Leicester House Fire Murders: Four Charged

Four people have been charged with murder over a house fire that killed a mother and her three teenage children.

Dr Muhammad Taufiq said he would "deeply miss" his wife and children

A 16-year-old youth, a 24-year-old man and two 19-year-old men are due to appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court today.

Kemo Anthony Porter, 18, had already been charged with murder over the deaths of Shehnila Taufiq, 47, her daughter Zainab, 19, and sons Bilal, 17, and Jamil, 15.

Their bodies were found in the upstairs bedrooms of their home on Wood Hill in the Spinney Hills area of the city on September 13.

The children's father, Muhammad Taufiq al Sattar, a neurosurgeon who was working in Ireland, has said he would "deeply miss" his "beautiful" wife, daughter and two teenage sons.

The Taufiq family are originally from Pakistan, but had a home in Ireland for at least 15 years before the children moved to the UK with their mother around five years ago for an Islamic education.

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'Smart Drug' Modafinil Risks Student Health

Students at some of Britain's best universities are potentially putting their health at risk by using a 'smart drug' bought off the internet, Sky News has been told.

Doctors have warned that increasing numbers of teenagers are using the prescription-only medicine modafinil to stay awake and alert for long periods of time.

The drug is designed to combat the sleeping disorder narcolepsy.

However, research shows it is available to anyone from dozens of online retailers.

Anecdotal evidence suggests there is a black market at universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, with students selling it to each other for around £2 a pill.

Some students are now said to be demanding drug tests before exams to stamp out a practice they believe to be equivalent to cheating.

Some students are turning to the internet to get the drug

One Oxford student told Sky News that he believed up to a quarter of his student friends had taken modafinil.

But academics say that the long-term effects are unknown, and medicines' watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency says the drug should not be taken without a prescription.

Barbara Sahakian, professor of clinical neuropsychology at Cambridge University, said there had been an increase in the number of students taking the drug in recent years.

"A lot of young people are purchasing these drugs over the internet.

"[It] is a very unsafe way to get these drugs because you don't really know what you're getting and you don't know if it's safe for you as an individual."

She said some students feel peer pressure to take the drug in order to keep up with their fellow students.

There can be pressure to take modafinil, says Professor Barbara Sahakian

"There's this kind of coercion that goes on.

"I think a lot of students feel it's very unfair that other students are taking these drugs during exams and they feel that they're losing out because the other person has a competitive advantage.

"Some students feel when you go into the exam perhaps there should be a test to see whether you're on the drug or not, because otherwise there's no way of detecting whether you are or not."

Prof Sahakian believes that the increasing use of modafinil raises serious concerns both for students and society.

"What are the effects of putting a drug into and changing the chemicals in your brain as your brain is developing?" she asked.

"What will society be like in the future? Will we all be just popping pills to stay awake, and alert and keep working? Will we accelerate into a 24/7 society? Is that what we really want?"

Laurie Pycroft, a masters student at Oxford University, admits taking the drug every few weeks.

He told Sky News: "Some people report that they become very focused or very good at concentrating on a repetitive task.

Laurie Pycroft believes around a quarter of his friends have taken the drug

"I have found the ability to go without sleep, when necessary, quite effective. It's essentially like caffeine, just a bit more effective and with less jitters.

"The people I've met who offer me modafinil for sale, they've all been fellow students, or academic types, rather than your stereotypical wheeler-dealer in a hoodie down a dark alley."

Doctor Anders Sandberg, research fellow at Oxford University's future of humanity institute uses modafinil every one or two weeks.

While he believes he is doing himself no harm, he would rather be able to get the drug from his GP.

"Going via an internet drug store means the money ends up in the grey market, and that's problematic. You might be feeding your money into a market that is actually doing a lot of harm in the world.

"It would be much better if it were in the open market, which would mean that we could actually control that it's actually healthy, that side effects get reported, that you could actually study it properly."

He added: "I don't regard the use itself as immoral or problematic. I'm not competing with anyone else. I am taking the risks on my own."

Oxford University says it had not seen evidence of a modafinil problem

Buying prescription-only drugs is not illegal, however, supplying them is.

Universities UK says there is no firm evidence to suggest taking 'smart drugs' is widespread among students and called for more research to discover how common it is.

In a statement, it said: "We would be very concerned if the impression were given that most students at UK universities are now taking … 'smart drugs'.

"We are not aware of any new research or data to suggest that such drugs are widely used and available among the UK's higher education student population of 2.5 million students."

It said however, that it would have "grave concerns" about students taking drugs not prescribed to them.

An Oxford University spokesman said: "If 'cognitive enhancement' drugs are a particular problem at Oxford we have yet to see any substantive evidence for it."

In a statement, spokesmen for Oxford and Cambridge universities both said they strongly advised students never to take prescription-only medicines without a doctor's recommendation.

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Marriage Tax Breaks For Four Million Couples

David Cameron says four million couples will benefit from the Government's new £1,000 marriage tax allowance.

Ahead of the start of the Conservative Party conference, the Prime Minister said the scheme - starting in April 2015 - will be worth up to £200 a year for married couples, including 15,000 in civil partnerships.

They will receive the benefit at the end of the tax year in 2016.

It will work by letting people transfer £1,000 of their personal tax allowance to their spouse or civil partner - an increase on the £750 allowance promised in the Tory manifesto, which would have seen couples gain £150.

The new allowance, which is not available to couples which include a higher rate taxpayer, is aimed at couples where one partner has not used all of their personal allowance or does not work at all.

Labour's shadow chief secretary to the treasury, Rachel Reeves, said that the marriage tax break would not even help two-thirds of married couples and said he was out of touch if he "thinks people will get married for £3.85 a week".

