Call to build homes on open land

28 November 2012 Last updated at 01:23 GMT Increasing the amount of developed land by a third would address the housing shortage, according to Planning Minister Nick Boles.

He told BBC Newsnight building on another 2-3% of the land in England - bringing the total to about 12% - would "solve the housing problem."

Mr Boles said open land would be built on in exchange for commitments to defend greenbelt spaces.

He called for "beautiful" housing that was sensitive to its local area.

In his first interview about his portfolio since he entered government, Mr Boles has reopened the debate over how much more housing Britain needs and where.

Describing current housebuilding as "ugly rubbish", he argued that improved design might persuade local communities currently opposed to more development to support further building.

"The built environment can be more beautiful than nature and we shouldn't obsess about the fact that the only landscapes that are beautiful are open - sometimes buildings are better," he said.

To this end, the minister says that new housing will not be on the greenbelt, but he does say that open land will be targeted.

There's a right to a home with a little bit of ground around it to bring your family up in”

End Quote Nick Boles Planning Minister

"We're going to protect the greenbelt but if people want to have housing for their kids they have to accept we need to build more on some open land.

"In the UK and England at the moment we've got about 9% of land developed. All we need to do is build on another 2-3% of land and we'll have solved a housing problem."

Mr Boles also told Newsnight that having a house with a garden was a "basic moral right, like healthcare and education".

"There's a right to a home with a little bit of ground around it to bring your family up in," he said.

Controversial proposals

After a battle over planning reform, in the spring the government and a range of opponents appeared to reach a truce. Now Mr Boles has set out what the government's proposals will entail.

He was made planning minister by David Cameron in the September reshuffle and is a well-known proponent of liberalising planning regulations in Britain.

Before his appointment, in a speech to Tory colleagues, he had described opponents of the government's planning reforms as "scaremongering Luddites".

But his plans will be controversial with his Conservative colleagues.

In recent weeks, Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi has reacted angrily to the adjudication by Secretary of State for Communities Eric Pickles, who oversees planning, to give the go-ahead to a greenfield development on the edge of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Persuasion

There was also local unhappiness in Winchester when Mr Pickles approved a development at Barton Farm.

"It's my job to make the arguments to these people that if they carry on writing letters, their kids are never going to get a place with a garden to bring up their grandkids," said Mr Boles.

"I accept we haven't been able to persuade them. I think it would be easier if we could persuade them that the new development would be beautiful."

Talking about the historic town of Stamford, situated in his own Lincolnshire constituency, he said: "Local tradespeople... decided they wanted to build nice places to live.

"We've somehow forgotten to do that, which is why people object to us building on open farm and land - they build ugly rubbish. If we remember to build places like Stamford, people won't mind us building in fields."

Watch Newsnight's Allegra Stratton's report on Wednesday, 28 November, 2012 at 22:30 GMT on BBC Two or watch afterwards on BBC iPlayer.

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By-elections, safe seats and the rain

28 November 2012 Last updated at 04:29 GMT By Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News The expenses-related departure of MP Denis MacShane triggered the contest in Rotherham It was a beautifully simple plan - breakfast in Croydon North, lunch in Rotherham and dinner in Middlesbrough. Thursday's three by-election venues in one day. A snapshot of the political mood of the nation. What could possibly go wrong?

It was somewhere between Retford and Doncaster when it began to dawn on me that this was not going to work.

The train had been standing still for about 20 minutes.

The guard was moving through the carriages telling people the hold-up was due to flooding on the line ahead.

They were probably just being cautious. It wasn't even raining very hard.

How bad was this flooding exactly?

"They're sending divers down to check the points."

Oh.

Political earthquake

The day had started promisingly enough with a trip to Croydon North, fighting against the tide of commuters heading into central London, as the sun poked gingerly through the rain clouds.

Continue reading the main story

I will be really surprised if Labour don't have their majority slashed, because you have got some good candidates”

End Quote Croydon North Tory activist Richard Hough Labour are defending a 16,000 majority here, in a contest triggered by the untimely death of former defence minister Malcolm Wicks.

The safest of the three safe Labour seats going to the polls on Thursday, it would take a political earthquake of some magnitude for the party to lose.

But it has turned out to be an intriguing contest.

Lee Jasper, Ken Livingstone's former right-hand man, has reportedly made an impact at hustings as the Respect candidate, and his odds of springing a Bradford West-style upset were slashed at the bookmakers after he was joined on the campaign trail by George Galloway.

The Conservative candidate, Andy Stranack, who has cerebral palsy, gave up his career to be a community activist on a tough estate and is making the most of his local credentials, in an area which despite its somewhat anonymous appearance, has a strong sense of community.

"I will be really surprised if Labour don't have their majority slashed, because you have got some good candidates," says Richard Hough, a local garage owner and Tory activist.

Mr Hough kept up an entertaining commentary on the merits of the different contenders, in between fielding work calls on his mobile ("Ello Geez, what time are you going to be there?").

Croydon North is home to Crystal Palace FC

Labour candidate Stephen Reed, leader of neighbouring Lambeth Council, gained national coverage for his attempts to involve local people in the running of services and is talked of in some circles as frontbench material.

"A career politician," reckons Mr Hough, "too slick".

But Anthony Shortt, owner of the nearby Clocktower cafe, was impressed by the Labour man, who took the time to chat to him about how his business was going: "He was well-dressed, well-presented."

UKIP is also a noisy presence in this South London constituency, which is home to Crystal Palace football club.

The party's advertising van was touring the streets on Monday morning, but its traditional megaphone and rosette approach to campaigning was cutting no ice with Brenda Coop, treasurer of a local church.

"I'm planning to vote Lib Dem, because of their policies on Europe. I certainly won't be voting UKIP."

On my way back to Norwood Junction station I bumped into Gerard Batten, UKIP MEP for London.

Shouldn't he be in Rotherham?

Mr Batten's party leader, Nigel Farage, has ordered all hands to the South Yorkshire constituency, to capitalise on the media storm over a local couple who have had their foster children removed by the Labour council because they are UKIP members. The party senses an opportunity to make a long awaited breakthrough into the House of Commons.

"I would be in Rotherham if it wasn't for the fact that I represent a London constituency. I'm here to support Winston Mackenzie, our candidate," says Mr Batten.

My own arrival in Rotherham, three hours later than planned and with no hope of completing my by-election odyssey after all trains heading north from Doncaster are cancelled, is accompanied by torrential rain and a gathering gloom.

Ex-Tory MP Neil Hamilton, and wife Christine, knocked on doors to drum up UKIP support

Jamie Oliver famously harangued Rotherham into eating more healthily - his Ministry of Food project still has a presence in the town's shopping precinct.

And when I pitch up at UKIP's rather cramped campaign headquarters, I find two other reality TV stars holding court.

Neil and Christine Hamilton have been UKIP members for 10 years, they tell me.

Mr Hamilton, a former Tory MP who was forced out of politics over his role in the cash-for-questions affair, is on UKIP's national executive committee.

"Everyone is gobsmacked by this dreadful foster case and the awful way in which these people have been treated," he says.

"And that, I am sure, has generated a huge groundswell of support for us."

The pair have been knocking on doors in Rotherham all day.

"I'm A Celebrity" alumni Christine, struggling to make her voice heard over the music blaring from the Respect battle bus, which has been driving up and down outside the UKIP office all day, says the party is being flooded with messages of support.

Party of choice

But there was little sense, from chatting to voters in Rotherham's indoor market, that the adoption story has gripped the town in quite the way the Hamiltons claim.

Jobs appear to be the main concern after a wave redundancies at the Tata steel plant.

Rotherham MP Denis MacShane resigned over the expenses scandal

The Rotherham by-election was triggered by the resignation of sitting MP Denis MacShane.

Mr MacShane, Labour MP for the South Yorkshire town since 1994, stepped down on 2 November after he wrongly claimed at least £7,500 in expenses.

And Labour appears to remain the party of choice - despite real anger at the behaviour of their former MP Denis MacShane, whose expenses-related departure triggered this contest.

"Don't mention his name to me," said one retired steel worker. "You won't be able to print what I think of him."

He still planned to vote Labour though - the attitude seems to be that all MPs were at it and Mr MacShane was just unlucky to get caught.

"If I had known what he was up to I would have charged him more for his meat," joked one stallholder.

'Marginal' contest

With no prospect of making it to Middlesbrough much before midnight I bed down for the night with friends who live near Doncaster.

I finally made it there on Tuesday lunchtime, as train services steadily return to normal.

With a Labour majority of 8,000, Middlesbrough is the most "marginal" of the three contests but, judging from the few hours I spent trying to drum up some interest in the town centre, the least likely to produce any kind of upset.

The contest was triggered by the death of Sir Stuart Bell, who came in for some flak in his later years for not working hard enough as an MP, something he always vehemently denied.

