Clacton Result Sparks Fears In Marginal Seats

By Nick Martin, North of England Correspondent

UKIP's success in the Clacton by-election has worried the traditional parties in one of the biggest battlegrounds of the next General Election.

The leafy Tory seat of Warrington South has a reputation for being a political bellwether, having voted for the winning party in every election with the exception of one.

But the rise of Nigel Farage has the candidates in the Cheshire seat fearing a result may be even closer.

The current Conservative MP, David Mowat, accepts that UKIP could pull vital votes away from him in May 2015.

Tory MP David Mowat talking to Sky News

"The electorate gave a message to the political classes that they need to be listened to and I agree with that," he said.

"But I don't think UKIP would regard this as one of their target seats - they could do damage here and that could have unintended consequences."

Video: 'We're After You': UKIP Claims

The "unintended consequences", say the Conservatives, are that a vote for UKIP could allow Labour to make gains.

The Labour candidate, Nick Bent, is hopeful: "The rise of UKIP does worry me," he told Sky News.

"I am worried that there are still an awful lot of people floating along with UKIP. I think they will take more votes away from the Conservatives than they will from Labour and that could help us."

Video: What Does UKIP's Win Mean For 2015?

In the Mulberry Arms, UKIP's James Ashington - a lifelong Conservative councillor until he defected some years ago - sips from a small brandy glass and smiles.

"The idea that we're taking votes only from Conservatives is nonsense. We're taking large number of votes from Labour, too, and I think the same will happen in May," he said.

"I am not sure whether we will win here but I think we will do some damage to the other parties.

Video: Carswell High Fives 'Earth Angel'

"People have very real concerns about jobs, immigration and the traditional parties."

Video: Nigel Farage: UKIP Is On A Roll

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UKIP Rules Out Pre-Election Pact With Tories

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has told Sky News he will not consider a deal with the Tories to work against Labour during next year's General Election.

Mr Farage was speaking as he and UKIP's first elected MP arrived in Rochester and Strood in an attempt to capitalise on the party's by-election success on Thursday.

The defection of Mark Reckless from the Conservatives to UKIP gives the anti-Europe party another chance to secure a second Westminster seat before the election in May.

A survey last week gave Mr Reckless a nine-point lead over the Conservative challenger, putting David Cameron under pressure from some backbenchers to consider a deal with UKIP.

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg had been among those who has been arguing the two parties should work together to defeat Labour.

Video: What Does UKIP's Win Mean For 2015?

He told The Times: "We should think about what that means in terms of the UKIP-Conservative relationship because the Conservative family could win a majority on that basis.

"Otherwise, the only thing we manage is mutually assured destruction."

But when asked if he would consider a pre-election pact, Mr Farage told Sky News: "This party is not a splinter of a Conservative party. This party is its own organic force.

"This party and these people, we want to win our own representation in Westminster and we believe that only by doing that can we fundamentally change British politics.

"To sell out so that one or two people can have  a ministerial position is not what this party's about.

Video: 'UKIP Vote Risks Labour Government'

"I don't trust David Cameron. I don't believe a word David Cameron says. And for that reason it would be fruitless to even enter into any negotiation. It's not going to happen."

Mr Reckless, however, would not be drawn on the issue, saying: "I'm not discussing or supporting pacts."

"UKIP are the agents of change – we're going to shake-up that cosy cartel in Westminster," he added.

The UKIP candidate received a warm welcome on Saturday, a marked contrats to shortly after his defection when he was forced to cancel a walkabout due to the negative reception.

Party volunteers spoken to by Sky's Rachel Amatt had come from as far away as Staffordshire to support Mr Reckless.

Video: Questions Remain Over Ed Miliband

Volunteers were preparing to leaflet each one of the constituency's 40,000 homes during the day.

Earlier, Mr Carswell hit out at what he described as an "aggressive smear campaign" against Mr Reckless, who he described as "one of the most decent and honourable people I have ever met in politics".

"He didn't have to face this by-election. He didn't have to resign and seek permission from the voters. He did so because he believed it's the only honourable thing to do.

"In response to that, the big corporate party machines in Westminster have run a highly personal aggressive smear campaign. That's what's wrong with our politics."

The date of the by-election in the Kent constituency is still to be set.

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FA Plans Plastic Pitches To Boost Grassroots

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent

The Football Association is to take responsibility for publicly-owned pitches in up to 30 English cities as part of an attempt to revive the grassroots of the game.

Under the plan, revealed by FA chairman Greg Dyke in Sheffield, the FA is aiming to raise up to £230m from the professional game, local authorities and government to double the number of full-size artificial pitches by 2020.

The plan is intended to address the declining quality of local authority pitches, which, because of spending cuts, are seldom maintained to reasonable standards, while hire costs are rising as councils attempt to balance the books.

Mr Dyke's solution to the grassroots problem is plastic pitches.

The FA hopes artifical pitches will improve England's chances

With thousands of matches scheduled for grass pitches lost every year to the weather, the FA will focus on building large numbers of artificial grass pitches (AGPs) that can be used all-year round.

They will be focused on football "hubs" in up to 30 cities, starting with a pilot scheme in Sheffield and followed by similar schemes in Liverpool and Birmingham.

Video: Rooney Backs FA Pitches Plan

"We think we are behind in this country," Mr Dyke told Sky Sports News HQ at the launch in Sheffield.

"It needs to change. Local authorities are under enormous pressure. The great advantage of these artificial pitches is that you can play 80 hours a week.

"We have a big problem in grassroots football because of facilities. I wouldn't say it's at crisis point, but we have to do something about it."

He added: "We are hoping the Government and local authorities will give us some money. We hope the Premier League and private sector will put some money in.

"The Premier League already puts money into facilities and we just hope they put some more in."

The proposals are the centrepiece of the second part of the FA Chairman's England Commission, set up last year to try to improve the long-term prospects for the England men's national team.

Mr Dyke set up the commission because of concerns over the decline in the number and quality of English footballers at the highest level.

Less than a third of players starting in Premier League teams are English, a decline that Mr Dyke believes has hampered the ability of the national team to compete.

The report focuses on the pathway for children into the game, and specifically on the quality of facilities and coaching.

The proposals for new pitches are ambitious, and could eventually see local authorities pass responsibility for pitches to local football trusts in which the FA, councils and local clubs could have a voice.

In order to fund the scheme the FA want councils to put in money they would otherwise be spending on routine pitch maintenance as a lump sum, with the government and Premier League contributing significant sums.

The FA want to increase the number of AGPs in urban areas by 130% to more than 500, and nationwide to more than 1,000.

On coaching, the FA want to recruit huge numbers of qualified instructors, tripling the number of Level 3 coaches from 800 to more than 3,000, and increasing the number of advanced level coaches from 200 to 750.

Sports Minister Helen Grant welcomed the scheme but stopped short of committing any funding.

"I am keen to see what more we can do to help further improve the nation's facility stock, putting 3G pitches in places that need them most, and I am continuing discussions with the football authorities on this front," she said.

Government critics may argue that austerity measures have contributed to the decline in local authority spending on facilities.

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Johnson Warns Of 'Thousands Of Terror Suspects'

London Mayor Boris Johnson has revealed that thousands of terror suspects are being spied on every day by UK security services.

He said the number of suspects in London alone is said to be in the "low thousands", suggesting the threat from home-grown terrorism may be far more widespread than that from Syria or Iraq.

Mr Johnson told the Daily Telegraph: "In London we're very very vigilant and very very concerned. Every day - as you saw recently, we had to raise the threat level - every day the security services are involved in thousands of operations.

"There are probably in the low thousands of people that we are monitoring in London."

Until now the main threat was thought to come from about 500 suspected jihadists who went to Syria or Iraq from the UK to join Islamic State militants.

Video: Arrests May Have Foiled Terror Plot

Speaking about IS, Mr Johnson said: "London has a particular concern, because probably of the five or six hundred that are out there, we think a third, maybe more - maybe half - come from the London area.

