Birmingham Post

Council Targets Tesco's 'Black Arts'

An inquiry is to be launched in Birmingham into the "black arts" practice of supermarket chains buying huge land banks to kill off competition. The retail giants face a Birmingham City Council investigation amid claims they are stockpiling land in an attempt to dominate trade and squeeze out the small shopkeeper.

Bullring Evacuated After Rotunda Glass Falls

Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from the Bullring yesterday after high winds brought down a pane of glass from the Rotunda. The High Street, New Street and nearby entrances to the shopping centre were cordoned off by police at 12.25pm after the pane fell from the Birmingham landmark, which is being transformed into luxury flats.

Llegal Immigrants Arrested Whilst Working at the Home Office

Five illegal immigrants have been arrested under the Immigration Act after arriving to work at the Home Office. The five Nigerians were sent to work as cleaners in an office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate - the Home Office department responsible for the removal of illegal immigrants from the UK. The five, who had arrived for their first day of work, were hired by a contract cleaning company to clean offices at Beckett House in central London.

City Mayor Moves a Step Nearer to Reality

Tony Blair has signalled his support for elected mayors as he called for "new models of accountability and leadership" in local authorities, writes Jonathan Walker. His comments bring the prospect of radical changes in the way Birmingham is governed a step closer.

Pensions: Time to Get Radical Group Tells Ministers

Age Concern called today for "radical reform" of the pensions system as the Government prepares to publish its long-awaited proposals. It urges Ministers to endorse the Pensions Commission's recommendations for the basic state pension to be linked to earnings and for auto-enrolment into a national savings scheme.

Pensions: Reform Is Coming, but It's Going to Cost You

Plans to increase the state pension age will be unveiled in a White Paper next week, Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton has indicated. In a speech paving the way for the announcement of radical reforms, he also hinted that businesses will be expected to help foot the bill for sorting out Britain's pensions crisis.

Pensions: Labour Backs Down On Teachers

The Government has done a U-turn over plans to increase the retirement age of teachers, it was reported yesterday. Ministers have allegedly withdrawn plans to increase the normal pension age for teachers from 60 to 65, with Schools Minister Jim Knight saying that around 435,000 existing teachers can still retire at 60.

Pensions: Q&A

Q: What exactly is the problem? A: Figures suggest more than 12 million people over the age of 25 are not saving enough for their retirement.

City Council Cashes in and 'Betrays the Nation's Sporting Heritage'

Birmingham City Council is close to concluding its second multi- million pound land deal with supermarket giant Tesco within the space of two months. Councillors will shortly approve the sale of 1.7 acres of playing fields off Brockhurst Road, Hodge Hill - the first step towards enabling a 65,000 square feet Tesco superstore to be built on the site.

Blackpool in Super-Casino Sympathy Vote

Blackpool has been accused of scaremongering after telling the Government the resort town will plunge into terminal decline if it does not get the country's first super-casino. In a submission to the Casino Advisory Panel, Blackpool Council insists the town - Britain's busiest seaside resort - is dying on its feet and only the investment flowing from a casino can re- ignite private sector confidence.

Played in Birmingham

Newly-Wed Is Jailed After Killing Cyclist

Road safety campaigners last night warned motorists to be more vigilant after a newly-wed was jailed after admitting running over a cyclist while checking her rear view mirror. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) spoke out after Ann Evans was sentenced to ten months for killing RAF Corporal Mark Farrington, of Wollaston, in Stourbridge, last August.

Pele Signs in Coventry

Arguably the world's greatest footballer, Pele (left) is coming to the West Midlands - to Tesco. The three-time World Cup winner will be signing copies of his book Pel: The Autobiography for shoppers at the Coventry Arena Tesco Extra store on Sunday.

Lives Risked As Thieves Vandalise Transmitters

Thieves put hundreds of lives at risk by vandalising equipment that left a control centre unable to communicate with its ambulances. Copper wire was stolen and vital communication wires cut at one of the transmitters used by West Midlands Ambulance Service, in Oakham, near Dudley.

Police Will Get Powers They Need

The police will be given whatever new powers they need to tackle anti-social behaviour, Tony Blair pledged yesterday as he visited a former crack house. The Prime Minister was shown around the drugs' den by members of a neighbourhood policing team that helped have it shut down.

Blair Weakened by 'Madness' Moment

Frank Field: Pensions fudge The Prime Minister suffered a "moment of madness" when he announced he would not be fighting the next General Election, Frank Field, a senior Labour back-bencher and former Welfare Minister, claimed today. And the independent minded Mr Field, in a hard hitting interview which will enrage Mr Blair, predicted that next week's White Paper on pension reforms would be "thin gruel" and "not worth the paper it is written on".

Pounds 2,000 Bill for 'Chelsea Tractors'

"Chelsea tractor" drivers would be slapped with pounds 2,000 road tax bills under green plans set out by the Liberal Democrats yesterday. The party wants a massive increase in vehicle excise duty for the most polluting cars in a bid to persuade motorists to buy more environmentally friendly options.

Colourful Mp Dies From Cancer, Aged 61

Former Mid- Worcestershire Conservative MP Eric Forth, one of the most colourful characters in the Commons, has died from cancer aged 61. Mr Forth, who had been battling with the disease for some time, died on Wednesday night in London's Charing Cross Hospital.

Cameron: We Want Women

Tory leader David Cameron yesterday repeated his commitment to increasing the number of women and ethnic minority candidates in the Conservative Party. On a visit to Manchester, he said he wanted to make the party more representative of Britain.

1,500 Uk Passports Missing in Two Years

Home Office officials came under fire again yesterday after it emerged 1,500 UK passports have gone missing in the past two years. The documents should have been returned by the passport service to their owners, but never reached them, according to the Scottish nationalist MP Stewart Hosie.