First-class travel for generals the only heat in defence debate

A disagreement on whether military chiefs should travel second class was one of the only moments when the three MPs striving to be Britain?s Defence Secretary after the election differed last night as they went head-to-head in a debate.

Intelligible, civil, reflective ? and strangely heartening

There were two strategic questions for the three chancellors last night. Do you attack or defend? Are you candid about the pain to come or will that sound too scary? In the end the exchange was gentler than might have been expected and, against the odds, the semblance of a serious conversation broke out.

We?ll target dealers not young users, say police preparing for ban on mephedrone

Police are to target dealers and traffickers of the ?legal high? mephedrone after it is banned to avoid giving criminal records to thousands of young users, a senior police officer said last night.

Residential care will be ?free? under Labour plan

Elderly people who have been in residential care for two years will have the costs paid for the rest of their lives under Labour plans to reshape the welfare state, The Times has learnt.

MPs told they can keep employing family members

MPs will be allowed to continue employing spouses despite overwhelming public hostility, the head of the new expenses watchdog said yesterday.

Gary Fisher gets life for stabbing teenage daughter to death

A father who stabbed his teenage daughter to death claiming he wanted to end her suffering after she was raped has been jailed for life.

Darling and Cable join forces to attack Osborne over Tory plans for tax cuts

Alistair Darling and Vincent Cable ganged up on George Osborne last night to heap derision on the Conservatives? proposed tax cut.

Girl held as arrests in Sofyen Belamouadden case rise to 24

A girl became the latest teenager to be arrested yesterday over the killing of a schoolboy stabbed on a packed platform at one of Britain?s busiest railway stations.

Falklands delivers poor results for Desire Petroleum

Hopes that the Falkland Islands would emerge as a significant oil producer were dealt a significant blow yesterday when it emerged that the first well to be drilled in the region for more than 12 years had yielded only small traces of oil and gas.

Eminent pharmacist with ?double life? jailed for expenses claims

The secrets of an eminent pharmacist who held bondage parties at his pied-à-terre were uncovered during an investigation into fraudulent claims for NHS expenses.

Nurses missing training because of staff shortages, survey says

Nurses are missing out on vital training, including basic life-support and controlling infections such as MRSA, because they are over-stretched, a survey suggests.

Attempts to end fuel poverty in millions of households are failing, MPs warn

The Government will miss its target to lift millions of vulnerable households out of fuel poverty by this year, MPs have warned.