Birmingham Post

Balls Backs Teachers

Children's Secretary Ed Balls was today set to promise in Birmingham to tackle parents who refuse to accept that teachers have a right to discipline their children. Some head teachers put unruly pupils in detention only for the parents to march into class and demand that their children be allowed to leave, according to Mr Balls.

Second Boost for Car Industry As Nanjing Sets Mg Start Date

The Midlands automotive sector last night received a second major shot in the arm with the news that MG owner Shanghai Automotive has told UK dealers it expects to produce 600 of the new TF LE500 models between the start of production in August and the end of the year. That came as the new boss of Jaguar told Birmingham executives yesterday that the company is staging a fight back against its rivals .

Data On Stolen Gp Laptop Not Encrypted

A laptop containing confidential information about 11,000 patients has been stolen from a Midland GP's home. Contrary to Department of Health guidelines, the information was not encrypted, which would have made it unreadable without a special code to unscramble it.

Darling Renews His Calls for Pay Restraint

Chancellor Alistair Darling yesterday renewed calls for pay restraint in the public and private sectors to head off the danger of an inflationary spiral. In his high-profile Mansion House speech, Mr Darling acknowledged that "times are tough", but insisted the UK will avoid recession, telling his audience of City financiers: "Our economy will continue to grow."

Internet 'Death Search' ; Courts

Abu Qatada Appeal ; Appeal

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has pledged to appeal a court ruling preventing the deportation of firebrand preacher Abu Qatada. Qatada, once described as "Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe", left Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire on Monday evening.

'Fun Life' for Sick Child ; Parents

Arson Suspected ; Blast

Black Country Eden Project's Lack of Progress Sparks Fury

Locals are becoming frustrated at what they claim is the lack of work on a project that was set to turn Dudley into the "Eden Project" of the Black Country. More than a year ago, developers St Modwen got the formal go ahead to start on an ambitious scheme to rejuvenate Dudley as a high profile regional tourist attraction.

New Project Targets Midlands As Uk's Top Truck Crime Hotspot

A programme to help the West Midlands lose its unenviable reputation for being the UK's number one hotspot for truck crime was launched at the West Midlands Regional Business Crime Conference yesterday. The conference, at Birmingham Council House, also heard an audiovisual message on business crime from Minister for Crime Reduction, Vernon Coaker MP and an address by Shadow Minister for Business, Jonathan Djanogly MP.

Maypole Nursing Staff Struck Off

Three nurses who worked at a notorious Birmingham nursing home, where 27 elderly residents died in a year, were struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council yesterday. Kathleen Smith, who ran the Maypole Nursing Home in Kings Heath, and colleagues Carol Bushell and Mary Casey, have 28 days to appeal against the NMC's conduct and competence panel's ruling - which bans them all from nursing indefinitely.

War Veteran's Family 'Overwhelmed' After Nursing Staff's Failings Over Deaths at Home

When war veteran Leslie Vines died ten days after being admitted to Maypole Nursing Home, his daughter thought the staff had done all they could to provide her father with the best possible care. Despite having Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, the 77-year- old was "as fit as a 21-year-old" according to staff at Heartlands Hospital, where he was transferred from in August 2002.

Rail Strike Could Hit Big Stations

More than 100 Network Rail managers and supervisors at some of the UK's biggest stations are to stage a one-day strike in a long- running row over pay and conditions. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association said the walkout from noon next Thursday at 17 stations including New Street, London's King Cross, Euston, Paddington, Liverpool Street, New Street, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh, would disrupt services.

Double Murder Conviction Quashed

A double murder conviction was quashed by the Law Lords yesterday because witnesses who feared for their lives were allowed to give evidence anonymously. Iain Davis was convicted at the Old Bailey of the New Year's Day 2002 killing of two men in a shooting at a flat in Hackney, east London.

New Deal Sees Tanker Drivers Get 14pc

The deal aimed at ending the bitter fuel tanker drivers' dispute is worth around 14 per cent over two years, it emerged yesterday. Hundreds of members of the Unite union will soon start voting on whether to accept the offer, which was worked out during all-day talks.

Youth Clubs for Deprived Areas Will Cut Crime, Report Says ; Politics

The Government should set up youth clubs every Friday night in the 50 most deprived areas of the country to cut crime, an official report said yesterday. The proposal from Louise Casey, the former head of Tony Blair's Respect task force, was published as part of a major review of crime and communities.

Plans to Name and Shame Bad Neighbours ; Politics

Neighbours from hell drove one Birmingham resident to sleep with a knife by their bed after police and courts failed to protect them, Ministers have been told. Louise Casey, the Government's anti-social behaviour tsar, highlighted the case in a damning report which warned that the criminal justice system was letting law-abiding residents down.

Delaying Tactics Fail to Prevent Parliament Ratifying Lisbon Treaty ; Politics

Britain yesterday became the 19th European Union country to ratify the Lisbon Treaty without a referendum, after the EU Amendment Bill completed its passage through Parliament. A last-ditch Conservative attempt to delay ratification until the autumn was voted down in the House of Lords by a margin of 93, and peers later gave the Bill its third reading without a vote. Royal Assent is expected to follow within 24 hours.

Brown in Pounds 9bn Energy Subsidy Row ; Politics

Gordon Brown was yesterday accused of paying a pounds 9 billion subsidy to energy companies at a time when millions of British families were struggling to pay their bills. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the utility firms received the multi-billion pounds windfall under the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Dft Slammed for Car Tax Figures ; Politics

It was "incredible" incorrect Government figures on car tax evasion were given to a Commons Select Committee, a report from MPs said today. The Department for Transport (DfT) should have spotted the "improbable" year-on-year rise in vehicle excise duty (VED) evasion by motorcyclists, the report from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) added. MPs said they were "disappointed" the National Audit Office (NAO) did not scrutinise the DfT figures more rigorously.