Home Ownership '£1,440 Cheaper' Than Renting

The cost of buying a home has become £1,440 a year cheaper than renting, according to new research.

Halifax found the average monthly costs associated with buying a three-bedroomed house stood at £621 in December, which is £120 cheaper than the typical monthly rent of £741 on a similar property.

The latest figures are an about-turn from December 2008, when buying a home was £217 a month more expensive than renting.

In recent years the gap has widened amid house price falls and record low interest rates which have made borrowing cheaper for those who can get access to a mortgage.

Meanwhile, increased demand in the rental sector from those struggling to raise a deposit or meet lenders' borrowing criteria has pushed up rental costs.

Home buying costs have declined by one third (34%) over the past four years, while average monthly rents have been pushed up by 14%, the study found.

The gap between buying and renting has widened by £21 a month over the past year. At the end of 2011, the monthly cost of home buying was £99 lower than renting.

Buying was found to be more affordable than renting in every UK region.

Buying is most affordable compared with renting in London, where the monthly difference is £193, while in Yorkshire and the Humber buying is just £1 a month cheaper than renting, Halifax found.

Martin Ellis, housing economist at Halifax, said that while the "financial attractiveness" of buying a home has improved in recent years, the tough economy is still holding would-be home buyers back.

He said: "Concerns over job security and raising a deposit are the main obstacles to people buying their own home. However, it is worth noting that once home buyers are on the first rung of the ladder, their monthly costs are notably lower."

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Territorial Army In Live Recruitment Drive

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

The first of a series of live television adverts will be broadcast today to help recruitment to the Territorial Army.

The advert will go out on ITV just after midday, broadcast from Afghanistan and real TA soldiers will take part, not actors.

There will be 17 live adverts over the next two weekends, each lasting around one minute, demonstrating how TA soldiers work alongside their regular Army colleagues.

It will be complimented by a series of events in London, Birmingham, Portsmouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle and Glasgow, showcasing the wide range of careers available including chefs, drivers, medics and engineers.

Major General Ranald Munro, the Deputy Commander of Land Forces and senior officer in the TA, said: "My vision is to have a Territorial Army that is well trained.

"Clearly not to the standards of the regular soldier in peacetime, but sufficiently high so that when we top the training up before operations they're ready to cross a line of departure with total assurance and confidence between the regular and the TA operating together."

Maj General Ranald Munro: 'My vision is to have a TA that is well trained'

On a bitterly cold Salisbury Plain this week, TA soldiers have been on final exercise alongside their regular colleagues before deploying to Afghanistan in April.

One of those is Lieutenant Rob Whittle, a TA soldier and security consultant in civilian life.

"Joining the Reservists is no different I think to joining the regular Army," he told Sky News.

"You still want to join to do jobs on operations, but it gives you the freedom to pursue a civilian career if that's what you want as well so effectively you are going to get the best of both worlds."

The recruitment drive is indicative of the Government's need to fulfil its pledge to double the number of TA soldiers from 15,000 to 30,000 by 2018.

Under the plans the Territorial Army will be known instead as the Reservists. This is intended to reflect their expanding role and increased importance. The Ministry of Defence is investing an extra £1.8bn over the next ten years to improve TA equipment and training.

"It's a huge challenge but one that I think we can achieve," Major Gen Munro predicts confidently. "If you look at other countries, America, Australia, Canada, it is do-able."

TA soldiers on exercise before they deploy to Afghanistan in April

But the larger reserve force will compensate for massive cuts in the regular Army. By 2020 the size of the service will have shrunk to 82,000 from a current level of around 105,000. It will be the smallest UK army since the 18th century.

Critics of the redundancies point out the threat of Islamic extremism in North Africa and argue that demands on the British Army are unlikely to diminish significantly even once the Afghan mission is over post 2014.

Business leaders also question the wisdom of a larger TA force because of the strains it can put on small business forced to release employees for military duties.

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Prisoners Charged With Child Killer's Murder

Two prisoners have been charged with murder after the death of child killer Subhan Anwar in jail.

Anwar's body was found by prison officers at Long Lartin jail near Evesham in Worcestershire on Thursday evening.

The two suspects, aged 47 and 45, were arrested at the scene and taken into police custody.

They were later charged and are due to appear at Worcester Magistrates Court.

Anwar, 25, was serving a minimum term of 23 years in prison for the torture and murder of his partner's daughter in 2009.

Two-year-old Sanam Navsarka suffered 107 injuries at his hands during weeks of torture.

Sanam Navsarka was killed by Subhan Anwar

Anwar's partner Zahbeena Navsarka was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to nine years in jail.

Sentencing the couple in 2009, Judge Peter Thornton QC condemned their cruel and selfish treatment of Sanam and added that "humanity had let her down".

The pair, both from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, tried to claim the little girl had stopped breathing after they left her alone in the bath for 10 minutes.

However, the child's hand prints and bloodstains were found inside cupboards at the couple's home in Huddersfield and at a former property in Batley, West Yorkshire.

Anwar also put Sanam in a tumble dryer, and dumped her in the bin as her mother looked on.

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Horsemeat: Farmers In 'Buy British' Campaign

By Clare Fallon, Sky News Reporter

Officials investigating the horsemeat scandal have raided three more properties in Britain.

Two sites in Tottenham, North London, and one in Hull in Yorkshire were searched by Food Standards Agency officials, who removed computer equipment and took away meat samples to be analysed.

Farmers, meanwhile, have advertised in national newspapers urging people to buy British.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) has taken out adverts in 10 national newspapers, saying it is championing British produce as a direct response to the contamination and mislabelling of some beef products.

According to NFU President, Peter Kendall, British farmers feel let down.

"Farmers are very proud of what they produce and are, quite rightly, furious about this current situation. They feel let down by what looks like a criminal element in an isolated part of the food chain," he said.

One of the businesses being investigated by the FSA in Tottenh am is Dinos & Sons Continental Foods.

The company released a statement saying it is co-operating with officials, adding: "At no time has Dinos & Sons produced or manufactured anything that is under investigation or is the subject of any possible contamination or mislabelling."

The raids came as three men who were arrested on Thursday remain in police custody on suspicion of offences under the Fraud Act.

