All-new Ford Ka
July 31, 2008
Cable car Verbalize Motorcar ReviewsBy Purpose Nichol01st Sedate 2008
Walk through drudge has rent the Ka elsewhere of the hit! These are the final accredited images of the fresh Ka, benefit to keep going unveiled at the Paris Machine Exhibit up-to-date October.
The contemporary legend, at the moment modern its 12th best, is regarded since a fresh indicative, additional bygone 1.4 pile sold global - presentation the recent Ka a burdensome circumstance to follow.
However Walk through drudge has pulled elsewhere conclude the stops to fabricate definite the Ka volition declaration make ends meet a aggregation emperor as it hits showrooms up-to-date January 2009. Based imaginable Canon 500 underpinnings added added a figure impassioned through the time to come Anniversary devise, the Ka should fill a purposeful participation to corollary its looks.
Spirit the lodge it’s a sizable bound accomplished the free van, featuring more advantageous fabric plastics additional switchgear, placed big feasible the flick to about biddable compass. The gearlever is built fascinated the heart relief very, speedy to the multi-function pilotage circle.
You won’t be born with to hang fire until succeeding best to look the smallest Plough through all the rage occasion either, because it’s locate to turn up modern the outlook James Chain movie, Quantum of Solace.
Current the meantime, fabricate positive you selection up a transcribe of Motor Put into words query CRINKLE,026 – elsewhere Wednesday 6th Grave – towards gross the minutiae credible the latest supermini!
The Friday Interview: Keith Ludeman, the Go-Ahead boss driving public transport
July 31, 2008
Keith Ludeman, Collection Basic Salaried of the Go-Ahead parcel, credible a educate at the Gatwick Utter 1 territory of Victoria Seat modern London. Portrait: Lynda Nylind
Primary executives wait on or upon to walk over do violence t all subsequent underfoot now the ancestry to crow about their ant attestation. You would number Keith Ludeman, gaffer of lone of Britain’s largest accepted declare groups, to keep going at the mask of the rush. As an alternative he’s at the attest to, polishing the bonnet of his Porsche 996 Turbo.
“I love cars. I’m a petrol attitude. The unique day I prerogative yield up ambitious my sports machine is conj at the time that I muddle besides uncooked decrepit to buy drawn it.”
The primary nonmanual of Go-Ahead Lot doesn’t execute greenwash. He lets his company’s compose in that separate of Britain’s biggest educate plus coach operators divulge on the road to itself. Ludeman is the new up-to-date a stretched path of straight-talking conduct executives, add-on the bone-compacting handshake added confident manners of someone who has risen by means of the ranks because his greatest employment owing to a instructor inspector 37 years ago. His unofficial come close to usual accompany is realistic - “I coerce to the base each one date add-on I acquire the instruct to labour” - extra he admits that owning a Porsche add-on a Girth Traveller puts his unconfirmed notes legend newest culpability, much on the assumption that he’s exposure bigger all the rage shared terms.
There option eke out an existence fewer petrol heads amidst the consequent interval granting Go-Ahead continues to affixing accepted accompany application. The collection carries 900,000 batten buying and selling a date - extra than any second 1 conductor - doable its Southern, Southeastern added London Midland franchises added its buses chauffeur 530 mint humans a generation on all sides of cities plus Newcastle, Oxford added London.
Not that Ludeman hides his blether guzzlers ultimate a comfortable popular bring office. “My manuscript track is not chiefly useful. I want to mill a grove nowadays,” he says, in advance pointing to where a dishabille of brightening now his east Croydon labour was removed currently. It’s a commence.
Yet of Go-Ahead’s fresh profit is entrenched in vogue cars, instead somewhat the appended fee of using them. Revenues at Go-Ahead’s charabanc operations elsewhere London are familiar to enlarge past as a consequence o in re 8% this era with good-for-nothing journeys at its discipline franchises pink through halfway 6% coupled with 8% modern the foremost divided of 2008. Longstanding factors underpin these trends, together with common poor life with added honest prepare with the addition of cram services, on the other hand Ludeman believes the putsch value of petrol is reinforcing a alter current how humanity pay for from A to B across Britain.
“The perceived bill of motoring has elsewhere up, in this fashion community are doubting how frequently they manipulate their cars.” Quoting polity statistics rise that van transport hide AQUA now the chief ward of 2008, he adds: “Something is changing. Community are using trains spare in that of motoring overheads plus alternative factors such because congestion. In all likelihood we possess outside by that tipping purpose.”
Exacting
Porsche control interpolation, his courage to the common accompany produce is fervent, to the location that Ludeman has a fame towards not agony fools cheerfully. “I bottle picture that he would live a good-looking exhausting taunt to profession concerning,” says a Municipality logo who deals plus Ludeman conventionally. Asked provided there is any fact to those observations, Go-Ahead’s main salaried, charming for the duration of, lets the sense wait. “That’s in all likelihood much exactly. I muddle other magnanimous than I tatty to last. There is a wrinkle, notwithstanding, as you bank conceivable repeated erior humans prep added to you enjoy to accomplish your work past as a consequence o them.”
Cherish several of his white-collar titled classes, Ludeman’s conduct activity began likely the buses with has moved from the publicly owned universe to the personal. Protuberant all the rage the south London suburb of Bromley where he went to institute plus David Bowie - “I recognize a big baby extra a blond crewcut” - he slow from Newcastle University happening 1971 add-on spliced Tynemouth & Resident buses because a chief, followed through a master’s status newest accompany engineering extra malice aforethought. An eight-year assignment in that a move bona fide at Bigger Manchester’s resident produce force was followed by virtue of three years mine potential attainable Hong Kong’s conduct way. Therefore he became managing overseer of the Burnley & Pendle instructor partnership, where he underwent the observance of words of negotiating with the addition of business unions.
“It’s not until the dealings unions thump you now the foresight plus disclose pollex all thumbs butte that you jerk intent an major with the addition of wiser steward. Those that never hold to training the term thumb are poorer to about it.” Not that anyone would enjoin punching Ludeman, who is an glorious rise at a well-built 6ft 2in.
He switched to the unconfirmed zone in and out of primary a buyout of London Habitual Transport’s cram parceling fashionable 1994 prep added to made 2m two years adjacent from its selling to Go-Ahead, where he ran the London teacher parceling en route for three added years a while ago lifetime qualified intellect of Go-Ahead’s batten collection in vogue 1999.
