'No apology' over Ashya response

31 August 2014 Last updated at 12:39

Police have rejected criticism of their search for a five-year-old boy with a brain tumour removed from a UK hospital by his parents against medical advice.

Ashya King was found in Malaga on Saturday and his parents arrested, following an international search.

His father Brett King defended his actions in a video posted on YouTube, saying there had been a "ridiculous chase".

Hampshire Police said medical advice was that Ashya was in "grave danger".

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Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead: "We had to act on warnings"

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said: "I make no apology for being as proactive as possible in trying to find him."

He added: "I'd much rather be standing here facing criticism over being proactive than do nothing and explain why a child has lost his life."

Following the discovery of the family, Ashya was taken to hospital in Malaga. He has since been moved from a high dependency to a lower dependency unit.

Extradition proceedings have begun against Mr King and his wife Naghemeh. However, Mr Shead said the couple had the option to appeal.

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In a video clip posted on You Tube, Mr King explained why they had left the hospital

In a video posted on YouTube, Mr King said the family were seeking a treatment Ashya had not been offered.

He said they wanted Ashya to have proton beam radiotherapy - a treatment that targets tumours directly - because they did not want him to be "pelted with radiation".

Mr King said the couple had "pleaded" with health authorities in Southampton for Ashya to receive the treatment, but were told it would have "no benefit whatsoever".

Southampton General Hospital has not responded to the claims made in the video.

The charity Cancer Research UK says proton beam treatment is only available on the NHS in the UK for eye conditions.

However, in some circumstances the NHS will pay for patients to go abroad for proton treatment.

What is proton beam therapy?

• It uses charged particles instead of X-rays to deliver radiotherapy for cancer patients
• The treatment allows high energy protons to be targeted directly at a tumour, reducing the dose to surrounding tissues and organs
• In general, it gives fewer side-effects compared to high energy X-ray treatments
• It can be used to treat spinal cord tumours, sarcomas near the spine or brain, prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer and some children's cancers
• In December 2011, the UK Department of Health said that proton therapy will be made available for patients in London and Manchester from 2018

Sources: NHS England, Cancer Research UK

Are you affected by the issues in this story? You can share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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PM may block return of UK jihadists

31 August 2014 Last updated at 12:36

British-born jihadists in Iraq and Syria could be temporarily banned from returning to the UK under plans being considered by the government.

The BBC understands UK nationals suspected of being involved in terror acts would be allowed to keep their British citizenship.

But they would be prevented from re-entering the UK for a period of time.

David Cameron will set out plans to counter the threat posed by Islamic State militants to MPs on Monday.

At least 500 people from the UK are thought to have gone to fight in Syria, although ministers say they do not know the exact number.

The number of people arrested in the UK for Syria-related activity stands at 69, according to a recent briefing by senior police officers.

In his statement the prime minister is also expected to announce plans to make it easier to seize the passports of would-be terrorists travelling abroad.

'Terrorist activity'

A government source told BBC News: "The government is considering a range of measures to keep the country safe in the face of an increased threat level from Islamist extremism.

"The areas include making it harder for potential foreign fighters to travel abroad by making it easier to remove their passports through additional temporary seizure powers at the border.

"We are also looking at stopping British citizens from re-entering the country if they are suspected of terrorist activity abroad.

"Previously, our range of powers to prevent return to the UK applied only to foreign nationals, dual nationals or naturalised citizens."

The government source confirmed "details of the package are being finalised" and would be announced by the prime minister in a Commons statement on Monday.

Mr Cameron is also likely to consider strengthening terrorism prevention and investigation measures - or Tpims - which were the coalition's replacement for control orders.

However, the Liberal Democrats have said they would only agree to policies that were made calmly, on the basis of evidence and that maintained the liberty of British citizens.

Threat level

The home secretary already has the power - under the Royal Prerogative - to withhold a passport if it is in the public interest to stop somebody travelling.

The UK's terror threat level was raised to "severe" from "substantial" on Friday in response to the deepening conflict in Iraq and Syria.

The new alert level rates the risk of an attack on the UK as "highly likely", although Downing Street said there was no evidence to suggest one is "imminent".

The rating is the second highest of five possible UK threat levels and is the highest since 2011.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has suggested the introduction of a "mandatory programme" of deradicalisation for people "drawn into the fringes of extremism".

Writing in the Independent, he also urged the government to revisit the decision to scrap the control orders regime for terror suspects.

'Better prepared'

Former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown has accused Conservative ministers of a "kneejerk" reaction to the terrorism threat from extremists.

He told The Observer the biggest threat was not returning jihadists but "a widening religious war which threatens, not just to engulf the Middle East and change its borders, but to spread across the entire global Islamic community".

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said new measures to tackle the raised threat of terrorism in the UK were "not a knee jerk reaction", but were needed to deal with "some gaps" in "our current armoury".

Speaking on Sky News, Mr Fallon said the government was looking at "what more we can do to tighten up their movement in and out of Syria," adding: "We have to be better prepared."

He said a "number of young men [were] going to Syria and slipping back again" but he acknowledged the government did not know exactly how many Britons had gone to Syria and Iraq to fight.

"Nobody has an exact number, we know it is several hundred".

The defence secretary also confirmed two RAF Hercules aircraft took part in a humanitarian aid drop at Amerli in northern Iraq on Saturday night.

But he repeatedly said the UK had not been asked to take part in air strikes in Iraq.

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Iraqi forces 'reach besieged Amerli'

31 August 2014 Last updated at 13:10

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A number of women and children were evacuated from Amerli by Iraqi forces on Saturday

Iraqi forces have reached the besieged town of Amerli in northern Iraq, where thousands have been trapped by jihadists, military officials say.

The apparent breakthrough comes after the US carried out air strikes overnight on Islamic State (IS) positions near the town.

The UK, France and Australia joined the US in dropping humanitarian aid.

Some 15,000 minority Shia Turkmen in Amerli have been surrounded by Islamic State militants for two months.

Military sources told BBC Arabic that the Iraqi Army and volunteer militia entered Amerli town on Sunday.

Fifteen Islamic State fighters were said to have been captured.

The operation to reach Amerli began on Saturday when an alliance of Iraq government forces, Shia militias and Kurdish Peshmerga began a two-front attack on IS positions.

US and Iraqi planes provided air cover.

At the scene: Jim Muir, BBC News, Tuz Khurmatu

No-one here seems to be in any doubt that the combination of forces backed up by Iraqi government air power has in fact broken the siege.

There is a lot of celebration here, including gunfire. We cannot go into the town yet as the Islamists have left lots of booby traps and bombs.

The situation inside is is said to be dire because Amerli has been cut off for two months.

However, what we're told from recent figures is that the number of civilians there is much fewer than thought. We were told 15-16,000, but now perhaps 2,500 remain. Many of those are now fighters, having taken up arms.