"If and when they come back, we have a real job to deal with them."

It comes as police chiefs also issued a warning to officers to increase vigilance in the face of a heightened terror threat for officers and five men were being held by Scotland Yard suspected of plotting a potentially "significant" attack on the UK.

Video: Nick Clegg On Terror Threat

Meanwhile, in an interview with the same newspaper, Iain Lobban, director of intelligence agency GCHQ, hinted it now took three times longer to trace terrorists online in the wake of disclosures made by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

And he said sharing intelligence with a greater number of nations was necessary.

"It's nonsense not to share with the French. This is not Blitz Britain. We sure as hell can't lick terrorism on our own," Mr Lobban said.

Video: British Girl Heads To Islamic State

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Ebola Exercise To Test Britain's Readiness

A national exercise is being held to test Britain's readiness for an ebola outbreak, with actors simulating symptoms of the deadly virus.

Government ministers will join dozens of medical professionals, some of whom will wear protective equipment, for the eight-hour drill in locations across the country.

Sky sources understand one of the locations that has been a part of the exercise is the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where a two-hour drill was conducted.

A simulated meeting of the Government's COBRA emergency committee will also be held, chaired by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Meanwhile, aid ship RFA Argus, which is to be sent to Sierra Leone next week to help fight the outbreak, has arrived in Falmouth, Cornwall, to be loaded with medical supplies before being deployed to West Africa.

It will carry three Merlin helicopters, aircrew and engineers to provide transport and support to medical teams and aid workers there.

Video: Hospital Staff Throw Gloves At PM

The exercise was ordered by David Cameron as part of the UK's contingency plan against ebola, which has killed more than 4,000 people in West Africa.

It comes after the Prime Minister was forced to defend the decision to introduce enhanced screening for the virus at major points of entry, saying it had been taken on "medical advice".

Questions have been raised about the checks, with a spokesman for Gatwick saying the airport had not been given any instructions about how the screening should be carried out.

The move was also criticised by health experts, with one describing it as a "complete waste of time", while Labour MP Keith Vaz said the lack of precise information was "shambolic".

Video: Ebola Screening Coming To The UK

Mr Cameron said: "What we do is listen to the medical advice and we act on that advice, and that's why we are introducing the screening processes at the appropriate ports and airports.

"What we are focusing on as a country is taking action right across the board to deal with this problem at source."

The Department of Health has said it will provide further details about ebola screenings at Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Eurostar terminals next week.

The department has not revealed the locations of the national exercise, although a spokeswoman said it has been planning its response to an ebola case in the UK "for many months now".

Video: Ebola Crisis: On The Front Line

"It is vital that we test these plans in as realistic a situation as possible - with real people," she said.

As well as ministers these will include hospital staff, the ambulance service and Public Health England.

The spokeswoman added: "It is important to remember that the overall risk to the public in the UK continues to be very low.

"The UK has some of the best public health protection systems in the world with well-developed and well-tested systems for managing infectious disease."

Video: How Doctors Should Deal With Ebola

:: Watch a special Sky News programme on the ebola crisis at 3.30pm today and 3.30pm on Sunday - available on skynews.com, Sky News for iPad and on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202 and Freeview 132.

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Alice's Body Wrapped In Bag And Weighted Down

The inquest into murdered Alice Gross has heard the teenager's body was wrapped in a bag and weighted down in a river by logs.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss attended the formal opening of the inquest, which also heard the 14-year-old was identified by dental records.

The inquiry at the West London Coroner's Court heard the cause of Alice's death remained unknown and further tests were ongoing.

Alice's mum attended the brief hearing

Coroner's officer John Chadwick told the court: "On September 30, as a result of a search of the River Brent, the body of Alice Gross was found by London Fire Brigade divers.

"The deceased was found submerged, wrapped in a bag and had been weighted down. Alice was pronounced life extinct at 22.45pm."

Video: 'You Have To Be Incredibly Careful'

The coroner signed forms to allow Alice's body to be released to her family.

The hearing lasted only a few minutes and was adjourned until 29 January.

Alice went missing from her home in Hanwell, west London, on 28 August.

Video: Alice: Body Found In Suspect Hunt

Just over a month later, her body was found hidden on the bed of the River Brent.

The Metropolitan Police's Deputy Commissioner, Craig Mackey, has defended the amount of time it took to find her body, saying it was a "colossal" investigation.

The body of the prime suspect, Arnis Zalkalns, was found in Boston Manor Park - a mile from where Alice's body was recovered - on October 4.

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1. Gallery: Parents 'Devastated' At Alice Death

   A post-mortem into the death of Alice Gross has proved inconclusive

2. The schoolgirl's body was found in a river in west London on October 1

3. A cordon had been put in place after the discovery of human remains in the River Brent

4. Forensic officers at the scene

5. Alice's father has changed his Facebook profile picture from a campaign poster to a field of wild flowers

6. Alice's family had made a heartfelt plea for the safe return of the missing teenager

7. Scotland Yard released new images of Alice as police staged a reconstruction of her last-known movements

8. The teenager disappeared on 28 August

9. Police received more than 1,000 calls from the public in response to appeals

10. Alice pictured with sister Nina

11. The 14-year-old had been missing for five weeks

12. Police had carried out a fingertip search around Alice's home in Hanwell, west London. This image shows officers searching the area on September 22

13. The hunt for the 14-year-old had been the biggest search operation since the 7/7 bombings in 2005

14. A dinghy was brought in to help in the search

15. Here, on September 18, forensics officers are seen in the garden of builder Arnis Zalkalns

16. Zalkalns, a Latvian national, was named as the main suspect by police after he, too, went missing from his home in Boston Manor Road, which runs between Hanwell and Brentford

17. September 8: a police diver enters the Grand Union Canal to search for the missing schoolgirl

18. September 7: Police search the River Brent, near Hanwell

19. A missing persons flyer is attached to a lamppost in central London

22. Alice was seen on CCTV at Brentford Lock

23. Arnis Zalkalns was seen on CCTV in the same area

The Latvian vanished from his flat in Ealing a week after Alice is thought to have been abducted and murdered while walking home along a canal towpath.

Zalkalns was filmed cycling along the same route behind Alice on the day she went missing.

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Gambaccini: No Charges After Sex Crime Arrest

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini will face no further action after being arrested under sex crime investigation Operation Yewtree.

The 65-year-old had maintained his innocence since he was held on October 29 last year.

He was arrested on the same day as another man, now aged 75, over alleged sex offences during a two year period in the early 1980s.

Baljit Ubhey, the Chief Crown Prosecutor of CPS London, said: "Having carefully reviewed this case, we have decided that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute in relation to allegations of sexual offences made by two males believed to be aged between 14 and 15 at the time of the alleged offending.

"Each allegation was considered on its own merits and we have concluded that the available evidence does not offer a realistic prospect of conviction for any of the alleged offences.

"The complainants have been informed and we will be writing to them to more fully explain our decision and offer a meeting should they wish to discuss the matter in more detail."

At the time of his arrest, Gambaccini released a statement to say: "On Monday night, October 28, I attended an excellent production of the Kander and Ebb musical, The Scottsboro Boys, at the Young Vic theatre.

"It concerned a group of black men in Alabama in the 1930s who were falsely accused of sexual offences. Within hours, I was arrested by Operation Yewtree.

"Nothing had changed, except this time there was no music."

He and the second man were the 15th and 16th people to be arrested under Operation Yewtree, the national inquiry sparked by allegations against Jimmy Savile.

Ten people, including Jim Davidson and Freddie Starr, have been told they will face no further action after being questioned as part of the investigation.

Three have been convicted - performer Rolf Harris, PR expert Max Clifford and DJ Dave Lee Travis.

Former pop star Gary Glitter and ex-radio DJ Chris Denning are due to face trial.

Driver David Smith was charged but died before court proceedings could take place, and another man, aged 73, remains on bail after he was arrested in April.

More follows...

