Scottish Labour wants Michael Matheson investigated for ‘code breach’

Michael Matheson
Image captionMichael Matheson has faced questions over his role in the future of Police Scotland Chief Constable Phil Gormley
Scottish Labour has urged the first minister to investigate Justice Secretary Michael Matheson for alleged breaches of the ministerial code.
The party claims he misled parliament over policing and unduly influenced the Scottish Police Authority (SPA).
Daniel Johnson MSP has also raised concerns that Mr Matheson may have broken the law over his involvement in the future of the chief constable.
The Scottish government said he acted “entirely appropriately” at all times.
Mr Matheson is facing sustained pressure over his involvement when the SPA reversed a decision to allow Chief Constable Phil Gormley to return to work while misconduct investigations are being carried out.
Mr Gormley, who denies the allegations against him, has been on special leave since September 2017 as the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) carries out its investigations.
The SPA board unanimously agreed in November that the Police Scotland chief could return to duty – but when the then chair Andrew Flanagan informed the justice secretary of this, he said Mr Matheson told him it was a “bad decision”.

‘Contravention of code’

In a letter to Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Johnson, who is Labour’s justice spokesman, said this could constitute an order – or “direction” – to the independent police watchdog, which he said was made without following the proper procedures.
The justice secretary had previously made a statement to MSPs in which he insisted he had merely questioned the process the SPA had gone through when making the decision, asking whether the leadership team at Police Scotland had been informed along with those who had complained about Mr Gormley.
Mr Johnson said that in his statement Mr Matheson claimed “this intervention was concerned with ‘due process’ rather than with influencing the ‘outcomes’ of the SPA’s decision”.
He added that this stance was “not supported” by what Mr Flanagan later told MSPs on Holyrood’s Public Audit Committee.
The Labour MSP stated: “As such, the minister’s characterisation of the meeting to Parliament was both inaccurate and knowingly misleading, in contravention of the (ministerial) code.”
He continued: “At committee, Mr Flanagan also revealed that there were in fact two meetings held with the minister on that date.
Nicola SturgeonImage copyrightAFP
Image captionNicola Sturgeon has said her justice secretary’s actions were “entirely appropriate”
“The minister’s omission of the second meeting from his statement to Parliament paints only a partial picture of the nature of his intervention, again raising questions of accuracy.”
In his letter to Ms Sturgeon, the Labour MSP also argued: “The minister’s action could also be construed as breach of section 5.3(b) of the Police and Fire Reform Act (Scotland) 2012.
“This states that Scottish ministers should lay a copy of a direction given to the authority (SPA) before the Scottish Parliament.
“This would also constitute a breach of section 1.2 of the ministerial code requiring ministers to comply with the law.”
A Scottish government spokesman said: “The justice secretary has acted entirely appropriately at all times. He made clear to parliament he felt such clear deficiencies in the SPA board’s decision-making process were completely unacceptable.
“Mr Matheson asked that further engagement and consultation be undertaken, to which the former SPA chair agreed. As noted by the former chair, Mr Matheson did not direct the SPA board to reverse its decision.
“The first minister has already made it clear to parliament that she supports the justice secretary’s actions. We will respond to Mr Johnson’s letter in due course.”

SNP’s Ian Blackford in ‘productive’ RBS branch closure talks

RBS branchImage copyrightREUTERS
The SNP’s Westminster leader has said he has had “productive” talks with RBS officials over its plans to close dozens of bank branches.
Ian Blackford said talks were “moving in a positive direction” and he was hopeful a breakthrough could be found.
It comes after RBS revealed plans to close 62 Scottish branches, including some in remote and rural communities.
Last month senior officials from the bank told a Westminster committee that they stood by the move.
State-owned RBS has insisted it is responding to changes in customer behaviour, including a rise in digital banking.
But Mr Blackford said many of the affected branches provided “vital” local services.
RBS declined to comment when approached by BBC Scotland.
Mr Blackford, who is MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, also revealed that he had been “bypassing” Prime Minister Theresa May and talking directly to RBS chiefs about the plans.
In December, Mr Blackford urged Mrs May during Prime Minister’s Questions to tell the head of the bank that its decision to close branches was unacceptable.
Mrs May responded by saying that branch closures were a commercial decision and that alternative services were in place for vulnerable customers.
Ian Blackford
Image captionMr Blackford said he had been “bypassing” the prime minister to talk directly with RBS officials
On Sunday, Mr Blackford accused the Conservatives of “letting Scotland down by failing to lift a finger to save these vital local banks from closure”.
He added: “While the UK government refuses to take action, the SNP will continue our campaign to save these banks, which are hugely important for local people and businesses.
“That is why I have, for the past few weeks, been bypassing the prime minister to talk directly with RBS.
“Our discussions have been productive, and are moving in a positive direction.
“I am hopeful the concerns of our communities are being heard and that a breakthrough can still be found.”