So there might not be as many desperately needy people as first thought.

Massacre fears

Reports described it as the biggest military operation since IS began making major gains in Iraq in June.

"Security forces and militia fighters are inside Amerli now after breaking the siege and that will definitely relieve the suffering of residents," Adel al-Bayati, mayor of Amerli, told Reuters news agency.

One resident of Amerli, Amir Ismael, told Reuters by phone: "I can see the tanks of the Iraqi army patrolling Amerli's street now. I'm very happy we got rid of the Islamic State terrorists who were threatening to slaughter us.

The UN had expressed fears there could be a massacre if IS took the town, which lies in Kurdish-controlled Iraq.

IS has been accused of atrocities in areas of Iraq and Syria under its control.

The jihadists see the Shia Turkmen in Amerli as apostates.

Islamic State has seized large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria in recent months, including Iraq's second city, Mosul.

Pledging allegiance to their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the jihadists have imposed a harsh form of Islamic rule in areas under their control.

The group has declared a new caliphate, or Islamic state ruled by a religious leader, and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has announced himself as caliph.

The IS ideology has attracted would-be jihadists from a number of Western nations, including the UK, and has spread its message aggressively on social media, often posting gruesome pictures of beheadings and mass killings.

The group responded to the US beginning air strikes against it by killing the American journalist James Foley.

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Iceland issues new volcano alert

31 August 2014 Last updated at 12:45

Iceland has raised its aviation warning level after a fresh eruption from a fissure near the Bardarbunga volcano.

However, Iceland's Met Office described the eruption as "a very calm lava eruption" which could "hardly be seen on seismometers".

The warning means planes will be banned from flying within 6,000 feet of the volcano peak.

Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in 2010, producing ash that disrupted air travel across Europe.

Sunday's eruption in the Holuhraun lava field area was "calm but continuous", authorities said.

It happened in roughly the same place as an earlier eruption on Friday morning, and is the third to happen in the area in the last week.

The latest eruption is more intense than Friday's with around 10 times more lava said Armann Hoskuldssonk, a geologist from the University of Iceland.

BBC transport correspondent Richard Westcott says that even if a big cloud of volcanic ash were emitted, it would not cause the same level of disruption to flights that brought Europe to a halt in 2010.

He says new equipment that airliners and engine makers have been testing would allow planes to identity and fly around ash clouds.

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Putin 'urges talks on east Ukraine'

31 August 2014 Last updated at 12:57

President Putin has called for talks to discuss "statehood" for eastern Ukraine, Russian media report.

He said the issue needed to be discussed to ensure the interests of local people "are definitely upheld".

His comments came after the EU gave Russian a one-week ultimatum to reverse course in Ukraine or face sanctions.

Russia denies Western accusations that its forces have illegally crossed into eastern Ukraine to support separatists there.

Mr Putin said it was impossible to predict the end of crisis.

"It largely depends on the political will of current Ukrainian authorities," the Russian Itar Tass agency quoted him as saying.

"Russia cannot stand aside when people are being shot at almost at point blank," he added.

He dismissed the EU's threat of further sanctions, accusing the EU of "backing a coup d'etat" in Ukraine.

Pro-Russian rebels have made gains against Ukrainian troops in recent days in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Some 2,600 people have died in fighting.

The conflict in the east erupted in April following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula a month before.

Also on Sunday, Russian media reported that 10 Russian paratroopers returned home in exchange for 63 captured Ukrainian soldiers held by Russia.

Speaking after a summit in Brussels, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said the EU "stands ready to take further significant steps in light of the evolution of the situation on the ground", adding that the EU was working urgently on further restrictive measures.

The EU and US have already imposed asset freezes and travel bans on many senior Russian officials and separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine.

Western sanctions also restrict loans for Russian state banks, block defence-related technology exports and certain oil industry exports to Russia.

Russia denies that its forces are backing the rebels, instead accusing Ukrainian forces of aggression and deliberately firing at civilians.

Several European leaders at the summit condemned Russia's actions and expressed support for further sanctions if necessary.

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Angel Merkel says EU leaders are united in avoiding a military solution to the Ukrainian crisis

But Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said the "jury is still out" on whether sanctions had worked, adding: "We need to find a ceasefire, a peace plan."

Federica Mogherini, named on Saturday as the EU's future foreign policy chief, said there could be no military solution to the crisis and that while sanctions were being worked on, the diplomatic process would need to continue.

Government forces have lost ground in recent fighting to pro-Russian rebels.

Western and Ukrainian officials say this offensive has been substantially helped by Russian regular troops, opening a new front. Russia denies the accusation.

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,593 people killed since mid-April (not including 298 passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines MH17, shot down in the area) - UN report on 29 August
• 951 civilians killed in Donetsk region alone, official regional authorities said - 20 August
• In some particularly dangerous places, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, making accurate counts difficult
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing true numbers
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia

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Missing Ashya King 'may be in Spain'

30 August 2014 Last updated at 11:30

A five-year-old boy with a brain tumour, missing since being taken out of hospital by his parents against medical advice, may be in Spain.

Hampshire Police said Ashya King's family have "strong links to the Marbella area" and believe they may be travelling there.

Ashya was last seen on a ferry to France after being taken from Southampton General Hospital.

Police described the need to find him as "desperate".

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Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead urged people to remain vigilant

Hampshire Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said: "It is really important that we find him and ensure he receives medical attention at the earliest opportunity."

He also cautioned it was possible the family could be somewhere other than Spain and asked people across the continent to remain vigilant.

Police fear the battery on the feeding system he uses has run out.

ACC Shead said it was unclear whether his parents had spare batteries, or knew how to recharge them.

"Without properly administered food Ashya's situation is very serious," he said.

Becky Kelly, BBC News

According to Ian Pople, a consultant neurosurgeon, the battery in the feeding machine used by Ashya can't be changed easily.

It is integrated within the machine, much like an iPhone, and it means the machine has to be taken apart to replace the battery.

It's also not designed to be run on batteries for a long period and is usually plugged into mains.

In other words, it's only battery-reliant for short periods, such as going to the toilet, or moving between wards.

Ashya's paternal grandmother, Patricia King, said the couple were "wonderful" and had been left beside themselves at their child's illness.

Ms King, who lives in Southsea, described her son as "the most caring and wonderful father you could ever have."

She also praised her daughter-in-law, saying she had kept a bedside vigil while Ashya was in hospital.

"We are a very close family," she said.

Police in Marbella have been liaising with officers in Hampshire and will now go to a judge to request the search is spread across Spain.

ACC Shead said the latest information was "positive", adding: "There have been widespread media alerts across Europe. We would now encourage anyone with links to Spain particularly, to also help us spread the appeal via social media."

