One consequence of this month's refugee tragedy in the Mediterranean has been to give the views of church leaders an unexpected prominence in the middle of an election campaign.

Bishops know they must hold their tongues during elections.
The mainstream churches produced manifestos in the form of advice to the faithful on the big issues of the campaign, but both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic hierarchy published their commentaries well in advance of electoral battle being joined.
The challenge they face with these pre-election documents is saying something worth hearing without laying themselves open to the charge of meddling in politics in a partisan way.
This time the Church of England in particular took heavy flak for the mildly left-wing flavour of its pronouncements on food banks and the like.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, may have a proven track record in business and finance, but when it comes to economics, religious leaders are always vulnerable to the charge that they are sounding off on a subject they do not understand.
Immigration and asylum, on the other hand, fall much more easily within the clerical comfort zone; they raises issues - about our common humanity and the extent of our generosity of spirit - which are more obviously "moral" in character.
When the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, launched his bishops' election letter to Catholics last month he spoke about migration in forthright terms.
On the Sunday programme he condemned the tone of our political debate about immigration, and in another interview that same morning he talked about the recent tragedy at sea.
He told the Andrew Marr Show: "These are people we're talking about, the people who drown in the Mediterranean trying to get into Europe, the people caged in Calais because they're desperate. We have to somehow keep the human person at the front of all these issues."
This weekend the Anglican bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend David Walker, told the Observer that Britain has a particular responsibility to refugees who flee Africa and the Middle East because this country's foreign policy has contributed to the instability which drove some of them from their homes.
"The moral cost of our overseas interventions", he wrote in the paper's online edition, "has to include accepting a fair share of the victims of the wars to which we have contributed".
"Violence and conflict have led to the massive displacement of people, many of whom seek asylum or refuge. There are also workers and students from overseas who contribute much to the common good of our country.
"Indeed, most people who settle in this country find work in order to bring up their families and contribute to society's well-being.
"Immigration is a highly emotive issue and every country needs a policy to control immigration, as well as a positive commitment to policies that facilitate the integration of migrants into the mainstream of society.
"There is a great danger of blaming immigrants for the ills of society. We support policies which fairly regulate immigration and uphold the human rights of all, recognising the rights, dignity and protection of refugees and migrants."
It was an unusually political comment from a bishop at this stage of an election campaign, and it reflects the way the deaths of nearly 1,000 people trying to reach Europe earlier this month have shaken up the kaleidoscope of public perceptions.
What happened was so ghastly that it has turned migration - for a while at least - into an issue that looks more moral than political.
That was also reflected in the way European Union leaders reversed their decision on funding for rescue operations at their emergency summit last week.
When they decided not to support the Italian Mare Nostrum programme last autumn it was presented - and interpreted in the press - as a political decision, a pragmatic step to discourage refugees and calm domestic anxiety about uncontrolled immigration.
In the light of what has now happened it has instead been widely represented as a terrible moral choice with tragic consequences. So Europe's governments - our own included - changed their minds.
This is not to say that the moral arguments all run one way.
On this weekend's Sunday programme Major General Jim Molan, who helped design Australia's famously tough border control policy, argued that the really moral course is deterrence.
Australia turns boats back and detains refugees in camps beyond its own borders. Anyone who attempts to reach the country by sea is disqualified from settling there.
As a result the flow of boat people has dried up, so refugees are not dying in the waters between Indonesia and Australia in the way they are dying between Africa and Europe.
"The question I put to Europe," the general said, "Is what moral responsibility does Europe have if inadequate policy causes loss of life at sea?"
He was debating with Michel Roy, the head of the Catholic network Caritas Internationalis; Mr Roy endorsed General Molan's judgement that the moral priority is to save lives, even though he regards some aspects of the Australian policy as "obnoxious". Moral debates can be as cloudy and complicated as political ones.
The impact of this month's terrible tragedy may not last for long, but for the moment an ambition which all church leaders put near the top of their election wish-lists has been achieved; the tone of the debate about migration and asylum has changed.
The press tends to ignore the election manifestos which the bishops publish because they are framed in moral terms, and do not deal in practical politics.
Perhaps we should all go back and read them again.
Listen to the latest edition of Radio 4's Sunday programme.


Donald Trump has held his first news conference in five months, with nine days to go before he takes the oath and assumes power at the White House.

While his fury at the allegations concerning his ties to Russia made the headlines, there was plenty more covered.
So what did we learn?
His sons, Donald and Eric, will run the Trump Organization, Mr Trump said in a long-awaited announcement concerning his business interests.
His lawyer Sheri Dillon also said:
She said that to avoid him breaking the constitution's "emoluments clause" which bans government officials from taking money from foreign governments, he would donate foreign payments to the Treasury.
But the head of the Office of Government Ethics launched a scathing attack on the move, saying it does not go far enough to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Other ethics experts seem to agree.
The BBC's Anthony Zurcher: Mr Trump has spent his entire life building his business empire, and he seems reluctant to let it go entirely, ethical concerns notwithstanding. While he says he's stepping away from the business, his decision not to relinquish ownership and his only transfer management to his children will likely not satisfy many of his critics.
Trump hands over business empire to sons
The president-elect suggested the US intelligence agencies are to blame for the unsubstantiated allegations that he paid for Russian prostitutes and fostered close relations between his campaign team and the Kremlin.
"I think it was disgraceful, disgraceful that the intelligence agencies allowed any information that turned out to be so false and fake out there... That's something that Nazi Germany would have done."
The top US spy, James Clapper, later hit back, saying the leak was not from the US intelligence community.
AZ: Wednesday was only the latest broadside Mr Trump has fired against a US intelligence community that he believes is trying to undermine the legitimacy of the presidency. His targets feel threatened as well, so this is far from the final exchange.
Angry Trump blasts 'fake news disgrace'
He went further than he has before in identifying Russia as the culprit behind hacks of Democratic Party emails, but still carried a caveat.
"As far as hacking, I think it's Russia. But we also get hacked by other countries and other people."
AZ: While Mr Trump was finally willing to acknowledge Russian involvement in 2016 election hacking, he still couched criticism in terms of a larger problem that involves other nations, like China. Mr Trump clearly feels much more comfortable criticising China than he does Vladimir Putin and Russia.
Mr Trump said he plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as soon as his health secretary pick is confirmed.
That could be the same week, the same day or even the same hour, he said.
But it's not clear whether the Republican party will be able to rally around a new plan.
AZ: While Mr Trump has set a tight timeline for repeal and replacement of Obamacare, it will be a heavy lift for a Congress that still is uncertain on what it should do - or the political fallout it could suffer for doing it.
Can Obamacare be repealed?
The man who launched his presidential campaign with the condemnation of Mexican immigrants as criminals shows no signs of wavering in his plan to build wall on the southern border.
AZ: For Mr Trump, it's not a matter of if Mexico is going to pay for the border wall (not fence, he emphasised), it's when - and he predicts it will happen in less than a year.
"There will be a major border tax on these companies that are leaving and getting away with murder. And if our politicians had what it takes, they would have done this years ago. And you'd have millions more workers right now in the United States."
AZ: Now we know a bit more about how he will try to foot the bill for the wall - through a tax, which might be easier than asking the Mexican government to cough up a cheque.
Asked about filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court, he said he has a list of 20 and will put one of them up within his first two weeks.
"It will be a decision which I very strongly believe in. I think it's one of the reasons I got elected."
AZ: While the Supreme Court wasn't a top issue for many American voters, it was likely an important factor in keeping evangelical conservatives in Mr Trump's column. His pick will likely reward their faith.
"We have to get our drug industry coming back," he said.
We need to "create new bidding procedures for the drug industry, because they're getting away with murder," he added.
After the press conference, Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders expressed his full agreement.
"Pharma does get away with murder. Literally murder. People die because they can't get the prescription drugs they need."
AZ: Talking about using the power of government negotiation to reduce drug prices is a regular talking point for Democrats, but Mr Trump's interest in taking on big pharmaceutical companies probably comes as a bit of a shock to his Republican colleagues.
Mr Trump cracked a joke when he said he could not have done some of the more salacious things alleged in the intelligence dossier.
"Does anyone believe that story? I'm a germophobe, by the way."
It has long been part of media folklore that he is averse to physical contact and once passed hand-sanitiser to journalists.
AZ: Back when Mr Trump was giving regular press conferences, his answers were frequently peppered with quirky non-sequiturs or comments that would never come out of the mouth of a traditional politician. It seems like President Trump will stick to that script.
"I was in Russia years ago, with the Miss Universe contest, which did very well - Moscow, the Moscow area did very, very well.
"And I told many people, 'Be careful, because you don't wanna see yourself on television. Cameras all over the place.'"
AZ: While Mr Trump may have a soft spot for Vladimir Putin and Russia, comments like this aren't going to get him a post-election job on the Russian tourism board.


Police officers and ambulance staff have run up an £8,111 repair bill by filling emergency vehicles with the wrong fuel in the past four years.

South Yorkshire Police officers filled up with the incorrect fuel on nine occasions and Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust staff 19 times.
The ambulance service said devices to prevent mistakes had been fitted in 2013, cutting errors by 66%.
The police force is looking at ways to cut the "unnecessary expense".
Details of the repair bills were uncovered by the Sheffield Star under the Freedom of Information Act.
Ambulance bosses spent £3,605 repairing 19 vehicles from its 900-strong fleet between April 2010 and March 2014.
A spokeswoman said "fuel angels" had been fitted to vehicles to stop the wrong nozzle being inserted.
"As a result, the number of instances of an incorrect fuel type being used reduced by 66%, to only two occurrences in the 2013/14 financial year," she said.
South Yorkshire Police, which has a fleet of more than 750 vehicles, spent £4,506 during the same period.
Sarah Gilding, head of fleet management, said that while nine vehicles being affected was a "very small number in proportion to the size of our fleet", the force was looking at ways to "prevent incorrect fuelling of police vehicles".
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had no record of any vehicles being damaged by being wrongly fuelled.
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Damage caused by refuelling mistakes is a waste of taxpayers' cash and it also means fewer patrol cars are available when they are being fixed.
"Simple measures, such as reminders on fuel caps, should ensure officers do not make this simple but expensive error.
"Perhaps making repeat offenders responsible for the costs would see more care being taken."


