Devolution Wranglings Could End In Stalemate

Devo Max: What New Powers Can Scotland Have?

Updated: 4:18pm UK, Friday 19 September 2014

David Cameron has pledged new powers for Scotland that some have said amount to Devo Max. However, it's not quite as clear cut as that.

What is Devo Max?

Scottish Parliament basically gets power over everything - apart from defence and foreign affairs. Maximum devolution.

Is that on offer?

No it's not, although some say David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have come close to that.

What powers does Scotland already have?

It makes its own laws on health, education, law and order, environment, social services, housing, local government, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some areas of transport. It can also raise or lower its income tax by 3p, but has not used this power.

What does Westminster have control of?

Defence, social security, immigration, benefits, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, gas and electricity, consumer affairs and the constitution.

What powers will be given away in this quasi Devo Max deal?

It is not entirely clear. More power over setting income tax is definitely on the agenda, and control of housing benefits too. Holyrood is unlikely to get control over the oil take or corporation tax.

Under Gordon Brown's 12-point plan, giveaways include power over borrowing, job creation, social care and employment rights. The Scottish Parliament will also be confirmed as permanent, binding future governments to ensure its continued existence.

But what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Well, Mr Cameron has also promised more powers for Wales and Northern Ireland and to listen to the "millions of voices of England". He has promised to address the problem of "English votes for English laws" or the West Lothian question as it is also called. 

At the moment Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on matters that affect all of the UK but English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters where powers have been devolved to Holyrood. 

With the promise of new powers for Scotland's Parliament, it has led to calls of "unfair" and for England to get more powers and the Prime Minister has said he will deliver. A sort of devolution revolution, if you will. 

Leader of the House of Commons William Hague is in charge of drawing up these plans but do expect that the Lib Dems and Labour will have rival versions. No cross-party consensus has been reached as with devolved powers for Scotland.

Make no mistake, it's a major shake-up - and yes, it will be an election issue.

So when is all this going to happen?

Gordon Brown has tabled a House of Commons debate over his planned 12-point power giveaway and the timetable for its delivery in mid-October.

There intention is that a new draft law to be drawn up by January 25 (Burns Night). Alex Salmond has agreed to talks to thrash out the details of these new powers but he will clearly be trying to get as close to delivering Devo Max as he can - having lost the battle for independence. It will not be passed until after the General Election in May but as there is a cross-party agreement theoretically, this should not provide a problem.

But the plans for England, Wales and Scotland do not have to work to the same timetable. They could be far more contentious as the parties are unlikely to agree on plans. Any English votes for English laws will put Labour at a distinct disadvantage as it effectively loses 40 MPs if its Scottish politicians are not included.

In addition, English MPs may be reluctant to allow new powers for Scotland to go through when they don't know "what's in it for them". 

In short, this could get messy and take a very long time.

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Gordon Brown: 'Time For Scotland To Unite'

Devolution Wranglings Could End In Stalemate

Updated: 10:16am UK, Saturday 20 September 2014

By Darren McCaffrey, Sky Political Reporter

Acclaimed as the man who helped save the Union, Gordon Brown has issued a warning following the No vote.

Amid disagreements on wider devolution plans among Westminster leaders, the former prime minister pleaded for unity and a proper timetable for further Scottish devolution.

He called on David Cameron, Nick Clegg and his own leader Ed Miliband to stick to the timetable he laid out in the final few weeks of the referendum campaign or face letting down the Scottish people.

His Scotland Act, announced a few weeks ago, would establish a new rate of income tax, devolve stamp duty and create borrowing powers for the Scottish parliament  and would be implemented next year.

But with Mr Cameron promising he would honour his pledge for devolution in full with draft legislation by Burns night on January 25, why the warning?

Further devolution for Scotland, which in principle and in practice the parties mostly agree on, has become linked to wider constitutional change across the UK, upon which there is little to no agreement.

Boris Johnson summed up the thoughts of many Tory MPs when he said: "Let's not give any more sauce to the goose until we've given some sauce to the gander."

That includes English only MP votes for English only laws, or as it's known at Westminster, the West Lothian question.

The Conservatives have long campaigned against the current system seeing it as unfair, and unpopular with English voters.

Labour are less keen, simply because they have more Scottish MPs, 41 this Parliament, compared to one Conservative and have had to reply on that Scottish support in the past to get through or indeed block legislation.

So recognising the need to honour the Scottish devolution question, Labour want it to go ahead as soon as possible but decouple it from any wider constitutional reform.

And with the Liberal Democrats wanting consensus we could see political stalemate. Hence Gordon Brown's warning. So what will happen?

Labour seem unlikely to back down, claiming it is simply too big a change to rush through, so will the Conservatives blink and break the link between the two devolution issues?

Given the damage that delaying Scottish devolution may cause, the Tories may well allow it to proceed against the wish of many Conservative backbenchers.

If they do, the Tories will make some political hay - with it becoming an election issue.

In English constituencies they will claim it is Labour supporting an unfair and unpopular constitutional anomaly.

Constitutional reform in the UK has always been ad hoc, slow, incremental  and uncoordinated. This time it looks like it will be no different.

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Alice Gross Police Search Is Largest Since 7/7

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

The search for missing teenager Alice Gross is now the biggest deployment of Metropolitan Police search assets since the 7/7 terror attacks in London.

The 14-year-old from Hanwell, west London, has been missing for 24 days and police continue to make new appeals for information.

Detectives revealed this week they are also searching for Latvian national Arnis Zalkans, 41, who disappeared from his home in nearby Ealing on September 3 - a week after Alice disappeared.

The 41-year-old was jailed in his native country in the late 1990s for murdering his wife and burying her in a forest following a dispute about her sexuality.

Police are also hunting for Arnis Zalkalns who disappeared at the same time

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

Search teams, including dogs and divers, have been deployed across west London looking for Alice, and police say the search area is being widened.

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, said: "I would like to thank the local community who have shown great support to the search effort and police investigation so far.

"Our officers are working through the weekend - carrying on those searches. We will not stop our hunt for Alice. Whilst we have already seized many hundreds of hours of CCTV we still need the public's help.

"If you are a shop owner, have CCTV at your home, or were out filming in the areas of Ealing and Hanwell and have footage from the afternoon of Thursday 28 August when Alice was last seen, and right up to the 3 September when Arnis Zalkalns was last seen, then please get in touch with us.

"Save the footage, call into our incident room on 020 8358 0100, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Zalkalns was seen on CCTV cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal

Some 630 officers from eight police forces have been involved in the hunt. They have searched 25sq km of open land and 5.5km of canals and rivers.

On Friday night, police searched a former home of Zalkalns in Hanwell.

The owner of the house, Radoslav Andric, said he last saw Zalkalns at the rental property two days before Alice went missing on August 28.

Mr Andric said the Latvian builder moved out more than a year ago, but had returned to see friends.

Police have recovered the suspect's red Trek bicycle from the property.

Forensic officers have also searched Zalkalns' semi-detached house in Ealing, where armed officers have been seen standing guard.

Zalkalns has not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since September 3, nor has he returned home to his partner and young child.

He was seen on CCTV footage cycling along a path by the Grand Union Canal 15 minutes after the last sighting of Alice.

Detectives believe he is likely to have seen Alice as they were both going north along the canal towpath.

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Two Britons Missing After Hurricane In Mexico

Two Britons have disappeared off the coast of Mexico following a hurricane.

The pair, believed to be Paul Whitehouse and Simone Wood, were reported missing on Friday after their yacht overturned in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez.

They are reportedly a couple from Wolverhampton and London.

Mexican marines and sailors are taking part in a search operation.

Mr Whitehouse is believed to be a scuba instructor living in the city of La Paz.

The pair were believed to be living on their yacht in La Paz for around a year.

A spokeswoman for the UK Foreign Office said: "We are in touch with the local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the families at this difficult time."

The hurricane left a trail of destruction

The British Embassy in Mexico has advised UK nationals in Baja California and Baja California Sur, the areas affected by the hurricane, to leave through Los Cabos International Airport.

