Retailers Set Goals On World Cup Success

By Emma Birchley, Sky News Correspondent

England fans are not the only ones hoping the players can find the back of the net as their World Cup campaign finally gets under way.

Retailers too are banking on success.

The Centre for Retail Research has estimated that every time England scores - shops, restaurants and pubs will benefit to the tune of almost £200m.

At Sainsbury's, designers started working on the merchandise more than a year ago.

Corporate affairs director Alex Cole said: "The longer England stays in the tournament, the more excuse we have got for parties as a nation.

"But also the sun is really important so the sunnier it is the more likely we are to say, yes, we will have a BBQ and get some people round to watch the match with us."

The further in the competition England progress, the better for retailers

But it is not just sales of sausages and beer that soar. TVs are selling well. So too are souvenirs and sportswear.

Takeaway pizzas are expected to sell in their millions but many people will head straight from work to bars or restaurants to watch the matches.

Phil Collinson, manager at Rileys Sports Bar in central London, is expecting 30,000 fans to come through the doors during the tournament.

"It's our responsibility to make sure everyone from all the different nations has the chance to see the matches," he said. "It will be an incredible atmosphere and great to be part of."

Reaching the final 16 is expected to see the takings by retailers, bars and restaurants rise by more than £1.3bn while a place in the final would be worth almost £2.6bn to the economy.

Michael Jarman says success equals spending

With England taking on Italy in their first game, it can mean split loyalties if you are running an Italian business in the heart of London.

But while there is no surprise who Lorenzo Mariotti, manager of the restaurant Little Italy in Soho, wants to win, he knows the importance of the home nation staying in the competition.

"We really need both teams to play well and go (as) far as they can and hopefully meet in the semi-final or final," he said. "It will be the most great game of the World Cup."

Former footballer and city trader Michael Jarman says success in the tournament will see football fans out spending.

"You find the general morale and momentum of the UK consumer is going to be more upbeat, a bit more optimistic," he said.

"You then have the new football season starting. Naturally there will be a better feel-good factor."

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Great North Swim Challenger Dies Taking Part

A 52-year-old man has died after taking part in the Great North Swim in Windermere.

He was taken to hospital by air ambulance because of a "medical emergency", Cumbria police said.

Officers attending the event were alerted to the incident on Friday afternoon.

The man, who has not been named, was from Wallington, south London, police said.

The event's organiser, Nova International, released a statement, expressing its condolences.

It said: "Nova International deeply regrets the tragic loss of life at the Great North Swim today and offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of the individual concerned.

"In the case of a fatality there is a strictly planned procedure that we adhere to with the professional organisations.

"We must ensure that the next of kin are informed before any further comment is made but we will provide an update as soon as we are in a position to do so."

The Great Swim Series is staged in lakes, lochs and docklands across the country, its website says.

The Great North Swim was being staged this weekend and consists of various courses of between a half-mile and 3.1 miles.

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World Cup: England 'Well Prepared' For Opener

World Cup: 11 Players You Need To Watch

Updated: 3:39pm UK, Thursday 12 June 2014

By Nick Powell, Sports Editor

Like the Grand National, the World Cup has become a great participation event in offices, clubs and schools.

Join the sweep, pick the top scorer, guess how far England will go, perhaps even have a bet.

So to help, here's a team of men who are probably not big names in your household or workplace - but might be in a month's time.

:: Thibos Courtois, goalkeeper (Belgium/Atletico Madrid)

Actually a Chelsea employee, but doing so well on loan at Atletico that his future has become a big debating point in the last few months.

If Belgium are to do as well as the bookies predict, then he is certain to have enhanced his reputation even further.

Italy's veteran keeper Gianluigi Buffon has picked him out as a man to watch - and he should know.

:: Mauricio Isla, attacking right-back (Chile/Juventus)

Older than some of his colleagues in this fabled team at the age 25 and with almost half a century of appearances for Chile behind him, he has a great chance to win more admirers of his charging runs down the right.

Chile are in the same group as Spain and Holland but do not rule out Isla helping dump one of those giants out at the first hurdle.

:: Raphael Varane, central defender (France/Real Madrid)

He has only played five times for France, but at 21 years old he is part of a badly needed new generation for the 1998 world champions.

Big and strong - not to mention fiery - he got involved in an altercation on the pitch with opposition boss Diego Simeone at the end of the Champions League final, in which his Real team beat city rivals Atletico Madrid.

Jose Mourinho says he's the world's best young defender.

:: Mats Hummels, central defender (Germany/Borussia Dortmund)

If Germany go a long way in the World Cup, Hummels has the potential to be one of the stars of the tournament.

A dominant figure who can play as well as block, he also has a memorable name and a girlfriend, Cathy Fischer, who has been described as Germany's top WAG.

:: Yuto Nagatomo, left-back (Japan/Inter Milan)

Nagatomo has talked ambitiously about Japan winning the World Cup. One day, perhaps. Although they did reach the last 16 in 2010.

If they are to do it again, he will need to be at his best, both in defence and marauding down the left.

