Obese Could Lose Benefits Unless They Diet

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

Obese people could lose benefits if they refuse to diet, under a £500m crackdown on disability handouts ordered by David Cameron.

Drug addicts and alcoholics could also lose benefits if they refuse treatment that would help them get a job, in a move aimed at stopping people claiming as a "lifestyle" choice.

"Too many people are stuck on sickness benefits because of issues that could be addressed but instead are not," said the Prime Minister.

"Some have drug or alcohol problems, but refuse treatment.

"In other cases people have problems with their weight that could be addressed, but instead a life on benefits rather than work becomes the choice.

"It is not fair to ask hardworking taxpayers to fund the benefits of people who refuse to accept the support and treatment that could help them get back to a life of work.

"The next Conservative government is determined to make sure that the hardest to help get the support they need to get them back to a fulfilling life."

Ministers estimate there are almost 100,000 people claiming sickness benefits on the grounds of treatable conditions such as drug or alcohol addiction, or obesity.

At present, there is no requirement for such people to undertake treatment, meaning it is possible to claim without making efforts at recovery.

Of the 2.5 million claiming sickness benefits, about 1.5 million have been claiming for more than five years.

Mr Cameron says he has asked Professor Dame Carol Black to undertake a rapid review in to how best to help those suffering from long-term yet treatable conditions back in to work.

"In particular, I have asked her to consider whether people should face the threat of a reduction in benefits if they refuse to engage with a recommended treatment plan," he said.

"It is vital that people who would benefit from treatment get the medical help they need."

Professor Black, a leading Government adviser on health, work and welfare, said: "I am deeply interested in trying to overcome the challenges these types of benefit claimants pose. 

"These people, in addition to their long-term conditions and lifestyle issues, suffer the great disadvantage of not being engaged in the world of work, such an important feature of society."

Explaining the reasons for the threat to axe benefits from the obese, drug addicts and alcoholics, a Government source said: "As well as the unwarranted expense, this represents an unproductive waste of human potential."

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Ukraine: Fresh Bombing Endangers Peace Deal

Ukraine's president has warned that fresh shelling in the east of the country is putting the impending ceasefire in danger.

At least 11 people have been killed and dozens wounded in the last 24 hours, but a ceasefire agreed on Thursday is due to come into force at 10pm UK time.

A shell landed in a school yard in the eastern Ukrainian town of Artemivsk controlled by the government forces on Friday, killing one child and two adults.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels fought fiercely across the east of the country despite the new peace deal brokered by Germany and France in Minsk.

A newly mobilised soldier trains in the Chernihiv region

And Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said: "We have city of Artemivsk which is situated about 30km from the touchline, absolutely not anything involved in the military operation.

"And in the same way like in Kramatorsk, the Russian multiple rocket launch system Grad, or Smerch, just killed, confirmed killed three civilians.

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1. Gallery: Ukraine Crisis Continues

   Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed a deal on Thursday that offers a "glimmer of hope" for an end to fighting in eastern Ukraine after marathon overnight talks

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko (L) addresses journalists as he takes part in peace talks on resolving the Ukrainian crisis in Minsk

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Guantanamo Bay: The Inmates Who Remain

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Mingazov, Nasser, Isomuddin, Abdulayev, Chekkouri, Aziz, Alwi, Kandari

Some 122 men are being held without charge at Guantanamo Bay, despite many having already been cleared for release.

Here are eight of those prisoners who are still detained at the US-run facility in Cuba.

:: Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri, 46

Born in 1968 in Morocco, Chekkouri was captured by Pakistani authorities in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo a year later. He is understood to have co-founded the Moroccan Islamic Fighting Group and was a close associate of Osama bin Laden. The US believes he is of high intelligence value and poses a threat to the country and its interests.