Hurricane Odile left a trail of destruction when it hit last Sunday, causing the evacuation of around 18,000 tourists.

The hurricane affected power and water supplies, as well as phone services, triggering widespread looting.

Power has been restored to around one-fifth of people in the resort cities of Los Cabos, with 200 electricity workers dispatched to the area.

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Police Probe Glasgow Voter Fraud Allegations

Alienation Sparked Historic Scotland Poll

Updated: 12:54am UK, Friday 19 September 2014

By Adam Boulton, Sky News Presenter

The genesis of Scotland's independence vote really lies in the outcome of the 2010 General Election.

The Labour governments under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown broadly reflected how Scots had voted and they restored the Scottish Parliament after a 300-year adjournment.

But in 2010 Scots ended up with a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition Government, although Labour MPs had been elected in 41 out of Scotland's 59 Constituencies.

The Conservatives have just one MP north of the border.

There was a mood of alienation from Westminster politics which was ripe for exploitation.

The Scottish National Party capitalised and in the 2011 elections for the Holyrood parliament they won a remarkable overall majority in spite of a proportional representation voting system - 69 out of 129 seats.

This gave Alex Salmond, the SNP leader and Scotland's First Minister, a clear mandate to hold a referendum on Scotland's future and he began negotiations with the UK Prime Minister with whom authority to hold binding plebiscites ultimately lay.

On October 15, 2012 David Cameron and Mr Salmond signed the Edinburgh Agreement announcing a decisive referendum on Scotland's future.

The agreement gave Mr Salmond most of what he was asking for.

The question would be "Should Scotland be an independent country?" rather than "Should Scotland remain part of the UK?" - giving independence the traditional advantage of being a Yes campaign.

Mr Cameron insisted it should be an all-or-nothing vote by ruling out a second question offering the softer option of further devolution.

Since so-called "devo-max" is now a last-minute offer from the No side anyway, Mr Cameron will face potentially politically fatal recriminations for the way he handled these negotiations should Yes win the day.

But for most of the two years leading up to the referendum, there was a complacent assumption in London that No would prevail.

Even after Mr Salmond published his blueprint, Scotland's Future, last November the opinion polls remained static at around 60% for No and 40% for Yes.

The UK Government decided to frame the referendum as an argument for Scottish voters alone, ignoring the consequences for the rest of the UK.

Mr Cameron refused to engage in TV debates with Mr Salmond, leaving that job to Alistair Darling, the former Labour chancellor and a Scottish MP.

The Better Together No campaign focused on the possible pitfalls of independence rather than highlighting the advantages of union with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This strategy was greatly aided by a speech from the Governor of the Bank of England this spring, pointing out the difficulties an independent Scotland would have continuing to use the pound sterling as its currency.

The currency question has been the Achilles heel of Mr Salmond's campaign.

Originally, he saw Scotland as a member of the Eurozone but abandoned that after the 2008 financial crisis.

Under his revised plans an independent Scotland would keep the Queen, the pound and most other aspects of the Union as well as membership of Nato and the EU.

Mr Salmond failed to produce compelling evidence that his putative partners would agree to his deals.

But he dismissed the doubters as "scaremongers" in a UK Government-run "Project Fear".

With just 11 days to go until polling, the mood changed dramatically for both sides.

A single opinion poll by YouGov for the Sunday Times put independence in the lead by 51% to 49%.

A shocked Mr Cameron cancelled parliamentary business to lead an emergency delegation to Scotland.

He, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all hit the campaign trail for No.

In an emotional speech in Glasgow the Prime Minister appealed "head, heart and soul" for Scots to stick with the Union.

A stream of big businesses including Standard Life insurance, RBS and major phone companies warned of dire economic consequences if Scotland went independent.

Backed by a "vow" from the three UK party leaders, Mr Brown swung into action, promising "Scottish Home Rule" if it rejected full independence.

But by now the Yes campaign felt it had momentum behind it and brushed off negative predictions, which seemed to have little impact on the polls.

A record 97% of those eligible to vote, 4.3m people, registered for the referendum.

If Yes could turn them out, victory appeared to be in its grasp.

Yes supporters tended to be younger, poorer and more outspoken than those on the No side.

There were allegations of intimidating behaviour and a "sour atmosphere" according to Mr Darling.

But both he and Mr Salmond promised to accept the outcome even if it meant defeat for their side - and to work to re-unite the divided Scots.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Leaders Face Pressure Over Power Pledges

Creation Of UK Was 'Union Of Convenience'

Updated: 11:36pm UK, Thursday 18 September 2014

By Adam Boulton, Sky News Presenter

"There's ane end of ane auld sang", Scotland's chancellor famously remarked when his nation's parliament voted for political and economic union with England in 1707.

It was a union of convenience. Scotland was facing bankruptcy thanks to a failed colonial experiment in the Caribbean.

At the very top of the power structure, the Union of Thrones had already taken place a century earlier when James VI of Scotland became James I of England.

The notion of "Britishness" was born and held together for most of the next three centuries.

According to the historian Professor Linda Colley, Britishness was "forged" by four factors which the people of the UK held in common: war, Protestantism, liberty and empire.

Scots have played an essential part in the British armed forces. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the British military was united in adversity against a common foe - the French, a role taken over in the 20th century by Germany.

The established religion of Protestantism defined Britain in its heyday. Roman Catholics were un-emancipated and even suppressed.

Key figures from the Scottish Enlightenment, such as the economist Adam Smith and the philosopher David Hume, provided much of the intellectual firepower for the rapid evolution of British democracy and the scientific advances of the agricultural and industrial revolutions.

Scots, some now regarding themselves simply as "North British", were quick to take advantage of the opportunities of the British Empire and could be found as soldiers, administrators, farmers and businessmen at every corner of its expanding boundaries.

But by the middle of the last century all these bonds were fraying. The British Empire broke up and with it the economic opportunities it offered.

Sectarian Christianity declined across the UK, and new cultural identities migrated inward from the old Empire. There was no longer a direct threat of war from Europe, in part because of common membership of the European Union.

Meanwhile the discovery of North Sea oil convinced some Scots that their country might have a viable alternative economic future.

The strains of the old song of Scottish nationalism began to be heard more loudly.

The SNP was formed in 1934 but it got its first Westminster MP in 1967, when Winnie Ewing pulled off a sensational by-election victory.

The UK parliament backed holding a referendum on Scottish devolution in 1979.

A narrow majority voted in favour of establishing a Scottish assembly but this was never implemented because of a threshold clause insisting that 40% of all those eligible to vote must back it.

Scotland with its traditional heavy industries and mining sector was particularly hard hit by the deindustrialisation policies of the 1980s.

Lasting resentment resulted from the Thatcher government's decision to pioneer the unpopular poll tax there.

New Labour was elected in 1997 with the promise of another Scottish Devolution referendum. Some 74% voted for the Scottish Parliament which was re-established at Holyrood in 1999.

Labour's Donald Dewar, the first Scottish first minister, died suddenly a year later. The SNP leader Alex Salmond quickly became the dominant personality in Scottish politics.

He led his party into government in Holyrood in 2007, and in the 2011 the SNP won an overall majority of MSPs.

This was a mandate for the Scottish Government to pose once and for all the question which has faced voters resident in Scotland: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

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Devo Max: What New Powers Can Scotland Have?

David Cameron has pledged new powers for Scotland that some have said amount to Devo Max. However, it's not quite as clear cut as that.

What is Devo Max?

Scottish Parliament basically gets power over everything - apart from defence and foreign affairs. Maximum devolution.

Is that on offer?

No it's not, although some say David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have come close to that.

What powers does Scotland already have?

It makes its own laws on health, education, law and order, environment, social services, housing, local government, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some areas of transport. It can also raise or lower its income tax by 3p, but has not used this power.

New powers have been promised to Scotland

What does Westminster have control of?

Defence, social security, immigration, benefits, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, gas and electricity, consumer affairs and the constitution.

What powers will be given away in this quasi Devo Max deal?

It is not entirely clear. More power over setting income tax is definitely on the agenda, and control of housing benefits too. Holyrood is unlikely to get control over the oil take or corporation tax.

