MPs' Expenses: Moran Given Supervision Order

Former Labour MP Margaret Moran has been given a two-year supervision and treatment order for fiddling her expenses.

Moran, 57, who represented Luton South for 13 years, received more than £53,000 from the taxpayer as a result of the fraud.

She claimed nearly her entire annual allowance in one bogus expense entry and forged invoices for more than £20,000 for non-existent goods and services.

The disgraced former MP's claims were the largest amount uncovered in the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal, but she does not receive a criminal conviction after a judge ruled she was unfit to stand trial for mental health reasons.

She was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to a two year supervision and treatment order, to be supervised by Southampton City Council.

Moran was not present in court to hear Mr Justice Saunders make the ruling.

He said: "There will inevitably be feelings among some that Mrs Moran has 'got away with it'.

"What the court has done and has to do is to act in accordance with the law of the land and on the basis of the evidence that it hears."

The judge said two distinguished psychiatrists instructed by the defence had concluded she was unfit to plead, and a psychiatrist instructed by the prosecution broadly agreed.

Margaret Moran sobbing outside court in September

"All the evidence in the case was that she was unfit to plead. If I had reached any other conclusion my decision would have been perverse and would inevitably have been successfully appealed."

A jury decided that she did commit the acts alleged against her, and the defence played little if any part in the hearing.

"The findings of the court were not convictions. Those findings enable me to make orders requiring her to undergo treatment for her mental health."

Dr Simon Kelly, from the Priory Hospital in Southampton, said that he last saw Moran on Tuesday.

"She remains very distressed, very agitated, she is severely ill.

"She is unable really to process information that is presented to her.

"What she seeks today is to recover from her illness and continue to engage in treatment.

"She's living a restricted lifestyle, she's not answered the telephone at home for approximately three years, she goes out very occasionally, to a local supermarket for 30 minutes."

In November a newspaper reported that Moran had been spotted at a pub in London.

Asked how she would have reacted if she had to come to court, Mr Kelly said: "She is so sensitised to publicity, this would have been the most difficult place for her to come. I wonder physically whether it would be possible to get her here.

"I don't know whether it would be physically possible to remove her from her home without restraining her."

Jim Sturman, representing Moran, said: "The more vengeful press, who hound her at her front door, seem to think that the only way someone can be demonstrably mentally ill is if they are in a straitjacket in a padded cell.

"The reports back in April all agree that she suffers from this mental illness.

"Hounding a mentally ill woman is a dangerous and vile thing to do, at any time, particularly post the Leveson conclusions.

"It could have led to an increased risk of suicide.

"There will always be sections of the media who believe it's a huge con. But they've not read all the evidence."

Mr Sturman said he was making these observations on behalf of Mrs Moran's husband.

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Immigration: Labour Calls For Better Integration

Labour Leader Ed Miliband is to set out his party's strategy for integration in Britain in a speech outlining his ambitions for dealing with the pressures of a multi-ethnic society.

Calling for a "comprehensive strategy for integration", the opposition leader will admit Labour made "mistakes" over eastern European immigration when in power, and failed to tackle the growing problem of segregation along racial and ethnic lines in Britain's cities.

He will vow not to sweep public anxieties over British cultural identity under the carpet, and will unveil new policies designed to promote integration in housing, work and use of the English language.

Labour would expect migrants to learn English, tackle landlords who pack newcomers to the UK into overcrowded houses and ban recruitment agencies from seeking workers only from particular countries or ethnic groups, he will say.

But in a high-profile speech in London, Mr Miliband will also insist - far from being seen as a threat, as figures like Enoch Powell and BNP leader Nick Griffin have portrayed it - the multi-ethnic Britain revealed in this week's census and in the summer's Olympic and Paralympic Games is a cause for celebration.

Drawing on his own parents' experience as Jewish refugees from the Holocaust, Mr Miliband will say: "We should celebrate multi-ethnic diverse Britain. We are stronger for it - and I love Britain for it."

Mr Miliband will say: "Britain is at its best when it comes together as a nation, not when it stands divided.

"But at the same time we know there is anxiety about immigration and what it means for our culture. The answer is not to sweep it under the carpet or fail to talk about it, nor is it to make promises that can't be kept. It is to deal with all of the issues that concern people."