His former constituents have no shortage of problems, with crime and unemployment probably topping the list, and some believe the area has been disproportionately hit by government cutbacks.

But by-election fever is in very short supply.

"I haven't really thought about it," says Anthony Newton, who runs a small business selling computer spares.

"I will probably vote Labour. More out of habit than anything else - the best of a bad lot."

David Emmerson, who works at Middlesbrough College, is giving it some serious thought because he likes his vote "to be able to count" and he is hoping to meet some of the candidates face-to-face before making up his mind.

But he adds: "They might as well just give the job to the Labour candidate. They always get in here."

The one Tory voter I found said he was staying at home on Thursday in protest at what he saw as the lack of a proper information campaign for the recent Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

A young woman who voted for David Cameron at the general election "because my mum and dad told me to" says she can't be bothered to go to the polling station this time.

Covering by-elections in safe seats can be a dispiriting experience. The vast majority of people you speak to are simply not interested, or openly hostile.

"I don't trust any of them," said one man in Croydon North. It was a common view.

But if my trip has taught me anything, it is that traditional campaigning is the only thing that matters - a leaflet or a knock on the door from the candidate can still break down the wall of apathy and indifference, most of the time.

Although the real lesson is that I really ought to take Met Office storm warnings more seriously...

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Warren Buffett calls for a minimum tax on the wealthy

n">(Reuters) - Warren Buffett, the legendary investor who changed the debate about U.S. tax reform in 2011 with a call for the rich to pay more, is now calling for minimum tax rates for millionaires.

In a New York Times editorial printed on Monday, Buffett suggested Congress move immediately to implement minimum taxes of 30 percent on incomes of $1 million to $10 million and 35 percent above that.

"A plain and simple rule like that will block the efforts of lobbyists, lawyers and contribution-hungry legislators to keep the ultra rich paying rates well below those incurred by people with income just a tiny fraction of ours," Buffett wrote.

"Only a minimum tax on very high incomes will prevent the stated tax rate from being eviscerated by these warriors for the wealthy," he added.

The new push is in keeping with the one he made in the same newspaper in August 2011, in which he decried the "coddling" of the super-rich. He used himself and his secretary as an example, noting that her tax rate was much higher than his even though her income was just a tiny fraction of what he made.

"Warren Buffett's secretary" became a political meme following that editorial, and the said secretary, Debbie Bosanek, was ultimately a guest of President Barack Obama at this year's State of the Union address.

The 2011 editorial spurred Obama to seek the implementation of what he called the "Buffett Rule," which set a 30 percent tax rate on millionaires. Opponents said it would stifle spending by the job-creating well-to-do, a notion Buffett ridiculed in the new editorial.

"So let's forget about the rich and ultra rich going on strike and stuffing their ample funds under their mattresses if — gasp — capital gains rates and ordinary income rates are increased," he said. "The ultra rich, including me, will forever pursue investment opportunities."

Buffett, whom Forbes ranks as the world's third-richest person, is the chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc, the ice-cream-to-insurance conglomerate that employs more than a quarter-million people around the world.

He acknowledged in Monday's editorial that some people like him might stop investing as they wait for Congress to act.

"In the meantime, maybe you'll run into someone with a terrific investment idea, who won't go forward with it because of the tax he would owe when it succeeds," Buffett said. "Send him my way. Let me unburden him."

(Reporting by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

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Living with the world's first face transplant

27 November 2012 Last updated at 00:02 GMT By Mike Lanchin BBC World Service, Amiens Isabelle Dinoire before her injuries, just after the operation, and in 2009 Seven years ago Isabelle Dinoire became the first-ever person to have a face transplant. In a rare interview, she describes how she copes with the stares, and her yearning to meet the family of the woman whose face became her own.

"The most difficult thing is to find myself again, as the person I was, with the face I had before the accident. But I know that's not possible," says the 45-year-old mother of two from northern France.

"When I look in the mirror, I see a mixture of the two [of us]. The donor is always with me."

After a moment, she adds: "She saved my life."

Dinoire regularly turns down media requests and rarely agrees to be photographed. She comes across as relaxed and self-assured, but her traumatic ordeal has left its mark, physically and mentally.

She still has a visible scar running from above her nose to down under her chin where specialist doctors at Amiens University Hospital in northern France, spent 15 hours sewing the donor's face on to hers. One of her eyes is slightly drooping.

Speaking with a slight impediment - and with almost alarming simplicity - she recounts how, in a fit of depression in May 2005, she took an overdose of sleeping pills in an attempt to end her life.

She awoke to find herself at home, lying beside a pool of blood, with her pet Labrador at her side. The dog had apparently found her unconscious, and desperate to rouse her, had gnawed away at her face.

"I couldn't even begin to imagine it was my face or my blood - or that the dog had chewed my face," she says.

The injuries to her mouth, nose and chin were so extreme that doctors immediately ruled out a routine face reconstruction. Instead they proposed a ground-breaking face transplant.

Continue reading the main story November 2005 - Isabelle Dinoire becomes the first person in the world to have a face transplant (nose, lips and chin) in FranceApril 2010 - The world's first full face transplant is done by a team of doctors in SpainMarch 2012 - US doctors conduct the most extensive face transplant to date (above - image courtesy University of Maryland Medical Center)There have also been face transplants in Turkey and China"From the first time I saw myself in the mirror after the operation I knew it was a victory. It didn't look that good because of all the bandages, but I had a nose, I had a mouth - it was fantastic," she says. "I could see in the eyes of the nurses that it was a success."

Unable to speak properly due to a tracheotomy done for the operation, all she could murmur was a simple, "Thank you."

Dinoire's delight at her new face, however, quickly turned sour. She was completely unprepared for the attention her case brought her.

Pursued by the media, harassed by passers-by and curious onlookers, Dinoire spent months after the operation hidden away at home, not daring to venture out.

"It was excruciating. I live in a small town and so everyone knew my story. It wasn't easy at the beginning. Children would laugh at me and everyone would say, 'Look it's her, it's her.'" She felt like "a circus animal".

Nowadays, people still recognise her around town, but the attention is "not as brutal" as before, she says.

"With time I have got used to my own face. This is what I look like, what I am like, who I am. If people stare at me insistently, I don't care any more, I just stare back!" she says, with a hint of a smile.

But has her personality changed as well as her outward appearance? "No" she replies quickly, "I am the same, just with a different face."

According to Prof Sylvie Testelin, one of the team that operated on Dinoire in Amiens, not every patient with severe facial injuries can be offered the chance of a transplant.

In 2005 no-one was really sure of the long-term effects on patients of taking a cocktail of drugs for the rest of their lives to prevent their body rejecting the new tissue.

But in the case of Dinoire - and the two other people in France who have had successful transplants since then - the benefits have far outweighed the risks.

"Nobody can imagine what it's like to live without a face. She [Isabelle] can. But we must be sure it is right for the patient," says Testelin.

Worldwide there have been a dozen or so successful operations - in the US, Spain, Turkey and China. "You cannot imagine the number of people who have wanted transplants, but it's not a game or a race to do more and more," she says.

One day Dinoire will have to face up to the possibility of a major rejection by her body, says Testelin. As her doctor, she too has to be prepared for this - though she hopes that day never comes.

Continue reading the main story Face from dead donor is removed - veins, arteries, skin, muscles, and even some bones are takenThe patient is anaesthetised partway through surgery on the donor The donor face and accompanying blood vessels are stitched to the patient Dinoire is more sanguine about her future. "I tell myself it will be all right. If I take my drugs everything should go well," she says.

She spends her days visiting a few close friends and walking her new pet dog - she was devastated that the Labrador she had in 2005 was put down.

Still prone to bouts of depression, she says she constantly thinks about the dead woman whose face she was given. Right after the operation she would surf the internet in search of details of the anonymous donor - whose identity French law will never allow her to know.

"When I feel down, or depressed, I look at myself in the mirror again and think of her. And I tell myself, I'm not allowed to give up. She gives me hope."

One day Dinoire would even like to be able to meet the woman's family, to thank them for what she describes as their "magical donation".

Mike Lanchin's interview with Isabelle Dinoire was broadcast on the BBC World Service's Witness programme. You can download a podcast of the programme or browse the archive.

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Cycle and walking 'must be norm'

28 November 2012 Last updated at 02:22 GMT By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News Only 11 minutes per day is spent walking or cycling on average Cycling and walking should be the norm for all short journeys, experts say.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said people should shun their cars if a trip could be done in 15 or 20 minutes on foot or bike.

It said the approach was needed to combat the "silent epidemic" of inactivity posing a risk to the health of people in England.

The advisory body called on councils to do more to make walking and cycling an easier option in local communities.

