Cheryl dumps intrigue Chelsea star Ashley Cole

It"s over: Ashley Cole and wife Cheryl are to seperate

Cheryl Cole is separating from her husband Ashley Cole amid claims that have threatened the defender"s Chelsea future.

The pop star"s spokesman has confirmed the pair will split following allegations that the England left back had again been unfaithful.

The injured Cole faces a showdown with the Chelsea board later this week over allegations that he lied to a senior club official over his behaviour on a pre-season tour.

The 29-year-old is likely to be hit with a heavy fine and a suspension, but the club"s owner RomanAbramovich is so angry that club officials have not ruled out the possibilityof Cole being transfer-listed.

His wife has flown back to Britain after fleeing to the US when reports about her husband surfaced.

Her spokesman, Sundraj Sreenivasan, said: "Cheryl Cole is separatingfrom her husband Ashley Cole. Cheryl asks the media to respect herprivacy during this difficult time. We have no further comment to make."

Up for the battle: Cole challenges Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna

The statement ends one of the most high-profile showbusiness marriages - the couple wed in 2006.

Until now, the Fight For This Love singer, 26, has maintained a dignified silence over reports that her husband had been with other women.

On Monday she was pictured in LA being comforted by US dancer Derek Hough, 24, whom she met when she recorded her album 3 Words.

Before going to the US, she performed at the Brits, taking to the stage despite her heartbreak.

The "otherwomen": Ashley has been linked to Alexandra Taylor (left) and AnnCorbitt, who claims she slept with Cole while he was on tour in theU.S....

...and he alsoallegedly had liaisons with hairdresser Aimee Walton, glamour modelSonia Wild and Liverpool club secretary Vicki Gough

More...EXCLUSIVE: D-Day for Cole! Roman fury could see Ashley axed over scandalChelsea advised Ashley Cole"s mistress Ann Corbitt on how to stop infidelity claimNo more sleaze or else! Roman gets tough with stars over sex scandalsRevealed: The Liverpool club secretary at the heart of Chelsea star Ashley Cole"s sex scandalCHELSEA FC NEWS FROM ACROSS THE NET

Budget 2010: Reaction from meddlesome parties

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Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General

"With the election just weeks away, this was a clever, political Budget. However, anxiety remains on how the deficit is going to be paid down, and the growth forecasts for 2011 and beyond are still on the optimistic side.

"There was more support for business than might have been expected, with a series of modest but helpful changes. The doubling of entrepreneurs" CGT relief will help investment in small businesses and the extra money for science places at university will be welcomed by industry. However, it is the fiscal decisions over the next 12 months that will really determine the UK"s economic future."

Centre for Economics and Business Research

Related LinksDarling"s plan: at-a-glance guideDarling targets the rich before electionLive debate: Deconstruct the Budget with our experts

Chancellor Darlings last Budget before an expected general election in May allowed the Government to unleash some good news on the public finances in the largest downward revisions to projected borrowing as a share of output since the 2000 Budget. However, on the whole, the projections for growth are still too bullish and this has clear implications for the deficit reduction plan. We think 35 billion extra fiscal tightening will be needed.

Better than expected tax receipts in recent months resulted in the Chancellor being able to announce that public sector borrowing will come in at 167 billion in 2009-10. This compared with 175 billion projected in last years Budget and 178 billion in the Pre-Budget Report. Compared to the estimate in the Pre-Budget Report, borrowing came in 11 billion lower than expected; equivalent to some 0.8 percentage points less as a share of GDP. In addition, the Chancellor expects the borrowing to be some 100 billion lower than previously projected over the period to 2014-15.

Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretary

"The starting whistle for the election has been blown and it"s 1-0 to Labour. The last Budget before the election shows leadership and responsibility during difficult times. Alistair Darling has focused on support for the young, growth, investment and jobs when Tory doom-mongers, who spend their time talking Britain down, would rather slash and burn our public services and leave working families to sink or swim.

"The establishment of a green investment bank is welcome, it will support British manufacturing when the Tories don"t even have an industrial policy."

Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats

This Budget was a political dodge, not an economic plan. Britain needed a Budget that gave us honesty in spending and fairness in tax. We have got neither. Labour is in denial, while the Conservatives are talking tough to cover up that they only offer more of the same. The Chancellor is incapable of coming clean about where spending cuts will have to fall.

Rather than being honest with people about what the Government can and cannot afford, the Chancellor would rather let others indiscriminately shave departmental budgets. By confirming the freeze in personal allowances the Government has ensured everyone will see a real increase in their income tax bill when what people on low and middle incomes desperately need is an income tax cut. Rather than forcing the nationalised banks to lend to good British businesses they have chosen to create a feeble quango to arbitrate between bullying banks and their small-business clients. It says something when the most substantive announcement the Government can come up with is a tax agreement with Belize, however welcome that may be.

Federation of Small Businesses

The FSB welcomed help for small businesses but is disappointed that the Chancellor is proceeding with the proposed hike in national insurance contributions (NICs).

The FSB was pleased with the announcement to take 345,000 small businesses in England out of the business rates system. Business rates are the third-highest outlay for small businesses, and this proposal will come as a huge relief to small businesses on the high street. This measure comes after a concerted FSB campaign to help businesses and local communities.

