Doncaster House Fire Victim Identified

A two-year-old girl who died after a house fire in South Yorkshire has been formally identified by police.

Libby-Jayne Hornsby was rescued by firefighters from a bedroom window of a house in Don Street, Conisbrough, but died in hospital on Thursday night.

The cause of the fire has not been revealed, but investigators have confirmed the blaze involved bedding in the main bedroom on the first floor of the property.

They also said that the found no evidence of working smoke alarms inside the house.

The blaze took place at a house in Conisbrough, South Yorkshire

Police said no-one else was injured in the fire, which broke out shortly before 8pm.

Steve Green, of South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said it was too soon to rule out suspicious circumstances.

He said the police and local authority are investigating who was in the house when the fire started.

Mr Green said: "When the crews arrived there was just the one person in the house, which was the child on the first floor.

"This was a truly tragic incident and our thoughts are very much with all of those affected.

"Multi-agency investigations into what caused the fire are still ongoing.

"Smoke alarms give you the extra moments to escape if a fire starts and we once again urge people to have working alarms fitted on every level of their homes."

Flowers left at the scene read: "Sleep tight Libby. Goodnight. God bless."

Neighbour Zoe Backhouse, whose daughter is the same age as Libby-Jayne and went to the same nursery, told Sky News: "It's awful to think the family has lost such a little angel.

"They really are a nice family. It's heart-breaking."

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Family 'Disgusted' By Dog Death Sentence

The family of a 14-year-old girl savaged to death by four dogs have said they are "disgusted" after the owner walked free from court with a suspended sentence.

Beverley Concannon admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the four dogs, which killed Jade Lomas-Anderson in March.

The teenager died after she was attacked by two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers in Wigan, Greater Manchester.

The dogs turned on her while she was visiting the 45-year-old's daughter, and armed police were later forced to kill the animals.

Jade suffered "horrific" injuries "from head to toe" and a policeman told Wigan Magistrates' Court he found the dogs covered in blood.

Concannon hid from reporters as she left the court in Wigan

The judge said Concannon, who is on benefits, had subjected the animals to "prolonged neglect" and that she should have been aware of the dogs' aggressive behaviour.

The court heard that the distressed animals were cooped up together in the house and had become "hyper aggressive".

One of the dogs, an American bull mastiff described as "stir crazy", was kept in a cage not big enough for it to raise its head or turn around properly.

Neighbours said they had complained to the council about the way the dogs were kept, as well as their barking, but Concannon was allowed to keep the animals.

Hundreds of lanterns were released at Jade's school after she died

Speaking outside court, Jade's stepfather Michael told reporters that the family had been let down.

He said: "I'm devastated and disgusted in the justice system.

"Today was just about dangerous dogs. I think she should be held responsible for Jade.

"We have got a life sentence. It has absolutely ripped us apart."

Two of the dogs were Staffordshire bull terriers (file picture)

District Judge Mark Hadfield said Concannon's 16-week sentence could be suspended for one year because she had pleaded guilty, had no previous convictions, was the sole carer of her daughter and had expressed remorse for the attack.

She was also disqualified from owning and keeping dogs indefinitely.

The Crown Prosecution Service had said there was not enough evidence to bring a charge of manslaughter.

It also said it could not bring charges under the Dangerous Dogs Act because the dogs were not banned breeds and were not out of control in a public place.

Jade's family want the Government to tighten dangerous dogs laws.

The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Bill is currently being examined by Parliament.

It aims to remove the immunity from prosecution of dog owners whose animal attacks someone on private property, such as inside their home.

The plans, for England and Wales, are designed to protect people who visit houses as part of their job, such as postmen, utility workers and healthcare employees.

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China: Couple 'Sell' Baby Daughter For iPhone

A young Chinese couple are facing criminal charges for allegedly "selling" their young daughter and using the money to buy an Apple iPhone, according to state media.

Shanghai prosecutors have brought a case of human trafficking against the pair, who are accused of putting their third child up for adoption online in exchange for cash, the Liberation Daily reports.

Investigators claim the mother, whose full name was not given, used the money to buy an iPhone, high-end sports shoes and other goods.

Apple's products are hugely popular in China but are priced beyond the reach of many.

Some have gone to extreme lengths to get hold of the devices, highlighted last year by the case of a teenager who sold his kidney, and used the proceeds to buy an iPhone and iPad.

The couple are said to have told police they wanted their daughter to have a better upbringing than they could provide, as they already had two children.

Apple products are extremely popular in China

"Giving away the child was not for obtaining benefits, but giving her better guarantees," one is reported as saying.

Some Chinese, especially in rural areas, have a traditional preference for sons, although reports did not say if the child's gender had also been a factor in the case.

An official of the prosecutor's office dealing with the case has expressed concerns over "sensationalism" surrounding the affair, but declined to comment further.

Shanghai police could not be reached for comment.

Reports did not give the amount the couple received for the child, but their online postings allegedly asked for 30,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan (around £3,000 and £5,000).

Apple last month launched the iPhone 5S, including a gold-coloured model, and the cheaper iPhone 5C in China.

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Lottery Ticket: 'Desperate' Hunt For £10m Winner

The hunt is on to find a £10m Lotto jackpot winner who still has not claimed their prize.

The National Lottery said they were "desperate" to find the mystery ticket-holder who bought their ticket in Bradford for the draw on Saturday, October 5.

The winning Lotto numbers were 5, 15, 17, 19, 20, 47 and the bonus ball was 38 but the clock is ticking as the winner has until April 3 next year to make their claim and join the multi-millionaires club.

"We're urging everyone who may have bought a ticket in this area to check in the pockets of clothing, in wallets, bags and down the back of the sofa - someone out there could literally be sitting on a fortune," a spokesman said.

"We have the champagne on ice and our fingers crossed that the lucky winner comes forward to claim their win."

The price of a single ticket is now £2

A key reminder for anyone who thinks they may have scooped the jackpot is that the winning ticket was bought for the draw which marked the launch of new Lotto game.

It saw a single ticket-holder scoop the guaranteed £10m jackpot and 1,000 players won £20,000 each in the new raffle.

The National Lottery has launched an appeal in Bradford with a giant advertising van displaying the information and travelling around the area.

If no-one comes forward with the winning ticket before the April deadline or has submitted a written claim stating their ticket has been stolen, lost or destroyed, then the prize money along with all the interest it has earned will go to The National Lottery Good Causes.