It said their new responsibility for public health, which the NHS will hand over next year under the government's reform programme, offered a "unique opportunity" to make a difference.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said councils should look to introduce bicycle-hire schemes, car-free events and better cycle-route signalling and maps.

Continue reading the main story

It's not necessarily about spending more money on transport, but investing existing money in our health by rethinking the way in which budgets are being spent”

End Quote Dr John Middleton Faculty of Public Health Walking routes should also be better highlighted, with signposts indicating the distance and time it takes to walk to local destinations.

Schools and workplaces should also be encouraged to get more pupils and staff cycling and walking.

NICE has previously given its backing to 20mph speed limits in certain areas.

'Costing lives'

The group said local authorities needed to take action, as the levels of inactivity were costing lives.

A recent report in the Lancet said inactivity was now causing as many deaths as smoking.

Latest figures suggest six in 10 men and seven in 10 women are not doing the recommended levels of physical activity.

The figures are little better for children.

In particular, levels of cycling and walking are falling - with England lagging well behind other European countries, such as the Netherlands and Denmark. Only 11 minutes a day on average is spent cycling or walking.

Prof Mike Kelly, from NICE, said: "As a nation, we are not physically active enough and this can contribute to a wide range of health problems."

Dr John Middleton, vice-president of the Faculty of Public Health, said cycling and walking needed to be made an "easy option".

"It's not necessarily about spending more money on transport, but investing existing money in our health by rethinking the way in which budgets are being spent."

Local transport minister Norman Baker added the new duty on councils should make it easier to ensure transport, planning and health officials worked together to help change the way people travel.

"We want to see more people walking and cycling," he added.

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Sunderland 0-0 QPR

90:00 +4:00 Full time Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +2:43

Jose Bosingwa fouled by James McClean, the ref awards a free kick. Rob Green restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +0:44

The ball is crossed by James McClean.

89:11

The ball is crossed by Phil Bardsley.

88:01

Effort from just outside the area by Danny Rose goes over the target.

87:37

The ball is delivered by Shaun Wright-Phillips.

87:12

Shaun Wright-Phillips takes a shot. Save made by Simon Mignolet.

86:34

The ball is swung over by James McClean, Rob Green makes a clearance.

84:57

Unfair challenge on Jose Bosingwa by James McClean results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Rob Green.

81:58

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Esteban Granero, clearance by Carlos Cuellar.

80:44

Free kick taken by Danny Rose.

80:44 Booking Booking Jamie Mackie receives a yellow card.

80:34

Unfair challenge on Danny Rose by Jamie Mackie results in a free kick.

80:15

Drilled right-footed shot by Sebastian Larsson. Comfortable save by Rob Green.

80:09

James McClean crosses the ball, clearance made by Clint Hill.

76:47 Substitution Substitution (Sunderland) makes a substitution, with Louis Saha coming on for Craig Gardner.

76:47 Substitution Substitution Adel Taarabt goes off and Shaun Wright-Phillips comes on.

76:06

A cross is delivered by Jose Bosingwa, Matthew Kilgallon makes a clearance.

75:52

Jose Bosingwa crosses the ball, Matthew Kilgallon makes a clearance.

75:14

Craig Gardner concedes a free kick for a foul on Adel Taarabt. Esteban Granero restarts play with the free kick.

74:24

The ball is sent over by Danny Rose.

73:45

Jamie Mackie gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Danny Rose. Free kick taken by Danny Rose.

72:16

Jack Colback has a drilled shot. Blocked by Stephane Mbia.

71:24

The ball is crossed by Djibril Cisse, clearance by Sebastian Larsson.

70:51

Centre by Phil Bardsley, Clint Hill makes a clearance.

69:02

Adam Johnson is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Rob Green.

69:02 Substitution Substitution James McClean comes on in place of Adam Johnson.

69:02

The official flags Adam Johnson offside. Free kick taken by Rob Green.

67:46

Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Craig Gardner, Esteban Granero gets a block in.

67:46 Booking Booking Clint Hill goes into the referee's book.

67:38

Clint Hill challenges Jack Colback unfairly and gives away a free kick.

66:50

Adel Taarabt takes the inswinging corner, Matthew Kilgallon manages to make a clearance.

65:50

Unfair challenge on Ji-Sung Park by Stephane Sessegnon results in a free kick. Free kick crossed by Esteban Granero, clearance by Phil Bardsley.

65:16

Corner taken short by Esteban Granero.

65:09

The ball is crossed by Jamie Mackie, Matthew Kilgallon gets a block in.

64:07 Substitution Substitution Samba Diakite goes off and Ji-Sung Park comes on.

63:06

Corner taken by Sebastian Larsson from the left by-line to the near post, Steven Fletcher takes a shot. Save by Rob Green.

62:29

Foul by Jamie Mackie on Danny Rose, free kick awarded. Danny Rose takes the free kick.

61:09

Craig Gardner challenges Armand Traore unfairly and gives away a free kick. Esteban Granero crosses the ball in from the free kick. Ryan Nelsen is caught offside. Free kick taken by Simon Mignolet.

59:52

Foul by Sebastian Larsson on Esteban Granero, free kick awarded. Jose Bosingwa restarts play with the free kick.

59:42

The ball is sent over by Adam Johnson, Ryan Nelsen makes a clearance.

58:55

Jamie Mackie challenges Stephane Sessegnon unfairly and gives away a free kick. Danny Rose takes the direct free kick.

57:37

Stephane Mbia produces a right-footed shot from outside the box and misses left.

56:33

Craig Gardner crosses the ball. Steven Fletcher is ruled offside. Jose Bosingwa restarts play with the free kick.

55:52

Shot from 30 yards by Phil Bardsley. Ryan Nelsen gets a block in. Corner from the right by-line taken by Adam Johnson, Clint Hill manages to make a clearance.

55:04

Samba Diakite gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Adam Johnson. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Sebastian Larsson, clearance by Djibril Cisse.

54:21

Simon Mignolet takes the free kick.

54:21 Booking Booking Samba Diakite goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.

54:14

Free kick awarded for a foul by Samba Diakite on Danny Rose.

53:23

Adel Taarabt produces a cross, save by Simon Mignolet.

52:23

Adel Taarabt takes the chance to get an effort at goal. Blocked by Djibril Cisse.

52:23

Effort from 25 yards by Adel Taarabt. Blocked by Djibril Cisse.

50:12

Free kick taken by Esteban Granero.

50:12 Booking Booking Carlos Cuellar is shown a yellow card.

50:02

Carlos Cuellar gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Armand Traore.

48:45

Esteban Granero takes a shot. Save by Simon Mignolet.

45:39

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jack Colback by Samba Diakite. Jack Colback takes the direct free kick.

45:01

The second half kicks off.

45:01 Substitution Substitution (QPR) makes a substitution, with Rob Green coming on for Soares Julio Cesar.

37:29

Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Matthew Kilgallon gets a block in.

44:05

Corner from the left by-line taken by Adel Taarabt, Ryan Nelsen takes a shot. Save made by Simon Mignolet.

41:03

Outswinging corner taken by Adam Johnson, Craig Gardner has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide right of the goal.

40:45

Shot from 12 yards by Steven Fletcher. Soares Julio Cesar makes a brilliant save.

40:38 Half time Half Time The referee calls an end to the first half.

37:16

Jamie Mackie takes a shot. Simon Mignolet makes a fantastic save. Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Clearance by Phil Bardsley.

37:16

Jamie Mackie takes a shot. Simon Mignolet makes a brilliant save. Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Clearance by Phil Bardsley.

37:20

Adel Taarabt takes a shot. Blocked by Matthew Kilgallon.

33:31

Phil Bardsley takes a shot from deep inside the box clearing the bar.

33:31

Shot by Phil Bardsley from outside the area goes high over the crossbar.

32:29

Free kick awarded for a foul by Phil Bardsley on Adel Taarabt. Stephane Mbia takes the free kick.

31:09

Djibril Cisse fouled by Danny Rose, the ref awards a free kick. Samba Diakite takes the free kick.

30:48

Stephane Sessegnon takes a shot. Jose Bosingwa gets a block in.

27:57

Jose Bosingwa crosses the ball, Phil Bardsley manages to make a clearance.

27:41

Sebastian Larsson challenges Esteban Granero unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Adel Taarabt.

26:29

Djibril Cisse takes a shot. Blocked by Carlos Cuellar.

24:13

Samba Diakite challenges Danny Rose unfairly and gives away a free kick. Shot on goal comes in from Craig Gardner from the free kick, clearance made by Clint Hill.

23:35

The ball is delivered by Samba Diakite.

23:22

Armand Traore delivers the ball, Steven Fletcher makes a clearance.

23:13

Short corner taken by Esteban Granero from the left by-line.

23:04

A cross is delivered by Djibril Cisse, clearance by Phil Bardsley.

