Migrants 'Buying Language Test Passes For £500'

The Home Office has launched an investigation into claims migrants who speak no English are able to buy certificates showing they have passed a supposedly "secure" language test.

Secret filming at an exam centre showed the certificates - which are required by anyone wanting to remain in the UK permanently or to apply for British citizenship - were being sold for £500.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said in a statement: "The Home Office takes any allegation of fraud extremely seriously and we have already begun a full investigation.

"We will take the strongest possible action against anyone who is found to have abused the rules - including the possibility of criminal prosecutions for fraud.

"This ESOL certificate is just one element of a wide range of evidence required by individuals applying for settlement and citizenship.

"Nobody can gain a UK visa on the strength of this qualification alone."

Following information from a whistleblower, the Daily Mail carried out the undercover investigation into the exam centre at Upton Park, east London, which is run by Learn Pass Succeed (LPS).

Uzwan Ghani, one of the directors of LPS, which has four branches in London, told the paper the problem was confined to the Upton Park branch and that it had suspended tests taken at the centre.

"I'm shocked that this has happened and am very concerned as to how it could have happened," he was quoted as saying.

"We are very thorough when it comes to checking IDs of candidates before they take the test, so I will have to investigate which of the centres the test was taken in and who the assessor was.

"I've been in the business for five years and I've never come across something like this and I would not allow it. It is wrong and ridiculous."

Ofqual, the examinations watchdog, was also said to be aware of the allegations and was seeking further information "as a matter of urgency".

A spokesman said the centre had been suspended by EMD Qualifications and "appropriate action" would be taken.

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Stuart Hall Not Guilty Of All But One Charge

Former broadcaster Stuart Hall has been found guilty of indecent assault - but cleared on 19 other child sex charges he faced.

The 84-year-old was cleared of raping two young girls following allegations dating back to the 1970s.

Hall is currently serving a 30-month jail term after he admitted indecently assaulting 13 other young girls, one as young as nine, over a period of nearly 20 years.

He pleaded guilty at the start of his trial last week to indecently assaulting one of two new complainants when she was aged 13.

Hall gave no reaction as a jury at Preston Crown Court cleared him of 15 counts of rape and four of indecent assault, convicting him of just one count of indecent assault.

But the former BBC presenter mouthed "thank you" to the jury as he was led away to the cells to continue serving his sentence for earlier offences.

Detectives and Crown Prosecution Service lawyers looked ashen-faced after the innocent verdicts were read out to the court.

Stuart Hall's OBE was "cancelled and annulled" by the Queen last year

Hall had maintained throughout his trial that the two women who later came forward to claim they were raped had agreed to consensual sex.

A CPS spokesperson said they respected the jury's verdict but defended the decision to prosecute Hall on the extra charges.

"At the beginning of this trial he pleaded guilty to an indecent assault against one of the girls when she was intoxicated and at home in bed and today he has been found guilty by a jury of a further indecent assault in relation to the same victim," they said.

"We take all allegations of rape and sexual assault very seriously and victims should know that we will prosecute such cases where it is right to do so."

A statement issued by Lancashire Police said the decision to charge Hall was taken "in the belief that there was a realistic prospect of conviction".

It can now be revealed that Hall complained about his "routine" being disrupted when he was moved to a different prison during his trial.

On the first day of the trial, Mr Aylett QC, told the judge: "Since the end of July the defendant has been in Leyland prison where he has something approaching a routine. He has a cell, his library, he has his clothes there.

"Yesterday he was told he may be moved to Preston for the duration of the trial."

The judge, Mr Justice Turner, said he had no power to intervene.

As the trial progressed, Mr Aylett brought up the subject again in open court - not before the jury - as he referred to the "extraordinary amount of dismay" it had caused to his client.

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E.ON To Pay Customers £12m Over Mis-Selling

Energy Complaints Soar By Staggering 224%

Updated: 1:11pm UK, Friday 16 May 2014

Complaints about energy companies have trebled in the first quarter of this year, according to the energy sector's ombudsman who is calling for "increased transparency".

The record figures showing a 224% rise in the first three months of this year come after regulator Ofgem said it was referring the energy sector to the Competition and Markets Authority for a full-scale competition inquiry.

Between January and March, complaints trebled to 10,638, compared with 3,277 received during the same period last year.

More than 2,000 consumers complained about not receiving bills, 1,474 people made complaints about billing charges, and over 1,000 consumers criticised the quality of customer service.

