British Gas Bonus Claims To Be Investigated

Claims that British Gas workers have been paid large bonuses to inflate customer bills are to be investigated by the energy regulator, Ofgem.

It comes after a former employee claimed the energy company encouraged its sales staff to sign up charities, churches and small businesses to its highest-priced tariffs in order to boost their own earnings.

British Gas has strongly denied the allegations.

The whistleblower, who worked for the company between 2010 and 2013, told the Daily Mail the firm's policies were designed "to rip off" customers.

He claimed sales agent typically earned between £4 and £37 in commission per deal if they persuaded existing customers to renew contracts.

But by moving a customer to a more expensive deal they could earn more than £400 a time, he alleged.

"People were desperate to make the salaries they had been promised, so everyone inflated the prices," he told the paper.

"Scout clubs was a favourite one; churches, charities, small businesses, where people would just go for the maximum 5p notch-up," he added.

Ofgem will investigate whether the sales activities were 'honest and fair'

A British Gas spokeswoman said: "British Gas strongly refutes any suggestion that employees are paid commission on any prices charged to residential customers."

British Gas Business managing director Stephen Beynon said his sales agents are paid commission, but he denied any suggestion that contracts were negotiated inappropriately.

"This is a highly regulated market, and every part of the sales negotiation process is closely monitored," he said.

"Sales agents in British Gas Business do receive commission, but we are reducing its importance.

"We're leading the way in addressing the variability in price that customers face in this market, and we'll continue to do so."

Ofgem said in a statement: "There are strict rules in place which require suppliers to take all reasonable steps to ensure information provided is accurate and not misleading, and that sales activities are conducted in a fair, honest, transparent and professional manner.

"Ofgem is an evidenced-based regulator and we would encourage anyone with information that an energy company is not complying with Ofgem rules to provide us with this."

The allegations come days after Ofgem fined British Gas Business for a series of failures including blocking firms from switching to other suppliers.

Ofgem said British Gas Business would pay a total penalty of £5.6m of which £800,000 would be in fines, on top of £1.3m already paid to 1,200 customers who paid higher bills because they were not notified when their contracts were due to expire.

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Teachers' Strike Possible If Talks Break Down

By Emma Birchley, Sky News Correspondent

Teachers are considering a fresh walkout just weeks after strike action forced schools across England and Wales to close.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) meeting for their annual conference today will debate the possibility of industrial action next term unless "significant progress" is made in talks with the Government.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "We have a motion that's going to be put to delegates which envisages industrial action in late June if we don't make progress in the talks with the Government in May.

"But the first priority is for a minister to actually come to those talks and we'd like to make progress on a list of things."

That list includes performance-related pay due to be introduced from September, heavy workloads and pensions.

The national walkout on March 26 saw 12% of schools shutting their doors, according to the Government, but thousands more were disrupted.

Any further strike action would be held in the week starting Monday, June 23 after the majority of GCSEs and A Level exams are over. However, some exam boards have papers scheduled for that week.

Teachers gathering for the conference called on Education Secretary Michael Gove to listen to their concerns.

"Certainly I will be thinking about voting to strike," said one. "Where I work people are concerned about the work loads, targets and the pressure Government puts on teachers."

Last month's national walkout organised by the NUT

Another told Sky News: "If Mr Gove would just listen to us and negotiate with us then strike action wouldn't go forward but he has to listen to us."

A poll commissioned by the NUT shows that two thirds of parents support teachers' right to strike.

But for the Lamberti family it smacks of double standards.

Mother-of-two Clare Lamberti said: "We applied for a day's holiday to take the girls away for the weekend and they turned it down.

"They said it would disrupt their education but obviously a day here and a day there for strikes, that's going to disrupt their education.

"One rule for them ... one rule for us obviously."

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is also holding its conference this weekend.

Both unions will be discussing concerns over the growing number of unqualified teachers taking classes.

Of 7,000 teachers surveyed, 53% told the NASUWT they worked alongside unqualified staff. That rose to 61% in academies.

