Written By Unknown on Selasa, 31 Maret 2015 | 20.48
Gunmen have taken a prosecutor hostage at a court in Istanbul, an official has confirmed - and Turkish special forces have entered the building.
An unverified image appears to show Mehmet Selim Kiraz with a gun to his head and a hand over his mouth - and his hands appear to be bound with cable ties. Sky News has decided not to show the hostage in distress.
The photograph was published online by the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C) - a banned far-left organisation.
In the picture, one of the militants has concealed his face with a red and yellow scarf, while flags and posters bearing the organisation's insignia hang in the background.
The group, which has been listed as a terror organisation by the US, the EU and Turkey, has threatened to kill Mr Kiraz at 1.36pm UK time if their demands are not met. That deadline has since passed.
The courthouse in Istanbul has been evacuated and special forces are inside
According to Turkish media, shots have been fired inside the courthouse. The police are currently trying to negotiate with two militants via a mediator.
The chief prosecutor was investigating the death of Berkin Elvan - a teenager who died in March 2014 from injuries inflicted by the police.
He spent 269 days in a coma after being hit by a gas canister fired during anti-government protests, and his treatment by officers caused outrage nationwide.
Berkin Elvan died from his injuries after spending 269 days in a coma
The DHKP-C wants the officer it blames for the 15-year-old's death to "confess" on national television. Mr Kiraz was reportedly handed a list of suspect policemen by investigators two weeks ago.
It remains unclear how the group smuggled guns into the courthouse - however, many Turkish towns and cities were hit with the worst blackout in 15 years on Tuesday.
Some far-left groups in Turkey believe the authorities have orchestrated a cover-up by refusing to name the perpetrators responsible for Berkin's death.
An opposition politician, writing on Twitter, claimed he had spoken to Berkin's father, Sami, who said: "My son died but I don't want any other person to die. The prosecutor must be released. Blood cannot be washed away with blood."
Many Turkish news channels had been broadcasting live scenes from the courthouse, but have returned to their normal programming after a media blackout was imposed.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously sparked controversy when he branded Berkin a "thug" and encouraged his supporters to boo the teenager's mother at a rally.
In 2013, the DHKP-C was behind a suicide bombing outside the US Embassy.
Labour has pledged to reverse the Government's final cut in corporation tax to pay for a reduction in rates for small businesses.
Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has also promised smaller firms they will be the first to benefit from future tax cuts if Labour takes power in the General Election.
Mr Balls said that reversing the corporation tax cut would allow Labour to slash business rates on 1.5 million small business premises.
:: For full coverage of the General Election 2015 click here
Labour argues that 17 small firms would benefit from the cut for every large business helped by the reduction in corporation tax.
Video:Miliband's Pitch To Business
The party claims the coalition spent £7bn over the last parliament cutting the main rate of corporation tax to the benefit of larger firms, while revenues from business rates rose by £3bn.
Speaking as he visited a small business, Mr Balls said: "Unleashing the potential of smaller businesses to grow, create more good jobs and raise living standards is a vital part of Labour's better plan.
"This is part of our plan to deliver a simpler and fairer tax system for small businesses. This is the right priority when money is tight.
Video:Cameron: Voters Face 'Stark Choice'
"And it will mean that the tax burden on small businesses will be lower with Labour than under the Tories."
The announcement comes a day after the launch of Ed Miliband's business manifesto was overshadowed by a row over Labour's use of business leaders' quotes in an advert for the party's stance on the EU.
Mr Miliband faced a backlash over the advertisement in the Financial Times, published as Mr Miliband warned voters that leaving the European Union was a "clear and present danger" to British business.
Video:Miliband: 'Two Futures On Offer'
The Conservatives have argued that abandoning the cut in corporation tax would jeopardise economic security.
Treasury Minister David Gauke said: "This would be the first time corporation tax has risen in over 40 years and Labour's plans could cost 96,400 jobs - it would put people's economic security at risk.
"The Conservative Party is helping businesses small and large as part of our long-term economic plan - we don't divide them up for the sake of making a political point."
Video:Election: Day One In 60 Seconds
David Cameron said reversing the corporation tax cut was a "crazy thing to do when the economy is growing".
The Conservative leader today pledged a Conservative government will help business create two million new jobs over the course of the next parliament.
Nick Clegg was speaking earlier to promised an additional £3.5bn over the next parliament, with the aim of "revolutionising" adult and child mental health care.
