The killers of teenager Becky Watts have had applications to appeal their convictions and sentences thrown out.

Nathan Matthews, 29, was jailed for 33 years for murdering his 16-year-old stepsister in a sexually-motivated kidnap plot and dismembering her body.
Shauna Hoare, 22, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and jailed for 17 years.
The latest ruling comes after a judge rejected an earlier application by the pair to appeal.
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The Court of Appeal said there was no "reasonable argument" the convictions were unsafe or the sentences "manifestly excessive".
The teenager's dismembered body was found after she went missing from her home in Bristol in February 2015.
Her disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation by police.
The trial in November heard she was suffocated by Matthews and her body transported to her stepbrother's home, where it was hidden in a shed.
Jurors were told Matthews and Hoare shared a dislike of Becky and a sexual interest in teenage girls, which were motives in their plot to kidnap her.
The couple shared texts just weeks before the teenager's death, referring to kidnapping schoolgirls and teen-themed pornography was found bookmarked on a phone which they shared.
In March, Becky Watt's father Darren Galsworthy told the BBC the pair "had destroyed his family".
Becky Watts father 'would pull lever himself' if death penalty available
Murder was culmination of 'sexually motivated' kidnap
Teen 'was just beginning to enjoy life'
Det Insp Richard Ocone, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "Our thoughts remain with Becky's family and friends who have had to endure several court hearings following the trial last year.
"We hope they will be able to take some closure from this decision which was the last attempt by Nathan Matthews and Shauna Hoare to challenge their prison sentences."
In February, a carved wooden bench was unveiled in memory of Becky in the city. A community garden is being created in Barton Hill close to where her body was discovered.
Becky's family has raised Â£4,000 for the Support After Murder and Manslaughter charity which helps bereaved families.
Two other men - Donovan Demetrius, 29, and James Ireland, 23 - were acquitted of a charge of assisting an offender, related to the moving and storage of Becky's body parts.


A football team has played its first home game in more than 10 years after moving into a new stadium.

Scarborough Athletic FC played in its home town for the first time since the club was founded in 2007.
The team, formed after the collapse of Scarborough FC, has been playing home fixtures nearly 20 miles away in Bridlington.
The Sea Dogs lost 4-1 against Sheffield United XI in front of a sell-out 2,000 crowd at Flamingo Land Stadium.
Chairman Trevor Bull said: "Today is not only a great day for our club, it is also a massive day for our town."
The club was formed after Scarborough FC went out of business with debts of £2.5m. It is jointly owned by about 350 supporters.
Fan and club communications officer Will Baines said: "A lot of people have put a lot of work in to the club while we've been in exile, but now we're coming home."
Mr Baines said the move back to Scarborough was key to the future success of the side.
"We're fan-owned which means we've got our destiny in our own hands," he said.
"We've not got a big investor backing us, so that's why it's important that we're back in town as it's the money that we get through the turnstiles every week that will pay for the club."
The homecoming fixture generated such interest the council and club warned people not to congregate on the hill overlooking the ground as it has no public right of way.
The stadium forms part of a £50m development built on the town's former Weaponness Park and Ride site, which includes a swimming pool, new University Technical College and Coventry University's Scarborough campus.
Scarborough FC's former ground - the McCain Stadium -  was demolished in 2011.


Australia says it is encouraged by UN Security Council support for an international criminal tribunal into last year's MH17 crash.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has returned to New York to lobby for the establishment of the tribunal.
The Malaysian Airlines plane was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it crashed, killing all on board.
Many say there is evidence the plane was hit by a Russian-supplied missile fired by pro-Russian rebels.
Australia has joined other countries involved in a joint investigation of the 17 July 2014 crash, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Ukraine, to push for the tribunal and the prosecution of those responsible.
Russia is expected to veto the proposal after President Vladimir Putin earlier this month said it would be "premature".
Ms Bishop told Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) TV that despite Russia's resistance, she was encouraged by support from the UN Security Council.
"They recognise that we are seeking justice for the families of those who were killed aboard Malaysia Airlines MH17 over a year ago," she said from New York.
"We're determined to hold those responsible to account and we want to establish an independent criminal tribunal backed by the UN Security Council so that it does have international support," she said.
However, said she had requested the Russian ambassador get instructions from Moscow not to veto a resolution for the tribunal.
"This would not serve Russia's national interest, in seeking to deny the families of those aboard MH17 justice," she said, according to Australian Associated Press.
Ms Bishop is expected to address the council on Wednesday New York time.
A final report on the cause of the crash by the Dutch Safety Board is due to be released in October.


Edinburgh City won their first game of the season as Ross Allum's second-half strike knocked Forfar Athletic out of the Scottish Cup at Station Park.

The two sides had drawn 1-1 at the same venue on Saturday in League Two, when Danny Denholm's equaliser cancelled out an opener from Ouzy See.
But this time there was no way back for the League Two leaders, who have now gone six games without a win.
City are away to League One side East Fife in the third round.
The Edinburgh side had gone 17 league and cup games without a win since beating East Stirlingshire in the play-off to win promotion from the Lowland League.
Match ends, Forfar Athletic 0, Edinburgh City 1.
Second Half ends, Forfar Athletic 0, Edinburgh City 1.
Ouzy See (Edinburgh City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
(Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ouzy See (Edinburgh City).
Attempt blocked. Gavin Swankie (Forfar Athletic) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
David Cox (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Ross Guthrie (Edinburgh City).
Gavin Swankie (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Sean Muhsin (Edinburgh City).
Corner,  Forfar Athletic. Conceded by Aaron Dunsmore.
Corner,  Forfar Athletic. Conceded by Chris McKee.
Corner,  Forfar Athletic. Conceded by Andrew Stobie.
David Cox (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Chris McKee (Edinburgh City).
Sean Muhsin (Edinburgh City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Substitution, Forfar Athletic. Allan Smith replaces Jim Lister.
Substitution, Edinburgh City. Ouzy See replaces Ross Allum.
Foul by Gavin Swankie (Forfar Athletic).
Joseph Mbu (Edinburgh City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Thomas O'Brien (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Shaun Harrison (Edinburgh City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Shaun Harrison (Edinburgh City).
Substitution, Forfar Athletic. Gavin Swankie replaces Danny Denholm.
Substitution, Forfar Athletic. Mark Scott replaces Murray MacKintosh.
Josh Peters (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Dougie Gair (Edinburgh City).
Murray MacKintosh (Forfar Athletic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Murray MacKintosh (Forfar Athletic).
Ross Allum (Edinburgh City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner,  Forfar Athletic. Conceded by Aaron Dunsmore.
Aaron Dunsmore (Edinburgh City) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Jim Lister (Forfar Athletic).
Aaron Dunsmore (Edinburgh City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Dougie Gair (Edinburgh City) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Thomas O'Brien (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Aaron Dunsmore (Edinburgh City).
Eoghan McCawl (Forfar Athletic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Mark McConnell (Edinburgh City).
Substitution, Edinburgh City. Ian McFarland replaces Marc Laird.


A university sports team has been suspended from playing for the rest of the academic year after calling female students "slags" and "mingers" in a leaflet handed out at a Freshers' Fair.

The men's rugby club at the London School of Economics (LSE) will no longer take part in competitions.
An investigation had been launched, after the university received complaints about the leaflet.
The club has admitted it contained "offensive and stigmatising language".
"These decisions are not easy," said General Secretary of LSE Students' Union, Nona Buckley-Irvine, about the team's ban.
In a statement she added: "We hope that this will enable our community to draw a line under this incident, and focus on the overwhelmingly positive contribution that other sports clubs have on our time at LSE."
She said there had been a "thorough investigation" into the leaflet.
"Not one person within the club was willing to take personal responsibility for the booklets," she explained.
"In this case, responsibility does have to fall onto both individuals and the club as a whole, and individuals will be sanctioned separately in addition to this decision concerning the club."
The team will be launched again next year, creating the "opportunity to start anew".
The men's rugby club had previously apologised for the leaflet and said it contained "inexcusably offensive and stigmatising language".
"We would like to make it clear that this absolutely does not reflect the views and values of our club."
The leaflets were withdrawn on the second day of LSE's Freshers' Fair.
Dozens of students complained on Twitter and LSE launched an investigation into the seven-page leaflet, which also contained homophobic language.
On a page titled "Social Events" the rugby club said of initiations: "We assure you that we do not tolerate Poly (Polytechnic) activities that involve faeces, genitalia, and outright homosexual debauchery."
Another section called on club members to "see off a whole jug of vodka red-bull, get accustomed to the bouncers' hospitality, and do your utmost to pull a sloppy bird".
Nona Buckley-Irvine earlier told Newsbeat that the language used wasn't banter.
"What we have in this leaflet is content that mocks women, mocks women in sport, mocks people for their sexual orientation and these are really serious things," she said.
"We have these prejudices in our society and we can't tolerate things that seek to perpetuate the existing culture of misogyny and sexism.
"I'm so glad that this has come to light because it's actually something we can act on."
A statement, published in LSE Students' Union newspaper Beaver Online, said: "The Men's Rugby Club would like to extend a full and unreserved apology for the recent decision to publish a leaflet at the LSESU Freshers' Fair 2014.
"LSE Men's Rugby does not tolerate misogyny, racism, homophobia or prejudice of any description and the club remains committed to the LSE's equal opportunities policy. Clearly, on this occasion we not only failed ourselves, but the university which we are so proud to represent.
"We take full responsibility for what has happened and it has highlighted the need for any previously used club literature to be properly scrutinised before being reproduced.
"We want our club to be a safe and welcoming environment for all people - this is why we actively encourage social members.
"We have a lot to learn about the pernicious effects of 'banter' and we are organising a workshop for all our members."
The women's rugby club at LSE said it was "outraged" by the contents of the leaflet after its members, and the hockey and netball teams, were described as "beast-like women".
A statement from LSE said it was unacceptable and that the university valued its culture of "diversity and tolerance".
"LSE has received complaints that a group of students has been distributing offensive leaflets which include unacceptable misogynistic and homophobic slurs," it said.
"This incident is being investigated as a matter of priority.
"The school values its culture of diversity and tolerance; and seeks to uphold the highest possible standards of openness and respect.
"Should the behaviour of any individuals or groups be found to have fallen short of those standards, disciplinary action will be taken."
Last month universities were accused of ignoring laddish culture on campuses by the president of the National Union of Students, Toni Pearce.
A survey of 2,000 students commissioned by the NUS suggested a quarter of those polled had experienced unwelcome sexual advances.
Two-thirds had heard rape or sexual assault jokes on campuses.
LSE was recently ranked 34th in the top 200 of a global higher education league table.
American president John F Kennedy attended the university in 1935 and a host of current MPs including Ed Miliband, Stephen Pound and Stella Creasy went there.
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A nationally-acclaimed head teacher who had sex with two under-age boys has been jailed for eight years.

