Newborn Dies As NHS Drips 'Poison 15 Babies'

An investigation is under way after a baby being treated in intensive care died from blood poisoning through an infection caught from a suspected contaminated drip.

Public Health England (PHE) said it is examining 14 other cases of septicaemia in babies at a total of six hospitals in England.

The infant who died was being treated at St Thomas' Hospital in central London.

The baby died on June 1, and the other two children who fell ill at the same neonatal unit are "responding well" to antibiotics, a spokeswoman for the hospital said.

"All babies on the unit are being screened for the bacterium as a precaution and enhanced infection control measures have been put in place to prevent any further cases," she said.

Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust, where four children suffered infections

PHE said the 15 cases have been "strongly linked" with a number of batches of a liquid called parenteral nutrition, which was fed to the babies through intravenous drips.

The bacteria that caused the infection is called bacillus cereus, which is found widely in the environment in dust, soil and vegetation.

As well as St Thomas' Hospital, babies have fallen ill in neonatal intensive care units at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust (four cases), Whittington Hospital (one case), Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (three cases), CUH Addenbrookes (two cases) and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (two cases).

Professor Mike Catchpole, PHE's incident director, said: "We have acted quickly to investigate this issue ... and we have taken action to ensure that the affected batches and any remaining stock of this medicine is not being used in hospitals."

Parenteral nutrition is usually produced under sterilised conditions to cut the risk that the product could result in infections.

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a Class 1 Drug Alert over the suspected batch of contaminated liquid.

Class 1 is the most critical alert and requires immediate recall. PHE said London-based ITH Pharma Limited, which makes the batch in question, had already issued a recall notice.

The company's managing director Karen Hamling it was "very saddened" by a baby's death and the firm is co-operating fully with the investigation.

Two babies fell ill at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital

Sky's Health Correspondent Thomas Moore said premature and seriously sick children were particularly vulnerable to infections.

He said: "(Officials) believe that there's probably nothing left of these batches in the supply chain.

"There's been a precautionary note to doctors and nurses asking them to check batch numbers.

"They believe that this has been contained, that it's been identified swiftly, although sadly not swiftly enough for this one baby."

PHE said investigations with the company had identified an incident that might have caused the contamination. 

It said most surfaces would test positive for the presence of the bacteria, which produces hardy spores that, in the right conditions, produce a toxin which causes illness.

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Manhunt As Three Police Officers Shot Dead

A manhunt is under way in Canada after three police officers were shot dead and two others injured.

The town of Moncton, on the east coast of the country, is in lockdown after the gunman, wearing a camouflage outfit, began firing at officers.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police in New Brunswick confirmed three deaths on its Twitter feed.

The RCMP said on Twitter that they were looking for 24-year-old Justin Bourque of Moncton.

The police force tweeted an image of a suspect wearing military camouflage and wielding two guns.

The window of the police car is shattered

Danny Leblanc, 42, said he saw the gunman in the distance on Wednesday evening standing in the middle of the street with his gun pointed at police cars.

The construction worker said he believed it was an RCMP officer he was looking at until he heard a burst of automatic gunfire coming from the man's gun.

He said he quickly retreated into his home and remained there with his family.

At one point a neighbour posted on social media that their kitchen window was shattered by gunfire.

The police officers were shot dead in Moncton on the east coast of Canada

Mr Leblanc said few people on his normally quiet street were sleeping as they awaited word at midnight on whether arrests had been made.

"It's devastating. I don't know if he was on a hunt for them, or what," he said.

Police said they believed the suspect was at large in Moncton.

A number of roads in the city were blocked and traffic was backed up on major arteries.

Drivers were also asked to stay out of the area.

Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc urged all residents to pay strict attention to the RCMP warnings.

More follows...

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Pensions Changes At Centre Of Queen's Speech

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Sweeping reforms to boost pensions for millions of people will be the centrepiece of a Queen's Speech outlining new laws for the final year of the Coalition Government.

Changes in George Osborne's Budget will end the requirement for pensioners to buy an annuity to provide a guaranteed income and legislation is also expected on collective workplace pension schemes.

