Leveson: Editors Urged Over Press Watchdog

McCann Urges PM To Pass Press Law

Updated: 10:19pm UK, Friday 30 November 2012

Gerry McCann has firmly pressed the Prime Minister to pass a new press law and urged him not to ignore the stories of the Leveson inquiry victims.

The father of missing Madeleine McCann said it was time for politicians to "do the right thing" and that if they did not do so his evidence would have been "almost useless".

Speaking the day after Lord Justice Leveson presented his proposals for a new watchdog, backed by law, Mr McCann said that the victims of press intrusion had given evidence to the inquiry so others would not suffer the same fate.

He said: "I think the only reason we went to Leveson was to effect change and if Leveson's report isn't implemented in full then I would say that giving evidence for all of the victims has been almost useless.

"For almost all the victims, the reason they were there was to stop other, ordinary people who were caught up in the most unfortunate circumstances suffering unnecessarily beyond what's happened to them.

"And I feel if Leveson is implemented we will be some way on that route."

In evidence to the inquiry last year, Mr McCann's wife, Kate, said she felt like "climbing into a hole and not coming out" after the personal diary she started in the wake of her daughter's disappearance was printed in the News Of The World.

The victims of phone hacking and press intrusion have launched an e-petition calling for all of Lord Justice Leveson's proposals for regulating the press to be implemented.

The actor Hugh Grant, Mr McCann and Chris Jefferies, a retired school teacher who won damages from eight newspapers who had linked him with the murder of Joanna Yeates in Bristol in December 2010, kicked off the Hacked Off campaign.

Mr Cameron has accepted a new independent watchdog is needed but rejected the call for new legislation to back it.

This has put him on a collision course with his coalition partners, the opposition and victims of press intrusion.

Earlier, Culture Secretary Maria Miller insisted the "principles" of Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations to reform the press could be met without statutory backing.

Ms Miller said the coalition was drafting new legislation to prove why the Prime Minister has "grave misgivings" about the idea and how it could curb "freedom of speech".

She told Sky News: "I feel very strongly you should have grave concerns about putting in place a piece of legislation which could have the effect in the long term of really bringing into question the ability to maintain freedom of speech in this country.

"But also on a practical level, we don't think it is necessary to have that statutory underpinning to achieve the objectives which we all agree on, which is to have strong, tough, independent self-regulation which is something that we need in this country to address the problems we have experienced in recent years."

Trevor Kavanagh, associate editor of The Sun, also warned such a move would be "the first step down the road to state intervention in the operation of newspapers".

"I think what the Prime Minister is doing is trying to safeguard freedom of the press. It is a hard won, hard fought for right and a freedom which dates back 300 years," he told Sky News.

On Thursday, Lord Justice Leveson condemned the "culture of reckless and outrageous journalism" that dominated sections of the press for decades as he unveiled the findings of his 16-month inquiry.

The Appeal Court judge called for a new watchdog with statutory underpinning to be given the power to require prominent apologies and impose fines of as much as £1m.

The three party leaders held talks on Thursday night and the negotiations will reconvene "soon". But the prospect of the consensus Mr Cameron says he wants to achieve appeared distant as all three parties continued to look at the fine detail of the 2,400-page report.

Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry was prompted by the disclosure that News Of The World journalists hacked the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler.

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Freddie Flintoff Wins First Heavyweight Fight

Andrew Flintoff has won his first heavyweight boxing match against Richard Dawson at the Manchester Arena.

Flintoff beat Dawson on points by 39-38 at the end of four two-minute rounds in front of a roaring crowd in his native North West.

The former England and Lancashire cricket star was afforded a hero's welcome by the 5,000-strong crowd.

But after taking the first round he was sent tumbling to the canvas by a punch from his American opponent early in the second.

Flintoff - who lost 20kg while training with former world champion Barry McGuigan - came back into the match as the heavier Dawson showed signs of tiredness.

And the Ashes winner showed impressive composure to take a narrow points win according to referee Phil Edwards' scorecard.

Flintoff recovered after being knocked to the canvas in the second round

The win was the perfect response to critics including promoter Frank Maloney, who said the fight would "shame the fight game".

Flintoff was thrilled to have made a winning return to the limelight.

"You mention the Ashes at international level, but as a personal achievement I think this is the best," he told Box Nation.

"It's something that isn't natural to me. I've had to work hard."

The 34-year-old, who has been training for four and a half months with McGuigan and his son Shane, added: "The feeling of being back in front of a crowd and winning at the end - I can't describe it.

"I wanted to experience it. The people around Manchester, and the county, supported me so well playing cricket. It was a no brainer to have it up here.

"The crowd made a massive difference. It's been amazing - humbling, really."

