Local Elections: UKIP Makes Significant Gains

Nigel Farage says his party is a "serious player" for 2015 after UKIP made significant gains in the local elections, leaving the other main party leaders admitting there was work to do.

The Prime Minister conceded the Conservatives had to start delivering on immigration and welfare reform, and said the public had become "frustrated" with the status quo.

With just a handful of results still to be called, Mr Farage successfully forecast that his party would win double the 80 seats predicted.

Mr Farage told the leaders of the main parties he would "see them in Westminster" as the results showed UKIP now had the potential to cause an "earthquake" at next year's General Election.

He said: "The UKIP fox is in the Westminster henhouse."

Asked whether the party would widen its pitch to voters beyond the EU and immigration, Mr Farage insisted it already had "clear principles" on cutting taxes and bringing back grammar schools.

David Cameron said the Conservatives had got to work harder

He added: "Don't think the immigration issue is going to go away. The plight of the eurozone is such that immigration is likely to be an even bigger question at the time of the general election."

With two results still to come, UKIP had gained 167 seats - giving them 184 seats in all but with no councils under their control; and Labour had gained 284 seats - giving them 4,111 seats and control of 81 councils - an increase of five.

The Conservatives have lost 225 seats, with 2,702 overall and controlling 41 councils - down 13; the Liberal Democrats are down 275 seats at 893 in total, seeing the number of councils under their control falling from eight to six.

UKIP took seats off both Labour and the Conservatives in their heartlands, which was particularly damaging to Ed Miliband, who has been accused by his own party of running an "unforgivably unprofessional" campaign.

Ed Miliband celebrated in Redbridge but said discontent had built up

Labour lost its grip in the north and, in a serious blow, lost control of Thurrock, a key marginal for the General Election in 2015.

Mr Miliband rejected that he was an electoral liability and told Sky News: "I think we ran a good campaign."

"I think in some parts of the country we have had discontent building up for decades about the way the country has been run and about the way our economy works … so what you are seeing in some parts of the country is people turning to UKIP as an expression of that discontent."

UKIP made its greatest gains in Essex, where Margaret Thatcher once identified the "Essex Man", a man who moved out of London, once voted Labour but switched to the Tories.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg admitted the Lib Dems had a bad night

David Cameron said: "We have got to work harder and we have got to really deliver on issues that are frustrating people and frustrating me, like welfare reform and immigration and making sure people really benefit from this recovery."

Education Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News there were lessons to be learned from UKIP's success.

According to the latest Sky News projection, the results so far would give a hung parliament at the 2015 General Election, with Labour holding the largest number of MPs.

Sky's election analyst Professor Michael Thrasher said UKIP's success suggested the party would claim at least one seat in the House of Commons next year - most likely in Castle Point, Essex.

Sky's European elections coverage starts at 9pm on Sunday

As predicted, the Liberal Democrats suffered significant losses, losing control in Kingston-Upon-Thames and in Portsmouth.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg admitted the party had had a bad night but said: "Actually I think in the areas where we have MPs where we have good organisation on the ground ... we are actually doing well."

Mr Farage celebrated by going on a tour of the areas where he had been most successful.

Siobhan Robbins, who was with him in Thurrock, said: "It was like he was a pop star. People were gathered around him and there was a scrum. I saw two grown men cry. One of them was saying: 'Thank you Nigel Farage. Thank you for showing us the light'."

:: Follow all the results as they come in on Twitter with @skyelections.

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Missing Yacht: Life Raft Discovered Unused

The life raft on the missing yacht Cheeki Rafiki has been found unused in its storage space, the US Coast Guard has said.

The search for the missing British sailors ended at 3am UK time after a search of the capsized boat found the only realistic means of survival had not been not deployed.

Navy divers found a completely flooded cabin with shattered windows, said the Coast Guard.

From left: Andrew Bridge, Steve Warren, James Male and Paul Goslin

"A US Navy warship smallboat crew and surface swimmer captured underwater imagery clearly identifying the raft in its storage space. The image was shared with and acknowledged by the families," said a statement.

"The crew and swimmer deployed to investigate the overturned boat after a helicopter crew located it 1,000 miles offshore Massachusetts and within the US Coast Guard's search area.

The lfe raft was found stored in the aft portion of the upturned boat

"The Navy surface swimmer determined the boat's cabin was flooded and windows were shattered, contributing to the complete flooding inside."

It had already been announced that the search would be called off in the early hours of Saturday if no signs of possible survival were discovered.

"None of the current developments" indicate the crew are still alive, said the US Coast Guard.

