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Wayne Rooney to miss Man U game as baby is due
Wayne Rooney will miss Manchester United's final game of the season today as wife Coleen is due to give birth to the couple's second child. The England striker was given permission by the Premier League winners to sit out the trip to play West Bromwich Albion.
Coleen is expecting a boy - a brother to Kai born in November 2009 - and revealed on her Twitter account that she was now past her due date. Today she also tweeted:
Such an uncomfortable sleep last night!!! #hurryupbaby ???? Looks like its gonna be a nice day today!! Enjoy x
From @ColeenRoo on Twitter:Plane forced to land on its belly after developing fault
A passenger jet in the United States was forced to land on its belly after the landing gear developed a fault. Amateur video captured the moment the US Airways Express flight touched down with 34 people on board. Sparks can be seen beneath the plane.
The jet circled Newark but after several failed attempts to get the landing gear down, the plane landed on its belly. No one was injured.
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West Brom prepare for Ferguson's last game
West Bromwich Albion are preparing to host Sir Alex Ferguson's final match as manager of Manchester United.
Albion manager Steve Clarke says his side are determined to ensure the match is "not just a party" for the Scot.
More than 20,000 programmes have been printed for the game (compared with 6,000 in previous games).
MPs in line for a pay rise of up to £20,000
MPs could have an extra £20,000 added to their salaries to help partly offset curbs to their pensions and personal expenses.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has been carrying out a fundamental review since taking responsibility for MPs' salaries two years ago.
A survey released by the watchdog in January found politicians on average believed they should be paid £86,000 rather than £66,000 with some demanding more than £100,000.
Ipsa is due to deliver its initial proposals for consultation next month. The main changes will not come into effect until after the general election in 2015.
Eurosceptics running a 'protection racket' in Tory party
The former EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson has accused eurosceptic politicians of "operating a sort of Soprano-style protection racket inside the Conservative party".
He told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show:
– peter mandelson, former eu trade commissionerThe UK isolation party and their fellow travellers in the Conservative party are ... operating a sort of Soprano-style protection racket inside the Conservative party. They are saying ... 'give us what we're demanding or we're going to burn your home down'. In my view the Prime Minister has got to say 'enough is enough'.
Jeremy Hunt casts doubt on 'loon' comments
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said he does not believe that someone close to the Prime Minister made the "swivel-eyed loons" comment.
Speakign on BBC1's Andrew Marr Show, he said that party activists are "in tune" with the views of British voters and that their input was "incredibly important to the DNA of the policies that we are putting into place".
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Hunt: Lord Howe's view does not 'represent the reality'
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has said that Lord Howe's portrayal of the Prime Minister losing control of the Conservative Party does not "represent the reality".
He told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show that the Conservative party is "absolutely united" behind the desire to change Britain's relationship with the EU.
Tory leadership has a 'disdainful' view of party activists
Tory MP Brian Binley has said he would not be surprised if a senior aide made the "swivel-eyed loons" remark because the party leadership has a "disdainful" view of volunteers.
Mr Binley, a member of the party board which is chaired by Lord Feldman, said: "I certainly will be wanting to know more about it when we have our next board meeting."
"Certainly the gap between the party leadership and the party's voluntary sector in the country is sizeable. I have made that complaint again and again," he added.
Person behind loon comments 'should be reprimanded'
Conservative MP John Redwood has said that if the "swivel-eyed loons" comments are found to be true then the person responsible "should be reprimanded".
He told BBC1's Andrew Marr show that he is "very glad" the comments have been "strenuously denied".
Tory MP: Cameron has a 'very united party behind him'
The Conservative MP John Redwood has said that his party is "very united" behind the Prime Minister on his strategy in Europe.
He told the BBC 1's Andrew Marr show that he, and other eurosceptic MPs, support David Cameron's policy of trying to renegotiate Britain's position within the EU before seeking a referendum.
"We're very happy with the policy of negotiate and decide," he added.
