Scotland's Gender Divide Over Independence

How Yes Vote Would Change Scotland

Updated: 4:05am UK, Wednesday 29 January 2014

By Niall Paterson, Sky News Correspondent

Anyone who tells you they know with certainty what will happen in the advent of a 'Yes' vote is at best being disingenuous, at worst lying through their teeth.

Plenty of questions simply cannot be answered until the voters decide to make Scotland an independent nation.

Of course, a degree of informed speculation is taking place across the UK - so with the above in mind, here's what Scotland might gain or lose after the referendum on Thursday, September 18:

:: SCOTLAND GAINS: A NATIONAL ANTHEM

Officially, Scotland doesn't have one. Then again, neither does England. God Save The Queen is the British anthem, although it was long ago purloined by those south of Gretna Green, and sung with lusty glee at Twickenham and Wembley. Flower Of Scotland, by beardy Scottish folk heroes The Corries, was adopted by the Scottish rugby team back when they won things and is a strong contender, although references to sending the English home again might be considered a bit thirteenth century. A new anthem might well be commissioned, but having watched Eurovision over the past few years, few would bet on it being any good.

:: SCOTLAND LOSES: THE BBC

Nope, this isn't just a chance for me to lay into Auntie. Again. Obviously the BBC would retain a presence north of the border and Eastenders isn't going anywhere (unfortunately) but Alex Salmond has proposed a Scottish Broadcasting Service, a joint venture with the Beeb. It would initially be set up using BBC Scotland's facilities and staff, although one wonders what they would think of that. The SNP says it would have an annual budget of £345m, which would mean doubling the amount spend on public service broadcasting in Scotland. River City (Google it, Englanders) will continue ... to annoy me.

:: SCOTLAND GAINS: A PASSPORT AND BORDERS

Well, there will certainly be a Scottish passport after a 'Yes' vote, and borders seem increasingly likely. Theresa May has said there would need to be improved checks as the SNP intends to pursue a more liberal immigration policy. Any government would be able to do that, in fact, so some form of control would appear a necessity. Goodbye to the "Welcome to England" sign, hello annoying spot checks and cavity searches.

:: SCOTLAND LOSES: MEMBERSHIP OF THE EU

For now at least. No one really expects an independent Scotland wouldn't ultimately gain EU membership, but it might be a rather time-consuming process given the other member states would have to agree - and there are a few with their own issues around self-determination (see Spain and Catalonia) that might wish to make it rather difficult.

:: SCOTLAND GAINS: ITS OWN ARMED FORCES

As with the BBC, Alex Salmond seems intent on a bit of a land grab (don't worry, people of Durham, not literally), and there has been the suggestion that forces based in Scotland could switch allegiances. Defence secretary Philip Hammond says that is "laughable". In any event, the plan is to have a Scottish Defence Force, with a standing army of as many as 12,500 troops, close working relations with Scandinavian countries and between 20 and 25 ships. No word yet on whether any of those will be called Dignity.

:: SCOTLAND LOSES: TRIDENT

A biggie, this. Growing up not terribly far from the nuclear submarine base at Faslane, I was blissfully unaware of the Russian warheads targeting the UK's deterrent. And, whether true or not, the view lingers that it whilst it makes strategic sense to put the subs as far away from Westminster as possible, it's rather unfair, particularly given a strong historic opposition in Scotland to nuclear weapons. The problem is the SNP have only latterly recognised that Nato membership is important to Scotland's international standing - and it is, of course, a nuclear alliance.

:: SCOTLAND (POSSIBLY) GAINS: NORTH SEA OIL

Bit tricky, this one. At stake, there's as much as 24 billion barrels of oil and gas worth £1.5 trillion waiting to be extracted - and HM Treasury's coffers aren't exactly overflowing at the moment. Geographically, Scotland could claim up to 90% of this and one could argue the UK's position on the Falklands strengthens the SNP case. But the Government in Westminster could also argue it should be recompensed for decades of infrastructure investment. Frankly, I don't know. Sorry. Told you this was going to be difficult.

:: SCOTLAND (POSSIBLY) LOSES: THE POUND

Undoubtedly there will be a currency used in Scotland called the pound. The question is, whether or not it continues to be backed by the Bank of England. It would essentially mean a currency union between an independent Scotland and the remainder of the UK - and whilst the First Minister thinks it's an absolutely smashing idea, funnily enough that's not a view shared by, for example, the Chancellor nor the Governor of the Bank of England. True, a separate currency would make trading between the nations that bit more difficult, and that's got to be a factor when the recovery is so fragile. But the Governor, Mark Carney, is fond of pointing to the Eurozone crisis. One thing's certain - those funny-coloured banknotes so loved by London taxi drivers aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Which is a good thing. No trip to London is complete without a wizened driver turning up his nose at your purple twenty quid note.

So, in short, we don't really know. And we will only get to know in the passage of time after a 'Yes' majority in the referendum.

Some will vote with their heart, some with their head.

Some won't vote at all - and with so many unanswerables, who can blame them?

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Officers 'Ambushed' In Police Station Shooting

A manhunt is under way across three US states after a fatal shooting at a police barracks in Pennsylvania.

One officer was killed and another injured after they were "ambushed" outside the Blooming Grove barracks in Pike County.

Police from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey are searching for those responsible following the shooting at 11pm local time on Friday.

Commissioner Frank Noonan told reporters: "I know a lot of people are wondering if the threat is resolved. It is not.

Blooming Grove is a township of about 4,000 people

"The perpetrators of this heinous crime are still at large. We do not have a description or any real information about their identity."

He added that the situation was of "grave concern".

Police do not have any information about the motive but Commissioner Noonan said "this attack seems to be directed particularly at the Pennsylvania State Police".

More than 100 police vehicles were dispatched to the barracks

The injured officer has undergone surgery and is in a stable condition.

Local media reported that more than 100 police vehicles were dispatched to the barracks, including a SWAT team from neighbouring Lackawanna County.

Several roads have been closed and helicopters are searching the area.

Blooming Grove is about 35 miles east of Scranton and is home to 4,000 people.

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Scotland: 'No' Camp Eight Points Clear In Poll

A new opinion poll has given the "No" campaign in the Scottish referendum campaign an eight point lead, after a leading bank warned a "Yes" vote could be a mistake akin to those that sparked the Great Depression.

The telephone poll, which was commissioned by the Better Together campaign and carried out by Survation, has the "No" vote on 54% and the "Yes" camp on 46% when undecided voters are factored out.

As the campaign enters its final weekend, Deutsche Bank has claimed that the economic arguments against independence are "overwhelming".

Chief economist David Folkerts-Landau said a Yes vote could be a "mistake as large as Winston Churchill's decision in 1925 to return the pound to the Gold Standard or the failure of the Federal Reserve to provide sufficient liquidity to the US banking system, which we now know brought on the Great Depression in the US".

Coverage starts at 9pm

Mr Folkerts-Landau said he found it "incomprehensible" that Scots were even contemplating withdrawal from the UK.

Scotland's SNP Government accused him of failing to take into account the country's "strong fiscal position", and two senior bankers also hit out at the claim, calling it "preposterous" and "disingenuous".

Ian Blackford, who used to run Deutsche Bank's operations in Scotland and the Netherlands, and Edward McDowell, a former risk manager for Lloyds Banking Group, played down the warnings.

At least 2.6 million leaflets will be delivered to households in 48 hours with less than a week to go until polling day.

Alex Salmond's cause will be backed by 35,000 volunteers this weekend

An estimated 10,000 people attended a rally by the Orange Order in support of the Union in Edinburgh on Saturday.

The Yes side has planned to have more than 35,000 volunteers on the streets of Scotland over the weekend, manning 473 registered street stalls.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown is trying to persuade the public to vote No in the country's east.

Meanwhile, three more retailers have said customers would be hit by higher prices under independence.

