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Half of rape victims drop out of cases even after suspect is identified Exclusive: leaked Cabinet Office report finds justice system fails claimants and lack of resources may impede investigationsAlmost half of rape victims are dropping out of investigations, as a growing proportion do not want to pursue a prosecution even when a suspect has been identified, according to a Cabinet Office report leaked to the Guardian. The figures, which were prepared for a secret internal government review earlier this year, reveal a system in crisis as tens of thousands of women are reluctant to pursue their alleged attackers when faced with invasive disclosure demands, a lower likelihood of securing a conviction and lengthy delays in seeing their case brought to court. Continue reading... Go to...

Labour activists call on Corbyn to push radical stance on migration Party leader has stressed benefits of immigration, but some fear policy could hurt Labour in Tory seatsLabour activists are urging Jeremy Corbyn to incorporate the radical pro-migration policy passed at the party’s conference into its manifesto this week as the Tories prepare to weaponise the issue in the election battle.Senior Labour figures are expected to meet on Monday to thrash out the details of the party’s policy, but a final decision will not be made until next weekend. Continue reading... Go to Source

Spanish election: deadlock remains with no clear majority in sight Socialist party wins election, but poll fails to ease political impasse amid far-right gainsSpanish election results – live updatesSpanish election: results trackerSpain’s ruling socialist party has won the country’s fourth general election in as many years but once again failed to secure a majority in a vote in which the far-right Vox party vaulted into third place and the centre-right Citizens party suffer a humiliating collapse.The Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE), led by the acting prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, won 120 seats, three fewer than in April’s inconclusive election. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour's Keith Vaz to stand down at general election MP was facing suspension after he was found to have ‘expressed willingness’ to purchase cocaine for othersThe Labour MP Keith Vaz, who was facing suspension from the House of Commons for six months after he was found to have “expressed willingness” to purchase cocaine for sex workers, has announced he will not be standing for re-election.Vaz, 62, announced his retirement from parliament in a statement on Sunday evening. Continue reading... Go to Source

Heavy rainfall and more flooding forecast for week ahead More than 140 flood warnings and alerts in place as South Yorkshire villagers evacuateFurther heavy rainfall has been forecast for the UK this week and more flooding is expected as communities already affected struggle to cope.Seven severe “danger to life” flood warnings remain in place in South Yorkshire in areas along the River Don. The Met Office also issued 41 active flood warnings and 94 flood alerts, and said a weather system moving across Europe would bring a “fair amount” of rainfall to England and Wales. Continue reading... Go to Source

Labour derides £1.2tn Tory costing claims as 'work of fiction' Parties clash over spending plans as Conservatives reveal ‘true cost of Corbyn’s Labour’Latest election news - live updatesLabour has dismissed a Tory dossier claiming Jeremy Corbyn’s policies would cost £1.2tn as “an absolute work of fiction”, as the two parties clashed again over their plans for the economy.The Conservatives are keen to portray Corbyn’s party as reckless when it comes to public spending, and published a 36-page document setting out their claim that Labour’s proposals would carry a price-tag of £1.2tn. Continue reading... Go to Source

Academics protest as Cambridge fellow told to leave Britain Letter warns immigration rules may damage UK universities’ ability to attract global talentMore than 250 academics have written to the Home Office in protest at its decision to deny a Cambridge research fellow leave to remain in the UK, preventing her from continuing to study and teach at the university.Their open letter warns that the government’s harsh application of immigration rules risks alienating international researchers and damaging the ability of UK universities to attract global talent. Continue reading... Go to Source

Brexit: minister backs Johnson’s seemingly contradictory Northern Ireland remarks Business minister Kwasi Kwarteng says PM’s comments were ‘absolutely on the money’ Latest election news - live updatesOne of Boris Johnson’s business ministers has insisted the prime minister was correct in arguing that businesses in Northern Ireland will not have to fill in forms to export goods to the rest of the UK after Brexit, despite this being an apparent part of the departure deal.Kwasi Kwarteng said Johnson was “absolutely on the money” when he told Northern Irish exporters last week that they would not need to fill in extra paperwork, prompting accusations the prime minister was misleading the public. Continue reading... Go to Source

‘Labour is our only hope’: Jess Phillips calls on party to stay united In a week of party strife, the Yardley candidate defends ‘this brilliant vehicle for social change’Latest election news - live updatesJess Phillips today pleads with fellow Labour MPs, activists and supporters to stick with the party and not follow Tom Watson out of politics, arguing that it is “the greatest vehicle for positive, hopeful change” that this country has ever created.After a week in which both the Tories and Labour have suffered campaign setbacks and controversies ahead of the 12 December general election, Phillips writes in the Observer that quitting Labour now would mean abandoning the best and only vehicle for fighting division and injustice at a crucial moment. Continue reading... Go to Source...

Remembrance Sunday: thousands gather to honour the fallen Royal family and politicians join veterans at Cenotaph, while services held across UKThousands of veterans and service personnel marched past the Cenotaph in London as Remembrance Sunday services were held at churches, cemeteries and war memorials across Britain in tribute to those killed in past and recent conflicts.The prime minister, Boris Johnson, and the opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, joined other party leaders at the memorial to “The Glorious Dead” on Whitehall. Continue reading... Go to Source

Asda could face consumer backlash as it enforces new contracts Staff have been pressed to accept changes to working conditionsAlmost all Asda’s 120,000 workers who are paid by the hour have signed new contracts with the supermarket chain ahead of a deadline it extended to midnight on Saturday.The retailer, owned by US giant Walmart, has been at the centre of a lengthy and high-profile row over the imposition of the new contracts, which it says help it remain competitive in a “challenging market”. Continue reading... Go to Source

NSW and Queensland fires: Sydney to face catastrophic fire danger for first time More than 130 bushfires continue to burn, with three people dead and 150 properties destroyed, and conditions set to worsenThe greater Sydney region will face catastrophic fire danger on Tuesday for the first time since the rating was introduced and fire authorities say conditions in other parts of New South Wales could also be set to worsen.The warning was issued as more than 80 fires continued to burn in the north of the state late on Sunday. Continue reading... Go to Source