Plea for Briton lost in Malaysia

31 May 2014 Last updated at 04:58

The family of a man reported missing in the Malaysian jungle has called for the search for him to be intensified.

London charity volunteer Gareth Huntley disappeared on Tuesday after embarking on a waterfall trek in Tioman Island.

Mr Huntley's brother Mark told the BBC his family was concerned a full search by experts had not yet taken place.

The UK Foreign Office said it was aware of a missing Briton and was "liaising closely with the local authorities".

Mark Huntley told BBC 5 live's Stephen Nolan programme his family had been unable to get enough information about what was being done to find his brother.

He said that although they had been informed a search was being carried out, a fellow volunteer had later told them officials were still "waiting for the specialist search and rescue team to arrive".

"So, it seems... it's only been the locals and the people who know my brother who have been searching."

Mr Huntley said he wanted British authorities to "put more pressure on the Malaysian police force and search and rescue to do more to intensify the search".

'Concerned and anxious'

He said his 34-year-old brother's disappearance was out of character and he would normally be good at keeping in touch.

"For him to not turn up and still be missing at this point - he is not like that, he would have made contact by now," he added.

Mr Huntley's mother, Janet Southwell, and his father are due to fly out to Malaysia.

"At this stage I feel it is essential that the search be intensified as time is running out for Gareth, so I would really appreciate the support of the Malaysian authorities and the UK government with this," said Ms Southwell.

Mr Huntley had been working at the Jura Turtle Project. Fellow volunteer Charles Fisher said a group had gone to search for him after he did not return from the "huge wilderness".

He said the group had checked various routes to the waterfall, 6km away, while a further search the next day had also proved fruitless.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware that a British national has been reported missing in Malaysia since 27 May.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family and are liaising closely with the local authorities."

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Man accused of kidnapping children

31 May 2014 Last updated at 07:37

A man has been charged with kidnapping and sexually abusing three children as young as eight.

The 34-year-old is accused of kidnap, two counts of sexual assault against two children and one count of attempted sexual assault against a third child.

The offences are alleged to have taken place in residential streets in Leicester between February and May.

The man, who has not been named by police, is due to appear at the city's magistrates' court later.

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Leaders condemn Sudan death sentence

31 May 2014 Last updated at 08:25

UK political leaders have united to urge Sudan to lift the "barbaric" death sentence handed down to a Christian woman accused of abandoning Islam.

A court ruled that Meriam Ibrahim, who was raised by her Christian mother and married a Christian, was Muslim in line with her father - which she rejects.

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg said they were appalled by the treatment of Ms Ibrahim, who gave birth to a daughter in her cell on Wednesday.

She has appealed against her sentence.

Mr Cameron said the treatment of Ms Ibrahim had "no place in today's world" and said the UK would "continue to press the government of Sudan to act". Mr Clegg and Mr Miliband both said her case was "abhorrent".

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As Andrew Harding reports, Dani Wani visited his wife in prison

Meanwhile, former Defence Secretary Liam Fox said the UK should reconsider whether it was "acceptable" to give aid money to "states which allow treatment such as that handed out to Meriam Ibrahim".

Ms Ibrahim's husband, Daniel Wani, who is a US citizen, told the BBC he was hopeful the appeal would succeed.

He said he had seen his new daughter in prison on Wednesday, and his wife and the baby were both doing well.

But he said he was most concerned about his 20-month-old son, who has been living with his mother in prison since February.

Continue reading the main story

Nobody should be persecuted because of the religion they practice or the person they fall in love with"

End Quote Ed Miliband Labour Party leader

"His attitude has changed a lot," Mr Wani said.

"He used to be a happy boy. When I went there, he just looked at me. No smile."

Ms Ibrahim, 27, was brought up as an Orthodox Christian, but a Sudanese judge ruled earlier this month that she should be regarded as Muslim because it had been her father's faith.

She has refused to renounce her Christianity and has been sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy.

The court said she would be allowed to nurse her baby for two years before the sentence is carried out.

Her Christian marriage, in 2011, has been annulled and she has been sentenced to 100 lashes for adultery because the marriage is not considered valid under Islamic law.

'Abhorrent'

Mr Cameron said: "Religious freedom is an absolute, fundamental human right," he said.

"I urge the government of Sudan to overturn the sentence and immediately provide appropriate support and medical care for her and her children."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg called the sentence "abhorrent" and said it was a "flagrant breach of international human rights".

Labour leader Ed Miliband said the incarceration of Ms Ibrahim was "utterly appalling and an abhorrent abuse of her human rights".

"Nobody should be persecuted because of the religion they practice or the person they fall in love with," he said.

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair also described the case as a "brutal and sickening distortion of faith", the Times newspaper reported.

Human rights organisation Amnesty International meanwhile has launched a petition calling for the Sudanese government to release Ms Ibrahim.

Sudan has a majority Muslim population and Islamic law has been in force there since the 1980s.

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Edinburgh's trams roll into action

31 May 2014 Last updated at 08:38

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Speeded-up footage shows Edinburgh's new tram journey from the city airport to York Place in the city centre

Edinburgh's tram service has taken its first paying customers as the long-awaited route from the airport to the city centre opens to the public.

The first tram services set off at 05:00 BST from the Gyle Centre in the west of the city.

It follows six years of disruption and problems, including a bitter dispute between the council and its contractor.

The Edinburgh tram route cost £776m and covers 8.7 miles (14km) from the New Town to Edinburgh Airport.

In the decade since the first money was allocated to the project, the price has doubled, the network has halved and it has taken twice as long to build as originally planned.

'Shambles'

The project was almost scrapped just weeks before the construction began in 2007 and later ground to a halt for months when the company in charge of the trams fell into a bitter dispute with the main contractor.

The people of Edinburgh suffered six years of disruption as roads were closed for construction and businesses have also complained it caused them to lose trade.

Edinburgh City Council chief executive Sue Bruce accepted the project had been a "shambles".

"It's not a day for jubilation," she told BBC Breakfast.

"I think the whole of Edinburgh is relieved that the programme is now in place and the city can move on."

She said there were "big questions to be asked over the original due diligence of the programme" and the council had to be "held to account" over what had gone wrong.

Edinburgh has 27 trams in its fleet, although only about half of these will be in service at any one time.

Tram vehicles, each costing about £2m, can take 250 passengers - 78 seated, 170 standing and two dedicated wheelchair spaces.

The full journey from the airport to York Place in the city centre should take about 35 minutes.

The route has 15 stops, three of which connect with rail and bus services.

The tram services will run seven days a week, with a reduced timetable on Sundays.

During the week, the first trams will run from the Gyle at 05:00 and from the airport at 06:15.

Trams will run from York Place to the airport from 05:29.

At peak times, the trams will runs every 8-10 minutes.

The last trams to travel the full route will leave from Edinburgh airport at 22:45 and from York Place at 23:08.

Tickets cost £1.50 for a single in the city zone and £5 for a single to or from the airport.

Operators warned passengers should get a ticket before getting on the tram as there will be a £10 fine for anyone travelling without a ticket.

It had been hoped the tram fleet would offer free wi-fi, but it is understood most carriages will be installed with internet access in the weeks and months following the launch date.

'Extremely frustrating'

Original plans to take the tram line to Leith were scrapped but could still be implemented in the future.

Edinburgh City Council transport convener Lesley Hinds said: "You can't underestimate the amount of money over-budget and the time it's been over as well. Obviously that has been extremely frustrating and I think it's been damaging to the city of Edinburgh.

"Our purpose over the last two years has been to get passengers on the tram from the airport to York Place.

"We do have enough trams to go down Leith and we have the rails because that was all bought before.

"There will be a report at the end of the year to see how people are taking to the system and it will suggest how we might want to further invest in public transport and the trams come under that."

There have been calls for a public inquiry into the trams fiasco but Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown said there are no immediate plans for one.

"We've said let's wait until the system is up and running and then look at lessons to be learned," Mr Brown said.

"I've spoken to the council already about this and will speak to them in future because the council has a number of legal actions ongoing and we can't have inquiries which cut across that.

