Top News Online

14 July 2013 Last updated at 07:11 ET Grant Shapps says the government has a good record on reducing smoking Labour’s questions on whether David Cameron’s elections adviser tried to influence policy on tobacco packaging amount to a “smear”, the chairman of the Conservative Party has said. Two shadow ministers have written to ask whether Lynton Crosby was involved in ...

12 July 2013 Last updated at 19:01 ET Scrapped: Four departments have replaced UKBA The backlog of unresolved immigration cases has grown to more than 500,000, a group of influential MPs has said. The Home Affairs Committee said that at present rates it could take 37 years to clear. In its latest report into the system, the cross-party committee questioned ...

13 July 2013 Last updated at 12:35 ET David Cameron denies being lobbied by Mr Crosby on tobacco policy Shadow cabinet office minister Jon Trickett has written to David Cameron to ask about his election strategist’s influence on tobacco policy. He asked whether Lynton Crosby was involved in the government’s decision to delay plans to introduce plain cigarette packaging in ...

12 July 2013 Last updated at 20:14 ET The Unite leader has been at odds with Labour in recent weeks Unite leader Len McCluskey is to warn Ed Miliband his party reform plans will fail unless he does more to distance himself from New Labour. Mr McCluskey will back the Labour leader’s proposals to transform the party’s trade union links ...

12 July 2013 Last updated at 06:16 ET The UK will not hold a public inquiry into the death of ex-KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko, the coroner in charge of his inquest has said. Sir Robert Owen had requested an inquiry after ruling the inquest could not hear evidence linked to alleged Russian state involvement. Mr Litvinenko was poisoned with radioactive ...

11 July 2013 Last updated at 10:14 ET Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Chancellor George Osborne: “I’m clear that tax increases are not required” Continue reading the main story Spending Review: At-a-glance The Spending Review and you Automatic public pay rises to stop Q&A: Spending Review George Osborne says he will not need to raise taxes ...

11 July 2013 Last updated at 06:11 ET Former MP Denis MacShane is to be charged with false accounting over parliamentary expenses claims, the Crown Prosecution Service has said. Malcolm McHaffie, deputy head of the CPS special crime division said: “Having thoroughly reviewed the evidence gathered by the police, I have decided there is sufficient evidence and it is in ...