Priority plan for poorest pupils

27 May 2011 Last updated at 12:01 GMT One in seven pupils failed to get a place at their first choice of secondary school this year Academies and free schools in England may be allowed to give priority to the poorest pupils when allocating places, under a new proposed admissions code.

The rules, published for consultation, also allow all schools to give priority to teachers' children.

The government said it wanted a simpler, fairer code and it would let good schools expand more easily.

But teaching unions warned the changes would "create another generation of haves and have-nots".

The admissions code covers entry to all state schools, most controversially, the basis on which places are allocated in popular, oversubscribed schools.

School admissions remain highly competitive in some areas, with one in seven pupils failing to get a place at their first choice of secondary school this year.

There are also concerns about a shortage of primary school places in the next few years in some areas, with London predicting a shortfall of about 70,000 over the next four years.

'Sharp-elbowed parents'

Education Secretary Michael Gove said the old code, which was 130 pages long, was "bureaucratic and unfair".

The new version is just 50 pages, and includes a range of changes he said would help "give all children the chance of world-class schools".

The proposals include:

Allow free schools set up by parents and community groups, and academies - state schools outside local authority control - to give priority to children eligible for free schools meals (those whose parents earn less than ?16,000 a year)Allow schools to give priority to the children of their own teachers and other staff, something which was stopped under LabourAllow popular schools to expand without permission from local authorities or the education secretaryAllow primary schools to increase infant class sizes beyond 30 pupils in order to take in twins and children whose parents are serving in the armed forcesRemove the explicit ban on admissions authorities drawing catchment areas and selecting feeder schools in such as way as to disadvantage children from deprived areasBan local authorities from using area-wide lotteriesAlter the appeals process to make it "cheaper and less burdensome"Improve the way places are allocated to children who move area in the middle of an academic year

Mr Gove says the existing system needed to change because it "rationed good schools" and with wealthier families able to go private or move house, "the poorest are often left with the worst schools".

"Good schools should be able to grow and we need more of them," he said, having argued earlier in the week that allowing popular schools to expand more easily would increase the amount of good school places.

Journalist Toby Young, who is setting up one of the first free schools, said he would want his governors to take advantage of the proposal to allow schools to set aside places for pupils on free school meals, if it is implemented.

He said the idea was welcome for free schools and academies that were "worried about places being monopolised by middle class children".

'Spiral of decline'

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the proposals would not improve social mobility and would have a "damaging effect" on pupils from the most deprived areas.

In April, the coalition's "pupil premium" came into effect, under which schools receive an extra ?430 per year for every pupil on free school meals that they teach.

ASCL general secretary Brian Lightman said this would "hardly be enough of an incentive or a supplement for schools to provide the additional support that these pupils so often need".

And allowing popular schools to expand would "create another generation of haves and have-nots".

"Those schools left with the most challenging pupils, who need the most intensive support, will suffer a slow spiral of decline and their pupils will lose out on life chances," he said.

And the NASUWT teaching union pointed out that the rules would allow grammar schools to expand without having to run local consultations.

"Forget about selection by the back door. This is selection by the front door," said general secretary Chris Keates.

Separately, the government said that it would, on a case by case basis, consider allowing free schools set up by parents to give priority to the children of those who founded them.

This is not included in the new code, but would be written into each school's funding agreement with the government.

'Reducing complexity'

Coalition ministers have long said they wanted to shorten and simplify the existing code.

Outgoing chief schools adjudicator, Ian Craig, said he was "pleased" at the publication of the new code.

"Reducing the complexity and making it easier for parents to understand without removing the safeguards for vulnerable groups is essential to our admissions system," he said.

He had warned in November that slimming down the code could risk "throwing the baby out with the bathwater" and reducing it to "a useless document".

The government is also altering the school admissions appeals process in the Education Bill currently before Parliament.

It wants to end the requirement for local panels to be set up to consider individual appeals.

The Bill would limit the Office of the Schools Adjudicator to investigating specific complaints, rather than wider issues where it suspects there may be a problem.

The body would, however, be able to accept complaints from a wider range of people and its remit would be expanded to cover academies.

The government says this will reduce bureaucracy without affecting fairness, but Labour has warned that such changes could result in reduced scrutiny and an increase in "selection by the back door".

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Baby P boss wins sacking appeal

27 May 2011 Last updated at 16:52 GMT Sharon Shoesmith, "It can never be a moment of celebration."

Ex-children's services director Sharon Shoesmith says she is "thrilled" to have won a Court of Appeal battle over her sacking after Baby Peter's death.

Judges said then children's secretary Ed Balls and her employers, Haringey Council, had been "procedurally unfair" when they sacked her three years ago.

The education department and Haringey plan to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Baby Peter Connelly, who had been seen 60 times by social services, was found dead in 2007 with over 50 injuries.

Ms Shoesmith's appeal was challenging a High Court ruling that cleared Ed Balls, the north London borough of Haringey and watchdog Ofsted, of acting unlawfully.

The Court of Appeal judges dismissed her appeal against Ofsted.

Mr Balls said he "strongly disagreed" with the judgement and added that his decision had been based on a report from independent inspectors.

Ofsted said its report on Ms Shoesmith's department, which identified "insufficient strategic leadership and management oversight", had been vindicated.

A Haringey Council spokesman said it was "deeply disappointed" by the judgement and stood by everything it had done.

Sacked on TV

In December 2008, Ms Shoesmith - originally from Newtownabbey, County Antrim - was sacked, bringing her 35-year career to an abrupt end.

Continue reading the main story Alison Holt Social Affairs Correspondent, BBC News

Sharon Shoesmith was a Director of Haringey Children's Services, a statutory role set up after the murder of Victoria Climbie more than a decade ago.

It aimed to place a line of responsibility drawn directly from the social worker visiting the child to the senior manager making decisions about the service.

There were undoubtedly serious mistakes made in the handling of Peter Connelly's case, but those mistakes were made by many of the agencies involved.

In the white heat that the case created, Sharon Shoesmith has always said she became a convenient scapegoat.

When her head rolled, it is argued, it turned scrutiny away from others, including the then Secretary of State, Ed Balls.

Many senior managers who run children's services will be very relieved by this ruling.

They claim the way in which Sharon Shoesmith was sacked did nothing to ensure people learnt from this tragedy.

She said she first heard of her dismissal when Mr Balls announced she would be removed from her post with immediate effect in a live press conference on television.

After the hearing, she said: "I'm over the moon. Absolutely thrilled.

"I am very relieved to have won my appeal and for recognition I was treated unfairly and unlawfully."

She said the sorrow of Peter's death would "stay with me for the rest of my life".

"But as the judges have said, making a 'public sacrifice' of an individual will not prevent further tragedies," she added.

At a hearing in March, Ms Shoesmith had asked Lord Neuberger, Master of the Rolls, sitting with Lord Justice Maurice Kay and Lord Justice Stanley Burnton, to rule that her sacking without compensation was so legally flawed as to be null and void.

Her lawyers had argued that she was the victim of "a flagrant breach of natural justice" after she lost her ?133,000-a-year post amid a media storm.

Ms Shoesmith also argued she was entitled to her full salary and pension from Haringey up to the present day.

'Tainted by unfairness'

In court, James Eadie QC, appearing for the government, defended Mr Balls, saying urgent action had to be taken following the "ghastly findings" of the Ofsted report.

But the judges allowed Ms Shoesmith's appeal against the former children's secretary because "the secretary of state did not afford Ms Shoesmith the opportunity to put her case".

Continue reading the main story 3 August 2007: One-year-old Peter Connelly (Baby P) found dead in his cot11 November 2008: Peter's mother, Tracey Connelly, boyfriend Steven Barker and brother Jason Owen convicted of causing his death 13 November 2008: Ed Balls orders inquiry into role of the local authority, the health authority and the police8 December 2008: Ms Shoesmith is sacked with immediate effect22 May 2009: Connelly, Owen and Barker all get lengthy jail sentences15 September 2010: Ms Shoesmith asks a House of Commons committee why the police and health services had not also been made to take responsibility27 May 2011: The Court of Appeal rules in favour of Ms Shoesmith"In short, she was denied the elementary fairness which the law requires," they said.

They also rejected a submission that the situation had been too urgent to allow for a fairer procedure to be adopted.

In the case of Haringey, the judges said: "We were unanimously of the view that Haringey's procedures were tainted by unfairness."