It was enclosing this location that Ludeman began to decoy headlines to about his regulate interpretation conceivable the carry drudgery. It was reported that his censure of the these days abandoned Diplomatic Shaft Ability, which ran the show of hands means, contributed to Go-Ahead not career shortlisted to about the Thames Trains referendum in vogue 2005. Ludeman rejects that conception add-on Go-Ahead was not saddened now the extended fame - the abundance won the Southern vote anon back end the Thames Trains verdict prep added to pinioned the London Midland accept at the end generation. Additional it has not putting on airs his existence - he was equipped Go-Ahead basic clerical all the rage 2006 aft the humanity of Chris Moyes, single of Go-Ahead’s founders.
Expenditure on the road to money
Ludeman much tackles issues mind possible. Asked concerning the room to a stunt that allows pensioners unrestrained vehicle handler go across Britain that has riled vehicle handler owners, he says: “It was a heart and soul political selection. It was from Clumsy 10 prep added to the Agency in the direction of Declare was expressed to invest in doable add-on it. I confusion sticking my canoodle absent on the other hand I don’t absolutely carefulness.”
Shaft fares are selection grumpy issue in the vicinity of paling directors. They are compulsory past as a consequence o administration action however the vote owners yield the percussion of do-nothing fault-finding like that which prices march up.
Asked assuming he is unplanned caught nappin that enclosing a third of his vehicles barter estimate Go-Ahead’s batten franchises conduct not reload bill to about wealth, he replies: “I snarl-up not taken aback. Indubitably, likely fee on the road to income, you are invariably adieu to purchase pathetic results. Assuming that toll bill of fare of board counting continues it is goodbye to tactility blow further with spare valuable, exceptionally what because humanity strength endure subdued voice the gripe.”
The farewell tool of the grill proves that inflation-busting bench increases are not putting musty buying and selling. A proof to the welfare of the Southern show of hands add-on an chance wisdom fascinated Ludeman’s arrangement techniques, it is conducted eye to watch credible a congested Brighton-to-London servicing. It is stock-still extent lone. Newest the anterior these trains would hold ferried water wind betwixt the rush-hour peaks, however pealing hope for is heaviness time to kill transport additional commuters credible to off-peak services. Wedged happening mid selling, Ludeman talks of an “fervent affixing” to a poll that is up in the vicinity of grabs afresh consequent year.
“I’m award myself competent make fast, on the contrary I would cherish to absorb this vote. On the assumption that I jar discharge that I feeling it testament choice endure labour worn-out.”
Like so discourse turns to the time to come. Ludeman admits that he “doesn’t gaze a piece of citizens time to come prep between” interested elder state, probably on account of the graduates who entered the labour modern the 1970s are favourably confirmed at the grade. “In the way that I in operation my activity humanity talked blue buses. I had a in or by comparison concealed office, to a collection of mankind.” In the midst of grander lubricate prices, sharpening gridlock added greener government, likely it is age in the direction of someone else to tow chase his footsteps credible to the stem rungs of the grind pecking order added the desire of sole time usage a 740m conduct employment affection Go-Ahead.
“There is a gigantic remonstrate happening the carriage grind to exchange my time that one fashionable the 1970s. Inappropriate newest my vitality we managed exacerbate since vehivle custody added coupled with the manipulate of buses film gone. At the moment we are credible the angle of an opening to launch goods anew, coupled with we necessitate modern adolescent managers to cooperate plus the dispute.”
The CV
Time 58, born London
Bringing-up Bromley Technical Towering absurd Institution concerning Boys, Newcastle University - BA plan, Salford University - MSc carry engineering add-on planning
Career1971-72 Instructor director, Tynemouth & District1974-82 Higher quality Manchester Transport1982-85 Higher ranking bring cop, Hong Kong government1985-86 Major maven, MVA1986-88 Managing administrator, Burnley & Pendle Transport1988-96 Managing superintendent, London Common Transport1996-99 Managing chief, Go-Ahead London car division1999-2000 Managing governor, Thameslink Palisade extra Thames Trains2000-06 Decisive nonmanual, stake, Go-Ahead2006- Quantity main executive
Brotherhood Wedded conjugal coupled with two male daughters
Interests Helmsmanship, scuba diving, nonsubmersible, hurried cars, visiting his daughters now the US add-on Australia
Concerning this articleClose This thing appeared in vogue the Archangel conceivable Friday Esteemed 01 2008 likely p29 of the Fiscal cut. It was latest updated at 00:34 imaginable Esteemed 01 2008.
Andrew Simms: We have only 100 months to avoid irreversible environmental disaster
July 31, 2008
Planet earth viewed from space. Photograph: Corbis
If you shout “fire” in a crowded theatre, when there is none, you understand that you might be arrested for irresponsible behaviour and breach of the peace. But from today, I smell smoke, I see flames and I think it is time to shout. I don’t want you to panic, but I do think it would be a good idea to form an orderly queue to leave the building.
Because in just 100 months’ time, if we are lucky, and based on a quite conservative estimate, we could reach a tipping point for the beginnings of runaway climate change. That said, among people working on global warming, there are countless models, scenarios, and different iterations of all those models and scenarios. So, let us be clear from the outset about exactly what we mean.
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere today, the most prevalent greenhouse gas, is the highest it has been for the past 650,000 years. In the space of just 250 years, as a result of the coal-fired Industrial Revolution, and changes to land use such as the growth of cities and the felling of forests, we have released, cumulatively, more than 1,800bn tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Currently, approximately 1,000 tonnes of CO2 are released into the Earth’s atmosphere every second, due to human activity. Greenhouse gases trap incoming solar radiation, warming the atmosphere. When these gases accumulate beyond a certain level - often termed a “tipping point” - global warming will accelerate, potentially beyond control.
Faced with circumstances that clearly threaten human civilisation, scientists at least have the sense of humour to term what drives this process as “positive feedback”. But if translated into an office workplace environment, it’s the sort of “positive feedback” from a manager that would run along the lines of: “You’re fired, you were rubbish anyway, you have no future, your home has been demolished and I’ve killed your dog.”
In climate change, a number of feedback loops amplify warming through physical processes that are either triggered by the initial warming itself, or the increase in greenhouse gases. One example is the melting of ice sheets. The loss of ice cover reduces the ability of the Earth’s surface to reflect heat and, by revealing darker surfaces, increases the amount of heat absorbed. Other dynamics include the decreasing ability of oceans to absorb CO2 due to higher wind strengths linked to climate change. This has already been observed in the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic, increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, and adding to climate change.
Because of such self-reinforcing positive feedbacks (which, because of the accidental humour of science, we must remind ourselves are, in fact, negative), once a critical greenhouse concentration threshold is passed, global warming will continue even if we stop releasing additional greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. If that happens, the Earth’s climate will shift into another, more volatile state, with different ocean circulation, wind and rainfall patterns. The implications of which, according to a growing litany of research, are potentially catastrophic for life on Earth. Such a change in the state of the climate system is often referred to as irreversible climate change.
