November 5, 2011, 4:49 am
![Sentamu attacks executive salaries]()
The Archbishop of York has attacked the salaries of top executives saying huge differences between the rich and poor "weaken community life and make societies less cohesive".
Dr John Sentamu, the second most important figure in the Church of England, said excesses in the financial sector have helped to create huge inequalities in wealth, "demonstrating how scandalously unfair our society is".
Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Dr Sentamu called for a change in public attitudes towards excessive personal wealth as profound and rapid as moves against racism, homophobia and sex discrimination in recent decades.
He said: "If they (FTSE 100 chief executives) have a responsibility to their staff, it is hard to imagine a more powerful way of telling someone that they are of little value than to pay them one-third of 1% of your salary.
"Top pay has been found to bear little or no relation to company performance, but even if it did, isn't the performance of a company dependent on the work and well-being of all its staff?
"Among the ill effects of very large income differences between rich and poor are that they weaken community life and make societies less cohesive."
The archbishop said: "But over last few decades the gains from economic growth have gone disproportionately to those who already have the most."
Dr Sentamu called for a change of ethics regarding excessively high incomes and the accumulation of private wealth. He said he had two suggestions.
The first was that "Queen's honours" should not be given "to those who have already rewarded themselves handsomely". He said: "To have to choose between two coveted sources of honour and prestige would be salutary."
The archbishop's second suggestion was to crack down on tax avoidance, including a proposal to put a tick-box on tax forms to allow contributions to be made public.
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November 5, 2011, 4:49 am
![Asteroid 'coming close to Earth']()
An asteroid bigger than an aircraft carrier will dart between the Earth and Moon on Tuesday - the closest encounter by such a huge rock in 35 years - but it will not hit the Earth, scientists say.
"We're extremely confident, 100% confident, that this is not a threat," said the manager of Nasa's Near Earth Object Programme, Don Yeomans. "But it is an opportunity."
The asteroid, named 2005 YU55, is being watched by ground antennas as it approaches from the direction of the Sun. The last time it came within so-called shouting distance was 200 years ago.
Closest approach will occur at 6.28pm EST (11.28pm GMT) on Tuesday when the asteroid passes within 202,000 miles of Earth. That is closer than the roughly 240,000 miles between the Earth and the Moon.
The Moon will be just under 150,000 miles from the asteroid at the time of closest approach.
Both the Earth and Moon are safe - "this time", said Jay Melosh, professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
If 2005 YU55 was to plough into the home planet, it would blast out a crater four miles across and 1,700 feet deep, according to Prof Melosh's calculations. Think a magnitude-7 earthquake and 70ft-high tsunami waves.
Scientists have been tracking the slowly spinning, spherical, dark-coloured object since its discovery in 2005 and are positive it will not do any damage. "We know the orbit of this object very well," Mr Yeomans said.
The asteroid stretches a quarter-mile across. Smaller objects come close all the time, Mr Yeomans noted, but nothing this big will have ventured so close since 1976. And nothing this large will again until 2028.
Radar observations from California and Puerto Rico will help scientists ascertain whether the asteroid is pockmarked with craters and holds any water-bearing minerals or even frozen water.
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November 5, 2011, 4:49 am
![Top Colombian rebel leader killed]()
The leader of Colombia's main rebel group, Alfonso Cano, has been killed in combat hours after his nearby camp was bombed, authorities said.
The death is a major victory for President Juan Manuel Santos and comes just over a year after the military killed the rebels' field marshal. It is anything but a fatal blow, however, to the nearly half-century-old peasant-based Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).
Cano, 63, was killed in a remote area of the south-western state of Cauca with four other rebels an hour before dusk about 200 yards from the bunker he apparently fled after a bombing raid, said Admiral Roberto Garcia, the navy chief.
Cano had shaved off his trademark beard and his thick glasses were not found with him, Adm Garcia said. Officials said he was positively identified by fingerprint.
Officials did not say whether Cano was armed when he died or how many bullet wounds he had or where. Adm Garcia said five rebels were captured.
Former president Andres Pastrana, who knew Cano from failed 1998-2002 peace negotiations with the rebels, said the death "has to make the Farc think it's losing the war".
Cano had been the top target of Colombian authorities since September 2010, when they killed the insurgency's military chief, Jorge Briceno, in a bombing raid.
Troops found seven computers and 39 thumb drives in Cano's bunker as well as a stash of cash in currencies including US dollars, euros and Colombian pesos, said defence minister Juan Carlos Pinzon.
But the death of Cano, whose real name was Guillermo Leon Saenz, does not signal the imminent demise of Latin America's last remaining leftist rebel army, analysts said.
The FARC, which is mostly financed by drug trafficking, is comprised largely of peasants from backwater areas who have few other opportunities in a country where land ownership is highly concentrated in the hands of a few.
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November 5, 2011, 1:20 pm
![At least seven dead after M5 smash]()
At least seven people have been killed and 51 injured in a devastating motorway pile-up said to be among the worst UK collisions in memory.
Police said the death toll from the crash on the M5 in Somerset on Friday night was expected to rise as the recovery operation continued.
Some 34 vehicles were involved in the accident, which happened in wet and foggy conditions and was described by emergency workers as "the worst road traffic collision anyone can remember".
Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham of Somerset and Avon Police said: "Seven people are confirmed to have died as a result of this tragic incident and we do believe there could be more deaths.
"Our thoughts are with those who may have lost loved ones as a result of last night's collision.
"A large-scale multi-agency operation continues at the scene to remove vehicles, check that there are no other casualties and repair the carriageway. This is a hugely complex operation because of the scale of vehicles and people involved. All vehicles will need to be removed from the scene for forensic examination and this of course takes time."
Of the casualties, 25 were taken to Yeovil District Hospital and 17 of the more seriously injured to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, he said. Nine others were taken to a temporary holding unit set up by the ambulance service.
The crash, which triggered a "massive fireball", took place close to the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival and it was suggested that smoke from the event could have worsened the fog on the road.
Police could not say whether the fireworks display might have been a factor, but Mr Bangham said it was "certainly something we'll be looking at closely".
He said: "There's a number of factors that came into play. It was dark - it was about 8.25pm - it was particularly poor weather last night, we had fog banks on the motorway and we also had wet surface issues. There were also other factors coming into play: there were events going on in the evening and of course we need to have a very close look at what was going on in the area that may have caused some sort of distraction."
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November 5, 2011, 1:20 pm
![Barristers 'in favour of filming']()
The majority of barristers are in favour of the Justice Secretary's plans to lift the ban on filming in courts, provided there are safeguards in place for witnesses and jurors, a study has found
Almost two in three barristers agree that cameras should be allowed into courts for appeals and criminal trials in England and Wales, a survey of more than 700 barristers by The Times and Bar Council showed.
Earlier this year Kenneth Clarke announced he will overturn the 85-year ban on filming in courts as part of "unprecedented plans to improve transparency".
It will be the first time cameras have been allowed in courts other than the Supreme Court since filming was banned by the Criminal Justice Act 1925.