Under Gordon Brown's 12-point plan, giveaways include power over borrowing, job creation, social care and employment rights. The Scottish Parliament will also be confirmed as permanent, binding future governments to ensure its continued existence.

Gordon Brown: the man with the plan

But what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Well, Mr Cameron has also promised more powers for Wales and Northern Ireland and to listen to the "millions of voices of England". He has promised to address the problem of "English votes for English laws" or the West Lothian question as it is also called. 

At the moment Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on matters that affect all of the UK but English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters where powers have been devolved to Holyrood. 

With the promise of new powers for Scotland's Parliament, it has led to calls of "unfair" and for England to get more powers and the Prime Minister has said he will deliver. A sort of devolution revolution, if you will. 

Leader of the House of Commons William Hague is in charge of drawing up these plans but do expect that the Lib Dems and Labour will have rival versions. No cross-party consensus has been reached as with devolved powers for Scotland.

Make no mistake, it's a major shake-up - and yes, it will be an election issue.

The Scottish Parliament will be confirmed as permanent in Brown's plan

So when is all this going to happen?

Gordon Brown has tabled a House of Commons debate over his planned 12-point power giveaway and the timetable for its delivery in mid-October.

There intention is that a new draft law to be drawn up by January 25 (Burns Night). Alex Salmond has agreed to talks to thrash out the details of these new powers but he will clearly be trying to get as close to delivering Devo Max as he can - having lost the battle for independence. It will not be passed until after the General Election in May but as there is a cross-party agreement theoretically, this should not provide a problem.

But the plans for England, Wales and Scotland do not have to work to the same timetable. They could be far more contentious as the parties are unlikely to agree on plans. Any English votes for English laws will put Labour at a distinct disadvantage as it effectively loses 40 MPs if its Scottish politicians are not included.

In addition, English MPs may be reluctant to allow new powers for Scotland to go through when they don't know "what's in it for them". 

In short, this could get messy and take a very long time.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage now on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Scotland Votes No: PM Promises New Powers

Devo Max: What New Powers Can Scotland Have?

Updated: 12:01pm UK, Friday 19 September 2014

David Cameron has pledged new powers for Scotland that some have said amount to Devo Max. However, it's not quite as clear cut as that.

What is Devo Max?

Scottish Parliament basically gets power over everything - apart from defence and foreign affairs. Maximum devolution.

Is that on offer?

No it's not, although some say David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have come close to that.

What powers does Scotland already have?

It makes its own laws on health, education, law and order, environment, social services, housing, local government, tourism, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and some areas of transport. It can also raise or lower its income tax by 3p, but has not used this power.

What does Westminster have control of?

Defence, social security, immigration, benefits, foreign policy, employment, broadcasting, trade and industry, nuclear energy, oil, gas and electricity, consumer affairs and the constitution.

What powers will be given away in this quasi Devo Max deal?

It is not entirely clear. More power over setting income tax is definitely on the agenda, and control of housing benefits too. Holyrood is unlikely to get control over the oil take or corporation tax.

Under Gordon Brown's 12-point plan, giveaways include power over borrowing, job creation, social care and employment rights. The Scottish Parliament will also be confirmed as permanent, binding future governments to ensure its continued existence.

But what about England, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Well, Mr Cameron has also promised more powers for Wales and Northern Ireland and to listen to the "millions of voices of England". He has promised to address the problem of "English votes for English laws" or the West Lothian question as it is also called. 

At the moment Scotland's 59 MPs can vote on matters that affect all of the UK but English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters where powers have been devolved to Holyrood. 

With the promise of new powers for Scotland's Parliament, it has led to calls of "unfair" and for England to get more powers and the Prime Minister has said he will deliver. A sort of devolution revolution, if you will. 

Leader of the House of Commons William Hague is in charge of drawing up these plans but do expect that the Lib Dems and Labour will have rival versions. No cross-party consensus has been reached as with devolved powers for Scotland.

Make no mistake, it's a major shake-up - and yes, it will be an election issue.

So when is all this going to happen?

Gordon Brown has tabled a House of Commons debate over his planned 12-point power giveaway and the timetable for its delivery in mid-October.

There intention is that a new draft law to be drawn up by January 25 (Burns Night). Alex Salmond has agreed to talks to thrash out the details of these new powers but he will clearly be trying to get as close to delivering Devo Max as he can - having lost the battle for independence. It will not be passed until after the General Election in May but as there is a cross-party agreement theoretically, this should not provide a problem.

But the plans for England, Wales and Scotland do not have to work to the same timetable. They could be far more contentious as the parties are unlikely to agree on plans. Any English votes for English laws will put Labour at a distinct disadvantage as it effectively loses 40 MPs if its Scottish politicians are not included.

In addition, English MPs may be reluctant to allow new powers for Scotland to go through when they don't know "what's in it for them". 

In short, this could get messy and take a very long time.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage now on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

:: Live coverage is also available on sky.com/news and Sky News for iPad and on your mobile phone.

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Pregnant Kate Too Ill For Official Malta Trip

The Duchess of Cambridge will not travel to Malta for her first official solo overseas visit because of acute morning sickness.

Kate is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum - just like when she carried Prince George.

The family decided to cancel the Malta visit in consultation with the Duchess's doctors.

Her husband, the Duke of Cambridge, will take her place.

The Duke of Cambridge will take Kate's place on the trip to Malta

In a statement Kensington Palace said: "The Duchess of Cambridge will no longer visit Malta this weekend. The Duke of Cambridge will undertake the visit instead.

"Her Royal Highness continues to suffer from the effects of Hyperemesis Gravidarum. The decision not to travel was taken by the Duke and Duchess on the advice of the Duchess's doctors.

"The Duke is honoured to represent Her Majesty The Queen on the visit, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of Malta's independence.

"The visit itinerary remains unchanged."

Kate and William were forced to announce the pregnancy earlier this month before the 12-week period because of the Duchess' illness.

The illness causes severe vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine.

It affects 3.5 out of each 1,000 pregnancies.

The Duchess had been due to visit Malta's national library to see letters from British monarchs Henry VIII and George II.

She would have also taken part in Independence Day celebrations and a number of walkabouts.

The timing of the pregnancy announcement led to speculation the second royal baby would be delivered in April.

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Thai Murders: Police Say DNA Does Not Match

Preliminary tests have indicated that DNA found on the body of Hannah Witheridge does not match DNA from David Miller, Thai police have confirmed.

Officers have told reporters that the samples also do not match those from brothers Christopher and James Ware, who were childhood friends of Mr Miller questioned as part of the investigation.

Some 11 Burmese migrants on the island of Koh Tao had been arrested after bloodstains were found on some of their clothes by police.

But investigators are under renewed pressure after DNA tests on the group also failed to bring any matches.

David Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head, police have claimed

Additionally, the results indicated that semen discovered on Miss Witheridge's semi-naked body does not belong to David Miller.

This could undermine a previous theory that the two victims had been having sex on a beach shortly before their deaths, considered a taboo in the deeply religious country.

Chris Ware, and his brother Jonathan, have been asked to stay in Thailand

On Wednesday night, police had confirmed there was forensic evidence to suggest that the 23-year-old woman, from Great Yarmouth, might have been raped.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Thailand, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, has caused controversy by apparently suggesting that good-looking women put themselves in danger by assuming his country is safe.

He was quoted as saying: "Can they be safe in bikinis... unless they are not beautiful?"

The military ruler later issued an apology for causing alarm amongst tourists. It read: "I am sorry that my statement caused uneasiness. I affirm that I did not look down on or criticise anyone. I simply wanted to warn them to be careful at certain places and certain times."

Hannah Witheridge's family hug each other as they prepare to meet police

Officers have said that full DNA results will be released later today. The family of one of the victims arrived in Thailand early on Thursday.

Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller were found in the early hours of Monday morning. Both had sustained head wounds, and a bloodstained garden hoe - believed to be the murder weapon - was found nearby.