Flintoff's progress was charted in a Sky television documentary, where his commitment and dedication to achieving prime physical condition were clearly evident.

But doubts were raised by seasoned observers about the former all-rounder's technical boxing skills.

More than three years on from his last outing as a professional sportsman - helping England regain the Ashes from Australia at The Oval in 2009 while battling a knee injury that would ultimately curtail his career - Flintoff entered the ring wearing his old Lancashire Lightning one-day top.

The crowd favourite had tipped the scales at a trim 15st 6oz - giving Dawson a near two-stone weight advantage.

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Rotherham By-Election: Labour Secures Victory

Labour has held onto Rotherham in a parliamentary by-election which saw a surge towards the UK Independence Party and disastrous results for both coalition parties.

The Conservatives finished fifth behind not only UKIP but also the British National Party and Respect, while Tory candidate Simon Wilson only held onto his deposit by a whisker.

Liberal Democrat Michael Beckett came eighth and lost his deposit, trailing behind the English Democrats and an independent.

Labour's Sarah Champion won comfortably with 9,866 votes, a majority of 5,218 (24.46%) over UKIP.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Denis MacShane

The party's majority in a seat it has held since 1933 was marginally down on the 27.9% it recorded in the 2010 general election.

The Rotherham by-election was one of three staged in Labour-held seats on Thursday.

Labour's Andy McDonald held the seat of Middlesbrough with a large majority of 8,211, while the party also kept the Croydon North constituency.

The Rotherham poll was forced by the resignation of Denis MacShane in the wake of a report condemning him for abusing parliamentary expenses.

Labour described Ms Champion as a "clean break" candidate following the scandal surrounding Mr MacShane, and she becomes the first ever woman MP for the seat.

After the result was announced, Ms Champion urged the Government to "get Rotherham back to work".

"I've never stood for election before but when I see the damage David Cameron is doing to Rotherham I cannot stand and watch," she said.

She said she was not a career politician and will serve "not for what I can get out of it but what I can put into it".

On a turnout of 21,330 (33.63%), UKIP recorded its best ever by-election result with 4,648 votes (21.79%).

Jubilant UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: "Our previous best ever by-election result a fortnight ago was 14.3% and this one is comfortably over 20%. Whichever way you look at it, UKIP is on the rise."

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Leveson: Cameron Faces Political Fallout

David Cameron is facing one of the toughest challenges of his premiership as he wrestles with the political fallout triggered by Lord Justice Leveson's proposals to reform the press.

The Prime Minister is on a collision course with his coalition partners, the opposition and victims of press intrusion after indicating he will spike recommendations for a new independent regulatory body, backed by legislation.

On Thursday, Lord Justice Leveson condemned the "culture of reckless and outrageous journalism" that dominated sections of the press for decades as he unveiled the findings of his 16-month inquiry.

The Appeal Court judge called for a new watchdog with statutory underpinning to be given the power to require prominent apologies and impose fines of as much as £1m.

Mr Cameron immediately voiced "serious concerns and misgivings" about legislative action, and said the press should be given "a limited period of time" to show it could get its house in order.

But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he believed Leveson's model could be "proportionate and workable" and insisted Parliament should push ahead "without delay".

However, Culture Secretary Maria Miller echoed the PM's concerns.

Lord Justice Leveson unveiled his proposals for press reform on Thursday

She told Sky News: "I feel very strongly you should have grave concerns about putting in place a piece of legislation which could have the effect in the long term of really bringing into question the ability to maintain freedom of speech in this country.

"But also on a practical level, we don't think it is necessary to have that statutory underpinning to achieve the objectives which we all agree on, which is to have strong, tough, independent self-regulation which is something that we need in this country to address the problems we have experienced in recent years."

Most of Friday's newspapers focused on Mr Cameron's opposition to the key recommendation.

The Guardian said he had "defied" press victims, while the Daily Mirror said he had "backed a free press".

The Times said the Prime Minister had "spiked" proposals for a press law, and the Financial Times said he now had a political fight on his hands.

Labour leader Ed Miliband urged MPs to "have faith" in Leveson and said he would move for a vote in the Commons by the end of January to approve Leveson's proposals in principle, with the aim of getting the new system in place by 2015.

The three party leaders held talks last night and the negotiations will reconvene "soon". But the prospect of the consensus Mr Cameron says he wants to achieve appeared distant with Labour party sources insisting they will not negotiate on whether the recommendations go ahead - only how to implement them.

Labour claimed a concession after the PM said he would ask the Department of Culture to do some work on a draft bill to implement Leveson, but Downing Street insisted Mr Cameron had not "given an inch" and expected the exercise to make clear how complicated and far-reaching any new law would be.