Sir James Dyson

"These steps do not go far enough. To rebalance the UK economy, we need to invest more in science and engineering. We need to harness the UKs innate engineering expertise to remain globally competitive or we will be in danger of slipping behind the chasing pack. This requires long-term, sustained investment in our education system and greater benefits for SMEs and entrepreneurs."

Andy Atkins, Friends of the Earth executive director

"The Government"s announcement to set up a green investment bank is fantastic news it should be a crucial building block in the creation of a safe, clean and prosperous future. This bank will provide crucial funds for major green developments, such as offshore wind projects, which will slash emissions, increase our energy security and create thousands of new jobs.

"We must do much more to build a low-carbon economy, but today"s announcement is a massive stride in the right direction."

Howard Archer, chief European UK economist, IHS Global Insight

The Chancellor"s growth forecasts still look more than a little optimistic. Forecast GDP growth of 1.0 to 1.5 per cent in 2010 is realistic, but expansion of 3.0 to 3.5 per cent in 2011 seems very hopeful even though this has actually been trimmed from 3.25 to 3.75 per cent. Furthermore, we have serious doubts that the economy can grow by 3.25 to 3.75 per cent in 2012 and thereafter. It really is hard to see where growth of this magnitude will come from, given the fiscal squeeze that will have to come.

Even though the Treasury bases its public finance forecasts on the bottom of these growth ranges, the fact remains that the plan for bringing down the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement to a modestly lower than previously projected 89 billion in 2013-14 depends appreciably on highly questionable robust economic activity both in 2012 and the following three years.

Meanwhile, our initial view of the Budget is that it is far more full of political rhetoric and looking to draw political lines ahead of the election than it is on major economic developments. The Chancellor has once again looked to make political capital out of the claim that the Government"s stimulus measures stopped the recession being deeper, and that tightening fiscal policy sooner would risk throttling a still fragile recovery in its infancy.

Michael Izza, chief executive of the ICAEW

UK businesses have played their part in helping get the UK economy through the downturn by maintaining employment and revenues. However, they also need certainty and confidence in the recovery.

Whilst the focus on jobs and investment is important in the short term, businesses will want to know more about what they can expect in the medium to long term. They need greater clarity on how departmental spending is going to be cut and also if taxes are going to be raised. This will have a direct influence on their plans to invest and grow.

Chris Sanger, head of tax policy for Ernst Young

"The Chancellor has preserved the option of leaving good news for Labours general election manifesto, which increases the chance of a further Budget after the election, even if Labour were to be re-elected. Todays announcements represented the continuation of themes from last Decembers Pre-Budget Report, focused primarily on fixing the public finances rather than attention-grabbing giveaways.

"Where the Chancellor did spend some money was on tax credits, the investment allowance for businesses, and measures to help entrepreneurs, but he was clearly limited by Britains record deficit. In what will almost certainly be his last Budget, Alistair Darling clearly wanted to go down in history as the prudent Chancellor."

Mark Clare, chief executive of Barratt Developments, on stamp duty

Eighty-seven per cent of our customers pay 250,000 or less for their homes. We are pleased that many of them will now have the opportunity to save thousands of pounds, thanks to this measure which will help strengthen the housing market.

Melanie Bien, director of independent mortgage broker Savills Private Finance, on stamp duty

We welcome the doubling of the stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers to 250,000, which should make a significant difference to the majority, who are struggling to get on the housing ladder. But while every little helps, they still need to raise a sizeable deposit to buy their first home. Raising the top rate to 5 per cent over 1 million to fund this tax break simply underlines just how unfair the stamp duty system is because it is not tiered. A root-and-branch reform to make it fairer remains long overdue. It is at the top end of the market where the majority of transactions have been taking place, supporting the housing market. This may make homeowners think twice before moving.

Steve Radley, EEF director of policy

Manufacturers will be relieved that the Chancellor resisted the temptation to announce extra spending ahead of the election. Neither manufacturers nor the markets were expecting one today but a plan for fixing the public finances is still urgently needed. Some measures such as the green investment bank show that the Chancellor has not taken his eye off the medium-term needs of the economy. However, frequent changes to the taxes, such as those to investment incentives, compound the view that the tax system lacks direction and predictability.

James Lowman, chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores

Action on business rates is absolutely key to helping the recovery in high streets throughout the country, but the proposal to extend small-business rate relief will not go far enough. Many local shops operate from premises that are well above the thresholds that entitle them to the benefit the Chancellor has announced. He should have gone further to make the rate relief automatic for all those entitled and to increase the thresholds to ensure that more local shops would benefit.

Daniel Torras, Managing Director of Japan Tobacco International UK

HM Treasury already loses about 3 billion each year in tax revenue to smugglers, and has lost up to 38 billion since 2000/1 to smugglers and crossborder shoppers, the size of the annual UK defence budget. This tax rise is further good news for criminals who already view the UK as a smugglers" paradise and do not care what age their customers are."

Nick Anstee, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, on the bank tax and public spending commitments

The financial services industry makes a huge contribution to the UK economy, generating 12.1 per cent of total tax revenues in 2008-09 and employing more than one million people across the UK. That is why it is sensible that the Chancellor has announced he will only pursue a bank tax with international agreement and international application unilateral action could be particularly damaging to a country with such a large financial services industry.