Anne Lakey, 55, from Stanley, County Durham, was found guilty on Tuesday of 13 counts of indecent assault on the teenagers in the 1980s.
Teesside Crown Court heard she took one boy's virginity at her home and the other's in a tent on a camping trip.
Lakey, described as a "sexual predator" by prosecutors, had denied committing the offences over a three-year period.
One victim was 15, while the other was aged 13 or 14 at the time he was first assaulted.
During sentencing on Wednesday, the court heard Lakey's offending was a "gross breach of trust".
Prosecutor Caroline Goodwin read statements to the court written by both men about their experiences.
The younger victim said: "I think Anne is a dirty pervert.
"I was under-age, it was not like I was 13 and she was 15 or something, we weren't even the same generation. She was old enough to be my mother."
The other said he had since realised he had been a "victim of sexual exploitation".
"I feel a sense of shame that I allowed myself to be in that position," he said.
Sentencing, Judge Howard Crowson told Lakey: "You used subtle persuasion and flattery, encouraging each boy to take his first tentative sexual steps with you.
"You corrupted two boys about half your age. They were naive and immature."
Lakey was suspended from her role as chief executive of the Durham Federation, in charge of two secondary schools, after the younger victim sent an accusing email in December 2012.
She had been a national leader in education, lauded for improving pupils' exam performance.
Judge Crowson told Lakey her sentence would "destroy the career you have worked so hard to build".
"You will find prison a particular hardship, given the illness you have battled against," he added.
Tim Roberts QC, defending, said Lakey had received treatment for breast cancer in 2012 and would require ongoing care.
During her trial, the court heard she groomed the younger victim and took his virginity on the marital bed while he was still in his school uniform.
She also phoned the boy's school and posed as his mother to enable him to play truant.
The older victim and Lakey first had sex in her tent after she encouraged him to sneak over in the middle of the night, jurors were told.
Lakey, a history and RE teacher in Sunderland at the time, went on to have repeated sexual relations with both boys.
Speaking outside court, Det Insp Aelf Sampson, of Durham Police, said there may be more victims.
"Throughout the investigation we have been aware that there may be other people involved in this inquiry who may come forward as victims and we would like them to make the approach to us," she said.
Speaking about the two victims, she added: "They've seen her have a successful glittering career, they've seen her be praised by government...described as inspirational, and I think that did make it harder for them to come forward."
Ironically, her success "spurred on" the first victim to make his allegation, the detective said, "seeing her being so successful and thinking 'this isn't right'".


Team Sky boss Sir Dave Brailsford has said that his handling of the media following allegations against his team has made things a "damn sight worse".

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Brailsford, 52, defended five-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins after details of his therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) were made public.
Wiggins was permitted to take a banned substance before major races and he has denied any wrongdoing.
UK Anti-Doping officials are looking at allegations of wrongdoing at Team Sky.
"I'm not proud of the way I dealt with this," Brailsford told the Telegraph Cycling Podcast.
"I have been through a lot of questioning and scrutiny. It's not comfortable. But if I didn't think we were doing it the right way I wouldn't be here."
Wiggins' use of the anti-inflammatory drug triamcinolone, which treats allergies and respiratory issues, was released by Russian computer hackers known as Fancy Bears.
TUEs allow the use of banned substances if athletes have a genuine medical need. Wiggins' TUEs were approved by British authorities and cycling's world governing body the UCI.
Former Team Sky cyclist Jonathan Tiernan-Locke has said that painkiller Tramadol was "freely offered" when he was riding for Great Britain at the 2012 World Championships.
British Cycling, the national governing body, put the allegation to the medic in question, doctor Richard Freeman, on the BBC's behalf, who denied it.
Brailsford said that Team Sky "try to be open and transparent as much as we can", but refused to comment on the contents of an alleged delivery that was said to have been made on the day Wiggins won the Criterium du Dauphine in La Toussuire in 2011.
"It's in the hands of [Ukad] to check that what is being said is the truth," he said. "I don't think it helps at this moment in time to say it was 'x'."


Mental health waiting lists are "spiralling out of control", the Welsh Liberal Democrats have claimed, accusing ministers of "complacency".

They point to figures showing a nearly five-fold increase over two years in the number of children and young people waiting more than 14 weeks to be seen.
Leader Kirsty Williams said mental health was seen as an "afterthought".
The Welsh government said it would spend an extra £7.6m a year to ensure young people were assessed quicker.
The Liberal Democrats found that in April 2015 there were 1,332 children who had been waiting over 14 weeks to be assessed by psychiatric services, up from 282 in April 2013.
"These figures are appalling and show that mental health waiting lists are spiralling out of control," said Ms Williams.
"For too long mental health services have been an afterthought of governments. This complacency means our mental health services are miles behind where they should be."
A Welsh government spokesman said an extra £7.6m a year would be spent to ensure young people receive "the right treatment at the right time".
He added that work was needed to cut the number of "unnecessary referrals", with a 100% increase in children and young people seen by child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) over four years.
"Services tell us that around a third do not have a problem requiring any intervention and are discharged at once, and a further third of referrals do not need specialist treatment," he said.


Legalising cannabis could net the Treasury £1bn a year in tax revenue, a report backed by some MPs has claimed.

The Adam Smith Institute, a free-market think tank, said the UK's policies had failed to stop the production and use of cannabis or the associated crime.
Its report said the UK should follow the lead of the US, where four further states legalised marijuana in this month's elections.
The Home Office said it had no plans to legalise the "harmful drug".
Former Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg and former health minister Norman Lamb are among a cross-party group of MPs that have backed the report.
The Tide Effect, which was compiled with VolteFace, a drugs policy think tank, called for "root and branch" reform to legalise and regulate cannabis to ensure it meets acceptable standards and to remove the market for criminal gangs.
It said a legal cannabis market could be worth £6.8bn to the economy annually, potentially raising between £750m and £1.05bn in tax revenues and reduced criminal justice costs.
The number of offenders in prison for cannabis-related offences in England and Wales would also likely drop from the current 1,363, who cost taxpayers £50m a year, the report said.
It comes as Germany is about to legalise cannabis for medical purposes while Canada prepares for decriminalisation of the drug.
The Netherlands effectively decriminalised cannabis decades ago while in 2001 Portugal changed the law to turn possession of drugs into an "administrative offence", sending those caught with drugs for personal use to a "dissuasion board" rather than face prosecution.
Mr Clegg said: "British politicians need to open their eyes to what is happening in the rest of the world.
"Cannabis prohibition is being swept away on a tide of popular opinion and replaced with responsible legal regulation.
"Now is the time for ministers to start writing the rules for this legal market, including age limits and health warnings, so that we can finally take back control from the criminal gangs."
The report said regulation was "substantially more desirable" than simply decriminalising the drug or unregulated legalisation.
Regulation would remove gangs from the sale and production of the drug, ensure the product meets acceptable standards and raise money through taxation, it said.
It also said a proportion of tax revenues from the sale of cannabis could be invested back into public services, particularly for those most vulnerable to the negative impacts of its use.
Report author Boris Starling said the advantages of a properly regulated cannabis market "far outweigh the disadvantages".
He said attempts to control consumption through prohibition did not work and "have not done so for many decades".
Mr Lamb said: "Prohibition is harmful and counter-productive, helping neither to reduce drug use nor the risks to public health."
A Home Office spokeswoman said: "This government has no plans to legalise cannabis.
"There is a substantial body of scientific and medical evidence to show that cannabis is a harmful drug which can damage people's mental and physical health.
"The UK's approach on drugs remains clear - we must prevent drug use in our communities and support people dependent on drugs through treatment and recovery."


A long awaited report co-authored by two regulatory bodies - the Bank of England's Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority - is out on Thursday.

It is hoped the report will shed more light on the reasons behind the demise of HBOS bank.
Yet, how could HBOS, the result of a merger of a traditional building society and a prudent Scottish banking institution, go so wrong so quickly?
The marriage between the Halifax Building Society and The Bank of Scotland was valued at £30bn, but it collapsed just seven years later - with all of that value completely wiped out.
HBOS became part of the Lloyds Banking Group and needed a £20.5bn injection from UK taxpayers to prevent it from crashing.
The three men at the top of the organisation; chairman, Lord Stevenson and two chief executives, James Crosby and Andy Hornby were blamed for the collapse by a group of MPs.
Senior executives said that the bank's failure was due to the markets reaction following the collapse of Lehman Brothers. However, MPs accused the bank of "reckless" lending policies, and in fact by 2008 the gap between loans and deposits was a staggering £213bn.


A man stabbed to death in north London was a lecturer leading a project to improve health in Africa through better water quality and sanitation.

