Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 10 Jul 2016

1. Tory MPs threaten to quit if Leadsom wins

At least 20 Tory MPs have said they would quit the party if Andrea Leadsom wins the leadership contest. Ministers have called for Leadsom to stand down after she suggested in an interview that having children made her more qualified to be prime minister. She has been accused of “back­stabbing” her rival, Theresa May. Foreign secretary Philip Hammond said world leaders had “never heard of” Leadsom.

2. Bank of England 'to cut interest rates within days'

The Bank of England is set to slash interest rates to close to zero this week as anxiety grows that the Brexit vote will cause a recession. Commentators believe the Monetary Policy Committee will cut rates to a new low of just 0.25%. A cut would be the first change in interest rates since March 2009, when the base rate was slashed to 0.5%.

3. Angela Eagle poised to launch leadership bid

Jeremy Corbyn and Angela Eagle are to appear separately on television today as the battle over the Labour party leadership hots up. Eagle plans to formally announce her bid to become leader on Monday, triggering a vote by party members. Labour's National Executive will decide later whether Corbyn must seek fellow MPs' nominations for his name to appear on the ballot paper.

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4. Lord Prescott apologises for 'illegal' Iraq war

John Prescott says the invasion of Iraq by UK and US forces was "illegal". Lord Prescott, who was deputy prime minister when Britain went to war with Iraq in 2003, said he would live with the "catastrophic decision" for the rest of his life. He praised Labour's Jeremy Corbyn for apologising on the party's behalf. He also expressed his own "fullest apology".

5. Youth turnout in EU poll 'higher than thought'

The turnout among young people in the EU referendum was almost double the level widely reported since polling day, according to new evidence from the London School of Economics. A detailed study suggests the turnout was 64% among people between the ages of 18 and 24. It has been widely assumed since the referendum that the turnout among young people was around 36%.

6. Marie Colvin's family to sue Syria over her death

The family of Marie Colvin, the American war correspondent killed in Syria, is to sue the Syrian government over her death. Colvin was working for The Sunday Times when she travelled to Syria in February 2012 to cover the siege of Homs. A 25-year veteran of war coverage, she is among more than 200 journalists killed in Syria since March 2011.

7. Britain's oldest person dies at age of 113

The UK's oldest person has died at the age of 113. Gladys Hooper, from the Isle of Wight passed away at a nursing home in Ryde. The former concert pianist was born in south-east London in 1903, the same year the Wright brothers made the first powered aircraft flight. Her son Derek Hermiston, 85, said: "She just faded, 113-and-a-half is a good old age.”

8. Weather-struck clothing chains offer mammoth discounts

Some of the heaviest discounting seen for 30 years has seen high street clothing stores slash 70% or more off prices. Experts said retailers had been hit by poor weather, including one of the wettest Junes on record, with almost 40% more rainfall than usual. Topshop, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Zara and Debenhams are all offering drastic cuts on clothing in the summer sales.

9. Spanish bullfighter killed by bull live on television

A Spanish bullfighter has been gored to death by an 87st bull that pinned him down with its horns in front of his horrified wife. The attack, which was broadcast live on television, led to the first matador fatality in Spain since the turn of the century. Segovia matador Víctor Barrio, 29, suffered a mortal blow during his performance in the town of Teruel in Aragon, Eastern Spain.

10. Cliff Richard to sue the BBC over raid 'collusion'

Sir Cliff Richard is planning to sue the BBC and South Yorkshire Police for "colluding" to broadcast a police raid on his home. Detectives investigating historic sex allegations against the pop singer launched an investigation in 2014, which was filmed by the BBC. Sir Cliff, 75, was told last month that he would not face criminal proceedings.

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