The next new craze for cakes is due to hit our shores in the next few months. Savoury cupcakes are currently big in America, where flavours such as pizza and hamburger flavour are popular among cake buyers.

The cupcakes are made as normal but baked with flavourings from different savoury flavours . The buttercream is also enhanced with the flavours of Pizzas, cheeseburgers and even steak and cheese flavour.

It all started by accident in a small town outside Texas, USA when the bakers of a small bakery firm accidentally poured bacon bits into the cake mix. Billy Smith from Billy¹s Bakery in Brushy Creek, Texas says ³We didn¹t want to waste the mixture after the Bacon Bits had been accidentally put into the mixture, so we carried on making the cupcakes and surprisingly they tasted good, and the costumers agreed. After that we started to develop different savoury flavours and they have been selling like hot cakes².

A new batch of cupcake flavours are currently being developed for British tastes, these include roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, with a horseradish butter cream, and fish and chips flavour with tartare sauce buttercream.

Jessica Taylor who owns a thriving Cake Decorating Business in Brighton called Cake Life is not quite so sure the cakes will take off over here. She says she has been busy working on the more traditional flavour for Cupcakes and Wedding Cakes but if an order came in for fish and chips cupcakes she would give it a go.

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The BBC has secured the first major political interview with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair since he retired from office.
Andrew Marr will interview Tony Blair in an exclusive one hour interview on BBC Two, the public broadcaster has announced.
Commenting on the planned interview, which takes place on Wednesday 1 September at 7pm, Andrew Marr says:
“Having the chance to speak to the former PM for an hour is a remarkable opportunity to learn more about what he was trying to achieve in office and how with hindsight he now regards his record.”
It will be the first major retrospective TV interview about Tony Blair’s time at number 10 Downing Street since he stood down in 2007; and will coincide with the launch of his memoirs, A Journey.
All proceeds of Mr Blair memoirs are being donated to the British Legion, the UK charity providing help to serving and ex-service men and women and their families.
The £4.6m advance and all royalties from the memoirs, which are expected to be hugely successful such is the interest in the politician across the world, and especially in North America, are to be donated to the British Legion Battle Back Challenge Centre, a sports centre for injured soldiers which is planned to open in 2012.
A spokesman for Tony Blair said: “In making this decision, Tony Blair recognises the courage and sacrifice the armed forces demonstrate day in, day out.
“As prime minister he witnessed that for himself in Iraq, Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone and Kosovo. This is his way of honouring their courage and sacrifice.
“We have been consulting with a number of people and organisations to decide the best support he can give. There is one project consistently highlighted: The Royal British Legion’s Battle Back Challenge Centre.”
The announcement was recently made by Gail Rebuck, Chairman and Chief Executive of the Random House Group.
Tony Blair: The Journey is being published in the UK by Hutchinson and simultaneously in the United States by Knopf, and in Canada by Knopf Canada, imprints of the Random House Group.
Gail Rebuck says: “Tony Blair’s The Journey will break new ground in prime ministerial memoirs just as Blair himself broke the mould of British politics.
“His book is frank, open, revealing and written in an intimate and accessible style. As an account of the nature and uses of power, it will have a readership that extends well beyond politics, to all those who want to understand the challenge of leadership in today’s world.”
Tony Blair has also spoken about his pleasure in writing his memoirs.
“I have really enjoyed the writing of the book. I have tried to write a book which describes the human as much as the political dimensions of life as Prime Minister, he says.
“Though necessarily retrospective, it is an attempt to inform and shape current and future thinking as much as an historical account of the past. Most of all I want readers to have as much pleasure reading it as I had writing it.”
Since leaving office Tony Blair’s various roles have included working as a UN peace envoy for the Middle East and lecturing at Yale University on international affairs.

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Plans to tackle knife-crime and serious youth violence are gathering apace.

The Government is looking at ways it can improve the way police are alerted to knife crime so they can respond quickly, gather information and apprehend perpetrators.

One such way is to look at the way in which hospitals share A&E data about where and when violent attacks take place. This will help the police to target their resources where they are needed most.

Plans are already in place to give people information about crime on their streets by publishing local crime maps which will help the public to hold local forces and agencies to account on their record on crime.

There is also a new commitment being launched to tackle knife crime, especially in the capital where it has become a major problem in recent years – 14 young people have died in London this year alone.

Teams of officers are heavily targeting problem areas and carrying out searches, the approach already starting to show a reduction in knife crimes across the capital.

The Metropolitan Police is operating its campaign codenamed – Operation Blunt, which focuses on youth violence and knife crime.

Officers are carrying out operations day and night to take weapons off London’s streets, arrest offenders and engage with communities to deter young people from carrying weapons in the first place.

The stop and search scheme has been seen as controversial but the Met’s anti-knife crime campaign has also been seen as successful bringing down the number of youth murders and reducing knife crime by four per cent in the last year, an astonishing 305 offences.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, says:

“I gave a commitment to Londoners to tackle crime in London and make this fantastic city of ours safer.