She said: "And even for the minority who might benefit, it will be far outweighed by what David Cameron's Government has already taken away in higher VAT and cuts to child benefit and tax credits. In most cases, the extra payment will be paid to men, even though it is women who have disproportionately lost out so far."

The PM says 'nothing would be possible' without his wife Samantha

The announcement comes after a trade-off that allowed the Liberal Democrats to announce free school meals for all children under eight earlier this month.

The proposal, which Downing Street said shows the Government values commitment by recognising marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, makes good on promises Mr Cameron made when he was running for leadership of the party in 2005.

In an article in today's edition of The Daily Mail, he said: "I believe in marriage. Alongside the birth of my children, my wedding was the happiest day of my life.

"Since then, Samantha and I have been a team. Nothing I've done since - becoming a Member of Parliament, leader of my party or Prime Minister - would have been possible without her."

He said that the new measures would apply "if you're gay or straight - and in a civil partnership or a marriage. This summer I was proud to make Equal Marriage the law. Love is love, commitment is commitment".

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Sami Tesfay Raped 12-Year-Old He Groomed Online

A man has been detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act after subjecting a 12-year-old girl to a horrific sexual attack, Scotland Yard said.

Sami Tesfay, 22, groomed his victim on a social networking site before meeting her in person and persuading her to come home with him.

He then raped the young girl in a stairwell on January 23.

Tesfay, of Lewisham, south east London, has a history of "beguiling" vulnerable youngsters and gaining their trust, police said.

He was found guilty of rape in July and was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on September 20, Scotland Yard said.

Detective Constable James Taylor, of Sapphire, which investigates sex crimes, said: "Tesfay used a social networking site to befriend his victim.

"He groomed her, gained her trust and exploited her for his own needs. The victim has now seen him convicted for what he did to her.

"This case highlights the negative side of social media and the need for parents to be vigilant around who their children are communicating with online.

"This successful outcome, I hope, should encourage other victims of sexual crime to come forward and report what has happened to them."

Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector Pete Thomas added: "Tesfay befriends vulnerable children and exploits them.

"In this case the victim was beguiled by his attention and belief that he was sincere about their relationship.

"He has now been found guilty and will be held in a secure facility to prevent harming others.

"Anyone who has been a victim of rape should come forward and tell us what has happened so we and other agencies can provide them with the necessary support."

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Brakes Could Be Slammed On Parking 'Spies'

Councils could be banned from using CCTV cameras and "spy cars" to impose fines on drivers under new government proposals.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles has said he wants to curb "overzealous" local authorities in England which use cameras to maximise their income from parking fines.

He warned that public support for CCTV could be undermined if people believed they were being used to generate revenue rather than preventing crime.

A government consultation paper will suggest amending legislation underpinning the Traffic Management Act 2004 to outlaw the practice.

"We want to rein in these overzealous and unfair rules on parking enforcement, so it focuses on supporting high streets and motorists, not raising money," Mr Pickles told the Daily Telegraph.

"Parking spy cameras are just one example of this and a step too far. Public confidence is strengthened in CCTV if it is used to tackle crime, not to raise money for council officers."

The announcement will be seen as a morale-booster as Conservative activists prepare to head off for their annual party conference next week in Manchester.

The Telegraph reported that 75 local authorities, one in four in England, currently has permission to use CCTV or "approved devices" for parking enforcement.

Revenue from fines 'are a nice litle earner' says the RAC Foundation

The Department for Transport says CCTV should be used only when it is impractical to use traffic wardens.

Last month, a report by the RAC Foundation claimed some local authorities could be using parking revenue to plug gaps in their finances.

During 2011/12 the combined amount of cash left over after money was spent on parking services, filling potholes, funding park and ride schemes, street lights and road improvements was £412m.

This was a £54m increase in the surplus left over in 2010/11, said the foundation.

The authority with the biggest surplus was Westminster Council with £41.6m.

Responding to the report, RAC Foundation director Professor Stephen Glaister said: "For many local authorities, parking charges are a nice little earner, especially in London.

"Not all authorities make big sums. Several run a current account deficit and indeed of those with surpluses, many will see the money vanish when capital expenditure is taken into account.

"We do not operate any uncertified parking enforcement cameras. But the bottom line is that hundreds of millions of pounds are being contributed annually to council coffers through parking charges."

But a spokesperson for Newham Council defended the use of CCTV cameras.

"Without CCTV, parts of Newham - and the rest of the country - would simply grind to a halt. It is essential in keeping our borough moving by helping to tackle a variety of motoring offences, which slow traffic and clog our roads. These include vehicles stopping in boxes, parking on crossroads, and illegally turning right.

"We prioritise parking for residents and we do not charge them for first permits where there is a CPZ (controlled parking zone). The majority of residents (who vote) in an area must support the introduction of CPZ and they are designed to meet local needs."

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Royal Mail Sale To Be Completed Before Strike

The Government has confirmed a timetable for the Royal Mail privatisation to be completed ahead of any possible strike action by postal workers.

Shares are expected to be priced at between 260p and 330p, ministers said, giving a market valuation in the range of £2.6bn and £3.3bn.

The Government explained that it planned to sell between 40.1% and 52.2% of the company, which is expected to make its market debut on October 11, with 150,000 Royal Mail staff receiving free shares likely to be worth roughly £2,000 each at the valuation's mid-range.

It was confirmed that unconditional dealings in the stock will start on October 15, which is the day before voting closes in a ballot by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) over whether to back a campaign of industrial action on the sale.

