B&Q Boss Warns Over Prices If Scots Vote Yes

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The boss of Britain's biggest DIY retail group has warned that Scottish consumers could face higher prices than their counterparts south of the border if voters back independence in next week's referendum.

Sir Ian Cheshire, who was among hundreds of business leaders urged by David Cameron on Monday to speak out in favour of the union, told Sky News that a 'Yes' vote would almost certainly mean increased costs for a standalone Scottish business that would be passed on to customers.

Sir Ian has previously warned of an investment hiatus in Scotland, where Kingfisher employs approximately 5,500 people at its B&Q division.

"We think there is a real risk in terms of higher costs, the uncertainty about a currency union and the difficulty of making investment decisions," he said on Tuesday.

"Smaller, more complex markets often mean passing higher costs on to consumers.

"Investment decisions would be on pause while we work out what's likely to happen.

"We are not going to pick up stores and move them south of the border but [a 'Yes' vote] would represent real and significant challenge for our business."

Sir Ian's comments about potentially higher prices echo private warnings by some of the big supermarket groups, although retailers have generally been unwilling to make such comments publicly.

Sir Ian is expected to make more detailed remarks on the issue alongside Kingfisher's interim results on Wednesday.

A number of other prominent executives are also expected to speak out on the issue in the coming days as they respond to the Prime Minister's plea to give public backing to a No vote.

The latest opinion polls indicate that the two campaigns are neck and neck, defying the forecasts of those who had predicted an overwhelming win for the No lobby as recently as a few weeks ago.

Concerns about the potential impact of a Yes vote prompted uncertainty in financial markets on Monday, with sterling falling to its lowest level against the dollar for ten months, and companies with significant Scottish exposure experiencing falls in their share prices.

At Monday's Downing Street gathering, Mr Cameron said that preserving the union was an objective in which business leaders had a critical role to play, adding that it was as a United Kingdom that Britain had fought and defeated Hitler.

Some campaigners believe that a recent pro-Union letter signed by more than 130 businesspeople was counterproductive, although further such messages are planned for the No campaign during the next week.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Flight MH17 Downed By 'High-Energy Objects'

Crash investigators say flight MH17 was probably downed by "a large number of high-energy objects".

An initial report by the Dutch Safety Board, which is leading the investigation into the July 17 disaster, found it likely the Malaysia Airlines plane broke up in the air as a result of "structural damage", caused by the items which "penetrated the aircraft from outside".

The fuselage of the passenger plane had numerous puncture holes

Available images showed pieces of the aircraft fuselage were pierced in numerous places, while the pattern of wreckage on the ground, scattered over a large area, indicated it had broken up in-flight.

This would also explain the abrupt end to the recording of flight data on the plane's black boxes, the loss of contact with air traffic control, and the plane's disappearance from radar.

The report said: "There are no indications that the MH17 crash was caused by a technical fault or by actions of the crew."

Wreckage was scattered over a large area indicating it broke up in-flight

All 298 passengers and crew on board the plane were killed when the aircraft, which was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur over an area in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

The rebels in Ukraine have publicly denied responsibility for shooting down the aircraft.

But the preliminary findings are consistent with the claims it had been hit by a ground-to-air missile.

Newcastle fans Liam Sweeney and John Alder were among the victims

Tjibbe Joustra, chairman of the Dutch Safety Board, said: "The MH17 crash has shocked the world and raised many questions.

"The Dutch Safety Board wishes to determine the cause of the crash, for the sake of the loved ones of the victims and for society at large.

"The initial results of the investigation point towards an external cause of the MH17 crash.

"More research will be necessary to determine the cause with greater precision.

A memorial in Kuala Lumpur to the victims of both MH17 and MH370

"The Safety Board believes that additional evidence will become available for investigation in the period ahead."

The body aims to publish its final report into the crash by next July.

Only 193 of those on board the Malaysia Airlines jet have been positively identified, including Newcastle United fans Liam Sweeney, 28, and John Alder, 63, who were travelling to New Zealand to watch their team play.

Forensic teams are still trying to identify remains found in the wreckage of the aircraft.

Most of those on board were Dutch, but there were also people from Malaysia, Canada, Germany, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Philippines and the UK.