For almost a year, dedicated volunteers have headed to Belfast's Titanic Quarter twice a week to build a boat from scratch.

But this is no ordinary boat. This is a currach - a traditional boat, as capable of sea voyages as it is of sailing on inland waters.
It's an idea that has consumed Niamh Scullion since she helped row one across the Irish Sea.
"In 2012, I was offered a place on a currach going from Iona over to Rathlin," she told BBC News NI.
"I'd never rowed before but I thought I would go, and it was just an amazing experience."
An experience Niamh wanted to share with others, so she set about securing backing from places like the Heritage Lottery Fund.
"So much work has gone into this currach. We expected it to take less time - I mean, you start off with a pile of wood and it goes from there.
"Just very slowly, the boat starts taking shape."
That "shape" is 10m (33ft) long.
It consists of three layers of canvas and tar stretched over oak bars that have been steamed to make them easy to bend into the curved shape.
The wood finishing has been sanded and smoothed and saturated with oil.
"It's been a pretty long and slow process, a lot of craft, a lot of blood sweat and tears as well," said Tim Bloomer, vice-chairman of Lagan Currachs.
"We're looking forward to getting it on the water."
That is the next step, which will happen on Sunday.
For the volunteers, it is the culmination of hours of work: Some made sure the whole family was involved.
"I brought my kids down and we decided to help on the project," said Diana McDowell.
"It's skills that a lot of children aren't being taught anymore and at that stage the boat was at a very early stage, it was tipped the other way round.
"So they had the experience of clamping it and putting the nails in - so it was amazing for them."
Dozens of people were involved - community groups along the river were contacted, while others became interested via social media, which the team used to post regular progress reports.
She mentioned two other currach-sailing groups.
"There's the Causeway Coast Maritime Heritage Group, they have a currach called the Colmcille," said Ms Scullion.
"There's also Row the Erne, they have the Menapian.
"We would hope to go on a trip together, all three groups, which I think would be really special."
The Belfast currach's name is being kept under wraps until it is afloat.
But the sight of it hitting the water on Sunday will not be the end of the journey for the volunteers.
Some are hoping to take part in the journeys planned for the currach in the long term.
"I can't quite believe that this has all come together and it's a functional boat that has such great possibilities for brilliant expeditions as well," said team member Leigh McIlroy.
"I mean, these are expeditions that are larger than life."
But for now, the Lagan will be far enough.


An ex-rugby player from Gloucestershire who was paralysed from the neck down in a car accident is to compete in a gruelling 12-mile obstacle race.

The Tough Mudder race will see Rob Camm, from Breadstone, use a specially-adapted wheelchair to cross the woody and grassy terrain.
Mr Camm, 21, said: "I've been driving round the fields and the woods near my house to get used to driving off road."
His support team will cross obstacles like walls and tunnels.
Mr Camm, was paralysed in the car crash in September 2013 and was treated at Salisbury District Hospital.
Before his accident, he was a promising rugby player as well as being academically gifted.
Prior to the crash, he played for Dursley RFC and was about to start his degree at York University.
He said: "Whilst I was in hospital I got help from a number of different charities, one of which is Special Effect and that's why I'm doing this Tough Mudder Challenge.
"It was something I wanted to do before my accident, so I don't see a good reason why not to do it now and raise money for a charity that helped me so much."
It is thought Mr Camm is the first tetraplegic to take part in the course.
His wheelchair is similar to sitting on a quad bike, which he controls with his chin.
"I've always liked having a challenge to do - I'm no different now to how I was before, so just the challenge of it is going to be good fun."
The race is taking place on Sunday at Gatcombe, Gloucestershire.


A statue of former Test cricket umpire Dickie Bird has been elevated to stop people hanging rude items on his outstretched finger.

The sculpture, in his hometown of Barnsley, has become a magnet for revellers who have hung condoms and pants from it.
Mr Bird, who has been spotted removing the items himself, said he did not mind his statue being treated in this way.
The sculpture has been raised to make it harder to reach the statue's finger.
The life-size artwork shows the legendary former umpire raising his index finger to indicate a batsman is out.
Other items to have been hung from it have included pumpkins and chip boxes.
Mr Bird said he did not mind people having fun hanging items from the statue but worried about people falling off the plinth.
He said: "I think it's respect they have for you that the only thing they have not done is damage it.
"I do not mind doing it at all. They can take as many photographs as they like but they're climbing on to it and they might fall off."
Sculptor Graham Ibbeson said the plinth beneath the statue would be raised to about 5ft high (1.5m).
He said: "We are not going to stop it. What we are going to do is make it a little more difficult.
"We are raising him up where he belongs.
"On Friday and Saturday night everybody who wobbles home from the town after a few sherberts seems to gravitate towards that finger, with knickers, brassieres, condoms, whatever.
"Dickie has been seen occasionally on Saturday morning cleaning the debris off himself, so it needed to be done.
"It's horrible when people are abusing it like that. It is a bit of fun... but it is a bit inappropriate."
Mr Ibbeson has also designed statues of comedians including Eric Morecambe, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, as well as famous sporting figures such as Fred Trueman and William Webb Ellis.
Work to raise the statue was carried out on Friday and an unveiling ceremony is due to take place on Sunday.


Felipe Massa's inconsistent race finishes cost him his place in the Ferrari team, says the company's president Luca Di Montezemolo.

He said Massa was an "exceptional guy and a wonderful person", but added: "In 2012, we felt the lack of his points in the constructors' [championship]."
And Fernando Alonso was kept informed about the choice of new team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, according to the Italian.
"Alonso is the first to be happy that he is coming here," he said.
Last week, Ferrari confirmed Lotus driver Raikkonen had agreed a two-year contract, starting from next season.
The 33-year-old won the world title with Ferrari in 2007 but was displaced by the arrival of Spaniard Alonso in 2010.
Di Montezemolo, who took the decision to replace Brazilian Massa with Raikkonen following the Italian Grand Prix, said: "The relationship [with Felipe] was clear. He needed results and so did we.
"He did get some, but he was inconsistent, having some good races but not on a regular basis. It will be good for him to have a change of scenery."
It is not clear where 32-year-old Massa's future lies, but he is being linked with the 2014 Lotus seat vacated by Raikkonen.
Ferrari's decision to partner Alonso, 32, with the Finn signals a return to the policy last employed between 2007 and 2009, when Raikkonen and Massa competed on equal terms.
Either side of that period, with Michael Schumacher from 1996-2006 and then with Alonso for the past four years, there has been a clear number one driver.
Speaking about suggestions Alonso was not informed of Raikkonen's arrival, Di Montezemolo added in Gazzetta dello Sport: "We are not masochistic enough to take on a driver without informing Alonso.
"Fernando was always in the picture regarding the choice, taken partly because employing a youngster, in what will be a complex 2014 season, did not inspire confidence.
"In a nutshell, I wanted a driver who would not make me regret Massa [leaving]. What I ask of Raikkonen is wins, a consistent performance level and podiums and Alonso will be the first to benefit."


A former punk musician is exhibiting his photographs documenting abandoned Western Isles croft houses as part of a celebration of Scottish architecture.

John Maher was the drummer in 1970s band Buzzcocks, whose hits included Ever Fallen In Love.
Maher is now a photographer based on Harris and usually takes night-time and long exposure images of decaying manmade objects in the Hebrides.
The exhibition, Nobody's Home, has opened at the Lighthouse in Glasgow.
It forms part of Architecture and Design Scotland's Say Hello to Architecture programme.
Maher was 16 years old when he was recruited as a member of the Buzzcocks. Chart success followed before the band broke up in 1981.
In 2002, he relocated from his home town of Manchester to the Isle of Harris in the Western Isles.
Maher has previously exhibited his photographs at venues in the Highlands and Islands.
Speaking ahead of the opening of the Lighthouse exhibition, he said: "Taking this exhibition to Glasgow is the realisation of a long-held ambition.
"What started out as a personal project - documenting abandoned croft houses in the Outer Hebrides - has had an unexpected side effect.
"As a result of displaying my photographs, there's now a real possibility of seeing at least one of the properties becoming a family home once again."
He added: "Putting on this exhibition in collaboration with the team at Architecture and Design Scotland means Nobody's Home is about more than pictures on a gallery wall. It shows that looking through a lens to the past can help shape things in the future."


Steelmaker Tata needs to rebuild trust following a vote to back pension changes, say senior Labour politicians.

