British Teacher Held Hostage In Libya Freed

A British teacher who was being held hostage by militants in Libya has been released and reunited with his family.

David Bolam, who worked at the International School in Benghazi, was abducted earlier this year.

His kidnapping had not been reported at the request of his family and the Foreign Office.

Although it has not been officially confirmed who his captors were, a group calling itself the Army of Islam, a faction in Libya, released an online video of Mr Bolam dated 28 August pleading for his release.

The 53-second video showed him sitting in a room wearing a white T-shirt.

In it, he said: "My name is David Richard Bolam. I am a British citizen. I am a teacher.

"My health is good at the moment. I have been here a very long time."

He went on to plead for Britain to arrange a prisoner exchange or other diplomatic initiative to secure his release.

The Foreign Office said: "We are glad that David Bolam is safe and well after his ordeal, and that he has been reunited with his family.

"We have been supporting his family since he was taken.

"We do not comment on the detail of hostage cases. The family have asked for privacy."

There are unconfirmed reports a ransom was paid through "unofficial channels" in exchange for Mr Bolam's release.

The Foreign Office confirmed the Government had paid no money, saying: "HMG never pays ransoms. It is illegal to pay ransoms to a terrorist group."

While several Western governments have paid money to secure the release of hostages held by militants, the UK and US governments have a policy of refusing demands for ransoms.

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Alice Gross: Body Found In Hunt For Suspect

Police say a body found in west London may be that of Arnis Zalkalns, the main suspect in the murder of schoolgirl Alice Gross.

The "early indications" are that the badly decomposed body could be that of Zalkalns, who has been missing since the start of September, the Metropolitan Police said.

According to unconfirmed reports, the dead man was found hanged.

The convicted killer is the prime suspect in the disappearance of the 14-year-old, who was found dead in the River Brent on Tuesday following an extensive search.

An area of Boston Manor Park in west London has been cordoned off - a mile from where Alice's body was recovered.

In a statement the Met said: "Although no formal identification has been made early indications suggest the body may be that of Arnis Zalkalns. We have updated his partner and a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) is supporting her.

Video: CCTV Footage Shows Alice Suspect

"Due to the nature of the surrounding area specialist resources will be required to assist with the recovery of the body."

Some people living near the park have voiced their alarm at the discovery.

Ingrid Zalalis, 46, who was with her daughter, said: "This is our park, we come here for walks. We also go on our bicycles near the canal, and spent a lot of time looking there after Alice went missing.

"There are areas in these woods where people don't go.

"The police searched the park a while ago and I don't think they found anything then."

A 57-year-old called Zahra said: "I used to like this park, but now I feel it's not a safe place.

Video: Alice Gross Police Statement

"I have been very upset about Alice Gross, I couldn't sleep when the body was found."

Police say they are still working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crime, and have repeated their appeal to members of the public for any information that could help their investigation.

Zalkalns was filmed cycling along the same route behind Alice on the day she failed to return to her home in Hanwell on 28 August.

He was reported as missing just days later.

The 41-year-old worked at a building site in Isleworth, west London, and is thought to have come to the UK in 2007.

Authorities faced criticism for apparently holding no record of his conviction for bludgeoning and stabbing his wife Rudite to death in Latvia.

Video: Alice Gross Suspect's Home Searched

It also emerged Zalkalns was arrested in London on suspicion of indecent assault on a 14-year-old girl in 2009, but was never charged.

Alice was last seen on CCTV walking along the Grand Union Canal towards Hanwell at 4.26pm on August 28.

A post-mortem examination on the schoolgirl was inconclusive and further tests are to be carried out to find out how she died.

Police said "significant efforts" were taken to conceal her body in the water.

Zalkalns had not accessed his bank account or used his mobile phone since September 3, nor had he returned home to his partner and young child in Ealing. He also left behind his passport.

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PM's Pledge For Seven-Day Access To GPs

David Cameron will guarantee every NHS patient access to a GP seven days a week by 2020 under plans to be unveiled at the Conservative Party conference.

The Prime Minister is expected to announce a £100m spending boost to improve access to family doctors should the Tories win next year's election.

