Gordon Brown insulted 'bigot' pensioner 'because he thought she had sworn about immigrants'

Labour spin doctors today tried to justify Gordon Brown's 'bigot' slur by claiming that he thought Gillian Duffy had sworn when asking him about immigration, it has emerged.

The grandmother from Rochdale had quizzed the Prime Minister about the about where all the Eastern European immigrants were 'flocking' from.

But in an attempt to justify Mr Brown's appalling gaffe, Labour today claimed he had misheard the 66-year-old and thought she had asked 'where are they f***ing from?'

A senior source told the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror newspaper that it was this misunderstanding which had made him react so badly in the car afterwards.

Gillian Duffy leaves her Rochdale home this morning amid claims Mr Brown had believed she swore during her chat with him on Wednesday

The Downing Street source told the paper: 'It was that which sent him into a bad mood and made him call her a bigot.

'He thought it was a disaster because he thought she was some BNP type swearing about immigrants on TV.'

While the excuse might seem implausible, it would perhaps explain Mr Brown's odd claim after his apology to Mrs Duffy that he had 'simply misunderstood some of the words that she used.'

Mr Brown told his press team not to let on that he had misheard Mrs Duffy because he wanted to see the story buried, it is claimed.

The news comes as Alan Johnson described Mr Brown as a 'politician not of this age' yesterday.

The Home Secretary is expected to team up with Foreign Secretary David Miliband to form a 'dream ticket' for the party leadership after the election.

One Labour source predicted Mr Brown will be ousted whatever the result as he faces bitter recriminations over his disastrous encounter with 66-year-old widow Gillian Duffy.

With signs that Labour is already turning in on itself, one minister said the affair had been 'ghastly' and another predicted it could have a 'catastrophic' impact on turnout among traditional working-class supporters.

Mr Brown, who was wearing a microphone in his lapel during a Wednesday walkabout in Rochdale, was overheard describing lifelong Labour voter Mrs Duffy as a 'bigot' after she raised the issue of immigration with him.

Mr Johnson said the Prime Minister's gaffe was a 'terrible blow' to Labour and caused astonishment by appearing to agree that the party was now fighting for its very existence.

Police officers outside a Rochdale house that Mrs Duffy arrived at today after it was claimed that Mr Brown had thought she had sworn during her chat with him

Polls indicate that Mr Brown is on the brink of a historic defeat on the scale of that achieved by Michael Foot in 1983, when Labour polled just 27 per cent of the vote. One poll last night put Labour on an extraordinary 23 per cent.

'It's damaging,' the Home Secretary said. 'I was, to use the Prime Minister's phrase, mortified. Not so much for Gordon - I mean he is big enough, ugly enough and strong enough to look after himself - but for Mrs Duffy.

'I think when you saw her face and the hurt that it caused her, there was an enormous feeling of sympathy there and Labour supporters, not least of all in Rochdale, would have been horrified about that.'

Mr Johnson said Mr Brown was a 'principled politician' who did not care about public relations, adding: 'Maybe he sometimes seems to be a politician not of this age.'

It emerged yesterday that the Prime Minister's advisers desperately tried to twist Mrs Duffy's arm to stand beside him for the cameras after he returned to her house to apologise on Wednesday.

'Terrible blow': Alan Johnson (left) admitted Gordon Brown's bigot gaffe could affect the outcome of the election

Her nephew Peter Duffy revealed: 'They asked, "Can you go out and stand in the drive with him?" I just did not think at the time it was a good idea.'

Yesterday the Prime Minister was chaperoned by his wife Sarah and Labour's campaign chief Lord Mandelson as he met workers at a welding factory in the Midlands.

But he endured another awkward encounter after remarking to Jayne Shinwell, a contract development worker, that the firm was doing well in China.

Mr Brown grimaced as the 40-year-old mother of two responded: 'Our company's doing well everywhere, but I think it's in spite of you.'

A chastened Prime Minister claimed yesterday that he understands the public have fears about immigration being too high.

During the factory visit, an employee asked him what Labour planned to do about immigration which is 'way too high in this country'.

The Prime Minister acknowledged immigration was on many people's minds and perceived as being 'way too high'.

He added: 'I understand the worries people have about immigration, I understand the concerns about what is happening to people's neighbourhoods and I understand the fears that people have.'

Gaffe: The Prime Minister speaks to Rochdale resident Gillian Duffy on Wednesday, before calling her 'bigoted' in his car

His remarks were immediately overshadowed by damaging allegations that Labour has sought to mislead the public over immigration. In a BBC interview this week, Alan Johnson claimed the Government was removing an illegal immigrant every six minutes.

That rate of removal would be 87,600 a year - while the latest Home Office statistics for 2009 give a total of only 64,750.

But even this figure includes 29,060 people who were turned away at the border and never entered the country.

Analysis by the MigrationWatch think tank said the true figure for removals - 'in the normal sense of the word' was 23,950, or one every 22 minutes.

A poll by Angus Reid for the Economist last night put the Conservatives in first place among those certain to vote with 33 per cent, followed by the Liberal Democrats on 30, with Labour on a catastrophic 23 per cent.

By Daily Mail Reporter

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Now the Labour campaign really IS a car crash: Smash just yards from PM's poster launch as binmen jeer Brown

• Car smashes into bus shelter just behind Labour event
• After debate win, Cameron warns: We haven't won yet
  
• It's now a two-horse race with Tories, declares Clegg
• Eight million tune in to watch final leaders' showdown
  
• Desperate Labour unleash Blair onto campaign trail
  
• Boris Johnson: Tories now have the momentum
  

Labour's bid for re-election went from bad to worse today after a car crashed just yards from where Gordon Brown was desperately trying to re-energise his campaign.

A Volkswagen Golf, which had appearently been side-swiped by a bin-lorry whose passengers were shouting anti-Labour abuse, smashed into a bus shelter in Hockley, Birmingham.

The Prime Minister, flanked by Cabinet heavyweights, carried on with his plea to voters as emergency services rushed to the scene.

'The time for debate has finished. The time for decision has begun. I'm fighting not for myself. I'm fighting for the future of this country,' he said.