Dafydd Raw-Rees, 64, the owner of Farmbox Meats near Aberystwyth, and a 42-year-old man were arrested in Wales.

A 63-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of the same offence at Peter Boddy Slaughterhouse in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.

Both plants were inspected on Tuesday by the FSA.

After test results revealed around 1% of products checked contained a significant amount of horse meat, Environment Secretary Owen Patterson insisted he wants all other tests to be completed by the end of next week.

"It's up to the food businesses to carry out the tests, to organise their businesses and to provide quality products," Mr Patterson told Sky News.

The problem has gone beyond supermarket bought burgers and lasagnes - hotels, restaurants and pubs have also been affected after confirmation from Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn, Beefeater Grill and Brewers Fayre, that horse DNA has been found in its food.

Cottage pie served to children at 47 schools in Lancashire has also tested positive and has now been removed from menus.

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Horsemeat: Tesco Promises Open Approach

Tesco has released a video featuring its CEO promising the company will take a more open approach to food processing in the wake of the horsemeat scandal.

Downing Street has attacked meat retailers for keeping customers in the dark over the extent of the crisis.

A source at Number 10 questioned why most of the major supermarkets have failed to appear on TV and in the media generally to reassure shoppers.

Hundreds of Food Standards Agency test results are to be released shortly which could reveal the true extent of contamination in the UK.

In the meantime, Tesco has released the video on its website - but said it was recorded before Downing Street's comments.

CEO Philip Clarke promises a new approach in the video.

"I have asked my team to review our approach to the supply chain, to ensure we have visibility and transparency, and to come back with a plan to build a world class traceability and DNA testing system," he said.

"We are building a new website, which will enable our customers to see the progress we are making with our testing programme, and which products have been tested so you can be sure of where we are in the process.

"We pledge that over the weeks and months ahead, we will open up our supply chain, and give you more information than any retailer has before to enable you to make informed choices about the food you buy for your family."

Sky News has also approached several leading supermarkets to discuss their approach to the contaminated meat crisis.

In response, Waitrose said: "We will not be giving any interviews today. We have been communicating with our customers - we have sent them letters. So far we have no positive results for horsemeat."

Asda's statement said: "We are waiting for the FSA announcements. We will provide a statement later possibly an interview. We have been continuously communicating with our customers." 

Morrisons, on the other hand, has been on the front foot with the media. Its statement said: "Morrisons has done numerous interviews on TV, radio and with newspapers, including on Sky News.

"We have done this because we want to keep our customers updated about how this scandal has affected Morrisons.

"So far we have had 68 test results in and no evidence of cross-contamination with horsemeat."

The Co-operative Group said all tests on its products have come back negative for horse DNA.

"We are have commissioned stringent ongoing independent testing on our own-brand products containing minced beef, as agreed with the Food Standards Agency. 

"Today's results have shown that, so far, no products in the current batch of those being tested have been found to contain horse DNA.

"Our tests are still ongoing and we continue to work with both the FSA and the British Retail Consortium, and expect to issue further updates in the next few days."

Marks And Spencer told Sky News they were finalising arrangements, while there has been no response from Sainsbury's.

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Michael Le Vell 'Will Not Appear In Corrie'

Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell will not appear in further episodes of the soap after being charged with child sex offences.

Le Vell, who plays garage owner Kevin Webster in the ITV soap opera, is accused of 19 child sex offences, including child rape, and sexual activity with a child between 2001 and 2010, Greater Manchester Police said.

Le Vell, 48, a father-of-two whose real name is Michael Turner, will appear in court charged with the offences on February 27.

An ITV spokesman said: "Given the serious nature of these charges, Michael Le Vell will not be appearing in Coronation Street pending the outcome of legal proceedings. It would not be appropriate for us to comment further at this time."

The actor was initially arrested in connection with the offences in September 2011.

The investigation was dropped three months later when authorities said there would be no further action taken against him as there was not enough evidence against him.

Michael Le Vell was first questioned over the child sex allegations in 2011

However, following a review of the case by lawyers at the Crown Prosecution Service the decision has been taken that it is in the "public interest" to charge the actor.

Speaking after the investigation against him was dropped in 2011, Le Vell said he was "delighted" to have been "completely exonerated", thanked police for their "thorough" investigation and Coronation Street staff and the public for their support.

Le Vell vowed to put the allegations behind him and returned to the show after a short break and is now currently involved in some of the soap's main storylines.

Alison Levitt, QC, principal legal adviser to the Director of Public Prosecutions, reviewed a file of evidence in relation to allegations of sexual offences and looked again at a decision previously made not to prosecute.

Ms Levitt said: "I have very carefully reviewed the evidence in this case and I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Michael Robert Turner with a number of sexual offences.

"I have authorised Greater Manchester Police to charge Mr Turner with 19 offences, including rape of a child."

Le Vell, who split from his wife Janette Beverley last year,  is one of television's most famous faces after playing car mechanic Kevin Webster for the past 30 years in the TV show.

Originally from Manchester, he began his acting career in the Oldham Theatre Workshop after taking an interest in amateur dramatics while at school.

He first joined the soap in 1983 and quickly endeared himself to fans who have followed the trials and tribulations of Kevin, from Brian Tilsley's apprentice mechanic through to his stormy marriage to Sally, played by Sally Dynevor, and fathering two teenage girls as well as a love child from his affair with Molly Dobbs.

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Pipe Bomb Found Near School In Belfast

A pipe bomb has been discovered close to a primary school in north Belfast.

The device was found in the Forth River Road area in the north of the city on Thursday afternoon, police said.

A suspicious object was discovered by a member of the public at about 3pm in a lane close to Forth River Primary.

A PSNI spokesman said: "Army technical experts attended and confirmed it to be a viable pipe bomb-type device."

More follows...

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Child Murderer Subhan Anwar Killed In Jail

A child murderer has been killed in Worcestershire's Long Lartin Prison, the Ministry of Justice says.

Two prisoners are being held in police custody after the death of Subhan Anwar, who was jailed in 2009 for torturing and killing a two-year-old girl.

Anwar is understood to have been held hostage in his cell at the Category A jail before he was killed.

A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "An incident at HMP Long Lartin on Thursday February 14 resulted in the death of prisoner Subhan Anwar.