A statement on behalf of Stephen Warren's family said it was an "incredibly difficult" time for the family and that the search effort had been "exceptional".

The search effort involved military aircraft and ships

The upturned 40ft yacht had been found earlier on Friday, with divers first knocking on the hull to check for signs of life.

The families had said they were still hopeful they would be found despite the search being only hours from ending.

Relatives of Steve Warren, 52, Andrew Bridge, 22, James Male, 23, and Paul Goslin, 56, said they had been told "endless stories" of people surviving for months at sea.

The men's familes had previously campaigned for the search to go on

The sailing vessel ran into difficulties a week ago and began taking on water while returning to the UK from a regatta in Antigua.

Yacht training and charter company Stormforce Coaching said it had been in contact with skipper at the time and that the crew were keeping the situation stable.

An international search for the crew resumed on Tuesday after a request from the UK government and a online petition which collected more than 200,000 names.

The Cheeki Rafiki had been at a regatta in Antigua

The hunt included commercial vessels as well as aircraft from the US Coast Guard, US Navy, US Air Force, the Canadian military and the RAF.

Rescuers scoured more than 21,000 square miles of ocean since resuming their search for the boat.

Experts had agreed it would be virtually impossible for the crew to survive outside of the life raft in cold, rough seas.

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Missing Yachtsmen Search To Last One More Day

The US Coast Guard has said the search for four British sailors missing in the Atlantic will last for one more day.

Speaking in Boston, Massachusetts, the man leading the hunt said that if nothing was found the search would be called off at midnight on Friday - 5am on Saturday UK time.

Captain Anthony Popiel said he had phoned the men's families: "I informed them that the search would continue throughout the night and into tomorrow.

"If by midnight tomorrow (5am UK time) there are no further developments to indicate search efforts would locate the crew alive we will suspend the search."

Family members of the missing men outside the Foreign Office on Thursday

He added: "It is only after deepest consideration that we suspend active search efforts."

Debris was found in the search area on Thursday, but Captain Popiel said none of the objects located so far match the missing yacht.

"We've informed the British consulate of our plans and appreciate the support we've received with this decision," he told a news conference.

Captain Popiel says he has informed the men's families

"With sincere compassion for the families of these four men, our thoughts and prayers are with them all during this difficult time."

Steve Warren, 52, Andrew Bridge, 22, James Male, 23, and Paul Goslin, 56, were on board the 40ft yacht when it ran into difficulties a week ago while returning to the UK from a regatta in Antigua.

An initial search for the stricken vessel was called off on Sunday amid bad weather in the Atlantic Ocean, but began again on Tuesday after pressure from the men's families.

More than 200,000 people also signed a petition demanding the operation be resumed and the families of the four sailors have written to President Obama to thank him for his support.

The search, around 1,000 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, includes commercial vessels as well as aircraft from the US Coast Guard, the US Air Force, the Canadian military and the RAF.

"The Coast Guard cutter Vigorous will arrive on scene tonight," added Captain Popiel.

"A US Navy warship has already arrived in the search area and commenced search operations with a helicopter."

More than 17,500 square miles of ocean have been covered since the search resumed three days ago.

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Early Local Election Results Show UKIP Gains

Early results from local elections across England show UKIP has made major gains at the expense of both Labour and the Conservatives.

As the counting of votes continues for 161 English councils, UKIP has so far seen a net gain of 66 seats.

The first council to change hands was at Castle Point, in Essex, where five UKIP gains left the Conservatives one seat short of overall control.

The Tories have lost control of six councils in total, including Southend-on-Sea and Basildon.

UKIP saw a significant gain of 11 seats in Basildon, where the Conservatives lost seven seats and Labour two.

A ballot box is emptied at Trinity School in Croydon

The swing sees UKIP become the second strongest party in the council.

Sky's election analyst Professor Michael Thrasher said on the basis of the early results, UKIP looks likely to make significant gains in next year's general elections.

Prof Thrasher said UKIP's success suggests the party would claim at least one seat in the House of Commons in 2015.

Labour has so far claimed victory in seventeen councils, including Sunderland, South Tyneside, Sandwell and Birmingham.

But UKIP has made significant gains in Labour heartlands, including taking 10 of the 21 council seats up for election in Rotherham.

UKIP's director of communications Patrick O'Flynn told Sky News he wants the party to secure more than 100 council seats.

He said: "That would be terrific for us. I think we can do it."

The Conservatives currently hold eleven councils, including Swindon, Tandridge, Hertsmere and Fareham.