At least £30bn has been raised through lottery tickets sales since The National Lottery launched in November 1994.

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Paul McCartney Thrills Fans With Secret Gig

Sir Paul McCartney has given Covent Garden's buskers some stiff competition after performing an unannounced gig for shoppers.

Thousands of people gathered in the cobbled piazza in central London as the former Beatle performed a selection of new tracks from the back of a truck.

Onlookers started gathering at around 11am after they twigged the musician may be playing after spotting one of his flight cases.

The truck, which formed his makeshift stage, pulled into the square at about 6am, with stacks of speakers set up in front.

Stepping onstage at 1.30pm, he told the crowd: "Good afternoon and welcome to Covent Garden.

"We're just going to do a few songs from our new album so get your phones out - as if they weren't out already."

After playing his current single New, he joked: "I've always wanted to busk here."

Sir Paul memorably performed with The Beatles in January 1969 on the roof of the group's Apple HQ in London's Savile Row.

The performance follows a whirlwind week of promotion for his latest album, also called New, which has involved intimate shows and numerous TV and radio interviews.

Watching from the balcony of the nearby Punch & Judy pub were Sir Paul's children - fashion designer Stella and musician James - who later joined their father backstage.

During the 20-minute set, he also played newly recorded songs Queenie Eyes, Save Us and Everybody Out There.

Sir Paul said: "This is a bit of a change from the 60s. We'd have just been coming back from the clubs right now, never mind singing."

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Energy Bills: Small Firms Challenge 'Big Six'

No10 In 'Wear A Jumper' Row

Updated: 3:32pm UK, Friday 18 October 2013

Downing Street has been forced to backtrack after suggesting people struggling to pay their heating bills should put on a jumper.

Officials had to issue a clarification after initially saying wrapping up warm to avoid paying more was something people could "consider".

Labour, which has accused the Government of failing to act to address soaring energy prices, leapt on the comment as proof the Tories are "out of touch".

Leader Ed Miliband declared: "Their crime policy used to be 'hug a hoodie'. Now their energy policy appears to be 'wear a hoodie'."

The comment also quickly gained traction on social networking site Twitter, with various comical suggestions under the tag #cameronsheatingtips doing the rounds.

One user wrote: "Have your maid stitch a fine coat of swan feathers after your manservant plucks a swan for Sunday brunch."

Another advised: "Simply add a large measure of Courvoisier VSOP to your Vanilla Latte."

The row will have been exactly what Downing Street was seeking to avoid when it was quizzed about the Prime Minister's views on energy price hikes.

It came after Energy Secretary Ed Davey said on Thursday night that he wears jumpers at home to keep his bills down.

On Friday morning, Mr Cameron's official spokesman was duly asked whether people should "wrap up warm" and wear jumpers in the same way.

He said: "That's not a question that I have asked him. Clearly, he is not going to prescribe necessarily the actions individuals should take about that but if people are giving that advice, that is something that people may wish to consider."

The spokesman added: "His advice to people is to shop around for fuel prices."

Mr Miliband moved to capitalise on what was interpreted as a gaffe, even though No10 had tried to make clear Mr Cameron would not tell people what to wear.

He wrote on the Labour website: "These responses to the energy price rises show how little Mr Cameron and his Government stand up for the interests of hard-working people.

"He has no grip on the cost of living crisis and he seems to think the solution to this crisis is nothing to do with him.

"Energy bills are already up by an average £300 since he took office. The price hikes we are seeing point to a market that isn't working for consumers. Yet his solution to this market failure was to tell people to shop around and dress warmly.

"Of course people will rightly seek the best deal they can find but that will not fix a broken market, and will not bring the kind of relief that consumers and businesses need."

He added: "Never let the Government tell you that there's nothing they can do, or that it's your responsibility to sort out the problems in our energy market. They could act - they just choose not to."

Downing Street later had to issue a clarification, as insiders admitted the spokesman had used "loose language".

It said: "To be clear, it is entirely false to suggest the Prime Minister would advise people they should wear jumpers to stay warm.

"Any suggestion to the contrary is mischief-making. The Prime Minister would point people to a range of things being done to help people with their fuel bills, such as legislating to put everyone on the best tariff for them.

"He believes Labour's "price freeze" policy is a con - and certainly would not advise people on what they should wear."

Energy policy has been thrust to the heart of the political cost of living row after companies started announcing major hikes in prices ahead of the winter.

On Thursday, British Gas became the second of the "Big Six" to announce price increases after SSE led the charge with an 8.2% rise earlier this month.

Mr Cameron described the hike as "disappointing" and he and Mr Davey encouraged customers to switch to a cheaper deal with another firm.

Labour has said it will impose a 20-month freeze on prices if it wins power in 2015 but this has been dismissed by critics, including the Tories, as unworkable.

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Royal Mail Shares Hit 500p A Week After Sale

Cable Hits Back At Royal Mail Sale Critics

Updated: 3:02pm UK, Friday 18 October 2013

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, has rebutted claims that he cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds by undervaluing shares in Royal Mail, arguing that the price of the privatisation should be assessed only after the Government has sold its entire stake in the company.

Sky News has obtained a letter sent by Mr Cable on Friday to the Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Select Committee, in which he dismisses concerns that the sale of the postal operator was spectacularly mispriced.

Mr Cable and the Government's investment banking advisers have been accused of undervaluing the company after seeing its share price rise by 38% on its first day of trading.

"Value for money has been central to our strategy as we have taken forward the sale of shares through an initial public offering," he wrote.

"Delivering value for money is about more than just the level of proceeds received on day one.

"Our long-term strategy to safeguard the universal service and deliver value for money for the taxpayer involves not only getting good value for the initial stake sold but also getting good value for the residual stake held by Government (30% of the Company assuming exercising in full the Over-allotment Option), and leaving Royal Mail in a strong, sustainable position capable of accessing the capital markets in the future."

Mr Cable said that the initial price range for the flotation, which attributed a value of between £2.6bn and £3.3bn to Royal Mail, was recommended by Goldman Sachs and UBS, the lead banking advisers, and endorsed by Lazard, which provided independent advice to ministers.

"In August 2013, as the date of the IPO approached, this list of potential investors was narrowed down to a focused group of approximately 20 investors, selected on the basis of feedback gathered during the investor engagement process and, in particular, their understanding of the risks inherent in the Company's industrial relations," he wrote.

