TONY BLAIR ’MAD’ OVER IRAQ: JOHNSON
Tony Blair’s “unhinged” attempt to rewrite history is undermining arguments for Western intervention in Iraq, Boris Johnson has claimed, in an extraordinary personal attack on the former prime minister.
Mr Blair took to the media to make the case for a tough response to the extremist insurgency in Iraq - insisting it was caused by a failure to deal with the Syria crisis, not the 2003 US-led invasion.
His intervention was met with widespread criticism from Labour figures and others as extremists posted pictures apparently showing the massacre of dozens of Iraqi soldiers by jihadist fighters.
HAGUE URGES HITCH-HIKERS’ RELEASE
William Hague has called for action to secure the release of three abducted hitch-hikers as Israel arrested dozens of Palestinians during the hunt for the youths.
The Foreign Secretary condemned the kidnapping in the West Bank, which Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu blamed on Hamas, saying he held the Palestinian Authority responsible for the disappearance.
Palestinians reject his claim and insist the trio went missing on Thursday in an area under Israeli control.
CLEGG TO UNVEIL ELECTION DETAILS
Nick Clegg will unveil further details of the Liberal Democrats’ pitch to voters at next year’s general election as he seeks to persuade voters it offers a “distinct” programme.
The Deputy Prime Minister will draw more dividing lines with the Tories on education - days after insisting all schools should have qualified teachers and follow a core curriculum.
Aides said Mr Clegg was determined to show voters his party would not resort to an “insipid” manifesto to leave the door open to remaining in power with either of the main parties.
McCANNS IN COURT OVER BOOK ’LIBEL’
Kate and Gerry McCann will appear in a Portuguese court today to deliver personal statements on how accusations in a former police chief’s book have affected them.
The couple have been given permission to speak at the trial of Goncalo Amaral, who they are suing for libel over the claims he made in his book The Truth Of The Lie.
Mr and Mrs McCann were originally told they could not make statements to the long-running trial, but the decision was overturned after an appeal by their lawyer.
FORCED MARRIAGE CRACKDOWN HAILED
Forced marriage is “a tragedy for each and every victim”, Home Secretary Theresa May said as a new law outlawing the practice came into effect.
From today forcing someone into marriage in England and Wales will carry a maximum seven-year jail sentence under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
The Government hopes the law change, with also criminalises forcing a British national into marriage outside the UK, will protect thousands of potential victims.
DON’T WASH RAW CHICKEN, COOKS URGED
Health experts have urged people to stop washing chicken before they cook it to avoid food poisoning.
More than two-fifths of cooks say that they wash chicken as part of their food preparations, but the Food Standards Agency has issued a call to the public to stop the practice.
The FSA said that it can spread a type of bacteria around the kitchen through the splashing of water droplets.
TORIES’ STANCE ON UNIONS ’PETTY’
Liberal Democrat ministers are battling what they regard as a Tory attack on “the very principle of trade unions” by refusing to scrap a system of collecting subscriptions from salaries.
Paymaster General Francis Maude has asked all Whitehall departments to consider ending the long-standing “check off” system.
But Lib Dem cabinet ministers have refused to implement the change in departments they head, and junior colleagues are fighting the proposals elsewhere, a senior party source said.
NURSES ATTACK NHS CHIEFS’ PAY RISES
NHS bosses are being handed pay rises of more than £5,000 and bonuses of tens of thousands of pounds while front-line staff are worried about how they will pay their bills, leading nurses have said.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said pay for NHS executive directors has increased by an average of 6.1% over the last two years while nurses, midwives and health visitors have only seen a 1.6% rise in earnings.
Half of NHS trusts have awarded a salary increase of at least £5,000 to one or more executive directors, according to freedom of information responses from 126 NHS trusts in England.
BRITON FATALLY STABBED IN BARBARDOS
A British man has been stabbed to death on the Caribbean island of Barbados, it was reported today.
The victim, who has not been named, was stabbed in the chest early yesterday morning, according to the newspaper Barbados Today.
He was said to have been involved in an altercation with a local man in St Lawrence Gap, Christ Church, in the south-west of the island, a lively tourist area.
GARTER CEREMONY FOR ROYAL FAMILY
The Queen will be joined by members of the Royal Family for the annual Order of the Garter service today.
Hundreds of spectators will be treated to the sight of Garter Knights walking through the grounds of Windsor Castle wearing their lavish blue velvet robes and black velvet hats with white plumes.
The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be among the royal party at the ceremony in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