"A total of £776m has now been spent on the system so let's make as much money as we can and get people on as many trams as we can to help repay that cost."

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Queen's Baton arrives in England

31 May 2014 Last updated at 09:34

The Queen's Baton Relay has returned to England for the first time since being handed over at Buckingham Palace.

The baton is travelling across the British Isles on its way to Glasgow for this summer's Commonwealth Games.

Squash champion Laura Massaro and Team England cyclists Matt Crampton and Jess Varnish will welcome the baton at the National Cycling Centre, Manchester.

Valerie Zerbrokova, 17, from the British Cycling BMX Talent Team, was the first baton-bearer of the day.

She said the experience had been "amazing" and a "real honour".

The baton will also be taken to Congleton in Cheshire for an event at Congleton Park with 10,000 people.

In the afternoon, local children will join ex-England and Manchester United star Bryan Robson in a lap of the club's Old Trafford ground.

The baton will also be taken on tour of several venues used for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in the city.

Among those greeting the baton in Congleton will be Ann Packer, who won the 800m gold medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Her husband Robbie Brightwell took silver in 4x400m relay at the same games.

Organisers said the baton would be carried by a selection of local heroes, nominated for their contributions to sports, coaching, education and the community.

The baton, which has been a fixture in the build up to the Commonwealth Games since the 1958 event in Cardiff, contains a sealed, secret message written by the Queen, which she placed inside the baton on 9 October at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Since then it has been taken to the Taj Mahal, been under water in the Seychelles and taken aboard one of the last Royal Mail ships in service. It has been held by world-class athletes including Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and been up the tallest building in Gold Coast, Australia - the next host city.

The baton starts its journey to Glasgow for this year's games when it crosses the border into Scotland on 14 June, for a 40-day tour of the country.

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New NHS boss backs smaller hospitals

30 May 2014 Last updated at 07:38

Smaller community hospitals should play a bigger role especially in the care of older patients, the new head of the NHS in England has said.

In an interview in the Daily Telegraph, Simon Stevens signalled a marked change in policy by calling for a shift away from big centralised hospitals.

The health service chief executive said there needed to be new models of care built around smaller local hospitals.

The NHS said he was not suggesting the return of 50s-style cottage hospitals.

In recent years the health service has emphasised the benefits of centralised services.

This has paid dividends in areas such as stroke care and major trauma where significant benefits have been gained by concentrating specialist care.

But this has raised questions about the future of the many smaller district general hospitals across the NHS.

In the interview in Friday's paper, Mr Stevens said they should play an important part in providing care, especially for the growing number of older patents who could be treated closer to home.

He said: "A number of other countries have found it possible to run viable local hospitals serving smaller communities than sometimes we think are sustainable in the NHS.

"Most of western Europe has hospitals which are able to serve their local communities, without everything having to be centralised."

In the home

He said elderly patients were increasingly ending up in hospital unnecessarily because they had not been given care which could have kept them at home.

Mr Stevens also told the Telegraph:

• The NHS needed to abandon a fixation with "mass centralisation" and instead invest in community services to care for the elderly
• Waiting targets introduced by Labour became "an impediment to care" in too many cases
• The European Working Time Directive damaged health care in the NHS, making it harder to keep small hospitals open
• Businesses should financially reward employees for losing weight and adopting healthy lifestyles

An NHS England source said Mr Stevens was saying that smaller hospitals had a part to play in shifting services into the community, not that there would be no closures of local hospitals in the future.

Helen Tucker, vice president of the Community Hospitals Association, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Stevens' comments were "great news", sending a "good, strong message that small is beautiful".

A "balance is needed" with centralised specialist hospitals, she said, but smaller institutions were "the hospitals that local communities really value," she said.

Mr Stevens, a former adviser on health to Tony Blair, will outline his vision for the NHS in a major speech at the NHS Confederation conference in Liverpool on Wednesday.

He took up the post of chief executive of the NHS in England after 11 years working for private health care firms in Europe, the US and South America.

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Final goodbye to Stephen Sutton

30 May 2014 Last updated at 08:08

The coffin of Stephen Sutton, the teenager who raised more than £4m for charity, will be taken to a private burial service later.

Thousands attended a vigil in Lichfield on Thursday to celebrate his life.

The cathedral, where his body has been lying, will open between 07:00 and 15:00 BST to allow people to pay their last respects.

Instead of the traditional minute's silence, a moment of celebration will be held in the town at 11:00.

People touched by Stephen's Story are being asked to give a 'thumbs up' for him at this time.

Stephen's mother, Jane Sutton, has called on people to take part in a social media "thunderclap" at the same time - a message posted simultaneously on Facebook and Twitter - in memory of her son. The message is #ThumbsUpForStephen.

The charity Stephen had been supporting, The Teenage Cancer Trust, said nearly 15,000 people had signed up.

Mrs Sutton said: "If you can't make it, remember to take a moment at 11:00 on Friday morning to give a thumbs up for Stephen.

"This could be via the thunderclap or you could give the thumbs up to a stranger, have a cup of tea and a slice of cake, think a positive thought, clap, cheer, or even perform a random act of kindness.

"Do something that makes you and others happy in Stephen's memory."

She has also asked for more donations to his Just Giving page, which is raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Mrs Sutton said: "We know that thousands of people have been inspired by Stephen's story. We want to give all of his friends and supporters, and especially local people who supported him from the start, the opportunity to come and say goodbye."

Stephen's body arrived to applause at the cathedral just before 19:00 on Thursday.

A floral display spelling out 'STE' led the funeral procession from his home in Burntwood, Staffordshire, to the cathedral.

The coffin was then moved inside the cathedral for a short service.

At the end of the service, mourners gave Stephen's trademark thumbs up gesture as they filed silently past his coffin.

A 38-minute compilation of Stephen's favourite tracks was then played.

The cathedral said a book of condolence for Stephen has been opened and said people are welcome in to sign it and light candles.

The Very Reverend Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield, said: "Stephen's vigil will allow a period for people to come in and pay their respects."

Yellow ribbons are adorning streets in Lichfield and in Burntwood, in his memory.

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Businesses hail brighter UK economy

30 May 2014 Last updated at 08:12

The UK economy is in good health according to two major business lobby groups, the CBI and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

The CBI says growth reached a record high in May, marking the best reading since it began gathering data in 2003.

Meanwhile, the BCC upgraded its growth forecast for 2014 from 2.8% to 3.1%, which, if achieved, would be the highest rate since pre-crisis 2007.

That figure is well above the 2.7% forecast by the OBR.

The OBR, or Office for Budget Responsibility, is the government's independent fiscal watchdog.

Continue reading the main story

Make no mistake - we still have a lot of work to do"

End Quote John Longworth BCC

Strength across the board

Latest official figures showed that the UK economy grew by 0.8% in the first three months of 2014.

The CBI's growth report suggests the UK economy has continued to perform strongly in the second quarter of this year.

Stronger economic performance was seen across the board, it said.

Sectors including retail sales and professional and consumer services did well in the three months to May, while manufacturing output continued to grow at a "solid pace".

Andrew Graham, the chief executive of wallpaper manufacturer Graham & Brown, told the BBC he was cautiously confident: "The economy is improving, but that is from a very low base.

"I think we are just starting to see recovery. As a business, we have starting investing seriously again over the last 12 months."

UK still 'exposed'

CBI deputy director-general Katja Hall said the improvement was down to increased confidence in the UK economy, easier access to credit, and better global economic conditions.

However, Ms Hall said there were risks to the UK's outlook from global developments, including the "possibility that the situation in Ukraine and Russia could impact on global commodity prices".

She added: "With the eurozone crisis still far from being fully resolved, the UK continues to be exposed to a prolonged period of subdued activity in the region."

The BCC also said the economic recovery was not guaranteed.

John Longworth, the BCC's director general, said: "Our forecast confirms that Britain is leading, rather than following, other major economies when it comes to short-term growth, which is great news.

"But make no mistake - we still have a lot of work to do."