The timing of the disclosure that unions would ballot Royal Mail workers for strike action, which was voted through this week, meant that some potential investors in the company indicated that they would opt not to buy shares, the Business Secretary added.

Royal Mail's share price has been mildly buffeted by the vote in favour of industrial action next month, but the stock continues to trade well in excess of the 330p-a-share offer price.

Mr Cable told MPs that the top end of the price range was set because it was "compatible with securing a stable, long term shareholder base as a foundation for achieving value in future sell-downs of the Government's retained stake whilst also taking into account the material risks associated at the time with the ongoing IR situation and the market risks arising from possible US default and the fact that the recent IPO of BPost (a recently-listed Belgian peer) was trading below issue price".

In his letter to committee members, Mr Cable argued that the flotation price placed Royal Mail in a similar dividend yield bracket to comparable companies, but said the "considerable media interest that was predicting a substantial first day premium" was a factor in the initial surge in its share price.

The Business Secretary also sought to counter claims by his Labour opposite number, Chuka Umunna, that Royal Mail's property portfolio could be worth more than £1bn.

"Taking into account the overall position of the surplus portfolio and the relative immaturity of these sites in terms of actual development, a combined value of £330m (as suggested in one of the equity research analyst reports) appears at the top end of any likely range," he wrote.

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Malala Amused By Prince Philip's School Joke

Schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai was reduced to giggles by the Duke of Edinburgh who joked that parents only send children to school to get them out of the house.

The 16-year-old, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan for encouraging girls to go to school, was attending a reception at Buckingham Palace with the Duke and the Queen.

Malala said afterwards: "He said parents are tired of children, and that's why they send them to school, and I laughed."

She used her visit to the Palace, as part of a reception for commonwealth, youth and education, to tell the Duke and the Queen why she felt education was so important.

Malala is reduced to giggles at the Duke's joke

The Queen described her campaign as "wonderful".

During the reception, at which she was accompanied by her father Ziauddin, she gave the Queen a copy of her book, I Am Malala.

She told the Queen she was passionate about every child having a right to an education, everywhere around the world.

The Taliban's assassination attempt - which was in response to Malala's challenge to a strict form of Islamic Sharia law which forbids women's education - left her so close to death she had to be airlifted to Britain for life-saving treatment.

After she arrived in the UK, she was treated at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham and has now settled in the city with her family as it is too dangerous for her to return.

Since her recovery, she has made a speech to the United Nations and narrowly missed out on winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala hands a copy of her book I Am Malala to the Queen

Princess Beatrice and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also present at the reception which was attended by 350 guests from academic institutions around the world.

Beatrice shook Malala's hand and told her: "It's so wonderful to meet you. What you've achieved is just so incredible. I'm very honoured to be meeting you."

She told Malala that her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, would like to meet her, adding: "She has been completely moved by your strength and what you've achieved."

Malala admitted she had been unsure of the etiquette surrounding her introduction to the Queen.

She said: "I was really confused before meeting her, because some people said you have to curtsey, and some people said you should not talk until she talk.

Princess Beatrice tells Malala she is honoured to meet her

"Then, when I met her, it was quite good and she was really nice. She talked to me in a very friendly kind of way."

Malala said she was hopeful the Queen and the UK Government would help her campaign for education.

Speaking afterwards she urged young people to "respect" every child's right to an education and give it the importance it deserves. Also to stand up for those who do not have the same opportunities.

"We must not be silent," she said. "We must raise our voice."

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Hunt: 'Nation's Shame Of Forgotten Elderly'

Britain should be ashamed of how elderly people are being treated in this country, according to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Mr Hunt said there was a collective "national shame" in ignoring the emotional needs of pensioners who after often isolated and lonely.

Speaking at the National Children and Adults Services (NCAS) conference, he insisted entering old age "should not involve waving goodbye to one's dignity". 

"According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, there are 800,000 people in England who are chronically lonely," Mr Hunt said.

"Some five million people say television is their main form of company - that's 10% of the population.

"We know there is a broader problem of loneliness that in our busy lives we have utterly failed to confront as a society.

"Each and every lonely person has someone who could visit them and offer companionship. A forgotten million who live amongst us - ignored to our national shame."

Campaigners say 800,000 people are chronically lonely

Mr Hunt, who is married to a Chinese woman, compared the way older people are treated in the UK to other cultures.

He said he had been "struck by the reverence and respect for older people in Asian culture", where residential care was only considered as a last resort.

"The social contract is stronger because as children see how their own grandparents are looked after, they develop higher expectations of how they too will be treated when they get old," he said.

"If we are to tackle the challenge of an ageing society, we must learn from this - and restore and reinvigorate the social contract between generations.

"And uncomfortable though it is to say it, it will only start with changes inthe way we personally treat our own parents and grandparents."

Mr Hunt also spoke about cases of abuse in care homes, saying there is a need to apply rigorous, unflinching standards towards the regulation of care in both the private and public sector.

He told delegates that 112,000 cases of alleged abuse were referred by English councils in 2012/13, the majority involving over-65s.

"Something is badly wrong in a society where potentially 1,000 such instances are happening every single week," he said.

Mr Hunt said new Chief Inspector of Social Care, Andrea Sutcliffe, will act as a champion of the people who use the services - the nation's whistleblower-in-chief.

Ms Sutcliffe will start giving ratings to care homes from April 2014, and all locations - some 25,000 in total - will be inspected by March 2016 and then receive official ratings.

"Just as we know how good all our local schools are thanks to rigorous, independent inspections by Ofsted, I want us all to know how good our local care is," Mr Hunt said.

Age UK's charity director, Caroline Abrahams, said a "seismic shift" was needed in attitudes towards older people and ageing.

She added: "At Age UK we are extremely concerned that cuts to local authority budgets are exacerbating the problem of loneliness because they are causing the closure of many support services for older people, like lunch clubs, which can be a lifeline for those on their own.

"These cuts are also pushing to breaking point many families who are trying to care for their older relatives in the absence of adequate support. Caring is often a 24/7 role that can have a huge physical and emotional impact on the carer."

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'Amazing' Kate Plays Volleyball In High Heels

The Duchess of Cambridge has been called "amazing" as she played volleyball in wedge shoes with five-inch heels.

Kate made the most of the extra height as she made passes and hit balls over the net at the former Olympic Park in east London.

