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'Bedroom Tax' To Hit Thousands Of Families

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 23 Februari 2013 | 22.11

By Emma Birchley, East Of England Correspondent

Thousands of families living in social housing are facing a cut in their benefits from April because they are seen to have too big a home.

The under-occupation penalty, dubbed "the bedroom tax", aims to encourage households to downsize if they have spare rooms, freeing up their properties for larger families.

But council house tenant Eddie Bird says the policy fails to take into consideration individual cases. His wife Shirley has terminal cancer, and weighing just five-and-a-half stone, needs her own room.

"Any form of movement on the bed and it affects my wife. She's in constant back pain," said Mr Bird. "There's no room for separate beds so I sleep in the box room."

They have been told they will lose nearly £14 a week in benefits.

"It's going to affect my wife's quality of life. We have a Motability car but if we can't afford to put petrol in it, we can't go on any day trips."

The Government hopes the policy will make better use of almost a million rooms that are not used and help reduce the £23bn housing benefit bill.

Eddie Bird says he will lose out despite his wife having terminal cancer

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "We've put a fairly sizeable sum aside to be able to ensure that those kind of cases can be paid for.

"But the general idea that there has to be a limit on the amount of benefit that people receive I think is a correct one.

"And these are exactly the same kind of rules that have existed in the last few years in private rented (accommodation), so we are applying to public housing.

"If it was good enough for private renting, it's got to be good enough for public housing."

But critics question how you can penalise tenants for not moving somewhere smaller when there simply are not enough suitable sized properties available.

It is something the Coast and Country Housing Association has seen in South Teesside. They have 10,000 properties but only two one-bedroom apartments available.

Chief executive Iain Sim said: "We had the pasty tax last year - this is the nasty tax. This is hitting people directly who through no fault of their own are under-occupying the property that they live in.

"The cut in their benefit will range from 14% for one room up to 25% for two rooms. That's a loss in income of between £10 and £22 a week. That's a lot of money to take from people with very limited incomes."

The change is expected to affect 660,000 claimants.

Some households will be exempt if, for example, a non-resident carer for a disabled person helps at the home overnight.

But as Eddie and Shirley Bird are married they will not be eligible for this exemption. Their only hope is that they will qualify for financial assistance from a fund called the Discretionary Housing Payment scheme, but it is not guaranteed.

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Food Bills May Rise Amid Growing Meat Tests

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

Consumers are being warned that food bills may rise if high demand for meat testing continues.

Since the start of the horsemeat scandal, laboratories all over the UK have been inundated with requests to test different meat products.

At Worcestershire Scientific Services laboratory staff have been working early mornings, late nights and weekends to keep up with demand.

Even some of the equipment has been unable to keep up with almost continual testing.

Laboratory manager Paul Hancock told Sky News that funding is tight, explaining: "The FSA do support the laboratory to a degree but things are very very difficult.

"If the consumer wants quality food they have to be prepared to pay for a degree of policing that."

Checking a meat sample for DNA from other species takes three days and costs between £75 to £100 per sample.

The number of labs capable of carrying out proper testing though has fallen over recent years due to funding cuts. In April, Somerset County Council will close its lab.

Those that remain open operate as competitive businesses rather than sharing information, equipment and practices with each other.

Mr Hancock added: "Ten or 15 years ago the labs used to work closely together that relationship has broken down because of commercial activity and that makes life a whole lot more difficult as well."

Meanwhile, France's agriculture ministry has confirmed that horse carcasses from the UK containing the drug Phenylbutazone - known as bute - have probably ended up in the human food chain.

A spokesman for the French agriculture ministry said it was alerted by British authorities that six carcasses had been exported to France in January but that the meat had already been processed.

Some of the meat was recalled but the equivalent of three carcasses have "probably" been eaten, according to officials - although they insist the health risk is "minor".

Bute is an anti-inflammatory treatment for horses which is potentially harmful to humans and is banned from the food chain.

The latest Food Standards Agency results showed six positive results for horse DNA out of 1,133 tested beef products, but so far no UK sample has been found to contain bute.

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AAA Credit Rating Lost: Osborne Defiant

George Osborne has come under attack over what Labour calls his "catastrophic economic policy failure" after the UK lost its top-grade AAA credit rating.

International agency Moody's downgraded it by one notch to AA1, citing slow growth and a rising debt burden.

The Chancellor said the coalition would not "run away" from its economic problems and it was determined to stick by its plan for recovery.

The downgrade is a major blow for Mr Osborne, who has been coming under increasing pressure to take action to stimulate the economy.

In the last election, Mr Osborne made safeguarding Britain's credit rating one of his key pledges.

He has used maintaining the rating for government bonds as one of the main arguments for the Government's austerity programme.

The Chancellor insisted the Government was delivering on its commitment to tackle the UK's debt.

He said: "We have a stark reminder of the debt problems facing our country - and the clearest possible warning to anyone who thinks we can run away from dealing with those problems.

"We are not going to run away from our problems, we are going to overcome them."

He added: "In the end, the test of our credibility as a country is there every day in the markets when we borrow money on behalf of this country from investors all around the world.

Moody's said it did not expect Britain's slow recovery to change

"At the moment we can do that very cheaply with very low interest rates precisely because people have confidence that we have got a plan, we've got to stick to that plan and we are going to deliver that plan."

Labour's shadow chancellor Ed Balls told Sky News: "They (the Government) are paying the price for an absolute catastrophic failure of economic policy and everybody can see that now pretty much other than the chancellor and the prime minister.

"Until they face up to reality, we're just going to have more of the same."

Moody's said Britain's recovery was proving to be significantly slower than previous rebounds from recession and it did not expect the situation to change.

"(There's) increasing clarity that, despite considerable structural economic strengths, the UK's economic growth will remain sluggish over the next few years," it said.

Moody's is the first of the major credit rating agencies to knock the UK off of its top rating.

The ratings agency also cut the Bank of England's AAA rating by one notch, also to AA1. The US' top credit rating was downgraded by one notch in 2011.

Sky's Economics Editor Ed Conway said: "The fact that Britain has lost its AAA crown for the first time since credit ratings were given to the UK back in the 1970s, it's a really big blow to Britain's reputation.

"It's something of an economic blow, but in a way it's more of a political problem for George Osborne. He made a key part of the Conservative election pledge to safeguard Britain's credit rating."

Moody's said that the British economy is constrained both by the troubled global economy and the drag from businesses and the Government slashing its debt burdens.

"Moreover, while the Government's recent Funding for Lending Scheme has the potential to support a surge in growth, Moody's believes the risks to the growth outlook remain skewed to the downside," it said.