:: Omar Hamzayavich Abdulayev, 36

1/20

1. Gallery: Guantanamo Bay: In Pictures

   Detainees sitting in a holding area watched by military police at Camp X-Ray inside Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 11 January 2002

A detainee is escorted by unarmed US army personnel inside Camp X-Ray on the Guantanamo Naval Base, US, 17 January 2002

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General view shows Camp X-Ray at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

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One of the thirty-four newly arrived detainees is walked to the showers by US Army Military Police 11 Febuary, 2002, at Camp X-Ray

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An Army guard watches over detainees at Camp Delta, 10 September 2002

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Abdulayev, originally from Tajikistan, was reportedly captured by Pakistani authorities at a checkpoint in 2001. It was claimed he was carrying handwritten notes on chemicals and explosives and he was transferred to Guantanamo in 2002 at the age of 24. US authorities say he has admitted to being a member of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan and is of high risk.

:: Ravil Mingazov, 47

Born in 1967 and reportedly of Russian nationality, Mingazov was detained during a raid by Pakistani police in Faisalabad in 2002 and sent to Guantanamo the same year. US authorities claim he has admitted attending al Qaeda training camps in Tajikistan and Afghanistan and has received explosives and assassination training. He is considered by the US to be of high risk to the US and its allies, but of low intelligence value.

:: Ahmed Ould Abdel Aziz, 44

Abdel Aziz was captured by Pakistani intelligence services during a raid on a suspected al Qaeda safe house in Karachi in 2002. It is claimed a search of the house recovered a mobile phone, radios and a telephone book. Originally from Mauritania, he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay the same year to provide intelligence on members of al Qaeda killed in Afghanistan during attacks by US and Coalition forces. US authorities claim he has provided "vast amounts of information" but has been deceptive regarding key facts such as locations and dates.

:: Riduan Isomuddin, 50

Isomuddin was born in Indonesia in 1964 and captured in Thailand in 2003 before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006 to face prosecution for terrorist offences against the US. Authorities in America claim Isomuddin was responsible for the Bali bombings in Indonesia in 2002 and that he is "committed to the most extreme Islamic ideology". The US considers him a high-value detainee.

:: Ghaleb Nasser, 35

Born in 1979 in Yemen, Nasser was taken prisoner in Afghanistan in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo in 2002. US authorities claim he was part of Osama bin Laden's 55th Arab Brigade and that he is high risk to the US and its allies. He has reportedly provided a significant amount of information about al Qaeda and Taliban activities in or near Tora Bora and the front lines of Kunduz.

:: Moath al Alwi, 37

Al Alwi was captured by Pakistani forces in 2001 while attempting to cross the Afghanistan-Pakistani border. He was assessed to be part of Osama bin Laden's security team and sent to Guantanamo in 2002. The US has claimed al Alwi, who is from Yemen, attended advanced militant training courses at al Qaeda-affiliated training camps where he was trained in "elite hand-to-hand combat". He is considered by US authorities to be of high risk to its interests and of high intelligence value. 

:: Fayiz al Kandari, 37 

Born in Kuwait, al Kandari was reportedly captured by unidentified Afghans as he was heading down the Tora Bora mountains in Pakistan and sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. US authorities have claimed al Kandari served as an advisor to Osama bin Laden and have assessed him as being of high risk to the US, its interests and allies.

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1. British Sons Plead For Guantanamo Dad's Release
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Mingazov, Nasser, Isomuddin, Abdulayev, Chekkouri, Aziz, Alwi, Kandari

Some 122 men are being held without charge at Guantanamo Bay, despite many having already been cleared for release.

Here are eight of those prisoners who are still detained at the US-run facility in Cuba.

:: Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri, 46

Born in 1968 in Morocco, Chekkouri was captured by Pakistani authorities in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo a year later. He is understood to have co-founded the Moroccan Islamic Fighting Group and was a close associate of Osama bin Laden. The US believes he is of high intelligence value and poses a threat to the country and its interests.

:: Omar Hamzayavich Abdulayev, 36

1/20

1. Gallery: Guantanamo Bay: In Pictures

   Detainees sitting in a holding area watched by military police at Camp X-Ray inside Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 11 January 2002

A detainee is escorted by unarmed US army personnel inside Camp X-Ray on the Guantanamo Naval Base, US, 17 January 2002

]]>

General view shows Camp X-Ray at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba

]]>

One of the thirty-four newly arrived detainees is walked to the showers by US Army Military Police 11 Febuary, 2002, at Camp X-Ray

]]>

An Army guard watches over detainees at Camp Delta, 10 September 2002

]]>

Abdulayev, originally from Tajikistan, was reportedly captured by Pakistani authorities at a checkpoint in 2001. It was claimed he was carrying handwritten notes on chemicals and explosives and he was transferred to Guantanamo in 2002 at the age of 24. US authorities say he has admitted to being a member of the Islamic Movement of Tajikistan and is of high risk.