He added that the UK was "overly reliant on consumer spending" as a driver of growth.

Are you a business-owner? Is the UK economy in good health? What are your your experiences? You can email your stories to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using 'business' in the subject.

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Major backs Cameron over EU deal

30 May 2014 Last updated at 09:09

Former Prime Minister Sir John Major has said he believes David Cameron will succeed in reclaiming powers from the European Union before holding a referendum on the UK's membership.

Sir John said the political climate following the European elections would give Mr Cameron "allies" in any talks.

He suggested the free movement of people around Europe could be "qualified in some way".

But he warned that an exit from the EU would leave the UK isolated.

Mr Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on EU membership in 2017, if the Tories win the next general election, so people can decide if they are satisfied with the concessions his government will have negotiated in the meantime.

'Positive reform'

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Sir John said Mr Cameron's position was not "remotely" like the situation he faced as PM in the 1990s when he faced difficulties from eurosceptics in his party.

"It can be done and I think this prime minister can do it", he said.

He said the outcome of the recent elections, in which anti-EU parties made gains, had made it "apparent" that reform was necessary.

He said: "I think that gives a great deal of power to the British determination to renegotiate, because they will have allies today, which in the 1990s they did not have".

And he said changes could be made to the fundamental freedoms of the union, including the movement of people, saying: "You can't have an absolute restriction but you can qualify it in some ways".

There are a "whole range of things quite apart from freedom of movement where positive reform can be made", he added.

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Women urge Lord Rennard expulsion

30 May 2014 Last updated at 09:30

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Lib Dem activist Bridget Harris says Lord Rennard's position is "untenable"

Three of the four women who claim they were sexually harassed by former Lib Dem strategist Lord Rennard have said he should be expelled from the party.

The call follows an apology by Lord Rennard, who denied sexual harassment, expressing regret for "inadvertent" intrusion on "personal space".

Lord Rennard is currently suspended from the Lib Dems and his supporters say he wants to rejoin the party.

But the women have called on party leaders to permanently expel him.

One of the women who made the claims, Bridget Harris, said it was down to the leadership to act.

She said: "The real question here is, 'Should the Lib Dems accept him back on the benches in the House of Lords?' And I don't think the answer to that is yes.

"I think that it would be untenable for Lord Rennard to stay as a spokesperson for the Lib Dems on any matter at all. So I think he should be kicked out of the party."

Continue reading the main story

• Chris Rennard, 53, has worked for the Lib Dems since his student days in Liverpool
• He first gained attention as a local activist and then party agent for former MP David Alton, helping him win successive election victories in the city in 1979 and 1983
• He then became campaigns and election director for the whole party, overseeing a host of by-election victories between 1989 and 2003 as the Lib Dems grew in size
• He was chief executive between 2003 and 2009, serving three leaders Charles Kennedy, Sir Menzies Campbell and Nick Clegg
• He stepped down in 2009 citing ill health and the difficulties of managing a diabetic condition
• He became a peer in 1999

Another of the women, Susan Gaszczak, said the peer should not be allowed back into the party.

She said: "We really have got to draw a line under this. The only way to do that is actually to say, 'Lord Rennard, it's time to go.'"

A third woman, former Welsh Assembly candidate Alison Goldsworthy, said Lord Rennard's apology was a "start" but did not go far enough, and called for him to be expelled.

Lord Rennard is suspended while his case is being considered by the party.

Former Liberal leader Lord Steel said he thought Lord Rennard had brought "closure" to a "very unfortunate episode" with his apology.

"I'm glad it is now over and we can get back to normal," he said.

"I think he should come back. He has made an apology - he thinks his conduct was less than it should have been."

'Contentious issues'

Lord Rennard was asked to apologise after an internal party probe by Alistair Webster QC in March.

It concluded the claims were credible but could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

A statement from Lord Rennard's lawyers to the Lib Dem party this week said: "Lord Rennard wishes to achieve closure of the contentious issues that have been in the public domain for the last 14 months by expressing his apologies to Susan Gaszczak, Alison Goldsworthy, Bridget Harris and Alison Smith.

"Lord Rennard personally accepts the full report of Alistair Webster QC as given to him on March 7 in its entirety."

A spokesman for the peer said he had yet to receive a response from the party.

A Liberal Democrat party spokesman said: "An appeal has been submitted by three of the original complainants against the outcome of Alistair Webster's investigation.

"Separately, an appeal has been submitted by Lord Rennard against the disciplinary process for bringing the party into disrepute by his failure to apologise, and his conduct after the publication of Webster's conclusions.

"Both appeals will be considered by the English Appeals Panel in accordance with the rules of the party. We cannot comment further on any aspect of that process while it is ongoing."

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Call to 'resist e-cigarette controls'

29 May 2014 Last updated at 09:34 By Jane Dreaper Health correspondent, BBC News

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Some doctors argue it is too early to know whether benefits outweigh potential risks, as Jane Dreaper reports

A letter signed by more than 50 researchers and public health specialists is urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to "resist the urge to control and suppress e-cigarettes".

The letter says the devices - which deliver nicotine in a vapour - could be a "significant health innovation".

But the UK's Faculty of Public Health says it is too early to know whether benefits outweigh potential risks.

The WHO said it was still deciding what recommendations to make to governments.

The open letter has been organised in the run-up to significant international negotiations on tobacco policy this year.

Supporters of e-cigarettes, who argue the products are a low-risk substitute for smoking, fear they might become subject to reduction targets and advertising bans.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

We are deeply concerned that classifying these products as tobacco will do more harm than good"

End Quote Open letter to the WHO

There has been a big growth in the market for e-cigarettes, but the Department of Health says they are not risk-free.

Critics say not enough is known about their long-term health effects. A recent report commissioned by Public Health England said e-cigarettes required "appropriate regulation, careful monitoring and risk management" if their benefits were to be maximised.

The letter has been signed by 53 researchers - including specialists in public health policy and experts such as Prof Robert West, who published research last week suggesting that e-cigarettes are more likely to help people give up smoking than some conventional methods.

Some of the signatories work on research into tobacco science and smoking cessation. Three were involved in advising the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) on its guidelines about reducing the harm from tobacco.

'Perverse effect'

The letter says: "These products could be among the most significant health innovations of the 21st Century - perhaps saving hundreds of millions of lives.

"If regulators treat low-risk nicotine products as traditional tobacco products... they are improperly defining them as part of the problem.

"Regulators should avoid support for measures that could have the perverse effect of prolonging cigarette consumption.

"We are deeply concerned that the classification of these products as tobacco will do more harm than good.

"The potential for tobacco harm reduction products to reduce the burden of smoking-related disease is very large."

The organisers of the letter quote a leaked WHO document that refers to e-cigarettes as a "threat... which could result in a new wave of the tobacco epidemic".

The WHO treaty on tobacco control currently covers 178 countries and 90% of the world's population.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that mimic the experience of smoking. Users inhale a vapour from a heated liquid that contains a concentration of nicotine.

Prof West, of University College London told the BBC e-cigarettes should be "regulated appropriate to what they are" and that they are "orders of magnitude safer" than tobacco cigarettes.

He called for "bespoke regulation", including banning sales for under-18s and having marketing directed at those who already smoke.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

We need to weigh up the benefits of fewer people smoking against the risk of electronic cigarettes leading to more people starting to smoke"

End Quote Prof John Ashton Faculty of Public Health

A WHO spokesman said: "WHO is currently working on recommendations for governments on the regulation and marketing of e-cigarettes and similar devices.

"This is part of a paper that will be submitted to the parties of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control later this year.

"We are also working with national regulatory bodies to look at regulatory options, as well as toxicology experts, to understand more about the possible impact of e-cigarettes and similar devices on health."

The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for stronger regulation of the devices in the UK.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's director of professional activities, told BBC Breakfast there was evidence that children who had never smoked were starting to use e-cigarettes, having been influenced by marketing campaigns.

"Rather like cigarettes in the 50s and 60s, we really need to look at that and, I believe, ban it (advertising), to stop them advertising in a way that attracts children," she added.