Results of the local elections are seen as a key indicator of the public mood ahead of next year's general election.

Counting begins in Fleming Park Leisure Centre in Eastleigh

Votes were cast on Thursday for 161 councils across the country, and a further 11 councils in Northern Ireland.

More than 40 million people also had the opportunity to cast their ballots at polling stations to select their MEP.

The results from the European polls will not be known until Sunday, after people living in all member states across the European Union have voted.

In the lead up Thursday's local and European polls, Labour's campaigning focused on seats that are likely to be major battlegrounds in next year's general election.

Mr Miliband and his wife Justine in Yorkshire after casting their votes

Labour claims that a strong result would mean an extra 200 councillors for Labour.

But senior MP Emily Thornberry said she expected the figure to be "around 150".

She told Sky News: "If the Tories had a real chance of winning the next general election, they have to win seats tonight because in 2010 that was the night they failed to win a majority.

"In 2015 they have to improve on what they have done now and they haven't and they're losing seats."

As the polls closed late on Thursday, Mr Miliband thanked his party activists on Twitter and looked ahead to the general election.

Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha vote in Westminster

"Thank you to every Labour supporter out campaigning today (especially those who got soaked!)," he said.

"Today, we campaigned for a Britain where hardworking people are better off. Tomorrow the campaign begins to win that same fight in May 2015."

In a message to Conservative supporters on Twitter, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "To all the Conservatives who campaigned these past few weeks: thank you.

"Whatever the results, I'm proud of the campaign we fought together.

"And, with the polls now closed, I'd also like to say thank you to everyone who voted Conservative today. Your support is hugely appreciated."

Mr Farage casts his vote in Cudham, Kent

UKIP is expected to finish on top in the European elections, in which all 73 of the UK's seats in the European Parliament are up for grabs.

Party leader Nigel Farage had encouraged voters to trigger an "earthquake" in British politics with a strong showing at the polls.

A senior Labour source has conceded that UKIP will do well in the polls.

The source said: "We are now in an era of four-party politics but what we have got to do, and what we hope we are starting to do, is win where it matters in the local elections."

Labour is predicted to finish second, followed by the Conservatives in third place.

Mr Clegg's Liberal Democrats are bracing for some "difficult" results

The Liberal Democrats, which in one opinion poll were placed fifth behind the Green Party, could lose all of their MEPs.

The party, which is led by Nick Clegg, acknowledges it could be in for a "difficult" night and faces a battle to avoid losing control of some of its councils, including Kingston-upon-Thames.

But Business Secretary Vince Cable told Sky News the losses for the Lib Dems could be lower than predicted.

"It is going to be a difficult night - I think we've never concealed that - but not just for us. I think both Labour and the Conservatives will find it difficult.

"But we're in Government, we take a kicking for the things the Government does that are unpopular and it does reflect on us.

"We have got approaching 800 councillors up. I think we will do rather better than some of the predictions."

:: Follow all the results as they come in on Twitter with @skyelections.

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Hundreds Discharged From Hospitals Every Night

By Thomas Moore, Health Correspondent

Thousands of NHS patients are being discharged from hospitals every year in the middle of the night despite bosses ordering a crackdown on the practice, a Sky News investigation has found.

The number of patients leaving hospital in England between 11pm and 6am has actually risen in the last two years, new figures show.

In almost half of cases, the proportion of patients discharged overnight has also increased.

In April 2012 NHS England medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh called on hospitals to cut down on overnight discharges following a series of cases where vulnerable patients had been left to make their own way home.

Dr Mike Smith has said the practice is driven by the need for beds

The NHS was accused of discharging patients overnight to try to free up beds.

However, figures obtained by Sky News following Freedom of Information requests show that since Sir Bruce's intervention the practice is still widespread and in many cases rising.

According to the figures more than 300,000 patients have been discharged late at night since 2012 - an average of around 400 a night. Tens of thousands of those patients were over 75.

As only 72 of England's 160 NHS trusts were able to provide full figures for the last three years, the true number is certain to be far higher.

Dr Mike Smith, chair of the Patients Association, said: "They have got people in A&E chomping at the bit, lying in corridors, they have got to be admitted and they have no beds.

The number of patients discharged overnight increased at 41 hospital trusts

"It's for the convenience of staff and the person they are admitting but at the gross detriment to the person they are chucking out."

Experts say that patients often end up in care homes in the middle of the night.

Nadra Ahmed, chair of the National Care Association, said: "They are going back without any relevant information about how their care might have changed, what the diagnosis might have been, their paperwork is not following because people are off duty and often without the relevant medication they need for the following day or even through the night."

