Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 27 Apr 2014

1. UKIP TOPS A POLL FOR FIRST TIME

Ukip have surged into the lead in the polls for the first time. A YouGov poll for the Sunday Times on the EU elections puts Nigel Farage’s party on 31%, three points clear of second-placed Labour, with the Tories languishing on third. Meanwhile, a Ukip candidate has suggested that comedian Lenny Henry should emigrate to a “black country”.

Ukip tops poll as Nigel Farage weathers the storm

2. PLEBGATE OFFICER SEEKS LIBEL DAMAGES

PC Toby Rowland, the officer at the centre of the ‘Plebgate’ saga, is seeking libel damages of £200,000 from former chief whip Andrew Mitchell. Court papers show that lawyers for PC Rowland argue that his reputation has been damaged by Mitchell's accusation and that he suffered "great distress, humiliation and upset" as a result.

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3. IS THE UK A ‘POST-CHRISTIAN COUNTRY’?

Britain is now a “post-Christian” country, says the former archbishop of Canterbury. Lord Williams of Oystermouth tells the Sunday Telegraph that Britain is no longer “a nation of believers” and that the Church’s influence is likely to decline further. However, a survey for the paper found 56% of Britons regard Britain as a Christian country.

Lord Williams: Britain a 'post-Christian' country

4. FERRY: SOUTH KOREA PM RESIGNS

The prime minister of South Korea has offered his resignation as criticism continues of the government's handling of the sinking of a passenger ferry. Chung Hong-won said the "cries of the families of those missing still keep me up at night". He added: "The right thing for me to do is to take responsibility and resign as a person who is in charge of the cabinet.”

5. GREER: LIFE GETTING WORSE FOR WOMEN

Social networking sites have become a “terrible grab bag of loathing of women”, says feminist author Germaine Greer. The author also says women now expect equality with men, and that “it’s driving men nuts”. Speaking on a forthcoming BBC documentary, she adds: “Things have got a lot worse for women since I wrote The Female Eunuch.”

6. SCHOOLS POLICY ‘FUELS CHILD OBESITY’

A leading British doctor says the government’s “irresponsible” food policy for schools is fuelling an epidemic of child obesity. Professor Terence Stephenson tells The Observer that academies and free schools are allowed to opt out of serving healthy lunches to their pupils, putting the health of two million children at risk.

7. CAMERON TRIBUTE TO DEAD PERSONNEL

David Cameron has paid tribute to the five British military personnel who were killed when a Lynx helicopter crashed in Afghanistan yesterday. The prime minister said his "heart goes out to the families and friends of those killed in this terrible tragedy", which happened during a routine flight in Kandahar province in the south on Saturday.

8. PAEDOPHILES TO BE TREATED AS TERRORISTS

Paedophiles will be treated as terrorists as part of a crackdown on child abuse, says the prime minister. Sexual predators who download manuals on how to groom victims and avoid capture will face the same sanctions as terrorists who download guides to bomb-making. David Cameron wants to close the legal loophole which prevents predators from being punished for such possession.

Paedophiles who download child abuse guides to face jail

9. PACKHAM QUESTIONED BY MALTA POLICE

BBC wildlife presenter Chris Packham was questioned for five hours by police in Malta yesterday over claims that he had breached the privacy of local hunters by filming them shooting migrating birds. Packham, 51, has been on the island with the support of local charity Birdlife Malta to film a daily video diary documenting the annual shooting of migratory birds.

Maltese bird hunters complain to police over Chris Packham 'defamation'

10. GIGGS WINS FIRST MATCH IN CHARGE

Ryan Giggs enjoyed a winning start to his reign at Old Trafford as Manchester United beat Norwich City 4-0. Today, attention turns to the top as leaders Liverpool host second-placed Chelsea. Then, third-placed Manchester City travel to Crystal Palace. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says all the pressure is on title rivals Chelsea.