Interpol has issued a missing persons alert to all 190 of its member countries and said it was treating all information on the case as "high priority".

Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45, removed Ashya from the ward on Thursday.

A spokesman for the hospital, which contacted police six hours after the family left, said on Friday: "Ashya was a long-term patient who was permitted to leave the ward under the supervision of his parents as part of his ongoing rehabilitation.

"When the length of time he had been absent became a cause of concern to staff yesterday afternoon they contacted police after a search of the site and attempts to contact the family were unsuccessful."

ACC Shead said they were told by the hospital the child was missing at 20:35 BST on Thursday - more than six hours after he had been taken by his parents.

On why the hospital did not alert police sooner, he said: "That is something that we need to look at."

Clive Coleman, BBC legal correspondent

Parents have the right to remove their children from hospital unless they are prevented from doing so by a court order - it has not been confirmed whether Ashya was subject to an order.

If doctors are concerned that parents intend to remove a child, deny it the medical treatment it needs, and expose it to the risk of serious harm, they can seek a court order.

This will normally involve CAFCASS (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), the non-departmental public body which provides guardians to represent the best interests of children in family court proceedings.

Once an order is in place, any parent who removes their child in breach of the order is committing a contempt of court for which they could be imprisoned.

Hampshire Police confirmed the family are Jehovah's Witnesses, but there is no suggestion this is why he was taken.

Officers were keeping an "open mind" on the motives, ACC Shead said.

The Office of Public Information for Jehovah's Witnesses said in a statement: "There is absolutely no indication, as far as we are aware, that their decision is in any way motivated by any religious convictions."

Jehovah's Witnesses say they refuse blood transfusions on the basis of Biblical teaching. Their website says the Old and New Testaments "clearly command us to abstain from blood".

The family, from Southsea, Hampshire, were travelling in a grey coloured Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK. Officers have asked for anyone who sees the vehicle to contact them.

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EU hits out at 'Russian aggression'

30 August 2014 Last updated at 13:07

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European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso: "We may see a situation where we reach the point of no return"

European Union foreign ministers have expressed "deep concern" at Russia's "aggression against Ukraine", as the bloc's leaders prepare to consider new sanctions on the Moscow government.

Speaking after the ministerial meeting in Milan, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Aston urged Russia to "withdraw its forces from Ukraine".

EU leaders are to meet in Brussels to consider their response to the crisis.

Russia denies that its forces are backing rebels in eastern Ukraine.

But Ms Ashton said there was "deep concern" over "direct aggression by Russian forces". She called on Russia to stop the flow of arms, equipment and personnel into Ukraine.

In Brussels European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned Russia that the EU was ready to "stand by its principles" and called for a political solution before the crisis reached a "point of no return".

He was speaking after talks with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who is due to attend the EU leaders' summit later on Saturday.

Mr Poroshenko said Ukraine was a victim of "military aggression and terror" involving "thousands of foreign troops and hundreds of foreign tanks".

Government forces have suffered have lost ground in recent fighting.

A Ukrainian military spokesman said on Saturday that Russian tanks had attacked the town of Novosvitlivka near Luhansk and "destroyed virtually every house".

A number of troops remain encircled by the rebels near the town of Ilovaisk in the Donetsk region.

Some 2,600 people have died in fighting in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Further south, people have been leaving the southern port city of Mariupol, after advancing rebels captured the town of Novoazovsk to the east.

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Cars queue to leave Mariupol from where Yuri Vendik reports

Western and Ukrainian officials say that offensive has been substantially helped by Russian regular troops, opening a new front. Russia denies the accusation.

The conflict there erupted in April following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula a month before.

Satellite evidence?

On Friday, Nato released satellite images it said showed columns of Russian armed forces inside Ukrainian territory.

Also on Friday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned that the "already dangerous situation" in Ukraine had now entered "a whole new dimension".

Sweden's Carl Bildt said a clear message had to be sent to Russia: "We are in the midst of the second Russian invasion of Ukraine within a year," he added.

It remains unclear if a new round of sanctions will be adopted in Brussels.

The EU and the US have already imposed sanctions against dozens of senior Russian officials, separatist commanders and Russian firms accused of undermining Ukrainian sovereignty.

In late July, the EU also targeted some key economic sectors, prompting Russia to retaliate by banning food imports.

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,593 people killed since mid-April (not including 298 passengers and crew of Malaysian Airlines MH17, shot down in the area) - UN report on 7 August
• 951 civilians killed in Donetsk region alone, official regional authorities said - 20 August
• In some particularly dangerous places, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, making accurate counts difficult
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing true numbers
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia.

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Co-op Group votes through reforms

30 August 2014 Last updated at 13:11

Members of the troubled Co-operative Group have voted in favour of reforming how the business is run.

The group has been in turmoil since a £1.5bn hole emerged in its finances last year, forcing it to sell off parts or all of its insurance, pharmacies and banking divisions.

Changes to the structure of the board were proposed, but had met stiff resistance from some key figures.

But 83% of members voted in favour of the changes.

The plans were proposed by former City minister Lord Myners and were accepted in principle in May.

Lord Myners had blamed the structure of the Co-op Group's board for much of the chaos surrounding the business.

Among the changes:

• A group board of 11 people will be set up, with a majority of independent directors. This has been reduced from 20 people previously
• The board will comprise an independent non-executive chair, five independent non-executive directors, two executive directors (including the group chief executive) and three member-nominated directors
• A council will represent members and act as the group's guardian. The body, to comprise a maximum of 100 members, will have power to hold the group board to account
• A senate, elected by the council, will help co-ordinate the activities of the council and act as a nexus for interactions between the council, the board, the executive and members.

Ursula Lidbetter, chair of the Co-operative Group, called it a "momentous and defining moment".

"These reforms represent the final crucial step in delivering the change necessary to return the group to health," she said.

Following the discovery of the £1.5bn black hole in 2013, a deal was reached which saw the wider Co-op Group cede majority ownership of the bank to bondholders, including a number of US hedge funds.

In a separate scandal before the bank had to be rescued, revelations emerged about the bank's disgraced former chairman Paul Flowers, who pleaded guilty to drugs possession in May.

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George Galloway leaves hospital

30 August 2014 Last updated at 10:32

George Galloway has left hospital after being treated for injuries he suffered in a street attack in west London.

The Respect MP for Bradford West was posing for pictures in Notting Hill when he was assaulted on Friday night.

The MP suffered "severe" bruising to his head and appears to have broken some ribs, his spokesman said.

The spokesman said the attack on Mr Galloway seemed to have been prompted by the MP's views on Israel. A man has been arrested over the attack.

The attacker allegedly called Mr Galloway "a Hitler" during the assault.

'Leapt on him'

The MP's spokesman said the assailant had made reference to the Holocaust.