The crash occurred just months after the still-unexplained disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM To Miss PMQs In Scotland Campaign Panic

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg will miss Prime Minister's Questions so they can travel to Scotland to campaign for the union.

The unprecedented move follows a number of polls indicating Scottish voters could vote to leave the UK in the September 18 referendum.

In a joint statement from Mr Cameron, his deputy and the Labour leader, they say: "There is a lot that divides us - but there's one thing on which we agree passionately: the United Kingdom is better together.

"That's why all of us are agreed the right place for us to be tomorrow is in Scotland, not at Prime Minister's Questions in Westminster.

"We want to be listening and talking to voters about the huge choice they face.

"Our message to the Scottish people will be simple: 'We want you to stay.'"

More follows...

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scotland Yes Vote 'Forever', Warns Darling

Business Leaders Sucked Into Independence Row

Updated: 8:00am UK, Monday 08 September 2014

By Ian King, Business Presenter

Business people hate getting involved in politics, as a rule.

There is little upside to getting involved in political spats, particularly for those running consumer-facing businesses, as such interventions often risk alienating customers.

Shareholders do not like to see chief executives of the companies in which they are invested getting involved in politics, either, as it is a distraction from making them money.

Like it or not, though, business leaders have been sucked into the debate over Scottish independence ahead of the referendum.

Both sides have rolled out some big names, too, with the 'Yes Scotland' campaign's supporters including Sir Brian Souter, the Stagecoach founder, Ralph Topping, until recently the chief executive of William Hill, and Sir George Mathewson, the former chairman of Royal Bank of Scotland.

Sir George, a long-time supporter of Scottish independence, told Sky News there were plenty of benefits for the Scottish economy in the event of a 'Yes' vote.

"It would mean the Scottish government was responsible for both sides of the balance sheet - for the income and the expenditure," he said.

"I think we can better use the revenues we have - Scottish GDP is about the same per head as the UK as a whole, and that's not counting the oil.

"I think we can make much better use of the oil revenues than historically by the UK, and we can do things to tailor the assets we have rather than the UK government as a whole will do, but I also like to think the social aspirations of Scotland will be better catered for in an independent Scotland.

"We will no longer have to go cap in hand to the UK government if we have different plans for education and health."

The Better Together campaign also has some big Scottish business names backing it. They include Douglas Flint, the chairman of HSBC, Andrew Mackenzie, chief executive of BHP Billiton - the world's biggest mining company - and Keith Cochrane, chief executive of Weir Group, the £5.6bn pump and mining equipment maker.

Mr Cochrane, who recently helped co-ordinate a letter of business leaders urging Scots to support remaining in the UK, said he was worried about the uncertainty that a 'Yes' vote would create, particularly over the currency that an independent Scotland would use.

But he said his main reason for voting 'no' was that businesses would do better from remaining in the United Kingdom.

He told Sky News: "I will vote no because I think we can have the best of both worlds. A strong Scottish Parliament, focused on the domestic agenda, but, as part of the UK, we can benefit from being a part of a domestic market of 63 million - the skill, the ability to manage risk far more effectively than as an independent Scotland."

The key issue facing every voter in the Scottish referendum is whether Scotland's economy will be stronger, and more jobs created, in the event of independence.

Few people are better placed to speak out on this subject than business people and wealth creators. It is good that they are doing so.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pound Falls Over Scotland Referendum Fears

Sterling has fallen to a 10-month low against the dollar amid a sell-off of Scotland-linked companies, after a weekend poll showed a potential surge for independence.

The markets reacted with widespread negative sentiment over rising uncertainty about the United Kingdom's economic stability.

The pound was trading down almost 1% against the US dollar in early trades.

A broad range of companies with major interests in Scotland also saw their share prices fall on Monday morning.

Weir Group saw its shares drop 2.46%, SSE fell 2.05% and defence contractors Babcock and BAE Systems slid 2.43% and 1.75%, respectively.

The Royal Bank of Scotland dropped 2.01% and Lloyds Banking Group was down 2.36%.

Many leading pension funds have significant exposure to the banks and big companies affected by the sell-off.

Forex.com research director Kathleen Brooks told Sky News: "An independent Scotland would potentially have to start a currency from scratch, which is a hard thing to do.