An estimated 10,000 people attended a rally by the Orange Order

Marks and Spencer, B&Q and Timpson made the claim in a joint letter published in the Daily Record.

Asda and John Lewis made similar assertions this week, but Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Yes campaign's "momentum is still growing and will soon become unstoppable, as people reject the Downing Street-orchestrated campaign to talk Scotland down".

Many of Britain's newspapers reported on comments by a former SNP deputy leader which appeared to threaten recriminations against businesses that backed a No vote.

A sign of support for the Union during the Orange Order march

Jim Sillars said there would be "a day of reckoning with BP and the banks" if Scotland votes Yes, adding that BP would "need to learn the meaning of nationalisation".

In a fiery interview with Sky News, Mr Sillars said he was simply using "robust" language to draw attention to the "orchestrated fear campaign coming from Downing Street".

First Minister Alex Salmond praised Mr Sillars's dedication to the campaign but said rather than a "day of reckoning", a Yes vote would be followed by a "day of celebration".

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Motorway Gridlocked By Dogs' Home Donors

Well-wishers have been warned to stay away from the sister site of the Manchester Dogs' Home after people trying to donate to the charity caused gridlock on the M6.

Staff at the Cheshire Dogs' Home are asking people who wish to provide gifts to instead visit the centre next weekend.

"At the moment the response has been so great Cheshire Dogs Home is gridlocked, so till further notice please be patient and stay away from our Cheshire home," a charity spokesman said.

More than £1.2m had already been pledged to the charity online in less than 48 hours after 50 dogs were killed as the Manchester site was burnt down in a suspected arson attack.

A firefighter with a dog rescued from the blaze. Pic: Manchester Fire

On its Twitter account, Manchester & Cheshire Dogs' Home added: "We've gridlocked the M6 & Warrington, can donations now be done next w/end, police concerned with H&S (health and safety) wow, we've stopped the M6.

"Sandbach Services southbound will take donations to ease the M6 traffic, pls use if possible."

The charity also thanked those who have already made a donation.

Detectives are still working to determine the full facts behind the blaze, but a 15-year-old boy who was arrested on suspicion of arson has now been released on bail.

Lisa Graham from the charity said the local community has always supported the centre.

More than 50 dogs were killed in the fire at Manchester Dogs' Home

"We saw that community out in droves. We saw them coming out with things you wouldn't even expect," she said.

"To think that for the length of time we've served this community and the many generations we've been serving this community and that one of them would come and do this to us is sickening.

"We had staff here last night that were coming out of the kennels in tears with dogs they knew. There were dogs in there that they cared for that they lost."

Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home opened in 1893 and has given a home to more than one million dogs.

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Oscar Pistorius Guilty Of Reeva's Manslaughter

Pistorius: Trial Of The Century?

Updated: 1:20pm UK, Friday 12 September 2014

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent, in Pretoria

The live television coverage of the Oscar Pistorius trial has exposed a slow and sometimes bizarre criminal justice system and some shoddy policing.

It has allowed the two principal lawyers to showboat and frighten witnesses into choosing not to be seen on camera.

And it was unable to stop grim images of the victim's shattered head being flashed on screen.

But most here believe the bold decision to let cameras into a South African court for the first time was the right one.

It has allowed justice to be seen to be done, a right that's been denied to most of the population in this fledgling democracy where, for so many years, justice was colour blind.

The judge deciding the Olympic athlete's guilt or innocence is a former tea girl from the Soweto township.

When Thokozile Masipa became a judge at the age of 43 she was only the second black woman to do so.

But she has presided over a trial that's been excruciatingly embarrassing at times.

It was supposed to last three weeks, but has limped on in fits and starts for six months and a tougher judge might have clamped down on the delays.

She has also, in some observers' views, allowed the principal lawyers, prosecutor Gerrie Nel and defence barrister Barry Roux, to play to the gallery.

There has been no jury to sway, so who else can their showboating have been aimed at but the television audience?

And Nel's mocking and goading of Pistorius in his cross-examination was courtroom behaviour that would never be tolerated in the Old Bailey or any British court.

But, oddly, the judge suddenly one day reprimanded the prosecutor for calling Pistorius a liar.

The whole trial was predicated on the prosecution's belief that the defendant was lying. If Mr Nel thought Pistorius was telling the truth, there would not have been a trial.

The witness translation was sometimes laughable, with interpreters translating from Afrikaans into English which was their third language.

So poor was it that some witnesses who had chosen to speak in Afrikaans gave up and delivered the rest of their testimony in often perfect English.

Cross-examination of police witnesses revealed some shoddy detective work.

An officer who handled a gun without gloves, a door that was kept in a senior detective's office instead of contamination-free storage, and a valuable watch that appeared to have been stolen from Pistorius' house in the early hours of the investigation.

Seemingly important evidence introduced early on, but never revisited.

The court was shown photographs of blood splatter on the wall above Oscar's bed and a bullet hole in a door frame.

The images hinted at a fight, but that was the first and last we saw or heard of them.

And the defence promised we would hear sound test recordings that would demonstrate that Oscar Pistorius screams like a woman. The recordings were never played.

For all its delays, faults, inconsistencies and omissions, few people who have followed the Oscar Pistorius trial could argue that it was wrong to televise it live.

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Moss Killers Jailed For Minimum Of 37 Years

Three men have been jailed for a minimum of 37 years each for an attack which killed Sabrina Moss, who was shot dead while celebrating her 24th birthday.

The nursery school teacher was caught in crossfire near a fast food restaurant in Kilburn, north London, in an attack by two hooded men armed with a machine gun and sawn-off shotgun.

She and her friend, Sabrina Gachette, were victims of a "deep-seated" drugs turf war as they sheltered from the rain with a group of 15 others near the Woody Grill, in the early hours of August 24, 2013.

Convicted: (L-R) Yasin James, Martell Warren and Hassan Hussain

The mother-of-one was shot in the heart and died in hospital from her injuries.

The victims' families cheered in court as the judge sentenced Hassan Hussain, 29, Martell Warren, 24, and Yasin James, 20.

The men were jailed for life, with a minimum term of 37 years, for the murder of the teacher, and the attempted murder of Sabrina Gachette.

Jurors at the Old Bailey heard Hussain had discharged the Mac 10 "spray and pray" machine gun six times and James fired both barrels of the shotgun at near point blank range, before fleeing the scene in a car driven by Warren.

Sabrina Moss had a four-year-old son

The women were not the intended targets and were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, unknowingly sheltering from the rain under an awning with members of a rival gang.

Their killers were out to get members of the South Kilburn Gang - and Miss Moss, who was dressed in a bright red dress and high heels - would have stood out from the crowd like a beacon in the night, jurors were told.

Miss Gachette, who was hit in the back by more than 50 gunshot pellets, survived to give evidence during the 10-week trial.

The women were sheltering under an awning near the Woody Grill Police at the scene of the shooting in north London

The 25-year-old, who almost a year on, still has a few pellets lodged in her body, told the court: "There was no warning. I thought someone had thrown a brick at me. Then because of the explosion I thought it was a firework.

"Sabrina was in front of me and that was when I heard her say she had been shot in her heart. That is the last thing I remember hearing her say."

Miss Moss, who had just moved into a new flat with her partner and four-year-old son, had been celebrating at the Love and Liqor nightclub on the night of her murder.

Sabrina Gachette was hit in the back but survived and testifed at the trial

The court heard how the trigger for the attack came when Warren was rushed by members of a rival gang half an hour before the shooting.

Jurors heard Warren was a convicted drug dealer and a member of the Kensal Green Boys or Bloods, known as the KGB, while Hussain had a previous conviction for grievous bodily harm and was jailed for five years for stabbing his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend six times.

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Pistorius Family 'Never Doubted' Athlete's Story

Oscar Pistorius' uncle Arnold has said the family never doubted his version of events on the night he killed his girlfriend.