Llanelli MP Nia Griffith said the Indian-owned giant must meet a guarantee on no compulsory job losses and new investment.
Welsh Economy Secretary Ken Skates also called on the UK government to prioritise the steel industry and plough more money into research.
Workers voted on Wednesday in favour of a new reduced pension deal.
"It's been a terrible choice for the workers to make, between taking a lower pension payment or seeing the jobs go," said Ms Griffith.
"Having made that decision now, we really need Tata to stick to its promises, to step up to the mark, and get investment in there so we get the state-of-the-art plant, which means we can compete on the world market."
The MP, who is also Labour's shadow defence secretary, said, following a year of uncertainty for workers, it was "really incumbent on the company to build up that trust again".
Members of three unions at steel sites in Wales, Scotland, South Yorkshire and Teesside all supported the new pension proposals.
Under the proposed changes, the British Steel Pension Scheme will close to future accrual, replaced with a defined contribution scheme with maximum contributions of 10% from Tata and 6% from workers.
A one-off pension contribution of up to £10,000 could be made to Tata workers in their 50s who plan to retire early.
Tata's offer also included a £1bn investment commitment at Port Talbot and no compulsory job losses.
Discussions on the next steps for the steelmaker are continuing.
But economy secretary Mr Skates said he wanted to see pledges honoured.
"It's for Tata now to keep its side of the deal - to make sure that the £1bn of investment of the next 10 years begins as soon as possible," he told BBC Wales' Good Morning Wales programme.
Both he and Ms Griffiths also called on the UK government to get behind the steel sector, by examining issues like the costs of carbon and energy taxes on the industry.
Mr Skates also called on UK ministers to use a "sizable proportion' of a proposed £2bn research and development fund to aid UK steel makers.
"I've pressed for the notion of a 'steel deal', which is included in the UK industrial strategy, to be considered at speed," said Mr Skates.
On Wednesday, Koushik Chatterjee, group executive director Tata Steel and executive director for its European business, said there was "much more work to be done to make Tata Steel UK more financially sustainable".
"We look to other stakeholders such as the UK government to play their part in addressing the UK's manufacturing competitiveness position especially with relation to energy prices."
The UK government has described the decision by steelworkers to back the pension deal as "an important step forward".
A spokesperson added: "The government will play its role in supporting the steel industry to help deliver a sustainable future."


Former footballer John Hartson has attended the opening of a cancer centre at Singleton Hospital, Swansea.

The retired Arsenal and Celtic striker, who has himself recovered from cancer, was guest of honour as the £3m building was officially opened on Friday.
It has been built after fundraising by cancer charity Maggie's with £1.5m from the Welsh government.
Hartson also thanked Wales manager Gary Speed's widow Louise for calling on football fans to support his charity.
On the day of Speed's funeral in his home area of Hawarden, Flintshire, Hartson said he was supporting the centre through his foundation as it would help thousands of patients.
He said: "I am incredibly touched by Louise's calls for people to back my charity. Gary was always very supportive of the foundation.
"He even played in a charity match to raise money for it on his own birthday as well as running the London marathon in aid of it. That's the kind of man he was.
"It means an awful lot, especially as some of the money from my foundation will go towards the Maggie's centre, which is a cause very close to my heart.
"I spoke with Gary's father Roger last night to say I could not make it to the funeral because I was opening the centre here today - but my thoughts are with him and his family and I will be attending the memorial service in February."
The centre, which gives care and support to cancer patients and their families, was opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones, Hartson, Japanese ambassador Keiichi Hayashi and the family of the late architect Kisho Kurokawa.
Maggie's has run an interim service in the city since 2006, and it is is one of 15 centres the charity has either up and running or planned.
The centre will offer support to people from across south west and mid Wales.
Maggie's chief executive Laura Lee said it had only been made possible thanks to the fundraising efforts of people in the region.
"The local community should be proud of the lasting legacy they have created for the thousands affected by the devastating consequences of cancer," she added.
Hartson, a Wales international who underwent emergency surgery in 2009 after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and his brain, said: "I know from my own personal experience what a devastating effect cancer can have on you, your family and friends.
"Staff at Maggie's interim centre at Singleton Hospital in Swansea helped me to find a way to live through and beyond cancer.
"I'm really delighted that we are now in a position to open this incredible new Maggie's centre which will help thousands of people in Wales who have been affected by this terrible disease."


Residents in the St Cyrus and Montrose areas are being urged to check outbuildings and sheds for signs of a man missing for six days.

Graeme Leslie, 62, from St Cyrus, was last seen in Dundee  on Friday of last week,
He is described as being 5ft 1in, stocky, wears glasses and has a tattoo on his right arm.
Police Scotland said heavy rain earlier on Thursday had made for difficult conditions for the search operation.


Search and rescue helicopter operations will move from RAF Valley to Caernarfon from Wednesday.

Bristow has a 10-year contract from the Department of Transport to operate from 10 UK bases on behalf of HM Coastguard.
The £1.6bn deal with the new American-owned operators ends 60 years service from the RAF at the Anglesey base.
It is part of a phased switch-over which will also see Bristow operating from St Athan in the Vale of Glamorgan from 1 October.
Why the change?
After 60 years of the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy and the Maritime and Coastal Agency (MCA) taking a role in rescues, in 2005, the Ministry of Defence and Department of Transport decided to set up a single body to deal with search and rescue (SAR) - a mixture of military and civilian.
Their plan for the PFI-funded project was terminated in 2011 and the government announced that the future SAR service would be provided by a fully civilian aircrew. This reflected the military's decision to withdraw from civilian SAR to focus on frontline operations. It also coincided with the retirement of the Sea King helicopters, due in March 2016.
What will the difference be?
Bristow claims people will not see any difference from the service offered by the RAF but some mountaineers and members of mountain rescue teams as well as politicians have concerns. There is a fear that profit for shareholders has to be considered. There may be questions if the helicopters are used too often.
There is concern that this could lead to more pressure on the volunteers of the mountain rescue teams because of the increasing popularity of Snowdon - 600,000 people visited the summit in 2013.
Others say that contracting the SAR service is the thin end of the wedge and in time, the UK may follow other countries in Europe and north America, where people take out insurance or have to pay to be rescued.
However others have argued such fear is misplaced because this is not a privatisation.
Bristow Helicopters insist the crews will be on call 24/7, will be called out in exactly the same way and will be highly trained, just like the RAF, with the service remaining state-controlled.
How many will work at the new Caernarfon airport base?
Each of Bristow's SAR bases will be manned by approximately 30 staff including nine pilots, 10 technical crew (five winchman paramedics and five winchman operators) and nine engineers as well as support staff. The base at Caernarfon cost £7m and as well as having  specifically designed hangers for the helicopters the base also has bedrooms for the crews to rest.
Bristow is one of the largest civilian helicopter companies in the world and its SAR fleet has state-of-the-art technology.
Will the helicopters look different?
The biggest change will be in the livery of the RAF helicopters.
The RAF Sea Kings were bright yellow and used to be known locally as the "yellow budgies" but the Bristow helicopters are red and white.
What will happen to the RAF crews from Valley now?
RAF Valley on Anglesey will continue, mainly as the centre for training fighter jet pilots.  Some SAR presence will be retained in Valley for a few months before the whole operation is wound up entirely. Although the private company is taking charge, there will still be a standby crew at RAF Valley in case they are needed whilst the new company gets fully operational.
Samantha Willenbacher, director of UK Search and Rescue at Bristow Helicopters, said: "We know this is a service that people rely on in times of great need and we are committed to continuing the great work of the military."
A new hangar is being built at the St Athan Aerospace Business Park to house the two search and rescue helicopters from this autumn.
It will become the first south-Wales search and rescue base since the end of operations at RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire in 1994.


A charity which encourages people to get involved as volunteers in local community activities is moving to new premises in Bath.

The Volunteer Centre will be based at the Bath Central Library in Northgate Street from 25 January.
The organisation said it currently had about 400 vacancies for volunteers, with opportunities in social care, conservation, administration and sport.
The service covers the Bath and North East Somerset area.
Marion Cooper, from the centre, said: "Our new home in the central library will be more visible, more accessible and enable us to help more people to get involved in local community activities.
"New opportunities for volunteering come in every day and, with public sector cuts beginning to really bite, the need for volunteers has never been so great."


Kolo Toure, Victor Valdes and Emmanuel Adebayor are among the high-profile names to have been released by their Premier League clubs.

Toure, 35, leaves Liverpool after three years, playing his final game in last month's Europa League final defeat.
Goalkeeper Valdes, 34, will be released by Manchester United having played twice in the past 18 months, along with 22-year-old midfielder Nick Powell.
Adebayor, 32, leaves Crystal Palace having signed for the club in January.
Manchester City will let 35-year-old defender Martin Demichelis go after three seasons at the Etihad Stadium, while midfielders Mikel Arteta, 34, Mathieu Flamini, 32, and Tomas Rosicky, 35, will not return to Arsenal next season.
Everton's released list includes two players who have spent more than 15 years at Goodison Park, 35-year-olds Tony Hibbert and Leon Osman, while Steven Pienaar, 34, brings to an end a second spell with the Toffees.
Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, 43, leaves Premier League champions Leicester City, and Stoke City have released 34-year-old striker Peter Odemwingie.
Elsewhere, strikers Steven Fletcher, 29, and Danny Graham, 30, leave Sunderland, along with 36-year-old former England defender Wes Brown.
Clubs have also informed the Premier League of those players who will remain, with Chelsea set to retain 82 players for next season.
For a full list of the Premier League's retained and released lists, click here.
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Scotland boss Gordon Strachan says he is not thinking about himself despite coming under increasing pressure following a 3-0 World Cup qualifying loss in Slovakia.

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Scotland now sit fourth in Group F with four points from three games after Tuesday's defeat in Trnava.
"The people who I feel sorry for are the players," said Strachan. "They're the ones I'm thinking about.
"I'm proud of them. The second group you feel sorry for are the supporters."
Strachan believes Scotland can still compete for second place in the group, despite taking just one point from their October double-header against Slovakia and Lithuania, who earned a 1-1 draw at Hampden on Saturday.
The Scots face group leaders England at Wembley on 11 November.
"Form can change in a couple of weeks and this campaign is played over a year," said Strachan, who has been in charge since January 2013.
"Every time I get together with these guys, they rejuvenate me. We've given it our best shot in the last couple of games in terms of doing what we think is right, trying to pick the right side.
"I'm happy with the response from the lads every time. We'd like to be better off but we are one point off a play-off place."
Two goals from Robert Mak and a third by Adam Nemec have Slovakia victory.
Their first goal was controversial, with the visitors believing there was a foul by Jan Durica on Steven Fletcher prior to the move that ended with Mak's finish.
Mak and then Nemec were both afforded too much space in Scotland's penalty box as they increased the home side's advantage in the second half.
"Just when they need a break, the decision being on their side, it goes against them," Strachan said of the incident involving Fletcher.
He praised his players for being "brave on the ball" and for "trying to make chances" but the second goal proved crucial.
"It was uphill after that," said Strachan, who succeeded Craig Levein.


