Men held over policeman car bomb

31 December 2012 Last updated at 18:18 ET

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The BBC's Julian O'Neill said the officer found the bomb as he was about to take his wife and children out for lunch

Two men have been arrested by police investigating the attempted murder of a police officer after a bomb was placed under his car in Belfast.

The men, aged 25 and 34, were held in Belfast on Monday.

The unexploded device was discovered on the Upper Newtownards Road at about 14:00 GMT on Sunday. A controlled explosion was carried out.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the bomb was "clearly intended to kill the police officer".

Threat level

In a statement, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton said: "It is very fortunate that this device was detected before it exploded and that no-one was killed or seriously injured."

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A few seconds on his knees to look under his car saved a police officer and his family from carnage on their way to have Sunday lunch.

As his wife and two young children watched, he carried out his routine search of his vehicle and spotted a device intended to kill him.

"We are very grateful that this officer acted in the way he did and checked his car, otherwise the consequences would have been absolutely devastating for him and his family," says Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton.

Hours after it was discovered, the bomb was defused in a controlled explosion by the army.

However the device was recovered partially intact and police hope forensic tests could identify those who made and planted it.

ACC Hamilton added that the officer's family and neighbours "were also put at risk of serious harm".

He said there was a severe threat level across Northern Ireland and appealed to officers to be vigilant and check under their cars.

He hoped the device would be useful as evidence because it was discovered and did not engage.

"This murderous type of attack is not the way forward for our society," he added.

"No-one is entitled to take the life of another human being in circumstances such as this. Our appeal is for the vast majority of people to stand up against this rump of anti-peace dissident republicanism."

A number of houses in the area had to be evacuated while Army bomb officers made the device safe.

Booby-trap

The chairman of Northern Ireland's Police Federation, Terry Spence, said he would be seeking a meeting with Chief Constable Matt Baggott to discuss officers' personal security.

In recent years, dissident republican paramilitary groups have carried out a number of attacks on PSNI officers.

In April 2011, Constable Ronan Kerr was killed when a booby-trap car bomb exploded under his car in Omagh, County Tyrone.

The previous year, Constable Peadar Heffron lost a leg in a similar attack as he drove to work in Randalstown, County Antrim.

In November, prison officer David Black, 52, was shot dead in a motorway ambush in County Armagh as he drove to work.

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NHS approach to obesity 'patchy'

31 December 2012 Last updated at 21:14 ET By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Obesity services across the UK are "extremely patchy" and valuable opportunities to help obese patients are often lost, doctors say.

The Royal College of Physicians said hospitals in particular had "poorly developed" systems in place.

Its report said the problems meant services were often just dealing with the symptoms, such as heart disease or diabetes, rather than the cause.

There needed to be a rethink over how to approach the problem, it added.

The UK is now among the most obese nations in the world.

One in four adults are obese - a figure which is predicted to more than double by 2050.

Wide variations

The report recognised that attempts were being made to stem the tide of obesity through health promotion campaigns.

But it said that should not detract from the fact the NHS had to do more to deal with those patients who were already obese.

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The only way we will ever tackle the problems caused by obesity is by everyone working together"

End Quote Professor Lindsey Davies Faculty of Public Health

The report pointed out there were wide variations in the way obesity was treated across the UK - particularly in the frequency with which obesity surgery is performed.

It said there needed to be a much more "joined up" approach between hospitals and community services.

To help hospitals should also appoint a doctor to lead on obesity, it added.

Prof John Wass, from the RCP, said: "'Britain is getting bigger and whilst we try to prevent the increase in obesity, we must also prepare the NHS for the influx of patients presenting with severe complex obesity.

"A patient may arrive at my hospital with coronary heart disease, but if the root cause of their condition is obesity, we must be equipped to deal with that root cause."

Working together

Prof Lindsey Davies, president of the Faculty of Public Health, welcomed the recommendations and said she agreed greater coordination was needed.

"The only way we will ever tackle the problems caused by obesity is by everyone working together," she added.

But she also urged the government to be more proactive by addressing some of the wider determinants of obesity.

"Obesity is not only caused by how much we each eat or drink: if tackling it were as simple as telling people to eat less and move more, we would have solved it by now.