Dr Jeroen Ensink, 41, was found in a street in Islington with stab wounds on Monday.
The lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was pronounced dead at the scene in Hilldrop Crescent at about 13:50 GMT.
A 22-year-old has been charged with Dr Ensink's murder.
As Dr Ensink was named as the victim, colleagues paid tribute to the "popular" public health lecturer, saying he will be "greatly missed".
Prof Peter Piot said: "We are deeply shocked and saddened.
"Jeroen was passionately committed to a simple cause - improving access to water and sanitation in countries where children continue to die needlessly due to the lack of these basic services."
Dr Ensink joined the school almost a decade ago. At the time of his death he was leading a study in the Democratic Republic of Congo to understand how improvements in water supply could control and prevent cholera outbreaks.
Prof Piot, director of the school, added: "He was a natural educator and immensely popular with students in whom he invested much time and energy.
"Jeroen will be greatly missed by all the staff and students who had the opportunity to know and work with him, and the legacy of his work will continue in Asia and Africa.
"Our deepest condolences go to his family and friends."
Timchang Nandap, 22, of Pett Street, Woolwich, south-east London, has been charged with Dr Ensink's murder.
He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Thursday and was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on Monday, Scotland Yard said.


A full hearing into the election of Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael is set to take place in September.

The case has been raised by four of his constituents in Orkney and Shetland.
They argue that Mr Carmichael misled the electorate over a memo claiming that SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon would rather have seen David Cameron become prime minister.
At the Court of Session in Edinburgh, the hearing was set for 7 and 8 September.
Mr Carmichael initially denied leaking the confidential memo to the Daily Telegraph. He claimed that the first he had heard of it was when he received a phone call from a journalist.
He later admitted full responsibility for sanctioning its release, and accepted that the "details of the account are not correct".
The official cabinet office inquiry into the leaking of the memo found that Mr Carmichael had given permission to his former special adviser Euan Roddin to hand details of the memo to the newspaper.
Campaigners raised Â£60,000 in crowd-funding to lodge a legal challenge to his election under the Representation of the People Act 1983.


Ricky Miller scored twice as Dover boosted their National League play-off hopes with victory at in-form Guiseley.

Dover took the lead on 15 minutes when Miller turned well and slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
Moments later Guiseley almost equalised but Kevan Hurst's corner was headed wide by Jake Cassidy.
Hurst then had a couple of attempts of his own, including a 40-yard effort, while Miller lashed an effort just wide as the visitors looked to double their advantage.
Miller also hit the post after the break but the Whites did make it 2-0 on 67 minutes as Ricky Modeste headed home from close range.
Miller grabbed his second with a penalty on 81 minutes and Ross Lafayette added a spot-kick of his own in added time to seal a comprehensive victory.
Match report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 4.
Second Half ends, Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 4.
Goal!  Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 4. Ross Lafayette (Dover Athletic) converts the penalty with a.
Substitution, Dover Athletic. Mitchell Pinnock replaces James Hurst.
Substitution, Dover Athletic. Chris Kinnear replaces Ricky Miller.
Goal!  Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 3. Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic) converts the penalty with a.
Substitution, Dover Athletic. Ross Lafayette replaces Moses Emmanuel.
Substitution, Guiseley. Derek Asamoah replaces Kevan Hurst.
Substitution, Guiseley. Michael Rankine replaces Ashley Palmer.
Goal!  Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 2. Ricky Modeste (Dover Athletic).
Substitution, Guiseley. Alex Purver replaces Simon Walton.
Simon Walton (Guiseley) is shown the yellow card.
Second Half begins Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 1.
First Half ends, Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 1.
Goal!  Guiseley 0, Dover Athletic 1. Ricky Miller (Dover Athletic).
First Half begins.
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.


Blackpool Tower has reopened to the public after a major 10-month restoration programme.

The regeneration project, aimed at encouraging families to stay longer in the resort, is part of a £20m investment for the tower and promenade.
The observation platform at the top of the Grade I-listed structure becomes the Blackpool Tower Eye and features a skywalk.
It has floor-to-ceiling glass and overlooks the coastline.
Other new features include a dungeon attraction, a new entrance and a "4D" cinema with a vibrating floor.
James Burleigh, from Merlin Entertainments, which runs the complex for Blackpool Council, said: "It's a huge moment for Blackpool.
"It's a magnificent icon within the resort and we have to look after it and care for it."
Much of the tower has been closed to the public since it was bought by Blackpool Council, as part of its £250m regeneration programme for the town.
Councillor Graham Cain, Blackpool Council's cabinet member for tourism and culture, said: "Thanks to the regeneration that has already taken place, visitor numbers have steadily been increasing with 13 million visits last year, and people seeing a new side of Blackpool.
"Tourism is the town's key revenue driver, and we have to get this right in order to deal successfully with some of the social programmes, which are so important to the town."
Parts of the tower's architecture, including the steel legs, have been exposed and are home to rooms showing historical footage of the town, including Mayor John Bickerstaffe's construction of the tower more than 100 years ago.
Manager of the tower, Kate Shane, said: "We used to have a walk of faith, which was a metre square of glass which looked down the legs of the tower. Now the entire west elevation is glass.
"It makes the back of your knees go, but on clear days you can see Cumbria and over to the Isle of Man."
The opening comes the day before the Blackpool Illuminations are switched on by Leigh Francis in the persona of his comic character Keith Lemon.


Essex will not replace injured New Zealand international fast bowler Adam Milne in their T20 Blast squad.

The 24-year-old was scheduled to play seven group games, but will now undergo elbow surgery without making an appearance in the competition.
The club will instead give their young players a chance to feature.
"We are looking forward to seeing how the young players go when given an opportunity," head coach Chris Silverwood said.
"As a club we are renowned for investing in youth and we will continue to do so to improve their experiences over the remaining matches of the campaign. Giving them opportunities now will only help them in the future."
Meanwhile, bowling coach Donovan Miller has left the club for Caribbean Premier League side Jamaica Tallawahs.
Miller played club cricket in the Middlesex, Essex and Hertfordshire leagues from 2000-2012, while completing his coaching qualifications.
"I am delighted to be joining the Tallawahs. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to ensure I keep getting better as a coach," he said.
Former England one-day wicketkeeper Paul Nixon is Tallawahs head coach.


Eighty five headstones at the graves of fallen soldiers are being replaced at Sighthill Cemetery in Glasgow after being removed in the 1950s

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) removed 105 headstones after they fell into disrepair.
New headstones will now be erected for 85 of those who gave their lives during both world wars.
One of the headstones is being replaced 100 years on from the day the soldier died.
Gunner James Motherwell of the 51st Division Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery, 51st Highland Division, died on 18 October, 1916, aged 32.
He is thought to have most likely died after coming home with injuries or illness sustained during his time fighting in the war effort.
There are also two brothers who will receive new headstones. Alexander Wyper, aged 22, Writer 3rd, Royal Navy, HMS Gunner, who died on 15 May, 1918, and his older brother, John, Able Seaman, Royal Navy, who died on 20 December, 1916.
All those whose headstones had to be removed were commemorated at Dalziel (Globe) Cemetery.
Iain Anderson of the CWGC said: "We are always very pleased to be able to give our men and women who fought during both world wars the commemoration and recognition they deserve.
"Even though our boys were commemorated at another cemetery for the last 60 years when the original headstones were removed, it's very special to be able to re-install the headstones where they lay, so everyone can remember them."


Three girls snapped in a photograph at a World War Two US air force base in Norfolk have been traced as part of an appeal to help preserve its history.

The Imperial War Museum in Duxford, Cambridgeshire is asking people to go through its website of images of the USAAF's time in Britain during the war - and share memories and information.
The photo is one of 5,000 collected by aviation historian Roger A Freeman.
The girls have been named as Janet Townsend and Tess and Gloria Grant.
The photograph shows the girls playing with a large ball at RAF Attlebridge at a party to mark the 466th Bombardment Group's 100th mission.
Staff from the American Air Museum website used the snap at events to publicise the project, which it hopes will create a digital record of US air force's time in Britain during World War Two.
The museum's public relations manager Esther Blaine said Pauline Souther got in touch after one of the events.
"She grew up in the UK and had moved to the States when she married," said Ms Blaine.
"She told us that her mother had been at the same party as the girls and that the girls were from the nearby village of Hockering in Norfolk."
Project staff are now trying to trace Janet, Tess and Gloria and their families to help record the history of the air base.
By 1944, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) employed 450,000 Americans in Britain and the majority of them were not fighter pilots or bomber crew.
It is hoped the project will reveal the largely untold stories of the USAAF bakery, laundry and catering teams which supported the airbases.
Staff are also asking people to share with them any family photographs which include WW2 US airmen and women during their time in the UK.


Manchester City's Bacary Sagna has been charged with misconduct for a "10 against 12" comment posted on Instagram after his side's 2-1 win over Burnley.

City were reduced to 10 men in the 32nd minute of the match on 2 January when referee Lee Mason sent off Fernandinho.
The Football Association allege that the defender's post, which was later deleted, "questioned the integrity of the match official".
The Frenchman, 33, has until 18:00 GMT on Friday to respond to the charge.
Sagna has played 14 times for the club in all competitions this season.


Oldham have signed striker Timmy Thiele from League One rivals Burton Albion on loan for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old joined the Brewers in the summer from the reserve side of Borussia Dortmund on a one-year contract and has scored once in 25 appearances for the League One leaders.
His only goal came in November's 5-1 win over Colchester United.
Oldham are currently 22nd in League One, three points from safety, and face Sheffield United on Saturday.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


The chairman and chief executive of a hospital accused of altering waiting list numbers have resigned.

Whistleblower David Phelan claimed patients were removed from lists at Kettering General Hospital because national targets were being missed.
The hospital admitted it used data filtering to get a "true picture of the size of its waiting list" but the practice had stopped in December 2015.
Graham Foster and David Sissling have announced their resignations.
The hospital said former chief executive Mr Sissling had to take prolonged sick leave from his position in September 2016 after suffering a brain haemorrhage.
While he is much recovered he has decided not to return to the chief executive role.
Former chairman Mr Foster has announced he would also now like to resign to enable a new chairman and a new chief executive to be recruited together.
He said: "I feel the appointment of a new chief executive would be best achieved with a chairman who is committed to the trust for at least three years given the scale of challenges faced."
Mr Foster joined the trust as chairman on 1 September 2013, with Mr Sissling arriving in April 2014.
Current interim chief executive, Fiona Wise, will continue in her role until December.
At the end of last month a BBC investigation found thousands of Kettering General Hospital patients had waited a year or more for operations.
The hospital admitted there had been "anomalies" and claimed its data management had been "well intended, if misguided".
It denied it was trying to seek any "financial advantage" from its actions.