‘Commercial decision’

An HM Treasury spokeswoman said: “The decision to open and close branches is a commercial decision taken by the management team of each bank.
“The government does not intervene in these decisions. But we understand the impact that closures can have on communities and people’s jobs.
“Banks must now give customers as much notice as possible when a branch is closing, and ensure they are made aware of the options they have locally to continue to access banking services.”

Ministers ‘vague’ and ‘divided’

The CabinetImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
A senior Conservative MP has accused ministers of being “vague” and “divided” over Brexit.
Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, arch Brexiteer Bernard Jenkin singled out the chancellor for criticism, urging him to back the PM to deliver a “clean” EU exit.
He insisted Theresa May should stick to her present policy despite the Treasury having its own “house view”.
It comes ahead of key ministerial meetings on the UK-EU relationship.
In the paper, Mr Jenkin, a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign, said internal clashes were making life more difficult for Mrs May.
“If ministers are vague or divided, life for officials becomes impossible, as we can see now. Ministerial collective responsibility really matters,” he said.
He added: “If the prime minister sticks to one policy and the chancellor keeps advocating another, what are officials meant to do?”
OP political correspondent Eleanor Garnier described Mr Jenkin’s comments as “stark criticism” of Philip Hammond.
Earlier this month, Mr Hammond suggested the UK’s relationship with the EU would change only “very modestly” after Brexit.
MP Bernard JenkinImage copyrightUK PARLIAMENT
Image captionMr Jenkin was a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign
But Mr Jenkin urged the prime minister to stick to her position and ensure, among other things, Britain leaves the single market and customs union.
He wrote: “She can only command a majority in Parliament on her present policy.
“Her MPs will back her, because we are overwhelmingly at one with the majority of the British people who now want a clean Brexit and an end to the present uncertainty.”
Mr Jenkin was also referring to Treasury officials coming under fire from Tory Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who claimed they were “fiddling the figures” on Brexit.
Mr Jenkin defended all officials by saying “unambiguous and united direction” is needed from ministers and that accountability lies with the ministers, not the officials.

Liverpool Maya Bar attack: Three quizzed over murder

Anthony Condron from HuytonImage copyrightFAMILY HANDOUT
Image captionAnthony Condron was fatally injured at the Maya Bar in Liverpool city centre
Three men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man who was attacked in a bar in Liverpool city centre.
Anthony Condron, 29, from Huyton, was assaulted in the Maya Bar in Wood Street at about 01:00 GMT on Saturday.
He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead at 02:24.
The arrested men – a 22-year-old from Liverpool, a 24-year-old from Aigburth and a 23-year-old from Mossley Hill – are being questioned by detectives.
Det Ch Insp Mark Tivendale said the victim had been on a night out with his girlfriend and friends.
“The incident happened in a busy bar in the centre of Liverpool and would have been witnessed by many people,” he said.
Investigators are particularly interested in speaking to a group of girls who are thought to have been in the bar and witnessed the fight.

Comedian Jack Whitehall ‘regrets lewd Queen joke’

Jack and Michael Whitehall
Image captionThe father and son duo have worked together on a number on TV shows
Comedian Jack Whitehall has said he regrets making a crass joke about the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Appearing on OP Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs he recalled his remark about a bladder infection on Channel 4’s Big Fat Quiz Of The Year in 2012.
Whitehall said he upset his family and is now a “lot more careful” about what he says and “self-censor[s] more”.
He said: “I have a relatively thick skin but I never wanted to drag them into it”.
After Whitehall made the joke in a pre-recorded episode of the quiz show, he said he was on the front of newspapers “every day for a week”.
“That was not nice, because it was something I’d said that caused them upset and that was the bit that hurt the most,” he added.
The 29-year-old told presenter Kirsty Young that in the early stages of his career he did not give his family the “best version” of himself.
Whitehall’s relationship with his father, Michael, has been highlighted by joint ventures in the TV shows Backchat and Travels With My Father.
But he insists the more tender moments on-screen can never really be planned.
“We don’t really talk about our emotions as a family, we’re not necessarily very good at that, but it’s amazing.”

Family sacrifice

Whitehall admitted the nature of his work meant spending time with relatives was sometimes sacrificed.
“I got very bad at it. I’d come to life when on a show and I’d be upbeat and fun, and when I was with [my family], I was kind of twitchy and on edge and anxious about work.
“And then I took a conscious effort, I was like, I need to spend more time with them and be careful that I never do that and never take them for advantage, because I’m so close to my family, and they’re so supportive.”
He told the programme it upset him when people would suggest his success was down to his father’s career as a celebrity agent.
“To become a stand-up comedian, the fact that my dad used to look after Christopher Biggins doesn’t necessarily help you get stage time.
“That’s the bit that needles me, and now I’ve said it people will needle with me more!”