Labour has insisted that withdrawing demand from the economy has put it more at risk by stunting growth.

Mr Balls said: "This credit rating downgrade is a humiliating blow to a prime minister and chancellor who said keeping our AAA rating was the test of their economic and political credibility.

"In the Budget the government must urgently take action to kick-start our flatlining economy and realise that we need growth to get the deficit down. If David Cameron and George Osborne fail to do so and put political pride above the national economic interest we face more long-term damage and pain for businesses and families."

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Italy: Briton Held Over Tour Guide Murder

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A Briton has been arrested in Italy for the murder of a tour guide and the attempted killing of another man.

Jason Peter Marshall, 24, was held by police early on Saturday after they traced him through his mobile phone signal to a late night bus.

Police believe he met both men through gay internet chat rooms.

He was arrested after a 55-year-old man was found severely beaten in the bedroom of his apartment in central Rome, following calls to police when neighbours heard screams and calls for help.

When officers arrived on the scene, the victim identified Marshall as his attacker and described how he had been threatened with a gun, badly beaten with a telescopic cosh and smothered with a pillow.

Marshall is said to have fled the apartment with €400 (£348), credit cards and the victim's iPad as he allegedly tried to erase all traces of contact between him and the victim.

Marshall, who is originally from Greenwich, southeast London, is said to have arrived in Italy last month and police in Rome have confirmed he is also the prime suspect in the murder of tour guide Vincenzo Iale.

The 68-year-old was found strangled and stabbed to death in his flat at Torvajanica, on the outskirts of Rome, four weeks ago with his bank card missing.

Police said Marshall was being held in Rome's Regina Coeli jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, kidnap and possessing offensive weapons.

Sources said the victims had been targeted through gay internet chat rooms.

A Rome police source said: "This could easily have been a double murder investigation and the second victim - although badly hurt - can think himself lucky he is not dead."

No one from the British Embassy in Rome was immediately available for comment and Marshall is expected to be questioned further by prosecutors ahead of appearing before an investigating judge.

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British Man Drowns At Egypt Resort

A British man has drowned while swimming in the sea off the popular Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh.

A British embassy spokeswoman in Cairo confirmed that the 50-year-old man had drowned while swimming on Friday.

However, she said she could give no further detail on the circumstances surrounding his death.

The Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheikh

Sharm el Sheikh is one of the main Red Sea resorts and attracts millions of tourists each year.

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Jemima Prees: Tribute To Ski Tragedy Schoolgirl

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 22 Februari 2013 | 22.11

The family of a British schoolgirl who died in a skiing accident in the Austrian Alps has spoken of how she "lived every day as if it might be her last".

Mourners will gather today for the funeral of 10-year-old Jemima Prees, who was killed when she hit a tree at high speed on February 10 while on a half-term holiday with her family.

The schoolgirl, who was wearing a helmet, appeared to lose control and skied into a wooded off-piste area at the Mayrhofen resort near Tyrol, an Austrian police spokesman said.

Jemima Prees who was killed after skiing accident in Austria

The 10-year-old was on a half-term skiing holiday with her family

Her brother and father rushed to her side to give first aid before she was airlifted to hospital in Innsbruck, but she died the following day.

Her funeral will be held at the Church of St John The Baptist, in Colerne, near Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Speaking on the eve of the service, Jemima's parents, Tim and Karen, told of the mature attitude to life which belied the girl's tender years.

Mrs Prees said: "She was lovely, she was gorgeous, she was very active. She loved life. She lived every day as if it might be her last.

"Sometimes she used to say, 'Today might be the last day, we must all tell each other that we love each other because we may not come back this evening'.

"She was very wise, wise beyond her years. She had things sewn up that some people never seem to grasp."

Jemima's father described her as "a real ray of sunshine".

Jemima 'touched so many people', her parents say

"She just had the knack of making everybody feel as if they were really important to her," he said.

"And she had a smile for everybody. And I think she genuinely cared about other people, it wasn't just a surface smile."

Police in Mayrhofen - an hour away from Innsbruck and popular with British skiers - said the Prees family were on the last run of the day when Jemima careered into woodland and was knocked unconscious.

Her brother Barnaby spent 40 minutes trying to revive his sister.

Skiers make their way down from the Hintertux Glacier near Mayrhofen

Jemima's brother Barnaby attempted to resuscitate her at the scene

Jemima, who went to Calder House School, near Colerne, also has two sisters, Annabel and Olivia, who were not on the family holiday.

The schoolgirl's family have set up a charity in Jemima's memory, named Jemima's Gift, intended to help children make the most of opportunities in the arts, sport and education.

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Fuel Prices Head For Highest Level Ever

Motorists have been warned that petrol prices may soon reach their highest level ever.

The AA said sterling's slide against the dollar and market speculation could push prices to record levels by Easter.

The warning comes as tanker drivers at the Grangemouth refinery, which supplies Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England, started a three-day strike in a row over pay and pensions.

The strike, involving 42 Unite members at the refinery near Falkirk, will run until Monday morning with striking workers taking turns to man the picket lines.

The drivers, employed by BP, will then observe an overtime ban when they return but the union plans further strike action if there is no resolution to the dispute.

Petrol and diesel fuel graph for 2013 by Experian

Average petrol (green) and diesel (red) prices since January

After surging 5p a litre over the past month, the price of petrol at the pumps has gone up a further 1p in the last five days, the AA said.

It revealed that the average cost of petrol in the UK is now 138.32p per litre, with diesel having risen 4.78p from its mid-January price to stand at an average of 145.10p.

The latest figures show that petrol has risen 6.24p since early January, adding £3.12 to the cost of filling a typical 50-litre tank.

The AA said the cost of filling up the 70-litre tank of a Ford Mondeo now costs £4.37 more than it did six weeks ago.

A two-car family's monthly petrol cost has risen £13.25.

Drivers have been caught between the pound weakening against the dollar and soaring wholesale prices, both due to stock market speculation.

Regionally, Yorkshire and Humberside and the north of England are the cheapest for petrol at the moment at 137.6p a litre, with prices in London and Scotland at 137.8p. Northern Ireland is the most expensive at 138.7p.

Tanker drivers on strike outside Grangemouth oil refinery

The picket line outside Grangemouth oil refinery on Friday

Yorkshire and Humberside remains the cheapest region for diesel, averaging 144.2p, while East Anglia, Northern Ireland and southeast England are the most expensive at 145.2p.

AA president Edmund King said: "We're no longer talking of the motorist as a cash cow for tax and speculator greed, but a horse slowly but surely being flogged to death.

