PM SET TO FACE COULSON QUESTIONS
Prime Minister David Cameron is likely to face more questions about his links to Andy Coulson today as a jury resumes deliberations on whether the former Number 10 spin doctor is guilty of further charges.
Coulson was found guilty yesterday of plotting to hack phones while he was editor of the News of the World.
An Old Bailey jury is still considering allegations that Coulson, 46, of Charing, Kent, conspired with former royal editor Clive Goodman 56, of Addlestone, Surrey, to commit misconduct in a public office by agreeing to pay police officers for two royal directories. They both deny the two charges.
CLAMPDOWN ON ZERO-HOURS CONTRACTS
The Government is to clamp down on abuses of zero-hours contracts by allowing people to work for more than one employer.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said “unscrupulous” employers had been abusing the flexibility offered by the contracts, under which workers do not know if they have work from one week to the next.
Unions and campaign groups have been pressing for zero-hours contracts to be banned, but Mr Cable said they had a place in the labour market - offering working opportunities especially for students and older people.
AFFORDABLE HOMES ’DROUGHT’ WARNING
Only one in every five homes for sale in England is affordable to a typical working family trying to get on the property ladder, a report by Shelter has found.
The housing charity, which analysed more than 325,000 properties with at least two bedrooms for sale across England, found that just 17.9% of them were within the financial reach of a household with children on an average local wage, leaving the remaining 82.1% beyond their means.
Just 86 properties were found to be affordable to local families in the whole of London, compared with 16,134 in the North West.
MOSQUE ’DID NOT FOSTER EXTREMISM’
A mosque attended by two British jihadis fighting with Islamist rebels in Syria has denied teaching extremist ideologies.
The Al-Manar Centre reportedly confirmed that two men who appeared alongside a third Briton in an Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (Isis) propaganda video had visited the mosque.
But it denied encouraging members to take up arms to join extremists abroad.
MEDIC’S WORRY OVER GP WAITING TIMES
Two-week waits to see a family doctor could soon be commonplace, a leading medic has suggested.
Waiting lists are set to soar as GPs are stuck between a mismatch of rising demand and “disinvestment”, the chair of the British Medical Association’s general practitioners committee said.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul warned that general practice is “imploding”.
DOCTORS’ LANGUAGE CHECKS LAUNCHED
Doctors are facing tough language checks which mean they cannot practice in the UK without a firm grasp of English.
A change to the law comes into effect today which means that medics licensed to practice in the UK can have their language skills checked by the General Medical Council (GMC).
The doctors’ regulator hailed the change as a “milestone” for patient safety. Until now only doctors from outside Europe could have their language skills tested by the GMC, but this has been extended to doctors coming to Britain from inside Europe.
WIMBLEDON BRACED FOR MURRAY MANIA
Murray Mania will return to Wimbledon today as Andy Murray continues his bid for a second title at the All England Club.
The Scot faces Slovenian Blaz Rola on Court No.1 at 1pm in his second match of the famous tennis tournament.
Meanwhile, romance was in the air in SW19 yesterday as one of the Grand Slam’s top female stars Caroline Wozniacki talked about her love life.
MPS WARN ON RESPIRATORY DISEASES
Action needs to be taken now to stop people dying needlessly from respiratory disease, MPs have warned.
Noting that the UK has the worst death rate amongst OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for respiratory disease, Stephen McPartland chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Respiratory Health states: “The time has come for the Government and the NHS to give respiratory disease the priority it deserves. Good respiratory care reduces hospital admissions, is cost-effective and is already outlined in existing documents.
“However, the investment that has already been made in developing these standards, guidelines and incentives - and even an Outcomes Strategy - will not bear fruit without a concerted system-wide effort to implement them.”
ROYALS HONOUR THE BRITISH LEGION
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh round off their trip to Northern Ireland today at events with the British Legion and Antiques Roadshow.
The royals, who are staying at Hillsborough Castle, will meet experts from the BBC series and have some valuables assessed as the historic home plays host to the show this week.
The couple will then travel to Coleraine, Co Londonderry, where a reception has been planned in the town hall.
HARRY TO VISIT RAINFOREST IN BRAZIL
Prince Harry will visit the Atlantic Rainforest that surrounds the city of San Paulo today and learn about efforts to preserve the eco system as he tours Brazil.
The forest has been described as an extraordinary cultural and historical resource with hundreds of trees and thousands of plant species.
An initiative led by the Brazilian government is trying to re-house some communities that live in the area to help protect the rainforest and allow new saplings to be planted.
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