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Schoolgirls Feared To Have Travelled To Syria

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 21 Februari 2015 | 10.19

Three schoolgirls are feared to have run away from east London with plans to travel to Syria and join Islamic State.

Police said the close friends were last seen on Tuesday morning as they left their homes telling their families they would be out for the day.

Instead they met and travelled to Gatwick airport before boarding a Turkish Airlines flight, which landed at Istanbul that evening.

The three - Shamima Begum, 15, Kadiza Sultana, 16, and a third female aged 15 who is not being named at the request of her family - are pupils at Bethnal Green Academy.

Metropolitan Police Commander Richard Walton said he was "extremely concerned" for their safety.

He revealed the runaways are good friends with another 15-year-old girl who fled to Syria in December.

"We are concerned about the numbers of girls and young women who have or are intending to travel to the part of Syria that is controlled by the terrorist group calling themselves Islamic State," Mr Walton said.

"It is an extremely dangerous place and we have seen reports of what life is like for them and how restricted their lives become.

"It is not uncommon for girls or women to be prevented from being allowed out of their houses or if allowed out, only when accompanied by a guardian.

"The choice of returning home from Syria is often taken away from those under the control of Islamic State, leaving their families in the UK devastated and with very few options to secure their safe return."

Mr Walton added the teenagers' families were "devastated" but there was a "good chance" the girls were still in Turkey.

All three have mobile phones, and police are using Turkish media and social media in the hopes of reaching them.

Salman Farsi, spokesman for their local East London Mosque, said: "They have been misled. I do not know what was promised to them. It is just sad. We have not had anything like this before in our community.

"I think the girls need to know they have done nothing wrong. They have been manipulated."

A family friend of one of the missing girls told Sky News: "It's really sad what has happened.

"Maybe they need to educate people more, tell them about the risks of going to Syria, that it's not safe out there."

The number of Westerners who have travelled to Iraq and Syria to join IS is thought to be about 3,000, including as many as 550 women, according to the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

Former Metropolitan Police border control officer Chris Hobbs told Sky News that checks for people departing from UK airports made it a "walk in the park for jihadis and girls like this" to leave.

"At the moment you go through security, you get on the plane, you might be checked by a private security guard," he said.

"Unless you're very unlucky you won't pass under the eyes of anyone from UK law enforcement.

"If you're on a watch list then you will ping the system. If you're not on the radar then the odds are you will get on the plane without too many problems."

Police have released descriptions of the girls: 

:: Shamima Begum, 15

Shamima is around 5ft 7in tall and was wearing black, thick-rimmed glasses, a black hijab, a light brown and black leopard-print scarf, a dark red jumper, black trousers and jacket.

She was carrying a dark blue cylindrical holdall with white straps. She is a British national of Bangladeshi heritage and speaks English with a London accent. She also speaks Bengali.

:: Kadiza Sultana, 16

Kadiza is described as 5ft 6in tall and slim, and was wearing black-rimmed glasses, a long black jacket with a hood, grey striped scarf, grey jumper, dark red trousers and was carrying a black holdall.

She is a British national of Bangladeshi heritage and speaks English with a London accent. She also speaks Bengali.

:: Third Missing Girl, 15

The third girl, who is not being named, is German but living in London. She is described as 5ft 6in tall and slim. She was wearing black, thick-rimmed glasses, a black head scarf, a long dark green jacket with a fur-lined hood, a light yellow long-sleeved top, black trousers and white trainers.

She was carrying a black Nike holdall. She speaks English and Amharic.


10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trio Wanted After Chelsea Fans' Racist Abuse

Police have released images of three men - believed to be Chelsea fans - who they want to speak to after a black man faced racist abuse on the Paris Metro.

Officers think the men were among a group filmed pushing the victim, Sylla Souleymane, off the train and chanting a racist song while on the way to a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

The images were made public by Scotland Yard, who are aiding the French authorities with their investigation, as reports emerged that French President Francois Hollande had spoken to Mr Souleymane on the phone.

Mr Hollande praised the 33-year-old and thanked him for the dignity he has shown in his public remarks over the incident, according to Le Parisien newspaper.

Mr Souleymane told the paper the fans who abused him should be jailed.

"These people, these English fans, must be found, punished and must be locked up," he said. "What happened should not go unpunished."

Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said the club was "ashamed" of those supporters who pushed Mr Souleymane amid chants of "We're racist, we're racist and that's the way we like it".

He said: "I'd like to make clear, on behalf of everyone at the club, our disgust at the incident. We were appalled by what we saw."

The club has suspended another two people from Stamford Bridge, bringing the total to five.

Chelsea said it had received "substantial information" following an appeal for witnesses and an investigation was ongoing.

Officials have also invited Mr Souleymane and his family to London to attend the second leg of the European clash against PSG on 11 March.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


10.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

UK Soldier Leaves Base To Fight Islamic State

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 20 Februari 2015 | 10.18

A serving British soldier has left his army base and travelled to fight with Kurdish forces against Islamic State in northern Iraq.

The 19-year-old serviceman said he was joining the Peshmerga in their battle against the extremists because he wanted to help them.

The man, who is not being named, told his parents of the news in a text message a couple of days ago and has informed friends he intends to spend a year in the region.

He travelled via Dubai - telling his family he was taking a holiday there - and is not officially AWOL as he is currently on leave.

However, an Army source said that if the soldier outstayed his period of leave he would face discipline for going AWOL.

The soldier has been in the Army since leaving school at 16 and is known to have been been learning Arabic.

One text message to his family said: "I've gone to join the Kurds in Syria and Iraq. I'm with other British people and a Canadian at the moment.

"I don't know how to explain it to you but I really want and need to do this and I will be safe."

Another message said: "I have good skills and I can speak the language I can help these people and help with this fight."

And a third said: "I'm so sorry to put you through this but I do good, I will get in trouble for being AWOL but it's minor and no prison sentence."

His worried family have contacted Sky News. Correspondent Ashish Joshi said the soldier was "driven by his conviction that the Kurds need the help of the British, they need help with trained soldiers who can travel to the region".

"He speaks the language, he is travelling out there and he thinks he can make a difference to the cause."

Joshi added: "His mother is beside herself with worry. She wants him to be safe."

The soldier has said he intends to spend a year travelling between Iraq and Syria with Kurdish forces.

An Army spokesman said: "We are aware of reports and are investigating."

It is not the first time Britons have gone to fight with the Peshmerga.

Former public schoolboy Macer Gifford gave up a job in the City to sign up with Kurdish fighters battling IS in northern Syria.

And ex-soldiers Jamie Read and James Hughes told Sky News how they dodged bullets during chaotic patrols with Kurdish forces.

They also said they vowed to kill each other rather than get captured in a death pact.


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Chelsea Suspends Three Fans Over Racist Chant

Chelsea have suspended three supporters as the club investigates racist chanting and a black man being pushed on the Paris Metro.

The commuter, Sylla Souleymane, appeared to be stopped from getting on an underground train by fans travelling to a Champions League game against Paris St Germain.

The incident on Tuesday evening was captured on video, including a chant of "we're racist and that's the way we like it".

The club said three people had been suspended from its Stamford Bridge ground and they would be banned for life if there was "sufficient evidence of their involvement in the incident".

Chelsea said it had received "substantial information" following an appeal for witnesses and an investigation was ongoing.

Mr Souleymane, 33, has said he thinks the fans who abused him should be jailed for their actions.

He told Le Parisien newspaper: "These people, these English fans, must be found, punished and must be locked up. What happened should not go unpunished."

He said he thought Chelsea and PSG should face sanctions because it was "also their fault".

The married father-of-three, who was born in Paris but grew up in the town of Val d'Oise, told Le Parisien the whole incident lasted about six or seven minutes.

He said: "I wanted to get into the carriage but a group of English fans blocked me and pushed me away.

"I understood that it was Chelsea fans and I made the connection with the PSG match. I understand also that they were attacking me because of the colour of my skin."

Mr Souleymane said it was not the first time he had been a victim of racism.

"You know, I live with racism. I was not really surprised by what happened to me even though it was the first time it had happened on the subway."

At one point, staff from the train company tried to intervene to prevent any fighting, but he said they were more concerned with making sure the trains ran on time.

"I took the next metro and went back home without telling anyone, not even my wife or kids," he added. "What would I have told my kids? That daddy was pushed in the Metro because he's black?"

Mr Souleymane said he did not know he was at the centre of an international scandal until the paper alerted him to the video.

He said: "I did not know I had been filmed. The fact that I am now talking about it will give me the courage to complain to the police."