Stung by allegations of a "zombie Parliament" and claims that the coalition has run out of steam, David Cameron and Nick Clegg claim the programme will be "unashamedly pro-work, pro-business and pro-aspiration".

But there are likely to be only around a dozen major Bills, with the bulk of the 2010 Coalition Agreement now enacted and the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats keen to differentiate themselves from each other.

In a coalition bid to rebuild trust with voters after a battering at the polls last month, the Queen's Speech will include a Bill giving voters the power of recall of MPs, with a by-election being triggered if 10% of voters sign a petition.

Another pledge with far-reaching implications for millions will be a 5p charge on plastic bags in supermarkets, pledged by Mr Clegg in his 2013 Liberal Democrat party conference speech.

This will not require primary legislation, because it is already provided for in the 2008 Climate Change Act and therefore will only need the passing of regulations in Parliament to enforce it.

The major Bills expected to feature are:

:: "Tax-free childcare" worth up to £2,000 per child each year, another move championed by the Liberal Democrats

:: Extra legal protection for people carrying out good deeds against liability for health and safety risks

:: A so-called "Cinderella law", outlawing emotional neglect of children by their parents

:: A hugely controversial Bill to authorise fracking, the exploitation of shale gas

:: Regulation of pubs, highlighted by Mr Clegg and Vince Cable in their pub photocall on the eve of the Queen's Speech.

Last year's State Opening of Parliament

In their joint statement, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg said the speech marks "the next big step in our long-term plan for Britain. Its aim: to secure the recovery for our country".

They added: "Its guiding principle: to back everyone who wants to get on in life.

"We may be two parties, with two different philosophies, but we understand one thing: countries rise when their people rise. So this Queen's Speech is unashamedly pro-work, pro-business and pro-aspiration."

On the pensions legislation, they said: "By no longer forcing people to buy an annuity, we are giving them total control over the money they have put aside over their lifetime and greater financial security in their old age."

And on the coalition's future in the final year before the election, they said: "Four years on, our parties are still governing together and still taking bold steps."

But Labour leader Ed Miliband said: "We would have a Queen's Speech with legislation which would make work pay, reform our banks, freeze energy bills and build homes again in Britain."

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Heathrow T2 'Teething Problems' Warning

Passengers using Heathrow's new £2.5bn Terminal 2 (T2) for the first time today are being warned to expect early teething problems.

Bosses at the west London airport are not expecting a repeat of the calamitous opening of Terminal 5 (T5) back in 2008, which led to travel chaos.

This is because T2 will open in phases, with only 10% of its eventual capacity being reached today.

The first flight - a service from Chicago scheduled to reach Heathrow at around 5.55am - will be operated by the American carrier United Airlines, which will have the terminal to itself in the first few days.

There will be a total of 34 flights to and from the terminal today, involving 6,000 passengers.

Six thousand passengers will use the terminal on its first day

By the end of this year more than 20 airlines will have moved in, with 330 flights a day to 50 destinations.

T2 boasts 60 check-in gates and 66 self-check-in kiosks, 29 security lanes, 33 shops, 17 restaurants, more than 7,000 seats, 634 toilets and 42 water fountains.

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow development director and chief executive designate, said the airport had "sought advice from other airports around the world and learnt lessons from opening T5".

He added: "Heathrow is confident but not complacent about the opening. We recognise that there will inevitably be some teething problems in the first few days.

"We will be focused on identifying and resolving issues as quickly as possible to deliver a smooth journey for passengers."

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Europe Calls On UK Govt To Increase Taxes

European Union Is 'Too Big And Too Bossy'

Updated: 4:27am UK, Wednesday 28 May 2014

David Cameron has described the European Union as "too big, too bossy and too interfering" as fellow leaders announced they will re-examine its future.

Ahead of a summit in Brussels, the Prime Minister said the EU could not ignore Sunday's poll, which saw many European leaders' support fall away to anti-immigration and eurosceptic parties.

"We need an approach that recognises that Europe should concentrate on what matters, on growth and jobs and not try and do so much," he said.

