December 11, 2010, 11:43 am
![Image]( "Lib Dems 'could lose 50% of voters'")
Nearly half of Liberal Democrat voters are ready to abandon the party over its backing for a hike in tuition fees, according to a poll.
Leader Nick Clegg's personal ratings have also collapsed since he decided to renege on his general election pledge to oppose any increase.
The scale of the damage sustained by the Lib Dems from the issue was evident in research by Ipsos MORI for the News of the World.
Some 29% of those who previously voted for the party said they were much less likely to do so in future as a result of the u-turn, while 17% said they were somewhat less likely.
In April two-thirds of the public rated Mr Clegg as trustworthy, leading to him being hailed as the most loved politician since Winston Churchill.
But now, after making compromises to join the coalition and become Deputy Prime Minister, his standings have been turned on their head. Just a quarter of those questioned believed he could be trusted, compared to 61% who thought the opposite.
By contrast, the Tories have fared far better, with just a tenth of their voters saying they would be less likely to support the party in future. Some 41% find Prime Minister David Cameron trustworthy - only two points lower than before the election.
The poll also found widespread concern about the rise in tuition fees to a maximum of £9,000. Nearly two thirds of respondents opposed higher charges, with just 28% in favour.
Three out of four people thought it would make teenagers from deprived backgrounds less likely to go to university, and 46% of parents admitted the higher charges would put them off sending their children to university.
Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative sample of 809 adults from across Great Britain by telephone on December 9-10 2010. Data were weighted to match the profile of the population.
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December 11, 2010, 12:11 pm
![Image]( "Crowther's brother hurt in incident")
The brother of the late game show host Leslie Crowther was fighting for his life in hospital after a knife attack in which his wife died.
Frank Crowther, 87, was found near the body of his wife, Winifred, at their home in Sutton, Surrey, on Thursday.
Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Officers were called at about 6.30pm to an address in Lumley Road where they discovered the body of Mrs Crowther.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Met spokesman said: "A post-mortem gave cause of death as multiple stab wounds.
"She has now been formally identified as Winifred Crowther, 83, of that address.
"An 87-year-old man was found unconscious at the scene. He was taken to a south London hospital where his condition is described as critical."
Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command are investigating.
Leslie Crowther, who hosted The Price is Right, died in 1996 aged 63.
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Inmates 'to vote for police chiefs'")
Prisoners could be allowed to vote for local police chiefs from their cells in future, it was claimed.
Coalition plans to introduce directly-elected police commissioners in each force area are due to be debated by MPs on Monday.
The proposals have been criticised for costing an estimated £100 million at a time when budget cuts are being imposed on forces across the country.
But shadow home secretary Ed Balls has now raised concerns that the legislation does not rule out letting convicts take part in the ballots.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has given Britain nine months to remove its total ban on prisoners voting, and ministers have reluctantly accepted that they must comply with the ruling.
Mr Balls said: "At a time when the Government is slashing police funding by 20% people will rightly be angry that the Government can find £100 million for a new set of politicians.
"But to make matters worse we're set to be the first country in the world, alongside two small states in America, where convicted criminals can vote for police chiefs from inside their prison cells.
"Ministers have failed to include anything in the legislation to rule this out. It is madness and we will oppose these plans. They risk politicising the police at huge cost to the public just when thousands of police officers are being cut."
David Cameron has said the prospect of giving those serving time electoral rights makes him "physically ill", but failure to comply with a 2004 ECHR ruling could cost the Government hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation payouts.
There is speculation the restriction could be kept for people serving life sentences, and judges may be given responsibility for deciding which criminals should be allowed to vote.
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Protest violence pictures published")
Scotland Yard has released pictures of 14 people who are wanted in connection with violence during the tuition fee demonstrations.
Detective Chief Superintendent Matthew Horne, leading the investigation, said: "We want the public to help us identify these people who may have been involved in violent disorder, attacking police officers and smashing buildings, shops and windows.
"The vast majority of the people we are seeking are suspected of committing serious offences of violent disorder and criminal damage. The rights of protest and expression are important to us all. However, people breaking the law, endangering those protesting peacefully and committing offences such as this are criminals.
"We will investigate them and where we have the evidence we will arrest them. If you know who any of these people are, please let us know."
Police launched a public order investigation, Operation Malone, to cover all fee protests held from November 10, when students stormed Tory headquarters in Millbank, until Thursday's demonstration in Parliament Square.
A total of 175 people were arrested during the four demonstrations, including 34 who were detained on Thursday after havoc in central London left dozens of officers and protesters injured.
All of those arrested in the most recent demonstration have been bailed to return pending further inquiries.
Following the latest protest, Prime Minister David Cameron demanded that demonstrators who defaced war memorials and attacked the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall face the "full force of the law". Mr Cameron warned that it was not possible to blame the distressing scenes on a small militant element when so many in the crowd were acting in an "absolutely feral way".
Charlie Gilmour, son of Pink Floyd frontman David, apologised after being identified as one of those who climbed on the Cenotaph, the nation's monument to its war dead, as thousands of youngsters vented their fury over the decision by MPs to treble university fees to a maximum of £9,000 a year.
Among the most shocking episodes was the attack on a Rolls-Royce carrying Charles and Camilla by a gang who smashed a window and threw paint while shouting "Off with their heads!"
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Photographs mark royal romance")
Two official photographs to mark Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton have been released.
The portraits, one formal and the other more casual, were taken by Mario Testino, the celebrated fashion and celebrity photographer, who created some of the the most enduring images of Diana, Princess of Wales.
In the pictures William and Kate, both 28, look very much in love holding each other in the setting of St James' Palace, which was built by Henry VIII in the 16th century.
Testino has described how he found the couple "brimming with happiness" during the photoshoot.
He said: "I am very happy to have been asked to cover this historic moment that the whole world was waiting for. They are in their prime and brimming with happiness. I have never felt so much joy as when I see them together."
In the formal image the couple are standing close together with Kate resting her left arm on her fiance's and both are smiling towards the camera.
The prince's fiancee is wearing a stunning white Reiss dress, Links earrings and her engagement ring that once belonged to William's mother Diana. The prince is dressed in a smart outfit by Turnbull and Asser - dark suit, blue tie and a white shirt.
They are standing in the Palace's Council Chamber with its plush red carpet, green coloured furnishings and walls hung with paintings of some of William's ancestors.
Three portraits can be seen - William III and Mary II both by Sir Godfrey Kneller and Karl William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, by Johann Georg Ziesensis.
The Council Chamber was originally designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1703 as part of his re-design of the Palace's state apartments for Queen Anne.
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Cameron: Talks are step forward")
More hard work is needed before the next round of UN climate talks, Prime Minister David Cameron said after an agreement was struck that puts efforts to secure a new international deal on global warming back on track.