A deadly fire at a warehouse party in Oakland may have been caused by a refrigerator or other electrical appliance, US investigators say.

They say they are looking at "anything electrical" on the first floor of the venue, known as the Ghost Ship, where the blaze started late last Friday.
Officials in California say 36 people are now confirmed dead, and 35 have been already identified.
They earlier warned that murder charges were also possible.
Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said on Monday that her office had yet to determine whether a crime had occurred.
Charges could range from murder to involuntary manslaughter, she added.
On Tuesday, special agent Jill Snyder, the head of San Francisco's office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said a refrigerator was a potential source of the blaze.
However, she stressed that the investigators were yet to make their final conclusions.
Ms Snyder added that "we have no indication" that the fire had been set intentionally.
It is thought 50-100 people were inside the venue when the fire broke out.
The blaze caused the roof to collapse on to the second floor, part of which then fell through to the ground floor.
The building was used to house artists in improvised studios but several reports say people were illegally living there too.
Media in Oakland named Derick Ion Almena as the co-operator of the collective with his partner, Micah Allison.
A Facebook post by him lamenting the loss of his belongings but saying he was "blessed that my children and Micah were at a hotel safe and sound" drew a barrage of criticism online.


Eric Lubbock, later Lord Avebury, caused one of the most sensational by-election victories in British political history when he took Orpington for the Liberals in 1962.

The poll was hailed as the beginning of a Liberal revival, and the end of the two party domination of British politics.
In the event it turned out to be no more than a freak result and Liberal hopes were, as would happen so often in the future, doomed to disappointment.
After losing his seat Lubbock continued his political career in the Lords becoming a doughty campaigner for human rights.
Eric Reginald Lubbock was born on 29 September 1928 a grandson of the first Baron Avebury,
He was educated at Harrow and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he took an engineering degree and won a Blue for boxing.
Lubbock did his National Service in the Welsh Guards, first as a Guardsman and later as a junior officer before joining Rolls Royce where he worked as an engineer.
He became a Liberal councillor in 1960 and was selected to fight the by-election in what was seen as the safe Conservative seat of Orpington following the appointment of the sitting Conservative MP, Donald Sumner, as a High Court judge.
Lubbock had a mountain to climb. The Conservatives were sitting on a majority of nearly 15,000 and, in the 1959 general election, the Liberals had trailed in third.
But he fought a tenacious campaign highlighting the perceived shortcomings of Harold Macmillan's government. "We must not stop in our efforts to overthrow Tory blunder," he told his enthusiastic supporters.
Cracks began to appear in the Conservative campaign when their candidate Peter Goldman, who came from outside the seat, announced he had no intention of moving to live there if he became the MP.
At the same time the government announced a public-sector pay freeze that badly hit commuter areas like Orpington and impacted most severely on nurses, a move that was deemed highly unpopular.
Despite this, few political analysts predicted anything other than a Conservative win and there was general astonishment when Lubbock overturned the 1959 result - leaving the Conservatives with a deficit of nearly 7,000.
The result helped hasten the end of the Macmillan government and raised hopes within the Liberal Party that were never in fact realised.
During the next eight years, Lubbock earned a reputation in the House of Commons, not only for a conscientious devotion to the interests of his suburban constituents, but also by his tenacity in cases involving civil liberties and his grasp of technological affairs.
For good measure, he also served during most of this period as Liberal Chief Whip.
Lubbock held Orpington against fierce Conservative opposition at both the 1964 and 1966 general elections, but was defeated by the Conservative candidate in 1970.
"In 1962 the wise, far-seeing people of Orpington elected me as their Member," he said. "In 1970 the fools threw me out."
A year later he succeeded to the Avebury peerage on the death of his cousin, the third Baron; it seemed likely at first that he would renounce the title so as to contest Orpington again, but after consultation with the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe he decided to accept his inheritance.
Before taking his seat in the House of Lords he visited Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, on behalf of Amnesty International to report on political detentions in the island. The government of Ceylon did not encourage his inquiries and eventually expelled him.
In the Lords he continued to fight for civil liberties, often taking up immigrant cases and speaking out against racism. And, as chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Committee, he campaigned for better treatment for prisoners in the UK and abroad.
He became part of the Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs team in the Lords, cycling to sittings from his home in Camberwell.
Avebury  was an enthusiastic supporter of the British Humanist Association and, in 2009, won a National Secular Society award for his part in the abolition of the law on Blasphemous Libel.
He also caused controversy in 2011 when he came out strongly in support of traveller families facing eviction from the Dale Farm site in Essex
In his later years he was diagnosed with a form of blood cancer and became an advocate for assisted dying.
"It is unthinkable that we should not take measures to enable people to alleviate their own suffering," he said.
A convert to Buddhism, he was passionate about recycling and once declared that he intended to leave his body to Battersea Dogs' Home. The offer was gracefully declined.


Ipswich Town are waiting to learn the extent of the injury sustained by Daryl Murphy against Switzerland on Friday.

The 33-year-old striker has been ruled out of the Republic of Ireland's game against Slovakia on Tuesday after injuring his calf.
"He has a tear in his calf, but we have no timescale," Ipswich physio Matt Byard told the club website.
"We are looking to get him scanned again on Tuesday," he continued. "We will know more from there."
Ipswich face Wolves on Saturday as they continue their push for the play-offs, with the club just four points away from sixth place.
"Needless to say, there has to be a concern about him for the weekend," Byard added.


A 10-year-old boy is in a critical condition after a hit-and-run crash in Streatham Hill, south London.

Police said the child was struck on Kingswood Road on Friday afternoon by a light-coloured Audi hatchback, thought to be an Audi A3.
Det Sgt Steve Pidgeon said it was "impossible to believe the driver did not know they had been involved in a very serious collision".
He urged the driver to contact the Met Police.
Scotland Yard said the car was "likely to have sustained damage to the headlights" and appealed for witnesses to contact them.


Union leaders trying to save hundreds of jobs at an Anglesey factory will meet workers on Monday.

The 2 Sisters chicken processing factory in Llangefni ended its staff consultation last week on plans to cut a whole shift, affecting 300 jobs.
Unite union officials put forward alternative proposals to factory managers and will explain the outcome of those talks to workers.
Around 800 people work at the site, including a number of agency workers.


The Liberal Democrats have lost all but one of their seats in London, including those of high-profile members of the party such as Business Secretary Vince Cable.

Mr Cable lost to Conservative rival Tania Mathias by more than 2,000 votes.
The party's deputy leader, Simon Hughes was also among those who lost out, along with Energy Secretary Ed Davey.
London mayor Boris Johnson is back in parliament as Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
Mr Johnson won 22,511 votes, ahead of Labour's Chris Summers, who achieved 11,816 votes.
And Tottenham Labour MP David Lammy, after continuing to hold his seat, said he was interested in running for mayor but it was too early to call.
Liberal Democrat Tom Brake was the only party member to hold his seat in London, in Carshalton and Wallington, beating Tory rival Matthew Maxwell Scott by 1,500 votes.
Mr Cable, 71, had been the MP for Twickenham since 1997 and was made Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in 2010.
"Unfortunately, this has been a terrible night for our party all over," he said following his defeat.
Mr Hughes, who lost to Labour's Neil Coyle in Bermondsey and Old Southwark, had been an MP since 1983 and was described as a "legend" by the party's leader Nick Clegg. He achieved 17,657 votes to Mr Coyle's 22,146.
In his speech, Mr Hughes said it had been his mission to ensure individuals, families and community groups knew there was "somebody there who will fight for them to the end of the earth to make sure they get what they deserve - I think that is a legacy that cannot be undone".
Mr Davey lost out in Kingston and Surbiton to the Conservatives' James Berry, who won 23,249 votes to the Lib Dems' 20,415.
The parties didn't see it coming, the pollsters didn't see it coming and the pundits didn't see it coming.
What an extraordinary night in the capital as some of its leading politicians were sent packing.
Squeezed by the Tories in their south west London heartlands and by Labour in their inner city seats, the Lib Dems were left with just one London MP; punished, they believe, for their role in the coalition government.
Barring that seat, our city is now red and blue, with Labour picking up four seats from the Tories, but not winning four others it had hoped to.
Still, on a terrible night for Labour nationally, they were at least winning seats in the capital.
And as Boris Johnson won in Uxbridge to secure a return to Parliament, thoughts will turn to his current day job because with the ballot boxes barely packed away, the election for London's next mayor is just a year away.
Who will be brave enough to predict that outcome?
Although it was a difficult night across the country for the Labour Party, it easily held on to Holborn in central London with new MP Keir Starmer achieving a majority of more than 17,000.
Labour also gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats, in Hornsey and Wood Green, where Catherine West defeated Lynne Featherstone, securing a majority of more than 11,000.
The party's MP for Tottenham David Lammy also held his seat.
The party also gained in Ealing Central, Brent Central, Ilford North, Hornsey, Bermondsey and Brentford.
Voters in London's marginal seats have been talking to the BBC.
In Finchley and Golders Green, long-time Liberal Democrat supporter Lee Glover said he had turned against the party to vote for UKIP, after the Lib Dems joined the Tories in government.
"What have I got to lose?" he said.
And in Ealing Central and Acton, professional musician Christine Hankin said the economy was a key factor in her decision.
"I don't think you can do anything if you are broke. Everyone has been giving away things that they can't possibly deliver," she said.


A chip shop owner has lost his Supreme Court battle over parking charges.