Prof John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said he was also concerned about children using e-cigarettes.

'No uniformity'

"We need to weigh up the benefits of fewer people smoking against the risk of electronic cigarettes leading to more people starting to smoke, particularly children," he said.

Prof Martin McKee, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "The health community is completely divided on the subject of whether electronic cigarettes are safer than real cigarettes.

"While the signatories to this letter are clearly supportive, the World Health Organization, correctly, bases its decisions on the best available evidence."

He said it would be "premature" to advocate the use of e-cigarettes until their safety had been established.

The Welsh government wants to restrict the use of e-cigarettes in enclosed public places, because of concerns that they normalise smoking.

Richard Evans, vice-chairman of the Welsh Pharmacy Board, which is part of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society in Wales, believes they should be regulated in the same way as traditional cigarettes.

He said: "At the moment the products that are on the market - we don't know what standard they are. They can vary from product to product - there is no uniformity at all.

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Tesco finalises China retail deal

29 May 2014 Last updated at 02:30

Tesco has finalised a deal with the state-run China Resources Enterprise (CRE) to create the largest food retailer in China.

The joint venture will combine Tesco's 131 outlets in the country with CRE's almost 3,000 stores, called Vanguard.

CRE will own 80% of the new chain and Tesco will have a 20% stake.

"The partnership creates a strong platform in one of the world's largest markets," Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke said in a statement.

"We can now combine our strengths to build a profitable multichannel business, offering our customers in China the best of modern retail."

Asian growth

According to figures from research group IGD, China is the world's biggest market for food and groceries with an annual value of more than one trillion dollars.

And the market is forecast to grow by 50% over the next three years.

Tesco, the biggest supermarket chain in the UK, has been keen to tap into this potential, and has been operating in the country since 2004.

The firm has also been eyeing the Indian market - which is forecast to witness rapid growth in the coming years.

Earlier this year, it announced a joint venture with Trent Limited, part of India's Tata Group, which operates the Star Bazaar retail business in India.

Tesco said it would invest around £85m in the joint venture.

Once the venture has been finalised it will operate 12 stores retailing a range of products including groceries and home care products.

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Interviews for NI's top police job

29 May 2014 Last updated at 06:20

Interviews for the new Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are to take place later on Thursday.

Garda officer Derek Byrne, Cressida Dick from the Metropolitan Police and the PSNI's George Hamilton have been shortlisted for the job.

The successful candidate will succeed Matt Baggott, who announced in January that he would be retiring.

Mr Baggott took up the job in 2009 and his contract ends in September.

Nine Policing Board members will form the interviewing panel for the £195,000 a year job.

The candidates are:

Dubliner Derek Byrne was appointed assistant commissioner of An Garda Síochána (Irish police) in 2007.

He joined the force in 1979 and served at Clones, County Monaghan and Cabra and Blanchardstown in Dublin.

Promotions to sergeant, inspector, superintendent, chief superintendent followed, before his appointment as an assistant commissioner.

He initially served in the northern region as assistant commissioner, working alongside the PSNI in some investigations before moving to National Support Services in October 2008.

Mr Byrne is currently completing a masters degree in Violence, Terrorism and Security at Queen's University Belfast.

He has previously received qualifications from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia; Harvard University, John Jay College, New York and New Scotland Yard anti-terrorist branch.

Oxford-born Cressida Dick is assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and a recipient of the Queen's Police Medal.

An Oxford graduate, Ms Dick joined the Metropolitan Police in 1983. Within 10 years she had been promoted to chief inspector.

She completed a Master's in criminology at Cambridge University, returning to policing in 2001.

She received the specialist 'shoot-to-kill' firearms training that qualified her to head terror alert operations in the wake of 7/7.

Her role in the police operation that culminated in the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in 2005 attracted criticism, though she was cleared of blame for his death in 2007.

In July 2011, Ms Dick was appointed assistant commissioner, specialist operations. She also held the rank of acting deputy commissioner for a time.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton is currently responsible for District Policing Rural, which covers an area of approximately 11,700 square kilometres of Northern Ireland and a population of approximately 900,000.

He joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1985 and as a detective chief inspector and detective superintendent was involved in a number of high profile investigations.

He was chief superintendent and district commander for south and east Belfast before being appointed assistant chief constable of Strathclyde police in 2009.

He returned to the PSNI in 2011 and also served in England and Wales between 1994 and 1997.

On his return to Northern Ireland in 1997 he became involved with the Patten Commission.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Politics and Economics and a Masters in Business Administration. He is a member of the Institute of Directors and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Leadership Association.

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Cable: I'm supporting party leader

29 May 2014 Last updated at 09:27

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Vince Cable: "I was not given any information about these polls"

Vince Cable has denied acting disloyally after one of his closest allies attempted to get Nick Clegg sacked as Liberal Democrat leader.

Lord Oakeshott commissioned polls suggesting the party would do better without Mr Clegg at the helm.

Mr Cable admits knowing about some of the polling, but denied knowing about ones in Mr Clegg's own constituency.

He denied wanting Mr Clegg's job before the next election telling BBC News: "I am supporting the party leader."

The business secretary, who is on a trade mission in China, said he wanted the "in-fighting" in the party to end, saying: "There is no leadership issue. We have a united team."

Asked about the polls suggesting the party would do better under his leadership, Mr Cable said he was not going to "speculate" about "abstract possibilities".

BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said that despite Mr Cable's pledge of loyalty "lingering" questions remained because the business secretary knew that the polls had asked about whether a change of leader would improve the party's fortunes but appears not to have told Mr Clegg.

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Nick Clegg: "Vince Cable clearly didn't know a thing about the poll being conducted"

The polls, which suggested the party would lose fewer seats at the next election if Mr Cable or, to a lesser extent Treasury Secretary Danny Alexander, was the leader instead of Mr Clegg were leaked to The Guardian in the wake of disastrous local and European election results for the party.

The man who paid for them, Lord Oakeshott, has been agitating for the removal of Mr Clegg for some time. He has now quit the party, claiming it is "heading for disaster" under Mr Clegg.

In his resignation statement he said Mr Cable knew about the polls - including the one in Mr Clegg's Sheffield Hallam constituency - some weeks ago.

The business secretary has repeatedly denied this, insisting he knew about Lord Oakeshott's polling in his Twickenham constituency and some other areas, but not in Mr Clegg's constituency or fellow minister Danny Alexander's Inverness constituency.

Mr Cable said there was "no disloyalty whatever" and he had made clear that the polling carried out in Mr Clegg's constituency and Inverness was "quite wrong".

Speaking to BBC Radio Sheffield, Mr Clegg said of Mr Cable: "He clearly didn't know at all about a poll being conducted in Sheffield."

He added that Mr Cable had been "very critical" about the poll having taken place.

Mr Clegg admitted the party had lost support since joining the coalition in 2010, but that to leave now - as he said Lord Oakeshott desired - "would harm the Liberal Democrats for a generation".

He added: "Clearly, we had some really, really bad election results last week. That, of course, quite rightly means there's a lot of questions and soul searching about what we do as a party over the next year."

Although Mr Cable admitted he had discussed some polls with Lord Oakeshott, senior party sources have said there is no question about Mr Cable's loyalty.

And while they know continued turmoil could threaten to destabilise the party, sources close to Mr Clegg said Lord Oakeshott's departure had put an end to what they called a "ham-fisted coup attempt".

Lose seats

Mr Clegg has faced calls to step down from 300 activists while a number of constituency associations, including Liverpool and Cambridge, are to hold meetings to discuss their leader's future.

He has said it was "wholly unacceptable" that a senior member of the party "rather than trying to go out and win votes was spending money and time trying to undermine the fortunes of the party".

It emerged on Tuesday that Lord Oakeshott had paid for an ICM poll into Mr Clegg's electoral appeal, with results suggesting the Lib Dems would pick up votes in four seats, including Mr Clegg's, if Mr Cable or other figures replaced Mr Clegg as leader.