The Great Manchester Run will go ahead on Sunday following talks over security after the Manchester Arena attack.

Europe's largest 10km run had more than 35,000 runners last year and there will also be a half-marathon this time.
"Manchester is a truly resilient city and we look forward to successfully hosting these great sporting events," said city councillor Luthfur Rahman.
Earlier, Chelsea cancelled their Premier League victory parade, which was due to take place on Sunday.
The club say it would be "inappropriate" with the UK terror threat at its highest level after Monday's bombing killed 22 people and injured 64.
Greater Manchester Police and the city council had already said athletics' Great CityGames could take place in Manchester on Friday evening.
Now they have given the go-ahead for the Great Run, with additional security measures expected to be in force.
Rahman, the council's executive member for culture and leisure, said: "The Great CityGames and Great Manchester Run are two of the real highlights of Manchester's sporting calendar.
"We know that thousands of Mancunians have been looking forward to taking part, or cheering the athletes on, so I am pleased and proud to confirm that these fantastic events will be held as planned this weekend."
Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford is among those lined up to take part on Friday, with Sunday's field including Ethiopia's triple Olympic champions Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba.
Chelsea had planned an open-top bus tour with the trophy and hoped to add the FA Cup in Saturday's final with Arsenal.
The Gunners have also said they will not stage a parade should they win.
A screening of the match at the club's Emirates Stadium has been cancelled and fans will be given refunds.
Chelsea said players will make a donation to a fund supporting victims of the attack and they will wear black armbands for the final at Wembley, with a minute's silence beforehand.
"Everyone associated with Chelsea Football Club offers our heartfelt condolences to those affected by Monday's terror attack in Manchester," said a club statement.
"Our thoughts go out to all the victims and their families and friends."
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said the safety of supporters and staff was paramount and the club had been in close contact with the security services.
"After taking their advice we have reluctantly taken the decision to cancel the screening and potential parade," he said.
Spectators at all major events can expect to see more armed police and face longer security checks.
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A rough sleeper who helped victims of the bomb attack is to be given six months' free accommodation by David Sullivan, West Ham United's co-chairman.
Sullivan and his eldest son Dave were moved by reports of a man named Steve who tended to children when the bomb went off at a concert being given by American singer Ariana Grande.
West Ham's joint owner tracked down the homeless man after putting out an appeal on BBC Radio 5 live while his son took to social media.
They are now working out a plan to pay his rent for the next six months, while also providing him with new clothes and opportunities to find work .
"Steve was just one of hundreds of people who forgot about their own safety and rushed to the aid of others, and we were both moved by his story," David Sullivan told 5 live.
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A minute's silence was observed before the Europa League final between Manchester United and Ajax in Stockholm on Wednesday and both wore black armbands.
The opening ceremony was considerably reduced as a mark of respect for the victims.
England and South Africa stood shoulder to shoulder for a minute's silence before the first match of the one-day cricket series at Headingley.
Both teams wore black armbands as they took the field in Leeds, with all 15 members of the England squad lining up on the pitch alongside the tourists and umpires for a sombrely observed silence.
Formula 1 is expected to observe a silence before this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.
F1's teams, the majority of which are based in Britain, have also agreed to have #Manchester on their cars.
British driver Lewis Hamilton said he would be thinking of the victims.
"I am carrying them in my heart this weekend," said Hamilton. "It is difficult to think about it and it is just crazy to think where we are in the world."
Salford are to waive admission prices for their next rugby league match in return for donations to the appeal fund.
Fans can obtain free tickets for the Red Devils' Super League match against Catalans Dragons at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night but will be asked to make a donation in return.
"Like everybody, I was shocked and outraged by the events of Monday night," said Salford owner Dr Marwan Koukash, a Palestinian refugee who became a self-made millionaire after coming to England to study.
Supporters attending this weekend's football play-off finals at Wembley are being urged to arrive at least an hour before kick-off.
Blackpool take on Exeter City in League Two on Sunday while Huddersfield Town face Reading in Monday's Championship match. Both games start at 15:00 BST.
Fans are asked not to bring bags, with extra security in place. A minute's silence will be held before both games, with players and match officials wearing black armbands.
Police Scotland will be reviewing its security, including arrangements for Saturday's Scottish Cup final.
Premiership Rugby said there will be a minute's silence before Saturday's final between Exeter and Wasps at Twickenham.
And in the Women's Super League Manchester City Women's home game against Chelsea Ladies on Thursday night will go ahead after discussions with police. The game, which will kick off at 19:00, is the first professional sports fixture to take place in the city after the attack.
Security around the Indianapolis 500 in the US will be beefed up this weekend. "One thing fans may notice this year, there will be an increased presence of armed law enforcement folks wandering through the grounds," Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said.


A platform lift at a construction site in central China has plunged 30 floors to the ground, killing its 19 passengers, state-run media report.

The accident happened on Thursday in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province, says Xinhua news agency.
The lift, which officials say fell 328ft (100m), mostly carried construction workers.
Officials are investigating the accident, Xinhua says.
"The accident occurred at the construction site, the elevator was being used for construction purposes," a local official was quoted by AFP news agency as saying.
It happened at 01:26 local time (05:26 GMT), the official added.
Thousands of people die every year in work-related accidents in China, where safety rules are often flouted, correspondents say.


A group of Gentoo penguins, who have been living in Denmark, northern Europe, are being moved to a new home at the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham.

1 December 2016 Last updated at 07:21 GMT
The penguins can normally be found living in the Antarctic and they thrive in colder temperatures.
So transporting them 800 miles between Denmark and Birmingham proved quite tricky, as Jenny's been finding out...


France's National Front party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen says he is "ashamed" his daughter - current party leader Marine - still bears his surname.

Amid a growing feud, Mr Le Pen said he hoped she "would get married as quickly as possible so as to change her name".
He added he would not support Marine in presidential elections in 2017.
His remarks came after the far-right party suspended Mr Le Pen, 86, after he repeated his view that the Holocaust was "a detail of history".
Marine Le Pen, 46, has been trying to steer the National Front (FN) away from its racist and anti-Semitic past.
Ms Le Pen's view is that FN's growth is being held back by memories of what it used to be, and that to move to the next level it must cut itself free from its past, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.
Speaking to France's Europe 1 radio, Mr Le Pen said: "I was hoping that the president of the National Front would get married as quickly as possible so as to change her name.
"Because I'm ashamed that she has the same surname as me."
Asked if he would still be supporting his daughter in the presidential elections, Mr Le Pen answered: "Not for the moment."
"[He] seems to have entered a veritable spiral between a scorched earth strategy and political suicide" - Marine Le Pen, 8 April
"Marine Le Pen may want me dead, that's possible, but she must not count on my co-operation" - Jean-Marie Le Pen, 9 April
Le Pen family feud in quotes
Mr Le Pen has been suspended but not dismissed by the party - a decision he described as a "felony".
An extraordinary party congress is expected to be held within three months aimed at ending the function of honorary president - which Mr Le Pen has been holding since stepping down as leader in 2011.
Some commentators have suggested he could be more of a risk outside the party than within it.
Mr Le Pen still holds a seat in the European Parliament and a post as a regional councillor in the south of France.
Dominique Albertini in Liberation notes that Marine Le Pen "dealt with the paternal problem in the most radical way".
Le Parisien goes further, saying that the move was the "denouement of an unprecedented political and family crisis" and describes her decision as "Oedipal".
But some regional papers say that Mr Le Pen could still be dangerous.
Patrice Chabanet in the Journal de la Haute-Marne warns Marine to guard against her father who "is not a man to be dictated to" and warns of his "capacity to do harm".
Laurent Bodin in L'Alsace agrees, saying that even outside the party, her father is a "thorn" in its side.
Jean-Marie Le Pen: A career in controversy
A family feud on the French far-right
A step closer to power for the FN?
From 'untouchables' to EU force


While David Cameron and the new London mayor Sadiq Khan were happy to share a stage for the remain cause, it's highly unlikely that any such Conservative Labour tie-up will happen in Wales between now and June 23.

I caught up with the former First Minister Rhodri Morgan in the blazing sunshine on Barry Island this week when he joined the man leading Labour's remain campaign Alan Johnson for an ice-cream and a walkabout.
Rhodri Morgan said: "We all have this terrible fear about what happened to the Scottish Labour party after appearing with Scottish Tories in the independence referendum.
"It was an absolute killer blow then. Wonderful for the SNP, killer for Scottish Labour.
"A fear that is deeply implanted now in every Labour person like me is do not appear on a platform with Tories unless you absolutely have to."
He also had plenty to say on the danger of the referendum campaign appearing to many traditional Labour supporters as a series of internal problems for the Conservative party, or as he put it in reference to the David Cameron versus Boris Johnson dynamic: "This is not about civil war on the playgrounds of Eton."
There is a sense that Labour voters are not appearing as engaged in the campaign as Conservative supporters, a feeling heightened by the dominance of Tories in most of the headlines.
There are clear fears within Labour that this is a danger. Jeremy Corbyn, who has been lukewarm about the EU, will be putting the case to stay in at a rally in Cardiff on Friday.
In the meantime, remain campaigners are continuing to warn of the potential economic dangers of a Brexit.
The latest is a warning from the Centre for Economic and Business Research, commissioned by Britain Stronger in Europe, saying that the potential creation of 6,000 jobs over the next 14 years could be at risk.
Just to be clear, this isn't saying 6,000 jobs would be lost, but instead it's saying that the 6,000 jobs that may be created in the future in the single market would be in doubt.
The problem is that it's saying that jobs could be lost before they are even created.
And it's that point which leave campaigners have latched on to, describing the figures as absurd.
There has been a barrage of economic warnings about a Brexit but relatively few with specific Wales figures.
That could begin to change. I understand that next week leave campaigners will give their projections on the population rise in Wales as a result of EU migration, and the corresponding rise in pressure on the NHS.
And there we have in a nutshell the two focal points from both sides in the debate: the economy for remain and immigration and pressure on public services for leave.


