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Expenses fiddle MP Illsley quits

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Image Disgraced Eric Illsley has quit as an MP, weeks after being convicted of fiddling his expenses. Treasury sources confirmed that Illsley had been granted the ceremonial post of Crown Steward and Bailiff of the three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke, Desborough and Burnham - the traditional way of resigning from Parliament. Labour is planning to trigger a by-election in his Barnsley Central seat on March 3. Illsley is due to be sentenced on Thursday after admitting dishonestly claiming £14,000 of expenses on January 11. He could theoretically have stayed on as a MP with a jail term of less than 12 months. However, following heavy pressure Illsley expressed "deep regret" over his actions and said he would quit before the court decided his fate. He is believed to have been receiving his £65,000-a-year parliamentary salary over the past month - meaning he will have pocketed roughly £5,400 since being convicted. Labour said it expected to move the by-election writ on Thursday, and the poll will be held on March 3. Despite the questions over his expenses, Illsley was re-elected to the seat in May with a majority of more than 11,000.

Brown aide pressed Nato commander

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Image One of Gordon Brown's senior advisers asked the commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan to play down his concerns over the campaign to avoid damaging the Labour government, according to leaked documents. The request came as the then-prime minister visited the country and was briefed by US General Stanley McChrystal on the growing threat posed by the Taliban. A security adviser to the premier is said to have told Gen McChrystal - with Mr Brown present - that his "bleak assessment" could result in negative press coverage. At the time, the government was under pressure over equipment shortages and high casualties suffered by British forces. A US diplomatic cable, passed to the Daily Telegraph by the WikiLeaks website, makes clear that the general refused to back down. "COMISAF (Gen McChrystal) replied that while he was sensitive to that impression, he would maintain his intellectual honesty - and that what might be perceived by some as a bleak assessment might be considered by others to be 'realistic'," it said. "COMISAF stressed that while the situation in Afghanistan was 'serious and deteriorating', the mission could still be accomplished with proper resources and a focus on ANSF (Afghan National Security Forces) expansion and partnering. "Threats to security emanated from a resilient and growing insurgency, a crisis in confidence toward the government and its abilities and overall questions about Nato commitments. COMISAF said that without additional resources, current efforts would be 'fixed' - but with more resources, enough terrain could be controlled to deny the Taliban strategic traction." The meeting was held at Camp Leatherneck in Helmand in August 2009. Just over a month later Mr Brown attended a similar meeting in London with David Miliband, then foreign secretary, Gen McChrystal and Admiral Mullen, US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Simon McDonald, then head of foreign and defence policy, asked the Americans to show "sympathy for the pressure" that Mr Brown was under. Mr Brown "repeatedly and forcefully" underscored the need for Afghan forces to play a much greater role, according to the cables. He said his challenge was "persuading the British people that there was a way forward and not a stalemate".

Cold snap damage bill tops £1bn

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Image The coldest December on record caused more than £1 billion of damage to property and vehicles, as frozen water pipes burst and cars crashed on icy roads, insurers have revealed. The Arctic snap not only brought the economy to a grinding halt but also caused £38 million of insurance claims a day, according to new figures released by trade body the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Insurers received a total of £1.4 billion of claims during December, more than double the £650 million of claims relating to the snowy weather the previous year. The amount of damage caused was so high because of the severity of the weather which engulfed nearly all the country for an extended period of time, said the ABI. Insurers dealt with £900 million of property claims during the month - the highest ever caused by a cold snap. Scotland, which was subjected to particularly cold conditions with temperatures dropping as low as minus 20C in some parts, reported £90 million of damage to property. Burst pipes caused more damage than any other problem and were responsible for £680 million of claims, which was 35% more than in the whole of the previous winter. There were more than 100,000 incidents of problems with pipes, which caused an average of between £6,500 and £7,200 of damage. More than a quarter of a million vehicles were damaged as icy conditions made the roads dangerous and helped cause £530 million of damage. Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance and health, said: "Insurers always respond quickly to the large numbers of claims that often follow from bad weather and helped thousands of customers get through a very tough December. The big freeze highlighted that when bad weather strikes there's no substitute for insurance." A spokesman said there was no evidence that premiums had gone up as a result of the cold weather but said insurers always look at the cost of claims when setting prices. December's cold weather caused widespread disruption and helped to force the economy into a surprise 0.5% contraction in the final quarter of 2010. Economists estimate that GDP would have been flat if not for the impact of the weather, which created havoc with travel and kept people from work.

