Grieve Warns Of 'Ethnic Corruption' In UK

Politicians need to "wake up" to the problem of corruption in ethnic minority communities, the Government's senior law officer has warned.

Attorney General Dominic Grieve said he was referring "mainly to the Pakistani community" in his comments.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the Tory MP pointed out that it could also be found in the "white Anglo-Saxon" community but he said it was a growing problem "because we have minority communities in this country which come from backgrounds where corruption is endemic".

"It is something as politicians we have to wake up to," he added.

The MP for Beaconsfield said: "I can see many of them have come because of the opportunities that they get. But they also come from societies where they have been brought up to believe you can only get certain things through a favour culture.

"One of the things you have to make absolutely clear is that that is not the case and it's not acceptable."

Asked if he was referring to the Pakistani community in his remarks, Mr Grieve told the newspaper: "Yes, it's mainly the Pakistani community, not the Indian community. I wouldn't draw it down to one. I'd be wary of saying it's just a Pakistani problem."

Baroness Warsi said electoral fraud also affects the Asian community

Mr Grieve highlighted electoral fraud as an area of concern, echoing comments made in 2010 by senior Tory Baroness Warsi.

Lady Warsi told the New Statesman magazine there were "at least three seats where we lost, where we didn't gain the seat, based on electoral fraud" and said the problems were "predominantly within the Asian community".

Mr Grieve also said that the UK's infrastructure could be put under strain if significant numbers of Bulgarians and Romanians come to the UK when controls expire in January.

He acknowledged that "the volume of immigrants may pose serious infrastructure issues".

Later in a statement, Mr Grieve said: "I am very clear that integration between ethnic communities in the UK has worked well and has delivered great benefits for all of us.

"This is a point I clearly made in my interview with the Telegraph, and I'm disappointed that this has not been reflected in their front page story.

"The point I was making is that, as a law officer, it's my duty to ensure the rule of law is upheld, and one of the issues that I feel requires close attention is any potential for a rise in corruption to undermine civil society.

"I believe this is an issue which needs to be addressed calmly and rationally.

"I am absolutely clear that this problem is not attributable to any one community, as I know very well from my many years promoting community cohesion."

Sky News political reporter Darren McCaffrey said Mr Grieve's comments are likely "to prove controversial".

"We have to remember he is an elected politician and he is also the Government's top lawyer, he is someone that we don't usually hear from a lot and this is why his intervention is unusual," he added.

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Toddler Murder: Teenager Charged Over Death

A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a two-year-old girl.

Dean Harris, 19, of Yaxley in Cambridgeshire, attended Peterborough Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday.

The toddler, who has been named as Amina Agboola, died on Thursday after being taken to Peterborough City Hospital with serious injuries.

A 28-year-old woman was also arrested and has been released on police bail.

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Iran Nuclear Talks: Hague Arrives In Geneva

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague has arrived for talks in Geneva amid hopes an historic deal may be signed on Iran's nuclear programme.

Mr Hague joined counterparts including US Secretary of State John Kerry and foreign ministers from Russia, France and Germany, and the presence of senior ministers has raised expectations that a deal could be close.

Arriving at the talks, he told reporters: "They remain very difficult negotiations, I think it's important to stress that. We're not here because things are necessarily finished, we're here because they're difficult and they remain difficult.

"There are narrow gaps but they are important gaps. It's very important that any agreement is thorough, that it is detailed, that it is comprehensive, and that it is a deal in which we can all - the whole world - have confidence that it can work and it will be observed."

He added: "We will only make a deal - the six countries involved - will only make an agreement if we think it is a truly worthwhile agreement and really does address the problems caused by Iran's nuclear programme."

Earlier, Iranian officials said "two or three" differences remain as talks aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear ambitions go into a fourth day.

The arrival of Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov had heightened speculation that US Secretary of State John Kerry would also attend.

John Kerry has also joined the talks in Geneva

Mr Kerry's goal is to "help narrow differences and move closer to an agreement," a State Department spokeswoman said.

Mr Lavrov joined the talks as negotiators said there had been some progress on the third day of meetings and the White House said the US remained "hopeful" that agreement could be reached.

This third meeting since President Hassan Rouhani's election in June is seen as the biggest hope in years to resolve the decade-old stand-off over Iran's nuclear programme.

Failure might mean Iran resuming the expansion of its atomic activities, while Washington and others could toughen already painful sanctions and the possibility of Israeli military action would draw nearer.

At the last gathering, foreign ministers including Mr Kerry flew to Geneva but three days of intense talks failed and they went home empty-handed.

Sky's Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall, in Geneva, said: "They've spent the last 12 days talking to each other via the phone at political director level and I think they've got so close.

Iran's Foreign Minister said talks were 'progressing well' on Friday

"They're burning political capital here, the foreign ministers. If they come in again and leave empty handed again, they've burned a lot of capital and the voices that say 'what is the point of this' will grow ever louder.

"And I think if they don't get a deal, you might see extra sanctions coming from the US Congress next week and that will scupper the whole deal."

According to a draft proposal hammered out on November 9, the US, Britain, China, France, Russia, and Germany - the so-called P5+1 nations - want Iran to freeze key parts of its nuclear programme for six months.

In return Iran would get minor and, Western officials insist, "reversible" sanctions relief, including unlocking several billion dollars in oil revenues and easing trade restrictions on precious metals and aircraft parts.

