Lord McAlpine: Ex-Thatcher Aide Dies Aged 71

Former Conservative Party deputy chairman Lord McAlpine has died at his home in Italy, aged 71.

Lord McAlpine was previously an aide to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and a highly successful fundraiser for the party.

When she left office in 1990 the peer became disillusioned with the leadership of John Major and launched a number of harsh attacks on the new leader of his party.

In 2010, the former political adviser and businessman stood down from the House of Lords to keep his non-domiciliary tax status, but retained his title.

The peer, who had three daughters, spent his final years running a bed and breakfast near Puglia with his third wife Athena.

His family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that the family of Lord McAlpine announce his peaceful death last night at his home in Italy."

Lord McAlpine was wrongly implicated in a child abuse scandal in 2012, when allegations were contained in a BBC Newsnight investigation.

The claims led to the corporation's then-director general George Entwistle quitting his job less than two months into the role. Mr Entwistle said he had to take "ultimate responsibility" for the broadcast.

The BBC was forced into making an apology after abuse victim Steve Messham admitted that the man who abused him in the 1970s and 1980s was not Lord McAlpine.

Mr Messham told the BBC he had been abused by a senior Tory from the Thatcher era at a north Wales children's home when he was a teenager. This led to fierce online speculation as to the identity of the politician, and the peer was incorrectly accused of being a paedophile.

Solicitors for Lord McAlpine said they were ready to sue for defamation, arguing his reputation had been left in "tatters" as a result of the programme.

Lord McAlpine later received damages from a number of internet users, including the wife of the House of Commons speaker John Bercow, after libellous messages were posted on Twitter.

Ms Bercow agreed to pay £15,000 in damages for her "innocent face" tweet. Comedian Alan Davies paid damages after he reposted a tweet which linked the peer's name to a television report about a "senior political figure who is a paedophile".

The BBC Trust investigated the broadcast and found that members of the team responsible failed to follow the corporation's editorial guidelines.

More follows...

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Social Smokers 'In Denial' Over Their Habit

Almost a quarter of smokers believe they only have a social habit despite the fact many smoke six to 20 cigarettes a day, new research reveals.

A poll of 2,000 smokers found 24% class themselves as social smokers - but more than one in three of these buy up to a packet a day.

Around 60% of all those questioned said they have tried giving up in the past, with women being slightly more likely than men to have tried quitting.

One in six of those who had attempted to stop smoking succeeded for over a year but then slipped back to their old habits.

Some 13% said part of the reason they took up smoking again was because their friends smoked and they did not like being left alone on nights out.

Of those who did go back to smoking, 47% said they had initially cut down how many cigarettes they smoked.

The poll also found that 54% of smokers admitted to smoking in banned areas, such as indoors in public spaces.

Catherine Cox, primary care manager at The Co-operative Pharmacy, which carried out the poll, said: "The smoking ban in public places has had a major effect on the health of the nation with a significant number of people giving up.

"But many smokers are convincing themselves they are consuming less tobacco than they actually are by classing their habit as a 'social' one.

"People see it as more acceptable to be a social smoker than admitting they regularly light up each day, even though our research shows that this is the case.

"Just smoking a few cigarettes a day has an impact on your health and the wellbeing of those around you."

Public Health England's national director of health and wellbeing, Kevin Fenton, offered this advice: "There are a variety of different ways to help people stop smoking and it is important that everyone finds a way that works for them.

"Pharmacists are easily accessible and well-placed to offer ongoing support, keeping motivation levels high along the way."

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Bingo Hall Burden: MPs Call For Tax Cuts

By Adele Robinson, Sky News Correspondent

The UK's bingo hall business will "stagnate" if the Government does not cut tax on it, campaigners say.

More than 50 MPs are backing calls to reduce duty and bring levies on the game in line with other forms of gambling.

Bingo hall profits are currently taxed at 20% compared with a 15% rate for most other gambling activities.

Campaigners estimate that reducing bingo duty is expected to raise around £40m for the Exchequer over four years.

Miles Baron, from the Bingo Association, says investment is vital for growth.

"By building new clubs and investing in new clubs, attendances would improve that would generate more income, that would generate new taxes, that would employ more people ... this is at the heart of the community, this is a vital and important part of some people's social repertoire."

Campaigners claim gambling taxes are forcing more and more clubs to close

The Government says it would have to carefully consider before reducing the rate because its priority is to cut the budget deficit.

Jim Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry South, says if more support is not given then the "social service" side of bingo will be lost.