Any strike action would start a week later.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Today is an important day in the life of Royal Mail. People can now apply to buy shares in this iconic British brand.

"This will give Royal Mail access to the private capital it needs to modernise, as envisaged under successive governments, and enshrined in law by Parliament two years ago."

The Government envisages that 70% of the offering will be allocated to institutional investors.

Individuals can apply for shares from later today, with the deadline for the receipt of applications being October 8.

Further pricing details and share allocations will be confirmed when conditional dealings in Royal Mail start.

Retail investors based in the UK can buy shares at a minimum of £750 and can also apply through intermediaries.

Despite the prospect of the windfall for its members, the CWU says it fully expects the ballot to overwhelmingly back strike action unless the company provides guarantees on issues including pay, deliveries and future jobs.

A union communication sent to CWU members today said: "Those who want to sell off the Royal Mail Group are motivated purely by short-term gain and vested interests.

"We cannot give the company a free hand to determine your future and the future of UK postal services."

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April Jones Funeral: Machynlleth To Mourn

By Mike McCarthy, Sky Correspondent in Machynlleth

The funeral of April Jones is due to take place in the murdered schoolgirl's home town later.

A horse-drawn cortege will take mourners including the five-year-old's parents from her Machynlleth home to the church shortly before midday.

It is almost a year to the day since the five-year-old went missing - with her murderer, Mark Bridger, jailed for his entire life in May - but reminders of the youngster are visible throughout the town.

A memorial garden has been built on the estate of Bryn y Gog, close to the home where she lived throughout her brief life.

April's favourite colour pink has been used extensively. A bench bearing her name has been placed among the trees and next to a pink playhouse.

April's body has never been found

Up in the Welsh hills overlooking her hometown, a tree has been intricately wrapped in knitted pink patches and below in the valley pink ribbons still adorn many of the shop fronts and houses.

But the town is different now according to Councillor Mike Williams, a friend and neighbour of April's family.

He explained: "It's the magnitude of an event in which a five-year-old girl was ripped from her family, ripped from the community, in such a vile and vicious way.

"But the town has stayed together and together we will be. We will be as one and we will be always with the family in support."

People in Machynlleth joined the search for the missing girl

April Jones' funeral reflects the wishes of her grieving parents Paul and Coral, who had wondered for months whether it would even be possible as their daughter's body was never found apart from fragments of bone.

Two poems by a local writer - one called April and the other called An Autumn Night - are being read during the service in the parish church of St Peter's, and the words of well-known hymns have been changed to suit the family.

Vicar Kathleen Rogers told Sky News: "This is a huge thing for Paul and Coral.

"They need to be able to say goodbye to their daughter and this service will hopefully enable them to do that.

"Hopefully it will be a closing of this particular chapter. Another chapter will now open as they now start to grieve privately.

"Hopefully this service will help them a little bit on this horrendous journey that they're on."

The small town of Machynlleth lies in the Dyfi valley surrounded by hills and mountains. It is the kind of tranquil place where many people took for granted the inherent sense of safety.

But that has changed.

Everyone seems to agree that as a result of April's death parents, for example, are more cautious about their children's whereabouts.

It will take at least a generation perhaps for the lost innocence to return ... if it ever does.

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OFT: Children Pressured To Buy Online Games

Warning Over Smartphone Kids' Apps

Updated: 5:56am UK, Thursday 26 September 2013

By Niall Paterson, Media Correspondent

I've always tended to view video-gaming as something of a solitary pursuit, or at the very least one enjoyed with friends in my bedroom, out of sight of Mum and Dad.

This wasn't always necessarily to do with the violent or graphic content of the titles my parents unwittingly purchased - although if they'd seen the brutality of Speedball 2, the adult content of Leisure Suit Larry, or even the hundreds of mammals sacrificed as I attempted (in vain) to complete Lemmings, I imagine I'd have been shoved outside and back on the Space Hopper quicker than I could say "carpal tunnel syndrome". 

But at least the financial costs of my sweaty-palmed play were limited to the cost of the game itself (and, perhaps, the occasional copy of Computer & Video Games magazine).

Not so nowadays.

The Office of Fair Trading's investigation into in-game purchases of bolt-ons and bonus items makes for distressing reading if you've ever handed your iPad to an ankle-biter.

In essence, it concludes children are being encouraged or even made to feel pressurised into paying over and above the cost of the app, even in games which are specifically targeted at kids.

It also finds a blurring of the distinction between real-world and in-game currency; and unfair and aggressive commercial practices "to which children may be particularly susceptible".

There's also prima facie evidence consumer protection laws may already have been broken.

The industry will now mull over the OFT's eight key recommendations. But I imagine some will choose to resist.

After all, given the profusion of free apps and games, many people are increasingly unwilling to pay even a quid for what might, ultimately, only prove to be a couple hours of entertainment.

So, understandably, developers are seeking other revenue streams - and some will argue that encouraging kids to ask their parents for an in-game item is no different to the advertising campaigns that turn kids into pester-factories every Christmas.

And what of the parents in all of this? Isn't this just more evidence that mum and dad need to be a little more aware of what their kids are up to online?

There's a degree of validity in that argument, as there is when the case is made that parents need to educate their kids a lot better about when and where not to click.

But I know as well as any 1980s gamer that they can't always know what we're up to; nor are most sufficiently tech-savvy to educate their kids about the dangers, fiscal or otherwise, of life online.

But let's be clear - those behind these titles are savvy enough for all of us.

And, although not literally coin-operated, clearly many developers are so cash-motivated that they've chosen to turn a blind eye to the dangers of in-game purchasing.

