard that he had worked for the company for 20 years and had access to the computer systems which operate the Nectar card. He added points to at least 18 accounts that he had created, using the names of DJs, in two spells, between November 2002 and May 2003, and from October 2007 to December 2009. The court heard he would go on test runs in the supermarket, using points to buy one item at first, then when it passed unnoticed going back and filling a trolley. Edward McKiernan, prosecuting, said when Stevenson's fraud was discovered by Sainsbury's, he told them he had "discovered a loophole in the system". Judge Peter Thornton told Stevenson: "Your motive was clearly greed. This was a carefully-planned, well-worked fraud on Sainsbury's." The defendant was ordered to repay £8,120 to the supermarket.

Tourists evacuated from Tunisia

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Image Tour operator Thomas Cook has said it is evacuating 1,800 tourists from strife-hit Tunisia. Thomas Cook said it had not seen any specific problems for its holidaymakers in the north African nation but was asking everyone to leave as a precaution. Tunisia has been rocked by unrest sparked by anger at unemployment and at the country's leadership, with thousands of demonstrators marching through Tunisia's capital on Friday to demand the resignation of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The protests came a day after Mr Ben Ali appeared on TV to try to stop deadly riots that have swept the country. Demonstrators chanted slogans against the president, including "Ben Ali, out!" and "Ben Ali, assassin!" One poster read "We won't forget," a reference to the rioters who had been killed, many by police bullets. Hundreds of police with shields and riot gear blocked the avenue in front of the interior ministry, where over the years there have been reports of torture. The march was organised by Tunisia's only legal trade union, which also went ahead with a symbolic two-hour strike in the region of the capital. The official death toll in the riots is 23, but opposition figures insist dozens more have been killed. Facing the worst unrest in his 23 years in power, Mr Ben Ali went on television on Thursday night, making sweeping pledges for political and media freedom, saying he would leave the presidency when his term ends in 2014, and ordering prices on sugar, milk and bread slashed. In Tunisia, the tourism industry is key to the country's economy.

Tanker drivers to vote on action

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Image Thousands of tanker drivers are to be balloted for industrial action in a row over pay, pensions and working conditions. Unite warned employers that voting was likely to start next month unless the "constant attack" on drivers' terms and conditions stopped. The union claimed that over the past few years, contractors responsible for the delivery of oil and petrol supplies to petrol stations and supermarkets across the UK had "squeezed" the pay and conditions of around 3,000 drivers. Unite said it was calling for national standards to stop a "race to the bottom" on pay and conditions and claimed that employers had refused to hold talks over the row. Len McCluskey, Unite's new leader, said: "Tanker drivers play a crucial role in the economy, delivering fuel safely and on time, but their industry, which is worth billions, is content to attack the drivers' pay, pensions and conditions. "The price of oil is heading for 100 dollars a barrel, so this is not an industry suffering like many others because the profits are astronomical. Employers have their heads in the sand if they think they can continue to attack these drivers' terms and conditions. "This is not about pay. Our demands are very reasonable. We are calling for national standards to bring stability to the industry. It would benefit our members but it would also benefit the multitude of contractors in the industry too. "Time and workers' patience is running out, so we appeal to the key stakeholders to engage with Unite urgently to find a better way forward. "Minimum standards on safety and decent terms and conditions are a prerequisite for success in this sector. The attacks on workers' pensions must cease and the merry-go-round where drivers can have as many as 12 different employers must stop too. "Quite simply, enough is enough."

Miliband hails by-election victory

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Image Voters have sent a "very clear message" to the coalition, Ed Miliband has said after the Conservative-Liberal Democrat alliance suffered a bloody nose in its first by-election test. The Lib Dems failed to overturn a wafer-thin Labour majority in Oldham East and Saddleworth, with Debbie Abrahams claiming the seat. The Tories saw their vote collapse, amid accusations that they had fought a deliberately lacklustre campaign in an attempt to give their coalition partners a clear run. With Labour extending its majority from just 103 at the general election last May to 3,558, Mr Miliband said the result showed that voters had rejected coalition policies. "This is a first step in a long journey for Labour but, more importantly, I hope the Government will listen to what they've said about these key issues," he said as he left his north London home. "They said to the Government: think again on VAT, think again on the trebling of tuition fees, think again on the police cuts that are going to affect their communities. And I think part of what it should be about in this country is listening to the voters. I think that's what David Cameron and Nick Clegg should do." The result came as an important boost for the Labour leader, who has been under fire for failing to make a stronger impact since taking the helm of the party last September. There was relief also among the Lib Dems that the result was not worse, following the dramatic slide in their support since they joined the Conservatives in government. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg insisted it had been a "strong" showing by his party at what was a "challenging time" for the coalition. "I think the strong result in this by-election for the Liberal Democrats shows that whether we are in government or in opposition, we remain a strong, united independent party whose values continue to attract support," he said. "I think it was a strong result, given the circumstances in which the by-election was fought. It was a by-election held in unusual circumstances at a time when the Government is taking difficult decisions, of which we are a part." Mr Clegg was meeting senior Lib Dem colleagues to discuss the election result, although aides denied it was a crisis meeting. The by-election was called after a special court declared last year's contest void due to Labour victor Phil Woolas making false statements about Lib Dem opponent Elwyn Watkins. Mr Watkins polled 11,160 votes to Ms Abrahams' 14,718. Tory Kashif Ali came a distant third with 4,481.