Barry Beavis, 47, of Chelmsford, Essex, claimed an £85 charge for breaching a two-hour limit in the town in April 2013 was "unfair and disproportionate".
The Court of Appeal dismissed Mr Beavis's claim against management company ParkingEye.
He appealed to the Supreme Court, but judges there have also rejected his case. The company said its charges were "fair" and "legally enforceable".
Mr Beavis, who owns The Happy Haddock chip shop in Billericay, was charged by ParkingEye after over-staying the free parking period at Riverside Retail Park by nearly an hour.
Updates on this story and more from Essex
Following the decision, Mr Beavis  said: "It is a very dangerous ruling. I am disappointed the Supreme Court did not stick up for the consumer.
"It has decided these charges are allowed because they are not excessive - so what is excessive?
"There is now no legal recourse to go to European Court of Justice. I think the government needs to intervene and introduce a single code of practice."
Mr Beavis said he travelled to London by train for the hearing as he "wasn't going to pay to park".
Supreme Court president Lord Neuberger and Lord Sumption said in a joint written ruling ParkingEye could not charge over-stayers "whatever it liked".
"It could not charge a sum which would be out of all proportion to its interest or that of the landowner for whom it is providing the service," they wrote.
"But there is no reason to suppose £85 is out of all proportion to its interests."
Steve Gooding, director of motoring charity RAC Foundation, said Parliament should now tackle parking charges in the same way it dealt with clamping in 2012.
He echoed Mr Beavis' comments and said judges had not given any clear direction on what figure would be excessive.
"This opens the door for parking companies to increase their penalty demands and leaves the onus on motorists to fight sky-high charges on a case-by-case basis," he said.
He added the DVLA which "releases several million vehicle records to private parking companies" should be taking more interest in how that data is used.
"Parking should be a small, inconsequential part of our lives," he said.
"Today's judgment means it will continue to stir up totally disproportionate anxiety and anger."
However, a spokeswoman for ParkingEye said the ruling "provides much needed clarity to motorists and the parking industry as a whole and confirms our parking charges, which are approved by the British Parking Association, are fair and legally enforceable."
Consumer and driving law specialist Derek Millard-Smith, of JMW Solicitors which advises ParkingEye, called the Supreme Court decision "entirely sensible".
"Had Mr Beavis prevailed, we might well have seen the end of free parking," he said.
"Land owners providing spaces would have felt compelled to charge for parking from the minute cars arrive to prevent abuse."
He added motorists can use a "clear and robust appeals process" to try to revoke penalties.
In light of the judgment, the British Parking Association, which ParkingEye belongs to, is to organise a summit next year.


A teenage Instagram star has made an emotional statement about the dark side of social media, editing the captions of her own pictures saying they were artificial and self-promoting.

With more than 500,000 followers on Instagram, Australian Essena O'Neill, 18, earned an income from social media.
She became a social media celebrity through posting images of her apparently picture perfect lifestyle.
She now says it left her feeling empty and addicted to social media likes.
In a 17-minute video which she uploaded onto her YouTube account,  she vows to act against the "unhealthy" ideals of social media.
She also set up a website to fight against what she described as the cult of social media.  She deleted 2,000 photos on Instagram that, she said, "served no real purpose other than self-promotion", and scrapped her other social accounts.
"I don't want to support social sharing sites that makes billions off advertisements I don't agree with," she said.
"I've also spent hours watching perfect girls online, wishing I was them. When I became 'one of them', I still wasn't happy, content or at peace with myself."
She said she was re-editing captions on the remaining photos hosted on her Instagram account to reveal "manipulation, mundanity and insecurity".
"Social media isn't real. It's a system based on social approval, likes, validation in views, success in followers," she said in a post in October.
"It's perfectly orchestrated self-absorbed judgement. I was consumed by it."
A previous post showing work-out selfies of the then-15-year-old girl in fitness gear, has now been re-captioned to highlight how the amount of "calorie restriction" and "excessively exercising" that went into her daily routine.
"Anyone addicted to social media fame like I once was, is not in a conscious state," she added.
Another Instagram, once showing her in a bikini, has been re-captioned: "Stomach sucked in, strategic pose, pushed up boobs. I just want younger girls to know this isn't candid life, or cool or inspirational. It's contrived perfection made to get attention."
Ms O'Neill's followers on Instagram largely reacted with praise for her stand against social media.
"Your honesty and vulnerability are so powerful. I'm very proud of the direction you are taking," commented Gina Hart, a user from Melbourne.
Another Instagram user, Jill O'Riley commented: "We are all aware of the evils that social media brings; particularly relating to one's public image on them that only serves to reinforce narcissism and low self-esteem. Good on Essena for waking up and trying to change this one step at a time."
One user said: "I wasn't a fan of you before but I am now. Thank you for adopting a smart and realistic approach to social media and an even bigger thanks for moving things in the right direction."


New computer-based assessments of primary school pupils between 2012 and 2013 were fraught with problems, according to a review.

It was carried out by two independent consultants and strongly criticised the NILA  and NINA tests
Several factors were said to have contributed to the problems.
These included the test being brought in too quickly, with too little consultation with schools.
The aim of the review was to identify the factors that had contributed to the problems associated with the implementation of the tests.
It said there was little evidence of checks being carried out to see if schools had enough computers to run the tests successfully.
The review also said that when technical support was needed, it was very slow in coming, almost 18 months.
The report also said there was resistance and concern in schools because principals and teachers feared the tests would be used for selecting pupils for grammar schools, when the 11-plus was scrapped.
The assessments were introduced in 900 primary schools in September, 2012, but hundreds of primary schools complained about the online tests.
The Department of Education paid almost Â£1m in that year to run the tests, which were designed to check on pupils' literacy and numeracy progress.


The Australian government will not conduct a full environmental impact assessment for the disposal of dredge spoil on sensitive wetlands at Abbot Point, near the Great Barrier Reef.

The controversial project will be assessed using "preliminary documentation" only, documents show.
Abbot Point, south of Cairns, is a major coal port and is being expanded to cope with increased exports.
Environmental groups say the government's step is highly unusual.
They say fast-tracking the dredging approval would put an already threatened reef in greater danger of degradation.
Greenpeace reef campaigner Shani Tager said: "Adani, the Indian coal company behind the new Abbot Point coal terminal, has been holding the Queensland and federal governments to ransom over this development, threatening to pull out unless their demands are met.
"[Environment Minister] Greg Hunt has rolled over, again failing to stand up to Adani and its reef wrecking agenda."
In September, the Queensland government asked the federal government to speed up the plan's approval, assessing it using documents filed with an original plan to dump dredge spoil in Great Barrier Reef waters.
A spokesman for Mr Hunt told Australian media that the assessment would be a "very rigorous process".
"Australia has some of the most stringent environmental protection laws in the world and these proposals will be assessed thoroughly," the spokesman said.
Under the proposal, millions of tonnes of seabed would be dredged from the World Heritage Area and dumped on the Caley Valley wetlands, which is home to more than 40,000 water birds.
The government recently changed a plan to dump thousands of tonnes of sediment at sea but scientists remain concerned about what that will mean for the wetlands and the nearby reef.
Conservation group WWF-Australia said a full environmental impact assessment process was standard practice with a development of this size.
"The fast tracking of development at Gladstone [on the Queensland coast] triggered the World Heritage Committee's concern; this looks like a case of history repeating itself," said WWF-Australia reef campaigner Louise Matthiesson.
"No previous studies have examined the specific impacts of dredge spoil disposal in this sensitive area or the proposed alteration of the Caley Valley Wetlands," she said.
Greens Senator Larissa Waters said not only had Mr Hunt failed to require an environmental impact statement to dump spoil on the wetlands, he hadn't revoked the permit to dump the spoil in the reef's waters.
"So it's up to the proponent, [Queensland Premier] Campbell Newman, who is no friend of the reef, to decide whether to dump on the reef or its wetlands," she said.


Two men have been arrested on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offences in Coventry.

The men, aged 25, and 35, were arrested earlier on Tuesday on suspicion of financing terrorism, police said.
They were arrested at two separate addresses where officers are continuing to carry out inquiries.
"The arrests were part of a continuing investigation and were intelligence led. There was no immediate threat to public safety," a force spokesman said.
The 25-year-old was released on bail pending further inquiries, West Midlands Police said.


Berlin's iconic Tacheles arts centre has been cleared after decades of bureaucratic wrangling over the debt-ridden building.

The massive warehouse in the Mitte district was occupied by artists after the fall of the Berlin Wall and became a major tourist attraction.
But the dilapidated complex has been hampering local redevelopment plans.
HSH Nordbank, currently in charge of the Tacheles, requested the clearance as part of plans to sell the centre.
Situated in what used to be East Berlin, when the city was divided by the wall, the building stretches over 1250sq m (13,455sq ft) and houses a theatre, cinema, restaurant, as well as a maze of galleries and workshop areas.
Before police arrived, two black-clad artists played a funeral  march but bailiffs were able to clear the building without resistance, the AFP news agency reported.
"This is the theft of a work of art, supported by the police," Tacheles spokesman Martin Reiter told a small gathering of supporters and journalists outside the building.
The five-storey building has experienced a tumultuous history since it first opened its doors as an elegant shopping arcade in 1909.
When the department store went bankrupt in 1928, it was sold to the German engineering company AEG.
Shortly afterwards, the Nazi Party took over the building and turned it into a central administrative office. Prisoners of war are said to have been held in the attic for interrogation purposes during World War II.
Decades later, East German authorities tore down large chunks of the building in the 1980s but were unable to start new construction due to a lack of funds.
One part of the original Tacheles complex remained and was taken over by squatting artists who had resisted eviction efforts - until now.
The address quickly became a thriving hub of alternative culture, which drew stars like choreographer Sasha Waltz and musician Peaches who regularly rehearsed and performed there.
For sustainable urban planning expert Dr Daniel Dahm, this "artistic colonisation" of East Berlin's empty spaces is a healthy development.
"There are approximately 200,000 empty houses and flats in East Berlin as a result of German reunification," he said.
"The Arthouse Tacheles is an example of self-motivated work by citizens who decided to proactively stand up for their ideals."
The City of Berlin eventually sold the Tacheles to the Fundus investment company, which planned to demolish the warehouse and build modern apartment blocks in its stead.
But the project never materialised and the arts centre eventually fell into the hands of HSH Nordbank, which decided to sell it.