He said Reeva Steenkamp's death at the athlete's house in Pretoria, South Africa, was a "tragic event" and his family remained "deeply affected" by it.

Arnold Pistorius also said he was grateful to Judge Thokozile Masipa for finding the runner not guilty of murder and it was a "big burden off our shoulders and Oscar's".

The double amputee was convicted of a lesser charge of culpable homicide, which is the equivalent charge of manslaughter in the UK.

Judge Masipa said Pistorius had acted negligently when he fired four shots on Valentine's Day last year into a locked toilet door, killing the 29-year-old model who was behind it.

But she also said he did not intend to kill anyone and could not have seen that the intruder he thought was hiding in his toilet was actually Ms Steenkamp.

Arnold Pistorius said: "We always knew the facts of the matter. We never had any doubt in Oscar's version of this tragic incident."

He said "there were no victors" and added: "It won't bring Reeva back but our hearts still go out to her family and friends."

Pistorius was also convicted of discharging a firearm at a Johannesburg restaurant on January 11, 2013.

But he was acquitted of firing a gun through a car sunroof while with his then-girlfriend Samantha Taylor and friend Darren Fresco on November 30, 2012, and cleared of illegally possessing ammunition.

Oscar Pistorius pictured leaving court after his bail was extended

The Paralympian and Olympian was freed on bail and will return to court in Pretoria on October 13 to be sentenced.

Nathi Mncube, for the National Prosecuting Authority, said he was "disappointed" Pistorius was convicted of only two charges.

Speaking outside the court he said: "We respect the judgment that has been delivered.

"We believed in this instance there was enough evidence to secure a conviction under premeditated murder.

"Of course we are disappointed. We are disappointed we did not secure a conviction under premeditated murder and also there was acquittal on the other two (gun) charges."

He said it was too early to decide whether prosecutors would launch an appeal.

The victim's parents June and Barry Steenkamp were in court for the judgement but the family has not yet commented on any of the verdicts.

However, her close friends Gina and Kim Myers were very disappointed, very tearful and left court shaking their heads, according to Sky's Alex Crawford in Pretoria.

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Ex-Democratic Unionist Leader Ian Paisley Dies

The former Democratic Unionist Party leader Dr Ian Paisley has died, aged 88.

His family said they are 'heartbroken', while his successor as DUP leader and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson said he was a "towering figure".

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness also expressed his deep regret and said he had lost a friend.

The firebrand Protestant preacher and politician who led opposition to compromise with the IRA for decades, later became a peacemaker when he entered government with Sinn Fein at Stormont following a landmark deal.

The ex-First Minister of Northern Ireland had been ill for some time

He had been ill for some time, and was hospitalised in 2012 with a heart problem.

In a statement announcing his death, his wife Eileen said: "My beloved husband, Ian, entered his eternal rest this morning.

"Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family we are heartbroken.

"We loved him and he adored us, and our earthly lives are forever changed."

The funeral will be private but a memorial service is planned later in the year.

Mr Robinson told Sky News: "Ian Paisley was a towering figure, not just within unionism, but Northern Ireland politics as a whole.

"He was in many ways Mr Northern Ireland."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said he had lost a friend

Mr McGuinness, NI's Deputy First Minister, said: "In the brief period that we worked together in the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister I developed a close working relationship with him which developed into a friendship, which despite our many differences lasted beyond his term in office."

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Ian Paisley was one of the most forceful and instantly recognisable characters in British politics for nearly half a century.

"Of course, Ian Paisley was a controversial figure for large parts of his career.

"Yet the contribution he made in his later years to political stability in Northern Ireland was huge.

"In particular, his decision to take his party into government with Sinn Fein in 2007 required great courage and leadership, for which everyone in these islands should be grateful.

"Ian Paisley will be remembered by many as the 'Big Man' of Northern Ireland politics.  He will be greatly missed."

Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "Ian was a man of deep convictions. The convictions never changed. But his appreciation of the possibilities of peace, gradually and with much soul searching, did. He began as the militant. He ended as the peacemaker."

The Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said: "Dr Paisley was by any measure a major figure in the history of these islands.

"His devotion to his faith and to the Unionist people of Northern Ireland was deep and unshakeable.

"In time, history will come to a fuller judgement of his long career.

"And, while he was of course a divisive figure, his greatest legacy will be one of peace."

Former Northern Ireland secretary Peter Hain said: "Ian Paisley was the Big Man of Northern Ireland politics. The historic 2007 peace settlement bringing bitter lifetime enemies to govern jointly could never have happened without him."

Dr Paisley led opposition to any accommodation with republicans for decades and his fiery rhetoric was legendary.

He opposed successive political deals including the Anglo Irish and Good Friday Agreements but agreed to powersharing with Sinn Fein in 2007 following that party's acceptance of the new police force.

The former North Antrim MP stepped down as leader of the DUP and as first minister in 2008.

He retired from the European Parliament in 2009, Parliament in 2010, and the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2011.

Dr Paisley was elevated to the House of Lords in 2010 taking the title Lord Bannside, to reflect the starting point of his parliamentary career in the now defunct constituency.

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Scotland: Bank Jobs And Higher Prices Warning

Orkney Fishermen Divided On Referendum

Updated: 3:53am UK, Thursday 11 September 2014

By Ian King, Business Presenter

The Orkney Islands are one of Scotland's most prosperous regions. Unemployment here is much lower than in the rest of Scotland and the quality of life - with house prices lower than mainland Scotland - is good.

Orkney has more young people, per head of population, than Scotland as a whole. Its children do better in school, on average, than most Scots and its people are also healthier, on average, than most Scots.

Yet, in common with the rest of Scotland, Orkney's people are divided over whether it should become an independent country - nowhere more so than among the ranks of its fishermen, a sector less important to the Orkadian economy than was once the case, but still one that defines the islands and their rugged character.

Neil Mathheson, a scallop fisherman and a strong supporter of the Yes campaign, has no doubt fishing will do better in an independent Scotland.

He said: "With independence, everything will be closer to the people. These would be our issues.

"The last UK fisheries minister couldn't tell you the difference between a haddock and a whiting, or a haddock and anything. I do believe an independent Scotland should have a dedicated fisheries minister that deals with the fisheries.

"If there is a mess, it will be our mess, not one we can blame on somebody else. We are not much better off than Greece at the moment."

His colleague Sean Dennison, a crab fisherman, agreed. He said: "We all have to make decisions every day of our lives.

"If you are closer to the people that are putting forward [legislation] then I think we are as well-placed... through Holyrood as Westminster.

"You're closer to everything you do on the sea, entitlements for catching fish, whatever."

But that is not everyone's opinion.

Robert Smith, a lobster fisherman, is firmly in the No camp.

He said: "Scottish politicians are anti the fishing industry."

He warned that a Yes vote for independence will not leave it there, suggesting that it would be quickly followed by demands for independence from the neighbouring Shetland Islands, where an "Our Islands, Our Future" movement is already gaining ground.

Between them all sits John Welles, a prawn fisherman, who has yet to make up his mind.

He said: "We haven't been given enough information. If we say yes and it all goes wrong, where do we go from there?

"We are ok at the moment, I'm not saying it's great, but we are ok. If we vote yes and it goes bad, where do we stand then?"

And this is very much the point that appears to be on the minds of the "Don't Knows" - this is a decision, once made, that cannot be reversed.

How will the quartet explain the way they have voted to their children and grandchildren and especially if an independent Scotland struggles?

Mr Mathheson said: "How do I explain to my grandchildren if Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage was Prime Minister?

"That would really worry me, far more than Alex Salmond or Nicola Sturgeon, or any Liberal Democrat [the Orkneys are a traditional Liberal stronghold].

"Even that nice Tory lady [Annabel Goldie] that used to be there, she'd be better than them, at least she was what it said on the packet. I'd be more embarrassed about Boris or Nigel."

