MPs' Pay: Cameron Warns Against Big Rise

Nick Clegg has warned that the public would find a bumper pay rise for MPs "impossible to understand" at a time of austerity.

The Deputy Prime Minister also suggested he would forego the increase if it did go ahead following a review by the Commons' expenses watchdog.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) is thought to be preparing to recommend an increase of £7,500 or 15%, taking salaries to £75,000.

Some MPs insist they should be paid more but any inflation-busting rise at a time of drastic cuts and financial struggle for many Britons would provoke public anger.

Mr Clegg said on Monday: "My own view is that the public would find it impossible to understand, particularly those millions in the public sector whose pay is only increasing by 1%.

David Cameron wants costs to go down

"I would certainly seek to do whatever I can to make sure that either this decision is not taken - but that's out of my hands - and if it were to be taken, not to take that pay increase."

His comments came after David Cameron urged restraint and made it clear he wanted the cost of politics to the taxpayer to fall.

Speaking in Asia, the Prime Minister said:  "Whatever Ipsa recommends, we can't see the cost of politics or Westminster going up. We should see the cost of Westminster go down.

"Anything would be unthinkable unless the cost of politics was frozen and cut, so I'll wait and see what Ipsa have to say. What I said to Ipsa was that restraint is necessary."

Ipsa is due to announce the findings of a fundamental review into pay and perks later this month, although the main changes will not take effect until after the next general election.

A survey released by the watchdog earlier this year found most MPs wanted to be paid £86,000, although some demanded more than £100,000.

It has been argued that a significant increase is necessary to compensate for the clampdown on second-home expenses and to attract top quality people into Parliament.

Even the smaller rise of £7,500 would take their salaries to almost three times the national average of £26,500 and will spark controversy.

Taxpayers' salaries have risen by just 0.6% on average this year and many are struggling to cope with the rise in the cost of living.

The coalition has also enforced a major squeeze on public sector pay, with salary freezes and new measures in the Spending Review to scrap automatic rises.

In Newcastle, workers told Sky News the rise would be unfair when regular Britons were being hit by pay restraint.

Damian Clark, 38, a teacher, called it "outrageous" and questioned why politicians should not suffer the same pay freezes and cuts as the rest of Britain.

Homa Nelson, a call centre worker for the Department of Work and Pensions, who has seen her pay rises frozen at 1% for the last three years, added that it was "absolutely disgusting".

She accused MPs of "filling their own pockets for nothing" as people elsewhere lost their jobs.

Helen Zato, 54, an East Coast train guard, urged MPs to be "realistic".

"The poor are still suffering and it is not fair for them to have that kind of increment when we work so hard, even harder than them and we don't get it," she said.

Lib Dem minister Jo Swinson told Sky News: "I have no problems whatsoever with my level of pay at the moment.

"I think it is absolutely right that this shouldn't be an issue that is in the hands of MPs to decide. It is something that should be done independently."

Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps added: "The Conservative Party is absolutely clear.

"We want to see a cut in the cost of politics in this country so I think we will go into the next election saying we want to see the overall cost of politics reduced not increased."

Downing Street has made clear to Ipsa that it expects the "broader fiscal climate" to be taken into account but a spokesman said this did not mean limiting any rise in pay to 1%.

Sources close to Labour have signalled leader Ed Miliband would make MPs accept a 1% pay rise - in line with that for public sector workers - if he won power in 2015.

Downing Street, meanwhile, has made clear it expects the "broader fiscal climate" to be taken into account but a spokesman said this did not mean limiting pay rises to 1%.

"It's more about the general costs in terms of how much politics and doing politics - we're talking about pay, ministers' pay, the number of MPs, all these kind of things - cost the taxpayer," he said.

Ultimately, the Government has little power to block a larger rise because control of MPs' pay was handed to Ipsa after the expenses scandal.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude told Sky's Murnaghan programme on Sunday: "MPs' pay is a matter actually not even for Parliament these days.

"It's a matter for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority that was set up in the wake of the expenses scandal."

Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "MPs are already very well paid both in terms of European politicians and the average salary in this country.

"It would be particularly egregious for politicians to be handed a whopping great pay rise while hard-pressed taxpayers tighten their own belts.

"Ipsa must recognise that its own polling shows the public simply do not support an increase, nor would it be consistent for MPs to take a rise while rightly freezing pay elsewhere in the public sector."

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Woman Trapped And Killed At Paintball Centre

A woman has died after becoming trapped by wooden barriers while working at a paintball centre.

The 45-year-old, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at the Delta Force Paintball centre in Sparkwell, Devon.

