Behind The Scenes: The Stars Of British Film

By Lucy Cotter, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent

Anna Karenina is a British interpretation of a Russian classic starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law.

But the real stars of this film have emerged as the off screen talent who created the magical world of Imperial Russia.

The adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel has been nominated for four Oscars in cinematography, original score, costume and production design.

Katie Spencer and Sarah Greenwood share the nomination for their work on the 100 intricate sets involved in the production at London's Ham House.

Production designer Katie Spencer said she is "so excited to be nominated", and went on to describe why she thinks that behind the scenes departments were so successful:

"In a film, you need brilliant actors, brilliant directors and a brilliant story to get it noticed to begin with.

A scene from the 2012 film Anna Karenina

"But when people work well as a team - in front of the camera and behind the scenes, that's when a film comes together. We all need each other."

Blockbusters are often overlooked at the Oscars but Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has racked up an impressive three nominations in the technical categories.

Peter Swords King, who has been nominated for best make-up, said: "Personally it's an honour to be nominated.

"It's very good for my whole team, it's only with them behind me that I've got into the position of being nominated.

Actor Ian McKellen as Gandalf in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

"We don't do the jobs for the accolades or anything like that, but it's a recognition of your work and shows that you have got to have been doing something right along the line."

There has been a great deal of British success in the technical categories of movie making which Peter Swords King attributes to English custom.

"It may be an English trait but we are never satisfied. There's always something we think we can do better and with that we question and change things."

Russell Crowe who plays Javert in the Oscar nominated Les Miserables

Les Miserables has a total of eight Oscar nominations, and this includes nods for the Brits who were involved in costume, make-up and production design.

Skyfall may have missed out in the major categories but Roger Deakins, the cinematographer gets his 10th nomination from the Academy.

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Lib Dem Wealth Tax Crackdown On Heirlooms

Jewellery, paintings and other heirlooms could be taxed under radical new plans to hit the rich drawn up by the Liberal Democrats.

The French-style tax on possessions would see a levy on family treasures including furniture, rings and necklaces.

Households could be fined if they refuse to allow tax inspectors into their homes to value items.

Plans also include extending the proposed "mansion tax" to include holiday homes and buy-to-let properties.

The party is already committed to introducing a mansion tax on individual properties worth more than £2m on their own, which Labour is now backing.

Under the new proposals, the levy would be extended to include anyone with a total property portfolio worth more than £2m.

An internal policy consultation has concluded there "may be merit" in imposing the 1% levy instead on anyone with a land and property portfolio worth above the same threshold.

The document is to be debated by activists at the party's spring conference in Brighton next month.

People could be taxed on their total property portfolio

Business Secretary Vince Cable dubbed the proposal to tax assets such as jewellery as "wacky", while MP Tessa Munt, who helped draw up the consultation paper, told the Mail on Sunday it was an "interesting idea".

"This is not party policy," Mr Cable told Sky News' Murnaghan programme.

"There is a working group coming up with ideas on a wide variety of things ... some of their ideas are interesting, a couple of them are a bit wacky - the idea of taxing jewellery is completely impractical and intrusive.

"The idea that you combine together people's properties, probably doesn't make a great deal of sense because people's second homes are already subject to capital gains tax, income tax on the rent.

"So there are ideas in there that I am sure will not get any further, but we have a democratic process, we have activists who come forward with ideas, we debate them and then we make policy - but we are a long, long way from that.

"I think we will want to stop at a mansion tax and make that work," he added.

Extending the mansion tax was reported to be favoured by some within the party as a vote-winner in the South West, where there is anger over second-home buyers forcing up prices.

But senior figures are also believed to have concerns that the move - in a package drawn up as part of preparations for the 2015 general election manifesto - could see some people taxed twice.

Landlords already pay tax on any rent they receive.

A Lib Dem spokesman said: This consultation is part of the process of asking for ideas on how to ensure a fairer tax system.