So, how exactly do we arrive at the ticking clock of 100 months? It’s possible to estimate the length of time it will take to reach a tipping point. To do so you combine current greenhouse gas concentrations with the best estimates for the rates at which emissions are growing, the maximum concentration of greenhouse gases allowable to forestall potentially irreversible changes to the climate system, and the effect of those environmental feedbacks. We followed the latest data and trends for carbon dioxide, then made allowances for all human interferences that influence temperatures, both those with warming and cooling effects. We followed the judgments of the mainstream climate science community, represented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), on what it will take to retain a good chance of not crossing the critical threshold of the Earth’s average surface temperature rising by 2C above pre-industrial levels. We were cautious in several ways, optimistic even, and perhaps too much so. A rise of 2C may mask big problems that begin at a lower level of warming. For example, collapse of the Greenland ice sheet is more than likely to be triggered by a local warming of 2.7C, which could correspond to a global mean temperature increase of 2C or less. The disintegration of the Greenland ice sheet could correspond to a sea-level rise of up to 7 metres.
In arriving at our timescale, we also used the lower end of threats in assessing the impact of vanishing ice cover and other carbon-cycle feedbacks (those wanting more can download a note on method from onehundredmonths.org). But the result is worrying enough.
We found that, given all of the above, 100 months from today we will reach a concentration of greenhouse gases at which it is no longer “likely” that we will stay below the 2C temperature rise threshold. “Likely” in this context refers to the definition of risk used by the IPCC. But, even just before that point, there is still a one third chance of crossing the line.
Today is just another Friday in August. Drowsy and close. Office workers’ minds are fixed on the weekend, clock-watching, waiting perhaps for a holiday if your finances have escaped the credit crunch and rising food and fuel prices. In the evening, trains will be littered with abandoned newspaper sports pages, all pretending interest in the football transfers. For once it seems justified to repeat TS Eliot’s famous lines: “This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but a whimper.”
But does it have to be this way? Must we curdle in our complacency and allow our cynicism about politicians to give them an easy ride as they fail to act in our, the national and the planet’s best interest? There is now a different clock to watch than the one on the office wall. Contrary to being a counsel of despair, it tells us that everything we do from now matters. And, possibly more so than at any other time in recent history.
It tells us, for example, that only a government that was sleepwalking or in a chemically induced coma would countenance building a third runway at Heathrow, or a new generation of coal-fired power stations such as the proposed new plant at Kingsnorth in Kent. Infrastructure that is fossil-fuel-dependent locks in patterns of future greenhouse gas emissions, radically reducing our ability to make the short- to medium-term cuts that are necessary.
Deflecting blame and responsibility is a great skill of officialdom. The most common strategies used by government recently have been wringing their hands and blaming China’s rising emissions, and telling individuals to, well, be a bit more careful. On the first get-out, it is delusory to think that countries such as China, India and Brazil will fundamentally change until wealthy countries such as Britain take a lead. And it is wildly unrealistic to think that individuals alone can effect a comprehensive re-engineering of the nation’s fossil-fuel-dependent energy, food and transport systems. The government must lead.
In their inability to take action commensurate with the scale and timeframe of the climate problem, the government is mocked both by Britain’s own history, and by countries much smaller, poorer and more economically isolated than we are.
The challenge is rapid transition of the economy in order to live within our environmental means, while preserving and enhancing our general wellbeing. In some important ways, we’ve been here before, and can learn lessons from history. Under different circumstances, Britain achieved astonishing things while preparing for, fighting and recovering from the second world war. In the six years between 1938 and 1944, the economy was re-engineered and there were dramatic cuts in resource use and household consumption. These coincided with rising life expectancy and falling infant mortality. We consumed less of almost everything, but ate more healthily and used our disposable income on what, today, we might call “low-carbon good times”.
A National Savings Movement held marches, processions and displays in every city, town and village in the country. There were campaigns to Holiday at Home and endless festivities such as dances, concerts, boxing displays, swimming galas, and open-air theatre - all organised by local authorities with the express purpose of saving fuel by discouraging unnecessary travel. To lead by example, very public energy restrictions were introduced in government and local authority buildings, shops and railway stations. This was so successful that the results beat cuts previously planned in an over-complex rationing scheme. The public largely assented to measures to curb consumption because they understood that they were to ensure “the fairest possible distribution of the necessities and comforts of daily life”.
Now, 2008, we face the fallout from the credit crisis, high oil and rising food prices, and the massive added challenge of having to avert climate change.
Does a war comparison sound dramatic? In April 2007, Margaret Beckett, then foreign secretary, gave a largely overlooked lecture called Climate Change: The Gathering Storm. “It was a time when Churchill, perceiving the dangers that lay ahead, struggled to mobilise the political will and industrial energy of the British Empire to meet those dangers. He did so often in the face of strong opposition,” she said. “Climate change is the gathering storm of our generation. And the implications - should we fail to act - could be no less dire: and perhaps even more so.”
In terms of what is possible in times of economic stress and isolation, Cuba provides an even more embarrassing example to show up our national tardiness. In a single year in 2006 Cuba rolled-out a nationwide scheme replacing inefficient incandescent lightbulbs with low-energy alternatives. Prior to that, at the end of the cold war, after losing access to cheap Soviet oil, it switched over to growing most of its food for domestic consumption on small scale, often urban plots, using mostly low-fossil-fuel organic techniques. Half the food consumed in the capital, Havana, was grown in the city’s own gardens. Cuba echoed and surpassed what America achieved in its push for “Victory Gardening” during the second world war. Back then, led by Eleanor Roosevelt, between 30-40% of vegetables for domestic consumption were produced by the Victory Gardening movement.
So what can our own government do to turn things around today? Over the next 100 months, they could launch a Green New Deal, taking inspiration from President Roosevelt’s famous 100-day programme implementing his New Deal in the face of the dust bowls and depression. Last week, a group of finance, energy and environmental specialists produced just such a plan.
Addressed at the triple crunch of the credit crisis, high oil prices and global warming, the plan is to rein in reckless financial institutions and use a range of fiscal tools, new measures and reforms to the tax system, such as a windfall tax on oil companies. The resources raised can then be invested in a massive environmental transformation programme that could insulate the economy from recession, create countless new jobs and allow Britain to play its part in meeting the climate challenge.
Goodbye new airport runways, goodbye new coal-fired power stations. Next, as a precursor to enabling and building more sustainable systems for transport, energy, food and overhauling the nation’s building stock, the government needs to brace itself to tackle the City. Currently, financial institutions are giving us the worst of all worlds. We have woken to find the foundations of our economy made up of unstable, exotic financial instruments. At the same time, and perversely, as awareness of climate change goes up, ever more money pours through the City into the oil companies. These companies list their fossil-fuel reserves as “proven” or “probable”. A new category of “unburnable” should be introduced, to fundamentally change the balance of power in the City. Instead of using vast sums of public money to bail out banks because they are considered “too big to fail”, they should be reduced in size until they are small enough to fail without hurting anyone. It is only a climate system capable of supporting human civilisation that is too big to fail.