But in a separate poll by the NUT, 82% of parents said schools should only employ qualified teachers.

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Man Held Over Killing Of Continuity IRA Leader

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of former dissident republican leader Tommy Crossan.

The 43-year-old was shot dead at a fuel depot in an industrial complex near the Peter Pan centre in West Belfast on Friday - the sixteenth anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) tweeted: "Serious Crime Branch detectives investigating the murder of a 43-year-old man in West Belfast yesterday have arrested a 26-year-old man."

Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson condemned the shooting.

Politicians have condemned the killing

He said: "The small minority of people who want to continue terrorising the community need to understand that they will not be allowed to drag Northern Ireland back to the dark days of the past.

"They must be hunted down and brought to justice."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness added: "The people behind this killing are criminals and will further no cause through this shooting.

"Whoever carried out this act has nothing to offer the community and have no role to play in our future."

Mr Crossan was the Continuity IRA's former leader and was believed to have been the subject of a death threat from his former allies.

He had been expelled from the group some years ago and was jailed for conspiracy to murder Royal Ulster Constabulary officers following a shooting at a police station in West Belfast in 1998.

The organisation has opposed the peace process which largely ended three decades of violence and transformed the region.

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Axelrod Role Is 'Seriously Bad News For Tories'

The man credited with masterminding Barack Obama's back-to-back presidential victories will play a key role in Ed Miliband's General Election campaign.

David Axelrod's appointment has been described by the Labour party as "seriously bad news for the Conservatives".

Mr Miliband said: "It's excellent news that David has agreed to help One Nation Labour win the next election and build our campaign to change Britain so hard-working people are better off.

"He will be a huge asset to our campaign as we work to show the British people how we can change our country for the better."

Following the announcement, Mr Axelrod said: "I've had several conversations with Ed Miliband over the course of the last year in which I have been struck by the power of his ideas, the strength of his vision and the focus he brings to solving the fundamental challenge facing Britain.

"We can't just have prosperity hoarded by a few where people at the top are getting wealthier and wealthier but people in the middle are getting squeezed."

He will work alongside Douglas Alexander - Labour's shadow foreign secretary and the chair of Labour's general election strategy

Mr Axelrod will arrive in London next month for two days of strategy meetings with Mr Miliband, deputy leader Harriet Harman, and other senior shadow cabinet members.

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Boy, 14, Charged With Raping 10-Year-Old Girl

A 14-year-old boy is due to appear in court charged with raping a 10-year-old girl.

West Mercia Police said the teenager has been charged with rape and attempted rape.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Telford Magistrates' Court later.

It comes after a girl was sexually assaulted at an isolated spot on disused land in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The offence occurred near the Arc car wash centre, off St Michael's Street, between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on April 11.

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House Price Increases Create 'Generation Rent'

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

The booming housing market is causing a generation of young people to become increasingly pessimistic about their chances of getting on the property ladder, according to a new study.

Halifax's 'Generation Rent' report found that despite the launch of schemes like Help to Buy to give a boost to people with small deposits, 36% of 20 to 45-year-olds felt they have no realistic prospect of owning their home in the next five years.

Around half of those polled in England, Scotland and Wales agreed Britain will become a nation of renters in the next generation and 20% of people aged 23 to 27 said they have no desire to own their own home.

A fifth of people surveyed said they had no desire to own their own home

Caroline Hill, 23, told Sky News she would rather rent than buy.

"I can see myself being able to buy in the future but I'm just really not interested in doing so," he said.

"My parents have always been renters and I think that has had a big effect on the way I feel about it."

Danny Palmer, 27, is frustrated the market is running away from him.

"I think it's going to be really difficult for me to get onto the property ladder purely because rent these days is taking up about 40% of my salary, and that's before bills, living costs and anything else," he said.

Estate agents say high prices mean potential buyers are moving into rentals

Halifax mortgages director Craig McKinlay, said: "We may be heading towards the point where the aspiration to own a nice home will be replaced by the aspiration to simply live in one.

