Nine British servicemen and women have applied to be discharged from the military as conscientious objectors since the start of the war in Afghanistan, according to official figures.
Six of them - two from the Royal Navy and four from the RAF - were granted the right to leave the armed forces because of moral, political or religious objections.
Among the three who failed in their bid was Royal Navy medic Michael Lyons, who unsuccessfully took his case to an appeal panel in December.
No members of the Army have sought to be classified as conscientious objectors since UK forces joined US-led attacks on Afghanistan in 2001, Ministry of Defence statistics released following a Freedom of Information request show.
Two RAF personnel requested the status in 2003 - the year Britain took part in the controversial invasion of Iraq - and another two in 2005.
Three members of the Royal Navy sought discharge as conscientious objectors in 2006, one in 2007 and one in 2010.
Between 1990 and 2000, 13 Royal Navy personnel and one soldier applied for conscientious objector status, a separate Freedom of Information response shows.
Mr Lyons, 24, from Plymouth, Devon, became the first serviceman in 14 years to appear before the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors, which hears appeals from those seeking a discharge on moral grounds. He told the panel he felt unable to serve in Afghanistan in the wake of revelations about civilian casualties by whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.
Anti-war campaigners suggested the figures were evidence of growing opposition to the ongoing war in Afghanistan among the military. Lindsey German, convener of the Stop The War Coalition, said: "We are finding more members of the armed forces who do not want to serve in Afghanistan. When more than two-thirds of the population want the troops out, this is bound to affect the troops themselves."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "There is a well-established procedure to allow armed forces personnel who develop a genuine conscientious objection to further military service to make the transition back to civilian life. Such cases are dealt with first by the individual's chain of command and there is an appeal procedure for service personnel if the request to leave is rejected."
Nine British servicemen and women have applied to be discharged from the military as conscientious objectors since the start of the war in Afghanistan, according to official figures.
Six of them - two from the Royal Navy and four from the RAF - were granted the right to leave the armed forces because of moral, political or religious objections.
Among the three who failed in their bid was Royal Navy medic Michael Lyons, who unsuccessfully took his case to an appeal panel in December.
No members of the Army have sought to be classified as conscientious objectors since UK forces joined US-led attacks on Afghanistan in 2001, Ministry of Defence statistics released following a Freedom of Information request show.
Two RAF personnel requested the status in 2003 - the year Britain took part in the controversial invasion of Iraq - and another two in 2005.
Three members of the Royal Navy sought discharge as conscientious objectors in 2006, one in 2007 and one in 2010.
Between 1990 and 2000, 13 Royal Navy personnel and one soldier applied for conscientious objector status, a separate Freedom of Information response shows.
Mr Lyons, 24, from Plymouth, Devon, became the first serviceman in 14 years to appear before the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors, which hears appeals from those seeking a discharge on moral grounds. He told the panel he felt unable to serve in Afghanistan in the wake of revelations about civilian casualties by whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.
Anti-war campaigners suggested the figures were evidence of growing opposition to the ongoing war in Afghanistan among the military. Lindsey German, convener of the Stop The War Coalition, said: "We are finding more members of the armed forces who do not want to serve in Afghanistan. When more than two-thirds of the population want the troops out, this is bound to affect the troops themselves."
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "There is a well-established procedure to allow armed forces personnel who develop a genuine conscientious objection to further military service to make the transition back to civilian life. Such cases are dealt with first by the individual's chain of command and there is an appeal procedure for service personnel if the request to leave is rejected."
Less than a third of the public support radical health reforms which will allow private companies to provide NHS services, according to a new opinion poll.
The YouGov survey found only 27% of people are behind health secretary Andrew Lansley's proposals to let profit-making companies increase their role in the service.
Half of the 1,892 respondents opposed the policy, with hostility most evident among Lib Dem voters, where 56% were against, and just 30% in favour.
The use of private companies was supported by 46% of Conservative supporters who took part in the poll, while 32% were against the initiative.
The poll, commissioned by public services union Unison, also reveals that half the public oppose the new GP consortiums that will bet set up across England.
Private management groups will be used to assist the groups them with finance, planning and management.