This hoped-for "first phase" deal would build trust and ease tensions while negotiators push on for a final accord that ends once and for all fears that Tehran will get an atomic bomb.

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Daniel Radcliffe Warns Social Media Celebrities

By Richard Suchet, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

Celebrities who tell fans what they are doing "moment to moment" on social media sites cannot expect to have a private life, according to Daniel Radcliffe.

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, the Harry Potter star said he tries to avoid the limelight.

"There's certain things you can do to make it a lot easier on yourself," the 24-year-old said. 

"If you don't, for instance, go to premieres that aren't for a film you're in, or don't just turn up at other events and stuff like that, then that's going to help to not fuel the interest.

"Also, I don't have Twitter and I don't have Facebook, and I think that makes things a lot easier because if you go on Twitter and tell everybody what you're doing moment to moment and then claim you want a private life, then no one is going to take that request seriously."

Radcliffe says he has a 'chip on his shoulder'

Speaking ahead of the launch of the second series of A Young Doctor's Notebook on Sky Arts 1 (Thursday, 9pm), he said that when he was younger he resented the attention that his success as a young actor had brought, but that he has no regrets.

"When I was 18 or 19 there was definitely a level of frustration around ... I did have to think where I went more than a lot of my friends and you do get a little frustrated around that age, but ultimately it's childish, petulant - oh I want that too.

"People always say to me 'Do you feel like you missed out on a childhood? Do you feel like you had your childhood taken away?' And I'm like 'No, ridiculous... kids who are abused have their childhoods taken away from them'."

However, he admitted he now has a "chip on his shoulder" that people might think he was fortunate to win the Harry Potter role and now feels he needs to prove himself again.

Radcliffe stars with Mad Men actor John Hamm in A Young Doctor's Notebook

"It's as much to myself, as to anyone else. People always say 'oh he's got a chip on his shoulder' like it's a bad thing. I think it's a perfectly good thing if you let it motivate you.

"When you fall into a position when you're 11 years old, you do tend to think that, you know, everyone, you were lucky to get there. And I was lucky to get there. And I think there's a sense that you just fell into it and that you rode the wave and carried on.

"And that's not what I'm about. I don't know how many people think like that - there may be none, there may be millions, but it doesn't matter. It fires you up."

Radcliffe, who stars in the show with Mad Men actor Jon Hamm, also reveals that despite being worth an estimated £50m, his biggest indulgence is books.

"The only time I will spend a wad of cash in one go - and this is going to sound so nerdy - is in bookshops. I've gone out of bookshops with a pile of 15 to 20 books before. It's excessive.

"I have this thing in bookshops where if I see this thing that there's a good chance I may never ever see again or sounds interesting then I have to get it.

"So that's a way of bleeding your money. The only slightly lavish thing that I do sometimes is that I might take all my friends out for a night out. And that's, like, once a year. I'm refreshingly boring."

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Russia: Brit Greenpeace Activists Granted Bail

Two more British Greenpeace activists held after the Russian oil rig protest in the Arctic have been granted bail.

Frank Hewetson, 45, and 37-year-old Iain Rogers were among 30 people arrested by Russian security forces following the action two months ago.

Three other Britons, Alex Harris, Anthony Perrett and journalist Kieron Bryan, are also due for release after winning their bail applications on Wednesday.

More than 20 of those on the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise have now been allowed bail by courts in St Petersburg.

Brazilian Ana Paula Maciels, 31, was the first to be released from custody on Wednesday after Greenpeace paid her £38,000 bail.

She was followed on Thursday morning by three Russians - activist Andrei Allakhverdov, photographer Denis Sinyakov and the ship's doctor Yekaterina Zaspa.

(L to R) Ms Harris, Mr Bryan and Mr Perrett

The so-called Arctic 30 were detained in September after their vessel entered Arctic waters despite Russian warnings.

Some of the activists tried to scale an offshore drilling platform owned by the state gas giant Gazprom.

The protesters were initially charged with piracy but this was changed to the less serious offence of  hooliganism, which carries a maximum sentence of  seven years.

Greenpeace denies any wrongdoing and is demanding that all the activists - and their ship - are freed.

Ms Maciels after she was released from detention

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, welcomed the decision to grant bail to Ms Harris, Mr Bryan and Mr Perrett.

"This rather tortuous legal process still has a long way to run, but (the) decision by the court to grant bail to Alex, Kieron and Anthony will come as a real relief to the family and friends of the three of them," he said.

"Greenpeace will be doing everything we can to get the remaining activists released. All 30 are still facing ridiculously inappropriate charges for a peaceful protest against oil drilling in the Arctic."

Meanwhile, Greenpeace has unveiled giant portraits of the 'Arctic 30' as part of its campaign against drilling in the Arctic.

Protesters climb the Prirazlomnaya oil platform

The black and white photographs were placed outside the London offices of oil giant Shell.

Greenpeace said it was drawing attention to Shell and Gazprom's planned oil venture in the Arctic.

Entitled Thirty Acts of Courage, the "exhibition" was officially opened by fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, who said: "I'm delighted to be able to open this exhibition celebrating the bravery of the Arctic 30.

"Their audacious efforts to protect one of the world's last remaining wildernesses from exploitation by the oil industry are an example to us all."