:: Juan Cuadrado, midfield (Colombia/Fiorentina)

Top scorer from midfield for Fiorentina in the Italian League with 11 goals last season, Cuadrado was converted from a right-back and is already interesting many of Europe's top clubs.

There is every chance there will be a long queue at his agent's door after the World Cup.

:: William Carvalho, midfield (Portugal/Sporting Lisbon)

You thought Angola was not the place to look for football talent?

This young man from Luanda has to force his way into Portugal's team but he is big and powerful (think Manchester City's Yaya Toure) with a future to match.

:: Paul Pogba, midfield (France/Juventus)

Still only 21, he has been in the headlines since Sir Alex Ferguson decided he was not good enough for Manchester United.

His poise belies his years. Zinedine Zidane, a World Cup winner in 1998, says his young countryman will become one of Europe's best central midfielders.

:: Ciro Immobile, striker (Italy/Borussia Dortmund)

This guy could be huge and may even be the World Cup's top goalscorer - worth a punt at around 50-1 if you like a bet.

No one got more than him in Italy last season and he has just signed for Dortmund.

Mario Balotelli is the big name in the Italians' attack ... so far.

:: Carlos Bacca, striker (Colombia/Sevilla)

Now carrying a nation's goalscoring hopes on his shoulders after injury ruled out his more illustrious colleague, Radamel Falcao, but he is up to the task.

He scored four goals towards the end of the season for his Spanish club, the Europa League winners.

And Bacca has every chance of helping Colombia progress from a group that also includes Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan - therefore boosting his own reputation.

:: Joel Campbell, striker (Costa Rica/Arsenal)

You're going to hear plenty about Joel Campbell because he is a big threat to England's hopes of progress from Group D.

Arsenal have loaned him out for the last three seasons, most recently to Greek club Olympiakos, for whom he scored against Manchester United in the Champions League.

His mum told him to read Psalm 27 - "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" - before matches and apparently he does so.

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Queen's Birthday Honours: Stephen Sutton's MBE

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Reporter

Stephen Sutton, the teenage cancer sufferer who raised more than £4m for charity, has been honoured with an MBE in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours.

Stephen, who was 19 when he died last month, had been told about the honour before his death.

His fundraising efforts have inspired others to help him raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

His mother, Jane Sutton, said he saw it as an incredible honour to be nominated and gave it the thumbs up.

Jolie receives an honorary Damehood for her work to fight sexual violence

In a statement she added: "Although Stephen continually told all of us that he didn't do his charity work for recognition, even he acknowledged that to be appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire was 'awesome'."

He is joined on the list by the likes of actress Angelina Jolie, who is receiving an honorary Damehood for her work to fight sexual violence.

This week, Jolie has taken centre stage at a summit in London to End Sexual Violence in Conflict (ESVC).

Her honorary Damehood is part of the Diplomatic Service and Overseas Birthday 2014 Honours List for exceptional service to Britain overseas.

Jolie said: "Working on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) and with survivors of rape is an honour in itself.

"I know that succeeding in our goals will take a lifetime, and I am dedicated to it for all of mine."

In the acting world, Dame Maggie Smith is made a Companion of Honour, while Daniel Day-Lewis receives a knighthood, and Homeland star Damian Lewis gets an OBE.

In sport, Britain's winter Olympic winners are honoured. Skeleton gold medallist Lizzy Yarnold receives an MBE, as do visually-impaired skier Kelly Gallagher and her guide Charlotte Evans.

An OBE also goes to Wales rugby head coach Warren Gatland, while England women's cricket captain Charlotte Edwards receives a CBE.

Homeland star Damian Lewis gets an OBE

Golfer Laura Davies becomes a Dame, as do author Hilary Mantel and fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.

And MBEs go to Torchwood star John Barrowman, singer songwriter Cerys Matthews, and Nicola Clarke, chair of the Military Wives Choirs Foundation.

The Cabinet Office said 1,149 people had received an award and alongside the famous faces, 73% have been given to people for the charity or voluntary work they do for their local community.

Ron and Avril Head, who have fostered 140 children over the past 30 years, were in shock at receiving their MBEs.

Mrs Head said: "We hope this will be a way of promoting fostering. There are hundreds of children waiting for people to look after them and hopefully we might inspire people."

IT entrepreneur Scott Fletcher, from Manchester, also gets an MBE for helping young people into work.

Women receive 49% of the honours, while 6.2% of all those honoured come from ethnic minority communities, a slight increase on recent lists.

The last New Year Honours List was the first in which the women outnumbered the men.

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Man, 86, Held Over Death Of 70-Year-Old Woman

An 86-year-old man is due to appear in court following the death of a 70-year-old woman in her home in Scotland.

The body of Francine Clark was found at about 10.30am on Wednesday at her house in Fintry Gardens in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire.

Following the discovery police detained the man, who is expected to appear at Dumbarton Sheriff Court later today.

A Police Scotland statement said: "An 86-year-old man has been arrested and is presently detained in police custody in connection with the death of a 70-year-old woman.

"Relatives are aware and a full report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal."

Bearsden is a prosperous suburb about six miles northwest of greater Glasgow. 