A controversial beer served in bottles made from stuffed animals and costing £500 each sold out in a few hours.

The End of History, made by Fraserburgh firm BrewDog, is 55% alcohol, and came in 12 bottles made using dead stoats, squirrels and a hare.
Advocates for Animals had branded the bottles "perverse" and a "stupid marketing gimmick" and Alcohol Focus Scotland also criticised the move.
One of the buyers told the BBC Scotland news website it was a piece of history.
BrewDog co-founder James Watt said all 12 bottles sold out within four hours.
The Aberdeenshire firm said the beer was the world's strongest and most expensive.
One buyer, economics student Chris Mair, 33, of Suffolk, who lives in Edinburgh, bought a bottle made using a stoat.
He said: "It's one of a set, I have bought special BrewDog beers before.
"If I had not bought this one I would always have wished I had.
"It's a piece of brewing history, I think it will always be the world's strongest beer."
He explained: "It will be a collectors item. You would be mad to open it. It would be like opening a rare bottle of whisky."


An outbreak of a sickness and diarrhoea bug in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire is four times more prevalent than normal.

Public Health England (PHE) said 87 cases of the parasite Cryptosporidium had been identified since the beginning of June.
A number of cases have been linked to the Oasis leisure centre swimming pool in Swindon, which was closed last week as a precautionary measure.
An investigation has been launched to try to find the infection's source.
Cryptosporidium is a microscopic bug that can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps.
Of 30 cases reported in Swindon, about a third have been linked to the Oasis, a PHE spokesman said.
Other cases have been confirmed in Wiltshire, as well as further cases in Cheltenham, the Forest of Dean and Stroud.
Dr Ayo Oyinloye, public health consultant for Swindon Borough Council, said 87 was an "unusually high number of cases".
"What you would expect for Swindon is less than 10 in a year, and over the summer period you would expect to see about seven cases."
He added that the Oasis pool was now being "deep cleaned".
"Leisure operators GLL, who run the pool, are fully co-operating and the pool has been shut voluntarily whilst the pool water is drained to address any problem."
Dr Toyin Ejidokun from PHE South West said: "We have had confirmed reports of Cryptosporidium infection amongst a number of people who visited the Oasis swimming pool in Swindon earlier this summer, therefore a team of experts is undertaking necessary water sampling to ensure the safety of the swimming pool for all users.
"The swimming pool is one of a number of possible exposures that we are exploring."


Bristol Rovers non-executive director Colin Sexstone says he is still confident a new stadium will be built.

The League Two club are involved in a legal appeal with Sainsbury's over a deal to buy their Memorial Stadium.
That deal would allow them to move to a new 21,700-seat stadium but despite losing the original court case, Sexstone is confident it will happen.
"There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes, which for obvious reasons cannot be disclosed," he said.
"The UWE (University of the West of England) site is still very much there, the discussions are ongoing with Sainsbury's and potentially a court hearing, even outside that there is every chance something could happen.
"Looking at the development site and the location of the new stadium it would put them on a different level."
Sexstone also said a potential takeover of the club could also negate the need to sell to Sainsbury's. In July Bristol Rovers denied the club has been sold.
"There are lots of things bubbling under, a takeover could potentially be one," he said.
"It is no secret the board and Nick (Higgs) are looking for other investors to come in. He would only bring other investors in if they can take the club to another level. There is no one particular group, it's an ongoing process."
The former Bristol City chairman also believes moving to a new ground on the outskirts of the city will hugely boost the club.
"Rovers have had a difficult time and it is amazing that the fanbase has stuck together and that fills you with hope going forward," Sexstone added.
"If they can get that new stadium, some people have some doubt but I feel quite confident about it. It will take them to another level and they can be another strong club in the city.
"Bristol is a big city of 1.4m in greater Bristol. There is room for two very successful clubs, Manchester is a great example.
"New stadiums take clubs to another level and the location of that new stadium is just fantastic, next to a motorway, two stations right there, lots of parking and 30,000 students on your doorstep.
"If you can't built a successful club with that infrastructure, you have to question yourself. That is why the new stadium is so important."


Norwich City manager Alex Neil has confirmed that midfielder Louis Thompson will miss the rest of the season with an Achilles injury.

The 22 year-old, who joined Norwich in 2014, has not featured since November because of a pelvic problem.
"It's devastating news for him and us and he will be going for surgery," Neil told BBC Radio Norfolk.
"We are trying to promote our best youth academy players and this will certainly set him back," he added.
Norwich are already short of cover at left-back after Martin Olsson joined Swansea City, while Ajax target Mitchell Dijks has turned down a move to Carrow Road.
Now Neil accepts that he may need to find cover in midfield too, with Youssouf Mulumbu and Graham Dorrans still on the sidelines.
"We might need to plug a gap but certainly the first preference is to sign someone who will make us better," he said.
"Youssuf is coming back in two weeks with Dorrans six weeks after that."
Norwich, who are 10th in the Championship, are at home to Birmingham City on Saturday.


The parents of a soldier who died at Deepcut barracks in Surrey 20 years ago have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

A new inquest into the death of 18-year-old Pte Cheryl James from Denbighshire will be heard in February.
Her body was exhumed in August prior to the new hearing.
The soldier, from Llangollen, was one of four recruits found dead with gunshot wounds at the barracks between 1995 and 2002.
Pte James's parents, Des and Doreen James, made their fresh appeal on a special broadcast for British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) on Friday, which marked the 20th anniversary of her death.
The High Court ordered that a new inquest should be held in 2014, quashing an open verdict finding in the original inquest in 1995.
Speaking in the BFBS interview, Mrs James said: "I'd love to speak to somebody that had something to do with her on the day of her death, or the day before.
"Just speak to someone that had some sort of inkling to what happened."
She said it would help give the family closure on events surrounding the death.
Pte James was undergoing initial training at Deepcut when she was found dead with a bullet wound to her head.
Her parents, who now live in Llanymynech, Powys, believe she had suffered sexual harassment and bullying at the barracks.
Mr James said as long as the new inquest was evidence-led, they would accept its conclusions.
"If it comes as suicide, then it comes. And if it doesn't - it doesn't," he said.
In addition to the death of Pte James, the deaths of three other soldiers at Deepcut - Pte Sean Benton, Pte Geoff Gray and Pte James Collinson - has led to long-standing allegations of bullying at the barracks.
However, a request that new inquests be held into their cases was turned down in May.


A 27-year-old man has been shot in the chest in a Liverpool street.

Merseyside Police said he was found wounded at the junction of Strathcona Road and Picton Road, Wavertree, just after 01:00 BST.
A 29-year-year-old man arrested in connection with the shooting was later released on police bail.
The injured man is in a "serious but stable condition", police said.


Police are searching for a driver who has not been seen since smashing through a motorway barrier and abandoning his car three weeks ago.

Zahid Mirza, 40, from Chelmsley Wood, crashed on the M6 between junctions 4A and 5 on the 15 January.
Det Supt Tom Chisholm said: "We have now learned that Mr Mirza's family have had no contact with him since then, so we are very concerned for his safety."
Police are concerned he may have come to harm and are searching near the M6.
Mr Chisholm said: "At the time of the collision a search was made of the immediate area, but there was no trace of the driver."
Mr Mirza is 5ft 9ins tall with a stocky build. He has short dark hair and wears glasses.
Anyone who has seen him since 15 January was asked to call West Midlands Police.


Wrexham's Glyndwr University has announced the appointment of a new vice chancellor.

Dr Maria Hinfelaar, president of the Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT), Republic of Ireland, starts in April.
She replaces interim vice chancellor Prof Graham Upton who was appointed in January following the departure of Prof Michael Scott.
Dr Hinfelaar said the university had tremendous potential in a region undergoing interesting development.
She added: "Personally, having spent the last 11 years leading a similar institution in the mid-west of Ireland, I have discovered first-hand how crucially important universities are to their area."


MPs have defeated a cross-party bid to clarify in law that abortion on the grounds of gender alone is illegal in the UK.

Conservative MP Fiona Bruce, who spearheaded the move, said the law was being "interpreted in different ways".
But her proposal was defeated by 292 to 201. A review of the extent of sex selective abortion was agreed to.
The government said it had been consistently clear that sex selective abortion was "already illegal".
Health Minister Jane Ellison new guidance had been issued by the Department for Health last May, which independent sectors had to comply with.
Ms Bruce had received support from more than 100 MPs prior to the debate.
Her amendment would not have changed the law, but sought to update 1967 legislation that was drafted before it was possible to identify the sex of a foetus.
An alternative amendment, providing for a review of the extent of gender selection abortion in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, was backed by 491 to 2.
Making the case for the change, the Congleton MP said her amendment would "clarify beyond doubt in statute that sex selective abortion is illegal in UK law".
And it would provide the government with an opportunity to address the "problem", such as by bringing forward best practice regulations and guidance, she added.
"Why is this new clause necessary? It is necessary because there is no explicit statement about gender selective abortion in UK law.
"The law is being interpreted in different ways because when the 1967 Abortion Act was passed, scans to determine the sex of the foetus were not available," she told MPs.
Ms Bruce insisted it would not criminalise any pregnant women because it applied only to doctors authorising an abortion.
And she rejected as "totally incorrect" the assertion that her proposal would block abortions based on a gender-linked disability.
Fellow Conservative David Burrowes lent his support to the amendment, telling MPs the law "does not expressly prohibit gender-selective abortions".
And the DUP's Jim Shannon, MP for Strangford, also endorsed the move, rejecting any assertions it would criminalise women. It would be doctors that were held to account, he said.
But Dr Sarah Wollaston, chairwoman of the Health Select Committee, was firmly opposed to the proposal, saying the amendment was "unnecessary" and could have "unintended consequences".
It could prevent women confiding in their doctor that they "feel under pressure" to abort their child because of its gender, as they may fear they will be criminalised, she told MPs.
Ms Wollaston said there was no evidence of a "systematic practice" of sex selective abortion in the UK, and warned against stigmatising communities by implying it was a widespread practice.
And the MP warned that the wording of the proposed clause would have implications for existing abortion laws, as it would "confer personhood on the foetus".
This point was echoed by Labour shadow health minister Luciana Berger, who said Ms Bruce's proposal would not address the causes of sex selective abortion.
She supported instead a separate amendment to require a review of the evidence of abortion on the grounds of sex in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
For the government, Health Minister Jane Ellison said gender-based abortion was "abhorrent" but stressed that it was already illegal in the UK.
"The government has been consistently clear that abortion on the grounds of gender alone is already illegal.
"The Department of Health repeated this in guidance issued in May 2014 and it is important to stress that all independent sector providers have agreed to comply with and operate on the department's guidance and must do so as part of their licensing conditions," she said.