The Health and Social Care Bill, which has been dubbed by experts as "the biggest shake-up of the NHS in its history," will be debated in parliament on Monday.
Under the controversial plans, GPs in England will be handed the power to commission £80 billion of treatment for patients - 80% of the entire health service budget - from "any willing provider".
So far, 141 GP consortia, serving more than half of the population of England, have now signed up as "pathfinders" to pilot the new arrangements ahead of their planned implementation in 2013.
The heads of six health unions, including the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing, have written to the Government warning of their "extreme concerns" about creating greater commercial competition between the NHS and private companies within the health service.
Thousands of protesters have ignored a curfew in Egypt's chaos-stricken capital as widespread demonstrations demanding reforms and an end to President Hosni Mubarak's three-decade rule continued.
The defiant stand came as David Cameron personally spoke to the embattled leader to express his "grave concern" about violence against the anti-government dissidents, who are entering their sixth day of action.
The Prime Minister urged Mr Mubarak to "take bold steps to accelerate political reform and build democratic legitimacy" rather than attempt to repress dissent, according to Downing Street.
In a joint statement with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Cameron said: "The Egyptian people have legitimate grievances and a longing for a just and better future. We urge President Mubarak to embark on a process of transformation which should be reflected in a broad-based government and in free and fair elections."
Mr Cameron's intervention came in a telephone call on Saturday night, as tens of thousands of protesters remained on the streets.
In Cairo, swathes of citizens ignored a 4pm to 8am curfew and roamed the city under the watchful glare of the army, which increased its presence of tanks and armoured personnel carriers. Residents reported gangs of youths, some on motorbikes, looting supermarkets, stores, shopping malls and homes. Gunfire was also heard in Cairo's centre as well as outlying districts.
At least 74 people are said to have died during five days of clashes with police, and thousands more have been injured.
Mr Mubarak tried to ease the crisis last week by sacking his cabinet and appointing a moderate new deputy. But the UK and US - previously strong allies of the regime - have failed to give their backing. America has suggested it could withdraw Egypt's multibillion-dollar aid package if civil liberties are not respected.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "The Prime Minister has spoken to President Mubarak and expressed his grave concern about the ongoing events, particularly violence on the streets. He emphasised that violent repression of peaceful protest was wrong and counter-productive."
Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading opponent of Mr Mubarak, is believed to have been put under house arrest after returning to the country to join the dissidents. But he is not seen as a guaranteed "heir apparent" should the president go.
Britain's tennis fans will be cheering Andy Murray on today as he steps on court for the match which could net him his first grand slam title.
The Scot is hoping to become the first British man to triumph in one of his sport's premier events for 75 years as he takes on third seed Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final.
His supporters are hoping it will be third time lucky for the 23-year-old, who has lost in two grand slam finals before - the 2008 US Open and last year's Australian Open.
Fifth-seed Murray predicted a "brutal" match and said he would try to ignore the historical ramifications of a victory and aim to fulfil a personal dream.
Speaking on Saturday, he said: "It's more of a personal goal and personal dream of mine.
"The historical thing, it's not something I have thought about that much but it's something that for me personally I want to try to win. I don't want to get myself so amped up that I play a stinker of a match."
Prime Minister David Cameron, Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie are among those to have sent good luck messages to the sportsman.
Murray's grandparents, Roy and Shirley Erskine, are facing a nervous wait in his home town of Dunblane, while the star's mother is in Melbourne.
Speaking on Saturday night, Mr Erskine said: "We don't want to predict anything, we just hope he plays well and it would be wonderful if he won. That's as much as we can hope for. We're hoping that this time tomorrow we will be celebrating."
Millions are expected to watch the match on TV after 6.3 million tuned in to last year's Australian Open to watch Murray lose to Roger Federer.
Britain would be in "financial turmoil" if the Coalition abandoned its deficit reduction plan, and has no alternative but to follow it through, George Osborne has warned.
The Chancellor said no politician liked cutting spending and raising taxes, but the measures were necessary to clear up the "mess" that the previous Labour government left.
