Tony Blair Denies Saying Miliband Can't Win

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has denied saying that Labour leader Ed Miliband cannot win the next General Election.

He used Twitter to say that Labour and Mr Miliband are able to come top in the poll in May next year.

His comments came after the Daily Telegraph claimed it had spoken to an insider who said they had heard Mr Blair dismiss Mr Miliband's chances.

Tony Blair was responding to an article in the Daily Telegraph

The Telegraph said the insider had heard Mr Blair tell friends that the Conservatives will win in 2015 because Mr Miliband has failed to connect with voters.

He apparently said that Labour had failed to persuade Britain that it is ready to govern.

Video: Questions Remain Over Ed Miliband

Mr Blair's prediction was made during a private talk with long-standing allies in early October, the Telegraph was told.

The source told the paper: "The Conservatives will be the next government because Labour has failed to make a good case for itself. That is what Tony thinks."

A tweet posted on the Twitter page of Tony Blair Office in response to the Telegraph story on Friday night said: "TB says: the Telegraph story does not represent my view.

"Ed Miliband and the Labour Party can and will win the next election."

Video: Ed Miliband's Highs And Lows

It is not the first time Mr Blair has been less than fulsome in his support for the Labour leader.

In July, he warned Mr Miliband about retreating into a left-wing "comfort zone", adding that the party had not developed a "narrative" for the future of the UK.

Mr Miliband has been under intense pressure in recent months with some in his party publicly saying that he should be replaced.

MPs like Frank Field have said that canvassers are being told on the doorstep that Mr Miliband is an electoral liability.

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Stoke-On-Trent Expected To Be Ruled Out Of HS2

Plans for the HS2 high speed rail line are not expected to include a stop in Stoke-on-Trent - but there could be a hub station in nearby Crewe.

Sir David Higgins, the chairman of the organisation running the project, is expected to announce further recommendations on the scheme next week.

The first phase of HS2, due to be completed by 2026, will see a new high-speed line built from Euston in west London through Tory heartlands to Birmingham.

Sir David Higgins will reveal further details for the plans on Monday

Civic leaders in Stoke have long suspected they will be ruled out of the £50bn plans which contain proposals for a Y-shaped line running from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds.

Proposals for HS2 have been highly controversial, with campaigners warning of its impact on the environment and the Church of England concerned the route will desecrate hundreds of graves.

But business leaders insist the route is important for British industry.

Sir David is also expected to outline plans on Monday for improving rail links for northern cities as part of a so-called HS3 which is much favoured by Chancellor George Osborne.

Public transport campaigner Martin Abrams said: "The Chancellor needs to make sure progress with high-speed rail goes hand in hand with upgrading the rest of the north's rail network."

Dr Adam Marshall, executive director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: "HS2 will be vital for the UK if it is to have a world-class transport infrastructure in the years to come.

"Extending the line from Birmingham to Manchester, Leeds and beyond is essential."

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Clooney's In-Laws Stage Wedding Do In Bucks

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

George Clooney and new wife Amal had the wedding of the year but it seems they are not ready to stop celebrating with another party planned in Buckinghamshire.

Amal's parents, Baria and Ramzi Alamuddin, are believed to be hosting a party at Danesfield House Hotel near Marlow for guests who could not make the Italian ceremony.

Sky News understands the hotel is in lockdown for 24 hours with staff having to hand in their phones to ensure no details are leaked.

It has led to speculation that A-list stars could attend, with locals hoping for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie after they missed the Venice wedding.

Entertainment journalist Ashley Pearson told Sky News: "By all accounts, Amal's parents are rather traditional and they wanted to throw a wedding for their daughter as most people planned to do.

"There's every belief that her parents are footing the bill for this party despite they fact that she is now married to a multi-millionaire.

George and Amal Clooney pictured in Venice after their wedding

"This is for their friends, their family friends as well as Amal's colleagues who couldn't make it to Venice."

She added the Italian wedding "became such a spectacle in the end" and "I think this is something that is going to be much more private".