Cameron chided for defence 'U-turn'

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Image David Cameron has been accused of backtracking on a promise to enshrine the military covenant into law. The Prime Minister was also criticised for "watering down" proposals to increase the support for Britain's troops. The attack, by Chris Simpkins, the director-general of the Royal British Legion, comes as thousands of servicemen and women face austerity-enforced job cuts, pension and pay changes. Speaking in The Times, Mr Simpkins said plans set out in the Armed Forces Bill requiring the Ministry of Defence to publish an annual report on the unwritten pact between society and the Armed Forces were not the same as writing it into legislation - something he said Mr Cameron pledged to do last June. Describing the proposals as a "U-turn" he said: "The covenant is a concept that we think should be enshrined into law so that the public can hold any government's feet to the fire about whether it is being properly honoured and respected." Mr Simpkins also claimed proposals in the draft bill would reduce the influence of an external reference group that is responsible for monitoring the implementation of the covenant. "The proposals have been significantly watered down to a point where we can't entirely support them," he added. He also said the families of servicemen had been let down by the coalition's decision to scrap the Chief Coroner's Office, which was created in 2009 and praised for improving the inquest system in relation to military inquests. Defence Secretary Liam Fox, who has supported the need to rebuild the military covenant, said: "We are introducing greater accountability and scrutiny through an annual report to Parliament. This will set out how we are supporting our Armed Forces, their families and veterans in key areas such as healthcare housing and education."

Rogue clampers pocket £55m a year

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Image Cowboy clampers take up to £55 million from drivers every year, the Home Office has said. The figures, released as the Government takes steps to make wheel-clamping on private land a criminal offence from next year, back concerns that rogue operators were extorting millions of pounds from unsuspecting motorists. But some critics, including the British Parking Association (BPA), criticised the Government for creating "a charter for the selfish parker", giving drivers the freedom to park wherever they want. Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said: "For too long motorists have fallen victim to extortion and abuse from rogue clamping companies. "I have been outraged by cases of drivers being frog-marched to cash points late at night or left stranded by rogue operators who have towed their vehicle away. Clearly this is unacceptable. "By criminalising clamping and towing on private land this Government is committing rogue clampers to history and putting an end to intimidation and excessive charges once and for all." Evidence from England and Wales showed around 500,000 clampings take place annually on private land with an average release fee of £112 and 98% of fees being paid as drivers want to get their vehicles back, the Home Office said. Previous efforts to curb unscrupulous clampers have failed and England and Wales are behind Scotland which introduced a ban nearly two decades ago. The new measures will be introduced later this week in the Government's Protection of Freedoms Bill. Once in force, the new law will mean only police or councils will be allowed to immobilise or remove a car in exceptional circumstances, such as a car blocking a road. But motoring organisations have also warned about the rise of private operators issuing penalty tickets as they turn away from clamping.

