Unite boss attacks Labour leadership
By Anonymous on Jul 05, 2013 03:24 am 5 July 2013 Last updated at 00:22 ET 
Mr McCluskey demanded an independent inquiry into the events in Falkirk
The leader of Labour's biggest union donor has said he has "no trust" in the party's handling of a growing row over the selection of a candidate in Falkirk.
Len McCluskey denied Unite tried to influence the choice by packing the local party with its members, saying an internal inquiry was a "disgrace".
His comments came after MP Tom Watson quit as Labour's election co-ordinator.
Mr Watson's office manager Karie Murphy was the union's preferred candidate.
In his resignation letter to Labour leader Ed Miliband, the West Bromwich East MP wrote it was better for the "future unity" of the party that he stood down.
In a letter to Labour's general secretary, Unite general secretary Mr McCluskey said the union had "nothing whatsoever to do" with the alleged attempt to sign 100 or more members to the constituency party and paying their subscriptions.
"The report has been used to smear Unite and its members," he said. "It is noteworthy that members of the shadow cabinet have been in the lead in initiating this attack."
He demanded an independent inquiry into the events in Falkirk be held.
Mr McCluskey said Labour's internal investigation was "simply a stitch-up" designed to "produce some evidence, however threadbare, to justify pre-determined decisions".
"The mishandling of this investigation has been a disgrace," he said.
"I, however, am obliged to uphold the integrity of Unite, and I can no longer do so on the basis of going along with the activities of a Labour party administration in which I can place no trust."
Membership rules Continue reading the main story "Start Quote
The Labour leader wanted Watson's ruthlessness, organisational skill and campaigning zeal to help him reach Number 10. Today, though, Miliband has had to accept Watson's resignation"
End Quote The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson said the row was the "most serious crisis" Mr Miliband has faced since becoming Labour leader.
It represents a wider battle over the future complexion and direction of the Labour Party and Mr Miliband was now trying to turn the row into something defining and positive, said our political editor.
Labour has suspended Karie Murphy and Falkirk party chairman Stephen Deans and taken direct control of selecting a candidate to contest the Westminster seat at the next general election in 2015.
In a statement, Labour said that there were allegations that Ms Murphy and Mr Deans may have been involved in a breach of Labour Party regulations relating to "potential abuse of membership rules".
It also closed down the scheme under which unions could sign up members to the Labour Party and pay the fees on their behalf.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "I am not going to have abuse of membership procedures and parliamentary selections in my party, and that is very clear, and I want to be clear about that to the leadership of Unite the Union in particular."
Angela Eagle, the shadow leader of the House of Commons, says the Labour party cannot have an uncritical relationship with the unions.
She told the BBC's Newsnight programme: "Being proud of our trade union links doesn't mean that we can tolerate what went on in Falkirk.
Mr Watson said he was standing down for the "future unity" of Labour
"What the leader of the Labour Party's been doing is demonstrating that we have to ensure that our parliamentary selections are fair and transparent, with integrity and we have to look after the Labour party's rules and the integrity of the Labour party rules."
Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said Mr Watson's resignation was a "clear vote of no confidence in Ed Miliband's weak leadership from the man he brought in to run his campaign. But this still doesn't change the fact that Len McCluskey's Unite union is taking over the Labour Party".
The Falkirk vacancy emerged when MP Eric Joyce was kicked out of the party after committing an assault in a House of Commons bar.
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Egypt army allows 'peaceful protest'
By Anonymous on Jul 05, 2013 03:07 am 4 July 2013 Last updated at 19:45 ET 
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Ben Brown in Cairo: "There are wild celebrations, a real carnival atmosphere among Morsi's opponents"
Egypt's army has said it will guarantee the right to peaceful protest ahead of the traditional day for major rallies.
Muslim Brotherhood supporters are expected to rally on Friday after the army deposed President Mohammed Morsi.
New interim leader Adly Mahmud Mansour, the top judge of Egypt's constitutional court, has pledged to hold elections based on "the genuine people's will".
Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Gehad el-Haddad said it refused to co-operate with the new regime.
Mr Morsi is in detention, as well as senior figures in the Brotherhood - the Islamist group of which the former president is a member. Hundreds more are being sought.
'Glorious revolution' At a news conference, Mr Haddad declared "our full refusal and revoking of the military coup" and demanded Mr Morsi's immediate release, along with the other detainees.
He declared the Brotherhood's "full denial of co-operation" with the new regime and said it would take part in all "peaceful, people-led protest".
In a statement on Facebook, the army command said it would not take "arbitrary measures against any faction or political current" and would guarantee the right to protest, as long as demonstrations did not threaten national security.