Patient Michael Atkinson told Sky News that in March 2013 he was discharged from the Royal Bolton Hospital A&E at 3am, despite being in a confused state.

He was found by police an hour later wandering on a cricket pitch almost a mile away.

He said: "I did not know who I was, where I was I did not know where I was going. I was just wandering basically. I was in pain."

Michael Atkinson was found wandering after he was discharged overnight

His wife Helen said: "He could have died. He was blue with cold. Something must be done to stop this happening. You are in hospital for a reason - to be looked after."

The hospital said that Mr Atkinson had left before transport could be arranged for him but said that staff had tried to learn lessons from the incident.

Sky News asked 160 NHS trusts in England how many patients had been discharged between 11pm and 6am in the past three years.

Of those, 72 trusts provided figures for all three years. In 41 cases, the number of patients discharged overnight increased.

In 31 cases the proportion of patients discharged between 11pm and 6am increased. In three trusts it remained the same.

Of the 72 trusts that replied, 152,472 patients were discharged between 11pm and 6am in 2011/12, rising to 152,479 in 2013/14.

The figures also reveal that 20,152 were aged over 75 in 2011/12; 19,728 in 2012/13 and 18,548 in 2013/14.

The proportion of patients discharged overnight remained the same at 2.41%.

Some 25 trusts said they did not collect the data or that it would take too much time to find it and the remaining hospitals did not reply to the FOI request.

A spokesperson for NHS England, said: "Discharging patients at night without appropriate support is unacceptable, particularly if a patient is vulnerable.

"Where a patient wishes to leave late at night or early in the morning, it should accommodated only where it is safe and clinically appropriate and with the support of family, friends or carers.

"The decision to do this should always be based on what is best for the patient."

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Patients Discharged At Night: 'It's Sickening'

Sky News viewers have reacted with anger at our investigation that shows the number of patients leaving hospital in England between 11pm and 6am has risen.

Health Correspondent Thomas Moore's report comes despite NHS bosses ordering a crackdown on the practice.

Sarah Louise Matthews-Lang wrote on Facebook: "I'm a care assistant in a brilliant care home and sickens me if a resident of ours gets sent back to us at 2am yes that's right 2am...

"Its shocking how they send them back without relatives,so are very distressed due to this,and yes I do give the hospital hell as this is abuse,and so do the family that doesn't get information from hospital when they should."

Diane Widger wrote: " I worked in a specialist care home and they sent patience back to us very late at night in the cold and looking distressed!!"

Pepper Ferne also wrote on Facebook: "Yes, happened to me recently from Leeds General Infirmary. Discharged at 1am, still very shaky and ill. Had to go walking the city and pay £10.00 for a hackney cab home."

However Alan Reynolds thinks it is a difficult decision for the hospitals.

He wrote: "Who has the greater need for the bed: the person in A&E needing treatment or the person whose treatment has been completed? Seems obvious to me, and it looks a case of needs must. How this is managed to maximise utilisation of a scarce result may not be easy to answer."

Alexander Crossley wrote on Twitter: "if a patient is healthy enough to go home at 2am they should do so the hospital can treat others."

Have your say on Facebook or tweet @skynewsthomas

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Missing Yachtsmen: Coastguard In New Search

The US Coastguard has resumed its search for a yacht that is thought to have capsized with four Britons on board.

News emerged of the decision after more than 150,000 people signed an online petition, demanding the hunt for the Cheeki Rafiki and its crew was relaunched.

An area of more than 4,000 square miles in the Atlantic Ocean had been scoured by the coastguard last Friday and Saturday.

But it could not find any sign of Andrew Bridge, 22, James Male, 23, Steve Warren, 52, and 56-year-old Paul Goslin, whose 40ft yacht ran into difficulties 620 miles from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on Thursday.

From left: Andrew Bridge, Steve Warren, James Male and Paul Goslin

The search, involving US and Canadian aircraft as well as commercial vessels, was called off early on Sunday after 53 hours amid treacherous weather.

Relatives of the four men welcomed the decision to begin searching again - as the number of people who signed the petition rose to over 220,000 by Tuesday evening.

Graham Male, father of James, expressed his thanks to the UK, US and Canadian governments, coastguards, and those who had signed the petition.

He added: "Now let's bring our loved ones home."

The yacht got into difficulties as it was heading back to the UK

Mr Warren's sister, Kay Coombes, told Sky News: "I was on the phone to the US Coastguard and I was quite firm with them and asked to speak to somebody that could help me (and who I could ask) why they weren't searching.