21:31

Unfair challenge on Jack Colback by Adel Taarabt results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Sebastian Larsson.

20:47

Stephane Sessegnon produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide right of the target.

19:05

Foul by Djibril Cisse on Jack Colback, free kick awarded. Jack Colback restarts play with the free kick.

18:30

Djibril Cisse produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses wide left of the target.

17:18

Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Adam Johnson, Jamie Mackie makes a clearance.

16:12

Unfair challenge on Stephane Sessegnon by Samba Diakite results in a free kick. Adam Johnson delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, save by Soares Julio Cesar.

14:57

The ball is delivered by Armand Traore, Carlos Cuellar makes a clearance.

13:26

Corner taken by Esteban Granero from the right by-line, clearance by Craig Gardner.

13:16

Djibril Cisse takes a shot. Matthew Kilgallon gets a block in.

12:29

Adam Johnson produces a cross, clearance by Ryan Nelsen.

11:54

Corner taken right-footed by Esteban Granero, clearance made by Phil Bardsley.

11:40

Curled right-footed shot by Djibril Cisse. Save by Simon Mignolet.

10:17

Centre by Steven Fletcher, comfortable save by Soares Julio Cesar.

9:32

Corner from the left by-line taken by Sebastian Larsson, save made by Soares Julio Cesar.

9:21

Steven Fletcher delivers the ball, Stephane Mbia makes a clearance.

8:15

Corner taken by Adel Taarabt from the left by-line to the near post, Craig Gardner makes a clearance.

8:09

The ball is crossed by Armand Traore, clearance made by Carlos Cuellar.

6:56

Free kick awarded for a foul by Samba Diakite on Steven Fletcher. Sebastian Larsson restarts play with the free kick.

5:43 Substitution Substitution Jack Colback joins the action as a substitute, replacing Lee Cattermole.

3:54

Free kick awarded for a foul by Ryan Nelsen on Steven Fletcher. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Craig Gardner.

3:17

Adel Taarabt crosses the ball, Djibril Cisse takes a shot. Comfortable save by Simon Mignolet.

1:49

The offside flag is raised against Craig Gardner. Indirect free kick taken by Soares Julio Cesar.

0:30

Foul by Jamie Mackie on Danny Rose, free kick awarded. Simon Mignolet takes the direct free kick.

0:17

Jamie Mackie delivers the ball, clearance by Sebastian Larsson.

0:00

The game begins.

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Papers detail flood rescue effort

28 November 2012 Last updated at 05:33 GMT The front of the Daily Telegraph is dominated by a picture of a lifeboat crew in a dinghy rescuing a woman in flooded St Asaph, north Wales.

The Times has a front page picture of floodwaters threatening a pub in York.

The Independent reports anger against developers building on vulnerable sites without paying for flood defences.

Meanwhile, the paper quotes Planning Minister Nick Boles who says there must be more building on open land to tackle the UK's housing shortage.

Backlash warning

Ahead of the Leveson report, the Financial Times says the PM is considering giving papers "one last chance" to prove they can be regulated effectively without new legislation.

It would mean taking on Lib Dem partners, Labour and dozens of Tory MPs, the FT says.

The Guardian carries a YouGov opinion poll suggesting David Cameron would also face a public backlash.

It suggests 79% of people want to legislate for an independent regulator.

Official recognition

The Daily Mirror condemns the repeated failure of prosecutors to take action against the late Liberal MP, Sir Cyril Smith, over allegations of abusing boys in care in the 1960s.

The Guardian says a police announcement about overwhelming evidence is official recognition that he had died without answering for his alleged crimes.

The Daily Mail says it will bring some relief to his victims.

One says he should be stripped of his knighthood and MBE.

1970s throwback

The Duchess of Cambridge is shown with a new hairstyle on some front pages.

As the Daily Express puts it, she was a "beauty among the beasts" when she opened a new gallery at the Natural History Museum in London.

The Daily Mail is not alone in saying her fringe and flowing locks were a throwback to the 1970s look of the hit TV series Charlie's Angels.

The Sun says she looked as good as new despite wearing a green dress first seen at Buckingham Palace a year ago.

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Alcohol minimum price details due

28 November 2012 Last updated at 00:45 GMT By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News The minimum pricing plan is aimed at heavily-discounted drinks sold in shops and supermarkets Ministers are due to unveil plans later for a minimum price for alcohol in England and Wales as part of a drive to tackle problem drinking.

The Home Office is expected to publish a consultation on the proposal, which was first put forward in the government's alcohol strategy in March.

A price of 40p per unit was suggested at the time.

But pressure has been mounting on ministers to follow Scotland's lead, where 50p has been proposed.

The aim of a minimum price would be to alter the cost of heavily discounted drinks sold in shops and supermarkets.

There has been evidence of some outlets selling alcohol at a loss to encourage customers through the doors, with cans of lager going for 20p and two-litre bottles of cider available for under £2.

'Pre-loading'

Ministers have been particularly critical of such practices, blaming them for what has been dubbed "pre-loading", where people binge-drink before going out.

The alcohol strategy linked this phenomenon to the rising levels of alcohol-related violence and hospital admissions, of which there are more than a million a year.

At the time, ministers said a 40p minimum price could save 900 lives a year and prevent 50,000 crimes by the end of the decade.

Continue reading the main story

We're paying a heavy price for alcohol misuse and setting a minimum unit price will help us on the road to changing this”

End Quote Eric Appleby Alcohol Concern As well as including details about a minimum price, the consultation is also likely to give more information about other alcohol measures, such as giving local agencies extra powers to restrict opening hours and banning multi-buy promotions.

There was also a proposal for a late-night levy to make clubs and pubs help pay for policing in the original strategy.

However, it is the minimum pricing proposal that has attracted most of the attention - and opposition from the industry.

The Scottish government plan, which is not due to start until April 2013, is subject to legal challenges.

A spokesman for the British Retail Consortium said most of the industry was opposed to minimum pricing as it penalised the majority of people who were responsible drinkers while "doing nothing to address the root causes of harmful drinking".

Eric Appleby, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, said: "We're paying a heavy price for alcohol misuse and setting a minimum unit price will help us on the road to changing this.

"Evidence shows us that setting the unit price at 50p will have most impact on those vulnerable groups we must protect - the young and heavy drinkers.

"But we cannot cut the misery caused by excessive drinking, whether it's crime or hospitalisation, through price alone.

"We need tighter controls around licensing, giving local authorities and police forces all the tools they need to get a firm grip on the way alcohol is being sold in their area. We have an opportunity to make an enormous difference to the lives of thousands of people - we must seize it."

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France in nationalisation warning

27 November 2012 Last updated at 19:19 GMT Arcelor Mittal has been in dispute with its workers and the French government French President Francois Hollande has met the owner of steel giant Arcelor Mittal, after saying he would discuss nationalising one of its plants.

He earlier said nationalisation would be "part of the subjects of the discussion" when he met Lakshmi Mittal.

The multinational has given the government until Saturday to find a buyer for two furnaces at its steel plant in Florange.

It has refused to sell the entire site, for which two offers have been made.

The move has angered the government as well as the 629 workers at the plant in the traditional steel town in north-eastern France who face losing their jobs.

"We are concerned about the situation in Florange, because there is a risk that the furnaces will be shut down definitively: that's Mr Mittal's intention, and we've argued that there could be other offers," Mr Hollande told reporters, shortly before meeting Mr Mittal.

The Indian-born chief executive came and went from the Elysee Palace by the back door, but the outcome of the meeting was not yet known, BBC Paris correspondent Christian Fraser said.

'Temporary mechanism'

Arcelor Mittal - which employs some 20,000 people across France - announced in October that it intended to shut down the Florange plant's already inactive furnaces, saying they were uncompetitive in such difficult trading times.

Continue reading the main story

This is not about returning to an older way of thinking, carrying out massive, general, permanent nationalisations”

End Quote Pierre Moscovici French Finance Minister The company gave the government 60 days in which to find a buyer for the furnaces, a deadline which expires on Saturday.

The move provoked an angry reaction from the French government, which accused Arcelor Mittal of breaking a 2006 commitment to keep the blast furnaces running - a claim denied by the steel giant - and criticised the firm for refusing to sell off the site as a whole.

France's minister for industrial recovery, Arnaud Montebourg, accused the steelmaker on Monday of "lying" and "disrespecting" the country. He has since retracted a remark that Arcelor Mittal was no longer welcome in France.

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici has sought to play down fears that Mr Hollande's Socialist government might be seeking to nationalise large firms on a permanent basis.

He described the possible nationalisation of the Florange plant as a "temporary mechanism".

"This is not about returning to an older way of thinking, carrying out massive, general, permanent nationalisations," AFP news agency quoted him as saying, after a meeting with US and British investors in Paris.