Mr Miliband will accept there are concerns about the "pace of change" in British life due to immigration, particularly in specific areas which have witnessed high numbers of new arrivals.

"The capacity of our economy to absorb new migrants has outrun the capacity of some of our communities to adapt," he will say.

"The last Labour government made mistakes in this regard. We have said we will learn lessons from eastern European migration and ensure maximum transitional controls in future. And we will look at how the Government's immigration cap works in practice."

"But I believe we can all cope with these pressures if we recognise them and understand how to respond."

He will admit previous Labour administrations were "overly optimistic" in assuming integration would happen by itself and people from different racial backgrounds "would learn to get on together... automatically".

Labour did "too little to tackle the realities of segregation in communities that were struggling to cope", he will say.

Under his new plans, Labour would put English language teaching for immigrants ahead of funding for translating non-essential information into their mother tongues, he said.

Parents of foreign-born children would be required to take responsibility in home-school agreements for them learning English, and the number of public sector jobs for which proficiency in English is mandatory would be increased.

The party would crack down on landlords who cram newcomers to the UK into overcrowded homes and would end the use of tied housing and forced indebtedness which lock migrant workers into atrocious housing conditions.

Mr Miliband will promise to ban recruitment agencies from advertising only for workers from particular countries and be tougher in enforcing laws designed to eliminate shift patterns which leave people working only with others from the same ethnic background.

"If we work hard, and we work together, we can build One Nation," the Labour leader will say. "So that we have a fair nation not an unjust one - a connected nation where everyone has a stake, not a segregated one; a confident nation, not an anxious one.

"A proper One Nation strategy for integration needs to revolve around issues that are central to people's lives including language, housing, and the workplace."

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Eva Rausing Died Of Drugs Dependancy

Multi-millionairess Eva Rausing died as a result of dependant drug abuse, an inquest has decided.

The 48-year-old was found dead in July at the five-storey home in west London she shared with her husband Hans, heir to the Tetra Pak fortune and one of Britain's richest men.

The inquest heard that her body was found beneath a pile of sheets, clothes and a tarpaulin in a bedroom sealed with gaffer tape.

Her pacemaker recorded heart beats up to 384 beats per minute on the calculated day of her death. The normal rate is 65.

The inquest heard that pathologists found no signs of violence on Mrs Rausing's body and there was evidence she had used cocaine at the time of her death.

More follows...

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Fracking Is Given Go-Ahead By Ministers

A ban on the controversial process of shale gas exploration known as fracking has been lifted by the Government.

Gas company Cuadrilla has been given the go-ahead to resume operations in Lancashire, which were halted in 2011 when test-drilling caused two minor earthquakes.

Despite the concerns of environmental groups, exploration can now continue subject to regular seismic risk assessments.

The move was welcomed by business chiefs but campaigners called it "reckless" and a "massive gamble", insisting that the focus should be on renewable energy.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey insisted it would not undermine efforts to slash carbon emissions and promised that communities and environments would be protected.

The new safeguards include:

:: having a review before fracking begins to assess seismic risk and any faults;

:: the submission of a fracking plan to the Energy Department setting out how the seismic risks will be addressed;

:: seismic monitoring before, during and after the procedure;

:: a new traffic light system to categorise seismic activity, with a trigger demanding work stops when a certain level is reached.

Fracking involves drilling holes deep into the ground and then using high-pressure liquid to fracture shale rocks to release gas trapped inside.

Cuadrilla believes it could supply a quarter of the UK's gas needs from the resource in Lancashire, leaving the country less reliant on foreign imports from Qatar or Russia.

It is the only company yet to apply for an exploratory drilling licence and its site near Blackpool is currently the only proposed shale gas operation.

The go-ahead for work to re-start came after the Treasury signalled its support for the budding industry, proposing tax relief and unveiling a gas generation strategy.

Mr Davey said: "Shale gas represents a promising new potential energy resource for the UK. It could contribute significantly to our energy security, reducing our reliance on imported gas, as we move to a low-carbon economy."

Cuadrilla boss Francis Egan described the decision as a "turning point for the country's energy future".

"Shale gas has the potential to create jobs, generate tax revenues, reduce our reliance on imported gas, and improve our balance of payments," he said.

"Our exploration has shown that under Lancashire there is a belt of gas-filled shale over one mile thick.