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UK Ebola Screening 'A Complete Waste Of Time'

Ebola screening for travellers entering the UK will give a false sense of security, experts warn, as the Government denies an apparent U-turn over the tests.

No 10 says "enhanced screening" will be brought in within days at Gatwick and Heathrow airports as well as Eurostar terminals, after previously insisting it would be ineffective and impractical.

But it is believed testing for signs of fever using a thermal detector will not be routine as it is in America, which announced its own beefed-up screening earlier this week.

Instead, travellers entering the UK will be asked about their "recent travel history" and who they have been in contact with.

A medical assessment will only be carried out if questioning throws up concerns.

Video: Heat Scanner For Ebola Tested

However, there are fears some people may lie about their movements to avoid a delay, especially if they are feeling well.

Experts say that even with thermal scanning, the process has major flaws because people infected with ebola may not show symptoms for several weeks.

"This is a disease which has an incubation period up to 10 days," Professor Tom Solomon, Director of the Institute of Infection and Global Health, told Sky News.

"If people have symptoms when they leave a country in West Africa that will be picked up.

"There's very little to be gained by doing it again 10 hours later when they arrive in the UK."

Video: Ebola Crisis: On The Front Line

David Mabey, professor of communicable diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, labelled the screening a "complete waste of time".

"There won't be anyone coming from these (West African) countries because all direct flights have been cancelled," he said.

"Are they going to screen everyone from Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam? That would lead to a lot of delays and disruption."

Tropical diseases expert Professor David Heyman added: "People can cross the border while in the incubation period - as in the US - where a patient entered with no fever, no signs of ebola, and four days later became sick."

That patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, was the first person to be diagnosed with ebola in the US and died earlier this week.

Video: How Can The UK Stop Ebola?

Direct flights to the UK form Sierra Leone and Liberia - the countries worst hit by ebola - have been cancelled.

Other travellers from West Africa are likely to be funnelled into a separate queue at customs, but others from the region could slip through the net if they change flights in Europe.

There has been confusion over the Government's stance, with conflicting messages from the Department of Health, Chancellor George Osborne and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.

The Department of Health initially said it had no plans for screening, while Mr Fallon said existing policy was in line with WHO advice that exit screening was best.

But Mr Osborne insisted the Government was simply reacting to the latest advice from its Chief Medical Officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, who yesterday said it was right to consider further measures.

Video: Ebola Outbreak Compared To AIDS

"We are changing the very best medical advice in a fast-changing situation... You would expect us to follow the best medical advice to protect the British people," he told Sky News.

Hospitals in London, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle have been chosen as specialist centres to deal with any cases.

Meanwhile, a British man who died in Macedonia after showing ebola-like symptoms is not thought to have had the virus, according to Public Health England.

A Spanish nurse with the virus - the first person to have caught ebola outside Africa - remains in hospital in Madrid.

America's top health official, Tom Frieden, has said the outbreak could become as deadly as AIDS.

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Angelina Jolie Receives Damehood From The Queen

The Queen has presented Angelina Jolie with an honorary damehood during a private audience at Buckingham Palace.

The Oscar-winning actress was recognised in the Diplomatic Service and Overseas Birthday 2014 Honours list and received the honorary damehood (DCMG) for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end war-zone sexual violence.

After the presentation, her husband Brad Pitt and their six children were presented to the Queen.

The award was first announced in June as Jolie co-chaired the End Sexual Violence in Conflict (ESVC) global summit in London with then foreign secretary William Hague.

At the time she said of the honour: "To receive an honour related to foreign policy means a great deal to me, as it is what I wish to dedicate my working life to.

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1. Gallery: Hollywood's Golden Couple - Pitt And Jolie

   Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt got married at a chateau in the south of France

2. Special UN envoy Jolie and Pitt attend the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict in London on June 13, 2014

3. Jolie and Pitt attend the Bafta Awards at The Royal Opera House on February 16, 2014

4. The couple, accompanied by their children, arrive at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo in July 2013

5. Jolie poses with Pitt at the world premiere of his film World War Z in London in June 2013

6. Attending the Cinema For Peace Gala ceremony at the Konzerthaus Am Gendarmenmarkt at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in February 2012

7. Jolie and Pitt with the actor's parents, Bill and Jane Pitt, at the after party for the premiere of In The Land Of Blood And Honey in December 2011 in New York

8. The look of love - at the world premiere of The Tourist at the Ziegfeld Theatre in December 2010 in New York

9. The couple visit refugees in the village of Medjedja, near the eastern Bosnian town of Visegrad, 70km (43 miles) east of Sarajevo in April 2010

10. At a screening of the Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds in May 2009

11. The stars at the Critics' Choice Awards in January 2009

12. Signing autographs at The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button premiere in Berlin in January 2009

13. Jolie and Pitt arrive at the screening of Kung Fu Panda in Cannes in May 2008

14. At the Screen Actors Guild awards in January 2008

15. Attending the premiere of God Grew Tired Of Us in January 2007 in Los Angeles

16. Pitt and Jolie arrive at the Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in January 2007

17. Jolie holds daughter Zahara as Pitt carries son Maddox during a stroll on the seafront promenade at the historic Gateway of India outside their hotel in Mumbai in November 2006

18. The stars ride on a scooter on a busy street in central Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam in November 2006

19. Jolie and Pitt leave Hotel Belvedere in Davos in January 2006 while attending the World Economic Forum

"Working on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and with survivors of rape is an honour in itself."

The Tomb Raider and Maleficent star's work as a committed humanitarian runs parallel to her career as a leading actress who has been a huge box office draw for more than a decade.

US Secretary of State John Kerry praised her humanitarian efforts after news of the award in June, describing her as as a "fierce and fearless advocate'' and he said her dedication to campaigning could overtake her successful film career as her lasting legacy.

Video: June: Jolie Hosts War Rape Summit

Jolie is also special envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The leading lady joins the ranks of many acting greats who have received damehoods, including Diana Rigg, Judi Dench, Julie Andrews, Angela Lansbury, Helen Mirren and Maggie Smith.

The 39-year-old star has previously won an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes in 2009, 2011, and 2013.

Video: May 2014: Jolie On World 'Horrors'

The actress will not be able to call herself a Dame as she is an American citizen but can use the initials of the award after her name.

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'We're After You': UKIP Claims First Elected MP

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has warned David Cameron and Ed Miliband "we're after you" after the party claimed its first elected MP by winning 12,404 votes in the Clacton by-election.

Elsewhere, the party slashed Labour's majority in Heywood and Middleton to just 617 votes, which Mr Farage hailed an "absolutely astonishing" result.

Former Conservative MP Douglas Carswell won a landslide victory in Clacton, Essex, by securing 21,113 of the 35,386 votes cast.

UKIP also forced a recount in Heywood and Middleton, where Labour's Liz McInnes narrowly defeated UKIP's John Bickley.

Mr Farage said the results showed UKIP was now "a truly national party - indeed we are the only party that can challenge in solid Tory and Labour areas".

Video: No Complacency From Labour

He went on: "I've no doubt we'll hear, 'it's just a protest vote'. It's nothing of the kind. People from across the spectrum are saying. 'we've had enough of career politics'. They want to have a proper voice in Westminster.

"From today with Douglas Carswell they have got one, and in a few weeks time I believe they will have another in the shape of Mark Reckless, with another by-election coming up in Rochester and Strood.

"What we saw last night was the biggest and best night in UKIP's history

Video: 'UKIP Vote Risks Labour Government'

"We will now take the people's army of UKIP to the Rochester and Strood, and we will give that absolutely everything we have got."

Mr Farage earlier told Sky's Faisal Islam the strong UKIP result showed the Eurosceptic party was "ripping lumps out of the old Labour vote in the north of England".

Asked if he had a message for both Mr Cameron, who turned 48 yesterday, and Mr Miliband, he replied, "we're after you", adding: "Happy Birthday to David Cameron, and Ed Miliband, you have underestimated us."