Lawyers for Ms Shoesmith said the ruling meant she could now launch appeals against Mr Balls and Haringey Council.

The BBC's education correspondent Reeta Chakrabarti said the Court of Appeal had indicated there was no question of Ms Shoesmith returning to her position at Haringey Council.

The matter of compensation or lost earnings would need to be considered by another court, she added.

Earlier, the court heard Ms Shoesmith had not been able to find work since she was sacked, had experienced suicidal thoughts and continued to be vilified by the press.

Outside court, she said: "I would love to go back to work (in Haringey) but that's not possible. I hope to carry on with my career with children in some capacity."

In a later interview with BBC London, Ms Shoesmith said she had received death threats in the wake of the Baby Peter case that had "terrified" her.

"The police were advising me that I was probably at risk," she said. "And when people begin to take photographs of you on the trains and on the buses and point you out and start to shout, 'That's that woman,' you're fearful of where that can go."

'Robust inspection'

Mr Balls said he did not "rush to judgement" because the independent inspectors' report "catalogued catastrophic management failures on such a devastating scale" that the council leader and member for children services had resigned.

"I judged, on the basis of that independent report - and on the advice of departmental officials and lawyers - that the right and responsible course of action was for me to use my statutory powers to remove the director of children's services from her position with immediate effect," he said in a statement.

The judgement said "the secretary of state did not afford Ms Shoesmith the opportunity to put her case".

He said he had been doing "what was necessary to protect the interests of children in Haringey and protect wider public confidence in child protection".

In the case of Ofsted, the judges concluded its damning report "complied with the requirements of statute and common law".

Head of Ofsted, Christine Gilbert, said she was pleased with the appeal court ruling, and added: "Ofsted carried out a robust inspection and came to a sound conclusion based on evidence.

"On any view, our inspection report was extremely critical and there has been no challenge to the finding that services for children in Haringey were inadequate."

Seventeen-month-old Baby P, subsequently named as Peter Connelly, was found to have suffered fractured ribs and a broken back after months of abuse at home. His mother, her partner and a lodger were all jailed for causing or allowing his death in August 2007.

Peter had been seen by health and social services professionals from Haringey council 60 times in the eight months before he died.

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MSP gives pension to charity

27 May 2011 Last updated at 12:05 GMT Alex Fergusson had served as presiding officer in the Scottish Parliament The former presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, Alex Fergusson, is giving his pension to charity.

The Tory MSP, who has become the first former PO to return to Holyrood as an elected member, is entitled to about ?20,000 a year as a former post-holder.

But Mr Fergusson said he did not want to benefit from the pension while earning an MSP's salary.

He will donate the money to charities in his Galloway and West Dumfries constituency.

Explaining his decision, Mr Fergusson, who served in the politically-neutral job of presiding officer from 2007 to 2011, said: "I fully recognise the presiding officer pension was put in place with an expectation that the retiring presiding officer would be stepping down from politics.

"I also recognise that the rules have now been changed so that no presiding officer from now on will receive the presiding officer pension until they are in receipt of a normal MSP pension."

Mr Fergusson went on: "I see no point in the money sitting in a pension fund to the sole benefit of the fund managers, when it could be put to good use elsewhere."

The former farmer is currently working on the details with parliamentary officials in an effort to set up a "give-as-you-earn" scheme, to be administered by the Charities Aid Foundation.

The move will ensure the charities will also get the tax that would have been payable on the pension income.

Since the Scottish election, Mr Fergusson has made a return to front line party politics, becoming Scottish Tory rural affairs spokesman.

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Huhne election complaint rejected

27 May 2011 Last updated at 17:06 GMT Chris Huhne is under pressure over claims about a speeding offence in 2003 The elections watchdog has rejected a complaint made about Energy Secretary Chris Huhne's election spending.

Mr Huhne was accused by two former Lib Dem councillors in his Eastleigh constituency of having made a "false declaration" - a claim he denied.

But the Electoral Commission replied saying no "specific evidence" had been provided about his election spending.

Police are investigating separate claims that Mr Huhne tried to evade a speeding punishment, which he denies.

The energy secretary has been under pressure since his ex-wife suggested someone close to him took licence points for him after a speeding offence committed on the M11 motorway in 2003.

Recording

Separately, the Electoral Commission has been looking into two complaints about his election expenditure and announced on Friday one had been dismissed.

Under rules governing spending by parties on election campaigns, the limit for Mr Huhne's constituency at the 2010 general election was ?39,973 - he declared ?29,519.

Continue reading the main story

The discussions at the meeting did not appear to have related solely to spending on Mr Huhne's campaign and did not indicate any specific overs pending in respect of his return”

End Quote Electoral Commission investigator The complaint to the Electoral Commission was based on a recording of a local party meeting where treasurer Anne Winstanley was heard saying that the elections "have cost more than we declared".

But the Commission said after considering the allegation "carefully, in line with our assessment procedure" it would not be taking further action, although it made it clear that it would consider further evidence if it was provided.

In a letter to Ms Winstanley, the investigator said: "The reason for my decision is that the allegation did not provide any specific evidence that Mr Huhne's campaign expenditure was under-reported.

"The discussions at the meeting did not appear to have related solely to spending on Mr Huhne's campaign and did not indicate any specific overspending in respect of his return".

'Thoroughly checked'

Aides had said the sums referred to in the meeting covered all campaigning in the constituency and not just Mr Huhne's individual campaign expenses.

Ms Winstanley had previously issued a statement in which she said the general election expenses "were as declared to the Electoral Commission".

The complaint had been made by former Lib Dem mayor Glynn Davies-Dear, now an independent councillor on Eastleigh borough council, and former Lib Dem councillor Andy Moore. Both men quit the party in January in protest at the coalition government's policies.

The two men said they would challenge the watchdog's ruling as they were dissatisfied with how it had conducted the investigation.

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said they had complained they had not been asked to submit the tape recording concerned.

However, Mr Huhne said he was "pleased" with Friday's ruling and that the matter had been dealt with "quickly and thoroughly".

"I am confident that the returns were completed properly in accordance with the law," he said.

The Sunlight Centre for Open Politics has also lodged a complaint with the Electoral Commission about Mr Huhne's expenditure on election leaflets and his election website, which is still being looked into.

The watchdog is expected to decide whether to formally investigate the matter next week.

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Iris Robinson cleared by report

26 May 2011 Last updated at 22:33 GMT Iris Robinson has been cleared of any wrongdoing The DUP says an independent investigation has cleared Iris Robinson and Castlereagh council of any wrongdoing in the awarding of a contract to her former teenage lover.

A report on the investigation was presented to councillors on Thursday.

It examined whether councillors and officials complied with legislation and if any impropriety took place.

DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt said the report made "absolutely no criticism whatsoever" of Mrs Robinson.

He also said the report made no criticism of any councillor or council official.

No evidence

Mr Spratt said: "Those who previously engaged in rumour-mongering and mud-slinging now have no foundation to continue to do so.

"There is no evidence of wrongdoing by officers of the council or either past or present councillors within the council in Castlereagh."

Representatives from Deloitte, the consultants who carried out the investigation, presented an executive summary of the draft report to councillors.

The findings have not been publicly circulated.

A statement by Castlereagh council said: "The report concluded that there was no evidence of financial loss to the council or any impropriety by council officers or members directly involved in the assessment panel regarding the award of the lease.

"As the final draft report has only been received this evening, the council will require time to comprehensively review the report and enable councillors and officers to respond to the content," the statement said.

Controversy

The council commissioned Deloitte to undertake the independent internal investigation following allegations broadcast in January 2010 on a BBC Spotlight programme.

The programme alleged she acted illegally over money deals connected to the Lock Keeper's Inn, a cafe on the banks of the River Lagan in Belfast, run by her lover Kirk McCambley.

Mrs Robinson resigned as an MP, MLA and councillor, amid controversy surrounding the programme.

In March 2011, the Public Prosecution Service said that "following careful consideration of all the available evidence, a decision has been taken not to prosecute in this case".

The BBC issued a statement in response to the Deloitte report.

"The BBC stands by its journalism. We believe that the issues Spotlight uncovered during its investigation of several months into Iris Robinson were of significant public interest and were well sourced," the statement said.

"The BBC conducts its investigations in compliance with strict editorial guidelines. This programme was a piece of responsible journalism and a matter of public importance."