Lord Mandelson, who had been speaking as the accident happened, gave a curt 'No' when asked if it was a metaphor for their spluttering campaign.

Crash, bang, wallop: A car smashed into a bus shelter behind Labour's poster launch in Birmingham

Accident: Gordon Brown's aide Sue Nye inspects the damage

The crash came hours after Mr Brown's failure to make his mark in last night's final leaders' debate, which was watched by eight million people.

Despite snap polls ruling it was won by David Cameron, the Tory leader today insisted the election was far from won.

He said: 'I do not take anything for granted. We have got to fight a very hard campaign in these last six days to really win people over and say: change is possible, change can happen.'

He added: 'We are fighting not just Labour and the Liberals, we are fighting cynicism and apathy and deep, deep unhappiness with all politicians.'

Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg claimed it was now a 'two-horse race' between him and Mr Cameron as he declared his party are 'going for gold'.

'Cleggmania' appeared alive and well despite Mr Clegg coming second in last night's head-to-head as he campaigned in Leicester in front of a rapturous crowd.

Storms up ahead: Gordon Brown and Cabinet ministers unveiling posters as rain clouds hover

Just six days to go: The Prime Minister flanked by Lord Mandelson, Harriet Harman and Alistair Darling

With the TV clashes over, Mr Cameron is embarking on a frenetic final week of campaigning as he battles to secure an outright victory on May 6.

TV DEBATE - THE INSTANT POLLS

YouGov/The Sun
Cameron 41% Clegg 32% Brown 25%

(2nd debate: Cameron 36% Clegg 32% Brown 29%)

ComRes/ITV
Cameron 35% Clegg 33% Brown 26%

(Clegg 33% Cameron 30% Brown 30%)

Angus Reid
Cameron 37% Clegg 30% Brown 23%

(Clegg 33% Cameron 32% Brown 23%)

MailOnline (latest figures)
Cameron 51% Clegg 37% Brown 12%

Populus/Times
Cameron 38% Clegg 38% Brown 25%

(Cameron 37% Clegg 36% Brown 27%)

Guardian
Cameron 35% Clegg 27% Brown 29%

(Clegg 33% Cameron 29% Brown 29%)

Sky News poll of polls
Cameron 38% Clegg 32% Brown 26%

(Cameron 33% Clegg 33% Brown 27%)

In another bid to show he can usher in a new kind of politics, he has issued a 'contract' containing 16 pledges which is being sent to millions of homes in target seats to capitalise on his debate triumph.

It tells voters: 'If we don't deliver our side of the bargain, vote us out in five years time.'

In Cannock Chase, a new target the Tories now hope could be in their grasp, he admitted the debates had been 'quite tiring and quite stressful' and that he was pleased they are over.

With typical candour of children, one pupil told him the head-to-head had been 'too long'.

Mr Cameron said his children had been wondering why an election lasted so long, adding: 'I think they have a good point.'

In turn, Labour have rolled out what they hope could be their secret weapon, Tony Blair, in a desperate last-ditch bid to reignite their homes as the party trails a dismal third in many opinion polls.

With just six days until polling day, they fear they are on course for their worst result since 1983 when, under Michael Foot's leadership, they managed just 27 per cent.

But bringing back Mr Blair is a hugely risky strategy because many regard him as tainted by the Iraq war. It is a sign of how bad the situation is that they are taking the gamble.

And there is a huge irony about his return given that he and Mr Brown were foes throughout his tenure at Number Ten because of bitter rivalry over the party leadership.

Still a long way to go: David Cameron today insisted the election was far from won despite last night's debate

Mobbed: Tory leader David Cameron at Landau Forte College in Derby

Mr Blair, who looked extremely thin but deeply tanned, offered only lukewarm support for his successor as he attended a clinic in Harrow.

He insisted that Labour 'has got every chance of succeeding' but in a tacit admission of Mr Brown's lack of winning appeal, he added: 'We will succeed best, and I don't think this is much disputed, if the focus is on policy.'

The former leader had his blood pressure taken and joked: 'Is it better or worse than it used to be?'

A nurse injected: 'Or is it better or worse than Gordon's?' Mr Blair replied: 'It's a tough job being Prime Minister - I know.'

His appearance raised questions about why he was on his own and not campaigning at Mr Brown's side.

Look who's back: Tony Blair on the campaign trail today, having his blood pressure taken in Harrow

The crash in Birmingham overshadowed the unveiling of new campaign posters aimed at families, claiming they will lose out under the Tories.

Mr Brown had gathered with Harriet Harman, Alistair Darling, Alan Johnson, Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper and Andy Burnham to speak at the launch.

Sue Nye, one of the Prime Minister's most senior aides who was by his side for his 'bigot' gaffe on Wednesday, was among a crowd who rushed to the damaged car.

Nobody was injured and the driver, Omed Rashid, 27, at least said he would be voting Labour next week.

But one of the refuse collectors in the truck, Joe Dooley, was scathing about the event - declaring: 'I can't stand this stuff.'

Another, who gave his name only as Del, added: 'Half our jobs are going, left, right and centre, in this city.'

Deflated Labour ministers put on a brave face at the joint event, insisting that the result of the election is still 'wide open' despite another losing performance by Mr Brown last night.

'Two-horse race': Nick Clegg is mobbed by students at De Montfort University in Leicester

Cleggmania: The Lib Dem leader's support shows no sign of abating with less than a week until polling day

Strategists had been desperately hoping the showdown on the economy would provide an opportunity for the Prime Minister to change the dynamics of the campaign.

But in a sign of how badly Labour thought it went, it has emerged party insiders complained five times during the 90-minute clash. The Tories and Lib Dems did not raise a singly query.

Snap polls all pronounced Mr Cameron the winner and gave the first indication that Mr Brown's slim chances of victory have been further hit by his disastrous 'bigot' attack on Gillian Duffy.

Tory aides were heard cheering as polls began to emerge declaring their leader the victor.

A YouGov survey for the Sun showed Mr Cameron gaining 41 per cent audience approval, with Mr Clegg on 32 and Gordon Brown on 25.

ComRes, for ITV News, gave Mr Cameron 35 per cent, Mr Clegg 33 and Mr Brown on 26. A third, by Angus Reid, gave Mr Cameron 36, Mr Clegg 31 and Mr Brown 23.