"Today's decision will allow continued exploration and testing of the UK's very significant shale resources in a way that fulfils the highest environmental and community standards."

He stressed that the company was committee to working "safely and responsibly at all times".

Cuadrilla had drilled three exploration wells and started fracking and testing gas flows from one when the tremors were detected and work had to be suspended.

They are in the process of drilling a fourth well and will now have to seek new permits for further work.

The company hopes to have early data on how much gas it could extract by the middle of 2013.

The decision also paves the way for potential exploration of shale reserves elsewhere in the UK, with possible operations in Balcombe, West Sussex, and in the Mendips.

Friends of the Earth executive director Andy Atkins, said: "Communities up and down the country will be disturbed by this reckless decision which threatens to contaminate our air and water and undermine national climate targets.

"George Osborne's short-sighted dash for gas will leave the country dependent on dirty fossil fuels. MPs must stand up for a safe and affordable future by insisting on clean British energy from the wind, waves and sun."

Greenpeace energy campaigner Leila Deen added: "George Osborne's dream of building Dallas in Lancashire is dangerous fantasy. He is not JR Ewing and this is not the US.

"Energy analysts agree the UK cannot replicate the American experience of fracking, and that shale gas will do little or nothing to lower bills.

"Pinning the UK's energy hopes on an unsubstantiated, polluting fuel is a massive gamble and consumers and the climate will end up paying the price."

The Government's own climate advisers have also dismissed claims that exploiting shale gas in the UK and Europe could bring down energy costs.

The Committee on Climate Change's chief executive, David Kennedy, said it was not a "game changer" on this side of the Atlantic because it could only meet a relatively small share of gas demand.

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Two Charged After Boy Dies From Drug Overdose

Two people have been charged with manslaughter after a toddler died from a heroin overdose in Wolverhampton earlier this year.

A 29-year-old man and 33-year-old woman have been accused of causing or allowing the death of 23-month-old Daniel Jones.

He was pronounced dead by paramedics who responded to a call to a house in the city at 6.15am on May 29.

Daniel's death was initially treated as unexplained by police but recent forensic tests showed he died from a heroin overdose.

The suspects were detained by police in Penn, Wolverhampton, on Wednesday and are due to appear before magistrates.

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Royal Prank Call Nurse 'Left Three Notes'

The nurse tricked by a radio prank call was found hanging from a wardrobe by a scarf, an inquest has heard.

Jacintha Saldanha died days after falling victim to the hoax that targeted the hospital where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated.

The opening of her inquest at Westminster Coroner's Court heard injuries were found on the nurse's wrists - and that she had also left three notes.

Two were found in her room at London's King Edward VII hospital and another was among her possessions.

The inquest was told police were exploring emails and texts sent by the 46-year-old, who was discovered in her nurses' quarters by a colleague and a security guard on Friday.

Officers are also interviewing Ms Saldanha's friends and family, and staff at the Australian radio station responsible for the prank.

Detective Chief Inspector James Harman said: "On Friday December 7 Jacintha Saldanha was found by a colleague and a member of security staff. Sadly she was found hanging.

"There were also injuries to her wrist. The London Ambulance Service was called to the scene. At this time there are no suspicious circumstances."

Michael Christian and Mel Greig gave tearful interviews after the hoax

The inquest came as pressure mounted on bosses at the radio station to name the executives responsible for airing the hoax.

Sky News understands Australia's independent media watchdog, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has had 2,500 complaints from around the world over the 2Day FM segment.

ACMA has announced a rare fast-track investigation into the prank, which saw Ms Saldanha put two radio hosts through to a fellow nurse who unwittingly revealed details about Kate's treatment.

DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles, with the "monarch" making enquiries about her "granddaughter".

Australia's radio broadcasting code stipulates that it is a breach to record a person in conversation, and also air it, without their knowledge.

The radio station insists it did not break the law and says it tried to contact the hospital on five separate occasions. The hospital disputes any contact was ever sought.

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Weather: Ice And Fog Hit Dozens Of Flights

Freezing fog has descended on parts of the UK, forcing airports to cancel flights - and more delays are expected.

Heathrow Airport says 70 flights due to take off on Wednesday have been scrapped.

A spokesman said further cancellations were likely as adverse conditions affecting large areas parts of the country worsen.

Flights to Warsaw, Nice, Stockholm, Aberdeen and several German cities are among those cancelled.