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Co-op: Flowers In £75k Charity Expenses 'Scam'

Disgraced former Co-op bank boss Paul Flowers claimed £75,000 in false expenses from a drugs charity, it has been alleged.

Mr Flowers, a former Labour councillor, totted up the claims over five years during his time as the chairman of the trustees at Lifeline, according to the charity's chief executive Ian Wardle.

Mr Wardle told Sky News that he had raised questions over Mr Flowers' claims in 2004 and there had been an investigation during which the former Methodist minister was asked to account for his claims item by item.

Mr Flowers is under investigation by police after being filmed by a newspaper allegedly buying and using illegal drugs, including crystal meth, crack cocaine and ketamine - a horse tranquilliser used as a party drug.

Mr Wardle said that the "total cost of clearing up the mess" left by Mr Flowers during his time at the charity, which helps people with drug and alcohol problems, was £150,000.

Mr Flowers has been accused of incompetence while leading the Co-op Bank

He said: "I developed concerns at the beginning of 2004 about some of the claims which had been made and I spoke to our treasurer at the time and we then involved our solicitor and then to cut a long story short in June 2004 I raised the matter formally, fully and in depth with our trustee body.

"Our trustee body suspended Reverend Flowers and then we investigated the claims and we investigated five years of claims."

Mr Wardle said that after taking advice from a QC  they had sought to keep the matter quiet because they feared it would cause significant damage to the charity's reputation.

He said that he had filed a 70-page report on the matter to the Charity Commission.

The development comes amid the deepening crisis over Mr Flowers appointment to lead the Co-operative Bank, which was sparked by the drugs sting revealed in a newspaper on Sunday.

Len Wardle quit as boss of the beleagured bank on Tuesday

David Cameron on Wednesday announced there would be an inquiry into Mr Flowers' appointment to the bank and its ailing finances.

The Labour leader Ed Miliband has come under increasing pressure over the matter after it emerged that he Mr Flowers had been invited on to Labour's business advisory group and made a £50,000 donation to shadow chancellor Ed Balls.

Questions have also been raised over loans of more than £18m made to Labour at interest rates lower than those charged to ordinary customers.

Mr Miliband has sought to distance himself from Mr Flowers saying his party has acted with "utmost integrity" in dealing with the Co-Op and that Mr Flowers was "never my close adviser".

Mr Flowers managed to secure his position at the head of the Co-operative Bank for three years despite a past mired in scandal, it has subsequently emerged.

It has been disclosed that Mr Flowers resigned from his position on Bradford Council after being caught with pornography on his council laptop in 2011. He was also convicted of gross indecency in a public toilet with a man in 1981.

And it also emerged Mr Flowers was caught drink driving after celebrating his 40th birthday in 1990.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Cameron said: "Why was Rev Flowers judged suitable to be chairman of a bank? Why weren't alarm bells ringing earlier, particularly by those who knew? I think it will be important in the coming days that if anyone does have information they stand up and provide it to the authorities."

A £1.5bn black hole was discovered in the bank's finances

Len Wardle, the chairman of the Co-operative Bank, resigned on Tuesday over his role leading the board that appointed Mr Flowers.

Mr Flowers resigned his post as chairman of the Co-operative Bank in June after a £1.5bn black hole was discovered in its finances, leading to accusations of incompetence.

The bank found a massive gap following the purchase of Britannia Building Society in 2009 and abortive attempts to take on hundreds of Lloyds branches.

During an appearance before the Commons Treasury committee earlier this month, Mr Flowers stumbled over basic facts and figures relating to the bank.

The Methodist Church, which had already suspended Mr Flowers for a three-week period under its rules, has said the suspension was now indefinite and that its disciplinary procedure would be put on hold until after any police investigation.

Mr Flowers has apologised for doing things that were "stupid and wrong" in relation to the drugs claims - but has not elaborated.

His whereabouts remain unknown.

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Arctic 30: British Activist Released On Bail

Briton Alexandra Harris has been freed on bail after she was arrested over attempts by Greenpeace to occupy the Prirazlomnaya oil platform in the Pechora Sea.

As she heard the news Ms Harris skipped for joy and said: "This has been the hardest experience of my life. I'm really happy. It's not over yet but there's light at the end of the tunnel.

"It's nice that the Russian's made the right decision. I love my parents and look forward to speaking to them soon".

Russian special forces arrested the protesters at gunpoint in September

A Greenpeace spokesperson said of the protesters: "I'm so proud, they're doing so well. It's amazing, look at her, she's been in prison for two months and she's still strong.

"We need to remember they're still charged with really horrible charges and we've no clue as to the next steps, so we're not celebrating yet but that moment when they say they're released on bail is quite amazing".

As she was earlier led into the courtroom by police, Ms Harris had told supporters she felt "trapped inside a political game".

British journalist Kieron Bryan's bail application will be heard today

Speaking from a metal cage in the courtroom she told Sky's Katie Stallard: "I will not dishonour Greenpeace or my country by trying to flee Russia or the investigation."

Ms Harris said she was nervous and that the past two months had been "horrible".

"When I talk about the last two months it's hard not to get emotional," she said. "The conditions (in prison) at first were awful and the food was disgusting.

A total of 30 international activists were held

"The conditions are better now but it's still prison, I'm still trapped, I can't speak to anyone, (I'm) cut off from the world; it's no better".

Two other Britons - Greenpeace activist Anthony Perrett and video-journalist Kieron Byron - will have similar applications for bail heard by the court later today.