The numbers suggest that 2014 will see more complaints overall, as there were 17,960 complaints made over a 12-month period last year.

Chief Energy Ombudsman Lewis Shand Smith said: "Consumer frustration and dissatisfaction is something that we hear about every day, and we welcome any attempts by Ofgem to make the energy market fairer.

"With energy complaints trebling in the first quarter of this year and problems relating to billing the greatest concern, increased transparency is something that should be addressed."

A spokeswoman for Energy UK, the trade body that represents the industry, said most customers had no problems with their energy company, but accepted that sometimes things go wrong.

She added: "If a customer has any concerns relating to their bills, they should contact their provider as soon as they can, and if possible have an up-to-date meter reading to hand which will ensure their bill is as accurate as possible.

"Energy companies work very hard to resolve problems and most complaints are fixed within a few working days with no more than a phone call."

The spokeswoman said there were new rules in force which made matters "more open and clear for customers including: explaining bills so people understand what they are paying; making it easy to switch; ensuring customers are on the right deals; and simplifying tariffs".

But Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, the consumer watchdog, said the rise in complaints was "further proof that the energy market is broken".

He added it was "right" that the energy sector had been referred for a full-scale investigation.

A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokeswoman said the figures were "worrying", and added: "We would advise consumers to shop around and switch to find a better deal, whether on cost or customer service."

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Girl, 5, Dies After Falling Ill In School

A five-year-old girl who fell ill at school and was rushed to hospital has died.

The youngster became sick while attending Willow Bank Infant School in Woodley, near Reading on Thursday.

Emergency services said she was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital by ambulance but could not be saved.

Thames Valley Police said they were informed of her death soon after 4.30pm.

A statement posted on the school's website on Thursday said: "We are deeply saddened to report that one of our children passed away today.

"Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends at this tragic time."

The website said that "after careful consideration" staff had decided to that the school would be closed on Friday.

The child has yet to be named. Details about when a post-mortem examination and coroner's inquest will take place have yet to be released.

A Thames Valley force spokeswoman said: "The death is unexplained but not believed to be suspicious."

Judith Ramsden, director of children's services at Wokingham Borough Council, told the Local Berkshire news website: "This is an extremely sad day and our thoughts and prayers are very much with family and friends of the little girl, all of the pupils, their families, and staff at the school.

"We are supporting the whole school community in every way we can, and our specialist team will be back with them on Monday.

"We sincerely ask that you give the school, and its families, both the space and the time they need to grieve and heal during the coming months."

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Farage In Bruising Run-In With Radio Presenter

UKIP leader Nigel Farage had a tetchy exchange with a radio presenter as he suggested there was no problem with his wife being German because she did not speak her native tongue on British trains.

The bruising interview with LBC radio presenter James O'Brien was eventually interrupted by Mr Farage's spin doctor.

Mr O'Brien had repeatedly challenged the party leader over recent comments that he felt "uncomfortable" hearing so many foreign languages spoken on trains in London.

Asked whether he was uncomfortable when his wife Kirsten and their daughters spoke German, Mr Farage replied: "No, because they can speak English."

Pressed again on the issue, he said: "I don't suppose she speaks it (German) on the train."

Mr Farage says he won't put up with 'idiots' in his party

Mr Farage faced a grilling on his comments from February that parts of Britain were "like a foreign land" where "you don't hear English spoken any more".

At the time, he described being on a rush-hour train leaving Charing Cross, saying "it was not until we got past Grove Park that I could hear English being audibly spoken in the carriage".

During the LBC exchange, Mr Farage complained that the media was using inappropriate remarks by a "handful" of activists to portray his party as racist.

"All anyone wants to talk about is the idiots in UKIP," Mr Farage said.

"Wherever we have found people who have had extreme, racist, unpleasant views we have unceremoniously got rid of them..."

Spin doctor Patrick O'Flynn stepped in to complain that the interview was over-running as Mr O'Brien moved on to the subject of Mr Farage's expenses.

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Couple 'Took Overdose To Delay Extradition'

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

A couple who are facing extradition to the US on fraud charges took a drugs overdose to delay or stop the process, a judge has ruled.

Grandparents Paul and Sandra Dunham, from Northampton, were remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court accused of breaching bail.

The court heard the couple, both 58, spent Wednesday evening saying goodbye to relatives and were due to report to a police station the following morning to begin the extradition process.

They were hopeful of a last-minute reprieve from Home Secretary Theresa May but when news came that, despite months of appeals, they would indeed be flying to the US, Mrs Dunham took between 12 and 14 sleeping pills.