More than 190 countries meeting in Cancun, Mexico, agreed on a series of measures which make progress towards a new global deal on tackling climate change - including action to cut emissions, providing money for poor countries and reducing deforestation.
The success in Mexico was hailed by Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne as a "breakthrough" and comes after last year's high-profile meeting in Copenhagen failed amid chaotic scenes to secure a new legally-binding global treaty on cutting emissions.
Attention will now turn to the next round of UN climate talks next year in Durban, South Africa, where officials will have to address key differences between countries, such as what form a new treaty on fighting global warming could take.
Mr Cameron said the Cancun agreement was a significant step forward in renewing the determination of the international community to work together to tackle climate change.
"Now the world must deliver on its promises. There is more hard work to be done ahead of the climate change conference in South Africa next year. I am clear that Britain will meet its international obligations. This will be the greenest government ever. And I will continue to make the case for a global, comprehensive and legally-binding climate agreement," he said.
The agreement acknowledges the need to keep temperature rises to 2C and for global emissions to peak and fall as soon as possible. It brings non-binding emissions cuts pledges made under the voluntary Copenhagen Accord, hammered out in the dying hours of last year's conference, into the process of achieving a new UN treaty.
The deal includes an agreement to set up a green climate fund as part of efforts to deliver 100 billion US dollars (£60 billion) a year by 2020 to poor countries to help them cope with the impacts of global warming and develop without polluting.
The agreement was reached in Mexico despite repeated objections from Bolivia. It also includes a scheme to provide financial support for countries to preserve their forests, in a bid to combat deforestation which accounts for almost a fifth of global annual emissions.
Mr Huhne said the agreement got the "show back on the road" and gave a new sense of momentum going forward to Durban - though he said it was too early to say what could be achieved in South Africa.
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Extra school cash for poorer pupils")
The coalition's flagship Pupil Premium will see schools get an extra £430 for every poorer child on their books next year, it has been revealed.
The Liberal Democrat-inspired supplement is slightly lower than some had expected, with the Government pumping in £625 million for around 1.4 million less well-off youngsters in 2011-12.
However, it is due to rise significantly by 2014-15 - when spending will reach £2.5 billion.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said handing over the premium for every child who receives free school meals would have more benefit for social mobility than keeping tuition fees down.
"When money is tight, you have to be really clear about what your priorities are," Mr Clegg said. "One of mine has always been making sure that the most disadvantaged children in this country get the help they need.
"Despite the recent controversy, all the evidence shows that the best way to help bright kids from poor families get to university is to target additional resources at them when they are younger and so give them a head start in life.
"By targeting money directly at our poorest children, the coalition Government is starting on the long and hard road to breaking down one of the most socially segregated education systems in the developed world."
As the cash allocated to the policy increases in future years, the amount per child will rise and more pupils will be covered. Funds will also be weighted to areas of the country where they are most needed.
Schools will have freedom to choose exactly how the extra money should be used.
Education Secretary Michael Gove will confirm details of the Pupil Premium when he announces the schools settlement on Monday.
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Closure may end Wootton tributes")
The closure of an RAF base could see the end of memorial parades through a town which has become known for honouring fallen British soldiers as they are repatriated to Britain.
The residents of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire have lined the streets to pay their respects to Britain's war dead as they are flown home from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The town lies between RAF Lyneham and the M4 motorway and is on the route taken by corteges as bodies are transported to the Armed Forces department of pathology at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
But with RAF Lyneham set to close, the Ministry of Defence is now considering future arrangements.
A spokeswoman said: "We continue to be grateful for the support Wootton Bassett shows in paying tribute to those servicemen and women who have lost their lives on active service and who are repatriated into nearby RAF Lyneham. The closure was announced in 2003 and future arrangements are currently being considered."
It is possible Lyneham's closure will mean bodies are flown back to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and driven along the A40.
Relatives of British soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan reacted angrily to the plans, which were revealed tonight in The People newspaper.
Private Jeff Doherty, 20, was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan on June 12 2008 while on foot patrol with the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.
His mother Joyce said: "The day Jeff was brought home through Wootton Bassett will live long in my memory. Seeing the people there lining the streets was strangely comforting and that tribute from the public is the least any one of our war heroes deserves."
A date for the closing of RAF Lyneham has not yet been announced.
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "Stranded sub's sea trials breakdown")
A nuclear-powered submarine which ran aground two months ago broke down on its first day back at sea, it has emerged.
HMS Astute had to head back to its base in Faslane, Scotland, last week after what officials described as a "minor defect".
Experts identified a fault in the steam plant, which affected the propulsion and desalination system that makes sea water drinkable, the Mail on Sunday said.
It is hoped the vessel will be back in service this week.
HMS Astute became stuck off the coast of Skye in October and ended up marooned for several hours - an error that eventually cost its captain, Cmdr Andy Coles, his command.
Cmdr Coles was replaced by Cmdr Iain Breckenridge.
An MoD statement said: "HMS Astute has been completing sea trials and has returned to port to have a minor defect corrected."
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December 11, 2010, 12:26 pm
![Image]( "No-specialist referrals planned")
Patients with suspected cancer could be referred for tests without the need to see a specialist first, the Health Secretary will announce this week.
Andrew Lansley will tell delegates at a cancer conference on Tuesday that greater efforts need to be made to speed up early diagnosis of cancer.
At the moment, some GPs have access to tests in primary care, including chest X-rays.
But other scans have to be ordered by a specialist in hospital - meaning the patient gets referred there first by their GP.
Under the new plans, GPs will be able to order tests themselves, which might include ultrasounds for ovarian cancer, MRI scans for brain tumours and colonoscopies for bowel cancer.
Doctors will still have the option to send patients through the rapid referral system to see a specialist within two weeks.
Some £25 million has been earmarked from the NHS budget to support the move through 2011/12, which will fund up to 150,000 extra tests.
Mr Lansley said late diagnosis is the main reason for England's survival rates from cancer lagging behind other countries.
He said: "Cancer affects us all. Everyone will have a story of someone they love battling the disease. In those instances we need to know that the NHS will be there for us. Our ambition is simple, to deliver survival rates among the best in the world.
"Earlier diagnosis is key to this which is why we will be prioritising this area in the forthcoming Operating Framework. To achieve our aim we must place faith in those on the frontline, not micro-manage from Whitehall. These plans will provide clinicians with access to the resources they need to deliver the outcomes patients and families deserve."
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December 12, 2010, 8:35 pm
![Image]( "Baby P mother interview to be aired")
A senior social worker thanks the mother of Baby P for being "completely honest" during an interview taken just four months before his death which will be broadcast for the first time on Monday night.
Sue Gilmore appears to readily accept Tracey Connelly's explanation that the child "banged his chin" when he "caught himself on the table".