"Our chances of being obese are also affected by factors like whether we have easy access to affordable fruit, veg and other healthy foods, and if it safe to let our kids play outside."

A Department of Health spokesman acknowledged the medical profession had a "key role to play".

He added: "We are committed to tackling obesity and are taking action to help people keep a healthy weight and prevent them needing hospital care for obesity related conditions."

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Celebrating crowds see in 2013

1 January 2013 Last updated at 03:19 ET

Crowds across the UK have risked the damp weather to see in 2013 at New Year's Eve events.

About 250,000 people were in London to watch a spectacular fireworks display from the banks of the River Thames.

In Edinburgh, about 80,000 revellers saw in the new year with a fireworks display as part of the city's world-famous Hogmanay celebrations.

And a fireworks display in Northern Ireland marked the start of the Derry-Londonderry 2013 City of Culture year.

Earlier downpours dried up over much of the country in time for the celebrations - although rain continued in Scotland, Northern Ireland and eastern England.

Overnight, much of central London was closed to traffic, but the Tube ran all night and most public transport was free until 04:30 GMT.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said the 11-minute fireworks display - which featured 12,500 fireworks and clips from the Olympic Games - rounded off a year that "glimmered with excitement and enthusiasm".

In Edinburgh, Scottish rock band Simple Minds headlined the Concert in the Gardens, where they were joined by The View and Bwani Junction against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle.

In other developments:

• Police in London said 96 people had been arrested as of as of 3:45 GMT, but said there were "no major issues"
• The emergency services reported a rise in calls, with paramedics in Kent, Sussex and Surrey, taking 1,544 calls between 22:00 GMT and 04:00 - a rise of more than 20% on the same period last year
• The Archbishop of Canterbury paid tribute to unsung volunteers in his final new year message
• Mobile networks said they expected New Year's Eve to be the "busiest ever" night of texts and calls
• Cheltenham Racecourse cancelled its New Year's Day meeting because heavy rain left the track waterlogged
• Flood defences remain in place along the River Severn at Ironbridge in Shropshire, where water levels are expected to rise later
• On Exmoor, in Somerset, one of the region's oldest bridges, Exmoor's Tarr Steps, was swept away by the swollen River Barle
• Flooding is disrupting some routes in south-west England, National Rail said

After days of flooding that brought parts of the UK to a standstill, river and groundwater levels are still high in many areas and there is a continued risk of localised flooding.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency (EA) said: "Large rivers that respond slowly to rainfall, including the Thames, Trent and Severn, will continue rising through the next couple of days and high groundwater levels in southern England will continue to pose a risk to communities, particularly in Dorset."

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Travel and weather information

From the BBC:

Elsewhere:

There are nearly 100 flood warnings - indicating that flooding is expected - in force in England and Wales. There are nearly double that number of flood alerts, which warn that flooding is possible.

In Scotland, there are nine flood warnings and seven alerts in place.

Forecasters said showers would die out on Tuesday evening, leaving the night dry across the UK, but more rain is expected in the early hours.

About 540 properties have flooded since 19 December, while flood defences have protected more than 21,600 properties, the EA said.

It said it had more than 800 staff working during the festive period shoring up flood defences, clearing blockages from watercourses, monitoring river levels closely and installing temporary flood defences.

Met Office figures show that 2012 will go down as one of the wettest years in the UK since records began in 1910, and it could yet be the wettest.

On Friday, the Met Office said 46mm (2in) of rain was needed to fall before 31 December to break the record for the UK, with 1,291.2mm (50in) having been recorded between 1 January and 26 December. Confirmation is expected later this week.

A new record has already been set for England, with 1,095.8mm falling in 2012 up to Boxing Day.

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US Senate approves key tax deal

1 January 2013 Last updated at 05:47 ET

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President Obama said a larger deal could be accomplished "in several steps"

The US Senate has approved a deal to avert general tax hikes and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff".

The bill, which raises taxes for the wealthy, came after lengthy talks between Vice-President Joe Biden and Senate Republicans.

The House is due to consider it later. Spending cuts have been delayed for two months to allow a wider agreement.