1/15

1. Gallery: UKIP Surge In By-Election Results

   UKIP has its first elected MP after Douglas Carswell took almost 60% of the vote in the Clacton by-election.

2. Mr Carswell won the seat with a majority of 12,404 over the Tory candidate Giles Watling.

3. Liz McInnes won the seat for Labour in the Heywood and Middleton contest, but its majority of almost 6,000 in 2010 was slashed to just 617 votes.

4. On a turnout of just 36%, Ms McInnes won with 11,633 votes, defeating UKIP's John Bickley on 11,016.

5. Ed Miliband's party's majority had been almost 6,000 in 2010, but a UKIP surge saw a 17.65% swing to Nigel Farage's party.

6. A triumphant Mr Carswell said "there is nothing that we cannot achieve" after winning Clacton.

7. UKIP's first elected MP to Parliament forced the election after defecting from the Tories.

8. Mr Carswell was the favourite to win, but there were still nerves on the night.

9. Mr Carswell took almost 60% of the vote.

10. Mr Farage said: "Congratulations Douglas Carswell, a brave and honourable man who has a just reward."

11. Ms McInnes won with 11,633 votes in Heywood and Middleton, defeating Mr Bickley on 11,016.

12. Despite UKIP's loss in the Lancashire constituency, Mr Bickley told Sky News "the Labour vote had collapsed".

13. Mr Farage went on to tell Sky News: "We are ripping lumps out of the old Labour vote in the north of England. The truth of what has happened in the North today is that if you are anywhere north of Birmingham, if you vote Conservative you get Labour."

14. He added: "And the reason we haven't won up there, despite a fantastic campaign, is that too many people have stuck with the Conservatives, not recognising that UKIP is now the challenger to Labour in every urban seat in the north of England."

15. Turnout in Clacton was 51.2%, while in Heywood and Middleton it was just 36%.

Mr Cameron said UKIP's success in Clacton and better-than-expected showing in Heywood and Middleton both spoke to a "wider truth" that a vote for UKIP risked a Labour government.

"If you vote UKIP you are in danger of getting a Labour government with Ed Miliband as Prime Minister, Ed Balls as Chancellor, and you'll get no action on immigration, no European referendum, and most importantly you won't get a continuation of the plan that's delivering success for our economy and security for our people," the Prime Minister said.

"That is the wider lesson of last night and we have several months to demonstrate that only a Conservative government can give people the stability and security that we all want to see."

Video: UKIP Finally Makes The Breakthrough

Mr Miliband, who would not be drawn on the nail-biting recount at Heywood and Middleton, said: "There won't be a shred of complacency from us as we reach out to all of those voters who didn't vote Labour and those who didn't vote at all."

He said the 2015 election was a "fight against disillusionment and despair about politics" which he was determined to win.

Mr Carswell, who triggered the Clacton by-election when he defected from the Tories, said UKIP's success revealed a "profound change in British politics".

Video: What Does UKIP's Win Mean For 2015?

Ms McInnes, who gained 11,633 votes in Heywood and Middleton where voter turnout fell to just 36%, said the by-election result was a win for the NHS.

Analysts said Labour's vote was damaged by the low turnout. Voter turnout was higher in Clacton, where 51.2% of voters cast their ballot.

Sky's Jon Craig said the dramatic decline of Labour's majority in Heywood would trigger further debate about Ed Miliband's leadership.

Video: Inside The UKIP Party's Party

Concerns over the result have been raised by some Labour MPs, with one branding the vote "awful" and "terrible" and a member of the shadow cabinet describing it as "very worrying".

Sky's Joey Jones said one senior MP had warned Monday's gathering of the Parliamentary Labour Party "could be an absolute bloodbath". 

Voters in Heywood cast their ballot for a new MP following the death of Labour's Jim Dobbin last month, who held the seat from 1997 and was returned in 2010 with a significant majority.

Video: Interview: Labour MP

UKIP's next target is Rochester and Strood, where defector Mr Reckless is hoping to return to Parliament following his defection.

The by-election there is expected to take place early next month.

:: Watch full coverage and reaction throughout the day on Sky News - available on skynews.com, Sky News for iPad and on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202 and Freeview 132.

22.12 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alice Gross: Cop Says Investigation 'Colossal'

The Metropolitan Police's deputy commissioner has defended his force's handling of the "colossal" investigation into Alice Gross' murder.

Scotland Yard has come under fire for delays in finding the 14-year-old's body and that of prime suspect Arnis Zalkalns.

It took police about a month to find Alice's body in the River Brent on Tuesday last week before Zalkalns' body was discovered hanging from a tree in Boston Manor Park, west London, on Saturday.

Craig Mackey questioned by the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee

Giving evidence to the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee, deputy commissioner Craig Mackey said officers searched 32 square kilometres and 5.5km of rivers and canals.

He said: "When you have search areas of this size it takes an awful long time and there is not a huge amount of experience across the country of doing this."

And he said officers had looked at more CCTV material than during the London riots in 2011.

Around 600 officers, including personnel from 17 other forces, were involved in the Alice Gross operation - the biggest police search effort since the July 7 bombings in 2005.

Alice, 14, from Hanwell, west London, went missing on August 28.

A post-mortem examination proved inconclusive and it may be weeks before further tests are complete which will determine how she died.

More follows...

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Disgraced PR Guru Clifford Back On Camera

By Tom Parmenter, News Correspondent

Only the sound of jangling keys told you Max Clifford was sat in a prison.

The one time "King of Kiss and Tell" appeared on video link from HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire and was beamed on to screens in the appeal courtroom in central London.

He is five months into his eight-year prison sentence but his face told you he had lost weight.

The Max Clifford sparkle also seemed to have vanished. The mischievous glint in his eyes was gone.

He is now a 71-year-old best known as a sex offender.

1/9

1. Gallery: Max Clifford's Former Clients

   Frank Sinatra: Clifford started his own agency, Max Clifford Associates, in 1970. One of his early clients was Frank Sinatra, whose UK press interests Clifford represented.

2. Muhammad Ali: Cifford also looked after the heavyweight boxing champion in the UK.

3. Antonia de Sancha: He represented the actress in the aftermath of her affair with Conservative politician David Mellor.

4. OJ Simpson: Clifford acted for the former NFL star in the UK after his acquittal for the Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman murders.

5. Mohamed Al Fayed: Clifford looked after the then-Harrods owner in the aftermath of the "cash-for-questions" scandal.

6. Kerry Katona: Clifford has represented the former Atomic Kitten singer on two occasions.

7. Simon Cowell: The PR guru is widely credited with helping raise the music mogul's celebrity status.

8. Shilpa Shetty: He represented the Bollywood star following her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.

9. Jade Goody: Looked after the late reality star's media interests during her treatment for cervical cancer.

At one point he got up to grab the remote control and to adjust the TV screen that he was watching court proceedings on.

He complained that he couldn't hear properly, particularly when Rosina Cottage QC was talking.

She is the prosecutor who won the case for Clifford's victims.

Whatever buttons he pressed on the remote, the former publicist no longer has control.

He will now wait for the judgment from the panel of judges that may come through next week.

He no longer calls the shots or decides when announcements will be made.

Clifford is simply doing time like everyone else inside.

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Decision Day For Voters In Key By-Elections

Voters are set to go to the polls in key by-elections in Clacton and Heywood and Middleton.

The vote in Clacton, Essex, was triggered in August when Tory MP Douglas Carswell defected to UKIP and stood down from his Westminster seat. 

Mr Carswell won the seat in 2010 with a majority of more than 12,000, having previously served as Conservative MP for Harwich until the constituency was abolished by boundary changes.

In Heywood and Middleton, Greater Manchester, voters are choosing a new MP  following the death of Labour's Jim Dobbin last month.

Mr Dobbin held the seat from 1997 and was returned in 2010 with a significant majority. 

Polls will be open today from 7am until 10pm.