"George was posing for pictures with people and this guy just attacked him, leapt on him and started punching him," the spokesman said.

"It appears to be connected with his comments about Israel because the guy was shouting about the Holocaust."

Mr Galloway was interviewed under caution by police earlier this month over remarks he made about Israel.

After Friday night's attack, the MP made a statement at Notting Hill police station before being taken to hospital for treatment. He left hospital at about 06:00 BST.

He was feared to have suffered a broken jaw but the MP's spokesman said this was not the case.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed police had been called to Golborne Road at about 19:40 on Friday after a man was assaulted in the street.

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Cameron and Clegg to hold terror talks

30 August 2014 Last updated at 11:49

David Cameron and Nick Clegg will hold talks over the weekend to try to reach agreement on new measures to tackle the threat posed by Islamist extremists.

The negotiations come after the UK's terror threat level was raised from "substantial" to "severe" in response to mounting conflict in Iraq and Syria.

The PM will make a Commons statement on Monday to propose new powers to stop would-be terrorists travelling abroad.

It comes as Labour wants more action to stop Britons being drawn to extremism.

The party's leader Ed Miliband suggested the introduction of a "mandatory programme" of deradicalisation for people "drawn into the fringes of extremism".

Writing in the Independent, he also urged the government to revisit the decision to scrap the control orders regime for terror suspects.

His calls come after warnings from the prime minister that the group calling itself Islamic State (IS), fighting in Syria and Iraq, posed an unprecedented risk to the UK.

Mr Cameron is due to meet European leaders in Brussels, where he is expected to push for co-ordinated EU action to track jihadists.

Speaking on Friday, he said the "threat is growing" from Britons travelling to fight with IS, adding that there were "gaps in our armoury" that needed to be strengthened.

His comments came on the same day the new alert level rated the risk of an attack on the UK as "highly likely", although Downing Street said there was no evidence to suggest one is "imminent".

The rating is the second highest of five possible UK threat levels and is the highest since 2011.

Talks between Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg come after the Conservatives have said they wanted to make it easier to seize the passports of would-be terrorists travelling abroad.

The home secretary already has the power - under the Royal Prerogative - to withhold a passport if it is in the public interest to stop somebody travelling.

Mr Cameron is also likely to consider strengthening terrorism prevention and investigation measures - or Tpims - which were the coalition's replacement for control orders.

However, the Liberal Democrats have said they would only agree to policies that were made calmly, on the basis of evidence and that maintained the liberty of British citizens.

A Lib Dem source said Mr Clegg and the prime minister were in "constant communication" on the issue, adding that the party "will consider very carefully any new proposals that are put to us".

'Bombs and rockets'

BBC political correspondent Louise Stewart said powers to withhold passports had been used 23 times since April 2013, but she said the PM could seek to strengthen those powers.

She said the government could not - following a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights - make somebody "stateless" by refusing them re-entry to Britain, if they had no other passport.

"The sticking point with the Liberal Democrats is they have been against introducing more surveillance measures but say that any new measures would have to be brought in on an evidence basis and it would have to be purely for the safety and security of the British public," our correspondent said.

Former Conservative defence secretary Liam Fox said he believed there should be intervention to deal with IS - including military action if necessary.

"We have to stop where we can the sale of oil on the black market from which it derives all its money. We've got to stop the flow of money from sympathetic groups within the region," Mr Fox told the BBC's Newsnight.

"I think we need to disrupt the command and control and supply lines of ISIS, and that will require air strikes along with the United States if we're asked to do so.

"I think it's also important that the West provides air cover, close air cover for any ground offensive counter attack by the Iraqis or the Kurds."

He added that any strategy had to be proportionate, limited, diplomatic, financial and political.

"But if you do require a military element to complete that strategy, you should be willing to do it," he said.

However, former Liberal Democrat leader Lord Ashdown argued that diplomacy was vital to limit the risk from jihadists.

"I think we have got to get away from this idea which says that in response to everything in the Middle East our answer is bombs and rockets," he said.

Lord Ashdown added that the government was unwise to concentrate on the "threat of jihadis coming home".

He warned that the bigger threat was a potential "regional war" in the Middle East, which would be religious and result in the changing of borders.

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Ex-children's head 'must quit'

29 August 2014 Last updated at 08:40

A former Rotherham children's services director is facing calls to resign from her current job in Australia over the town's child abuse scandal.

Sonia Sharp led Rotherham's children's department from 2005-2008 and now runs education services in Victoria.

A report published on Tuesday revealed more than 1,400 children in Rotherham were sexually exploited from 1997-2013.

Abuse survivors advocate Andrew Collins said she should resign from her current role "immediately".

Mr Collins told the BBC Ms Sharp's position in Australia was now "inappropriate".

Ms Sharp has apologised and said she wished she had been able to do more to prevent abuse.

Earlier this week she was backed by her boss at Victoria's department of education, Richard Bolt, who said: "I have no doubt that Sonia tackled the issue of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham with maximum commitment, professionalism and focus."

However, a care worker has described in detail how abusers would "brazenly" take girls as young as 11 from their children's home.

The care worker told the BBC men would arrive almost "every night" despite staff's efforts to protect the girls and the regular reporting of events at the home to police and care services.

'Evidence of failures'

Ms Sharp's successor Joyce Thacker remains strategic director of children and young people's services in Rotherham.

The council's chief executive Martin Kimber said Ms Thacker was "part of the solution in achieving better services" and should not resign.

Both Ms Sharp and Ms Thacker were interviewed by the inquiry team as part of its work for Professor Alexis Jay, who on Tuesday published a report that said at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited from 1997-2013.

In response to the findings, the government said inspections of children's services in Rotherham would be carried out early.

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Emma, not her real name: 'Police lost my evidence'

Graham Stuart, Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, has written to the chief executive of East Riding of Yorkshire Council asking what steps it is taking to investigate another former Rotherham care boss.

Pam Allen served as director of safeguarding at Rotherham Council from 2004 until 2009, and now holds a similar position at East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Mark Rogers, the president of the society of local authority chief executives, said Rotherham council had acted correctly in notifying places where former Rotherham staff had moved.

South Yorkshire Police was also criticised in the report and Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) deputy chairwoman Rachel Cerfontyn said it raised "serious concerns" about the actions of the force.

As a result, the IPCC has told the force it should be informed of all "evidence of failures" in the way the force acted.

On Thursday Tracey Cheetham, deputy police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, resigned and backed David Cameron in calling for her boss Shaun Wright to step down.

Mr Wright resigned from the Labour Party on Thursday but has refused to quit from his position as police and crime commissioner (PCC), despite also being urged to by Nick Clegg and Labour.

