Speech DeBelle has become the 17th recipient of the prestigious Mercury Prize for Music.

The hip-hop artist claimed the award for her album Speech Therapy ahead of favourites Florence and the Machine and the Horrors.

The South London artist, real name Corynne Elliot, released her debut album in June and was a surprise winner of one of the most highly regarded awards in British music.

She had been an outside favourite, though whispers of a win had increased when her odds were slashed on Tuesday afternoon, and she is the first woman to win the Mercury since Ms Dynamite in 2002.

Held at the Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair, London, the awards ceremony was presented by Jools Holland and included performances from the majority of nominees, including Friendly Fires and lesser-known nominees Led Bib, the Invisible and Sweet Billy Pilgrim.

Now in its 17th year, the prize and accompanying £20,000 cheque recognises the best British and Irish albums of the past 12 months.

Previous winners include Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons and Elbow.

Watch performances from the Mercury prize ceremony, courtesy of the BBC, below:

Florence and the Machine

La Roux

Speech DeBelle has become the 17th recipient of the prestigious Mercury Prize for Music.

The hip-hop artist claimed the award for her album Speech Therapy ahead of favourites Florence and the Machine and the Horrors.

The South London artist, real name Corynne Elliot, released her debut album in June and was a surprise winner of one of the most highly regarded awards in British music.

She had been an outside favourite, though whispers of a win had increased when her odds were slashed on Tuesday afternoon, and she is the first woman to win the Mercury since Ms Dynamite in 2002.

Held at the Grosvenor House hotel in Mayfair, London, the awards ceremony was presented by Jools Holland and included performances from the majority of nominees, including Friendly Fires and lesser-known nominees Led Bib, the Invisible and Sweet Billy Pilgrim.

Now in its 17th year, the prize and accompanying £20,000 cheque recognises the best British and Irish albums of the past 12 months.

Previous winners include Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons and Elbow.

Watch performances from the Mercury prize ceremony, courtesy of the BBC, below:

Florence and the Machine

La Roux

Police investigating the alleged heist of £40 million worth of jewellery from a west London store have made another arrest.

A 22-year-old man is in police custody on suspicion of conspiring to rob Graff jewellers last month when shots were fired at the New Bond Street store.

Earlier today another man appeared in court where he was remanded on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted murder, unlawful imprisonment and use of a handgun with intent to resist arrest.

Aman Kassaye, 24, of no fixed address, is the seventh man to be charged with conspiracy to rob in connection with the case. Two of the seven have also been charged with possessing a handgun.

He appeared at Wimbledon magistrates court today where he was remanded in custody until September 22nd when he will appear at Kingston crown court.

The six men already charged are due to next appear at the same court on October 23rd.

Chocolate maker Cadbury is under pressure to accept a £10.2 billion takeover offer from Kraft after the US food giant pledged to keep open a factory earmarked for closure.

Cadbury said on Monday the unsolicited offer "fundamentally undervalues" the group, but shares leapt by up to 37 per cent in early trading on the news.

Kraft Foods said its 745p per share offer would create a "global powerhouse in snacks, confectionary and quick meals" with annual revenue in excess of $50 billion.

"We are eager to build upon Cadbury’s iconic brands and strong British heritage through increased investment and innovation," said Irene Irene Rosenfeld, chairman and chief executive officer of Kraft Foods, which owns the Kenco and Maxwell House coffee brands and Oreo biscuits.

"We have great respect and admiration for Cadbury, its employees, its leadership and its proud heritage," she continued.

Ms Rosenfeld added that under the merger plans, UK would be a "net beneficiary in terms of jobs".

"For example, we believe we would be in a position to continue to operate the Somerdale facility, which is currently planned to be closed, and to invest in Bournville, thereby preserving UK manufacturing jobs," she said.

Cadbury, which was founded in Birmingham in 1824 and owns the Dairy Milk and Green & Blacks brands, said in a statement: "The board of Cadbury reviewed the proposal with its advisers and rejected it.

"The board is confident in Cadbury’s standalone strategy and growth prospects as a result of its strong brands, unique category and geographic scope."

More new-born children should be taken into care stop irreparable damage from poor parenting, according to the boss of a children’s charity.

Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said there should be less emphasis on "fixing families that can’t be fixed" and greater efforts from social workers to take at risk children into care.

His remarks come after two young brothers from Doncaster admitted a brutal attack on two other boys, aged nine and 11.

The attackers were under the care of social services at the time and were also known to local police.

Mr Narey told the Observer: "We can’t keep trying to fix families that are completely broken. It sounds terrible, but I think we try too hard with birth parents.

"I have seen children sent back to homes that I certainly wouldn’t have sent them back to. I have been extremely surprised at decisions taken."