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Rural Broadband Roll-Out A 'Raw Deal', Say MPs

The roll-out of superfast broadband to homes in rural towns and villages will leave users paying more than they should to get online, according to a spending watchdog.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the programme represented a "raw deal" for consumers despite a "generous public subsidy".

MPs claimed the scheme had been mismanaged by the Government and said sole provider BT would end up "owning assets created from £1.2bn of public money".

They said the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) should cease spending on the scheme until "proper competition and value for money" can be secured.

A spokesman for BT said it was "disturbed" by the report, claiming it was "simply wrong", and insisted the network it is building will be open to its rivals.

BT says it is willing to invest in rural broadband when others are not

"We have been transparent from the start and willing to invest when others have not," he said.

"It is therefore mystifying that we are being criticised for accepting onerous terms in exchange for public subsidy, terms which drove others away.

"The taxpayer is undoubtedly getting value for money."

However, Margaret Hodge, chairman of the PAC, said all of the 26 contracts awarded by June 2013 had gone to BT and claimed the remaining 18 "are likely to follow suit".

"The DCMS' approach to procurement failed to deliver any meaningful competition to drive down prices and maximize coverage," she said.

PAC chair Margaret Hodge

"Without that competitive tension, it is crucial to have full access to the single supplier's cost information to check that BT's bids are reasonably priced, but the department failed to negotiate that access with the company.

"We now have a situation where local authorities are contributing over £230m more to the programme than forecast in the department's business case, while BT is committing over £200m less."

Concerns about the programme were raised when the Government revised its initial target of 90% of the UK having superfast connections by 2015 to 95% by 2017.

The tender process was also criticised after Fujitsu, which later dropped out, and BT were named as the only approved bidders.

A DCMS spokesman said the PAC's report was "at odds" with the findings of the National Audit Office.

"They found our approach reduced the cost to the taxpayer and reduced risk," he said.

"We put in place a fair commercial process and encouraged different suppliers to bid.

"We are disappointed that the PAC fails to recognise that thousands of rural premises which have never had a decent broadband supply are now getting one, something that is vital for farmers, rural businesses and all those who live outside major cities."

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Peru Drugs Pair Plead Guilty To Trafficking

Two women accused of trying to smuggle £1.5m worth of cocaine out of Peru have pleaded guilty.

Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum, both 20, were stopped with 11kg (24lb) of cocaine hidden in food packets in their luggage while trying to board a flight to Spain on August 6.

Reid, from Glasgow, and McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, originally claimed they were forced to carry the drugs by an armed gang which threatened them and their family members.

Their U-turn means they will not have to stand trial on drug trafficking charges.

Instead, it is likely they will be sentenced to six years and eight months in jail at a hearing which could take place as early as next week.

The two women admitted their guilt at a private hearing in a makeshift courtroom at a men's jail in Lima.

They were heard separately for half an hour each from 11am local time - 5pm in the UK - and asked their names and ages before being given the opportunity to speak.

The pair were arrested at Lima's airport on August 6

The women's lawyer, Meyer Fishman, declined to comment, but a Callao court spokesman in charge of the investigation confirmed the guilty pleas.

"Both women have pleaded guilty to drugs trafficking," said the spokesman.

"It means they automatically benefit from a sixth off the minimum jail sentence of eight years and will be sentenced to six years and eight months in prison.

"Sentencing has not taken place yet and a new hearing where the women will be sentenced has now got to be arranged.

"But it's likely that will take place in around a week's time."

The cocaine was found hidden in food packets in the women's luggage

Reid and McCollum, who had both been working in Ibiza, were facing up to 15 years in prison if they had been found guilty in a trial.

Reid's parents insisted last week they still believed their daughter had been forced to carry the drugs, but a guilty plea was the best course of action to get her back to the UK.

Prosecutors previously indicated that the women could return home to serve their sentences if they pleaded guilty.

Reid was the first to consider changing her plea, maintaining she carried the drugs under duress and telling the Daily Mail: "Pleading guilty is going to enable me to get back to my family in Scotland sooner rather than later.

Melissa Reid said she did not want to be in jail until the age of 35

"I do not want to be in jail until 35 - I can't get back those years."

McCollum confirmed at the weekend that she too had changed her mind about continuing to protest her innocence.

"I understand that the judicial process will be simpler if we both plead guilty," said the 20-year-old.

"We are hoping we will not have to wait too long before we are sentenced and pleading guilty will speed things up."

The pair are currently being held at the notorious Virgen de Fatima prison in the Peruvian capital Lima.

Peruvian police and prosecutors said from the start they did not believe the women had been forced to smuggle the drugs.

Chief prosecutor Juan Mendoza Abarca claimed their stories were "incredible" and that they had been coached in what to say.

He added: "They staged this whole thing from the beginning because they knew it was possible they would get caught and if they did get caught they had the excuses really well planned.

"It's very obvious they were trained in what to say if they were caught. They were prepared in every sense."

A total of 248 "drug mules" were arrested at Lima's Jorge Chavez international airport in 2012, with nearly 1,600kg of illegal drugs confiscated.

The UN says Peru has overtaken Colombia as the world's largest grower of coca, the raw material of cocaine.

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Miliband Warns Energy Firms After Backlash

Ed Miliband has rejected warnings his plans for an energy price freeze if Labour regains power will spark blackouts.

The Labour leader told Sky News he was serious about ending the "blatant overcharging of millions" as he brushed off criticism about the pledge.

In a surprise move, Mr Miliband vowed on Tuesday to freeze gas and electricity prices for 20 months if he becomes prime minister in 2015.

He has also now written to the "Big Six" energy companies warning that they will be "part of the problem" unless they support the move.