All three parties will continue to look at the fine detail of the 2,400-page report today.

Lord Justice Leveson's 16-month inquiry was prompted by the disclosure that News Of The World  journalists hacked the phone of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, and his verdict condemned the behaviour of elements within the newspaper industry.

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Man Charged Over Rape Of 11-Year-Old Girl

An 18-year-old is to appear in court charged with the rape of an 11-year-old girl.

The girl was attacked on Friday, November 23 at around 4.30pm in Enfield, north London, as she walked home from school.

She was dragged into nearby Jubilee Park and raped.

The girl, who was wearing her school uniform returned home at around 8pm and taken to hospital. She had to undergo surgery for injuries sustained in the attack and is currently recovering in hospital.

Detective Inspector Simon Ellershaw said it was "a horrific and unusual attack of a defenceless schoolgirl".

She had been making her way home along her usual rout, one of Enfield's busiest shortcuts, at the beginning of the Friday afternoon rush hour when she was grabbed.

Opemipo Jaji, 18, has been charged with rape and attempted rape and will appear at Enfield Magistrates' Court later.

More follows...

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Leveson To Publish Report Into Press Ethics

Leveson Inquiry: The Options For Reform

Updated: 1:35am UK, Thursday 29 November 2012

Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations could radically change the way media organisations operate in the UK.

He has said he wants an independent body that could provide redress and a swift mechanism to resolve privacy and libel cases.

Those who complain of press harassment want a system that tackles invasions of privacy, inaccuracies and the culture that resulted in the phone hacking scandal.

But journalists and editors warn that freedom of expression will be threatened if a regulator with wide-ranging powers is set up.

Here are some of the options.

:: A "PCC-plus"

Lord Justice Leveson could call for a beefed-up Press Complaints Commission (PCC), with extra powers and resources to carry out inquiries and hand out punishments.

The general consensus is that the PCC's code of practice is a good foundation but many want it to have more power, amid criticism it has been "toothless".

Lord Black, chairman of the funding body for the PCC, has recommended a new body with the power to launch investigations and levy fines of up to £1m.

Current PCC chairman Lord Hunt of Wirral proposed turning the body into a true regulator of newspapers, with separate arms for dealing with complaints and enforcing standards.

A possible third arm could have the powers to mediate in disputes with newspapers and award compensation.

:: A PCC replacement combining self-regulation with a statutory framework

Lord Justice Leveson has stressed that he does not believe in the "binary" distinction between statutory regulation and self-regulation.

It has been suggested that a law should be passed forcing newspapers to sign up to the PCC or its successor.

Comments by the chairman during the hearings indicate he might be leaning towards the creation of an independent regulator backed by statutory powers.

These could include the ability to impose fines and insist on the prominence of corrections in papers, and a requirement to offer a "right to reply" to contentious articles.

:: Full statutory regulation

Some witnesses suggested the press should be subject to a much stricter regime, in the same way broadcasters are subject to watchdog Ofcom.

Ofcom has wide-ranging powers to investigate and penalise breaches of its detailed code - which includes strict clauses on impartiality and privacy - in TV and radio programmes.

Guardian journalists Nick Davies and David Leigh said they felt some newspapers are not capable of regulating themselves but statutory regulation was widely rejected as an option, especially by editors.

Lord Black, chairman of the Press Standards Board of Finance, suggested any form of statutory intervention would struggle to cope with the pace of change.

There is also the question of cost. Ofcom carries out many other roles, but its 2011/12 budget of £115.8m dwarfs the £2m annual bill for the PCC.

Lord Justice Leveson has repeatedly stressed that he does not support the licensing of journalists or newspapers by the state, and this option looks unlikely.

:: An arbitration service outside the court system

Media groups repeatedly complained about the huge cost of defending libel claims brought in the civil courts, and the chilling effect this has on serious journalism in the public interest.

Editors say "no-win, no-fee" arrangements mean they face potentially ruinous legal costs if they fight an action and lose.

On the other hand, the cost of bringing a claim can be too great for ordinary people, rendering them helpless.

Lord Justice Leveson has spoken of the merits of "a speedier, effective and sensible mechanism for all to use and for all to take the advantage of".

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet suggested a successor to the PCC could offer a mediation service dealing with libel and privacy.

Nick Davies called for the formation of an independent panel to give journalists and members of the public confidential advice on whether a story is in the public interest.

Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger argued for a Press Standards and Mediations Commission with an adjudication wing, so people would not have to go to the law to address any differences with newspapers.

:: A newspaper industry ombudsman

Press regulation could be split between the PCC, dealing with day-to-day complaints, and an ombudsman with wider powers to investigate and punish.

Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre argued for a new self-regulatory body, standing alongside the PCC, to deal with standards.

He suggested the ombudsman, perhaps a retired judge or civil servant advised by former newspaper editors, could launch his or her own inquiry into potential scandals, summon journalists and editors to give evidence, and impose fines in the most serious cases.

Lord Justice Leveson is said to have looked to Ireland's press watchdog as a possible two-tier model for a new system.

The Press Council of Ireland and the Press Ombudsman were set up as a two-pronged approach to media regulation in 2008, as an alternative to costly court battles.

The Press Ombudsman deals free-of-charge with complaints from the public, considers whether they are valid, then acts to resolve them through conciliation.

Where conciliation is not possible, the ombudsman makes a decision based on the Code of Practice for Newspapers and Magazines.

He has the option of referring "significant or complex complaints" directly to the 13-member strong Press Council, drawn from the public and the media industry, for decision.

:: A new privacy law

Britain already has statutes protecting privacy through its adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights, article 8 of which covers the "right to respect for private and family life".

But critics argue this has been left open to interpretation by judges, who have in recent years tended to side with celebrities whose personal peccadilloes have been aired in newspapers.

Some witnesses called for the UK to adopt a strong law protecting personal privacy as in France.

:: A "prior notification" law

Former Formula 1 chief Max Mosley has campaigned for a law requiring newspapers to notify the subjects of damaging articles before publication since he was the subject of a News Of The World expose.

Lord Justice Leveson has expressed an interest in whether journalists contact people and organisations before running negative stories about them.

But the European Court of Human Rights has already rejected Mr Mosley's proposal, which would have major implications for freedom of expression, and there appears to be no prospect of it being introduced.

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Alcohol: Ministers To Propose Minimum Pricing

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Cut-price alcohol deals could be banned in a new attempt by the Government to curb binge drinking.

The Home Office is expected to outline plans including a new minimum price for alcohol and an end to bulk-buy discounts.

It will launch a public consultation on the minimum price, thought to range from 40p to 50p per unit of alcohol.

At a unit price of 50p, the cheapest bottle of wine would rise in cost from around £3 to just under £5.

But Emily Robinson of Alcohol Concern said the "pocket-money prices" charged for booze have a long-term cost for the nation's health.

"Young people say it is cheaper to get drunk than go to the cinema," she said.

"So this is a measure that will target that group of people. It won't affect moderate drinkers much at all.

"And this is already costing us money. As taxpayers we are paying for the high costs in terms of policing, admissions to A&E and councils that have to clear up the mess."

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have studied the effect of setting a minimum price.

David Cameron is thought to support a minimum price policy of 40p a unit

Charging at least 50p a unit would reduce the number of crimes by 42,500 in the first year.

After 10 years the policy would have prevented 15,000 deaths and 481,000 hospital admissions.

And it would save £9.7bn in its first decade, the research shows.

But the Wine and Spirit Trade Association said there was no "real world" evidence that minimum pricing would work.

Spokesman Miles Beale said the measure was unfair.

"Minimum pricing is not targeted at all," he said. "The vast majority of us are responsible drinkers but it will apply to us nonetheless.

"If a minimum price of 50p was introduced then 74% of products on supermarket shelves would go up in price."

However, one of the 'big four' supermarkets has come out in support of minimum pricing.

Morrisons Finance Director Richard Pennycook told Jeff Randall Live: "The Government is doing something that everybody who sells alcohol has to comply with.

"That means we're all in the same boat and if they've taken the view that this is an important fiscal measure, one which is related to consumer health, then we are very supportive of it."

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Flood Warnings: Risk Of More Chaos To Come

Britain's rain-battered areas are braced for more flooding misery and chaos, despite a drop in rainfall.

The Environment Agency (EA) has warned of a continued risk of flooding across England as a week of torrential rainfall works its way through river systems.

A total of 173 flood warnings and 184 alerts remain in place - including two severe flood warnings - meaning a potential danger to life - for the River Elwy in the small city of St Asaph and the A55 to Rhuddlan in North Wales.

The EA has warned of a risk of flooding in Gloucester, Salisbury, Oxford, Sunbury, Abingdon and York, while mobile flood defences have been erected in Shrewsbury and Bewdley in Worcestershire.

It says areas around slow-responding rivers including the Thames, Trent and the Severn are at particular risk.

An RNLI life boat rescue residents in the flooded streets of St Asaph

It also remains particularly concerned about the River Nene in Northamptonshire and Peterborough.

St Asaph is the latest to be devastated by the floods, after the River Elwy reached a record high of 14ft 3in (4.35m) and burst through flood defences - making it more than 3ft (1m) deeper than its previous record of 11ft 4in (3.47m) in November 2009.