However, as always, the devil will be in the detail. The International Monetary Fund"s report next month will play a crucial role in outlining what format a global tax on banks could take. The potential impact of such a measure must be carefully assessed given the fragile nature of the global economic recovery."

Christopher Ogden, chief executive of the Tobacco Manufacturers Association

On January 1, 2010, the Government imposed the largest tax increase on tobacco products in ten years and now, less than three months later, taxes are to rise again. We question why HM Treasury would impose a substantial increase in such a short period, when latest HM Revenue Customs figures show that up to 24 per cent of the cigarette market, and 63 per cent of the handrolling market still avoids UK duty, costing the Treasury as much as 11 million per day in lost revenue. Todays announcement will only provide further stimulus to those who seek to profit from the illicit trade in tobacco."

Kerrie Kelly, director-general of the ABI

We are relieved that this Budget did not contain any further harmful changes to pension saving, given the damaging and overcomplicated reductions in tax relief that will come into effect in 2011. This recession has seen people pay off debt rather than start to save, but the Government now needs to introduce real measures to encourage a savings culture. The commitment to increasing the ISA limit by inflation is useful and we also welcome the freezing of CGT, which benefits holders of mutual funds. But these measures will only help existing savers when the UKs principal challenge is to increase the number of people saving and the amount they are prepared to put aside.

With ABI research proving that confidence in saving has fallen over the last year, we need urgent action, which we did not get, to promote saving and ensure any economic recovery is built on strong foundations of good personal financial habits. This was a missed opportunity to help global businesses operating in the UK."

Simon Healy, Aldermore head of savings, on ISAs

"The Chancellor"s decision to increase ISA limits in line with inflation is a welcome shift in government policy which recognises the difficulties millions of savers are experiencing in a low-interest-rate environment. ISAs are the cornerstone of many people"s savings plans and today"s announcement means they can continue to invest in ISAs safe in the knowledge that they will provide tax-free benefits for many years to come.

David Smith, senior partner at property consultants Carter Jonas, on the stamp duty

"While the property market welcomes any help at the moment, and scrapping stamp duty [on properties up to 250,000] will certainly assist first-time buyers and stimulate the market in the short term, what happens when the stamp duty holiday ends?"

Peter Gerrard, of Moneyextra.com, on plans to extend bank account access to all

"It"s imperative that the Government helps those excluded from opening bank accounts, whilst remembering that it"s their responsibility to ensure the banks do this in a responsible and transparent manner."

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers" Alliance

"The Chancellor has utterly failed to face up to the horrific scale of Government borrowing and debt. There was a handful of tax holidays and spending cuts, but nothing to deal with the debt addiction which threatens to make Britain the next Greece. The public are crying out for serious and sizeable spending cuts to rebalance the books, but the Government is living in La-La Land. Large spending cuts are essential for taxpayers and for the health of the economy, but Gordon Brown only knows how to spend more, not less. We need a real Budget after the election that faces up to the serious realities of our situation."

David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce

After two years of economic downturn, the Chancellor has clearly recognised the need to place business at the heart of this Budget. Doubling the annual investment allowance, help with business rates and allowing entrepreneurs to keep more of their gains will prove especially popular. The Chancellor could have done more to set out a clear plan for the reduction of the budget deficit, which continues to threaten business confidence and investment.

Chris Noon, partner with Hymans Robertson, on the limitation of tax relief on pension contributions remaining the same

Sticking with the status quo on tax-relief on pension contributions for high earners was the wrong move. The proposals as outlined from April 2011 make no sense on so many levels, not least the taxable income cliff that will exist above 130,000. Paying up to 80 per cent tax on pension accrual will just force senior employees out of pension plans.

Joanne Segars, chief executive of the National Association of Pension Funds

This is a Budget which is a glass half full and a glass half empty for workplace pensions. We are pleased the Government has responded to NAPF pressure to skew gilt issuance to the long-dated and index-linked end. This will help pension funds reduce their deficits, scheme sponsors reduce their liabilities and is good news for all those saving into a pension. However, the Government should have gone further and abandoned its damaging pensions tax plans for higher earners which will only serve to weaken pension provision for all. The NAPF has put forward a fairer, simpler and more workable alternative. There is still time for the Government to reconsider and we urge it to do so.

Julie Patterson, director of authorised funds and tax for the Investment Management Association

"We welcome this news. The amendment of Schedule 19 SDRT [stamp duty reserve tax] will remove a current unfairness. This, coupled with the introduction of tax-transparent contractual funds, will enable the UK to compete as a domicile for the new UCITS master-feeder structures and for hedge funds coming onshore. It follows on from improvements to the UK"s fund tax regime that IMA has secured over the past few years, including certainty that funds will be treated as investing, not trading, tax-efficient regimes for securities and property funds, and a workable regime for institutional funds. The more funds that chose to domicile here rather than offshore, the more business and employment taxes are received by the UK Exchequer. Today"s announcements are therefore good news for the competitiveness of the UK funds industry and for the UK."

Schellion Horn, telecoms director for Deloitte, the business advisory firm, on Landline Duty

The Landline Duty leads to 50p per month being charged all copper lines, residential included, but low-income households will be exempted from the levy. It will be charged and collected by the fixed-line operator, passed to Ofcom, which will then be put in the Next Generation Fund. This is expected to raise 175 million per annum."

