UK News: Unions urged to join with public to fight cuts

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber today launched an attack on the "demolition" Government as he appealed for unions to forge a coalition with the public to fight spending cuts.

He told the TUC Congress the current austerity drive would damage public services and cost huge numbers of jobs.

Row over benefit changes

Chancellor George Osborne was under pressure to detail controversial welfare cuts today amid mounting anger over plans to slash 2.5 billion from sickness benefits.

The Treasury insisted that the figure was out of date and any cuts to Employment and Support Allowance would be "fair".

Effort to change rules on young criminals fails

Campaigners look set to lose a fight to raise the age of criminal responsibility in England from ten to 12 after the Ministry of Justice indicated it was not considering the move.

Charity Barnardo's published a report yesterday calling for the change for offences other than murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, rape and aggravated sexual assault.

The charity's chief executive said criminalising young children increased their chances of reoffending.

Cancer link to big waists

Carrying excess fat around the waist increases the risk of bowel cancer even if the rest of the body is slim.

Experts revealed today that for every extra inch on the waist above a healthy measurement, the risk of bowel cancer goes up three per cent, a study found.

They concluded a big waist circumference is a predictor of bowel cancer regardless of overall body mass index.

Mr Darcy's a view to a thrill

Romantic hero Mr Darcy beat two different versions of super spy James Bond to the title of Britain's Best Looking Bloke in a new survey.

Colin Firth, who played Mr Darcy in the BBC's Pride & Prejudice, topped the poll ahead of Daniel Craig (fifth) and Sir Sean Connery (ninth).

Rochdale: Hundreds of mourners were expected to attend a funeral service today for former Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith in his hometown.

Sir Cyril was mayor of Rochdale before becoming MP at a by-election in 1972.

He stepped down in 1992 and died a week last Friday, at the age of 82.

Nuneaton: One person was arrested as police kept apart English Defence League sympathisers and members of the Asian community following an army parade.

Police said the arrest came after a bottle was thrown, but there had been no other incidents.