The impromptu workout came as she toured the copper box arena to see how Olympians and Paralympians are being helped by one of her charities, SportsAid.

Grace Lazard, 16, a promising volleyball player, shouted out encouragement to the royal when she joined her four-strong team.

The teenager, who had played this week in an international tournament in Denmark, said: "She was playing in heels, whoever plays in heels is amazing.

"She did really well and picked up the sport really quickly. I just feel really privileged and honoured to have played with her."

The duchess also wore a striped top, dark jacket and skinny jeans as learned about athlete workshops run by SportsAid.

Prince William's wife is patron of the charity, which gives young athletes a financial boost and other practical help at the start of their careers.

Kate was also an official ambassador for Britain's London 2012 teams.

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Savile Scandal: Investigation Into Ex-Cop

The IPCC is investigating claims a former inspector acted on behalf of Jimmy Savile before he faced a police interview over alleged sex crimes.

The allegations refer to a then West Yorkshire Police officer, known as Inspector 5, having inappropriately contacted Surrey Police, the Independent Police Complaints Commission said.

It comes a day after transcripts of a 40-minute interview detailing Savile's alleged sexual abuse were made public for the first time by Surrey Police.

It was conducted by officers at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on October 1, 2009, about three separate allegations involving three girls.

The disgraced broadcaster was questioned about accusations he forced one girl to touch his groin until he was "aroused", made another perform oral sex and stuck his tongue down a young girl's throat.

During the interview Savile told officers he had been targeted with false claims by blackmailers and routinely passed the letters to senior police officers.

The scale of Savile's activities has only emerged since his death

He disclosed the nickname of one of the officers - whose name is redacted in the published transcript - and described the other as "an inspector".

"Well in fifty years in showbiz, we showbiz people get accused of just about everything," he said.

"One of the reasons is people are looking for money, and they will try blackmail, and they will write letters, saying if you don't send us money, I will say you've done this and you've done that."

He continued: "Now that's why I have up in Yorkshire, where I live in Leeds, a collection of senior police persons, who come to see me socially, but I give them all my weirdo letters, and they take them back to the station, 'oh have you seen what Jimmy's got today'."

Asked where he met them socially, Saville replied: "My place, yes, yeah the come round and drink tea and that."

He said he did not expect them to do anything about the letters, adding: "They don't keep them very long.

"They pass them round the office, and everybody has a laugh ... you go 'oh this is the latest blah look at this ha-ha, ha-ha'."

The former star remained defiant during the interview, boasting he had to fight off girls "like midges".

Savile, who died in 2011 aged 84, told officers he was "assaulted" by women when he worked for BBC Radio 1 and Top of the Pops, and insisted he did not abuse youngsters at Duncroft children's home in Staines in Berkshire in the 1970s.

During the interview, released under the Freedom of information Act, Savile also rejected suggestions he was attracted to girls under 16.

"No, they have nothing to offer, in so far as, they didn't even have much of a conversation," he said.

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Immigration: 'One In Five Marriages A Sham'

By Mark White, Home Affairs Correspondent

Up to one in five marriages conducted in civil ceremonies in parts of the country may be bogus, one of Britain's most senior registrars has warned.

In an interview with Sky News, Mark Rimmer, the chairman of the Local Registration Services Association, said 20% of weddings in urban areas were suspicious - the worst it has ever been.

Home Office figures show the number of reported cases has tripled in the last three years to 1,800.

But Mr Rimmer said the number of sham marriages - which were likely an attempt to gain residence in the UK - reported to the authorities was "the tip of the iceberg" and that official figures are a "drop in the ocean" compared with the full scale of the problem.

He said the issue is now worse than in 2004 when the first legislation to combat the phenomenon was introduced and that registrars are having to conduct ceremonies they suspect to be bogus "through gritted teeth".

"We have seen huge increases in potential sham marriages presenting themselves to us, we now have more reports from registrars going to the Home Office, but I think that is the tip of a very large iceberg, and effectively the real scale of the problem is far greater than that that is reported to the Home Office officially.

"Most registration officers are not immigration officers, they came into this business to facilitate marriage. So therefore they don't want to be cynical.

"Unfortunately therefore what happens is the ones that are absolutely blatant get reported and there are some that are borderline that slip through without being reported - and that is the iceberg under the water and that's huge - it is absolutely huge.

"In an area like anywhere in London it is multiple times per week ... it would not be unreasonable to say that 20% of all our marriages are suspicious or have some elements of suspicion about them.

"So one in five in London, probably in the other big cities as well it will be a similar problem. Obviously in county areas in the countryside it is not as big a problem, but certainly in the urban areas, with high areas of ethnicity it is significant."

As part of an investigation into the issue, Sky News witnessed a raid last month by Home Office officials on a suspected sham marriage between a Nigerian man and a Portuguese woman in Harrow, northwest London.

The 32-year-old groom was arrested and has since been deported, while the 22-year-old woman is on bail under criminal investigation.

Cllr Susan Hall, Leader of Harrow Council, said: "It is appalling to see the lengths some people go to in dressing up and organising guests for a sham marriage.

"A marriage is supposed to be the happiest day in your life. Well, in this case, the couple certainly got a day they won't forget."

Mr Rimmer suggested that overall 15,000 of the 173,000 civil weddings that take place each year in England and Wales could be bogus - almost 10 times the official level.

Officials found the process very frustrating, he told Sky News.

"You go into a marriage thinking that you are going to a proper relationship - sealing and cementing someone's relationship - yet you know that this is purely a financial transaction, you can imagine how frustrating that can be. Very often the ceremony is done through gritted teeth," he said.

Sky News joined officials on a raid in September Pic: Dermot Carlin

Both David Cameron and Theresa May have repeatedly pledged to tackle sham marriages.

In a speech in October 2011, Mr Cameron pledged to "end the ridiculous situation where a registrar who knows a marriage is a sham still has to perform the ceremony".

But Mr Rimmer said the situation was worse than ever after a series of legal challenges.

He said: "Sham marriages have been a problem for many, many years. And the previous government introduced legislation to combat it back in 2004.

"As a result of that legislation, it did put a cap on the problem for the first year or so, but unfortunately the legislation was subject to challenge and the government lost on a couple of occasions in the high court.

"Eventually it was watered down to a degree it became meaningless and eventually was repealed in 2010. Since 2010, we have had the problem re-emerging and it is even worse than the problem was in 2004."