Video: Third Clooney Wedding Party In UK?

A marquee has been put up in the hotel's 65 acre grounds with the on site Michelin-starred chef expected to cater for guests.

The grounds are accessible by helicopter for those who do not want to drive.There is also a spa for those wanting to relax.

The management has refused to confirm who is hosting the private event.

Video: Clooneys Are All Smiles In Venice

The spot is a perfect choice for British-Lebanese lawyer Amal who grew up near-by and is believed to have bought a home with US actor Clooney down the road in Sonning.

People living in Marlow were very excited when they spoke to Sky News.

One said: "It's nice thing for the community. I'm sure everyone's very happy for them because I know she's a local girl and she went to a local school."

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1. Gallery: Clooney And Bride: First Appearance Since Tying The Knot

   The morning after: Actor George Clooney and his new wife Amal Alamuddin have made their first appearance since tying the knot

2. They left their seven-star hotel in Venice for a luxurious trip around the romantic Italian city

3. It is rumoured the couple are planning a second civil ceremony on Monday

4. But for now, the glamorous couple are enjoying their first day of married life

5. They took a water taxi on a tour of the Grand Canal in Venice

6. The couple posed for photographs, with the paparazzi keen to get the first snaps of the famous bachelor as a married man

7. Clooney and human rights lawyer Alamuddin wed in the glamorous Aman Canal Grande Venice on Saturday

8. Clooney was pictured making his way to a gala dinner ahead of the lavish ceremony

9. As were a number of the celebrity guests...

10. ... including actor Bill Murray

12. U2 frontman Bono flashes his trademark salute

13. Anna Wintour was also among the guests

15. Matt Damon, one of several A-listers invited

16. Ahead of the wedding, Clooney and his Lebanon-born British fiancee were photographed on a water taxi taking a tour of the floating city

17. The couple arrived at the hotel on a boat appropriately called 'Amore'

18. The world's media has descended on Venice but the pair seemed happy to pose for photos

19. Clooney with businessman Rande Gerber who was his best man

20. Ms Alamuddin was seen carrying a hat box displaying the letters A and G and the word Venice to mark the occasion

Another said: "It's all very exciting. It's fantastic. I think it'll bring some business to Marlow as well."

Video: Post-Wedding Bliss For Clooney

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E-Cig Ban Poses Smoking Danger, Says Expert

By Katie Spencer, Sky News Reporter

Growing calls for e-cigarettes to be banned in public risk sending smokers back to tobacco, an industry expert has told Sky News.

Michael Clapper, chairman of the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association, has warned that companies which are introducing bans are being "short sighted".

"There's a very real danger that you're going to send a lot of those people back to smoking," he said.

"We've got an NHS waiting list building up again thanks to smoking related illnesses and as far as businesses are concerned its short sighted of them because we know the science says they don't harm other people."

It's estimated there are two million e-cigarette users in the UK but increasingly public venues are now banning their use - from coffee shops like Starbucks through to pubs chains like All Bar One.

Video: Calls For E-Cigarette Indoor Ban

The public is largely supportive of the move. A recent poll by YouGov and The Sunday Times found 60% of people wanted bans in all public buildings.

While the smoke they produce may be an unsettling sight for non-smokers, the vapour given off is largely water.

Leading experts say the concentrations of carcinogens e-cigarettes contain aren't anywhere near as toxic as smoking and any toxins produced are too low to pose a significant health risk to others.

Shirley Cramer, from the Royal Society for Public Health, says it's easy to understand why some companies want stronger controls.

Video: Confusion Over E-Cigarette Safety

"Now, what we're seeing is this precautionary principle," she told Sky News.

"Employers and people in transport are taking the line 'we banned tobacco, we're going to ban vaping because we don't know enough'.

"There will be more evidence [of their long-term effects] eventually but it's very interesting because if you've already banned it, would you un-ban it?"

The Vape Lab in London's Shoreditch is one venue where users are being encouraged to smoke e-cigarettes.

