95 Labour MPs say no. But Blair gets his missile
Labour's historic divisions over nuclear weapons came back to haunt Tony Blair yesterday when 95 Labour backbench MPs rejected his plans to commence the £20bn renewal of the Trident nuclear submarine system.
The scale of the rebellion, the largest on a domestic issue since 1997, forced the government to rely on the support of the Conservatives to win the vote - a political fact that the Tories will deploy with a vengeance in the next general election.
The Independent reports that
Government left divided as Trident rebels defeated
Tony Blair has handed Gordon Brown the legacy of divided government after suffering his biggest revolt since the Iraq war in the vote for a replacement for Britain's £65bn Trident nuclear deterrent.
Ninety-five Labour MPs, including the former ministers Michael Meacher, Gavin Strang and Frank Dobson, voted against the Government on a rebel motion calling for the decision on Trident to be delayed. It was defeated with Tory support by 167 votes to 413. The motion in favour of building new Trident submarines was passed by 409 votes to 161. It exceeded the 72 who rebelled on student top-up fees some years ago.
Blair rescued by Tories in nuclear rebellion reports the Telegraph
The Mail says
Tony Blair's dwindling authority suffered a shattering blow as Labour MPs staged a giant rebellion over his plans to replace Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent.
Th front page of the Independent is dedicated to the Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
THERE IS NO FREEDOM WITHOUT SACRIFICE
A defiant Morgan Tsvangirai has called for a popular struggle against Robert Mugabe's government and said the injuries which have put him in intensive care should be an "inspiration" to his countrymen.
The main opposition leader was moved into the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Harare yesterday after suffering a suspected fractured skull, brain injury and internal bleeding.
"There are lots of people who've been subjected to this kind of torture, this kind of brutality by this regime," Mr Tsvangirai said in an interview with local media from his hospital bed.
"It just shows the extent to which this desperate regime is trying to protect its power. For the struggle, I think it's an inspiration to everyone. There is no freedom without struggle, and there is no freedom without sacrifice."
Mugabe faces mounting condemnation says the Telegraph reporting that
As Morgan Tsvangirai lay in intensive care in a private hospital in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, Tony Blair said: "What is happening in Zimbabwe is truly tragic." The Prime Minister said: "People should be able to live under the rule of law and they should be able to express their political views without harassment or intimidation or violence."
Ban Ki-Moon, the United Nations secretary-general, condemned the "reported beating of those leaders in police custody" and said: "Such actions violate the basic democratic right of citizens to engage in peaceful assembly."
Its lead though this morning reports that
Millions to pay more for train tickets
Massive increases in fares over recent years have left hard-hit train users clinging to the Saver fare, which is capped by the Government.
The off-peak fare, which does not require advance booking, is used by millions of people taking day trips, visiting their families and to travel to work outside the rush hour.
A popular country vicar was stabbed to death at the door of his vicarage.
Father Paul Bennett, 59, was knifed repeatedly as he tried to protect his family.
His wife Georgina, 58, who saw the frenzied assault, made desperate attempts to save him as he lay in a pool of blood. But the grandfather was dead by the time ambulance crews and police arrived.
The Times reports that
Priest stabbed to death in front of family at vicarage
A source close to the police investigation said that there had been a row with the man who knocked at the door of the vicarage and Mr Bennett died protecting his family. Chief Superintendent Jeff Farrar, divisional commander, said: “This is a horrific incident that will undoubtedly shock and alarm the people of Aberdare. I would like to reassure the community that we have arrested a man and are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident at this stage.
It leads with the story that
Tesco jails’ and more DNA testing planned
Short-term “jails” are planned for supermarkets and town centres to deal with yobs and shoplifters under Home Office proposals to ease the burden on police. Discussions have already started about building a “retail jail” inside the Selfridges store in Oxford Street, London.
Suspects would be held for up to four hours in a small room with a clear plastic front so they were visible to custody officers at all times during their detention.
Ministers are also proposing a huge expansion of police powers to take fingerprints, DNA and other samples from offenders and store them on national databases. People caught speeding, failing to wear a seat belt, allowing their dog to foul the footpath and dropping litter could be forced to give fingerprints or DNA to police for checking against other databases.
The Guardian refers to
Ground floor perfumery, stationery ... and cells
The police are to set up "retail jails" on high streets and in busy shopping malls to detain yobs and other offenders for up to four hours under Home Office proposals published yesterday.
Talks are under way to open the first of these short-term holding cells in Selfridges department store on Oxford Street in London. The five purpose-built rooms would be smaller than normal cells and made of Perspex so that suspects are visible.