His comments came as his Labour counterpart Ed Balls called for a new economic strategy and described the relentless tax hikes and budget cuts as an "irresponsible and dangerous" political strategy.
Mr Osborne, who has this week been discussing financial issues at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, told BBC's The Politics Show: "If on Monday I went to Parliament and got up in the dispatch box in the House of Common and said I am abandoning the deficit reduction plan that Britain set out last year, what do you think the reaction would be?
"Within minutes Britain would be in financial turmoil. I am not prepared to let that happen.
"It requires tough difficult decisions. No politician likes cutting spending and increasing people's taxes, but I was delivered a mess by the previous Government and I am trying to clear it up."
Mr Osborne was last week forced to defend the Government's tough austerity measures after statistics showed that the UK economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter.
The severe weather last month triggered a drop in demand for the key services sector, which makes up more than 75% of the economy, sparking a shock 0.5% plunge in gross domestic product between October and December.
Shadow chancellor Mr Balls described the figures as "shocking".
Writing in the Independent on Sunday he said: "While George Osborne insists it was the Big Freeze in December that caused the contraction, it is the impending Big Squeeze on family budgets and public services that is driving the collapse in confidence and holding back investment."
Twenty arrests were made by police as a splinter group left an organised rally against public spending cuts and marched to a city centre.
Up to 4,000 protesters had gathered peacefully in Manchester on Saturday to hear claims from union leaders that the Government was "betraying" young people, but trouble erupted when several hundred later broke through police lines.
Those arrested - all men - were detained on suspicion of various public order offences.
Two officers suffered minor injuries, one was bitten.
Police said the breakaway group was intent on inciting violence and causing damage as intelligence suggested a number were armed with chefs' knives and one man arrested possessed razor blades.
They said the rally organisers - the TUC, NUS (National Union of Students) and UCU (University and College Union) - had dissociated themselves from the city centre unrest and said they were nothing to do with the organised demonstrators.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "The final number of arrests following yesterday's demonstrations is 20.
"Thirteen were arrested for section five public order offences, six for breach of the peace and one for obstructing a public highway."
No further details of the police operation would be released, he added.
The protest, aimed at highlighting the effects of Government spending cuts on young people, started in acrimony when NUS president Aaron Porter withdrew as a speaker when he was surrounded by angry demonstrators who called for him to quit his post.
Unsuitable offenders are being sent to open prisons, leading to disturbances including a recent jail riot, other inmates have warned.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on contraband mobile phones, prisoners said rules had been relaxed allowing short-term and unsuitable criminals to spend the last part of their sentence at centres such as HMP Ford in West Sussex.
The open prison was the site of a rampage on New Year's Day, with inmates smashing windows and starting fires at the complex. It is thought the violence started after guards attempted to breathalyse prisoners for contraband alcohol.
But on Radio 5, other offenders currently serving time said the underlying cause was the ease with which some prisoners were getting Category D classification.
The "low risk" status allows them to finish their sentences in open prisons.
One prisoner said: "I can remember many years ago it was difficult to get a Category D and go to an open prison.
"Now they seem to be doing it to anyone, including violent offenders. They're not so strict."
An open prison inmate said: "The problem is that when shorter term prisoners come here they don't have anything to lose really, and start to erupt."
Mark Freeman, acting secretary general of the Prison Officers Association, told Radio 5 Live: "People on three to four month sentences spend a week in a Category B jail and then are down in an open prison for the rest of their sentence.
"They're only in proper jails a week, so it's not hard to keep your nose clean a week. These people should not be in open prisons."
Egypt risks falling into the hands of extremists if President Hosni Mubarak does not push ahead with a democratic "transformation", Foreign Secretary William Hague has warned.
Mr Hague highlighted the danger as mass protests against the leader's three-decade rule continued across the country.
More than 100 people are reported to have died in six days of violence, and looters and criminals have been taking advantage of the chaos.
Britain, the US, France and Germany have urged Mr Mubarak to recognise the grievances of the demonstrators and introduce reforms to boost legitimacy, but so far his concessions of sacking his Cabinet and appointing a new deputy have not eased the dissent.