David Brookes, tax partner of BDO

One of the Chancellors key themes in todays Budget was very clearly fairness. He has introduced several measures that will help those less well off, and heaped the pressure on those better off. The Chancellors change to CGT [capital gains tax] was an unexpected but a welcome change. The 2 billion raised from the bank bonus tax could have been used to pay off some of the countrys deficit but instead he has ploughed it, and more, into a growth package for smaller companies."

Liz Peace, chief executive of the British Property Foundation

Refinancing by the Reits has shown strong confidence in the sector and many are now assessing opportunities for new investment. Allowing Reits to have greater flexibility over how they manage their cash will benefit our economy as we begin to see improvements in occupier demand.

Ian Godden, chairman of ADS, an aerospace, defence and security organisation

We welcome the Chancellors focus on recovering from recession and investing in our industrial future, especially his focus on encouraging exports, supporting trade and discouraging protectionism as well as his warm words for advanced manufacturing, especially aerospace. His recognition that economic growth is the key to our recovery and reducing borrowing is encouraging, and the sectors that we represent can deliver the goods in this regard.

Peter Madden, chief executive of Forum for the Future, a sustainable development organisation

"Our future prosperity relies on making a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy, so a green investment bank is long overdue. We need to get this up and running as soon as possible to help Britain emerge from the recession and create the new jobs and businesses of the future."

Sebastien Lahtinen, co-founder of thinkbroadband.com

Despite confirming the landline duty to roll out superfast broadband to all corners of the UK, the devil is always in the detail. "The Prime Minister made references in a speech on Monday to 100 per cent next-generation broadband coverage, so we are disappointed that the Budget has simply repeated the Government"s previous target of 90 per cent coverage by 2017."

Mark Hunter, chief executive of Molson Coors (UK)

"Molson Coors (UK) is disappointed that the Government has chosen to, once again, increase duty on beer. One of life"s simple pleasures is sharing a beer responsibly and socially with friends at home or in the local pub, and we believe this is fundamental to maintaining a healthy respect for alcohol. We do not want to see this disappearing for the relatively small gains this tax will make for the Treasury.

Stephen Robertson, director-general of the British Retail Consortium

Reviving consumer confidence is the route to growth and jobs. Thank goodness no new tax rises were announced. But customers needed to hear a convincing plan for bringing the public finances under control. The Chancellor offered no reassurance that he understands spending cuts must be the key means to tackling the deficit and not tax rises which will wreck recovery. We heard indications that the Government is prepared to cut but, when we see the detail, it will need to be convincing."

Chas Roy-Chowdhury, head of taxation, ACCA

With an election approaching in a few weeks" time, there is every chance that todays proposals could be overridden depending on the election outcome. With the Finance Bill to be presented as soon as April 1, straight after a full-length Budget, there are serious questions about the transparency, openness, and democratic nature of this process."

Michael Coogan, CML director-general

"The Budget offers a modest potential boost to the housing and mortgage market in terms of reducing transaction costs for first-time buyers, and potentially improving efficiencies for lenders. But as always the devil is in the detail, and the detail is confused. The stamp duty concession in particular looks like a tax loophole waiting to happen."

Michael Wistow, head of tax, Berwin Leighton Paisner

"We believe that the City will welcome many of the Chancellors announcements, such as his confirmation that the level of capital gains tax will remain unchanged and the decision to double the amount of entrepreneurs" relief. However, the Budget did little to reassure those businesses and individuals who are currently giving serious consideration to relocating overseas."

Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry

There was some good news for the business community with measures to cut business rates, increases in public sector contracts for small firms and the doubling of the annual investment allowance. But many company owners will feel that the Government is giving with one hand and taking away with the other as the Chancellor refused to back down on National Insurance rises, which will hit business hard.

The decision to stick with the 50p tax for high earners was a disappointment for London, if not a surprise. The Government must reduce the deficit to reassure international investors and ensure the long-term sustainability of the UK economy, but increasing business taxes is not the way to do it."

Brian Madderson, chairman of RMI Petrol

"The Chancellor failed to mention that, in addition to the 1.0 ppl duty increase from 1 April, he has already taken measures to claw back a duty incentive provided to the refiners for biofuels production. This latter measure will result in an increase to the cost of product by up to 1.0 ppl also from April 1. Thus the real increase to the motorist at the pump will be 2.0 ppl plus the VAT multiplier equating."

Simon Walker, partner in the law firm Taylor Wessing, on plans for a green investment bank

This move should be applauded by companies, venture capitalists and all Britons alike. The fact is that even if the capital markets were functioning as they were prior to the banking collapse, it is unlikely that they could provide sufficient funding to enable Britain to reach the various ambitious targets that have been set to reduce carbon emissions. A new, 2 billion source of finance will go a long way to addressing this equity gap.

Lisa Macpherson, PKF national director of tax

The tax breaks for small businesses are clearly politically motivated and designed to neutralise the opposition parties appeals to SMEs. However, they will only offer a short-term boost to growing businesses; for example, the reduction in business rates is valuable, but only lasts for one year. The real worry is that any financial advantage will be more than wiped out by increases in NIC in 2011-12."