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Rik Mayall Post-Mortem 'Inconclusive'

Rik Mayall's Memorable Lines

Updated: 5:50pm UK, Monday 09 June 2014

Rik Mayall, who has died aged 56, starred in a host of comedy productions. Here are some of his most memorable lines and scenes:

:: As Lord Flashheart in Blackadder II:

(To Baldrick [Sir Tony Robinson], dressed in drag as a bridesmaid): "Thanks bridesmaid, like the beard. Gives me something to hang on to!"

:: As hero pilot Squadron Leader Lord Flashheart in Blackadder Goes Forth (1989)

Flashheart: All right men, let's do-oo-oo it! The first thing to remember is: always treat your kite [taps chalkboard picture of a biplane] like you treat your woman [whips the air with his cane]

Lieutenant George (Hugh Laurie) : How, how do you mean, Sir? Do you mean, do you mean take her home at weekends to meet your mother?

Lord Flashheart: No, I mean get inside her five times a day and take her to heaven and back.

Captain Blackadder (Rowan Atkinson): I'm beginning to see why the suffragette movement want the vote.

Lord Flashheart: Hey! Any girl who wants to chain herself to my railings and suffer a jet movement gets my vote!

"Captain Darling? Last person I called darling was pregnant 20 seconds later."

:: As Alan B'Stard in The New Statesman (1987 - 1992)

"Why should we, the country that produced Shakespeare, Christopher Wren, and those are just the people on our banknotes for Christ's sake, cower down to the countries that produced Hitler, Napoleon, the Mafia, and the the the, the the the, the the the Smurfs! Remember my friends, God is dead. Marx is also dead. But the market lives.The market must become your new God."

:: As Richard "Richie" Richard in Bottom (1991 - 1995)

Richie: Some people are short-tempered, aren't they?

Eddie Hitler (Adrian Edmondson): Yeah, well, about four or five thousand of 'em, by the looks of things.

Richie: Yeah. But it's wonderful, though, Eddie. I mean, look. All the local communities are out there, on the streets.

Eddie: Beating the shit out of each other.

Richie: Yeah! Oh, I love carnival time. Oh, look at that policeman over there!

Eddie: Which one?

Richie: The one jumping up and down, waving his arms.

Eddie: The one that's on fire?

Richie: Yeah!

Source: IMDB

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Urgent Passport Cases 'Fast-Tracked For Free'

Passport Service Cuts Hit Expat Applications

Updated: 12:14pm UK, Wednesday 11 June 2014

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

The backlog and workload problems at the passport office are causing frustration and anger - not just for people based in the UK, but for Britons living all around the world.

Until a few years ago, British citizens living abroad could simply wander down to their embassy and apply for a passport. It would be issued within a day or two. Job done.

The system was then changed largely because passports had become more sophisticated - with biometric technology for security. Embassies didn't have the equipment to produce the new biometric passports.

So, regional offices were set up within certain embassies around the world. For those of us living here in Beijing, Hong Kong became the regional hub.

We could apply via the British Embassy in Beijing, the application would be sent to Hong Kong and the new passport would be issued there. A little more bureaucratic but still entirely workable.

But in December, "cost saving" measures were made to the application system. All regional offices were shut and Britons globally were told they must apply for their replacement passports in the UK.

They now have two options. Either they can travel to the UK and then apply for the "one-day" service. That could cost a huge amount in air fares.

The alternative is to send their application form, together with their old passport, to the UK Passport office in Liverpool - a process that the Passport Office says will take "at least six weeks".

That means that for at least six weeks the applicant is unable to leave wherever it is they live. For many, that's entirely impractical. For some, it will impact on their business.

With a bit of research and a half-hour long distance phone call to the passport office, I have discovered that it is possible to send a copy of your old passport rather than the original, but only in "exceptional circumstances" determined on a "case-by-case basis".

However, this leads to its own problems - the moment the new passport is issued (back in the UK) the old one (still in the hands of the applicant) is cancelled.

So in the time it takes to send the new one to the applicant overseas - several weeks - they are unable to travel because the passport they hold will be flagged as 'cancelled' at immigration.

Confusing? Frustrating? Certainly.

The stories we're hearing are mounting up - a British bride-to-be, living in Hong Kong, has been waiting for her replacement passport for eight weeks. She still doesn't have it. Her wedding, in Bali, is in two weeks.

A Briton living in South Africa who's taking a group of South African children to the World Cup, had been waiting 15 weeks.

A British businessman living in Hong Kong told us he'd waited 10 weeks. His new passport has just arrived but the passport office forgot to send back his old one which contained his visas. He is therefore still unable to travel.

The bottom line is this - not all that long ago, Britons living abroad could get a replacement passport in a day or two.

Now they are being grounded for "at least six weeks" and in many cases, far longer.

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McCanns: Search Shows Madeleine May Be Alive

Kate and Gerry McCann believe the lack of evidence found during new police searches proves their daughter could still be alive.

The couple say they are "very pleased" with the digs carried out in Praia da Luz over the last 10 days.