Police in France said no arrests were made in relation to the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Since the video appeared on websites on Wednesday, the behaviour of the fans has been widely condemned across the French and English media, and by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Arrested Over Becky Godden Murder

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 19 Februari 2015 | 10.18

A 51-year-old man has been arrested over the murder of Becky Godden, who went missing in 2002.

Miss Godden, 21, was killed and buried in a shallow grave on farmland at a Cotswold beauty spot, but her remains were not found until almost a decade after she disappeared.

Superintendent Sean Memory, of Wiltshire Police, said: "We can confirm that a 51-year-old man from Swindon was arrested today on suspicion of the murder of Becky Godden (also known as Rebecca Godden Edwards).

"He has been interviewed and inquiries continue."

The last sighting of Miss Godden was by a police officer on 27 December, 2002, in the Manchester Road area of Swindon.

In 2011, her remains were found buried in a field in East Leach, Gloucestershire.

In April 2014, a further bone was discovered at the crime scene.

Police have been continuing their investigation into her death in a bid to bring her killer to justice.

Officers have been handing out renewed appeal posters in the local area.

They have urged anyone who saw Miss Godden over Christmas 2002 and into the New Year to contact them.

Mr Memory has said: "We know that Becky was last seen on December 27 2002 and we need people to come forward with any information about where she was in early 2003. Did you see Becky over the New Year period?"

Miss Godden, who had turned to prostitution after becoming addicted to heroin, was not in contact with her family.

Her relatives had previously paid for private rehabilitation treatment in an effort to help her get off drugs.


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Childcare Costs Can Mean 'It Doesn't Pay To Work'

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

The cost of childcare is rising so quickly that for many families "it simply does not pay to work", a report has concluded.

The price of a part-time nursery place for a child under two has gone up by almost a third in the last five years with parents now being forced to pay more than £6,000 a year.

The annual survey, carried out by the Family and Childcare Trust, found that on average in England, Scotland and Wales sending a child to nursery for 25 hours a week costs £115.45.

That is 5.1% more than last year and 32.8% more than in 2010.

Parents who employ child minders are also paying more. The average cost of £104.06 per week is up 4.3% on last year.

"The reality is that for too many families it simply does not pay to work," the report said.

At Kidz R Us day nursery in Salford, Greater Manchester, parents told Sky News that paying for childcare takes up a significant portion of their income.

Mother-of-three Jennifer Lee said: "I'm a full time teacher and my partner's a fireman. You'd expect with two decent salaries to be able to cope financially, but it is difficult."

Amy Cooke said more than half her salary goes on paying for part-time childcare for her 15-month-old daughter Lilah.

If she has any more children or if nursery prices rise further she may have leave her job.

"I'd probably have to give up work and do it that way because my entire wage would go on childcare, so it wouldn't be worth it."

Stephen Dunmore, chief executive of the Family and Childcare Trust, has welcomed Government investment in childcare but says more needs to be done.

"In spite of several positive initiatives, including more funding for free early education, the childcare system in Britain needs radical reform," he said.

"In the run-up to the General Election this May we want to see all political parties commit to an independent review of childcare. Britain needs a simple system that promotes quality, supports parents and delivers for children."

The issue of childcare costs is likely to feature highly in the coming months, with politicians keen to use today's report to score political points.

Labour's shadow minister for childcare and children, Alison McGovern MP, said "These figures lay bare the extent of David Cameron's failure - he is badly letting down working families.

"Since 2010 the failing Tory plan has seen the costs of childcare soar. On top of this, there are over 40,000 fewer childcare places and wages are down £1,600 a year on average."

A spokesperson for the Department for Education said: "This report only relates to the prices parents pay after they receive the Government's offer of 15 hours of free childcare.

"It therefore neglects the record amount of fully funded childcare we are giving - savings worth a maximum of almost £9,000 per child."


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tories Hit Back At 'Left-Wing' Bishops' Letter

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 18 Februari 2015 | 10.18

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Church of England bishops have been attacked by Conservative MPs after publishing a letter claiming people feel detached from politics and calling for a "fresh moral vision of the kind of country we want to be".

In a 52-page letter, the bishops said "worrying and unfamiliar trends" were appearing in national life and there was a "growing appetite to exploit grievances, find scapegoats and create barriers between people and nations".

David Cameron said he welcomed the Church entering the political debate, but said the Government was helping people by creating jobs, cutting taxes and developing the economy.