Hundreds of people spent the night away from their homes and were waking up to another day of devastation.

Large swathes of the Riverside cricket ground next to the River Wear in Chester-le-Street, where England will play Australia next summer, are under water.

A pedestrian pushes his bike through flood water in Tewkesbury

Thousands of motorists and train services are subject to hold-ups and reduced services in the West Country and the North East.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned after the body of an elderly woman was discovered inside a flooded home.

She was discovered at noon by officers conducting hour-to-house checks in the Tair Felin area.

North Wales Police said there were no suspicious circumstances and her death was being treated as unexplained.

Four people have died since the latest bout of wet weather struck.

Flood waters in Oxford

Since last Wednesday, around 900 people in England and Wales have fled their water-logged homes after heavy rain left many properties uninhabitable and caused road and rail chaos.

Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to take a "tough approach" on negotiations with insurers over homes in danger of flooding.

Up to 200,000 high risk properties could be priced out of affordable cover when a deal struck in 2000 between the then Labour government and insurers ends next summer.

On a visit to flood-ravaged homes in Buckfastleigh, Devon, Mr Cameron told residents the Government would do everything to "help them with the recovery".

"We have to make sure their insurance pays out, make sure the Environment Agency puts in place good flood defences, make sure there are better warning schemes," he said.

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Eurozone And IMF Reach Greece Debt Deal

Eurozone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund have reached an agreement on Greek debt, which paves the way for the release of much-needed loans.

After nearly 10 hours of talks, it was agreed that the country's public debt should fall to 124% of GDP in 2020 through a package of extra debt cutting measures.

The deal emerged in Brussels after a meeting of finance ministers from the 17 eurozone countries, the European Central Bank and the IMF on how to make Greek debt sustainable - their third meeting on the issue in as many weeks.

"It's going very slow, but we have financing and a Debt Sustainability Analysis. We've filled the financing gap until the end of programme in 2014," one official said, adding that talks on the details of the debt cutting measures with the IMF were still ongoing.

The deal is a breakthrough towards releasing the next tranche of loans to Greece after its 31.2bn (£25bn) aid package was suspended in the summer over concerns it was not meeting the conditions of its bailout programme.

The Greek finance minister Yannis Stournaras said earlier that Athens had fulfilled its part of the deal by enacting tough austerity measures and economic reforms, and it was now up to the lenders to do their part.

The IMF has said Greece's debt as a proportion of GDP must be cut to around 120% by 2020, from a forecast 190% next year, for it to be manageable in the long term.

It was not immediately clear how the debt would be reduced from its currently forecast level of 144% in 2020 to the target, but it is expected to involve a series of measures including the lowering of interest rate on loans to Greece.

Last week Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras criticised the failure to deliver bailout funds to Athens after 12 hours of emergency talks among the eurozone finance ministers and representatives of the troika of lenders had ended without agreement.

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Weather: Britain Braced For More Flood Chaos

Rain-battered Britain is bracing itself for further flood chaos as the heavy rain that has brought misery to thousands of residents and motorists continues to fall across the UK.

The Environment Agency has 208 flood warnings and 277 flood alerts in place across England, Wales and Scotland.

Persistent rain hit water-logged communities through the night, increasing the risk of rivers flooding in some areas.

The torrential downpours spread from the South West to North Wales and northern England, with winds reaching up to 55mph.

At a housing estate in St Asaph, north Wales, 40 houses were flooded after the River Elwy burst its banks overnight.

According to the police the river has overflowed south of the town on to fields. 

A flooded house, close to the River Trent in Willington, central England

Water levels in the town are still rising and several main roads through the town have been shut. 

Local residents have said they don't remember the area flooding since the 60s.

Some were seen using a canoe to try and get some of their possessions out of their home.

Vincent Jones was asked by rescue services to evacuate his home in the early hours of the morning.

A flooded playing field in Tewkesbury, in south western England

"I had a knock at 12.30am to say there was an imminent flood, and then at 4.30 we were told to leave. When I left, within an hour the water had engulfed us.

"I put some personal possessions upstairs and made sure we took the children to safety. My sister in law on the other side of St Asaphhas taken the kids in.

"I'm absolutely devasted. I don't have insurance. It doesn't bear thinking about at the minute. My kids are safe, we'll just have to plod on and sort it out one way or another".

The Environment Agency say around 100 people could be affected in the town although some flood defences installed in the area, designed to cope with up to 4m of water, appear to be holding.

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson expressed sympathy with the residents in St Asaph residents but said most of the flood defences in the UK had held up well.