"Peaceful protest and freedom of expression are rights guaranteed to everyone, which Egyptians have earned as one of the most important gains of their glorious revolution," it said.
The upheaval in Egypt comes after days of mass rallies against Mr Morsi and the Brotherhood, who are accused of pursuing an Islamist agenda and failing to tackle Egypt's economic problems.
The army said that Mr Morsi, Egypt's first freely elected leader, had "failed to meet the demands of the people".
Arrest warrants Some 50 people have died since the latest unrest began on Sunday, with correspondents saying that there are continuing fears of confrontation between the pro- and anti-Morsi blocs.
Continue reading the main story Egypt's revolution - key events
- 11 February 2011 - Hosni Mubarak resigns as president after two weeks of massive street protests and violent clashes
- January 2012 - Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party wins parliamentary elections with almost half of the vote
- June 2012 - Mohammed Morsi becomes Egypt's first freely elected president
- 22 November 2012 - Mr Morsi issues a controversial decree granting himself extensive powers - after angry protests, he eventually rescinds most of it
- 3 July 2013 - The army suspends the constitution and removes Mr Morsi from power
A coalition of Islamist parties - the National Coalition in Support of Legitimacy - has called for mass demonstrations to denounce the army's actions following Friday prayers.
There have been reports that Morsi supporters in a town north of Cairo have been set upon and badly beaten - a sign of the potential for dangerous confrontation.
Among those being held are Mr Haddad's father, senior Morsi aide Essam el-Haddad, and Saad al-Katatni, head of the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice Party, which won Egypt's parliamentary elections in January 2012.
On Thursday afternoon unnamed officials said Mohammed Badie, supreme leader of the Brotherhood, had been arrested in Mersa Matruh, a Mediterranean coastal city to the west of Cairo.
Arrest warrants have reportedly been issued for some 300 other members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including Mr Badie's deputy, Khairat al-Shater.
Some of those held, including Mr Morsi, are being charged with "insulting the judiciary", and the public prosecutor's office told AFP news agency travel bans had been placed on 35 senior leaders.
The army's roadmap for the post-Morsi era includes:
- Suspension of the constitution
- A civilian, transitional technocratic government
- Supreme constitutional court to prepare for presidential and parliamentary elections
- A "charter of honour" to be drawn up and followed by national media
Mr Mansour took an oath to become interim head of state, vowing to safeguard "the spirit of the revolution" which had removed Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011.
He invited the Brotherhood "to participate in building the nation".
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Read in browser » MPs to vote on EU referendum bill
By Anonymous on Jul 04, 2013 09:22 pm 4 July 2013 Last updated at 21:22 ET 
MP James Wharton says it is time people had their say on Europe
The House of Commons will vote later on whether to hold an in-out referendum on UK membership of the European Union.
A bill proposed by Tory MP James Wharton is being backed by his party leadership, but is opposed by the Liberal Democrats.
Very few Labour and Lib Dem MPs are expected to attend the debate.
The private member's bill is expected to pass this first test easily but will face much stronger opposition later in its passage through Parliament.
Conservative MPs were invited to a barbecue at 10 Downing Street on Thursday evening, where Mr Wharton said he was "confident" the legislation would gain its second reading in the Commons.
He added that the bill had the "full support" of David Cameron and his ministers.
Future opposition The prime minister has promised that, if the Conservatives win an outright Commons majority at the next election, he will hold a referendum by the end of 2017.
This would follow a renegotiation of the UK's relationship with Brussels.
The pledge followed pressure from Tory backbench MPs and recent strong election and opinion poll showings from the UK Independence Party, which advocates withdrawal from the EU.
However, Lib Dem opposition has meant the referendum plans could not be turned into a government bill, which would give it more parliamentary time than a private member's bill.
Mr Wharton - the youngest Conservative in the Commons - agreed to propose the legislation after he came top in a ballot of MPs.
If the bill gains its second reading on Friday, it is likely to face stiffer opposition at the later committee and third reading stages.
The Labour and Lib Dem leaderships have suggested that their MPs should not attend the debate, which begins at about 09:30 BST.
Meanwhile, the CBI business leaders' organisation has warned that a "halfway house" Norwegian or Swiss-style relationship with the European Union would not be better than full membership for the UK.
Read in browser » Rural broadband roll-out criticised
By Anonymous on Jul 04, 2013 07:18 pm 4 July 2013 Last updated at 19:18 ET By Leo Kelion Technology reporter 
Auditors say the rural broadband project is not benefitting of strong competition
The government's roll-out of "superfast" broadband to rural areas is about two years behind its original schedule, an official audit has found.