"It is up to Lib Dem party members as to whether these eventually become party policy."

The proposals emerged as Labour - which this week backed the idea of a mansion tax to fund the return of a 10p income tax rate - challenged the Lib Dems to support it in a Commons vote.

Deputy Prime Minister and Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, told Sky News: "I have been arguing for a small levy of 1% on very high value properties over £2m for years - long before Ed Miliband.

"The last thing I worry about is what the latest twists and turns are of Labour Party policy.

"What I think they need to to do is instead of constantly advocating other people's policies is come up with some of their own."

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Man Held After Pensioner Dies In Hit-And-Run

A 26-year-old man has been arrested after a pensioner was killed crossing the road in a hit-and-run.

The 80-year-old was mowed down in the street when she was walking in Yardley, Birmingham, on Saturday morning.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said the woman suffered "multiple serious injuries and was in cardiac arrest" when medics arrived.

She was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman's family has been informed but police have yet to publicly name her.

A large-scale police operation to trace the car and driver started immediately after the crash, after the vehicle sped from the scene.

Hours later, officers found a damaged blue Vauxhall Astra dumped at the roadside about six miles away in Solihull.

Police believe it to be the car involved in the crash.

A police spokesman said: "A 26-year-old visited Stechford police station and has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said medics attempted to resuscitate the woman as soon as they arrived but "despite their best efforts, nothing could be done".

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Eco-Activists 'On Construction Blacklist'

The names of five female environmental activists have reportedly been discovered on a secret employment blacklist.

The GMB union claims it was contacted by the women who say they discovered their names on the list originally thought to have only contained details of construction workers.

The list was revealed after a raid by the Information Commissioner in 2009 on the offices of The Consulting Association, a secretive organisation which offered employee background checks to construction companies.

Unions claim that prospective employees discovered to be active trade-union activists or who had raised health and safety issues with previous companies, were identified as 'troublemakers' and often denied employment.

The women are understood to be from Edinburgh, Leeds, Cornwall, Essex and the North East, and said they were unsure why their names were on the list.

The GMB has called on a Commons Select Committee conducting an inquiry into the blacklist - which contains more than 3,200 names - to find out why the women's names were included.

The union also claims another 240 women are on the list, with no information on whether they were linked to the construction industry.

Maria Ludkin, the GMB's legal officer, said the GMB had never received a satisfactory explanation from construction firms regarding what they discussed with the Consulting Association.

"Now we find environmental campaigners on the blacklist we are asking the Scottish Affairs Select Committee to investigate how these names got on the list," she said.

Last month the GMB published a regional map showing where people on the list lived in an attempt to identify the 3,200 names it contains.

The number of workers on the list ranged from just one in Warwickshire to 454 in London, 183 in Greater Manchester and 173 in Merseyside.

Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary said: "People have been deprived of an honest living through these illegal tactics which has blighted their families' lives.

"Not a single company has yet been punished nor have any of them paid compensation. GMB is calling on local councils not to award any new public work to the companies that operated the blacklist till they compensate those they damaged."

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Home Secretary Pledges New Deportation Law

Home Secretary Theresa May has claimed Britain's streets are being made more dangerous because immigration judges are failing to deport foreign criminals.

She criticised them for not following guidelines introduced last year which make clear that the "right to family life" - enshrined in law - is not an absolute right.

The Government's own figures show 177 foreign criminals avoided deportation in the year 2011/12, having convinced judges of their right to a family life in Britain.

Mrs May told the Sunday Telegraph that the actions of some immigration judges were "not acceptable" and that they were "subverting" British democracy.

A new immigration bill will reportedly be published later this year to give full legal weight to ministers' demands that foreign criminals should not routinely be able to dodge deportation by citing Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights.

Article 8 permits the right to a family life which can be a barrier to removal, but ministers and MPs say it should be balanced with the need to protect the public.