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Sex Abuse Victims Jeer Rotherham Police Chief

Rotherham Victim 'Verbally Abused By Police'

Updated: 8:43pm UK, Wednesday 27 August 2014

A victim of the Rotherham child sex abuse scandal has told Sky News she was verbally abused when she sought help from police.

She said the violence she suffered was ignored by authorities because her attacker was Asian and they were worried about causing racial unrest in the South Yorkshire town.

The woman gave a disturbing account of how she was treated by some police officers - claiming they called her a string of derogatory names.

One even said her attacker had every right to abuse her, she said.

Her grooming began when she turned 14 and was introduced to the man through friends in Rotherham.

She said he treated her well to start with and she fell in love with him, but after a few months he became violent.

"The more time we spent together the more he started to change," she said. "He became controlling, violent ... a relationship that was domestic violence."

She said she felt so scared at times she thought about killing herself.

"I had a fear of heights and he did a lot of things to try to scare me through that," she said.

"He once drove us to the edge of a cliff and said he was going to kill us both. He then dragged me out of the car and said he was going to throw me off."

She added: "He once tried to throw me over a balcony, luckily two people kind of stopped him from doing that.

"I had a child with me at the time, that were only a few months, in a pushchair, and he even kicked the pushchair over."

She said during her two years of abuse, the attacks went from once a week to two or three times a week.

His brothers were grooming other young girls, she said, but unlike many child victims in Rotherham she was sexually exploited by one man.

She was 16 when she went to police, but said her complaint was ignored.

Her abuser was even granted immunity from prosecution, she claimed.

"I explained to him (the police officer) what relationship we had and he said: 'Well, what do you expect? I think he's got every right to.'

"My Dad went absolutely mental and told him to get out of the house. The police officer then apologised, and we put a formal complaint into the police about him.

"But just his manner of how he dealt with it - he didn't seem to care about it, he was so unprofessional."

When asked why her abuse was ignored by social workers, police and council bosses, she said: "I think it was because of the fact he was Asian.

"I don't think they wanted to start communities colliding together, and starting confrontation between communities."

She said Rotherham Council chiefs should face action for ignoring the plight of the 1,400 child victims targeted in the town.

"The people that were involved back then ... I think they need hanging," she said.

"I don't know what legal stuff can be done, but I think they all need to be in a courtroom and tell people exactly what they knew.

"I think it should be some kind of criminal offence that 1,400 girls have been allowed to be abused by professionals."

South Yorkshire Police say they have no knowledge of allegations concerning derogatory remarks made against the victim.

A spokesman said the suggestion a deal was struck with her abuser has been fully investigated and no evidence was found to support the claim.

"This case forms a part of Operation Clover looking into a series of child sexual exploitation investigations in Rotherham," he added.

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Pistorius Verdict: The Judge's Key Remarks

Calm, measured and without pomp or ceremony, Judge Thokozile Masipa took her time as she summed up the evidence in the trial of Oscar Pistorius.

There were several crucial observations from the judge throughout the hearing.

:: Judge Masipa said witnesses who claimed they heard gunshots from Pistorius's home had been "correctly criticised" as unreliable. She added that, in actuality, the noise they heard was a cricket bat hitting a door. On that basis, she excluded their testimonies.

:: She discussed Reeva Steenkamp's injuries after four gunshots were fired through the toilet door. The judge insisted that because the shots were fired in quick succession, "the deceased would have been unable to scream".

:: Judge Masipa said the state prosecution's case rested mostly on circumstantial evidence and not facts. This, in part, is because the timings given by witnesses did not match up to their phone records.

:: Other evidence thrown out by the judge included four WhatsApp messages, which the state claimed was proof that the athlete "dominated and scared" his model girlfriend.

:: Turning to the cross-examinations that Pistorius has given in recent months, Judge Masipa described the double amputee as an "evasive and very poor" witness.

:: After a short break, the judge rejected the defence's claims that Pistorius suffered from a mental disorder, and ruled he was capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his actions.

She said Pistorius did have control over his actions and could distinguish between right and wrong - implying that she thought he had made a conscious decision to shoot.

:: Judge Masipa continued to compare how Pistorius acted with how a "reasonable man" would. She insisted it was not reasonable that he armed himself with a gun, and said "the accused clearly wanted to use the firearm".

:: However, in a blow to the prosecution, the judge ruled that "there were just not enough facts" to prove that Pistorius had committed premeditated murder.

:: Soon afterwards, Judge Masipa said there was nothing to suggest that Oscar Pistorius did not honestly believe there was an intruder in his home. She added: "At worst for him, he can be convicted of culpable homicide."

The judge ruled out negligence, but said there was "no doubt" that Pistorius had acted unlawfully on Valentine's Day last year.

:: Judge Masipa finished Thursday's court hearing by telling Pistorius that "there were other means avail to you to deal with the threat".

She added: "All the accused had to do was pick up the phone and ring security, or run to the balcony and call for help."

The judge warned that his background was not an excuse for his conduct, as "other victims do not resort to sleeping with firearms under their pillows".

Judge Masipa concluded by saying that Pistorius "acted too hastily and used force", then adjourned for the day.

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Oscar Pistorius Cleared Of Reeva Murder

M'Lady: The Trial Judge Who Rose From Nothing

Updated: 8:38am UK, Thursday 11 September 2014

By Alex Crawford, Special Correspondent, in Pretoria

The fate of Oscar Pistorius lies in the palm of one Thokozile Masipa, a woman who grew up in poverty but rose to become only the second black female to be appointed a judge in South Africa.

From day one of the trial, the irony of this elderly black woman standing in judgement over a rich, privileged young white man cannot have been lost in a country with a racial history like South Africa.

The 66-year-old grew up under the apartheid system in Soweto - the most well-known disadvantaged township of them all at the time. 

She would have had to obtain permission from her white employers to travel to certain areas. She would have had to show her passbook when asked to by the police, which would have been often.

She would have been confined to all-black schools with deliberately limited opportunities and she would not have been allowed to vote.

Judge Masipa would have been 29 years old when a peaceful march by thousands of students in Soweto was broken up after police fired tear gas and live bullets. The Soweto uprisings as they became known led to similar protests across South Africa.

These events would have shaped Thokozile Matilda Masipa, who was the eldest of 10 siblings.

She already had two main careers and had two young children by the time she started studying law in her forties - achievements which would be considered exceptional and remarkable for a white woman in South Africa (or anywhere), but were utterly unheard of for a black woman then.

Although she worked at a string of odd jobs beforehand, including as a nursing assistant and a tea lady, she sought largely vocational careers where her friends say she hoped to change the unequal South African landscape she was born into.

She became first a social worker and then a newspaper reporter, at one stage working as a crime reporter. It was a tough time to be a journalist.

Once she spent a night in the cells having been arrested for protesting at the unfair detention of some of her male journalist colleagues.

During her time as women's editor of The Post, she broke with tradition and wrote about female empowerment and the victims of police brutality rather than cooking recipes and fashion.

It seems she has been breaking with tradition ever since.

She graduated from law school in 1990, the same year that Nelson Mandela was freed from prison and eight years later became only the second black woman judge appointed to the High Court.

The woman known as "Tilly" to her longtime friends is known to be a quiet, diligent, conscientious, reserved person.

Her boss for 14 years is the former Judge President, Bernard Ngoepe, who remembers her being quick to help, uncomplaining and absolutely passionate about justice.

He was part of the process which saw her appointed judge.

He said: "I felt her past experiences in social work and journalism meant she had a certain empathy, a real feeling for the people she was dealing with. I liked that in her."

And what about being at the centre of South African legal history?

The Oscar Pistorius trial is the first to be broadcast live in South Africa - and around the world.

Mr Ngoepe said: "I rang and asked her whether I should do this interview with you.