Only judges' remarks will be shown - not those of victims, witnesses, offenders or jurors.
Peter Lodder, QC, chairman of the Bar, said: "I am not surprised by the findings of the survey. However it endorses the importance of ensuring that witnesses, who already find giving evidence an ordeal are protected.
"People are unnerved about going to court. If they feel that by going to court they are also going to be filmed, there is a significant risk that they will not go at all."
He added: "Public trust in the criminal justice system may be enhanced by the broadcasting of sentencing remarks. All sentencing decisions are explained fully, but the full extent of the judge's remarks is often unreported."
Mr Clarke said in September that a consultation process involving the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge would take place to ensure the move "does not hinder the administration of justice and that it protects victims, witnesses, offenders and jurors".
But Tory MP Roger Gale said it risked turning justice into a reality show and providing a platform for "eccentric" legal professionals.
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November 5, 2011, 1:20 pm
![May orders probe into border force]()
Home Secretary Theresa May has launched an independent inquiry into the UK border force amid claims that guards quietly dropped certain passport checks to cope with staff shortages at busy times.
The head of the force, Brodie Clark, has been suspended and faces the sack over the relaxation of controls this summer.
Mrs May was said to be furious about the decision, although the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU) and Labour claimed it had been authorised by ministers.
The Home Office said she had asked the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, John Vine, to investigate and will make a statement to parliament on Monday.
However, the terms of reference for his inquiry were unclear and Labour sources pointed out that his remit was usually confined to the UK Border Agency and may not cover the actions of ministers.
The Home Office would not discuss the circumstances of the changes to border checks, but reports suggest that border guards were told this summer not to bother checking biometric chips on the passports of citizens from outside the EU to ensure they are not fraudsters. The guards were also instructed not to bother checking fingerprints against a Home Office database of terror suspects and illegal immigrants, it was claimed.
Shadow Home Office minister Chris Bryant claimed that ministers had told borders staff to "cut some corners" and said Mrs May should "face the music" herself.
"It seems as if what's happened was that ministers' advice in July was actually precisely to do that: to cut some corners because there was a shortage of staff in particular between 6 o'clock and 8 o'clock in the morning and in the evening," he told Sky News.
Mr Bryant called for the publication of all the paperwork between ministers and the UK Borders Agency.
"I think we need a full inquiry in the round into all the different issues that there are here, because Theresa May can huff and puff as much as she wants and suggest that she's furious, but if the decision was hers, or if it was her decision, either about the numbers of staff that there should be at UK Borders Agency, or about the cutting of corners in the summer, then she's got to answer the questions and she's the person who has to stand up and face the music."
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November 5, 2011, 1:20 pm
![Community faces up to M5 disaster]()
People living in the communities close to where the devastating M5 motorway accident happened are struggling to come to terms with the devastation.
There is speculation that an annual firework display at nearby Taunton Rugby Club may have distracted drivers.
The club's ground is next to the M5 where the accident, which has killed at least seven people, happened. The display was taking place at the time.
Thick black smoke was generated by the large firework display at a time when mist or a light fog was beginning to emerge. A nearby smallholding also had a large bonfire which was generating black smoke.
Josie Gallimore, 60, and husband Brian, 61, live near the accident scene in a cottage in Hyde Lane, and viewed the devastation from a nearby bridge.
"It was about 11.30pm and there were helicopters and fire engines and a lot of noise," said Mrs Gallimore. "We didn't stay long because it was too disturbing. You could hear the cries of the little ones trapped in their cars. They had to remain in their cars with their families and apparently some were there for up to three and a half hours.
"We walked back home afterwards and we could hear the sirens going until about 2am. There were helicopters as well. I didn't sleep last night. I couldn't. It's a terrible tragedy."
She said in addition to the rugby club's firework display there was also a large bonfire in a nearby field.
A spokesman for Taunton Rugby Club said it was not prepared to make any comment regarding speculation about the cause of the accident.
Oli Massingham said: "The only thing I will say is that the firework display started at 8pm and finished at 8.15pm."
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November 5, 2011, 1:23 pm
![PM not my boss: Scots Tory leader]()
The new Tory leader in Scotland has distanced herself from London control by insisting David Cameron is not the party boss north of the border.
Ruth Davidson, 32, who was inspired by the Prime Minister to enter frontline politics, is the first overall leader for Scotland, following a shake-up of the party structure.
Speaking the morning after her election victory, she said: "While David Cameron is my Prime Minister, when he comes to Scotland he's not my boss, we're colleagues."
She highlighted different approaches to policy in the Scottish Parliament, adding: "I'll be making a vision that is right for Scotland, right for the Scottish Conservatives, and I hope very much to work with our Prime Minister. But if he needs a quiet tap on the shoulder, then I'm just the girl to do it."
Ms Davidson was elected on Friday after a divisive battle in which one candidate, Murdo Fraser, argued for the party to be scrapped and replaced with a new centre-right movement.
Ms Davidson, an openly gay former Territorial Army member, rejected concerns that a breakaway party might emerge and insisted the party would now pull together.
At a press conference, she indicated policy plans and announced new appointments.
David Mundell, the only Tory MP in Scotland, has been made interim party chairman to review structure.
John Lamont MSP, who led her election campaign, has been asked to co-lead the campaign for next year's local government elections along with a Tory councillor.
Ms Davidson said policies will be developed over the coming weeks, as will frontbench appointments for the rest of the 15-strong Tory group at Holyrood.
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November 5, 2011, 2:09 pm
![Anger at Fifa's England poppy ban]()
War veterans have condemned international football chiefs for refusing to allow the England team to wear poppies on their shirts when they play Spain next Saturday.
The Football Association had wanted players to display the Armistice Day emblem on their kit on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, but Fifa rules mean no changes can be made to official kit.
George Batt, general secretary of the Normandy Veterans Association, condemned the decision, describing it as "disgraceful".
The 86-year-old, who fought in the Second World War, said: "I don't really understand it. I can't see any harm in wearing a poppy. You surely don't need rules and regulations in Fifa like this. It's so sad.
"I would think about 90% of the population wear them. I'm lost for words. I think it's a bit childish because, after all is said and done, if it wasn't for us blokes Fifa wouldn't be here. They wouldn't be playing football.
Despite the decision the squad will wear poppies on their kit on Armistice Day when they train at Wembley ahead of the match, the FA said. The special training kit will then be auctioned for charity.
A spokesman said: "The FA are proud supporters of our armed forces and we are only too pleased to recognise those that have sacrificed their lives for the nation.
"The England senior team will proudly wear poppies on their training kit and all our staff and representative teams will stop to observe the Armistice Day silence."
The Poppy Appeal, which is in its 90th year, is run by the Royal British Legion and money raised helps thousands of serving and ex-service men and women and their families.
The appeal raised £36 million in 2010 and is hoping to reach £40 million this year.