"Two prisoners are now in police custody and the matter is being investigated by police."

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "West Mercia Police has launched a murder investigation after a 24-year-old man died in Long Lartin prison last night.

"The body of the man was found by prison officers just before 8pm on Thursday, February 14.

"Two men aged 47 and 45 have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are currently in police custody."

Anwar was jailed for a minimum of 23 years for the murder of his partner's daughter Sanam Navsarka.

His partner Zahbeena Navsarka was cleared of her daughter's murder but found guilty of manslaughter and jailed for nine years.

Anwar and Navsarka, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, were condemned for their cruel and selfish treatment of Sanam.

The violence inflicted on the youngster happened near the end of her life.

Her tiny hand prints and bloodstains were found inside cupboards at the home in Huddersfield and also at a former property in Batley, West Yorkshire.

Both her thigh bones had been fractured, causing fatty deposits to enter her bloodstream and resulting in her death, and she had fractures to both her arms.

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Stafford Hospital: Dementia Patient Abused

A health worker at Stafford Hospital dragged an elderly dementia patient around by his pyjamas before calling him an animal, a medical tribunal has heard.

Bonka Kostova, a Bulgarian-qualified midwife who was working as a healthcare assistant, was found to have physically and verbally abused the 73-year-old on a night shift in July 2010.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) said her fitness to practise was "currently impaired by reason of her misconduct". It is expected to deliver its final verdict on Thursday.

Ms Kostova was found to have pulled the man, known only as patient A, out of a toilet cubicle using the collar of his pyjama top while his trousers were around his ankles.

She then shouted "I hate you" and "you are no longer a human being but an animal" or words to that effect, the NMC found.

Staff nurses intervened, taking Ms Kostova to one side and telling her that her behaviour was "unacceptable".

One of them said Bonnie, as she was known to her colleagues, was "losing it".

Ms Kostova had been left in charge of the patient - who was said to be aggressive in his speech or manner around 80% of the time - when his carer went for a break.

The tribunal was told she had received general training in looking after vulnerable adults but had not been given specific training for dementia patients.

Ms Kostova has not worked at the hospital since she was suspended from her post.

Robert Courteney-Harris, medical director of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This incident was dealt with very swiftly when it happened in 2010."

A report into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, published last week, highlighted the "appalling and unnecessary" suffering of hundreds of patients between 2005 and 2009.

Some were left for hours sitting in their own faeces, food and drink was left out of reach and hygiene was so poor that relatives had to clean toilets themselves.

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'Jon Venables Twitter Photo' Investigation

A picture purporting to show the new identity of one of the killers of toddler James Bulger has been posted on Twitter, prompting an investigation.

The image is supposed to show Jon Venables, who was jailed along with his friend Robert Thompson for killing the youngster in a crime that appalled the nation 20 years ago this week.

In the picture, the man identified as Venables is seen smiling, apparently at a birthday party.

Venables was given a new identity after being released from prison for James' murder in 2001. There is a worldwide ban on publishing anything that would identify him as Jon Venables.

His parole was revoked and he was jailed again in 2010 for downloading and distributing dozens of indecent images of children. He is now making a new bid for release.

James Bulger was horrifically murdered 20 years ago

Denise Fergus, the mother of the murdered two-year-old, told Sky News earlier this week that Venables was a "ticking time bomb" and should not be released.

The image posted on Twitter was re-tweeted 100 times.

A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office said: "The AGO has been alerted to a possible contempt of court.

"We are liaising with the Ministry of Justice and others to establish the facts.

"We can neither confirm nor deny whether the pictures in question are of Jon Venables.

"It should be noted, there is a worldwide injunction in place which prevents the publication of any images or information purporting to identify anyone as Jon Venables."

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Bute: Traces Of Horse Drug In Carcasses In UK

A potenitally dangerous horse painkiller has not been detected in Findus food products - but traces of the drug have been found in carcasses slaughtered at UK abattoirs, MPs have been told.

Agriculture Minister David Heath told the House of Commons that eight carcasses tested positive for traces of anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone, known as bute.

Three of those carcasses entered the food chain in France, Mr Heath said, but the other five had not.

"The FSA (Food Standards Agency) is working with France to recall the meat," Mr Heath said.

Mr Heath said the FSA tested 206 horse carcasses for bute, which is potentially harmful to human health.

Of the eight that tested positive, six were slaughtered by LJ Potter Partners at Stillman's in Taunton, Somerset.

Those carcasses were sent to France, but only three of them were believed to enter the food chain.

The remaining two, from High Peak Meat Exports in Nantwich, Cheshire, did not leave the slaughterhouse and have been destroyed.

Chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies said that although the drug was linked to side-effects in humans who took it, the risk was very low.

"If you ate 100% horse burgers of 250g, you would have to eat, in one day, more than 500 or 600 to get to a human dose," she said.

"It would really be difficult to get up to a human dose."

The FSA has said there is no evidence to suggest the horsemeat detected in beef products poses a danger to humans, but the agency did order tests for bute as animals treated with the drug are not allowed to enter the food chain.

Bute was used on humans to treat rheumatoid arthritis and gout in the 1950s. It was banned however due to negative side effects, including causing blood disorders.

Mr Heath met representatives of British food retailers and suppliers on Wednesday.

He said he received assurances that "meaningful" results will be available on Friday from tests designed to detect the presence of horsemeat in products labelled beef.

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Labour Plans Mansion Tax To Fund 10p Tax Rate

Ed Miliband has called for the 10p tax rate to be reintroduced, funded by a mansion tax on homes worth more than £2m.

In an audacious bid to outflank David Cameron, he claimed Labour would use next month's Budget to bring back the band controversially scrapped by Gordon Brown in 2007.

The measure, which if reinstated in full would cost an estimated £7bn, would be funded by a mansion tax on homes worth £2m or more, Mr Miliband explained.

The announcement was a surprise inclusion in a major speech on the economy in Bedford, which had been billed as featuring no significant new policy.

Workers would save £250 if the first £2,500 of taxable income was subject to a 10p rate instead of 20p, but Mr Miliband said his giveaway would depend how much a mansion tax raised.

He said: "A One Nation Labour Budget next month would lay the foundations for a recovery made by the many, not just a few at the top.