Congress missed the deadline to pass a bill, but few effects will be felt as Tuesday is a US public holiday.

Tax cuts approved during the presidency of George W Bush formally expired at midnight (05:00 GMT).

Without approval in the House, huge tax rises for virtually all working Americans will kick in automatically.

Analysts warned that if the full effects of the fiscal cliff were allowed to take hold, the resulting reduction in consumer spending could spark a new recession.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

American politicians certainly know how to take it to the wire - and just a little bit beyond"

End Quote

The compromise deal reached on Monday seeks to avoid this by extending the tax cuts for Americans earning under $400,000 (£246,000) - up from the $250,000 level Democrats had originally sought.

A huge spending cut that would see $1.2tn cut from the federal budget over 10 years has been deferred for two months, allowing Congress and the White House to reopen negotiations.

The Senate approved the compromise bill by 89-8. "If we do nothing, the threat of a recession is very real," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, said. "Passing this agreement does not mean negotiations halt, far from it."

In addition to the income tax rates and spending cuts, the package includes:

Continue reading the main story

What is the fiscal cliff?

• On 1 January 2013, tax rises and huge spending cuts come into force - the so-called fiscal cliff
• The deadline was put in place in 2011 to force the president and Congress to reach agreement on the budget over the next 10 years
• Date coincides with expiry of Bush-era tax cuts
• There are fear that raising taxes while massively cutting spending will have a huge impact on households and businesses
• The fiscal squeeze could also push the US into recession, and have a global impact

• Rises in inheritance taxes from 35% to 40% after the first $5m for an individual and $10m for a couple

• Rises in capital taxes - affecting some investment income - of up to 20%, but less than the 39.6% that would prevail without a deal

• One-year extension for unemployment benefits, affecting two million people

• Five-year extension for tax credits that help poorer and middle-class families

'Imperfect solution'

President Barack Obama welcomed the Senate vote.

"Leaders from both parties in the Senate came together to reach an agreement that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support today that protects 98% of Americans and 97% of small business owners from a middle class tax hike," he said in a statement.

Continue reading the main story

Press reaction

Jennifer Steinhauer in The New York Times writes: "The confusing struggle to head off a national fiscal crisis has made one thing crystal clear: The era of the Big Deal is over."

In The Washington Post, David A Fahrenthold says:"The New Year's Eve agreement between [Vice-President Joe] Biden and [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell provided a glimpse at the ways that personality quirks and one-to-one relationships can still change the course of Washington politics."

The Wall Street Journal says: "The wider deal doesn't do much to control the US's long-term budget woes, which are driven largely by entitlement spending, especially on health care, left untouched in this agreement."

"While neither Democrats nor Republicans got everything they wanted, this agreement is the right thing to do for our country and the House should pass it without delay."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said: "It took an imperfect solution to prevent our constituents from a very real financial pain, but in my view, it was worth the effort."

The BBC's Mark Mardell in Washington says many of the Republicans who dominate the House dislike the deal and may stand on their principle.

Speaker John Boehner said the House would consider the deal but left open the possibility of amending the Senate bill - which would spark another round of legislation.

"Decisions about whether the House will seek to accept or promptly amend the measure will not be made until House members... have been able to review the legislation," Mr Boehner and other House Republican leaders said in a statement.

The current House can legislate until Wednesday, when it is replaced by a new chamber chosen during last November's election.

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Christopher Martin-Jenkins dies

Test Match Special commentator Christopher Martin-Jenkins has died of cancer at the age of 67.

Martin-Jenkins joined the BBC in 1970 and commentated on his first match, a one-day international, in 1972.

In 1973 he succeeded Brian Johnston as the BBC's cricket correspondent, a post he held until 1991, with a break between 1981 and 1984.

He was cricket correspondent of the Daily Telegraph from 1991 to 1999 and of the Times from 1999 to 2008.

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"It is doubtful that anyone has contributed more in a lifetime to the overall coverage of cricket than Christopher Martin-Jenkins"

Jonathan Agnew BBC cricket correspondent

He was diagnosed with cancer in January 2012, shortly after returning from commentating duties in the United Arab Emirates.

Test Match Special colleague and current BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew paid tribute to his friend.