:: The Candidates In Clacton

Douglas Carswell, UK Independence Party

Andy Graham, The Liberal Democrats

Howling Laud Hope, The Official Monster Raving Loony Party 

Charlotte Rose, Independent 

Bruce Francis Sizer, Independent

Chris Southall, Green Party

Giles Watling, The Conservative Party

Tim Young, Labour

:: The Candidates In Heywood And Middleton

John Bickley, UK Independence Party

Iain Gartside, The Conservative Party

Abi Jackson, Green Party

Liz McInnes, Labour

Anthony Smith, The Liberal Democrats

:: Watch our special by-election results coverage from 10pm live on television on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132 and Freesat channel 202.

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Max Clifford Appeal: Judges Need More Time

By Tom Parmenter, News Correspondent

Max Clifford has been told he must wait to hear the outcome of an appeal against his eight-year sentence for a string of sex attacks on teenage girls.

Three Court of Appeal judges deciding whether to reduce Clifford's sentence have said they need more time after hearing argument against the shamed publicist's prison term.

Clifford, 71, who appeared in court via video link from jail, was sentenced in May after a seven-week trial.

He was found guilty of eight indecent assaults, relating to four women, aged between 15 and 19 at the time of the offences, between 1978 and 1984.

One of the victims, who described her lewd encounter with Clifford to the jury, told Sky News: "I think his sentence is deserved, not only for his crimes but for his continued contempt towards women in general."

Video: Clifford Seeks To Appeal Jail Term

Clifford's office on New Bond Street in central London was described in court as his own "sexual fiefdom".

Giving evidence, he dismissed the women as "fantasists and liars" who were making the allegations in pursuit of compensation.

In sentencing Clifford, the judge, Mr Justice Leonard QC, said he took into account Clifford's bizarre behaviour outside court and how his offences would have attracted far greater penalties if they had been committed more recently.

The eight-year sentence surprised many people, including legal analyst Lyndon Harris, who said: "The judge here has put the Court of Appeal in a tricky position.

Video: Max Clifford: The Full Story

"The sentence is clearly manifestly excessive on the law as it was at the time, I don't think there's much doubt about that, but politically it will be difficult for them to reduce the sentence, less still halve it, in such a high-profile case."

Clifford is currently serving his sentence at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire.

No date has been set for the judges to return their decision.

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Ebola Airport Screening Announcement Expected

Passengers arriving in the UK are to be screened for signs of ebola, say reports.

Calls for testing have increased over fears Britain could soon have its first cases of the deadly virus, which has so far killed more than 3,800 people in West Africa.

The Government, which previously said checks would be impractical and ineffective, is expected to announce the move shortly.

It comes as the US unveiled extra airport screening after the death of the first patient diagnosed with the deadly virus in America.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has warned it is "entirely possible" ebola could spread to Britain.

Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, called for screening at airports, ports and railway stations.

Video: How Effective Are Anti-Ebola Suits?

Handheld thermal scanners, which check a person's body temperature, could be used to identify passengers who may have a high fever, one of the symptoms of the disease.

They are already being used in some African countries, but there are questions over their reliability.

Patients can also carry the virus for several weeks before showing any signs of infection.

Video: Fight Against Ebola Is Our War

Public Health England says any worthwhile screening programme would be impractical, and said "robust, well-developed" plans are already in place.

Hospitals in London, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle are on stand by to provide "surge capacity" if the virus spreads to Britain.

There are currently no direct flights to the UK from the worst hit countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Video: Row Over Ebola Screening In UK

The Prime Minister decided on Wednesday to boost the UK's military involvement in West Africa to 750 troops after chairing a meeting of the COBRA committee.

Medical ship RFA Argus will travel to Sierra Leone, along with three helicopters, aircrew and engineers to provide transport and support to doctors and aid workers.

Concern about the virus spreading across Europe has grown since Spain confirmed it was dealing with the first case caught outside Africa.

Video: Australia Tests Nurse For Ebola

Australia is also examining a possible case after an ebola nurse returned to Queensland from Sierra Leone.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called for the world to step up its efforts at a summit attended by the leaders of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

:: Watch Ebola Crisis: A Special Report tonight at 8.30pm on Sky News, featuring exclusive footage from Alex Crawford at the heart of the outbreak in Liberia.

Video: How The Ebola Virus Has Spread

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EDF Go Ahead for Hinkley Point Nuclear Reactor

French energy giant EDF has been given approval to build a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in north Somerset, it has been confirmed.

The new-build power station is part of a plan to replace 20% of Britain's ageing nuclear power infrastructure.

Approval for the construction has been confirmed by regulators at the European Commission, following prior approval by Competition Commissioner Vice-President Joaquin Almunia.

The EU examined the bid over concerns the UK Government was giving excess help to the plan.

Mr Almunia said: "After the commission's intervention, the UK measures in favour of Hinkley Point nuclear power station have been significantly modified, limiting any distortions of competition in the single market.

"These modifications will also achieve significant savings for UK taxpayers.

"On this basis and after a thorough investigation, the commission can now conclude that the support is compatible with EU state aid rules."

Britain has previously estimated the new build cost at £16bn but some forecasts have put the total price up to £25bn.

The EU said that under treaty rules, member states are free to determine their energy mix.

It said that the UK has decided to promote nuclear energy and this decision is within its national competence.

However, it insists that when public money is spent to support companies, the commission has the duty to verify that this is done in line with the EU state aid rules, which aim to preserve competition among member states.

Known as Hinkley Point C, it will replace the A station, which is being decommissioned, and the operational B station.

Video: Nuclear Deal 'To Boost Industry'

It is the first in a new generation of UK nuclear power stations.

EDF had earlier said: "A new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point will not only provide a clean, secure and affordable source of electricity for around five million homes, but it will also provide around 900 jobs at the new power stations for more than 60 years."

The lengthy building programme is expected to create 25,000 jobs for almost a decade.

The industry's trade body head, Lord Hutton of Furness, welcomed the decision and said: "The Nuclear Industry Association is pleased the deal for Hinkley Point C has been approved.

"This is an important step in securing the UK's home-grown low-carbon electricity generation while adding jobs and prosperity to the economy."

:: EDF Energy CEO Vincent De Rivaz will be interviewed by Ian King Live tonight at 6.30pm.

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Rise In Child Abuse Linked To Witchcraft

Cases of ritual child abuse linked to beliefs in witchcraft are being reported to police in increasing numbers, it has been revealed.

A total of 27 allegations have been made to Scotland Yard in the past year, including two claims of rape, a child being swung around and smacked in the head "to drive out the devil" and others being dunked in water.

Child killings including the murder of 15-year-old Kristy Bamu, who was tortured and drowned by his sister and her boyfriend in 2010, and the death of Victoria Climbie have been linked to such beliefs.

And the number of cases of ritualistic or faith-based abuse of children reported to the Metropolitan Police has increased every year over the past decade.

A total of 24 were passed to the force in 2013; after 19 in 2012 and nine in 2011 - with 148 cases referred to the Met since 2004.

Police were due to meet a group including teachers, child care and health workers to discuss how to tackle an issue that officers say is rarely reported.

Detective Superintendent Terry Sharpe said: "Abuse linked to belief is a horrific crime which is condemned by people of all cultures, communities and faiths.

Kristy Bamu was killed in 2010

"A number of high-profile investigations brought the issue of ritual abuse and witchcraft into the headlines but it is important that professionals are clear about the signs to look for," he said.

"Families or carers genuinely believe that the victim has been completely taken over by the devil or an evil spirit, which is often supported by someone who within the community has portrayed themselves as an authority on faith and belief.

Video: March 2012: Witchcraft In The Congo

"Regardless of the beliefs of the abusers, child abuse is child abuse."

Simon Bass from the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service said his group was "not remotely surprised" at the figures.

"We are pleased that the Metropolitan Police has undertaken such great work in this area, but we are convinced that this form of abuse is hidden, and that the statutory agencies across the UK are facing similar situations," he said.

Kristy Bamu's death was one of a handful of cases where an apparent belief in witchcraft has been linked to extreme violence against children.