The report said only nine of 44 rural areas will reach targets for high-speed internet by 2015, and four areas could also miss a revised 2017 target.
The National Audit Office also raised concerns that BT will be the only firm likely to win contracts.
It said the company will benefit from £1.2bn of public funds as a result.
"The rural broadband project is moving forward late and without the benefit of strong competition to protect public value," said auditor general, Amyas Morse.
"For this we will have to rely on [the Department for Culture Media and Sport's] active use of the controls it has negotiated and strong supervision by [the regulator] Ofcom."
Revised targets In 2011, then-culture secretary Jeremy Hunt announced that 90% of properties in every local authority area of the UK should have access to internet speeds above 24 megabits per second by May 2015.
To do this he pledged £530m of cash for rural broadband projects which would become available to councils if they also provided funds.
He said this would give the country the "best superfast broadband network in Europe".
However, the scheme was hit by delays, in part because it took longer than expected to get approval from the EU.
BT has won contracts to install fibre optic cables to carry superfast broadband
The NAO said once officials revised their projections, they found it was going to take 22 months longer than first envisaged for 40 of the areas to reach the goal.
Last week the Treasury revised its target, saying it now wanted 95% of UK properties to have access to superfast broadband by the end of 2017, effectively shifting the goal until after the next general election.
The NAO warned four areas - Highlands and Islands, Cumbria, Norfolk and Suffolk - may still miss this new deadline because the local authorities have failed to request sufficient funds.
However, the DCMS said that a pledge to invest an extra £250m means it will meet the goal.
But the NAO said that past experience suggests the "government is not strong at taking remedial action to guard against further slippage".
'Opaque data' The revelations prompted claims that DCMS does not have a "good enough grip" on its programme and that BT has been "cagey" about its costs.
"Opaque data and limited benchmarks for comparison means the department has no idea if BT is being reasonable or adding in big mark ups," said Labour MP Margaret Hodge, who is the chair of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee.
However, a spokesman for the DCMS said its efforts to deliver value-for-money were "strong and robust".
"We agree that effective enforcement of the contracts is important and are working with local authorities to ensure this," he said.
Faster speeds let users stream higher quality video and download documents more quickly
"As the NAO report makes clear, the project's funding model greatly reduced the cost and financial risk to the taxpayer."
BT also defends its record.
"There was strong competition when prices were set at the start of the process and that has ensured counties have benefited from the best possible terms," it said.
"Deploying fibre broadband is an expensive long-term business and so it was no surprise that others dropped out as the going got tough."
Drop outs Sixteen organisations had originally shown interest in competing for the rural broadband projects.
The NAO noted that "competition was envisaged to be a key value-for-money safeguard".
However, it said suppliers complained the bidding process was "difficult and complicated" and that the process favoured large companies with secure revenue streams.
By early 2013 only BT and Fujitsu were left in the running, and in March Fujitsu dropped out after it said various factors had made winning the work unattractive.
The audit highlighted that officials only scored BT's financial model eight out of 20 - the minimum pass rate.
It said it remains unclear how much of the firm's bids cover "contingency costs" - a safety-cushion to protect it against unexpected charges.
The NAO says BT is set to receive £1.2bn of public funds to carry out the broadband roll-out
It also raised concern that BT says 40% of its costs will be on staffing - a figure the NAO said is hard to verify.
The report revealed that there has already been one instance when BT was caught overcharging for management costs by £3m.
It also pointed out that BT's figures are based on the assumption that only 20% of properties will sign up to superfast broadband within seven years of it being enabled.
The study said this is lower than the figure suggested by both industry experts and international comparisons.
A claw-back rule is supposed to ensure that if uptake is higher the firm should share the extra profits with the public.
However, the NAO said government workers would have to scrutinise hundreds of thousands of invoices to make sure this happened, and that some councils have already said they might not have enough resources to do this.
Read in browser » Women bishops back on Synod agenda
By Anonymous on Jul 04, 2013 11:33 pm 4 July 2013 Last updated at 23:33 ET 
The vote on women bishops failed to pass the House of Laity in November last year
The Church of England's ruling General Synod meets later under intensifying pressure to solve the impasse blocking the introduction of women bishops.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has said he wants to see the measure passed as soon as possible.
But traditionalist Anglicans say new proposals offer fewer concessions than legislation they rejected in November.
The York meeting is also set to endorse an apology over the failure to prevent sexual abuse in the Chichester Diocese.
Women now make up about a third of the Church's priests and the measure before the Synod last year would have made it lawful for them to be consecrated to the office of bishop.