It has been revealed that Mr Miller, a 24-year-old from Jersey, died from drowning in conjunction with a blow to the head, while wounds on his hands indicate a struggle had taken place.

Both of their families have paid emotional tributes, with Miss Witheridge's relatives describing her as "a beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman who poured joy into the lives of all who knew her".

Mr Miller was described as "hardworking, bright and conscientious, with everything to look forward to".

Police are looking for a man seen running past a CCTV camera near the beach

James and Christopher Ware have not been detained by police, nor have they been declared as suspects in the killings. They had been asked to remain on the island, but may be allowed to fly home shortly.

Police say they are keen to trace an Asian man captured on grainy CCTV footage near the scene of the murders.

He was seen running past a security camera at 3.44am on Monday morning, and walked down the same street an hour later.

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Scotland: Keep Up With Events As They Unfold

Decision Day For Scotland: Voters Go To Polls

Updated: 11:52am UK, Thursday 18 September 2014

People in Scotland have begun voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.

Polling stations opened at 7am and people have until 10pm to cast their ballot, with the result expected to be known by breakfast time tomorrow.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond was pictured outside Ritchie Hall polling station in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, two hours after polls opened.

Mr Salmond, leading the Yes campaign, was joined by two first-time voters, 18-year-old Natasha McDonald and Lea Pirie, 28.

He gave both women a soft Yes toy as a mascot for their vote and the trio stopped for pictures on their way into the polling station.

Despite long days of campaigning, the First Minister said he managed to get a good rest on the eve of the vote.

Former Chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling was photographed with his wife Maggie and No campaigners in Edinburgh.

He was booed by some, but cheered by others, as he arrived at the polling station at the Church Hill Theatre in Edinburgh

He told reporters: "It's been a long, hard two-and-a-half year campaign, passions have been aroused on both sides, and understandably so because we are talking about the biggest single decision that any of us will ever take in our lifetime."

Earlier, former PM Gordon Brown arrived at the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre, Fife, to cast his vote.

He shook hands with No campaign supporters, as well as one Yes voter, who were waiting for him in the mist.

After casting her vote, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I've just voted #Yes to Scotland becoming an independent country. What a wonderful feeling."

Elsewhere, queues formed outside polling stations across the country from early morning as turnout was expected to be as high as 90%.

More than 2,600 schools, sports centres and local halls have opened their doors to voters.

Four million voters are being asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for 307 years.

After the polls close tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland.

Then, once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage from 9pm on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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Decision Day For Scotland: Voters Go To Polls

People in Scotland have begun voting on whether the country should stay in the UK or become an independent nation.

Polling stations opened at 7am and people have until 10pm to cast their ballot, with the result expected to be known by breakfast time tomorrow.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond was pictured outside Ritchie Hall polling station in Strichen, Aberdeenshire, two hours after polls opened.

Mr Salmond, leading the Yes campaign, was joined by two first-time voters, 18-year-old Natasha McDonald and Lea Pirie, 28.

He gave both women a soft Yes toy as a mascot for their vote and the trio stopped for pictures on their way into the polling station.

Alex Salmond outside a polling station in Aberdeenshire

Despite long days of campaigning, the First Minister said he managed to get a good rest on the eve of the vote.

Former Chancellor and leader of the Better Together campaign Alistair Darling was photographed with his wife Maggie and No campaigners in Edinburgh.

He was booed by some, but cheered by others, as he arrived at the polling station at the Church Hill Theatre in Edinburgh

Voters queue in Glasgow

He told reporters: "It's been a long, hard two-and-a-half year campaign, passions have been aroused on both sides, and understandably so because we are talking about the biggest single decision that any of us will ever take in our lifetime."

Earlier, former PM Gordon Brown arrived at the polling station at North Queensferry Community Centre, Fife, to cast his vote.

He shook hands with No campaign supporters, as well as one Yes voter, who were waiting for him in the mist.

Better Together campaigner Alistair Darling with wife Maggie in Edinburgh

After casting her vote, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "I've just voted #Yes to Scotland becoming an independent country. What a wonderful feeling."

Elsewhere, queues formed outside polling stations across the country from early morning as turnout was expected to be as high as 90%.

More than 2,600 schools, sports centres and local halls have opened their doors to voters.

Gordon Brown outside a polling station in Fife

Four million voters are being asked a simple question: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

A Yes vote at the end of a hard-fought campaign will bring an end to the Union of the United Kingdom that has stood for 307 years.

After the polls close tonight, counting of the votes takes place at 32 regional centres all over Scotland.

Then, once each result is in, the numbers will be sent to the main counting centre in Edinburgh.

The earliest declarations, at around 2am on Friday, will include North Lanarkshire, Orkney, East Lothian and Perth and Kinross.

The latest, at 6am, is expected to be Aberdeen. Dundee is expected at 3am and Edinburgh and Glasgow at 5am.

:: Watch live: Scottish referendum coverage from 9pm on Sky News Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 132.

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Circle Line Speed Challenge: Man Races Train

Bored by his usual morning commute, a train passenger came up with a novel way of spicing things up - racing London's Circle Line.

James Heptonstall dived off a Tube train at one station, sprinted 380 metres to the next station - and arrived in time to catch the same train.

He and his friend Noel Carroll took the Circle Line train to London's Mansion House station. At this point, 30-year-old Mr Heptonstall made a dash for it, sprinting off the train, up the steps, and along the roads to Cannon Street station.

As the train pulled into Cannon Street, Mr Heptonstall came down the stairs onto the platform and dashed into the same carriage he had left just seconds before.

Completing his challenge with just moments to spare, he crashed to the floor of the train, exhausted, as fellow passengers applauded.

Cannon Street station - the finish line for Mr Heptonstall's challenge

The two stations were chosen because of the short distance between them and footage of the challenge, which included climbing 75 steps and going through two ticket barriers, was uploaded to YouTube by the pair last month.

Mr Heptonstall, an environmental consultant from Hampstead, told the Evening Standard: "We had seen some people had done endurance challenges on European transport networks and put them online but we had not seen anything done in London.

"I usually get the Northern Line to work in the morning - it's not an enjoyable experience so I sometimes run or cycle if I can."

The dash between stations took just 80 seconds for Mr Heptonstall, who plays touch rugby for England.

He said: "While I was running someone asked Noel what I was doing. They said they did not think I would make it.

"(The other passengers) were all waiting on tenterhooks. But then I dived into the Tube and they were applauding."

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Experimental Ebola Vaccine Tested On Humans

Staying Safe Inside Liberia's Ebola Zone

Updated: 1:04pm UK, Wednesday 02 July 2014

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Liberia

Priority number one: Do not spread the Ebola disease. Priority number two: Do not catch it.

With these twin priorities in mind, cameraman Dave Rees and I set off for the north of Liberia.

We were going to the epicentre of the world's most serious outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus to try to find out more about it and the efforts being done to combat its spread.

We took a case-load of protective gear provided by Sky News. It was mostly waterproof all-in-one outfits with goggles and plastic gloves - all easily disposable once used.

Ebola is spread by infected people or animals - through close contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids such as sweat and tears.

There's also a possibility of contracting the virus through indirect contact - by touching infected clothes or furniture for instance, or even eating infected food.

It was imperative that we remained on high alert for the entire time we were in the infected zone - a period of about four days.

Dave also took a plastic covering for the camera so he can still film. But we were prepared to destroy the camera too if needs be.

We also had the usual anti-mosquito sprays, anti-malaria tablets, dehydration tablets as well as some of our own food provisions plus sleeping bags and camping equipment.

The north of Liberia is under-developed with poor infrastructure and few resources in a country which is one of the poorest in the world.

The road journey to the north from the Liberian capital Monrovia took nine hours on mostly unmarked, unpaved roads. It was a bone-jangling experience travelling to Foya, right on the northern tip of Liberia and very close to the border with Guinea and Sierra Leone.

Our first sight of the infection wards was a large blue tented area. The medics have tried to rename it as a treatment centre but few seem to have bought into the new name.

Once anyone is diagnosed or even suspected of having Ebola, they are immediately segregated and taken there, where few others want to enter.