And the MailOnline's own poll, which initially showed Mr Clegg in front, also showed a Tory victory by midnight. It had Mr Cameron on 45 per cent, Mr Clegg on 43 and Mr Brown trailing on 12 per cent.

This morning Mr Cameron's lead had grown further to 51 per cent, Mr Clegg's had fallen to 37 per cent and Mr Brown was still on 12 per cent.

Getting an eyeful: Gordon Brown and Tessa Jowell watch a gymnast at Loughborough University

Despite coming second, Mr Clegg was in high spirits campaigning at De Montford University in Leicester where he was greted by the biggest crowd of the campaign to date.

'I think we are now the party of hope and fairness in this very dramatic election campaign,' he said. 'There's a real momentum now...

'This campaign is now boiling down to a simple choice, a two-horse race between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative Party. Who do you trust to deliver the change and fairness that you want? We need real change, not fake change and that is what the Liberal Democrats offer.'

But after he was skewered by Mr Cameron over his plans for an amnesty for illegal immigrants last night, he faced fresh questions on the proposal today.

He claimed that the Lib Dems were offering a 'one-off solution', compared to the other two parties who just wanted to brush the problem under the carpet'.

But former Tory frontbencher Boris Johnson was scathing about the leader as he campaigned in Hampstead in London.

He confidently proclaimed that the Lib Dem 'bubble' is about to burst as he likened Nick Clegg to a child's plaything.

'The British people, they've been given a new shiny yellow kind of Fisher-Price Tonka toy. They've bashed it around, they've been playing with it... and after three weeks that Fisher-Price toy is starting to look a little bit tired.

'I don't wish in any way to be complacent but my distinct impression is that the great Clegg bubble that has inflated over the last three weeks is about to explode.'

He also declared that the momentum is now with the Tories after Mr Cameron 'walloped' the final debate and claimed Gordon Brown is 'at the end of his tether'.

He argued that another Labour victory 'would not be good for the country, it would be good for the Labour Party, it would not even be good for Gordon Brown. It would be inhumane'.

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French victory hits Wellstream

If you're in the oil business and your shares are falling faster than those of BP, then something is clearly amiss.

While BP wrestles with the PR disaster of a giant oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico, the harbinger of the day's doom for oil services firm Wellstream was its failure to win a potentially lucrative contract in the exciting Brazilian market.

The group watched as French rival Technip snatched an offshore development contract with Petrobras from under its nose.

Shut out: Wellstream failed to win a lucrative contract in the Brazilian market

Analysts at Oriel Securities are reading plenty into Wellstream being beaten into second place.

The failure to win the contract, says Oriel, casts doubt on whether the firm can be successful in Brazil's deep water market.

Investors had hoped to see Wellstream pip the French to the post and had perhaps priced such an eventuality in, as it lost 50.5p to 600.78p. Waterstone's owner HMV also took a hit, losing 6.8p to 72.65p, as it blamed poor January trading on the freezing weather conditions.

Online gambling firm 888 Holdings slid for the second day in a row, shedding 1.7p to 80p after investors took fright at a slowdown in the past four weeks.

Still, the company's results have been otherwise strong and ongoing relaxation of gambling laws in Europe and, potentially, in the US means there is plenty of upside for the stock in the months to come.

The most surprising name on the list of fallers was hospitality group Whitbread, which dropped 38p to 1552.4p, despite reporting a booming year for its Costa coffee shops.

Investors may have been worried by declining like-for-like sales in its Premier Inns budget hotels - but the division has outperformed major rivals amid the recession. Planned expansion under chief executive-to-be Andy Harrison, formerly of easyJet, is cause for optimism and looking ahead.

The Footsie was in rebound mode, after a period beset by persistent fears about the impact of Greece's debt crisis on European markets.

The index gained 31.23 points at 5617.84, albeit on low volumes as traders sit tight ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend.

The Dow was also up, adding 121.9 points by the middle of the session to 11167.17, after the Federal Reserve decided to keep the benchmark interest rate at a record low.

But the Footsie's rebound did nothing to lighten the mood at Game Group, a recession struggler which was plunged into even more dire straits after the recent resignation of chief executive Lisa Morgan.

Analysts are consistently gloomy about the group's prospects in the face of aggressive computer games discounting by mammoth supermarket chains, while there is a distinct lack of big name consoles slated for release any time soon. The group lost 0.55p to close at 95p, some 52 per cent below last year's level.

But there was plenty to smile about for Intercontinental Hotels, which enjoyed the read-across from US hotel firm Starwood's results.

The American chain's first-quarter results smashed through analysts' expectations and IHG, whose hotels occupy a similar end of the market to many of Starwood's got a leg-up as a result, finishing top of the blue-chips, up 65p at 1126.3p.

The group is nearing the final stages of a modernisation of the Holiday Inn brand, which it will debut in a £65m advertising campaign due to start on 3 May.

Diageo also enjoyed a boost from a foreign competitor, rising 28p to 1132p as France's Pernod Ricard reported third quarter sales ahead of forecasts and lifted its full-year earnings expectation.

Kitchen cabinet maker Galiform charged ahead too, as trading picked up after a slow start to the year due to the carpet of snow that blanketed Britain for weeks.

With the scent of spring already wafting through the air, sales have returned to levels comparable with last year. The stock gained 4.05p, closing at 82.43p.

Scanner specialist Kofax jumped 7.5p to 246p as its software business performed better than expectations, helped by the acquisition of 170 Systems last September.

Production at copper miner Kazakhmys has increased from the previous quarter, putting it on track to meet full-year forecasts. The miner gained 53p to 1416p, but rival Eurasian Natural Resources - also focused on Kazakhstan - did even better from the news and rose 55p to 1225.6p.

And UK Coal began clawing its way out of the cellar after a difficult week which saw it call off merger talks with Hargreaves Services after making a loss for 2009.

However, there was little that was unexpected about the group's lacklustre performance in 2009 and investors warmed to the stock a little, giving it a 2.75p boost to 53p.

By Rob Davies

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Oil spill off U.S. coast set to become worst in history as 210,000 gallons gush out a day and Obama demands BP pay for it

A giant oil spill off the coast of the U.S. could become the worst in history, it was feared last night.