And when Connelly says she wishes social workers would "back off and leave me alone" Ms Gilmore responds by saying this is a "straightforward thing to want".
The 17-month-old boy, now named as Peter Connelly, died at the hands of his mother, her sadistic boyfriend Steven Barker and Barker's brother Jason Owen in August 2007.
All three were subsequently jailed for causing or allowing his death. Peter had suffered more than 50 injuries despite receiving 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police at his home in Tottenham, north London, over an eight-month period.
BBC's Panorama uncovered the filmed interview last year and will show the footage for the first time on Monday.
Ms Gilmore, the senior team manager overseeing the case at Haringey Council, recorded the hour-long video with Connelly as part of a course she was doing in "brief solution therapy", a new social work method based on encouraging parents to make positive changes in their lives. At the time, in March 2007, Baby P was on the at-risk register and Connelly was hiding the abuse.
Connelly tells the social worker: "So that's why when we are at a friend's house Peter fell and banged his chin and he got cut there and there and a graze and when he caught himself on the table.
"But my instant reaction well after initially petting him was to take photos of the table so that I can show the social services well I think is what happened. Because I was scared that if there was no evidence they were going to say that I done it."
She adds: "I don't like having people interfere. I know. I don't mean that in a horrible way. I know that the social worker is there for a job, and I know they are there for a purpose and at the end of all this I hope they will back off and leave me alone so that I am a caring mother. Does that make sense?"
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December 12, 2010, 9:10 pm
![Image]( "UK search in Sweden blasts probe")
Police are searching a property in Luton as part of an investigation into a suspected suicide car bombing in Sweden at the weekend.
Metropolitan Police officers started examining the house on Sunday night, after a warrant was issued under the Terrorism Act 2000.
A terraced property in the Bedfordshire town was cordoned off with officers seen going in and out.
The UK police operation follows Saturday's blast in a busy Stockholm street and subsequent reports that a man killed by the blast lived in Luton and studied at the University of Bedfordshire. He has been named in several reports as Iraqi-born Swede Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, 28.
He apparently blew himself up as he tried to set off a car bomb in the Swedish capital, wounding two other people.
Al-Abdaly listed himself on Muslim dating website Muslima as a physical therapy graduate from Bedfordshire University. According to The Daily Telegraph, he lived in Luton and neighbours last saw him two and a half weeks ago.
More than 250 people have joined a group set up on Facebook titled "RIP Taimour Abdulwahab our brother and friend".
The suspected bomber was the only fatality caused by the attack on Saturday night although two people were wounded. Experts said the bomber probably did not succeed in detonating all the explosives and could have caused much greater damage.
An audio file sent to Swedish news agency TT shortly before the blast referred to jihad, saying: "Now the Islamic state has been created. We now exist here in Europe and in Sweden. We are a reality. I don't want to say more about this. Our actions will speak for themselves."
Swedish security police later confirmed that the man who died in the blasts earlier sent out an email threat referring to "Jihad" and to Sweden's engagement in Afghanistan. Security police spokeswoman Sara Kvarnstrom said they "assess it is the same man" who sent the email and who was later killed in the apparent suicide attack.
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December 12, 2010, 9:10 pm
![Image]( "May briefs MPs on fees demo probe")
Home Secretary Theresa May is set to update MPs on the probe into the tuition fee protests that rocked central London last week.
The statement to the Commons comes amid speculation that police could toughen their tactics following criticism of the way they have handled the recent demonstrations.
Mrs May refused to be drawn on specifics but said Scotland Yard was looking at measures "across the board" - leaving the door open for the use of water cannon.
She also confirmed that the Duchess of Cornwall had come into contact with protesters who attacked a Rolls-Royce carrying her and the Prince of Wales through the West End on Thursday.
In future the royal couple may be forced to abandon the historic Phantom VI - which was given to the Queen to mark her silver jubilee in 1977 - because it is too distinctive and not manoeuvrable enough.
Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson is said to have offered his resignation in the wake of the security breach, but it was turned down.
Mrs May defended the "robust" police response to the disorder that saw thousands of protesters "kettled", and insisted thugs who climbed on the Cenotaph war memorial and defaced Winston Churchill's statue would be punished.
Meanwhile, two more people arrested by police investigating disorder during the tuition fee demonstrations are in custody. Charlie Gilmour, the son of Pink Floyd frontman David, was arrested on Sunday at his home in Sussex. And a 17-year-old who was allegedly in one of a first batch of 14 pictures of people wanted in connection with violence at the protest handed himself in.
Gilmour, 21, was held on suspicion of violent disorder and attempted criminal damage of the Union flag on the Cenotaph on December 9. He was taken to a Sussex police station where he was also arrested on suspicion of theft. He remains in custody.
Separately, the political fallout from the tuition fee row continued, with senior Liberal Democrats pleading for unity after the party's damaging split on the issue. Deputy leader Simon Hughes admitted there was massive anger among grassroots and MPs over the issue, but urged people to recognise the wider benefits of being in government. And Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander described the coalition as "rock solid" and insisted partnership with the Tories was the "only way out" for the party.
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December 12, 2010, 9:10 pm
![Image]( "Terror threat reminder campaign")
Police have launched a counter-terrorism publicity campaign to remind people that the threat to the UK remains real and serious.
The two-week initiative, featuring a 40-second radio advert to be broadcast across England and Wales, has the message: "If you suspect it, report it."
A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spokesman said: "Everyone has a role to play in fighting terrorism and the public are being encouraged to contact the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321 if they see any activity or behaviour they think is suspicious."
He added: "The threat to the UK from terrorism remains real and serious and public vigilance and awareness is crucial in helping to create a hostile environment for terrorists.
"The advert recognises that some people may be reluctant to report suspicious activity or behaviour, such as a person taking an unusual interest in security arrangements, because 'Chances are, it's probably nothing'. But it goes on to encourage people to think 'But what if it isn't'?"
Assistant Commissioner John Yates, head of MPS Specialist Operations and chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Terrorism and Allied Matters, said: "Recent events at East Midlands Airport and continued speculation about 'Mumbai-style' attacks serve as a stark reminder of the real and enduring threat we continue to face from terrorist groups.
"These groups are constantly looking at new and inventive ways to launch attacks on the UK and our citizens.
"We all know that the threats against us continue to diversify - from Al Qaeda-led and inspired groups, through Irish-related terrorism to right wing extremists.The police and security services need the help of the public to protect the country from the threat of terrorism. We cannot do it alone.
"We all have a responsibility to remain vigilant and aware and to report any suspicious activity. We must not become complacent."
Police urged people to look out for the unusual - some activity or behaviour which struck them as not quite right and out of place in their day to day lives.