Interviewed on Sky News' Murnaghan programme, Mr Hague said: "It is not for us to try to pick who should be the president of Egypt. It is a sovereign nation.
"What matters is that the process takes place, whatever that means for President Mubarak personally, whatever he judges that means for him personally.
"It is important for him to initiate that transformation and that broadly based government, and that is what we would like to see.
"That is far preferable of course to Egypt falling into the hands of extremism or a more authoritarian system of government.
"It is peaceful reform to a more open and democratic society that is in the interests of Egyptians and in the interests of the wider world."
Mr Hague has indicated that the UK would be concerned if Mr Mubarak was replaced by a conservative religious group.
Tennis fans will have to wait longer for a British Grand Slam winner after Andy Murray lost in straight sets in the Australian Open final.
Crowds had gathered in the Scot's home town of Dunblane to watch as he attempted to become the first British man to triumph in one of the sport's premier events for 75 years as he took on Novak Djokovic.
But the 23-year-old lost in Melbourne in three sets to the Serbian who was seeded third in the tournament.
Murray had lost in two grand slam finals before - the 2008 US Open and last year's Australian Open.
Millions were expected to watch the match on TV after 6.3 million tuned in to last year's Australian Open to watch Murray lose to Roger Federer.
Friends Gerry Logan and Gregor Burt, both from Falkirk, were among a crowd of 60 crammed into the Dunblane Hotel.
They agreed it wouldn't be long until Murray got his first Grand Slam.
Mr Logan said: "We are obviously disappointed because Andy Murray didn't do it but it's going to happen.
"At the end of the day Djokovic is the most improved player on the tour and that's why he beat Federer in three sets.
"Murray is improving all the time without a doubt and he's going to get that win sometime soon."
Society needs assurances from British banks that a financial collapse will never happen again, the chairman of the City regulator has warned.
In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Lord Adair Turner, the chairman of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), said there was more regulation ahead.
But Lord Turner added that work to resolve how banks could fail without bringing down the whole sector and needing taxpayers' money was still ongoing.
Elsewhere in the banking industry, it emerged City analysts are expecting Britain's top four banks to unveil a 13% or £2.5 billion jump in their combined profits to £24 billion year-on-year in a sign the sector is on the mend.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Lord Turner told The Sunday Telegraph that threats that London's banks would move to Singapore or Hong Kong because of over-regulation in the UK were a "fantasy".
He said: "I think the idea that people are going to go off to Hong Kong or Singapore or Brazil to escape our capital and liquidity regimes is a complete fantasy.
"I think the industry needs to recognise that society wants to be assured that measures that have been taken are robust enough to prevent this terrible crisis ever happening again."
Lord Turner called for a push for more regulation in the so-called shadow banking sector - such as investment banks and hedge funds - after fears were raised over banks' more risky activities.
Pressure on the banking sector continues to rise as senior politicians call for restraint on bonuses and a Government-commissioned inquiry said moves to split retail and investment banking operations were being considered.
Meanwhile, analysts at investment bank Nomura forecast a strong improvement in British banks' performance compared with 2009.
Embattled oil giant BP is fighting to resolve a dispute with its Russian partners as it is expected to announce its first annual loss in nearly two decades, it has been reported.
The group is trying to head off a showdown with the owners of its Russian joint venture TNK-BP over a share swap and Arctic exploration deal it signed two weeks ago with Rosneft, Russia's state-controlled oil firm, The Sunday Times said.
The owners of TNK-BP argue the new deal breaches its shareholder agreement that TNK is the "primary vehicle" for growth in Russia for both sides - however it is understood TNK does not want to kill the Rosneft tie-up, but look for a lump-sum free from BP.
The dispute, which will be brought to court on Tuesday in London, has emerged days before BP is expected to unveil its first annual loss since 1992 as it counts the costs of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.
The market gave a warm welcome to BP's £10 billion deal with Rosneft when it was announced earlier this month.
The deal gave shares a boost, which after falling from a high of 655p in April to a low of 303p in June have steadily climbed back to 483.7p.