"We need an approach that recognises that Brussels has got too big, too bossy, too interfering. We need more for nation states. It should be nation states wherever possible and Europe only where necessary."

Speaking later, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU will re-examine its priorities for the new parliament.

"As the union emerges from the financial crisis it needs an agenda of growth, competitiveness and jobs," he said.

"We need a better functioning monetary union while preserving the union as such."

Mr Cameron also made clear his opposition to the front-runner in line to take the union's top job.

Discussions will focus on finding a replacement for European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso when his term ends in October, and Jean-Claude Juncker is favourite for the job.

In a thinly-veiled swipe, Mr Cameron stressed the importance of securing a candidate focused on openness and flexibility instead of being bound up in the union's past.

Although Mr Cameron cannot formally veto Mr Juncker, it is unlikely the European Council, made up of the EU's 28 national heads of government, would force through a president without unanimous backing.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage earlier claimed there was "nobody more fanatical about building the United States of Europe" than the Luxembourg politician.

He said his candidacy has come "just at the moment that the European electors have made it clear they are going in the wrong direction".

The summit will also focus on the "political earthquake" which saw UKIP top the polls in Britain, the far-right Front National come first in France and the extreme-left Syriza movement take top spot in Greece.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also lost votes to Alternative For Germany, a party opposed to the euro.

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'Muslim School Plot' Fears Were Raised In 1994

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs And Education Editor

Fears that hardline Muslim governors have been infiltrating Birmingham schools go back at least two decades, and were raised with the government in 1994.

Sky News has learned that senior leaders at three schools in Birmingham were so concerned about the influence of Muslim extremists in the 1990s they took their fears to the top.

In a letter to education ministers, copied to then Prime Minister John Major, the heads said extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir was gaining an alarming influence over schools in the city.

Former chair of governors at Golden Hillock School, John Ray, met with then education minister Emily Blatch in Westminster.

He says that had the government acted then, the current trend - in which conservative Muslims have been able to dominate school leadership - could have been averted.

"(The Trojan Horse plot) reveals something, something that is true," said Mr Ray.

"It reveals a mess that the city council has not been able to check - the development of this whole infiltration of this ceding in of governors of one particular ideology. They are not people who have the welfare of these children at heart."

A letter sent to government ministers in 1994

Like many, Mr Ray believes the content of the so-called Trojan Horse letter, which alleges a plot to oust non-hardline Muslims from schools in Birmingham, is a fake. But he maintains the concerns themselves are very real.

He resigned after 25 years as a governor at Golden Hillock School - one of the schools at the centre of the alleged plot - last year when it was taken over by the Park View Educational Trust, the organisation headed by Tahir Alam, who is accused of exerting pressure on state-funded, secular schools to conform to conservative Islam.

Concerns about Mr Alam and the influence of the Park View Educational Trust have led to a spate of high-level investigations by Ofsted, the Department for Education and Birmingham City Council.

Golden Hillock is now expected to be placed in special measures following the results of an Ofsted inspection to be published next week.

The Department for Education says it has been tackling extremism in schools since 2010, and Birmingham City Council is conducting an investigation which will also look at retrospective evidence.

But details of claims going back two decades will place further pressure on the authorities to explain why it took so long to act.

"I think the city council but also central government and all parties were very reluctant to question the received wisdom that suggests it is fair enough that a separate Islamic identity should be stressed," said Mr Ray.

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'Savile's 500 Victims Were As Young As Two'

Jimmy Savile abused at least 500 people as young at two years old, according to an NSPCC study.

The figures emerged as a lawyer for many of his victims told Sky News a similar scandal could occur today unless a law of mandatory reporting is introduced compelling those who know about abuse to tell the authorities.

The NSPCC study, commissioned for BBC Panorama, exposes confidential documents that show the extent of Savile's offending at hospitals.

Liz Dux, who represents 170 of the victims, told Sky News: "This report looks at those in authority who knew, who were effectively complicit in what Savile was up to, who knew and allowed him to continue for the sake of their organisation because he was raising money or giving their organisation kudos or because of his celebrity status.

Liz Dux fears a scandal like Savile could occur again

"If he had been stopped earlier so many ruined lives could have been saved.