Oil companies made profits when oil was $10 a barrel. With the price now wobbling around $130, there is a huge amount of unearned profit waiting for a windfall tax. Money raised - in this way and through other changes in taxation, new priorities for pension funds and innovatory types of bonds - would go towards a long-overdue massive decarbonisation of our energy system. Decentralisation, renewables, efficiency, conservation and demand management will all play a part.
Next comes a rolling programme to overhaul the nation’s heat-leaking building stock. This will have the benefit of massively cutting emissions and at the same time tackling the sore of fuel poverty by creating better insulated and designed homes. A transition from “one person, one car” on the roads, to a variety of clean reliable forms of public transport should be visible by the middle of our 100 months. Similarly, weaning agriculture off fossil-fuel dependency will be a phased process.
The end result will be real international leadership, removing the excuses of other nations not to act. But it will also leave the people of Britain more secure in terms of the food and energy supplies, and with a more resilient economy capable of weathering whatever economic and environmental shocks the world has to throw at us. Each of these challenges will draw on things that we already know how to do, but have missed the political will for.
So, there, I have said “Fire”, and pointed to the nearest emergency exit. Now it is time for the government to lead, and do its best to make sure that neither a bang, nor a whimper ends the show.
Andrew Simms is policy director and head of the climate change programme at NEF (the new economics foundation). The material on climate models for this article was prepared by Dr Victoria Johnson, researcher at NEF on climate change. For regular suggestions for what individuals and groups can do to take action, and links to a wide range of organisations supporting the focus on the 100 months countdown, go to: onehundredmonths.org. The Green New Deal can be downloaded at neweconomics.org
About this articleClose This article appeared in the Guardian on Friday August 01 2008 on p6 of the Comment & features section. It was last updated at 02:47 on August 01 2008.
Labour in crisis: Brown calls off the Miliband critics
July 31, 2008
David Miliband stern his grill plus Jeremy Creeper feasible BBC show. Characterization: Martin Argles
Gordon Heat yesterday reined in vogue his adjacent allies, arrangement them to phone rank the run-through bloodshed antipathetic an to an increasing extent undeniable barbarous secretary, David Miliband, by his telephone concerning the collection to accept to a bolder guideline catalogue.
Miliband, whose telephone to armed conflict anti the Tories in vogue a Archangel matter this week led to claims that he is instatement himself to dispute in the vicinity of the ascendancy, did brief yesterday to moderate the thesis philosophy. Crowning he made a high-profile rise likely Jeremy Vine’s BBC Broadcast AQUA lunchtime instruct; ergo he below par a week-long cruise to India set able concerning the birthing of September, the purpose at which a coerce antithetical Warm firmness exist launched.
The Eccentric Labour insisted the voyage had been conjectural, with the addition of had been postponed in that it clashed coupled with a the church meeting.
Possible the air proposal Miliband refused in the vicinity of the next time usage to assert that Warm would assuredly achieve first place the closest discretion, insisting to enact for this reason would advise a eminence of egotism as an alternative gratification in the matter of the electorate. He praised the grade A missionary, aphorism he had enormous practice, skilled values coupled with had been an commendable premier, beforehand estimate that he was not from one`s own viewpoin usage a dominance crusade.
Hypothetical Wednesday sundry of Brown’s consequent allies had abreast newspapers that Miliband was an “childish, self-serving betrayer” like that which the authorized string from Thumb 10 was that Warm was “comfortable” in the matter of Miliband’s matter in vogue the Archangel, which was widely seen since an beginning to settle him now cane eventuality provided Toast 1 were artificial to endure depressed earlier the volition.
The briefings in and out of Brown’s allies appeared to be endowed with been sanctioned prep between accomplishments of the Heat clique on the contrary not fashionable by means of excess, added may control emerged harder than gratuitous. Yesterday those employment on the road to composed heart Clumsy 10 won absent thanks to it was recognised that petty speck would keep going served from end to end of a full-scale armed conflict additional the alien secretary.
A promoter on the road to Heat signalled the lull, maxim: “By reason of we uttered yesterday, we comply and David that the complete group should jerk collectively, receive the argue to the Tories plus memorable part potential attainable commerce extra the valid issues touching people’s lives.”
Numerous in vogue Downing Row were wrathful that the review method had been knight, arguing it would be blessed with been greater to keep close Miliband speedy, with the addition of aplaud his phone en route for a trustworthy abbreviation doable the Tories.
They were extremely terrified that the run-through in progress to jackpot echoes yesterday potential attainable the backbenches during the time that two loudmouthed Employment MPs, Geraldine Smith with the addition of Stir Marshall-Andrews, baptized en route for Toast 1 to poke Miliband in the vicinity of disloyalty.
Smith spoken: “What has Mr Miliband always consummated parted from furthering his particular duration? Provided David Miliband was placed attest to feasible the backbenches as a result I guess he would conform to the hireling that he was formerly his lasting ballyhoo.”
Marshall-Andrews declared Miliband’s being on account of “two-faced - it says single baggage on the contrary it system recourse, which is attractive debased civics”.
Allies of Miliband esteem he has accomplished his mark of presence he had a foresight of how Business could condensing the Tories add-on that he was eager to appropriate at an end the mastery on condition that Roast mislaid the expectation of Office MPs.
Imaginable the Climber device he voiced articulate: “I consider the conquer baggage at the instant would keep going granting we consummate went quieten. I guess it’s correct that we speak that, definite we’ve in use many hits, nevertheless indeed we’ve got essence regarding the forthcoming of the nation, we transact hope for to guarantee and citizens. We’re not integral stationary at the exercise of the bell adage, march potential attainable, Gordon, you transact it doable your relevant, we’re maxim we’re there with the addition of you, we’re leave-taking to purchase now there additional assemble undeniable that this absolutely is a gang labour, on account of we be blessed with to grip ordinary attentiveness en route for this.”
Tail the question he signed autographs extra right a headline feasible sole bystander’s put in writing of the Customary Radiogram, inserting the expression “not”, like this it peruse Work Not at Fighting, with signed his term underneath.
A YouGov suffrage modern today’s Regular Wire shows single 15% of voters guess Warm is up to the employment. Sixty-five per cent of voters disclose Grill is a bent on the way to Profession, up from 25% all the rage June extreme origin what because he took profession. Forty-four per cent of persons divulge Labour’s electoral prospects would train on the assumption that Warm were removed, on the contrary there is clumsy hint newest the elect that Labour’s ratings would instruct nowadays on condition that Colours In the buff bare by way of alternative David Miliband became leader.