Theresa May’s plan to end intimidation in politics

Theresa MayImage copyrightPA
Prime Minister Theresa May is set to announce a crackdown on the intimidation of political candidates.
Later this week, she will say “it cannot be acceptable” for anyone to face threats over their political view.
A 2017 report by the Committee on Standards in Public Life found women, ethnic minority and gay candidates were more likely to be targeted.
Mrs May will also consider creating a new offence to protect those in politics and their families.
Currently, the law relates to undue influence on voters.
The move comes after Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg was caught up in a scuffle at a Bristol university and Labour’s Clare Kober quit over claims of sexism and bullying by party supporters.
In a speech marking 100 years since women got the vote, Mrs May will highlight British democracy’s “robust and oppositional” nature but say a line has been crossed when disagreement turns to intimidation.
The prime minister will say political discussion is becoming harder to have without resulting in “tribalism and rancour”.
The exploitation of social media and the option to be anonymous will also be highlighted.
“It is time we asked ourselves seriously whether we really want it to be like this. Whether we are prepared to accept a permanent coarsening and toxifying of our public debate or whether, together, we will take a stand for decency, tolerance and respect,” Mrs May will add.
In her speech, the prime minister will say that from May 2019 candidates in local elections will no longer be forced to publish their address on ballot papers.
This would offer them the same protection as UK parliamentary candidates, who are not required to state where they live.
Mrs May will also cite examples where certain individuals and their families had been targeted at home.

Marine cuts would ‘undermine UK security’

Royal Marines during an exercise near Lee on SolentImage copyrightPA
Image captionReports say the government is considering cutting up to 2,000 marines
Cutting the number of Royal Marines and the ships they use to carry out beach landings would significantly undermine UK security, MPs have warned.
There is speculation the government is considering axing up to 2,000 marines and the Royal Navy’s two specialist landing ships in a security review.
But a Commons Defence Select Committee report said such cuts would be “militarily illiterate”.
A MoD spokesman said “protecting the UK will always be our priority”.
The Tory-led committee’s strongly worded report – called Sunset for the Royal Marines? – warns the rumoured cuts would weaken one of Britain’s elite fighting forces.
“Given the disproportionate contribution the Royal Marines make to defence and the sheer range and versatility of their military skills, both they and the country’s security would be significantly undermined,” they said.
They also said slashing its two amphibious assault ships HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark – used to carry out beach landings – would “put the interests of this country at serious risk”.
HMS BulwarkImage copyrightMINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Image captionHMS Bulwark was involved in migrant rescue missions in the central Mediterranean
Defence Select Committee chair Julian Lewis said if the ships were lost “the heart would be torn out of our amphibious capability”.
The Tory MP told the OP: “The MoD will have to beat [the money] out of the Treasury.
“The Treasury has got to cough up.”

Cuts have caused ’embarrassment’

Mr Lewis added that recent years had seen “new and intensified threats” and the UK should not be “deleting one of our world-beating capabilities”.
The MPs’ report also said cuts to the Royal Marines since 2011 had already led to “a tangible drop in morale” and “particular embarrassment” during exercises with the UK’s allies.
In response to the report, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “Protecting the UK will always be our priority and the Royal Marines play a vital role in defending our country.
“Just last week we launched the Modernising Defence Programme to strengthen our Armed Forces in the face of intensifying threats.
“Our brand new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, is central to our efforts to build an Armed Forces fit for the future and is a symbol of our intent to remain a truly Global Britain.”

Lana Del Rey: Man held in Orlando over ‘kidnap threat’

Singer Lana Del Rey performs at Terminal 5 on October 23, 2017 in New York CityImage copyrightGETTY IMAGES
Image captionLana Del Rey was appearing at the Amway Center in Orlando
Police in the US state of Florida have arrested a man they say made threats to kidnap the singer Lana Del Rey.
The man was carrying a knife when he was arrested near the Amway Center in Orlando where the singer had been due to perform, officials said.
Police said Michael Hunt, 43, faces charges of aggravated stalking with a credible threat, and attempted kidnapping with a weapon.
He was reported to have made “cryptic and threatening” posts on social media.
The incident happened on Friday evening but was only made public on Saturday.
Orlando Police Department (OPD) said officers received a tip-off earlier on Friday and arrested Mr Hunt at Hughey Avenue and Central Boulevard.
“When he was taken into custody, Hunt was in possession of tickets to the Lana Del Rey performance and a knife,” a statement said.
It added that at no time had Mr Hunt come into contact with the 32-year-old singer, whose real name is Elizabeth Grant.
“On Friday, OPD determined this was a credible threat and worked swiftly to ensure the safety of everyone involved and of everyone who attended the show,” police added.
Mr Hunt is being held in custody at Orange County Jail.