Police and ambulance staff were called to the centre, in Ledgate Lane, at 9.25pm on Friday.

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The woman, who was a member of staff, became trapped while unloading wooden barriers from a transit van.

"She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

"The death is not being treated as suspicious and a file is being prepared by HM Coroner. Next of kin have been informed."

South Hams District Council's environmental officers have been informed and will investigate the death, the spokesman added.

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Smethwick Fire: Massive Blaze At Recycling Plant

A blaze at a plastic recycling factory, described by firefighters as one of the biggest ever seen in the West Midlands, is believed to have been started by a single Chinese lantern.

At its height, some 200 firefighters were tackling the blaze at the site in Smethwick, on the outskirts of Birmingham.

An estimated 10,000 tonnes of recycling material and a factory unit were set alight, and crews battled to stop the flames spreading to neighbouring businesses.

The fire was described as one of the biggest ever seen in the West Midlands

Vij Randeniya, chief fire officer at West Midlands Fire Service, told Sky News: "We believe a Chinese lantern dropped onto some bales of plastic and, looking at CCTV, it would appear that was the cause.

"Chinese lanterns have been involved in a number of incidents and firefighters have been campaigning for there to be better controls.

Around 200 firefighters were called to the blaze in Smethwick

"They look really nice but they do pose a danger."

The Chief Fire Officers' Association said it was calling for "an urgent review" into the use of the floating paper lanterns.

Two firefighters were taken to hospital and 11 more were treated at the scene by paramedics, although their injuries are thought to be minor.

Mr Randeniya said firefighters were tackling "one of the largest fires we've experienced", with intense heat released from the burning plastics.

"These are difficult fires to extinguish and we anticipate being here for a number of days," he said.

One of the problems facing firefighters is having to extinguish molten pools of melted plastic.

A spokesman for Birmingham International Airport said there was no disruption to flights, despite a plume of thick black smoke more than 1,800m high that could be seen from 30 miles away.

A number of roads around the recycling plant were closed but the nearby M5 motorway remained open.

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Edinburgh Murder: Victim's Face Reconstructed

By James Matthews, Scotland Correspondent

Murder squad detectives investigating the discovery of a woman's dismembered body have issued a facial reconstruction of the victim.

Police in Edinburgh hope it will help them identify the woman, whose remains were discovered in a shallow grave on Corstorphine Hill overlooking the city.

Experts at Dundee University reconstructed the likeness of the woman's face, which officers describe as "very accurate".

Detective Chief Inspector Keith Hardie told Sky News: "It is now 25 days since this woman's body was discovered.

"In that time we have worked with a range of experts and agencies to help us get more information on who she might be and how she came to be in Edinburgh.

"Thanks to the work of facial reconstruction experts at Dundee University, we have released an image of the woman's face.

"We are confident that this is a very accurate representation of how the woman looked and so I'm asking the public - does the image resemble someone you know but perhaps haven't seen or heard from for some time?

"As I've said from the outset, this is someone's daughter, she could be someone's mother.

"Somebody knows who she is and when we've established her identity, we'll have gone a long way to establishing who was responsible for her murder."

The murder victim is thought to have been aged between 32 and 60 and had extensive dental work done, in the form of veneers and implants.

She was white, slim, of medium build and about 5ft 2in tall.

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Murder Suspect Dewani Showing 'Improvement'

By Tom Parmenter, Sky Correspondent

An extradition hearing has been told murder suspect Shrien Dewani is showing "significant and sustained improvement" in his mental health and wants to fight his case.

The businessman is wanted over allegations that he instigated the murder of his wife Anni while on their honeymoon in South Africa in November 2010.

Dewani has said he wants to fight the allegations against him

Extradition has been approved by the UK Home Secretary but has been delayed due to the 33-year-old's ongoing mental health problems.

Mr Dewani has suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Representing the South African Government, Hugo Keith QC said: "His depression is now moderate and no longer severe."

"We suggest that there has been significant and sustained improvement, largely as a result of the administration of drugs but also due to the grounding techniques and coping therapies," he added.

Previously, experts had expressed concerns that Mr Dewani may take his own life but Mr Keith added: "Now, the position is Mr Dewani is no longer making active references to self-harm or suicide."

Shrien Dewani was excused from attending the start of the five-day hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court but his father and brother were in court, along with relatives of Anni Dewani.

Mr Keith said there should be no concerns about the conditions Mr Dewani would be held in if he was taken to South Africa.

Mr Dewani would be put on an overnight flight to Cape Town accompanied by two detectives and a nurse specialising in mental health.