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November 5, 2011, 2:09 pm
![EC challenged on 'benefit tourism']()
The Government is preparing to take legal action against the European Commission in an effort to halt the rise of "benefit tourism", employment minister Chris Grayling said.
Plans are being drawn up in response to moves by Brussels that could allow people from Ukraine and certain North African countries to move to the UK and start claiming benefits.
Britain has already been threatened with legal action by the EC because of its imposition of eligibility tests on European Union nationals living in the UK.
Now there are fears that millions more people from countries outside the EU could seek benefits in Britain under deals being negotiated by the EC.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Grayling said the Government would "go to the European court and argue that they don't have the right to do this".
"We are not going to be rolled over on this, it's a hugely sensitive issue," he said.
The action comes as feelings are running high in the Conservative Party about Brussels' influence and powers over Britain.
Some 81 Tory backbenchers rebelled against Prime Minister David Cameron last week to demand a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.
Eurosceptics will be cheered by Mr Grayling's fightback against the extension of reciprocal benefit arrangements to poorer nations that could prove costly for Britain.
"This is something that's catching up with us very fast," he said.
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November 5, 2011, 2:09 pm
![Opposition leader insists on vote]()
Greece's conservative opposition leader has insisted on his demand for immediate elections, snubbing a government offer to form a power-sharing coalition and extending a political deadlock in the debt-shackled country.
Centre-right New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras was speaking after the Socialist government called on him to join a four-month coalition aimed at securing a mammoth new European debt deal.
Mr Samaras described prime minister George Papandreou as "dangerous for the country" but did not say whether he would attend any negotiations with the government.
Mr Papandreou has agreed to step aside if necessary to help his Socialist party hammer out a four-month coalition he says is vital to securing a new debt deal worth an additional 130 billion euros. He said a coalition would also demonstrate the country's commitment to remaining in the eurozone.
But his offer was snubbed hours later by Mr Samaras.
"We have not asked for any place in his government. All we want is for Mr Papandreou to resign, because he has become dangerous for the country," Mr Samaras said in a televised address. "We insisted on immediate elections."
Mr Papandreou won an early morning confidence vote in the Socialist-led parliament on a pledge that he was willing to quit and form a caretaker coalition.
Midway through his four-year term, Papandreou was forced into the move by his austerity-weary Socialist party after he abandoned a disastrous proposal to hold a referendum on a new European debt deal. The idea was quickly scrapped this week after throwing world markets into renewed turmoil and drawing an angry reaction from European leaders.
Frustrated with Greece's protracted political disagreements, the country's creditors have threatened to withhold the next critical eight billion euros loan instalment until the new debt deal is formally approved in Greece.
Greece is surviving on a 110 billion euro rescue-loan program from eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund. It is currently finalising a second mammoth deal, to receive an additional 130 billion euros in loans and bank support, with banks agreeing to cancel 50% of their Greek debt.
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November 5, 2011, 2:09 pm
![Teacher carried baby to safety]()
A teacher caught up in the fatal M5 crash has described how he carried a baby to safety amid the carnage of cars ploughing into wreckage at 70mph.
Thomas Hamell, 25, said he hit a "wall of fog like emulsion paint" and suddenly saw a jack-knifed lorry loom into view.
His girlfriend Katherine Lane, 24, and father George Hamell, 56, were in the Renault Megane with him. "We are all lucky to be alive. If we had been one metre to the right we would not be here to tell the tale," he said.
He praised paramedics and described their efforts as "superhuman" but also described the cries of trapped motorists, blocked in their cars as flames engulfed the scene.
"It was so foggy. Suddenly as we came through it there was like a wall of lorries. One jacknifed in front of us. We managed to stop because we had just joined the motorway and were not going too fast. But a car came by within seconds at about 70mph and went straight into the lorry.
"We sat there and heard the thud of cars, one after another, hitting each other and thought we would be next. We could hear people screaming in their cars. It was utter carnage."
In an incident which probably saved their lives two other lorries jacknifed behind them, creating what was effectively a safe area.
This enabled the three to leave the car and go to the aid of a shocked mother with a young baby.
As they left amid the chaos of cars on fire and still hitting each other a potentially lethal piece of debris shot over his head. "It went over my head as I was carrying the lady's baby. We just carried on to a safe distance about 20 metres away. We were incredibly lucky. The woman who gave her child, her car was wiped out. It was utter carnage."
Mr Hamell, who lives in Wells, Somerset, is a music and drama teacher at Merchants' Academy, a south Bristol secondary school.
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November 5, 2011, 2:09 pm
![Campaigners recreate Jarrow march]()
A group of activists who recreated the famous 1936 Jarrow March for Jobs have completed their journey.
They were joined by hundreds of supporters as they finished the 330-mile trek from the North East to London to highlight how Government cuts were "affecting everyone apart from the rich".
Dozens of people took part in the march from the North East to London, where a rally was held at Temple and in Trafalgar Square.
Youth Fight for Jobs, which organised the march, handed in a petition to 10 Downing Street calling for a huge Government job scheme, apprenticeships, the reinstatement of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), the reopening of axed youth services and action on tuition fees.
Lizi Grey, whose great-grandfather Michael McLoughlin took part in the original march 75 years ago, was among those taking part in the protest march, which started on October 1.
The 17-year-old college student from Gateshead said: "The stories I've heard from his son - my grandfather - were that they were very well received in all of the towns that they went to, and we have had the same experience. I think a lot of that is to do with communities feeling that the cuts are starting to bite and it's affecting everyone apart from the rich and the people making the decisions."
She added: "It's taken us five weeks to march the whole 330 miles but it feels amazing."
In 1936, 200 jobless men marched from Jarrow in north east England to London with a 12,000-name petition calling for government action to create jobs.
A separate group of protesters marched from St Paul's Cathedral to Trafalgar Square holding Strike Together To Win placards.
Police formed a line to stop them moving down Whitehall towards Parliament. Brief scuffles broke out as the demonstrators tried to force their way through the police line, but they were unsuccessful.
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November 5, 2011, 3:42 pm
![Two arrests in anti-capitalist demo]()
Around 200 anti-capitalist protesters entered Parliament Square as they linked with a group supporting activists who had recreated the famous 1936 Jarrow March for Jobs.
Police made two arrests as the demonstrators - some of whom wore Guy Fawkes masks to mark bonfire night - were contained outside the Houses of Parliament.
Earlier around 20 young people finished the 330-mile trek from the North East to London to highlight how Government cuts were "affecting everyone apart from the rich", and they were joined by hundreds of supporters for a rally in Temple and at Trafalgar Square.
The Parliament Square group had marched from St Paul's Cathedral, where a camp has been set-up by activists under the name Occupy London Stock Exchange.
Brief scuffles broke out as police stopped them moving down Whitehall from Trafalgar Square, but the protesters found a way to Parliament Square by going through St James' Park. The demonstration was largely well behaved.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said they numbered around 200 initially, but by 6.30pm some had departed. One of the demonstrators was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and another for unlawful protest.