"We are further encouraged that despite the intensive searches, no trace of Madeleine has been found and this reinforces our belief that she could still be alive," they said in a statement.

"As parents of a missing child, we have always wanted all reasonable lines of inquiry to be followed and it is gratifying to know that a substantial amount of work will take place over the coming months with the close co-operation of the British and Portuguese authorities.

"We would like to thank all those involved for their efforts and the members of the public who have come forward with information."

Kate and Gerry McCann believe their daughter could still be alive

Officers from the UK have been working with their Portuguese counterparts on sites in and around Praia da Luz, where Madeleine disappeared in 2007.

Police say this is only the "first phase of this major investigation which has been agreed with the Portuguese".

It is thought the UK teams will start flying home today but officers say more searches will take place "shortly".

There were also unconfirmed reports last week that Scotland Yard has been granted permission to question three suspects about the case.

More follows...

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London Faces Gridlock As Black Cabbies Protest

Thousands of black cab drivers are set to bring severe disruption to central London in protest at the regulation of rival cab services such as Uber.

The Google-backed app allows users to order a car at the touch of a button, and the fare is calculated using GPS tracking.

But traditional cabbies say this is effectively a taxi meter, which only black cabs are legally entitled to use in the capital.

The protest will see up to 12,000 cars fill the streets around Trafalgar Square from 2pm.

Transport for London (TfL) has warned of significant traffic disruption.

The transport authority is seeking clarification from the High Court over whether or not services such as Uber should be licensed, and say today's action is "pointless".

Garrett Emmerson, TfL's chief operating officer for surface transport, said: "A number of taxi drivers are set to cause pointless disruption for Londoners over a legal issue that is down to the courts to decide upon.

"TfL will work with the Metropolitan Police to do all we can to keep central London moving, however, given the scale of the likely disruption, we would advise drivers to avoid the area if at all possible."

Mick Cash, acting general secretary of the RMT transport union, said: "There will be serious disruption on Wednesday.

"But that will be nothing compared to the disruption and dangers of allowing our licensed taxis to be driven from our streets through a combination of ignorance and greed."

There are some 25,000 black cabs in London which can be flagged down in the street and use a metre to calculate fares.

There are a further 44,000 private-hire minicabs which must be pre-booked with a set fare and destination.

Uber has been the focus of anger from taxi drivers across European countries, including Spain and France.

On Wednesday Uber announced that a black cab service was being added to its app platform, meaning drivers of the classic London cab can now be booked through the app if they sign up.

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Passport Service Cuts Hit Expat Applications

The backlog and workload problems at the passport office are causing frustration and anger - not just for people based in the UK, but for Britons living all around the world.

Until a few years ago, British citizens living abroad could simply wander down to their embassy and apply for a passport. It would be issued within a day or two. Job done.

The system was then changed largely because passports had become more sophisticated - with biometric technology for security. Embassies didn't have the equipment to produce the new biometric passports.

So, regional offices were set up within certain embassies around the world. For those of us living here in Beijing, Hong Kong became the regional hub.

We could apply via the British Embassy in Beijing, the application would be sent to Hong Kong and the new passport would be issued there. A little more bureaucratic but still entirely workable.

But in December, "cost saving" measures were made to the application system. All regional offices were shut and Britons globally were told they must apply for their replacement passports in the UK.

They now have two options. Either they can travel to the UK and then apply for the "one-day" service. That could cost a huge amount in air fares.

The alternative is to send their application form, together with their old passport, to the UK Passport office in Liverpool - a process that the Passport Office says will take "at least six weeks".

That means that for at least six weeks the applicant is unable to leave wherever it is they live. For many, that's entirely impractical. For some, it will impact on their business.

With a bit of research and a half-hour long distance phone call to the passport office, I have discovered that it is possible to send a copy of your old passport rather than the original, but only in "exceptional circumstances" determined on a "case-by-case basis".

However, this leads to its own problems - the moment the new passport is issued (back in the UK) the old one (still in the hands of the applicant) is cancelled.

So in the time it takes to send the new one to the applicant overseas - several weeks - they are unable to travel because the passport they hold will be flagged as 'cancelled' at immigration.

Confusing? Frustrating? Certainly.

The stories we're hearing are mounting up - a British bride-to-be, living in Hong Kong, has been waiting for her replacement passport for eight weeks. She still doesn't have it. Her wedding, in Bali, is in two weeks.

A Briton living in South Africa who's taking a group of South African children to the World Cup, had been waiting 15 weeks.

A British businessman living in Hong Kong told us he'd waited 10 weeks. His new passport has just arrived but the passport office forgot to send back his old one which contained his visas. He is therefore still unable to travel.

The bottom line is this - not all that long ago, Britons living abroad could get a replacement passport in a day or two.

Now they are being grounded for "at least six weeks" and in many cases, far longer.

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Experts Say Statin Guidance Is 'Deeply Worrying'

How Do Statins Help Prevent Heart Disease?

Updated: 4:16am UK, Wednesday 11 June 2014

Statins are a group of drugs prescribed to help lower the level of "bad" cholesterol in a person's blood.