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Abusers 'brazenly targeted girls'

29 August 2014 Last updated at 10:55

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The anonymous worker said he was threatened when he tried to confront the men picking up the girls

A former Rotherham care home worker has told the BBC how girls as young as 11 were "brazenly" groomed and abused in the South Yorkshire town.

The man, who worked at children's homes for four years, said girls would be picked up by taxis and abusers made "no attempts to disguise" their actions.

At least 1,400 children were sexually exploited, mainly by men of Pakistani heritage, between 1997 and 2013.

Those in charge of care services at the time have faced calls to resign.

They include Sonia Sharp, who ran Rotherham's children's services department from 2003 to 2008 and is now in charge of education services in the Australian state of Victoria.

Andrew Collins, an advocate for historical abuse survivors, said Ms Sharp should resign "immediately" from her current job because her position was now "inappropriate".

A care worker, who worked at children's homes from 2003-2007, told the BBC men would arrive almost "every night" to collect girls, who escaped using a range of methods and were then usually driven off in taxis.

Continue reading the main story

Everything we passed on, nothing seemed to go further in any way shape or form"

End Quote Rotherham children's home worker

The carer, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed staff were reluctant to intervene in some cases for fear of being classed as "racist".

"Sometimes, [the men] would phone and they would pick up around the corner, but sometimes they would just turn up and pick up at the children's home," the care worker said.

"It depended on how brazen they were or how much heat they thought was on at the time.

"They did genuinely think who was on shift, who would be likely to go outside the children's unit.

"I used to make a deliberate attempt to let them know that I had clocked their car, that I was taking their registration plate."

'Have you shot'

He said he confronted some of the men, despite warnings from his colleagues that some carried knives.

"They would laugh it off with a good smirk," he said.

"They would sometimes say that they would have you stabbed or shot by one of their associates."

Police were called each time a girl went missing, but officers usually only arrived when the child got back to the home, sometimes "high on drugs" or "incredibly drunk", our source said.

"They led us very much on a merry dance and there wasn't much we could do apart from keep documenting,.

"And we documented every single night, and we spoke to social workers. The social workers were passing that on.

"Everything we passed on, nothing seemed to go further in any way shape or form."

Key points

• Children as young as 11 were raped by multiple attackers, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten and intimidated
• The inquiry team noted some council staff feared being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' descriptions of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men
• The "collective failures" of political, police and social care leadership were "blatant" over the first 12 years covered by the inquiry
• Police were said to have given child sex exploitation no priority, regarding many child victims "with contempt" and failing to act on their abuse as a crime.
• Ofsted is to carry out an early inspection of Rotherham's child protection and look-after-children's services as a result of the report
• The Independent Police Complaints Commission has asked South Yorkshire Police to send it evidence of failures or misconduct

'Struggling for love'

He said he eventually left the home over his frustrations he was failing the children in his care and said he was not surprised at recent revelations of widespread and long-running abuse in the town.

"These young people have already been sexually abused, in many cases," he said, but children who have been abused do not blame their attacker simply because they "are struggling for love".

"[But] you cannot provide love in a children's unit," he said.

"It's one thing that you can't provide, and as a corporate parent it's where we fail.

"And if [the abusers] are providing that, plus drugs, and alcohol and freedoms, or perceived freedoms, then we're never going to be able to keep them safe."

Meanwhile South Yorkshire Police continues to face criticism and the Independent Police Complaints Commission has told the force it should be informed of all "evidence of failures" in the way it acted.

Continue reading the main story

On Thursday Tracey Cheetham, deputy police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire, resigned and backed calls for her boss Shaun Wright to step down.

Mr Wright resigned from the Labour Party on Thursday but has refused to quit from his position as police and crime commissioner (PCC), despite also being urged to by Nick Clegg and Labour.

Earlier this week Sonia Sharp apologised for failures in Rotherham and was backed by her boss at Victoria's department of education, Richard Bolt, who said: "I have no doubt that Sonia tackled the issue of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham with maximum commitment, professionalism and focus."

Ms Sharp gave evidence to Professor Alexis Jay's report, which was published on Tuesday and heavily criticised senior officials at Rotherham Council.

Prof Jay's report revealed children in Rotherham suffered abuse included beatings, rape and trafficking to various towns and cities in England.

Graham Stuart, Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, has written to the chief executive of East Riding of Yorkshire Council asking what steps it is taking to investigate another former Rotherham care boss.

Pam Allen served as director of safeguarding at Rotherham Council from 2004 until 2009, and now holds a similar position at East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Mark Rogers, the president of the society of local authority chief executives, said Rotherham council had acted correctly in notifying places where former Rotherham staff had moved.

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Tory MPs rule out further defections

29 August 2014 Last updated at 12:00

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UKIP leader Nigel Farage has praised Mr Carswell as "honourable" during a walkabout in Clacton

Eurosceptic Tory MPs have rallied round David Cameron after one of their number - Douglas Carswell - defected to UKIP.

Prominent backbenchers Peter Bone, Stewart Jackson and Nadine Dorries are among those to have ruled out a defection to Nigel Farage's party.

Mr Farage said further defections were likely if Mr Carswell won the by-election in his Clacton seat.

But Tory former Cabinet minister John Redwood said this was "a figment of UKIP's imagination".

Mr Carswell decided to stand down as an MP - rather than sitting in the Commons under a UKIP banner until next year's general election - triggering a by-election in his Essex constituency.

If he wins the vote, which is not expected to take place before early October, Mr Carswell would become UKIP's first elected MP, giving the party a long-awaited platform at Westminster to push for Britain's exit from the EU.

His surprise move has prompted speculation about the number of other Tories who could also jump ship, with UKIP's Treasurer, spread betting millionaire Stuart Wheeler, saying he had sounded out eight Conservative MPs about joining the party over lunch at his favourite Mayfair restaurant.

'No roll-out'

Mr Farage, who is visiting Mr Carswell's constituency with his new colleague, said he was "constantly" talking to Eurosceptics in the Tory and Labour Party. He said he had first begun serious discussions with Mr Carswell in June, shortly after UKIP topped the poll in European elections.

Mr Carswell said he had turned to UKIP after talking to Mr Cameron's advisers about the PM's pledge of an in/out referendum on Britain's EU membership, which had convinced him the Tory leader was not "serious" about the issue.

Mr Farage told reporters in Clacton: "There is only one party for a genuine Eurosceptic. That is UKIP."

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UKIP MEP Patrick O'Flynn refused to be drawn on the possibility of more Conservative MPs defecting to UKIP but said he was sure they "think about these things"

He said talk of further defections was "speculation", but added: "If Douglas Carswell wins this by-election, and I believe he will, there will be others on the Tory and Labour backbenchers who may think 'UKIP is for us.'"

The BBC's political editor Nick Robinson dismissed reports of a "planned roll-out" of defections but said some MPs may be waiting to see the result of the by-election before contemplating such a step.