"It seems that people are now beginning to accept a lifetime of renting and this would not only change the way the property ladder looks in the future, it could even bring into question whether or not it will exist at all for some people."

The report warned that any future collapse in the number of first-time buyers - the "life blood" of the housing market - will have a knock-on impact on people trying to move up the property ladder.

If some existing home owners are unable to trade up because of a lack of potential buyers for their property, the market will be brought to a standstill, the report warns.

Woking estate agent Yassar Latif, said: "People who were thinking of buying, but have been let down by the rise in prices, have moved towards rentals now."

The Government has said that Help to Buy and plans to build more houses should ease the problem. But despite this, only around 30% of the people polled believed Help to Buy was working.

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Cancer Patients To Test Personalised Drugs

By Rhiannon Mills, Sky News Correspondent

A unique new trial could bring hope to thousands of lung cancer patients in the UK by targeting their tumours with more personalised medication.

Cancer Research UK is teaming up with pharmaceutical companies and the NHS to launch the "National Lung Matrix" trial this summer.

When a patient is diagnosed a sample of their tumour will be analysed by researchers to establish its genetic makeup and mutations.

The patient could then be given the opportunity to try out a specific drug designed to target their type of cancer.

Over the course of the trial up to 14 different medicines will be tested from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Pfizer.

Clinical trials usually involve one type of medication.

Around 42,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year

Speaking to Sky News, Professor Peter Johnson, Chief Clinician for Cancer Research UK, said the amazing advancements in molecular testing mean we now know a lot more about how different types of cancer develop.

"The reason this is exciting for patients with lung cancer is that really for the first time we're able to look at their cancers and screen them for a whole variety of molecular changes as the cancer has developed.

"Then we can say to them this is a treatment we think will be effective for you if chemotherapy hasn't worked.

"So instead of just having a conversation about one type of treatment at a time we now have a whole panel of drugs coming through into testing, and in this way we hope we can make progress much faster."

The drugs will first be tried out on a small group of patients, with researchers looking for signs of improvement, such as increased survival and tumour shrinkage.

Dr Harpul Kumar has hailed the move towards personalised treatment

Medicines that show promise will then be tried out on a larger number of patients.

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK, but the deadliest. Around 42,000 people are diagnosed every year, but over two-thirds find out at a stage when it is too late for them to be offered treatment that could cure them.

Fewer than 10% of people diagnosed with lung cancer survive for at least five years after diagnosis.

Dr Harpul Kumar, Chief Executive for Cancer Research UK, told Sky News this new clinical trial could rewrite the rule book on how research into new drugs is carried out.

He said: "This is a very important step forward in the fight against cancer.

"We know that every patient's cancer is unique, so we're moving away from a 'one size fits all' approach and striving for more personalised treatment.

"Critically we are shifting the emphasis from designing a trial around a specific drug, to designing it around selecting from a range of drugs for a specific patient.

"We could hope that within a couple of years we'll be talking about this type of approach in many forms of the disease."

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David Cameron Says Britain 'Should Do God'

Britain should be more confident about being a Christian country and use faith to "get out there and make a difference to people's lives", David Cameron has said.

In his strongest comments on his faith yet, the Prime Minister admits he, like many, does not manage to attend church regularly.

But he says it is time for the church to play a greater role in politics and society.

His comments, in an article for the Church Times, follow a number of run-ins with prominent Christian figures about the Government's welfare reforms.

Mr Cameron said: "I believe we should be more confident about our status as a Christian country, more ambitious about expanding the role of faith-based organisations, and, frankly, more evangelical about a faith that compels us to get out there and make a difference to people's lives.

"First, being more confident about our status as a Christian country does not somehow involve doing down other faiths or passing judgment on those with no faith at all.

"Many people tell me it is easier to be Jewish or Muslim in Britain than in a secular country precisely because the tolerance that Christianity demands of our society provides greater space for other religious faiths, too.

"Crucially, the Christian values of responsibility, hard work, charity, compassion, humility, and love are shared by people of every faith and none - and we should be confident in standing up to defend them."