"We offer our sympathy's to all those affected. I did see that our flood schemes in the south west are protecting properties. 6,000 key properties were protected in Exeter despite a torrent of water. 15,000 properties in the country are being protected.

"We're spending £2.17bn on flood defences over this spending round. We've opened up new arrangement partnerships with local councils and these flood schemes provide real benefits.

"It's bitterly disappointing and awful for residences who feel safe behind defences which then fail. I can't comment on what's happened in St Asaph because I need to get the details of what's happened there.

"The vast majority of the schemes we've built are designed to withstand floods except under extraordinary circumstances".

Across the UK, three people have died in the flooding and around 900 homes have been evacuated following a weekend of almost non-stop rain.

There is still a risk of flooding, as the heavy rain in northern England and Wales moves southwards. But the wind and rain are expected to ease over the next few days which are expected to be drier, with freezing temperatures taking hold of the UK instead.

The EA remains particularly concerned about the River Thames, Trent and the Severn, as well as the Northamptonshire area.

The A417 at Maisemore has already flooded and is closed, while the River Severn at Tewkesbury is expected to peak at 4.8m - a metre less than its peak in 2007.

The continued flooding risk comes after claims on Monday that hundreds of thousands of homes could be left without flood cover due to a row between ministers and the insurance industry over how future flooding bills would be covered.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) had claimed that talks about a "safety net" deal to ensure those in flood-risk areas can continue to afford their policies were at "crisis point".

But Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said talks were ongoing - and that ministers were committed to securing a good deal for both householders and the taxpayer.

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'Shocking Scenes' Of Storm-Hit Britain

Heavy rain will continue to deluge parts of the South West today - but the worst of the weather will move to North Wales and the North East.

There are nearly 300 flood warnings and 300 flood alerts in place right across the country, after a weekend of almost non-stop pouring rain left at least 800 homes swamped with water.

The rain and strong winds left three people dead, forced hundreds from their homes and brought chaos to the roads.

Prime Minister David Cameron vowed he would "ensure everything is being done to help".

Parts of Devon and Cornwall are the worst hit so far - but hundreds of other areas have also been affected, with the South and the Midlands getting badly hit.

One severe flood warning - the highest alert possible - remains in place for the River Cober in Helston, Cornwall. At one point over the weekend, four were in place.

Thousands of motorists have had to be rescued from water-logged roads over the past few days.

Rainfall is estimated to be around 15mm across the spine of Britain today, less than the 30mm of rain in parts of the West Country, but meteorologists said it would offer little respite to homeowners keen to begin cleaning up.

A car becomes completely submerged after attempting to cross a ford

Mr Cameron wrote on Twitter: "Shocking scenes of flooding in Cornwall and around the country. Govt will help ensure everything is being done to help."

A 21-year-old woman was killed in Western Way, Exeter, after becoming trapped under a fallen tree which injured two others.

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the dead woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large oak tree that had been there for ... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down."

Her death follows that of a man on Thursday, who died when his car became wedged under a bridge near a ford in Rectory Fields, Chew Stoke, Somerset.

A 50-year-old man, named as Kevin Wilkinson, also died after falling into a canal in Watford on Saturday.

A man rows through a car park in Keynsham, Somerset

Both the RAC and AA breakdown services reported surges in flood-related call-outs as roads and highways across the country have been closed due to perilous standing water.

But that has not deterred many motorists from taking their chances.

In Warwickshire three people became stranded on the roof of a four-wheel drive after deciding to go off-road driving.

Police issued a post on Twitter to say the men had been shouting abuse at those who tried to come to their aid. They were eventually rescued by boat.

Nathan Hudson, of West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: "People who attempt to pass through flooded roads are not only putting their own lives at risk, but also the lives of the emergency services staff who have to rescue them.

"A little bit of common sense from the public will ensure that no one's life is put in any unnecessary danger."

A homeless women died after being crushed by a tree in Exeter

National Rail said the severe weather is disrupting services across the South West.

Trains were cancelled between Exeter St Davids and Yeovil Junction because of a landslip at Honiton and flooding near Axminster in Devon, and replacement buses were cancelled because of severe flooding on local roads. The route is expected to reopen today, subject to no further damage.

Nearly 71,000 properties have been told they could be at risk, according to the Environment Agency.

In Lostwithiel residents piled sandbags at their doors as they feared the River Fowey would burst its banks overnight. Sky News' Charlotte Lomas said that the Cornish town was bracing for more heavy rain.

"It won't take much to increase river levels again and yet again there will be another danger of heavy flooding here," she said.

Jo Wheeler, Sky News Weather Presenter, said: "The heaviest rain has now moved north, and there'll be a period of some hours before further wet weather is likely.

