UK News: 181,000 migrants staying in UK illegally

UP to 181,000 migrants who should have gone home over the past two years alone could still be in the UK illegally, figures showed today.

The UK Border Agency estimate showed it did not do enough work to check that migrants leave the UK if they have no right to remain, the National Audit Office said.

'Radical' public pay plans

EXECUTIVES in the public sector should have ten per cent of their pay held back and would receive it only through good performance at the end of the year, under "radical" proposals by a Government-commissioned report today.

The Fair Pay Review also called for greater public scrutiny of public sector executive pay.

Coe predicts sell-out as Olympic ticket sale starts

TICKETS to the London 2012 Olympic Games went on sale today as the countdown to the games fell below 500 days.

London 2012 chairman Lord Coe is confident of sell-outs and said organisers were in "good shape" to handle demand.

With 499 days to go, he is convinced the technology is in place to avoid a computer meltdown.

"I think that people will view this as one of those life-changing moments and will want to be there," he said.

Food firms in health vow

SOME 170 companies have signed up to the Government's responsibility deal on public health, with pledges including warnings on alcohol and cuts to unhealthy salt and fat in food.

McDonald's announced it would display calories on menu boards across its 1200 restaurants from September and remove trans fats, along with fast food outlets such as Pizza Hunt and KFC.

Music muting angers Cox

TV presenter Professor Brian Cox has criticised the BBC for agreeing to turn down the music on his science series Wonders of the Universe following complaints from viewers.

Prof Cox said: "We can sometimes be too responsive to the minority of people that complain."

Cheltenham: Shoes made in the style of real horses' feet and legs and complete with genuine horse hair are to go on sale at the Cheltenham Festival. The knee and ankle-length zip-up hoof shoes are being sold for 1300 a pair, with all proceeds going to charity.

Essex: A Conservative-controlled council has voted to spend millions of pounds of public money evicting travellers from an unauthorised site. Officials estimate that evicting more than 400 travellers from the former scrapyard near Basildon, Essex, could cost taxpayers 18 million.