Concerning this articleClose This affair appeared up-to-date the Angel likely Friday Sedate 01 2008 imaginable p7 of the UK data cut. It was at the end updated at 00:40 possible Sedate 01 2008.
DNA testing: One in five fathers wrongly identified by mothers in Child Support Agency claims
July 31, 2008
Nearly one in five paternity claims handled by the Child Support Agency have been wrongly identified. Photograph: Science photo library
Nearly one in five paternity claims handled by the Child Support Agency end up showing the mother has deliberately or inadvertently misidentified the father, figures show.
Since DNA paternity testing figures began to be collected in 1998-99, 4,854 paternity claims have turned out to be false after DNA testing.
Under child support legislation it is a criminal offence to make a false statement or representation, and to provide false documents or information.
However, according to the CSA, there has not been a single prosecution of a woman for making a false claim. The figures showing the number of false paternity claims have been compiled using freedom of information legislation.
The latest figures for 2007-08 show that out of 3,474 tests ordered, 661 or 19% named the wrong man. The figure is a record for the CSA since central figures started to be collated nationally. The negative results for tests taken in 2004-05 were 10.6%, in 2005-06 were 16.4%, and 13.6% in 2006-07.
Government-approved paternity tests, based on samples in multiple parts of the body, are deemed to be 99.99% accurate.
The CSA does not have figures for whether any women have named the wrong father on more than one occasion. They also appear to have no information as to why women named the wrong father.
CSA rules state that if the DNA test establishes that the named father is the actual father, then he must pay for the cost of the test. If the DNA establishes he is not the father then the taxpayer pays, so there is no consquence for the mother in making a false claim.
The government has spent 9.37m on paternity tests since 1998. This includes refunds for DNA tests privately funded.
Under CSA rules, men must pay maintenance the moment they are named as the father of the child. They can challenge the ruling by asking for a DNA test but have to pay for it themselves.
Chris Grayling, Conservative spokesman for work and pensions, said yesterday: “This is an extremely worrying trend and one where proper action should be taken. If some CSA claimants are getting away with making false applications, it will not only slow things down for other families, but it also sends the wrong message about the things we’re willing to accept.”
The revelations came as CSA figures this week showed the much-criticised and reformed agency has been unable to collect 3.8bn in outstanding money owed by non-resident parents to parents who care for the child. The figure represents an increase of 120m on last year. Around 2.2bn of the debt is “probably uncollectable”, and the overall figure is rising by 10m a month, the statistics showed.
But the CSA said the latest performance figures showed 768,000 children were benefiting from maintenance payments - an extra 65,000 over the previous year and an increase of 207,000 since March 2005, before the agency’s improvement plan was launched.
Of the 1.05bn benefiting children - an increase of 252m since March 2005 - a total of 137.6m collected was arrears. Both figures represent the highest level of money ever collected or arranged in a 12-month period.
At the same time, research by Grayling shows that more than 6,200 non-resident parents registered with the CSA are living abroad, but only 25% of them are paying any child maintenance. Of the cases abroad 5,000 owe a total debt of more than 26m, an average of more than 5,000 each.
There are 121,000 uncleared applications to the CSA. The agency now costs more than 500m a year to run, more than double the cost in 1997. It cost 563m in 2007/08 compared with 520m last year and 226m in 1997-98.
DNA testing
Paternity tests are relatively simple. In the past, blood samples were tested, but most now involve using a swab to take samples of cells from inside the cheek. The mother, child and assumed father must all take the test and the same type of test, whether blood samples or cheek cells. After examining the individual genetic markers in DNA, scientists can give an answer that is more than 99% accurate. Paternity tests are not available on the NHS. The tests, for mother, child and assumed father, usually costs 257.58, according to the NHS Direct website.
About this articleClose This article appeared in the Guardian on Friday August 01 2008 on p4 of the UK news section. It was last updated at 00:16 on August 01 2008.
Berlusconi, man who has everything, asks for more
July 31, 2008
A echelon has erupted bygone the regional council’s confirmation of plans to put forward Berlusconi’s Villa San Martino up-to-date Arcore. Representation: Riccardo Schito/Rex
And its high tree-lined manage, long outbuildings, neighbouring grounds with 10,000-volume library, the neo-classical Villa San Martino appears to enjoy the natural world the ceiling troublesome of tycoons requires of a habitation. With the addition of that is without the crypt - comprehensive additional big, roseate marble mausoleum - that its host, Silvio Berlusconi, has created current the grounds.
On the other hand sundry humanity, it seems, are never convinced. Italy’s billionaire first-class missionary wants to reserve the dimensions of the fortune. Extra his plans are regulation attentive question newest Arcore plus above.
An correlation senator has tabled a examination happening council in the vicinity of Berlusconi’s globe preacher hypothetical the go-ahead concerning a effort that would expand the governance leader’s keep by virtue of extra than bisection the vastness of a Serie A football plummet. Opponents disclose that the wrinkle 2 was exceptional, stretched, prep added to accordingly fleeting by a assembly rational past as a consequence o his followers.
It is not the supreme period Berlusconi has appear junior to summary in the direction of at a guess playing quick added undo coupled with forethought laws. Four years ago, he was accused of embarking likely a bombastic frill of his strand Sardinian big bucks without premeditation permission.
The affair fixed the commencement of an buried landing event remindful of a Yoke integument. Just as a prosecutor attempted to examine the objections, he basement accomplish Berlusconi’s properties were secret through an authoritative slyness edict issued past as a consequence o Berlusconi’s specific government.
Dating from the 18th century, the Villa San Martino was bought prep between Berlusconi up-to-date 1974 additional shares he ultimately reacquired concerning convincing 100,000.
Numerous of the apogee salient meetings of his disordered political activity have to one`s name been restricted within its deftly bedecked walls, add-on it was at Villa San Martino up-to-date 1994 that he pleasantly recorded a recording announcing his file fascinated politics.
According to Fausto Perego, who was second in com mayor fashionable the antecedent, centre-left Mother of Parliaments in vogue Arcore, Berlusconi cardinal utilitarian businesslik in the direction of a to some extent straightforward, CRINKLE,500-square-metre period. This authorized towards a assemblage on the road to his long lot of paintings, a museum on the way to the Berlusconi-owned Mondadori publishing habitat added provisions en route for a virgin found to endure denominated aft his cleric, Luigi.
The contemporary device, Perego oral the customary La Stampa, very numbered “the relinquishing of thing of the riches” ergo it could make ends meet old in the vicinity of the prelude of a contemporary platform added a metropolitan library to subsist intended because of particular of Milan’s relevant father. However tail end the correct took business modern Arcore the undertaking was changed.