Meanwhile Youth Fight for Jobs, which organised the Jarrow march, handed in a petition at 10 Downing Street calling for a huge Government job scheme, apprenticeships, the reinstatement of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), the reopening of axed youth services and action on tuition fees.
Lizi Grey, whose great-grandfather Michael McLoughlin took part in the original march 75 years ago, was among those in the protest march, which started on October 1.
The 17-year-old college student from Gateshead said: "The stories I've heard from his son - my grandfather - were that they were very well received in all of the towns that they went to, and we have had the same experience.
"I think a lot of that is to do with communities feeling that the cuts are starting to bite and it's affecting everyone apart from the rich and the people making the decisions."
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November 5, 2011, 9:27 pm
![Arrests after anti-capitalist demo]()
Around 200 anti-capitalist protesters entered Parliament Square as they linked with a group supporting activists who had recreated the famous 1936 Jarrow March for Jobs.
Police made nine arrests as the demonstrators - some of whom wore Guy Fawkes masks to mark bonfire night - were contained outside the Houses of Parliament.
Earlier around 20 young people finished the 330-mile trek from the North East to London to highlight how Government cuts were "affecting everyone apart from the rich", and they were joined by hundreds of supporters for a rally in Temple and at Trafalgar Square.
The Parliament Square group had marched from St Paul's Cathedral, where a camp has been set-up by activists under the name Occupy London Stock Exchange.
Brief scuffles broke out as police stopped them moving down Whitehall from Trafalgar Square, but the protesters found a way to Parliament Square by going through St James' Park. The demonstration was largely well behaved.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said they numbered around 200 initially, but by 6.30pm some had departed. Eight of the demonstrators were held on suspicion of unlawful protest and one for criminal damage.
Meanwhile Youth Fight for Jobs, which organised the Jarrow march, handed in a petition at 10 Downing Street calling for a huge Government job scheme, apprenticeships, the reinstatement of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), the reopening of axed youth services and action on tuition fees.
Lizi Grey, whose great-grandfather Michael McLoughlin took part in the original march 75 years ago, was among those in the protest march, which started on October 1.
The 17-year-old college student from Gateshead said: "The stories I've heard from his son - my grandfather - were that they were very well received in all of the towns that they went to, and we have had the same experience.
"I think a lot of that is to do with communities feeling that the cuts are starting to bite and it's affecting everyone apart from the rich and the people making the decisions."
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November 5, 2011, 11:05 pm
![Crash death toll expected to rise]()
The death toll from a devastating motorway pile-up that has already claimed at least seven lives is expected to rise as emergency crews work through the night searching the burnt-out wreckage of vehicles for more victims.
Said to be one of the worst collisions in the UK in memory, the accident on the M5 in Somerset involved 34 vehicles and left some 51 people injured.
In scenes of carnage resembling a war zone, a giant fireball triggered by the smash left cars melted into the ground, while charred and twisted metal was strewn across the carriageway.
More than 24 hours after the incident the large-scale operation to remove vehicles, check for more casualties and repair the carriageway continued at the scene overnight. Support units are also searching nearby fields and verges around the collision site.
Families who have not heard from their loved ones since the shocking incident are now beginning to fear the worst, with police starting the harrowing process of notifying the relatives of those who have lost their lives. According to reports four of the confirmed casualties were all travelling in one vehicle.
Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, of Somerset and Avon Police, said: "Seven people are confirmed to have died as a result of this tragic incident and we do believe there could be more deaths. Our thoughts are with those who may have lost loved ones as a result of last night's collision."
The motorway remained closed in both directions between junctions 24 and 25 on Sunday morning following the incident, which took place at about 8.25pm on Friday in wet and foggy conditions on the northbound carriageway. The Highways Agency said it expected the closures would remain in place until 6am on Monday.
The crash happened near junction 25 of the motorway close to Taunton Rugby Club, where a fireworks event was taking place. It was suggested that smoke from the display could have worsened the fog on the road, with reports saying the event finished just minutes before the crash.
Police could not say whether the fireworks might have been a factor, but Mr Bangham said it is "certainly something we'll be looking at closely". The rugby club's secretary has confirmed it is helping police with their inquiries.
The owner of a local fireworks company told The Mail on Sunday he had turned down the opportunity to stage a display at the rugby club two years ago because of safety concerns. "It's a very difficult site. My concern straight away was the distance from the motorway," he said.
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November 5, 2011, 11:05 pm
![Cameron told to reveal flat costs]()
David Cameron has been told he must reveal further details about the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat under the Freedom of Information Act.
Information Commissioner Christopher Graham has ruled that the Prime Minister must disclose what work was done on the bathroom to the apartment at Number 11, where he lives with his wife Samantha and their three children.
It emerged earlier this year that the Camerons had spent the entire £30,000 budget available to prime ministers annually for upkeep and improvements to his Downing Street flat.
Officials stressed that the costs charged to the taxpayer did not cover furniture, fixtures and fittings, but things such as electrics, plumbing, structural alterations and decorating. Additional costs in the refit beyond the £30,000 publicly funded allowance were met by the family.
Labour MP Tom Watson has been asking the Cabinet Office for details of the changes to the bathroom and any instructions given to contractors by Mr and Mrs Cameron.
The Sunday Telegraph disclosed that, having rejected the request, the Cabinet Office has now been told by Mr Graham's office that he "does not accept" its decision.
"In particular the Commissioner considers it unlikely that planning for refurbishment works at Downing Street would take place without the involvement of the Cabinet Office as the relevant Government department," he said.
The Commissioner also raised concerns about delays in responding to Mr Watson's request, which was submitted in June last year.
Mr Watson, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: "Downing Street is a Grade One listed building and one of the jewels in the nation's crown. Taxpayers have a right to know what the temporary residents are doing to such a historic building."
A Number 10 spokesman said Mr Graham's letter had been received.
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November 5, 2011, 11:50 pm
![Crews tackle Arthur's Seat blaze]()
Firefighters have been called to a blaze on Arthur's Seat.
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said an area of around 100m by 100m on the Edinburgh landmark is "well alight".
The service was called shortly before 10.30pm on Saturday, but a spokeswoman said crews had so far not been able to reach the fire as it is quite far up the hill across a steep terrain of gorse and heather.
Arthur's Seat is a well-known spot for revellers on Bonfire Night hoping to watch firework displays around Edinburgh.
The blaze is said to be visible across the city and people have taken to Twitter to post messages about what they can see. @shuggeemonsta said: "Looking rather like lava down the extinct volcano" and @LizaB4 said: "there is a massive fire on Arthur's seat - crazy stuff".
The fire spokeswoman said there were no reports of any injuries but that firefighters are facing "difficult conditions".
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said officers are on their way to the scene and that Holyrood Park rangers are already in attendance.
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November 5, 2011, 11:50 pm
![Bookings 'slump' during 2012 Games]()
Holiday companies are experiencing "an average 90% slump" in leisure bookings for the period during next summer's London Olympics, according to the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).
Some of the leading inbound tour operators to the UK have reported sales plummeting nearly 100% for August 2012, ETOA claimed.