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster was critical of welfare reform

Mr Cameron said he had "felt at first hand the healing power of the Church's pastoral care" and Christians knew how "powerful faith can be in the toughest of times".

Earlier this year the church intervened in politics when 27 Anglican bishops wrote an open letter to warn thousands of people were being forced to rely on food banks because of the coalition's benefit reforms. It followed sharp criticism from Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols.

In his article, Mr Cameron acknowledged that welfare was "controversial".

However, he defended his stance saying: "I sometimes feel not enough is made of our efforts to tackle poverty. Of course, we have been through some tough economic times in turning our country around over the past few years."

Mr Cameron's attempt to reintroduce religion into politics is starkly at odds with that of former Downing Street incumbent Tony Blair, whose former spin doctor memorably said: "We don't do God."

In 2008, Mr Cameron said that, as Boris Johnson had once said, "his religious faith is a bit like the reception for Magic FM in the Chilterns: it sort of comes and goes".

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Co-op Admits 'Disastrous Year' Amid £2.5bn Loss

The embattled Co-operative Group has confirmed a loss of £2.5bn for 2013, in what it described as a "disastrous year".

The loss comes on the back of a £529m figure recorded in its 2012 results.

Interim group chief executive Richard Pennycook said: "2013 was a disastrous year for the Co-operative Group, the worst in our 150-year history.

"Today's results demonstrate that but they also highlight fundamental failings in management and governance at the group over many years.

"These results should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who doubts just how serious the challenges we face are."

It said most of the losses were from "discontinued operations" of its banking arm, which totaled £2.1bn.

Group sales were £10.5bn, down from the £11bn recorded in the previous year.

Profit from its food division were down 8% at £247m but it also recorded a goodwill impairment charge of £226m for its purchase of Somerfield stores.

The Co-operative Group consists of a number of divisions

However, it recorded more encouraging figures for some other divisions.

General insurance profit jumped from £13m in 2012 to £33m last year.

The pharmacy chain, which is being offered for sale, saw profit rise by about a fifth to £33m.

And its funeral services business saw sales up 3% to £370m and profit up £2m to £62m.

Co-operative Group chair Ursula Lidbetter said: "During 2013, it became apparent that our governance had fallen far short of the standards to which we aspire as a co-operative society.

"Now is the time to put that right through fundamental reform - we have to act with urgency if we are to lay the foundations for a stronger, healthier co-operative business in the future."

The group's bank division revealed a £1.5bn capital black hole last year and then in March announced a plan to raise another £400m.

Amid risks of the bank's collapse, the group reduced its stake in the institution to 30% as private equity bondholders provided capital - raising concerns of how it would maintain its 'ethical' stance.

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Tesco Full-Year Profit Slumps 6% To £3.3bn

Tesco has reported a 6% fall in full-year group trading profit of £3.3bn.

Stripping out exceptional items incurred in the last year, pre-tax profit was down 6.9% to £3.1bn.

The UK's biggest supermarket chain also announced like-for-like sales, excluding fuel and VAT, fell 3% in the three months to the end of February 2014.

The results do not include figures for Tesco Bank, which reports separately.

Shares in the company were up more than 3% in early trades on Wednesday.

Tesco's market share hit a 10-year low of 28.6% - its lowest since 2004 - in the 12 weeks to March 30 compared with the same period the year before, according to the latest data from market researcher Kantar Worldpanel.

It remains the third biggest retailer in the world.

The company, led by chief executive Philip Clarke, is 24 months into a turnaround plan for its main UK business that has seen over £1bn invested in store revamps, more staff, new product ranges and pricing initiatives.

Mr Clarke said: "We are transforming Tesco through a relentless focus on providing the most compelling offer for our customers.

"Our results today reflect the challenges we face in a trading environment which is changing more rapidly than ever before."

He added: "We are determined to lead the industry in this period of change."

The sales drop in the last three months was the biggest quarterly drop recorded during Mr Clarke's three-year tenure.