Ed Miliband insists it is time to "reset the market"

Firms claim it could lead to energy shortages and power cuts as the industry is starved of the investment it needs and business chiefs have also been critical.

But Mr Miliband insists it is time to "reset the market" and told the industry he would not help guarantee funding for its development if it does not fall in line.

His plans would see a price freeze from 2015 until 2017 while the sector is reformed, with watchdog Ofgem axed, firms split into generation and retail arms and competition increased.

In his letter, the Labour leader wrote: "I appreciate that you will not welcome all aspects of this package but it is my firm view that without resetting the market we are not going to see the public consent that is required to underpin the scale of taxpayer backed guarantees for which you have argued.

"I am prepared to make the case for sharing the risks of such investment, but that must be against the backdrop of a market that customers believe works for them.

"You and I know that the public have lost faith in this market. There is a crisis of confidence. We face a stark choice.

Energy firms argue they need money to overhaul UK power stations

"We can work together on the basis of this price freeze to make the market work in the future. Or you can reinforce in the public mind that you are part of the problem not the solution."

Mr Miliband announced the 20-month price freeze in his conference speech as he sought to show only his party could tackle a "cost-of-living crisis".

Pitching the next election as a battle between Tories representing the "privileged few" as ordinary families and small businesses suffer, he repeatedly declared: "Britain can do better than this."

"I will lead a government that fights for you," he vowed as he insisted he would relish a contest with David Cameron based on leadership and character.

Labour claims the freeze, to last from May 2015 until January 2017, would save the typical household £120 and an average business £1,800.

The party leader will be quizzed about the policy today as he tours television studios and later answers activists' questions before the conference closes.

Consumer group Which? has said it will "give hope to the millions worrying about how they can afford to heat their homes" but the CBI warns it will damage Labour's "pro-enterprise credentials".

The energy sector's umbrella group, Energy UK, accused Mr Miliband of "posturing to no purpose" and warned the freeze could have drastic consequences.

Chief executive Angela Knight said: "Freezing the bill, may be superficially attractive, but it will also freeze the money to build and renew power stations, freeze the jobs and livelihoods of the 600,000 plus people dependent on the energy industry and make the prospect of energy shortages a reality, pushing up the prices for everyone."

Energy giant Centrica blamed price rises on higher commodity costs, increases in regulated transport and distribution charges and environmental cost and taxes.

A spokesman said: "If prices were to be controlled against a background of rising costs it would simply not be economically viable for Centrica, or indeed any other energy supplier, to continue to operate and far less to meet the sizeable investment challenge that the industry is facing.

"The impact of such a policy would be damaging for the country's long term prosperity and for our customers."

SSE claimed price freezes would lead to "unsustainable loss-making retail businesses" and suggested the Government's energy policy costs be put into general taxation instead of on bills.

"This would wipe £110 off the average person's bill and shift the cost away from those who can't afford to pay and on to those who can," a spokesman said.

Simon Walker, director general of the Institute of Directors, said: "We should think very, very carefully before piling more distortion on an already grossly distorted energy market. Price controls only add greater uncertainty to companies who we need to take the financial risks of energy investment.

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "When the government fixes prices, it always ends in a disaster for consumers.

"Ed Miliband is sticking by the green taxes and expensive subsidies that drive up the price of energy, so at best this new policy would just store up massive price hikes for another day. At worst it could create a crisis and force the government to bail out the sector."

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Firefighters Go On Strike In Row Over Pensions

Firefighters across England and Wales are to go on strike later amid a bitter row over pensions.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) will walk out for four hours from midday.

The union is campaigning against changes it says will mean firefighters will have to work longer, pay more into their pensions and receive less in retirement.

The move will also see firefighters having to work on frontline duties until they are 60, the union argues.

The Government maintains that the changes are fair and will still give firemen and women decent pensions when they retire.

Fire brigades have drawn up their own contingency plans to deal with the strike because military Green Goddess machines, which have been used as cover in previous disputes, are no longer available.

They have been sold by the Ministry of Defence to countries including Malta.

Some brigades, such as London and Surrey, are hiring private contractors to stand in for striking firefighters, but the public has been warned that some non-emergency calls will not be answered.

The London brigade, which is using 27 fire engines during the period of the strike, said calls about flooding, trapped animals and rubbish fires will not be answered.

Almost 80% of FBU members voted in favour of industrial action in a ballot that ended earlier this month, although union officials said they left the strike to the last possible moment to allow for the possibility of a negotiated settlement.

General Secretary Matt Wrack said: "This initial strike is a warning shot to government. Firefighters could not be more serious about protecting public safety and ensuring fair pensions. Governments in Westminster and Cardiff have simply refused to see sense on these issues.

"It is ludicrous to expect firefighters to fight fires and rescue families in their late 50s: the lives of the general public and firefighters themselves will be endangered.

"None of us want a strike, but we cannot compromise on public and firefighter safety."

Labour leader Ed Miliband urged unions and the Government to get "round the table" to resolve the conflict.

He told Sky News: "What I say about any industrial dispute is that it's a sign of failure. Both sides should be getting round the table because we need an effective fire service that is actually going to serve people.

"What Government should be doing is not ramping up the rhetoric but getting round the table with the firefighters to try and prevent this happening and sort it out."

Firefighters in Scotland will not be joining the strike while union officials discuss proposals put forward by the Scottish Government.

Fire minister Brandon Lewis said: "Now that the Fire Brigades Union is pressing ahead with this unnecessary and avoidable strike, maintaining public safety is our first priority.