"Let me tell you about one crucial choice we would make, which is different from this Government. We would tax houses worth over £2m. And we would use the money to cut taxes for working people.

"We would put right a mistake made by Gordon Brown and the last Labour government. We would use the money raised by a mansion tax to reintroduce a lower 10p starting rate of tax, with the size of the band depending on the amount raised.

"This would benefit 25 million basic rate taxpayers - moving Labour on from the past and putting Labour where it should always have been - on the side of working people."

"Cobbled together": David Cameron in Eastleigh on Thursday

The Labour leader will be hoping that, in one swoop, he has stolen Mr Cameron's thunder and also appealed to the Lib Dems who champion a mansion tax.

The move is also a clear attempt to pile pressure on Chancellor George Osborne, who will deliver his Budget next month amid mounting concerns about the sluggish recovery.

And it will be seen as a clever tactical move as Mr Miliband tries to restore the public's trust in Labour on the economy because it is a clear rejection of his predecessor.

Tory MPs have recently been campaigning for the return of the 10p rate and the Prime Minister appeared to signal he was open to the idea at PMQs on Wednesday.

"We won't forget the abolition of the 10p tax rate," Mr Cameron said when Mr Miliband argued the coalition was doing little to help ordinary workers.

The coalition is already committed to raising the income tax threshold to £10,000 over this Parliament but the Treasury was also understood to be considering plans for a new lower tax rate.

Mr Cameron, on a visit to Eastleigh, said: "My prediction is that they won't have thought it through or costed it properly and we will discover over the course of the day all sorts of problems and issues with a policy that looks like it has been cobbled together overnight."

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Woman And Toddler Hit-And-Run CCTV Released

Police have released video of the moment a woman and toddler were sent flying in a hit-and-run in an effort to track the driver and the car.

The CCTV footage shows the 42-year-old driving instructor and her three-year-old nephew crossing the road on December 7 in Coventry.

As they reach the middle of King William Street a black Audi estate overtakes another car, which had stopped to turn into a junction, and strikes them.

The driver of the Audi is seen to slow for a moment, but then accelerates along the road as passers-by rush to help the stricken pair, left lying in the middle of the street.

Fortunately, the woman and toddler were unharmed aside from a few minor injuries.

West Midlands Police said a witness supplied a partial number plate for the Audi - EN57 - but they have been unable to trace the vehicle and believe it could be hidden in a garage.

Officers believe the car will have sustained damage on the front.

"We have taken the unusual step of releasing the images - which carries a warning for viewers - in the hope that someone will recognise the car and come forward with information so that we can trace the driver," said PC Abbi Jones.

"This could have been so much worse. At the time of the collision, the driver would not have known that the woman and child were uninjured."

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Weather: Snow Blanketing Parts Of UK

Parts of the UK are set to see up to six inches of snow, as drivers were warned of perilous driving conditions in some areas.

Forecasters say the latest snowfall will be followed by rain, before much of the country enjoys a period of sunshine and milder temperatures.

But Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang urged motorists to be cautious in those areas due to suffer more wintry weather.

"There will be quite a few hours of quite nasty snow and a number of routes are likely to be affected," she said.

"It's mainly going to be in the hilly areas, where there will be between four and six inches.

"The M6 could be particularly badly hit and we're also expecting problems on the M74 in southern Scotland, the A66 in Cumbria and Pennine routes like the M62.

"The snow will be followed by outbreaks of rain in some areas and it is unlikely to settle for long in most parts.

"After that, we can actually look forward to a couple of days of sunshine, when temperatures should be fairly mild for most of us."

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings for much of Scotland and northern England for today, advising people to be aware of snow fall.

And the Environment Agency has scores of flood alerts in place, mainly in the South East, and several serious flood warnings.

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Phone Hacking: Journalists Held In New Probe

Six current and ex-journalists who all worked for the News Of The World have been arrested in a new police investigation into phone hacking claims.

An internal message sent to News International employees confirmed two of those detained were journalists currently working for The Sun.

The pair have been provided with lawyers.

The six arrested were three men and three women and they were being interviewed at police stations in London and Cheshire.

Scotland Yard said detectives were looking into a suspected conspiracy that took place between around 2005 and 2006.

The arrests were made as part of a new line of inquiry separate from allegations under the existing Scotland Yard investigation into phone hacking called Operation Weeting.

A number of people have been charged under Operation Weeting.

In the latest arrests, two men aged 45 and 46 were held in Wandsworth, south London, and a 39-year-old man was detained in Greenwich, south east London.

The three women arrested were a 39-year-old who was detained in Cheshire, a 33-year-old in Islington, north London, and a 40-year-old in Lambeth, south London.

Detectives plan to speak to people they believe have been victims of the suspected phone hacking.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "Detectives on Operation Weeting have identified a further suspected conspiracy to intercept telephone voicemails by a number of employees who worked for the now defunct News of the World newspaper.

"This suspected conspiracy is believed to have taken place primarily during 2005 to 2006. It is separate from the alleged conspiracy already being investigated by Operation Weeting in which a number of people have been charged.

"As part of the new lines of inquiry six people were arrested this morning on suspicion of conspiracy to intercept telephone communications contrary to the Criminal Law Act 1997. All of them are journalists or former journalists."

Sunday tabloid, the News Of The World, was shut down by owner Rupert Murdoch and his family in 2011 amid hacking claims.

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Retailer Republic Goes Into Administration

Fashion retailer Republic has gone into administration, putting 2,500 jobs at risk.

It has already made 150 employees at the head office in Leeds redundant.

Republic began as a men's denim retailer in 1986 under the Best Jeans brand, and sells brands including Diesel, Firetrap and G-Star Raw.

The firm, which operates 121 stores across the UK with a stronger presence in the north of the country, has appointed administrators Ernst & Young to sell the business while it continues to trade.

Republic is owned by private equity firm TPG.

Hunter Kelly, head of corporate restructuring team at Ernst & Young, said: "Republic suffered poor trading results in the autumn, and whilst sales picked up in December there has been a sudden and rapid decline in sales in late January.

"The impact on cash flows has resulted in the business being unable to continue to operate outside of an insolvency process."