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Obama v Bush

BBC News - Obama v Bush: A tale of two state visits British Broadcasting CorporationHome

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Skip to content Skip to local navigation Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation Skip to bbc.co.uk search Help Accessibility Help Magazine Home UK Africa Asia-Pac Europe Latin America Mid-East South Asia US & Canada Business Health Sci/Environment Tech Entertainment Video England Northern Ireland Scotland Wales UK Politics Education Magazine 26 May 2011Last updated at 12:33 GMT Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Obama v Bush: A tale of two state visits By Vanessa BarfordBBC News Barack Obama has completed his three-day state visit to the UK. But how did it compare with the last state visit by a US president, when George Bush came to the country eight years ago in 2003?

Obama v Bush Entourage Obama's entourage was believed to consist of about 500 people - including 200 secret service agents. The Obamas, whose US security codenames are Renegade and Renaissance, were also reportedly joined by a team of medics, chefs and White House staff.

The Bushes, whose alternate US identities were Trailblazer and Tempo, were thought to have had an entourage of about 700. As well as secret service agents, national security advisers and government officials, there were also 15 sniffer dogs and five cooks on hand.

Wheels Obama's bomb-proof Cadillac is known as The Beast.

Bush's Cadillac de Ville was sometimes called the Stagecoach.

Police security The Metropolitan Police Service said the policing operation for the entire duration of the state visit involved 5,000 officer shifts. The full cost of policing Obama's visit won't be confirmed until later this year, but it's expected to fall well short of the cost of the state visit by Pope Benedict - ?6.9m.

Bush's state visit to London cost police more than ?4.1m, according to the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens. All police leave was cancelled during the visit and the salaries for officers' shifts cost about ?2.5m, while overtime, transport and catering came to more than ?1.6m.

Protests A small group of radical Muslims gathered outside Downing Street to protest against the visit. Next to the anti-Obama protest, a few members of the right-wing English Defence League staged a counter-demonstration, with police separating the two sides when they threatened to come to blows.

Tens of thousands of people marched against the Iraq war, which climaxed with the toppling of an 25ft effigy of Mr Bush, in a symbolic echo of the destruction of Saddam's statue in Baghdad. One protester also delivered a parting shot by throwing an egg at the presidential cavalcade, but the egg missed.

Casual dining Obama and Cameron ditched their jackets and dished out burgers at a barbecue in the garden of No 10, in an event hosted by their wives for families of UK and US servicemen. British bangers, Kentish lamb chops, corn on the cob, Jersey Royal potatoes and caesar salad were also on the menu. Dessert was summer berries and ice cream.

Much was made of Blair and Bush and their wives eating fish, chips and mushy peas at the Dun Cow Inn in Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency. The starter was cream of potato and leek soup and dessert was a lemon creme brulee. Mr Bush washed it down with a non-alcoholic lager. Mrs Bush and the Blairs sipped soft drinks.

Moment of rapport Playing table tennis in a visit to a south London academy Having a beer (albeit non-alcoholic) in a pub in Sedgefield Formal dining On the state banquet menu for the Obamas was sole with watercress, lamb in basil, roasted radish and courgettes, green beans and roast potatoes. It was followed by vanilla charlotte with morello cherries.

The Bushes' Buckingham Palace menu was consomme with sorrel, roast halibut with herbs, breast of chicken with basil, roast potatoes and Savoy cabbage, followed by vanilla praline and coffee ice-cream.

Banquet VIPs Famous names included actors Tom Hanks and Kevin Spacey and actress Helena Bonham Carter.

Celebrity guests included actor Sir Michael Caine and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson.

Gifts The Queen gave Michelle Obama an antique gold and red coral brooch in the form of roses, while Obama received a book containing a selection of letters, from the royal archives, between past US presidents and British monarchs. The Queen received a leather-bound album containing photographs of her parents' trip to America in 1939.

The Queen gave Laura Bush a jewellery box made by her nephew Viscount Linley and Bush a solid silver rule engraved with the royal cypher and the US presidential seal, and a specially-bound copy of The Royal Treasures, A Gold Jubilee Celebration. Meanwhile, the Bushes gave the royal couple a specially commissioned set of china.

Talking points Libya and the developments across the Middle East, in Syria and Yemen and the fight against terrorism were discussed during 90 minutes of talks between Obama and Cameron. Other issues included the global economy, climate change and international security.

Iraq featured heavily in the Bush-Blair talks but it did not totally dominate. International terrorism, the terror attacks against British targets in Turkey, Guantanamo internees and free trade were among the other key issues discussed.

First Lady As well as co-hosting a barbecue with Samantha Cameron, Michelle Obama spoke to schoolgirls at Oxford University. The trip - arranged at her suggestion - aimed to encourage the girls to think about studying for a degree. All eyes were also on Michelle when she met the Queen but there was no repeat of her "faux pas" hug two years ago.

Former First Lady Laura Bush kept a relatively low profile during the 2003 three-day state visit, seemingly happy to let her husband have the limelight. Laura and Cherie Blair watched a children's Shakespeare performance together, and the pair were also treated to a menu prepared by British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson.

Slip up Obama suffered an awkward moment during the palace banquet when he proposed a toast "to the Queen" - which prompted the orchestra to start playing the national anthem. Obama carried on talking and raised his glass to the monarch before the music had finished.

There was no widely reported mishap by Bush in 2003, however during the Queen's state visit to the US in 2007, the former president slipped up in a speech on the lawn outside the White House. He suggested the Queen had been on the throne since the 18th century. Then when he realised his mistake, he turned to the monarch and winked at her.

Newspaper headline The Daily Mirror's headline on 25 May 2011 was a picture of the Queen and Obama, saying: "The Best of Buddies".

The Daily Telegraph's headline on 20 November 2003 was a picture of Bush and the Queen, saying: "Bush: You're our closest friend".

Trips abroad

Number of visits to various countries at the same point in their presidencies - two years in.

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Downing Street flat's £30k refit

27 May 2011 Last updated at 16:54 GMT By Ross Hawkins Political correspondent, BBC News The inside of the newly revamped flat was revealed in a photograph this week The prime minister spent the full ?30,000 of taxpayers' money available to him to refurbish his official flat in the last financial year, Downing Street has confirmed.

Officials say no public money was spent on furniture, fittings or accessories.

It went instead on electrical works and plumbing, structural alterations, and painting and decorating.

Labour MP Tom Watson said the ?30,000 grant was a "hidden bonus for the PM" for a flat he lives in rent-free.

Downing Street said any cost of renovations above the ?30,000 budget was paid for by the Camerons themselves.

Earlier this week the White House released a picture of Samantha Cameron and Michelle Obama in the recently renovated flat above Number 11 Downing Street, where the PM and his family live.

The picture showed, for the first time, the newly installed kitchen.

Labour MP Mr Watson told the BBC: "Good Prime Ministers lead by example. David Cameron says the public sector should tighten belts and come clean where taxpayers' money is spent. Yet when it comes to the Downing Street flat, we see a refusal to answer even basic questions on costs. He has now been forced to admit it cost at least ?30,000 to refurbish his grace and favour home - more than a policeman's salary. Are we really all in this together?"

Downing Street sources said former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown spent between ?28,150 and ?29,389 of the annual budget for refurbishing the PM's residence during his time in office.

Figures from the Cabinet Office show a total of ?683,102 has been spent refurbishing and renovating Number 10 since the general election.

A spokeswoman said a modernisation programme was launched in 2006 under the last government to address structural repairs in Downing Street.

Figures for previous years show almost ?1.5m was spent in 1996/1997, ?1.3m in 2007/08 and ?802,658 in 2001/02 maintaining the Downing Street estate, although these figures may include work on Numbers 10, 11 and 12.

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Cameron criticises G8 aid record

27 May 2011 Last updated at 14:35 GMT David Cameron said that Britain had kept its promises to deliver aid, "but the reality is, as a whole, the G8 has not"

The world's leading nations have not kept their promises on foreign aid, David Cameron has said.

Speaking at the G8 summit in France, the UK prime minister said there was a $19bn gap between what had been pledged and what had been delivered.

He vowed to be "tough" on world leaders over the issue and to continue to make the argument to the British people that foreign aid was vital to UK interests.

"The UK will not balance its books on the backs of the poorest," he said.

He was speaking after the UK pledged ?110m in additional support for Egypt and Tunisia as part of a ?20bn package of economic aid for countries in North Africa which have embraced political reform in the "Arab Spring" uprisings.

'Soft touch'

Before last year's UK general election all the main parties agreed that international aid should rise to 0.7% of gross national income by 2013.