In July 2008 the Law Lords ruled that Home Office rules under which foreign nationals needed official permission to marry breached human rights.

Mr Rimmer added that while the rules for British citizens bringing foreign partners into the country to marry have been tightened, EU citizens are still free to abuse the laws.

He said: "The law relating to British nationals getting married is becoming more and more rigid. So therefore there are probationary periods if you marry a British national during which time the Border Agency/Home Office can check up as to whether that relationship is still in existence.

"There is not the same check with European Union nationals, so therefore the scams are usually perpetrated by European nationals other than Brits, because it is more advantageous to do so.

Brodie Clark, former head of the UK Border Agency

"Some nationalities in Europe being trafficked in for the sex industry - are being sold on to go through bogus marriages, so these people are victims in themselves, under duress.

"These sham marriages are a direct result of organised crime, this is organised criminality, a lot of racketeers making millions of pounds out of the racket - this is actually not something that is like a green card - this is massive criminality on an industrial scale."

Mr Rimmer said his organisation is working with ministers to introduce new legislation that could help reduce the number of sham marriages by including ceremonies held in the Church of England.

Brodie Clarke, former head of the UK Border Force, told Sky News it is impossible for officials to police every marriage.

He said: "They can't be everywhere. We do need to depend on the public and have sought that support from registrars to say if there's something suspicious here, please report it. And that would then trigger the attendance of somebody or an examination by somebody from UKBA to look at those circumstances.

"So it can't be done just by uniformed people in the Home Office - it needs partnerships of all. That's the only way this is going to pull together and work.

"But those demands and requirements of partners have to be reasonable and they have to be able to deliver on those demands and requirements - and that's a challenge, I think, for government to make that work."

Immigration Minister Mark Harper told Sky News: "Sham marriages have for too long been an easy target for migrants seeking to circumvent our immigration rules, often assisted by organised criminals.

"Registrars are frustrated when they marry couples who are obviously sham. We need more effective tools to deal with it.

"By extending the marriage and civil partnership notice period to 28 days in England and Wales and allowing this to be increased to 70 days in some circumstances we will make time to investigate, prosecute and remove those involved in sham marriages."

:: Immigration UK: A week of special coverage on Sky from October 14 to 18 - watch on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad

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South Africa Toddlers Found Dead In Toilet

South African police are questioning three people over the deaths of two toddlers who were found in a communal toilet, sparking violent protests and looting.

Angry residents in the Diepsloot township north of Johannesburg barricaded roads, set fire to tyres and stoned vehicles after the girls, two cousins aged two and three, were discovered.

Shops belonging to foreign nationals were looted, according to reports.

The protesters accused police of failing to provide security for their community.

Gauteng police said they were investigating if the girls - identified as Yonelisa and Zandile Mali - had been sexually assaulted before they were killed. 

They also told reporters they were searching for a fourth person in connection with the investigation.

The two girls had been reported missing at the weekend and were found in the toilet cubicle in the early hours of Tuesday.

Last month, the body of a five-year-old girl was found in a skip in the same area.

Diepsloot is an impoverished area of Johannesburg. Pic: File

Diepsloot, which borders one of the country's wealthiest gated estates, Dainfern, is among the most impoverished areas in Johannesburg.

Some parts of the township have no running water and residents share pit latrines or mobile toilets.

President Jacob Zuma urged South Africans not to take the law into their own hands.

"These gruesome incidents of extreme torture and murder of our children do not belong to the society that we are continuously striving to build together," he said.

"We condemn these murders in the strongest possible terms."

In a separate case, the bodies of two other children were found in a field in Katlehong township in East Rand, Gauteng province.

The children, aged one and three, were found next to their mother, who had been critically injured, according to iAfrica.com.

Police Colonel Katlego Mogale said: "It appears as if they were dropped by the husband in an open place and then the husband drove away. They are all Mozambican nationals."

The death of a young boy whose body, bearing marks of torture, was found in a field east of Johannesburg is also being investigated by police.

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Southampton: Mystery Noise Keeps People Awake

An investigation has been launched into a mystery night-time noise that has been plaguing residents for months.

People living in the industrial Waterside area of Southampton Water have been driven to distraction by the low-frequency drone that has been keeping them awake.

Some have taken to staying overnight at the homes of family and friends to avoid the buzz, while others have reportedly taken tablets to help them sleep through the noise.

New Forest District Council is trying to find the cause of the sound, which starts at around 10pm.

A spokesman said: "Within the last week we have received approximately 10 complaints relating to a low-frequency noise in the Waterside area.

"The complaints refer to the noise similar to that of a low-frequency drone, which has been occurring during the night for several months.

"Due to the large amount of heavy industry processes along the Waterside area, the Environment Agency and New Forest District Council environmental health teams are now working together to establish the source of the noise.

"Out-of-hours monitoring is to be carried out as part of the investigation."

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Pensioner Guilty Of Raping Trafficked Orphan

A pensioner who trafficked a deaf and mute orphan into the UK, using her to milk the benefits system, has been found guilty of repeatedly raping the girl.

Ilyas Ashar, 84, sexually abused his vulnerable victim again and again, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

Two female jurors wept as guilty verdicts were delivered on 13 counts of rape.

The girl, an orphan from Pakistan who is profoundly deaf and cannot speak, was beaten and slapped and forced to work for Ashar and his family as a domestic servant.

While Ashar used his victim to satisfy his sexual desires, the girl was also used to steal more than £30,000 in benefits on her behalf.

The youngster was even taught enough sign language by the family so she could agree to the benefit money being handed over to the Ashars.

Tallat Ashar has been found guilty of trafficking and benefit fraud

She was first brought into the UK in June 2000 when aged around 10, though her exact age is not known.

For almost a decade the girl, now aged 19 or 20, had to work and sleep in the cellar at the family's substantial home in Cromwell Road, Eccles in Salford.

Ashar had been convicted at an earlier trial of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit and one of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.

His wife, Tallat Ashar, 68, was found guilty of two counts of trafficking a person into the UK for exploitation, and four counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit.

His daughter, Faaiza Ashar, 46, was found guilty at an earlier trial of two counts of furnishing false information to obtain a benefit, and one count of permitting furnishing of false information to obtain a benefit.