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December 12, 2010, 9:10 pm
![Image]( "Day of action over education grant")
Students, staff and trade unions will hold a day of action on Monday in protest at government plans to axe a grant for the poorest teenagers.
Colleges and sixth forms across England are expected to hold lunchtime protests against the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
The EMA is a weekly grant of up to £30 given to 16-18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged homes to help them stay in education.
Protesters claim that receiving the support is often the decisive factor for poor teenagers in deciding whether to continue their studies.
The action comes just days after tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on Parliament to protest at the Government's plans to treble university tuition fees.
There were ugly scenes of violence as police and protesters clashed. Missiles including snooker balls and paint balls were thrown at officers, graffiti was daubed on statues including one of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, and the Prince of Wales' car was attacked.
The Supreme Court and the Treasury building were also targeted by vandals, along with bus stops, benches, sign posts and shop windows.
Organisers of the EMA protests said the demonstrations were expected to be peaceful.
Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) said: "The EMA is a vital lifeline for many students in this country and can be the difference between people being able to study at college or being priced out. Withdrawing the EMA will hit some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society, as well as the colleges that are there to serve them."
Some of the most deprived areas will be hit if the EMA is scrapped, organisers said. In some areas of Birmingham, Leicester and the North West, up to four fifths of students received the support.
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December 12, 2010, 9:10 pm
![Image]( "UK braced for new arctic blast")
Another arctic blast will bring more snow and bitterly cold temperatures to the UK this week, forecasters have warned.
With many areas only just getting over the snowstorms earlier this month, another band of snow is set to sweep down across the country on Thursday.
Temperatures will also fall as low as minus 10C (14F), with bitter winds blowing in from the north.
The worst-hit areas are forecast to be north-east Scotland and eastern England, which were among the worst-hit areas over the past two weeks.
Only the far south west looks set to escape the latest wintry blast.
Andy Ratcliffe, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "On Thursday a cold front will move south across the UK.
"This will give rain initially, but it will turn to snow on its back edge."
Scotland woke up to widespread icy roads on Monday after a freezing night, with the rest of the UK seeing temperatures in the low single figures.
Airports, trains and roads were all badly disrupted by the cold spell earlier this month.
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December 12, 2010, 9:10 pm
![Image]( "Councils told to do 'more for less'")
Local councils must continue to provide "reasonable" services to the public despite swingeing cuts in central government funding, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has warned.
Mr Pickles, who is due later to set out the financial settlement for councils in England for the next two years, said that local authorities would have to do "more for less".
With town hall chiefs braced for cuts of around 10%, Mr Pickles insisted that his plans were in line with advice given by the Local Government Association.
"I have been offered advice by the Local Government Association as to what councils can manage in terms of a reduction in their spending powers and I am well within those figures for the majority of councils," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
He said that it was up to councils to cut costs through measures such as sharing chief executives and back office services to ensure that frontline services were protected.
"I am expecting local authorities to provide more for less, I am expecting them to be able to provide a reasonable level of service," he said.
"Local authorities shouldn't have some kind of alibi in feeling that these have been imposed from the centre and therefore they have got to pass every single cut on to the frontline."
Mr Pickles is also publishing the Government's Localism Bill to give groups in local communities greater scope to take control of some council services in line with David Cameron's vision of the "Big Society".
"This is about a new constitutional arrangement, it is about shifting power down to localities," he said.
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December 12, 2010, 9:12 pm
![Image]( "Amazon site goes offline in Europe")
Shopping website Amazon went offline for a brief period, prompting fears it may be the latest victim of sabotage from cyber attacks by WikiLeaks supporters.
But the company denied that "hacktivists" were responsible, attributing the disruption to technical issues instead.
A spokesman said: "The brief interruption to our European retail sites last night was due to hardware failure in our European data centre network and not the result of a DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attempt."
Amazon.co.uk was unreachable, while the company's French, German and Italian domains were also experiencing problems.
But after about half an hour on Sunday night the UK site was working again, a relief to thousands of Christmas shoppers.
Hacktivists originally suggested they may be responsible for the site going down. Anonymous, a group of online hacktivists who support the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, has claimed responsibility for a series of DDoS attacks in the past week.
The attacks have disrupted the websites of companies including Visa, Mastercard and PayPal by bombarding them with millions of visits in revenge for withdrawing WikiLeaks' services.
A message on a Twitter account used by the activists, Anonops, on Sunday night read: "We cant confirm anything because we'll lose our accounts again. Be alert and you will realize." The message was deleted minutes later.
An earlier post which quoted Abraham Lincoln read: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."
Several accounts attributed to Anonymous and its campaign, dubbed Operation Payback, have been suspended over the attacks.
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December 12, 2010, 9:12 pm
![Image]( "I'll fight ban, says US preacher")
A controversial American preacher who threatened to burn the Koran has warned that he will fight moves to ban him from coming to Britain.
Home Secretary Theresa May is facing calls to bar Pastor Terry Jones from entering the country following the disclosure that he had been invited to address the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
Mr Jones caused outrage across the Muslim world earlier this year when he announced plans by his Florida-based church to burn copies of the Koran to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America.
He insisted that he would be bringing a "positive message" for the English people when he makes his planned visit to address an EDL rally in Luton in February.
He made clear that he would resist any attempt by the Government to prevent him coming to the UK.
"I don't know if I would just simply accept that. I think I would protest that," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"I would hope that that would not be the case because I have given my word that we will not do anything against the law or do anything that would cause an uprising or violence."
Despite the controversy caused by his plans to burn the Koran - eventually called off after President Barack Obama warned it would be a "recruitment bonanza" for al Qaida - he suggested he would be a moderating influence on the EDL, which has been linked to a series of violent protests.
"If I am there and have anything to say and any type of influence, I will definitely demand that we have a peaceful demonstration or a peaceful rally. I do not advocate violence of any form," he said.
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December 12, 2010, 9:12 pm
![Image]( "X Factor winner 'numb with shock'")
Former painter and decorator Matt Cardle has spoken of his "shock" after being crowned the winner of this year's X Factor.
The 27-year-old said he still felt "numb" after the announcement of his victory over fellow finalist Liverpudlian Rebecca Ferguson in a closely fought contest.
"It was so shocking that it made me numb straight away and I have not really got the feeling back yet," he told ITV1's Daybreak.
He added: "I am still in a bit of a spin about the whole thing. I said to someone earlier 'it will probably sink in next Christmas when I watch somebody else win and I say oh, I did that last year'. It is just crazy."
Cardle, from Colchester, Essex, paid tribute to Ferguson and to One Direction, the five-piece boy band who were third place runners up.
"She (Ferguson) is literally one of the sweetest girls you could ever ask to meet in your life," he said. "She is amazing. One Direction, I feel for them, they worked so hard, so hard for the entire show, they both deserve everything."