"CMJ, as he was widely known, was one of cricket's most respected writers and broadcasters," said Agnew.

"With modern media now preferring the views and experiences of former Test match cricketers, Christopher's authority and respect was not gained from a high-profile playing career, but a deep-rooted love of the game linked to a strong protective instinct which helped him earn the most coveted position of president of the MCC [Marylebone Cricket Club].

"Listeners to Test Match Special were all too familiar with CMJ's eccentricities - like going to the wrong ground for the start of a Test match. His legendary, chaotic time-keeping was very much part of his charm.

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"Considering the years he worked as editor of the Cricketer magazine, and as correspondent for the BBC twice, the Daily Telegraph and the Times, and 40 years commentating on Test Match Special and the many books he wrote, it is doubtful that anyone has contributed more in a lifetime to the overall coverage of cricket than Christopher Martin-Jenkins."

Martin-Jenkins was a useful schoolboy cricketer for Marlborough and also played for Surrey's second XI.

His journalistic talents were encouraged by the legendary EW Swanton and he joined the Cricketer magazine as his assistant editor.

Martin-Jenkins was given an MBE in 2009 and served as the MCC's president in 2010 and 2011.

His son Robin played county cricket for Sussex before retiring in 2010.

Former England captain Sir Ian Botham tweeted: "Very sad to hear of the death of the 'Major', Christopher Martin-Jenkins. Our thoughts are with the family. A true Gentleman."

TMS producer Adam Mountford tweeted: "A very sad day for all of us at Test Match Special. CMJ was quite simply one of the legendary characters of cricket writing and broadcasting."

Wisden editor Lawrence Booth said: "RIP CMJ - a warm voice from childhood and beyond."

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Pakistan charity workers killed

1 January 2013 Last updated at 07:02 ET

Seven charity workers, six of them women, have been shot dead in north-west Pakistan, police say.

The women, some of them teachers, were attacked near a health and education community centre. A male colleague died with them. All were Pakistani citizens.

Their vehicle came under gunfire near the centre run by Pakistani charity Ujala, or Light.

The incident happened in the Swabi district close to a road connecting Peshawar to the eastern city of Lahore.

"Four men came on two motorbikes. They attacked their van. They opened fire to the right and left of the van and fled on their motorbikes," Swabi district police chief Abdul Rashid Khan said, according to AFP.

He added that the driver of the vehicle had also been injured in the attack, which took place near a motorway junction.

No-one at the charity, which works in the education sector, was immediately available for comment.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack although militants in the conservative Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province oppose female education and have attacked female students and their schools.

Last month, in a series of attacks, gunmen killed nine health workers taking part in a national polio vaccination drive.

The killings prompted the UN children's agency and the World Health Organisation to suspend work on polio campaigns in the country.

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Sixty die in Abidjan new year crush

1 January 2013 Last updated at 07:10 ET

At least 60 people have been crushed to death and some 250 injured during new year festivities in Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan, rescue officials say.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday near a stadium in the central Plateau area of the city where a fireworks display was held.

The cause of the stampede is not clear. The victims included many children.

The site is littered with abandoned clothes and blood stains.

Relatives have gone to the scene, Felix Houphouet Boigny stadium, to get news of missing loved ones.

The distraught mother of a nine-year-old boy told local media: "I have just seen all those bodies, but I can't find my son."

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Hillary Clinton has blood clot

30 December 2012 Last updated at 23:57 ET

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to hospital in New York with a blood clot, officials say.

Mrs Clinton suffered a concussion earlier this month after fainting and falling down.

At the time, she was reported to have had a stomach virus and to have passed out after becoming dehydrated.

Mrs Clinton, 65, is due to stand down as secretary of state before US President Barack Obama officially begins his second term in January.

Doctors discovered the clot during a follow-up examination on Sunday, her spokesman Philippe Reines said.

"She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours," he said.

"They will determine if any further action is required."

No information was given about where the blood clot had formed.

Mrs Clinton is due to give evidence before a Congressional committee in January in connection with the attack in September on the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

The US ambassador to Libya and three American officials were killed in the incident.

Mrs Clinton was appointed secretary of state at the start of Mr Obama's first term, in January 2009.

