News In Brief

Prime Minister Tony Blair sent messages of encouragement to both British tennis players involved in Thursday's Wimbledon quarter finals. When Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski arrived in their dressing rooms a message was waiting for them. Mr Blair said: "Good luck Tim and Greg for today's quarter finals. We have all been gripped by your marvellous performances so far at Wimbledon and are behind you all the way. "I shall be following your matches closely from Downing Street and cheering you on with the rest of the country. Good luck again." Mr Blair added in his own handwriting: "I wish I was there!" Rusdski and Henman both lost their matches.

Independent MP Martin Bell has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of East Anglia. The veteran former BBC journalist grew up in Beccles, Suffolk, and began his journalistic career in Norfolk. A spokesman for the UEA, at Norwich, said Mr Bell was being honoured for his journalistic work, not because of his recently-launched political career. Mr Bell was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree in a ceremony at the university this morning. History lecturer Dr John Charmley praised Mr Bell's reporting during the past 30 years, adding that the correspondent had then found himself involved in "what has to be the strangest campaign in post World War II politics". Dr Charmley added: "It has been a long journey from Beccles to Westminster, but East Anglia, who nurtured him and to where he has always returned as a refugee, is proud of him."

New laws will be introduced to prevent drivers of heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches from spending too long at the wheel, the Government has announced. Transport Minister Glenda Jackson said in a Commons written reply that the present regulations meant drivers were advised to take a rest if they exceeded permitted driving hours, but any refusal to take the advice would be reported to the court in subsequent prosecutions.

The former Defence Minister, Alan Clark, says those who wrote the Tory 1997 election manifesto should be sacked, and every sentence, phrase and word of it should be erased from the party's "corporate memory". Writing in the Spectator magazine he said "This document was the basis for a campaign in which the party suffered it's worst defeat since 1832. Who wrote all that stuff, anyhow? And who's paying for them at present? Sack the lot." he said. "The very first thing the party must do to recover respect is to avoid the soundbite." He said that the party needed to reinforce the three traditional pillars of conservatism - Church, Crown and nation-state. But there is hope he said: "The electorate, who are not stupid, were just sick of a Conservative Party that was quarrelsome, self-serving and in so far as policy existed at all, barely distinguishable from the more obtuse tendency among its own departmental officials."

The Government has indicated that the May Day bank holiday is here to stay. The previous government had been considering changing the holiday, traditionally associated with celebrations of trade union rights, to another part of the year: suggestions had included Trafalgar Day, which falls on October 21 or All Saints Day in November. But at Commons Question Time Consumer Affairs Minister Nigel Griffiths said the May Day holiday was valued by many sections of the community, and business was against a change. Mr Griffiths joked that there might be a more recent reason to remember May 1st: "A change of name has been suggested to me for May Day - to Landslide Day, to Victory Day, even to Demolition Day! But, since we have got no wish to be triumphalist, I think we'll keep it at May Day."

Conservatives in the constituency of Uxbridge, West London, have picked local businessman John Randall as their candidate in the coming by-election. The 42-year-old father-of-three will be defending the narrowest Tory-held majority in the capital - just 724 votes. The seat fell vacant after long standing MP Sir Michael Shersby died of a heart attack just a week after the May 1 general election. The poll will be an early popularity test for the new Government, and for new Tory leader William Hague. A date for the by-election has yet to be set.

The Government has indicated that dates for the referendums on Scottish and Welsh devolution will be announced within three weeks. The House of Lords was told the intention was to hold the referendums before the major party conferences which begin in September.