The company said it would put customers "at the heart" of what it does in this "new era of retail".

It added the second-half of the year was particularly competitive in the UK sector.

A spokesman for Tesco said: "Our performance in the year was not where we had planned it to be."

Although it cited problems in countries such as South Korea and Thailand, the company is also looking further afield.

It recently announced it would return to the United States with its F&F clothing business.

In November, Tesco completed the sale of its loss-making US supermarkets operation Fresh & Easy to investment firm Yucaipa.

Earlier in the month the supermarket's finance director, Laurie McIlwee, resigned.

Sky News also understands Mr Clarke has decided to appoint a new chief marketing officer in place of Matt Atkinson, who has been in the role for just over a year.

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Thousands To Miss Out On First Choice School

Thousands of children will miss out on their parents' preferred primary school place in the first National Offer Day.

Emails and letters will be sent to parents across England but increasing pressures on schools mean many will be left disappointed.

Education hotspots Bristol and London will be among the worst affected, with one in five children not being admitted to their school of choice.

"There is a shortage of primary school places throughout the country," said Lydia Gibbs, primary teaching and curriculum lead for the Reach Academy in Feltham, west London.

Last year the school had 160 applications for only 60 primary school places.

"There is a sense of competition that parents would love to have their children come to our school. I know that because we were oversubscribed for reception places," she added.

National Offer Day marks the first time councils across England will co-ordinate offers for primary school places.

Demand is believed to be increasing due to higher birth rates and immigration, with the number of children entering reception classes at primary schools this September among the highest in years.

According to the Local Government Authority some areas - Costessey in Norfolk, Central Croydon and Purfleet in Essex - will see 75% more pupils than school places by next year.

By 2016, councils across England will have to increase school capacity by at least 20% to ensure every child gets a school place.

Parents are now going to greater lengths to secure places at the most popular schools.

A poll by Netmums revealed more than a fifth of those questioned (21.2%) had bought a house closer to their preferred school, with a further 17% renting nearby.

Nearly half had put their children in a nursery linked to a school in an attempt to get their children a place, despite warnings from the schools adjudicator that children should not miss out because the did not attend the right nursery.

The survey also found around one in six (16.2%) parents had started thinking about primary schools when their child was still under one, with a further 9.3% considering it when they were expecting and 6.9% thinking about the issue before they fell pregnant.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said more needs to be done to ensure every child has a school place.

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Army Failings Blamed Over Camp Bastion Attack

By Alistair Bunkall, Defence Correspondent

British commanders must take some blame for inadequate security at Camp Bastion when it was attacked in 2012, a parliamentary report has concluded.

Fifteen Taliban insurgents broke through the perimeter fence on September 14, 2012, killing two US Marines in a battle lasting into the following day.

Eight British and eight American military personnel and one civilian were injured. Six US Harrier jets were destroyed.

Fourteen of the insurgents were killed and the remaining one wounded, captured and interrogated.

That night one of the guard towers, Tower 16, was left unmanned, allowing the attackers to approach the base unseen.

All towers are now manned constantly by a team of guards working on rotation.

The Defence Select Committee report also noted concern that poppies were being cultivated immediately outside the fence, allowing Afghans to approach the walls easily and at will.

Camp Bastion is the HQ of the British military operation in Afghanistan

This could have allowed potential attackers to get a good sense of the base, up close, in preparation for an attack.

However, no evidence was found that requests for improved force protection were turned down on cost grounds.

"We are satisfied that as far as possible, the vulnerabilities which led to this extraordinary attack have now been addressed," committee chairman James Arbuthnot said.

"But we recommend that the MoD capture the lessons identified as part of its wider efforts to learn lessons for future operations."

A similar report in 2013 found two US commanders accountable for failures to adequately protect the base, but because the attack took place in the British section of Camp Bastion, the committee said British commanders should have had more responsibility.

The Ministry of Defence turned down a request for an interview but commenting on the report's findings, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said: "The MoD is not complacent and always seeks to capture and learn lessons from current operations.

