Boris Johnson Backs Leadsom For Tory Leader

Boris Johnson has thrown his support behind Andrea Leadsom in the Conservative Party leadership contest.

The former London mayor - who saw his own hopes of the leadership dashed following a devastating attack by Michael Gove - praised the Energy Minister as "level-headed, kind and trustworthy".

In a statement, he said: "Andrea Leadsom offers the zap, the drive, and the determination essential for the next leader of this country.

"She has long championed the needs of the most vulnerable in our society.

"She has a better understanding of finance than almost anyone else in Parliament.

"She has considerable experience of government.

"She is level-headed, kind, trustworthy, approachable and the possessor of a good sense of humour.

"Above all she possesses the qualities needed to bring together leavers and remainers in the weeks and months ahead.

"I will be voting for Andrea Leadsom tomorrow."

Earlier on Monday, the former City worker formally launched her leadership bid, declaring she will do "everything in my power to keep the United Kingdom united".

Mrs Leadsom said she knows she can do the job and is confident she can reach out to those who did not vote to leave the European Union.

She said: "I know how to strike a deal in a tough negotiation.

"I know from very long experience how our economy works, and I know, as a woman, how to succeed in a man's world.

"Please don't be afraid.

"We haven't stopped loving our country ... we have just rediscovered citizens are unhappy with the way the economy works for them."

Mrs Leadsom is second-favourite in the race to succeed David Cameron.

Front runner Theresa May saw her campaign boosted by the support of a number of prominent Tory MPs, including Cabinet minister Liz Truss and backbencher David Davis.

The Home Secretary has at least 115 declared supporters among Conservative MPs - more than her four rivals combined.

That figure includes eight members of the Cabinet, among them Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon.

On Monday, Mrs May got the most vocal support in the 1922 Committee hustings for the new prime minister.

Sky's Political Editor Faisal Islam said: "At 1922, Theresa May got most vocal backing, as you'd expect.

"Leadsom won fans, but May's backers seized on A50 (article 50) timing change.

"Intriguingly Gove at 1922 not questioned about what he did to Boris, but was questioned more than once about role of adviser Cummings."

Mrs Leadsom has won the backing of Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and has at least 36 declared supporters.

Justice Secretary Mr Gove has 25 backers and Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb has 21.

Former defence secretary Liam Fox is yet to reach double figures.

The 330 Conservative MPs will vote on Tuesday in the first round of the leadership contest, with the worst performing candidate eliminated.

Further rounds will take place on Thursday and Tuesday next week until only two candidates remain.

The leader will then be chosen in a ballot of around 150,000 Conservative Party members by 9 September.

Suicide Bomb Blast Outside Medina Mosque

A suicide bomber detonated their device near the security headquarters of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, according to Saudi television.

The blast in the city, the second-holiest site in Islam, followed three explosions in Qatif and Jeddah on Monday on the penultimate day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.

Two security offers were killed, according to the Al Arabiya news channel which showed a fire burning in a car park near the mosque.

The attack comes on the second last day of Ramadan

It was unclear how many people were injured.

A witness said a car bomb was detonated near a mosque in Qatif and was followed by a suicide bomb attack just before 7pm local time.

Qatif is heavily populated by Shia Muslims, who are a minority in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

A suicide bomber had earlier set off a device near the US consulate in Jeddah, wounding two security officers.

Interior Ministry spokesman Major General Mansour al Turki said the attacker was spotted by security guards, and set off his device when he was approached.

No claims of responsibility for any of the attacks have been made.

Islamic State has carried out a series of bombing and shooting attacks in Saudi Arabia since 2014 that have killed scores of people, mostly Shias and members of the security services.

Most of the attacks have taken place in Eastern Province, which is home to the majority of Shias in the Gulf state.

In January, a suicide bomber attacked a mosque in al Ahsa, killing four people before worshippers disarmed and tied up an accomplice who had shot at them.

In October last year, a gunman opened fire on worshippers marking the Shia commemoration of Ashura in Qatif, killing five people before he was shot dead by police.

Explosion rocks Saudi Arabia's Qatif city

At least one explosion has been heard near a mosque in the eastern Saudi Arabian city of Qatif, Reuters news agency reports.

Witnesses at the scene reported seeing body parts on the streets in the city's business district on Monday evening.

A witness said one explosion destroyed a car parked near a mosque, followed by another explosion just before 7 pm local time.

Early on Monday morning, two security officers were injured as a suicide bomber blew himself up near the US consulate in the coastal city of Jeddah.

Woman Survives Crash But Is Killed By HGV

A woman died when she was hit by a lorry after she got out of her car on a motorway.

The 24-year-old had been driving her Ford Fiesta on the M61 early on Monday morning when she hit the central reservation, said police. 

The car was stuck, so she got out to inspect the damage, and was hit by the lorry.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are appealing for information about the accident, which happened at about 3.30am on Monday near junction five of the north-bound motorway in Greater Manchester.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the area as the police investigation continues.

PC Paul Hailwood, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "I would like to extend my most sincere and heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of this young woman.

"We currently have specially-trained officers working to provide them with any support they need at this tragic time.

"We are appealing for anybody with information to please come forward and contact police."

They should call the GMP Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4742.

Highways England said the motorway was likely to remain closed for some time, and diversions are in place.

Southern To Cut 350 Trains A Day, Union Claims

Southern is owned and operated by Govia Thameslink

Southern will cancel 350 trains a day as it attempts to deal with the disruption caused by delays and strikes, according to the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’ union (RMT).

Southern’s parent company Govia Thameslink (GTR) has been given permission to introduce an emergency timetable, which will come into effect from next Monday, 11 July, the trade union said.

RMT claims the figures were confirmed at a company council meeting on Friday.