The plans seek to ensure more people will be able to see their GP between 8am and 8pm on weekdays and weekends.

GPs will also take responsibility for individual patients as part of a new GP contract being launched by NHS Employers.

Mr Cameron is expected to say: "People need to be able to see their GP at a time that suits them and their family.

"That's why we will make sure everyone can see a GP seven days a week.

A £100m spending boost will be announced to improve access to GPs

"We will also support thousands more GP practices to stay open longer, giving millions of patients better access to their doctor.

"This is only possible because we've taken difficult decisions to reduce inefficient and ineffective spending elsewhere as part of our long-term economic plan.

"You can't fund the NHS if you don't have a healthy, growing economy.

"This will help secure a better future for Britain, where people can be confident that when they or their loved ones need it, our NHS will be there for them."

:: David Cameron will talk to Sky News at 7.30am. Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132 and Freesat channel 202.

The announcement comes after Chancellor George Osborne claimed the Tories, not Labour, are "the real party of the NHS".

Last year Mr Cameron set up a Challenge Fund for GP access which allocated £50m to 20 health groups.

Under a second wave of proposed funding, practices will be able to bid for awards from the extra £100m fund.

Mr Cameron says people need access to GPs at times that suit them

Sky's Political Editor Faisal Islam said the NHS is set to be "front and centre" of the campaign leading up to next year's election.

"This is a new front, the NHS. They (the Conservatives) won't cede this ground to Labour," he said.

"They are convinced that if Labour is ahead on the NHS in polling and behind on the economy, they have to have a strong promise on the NHS.

"This is the beginning of what we will get and it's going to be a continuing battle."

But the commitment has already drawn criticism from Labour, which argues the government has made it "harder, not easier" for patients to get a GP appointment.

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: "David Cameron made an almost identical announcement this time last year but, in the 12 months since, he has made it harder, not easier, to get a GP appointment.

"After the election, David Cameron scrapped Labour's GP appointment guarantee and cut support for evening and weekend opening. His broken promises on the NHS have caught up with him."

On Monday, Mr Osbourne announced a two-year freeze on benefits for those who could be working.

Mr Osborne said Britain can no longer afford to be a country where £100bn is spent on paying benefits for those of working age.

"Families out of work should not get more than the average family in work," he said.

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GP Practices Face Closure Over Dangerous Care

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Up to 200 GP practices across England face the threat of closure for providing potentially dangerous care to thousands of patients, the chief inspector of family doctors has warned.

In his first major broadcast interview, Professor Steve Field told Sky News that a handful of surgeries would be shut down straight away after being found guilty of "serious failings".

And he said scores more would be given a year to improve - or face being closed down as well.

The warning comes as the Conservatives promise to invest an extra £100m a year to provide seven-day GP cover.

Prof Field said most severe problems were found in single doctor practices

Prof Field, the Chief Inspector of GPs for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), said preliminary inspections suggested that up to 200 of the 8,000 practices in England are failing.

Problems included:

:: Late referrals for patients suspected of suffering from cancer, with potentially fatal consequences

:: Wrong medicines being prescribed to patients

:: Over-prescription of antibiotics

:: Child vaccinations not being stored in fridges, putting hundreds at risk

:: Out of date and unhygienic premises

:: Staff shortages and "chaotic management"

Prof Field said that the most severe problems were found in isolated, single doctor practices. "The writing is on the walls" for these type of practices, he said.

Up to 200 GP practices across England are facing the threat of closure

In many of these cases he said the problems had been known about for years, but authorities had not acted.

Prof Field's team have been carrying out pilot checks on surgeries for the past year.

Last December it was revealed that one such check had found maggots at a surgery in Nottinghamshire.

Prof Field said that preliminary results following this process suggested that 2% were failing with large variations in standards of care.

He added that when the inspections were first launched almost one third of practices were struggling to achieve all of the basic standards.

That number had now dropped to below 20%, he said.

Prof Field vowed to act against unsafe surgeries even if politicians protested at the closure of their local practices.

"While there is a small number of practices which are very worrying - probably looking at only about 2% - they can affect hundreds or thousands of patients potentially. So this is very serious.