Watchtowers at the base are now constantly manned

"Commanders in the field have to prioritise resources against potential threats in theatre and at the time a threat to Camp Bastion was considered to be lower than to other ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) assets in Helmand.

"UK commanders have identified and acted upon all lessons following the attack on Camp Bastion in 2012."

The committee criticised the MoD for not revealing information they requested, specifically details of the security situation in Helmand during the years leading up to the attack.

"The Committee were unimpressed by the evidence from the Chief of Joint Operations, who explained that the number of security incidents was unusually high in Helmand Province in 2012.

"The Committee was told the focus of ISAF commanders had been on security incidents elsewhere in Helmand Province and on threats from insider attack.

"Unfortunately the MoD has declined to provide the Committee with comparable details of the level of security incidents recorded in Helmand for previous years as this information was classified.

"This would have allowed the Committee to make an informed assessment of the relative threat levels in the area at the time."

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Councils Accused Of Cashing In On CCTV Fines

Councils have been accused of using CCTV cameras to collect millions of pounds in parking and traffic fines.

Big Brother Watch disputes claims by many local authorities who say the cameras are used to ensure the safety of the public and not to raise funds.

According to figures obtained by the group under the Freedom Of Information Act, local authorities issued £312m worth of fixed penalty notices for traffic contraventions.

Emma Carr, deputy director of Big Brother Watch, said: "The use of CCTV and spy cars for parking enforcement should be banned.

"The fact that no councils publish proper statistics about how these cameras are used highlights that many know that their CCTV operation is about raising money, not about public safety."

London boroughs accounted for around 90%, or £285m, of the cash raised.

The top five highest revenue-raising councils were Camden, Ealing, Lambeth, Westminster and Harrow.

Brandon Lewis, Minister for Local Government, said: "It is clear that CCTV is being used to raise money in industrial volumes for town halls, breaking the constitutional principle that fines should not be used as a source of revenue.

"The public want to see CCTV being used to catch criminals not to persecute shoppers and hard-working people."

Councillor Peter Box, chair of the Local Government Association's Economy and Transport Board, said: "It is frustratingly familiar to hear Big Brother Watch again peddling the myth that councils are enforcing parking regulations just to raise money.

"Road safety campaigners, schools, disability and pedestrian charities and councils have all come together to warn the Government that banning CCTV parking enforcement will put school children and disabled pedestrians at risk and worsen road safety."

The figures provided in the report cover the period March 1, 2008, to March 1, 2013.

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Donations Top £24k After Runner's Death

The runner who died after the London Marathon has been named as Robert Berry.

The 42-year-old collapsed after crossing the finishing line and received medical attention, but was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

He was raising money for the National Osteoporosis Society, which issued a statement expressing "heartfelt condolences" to his family.

Mr Berry's Just Giving page has received more than £23,000 following his tragic death.

Claire Severgnini, the charity's chief executive, said in a statement: "Our immediate concerns are for Mr Berry's family. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this tragic time."

In a statement, the event's organisers, Virgin Money, expressed their "sincere condolences" to his family.

"Mr Berry was immediately taken to one of our medical facilities where he was treated by four consultants, including one in emergency medicine," the statement said.

"He was transferred to St Mary's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. 

"We would like to continue to express our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Berry and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them all at this difficult time."

It was the first death at the event since 30-year-old hairdresser Claire Squires collapsed just a mile from the finishing line in 2012 before dying of cardiac failure.

She had been raising money for the Samaritans and donations to the charity soared to more than £1m in the weeks after her death.

A total of 36,000 competitors took part in the 26.2 mile event, which started at Blackheath and Greenwich parks and ended on The Mall.

Runners were advised to take on plenty of water as bright sunshine and light breeze meant conditions were warm, reaching 16C in St James's Park.

The men's race was won by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, while compatriot Edna Kiplagat finished first in the women's event.