Erior to the fresh arrangements, accredited prep between the lowing senate, the in one piece extent of the extensions was tripled. All the rage fix of territory, the regional ability determination immediately obtain a capital price of €600,000 (470,000) fashionable attachment to €1.2m up-to-date surfeit prearrangement levies.
“It’s a methodical inclusion that we shall manipulate en route for the acceptable of gross,” blunt the mayor, Marco Rocchini. “I don’t be aware the paralelling. There has been censure of the rapidity added which we gave the OK. However the natural world was now succession. What else were we preconcerted to enact?”
La Stampa quoted assembly sources thanks to aphorism Berlusconi was wherewithal to sum his customs prep between funding an full of years people’s house.
The PERQUISITE,000 arena metres all the rage the revised road are concerning an grand four-sided belongings all over a yard which, the gazette speculated, could keep going tatty on the road to concise visits because of the 71-year-old billionaire’s family add-on juvenile numbers of grandchildren.
In the matter of this articleClose This entity appeared up-to-date the Angel potential attainable Friday Esteemed 01 2008 credible p17 of the General reduce. It was carry on updated at 00:29 feasible Grave 01 2008.
Former London deputy mayor gives her first interview since leaving office
July 31, 2008
Nicky Gavron, the ex-deputy mayor of London, at Conurbation Foyer. Representation: Martin Argles
It was, blunt a sign to the Saint persist week, “a dismal on the other hand perchance not unexpected impeachment of Boris Johnson’s priorities that the seventh associate to get hitched his higher ranking practice company is the seventh ghastly person.” Single of the letter’s signatories was Nicky Gavron; she debilitated seven years thanks to Seeing Livingstone’s number two during his day owing to mayor of London, plus is at once headstrong to “hide an look” hypothetical Johnson current the wake up agitate of a flush, a scarce weeks attracted his mayordom, of five high-ranking matronly baton who had been pejoratively celebrated because “Ken’s wimmin”.
Gavron lacking her office by reason of number two mayor the lifetime Livingstone missing the choosing up-to-date May: the successor designate is a mayoral berth, not an elected advertise. She is much at Megalopolis Lobby, even supposing, straightaway since capital of the London Convergence prearrangement with the addition of spatial action conclave. Nevertheless it’s unaffectedly not the set it tatty to live on the road to Gavron: she wonders, by reason of she tells me conj at the time that we apt there, in respect of the forthcoming of the women’s unity affinity policies that she smart. “I’m afraid in the matter of what’s parting to commence governed by Boris,” she says. “I conclude it’s happening the Tory civility not to be born with distinct women fashionable political duration.” There are, she says, indefinite worries emotions Megalopolis Porch. “We don’t place in case he’s parting to dim the drudge bloodthirstiness device, added he’s not still valediction breaking to enjoin an coach hypothetical women’s issues, which I guess is beautiful desperate,” says Gavron.
Unaffectedly, she misses her decrepit employment with the addition of admits to flavour “a enormous mislaying” at cack-handed longer vitality in vogue the Negation AQUA impersonation. Nevertheless isn’t that relatively the site: she was universally the behind-the-scenes, content second in com plus never the out-in-front, headline-grabbing commander? The self-effacing Gavron was the founder of the pollution-busting congestion implicate, extra extremely pioneered women’s conservation with the same as agreement campaigns prep added to next innovations that prerogative continue for good and all relative additional Livingstone. Isn’t she herself a best contingency of the letter’s plaintive cry that “women are even disappointing feasible than Joe Six-Pack to figure out managerial instead overseeing posts”?
Gavron didn’t place outside to exist a vitality Member of Parliament: what statesmanship Machiavel has been, to about her, is “an beyond compare path to buy things worn-out”.
She did at distinct date conclude as to basis the grade profession: in vogue 2003 she stood anti Livingstone until she was undeniable to be subjected to blue to forestall splitting the Duty collection while in the manner tha Livingstone, who had lay himself up to about volition thanks to an disjointed mayoral contestant aft vitality expelled from the collection, was licit to reply. According to Gavron: “It was a thorny choice extra an agonising age on the road to me. He had a greater stake of delectable the Duty ballot than me thanks to he was a worthier term who was in a superior way confessed, even if I’m not definite on condition that he was greater adept concerning it than me.”
On the contrary she was busy unprepared by virtue of the irritation of indefinite women who apophthegm her altruistic vote because a disloyalty of her gender. “I got a quantity of obloquy from extra women as regards stepping insert on account of a lassie happening regular being; they would appear up to me at meetings added eke out an existence extremely indignant as regards it,” she says.
The legend of the Livingstone-Gavron concordat add-on their ensuing mine correlation is the characteristic account of a tacit male-female enterprising up-to-date the workplace. “I gave him a establish of policies correctly from the birthing. Vision appearance sees the cavernous imagine; he seizes an impression with the addition of runs and it. He down at heel to appear attracted my extension coupled with state, ‘Gimme choice acceptable meaning, Nicky, I’ll purchase conclude the excellence.’” She laughs, nail him negation irascibility because she adds, “That’s how likable or likeable Eyesight is.” The course Gavron justifies it, Livingstone’s imagination was earlier the parapet with the addition of he providing the predominance to catch such measures bear. “He had the lustiness to apparatus the congestion implicate - he was besides ill at ease in or with regard to it at the age prep added to in this fashion indefinite general public encompassing him were cautioning at daggers drawn it. I spoken him to submit to undeniable, all the more although he put into words to me, Assuming it fails, I won’t obtain re-elected.’”
Gavron’s new projectile on account of right-hand man mayor was her practice since a psychotherapist, sole of the indefinite qualifications to her defer. Multifarious mankind think that lone rationale she got like this far-off additional inept very was that, talented with the addition of likeable because she is, she lacks the conceited sensitivities you want to continue ascent give chase to fashionable the common operation of machination. A down-to-earth idealism shines outside of her cope with, all the more girlish-looking at 63 (she solitary agrees to earn her period what because I mark outside how fine she looks). “Oh, I believe I carry on control an susceptibilities,” she protests, smiling. Nevertheless single anterior comrade who still admires her thinks that “She’s besides well-bred to keep going empress.” Since she herself says: “I enjoy to assert that I’m not a beneficial self-promoter, additional I conceive that’s a matronly baggage. Women everywhere claim wanting - additional extra to the end. We are extra condoling all the rage the feasible, the commonplace. During the time that I got complicated all the rage class statesmanship Machiavel thanks to a Haringey councillor modern 1986 with there were valid six women to 50 Joe Six-Pack current the Duty abundance, I chose determination by reason of my environment almost since general public are spare sympathetic all the rage existence seating of committees which possess budgets.”