"This is the third 10p-a-litre wholesale price surge in 11 months, given extra vigour by currency speculators betting against the pound."

Government revenue from fuel duty has also been hit hard as Britons reduce spending by cutting back on non-essential journeys.

Petrol price breakdown over the past decade

HM Revenue and Customs figures showed that January's UK petrol sales fell to the lowest tracked by the Government in 23 years.

Drivers consumed 1.465 billion litres of petrol last month, down 14 million litres on the previous all-time low set in March last year and nearly 100 million litres below December's consumption of 1.564bn litres.

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Birds Eye Ready Meal Recall Over Horse Fears

How Horsemeat Scandal Unfolded

Updated: 12:25pm UK, Friday 22 February 2013

The horsemeat scandal has been unfolding for weeks and products have been flying off the shelves, although not in a good way. Where did it all begin?

January 16: The Food Safety Authority of Ireland says beefburgers with traces of equine DNA, including one product classed as 29% horse, are being supplied to supermarkets by Silvercrest Foods in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in Yorkshire, subsidiaries of the ABP Food Group.

Ten million suspect burgers are taken off the shelves, including by retailers Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, Iceland and Dunnes Stores. A third company, Liffey meats, based in Co Cavan, Ireland, was also found to be supplying products to supermarkets with traces of horse DNA.

January 17: The ABP Food Group suspends work at its Silvercrest Foods plant in Co Monaghan, Ireland, until further notice. Sainsbury's, Asda and the Co-op later withdrew some frozen products as a precaution but had not been found to be selling contaminated food.

January 23: Burger King, which is supplied burgers by ABP Food Group, switches to another supplier as a precautionary measure.

January 25: Waitrose removes a range of frozen burgers made by Dalepak but says its burgers have been tested and are 100% beef. The Food Standards Agency said tests at a Dalepak plant in North Yorkshire had found no traces of meat contaminated with horse or pork DNA.

However, Aldi found traces of pig and horsemeat in samples taken from three lines of Dalepak burgers. It withdrew Specially Selected Aberdeen Angus Quarter Pounder, Oakhurst Beef Quarter Pounders and Frozen Oakhurst Beefburgers from sale.

February 4: Production at a second meat supplier, Rangeland Foods in Co Monaghan, is suspended after 75% equine DNA is found in raw ingredients, The Department of Agriculture confirm.

February 5: Frozen meat at Freeza Meats company in Newry, Northern Ireland, is found to contain 80% horse meat, The Food Standards Agency Northern Ireland said. It is potentially linked to the Silvercrest factory in the Republic of Ireland. Asda withdraws products supplied by Freeza Meats.

February 6: Tesco and Aldi take down frozen spaghetti and lasagne meals produced by French food supplier Comigel following concerns about its Findus beef lasagne.

The FSA reveals a second case of "gross contamination" after some Findus UK beef lasagnes were found to contain up to 100% horse meat. The products were made by French food supplier Comigel.

February 8: Aldi withdraws its Today's Special Frozen Beef Lasagne and Today's Special Frozen Spaghetti Bolognese after tests showed the products contained between 30% and 100% horsemeat.

February 12: Peter Boddy slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, and meat processing plant Farmbox Meats at Llandre in Aberystwyth, West Wales, are raided and shut down, pending investigations.

February 14: New figures released by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) show eight horses slaughtered in the UK between January 30 and February 7 tested positive for the veterinary painkiller bute. Three men are arrested at the raided plants in Aberystwyth and Todmorden, West Yorkshire.

February 19: Swiss food giant Nestle announces a decision to recall beef-based products in Italy and Spain after horse DNA is discovered in products bearing the Buitoni and Bolognaise Gourmandes labels.

February 22: Birds Eye recalls beef lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise and shepherd's pie from shelves in Britain and Ireland. Parent company Iglo also pulls chili con carne in the Netherlands and eight products in Belgium.

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Hacking: Ex-NOTW Executive Avoids Prosecution

Neil Wallis, a former deputy editor of the News Of The World, has been told he will face no action over phone-hacking allegations.

After spending nearly two years on police bail, Mr Wallis has been told he is not being prosecuted because there is insufficient evidence.

He said on Twitter: "After 21 months of hell for my family, CPS have just told my solicitors that there will be no prosecution of me re my phone-hacking arrest."

Prosecutors have said there is insufficient evidence to bring charges against a journalist arrested under Operation Weeting.

Mr Wallis was arrested in July 2011 on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept communications.

In a statement Alison Levitt QC, principal legal adviser to the director of public prosecutions, said prosecutors had been considering whether to bring charges against two journalists over alleged phone hacking.

She said: "The file in relation to one of those two journalists was resubmitted on January 11, 2013. Having carefully considered the matter, the Crown Prosecution Service has concluded that there is insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction in relation to that journalist.

"The other journalist remains under investigation."

So far, 26 people have been arrested as part of Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard's investigation into illegal access to voicemails, and another six as part of a separate line of inquiry that came out of the probe.

Of those, eight are facing charges over alleged phone hacking - ex-News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, former spin doctor Andy Coulson, private detective Glenn Mulcaire and five other former NotW staff.

They are ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner, former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck and former reporter James Weatherup.

Brooks is also accused along with six other people of perverting the course of justice in relation to Operation Weeting.

This is over an alleged conspiracy to withhold material from police.

Brooks, 44, her husband Charlie, 49, her former personal assistant Cheryl Carter, head of security at News International Mark Hanna, Brooks's chauffeur Paul Edwards and security staff Daryl Jorsling and Lee Sandell are all accused of perverting the course of justice.

They are all due to face trial later in the year.

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Beheading: Man Guilty of Brit Gran's Murder

A man has been found guilty in Tenerife of murdering a British grandmother, who he decapitated on the Spanish island.

Bulgarian Deyan Deyanov was convicted of killing 60-year-old Jennifer Mills-Westley in 2011.

The homeless 29-year-old drug addict was found guilty by a jury of nine at the Provincial Court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

He repeatedly stabbed and then beheaded Mrs Mills-Westley, who had been shopping in the popular resort of Los Cristianos on May 13, 2011.

Deyanov had denied murder. His defence had argued he was not criminally responsible for his actions because he suffers acute paranoid schizophrenia.

He faces a sentence of 15 to 20 years in a psychiatric unit.

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Facebook Plea Brings Hundreds To Funeral

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 21 Februari 2013 | 22.11

More than 200 strangers have attended the funeral of a former Royal Marine after a vicar put out an appeal on Facebook amid fears that he would be buried without mourners.