On Sunday night Cardle appeared overwhelmed as his name was called out by host Dermot O'Leary. He said: "I just want to say thanks so much from the bottom of my heart and congratulations to everyone who got to this stage because I'm so proud, everybody should be so proud. There's not enough time to thank everyone, thanks to all the judges and especially Dannii (Minogue)."
Ferguson was graceful in defeat, declaring: "I'm so grateful, Matt is amazing, I'm happy I got this far."
Cardle won high praise from all four judges for his strong performances and "sensational" vocals throughout the competition.
HMV's spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said Cardle had wide appeal and was a credible performer. He said: "With his distinctive voice and down-to-earth blokeiness, the key to Matt's success is that he appeals to fans of all ages and backgrounds.
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Nearly half of Liberal Democrat voters are ready to abandon the party over its backing for a hike in tuition fees, according to a poll.
Leader Nick Clegg's personal ratings have also collapsed since he decided to renege on his general election pledge to oppose any increase.
The scale of the damage sustained by the Lib Dems from the issue was evident in research by Ipsos MORI for the News of the World.
Some 29% of those who previously voted for the party said they were much less likely to do so in future as a result of the u-turn, while 17% said they were somewhat less likely.
In April two-thirds of the public rated Mr Clegg as trustworthy, leading to him being hailed as the most loved politician since Winston Churchill.
But now, after making compromises to join the coalition and become Deputy Prime Minister, his standings have been turned on their head. Just a quarter of those questioned believed he could be trusted, compared to 61% who thought the opposite.
By contrast, the Tories have fared far better, with just a tenth of their voters saying they would be less likely to support the party in future. Some 41% find Prime Minister David Cameron trustworthy - only two points lower than before the election.
The poll also found widespread concern about the rise in tuition fees to a maximum of £9,000. Nearly two thirds of respondents opposed higher charges, with just 28% in favour.
Three out of four people thought it would make teenagers from deprived backgrounds less likely to go to university, and 46% of parents admitted the higher charges would put them off sending their children to university.
Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative sample of 809 adults from across Great Britain by telephone on December 9-10 2010. Data were weighted to match the profile of the population.
The brother of the late game show host Leslie Crowther was fighting for his life in hospital after a knife attack in which his wife died.
Frank Crowther, 87, was found near the body of his wife, Winifred, at their home in Sutton, Surrey, on Thursday.
Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.
Officers were called at about 6.30pm to an address in Lumley Road where they discovered the body of Mrs Crowther.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Met spokesman said: "A post-mortem gave cause of death as multiple stab wounds.
"She has now been formally identified as Winifred Crowther, 83, of that address.
"An 87-year-old man was found unconscious at the scene. He was taken to a south London hospital where his condition is described as critical."
Officers from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command are investigating.
Leslie Crowther, who hosted The Price is Right, died in 1996 aged 63.
Prisoners could be allowed to vote for local police chiefs from their cells in future, it was claimed.
Coalition plans to introduce directly-elected police commissioners in each force area are due to be debated by MPs on Monday.
The proposals have been criticised for costing an estimated £100 million at a time when budget cuts are being imposed on forces across the country.
But shadow home secretary Ed Balls has now raised concerns that the legislation does not rule out letting convicts take part in the ballots.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has given Britain nine months to remove its total ban on prisoners voting, and ministers have reluctantly accepted that they must comply with the ruling.
Mr Balls said: "At a time when the Government is slashing police funding by 20% people will rightly be angry that the Government can find £100 million for a new set of politicians.
"But to make matters worse we're set to be the first country in the world, alongside two small states in America, where convicted criminals can vote for police chiefs from inside their prison cells.
"Ministers have failed to include anything in the legislation to rule this out. It is madness and we will oppose these plans. They risk politicising the police at huge cost to the public just when thousands of police officers are being cut."
David Cameron has said the prospect of giving those serving time electoral rights makes him "physically ill", but failure to comply with a 2004 ECHR ruling could cost the Government hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation payouts.
There is speculation the restriction could be kept for people serving life sentences, and judges may be given responsibility for deciding which criminals should be allowed to vote.
Scotland Yard has released pictures of 14 people who are wanted in connection with violence during the tuition fee demonstrations.
Detective Chief Superintendent Matthew Horne, leading the investigation, said: "We want the public to help us identify these people who may have been involved in violent disorder, attacking police officers and smashing buildings, shops and windows.
"The vast majority of the people we are seeking are suspected of committing serious offences of violent disorder and criminal damage. The rights of protest and expression are important to us all. However, people breaking the law, endangering those protesting peacefully and committing offences such as this are criminals.
"We will investigate them and where we have the evidence we will arrest them. If you know who any of these people are, please let us know."
Police launched a public order investigation, Operation Malone, to cover all fee protests held from November 10, when students stormed Tory headquarters in Millbank, until Thursday's demonstration in Parliament Square.
A total of 175 people were arrested during the four demonstrations, including 34 who were detained on Thursday after havoc in central London left dozens of officers and protesters injured.
All of those arrested in the most recent demonstration have been bailed to return pending further inquiries.
Following the latest protest, Prime Minister David Cameron demanded that demonstrators who defaced war memorials and attacked the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall face the "full force of the law". Mr Cameron warned that it was not possible to blame the distressing scenes on a small militant element when so many in the crowd were acting in an "absolutely feral way".
Charlie Gilmour, son of Pink Floyd frontman David, apologised after being identified as one of those who climbed on the Cenotaph, the nation's monument to its war dead, as thousands of youngsters vented their fury over the decision by MPs to treble university fees to a maximum of £9,000 a year.
Among the most shocking episodes was the attack on a Rolls-Royce carrying Charles and Camilla by a gang who smashed a window and threw paint while shouting "Off with their heads!"
Two official photographs to mark Prince William's engagement to Kate Middleton have been released.
The portraits, one formal and the other more casual, were taken by Mario Testino, the celebrated fashion and celebrity photographer, who created some of the the most enduring images of Diana, Princess of Wales.
In the pictures William and Kate, both 28, look very much in love holding each other in the setting of St James' Palace, which was built by Henry VIII in the 16th century.
Testino has described how he found the couple "brimming with happiness" during the photoshoot.
He said: "I am very happy to have been asked to cover this historic moment that the whole world was waiting for. They are in their prime and brimming with happiness. I have never felt so much joy as when I see them together."
In the formal image the couple are standing close together with Kate resting her left arm on her fiance's and both are smiling towards the camera.
The prince's fiancee is wearing a stunning white Reiss dress, Links earrings and her engagement ring that once belonged to William's mother Diana. The prince is dressed in a smart outfit by Turnbull and Asser - dark suit, blue tie and a white shirt.
They are standing in the Palace's Council Chamber with its plush red carpet, green coloured furnishings and walls hung with paintings of some of William's ancestors.