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'Scotland Split Would Damage Britain's Defences'

Scottish independence would damage the "very heart" of Britain's maritime defence force, according to the head of the Royal Navy.

Admiral Sir George Zambellas wrote in the Daily Telegraph: "I believe that independence would fundamentally change maritime security for all of us in the United Kingdom and damage the very heart of the capabilities that are made up of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and the Fleet Air Arm.

"While the continuing United Kingdom would eventually adapt and cope, the deeper impact would be felt in Scotland, which would no longer have access of right to the security contribution of one of the finest and most efficient navies in the world."

Admiral Sir George Zambellas

He also insisted an independent Scotland's "claim on the Royal Navy would greatly weaken the carefully evolved 'whole', as bases, infrastructure, procurement, spares, personnel and training face a carve-up".

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said an independent Scotland would lead to "long and protracted negotiations" over defence issues such as the Trident nuclear weapons.

During a visit to Glasgow later, he is expected to say "defence provides the security and the peace of mind that underpins almost every single other area of this debate".

The Scottish independence referendum is scheduled for September 18.

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Man Dies After Finishing London Marathon

A 42-year-old man has died after running the London Marathon.

The unnamed man collapsed after crossing the finishing line and received medical attention.

But he was pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.

In a statement, the event's organisers, Virgin Money, expressed their "sincere condolences" to his family.

"We will not be releasing any further details of this tragic incident and would ask for your understanding in this matter," it said.

"We would like to emphasise that our immediate concern is for the family of the deceased.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them at this difficult time."

It was the first death at the event since 30-year-old hairdresser Claire Squires collapsed just a mile from the finishing line in 2012 before dying of cardiac failure.

She had been raising money for the Samaritans and donations to the charity soared to more than £1m in the weeks after her death.

A total of 36,000 competitors took part in the 26.2 mile event, which started at Blackheath and Greenwich parks and ended on The Mall.

Runners were advised to take on plenty of water as bright sunshine and light breeze meant conditions were warm, reaching 16C in St James's Park. 

The men's race was won by Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, while compatriot Edna Kiplagat finished first in the women's event.

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Boy Critical After Falling From Moving Coach

A nine-year-old boy is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after falling from a moving coach near King's Lynn in Norfolk.

The boy fell from a side door as the 71-seater double-decker travelled along the A47 trunk road.

On board were 20 children and 10 adults from Stamford Rugby Club in Lincolnshire, who were travelling home from a tournament at Holt in Norfolk

Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 3.45pm on Sunday.

The boy was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and later moved to Addenbrookes in Cambridge. 

No one else was injured.

The boy is in a critical condition at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Superintendent Dave Marshall said: "This is a serious incident which has left a nine-year-old boy fighting for his life.

"The circumstances of how the boy came to fall from the coach will form part of our investigation and it would be inappropriate to speculate further at this stage.

"The boy's parents, who were travelling with the teams, are being supported by specially trained officers."

The other passengers were taken to a rest centre at King's Lynn Police Station, where alternative travel arrangements were made.

Officers are keen to speak to anyone who witnessed the incident.

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Marathon Runner Missing After Finishing 20th

A female athlete from Sierra Leone has disappeared after finishing 20th in the London Marathon.

Mami Konneh Lahun did not return to her accommodation in Greenwich, where she had been staying since April 7, after Sunday's race.  

The 24-year-old is due to fly home later today.

Police said she has no known links to the UK and does not have a mobile phone.

Ms Konneh Lahun is reportedly Sierra Leone's fastest-ever female 5,000m and 10,000m runner. Last year, she won the Sierra Leone and Liberia marathons.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference 14MIS012462.

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UKIP Poll Boost: Tory And Lib Dem Support Falls

Nigel Farage's UKIP has been given a boost in a new poll which puts support for the party at 20%, four points higher than last month.

It comes after he was said to have come out top in the head-to-head clashes with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg over Britain's future in Europe.

It is UKIP's highest rating in a ComRes survey, while the Conservatives have scored their lowest rating so far this year at 29%, down three.