But some Conservative MPs have questioned why the government is increasing foreign aid spending when most domestic budgets are being cut.

Continue reading the main story

I don't believe 0.7% of our gross national income is too higher a price to pay in terms of saving lives of the poorest people in the poorest countries”

End Quote David Cameron Backbencher Philip Davies told the Mail: "Once again we are the soft touch of the international community. We keep on spending money on foreign aid when we haven't got any money to spend on people at home.

"Every other country has accepted that spending money at home is better than spending money abroad."

The prime minister acknowledged the issue was "controversial" but said he believed it was a "moral principle" to help the world's poorest and was also in the UK's interest as it helped prevent wider instability and conflict.

'These things matter'

He said the UK would be the first country to fulfil the internationally agreed target for countries to spend 0.7% of their income on foreign aid by 2013.

"Britain will keep its promises and I was tough in urging my counterparts to do the same," he said. "The reality is that as a whole the G8 has not."

He added: "I cannot guarantee that the Italians or the Germans, or whoever else, will meet the promises they make.

"But I'll tell you what I think. I think what people back at home think about these summits is that frankly a bunch of people in suits get together and make some promises, particularly to the world's poorest, and then they go in and have a big lunch and forget all about the promises. I am not prepared to do that."

Recalling where he was when he watched the Live Aid concerts in 1985 and the Live8 events in 2005 - which were followed by substantial aid pledges at the G8 summit in Gleneagles - Mr Cameron said he would continue to make the case for foreign aid, even if it proved unpopular at home.

"These things matter," he added.

"If we are going to get across to the poorest people in the world that we care about their plight and we want them to join one world with the rest of us, we have to make promises and keep promises.

"Of course it is difficult when we are having to make difficult decisions at home. But I don't believe 0.7% of our gross national income is too high a price to pay in terms of saving lives of the poorest people in the poorest countries."

In their declaration at the end of the two-day summit, G8 leaders - including US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy - said their nations were "strongly committed" to meeting overseas aid commitments.

But development charity World Vision said their record was not encouraging.

"The UK has led while the rest of the G8 has responded with words and no action," said its spokesman Chris Page

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Government web internships unpaid

27 May 2011 Last updated at 01:04 GMT By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent The government's graduate website is offering unpaid full-time internships Almost one in three internships on a government website for graduate job-hunters this year has been unpaid, a Freedom of Information request shows.

In a political row earlier this year Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg called for interns to be paid.

But the Graduate Talent Pool website, set up by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), continues to offer many unpaid internships.

A BIS spokesman said businesses should be open and fair about what is offered.

University leavers face tough competition in the jobs market - and internships are seen as a way of getting a foot on the ladder.

But a Freedom of Information request, submitted by a graduate recruitment company called Give A Grad A Go, shows that 30% of the internships advertised so far this year on the government's official Graduate Talent Pool website have been unpaid.

Up to 6 May, more than 2,200 vacancies advertised on the website, out of a total of more than 7,600, were unpaid.

Full-time unpaid

The website itself shows that out of the 2,239 vacancies currently available, only 1,235 are paid vacancies.

Among the unpaid internships are full-time posts lasting for several months, with a number of agencies appearing to use the website to recruit such unpaid interns.

The Graduate Talent Pool website was set up by the government as a way of connecting graduates with internships being offered by businesses.

But there have been criticisms over how internships can be misused as unpaid labour by some employers - and warnings about the need for them to comply with the minimum-wage regulations.

Continue reading the main story

If an intern is effectively performing as a 'worker', then in most cases they will be entitled to the national minimum wage”

End Quote Graduate Talent Pool website There have been particular warnings about the impact of the intern system on social mobility - with claims that it gives an unfair advantage to the well-connected and those who can afford to work without being paid or only receiving minimal expenses.

Mr Clegg highlighted his concerns in his social-mobility strategy - sparking a political row about his own access to work experience and differences of opinion with the prime minister.

"We want to improve understanding of the application of national minimum-wage legislation to internships and ensure that employers comply with it," said Mr Clegg's social-mobility proposals.

"Where an individual is entitled to the minimum wage they should receive it and we take failure to do so very seriously."

Social mobility

The Graduate Talent Pool website also warns employers that: "If an intern is effectively performing as a 'worker', then in most cases they will be entitled to the national minimum wage."

Cary Curtis, managing director of Give A Grad A Go, said: "Recent social-mobility debate between the prime minister and his deputy has highlighted the lack of a coherent approach to internships and work placements.

"Nick Clegg's new Social Mobility Strategy is a step in the right direction, as we believe all graduates should be treated as employees and paid accordingly, regardless of the position's label or their social standing.

"The word 'internship' carries no legal definition and therefore often leads to graduate exploitation," said Mr Curtis.

He also criticised the finding that the government department did not keep a record of how many graduates found a job through its internship website.

A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "We encourage businesses to offer internships openly and transparently and to provide financial support to ensure fair access.

"Some interns don't qualify for the national minimum wage and we encourage employers to pay reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in these cases."

A spokesman for the Deputy Prime Minister urged employers of interns to pay heed to minimum wage legislation, and to consider paying the minimum wage or out of pocket expenses to "ensure fair access".

"But this is as much about opportunity as it is about money," the spokesman said.

"Too often, such opportunities can only be taken by well off, well connected families," he said, adding that the deputy prime minister "welcomes schemes like the Graduate Talent Pool that provide an open and transparent means for people from any background to find the right opportunity for them".

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North Sea oil production 'slows'

27 May 2011 Last updated at 12:18 GMT The figures showed oil production had dropped by just over 15% North Sea oil production has slowed to its lowest levels since records began more than 15 years ago.

The update from the UK government's Department of Energy showed the biggest decrease in oil production since quarterly records started in 1995.

The government said the decline stemmed from maintenance work and slowdowns in a number of fields.

It comes as industry leaders have warned a budget tax hike could threaten some major North Sea projects.

The Oil and Oil Products report for the start of 2011 said: "Indigenous crude oil production in the three months to March 2011 was 15.6% lower compared with the same period a year earlier. On a quarterly basis, this is the biggest decrease since quarterly records began in 1995.

"The decrease stems from significant falls in production in February and March 2011 because of maintenance work and slowdowns on a number of oil fields."

Gas production fell by 17.6% on the same period last year, which the government said was a reduced demand for gas for electricity generation and the mild weather.

A DECC spokesman said: "The first quarter drop in North Sea crude oil production this year is due to maintenance issues and faults with North Sea infrastructure.

"Production figures for April are expected to show these problems have been resolved and production has returned to normal levels.

"Gas production has been affected by these infrastructure issues but a reduction in gas demand for electricity generation has also had a significant impact."

An Oil and Gas UK survey released on Thursday warned that its members suggested 60 out of 240 potential projects had less of a chance of going ahead since the chancellor raised the supplementary tax on North Sea oil production from 20% to 32%.

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Ed Miliband and Justine Thornton enjoy quiet wedding

27 May 2011 Last updated at 16:37 GMT Wedding bells - Ed Miliband weds long term partner Justine Thornton No wedding bells and slightly windswept, but a kiss - Ed Miliband and his new bride Justine Thorton were all smiles.

It was a long walk from their reception venue to meet photographers. But what DO you ask a political leader who's just got married.

So I asked the happy couple that old standby: "How are you feeling?"

"This is the happiest day of my life," said the Labour leader.

Family affair

The venue was Langar Hall, a smart hideaway in the south Nottinghamshire countryside.

Earlier, the media had staked out the hall's entrance looking for familiar Labour Party faces. No sign.

Brother David joined Ed Miliband for the wedding celebrations

The vast majority of the 50 or so guests were family, many Justine's relatives from the south Nottinghamshire and West Bridgford areas, where she was brought up and educated.

Ed's brother David arrived with his wife Louise and their children. He opened his window to greet reporters.

"Hello everyone. It's going to be a lovely day," he said.

It was. You can't beat a wedding.

Politics takes back seat

After the 25 minute civil ceremony inside, the couple emerged with the first opportunity for reporters to see Justine's wedding dress.

It was British designed: a cream, empire outfit by renowned designer Alice Temperley. His was a blue, grey suit from Aquascutum.

The couple wanted to make their special day at Langar Hall very much an occasion for family and close friends. For today, politics took a back seat.

The owner of Langar Hall, Imogen Scriving, was particularly overjoyed. She had to keep "mum" about the wedding arrangements for so long.

