Birmingham Post

Birmingham Hospital 'Letting Down Injured Troops Over Care'

A senior Army officer yesterday said British troops are being let down by their "administrative care" at a Birmingham hospital designated to treat injured personnel. Lieutenant Colonel Joe O'Sullivan reportedly highlighted two cases said to have happened at Selly Oak Hospital - one involving parents allegedly turned away from a ward and the other that a paratrooper had to walk two miles to get money to pay for a taxi home.

Businesses Being Urged to Take On Gangsters As Apprentices As an Exit

Birmingham businesses are being urged to employ members of violent gangs as apprentices under a pioneering drive to give wayward youngsters an "exit route" from a life of crime. A new set of work-related apprenticeships will be created in the city that will specifically target gang members in a bid to re- integrate them back into mainstream society.

Flights Cause Jones Serious Health Scare

Lord Jones of Birmingham has revealed how he suffered a serious health scare caused by his jetsetting work promoting British business across the world. Trade Minister Digby Jones went through a month of fear and uncertainty as doctors tried to determine why he was suffering from double vision.

Foster Did Kill Family, Police Say After Examining Cctv

Millionaire businessman Christopher Foster was filmed by his own CCTV cameras firing a rifle at a horsebox shortly after he killed his wife and teenage daughter, detectives said last night. Ending days of speculation surrounding the fate of Mr Foster and his family, police said the 50-year-old businessman took his own life after setting fire to his pounds 1.2 million Shropshire home.

Former World Champion Boxer Harrison Jailed for Drink Driving

Former world boxing champion Scott Harrison was told yesterday he could have caused "carnage" on the streets as he was jailed for drinkdriving. The 31-year-old was nearly four times the legal alcohol limit when police stopped him driving through a built-up area of Glasgow.

Inquest and Post Mortem Into Toddler Shot with Airgun Pellet

A post mortem examination will be carried out on a Birmingham toddler who died after it was believed he was accidentally shot in the head by his sister. Rasheed Ullah, aged 18 months, was hit in the back of the head with a pellet from an air rifle at his family's home in Bennetts Road, Saltley, nine days ago.

Stamp Duty Reprieve Could Leave Darling with Pounds 600m Bill

Homes worth pounds 175,000 or less will be exempt from stamp duty for the next 12 months, the Chancellor announced yesterday in an attempt to shore up the housing market. But economists warned the move may force up Government borrowing further in this autumn's Pre-Budget Report after Alistair Darling declined to say how he would pay the estimated pounds 600 million bill.

Move Could Be Too Little, Too Late and Not Address Core Problem ; Reaction

"While any initiative to try to help the housing market is welcome, this particular move doesn't go far enough in terms of the starting threshold and it is also getting close to the pounds 250,000 threshold. "The level of transactions this year is lower than last year and, while it means that around 40 per cent of transactions won't be caught (by stamp duty), it is questionable whether it will incentivise buyers who wouldn't have entered the market anyway."

Economists Say Planned Cut Will Have Little Impact

Economists warned the Government's stamp duty cut would have little impact on the housing market but put public finances under more pressure. Investec economist David Page called the move "small beer".

Pounds 175,000 Threshold Unlikely to Breathe Life Into Market

The Government's announcement that it is abolishing stamp duty on homes worth up to pounds 175,000 for a year is unlikely to provide a major boost to the housing market. While the move is good news for anyone buying a home below this threshold, it is unlikely to tempt large numbers of buyers to bring forward plans to purchase.

Waiting Time for Help for People Who Lose Jobs Cut

The Government yesterday announced plans to cut the length of time homeowners who lose their jobs have to wait to receive state help with paying their mortgage. The Department for Work and Pensions said it was reforming Income Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) so that the Government would step in 13 weeks after people lost their income, rather than the current 39 weeks.

Liberal Leader Due to Be Father for Third Time ; Politics

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg is to be a father for the third time, his spokeswoman announced yesterday. Mr Clegg and his wife Miriam Gonzalez Durantez are expecting their third child in February.

Boris Is Named Top Politician ; Politics

He is not known for his dress sense, but Boris Johnson was presented with an award by style gurus Trinny and Susannah last night . The London Mayor was named Politician of the Year at the celebritypacked GQ Men of the Year awards.

Reform Charity in Surprise Bid to Run Two New Prisons ; Politics

A penal reform pressure group has launched a surprise bid to run two new prisons, it was confirmed yesterday. Nacro, a charity which attempts to cut crime by finding practical work for offenders, has formed a consortium to win Government contracts for jails in Merseyside and London.

Forces Get Raw Deal Over Leave, Says Cameron ; Politics

David Cameron yesterday insisted British forces were getting a raw deal over their leave as he met troops in Afghanistan. The Tory leader called for rest periods to start when personnel arrived home - rather than when they departed operations.

Northen Ireland Political Progress 'Blocked by Ira Ruling Council' ; Politics

The continued existence of the IRA's ruling army council poses a major block to political progress in Northern Ireland, unionists warned yesterday. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Peter Robinson warned that plans to devolve policing and justice powers to Stormont would be blocked until IRA structures were removed.

Trains, Planes and Automobiles Cost Bbc Millions, Says Lib Dem ; Politics

The BBC was accused of being "frivolous" with licence fee- payers' money today after it revealed more than pounds 10 million was spent on flights last year. More than pounds 3 million of this was spent on business or first class flights, according to figures released to the Liberal Democrats under the Freedom of Information Act.

Wet Start As 912-Day Countdown to London 2012 Games Begins ; Politics

London Mayor Boris Johnson started the countdown to the 2012 Olympic Games in a heavy downpour yesterday. Sheltering under an umbrella, he insisted: "Whatever impression people get from these pictures it is not raining in London for 94 per cent of the time, exactly the same as Paris or Prague or other comparable cities."

Teenager Missing On Dartmoor Found Safe ; Rescue

Seven teenagers reported missing in bad weather on Dartmoor during a Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award expedition were found safe and well early yesterday. The two girls and seven boys, aged between 17 and 18, were escorted off the moor by members of the Dartmoor Rescue Group around 3am.

Author Poisoned by Fungi ; Celebrity

The author of best-selling book The Horse Whisperer was yesterday said to be in a "positive frame of mind" after falling ill from eating poisonous mushrooms. Nicholas Evans was staying with his wife, Charlotte, at her brother's estate in Scotland when he fell ill.