“I know that with the right focus and resources, we can get a grip on crime and violence.

“The creation of these teams is a crucial part of the jigsaw for taking back our streets from the mindless criminals that devastate people’s lives, blight neighbourhoods with their antisocial behaviour and make people fearful to travel around our city and neighbourhoods.”

Commander Maxine De Brunner of the Metropolitan Police added:

“Operations are taking place every day across the Met – we are proactively targeting known violent offenders and we continue to stop and search people to detect and deter the carrying of weapons.”

The anti serious violence crackdown in town centres includes using plain-clothed and uniformed officers to create a strong presence and tackle known trouble spots.

Provisional information from the Met reports that since April 1 this year, more than 26,000 searches for weapons have been conducted in the capital and a total of 317 knives, 17 guns and 128 other weapons seized.

The force also reports that a total of 960 people have been proceeded against for possession of a knife or sharp instrument and a further 1,546 people proceeded against for other knife-related offences.

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The UK economy has expanded at its fastest rate in four years.

The economy has expanded rapidly in the second quarter of 2010, reinforcing the Government’s case that the UK markets are tough enough to withstand the austerity programme being rolled out.

The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal that at a preliminary estimate, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 1.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2010, which is a very strong performance especially considering the parlous state of the UK economy over the last couple of years. In fact, the rate of expansion is almost double what most economic experts expected at this stage of 2010. Most economic gurus were predicting at best around 0.6 per cent growth, based partly on the information that in the first three months of 2010 output grew by only 0.3 per cent.

The news suggests that the UK economy is on track for a much stronger recovery than anticipated and should be able to withstand the new UK coalition Government’s spending cuts.

Although, having said that, the optimism is slightly muted due to the fact that many economy experts are of the opinion that the strong growth is partly reflected by a resurge of economic activity after the freezing winter snow brought the UK to a standstill earlier in the year.

However, GDP has increased 1.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2010, compared with an increase of only 0.3 per cent in the previous quarter.

The growth in the second quarter is due to growth across all key sectors: services, construction and production.

Total services output increased by 0.9 per cent, compared with a rise of 0.3 per cent in the first quarter.

The largest contribution to the growth in the second quarter was from business services and finance. There was also substantial growth in distribution, hotels and restaurants and in Government and other services although transport, storage and communication industries declined.

Senior Economist Jeegar Kakkad, of The Manufacturer’s Organisation EEF, said:

“GDP numbers are surprisingly strong with the manufacturing recovery in particular appearing to have gained vital momentum. Hopefully this growth will help cushion industry against an uncertain global recovery.”

The distribution, hotel and restaurant sector rose 0.7 per cent, compared with a downturn of 0.7 per cent in the previous quarter. The hotel and restaurant and retail industries contributed most to growth in this quarter.

Business services and finance shot up 1.3 per cent in the second quarter compared with an increase of one per cent in the previous quarter of 2010. Other business services contributed most to the growth this area.

Transportation, storage and communications fell 0.7 per cent, compared with an increase of 0.2 per cent from the first 2010 quarter. Land transport made the biggest negative growth in the latest quarter.

Government and other services rose 0.9 per cent, compared with a zero growth in the previous quarter. Health contributed most to the growth.

Total production output rose in the second quarter, increasing one per cent, unchanged from the first quarter. Manufacturing made the largest contribution to the growth, where output rose 1.6 per cent.

Electricity, gas and water supply output decreased 1.6 per cent, compared with an increase of 0.4 per cent in the previous quarter. Mining and quarrying fell 0.8 per cent, following a decrease of 0.5 in the first 2010 quarter.

Construction output rose 6.6 per cent in the second quarter, compared with a decrease of 1.6 per cent in the first 2010 quarter.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing output increased 0.3 per cent, compared with a fall of 2.2 per cent in the previous quarter.

Most of which, whichever way you look at it, is excellent news for the UK economy and suggests that the good ship Britain is on the way to recovery much sooner than many doomsayers have predicted.

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The latest crime figures have revealed that crime is down massively, down 50 per cent overall since 1995 in one statistic – with the UK exhibiting the lowest rates of criminal activity since the early 1980s.

However, in what can be seen as the latest round of positive news, many people are also asking how accurate the figures are and do they concur with people’s day to day perceptions of crime?

The latest annual Crime in England and Wales statistics show that most crimes, including thefts, burglaries and fraud cases are all on a downward trend.

The main findings of the National Crime Statistics incorporating the British Crime Survey, has revealed that the number of overall criminal offences has fallen from 10.5 million to 9.6 million, the first time the main crime figure has dropped below 10 million since records began.

The most striking new finding within the report is that both the 2009/10 British Crime Survey figures and police recorded crime are consistent in showing falls in overall crime compared with 2008/09.