Lily Allen snubs Piers Morgan show

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Image Singer Lily Allen has snubbed Piers Morgan's offer of appearing on his Life Stories series - unless he gives £1 million to charity. The star, who has had two miscarriages, told Morgan she wanted him to give the money to a stillbirth and neo-natal death charity that supports bereaved parents. Writing on Twitter, she said: "i'd do it for a million for SANDS. money, mouth??????????????????" Morgan, whose guests on the ITV1 interview show have included Gordon Brown, Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell, told Allen: "I will get ITV to make substantial five-figure donation to your charity for the interview". But Allen told him: "Those are my terms. I've got no interest in coming on your show, you've been asking me for years." She revealed she had lost her second child in November and asked her two million followers on the social networking website to "say a little prayer". She previously had a miscarriage when she was dating Chemical Brothers star Ed Simons in 2008. Allen has released two best-selling albums - Alright, Still and It's Not Me, It's You - and a number of hit singles including The Fear and Smile. Former Daily Mirror editor Morgan is about to launch a new chatshow, which sees him take over from CNN legend Larry King, in the United States. He became the youngest editor ever at the News of the World before moving to the Daily Mirror as editor-in-chief in 1995. Since his high-profile sacking from the tabloid daily in 2004, he has forged a lucrative career in television after striking up a friendship with Simon Cowell.

Michaela's body back in Belfast

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Image The plane carrying the body of murdered honeymooner Michaela McAreavey has arrived in Belfast from Mauritius. Two of her brothers, Michael and Matthew Harte, and close family friend Eoin Conroy, from Co Clare in the Irish Republic, were among those who met her. The young teacher was strangled at the luxury Legends hotel on the Indian Ocean island on Monday. Her new husband, John McAreavey, found her dead in their room. Her body arrived at George Best Belfast City Airport at around 1am on a BMI service from London Heathrow. She landed in London early on Friday. Mr McAreavey's father, Brendan, his brother, Brian, and Mrs McAreavey's third brother, Mark Harte, were also on the plane along with the grieving groom. Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey, uncle of the groom, was at the airport along with family friend Canon Francis Brown. The bishop married the couple around a fortnight ago. The coffin was covered with a purple drape as the hearse drove from the airport. It was followed by a silver BMW containing Mrs McAreavey's three brothers. The bishop was in a black Toyota. Mrs McAreavey's parents, Mickey and Marian Harte, awaited the coffin at home in Co Tyrone. Their detached house is on a hill in Glencull Road, off the main road from Ballygawley to Omagh.

Nine in court on bomb plot charges

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Image Nine men have been remanded in custody in connection with a bombing plot to target landmark sites in London. The defendants, accused of targeting sites such as the Stock Exchange, the Houses of Parliament and the US Embassy, appeared by videolink at the Old Bailey. They are alleged to have also targeted political and religious figures in the plot in the run-up to Christmas. The defendants were remanded to another hearing on February 25. Mr Justice Calvert-Smith said their trial would not take place until at least January next year. The venue is likely to be Woolwich Crown Court but he will listen to representations from lawyers about alternative courts. The suspects, from Cardiff, London and Stoke-on-Trent, were arrested following a series of dawn raids by counter-terrorism officers on December 21. They are charged with conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life or damage property between November 6 and December 21. A further charge alleges they were preparing for acts of terrorism between the same dates. This was said to be by agreeing potential targets, carrying out reconnaissance, attending meetings, igniting and testing incendiary material and researching and discussing materials and methods. The defendants from Cardiff were Gurukanth Desai, 29, of Albert Street, Omar Sharif Latif, 27, of Neville Street and Abdul Malik Miah, 24, of Ninian Park Road. The defendants from London are Mohammed Moksudur Rahman Chowdhury, 20, of Stanliff House, Tower Hamlets, and Shah Mohammed Lutfar Rahman, 28, of St Bernard's Road, Newham, both east London. The defendants from Stoke-on-Trent are Nazam Hussain, 25, of Grove Street; Usman Khan, 19, of Persia Walk; Mohibur Rahman, 26, of North Road and Abdul Mohammed Shahjahan, 26, of Burmarsh Walk. Extra police officers were on duty in court as about 20 members of right-wing organisation the English Defence League watched proceedings from the public gallery. Earlier, they had demonstrated outside the central London court saying they objected to the "Islamification of Britain".