Her husband found her ill and took 47 paracetamol tablets.

Senior District Judge Howard Riddle said the couple had taken enough drugs to cause themselves real harm, despite Mrs Dunham telling a nurse at Northampton General Hospital it had been a "cry for help".

He ruled there was a "substantial" risk the Dunhams would harm themselves again if released on bail pending extradition.

"There is simply no other conclusion I can reach on the face of it than at the very least it was to delay or prevent the (extradition) process from taking place," the judge added.

Mr Dunham was indicted on 13 counts of fraud and money laundering by a grand jury in the US state of Maryland in December 2011.

His wife is accused of eight counts of fraud and of aiding and abetting her husband.

The allegations date back to between 1999 and 2009 when Mr Dunham worked in the US as the head of manufacturing firm Pace.

The court was told psychiatric tests on the couple after they were admitted to hospital found no acute mental illness.

Mrs May has ordered attempts to extradite the Dunhams be put on hold for at least two weeks.

The judge said: "In 14 days or thereabouts, a decision will be taken that extradition is imminent and, at that stage, despite the protestations that they won't, there is a real risk they will take steps to harm themselves."

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Hilary Mantel Hits Out Over Kate Controversy

By Richard Suchet, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

Hilary Mantel has said the public outcry and media reaction to her comments about the Duchess of Cambridge last year are a sign that Britain is becoming a "narrow and intolerant" nation.

The author of Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies was widely criticised for describing Kate as a "machine-made" princess with no personality - comments which she said had been taken out of context.

"What the fuss last year made me think was how narrow and how intolerant as a nation we have become because even if I had said about Kate the things I was alleged to have said, that was my perfect right.

"There was no occasion to jump on me and revile me.

"I would say it all over again and I stand by what I said."

Mantel was speaking to Sky News ahead of the opening night of Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies at The Aldwych theatre in London's West End.

Her books - which made her the first woman to win the Man Booker Prize twice - have been adapted for stage by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Together the novels are made up of almost 1,000 pages.

The dramatisation of Mantel's books are opening at the Aldwych theatre

"I don't see the need to be protective of every line, every scene, as long as the spirit is right and it is," she says.

"You could hurl many insults at me but precious is not one of them."

Director Jeremy Herrin's productions of Mike Poulton's dramatisations have been critically acclaimed.

The novels about Thomas Cromwell's life in the Tudor court have sold almost two million copies in the UK and over one million in the US.

"I think the court of Henry, Anne Boleyn, Catherine of Aragon and Thomas Cromwell in the mix of that is one of our national stories and one we'll always be connected to and we'll always want to see reinterpreted," says Herrin.

"Hilary has had the amazing insight to find Cromwell as a central character and to uncover him and explore what was going on for such an amazing man who, until she came along, no one really had a strong idea about."

Mantel's third instalment of the Cromwell series is highly anticipated but is yet to be written.

The two plays, which will run back-to-back at least once a week, have been in repertoire since December.

The West End cast includes Ben Miles as Cromwell, Nathaniel Parker as Henry VIII, Lydia Leonard as Anne Boleyn, Paul Jesson as Cardinal Wolsey and Lucy Briers as Catherine of Aragon.

Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies open at The Aldwych Theatre tonight and are scheduled to run until September 6.

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Coastal Town Battles Rising Erosion Threat

By Emma Birchley, East of England Correspondent

The coastal town of Hemsby is desperately seeking to shore up its erosion defences, three months after a tidal surge washed a number of houses into the sea.

Five patches of golden sand now break up the marram grass on the sand dunes in Hemsby where the houses once stood.

Angela and Tony Lewis's house, once set far back from the beach, now has a clear view of the horizon.

"You look at the sea view we never had and you think that view, lovely as it is, that is the view that is going to take our house away," said Mrs Lewis.

"We go to bed at night dreading there might be another storm and we dread what this winter is going to bring ... After this winter we don't know if we are going to have any houses left."

Even before the tidal surge of December 5, 2013, the quiet Norfolk resort had been fundraising for defences.

Some are questioning whether residents are fighting a losing battle

They had already put in place gabions - metal cages full of rocks - and vast bags of concrete at the base of the dunes. They think they helped, even though it is thought the dunes retreated 30 metres in places that night.

Many more defences have been added since, after fundraising reached £35,000.