Those who do, underwent a series of stringent disinfecting procedures to ensure they did not catch the virus or leave with it to spread it further among the outside population.

The soles of our shoes were sprayed with disinfectant and we were ordered to wash our hands with chlorine. I inadvertently touched the wooden post marking the entrance and am told to re-wash my hands.

Once inside, nurse Adeyemi Babatunde took care of us, leading us first into the low-risk area where we were kitted up. Dave had already encased the camera in a sealed plastic container.

The first thing we were asked to do is put on gloves, then we slipped on scrubs before we all start putting on the PPE (personal protection equipment).

The medical team provided us with their equipment so our Sky-provided gear was untouched.

We put on rubber boots, then climbed into all-in-one waterproof outfits. The temperature was 37C inside the tent and with the all-in-one plastic outfit on I could feel my body temperature climbing fast.

Next was the mouth guard followed by a huge hood which had panels covering my neck and front. We put visors on top, a second pair of thicker gloves and by this time, I could barely breathe.

"Breathe through your mouth," I was told. "Don't touch anything when you are inside," Nurse Adeyemi said.

"If you feel uncomfortable then leave quickly without touching anything."

The final piece of clothing was a huge plastic apron which reaches from just below my neck and hangs right down my body to just above my ankles. The whole process has taken a good three-quarters of an hour.

Nurse Adeyemi guided us through a series of marked lanes inside the body of the tent.

"The infection ward is separated into two areas," he explained.

"Those who are suspected of having Ebola, and those who are confirmed. We only ever pass from the suspected area to the confirmed - never back the other way. After the confirmed area, the only route is out."

With all the plastic and rubber on us, we were crinkling with every step and sweating profusely by this time. The nurses have to kit themselves out in this gear every time they enter the infected area.

On leaving there was a laborious series of disinfecting steps to take to ensure outside remains virus-free - including the burning of all the kit, gloves and all-in-one outfits.

They kept the rubber boots and plastic aprons only after dunking them in several buckets of disinfectant. The work is both dangerous and difficult and the workers risk their lives every time they enter the infected zone.

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Missing Alice Gross' Mum In 'Come Home' Plea

The mother of Alice Gross has said there is "not a moment" she does not wonder where her missing daughter is as she made an appeal for help finding her.

Rosalind Hodgkiss encouraged anyone with information about the 14-year-old's whereabouts to "come forward to the police and get her home because that's where she belongs and she needs to be here with us".

There have been no sightings of the schoolgirl since August 28, despite public appeals and a massive search.

Police say Arnis Zalkalns may have information that could help find Alice

Her mobile phone has not been used since she sent a text to her father that day 

Her rucksack was found on a footpath running beside the River Brent between Hanwell Bridge and the Grand Union Canal.

Ms Hodgkiss told Crimewatch: "There's not a moment of the day that you don't think about Alice and where she is, what might have happened or why she might have gone missing.

"It's almost impossible to describe what that pain feels like but we just want her to know: please Alice, if you're out there, come home."

Her appeal came as police released the photo of a Latvian builder they would like to speak to in connection with the investigation.

Arnis Zalkalns, 41, is known to travel on the same stretch of the Grand Union Canal as where the schoolgirl was last seen on the evening of August 28, and has not been seen himself for almost two weeks.

Alice Gross, 14, went missing from Hanwell

Scotland Yard said he left his home in Ealing, west London, on September 4 and would normally have met a friend to cycle to work, but he did not show up.

They said the disappearance of Mr Zalkalns, who has a partner and child, is "completely out of character".

Detective Superintendent Carl Mehta, of the Met's homicide and major crime unit, said: "At this stage we simply want to speak to him, as he may well have important information that can help our search for Alice."

"I would stress that based on what we know now there is no evidence to suggest that Arnis and Alice knew each other. This continues to be a fast moving investigation, and this is one of a number of lines of enquiry that we are urgently looking into."

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Thai Police Question Briton Over Beach Murders

A Briton is being questioned over the murders of two backpackers in Thailand as tests revealed more about how the victims died.

The Briton has been asked to stay in Thailand as experts said David Miller died from drowning and a head blow and Hannah Witheridge from a blow to the head.

Pornchai Sutheerakune, head of the Thai Institute of Forensic Medicine, said Mr Miller also had wounds on his hand, indicating a struggle had taken place.

Police want to trace a man of Asian appearance caught on CCTV

Police Colonel Kissana, deputy Thai police spokesman, said the Briton had not been arrested but was questioned today and DNA taken.

It is the second time he has been questioned by officers.  

"Once we receive the physical examination report, including a DNA test, we will be able to determine if he was involved in the incident," the police officer said.

The semi-naked bodies of Mr Miller, 24, and 23-year-old Miss Witheridge were discovered on a beach early on Monday.

Koh Tao is one of Thailand's most popular backpacker islands

Police said the pair sustained horrific injuries, with both suffering deep wounds to the head and face.

A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found near to the bodies.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao (Turtle Island), said it was understood the Briton being quizzed was a friend of Mr Miller's.

It is understood police were initially concerned the man had left the island for Bangkok around the time of the murder and that he had a wound to his arm.

Police say there had been a beach party in the hours before the murders

Despite the development the police are also focused on tracing another suspect - an Asian man - captured on grainy CCTV footage, shortly after the murders.

It shows what appears to be a topless man who officers say was acting suspiciously as he left a beach party near the murder scene.

He is captured running past the security camera at 3.44am and is seen again an hour later walking down the same street.

In another image, Mr Miller, from Jersey, and Ms Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, are seen walking hand-in-hand after leaving a bar at around 1am.

Police investigate the killings on the beach

It was taken hours before their bodies were discovered semi-naked on Sairee beach.

Samuels added: "The current thinking is that this was a crime of passion rather than a robbery that went wrong." 

More than 70 Thai police have been questioning migrant workers and tourists on the island, visiting hotels, bars, homes and businesses.

The families of both victims have paid tribute to them.

Ms Witheridge was described by her family as "a beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman who poured joy into the lives of all who knew her".

Tributes to Hannah have been posted online

Mr Miller was a "hard-working, bright and conscientious" young man who would be "sorely, sorely missed", his family said.

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Fog Causes Flight Delays At London Airport

Flights were disrupted from a London airport after heavy fog blanketed much of southern England.

East Anglia, London, the East Midlands and in particular Kent were affected, with visibility dropping below 100m in some areas.

There were flight delays of up to five hours at London City Airport, though Heathrow and Gatwick continued to operate normally.

Heavy fog at Gatwick Airport. Pic: Martin McCarthy

The low visibility caused flight delays in other European cities, with airports in Lisbon, Amsterdam and Zurich affected, according to air safety navigation company    Eurocontrol.

Back in the UK, the Met Office issued a severe weather warning.

"Widespread fog is affecting much of East Anglia, southeast England and the East Midlands this morning with visibility reduced to 100m or less in places," the Met Office said.

Yellow 'be aware' warning for fog in the UK

"The public should be aware that this will lead to difficult travelling conditions during this morning's busy period.

"The fog should gradually lift and disperse during the morning."

The Woolwich Ferry in London suspended operations, while Kent Police warned people to take care.

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said the fog was fairly widespread.

"It was pretty poor too up across northern England and into southern Scotland," she said.

"It was not the worst of the foggy mornings we've had and probably not the worst we will have as we come into autumn proper. But it was bad enough to cause disruption."

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Inflation Slips But House Price Growth Surges

Official figures have charted an easing in the annual rate of inflation but house price growth accelerating to a seven-year high - with six UK regions achieving new price peaks.

Separate releases by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed CPI inflation at 1.5% - falling back from 1.6% the previous month - with the biggest contributions coming from the supermarket price war and falling petrol costs.

This means that while wage growth remains much weaker that the rate of inflation - maintaining the squeeze on earnings - the gap was slightly reduced.

London house price growth slowed in July

However, the ONS statistics on house prices showed that purchasers would need to dig deeper for a deposit.