"Obviously a new currency was formed with the euro, but that was decades in the making - and Scotland doesn't have the time so it would be a real uphill struggle."

The sell-off follows a YouGov poll in the Sunday Times which indicated that 51% of Scots supported independence while 49% backed the current Union.

It was the first time polls suggested there could be a 'Yes' vote for independence in the referendum on September 18.

On Sunday, Chancellor George Osborne sought to head off the surge of support for an independent Scotland by promising more powers north of the border, including control over taxation, job creation and welfare spending.

"The markets took for granted for so long that it was going to be a 'No' vote and as the polls narrow there has been a huge change in sentiment," Ms Brooks added.

"If there is a 'Yes' vote in 10 days' time things are going to get very ugly in the markets, not just for the pound, but for stocks and potentially raise our borrowing costs in the UK without Scotland."

And on Monday, party leaders began a final push to sway undecided voters as Alistair Darling, leader of the Better Together campaign, warned a Yes vote "would be forever". 

The Scottish Government, based on expert advice it has received, has said that Scotland should continue to use the pound as part of a currency union with the rest of the UK.

As a fully tradeable currency Scotland cannot be stopped from using sterling.

In arguing its case, the 'Yes' campaign said: "A formal currency union would provide the right balance of autonomy for government and stability for business, as well as straightforward access to markets in the remainder of the UK."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Duchess Of Cambridge To Have Second Baby

The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second baby, Kensington Palace has announced.

Prince William and Kate said they were "very pleased to announce" that they are expecting their second child.

It comes a year and two months after she gave birth to Prince George at St Mary's Hospital in London.

The Duchess pictured during one of her most recent engagements in August

Sky's Royal Correspondent Paul Harris says he has been told by Kensington Palace that the Duchess is not yet 12 weeks into her pregnancy.

The palace said the Queen and members of both William and Kate's families are "delighted" with the news.

Kate is apparently suffering from severe morning sickness, as she did with her first pregnancy.

Doctors are understood to be treating her at Kensington Palace, where she has an apartment with Prince William.

The palace said she will not be joining her husband on a planned engagement in Oxford on Monday.

A statement from the palace said: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child.

"The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.

"As with her first pregnancy, The Duchess is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum."

When Kate suffered from the condition during her last pregnancy, she had to be admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

Kate attends a WWI event in Belgium in August with the country's Royals

Her admission to hospital at the time brought forward the announcement that she was pregnant.

Although she had not reached the 12-week mark - when it is most typical to make a pregnancy public - palace officials are understood to have realised they would be unable to conceal her condition.

The couple's second child will become fourth in line to the throne, moving Prince Harry to fifth in the line of succession.

Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement moments after the announcement saying: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby."

Prince Harry was the last 'second heir' born to Charles and Diana in 1984

Labour leader Ed Miliband said on Twitter: "Fantastic to hear that Prince George will soon be a big brother! Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their happy news."

Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond also tweeted his congratulations, referring to the royal couple by their Scottish titles.

He said: "Congratulations & best wishes to the Earl & Countess of Strathearn. Wonderful to hear they're expecting their second baby - very happy news!"

Kensington Palace said the attendance by the Duchess of at future engagements, including a forthcoming solo trip to Malta, would be decided on a "case by case" basis.

She had been due to appear on Monday night at the Invictus Games, which are supported by her brother-in-law Prince Harry.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Missing Teenager Alice Gross: Man Arrested

Police hunting for missing 14-year-old Alice Gross have arrested a man on suspicion of murder.

The 25-year-old suspect was arrested in the Ealing area at around 5pm on Saturday and is currently in custody at a west London police station.

His arrest follows information detectives received earlier in the day.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "All lines of enquiry are still open at this time and this remains a missing person investigation at this stage."

Alice was spotted on CCTV before she vanished

Police, including a police diver, were seen carrying out a search of a section of the Grand Union Canal in Brentford on Sunday morning.

Alice, who suffers from anorexia, disappeared from her home in Hanwell, west London, on Thursday, August 28.

She left her home at around 1pm and was captured on CCTV an hour later on the canal towpath near Brentford Lock, walking towards the River Thames.

She was later filmed again at 3.45pm along the towpath heading back to her home.

Newly released CCTV images of cyclists spotted in the area

The footage showed her wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and denim blue Vans shoes. She may also have had tartan-framed glasses.