The official term for "bad" cholesterol is low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that, over time, can lead to a hardening and narrowing of the arteries and heart (cardiovascular) disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in the UK.

People with CVD mainly suffer from one of four problems: coronary heart disease, when the blood supply to the heart becomes restricted; angina, a sharp chest pain, caused by coronary heart disease; heart attacks, when the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked; or stroke, when the supply of blood to the brain becomes blocked.

Statins are prescribed to lower the production of LDL cholesterol inside the liver and thus lower the risk of CVD.

There are five types of statins available on prescription in the UK - atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), pravastatin (Lipostat), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor).

They come in tablet form and are taken once a day at a regular time.

Doctors usually prescribe statins to patients with a history of CVD or whose personal or family medical history suggest they may develop it within the next 10 years. 

In most cases, people who take statins will need to keep taking them for the rest of their lives to prevent a return to dangerous levels of cholesterol.

For some people, statins may have side effects. These include an upset stomach, a headache or nausea.

Very rarely, according to NHS Choices, there are cases involving more serious side effects such as kidney failure.

Opponents of statins say a person can reduce their cholesterol level naturally through a change in diet and lifestyle.

They advise eating a healthy diet high in fruit and vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids (commonly found in oily fish), as well as losing weight, regular exercise, moderate drinking and giving up smoking.

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Passport Delay Denied: Emergency Plan In Place

Emergency plans are being put in place to ensure families who want to go on holiday get their passports back in time, the Home Secretary has said.

Theresa May said more staff would be brought in to make sure applications were dealt with in time as an increasing number of people complained about delays.

The Government has insisted there is no pile-up of applications but an extra 250 staff have been redeployed to frontline tasks in the Passport Office to tackle the 12-year high in applications that unions claim has led to a 500,000 backlog.

Mrs May said: "The Passport Office has been putting plan in place since the beginning of this year since they started to see this increase in numbers they have been increasing the number of staff and are now open - passport offices - from 7am to midnight.

"We are seeing them working longer hours, more days of the week but we will continue to look at this issue and the Passport Office will put more staff in place and resources in place to ensure that they can deal with these applications."

The increase in passport applications coincides with the closures of regional application offices across the world in an attempt to cut costs.

Those British citizens living abroad are being hit

British citizens living abroad now have to apply in the UK and many of those are now reporting significant delays with their applications.

Union bosses have claimed the Home Office has a "track record" of denying delays and said the Passport Office was in crisis because of job cuts.

Pictures taken by a disillusioned worker in the Liverpool passport office show tens of thousands of applications waiting to be dealt with.

One MP said thousands of families face having their summer holiday plans ruined because documents were not being prepared in anything like the normal time.

Applications in the Liverpool passport office

Some families who want to make sure their documents are returned in time for them to go on holiday face paying extra for a faster service - up to £55.50 on top of the £72.50 standard fee.

Mr Brokenshire admitted to Sky News that the Passport Office did make a profit from those who elected to use the faster services because they feared their holiday plans could be in jeopardy.

Three million passports have already been issued this year, with officials processing an average of 18,000 applications a day over the last two months.

Mike Jones, from the PCS Union said: "There are half a million applications that are waiting within the Passport Office at the moment.

"That figure is raised steeply over a number of months. The Home Office and the Passport Office used to have strategies in place for when the figure reached 150,000, that they would put contingency plans in to deal with those amounts."

He told Radio 4's Today programme: "Now we have seen the figures are up to 500,000 and rising at the moment. Even all the contingencies that they are trying to put in place, we are still seeing that figure rising, so there is clearly a crisis going on within the Home Office and the Passport Office as well."

Families are frantic for passports to return

Paul Pugh, chief executive of the Passport Office, said more than 97% of straightforward applications were being processed within the target turnaround time of three weeks, with 99% processed within a month.

"We've been experiencing exceptional early summer demand for passports, in part due to the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings," he said.

Labour's Geoffrey Robinson, the MP for Coventry North West, claimed the Government had left it so late to react to what he called a "burgeoning problem" that there was not enough time to deal with it before the start of the summer getaway.

"The nub of the problem lies in the cuts the Government has made," he said.

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Grid To Pay Firms To Prevent Winter Blackouts

National Grid has begun offering to pay firms to manage their electricity use from this winter to help prevent the "lights going out".

The company, which runs the power network in England and Wales, is asking the largest energy users to agree to cut their usage at peak times over the next four winters.

But the move was seized upon by a body representing big industry as proof that its earlier warnings to successive governments on a lack of spare capacity risked harming consumers and businesses.

National Grid said any requests to reduce power consumption would apply between 4pm and 8pm on winter weekdays and would add no more than £1 annually to the average household energy bill.

The Demand Side Balancing Reserve service (DSBR), as the scheme is being called, would only be enacted on a voluntary basis, the company insisted.

National Grid was also looking, from winter 2015/16,  to boost capacity from electricity generators that would otherwise be closed or mothballed between the hours of 6am and 8pm on winter weekdays.

Both initiatives followed a consultation exercise on the best way to tackle the growing threat of blackouts.