US renews reform call to Mubarak

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Image The United States has called on the Egyptian government to immediately lift the country's emergency laws. The White House said vice-president Joe Biden made the plea during a telephone call with his Egyptian counterpart Omar Suleiman, who is managing the crisis. The conversation took place just hours after one of the main internet organisers of the country's protests was freed from custody to a tumultuous welcome from crowds of demonstrators. Wael Ghonim joined a massive gathering in Cairo's Tahrir Square and was greeted with cheers, whistling and thunderous applause when he declared: "We will not abandon our demand and that is the departure of the regime." Many in the crowd said they were inspired by Mr Ghonim, a 30-year-old Google marketing manager who was a key figure in the online campaign that sparked the first protest on January 25 to demand the removal of president Hosni Mubarak. Straight from his release from 12 days of detention, Mr Ghonim gave an emotionally charged television interview where he sobbed over those who have been killed in two weeks of clashes. He arrived in the square when it was packed shoulder-to-shoulder, a crowd comparable in size to the biggest demonstration so far that drew a quarter of a million people. He spoke softly and briefly to the huge crowd from a stage and began by offering his condolences to the families of those killed. "I'm not a hero but those who were martyred are the heroes," he said, breaking into a chant of "Mubarak leave, leave." When he finished, the crowd erupted in cheering, whistling and deafening applause. Mr Ghonim has emerged as a rallying point for protesters, who reject a group of traditional Egyptian opposition groups that have met the government amid the most sweeping concessions the regime has made in its three decades in power. About 130,000 people have joined a Facebook group nominating Mr Ghonim as the spokesman of their uprising.

Middle East peace process 'at risk'

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Image The Middle East peace process is in danger of falling victim to the revolutionary tide sweeping the Arab world, UK foreign secretary William Hague has warned. Speaking on an emergency tour of the region, Mr Hague also urged Israel to tone down its "belligerent" language in the wake of the uprisings which have spread from Tunisia to Egypt and beyond. The intervention came as the situation in Egypt intensified, with thousands of protesters again on the streets of Cairo demanding President Hosni Mubarak's immediate departure. In an interview with The Times en route to Jordan, Mr Hague said: "Amidst the opportunity for countries like Tunisia and Egypt, there is a legitimate fear that the Middle East peace process will lose further momentum and be put to one side, and will be a casualty of uncertainty in the region." He added: "Part of the fear is that uncertainty and change will complicate the process still further. That means there is a real urgency for the Israelis and the United States. "Recent events mean this is an even more urgent priority and that's a case we are putting to the Israeli Government and in Washington." Mr Hague responded to pronouncements by Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been urging his nation to prepare for "any outcome"and vowing to "reinforce the might of the state of Israel". "This should not be a time for belligerent language," said the foreign secretary. "It's a time to inject greater urgency into the Middle East peace process."

City funds half of Tory donations

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Image More than half the donations raked in by David Cameron's Tories last year came from the City, research has suggested. Financial services firms and individuals donated £11.4m to the party in the first nine months of 2010, according to figures compiled by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. That was 51% of the total £22.5 million raised over the period - up from a quarter in 2005. Stuart Wilks-Heeg of Liverpool University said: "Given we have just experienced a blow-out in the financial system and are witnessing an ongoing struggle over its regulation, the scale of Tory party funding from the City must be an issue." But a Conservative Party spokesman pointed out that George Osborne had just upgraded the bank levy. "On the day that the Chancellor raised another £800m in tax from bankers, and after he has introduced the toughest rules on bankers' pay anywhere in the developed world, it beggars belief that anyone could claim that Conservative donors are influencing policy," the spokesman said. The Tories' close links with the City are well known. Two of the Square Mile's biggest names, Icap boss Michael Spencer and hedge fund guru Lord Stanley Fink, have held the post of party treasurer in recent years. The coalition is currently embroiled in tough negotiations with banks over their bonus payouts, tax contributions, and business lending. However, the research indicated that the majority of big-ticket donors are hedge fund managers and brokers rather than bankers.