Earlier, the Met Police released new pictures of cyclists riding past the spot where Alice was last spotted, shortly before her disappearance.

The grainy footage show three cyclists riding along the towpath by the Trumpers Way Canal Bridge in Hanwell, moments before Alice walks past at 4.23pm.

They are followed by two more cyclists who pass under the bridge on the Grand Union Canal.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "I would urge everyone to take a good look at the pictures released today to see if it jogs any memories of the day Alice went missing."

A social media campaign was launched after the 14-year-old went missing

A large social media campaign has been under way since the teenager went missing and hundreds of posters have been distributed around the area.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss appealed to her daughter directly on the Facebook page Find Alice Gross, saying: "Alice if you can see this, please know sweetheart that all of us love you and miss you desperately.

"You may be sad, you may be angry, you may be hurt, you may be scared too. I just want to hug and hold you. Know that we love you and are there for you whatever you are going through.

"My love please get in touch and let someone know you are safe. Alice please come home. Mum."

Alice is described as white, 5ft 2ins tall and of slim build, with shoulder-length light brown hair.

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8358 0100, Ealing Missing Persons Unit on 020 8246 1018 or the charity Missing People on 116 000.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Scots Yes Camp Not Complacent Over Poll Lead

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says a poll indicating the Yes campaign has taken the lead for the first time ahead of the independence referendum is encouraging, but insisted there was "not a hint of complacency".

And Chancellor George Osborne said the YouGov survey commissioned by The Sunday Times which suggests the Yes campaign now leads by 51% to 49%, should galvanise those that wanted to keep the union.

The poll means the Yes campaign has overturned a 22-point lead for the Better Together campaign within the past month.

The results are evidence of a dramatic surge for the Yes campaign

The lead is the first for the independence camp registered by YouGov - or by any polling company - since regular polling began in the run-up to the vote.

Responding to the poll, Ms Sturgeon told Sky News: "It's a very encouraging poll and it reflects what we are finding on the ground in the campaign across the country."

But she added: "We have got a lot of work still to do. There's not a hint of complacency in the Yes campaign."

She said the offer of more powers for Holyrood in the event of a No vote, was a "panic move" by those against independence.

Opposing supporters carry banners in East Kilbride

Meanwhile, Mr Osborne said an action plan would be unveiled in the next few days to give more powers to Scotland if it remained part of the UK.

The Chancellor said it was "clear" Scotland wanted more autonomy and the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats had agreed to "deliver" on that.

"You will see in the next few days a plan of action to give more powers to Scotland. More tax powers, more spending powers, more plans for powers over the welfare state," he said.

And Mr Osborne repeated the warning that an independent Scotland would not be able to share the pound.

"No ifs, no buts. We will not share the pound if Scotland separates from the rest of the UK," he said.

Better Together leader Alistair Darling said: "The polls may conflict, but the message I take from them is clear.

The YouGov poll was commissioned by the Sunday Times

"If you want Scotland to remain part of the UK family you have to vote for it on 18 September.

"Separation is forever. These polls can and must now serve as a wake-up call to anyone who thought the referendum result was a foregone conclusion."

The results came as Gordon Brown made another appeal for a successful No vote.

In an interview for Sunday's Murnaghan programme on Sky News, starting at 10am, the former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "I think it's about two visions of Scotland's future, different from the future that might have been predicted a few years ago.

"The first is obviously the nationalists, who want to break entirely with the United Kingdom and break all connections.

"The second is what I would call the patriotic vision of Scotland's future, my vision.

"I want a Scottish Parliament, I want stronger powers, and therefore I want change to make it stronger, but I also want to share our resources with the rest of the United Kingdom."

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ukraine Ceasefire Threatened By New Fighting

Residents Fearful Amid Fragile Ukraine Truce

Updated: 12:15pm UK, Sunday 07 September 2014

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent, in Mariupol

On the outskirts of Mariupol you could see the remains of Ukrainian artillery still smouldering.

We saw them recovering another piece that had been abandoned in a field.

In the middle of the main road, east outside the city, there is a Ukrainian army tank.

It has ended up disabled in what were meant to be its own side's defences - a tank trap incongruously painted with anti-war slogans and doves of peace.