On arrival he would be taken to the High Court in Cape Town where a decision would be made on whether he could be bailed.

Xolile Mngeni (L) and Mziwamadoda Qwabe were found guilty of killing Anni

If he was held in custody the authorities would ensure he could be cared for in a psychiatric unit at a nearby hospital.

Mr Keith also argued that given Mr Dewani has recently expressed a wish to fight the allegations, holding him in the UK may actually impair his recovery.

Three local men in Cape Town have already been jailed over the killing but one has accused Mr Dewani of paying him to carry out the murder.

Mr Dewani has always denied any involvement in the killing.

His legal team will outline their case as the extradition hearing continues but have previously claimed he would be a high suicide risk and that his human rights could be violated if extradited.

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BBC's Entwistle Got £800,000 In Final Year

George Entwistle, the former BBC director-general who lasted just two months in the post, was paid hundreds of thousands in his final year at the corporation.

Figures show that his salary, compensation pay-off and the costs for his legal fees came to £802,000 - the cost of more than 5,500 TV licences.

News of Mr Entwistle's remuneration comes after a National Audit Office (NAO) review found that the BBC's overly-generous pay-offs "put public trust at risk" and breached its own guidelines.

The BBC chief was forced to stand down because of his handling of the Jimmy Savile crisis and fallout from false claims on Newsnight about Lord McAlpine.

He was criticised by some for the way he handled the scandal and accused of failing to reassure the public.

Mr Entwistle received £450,000 severance when he resigned, £20,000 for legal fees, private medical insurance and PR support. And he also collected £217,000 in salary.

The £802,000 also includes £107,000 related to his appearance as a witness before the Pollard Review, which looked into the shelved Newsnight investigation into Savile.

New boss Tony Hall said the BBC had lost its way over payments

Other pay-offs revealed by the BBC today include £860,000 to former chief operating officer Caroline Thomson, who left the corporation in September.

She received £331,400 in redundancy pay, £335,000 pay in lieu of notice and £6,800 for legal fees. She also had £168,000 paid to her during her last six months in the job.

The NAO today said such payments had given taxpayers "poor value for money".

It found that £25 million in total had been paid to 150 senior staff in the three years leading up to December last year.

In a quarter of cases, the BBC had paid out more than staff were entitled to.

"The BBC has breached its own policies on severance too often without good reason," said  the NAO report.

"This has resulted in payments that have not served the best interests of licence fee-payers.

"Weak governance arrangements have led to payments that exceeded contractual entitlements and put public trust at risk.

"The severance payments for senior BBC managers have, therefore, provided poor value for money for licence fee payers."

The BBC Trust, which looks after the interests of licence fee payers, called the NAO report "deeply worrying", while new director-general Tony Hall admitted the corporation had "lost its way on payments in recent years".

Mr Hall has already announced plans to cap future payments at £150,000.

"The BBC's proposal to cap redundancy payments, announced in 2013 by the new director-general, is a signal of change for the better," said NAO head Amyas Morse.

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Egypt: Politicians Have 48 Hours To Reach Deal

The Egyptian army has given the president and his opponents 48 hours to meet the demands of the people, saying any longer will lead to deep divisions.

It said the ultimatum was a "last chance", otherwise the Army would put forward a political road map for the country and ensure it is carried out.

The protesters welcomed the Army's stance, with cheers erupting in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the centre of fierce demonstrations against President Mohamed Morsi. They said they would keep up the protests.

Military chief Abdul Fattah al Sisi says the road map would be an "inclusive" one.

His comments came as four ministers resigned from Egypt's ruling cabinet amid the huge protests.

The ministers of tourism, environment, communication and legal affairs handed in their letters of resignation together to Prime Minister Hisham Qandil.

Mass protests are taking place across Egypt calling for the Islamist president to resign. The protests are being held exactly a year since Mr Morsi came to power.

Protesters outside the burnt headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood

"The Armed Forces repeat its call for the people's demands to be met and give everyone 48 hours as a last chance to shoulder the burden of a historic moment for a nation that will not forgive or tolerate any party that is lax in shouldering its responsibility," the Army said in a statement.

It did not directly define "the people's demands", but said if they are not realised, the military would be obliged to "announce a road-map for the future and the steps for overseeing its implementation, with participation of all patriotic and sincere parties and movements".

Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Tim Marshall, in Cairo, said: "This is the army blatantly interfering in the political life of the country, they would say in their role as guardians of the people.

"They're not saying they're going to have a coup. They're saying, 'If you guys can't sort it out we'll give you the map, you better follow it.'"