"I was put on hold for a few minutes and they came back to say they had decided to start searching again.

"They said to me a plane would be in the air within the hour and also that they were also talking to the air force and the Canadians to see what resources they could spare.

"People-power has been amazing. We've moved a mountain today."

A cargo ship spotted an overturned hull of a yacht. Pic: Maersk Kure

Mr Bridge's grandmother, Valerie, said: "We are delighted. It is at least something and that is all we were asking for, all we wanted was another search.

"It might not come to anything but people want them to do it and they are trying. It seemed too quick, just two days and we were saying 'if only they could do it (search) for a bit longer'. You never know what could happen."

Mr Robertson said: "The UK Government has been in constant contact with our US colleagues.

"I'd like to thank the US Coastguard for what they have done thus far, and to assure everybody that the UK Government will do everything possible to try and locate these missing yachtsmen."

A US Coastguard aircraft that is searching for the yacht

Prime Minister David Cameron said: "My thanks to the US Coastguard, which has resumed its search for our missing yachtsmen."

The Cheeki Rafiki crew had sent out locator beacons 1,000 miles east of Massachusetts and the coastguard estimated the survival time for the Britons was 20 hours after "the time of distress".

An overturned hull of a yacht matching the description of the vessel was spotted and photographed by a cargo ship, Maersk Kure, assisting the search.

The families of the men insist they would have had time to escape onto a life raft.

Contact with the vessel, which was returning to the UK from a regatta in Antigua, was lost in the early hours of Friday as it diverted to the Azores.

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Police To Patrol More Than 100 Polling Stations

By Jason Farrell, Political Correspondent

Police will be stationed at more than 100 polling stations to combat voter intimidation and fraud at the Local and European elections on Thursday, Sky News has learned.

The Electoral Commission has identified 16 areas as being at "high risk" for vote-rigging and bullying. 

This includes Tower Hamlets, which in response has introduced what the council described as "the strongest measures to prevent fraud of any authority in London - and one of the most robust in the country".

The council said: "On polling day, police officers will be stationed at all 125 polling stations in the borough for the whole 15 hours of the poll (from 7am to 10pm) to deal with any alleged malpractice or public order issues."

Returning Officer John Williams said they were responding to allegations of intimidation during previous elections.

He said: "In general it has been enthusiastic campaigners gathering outside polling stations and trying to convince electors as they are coming in to vote who they should be voting for and sometimes that can be intimidating for people."

Councils are also investigating irregularities on nomination, voter registration and postal vote forms.

In Tower Hamlets they are not just screening signatures and birth dates on postal votes, but also visiting houses with high numbers of registered voters.

More than 5,000 names have been removed from the electoral register since February.

Most councils said they would respond as situations arose

Pendle is another area identified.

Conservative council candidate Abdullah Zaid said activists have in the past coerced vulnerable voters on the doorstep.

He said: "They say, 'how do we know your voting for us? To assure us you need to do the postal vote applications (now).'

"Then they do the applications themselves and get their signatures and send off the postal votes."

Lib Dem Councillor Tony Greaves, who has campaigned on the issue and sits in the House of Lords, said: "Fiddling postal votes has happened at every local election in Pendle since 2002 and it has taken this long for people and the police to sit up and take notice.

Police will be at all 125 polling stations in Tower Hamlets

"It is a disgrace to British democracy and I will not stop saying so, both in Pendle and in the House of Lords, until it is stamped out."

Labour Leader Mohammad Iqbal said it can be as bad at polling stations.

"One of the reasons that people chose postal voting in Pendle is because they were fed up of certain political activists - and this is across all parties both Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives," he said.

"The activists used to stand outside polling stations and harass people and that was one of the reasons why people took up postal voting."

Pendle is one of 16 areas identified by the Electoral Commission

The at-risk areas are mostly Asian communities.

The others are: Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley and Oldham, Kirklees, Bradford, Calderdale, Derby, Walsall, Birmingham, Coventry, Peterborough, Slough, and Woking.

Apart from Tower Hamlets, no other council is planning to police every polling station, although Walsall will have officers at four out of 139 polling stations.

Most said they would respond to situations as they arose.

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Abu Hamza Found Guilty In New York Terror Trial

By Hannah Thomas-Peter, New York Correspondent

Extradited British cleric Abu Hamza has been found guilty of terrorism charges in the United States.

The radical preacher faced 11 charges in total, including conspiring to set up a terror training camp in Oregon, conspiring to kidnap Americans in Yemen and providing support to terrorist organisations.