"I can reassure the public that all fire and rescue authorities in England and Wales have robust contingency plans in place. Incidents and call-outs are at an historical low - but in the event of a fire the advice to people remains the same: get out, stay out and call 999 - you will get an emergency response.

"The Government has listened to union concerns - firefighters will still get one of the most generous pension schemes in the public sector."

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Labour's £800m Tax Break For Small Business

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband will later offer an £800m tax break to smaller companies and pledge to make Labour "the party of small business".

The first act of a Labour government, if it wins the next General Election, will be to reverse a hike in small business rates due in April 2015 and to freeze the levy the following year, the party leader will say.

Labour calculates the move will be worth an average £450 over two years to 1.5 million businesses, including shops, pubs and hi-tech start-ups, and up to £2,000 for some firms.

It would be paid for by scrapping the coalition Government's planned cut in corporation tax from 21% to 20%.

In his speech to Labour's conference in Brighton, Mr Miliband will say he wants growth in the UK economy to benefit "hard-working families" including small business owners, and not just the "privileged few".

Borrowing a slogan from Ronald Reagan's successful 1980 bid for the US presidency, he will say voters should ask themselves in 2015: "Am I better off now than I was five years ago?"

He will also risk a backlash from countryside campaigners by launching a "road map" for the construction of a generation of new towns in England in a bid to solve the housing crisis.

Labour insiders did not identify areas which might come under consideration for new towns, but said Mr Miliband wants to ensure families are given better access to new homes, and communities which want to grow are helped to do so.

The Labour leader will accuse David Cameron and George Osborne of "boasting" about fixing the economy when the proceeds of growth have only gone to a minority.

He will argue life for ordinary families has been getting harder, thanks to a "cost of living crisis" caused by soaring bills and wages which fail to keep pace with inflation.

"Too many of the jobs we're creating in this country are just too low-paid, too many of the gains in our economy are just scooped up by a privileged few, including those with big bonuses," he will say.

"And too often you are left being charged over the odds. They used to say 'a rising tide lifts all boats'. Now the rising tide just seems to lift the yachts."

Mr Cameron has often said his economic policies are designed to help the UK compete in a "global race" for prosperity.

But Mr Miliband will accuse the Conservatives of pursuing a "race to the bottom", in which prosperity for a few is bought at the cost of worsening wages, conditions and workplace rights for the majority of workers.

Ed Miliband says he wants growth to benefit 'hard-working families'

Labour would instead offer "a race to the top", with support for small firms to become the wealth and job creators of the future.

"You've made the sacrifices. But you've not got the rewards. You were the first one into the recession, but you are the last one out," he will say.

"Will the pain be worth it for the gain under this Government? No. They aren't going to solve the cost of living crisis. Because for them, it is not an accident of their economic policy, it is their economic policy.

"David Cameron talks about Britain being in a 'global race'. But what he doesn't tell you is that he thinks the only way Britain can win is for you to lose.

"For the lowest wages, the worst terms and conditions and the fewest rights at work - a race to the bottom. The only way we can win is a race to the top."

Mr Miliband will say 80,000 big businesses have already benefited to the tune of £6bn in reductions in corporation tax under the coalition Government, while 1.5 million small firms will have seen their business rates rise by an average of almost £2,000 by the end of this Parliament.

Labour's decision to hold business rates at 2014 levels for two years would affect properties and commercial premises with an annual rental value of £50,000 or less.

The Labour leader out in Brighton at the weekend

This would mean some franchise-holders operating branches of major multinationals benefiting from the change.

The move would save small firms a total of £250m in 2015/16 and £540m in 2016/17, according to figures from the House of Commons Library.

Halting the 1% cut in corporation tax would raise an estimated £340m in the first year and £785m the next, but Labour insists that any extra money will be passed on in further cuts to business rates and not taken as additional tax revenue for the Treasury.

Explaining his decision to target tax breaks on small firms, Mr Miliband will say: "Most of the jobs of the future are going to be created in a large number of small businesses, not a small number of large businesses.

"And most of the new jobs that British people will be doing in 15 years' time will be in new companies.

"That's why we have to support our small businesses, the vibrant, dynamic businesses that will create wealth in Britain."

He will also caution activists at Brighton that a Labour government would not have funds to lavish on spending hikes.

"We won't be able to win the race to the top by spending money we don't have," he will say.

"You know and I know that the next Labour government will face tough times, and there's no point in pretending otherwise.

"We have to deal with the deficit and that means we need to win the race to the top in a different way, based on the jobs we create, the businesses we support, the talents we nurture, the wages we earn and the vested interests we take on."

:: Watch Mr Miliband's speech live on Sky News from 2.15pm.

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Sutton Policeman's Death: Two More Arrested

Another two men have been arrested following the death of a policeman in a suspected hit-and-run collision.

The pair, aged 19 and 23, were held on Monday night, just hours after a man was remanded in custody accused of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

The defendant, who was charged under the name Gary Bromige, but appeared in court under the name Gary Cody, was also charged with failing to report an accident and driving without insurance.

PC Andrew Duncan, 47, was struck by a car in the early hours of Friday while working on speed checks in Sutton, south London.

The married father-of-two died in hospital on Sunday morning.

Two men aged 19 and 20 were arrested that day and bailed until a date in October. A woman who was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice has also been bailed.

Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe hailed PC Duncan as a "hard-working and courageous policeman" following his death.

"The night he was injured he was doing a job that he loved and we all had every right to expect he would return safely to his home and family - tragically that was not the case."

PC Duncan joined the Metropolitan Police in 1990 and was originally posted to Battersea.

He had been a member of the south west traffic unit for nearly 10 years.