General secretary Mick Cash said: "This latest savage attack on passenger services by GTR is nothing to do with staff sickness and everything to do with gross mismanagement of this franchise and the failure to employ enough guards and drivers to fill the current rosters and diagrams.

"The solution of [sic] this failing, basket-case franchise is not axing more trains and attacking those trying to hold it together at the sharp end - it is the removal of Govia at the earliest possible point.

"Directly Operated Railways, who sorted out the mess on the East Coast, are lined up and ready to go and they should be given the green light to take over and start running these routes under public control, in the public interest."

Govia Thameslink says it will be making an announcement about an amended timetable for Southern Railway on Tuesday and will not be giving any details beforehand.

Also on Tuesday, Govia Thameslink’s chief operating officer Dyan Crowther and Mick Cash will give evidence to MPs.

The Transport Select Committee is looking at how to improve rail passengers’ experience, and has convened an additional session to "reflect the weight of evidence received from passengers on GTR's Southern Railway services," and examine the causes of disruption on the network.

Steepest Decline In Construction Since 2009

Construction output in the UK has fallen at its sharpest rate since June 2009, hitting a seven-year low.

The Markit/ CIPS Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) came in at 46.0 in June, down from 51.2 in May and crucially below the 50 mark, which means output is falling rather than growing.

PMIs are a closely-watched barometer of business confidence in an industry. 

It is the first time the construction industry has reported a contraction since April 2013.

The figures from June show output fell across the board. Residential construction was worst affected, although commercial building fell for the first time since May 2013 and had one of its weakest performances in six-and-a-half years.

The survey was largely completed before the EU referendum, but many respondents cited uncertainty ahead of the vote as a reason for the slowdown.

Tim Moore, senior economist at Markit, said: "Construction firms are at the sharp end of domestic economic uncertainty and jolts to investor sentiment, so trading conditions were always going to be challenging in the run-up to the EU referendum.

"However, the extent and speed of the downturn in the face of political and economic uncertainty is a clear warning flag for the wider post-Brexit economic outlook.

"The vast majority of June’s survey responses were received ahead of the EU referendum, so the worry is that the ensuing political turmoil will hit construction spending decisions for some time to come."

Brexit caution was also blamed for the sharpest fall in new business orders since December 2012, and for putting a brake on recruitment in June.

Chief UK Economist at IHS Global, Howard Archer, said the "absolutely dire survey ... can only intensify concern as to just how much the construction sector will be hampered by the Brexit vote".

Housebuilding stocks have been badly hit since the referendum, with many falling nearly 30% on the day as investors fear the sector will be one of the most vulnerable to a potential post-Brexit slowdown.

Today, property companies led the fallers on the FTSE 100.

Taylor Wimpey was down 4%, closely followed by British Land, Barratt Developments, Persimmon and Berkeley Group, which all fell more than 3%. 

Also today, ratings agency Standard & Poor's warned of falling investment prospects, both domestically and from overseas, in the wake of the Brexit vote.

It said it assumed a "benign outlook for the housing market," with "modest" price contraction, unless negotiations between the EU and UK become confrontational, which would hit confidence in the industry more severely.  

That chimes with today's Sentix Index of Eurozone confidence, which fell to an 18-month low for July - down to 17 from 9.9 the month before - as investors prepared for continued fallout in the wake of the referendum.

Gallagher Sings Royle Family Song For Aherne

Noel Gallagher has dedicated the song used as The Royle Family theme tune to his friend Caroline Aherne, who created and starred in the television show.

The former Oasis frontman only discovered the actress and comedian had died a few hours before he took to the stage in Nashville on Saturday where he sang a moving version of Half The World Away.

He told the crowd at the Ryman Auditorium: "I want to dedicate the next song to a friend of mine who died this afternoon.

"Her name was Caroline and she was a very, very, very funny woman.

used this next song on a very, very, very, very brilliant sitcom in England called The Royle Family."

He finished by adding, "So, wherever you are," and pointing heavenward, before launching into the song.

The 49-year-old, who is touring with his band Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, had promised the tribute earlier on his Instagram account.

shared a picture of Aherne with the caption, "RIP Kaz ... I shall sing for you tonight. (My god you made us laugh!)"

Aherne starred as Denise Best in The Royle Family, a sitcom that centred around a working class family sitting in their living room and which was toast of the 1999 British Comedy Awards, scooping four trophies including best actress for Aherne.

It also went on to take home the best sitcom BAFTA in 2000 and 2007.

Her co-star Ralf Little, who played brother Anthony in the BBC sitcom, shared a story about Gallagher's gesture on Twitter, writing: "Noel G on tour playing Half the World Away for Caroline. The Chief never lets you down."

Aherne died on Saturday at her home in Timperley, Greater Manchester, at the age of 52 after a battle with lung cancer.

She was also known for her chat show The Mrs Merton Show, which won a string of awards, and more recently she narrated Channel 4 show Gogglebox.

shared a picture of Aherne with the caption, "RIP Kaz ... I shall sing for you tonight. (My god you made us laugh!)"

Aherne starred as Denise Best in The Royle Family, a sitcom that centred around a working class family sitting in their living room and which was toast of the 1999 British Comedy Awards, scooping four trophies including best actress for Aherne.

It also went on to take home the best sitcom BAFTA in 2000 and 2007.

Her co-star Ralf Little, who played brother Anthony in the BBC sitcom, shared a story about Gallagher's gesture on Twitter, writing: "Noel G on tour playing Half the World Away for Caroline. The Chief never lets you down."

Aherne died on Saturday at her home in Timperley, Greater Manchester, at the age of 52 after a battle with lung cancer.

She was also known for her chat show The Mrs Merton Show, which won a string of awards, and more recently she narrated Channel 4 show Gogglebox.