"The implications can be that some of these places may have to close because they're not profitable and if that happens then there is a problem for some of these elderly people, during the day in particular, to find somewhere else to go."

Nearly 400 bingo clubs across England, Scotland and Wales are hosting free bingo games this weekend to support the campaign to cut tax.

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Mikaeel's Mum Detained As Body Discovered

Police are questioning the mother of three-year-old Mikaeel Kular after finding the body of a young boy near her former home.

Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham announced the discovery just after 1am at a hastily convened news conference at Police Scotland's Edinburgh HQ.

There were gasps from people who had gathered for the update as he announced that the body had been found shortly before midnight.

Police said they had detained one person - understood to be Mikaeel's 33-year-old mother Rosdeep - in connection with his disappearance.

:: Live updates as the search for Mikaeel Kular is called off

ACC Graham said: "The investigation into the disappearance of Mikaeel Kular has been wide-ranging and fast moving.

Mikaeel was reported missing on Thursday morning

"As a result of enquiries the body of a young child was recovered in Fife just before midnight.

"We strongly believe this to be the body of Mikaeel.

"A person has been detained in connection with the recovery of the body and members of Mikaeel's family have been informed of the recovery."

The body is understood to have been found on land surrounding a house in Kirkcaldy, Fife, which is owned by Mikaeel's aunt Pandeep Kular.

Sky News Scotland Correspondent James Matthews said: "There is no suggestion that police want to speak to her about any of this at this stage."

A neighbour told Sky News that Rosdeep Kular visited the house alone, by car, last week.

Police are examining a wooded area near a house owned by Mikaeel's aunt

The family lived there for a time before moving to Edinburgh and neighbours remember Mikaeel and his twin sister playing on the steps.

Mikaeel was reported missing from his home in Edinburgh on Thursday morning.

Hundreds of police officers from across the UK joined the search and lines of volunteers swept the local area, searching for clues about his disappearance.

Police were told that Mikaeel had not been seen since his mother put him to bed on Wednesday night.

There was shock when ACC Malcolm Graham announced a body had been found

On Friday evening ACC Graham revealed the boy had not attended nursery since before Christmas and said there were "grave concerns" for his safety.

Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt in Edinburgh said: "We know that according to the police, a person was detained last night.

"The police haven't named that person detained, but we understand from our sources that it's Mikaeel's mother Rosdeep, known as Rosie.

"Under Scottish law, she can be detained initially for 12 hours during questioning and then on the say so of a senior officer can be held for another 12 hours.

The body was found around 30 miles from Mikaeel's family home in Edinburgh

"At the end of that period police must decide whether to release her, charge her or formally arrest her." 

Police analyst Graham Wettone told Sky News: "(His mother) will be questioned as police try to establish what has taken place."

Police Scotland officers have cordoned off the road and been carrying out searches in Woodland around Pandeep Kular's Kirkcaldy house.

The body is being left in situ for forensic and scenes-of-crime officers to carry out investigations.

There was sadness and anger among families living near Rosdeep Kular's home in Ferry Gait, Edinburgh - some 30 miles away across the Firth of Forth - as they woke up to news of the grim discovery.

Neighbours have been living flowers and toys near the family home

MSP Colin Keir, who joined the search for Mikaeel, was woken at 5am to be told the news.

He told Sky News: "It's just devastating and I think the community will take it personally.

"There was an unprecedented outpouring from the community in the hunt for Mikaeel.

"The community will be devastated, angry and looking for answers as to why this has happened."

Jackie Brownlee, 29, a mother-of-two who lives opposite the family home, said that local people will support each other as they try to come to terms with what has happened.

Hundreds of people volunteered to help with the search for Mikaeel

She said: "Everyone was hoping and now that hope's gone - we still can't believe it. But I think the community will come together because we have to."

Her son Darren, 11, added: "He was such a cute lad, always running around the street. I can't believe it's happened in my street - I'm really scared now." 

Denise Fergus, the mother of James Bulger, the two-year-old who was murdered in Liverpool in 1993, tweeted her condolences.

She said on Twitter: "My heart is aching for that poor boy Mikaeel Kular brings it all back so sad."

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Food Safety: Worst Councils Named And Shamed

Local councils that are failing to ensure food businesses comply with hygiene regulations have been named and shamed by a consumer watchdog.

The investigation into 395 local authorities by Which?, using data obtained from the Food Standards Agency (FSA), revealed more than a third of high and medium-risk food businesses are not complying with safety rules.