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Wembley Stadium Bids To Host Euro 2020 Final

By Paul Kelso, Sky News Sports Correspondent

Wembley is competing with Cardiff's Millennium Stadium and five other leading European venues to host the finals of Euro 2020.

The tournament will be staged across 13 European cities, with 32 countries applying to Uefa for the right to host group and knockout matches, or a special package of semi-finals and final.

The Football Association has applied for both packages, but would prefer Wembley to stage the culmination of the tournament.

It is understood that six other cities are bidding for the semi-finals and final.

Cardiff, Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Kiev and Istanbul are also bidding for the finals package.

Istanbul are the favourites, having received the endorsement of Uefa president Michel Platini when they initially bid to stage the entire 2020 tournament, and having just missed out on the 2020 Olympics and Euro 2016.

FA General Secretary Alex Horne said that Istanbul were the favourites.

"Euro 2020 is something we very much want to be part of. There are seven countries bidding for the finals and we are one.

"We get the sympathy around Turkey having missed out on the Olympics, they are the front-runners to stage the semi-final and final.

"If that was the case we would still want to stage a group game and perhaps a quarter-final."

If Wembley staged group matches England would be guaranteed to play home games, assuming they qualified for the tournament.

Wembley would be "paired" with another city to host group games, possibly Cardiff or Glasgow, which is also bidding for group matches.

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Police Officer's Death: Driver Due In Court

A man has been charged over the death of a police officer who was hit by a car during a speed enforcement operation in south London.

Gary Bromige, 25, from South Norwood in south London, will appear at court in Battersea today charged with causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

He has also been charged with failing to report an accident and driving without insurance.

Traffic officer PC Andrew Duncan, 47, was taken to hospital following the collision in Reigate Avenue at around 1am, but died on Sunday morning.

Tributes to the father-of-two were issued by Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.

He said: "I was so sad to hear that PC Andrew Duncan died this morning.

"On behalf of the Metropolitan Police family, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his wife and children, parents, family and friends.

"Andy was a hard-working and courageous policeman. He served the community as both a police officer and as a Scouting volunteer.

Flowers are left at the scene where PC Andrew Duncan was hit

"The night he was injured, he was doing a job that he loved and we all had every right to expect he would return safely to his home and family - tragically that was not the case.

"We will continue to professionally and objectively investigate this incident under the oversight of Her Majesty's Coroner.

"I would urge anyone with information to contact us."

PC Duncan was married with a son and a daughter.

He had joined the force on March 19, 1990, and was originally posted to Battersea.

Six years later he transferred to the South-West Territorial Support Group where he served for almost seven years before moving to Hammersmith and Fulham Borough.

He subsequently joined the South-West Traffic Unit on May 17, 2004.

The Met said two men, aged 19 and aged 20, who were arrested on Sunday evening in connection with the investigation, remain in custody at a south London police station.

A woman who was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice has since been bailed.

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Rolf Harris In Court On Child Sex Charges

Rolf Harris has arrived in court to face nine counts of indecent assault and four counts of making indecent images of a child.

The 83-year-old entertainer arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court with his wife Alwen at his side.

Wearing a dark suit, striped shirt and patterned tie, he said nothing to reporters as he walked into the building flanked by security guards.

Harris is accused of assaulting two alleged victims, who were aged 14 and 15 at the time, between 1980 and 1986.

Harris, 83, said nothing as he walked into court

The charges of making indecent images of a child date back to last year.

Harris was questioned under caution in November last year by officers working on Operation Yewtree, the investigation into abuse claims against Jimmy Savile.

The Australian-born artist, musician and TV presenter was arrested in March and charged in August.

The allegations against him have no connection to Savile.

Harris, who has lived in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 50 years, has been in the public eye for decades.

He fronted the popular TV programme Animal Hospital and had several musical hits, many of which featured his famous wobble board. 

He painted a portrait of the Queen in 2005 and performed at her Diamond Jubilee concert last year.

More follows...

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Casualties After School Bus And Lorry Collide

Emergency services say around 20 people have been injured after a school bus and a lorry crashed in a town in Cumbria.

The two vehicles collided in Lowgill, Kendal, at around 8.30am.

A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: "At this stage, it is too early for us to confirm the number of casualties, but we believe this to be in the region of 20 people.

"We are currently assessing the scene and working closely with other members of the emergency services, with our priority being to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.

"Our primary role is to assess the level and nature of injuries, and ensure that those people most in need are treated first and taken to hospital."

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said no children are thought to be seriously injured.

More follows...

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Pelka 'Failings' Boss Quits Top Children's Job

A children's services boss criticised for failings by his former council over murdered schoolboy Daniel Pelka has stepped down from his new post.

Tower Hamlets Council said Colin Green had decided to withdraw from the role of chairman of the Local Safeguarding Children Board "with immediate effect".

Mr Green took up the post at the London borough council after retiring from his role as director of children's services at Coventry City Council last month.

His departure followed revelations about failings by his department over the four-year-old's death.

A serious case review found key opportunities were missed to intervene in his case by the city's children's services team, health professionals, school staff, police and other child protection agencies.

Luczak and Krezolek were jailed for a minimum of 30 years

Geoffrey Robinson, Labour MP for the area of Coventry where Daniel and his family lived, had condemned Mr Green's move to the Tower Hamlets position, claiming it was "an affront to public opinion".

"Like myself, I am sure the whole of Coventry will be stunned to learn that Colin Green, former director of children's services at Coventry City Council, has gone off to become chair of the safeguarding children board at Tower Hamlets," he said.

"This is a clear example of senior civil servants operating their own network for the benefit of themselves, at the expense of front-line staff who have faced the real challenges on a daily basis.