Riots 'preceded prison warning'

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Image Ministers had not seen a report warning about staffing concerns at an open prison before rampaging inmates torched buildings in a new year prison riot, a spokesman for Justice Secretary Kenneth Clarke has said. The spokesman refuted claims that ministers were warned about staffing concerns at Ford Open Prison near Arundel, West Sussex, just weeks before the riots. He said the Independent Monitoring Board report was received by Prison Service officials on December 16 but was still being assessed and had not reached ministers before the riots took place on New Year's Eve. The report had warned about night staffing and said: "Whilst there have only been minor incidents in the last year we do not consider that proper control is being exercised at night and are sceptical of the response received in the past that it must be adequate because there has not been a serious incident yet." About 40 offenders took control of the prison, smashing windows and setting fire to buildings and it is thought the violence started after guards attempted to breathalyse inmates for contraband alcohol in the early hours of New Year's Day. During the early stages of the rebellion, just two officers and four support staff were on duty at the centre, which holds around 500 inmates. The guards were forced to retreat as the violence increased. Scores of riot police and specialist prison officers were brought in before authorities eventually regained control. Rioters caused extensive damage to six accommodation blocks, a gym, mail room and snooker and pool rooms. The IMB reports notes that in the past three years since the introduction of a dog handler with two dogs, a large amount of contraband has been discovered including 360 mobile phones, 323 chargers, 115 SIM cards, £1,221 of cash, 200 items of drug paraphernalia, 11 parcels and 51 litres of alcohol. The 2009-10 annual report states: "We are delighted to hear that the dogs have been put up for a national award. However, we believe that more use could be made of them if there were more staff available to support the searches." But it makes clear that "drugs, alcohol, mobile telephones and other illicit substances continue to find their way into the prison". Earlier this week, Mr Clarke told the Commons lessons must be learned about what happened at Ford. The National Offender Management Service is carrying out an investigation. Mr Clarke said: "As far as I am aware the prison was staffed at its normal level, we had made no changes since we took office and the arrangements under the previous Government. I don't think we should start leaping to conclusions about whether there was anything that was at the heart of this apart from the appallingly bad behaviour of people who had been acquiring alcohol in the run up to New Year's Eve." The publication of the report comes after Mr Clarke announced three prisons will be closed with the loss of almost 850 places. Ashwell prison in Rutland and Lancaster Castle, Lancashire, will be closed by March and a third jail, Morton Hall women's prison in Lincolnshire, will be turned into an immigration detention centre.

Tunisia capital hit by protests

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Image Thousands of angry demonstrators have marched through Tunisia's capital, demanding the immediate resignation of the country's autocratic leader. The protests came a day after President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali appeared on TV to try to stop deadly riots that have swept the country. Meanwhile, British tour operator Thomas Cook said it was evacuating 1,800 tourists from the country after the violence. It said it had not seen any specific problems for holidaymakers in Tunisia but was asking everyone to leave as a precaution. Protesters chanted slogans against the president including "Ben Ali, out!" and "Ben Ali, assassin!" One poster read "We won't forget," a reference to the rioters killed, many by police bullets. The march was organised by Tunisia's only legal trade union, which also went ahead with a symbolic two-hour strike in the region of the capital. The official death toll in the riots is 23, but opposition figures say dozens more have been killed. Pent-up anger at unemployment, and at a leadership many see as controlling and corrupt, has exploded into protests and clashes with police over the past few weeks. The demonstrations started in the provinces but this week reached Tunis, the capital of the Mediterranean tourist haven that has long been spared unrest. Facing the worst unrest in his 23 years in power, Mr Ben Ali went on television on Thursday night, making sweeping pledges for political and media freedom, saying he would leave the presidency when his term ends in 2014, and ordering prices on sugar, milk and bread slashed. In Tunisia, the tourism industry is key to the country's economy. Thomas Cook said: "Although there has been no specific problems for our holidaymakers, their well-being is our primary concern so, as a precaution, we've taken the decision to bring them back to the UK as soon as we can, using our fleet of aircraft."