Video: US To Regulate E-Cigarettes

Pierre Durand, one of the coffee shop's founders insists, rather than ban e-cigarettes in public, it's non-smokers who need to learn more.

"There are many people that need to be educated because since it's a disruptive technology there's not much knowledge and people don't know everything they should know," he said.

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Pair Charged Over New Forest Mum's Murder

Two people have been charged in connection with the murder of a mother of five, who was stabbed to death while tending her horses in the New Forest.

Pennie Davis, 47, was found dead in a paddock near Leygreen Farm, in Beaulieu, Hampshire, on September 2.

Benjamin Carr, 22, and Samantha Maclean, 28, both from the New Forest, are accused of conspiracy to murder, and will appear before Southampton Magistrates' Court later.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: "Pennie's family have been informed of this latest development."

Hundreds of people attended Mrs Davis' funeral service at Southampton Crematorium on Friday.

Her husband Pete and children Sophie, Alex, Georga, Daniel and Josef, asked for any donations to be made to the Honeypot children's charity, or to the Pennie Davis Appeal Fund to support the couple's two younger children.

Justin Robertson, 36, of no fixed address, has been charged with murdering Mrs Davis.

He has been remanded in custody until a plea hearing on December 18. A trial is due to take place early next year.

Leanne Doyle, 24, from Hythe, has been charged with assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice.

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Human Remains Are Missing Student Hannah Graham

Police say remains found in a dried-up creek in rural Virginia are those of British-born student Hannah Graham.

A skull and bones were discovered in a heavily wooded area five weeks after the 18-year-old vanished in Charlottesville, a college town about 100 miles southwest of Washington DC.

Her parents, John and Sue Graham, said in a statement: "When we started this journey together we all hoped for a happier ending.

"Sadly that was not to be. We are devastated by the loss of our beautiful daughter.

"Although we have lost our precious Hannah, the light she radiated can never be extinguished."

The University of Virginia student, who moved from Britain to the US when she was five, vanished on September 13 after a night out with friends.

Matthew was the last person to be seen with Hannah, police said

She left an off-campus party alone and then texted a friend saying she was lost, police said.

In CCTV footage, she was seen walking and running unsteadily past a pub and a service station and then on to a block of bars, restaurants and shops.

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1. Gallery: Hannah Graham Search In Rural Area

   Police are scouring the area where remains that might belong to missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham were found

2. The Albemarle County area is home to horse farms

3. Officers sifted through autumn leaves in the heavily wooded area looking for clues

4. Police have blocked off roads

5. Forensic experts must examine the remains

6. Ms Graham, who is British-born, was last seen on 13 September

7. Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, 32, has been charged with abduction

Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr, 32, the last person seen with her, has been charged with abduction with intent to defile her.

The area where her remains were found is six miles (10km) from where 20-year-old Virginia Tech student Morgan Harrington's body was found after she vanished in 2009.

Police said forensic evidence connects Matthew to Ms Harrington's killing.

DNA also allegedly links him to a sexual assault in northern Virginia in 2005.

On Monday, he was indicted with rape and attempted murder over that case.

Matthew, who weighs 270 pounds (122kg), was an operating room technician at the university's hospital.

Friends said they were shocked the "gentle giant" could be suspected of murder.

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Schools Urged To Give Body Confidence Lessons

By Enda Brady, Sky News Correspondent

Schools are being urged to hold lessons in body confidence as a new survey reveals that one in four Britons is depressed by their appearance.

A new project called Be Real aims to tackle the issue which campaigners say is trapping millions of people in the UK in an unhealthy cycle of depression, short-term dieting, cosmetic intervention and eating disorders.

"Low body confidence is a critical public health issue that we cannot ignore," said Caroline Nokes MP, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group for Body Image.

"It affects everyone - all ages, both sexes - and starts as young as five years old.

Health campaigners say Britain is facing an obesity crisis

"Be Real wants to change attitudes to body image, and help all of us, whatever our size, ethnicity or ability, to put health above appearance and be confident with how we look and feel."