Three portraits can be seen - William III and Mary II both by Sir Godfrey Kneller and Karl William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, by Johann Georg Ziesensis.
The Council Chamber was originally designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1703 as part of his re-design of the Palace's state apartments for Queen Anne.
More hard work is needed before the next round of UN climate talks, Prime Minister David Cameron said after an agreement was struck that puts efforts to secure a new international deal on global warming back on track.
More than 190 countries meeting in Cancun, Mexico, agreed on a series of measures which make progress towards a new global deal on tackling climate change - including action to cut emissions, providing money for poor countries and reducing deforestation.
The success in Mexico was hailed by Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne as a "breakthrough" and comes after last year's high-profile meeting in Copenhagen failed amid chaotic scenes to secure a new legally-binding global treaty on cutting emissions.
Attention will now turn to the next round of UN climate talks next year in Durban, South Africa, where officials will have to address key differences between countries, such as what form a new treaty on fighting global warming could take.
Mr Cameron said the Cancun agreement was a significant step forward in renewing the determination of the international community to work together to tackle climate change.
"Now the world must deliver on its promises. There is more hard work to be done ahead of the climate change conference in South Africa next year. I am clear that Britain will meet its international obligations. This will be the greenest government ever. And I will continue to make the case for a global, comprehensive and legally-binding climate agreement," he said.
The agreement acknowledges the need to keep temperature rises to 2C and for global emissions to peak and fall as soon as possible. It brings non-binding emissions cuts pledges made under the voluntary Copenhagen Accord, hammered out in the dying hours of last year's conference, into the process of achieving a new UN treaty.
The deal includes an agreement to set up a green climate fund as part of efforts to deliver 100 billion US dollars (£60 billion) a year by 2020 to poor countries to help them cope with the impacts of global warming and develop without polluting.
The agreement was reached in Mexico despite repeated objections from Bolivia. It also includes a scheme to provide financial support for countries to preserve their forests, in a bid to combat deforestation which accounts for almost a fifth of global annual emissions.
Mr Huhne said the agreement got the "show back on the road" and gave a new sense of momentum going forward to Durban - though he said it was too early to say what could be achieved in South Africa.
The coalition's flagship Pupil Premium will see schools get an extra £430 for every poorer child on their books next year, it has been revealed.
The Liberal Democrat-inspired supplement is slightly lower than some had expected, with the Government pumping in £625 million for around 1.4 million less well-off youngsters in 2011-12.
However, it is due to rise significantly by 2014-15 - when spending will reach £2.5 billion.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said handing over the premium for every child who receives free school meals would have more benefit for social mobility than keeping tuition fees down.
"When money is tight, you have to be really clear about what your priorities are," Mr Clegg said. "One of mine has always been making sure that the most disadvantaged children in this country get the help they need.
"Despite the recent controversy, all the evidence shows that the best way to help bright kids from poor families get to university is to target additional resources at them when they are younger and so give them a head start in life.
"By targeting money directly at our poorest children, the coalition Government is starting on the long and hard road to breaking down one of the most socially segregated education systems in the developed world."
As the cash allocated to the policy increases in future years, the amount per child will rise and more pupils will be covered. Funds will also be weighted to areas of the country where they are most needed.
Schools will have freedom to choose exactly how the extra money should be used.
Education Secretary Michael Gove will confirm details of the Pupil Premium when he announces the schools settlement on Monday.
The closure of an RAF base could see the end of memorial parades through a town which has become known for honouring fallen British soldiers as they are repatriated to Britain.
The residents of Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire have lined the streets to pay their respects to Britain's war dead as they are flown home from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The town lies between RAF Lyneham and the M4 motorway and is on the route taken by corteges as bodies are transported to the Armed Forces department of pathology at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.
But with RAF Lyneham set to close, the Ministry of Defence is now considering future arrangements.
A spokeswoman said: "We continue to be grateful for the support Wootton Bassett shows in paying tribute to those servicemen and women who have lost their lives on active service and who are repatriated into nearby RAF Lyneham. The closure was announced in 2003 and future arrangements are currently being considered."
It is possible Lyneham's closure will mean bodies are flown back to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and driven along the A40.
Relatives of British soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan reacted angrily to the plans, which were revealed tonight in The People newspaper.
Private Jeff Doherty, 20, was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan on June 12 2008 while on foot patrol with the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.
His mother Joyce said: "The day Jeff was brought home through Wootton Bassett will live long in my memory. Seeing the people there lining the streets was strangely comforting and that tribute from the public is the least any one of our war heroes deserves."
A date for the closing of RAF Lyneham has not yet been announced.
A nuclear-powered submarine which ran aground two months ago broke down on its first day back at sea, it has emerged.
HMS Astute had to head back to its base in Faslane, Scotland, last week after what officials described as a "minor defect".
Experts identified a fault in the steam plant, which affected the propulsion and desalination system that makes sea water drinkable, the Mail on Sunday said.
It is hoped the vessel will be back in service this week.
HMS Astute became stuck off the coast of Skye in October and ended up marooned for several hours - an error that eventually cost its captain, Cmdr Andy Coles, his command.
Cmdr Coles was replaced by Cmdr Iain Breckenridge.
An MoD statement said: "HMS Astute has been completing sea trials and has returned to port to have a minor defect corrected."
Patients with suspected cancer could be referred for tests without the need to see a specialist first, the Health Secretary will announce this week.
Andrew Lansley will tell delegates at a cancer conference on Tuesday that greater efforts need to be made to speed up early diagnosis of cancer.
At the moment, some GPs have access to tests in primary care, including chest X-rays.
But other scans have to be ordered by a specialist in hospital - meaning the patient gets referred there first by their GP.
Under the new plans, GPs will be able to order tests themselves, which might include ultrasounds for ovarian cancer, MRI scans for brain tumours and colonoscopies for bowel cancer.
Doctors will still have the option to send patients through the rapid referral system to see a specialist within two weeks.
Some £25 million has been earmarked from the NHS budget to support the move through 2011/12, which will fund up to 150,000 extra tests.
Mr Lansley said late diagnosis is the main reason for England's survival rates from cancer lagging behind other countries.
He said: "Cancer affects us all. Everyone will have a story of someone they love battling the disease. In those instances we need to know that the NHS will be there for us. Our ambition is simple, to deliver survival rates among the best in the world.
"Earlier diagnosis is key to this which is why we will be prioritising this area in the forthcoming Operating Framework. To achieve our aim we must place faith in those on the frontline, not micro-manage from Whitehall. These plans will provide clinicians with access to the resources they need to deliver the outcomes patients and families deserve."
A senior social worker thanks the mother of Baby P for being "completely honest" during an interview taken just four months before his death which will be broadcast for the first time on Monday night.