"Meanwhile, the storm system has taken the wettest weather into central, eastern and northern parts of England."

"And the strongest winds are to the south and east of the system, with gale force gusts for eastern England, East Anglia and the south-east.  These blustery conditions will also abate as the low pressure system clears away into the North Sea."

Environment Minister Richard Benyon met with people in Malmesbury on Sunday where three feet (90cm) of water was reported in some parts of the Wiltshire town.

He described the clear-up work as "heroic", adding: "While many houses have been flooded, some haven't because of the efforts of these people.

"The Government's job, first of all is to make sure people are as prepared as possible with a changing climate... for these extremes of weather. Secondly, we've got to continue building flood defences."

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UBS Fined £27m Over London Rogue Trader

The City watchdog has fined Swiss investment bank UBS £29.7m after London rogue trader Kweku Adoboli caused £1.4bn losses through unauthorised trading.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) fined the bank for system and control failings within its corporate structure.

The FSA originally fined UBS £42.4m but discounted the penalty for early settlement.

At one point, Adoboli had stood to run up losses of £7.5bn for his employer.

The FSA said in a statement: "The systems and controls failings revealed serious weaknesses in the firm's procedures, management systems and internal controls."

It added: "UBS failed to take reasonable care to organise and control its affairs responsibly and effectively, with adequate risk management systems.

"And failed to conduct its business from the London branch with due skill, care and diligence."

In a damning judgment of UBS' internal controls, the FSA said the bank's computerised risk management system was "not effective".

It said Adoboli exploited "significant deficiencies" in the disparate trading system to conceal his unauthorised trades.

Last week Adoboli, once a rising star City trader, was found guilty by a London court of the biggest fraud in British history.

The 32-year-old admitted to the bad trades, but denied any wrongdoing.

Adoboli was convicted of two counts of fraud by abuse of position linked to the £1.4bn loss, but jurors cleared him of four counts of false accounting between October 2008 and September 2011.

Judge Mr Justice Keith, sentencing, told Adoboli: "There is a strong streak of the gambler in you. You were arrogant enough to think the bank's rules for traders did not apply to you."

"The fact is you are profoundly unselfconscious of your own failings."

He sentenced Adoboli to seven years for one count of fraud and four years for the other, to be served concurrently.

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PM 'Open-Minded' On Leveson's Press Report

David Cameron is said to be keeping an "open mind" about the future regulation of the press and will make no decisions before he has seen Lord Justice Leveson's much-anticipated report.

Downing Street has rejected any suggestion that the Prime Minister has already decided to rule out full-blown state regulation following reports he is heading for a showdown with Lord Justice Leveson when he delivers his report into the findings about the British press.

The Mail On Sunday claimed Mr Cameron would back a new, tougher model of self-regulation to replace the Press Complaints Commission - but with the threat that a statutory system could be brought in later if matters do not improve.

The Leveson report is supposed to be shrouded in secrecy until its publication on Thursday.

Mr Cameron and some other senior Government figures will have access to it on Wednesday so that he can make a substantive response when it is released.

"The Prime Minister is open-minded about Lord Justice Leveson's report and will read it in full before he makes any decision about what to do," a spokesman said.

The Prime Minister himself gave evidence to the inquiry

Victims of press intrusion are calling for an independent regulator, backed up by law, while editors fear that statutory regulation could serve only to limit press freedom.

Mr Cameron set up the inquiry in July last year in response to revelations that the News Of The World (NOTW) commissioned a private detective to hack murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler's phone after she disappeared in 2002.

This Thursday's report follows the first part of the Leveson Inquiry looking at the culture, practices and ethics of the press, and will include recommendations for press regulation.

Members of campaign group Hacked Off, including victims of press intrusion, want an independent regulator - possibly backed up by law to ensure newspapers comply.

Hacked Off director Professor Brian Cathcart said they wanted "something effective that will make a difference" - probably backed by law to give it the necessary "clout" - but said if the chairman found a way of doing that without law, they would be happy as long as it was effective.

Lord Justice Leveson's report will be published on Thursday

But Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society Of Editors, called for "proportionality", saying he hoped Lord Justice Leveson had not only taken the "headline evidence" into account.

"Some of the points that came out were absolutely dreadful and nobody is trying to hide away from the fact that there were some pieces of behaviour in some parts of the press that were quite appalling," he said.

"But it's got to be seen in context - we want to see some proportionality."

Former Crimewatch presenter Jacqui Hames, who was placed under NOTW surveillance along with her husband, said victims wanted to "draw a line under all this".

"We want to be able to trust our journalists again and pick up our newspapers and be confident that what we're reading is accurate and it hasn't been obtained illegally or at the detriment of somebody's life," she said.