He added: "We will continue to trade Republic, with a view to selling the business as a going concern. The brand Republic is well recognised, particularly in the North.

"It has a powerful website offering, owns well-known brand names, and has some very attractive and profitable stores."

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Barclays Cuts 3,700 Jobs In Bank Shake-Up

Barclays has announced 3,700 job cuts amid plans to cut £1.7bn in costs and improve standards.

Of these job losses, 1,800 will be in its corporate and investment bank and 1,900 will be in European retail and business banking.

Some 1,600 jobs have already been cut in the investment banking business since the start of the year, Barclays said.

Sky News revealed on Monday that thousands of jobs would go outside its investment bank as part of a streamlining programme overseen by the company's new boss Antony Jenkins.

But despite the redundancies, the bank - Britain's second largest - revealed it would still pay £1.85bn in bonuses to staff.

On average, payouts in its investment bank were £54,100, and the average bonus across the group was £13,300 - although these are below 2011's levels.

Mr Jenkins, who became Barclay's chief executive in August, told Sky's Jeff Randall the bank had made mistakes in the past

Unlike some of its rivals, Barclays did not receive a Government bailout

"We've got to do business in the right way - the right business in the right way," he said.

"I'll be very honest, we did get things wrong at Barclays in the past, as people in the industry did.

"We were too short-term focussed, we were too self-serving and on occasion we were too aggressive."

He also warned the bank will not be as profitable in the future as it has been in the past.

It comes as Barclays reports adjusted pre-tax profit of £7.048bn for the 12 months to the end of December - a rise of more than 26% on 2011.

Its investment bank performed even better, with profit before tax up 37% at £4.063bn.

Statutory pre-tax profit - which includes the fund set aside to compensate those mis-sold payment protection insurance, among other charges - was £248m.

Mr Jenkins revealed the outcome of a strategic review at the bank - known as Project Transform - which will see the group's total cost base reduced by £1.7bn to £16.8bn in 2015.

The bank also confirmed that its controversial tax avoidance unit would close, as revealed by Sky's City Editor.

"We intend to change what Barclays does and how we do it and have set out clear commitments against which our progress can be measured," Mr Jenkins said in a statement.

He announced he was waiving his bonus for 2012 earlier this month.

The bank's profit comes despite a difficult year at the bank, which saw its reputation - and the banking industry's as a whole - come under pressure.

Last week, Barclays said it had increased funds put aside for mis-selling to consumers and businesses by another £1bn, taking the total to £2.6bn.

And in the summer the bank was fined £290m for manipulating the interbank borrowing rate, Libor.

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Sea Shanty Singer Dies After Freak Accident

A member of the sea shanty group Fisherman's Friends has died in hospital following an accident which also killed the tour manager.

Trevor Grills, 54, suffered serious head injuries when he was hit by a falling metal door at the G Live concert venue in Guildford, Surrey, on Saturday.

The Cornish-based group's tour manager, Paul McMullen, died soon after of leg injuries he suffered in the accident.

Mr Grills was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting, south London, where he was pronounced dead on Monday night.

In a statement, the 10-piece band paid tribute to Mr Grills as "a much-loved and valued friend". A spokesman added: "We are all devastated."

The statement said: "The Fisherman's Friends announce with great sadness that their friend and fellow band member Trevor Grills passed away last night as a result of severe head injuries inflicted during an accident on Saturday February 9.

"Trevor was a much-loved and valued friend to all of us and was an integral part of the Port Isaac community. He will be sadly missed. Our thoughts are with Trevor's family at this very difficult time."

Darcus Beese, president of Island Records, the group's label, added: "We are all deeply saddened at losing Trevor. The Fisherman's Friends are exactly that: life-long partners in all they do and our thoughts and prayers go out to them and Trevor's family and friends."

The G Live venue at Guildford

Police were called to G Live shortly before midday on Saturday after a report that two men were trapped under a metal door in the loading bay.

Mr McMullen, who is believed to be a father and husband from Stockport, was treated by paramedics but was declared dead at the scene.

The Friends were due to be performing that night as part of a tour but the concert was cancelled following the tragedy. The venue has since reopened.

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed of the accident, Surrey Police confirmed.

Fans of Fisherman's Friends have paid tribute to Mr Grills, one of the younger members of the band who often took the lead in its more melancholic numbers.

Writing on the group's Facebook page, Sarah Lee said: "Words seem pointless, but apart from sending you all love there's not much else we can offer.

"Know that you are in our hearts at this terribly sad time."

Fellow fan Charlie Mason added: "Such sad news - we saw you all in Cheltenham on Thursday, and loved it - Trevor bought joy to people - a gift few of us have. We've lost someone special."

Steph Woodhouse wrote: "Oh such dreadful news, was hoping against hope he would pull through. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and all the village that has welcomed us so warmly over the years. Thinking of Port Isaac."

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Poundland Graduate Cait Reilly Wins Appeal

A university graduate who was made to work at Poundland for free under a Government scheme has won her Court of Appeal claim.

Cait Reilly, 24, from Birmingham, had argued that being forced to work in the discount shop for nothing while she looked for a permanent job was illegal.

Jamieson Wilson, 40, an unemployed HGV driver from Nottingham, also won his legal challenge.

Lord Justice Pill, Lady Justice Black and Sir Stanley Burnton, sitting in London, agreed the regulations behind most of the back-to-work schemes were unlawful and quashed them.

The pair's solicitors said the ruling meant anyone docked jobseekers' allowance for not complying with the schemes could demand the money back.

Miss Reilly was forced to leave her voluntary post at a museum to work unpaid at Poundland in Kings Heath, Birmingham in November 2011 under a scheme known as the "sector-based work academy".

She was told she would lose jobseekers' allowance if she refused and spent two weeks stacking shelves and cleaning floors.

Mr Wilson, a qualified mechanic, was told that he had to work unpaid, cleaning furniture for 30 hours a week for six months, under a scheme known as the Community Action Programme.

He objected to doing unpaid work that was unrelated to his qualifications and would not help him re-enter the jobs market and refused, leading to him losing jobseekers' allowance for six months.

Following the court ruling, Miss Reilly said: "I don't think I am above working in shops like Poundland. I now work part time in a supermarket. It is just that I expect to get paid for working.

