Saturday, January 08, 2011

The Independent - UK RSS Feed

The Independent - UK RSS Feed

'Oh yes we can': The grass-roots activists who are passionate about protecting Britain

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Tony Fuller was hoping for a peaceful retirement. Instead, his Monday afternoon goes something like this: after lunch with his wife Pamela, he puts on a fluorescent jacket, retrieves some hand-painted placards from his garage, slips on a surgical mask and heads outside his cottage to face a barrage of abuse and one-fingered salutes.

Royal Family granted new right of secrecy

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

The Royal Family is to be granted absolute protection from public scrutiny in a controversial legal reform designed to draw a veil of secrecy over the affairs of the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William.

Minor British Institutions: The television historian

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

This country counts itself unimpressed by intellectuals. How, then, to explain the continuing popularity of The Television Historian?

China keen on low profile for UK trade delegation

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

A delegation of 150 Chinese businessmen arrives in Britain tomorrow, led by a rising star in the Beijing hierarchy who is expected to take over as the country's premier in the next two years.

Shoesmith faces threats over Baby P

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Former children's services director Sharon Shoesmith said yesterday she was still struggling to live with the aftermath of the Baby P tragedy.

Toxic German eggs enter food chain in Britain

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

British shoppers bought cakes and quiches made with eggs at the centre of a health scandal in Germany, food safety officials confirmed last night.

News of the World told to hand over evidence

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Scotland Yard detectives have asked the News of the World to hand over any evidence which could implicate one of the newspaper's senior executives in illegal phone-hacking.

Former MP is first to be jailed over expenses

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Strip-searched, fingerprinted, photographed, numbered and in ill-fitting prison uniform, David Chaytor began his 18-month prison sentence last night as the first MP to be jailed for defrauding the taxpayer.

Off with the head of the Tower of London after Beefeater row

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Life inside the Tower of London had improved across the centuries, Major-General Keith Cima claimed three years ago, after being appointed Governor of one of London's oldest and most distinctive landmarks.

Village People: PM goes undercover on the campaign trail

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

David Cameron spent three hours in Oldham East and Saddleworth, scene of a by-election where some people suspect the Tories are pulling their punches to avoid hurting the Lib Dems. The Prime Minister's visibility was so low at times that reporters on the scene starting wondering what he might be doing.

Yard demands phone hacking evidence

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 09:47 AM PST

Scotland Yard has asked the News of the World to hand over any new material relating to phone hacking allegations.

Ballet teacher sentenced for abducting boy

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 09:31 AM PST

A ballet teacher who flouted a police order not to continue her inappropriate relationship with a talented and vulnerable 15-year-old boy dancer was handed a suspended jail term today.

Ex-MP David Chaytor jailed for fiddling expenses

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 09:20 AM PST

Shamed former Labour MP David Chaytor was starting an 18-month jail sentence tonight after admitting he fiddled his parliamentary expenses.

Sex predators jailed for 'reign of terror'

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 09:00 AM PST

Two "sexual predators" who subjected a series of vulnerable girls to rapes and sexual assaults described by a judge as a "reign of terror" were given indefinite prison sentences today.

Campaigners highlight growing list of abuse cases

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 08:38 AM PST

The sentencing of Abid Mohammed Saddique and Mohammed Romaan Liaqat is the latest in a growing list of similar abuse cases in the UK but is not a new form of grooming, an anti-trafficking campaigner said today.

Sex predators: Police shocked by scale of abuse

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 08:34 AM PST

Police were shocked by the extent of the abuse the gang of "predatory sex offenders" carried out as they systematically raped and abused young girls.

More children will die because of cuts, says Sharon Shoesmith

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 06:27 AM PST

More vulnerable children will die at their hands of their "desperate" parents as a result of funding cuts, disgraced former children's services boss Sharon Shoesmith warned today.

Two held after body found in Swansea

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 06:08 AM PST

Police launched a murder investigation after a body was found in the centre of Swansea in the early hours of today.

Control orders will be reformed, says Nick Clegg

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 06:04 AM PST

Nick Clegg signalled today that key elements of control orders would be reformed as he pledged to "resurrect" civil liberties in Britain.

Firm strikes oil in South Downs

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 05:51 AM PST

An oil company has been successful in drilling for oil in an area of ancient woodland.

Man held over pensioner's death bailed

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:38 AM PST

A 32-year-old man arrested for the second time in connection with the murder of a pensioner in her country cottage three years ago was released on police bail today.

Nursery worker remanded on child rape charge

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:33 AM PST

A 20-year-old nursery worker was remanded in custody today charged with raping a child.

Britain faces 10cm snowfall

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:31 AM PST

Britain was braced for more snow today with large parts of England and Wales set for as much as 10cm.

City PA avoids jail over £10,000 company fraud

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 04:19 AM PST

A City PA who stole thousands of pounds from her employers to pay for a friend's breast enhancement operation was spared jail today.

Wales bears brunt of fresh snowfalls

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 02:10 AM PST

Britain was hit by snow, sleet and rain today with downpours forecast to dominate tonight.

We can't sit around over Quangos, says Maude

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:48 AM PST

The Government today defended its plans to axe scores of quangos after MPs warned it had "botched" the process.

Lib Dems suffer by-election slump in Berkshire

Posted: 07 Jan 2011 01:36 AM PST

The Liberal Democrats slumped in the first council by-election of the year.

Bob Ainsworth sues over pirate claim

Posted: 06 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

The former defence secretary Bob Ainsworth is suing the Daily Mail over the newspaper's claims that he "bungled" the case of Paul and Rachel Chandler, who were captured by Somali pirates.

Joanna Yeates landlord sure he will be eliminated from police inquiry

Posted: 06 Jan 2011 04:00 PM PST

Chris Jefferies, the landlord arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanna Yeates, has told a friend that he expects to be eliminated from police inquiries soon.

posted by Greg Shaw at Saturday, January 08, 2011