President Obama has offered military planes, ships and equipment to help BP stem the oil spewing from a well beneath the rig which exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico last week.

But experts said the unprecedented containment operation was unlikely to prevent strong winds pushing the slick, which has a circumference of 600 miles, to the shoreline by tonight.

Ablaze: A fleet of tugs attempt to extinguish the fire on the sinking oil rig Deepwater Horizon, off Louisiana

Threat: A boat tries to scoop up some of the spill using an oil boom

This would put swathes of marine wildlife in danger.

Five times more oil than BP estimated is gushing into the ocean each day – about 5,000 barrels, or 210,000 gallons.

And the cost of cleaning it up will fall on London-based firm BP, the White House said today.

Barack Obama's spokesman Nick Shapiro said the President has ordered his administration to aggressively confront the oil slick that is spreading over the Gulf of Mexico and oozing ever closer to the coast.

The military is working to determine how its array of aircraft, ships and equipment might be able to assist the clean-up operation.

Lethal: A satellite image taken on Monday by DigitalGlobe shows vessels working to clean up the oil slick

The DigitalGlobe images clearly show the oil slick floating on the surface of the water as clean-up crews attempt to stem the flow

Although the Coast Guard and other federal agencies are supporting the clean-up, Mr Shapiro said BP will be required to pay for it.

Shocked experts have discovered a new leak at the site - meaning it is pumping out around five times more oil into the ocean than previously thought.

The revelation has sparked expert fears that the spill could become one of the worst in history.

As the spill advances, experts have started to quarrel over the extent of the damage, with one official from BP, which leases the rig, claiming he did not believe the newly discovered leak had increased the amount of oil spilling into the water beyond earlier estimates.

A graphic posted by the U.S. coastguard and the industry task force fighting the slick shows its approximate location

But U.S. coastguard Rear Admiral Mary Landry disagreed with his statement at a news conference and said she was relying on a new estimate from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration.

She said NOAA experts now estimated 5,000 barrels of oil a day were spilling into the gulf from the rig which exploded and sank last week. Officials had estimated the leak for days at 1,000 barrels a day.

Doug Suttle, chief operating officer for BP, said he thought the estimate of 1,000 barrels a day was accurate. He showed a diagram showing where the leaks were and said the newly-discovered leak was upstream from the previous leaks.

'Due to its location, we do not believe this changes the amount currently believed to be released,' he said.

When asked again, Rear Adm Landry stuck to the NOAA estimate and said it was based on aerial surveys, study of the trajectory of the oil slick and other factors.

The shock news came hours after crews tried a test burn on the massive spill to try to slow it from reaching the U.S. shoreline.

Snapshot of disaster: Four hundred miles out in space, Nasa's Aqua satellite has taken pictures of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico

Mr Obama had been briefed on the new information and the government had offered to have the Department of Defence help contain the spill and protect the shoreline and wildlife, she said.

Late last night crews started a test burn on the massive spill, which Rear Adm Landry said was successful.

BP, which operates the rig, had planned to continue the oil fires after the test, but as night fell, no more were lit. The burns were not expected to be done at night.

Crews planned to use hand-held flares to set fire to sections of the massive spill. They turned to the plan after failing to stop a 1,000-barrel-a-day leak at the spot where a Deepwater oil platform exploded and sank.

A 500ft boom was to be used to corral several thousand gallons of the thickest oil on the surface, which will then be towed to a more remote area, set on fire, and allowed to burn for about an hour.

They had estimated about 42,000 gallons of oil a day was leaking into the Gulf from the blown-out well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

From the air, the thickest parts of the spill resembled rust-coloured tentacles of various thickness

That would be closer to 210,000 gallons a day with the new estimates. Eleven workers are missing and presumed dead. The cause of the explosion has not been determined.

Greg Pollock, head of the oil spill division of the Texas General Land Office, which is providing equipment for crews in the Gulf, said he was not aware of a similar burn ever being done off the U.S. coast.

The last time crews with his agency used fire booms to burn oil was a 1995 spill on the San Jacinto River.

More...

• Visible from space, the giant oil slick oozing towards America's Gulf Coast

The oil has the consistency of thick roofing tar.

When the flames go out, Mr Pollock said, the material that is left resembles a hardened ball of tar that can be removed from the water with nets or skimmers.

A graphic posted by the coastguard and the industry task force fighting the slick showed it covering an area about 100 miles long and 45 miles across at its widest point.

'It's premature to say this is catastrophic. I will say this is very serious,' said Rear Adm Mary Landry.

In this aerial photo taken in the Gulf of Mexico, the oil slick is seen eight miles off the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Louisiana

From the air, the thickest parts of the spill resembled rust-coloured tentacles of various thickness.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of petroleum.

More than two dozen vessels moved about in the heart of the slick pulling oil-sopping booms.

Earlier, Louisiana State Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Robert Barham said government projections showed a 'high probability' oil could reach the Pass a Loutre wildlife area by tomorrow night, Breton Sound on Saturday and the Chandeleur Islands on Sunday.

As the task force worked far offshore, local officials prepared for the worst in case the oil reached land.

The decision to burn some of the oil came after crews operating submersible robots failed to activate a shut-off device that would halt the flow of oil on the sea bottom 5,000 feet below.

BP says work will begin as early as today to drill a relief well to relieve pressure at the blowout site, but that could take months.

Another option is a dome-like device to cover oil rising to the surface and pump it to container vessels, but that would take two weeks to put in place, BP said.

Industry officials say replacing the Deepwater Horizon, owned by Transocean, would cost up to £460 million. BP has said its costs for containing the spill are running at £4 million a day.

The company said it would spend £66million to drill the relief well.

By Mail Foreign Service

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£17billion wiped off BP shares as oil slick reaches U.S. coast in 'worst spill in history'... and Obama says they will pay

Nearly £17billion pounds have been wiped off BP shares as an oil spill that is threatening to eclipse the Exxon Valdez disaster spread out of control and started washing ashore along America's Gulf Coast early today.

Fishermen rushed to scoop up shrimp and crews spread floating barriers around marshes in a desperate attempt to stave off an environmental disaster.