The Conservative leader has refused to say where welfare cuts will fall but insisted that British families still needed to take "the medicine" to help put the country back on track.
In a round of interviews setting out a pledge to create two million extra jobs over the course of the next parliament, David Cameron admitted there were more cuts to be made but would not say where they would fall.
The Conservatives have said they will find £12bn of welfare cuts over the next parliament if they are returned to power on 7 May but have indicated they will not tell voters of the details before the vote.
:: For full coverage of the General Election 2015 click here
Tackled on where the cuts would fall on Sky News Mr Cameron said: "The medicine is that we need to - for two more years - do what we have done for the last five, which is find £1 out of every £100 the Government spends and save it.
Video:Tories Try To 'Pull Wool Over Eyes'
"So the choice at this election, if you simplify it, really is: do you want to find that £1 saving out of every £100, which families and businesses up and down the country have had to do or do you want to scrap that plan and put up taxes and borrow more."
Mr Cameron said that they had managed to find £20bn of welfare savings in the last five years.
Answering claims he would go down as the "biggest Scrooge prime minister", Mr Cameron said he didn't come into office to make cuts but when he came to power Britain had a budget deficit forecast to be bigger than that of Greece and he had to do the job.
He also dismissed criticism over using his outgoing address at Number 10, at which he officially announces the General Election, to attack his opponent Ed Miliband.
He was the first prime minister to use the platform to speak against the opposition leader but when asked if it was "not cricket", Mr Cameron told Sky's Eamonn Holmes: "In cricket there are two opposing teams".
Video:Cameron's Election Pledge
And after reports of meetings between Tory MPs and UKIP members he denied he had been in "secret talks" over a coalition and intended to spend the next 37 days working for a majority.
He also said that his wife, Samantha, had not been behind his decision to announce he would only serve two terms as Prime Minister.
Mr Cameron believes the Tories can match the job creation of the past five years, during which the Coalition created an average of 1,000 new jobs every day. Although he got his figures mixed up during the interview on Sky News and claimed it had been 10,000 a day.
As the second day of campaigning gets under way, the Prime Minister said: "We are the jobs party - and over the next month, we will be fighting for every man and woman who wants to work and earn a wage."
The pledge comes exactly a year after Chancellor George Osborne set a goal of full employment for Britain.
Video:Cameron: Voters Face 'Stark Choice'
Mr Cameron argues an additional two million jobs is a feasible target thanks to government assistance for business, competitive tax rates, a parliament-long campaign against red tape, plus investment in infrastructure.
He said Labour's plan to reverse corporation tax cuts - as a way of paying for a reduction in rates for small businesses - was a "crazy thing to do when the economy is growing".
The Prime Minister's first outing of the election campaign proper was to address a rally of supporters at a school in Chippenham - a marginal constituency they need to take if they are to stand any chance of winning a majority.
Speaking at the event, Mr Cameron admitted he is not the "perfect" Prime Minister - but insisted he has a record to be "proud" of.
It came figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that the UK economy grew faster than had been expected - 2.8% in 2014, which was 0.2% higher than earlier estimates.
Video:Miliband: 'Two Futures On Offer'
Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats sought to distinguish themselves from the Conservatives, and other parties, by focusing on mental health with a pledge of extra funding.
He accused the Tories of trying to "pull the wool over people's eyes" on NHS funding by refusing to set out clearly for voters how it would pay for its pledges on the health service.
The Lib Dems were the first party to commit to meeting the extra £8bn the NHS chief Simon Stevens said was needed for the health service to survive by 2020.
Mr Clegg also criticised Mr Cameron's refusal to say where welfare cuts will fall and said: "The Conservatives are trying to treat people like fools. They say they are going to take £12 billion away from the poorest families in the country but they won't spell out how or where. They are promising everybody lashings of tax cuts but won't tell people how they are going to pay for it."
On the first day of Labour's campaign, Mr Miliband tried to win over business with the launch of the party's first "mini manifesto".
Video:Election: Day One In 60 Seconds
:: Watch the seven-way leaders' debate live and in full from 8pm on Thursday on Sky News, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 132, Freesat channel 202, and on the Sky News website.
A frantic search is under way for a missing 10-year-old boy who suffers from a genetic condition which requires medication three times a day.