The new law is expected to state that Article 8 allows deportations to prevent "disorder or crime", meaning judges will be forced to take that into account when considering appeals by criminals.

The Sunday Telegraph also reported that new restrictions could also be included in the new law on migrants coming to Britain from countries including Romania and Bulgaria.

Last summer the Home Secretary changed immigration rules to make clear that foreign criminals should be deported if they were serious or persistent offenders.

But while the rules were backed by the House of Commons, they do not carry the full weight of law and are often ignored by judges on the Immigration Tribunal.

Ms May told the Sunday Telegraph: "The European Convention on Human Rights is clear - there is a right to a family life, but that right should be balanced with the wider public interest in controlling immigration and protecting the public.

"That's why we introduced new immigration rules last year.

"Those rules were debated in full and passed unanimously by the House of Commons. So it is not acceptable that some immigration judges are denying the democratic and legal validity of them.

"I said at the time that if the courts did not heed the changes to the rules, I would introduce primary legislation to force them to do so. That is exactly what I now intend to do.

"I am determined that Article 8 must not stop us deporting dangerous foreign criminals."

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Ms May said: "The law in this country is made by the elected representatives of the people in Parliament. And our democracy is subverted when judges decide to take on that role for themselves."

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Rihanna Unveils Rocking Fashion Collection

Rihanna has turned from singer to designer, unveiling her first clothing collection at London Fashion Week.

The pop star has joined the likes of Victoria Beckham and Madonna in creating her own fashion line and was in the UK for its debut.

Hip-hop music, smoke machines and champagne greeted guests at the launch of Rihanna for River Island on Saturday night.

The clothes echoed the singer's own style, featuring bra tops, dresses slashed to the thigh, tummy-baring tank tops and thigh-high boots.

Many had a simple, monochrome look - in off-reds, yellow, navy, black and other colours and materials included satin, jersey and denim.

Rihanna also tried her hand at a few elegant, semi-sheer dresses that were predominantly black with white floral patterns.

The singer, from Barbados, appeared unusually shy but happy when she appeared on the catwalk at the end of the show.

Rihanna enjoyed the limelight as the show ended

Her collection will be sold at River Island stores from next month.

Brazilian-born Daniela Issa Helayel (better known as Issa), John Rocha, Julien Macdonald also took centre stage on the second day of fashion week.

The five-day spectacle continues on Sunday with shows by Vivienne Westwood, Temperley London, L'Wren Scott and others.

Victoria Beckham, meanwhile, joined fellow fashion heavyweights Donatella Versace and Diane Von Furstenberg to judge the £67,000 International Woolmark Prize.

Six finalists from around the world competed for the opportunity to have their clothes sold in shops such as Harvey Nichols in London and Bergdorf Goodman in New York.

The eventual winner was Christian Wijnants from Belgium.

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Comic Relief: PM Stars In One Direction Video

David Cameron is to make a "cameo" appearance in a Comic Relief music video with teen heartthrobs One Direction.

The Prime Minister features in the group's official Red Nose Day single, which is a cover version medley of Blondie's One Way Or Another and the Undertones' Teenage Kicks.

The Government has already agreed to cover the cost of VAT on sales of the record to help the fund-raising effort.

One Direction, who have stormed to global fame after being put together on X Factor, went to Downing Street to film the clip last year.

It is not the first time Mr Cameron has taken part in Comic Relief, which has raised £800m since it was first launched 25 years ago.

In 2011, he recorded a special episode of MasterChef in the kitchens at Number 10 with comediennes Miranda Hart and Ruby Wax.

His predecessors Gordon Brown and Tony Blair have both also taken part in sketches for the charity.

In 2011, after he had left office, Mr Brown teamed up with James Corden, JLS and other celebrities in a comedy sketch.

And in 2007, Mr Blair showed off his acting skills in a segment with comedy actress Catherine Tate.

He had to deal with one of her most popular characters - stroppy teenager Lauren Cooper - and delivered her famous catchphrase: "Am I bovvered?"

