Police were warned about gunman Raoul Moat
Police have confirmed they were warned that suspected gunman Raoul Moat might be planning to harm his ex-partner Samantha Stobbart the day before he allegedly shot her and her new boyfriend. Northumbria Police temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim said the warning came from Durham Prison where Moat was held until Thursday and the case had been referred to the independent police watchdog. On Friday Durham Prison passed on the warning and on Saturday Moat allegedly shot Ms Stobbart then killed her boyfriend Chris Brown and went on the run, the next day allegedly shooting Pc David Rathband.(ITN)
Clegg bid to change votes and seats
Sweeping reforms to parliamentary constituencies will be introduced alongside moves to change the voting system, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced. The Government's proposed boundary review, equalising the size of all but two constituencies, would be in place in time for its planned 2015 general election, he said. Mr Clegg also confirmed that a referendum on replacing first-past-the-post Westminster elections with the Alternative Vote (AV) will be held on May 5 next year.(press association)
Anger after 900 computer jobs axed
Union leaders have condemned news of almost 1,000 job losses at a leading computer firm, warning it undermines the Government's view that private firms will lead the UK out of recession. Unite warned the 934 job losses at US giant Hewlett Packard (HP) could be followed by a further 1,000 cuts next year. The union said the announcement showed that the jobs designed to replace those lost in manufacturing were now being lost or off-shored. National officer Peter Skyte said: "This is a further cull by HP of its skilled and experienced UK workforce, and follows nearly 4,000 jobs being cut over the past two years since the takeover of EDS by HP. "This will create further insecurity and uncertainty in HP with the threat of yet more redundancies to come, and undermines the coalition Government view that the private sector will fuel job growth out of the economic recession.(press association)
Lottery winner keeps on caravanning
A National Lottery millionaire has said he intends to keep caravanning despite hitting the jackpot. Wally Jinks, 51, shared £2,033,705 with his friend Alan Stringer, 50, after the pair matched all six numbers in a Lotto Rollover. But the friends, who have known each other for 17 years, were unaware they had won the top prize for 11 days because Mr Jinks and his wife were on holiday on Jersey at the time. They only checked their numbers five days after they returned home. The friends, who are from Edenthorpe, Doncaster, said they are waiting for their win to sink in before making any major plans. Mr Jinks said his main aim was to continue his routine of holidaying on the Yorkshire coast.(press association)
Electoral reform referendum planned for May 2011
Britain plans to hold a referendum on May 5, 2011, to decide on a switch to the Alternative Vote system for parliamentary elections, ditching its first-past-the-post model, the government said on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also announced plans to cut the number of MPs to 600 from 650 and equalise the size of constituencies from which MPs are drawn. Clegg said the cut in the size of parliament would save 12 million pounds per year and bring what he said was a bloated legislature down to size. All the changes, if approved, would be in place in time for the next planned parliamentary election in 2015 to be held under the new system. However, the changes could expose divisions in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government that took office in May, ending 13 years of Labour rule.(reuters)
Stars hail BBC 6 Music's reprieve
Campaigners and presenters including Jarvis Cocker have hailed their victory after BBC radio station 6 Music was saved from the axe. The digital service had been earmarked for closure by director general Mark Thompson but the BBC Trust rejected the proposal saying "a convincing case" had not been made for the shut-down. However the Asian Network, another under-threat service, appeared doomed when the Trust declared there was a "case for closure". Plans to do away with 6 Music - which has more than a million listeners - were part of the BBC's strategic review which proposed a slimming of services, including a 25% budget cut for the corporation's online activities.(press association)
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Police have confirmed they were warned that suspected gunman Raoul Moat might be planning to harm his ex-partner Samantha Stobbart the day before he allegedly shot her and her new boyfriend. Northumbria Police temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim said the warning came from Durham Prison where Moat was held until Thursday and the case had been referred to the independent police watchdog. On Friday Durham Prison passed on the warning and on Saturday Moat allegedly shot Ms Stobbart then killed her boyfriend Chris Brown and went on the run, the next day allegedly shooting Pc David Rathband.(ITN)
Clegg bid to change votes and seats
Sweeping reforms to parliamentary constituencies will be introduced alongside moves to change the voting system, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced. The Government's proposed boundary review, equalising the size of all but two constituencies, would be in place in time for its planned 2015 general election, he said. Mr Clegg also confirmed that a referendum on replacing first-past-the-post Westminster elections with the Alternative Vote (AV) will be held on May 5 next year.(press association)
Anger after 900 computer jobs axed
Union leaders have condemned news of almost 1,000 job losses at a leading computer firm, warning it undermines the Government's view that private firms will lead the UK out of recession. Unite warned the 934 job losses at US giant Hewlett Packard (HP) could be followed by a further 1,000 cuts next year. The union said the announcement showed that the jobs designed to replace those lost in manufacturing were now being lost or off-shored. National officer Peter Skyte said: "This is a further cull by HP of its skilled and experienced UK workforce, and follows nearly 4,000 jobs being cut over the past two years since the takeover of EDS by HP. "This will create further insecurity and uncertainty in HP with the threat of yet more redundancies to come, and undermines the coalition Government view that the private sector will fuel job growth out of the economic recession.(press association)
Lottery winner keeps on caravanning
A National Lottery millionaire has said he intends to keep caravanning despite hitting the jackpot. Wally Jinks, 51, shared £2,033,705 with his friend Alan Stringer, 50, after the pair matched all six numbers in a Lotto Rollover. But the friends, who have known each other for 17 years, were unaware they had won the top prize for 11 days because Mr Jinks and his wife were on holiday on Jersey at the time. They only checked their numbers five days after they returned home. The friends, who are from Edenthorpe, Doncaster, said they are waiting for their win to sink in before making any major plans. Mr Jinks said his main aim was to continue his routine of holidaying on the Yorkshire coast.(press association)
Electoral reform referendum planned for May 2011
Britain plans to hold a referendum on May 5, 2011, to decide on a switch to the Alternative Vote system for parliamentary elections, ditching its first-past-the-post model, the government said on Monday. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also announced plans to cut the number of MPs to 600 from 650 and equalise the size of constituencies from which MPs are drawn. Clegg said the cut in the size of parliament would save 12 million pounds per year and bring what he said was a bloated legislature down to size. All the changes, if approved, would be in place in time for the next planned parliamentary election in 2015 to be held under the new system. However, the changes could expose divisions in the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government that took office in May, ending 13 years of Labour rule.(reuters)
Stars hail BBC 6 Music's reprieve
Campaigners and presenters including Jarvis Cocker have hailed their victory after BBC radio station 6 Music was saved from the axe. The digital service had been earmarked for closure by director general Mark Thompson but the BBC Trust rejected the proposal saying "a convincing case" had not been made for the shut-down. However the Asian Network, another under-threat service, appeared doomed when the Trust declared there was a "case for closure". Plans to do away with 6 Music - which has more than a million listeners - were part of the BBC's strategic review which proposed a slimming of services, including a 25% budget cut for the corporation's online activities.(press association)
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