Dutch protester Faiza Oulahsen was granted bail this morning but Australian activist Colin Russell was denied bail at an earlier hearing and will be kept in detention until February.

A total of thirty people aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise were detained after the protest in September, including six Britons. They were initially charged with piracy but are now accused of hooliganism, which carries a maximum jail term of seven years.

More follows...

:: Watch Sky News for live coverage of the hearing.

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Hull Named As UK City Of Culture 2017

Hull has been named as the UK City of Culture 2017, beating Leicester, Swansea Bay and Dundee to the title.

The city will hope to see an economic boost from the accolade, which is handed out every four years.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Maria Miller said: "This is brilliant news for Hull and everyone involved in the bid there.

Famous abolitionist William Wilberforce is among Hull's famous sons

"This year's UK City of Culture, Derry-Londonderry, demonstrates the huge benefits that the title brings. These include encouraging economic growth, inspiring social change and bringing communities together.

"It can produce a wonderful mix of inward investment and civic pride, and I hope Hull's plans will make the most of all that being UK City of Culture can bring."

Ms Miller praised the three losing cities for the "time, effort and determination" they put into their bids.

"I hope they will still take forward many of the fantastic ideas and events they had planned so that their communities can enjoy these innovative cultural plans," she said.

Referencing Hull band The Housemartins' first big hit, Happy Hour, former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who is from Hull, responded to the news on his Twitter page, writing: "It's Happy Hour again! #HullYes Well done."

TV producer Phil Redmond, who chaired the advisory panel that helped choose the winner, said all four shortlisted cities showed a "real understanding" of what the award was about.

But he said: "Ultimately it was the unanimous verdict of the panel that Hull put forward the most compelling case based on its theme as 'a city coming out of the shadows'.

Hull Marina is a popular attraction in the city

"This is at the heart of their project and reminds both its people and the wider world of both its cultural past and future potential.

"We were particularly impressed with Hull's evidence of community and creative engagement, their links to the private sector and their focus on legacy, including a commitment to enhance funding beyond 2017, and I'd like to congratulate all involved."

Previous holders of the title have sought to improve the image of their city, holding various artistic and cultural events in an effort to increase visitor numbers and offer a boost to the local economy.

Hull's Princes Quay shopping centre

Hull's city council admits one of the aims of the bid is to "change the perceptions" of the city.

It is often derided - up until this year regularly featuring in the comic book Crap Towns - and last month an Economist article cited Hull as one of "Britain's Decaying Towns".

But the current city of culture, Londonderry, has seen visitor numbers double over the course of this year and had around £120m of capital investment pumped into the city since winning the title in 2009.

The Guildhall in the centre of Hull and the city's Prince Street

Its mayor, Councillor Martin Reilly, said: "I am confident that an amazing year awaits Hull as the winning city for 2017.

"I wish them every success and look forward to forming a working relationship with Hull to share our experiences and learning."

Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said he was surprised and disappointed at the result.

"I can only guess that Hull desperately needed a shot in the arm while the judges decided we in Leicester are making our way successfully and didn't need it as much," he said.

Meanwhile, Welsh Secretary David Jones MP said: "As much as today's announcement will come as disappointing news to those who have supported Swansea Bay's bid, they should be rightly proud of all that they have achieved."

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Four Killed In Derbyshire Village House Fire

Two adults and two children have died in a house fire in Derbyshire, police have said.

A third child is in hospital with minor injuries.

The fire broke out on Williamthorpe Road, North Wingfield, a village about four miles south of Chesterfield.

Emergency services were called to the scene at 5am and an investigation is under way into the cause of the fire.

Police said Williamthorpe Road will be closed for several hours and local diversions are in operation.

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Stafford Inquiry: 'Nurse Count' To Boost Safety

By Thomas Moore, Health & Science Correspondent

Hospitals will have to make public the number of nurses on their wards under a series of measures to improve patient safety.

The Department of Health said the monthly reports would be mandatory from next April.

Hospitals in England will also have to disclose the percentage of shifts that meet safe staffing guidelines independently approved by the health watchdog NICE.

The staffing levels will be made public on a new patient safety website, which will also include information on the number of "never events" - those which should never happen in the health service such as a surgeon operating on the wrong part of the body.

The plans are part of the Government's response to the inquiry into the scandal at Stafford Hospital, in which up to 1,200 patients are thought to have died needlessly as a result of poor care.

NHS England will also set up a national patient safety programme to spread best practice and learn from mistakes.

Health minister Norman Lamb said: "We are determined to see the NHS become a world leader in patient safety, with a safety ethos and level of transparency that matches the airline industry.

"We need transparency on staffing levels, backed up by a strong inspection regime to get better, safer care."

Frank Robinson's son John died after misdiagnosis at Stafford Hospital

But Christina McAnea, head of health at Unison, said: "The Government has missed another opportunity to introduce fixed, safe nurse to patient ratios. There is safety in numbers when it comes to caring for patients and this one step would bring about a revolutionary change on the wards.

"Recommending a 'toolkit' to set minimum staffing levels is fine, but what will happen if these are ignored when wards are under pressure, which is almost a daily occurrence in today's NHS?"

Figures from NHS England show that hospitals expect to recruit an extra 3,700 nurses by the end of the financial year.

