The family of two boys killed by ex-Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick in a crash on the M6 said measures to crack down on speeding motorists and drink-and-drug drivers were too little, too late.

Shareholders in Royal Bank of Scotland approved a £20 billion bail-out plan which could put nearly 60% of the company in public hands.

Mortgage lending rose by nearly 7% during October but it remained well down on 12 months ago, figures show.

Top UK firms joined the growing list of companies cutting jobs as hundreds of losses were announced and fears were expressed of further redundancies.

Ransom payments to pirates will only encourage further hostage-taking, Foreign Secretary David Miliband has insisted.

A worker in the Queen's household whose name appears on a list of British National Party members has denied being involved in the far-right party, Buckingham Palace said.

Consumers ventured back to the high street as major retailers slashed prices in a pre-Christmas bid to breathe life into the ailing market.

Government claims to prioritise victims of crime were questioned as a committee of MPs delivered a damning report into compensation for people injured in violent attacks.

The man accused of kidnapping Shannon Matthews told police he took the schoolgirl on trips to the park, a court heard.

The Government has refused to release a detailed report into the mistakes made by authorities in the Baby P case.

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