'Dream on'

Conservative Eurosceptic John Redwood said talk of eight defections was a "figment of UKIP's imagination", suggesting that this was merely an estimate of the number of MPs who may have had lunch with Stuart Wheeler, a former Tory donor who is now UKIP's treasurer.

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Roger Lord, prospective UKIP parliamentary candidate for Clacton, talks to James Naughtie

"Dream on UKIP. It is the kind of figure that you would put round if you were UKIP." he told Radio 4's Today programme.

Although he declined to mention any names, Mr Wheeler suggested that as many as 16 Tories were broadly sympathetic to UKIP.

"A lot of them have it in the back of their minds (to defect) but they are worried about losing their seats," he told Sky News.

However, he said defectors would have a much better chance of holding onto their seats than two years ago and those "on the brink" would be further encouraged if Mr Carswell won.

Among MPs to have ruled out joining UKIP include long-standing EU rebels Mark Pritchard, John Baron, Bill Cash, Bernard Jenkin and Jacob-Rees Mogg.

Speaking in Clacton, Mr Carswell said he had a "phenomenal amount of support" since announcing his decision, adding there had been a "real shift in opinion locally".

He added: "I could lose. There is a risk in this. I am putting my principles on the table."

Clacton's voters

The seaside seat of Clacton's population is older than the national average, and pollsters have found that UKIP's appeal is strongest among the over-60s.

Analysis of demographic data by Nottingham University's Matthew Goodwin suggests that Clacton is "the most favourable seat for UKIP in the country".

In graphics: Will Clacton's voters opt for UKIP?

The maverick backbencher had been unhappy with Prime Minister David Cameron's stance over Europe and his shelving of plans to allow recall elections to remove misbehaving MPs between elections.

'Regrettable'

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Mr Cameron said the resignation was "deeply regrettable"

Mr Cameron has said he wants a by-election in Clacton as soon as possible and plans "to go early to Clacton" to campaign. However, a by-election is unlikely to take place before the end of the Conservative Party conference, which concludes on 1 October.

Tory cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith, himself once a persistent rebel over Europe, said his former colleague had made a mistake leaving the party, as the prime minister had now backed an in-out referendum on EU membership.

"In the course of the next few weeks and months we will have to step up the gas and make sure the public understands this," he added.

"The reality is there is only one party promising that referendum."

'Decent thing'

Meanwhile, a UKIP member says he will challenge Mr Carswell to be the party's parliamentary candidate in Clacton, claiming that he had already been chosen to fight the seat in next year's general election.

Mr Lord said Mr Carswell should have done the "decent thing" and contacted him before making his announcement, adding that he expected better treatment.

"There's a few things he could have done but he didn't do," he told Radio 4's Today programme.

"If other candidates are just swept aside willy nilly and not given a fair hearing, then there's no hope for any other candidates in place at the moment," he added. ""If you push somebody too hard they will push back. I'm just pushing back."

UKIP said its ruling body had decided that Mr Carswell would be the party's candidate at the by-election, making clear that this decision superseded arrangements which may have been in place for a general election.

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Parents snatch ill boy, 5, from ward

29 August 2014 Last updated at 12:30

The health of a five-year-old boy snatched from hospital by his parents against medical advice will deteriorate rapidly as the battery on his feeding system runs out later, police said.

Ashya King was taken from Southampton General Hospital and is now believed to be in France with his family.

Police said they had "serious concerns" for his life.

It has been confirmed the parents are Jehovah's Witnesses, but there is no suggestion this is why he was taken.

Brett King, 51, and Naghemeh King, 45, removed him from the ward on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Shead said "time was running out" for Ashya.

"It is vital that we find Ashya today, his health will deteriorate," he said.

Mr Shead said Ashya was in a wheelchair and needed to be fed through a tube which is battery operated and will run out today if not charged or changed.

"If he doesn't receive urgent medical care, or the wrong treatment is given, his condition will become life-threatening.

"If Naghemeh or Brett or any of their children see or hear this appeal please take Ashya to the nearest hospital."

Mr Shead said they were told by the hospital the youngster was missing at 20:35 BST on Thursday - more than six hours after he had been taken by his parents.

On why it took six hours for the hospital to alert police, he said: "That is something that we need to look at."

Officers were keeping an "open mind" on the motives behind Ashya being taken, Mr Shead said.

The Office of Public Information for Jehovah's Witnesses said in a statement: "There is absolutely no indication, as far as we are aware, that their decision is in any way motivated by any religious convictions.

"Jehovah's Witnesses are encouraged to seek the best medical treatment for themselves and their children," it added.

It is believed Ashya's parents and six siblings boarded a cross-Channel ferry from Portsmouth to Cherbourg at 16:00 BST and arrived at 20:00.

Police said Ashya, who recently had surgery, cannot communicate verbally and is immobile. He is likely to be in a wheelchair or buggy.

Cherbourg Police has confirmed it is searching locally for Ashya, checking hotels and CCTV.

An image of Ashya being wheeled out of the hospital by his father has been released by police.

The force said it was working with police in France to activate emergency child rescue alert procedures.

The family, from Southsea, Portsmouth, were travelling in a grey coloured Hyundai I800 Style CRDI, registration KP60 HWK.

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Asst Chief Constable Chris Shead: "It is vital that we find Ashya today"

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Naveed King spoke about his brother's illness in a video posted on Youtube

Det Supt Dick Pearson, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: "If we do not locate Ashya today there are serious concerns for his life.

"He is receiving constant medical care within the UK due to recent surgery and ongoing medical issues. Without this specialist 24 hour care, Ashya is at risk of additional health complications which place him at substantial risk.

"He needs to be taken to a medical facility for his urgent health requirements as soon as he is located."

Clive Coleman BBC legal correspondent

Parents have the right to remove their children from hospital unless they are prevented from doing so by a court order.

If doctors are concerned that parents intend to remove a child, deny it the medical treatment it needs, and expose it to the risk of serious harm, they can seek a court order.

This will normally involve CAFCASS (the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service), the non-departmental public body which provides guardians to represent the best interests of children in family court proceedings.

Once an order is in place, any parent who removes their child in breach of the order is committing a contempt of court for which they could be imprisoned.

Police have launched a social media appeal and are urging people to share it, particularly with friends or relatives in France and bordering countries.

Ashya's brother Naveed King posted a YouTube video on 23 July speaking about the five-year-old's illness.

He said: "I haven't slept anything really, I've been awake all night worrying.

"Everyone is sending their love now. We love you so much and we want to see you very soon and I love you so much and can't wait to see you.

"No kid at the age of five deserves to have a brain tumour."

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Nato accuses Russia over Ukraine

29 August 2014 Last updated at 13:06

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Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen: "Russia is blatantly violating Ukrainian sovereignty"

Nato has accused Russia of a "blatant violation" of Ukraine's sovereignty and engaging in direct military operations to support pro-Russian rebels.