At a federal court in New York, the jury convicted him on all counts. He could face life in prison when he is sentenced.

Hamza, whose real name is Mustafa Kamel Mustafa, has already served a UK prison sentence for using his sermons at the Finsbury Park Mosque in London to incite murder and racial hatred.

He was extradited to the US in 2012 after a protracted legal battle and had been awaiting trial since then.

The prosecution said Hamza, 56, used the cover of religion to export terror and violence across the world.

Abu Hamza was extradited to the US in 2012

In a court room just blocks from Ground Zero, the jury watched an interview in which Hamza celebrated the 9/11 attacks and the hijackers.

They heard him give speeches justifying suicide bombings, the killing of civilians and urging young men to train for violent jihad.

Prosecutor Edward Kim told the court: "His cause was war and it was all consuming ... his goal was simple and it was clear and it was vicious."

The court heard how Hamza conspired to set up an al Qaeda-style training camp in Bly, Oregon, without ever setting foot in America.

Inspired by his sermons, a Seattle-based follower called James Ujaama thought the remote area with permissive gun laws would make a perfect training ground for fighters intent on waging holy war.

He wrote in a fax to Hamza that it was "just like Afghanistan".

Ujaama, who served a prison sentence in connection with his role at the camp, but who secured early release in exchange for co-operation with the US government, told the court that Hamza's backing for the camp would be a "star attraction".

He said: "Abu Hamza's view on the physical jihad training was that it's obligatory, every Muslim should engage in it."

Hamza, who told the court he lost both hands in an accident while working as a contractor for the Pakistani military, was also charged with conspiring to kidnap American tourists in Yemen in 1998.

His lawyers argued that the cleric acted as an intermediary to negotiate the release of the hostages.

They also said their client was guilty only of holding offensive views, and revealed in court that during his time in London, Hamza had acted as a kind of consultant to the British intelligence services.

He was often called upon, they said, to use his contacts and ease tensions to "keep the streets of London safe".

They said Hamza, who broke down on the stand while testifying about the massacre of men and boys in Bosnia, was a principled, independent man who was concerned about the plight of oppressed Muslims.

Britain's Home Secretary Theresa May said: "I am pleased that Abu Hamza has finally faced justice. He used every opportunity, over many years, to frustrate an delay the extradition process."

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Troops Take Charge On Bangkok Streets

Armed troops and military vehicles have been deployed in central Bangkok after the army declared martial law across Thailand.

Soldiers have been seen in the city's retail and hotel district, and the army commandeered television stations to broadcast their message to the nation.

They also surrounded the national police headquarters in Bangkok and banned protest marches.

Military chiefs have denied staging a coup and claims it is trying to restore order after six months of protests and political unrest that have left Thailand without a fully functioning government.

Soldiers are taking charge of public security to protect against any more violent protests, said army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha.

"To bring back peace into all groups and all sides as soon as possible, I've used legal sections two and four to announce martial law over all of Thailand," said the General.

Thailand has been in a state of upheaval since 2006, but the latest unrest began in November when anti-government protesters tried to oust former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Shinawatra, the sister of former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, was removed from power earlier this month for abuse of power - along with nine ministers.

However, the move has done little to dampen disquiet against the interim government.

The army's surprise announcement comes a day after acting prime minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan refused to step down.

Hundreds have been injured and 28 people have died in the last six months of street protests.

More follows...

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Hunt For Killer On Run From Jail For Third Time

Police are hunting a convicted murderer who has gone on the run from prison for the third time.

Arnold Pickering, 44, and armed robber Thomas Moffett walked out of HMP Kennet in Liverpool at 9.30am on Saturday morning.

The pair were due back at around 4.40pm the same day. Their disappearance was reported to Merseyside Police at about 7pm.

Pickering was serving a life sentence for stabbing a man to death in Oldham, Greater Manchester, in 1990.

He killed his 55-year-old victim, who was partially blind and deaf, while on the run from Strangeways in Manchester.

Pickering last absconded in December 2009 when he was let out on day release from HMP Kirkham to work on the bins in Manchester city centre.

He handed himself in four days later in Motherwell, Scotland.

Moffett armed himself with a nail gun and robbed off-licences

The killer is described as around 5ft 11in tall, medium build with blue eyes. He has tattoos on his arms and chest.

Moffett, 51, is serving an indeterminate sentence for a string of robberies carried out in Blackburn, Lancashire, in 2006.

He armed himself with a nail gun and then raided six off-licences.

The pair were risk assessed as suitable for temporary release on licence by the Ministry of Justice.