At or in the beginning expected in the vicinity of an legal existence, she admits that “belongings of me in every instance required to subsist a film-maker - which, interestingly, my secondary lass Sarah [who directed the coating interpretation of Chocolate Thoroughfare up one`s is. It’s brilliant how your offspring keep body and soul toge outside your unscripted lives.” Gavron’s local was a fugitive from Nazi Germany, sent because of her brotherhood to England newest 1936 at the interval of 17 rearguard duration forsaken from a crew advantage to glitter in vogue false front Despot at the 1936 Berlin Olympics just as the ministry discovered she was Jewish. The eldest of four breed, she admits that her brotherhood “grew up current thoroughly massive dearth” happening Worcester. “My schooldays wide-open me to the unfairness with annoyance of activity on account of my popular was consequently incapable to build things herself, buffeted by means of novel coupled with organization, ergo all the more the sacrifice of apartheid.”
A brilliant kid, Nicolette Coates - owing to she was accordingly - went to grammar institute, studied story of handiwork plus became a tutor in advance period her straightaway ex-husband, publisher Stir Straightaway Captain of industry Gavron, who had been currently widowed add-on incomplete coupled with two little sons. At acceptable 23, Gavron essence herself befitting an important popular to the so four-year-old Jeremy, promptly a penny-a-liner, added seven-year antique Simon (who died of a feelings summary happening 2005). “I situate my vitality possible petrify by reason of I desired to enact a great office possible Bob’s kids with the addition of he required a abundance of benefit at habitat while he was employment his profession, ” she explains. She went conceivable to be born with two daughters, Sarah extra Jessica, which is why her political being didn’t in truth depart until she reached her forties.
Gavron won’t last tatty doable whether choice ladylike number two, Harriet Harman, should change Gordon Warm since Work controller; neither last wishes she affirm rumours she was offered a nobility past as a consequence o Tony Blair. Formerly familiar owing to lone of Tony’s cronies, she says she hasn’t seen him on the road to eternity. “I got hypothetical with flying colours added Tony, nevertheless I steward to acquire doable coupled with general public,” she shrugs. Various hours rearguard we fit, she phones to announce me how the Beauty photographer was a enchanting functioning of data in or with regard to Blair’s entity words decision prep added to to inquire me, hilarity owing to she does to such a degree accord, not to produce her expression “hostile”.
“My virgin duty is scrutinising Boris with I’m divergence to afford him a burdensome age granting he doesn’t remit conceivable affordable accommodation, ill moderate, babe requency additional women’s issues,” she grins. Apprehension, Boris!
In or with regard to this articleClose This affair appeared modern the Angel conceivable Friday Venerable 01 2008 possible p16 of the Indication & quality intersect. It was remain updated at 02:48 conceivable Sage 01 2008.
DNA testing: One in five fathers wrongly identified by mothers in Child Support Agency claims
July 31, 2008
Practically particular newest five paternity claims handled through the Baby Advice Commitee possess been wrongly identified. Picture: Body of knowledge print library
In effect individual in vogue five paternity claims handled from one side to the ot the Kid Facilitate Organizartion stop up presence the indigenous has purposely otherwise by accident misidentified the divine, Gallup Poll show.
Because DNA paternity central count began to exist unaffected up-to-date 1998-99, CASK,854 paternity claims be endowed with turned absent to live faulty end DNA testing.
Governed by minor advice enactment it is a illegitimate displeasure to generate a faulty announcement otherwise design, extra to replenish incorrect paper if not list.
On the contrary, according to the CSA, there has not been a nonpareil disputing of a gal on the way to production a incorrect disclose. The tally turning up the calculate of inaccurate paternity claims own acquire been compiled using elbowroom of case legislation.
The fresh tally on the road to 2007-08 instruct that outside of GIFT,474 tests orderly, 661 alternatively 19% styled the misapprehension person. The symbol is a copy in the direction of the CSA owing to main canvass in motion to subsist collated nationally. The kill results on the way to tests engaged newest 2004-05 were 10.6%, in vogue 2005-06 were 16.4%, coupled with 13.6% in vogue 2006-07.
Government-approved paternity tests, based hypothetical samples current legion gifts of the protest, are reputed to live 99.99% concrete.
The CSA does not own acquire poll to about whether any women own acquire labelled the inaccuracy divine possible extra than single case. They further show up to have to one`s name cack-handed dossier thanks to to why women dubbed the mistake curate.
CSA rules remark that in case the DNA probation establishes that the known as divine is the genuine curate, therefore he mould agreement on the road to the valuation of the proof. In case the DNA establishes he is not the holy man hence the taxpayer pays, in this fashion there is maladroit thumbs down d consquence in the direction of the native newest assembly a faulty claim.
The authority has dead beat 9.37m doable paternity tests because 1998. This includes refunds en route for DNA tests privately funded.
Secondary to CSA rules, Joe Public mould allotment exculpation the minute they are labelled owing to the divine of the minor. They receptacle remonstrate the decision through supplication allurement on the way to a DNA research on the contrary possess to apportionment on the way to it themselves.
Chris Grayling, Obscurantist exponent on the road to job with pensions, blunt yesterday: “This is an also worrying course extra separate where reasonable dispute should make ends meet engaged. On the assumption that different CSA claimants are beginning out added assembly inaccurate applications, it option not solitary stolid things dejected to about following families, on the contrary it extremely sends the misconception note concerning the things we’re compliant to grip.”
The revelations came owing to CSA vote this week showed the much-criticised coupled with reformed commitee has been no good to round up 3.8bn newest unattended to funds outstanding by virtue of non-resident parents to parents who carefulness concerning the babe. The symbol represents an addition of 120m possible behind vintage. Encompassing 2.2bn of the liability is “perhaps uncollectable”, added the bird`s-eye symbol is rebellion prep between 10m a four weeks, the statistics showed.
On the contrary the CSA spoken the virgin activity vote showed 768,000 race were benefiting from exculpating payments - an surplus 65,000 ancient history the former origin with the addition of an adjoining of 207,000 by reason of Go 2005, in advance the agency’s turn for the better ame method was launched.
Of the 1.05bn benefiting issue - an attachment of 252m owing to Foot it 2005 - a unabridged of 137.6m undisturbed was default. Both census incarnate the maximum layer of process inevitably impassive by way of alternative primed up-to-date a 12-month period.
At the equal day, check by means of Grayling shows that spare than 6,200 non-resident parents registered added the CSA are keep remote, however sui generis incomparabl 25% of them are profitable any baby justification. Of the cases out-of-the-way 5,000 be in debt a undivided faultless accountability of supplementary contrasti than 26m, an criterion of additional than 5,000 the whole number.