The Cairo headquarters of the Muslim Brotherhood were stormed and ransacked by protesters overnight, leaving the heavily fortified villa with furniture and files.

Footage on local TV networks showed smashed windows and smoke billowing out of the building. One protester was seen removing the Muslim Brotherhood sign from the building's front wall.

President Mohamed Morsi came to power a year ago

The Muslim Brotherhood says it is considering self-defence units to protect the building.

The storming of the headquarters followed overnight clashes between armed supporters of Mr Morsi barricaded inside the building and young protesters pelting it with firebombs and rocks.

At least seven people have reportedly been killed and more than 600 wounded in clashes between supporters and opponents of the president.

Some 500,000 people descended on Tahrir Square, the heart of the 2011 uprising against Mr Morsi's predecessor Hosni Mubarak.

Other demonstrations have been held outside the presidential palace several miles away, which was under heavy guard.

Organisers of the protests have given the president until 5pm on Tuesday to step down, and called on the police and the military to clearly state their support for what the protest movement called the popular will.

Police and troops have deployed to protect key buildings around the country, and the health ministry said hospitals have been placed on high alert.

On Friday an American student, 21-year-old Andrew Pochter, was killed during clashes in the city of Alexandria.

A senior security official said the Suez Canal, the vital waterway that connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea, has been placed under "maximum security".

Tents set up by opposition supporters outside the presidential palace

Liberal leaders say nearly half the voting population - 22 million people - have signed a petition calling for change. Mr Morsi's opponents have promised a "second revolution".

But the president's Muslim Brotherhood and militant allies pledge to defend what they say is the legitimate order.

Mr Morsi has called his opponents bad losers backed by "thugs" from the rule of deposed Mr Mubarak.

He is banking on the "Tamarud - Rebel!" coalition fizzling out, as other challenges in the streets have done since he took power.

US President Barack Obama has called on Egyptians to focus on dialogue. His ambassador to Egypt has angered the opposition by suggesting protests are not helping the economy.

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Linzi Ashton: Murdered Mum Remembered

Linzi Ashton, the woman found murdered in her home in Salford, has been remembered as a unique person who was everyone's friend and put everybody else first.

Liam Grime, the father of Miss Ashton's two-year-old daughter Daisy, has spoken to Sky News, saying he is in a "state of shock" over the woman's death.

His comments came as police hunt a man wanted in connection with the murder and have urged the suspect, Michael Cope, to turn himself in as soon as possible.

"I don't think I'll ever get over it but I've got to look after my daughter," Mr Grime said.

"I've got a daughter to think about who unfortunately has just lost the most important woman in her life. 

"I've got to do both jobs now."

Linzi Ashton was in an 'acrimonious' relationship with Cope

Mr Grime said he was among the people who found Miss Ashton at her home in Winton, Salford, on Saturday afternoon.

"I'm not going into specifics but it was grim anyway," he said.

Fighting back tears, he recalled the 25-year-old mother-of-two.

"There's never going anybody like her, ever," he said.

"I'll never be able to find anyone like her. She was everyone's friend, she put everybody first and she was a one-off."

Earlier, police said Miss Ashton had been the subject of a "vicious and sustained attack".

Miss Ashton's body was found at her home

Detectives believe Cope, 28, was the man responsible. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have launched a manhunt for him, describing him as a dangerous individual who should not be approached.

"This is a serious offence and we need to track down this man. He does have a history of violent and aggressive behaviour and he does represent a risk to the community," Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan said.

Mr Mulligan said Cope was believed to be in the Salford area, and that some people might be helping him.

Miss Ashton was last seen in the Eccles area at around 2am on Saturday

"If anyone is harbouring this individual, they will be prosecuted," he said.

A Home Office post-mortem concluded Miss Ashton had died as a result of pressure to the neck and multiple injuries.

Cope had also been wanted for questioning over claims he raped her.

Police made "numerous" attempts to arrest Cope after Miss Ashton was interviewed by detectives over the rape allegations.

She also told officers she had been a victim of domestic violence at Cope's hands.

GMP have referred their previous contact with Miss Ashton to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

Assistant Chief Constable Terry Sweeney said: "We know that Michael Cope had been in a relationship with Linzi and through that relationship there have been reports to police in respect of allegations made by her.

"This includes a serious sexual offence and an assault that were reported at the end of April and the middle of May respectively.

"I am not going to go into great detail about these offences or our involvement, suffice it to say Michael Cope was wanted in connection with these matters and numerous attempts were made to arrest him."