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary

There is no doubt that the attempt to bind public sector workers in to a 1 per cent annual pay ceiling, regardless of inflation, will lead to more anger and more industrial action. Alistair Darling has doled out the same old austerity for the working class while the boardrooms creak under the weight of bonuses and dividends. If you want to see where the political elite are hell bent on dragging us after the election is over, you need look no further than the streets of Athens.

Edward Rimmer, UK chief executive of Bibby Financial Services

Darlings list of four measures designed to support small and medium-sized businesses simply doesnt add up. Nor does the package go far enough to help UK businesses play their part in driving economic growth.

Paul Cooper, Grant Thornton tax partner

"Rather than raising capital gains tax rates (CGT) as expected by many, the Chancellor announced an increase in entrepreneurs" relief from 1 million to 2 million. This means that entrepreneurs selling their businesses and qualifying for the relief should only pay 10 per cent CGT on their first 2 million of gains, saving them up to 160,000 of tax as compared to 80,000 previously."

John Philpott, chief economic adviser of the CIPD

This Budget is as bullish as the Chancellor could realistically get away, although it hardly amounts to Alistair in Wonderland. While becoming a bit more cautious on economic growth in the near term, Mr Darling nonetheless presents a slightly more optimistic outlook for public borrowing. Despite this, however, he was unable to offer much in the way of surprise tax or spending giveaways, deciding instead to spread limited funds across a range of small initiatives, mostly targeted at the young unemployed and small businesses."

Julian Hunt, Food and Drink Federation

The Government is showing it is serious about tackling unnecessary red tape with a pledge to table a forward programme of proposed regulation in the new parliament; clear targets to reduce the burdens on industry; and a commitment to work more closely with the EU institutions to improve regulatory processes in Brussels. We will be holding Government to these promises."

Miles Templeman, IoD director-general

The Chancellor"s GDP forecasts are too optimistic and there is still no sign of a credible deficit reduction plan, so while we certainly welcome the specific measures to support small and medium-sized businesses, we need to hear a lot more from the Government on debt reduction.

We remain convinced that swift action to tackle the budget deficit is needed. This means making significant spending cuts in 2010 rather than delaying commencement until 2011. The argument that early cuts would jeopardise the recovery is mistaken. We believe that lower spending would have triggered a whole series of positive developments to assist growth.

Roger Bootle, economic adviser to Deloitte

"This was a clever Budget which made the most of very difficult circumstances. The Chancellor largely avoided the temptation to bribe the voters with their own money. There was a package of tax cuts and spending increases amounting to about 2.8 billion in 2010-11, but these were partly offset by various tax rises, leaving only a modest giveaway of 1.4 billion."

A salute to those who didnt get their award Stuart Tootal

Stuart Tootal & , : {}

On Jun 4, 2006, a immature in isolation infantryman of cave put himself in transparent perspective of the rivalry with a light anti-tank launcher offset on his shoulder to rivet a Taleban position.

Minutes prior to he had been strike by a bullet that struck and lighted the magazines on his chest, but he abandoned the rounds that burst in the air around him; he longed for to have certain the space station he was about to glow counted and it did. But the paratrooper in subject perceived no endowment for the viewable risk he took; when asked about his aplomb he simply replied that he was you do his job.

That this particular was not flashy says majority about the well-developed inlet of the acts of aplomb recognized by the awards done to some-more than 150 British servicemen and women of nineteen Light Brigade yesterday. But they simulate not usually the flattery of the particular recipients, but additionally the common aplomb and self-denial of UK infantry in Afghanistan as a whole. The endowment of dual George Crosses, 6 Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses (second usually to the Victoria Cross), sixteen Military Crosses and a host of alternative medals is sworn statement to the inlet and power of the fighting last summer in that 81 members of the UK-led charge force died.

The endowment of dual George Crosses is unprecedented, as the endowment is on a standard with winning a VC. To win possibly decoration, the target has to intentionally face a 90 per cent faith of death; the differential is that the GC is awarded for impassioned acts of aplomb when not underneath rivalry fire. The awards to Sergeant Schmid, who gave his hold up attempting to defuse an IED, and to the unusually wooer Sergeant Hughes is an unimistakeable admission of the scale of the hazard from Taleban roadside bombs.

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There has been a unchanging stand in the array of flattery and aplomb decorations won by the infantry since initial entering Helmand in 2006. At the finish of the initial British debate in Afghanistan, sixteen Air Assault Brigade perceived some-more than 40 awards. The medals enclosed a VC, a George Cross (both posthumous), 3 Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses and 9 Military Crosses that were won by members of the 3 Para Battlegroup, that I was absolved sufficient to offer with. Unprecedented at the time, this transport is right afar maybe less remarkable, as following British brigades have demonstrated identical courage. Even so, the scale of awards won by nineteen Light Brigade stays impressive.

But in the own approach the array of acts of aplomb and flattery that will go unrecognised is usually as impressive. In 2006 I drafted some-more than 100 citations for my soldiers, trimming from a VC to mentions in dispatches and commendations. Roughly dual thirds resulted in no award.

A year after when I interviewed former members of my conflict organisation for my book about their exploits in Helmand, I was struck by the majority stories of aplomb of that I was unknowingly of at the time. Ill give you usually one example: one immature troops troops officer from an additional ordain trustworthy to 3 Para, though sincerely bleeding by shrapnel, selflessly refused healing benefit so that others could be treated with colour prior to him. But I usually knew of this when I interviewed the medic that had attempted to provide him.