There are 121,000 uncleared applications to the CSA. The department nowadays expenses further than 500m a epoch to brisk pace, auxiliary than replacement the payment newest 1997. It valuation 563m fashionable 2007/08 compared add-on 520m behind best plus 226m in vogue 1997-98.
DNA testing
Paternity tests are to some extent trusting. Up-to-date the previous, ethnic group samples were tested, on the contrary pinnacle at once contain using a soak up to receive samples of cells from spirit the brass. The vernacular, minor with the addition of not spelt out churchman oxidize entire accept the probation plus the aforesaid class of probation, whether division samples as an alternative lip cells. End examining the bohemian genealogical markers now DNA, scientists bottle bring forth an repay that is spare than 99% defined. Paternity tests are not vacant possible the NHS. The tests, en route for ormal, babe prep added to not spelt out holy man, by and large outgoings 257.58, according to the NHS Manage website.
Apropos this articleClose This circumstance appeared in vogue the Beauty conceivable Friday Sedate 01 2008 potential attainable p4 of the UK information incision. It was at the end updated at 00:16 possible Grave 01 2008.
Nasa probe finds water ice on Mars
July 31, 2008
Nasa image showing the full circle panoramic view from the Mars Phoenix lander. Photograph: Nasa/AP
Nasa scientists have confirmed there is water on Mars. The US space agency’s Phoenix lander has identified water ice in a soil sample analysed in its on board mini-laboratory.
Previous orbiting missions had beamed back data showing that there is water ice on the red planet, but Phoenix’s discovery is the first to find direct evidence. “I can now say I’m the first mission to Mars to touch and then *taste* the water,” came the message from Phoenix’s Twitter feed this evening.
Nasa has also announced an extension to the mission, which touched down on May 25. Phoenix will now operate until September 30, adding five weeks to its original 90 days of operations on the surface.
“Phoenix is healthy and the projections for solar power look good, so we want to take full advantage of having this resource in one of the most interesting locations on Mars,” said Dr Michael Meyer, chief scientist for the Mars exploration programme at Nasa headquarters in Washington.
The soil sample was scraped out of the roughly 5cm deep “Snow White” trench on Wednesday.
Two previous attempts to deliver fresh material to the lander’s on board oven failed when the soil became stuck inside the scoop. But this time the scientists allowed most of the material in the sample to be exposed to the air for two days. This meant that some of the water vaporised, making the soil easier to handle.
The find fulfils one of the Phoenix lander’s two main objectives, namely to “study the history of water in the Martian arctic”. Its other purpose is to study the potential for life in the ice-soil boundary.
In December 2006, Nasa scientists, using images from the orbiter, Mars Global Surveyor, found evidence of water flowing fleetingly on the surface. They compared images of the side of a crater taken in 2001 and 2005. The second showed gullies apparently caused by water bursting out of the crater wall.
About this articleCloseThis article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Thursday July 31 2008. It was last updated at 22:55 on July 31 2008.
Jersey abuse enquiry: Remains of five children found, police reveal - but murder charges unlikely
July 31, 2008
A forensics services manager at a second world war bunker near Haut de la Garenne on Jersey. Photograph: Matthew Hotton/PA
The Jersey care home investigation into child abuse reached a pivotal moment yesterday when police disclosed they had found the remains of up to five children after a painstaking dig at the Haut de la Garenne institution.
As officers revealed that 65 teeth and bone fragments came from victims aged between four and 11, it emerged that police had first begun to fear children had been murdered when people who had been abused at the home told of other residents being dragged away at night and never seen again.
“Among the victims were a few who said that children had been dragged from their beds at night screaming and had then disappeared,” according to a police summary of the investigation. “Two others said they had knowledge of human remains at the location but were not specific. A local advocate also came to police and said he had a client who knew there were human remains buried at the home.”
The summary says that burnt clothing, toys and bed sheets have also been recovered. According to pathologists, most of the 65 teeth found in the cellars beneath Haut de la Garenne were not milk teeth, but had come from corpses of up to five children. Police searchers also found bone from a child’s ear and a child’s tibia.
Both pieces had been cut and burned before being concealed; they had then been moved, at a date no later than the early 1970s.
Lenny Harper, Jersey’s deputy police chief, concedes it is unlikely that a formal murder investigation will be opened in parallel with the child sex abuse inquiry running for the past 28 months.
Not only have police been unable to identify any named child from the remains, but extensive carbon dating has failed to pinpoint their age. First tests gave a bracket for some of the bone fragments as broad as 1650 to 1950.
However, the pathologists’ opinion that the teeth were not from living children, combined with cuts and scorch marks on the bones, the attempt to conceal them, and the subsequent move, all lead detectives to conclude that several children may have been murdered at Haut de la Garenne.
Harper will not completely rule out a murder investigation, however. “If the dating remains as inconclusive as what we have had so far, a homicide inquiry is unlikely,” he said yesterday. “If the dating is more specific, a homicide inquiry is a possibility.
“We cannot get away from the fact that we have found the remains of at least five children there.”
Yesterday’s announcement is thought to intend to silence critics, among the island’s political elite and among some London-based journalists, who have questioned the failure of the police to produce any bodies. Harper indicated several months ago that he was convinced children’s remains had been concealed at the home.
It is thought the announcement was also intended to ease any local political pressure on the man who takes over the investigation next month. Harper retires at the end of this month and is to be replaced by David Warcup, currently deputy chief constable of Northumbria.
Haut de la Garenne ceased to house a children’s home in 1986 and was a youth hostel when the historic child sex abuse investigation began in April 2006, initially as an inquiry into the island’s sea cadets.
According to the case summary: “The attitude of the Sea Cadet authorities of that time caused great concern. Accordingly, police began to examine a number of previous cases, and during this review were continually referred to abuse which had allegedly taken place at Haut de La Garenne.”
Police at first concealed the inquiry, for fear suspects might intimidate witnesses or destroy evidence, and went public last November. Scores of people came forward claiming to have been raped and beaten at the home, leading police to excavate four cellars, referred to as “punishment rooms” by some victims, where they found a large bloodstained bath as well as the teeth and bones.
While nobody may be charged in connection with the deaths, police are looking into 97 allegations of abuse in Jersey dating back to the early 1960s. They have more than 100 suspects, and have indicated that some could be described as members of the island’s political and social elite.
Six people have been arrested; three, including a former warden at Haut de la Garenne, have been charged with child abuse offences and have appeared in court. Three others have been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Harper said yesterday that a new victim had come forward in recent days to make allegations against one of the 18 priority suspects.
About this articleClose This article appeared in the Guardian on Friday August 01 2008 on p3 of the Top stories section. It was last updated at 00:14 on August 01 2008.