A former director general of the Prison Service, he added: "If you can take a baby very young and get them quickly into a permanent adoptive home, then we know that is where we have success.

"That’s a view that is seen as a heresy among social services, where the thinking is that if someone, a parent, has failed, they deserve another chance.

"If we really cared about the interests of the child, we would take children away as babies and put them into permanent adoptive families, where we know they will have the best possible outcome."

Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, could be invited to appear on Question Time, the BBC has confirmed.

A spokesman said the broadcaster was bound by rules to treat representatives of all political parties with "due impartiality".

No representatives of the far-right party – which was elected to the European parliament in June – have yet appeared on the political panel show.

The BBC said talks were being held with other parties about the possible extension of an invitation to Mr Griffin, as some have previously refused to share a platform with the BNP due to its views on race.

"We are in talks with the parties on Question Time which could feature Nick Griffin," confirmed the BBC’s chief political adviser Ric Bailey.

"It’s worth noting that we often have discussions with people about who else is on the panel, but no parties can dictate who should or shouldn’t be included."

He added: "Due impartiality is achieved both by ensuring appropriate scrutiny for each party and by the appearances of a range of politicians across a series of programmes.

"Our audiences – and the electorate – will make up their own minds about the different policies offered by elected politicians."

The move has caused consternation among the BNP’s political opponents, with one unnamed cabinet minister telling the Sunday Times he would refuse to appear alongside Mr Griffin or any other BNP representatives on BBC programming.

The prime minister opted not to press Libya for compensation for victims of IRA bombings, Downing St has confirmed.

The revelation comes after claims the Libyan government unduly influenced the doctors who ruled Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi had only three months left to live.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, one of the doctors involved in the case, a Briton, was told by Libyan officials that a three-month figure would be "helpful" in securing al Megrahi’s release on compassionate grounds.

The Sunday Times, meanwhile, reports Gordon Brown did not consider it "appropriate" to enter talks with Libya over compensation for the victims of IRA bombs.

Campaigners have sought a payout from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime as it supplied the IRA with the Semtex explosives used for the attacks.

But in a letter to the victims’ lawyer Jason McCue last October, Mr Brown said the government did not "consider it appropriate to enter into a bilateral discussion with Libya on this matter", and cited the need for continued relations with Libya on matters such as terrorism.

Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the prime minister had not shown the same determination to secure compensation for victims of terrorism as US leaders had.

"I want to know – and the victims are entitled to know – why Gordon Brown does not have the same desire to stand up for the victims of IRA terrorism as George Bush showed standing up for American victims," he told the BBC.

"He got a multi-million dollar deal in terms of compensation from the Libyans."

Northern Ireland finance minister Nigel Dodds, who is also expected to attend cross-party talks in Tripoli alongside Mr Donaldson, added: "We believe it is important that the Libyan government hears first-hand why they have a moral obligation to the victims of the IRA.

"Many towns and cities across the UK were badly damaged by the Semtex they supplied and hundreds of lives lost."

In Mr Brown’s letter to Mr McCue, dated October 7th 2008, he wrote : "The UK government does not consider it appropriate to enter into a bilateral discussion with Libya on this matter.

"While the UK-Libya relationship does indeed include trade, bilateral co-operation is now wide-ranging on many levels, particularly in the fight against terrorism.

"I believe it is in all our interests for this co-operation to continue."

A Downing St spokesman rejected claims the prime minister’s decision had been influenced by a desire to protect lucrative oil contracts involving British firms.

"As the prime minister makes absolutely clear in his letter to Mr McCue, trade considerations were not a factor in the government’s decision that it would not be appropriate to enter into direct negotiations with Libya on this issue," the spokesman explained.

"The prime minister is sympathetic to the case put forward by the families of victims of IRA atrocities and met with a group representing them in December to listen to their concerns."

The prime minister opted not to press Libya for compensation for victims of IRA bombings, Downing St has confirmed.

The revelation comes after claims the Libyan government unduly influenced the doctors who ruled Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi had only three months left to live.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, one of the doctors involved in the case, a Briton, was told by Libyan officials that a three-month figure would be "helpful" in securing al Megrahi’s release on compassionate grounds.

The Sunday Times, meanwhile, reports Gordon Brown did not consider it "appropriate" to enter talks with Libya over compensation for the victims of IRA bombs.

Campaigners have sought a payout from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime as it supplied the IRA with the Semtex explosives used for the attacks.

But in a letter to the victims’ lawyer Jason McCue last October, Mr Brown said the government did not "consider it appropriate to enter into a bilateral discussion with Libya on this matter", and cited the need for continued relations with Libya on matters such as terrorism.

Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the prime minister had not shown the same determination to secure compensation for victims of terrorism as US leaders had.