It said its figures were based on tour operators responsible for two million tourists a year, representing £2 billion in revenue to the UK economy.
Previous research conducted by ETOA had identified what it called a "bubble" in the London hotel market, where inflated prices for hotel accommodation and uneconomic terms and conditions were deterring not only leisure visitors but also sports fans they were seeking to attract.
ETOA executive director Tom Jenkins said: "The expectations of visitor numbers currently circulating within the hotel industry are hugely inflated.
"If UK businesses are basing their plans on data in some prominent visitor forecasts, London will suffer financially, as has been experienced by previous (Olympic) host cities."
ETOA said its forecasts were in stark contrast to those of Olympic organisers Locog.
ETOA said that in a normal year, on average, 10.7% of overseas visitors to the UK arrive in August, translating to nearly 1.5 million visitors who typically stay for six days.
But ETOA said its findings pointed to a 60% decline in the regular leisure business either side of the Olympics.
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November 5, 2011, 11:50 pm
![Campers reflect a crisis - Miliband]()
The St Paul's Cathedral protesters reflect a "crisis of concern" in mainstream Britain which must be addressed by politicians, the business community and the Church of England, Labour leader Ed Miliband has warned.
In an article for The Observer, he said that the activists spoke to a wider frustration about the disparity between people's values and the way the country is run.
He acknowledged that those camped outside St Paul's had "a long list of diverse and often impractical proposals" and that many people would not agree with their demands or their methods.
"But they still present a challenge: to the church and to business - and also to politics," he went on.
"The challenge is that they reflect a crisis of concern for millions of people about the biggest issue of our time: the gap between their values and the way our country is run.
"The role of politicians is not to protest, but to find answers. I am determined that mainstream politics, and the Labour Party in particular, speaks to that crisis and rises to the challenge."
The camp was set up three weeks ago under the name Occupy London Stock Exchange and has plunged the cathedral hierarchy into turmoil as it has debated how to respond. The Dean, Canon Chancellor and part-time Chaplain of St Paul's have all resigned.
Mr Miliband said that the protesters had set up camp at "a frightening time for Britain", citing record unemployment, the crisis in Europe and a Government "unwilling or unable to help".
The Labour leader likened the current situation to 1945, 1979 and 1997 in that "business as usual is not an option".
"This is another of those moments because the deeper issues raised by the current crisis are too important to be left shivering on the steps of St Paul's," he said.
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The Archbishop of York has attacked the salaries of top executives saying huge differences between the rich and poor "weaken community life and make societies less cohesive".
Dr John Sentamu, the second most important figure in the Church of England, said excesses in the financial sector have helped to create huge inequalities in wealth, "demonstrating how scandalously unfair our society is".
Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Dr Sentamu called for a change in public attitudes towards excessive personal wealth as profound and rapid as moves against racism, homophobia and sex discrimination in recent decades.
He said: "If they (FTSE 100 chief executives) have a responsibility to their staff, it is hard to imagine a more powerful way of telling someone that they are of little value than to pay them one-third of 1% of your salary.
"Top pay has been found to bear little or no relation to company performance, but even if it did, isn't the performance of a company dependent on the work and well-being of all its staff?
"Among the ill effects of very large income differences between rich and poor are that they weaken community life and make societies less cohesive."
The archbishop said: "But over last few decades the gains from economic growth have gone disproportionately to those who already have the most."
Dr Sentamu called for a change of ethics regarding excessively high incomes and the accumulation of private wealth. He said he had two suggestions.
The first was that "Queen's honours" should not be given "to those who have already rewarded themselves handsomely". He said: "To have to choose between two coveted sources of honour and prestige would be salutary."
The archbishop's second suggestion was to crack down on tax avoidance, including a proposal to put a tick-box on tax forms to allow contributions to be made public.
An asteroid bigger than an aircraft carrier will dart between the Earth and Moon on Tuesday - the closest encounter by such a huge rock in 35 years - but it will not hit the Earth, scientists say.
"We're extremely confident, 100% confident, that this is not a threat," said the manager of Nasa's Near Earth Object Programme, Don Yeomans. "But it is an opportunity."
The asteroid, named 2005 YU55, is being watched by ground antennas as it approaches from the direction of the Sun. The last time it came within so-called shouting distance was 200 years ago.
Closest approach will occur at 6.28pm EST (11.28pm GMT) on Tuesday when the asteroid passes within 202,000 miles of Earth. That is closer than the roughly 240,000 miles between the Earth and the Moon.
The Moon will be just under 150,000 miles from the asteroid at the time of closest approach.
Both the Earth and Moon are safe - "this time", said Jay Melosh, professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Purdue University.
If 2005 YU55 was to plough into the home planet, it would blast out a crater four miles across and 1,700 feet deep, according to Prof Melosh's calculations. Think a magnitude-7 earthquake and 70ft-high tsunami waves.
Scientists have been tracking the slowly spinning, spherical, dark-coloured object since its discovery in 2005 and are positive it will not do any damage. "We know the orbit of this object very well," Mr Yeomans said.
The asteroid stretches a quarter-mile across. Smaller objects come close all the time, Mr Yeomans noted, but nothing this big will have ventured so close since 1976. And nothing this large will again until 2028.
Radar observations from California and Puerto Rico will help scientists ascertain whether the asteroid is pockmarked with craters and holds any water-bearing minerals or even frozen water.
The leader of Colombia's main rebel group, Alfonso Cano, has been killed in combat hours after his nearby camp was bombed, authorities said.
The death is a major victory for President Juan Manuel Santos and comes just over a year after the military killed the rebels' field marshal. It is anything but a fatal blow, however, to the nearly half-century-old peasant-based Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc).
Cano, 63, was killed in a remote area of the south-western state of Cauca with four other rebels an hour before dusk about 200 yards from the bunker he apparently fled after a bombing raid, said Admiral Roberto Garcia, the navy chief.
Cano had shaved off his trademark beard and his thick glasses were not found with him, Adm Garcia said. Officials said he was positively identified by fingerprint.
Officials did not say whether Cano was armed when he died or how many bullet wounds he had or where. Adm Garcia said five rebels were captured.
Former president Andres Pastrana, who knew Cano from failed 1998-2002 peace negotiations with the rebels, said the death "has to make the Farc think it's losing the war".
Cano had been the top target of Colombian authorities since September 2010, when they killed the insurgency's military chief, Jorge Briceno, in a bombing raid.
Troops found seven computers and 39 thumb drives in Cano's bunker as well as a stash of cash in currencies including US dollars, euros and Colombian pesos, said defence minister Juan Carlos Pinzon.
But the death of Cano, whose real name was Guillermo Leon Saenz, does not signal the imminent demise of Latin America's last remaining leftist rebel army, analysts said.
The FARC, which is mostly financed by drug trafficking, is comprised largely of peasants from backwater areas who have few other opportunities in a country where land ownership is highly concentrated in the hands of a few.