James McConnell died last month at the age of 70 and staff at his care home in Southsea, Hampshire, thought they would be the only people at his funeral as he did not have any close family.

But after the Reverend Bob Mason posted a message on Facebook and contacted the Royal Marines Association, hundreds of people braved freezing temperatures to attend the ceremony at Milton Cemetery in Portsmouth.

A small procession was led by Royal British Legion standard bearers followed by a group of flag-bearing motorcycles.

The Reverend Bob Mason at the funeral of former Royal Marine James McConnell

The vicar thanked the congregation for their "marvellous" response

The service concluded with two buglers from the Royal Marines Band Service playing the Last Post.

"The great majority of you who have come here today did not know James McConnell but wanted him to have a dignified farewell," Mr Mason said. "I thank you for that kindness and generosity of spirit."

Danny Marshall, a former Royal Marine, said he attended because the corps was an extended family.

Two members of the Royal Marines Band Service play the Last Post at the funeral of former Royal Marine James McConnell

The last post was played for the former marine

He said: "It was mentioned wrongly that he did not have family; the corps family is bigger and better and than most people would know about.

"We are all family and always will be."

The message posted on Facebook by Mr Mason read: "It is tragic enough that anyone has to leave this world with no-one to mourn their passing.

"I am sure you will agree he deserves a better send-off."

Mr Mason said he received a "marvellous response from around the country" following the appeal.

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Madeleine McCann: Man Sentenced Over Claims

A retired solicitor who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Mr Justice Tugendhat said 65-year-old Tony Bennett deliberately flouted legal undertakings, given in November 2009, not to repeat allegations about the couple.

Bennett's conduct, the judge said, was so serious that nothing less than a custodial sentence of three months, suspended for one year, would reflect the harm he had done.

Finding Bennett guilty of contempt of court, the judge added: "I am sure that he intended to allege that the claimants are to be suspected of causing the death of their daughter, and did in fact dispose of her body, lie about what happened and covered up what they had done."

The judge, at London's High Court, said he was satisfied that Bennett, of Harlow, Essex, was in breach of the undertakings in each of the 13 representative instances before the court - out of 153 publications complained of.

He was not asked to make findings in relation to the other alleged breaches.

He commented: "It is essential for the rule of law that injunctions and court orders be obeyed. It can't be an answer that the person who is giving an undertaking or subject to an injunction can ignore it with impunity while it is in force."

Bennett, who was ordered to pay the costs of the litigation, apologised to the court.

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Philpott House Fire: 'Casualties Everywhere'

A firefighter at the trial of three people accused of killing six children in a house blaze has described the moment he found "casualties everywhere".

Michael Patterson was part of a crew who fought through flames looking for youngsters trapped inside the property in Derby in May last year.

He told Nottingham Crown Court the fire had created such thick black smoke he had to try to locate the children by touch and not sight.

The children's parents, Mick and Mairead Philpott, and a third defendant, Paul Mosley, are on trial. They have denied six counts of manslaughter in relation to the deaths.

Six siblings - Jade, 10, John, nine, Jack, eight, Jesse, six, Jayden, five, and Duwayne, 13 - all died in the fire in the Allenton area.

Referring to a statement Mr Patterson made shortly after the fire, Prosecutor Richard Latham QC asked him: "Did you become aware at this point that, as you put it, there seemed to be casualties everywhere upstairs?"

"Yes, that's correct," he replied.

Mr Patterson said he and a colleague fought back flames with water before making their way upstairs in the three-bedroom house after being told the children were still inside.

The fire was raging downstairs, it had burnt through the plastic front door, and an open window at the top of the stairs had created a "chimney effect" and filled the entirety of the upper level with acrid smoke, the court heard.

Mr Patterson and a second firefighter, Steve Fell, using breathing apparatus, went into a first bedroom where they found one of the children.

Mr Fell bent over a bed and picked up the child before handing the casualty to Mr Patterson.

He said he cradled the youngster in his arms as he began to make his way out of the house so they could receive medical treatment for the youngster.

He laid the child down on the pavement, where a paramedic came over, before going back inside the building.

In a second bedroom containing bunkbeds the firefighters found another child who was also carried from the property.

Mr Patterson said a second breathing apparatus crew had also entered the property and they were now working as a team of four instead of the usual two because of the situation.

"It was quite confusing, quite chaotic, with a great sense of urgency," he said.

Two other children were found in a bedroom at the front of the house that contained a double bed. The trial continues.

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HMRC Posts Names Of Tax Cheats For First Time

HMRC has published the names of nine individuals and businesses who owe more than £25,000 in tax.

The tax authority described those named as "deliberate defaulters" who had repeatedly failed to co-operate with the taxman.

The individuals on the list were: Joseph Tyrrell in Liverpool, Rafique Maroof Raja in Kirkcaldy, S Stewart in Liverpool, David Alan Jay in Essex and Brian Clifford Tattersall in Bolton.

The following businesses were named: Southport Leisure, The Trade Beverage Company in Cheshire, Gatemain Contractors in Rochester and Menemis - trading as Unlimited Knits - in Nottingham.

HMRC said those on the list had already received penalties for either errors in their tax returns or for failing to comply with their tax obligations.

The details published included names, addresses, occupations and the total amount of tax owed.

The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, said: "HMRC is dedicated to clamping down on the small minority of people who break the law, and finding and taking action against tax cheats who try to evade their responsibilities.

"The publication of these names sends a clear signal that cheating on tax is wrong and reassures people who pay their taxes – the vast majority – that there are consequences for those who refuse to tell HMRC about their full liability.

"It also encourages defaulters to make a full and prompt disclosure and cooperate with HMRC to avoid being named."

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Terrorist Bomb Plot: Three Men Convicted

By Lisa Dowd, Midlands Correspondent

Three men have been found guilty of leading a terrorist bomb plot that could have been bigger than the July 7 atrocities.

Irfan Naseer, 31, Irfan Khalid, 27, and Ashik Ali, 27, all from Birmingham, wanted up to eight suicide bombers to detonate rucksacks packed with explosives in crowded places.

"They were deadly serious and they were hell bent because of the training they'd had and the things they said", said Detective Inspector Adam Gough, from West Midlands Police.

"On committing these acts there's no doubt whatsoever they were going to build bombs and martyr themselves and kill as many people as they could."

Prosecutor Brian Altman QC told the jury: "The police successfully disrupted a plan to commit an act or acts of terrorism on a scale potentially greater than the London bombings in July 2005, had it been allowed to run its course."