Supreme Court independence warning

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Image The independence of the highest court in the land cannot be properly guaranteed because of the way it is funded, its president has said. Lord Phillips also warned there is a tendency on the part of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to try to gain the Supreme Court "as an outlying part of its empire". The way in which the court is dependent each year on what it can persuade the ministry to give it "by way of contribution" was "not a satisfactory situation", he said. The top judge also raised concerns over whether senior court staff owed their loyalty to him or to ministers. It is "critical" for the court's independence that its chief executive, Jenny Rowe, "owes her primary loyalty to me and not to the minister", he said, adding that Ms Rowe backed his view. But he warned of an impression that there are those within the ministry "who do not appreciate this". The Supreme Court, which replaced the Law Lords, was set up in 2009 to emphasise the separation of powers between Parliament and judges. But, in a speech at the launch of a research project on the politics of judicial independence at the University College London (UCL) constitution unit on Tuesday night, Lord Phillips said that independence was threatened by the court's funding arrangements. "My conclusion is that our present funding arrangements do not satisfactorily guarantee our institutional independence," he said. "We are, in reality, dependent each year upon what we can persuade the Ministry of Justice of England and Wales to give us by way of 'contribution'. "This is not a satisfactory situation for the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. It is already leading to a tendency on the part of the Ministry of Justice to try to gain the Supreme Court as an outlying part of its empire." Justice Secretary Ken Clarke denied any threat to the court's independence and insisted he could not give it a blank cheque at a time when he was slashing budgets in other services such as prisons. "Inevitably he is going to be subject to the same public expenditure negotiations as everybody else. The independence of the court is absolutely secure but it doesn't extend to telling me how much public money they are going to spend without question. And his chief executive is a civil servant. That does not compromise his judicial independence at all, I am afraid, in my opinion," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Most troops 'would leave over cuts'

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Image Nearly 80% of soldiers would consider leaving the services because of cuts, a leader of an Army support group has said. Julie McCarthy, chief executive of the Army Families Federation, spoke out as the Government was accused of backtracking on enshrining the military covenant into law. Mrs McCarthy, whose husband is a serving soldier, told BBC Breakfast that a poll her group carried out among between 1,200 and 1,500 personnel and their families showed 78% felt like leaving because of financial difficulties. She told the programme: "According to the survey we did, about 78% said that they would seriously consider leaving the services." She added: "If that's representative across the Army... and talking to my colleagues in other services I think they've had similar results from surveys they've done." Saying soldiers were feeling the pinch, Mrs McCarthy said: "You recruit a soldier and retain a family. "If a spouse is saying to her soldier 'I've had enough now, this is not worth us staying in,' then they will go." Mrs McCarthy said soldiers felt pressure "from all sides, which, at a time when we are still fighting very hard in Afghanistan and the Government are trying to stand by the covenant, perhaps the Government aren't honouring their side of the covenant in terms of the terms and conditions of service". She acknowledged that an operational allowance had been raised and the Government had increased support for soldiers suffering from mental illness. But she said a boarding school allowance was being scrapped and the operational allowance, of about £4,000 for a six-month tour of duty, did not cover it. Defence Secretary Liam Fox, who has supported the need to rebuild the military covenant, said: "We are introducing greater accountability and scrutiny through an annual report to Parliament. This will set out how we are supporting our Armed Forces, their families and veterans in key areas such as healthcare housing and education."

Woman's buttock jab death probed

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Image A British woman has died after travelling to America for a cosmetic buttock treatment. Claudia Adusei, 20, from London, suffered medical complications after the procedure. She travelled to Philadelphia with three friends and had injections in her buttocks on Monday. But she began to suffer chest pains and had trouble breathing. She was rushed from her hotel, the Hampton Inn in south west Philadelphia where the treatment was carried out, to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby. On Wednesday, the hospital confirmed Miss Adusei's name, age and that she was from London. The results of a post-mortem examination by the Delaware County medical examiner's office have not been released. Detectives are now looking for those who carried out the cosmetic procedures, which police said were arranged over the internet. "We're not quite sure right now if that person performing that procedure is licensed or unlicensed," said Lieutenant John Walker, of the Philadelphia police south-west detectives division. Lt Walker said investigators were also awaiting test results to determine the substance used.