In February the Mid Staffordshire Inquiry by Sir Robert Francis QC made more than 200 recommendations to change the culture in the NHS and put compassion back at the heart of patient care.

The report had recommended that hospitals should have a duty of candour, a legal responsibility to tell patients if something has gone wrong in their care.

But the Department of Health has so far refused to fully introduce the policy.

Patient satisfaction at the Princess Alexandra Hospital has soared

Peter Walsh, the head of patient safety campaign group Action Against Medical Accidents, told Sky News: "The current plans are that this is limited to fatal cases and the most severe cases of permanent disability.

"That would be a disaster. In effect, it would legitimise the vast majority of serious harm caused to patients being covered up. That would take us in exactly the opposite direction from the one we need to go in."

Frank Robinson, whose son John died after he was misdiagnosed and sent home from Stafford Hospital, also urged the Government to introduce the duty of candour as soon as possible.

He told Sky News: "So many lives have been lost through cover-ups and so many people have suffered. I just don't want that to happen to anyone else and this is a golden opportunity, and if the Government miss this opportunity, that's shameful."

The Mid Staffs Inquiry had strongly criticised managers for chasing government targets, rather than treating patients with compassion.

:: Watch Sky News for the latest reaction to the health reforms.

Read the full Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry report here: Executive Summary, Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Key Facts and Figures

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Iranian Embassy Blasts Kill 22 In Beirut

Two explosions at the Iranian Embassy in Beirut have killed at least 22 people and injured 146, Lebanon's health minister has said.

Ali Hassan Khalil said the number of victims, which include the embassy's cultural attache, was not final and could rise further.

Lebanese officials say security footage showed a suicide bomber and car bomb were behind the blasts in the neighbourhood of Janah, in the south of the Lebanese capital.

The area is a stronghold of the militant Hizbollah group, which is a main ally of President Bashar al Assad in neighbouring Syria's civil war. It is unclear if the blasts are related to that conflict.

State television in Syria said: "The Syrian government firmly condemns the terrorist attack carried out near the Iranian embassy in Beirut."

The front of the embassy was badly damaged in the blast

Iran accused Israel of being responsible for the attacks.

The bombings were "an inhuman crime and spiteful act done by Zionists and their mercenaries," ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said in remarks reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Al Qaeda-linked group the Abdullah Azzam Brigades has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The neighbourhood has been hit by several blasts in recent months that have killed and wounded scores.

Shi'ite Iran has been bankrolling Mr Assad's fight against the mainly Sunni rebels and has given military support.

Southern Beirut is known as a Hizbollah stronghold and has been hit by at least three other explosions this year.

Those attacks were blamed on groups linked to the rebels, believed to be in retaliation for its involvement in Syria's civil war.

Hizbollah fighters have been supporting Mr Assad's forces in several strategic battles across Syria, a move that has also increased sectarian tension in the two countries.

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Co-op Chair Quits Amid Flowers Drug Scandal

Len Wardle, chair of the Co-operative Group, has resigned after "serious questions" were raised by the scandal over its former banking chairman Paul Flowers.

Mr Wardle had announced last month that he planned to step down amid the wider financial crisis at the bank but quit on Tuesday with immediate effect.

Reverend Flowers, who has already apologised for doing things that were "stupid and wrong" - but without elaborating - has been suspended from the Methodist Church and by the Labour Party after being filmed in a newspaper sting allegedly trying to buy illegal drugs.

The substances said to be at the centre of the claims include cocaine and ketamine - a horse tranquilliser - used as a party drug. 

Len Wardle joined the Co-op's board in 2002 (image credit Co-op)

The allegations against Reverend Flowers, which are the subject of a police inquiry, exacerbated pressure on Britain's biggest mutual which is having to explain the background to the bank's financial difficulties - largely a result of its merger with Britannia in 2009.

Mr Wardle said in a statement: "The recent revelations about the behaviour of Paul Flowers, the former Chair of The Co-operative Bank, have raised a number of serious questions for both the Bank and the Group.

"I led the Board that appointed Paul Flowers to lead the Bank Board and under those circumstances I feel that it is right that I step down now, ahead of my planned retirement in May next year.

"I have already made it clear that I believe the time is right for real change in our operations and our governance and the Board recently started a detailed review of our democracy.

"I hope that the Group now takes the chance to put in place a new democratic structure so we can modernise in the interests of all our members."

The Co-op confirmed Mr Wardle would be replaced by Ursula Lidbetter, currently Group deputy chair and chief executive of the Lincolnshire Co-operative Society.

His decision was announced hours after The Co-op Group launched a fact-finding probe and a root-and-branch review of its structure after "serious and wide-ranging" allegations about Reverend Flowers, who resigned in June after three years as chair of the banking arm after a £1.5bn black hole was discovered in its finances.

The Group statement on Monday said: "Given the serious and wide-ranging nature of recent allegations, the new executive management team has started a fact-finding process to look into any inappropriate behaviour at the Co-operative Group or the Co-operative Bank and to take action as necessary.

Paul Flowers is being investigated following the Mail On Sunday's claims

"In addition, the board of the Co-operative Group has launched a root and branch review of the democratic structure of the organisation.

"We need to modernise to ensure that the interests of all our seven million members are properly and directly represented in the oversight of our business activities."

While announcing Mr Wardle's decision to quit, the Co-op said on Tuesday that Ms Lidbetter would chair the Group through the governance review, which will include consideration of how the Board is constituted and chaired.