The poll suggested the party was on course to lose Sheffield Hallam and three other seats - Cambridge, Redcar and Wells - next year unless there was a change at the top.

Lord Oakeshott has subsequently published poll findings suggesting the Lib Dems are vulnerable in Mr Cable's own seat, Twickenham, and Inverness, the constituency of Lib Dem Treasury minister Danny Alexander.

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Police quiz kids over online abuse

29 May 2014 Last updated at 08:45

Almost 2,000 children in the UK have been investigated for social media abuse, offensive Twitter messages and online bullying since 2011, it has been revealed.

A Freedom of Information Act request by Sky News revealed that 1,200 were then either charged with an offence, given a caution or fined.

The figures showed that 20,000 adults were also investigated in that time.

Of those, 11,292 were subject to police action of some kind.

In Tayside, a nine-year-old was given a warning along with four 10-year-olds.

Eighteen police forces were unable to provide data on online abuse, preventing a fuller picture being established.

Nuisance

But 34 forces around the country were able to disclose the number of investigations launched under Section 127 of the 2003 Communications Act.

The law covers abuse which takes place on social media, via text messaging or nuisance phone calls.

Concerns raised last year about the volume of investigations led to new guidance being issued, raising the threshold for action.

Hertfordshire Police recorded the highest number of investigations last year, looking into 1,042 cases - up from 291 in 2011.

Over three years, the Metropolitan Police had the highest figure, investigating 2,099 incidents.

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'Lose a little' advice on obesity

28 May 2014 Last updated at 01:52 By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

New weight loss guidelines for the NHS in England will advise people to "lose a little and keep it off" for life.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) wants overweight people to go to slimming classes which lead to 3% weight loss over a year.

Many obese people would still be classed as obese.

But NICE said even such a small loss - probably of just a few pounds - would cut blood pressure and reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes and some cancers.

Someone weighing 15st 10lb would need to lose just over six pounds to cut their weight by 3%.

If they were 5ft 7in, their BMI would drop from 35 to 33. Anyone with a BMI of more than 30 is classed as obese.

'Difficult'

Prof Mike Kelly, the director of the centre for public health at NICE, said the guidelines were about lifelong change rather than yo-yo dieting, when the weight is piled back on after initial success.

He said that required achievable goals: "We would like to offer an instant solution and a quick win, a much greater ambition if you like, but realistically it's important to bear in mind this is difficult.

"It is not just a question of 'for goodness' sake pull yourself together and lose a stone' - it doesn't work like that.

"People find it difficult to do - it's not something you can just wake up one morning and decide I'm going to lose 10 pounds, it takes resolve, it takes encouragement."

Obesity statistics

• One in four adults in England are obese
• A further 42% of men are classed as overweight
• The figure for women in 32%
• A BMI of 30-35 cuts life expectancy by up to four years
• A BMI of 40 or more cuts life expectancy by up to 10 years
• Obesity costs the NHS £5.1bn every year

Source: National Institute of Health and Care Excellence

BBC News: Where are you on the global fat scale?

Gill Fine, a public health nutritionist who led the team devising the guidelines, said a sustained 3% drop in weight would alter the trajectory of ever-expanding waistlines.

She commented: "If people think they've got to lose over a stone, they don't lose a stone and they get disheartened and they go back up - that isn't going to help them.

"But if they can just lose a little bit, keep that weight off then that is going to give them a health benefit."

The guidance for the NHS in England said weight-management programmes should:

• Tackle diet, physical activity and change behaviour
• Be focused on lifelong change not short-term gains
• Last at least three months, but set target weights for the end of the programme and after one year
• Plan to reduce calorie intake, but not ban specific foods or food groups
• Introduce physical activity into daily life such as walking
• Be respectful and non-judgemental

This would include some established NHS programmes as well as private businesses including Rosemary Conley, Slimming World and Weight Watchers.

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Dr Tony Goldstone, an obesity expert at London's Hammersmith Hospital, explains what fat is

Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, told the BBC the guidelines did not go far enough and looked like a "brave attempt to close the stable door whilst the horse is still bolting".

He commented: "A 3% reduction may well have some health benefit - every little helps - but if the patient is obese at the beginning of the course he or she will probably still be obese by its end.

"At least a 5% weight loss, and preferably one of 10%, have been weight reduction targets in past years and they still should be today.

"NICE should be going for the clinical excellence that it's proud of and not the compromise it has suggested."

Analysis

By James Gallagher, BBC health and science reporter

If you are looking for a solution to the obesity epidemic, this is not it. At least not on its own.

Obesity is an area of public health where there are no quick fixes.

During interviews, Prof Mike Kelly from NICE made repeated comparisons with smoking.

Weight-loss programmes are akin to smoking-cessation services, but they don't stop people smoking or getting fat in the first place.

Prof Kelly said there was a need to "get a grip on the obesogenic environment".

"You can walk down a High Street anywhere in England and you are surrounded by cheap, energy- dense calories and that is obviously part of the problem."

Prof John Ashton, the president of the Faculty of Public Health, said obesity was a major health issue.

He added: "These are just the first steps. If tackling obesity were as simple as telling people they should eat less and move more, we would not have a problem now.

"Individuals need to play their part, but this guidance acts as a reminder that we also need bold action now from government to reduce the huge costs of treating obesity.

"Stronger more effective policy interventions are also needed, which is why we support piloting a sugar duty, to see how successful it will be."

Sir Richard Thompson, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: "The majority of Britain is expected to be obese by 2050.

"NICE's new guidance will help encourage greater co-ordination of services and provide the support that medical professionals need to deliver high-quality prevention and obesity management services."

Have you succeeded or struggled in losing body weight? Has medical guidance helped you? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using the subject line 'Weight loss'.

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French police move into Calais camps

28 May 2014 Last updated at 08:21

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The BBC's Paul Adam's looked around the camp before the police arrived

Police in the northern French city of Calais are removing about 800 migrants from Asia, the Middle East and Africa who are occupying camps near the port.

The authorities say the evictions are needed to deal with an outbreak of scabies in the camps, where numbers have swelled in recent months.

The migrants have been trying to get to Britain, and say they have nowhere else to go after the camps are destroyed.

Police moved into the site after a deadline for people to leave expired.

Several busloads of police in riot gear arrived at the camps early on Wednesday.

Continue reading the main story

Many get stuck in this small city and their presence is very visible and has made some locals angry"

End Quote

Bashir Bakhtyar BBC News, Calais

---

After a stand-off with local activists, the officers moved in and told migrants to pack their bags. Many seem resigned to moving on, the BBC's Paul Adams at the site says.

An Eritrean man said he had tried to cross the English Channel by boarding lorries but was stopped by police several times. "I will try again and again," he told the BBC.

Most people at the camps believe the UK will be a more welcoming place if only they can get there, our correspondent says.

In 2002 the French government closed the main Red Cross centre at Sangatte near Calais, but insanitary illegal camps have sprung up in its place.

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House prices will face 'correction'

28 May 2014 Last updated at 08:25

Nationwide building society has warned the London housing market may face a "natural correction" as it reported its best ever annual results.

The mutual's chief executive, Graham Beale said there was already a "slowing down in the market place".

It comes as Nationwide reported a four-fold rise in pre-tax annual profits to £677m, against £168m a year earlier.

Mr Beale told the BBC's business editor, Kamal Ahmed, buyers had started to baulk at ever higher house prices.

"At some point buyers just start saying no," he added.

Nationwide said it increased mortgage lending by 31% to £28.1bn in the year to 4 April on the back of the recovery in the housing market.

First-time buyers

The mutual said it had also approved 31% of all mortgages advanced within the government's Help to Buy scheme, designed to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder.

But it added the number of mortgages it advanced to borrowers with a deposit of 10% or less of a property's purchase value - which would account for a majority of first-time buyers - remained low, at 2.4% of its total lending for the year.

On Tuesday, the British Bankers' Association (BBA) said mortgage lending in April hit a six year high of £12.2bn. But at the same time the number of mortgage approvals fell to an eight month low, suggesting fewer people are borrowing more as house prices continue to accelerate.