Woman catches attacker on Facebook

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Image A sex attacker is behind bars after a young mother turned detective and tracked him down on Facebook. Alpha Gray, 30, made the mistake of telling the woman his unusual first name and age when he accosted her on the street. Soon she was trawling through the social networking site armed also with the knowledge that he said he lived nearby. He was arrested after the woman, who is in her 20s, told police she had traced him. Gray, from Holloway, north London, was found guilty of attempted rape, sexual assault and causing actual bodily harm on 10-2 majority verdicts, after a retrial. He was remanded in custody at the Old Bailey for sentencing on February 11. Gray had denied he was the attacker in May, but said he had been to a nearby party to drown his sorrows after the knife murder of his brother Anthony a fortnight before. The victim told the court she was left with bruises and a bleeding ear after Gray tried to rape her in the street in Tufnell Park, north London. But he had told her his name was Alpha, he was 30, and he lived in Holloway. She said: "It's such an unusual name. I didn't think it was his real name. His picture came up and it turned out he knew someone I knew.There was a picture of him on a beach holding a little girl. From that picture I could not tell if it was him. I was not 100% sure." But when she viewed a video parade, she picked out Gray. Paul Cavin, prosecuting, said Gray had tried to chat the woman up before trying to rape her and punching her to the ground. The assault came to a sudden end when Gray apologised and offered to help her. After reporting the attack to police, the woman went on Facebook where she put his details in to try to find a profile. After the verdict, Detective Constable Eleanor Nightingale said: "It's pretty unusual to get the name in a sexual assault by a stranger. If you do get information, it's best to let us deal with it in case it causes complications about identification."

Michaela's body back in Belfast

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Image The plane carrying the body of murdered honeymooner Michaela McAreavey has arrived in Belfast from Mauritius. The 27-year-old newlywed was strangled at the luxury Legends hotel on the Indian Ocean island on Monday. Her new husband, John McAreavey, found her dead in their room. The alleged killers of the young teacher were hiding in her room and lunged at her only when she had closed the door, police have said. One of the suspected killers - room attendant Avinash Treebhoowoon, 29 - has made a confession statement to police claiming that he and co-accused floor supervisor Sandip Moneea, 41, had been in the room to steal the couple's valuables. It is understood they had spotted a purse with cash in it while cleaning the day before. The confessing killer alleges that after grappling with the bride, he held her down while Moneea strangled her. They then dragged her body to the bathroom and dumped her in the bath, turning on the tap before they fled. It is understood that Treebhoowoon admitted the crime to officers after a third accused and fellow room attendant Raj Theekoy, 33, made a statement implicating him and Moneea. There have been widespread tributes to the victim, whose father is one of Ireland's most celebrated sports figures, Co Tyrone GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) manager Mickey Harte. Mrs McAreavey's body arrived at George Best Belfast City Airport on a flight accompanied by her husband and his family. Two of Mrs McAreavey's brothers, Michael and Matthew Harte were at the airport along with Bishop John McAreavey, uncle of the groom, who married the couple around a fortnight ago. Her parents, Mickey and Marian Harte, awaited the coffin at home in Co Tyrone.

Court challenge to redundancy plans

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Image The Government is to face a legal challenge over changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme after they were overwhelmingly rejected by members of the biggest Whitehall trade union. The Public and Commercial Services union said 90% of its members refused to back the new scheme, covering redundancy terms when civil servants lose their jobs. More than 80,000 civil servants took part in the vote, a third of those balloted, and the union will now mount a legal challenge in the High Court in London next week. PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Our members have sent a crystal-clear message that they will not tolerate their contracts being ripped up simply to allow the Government to slash jobs and public services."