Police said they were "extremely concerned" for the welfare of Malakhi Chijiutomi-Ghosh, who is thought to have run away from his Croydon home in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Officers said it is vital he is found so he can receive his medicine.
Malakhi needs medication three times a day
Because he has received no medication today there is a "very real chance" Malakhi could have already fallen into a coma, police say.
His disappearance is said to be "completely out of character" and his parents are "distraught".
Malakhi, from Thornton Heath, suffers from adrenal hyperplasia which causes swelling of the adrenal glands and in its most severe form can be life-threatening.
He is described as being a light skinned black male, 4ft 7ins tall, of slim build with short black curly hair.
He is thought to be wearing a dark blue coat with fur on the hood with black jeans and black trainers and a red/orange top with a picture of a meerkat playing the drums on it.
Malakhi was last seen on CCTV in the high street near the train station
Malakhi has connections to the Thornton Heath, Victoria and Croydon areas and may be travelling on public transport.
The last sighting of him was at 7am on CCTV walking along the high street near Thornton Heath station.
He does not have a phone, Oyster card or any money on him.
:: Anyone who has information on Malakhi's whereabouts should contact Croydon Police on 101.
Written By Unknown on Senin, 30 Maret 2015 | 20.48
David Cameron said in five years he had put Britain "back on her feet again" as he formally fired the starting gun on the election race after a meeting with the Queen.
Speaking on the steps of Number 10 after returning from Buckingham Palace where he asked the Queen to dissolve Parliament, Mr Cameron said voters face a "stark choice" between him and Ed Miliband.
With 38 days to go until the election, the Conservatives would offer strong leadership and a country that was safe and secure but Mr Miliband would offer a country mired in "economic chaos".
He said: "Britain is on the right track. This election is about moving forward, and that is what, as Prime Minister here at Downing Street, I will deliver."
:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here.
Video:Cameron Heads For The Palace
And he warned that if voters put Mr Miliband in Number 10 working families would face a £3,000 tax hike.
In a YouTube video released by the Conservatives before Mr Cameron's journey to Buckingham Palace, the Conservative leader said May 7 was "the most important General Election in a generation".
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also made the trip to Buckingham Palace for a meeting with the Queen in his role as President of the Privy Council.
Video:Miliband: 'Two Futures On Offer'
Speaking ahead of the meeting Mr Clegg predicted another coalition government come May 7 and said: "It is my view that the era of single-party government is now over in British politics."
He said: "About the very last thing the country now needs is a lurch to the left or the right and yet that is exactly what the Conservative and Labour parties are now threatening."
He added: "I think what the vast majority of people in this country want is that we keep this country and our government anchored in the centre ground, which is where the Liberal Democrats have anchored the government over the last five years."
Video:Clegg: Don't Lurch Left Or Right
The final act of pomp and ceremony of the coalition government fires the starting gun on the General Election campaign.
As the formalities played out at Buckingham Palace, Ed Miliband was attempting to win over business with the launch of its first "mini manifestos" in which the Labour leader warned of the "clear and present danger" of leaving the EU.
He said: "There could be nothing worse for our country or for our great exporting businesses than playing political games with our membership of the EU. David Cameron used to understand that. But in the past five years our place in the European Union has become less and less secure."
Video:SNP: The Party Could Be Kingmakers
UKIP leader Nigel Farage was due to launch his party's five election pledges this afternoon along with a new poster.
The pledges are: "1. Say No to EU 2. Control our borders 3. Extra £3bn for the NHS 4. Cut foreign aid spending 5. No tax on the minimum wage."
With Parliament dissolved, MPs immediately lose their title and are asked to remove references to it, or place disclaimers on any email or social media account which names them as an MP.
1/12
Gallery: The Queen And Her 12 Prime Ministers
Winston Churchill was the first prime minister to serve under Queen Elizabeth. His second term under Queen Elizabeth lasted from 1951-55
Anthony Eden served from 1955-57. Eden strongly believed in keeping the Queen informed of state affairs and was the first prime minister to show her secret government papers
Ed Miliband's business manifesto launch has been overshadowed by a row over Labour's use of business leaders' quotes in an advert for the party's stance on the EU.
The Labour leader faced a backlash over the advertisement in the Financial Times, published on the morning Mr Miliband warned voters that leaving the European Union was a "clear and present danger" to British business.
In a full-page advert under the Labour message: "The biggest risk to British business is the threat of an EU exit. Labour will put the national interest first. We will deliver reform not exit" were a number of quotes from the business leaders about Europe.