And the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed average property values increased by 8% in the year to March to £252,000, down slightly from the 9.2% rise recorded a month earlier.

State-backed Lloyds Banking Group recently announced it would restrict lending to four times a borrower's income for mortgage applications of £500,000 or more. There has been speculation that Royal Bank of Scotland may soon follow suit.

'Compelling alternative'

Nationwide also saw an increase of £4.9bn in savers' deposits to £130.5bn, equal to a 12.1% share of the total savings market.

Mr Beale, said the mutual continued to offer "a clear and compelling alternative to the established banks".

Underlying pre-tax profits rose 113% to £924m in the year to 4 April from £433m a year earlier.

New and existing customers opened more than 430,000 new current accounts, an 18% increase compared with a year before.

Nationwide said it had increased its overall market share of current account customers to 5.5 million accounts or 6.2% in February - the most recent figures available - up from 5.7% a year earlier, helped by new rules that make it quicker and easier for people to switch their current account to another provider.

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New claims on independence economy

28 May 2014 Last updated at 09:08

Contrasting claims about the costs and benefits of Scottish independence are to be put to voters.

The Scottish government will argue that independence could bring about an economic bonus for each household.

The UK government will say that keeping the Union will ensure a dividend for everyone in Scotland.

Treasury ministers are preparing to publish their costing of the White Paper plans for independence.

The challenges it has identified for an independent Scotland include an ageing population, declining oil revenues and the potential for higher interest rates.

The Treasury analysis will be published by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander.

Mr Alexander told the BBC's Scotland 2014 programme: "One of the frustrations here is that the nationalist government has not set out any costs at all of setting up a new state - they seem to assume it's free.

"Just like they seem to assume that you can get all the oil out of the North Sea for free, just as they seem to think that they can get away with trying to bamboozle people to vote for independence on the basis of numbers that simply don't add up - on oil revenues, on set-up costs, on tax and on spending."

The Scottish government has rejected the view that the costs of independence are greater than the benefits.

'Benefits of wealth'

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "The reality is Scotland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, more prosperous per head than the UK, France and Japan, but we need the powers of independence to ensure that that wealth properly benefits everyone in our society."

The Scotland Office has said the paper will show "there is a significant benefit for each and every Scottish man, woman and child as part of the union".

The Scottish government has claimed that the Treasury calculations rest on a misinterpretation of research carried out by the London School of Economics (LSE).

LSE academic Patrick Dunleavy posted on his Twitter account: "UK Treasury press release on #Scotland costs of government badly misrepresents LSE research."

Mr Salmond added: "This is a devastating verdict on the Treasury's figures from one of the authors of the report they have been using to base their work on.

"And it totally undermines everything they have to say this week about the finances of an independent Scotland."

Mr Alexander said the figures on start-up costs were based on research by Professor Robert Young from Canada.

UK assets

The Scotland Office has questioned claims from the Scottish government that an independent Scotland would be entitled to a share of UK assets.

A spokesman said: "John Swinney now seems to have reduced his independence dream to an episode of Cash in the Attic.

"His financial plan for independence now hinges on how much he might be able to get for 'Scotland's share' of the UK Embassy in Tokyo or the new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.

"In private, Mr Swinney told his Cabinet colleagues that it would cost £600m a year for an independent Scotland to set up one government department to collect tax. He should now tell everyone in Scotland what the total bill for independence would be."

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One third 'admit racial prejudice'

28 May 2014 Last updated at 09:11

Nearly a third of people in Britain admit being racially prejudiced, research has suggested.

The British Social Attitudes survey found the proportion had increased since the start of the century, returning to the level of 30 years ago.

According to the survey, by social research company NatCen, 30% of those polled described themselves as either "very" or "a little" race prejudiced.

Penny Young, chief executive of NatCen, said the findings were "troubling".

The survey of more than 2,000 people revealed that prejudice had risen since an all-time low of 25% of people in 2001.

It also found wide variations currently across the country: 16% of people in inner London admitted to prejudice but the figure was 35% in the West Midlands.

Older men in manual jobs were the most likely to say they were prejudiced, but the group recording the biggest rise was educated male professionals.

Levels of racial prejudice increased with age, at 25% for 17 to 34-year-olds compared with 36% for over-55s.

Education had an impact with 19% of those with a degree and 38% of those with no qualifications reporting racial prejudice.

'National psyche'

The social attitudes survey has been carried out every year since 1983.

People were asked whether they would describe themselves as prejudiced "against people of other races".

Ms Young told BBC Radio 4's Today programme self-reported prejudice was "very difficult" to study in detail.

It appeared to be in "inexorable decline" in 2001 as part of "increasingly socially liberal Britain" - but has since gone back up.

The effect of the 9/11 attacks and an increase in concern about immigration were two possible reasons for the turnaround, she said.

The strongest message to politicians from the survey concerned immigration.

More than 90% of those who admitted some level of racial prejudice wanted to see a reduction in the number of people entering the UK.

But so did 73% of those who said they were not racially prejudiced.

Ms Young added: "Levels of racial prejudice declined steadily throughout the 90s, but have been on the rise again during the first decade of this century.

"This bucks the trend of a more socially liberal and tolerant Britain. Our local and national leaders need to understand and respond to increased levels of racial prejudice if we are to build strong local communities."

Alison Park, co-director of the survey, said: "Racial prejudice, in whatever guise, is undoubtedly still part of the national psyche."

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Child sight loss 'on the increase'

27 May 2014 Last updated at 00:14

Increasing numbers of British children are being registered as blind or partially sighted, say campaigners.

Blind Children UK says much of the rise is down to more very premature babies surviving, with one in 20 of these now likely to be born blind.

It estimates the number of babies born with sight difficulties as a result of being premature has risen 22% over the past decade to more than 1,800 a year.

It says delays in diagnosis are leaving children unnecessarily impaired.

Blind Children UK is aiming to raise awareness of the warning signs that parents should watch for.

The organisation highlights signs such as red or cloudy eyes and babies or children reacting badly to bright light, and says parents should seek medical help if they are evident.

Continue reading the main story

• Red, inflamed, watery or cloudy eyes
• Excessive rubbing or poking of the eyes
• Puffy or swollen eyelids
• Moving or "wobbling" eyes
• Unusual posture when looking at something
• Bright light causing discomfort

Source: Blind Children UK

To evaluate the extent of sight problems, the charity looked at data from NHS England, the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish government, the Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trusts and the Office for National Statistics.

It found that since 2006, there had been a 9% rise in the number of children registered blind or partially sighted.

The biggest increase has been among those aged under five, according to the charity formerly known as the National Blind Children's Society.

'Affects development'

The earlier children are born the greater the risk they will have a visual impairment.

The survey of 130 parents of children with sight problems found a quarter said that they had to wait longer than a year to have their child diagnosed.

Half of those questioned said the delay they experienced in diagnosis had had a "negative" effect.

Richard Leaman, chief executive of Blind Children UK, said: "Every day a child with sight loss goes without support, it dramatically affects their development.

"As much as 80% of a sighted child's learning takes place using vision. Without this, it's impossible for a young boy or girl to develop fully and make sense of the world around them.

"We help children and their families tackle all the challenges of sight loss, so that they can enjoy their childhood and fully realise their potential as adults."

Do you have a registered blind or partially sighted child? What has been your experience? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'blind children' in the heading, and including your contact details.

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Scotland 'becoming more diverse'

27 May 2014 Last updated at 00:22

One in six households in Scotland is of mixed ethnicity, a study has found.

Researchers found that ethnic diversity is increasing throughout Scottish society, as immigrants have settled in new areas and the mix of ethnic groups has grown.

By 2011, the number of people living in Scotland who identified as being other than "white Scottish" reached 850,000.

The largest minority group was those who described themselves as "white: other British".

Numbers in that category had increased by 10% to 417,000 in the decade to 2011, with about three-quarters born in England.