All three were convicted at the earlier trial where the jury were unable to reach verdicts on the allegations of rape so Ashar was re-tried.

Reporting on the second trial was banned until the verdicts on the rape charges were in.

The jury were not told about the guilty verdicts at the earlier trial, where the court heard the girl was made to cook, clean, do the washing and ironing for the Ashars and clean the houses and cars of their family and friends.

She also spent her days in the cellar packing football shirts, clothes and mobile phone covers.

The girl had no family or friends in the UK and had never been to school in Pakistan or Britain.

She could not read or write and the only people she knew in Britain were the Ashars, who told her both her parents were dead.

She was, however, taught to write her signature - so her name could be used to claim benefits.

Judge Peter Lakin excused the panel of six men and six women of sitting as jurors again for 10 years and thanked them for their public duty in what he described as a "difficult" case.

Ashar's lawyer asked for bail to be continued but the judge refused.

He was remanded into custody to be sentenced next week along with his wife and daughter, who sat in the public gallery grim-faced.

Salford divisional commander Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, said: "This was a dreadful case where the girl endured years of domestic exploitation at the hands of the Ashar family.

"They have exploited her disability and made it appear to the authorities that she was responsible for their own fraudulent behaviour. She was essentially kept in domestic servitude.

"What is remarkable - and the most important aspect of this unusual case - is that the victim has emerged a confident, well-adjusted and determined young woman.

"At no stage have the defendants shown any remorse, or admitted to what they did to a girl, who was only as young as 10 years old when this began."

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Royal Mail Staff To Strike In November

The first national postal strike in almost four years will be held on November 4, union bosses have confirmed.

A 24-hour stoppage is being planned by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) amid a bitter row with Royal Mail over pay and pensions which threatens to disrupt the busy Christmas delivery season if left unresolved.

The union ballot of around 115,000 of its members at Royal Mail and Parcelforce returned a 4-1 decision on a 63% turnout in favour of industrial action, which is linked to the recently completed privatisation of the service.

The vote was returned despite a windfall under the flotation that left full-time staff who took up free share options sitting on paper earnings worth £3,545 by close of trading on Tuesday.

Those shares cannot be sold for three years under the terms of the sale.

A Royal Mail spokesman said the company was "very disappointed" at the result of the ballot, adding: "Any action, or the threat of disruption, is damaging to our business, especially in the run up to Christmas, our busiest time."

However, Dave Ward, deputy general secretary of the CWU, said: "Postal workers have spoken very clearly that they care about their jobs, terms and conditions far more than they care about shares.

"The stakes have become much higher for postal workers since privatisation, making this ballot more important than ever.

"Postal workers will not be the people who pay for the profits of private operators and faceless shareholders.

"The question now is whether this privatised Royal Mail still wants an agreement.

"We have offered the company a two-week period to reach an agreement and having already had many hours of negotiation, this is achievable if there is a will.

"What we want is a groundbreaking, long term, legally binding agreement that not only protects postal workers' job security, pay and pensions, but will also determine the strategy, principles and values of how the Royal Mail Group will operate as a private entity.

"This means there will be no further breakup of the company, no franchising of individual offices or delivery rounds, no introduction of a cheaper workforce on two-tier terms and conditions and no part time industry.

"It will mean - regardless of who owns Royal Mail - this company will not be able to enter the race to the bottom and replicate the employment practices and service standards of its competitors."

The union also announced a new ballot of its members at Royal Mail that would potentially enable postal workers to boycott competitors' mail to supplement the strike action.

The Royal Mail spokesman added: "The three-year pay offer and groundbreaking deal on protections on offer from Royal Mail addresses points raised by CWU, and talks to reach agreement are continuing to further address these points.

"Royal Mail will do all that we can to protect our business and minimise the impact of any industrial action on our customers' mail."

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Madeleine McCann: 150 Calls After Dutch Appeal

Madeleine: Key Events Timeline

Updated: 9:48am UK, Monday 14 October 2013

Here is a timeline of the key events since Madeleine McCann's disappearance.

2007

:: May 3 - Kate and Gerry McCann leave their three children asleep in their holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while they dine with friends at a nearby tapas restaurant.

Jane Tanner, one of the friends eating with the McCanns, later reports seeing a man carrying a child away earlier that night.

:: May 5 - Portuguese police reveal they believe Madeleine was abducted but is still alive and in Portugal, and say they have a sketch of a suspect.

:: May 14 - Detectives take Anglo-Portuguese man Robert Murat in for questioning and make him an "arguido", or official suspect.

:: May 25 - Detectives release a description of the man reported by Jane Tanner three weeks earlier after pressure from the McCanns, their legal team and the British Government.

:: May 30 - Mr and Mrs McCann meet the Pope in Rome in the first of a series of trips around Europe and beyond to highlight the search for their daughter.

:: August 6 - A Portuguese newspaper reports that British sniffer dogs have found traces of blood on a wall in the McCanns' holiday apartment.

:: August 11 - Exactly 100 days after Madeleine disappeared, investigating officers publicly acknowledge for the first time that she could be dead.

:: September 7 - During further questioning of Mr and Mrs McCann, detectives make them both "arguidos" in their daughter's disappearance.

:: September 9 - The McCanns fly back to England with their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.

:: October 2 - Goncalo Amaral, the detective in charge of the inquiry, is removed from the case after criticising the British police in a Portuguese newspaper interview.

:: October 25 - The McCanns release a new artist's impression drawn by an FBI-trained expert showing the man described by Jane Tanner.

2008

:: March 19 - Mr and Mrs McCann accept £550,000 libel damages and front-page apologies from Express Newspapers over allegations they were responsible for Madeleine's death.

:: April 7 - Three Portuguese detectives, led by Paulo Rebelo, fly to Britain to re-interview the seven friends on holiday with the McCanns when Madeleine vanished.

:: July 17 - Mr Murat receives £600,000 in libel damages from four newspaper groups over "seriously defamatory" articles connecting him with the child's disappearance.

:: July 21 - The Portuguese authorities shelve their investigation and lift the "arguido" status of the McCanns and Mr Murat.

:: August 4 - Thousands of pages of evidence from the Portuguese police files in the exhaustive investigation into Madeleine's disappearance are made public.

2009

:: January 13 - Mr McCann returns to Portugal for the first time since coming back to the UK without his daughter.

:: March 24 - The McCanns launch a localised new appeal for information focused on the area in the Algarve where Madeleine disappeared.