"They just look so happy don't they. The dress was gorgeous. It's just been a fantastic and wonderful day. So exciting. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it," she told me.

They wanted a low key ceremony.

There wasn't even a best man's speech from brother David - that was down to the newly married couple themselves.

Next stop, a five day honeymoon, somewhere warmer and hopefully less breezy than rural Nottinghamshire.

Ed Miliband and his new wife Justine

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Smaller parties look ahead following election disappointment

27 May 2011 Last updated at 12:21 GMT Ed Miliband celebrates Labour victory in the Barnsley by-election Earlier this week UK Independence party leader Nigel Farage was explaining that "disappointing results" for his party in the local government elections would not undermine the real swell of extra support for his party.

"After all," he said, "we recently came second in the Barnsley by-election."

What the affable MEP failed to mention was what happened in the Barnsley Council elections a few weeks later.

UKIP's parliamentary candidate Jane Collins decided to cash in on her apparent support, and stood in the Monk Bretton ward.

She came third.

No champagne celebrations

Not a single one of the 60 or so UKIP candidates who put themselves forward across Yorkshire will be occupying a seat when the new councils meet for the first time this week.

No champagne fizz.

And UKIP was not the only minor party having to put the bubbly back in the fridge.

The Green Party put up more candidates than ever before across Yorkshire. It did not have a single gain.

The English Democrats concentrated on the "stronghold" of Doncaster where the party's Peter Davies is Yorkshire's only directly-elected executive mayor.

Its 12 candidates went home empty-handed.

Party over?

Groups of Independents have grown in recent years as an alternative to the traditional Labour control of the mining communities of Wakefield, Barnsley and Doncaster.

The smaller parties faced disappointing results in the local elections

Labour took many of those seats back.

And the party is clearly over in Yorkshire for the far-right BNP.

Its black-suited candidates denied an internal split was the reason for it putting up just 50 candidates across Yorkshire.

It did not matter much as not a single one won a seat.

The BNP's biggest humiliation was in Barnsley. It had boasted extensive support in the South Yorkshire town and it fielded 19 candidates.

None came even close to getting a seat.

Lead balloon

So what happened to all those Liberal Democrat votes looking for a new home?

It seems likely that voters returned to their roots.

After all, the Liberal Democrats had spent the past decade building up a considerable power base in Yorkshire by taking votes from the Labour and Conservative parties by portraying themselves as the UK's non-aligned democratic buffer.

After just a year of being part of the coalition government that argument is now going down like a lead balloon in Yorkshire.

It looks like the voters wandering from Labour and the Conservatives decided to go back home.

Len Tingle and the Politics Show are taking a break on Sunday 29 May but will be back again the following week.

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UK Apaches to join Libya mission

27 May 2011 Last updated at 13:22 GMT Colonel Richard Kemp: "This will enable rebel forces to unlock a comparative stalemate"

The UK is sending four Apache attack helicopters to the mission in Libya, after approval by the prime minister.

If called upon, they will allow for swifter attacks on a wider range of smaller targets in urban areas.

The Apache helicopters, normally based at Wattisham, in Suffolk, are expected to go into operation within days.

Downing Street says intelligence suggests Col Muammar Gaddafi is "on the run" and hiding in Tripoli hospitals in the belief he will be safe there.

The Apache helicopters and their pilots, who are part of the Army Air Corps, are on exercise in the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, a Russian diplomat has been quoted as saying the country could mediate Gaddafi's exit from Libya.

There had been speculation about the move to deploy the helicopters since Monday, after France said it would be deploying French Tiger helicopters and the UK would be sending Apaches.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Ministers have given clearance in principle for the deployment of attack helicopters in Libya. It is a matter now for military commanders to make decisions on deployment."

Vulnerable

The final decision rested with David Cameron, who earlier on Thursday had requested more information about possible risks, while he was en route to the G8 Summit in France.

Continue reading the main story Caroline Wyatt Defence correspondent, BBC News

The Apache is prized by its crews and the troops it supports because it can operate day or night, in bad weather and in climates ranging from the chill of the Arctic to the heat of the desert, with dust and sand kept out of the engine by special filters...

The deployment of Apaches in Libya means there will be less chance of civilian casualties in operations that currently rely on the use of Tornado and Typhoon aircraft.

But the Apaches operate at lower altitudes and could be targeted by Libyan forces loyal to Col Gaddafi, which still have access to thousands of surface-to-air missiles.

The deployment was discussed at a meeting of the UK's National Security Council at Downing Street on Thursday.

John Baron, the only Conservative MP to vote against intervention in Libya, told BBC Radio 4's World at One he felt the introduction of Apaches was "an escalation" of military action.

He said: "Yet again, we are getting drawn further and further into this intervention... It is quite clear that this mission is as much about regime change as it is about humanitarian aid."

Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said it marked a serious intensification of Britain's military commitment in Libya.

Civilian disguise

"It's a totally different order from those in a fixed wing aeroplane thousands of feet up in the air. These are close combat, fast attack helicopters, vulnerable to ground attack," he said.

Continue reading the main story Crew: 2 Main weapon: 16 Hellfire anti-tank missiles Length: 17.76m (58ft 3in) Rotor span: 14.63m (48ft) Cruising speed: 161mph (259km/h)Range: 334 miles (537km) Max mission duration: 2h 45min

Source: AgustaWestland

"So the government's got to reassure itself and reassure the public about the safety and the risk to our pilots. And in doing that they also have to be clearer about what's the exit strategy, what's the end game in Libya? What's the politics that goes alongside the military effort?"

Col Richard Kemp, former commander of forces in Afghanistan, told BBC Breakfast that Apaches can target individual soldiers, or groups of soldiers, on the ground as opposed to tanks or artillery or buildings.

"They are much more use at dealing with Gaddafi's latest tactics, which include using individuals in civilian clothes," he said.

"They are going to be critical in taking the campaign further and possibly unlocking what is not far off stalemate at present."

Retired Rear Adm Chris Parry, a defence analyst, said there was the potential for the Apaches to escalate the mission in Libya.

"It really depends how you want to use the Apaches. If you use them for protecting civilians, for defensive operations and for interdicting Colonel Gaddafi's re-supply convoys, then I would guess not.

"If you use them for assault operations and in reinforcing the rebels in their attacks on the Gaddafi regime I would say, yes, it is."

UN Security Council Resolution 1973 authorised air strikes to protect Libyan civilians from attacks by forces loyal to Col Gaddafi.

The UN vote followed the violent suppression of protests against Col Gaddafi's regime and military strikes against Col Gaddafi's forces in support of the rebels, which began on 19 March.

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Banking whistleblower forecasts second crash

23 May 2011 Last updated at 10:11 GMT Paul Moore fears a second banking crash unless action is taken Paul Moore was sacked when he told his bosses at the HBOS bank that lending billions to people who could not afford to pay the money back was a risk which would lead to disaster.

That was in 2004.

Within four years HBOS had to be pulled back from the brink of bankruptcy with a huge injection of taxpayers' cash and a shotgun marriage with the much larger Lloyds Group.

During that time Paul Moore, who had been the executive in charge of risk management at the bank's West Yorkshire headquarters in Halifax, had been unemployed and sitting at home in North Yorkshire.

His former employer had given him a six figure financial settlement on condition that he never spoke about the warnings he had given of impending financial meltdown before the crash.

But in 2009 he could keep his silence no longer.

Financial sector shocked

He was incensed when all the banks involved in what had turned out to be the biggest financial crisis since the 1920s told the UK's financial regulators that there had been no warning of the crash which had been caused by dubious lending in the United States.

When MPs on the Treasury Select Committee announced they were to investigate the banks, he became a high profile "whistleblower".

His evidence shocked the financial sector and even rattled the Prime Minister Gordon Brown who had been left to pick up the pieces of a shattered economy.

Paul Moore's evidence forced the resignation of the HBOS chief executive who had sacked him at the bank.

As for Moore himself the months since then have proved difficult.

Depression and anger

He was cold shouldered by many in the banking and finance industry who did not like him displaying its dirty washing in public.

He freely admits that he was depressed and started drinking far too much for his own good.

Two years on his depression has once more turned to anger.

Banking whistleblower's depression has turned to anger

He is concerned that despite promises of action both Labour and coalition governments have not curbed the excesses of the banks.

He is forecasting a second crash unless something is done now.

The Politics Show has been following him for the past few weeks as he prepares to launch a public campaign for more responsible banking.