But business leaders in France have expressed concern that the government's rhetoric is undermining confidence in French industry, our correspondent says.

Mr Hollande's meeting with Mr Mittal came on the day when French unemployment figures rose again, to its highest level since April 1998.

The number of people looking for work rose by 45,400 in October to top 3.1 million, labour ministry figures showed.

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New Zealand becomes Middle Earth as Hobbit mania takes hold

1 of 3. A woman takes a photo of a giant sculpture of J. R. R. Tolkien character Gollum at Wellington International Airport November 27, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Mark Coote

By Gyles Beckford

WELLINGTON | Tue Nov 27, 2012 6:14am EST

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's capital city was rushing to complete its transformation into a haven for hairy feet and pointed ears on Tuesday as stars jetted in for the long-awaited world premiere of the first movie of the Hobbit trilogy.

Wellington, where director Peter Jackson and much of the post production is based, has renamed itself "the Middle of Middle Earth", as fans held costume parties and city workers prepared to lay 500 m (550 yards) of red carpet.

A specially Hobbit-decorated Air New Zealand jet brought in cast, crew and studio officials for the premiere.

Jackson, a one-time printer at a local newspaper and a hometown hero, said he was still editing the final version of the "Hobbit, an Unexpected Journey" ahead of Wednesday's premiere screening.

The Hobbit movies are based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book and tell the story that leads up to his epic fantasy "The Lord of the Rings", which Jackson made into three Oscar-winning films about 10 years ago.

It is set 60 years before "The Lord of The Rings" and was originally planned as only two movies before it was decided that there was enough material to justify a third.

New Zealand fans were getting ready to claim the best spots to see the film's stars, including British actor Martin Freeman, who plays the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett, and Elijah Wood.

"It's been a 10-year wait for these movies, New Zealand is Tolkien's spiritual home, so there's no way we're going to miss out," said office worker Alan Craig, a self-confessed Lord of the Rings "nut".

The production has been at the centre of several controversies, including a dispute with unions in 2010 over labour contracts that resulted in the government stepping in to change employment laws, and giving Warner Brothers (TWX.N) increased incentives to keep the production in New Zealand.

"The Hobbit did come very close to not being filmed here," Jackson told Radio New Zealand.

He said Warners had sent scouts to Britain to look at possible locations and also matched parts of the script to shots of the Scottish Highlands and English forests.

"That was to convince us we could easily go over there and shoot the film ... and I would have had to gone over there to do it but I was desperately fighting to have it stay here," Jackson said.

Last week, an animal rights group said more than 20 animals, including horses, pigs and chickens, had been killed during the making of the film. Jackson has said some animals used in the film died on the farm where they were being housed, but that none had been hurt during filming.

The films are also notable for being the first filmed at 48 frames per second (fps), compared with the 24 fps that has been the industry standard since the 1920s.

The second film "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" will be released in December next year, with the third "The Hobbit: There and Back Again" due in mid-July 2014. (Editing by Paul Tait)

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France’s craze for British weddings

28 November 2012 Last updated at 00:09 GMT By Maddy Savage BBC News, Paris Regis and Muriel Tepik-Thibault chose "British" bridesmaids (picture, top right: Florence Jamart) France is famed for its food and fashions, but young couples are increasingly choosing a British or American-style wedding. Demand for tiered wedding cakes is soaring, and the designer of the bridesmaids' dresses for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding last year is now setting up shop in Paris.

Choux pastry profiteroles, filled with cream, covered in chocolate, bound together with threads of caramel and piled high into a cone. This is France's traditional wedding dessert, croquembouche. It means "crunch in the mouth" and it's delicious.

But Muriel Tepik-Thibault, 31, decided to swap it for a six-tier white and pink iced cake for her wedding day in May.

"I am such a fan of British and American culture, so I wanted something I had seen in my favourite movies, like Love Actually or Four Weddings and a Funeral," she says.

In a country where bridesmaids are rare, she walked down the aisle with four friends wearing shiny purple dresses.

"So many weddings look the same here and I wasn't after the same traditional French celebration as my parents or grandparents," she explains.

Her wedding is the latest chapter in a love story that could, in fact, be a plot for the next Richard Curtis film. She met her husband Regis Thibault at a casting for a game show, although they didn't swap numbers.

Continue reading the main story

Wedding cakes have played a role in British marriage ceremonies since medieval times. They used to be made of wheat, a symbol of fertility. Stories suggest that they were thrown at brides, or broken up over their heads.

Tiered wedding cakes first became popular amongst royalty and nobility in the 1600s. To stop them from drying, they used to be stored in lard, which was scraped off when it was time for them to be eaten. Later, sugar was added to the lard to make it taste better and it was left on the cake.

Icing as we know it emerged in Victorian times. The whiter the cake, the richer the bride's family was seen to be. This is because the finely refined sugar needed to make a lighter mixture was more expensive.

After discovering she was an assistant at a women's magazine, he spent days calling different publications until he tracked her down. Their first date lasted 18 hours as they strolled the streets of Paris until dawn.

"It was a unique way of meeting and getting to know each other, so I guess that is another reason we wanted a unique day," she says.

But in fact, they are not unique among French couples in choosing a British-style wedding.

"Sales of our stacked wedding cakes are going through the roof," says Krista Juracek, 33, who set up the Sugarplum Cake Shop in the French capital four years ago.

"The number of requests we get doubles every month," she says, as the smell of freshly whipped icing wafts in from the kitchen.

"I'd like to think we are helping to shape the mood, but it is also down to increasing numbers of blogs, magazine articles and window displays featuring Anglo-style weddings."

She is originally from the US and believes that most French customers don't appreciate the subtle differences between British and American celebrations.

"What we have also found is that while couples love the idea of how a tiered cake looks, most of them don't actually know what goes inside it," says chef Taylor McLoughlin, her Canadian business partner.

"So we have stuck to sponge for now but we are planning to try out the British fruit cake recipe soon."

Another North American in Paris, event organiser Kim Petyt from Chicago, used to cater mainly for the expat community, but two years ago she started getting more and more calls from French customers.

From 1970s to 2012: Muriel's parents' traditional wedding (Studio Brady) and her own (picture: Florence Jamart)

"The number of calls I receive from French brides who are searching for British or American elements has trebled since then," she says.

The concept of hiring someone else to organise your own wedding is itself an idea that has only recently crossed over to continental Europe, but last month a survey for French magazine Mariee found that a quarter of future brides now have a wedding planner on their wishlist.

Anne Clause, who works on the publication's editorial team, says the move towards Anglo-American-style events has followed a more general shift in perceptions about marriage.

"It used to be a bit old-fashioned to get married in France, but now it is more popular and trendy," she explains.

"Sales of our magazine have gone up by 3.5% in the last year. With that rising popularity, you get readers looking for more varied celebrations. We feature 10 to 15 photos from UK and US weddings in every edition at the moment, compared with zero in, say, 2009."

Much of the growing interest in British style has also been linked to the so-called "Kate effect".

The Duchess of Cambridge wore a floor-length lace gown by Sarah Burton to her wedding in London's Westminster Abbey, which was watched by a global television audience of two billion.

"Since everyone saw the royal wedding, a lot of girls are swapping French silk for English lace," says Clause. (The dress had an English designer, though the lace itself was made in France.)

Sources: Confetti.co.uk, Mariee magazine, lovemydress.net

£12,000 or 15,000 euros (half average for pre-crisis 2008)

Parisian TV director Celia Riviere, 28, is one such bride. She chose a cream creation by British bridal designer Stephanie Allin for her nuptials in September.

"British style is seen here as fun and a little bit quirky, not so traditional," she says.

Her bridesmaids wore Nicki Macfarlane, the designer behind the dresses for the children in the royal bridal party.

Last month both designers unveiled their new collections in Paris, at a launch titled A Very British Affair. The showroom was decorated with traditional country cottage flowers and the guests sipped on Pimms.

Continue reading the main story

Her bouquet was made up of roses and peonies found in both the British and French countryside. She says her main inspiration was nature and the outdoors.

"My brief to my florist was that I wanted something very natural with 'simple' flowers as if the bouquet had just been cut a few hours ago. I told him that I like Laura Ashley's patterns - maybe he got his inspiration also from her style."

"Lots of doors have opened, it's been very exciting. People are definitely looking to the UK much more now," says Macfarlane.

Her company already ships to France and she is now in the process of securing a boutique in Paris.

Petyt adds that British and American cultures are also influencing those unable to afford expensive labels.

"Things like favours are becoming more popular and personal. For example, couples are choosing different kinds of candy instead of sugared almonds. They are designing their own save-the-date cards or name plates, which didn't used to be that common [in France]."

At Mariee magazine, Clausse notes that veils and gloves are also proving popular, a year after British drama Downton Abbey hit French television screens.