Ms Nokes visited Therfield School in Leatherhead, Surrey, and spoke to Year 8 pupils as part of her work to raise awareness of the issue.

Video: 'Radical' Plan Unveiled To Save NHS

"Through this campaign, we're driving change through three priority areas," she said.

"We want to ensure children and young people are educated about body confidence from an early age, to promote healthy living and wellbeing over weight loss and appearance."

She said Be Real also wanted to "encourage the media, business and advertisers to recognise diversity and positively reflect what we really look like".

Video: Losing 3% Of Weight 'Achievable'

A survey of 2,000 adults across the UK found 26% were "depressed" by how they look, while 28% said they refused to exercise because of body anxiety and 20% skipped meals to lose weight.

More than one in seven people have considered cosmetic interventions and almost a fifth of 18 to 24-year-olds are currently taking muscle building supplements to improve their physique.

"Too often the way we look becomes a measure of who we are and there is a growing pressure to achieve an aesthetic ideal that few of us can live up to," said Denise Hatton, chief executive of youth charity YMCA England.

Video: NHS-Funded Classes To Fight Fat?

"When we feel bad about how we look, we make bad choices about our health and are stopped from achieving our full potential.

"We are seeing this amongst young people, both boys and girls, across the country and urgently need to help them become confident about who they are and what they look like."

YMCA youth ambassador Kelsey Hibberd, who helps young people in Southend, Essex, was bullied in her teens and says she would be "thrilled" if body confidence lessons were offered in schools.

Video: 'Sinister' Body Image Culture

"It would mean that young people are learning really valuable life lessons and are not just being judged on grades," she told Sky News Online.

"Your body is just a shell, it's not a measure of you, your intelligence, your morals or your values. I'd be thrilled if these lessons went nationwide into every school in Britain."

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Scottish Labour Leader In Shock Resignation

Ed Miliband's leadership has come under fire again with the resignation of Scottish Labour Party leader Johann Lamont, as she claimed her colleagues "do not understand the politics they are facing".

The Glasgow MSP used her exit to criticise the party's leadership across the UK, and accused Westminster of trying to manage Scotland "like a branch office of London".

She added: "Colleagues need to realise that the focus of Scottish politics is now Holyrood, not Westminster.

"There is a danger of Scottish politics being between two sets of dinosaurs… the nationalists who can't accept they were rejected by the people, and some colleagues at Westminster who think nothing has changed."

Ed Miliband gave credit to Ms Lamont for her role in the referendum

It marks another setback for Ed Miliband ahead of next year's General Election - already, a group of Scottish Labour activists are pushing for their party to enjoy complete autonomy from London.

Speculation over Ms Lamont's leadership has grown since the referendum, with one senior aide confessing Scottish Labour needed to rediscover its "sense of purpose".

Video: Labour: Scotland Is Still Our Focus

Nicola Sturgeon, due to become the First Minister in November once she replaces Alex Salmond as leader of the SNP, warned that "Scottish Labour really is in meltdown" if rumours of its tensions with Westminster were true.

Ms Lamont alluded to this in her resignation letter to Jamie Glackin, chair of the Scottish Labour Party.

She wrote: "Some, including senior members of the party, have questioned my place in this new phase. In order that we can have the real discussion about how we take Scottish Labour forward, I believe it would be best if I took myself out of the equation and stepped down as leader."

In reaction to Friday's news, a Scottish Conservative spokesman said: "Johann Lamont's resignation has shown the complete chaos at the heart of Ed Miliband's operation in the starkest possible terms.

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1. Gallery: Who Will Be The Next Scottish Labour Leader?