"I hope the Government will now take this opportunity to rethink its strategy and do something which actually builds on young unemployed people's skills and tackles the causes of long-term unemployment.

"I agree we need to get people back to work but the best way of doing that is by helping them, not punishing them.

"The Government ought to understand that if they created schemes which actually helped people get back into work then they wouldn't need to force people to attend."

The Public Interest Lawyers, who represented both claimants, said the decision was a "huge setback" for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

Solicitor Tessa Gregory, said: "Today's judgment sends Iain Duncan Smith back to the drawing board to make fresh regulations which are fair and comply with the court's ruling.

"Until that time, nobody can be lawfully forced to participate in schemes affected such as the Work Programme and the Community Action Programme.

"All of those who have been stripped of their benefits have a right to claim the money back that has been unlawfully taken away from them."

She claimed the case had shown that the DWP was "going behind Parliament's back" and failing to seek proper approval for mandatory work schemes.

Employment minister Mark Hoban said the Government would seek to appeal the court's decision.

"The court has backed our right to require people to take part in programmes which will help get them into work. It's ridiculous to say this is forced labour. This ruling ensures we can continue with these important schemes," he said.

"We are however disappointed and surprised at the court's decision on our regulations. There needed to be flexibility so we could give people the right support to meet their needs and get them into a job.

"We do not agree with the court's judgment and are seeking permission to appeal, but new regulations will be tabled to avoid any uncertainty.

"Ultimately the judgment confirms that it is right that we expect people to take getting into work seriously if they want to claim benefits."

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Saudi Crash: British Boy Orphaned As Five Dead

A one-year-old boy was the only survivor of a car crash in Saudi Arabia that killed five members of his family from south Wales.

Mohammed Eisa Daniel was reportedly found in the crumpled wreckage being cradled in the arms of his dying grandfather.

Three generations of his family had been making a religious pilgrimage to Mecca ahead of the wedding of one of the victims when the taxi in which they were travelling crashed.

The dead, from Newport, have been named as Shaukat Ali Hayat, 56, his wife Abida, 54, eldest son Mohammed Isshaq, 33, daughter Saira Zenub, 29, who was due to marry this weekend, and Mohammed's heavily pregnant wife, Bilques, 30.

Their trip turned to tragedy when the taxi they were travelling in left a motorway while en route to Jedda.

Family members say the car went straight into a concrete bridge, somersaulted off the road and ended up in a ditch.

The South Wales Argus newspaper reported Mr Hayat's brother Sma Hayat, 58, as saying his sibling was a "well loved and liked" teacher and writer of Islam.

He also described Saira Zenub as a "very talented" locum pharmacist, while Mohammed Isshaq was hoping to do a doctorate in neuroscience at university.

"Shaukat saw what happened as the car went out of control," Sma Hayat said. "He grabbed the baby, clutched it in his arms and cushioned him.

"The boy (Mohammed) has lost everyone but luckily he's pulled through."

The Argus reported that the five were buried on Monday in a graveyard called the Jannat-ul-Baqi, Medina, alongside famous names of the Islamic faith.

Newport West MP Paul Flynn told the paper that the Hayat family had been an important part of the Newport Labour Party for 40 years.

Mr Flynn said: "The head of the family came here after serving the British Army for a number of years and was a prisoner of war in the Second World War."

Mr Hayat's brother Ibrahim is a Labour councillor for Newport's Pillgwenlly ward.

Tribute was paid to the family by his colleague Ron Jones, who said it was "a massive and unbelievable tragedy".

"They were a tremendous family. They worked for us during the election. They were deeply involved in the community and were absolutely upstanding.

"There are a lot of people who are going to feel their passing very deeply."

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it has been assisting the victims' relatives following the accident on Friday.

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James Bulger Killer Venables 'Still A Danger'

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

The mother of James Bulger has told Sky News she believes tougher sentences are needed to stop people who commit serious crimes from "getting away with it".

Speaking on the eve of the 20th anniversary of her son's murder, Denise Fergus said she feels she has still not achieved justice despite fighting for two decades.

James was just two years old when he was abducted from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside.

CCTV cameras captured 10-year-old schoolboys Jon Venables and Robert Thompson leading the toddler by the hand.

They took him to a railway embankment in Walton, Liverpool, where they tortured him, inflicting 42 injuries before leaving him dead on the tracks where a train severed his body.

Venables was 10 when he and Robert Thompson murdered James

Venables and Thompson were convicted of murder and given life sentences in November 1993. Less than eight years later, in June 2001, the pair were released and given new identities.

Mrs Fergus told Sky News she feels let down by the justice system and strongly believes a change in the law is needed so killers receive harsher punishments.

"They should make them realise what they've done is wrong. If they give them a hard enough time maybe they'll think again before they go on to commit another crime," she said.

"What I'm saying is stop giving them stupid sentences like five or 10 years or if they get a 10-year sentence stop dropping it to five years because of good behaviour.

Mrs Fergus believes Venables is still a danger

"They've done bad in the first place to be there. Start giving them proper sentences, sentences that fit the crime and stop being so lenient on them."

Venables was jailed again in 2010 for downloading and distributing dozens of indecent images of children. He is now making a new bid for release.

Mrs Fergus is expected to deliver a victim statement in person for the first time to his parole board. She told Sky News she feels strongly he should remain behind bars.

She has been concerned that a possible sexual motive for her son's murder has never been properly investigated. She believes Venables still poses a risk to the public.

She said: "I just urge them not to release him because I still believe he is a danger. He's a ticking time bomb and he always has been.

"To get away with so much you know someone out there hasn't been doing their job.

"He was meant to have been monitored on his release. To build up all those images on his laptop is unbelievable and just proves that he hasn't been getting monitored at all."

"I'm not saying lock him up forever. Until he's got a stable mind then I think he should be locked up. But I don't know if he'll ever get that stable mind."

Mrs Fergus also believes Venables should not be given a second new identity.

"If he gets another ID then he's putting other people in danger because on his release people are going to be aware who moves into their area," she said.

"If someone new moves in on his release then everyone's going to be pointing fingers and it might not be him, it might be an innocent man."

Mrs Fergus, her husband Stuart and three sons will visit James's grave on the anniversary of his death. She said she will never stop fighting for justice.