The average cost of a home rose 11.7% to a new record high of £272,000 in the year to July, though annual growth in London slipped slightly to a rate of 19.1% from 19.3% the previous month.

The study - by nation - showed prices rose 12% in England, 7.4% in Wales, 7.6% in Scotland and 4.5% in Northern Ireland.

It also measured property prices reaching fresh all-time highs in six UK regions.

The East Midlands, West Midlands and South West joined London, the East and the South East in having price levels higher than their pre-financial crisis peaks of 2007/08, the ONS said.

The recovery in building has been too slow to help temper price growth

Estate agents have reported seeing signs of disruption to the housing market in Scotland in recent weeks, with potential buyers putting their plans on hold while they wait to see what the outcome of the referendum on independence will be.

The report also showed that first-time buyers face having to pay 13.5% more to get on the property ladder than they did a year ago - and the ONS said this was the highest annual increase recorded for the sector since March 2005.

The average price paid by a first-time buyer in July this year was £209,000.

The Bank of England, which is mulling the timing of the UK's first interest rate rise since March 2009, is likely to see the inflation and house prices figures as further evidence of little immediate pressure for action.

Bank governor Mark Carney has cited concerns on consumer debt and wage growth.

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Thai Murders Suspect Captured On Camera

Police have released a CCTV image of the man they want to speak to in connection with the "gruesome" murder of two British tourists in Thailand.

The image shows what appears to be an Asian man who police say was acting suspiciously as he left a beach party in Koh Tao.

A suspect in the murder investigation

In another photograph, the victims - 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth - are seen walking hand-in-hand.

It was taken in the hours before their bodies were discovered semi-naked on a beach.

A bloodstained hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby.

David Miller and Hannah Witheridge pictured in the hours before their death

The manhunt that followed Monday's discovery originally centred on an apparently British backpacker, but Thai police now believe someone from the migrant worker community could be involved.

Officers have questioned foreign workers and Sky News understands they are examining one man's clothing after he was found with a handgun.

"We are focusing on migrant workers because of the surrounding witnesses and evidence, including the video footage," Major General Kiattipong Khawsamang said.

"We are sweeping hotels, bars, businesses and residences of migrant workers on the beach to find the suspect."

The victims were removed in blue body bags

Some 70 officers are now on the island and defence minister Prawit Wongsuwan said police hoped "to make an arrest as soon as possible".

British consular officials were due in Koh Tao today to aid the investigation.

Ms Witheridge's father Tony said his family was "distraught" at receiving "the most devastating news".

Meanwhile, Mr Miller's former headmaster at Victoria College in Jersey, Alun Watkins, described him as a "bright young man and a talented artist" and said his death was "hard to comprehend".

Friends have paid tribute to the victims on social media.

Friends have paid tribute to the victims on social media

Mr Miller's girlfriend, Jessy Howorth, said: "My best friend and the love of my life. We were meant to have so much more time together but I'll continue loving you everyday forever."

Friend Ellie Griffiths said: "So shocked and upset to hear about the death of such an incredibly warm, charismatic, smiley and insightful person.

"Your absence on this planet will be missed and often thought about, I'm so pleased and honoured to have known you Dave."

A Facebook tribute page was set up in memory of Miss Witheridge.

The island of Koh Tao is a popular holiday destination

Kal Sylvan Holmes, a friend, said: "Just found out a friend from school was murdered in Thailand. I feel sick and upset."

The victims' bodies, found roughly 100 yards from the scene of a beach party, were taken away in blue body bags.

Police Colonel Prachum Ruangthong said: "The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face.

"It's very gruesome."

Local people gathered for a candlelit vigil

Local people gathered on the beach last night for a candlelit vigil in memory of the pair.

Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha said: "This should not have happened in Thailand. It will affect our image in the eyes of international countries."

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Rotherham Abuse Scandal: Shaun Wright Resigns

South Yorkshire Police Commissioner Shaun Wright has resigned after coming under pressure over the Rotherham child abuse scandal.

Mr Wright had resisted calls to step down from the Prime Minister and Home Secretary after a report found 1,400 children in the South Yorkshire town had been victims of child sexual exploitation since 1997.

He also endured a grilling from MPs and was confronted by relatives of abuse victims at an angry public meeting in Rotherham earlier this month, when he again refused to resign.

Mr Wright was councillor with responsibility for children's services in the borough from 2005 to 2010, when Professor Alexis Jay's report found officials failed to act to stop gangs of abusers.

Sarah Wilson confronted Mr Wright last week over her abused sister's death

In a statement released by his office, he said: "My role as South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner has clearly become prominent in terms of public opinion and media coverage following the publication of Professor Alexis Jay's report.

"This is detracting from the important issue, which should be everybody's focus - the 1,400 victims outlined in the report - and in providing support to victims and bringing to justice the criminals responsible for the atrocious crimes committed against them.

"With this in mind, I feel that it is now right to step down from the position of police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, for the sake of those victims, for the sake of the public of South Yorkshire and to ensure that the important issues outlined in the report about tackling child sexual exploitation can be discussed and considered in full and without distraction."

Joyce Thacker has resisted calls to resign from her children's services job

Mr Wright is the first of 41 elected police and crime commissioners to resign and his departure will trigger a by-election in South Yorkshire to find a replacement.

Keith Vaz, chair of parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee, said: "This is something that we asked Shaun Wright to do 10 days ago when he appeared before the committee.

"At that stage, he said he needed to stay on because of the victims. Today, he says he has to resign because of the victims.

"I welcome this, I think this is the right thing to do. To let it go on any longer would put him in direct conflict with some of the issues we were discussing in parliament.

"The committee is actively drafting a bill based on ensuring police and crime commissioners can't stay on when they've lost the confidence of local people."

Roger Stone, leader of Rotherham Council announced he was stepping down when the damning abuse report was published in August and the council's chief executive Martin Kimber said last week that he would leave his post in December.

The current head of children's services in Rotherham, Joyce Thacker, has refused to quit despite being told by the Home Affairs Select Committee chairman, Keith Vaz MP, that she should resign "as a matter of conscience".

Rotherham Council also faces an independent inspection that will look at whether years of abuse in the town were covered up.

The probe will be led by Louise Casey, head of the Government's troubled families programme and a former victims' commissioner.

Bassetlaw MP John Mann called for former Labour home secretary David Blunkett, who is quitting the Commons next year, to put himself forward to replace Mr Wright.

He said: "He is a credible and dedicated public servant who has served in a variety of roles locally and nationally. He knows and understands South Yorkshire and is widely respected throughout the area.

"I believe he will get to the bottom of what went wrong in South Yorkshire."

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Cancer Doctor Admits Sex Attacks On Children

A children's cancer doctor has admitted a series of sexual assaults on patients as young as 11 in his care.

Dr Myles Bradbury, who worked at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge,pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual assault and 13 counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child.

Wearing a dark suit and blue tie at Cambridge Crown Court, Bradbury also pleaded guilty to three counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of voyeurism and two counts of making indecent images of a child.

Prosecutor John Farmer said the offences involved 18 victims and dated back to 2009.

Bradbury worked as a paediatric haematologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital

Paediatric haematologist Bradbury was bailed and told he would have to sign the sex offenders register.

He pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual assault, which Judge Gareth Hawkesworth said would probably remain on file.

A sentencing date was not given but the judge said Bradbury could expect a "substantial" custodial sentence.

As he left court, Bradbury told reporters: "I'm so sorry."

He refused to answer further questions.

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British Tourists Found Dead On Thailand Beach

FCO Advice For Thailand Tourists

Updated: 10:39am UK, Monday 15 September 2014

The latest Foreign Office advice for tourists in Thailand warns of the danger of robberies and sex assaults in areas popular with backpackers.

Here is the FCO's advice on crime in the country, which draws around 800,000 British visitors each year.

Eleven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.

These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan.

In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin.

Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui.

Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Krabi. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province.

Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms.

In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui, Pattaya and at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit.

Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don't lose sight of your card during transactions.

There have been incidents of ATM skimming in Thailand. Where possible use an ATM within a bank and always protect your PIN.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Taking items from one shop's area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks.