:: Ravil Mingazov, 47

Born in 1967 and reportedly of Russian nationality, Mingazov was detained during a raid by Pakistani police in Faisalabad in 2002 and sent to Guantanamo the same year. US authorities claim he has admitted attending al Qaeda training camps in Tajikistan and Afghanistan and has received explosives and assassination training. He is considered by the US to be of high risk to the US and its allies, but of low intelligence value.

:: Ahmed Ould Abdel Aziz, 44

Abdel Aziz was captured by Pakistani intelligence services during a raid on a suspected al Qaeda safe house in Karachi in 2002. It is claimed a search of the house recovered a mobile phone, radios and a telephone book. Originally from Mauritania, he was transferred to Guantanamo Bay the same year to provide intelligence on members of al Qaeda killed in Afghanistan during attacks by US and Coalition forces. US authorities claim he has provided "vast amounts of information" but has been deceptive regarding key facts such as locations and dates.

:: Riduan Isomuddin, 50

Isomuddin was born in Indonesia in 1964 and captured in Thailand in 2003 before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2006 to face prosecution for terrorist offences against the US. Authorities in America claim Isomuddin was responsible for the Bali bombings in Indonesia in 2002 and that he is "committed to the most extreme Islamic ideology". The US considers him a high-value detainee.

:: Ghaleb Nasser, 35

Born in 1979 in Yemen, Nasser was taken prisoner in Afghanistan in 2001 and sent to Guantanamo in 2002. US authorities claim he was part of Osama bin Laden's 55th Arab Brigade and that he is high risk to the US and its allies. He has reportedly provided a significant amount of information about al Qaeda and Taliban activities in or near Tora Bora and the front lines of Kunduz.

:: Moath al Alwi, 37

Al Alwi was captured by Pakistani forces in 2001 while attempting to cross the Afghanistan-Pakistani border. He was assessed to be part of Osama bin Laden's security team and sent to Guantanamo in 2002. The US has claimed al Alwi, who is from Yemen, attended advanced militant training courses at al Qaeda-affiliated training camps where he was trained in "elite hand-to-hand combat". He is considered by US authorities to be of high risk to its interests and of high intelligence value. 

:: Fayiz al Kandari, 37 

Born in Kuwait, al Kandari was reportedly captured by unidentified Afghans as he was heading down the Tora Bora mountains in Pakistan and sent to Guantanamo Bay in 2002. US authorities have claimed al Kandari served as an advisor to Osama bin Laden and have assessed him as being of high risk to the US, its interests and allies.

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Top Stories

1. British Sons Plead For Guantanamo Dad's Release
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3. Eighties Pop Pioneer Dies In Egypt Aged 55
4. 'Anonymous' Hackers To Expose Child Sex Abusers
5. Scuffles Amid South Africa Parliament Chaos

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British Sons Plead For Guantanamo Dad's Release

By Ian Woods, Senior Correspondent

The British family of a prisoner in Guantanamo Bay have pleaded with the US government to send him home to London.

In their first interview, the teenage sons of Shaker Aamer told Sky News how their hopes of a reunion have been raised and then dashed.

Mr Aamer has been detained without trial inside the maximum security prison for 13 years - even though he was cleared for release in 2008.

The British government has lobbied on his behalf, and his case has attracted cross-party support, but there has been no explanation as to why he has not yet been freed.

Although he was born in Saudi Arabia, his wife and four children are British citizens. They barely remember their father; indeed his youngest son, Faris, was born on the same day as Mr Aamer arrived at Guantanamo on Valentine's Day 2002.

Video: Shaker Aamer's Sons Make Plea

Faris celebrates his 13th birthday on Saturday and told Sky News: "It's upsetting and quite shocking that I've never met him in my entire life." 