He was tortured and beaten before he drowned in a bath at his sister's flat in east London on Christmas Day 2010.

Magalie Bamu and her boyfriend Eric Bikubi became convinced that he was possessed by kindoki, or witchcraft, and was trying to harm or control another child in the family.

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Terror Arrests May Have Foiled Major Plot

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in a series of raids, during which one suspect was Tasered.

The men - all aged 20 or 21 - were detained by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command at addresses across London as part of an investigation into Islamist terror activities.

Officers believe the raids disrupted what could have been a "significant plot", according to a Whitehall source quoted by the Press Association.

The 21-year-old who was Tasered during his arrest did not require medical treatment, Scotland Yard said. 

"SO15 officers were assisted in the execution of warrants at one of the addresses by officers from the Specialist Firearms Command (SCO19). No shots were fired," police said in a statement.

"A number of residential addresses and vehicles are being searched by specialist officers in west and central London as part of the investigation. The searches are ongoing.

"These arrests and searches are part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist-related terrorism."

All four suspects have been taken to police stations in central London and remain in custody.

Sky News correspondent Mark White explained: "The information that we're getting from sources suggests that this was an early disruption of what might have been a significant plot had it been allowed to come to fruition.

"There has been a change in recent months in the way that the authorities will approach these plots... the authorities no longer have the luxury of following a terror group that might be buying the ingredients for an explosive device and conspiring among themselves for many months.

"These plots can spring up so quickly that the police have to intervene at a very early stage and that might mean that, at the end of the day, they don't get enough evidence that they can put before the court.

"But that's the trade off - disrupting plots and safeguarding the public at the expense, perhaps, of a trial further down the line."

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UK Soldiers Deployed To Ebola Epicentre

British troops are to be deployed to Sierra Leone on a mission to help fight the spiralling ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Soldiers from the Royal Scots Borders 1st Battalion, based in Holywood, Northern Ireland, will be stationed near the capital Freetown.

Around 40 troops have already arrived in the country, said the Ministry of Defence, and more are flying out soon.

Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Matt Munro said: "This is a challenge unlike any, but the point is that we are very well prepared.

"This kind of operation represents, I think, the future for parts of the British Army.

Video: Ebola: School Blocks Charity Mum

"We deployed in the first instance to Sierra Leone at very short notice, not knowing how long my people were likely to be there."

He added that the soldiers were at a very low risk of contracting the virus.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Argus will also sail and moor off the country's coast and could be used to evacuate any British casualties if needed.

Three Merlin helicopters will be onboard to fly doctors and personnel to hard-to-reach areas.

Some 600-700 British military personnel will be in the area at full deployment.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "The ebola outbreak in West Africa is already a global threat to public health and it's vital that the UK remains at the forefront of responding to the epidemic.

"We are stepping up significantly the UK's contribution and leadership in work to tackle the outbreak, on land, in the air and at sea.

Video: UK 'Lacks Ebola Experience'

"At the heart of the package is the commitment to provide more than 750 personnel to help with the establishment of ebola treatment centres and an ebola training academy."

Sky's Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones added: "At this stage it's all about trying to make sure that you can set up the proper infrastructure, the proper health services in some of those hard to reach areas.

"There's no plan for some sort of evacuation or anything like that."

It comes after David Cameron chaired a lunchtime meeting of the emergency COBRA committee.

Four major hospitals in the UK - London's Royal Free Hospital and three others in Sheffield, Newcastle and Liverpool, are on standby to deal with any outbreak in the UK.

The hospitals already have infectious disease units and have been lined up to provide "surge capacity" if the virus spreads to Britain.

Experts have said the UK is the third most likely country outside Africa to report an ebola case.

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Clegg Admits Lib Dems Tainted By Government

Nick Clegg has said his party has been tainted by time in Government, as he pledged never to make a tuition fees-style "mistake" again.

In his final conference speech before the General Election, the Liberal Democrat leader admitted he was no longer the "untainted ... fresh-faced outsider" who rode into the coalition on the back of "Cleggmania" in 2010.

Mr Clegg accused the Conservatives of lurching right and Labour of lurching left to combat the threat of UKIP, claiming the middle ground for his party ahead of the vote in May.

Nick Clegg's speech: word cloud

He thanked Ed Miliband for forgetting to mention the deficit in his speech at the Labour party conference, and he thanked the Chancellor George Osborne for announcing he would take away benefits from working age poor - making the party's job easier.

Mr Clegg said the Liberal Democrats were the only party to stand for "decent British values" and against the politics of "blame and grievance and fear" on offer from the other parties and he would "keep hammering away at the system every single day".

Video: Clegg: The Politics Of Blame

And he said he had debated with Nigel Farage on the European Union because someone had to stand up for "liberal Britain".

The Deputy Prime Minister listed all of the Lib Dems' triumphs while in Government, including increasing the personal tax allowance - effectively awarding tax cuts to millions - free childcare, better parental leave, gay marriage and the pupil premium for disadvantaged children.

He said he would not stand by and see the Tories claiming the credit for all the Liberal Democrats had done, telling activists: "David Cameron, you can copy our ideas but you will never imitate our values."

Video: Nick Clegg On Terror Threat

Mr Clegg vowed to increase the personal tax free allowance to £11,000 by 2016 and £12,500 by 2020.

He accused the Conservatives of plagiarising Liberal Democrat policy with Mr Cameron's conference pledge increase the amount people can earn without being taxed to £12,500 by 2020, which would mean a tax cut for 30 million people. 

Increasing the personal allowance was part of the Liberal Democrats' manifesto pledge in 2010 but in the televised leaders debates Mr Cameron told Mr Clegg his plans were unaffordable.

Video: Clegg Invokes The Pub Landlord

Mr Clegg disclosed a conversation with Mr Osborne in which the Chancellor told him: "I don't want to deliver a Liberal Democrat budget"

In his speech, Mr Clegg also hit back at Home Secretary Theresa May for "playing on people's fears simply to try and get your own way".

In her speech to the Tory conference last week, Mrs May accused the Lib Dems of putting children's lives at risk by opposing measures that would allow intelligence agencies access to all phone, internet and email records.

Video: Clegg: Tories Stole Our Tax Policy

Mr Clegg said: "Your Communications Data Bill was disproportionate, disempowering - we blocked it once and we'd do it again.

"There are times when the state needs to keep its nose out of our lives, to give us the freedom to make the most of our lives."

He also had a rebuke for Mr Cameron over his attitude to environmental policies telling party activists: "It's not green c*** to us" as he made a manifesto pledge to five new green laws.

Video: Full Interview: Deputy PM's Wife

The Prime Minister was reported last year to have said: "We've got to get rid of all this green c***."

Mr Clegg also promised the vow on the devolution of powers to Scotland promised by the three party leaders would not be broken.

He paid tribute to the two Britons killed by Islamic State terrorists, saying their deaths had provided British forces in Iraq with a "clear, single objective".

Video: Sky News By-Election Special

He also announced there would be national waiting times for mental health patients and, like Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband, he pledged to increase spending on the like DNHS.

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Deputy PM's Wife: 'I Just Want What Men Have'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

High-flying lawyer Miriam Gonzalez Durantez has told Sky News that she does not want to "have it all" - she simply wants "what men have".

In an exclusive interview, she also admitted that the "most important decision" of her life was who she chose to have children with - which happens to be the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

"What I would take issue with is the have it all. I never understand what people mean when they say have it all. I personally have never wanted to have it all like a general aim. I just want to have what men have," she said.

"Lots of men have a successful professional life or what looks like success to them and they have put that together with a family.

"I think that it was Sheryl Sandberg (chief operating officer at Facebook) who said that the most important decision in your life is who you decide to have children with," she added.

Video: Full Interview: Deputy PM's Wife

She was making the comments at a career "speed-dating" event, run by the charity Inspiring the Future, in which schoolgirls were given the opportunity to meet a range of successful career women.