Officers earlier said they believe both men could be in the Southport area, and warned the public not to approach the fugitives.

Police later confirmed that a 51-year-old man was arrested in Blackburn, Lancashire, for being unlawfully at large.

Prisons Minister Jeremy Wright said: "I am not prepared to see public safety compromised.

"The system for allowing prisoners out on temporary licence has been too lax up till now and we are making major changes to address this.

"There will shortly be significant restrictions on who is granted temporary release - which from now on must be earnt - tightening up of monitoring arrangements and abolishing any leave without a clear link to rehabilitation."

Officers are appealing to anyone with information to call Merseyside Police on either 0151 777 3803 or 0151 777 3891, or via 101.

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Pfizer's £69bn Takeover Bid For AstraZeneca

Pfizer-AstraZeneca Takeover Explained

Updated: 10:38pm UK, Sunday 18 May 2014

Pfizer has expressed an interest in taking over AstraZeneca but what does that mean for Britain and British jobs, and what can the Government do about it?

:: So is there a bid or isn't there?

It's more of a proposal than a bid, really. Pfizer has made it clear it wants to buy British-based AstraZeneca and that it will pay £63bn for it but there's no official bid.

AstraZeneca has made it plain it's not interested, at least not for that amount, and the management haven't even held talks.

:: If it doesn't want to be bought isn't that the end of the story?

No. Pfizer can raise its bid or launch a hostile takeover offer in which it appeals directly to AstraZeneca's shareholders to sell up – which they may do thinking it is a better deal. Kerching.

:: Why does Pfizer want AstraZeneca so much?

It's made it pretty clear that buying AstraZeneca would allow it to be domiciled in the UK so it can pay tax to the British Government.

Corporation tax in the UK is 20% from next year but in the US companies pay 38% of profits in similar taxes.

:: What will it mean for the 6,700 British AstraZeneca staff?

Uncertainty and potentially job losses - Pfizer's boss has admitted this.

There are real fears Pfizer will asset strip AstraZeneca leading to significant redundancies and substantial damage to British scientific research capabilities.

:: But I read Pfizer had guaranteed jobs

No, it has guaranteed it will base 20% of its worldwide research and development staff in Britain – not quite the same thing.

It won't say how many people or where in the UK they will be based, although it has said it will keep AstraZeneca's new Cambridge research facility.

:: Are the guarantees worth the paper they are written on?

In a way yes, in a way no. Under the Takeover Panel rules the guarantee is legally binding for one year although Pfizer insists it will honour its pledges for five years.

However, crucially, there is a clause that says these obligations could be changed "should circumstances significantly change" ie plenty of wriggle room.

In addition it takes 10 years for a drug to get from the lab to the doctor's surgery so a five-year guarantee means little to Britain's scientific researchers.

:: Can't the Government do something?

Ultimately no. The Enterprise Act only allows it to step in under the public interest test ie if it affects national security or financial stability – which it doesn't.

Business Secretary Vince Cable has suggested the law could be changed to include scientific research and development as public interest.

In any event the final say goes to the European Commission and it will make the decision based on competition.

:: And what about competition?

Don't forget while Pfizer is bigger than AstraZeneca, neither are small concerns. A merger will create a huge firm. It will represent the biggest ever takeover of a British firm by a foreign company.

There are very real concerns such big "big pharma" will completely ruin small science research outfits.

Remember AstraZeneca and Pfizer have sites all over this world, this is not just about the UK and US politicians have also raised concerns over jobs.

:: So what are the positives of a takeover?

Well Pfizer will be paying tax to the Government and investing in Britain - all good.

And it says that the combined power of both companies will bring improved treatments for conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

In addition, it is investment in science, which is key to the Government's economic strategy.

:: What next?

MPs on House of Commons committees have been hearing from the firms and from unions worried about job cuts but ultimately that is just talk.

Under Takeover Panel rules having indicated its interest on April 26, Pfizer has until May 26 to make an official bid.

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Nigeria Kidnappings: Nations Ready To Wage War

Police 'Ill-Equipped' To Fight Boko Haram

Updated: 10:18am UK, Saturday 17 May 2014

Police in Chibok have said they are not equipped to deal with another Islamist attack like the one which resulted in the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, who is in Chibok, said that despite an increased security presence, police felt under-equipped to serve as any sort of meaningful deterrent against further attacks.

One officer told her he felt unable to enter into a combat situation with the militants, many of whom are armed with heavy machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades. 

It has been over a month since more than 200 girls were seized by the militants.

