Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 22 Dec 2013

1. NIGELLA WILL FACE DRUGS INQUIRY

Nigella Lawson will face police investigation into her drug use after a u-turn by Scotland Yard last night. Officers will review evidence she gave during the fraud trial of her former personal assistants Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo. In the witness box, Lawson admitted taking cocaine several times and smoking cannabis.

2. IDS WON’T MEET FOOD BANK CHARITY

Beleaguered work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith is refusing to meet leaders of a Christian food banks charity, claiming it is “scaremongering”. The news comes amid growing controversy over the crisis hitting hundreds of thousands of families whose incomes are being squeezed while food prices rocket upwards.

3. POLITICIANS ‘SHOULD DO GOD’

Politicians should stop feeling a “sense of embarrassment” about discussing God, says Labour frontbencher Douglas Alexander. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the shadow foreign secretary said public figures have allowed “political correctness” to prevent them talking about both religion and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

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4. BBC LEGEND DAVID COLEMAN DIES

Politicians should stop feeling a “sense of embarrassment” about discussing God, says Labour frontbencher Douglas Alexander. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, the shadow foreign secretary said public figures have allowed “political correctness” to prevent them talking about both religion and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

5. CLEGG AGAINST MORE MIGRANT CURBS

Nick Clegg says he opposes further curbs on migrants. Writing in the Sunday Times, the deputy prime minister says he “draws the line” against further moves to curb immigration from the EU. He described restrictions on migrants’ benefits rights as “sensible” but said plans for a cap of 75,000 on EU migrants were “pointless” and “distracting”.

6. ABBAS REJECTS ISRAEL BOYCOTT CALL

Palestinian president Mahmous Abbas has been accused of treachery after rejecting calls for a boycott of Israel. In the aftermath of Nelson Mandela’s death, Abbas said: “We do not support the boycott of Israel, but we ask everyone to boycott the products of the settlements.” Boycott campaigners have said Abbas’s statement shows how “oblivious” he is to his people’s “aspirations”.

7. GRAEME SWANN IN SUDDEN RETIREMENT

England and Nottinghamshire’s Graeme Swann has unexpectedly announced his immediate retirement from cricket. The off-spinner has taken just seven wickets during this winter’s Ashes series defeat and has ruled himself out of the rest of the tour down under. The 34-year-old took 255 wickets in 60 Tests – a record tally for England.

8. BEREAVED DAD IN LOCKERBIE CLAIMS

The father of one of victims of the Lockerbie bombing says the British government is not telling “all the truth” about the tragedy. Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter died in the atrocity, asked mourners to pray for the “innocent family” of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was convicted of the bombing. He also claimed that an Egyptian, now living in Sweden, was involved in the plot.

9. KIDS’ HOSPITAL BANS JEREMY KYLE

Management at a children’s hospital in Liverpool have banned the Jeremy Kyle show from being watched on the premises, says the Sun on Sunday. Flyers have been posted in Alder Hey children’s hospital which state: “"Please note that Jeremy Kyle is not an appropriate programme to be watched when on a CHILDREN'S WARD! Thank you!"

10. SUAREZ SENDS LIVERPOOL TOP

Two goals from Luis Suarez helped Liverpool go top of the Premier League yesterday. Following Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Cardiff City, Bluebirds manager Malky Mackay insisted again that he will not resign. After the club’s owner Vincent Tan told Mackay to resign or face being sacked, the manager said: “100% I won’t be resigning.”