Worries about power shortfalls have grown in recent years following the closure of many old generators under European emissions rules.

Threats of oil and gas supply disruptions remain a concern given limited storage space while energy firms have warned their levels of infrastructure investment are unclear in an environment of hostility towards rising household bills.

It was anticipated, the power operator said, that both its initiatives would not be required in 2018/19 because the Government was introducing reforms to ensure sufficient capacity was available to meet future demand.

National Grid's Peter Bingham said: "It's our job as electricity system operator to make sure we've got all the right tools at our disposal to balance supply and demand on the electricity network, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

"For winter 2014/15 we are inviting providers of demand side response services to offer a small volume of demand reduction capability to pilot the new DSBR service.

"For winter 2015/16, we will tender for both services. This offers generators an incentive to make their power stations available in winter where they might otherwise be unavailable."

The Energy Intensive Users Group (EIUG), which represents major industry, said the measures were avoidable.

Its statement said: "EIUG has warned for many years, the reason we are facing this situation is because of the flawed energy policy followed by successive governments, overly focused on costly intermittent renewables like wind and solar, which are inherently incapable of providing secure electricity supplies.

"The government has belatedly realised the urgent need to enable investment in secure generating capacity from nuclear and gas-fired power stations, but past mistakes mean this investment will arrive later than needed, leaving consumers at unacceptable risk of price spikes and blackouts, and jeopardising the investment in manufacturing industries needed to continue the economy recovery."

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Madeleine McCann: New Search 'Will Be Useful'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent, in Praia da Luz

The renewed searches in Praia da Luz will be "useful" in understanding what happened to Madeleine McCann, a former Portuguese attorney general has told Sky News.

Pinto Monteiro, who was in post when Madeleine disappeared in the resort of Praia da Luz in May 2007, explained that he believed the Portuguese and British are working professionally together in the latest phase of the investigation.

"All investigations deemed to discover what happened to Madeleine will be useful - we need to establish some certainty as to what happened," he said.

The site of digs in Praia da Luz

He added that the case was a complex criminal investigation due to "hundreds of false directions, hundreds of false statements … some were well-intentioned and others just malicious".

Specialist teams have spent the past week on new searches.

Monday was a rest day for the detectives and search staff who will move their focus onto a new site on Wednesday. Today is a national holiday in Portugal.

The scrubland they cordoned off for the past week is once again open; most of the holes dug have now been filled back in.

A discarded police bag on scrubland where searches finished at the weekend

A discarded Metropolitan Police evidence bag is one of the few items the teams have left behind.

The detectives have not revealed what intelligence led them to conduct the searches on the land which now seems to have been discounted from their investigation.

Portuguese police sources confirmed to Sky News that the next searches on Wednesday will take place on sites just outside Praia da Luz.

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Rik Mayall: Comedian 'May Have Died After Fit'

Stars Mourn 'Funniest Man Of Generation'

Updated: 8:00am UK, Tuesday 10 June 2014

Comedian Adrian Edmondson has led tributes to his long-time friend and collaborator Rik Mayall, who has died aged 56.

The pair worked together on hit shows such as The Young Ones and Bottom after meeting at Manchester University.

"There were times when Rik and I were writing together when we almost died laughing," said Edmondson. "They were some of the most carefree stupid days I ever had, and I feel privileged to have shared them with him. And now he's died for real. Without me. Selfish b*****d."

Mayall's CV stands alongside anyone in sitcom, rising to fame in the 1980s as Cliff Richard superfan Rick in The Young Ones.

Sir Cliff said: "I became a fan of his when he was in The Young Ones show and was always thrilled when he used my name during his series. I am so sad at his passing."

Shows like Blackadder and The New Statesman contributed to Mayall becoming one of the most recognisable comics of the modern era.

Blackadder writer Ben Elton and co-star Stephen Fry were quick to pay their respects.

"I met Rik when I was 18 and his friendship and extraordinary comic talent have been an inspiration to me ever since," said Elton.

"I owe him so much, he changed my life utterly when he asked me to co-write The Young Ones with him and he was with me on the day I met my wife. He always made me cry with laughter, now he's just made me cry."

Fry added: "Simply distraught to hear of the death of Rik Mayall. An authentic comedy genius and a prince among men."

Comic Bob Mortimer was one of the first to respond to news of Mayall's death.

He wrote on Twitter: "Last time I saw him he grabbed my crotch and said 'Not eaten yet then?' So sad … Funniest man of his generation."

Mortimer was joined by a host of fellow comedians.

"Very sad to hear of the passing of Rik Mayall," said Monty Python star Eric Idle.

"Far too young. A very funny and talented man."

Impressionist Rory Bremner too: "Oh no. Awful news about Rik Mayall - a fireball of creative comic energy and inspiration. Such brilliant raw talent."

Here are some of the other tributes made:

:: DJ Chris Moyles: "RIP Rik Mayall. Thank you for making me laugh a million times. Woof."

:: Actress Helen Lederer: "Rik Mayall, I loved you. Gutted. The man who taught me not to crash laughs, has crashed. Real love to wife, children. Massive loss."