BP was also facing financial disaster as the company lost £16.9billion in market value and U.S. President Barack Obama announced they will foot the bill for the clean-up.

The company is currently bleeding £4million a day as the crisis spreads out of control.

No way to stop it: Rough winds and waves push against an oil boom set up in a flimsy effort to protect the Louisiana coast yesterday

Impending danger: A Greenpeace image taken yesterday shows birds flying over the oil on the waters near Breton Sound Island in the Gulf of Mexico

Now American shrimpers in Louisiana and Alabama have filed class-action lawsuits against BP and owners of the drilling platform in a move that could open the floodgates.

The company is facing further financial pain after the White House said it would foot the bill for the clean-up. The final tab could run into the billions.

But its financial troubles pale in comparison to the environmental - and economic - disaster threatening the U.S. coast from the spill that threatens to overtake the Exxon Valdez disaster.

By Mail Foreign Service

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City reforms could send Britain into double-dip recession, warns secret report (by the banks)

Britain's banks will warn that tough new rules to purge the financial system of its excesses could trigger a double-dip recession.

In a 'deeply offensive' display of arrogance, the banks are expected to plead for leniency as Britain's three main political parties prepare to introduce a raft of safeguards to prevent another financial meltdown.

The tough new regulatory regime could force lenders to ration loans, throttling the embryonic recovery in the economy, the banks will warn in a report next month.

News of the study prompted accusations that the banking sector - propped by £1trillion in taxpayer cash - is 'scaremongering' to avoid the new international standards.

A report commissioned by the banks has reveled Britain could be heading for a double-dip recession if sweeping City reforms are put in place

It came on the day that the Barclays unveiled a £1.4bn windfall for staff at its 'casino' arm for the first three months of the year following a 47 per cent surge in profits.

Thanks to the mammoth state support, most British banks have seen their earnings bounce back to boom-era levels, triggering meaty bonuses for City fat cats.

But governments around the world are planning to introduce new levies on financial institutions to curb risk-taking and replenish public coffers, which the banks fear will hit profits.

In a dossier due to be handed to the new government in June, Britain's banks will warn that the new taxes will reduce the flow of credit to businesses and consumers, potentially pitching Britain back into recession.

Vince Cable, Treasury spokesman for the Liberal Democrats, said: 'Given the scale of the bailout the financial sector has received from the taxpayer, this kind of scaremongering from the City is simply whingeing.'

By Simon Duke

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The DNA death test: Scientist has every gene screened to show risk of catching disease

For many of us, being told how likely we are to be hit by a range of fatal diseases is something we would rather not know.

But a scientist has been given the first ever prediction of his risk of future disease after his DNA was completely decoded.

He was prescribed anti-cholesterol drugs to tackle his heart disease risk after colleagues at a leading university sequenced his genetic code.

'Seemingly healthy': Professor Quake, right, is the first person to have a clinical 'diagnosis' made about his risk of suffering future disease

The American researchers who uncovered Professor Stephen Quake's future risk predict everyone could be offered such testing within a decade for a few hundred pounds.

They claim he is the first person to have a clinical 'diagnosis' made about his risk of suffering a range of illnesses.

The results revealed heightened risks of heart disease, cardiac arrest, diabetes and prostate cancer, as well as his likely responses to certain medicines.

Prof Quake, 40, made headlines last year when he used new technology to sequence his own genome, or genetic code, for less than $50,000 (£33,000).

The latest study, published today in The Lancet medical journal, used his personal genetic data to make predictions about his health.

Prof Quake said: 'We're at the dawn of a new age of genomics. Information like this will enable doctors to deliver personalised health care like never before.

'It's certainly been interesting. I was curious to see what would show up.

'But not everyone will want to know the intimate details of their genome, and it's entirely possible that this group will be the majority.'

Colleagues at Stanford University School of Medicine near San Francisco, examined the scientist's genetic profile and combined the results with research information from studies about the genetic causes of different diseases.

Aspects of his family history were also taken into account, including the sudden death of a distant relative in his sleep at the age of 19.

Prof Quake, professor of bioengineering at Stanford's medical school, was screened for 55 conditions, ranging from obesity and Type 2 diabetes to schizophrenia and gum disease.

In some cases the normal risk of developing a certain condition for a man of his age was scaled down, and in other cases up.

For instance, he entered the study with a 16 per cent chance of developing prostate cancer in his lifetime.

But after incorporating information about 18 separate genetic variants from 54 studies, Prof Quake's personal risk of prostate cancer was put at 23 per cent.

The worst news was on obesity, type-2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Prof Quake - described as a 'seemingly healthy' man - was found to have a more than 50 per cent chance of developing any of these conditions.

The screening also showed how his body is likely to react to certain drugs.

Several genetic variants were associated with a good response to cholesterol-reducing statins, which he has now been prescribed to deal with higher-than-average levels of blood fats.

Already, tests are commercially available that read part of a person's genome - starting at around £300 - and giving a verdict on the risk of 50 common diseases for $2,000 (around £1,300).

Cardiologist Euan Ashley, one of the Stanford scientists, said the falling cost of genome sequencing would soon put screening of the full code within reach of the general public.

'The $1,000 (£657) genome is coming fast,' he said.

'The challenge lies in knowing what to do with all that information.'

Professor Henry Greely, from Stanford Law School, said patients, doctors and geneticists are about to be hit by a 'tsunami' of genetic data.

'We predict that an average person might need information about roughly 100 genetic risks,' he said.

He warned that it would take at least five hours to counsel the average patient about their genetic risks of disease, in addition to many hours of analysis to assess the nature of the risks.

By Jenny Hope

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Hundreds queue for U.S-style discounts as first Best Buy electrical megastore opens in Britain

Hundreds of people queued up early today to snap up bargains at the opening of the UK's first Best Buy superstore.

The American discount electricals giant is slashing prices by up to 50 per cent to compete on the highly competitive British high street.

The company's first outlet is in Thurrock, Essex and it plans to open 200 more, selling electric cars alongside 3D televisions and lap-tops. Its British website will go live in the autumn.