Red Nose Day is on March 15.

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Horsemeat: Minister Defends Defra Response

Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has mounted a robust defence of his department's actions following claims Government ministers were warned in 2011 that horsemeat was illegally entering the human food chain.

John Young, a former manager at the Meat Hygiene Service, now part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), told The Sunday Times he warned the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of the potential scandal in April that year, but was ignored.

He followed this up a month later in a letter saying, "are the lunatics in total control of the asylum?"

Mr Paterson said he had spoken to the FSA's chief executive, Catherine Brown, regarding the claims, which were made before he took up his position.

"I have discussed it with the chief executive of the FSA this morning and she is going to go back through the records and see exactly what was said at the time," he told Sky News' Murnaghan programme.

Supermarkets have warned consumers could pay the price for the scandal

The Cabinet minister, who has been accused of being "asleep at the wheel" by Labour, said his department could not have been more "active" since the recent revelations.

"We are making progress - a whole lot of premises have been investigated, a large amount of evidence has been taken, and in this country we have been extremely active. Three premises have been investigated, two closed down and a number of arrests made.

"We are completely determined to get to the bottom of this because no matter what the price of the product, the consumer should buy what is on the label. It is a fraud on the public."

He said British actions had triggered Europe-wide testing for horse DNA and bute - as well as coordinated probes into the crisis across the continent.

"Too much of this system is based on trust on paper, and there is not enough testing. We have to get back to more testing of products.

"It trusts that the palate conforms to the piece of paper. Nobody checks what's on the palate often enough. Nobody checks what's in production often enough. Nobody checks the finished product often enough."

He added: "When this is all through, I want to have a proper look at the whole system within the constraints of European law. I want to make sure we do reintroduce more targeted testing and more random testing of products."

Some 7% of people have stopped eating meat altogether, a poll suggests

The FSA said Mr Young's letter highlighted concerns about the horse passport system, which is the responsibility of Defra - not the illegal substitution of beef with horse.

A spokesperson said: "The horse passport system is the principal measure to keep horses testing positive for bute out of the food chain.

"During the past 12 months the FSA has increased the number of staff working in horse abattoirs to strengthen our oversight of the system. And from last week we introduced a system where all horses are tested for bute, and carcasses are not allowed into the food chain unless they have tested negative. This complements the protection provided by the horse passport system."

Meanwhile, the boss of one of the country's leading supermarkets warned consumers could end up paying the price for the scandal.

Mark Price, managing director of Waitrose, said ensuring food has the best safety guarantees means it can no longer be regarded as a "cheap commodity".

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he said rising costs of rearing animals could mean that "somewhere along that long supply route, somebody has looked to cheat and take advantage of these circumstances either for their own personal greed or to keep a company afloat".

But supermarket chain Morrisons insisted "high quality meat does not need to be expensive".

A spokesman said: "We have invested in our own abattoirs and meat processing facilities to control cost and quality. Many meat supply chains are too complex, with too many middlemen, and this adds to cost and leads to more risk of adulteration."

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Teenager Shot Dead In East London

A teenager has died and a man is fighting for his life after being shot in east London.

The pair were reportedly sat in a car at the time of the shootings in Hindrey Road, Clapton, at 8.20pm on Saturday.

Witnesses said they heard three gunshots.

Paramedics rushed the victims to hospital where the younger, aged 19, later died.

A 22-year-old man is understood to be in a stable condition.

Zach Carpenter, 18, saw two men wearing bandanas across their faces enter Hindrey Road before he heard three loud bangs.

Police are hunting for two suspects seen running away

One was wearing a red and white chequered bandana, and the other a black one, he said.

The Aberystwyth University student, whose family has lived in the area since he was 10 months old, said there were known feuds between gangs on rival estates.

"It's not so much a war, more of a feud between the Pembury and Nightingale estates, and another one," he said.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said she heard three gunshots.