"And you know what she said? She said it's neither here nor there. She said she hasn't read any of the newspapers or followed events on the television during this trial so it's neither here nor there.

"I don't think it's made any difference to her that it's been broadcast live."

In one rare interview a few years ago, Judge Masipa admitted her background affected the way she viewed the mainly poor, mainly young men who came before her in court.

She said: "I understand them because they are from the same place I come from. I wouldn't say I am too lenient but I am more understanding."

Certainly judging from at least one of her decisions, she is anything but lenient. She once sentenced a serial rapist to 252 years in jail for leaving his victims traumatised for life.

But her views on the six-month-long Pistorius murder trial have been difficult to decipher.

She has said little, intervened only when absolutely necessary and astonished many of the watching media by her ability to maintain a poker face through some of the most dramatic moments of the 41 court days.

She has shown she is no pushover - admonishing the media, the public, the two advocates and publicly humiliating the defence's legal assistant when his mobile phone inadvertently went off.

"He apologises, m'lady," defence lawyer Barry Roux said.

"Well he can stand up and apologise himself," retorted the indomitable Judge Masipa. And he did.

Over the next two days, the inscrutable m'lady will take us through her thinking, her assessments, who she believes and who she doubts - and at the end of that, she will finally conclude whether Oscar Pistorius committed murder or not when he shot his girlfriend four times through the toilet door.

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What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

The Queen is said to be privately concerned about the referendum

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

Scottish voters would still be able to vote in next year's General Election

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

Some Scottish troops service in historic English regiments

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

Scotland would introduce its own passport

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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Scotland Yes Vote Means Higher Roaming Charges

What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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Westminster Love-Bomb A Plea To Emotions

When they make a movie of it, the Saltire scene will take some believing.

The one where the Prime Minister plants the Scottish flag flown above 10 Downing Street and rides his charger over Hadrian's Wall on a charm offensive.

So dramatic, so desperate, so close to the vote. Has the effort to save the United Kingdom really come to this?

Twenty-five years ago, an old pal of mine was the Scotland editor of an English-based tabloid that was launching north of the border.

"You'll love this," his editor purred over the phone as they designed the special launch edition.

"We're going to stick the Scottish flag across the top." 

Scots are being urged to look beyond the border ahead of the crunch poll

"Eh... don't," replied my friend, editorial instinct grabbing him by the throat.

As a native Scot, he knew what was a well-intentioned marketing gesture on one side of the border would translate as a patronising gimmick on the other.

His advice? Let's not be patronising, let's be credible.

The balance between patronising and credible is critical to Messrs Cameron, Miliband and Clegg.

They are running out of time and tactics to reverse the momentum behind the Yes vote.

Hence the gamble by these three reluctant unionist poster boys - representative, as they are, of a Westminster establishment that much of Scotland has turned its back on.

Time is running out to halt the momentum behind the Yes vote

So how do they steer Scots away from that disenchantment?

How do they present change that a nation can believe in? The Saltire won't do it.

The answer probably doesn't lie, either, in the last-minute scramble to place assurances of more devolved powers for the Scottish parliament on the table.

It's all too easy for their opponents to dismiss it as panicky and worthless.

The Prime Minister has written an article in the Daily Mail in which he told Scots: "We desperately want you to stay."

In pressing the emotional button, he is probably pursuing the only strategy left to him at this stage.

Sure, some will scorn at talk of the British family, but he has to hope it will resonate with undecided voters, who still number around half a million and hold the key to the referendum's outcome.

Alex Salmond claims the 'Super Wednesday' blitz is a sign of panic

Similarly, there will be those who are 'soft' Yes voters whose degree of conviction might yet be reshaped.

After a two-and-a-half year campaign, it's a fair assumption that most people have reached a conclusion on the facts and that emotion is the only thing left to be swayed.

Apart from anything else, the sights and sounds of Westminster's love-bomb will invite Scots to look beyond their border and contemplate the constitutional wreckage that their fellow UK citizens would be left with.

This is, after all, about more than Scotland - something that has largely been absent from the debate.

The 'Super Wednesday' blitz by the men in suits represents Downing Street's last throw of the dice.

All that's left in the campaign to save the Union is the Labour-led 'intensity tour' of Scotland, led by former prime minister Gordon Brown.

Not so much a love-bomb as a scatter gun.

If the love isn't reciprocated, it will be the kiss of death for the Union.

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PM: Referendum Not About Kicking 'Effing Tories'

What Happens If Scotland Leaves The Union?

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Tuesday 09 September 2014

Supporters of both sides of the Scotland referendum debate are mounting a final push for votes before the ballot on September 18. Sky News looks at what will happen if Scotland votes Yes to exit the UK:

:: 1.  When would Scotland become independent?

The Scottish Government has set a date 18 months from now, March 24, 2016, for Scotland's independence day.

:: 2. What would happen immediately after a Yes vote?

The first step on the morning after the result comes in would involve the forming of teams from both the Yes and No camps to take part in behind-the-scenes negotiations. SNP leader Alex Salmond has already indicated his deputy Nicola Sturgeon would lead the talks for the Scottish nationalists. It is not yet known who would spearhead the Westminster team.

:: 3. What amendments would there be to the constitution?

The negotiating teams would devise a new constitution for Scotland and dissolve the 1707 Act Of Union.

:: 4. What would happen to the Queen?

The Yes campaign has said Her Majesty would stay as monarch so it would not be surprising if Mr Salmond seeks an audience with the Queen in the days and weeks after the vote.

:: 5. Would Scotland take part in the May 2015 General Election?

Scottish voters would still be able to take part, but their representatives would only potentially serve a 10-month term in office.

:: 6. What currency would Scotland use?

That is still being thrashed out and yet to be decided. The three main Westminster parties - the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats - have ruled out a currency union, although Mr Salmond insists an independent Scotland would keep the pound.

:: 7. How much of the UK national debt would be transferred to Scotland?

This is not yet known, but it is likely to be worked out on a per capita share - based on population.

:: 8. What would happen to Scotland's standing in global affairs?

Scotland would have to negotiate its own entry into the European Union and Nato, and the population would have to decide whether they want to have the euro.

:: 9. What effect would independence have on Scotland's defence force?

The issue of defence is probably one of the most emotive - and uncertain. Scotland is likely to have its own independent defence force, in time, depending on practicalities and finances, for it has its North Sea oil and fishing industries to protect. Scottish nationalists are opposed to having the Trident nuclear deterrent and would want to see it removed from Faslane, on the west coast of Scotland, as soon as possible. However, Nato is fundamentally a nuclear alliance, and if Scotland struggles to become a member of Nato, it is likely to struggle to join the EU too, which would have a big impact on the Scottish economy. There is also the matter of service personnel - some of which will be currently serving in historic English regiments. Any division of troops north and south of the border would take years.

:: 10. What would independence mean in terms of travelling across the Scotland-England border?

An independent Scotland would control its own borders. The SNP would like to see an open border, but Home Secretary Theresa May has already warned she will not allow Scotland to be used as a back door for immigrants getting into England if Scotland adopts a looser immigration policy. So, we could see passport controls on the border between the two countries.

:: 11. Would Scottish citizens need new passports?

A lot depends on whether Scotland joins the EU. Scottish citizens would be entitled to a Scottish passport, but a UK passport would still be valid until it expires. British citizens who were habitual residents in Scotland would be automatically considered Scottish citizens.

:: 12. What would happen to benefits and taxes?

Benefits and taxes will become the responsibility of the new Scottish government. In its white paper on Scotland's independence it says the Scottish Parliament will ensure that the personal tax allowance and tax credits increase in line with inflation.

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B&Q Boss Warns Over Prices If Scots Vote Yes

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The boss of Britain's biggest DIY retail group has warned that Scottish consumers could face higher prices than their counterparts south of the border if voters back independence in next week's referendum.