In the new poll for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror, the Tories are six points behind Labour which are unchanged on 35%.

The Liberal Democrats have fallen to just 7% - a dip of two points and their lowest since they went into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010.

Mr Farage's personal rating also appears to have received a boost after the recent debates.

Nigel Farage was said to have come out top in the debates

The UKIP chief has enjoyed a seven-point bounce since February, taking him to 27%.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg is down one point to 12%, while Prime Minister David Cameron has dropped four points to 27% and Labour leader Ed Miliband is down two points to 20%.

Mr Cameron's rating may have been dented by his handling of the expenses furore involving former culture secretary Maria Miller.

Some 62% of voters believe he showed a serious lack of leadership in the way he dealt with the case.

Most voters, 62%, believe constituents should be able to force sitting MPs to defend their seat in a by-election if enough people sign a petition demanding it, the research found.

A second poll also puts Labour in a six-point lead

Sky News Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "We're only a few weeks out from the European elections and UKIP are kind of what the Lib Dems used to be - the party that stands against the establishment.

"They used to just talk about Europe - now it is local, popular issues such as HS2.

"The Conservatives are really badly hit by UKIP rising because that tends to split the right.

"And pollsters say if UKIP get anything over eight points in a general election they would split the right and would stop David Cameron from winning an overall majority.

"So he will be very worried about that."

Meanwhile, a Opinium poll for the Observer newspaper puts the Conservatives on 30%, Labour 36%, Lib Dems 7% and UKIP on 18%.

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Nigel Evans' Defence Cost £130K Life Savings

Former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans says the cost of defending himself against sex charges over a five-week trial has deprived him of his life savings.

Speaking to The Mail On Sunday, the 56-year-old politician called for an investigation into the way the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) pursues high-profile cases.

Mr Evans said the CPS should pay his legal fees after he was acquitted at Preston Crown Court last Thursday.

He said the fight to clear his name has cost him his life savings of £130,000.

"Every penny is gone, in addition to the £30,000-a-year additional parliamentary salary I was paid as Deputy Speaker," Mr Evans told the newspaper.

"If someone is dragged through the courts through no fault of their own and is acquitted they should get their legal fees back from the CPS budget.

"Maybe that will make them focus on whether a case is worth pursuing."

Mr Evans was found not guilty of all charges, including one count of rape and four counts of sexual assault.

The charges were related to events involving seven men between 2003 and 2013.

On Friday, former shadow home secretary David Davis called on the Attorney General to launch a review into the way sex offence prosecutions are carried out.

He said Mr Evans' case highlighted "serious concerns" about the practices of the police and the CPS.

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Doctors' Surgeries Are Told To Open All Hours

Patients will be able to visit their GPs outside of work hours under plans announced by David Cameron to boost access to family doctors.

More than 7.5 million people will have increased access to GP services as part of the £50m GP Access Fund, including late night and weekend appointments.

The plan will see extended surgery opening hours, as well as new consultation methods including video and email.

The fund will benefit patients at 1,147 GP practices across England.

The Prime Minister has also announced plans to enhance care services for the elderly.

He said some 800,000 people over the age of 75 and those with serious health complaints will receive tailored care, coordinated by one local GP.

"Back in October, I said I wanted to make it easier for people to get appointments that fit in around a busy working week and family commitments," Mr Cameron said.

"There has been a great response from doctors, with lots of innovative ideas, and we will now see over seven million patients given weekend and evening opening hours, alongside more access to their family doctor on the phone, via email or even Skype.

"This is an important step and good news for patients."

Around 500,000 people were originally thought to benefit from the cash fund, but due to high levels of interest it has been rolled out to cover more GP services, a Department of Health spokesman said.

Addressing the plans to help the elderly, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "Moving nearly a million people onto proactive care plans is one of the biggest changes that we need to make in our NHS.

"People want to know that their parents and relatives will get constant care if they have a long-term condition.

"Many doctors already give great care but I want to make sure this is completely coordinated to head off problems and keep people from going to hospital unnecessarily."

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