His 15-year-old brother Micheal spoke of how their hopes have been dashed.

"We felt very happy," he said.

"We thought there might be a chance for him to come home, but it just kept getting delayed.

"We just felt more sad because nothing happened. We've seen other people with their parents... seen how they enjoy themselves, how they're so close to them.

"It's like there is a part of our heart that is missing because we've been yearning for him to come home for many years and nothing's happened yet."

Mr Aamer took his young family and pregnant wife to Afghanistan in 2001. He says he was working for a humanitarian charity.

But a few weeks later the 9/11 attacks put the country at the centre of America's so-called War on Terror.

His family escaped to Pakistan but Mr Aamer says he gave himself up to the Northern Alliance and was then handed over to US forces.

After detention at Bagram Airbase he was moved to Guantanamo.

The Pentagon compiled a lengthy list of allegations claiming he had ties to al Qaeda.

Video: Pressure Grows For Detainee Release

His lawyer insists the allegations are false and are the result of torture or false confessions to earn rewards.

And his supporters stress that if the Americans actually believed them, they would not have cleared him for release.

Guantanamo spokesman Lt Col Myles Caggins told Sky News: "In 2009 Shaker Aamer's detention status was reviewed. As a result he was placed in a category we call 'eligible for transfer'.

"At some point in the future we will find a new home for him to be repatriated or resettled to."

But Micheal was unimpressed when he saw the video.

"I feel very sad because the man said they were going to try to find him a home," he said.

"But his home is here in London with his family."

There have been various theories about the delay.

Some say the US may prefer to see him sent to Saudi Arabia, where he is less likely to speak publicly about allegations of torture. There is also the issue of compensation.

Lt Col Caggins said: "We make these moves after a rigorous inter-agency process between our security officials, law enforcement and intelligence officials to ensure that transfer will be to a place that can maintain security assurances and human rights protections for those former Guantanamo detainees."

Mr Aamer's lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, scoffs at that.

Video: 2012 - Boyle Calls For Release

"The most obvious person in the entire world to release is Shaker Aamer because he would be coming to the country with the best record of released prisoners, Britain," he said.

"And he would be coming to a place where we know his human rights are going to be respected, and he's been cleared for eight years, and he's got a wife and four children. What on earth is the argument against it?"

At least in recent years the family have been able to speak to their father. The International Red Cross has organised Skype video calls. Micheal remembers the first.

"We were all very excited," he said.

"We were very energetic. We couldn't wait to see him. And then when the call finally happened, we couldn't believe it was actually him.

"His voice. We hadn't heard it for such a long time.

"It was very surprising to hear his voice again. It was a shock. Skype has been very good at lifting our hopes up again because we've been able to speak to him, see how he's doing, and he's a very funny person.

"He always makes jokes. He lightens the mood a lot of the time. We talk about what's going on in our lives, how our education is."

Mr Aamer's wife and daughter preferred to stay in the background and not be interviewed. Because both boys are under 16, Sky News has agreed not to show their faces.

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Tory Peer Says Miliband Tax Claim 'Defamatory'

A Conservative Party treasurer has hit back at a suggestion by Labour leader Ed Miliband that he was involved in "tax avoidance activities".

Mr Miliband accused Lord Fink of seeking to avoid paying taxes by holding a Swiss bank account.

But the Tory peer has written a letter to the Labour chief, saying the claim was "untrue and defamatory".

He challenged Mr Miliband to repeat the allegation outside the Commons, where he would not be protected from legal action by parliamentary privilege, or withdraw it publicly.

Allegations of tax evasion and avoidance centre on HSBC in Switzerland

Meanwhile, the man who lifted the lid on the HSBC tax scandal has told Sky News he first raised concerns about suspect practices at the bank in 2008 - two years earlier than previously thought.

In an interview with Sky News , Herve Falciani said he emailed and called Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs seven years ago.

Video: HSBC Whistleblower Speaks Out

The claims came as David Cameron was challenged to reveal whether he discussed tax evasion at HSBC with Lord Green, the bank's former boss who was subsequently appointed a Tory minister.