A senior Twitter executive has replied to criticism from a former employee about the firm's approach to diversity.

Engineering manager Leslie Miley wrote that he was asked to build a tool that would classify recruitment candidates' ethnicity by analysing their last name.
The idea was intended to improve diversity among staff.
Alex Roetter, Senior Vice President of Engineering, said that the "engineering-driven, quantitative solution" was a "blind spot".
"As an engineer, I understand this suggestion and why it may seem logical," wrote ex-employee Mr Miley on blog-publishing platform Medium in which he also claimed to have been the only African-American member of Twitter's engineering leadership team.
"However, classifying ethnicities by name is problematic as evidenced by my name.
"What I also found disconcerting is this otherwise highly sophisticated thinker could posit that an issue this complex could be addressed by name analysis."
In 2014 only 4% of Twitter's technical staff were black or Hispanic, according to its own figures.
Mr Roetter said that Mr Miley's comments about him were "inaccurate" but that he was sorry for the "pain and confusion" caused by his communication.
"I realise that we have blind spots, myself included. One of mine is that I have a tendency to default to engineering-driven, quantitative solutions," he responded.
"We all want the same resultsâ€Š - â€Šstronger representation of under-represented minorities at all levels within Twitter."
Mr Miley said that he was passionate about Twitter as a high-profile platform for comment around issues like the Ferguson shootings and the success of the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter.
"And yet there were moments that caused me to question how and why a company whose product has been used as an agent of revolutionary social change did not reflect the diversity of thought, conversation and people in its ranks," he wrote.
Mr Miley cited occasions when a network for black engineering colleagues was not invited to internal events attended by high-profile black visitors such as Jesse Jackson and Ben Jealous, chief executive of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People).
"Is it because, as one colleague told me, 'they forgot that you were black?'," he said.
"When Hillary Clinton and Mellody Hobson [chairman, Dreamworks Animation] visited, the Twitter Women Engineering resource group was notified and given an opportunity to meet privately."
Mr Roetter said the firm is taking its commitment to increased diversity seriously.
It has published its own diversity goals for 2016, which includes increasing the proportion of "under-represented" minority staff to 11%, and aiming to ensure that 35% of its staff are women.


A 4x4 vehicle caught fire when it crashed into a village post office in a failed ram-raid, police have said.

The botched burglary at Ryhall Post Office, Rutland, stunned the building's live-in owners and neighbours, who were woken by an "almighty bang" at about 03:30 GMT on Monday.
Leicestershire Police said no access was gained to the building, but damage was caused to the exterior.
Witnesses reported seeing two men flee in an Audi coupe.
Updates on this story and more from Leicestershire
The force, which did not say if the 4x4 was stolen, said nothing was taken from the post office. A spokeswoman added no-one was injured and inquiries are continuing.
Miranda Amies has run the post office for almost five years with her husband Dave.
She said: "We were woken by a loud bang and all the alarms going off.
"We came downstairs and saw the damage... loads of Christmas stock smashed on the floor."
She added: "There was a huge flash from outside as the vehicle went up in flames.
"It was really frightening - I thought the whole building was going to catch fire and come down."


Russia may ban "gay emojis" from social media if an investigation by the state media watchdog rules that they infringe laws against "gay propaganda".

According to a report by Russia's Izvestia newspaper, the investigation was prompted by a complaint from Mikhail Marchenko, a Russian senator.
Mr Marchenko claims the symbols - which depict smiley-faced same-sex couples - violate a controversial 2013 law which prohibits promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships.
The law allows Russian authorities to block access to websites deemed to promote homosexuality.
Mr Marchenko said in his complaint that the emojis "promoted non-traditional sexual relationships", "denied family values" and showed "disrespect for parents and other family members".
In response to the complaint, media watchdog Roskomnadzor asked the youth group of President Vladimir Putin's political party, the Young Guard, to report on the matter.
Kirill Grinchenko, a spokesman for the Young Guard, told Izvestia that the group had not yet received a request to look into the matter but was "ready to deal with the protection of rights on the Internet under Russian law".
On Tuesday the founder of Children-404, an online community for LGBT teenagers in Russia, was fined 50,000 roubles (£520; $830) after a Russian court ruled that the site was guilty of distributing "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors".
Russia has faced international criticism for its anti-gay laws. Individuals can be fined 4,000-5,000 roubles if they are convicted of promoting so-called non-traditional sexual relations, with much higher fines for businesses and possible jail sentences for foreigners.
Apple first added emojis depicting gay couples to its operating system back in 2012. An update earlier this year introduced emojis showing gay couples with children, and hugely increased the racial diversity among the 300 symbols available.


Sports Direct boss Mike Ashley says he will now go before MPs to defend the firm's "good name".

It reverses the billionaire's previous decision not to appear before the Business, Innovation and Skills select committee on Tuesday to answer questions on working conditions.
In a letter, Mr Ashley said he had only refused "to avoid a media circus".
Committee chairman Iain Wright said he looked forward to Mr Ashley responding to the "serious allegations".
Sports Direct has been criticised for working conditions at the warehouse, including employing staff on zero-hour contracts.
Mr Ashley had been refusing to appear before the committee since last March, although he changed his mind last month and said he would answer questions if MPs first visited the firm's Shirebrook warehouse in Derbyshire.
However, last week he changed his position again, stating he would not attend because his lawyer Richard Gordon QC, was unavailable.
Would Mike Ashley have been jailed in Big Ben?
In a letter to Mr Wright, Mr Ashley took issue with the MP's suggestion last week that he had "something to hide". He wrote: "I can assure you that nothing is further from the truth."
His media advisor, Keith Bishop, denied that Mr Ashley had reversed his position.
So Mike Ashley has blinked first. Parliamentarians had called his bluff.
They pretended that they were prepared for a uniformed Serjeant at Arms to knock on Mr Ashley's door and haul him (on live TV) before the Speaker of the House of Commons.
Suddenly billionaire Mr Ashley was set to look like the man of the people while the elected officials would look like 17th century thespians. Neither side would wish that. So he will now "do a Rupert Murdoch" by submitting himself for a grilling about how Sports Direct treats its staff.
Mr Ashley will be keen to dispel some of the rumours and reports surrounding his Shirebrook distribution facility. He will also be keen to show contrition and that things have changed.
Failure to appear in front of MPs meant Mr Ashley risked being found in contempt of Parliament.
In his letter, Mr Ashley writes: "After much reflection over the last 48 hours, I have concluded that a lengthy legal battle would be of no benefit to either of us.
"It would no doubt lead to further unwarranted accusations that I am being secretive, whereas in fact I have been open and honest at every stage of this process."
Mr Ashley added that he would now appear "in order to defend the good name of Sports Direct on behalf of all the great people who work here".
Mr Wright said he was pleased that Mr Ashley had finally agreed to give evidence at the committee hearing.
He looked forward to Mr Ashley "answering our questions, including in response to these allegations", and telling MPs about the progress of a review the Sports Direct boss announced following the allegations.
"As a committee, we want to get a sense of the genuine and balanced picture at Sports Direct and establish whether there are issues for the wider economy which need further examination, such as the status and rights of agency workers," Mr Wright said.


Chris Froome missed out on a fourth Criterium du Dauphine title as Jakob Fuglsang took victory with an attack to the summit of Sunday's final stage.

Three-time Tour de France winner Froome began one minute three seconds behind leader Richie Porte, a gap he failed to bridge on the Plateau de Solaison.
Instead it was Denmark's Fuglsang who distanced Porte, his overall win aided by a time bonus for winning the stage.
Ireland's Dan Martin was second, enough to leapfrog Froome into third overall.
Astana rider Fuglsang finished the 115km ride from Albertville one minute and 15 seconds quicker than BMC's Porte of Australia - the exact time difference between the two after Saturday's stage seven.
But with the stage win Fuglsang also picked up a 10-second time bonus, meaning Porte, a former team-mate of Froome at Team Sky, just missed out on his first Dauphine title.
Froome, 32, won each of his three Tour titles after his three previous Dauphine successes, with the race typically a good test of form going into cycling's most prestigious stage event, which begins on 1 July.
The Briton finished fourth overall, one minute and 33 seconds behind Fuglsang, and one second behind Quick-Step rider Martin.
Team Sky sporting director Nicolas Portal said Froome would have more to offer at the Tour de France.
"We came here to try to win, and we saw Richie was super strong, and now we can see Fuglsang was clearly very strong too," he said.
"Froomey is on the way up, step by step to the Tour. For sure he's going to progress. He finished the race really well here, making some hard attacks and some long pulls.
"Obviously it didn't work out with the victory, but we've done a really  good job here. We're all looking forward to the Tour and there's more to come."
1. Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) 29hrs 05mins 54secs
2. Richie Porte (Aus/BMC Racing) +10secs
3. Daniel Martin (Ire/Quick-Step) +1min 32secs
4. Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 33secs
5. Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +1min 37secs
6. Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +2mins 04secs
7. Emanuel Buchmann (Ger/BORA) +2mins 32secs
8. Louis Meintjes (SA/UAE) +3mins 12secs
9.  Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +4mins 8secs
10. Rafael Valls (Spa/Lotto) +4mins 40secs
1.  Jakob Fuglsang (Den/Astana) 3hrs 26mins 20secs
2.  Daniel Martin (Ire/Quick-Step) +12secs
3.  Louis Meintjes (SA/UAE) +27secs
4.  Emanuel Buchmann (Ger/BORA) +44secs
5.  Fabio Aru (Ita/Astana) +1min 1sec
6.  Romain Bardet (Fra/AG2R) +1min 02secs
7.  Richie Porte (Aus/BMC Racing) +1min 15secs
8.  Chris Froome (GB/Team Sky) +1min 36secs
9.  Rafael Valls (Spain / Lotto) Rafael Valls (Spa/Lotto) +1min 41secs
10. Alejandro Valverde (Spa/Movistar) +3mins 30secs


Mobile users on the north Wales coast have run-up extra charges after their phones connected to Irish networks.