Poll shows slip in Cameron support

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Image David Cameron's honeymoon period with the voters is over as new figures reveal that his support is on the wane. A "poll of polls" for January shows more people are now unhappy than happy with the Prime Minister's performance. One survey even shows him as unpopular as Margaret Thatcher was in January 1980, at the equivalent stage of her first term. The study was compiled for The Independent newspaper by John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University. He said: "This is the first time since last year's election that Mr Cameron's net ratings have consistently been negative and suggests that the Prime Minister's honeymoon appears to be over. "The hard graft of trying to take the public with him through difficult times has now begun. Mr Cameron has lost his shine and doubts are creeping in about the Government's handling of the economy." The weighted average of the surveys taken by ComRes, ICM, Ipsos Mori and YouGov last month puts Labour on 42% (up two points on December), the Tories on 35% (down three), Liberal Democrats on 12% (up one point) and other parties on 11% (no change). The Tories still lead when people are asked which party is likely to run the economy well. The number of people who blame the spending cuts on the Government has reached its highest level (26%) since the election, while 40% blame Labour.

Stock exchange merger unveiled

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Image The London Stock Exchange has unveiled a deal to merge with Canada's TMX in a move creating one of the world's biggest trading platforms. The proposed tie-up with TMX, which operates the Toronto Stock Exchange, will make the new business a dominant player for mining company listings at a time of surging commodity prices. It will have its headquarters in both London and Toronto and current LSE chief executive Xavier Rolet will continue in the role for the merged group. While the combination has been presented as a merger of equals, existing LSE shareholders will hold 55% of the enlarged business. With more than 6,700 listings, the group will be the world's largest exchange by numbers of companies traded, with an aggregate market capitalisation in the region of £3.7 trillion. The groups, which entered into a strategic partnership in March 2009, confirmed on Tuesday night that they were in talks over a merger and unveiled the terms of the deal in a stock market announcement. Subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals, the merger is expected to be completed in the second half of this year. The move comes at a time of consolidation among the world's bourses after the Singaporean and Australian stock exchanges announced plans to merge. Both companies have benefited from the commodities boom as TMX claims to be the world's leading resources market while around a third of the companies on London's FTSE 100 Index come from the mining and energy sectors. As well as the Toronto Stock Exchange, TMX operates the Montreal Stock Exchange and the Calgary-based TSX Venture Exchange for small and early-stage companies.

Berlusconi 'must stand trial now'

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Image Italian prosecutors have requested that prime minister Silvio Berlusconi stand trial over accusations he paid for sex with a 17-year-old girl and then used his influence to try to cover it up. The prosecutors filed their request in Milan on Wednesday. They are seeking an immediate trial. A judge must now decide whether to accept the prosecutors' request and indict the 74-year-old leader, or dismiss it. Berlusconi has denied the charges.

Trade deficit widens to record high

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Image The gap between goods exported and imported widened to a record high in December, official figures revealed, casting doubt over the impact trade will have on supporting economic recovery in the UK. The goods trade deficit hit £9.2 billion in December, from £8.5 billion in November, the Office for National Statistics said. The overall trade deficit, which includes services, was £4.8 million, a five-and-a-half year high. Imports grew 3.5% in value to £33.4 billion, outpacing exports, which grew 1.5% to £24.2 billion, as oil prices continued to boom and light aircraft sales rose, the ONS said. The snow is likely to have impacted trade, but the ONS said the net effect of the weather was still unclear. The ONS revealed export volumes, excluding oil, fell 1.3% in December, as the Government planned to unveil measures aimed at boosting overseas sales, especially by smaller companies, to help drive the UK's economic recovery. Wednesday's figures will concern Chancellor George Osborne as they show UK trade is having little impact on economic growth, while rising import and export prices will do little to ease the Bank of England's fears over stubbornly-high inflation. Last month, the rate of inflation unexpectedly soared to 3.7%, while other figures showed the UK economy unexpectedly contracted by 0.5% in the final three months of 2010. The Chancellor is banking on private sector industry to offset the impact of his public sector spending cuts. Vicky Redwood, senior economist at Capital Economics, said: "The deterioration in the UK's trade position in December probably partly reflects the bad weather, but the underlying trend is still pretty dismal. The big picture is still that the external sector is not giving the economy the support it needs to weather the fiscal squeeze." Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said the ongoing eurozone debt crisis posed a further threat to the health of UK export trade. He added: "What is clear is that net trade is currently not contributing appreciably to UK growth as has long been hoped for given the competitive pound and decent global economic activity."