She said: "I heard the shots - one, two, three. I was on the phone to my son and he told me not to dare look out the house.

"It's been a lot better around here recently. There hasn't been anything like this for many years."

Another resident, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said: "With this happening now, I don't think people will feel safe.

"There have been shootings here before but this is the first murder."

Forensic teams working at the scene

Detectives from Operation Trident, which investigates gang-related crime, are hunting two suspects seen running from the scene.

One is black, Scotland Yard said, while the second is light-skinned, possibly of Asian or Turkish appearance.

They were seen running away from Hindrey Road after the shooting towards the nearby Pembury Estate.

Police said there was as yet no clear motive for the shootings, and no-one has been arrested.

"At this very early stage we must retain an open mind regarding the circumstances of the incident and any motive," the spokesman said.

Hindrey Road remains cordoned off, as police officers patrol the area.

A post-mortem examination is to be arranged.

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Brit Backpacker: I Feel Lucky To Be Alive

A British backpacker missing in the scorching Australian outback for three days has told of how he did everything he could to survive - including drink his own urine and contact lens solution.

Sam Woodhead, 18, became lost after he set out for a jog from the remote Queensland cattle station where he had worked for less than two weeks.

But the chance discovery of packets of lenses in his rucksack - put there by his father, Peter - helped to keep him going for 72 hours in blistering temperatures of around 40C (104F).

Sam Woodhead was a keen long distance runner

The former Brighton College student, from Richmond upon Thames, London, also used his rugby shorts and other items of clothing to create an SOS sign that led to his rescue.

He was found about three miles away from the ranch by rescuers in a helicopter. He had lost two stones in weight and was just hours from death.

He told Sky News: "I feel very fortunate to be alive and to be standing here.

"I know that so many people helped out ... and I genuinely believe that if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here today.

"It was a really amazing feeling to be actually picked up and realise that I was actually going to make it through ... and it wasn't going to be the end."

His mother, Claire Derry, has visited him in hospital in Longreach, about 50 miles away from where he was discovered. She said he had lost weight and his kidneys were not working properly due to dehydration.

Mr Woodhead with his mother and sister Rebacca before the ordeal

She said: "His birth was one of the best moments of my life, and this is pretty close to it, getting him back again, because I was pretty convinced it was touch and go. I did an awful lot of praying during that flight.

"He looks fantastic, he's suntanned, his mouth isn't blistered, he looks great, he's thinner and questionably a lot thinner than when I last saw him.

"The only concern is that his kidneys are not quite functioning normally and his blood's not normal. But that, the doctor says, is completely typical of somebody who's been completely dehydrated."

Ms Derry added: "He  tried to drink his own urine. He said he'd run out of the contact lens fluid and the contact lens capsules said they were 69% water. But they'd all gone so the urine had become very, very concentrated.

"So he said he couldn't stomach it, so he had nothing, he had nothing to keep him going, by the time the helicopter crew got to him."

She told Sky News: "Sam is an amazingly cool guy and he said 'hi mum' and I said 'Sam I didn't think I would be holding you in my arms again frankly'.

Mr Woodhead is helped by medical personnel after his helicopter rescue

"But he didn't cry and didn't show very much emotion at all. He just said I'm really happy to see you."

Mr Woodhead, who is set on joining the Armed Forces and is a keen long distance runner, is expected to leave hospital on Sunday.

Mike Curtin from Queensland State Police said: "He was quite disorientated but, you know, his body seemed to bounce back fairly quickly once he knew that obviously he was located and so forth and he was quite happy of the fact that someone had found him."

Mr Curtin warned of the harsh Australian climate and called on young people to be careful when travelling or working in the remote Australian Outback.

He said: "It's one of those things and I think there's a lesson to be learned here from any of these young fellows who do take, or young boys and girls, who take jobs in areas like this isolated part of the state, to be careful, to be safe, and prepare.

"And never take the harshest Australian environment and our climatic conditions here for granted."

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