   Some of the politicians tipped to succeed Johann Lumant: Anas Sarwar is the MP for Glasgow Central, and will assume the role of acting leader of the Scottish Labour Party until a ballot takes place

2. Kezia Dugdale became an MSP for the Lothian Region in 2011, and also writes a column for the Daily Record, the same newspaper used by Johann Lumont to criticise the Labour Party

3. Gordon Brown, the former Prime Minister, has also been tipped for the role. He returned to front-line politics by encouraging the public to vote No in the independence referendum

4. Jim Murphy had insisted he was not going to begin a leadership challenge against Johann Lumont, but all that could now change now she has resigned

5. Douglas Alexander, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, already has a meaty role in Westminster as shadow foreign secretary

6. Jenny Marra is another MSP who entered Holyrood in 2011. She is deemed to have an outside chance of becoming the Scottish Labour leader

"The man isn't fit to run a village fete, never mind the UK."

In a statement, Mr Miliband said: "Johann Lamont deserves significant credit for the successful No vote in the Scottish referendum campaign.

"She has led the Scottish Labour Party with determination."

Earlier this week, Scottish Labour was described as "going through a period of reflection" after the referendum, which saw large numbers of the party's supporters vote to leave the UK, despite the overall majority of Scots backing the union.

Video: Fall-Out Over Scottish Referendum

Ms Lamont, who took over as leader in December 2011, is the second Scottish party leader to resign since September's vote - and made her comments during a Daily Record interview.

The first to quit, Alex Salmond MSP, said: "The fact that Scottish Labour are now going to have their fifth leader since the SNP took office in 2007 indicates that their problems are not about personalities - they are much more deep-seated than that.

"It was always very clear that Johann Lamont was never able to be meaningfully in charge of Labour in Scotland, and that is laid bare in dramatic fashion in her resignation comments."

Gordon Brown, who is one of the favourites to succeed the mother-of-two, said: "I am sorry to hear than Johann has resigned.

Video: Gordon Brown On Devolution

"She brought determination, compassion and a down-to-earth approach to the leadership and deserves great credit for taking on the challenge after 2011.

"I wish her well in the future."

Meanwhile, Tony Blair, another former Labour Prime Minister, has had to deny rumours that he privately believes Mr Miliband will not win the next General Election.

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Fourth Man From Portsmouth Dies In Syria

A jihadist fighter has become the fourth man from the same British city to be killed in Syria.

Mehdi Hassan, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, had travelled to the conflict-hit country with a group of four other men in October last year.

A photo of the 19-year-old's body emerged on Twitter on Friday.

His family have confirmed his death, Abdul Jalil, chairman of the Portsmouth Jami Mosque, told Sky News.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of the death of a British national in Syria.

"The UK has advised for some time against all travel to Syria, where all UK consular services are suspended.

"As we do not have any representation in Syria, it is extremely difficult to get any confirmation of deaths or injuries.

"And our options for supporting British nationals there are extremely limited."

On Tuesday, it emerged a third Portsmouth man, Manunur Roshid, had been killed.

The 24-year-old was understood to have joined up with fighters from the Islamic State (IS).

Two of his companions, Ifthekar Jaman, 23, and Muhammad Humidur Rahman, 25, had already died.

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Cream Bassist Jack Bruce Dies Aged 71

Musician Jack Bruce has died from liver disease, aged 71, his family said.

The legendary bassist was most famous for his work with guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker in 1960s group Cream.

Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton at London Airport in 1967

He died on Saturday at his home in Suffolk surrounded by his family, his publicist Claire Singers said.

His family said in a statement: "It is with great sadness that we, Jack's family, announce the passing of our beloved Jack: husband, father, granddad, and all round legend.

"The world of music will be a poorer place without him but he lives on in his music and forever in our hearts."

Bruce died at his home in Suffolk

Cream sold 35 million albums in just over two years before breaking up in 1968.

They were awarded the world's first ever platinum disc for their LP Wheels of Fire.

Bruce wrote and sang most of their famous songs, including I Feel Free, White Room, and the catchy guitar riff in Sunshine Of Your Love.

In 2005, Bruce reunited with Clapton and Baker for Cream's first tour in 37 years.

In May the band played four nights at London's Royal Albert Hall.

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