Her most recent foreign trip was to Dublin earlier this month.

Mrs Clinton, 65, is known for her gruelling travel schedule.

She is the most travelled secretary of state in history, having visited 112 countries while in the job, the Associated Press says.

Earlier this month, President Obama nominated Senator John Kerry - the Massachusetts Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee - to replace Mrs Clinton as secretary of state.

She has repeatedly said that she only intended to serve one term in the post.

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Chavez suffers new complications

31 December 2012 Last updated at 03:21 ET

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has suffered "new complications" after a cancer operation in Cuba, his vice-president has said.

In a televised address from Cuba, Nicolas Maduro said Mr Chavez continued to be in a "delicate state".

Mr Chavez underwent his fourth cancer operation on 11 December in Cuba but suffered a respiratory infection.

The president - who has been in power since 1999 - is due to be sworn in on 10 January for another six-year term.

Mr Maduro did not give details about Mr Chavez's condition but said the latest complications were connected to the respiratory infection.

"We have been informed of new complications that arose as a consequence of the respiratory infection we already knew about," he said.

"The president gave us precise instructions so that, after finishing the visit, we would tell the (Venezuelan) people about his current health condition.

"The state of health of President Chavez continues to be delicate."

He added that the treatment was "not without risk."

Mr Maduro, appearing solemn, spoke alongside Mr Chavez's eldest daughter, Rosa, his son-in-law Jorge Arreaza, and Venezuelan Attorney General Cilia Flores.

The vice-president said he would remain in Havana "for the coming hours" but did not specify how long.

Secrecy over condition

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Chavez's career

• Born in 1954
• 1992: Leads a failed coup attempt against President Carlos Perez
• 1999: Takes office after winning election
• 2006: Wins another six-year term as president
• 2011: Reveals he is being treated for cancer and has two operations in Cuba
• 2012: Has two more operations
• October 2012: Re-elected for another term as president

Following Mr Maduro's announcement, Information Minister Ernesto Villegas appeared in a special programme on Venezuelan TV, calling on Venezuelans not to believe rumours about the president's health.

"Do not get carried away with things on Twitter, you cannot play with Commander Chavez's health, it is a matter that affects the lives of others. We must act very responsibly, particularly those of us who communicate through mass media," he said.

Late on Sunday, Mr Villegas said a government-organised New Year's Eve concert in central Caracas had been cancelled and he urged Venezuelans to pray for President Chavez.

The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Havana says it is now three weeks since Hugo Chavez has been seen or heard from in person.

There continues to be huge secrecy surrounding his precise condition, she says.

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Venezuelan constitution

• Article 231: The president-elect shall take office on January 10 of the first year of their constitutional term, by taking an oath before the National Assembly. If for any reason, (they) cannot be sworn in before the National Assembly, they shall take the oath of office before the Supreme Court.
• Article 233:(...) When an elected President becomes absolutely absent prior to inauguration, a new election...shall be held within 30 days.
• Article 234: When the President is temporarily unable to serve, they shall be replaced by the Executive Vice-President for a period of up to 90 days, which may be extended by resolution of the National Assembly for an additional 90 days.

There are also many questions about what will happen on 10 January when Mr Chavez is due to be re-inaugurated, our correspondent adds.

National Assembly head Diosdado Cabello recently said that the swearing-in ceremony would be delayed in the case of Mr Chavez's absence.

However, opposition leaders say postponing the inauguration would be unconstitutional.

The constitution states that if there is an "absolute absence" of the president, elections must be held within 30 days.

Mr Chavez has said that, should his health fail, Venezuelans should vote for Mr Maduro in fresh elections.

Officials have never disclosed the type or severity of Mr Chavez's cancer, which was first diagnosed in June 2011.

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US 'fiscal cliff' talks go to wire

31 December 2012 Last updated at 03:27 ET

US Congressional leaders have one more day to stop steep tax rises and spending cuts, known as the "fiscal cliff", after talks ended with no deal.

Senators will continue to seek a compromise deal on Monday to send to the House of Representatives.

Failure to reach agreement by 1 January could push the US back into recession.

President Barack Obama has blamed Republicans for the deadlock. He said their "overriding theme" was protecting tax breaks for the rich.