Labour's full-page advert in the Financial Times
Company spokesmen were swift to issue statements making clear that they were not linked to Labour.
A spokesman said: "Siemens has profound concerns about a possible UK exit from the EU. We are also on record of expressing our concern about the uncertainty that a referendum would create - particularly as it is not clear what options would be presented.
Video:Labour's Business Advert Row
"We are however very clear that a referendum might be called, and if it is, we will support efforts to get a better deal and stay in the EU. We do not, however, endorse any political party."
A statement from Kellogg's said the quote used by Labour in the advert was made over a year ago by its UK managing director.
It added: "What he was expressing was a concern about the insecurity which comes from the uncertainty about Britain's position in the EU – nothing more. Kellogg's is strictly non-partisan and does not endorse any political party."
However, SCM Direct founding partner Gina Miller said she was happy for her comments to be used and added: "I'm clearly aware of it because they told me it was happening last week."
:: For full coverage of General Election 2015 click here.
Mr Miliband said all the comments on the advert were made in public and the party was entitled to use them.
Video:Clegg: Don't Lurch Left Or Right
He said: "We've simply quoted public statements by these businesses about the place of Britain in the European Union.
"And I think lots of businesses all around this country are not necessarily going to be supporting Labour or the Conservatives but they do have a very strong view about our place in the EU."
With 38 days to go until the General Election, Mr Miliband was in the City of London setting out his pitch to business leaders with the launch of the first of the party's "mini manifestos".
He said: "There could be nothing worse for our country or for our great exporting businesses than playing political games with our membership of the EU. David Cameron used to understand that. But in the past five years our place in the European Union has become less and less secure.
"He used to say he would campaign to keep Britain in Europe. But now he won't rule out campaigning to leave."
David Cameron has promised a referendum by 2017 if he wins the election - something that Mr Miliband described as "a recipe for two years of uncertainty".
Video:Cameron Heads For The Palace
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg joined in with the criticism of Mr Cameron's stance by saying he would never "play footsie" with Britain's membership of the EU.
Labour's 22-page A Better Plan For Business is an attempt to fight back against concerns that Mr Miliband would put the economic recovery at risk.
Business insiders have told Sky News they are faced with a difficult choice between a Conservative Party who would put Britain's EU membership at risk and a Labour Party perceived as anti-business.
Mr Miliband was sharply criticised by the Boots boss Stefano Pessina earlier this year, who warned a Labour government would be a "catastrophe" for Britain.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph on Monday, Dr Assem Allam - who has donated £400,000 to the Labour Party - described the Conservatives as "the best party in Europe" to manage the economy.
He criticised Mr Miliband for wanting to "penalise" wealth creators with a mansion tax and a rise in the top rate of tax.
Video:Battle For Number 10 Special
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, UKIP's Nigel Farage said Mr Cameron had been "forced into" promising a 2017 referendum on Britain's membership of the UK and that his party's job was to "hold his feet to the fire to make sure that the referendum is not a stitch-up".
He added: "I don't want this to be kicked into the long grass until the end of 2017. I think it should be before the end of this year."
It comes as Mr Cameron has visited the Queen to ask for Parliament to be dissolved.
A murder investigation has been launched after a British couple were found shot dead in their villa near Benidorm.
Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said the couple, aged 77 and named by Spanish police as Peter and Jean Tarsey, were found dead in the villa in Xalo at around 4pm on Sunday.
He said: "Yesterday they were expecting dinner guests. Last night the guests got into the villa and found them, it's been described to me locked in each other's arms on the sofa.
"Both of them had been shot dead by a small calibre gun. Police say that various gunshots had been fired."
The couple were found at their villa in Xalo
The Guardia Civil said post-mortem examinations have not yet been completed, but they are believed to have been killed in the last few days.
The couple, who have been residents in Spain for 18 years, had no known criminal history and "had not been doing anything strange", according to police.
Officers said there was no sign of forced entry and the case is being treated as homicide. A TV was found to be missing in the property and a computer had been thrown into the swimming pool.
A spokeswoman for the Guardia Civil said: "At around 4.15pm yesterday, some friends of the couple went to their villa because they had not been seen for a few days.
"They found the door was open and there were no signs of a break-in.
"The couple, who had been living in Spain for 18 years, were found dead with gunshot wounds on the sofa.