Cash stolen from a cafe after three men smashed their way through a wall has been found following a police chase.

A safe containing £45,000 was taken on Monday from Grace's Place Cafe, in Madeira Drive, Brighton.
The men used sledgehammers to break in and escaped with the safe in a van.
Police started following the van after it triggered a speed camera, with the officers unaware it had been used in the burglary. The driver failed to stop and the van was abandoned in Coldean.
When it was taken to the police pound for routine forensic tests, officers realised it was the same one used in the burglary.
They forced entry to the back and found the safe and money.
Det Insp Clare Shiel, of Brighton CID, said: "We're pleased the burglars failed to get away with the stolen property, but our investigation continues and we now need to identify and arrest them.
"Anyone who saw this white Ford Transit being driven in a dangerous manner along the A27 out of Brighton in the early hours of Monday morning, or who may have seen it being dumped in Coldean is asked to contact us without delay."
Police said when the van sped off in Brighton after being asked to stop, it ran red lights and at times travelled on the wrong side of the road.
It was later found abandoned at 02:11 BST in Middleton Rise, Coldean.


While it is now three years since Harry Price died, his organs have since saved five lives.

The Conwy man signed the Organ Donor Register in the 1980s after a friend died in a motoring accident.
When he died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage in 2012, his wife Glenys said this decision made a very traumatic time slightly easier.
In December, Wales will be the first UK country to introduce a soft opt-out system for organ and tissue donation.
This system of deemed consent means that if you have not opted out, you will be regarded as having no objection to being an organ donor.
Mrs Price, 71, said that even though her husband's death at the age of 74 was "a complete shock", they had discussed organ donation and it was something that was important to them.
She said that knowing Harry's life was giving life to others made things slightly more bearable, adding: "The person who received his liver was able to give their daughter away at her wedding."
Mrs Price said she was "touched" to receive an Order of St John Award on her husband's behalf, which recognised the gift of life he had given.
Ahead of deemed consent becoming law, the Organ Donation Wales Time to Talk public awareness campaign has been launched, encouraging people to discuss their organ donation wishes with their loved ones.


Two things are clear from BP's results this morning.

First, the oil major is preparing for a low oil price for the foreseeable future, saying that it is working towards a "financial frame" by 2017 that assumes a price of $60 a barrel.
When I interviewed Bob Dudley at the start of the year, he said that low energy prices could last for three years.
Nothing since then seems to have changed his view.
"Last year, we acted decisively to reset BP for a sustained period of lower oil prices and the results are coming through well," he said today.
"We are now in action to rebalance our financial framework in this new price environment."
Second, low oil prices are not all bad news for integrated oil companies.
Yes, life upstream (the exploration and production part of the business) might be tougher because the business is not being paid as much for every barrel of oil it produces.
But, for the downstream business (that's refined oil products such as fuel, lubricants and petrochemicals for making things like paint and plastic bottles) a low oil price can be a veritable boon.
That's because the input costs - essentially the low oil price - are down and therefore the profit margin can be boosted.
If you compare the upstream and downstream profit numbers for BP, the difference is stark.
For upstream, pre-tax underlying profit was $800m (£520m) compared with $3.9bn (£2.54bn) in the third quarter of 2014.
That's a pretty precipitate drop.
For downstream, pre-tax underlying profit hit $2.3bn (£1.5bn) compared with $1.5bn (£980m) in the third quarter of 2014.
So, for the moment, BP's downstream business is creating considerably more profit than its upstream partner.
BP also revealed that the cost of the Deepwater Horizon disaster has now reached $55bn (£35.85bn).
When the Macondo rig blew up in 2010, killing 11 people and leading to a major oil spill, many predicted it would cost BP several billion dollars in clean-up costs, fines and compensation.
Few people foresaw just how high the price would be.
Or for how many years it would weigh on the company.
VW should take note. Scandals are more expensive than you initially think.
And take a lot longer to clean up.


Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has criticised the three moderators of Thursday night's debate, particularly Fox News host Megyn Kelly.

He tweeted that Ms Kelly - who challenged the tycoon about his views on women - and her co-moderators were "not very good or professional".
The punchy debate was watched by 24 million people, a record for a primary contest, according to Nielsen.
Mr Trump was one of 10 candidates taking part in Cleveland.
They had been selected from a crowded field of 17 candidates by Fox News on the basis of recent national polls.
How the debate unfolded on Twitter
Top Trump quotes from debate
Debate's winners and losers
Mr Trump stumbled on his past support for a national healthcare system but his most uncomfortable moment came when Ms Kelly challenged him on his views about women.
"You've called women you don't like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals," she said.
He answered by joking that he only said that about actress Rosie O'Donnell and stating that political correctness was one of the country's biggest problems.
"I don't have time for total political correctness," he said.
In the hours after the debate, he took to Twitter to criticise the moderators.
And he also took aim at Republican pollster Frank Luntz, whose focus group in a live broadcast after the debate gave an overwhelming thumbs-down to Mr Trump's performance.
It was when Mr Trump said, during the debate, that he would not rule out running as an independent that the audience and other candidates became hostile. An enraged Rand Paul said: "He buys and sells politicians of all stripes."
One of the loudest rounds of applause of the evening was for Florida senator Marco Rubio when he mocked Hillary Clinton, who leads the Democratic field.
"First let me say, I think God has blessed us. He's blessed the Republican Party with some very good candidates. The Democrats can't even find one."
The received wisdom of political strategists was that last night was the opportunity for Donald Trump to look presidential - but the secret of his success is to look like, well, Donald Trump. There are many things that make him stand out from the rest of the Republican field but surely the most striking is that he is already a brand in his own right.
What's propelled him to the front of the Republican field is that he isn't just another politician. He taps brilliantly into America's disillusionment and anger with conventional Washington politics. He's made billions from building hotels, golf courses and casinos, so doesn't need to go cap in hand to get funding. He has instant name recognition across America as well through presenting the US version of the Apprentice, and he is a one man self publicity machine.
All of which leaves Republican establishment with a problem. If they do say you're fired, well then there's every possibility that Trump would run as an independent, draining support away from the conservative cause. Politics with him around could never be described as dull. But it is unpredictable. And you sense that all the  Republican leadership want at the moment is a bit of certainty...even if that means doing without the undoubted charisma of Mr Trump.
Five reasons Trump still tops polls
Meet all the 2016 hopefuls
On Thursday, the Democratic Party announced it would hold its first debate in Nevada in October, hosted by CNN.
By next summer, each party will have a presidential nominee who will do battle in the race for the White House. Votes will finally be cast in November 2016.
The Republican field is one of the largest in recent years.


The IFA Disciplinary Committee has rejected a challenge by Linfield boss David Healy over his six-match ban.

The suspension, starting on 20 March, was imposed after Healy was sent to the stands for the third time this season.
Meanwhile, the club has been fined £1,250 for an incident involving former chairman Jim Kerr in the 3 January game against Coleraine.
Linfield were also given a warning regarding a public address incident in the Boxing Day match with Glentoran.
Kerr, who stood down as chairman on 10 January, received a two-match suspension and five-match stadium ban.
The committee also issued a warning to the club "regarding the future conduct of its supporters".
Northern Ireland's record scorer Healy was ordered from the dugout in the 1-1 draw with Portadown on 17 February.
"Mr Healy confirmed that a red card offence had occurred which equated to the 3rd occasion of misconduct this season," the committee said.
"The committee, having considered written and oral submissions from the club, deemed the challenge unsuccessful."
Linfield have the right to appeal the decisions made by the committee.


Colombia's Farc rebel group has urged the government to release 81 of its jailed fighters on health grounds.

The Farc said in a statement that the lives of sick prisoners were at risk because medical attention was poor.
The left-wing rebel group has been engaged in peace talks with the government for the past three years.
The talks have progressed well and both sides are expecting to sign a peace agreement by 23 March 2016 to put an end to decades of conflict.
The health situation of 11 of the 81 prisoners listed is particularly serious, according to the Farc.
The left-wing rebel group says that prisoners in grave condition are not receiving adequate care in prison.
"We expect a gesture of humanity, goodwill and hope for the sick prisoners and their families," reads the statement.
The Farc said it had taken a number of measures over the past three years to try to scale down the conflict with the Colombian security forces.
Last week, Farc leader Rodrigo Londono Echeverri, known as Timochenko, said he had given orders in September for the Farc to stop buying guns and ammunition.
The rebels previously declared a unilateral ceasefire and urged the government to follow its move.
Mr Santos announced last month he was willing to join the Farc in a bilateral ceasefire from 1 January 2016, if there was significant progress in the negotiations.
Peace talks were launched in the Cuban capital, Havana, in November 2012.
The aim is for the rebels to give up their armed struggle and join the legal political process.
Some 220,000 people are estimated to have been killed since the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia launched its armed struggle in 1964.


If it was Brian O'Driscoll's final appearance for Ireland in Dublin then it wasn't as he would have written it.