Naseer, known as 'Chubbs' or 'Big Irfan', and Khalid, nicknamed 'Little Irfan' both spent a total of 15 months, during two trips, in terror training camps in Pakistan, and made martyrdom videos.

They shared all they knew with Ali, who provided his council flat as a 'safe house' for them to meet in Balsall Heath.

In September 2011, when they started to experiment with making bombs, officers, who had them under surveillance, decided to arrest them.

They found that Naseer, a trained chemist from Sparkhill, had written instructions on how to assemble an improvised explosive device or IED.

Inspired by Al Qaeda, the cell criticised the 7/7 London bombers for not putting nails in their explosives.

Counter Terrorism Officers, who were recording their conversations, overheard them discussing the use of AK47 assault rifles and poisons, as well as blowing themselves up. No specific target locations were mentioned.

The men even raised more than £13,000 in bogus Muslim Aid collections in Sparkbrook for their plot, over 23 days. They only had a licence to collect for one day. Only a fraction of the money reached the charity.

Mr Justice Henriques told the trio that they will all face life in prison when they are sentenced in April or May.

Speaking to Naseer, he said he had been convicted on "overwhelming evidence" and that he will face "a very long minimum term".

The judge said: "You are a highly skilled bomb maker and explosives expert. Your mindset was similarly manifest."

Four other men, Naweed Ali, 24; Ishaaq Hussain, 20; Khobaib Hussain, 20 and Shahid Khan, 20, admitted travelling to Pakistan for terrorist training. Three returned within days and a fourth later, after the family of one of them discovered where they had gone.

Mujtahid Hussain, 21, who was heavily involved in raising money for terrorism has admitted fund raising.

Two people whom the three allegedly tried to recruit to their plan, Ashik Ali's older brother, Bahader Ali, 29, and Mohammed Rizwan, 34, deny the charges they face and are due to stand trial later.

Ashik Ali's estranged wife, Salma Kabal, 23, who is accused of knowing of her husband's terrorist intentions but failing to disclose them to the authorities, will also be tried later.

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IVF Treatment For Older Women On The NHS

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 20 Februari 2013 | 22.11

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

Women aged 40 to 42 will be allowed one cycle of IVF so long as it is their first attempt, the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) says.

Previously Nice only recommended treatment up to the age of 39.

Lesbian couples will also qualify for IVF, as long as they have a diagnosed infertility problem.

People with infectious diseases, such as HIV, or a physical disability that prevents them from having intercourse will also be eligible.

Nice chief executive Sir Andrew Dillon said recent advances in fertility treatment had prompted a review of existing NHS guidelines.

He said: "It is because of these new advances that we have been able to update our guidelines on fertility, ensuring the right support, care and treatment is available to those who will benefit the most."

Same-sex couples have welcomed the change to NHS rules.

Lesbian author Kiki Archer and her civil partner Nicki have two children through private fertility treatment.

She told Sky News the guidelines meant all couples could have children, regardless of income.

"Whenever same-sex couples have children it is carefully thought through," she said.

"This opens another door. It's another option for those families who can't afford fertility clinics."

But there are concerns that the NHS will refuse to implement the guidelines.

It currently funds around 25,000 IVF attempts a year, each costing £3,000.

And a survey in 2011 revealed a postcode lottery, with only a quarter of NHS areas funding the full number of cycles recommended by the existing guidelines.

Dr Sue Avery of the British Fertility Society said: "There is a huge variation in the provision of treatment.

"There are some areas where couples can access three cycles as recommended by Nice. But in other areas couples may get one and some there is no funding at all."

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Jimmy Savile: Ex-Policeman 'Acted For Star'

A former police inspector has been accused of acting on behalf of Jimmy Savile by contacting officers before an interview.

The officer was from the West Yorkshire force, which has referred him to the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

He is accused of contacting Surrey Police before they questioned Savile over alleged sexual offences in 2009.

The IPCC said: "The referral follows a direction from the IPCC to record and refer the conduct of the former inspector, identified in a Surrey Police report as 'Inspector 5'.

The watchdog also said it has asked seven forces including West Yorkshire to review whether there are more conduct issues that should be referred to the watchdog over the Savile investigation.

The other six forces are Surrey, Sussex, Thames Valley, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and the Metropolitan police.

The IPCC said: "They have been asked to re-look at all information relating to the late Jimmy Savile. The IPCC has asked that each force provides the relevant documents and, if they decide not to record or refer any matters, the rationale for not doing so."

This follows a review by the IPCC of reports by Scotland Yard and the NSPCC, the Crown Prosecution Service and Surrey Police as well as information given by forces in West Yorkshire and Sussex.

The watchdog also looked at details given by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, which is preparing a report for the Home Secretary on what the police knew about Savile.

Prosecutors and police have already been criticised for missing the chance to bring the disgraced entertainer to court over the allegations before he died in 2011.

Last month, police revealed the "vast" extent of alleged sexual abuse by Savile - saying his crimes spanning more than 50 years were probably unprecedented in the UK.

The late TV presenter's suspected victims included 28 children aged under 10, including 10 boys aged as young as eight.

A further 63 were girls aged between 13 and 16 and nearly three-quarters of his victims were under 18.

Some 214 criminal offences have been recorded across 28 police forces and 34 rapes have been reported.

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Vicky Pryce Jury Fails To Reach A Verdict

Chris Huhne's ex-wife is facing a new trial after a jury failed to decide whether she had perverted the course of justice.

Vicky Pryce, 60, is due to be tried again next week over claims that she took her husband's speeding points after a driving offence in 2003.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court had been deliberating for four days before they told the judge they could not reach a verdict.

The panel of eight women and four men were discharged after saying it was "highly unlikely" they could even make a majority decision.

Pryce, who sat with her chin in her hand, showed little emotion during the brief hearing.

The economist and mother-of-five claimed she was forced to take the points by Huhne, 58, because he wanted to avoid prosecution.

The politician had repeatedly lied about who was driving but finally admitted deceiving police just as the trial was due to start.

He has been warned he faces jail and will be sentenced once the case against his ex-wife is concluded.

Huhne's BMW was clocked speeding on the way back from Stansted Airport in 2003 as the then MEP travelled back from Strasbourg.

He already had nine points on his licence and risked being banned. In fact, he lost his licence anyway later that year after being caught on his mobile phone at the wheel.

Huhne did go on to be nominated as Lib Dem candidate in Eastleigh and won the seat in 2005, holding it again in 2010.

The allegation about a points swap only became public in May 2011 after the politician, by then a Cabinet minister, left his wife of 26 years for another woman.

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Gate Crushes Child: Man Charged Over Death

A man has been charged over the death of a six-year-old girl who was crushed by an electronic gate.