The troops complement for determining who receives what is a formidable process. It depends not usually on the particular action of bravery, but additionally who witnesses it and how it is thereafter created up by an people autocratic officer. Then each reference is carefully thought about by a array of troops domicile and MoD committees done up of comparison officers and officials. The last stages come with the last permit of No 10 and thereafter the Queen.

But either a reference is successful or not additionally depends on alternative less viewable factors. The change of awards in between units and the domestic credentials to a debate fool around a part. In the minds of those who confirm there will additionally be regard about endowment acceleration devaluing the awards system.

In 1982, for example, the endowment of a third post-mortem VC to a part of of the Parachute Regiment was assumingly deserted by an MoD house and was downgraded to a lower-level medal. The feeling was that giving out an additional VC, on tip of those since to Lieutenant-Colonel H. Jones of 2 Para and Sergeant Ian McKay of 3 Para, competence not usually have been seen to lessen the medal, but additionally incite claims of regimental bias.

The some-more asocial competence disagree that the new proliferation of awards reflects an try by the politicians to have up for underfunding the military. However, when you review of the stories of tender aplomb and self-denial that questioning righteously melts away.

The awarding of medals is not a science, but the British system, that enviousness guards the peculiarity and standards, is the enviousness of unfamiliar armies. No disbelief a little soldiers might feel unhappy at being overlooked, a little might even think that removing flashy is something of a lottery, but that is not how majority soldiers see it. One of my bravest officers perceived nothing, notwithstanding heading his men in a little of the majority infamous fighting in an removed place where misadventure depletion of his bleeding was not on trial and ammunition was mostly in risk of using out. But thereafter he talked not of any personal disappointment, but usually of what his soldiers had achieved.

Whether one receives a emblem or not, to stand in to a helicopter and fly in to battle, or to go behind out on unit in the full believe that a Taleban waylay is expected to be watchful for you takes courage. I continually listen to stories of soldiers so ill with fright at the shocking magnitude of IED explosions that they puke prior to venturing out of their bases. But still they go and do so repeatedly, day in and day out, via their debate of duty.

Such each day feats of bravery, of confronting fear, cannot be privately recognized with medals. This in itself creates the decorations awarded to nineteen Light Brigade so remarkable. They sojourn not usually an fast reverence to the particular recipients, but additionally to the ubiquitous aplomb of their units. Though yesterday was kaleidoscopic with the dolour of those who did not live to share the honour, the medals paint a common feat of that each soldier, airman or soldier who served in Helmand should be righteously proud.

Colonel Stuart Tootal is former commander in chief of 3 Para (the initial UK conflict organisation to come in Helmand) and the writer of Danger Close

hair wig

Hazard lights flashing for Rafael Benitez as Liverpool pile-up in France Liverpool

Tony Barrett, Lille & , : {}

It was not so prolonged ago that Allez les rouges was the soundtrack to Liverpools mastery of Europe. Last night it became a lamentation to former glories as it reverberated around the Stade Lille-Mtropole.

Footballs French renaissance, given stately bearing twenty-four hours progressing when Lyons dispensed with Real Madrid at the Bernabu in the Champions League, was reliable last night with a important feat for Lille. Allez les rouges, indeed.

The oxymoronic-sounding Eden Hazard scored the idea that threatens Liverpools hopes of adding a china backing to a deteriorate ridden by charge clouds. It additionally heightened the vigour on Rafael Benítez, who seems incompetent to clear afar his organisation from their ever-deepening rut.

Learning from failures is Liverpools big debility at present. Last time they were in France they succumbed to a late equalising idea from Lyons that all but eradicated their Champions League ambitions. This time a late winning idea from Lille left their Europa League hopes in the balance.

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The idea was afforded present mythological station in the northern French city, owing some-more to the temperament of the opponents it washed up than the inventive merit.

Hazards free flog from a low on all sides was dangerous, but it was dictated as a cranky and usually a disaster by the Liverpool counterclaim to understanding sufficient with it authorised the round to cruise in to the behind of Pepe Reinas net.

The margins in between success and failure, as ever during a deteriorate in that Liverpool appear to bones with genocide from one diversion to the next, were slim. Had the on vacation organisation taken one of a series of chances that came their approach the most appropriate ones descending to Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres, usually for both to be denied by Mickaël Landreau, the Lille goalkeeper they competence have left on to win or, at the least, snared an afar idea that would have incited the dynamics of the round-of-16 tie in their favour.

Equally, however, had a late shot by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found the behind of the net rather than the outward of a post and had Reina not been rapt and clever sufficient to repudiate Pierre-Alain Frau and Yohan Cabaye, Liverpool could simply have been left with a larger necessity to overcome in Thursdays second leg at Anfield.

Such has been Liverpools tumble from beauty this deteriorate last nights was their fifteenth better in all competitions that the much-derided Europa League has come to suggest them a shelter of sorts. It does, after all, fit in with an additional Liverpool proverb that the bar exist to win trophies and, carrying not lived up to this harsh truth given 2006, the Anfield side can ill means to cock a snook at precious metal of any kind, in any case of how devalued or low on their priorities the foe competence be.

Whether they similar to it or not, disaster in the Champions League creates their impasse in the Europa League an correct sign of their station in European football. They are in between the also-rans and their devalued station is something that they are not at ease with.