There were fierce clashes at Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday amid revelations that wealthy donors to political parties were among those who legally held accounts with HSBC's private Swiss bank.

Mr Miliband said Mr Cameron was a "dodgy prime minister" who was "up to his neck" in the HSBC tax avoidance scandal - but the PM hit back, claiming his rival had relied on trade union cash to win the Labour leadership.

The Guardian has published a list of nine Conservative donors who it said were listed in files relating to clients of HSBC's Swiss subsidiary.

The newspaper stated that the accounts were held legally for a wide variety of reasons, and made no allegation of wrongdoing against those listed.

Video: Fierce Clashes Over HSBC At PMQs

Mr Miliband told the Commons that on the list was Lord Fink, who gave £3m to the Conservatives and was appointed party treasurer and given a peerage by Mr Cameron.

Lord Fink said he had a Swiss bank account because he was working for the Man Group in the country for four years from 1996 to 2000.

"During this time I had need of a local bank account to do simple things like receive my Swiss franc salary and pay grocery bills," he said.

"As I already banked with HSBC in London, I set up an account with HSBC. I subsequently set up an account with Credit Suisse as they had a branch much closer to my home and office.

"I submitted tax returns in both Switzerland and Britain showing my revised tax status, which was accepted by the Inland Revenue.

Video: Cameron And Miliband Clash On HSBC

"The only way I have ever sought to depress my income tax liability is by giving a lot of my income to charity."

Mr Miliband claimed that the PM must have talked to Lord Green about HSBC as a coalition minister issued a press release in 2011 referring to the investigation into HSBC's Geneva account holders.

The Opposition leader said: "Do you expect us to believe that in Stephen Green's three years as a minister you never had a conversation with him about what was happening at HSBC?"

Mr Cameron said the Tories had a far better record than Labour on tax avoidance - introducing measures to stop hedge funds dodging levies, make foreigners pay stamp duty and tax all bank profits.

Labour MP Sharon Hodgson asked Mr Cameron directly whether he had conversations about HSBC tax avoidance with Lord Green, adding: "If not, why not?"

Video: Labour MP Asks Cameron About HSBC

The Prime Minister said "every proper process was followed" when Lord Green was made a minister in 2011.

He said: "I consulted the Cabinet Secretary, I consulted the director for propriety and ethics, and of course the House of Lords appointments commission now looks at someone's individual tax affairs before giving them a peerage.

"I made the appointment, it was welcomed by Labour, and three years later they were still holding meetings with him."

Mr Cameron pointed out that Lord Green was the head of Labour PM Gordon Brown's business advisory council and was invited on a trade mission by the party in 2013 - three years after the HSBC revelations first surfaced.

During PMQs, Mr Miliband said: "You gave a job to the head of HSBC and you let the tax avoiders get away with it.

Video: Hodge 'Astonished' By Lord Green

"There's something rotten at the heart of the Conservative Party and it's you."

Mr Cameron replied: "For 13 years they sat in the Treasury, they did nothing about tax transparency, nothing about tax dodging, nothing about tax avoidance.

"This government has been tougher than any previous government. That's why they are desperate, that's why they are losing."

The PM pointed out that Labour donor Lord Paul was also caught up in the revelations.

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Bank Whistleblower: I Tipped Off Taxmen In 2008

By Faisal Islam, Political Editor

Herve Falciani, the man who exposed a tax scandal at HSBC by leaking thousands of account details from the bank's Geneva branch, says he first raised concerns about suspect practices at the bank seven years ago.

In an interview with Sky News, Mr Falciani claims to have emailed and called Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in 2008 - though he said the full processed data was only given to UK authorities in 2010.

Mr Falciani initially obtained the details while employed as an IT worker in 2007 and passed them to French authorities.

The details of 30,000 accounts - holding almost £78bn of assets - have been revealed after they were obtained by a French newspaper and analysed by a team of investigative journalists.

They accused HSBC's Swiss banking arm of helping wealthy customers avoid tax and hide millions of dollars, and providing accounts to international criminals, corrupt businessmen, politicians and celebrities.