Overall crime decreased by nine per cent – from 10.5 million crimes to 9.6 million crimes – and police recorded crime by eight per cent: from 4.7 million to 4.3 million crimes.

For some the results can be seen as surprising given there were expectations that crime, particularly property related crime, would rise in the recession. However, neither major data source shows an increase in levels of property crime.

Even the Home Secretary is keen to put the figures in perspective.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: “Any reductions in crime are welcome, but we know these statistics offer a partial picture about the true level of crime. And there are many offences, including anti-social behaviour, which are not always reported or fully recorded, but which ruin too many lives.

“No society should accept a situation where at least 26,000 people a day fall victim to crime.“

The new coalition Government is planning to improve the official crime data to include regular local crime updates.

“What matters to people is the crime that happens in their local communities and what is being done about it. This is why we want the public to know what is really going on in their area and will publish monthly crime information about what is happening on their streets by January next year, says Theresa May.

“We are determined to restore trust in crime statistics and are currently considering how they should be collected and published in future. We are working with the UK Statistics Authority and others to consider this carefully.”

The Crime in England and Wales 2009/10 report includes results from the British Crime Survey and crimes recorded by the police for the 12 months up to April 2010.

While estimates for crime from the British Crime Survey go back to 1981, the Home Office have figures on crimes recorded by the police going back more than 100 years.

Both major crime sources are consistent in showing marked falls in vehicle crime. British Crime Survey vehicle related theft is down 17 per cent and police recorded vehicle crime down by 16 per cent, compared with the previous year.

In addition, while the nine per cent fall in domestic burglary from the British Crime Survey was not statistically significant it is in line with the six per cent reduction recorded by the police.

This is also the first time in recent years in which the UK Cards Association have reported a reduction in levels of credit card fraud with a two per cent reduction in the number of fraudulent transactions: down to 2.7 million in 2009 compared with the 2.8 million recorded in 2008; and a 16 per cent fall in UK fraud losses.

Overall British Crime Survey crime is down by 50 per cent since 1995.

However, while the figures are being welcomed more awareness about the way crime statistics are generated is toning down the celebrations.

Even authors of the report identify a problem in interpreting police figures over the long-term. Because of limited knowledge of how public reporting and police recording practices have changed – the figures have to be understood in the context of how they are produced.

For example, over the 20th Century police recorded crime figures increased more than 70 fold which is not felt to be an accurate reflection of changes in levels of offending; and repeated changes in public reporting, police recording and coverage of new offences; as well as increases in population size.

Further depoliticisation of crime figures will be welcomed as well as openness about how the statistics are put together.

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Good economic news is a rarity these days so the announcement by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) that the UK’s job market has taken an unexpected boost will be welcomed by many.

Unemployment levels are falling for the first time since early 2009, in what is partly being attributed to a surge in the numbers now working part-time and increasing numbers of people becoming self employed.

Inversely, the numbers who are in work are on the up for the first time in over a year.

The news could provide a welcome shot in the arm to the UK economy as it strives to climb out of recession.

The ONS reports the employment rate for the three months to May 2010 was 72.3 per cent, up 0.3 on the quarter and the number of people in employment increased by 160,000 on the quarter to reach 28.98 million.

The quarterly increase in the total numbers of people in work was mainly down to the increase in part-time UK workers, who have increased their numbers by 117,000 to reach 6.63 million.

Self-employment, which rose by 59,000 to reach 3.93 million, is also being seen as a welcome boost to the economy.

Many people who have been made redundant often look to part-time work or self employment as an alternative to a lack of suitable full-time positions available.

The number of full-time employees fell by 22,000 on the quarter to reach 18.2 million and so the unemployment rate for the three months to May 2010 was 7.8 per cent, down 0.1 per cent.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling, speaking on Sky News, said:

“Every small fall is a step in the right direction but we have got a big challenge ahead to try to turn the economy around.”

The number of unemployed people fell by 34,000 over the quarter to reach 2.47 million.

The number of people unemployed for up to six months fell by 54,000, to reach 1.16 million.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance fell by 20,800 between May and June 2010 to reach 1.46 million. The number of claimants fell in all regions except the North East and Northern Ireland where small increases were recorded.

However, one area of concern for ministers was the number of people unemployed for more than twelve months which increased by 61,000 over the quarter to reach 787,000, the highest figure since the three months to March 1997.

The long term jobless figures suggest more needs to be done to find ways to bring these people back into the workforce.

However, despite the competitive marketplace there is hope for the long-term unemployed with an increase in the number of job vacancies being advertised.

The number of vacancies for the three months to June 2010 was 486,000, up 10,000 over the quarter. The sector showing the largest quarterly increase in jobs posted was wholesaling, retailing and motor vehicle repairs, where the number of vacancies increased by 11,000 on the quarter to reach 95,000.

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