Given the assail state of the club, however, it competence be something that they will have to get used to.

It was after Liverpools exit from the Champions League at the organisation theatre in Nov that Christian Purslow, the clubs handling director, insisted that such an early depart competence not infer as financially deleterious as most had feared.

If we have 3 home games in the Europa League, we are homogeneous to what we bill for in the Champions League, Purslow pronounced at the Ferenc Puskas Stadium in Budapest that night.

Liverpool have played one of those matches and they are on trial one some-more when Lille fool around at Anfield subsequent week, but unless Torres et al rediscover their sorely not in cruel edge, a third home diversion will infer over them.

Should that happen, last night could symbol the last arise that they listen to Allez les rouges for a little time.

Lille (4-1-2-2-1): M Landreau F Beria, A Chedjou, A Rami, Emerson R Mavuba F Balmont, Y Cabaye (sub: S Dumont, 73min) E Hazard, L Obraniak (sub: L Tour, 83) P-A Frau (sub: P-E Aubameyang, 77). Substitutes not used: L Butelle, J Vandam, P Souare, A Souquet. Booked: Aubameyang, Tour.

Liverpool (4-2-3-1): J M Reina G Johnson, J Carragher, D Agger, E Insúa Lucas Leiva, J Mascherano D Kuyt (sub: N El Zhar, 88), S Gerrard, R Babel (sub: A Riera, 73) F Torres. Substitutes not used: D Cavalieri, S Kyrgiakos, M Kelly, A Aquilani, D Ngog. Booked: Insúa, Torres.

Referee: C B Larsen (Denmark).

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Britain to Hamid Karzai: begin Afghanistan assent talks right away World headlines The Guardian

David Miliband with Hamid Karzai in 2008. Photograph: Shah Marai/AFP/Getty Images

Britain will currently urge the Afghan supervision to put some-more bid in to the office of assent talks among fears that the fight could be enlarged – and some-more British lives lost – as a outcome of insufficiency and miss of domestic will in Kabul.

A debate to be delivered in the US by the unfamiliar secretary, David Miliband, will simulate flourishing stress in London that President Hamid Karzai"s avowed enterprise for a domestic resolution has not been corroborated up by any critical formulation or petrify proposals.

Unless some-more effect is put on the Afghan government, a small British officials envision that Karzai"s due loya jirga, or grand assent council, due at the finish of successive month, will be small some-more than a PR stunt. "My evidence currently is that right afar is the time for the Afghans to aspire to a domestic allotment with as majority effect and appetite as we are posterior the troops and municipal effort," Miliband will contend at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, according to a content of the residence seen by the Guardian.

British officials hold that poignant Taliban leaders are ready to proceed articulate about a domestic allotment in that they would disjoin ties with al-Qaida and put down weapons in lapse for a purpose in politics. But there is additionally regard that opportunities to open a rough discourse are being lost, and that the conflict, that has already cost some-more than 270 British lives, is being strong by Kabul"s inefficiency and corruption.

"The Afghans contingency own, lead and expostulate such domestic engagement," Miliband will contend in his speech. "It will be a slow, light process. But the insurgents will wish to see general support.

"International engagement, for e.g. underneath the auspices of the UN, might in conclusion be required."

Karzai presented a paper on domestic settlement at a discussion hold by Gordon Brown in London in January. But officials who saw it, and successive Afghan proposals on assent talks, have variously described them as "empty" and "a C-team effort".

Gerard Russell, at the Carr Centre for Human Rights at Harvard University, said: "We had a see at the Afghan government"s meditative on reconciliation, but we haven"t seen a petrify offer or a applicable methodology."

Russell, a former domestic confidant to the UN mission in Afghanistan, added: "There is a speak about carrying a loya jirga. But what is a loya jirga going to do? On the own, the not going to grasp anything."

The flourishing warning at the miss of domestic beginning in Kabul comes at a time when back-channel contacts with the Taliban have additionally run in to trouble, paradoxically as a outcome of a Taliban detain hailed as a delight last month.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of the Taliban"s troops operations seized in Karachi by Pakistani comprehension agents, had taken piece in indeterminate and tip contacts with Saudi intermediaries last year.

One member in those talks told the Guardian that Baradar"s detain had been "a outrageous blow" to the assent effort.

Britain"s special attach� for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, has been sent to Kabul as caretaker ambassador, with the first mission of perplexing to speak up some-more piece in to the loya jirga programmed for twenty-nine April. Tomorrow, Miliband will additionally call for a approach general purpose in handling the assent process. Miliband"s debate additionally carries a summary for Washington.

While Britain"s Foreign Office believes work on assent talks should proceed true afar and be pushed at the back of the scenes by the Obama administration, majority US officials, and a small British generals, subject either such negotiations would furnish formula prior to Taliban spirit has been burned out by the troops surge.

"There is an critical US assembly for this," a British central said. "Nobody wants a PR attempt in Kabul that doesn"t lead anywhere."

Fabio Capello urges England fans not to disapprove John Terry Football

Fabio Capello during precision today. England face Egypt in a accessible at Wembley tomorrow. Photograph: Peter Cziborra/Action Images

Fabio Capello has challenged John Terry to still be a personality inside of the England patrol notwithstanding losing the captaincy and called on fans not to disapprove the Chelsea defender opposite Egypt tomorrow. There are fears of a fans" recoil opposite Terry at Wembley but Capello echoed Wayne Rooney"s difference in propelling Three Lions supporters not to chase the player.