"That's something I'll never give up. The day I give that up I'll be letting a lot of people down. All the support that I've had over the past 20 years would be undone," she said.

"I'd feel I was letting my family down, and I'd feel I'd be letting James down, I'd be letting myself down. You know if it takes another 20 years I'm going to keep on fighting."

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Weather: Ice Warning After Snow And Sleet

Ice warnings are in place for much of the country after more than four inches (10cm) of snow settled in some places.

Sleet and snow began falling in central, eastern and southern areas overnight with most areas from Scotland down through to southeast England hit with a covering of at least two inches (5cm).

And the worst affected areas, including north England and the Midlands, could have twice that.

More than four inches has already settled in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

The snow is expected to stop later this morning, but the accumulations could still cause travel disruption.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings affecting much of England, Scotland and Wales, because of the danger of ice following the snow.

More light flurries are predicted for today and tomorrow, after which the week is expected to turn milder.

Epping Forest in northeast London

Sky News meteorologist Chris England said: "Eastern Wales and central and eastern parts of Scotland and England will see widespread snow overnight. The snow will clear from Scotland and northern England later.

"Elsewhere, western Wales, southwest England and Ireland will mostly have rain, but there will be some snow too, mainly over the hills. It will turn mostly dry there by morning.

"Today will be rather dull for southern Britain and Ireland, with a little rain in the west and a few snow flurries in the east, but southwest England will enjoy bright spells.

"Scotland and northern England will be mainly dry with some sunshine, once wintry showers clear the far north. It will be cold in the north and east, with a rather chilly breeze.

"Tuesday will be cold and dry for most, but Ireland will see rain moving into the west later. That rain will spread to Britain on Wednesday, bringing more snow to the north."

Meanwhile, thousands of UK passengers have been stranded in the US after flights to Britain were grounded when a massive snowstorm hit the US east coast.

It dumped more than three feet of snow from Massachusetts to New Jersey, while hurricane-force winds battered the eastern states and up into Canada, killing at least eight people.

Heathrow Airport said 10 inbound flights - all from New York and Boston - were cancelled today, as was one outbound flight to Washington.

British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Air Canada were all forced to cancel flights, Heathrow said.

Passengers were advised to check if their flights are affected with their airlines.

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Policewoman Death Crash: Two Men In Court

Two men have been charged over the death of a policewoman whose patrol car was hit by a stolen 4x4 in Northern Ireland.

Constable Philippa Reynolds, 27, from the Greater Belfast area, died when the unmarked car she was travelling in turned into the path of the vehicle in Londonderry in the early hours of Saturday morning.

One the men, aged 25, has been charged with 10 offences including causing death by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking causing death or grievous bodily injury, burglary and driving while unfit.

The other man, aged 23, has been charged with aggravated vehicle taking causing death or grievous bodily injury, burglary, criminal damage and assisting an offender.

They are both due to appear in court in Londonderry later.

PC Reynolds, a former teacher, had been in the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) for two years.

Her commander in Londonderry, Chief Superintendent Stephen Cargin, paid tribute to her in the wake of the crash.

"She was a young 27-year-old officer, just two years' service, in the prime of her life, doing what she loved to do - and that was serving the community to the best of her ability," he said.

"Her colleagues are devastated, as I am as her commander, as we all are as a police service.

"She was enthusiastic, bubbly and had a beautiful personality.

"She was just loved by her colleagues and she turned that love to the community she served."

Chief Superintendent Cargin said he believed PC Reynolds, who was sitting in the rear driver's side seat, would have died instantly due to the force of the impact with the silver Toyota Land Cruiser.

Two other officers in the patrol car suffered non-serious injuries.

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Page 3: Murdoch 'Considering' Ending Photos

Rupert Murdoch says The Sun is "considering" scrapping the photographs of topless women it prints on page 3.

In a tweet, the chief executive of News Corporation, which owns the company that publishes the newspaper, said campaigners may be correct in describing the feature as "so last century".

He hinted to his 400,000 followers that it could be replaced with a "halfway house" featuring "glamorous fashionistas".

Murdoch dropped the hint in a message to his Twitter followers

Mr Murdoch was replying to a tweet from Karen Mason, who managed to attract the attention of the media mogul with only her 14th post.

She wrote: "@rupertmurdoch #nomorepage3 Seriously, we are all so over Page 3 - it is so last century!"

A spokesman for campaign group No More Page 3 said: "We're really pleased that Rupert Murdoch might be thinking of dropping Page 3. It's down to everyone who signed the petition and supported the campaign.

"We won't stop until Page 3 is finally, permanently, out of the paper but his tweet is encouraging."

Page 3 was first included in The Sun more than 40 years ago

Within hours of Mr Murdoch posting his message, Twitter was awash with suggestions for what could replace Page 3.

One user said the page should be dedicated to "young sports stars, musicians, carers, people who hold their communities together, volunteers, rescuers", while another said: "Replace with a good news page. Uplifting and inspiring stories from all over Britain. A nice way to start the day."

No More Page 3, which has previously campaigned outside News International's headquarters in Wapping, London, has seen more than 60,000 people sign its online petition, demanding an end to Page 3.

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Clegg Speaks Of 'Shock' Over Huhne Affair

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has told Sky News he was "shocked" by the resignation of Chris Huhne, adding that the former Energy Secretary needs to "make amends" in the wake of the affair.

In a lengthy interview with Sky's Dermot Murnaghan, Mr Clegg spoke about a range of issues including Mr Huhne's decision to resign from Parliament, the upcoming by-election in Mr Huhne's former seat of Eastleigh, and the Mid Staffordshire Hospital scandal.

Mr Huhne has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice over claims that his ex-wife Vicky Pryce took speeding penalty points so that he could avoid prosecution.

He announced he was quitting as an MP shortly after entering the plea on the first day of the pair's trial at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday.

Speaking to Sky News about the affair, Mr Clegg said: "I was very shocked, sad to see what happened and to see that frankly his whole family is engulfed in this in a very public way.

"You'd have to have a heart of stone not to think that is a pretty shocking and sad thing.

"I took what Chris said at face value, indeed he then rang me the night before he entered his guilty plea to tell me he was doing so.