Moore has held meetings in the city of London attended by investment professionals, bankers and financial journalists.

He wants stronger regulation to ensure that banks lend for sound financial reasons rather than to artificially boost profits.

'Casino gambling' hived-off

He says top executives should have a much stronger legal duty of care so that they can not cover up decisions which take unreasonable risks.

"Casino gambling" by the investment arms of the banks should be separated off from the vital bread-and-butter work of personal banking, mortgages and loans to business.

Banks should ensure they have much bigger capital reserves to cushion them against bad debts.

Individual banks would not comment on the Moore campaign which will soon kick off with an online petition appealing for support from the general public.

The British Bankers' Association, which represents the industry, told me that some of his criticisms would have been true "four or five years ago".

Bankers' denial

But the Association's spokesman Peter Hills assured me that the banking houses have now been put in order.

He flatly denied any suggestion that unless extra regulations are introduced a second banking crisis is on the way.

But the Bankers' Association seems to be swimming against the tide.

The government has set up the the Independent Banking Commission under Sir John Vickers and it has just issued an interim report calling for a "chinese wall" between investment and commercial banking.

Banking club 'strong'

It says there should be no more taxpayer's bailouts and ordinary banking should not become more expensive to pay for any losses made on risky investments.

Its full recommendations to government will be made in September 2011.

One thing has clearly not changed.

The power of the banking industry "club" is still as strong.

Among the insiders attending the initial meetings organised to start Paul Moore's campaign there were those anxious to retain their anonymity.

It might not do their future job prospects any good to be hobnobbing with a banking "whistleblower".

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Cameron defies Clegg on Ashcroft

24 May 2011 Last updated at 16:08 GMT Lord Ashcroft was made a peer in 2000 David Cameron gave a government advisory post to Conservative donor Lord Ashcroft despite objections from Nick Clegg, the BBC understands.

The peer and former Tory deputy chairman will lead a review of the UK's military bases in Cyprus.

But he has come under fire from Labour and Lib Dem MPs, including the deputy prime minister, over his tax status.

A source said Mr Clegg made it clear he was "not keen" on the appointment, but the prime minister chose to go ahead.

In a statement, Defence Secretary Liam Fox confirmed that Lord Ashcroft would undertake the role of senior independent advisor to the review of the Cyprus bases.

He will work alongside Conservative MP and former Army officer Patrick Mercer.

Government sources say Lord Ashcroft's appointment is unpaid, short term and advisory only. The study, due to be completed by the end of 2011, is part of the strategic defence review.

More than 3,000 UK personnel are stationed in two bases, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, on the Mediterranean island.

'To the wall'

In the run up to last year's general election, Lord Ashcroft was the subject of fierce criticism from Mr Clegg.

The future deputy PM said it was "wholly wrong" that someone "seeking to influence the outcome of the general election" sought to pay taxes "only partially" in the UK.

The peer confirmed in March that he did have so-called "non-dom" status, but later renounced it in order to keep his seat in the Lords.

A non-dom is someone who is resident in the UK but not domiciled in the UK for tax purposes - although they will pay some UK tax, they will not be fully taxed in the UK on their interests overseas.

Following the announcement of Lord Ashcroft's appointment, a senior Liberal Democrat source told the BBC: "We knew about it, but we were not keen.

"The prime minister made it clear he really wanted to do this, but it was not the appointment we would have made.

"You cannot go to the wall on every single appointment, but we made it clear we were not keen."

Lord Ashcroft has donated more than ?4m to the party in recent years, much of which has been spent on campaigns by Tory candidates in marginal seats.

There had been speculation for a number of years that he was a "non-dom", but both he and the Conservatives had previously refused to clarify the matter.

He was appointed a peer in 2000 by then Conservative leader William Hague.

'Sinister'

Lord Ashcroft has longstanding connections with the military and was heavily involved in the Imperial War Museum.

He also owns the world's largest collection of Victoria Crosses - Britain's highest military honour.

But BBC News Channel's chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said his appointment would inevitably be controversial, particularly among Liberal Democrat MPs, many of whom are now in government.

One of those angry at the decision was Lord Oakeshott, former Lib Dem Treasury spokesman in the Lords.

"Even [President] Obama's visit cant hide this sinister news, which Liberal Democrats will find deeply offensive," he told the BBC.

"Lord Ashcroft's qualifications for this task are his collection of old Victoria Crosses, years of private plane and yacht rides with William Hague, and a decade of vast Tory donations as a secret non dom.

"The government has still not brought in the simple order needed to ban non-dom donations to political parties under the 2009 Political Parties and Elections Act. The Queen's Speech promised to remove big money from politics, not reward big donors.

"What on earth is his hold over Cameron and Hague?"

For Labour, Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy said: "People will be surprised that such a contentious and controversial character has been put in charge of something as strategically important as British bases in Cyprus.

"The Tories' major donor should not write government policy. Many in the Armed Forces will be bewildered by this decision.

"There needs to be ministerial involvement in this. Military expertise, not the self interest of the coalition parties, must drive the study."

The strategic defence review was announced by the government in October 2010 and set out ways to cut defence spending by 8% over four years.

Among the plans was a commitment to bring home some 20,000 UK personnel currently stationed in Germany by 2020.

The bases in Cyprus are used to give the UK a foothold at a strategic point in the Mediterranean, and the MoD describes RAF Akrotiri in particular as "an important staging post for military aircraft".

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Ford appoints new policing board

24 May 2011 Last updated at 12:22 GMT The Justice Minister, David Ford, made the appointments Justice Minister David Ford has appointed new policing board members.

The MLAs are: the DUP's Robin Newton, Jonathan Craig, Adrian McQuillan and Ian McCrea; Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly, Caitriona Ruane and Pat Sheehan; Ross Hussey, UUP; Conall McDevitt, SDLP and Trevor Lunn, Alliance.

The independent members are: Anne Connolly, Ryan Feeney, Stuart MacDonnell, Gerry O'hEara, Joan O'Hagan, Brian Rea, Brian Rowntree, Michael Wardlow and Deborah Watters.

Mr Ford said "The Northern Ireland Policing Board performs a crucial role in holding the chief constable and his officers to account, ensuring that the PSNI is effective, efficient and responsive to the needs of the community.

"Effective policing has to be informed by the different voices across the entire community," he said.

"The wide variety of background and experience represented by the political and independent members on this new board will ensure that all interests are taken into account."

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The election starts here

23 May 2011 Last updated at 14:55 GMT By James Landale Deputy Political Editor, BBC News Let it be recorded for posterity that on Monday, 23 May 2011, amid all the hoopla of the Obama visit, the injunctions row and the threat of a volcanic ash crowd, campaigning for the next general election quietly began.

With almost exactly four years left before they go to the polls, both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition gave speeches in which they at last found something to agree about.

Politics, they said, is about more than just cutting the deficit. Other stuff is important too.

Thus David Cameron in Milton Keynes: "Everyone knows that sorting out our nation's finances... is this government's most urgent priority.

Cameron said Big Society will create ''a country of do-ers and go-getters''

"But too many people think that's the limit of our ambitions...that all we care about is balancing the books. Wrong. I want to balance the books to achieve the things I really care about."

And the thing he really cares about is creating what he calls a "stronger society" with strong families, communities and relationships.

"So as our debts are paid off, this is what I want to endure as the lasting legacy of this administration."

Note that use of the word legacy. One year in and it is already nagging away at the prime minister's mind.

And as for Ed Miliband, he said this: "Cutting the deficit matters. And the argument about how we do it matters too.

"But our politics cannot be reduced just to a debate about the deficit without considering the consequences for our country."

The consequences, the Labour leader said, would be a generation of young people held back by the cuts that the government is introducing to pay off the deficit, finding it hard to find a job, a house, a place at university.

Ed Miliband: "For the first time for more than a century, the next generation will struggle to do better than the last"

"David Cameron's benchmark for his government is simply deficit reduction. The benchmark I set for a future Labour government is much more than that. It is about improving the chances for the next generation."

To fulfil what he calls his "promise of Britain", he would repeat the bank bonus tax to create jobs and build houses, do more to support the family and focus on the environment.

These priorities, he said, "will be central to our work and our next manifesto".

Note that use of the word manifesto, four years away from polling day.

Note too, Mr Miliband's decision to give his speech at the Royal Festival Hall, the place where in another age, another time, a bleary-eyed young fellow called Tony Blair stood on a platform in front of cheering crowds and declared: "A new dawn has broken, has it not?"