Tunisia president axes government

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Image Tunisia President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali has decided to dismiss his government following massive riots, it has been reported. The TAP state news agency also said the president plans to call early legislative elections in six months. The announcement came as Tunisian police fired rounds of tear gas at thousands of protesters in the capital. Some demonstrators climbed on top of the roof of the Interior Ministry, a symbol of the government they want to oust. The demonstrators were marching through Tunis to demand the resignation of the leader and many shouted "Ben Ali, out!" and "Ben Ali, assassin!" Meanwhile, medical officials reported 13 people had died in new unrest when the President went on television late on Thursday to announce concessions designed to ease weeks of protests. Hundreds of foreign tourists were being flown home as fears grew of worsening unrest. Helmeted police were seen kicking and clubbing unarmed protesters - one of whom cowered on the ground, covering his face. A few youths were spotted throwing stones at police. The demonstrators were of all ages and from all walks of life. "A month ago, we didn't believe this uprising was possible," said Beya Mannai, a geology professor at the University of Tunis. "But the people rose up." Ben Ali, 74, has maintained an iron grip on Tunisia since grabbing power in 1987 in a bloodless coup, repressing any challenges. He has locked up many opposition figures, clamped down on dissent and kept tight control over the media but has not been able to resolve the country's rising unemployment, officially at nearly 14 %, but higher for educated youths. The unrest began after an educated but jobless 26-year-old committed suicide in mid-December when police confiscated the fruits and vegetables he was selling without a permit. His desperate act hit a nerve, sparked copycat suicides and focused generalised anger against the regime into a widespread, outright revolt. The official death toll in the riots is 23, but opposition leaders put the figure at three times that.

PM insists he cannot 'hammer' banks

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Image David Cameron has insisted he can not "hammer" the banks over their bonuses because he needs them to lend more to business and pay higher taxes to reduce the deficit. The Prime Minister said there was part of him that wanted to "go after every penny" and "tax these bonuses to hell" - but added that the Government had to strike a balance. The coalition has come under fire for failing to rein in City excess ahead of what is expected to be a bumper bonus season worth £7 billion. Mr Cameron said it was right to have "a big argument" with the banks given that they were bailed out by the taxpayer at the height of the financial crisis. But, speaking during a question and answer session with voters in Newcastle, he maintained that getting the balance right was "not easy". "There's part of me, like probably everyone in this room, that just thinks 'right, let's just go after every penny we can get out of these banks, let's tax these bonuses to hell, let's just get hold of the cash'. That would look good for a few weeks, maybe a few months, but actually what do we really want to do here? "We want a growing economy that is creating jobs, and that means banks that are lending money to businesses." The Treasury is in talks with banks about ensuring bonuses are smaller and more transparent and that lending is stepped up. Chancellor George Osborne insisted earlier this week that "nothing is off the table" if they did not come to an acceptable settlement. However, there have been reports that even the heads of state-backed Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland are in line for multimillion-pound payouts. Barclays chief executive Bob Diamond - said to be getting an £8 million windfall - fanned the flames by saying that neither Mr Cameron nor Mr Osborne had asked him to limit his bonus. He told MPs that the time for "remorse" was over. Liberal Democrats have been angered that the Government has not taken a stronger line. Lib Dem peer Lord Oakeshott said: "This is the moment of truth on fairness for our coalition. We can't allow a bonus bonanza in the age of austerity."

Tories deny by-election claims

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Image The Conservative high command has strongly denied giving the Liberal Democrats an easy ride in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election in an attempt to avert a catastrophic collapse in support for their coalition partners. Prime Minister David Cameron insisted he was "proud" of the Conservative campaign despite seeing his party finish a distant third while the Lib Dems were unable to overturn a wafer-thin Labour majority. Labour leader Ed Miliband said the voters had sent a "very clear message" to the coalition as Labour extended its 103-vote majority at the general election in May to 3,558. Debbie Abrahams, the Labour candidate, was a comfortable winner with 14,718 votes, ahead of Lib Dem Elwyn Watkins with 11,160. Tory Kashif Ali was third with 4,481 as support for the Conservatives fell away sharply. The Lib Dems had forced the contest after Mr Watkins mounted a successful legal challenge to the general election result, claiming his Labour opponent Phil Woolas had lied about him. But as the Lib Dems' opinion poll ratings plummeted after they abandoned their pledge to oppose any increase in university tuition fees, there were fears that they could suffer a massive loss of support. As it was, the party's vote largely held up - apparently with the help of some tactical voting by Conservative supporters. Among some Tories, however, there was anger at what they saw as a deliberately lacklustre campaign designed to ensure maximum support for the Lib Dems - a claim fiercely denied by party chairman Baroness Warsi. "I led this campaign and every resource was put into it," she said. "We never attacked the Liberal Democrat party but we never campaigned for them either." Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who made three campaign visits to the constituency, claimed it had been a "strong result" for his party, saying that he had always expected a "very close race" with Labour. However, Labour leader Mr Miliband said: "This is a first step in a long journey for Labour but, more importantly, I hope the Government will listen to what they've said about these key issues. They said to the Government, think again on VAT, think again on the trebling of tuition fees, think again on the police cuts that are going to affect their communities."