One couple said it can cost Â£20 more a month when the problem happens at some trouble spots on Anglesey.
Experts warned people to check their phones to avoid racking up roaming costs.
Phone company Vodafone apologised to customers and advised them to change their settings to stop it happening again.
"We can be standing firmly on Welsh land, and yet we're being charged extortionate amounts of money," said Alan Davies, from Llandudno, Conwy county.
He and partner Ruth Miller regularly visit places such as South Stack, near Holyhead at Anglesey.
He told BBC Radio Wales' Jason Mohammad programme his phone picks up an Irish mobile network once or twice a month, but warning text messages do not always come through until later.
A Vodafone spokesman said: "Unfortunately, radio waves do not recognise national borders and we do occasionally see incidents of this nature."
Ann Durrell, from Manchester, was on holiday on Anglesey when she was charged extra.
She said: "I didn't receive any warning that my phone had locked on to an Irish network. I just happened to check my bill when I got home."
Telecoms expert Ernest Doku from uSwitch.com said the problem also happens on the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, and on the south coast of England.
"It happens to all phone networks. Sometimes the local geography can block the UK phone signal," he said.


Guernsey are aiming for team medals at the 2017 Island Games, says the head of the island's Golf Union.

Their team for next year's event in Gotland includes only Di Aitchison and Steve Mahy from the players who competed at Jersey 2015.
Aimee Ponte, the 2015 women's gold medallist, and men's bronze medallist Bobby Eggo are among those not named.
"I think realistically we're looking more at a team medal as being the goal," Eric Legg told BBC Guernsey.
"We've got a younger men's team possibly than normal and I'm hoping they will rise to the occasion,
"The ladies will be trying their hardest, as they do, and as they proved against Jersey they were up for the challenge, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how well they will do."
Guernsey golf team for 2017 Island Games:
Men: Steve Mahy, Tom Le Huray, Sean Mills, Jeremy Nicolle.
Women: Di Aitchison, Mandy Webber, Julie Creed, Laura Jeffrey


For all Republicans out there longing to boot Donald Trump off the presidential ticket even at this late stage, there are four key words.

Death, declination, or otherwise.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) sets out in its Rule 9 the terms for "filling vacancies in nominations".
It reads: "The Republican National Committee is hereby authorized and empowered to fill any and all vacancies which may occur by reason of death, declination, or otherwise of the Republican candidate for President of the United States."
Death may be off the agenda, so what about the other scenarios?
Mr Trump would voluntarily leave the race.
With "Rule 9" invoked, the RNC could then either reconvene the 2,472-delegate convention to vote again - a virtual impossibility at this stage - or the board of the RNC, with 160 members representing all states and territories, would select a replacement.
Each state and territory would have the same amount of voting power that it had at the convention. Mike Pence, the vice-presidential nominee, would not get an automatic promotion because the board could choose anyone to fill the vacancy.
Many Republican representatives and senators would welcome a new candidate as he or she could help them hold on to their seats.
Unfortunately for Trump opponents, the candidate has shown no intention of exiting the scene. His comments after the latest obscene remarks controversy - "See you at the debate on Sunday."
The anti-Trumpers might take some comfort in the vagueness of the phrase.
Rule 9 has never actually been used before and so its boundaries have never been tested. The last time a candidate left the ticket late was in 1972. Democratic vice-presidential candidate Thomas Eagleton was forced off after his bouts of depression were made public.
"Otherwise" is generally taken to cover the gap between death and declination, perhaps a coma or stroke or other illness that leaves the candidate alive but unable to signal withdrawal.
As such, it is about filling vacancies and not creating them.
But some have suggested a broader interpretation, taking "otherwise" into areas such as acts of criminality, treason or even adopting principles "fundamentally at variance with party principles", as commentator Thomas Balch puts it.
But Mr Trump could sue if the "otherwise" path were taken against him.
By the way, even if he did commit a criminal act, it would not bar him from running for the presidency. He could possibly pardon himself after winning.
Time has run out, it would seem, even if there were the inclination.
Rule 9 can be amended by a majority vote of the RNC's Standing Committee on Rules, followed by a three-quarter majority in the RNC. But it would only take effect 30 days later.
Tens of thousands of Republicans have already cast their absentee votes, many of them in the key states of Florida and North Carolina. What happens to them?
Many state set deadlines locking the names on ballot papers so that electoral procedures can run smoothly. Those ballots now have Mr Trump's name on them, and the deadlines have passed. Anyone voting for a Republican candidate would probably have to select Mr Trump.
This happened in Florida in 2006, when representative Mark Foley resigned five weeks before polling day. The Republican Party failed to get replacement Joe Negron on the ballot. Its "punch Foley for Joe" campaign failed to retain what had been a safe Republican seat.
Without Mr Trump leaving the race, a Republican replacement isn't possible under the rules.
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is a former Republican and served as the governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003. He did pull in 1.275 million votes in 2012 and is on the ballot in all 50 states.
Evan McMullin, a former CIA agent and Republican Congressional staff member, is also running as an independent, but he entered the race too late to compete in every state.
The downside for conservatives is a third-party vote could aid a victory for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
The Green Party's Jill Stein probably won't attract many Republicans.
"Better luck next time" isn't the most comforting election strategy, but some disaffected Republicans think their best option is to denounce him and wait. More and more are signing letters and writing columns denouncing Mr Trump.
Thirty former Republican lawmakers did that on 6 October, saying in a letter that Mr Trump lacked the "intelligence" and temperament to be president. They didn't propose any removal, just that voters reject him at the ballot box.
Mr Trump has been underestimated before and eventually came out on top. Republicans have made it this far enduring Mr Trump's wild campaign, so what's another month?
The executive branch is a huge undertaking involving thousands of positions and there aren't enough Trump loyalists to fill them all. Republicans - even ones uneasy with Mr Trump - will be able to shape policy and deliver on issues important to their constituents for the next four years.
On the other hand, Mr Trump may have done lasting damage to the Republican Party's brand with Latino, black, Muslim and women voters.


Wigan's Wales international prop Ben Flower has apologised for punching St Helens' Lance Hohaia, who says he is not bitter about the way his Super League Grand Final ended on Saturday.

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Flower was shown a red card after two minutes, having knocked Hohaia to the floor before landing a second punch while the Saints man was on the ground.
Hohaia played no further part as Saints went on to win 14-6 at Old Trafford.
"I don't hold any grudges against Ben," said New Zealander Hohaia, 31.
"In the heat of the moment, people do some things they regret. I've done some silly things on the field myself.
"He's probably disappointed in himself for not being able to play a part in the game as well."
In a statement on Wigan's website, Flower, 26, said he was "devastated" by what he had done.
"I firstly offer my apologies to Lance. I have full respect for him, and have never gone onto a rugby field to injure a fellow player.
"I'd also like to say sorry to my team-mates, our fans and the Wigan Club. I know I've let them down like never before and accept I'll have to live with this for the rest of my career.
"Finally, I'm sorry to the sport of Rugby League. It was a big night and I know I've taken the attention away from what was a special event."
Hohaia was unable to return to the field because of concussion and will have scans this week before hopefully being cleared to fly out with his family for a holiday.
"I wanted to go back on but the doctor wouldn't allow that to happen," added Hohaia. "My health comes before anything else.
"I don't remember the incident. People have told me what happened, I guess I was hit around the head somewhere. Sometimes these things happen in the game."
Wigan coach Shaun Wane said he "will stand by" his player for an incident that attracted wide condemnation.
A Rugby Football League spokesman said it would be up to Hohaia and St Helens to decide whether to pursue legal action but the case would go as normal before the match review panel on Monday.
Flower is set to face a disciplinary tribunal on Tuesday when he can expect a suspension of about eight matches.
RFL chief executive Nigel Wood said: "The matter will be dealt with as with any other Super League fixture."


Hull boss Steve Bruce was interviewed by the Football Association on Monday about the England manager's job.

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce has also been interviewed and is favourite to succeed Roy Hodgson, who quit after England lost to Iceland at Euro 2016.
"It's got to be the prime job that any Englishman could ever want to have," Bruce, 55, told Sky Sports.
Hull said Bruce held "informal discussions" with the FA but said there had been "no official approach".
Bruce said he was "highly flattered" to be considered for the England job, adding: "I put my case across and let's hope it was successful."
He added he was up against "a big pal of mine" in Allardyce and said whoever gets the job needs to be able to stop players being afraid in tournaments.
England were knocked out of Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage and failed to make it out of the groups at the 2014 World Cup.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe and USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann have also been linked with the England role.
Both Hull and Sunderland want the FA to move quickly on a new manager.
FA chief executive Martin Glenn is fronting a selection panel that also includes FA technical director Dan Ashworth and board member David Gill.
Bruce led the Tigers back into the Premier League last season after relegation to the Championship in 2015.
The former Manchester United captain and defender, who was never capped by England, said in June that he would be staying at Hull.
However, amid talk of a takeover at KC Stadium, he accepted he could be replaced when asked if he was certain of his position.