Ms Gonzalez Durantez spoke to dozens of girls as part of the session that she hosted at a college 10 miles from the Glasgow conference centre where her husband was leading his party's conference.

She denied that she had put her life on pause for her husband, but added: "I think having a family and life is all about compromises. There is always a certain equilibrium and in my case we found it."

More and more families shared the responsibilities in the home, she said."There are lots of men now fully involved with raising the children."

But she admitted that it wasn't that way for lots of families. "I think if you look across society and across different countries... women still get a very big proportion of the chores at home."

She spoke of women who "have done half a day" of work before they leave home, and then after their daily job return to the "other half".

Video: Clegg Backs 'Top-Down' Taxation

When asked if it was like that for her she said no, insisting that Mr Clegg still pulls his weight even when David Cameron is away and he is in charge of the country.

She said: "We tend to share it very naturally and we make the point of one of us being at home most evenings and I think on the whole we manage." She said there was no "given formula" for the perfect family.

She said that she gave her own three sons the same advice as the girls that they should always make the effort in education. But she has felt from meeting many girls through this charity that they lack some self confidence, which boys tend to have.

"We have made a lot of progress but there is still a little bit more progress to make," she said. Having successful women give over an hour of their time to inspire girls could make a big difference. She praised the Every day Sexism campaign, arguing that talking about discrimination was the way to tackle it."

She concluded: "I do think it is important to celebrate female achievement and aiming high that is part of the message that we want to give to the girls that aiming high is good. It is as good for girls as it is for boys."

:: Watch the rest of the interview on skynews.com and on the Sky News iPad app from 6am, and on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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Dog Set On Fire: Man Jailed For 'Vile' Attack

A man has been jailed for setting fire to a family's pet dog in a savage attack that left the three-year-old border collie so badly burned her ribs and other joints were visible.

Cody had to be put down two weeks after the attack in August 2012.

Andrew Richard Stewart, from Aghalee in County Antrim, was given a 20-month sentence at Belfast Crown Court after admitting the crime.

He will serve 10 months in custody with the remaining 10 on licence.

The 23-year-old has also been banned from keeping animals for 30 years.

Belfast Recorder Judge David McFarland said: "This was a particularly appalling act on Stewart's part. Cody was a much-loved pet.

"Stewart savagely attacked her (Cody) in the most evil and vile fashion.

"It is beyond comprehension that any human being could act in such a manner towards a defenceless creature, which was posing no threat to him."

His friend Jamie Downey, 23, from Craigavon, County Armagh, was also jailed after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice.

"He did nothing to alleviate the suffering of Cody knowing that she had been injured in a most grievous fashion, and then through some misguided loyalty to Stewart agreed with him to concoct what were false stories to divert police attention away from both defendants," the judge said.

Judge McFarland said he had taken into account the distress caused to the dog's owners, Natalie and Martin Agnew and their two young sons, one of whom was only six at the time.

"The parents and two young boys had a much loved pet, which was so cruelly taken from them," he said.

Stewart changed his plea to guilty minutes before Mrs Agnew and her son Jake were due to give evidence on the second day of the trial last month.

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DJ Accused Of Raping Girl With Jimmy Savile

By Frazer Maude, Sky Reporter, Manchester Crown Court

A former DJ brought a young girl to Jimmy Savile to be raped - then raped her himself straight afterwards, a court has been told.

Ray Teret is accused of over 30 historical sexual offences against victims as young as 12, dating from 1962 to 1996.

As his trial got under way, jurors were told that Savile's name will crop up and that one of the charges involves the late broadcaster.

Tim Evans, prosecuting, told Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court that Teret - who worked at pirate station Radio Caroline and Piccadilly Radio - had a "deal of celebrity" in the 1960s and '70s, especially in the Manchester area.

Teret is on trial along with two other men - William Harper and Alan Ledger.

Mr Evans said: "The Crown's case in a nutshell is that he used the celebrity that he had to abuse young girls in various ways and that the other two defendants - Mr Ledger and Mr Harper - friends and associates of Teret - also became involved on occasions."

He said Teret's victims were abused after having "the spotlight of fame" shone upon them.

The 72-year-old from Altrincham knew Savile from when the pair were working together in Manchester.

One of Teret's alleged victims told police she was 15 when he took her to a flat in the city in the early 1960s.

William Harper is also on trial over the attempted rape of a girl

She told officers she "couldn't believe it" when she saw Jimmy Savile there and "couldn't wait to tell her friends she had met him."

The court heard that she was given a glass of Lucozade and sat next to Savile, but that seconds later he was raping her.

When Savile finished, she claims Teret pushed her back down on the bed and raped her himself.

Jurors heard that Teret told the girl she should "thank us" for what they had done, before giving her some money to catch a bus home.

The alleged victim told police she threw the money away when she left the flat, vomited and went home.

"All the way home I felt it was my fault," she said in her statement.

"I've kept it in for 51 years and always felt it was my fault."

Urging jurors not to allow the involvement of Savile to influence them, Mr Evans told them: "Nobody can have failed to come across all the publicity about Savile's conduct, whether at the BBC, prisons, hospitals or elsewhere with young girls and boys and other vulnerable victims. "

"This is the trial of these three men. In no sense are these men to be treated as guilty or contaminated because of the spectre of Savile."

Alan Ledger, 62, faces charges of indecent assault, indecency with a child and serious sexual assault. William Harper, 65 and himself a former DJ, is charged with the attempted rape of a girl under the age of 16.

The three men deny all the charges against them. The trial is due to last eight weeks.

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Terror Suspect Tasered During Police Raids

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences in a series of raids, during which one suspect was tasered.

The men - all aged 20 or 21 - were detained by officers from the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command at addresses across London as part of an investigation into Islamist terror activities.

The 21-year-old who was tasered during his arrest did not require medical treatment, Scotland Yard said. 

"SO15 officers were assisted in the execution of warrants at one of the addresses by officers from the Specialist Firearms Command (SCO19). No shots were fired," police said in a statement.

"A number of residential addresses and vehicles are being searched by specialist officers in west and central London as part of the investigation. The searches are ongoing.

"These arrests and searches are part of an ongoing investigation into Islamist-related terrorism."

All four suspects have been taken to police stations in central London and remain in custody.

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Morrissey Reveals He Is Having Cancer Treatment

Singer Morrissey, who has been forced to cancel a number of performances due to recent ill health, has revealed that he has been receiving treatment for cancer.

The former Smiths frontman told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo: "They have scraped cancerous tissues from me four times already, but who cares.

"If I die, then I die. And if not, then I don't."

The musician released his comeback album World Peace Is None Of Your Business earlier this year and is due to play a huge show at London's O2 Arena on 29 November.

In the interview the 55-year-old said he was feeling good but added: "I am aware that in recent photos I look unwell, but that is what illness does. I'm not going to worry about that, I'll rest when I'm dead."

Morrissey has not mentioned suffering from cancer before but a bleeding ulcer was reported in early 2013 along with double pneumonia in March 2013 and food poisoning in July 2013.

The singer also used the interview to slam his former record company, Harvest Records, from which he parted ways earlier this year.

"There was no kind of promotion, they always kept me hidden, and even so we have sold quite well.

"He (the boss) does not like for artists to think. It was stupid, but his ego seems to be more important than the proper functioning of his business."

In a recent show in Lisbon as part of a European tour, Morrissey's band wore T-shirts which said "F*** Harvest".

A representative for Morrissey has not responded to a request for a comment from Sky News.

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Alice Murder: Tests On Body Found In Park

A post-mortem is taking place on a body believed to be that of the man wanted for the murder of 14-year-old Alice Gross.

It is understood that Arnis Zalkalns was found hanged on Saturday in woods at Boston Manor Park - a mile from where the schoolgirl's body was hidden.

The badly decomposed body was taken by private ambulance to a mortuary in west London, and the post-mortem examination was scheduled for this afternoon at Fulham Mortuary.

The convicted killer vanished from his flat in Ealing on September 4 - a week after Alice is thought to have been abducted and murdered while walking home along a canal towpath in Hanwell.