The alliance will see BP take an additional 9.5% stake in Russian government-owned Rosneft, while Rosneft will take a 5% stake in the London-based company. The companies will work together to explore the Russian Arctic continental shelf in an area of the South Kara Sea covering about 48,263 square miles - one of the world's last remaining unexplored basins.
Analysts predict BP will report a loss of at least 4.5 billion US dollars (£2.8 billion) in its full-year results after the tens of billions that it set aside to cover costs of the oil disaster are deducted.
But there may be some good news for investors - as new chief executive Bob Dudley is expected to confirm the company will reinstate its dividend, which was frozen at the height of the crisis. This would be a key development for pension holders as well as investors given the stock previously accounted for an estimated one in every six pension pounds invested.
A climber who plunged 1,000ft down a mountain and was found standing up reading a map by rescuers has told how he cheated death.
Adam Potter, 35, tumbled down the steep slope after slipping near the top of 3,589ft (1,094m) Sgurr Choinnich Mor, around five miles east of Ben Nevis.
However, rescuers in a Royal Navy helicopter found him standing up reading a map when they arrived on the scene on Saturday afternoon.
He broke his back in three places but is able to walk and was on Sunday recovering in the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow.
Mr Potter, from Glasgow, was "Munro bagging" with three friends and his dog when he fell at around 2pm. He said: "We got to an area where it is a bit more slippy and a bit icier, so I said 'let's get our crampons on and get the axes out behind that rock', which was about five metres away, and as I walked towards the rock I slipped, and that`s when the fall began to happen.
"The speed accumulated really fast. I was trying to slow myself down but every time I slowed myself down I would then go over a cliff edge, so I would get all my speed back, and then I would land on a slopier bit again and try to lose some more speed and then I would go over another cliff and so it went on.
"Towards the end I had almost lost all of my speed, then I actually saw what I was about to go over, which was one more cliff, and I actually thought that would be it. I thought that might have been the end on that one."
He thinks he was knocked unconscious briefly but then woke up and started to gather up his scattered kit.
He said: "I had lost my hat and gloves and walking poles on the way down, so straight away I put on my spare hat, my spare gloves. I was OK for walking about at that point. The helicopter came down to my area, could see that I was alright because I was walking about, so thought it must be the guys on the top. So they went to the top but my mates pointed downhill, so it came back down to me and that`s when they realised I was the actual casualty, even though I was up and moving around."
A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet in Prestwick, Ayrshire, was already airborne for training and arrived at the scene 35 minutes after he fell.
The decision of boyband Blue to represent the UK at this year's Eurovision Song Contest has been described by their former manager as"reckless insanity".
The four piece will perform the self-written song I Can at the annual competition, which will take place in May in Dusseldorf, Germany.
It is the first-time since 1997 that the UK has opted for an established act to represent the country at the event. On that occasion Katrina and The Waves triumphed with Love Shine A Light.
But Blue's former manager Daniel Glatman described the decision to enter the group as "reckless insanity".
He said: "They will have to win. Anything less and their reputation would be in tatters. It is the equivalent of Lewis Hamilton entering a go-kart race - he will be the strong favourite but there is also the possibility he could lose. So why risk it?"
Bookies suggested the UK entry stands only a slim chance of victory. William Hill list Blue as 25/1 outsiders. Only Jedward - entering for Ireland - have worse odds at 33/1. Last year's UK entry Josh Dubovie came last after his song - masterminded by hit-maker Pete Waterman - picked up just 10 points.
Formed in 2000, Blue had a two-year hiatus before reforming in 2009. Over their decade long-career, the band has sold more than 13 million records, winning two Brit Awards in the process.
A documentary following the four members of the band - Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe - as they prepare for Eurovision is due to be filmed in the coming weeks and will be aired in April.
Announcing their Eurovision nod, James said: "We're celebrating our 10 years together in 2011, so when the BBC approached us it seemed a great way to mark the occasion and also to be part of something which is still a British institution,"
Webbe added: "I've always wanted to represent my country, so this is a truly exciting experience for Blue."
Fighter jets swooped low over Cairo in what appeared to be an attempt by the military to show its control of a city beset by looting, armed robbery and anti-government protests.