Anger over Egyptian coup claims

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Image Anti-government protesters in Egypt expressed anger after vice president Omar Suleiman warned the country could fall to a coup unless they joined talks. His remarks cast a shadow over efforts to put together negotiations with the opposition over democratic reforms. The protesters fear the regime will manipulate the talks and conduct only superficial reforms, so they insist they will not enter negotiations until president Hosni Mubarak steps down. Thousands of protesters chanting "we are not leaving until he leaves" camped overnight in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the centre of their demonstrations. Many have been sleeping underneath the tanks of soldiers surrounding the square to prevent them from moving or trying to clear the area for traffic. Tahrir Square has turned into a giant living room for the protesters, who wake early in the morning to fill the streets, distribute sweets and welcome visitors who come to take pictures of the tanks and protesters' banners. Mr Suleiman's comments were a blunt, impatient warning for the protest's organisers to enter talks and drop their insistence on Mr Mubarak's removal. He rejected any immediate departure for Mr Mubarak - who says he will serve out the rest of his term until September elections - or any "end to the regime." "We can't bear this for a long time," he said of the Tahrir protests. "There must be an end to this crisis as soon as possible." However Abdul-Rahman Samir, a spokesman for a coalition of the five main groups behind the protests in Tahrir Square, said Mr Suleiman was creating "a disastrous scenario". "He is threatening to impose martial law, which means everybody in the square will be smashed," he said. "But what would he do with the rest of 70 million Egyptians who will follow us afterward?" Meanwhile, an al Qaida in Iraq front group attempted to exploit the situation by urging Egyptians to join holy war and establish an Islamic state. The Islamic State of Iraq warned Egyptians against being deceived by "the malicious secularism, the infidel democracy and the rotten pagan nationalism".

Bank bonuses to be cut under deal

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Image The UK's biggest banks have agreed to rein in bonuses and lend £190 billion to businesses this year after hammering out a long-awaited deal with the Government. Chancellor George Osborne unveiled details of a truce with the "big four" banks - Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group and HSBC - which will see total bonus pots lower than last year, lending to small business increased and the pay of the highest paid executives published. He said Britain needed to move from "retribution to recovery" and called for an end to banker-bashing with the pledge, which comes after months of fraught talks with the major players, dubbed Project Merlin. Taxpayer-backed RBS and Lloyds revealed pay packages for their top bosses following the announcement, with RBS head Stephen Hester in line for £2.04 million and outgoing Lloyds chief Eric Daniels offered a £1.45 million bonus. Both handouts will be in shares which can be cashed in three years, while neither bank will pay more than £2,000 in upfront cash bonuses to any staff. But there was no detail on the total bonus pool set to be distributed by big banks. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls was scathing about the package of measures, saying Mr Osborne had "thrown in the towel" on bonuses. He said: "For a Chancellor who talked so tough in opposition and who even yesterday continued to promise much, this is a pitiful outcome and an embarrassing climbdown." The deal was struck despite Tuesday's surprise move by Mr Osborne to increase the new bank tax by £800 million this year, which some had feared could throw discussions off course. The four banks, as well as Santander, have agreed to increase lending to small businesses by £10 billion to £76 billion and overall lending will increase from £179 billion to £190 billion. Spanish-owned Santander - which was not part of the bonus talks - separately announced it will increase gross small business lending by 25% to nearly £4 billion this year. And banks will contribute £1.2 billion towards the regional economy, including £200 million to capitalise a new Big Society Bank.