"The appointment is an affront to public opinion and confirms that I was right to call for a wholly independent inquiry. These boards are not truly independent."

A spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council said: "The new chair of Tower Hamlets Local Safeguarding Children Board, Colin Green, has decided to withdraw from the post with immediate effect."

The London borough council said Mr Green had been appointed by a multi-agency panel in June with all such decisions "based on the merits of each applicant".

Daniel died of a head injury in March 2012, after a systematic campaign of emotional and physical abuse by his mother Magdelena Luczak and stepfather, former soldier Mariusz Krezolek, both originally from Poland.

The pair were jailed for a minimum of 30 years each.

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Labour: UK Apprentice For Each Foreign Worker

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Ed Miliband has launched a Labour fightback after a difficult summer - with policy pledges on the economy and immigration.

The party leader announced plans to increase fines for employers who fail to pay the minimum wage and force bosses to train an apprentice if they hire a foreign worker.

The moves come on the opening day of Labour's conference in Brighton, at which the party will attempt to spell out a series of policies which appeal to voters.

Mr Miliband addresses the crowd in Brighton

The conference begins with the party's high command reeling over the damaging revelations of plots, smears and feuds in the memoirs of Gordon Brown's spin doctor Damian McBride.

It also follows a summer in which senior party figures were accused of being invisible and a gradual shrinking of Labour's opinion poll lead over the Conservatives.

Senior Labour figures claim the new policy announcements signal a new approach on the economy and a new approach on immigration.

In an interview with the Sunday Mirror, Mr Miliband said the Labour Party was "changing under my leadership" and had "learned lessons from the past".

He said: "I want a high wage British economy, not a low wage brutish economy. We've got plans to make that happen, to drive up skills.

"So we are going to say to any firm that wants to bring in a foreign worker that they also have to train up someone who is a local worker, training up the next generation.

"We think that can create up to 125,000 new apprenticeships over the course of five years and that is a massive boost for skills for our young people."

Mr Miliband said the tenfold increase in fines for the minimum wage would "stop the exploitation which undercuts workers that are already here".

He said: "At the moment the maximum fine is £5,000. If you do flytipping the maximum fine is £50,000.

"So we are going to say: maximum fine £50,000 for employers who systematically abuse the minimum wage.

"We are going to take action in the care sector where up to 220,0000 are not being paid the minimum wage, that's a third of the workforce."

He added: "We are going to stop that exploitation, we are going to drive up skills and that's the way to make our economy work for working people in Britain."

In an interview with The Observer, Mr Miliband said he complained about Mr McBride's behaviour to Mr Brown.

Mr McBride (far left) with Gordon Brown

"I complained to Gordon about what Damian was up to," he said. "I was worried by him and I said to Gordon I was worried by him."

A new opinion poll also makes worrying reading for the Labour leadership.

A year after Mr Miliband launched his "One Nation" slogan, nearly half of voters, 47%, say they don't know what it means, according to a ComRes poll for The Independent on Sunday and the Sunday Mirror.

On voting intentions Labour's lead over the Tories is barely changed, at eight points: Con 28% (0), Lab 36% (-1), UKIP 17% (-2), LD 10% (+2) and Others 9% (+1)

But Mr Miliband's ratings are poor, with 52% saying that he doesn't have the qualities to be an effective prime minister.

However, more people say they and their families would be better off if Labour won the election (30%) than if the Conservatives did (22%).

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A&E Departments Failing To Hit NHS Targets

The number of NHS Foundation trusts in England failing to see A&E patients within four hours has doubled in the last year, according to new figures.

A quarterly report by regulator Monitor found 31 trusts missed the waiting times target in April-June compared with 13 over the same period in 2012.

The report said: "We are concerned about waiting times in A&E which normally improve in the spring and early summer, but which this year remained challenging for 31 foundation trusts which failed the four-hour target in the quarter ended June 30, 2013.

"This compares to 13 in the same period last year. Long waits in A&E may result in patients experiencing unsatisfactory care and the persistence of problems means that it is essential for trusts to plan appropriately and have the right funding in place if the challenges of next winter are to be dealt with effectively."

The report also said the number of foundation trusts running a financial deficit increased from 36 in the first quarter of 2012/13 to 48 for the equivalent period this year.

The overall deficit was £74m, although the regulator stressed that figure was mostly due to a small number of "particularly financially troubled trusts".

During the first quarter of 2013/14, trusts generated £57m less in cost savings than originally planned.

Long waits could result in 'usatisfactory care', the reports says

Jason Dorsett, Monitor's financial risk and reporting director, said: "Our analysis of returns from foundation trusts shows that patients are still waiting too long at A&Es in a number of foundation trusts.

"Increased demand means more than ever that trusts need better and earlier planning to make sure they deal with these problems.

"The increased demand has also prevented trusts from delivering their planned financial savings. We expect to see trusts planning now for how the increased demand will impact on their finances, so that they are not storing up trouble for the future."

Responding to the figures, shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: "A&E is the barometer of the whole of health and care. It is telling us that there are severe storms ahead for the NHS this winter unless the Government urgently faces up to problems with front-line staffing and in social care.

"Close to one million people have waited longer than four hours to be seen at A&E in the last 12 months - the worst year in decade. The Government has brought the NHS to the brink and cannot continue to ignore the warnings that are mounting by the day.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said A&Es saw 95% of patients within their targets since the end of April - as they were before last winter.

She said: "This is testament to the hard work of staff working throughout the health and care system. But we know that more work needs to be done to make sure that patients have access to the urgent and emergency services that they need.

"That's why we are investing £500m over the next two years to help ensure A&E departments are prepared for winter."

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