A few reflections:

1. Both party leaders seem to be trying to park the deficit as a political issue.

On the basis of these speeches, both appear to be making the assumption that the economic crisis will work its way through and are moving their focus accordingly on to what happens next.

Mr Cameron is polishing up the Big Society as his legacy, Mr Miliband is trying out his big new idea of the Promise of Britain.

2. Optimists would say this is good strategy.

Elections tend to be won on the promise of sunlit uplands to come, not in gratitude for leaving the slough of despond.

On 7 May 2015, both main parties will need what political eggheads love to call "a forward offer". In English, this means a coherent promise to make life better.

3. Pessimists would say that it is wrong to make complacent assumptions about cutting the deficit.

This process is still on track, many people have yet to lose their jobs and see their incomes squeezed further.

The economy is not out of the woods yet. And to base a political strategy on deficit reduction coming to a seamless end in 2014 - one way or another - is bold to say the least. The next four years will be unpredictable.

The bottom line is that the debate about 2015 has begun.

It was not that long ago when political discourse was centred on the deficit alone - the scale and speed of the parties' relative spending cuts, and their impact on our daily lives.

But the caravan, it seems, has moved on and already the politicians are looking to the next general election.

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Tory MEP attacked over Clarke row

24 May 2011 Last updated at 15:25 GMT Tory MEP Roger Helmer has courted controversy in the past A Tory MEP has been criticised after saying some rape victims "share part of the responsibility" for their attacks.

Roger Helmer said a woman opting not to have sex with her boyfriend after going to bed with him had "established reasonable expectations in his mind".

He also argued Ken Clarke was "unfairly treated" when he appeared to suggest some rapes were worse than others.

The Tories disowned the MEP's comments and said they "did not reflect" the justice secretary's earlier remarks.

Mr Clarke last week faced calls to resign by Labour leader Ed Miliband after he appeared to suggest in a BBC interview that some rapes were more serious than others.

'Different motives'

He later clarified the remarks and apologised if they had been misunderstood. He was due to have a private meeting on Tuesday with a rape victim who criticised his policies on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Mr Helmer, an outspoken member of the European Parliament, defended Mr Clarke in a blog entry entitled "badly phrased but basically right", saying the justice secretary had been "very unfairly treated" by sections of the media.

"While agreeing that rape is always wrong, never defensible, that no means no, he is also saying that the term covers a variety of circumstances and motivations and degrees of culpability and that sentencing policy should reflect that," he wrote.

"Surely this proposition is so self-evident that it is difficult to see what all the fuss is about."

Continue reading the main story

While agreeing that rape is always wrong, never defensible, that no means no, he (Ken Clarke) is also saying that the term covers a variety of circumstances and motivations and degrees of culpability”

End Quote Roger Helmer MEP While all rapists deserved to be convicted, the MEP suggested that different "rape scenarios" involved different levels of culpability as far as the assailant was concerned and should incur different punishments.

He differentiated between what he said was "stranger-rape" in which a woman is randomly attacked, raped and left unconscious, and "date rape" in which a woman says no to sex with her boyfriend having got into bed with him but "the man is unable to restrain himself and carries on".

"Whereas in the first case, I'd again be happy to hang the guy, I think that most right-thinking people would expect a much lighter sentence in the second case," he added.

"Rape is always wrong but not always equally culpable."

The MEP then proceeded to make comments which he said would "certainly get me vilified".

"While in the first case, the blame is squarely on the perpetrator and does not attach to the victim, in the second case the victim surely shares a part of the responsibility, if only for establishing reasonable expectations in her boyfriend's mind."

'Outrageous'

The MEP's remarks have been attacked across the political spectrum.

Tory MP Louise Bagshawe said Mr Helmer "speaks for himself alone" while Labour frontbencher Caroline Flint said the remarks were "outrageous" and called on the MEP to retract them.

In a statement, the Conservatives said "this is clearly not the view of the Conservative Party or the UK delegation in the European Parliament and does not reflect the comments made by Ken Clarke".

Five Tory MPs declined to back Mr Clarke in a debate on Monday on plans to halve the prison terms of criminals who plead guilty early on while one called for him to quit so the Conservatives can restore its reputation as a "party of law and order".

Mr Clarke insisted he had no plans to cut sentences for convicted criminals and that judges would still have discretion to set appropriate sentences. He accused Labour of "pathetic" bandwagon jumping.

The proposals, contained in a Green Paper, are still under consideration, but had been backed by Prime Minister David Cameron, the justice secretary added.

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North East city status bids go in

20 May 2011 Last updated at 14:01 GMT When I was in primary school, I was always told that to be a city you had to have a cathedral and a university.

Gateshead puts forward its bid to become Britain's newest city.

But actually that hasn't been the case since the early part of the 20th Century.

Since then towns have been able to apply to the monarch to get city status regardless of what facilities they do or do not have.

And on occasion there have also been competitions organised to find a new city.

One such contest is underway now. For the Queen's Diamond Jubilee next year, one town will be granted city status.

Among the contenders will be two North East towns - Gateshead and Middlesbrough.

Both are keen to win city status - believing it will help them raise their profile.

But actually apart from the kudos there is no official benefit to being a city rather than a town.

You don't gain any extra powers, and you don't get any extra money.

But if you look at Middlesbrough's bid for example, they seem confident that city status would make a huge difference.

It says being a city could bring in new investment, jobs, tourists and students as well as boosting local pride.

Middlesbrough's 100-year-old Transporter Bridge is mentioned in the town's bid for city status

It's hard to prove any of that, but one of Gateshead and Middlesbrough's near-neighbours is convinced city status is worth having.

Sunderland won the same contest 20 years ago.

The council believe the economic advances made in the city since 1992, are in large part due to gaining city status.

And although Sunderland still has some regeneration to do, there have been some impressive advances.

It has a university now, a set of developments surrounding the new football stadium, and certainly before the recession hit, it was growing as fast as any city in the UK.

And the council certainly believes city status has attracted in new employers.

There has been some concern that councils are spending vital time and money working on city bids instead of on the nuts and bolts of local government.”

End Quote Richard Moss Political editor, North East & Cumbria

It's still hard to quantify though, and of course city status will only ever be as good as what you do with it.

While Sunderland's ruling Labour group are proud of their achievements, Conservative councillor Richard Vardy believes they have failed to compete with rivals like neighbouring Newcastle, and haven't really acted like a big city.

And there has been some concern that councils are spending vital time and money working on city bids instead of on the nuts and bolts of local government.

Nevertheless Middlesbrough and Gateshead will submit their bids next week.

At the moment though they are not among the favourites. While bookmakers William Hill recently quoted Reading as the 9-1 favourite, Middlesbrough could only get odds of 40-1.

But there is still plenty of time for the North East's entrants to build their case against the likes of Guildford, Stockport, Milton Keynes, Blackpool, Ayr and Aberystwyth.

The Politics Show will be debating the merits of bidding and gaining city status on BBC1 at 11am on 22 May.

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MPs urge backing for UK shale gas

23 May 2011 Last updated at 23:53 GMT By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst, BBC News Gas is a natural by-product of shale rock A Commons committee has urged ministers to support plans for controversial shale gas drilling in the UK.

The energy select committee said environmental problems associated with it in the US could be overcome by tight regulation and good industry practice.

But the MPs said the UK government would need to be vigilant to ensure the technology did not pollute water or produce excessive greenhouse emissions.

Environmentalists said MPs should have called for a moratorium on shale gas.

Campaigners want a moratorium until research into allegations about the technology is complete.

Shale gas is significant to the UK in two ways. First, the massive expansion of shale gas in the US and also possibly in China may depress global gas prices and cause countries to favour gas over coal.

Some experts see this as a double-edged sword - low energy prices are a benefit, but might divert investment from the renewables and nuclear essential for the low-carbon future planned by the government.

The second issue over shale gas is one of energy security. The British Geological Survey estimates that onshore shale gas can supply 1.5 years of the UK's total gas needs.

The MPs say this is a useful but not major contribution - and they recommend that the government should encourage the development of offshore shale gas, where reserves may be far higher, albeit more costly to recover.

'Regulation case'

Test drilling for shale gas is currently underway in Lancashire near Blackpool. The company, Cuadrilla, believes that onshore deposits of shale gas in the UK may have been underestimated.

Critics fear this is industry hype, but Cuadrilla says the shale gas seam near Blackpool is so thick that it may not need the horizontal fracking (rock fracturing) characteristic of so many deposits in the US. Cuadrilla says vertical fracking may be achievable in Lancashire.