The crowds gather early in the morning for the opening day of Britain's first Best Buy in Thurrock, Essex

The company says it is prepared to suffer losses of £45million in its first year of trading in Britain in order to grab market share from rivals.

Historically, British consumers have paid far more for their technology, from the latest Apple iPods to Sony PlayStations, than their US counterparts.

International electronic firms have treated Britain as a Treasure Island where they have been able to get away with charging more.

Best Buy says it will match the cheapest shop prices from rivals within a 15 mile radius. It will then sweeten the deal with an added discount of 10per cent of the difference.

Tempting offers include 45per cent off a Toshiba 32in HD ready LCD TV bringing it down to just £179.99 and similar reductions on other sets.

Anyone who pays more than £499 for a TV will get their money back if England win the World Cup.

Best Buy will sell TVs and computers as well as energy-saving products such as electric cars, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles

BEST BUY: Facts and Figures

Best Buy was founded in 1966 as The Sound of Music store. It changed its name in 1983.

Today it is the largest electronics retailer in the U.S and Canada and operates around 1,300 stores.

The company bought half of The Carphone Warehouse's retail business in 2008 for £1.1billion. It has used the phone company's 2,400 retail stores to help it break into the European market.

The Best Buy family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than £27 billion in annual revenue.

There is a 44 per cent saving on a Nintendo Wii black console with wireless remote, nunchuk, Wii sports and Wii sports resort, bringing the price down to £99.99.

There are also half-price deals on mobile phones and Blackberry handsets plus savings on digital cameras. The price of integrated kitchen appliances will be 25 per cent off.

The company has enormous financial muscle and some 20 per cent of the north American electricals market.

It paid more than £1billion for 50per cent of Carphone Warehouse to gain a foothold in the UK and will be a direct rival to specialists Currysdigital and Comet.

However, it will also be locked in a fierce price battle with Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Marks & Spencer, which have their own growing electrical departments.

Best Buy will also pose a challenge to John Lewis, which has its own price promise of 'Never Knowing Undersold'.

The store will feature a 'GreenTech' area, which will showcase energy-saving products such as electric cars, motorcycles, scooters and bicycles.

Customers were soon snaking around the building eager to get their hands on electricals with up to 50% discount

The retailer will exclusively stock the Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle, which will be available to buy from August. It will also sell electric scooters such as the Xero Tech, with prices starting at £1,499.99.

Best Buy will showcase the £86,950 Tesla Roadster, with a 244-mile range, understood to be the fastest electric vehicle in production.

It will also offer the Citroën C1 ev'ie four-seater city car, which will be available in all Best Buy stores for customers to test drive and order.

The cars, which are converted to run on electricity in the UK and have a starting price of £16,850, are exempt from congestion charges and road tax.

Best Buy staff will also offer consumers advice on how to save energy and money.

Customers who want a new 3D TV will be able to buy the LG 47" LCD version for just under £2,500. A Panasonic 50" plasma 3D TV will be on offer for £2,300 from June.

Chief executive of Best Buy Branded Operations, Paul Antoniadis, said: 'We are confident that we can deliver a whole new experience in consumer electronics retailing.

'We look forward to welcoming our first customers to our store where they’ll find lots of amazing deals, great prices and entertainment.'

Best Buy operates a 'Walk out working' system. Customers who buy any laptop, camera or mobile phone can have it set up so its ready to use by store staff.

This will include transferring old contacts onto your new mobile phone or installing software and parental controls on your new laptop.

The store is also offering a trade-in service where customers can return old televisions, laptops and mobile phones, to receive discounts towards a purchase.

The next Best Buy stores will open in Hedge End, Southampton, and Merry Hill, the West Midlands, in June. Others will follow in Liverpool, Croydon, and Cribbs Causeway, Bristol.

U.S giant Best Buy's opening shots in high street price war

Product	Price	Saving (£)	Saving (%)
Toshiba 32" HD ready LCD TV	£179.99	£150	45%
Samsung 32" LED Full HD 1080P TV	£399.99	£300	43%
Dell Mini 1011 Windows 7 Netbook	£199	£50	20%
Dell Inspiron 1564 15.6'' black laptop	£399	£50	11%
Avatar Blu-ray combi pack (Blu-ray and DVD)	£9.99	-	-
Nintendo Wii console with remote, nunchuk, Wii sports and resort	£99.99	£80	44%
PS3 Slim 250GB console with games inc FIFA World Cup 2010 and Blu-ray remote	£249.99	£50	17%
Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite console with wireless controller and games inc Battlefield 2	£199.99	£50	20%
Go Cycle electric bicycle with free carry case	£1,299.99	£200	13%
eScooter Classic 3KW	£999.99	£500	33%
Urban Glider Electric Bicycle	£799.99	£380	32%
Half price PAYG Blackberry Curve 8520 Black & Lilac (Subject to £20 min network top-up)	£99.99	£100	50%
Half price PAYG Nokia X3 (Subject to £20 min network top-up)	£39.99	£40	50%
Half price Fujifilm J25 Digital Compact Camera	£49.99	£50	50%
Samsung ST550 digital compact camera	£119.99	£100	45%
Sony A230 Digital SLR Camera	£199.99	£110	35%

By Sean Poulter

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Icy asteroid could finally reveal where Earth's water came from

Water ice and organic material has been discovered on the surface of an asteroid for the first time.

The discovery lends support to the theory that meteorites falling on Earth may have provided the kick-start to life.

Scientists found evidence of a thin film of ice covering 24 Themis, one of the hundreds of space rocks in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The 125mile-wide object is one of the largest Main Belt asteroids.

24 Themis is one of the largest asteroids that orbits between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists have discovered evidence of water ice and organic material on the asteroid's surface.

Astronomers used Nasa's Infrared Telescope Facility in Hawaii to analyse sunlight reflected off the rock. They discovered signals consistent with frozen water, as well as organic material.

Josh Emery, from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, said: 'The organics we detected appear to be complex, long-chained molecules. Raining down on a barren Earth in meteorites, these could have given a big kick-start to the development of life.'

More...

• Melting icebergs cause sea levels to rise by the height of just a human hair every year
• Space yacht will be first craft to travel on 'solar waves' as it sets sail for Venus

Finding ice on the surface of the asteroid was a surprise because it would have been expected to evaporate quickly.