Other minority groups have seen "considerable increases" in size, according to researchers, including the African, Chinese, Pakistani and Indian populations.

Continue reading the main story

Ethnicity is not a matter of colour, but might be used to describe different aspects of our background and sense of who we are"

End Quote Dr Andrew Smith Researcher

The researchers at the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity, co-hosted by the universities of Glasgow and Manchester, analysed recent censuses held in Scotland.

They said the populations of some minority groups have increased "significantly faster" in Scotland than in England, but from a much lower starting point.

The African, Indian and Caribbean populations were examples of groups in this category.

Overall, experts found that diversity had increased in every local authority across Scotland.

In Glasgow and Edinburgh, every council ward saw an increase in diversity, the study found.

'Diversity spread'

Dr Andrew Smith, senior lecturer in sociology at the University of Glasgow, said: "What our research in the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity reveals is a picture of growing diversity within Scotland, and of diversity spread across different areas of the country.

"The presence of the large 'other British' minority reminds us that ethnicity is not a matter of colour, but might be used to describe different aspects of our background and sense of who we are.

"What the analysis also reveals is that Scotland's growing diversity is not producing 'polarised islands of different groups' but a 'mosaic of differently mixed areas."

The Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

The analysis is produced as part of a series prepared at the universities of Glasgow and Manchester with support from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

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Lloyds Bank announces TSB flotation

27 May 2014 Last updated at 09:03

Lloyds Banking Group is to float a 25% stake in its TSB business on the London stock market.

The sale is set to take place next month and there will be an opening for ordinary investors to buy shares.

The bank will reward ordinary investors with free shares for longer-term investments.

TSB is being floated to meet European Commission competition rules regarding state aid. Lloyds was bailed out by the UK taxpayer in 2008.

The Co-operative Bank was set to buy TSB but did not go ahead after a £1.5bn black hole emerged at the Co-op Bank.

Lloyds must sell its remaining stake in TSB before the end of 2015.

'Important step'

Shares will be offered to institutional investors and to intermediaries for ordinary investors. The bank will give ordinary investors one free share for every 20 shares they buy (up to the value of £2,000) and hold for a period of one year after the float.

Continue reading the main story

You wait for one challenger bank to come along and suddenly you are swatting them away like flies.

After government and opposition demands that there should be more banks on the High Street, TSB will join Metro Bank and Virgin Money as players in the retail market. Royal Bank of Scotland's Williams and Glyn branch network with 1.7 million customers is also being prepared for European Commission-enforced independence.

TSB will need to show that this competition means something for customers. Chasing market share with "innovative" products often leads to problems as banks have found with payment protection insurance. "Packaged accounts" - which come complete with insurance products and special offers - could be next.

There is something of a contradiction here. The government wants boring "vanilla" banks which don't do anything too racy. It also wants a competitive market. The two tend to pull in opposite directions.

António Horta-Osório, Lloyds Banking Group chief executive, said: "The decision to proceed with an initial public offering of TSB is an important further step for the group as we act to meet our commitments to the European Commission.

"TSB has a national network of branches, a strong balance sheet and significant economic protection against legacy issues," he added.

The bank has 631 branches and 4.5 million retail customers, making it the seventh largest retail bank in the UK.

TSB will continue to use Lloyds banking operations and computer systems, the bank said.

Banking analyst Chris Skinner told the BBC that TSB - which is expected to be valued at about £1.5bn - was "really a new brand but on an old horse".

The rationale behind spinning-off TSB rather than selling off its assets is to create a "challenger bank" to make UK retail banking more competitive, Mr Skinner said.

"There are new challenger banks - there's Aldermore, Shawbrook, Handelsbanken, Metro, Tesco - there are a lot of banks actually launched into the UK economy.

"Over time we'll end up probably again with just a few that actually succeed, and I'm waiting to see which are the few that succeed," he added.

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Leaders to offer response to UKIP win

27 May 2014 Last updated at 09:10

Party leaders are due to set out their response to the UK Independence Party's victory in the European elections.

Prime Minister David Cameron will travel to Brussels for an informal dinner with other EU leaders where the election results will be discussed.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Ed Miliband will set out his approach to rebuilding trust in politics in a speech in Essex.

Senior Liberal Democrat Vince Cable said "there is no leadership issue" after calls for Nick Clegg to resign.

Following the elections, Mr Cameron has pushed the case for changes in the relationship between Brussels and EU member states in a series of phone calls to other heads of government.

Meanwhile, two Labour former cabinet ministers have warned Mr Miliband against any "knee-jerk" reaction on immigration.

Seize initiative

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson says Mr Cameron will attempt to seize the initiative following the Conservatives' first-ever third place in the European elections.

The prime minister telephoned fellow EU leaders, including Germany's Angela Merkel, ahead of Tuesday evening's meeting in Brussels to emphasise that the results of the European elections, and the low turnout, have underlined the need for reform.

But supporters of Eurosceptic campaign group Business for Britain have written to the Daily Telegraph calling for Mr Cameron to spell out more clearly which powers should be taken back to Britain from Brussels.

Continue reading the main story

Mr Cameron has received conflicting advice from two former Conservative cabinet members on how to handle UKIP at the next election.

Lord Tebbit told the BBC he would support informal pacts that could see Conservatives backing those UKIP candidates who had the best chance of defeating Labour or the Lib Dems.

Lord Tebbit also said Mr Cameron needed to publish this year the bill for a referendum on Europe in 2017, and set out soon the areas in which he wanted to renegotiate powers back from Brussels.

He said about UKIP's success in the elections: "I don't think we'll see them sweep to power at the next election but unless the government can come up with answers to which UKIP are asking, lord knows what will happen."

Lord Heseltine said any pacts would split the party and there should not be a deal with UKIP "under any circumstances".

"If you say to me, 'Are they going to be a major force in the next general election?' the answer is no," he said.

"It was the place to go to protest about certain things that have been happening which they associate with Europe, but the real problem is the recession.

"Whenever you get a recession of this sort, mid-term election results find a protest point. It used to be the Lib Dems."

Leadership call

Mr Miliband received advice from Labour former cabinet ministers Lord Hutton and Alan Milburn, who wrote to the Times urging him to avoid a "Dutch auction of... ever tighter immigration controls" and instead argue for managed migration.

They called on the party leader to "have the courage of his convictions and come out fighting".

Meanwhile, more than 300 Lib Dem activists have signed an online petition advising Mr Clegg to resign.

John Pugh, the Liberal Democrat MP for Southport, called for a review of the party's leadership and strategy after it lost all but one of its 12 MEPs.

He said: "If we carry on as usual, we are like the generals at the Somme, because these losses are horrendous."

But Mr Cable said: "Now is not the time for in-fighting and introspection. The party must hold its nerve."

Mr Clegg said he wanted to "finish the job" and insisted it had not crossed his mind to resign.

"At the point when our big decisions, our big judgements are being vindicated, we are not going to buckle, we are not going to lose our nerve, we are not going to walk away," he said.

The European elections result is the first time a party other than the Conservatives or Labour has won a UK national election for 100 years.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the party was a truly national force and had "momentum" behind it.

UKIP won 27.5% of the vote and had 24 MEPs elected. Labour, on 25.4%, narrowly beat the Tories into third place while the Lib Dems came sixth behind the Greens. The SNP won two seats in Scotland.

Northern Ireland has yet to declare its results.

Far-right anti-EU parties, including the Front National in France, made gains across Europe as did anti-austerity groups from the left.

Mr Farage said UKIP was aiming to win the Newark by-election next week, to try to "turn the heat" up on Mr Cameron.

It would target a dozen or more seats in next year's general election, he added.

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Tax crackdown yields record £23.9bn

27 May 2014 Last updated at 09:21

The government has raised a record £23.9bn in additional tax for the year to the end of March as a result of a crackdown on tax avoidance.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said it had secured the money - the highest amount since records began - as a result of its investigations.

The figure is almost £1bn higher than the target set by Chancellor George Osborne in the Autumn Statement.

The extra money raised is in addition to regular tax receipts.