"What is so disgraceful is that these people who knew and allowed him to continue can't be brought to task.

"At the moment we don't have any kind of law of mandatory reporting and that's what we want to change … so that never again can people put their own organisation before the safety and welfare of children.

"Until we have a change in the law I'm afraid this kind of dreadful scandal could happen again.

"It is dangerous to say this is something that happened in the 1970s and couldn't happen now.

Jimmy Savile abused more than 500 people, the NSPCC say

"I'm still seeing examples of abuse in schools where head teachers have been told of abuse and have failed to take action because they're worried about the reputation of their establishment."

The NSPCC uncovered Savile's unprecedented access to Broadmoor hospital, where some of his abuse took place.

The most common age group for Savile's victims was 13 to 15 - but the youngest alleged victim was just two years old.

Peter Watt, the NSPCC's director of child protection, said: "There's no doubt that Savile is one of the most, if not the most, prolific sex offender that we at the NSPCC have ever come across."

One of Savile's victims, Sylvia Edwards, told Sky News those who knew about his behaviour should face justice.

Sylvia Edwards was abused by Savile at Top Of The Pops

"He's destroyed a lot of lives and in a way we've all allowed it because we've let it go on for so long without saying anything," she said.

"The people who allowed it should all be held accountable."

Reviews into how Savile was allowed to abuse so many people at the BBC and in 33 hospitals will be published this year.

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Royal Hoax DJ: Call Should Not Have Aired

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

One of the Australian DJs behind the royal prank phone call has broken her silence to say it should never have aired.

Mel Greig says she wanted the voices of the two nurses at the King Edward VII hospital in London to be disguised, but station bosses said no.

The notorious hoax call was linked to the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha who put the call through to the ward where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated.

Her request to make changes was refused and the call went to air as recorded, and without the hospital's permission.

Mel Greig told Channel 7's Sunday Night programme: "I absolutely expressed concern. As an announcer we are trained to always get permission if we're going to broadcast something, and it just didn't seem right that we'd broadcast that without permission and without doing what we'd normally do as announcers, so I was absolutely concerned."

Mother-of-two Jacintha Saldanha and her husband Ben Barboza

During the tearful interview she said: "I don't ever want to listen to it [the recording of the prank call] again, because I'm ashamed of myself. I should have tried harder not to let that prank call air. It never should have aired."

Mrs Saldanha left behind a note blaming the two Australian DJs for her death.

Greig says she has been depressed and is no longer the fun-loving person she was before the notorious royal prank call, broadcast by the Sydney radio station 2dayFM.

She told the programme she and her family had received death threats.

"They'd ring my mum and say 'Eye for an eye, you need to die because she died.' So many horrible calls. Dad was rushed to hospital from the stress and I thought, 'Great, now I've killed my dad too'."

In December 2012, Greig and her co-host Michael Christian pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles when they called the London hospital where the pregnant Duchess was being treated for acute morning sickness.

During the interview a teary Greig said she felt ashamed and as if she had been living a "stranger's life" since the prank call.

Michael Christian is now back on air

"You're meeting a Mel that has no confidence, a Mel that's so lost with her life, a Mel that feels so much blame and so much guilt nine months down the track. This Mel's depressed," she said.

She was asked if she wanted to apologise to the nurse's family for their sake, or for herself.

"I think it goes both ways, I honestly do. By saying sorry I acknowledge that I know I've done something wrong and am deeply sorry for it, but for them as well if it's going to give them closure, if they need to know I cared about their mother then I think that's useful to them as well."

The London inquest into Mrs Saldanha's death has been postponed a number of times.

Greig, who was at the top of her career before the prank, hasn't returned to radio. Christian, however, is back on the air in Australia.

Southern Cross Austereo, 2dayFM's owners, told Sky News they had no comment.

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Ex-Fifa Official Accused Over $5m Qatar Bribe

A former senior Fifa official allegedly paid $5m (£2.98m) in bribes to secure support for Qatar's successful 2022 World Cup bid.