At least seven people have been killed and 51 injured in a devastating motorway pile-up said to be among the worst UK collisions in memory.
Police said the death toll from the crash on the M5 in Somerset on Friday night was expected to rise as the recovery operation continued.
Some 34 vehicles were involved in the accident, which happened in wet and foggy conditions and was described by emergency workers as "the worst road traffic collision anyone can remember".
Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham of Somerset and Avon Police said: "Seven people are confirmed to have died as a result of this tragic incident and we do believe there could be more deaths.
"Our thoughts are with those who may have lost loved ones as a result of last night's collision.
"A large-scale multi-agency operation continues at the scene to remove vehicles, check that there are no other casualties and repair the carriageway. This is a hugely complex operation because of the scale of vehicles and people involved. All vehicles will need to be removed from the scene for forensic examination and this of course takes time."
Of the casualties, 25 were taken to Yeovil District Hospital and 17 of the more seriously injured to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, he said. Nine others were taken to a temporary holding unit set up by the ambulance service.
The crash, which triggered a "massive fireball", took place close to the Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival and it was suggested that smoke from the event could have worsened the fog on the road.
Police could not say whether the fireworks display might have been a factor, but Mr Bangham said it was "certainly something we'll be looking at closely".
He said: "There's a number of factors that came into play. It was dark - it was about 8.25pm - it was particularly poor weather last night, we had fog banks on the motorway and we also had wet surface issues. There were also other factors coming into play: there were events going on in the evening and of course we need to have a very close look at what was going on in the area that may have caused some sort of distraction."
The majority of barristers are in favour of the Justice Secretary's plans to lift the ban on filming in courts, provided there are safeguards in place for witnesses and jurors, a study has found
Almost two in three barristers agree that cameras should be allowed into courts for appeals and criminal trials in England and Wales, a survey of more than 700 barristers by The Times and Bar Council showed.
Earlier this year Kenneth Clarke announced he will overturn the 85-year ban on filming in courts as part of "unprecedented plans to improve transparency".
It will be the first time cameras have been allowed in courts other than the Supreme Court since filming was banned by the Criminal Justice Act 1925.
Only judges' remarks will be shown - not those of victims, witnesses, offenders or jurors.
Peter Lodder, QC, chairman of the Bar, said: "I am not surprised by the findings of the survey. However it endorses the importance of ensuring that witnesses, who already find giving evidence an ordeal are protected.
"People are unnerved about going to court. If they feel that by going to court they are also going to be filmed, there is a significant risk that they will not go at all."
He added: "Public trust in the criminal justice system may be enhanced by the broadcasting of sentencing remarks. All sentencing decisions are explained fully, but the full extent of the judge's remarks is often unreported."
Mr Clarke said in September that a consultation process involving the Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge would take place to ensure the move "does not hinder the administration of justice and that it protects victims, witnesses, offenders and jurors".
But Tory MP Roger Gale said it risked turning justice into a reality show and providing a platform for "eccentric" legal professionals.
Home Secretary Theresa May has launched an independent inquiry into the UK border force amid claims that guards quietly dropped certain passport checks to cope with staff shortages at busy times.
The head of the force, Brodie Clark, has been suspended and faces the sack over the relaxation of controls this summer.
Mrs May was said to be furious about the decision, although the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCSU) and Labour claimed it had been authorised by ministers.
The Home Office said she had asked the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, John Vine, to investigate and will make a statement to parliament on Monday.
However, the terms of reference for his inquiry were unclear and Labour sources pointed out that his remit was usually confined to the UK Border Agency and may not cover the actions of ministers.
The Home Office would not discuss the circumstances of the changes to border checks, but reports suggest that border guards were told this summer not to bother checking biometric chips on the passports of citizens from outside the EU to ensure they are not fraudsters. The guards were also instructed not to bother checking fingerprints against a Home Office database of terror suspects and illegal immigrants, it was claimed.
Shadow Home Office minister Chris Bryant claimed that ministers had told borders staff to "cut some corners" and said Mrs May should "face the music" herself.
"It seems as if what's happened was that ministers' advice in July was actually precisely to do that: to cut some corners because there was a shortage of staff in particular between 6 o'clock and 8 o'clock in the morning and in the evening," he told Sky News.
Mr Bryant called for the publication of all the paperwork between ministers and the UK Borders Agency.
"I think we need a full inquiry in the round into all the different issues that there are here, because Theresa May can huff and puff as much as she wants and suggest that she's furious, but if the decision was hers, or if it was her decision, either about the numbers of staff that there should be at UK Borders Agency, or about the cutting of corners in the summer, then she's got to answer the questions and she's the person who has to stand up and face the music."
People living in the communities close to where the devastating M5 motorway accident happened are struggling to come to terms with the devastation.
There is speculation that an annual firework display at nearby Taunton Rugby Club may have distracted drivers.
The club's ground is next to the M5 where the accident, which has killed at least seven people, happened. The display was taking place at the time.
Thick black smoke was generated by the large firework display at a time when mist or a light fog was beginning to emerge. A nearby smallholding also had a large bonfire which was generating black smoke.
Josie Gallimore, 60, and husband Brian, 61, live near the accident scene in a cottage in Hyde Lane, and viewed the devastation from a nearby bridge.
"It was about 11.30pm and there were helicopters and fire engines and a lot of noise," said Mrs Gallimore. "We didn't stay long because it was too disturbing. You could hear the cries of the little ones trapped in their cars. They had to remain in their cars with their families and apparently some were there for up to three and a half hours.
"We walked back home afterwards and we could hear the sirens going until about 2am. There were helicopters as well. I didn't sleep last night. I couldn't. It's a terrible tragedy."
She said in addition to the rugby club's firework display there was also a large bonfire in a nearby field.
A spokesman for Taunton Rugby Club said it was not prepared to make any comment regarding speculation about the cause of the accident.
Oli Massingham said: "The only thing I will say is that the firework display started at 8pm and finished at 8.15pm."
The new Tory leader in Scotland has distanced herself from London control by insisting David Cameron is not the party boss north of the border.
Ruth Davidson, 32, who was inspired by the Prime Minister to enter frontline politics, is the first overall leader for Scotland, following a shake-up of the party structure.
Speaking the morning after her election victory, she said: "While David Cameron is my Prime Minister, when he comes to Scotland he's not my boss, we're colleagues."
She highlighted different approaches to policy in the Scottish Parliament, adding: "I'll be making a vision that is right for Scotland, right for the Scottish Conservatives, and I hope very much to work with our Prime Minister. But if he needs a quiet tap on the shoulder, then I'm just the girl to do it."
Ms Davidson was elected on Friday after a divisive battle in which one candidate, Murdo Fraser, argued for the party to be scrapped and replaced with a new centre-right movement.
Ms Davidson, an openly gay former Territorial Army member, rejected concerns that a breakaway party might emerge and insisted the party would now pull together.
At a press conference, she indicated policy plans and announced new appointments.
David Mundell, the only Tory MP in Scotland, has been made interim party chairman to review structure.