:: DJ Chris Evans: "RIP Rik Mayall. I'm off to hit the gasman with a frying pan. It's the least I can do."

:: Comedian Jack Dee: "So shocked to hear about Rik Mayall. A wonderfully funny icon of British comedy."

:: Satirist Charlie Brooker: "Rik Mayall was just pure wiry, energetic, unpredictable humour poured into the shape of a human. You couldn't not watch him."

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Cameron Sets Out 'British Values' For Schools

David Cameron has set out the values he believes should be taught in British schools in the wake of allegations of a "Trojan Horse" extremism plot.

Following a damning Ofsted investigation in Birmingham, which saw five schools placed in special measures, Education Secretary Michael Gove said all schools would in future be required to promote "British values".

And speaking during a visit to Sweden, the PM said he believed the proposal would win widespread support.

Asked which values he would like to see taught in schools, he said: "I would say freedom, tolerance, respect for the rule of law, belief in personal and social responsibility and respect for British institutions.

"Those are the sorts of things I would hope would be inculcated into the curriculum in any school in Britain, whether it was a private school, state school, faith-based school, free school, academy or anything else.

"I think what Michael Gove has said is important and I think it will have the overwhelming support of everyone, including people who have come to settle in Britain and make their home in Britain."

The Ofsted inspections carried out after claims of a takeover plot by hardline Muslims found that a "culture of fear and intimidation" had developed in some Birmingham schools and, in several, governors exerted "inappropriate influence" over how they are being run.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Mr Gove blamed "a failure in the past" to address concerns about extremism.

He added: "We will put the promotion of British values at the heart of what every school has to deliver for children."

Mr Gove also put forward plans for snap Ofsted checks, which are set to face opposition from headteachers.

Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has said he called for unannounced inspections when he first took up his post and indicated the proposal had been blocked by Mr Gove, because of concerns from school leaders.

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GPs 'Should Offer On-The-Spot Smear Tests'

By Harret Hadfield, Sky News Reporter

Women should be offered on-the-spot smear tests during regular doctor's appointments, according to a new study.

All women in the UK aged between 25 and 65 are offered the test regularly every three years to screen for cervical cancer.

A smear test can also detect pre-cancerous cells, that could lead to cancer, making it a highly effective preventative measure.

The recommendation comes from the think tank Demos, working alongside charity Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust.

Jo Salter from Demos told Sky News: "We think that doctors are really crucial to tackling this problem because they are the gatekeepers who invite women to be screened, but often they are a barrier because they can't get an appointment or because their GP is quite off-putting about it."

It has found 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year. Of those, 900 will die from the disease.

Cervical cancer is the third most common gynaecological cancer in the UK.

Improved screening rates will cut those diagnosed cancer in half

Currently only 78% of eligible women take up the test - but with a 100% screening rate, the number of those diagnosed with the illness would be cut in half.

For GPs, who are already very short of time, it is another thing to have to fit into an appointment slot.

Dr David Lloyd, from The Ridgeway Surgery in Harrow, said: "In a 10-minute appointment we have to cover the problem that the patient came with in the first place ... then, if she hadn't had a recent smear, we'd have to have a discussion with the patient.

"Some women may not want to have a smear at that stage as it's a bit more than just having your blood pressure taken and then there's a little extra time on everything else."

Embarrassment, busy lives and finding the test painful are among the reasons given by women who avoid screening.

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Scots Vote: 'English Politicians Keep Out'

English politicians getting involved in the Scottish independence debate is more likely to make Scots vote in favour of leaving the Union, an exclusive Sky News/YouGov poll has found.

Our poll shows almost a third of people in the UK (31%) believe English politicians should stay out of the debate.

In Scotland the figure is higher - 44%.

When asked if English politicians getting involved would make it more or less likely Scotland votes yes to independence, 43% said they thought it would make that prospect more likely.

Tomorrow marks 100 days until the referendum, which will ask people the question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

The countdown will see both sides of the campaign step up their efforts to secure their preferred outcome.

Current polling shows the no camp has the advantage.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "The eyes of the world are on Scotland and we should be proud of the example we are setting in terms of the profoundly democratic and peaceful nature of the debate on our future - not something that is always the case elsewhere."

He added that independence is the only guarantee of further powers for Scotland, after the Scottish Conservatives pledged to "take the stabilisers off" and grant full income tax powers if it votes against independence.

:: We will have reaction to the findings in the Murnaghan programme at 10am from Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Foreign Secretary William Hague.

:: Sky News will be in Scotland on Monday for a day of special coverage on the referendum - on TV, online and mobile. This will include interviews with leading figures from both sides of the debate.

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Metal Studs Treat The Homeless 'Like Animals'

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

Metal studs installed to stop homeless people from sleeping outside private flats in London have been described as "brutal" by a homelessness charity.

Residents at the block on Southwark Bridge Road said they appeared a few weeks ago after someone had been sleeping rough there.

In reaction, Howard Sinclair, Chief Executive of St Mungo's Broadway, said: "Each year our teams, in Southwark and elsewhere, help thousands of people off the streets.