If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

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PM: We Will 'Hunt Down' David Haines' Killers

David Cameron has vowed that Britain will "hunt down" those responsible for the murder of British aid worker David Haines and bring them to justice.

Speaking from Downing Street after chairing a meeting of Cobra, Mr Cameron described Islamic State extremists as "monsters" who are part of a "fanatical organisation".

"We will hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice, no matter how long it takes," Mr Cameron said.

"David Haines was an aid worker. He went into harm's way, not to harm people but to help his fellow human beings in the hour of their direst need, from the Balkans to the Middle East.

"David Haines was a British hero. The fact that an aid worker was taken, held and brutally murdered at the hand of Islamic State sums up what this organisation stands for.

A man wearing black addresses David Cameron in the video

"They boast of their brutality. They claim to do this in the name of Islam. That is nonsense - Islam is a religion of peace."

Earlier in the day Mr Cameron held emergency talks with senior representatives of the military, the security services, the Foreign Office and the Home Office.

He returned to Downing Street shortly after midnight when IS released a video which showed Mr Haines' death.

Government sources say the death will not change Britain's policy and Parliament will not be recalled.

But Mr Cameron said Britain's security depends upon taking action against the extremists.

Mr Haines has been described as a 'British hero' (Pic: Lance Baldwin)

"It must strengthen our resolve. We must recognise that it will take time to eradicate a threat like this. It will require, as I have described, action at home and abroad," he said.

"This is not something we can do on our own. We have to work with the rest of the world.

"Ultimately, our security as a nation, the way we go about our everyday lives in this free and tolerant society that is Britain, has always depended on our readiness to act against those who stand for hatred and who stand for destruction."

Mr Haines was taken hostage in Syria last year

The footage of Mr Haines' death shows a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also includes a threat to kill a second hostage, later named as Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

In the video, Mr Haines looks into the camera and makes a statement, holding Mr Cameron responsible for his own "execution".

In the statement, which appears to have been made under duress, he said: "You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State just as your predecessor Tony Blair did, following a trend against our British prime ministers who can't find the courage to say 'no' to the Americans.

"Unfortunately it is we the British public that in the end will pay the price for our Parliament's selfish decisions."

Mr Cameron returned to Downing Street for crisis talks

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "All the signs are that the video is genuine. We have no reason to believe it is not."

The aid agency that Mr Haines was working for when he was taken hostage in 2013 said it was "appalled and horrified" by the killing.

"ACTED strongly condemns with the utmost of force these crimes. In this tragic moment, our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones," the agency said.

The killing comes just weeks after American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded by Islamic State (IS). Those deaths were also filmed, and the videos were released on the internet.

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Ex-Cabbie Held By IS 'Does A Lot For Others'

Anti-IS Coalition Agrees Military Action Plan

Updated: 12:51pm UK, Monday 15 September 2014

World leaders meeting in Paris to form a broad coalition against Islamic State have agreed to provide military aid to Iraq to fight the extremist network.

International efforts to combat the Islamist militants, who have grabbed large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, have taken on an added urgency after the beheading of British aid worker David Haines and the threat to kill a second UK hostage.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond is at the summit - spearheaded by French President Francois Hollande and Iraqi President Fuad Masum in Paris this morning - bringing together 30 countries to co-ordinate a response to the IS threat.

The countries agreed to "support the Iraqi government by any means necessary - including military assistance".

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius said: "When you are facing a terrorist group as dangerous as this one, a certain number of measures have to be taken of a military nature, and these will vary according to the country."

Mr Hollande opened the summit warning: "The terrorist threat is global and the response must be global. The cowardly murder of David Haines is a terrifying example of what is going on... There is no time to lose."

Some 930 French citizens or residents, including at least 60 women, are actively engaged in jihad in Iraq and Syria, or are planning to go there.

Mr Masum told delegates there was a need for a "quick response" to the Islamist group which he said had "committed massacres and genocidal crimes".

Representatives of the six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), are also among the delegates at the conference.

Ahead of the talks, Washington said several countries in the Middle East had offered to join airstrikes against the militants, while Australia said it would send aircraft and personnel and France announced it would begin reconnaissance missions over Iraq.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who is under pressure to act following the killing of Mr Haines, has given no indication over whether he would commit military forces to airstrikes.

Video footage of the British aid worker's death showed a knife-wielding militant who speaks with a British accent.

The clip also included a threat to kill a second hostage, Alan Henning, who was a volunteer on an aid convoy.

It follows the beheadings of two American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Mr Cameron vowed to "hunt down" the "monsters" who killed Mr Haines, and said the crime would "strengthen our resolve" to smash the extremist network which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria.

He said the UK would seek to "mobilise the broadest possible support to bear down" on IS at the United Nations.

"This is not about British combat troops on the ground, it is about working with others to extinguish this terrorist threat," he said.

"As this strategy intensifies we are ready to take whatever steps are necessary to deal with this threat and keep our country safe."

Explaining Mr Cameron's dilemma, Sky's Chief Political Correspondent Jon Craig said: "He tried to get a vote in Parliament last year on missile strikes on Syria.

"Thirty or so Conservative MPs voted against, as did Labour, and he lost the vote. He was humiliated. So he doesn't particularly want to go down that route again."

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is also in Paris and has been touring the Middle East to rally support, told CBS: "We have countries in this region, countries outside of this region, in addition to the United States, all of whom are prepared to engage in military assistance, in actual strikes if that is what it requires."

However, Iraq's president has said it is "not necessary" for Arab powers to join airstrikes against Islamic State.

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Widespread Revulsion Over Briton's Beheading

Politicians and community leaders have joined together to condemn the murder of British aid worker David Haines.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband put out tweets soon after news broke at around 11.25pm on Saturday that the Foreign Office were trying to verify a video that had emerged on the internet showed Mr Haines being beheaded.

Mr Cameron said: "The murder of David Haines is an act of pure evil. My heart goes out to his family who have shown extraordinary courage and fortitude."

Mr Miliband said: "I am sickened at the disgusting, barbaric killing of David Haines."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said it was "a crime of the most horrendous kind".

"This murderous organisation calls itself Islamic State. But it is not a state, it is a brutal terrorist outfit whose actions are an affront to every peace loving Muslim around the world." 

Alex Salmond, First Minister of Mr Haines' native Scotland, said in a statement: "His murder will be totally condemned by all people with any sense of humanity.

"Our thoughts, sympathies and prayers are with the family members and friends of Mr Haines."

Mr Obama says the US 'stands shoulder to shoulder' with the UK 'in grief'

Peter Wishart, the MP for Perth, where Mr Haines once lived, said: "Perth feels a much diminished place this morning with the news of the brutal, appalling death of its brave, selfless son, David Haines."

US President Barack Obama said in a statement: "The United States strongly condemns the barbaric murder of UK citizen David Haines.

"Our hearts go out to the family of Mr Haines and to the people of the United Kingdom. The United States stands shoulder to shoulder tonight with our close friend and ally in grief and resolve.

"We will work with the United Kingdom and a broad coalition of nations from the region and around the world to bring the perpetrators of this outrageous act to justice, and to degrade and destroy this threat to the people of our countries, the region and the world."

The US is working to build an international coalition to target the Islamic State militants who carried out the killing of Mr Haines, as well as US journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Islamic State militants have been branded 'criminals and villains'

The French presidency issued a statement saying: "The heinous murder of David Haines shows once again how the international community must mobilise against Daesh (the Arabic acronym for IS)."

Muslim community leaders said the acts of IS do not represent the faith and highlighted that many other victims of the group have been Muslims themselves.

Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, said: "In the coming days we need to come together as a nation to stand in solidarity with David's family and resolute in our determination to defeat terrorism. Whatever the costs or sacrifices we will defeat terrorism."

Dr Qari Asim, imam of the Makkah Mosque in Leeds and a leading Sunni scholar, said: "This vile and unwarranted terrorist attack is the actions of cowards and I condemn it completely.

"An attack on a British citizen is an attack on Britain and we raise our voices as a community united to deplore the actions of the terrorists ISIS."

Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi, joint secretary of the Majlis-e-Ulama, which represents the majority of Shia Muslims in the United Kingdom and Europe, said: "I condemn wholeheartedly this deplorable act of despicable violence.

"Our whole nation has been shocked and devastated by this act of utter terrorism. ISIS hides behind its false interpretation of Islam, claiming to kill in the name of Islam and we reject this unreservedly, they are criminals and villains."

Shaukat Warriach, founder of Imamsonline.com and chief executive of Faith Associates, an organisation which works with Imams and mosques across the UK, said: "We are all Britons, united in our grief and anger and deplore the actions of ISIS.

"The holy Quran says: 'the taking of one innocent life is like taking all of Mankind'; the attack on one of our citizens is an attack on all of us."

Mr Haines' former employer Nonviolent Peaceforce said in a statement: "Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is deeply saddened by the murder of our friend and former colleague.

"David served NP in South Sudan in 2012 and was known and beloved by many of us. He protected people under threat with courageous determination whilst always demonstrating a sense of humility and where required humour. We are outraged by his brutal murder."

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Brother: David 'Helped Whoever Needed Help'

David Haines' brother has paid tribute to the aid worker, describing him as "just another bloke" who "helped whoever needed help".

Mike Haines released a statement through the Foreign Office in which he describes his brother's life and work and also says how much he will be "terribly" missed.

The statement says: "My name is Mike Haines, I am brother to David Haines, who was recently murdered in cold blood.

"David was like so very many of us, just another bloke.

"Born in 1970 to parents who loved us both, our childhood was centred around our family.

"Holidays in caravans and tents, days away as a family which we remember fondly. David and I were brought up to know right from wrong, although we might not with the innocence of youth have always chosen right.

"David was a good brother, there when I needed him and absent when I didn't. I hope that he felt the same way about me.

"He was, in the right mood, the life and soul of the party and on other times the most stubborn irritating pain in the ass. He would probably say the same about me.

Mr Haines served with the UN in the Balkans

"After leaving school he worked with the Royal Mail before joining the RAF as an aircraft engineer.

"He married his childhood sweetheart Louise and in the due process of time had a wee lass Bethany. He was - and no doubt wherever he is - exceptionally proud of Bethany.

"David served with the UN in the Balkans, helping people in real need. There are many accolades from people in that region that David helped. He helped whoever needed help, regardless of race, creed or religion.

"During this time David began to decide that humanitarian work was the field he wanted to work in.

"David left the RAF and was employed by Scotrail. As with every job, David entered into it with enthusiasm. David met and married his second wife Dragana and they have a four-year-old daughter Athea.

"David was most alive and enthusiastic in his humanitarian roles. His joy and anticipation for the work he went to do in Syria is for myself and family the most important element of this whole sad affair.

"He was and is loved by all his family and will be missed terribly."

The statement ended with the Foreign Office saying that the family have asked for privacy.

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Scotland Referendum Result 'Too Close To Call'

The latest opinion polls show the Scottish referendum campaign is "on a knife-edge" - with the "Yes" and "No" campaigns ahead in different surveys.

Three polls - all of which exclude undecided voters - give the "No" campaign the advantage on the final weekend of campaigning, but pro-Independence campaigners will be boosted by another which shows them ahead by a large margin.

A poll commissioned by the Better Together campaign and carried out by Survation has the "No" vote on 54% and the "Yes" camp on 46%.

Another, for The Observer newspaper, gives the "No" campaign a six point lead - 53%-47%.

Meanwhile, a poll carried out for The Sunday Times newspaper has "No" on 50.6% and "Yes" on 49.4%.

A poll for the Sunday Telegraph however showed support for independence at 54%, a nine-point swing from their last online poll, with support for the "No" campaign at 46%.

But the poll's sample size - 705 people - means its margin of error is higher than most surveys.

The Sunday Telegraph poll that shows the 'Yes' side ahead

Polling expert John Curtice said the poll came with "a substantial health warning".

Sky's Scotland Correspondent James Matthews said: "It tells us what we already know: this is going to be extremely tight, coming down to the wire, all the cliches fit.

"It really is on a knife edge and the intense campaigning over the remaining days will clearly be targeted at the undecideds, numbering something like half a million, they clearly hold the key to this referendum."

Reacting to the latest snapshots of public opinion, Blair Jenkins, chief executive of Yes Scotland, said: "Taken in the round, the polls show that the referendum is on a knife-edge.

"There is everything to play for, and this will spur on everybody who wants and is working hard for a 'Yes' to redouble their efforts.

The final weekend of campaigning has seen both sides out in force

"As we say in response to all the polls, we are working flat out to ensure that we achieve a 'Yes' vote, because it's the biggest opportunity the people of Scotland will ever have to build a fairer society and more prosperous economy."

The latest polls came after First Minister Alex Salmond hit out at banks and businesses that have warned about the effects of independence.

Deutsche Bank said a "Yes" vote could be a mistake akin to those that sparked the Great Depression, while three more retailers said customers would face higher prices.

Six telecoms companies also released an open letter warning such an outcome could mean increased costs in the industry.

But Mr Salmond said in an interview with Sky News: "The people of Scotland are not going to have big government orchestrating big oil and big supermarkets to tell us we can't run our own country."

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PM: We Will 'Hunt Down' David Haines' Killers

David Cameron has vowed that Britain will "hunt down" those responsible for the murder of British aid worker David Haines.

Speaking from Downing Street after chairing a meeting of Cobra, Mr Cameron said the UK will do "whatever it takes" to bring the 44-year-old's killers to justice.

"We will hunt down those responsible and bring them to justice, whatever it takes," Mr Cameron said.

"David Haines was an aid worker. He went into harm's way, not to harm people but to help his fellow human beings in the hour of their direst need, from the Balkans to the Middle East.

"David Haines was a British hero. The fact that an aid worker was taken, held and brutally murdered at the hand of Islamic State sums up what this organisation stands for.

A man wearing black addresses David Cameron in the video

"They boast of their brutality. They claim to do this in the name of Islam. That is nonsense - Islam is a religion of peace."

Earlier in the day Mr Cameron held emergency talks with senior representatives of the military, the security services, the Foreign Office and the Home Office.

He returned to Downing Street shortly after midnight after the video emerged showing Mr Haines' death.

Government sources say the death will not change Britain's policy and Parliament will not be recalled.

Mr Cameron said Britain's security depended upon taking action against extremists.

David Haines was taken hostage in Syria last year

"It must strengthen our resolve. We must recognise that it will take time to eradicate the threat like this. It will require, as I have described, action at home and abroad," he said.

"This is not something we can do on our own. We have to work with the rest of the world.

"Ultimately, our security as a nation, the way we go about our everyday lives in this free and tolerant society that is Britain, has always depended on our readiness to act against those who stand for hatred and who stand for destruction."

The comments come after IS released footage showing Mr Haines being murdered by a knife-wielding militant, who appears to speak with a British accent.

The clip also includes a threat to kill a second hostage, who IS claims is British.

The release of the video came hours after Mr Haines' family urged his captors to contact them.

Mr Cameron returned to Downing Street for crisis talks

In the video, the victim looks into the camera and makes a statement, holding Mr Cameron responsible for his own "execution".

In the statement, which appears to have been made under duress, he said: "You entered voluntarily into a coalition with the United States against the Islamic State just as your predecessor Tony Blair did, following a trend against our British prime ministers who can't find the courage to say 'no' to the Americans.

"Unfortunately it is we the British public that in the end will pay the price for our Parliament's selfish decisions."

A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "All the signs are that the video is genuine. We have no reason to believe it is not."

The aid agency that Mr Haines was working for when he was taken hostage in 2013 said it was "appalled and horrified" by the killing.

"ACTED strongly condemns with the utmost of force these crimes. In this tragic moment, our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones," the agency said.

"All of the ACTED team empathise and share their pain."

The killing comes just weeks after American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff were beheaded by Islamic State (IS). Those deaths were also filmed, and the videos were released on the internet.

More follows...

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