Boy held over protest petrol bomb

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Image Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy over the throwing of a petrol bomb during a student protest. The arrest came a day after Scotland Yard released images of a hooded figure running across Parliament Square and throwing a flaming bottle across a crowd of protesters. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy in connection with the throwing of a flaming object in Parliament Square during the student protest of December 9, 2010. The boy is being questioned in a south London police station." The video images were recorded by a member of the public during one of the most violent days of demonstrations. Investigators have also obtained images of a second suspect attacking cars in a royal convoy in Regent Street on the same day. He was also caught on camera kicking in the windows of a branch of Topshop in Oxford Circus and throwing a metal fence at police officers. On Thursday, detectives released a further 10 still images of people suspected of violence and other offences on November 24. Senior officers at the Met have formed a specialist unit, dubbed Operation Malone, to bring those who broke the law to justice. They have arrested more than 200 suspects, the majority in their late teens and early 20s, since the first protest on November 10. The latest arrest follows the imprisonment of Hampshire student Edward Woollard for throwing a fire extinguisher from the roof of the Millbank complex which houses Tory Party headquarters. The 18-year-old was jailed for 32 months after admitting violent disorder during the first outbreak of student protest disorder. Anybody with information is asked to call 020 8358 0100 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

CPS will assess phone-hacking files

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Image Prosecutors are to conduct a "comprehensive assessment" of all material collected by Scotland Yard linked to the phone hacking scandal. Director of Prosecutions Keir Starmer said the move will ascertain whether there is any material which could spark a fresh prosecution. A senior QC will re-examine all material collected as part of the original inquiry and any new evidence that has come to light. A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokeswoman said: "The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has agreed that the Crown Prosecution Service will conduct a comprehensive assessment of all material in the possession of the Metropolitan Police Service relating to phone hacking, following developments in the civil courts. "The exercise will involve an examination of all material considered as part of the original investigation into Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire and any material that has subsequently come to light. "The assessment will be carried out by principal legal adviser, Alison Levitt QC. The purpose of this assessment is to ascertain whether there is any material which could now form evidence in any future criminal prosecution relating to phone hacking." Mulcaire and former News of the World reporter Goodman were jailed at the Old Bailey in January 2007 after they admitted intercepting messages. The latest development came after actress Sienna Miller lodged documents in the High Court linking a third person with the scandal. Miller is suing the News of the World's parent company and Mulcaire, accusing them of breaching her privacy and of harassment. It emerged earlier this month that News of the World executive Ian Edmondson has been suspended as a result of her claims. Scotland Yard detectives subsequently wrote to the Sunday newspaper asking for any new evidence staff had on the case. A News of the World spokeswoman said: "We will, of course, co-operate fully with any inquiries relating to the assessment by the CPS."

Court challenge to redundancy plan

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Image The Government is to face a legal challenge over changes to a new Civil Service Compensation Scheme after they were overwhelmingly rejected by members of the biggest Whitehall trade union. The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said 90% of its members who took part in a ballot refused to back the new scheme, covering redundancy terms when civil servants lose their jobs. More than 80,000 union members voted, a third of those balloted, and the union announced it will now mount a legal challenge in the High Court in London next week. The Government expressed disappointment with the ballot result but said it would have no impact on the reforms, which are already in place. PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Our members have sent a crystal-clear message that they will not tolerate their contracts being ripped up simply to allow the Government to slash jobs and public services." The union said civil servants stood to lose tens of thousands of pounds under the new scheme, which the Government announced last year. Other Civil Service unions have accepted the scheme, although the Prison Officers Association has yet to decide whether to fight it. The PCS overturned changes planned by the Labour government after mounting a successful legal challenge. The union said it will now press ahead with fresh legal action, calling for a judicial review on human rights grounds, arguing that the Government was breaching a European Convention. Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said: "The recent changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme were developed in constructive negotiations with some of Britain's most powerful trade unions. "I continue to believe it's a great pity that the PCS leadership did not engage in the same way, meaning that during the lengthy negotiating process, their members' interests were not represented by their own union leadership. Perhaps that explains the very low turnout for their ballot - less than a third of their members even took part."
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