"There have been some delays as well as cancellations. There is bound to be a bit of a knock-on effect during the day. Also, some European airports are also affected by the cold weather."

There are also 20 cancellations at London City Airport. Passengers are urged to contact airlines to check details.

Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said: "The freezing fog patches across central and eastern England, and eastern Wales, will continue to lift from the west this afternoon.

"However, it may linger for most of the day across parts of eastern England which could pose a problem during this evening's rush hour, as well as further flight disruptions.

"Into tonight we'll see the return of fog again, however it should be less extensive than Tuesday night as the breezes pick up in strength."

Monday night was one of the coldest of the year, with temperatures falling as low as minus 10C (14F), with Scotland worst affected.

After another bitterly cold night on Tuesday, much of the country woke up to sub-zero temperatures this morning.

The fog hit areas including central England, Wales and East Anglia.

There was congestion on a number of major road routes, while a section of the A1(M) between junctions 39 and 40 in Yorkshire was closed.

On the railways, overhead wire problems caused 50-minute delays in the rush-hour between Bedford and Luton, while a broken-down train at Watford Junction in Hertfordshire also caused hold-ups.

An electrical supply problem led to delays to train services between Seaford and Lewes in East Sussex, while a signalling problem caused hold-ups to services in and out of another Sussex coastal station - Brighton.

In Scotland, a broken-down train at Bathgate led to delays between Edinburgh and Airdrie.

On the Tube, there were severe delays on the Metropolitan line between Rickmansworth and Amersham and minor delays on the rest of the line due to a lack of trains.

There were also severe delays between High Barnet and Finchley Central on the Northern line due to a signal failure at Woodside Park.

Another signal failure - at Arnos Grove in north London - led to delays on the Tube's Piccadilly line between Arnos Grove and Cockfosters.

The coldest spot in the UK on Tuesday night was Tulloch Bridge in the Highlands, where the temperature was minus 10.2C (13F).

• Is your area affected by adverse weather? Get in touch here.

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Royal Prank Call: Nurse 'Was Found Hanged'

Timeline: Kate Prank Call Tragedy

Updated: 4:38am UK, Tuesday 11 December 2012

Here are some of the key developments surrounding the death of hospital nurse Jacintha Saldanha following a hoax phone call by two Australian radio hosts.

Monday, December 3
The Duchess of Cambridge is admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital in London with severe morning sickness.

Tuesday, December 4
2Day FM presenters Mel Greig and Michael Christian make their hoax call to the hospital in the early hours of the morning, posing as the Queen and Prince Charles. Nurse Jacintha Saldanha puts them through to a colleague who divulges details of how doctors have been treating the Duchess.

Wednesday, December 5
A King Edward VII's Hospital spokesman confirms the Australian radio station made the prank call, saying it "deplores" the act and is conducting a review of its phone system.

Thursday, December 6
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves hospital.

Friday, December 7
:: Ms Saldanha is pronounced dead at staff accommodation close to the hospital. She is thought to have taken her own life, although a post-mortem examination is yet to be held.

:: King Edward VII's Hospital releases a statement saying: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Ms Saldanha. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues."

:: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge send their condolences to Ms Saldanha's family.

Saturday, December 8
:: Ms Saldanha's family in southwest India speak of their heartache. Her mother-in-law, Carmine Barboza, says: "Jacintha was a very caring woman. She used to call us every Sunday without fail. We just cannot believe what has happened."

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian go on indefinite leave from the radio station after they are bombarded with abusive and threatening messages on social media websites.

::  Lord Glenarthur, chairman of the King Edward VII's Hospital, writes a latter to 2Day FM calling for the "truly appalling" broadcast to "never be repeated".

:: Max Moore-Wilton, chairman of Southern Cross Austereo which owns 2Day FM, describes the events over the past few days as "tragic", but adds: "The outcome was unforeseeable and very regrettable."

Sunday, December 9
:: It emerges Mel Greig and Michael Christian may be questioned by London's Metropolitan Police.

:: Ms Greig and Mr Christian express a desire to speak about the tragedy, but are still in hiding.

:: The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates radio broadcasting, says it is considering whether it should launch an investigation into whether the presenters breached the commercial radio code of practice.