'This implies that ice is quite abundant in the interior of 24 Themis and perhaps many other asteroids,' Dr Emery added.

'This ice on asteroids may be the answer to the puzzle of where Earth's water came from.'

The research, reported in the journal Nature, suggests that the ice on 24 Themis is regularly being replenished.

This could occur as a result of water vapour released by buried ice 'outgassing' through cracks in the rock. Occasional collisions with space debris may also cause internal water to escape.

Themis belongs to an asteroid 'family' formed long ago from the fragmentation of a larger body. It is likely that the parent body also contained water ice, raising questions about how the Solar System was formed.

Scientists were surprised to find ice on 24 Thermis as they would have expected it to have evaporated. This suggests asteroids (as seen in this artist's impression) could have brought life to Earth

Water may be far more abundant in the asteroid belt than was previously thought, the scientists believe.

'Asteroids have generally been viewed as being very dry,' said Dr Emery.

'It now appears that when the asteroids and planets were first forming in the very early Solar System, ice extended far into the Main Belt region.

'Extending this refined view to planetary systems around other stars, the building blocks of life - water and organics - may be more common near each star's habitable zone.

'The coming years will be truly exciting as astronomers search to discover whether these building blocks of life have worked their magic there as well.'

The discovery blurs the dividing line between asteroids and comets.

Asteroids have long been thought of as rocky and comets icy. Once it was believed that comets brought water to the Earth and filled the oceans.

However, doubt was cast on this theory when it was found that comet water is atomically different to Earth water.

A second team of scientists led by Humberto Campins, from the University of Central Florida in Orlando, came to similar conclusions based on the appearance of light reflected from 24 Themis as it rotates. Dr Campins' findings are also reported in Nature.

By Daily Mail Reporter

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Apple's Steve Jobs attacks Adobe Flash as unfit for iPhone

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has taken a well-aimed swipe at Adobe's Flash technology. He said it put a third party between Apple and software developers

Apple users who are wondering if their iPhones or brand new iPads will ever support Adobe Flash for videos and games need wait no longer for an answer.

Steve Jobs has just given a very public and definitive 'No'.

In a detailed offensive against the technology, Mr Jobs said Flash has too many bugs, drains batteries too quickly and is too oriented to personal computers to work on Apple devices.

Flash is a multimedia software tool from Adobe Systems that can be added as a plug-in to most web browsers.

The software can be used to create animations, interactive games and adverts and can embed videos into web pages via the Adobe Flash Player.

It comes pre-installed on both Microsoft and Apple Macintosh operating systems.

However, Mr Jobs has blasted the Adobe technology as unreliable. In a 1,685 word essay called 'Thoughts on Flash', he outlined his reasons for excluding it from Apple's popular handheld devices.

He cited 'security and performance' and the fact that Flash was designed 'for PCs using mice, not for touch screens using fingers.'

Mr Jobs said Flash also puts a third party between Apple and software developers. In other words, developers can take advantage of improvements from Apple only if Adobe upgrades its own software.

Apple has been criticized for the omission of Flash because that limits what the iPhone can do.

Hulu.com, the popular U.S video viewing site, uses Flash, as do many restaurant websites. But thanks to the immense popularity of the iPhone, game and application developers are pouring their creations onto Apple's devices without using Flash.

Enlarge

Mr Jobs explained Flash would not be installed on the iPad and iPhone because it was 'no longer necessary'

By Daily Mail Reporter

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Nasa space balloon worth millions crashes in Australia after botched launch

Bystanders flee for their lives as space balloon overturns car in botched launch

Bystanders were forced to flee for their lives today when the launch of a giant space balloon in the Australian Outback went badly wrong.

The multi-million pound balloon - along with its heavy payload of scientific equipment - ripped from its mooring and careened across the desert, overturning an SUV.

One witness said she felt lucky to be alive after the car-sized, unmanned gondola hanging beneath the balloon careened out of control into the vehicle parked next to hers at the launch site near Alice Springs.

When space balloon launches go wrong: A cloud of dust is sent up in the air as the balloon crashes to the ground in Australia today

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The balloon is filled up before the launch...

Enlarge

... It tears from its mooring, crashing into cars...

Enlarge

... A gust of wind takes it into the air before crashing down again

Damage: Scientists inspect the damage done to their multi-million pound equipment after the crash today

The balloon was part of a research project by academics and students at the University of California, Berkeley, and several Taiwanese universities designed to study gamma rays in space from 25 miles above the earth.

As the huge balloon filled with air, it ripped from its mooring and dragged across the desert, crashing into and overturning a parked four-wheel-drive vehicle and strewing debris across a wide area before coming to a halt.

No-one was injured in the accident, which was captured on video by an Australian Broadcasting Corporation television film crew.

In the way: The balloon overturned this SUV when it ripped from its moorings

Debris: Scientists inspect the damage to the equipment

Alice Springs couple Stan and Betty Davies were in their car when the gondola broke free and came lurching towards them, hitting the vehicle next to them.

'We were sitting in our car and preparing to move it out of the way and we were actually within about a foot of being wiped out,' Mrs Davies told ABC.

The exact cause of the crash was not immediately known, though wind gusts were suspected.

Aftermath: The wreckage of the balloon is gathered up after the failed attempt

Ravi Sood, an astrophysicist from the University of New South Wales who was overseeing the balloon launch, said quick-changing wind conditions could cause difficulties for launching such large balloons.

'Ballooning, that's the way it happens on occasions but it is very, very disappointing. Gut-wrenching actually,' Mr Sood was quoted as saying by ABC.

Equipment was being recovered from the site, and Mr Sood said the team hoped to try again next month to launch the balloon.

by dailymail

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Police raid home of technology journalist over 'stolen' iPhone 4G prototype

Police have raided the home of a technology blog editor after he revealed details and pictures of a prototype Apple iPhone 4G on the gadget site Gizmodo.

Journalist Jason Chen said he returned home from dinner to find his front door had been bashed in and police officers searching his house. They seized four computers, two servers, an Apple iPad as well as other devices.