Mexico finds nearly 200 migrants hidden in cramped lorry

Police instruct a group of Central American migrants intercepted as they crossed the country in the Tamaulipas state, Mexico, 3 February 2018Image copyrightEPA
Image captionMen, women and children were freed from the cramped lorry
Nearly 200 undocumented migrants from Central America have been found hidden in a lorry without food or water in north-eastern Mexico.
The men, women and children were found crammed into the bottom of the lorry in Tamaulipas state just south of the Texas border, officials said.
They had travelled from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador and were bound for the US.
Three people have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking.
Mexican police said the lorry was stopped at a checkpoint and scanners detected the people hidden inside. They had no food, water or proper ventilation. Twenty-four of the migrants were unaccompanied children, officials added.
Last month more than 170 undocumented Central Americans were taken into custody in the states of Coahuila and Tamaulipas.
Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are a major source of illegal migrants being smuggled into the US.
President Donald Trump has vowed to crackdown on all immigration, legal and illegal, and is pressing ahead with controversial plans for a wall along the Mexican border.
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Afghan attacks ‘want to spark uprising’ By Secunder Ker

Media caption‘IS preach they are the real Muslims – not the Taliban’
Militants are targeting civilians in Kabul hoping chaos will spark an uprising, Afghanistan’s interior minister has told the OP
In the past two weeks four major attacks – two by the Taliban and two by the Islamic State group – have killed a total of 130 people across the country.
Interior Minister Wais Barmak says the two groups share the same aim – “to provoke people against the government”.
But a jailed ex-IS fighter told the OP that the two had distinct approaches.
“For the Taliban if someone from the government repents he should be forgiven. But IS say he should be killed,” said the man, to whom the BBC was given rare access, with members of the Afghan intelligence agencies present during the interview.
“IS preaches that only they are real Muslims, not the Taliban”, and “does not believe in mercy”, the prisoner, who did not want to be identified, added.
Afghan Interior Minister Wais Barmak
Image captionAfghanistan’s interior minister argues that there is no tangible difference between IS and the Taliban
While the Taliban control far more territory across Afghanistan than Islamic State, IS has been more focused on attacking Kabul – carrying out at least 14 major attacks in in the city over 2017, significantly more than the Taliban.

Recent major attacks in Afghanistan

Presentational grey line
Some analysts believe that the recent spate of attacks by the Taliban in Kabul represent a competition between the two groups for international notoriety.
But Afghan officials often say that there is no tangible difference between the Taliban and IS.
The two are targeting civilians “to provoke people against the government, so the government will fall apart… and there will be chaos,” the interior minister told the BBC.
They both “come from the same source,” alleging that Pakistan provides safe havens to both groups.
Many Afghans have expressed anger at the government’s failure to prevent the attacks.
mangle structures blown halfway down a street, with debris all over the pavements and people crowding around a plume of smoke in the backgroundImage copyrightEPA
Image captionThe deadliest recent attack killed at least 100 people in Kabul and was claimed by the Taliban
The former IS member blamed the worst violence on Pakistani members of the group, many of whom he said came from the Orakzai tribe in north-western Pakistan. He also said there were Chechen and Arab members of IS too.
He was open about having been an active participant in the group’s violence in the east of Afghanistan. “I have taken part in executing people. We used to make people sit down on top of bombs and blow them up,” he said.
This was one of IS’s most notorious methods of executing prisoners. The group released a propaganda video shortly after it became active in Afghanistan in 2015 showing a number of blindfolded men being forced to kneel down on top of explosives, which were then detonated.

Media captionThe attack sends a huge plume of black smoke into the sky
Many IS fighters in Afghanistan were former Taliban. The prisoner said he was among many in his unit who had been forced to switch allegiance.
He said he had received one month’s training by IS in northern Pakistan, but did not mention that the group had any ties to Pakistani officials. He said IS would dismiss the Taliban as “Pakistani agents”.
Many of the IS attacks in Kabul have targeted the capital’s Shia minority, whom IS militants hold to be heretics.
Journalist Syed Azizullah survived a suicide bombing in December on a cultural centre that killed over 40 people.
“In the past, Shias living in the countryside used to come to Kabul because it was safer,” he told the OP.  “Now my relatives in the outskirts tell me to leave Kabul because it’s become so dangerous here.”
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