"I want to know – and the victims are entitled to know – why Gordon Brown does not have the same desire to stand up for the victims of IRA terrorism as George Bush showed standing up for American victims," he told the BBC.

"He got a multi-million dollar deal in terms of compensation from the Libyans."

Northern Ireland finance minister Nigel Dodds, who is also expected to attend cross-party talks in Tripoli alongside Mr Donaldson, added: "We believe it is important that the Libyan government hears first-hand why they have a moral obligation to the victims of the IRA.

"Many towns and cities across the UK were badly damaged by the Semtex they supplied and hundreds of lives lost."

In Mr Brown’s letter to Mr McCue, dated October 7th 2008, he wrote : "The UK government does not consider it appropriate to enter into a bilateral discussion with Libya on this matter.

"While the UK-Libya relationship does indeed include trade, bilateral co-operation is now wide-ranging on many levels, particularly in the fight against terrorism.

"I believe it is in all our interests for this co-operation to continue."

A Downing St spokesman rejected claims the prime minister’s decision had been influenced by a desire to protect lucrative oil contracts involving British firms.

"As the prime minister makes absolutely clear in his letter to Mr McCue, trade considerations were not a factor in the government’s decision that it would not be appropriate to enter into direct negotiations with Libya on this issue," the spokesman explained.

"The prime minister is sympathetic to the case put forward by the families of victims of IRA atrocities and met with a group representing them in December to listen to their concerns."

The prime minister has offered his backing to victims of IRA terrorism seeking compensation from Libya after earlier outcry at his refusal to push for a pay-out.

Gordon Brown had earlier been criticised after saying he did not consider it "appropriate" to enter talks with Libya over compensation for the victims of IRA bombs.

Campaigners have sought a payout from Colonel Muammar Gaddafi’s regime as it supplied the IRA with the Semtex explosives used for the attacks.

But in a letter to the victims’ lawyer Jason McCue last October, Mr Brown had said the government did not "consider it appropriate to enter into a bilateral discussion with Libya on this matter", and cited the need for continued relations with Libya on matters such as terrorism.

However, speaking after talks with German chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, the prime minister said he will provide Foreign Office staff to accompany campaigners to Tripoli as they attempt to negotiate compensation from the Libyan government.

"I desperately care about the impact of all IRA atrocities on the victims, their families and communities," he commented.

"The Libyans have refused to accept a treaty or normal intergovernmental agreement on this issue.

"As a result, our judgement has been that the course more likely to bring results is to support the families and their lawyers in their legal representations to the Libyan authorities.

"We will appoint dedicated officers in the Foreign Office and our Embassy in Tripoli who will accompany the campaign group to meetings with the Libyan government to negotiate compensation, the first of which will be in the next few weeks."

Critics had alleged Mr Brown had not confronted Colonel Gaddafi due to a wish to protect lucrative British oil interest in Libya but the Labour leader maintained his earlier decision had been motivated by a wish to ensure Libya’s continued support in the fight against terrorism.

The campaigners’ lawyer Mr McCue said it was "a great day for victims" as the prime minister had made a "principled decision" that "listened to ordinary folk rather than bureaucrats".

"I am confident that his moral and logistical backing for the British victims of Libyan Semtex will ensure that they now receive justice and compensation, as did the US victims when they received the support of their president," he said.

Mr McCue added that "with our PM’s full support, I cannot see why this matter cannot be concluded swiftly in a matter of weeks and before parliament reconvenes."

A rail firm may have left thousands of passengers facing a difficult journey home after all but one of its Sunday service routes were cancelled today.

Drivers for London Midland typically work on a voluntary basis on Sundays but after insufficient numbers put themselves forward for work this week, the company has scrapped the majority of its routes this weekend.

Only the Birmingham-Liverpool service was expected to still be running while replacement bus services will be provided on some routes.

Shaun Hope, a spokesman for the Northampton Rail Users’ Group, told the BBC the situation was a "shambles".

"How can they run an essential service on a voluntary basis? It’s an astonishing way to operate a train service," he added.

But Bob Crow, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers Union (RMT), said the cancellations had arisen through staff exercising their contractual right not to work.

"Their contracts of employment say they haven’t got to work on a Sunday. It’s their choice," he explained.

"If someone wanted to work a Sunday because they’re short of money and said to the employer ‘I’m coming in this Sunday because I want some extra overtime’, then the employer hasn’t got to give it to him. Quite rightly so.

"But in reverse if the employee hasn’t got to work on a Sunday and doesn’t want to come in, he hasn’t got to come in.

"They’re not breaking their contracts of employment so what is the big deal?"

London Midland has posted an apology for the situation on its website and advised passengers to avoid travel if possible.