The Co-op Bank discovered a massive gap in its finances following the purchase of Britannia Building Society in 2009 and abortive attempts to take on hundreds of Lloyds branches.

It faces a rescue which will see 50 branches close and investors including US hedge funds take control of 70% of the business, leaving the wider Co-operative Group with just 30% - described as a "tragedy" by former group chief executive Peter Marks.

The scandal surrounding Reverend Flowers has intensified the focus on the bank's troubles.

Critics have questioned how he could have been appointed given his apparent lack of experience in banking and Andrew Tyrie MP, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, has said that it was clear he was "manifestly unsuitable".

Regulators have said he went through the appropriate process when he joined the Co-op's board as a non-executive director but did not face further scrutiny when he became its chairman.

In a separate development, Labour has come under pressure to return a £50,000 donation backed by Reverend Flowers.

The donation, made by the Co-operative Group, emerged as the party suspended his membership over the drug allegatons.

Labour's leadership has since attempted to distance itself from Mr Flowers, a former councillor, after it emerged he attended a private meeting with Ed Miliband in March.

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Russia Plane Crash: Briton Among Dead

A British woman who died in a plane crash in Russia which killed 50 people has been named by her employer as Donna Bull.

The Boeing 737-500 airliner crash-landed in the Russian city of Kazan on Sunday evening, killing everyone on board.

The Tatarstan Airlines flight from Moscow was trying to abort its landing in order to make a second approach when it struck the runway and exploded.

Forty-four passengers and six crew members on board were killed, according to emergency officials.

Ms Bull, an A-levels programme manager, was described as a "very popular and well-respected member of staff" by her employer Bellerbys College in Cambridge.

She was heading to Kazan for a 10-day marketing trip with a Moscow-based colleague, Yana Baranova, who also died.

The aircraft was making a second attempt to land at Kazan airport

The UK Foreign Office confirmed the death of a Briton in the crash and said it was providing consular assistance.

Also among the dead was the son of the leader of the Tatarstan region, Irek Minnikhanov, and the head of Russia's FSB security service in Tatarstan, Alexander Antonov.

The plane took off from Moscow's Domodedovo airport at 6.25pm local time and crashed just over an hour later.

According to eyewitnesses, the Boeing lost altitude quickly and its fuel tank exploded on impact.

There were high winds and cloudy skies over the airport in central Russia at the time of the crash.

Boeing officials at the Dubai Airshow declined to comment on the crash.

The flight was operated by the regional Tatarstan airline, according to a spokeswoman from Russia's Emergencies Ministry.

Kazan, which is 500 miles east of Moscow, is the capital of the oil-rich region of Tatarstan.

A new runway was built at the airport ahead of the World Student Games, held in the city earlier this year.

A spokesman for state aviation oversight agency Rosaviatsia said authorities would search for the flight recorders.

"The plane touched the ground and burst into flame," Sergei Izvolsky said.

"The cause of the crash as of now is unknown."

Russia and the former Soviet republics combined had one of the world's worst air traffic safety records in 2011, with a total accident rate almost three times the world average, according to the International Air Transport Association.

IATA said last year that global airline safety had improved, but accident rates had risen in Russia and the ex-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States.

In April 2012, at least 31 people were killed when a Russian passenger plane crashed shortly after take-off in Siberia.

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Tornadoes Sweeping Across US Midwest Kill Six

At least six people have died as powerful tornadoes carved a path of destruction across the US Midwest.

Entire neighbourhoods were flattened within seconds as the twisters, triggered by a "very dangerous" and fast-moving weather system, touched down in as many as 10 states.

Forecasters said the extreme weather - which destroyed homes, uprooted trees and flipped cars upside down - could affect more than 50 million people.

The devastation left behind by a tornado in Washington, Illinois

According to the National Weather Service, more than 60 tornadoes struck, unleashing 80mph winds and hail stones up to two inches in diameter.

Illinois was struck the hardest. At least six were killed and dozens more injured, but with communications difficult and many roads impassable, it remained unclear how many people might be hurt.

At one hospital in Peoria, Illinois, doctors were treating at least 24 casualties, some of whom had head injuries and broken bones.

The storm moved toward the east coast, causing major damage in Illinois

Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin were buffered by the storm, which weakened as it tracked east towards Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and New Jersey.

Washington, a town of 16,000 in Illinois, appeared to have the most severe damage. 

Anthony Khoury, who saw a twister rip through Washington, told Sky News: "Most of my neighbourhood is completely destroyed, everything has been demolished.

"Families have lost their homes, people don't have anywhere to sleep and the electricity has gone."

Michael Perdun, a fellow Washington resident, said: "I stepped outside and I heard it coming.

Entire communities were flattened in seconds

"My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room.

"All of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone."

Jeff Leeman, who was in his backyard with his son when a tornado struck Pekin, Illnois, added: "In a matter of seconds ... it was right on top of us.

"We hustled in the house and before we knew it, it was gone. It was that fast."

Two people, an 80-year-old man and his 78-year-old sister, were killed in Washington County; three were killed in Massac County, near the Kentucky border; and the sixth victim was reported in Tazewell County.

A car crushed by a fallen tree in Pekin, Illinois

The tornadoes brought down phone lines, caused thousands of power failures and left debris strewn across roads.