The Prime Minister said: "I would say to the bishops, I hope they would welcome that because work does bring dignity, does bring self-reliance, it does enable people to provide for their families, it creates a stronger society as well as a stronger economy.

"And a welfare system that pays people to stay idle when they could work - that is not the sign of a strong economy or a strong or good society."

But Conservative backbenchers were much more critical. Thatcherite Conor Burns told Sky News the letter was "naive" in not taking into account the recession and the risk posed by countries like Iran.

He said: "It takes no account of the fact that we are still operating in a political climate where the Government and anybody who becomes the Government will have an enormous budget deficit.

"The amount of money the Government is bringing in versus the amount of money it is spending every year is still very large. The wish list that the bishops seem to have in the document couldn't be funded, even if everyone wanted it to be."

Outspoken MP Nadine Dorries said there was a "very definite left-wing leaning" to the intervention and the Church should stick to issues where people are "really seeking the church's voice", such as abortion.

"The Church is always silent when people are seeking its voice and yet seems to be very keen to dive in on political issues when actually no-one is asking it to," she said.

Launching the document, the Bishop of Norwich said it was intended to counter arguments that people should not bother to engage with politics and vote.

The Rt Rev Graham James said: "We're conscious that there are a number of voices around, probably the most famous of which is Russell Brand, telling people that they shouldn't bother with voting and shouldn't bother to exercise their hard-won democratic freedoms.

"I'm conscious just going around some of our youth groups and speaking to youth leaders that that has had a more profound effect than I had anticipated.

"And while one may think that the bishops of the Church of England don't quite have the sex appeal of Russell Brand, we think that we should counter it."

The bishops said the letter was "not a shopping list of policies we would like to see" but a "call for the new direction that we believe our political life ought to take".

The letter raises issues including the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent, Britain's relationship with the European Union and the concept of the Living Wage.

The letter also states: "There is a deep contradiction in the attitudes of a society which celebrates equality in principle yet treats some people especially the poor and vulnerable, as unwanted, unvalued and unnoticed.

"It is particularly counter-productive to denigrate those who are in need because this undermines the wider social instinct to support one another in the community.

"For instance, when those who rely on social security payments are all described in terms that imply they are undeserving, dependent and ought to be self-sufficient, it deters others from offering the informal, neighbourly support which could ease some of the burden of the welfare state."

Calling for a stronger political vision, it states: "The different parties have failed to offer attractive visions of the kind of society and culture they wish to see, or distinctive goals they might pursue.

"Instead, we are subjected to sterile arguments about who might manage the existing system best."

The bishops back the concept of the Big Society, promoted by Mr Cameron in the 2010 general election campaign, stating that its ideals "should not be consigned to the political dustbin".

The letter also criticises language used in debates over immigration, but says: "We also challenge the assumption that to question immigration at all must always be racist".

It says: "The way we talk about migration, with ethnically identifiable communities being treated as 'the problem' has, deliberately or inadvertently, created an ugly undercurrent of racism in every debate about immigration."


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rolls-Royce To Develop Sports Utility Vehicle

The luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce has announced it will develop its first sports utility vehicle (SUV) designed to "cross any terrain".

The announcement was made via an open letter from Rolls-Royce chairman Peter Schwarzenbauer.

The company has revealed few details about the new model, but said it decided to develop a luxury off-roader following consultations with clients.

"Many discerning customers have urged us to develop this new car - and we have listened," the company said in a statement.

"At Rolls-Royce Motor Cars we are uniquely focused on the desires of our customers and are driven by our own thirst to innovate.

"So we challenged our engineers and design team, led by director of design Giles Taylor, to create a different and exceptional new car."

The vehicle will be developed at the company's base in Goodwood.

Rolls-Royce has gradually expanded its range of vehicles beyond luxury limousines such as the Phantom model, released in 2003.

The smaller Ghost II became available in late 2014, and the Wraith Coupe entered showrooms in 2013.

Last month, Jaguar Land Rover announced the creation of 1,300 new jobs after the company said it would develop its first SUV vehicle in Britain.

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  1. Gallery: Rolling Back The Years

    The first design sketches of a new Rolls-Royce to be launched in 2010 have been released by the luxury car company. Known as the RR4, the new vehicle will be smaller than the existing Phantom and will be powered by a new engine unique to Rolls-Royce.