A grim, attritional struggle in the mud and the blood and the tears was not the ideal stage for this prince of centres to display his sublime attacking skills, while a second-half comeback by the French provided a less than happy ending.
Give O'Driscoll a stage and he will play it any way you want it. The Dublin faithful will not see his like again
But O'Driscoll has never allowed himself to be typecast and the sight of him rummaging at the breakdown, winning turnovers and generally making a nuisance of himself was every bit as emblematic of his long and illustrious career as any searing break or conjuror's offload.
As was his re-entry into the fray, having left the field because of a knock to his leg and a cut ear with 10 minutes remaining. With France looking the most likely to nick a victory as the game entered its final, desperate act it was a stirring act of defiance: I may be hobbled, I may be bloodied, but you'll win this over my dead body.
As a lesson to Declan Kidney's less experienced recruits, it was invaluable. But it was also a stark reminder of how much Ireland will miss O'Driscoll when he is gone. The Leinster man has been at the heart of everything that has been good about Irish rugby over the last decade and a half and is impossible to replace.
Even Kidney had to laugh as he ran through his injury list. And while pundits will no doubt chastise Ireland for allowing France back in the game, Kidney was keen to point out that, as far as he was concerned, two defeats, one win and one draw from this year's Six Nations was not such a disastrous return given the number of Irish casualties picked up along the way.
Already without Paul O'Connell, Jonathan Sexton, Gordon D'Arcy, Tommy Bowe and Stephen Ferris, Kidney is now sweating on the fitness of O'Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O'Mahoney, Luke Marshall and Conor Murray ahead of Ireland's final Six Nations game against Italy next weekend.
Replacement scrum-half Eoin Reddan broke his leg at the death and will be out for three months. "Everybody else is pretty good," said Kidney.
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Still, Ireland are making a habit of winning the statistical battles and not winning the war at the end of it. A fortnight ago, Ireland trounced Scotland on paper but were somehow beaten. Against France, too, Ireland got the better of territory and possession but were unable to seal the deal.
In the first half, Ireland's tactics were almost perfect: playing to the conditions and keeping things tight, their driving maul was devastating, while Paddy Jackson's tactical kicking was generally spot-on. Jackson's selection ahead of Ronan O'Gara for Ireland's last two games has caused much debate, especially given that he who was so wasteful off the tee against Scotland. But the Ulster fly-half landed a couple of difficult penalties, proving he is a quick learner.
It was early in the second half that Ireland failed to kill off the match. Starting where they left off in the first, they should have scored points after a period of sustained pressure but Rob Kearney's missed drop-goal attempt, after Jackson had declined, swung the game in France's direction.
Toulouse number eight Louis Picamoles was immense and instrumental in chiselling his side back into the game. Picamoles made 83 metres in all, more than twice as far as Ireland's best ball-carrier, Sean O'Brien with 36. Minutes after scoring the try that Frederic Michalak converted to square the scores, Picamoles was at the other end, beating Ireland winger Keith Earls to a touch-down that would have won the game for the hosts.
How Picamoles failed to win the man-of-the-match award is anybody's guess. Certainly, there is currently no better number eight playing the game.
While there were other stand-out performances from French players - skipper Thierry Dusautoir was magnificent in defence - on the whole Philippe Saint-Andre's side were insipid for three-quarters of the game. It is sad to see a French side so lacking in attacking ideas and Saint-Andre's decision to pick Michalak ahead of Francois Trinh-Duc was symptomatic of a man suffering with a destructive combination of amnesia and confusion.
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When Trinh-Duc replaced Michalak in the starting line-up against England, France looked to have rediscovered a semblance of cohesion. Until Michalak was introduced for the final quarter, when France went to pieces again. Remarkably, given the flakiness of Michalak's performance, Trinh-Duc didn't get any game time against Ireland. Saint-Andre must really hate him.
It was the French bench that ultimately made the difference, the blue-shirted cavalry pounding away at an exhausted Irish team in the final 20 minutes. With Ireland's replacements largely forced because of injuries, their pack was out on its feet.
So Kidney is right to laugh wryly rather than beat himself up over a win that got away. Saint-Andre, meanwhile, looks like a dead man walking. You would expect France to beat Scotland in Paris next weekend to avoid the wooden spoon. But avoiding wooden spoons is not what French sides are supposed to do.
It was by no means a classic between Ireland and France on Saturday. But it was a day O'Driscoll proved he is the Daniel Day-Lewis of rugby: never anything but fully immersed in his role, give O'Driscoll a stage and he will play it any way you want it. The Dublin faithful will not see his like again.


A rush hour train had to be evacuated after a fire broke out underneath one of the carriages.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to Caerphilly railway station just before 17:30 BST on Tuesday.
About 25 firefighters were initially sent to the scene and Network Rail said all passengers were safe.
Delays of up to one hour and 15 minutes were expected between Heath High Level in Cardiff and Ystrad Mynach.
Trains due to travel through the station were stopped and the north side of the station was evacuated.
Arriva Trains Wales said six buses were sent to Caerphilly for a replacement road service.
Meanwhile, a fire which has broken out on land in Caldicot, Monmouthshire, has resulted in trains on all lines in the area running at reduced speed.
Check if this is affecting your journey


Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has warned Theresa May not to offer the NHS "up for sacrifice" when she meets US President Donald Trump.

Mr Corbyn said he would not allow the UK "to be sold off on the cheap".
Mrs May said she was not afraid to speak frankly to President Trump, and that Mr Corbyn would never enjoy a "special relationship" with the US.
She faced several questions about Friday's visit to the White House during PMQs in the Commons.
Mr Trump has promised a new UK-US trade deal will be negotiated "quickly".
But Mr Corbyn raised concerns Mrs May would "offer up for sacrifice" public services and the NHS during their talks.
He accused the PM of "threatening" the EU with turning the UK into a "bargain basement economy" while offering President Trump a "blank cheque".
"I am pleased I am able to meet President Trump so early in his administration," the PM said.
"I am not afraid to speak frankly to a president of the United States of America - I am able to do that because of that special relationship - a relationship he would never have with the United States."
Mr Corbyn's predecessor as Labour leader, Ed Miliband, told Mrs May she had a "huge responsibility" with her meeting with President Trump, urging her to persuade the US president not to abandon the Paris climate change agreement and to persuade him that climate change was not a "hoax invented by the Chinese".
The PM said the government wanted to the see the Paris agreement "put into practice".
President Trump's previous comments on the use of torture were raised by Conservative MP Andrew Tyrie.
During the presidential election campaign, Mr Trump said that "torture works" and promised to bring back "a lot worse than waterboarding".
Mr Tyrie asked Mrs May to confirm that the UK would not facilitate torture under any circumstances.
The PM replied: "We have a very clear position on torture, we do not sanction torture, we do not get involved with that and that will be our position."


Police have appealed for information after branch of McDonalds in Coatbridge was robbed by a man brandishing a knife.

The man entered the fast-food restaurant in the Showcase Leisure Park at about 02:19 and demanded cash from a female worker.
He made threats to staff before going behind the counter and stealing a till.
Police said it was found in nearby Sharp Avenue at about 04:50 and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
Detectives said the suspect was described as being about 6ft tall and of medium build.
He was wearing dark trainers, grey jogging bottoms and a grey hooded top with a black jacket over it. He also had a checked brown and cream scarf covering his face.
Following the robbery, the man made off on foot in the direction of Hollywood bowl and Viewfield Road.
Police later received a report of people acting suspiciously at waste ground near Sharp Avenue. Officers attended and the till was recovered.
Det Sgt David Lamont, of Coatbridge CID, said: "This was a particularly terrifying incident for staff and customers involved.
"Thankfully no one was injured however the staff have all been left extremely distressed."


Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale has pledged to oppose the Scottish government's budget if it does not embrace a 50p top rate of tax.

Addressing the party's UK conference, Ms Dugdale restated her support for the tax policy her party ran on in May.
She wants a 50p tax on those earning over £150,000, and a penny increase in income tax to pay for public services.
The conference will vote on Tuesday on plans to give the Scottish and Welsh leaders more power over their parties.
The proposals would allow Kezia Dugdale and Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones the power to appoint a representative to the party's UK national executive committee (NEC).
The plans would also give the Scottish and Welsh parties more autonomy.
Sources have said there was an attempt to "unpick" the plans by removing the extra seats from the package. This was defeated, but it is possible there could be a second attempt prior to Tuesday's vote.
Speaking at the weekend, Len McCluskey, head of the UK's biggest trade union Unite, said Ms Dugdale should not have the power to appoint Scotland's representative on the NEC.
He said that while there was wide support for the autonomy proposals, coupling them with the NEC seat plans had created a "difficult position".
Ms Dugdale has said she is confident the full package will be passed.
It appears Kezia Dugdale and Jeremy Corbyn are involved in their first dispute since his re-election.
A series of reforms to the way the Labour Party works are due to be passed on Tuesday.
The package includes autonomy plans praised by Ms Dugdale last week. This part is uncontroversial and supported by everyone I've spoken to.
But there is a row over another part. The reforms would also allow Ms Dugdale - and her Welsh counterpart Carwyn Jones - to appoint someone to represent them on the party's UK executive.
Mr Corbyn's supporters think the extra NEC seats could be used to try and undermine him as the battle for the party's future plays out. They want to postpone the plan.
For now, it appears Ms Dugdale will get her way. But it's possible there will be another attempt to scupper the NEC plan tomorrow.
In her address to the conference in Liverpool on Monday afternoon, the Scottish Labour leadersaid her party will not support "another austerity budget" in Scotland.
The speech is Ms Dugdale's first to conference since the Holyrood elections earlier this year, when Labour fell to third place in terms of the seats it holds in the Scottish parliament, behind the Conservatives.
MSPs at Holyrood will be responsible for setting income tax in Scotland from April 2017, but First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already rejected increasing the basic rate for the five year lifetime of the parliament, as well as ruling out upping the top rate in the first year.
Ms Dugdale said her party would "place amendments to introduce a 50p tax on those earning over £150,000 and to add a penny to income tax to pay for public services" when the Scottish government brings forward its budget for 2017-18.
She said: "With the full range of powers the Scottish Parliament now has, the SNP government faces a clear choice.
"Accept a Tory budget from Westminster, or go our own way with proposals to grow the Scottish economy and protect our schools and hospitals.
"If the SNP minority government do not accept these proposals, and try to force another austerity budget through Holyrood, we will vote against it.
"If they want support, they'll need to look to the Tories for that. Labour will not help the SNP pass an austerity budget."
Ms Dugdale also attacked Ms Sturgeon over her stance on independence, saying Scottish Labour would not support a second referendum during the current Holyrood term.
She said: "We do not need the risk and uncertainty of another independence referendum.
"As we face negotiations on our membership of the EU and real threats to the future of our public services, we cannot afford our government to take their eye off the ball.
"With so many challenges facing Scotland in the future, we should not return to the divisions of the past.
"My message to Nicola Sturgeon is this: first minister, our country is already divided enough. Do not divide us again."