The hygiene risk of a business was based on the type of food, the number of consumers at risk, the method of processing and confidence in the management.

Local authority food checks are in decline according to the study

Local authority rankings were based upon criteria such as the number of premises compliant with hygiene requirements, the number of visits performed by council inspectors and the percentage of premises yet to receive a risk rating.

Bexley in London was exposed as the worst-performing local authority, with five further London councils appearing in the bottom 10, including Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Richmond upon Thames and Southwark.

The study revealed that overall, food testing fell by 6.8% from the previous year, while testing for correct labelling and presentation fell by 16.2%.

The figures showed no hygiene sampling at all was carried out by Bexley, Christchurch, Isles of Scilly, Medway, Tamworth, West Lindsey and West Yorkshire authorities.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: "No one wants another horse meat fiasco, so it is very worrying that local authority food checks are in decline.

"We want to see a more strategic approach to food law enforcement that makes the best use of limited resources and responds effectively to the huge challenges facing the food supply chain."

But the Local Government Association defended local authorities it said were "working hard" to improve food hygiene standards in the face of government funding cuts.

The Local Government Association's regulation spokesman Nick Worth said: "Random sampling is just one tool available to councils and a reduction in testing does not mean an increased safety risk to the public.

"Targeting high-risk businesses and acting on complaints is a far more effective use of their limited resources and also allows councils to free up responsible businesses from unnecessary inspections and red tape."

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Miliband: 'We Must Tackle Middle Class Crisis'

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

A crisis of confidence for the middle classes is the "greatest challenge for our generation," according to Ed Miliband.

The Labour leader argues families believe their chances of getting good quality jobs, secure pensions and affordable housing have been "undermined".

And he claims middle class parents are worried their children do not have the same opportunities as the older generations.

In an article for The Daily Telegraph Mr Miliband writes: "Our country cannot succeed and become collectively better off unless Britain has a strong and vibrant middle class.

"Indeed, the greatest challenge for our generation is how to tackle a crisis in living standards that has now become a crisis of confidence for middle class families."

The article will be seen as an attempt to reach out to the middle class households seen as the political centre ground. Labour has already tried to toughen its position on welfare in order to grow the party's appeal outside of its traditional support base.

He adds: "The cost of living crisis is not just about people on tax credits, zero hours contracts and the minimum age. It is about millions of middle class families who never dreamt that life would be such a struggle."

Britain's improving economic performance poses new challenges for Mr Miliband.

Labour's Tristram Hunt, centre, and Emma Reynolds, right, part of drive

As faith in the recovery grows, Labour's initial argument of "too far, too fast" has already been replaced by a renewed focus is on the cost of living.

However, there is concern that if wages begin to rise at a faster pace than prices this argument could also lose its resonance.

A Guardian/ICM poll shows Mr Miliband's party has dropped two points to stand at 35% - just three points ahead of the Conservatives.

Labour hopes to tackle this challenge with a series of speeches by key Shadow Cabinet ministers including Tristram Hunt on education, Rachel Reeves on welfare, Emma Reynolds on housing and Ed Balls on the economy.

Mr Miliband will be giving a speech on Friday setting out his own policy ideas.

Conservative party chairman Grant Shapps said: "Ed Miliband has no plan. He has opposed every difficult decision we have taken to start turning our economy around.

"All he offers is more of the same old Labour policy that got us into a mess in the first place – more spending, more borrowing and more taxes. That would mean a less secure future for hardworking people and their families."

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Dave Lee Travis Sex Assault Trial Begins

DJ Dave Lee Travis has arrived at court at the start of his trial on charges of indecent assault and sexual assault.

The 68-year-old, whose real name is David Patrick Griffin, is facing 13 counts of indecent assault dating between 1976 and 2003 and one count of sexual assault in 2008 at Southwark Crown Court.

The former Radio One DJ, from Buckinghamshire, is accused of assaulting 11 women, one of whom was 15 at the time of the alleged crime.

He denies the charges.

The prosecution is due to open its case. A jury of eight women and four men were sworn in on Tuesday morning.

Judge Anthony Leonard warned them not to research the case, adding: "You will try the case on the information obtained here in this court and nothing else."

The trial is due to last up to six weeks.

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William Roache: Actor Arrives For Assault Trial

Actor William Roache has arrived at Preston Crown Court at the start of his trial for sexual offences against five girls.

The 81-year-old soap star was arrested at his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire, in May 2013 and later charged with two counts of raping a 15-year-old girl in east Lancashire in 1967.