Video: Cameron And Miliband Clash On HSBC

Senior politicians and HM Revenue & Customs have been accused of failing to act over the claims that HSBC helped clients dodge taxes.

And a furious blame game is under way between the Tories and Labour.

Mr Falciani said: "I sent an email, a very naive email, in 2008 ... to England - to the department dedicated to tax evasion - and afterwards I even called them.

"And finally the most efficient move was through the French authorities because when we accepted to work together it was established and agreed that what we were doing should be available to any countries having co-operation treaties signed with France."

The date of this offer is an important part of the scandal impacting British politics.

HSBC now admits problems in controls and compliance in the period before 2008.

Mr Falciani said he was "relieved" that it had made the admission, something he had suggested for years.

Video: Lord Fink Responds To Tax Claims

So this raises questions on all sides.

Firstly, the problems on compliance and control occurred at a time when Lord Green was chief executive and then chairman of Britain's biggest bank.

He was then made a lord, trade minister, and appointed to a Cabinet committee on post-crisis banking reform by the Prime Minister, after HMRC had received a full account of thousands of Britons suspected of avoiding taxes with HSBC's help.

However, Mr Falciani confirms he first tried to contact HMRC in 2008, at a time when Labour was in office.

The picture painted by Mr Falciani is of a Britain reluctant to delve into illegally obtained data that nonetheless contains revelations about personal and corporate conduct.

He said he was used to being ignored by authorities that should have wanted to know more.

"Never did British tax authorities, Parliament nor Government invite me ... right now the British investigators received just a tiny part of the available information on HSBC. Just 1%."

Video: HSBC Files: Debate On Significance

His actions were the ultimate source of the data that has caused political havoc in Greece, Spain, India, France, Belgium and now the UK.

He says he is glad that another French source handed the full data to Le Monde newspaper, who then passed it on to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

"We hope it would increase public awareness of offshore banking which is out of control ... We have proof in front of us".

Mr Falciani is now advising political parties such as Podemos in Spain and the Indian government on how to combat tax avoidance by their richest citizens.

He said he would be delighted to come to Britain, but fears arrest by Interpol on account of a Swiss extradition warrant.

He was arrested in Spain because of the warrant, but his extradition was blocked on account of the help his data had given to Spanish tax and judicial authorities, after he appeared, disguised, at a tribunal.

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Driverless Car Trials Begin Across Britain

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A project to test driverless vehicles is being launched today in the hope the UK will become a leading global supplier.

A shuttle is being tried out in the London borough of Greenwich and an electric pod will be used on closed roads and pedestrian areas in Milton Keynes and Coventry.

Vehicles trialled in Bristol will also help gauge public reaction to the cars and assess legal and insurance issues.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The UK is at the cutting edge of automotive technology - from the all-electric cars built in Sunderland to the Formula One expertise in the Midlands.

"It's important for jobs, growth and society that we keep at the forefront of innovation, that's why I launched a competition to research and develop driverless cars.

Video: UK Driverless Car Trials Begin

"The projects we are now funding will help to ensure we are world leaders in this field and able to benefit from what is expected to be a £900bn industry by 2025."

The Government says there are no legal barriers to the testing of automated vehicles on public roads.

Dr Nick Reed from the Transport Research Lab, which is running the Greenwich trials, said the shuttles use sensors to avoid hazards.

"Safety is paramount in our research and the vehicle is detecting moving objects around it, and if pedestrians are moving into its path it will slow down, and if they continue into its path it will come to a safe stop ahead of the pedestrian," he said.

Video: How The Finished Pods Will Look

It is hoped £19m of Government funding will help British designers get ahead of competitors.

In the US, Google has been testing its version for several years and car companies have been showing off their designs.

For the UK trials, a qualified driver will be ready to take control if necessary.

Insurer David Williams said: "Currently whoever is driving the car, or cars, are responsible for the accident, but going forward what's it going to be?

1/5

1. Gallery: Mercedes Unveils Driverless Car At CES

   The Mercedes-Benz F015 Luxury in Motion autonomous concept car is shown on stage during the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas

The interior features a wooden floor and four futuristic armchairs covered in white Nappa leather, which rotate to face each other

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