"I think the fans have to await each moment," Capello said. "You have to assimilate that secretly a little players were not so good, but on the representation it is different. We wear the England shirt and it is unequivocally critical they assistance us each moment. I goal that tomorrow the throng assistance us and do not disapprove him."

The England manager, vocalization prior to the accessible at Wembley, pronounced Terry had lerned well and that he had oral to him about his destiny purpose with the inhabitant team. "He knows that he will not be captain and he is similar to the alternative players, he is precision unequivocally well," the Italian said. "He will be similar to the alternative players. I"ve oral to him and I pronounced "you have to be similar to a leader".

"I am not disturbed [about Terry"s form]. I saw the games he played opposite Internazionale and [Manchester] City. He played a normal diversion and regularly when they lose the reporters try and find something about their majority critical player."

Capello combined he would not shift his mind and give the captaincy behind to Terry over the entrance months, notwithstanding going behind on his word when he let David Beckham fool around for Real Madrid again when the dual were at the Bernabéu.

"Beckham and Terry are opposite things," he said. "Beckham was a technical [football] decision, Terry was not. I have oral to the players. They have to reconstruct the suggestion of the organization and the team, and they lerned currently with a lot of concentration and I was gratified given I saw the same thing as I did in Nov [for the diversion opposite Brazil]."

Capello pronounced Wes Brown will begin at right-back but that he has not motionless on who should fool around left-back.

Wayne Bridge has pronounced that he will not fool around in the World Cup and Capello was asked what he thought about the Manchester City full-back and Terry not jolt hands at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. "It"s not my problem," he said, prior to adding that it was not as well late for Bridge to shift his mind. "The doorway for a lot of players is open and if they wish to come behind here the doorway will regularly be open. Not usually for Bridge but for all the players."

Capello additionally offering support to Joe Cole, who was not enclosed in the patrol this time. "I saw the games he played after his damage and he played usually so so, but the last diversion he played unequivocally well. He has to fool around some-more games similar to that and afterwards he will be here," he said.

Ryan Shawcross has been in the headlines given his plunge into pennyless Aaron Ramsey"s leg at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and Capello urged him to try to dont think about about the situation as shortly as possible. "I comparison him prior to the Stoke v Arsenal game," the Italian said. "I thought the plunge into was unequivocally hard, it was a clever tackle, but not that he was out to get the leg of the alternative player. I spoke to him for the initial time now. He"s immature and it"s a bit opposite for him but I"m happy for him to stay here and he needs to dont think about that tackle."

Of tomorrow"s opponents, Egypt, Capello said: "Its not easy to win the Africa Cup of Nations 3 times [in a row] if you are not a great team. Egypt have great organization on the pitch, their players know what they have to do at each impulse and tomorrow will be a exam for us."

Jobs for the boys row erupts as ex-aide of Barroso done Washington envoy

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A jobs for the boys debate engulfed the head of the European Commission yesterday after Jos Manuel Barrosos former arch of staff was handed the plum pursuit of EU attach� to Washington.

Mr Barroso cumulative the pursuit for his associate Portuguese João Vale de Almeida notwithstanding his miss of general tactful experience. Almost a dozen nations uttered concerns to Baroness Ashton of Upholland, the British counterpart selected as the EU High Representative, for similar to behind the appointment. It has already been referred to that Lady Ashton is anticipating it tough to conflict vigour from Mr Barroso as she eases in to her new role.

Carl Bildt, the Swedish Foreign Minister, led complaints that the EU indispensable someone of larger status for the post in Washington, that was last hold by John Bruton, the former Irish Prime Minister.

Mr Almeida, a former journalist, outlayed 4 years as the head of Mr Barrosos Cabinet afterwards 3 months as the tip polite menial in the European Commissions outmost family department.

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There was apparently a preference taken by the Commission last week to hillside the approach in that we are represented in Washington, pronounced Mr Bildt, who wrote a minute of censure to Lady Ashton. I am not utterly sure it sends the right vigilance at this time.

Pierre Lellouche, the Europe Minister of France, is approaching to send his own minute currently voicing wider concerns about the appointment routine at the European External Action Service, the new physique to paint the EU headed by Lady Ashton and combined underneath the Lisbon treaty.

Alexander Stubb, the Finnish Foreign Minister, assimilated the carol of disapproval, observant that his nation was not consulted. It goes but observant that nominations similar to this will not be seen in the future. I would goal they will be some-more transparent.

However, Lady Ashton shielded the appointment, saying: The feedback from the US is that they are gay to have someone of his description means to take the position.

Although she proposed her purpose in Dec she will not benefit full carry out over appointments until Apr when the EUs tactful use is rigourously established.

She was forced to urge an additional preference yesterday after announcing that Vygaudas Usackas, the former Lithuanian Foreign Minister, is to be the EUs subsequent attach� to Afghanistan.

I am 100 per cent confident that this is the right chairman and there is zero that I need to be disturbed about, she pronounced in reply to questions about his past. Mr Usackas quiescent as Foreign Minister in Jan after a row over purported tip CIA prisons in Lithuania.