Sir Ian Cheshire, who was among hundreds of business leaders urged by David Cameron on Monday to speak out in favour of the union, told Sky News that a 'Yes' vote would almost certainly mean increased costs for a standalone Scottish business that would be passed on to customers.

Sir Ian has previously warned of an investment hiatus in Scotland, where Kingfisher employs approximately 5,500 people at its B&Q division.

"We think there is a real risk in terms of higher costs, the uncertainty about a currency union and the difficulty of making investment decisions," he said on Tuesday.

"Smaller, more complex markets often mean passing higher costs on to consumers.

"Investment decisions would be on pause while we work out what's likely to happen.

"We are not going to pick up stores and move them south of the border but [a 'Yes' vote] would represent real and significant challenge for our business."

Sir Ian's comments about potentially higher prices echo private warnings by some of the big supermarket groups, although retailers have generally been unwilling to make such comments publicly.

Sir Ian is expected to make more detailed remarks on the issue alongside Kingfisher's interim results on Wednesday.

A number of other prominent executives are also expected to speak out on the issue in the coming days as they respond to the Prime Minister's plea to give public backing to a No vote.

The latest opinion polls indicate that the two campaigns are neck and neck, defying the forecasts of those who had predicted an overwhelming win for the No lobby as recently as a few weeks ago.

Concerns about the potential impact of a Yes vote prompted uncertainty in financial markets on Monday, with sterling falling to its lowest level against the dollar for ten months, and companies with significant Scottish exposure experiencing falls in their share prices.

At Monday's Downing Street gathering, Mr Cameron said that preserving the union was an objective in which business leaders had a critical role to play, adding that it was as a United Kingdom that Britain had fought and defeated Hitler.

Some campaigners believe that a recent pro-Union letter signed by more than 130 businesspeople was counterproductive, although further such messages are planned for the No campaign during the next week.

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Reports: Shark Attack Victim Was British

The Foreign Office has said it is investigating reports that a man killed in a shark attack in Australia was British.

The attack took place at the popular tourist destination of Byron Bay on the country's east coast.

Sky's Harriet Hadfield said the victim, named locally as 50-year-old Paul Wilcox, was reportedly originally from Warwickshire but moved to Australia with his wife some years ago.

This has yet to be confirmed by the Foreign Office, which said in a statement: "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Australia and are looking into them."

Mr Wilcox was reportedly from England originally. Pic: Refocused Learning

Hadfield said: "The most horrifying thing that we do know about this is that his wife was actually on the beach when it happened and so we understand she may have witnessed the attack.

"There are some really dramatic accounts coming out of Australia now from people who saw it happening, including one man who was paddle-boarding at the time and said it was an incredibly violent scene."

Police confirmed in a statement that the victim was "bitten on the right leg by what is believed to be a shark".

"He was seen floating in shallow water, close to the shore line, and dragged on to the beach," the statement said.

Police have yet to formally identify the man or establish what he had been doing in the water.

Byron Bay is a renowned surfing location near Cape Byron, the most easterly point of the Australian mainland 500 miles (800km) north of Sydney.

Paramedics declared the man dead at the scene

The death is the first blamed on a shark in Australia since April 3 when a 63-year-old woman was killed near the village of Tathra, 210 miles (340km) south of Sydney.

Although sharks are common off Australia's coast, the country has averaged fewer than two fatal attacks per year in recent decades.

Two men were killed in shark attacks off the east and west coasts in the space of a week in November last year. They were the only fatalities in 2013.

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PM To Miss PMQs In Scotland Campaign 'Panic'

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg will travel to Scotland to campaign for the Union as the fight to keep the UK together was lambasted as "falling apart".

The unprecedented move, which will see all three leaders miss Prime Minister's questions on Wednesday, follows indications in polls that Scottish voters could vote to leave the UK in the September 18 referendum.

Speaking after the joint trip was announced, the Prime Minister denied that it was a desperate move.

He said: "I'll do everything that I can. Let's be frank, there's a lot that the political leaders disagree about but there's one thing that we all agree about passionately and that is that our United Kingdom is better off if we stay together.

"So tomorrow the right place to be isn't Westminster at Prime Minister's Questions, it is being in Scotland, listening to people, talking to people.

"We will all have our own ways, separately, of talking about why we are better together.

The announcement was made on Twitter and Facebook

"But one thing I'm sure we will all say is that it's a matter for people in Scotland to decide, but we want you to stay."

While the leaders will all be in the country, they will not campaign together and will have separate schedules.

But Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said that it had been the day that the Better Together No campaign "fell apart".

The surprise trip follows a pledge made by the former prime minister, Gordon Brown, on Monday that if Scotland were to agree to stay in the Union Holyrood would be given significantly greater powers.

Polls indicate the Better Together No campaign could be in trouble

His promise for a "home-rule bill" was backed by the leaders of Scotland's Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties on Tuesday morning.

They agreed that work towards the transfer of the new powers from Westminster would begin the day after the referendum. Although they were unable to detail what these powers would be they agreed that the Scottish parliament would get greater tax-raising powers.

The Better Together Campaign, headed by former Chancellor Alistair Darling, has been accused of panic measures.

Sky's Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones said the extraordinary move from the three leaders made it "absolutely clear" there was panic in Westminster and the Better Together No campaign and he added that it appeared responses were being "made up on-the-hoof".

Gordon Brown has been out campaigning

A spokesman for Downing Street said the joint trip had been planned on Monday during a meeting between Mr Miliband and the Prime Minister. Mr Clegg was consulted about joining he campaign later in the day.

He added that the Saltire would be flying above No 10 and other Whitehall buildings until after the referendum.

Mr Miliband said he would be taking a simple message to the Scottish people to "stay with us" but dismissed suggestions that if Scotland voted for independence he and Mr Cameron should resign.

Appearing before MPs on the Political and Constitutional Reform select committee  on Tuesday, Mr Clegg dismissed the suggestion that the devolution of powers disclosed by Mr Brown on Monday was a "last minute" decision.

A TNS poll on Tuesday morning put the Yes and No campaigns equal on 41% - backing for the Yes campaign was up from 38% last month, while support for maintaining the union had dropped from 46%.

A YouGov poll commissioned by The Sunday Times suggested the Yes camp was leading the race by 51% to 49%.

As the vote draws closer, Better Together supporters have called on the Queen to intervene, following reports the monarch is growing increasingly concerned over the prospect of a split.

Later on Tuesday, the Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, ruled out the possibility of an independent Scotland keeping the pound saying currency union was "incompatible with sovereignty".

The struggle over the pound has been a significant part of the campaigns, with Mr Salmond insisting the country would keep the currency.

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Michael Schumacher Leaves Hospital For Home

Formula One legend Michael Schumacher has left hospital to recuperate at home, nearly nine months after the skiing accident that put him in a coma.

His manager, Sabine Kehm, said the seven-time champion has made "progress" since the accident last December.

But despite his improvement in recent weeks and months he still has "a long and difficult road ahead."

Schumacher has been in hospital in Lausanne since June, after six months at a hospital in France.

The 45-year-old German was injured whilst on a skiing holiday with his family in the resort of Meribel in the French Alps.

He hit his head on a rock and doctors operated to remove blood clots from his brain.

Some were left because they were so deeply embedded and he was placed in a medically-induced coma.

Schumacher skiing and his wife Corinna

Ms Kehm said in a statement: "Henceforth, Michael's rehabilitation will take place at his home.

"Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months.

"There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead.

"We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire team at CHUV Lausanne for their thorough and competent work.

"We ask the privacy of Michael's family continue to be respected, and that speculation about his state of health is avoided."

A spokesman for the university hospital in Lausanne confirmed Schumacher was no longer in its care.

He was taken there after emerging from the coma to undergo treatment to stimulate his senses in a specialised outdoor unit.

He lives with his family in Gland, near Geneva.

