Whole Truth Coalition

Russia’s richest man entertained George Osborne and David Cameron’s chief fundraiser on his yacht in Corfu, leading to discussion of a £50,000 donation to the Conservative Party.

After the furore of Lord Mandelson’s stay on the same yacht, friends of the new Business Secretary have let it be known that he was not the only senior politician to enjoy the hospitality of Oleg Deripaska this summer.

In a letter to The Times, Nathaniel Rothschild, a mutual friend of Lord Mandelson and Mr Osborne, said that the Shadow Chancellor and Andrew Feldman, chief executive of the Tory party, spent time on the Queen K.

The allegations made by Mr Rothschild sparked a furious exchange of claim and counterclaim.

Mr Rothschild said that Mr Osborne and Mr Feldman discussed a donation from Mr Deripaska for Tory coffers. He also said that Mr Feldman suggested that Mr Deripaska might channel the money through one of his British companies.

The claim was vehemently denied by the Tories, who said it was Mr Deripaska who, at a later date, offered money. The Conservatives say they did not take up his offer. Donations by overseas residents are illegal, as is using a British company as a proxy to disguise an impermissible donation, under legislation passed in 2000.

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A vaccination given to babies has been linked to asthma.

Experts believe the diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough jabs might provoke an immune system response which predisposes the body to the lung condition.But delaying the vaccines by two months from the recommended age dramatically reduces the risk, doctors found.They set out to test a theory that the timing of the triple jab affects the development of childhood asthma. 

For the study, 11,531 children received four doses of the combined DTP jab. Babies are supposed to have their first dose by the age of two months. It was found the likelihood of developing asthma by the age of seven was halved if this initial dose was delayed by two months.
Of nearly 5,000 babies studied who had the jab at the scheduled age, 13.8 per cent developed asthma. This compared with a rate of 5.9 per cent in babies who were four months or older at first DTP immunisation.

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The chief prosecutor has warned the surveillance society is threatening to ‘break the back of freedom’.

Sir Ken Macdonald, Director of Public Prosecutions, said the state was poised to take powers to keep information on everyone and ‘we might end up living with something we can’t bear.’

His message  -  delivered ten days before he steps down as head of the Crown Prosecution Service  -  was a parting shot at ministers who aim to make every phone call, email, test message and internet visit available to police and security services.

Sir Ken said: ‘We need to take very great care not to fall into a way of life in which freedom’s back is broken by the relentless pressure of a security state.’

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