It is the fracking process - creating tiny explosions to shatter hard shale rocks and release gas 10,000 feet underground - that has caused so much controversy in the US. Some householders claim that shale gas leaking into their drinking supply causes tap water to ignite.

Some communities see shale gas as a route to local riches, as well as energy independence

The MPs said this looks a case of inadequate regulation. Tim Yeo MP, chairman of the committee, said: "We can't see any evidence that UK water supplies might be at risk from shale gas - if it is done properly," he told BBC News.

"The regulatory agencies have to keep their vigilance and monitor drilling closely - but the area where the fracking is being done is well below the water table so there really should not be an issue."

The other focus of environmental concern over shale gas is greenhouse gas emissions. A study at Cornell University warned that methane leaks from wells could be so high that in some cases the atmospheric warming effect of shale gas drilling might outweigh that of coal. The MPs dismiss this fear, pointing once again to the need for good practice and regulation to prevent leaks.

David Nussbaum, head of the green group WWF, says this is complacent. WWF is calling for a moratorium on shale gas drilling in the UK until the US Environmental Protection Agency has carried out a major report into the practice - probably next year. They also want to see more studies on the climate effects of shale gas.

He told BBC News: "Shale gas is a controversial source of energy. We've got to be very, very cautious before we go gung-ho for shale gas and we believe there has to be very good evidence before we decide this is the way forward."

The government says existing laws are strong enough to deal with the issues raised - and that bids for licences to extract shale gas (as opposed to prospect for it) will be considered in the normal way.

The new source of energy is proving controversial in Europe, with pro-nuclear France in the process of banning shale gas production and Poland, thought to have by far the biggest reserves in Europe, caught in a major industrial debate about whether to concentrate its efforts on coal or gas.

Some analysts warn that the shale gas phenomenon has provoked an unhelpful war of words between the gas and renewables industries, which complement each other in a way that nuclear power does not.

The argument runs that gas will be needed as a relatively low-cost transition technology, filling in the generation gap when the wind drops. Nuclear power, on the other hand, competes with wind because it produces baseload electricity that needs to be used.

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Backbench maverick

24 May 2011 Last updated at 12:49 GMT By Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News John Hemming has proved adept at using Parliamentary privilege Lib Dem MP John Hemming appeared determined to make a name for himself from the moment he arrived in Parliament in 2005.

To the surprise of many, he started "taking soundings" for a leadership bid following the resignation of Charles Kennedy - despite being virtually unknown outside his Birmingham power base.

Something of a lone operator, who appears to have shunned the conventional Westminster career ladder in favour of the life of the backbench maverick, he is best known for a long-running campaign against what he claims is the over-zealous and secretive family court system.

He also grabbed early headlines when he claimed children were being taken into care to meet local authority targets.

In 2006, he turned to the judiciary himself, launching what turned out to be a failed court bid to force government ministers to answer MPs' questions.

Internet expert

In recent years, he has developed a taste for using Parliamentary privilege - the legal protection offered to MPs speaking in Parliament - to circumvent court orders.

Last month, he used privilege to name a woman involved in a child custody case who was threatened with jail for speaking to politicians.

His latest crusade - against the use of super-injunctions to gag the media - began in March when he revealed to MPs that former banker Sir Fred Goodwin had taken one out.

Few at Westminster were surprised when he followed this up on Monday by naming footballer Ryan Giggs as the man behind a widely-reported super-injunction banning the reporting of an alleged extra-marital affair.

Mr Hemming - a self-styled internet expert who claims to be fluent in eight different programming languages - told MPs: "With about 75,000 people having named Ryan Giggs on Twitter, it is obviously impracticable to imprison them all."

His actions may have won him plaudits from free speech campaigners - but there is a sense from some of his fellow MPs that he has let the side down.

'Unacceptable'

He is reported to have been ticked off by his party leader, Nick Clegg.

When quizzed about the affair in the Commons on Tuesday, the deputy prime minister said: "I don't think anyone should be above the rule of law, if we don't like the law in this place then we should act as legislators to change the law, not flout it."

Members of rival parties have been more direct in their criticism.

Labour MP Tom Harris told BBC Radio 4's PM: "It is behaviour that is unacceptable for an MP.

"Suddenly you have a self publicist like John Hemming. He has done it before. To do it this time [when] there is no justification for it whatever, he is obviously enjoying the reputation of being something of a maverick."

He was loudly accused on BBC Two's Newsnight by Lord Prescott of being on an ego trip.

But Mr Hemming is unrepentant - insisting he is standing up for free speech and the rights of those who had been threatened with the full weight of the criminal law just for "gossiping" on Twitter.

A millionaire businessman, who says he was once a candidate to be Britain's first astronaut, Mr Hemming graduated from Oxford University in 1981 with a degree in Theoretical Physics.

He went on to run a string of businesses in financial services, computing and the music industry, playing drums in a heavy metal band in his spare time.

Until 2007, he combined his role as a Lib Dem councillor in Birmingham with his job as an MP and is a former deputy leader of the city council.

His personal life has hit the headlines in recent months, after his wife, Christine, was accused of breaking into the house of his former mistress and stealing her kitten.

Mrs Hemming was charged with burglary - which she denies - and is due to stand trial next month.

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Cameron aims to boost Big Society

23 May 2011 Last updated at 15:01 GMT Cameron said Big Society will create ''a country of do-ers and go-getters''

Prime Minister David Cameron has encouraged more charitable donations and volunteering in an effort to promote the Big Society.

Initiatives will include donating at cash machines and by mobile phone, and the use of social networking sites to promote volunteering, he said.

Government policies will also be tested for social value as well as value for money, it was announced.

But Labour said this was a "desperate" attempt to relaunch the Big Society.

A White Paper will set out plans for more than ?40m in additional support for the voluntary sector.

In a speech in Milton Keynes, Mr Cameron emphasised the importance of strong families, communities and relationships.

He said: "These are the things that make life worth living and it's about time we had a government and a prime minister that understands that.

"These are the things I'm most passionate about in public life. This is what is in my heart. It's what fires me up in the morning.

"The Big Society is not some fluffy add-on to more gritty and more important subjects. This is about as gritty and important as it gets - giving everyone the chance to get on in life and making our country a better place to live."

Continue reading the main story

Soaring political speeches like this may get headlines, but in practice this rhetoric is contradicted by this government's actions”

End Quote Tessa Jowell Shadow cabinet office minister Measures in the White Paper include:

A ?10m social action fund to support measures to promote giving and boost volunteering in priority areas in EnglandPrizes of up to ?100,000 for the best solutions to "volunteer challenges"A ?30m fund to improve the effectiveness of infrastructure organisations which support front-line volunteering?1m to support the Youthnet volunteering website and ?700,000 to support Philanthropy UK, which connects wealthy donors to charities?400,000 to trial the "Spice" system in England, which offers rewards such as vouchers or discounts with local businesses for volunteers who help their communitiesEstablishing a new honours committee to ensure people are recognised for "exceptional and sustained philanthropy"Trialling charity promotions on the public service website Directgov and opening up government buildings to charities and voluntary groupsHolding a "giving" summit in the autumn to bring charities together with philanthropists, businesses and financiers.

Cash machine network Link said its member banks had agreed to enable charitable donations to be made through its facilities from next year.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude described the level of charity giving and volunteering as having "flat-lined" in the past decade.

"The building of a bigger, stronger society will not be done by government but by citizens," he said.

"However, it will not emerge overnight and government has to play a role in supporting it."

In response, shadow Cabinet Office minister Tessa Jowell said: "Soaring political speeches like this may get headlines, but in practice this rhetoric is contradicted by this government's actions.

"Under the indiscriminate impact of accelerated cuts the essential elements of community life are slowly being starved of sustenance. What we lose in the next two years may become impossible to rebuild in 10."

She added: "This is just the latest in a long line of desperate attempts from David Cameron to rescue his 'big idea'.

"It will take more than a fourth re-launch to persuade people that a Big Society is being nurtured - when the people responsible for delivering it are losing their jobs and cutting back on the services that they offer."

Ministers are to undertake a day of voluntary service over the course of the year with a charity or community group.

But John Low, of the Charities Aid Foundation, said: "While the move to encourage ministers to volunteer is a step in the right direction, government could have encouraged them to pledge money as well as time, helping to shape social norms around giving."

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