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Defiant Saddam faces justice
Friday's front pages are dominated by coverage of Saddam Hussein's appearance in an Iraqi court.
The former Iraqi dictator cut a defiant, but visibly reduced figure.
Decrying the proceedings as "a theatre" and claiming that "the real criminal is Bush", Saddam wore a grey suit that failed to disguise a serious weight loss.
He is accused of a number of crimes, including massacring 8,000 of the Kurdish Barzani clan in 1983 and killing tens of thousands of Kurds and destroying hundreds of villages during 1987-88.
A solicitor from the West Country who claims expertise in "neighbour disputes" is among Saddam's 20-strong legal team, according to the Guardian.
The Independent raises questions about the legality of the hearing - suggesting it was "worthy of the brutal old dictator".
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MPs slam defence policies
The government is embarking on a "potentially dangerous" policy of cutting back on armed forces manpower, the Commons defence committee said yesterday.
In a highly critical report the MPs said that the new systems were not even in place, and yet there were plans to reduce both manpower and platforms - ships, aircraft and tanks.
However clever the new technology systems, there was often "no substitute" for troops on the ground, according to the MPs.
"A policy of reducing or restructuring existing forces in advance of acquiring new capabilities is potentially dangerous," the report said.
The MPs also criticised the MoD for spending too much time on overseas operations.
The report said: "We are not convinced that an essentially reactive approach to defence of the UK homeland is satisfactory, given the nature of the threat to the UK today."
Meanwhile, European defence policy must be centred on NATO, Geoff Hoon has said.
The defence secretary said that the EU constitution would also strengthen transatlantic ties and lead to an increase in spending on hardware.
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Woolf firm against sentencing pressure
Britain's top judge confirmed on Thursday that the new body to lay down sentencing guidance would not pander to "public clamour" or bow to pressure from parliament.
Lord Woolf, the lord chief justice, told MPs on the Commons home affairs committee that the arrival of the new Sentencing Guidelines Council should stop "knee-jerk" legislating by parliament on sentencing.
"I do think it should be concerned about victims of crime to a very real degree; also it is very important that it should find which punishments can provide evidence... to show they do provide protection to the public."
Meanwhile, the selection of High Court judges in England and Wales should be halted pending an overhaul because it is biased and outdated, a watchdog said on Thursday.
The call came from the Commission for Judicial Appointments on the strength of the findings of the first audit of the way High Court judges are chosen.
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NHS output 'doubles'
Official statistics now portray extra government spending on public services in a more favourable light.
Revised figures published on Thursday by the Office for National Statistics show that "health care output" is increasing at nearly twice the rate previously thought.
They say that year-by-year growth in output rose by 4.1 per cent in 2002 and 2003 instead of by 2.6 per cent in both years.
Tony Blair and John Reid, the health secretary, called for a review of official statistics this year after figures showed that NHS efficiency had fallen since Labour came to power, despite large amounts of extra money being pumped into public services.
Meanwhile the Public Health Laboratory has warned that hospital overcrowding resulting from pressure to meet waiting lists is resulting in the spread of the MRSA superbug.
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Balls quits Treasury
Ed Balls, Gordon Brown's chief economic adviser, has resigned to concentrate on seeking to become a Labour MP.
The Treasury confirmed that his role would be split in two with Michael Ellam, a Treasury official, taking over shorter-term policy coordination and Ed Miliband, one of the chancellor's special advisers, responsible for long-term strategy.
In a testimony to Balls' importance, however, the FT suggests his role will fall to half a dozen Treasury officials.
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EU rebate under pressure
Ahead of a report into the EU's finances, the UK rebate is said to be coming under fresh pressure.
Romano Prodi has signalled that he believes the rebate, negotiated by the Thatcher government, "belonged to another period of European history".
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Peers back tuition fee Bill
The Higher Education Bill cleared its final hurdle in parliament on Thursday.
Universities will now assess the price to charge for each course up to £3,000 a year.
The cap of £3,000 cannot be raised in real terms before 2010 and after that date only after a debate and vote in both Houses of Parliament.
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New boost to specialist schools
The government has signalled that specialist schools which champion one subject will get additional funding if they can take on another area of expertise.
Charles Clarke also suggested ministers had failed to communicate the successes of business-sponsored secondary schools.
Ministers also claimed that the Conservatives' education plans would allow head teachers to introduce a "five-plus" academic exam for children before they can get into primary schools.
Meanwhile Sir Cyril Taylor, the architect of the specialist schools policy, has said that every state secondary will be in receipt of private money by the end of the decade.
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MP calls for CSA to be scrapped
Lib Dem MP Steve Webb has called on the Child Support Agency to be scrapped after a report revealed the number of serious complaints against the body have risen by 50 per cent.
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Labour's left moves to influence manifesto
This weekend will see the launch of the Labour Representation Committee - a move by the left to secure a left-wing manifesto.
The organisation, which has the support of MPs including Michael Meacher, is being headed by former Aslef chief Mick Rix.
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Mr and Mrs Howard set for TV appearance
Michael Howard and his wife Sandra are to become the first political husband and wife team to appear on daytime TV.
The couple will be interviewed by Philip Schofield and Fern Britton on ITV’s This Morning next Tuesday.
The Tory leader will also appear on BBC Radio Four’s Desert Island Discs on Sunday.
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MSPs all set for Holyrood
Members of the Scottish parliament have departed for their summer recess.
The next time they assemble will be at the new building at Holyrood.
The official opening of the new parliament by the Queen is planned for October 9. But it will be open for business in September provided it is finished on time.
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Cabinet split on two-tier workforce
The Cabinet is said to be split over measures to tackle two-tier workforces when public service delivery is transferred to the private sector.
Despite calls for measures to tackle the problem, David Blunkett and John Reid fear such a move could jeopardise reforms such as privately run prisons and diagnostic and treatment centres.
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Ethnic minority searches jump
A report released today is set to show a jump in the number of stop and searches involving members of the ethnic minorities.
Recent figures released by the Metropolitican Police revealed that the number of Asians stopped by police has risen by 41 per cent - a situation likely to be replicated when today's nationwide data is released.
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Falconer to proceed with reform
The government is set to pledge to press on with plans for a Supreme Court and replace the post of lord chancellor.
The move comes as a committee of peers today announces its failure to agree on changes to the reforms.
The House of Lords committee on the plans is expected to report today that it was deadlocked over the main proposals.
One source said: "The big issues have been considered too fundamental for the committee to determine. The committee is pretty evenly balanced."
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Howard hit by poll slip
A MORI poll has cast doubt on the Tories' recovery under Michael Howard.
The survey suggests the Conservative leader's support has nose-dived amongst non-aligned voters.
The poll also puts the Tories on 31 per cent - down on the early results under Howard's leadership.
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Morris on the spot over dance plans
Estelle Morris has been given three months to report back to the Commons Culture committee with a government strategy for dance.
The arts minister has been called upon to create a "clear, overarching policy on dance" that encompasses its contribution to the nation’s culture, education and health, as well as its potential for reducing crime.
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