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Royal Baby Mania Or Spare Heir Syndrome?

Will it be baby mania all over again, or will the "spare heir" syndrome kick in quickly?

The answer is a little bit of both.

Pregnant or otherwise, the Duchess of Cambridge never lacks the ability to draw a crowd or the media.

And, just like the first time around, "bump watch" - the analysis of every twist and turn of Kate's pregnancy, will be ubiquitous among Twitter users, bloggers, fans and press alike.

Whether Kate will cancel upcoming visits or not, such as her first solo tour to Malta, will be news.

What she wears will be news. Messages of congratulation from politicians to members of the public will be news.

And yes, the media will flood the street outside the Lindo Wing in Paddington when the time comes, waiting for news.

But the fact of the matter is, William and Kate's second child - the bookies are already having a field day offering odds on gender and name - is unlikely to be this country's future Monarch.

Prince Harry may never be monarch - but has played a key role in royal life

Thank goodness for that, he or she might say, once they're beyond the gurgling stage, because the pressure will be off, just as it is with Prince Harry - often dubbed the "spare heir".

Constitutionally, William and Kate's second child is less significant as they will not be a direct heir. Prince George will take on the job, just as William will before Harry.

The next Cambridge baby will be fourth in line to the throne, pushing Harry into fifth.

And just like Harry, the child will likely be less constrained by the knowledge their monarchical destiny does not demand that they never put a foot wrong.

This pregnancy may garner marginally less interest than that of Prince George.

But should the Duke and Duchess' second born follow in Harry's footsteps, it will make plenty of news in the future, should the antics of its red-headed uncle be anything to go by.

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School Knife Attack: Pupil, 13, Hunted In Malvern

A teenager is being hunted by police after attacking a teacher and another student with a knife at a school in Worcestershire.

West Mercia Police warned the 13-year-old boy, who fled the scene after the attack at The Chase Technology College in Malvern, should not be approached.

"Officers in Malvern are investigating an assault on a teacher and student at The Chase Technology College in Malvern," a police spokesman said.

"A male teacher and a 13-year-old female student from the school were attacked with a bladed instrument at approximately 8.45am.

"The boy should not be approached. Please call 999 if you see him. Police are concerned about the boy's welfare and would like to find him as soon as possible."

The suspect is described as white, 5ft 3in tall, with short, spiked hair and wearing glasses.

He was last seen wearing dark grey trousers, a grey hooded jumper and may have a dark-coloured scarf covering his face. He was also carrying a dark rucksack.

The teacher and the other victim, a 13-year-old girl, suffered minor injuries in the attack.

The Chase Technology College said on its website that all staff and pupils were "safe".

"Parents should not be alarmed by the presence of police at the site. This is a precaution and the situation is fully under control," it said.

Police are staying on the site "as a safety measure" but the school days is continuing as normal.

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Luton Airport Evacuated: Flights Diverted

Luton Airport has been evacuated after a security alert, disrupting flights for thousands of passengers.

Pictures on Twitter show hundreds of travellers crowded outside the terminal, and a bomb disposal van at the scene.

All incoming flights have been suspended and the approach road to the Bedfordshire airport has been closed.

Sky News sources say the alert is thought to have been sparked by a checked-in suitcase that was picked up by a security scanner.

A spokeswoman for the airport said: "London Luton Airport has evacuated the terminal building after a suspicious item was found in the security search area.

A bomb disposal vehicle at the airport. Pic: Gavin Harper

"The decision has been taken with the police to ensure the safety and security of passengers and staff.

"Further updates regarding the security and operations at the airport will be provided as soon as possible."

She added: "Passengers are advised to contact their airlines to establish the status of their flights.

"We understand passengers will be frustrated by the delays they are experiencing.

"We are working closely with the police to ensure passengers are not inconvenienced unnecessarily but we must ensure that the safety and security of all our passengers and staff remains our top priority."

The approach road to the airport has been closed. Pic: Dean O'Brien

A spokesman for easyJet said: "Currently passengers are unable to board or disembark flights.

"easyJet will work with the airport to ensure that our passengers can return to the terminal as soon as possible.

"Whilst this is out of our control we apologise for the inconvenience caused and would like to thank passengers for their patience and co-operation."

Britain recently raised its terrorism alert to its second-highest level, saying Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq posed the UK's greatest-ever security threat.

More follows...

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Duchess Of Cambridge To Have Second Baby

The Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant with her second baby, Kensington Palace has announced.

Prince William and Kate said they were "very pleased to announce" that they are expecting their second child.

It comes a year and two months after she gave birth to Prince George at St Mary's Hospital in London.

William, speaking in Oxford, said they were 'immensely thrilled'

Sky's Royal Correspondent Paul Harrison says he has been told by Kensington Palace that the Duchess is not yet 12 weeks into her pregnancy.

The Duke of Cambridge said they were "immensely thrilled", but added it had been "a tricky few days".

Kate is suffering from severe morning sickness, as she did with her first pregnancy.

The Duchess pictured during one of her most recent engagements in August

Speaking at a planned engagement in Oxford which Kate was unable to attend, William said: "She's feeling okay.

"It's great news - early days, but I'm hoping things will settle down and she feels a bit better... I've got to get back and look after her now."

Doctors are understood to be treating her at Kensington Palace, where she has an apartment with Prince William.

William said the Duchess may be over the worst of her morning sickness in a "few weeks' time".

The palace said the Queen and members of both William and Kate's families are "delighted" with the news.

A statement from the palace said: "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Cambridge is expecting their second child.

"The Queen and members of both families are delighted with the news.

When Kate suffered from the condition, called Hyperemesis Gravidarum, during her last pregnancy, she had to be admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in central London.

Her admission to hospital at the time brought forward the announcement that she was pregnant.

Although she had not reached the 12-week mark - when it is most typical to make a pregnancy public - palace officials are understood to have realised they would be unable to conceal her condition.

Kate attends a WWI event in Belgium in August with the country's Royals

The couple's second child will become fourth in line to the throne, moving Prince Harry to fifth in the line of succession.

Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement moments after the announcement, saying: "Many congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

"I'm delighted by the happy news that they're expecting another baby."

Labour leader Ed Miliband said on Twitter: "Fantastic to hear that Prince George will soon be a big brother! Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their happy news."

Prince Harry was the last 'second heir' born to Charles and Diana in 1984

Scottish Nationalist Party leader Alex Salmond also tweeted his congratulations, referring to the royal couple by their Scottish titles.

He said: "Congratulations & best wishes to the Earl & Countess of Strathearn. Wonderful to hear they're expecting their second baby - very happy news!"

The names that are the betting companies' favourites so far are Arthur, Diana and Victoria (10-1), according to Sky Bet. 

Kensington Palace said the attendance by the Duchess at future engagements, including a forthcoming solo trip to Malta, would be decided on a "case by case" basis.

She had been due to appear on Monday night at the Invictus Games, which are supported by her brother-in-law Prince Harry.

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Ukraine Ceasefire Threatened By New Fighting

Residents Fearful Amid Fragile Ukraine Truce

Updated: 12:15pm UK, Sunday 07 September 2014

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent, in Mariupol

On the outskirts of Mariupol you could see the remains of Ukrainian artillery still smouldering.

We saw them recovering another piece that had been abandoned in a field.

In the middle of the main road, east outside the city, there is a Ukrainian army tank.

It has ended up disabled in what were meant to be its own side's defences - a tank trap incongruously painted with anti-war slogans and doves of peace.

The force of the impact had flung the barrel right round and destroyed part of a huge concrete block.

On one side of the tank the crew had written "Glory" and "Death to the enemies!" On the other it said "To Moscow!"

Further up the road we found the new rebel front line - they've advanced about 15 kilometres west in three days.

They turned us around and told us to leave.

We saw a T-80 battle tank dug in to the corner of the field behind them.