Sue Gilmore appears to readily accept Tracey Connelly's explanation that the child "banged his chin" when he "caught himself on the table".
And when Connelly says she wishes social workers would "back off and leave me alone" Ms Gilmore responds by saying this is a "straightforward thing to want".
The 17-month-old boy, now named as Peter Connelly, died at the hands of his mother, her sadistic boyfriend Steven Barker and Barker's brother Jason Owen in August 2007.
All three were subsequently jailed for causing or allowing his death. Peter had suffered more than 50 injuries despite receiving 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police at his home in Tottenham, north London, over an eight-month period.
BBC's Panorama uncovered the filmed interview last year and will show the footage for the first time on Monday.
Ms Gilmore, the senior team manager overseeing the case at Haringey Council, recorded the hour-long video with Connelly as part of a course she was doing in "brief solution therapy", a new social work method based on encouraging parents to make positive changes in their lives. At the time, in March 2007, Baby P was on the at-risk register and Connelly was hiding the abuse.
Connelly tells the social worker: "So that's why when we are at a friend's house Peter fell and banged his chin and he got cut there and there and a graze and when he caught himself on the table.
"But my instant reaction well after initially petting him was to take photos of the table so that I can show the social services well I think is what happened. Because I was scared that if there was no evidence they were going to say that I done it."
She adds: "I don't like having people interfere. I know. I don't mean that in a horrible way. I know that the social worker is there for a job, and I know they are there for a purpose and at the end of all this I hope they will back off and leave me alone so that I am a caring mother. Does that make sense?"
Police are searching a property in Luton as part of an investigation into a suspected suicide car bombing in Sweden at the weekend.
Metropolitan Police officers started examining the house on Sunday night, after a warrant was issued under the Terrorism Act 2000.
A terraced property in the Bedfordshire town was cordoned off with officers seen going in and out.
The UK police operation follows Saturday's blast in a busy Stockholm street and subsequent reports that a man killed by the blast lived in Luton and studied at the University of Bedfordshire. He has been named in several reports as Iraqi-born Swede Taimour Abdulwahab al-Abdaly, 28.
He apparently blew himself up as he tried to set off a car bomb in the Swedish capital, wounding two other people.
Al-Abdaly listed himself on Muslim dating website Muslima as a physical therapy graduate from Bedfordshire University. According to The Daily Telegraph, he lived in Luton and neighbours last saw him two and a half weeks ago.
More than 250 people have joined a group set up on Facebook titled "RIP Taimour Abdulwahab our brother and friend".
The suspected bomber was the only fatality caused by the attack on Saturday night although two people were wounded. Experts said the bomber probably did not succeed in detonating all the explosives and could have caused much greater damage.
An audio file sent to Swedish news agency TT shortly before the blast referred to jihad, saying: "Now the Islamic state has been created. We now exist here in Europe and in Sweden. We are a reality. I don't want to say more about this. Our actions will speak for themselves."
Swedish security police later confirmed that the man who died in the blasts earlier sent out an email threat referring to "Jihad" and to Sweden's engagement in Afghanistan. Security police spokeswoman Sara Kvarnstrom said they "assess it is the same man" who sent the email and who was later killed in the apparent suicide attack.
Home Secretary Theresa May is set to update MPs on the probe into the tuition fee protests that rocked central London last week.
The statement to the Commons comes amid speculation that police could toughen their tactics following criticism of the way they have handled the recent demonstrations.
Mrs May refused to be drawn on specifics but said Scotland Yard was looking at measures "across the board" - leaving the door open for the use of water cannon.
She also confirmed that the Duchess of Cornwall had come into contact with protesters who attacked a Rolls-Royce carrying her and the Prince of Wales through the West End on Thursday.
In future the royal couple may be forced to abandon the historic Phantom VI - which was given to the Queen to mark her silver jubilee in 1977 - because it is too distinctive and not manoeuvrable enough.
Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson is said to have offered his resignation in the wake of the security breach, but it was turned down.
Mrs May defended the "robust" police response to the disorder that saw thousands of protesters "kettled", and insisted thugs who climbed on the Cenotaph war memorial and defaced Winston Churchill's statue would be punished.
Meanwhile, two more people arrested by police investigating disorder during the tuition fee demonstrations are in custody. Charlie Gilmour, the son of Pink Floyd frontman David, was arrested on Sunday at his home in Sussex. And a 17-year-old who was allegedly in one of a first batch of 14 pictures of people wanted in connection with violence at the protest handed himself in.
Gilmour, 21, was held on suspicion of violent disorder and attempted criminal damage of the Union flag on the Cenotaph on December 9. He was taken to a Sussex police station where he was also arrested on suspicion of theft. He remains in custody.
Separately, the political fallout from the tuition fee row continued, with senior Liberal Democrats pleading for unity after the party's damaging split on the issue. Deputy leader Simon Hughes admitted there was massive anger among grassroots and MPs over the issue, but urged people to recognise the wider benefits of being in government. And Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander described the coalition as "rock solid" and insisted partnership with the Tories was the "only way out" for the party.
Police have launched a counter-terrorism publicity campaign to remind people that the threat to the UK remains real and serious.
The two-week initiative, featuring a 40-second radio advert to be broadcast across England and Wales, has the message: "If you suspect it, report it."
A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spokesman said: "Everyone has a role to play in fighting terrorism and the public are being encouraged to contact the confidential Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321 if they see any activity or behaviour they think is suspicious."
He added: "The threat to the UK from terrorism remains real and serious and public vigilance and awareness is crucial in helping to create a hostile environment for terrorists.
"The advert recognises that some people may be reluctant to report suspicious activity or behaviour, such as a person taking an unusual interest in security arrangements, because 'Chances are, it's probably nothing'. But it goes on to encourage people to think 'But what if it isn't'?"
Assistant Commissioner John Yates, head of MPS Specialist Operations and chair of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Terrorism and Allied Matters, said: "Recent events at East Midlands Airport and continued speculation about 'Mumbai-style' attacks serve as a stark reminder of the real and enduring threat we continue to face from terrorist groups.
"These groups are constantly looking at new and inventive ways to launch attacks on the UK and our citizens.
"We all know that the threats against us continue to diversify - from Al Qaeda-led and inspired groups, through Irish-related terrorism to right wing extremists.The police and security services need the help of the public to protect the country from the threat of terrorism. We cannot do it alone.
"We all have a responsibility to remain vigilant and aware and to report any suspicious activity. We must not become complacent."
Police urged people to look out for the unusual - some activity or behaviour which struck them as not quite right and out of place in their day to day lives.
Students, staff and trade unions will hold a day of action on Monday in protest at government plans to axe a grant for the poorest teenagers.
Colleges and sixth forms across England are expected to hold lunchtime protests against the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
The EMA is a weekly grant of up to £30 given to 16-18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged homes to help them stay in education.