Kriston Kearns, 40, is accused of unlawfully killing Semelia Campbell by gross negligence manslaughter in June 2010.

After being called to reports of a child trapped in an electronic gate in Maine Road, Manchester, officers found Semelia.

Police said she had been crushed between a retaining wall and the gate which was stuck in the closed position.

The youngster was freed by the emergency services and taken to hospital, but she never regained consciousness and later died.

Semelia Campbell was crushed to gate by electronic gate

The scene of the tragedy in Manchester

Last July, a memorial to Semelia was unveiled at the scene of her death.

The memorial read: "Daughter and sister sadly missed by family and friends.

"Time we shared seems so short, Memories so few, We miss you dearly, We'll always love you. Gone but never forgotten."

Kearns, of Hazel Grove, will appear before Manchester Magistrates' Court on March 12.

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Axminster Carpets To Appoint Administrators

Axminster Carpets is the latest household name that is close to collapse by confirming its intention to appoint administrators.

The 250-year old company - based in Axminster in Devon with more than 400 people at its headquarters - blamed difficult trading and resulting financial problems.

Its statement said: "Axminster Carpets Limited ("the Company") continues to trade while the Company explore all potential rescue / restructuring options.

The Company's board of director confirm that a notice of intention to appoint administrators has been filed with respect to the Company. The notice was filed in order to provide the Company and its creditors with a moratorium period during which the various rescue options being explored can continue."

It continued: "The notice of intention to appoint administrators nominates Benjamin Wiles, Geoff Bouchier and David Whitehouse of Duff & Phelps as Joint Administrators."

The Company's Director, Joshua Dutfield, commented: "Trading has been difficult and the management has been working with key suppliers, creditors and the lenders in an attempt to resolve the Company's financial difficulties. We continue to be committed to working to achieve the best possible outcome for all concerned and most importantly the staff and suppliers."

Axminster, which produces several styles of carpet and rugs, uses 90% of British wool in its trademark Axminster carpet which is woven using traditional loom production methods.

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Murder Probe As Teen's Body Found In Salford

Written By Unknown on Senin, 18 Februari 2013 | 22.11

A murder investigation has been launched after the body of a 19-year-old man was found in Salford.

The man was found with multiple injuries by police officers who were called to Light Oaks Road shortly after 9.20pm on Sunday.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination will take place later today to establish the cause of death.

Detective Superintendent Jon Chadwick said: "A young man has been tragically killed and our thoughts are with his loved ones at this time.

"I want to stress that we are at the early stages of our enquiries. We have a team of detectives working to establish the full circumstances that led to his death.

"I know residents will be alarmed by this incident, but I want to reassure the community that a thorough investigation is now taking place and there are extra patrols in the area."

Anyone with any information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Wandsworth Tower Block Stabbing: Teen Named

Police have named a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed to death at a block of flats in south London.

Peter Hagan was discovered in the stairwell after police were called to Albon House in Neville Gill Close, Wandsworth, at 1.30am on Sunday morning.

The boy was found in a stairwell

"Although we await formal identification, we are satisfied the victim was Peter Hagan," police said.

The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene and a murder investigation is under way.

Nine people have been arrested in connection with the inquiry, eight of them have been released on bail.

The teenager is believed to have been attending a party in the tower block in the hours before his death, police said.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Scola, from the Metropolitan Police's homicide and serious crime command, said: "I need to trace everyone at that party, and in particular I am appealing for any information about a group of between five and eight males seen running from the scene into the surrounding streets and possibly through King George's Park."

:: Witnesses or anyone with information are asked to contact the incident room on 020 8721 4005 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Radioactive Material Stolen From Van

Police have appealed to the public for help after a canister containing a small amount of radioactive material was stolen from a van over the weekend.

The container was taken from the vehicle in Bacup, Lancashire.

Officers were alerted to the theft in the early hours of Monday after the van driver discovered the material was missing.

The Peugeot Panel Van had been parked in New Line, to the south of Bacup.

The stolen canister is in a yellow case which is one foot long and said to be fairly heavy.

Chief Inspector Russ Procter from Burnley Police said: "It is important that this material is located as soon as possible.

"I would ask the public, especially in the Rossendale area, to keep an eye out for this canister and if they locate it then to call the police who will come and deal with it.

"I would also appeal direct to the people who have stolen this. They may have no idea what it is that they have in their possession or they may have discarded it somewhere. If that is the case then I would ask them to contact us or call Crimestoppers anonymously."

The Health Protection Agency is urging anyone coming in contact with the cylinder to leave it where it is and alert the police.

A spokesperson for the HPA said: "The radioactive material, believed to be Iridium 192, will not pose a risk to the public if it remains contained in its heavy lead container marked with the radiation trefoil.

"However, if the material is outside of its protection packaging, anyone who has come into prolonged physical contact, such as keeping it in a pocket, should seek medical assistance.

"If you see this package you should immediately inform the police, do not touch it and keep away."

Iridium 192 is a radioactive isotope of Iridium with a half-life of 73 days.

It emits beta and gamma radiation and as a result has the potential to cause damage to human cells if they come into contact with it or are exposed to it for prolonged period of time.

It is used in industrial radiography to locate flaws in metal components and also in radiotherapy as a source of radiation to kill cancers.

Anyone with information is asked to call Lancashire police on 999 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Richard Briers Dies: Good Life Actor Aged 79

Actor Richard Briers - known to millions for TV's The Good Life - has died at the age of 79.

The star, who was also known for his Shakespearean roles, had been battling a serious lung condition for a number of years.

Briers, who starred in shows such as Ever Decreasing Circles and Monarch Of The Glen, recently blamed years of smoking for his emphysema.

His agent said he died "peacefully" at his London home on Sunday.

Briers will be best remembered for his performance as Tom Good, alongside Felicity Kendal, in the 1970s BBC1 sitcom The Good Life.

The show revolved around a couple who drop out of the rat race in Surbiton, south west London, to enjoy a life of simple self-sufficiency.

In an interview carried out only weeks ago, the actor told how his health was failing after being diagnosed with emphysema five years ago, which he attributed to years of smoking, although he gave up 10 years ago.

"I was diagnosed five years ago and didn't think it would go quite as badly as it has," he said.

Richard Briers with Felicity Kendal in The Good Life

"I used to love smoking. It's totally my fault. So, I get very breathless, which is a pain in the backside.

"Trying to get upstairs ... oh God, it's ridiculous. Of course, when you're bloody nearly 80 it's depressing, because you've had it anyway."