Many other practices will be given a year to improve

"For the small number of practices [providing unsafe care] they will either improve or they will cease to practice. We will remove their registration."

Prof Field said that the 160 to 200 surgeries found to be failing would be given extra support from NHS England to help them improve.

"Unfortunately there are some ... which have gone on for years failing and people haven't drawn a line and said enough is enough. For those we will take urgent action.

"General Practice is the jewel in our crown and we're undermined by a small percentage of GPs who are not providing the care our patients deserve."

All 8,000 practices in England face inspections from next month and the CQC's findings will be published under a new Ofsted-style regime.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of BMA GP committee, said: "We know that  a lot of GPs are working in an environment that is extremely difficult and challenging, in premises that are not fit for purpose.

"And yet they cannot find another place to work in because there are no funds to relocate them. It would not be right to criticise or blame them for factors outside their control."

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RAF Jets Poised To Strike Jihadists In Iraq

British fighter jets could begin airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Iraq as early as today after MPs overwhelmingly backed action.

Parliament gave approval by 524 votes to 43 (a massive majority of 481) for Britain to join the US-led coalition in the Middle East.

The vote came after Prime Minister David Cameron said IS forces are "psychopathic terrorists trying to kill us".

Labour MP Rushanara Ali immediately resigned from the party's front bench after the result was announced.

Labour leader Ed Miliband told her afterwards: "I know that you have thought long and hard about this. I respect and accept your resignation."

Ian McKenzie, the Labour MP for Inverclyde, was sacked as a parliamentary aide to Shadow Defence Secretary Vernon Coaker for voting against military action.

Britain has six Tornado GR4 fighter bombers in Cyprus ready to strike northern Iraq, a figure which Cabinet minister Kenneth Clarke said would make the UK's military contribution "almost symbolic".

The planes, which have been in RAF Akrotiri for the past six weeks carrying out surveillance missions in the Middle East, could begin airstrikes over the weekend.

Labour MP Rushanara Ali immediately resigned after the result was announced

Defence Minister Michael Fallon told Sky News: "You're not going to see immediate military action - a wave of shock and awe or anything like that ... not tonight no, absolutely not.

"We have to select our targets in accordance with the American and international effort that's going on in Iraq.

"There's fighting around these towns - we have to fit in to the day-to-day fighting and see where we can help best."

It came as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said US-led airstrikes had already worsened a dire humanitarian crisis in Iraq and Syria.

Mr Cameron told the Commons debate that Islamist militants "have already murdered one British hostage" and are "threatening the lives of two more".

He described IS, which has invaded large areas of Syria and Iraq, as "a terrorist organisation unlike those we have dealt with before".

He said: "The brutality is staggering - beheadings, crucifixions, the gouging out of eyes, the use of rape as a weapon, the slaughter of children. All of these things belong to the dark ages."

During the six-and-a-half-hour debate, Mr Miliband said he understood the deep unease about taking military action, but said the UK could not stand by in the face of the threat from IS, also known as ISIL.

An RAF Tornado GR4 carrying Storm Shadow missiles

"ISIL is not simply a murderous organisation; it has ambitions for a state of its own - a caliphate across the Middle East, run according to their horrific norms and values," he said.

But in a typically firebrand intervention, outspoken Respect MP George Galloway said bombing would not work, and stressed the need to strengthen ground forces in the region.

He said: "ISIL is a death cult, it's a gang of terrorist murderers. It's not an army and it's certainly not an army that's going to be destroyed by aerial bombardment."

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, backed UK airstrikes, telling the House of Lords: "The action proposed today is right."

But he warned "we must not rely on a short-term solution" and a wider effort was needed to turn extremists away from the "evil of ISIL".

On Thursday, the Cabinet unanimously backed military action against IS, which could last up to three years.

The PM was desperate to avoid the embarrassment of the Commons defeat on Syria airstrikes last year, and tabled a cautiously-worded motion intended to win support from all parties for action in Iraq.

Overnight, the US continued to hit suspected IS positions in Syria for a fifth consecutive day of attacks.