Two women who allegedly gave a Big Issue seller a novelty £10 note have been condemned by a homeless charity.

Paul, who has been selling the paper on East Gate Street in Gloucester for the last two years, said the pair gave him a £10 paper hand tissue as a prank.
He said: "They were laughing at me.  They thought it was funny."
Dave Kinghorn, from Gloucester City Mission, said: "It's disappointing that someone would find it funny especially when lots of people are struggling."
The women, according to Paul, not only pretended to give him a £10 note but also set it alight in front of him.
On Facebook, their actions have been described as "disgusting" and "just plain nasty".
Hannah Ford asked: "How could anybody do this to another human being and think it's funny?"
Debbie Morris posted that they "must be really sick to think it's funny to do that to a vulnerable man".
However, Mr Kinghorn said the incident was "not uncommon".
"We hear stories from guys out rough sleeping or selling the Big Issue that people are rude to them, spit at them, laugh at them and call them names," he said.
"It's not really an easy time for a lot of people so for someone to think that that's a funny thing to do is really disappointing."
The Big Issue currently has about 2,000 sellers across the country.
Official vendors buy copies of the magazine for £1.25 and sell them for £2.50 - using the revenue as a means to earn a living.


Brentford defender Josh Clarke has signed a new contract, which will keep him with the Championship club until the summer of 2020.

The 22-year-old, who can also play in midfield, had agreed a two-year deal at Griffin Park last summer.
"We felt it was important to keep Josh for a much longer period," Bees co-director of football Phil Giles said.
"He has shown that he can be versatile and fill several roles in the team at a high level."


The Co-operative Group has reported losses of £2.5bn for 2013, the worst results in the organisation's history.

The results come shortly after the loss of two directors amid a review into how the group ought to be governed.
Lord Paul Myners quit as a board member following resistance to his plans for reform. His departure followed the exit of chief executive Euan Sutherland who left after less than a year in the job.
What exactly does the Co-operative Group do, and how is it run? And will it be possible for it to maintain its spirit and ethics through all the changes?
The co-operative movement in the UK began in the north of England in the mid-19th Century. These societies were owned by their members and were usually small retailers which sold a variety of goods.
They came about to sell "pure" food at "full weight and measure" at a time during the industrial revolution when these things were not guaranteed at shops, according to one of their oldest societies. Coming together meant they could combine their buying power and control quality.
The Co-operative Wholesale Society formed in 1863. It has come to be called the Co-operative Group, and is the flagship organisation in the co-operative movement.
Gillian Lonergan, head of heritage resources at the Co-operative Heritage Trust, says that in the 19th Century there were as many as 1,000 co-operative societies in Britain.
Soon, a division for loans and deposits developed. Founded in 1872, this former part of the group turned into what is now called the Co-operative Bank.
Today, the Co-operative Group has food, pharmacy, funeral, electrical, travel and legal businesses.
It is the largest "mutual" business in the UK, owned by its customers and members who number almost 8 million.
The grocer, called Co-operative Food, became the fifth-largest food retail business in the UK after buying Somerfield in 2009. It's the group's biggest business, making more than half of all sales.
The Co-operative Group is also the biggest funeral provider and it owns the country's third-largest chain of pharmacies.
According to its website, the Co-operative Group runs 4,500 stores, employs more than 90,000 people and has annual sales of more than £13bn.
The group lost full ownership of Co-operative Bank after owners of its debt had to bail it out when it uncovered £1.5bn of unexpected losses. Co-op Group now owns about 30% of the lender.
The group is owned by its members and 80 or so member societies.
Area committees are the grass roots of the organisation. There are about 48 of them, each with 10 to 12 members who serve three-year, elected terms.
These area committee members elect members of the seven regional boards. They, in turn, elect 15 of the 21 members of the group's board. Of the remaining six, five come from member societies, such as Midcounties and Midlands, and there's an independent director, the role held by Lord Myners.
There are also boards for the food business; the bank, which the group no longer fully owns; and specialist businesses, which include the pharmacies and funeral care.
The group is very keen to point out the advantages of being owned by members and customers, as opposed to being a company owned by shareholders.
Critics point to the complexity of how the business is governed and the sheer number of people who have some say in the running of the company.
But Co-op say its democratic structure is part of its strength. It means a big organisation can make use of ideas and knowledge relevant to local communities. It can also listen on things like pay.
But a recent report by Lord Myners casts doubt on how well the setup is working in practice.
What makes matters more complicated is that while there are no shareholders, the group does issue bonds - loans held not by a bank, but by investors looking for a return.
While bondholders have no say in the running of the company, they can become influential when a company is in trouble. When the Co-op's bank needed rescuing, bondholders swapped their loans for a combined 70% ownership stake in the lender.
Following the losses at the lender's bank, the company last year appointed former City minster, Lord Myners, to review the group's governance structure and made him its independent director.
The process has thus far been a painful one. Co-op Group lost its chief executive, Mr Sutherland, when he resigned following the leak of his £3m-a-year pay package to a national newspaper. He told the BBC: "The senior democrats talk the talk of reform, but in practice they won't do it."
Lord Myners quit the board amid criticism of his plans to reform the business. His initial review was highly critical of the group's takeovers of Britannia and Somerfield.
The first stage of the Myners review accuses the Co-op of suffering from a significant "democratic deficit" in which ordinary members have surprisingly weak constitutional rights and a limited ability to influence the group's social mission and activities.
The three-tiered governance system of area committees, regional boards and a group board had "consistently produced governors without the necessary qualifications and experience to provide effective board leadership", he added.
Lord Myners also said the system meant ordinary members could not directly elect group board members.
Midcounties, the largest of the Co-op's independent societies with revenues of £1.2bn and more than 10,000 employees, has publicly opposed the planned reforms. Its president, Patrick Gray, told the Today programme they would not support the "menu" Lord Myners is offering, and that there needed to be negotiation.
"Among the independent consumer co-operative societies, it is demonstrably the case that it is the most democratic that are the most successful in commercial terms, not the reverse," Midcounties said.
With almost 300 subsidiaries, it's a complex business. Reform in any format is unlikely to be quick.
In short, no. The Co-operative Group says it accounts for about 80% of the total Co-operative movement in the UK.
Co-operatives UK, the trade body for societies, estimates the co-operative economy is worth about £36.7bn and has 15.4 million members. While most co-operatives are in retail or agriculture, they include schools and sports clubs.


Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has re-signed for former club Bournemouth on a free transfer.

The 34-year-old England international, who scored 15 league goals last season, has signed a three-year deal.
"It's great to be back," said Defoe, who as a teenager spent the 2000-01 season on loan at Bournemouth from West Ham, scoring in 10 successive matches.
"It was an easy decision, joining a top team with a top manager. The one thing I can guarantee is goals."
The former Tottenham, Portsmouth, West Ham and Charlton player is seventh on the Premier League all-time goals list with 158 in 468 appearances.
Cherries manager Eddie Howe said Defoe's signing is a "huge moment for the club".
Defoe moved to Sunderland in January 2015 after a brief spell at MLS side Toronto and, after saving the club from relegation in the 2015-16 season with 15 goals, signed a contract extension until 2019.
There was a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave on a free transfer if Sunderland were relegated, which he was able to trigger when the Black Cats finished bottom last season.
Defoe made his England debut in 2004 and played at the 2010 World Cup, but did not feature for the national side between 2013 and 2017.
His excellent form last season earned him a recall to Gareth Southgate's side, and he scored his 20th international goal against Lithuania in a World Cup qualifier in March.
Defoe is Bournemouth's second signing of the summer, following the arrival of goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Chelsea.
"We want to bring players here who can have a big impact on our continued rise and we believe Jermain fits that as a natural, proven goalscorer," added Howe.
The Cherries finished ninth in the Premier League last term - their second season in the top flight.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


The owner of a lorry that crashed on a steep hill in Bath killing four people has told a jury he did not think the vehicle was unsafe that day.

Matthew Gordon said he never "cut corners" when it came to maintenance and spent more than Â£6,000 in a year on repairs to the truck.
He told Bristol Crown Court if the lorry had been unsafe he "would have done something about it".
Mr Gordon, 30, of Dauntsey, Wiltshire, denies 14 charges against him.
Mr Gordon, the owner of Grittenham Haulage, is defending himself following the crash on Lansdown Lane on 9 February last year.
Mitzi Steady, four, Robert Parker, 59, Philip Allen, 52, and Stephen Vaughan, 34, died in the crash in 2015.
The lorry hit several pedestrians, including Mitzi, from Bath, and a car containing Mr Allen and Mr Vaughan, both from Swansea, and Mr Parker, from Cwmbran, south Wales.
Driver Phillip Potter, 20, also of Dauntsey, denies causing the deaths by dangerous and careless driving. He is also charged with causing serious injuries to Karla Brennan and Margaret Rogers - Mitzi's grandmother - by dangerous driving.
He denies a total of 10 charges against him.
Peter Wood, 55, from Brinkworth, Wiltshire, a mechanic who carried out safety checks on the truck, denies four charges against him.
The trial continues.


A 74-year-old woman spent the weekend in police custody after allegedly driving while five times the drink-drive limit, with no insurance and an expired licence.

The pensioner, from Buchlyvie, was pulled over on Friday evening.
Police Scotland said she would appear from custody at Stirling Sheriff Court on Monday.
The arrest was made as part of Forth Valley Division's ongoing Operation Core crackdown on road crime.