John Lamont MSP, who led her election campaign, has been asked to co-lead the campaign for next year's local government elections along with a Tory councillor.
Ms Davidson said policies will be developed over the coming weeks, as will frontbench appointments for the rest of the 15-strong Tory group at Holyrood.
War veterans have condemned international football chiefs for refusing to allow the England team to wear poppies on their shirts when they play Spain next Saturday.
The Football Association had wanted players to display the Armistice Day emblem on their kit on the eve of Remembrance Sunday, but Fifa rules mean no changes can be made to official kit.
George Batt, general secretary of the Normandy Veterans Association, condemned the decision, describing it as "disgraceful".
The 86-year-old, who fought in the Second World War, said: "I don't really understand it. I can't see any harm in wearing a poppy. You surely don't need rules and regulations in Fifa like this. It's so sad.
"I would think about 90% of the population wear them. I'm lost for words. I think it's a bit childish because, after all is said and done, if it wasn't for us blokes Fifa wouldn't be here. They wouldn't be playing football.
Despite the decision the squad will wear poppies on their kit on Armistice Day when they train at Wembley ahead of the match, the FA said. The special training kit will then be auctioned for charity.
A spokesman said: "The FA are proud supporters of our armed forces and we are only too pleased to recognise those that have sacrificed their lives for the nation.
"The England senior team will proudly wear poppies on their training kit and all our staff and representative teams will stop to observe the Armistice Day silence."
The Poppy Appeal, which is in its 90th year, is run by the Royal British Legion and money raised helps thousands of serving and ex-service men and women and their families.
The appeal raised £36 million in 2010 and is hoping to reach £40 million this year.
The Government is preparing to take legal action against the European Commission in an effort to halt the rise of "benefit tourism", employment minister Chris Grayling said.
Plans are being drawn up in response to moves by Brussels that could allow people from Ukraine and certain North African countries to move to the UK and start claiming benefits.
Britain has already been threatened with legal action by the EC because of its imposition of eligibility tests on European Union nationals living in the UK.
Now there are fears that millions more people from countries outside the EU could seek benefits in Britain under deals being negotiated by the EC.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Grayling said the Government would "go to the European court and argue that they don't have the right to do this".
"We are not going to be rolled over on this, it's a hugely sensitive issue," he said.
The action comes as feelings are running high in the Conservative Party about Brussels' influence and powers over Britain.
Some 81 Tory backbenchers rebelled against Prime Minister David Cameron last week to demand a referendum on the UK's membership of the EU.
Eurosceptics will be cheered by Mr Grayling's fightback against the extension of reciprocal benefit arrangements to poorer nations that could prove costly for Britain.
"This is something that's catching up with us very fast," he said.
Greece's conservative opposition leader has insisted on his demand for immediate elections, snubbing a government offer to form a power-sharing coalition and extending a political deadlock in the debt-shackled country.
Centre-right New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras was speaking after the Socialist government called on him to join a four-month coalition aimed at securing a mammoth new European debt deal.
Mr Samaras described prime minister George Papandreou as "dangerous for the country" but did not say whether he would attend any negotiations with the government.
Mr Papandreou has agreed to step aside if necessary to help his Socialist party hammer out a four-month coalition he says is vital to securing a new debt deal worth an additional 130 billion euros. He said a coalition would also demonstrate the country's commitment to remaining in the eurozone.
But his offer was snubbed hours later by Mr Samaras.
"We have not asked for any place in his government. All we want is for Mr Papandreou to resign, because he has become dangerous for the country," Mr Samaras said in a televised address. "We insisted on immediate elections."
Mr Papandreou won an early morning confidence vote in the Socialist-led parliament on a pledge that he was willing to quit and form a caretaker coalition.
Midway through his four-year term, Papandreou was forced into the move by his austerity-weary Socialist party after he abandoned a disastrous proposal to hold a referendum on a new European debt deal. The idea was quickly scrapped this week after throwing world markets into renewed turmoil and drawing an angry reaction from European leaders.
Frustrated with Greece's protracted political disagreements, the country's creditors have threatened to withhold the next critical eight billion euros loan instalment until the new debt deal is formally approved in Greece.
Greece is surviving on a 110 billion euro rescue-loan program from eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund. It is currently finalising a second mammoth deal, to receive an additional 130 billion euros in loans and bank support, with banks agreeing to cancel 50% of their Greek debt.
A teacher caught up in the fatal M5 crash has described how he carried a baby to safety amid the carnage of cars ploughing into wreckage at 70mph.
Thomas Hamell, 25, said he hit a "wall of fog like emulsion paint" and suddenly saw a jack-knifed lorry loom into view.
His girlfriend Katherine Lane, 24, and father George Hamell, 56, were in the Renault Megane with him. "We are all lucky to be alive. If we had been one metre to the right we would not be here to tell the tale," he said.
He praised paramedics and described their efforts as "superhuman" but also described the cries of trapped motorists, blocked in their cars as flames engulfed the scene.
"It was so foggy. Suddenly as we came through it there was like a wall of lorries. One jacknifed in front of us. We managed to stop because we had just joined the motorway and were not going too fast. But a car came by within seconds at about 70mph and went straight into the lorry.
"We sat there and heard the thud of cars, one after another, hitting each other and thought we would be next. We could hear people screaming in their cars. It was utter carnage."
In an incident which probably saved their lives two other lorries jacknifed behind them, creating what was effectively a safe area.
This enabled the three to leave the car and go to the aid of a shocked mother with a young baby.
As they left amid the chaos of cars on fire and still hitting each other a potentially lethal piece of debris shot over his head. "It went over my head as I was carrying the lady's baby. We just carried on to a safe distance about 20 metres away. We were incredibly lucky. The woman who gave her child, her car was wiped out. It was utter carnage."
Mr Hamell, who lives in Wells, Somerset, is a music and drama teacher at Merchants' Academy, a south Bristol secondary school.
A group of activists who recreated the famous 1936 Jarrow March for Jobs have completed their journey.
They were joined by hundreds of supporters as they finished the 330-mile trek from the North East to London to highlight how Government cuts were "affecting everyone apart from the rich".
Dozens of people took part in the march from the North East to London, where a rally was held at Temple and in Trafalgar Square.
Youth Fight for Jobs, which organised the march, handed in a petition to 10 Downing Street calling for a huge Government job scheme, apprenticeships, the reinstatement of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), the reopening of axed youth services and action on tuition fees.
Lizi Grey, whose great-grandfather Michael McLoughlin took part in the original march 75 years ago, was among those taking part in the protest march, which started on October 1.
The 17-year-old college student from Gateshead said: "The stories I've heard from his son - my grandfather - were that they were very well received in all of the towns that they went to, and we have had the same experience. I think a lot of that is to do with communities feeling that the cuts are starting to bite and it's affecting everyone apart from the rich and the people making the decisions."
She added: "It's taken us five weeks to march the whole 330 miles but it feels amazing."
In 1936, 200 jobless men marched from Jarrow in north east England to London with a 12,000-name petition calling for government action to create jobs.