"Part of their role is to prevent people adopting a street lifestyle which, on occasions, means adapting the physical environment to prevent people sleeping rough in a particular location on a regular basis. These 'studs' appear a rather brutal way of doing just that."

The studs are intended to prevent rough sleepers from using the doorway

Its not clear who ordered them and if they are solely to deter rough sleepers but their installation has sparked an angry reaction.

Emi Takehara lives in the block and told Sky News: "I feel really uncomfortable having these spikes in front of my home. It's like treating these homeless people like animals."

Andrew Horton spotted the studs on his way to work and posted pictures of them online.

It is split opinion on Twitter.

David Wells wrote: "These Anti homeless studs are like the spikes they use to keep pigeons off buildings. The destitute now considered vermin."

The anti-homeless devices appeared outside the flats a few weeks ago

Others, including Gavin Logan defended the installation, tweeting: "There will be a context behind those anti-homeless spikes. Possibly a last resort against someone who was aggressive and refused housing."

Homelessness charities say this is not a one-off, metal studs have been appearing across the country for the last decade as the number of people sleeping rough rises.

The management company has not been available for comment but Councillor Peter John, leader of Southwark Council, issued a statement confirming the council is not responsible.

He added: "The council can look into health and safety or planning concerns that are reported to us.

"With regards to people sleeping rough, the council has a dedicated officer who works closely with organisations like St Mungo's [a homelessness charity], who have a 'no second night out' policy to ensure rough sleepers are found shelter and support."

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Minimum Wage Dodgers 'Named And Shamed'

Twenty-five employers who failed to pay their staff the national minimum wage have been "named and shamed" by the Government.

It is the biggest number of employers publicly named since a new crackdown was announced last year.

Between them, they owe workers more than £43,000 in arrears, and face fines of over £21,000.

The minimum wage is currently set at £6.31 an hour.

Business Minister Jenny Willott said: "Paying less than the minimum wage is not only wrong, it's illegal. If employers break the law they need to know that they will face tough consequences.

"Any worker who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. If anyone suspects they are not being paid the wage they are legally entitled to they should call the Pay and Work Rights helpline on 0800 917 2368."

The Government also plans to increase fines, so that an employer underpaying 10 workers could face fines of up to £200,000.

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Under-paying your lowest paid staff is immoral and illegal. Employers caught in the act deserve to be fined and have their reputation ruined.

"This should send a clear message that dodging the minimum wage does not pay. All minimum wage cheats should be named and shamed, and HMRC need greater resources to catch even more crooks."

The 25 employers are as follows:

:: Christine Cadden and Nicola Banks of Renaissance, Wirral, neglected to pay £7,310.65 to three workers.

:: Alan King and John King of Arthur Simpson & Co, Bradford, neglected to pay £6,426.12 to a worker.

:: Central Heating Services Ltd, Hampshire, neglected to pay £6,200.28 to four workers.

:: Cargilfield School Ltd, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £3,739.58 to a worker.

:: A2ZEE Construction Ltd, Cramlington, neglected to pay £3,375.51 to 14 workers.

:: Mr and Mrs Balasco of Eugenio, Bristol, neglected to pay £3,037.53 to two workers.

:: Mr and Mrs Hampton of The Wheatsheaf Inn, Cheshire, neglected to pay £2,057.88 to five workers.

:: Steven Stainton of Steven Stainton Joinery, Cumbria, neglected to pay £1,415.82 to a worker.

:: Runbaro Ltd, Swindon, neglected to pay £1,413.88 to a worker.

:: Satwinder Singh Khatter and Tejinder Singh Khatter of The Bath Hotel, Reading, neglected to pay £1,237.79 to two workers.

:: Richard Last of Classic Carpentry, Godalming, neglected to pay £1,236.72 to a worker.

:: We are Mop! Ltd, London, neglected to pay £1,018.05 to two workers. 

:: Mrs Sue English of Legends Hairdressers, Colchester, neglected to pay £823.40 to a worker. 

:: Saftdwin Ltd, Hampshire, neglected to pay £806.37 to two workers.

:: Master Distribution Ltd, Essex, neglected to pay £718.62 to a worker.

:: Perth Hotels Ltd, Perth, neglected to pay £556.80 to a worker.

:: Bryants Nurseries Ltd, Hertfordshire, neglected to pay £494.07 to a worker.

:: Dove Mill Retail Outlet Ltd, Bolton, neglected to pay £461.84 to a worker.

:: Luigi's Little Italy Ltd, Yorkshire, neglected to pay £281.04 to five workers.

:: CPS SW Ltd, Exmouth, neglected to pay £261.29 to a worker.

:: Mr Gary Calder, Mr Richard Calder and Mr Neil Calder of Avenue Agricultural, Northamptonshire, neglected to pay £256.55 to a worker.

:: Dakal Ltd, Northampton, neglected to pay £252.00 to two workers.

:: Zoom Ltd, Havant, neglected to pay £242.28 to three workers.

:: HSS Hire Service Group Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £149.00 to 15 workers.

:: Sun Shack Ltd, Hamilton, neglected to pay £134.35 to eight workers.

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