The severe weather also caused the cancellation of many flights, while the Baltimore Ravens' game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field was temporarily suspended in the first quarter due to lightning in the area.

Meteorologist Matt Friedlein said such powerful storms rarely occur so late in the year because the climate is usually too cold.

However, temperatures had been forecast to climb to as high as 26C (78F), he said, which is warm enough to produce severe weather when coupled with strong winter winds.

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Typhoon Haiyan: Video Shows Home Swept Away

Huge waves can be seen crashing into and washing away a house in amateur footage from one of the typhoon-hit areas of the Philippines.

Shot from the top floor of a boarding house in Hernani as a storm surge hit, the video released by an aid organisation shows the home disappear after being completely engulfed by water.

The footage emerged as the United Nations warned that some Philippine islands may have not been reached 10 days since the disaster struck, claiming more than 3,900 lives.

Millions have been displaced by the disaster

Nickson Gensis, from the Plan International development organisation, filmed the video from the building he and five others were staying in a few hundred metres from the sea.

"Five were praying and I was filming," he said.

"Three of our group were male and we all wore trunks so that we could swim if we needed to. We were so scared. But I thought, 'If I die, so be it'.

"It was like a huge tsunami but the water receded quickly afterwards."

With thousands dead and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed, Philippine president Benigno Aquino visited the town of Palo, just south of worst-hit Tacloban city, where engineers have salvaged generators from a flooded IT park to light up the streets and town hall again.

A survivor surveys the devastation in a part of Tacloban

"One is tempted to despair, but the minute I despair, then everybody, it cascades down and everybody gets hampered in their efforts," he said.

Authorities in the country, the US military and international agencies face a mounting humanitarian crisis, with the number of people displaced by the catastrophe estimated at four million.

Bernard Kerblat, UN High Commissioner for Refugees representative for the Philippines, said the agency was still facing co-ordination problems.

"As of now, personally, I am not so sure that we've reached every single portion of the territory where people are in need of aid," he said.

"And, in fact, I wouldn't be surprised that unfortunately that there might still be, as I'm speaking to you, day 11 of this disaster, there might be still very isolated islands."

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Unions Probe: Review Into Intimidation Claims

David Cameron has set himself on a collision course with the unions by announcing an independent review into allegations of intimidation and bullying.

The move follows claims of sabotage and harassment related to the bitter industrial dispute which almost led to the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery in Scotland.

Downing Street said the wide-ranging review, headed by Bruce Carr QC, will investigate allegations of the use of so-called "leverage" tactics by the unions as well as the impact of such disputes on the critical national infrastructure.

However, in a sign of renewed coalition tensions, the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable made clear he had only agreed to the inquiry on the basis that it would also examine the practices of employers.

The Unite union dismissed the review as a "Tory election stunt" and warned that no trade union would be prepared to "collaborate" with it.

The review follows claims that Unite sought to intimidate executives from Ineos, the refinery's owners, including sending "mobs" of demonstrators to protest outside their homes and premises associated with Ineos chairman, Jim Ratcliffe.

In recent weeks the Prime Minister has repeatedly attacked the union in the Commons, challenging Labour leader Ed Miliband to hold an inquiry into claims of vote-rigging in the Falkirk constituency party in an attempt to secure the selection of Unite's favoured candidate for parliament.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has always denied any intimidation or bullying on the part of the union, insisting that it was acting within the law.

As part of his remit, Mr Carr will consider whether existing laws are sufficient to prevent what Government sources described as "inappropriate or intimidatory actions" in trade disputes as well as the response of the police to complaints.

Unite claimed Grangemouth employees had been bullied during the dispute

More generally, the review will look at the underlying causes of industrial relations difficulties in affected industries, the potential impact on the UK's critical national infrastructure and the consequences for investor confidence in key sectors.

It will also make recommendations on the respective roles of government, employers and employee representatives in ensuring effective workforce relationships.

Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude, a Conservative, said: "Allegations about trade union industrial intimidation tactics, including attempts to sabotage businesses supply chains and harass employers' families are deeply concerning.

"That's why we need an independent review to get to the bottom of these activities, as well as to look at the role played by government, employers and employees in industrial disputes.

"This forms part of our long-term plan to ensure Britain remains competitive and to secure an economic recovery for hard-working people."

Mr Cable, in contrast emphasised that Britain had generally enjoyed good industrial relations for the past two decades while strikes were at a historically low level.

"There were clearly some very serious matters going on in Grangemouth," he said.

"That is why I have agreed to a proportionate and rational review of industrial disputes, including leverage and other tactics used by both unions and employers.

"There are rogue unions but there are also rogue employers, some of whom have in the past engaged in illegal tactics like blacklisting. This Government will tolerate neither."

A Unite spokesman said: "This review is a sorry attempt by the coalition to divert attention from the cost of living crisis.

"Vince Cable may not have noticed but the Grangemouth dispute has been settled.

"This review is nothing more than a Tory election stunt which no trade unionist will collaborate with."

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Typhoon Haiyan: HMS Daring Arrives To Help

British warship HMS Daring has arrived in the Typhoon Haiyan disaster zone, as the president of the Philippines visited devastated areas.

The Type 45 destroyer and her crew docked at the island of Cebu ready to provide humanitarian assistance, the Department for International Aid and Development said.

It has spent the last three days carrying out reconnaissance work in and around the southeast Asian nation, using a helicopter to survey 48 islands, including areas which have not yet been reached by international relief teams.