A month later he was additionally charged with five indecent assaults involving four girls aged between 12 and 16, allegedly committed in the Manchester area between 1965 and 1968.

Roache has pleaded not guilty to the seven counts he faces.

Wearing a blue suit, Roache arrived at  the court ahead of the hearing, together with his sons Linus and James and a security guard.

The world's longest-serving soap actor, who plays Ken Barlow in the ITV1 show Coronation Street, has not appeared in the programme while the legal proceedings are ongoing.

The trial is expected to last up to four weeks.

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Childcare Costs 'Stop Parents Going To Work'

The spiralling cost of childcare is preventing parents from returning to work, with one in four saying they would like a job but cannot afford it, according to a study.

The cost of childcare has increased by 19% in the last year and the average hourly rate for hiring a nanny is now £9.80.

One in four unemployed parents say they would like to work but the cost of childcare was too high, according to childcare search website Findababysitter.

This increases to two out of five of 18 to 24-year-olds.

Half of the 1,000 parents questioned for the study said the Government was not doing enough to support families.

The website's chief executive, Tom Harrow, accused politicians of a "lack of understanding" and said he had met MPs to discuss Government policies a number of times.

He said: "They still think the local nursery is the only option."

The average hourly rate for a nanny was now £9.80, an increase from £8.10 last year and after-school nannies were charging £10 an hour.

The average hourly rate for a nanny is now nearly £10

The most unaffordable cities for childcare were Birmingham, Bristol, Oxford, London and Leeds.

Anand Shukla, chief executive of the Daycare Trust, said: "Finding affordable, flexible and high quality childcare is still - and will remain - one of the biggest challenges faced by families."

Sharon Greene, Unison's women's officer, said: "It is a sad fact that in 2014 women still face too many barriers in the workplace.

"The high cost of childcare is pricing many women out of their jobs, forcing them to give up work which puts family finances under massive pressure."

She added: "If the country is to recover from the economic downturn the Government needs to listen to working parents and take account of the needs of the modern workplace.

"That means providing funding for more affordable, flexible and quality childcare."

The coalition Government scrapped universal child benefit but last year announced that parents earning less than £150,000 would be entitled to claim £1,200 per child to help with childcare costs.

Free early education for three and four year olds has been increased from 12.5 hours to 15 hours a week.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Recent figures show childcare costs are stabilising after more than a decade of constantly rising prices.

"A survey for the National Day Nurseries Association found that 58% of nurseries are freezing their fees."

The shadow minister for childcare and children said Labour would introduce measures to help parents with before and after-school care and would extend free childcare for three and four-year-olds from 15 to 25 hours.

Lucy Powell, shadow minister for childcare and children, said: "Families facing a cost-of-living crisis are being failed by David Cameron, who is offering no help with the rising cost of childcare for hard-pressed mums and dads.

"Soaring childcare costs are a drag on our economy and lock parents who want to get back to work out of the jobs market."

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N Ireland Child Abuse Inquiry: Hundreds Respond

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

More than 400 people have applied to speak to the state inquiry into historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland, the largest tribunal of its kind anywhere in the UK.

Most applications, some 280, were from people living in Northern Ireland, but 63 came from Great Britain, 61 from Australia, 20 from the Republic of Ireland and the remainder from elsewhere.

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry was established by the Stormont Executive this time last year and will hold its first public evidence session today at Banbridge Courthouse in County Down.

It has a remit to investigate historical child abuse and/or neglect in institutions over a 73-year period up to 1995 and is currently investigating 13 establishments, including Kincora Boys' Home in Belfast.

Kincora was the scene of a notorious sex scandal and while three members of staff were convicted in the 1980s, questions remain about who knew what and why it continued.

The inquiry's chairman, Sir Anthony Hart, a retired senior high court judge, will make a short statement before an opening address from senior counsel to the inquiry, Christine Smith QC.

More than 300 witnesses are expected to give evidence during the public sessions, the majority in person although some may give their evidence in writing or via a live video-link.

Applications to participate in the statutory inquiry are now closed but potential witnesses can still apply to speak to the Acknowledgment Forum, a less formal evidence-gathering process operating in parallel.

The first "thematic module of evidence" will focus on two former institutions run by the Sisters of Nazareth: St Joseph's Home and Nazareth House Children's Home, both in County Londonderry.

The public hearings are expected to continue until June 2015 and under the terms of reference, the inquiry must complete its investigation by mid-summer and submit its report by January 2016.

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