Minutes before the start of Sunday's evening curfew, at least two jets appeared and made multiple passes over the city centre, including a central square where thousands of protesters were calling for the departure of President Hosni Mubarak.
Police could be seen returning to some streets nearly two days after virtually disappearing, creating a security vacuum only partially filled by the presence of army troops backed by tanks at key sites around the city.
After days of escalating chaos, gangs of armed men attacked at least four jails across Egypt before dawn on Sunday, helping to free hundreds of Muslim militants and thousands of other inmates. Gangs of young men with guns and large sticks smashed cars and robbed people in Cairo.
Banks were closed on orders from Egypt's Central Bank, and the stock market was shut on what is normally the first day of the trading week. Markets across the Middle East dropped due to fears about the damage the instability could do to the economy of Egypt and the wider region.
An unprecedented internet cut-off remained in place after the country's four primary internet providers stopped moving data in and out of the country in an apparent move by authorities to disrupt the organisation of demonstrations blaming Mr Mubarak's regime for poverty, unemployment, widespread corruption and police brutality.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington expects that the protests in Egypt will lead to free and fair elections as part of an "orderly" transition to "real democracy". "I want the Egyptian people to have a chance to chart a new future," she said. "It's not a question of who retains power... It's how are we going to respond to the legitimate needs and grievances expressed by the Egyptian people."
Mr Mubarak, 82, perpetuated the overriding role of military men in Egyptian politics by naming his intelligence chief, former army general Omar Suleiman, to the new role of vice-president on Saturday.
On Sunday, state TV showed images of Mr Mubarak during what it said was a visit to the country's military command centre. The president looked sombre and fatigued in his first public appearance since he addressed the nation on Friday to promise reform and announce the dismissal of his cabinet.
The official death toll from five days of chaos now stands at 74, with thousands more injured.
Protesters have marked Sunday's day of action against tax avoidance by staging sit-ins at UK stores accused of denying the country much-needed cash.
In central London, members of the campaign group Uncut occupied a branch of Boots in Oxford Street.
Dressed in surgical masks and bloody bandages, they claimed the pharmacy chain should be paying tens of millions of pounds in additional taxes every year that could go towards improving UK hospitals.
Around 30 such protests were planned across the UK, with demonstrators focusing on retailers Boots and Tesco, and brands such as Walkers Crisps and Cadbury.
In the heart of London's shopping district, around 20 protesters appeared to take shop security by surprise when they entered the branch of Boots in Oxford Street at around 1pm. As they conducted their sit-down protest, shoppers were escorted out of the premises and the store shut its doors to the public.
Uncut accuses the retailer of depriving the UK taxman out of huge sums of money by being registered in Switzerland, where taxes are far lower.
Responding to Uncut's criticisms, a Boots spokeswoman said that it established itself in Switzerland because "in the longer term we believe it will better reflect the increasingly international nature of our wider group".
She added: "If we had registered in Switzerland purely for tax reasons there are many other countries that we could have considered."
The Boots spokeswoman added that it had contributed to the UK's finances through increased business rates and National Insurance contributions resulting from the expansion of the brand.
The occupations were the latest in a string of stunts aimed at drawing attention to Uncut's cause. Previous actions have included a "read-in" at Vodafone stores and a "sports day" in Top Shop aimed at highlighting the effect of Government spending cuts on libraries and schools sports programmes.
Only one in four people support GPs using private companies to provide NHS services, one of the key planks of the Government's health reforms, according to a new poll.
A survey of almost 2,000 adults for public sector union Unison showed that half were opposed to the move, including 56% of Liberal Democrat voters.
The results have been published on the eve of the second reading of the Health and Social Care Bill, which will attract fresh criticism from unions.
Unison said the YouGov poll showed that only 46% of Conservative voters supported private firms providing NHS services, with 22% registering a "don't know" response, and half of those surveyed were against GPs employing private management groups as part of the move to hand over £80 billion of the NHS budget to GPs.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "This Bill is heading for trouble. The YouGov poll shows a clear split between Lib Dem and Tory supporters. There is very weak support from Tory voters and clear opposition from Lib Dems.