It's a far cry from the oldest-surviving Rolls. This 1904 10 horsepower two-seater dates from the company's first year of production.

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10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Son Arrested Days Before Parents Found Dead

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 17 Februari 2015 | 10.18

A convicted rapist who was recently released from prison is believed to have killed his parents before being found dead.

Ashraf Amrani, 30,  was found unresponsive then pronounced dead on the roof of a flat in west London on Friday afternoon.

Police say he had been arrested for affray on 10 February and was due to answer bail on Wednesday.

The next day officers went to a flat in the same street to inform his next of kin, but discovered the bodies of a man and woman - believed to be Amrani's parents Hassan and Zara. 

Police are treating Ashraf Amrani's death as unexplained but the couple are believed to have died in suspicious circumstances and police have launched a murder investigation.

A court official confirmed that in June 2010 the 30-year-old had been jailed for seven years and two months after being found guilty of rape at Southwark Crown Court.

A neighbour who lives in the same street - Westbourne Park Road near the Portobello Road Market - said police had been called to the couple's flat on Thursday but a man, believed to be the couple's son, had tried to block them from going inside.

She said: "My brother told me that police had been round and they were looking for the son and opened the door.

"He got the impression he was in there and not letting them in.

She added: "The last time I saw the wife was on Thursday and she didn't look happy. She looked a bit fed up and sad.

"We were walking into the estate together and she said she wanted to go back to Morocco. She was a bit fed up.

"She said her husband had called her and said there was some trouble in the house."

The neighbour, who asked not to be named, said the couple doted on their grandson, who is believed to be around seven or eight years old.

"They were just a really nice couple. I'm just so shocked. They were always so nice," she said.

"She would always go and see her daughter and grandson. The husband was a very quiet man. They had an extremely beautiful house. She kept everything immaculate."

Forensics officers wearing light blue protective clothing and white masks are continuing to search the flat.


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man Arrested After Pensioner Attacked For £5

A man has been arrested on suspicion of robbery after 93-year-old Stanley Evans was knocked over by an attacker who fled with just £5.

The pensioner, who was 92 when the incident happened last month, was followed through the door at the block of flats in Soho, central London and attacked in a communal entrance area.

He lay on the floor for around five minutes before managing to take a lift up to his home before calling police.

The crime, which was captured on CCTV, was described by officers as an "unprovoked, callous and sickening assault on a defenceless pensioner".

A 29-year-old man was arrested in Camberwell in south London on Monday night.

The widower was left with a shoulder injury but did not need hospital treatment, but police say he has been left "living in fear of his safety".


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Two Killed In Crash Involving Bus And Lorry

Written By Unknown on Senin, 16 Februari 2015 | 10.18

Two people have died in a crash involving a minibus and a lorry.

Six others were hurt in the collision, which happened near Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

One man is in a critical condition with "serious head injuries" at Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.

Both victims who died were pronounced dead at the scene on the A511 in Tutbury.

Emergency crews were alerted just before 7am on Sunday.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said four people suffered minor injuries, while another is being treated for chest pain in Queen's Hospital in Burton.

Staffordshire Police said the investigation into how the collision happened was "likely to take some time".

It comes after two women died in a three-car collision close to a roadside diner on the southbound A11 in Besthorpe, southeast of Norwich.

A 46-year-old woman died at the scene, police said, while a 30-year-old died later in hospital after the collision at 11.30pm on Saturday. Occupants of a third vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Earlier on Saturday, four people died in two separate tragedies on two of the country's busiest motorways.

Three men died after a coach hit their stationary vehicle on the M1 in Bedfordshire, while another man was killed in a pile-up involving dozens of cars on the M40 in Bicester, Oxfordshire.


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Murder Investigation After Three Found Dead

A murder investigation has been launched after three people were found dead at two properties in west London.

Police were called to a property in Westbourne Park Road, an area not far from Portobello Road market, were they found a 30-year-old man dead on a first floor roof on Friday.

His death is being treated as unexplained, the Metropolitan Police said.

On Saturday, officers went to inform the man's next of kin, but after entering the house they found the bodies of a man and woman inside. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Both are thought to have died in suspicious circumstances.

Formal identification has not taken place and a post-mortem examination will be carried out.

The identities of the victims have not been released.

No arrests have been made, but detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the case.