"It is only available on cable and satellite so it is hard to know how much of an impact it has had, although brides are certainly opting for this kind of vintage detail at this moment," she says.

So is all of this part of a long-term trend that could see French celebrations taking on an increasingly British look and feel, or is it just a passing fad?

"In terms of food, I think this is about young people increasingly looking towards Anglo-American culture," says Pascale Brevet, client manager at the Sugarplum Cake Shop.

Continue reading the main story Roses are often seen at traditional weddings, thanks partly to Napoleon Bonaparte's wife Empress Josephine who helped to launch Europe's love affair with the flowers.La coupe de marriage is a an engraved two handled cup which the newly-weds can use to toast their new life.Le Charivari can occur when guests will bang pots and pans outside the bride and groom's bedroom until they are invited in for champagne.The traditional bridal trousseau (also known as a hope chest) originated in France."It's not like I am seeing similar trends of couples copying traditions from Spain or Italy. There is a very dynamic food scene in the US and Britain. It is profoundly changing the way we see food, and, even though we in France have a long history of gastronomy, we need to be careful."

But Petyt believes French brides and grooms are unlikely to stray too far from their traditions in future.

"Let's be clear, this isn't about themed dinners or fancy dress. French women are just being savvy and looking for the best from both sides of the Channel and the Atlantic," she says.

"I think they are increasingly bringing in elements that are fun and light-hearted, but they will stay close to their classic elegance."

Newlywed Riviere says she is unsure how long the trend will continue.

"I guess British-inspired weddings are very much the style of my generation. I can see them remaining popular. But I don't know if our children will also choose these fashions."

In the meantime, many of those working in French wedding industry say there are also influences operating in the other direction.

"Paris is the most romantic city in the world. That's one of the reasons I came, and it continues to inspire me," says Juracek.

So does that mean she found love here? "I did meet a man but he is Canadian," she laughs. "And Taylor's boyfriend is Irish."

And what could better illustrate the Parisian spirit of romance than the story of Regis and Muriel, and their British-style wedding?

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Ministers seek UK/EU powers views

27 November 2012 Last updated at 16:47 GMT Ministers say the audit will help cut costs and bureaucracy in a time of austerity The government has begun seeking views on the UK's relationship with the EU as part of a "comprehensive audit" of Brussels' powers.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Health are the first ministries to appeal for evidence.

Foreign Secretary William Hague has promised "positive" reform, with the audit due for completion in 2014.

But Labour says a strategy is needed sooner to deal with upheaval in Europe.

Mr Hague announced the "comprehensive audit" in July, saying it would provide "the most thorough and detailed analysis possible on the extent of EU powers" and valuable guidance for policy-makers in the future.

The Foreign Office and the Cabinet Office are overseeing the audit, which will seek written evidence from businesses and EU institutions.

'Challenges and tensions'

Work begins as tensions over the EU are increasing, with many Conservative MPs demanding an "in/out" referendum on continued membership.

The consultation conducted by Defra and the Food Standards Agency is looking at EU powers over animal health, animal welfare and food safety. It will last 12 weeks, with the results expected to be published next summer.

In a written statement, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: "The report will focus on the issues associated with protecting animal health, welfare and food safety, where maintaining a strong internal market while allowing sufficient national and local choice on issues such as how to deal with risk creates some challenges and tensions.

"A key question for this review will be whether the benefits to the UK of protecting the functioning of the internal market justify the high level of EU competence in this area."

The Department of Health's consultation will follow the same timescale.

Health minister Anna Soubry said: "Whilst responsibility for health policy is a matter for member states, the EU has an important role in various issues related to public health and healthcare.

"The health report is an opportunity to look at this role and to examine the evidence concerning the impact of EU competence in health on the UK's national interest."

Labour has criticised the timing of the consultation, arguing for a more immediate "strategy" announcement, ahead of proposals for greater economic union within the eurozone being discussed at an EU summit next month.

Meanwhile, Conservative MPs are urging the prime minister to hold an in/out referendum, with many arguing that this is a good time to decide the extent of UK involvement in the EU.

On Monday, senior Tory MP Michael Fabricant suggested an electoral pact with the UK Independence Party, promising such a vote after the next general election.

David Cameron has committed to seeking what he called "fresh consent" in referendum but he has so far resisted calls for an in/out choice.

Mr Hague has denied that the audit is a step towards disengaging from or leaving the EU, arguing that its aim is to reduce costs and bureaucracy.

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'More vocational' university call

28 November 2012 Last updated at 04:57 GMT By Judith Burns BBC News education reporter Universities are being urged to offer more practical and technical learning UK universities should offer more practical and vocational learning, a survey for a think tank suggests.

A poll for Policy Exchange found 55% of adults believed too many people studied narrowly academic subjects.

Only 18% said universities had the right balance between academic and technical subjects.

Dr Wendy Piatt of the Russell Group of universities rejected this saying they were "the ideal learning environment which produces 'work-ready' graduates".

Nearly half (47%) of the 1,624 people questioned across the UK also said there was too much focus on academic subjects at school and not enough practical, job-related training for teenagers.

The poll, carried out by YouGov follows a report urging the government to improve the quality of apprenticeships.

In his report for the government, entrepreneur Doug Richard argued that apprenticeships must be "well regarded" if they are not to be viewed as a lower status alternative to university and said that short on-the-job training schemes were often not of good enough quality.

'Practical appetite'

The Policy Exchange commissioned the poll ahead of its own report on the state of vocational and technical education in the UK which is due next month.

Dr Owen Corrigan of Policy Exchange said: "This poll clearly shows that there is an appetite in Britain for a greater emphasis on job-related and practical learning in our education system.

Dr Corrigan suggested that with one in three students dropping out of their A-levels, a non-academic route into work or higher or further education might suit many of them better.

"Neighbouring countries offer strong technical and vocational routes through their education systems and enjoy some of the lowest youth unemployment rates in Europe at present. It is time for Britain to give serious consideration to expanding and improving provision in technical and vocational education."

'Big changes' ahead

Dr Piatt said: "For the majority of the most academically-able students, a degree at a leading university is the right choice. Many of our students also study for qualifications such as medicine, dentistry and law which are both academic and vocational.

"Our students get to work with world-class experts, use first-rate libraries and facilities, are part of a highly motivated and talented peer group and often engage with cutting-edge research."

Dr Piatt added that the combination of teaching and research excellence was an ideal learning environment with Russell group graduates typically earning 10% more than those from other universities.

Libby Hackett of the University Alliance of business-focused universities, said: "We can expect to see big changes to the way we work in the future - technological advances, changing global economies, environmental uncertainty. And we are going to need innovative and entrepreneurial graduates in the workforce to meet the challenges these changes will present.

"This is less about the subject you study and more about the way it is taught."

Ms Hackett added that the key was to maintain close links with industry and offer high quality work placements to students so that they were prepared "for the changing world beyond university".

A spokeswoman for Universities UK, the umbrella body for UK universities, said: "A key strength of the UK's higher education system is the diversity of courses offered across many different types of institution. It is vital that this remains the case in order to ensure student choice.

"In practice it is difficult to distinguish between vocational and academic subjects. Some subjects thought of as 'traditional' or 'academic', such as law, medicine, architecture and engineering, are in fact largely vocational."

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Rail commuters face 6% fare rise

28 November 2012 Last updated at 03:29 GMT 2013 will be the 10th consecutive year regulated fares have gone up by more than inflation in England Some rail commuters in England will face a rise of nearly 6% for their season tickets next year.

Fares in England, Scotland and Wales will go up by 4.2% on average. Last month, the PM intervened to limit average rises to 1% above inflation.

The biggest rise in 2013 would be 5.9% - from £4,588 to £4,860 - for an annual ticket from Canterbury to London, according to watchdog Passenger Focus.

It said firms had showed constraint but commuters would still "feel this pain".

While Passenger Focus says the £272 increase in the Canterbury to London annual ticket will be the biggest, it also highlights ticket price rises including for the Bournemouth to London route - up £240 to £5,988.

Continue reading the main story Canterbury-London: £4,860 (up 5.9%) Llanelli-Swansea: £624 (up 5.4%)Ludlow-Hereford: £1,992 (up 5.3%)Tonbridge-London: £3,796 (up 5.2%)Aylesbury-London: £3,632 (up 3.2%)Ellesmere Port-Chester: £720 (up 2.3%)Shenfield-London: £2,704 (down 0.6%)

Source: Passenger Focus

And an annual ticket from Gloucester to Birmingham will cost an extra £140, it says.

In August, it had been announced that rail fares in England would rise by an average of 6.2%.

The Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation as of July 2012 - which stood at 3.2% - plus 3% was initially used to calculate the average rise.

But last month, David Cameron announced the average rise for the next two years would be capped at RPI plus 1%.