But now the campaign group Save Hemsby Coastline is applying for much bigger sums of money from various grants, including lottery cash from the Coastal Communities Fund, in the hope of being able to afford a more sturdy and permanent solution.

Lorna Bevan-Thompson, landlady of the local pub and founder of the campaign, said: "We are trying to raise a good few million pounds to put in a preservation and protection scheme here.

"We want to make sure we can protect the remaining sand dunes we've got. This is our only barrier to the seas. If we don't protect them now, homes will be lost, businesses will be lost and we desperately need to protect what we have got left."

It is estimated that defences can cost as much as £10,000 per metre.

A notice erected by the people of Hemsby

Dr Alastair Grant, professor of ecology at the University of East Anglia, says the costs have to be weighed up.

"The sea is incredibly powerful. If you have enough resources you can build sea defences that will stay where they are but that is incredibly expensive and the decision needs to be made about the relative costs and benefits of defending a piece of coastline."

Tourism in the village, just north of Great Yarmouth, is said to make £80m a year.

But there is more than just business at stake and for the people whose lives revolve around Hemsby, giving into the sea is not an option.

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Co-Operative Members Back Radical Reform

Members of the struggling Co-op have unanimously backed a major overhaul of the group.

It paves the way for radical reforms proposed by former city minister Lord Myners to go-ahead.

A timetable for carrying out the changes will be agreed at a board meeting later this month, says the Co-op as it warned tough times lay ahead.

Lord Myners has said the Co-op is "not fit for purpose"

Some reforms will need rules to be altered, and so require further votes.

Co-op Group chair Ursula Lidbetter, who announced she will step down after a transitional period, said the mood at the annual general meeting was "thoughtful and sober".

She hailed the vote as "a highly significant moment" for the group.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Ms Lidbetter told delegates "catastrophic failure of governance" had taken place at the Co-operative Group but it was in its own hands to "make this business work again".

She also said 2013 had been "a disaster waiting to happen".

Sky's City Editor Mark Kleinman said no-one had been expecting a unanimous vote, and Co-op executives were "breathing a sigh of relief" at the result.

After the vote, Lord Myners said: "My job, when I was asked by the board, was to do a thorough review of governance and I have done that.

"Quite forthright, that upset some people, but I think it was necessary to be frank and straight forward and people have obviously listened with care."

He has proposed a major shake-up of the 150-year-old business which reported losses of £2.5bn for 2013.

The plans include sweeping away the existing 20-strong board of representatives from the Co-operative Group, who currently include an engineer, a plasterer and a retired deputy head teacher.

He wants to replace this with a slimmed-down "plc and beyond" structure staffed by professionally-trained directors.

The former Marks & Spencer chairman was appointed a director of the Co-operative Group in December but has announced he is to leave following this weekend's vote.

He has said it was apparent to him from the first time he attended a board meeting that not one of its members had the ability to address the complex issues faced by a group burdened with £1.4bn of debt.

Lord Myners believes that the Co-op will survive but faces the prospect of having to sell assets such as its £1bn funeral care business, in order to meet the demands of its lending banks, if it does not adopt reform.

Resistance to the changes saw chief executive Euan Sutherland leave the group earlier this year saying it was ungovernable.

The decision on the reforms was taken by representatives of its independent societies and affiliated organisations - who hold 22% of the vote - and others voting on behalf of its regional membership boards making up the remaining 78%.

Ms Lidbetter said: "There is a huge task ahead of us if we are to deliver the reforms necessary to restore the Group's reputation and return it to health but the board will work hand-in-hand with our members to ensure that we seize this opportunity.

"It is vital that the right changes are put in place as soon as possible to build a more effective organisation for our members, customers and colleagues."

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Brits Swelter As UK Hotter Than Athens

Britain has enjoyed one of the hottest days of the year, with temperatures beating those in Greece and Italy.

The mercury rose to 23.9C (74.66F) in Santon Downham in Suffolk, beating Friday's high of 23.7C (75.02F) recorded at Pershore College in Worcestershire.

It meant that the UK was warmer than Athens and Rome, which had temperatures of 21C (69.8F).

London, the South East, East Anglia and the East Midlands enjoyed the highest temperatures of between 23C (73.4F) and 24C (75.2F).

Sky News Forecaster Isobel Lang warned that the strong sunshine meant high UV levels.

And while for most the weekend will be warm with blue skies, parts of Northern Ireland and Scotland are likely to see rain.

Next week will become more unsettled with thundery showers expected all over the country although overnight temperatures are due to stay warm.

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