Scotland Yard said the 30-year-old had been arrested on 10 February on suspicion of affray and had been due to answer bail on Wednesday.

A spokesman said: "A referral will be made to the Independent Police Complaints Commission on Monday."


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Ex-HSBC Boss Lord Green To Quit Industry Body

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 15 Februari 2015 | 10.18

Lord Green is to step down from a financial services industry body amid claims HSBC enabled tax avoidance while he was in charge.

A former trade minister in the coalition government, the peer will step down as chairman of TheCityUK's Advisory Council with immediate effect.

He was the chairman of HSBC from 2006 to 2010, and is facing considerable pressure to answer questions about the behaviour of the bank's Swiss division.

Sir Gerry Grimstone, who will be succeeding Lord Green in his TheCityUK role, said: "Stephen Green is a man of great personal integrity who has given huge service to his country and the City.

"He doesn't want to damage the effectiveness of TheCityUK in promoting good governance and doing the right thing, so has decided to step aside from chairing our Advisory Council."

Sir Gerry also stressed that Lord Green's departure "was entirely his own decision".

In a speech to the Welsh Labour conference in Swansea, Ed Miliband warn that "he will not back down" in his campaign on tax avoidance.

The Labour leader also launched a fresh attack on the Prime Minister, who he claimed is "turning a blind eye" to the practice, which mainly benefits the rich and powerful.

Mr Miliband welcomed Lord Green's decision to step down.

He said: "I think it is right that he has done that. I think the bigger question is David Cameron and the questions he has got to answer.

"He has still not accounted for why he appointed Lord Green in the first place, when it was already public knowledge about what happened at HSBC.

"He has still not explained whether over the three years or so that Lord Green was a minister, whether he actually asked about what was going on about HSBC when it was public knowledge.

"The questions are mounting for David Cameron to answer."


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Miliband Pledges Tax Avoidance Investigation

Ed Miliband has accused the Government of failing to tackle tax avoidance, as he pledged a Labour government would carry out an inquiry into the UK's tax authority.

The party leader argued people not paying their fair share had left "a £34bn hole in the nation's finances" and threatened "the fabric of society".

Promising an "aggressive" review into Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) if his party wins the May general election, Mr Miliband pointed to suspicions of "sweetheart deals" with wealthy firms.

"It will shine a light on parts of our tax system that have been shrouded in secrecy under this government," he said.

Mr Miliband's comments came as the fall-out from claims of tax dodging at HSBC continued, with the company's former boss, Lord Green, announcing he is stepping down from an influential City lobby group.

The ex-Tory trade minister has faced mounting pressure to explain his dealings with the bank's Swiss arm.

In a speech to a party conference in Swansea, Mr Miliband said the Government had "turned a blind eye" to tax avoidance.

He said: "Any civilised country is built on the idea of the common good must have common rules, shared and respected by all its citizens.

"But in Britain today we risk having one rule for the rich and powerful and another for everybody else.

"What we are seeing is the growth of hugely complex and aggressive tax avoidance schemes, often based offshore.

"The sort of activity that has left the United Kingdom a £34bn hole in our nation's finances.

"When a few people are able to avoid paying their fair share, it threatens the fabric of the society on which we depend.

"That's why we have to act."

He added: "All kinds of businesses find HMRC chases them for every penny they owe, but they suspect there are sweetheart deals with a few of the largest, multinational companies that aren't paying their fair share.

"Families and businesses that pay their fair share just don't get why HMRC has prosecuted just one out of 1,000 people in the HSBC scandal.

"It's time we changed all this and that is what a Labour government will do."

Mr Miliband said his proposed review could have full investigatory powers and support from the Treasury as well reporting directly to the Chancellor.

But a Conservative Party spokesman said: "The culture and practices of HMRC went wrong under Labour - when top bankers paid lower tax rates than their cleaners, foreigners didn't pay capital gains tax and the richest people routinely avoided paying stamp duty.

"It's David Cameron who has been clearing up Labour's mess - investing in HMRC to increase the number of prosecutions of tax dodgers, putting reform of the way multinational companies are taxed at the top of the G8 agenda and closing loopholes that the richest were exploiting under Labour."

And Tory chairman Grant Shapps has called on Mr Miliband to publish the "deed of variation" on his father's house to prove he had not taken part in "aggressive" tax avoidance.


10.18 | 0 komentar | Read More
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