A separate group of protesters marched from St Paul's Cathedral to Trafalgar Square holding Strike Together To Win placards.
Police formed a line to stop them moving down Whitehall towards Parliament. Brief scuffles broke out as the demonstrators tried to force their way through the police line, but they were unsuccessful.
The death toll from a devastating motorway pile-up that has already claimed at least seven lives is expected to rise as emergency crews work through the night searching the burnt-out wreckage of vehicles for more victims.
Said to be one of the worst collisions in the UK in memory, the accident on the M5 in Somerset involved 34 vehicles and left some 51 people injured.
In scenes of carnage resembling a war zone, a giant fireball triggered by the smash left cars melted into the ground, while charred and twisted metal was strewn across the carriageway.
More than 24 hours after the incident the large-scale operation to remove vehicles, check for more casualties and repair the carriageway continued at the scene overnight. Support units are also searching nearby fields and verges around the collision site.
Families who have not heard from their loved ones since the shocking incident are now beginning to fear the worst, with police starting the harrowing process of notifying the relatives of those who have lost their lives. According to reports four of the confirmed casualties were all travelling in one vehicle.
Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham, of Somerset and Avon Police, said: "Seven people are confirmed to have died as a result of this tragic incident and we do believe there could be more deaths. Our thoughts are with those who may have lost loved ones as a result of last night's collision."
The motorway remained closed in both directions between junctions 24 and 25 on Sunday morning following the incident, which took place at about 8.25pm on Friday in wet and foggy conditions on the northbound carriageway. The Highways Agency said it expected the closures would remain in place until 6am on Monday.
The crash happened near junction 25 of the motorway close to Taunton Rugby Club, where a fireworks event was taking place. It was suggested that smoke from the display could have worsened the fog on the road, with reports saying the event finished just minutes before the crash.
Police could not say whether the fireworks might have been a factor, but Mr Bangham said it is "certainly something we'll be looking at closely". The rugby club's secretary has confirmed it is helping police with their inquiries.
The owner of a local fireworks company told The Mail on Sunday he had turned down the opportunity to stage a display at the rugby club two years ago because of safety concerns. "It's a very difficult site. My concern straight away was the distance from the motorway," he said.
David Cameron has been told he must reveal further details about the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat under the Freedom of Information Act.
Information Commissioner Christopher Graham has ruled that the Prime Minister must disclose what work was done on the bathroom to the apartment at Number 11, where he lives with his wife Samantha and their three children.
It emerged earlier this year that the Camerons had spent the entire £30,000 budget available to prime ministers annually for upkeep and improvements to his Downing Street flat.
Officials stressed that the costs charged to the taxpayer did not cover furniture, fixtures and fittings, but things such as electrics, plumbing, structural alterations and decorating. Additional costs in the refit beyond the £30,000 publicly funded allowance were met by the family.
Labour MP Tom Watson has been asking the Cabinet Office for details of the changes to the bathroom and any instructions given to contractors by Mr and Mrs Cameron.
The Sunday Telegraph disclosed that, having rejected the request, the Cabinet Office has now been told by Mr Graham's office that he "does not accept" its decision.
"In particular the Commissioner considers it unlikely that planning for refurbishment works at Downing Street would take place without the involvement of the Cabinet Office as the relevant Government department," he said.
The Commissioner also raised concerns about delays in responding to Mr Watson's request, which was submitted in June last year.
Mr Watson, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: "Downing Street is a Grade One listed building and one of the jewels in the nation's crown. Taxpayers have a right to know what the temporary residents are doing to such a historic building."
A Number 10 spokesman said Mr Graham's letter had been received.
Firefighters have been called to a blaze on Arthur's Seat.
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said an area of around 100m by 100m on the Edinburgh landmark is "well alight".
The service was called shortly before 10.30pm on Saturday, but a spokeswoman said crews had so far not been able to reach the fire as it is quite far up the hill across a steep terrain of gorse and heather.
Arthur's Seat is a well-known spot for revellers on Bonfire Night hoping to watch firework displays around Edinburgh.
The blaze is said to be visible across the city and people have taken to Twitter to post messages about what they can see. @shuggeemonsta said: "Looking rather like lava down the extinct volcano" and @LizaB4 said: "there is a massive fire on Arthur's seat - crazy stuff".
The fire spokeswoman said there were no reports of any injuries but that firefighters are facing "difficult conditions".
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said officers are on their way to the scene and that Holyrood Park rangers are already in attendance.
Holiday companies are experiencing "an average 90% slump" in leisure bookings for the period during next summer's London Olympics, according to the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA).
Some of the leading inbound tour operators to the UK have reported sales plummeting nearly 100% for August 2012, ETOA claimed.
It said its figures were based on tour operators responsible for two million tourists a year, representing £2 billion in revenue to the UK economy.
Previous research conducted by ETOA had identified what it called a "bubble" in the London hotel market, where inflated prices for hotel accommodation and uneconomic terms and conditions were deterring not only leisure visitors but also sports fans they were seeking to attract.
ETOA executive director Tom Jenkins said: "The expectations of visitor numbers currently circulating within the hotel industry are hugely inflated.
"If UK businesses are basing their plans on data in some prominent visitor forecasts, London will suffer financially, as has been experienced by previous (Olympic) host cities."
ETOA said its forecasts were in stark contrast to those of Olympic organisers Locog.
ETOA said that in a normal year, on average, 10.7% of overseas visitors to the UK arrive in August, translating to nearly 1.5 million visitors who typically stay for six days.
But ETOA said its findings pointed to a 60% decline in the regular leisure business either side of the Olympics.
The St Paul's Cathedral protesters reflect a "crisis of concern" in mainstream Britain which must be addressed by politicians, the business community and the Church of England, Labour leader Ed Miliband has warned.
In an article for The Observer, he said that the activists spoke to a wider frustration about the disparity between people's values and the way the country is run.
He acknowledged that those camped outside St Paul's had "a long list of diverse and often impractical proposals" and that many people would not agree with their demands or their methods.
"But they still present a challenge: to the church and to business - and also to politics," he went on.
"The challenge is that they reflect a crisis of concern for millions of people about the biggest issue of our time: the gap between their values and the way our country is run.
"The role of politicians is not to protest, but to find answers. I am determined that mainstream politics, and the Labour Party in particular, speaks to that crisis and rises to the challenge."
The camp was set up three weeks ago under the name Occupy London Stock Exchange and has plunged the cathedral hierarchy into turmoil as it has debated how to respond. The Dean, Canon Chancellor and part-time Chaplain of St Paul's have all resigned.
Mr Miliband said that the protesters had set up camp at "a frightening time for Britain", citing record unemployment, the crisis in Europe and a Government "unwilling or unable to help".
The Labour leader likened the current situation to 1945, 1979 and 1997 in that "business as usual is not an option".
"This is another of those moments because the deeper issues raised by the current crisis are too important to be left shivering on the steps of St Paul's," he said.