"The fact is there is very little support for this Bill from anywhere. Many GPs are opposed to it, as are patients, NHS staff, clinicians, charities, think tanks, MPs and unions. The Government's vanity project is undemocratic, unaffordable and unnecessary.
"The NHS is already under severe financial pressure because of Government demands to make £20 billion in so-called efficiency savings. This titanic reorganisation threatens to sink the NHS. The Government should step back from the brink and pronounce this Bill DOA - dead on arrival."
Health workers are to stage a demonstration outside Parliament, carrying estate agent signs bearing the message 'NHS, Not for Sale'.
Meanwhile, Unite, the country's biggest union, said it will provide "new and forensic analysis" of the legislation for MPs, amid claims that the Government is "rushing through" the 280-clause Bill.
The union said it understood that the Bill could begin its Standing Committee stages as early as Thursday, leaving little time for MPs to get to grips with the "enormity" of the proposals.
Former MP George Galloway has said he had been offered "substantial sums of money" by the News of the World after his phone was allegedly hacked.
The veteran politician is demanding damages from the newspaper after police apparently found evidence that private investigator Glenn Mulcaire had tapped his phone.
Mr Galloway told BBC1's Politics Show: "I began a civil action for breach of privacy. I have a court date some months hence. The News of the World are busily offering me substantial sums of money."
He said he became aware of the alleged hacking when a Metropolitan Police officer came to his office in Parliament when he was Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow.
"The police were exemplary in their conduct of my case," he said. "A very senior officer came to my then office in Parliament and told me that in the raid on Glenn Mulcaire's premises, they had found evidence which suggested he had been hacking my telephone."
But Mr Galloway said there were "questions that need answering" about the conduct of the Met.
"It's odd, for example, that they came to my office to tell me but walked past the office of the Deputy Prime Minister of the day (John Prescott) and a minister, Chris Bryant, without telling them," he said. "There seem to be questions about why they sat on evidence but did not pursue it and did not pursue additional evidence which the News of the World have now handed to them."
Labour backbencher Barry Gardiner told the programme he believed his own phone had been hacked while he was a member of the Commons Public Accounts Committee.
"It was during that period that I had suspicions that my phone was being tapped," he said. "There were voicemail messages that I hadn't opened that seemed to have already been opened, the phone kept playing up. It was the only time I think I've ever actually felt under threat as an MP."
Scotland Yard last week restarted its inquiry into allegations of phone hacking - the most significant development in the controversy since the News of the World's royal editor Clive Goodman and Mulcaire were jailed at the Old Bailey in 2007 after they admitted intercepting messages by using industry codes to access voicemails.
Three-quarters of a million people are set to become higher rate taxpayers as a result of Government reforms to the system, a report has indicated.
Around 750,000 people will start paying income tax of 40% on their earnings from April 5 due to the decision to reduce the threshold at which the higher rate kicks in to £35,001, from £37,400 this year, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS).
But around 500,000 people will be lifted out of paying income tax altogether, as a result of the £1,000 increase in the amount people can earn tax-free, raising the threshold to £7,475.
Overall, the group estimates that the average household will be £200 a year worse off as a result of the tax increases and benefit cuts.
The Government is also increasing the main rate at which National Insurance is charged from 11% to 12% from the start of the new tax year, while people will also be charged 2% not 1% on earnings above £42,484.
The changes are bad news for households, with many families already struggling in the face of high inflation and stagnant earnings growth.
The IFS said the reforms would hit higher income households the hardest, with some people in this group also likely to be affected by the new restrictions on how much can be paid into a pension tax-free each year.
It estimates that the richest 10% of people will lose 3% of their net income from April 6, compared with a 1% loss for the population as a whole.
Those with the highest incomes have already been hit by the new 50% tax rate for people earning more than £150,000 and the loss of the personal tax allowance for those on more than £100,000.
At the other end of the spectrum, people reliant on means-tested benefits will see their incomes hit by the Government's decision to increase payments in line with inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, rather than the Retail Prices Index, which tends to be higher. CPI was running at 3.1% in September, the month that benefit increases are based on, while RPI was considerably higher at 4.8%.