Monday, December 10

:: Mr Christian and Ms Greig break their silence, expressing their regret and sorrow over the tragedy in a series of emotional Australian TV interviews. They insist they never expected their phone call to go so far and thought hospital staff would hang up on them. Both extend sympathy to Ms Saldanha's family.

:: Ms Saldanha's family pay tribute to a "loving mother and wife". Speaking on their behalf, MP Keith Vaz says: "They are really grateful for the support of the British public and the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

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April Jones: Search Continues Into New Year

Police insist the search for April Jones will continue into the New Year, though it will be scaled back over the festive period.

Superintendent Ian John said police have been hunting in all weathers for April in the 10 weeks since the five-year-old vanished near her Welsh home.

"We will keep on looking until we have satisfied ourselves that we have exhausted all lines of inquiry," he said.

"We are not putting an end date on the operation and we are not willing to speculate on how much longer it will last."

Supt John also read a moving statement from April's parents, who thanked search terms for their dedication.

"We're coming to terms with the fact that our baby girl has been taken from us," the statement said.

"The pain of our tragic loss doesn't get any easier to bear."

April was last seen on October 1, getting into a vehicle after playing near her home on the Bryn y Gog estate in the town of Machynlleth, Powys.

Supt John said 16 teams are involved in the search in and around Machynlleth this week.

April's disappearance sparked the biggest search operation ever undertaken by the Dyfed-Powys Police force, covering 23 square miles.

Mark Bridger, 46, a former abattoir worker, has been charged with April's murder and is due to appear in court on January 11.

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Royal Nurse: Radio Gives £320K To Family Fund

A memorial fund for the family of the dead nurse who was the victim of the royal hoax call has been set up by the radio station responsible for the prank.

Southern Cross Austereo, the parent company of radio station 2Day FM, said the remainder of the profits for 2012 should go to a memorial fund to benefit Jacintha Saldhana's family.

The sum is expected to amount to AUS$500,000 (£326,000).

It has also cancelled its Christmas party, saying it would be "inappropriate" to go ahead with the celebrations, and would instead donate the money it would have spent to charity.

Rhys Holleran, SCA's chief executive, said: "We are very sorry for what has happened. It is a terrible tragedy and our thoughts continue to be with the family.

"We hope that by contributing to a memorial fund we can help to provide the Saldanha family with the support they need at this very difficult time."

A post-mortem examination on Ms Saldanha, who initially answered the prank call made to the hospital treating the Duchess of Cambridge, is being held today.

Ms Saldanha's family have been left "devastated" by their loss

Ms Saldanha was found dead on Friday days after she was tricked by Australian radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who called the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

She transferred the presenters, believing they were the Queen and the Prince of Wales, to a colleague who divulged details about Kate's treatment for severe morning sickness.

Ms Saldanha, 46, from Bristol, was found dead in a block of nurses' flats close to the hospital, where she stayed while working in London.

MP Keith Vaz met her family on Monday and said they had been "devastated" by the loss of a "loving mother and a loving wife".

Flanked by Ms Saldanha's husband Benedict Barboza and her two teenage children, Mr Vaz said: "They miss her every moment of every day, but they are really grateful to the support of the British public and to the public overseas for the messages of support and kindness."

Mr Vaz has called for the hospital to provide the family with more support and to hold an inquiry.

His criticism came after the DJs broke their silence about the nurse's death.

Interviewed on Australian TV networks, the 2Day FM presenters said there had been a "tragic turn of events no-one could have predicted or expected".

Mr Christian and Ms Greig have spoken emotionally about the tragedy

Police in London have contacted their Australian counterparts with a view to interviewing the pair ahead of an inquest into Ms Saldanha's death.

In response to Mr Vaz's criticism the hospital said its chief executive John Lofthouse had spoken to the nurse's husband on Friday by phone and offered to meet him whenever he wanted.

Under Australian regulations, the permission of anyone on the receiving end of a radio prank must be sought before the call can be broadcast.

The hospital has denied that anyone within its senior management or media unit was contacted.

The radio station insists appropriate checks were conducted before the pre-recorded item was broadcast.

Ms Saldanha was originally from Mangalore in southwest India, according to reports which have named her children as daughter Lisha, 14, and son Junal, 16.

Scotland Yard said the post-mortem would be held at Westminster Mortuary and it was likely an inquest would be opened and adjourned at Westminster Coroner's Court later this week

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