The pro-Russian rebels are now just a few hundred metres outside the village of Shyrokyne.

We found Ukrainian positions above the village unmanned, the hills leading up to them pockmarked with the impact of artillery fire.

One shell had landed just outside a church - its windows were shattered by shrapnel.

Another had hit a house nearby.

Tamara Spitsa, a retired music teacher, told Sky News she had never imagined this could happen in her village.

"We were hiding in the bathroom with my husband when they started shooting, very loud explosions, shrapnel like this hit my house and broke the roof."

Another man, who gave his name as Andrei, said there was no electricity in the village now.

"Scared is not the right word," he said of his feelings during the shelling.

"[President] Poroshenko should sit right here in the cellar with Litsenko [the Ukrainian Security Council spokesman] - they should be right here and then ask them if they're scared or not?

"Everyone was hiding in their cellars."

In the next village a mortar landed in front of the school, showering the canteen with fragments.

The force sliced branches off trees in the playground.

A woman was killed nearby by a mortar outside her house. She had worked selling vegetables in the market.

Her neighbour, Viktor, blamed the Ukrainian side for firing from outside their village.

"Two Grad rockets came this way," he said, "They started shooting on the rebels' positions on the outskirts.

"As a result they started answering and here is the result - we have people who are dead and injured."

We saw them digging fresh graves in the village cemetery - they want to lay the dead to rest while the ceasefire lasts.

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Alice Gross: Canal Search As Murder Suspect Held

Police are using divers to search for missing 14-year-old Alice Gross after a man was held on suspicion of murder.

The 25-year-old suspect was arrested in the Ealing area at around 5pm on Saturday and is currently in custody at a west London police station.

His arrest follows information detectives received earlier in the day.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "All lines of enquiry are still open at this time and this remains a missing person investigation at this stage."

Newly released CCTV images of cyclists spotted in the area

Police divers were seen carrying out a search of a section of the Grand Union Canal in Brentford on Sunday morning.

Officers with sniffer dogs were also operating on the canal towpath, close to where she was last seen 10 days ago.

Alice, who suffers from anorexia, disappeared from her home in Hanwell, west London, on Thursday, August 28.

She left her home at around 1pm and was captured on CCTV an hour later on the canal towpath near Brentford Lock, walking towards the River Thames.

Sniffer dogs have been used to search the Grand Union Canal towpath

She was later filmed again at 3.45pm along the towpath heading back to her home.

The footage showed her wearing dark blue jeans, a dark green lacy cardigan and denim blue Vans shoes. She may also have had tartan-framed glasses.

Earlier, the Met Police released new pictures of cyclists riding past the spot where Alice was last spotted, shortly before her disappearance.

Alice was spotted on CCTV before she vanished

The grainy footage show three cyclists riding along the towpath by the Trumpers Way Canal Bridge in Hanwell, moments before Alice walks past at 4.23pm.

They are followed by two more cyclists who pass under the bridge on the Grand Union Canal.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Chalmers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "I would urge everyone to take a good look at the pictures ... to see if it jogs any memories of the day Alice went missing."

Officers also urged anyone who may have befriended Alice on a song-writing workshop at the Camden Roundhouse to come forward.

A social media campaign was launched after the 14-year-old went missing

A large social media campaign has been under way since the teenager went missing and hundreds of posters have been distributed around the area.

Alice's mother Rosalind Hodgkiss appealed to her daughter directly on the Facebook page Find Alice Gross, saying: "Alice if you can see this, please know sweetheart that all of us love you and miss you desperately.

"My love please get in touch and let someone know you are safe. Alice please come home. Mum."

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8358 0100, Ealing Missing Persons Unit on 020 8246 1018 or the charity Missing People on 116 000.

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Scotland: Every Vote Counts In Referendum Race

Better Together leader Alistair Darling has told Sky News that "every voter... can tip the balance" when Scotland votes on independence later this month.

His comments come after a YouGov poll commissioned by The Sunday Times suggested the Yes camp now leads the race by 51% to 49%.

But Mr Darling said Scotland will benefit from staying in the United Kingdom, adding there would be "no going back" if the Yes vote is victorious on September 18.

"What's clear now... is that every voter in Scotland can tip the balance in this referendum," Mr Darling said.

The results are evidence of a dramatic surge for the Yes campaign

"Remember this isn't a protest vote. If we decide to leave, there's no going back. This is forever.

"I believe passionately that we can build a much better future for Scotland by remaining in the United Kingdom.

"The risks of independence for families, for our country, are real and I would rather build a better future for Scotland by staying in the UK."

The poll means the Yes campaign has overturned a 22-point lead for the Better Together campaign within the past month.

Opposing supporters carry banners in East Kilbride

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the poll results are encouraging, but insisted there was "not a hint of complacency" in the Yes camp.

"It's a very encouraging poll and it reflects what we are finding on the ground in the campaign across the country."

"We have got a lot of work still to do. There's not a hint of complacency in the Yes campaign."

She said the offer of more powers for Holyrood in the event of a No vote was a "panic move" by those against independence.

The YouGov poll was commissioned by the Sunday Times

Chancellor George Osborne has said an action plan will be unveiled in the next few days to give more powers to Scotland if it remained part of the UK.

The Chancellor said it was "clear" Scotland wanted more autonomy and the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats had agreed to "deliver" on that.

"You will see in the next few days a plan of action to give more powers to Scotland. More tax powers, more spending powers, more plans for powers over the welfare state," he said.

And Mr Osborne repeated the warning that an independent Scotland would not be able to share the pound.

"No ifs, no buts. We will not share the pound if Scotland separates from the rest of the UK," he said.

In an interview for Sky's Murnaghan programme, former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown made another appeal for a successful No vote.

"I think it's about two visions of Scotland's future, different from the future that might have been predicted a few years ago," Mr Brown said.

"The first is obviously the nationalists, who want to break entirely with the United Kingdom and break all connections.

"The second is what I would call the patriotic vision of Scotland's future, my vision.

"I want a Scottish Parliament, I want stronger powers, and therefore I want change to make it stronger, but I also want to share our resources with the rest of the United Kingdom."

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Funeral For Comedian Joan Rivers In New York

Mourners have been arriving for the funeral of American comedian and TV host Joan Rivers in New York.

Among them were stars including Kelly Osbourne, Sarah Jessica Parker, Whoopi Goldberg, Howard Stern, Barbara Walters and Donald Trump.

Mourners lined up outside a synagogue in Fifth Avenue and waited for their names to be checked against a list before entering.

A crowd of fans and media stood watching across the street ahead of the service at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.

The acid-tongued 81-year-old star died in hospital last Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest a week earlier during a routine medical procedure at a doctor's office.

Flowers placed on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame for Joan Rivers

The New York City medical examiner said more tests were needed to find out the cause of the mother-of-one's death.

Melissa Rivers, the comedian's only child, said her mother died peacefully, surrounded by family and friends.

She will reportedly be buried with a red carpet.

In her 2012 book, the star said she hoped for "a huge showbiz affair with lights, cameras, action" and "Hollywood all the way."

Rivers died at the age of 81

Instead of a rabbi talking, Rivers asked for "Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents" and "a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyonce's".

In what has been billed as her last interview, she spoke to the Sunday Times about preparing Melissa for her death by telling her: "It's comi-i-i-ing! It's inevitable."

She added: "It's like, God, I'm in my 80s. Nobody, when I die, is going to say, 'how young?' They're going to say she had a great ride."

The comic, who became almost as well known for her many cosmetic surgery procedures as for her wit, also said she had "no regrets" about going under the knife so many times.

In her book, Rivers joked that dying of natural causes was boring.

"It's the grand finale, act three, the eleven o'clock number - make it count. If you're going to die, die interesting! Is there anything worse than a boring death? I think not."

Her publicist said that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to God's Love, We Deliver; Guide Dogs for the Blind; or Our House.

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