Buses have arrived in northern Syria carrying rebels and their families who were evacuated from a devastated north-eastern district of Damascus.

Some 2,300 people left Qaboun on Sunday following two months of intense air strikes and artillery bombardment.
The evacuations from Qaboun, and from neighbouring Barzeh and Tishrin last week, bring President Bashar al-Assad closer regaining control of the city.
His forces are now expected to focus on the rebel-held district of Jobar.
It is considered an extension of the main rebel enclave in the suburbs, the Eastern Ghouta, where the UN says some 400,000 people are under siege.
Rebel leaders agreed to the evacuation of Qaboun on Saturday after being squeezed into an ever smaller pocket by advancing soldiers and allied militiamen.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, said about 1,100 fighters were among those who boarded buses on Sunday and were transported towards rebel-held areas in the north-western province of Idlib.
At one point, unidentified gunmen opened fire at the evacuees as they were boarding the buses, killing at least two and wounding several others, the Observatory reported.
"The regime was reinforced by Russian and Iranian foreign troops at the expense of a defenceless people," said Mohammed Alloush, head of the powerful rebel faction, Jaysh al-Islam.
"The regime now plans to swallow up Jobar in the next phase before setting its sights on the Eastern Ghouta," he added.
Mr Alloush said the evacuations were the result of a "betrayal" by Russia, Iran and key opposition backer Turkey, which signed a pact in Astana earlier this month establishing four "de-escalation" zones, including one covering the Eastern Ghouta but not Qaboun, Barzeh and Tishrin.
Also excluded are the southern districts of Tadamun and Hajar al-Aswad, and the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, which are mostly controlled by jihadists.
The government's gains in Damascus come five months after it took full control of the northern city of Aleppo and two months after evacuations from the last rebel-held district of the central city of Homs began.
They also come as UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura prepares to host a new round of talks in Geneva on Tuesday aimed at finding a political solution to the five-year conflict, which has left more than 300,000 people dead.
Mr de Mistura said last week that he wanted to "hit the iron while its hot" following the Astana deal, which he suggested could benefit some 2.6 million people.
In addition to the Eastern Ghouta, the de-escalation zones will cover rebel-held parts of Idlib province and adjoining areas of Hama, Aleppo and Latakia provinces; northern Homs province; and Deraa and Quneitra provinces in the south.
It authorises the warring parties to pause fighting for six months around them, and allow unhindered aid deliveries and the return of displaced civilians.
The memorandum also calls on them to fight jihadists from so-called Islamic State and the rival al-Qaeda-linked alliance known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).


What a week - first Clarkson, then Zayn, and now Bercow?

There was a certain tension in the air last night, as Mr Speaker Bercow presided at a farewell dinner for Deputy Speaker Dawn Primarolo; later today she'll probably be presiding over a short Commons debate that might decide whether the Speaker will need a farewell dinner of his ownâ€¦.
The ambush was brilliantly laid. Tory MPs were kept in Westminster for a party election briefing from their campaign supremo, Lynton Crosby. Labour and Lib Dem MPs were heading off to their constituencies to campaign, secure in the assumption that there was no controversial business left to vote on. So the Conservatives have the numbers and the other parties don't.
At 5.30pm on Wednesday, the Leader of the House dropped in to see the Speaker, to tell him the government was putting down a motion to change the Commons Standing Orders on the re-election of the Speaker, after a General Election.
I'd love to have been a fly on that office wall.
Under the old rules, MPs are presented with a motion that the incumbent Speaker should resume the Chair; if it is opposed, they march through the lobbies. The change would put in a secret ballot, instead. The importance of this is that open opposition to a sitting Speaker, who is then re-elected, can invite years of retribution, with offenders called late to speak, if at all and all kinds of subtle shafting beyond that.
A secret ballot, the argument goes, would allow the more timorous MPs to vote against a Speaker without fear of revenge.
The idea has been floating about for years - it was mooted by the Commons Procedure Committee back in 2011, although the committee has since changed its mind. And even when there was plenty of spare Commons time available, it was never debated. Incidentally the Committee chair, the Conservative Charles Walker, who helped drag Speaker Bercow to the Chair in 2009, was not consulted on the decision to put one of his committee's ex-recommendations to the House.
Labour are furious.
I hear they're trying to pull MPs back - and may be helped by the three urgent questions the Speaker has (spookily enough) allowed today, which will allow extra time for them to get back. Lib Dem MPs are not being whipped in support of the motion - or indeed encouraged to come back if they've headed off to their constituencies.
How will Tory MPs be whipped? Their attendance is being required on a strict three line whip - but does that extend to a whip on a House matter? Inquiring backbenchers will be seeking an answer on that point. Will ministers vote? And, of course, even if the vote is officially a free vote, the fact that the motion is signed by the Leader of the House makes it pretty official, and Conservative whips may - unofficially, of course - be encouraging colleagues into the Yes Lobby.
What will the upshot be? My guess is that the Conservative strategy has been successful and that the motion will be carried; apart from anything else there is plenty of support for the general principle of secret ballots for this kind of vote.
But the ambush by which the majority has been achieved has ruffled feathers. Rumour reaches me of a bitter exchange between the Shadow Leader of the House, Angela Eagle and Messrs Hague and Gove. And this could imply a breakdown of trust in the "usual channels" through which much Commons business is stage-managed.
Expect more venom in today's exchanges.
I'm not sure that would be a bad thing, in many ways, but it wouldn't be much fun for MPs if it meant endless late night votes and counter-ambushes. The last time relations broke down, in the 1970s, the ensuing months of grind arguably drove a number of elderly members to an early grave.
Meanwhile it might be premature to assume that a secret ballot dooms Speaker Bercow. He has some support on the Tory benches, and his survival would depend on the mathematics of the next House of Commons. But there's a deeper question: is the Speakership now becoming mired in party politics? Might we see incoming majorities defenestrating uncongenial Speakers as a matter of routine?
Certainly in a hung parliament, the rulings from the Chair could be critical - and providing a simpler way of removing a Speaker could be quite convenient for future cross party alliances or governments.
One final thought. Watch Sir Gerald Kaufman. Barring the unexpected, he will be the Father of the House in the next Commons and will preside over the Speaker (re) election process.
One of the urgent questions granted today is from him - and he's said to be furious about the Conservatives' actions.


Don't forget to wipe before you swipe the next time you are at Tokyo's Narita International Airport.

Toilets at the airport have been equipped with "toilet paper" that you can use to disinfect your smartphone.
Paid for by Japanese mobile giant NTT Docomo, the sheets also include information about the firm's public Wi-Fi networks as well as details about its smartphone travel app.
Social media users have reacted to the move with humour and disbelief.
The bizarre dispensers have been installed in seven restrooms and will remain in place until March next year, local media cited NTT Docomo as saying.
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Japan is globally renowned for revolutionising its public toilets, many of which are clean, modern and boast very elaborate high-tech features.
"There are more than five times of germs on a smartphone screen as compared to a toilet seat," NTT Docomo said in a post on its official YouTube page.
It added that the special cleaning rolls were "made to clean screens so foreign tourists could enjoy their travel hygienically".
In true Japanese fashion, a quirky two-minute instructional video demonstrated how to correctly use the sheets, and also the "shower" or bidet function found in most public toilets in the country.
'Welcome to Japan'
News of the smartphone toilet paper spread rapidly among Facebook users.
"Give your smartphone a wipe while you answer the call of nature," commented Roger Chen in Singapore.
"What if you're tired and jetlagged and accidentally mix up the smartphone toilet paper with the regular roll," asked another user.
Others like Gale Gayol welcomed the move.
"I need this. I have the habit of wiping my smartphone with tissue and alcohol every night after work," she said in a Facebook post.
"Don't laugh. Your own toilet experience will always be crappy compared to this," said Mike Putro. "Trust the Japanese to think of something so clever."
"Welcome [to] Japan, where [the] way things are designed is pretty amazing in the sense that they seem to have thought of everything," said another user.
"Even things that you didn't think you needed suddenly become items you just can't live without."


If Scotland votes for independence on 18 September, what would it actually mean for the rest of the UK?

Although only residents of Scotland can decide the outcome of the referendum, a "Yes" vote will mean changes for the whole of the UK - and one of the greatest will be to do with the physical size of the country itself.
So an already busy country would suddenly become much more crowded, statistically at least.
Economy
Scotland contributes some Â£106.3bn of goods and services in "Gross Value Added" (GVA) - the key measure by which the Office for National Statistics records regional economic output in the UK.
The UK's total GVA, which was some Â£1,383bn in 2012, according to ONS figures.
The effect of Scotland - and its population - leaving the UK would be a small increase in GDP per head of some Â£117.
The value of Scotland's exports to the rest of the world, excluding that to other UK nations, accounted for some 7% of the UK total in 2012.
Scotland's 59 seats in Westminster would disappear if the country votes "Yes" in September, and this could have a drastic impact on future governments.
Modelling the result of the 2010 general election minus Scotland's 59 Westminster seats would have seen David Cameron secure a modest but workable majority of 21. Labour would lose their 41 seats north of the border, while the Lib Dems would drop by 11.
In this alternate 2010 universe, the House of Commons would have looked like something like this.
Life expectancy
Scotland has long suffered lower life-expectancy rates than other parts of the UK, with social problems and pockets of severe poverty cited as factors.
Current UK figures show that men can expect to reach 78.7 years and women 82.6 years.
But if Scotland left the effect would only be a small statistical shift, with men gaining a potential extra 0.4 years (4.8 months) and women 0.3 years (3.6 months).
By comparison with the EU; life expectancy for men is highest in Sweden, where men can expect to reach 79.9 years, while women live longest in Spain (85.1 years).
Despite this, recent statistics for Scotland appear to show an improvement. [Click here]
An earlier version of this article misrepresented some data on life expectancy, GDP and exports. This has been amended.