Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 2 Nov 2014

1. DID VIRGIN GALACTIC IGNORE WARNINGS?

Sir Richard Branson's space tourism company has been accused of ignoring a series of warnings that its $500m rocket was unsafe for flight. The Sunday Telegraph says senior aerospace engineers repeatedly voiced fears over the design of the Virgin Galactic craft. The investigation into the crash could take a year, says the head of the US transport safety agency.

2. MILIBAND’S RATING BEHIND CLEGG

Ed Miliband’s approval rating has collapsed to an all-time low, even plunging below that of Nick Clegg, according to a survey for The Sunday Times. The YouGov survey found that just 18% of voters thought the Labour leader was doing a good job, while 73% said he was doing badly. The overall rating of minus 55 is one point worse than that of Clegg.

3. FEMINIST T-SHIRTS ‘MADE IN SWEATSHOPS’

The much-discussed “This is what a feminist looks like” t-shirts are made by women paid 62p an hour in sweatshop conditions, claims the Mail On Sunday. The Fawcett Society, the charity behind the garment, says it is “disappointed” to learn of the suggestion and vowed to investigate. The t-shirt has been worn by Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband but David Cameron declined to pose in it.

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4. BBC ‘BEHAVING LIKE STARBUCKS OVER TAX’

The chair of the Commons public accounts committee has accused the BBC of behaving like “Google, Starbucks and Amazon” by using a multimillion-pound tax incentive scheme to increase its public funding by stealth. Margaret Hodge says the corporation has set up an “artificial structure” to attract tax credits. “They should stop it,” she said.

5. EX-AIDE SAYS BLAIR WRONG ON ISLAM

Tony Blair’s view of Islam is mistaken and could stoke tensions further, says his former aide Jonathan Powell. Speaking to Total Politics magazine, Blair’s former chief of staff said framing Middle Eastern conflicts on “ideological grounds” is wrong. “If you view the conflict on religious grounds you will create a religious war,” he said. “That’s what we should be avoiding.”

6. FAITH SCHOOLS ‘MUST RESPECT GAY RIGHTS’

The education secretary is to order Britain’s faith schools to teach tolerance of gay rights and respect for other religions, reports The Sunday Times. Nicky Morgan has warned that any establishment that fails to follow new rules on British values will be judged inadequate and could face closure. “Schools should broaden horizons not close minds,” she said.

7. REGULATOR PROBES CHARITIES ON TERROR

The Charity Commission is launching a raft of inquiries into British aid groups as fears grow that they are being hijacked by terrorists. A spokesman tells the Sunday Telegraph he fears that aid donated by the public in Britain could be diverted to terrorists in Iraq and Syria. The regulator is probing 86 British charities.

8. NEW MADELEINE PHOTO RELEASED

A new photo of Madeleine McCann has been released by the Find Maddie Campaign. The picture, of a young Madeleine dressed as a pumpkin, was taken in 2006, just months before her disappearance from a holiday flat in Praia da Luz, Portugal. A source close to the McCanns said yesterday: “The photo has been put out as part of the campaign and authorised by Kate and Gerry.”

9. 60,000 TO ENJOY LIVING WAGE RISE

A pay rise is on the cards for 60,000 workers after a surge in companies signing up to pay the living wage or above. Last year, 432 companies were accredited by the Living Wage Foundation – that figure has now more than doubled. A new, higher living wage will be announced tomorrow. The current rate is £8.80 in London and £7.65 elsewhere.

10. MOURINHO SLAMS CHELSEA FANS

Jose Mourinho has criticised Chelsea's support, saying Stamford Bridge felt like an "empty stadium" during yesterday’s 2-1 victory over QPR. The win left Chelsea four points clear at the top of the Premier League. Arsenal moved back to their familiar territory of fourth place with a 3-0 win over Burnley. Alexis Sanchez grabbed two of the goals, taking his tally to 10.