Residents in Chibok, in Nigeria's northern Borno state, say they are in constant fear of further attacks, with abductions and killings taking place in the region on a regular basis.

Nigerian authorities are accused of being powerless in the face of the Islamist threat and too slow to respond to the schoolgirls' abduction. 

Speaking to Sky News, Nigerian presidential aid Dr Doyin Okupe denied the security forces were under equipped saying: "It is not correct at all."

He said there had been significant improvements in the kit provided to the police and army over the last three years and added that "slowly but surely we are equipping" them.

Frustration with the government rose further on Friday when President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have cancelled a visit to the region.

It was reported that his security team had advised him against a visit to Chibok on the basis that it was too dangerous. 

However, on Saturday morning, Dr Okupe denied that Mr Jonathan had cancelled the visit and said it was a "misconception". The president would be visiting Chibok, he said.

Crawford said the families of the missing girls were "very upset and very angry" at the president's apparent last-minute decision to pull out. 

She said: "As one father of an abducted girl told me: 'If it's not safe enough for the president of Nigeria to come to Chibok, how on earth does he feel about us residents of Chibok living here?'."

And added the community was still upset that the president had not yet visited, after the April 14 kidnapping.

The president instead flew directly from the capital Abuja to Paris, where he is due to take part in a summit with the leaders of Nigeria's neighbouring states later today.

Representatives from Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin will all take part in the half-day meeting aimed at forging a joint strategy to overcome the militants. 

Ahead of the summit, one French diplomat said: "Boko Haram represents a risk to the stability of every state in the region, and the leaders of these countries have to be aware of that."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry are also scheduled to attend the meeting hosted by French President Francois Hollande.

Britain, the US and France are all taking part in the search for the missing schoolgirls.

Nothing was seen of the girls until last week when Boko Haram released a video appearing to show a group of about 100 of them who the group said had converted to Islam.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau said the girls would not be released until detained militants of the group were freed from prison.

The Nigerian government has reportedly ruled out negotiations on a prisoner swap.

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Carney: UK Housing Market Has 'Deep Problems'

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

The British housing market has "deep, deep" problems, according to the Governor of the Bank of England.

In an interview with Sky's Murnaghan show to be broadcast in full later this morning, Mark Carney warns that rising house prices represents the biggest current risk to the economy.

And the number of large mortgages being approved to house buyers is on the rise, he adds.

Mr Carney says that the UK is in need of new house building.

He says that compared to his home country of Canada, for example, the UK built half the number of new homes every year despite having twice the population. 

Canada builds around 200,000 new homes a year compared to just 133,000 similar properties that were built in the UK last year.

Mr Carney said: "The issue around the housing market in the UK … is there are not sufficient (numbers of) houses (being) built."

Mark Carney has issued a warning over the UK housing market

Asked if more houses need to be built, Mr Carney replied: "That would help us out.

"We're not going to build a single house at the Bank of England. We can't influence that.

"What we can influence … is whether the banks are strong enough. Do they have enough capital against risk in the housing market?"

Mr Carney said they could also check lending procedures "so people can get mortgages if they can afford them but they won't if they can't".

"By reinforcing both of those we can reduce the risk that comes from a housing market that has deep, deep structural problems," he added.

Mr Carney said there was evidence that large mortgages, where lenders approve loans of more than four times people's salaries, are on the rise again.

"We don't want to build up another big debt overhang that is going to hurt individuals and is very much going to slow the economy in the medium term," he said.

"We'd be concerned if there was a rapid increase in high loan-to-value mortgages across the banks. We've seen that creeping up and it's something we're watching closely."

Last week, Mr Carney surprised many by playing down the chances of an imminent rise in interest rates despite fears of a growing house price bubble.

But he admitted the issue was the biggest current threat to the economy.

"The biggest risk to financial stability, and therefore to the durability of the expansion, centres on the housing market and that's why we're focused on that," he said.

Prices are currently rising at more than 10% a year across the country.

Analysis by Sky News has shown the number of £1m properties has doubled since 2008.

Earlier this month, the OECD think tank called on the Bank of England to impose measures to help quell rising house prices.

Both the coalition and Labour are committed to building hundreds of thousands of new homes.

However, construction still lags behind Government targets.

Housing Minister Kris Hopkins said: "In 2010 we inherited a broken housing market, but our efforts to fix it are working.

"We've scrapped the failed top-down planning system, built over 170,000 affordable homes, and released more surplus brownfield sites for new housing.

"We've also helped homebuyers get on the housing ladder, because if people can buy homes, builders will build them."

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