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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