It passed in the Houses of Bishops and Clergy, but failed to gain the required two-thirds majority in the House of Laity.
The controversy has centred on the provisions for parishes opposed to women bishops to request supervision by a stand-in male bishop.
Lay members of the Synod narrowly blocked the vote because they were dissatisfied with the exemptions offered to the traditionalists.
The new proposals before the Synod meeting would require only a simple majority for the measure to to be adopted as draft legislation ahead of a possible vote in 2015.
The new Archbishop of Canterbury will make his first presidential address to the Synod
BBC News religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott says further angry division seems inevitable when the Synod debates the plan.
Woman priests believe their status as bishops should not be undermined by concessions to Anglicans who do not want to serve under them, our correspondent adds.
The Synod meeting will begin with the first presidential address by the Most Reverend Justin Welby, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in March.
The Synod says it will be an opportunity for him to outline the main challenges facing the Church of England.
The five-day meeting at the University of York is also expected to back an apology to victims of abuse by priests in the Chichester Diocese in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
An inquiry last August found what the Church has acknowledged was "individual wickedness on the part of abusers" and serious failures to protect children, or listen properly to the victims.
This motion before the Synod will ask members to endorse an apology by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and agree plans to take further legislative and non-legislative steps to improve policies and practices on safeguarding children.
The Synod is also likely to criticise government plans to change welfare which the church claims will harm families already struggling to make ends meet, and disproportionately affect the poorest children.
There will also be a vote on whether three Yorkshire dioceses will merge.
Read in browser » Bolivia 'could close' US embassy
By Anonymous on Jul 05, 2013 03:11 am 4 July 2013 Last updated at 13:56 ET 
Vice-President Alvaro Garcia (L) was at the La Paz airport to welcome Mr Morales (R)
Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca has called on those responsible for banning President Evo Morales's plane from European airspace on Tuesday to be punished.
He said the issue will be discussed later at a South American summit.
The plane was forced to land in Austria after several European nations refused transit through their airspace.
There were unfounded suspicions that fugitive American intelligence analyst Edward Snowden was on board.
"We feel hurt, offended and outraged. This is an aggression against democracy and the peaceful coexistence of nations," Mr Choquehuanca told BBC Mundo.
Mr Morales was returning from a visit to Moscow in the presidential jet.
Mr Snowden is believed to be holed up at the transit area of the airport - and to have been there since he fled Hong Kong.
France has apologised for the incident, blaming it on "conflicting information".
French President Francois Hollande said he granted permission as soon as he knew it was Mr Morales' plane.
Mr Choquehuanca said the the incident in European airspace endangered the president's life
"Statements are not enough. We expect those responsible for these unacceptable, offensive and abusive actions to be identified and punished," said Mr Choquehuanca.
A meeting of the Unasur regional groups is due to take place in the Bolivian city of Cochabamba later on Thursday.
Mr Morales will be joined by the presidents of Argentina, Uruguay, Ecuador, Venezuela, Suriname and representatives of other South American countries.
'Neo-colonial attitude' Mr Choquehuanca described the incident as an act of aggression by European countries which exhibited what he called neo-colonial attitudes.
"There was a violation of international treaties and the Vienna Convention, as well as of our president's human rights."
"European countries must explain why they continue with a neo-colonial attitude in the 21st Century," Mr Choquehuanca told the BBC.
The episode sparked angry reactions from heads of state across Latin America.
- Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner referred to "not only the humiliation of a sister country, but of the South American continent".
- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro said on Twitter: "I reaffirm all our solidarity with Evo [Morales] and from Venezuela, with dignity, we will respond to this dangerous, disproportionate, and unacceptable aggression."
- Ecuador's President Rafael Correa tweeted: "We express our solidarity with Evo [Morales] and the brave Bolivian people."
- A statement by Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff said: "The embarrassment to President Morales hits not only Bolivia, but all of Latin America."
Demonstrators marched on the French embassy in La Paz, burning the French flag and demanding the expulsion of the ambassador to Bolivia.
Austrian officials said the airport authorities had searched the plane, but with Mr Morales' permission.
But the Bolivian government denied any search had taken place.
The plane took off from Vienna on Wednesday morning and it arrived back in La Paz on Wednesday night.
President Morales was received at the airport by a huge crowd.
"I feel they have begun provocative action against our continent. But we will never be intimidated. They will not scare us," Mr Morales said in a speech at the airport.
Security analyst Edward Snowden has requested asylum to many countries.
Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca confirmed that Bolivia is considering a request from Mr Snowden.
"We are analysing this. But US intelligence is failing. They probably believe he is now on Bolivian territory," said Mr Choquehuanca.
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