The force of the impact had flung the barrel right round and destroyed part of a huge concrete block.

On one side of the tank the crew had written "Glory" and "Death to the enemies!" On the other it said "To Moscow!"

Further up the road we found the new rebel front line - they've advanced about 15 kilometres west in three days.

They turned us around and told us to leave.

We saw a T-80 battle tank dug in to the corner of the field behind them.

The pro-Russian rebels are now just a few hundred metres outside the village of Shyrokyne.

We found Ukrainian positions above the village unmanned, the hills leading up to them pockmarked with the impact of artillery fire.

One shell had landed just outside a church - its windows were shattered by shrapnel.

Another had hit a house nearby.

Tamara Spitsa, a retired music teacher, told Sky News she had never imagined this could happen in her village.

"We were hiding in the bathroom with my husband when they started shooting, very loud explosions, shrapnel like this hit my house and broke the roof."

Another man, who gave his name as Andrei, said there was no electricity in the village now.

"Scared is not the right word," he said of his feelings during the shelling.

"[President] Poroshenko should sit right here in the cellar with Litsenko [the Ukrainian Security Council spokesman] - they should be right here and then ask them if they're scared or not?

"Everyone was hiding in their cellars."

In the next village a mortar landed in front of the school, showering the canteen with fragments.

The force sliced branches off trees in the playground.

A woman was killed nearby by a mortar outside her house. She had worked selling vegetables in the market.

Her neighbour, Viktor, blamed the Ukrainian side for firing from outside their village.

"Two Grad rockets came this way," he said, "They started shooting on the rebels' positions on the outskirts.

"As a result they started answering and here is the result - we have people who are dead and injured."

We saw them digging fresh graves in the village cemetery - they want to lay the dead to rest while the ceasefire lasts.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Chief Warns Cuts Raise Risk Of Terror

Police Asking Victims To 'Investigate Own Crimes'

Updated: 2:49pm UK, Thursday 04 September 2014

Hard-pressed police forces are "encouraging" victims of high-volume crimes to carry out their own investigations, a policing watchdog has warned.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) said the "emerging trend" was identified in an investigation into 43 forces in England and Wales.

In a report summarising its findings, HMIC said its inspectors had witnessed call-handlers asking victims of offences like vehicle crime and "burglaries of properties other than dwellings" to assess the likelihood of the crime being solved.

It said some forces asked victims whether there was any CCTV footage of the area, any potential fingerprint evidence and whether the victim knew if there were any witnesses to the crime. 

In some cases victims were asked to interview their neighbours and to search for their property on second-hand sales websites.

"HMIC finds this expectation by these forces that the victim should investigate his own crime both surprising and a matter of material concern," the report said.

"The police have been given powers and resources to investigate crime by the public, and there should be no expectation on the part of it."

Teacher Louise Kimpton told Sky News she was surprised by the response when she called police after her car was stolen from outside her home near Rochdale in July.

"The police came round and they explained that unfortunately they only had very few officers on the beat in the area so it was highly unlikely they'd find the car" she said.

"They said they would try their best but obviously if we could look round as well that would help.

"My husband and his friend drove around and eventually they found the car."

She said they contacted police and within days received a letter saying that their case was closed.

Inspector of Constabulary Roger Baker, who led the inspection, said overall police forces have "done a good job in tackling crime and anti-social behaviour".

However he said the emerging trend suggested many officers have essentially "given up" on investigating high-volume crimes.

"It's more a mindset, that we no longer deal with these things," he said.

"Effectively what's happened is a number of crimes are on the verge of being decriminalised.

"So it's not the fault of the individual staff, it's a mindset thing that's crept in to policing to say 'we've almost given up'."

The report, named 'Core Business: an inspection into crime prevention, police attendance and the use of police time,' investigated a number of aspects of modern policing, including response to calls, quality of investigation and the use of technology.

Among its findings, HMIC said some forces were losing track of suspects and wanted persons as their systems for actively pursuing them were not up to scratch.

It also identified a policing "postcode lottery", saying attendance rates at crime scenes varied widely between police forces.

In the year to November 30, 2013, for example, 100% of crimes in Cleveland were attended by a police officer. In Warkwickshire, however, that figure stood at just 39%.

18.25 | 0 komentar | Read More