Enlarge

Journalist Jason Chen with the Apple iPhone 4G prototype. It was encased in a 3G cover but included new features like a forward facing video chat camera

Part of a search warrant posted on Gizmodo.com that reveals police were looking for any information about the Apple prototype 4G iPhone

An investigation is underway whether Mr Chen broke a law covering the appropriation of stolen property for personal benefit.

Gizmodo, owned by Gawker Media, said last week it paid $5,000 for a prototype next-generation iPhone.

The device was left in a bar in Redwood City near Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California in March, by an Apple engineer called Gray Powell. The 27-year-old had apparently been sampling beers. It was then sold by the unnamed finder to Gizmodo through a middle man.

Trumpeting their major scoop, Gizmodo's bloggers took the device apart and posted extensive pictures and details, embarrassing Apple, which is notoriously secretive about new technology.

Gizmodo claim the Apple prototype was left behind at a bar by employee Gray Powell (pictured), who was celebrating his birthday

The exclusive created a media storm and the website had more than three million hits in just 12 hours.

The bloggers said they then returned the device to Apple after an official request.

Stephen Wagstaffe, spokesman for the San Mateo County District Attorney's office, said Apple had contacted his office to report the crime. He also confirmed a raid had taken place on Friday.

More...

• Revealed: The hapless Apple engineer who lost top-secret 4G iPhone prototype after a beer-fuelled night out

'The allegation was that there was a reasonable cause that a felony theft had occurred,' he said.

'This is the beginning of the investigation.'

Apple founder Steve Jobs with the new iPad. The company usually keep a tight lid on new products with virtually no leaks before the launch of a new product

According to a search warrant posted on gizmodo.com, the computers may contain photographs of Apple's 'prototype 4G iPhone'.

They were also looking for emails pertaining to the mobile's purchase, as well as call records, and research on Gray Powell, the Apple engineer who is thought to have misplaced the device.

How is the 4G different?

• Front-facing video chat camera
• Larger lens on back-camera with flash
  
• Micro-SIM like iPad (safer and greater phonebook storage)
• Aluminium border around entire case
• 3-5 grams heavier
  
• 16% larger battery
  
• Smaller internal components
  

In a letter to the police also published on gizmodo.com, Gawker's legal counsel Gaby Darbyshire asserted the search and seizure was illegal under California law, because Chen works as a journalist for the publication, protecting him from such action.

She wrote: 'It is abundantly clear that under the law a search warrant to remove these items was invalid.'

She went on: 'In the circumstances, we expect the immediate return of the materials that you confiscated from Mr Chen.'

Apple, which was not available for comment, is expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone this summer.

In an interesting aside, German airline Lufthansa has invited the Apple employee in the middle of the media storm to Munich via Twitter.

In an open letter to Gray Powell they wrote: 'At Lufthansa we also noted with great interest your passion for German beer and culture. We thought you could use a break soon.'

By Daily Mail Reporter

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European telescope lifts veil on dazzling new stars forming in our Milky Way

Dazzling new images from the European Space Agency's telescope have revealed the forces driving star formation in our galaxy.

The space observatory has peered deep into the dark areas of gas and dust floating between the stars and found complex physical processes at work.

Using instruments that detect faint microwaves thousands of light years away, Planck has revealed myriad glowing structures and newly born stars that are hidden when viewed in visible light.

Orion as seen in three of Planck's wavelength channels (left panels). The red curved line is known as Barnard¿s loop thought to be a blast wave from a star that blew up two million years ago. The Blue and green parts are colder interstellar dust

How Orion appears in visible light. Planck can see through the obscuring dust by observing the region at much longer wavelengths

ESA scientists probed two relatively nearby star-forming regions in the Milky Way - Orion and Perseus.

The Orion region is a cradle of star formation around 1,500 light years away and is famous for the breathtaking Orion Nebula.

In the Planck image the Orion nebula is the bright spot to the lower centre. The giant red arc of Barnard’s Loop is thought to be the blast wave from a star that blew up inside the region about two million years ago. The bubble it created is now about 300 light-years across.

Enlarge

The spacecraft images of the Orion (left) and Perseus (right) regions superimposed on an optical and infrared background of the Milky Way

According to Esa scientists the region of the sky centred on the constellation of Perseus is a less vigorous star-forming area.

However, the space observatory discovered both regions were very active when viewed at longer wavelengths.

Planck was able to highlight three physical processes taking place in the dust and gas of the interstellar medium and show each one separately.

At the lowest frequencies, Planck mapped emissions from ionized gas heated by newly formed hot stars.

At higher frequencies, Planck mapped the meagre heat given out by extremely cold dust.

This can be used to reveal the coldest cores in the clouds, which are approaching the final stages of collapse, before they are reborn as fully-fledged stars. The stars then disperse into the surrounding clouds.

Scientists have found that the delicate balance between cloud collapse and dispersion regulates the number of stars that the galaxy makes.

Planck will advance the understanding of this interplay, because it provides data on several major mechanisms that are taking place at the same time.

More...

• Stephen Hawking: Earth could be at risk of an invasion by aliens living in 'massive ships'

Professor Richard Davis of the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Centre, said: 'The real power of Planck is the combination of the High and Low Frequency Instruments which allow us, for the first time, to disentangle the three foregrounds.

'This is of interest in its own right but also enables us to see the Cosmic Microwave Background far more clearly'.

The Perseus region as viewed by Planck. The red in the centre is the California Nebula which glows brightly at radio wavelengths. And a light blue clump closed to the bottom of the picture is the Seven Sisters star cluster or Pleiades

A region of the sky around the constellation of Perseus. While this region is relatively empty in visible light, it is laced through with cold dust when seen by Planck

The images are a useful by-product of a spacecraft designed to look back at the earliest light in the Universe.

Planck’s primary mission is to observe the entire sky at microwave wavelengths in order to map the variations in the ancient radiation given out by the Big Bang.

So it cannot help but observe the Milky Way as it rotates and sweeps its electronic detectors across the night sky.

Charles Lawrence, a Nasa scientist for Planck said: 'Because Planck is mapping the whole sky, we can capture mosaics of huge regions of the Milky Way.

'We are seeing the coldest material in star-forming regions, where stars are at the very earliest stages of formation.'

by dailymail

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