The later additions of the papers report on the release of transcripts from Guantanemo bay
'I was responsible for 9/11, from A to Z' - a confession from Guantánamo Bay says the Guardian
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged number three in al-Qaida, confessed to planning the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11 2001, in front of the secret military tribunals being held for the top detainees in Guantánamo, the Pentagon said last night.
Mohammed expressed sorrow for those who had died in the attacks and said that he "did not like to kill children" but that "in war there were always victims".
The apparent confession was contained in a 26-page transcript of the Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, which the Pentagon released last night as part of the procedures of the closed-door sessions with 14 terror suspects. Mohammed has long been alleged to have played a key role in the conceiving and organising of 9/11, but never before has there been what is said to be his own admission.
The Mail reports
Al Qaeda chief admits plot to blow up Big Ben
The terrorist who masterminded the September 11 atrocities has confessed to plotting a chilling series of attacks against British targets including Big Ben, Heathrow Airport and Canary Wharf.
Continuing that
Mohammed, a Pakistani in his early forties, said he planned the September 11 attacks "from A to Z" and confessed to masterminding the bombing of a nightclub in Bali that killed 202 people.
The transcript also reveals that al Qaeda wanted to down a second aircraft during Richard Reid's operation.
Blue Peter makes the front of the Mirror as more revelations about Tv quizs hit the headlines
A BLUE PETER BODGE
HORRIFIED MUM EXPOSES KIDS' SHOW PHONE FIDDLE as the paper reports
BBC chiefs apologised yesterday after squeaky-clean Blue Peter fiddled a phone-in contest by using an innocent child as a fake caller.
As 14,000 youngsters tried to get through to the show, the girl - who was visiting the studios - was given the correct answer, rang in and collected the prize.
The scandal was exposed by horrified mum Mona Zahoor who witnessed the 12-year-old child ringing up.
Shamefaced children's controller Richard Deverell said: "The decision to put a child on air in this way was a serious error of judgment. I apologise to viewers and the children."
The Sun uses a famous phrase from the show
Here's one we made up earlier
THE TV premium phonelines scandal has added an unlikely name to its list of shame — squeaky-clean BLUE PETER.
Bosses at the BBC kids’ show apologised yesterday after admitting they FAKED the winner of a viewer contest after phonelines failed.
It leads though with an exclusive
Poison killers in care home
COPS are investigating SEVEN “suspicious” deaths at an old people’s home, it was revealed yesterday.
The couple who run the home, Rachel Baker, 45 — a registered nurse — and her chef husband Leigh, 48, were arrested after 97-year-old Lucy Cox died on New Year’s Day.
Worried relatives called in police, who are treating Mrs Cox’s death as an “unlawful killing”.
A source told The Sun the Bakers had been arrested on suspicion of administering a poisonous substance.
Detectives are also probing the deaths of SIX other residents at the Parkfields Residential Care Home in Butleigh, Somerset, dating back to July 2004.
The Independent reports on
The advertising guru, the 'mad dwarf' claim and a lurid libel trial
a senior advertising executive and a female colleague were described as "the mad dwarf and the nympho schizo" by a former colleague involved in a "vicious" email and internet blog campaign against them, it was claimed in a High Court libel trial.
Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of the services and marketing group WPP, and Daniela Weber, the chief operating officer of WPP Italy, allege that two of their former associates were behind the email and internet blog campaign which they say was defamatory and a gross invasion of their privacy.
Tycoon sues over 'mad dwarf and nympho schizo' jibe says the Telegraph
The "grossly intruding" image, featuring Sir Martin, the chief executive of WPP, and Daniela Weber, his chief operating officer in Italy, was emailed by Marco Benatti and Marco Tinelli in revenge for Sir Martin sacking Mr Benatti, it was claimed.
He is also claiming the pair were behind a libellous blog, posted at around the same time.
The case is the latest stage in a saga that has gripped the advertising world for more than a year.
Finally the leopard that changed its spots in on the front of the Times,under the headline
After 200 years, a new big cat comes out of the jungle the paper reports that
A leopard can, after all, change its spots: a new species of big cat has been identified for the first time in almost two centuries.
The big cats prowling the jungles of Borneo and Sumatra had long been assumed to be the same clouded leopards that are found in mainland Asia. Genetic analysis and comparisons of fur patterns have now shown the two animals to be as distinct as the lion and the tiger, the WWF announced yesterday. Among the findings that convinced scientists was the realisation that the Bornean cat has changed the number and prominence of its spots.
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