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that "despite hollow denials", it was now clear that Russia had illegally crossed Ukraine's border.

He said Nato would respect any Ukrainian decision on security, after its PM said he was putting the country on course for Nato membership.

Russia denies sending troops and arms.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed the Ukrainian government for the crisis, comparing its siege of two cities held by separatists, Donetsk and Luhansk, to the siege of Leningrad by the Nazis in World War Two.

"It is necessary to make the Ukrainian authorities start substantial talks [with the rebels]," he said.

Nearly 2,600 people have been killed since April, the UN says, when Russia's annexation of Crimea prompted the rebels to take control of large parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the far east of Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk said the government was re-opening the question of Nato membership.

He said it was sending a bill to parliament calling for Ukraine's non-aligned status to be cancelled, in effect paving the way for Ukraine to join Nato.

'Dangerous pattern'

Speaking at a news conference after an emergency meeting of Nato ambassadors, Mr Rasmussen said that it was clear Russia had illegally crossed into Ukraine and was engaged in direct military operations.

"This is not an isolated action, but part of a dangerous pattern over many months to destabilise Ukraine as a sovereign nation," he said.

"This is a blatant violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It defies all diplomatic efforts for a peaceful solution."

He called on Russia to cease military action, stop supporting the rebels and "take immediate and verifiable steps towards de-escalation of this grave crisis".

Mr Rasmussen indicated Nato was open to considering Ukraine's application to join if it met the conditions.

"I am not going to interfere with political discussions in Ukraine, but let me remind you of Nato's decision taken at the Bucharest Summit in 2008 according to which Ukraine will become a member of Nato, provided of course that Ukraine so wishes and provided that Ukraine fulfils the necessary criteria," he said.

Heavy fighting is continuing near Ukraine's strategic port of Mariupol, on the Azov Sea. Rebel forces are trying to capture the city but Ukrainian government troops are digging in.

On Thursday the separatists seized the nearby town of Novoazovsk.

The advance has raised fears that the Kremlin might seek to create a land corridor between Russia and Crimea - a territory annexed by Russia from Ukraine in March.

Rebels are also reported to have surrounded government soldiers in several places further north, near the city of Donetsk.

Ukrainian forces near the town of Ilovaysk say they are cut off and have been urgently asking for supplies and reinforcements.

Overnight, Mr Putin called on the rebels to open a "humanitarian corridor" to allow encircled Ukrainian troops to leave without unnecessary casualties, though he did not specify the location.

Rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko later told Russian TV that his fighters had agreed to the request, on condition that the Ukrainians hand over heavy weapons and ammunition.

Ukraine security officials said in a statement that the proposal demonstrated that the rebels "are led and controlled directly from the Kremlin".

On Thursday Nato released satellite images it said showed columns of Russian armed forces inside Ukrainian territory, adding that more than 1,000 Russian troops were operating inside Ukraine.

War in eastern Ukraine: The human cost

• At least 2,593 people had been killed since mid-April, not including the 298 passengers and crew of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 shot down in the area, a UN report on 7 August said
• 951 civilians have been killed in Donetsk region alone, the official regional authorities said on 20 August
• Official casualty counts only record certified deaths while in some particularly dangerous parts of the war zone, such as Luhansk region, victims are said to have been buried informally, for instance in gardens
• Rebels (and some military sources) accuse the government of concealing the true numbers of soldiers killed
• 155,800 people have fled elsewhere in Ukraine while at least 188,000 have gone to Russia.

Have you been affected by what's going on in Ukraine? Tell us your story by emailing us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Wright quits Labour but not PCC role

28 August 2014 Last updated at 12:07

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South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright: "I won't resign but I regret that more wasn't done at the time."

Under-pressure Shaun Wright has resigned from the Labour Party but has insisted he will remain police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire.

Mr Wright has faced calls to step down after a report on child abuse in Rotherham, where he managed children's services between 2005 and 2010.

The report said at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited from 1997-2013, mainly by gangs of Pakistani heritage.

A Labour MP now wants a possible misconduct case against Mr Wright.

'Reiterate my apology'

The report also revealed there had been three previous inquiries, including one written in 2006 during Mr Wright's tenure in children's services, which provided "stark evidence" of the situation in Rotherham.

Meanwhile, the former director of children's services in Rotherham, Sonia Sharp, said she was briefed by politicians, senior managers and frontline staff about the issue of sexual exploitation of young people when she took up her post in 2005. She left Rotherham Council in 2008.

Dr Sharp said it was already known when she joined there were "many children in the community at risk" and staff feared "this was the tip of an iceberg".

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Home Secretary Theresa May says Shaun Wright should "heed calls" to resign

In a statement, Mr Wright said he had "formally" tendered his resignation from the Labour Party.

But Mr Wright insisted he was the most appropriate person to hold the office of commissioner (PCC).

"I remain committed to, and intend to remain in, my role as an Independent Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire," he said.

"As a father, and a citizen of South Yorkshire, my thoughts are with the victims and their families and I reiterate my apology to them and take full responsibility for my part in the collective failures which took place at Rotherham Council during the time I was in office, and indeed to that end I resigned in 2010," he continued.

"I stand by my earlier comments that I've taken that experience to deliver a major transformation in the way South Yorkshire Police deals with horrific crimes such as child sexual exploitation, and much progress has been made since I was elected as commissioner in terms of supporting victims, taking preventive action, increasing awareness of the issue and bringing criminals to justice."

Analysis Mike Sergeant, local government correspondent

Rotherham isn't alone in facing the distressing problem of child sexual abuse. But the report exposed a deeply dysfunctional system here.

The council insists things have improved significantly in recent years. Many, though, are still shocked that efforts to confront exploitation fell woefully short.

Was there a particular problem specific to Rotherham? Did Labour's total dominance of this authority allow a complacent, rotten culture to develop? Was the political opposition so enfeebled that effective challenge to the leadership was striking by its absence?

As people here reflect on these political questions, it's worth thinking for a moment about the complex, corporate identity of modern councils. Social workers report to safeguarding managers, child protection co-ordinators, directors of services, and chief executives. All overseen by 63 elected councillors.

Such a complex web of relationships. So many different chains of command - making true accountability very hard to establish.

While Mr Wright's has refused to to stand down, Rotherham Council leader Roger Stone resigned with immediate effect on Tuesday.

Mr Stone, who had been the leader since 2003, said: "I believe it is only right that as leader I take responsibility for the historic failings described so clearly."

Position 'untenable'

Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey had earlier told the BBC Mr Wright would be suspended from the Labour Party if he had not resigned by Thursday morning.