:: April 4 - Mr McCann goes back to Portugal to help film a reconstruction of the events on the night his daughter vanished.

:: April 22 - The McCanns fly to the US to record an interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey to mark two years since Madeleine's disappearance.

:: June 14 - Dying paedophile Raymond Hewlett says he was in the Algarve when Madeleine disappeared and has an alibi - but has no plans to reveal it.

:: August 6 - Detectives say they are hunting a "Victoria Beckham lookalike" with an Australian or New Zealand accent, reportedly seen in Barcelona three days after the little girl went missing.

2010

:: Feb 18 -  Kate and Gerry McCann say they are "pleased and relieved" at a judge's decision to uphold a ban on a book by former detective Goncalo Amaral.

:: Mar 3 -  A newly-released file from Portugese police on possible sightings is called "gold dust" and could lead to a breakthrough, says a spokesman for the McCanns.

:: May 1 - Kate McCann reveals she had thoughts about being "wiped out" in a motorway crash to end the pain of losing Madeleine - but vows never to give up.

:: November 10 - Madeleine's parents launch an online petition to help force a UK and Portuguese joint review of all evidence in the case.

:: November 15 -  The McCanns sign a deal to write a book about their daughter's disappearance.

2011

:: May 13 - The Prime Minister David Cameron asks London's Metropolitan Police to help investigate the case.

:: November 23 - Kate and Gerry McCann appear at the Leveson Inquiry into media ethics.

They tell how media pressure affected their family life and accuse newspaper editors of hampering the search for their missing daughter.

Kate McCann says she felt "violated" when her diary was published without her permission.

:: December 5 - Scotland Yard detectives spend time in Barcelona as part of their re-examination of the case.

2012

:: March 9 - Portuguese police in Oporto launch a review of the original investigation.

:: April 26 - Scotland Yard says Madeleine McCann may still be alive and release an artist's impression of what she may look like as a nine-year-old.

:: July 6 - British detectives examine a claim that the little girl's body is buried near the apartment from where she vanished. It comes after a self-styled investigator sends police radar scans he claims show a burial site.

2013

:: Feb 11 - Gerry McCann calls for politicians to implement the conclusions of the Leveson Inquiry in full, backed by legislation.

:: Feb 13 - Police say the results of DNA tests on a girl in New Zealand who was mistaken for Madeleine reveal that she is not the missing British girl.

:: Feb 21 - Retired solicitor Tony Bennett who published claims that Madeleine McCann's parents caused her death is given a suspended jail sentence.

:: May 2 - Madeleine McCann's parents tell Sky News a police review into their daughter's disappearance is making "excellent progress" as they mark the sixth anniversary since she went missing.

:: May 17 - Scotland Yard say they have identified a number of "people of interest" they want to speak to. It believes it has found enough evidence to reopen the case but the Portuguese authorities are still resistant. 

:: June 15 - The Home Office agrees to fund a full-scale investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

:: October 13 - UK detectives reviewing the case say key details in the timeline of her disappearance have "significantly changed".

:: October 14 - A fresh appeal is launched in a bid to find a suspect detectives say is of "vital importance", with two new separate e-fits - thought to be of the same man seen on the night Madeleine went missing - released by police.

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Fuel Risk As Grangemouth Crisis Deepens

The Grangemouth oil refinery is to be closed for at least a week, threatening fuel supplies in Scotland, as its owner complains of financial damage from a threatened strike.

The 48-hour stoppage was called off by the Unite union following the breakdown of talks through the night with the site's owners Ineos at the conciliation service Acas.

The company later confirmed operations would not be re-started this week.

Ineos said: "Grangemouth is financially distressed. The industrial action called by Unite the Union has inflicted significant further damage on the company.

"Ineos will put a proposal to the workforce tomorrow and expects a response on Monday, after the weekend. The company will review its position with its shareholders on Tuesday."

Ineos says Grangemouth is run at a loss

Unite had earlier accused Ineos of "scandalous behaviour" as their talks failed to resolve their bitter row over the treatment of a union convenor - accusing the firm of walking away and said it was acting to protect a national asset.

Unite's Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: "We are outraged that Ineos representatives walked away from Acas talks, after 16 hours of negotiation and on the cusp of an agreement, for the ludicrous reason that Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe instructed his management representatives to demand an apology on his behalf.

"Acas representatives informed us that we could not conclude an agreement to take to our members because a list of fresh demands were placed upon us and because 'Jim wants an apology' and that this was a 'deal-breaker'.

"I have never came across anything like this in over 30 years of employment relations and it is utterly reprehensible."

Unite accused Ineos of running the Grangemouth refinery and petrochemical sites into a "damaging cold shutdown" which would affect fuel production and supply across Scotland.

Mr Rafferty continued: "As a result, Unite will now call off all industrial action with immediate effect in order to protect this national asset from the scandalous behaviour of its owner.

"The plant should now start the return to full production and there is no excuse for this not to happen."

Petrol and diesel production was suspended at the plant on Monday night in preparation for Sunday's walkout.

Experts had warned that the stoppage raised the prospect of shortages if the dispute was not resolved as all of Scotland's needs are met through supplies from Grangemouth.

The row centred on alleged unfair treatment of plant worker, Stephen Deans, who is also a union official. Unite and the company were already in dispute over terms and conditions at the plant.

Ineos had previously warned the petrochemical site would have to close by 2017 unless a "survival plan" involving cutting pension entitlement and pay was implemented.

The company argued that the refinery, located on the Firth of Forth, was not profitable - losing more than £576m in the last four years.

It claimed the pension scheme was £200m in deficit and pension costs of 65% of salary were "unsustainable".

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'Plebgate' Row: Cameron Blasts Police Conduct

MP Andrew Mitchell is owed an apology over the conduct of three police officers accused of lying about a meeting with him, the Prime Minister has claimed.

In a deepening row over the long-running 'plebgate' saga, senior police had hit back after Home Secretary Theresa May gave her support to an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

The report questioned the "honesty and integrity" of Inspector Ken MacKaill, Detective Sergeant Stuart Hinton and Sergeant Chris Jones, and said the trio should have faced misconduct hearings for their actions.

And speaking at Prime Minister's questions, David Cameron said Mr Mitchell was "owed an apology, the conduct of these officers was not acceptable" and "these things should be properly investigated".