His agent, Christopher Farrar, of Hamilton Hodell, said: "Richard was a wonderful man, a consummate professional and an absolute joy to work alongside.

"Following his recent discussion of his battle with emphysema, I know he was incredibly touched by the strength of support expressed by friends and the public.

"He has a unique and special place in the hearts of so many. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go to his family at this sad time."

His varied career saw him narrating the 1970s children's cartoon series Roobarb And Custard, as well as adding his voice to the animated version of Watership Down.

Although long known for his comedy roles in film and TV, a new strand to his career unfolded when he joined Sir Kenneth Branagh's Renaissance Theatre Company in 1987, and went on to work on a number of classical roles.

Sir Kenneth spoke fondly as he paid tribute to Briers, saying: "He was a national treasure, a great actor and a wonderful man. He was greatly loved and he will be deeply missed."

They worked together on Henry V, Peter's Friends, Much Ado About Nothing and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein during their lengthy association.

Rada-trained Briers made his West End debut in the late 1950s in Gilt And Gingerbread, and went on to work on a number of British films - Bottoms Up, Murder She Said, The Girl On The Boat and Fathom, alongside Raquel Welch.

Sunday Telegraph theatre critic Tim Walker told Sky News that Briers had an "appetite for hard work".

"He was a proper, grown-up stage actor," he said.

"Very much respected in the profession. I remember seeing him in London Assurance back in 2010, so quite recently, when he was on great form.

"He'd always say to me: 'Oh, I'm so lucky I'm working and it's amazing they haven't seen through me'. That was very much typical of him and I think, to some extent, his generation."

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Tenerife Beheading: Court Shown CCTV Footage

A court in Tenerife has been shown "tough" footage of a British grandmother beheaded during a frenzied attack in a shop.

Jennifer Mills-Westley, 60, was viciously stabbed and decapitated with a nine-inch carving knife in the popular resort of Los Cristianos on May 13, 2011.

Bulgarian Deyan Deyanov, who is homeless, has denied murder and told the court he is haunted by voices telling him how to act.

The defence has said he is suffering from "acute schizophrenia".

After watching CCTV footage of the attack, Deyanov said it was "a montage, a film" and claimed that he did not recognise himself in the images.

Ms Mills-Westley's daughters, Sarah Mears, 43, and Samantha Gomes, 39, were in court as the CCTV footage was shown. Mrs Gomes covered her mouth in horror.

Giving evidence, Mrs Mears explained that in the months before her death, her mother had become worried about safety on the island.

"It was nothing specific but she was increasingly concerned that Tenerife was not as safe as when we used to visit 30 years ago," she said.

Ms Mills-Wesley was attacked while shopping in Los Cristianos

Mrs Mears added: "All I want to see is justice done for my mum today."

Ms Mills-Westley, who is originally from Norwich, had been living in Tenerife after retiring from her job as a road safety officer with Norfolk County Council.

Deyanov is alleged to have walked into another shop before the attack to ask for a large knife.

After killing Ms Mills-Westley, the 29-year-old was apparently heard saying "God is on earth" before he was captured by security guards as he ran out of the store holding her head.

Franciso Beltran, for the defence, told the jury his client was in "total disagreement" with the charge of murder against him.

"He has committed no crime, and it goes without saying that he has not committed the crime of murder," Mr Beltran said.

He asked the jury see his client as a "sick man" who had been living on the streets without a diagnosis or treatment for his acute schizophrenia.

He claimed they were telling him he was "an angel of Jesus Christ who is going to create a new Jerusalem".

"They direct how I act, sometimes they say kill, fight, hit, pray," he said.

The defendant said he had been using crack cocaine and LSD before his arrest, but had no memory of living in Tenerife.

Asked if he knew he was in Tenerife after being brought there from a psychiatric unit in Seville on the Spanish mainland, he said: "I have just found out."

He also denied that he had lived in Wales, where he was sectioned in the summer of 2010 under the Mental Health Act at Glan Clwyd Hospital.

Last week Ms Mears and Mrs Gomes said they were attending the trial in order to come "face to face" with the killer and hope to banish memories which have been "shrouded by the brutality of her death".

The trial is expected to conclude on February 25 but there is no date for the verdict.

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Home Secretary Pledges New Deportation Law

Home Secretary Theresa May has claimed Britain's streets are being made more dangerous because immigration judges are failing to deport foreign criminals.

She criticised them for not following guidelines introduced last year which make clear that the "right to family life" - enshrined in law - is not an absolute right.

The Government's own figures show 177 foreign criminals avoided deportation in the year 2011/12, having convinced judges of their right to a family life in Britain.

Mrs May told the Sunday Telegraph that the actions of some immigration judges were "not acceptable" and that they were "subverting" British democracy.

A new immigration bill will reportedly be published later this year to give full legal weight to ministers' demands that foreign criminals should not routinely be able to dodge deportation by citing Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

Article 8 permits the right to a family life which can be a barrier to removal, but ministers and MPs say it should be balanced with the need to protect the public.

The new law is expected to state that Article 8 allows deportations to prevent "disorder or crime", meaning judges will be forced to take that into account when considering appeals by criminals.

The Sunday Telegraph also reported that new restrictions could also be included in the new law on migrants coming to Britain from countries including Romania and Bulgaria.

Last summer the Home Secretary changed immigration rules to make clear that foreign criminals should be deported if they were serious or persistent offenders.

But while the rules were backed by the House of Commons, they do not carry the full weight of law and are often ignored by judges on the Immigration Tribunal.

Ms May told the Sunday Telegraph: "The European Convention on Human Rights is clear - there is a right to a family life, but that right should be balanced with the wider public interest in controlling immigration and protecting the public.

"That's why we introduced new immigration rules last year.

"Those rules were debated in full and passed unanimously by the House of Commons. So it is not acceptable that some immigration judges are denying the democratic and legal validity of them.

"I said at the time that if the courts did not heed the changes to the rules, I would introduce primary legislation to force them to do so. That is exactly what I now intend to do.

"I am determined that Article 8 must not stop us deporting dangerous foreign criminals."

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Ms May said: "The law in this country is made by the elected representatives of the people in Parliament. And our democracy is subverted when judges decide to take on that role for themselves."

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Man Held After Pensioner Dies In Hit-And-Run

A 26-year-old man has been arrested after a pensioner was killed crossing the road in a hit-and-run.

The 80-year-old was mowed down in the street when she was walking in Yardley, Birmingham, on Saturday morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said the woman suffered "multiple serious injuries and was in cardiac arrest" when medics arrived.

She was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman's family has been informed but police have yet to publicly name her.