Fallback plan

Continue reading the main story

At the scene

Adam Blenford BBC News, Washington

---

Few in the US capital could talk of anything but who would win Sunday's must-win showdown. For most, that meant an NFL game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys; on Capitol Hill the stakes were somewhat higher.

Cliches and aphorisms abounded in the Senate corridors as reports spread of a breakdown in deal-making. "The fat lady hasn't sung yet," one Republican declared, obscured by the pack of reporters following him down the hallway. "These things always happen at the end," said Chuck Schumer, a senior Democrat.

But it was the retiring senators, three days away from their final goodbyes, who spoke the most openly. Failure would "send a message worldwide that we don't have the capacity to work across political aisles on critical issues", said Olympia Snowe, Maine's outgoing Republican.

"The world has gotten used to this so they are no longer shocked," Ben Nelson, a retiring Nebraska Democrat said. "They see this as just more of the same and hope that one of these days maybe Congress will get its act together."

Republicans and Democrats have been fighting for months over how to deal with the combination of automatic spending cuts and the expiration of Bush-era tax reductions at the new year.

Without an agreement, higher taxes will rise for virtually every working American and across-the-board cuts in government spending will kick in from Tuesday.

Analysts say this could significantly reduce consumer spending, leading the US economy to fall off the "fiscal cliff".

After the latest round of intense negotiations in the Senate on Sunday the main sticking points reportedly include such key issues as the income threshold for higher tax rates and inheritance taxes.

If no agreement is reached on Monday, senators are expected to be given the chance to vote on a fallback plan proposed by President Obama.

That would renew tax cuts on earnings under $250,000 (£154,000) and extend unemployment benefits, but does not address the spending cuts.

Both the House and Senate are due to convene on Monday in a last-minute attempt to bridge the gap between the two sides. The Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner, has insisted that the Senate act first.

The current stand-off has its roots in a failed 2011 attempt to tackle the government debt limit and budget deficit.

Republicans and Democrats agreed then to postpone difficult decisions on spending until the end of 2012.

Commentators say that even if a deal is reached, it will do little to reduce the original problem of the deficit and the government debt limit, raising the prospect of further political infighting early in the new year.

Parties divided

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid and his Republican counterpart Mitch McConnell were locked in negotiations over the weekend.

Continue reading the main story

What is the fiscal cliff?

• On 1 January 2013, tax increases and huge spending cuts are due to come into force - the so-called fiscal cliff
• Deadline was put in place in 2011 to force president and Congress to agree ways to save money over the next 10 years
• Date coincides with expiry of Bush-era tax cuts, which would affect all income groups and many businesses
• Fear is that raising taxes while massively cutting spending will have a huge impact on households and businesses
• Experts believe it could push the US into recession, and have a global impact on growth

The two senators appeared to admit before the 15:00 deadline (20:00 GMT) that negotiations were at a standstill, with their two parties still divided over core issues.

However late on Sunday, Senate Republicans said they were dropping their proposal to slow the growth of Social Security payments. The plan - which would have led to lower benefits to pensioners and the disabled - had been fiercely resisted by Democrats.

Meanwhile Senator McConnell said he had asked Vice-President Joe Biden for help in breaking the deadlock late on Sunday.

"I'm concerned with the lack of urgency here. There's far too much at stake," he said. "There is no single issue that remains an impossible sticking point - the sticking point appears to be a willingness, an interest or courage to close the deal."

In his interview with NBC's Meet the Press, broadcast on Sunday, Mr Obama said the priority was to ensure taxes do not rise for middle-class families, saying that would "hurt our economy badly".

"That's something we all agree on. If we can get that done, that takes a big bite out of the 'fiscal cliff'," he said.

There is also debate over where to set the threshold for tax rises. Democrats say the Bush-era tax cuts should be extended for all Americans except the richest - those with annual earnings of more than $250,000 (£155,000).

Republicans - some of whom have pledged never to vote for increased taxes - say the deficit is a consequence of excessive government spending.

They want the tax threshold set higher, at around $400,000, and for revenue to be raised by economic growth and cuts in social security and other services states are legally bound to provide.

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