News

Travel company First Choice has said it was working together with the hotel to find out what had happened to a five-year-old British girl who drowned in a hotel pool in Egypt.

A spokeswoman said: "First Choice is currently carrying out a full investigation with the hotelier and resort team to understand how the incident occurred.

"At this time we are unable to speculate or comment further. Our priority is to provide support to the family at this extremely difficult time."

• World
• Egypt
• Sharm el-Sheik

Senior Conservative Party activist Paul Swaddle said Lord Feldman is "the strongest possible advocate of the voluntary party" after allegations a senior aide described grassroot party activists as "mad, swivel-eyed loons".

Mr Swaddle said:

As president of the Conservative voluntary party 2012/3 and last year's co-chairman of the party conference, I worked closely with Andrew Feldman.

I know him to be the strongest possible advocate of the voluntary party and a man I greatly respect. He fought tirelessly with me to ensure that last year's conference was the best ever for party member engagement.

• Politics
• Conservatives

Fans of Bonnie Tyler were the first to arrive at the Malmo Arena ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest tonight - some six hours before the show.

They told ITV News they want to get the best possible position in the arena to see the Swansea singer perform.

• Entertainment
• Bonnie Tyler
• Eurovision

Police are continuing their hunt to find the mother of a 20-month-old girl who was found dead at her home as searches at the property end.

The body 20-month-old Sarah Dahane was found in a house in Bicester in Oxfordshire. Her mother, who has not been named by police, is believed to have left the UK and travelled to Kenya, according to Thames Valley Police. Detective chief inspector Ian Hunter said:

Our detailed and thorough investigation continues to piece together the events as we seek to identify why and how Sarah Dahane died.

The investigation to establish the exact location of Sarah's mother continues.

• UK
• Oxfordshire
• Bicester

The UK's Eurovision hopeful Bonnie Tyler has tweeted to her fans "#BelieveInBonnie" ahead of tonight's performance:

Today's the day! Eurovision is almost here #BelieveInBonnie

From @BonnieTOfficial on Twitter: (about 7 hours ago)

• Entertainment
• Eurovision

Hundreds of fans have gathered in Malmo, Sweden, ahead of tonight's Eurovision song contest final.

Fans from across Europe are arriving in the city, which was chosen to host the event after Swedish contestant Loreen won last year:

• Entertainment
• Eurovision

The Conservative Party is "totally focussed on itself", Labour's Vice Chair Michael Dugher said today after claims that a senior Conservative aide accused party activists of being "mad swivel-eyed loons."

Mr Dugher: "With the economy flatlining and bills going up faster than wages, hard-pressed families are really feeling the squeeze. Yet we have a Conservative party that is totally focussed on itself, not on the country.

"We need strong leadership to deal with the big challenges we face as a country, but all we've got is a Prime Minister that is so weak that he can't even control his own party. As the Tories continue squabbling and flinging insults about, this only confirms just how out of touch they are".

• Politics
• Conservatives

David Cameron has given his backing to Conservative co-chairman Lord Feldman after he denied being responsible for alleged comments describing grassroot party activists as "swivel-eyed loons".

A Downing Street spokesman said it is "categorically untrue" that anyone made the comments:

The Prime Minister supports Lord Feldman's position. It is categorically untrue that anyone in Downing Street made the comments about the Conservative Party Associations and activists reported in the Times and the Telegraph.

• Politics
• Conservatives

Olympic Gold medalist Jessica Ennis has married her long-term partner Andy Hill at St Michael and All Angels Church in Hathersage, Derbyshire.

Around 100 guests are thought to have attended the hour-long wedding service before heading off to a reception at an undisclosed location.

• UK

The co-chairman of the Conservative Party has denied being responsible for comments describing grassroots activists as "swivel-eyed loons" and condemned false rumours which have circulated on the internet. Lord Feldman says he is taking legal advice after being wrongly linked to the remarks.

There is speculation on the internet and on Twitter that the senior Conservative Party figure claimed to have made derogatory comments by the Times and the Telegraph is me.

This is completely untrue. I would like to make it quite clear that I did not nor have ever described our associations in this way or in any similar manner. Nor do these alleged comments represent my view of our activists.

On the contrary in the last eight years of working for the party, I have found them to be hard working, committed and reasonable people. They are without question the backbone of the party.

I am very disappointed by the behaviour of the journalists involved, who have allowed rumour and innuendo to take hold by not putting these allegations to me before publication. I am taking legal advice.

• Politics
• Conservatives