"The Guardia Civil is now awaiting the results of post-mortem examinations and investigations continue."
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We can confirm the death of two British nationals in Alicante, Spain.
Written By Unknown on Minggu, 29 Maret 2015 | 20.48
Crash Captain Screamed 'Open The Damn Door!'
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Video:Victim's Father: Motive Irrelevant
The captain of the Germanwings jet that crashed in the French Alps reportedly screamed at his co-pilot to "open the damn door" as he tried to get in the cockpit.
Andreas Lubitz, 27, apparently locked the captain out of the cabin and deliberately flew the Germanwings jet into a mountain, killing 150 people.
The older pilot left to use the toilet and then desperately tried to open the cockpit door during Flight 4U 9525's eight-minute descent, according to the black box voice recorder.
Germany's Bild on Sunday newspaper said he is heard shouting: "For God's sake, open the door!" as passengers scream in the background.
He then tries to smash through the heavily-reinforced door with an axe, while yelling at a silent Lubitz to "open the damn door".
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
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Argentinian Sebastian Greco was on board with his girlfriend. Pic: Facebook
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Argentinian Gabriela Maumus, 28, was the daughter of a firefighter. Pic: Facebook
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Spanish victim Carles Milla Masanas, 37. The businessman was on his way to a food industry fayre. Pic: Facebook
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Before leaving the cockpit, the captain is heard telling Lubitz he did not have time to go to the toilet before they left Barcelona for Dusseldorf.
German prosecutors believe Lubitz hid an illness from his airline, and had been written off sick on the day of the crash.
He had also sought treatment for vision problems which could have threatened his career, officials told the New York Times.
The Dusseldorf University Hospital said Lubitz had been evaluated at its clinic in February and on 10 March. The hospital has an eye clinic, but it did not comment on why he was being treated citing patient privacy laws.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
Police found medicines for treating psychological conditions during searches at his home in Dusseldorf, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
And Lubitz's ex-girlfriend, Maria W, has claimed he told her: "One day I'm going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember."
She told Bild if he did deliberately crash the plane, it was "because he understood that because of his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, of a job as captain and as a long-haul pilot was practically impossible".
French police investigator Jean-Pierre Michel has said Lubitz's personality was a "serious lead" in the investigation, but not the only one.
Video:Co-Pilot's Hometown In Shock
Meanwhile, a father of one of the three British victims called for airlines to do more to look after their pilots.
"I believe the airlines should be more transparent and our finest pilots looked after properly. We put our lives and our children's lives in their hands," said Phillip Bramley, whose son Paul, 28, died in the disaster.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) documents suggest some 100 commercial airline pilots in the UK had a history of depression, with 42 still on medication, The Observer has reported.
But Professor Sir Simon Wessely, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), said the aviation industry should not "rush" to action in the wake of the crash.
Video:How The Co-Pilot Took Control
He cited health authorities' knee-jerk reaction to Dr Harold Shipman, who is thought to have killed between 215 and 260 people, as an example of ineffective policy.
Sir Simon said: "It is not a good idea to rush; it is like the response to Dr Shipman, an utterly bizarre and unpredictable event is not a good basis of policy.
"The procedures that they then brought in would not have prevented Shipman.
"I have dealt with some pilots with depression and when they recover they are still monitored. But the two I have dealt with returned to very successful careers. Why should they not?
Video:Crash Victim's Father On Loss
"What does cause trouble is saying that if you ever have a history of depression then you should not be allowed to do whatever.
"That is wrong, as much as saying that people with a history of broken arms shouldn't be allowed to do something."
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Crash Captain Screamed 'Open The Damn Door!'
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Video:Victim's Father: Motive Irrelevant
The captain of the Germanwings jet that crashed in the French Alps reportedly screamed at his co-pilot to "open the damn door" as he tried to get in the cockpit.
Andreas Lubitz, 27, apparently locked the captain out of the cabin and deliberately flew the Germanwings jet into a mountain, killing 150 people.
The older pilot left to use the toilet and then desperately tried to open the cockpit door during Flight 4U 9525's eight-minute descent, according to the black box voice recorder.
Germany's Bild on Sunday newspaper said he is heard shouting: "For God's sake, open the door!" as passengers scream in the background.
He then tries to smash through the heavily-reinforced door with an axe, while yelling at a silent Lubitz to "open the damn door".