"We have a fantastic historical tradition of newspapers and journalism in this country and I would love to see that restored.

"It's a fantastic opportunity to look to the future so that in 50 years' time people will look back and see this as a pivotal moment and a restoration of faith in our free press."

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Wild Weather: Falling Tree Kills Woman

A woman has been killed by a falling tree in Exeter, Devon, after authorities warned of "serious threats to life and property" from flooding in southwest England.

The 21-year-old woman was trapped by the fallen tree about 11:50pm on Saturday night near the junction of Western Way and Barnfield Road in Exeter.

Police said the tree fell across a wall and onto the roadway, injuring the woman and two men.

The men were treated at the scene, while the woman was taken to hospital, where she later died.

Inspector Andrew Webber of Devon and Cornwall Police told Sky News that the deceased woman had been living in a small tent sheltered against a wall at the roadside.

"It was a very large tree that had been there for... many years. Obviously we've had lots of heavy weather, it's been raining an awful lot, and the tree for whatever reason came down," he said.

"It's taken a wall with it when it came down, and then on top of that the tent was underneath and the tree has fallen on to the tent.

The site of a fallen tree in Exeter, where a 21-year-old woman died

"There are two males involved with minor injuries and obviously a poor lady of 21 who received fatal injuries at the time."

The Environment Agency had earlier warned of "serious threats to life and property" across regions of southwest England.

Severe flood warnings have been issued for Helston, Polperro, and Perranporth, and for the River Fowey from Trekeivesteps to Lostwithiel.

At Polperro, south Cornwall, the level of the River Pol has been recorded at 0.40 metres. The typical level is between 0.00 metres and 0.25 metres.

Special "rest centres" have been set up in the worst-hit villages, allowing families to shelter overnight as floodwater surges through the rural West Country.

Emergency services and rescue crews have met council bosses in an effort to spread the message about the danger to life and property, following nearly four days of rainfall.

Across the region, roads were closed for safety reasons and others were impassable as rain saturated highways, and debris blocked lanes.

Rising floodwaters in Millbrook, Cornwall (Pic: Matt Skinner)

Devon and Cornwall Police have warned people not to go to flood affected areas, adding that the worst of the rain appeared to be moving away from Cornwall towards Devon.

Sergeant Gary Watts tweeted: "Severe means risk to life. Please pay heed!"

"Flash flooding can take you by surprise and kill. If you have to be out don't take risks."

Cornwall Council announced on Twitter that the river had burst its banks at Ladock, and warned local residents to take precautions.

Severe warnings are also in place at Bolingey Stream from Bolingey to Perranporth, and at the River Cober, in Helston.

Emergency teams have been working to shore up defences, deploy temporary barriers, monitor river levels, clear blockages from watercourses and pump-out flood water from towns.

The rest of Britain is also bracing itself for more flooding and travel disruption, with forecasters predicting further heavy downpours.

A deep area of low pressure has moved in, bringing more heavy rain to areas already badly hit by Thursday's downpours.

Floodwaters surge through Penzance, Cornwall

Sky weather producer Joanna Robinson said: "England and Wales could see 15 to 25mm quite widely, with up to 60mm possible in some spots.

"Between 6am and 6pm yesterday 47mm of rain fell at St Mary's (Isles of Scilly), 28mm at Culdrose and Plymouth and 17mm at Exeter and Bournemouth.

"We can expect 30 to 40mm of rain quite widely across south Wales and the West Country overnight, with up to 60mm locally, particularly across Devon and Cornwall. 

"Elsewhere across England and Wales there will be up to 25mm of rain, with lower amounts across Scotland, but local flooding remains a risk there after such a wet week.

"Gusts up to 70mph are expected for coastal areas of southeast England, with inland gusts of 60mph. There is also the potential for some damage, particularly as the ground is saturated.

"It will be very windy across other southern areas, but the south-east is likely to see the strongest winds."

Network Rail said trains were likely to be suspended between Exeter and Bristol until Monday.

Flooding in Newlyn, Cornwall (Pic: Adam Gibbard)

The latest downpours came after the majority of the UK was battered by storms on Thursday, leaving hundreds of drivers stranded and thousands of homes without power.

More than 100 people had to be evacuated as winds reached more than 86mph.

An elderly man also died after becoming trapped in his 4x4 in floods in Chew Stoke in Somerset.

Three other people had a lucky escape after their car was swept down a swollen river in Warwickshire. The vehicle was carried more than 500 metres before a farmer managed to pull it to the water's edge.

In Torquay, Devon, several homes were evacuated after a landslide. Part of a cliff face was hit by a landslip after netting was washed away.

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