"I'm not going to start a running commentary on events that have happened and of course a sentence hasn't even been handed down yet."

"At the end of the day Chris needs to speak for himself, needs to answer for himself, and needs to make amends."

Mr Huhne, 58, was once seen as a future Lib Dem leader. He has been released on unconditional bail and will be sentenced at a later date.

Also speaking about the neglect of patients at Mid Staffordshire Hospital, Mr Clegg said that he - like the public - was distressed by details of patient mistreatment.

"It's literally unbelievable, I think, that in this day and age that should happen in our NHS, that otherwise provides excellent and compassionate care to many people.

"And, yes, as Jeremy Hunt has rightly said, where the police can identify clear culpability, they should look at the evidence and do so."

:: Watch the full interview with Nick Clegg on Sky's Murnaghan program starting at 10am.

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Snow To Fall Again As Wintry Weather Returns

Forecasters have warned that another burst of wintry weather is due to hit parts of Britain.

Some areas of central and southern England may see between two and five centimetres of snow by the early hours of Monday morning, potentially making conditions difficult for commuters.

MeteoGroup forecaster Paul Mott said by this evening there will be significant snow developing in central and southern parts of the UK.

"It won't be everywhere, we are thinking of parts of the Midlands, parts of Wales, East Anglia, areas to the north of London," he said.

"London could see a couple of centimetres, but it is more likely in suburban areas north of the capital.

"The snow could make conditions difficult in the Monday morning rush hour, but it is not expected to last long into the day, and temperatures above freezing should see it go."

Sky News meteorologist Chris England is forecasting outbreaks of sleet and snow today in southern Scotland and northern and eastern England.

"The snow will be mainly on the hills, but will descend to lower levels in the east," he said.

"The afternoon will stay wet for most, with more snow in the north and east. Some heavy, disruptive falls are likely during the evening and overnight."

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Horsemeat Scandal: 'Prepare For More Cases'

More cases of contaminated meat may be revealed within days, the Government has warned as it raised fears that an international criminal conspiracy was behind the horse meat scandal.

The warning came as The Independent newspaper claimed up to one in 30 horses being exported to Europe for consumption could contain traces of a drug known as Bute which is harmful to humans.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said the next set of results on all retailers' and manufacturers' processed beef products could reveal further traces of horse meat.

"There may well be more bad results coming through, that's the point of doing this random analysis," Mr Paterson said.

The results, ordered by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), are due on Friday.

But David Clarke, chief executive of Red Tractor Assurance, a food guarantee scheme that covers British production standards, urged people to put the scandal into perspective.

Paterson: 'Prepare for more bad news'

He told Sky News: "The news in the last three weeks has been of great concern to consumers. But to get it in perspective it is only affected a small part of the food that is in the shops.

"I would hope that all of the fresh meat that people are eating for Sunday lunch today should not be affected by this."

Mr Clarke added that the food industry had learnt lessons from the last few weeks, namely that "this very cheap processed meat produced with raw materials that are traded all across the world, all across Europe, is potentially a problem".

Meanwhile, one of the food companies at the centre of the horsemeat scandal has said it is considering taking legal action against its suppliers.

Frozen foods firm Findus, which has taken its beef lasagnes off shelves after some were found to have up to 100% horse meat in them, said it was looking into legal action as an internal investigation "strongly suggests" that the contamination "was not accidental".

The Ministry of Agriculture in Romania - to where the horsemeat has been traced - has launched an inquiry after two of its abattoirs were implicated in the scandal.

The Environment Secretary also revealed retailers have agreed plans to improve their food testing, adding that they hold the "ultimate responsibility" for making sure their products do not contain horse meat.

Mr Paterson was speaking after attending an emergency meeting with bosses from leading supermarkets, trade bodies and the FSA on Saturday to discuss the scandal which has seen chains including Tesco, Lidl, Aldi and Iceland withdraw some products.

He said supermarkets and trade bodies had already begun plans to carry out more testing and report their results on a quarterly basis.

Aldi has withdrawn products containing horsemeat

They had also agreed that consumers should be compensated for buying withdrawn products with no questions asked, he said.

Mr Paterson added: "It's a question of either gross incompetence, but as I've said publicly and I'll repeat again, I'm more concerned there's actually an international criminal conspiracy here, and we've really got to get to the bottom of it."

But shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh accused the Government of being too slow to act.

She told Sky's Dermot Murnaghan: "I think ministers have been completely behind the curve. Owen Paterson should have ordered tests on those burgers when they were withdrawn three weeks ago.

"We'd now been in a position to tell consumers how far the adulteration has gone, whether they're able to trust processed meat."

Scotland Yard have met representatives from the FSA, although there is currently no official police investigation.

The Trading Standards Institute has said the discovery of such high levels of horse meat suggests "deliberate fraudulent activity".

Food safety experts have said there is no risk to public health.

Tesco and Aldi have also withdrawn a range of ready meals produced by Comigel over fears that they contained contaminated meat.

The GMB union said all hospitals, schools and meals-on-wheels services should verify that horse meat had not been served to vulnerable people.

Responding to fears that school dinners might be contaminated with horsemeat, the Department for Education said schools and councils were responsible for their food contracts.

A spokeswoman for the Local Authority Caterers Association said: "We are as sure as we can be that this is not affecting the school catering area."

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Children's Road Safety TV Adverts To Be Axed

Television adverts teaching children how to cross the road are to be scrapped for the first time in 60 years - despite a rise in the number of deaths.

Campaigns such as Tufty the Squirrel and the Green Cross Code man will be axed due to Department for Transport budget cuts.

Road safety campaigners have criticised the decision, saying it will lead to more youngsters being killed on Britain's streets.

Official figures show the number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads has risen by 8%.

In the three months to September, 420 died or suffered severe injuries, compared to 390 during the same period in 2011.

The series of puppet animation road safety adverts featuring Tufty the Squirrel were created in the 1950s to introduce clear and simple safety messages.

The Green Cross Code, which has undergone several changes over the years, followed urging pedestrians to "Stop, Look, Listen, Think", or "Stop, Look, Listen, Live".

The character fronting the advert, the Green Cross Man, was a costumed superhero created in 1970 as an aid to teaching young children the code, and for promoting general road safety.

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