Archive of January 2007

Levy arrest sparks claims of a cover-up
Lord Levy, the prime minister's chief fundraiser and personal envoy to the Middle East, was arrested yesterday on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.
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NI elections to go ahead in March
Assembly elections in Northern Ireland will go ahead as planned on March 7th, the British and Irish prime ministers announced last night.
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Arrests made in 'major terrorism operation'
Nine people have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related activities in Birmingham in what has been described as a "major counter-terrorism operation".
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Britain 'must forge better Middle East links'
William Hague will tonight call for British foreign policy to turn towards the Middle East, saying there must be a "concerted national effort" to engage with Muslim states.
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Civil servant strike causes widespread disruption
Proceedings in the Welsh assembly have been stopped and government services across the country shut down today as thousands of civil servants strike over pay and job cuts.
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Cameron: It's all over for Blair
It is in the "national interest" for Tony Blair to step down now and allow someone else to take over running the country, David Cameron has declared.
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'Postcode lottery' for rape victims
Rape victims across the country face wildly varying chances of seeing their attacker caught, a new report has revealed.
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UK emissions fall but aviation pollution rises
The government has insisted it is on track to meet and exceed its Kyoto target, as new figures show greenhouse gas emissions fell between 2004 and 2005.
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Manchester to host first super-casino
Manchester has been chosen as the site for Britain's first super-casino, a Las-Vegas style venue with up to 1,250 unlimited jackpot machines.
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PFI rethink urged after hospital scheme collapse
A rethink on the way expensive hospital-building schemes are managed in the NHS is expected after MPs condemned the handling of a £900 million project in London.
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Coroners 'to force action' on sudden deaths
Coroners will be able to demand organisations act on their inquest reports into sudden deaths to ensure they are not repeated in the future, the government has announced.
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Watchdog finds prison service 'in crisis'
The prison service is in "acute crisis" and is "just struggling to stay afloat", the chief inspector has warned in a damning new report.
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Lone parents could be forced to work earlier
Lone parents on benefits could be forced to look for work earlier under new government plans intended to cut child poverty.
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'Historic' Sinn Fein vote for policing praised
Tony Blair has welcomed Sinn Fein's vote in support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) as a "historic decision".
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Reid hits back but admits more problems to come
John Reid has insisted he will not quit over the problems at the Home Office, and will instead stay to deal with what are likely to be further scandals in the future.
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Blair: I will finish what I've started
Tony Blair has rejected suggestions that his authority is waning in his last few months as prime minister, insisting he wants to "finish what I've started" before he quits.
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Multiculturalism blamed for radical young Muslims
A new poll revealing young Muslims are more radical than their parents shows the "failure of multiculturalism" over the past 20 years, the Conservative leader has said.
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Tories divided over Catholic adoption row
Government divisions over gay adoption spread to the Conservatives as David Davis said Catholic agencies should not have to help gay couples adopt a child.
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Muslim extremists 'mirror image' of BNP
Those wanting sharia law in Britain are the "mirror image" of the British National Party (BNP) in seeking to draw lines between "them" and us", David Cameron has warned.
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Blair confirms no Catholic exemption in adoption row
Tony Blair has confirmed Catholic adoption agencies will not be exempt from new gay equality legislation, saying there was "no place" for discrimination in Britain.
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Sex offenders 'on the loose'
The Home Office faces renewed criticism today after being accused of losing track of 322 sex offenders.
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Struggling Home Office faces drug trafficker accusations
Reports that travel bans were not imposed on almost 150 drug traffickers end a week of bad news for the Home Office.
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Blair looks to climate change breakthrough
Tony Blair has said that the world is close to achieving a breakthrough on climate change.
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Holocaust marked on liberation anniversary
Relgious services, film screenings and other events are taking place up and down the country to mark Holocaust memorial day.
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Sex offender 'spared thanks to Reid intervention'
John Reid is under fire once again after it emerged his advice to courts to send fewer criminal offenders to jail resulted in a convicted sex offender being spared prison.