The Lynx helicopter will now be used to fly shelter kits, food and medical supplies to those remote areas.

Members of a 12-strong medical team from the UK, which arrived in the Philippines earlier this week, will also be flown to different areas to treat injured victims of the typhoon.

The typhoon hit the country on November 7

HMS Daring Commander Angus Essenhigh told Sky News: "We're very much looking forward to getting into the fight tomorrow and delivering some of the aid where it's most needed."

Sky's Defence Correspondent Alistair Bunkall, on board the warship, said: "They will no doubt be the first outsiders to reach some of these devastated areas since typhoon struck."

The typhoon - said to be the strongest ever to make landfall - slammed into the Philippines on November 7, killing thousands of people.

President Benigno Aquino, caught off guard by the scale of the disaster and criticised by some for the sometimes chaotic response, has been visiting affected areas.

Not for the first time, he sought to deflect blame for the problems onto local authorities whose preparations he said had fallen short.

Mr Aquino delivers a speech in Guiuan

In Guiuan, a hard-hit coastal town in eastern Samar province, he praised the city mayor for conducting a proper evacuation that had limited deaths to less than 100, saying that was a contrast to other towns.

"In other places, I prefer not to talk about it. As your president, I am not allowed to get angry even if I am already upset," he said.

"I'll just suffer through it with an acidic stomach."

Mr Aquino spoke of his appreciation for the volunteers, and also promised his nation that those who have been affected will receive continued support.

"Your government will not be remiss in providing everything, everything, everything that you will need," he said.

While aid packages have begun to reach more remote areas, much of it carried by helicopters brought by the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, the United Nations said people were still going hungry in some mountainous provinces.

It said information about several provinces in the west of the Visayas region remained "limited", with 60% of people in towns in the northeast part of Capiz province needing food support.

More than a week after Typhoon killed at least 3,633 people, the UN has doubled its estimate of homeless to nearly two million.

There are still 1,179 people missing, according to national figures.

A number of Britons are missing following the disaster, Foreign Secretary William Hague confirmed on Saturday.

People in a temporary shelter in Tacloban

Among those feared dead is Colin Bembridge, 61, from Grimsby, who was staying with his partner Maybelle, 35, and their three-year-old daughter Victoria near Tacloban when the storm hit.

British Prime Minister David Cameron pledged an additional £30m on Saturday for international aid agencies working in the country.

It brings the total amount pledged by the British Government to £50m, on top of £33m in donations from the public.

Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious is also being sent to replace HMS Daring.

The aid effort continues as members of the Disaster Emergencies Committee (DEC) warned leaders meeting at UN climate talks in Warsaw that the disaster offers a glimpse of the future if urgent action is not taken.

Aid agencies including Christian Aid, Cafod, Care International, Oxfam and Tearfund said ministers meeting in the Polish capital must act urgently because climate change is likely to make such extreme weather events more common in future.

Climate models forecast that typhoons could become more powerful and that weather-related events around the world will be more extreme and frequent, they warned.

Delegates from 195 countries are taking part in the annual UN climate talks, which are taking place until November 22.

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Age Of Consent: No 10 Rejects Calls To Change

Downing Street has rejected a call from a leading public health expert to consider lowering the age of consent for sex to 15.

Professor John Ashton, president of the Faculty of Public Health, said society sends "confused" signals about when sex is permitted.

But a No 10 spokesman said: "We reject the call to lower the age of consent.

"The current age is in place to protect children and there are no plans to change it."

Prof Ashton's intervention comes against a backdrop of official figures which suggest that up to a third of teenagers have sex before the present age of consent of 16.

He told Sky News: "The problem we have got is we have got this massive sexualisation and pornographication of childhood and early adolescence.

Lowering the age would make it easier for 15-year-olds to get contraception

"Huge commercial interests - pop music, fashion, internet pornography everywhere, social media.

"There doesn' seem to be any real appetite among politicians and leaders to address this.

"In the meantime, our young people are becoming sexually active at younger and younger ages.

"If we are not going to create an environment where they are not sexualised, then we need to address their needs."

He added: "What we know from other European countries that have lower ages of sexual consent, I am thinking here particuarlarly about the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark, is that very often what that leads to is where there's an atmosphere of discussion within the family, within the school, within the social environment, they actually defer putting off sex, even though the age of consents lower, and that they have lower teenage pregnancy rates.

"It also means if they are not indulging in what's illegal activity, they won't be frightened to come forward for help if they are getting involved in a dangerous situation with an older male who's grooming them or what have you.

"We have got this conundrum. Where you have got illegal activity which large numbers of people are engaging in, you are creating an environment of risk, potential abuse, potential exploitation.

"We need to do something about the sexualisation of childhood, and we need to do something about responding properly to the needs of young people who are becoming sexually active, perhaps with somebody of a similar age where it is part of a normal maturing process into adult life, but also so that we can begin to tackle this problem of girls particularly, being exploited by older males."

The Faculty of Public Health, part of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, gives advice to ministers and civil servants although it is independent of government.

David Tucker, head of policy at the NSPCC, said he would be happy to have a debate on the issue but said he would want to see the evidence for Prof Ashton's claims.

He said: "Has there really been a significant change in the amount of young people having sex over the past 20 or 30 years?

"If it has changed, then is reducing the age of consent the most sensible way to deal with it?"

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