Now Labour backbencher John Mann MP is to write to Home Secretary Theresa May asking for the police to investigate whether a case of misconduct in public office could be brought against Mr Wright and others involved in the allegations in Rotherham.

Mr Mann said the inquiry should not be carried out by South Yorkshire Police, but by another force.

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Rotherham child abuse victim 'Emma' gives her account

Mrs May has said Mr Wright should "heed calls" to resign, though she stressed it was not her job to hire and fire PCCs.

"I think he has real questions to answer," she said.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has also called for Mr Wright's resignation, along with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, shadow chancellor Ed Balls and shadow youth justice and victims minister Dan Jarvis.

The BBC has asked the Labour Party to comment on why Mr Wright was selected as its candidate for the PCC elections in 2012 but has not yet received a response.

Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Sheffield Hallam Nick Clegg has also called on Mr Wright to quit. Speaking on his weekly LBC Radio phone-in, he said his message to Mr Wright was: "Please do the decent thing and stand aside because you have to take responsibility."

Shaun Wright profile

Shaun Wright, 46, was born in Royston, near Barnsley in South Yorkshire. He lives in Rawmarsh, Rotherham, with his wife Lisa and two sons.

In 2000 he was elected as the councillor for Rawmarsh and in 2005 he was appointed as the cabinet member for children and young people's services.

In 2010 he stood down from the post and in 2011 was appointed mayor of Rotherham.

The following year he was elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire, earning a salary of £85,000.

Shortly after he was elected PCC he stood down from his role as councillor for Rawmarsh.

Mr Wright is also a former vice chair of South Yorkshire Police Authority, a magistrate, a school governor and a trustee of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Harry Harpham, chairman of South Yorkshire's police and crime panel, which scrutinises the work of the South Yorkshire PCC, told the BBC's Today programme Mr Wright's position had become "untenable" and he should go "at the earliest opportunity"

He said: "He can only be removed from office by resigning or unless he commits a criminal offence.

"We are not able to remove him, however, I will seek an urgent meeting with Shaun to let him know my position."

Suspending a police and crime commissioner

Under the legislation that created the roles in 2012, a PCC can only be suspended if:

(a) the commissioner has been charged in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man with an offence, and

(b) the offence is one which carries a maximum term of imprisonment exceeding two years

Meanwhile, former Rotherham council chief executive Mike Cuff has also said he had to "take my share of responsibility for the council's failure to prevent the appalling abuse which has been so clearly described in this independent report". He added that he was "truly sorry".

Mr Cuff, who was the council's chief executive from 2004 to 2009, echoed Mr Wright's apology.

Continue reading the main story

• In 2012 Rotherham was home to 258,400 people
• Figures from 2011 showed that 91.9% of the population are white British
• Of the 8.1% of the population from black and minority ethic groups 6.4% are from non-white groups
• Source: Rotherham Council

"It was on my watch that the organised abuse of young girls by a gang of Asian men came to light," he said.

"This led eventually to their conviction in 2010. I know that professional social workers and the police worked well together to support the abused girls and to secure the successful prosecution of their abusers."

This "close co-operation" between agencies "holds the key to the effective protection of vulnerable young people in the future", he added.

The report, commissioned by the council, was published on Tuesday and revealed the massive level of abuse in Rotherham, mainly by Pakistani heritage criminal gangs.

The inquiry team noted fears among council staff of being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' descriptions of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men.

Key findings of the report

• Children as young as 11 were raped by multiple attackers, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten and intimidated.

• The "collective failures" of political, police and social care leadership were "blatant" over the first 12 years covered by the inquiry.

• Police were said to have given child sex exploitation no priority, regarding many child victims "with contempt" and failing to act on their abuse as a crime.

• The majority of those behind the abuse were described as Asian, while the majority of the reported victims were young white girls. The inquiry team noted fears among council staff of being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' descriptions of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men.

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'Significant' rise in migration to UK

28 August 2014 Last updated at 12:50

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Immigration minister James Brokenshire described the effort to cut net migration as "challenging"

There was a "statistically significant" increase in net migration into the UK in the year up to March, from 175,000 to 243,000, the Office for National Statistics has said.

EU citizens accounted for two-thirds of the increase, including a rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria.

Ministers said they would "control migration at sustainable levels".

Separate figures showed over 25% of births in England and Wales last year were to mothers themselves born abroad.

There was also a rise in the proportion of people in the UK who were born abroad.

'Sustainable levels'

Prime Minister David Cameron has previously pledged to reduce net migration to below 100,000 by 2015.

According to the quarterly statistics, a total of 560,000 immigrants arrived in the UK over the 12-month period to March, while an estimated 316,000 people left.

Analysis

Dominic Casciani, Home affairs correspondent

Whatever you think of the figures, today's migration statistics are part of the story of an open market economy in a globalised world.

Every year for the past 20, more people have been arriving in the UK than leaving. The reasons for those movements are complex and have regularly changed.

The key factors were once students or those seeking refuge.

Today it is about work - and the attraction of the open British economy where businesses can recruit from a continental marketplace.

Ministers have restricted immigration from outside the EU - but they have no power to stop the freedom of movement for work inside the club.

And so, as the British economy grows faster than other parts of Europe, workers will continue to arrive - and the net migration target moves further and further out of reach.

There was an increase in people migrating for work, to 228,000, while 177,000 arrivals were students.

Long-term emigration was "relatively stable", the ONS said.

The number of migrants from Romania and Bulgaria increased from 12,000 to 28,000 over the 12-month period. Employment restrictions on citizens of the two countries were lifted in January.

Immigration and security minister James Brokenshire said hitting the immigration target would be "challenging" because of the increase in migration from inside the EU.

Ministers have no powers to stop the free movement of European workers.

'Effectively impossible'

Mr Brokenshire added: "Uncontrolled, mass immigration makes it difficult to maintain social cohesion, puts pressure on public services and forces down wages. That's why our focus remains on controlling migration at sustainable levels."

He said the government had cut net migration since the previous administration and was "creating a system that is fair to British citizens and legitimate migrants but is tough on those who flout the rules".

But the Oxford Migration Observatory said the latest figures made it "effectively impossible for the government to achieve its target by the end of this Parliament without radical measures".

Pressure group MigrationWatch UK said the levels of net migration were "not sustainable".

The group said: "It will put huge further strain on our infrastructure, housing and school places."

David Hanson, the shadow immigration minister, said: "Today is about David Cameron's target. He promised a target, no ifs, no buts, and he has missed that target today."

At the same time as the immigration statistics were released, the ONS published figures showing 12.4% of the UK's "usual population" in 2013 were born abroad - an increase from 8.9% in 2004.

There was also an increase in the number who had non-British nationality, from 5% to 7.8%.

The ONS also said that 26.5% of births in England and Wales last year were to mothers who were themselves born outside the UK, up from 25.9% in 2012.

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