The Sunday Times has claimed Mohamed Bin Hammam, an ex-Fifa executive member for Qatar, made "dozens" of payments to top football bosses.

Mr Bin Hammam used 10 slush funds to pay cash to football officials in order to create a "groundswell" of support for Qatar's campaign, the paper claimed.

He also allegedly hosted lavish junkets for African officials at which he handed out almost $400,000 in cash.

It is also alleged he paid $1.6m (£950,000) into bank accounts controlled by Jack Warner, the former vice-president of Fifa, some $450,000 (£268,000) of which was paid before the vote for the World Cup.

People celebrate after Qatar's successful bid was announced in 2010

The allegations were made after the newspaper obtained millions of emails and other documents related to the payments.

The newspaper said Mr Bin Hammam declined to respond when asked about the claims.

Members of Qatar's bid committee have also denied any links with the former Fifa official.

John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons culture, media and sport committee, told Sky News if the claims are proved to be true, Fifa president Sepp Blatter should resign.

"These are obviously very serious allegations and they need to be investigated very quickly.

"The failure of Sepp Blatter over the past two years really to take this seriously ... does put his position into question.

An artist's impression of Qatar's planned Al-Shamal stadium

"If these allegations are shown to be correct, then the contest of the 2022 host country does need to be looked at again."

Sports Minister Helen Grant added: "These appear to be very serious allegations.

"It is essential that major sporting events are awarded in an open, fair and transparent manner."

Mr Bin Hammam is a controversial figure in world football. He was banned for life from football administration by Fifa's ethics committee shortly after a failed campaign for the presidency in 2011.

In 2010, he was among the 22 people who decided to award the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.

The decision provoked widespread condemnation, and concerns about the safety of players, who will be forced to play in the nation's extreme heat.

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Scotland Rally Crashes: Three Spectators Killed

Three spectators have been killed and six others injured after two separate crashes during the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland.

Race organisers only abandoned the event following the second crash, which took place at Little Swinton, near Coldstream, raising questions over safety.

Police say one woman and two men died when a car came off the road and struck four spectators.

Emergency crews pronounced the three spectators dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred around 4pm on Saturday.

Sky sources understand two of the three people killed were from the same family. 

The sources added that the car was going over a hump at speed, before it lost control.

The fourth spectator, a man, was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmity in a critical condition.

Police attend the crash scene in the Scottish Borders

Two hours earlier another rally car left the road near Crosshall Farm, striking five people.

Three men were initially taken to Borders General Hospital, however one was later transferred to an intensive care unit in Edinburgh.

The remaining two spectators were treated for minor injuries.

Police say the two drivers involved in the crashes were unhurt.

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond has expressed his condolences following the two accidents.

"This is desperately sad and difficult news from the Borders of the tragic circumstances that have occurred at the Jim Clark Rally," he said.

Alex Salmond: "This is desperately sad and difficult news"

"The police have confirmed three fatalities and my thoughts are with all of those involved and the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives.

"The government is in contact with Police Scotland and we await the outcome of their inquiries. The Jim Clark Rally is a long-standing event of over 40 years.

"It is much loved in the Borders and by the rally driving community who I know will share in our sadness at what is a black day for the Borders and for Scotland."

Spectator Tommy Tait was watching the race close to the location of one of the crashes.

He wrote on Facebook: "We must be like cats have nine lives never have we been so close to getting wiped out by a rally car our thoughts go out to the 4 who got hit (sic)."

The Jim Clark Rally takes place over three days on closed roads in the Duns and Kelso areas.

The rally course is described on the event's website as having "a reputation for being fast with big jumps, ditches and hedges".

The event is named after Scottish Formula One driver Jim Clark, who was raised in the area. Clark died in a motor racing accident in Hockenheim, Germany, in 1968.

The organisers of the race said in a statement: "The organisers of the Jim Clark Rally would like to extend their heartfelt condolences and sympathy to all of the families and their friends who have been affected by today's (Saturday's) tragic events.

"Our thoughts are especially with those who have lost family members and to the families of the injured spectators.

"All members of the organising team are in shock and are cooperating fully with Police Scotland to establish the facts."

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