Inmates 'will be allowed to vote'

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Image Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has said the Government cannot "defy the law" and will have to allow at least some prisoners to vote in future. It comes as the Commons' Political and Constitutional Reform Committee found the current blanket ban was "illegal under international law founded on the UK's treaty obligations". MPs will debate the ban and the UK's position in Parliament on Thursday ahead of a vote on the issue. "We have to fulfil our obligations but we are not going to give the vote to any more prisoners than was necessary to comply with the law," Mr Clarke told BBC Radio 4's Today. "What we can't do is just defy the law and pretend we are going to go wandering off." Mr Clarke added: "The idea that we are going to give the vote to murderers and rapists and some of the more alarmist reports is complete nonsense. "Of course, the most serious people can't possibly be given the vote - they should lose their civil rights. Probably the least serious ones will obviously get the vote and there will be a cut-off somewhere." Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Canterbury has backed calls for prisoners to be given the right to vote. Dr Rowan Williams said prisoners' civic status should not be put in "cold storage" while they are behind bars and the UK needed to move beyond a "situation where the victimising of the prisoner by the denial of those basic civic issues is perpetuated". The Government is currently proposing to allow the vote to all inmates serving less than four years, in response to a European Court of Human Rights ruling which could otherwise open up the floodgates to compensation claims totalling millions of pounds. But the move - which Prime Minister David Cameron said made him feel "physically ill" - has been met by stiff opposition from some MPs, and there have been indications that the vote may be restricted to those serving a year or less. Thursday's motion, tabled by Tory former shadow home secretary David Davis and Labour's former Justice Secretary Jack Straw, states that the decision on prisoners' votes should be one for democratically elected lawmakers and states that "no sentenced prisoner" should be granted the vote except those jailed for debt default or contempt of court.

Two soldiers killed in Afghanistan

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Image Two British soldiers have been shot and killed in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said. The soldiers, from the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment and 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment, were hit by small arms fire while on patrol in the Nad-e Ali district of Helmand Province. Next of kin have been informed. Lieutenant Colonel David Eastman, spokesman for Task Force Helmand, said: "It is my very sad duty to report the loss of two soldiers from 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment and 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment this morning. "The soldiers were patrolling an area in the north of Nad-e Ali District when they were hit by small arms fire from which they both subsequently died. "Both soldiers were engaged in vital work bringing stability, governance and development to an area that had been dominated by insurgent intimidation. "They have given their lives fighting oppression and protecting those less able to protect themselves - we will never forget them. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this tragic time."

Man held over mother-to-be murder

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Image A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering teenage mother-to-be Nikitta Grender, police have confirmed. The 19-year-old was discovered stabbed to death at her burnt out flat in Broadmead Park, Liswerry, Newport, south Wales, on Saturday morning. The murder suspect is not from the Broadmead Park or the nearby Moorland Park or Pontfaen areas of Newport, Gwent Police said. "Officers investigating the murder of 19-year-old Nikitta Grender have arrested a 26-year-old man from the Newport area on suspicion of murder. He is currently in custody at this time," a Gwent Police statement said. "Officers remain at the scene. Searches are continuing in and around the estate. Officers are searching six premises across the city as part of the investigation. House to house inquiries are continuing and forensic analysis is also continuing." The heavily pregnant teenager was due to give birth in two weeks to a baby girl who had already been named Kelsey-May. She moved to the flat with boyfriend Ryan Mayes, 18, about six months ago and the couple had already decorated a room in preparation for the baby. Neighbours sobbed at what at first appeared to be a tragic fire death but feelings rapidly turned to anger when police revealed she was murdered. One angry neighbour warned that vigilante-style justice was a possibility if the police failed to make progress quickly. Gwent Police were at pains to underline the extent of the continuing operation on the estate. "Joint neighbourhood patrols with community safety wardens are continuing (on Wednesday), the mobile police office remains on the estate, police are also distributing leaflets and are using Bluetooth technology to appeal to residents in the vicinity of Broadmead Park," a spokesman said. Gwent Police later confirmed that two knives have been recovered in the on-going search of the estate where Miss Grender was murdered.
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