The figure for 2012 is therefore RPI as of July 2012 - 3.2% - plus 1%.

Train firms are able to raise some season tickets above 4.2% as long as the average increase is no more than that ceiling.

Some tickets will rise by as little as 2.3% while one ticket, from Shenfield, in Essex, to London will be £16 cheaper, at £2,704.

'Welcome promise'

Rail Minister Norman Baker said the government had taken "pro-active steps" because family budgets were being squeezed.

Continue reading the main story

Successive governments have instructed train companies every year to increase these regulated fares on average by more than inflation”

End Quote Association of Train Operating Companies "This decision puts an average of £45 per year back into the pockets of over a quarter of a million annual season ticket holders," he said.

But Passenger Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said that, "after years of above-inflation fare rises, fresh increases are piling pressure on already high fares".

"The government and the rail industry must now work together to deliver on the welcome promise to get fare rises in line with inflation."

The Association of Train Operating Companies, meanwhile, said it was the government "not train companies that decides how much season tickets should rise on average each year".

"Successive governments have instructed train companies every year to increase these regulated fares on average by more than inflation." a spokesman said.

'Government collusion'

BBC transport correspondent Richard Westcott said 2013 would be the tenth consecutive year that regulated rail fares had gone up by more than inflation in England.

Regulated fares, which include season tickets and off-peak intercity journeys, make up half of all fares.

Consecutive rises had left the country with some of the most expensive trains in Europe, our correspondent said.

Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, said thousands of commuters across south-east England would be "paying more than £5,000 a year for their season tickets because of the government's unfair annual inflation-plus fare rises".

And RMT general secretary Bob Crow said train companies "with the collusion of the government, will be jacking up fares by up to 6% in the new year as they launch a full-frontal assault on passengers in the name of profit".

There are no fare increases currently planned in Northern Ireland after a 3% rise in April.

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'More vocational' university call

28 November 2012 Last updated at 04:57 GMT By Judith Burns BBC News education reporter Universities are being urged to offer more practical and technical learning UK universities should offer more practical and vocational learning, a survey for a think tank suggests.

A poll for Policy Exchange found 55% of adults believed too many people studied narrowly academic subjects.

Only 18% said universities had the right balance between academic and technical subjects.

Dr Wendy Piatt of the Russell Group of universities rejected this saying they were "the ideal learning environment which produces 'work-ready' graduates".

Nearly half (47%) of the 1,624 people questioned across the UK also said there was too much focus on academic subjects at school and not enough practical, job-related training for teenagers.

The poll, carried out by YouGov follows a report urging the government to improve the quality of apprenticeships.

In his report for the government, entrepreneur Doug Richard argued that apprenticeships must be "well regarded" if they are not to be viewed as a lower status alternative to university and said that short on-the-job training schemes were often not of good enough quality.

'Practical appetite'

The Policy Exchange commissioned the poll ahead of its own report on the state of vocational and technical education in the UK which is due next month.

Dr Owen Corrigan of Policy Exchange said: "This poll clearly shows that there is an appetite in Britain for a greater emphasis on job-related and practical learning in our education system.

Dr Corrigan suggested that with one in three students dropping out of their A-levels, a non-academic route into work or higher or further education might suit many of them better.

"Neighbouring countries offer strong technical and vocational routes through their education systems and enjoy some of the lowest youth unemployment rates in Europe at present. It is time for Britain to give serious consideration to expanding and improving provision in technical and vocational education."

'Big changes' ahead

Dr Piatt said: "For the majority of the most academically-able students, a degree at a leading university is the right choice. Many of our students also study for qualifications such as medicine, dentistry and law which are both academic and vocational.

"Our students get to work with world-class experts, use first-rate libraries and facilities, are part of a highly motivated and talented peer group and often engage with cutting-edge research."

Dr Piatt added that the combination of teaching and research excellence was an ideal learning environment with Russell group graduates typically earning 10% more than those from other universities.

Libby Hackett of the University Alliance of business-focused universities, said: "We can expect to see big changes to the way we work in the future - technological advances, changing global economies, environmental uncertainty. And we are going to need innovative and entrepreneurial graduates in the workforce to meet the challenges these changes will present.

"This is less about the subject you study and more about the way it is taught."

Ms Hackett added that the key was to maintain close links with industry and offer high quality work placements to students so that they were prepared "for the changing world beyond university".

A spokeswoman for Universities UK, the umbrella body for UK universities, said: "A key strength of the UK's higher education system is the diversity of courses offered across many different types of institution. It is vital that this remains the case in order to ensure student choice.

"In practice it is difficult to distinguish between vocational and academic subjects. Some subjects thought of as 'traditional' or 'academic', such as law, medicine, architecture and engineering, are in fact largely vocational."

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'Rigorous' exam system report due

28 November 2012 Last updated at 06:30 GMT By Nicola Smith BBC Wales education correspondent A review board has looked at the future of exams sat by Welsh teenagers An independent report is to be published outlining whether Wales should retain GCSEs and A-levels.

The 14-19 qualifications review, which is due later on Wednesday, is expected to include proposals for creating a rigorous exams system for teenagers.

It has also looked at the future of the Welsh Baccalaureate and whether it should be given more significance.

The Welsh government intends to produce an official response to the report early next year.

The review board is made up of teachers, college principals, a university vice-chancellor and business people.

They have asked whether GCSEs should be replaced by a new qualification and to what extent Wales' exam system should diverge from the rest of the UK.

Continue reading the main story

It is important, first and foremost, that there is confidence in the quality of qualifications that students in Wales undertake”

End Quote Owen Hathway NUT Wales Until now, Wales, England and Northern Ireland have shared qualifications and a three-country system of regulating exams.

But a row over the grading of GCSE English papers this summer highlighted growing differences.

Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews ordered a regrade after a review found this year's results had been "unfair" to pupils.

Appeals for a regrade in England were turned down by the exam regulator Ofqual.

UK government Education Secretary Michael Gove announced a shake-up of exams in England in September. Under his changes, GCSEs will be replaced in core subjects by a qualification called the English Baccalaureate Certificate.

'Very strong brand'

It will mean a single end-of-course exam and one exam board for English, maths and science, with the first exams sat in 2017.

Owen Hathway, policy officer for the NUT Wales teaching union, said: "Today's announcement will be a significant and important moment for education in Wales.

"It is important, first and foremost, that there is confidence in the quality of qualifications that students in Wales undertake.

"That has to start with ensuring there is confidence in them from those teaching in the classroom."

Mr Andrews has previously described GCSEs as a "very strong brand" and said the UK government's decision to replace them in England was a "backwards step".

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World Chefs: Trailblazing chef takes a look back in latest book

Chef Hubert Keller, author of ''Souvenirs: Memories, Stories, and Recipes from My Life'', is shown in a 2011 file handout photo taken in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chef, restaurateur and television personality Keller is known for his modern approach to French cuisine, but in his third book he casts a backward glance over his peripatetic culinary history.

Credit: Reuters/Eric Wolfinger/Handout

By Dorene Internicola

NEW YORK | Tue Nov 27, 2012 10:05am EST

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chef, restaurateur and television personality Hubert Keller is known for his modern approach to French cuisine, but in his third book he casts a backward glance over his peripatetic culinary history.

The 120 recipes in "Souvenirs: Memories, Stories, and Recipes from My Life," trace Keller's journey from his Alsatian childhood, through his haute cuisine training in France, to his innovative restaurants in San Francisco, Las Vegas, and St. Louis.

"Almost every recipe has a story," said Keller, 58, who is a James Beard award-winner and a familiar television presence on cooking shows.

Q: Why did you write this book?

A: "To retrace my career, starting with the foundation. It's about myself, where I grew up, how I became a chef and the different stages I went through."

Q: Did you always want to be a chef?

A: "I started at 16. In France you usually start at 14, so I had a late start. My parents had a pastry shop and we grew up living above it. The whole house was filled with the smell of the croissants baking downstairs so I wanted to be a pastry chef, that's natural. When you live in the neighborhood of a baker you smell the bread."

Q: Why is your cuisine considered modern French?

A: "Even 15 or 20 years ago French cuisine still had that cloud as rich cuisine, fatty cuisine, not healthy. I started introducing a lighter version. I developed techniques to bind sauces with vegetable purees to cut the calories. The New York Times called me ‘the rebel with a Cuisinart'."

Q: How do your restaurants reflect this spirit?

A: "You always try to be up on what's really happening. At Fleur in (Las) Vegas, I introduced nitrogen (tableside to make frozen drinks and ice cream) and when absinthe came out again I introduced that, because it's also about the wine and the cocktails. We always have to be ahead of the game."

Q: How did Burger Bar come about?

A: "I was the first one with a chef's name to put his name on a burger restaurant. It was risky because at that time in our industry they said if you were a loser you'd just go and flip burgers.