The Pentagon said the raids had disrupted lucrative oil-pumping operations that have helped fund IS militants, but that a final victory would need an on-the-ground campaign.

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Iraq: Islamic State Threat Is World's Problem

Iraq's deputy prime minister has told Sky News that it is the "duty of the world" to stand up against Islamic State extremists.

Saleh al Mutlaq also said he welcomed the UK parliament's decision to back airstrikes against the militants in his country.

He said that IS was "not just the problem of Iraq. It is the problem of all countries".

"Outsiders" from nations including Britain, Australia and the Emirate countries were fighting for IS and the coalition aerial raids should target militias as well as the jihadist group, he claimed.

Mr al Mutlaq said: "It is an invitation for every country which can participate in this coalition to do what they can in order to get rid of IS forever.

"Iraq is now fighting on behalf of the world."

More follows...

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Fathers Of Iraq War Dead Split Over Raids

By David Bowden, Senior Correspondent

Few are better equipped to have an opinion on the wisdom or otherwise of sending British troops into action again in Iraq, than John Miller and John Hyde.

Both lost a son during the last Iraq war.

Both live with the consequences every day, trying to find answers, trying to stay strong for their families and particularly their wives, Marilyn and Sandra, who struggle, even now with losing their boys.

Corporal Simon Miller, 21, and Lance Corporal Ben Hyde, 23, were two of the six Red Caps, Royal Military Police, brutally killed by an angry mob in Majar al Kabir in southern Iraq on 24 June 2003.

Despite sharing such devastating losses in the fight to topple Saddam Hussein more than a decade ago, the two Johns have opposing views today on whether UK forces should intervene once again in the fate of Iraq.

Sitting in his spotless kitchen in Washington, Tyne and Wear, watched over by a poster-sized photograph of his fallen son, John Miller told me RAF airstrikes would only "fuel the fire" of extremists planning terrorist atrocities.

John Miller fears further military action in Iraq could fuel extremism

He says the UK and America should leave Arab states to take the lead on military intervention.

"We look at how the Arab world sees the Western world, particularly Britain and America, over what happened in Iraq and it's only fuelling the fire. It's a recruiting programme.

"The securest thing for our countries would be not to be involved and it will not give them any reason to want to commit a terrorist attack in our country."

Mr Miller believes we have already opened what he calls "Pandora's box" in the Middle East and we will never be able to close it again.

He fears his son Simon and all those other British soldiers who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan may have died in vain.

The UK could join US airstrikes as soon as this weekend

Islamic State and their brothers in arms, he says, are the consequence of the West's folly and further involvement will bring further UK casualties.

"I for one do not want to see another coffin draped in the Union Jack coming back to Brize Norton (RAF Airforce base), somebody else's family ruined for the rest of their lives for something we can't and never will be able to solve."

An hour down the road in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, John Hyde is more measured in his assessment of the prospect of UK airstrikes.

He speaks quietly because his wife Sandra has already gone to bed. It's only 8.30pm , but she finds any media discussion of Ben too harrowing to face.

He is in favour of any assistance the UK can offer in Iraq with the exception of "boots on the ground".

"Anything short of that we should give," he says.

John Hyde thinks the UK should provide Iraq with all the support it can

"Training troops, advice, air support, anything we can give, because in the end the outcome must be positive.

"It's an international problem and I think it is something the international community should solve."

Mr Hyde channels much of his energy into running a memorial trust in honour of Ben, which has so far raised more than £100,000.

He often doesn't go to bed until 4am because he's working on his computer.

The screensaver - a picture of his dead son in his dress uniform.

There is no shortage of other memorabilia too; a sequence of pictures of Ben as a young boy, a commemorative certificate signed by the Queen and even a small wooden box with a brass plaque containing Ben's DNA, which had been held by the Ministry of Defence.

The Millers' home also proudly displays mementos of their son, Simon, who died for Queen and Country and who fills their thoughts every single day.

The Millers and the Hydes are just two of the hundreds of families of fallen soldiers who have given their lives fighting Britain's wars in the past decade.

Doubtless every single one of them will have their own views on whether more UK forces should put themselves in harm's way this time around.

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