1/16
Gallery: The Victims Of The Germanwings Crash
American Emily Selke, a recent graduate, was on the plane with her mother Yvonne. Raymond Selke has described his wife and daughter as 'amazing people'. Pic: Facebook
Iranian sports journalist Hussein Javadi was on his way to Austria to cover a football match. A friend said he was 'a kind, loving, caring man'. Pic: Maysam Bizær/Hossein Javadi
]]>
Argentinian Sebastian Greco was on board with his girlfriend. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Argentinian Gabriela Maumus, 28, was the daughter of a firefighter. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Spanish victim Carles Milla Masanas, 37. The businessman was on his way to a food industry fayre. Pic: Facebook
]]>
Before leaving the cockpit, the captain is heard telling Lubitz he did not have time to go to the toilet before they left Barcelona for Dusseldorf.
German prosecutors believe Lubitz hid an illness from his airline, and had been written off sick on the day of the crash.
He had also sought treatment for vision problems which could have threatened his career, officials told the New York Times.
The Dusseldorf University Hospital said Lubitz had been evaluated at its clinic in February and on 10 March. The hospital has an eye clinic, but it did not comment on why he was being treated citing patient privacy laws.
Video:Plane Crash: Special Report
Police found medicines for treating psychological conditions during searches at his home in Dusseldorf, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
And Lubitz's ex-girlfriend, Maria W, has claimed he told her: "One day I'm going to do something that will change the whole system, and everyone will know my name and remember."
She told Bild if he did deliberately crash the plane, it was "because he understood that because of his health problems, his big dream of a job at Lufthansa, of a job as captain and as a long-haul pilot was practically impossible".
French police investigator Jean-Pierre Michel has said Lubitz's personality was a "serious lead" in the investigation, but not the only one.
Video:Co-Pilot's Hometown In Shock
Meanwhile, a father of one of the three British victims called for airlines to do more to look after their pilots.
"I believe the airlines should be more transparent and our finest pilots looked after properly. We put our lives and our children's lives in their hands," said Phillip Bramley, whose son Paul, 28, died in the disaster.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) documents suggest some 100 commercial airline pilots in the UK had a history of depression, with 42 still on medication, The Observer has reported.
But Professor Sir Simon Wessely, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), said the aviation industry should not "rush" to action in the wake of the crash.
Video:How The Co-Pilot Took Control
He cited health authorities' knee-jerk reaction to Dr Harold Shipman, who is thought to have killed between 215 and 260 people, as an example of ineffective policy.
Sir Simon said: "It is not a good idea to rush; it is like the response to Dr Shipman, an utterly bizarre and unpredictable event is not a good basis of policy.
"The procedures that they then brought in would not have prevented Shipman.
"I have dealt with some pilots with depression and when they recover they are still monitored. But the two I have dealt with returned to very successful careers. Why should they not?
Video:Crash Victim's Father On Loss
"What does cause trouble is saying that if you ever have a history of depression then you should not be allowed to do whatever.
"That is wrong, as much as saying that people with a history of broken arms shouldn't be allowed to do something."
We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.
Tony Hall (L) decided not to renew Clarkson's Top Gear contract
Police are investigating allegations of threats to kill BBC director general Tony Hall, reportedly linked to his decision to drop presenter Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear.
Lord Hall, 64, and his wife Cynthia have been under 24-hour guard at their Oxfordshire home since the threats were made on Wednesday, according to reports.
"Police in Westminster are investigating an allegation of threats to kill. The allegation was reported to police on Wednesday, 25 March.
Oisin Tymon has said he will not pursue charges against Clarkson
"The threat was made by email.
"Enquiries continue to establish from where the email was sent, although the content of the message suggests from outside the UK."
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Gallery: Who Could Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd is a well-known car expert and amateur racing driver. She currently presents The Classic Car Show on Channel 5
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry famously drives a black cab around London and would be a popular choice for many
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Chris Evans has repeatedly denied that he is interested in the job but bookies still seem to think he's a hot contender
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Comedian Steve Coogan has appeared on Top Gear several times, but since then has been critical of the show's brand of humour
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Former racing driver Eddie Irvine would certainly tick the boxes in terms of car knowledge, but his lack of TV experience could count against him
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A BBC spokeswoman said: "We wouldn't comment on security matters."