Protesters claim that receiving the support is often the decisive factor for poor teenagers in deciding whether to continue their studies.
The action comes just days after tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on Parliament to protest at the Government's plans to treble university tuition fees.
There were ugly scenes of violence as police and protesters clashed. Missiles including snooker balls and paint balls were thrown at officers, graffiti was daubed on statues including one of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, and the Prince of Wales' car was attacked.
The Supreme Court and the Treasury building were also targeted by vandals, along with bus stops, benches, sign posts and shop windows.
Organisers of the EMA protests said the demonstrations were expected to be peaceful.
Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) said: "The EMA is a vital lifeline for many students in this country and can be the difference between people being able to study at college or being priced out. Withdrawing the EMA will hit some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in our society, as well as the colleges that are there to serve them."
Some of the most deprived areas will be hit if the EMA is scrapped, organisers said. In some areas of Birmingham, Leicester and the North West, up to four fifths of students received the support.
Another arctic blast will bring more snow and bitterly cold temperatures to the UK this week, forecasters have warned.
With many areas only just getting over the snowstorms earlier this month, another band of snow is set to sweep down across the country on Thursday.
Temperatures will also fall as low as minus 10C (14F), with bitter winds blowing in from the north.
The worst-hit areas are forecast to be north-east Scotland and eastern England, which were among the worst-hit areas over the past two weeks.
Only the far south west looks set to escape the latest wintry blast.
Andy Ratcliffe, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "On Thursday a cold front will move south across the UK.
"This will give rain initially, but it will turn to snow on its back edge."
Scotland woke up to widespread icy roads on Monday after a freezing night, with the rest of the UK seeing temperatures in the low single figures.
Airports, trains and roads were all badly disrupted by the cold spell earlier this month.
Local councils must continue to provide "reasonable" services to the public despite swingeing cuts in central government funding, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has warned.
Mr Pickles, who is due later to set out the financial settlement for councils in England for the next two years, said that local authorities would have to do "more for less".
With town hall chiefs braced for cuts of around 10%, Mr Pickles insisted that his plans were in line with advice given by the Local Government Association.
"I have been offered advice by the Local Government Association as to what councils can manage in terms of a reduction in their spending powers and I am well within those figures for the majority of councils," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
He said that it was up to councils to cut costs through measures such as sharing chief executives and back office services to ensure that frontline services were protected.
"I am expecting local authorities to provide more for less, I am expecting them to be able to provide a reasonable level of service," he said.
"Local authorities shouldn't have some kind of alibi in feeling that these have been imposed from the centre and therefore they have got to pass every single cut on to the frontline."
Mr Pickles is also publishing the Government's Localism Bill to give groups in local communities greater scope to take control of some council services in line with David Cameron's vision of the "Big Society".
"This is about a new constitutional arrangement, it is about shifting power down to localities," he said.
Shopping website Amazon went offline for a brief period, prompting fears it may be the latest victim of sabotage from cyber attacks by WikiLeaks supporters.
But the company denied that "hacktivists" were responsible, attributing the disruption to technical issues instead.
A spokesman said: "The brief interruption to our European retail sites last night was due to hardware failure in our European data centre network and not the result of a DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attempt."
Amazon.co.uk was unreachable, while the company's French, German and Italian domains were also experiencing problems.
But after about half an hour on Sunday night the UK site was working again, a relief to thousands of Christmas shoppers.
Hacktivists originally suggested they may be responsible for the site going down. Anonymous, a group of online hacktivists who support the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, has claimed responsibility for a series of DDoS attacks in the past week.
The attacks have disrupted the websites of companies including Visa, Mastercard and PayPal by bombarding them with millions of visits in revenge for withdrawing WikiLeaks' services.
A message on a Twitter account used by the activists, Anonops, on Sunday night read: "We cant confirm anything because we'll lose our accounts again. Be alert and you will realize." The message was deleted minutes later.
An earlier post which quoted Abraham Lincoln read: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves."
Several accounts attributed to Anonymous and its campaign, dubbed Operation Payback, have been suspended over the attacks.
A controversial American preacher who threatened to burn the Koran has warned that he will fight moves to ban him from coming to Britain.
Home Secretary Theresa May is facing calls to bar Pastor Terry Jones from entering the country following the disclosure that he had been invited to address the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
Mr Jones caused outrage across the Muslim world earlier this year when he announced plans by his Florida-based church to burn copies of the Koran to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America.
He insisted that he would be bringing a "positive message" for the English people when he makes his planned visit to address an EDL rally in Luton in February.
He made clear that he would resist any attempt by the Government to prevent him coming to the UK.
"I don't know if I would just simply accept that. I think I would protest that," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"I would hope that that would not be the case because I have given my word that we will not do anything against the law or do anything that would cause an uprising or violence."
Despite the controversy caused by his plans to burn the Koran - eventually called off after President Barack Obama warned it would be a "recruitment bonanza" for al Qaida - he suggested he would be a moderating influence on the EDL, which has been linked to a series of violent protests.
"If I am there and have anything to say and any type of influence, I will definitely demand that we have a peaceful demonstration or a peaceful rally. I do not advocate violence of any form," he said.
Former painter and decorator Matt Cardle has spoken of his "shock" after being crowned the winner of this year's X Factor.
The 27-year-old said he still felt "numb" after the announcement of his victory over fellow finalist Liverpudlian Rebecca Ferguson in a closely fought contest.
"It was so shocking that it made me numb straight away and I have not really got the feeling back yet," he told ITV1's Daybreak.
He added: "I am still in a bit of a spin about the whole thing. I said to someone earlier 'it will probably sink in next Christmas when I watch somebody else win and I say oh, I did that last year'. It is just crazy."
Cardle, from Colchester, Essex, paid tribute to Ferguson and to One Direction, the five-piece boy band who were third place runners up.
"She (Ferguson) is literally one of the sweetest girls you could ever ask to meet in your life," he said. "She is amazing. One Direction, I feel for them, they worked so hard, so hard for the entire show, they both deserve everything."
On Sunday night Cardle appeared overwhelmed as his name was called out by host Dermot O'Leary. He said: "I just want to say thanks so much from the bottom of my heart and congratulations to everyone who got to this stage because I'm so proud, everybody should be so proud. There's not enough time to thank everyone, thanks to all the judges and especially Dannii (Minogue)."
Ferguson was graceful in defeat, declaring: "I'm so grateful, Matt is amazing, I'm happy I got this far."
Cardle won high praise from all four judges for his strong performances and "sensational" vocals throughout the competition.
HMV's spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said Cardle had wide appeal and was a credible performer. He said: "With his distinctive voice and down-to-earth blokeiness, the key to Matt's success is that he appeals to fans of all ages and backgrounds.