Detectives are keen to hear from anyone who saw Miss Ashton and Cope after it was established they were together on Friday evening.

Mr Mulligan said: "We have also established that Linzi and Michael were out together on Friday night and in the early hours of Saturday morning.

"If you were out and saw them together at any point Friday night or Saturday it is vitally important you call the police."

Cope had been in an "acrimonious" relationship with the barmaid.

Her daughters, Daisy and Destiny, were not in the house at the time of the murder.

It is thought she was last seen alive by a friend in the Eccles area shortly before 2am on Saturday.

Several bunches of flowers and cards have been left at the Duke of York pub in Eccles town centre where Miss Ashton worked.

:: Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 8531, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Arizona Wildfire: 19 Firefighters Killed

Nineteen elite firefighters have been killed while battling a fast-moving wildfire in Arizona.

The firefighters, 18 of whom are believed to have been from the specially-trained Granite Mountain Hotshots, were caught by the blaze near the central town of Yarnell.

They were hailed as "heroes" by US President Barack Obama, who said they "selflessly put themselves in harm's way to protect the lives and property of fellow citizens they would never meet".

The wildfire is the deadliest involving fatalities to fire crews since a blaze at Griffith Park, Los Angeles, in 1933, where 29 firefighters died, according to figures from the National Fire Protection Association.

"We're devastated," said Prescott Fire Chief Dan Fraijo. "We've just lost 19 of the finest people you'll ever meet."

Hotshot crews often hike long distances and carry chainsaws and backpacks filled with heavy gear to build lines of protection between people and fires.

They were forced to deploy their emergency shelters when confronted by the blaze.

Strong winds and low humidity allowed the blaze to spread quickly

"One of the last fail safe methods that a firefighter can do under those conditions is literally to dig as much as they can down and cover themselves with a protective ... fire-resistant material," Mr Fraijo said.

"The hope at least is that the fire will burn over the top of them and they can survive it. Under certain conditions there's ... a 50% chance they survive.

"It's an extreme measure that's taken under the absolute worst conditions."

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who said the state had endured "as dark a day" as she could remember, said the firefighters may have been caught in a flash fire that "turned around and overcame them all".

Art Morrison, a state forestry official, added: "In normal circumstances, when you're digging fire lines, you make sure you have a good escape route and you have a safety zone set up.

"Evidently, their safety zone wasn't big enough and the fire just overtook them."

Messages of condolence for the families of those who died have been left on a Facebook page set up in their memory.

"This awful tragedy really reminds us how dangerous a job firefighters have," wrote Lakyn Spivey.

"They go to work every day to save lives, not knowing if they themselves will be coming home that day."

Natalie Minafore added: "My son is a firefighter and I cannot imagine the heartache these families must feel. These men are heroes."

According to local newspaper The Republic, around 250 homes - roughly half the town of Yarnell - were destroyed by the wildfire.

Federal government is assisting and Mr Obama pledged to provide state and local officials with all the support they need.

The blaze, which broke out on Friday, is thought to have been triggered by a lightning strike.

Hot, gusty winds blew the fire out of control over the weekend, as flames ripped through 2,000 acres of dry land.

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Snowden Applies For Political Asylum In Russia

Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin have ordered their security chiefs to find a way to remove Edward Snowden from a Moscow airport as he applies for asylum in Russia.

Mr Snowden, a former US National Security Agency contractor, has been on the run since leaking information about the US government's secret surveillance programme Prism to The Guardian and The Washington Post in early June.

He initially fled from Hawaii to Hong Kong, but was allowed to leave the country after what Hong Kong officials claim was a clerical error on the part of the US government.

Russia has rejected US calls to hand over Snowden, saying that because he remains in Sheremetyevo Airport transit zone he has not officially crossed the Russian border.

Therefore, they claim, they are powerless to act.

Both Mr Putin and Mr Obama have now ordered the heads of their security agencies, the FBI and FSB, to find a solution to the impasse, according to the head of Russia's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev.

Speaking to the state television channel Rossiya 24, he said: "Of course (Putin and Obama) don't have a solution that would work for both sides, so they have ordered the FSB director (Alexander) Bortnikov and FBI director Robert Mueller to keep in constant contact and find solutions."

Mr Putin told a news conference that "we should let professionals decide", and said Russia "never hands over anybody anywhere".

He added: "Snowden is free to go but if he decides to stay, he has to stop his work directed to hurt our American partners. I know that this kind of statement sounds strange from me."

It comes after the EU confronted the US over allegations it bugged offices in Brussels and America.

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