Lord Hall, former chief executive of the Royal Opera House, took over the £450,000 BBC post in April 2013, replacing George Entwistle, who left the corporation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
He announced on Wednesday that Clarkson would not be retained on the motoring show, saying "a line has been crossed" after the unprovoked attack on producer Oisin Tymon.
He added that "there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another".
Video:Clarkson 'Crossed A Line'
Mr Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in a 30-second-long assault on 4 March and took himself to hospital with his injuries.
He was also shouted at by the former Top Gear presenter in a torrent of verbal abuse over food at a hotel in North Yorkshire.
Clarkson reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended by the broadcaster on 10 March.
On Friday, Mr Tymon, who has himself received death threats and abuse from trolls on Twitter, said he did not want to press charges against his former colleague.
Video:Jeremy Clarkson Quiet On His Bike
North Yorkshire Police said the force is still investigating the incident.
Police could yet bring a charge against 54-year-old Clarkson, although it appears any prosecution would be without the support of the victim himself.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear as to who will take over at Top Gear.
Chris Evans leads the betting as favourite to take over the show, even though he has ruled himself out on more than one occasion.
Video:James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
Top Gear co-hosts James May, 52, and Richard Hammond, 45, have not announced if they will stay at the show or not, but have heavily hinted that they will follow Clarkson out of the corporation.
Asked earlier in the week if he will continue on the BBC2 show, May said the trio came "as a package" and his future requires "a lot of careful thought".
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Clarkson Row: BBC Boss 'Sent Death Threats'
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Tony Hall (L) decided not to renew Clarkson's Top Gear contract
Police are investigating allegations of threats to kill BBC director general Tony Hall, reportedly linked to his decision to drop presenter Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear.
Lord Hall, 64, and his wife Cynthia have been under 24-hour guard at their Oxfordshire home since the threats were made on Wednesday, according to reports.
"Police in Westminster are investigating an allegation of threats to kill. The allegation was reported to police on Wednesday, 25 March.
Oisin Tymon has said he will not pursue charges against Clarkson
"The threat was made by email.
"Enquiries continue to establish from where the email was sent, although the content of the message suggests from outside the UK."
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Gallery: Who Could Replace Jeremy Clarkson?
Model and TV presenter Jodie Kidd is a well-known car expert and amateur racing driver. She currently presents The Classic Car Show on Channel 5
Actor and comedian Stephen Fry famously drives a black cab around London and would be a popular choice for many
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Chris Evans has repeatedly denied that he is interested in the job but bookies still seem to think he's a hot contender
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Comedian Steve Coogan has appeared on Top Gear several times, but since then has been critical of the show's brand of humour
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Former racing driver Eddie Irvine would certainly tick the boxes in terms of car knowledge, but his lack of TV experience could count against him
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A BBC spokeswoman said: "We wouldn't comment on security matters."
Lord Hall, former chief executive of the Royal Opera House, took over the £450,000 BBC post in April 2013, replacing George Entwistle, who left the corporation in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sex abuse scandal.
He announced on Wednesday that Clarkson would not be retained on the motoring show, saying "a line has been crossed" after the unprovoked attack on producer Oisin Tymon.
He added that "there cannot be one rule for one and one rule for another".
Video:Clarkson 'Crossed A Line'
Mr Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in a 30-second-long assault on 4 March and took himself to hospital with his injuries.
He was also shouted at by the former Top Gear presenter in a torrent of verbal abuse over food at a hotel in North Yorkshire.
Clarkson reported the incident to the BBC five days later and was suspended by the broadcaster on 10 March.
On Friday, Mr Tymon, who has himself received death threats and abuse from trolls on Twitter, said he did not want to press charges against his former colleague.
Video:Jeremy Clarkson Quiet On His Bike
North Yorkshire Police said the force is still investigating the incident.
Police could yet bring a charge against 54-year-old Clarkson, although it appears any prosecution would be without the support of the victim himself.
Meanwhile, it remains unclear as to who will take over at Top Gear.
Chris Evans leads the betting as favourite to take over the show, even though he has ruled himself out on more than one occasion.
Video:James May: Sacking Is A Tragedy
Top Gear co-hosts James May, 52, and Richard Hammond, 45, have not announced if they will stay at the show or not, but have heavily hinted that they will follow Clarkson out of the corporation.
Asked earlier in the week if he will continue on the BBC2 show, May said the trio came "as a package" and his future requires "a lot of careful thought".