A large-scale police operation to trace the car and driver started immediately after the crash, after the vehicle sped from the scene.

Hours later, officers found a damaged blue Vauxhall Astra dumped at the roadside about six miles away in Solihull.

Police believe it to be the car involved in the crash.

A police spokesman said: "A 26-year-old visited Stechford police station and has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said medics attempted to resuscitate the woman as soon as they arrived but "despite their best efforts, nothing could be done".

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Comic Relief: PM Stars In One Direction Video

David Cameron is to make a "cameo" appearance in a Comic Relief music video with teen heartthrobs One Direction.

The Prime Minister features in the group's official Red Nose Day single, which is a cover version medley of Blondie's One Way Or Another and the Undertones' Teenage Kicks.

The Government has already agreed to cover the cost of VAT on sales of the record to help the fund-raising effort.

One Direction, who have stormed to global fame after being put together on X Factor, went to Downing Street to film the clip last year.

It is not the first time Mr Cameron has taken part in Comic Relief, which has raised £800m since it was first launched 25 years ago.

In 2011, he recorded a special episode of MasterChef in the kitchens at Number 10 with comediennes Miranda Hart and Ruby Wax.

His predecessors Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have both also taken part in sketches for the charity.

In 2011, after he had left office, Mr Brown teamed up with James Corden, JLS and other celebrities in a comedy sketch.

And in 2007, Mr Blair showed off his acting skills in a segment with comedy actress Catherine Tate.

He had to deal with one of her most popular characters - stroppy teenager Lauren Cooper - and delivered her famous catchphrase: "Am I bovvered?"

Red Nose Day is on March 15.

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Lib Dem Wealth Tax Crackdown On Heirlooms

Jewellery, paintings and other heirlooms could be taxed under radical new plans to hit the rich drawn up by the Liberal Democrats.

The French-style tax on possessions would see a levy on family treasures including furniture, rings and necklaces.

Households could be fined if they refuse to allow tax inspectors into their homes to value items.

Plans also include extending the proposed "mansion tax" to include holiday homes and buy-to-let properties.

The party is already committed to introducing a mansion tax on individual properties worth more than £2m on their own, which Labour is now backing.

Under the new proposals, the levy would be extended to include anyone with a total property portfolio worth more than £2m.

An internal policy consultation has concluded there "may be merit" in imposing the 1% levy instead on anyone with a land and property portfolio worth above the same threshold.

The document is to be debated by activists at the party's spring conference in Brighton next month.

People could be taxed on their total property portfolio

Business Secretary Vince Cable dubbed the proposal to tax assets such as jewellery as "wacky", while MP Tessa Munt, who helped draw up the consultation paper, told the Mail on Sunday it was an "interesting idea".

"This is not party policy," Mr Cable told Sky News' Murnaghan programme.

"There is a working group coming up with ideas on a wide variety of things ... some of their ideas are interesting, a couple of them are a bit wacky - the idea of taxing jewellery is completely impractical and intrusive.

"The idea that you combine together people's properties, probably doesn't make a great deal of sense because people's second homes are already subject to capital gains tax, income tax on the rent.

"So there are ideas in there that I am sure will not get any further, but we have a democratic process, we have activists who come forward with ideas, we debate them and then we make policy - but we are a long, long way from that.

"I think we will want to stop at a mansion tax and make that work," he added.

Extending the mansion tax was reported to be favoured by some within the party as a vote-winner in the South West, where there is anger over second-home buyers forcing up prices.

But senior figures are also believed to have concerns that the move - in a package drawn up as part of preparations for the 2015 general election manifesto - could see some people taxed twice.

Landlords already pay tax on any rent they receive.

A Lib Dem spokesman said: This consultation is part of the process of asking for ideas on how to ensure a fairer tax system.

"It is up to Lib Dem party members as to whether these eventually become party policy."

The proposals emerged as Labour - which this week backed the idea of a mansion tax to fund the return of a 10p income tax rate - challenged the Lib Dems to support it in a Commons vote.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, told Sky News: "I have been arguing for a small levy of 1% on very high value properties over £2m for years - long before Ed Miliband.

"The last thing I worry about is what the latest twists and turns are of Labour Party policy.

"What I think they need to to do is instead of constantly advocating other people's policies is come up with some of their own."

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Horsemeat: Minister Defends Defra Response

A leading charity claims the government was made aware that illegal horsemeat was in the food chain more than a year ago.

Horse Welfare International says they had a sit-down meeting with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2011, to flag up the problem of horse passports being faked to allow the animals to be slaughtered.

It follows claims from John Young, a former manager at the Meat Hygiene Service, now part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), in The Sunday Times that he warned the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of the potential scandal in April that year, but was ignored.

Mr Young says he followed this up a month later in a letter saying, "are the lunatics in total control of the asylum?"

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has mounted a robust defence of his department's actions following the claims.

A laboratory worker of the Official Food Control Authority of Canton Bern prepares the crushed meat of beef lasagne for a DNA test in the laboratory in Bern

Supermarkets have warned consumers could pay the price for the scandal

He said he had spoken to the FSA's chief executive, Catherine Brown, regarding the claims, which were made before he took up his position.

"I have discussed it with the chief executive of the FSA this morning and she is going to go back through the records and see exactly what was said at the time," he told Sky News' Murnaghan programme.

The Cabinet minister, who has been accused of being "asleep at the wheel" by Labour, said his department could not have been more "active" since the recent revelations.

"We are making progress - a whole lot of premises have been investigated, a large amount of evidence has been taken, and in this country we have been extremely active. Three premises have been investigated, two closed down and a number of arrests made.

"We are completely determined to get to the bottom of this because no matter what the price of the product, the consumer should buy what is on the label. It is a fraud on the public."

He said British actions had triggered Europe-wide testing for horse DNA and bute - as well as coordinated probes into the crisis across the continent.

"Too much of this system is based on trust on paper, and there is not enough testing. We have to get back to more testing of products."

Some 7% of people have stopped eating meat altogether, a poll suggests

The FSA said Mr Young's letter highlighted concerns about the horse passport system, which is the responsibility of Defra - not the illegal substitution of beef with horse.

A spokesperson said: "The horse passport system is the principal measure to keep horses testing positive for bute out of the food chain.

"During the past 12 months the FSA has increased the number of staff working in horse abattoirs to strengthen our oversight of the system. And from last week we introduced a system where all horses are tested for bute, and carcasses are not allowed into the food chain unless they have tested negative. This complements the protection provided by the horse passport system."

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Home Secretary Pledges New Deportation Law

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 17 Februari 2013 | 22.11