HMRC credited "increased activity" on unpaid tax for the figure.

"HMRC will pursue those seeking to avoid their responsibilities and will collect the taxes that are due," said Treasury minister David Gauke.

"The government is determined to tackle the minority that seek to avoid paying the taxes they owe," he added.

HMRC said that of the total amount it had raised, more than £8bn came from large businesses, £1bn from criminals and £2.7bn from tackling avoidance schemes in courts.

In total, HMRC has said it expects to secure £100bn between May 2010 and March 2015 as a result of its investigations into unpaid tax.

The "tax gap" - the difference between the amount of tax due and that collected - was 7% for the 2011-2012 financial year, the most recent figure available.

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Manchester United's brand 'devalued'

26 May 2014 Last updated at 00:01

The value of the Manchester United brand has been damaged by a disappointing season according to a study by consultancy Brand Finance.

They say United's brand is worth $739m (£439m), down $98m on last year.

That makes it the third most valuable football brand after Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Real Madrid's victory in the Champions League final on Saturday helped boost its brand value. The club already has the biggest sales of any football club.

'Solid footing'

The authors say an improvement in the Spanish economy could help the club retain the top brand spot.

And they add that "with arguably the finest player in the world in the shape of Ronaldo" and now a first Champions League title since 2002, "Real's brand is back on a solid footing".

Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid win their 10th European Cup as they finally overcame neighbours Atletico Madrid in a compelling Champions League final in Lisbon.

But despite Real's strong season, Bayern Munich has the most valuable brand in football for the second year running according to the report.

The authors point to the Bavarian club's record points haul in winning the Bundesliga title in the 2013-14 season.

English clubs Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are placed from fifth to eighth most valuable.

United revival?

Manchester United will be hoping the appointment of Louis van Gaal will reverse its fortunes both on and off the pitch next season.

Speaking on Dutch TV station RTL last week, Mr Van Gaal said his immediate objectives were to return United to "number one spot" as soon as possible, and that fans "will think they are champions of England again within a year".

The Brand Finance report said that "shrewd commercial management" has shielded Manchester United's brand from more serious damage.

"However, another season in the wilderness, outside the Champions League, will see brand value truly plunge, and leave few sponsors willing to do a deal with the [Red] Devils," the report said.

For the three months to the end of March, Manchester United reported profits of £11m, up from £3.6m a year ago. The club also posted record revenues of £115.5m for the period.

Brand Finance defines brand value as the cost another party would have to pay to license the use of a brand.

To calculate that cost the consultancy looked at a range of factors, including the mix of revenue, value of squad, and club heritage.

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Farage hails 'historic' Euro win

26 May 2014 Last updated at 08:36

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Live BBC News coverage of the European election results

Nigel Farage has said his "dream has become a reality" and UKIP is now the "third force" in British politics after it topped the European polls.

With only Scotland left to declare, UKIP has 27.5% of the vote and 23 MEPs.

Labour, on 25%, is narrowly beating the Tories into second place while the Lib Dems lost all but one of their seats and came behind the Greens.

David Cameron said the public was "disillusioned" with the EU and their message was "received and understood".

The full Scottish result will be known at noon on Monday, as the Western Isles does not count votes on a Sunday.

The BBC is predicting that the result in Scotland will be SNP on two seats, Labour on two seats and the Conservatives and UKIP with one seat each - meaning Mr Farage's anti-EU party is expected to win at least one seat in every part of Great Britain.

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Nigel Farage: "The people's army of UKIP have spoken tonight"

It will be the first time a national election has not been won by the Conservatives or Labour in 100 years - and the first time a party with no MPs at Westminster has achieved such a result.

Counting in Northern Ireland begins later on Monday.

• UKIP topped the poll in six of the 10 regions to declare, with its strongest performance coming in the East Midlands, where its vote was up 16.5% to 33%
• Labour topped the poll in Wales, the North-West of England, the North-East of England and London where it increased its share of the vote by 15% to 36.7%
• Ed Miliband's party has 18 MEPs so far, an increase of seven on 2009, which was a record low point for the party
• UKIP came third in London with 16.9% of the vote
• The Conservatives have so far secured 24% of the vote nationally and lost seven seats
• The Lib Dems have lost nine MEPs but avoided a humiliating wipe-out by winning a single seat in the South-East of England
• The Green Party has got three MEPs - one more than it achieved in 2009
• Coverage is on the BBC News Channel and BBC World. You can follow all the latest news, reaction and results on bbc.co.uk/vote2014

In his victory speech at the South East of England count, UKIP leader Mr Farage said: "The people's army of UKIP have spoken tonight and have delivered just about the most extraordinary result in British politics for 100 years."

Continue reading the main story

It is over 100 years since a national election has been won by a party other than the Conservatives and Labour"

End Quote

He said the three main parties in Britain had led the country into the Common Market but had "twisted and turned" over an in/out referendum on EU membership.

"The penny's really dropped that as members of this union we cannot run our own country and crucially, we cannot control our own borders," said the UKIP leader.

He later told the BBC that he was "over the moon" about his party's performance and he was more confident than ever that it would make a breakthrough at Westminster next year.

The result had "serious consequences" for the three main party leaders and he believed Nick Clegg's position as Lib Dem leader was now "untenable".

Mr Clegg faced calls to stand down ahead of Sunday night's results - something firmly rejected by senior party figures.

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Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander (R) rejects calls from federal executive member Martin Tod (L) for a new party leader

A member of the party's federal executive, Martin Tod, reiterated his call for Mr Clegg to quit because voters were "not prepared" to listen to him.

He said any new leader should "prove themselves in a democratic party election".

Mr Tod, a councillor in Winchester, branded his party's results in the European elections a "disaster" and the party's response "complacent".

But Treasury Chief Secretary Danny Alexander, who has been touted as a future leader himself, insisted Mr Clegg was "by far the best spokesman" for the Lib Dems and said "plunging the party into a period of introspection" was not the right response to the results.

Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said the results were acting as "a command for Britain to get a better deal" in Europe - but he rejected calls by Tory grandee David Davis to bring forward the in/out EU referendum to 2016, saying negotiations on this could not be rushed.

The Tory leadership faced further calls for an electoral pact with UKIP to avoid a split in the right of British politics at next year's general election.

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Foreign Secretary William Hague: "We can fix the relationship between Britain and Europe"

Daniel Hannan, who was returned as a Tory MEP in the South East region, said: "It would be very sad if the two right-of-centre Eurosceptic parties at the general election were not able to find some way, at least in marginal seats, of reaching an accommodation so that anti-referendum candidates don't get in with a minority of votes."

Grant Shapps has repeatedly ruled out any formal pact or local deals with UKIP.

Labour was looking at one stage as if it might be beaten into third place by the Tories - a potentially disastrous result for Ed Miliband as he seeks to show he can win next year's general election.

But the party was rescued by another strong showing in London - and it took heart from local election results in battleground seats, which party spokesmen suggested were a better guide to general election performance.

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Natalie Bennett: "What people are saying... is that [they're] not happy with politics as it is now"

Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman said UKIP had tapped into people's disaffection with politics.

She told BBC people have said they are voting UKIP, even if they are a Labour supporter, because, they said: "I think you need a shake-up."

BNP leader Nick Griffin lost his seat and saw his party's vote collapse by 6% in the North-West of England.

The BNP has seen a similar slump in support across the UK and seems certain to have no representation in the next European Parliament.

Across the channel, the far right anti-EU National Front has topped the poll in France, according to exit polls.

Anti-EU parties from the left and right are expected to gain significant numbers of MEPs across all 28 member states in the wake of the eurozone crisis and severe financial squeeze.

But pro-EU parties are still expected to hold the majority in parliament.

Turnout across the EU is up slightly at 43.1%, according to estimates. Turnout in the UK was 33.8%, down slightly on last time.

In the European elections five years ago, the Conservatives got 27.7% of the total vote, ahead of UKIP on 16.5%, Labour on 15.7%, the Lib Dems on 13.7%, the Green Party on 8.6% and the BNP on 6.2%.

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