The Home Affairs Select Committee's chairman Keith Vaz raised the row with Mr Cameron in the Commons, saying the IPCC report was "damning".

The PM said: "I agree 100% with what the Home Secretary said yesterday and I think we should be clear about what we are discussing here.

"The whole case about what happened outside 10 Downing Street, that's with the CPS and we have to leave that on one side until they make their decision.

"What's being discussed here is the fact that ... the former chief whip had a meeting with Police Federation officers in his committee where he gave a full account of what had happened, they left that meeting and claimed he had given them no account at all.

"Fortunately this meeting was recorded so he has been able to prove that what he said was true and what the police officers said was untrue."

Theresa May said the IPCC statement made "troubling reading"

"He is owed an apology, the conduct of these officers was not acceptable, these things should be properly investigated, as the Home Secretary has said."

Mrs May had previously backed the IPCC report that said West Mercia Police had been "quite wrong" not to take disciplinary action against the three men.

They are accused of lying about what chief whip Andrew Mitchell said in a private meeting about the so-called 'plebgate' affair last year.

Chief Constable David Shaw, of West Mercia Police, has been summoned to give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on the issue.

However, in a joint statement with police in Warwickshire and the West Midlands, the force defended its handling of the case.

"Andrew Mitchell MP has never made a complaint to police," it said.

"West Mercia, with the support of West Midlands and Warwickshire Police, recognising the public interest in this case, independently decided to investigate this incident and made a referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

"We asked for the matter to be independently investigated by the IPCC because we recognise the significant public interest in the matter, however this was declined.

"The IPCC have supervised this investigation throughout and have been invited to reconsider their position on more than one occasion.

"The decisions following this investigation were carefully considered, with the support of appropriate legal advice.

"Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands Police have separately considered the findings of the investigation and all three forces agree on the outcome."

West Midlands Police Commissioner Bob Jones told Sky News said he had not seen conclusive evidence that the officers had lied.

"My job is to ensure there is a proper investigation," he said.

"There's been a very thorough investigation supervised by the IPCC."

West Mercia police commissioner Bill Longmore expressed surprise about comments by IPCC deputy chairwoman Deborah Glass and said he was seeking an urgent meeting with Mrs May.

"Given the critical statement which the IPCC deputy chair has made in the last few hours, I am frankly surprised the IPCC did not resume conduct of the investigation," he said.

"They certainly had the power to do so."

The chairman of the Police Federation, Steven Williams, also questioned the intervention by Ms Glass.

"My concern is that by releasing her personal view that she disagrees with the findings of the West Mercia investigation, she displays a lack of independence," he wrote in a letter to Mrs May.

Mr Mitchell met Mr MacKaill, Mr Hinton and Mr Jones, federation representatives of West Mercia, Warwickshire and the West Midlands respectively, on October 12 to "clear the air".

A transcript shows Mr Mitchell apologised for swearing at the police officers but denied using the word "plebs".

In comments made after the meeting, Mr MacKaill claimed the former Tory chief whip would not provide an account of the incident.

Giving evidence to MPs, Mrs May said: "The IPCC statement makes troubling reading.

"If it is indeed the case that warranted police officers behaved in the way Deborah Glass has described, that's not acceptable at all."

Asked if the chief constable of West Mercia Police should apologise to Mr Mitchell, Mrs May said: "I think that would be appropriate."

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Senate Leaders Confirm Deal To Avert Default

Senate leaders have reached a last-minute agreement to avert a threatened US default and reopen the government.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced on Wednesday that a bipartisan deal had been struck to end the fiscal impasse.

Speaking on the Senate floor after more than two weeks of political wrangling, Mr Reid said: "This is a time for reconciliation." 

Earlier, Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte said congressional leaders would push for passage as soon as possible.

The deal, struck by Mr Reid and GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, calls for the Treasury to have authority to continue borrowing through February 7, and reopen the government through January 15.

Sen Ayotte said she understood the legislation would first receive a vote in the Republican-controlled House, an arrangement that would speed its way through Congress to President Barack Obama's desk.

House Speaker John Boehner has failed to rally Republicans behind a deal

The White House expressed optimism that the bipartisan plan would gain passage and urged Congress to act quickly.

As word of the Senate deal emerged, Speaker John Boehner and the House Republican leadership met to plan their next move.

Notably absent from the pending agreement is a long-held Republican demand to defund aspects of Mr Obama's signature health care law.

The Senate deal makes only one modest change in the programme that requires individuals and families seeking subsidies to verify their incomes before qualifying.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Tea Party favourite who has been a staunch opponent of any deal that did not include cuts to "Obamacare", said he would vote against the measure but would not pursue delaying tactics to stall the legislation.

The president's health care law is at the heart of the dispute

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Senate's announcement, Mr Cruz said: "Once again the Washington establishment is refusing to listen to the American people."

A top Democratic aide told Reuters the deal appears certain to be approved with mostly Democratic votes.

The New York Stock Exchange soared on the news that the threat of default was easing in, rising roughly 200 points by late morning.

With borrowing authority set to run out on Thursday, leaders worked through the night to craft an agreement that could win bipartisan support in the deeply polarised Congress.

Mr Obama has warned of the consequences of a default and leading economists have said it could hurt the global economy.

Warren Buffett, one of the the world's most influential investors, said the threat not to raise the debt limit is a "political weapon of mass destruction" comparable to poison gas.

Mr Buffett, who leads the Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate, told CNBC that he does not think the federal government will fail to pay its bills.

"If it does happen, it's a pure act of idiocy," he added.

Uncertainty over Washington's ability to avert a default led Fitch Ratings to warn it could cut the sovereign credit rating of the United States from AAA, citing the political brinkmanship on Capitol Hill.

The renewed push in the Senate came after a day of chaotic developments in the House that saw two separate GOP plans buried when it became apparent they failed to rally enough support among Republican rank-and-file.

Politically, neither party is faring well, but polls indicate Republicans are bearing the brunt of public unhappiness as survey after survey shows their approval ratings plunging.

A Washington Post/ABC News poll released on Monday found that 74% of Americans disapprove of the way congressional Republicans have handled the standoff, compared with a 53% disapproval rating for Obama.

The shutdown has already furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers and forced national parks and monuments to close down in high season.

Some tourist attractions such as the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty have now reopened, as states agreed to fund their running.

However, many communities have lamented the economic damage they have had to incur.

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