Alice was found dead in the River Brent on Tuesday after a five-week search.

Video: Alice's Movements Reconstructed

Zalkalns, 41, was filmed cycling along the same route behind Alice on the day she vanished on 28 August.

His sister, Jolanta Daksa, told Sky News: "British police have not contacted me, or my brothers and sisters.

"Arnis' girlfriend, who is living in London, told me that they had found the remains and I told the other family members. Other details about what the police found we learned from the media.

"Now we are waiting for the results from the examination of the body and the police investigation.

"We want to know from police if it really is Arnis."

Video: Alice: Body Found In Suspect Hunt

The Latvian labourer worked at a building site in Isleworth, west London, and is thought to have come to the UK in 2007.

Authorities are facing criticism for apparently holding no record of his conviction for bludgeoning and stabbing his wife Rudite to death in Latvia.

It also emerged Zalkalns was arrested in London on suspicion of indecently assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2009, but was never charged.

A post-mortem examination on Alice was inconclusive and further tests are to be carried out to find out how she died.

Police said "significant efforts" were taken to conceal her body in the water.

Video: CCTV Footage Shows Alice Suspect

Zalkalns had not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since 3 September, nor had he returned home to his partner and young child in Ealing. He also left behind his passport.

Scotland Yard has said that though Zalkalns had been identified as a suspect in the murder investigation, inquiries continue to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crime.

A spokesman said: "Officers are still searching for evidence, and once again appeal to the public for any information that could assist them. Anyone with any information is asked to contact us on 020 8358 0100."

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Police Appeal After Pensioner's Road Rage Death

Detectives are calling for witnesses to come forward after a 73-year-old man died following a suspected road rage attack.

The driver hit his head on the road during a confrontation with a 67-year-old man in Northfield, south of Birmingham, on 15 September.

The 73-year-old suffered serious head injuries and died in hospital 12 days later.

The other man was arrested and is helping police with their inquiries.

Three weeks after the incident, police are appealing for more information from the public.

"We are investigating whether the two drivers had been driving in an erratic or aggressive manner further up Shenley Road, at the junction of Meadow Brook Road," said Detective Constable Emma Safe.

"I would urge anyone who saw either the confrontation on Loftus Road, or anything involving the two vehicles before that, to call us on 101."

The incident happened at around 11.45am.

The man who died was driving a blue Peugeot 307 estate, the other man a red Hyundai I20.

Anyone with information can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Mass Killer Admits Making Explosive Device

A mass killer who shot dead five people in 1978 has admitted making an improvised explosive device after he was released from prison.

The former Broadmoor patient, who was released from indefinite detention in the 1990s, was caught with the home-made bomb last year.

More than 50 home-made bullets, two pistols and a revolver were also found at the 70-year-old's home in Birmingham.

Street, originally called Barry Williams, was detained under mental health laws in 1979 for the manslaughter of three of his neighbours in West Bromwich and a couple who ran a petrol station in Warwickshire.

He had been due to stand trial at Birmingham Crown Court accused of making the explosive and possessing three firearms with intent to endanger life.

But he changed his plea over possessing the home-made device. He had already pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three charges of possessing a prohibited firearm and one count of putting a neighbour in fear of violence.

Prosecutor Michael Duck QC said the Crown accepted Street's not guilty plea to four other charges.

No further action will be taken on those charges after consultation with witnesses and Mr Duck added there was an "overwhelming likelihood" that Street will be detained indefinitely again in a secure hospital.

He told the court: "It is quite apparent and would have been the Crown's case, that this man commits offences of the utmost seriousness when he is mentally unwell.

"The overwhelming balance of medical opinion is that this is a significant problem that will take a very significant time to resolve, if it ever does."

Street is being treated at the high-security Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside. He earlier admitted throwing items at a neighbour's roof, banging and drilling walls late at night and making threats to a neighbour.

On 26 October 1978 he killed his George Burkitt, his wife Iris and their son Philip at their home on West Bromwich's Bustleholme Mill estate. The husband and wife were both shot in the head and their son was shot through the heart.

He then drove to Stockingford, near Nuneaton, where he killed Michel and Lisa Di Maria by firing shots through an office window.

He was caught following a high-speed car chase across the Peak District in Derbyshire and officers found more than 900 bullets and a 0.22-calibre pistol inside his car.

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'Violent' Dappy Facing Jail For Club Assault

Former N-Dubz singer Dappy declared "I'm free" after sentencing for his nightclub assault was adjourned by a judge who said he stands a chance of being jailed.

Dappy, who was tried under his real name Costadinos Contostavlos, was found guilty last month of punching a man on the dancefloor of the Evissa nightclub in Reading.

District Judge Davinder Lachhar told the sentencing hearing at Reading Magistrates' Court that the matter should be dealt with at Guildford Crown Court.

She said this was because the 27-year-old committed the offence while serving a six-month suspended sentence handed down by that court for a previous affray and assault, which could now be activated.

Dappy seemed relieved that he was given bail

The judge told the court: "This is a man who obviously has violent tendencies, to put it mildly."

Contostavlos's barrister, Jon Harrison, replied that his client "accepts he has issues surrounding confrontation".

Before adjourning the hearing, the judge said the singer's conviction meant he was "in breach" of the previous suspended sentence.

She added: "Certainly from my part I would be thinking of a custodial sentence but it's only right that the same court should sentence you."

Contostavlos, who entered the courtroom with a large black holdall, held his hands out in prayer as the judge gave her decision.

After being granted unconditional bail, he said "thank you madam" before breathing an audible sigh of relief and looking to the ceiling with his head against the glass window of the dock.

As he left the court building, the troubled star posed for a photograph with a young fan before telling reporters: "How do I feel? I'm free."

Last month's trial heard the fight broke out in the early hours of October 6 last year because Contostavlos, from Hatfield in Hertfordshire, began chatting to Devonn Reid's female friend and girlfriend at the club's bar, and that the singer punched him after Mr Reid told him not to talk to them.

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Clegg: Lib Dems Would Ask Rich To Pay More Tax

The Liberal Democrats would seek to increase taxes on the wealthy as part of efforts to reduce the deficit, Nick Clegg has said.

Speaking to Sky News from the party's conference in Glasgow, the Deputy Prime Minister accused Chancellor George Osborne of defying the prevailing economic wisdom by trying to cut the UK's national deficit without tax hikes on the rich and instead focusing on cuts in public spending and welfare.

He said his party would insist on around 20% of the £100bn deficit being paid off through higher taxes on the rich, such as their proposed £1.5bn "mansion tax" or a £1bn reduction in tax breaks for wealthy people's pensions.

But he refused to give more details of his "red lines" in any coalition negotiations.

He said: "I know that George Osborne has decided - in a way that I don't think you'll find a single mainstream economist in the world agreeing with him - that you can balance the books by only asking the working-age poor to make additional sacrifices or only by gouging out more and more money from unprotected public services like the police, social services, social care and education.

Video: Cable Backs Plan To Tax Rich More

"It's got to be a balance and we've broadly kept that balance during this coalition Government.

"I think, in taxation, you should start at the top and work down, not start at the bottom."

He said there was a "huge difference" between the priorities of the two parties that currently make up the coalition.

Video: Lib Dems Step Up Attacks On Tories

"We can create a stronger economy and a fairer society because that's the only way you can have opportunity for everyone to do what they want with their lives," he said.

"You do that by borrowing less than Labour but cutting less than the Conservatives. That's the stall that we're setting out.

"One of the big questions in next year's election is not just going to be who promises this, that or the other. It's 'Who will pay?' Because there is a price-tag to everything.

Video: Lib Dems 'Wrote' Economic Recovery

"Our answer is very simple. We think if you ask society to make a sacrifice, the broadest shoulders should make a contribution. The Conservative answer is very clear. They say the poorest in work should make the greatest contribution."

Video: Lib Dems In 'Fight Of Their Lives'

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