"But it was based on how I would operate Fleur de Lys, which is the upscale restaurant in San Francisco: choosing the best bread, the best vegetables, even putting in a butcher shop where we would grind everything fresh."

Q: What is your philosophy of food and cooking?

A: "Quality and consistency: choosing the right ingredients and always giving them the best, from Fleur de Lys to the concept of Burger Bar. Even (at) Fleur, which is more of a tasting menu, we're really working those details."

Q: Are the recipes in this book appropriate for the home cook?

A: "Most of the recipes are pretty approachable with ingredients available in a fine grocery store or farmers' market."

Q: Can you share any tips on how a home cook can enliven a dish?

A: "Flavored oils are very easy to do but they can change your way of cooking. Make paprika oil, or vanilla oil, put them in your refrigerator. Then if you're making, say, a chicken dish, drizzle on a little oil at the last moment. There's an explosion of flavor. Also, get dried mushrooms: porcini or morels or shitake. They're expensive, but when you soak them you get a lot for your money. Add three or four to sauce, broth or stew, and you'll see it completely changes the flavor."

Pommes Paillasson Serves 4

3 large Russet potatoes (about 1 ½pounds), peeled

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 4 tablespoons (½ stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cut the potatoes into a fine julienne with a mandoline or with the coarse shredding blade of a food processor. Once they are grated, do not rinse the potatoes; you need their starch to hold the potatoes together. Transfer them to a baking sheet, season well with salt and pepper, and let sit for a few minutes. Place the sheet on a tilt; the salt will begin to wilt the potatoes and they will begin releasing water.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 9- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Squeeze the potatoes very hard between your hands to remove as much water as possible and then add them to the pan. With the back of a large spoon, neaten the edges and lightly press the potatoes to make a flat cake.

Cook for a few minutes and then rub all around the edge of the pan with a tablespoon-sized nut of butter so that it melts and runs under the potatoes.

Cook over medium heat until crispy and brown, about 10 minutes. Slide the cake carefully out onto a plate, cover it with a second plate, add another piece of butter to the pan, and then invert the plates and slide the cake back into the pan to cook the second side.

Cook, adding butter or oil as needed around the edges and tilting the pan, until the cake is crispy underneath and the potatoes have cooked through, another 7 to 10 minutes. Regulate the heat so the cake browns and caramelizes but does not burn.

Slide it onto a cutting board, blot any excess oil with paper towels, cut into 8 wedges with a sharp knife, and transfer to a large round serving platter. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

(Reporting by Dorene Internicola; editing by Patricia Reaney and Andrew Hay)

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Market Chatter-Corporate finance press digest

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Don't curb freedom, Leveson urged

28 November 2012 Last updated at 05:55 GMT It is up to the prime minister whether to implement Lord Justice Leveson's proposals More than 80 MPs and peers have urged the man carrying out an inquiry into UK media standards not to recommend a press regulation law.

The cross-party group, including eight former cabinet ministers and London Olympics chairman Lord Coe, says any such move would damage press freedom.

Lord Justice Leveson is due to publish his report on Thursday.

The group, which has written to the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph, wants a stronger "self-regulatory" system.

The Leveson Inquiry was established by the prime minister in July last year and looked into the culture, practices and ethics of the press.

It was commissioned following allegations of illegal phone-hacking at the News of the World.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who has already warned politicians not to pre-empt its findings, will receive his copy of the report at lunchtime on Wednesday - 24 hours before its details are made public.

'State licensing'

Lord Justice Leveson was asked to produce a list of recommendations for a more effective policy and regulatory regime for the press, which would preserve its independence while encouraging higher ethical and professional standards.

It is widely expected to recommend some form of statutory regulation overseen by an independent body.

But the politicians, led by former Labour home secretary David Blunkett and Conservative MP Conor Burns, argue in their letter this could be detrimental to free speech, saying: "As parliamentarians, we believe in free speech and are opposed to the imposition of any form of statutory control even if it is dressed up as underpinning."

They add: "No form of statutory regulation of the press would be possible without the imposition of state licensing - abolished in Britain in 1695. State licensing is inimical to any idea of press freedom and would radically alter the balance of our unwritten constitution.

"There are also serious concerns that statutory regulation of the print media may shift the balance to the digital platforms which, as recent events have shown through the fiasco of Newsnight-Twitter, would further undermine the position of properly moderated and edited print journalism."

The group - which includes Commons Culture Media and Sport Committee chairman John Whittingdale, Downton Abbey writer Lord Fellowes, former Commons Speaker Baroness Boothroyd and ex-cabinet ministers Lord Tebbit, Liam Fox, John Redwood and Peter Lilley - has written to the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph,

'Open-minded'

It argues that the "press abuse chronicled at Leveson was almost wholly about actions which were against the law. It demonstrated not a sole failure of regulation but rather of law enforcement.

"However the status quo is not an option. We cannot countenance newspapers behaving as some have in the past. The solution is not new laws but a profound restructuring of the self-regulatory system."

David Blunkett co-wrote the letter with Conservative MP Conor Burns

The letter concludes: "Public debate will necessarily follow publication of the Leveson report and will be needed to provide confidence in a rigorous tough new system of self-regulation. Such a debate will lead to a speedy way of establishing a new self-regulatory regime that can restore confidence in the press."

However, some campaigners say the current system of self-regulation, overseen by the Press Complaints Commission, is inadequate and that tougher rules are needed to curb newspapers' excesses.

Earlier this month, 42 Conservative MPs and peers wrote to the Guardian arguing in favour of some form of statutory underpinning for press regulation.

It is up to David Cameron to decide whether to implement Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations.

On Sunday Downing Street said the prime minister was "open-minded" about the future regulation of the press.

Previously he said he intended to implement the findings of the Leveson inquiry, provided they were not "bonkers".

Claims that News of the World journalists had hacked the voicemail of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler led to the closure of the Sunday tabloid and brought about the Leveson Inquiry.

The parents of Madeleine McCann, who went missing aged three on holiday in Portugal in 2007, were also among the alleged hacking victims.

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VIDEO: 'Water everywhere, it's heartbreaking'

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HP rebuffs ex-Autonomy CEO, warns of legal action

A HP Invent logo is pictured in front of Hewlett-Packard international offices in Meyrin near Geneva August 4, 2009.

Credit: Reuters/Denis Balibouse

SAN FRANCISCO | Tue Nov 27, 2012 2:50pm EST

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett Packard Co rebuffed a request by former Autonomy Chief Executive Mike Lynch to detail accusations of accounting fraud leveled against the British software company and its former executives, and challenged Lynch to submit to questions under penalty of perjury.

HP was responding to an open letter that Lynch shot to HP's board on Tuesday, asking for specifics of the U.S. company's allegations that Lynch and former Autonomy executives inflated revenue and gross margins, which HP said last week forced it to take an $8.8 billion writedown on Autonomy's value.

In his letter, Lynch again flatly rejected any accusations of impropriety, and requested that HP's board share with him the same documents it had submitted to U.S. and British regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice.

Tuesday's exchange between HP, the world's largest computing company by revenue, and the former chief of Autonomy, which HP acquired for upwards of $11 billion last year, escalated a row that erupted last week when HP stunned investors by publicly accusing Lynch and other unnamed executives of inflating financial results such as margins.

The revelation again brought into question the competence of HP, which has made a series of missteps in past years including failed acquisitions and poor strategic decisions.

In Tuesday's letter, Lynch challenged HP to elaborate on how it calculated the writedown, especially $5 billion that the company has said was directly attributable to accounting impropriety at Autonomy.

"Can HP really state that no part of the $5 billion writedown was, or should be, attributed to HP's operational and financial mismanagement of Autonomy since the acquisition?" Lynch asked in the letter.

HP responded by saying the matter was now in the hands of the SEC, the UK's Serious Fraud Office and the Justice Department, and that it will defer to those agencies on how to engage with Lynch. It also warned it will take legal action against "parties involved" at the appropriate time.

"While Dr. Lynch is eager for a debate, we believe the legal process is the correct method in which to bring out the facts and take action on behalf of our shareholders," HP said in an emailed response.

"In that setting, we look forward to hearing Dr. Lynch and other former Autonomy employees answer questions under penalty of perjury."

HP's shares were down 1.5 percent at $12.55 in afternoon trade on Tuesday.

Last week's announcement came alongside the disclosure of a 6.7 percent slide in quarterly revenue, and occurred just three months after the company took a writedown of almost $11 billion on its EDS services division.

HP has for years relied on deal-making, acquiring businesses ranging from EDS to Compaq to Palm, but has largely failed to articulate a clear strategy or establish a strong position in growth businesses like computer services or mobile computing.

(Reporting By Edwin Chan and Poornima Gupta; Editing by Tim Dobbyn and Steve Orlofsky)

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