Snowmail: Baby P inquiry 'devastating'

First off to Haringey in north London.

"Overall the inquiry's findings, are, I have to say, devastating" - children's secretary Ed Balls on the urgent investigation the government ordered into how Baby P died when he was on the council's at risk register, and had been seen many many times by professionals.

The head of Children's Services Sharon Shoesmith has been sacked.

The leader of Haringey Council and the council's cabinet member for children have both resigned. New appointees from well outside London will come in to try and run the system here competently.

And the sheer, comprehensive incompetence of what went on in Haringey is revealed in this report.

From top to bottom it goes: management not communicating; failing to share information; failing to investigate properly; failing to talk to children at risk; an apparent culture of secrecy.

And then, after this awful death, a complete inability properly to investigate.

The latter is so lamentable yet another investigation will have to happen.

Crucially they did not carry out measures recommended after the death of Victoria Climbie in the very same council area several years ago. It beggars belief.

All that said, yes, it is true that society asks social workers to carry an enormous burden. But the point surely is this: those people shouldering it deserve to have a proper, efficient, competent management team and structure behind them.

Genuine, meaningful support. They did not have it in Haringey.

Do they have it across the country given their caseloads?

Well Mr Balls' wider recommendations may well go some way to ensuring that they do and we shall be looking at that tonight.

PM waiting on 'full facts'

The prime minister's spokesman has said he's waiting to find out the "full facts" before deciding if there should be an inquiry into the arrest of the Conservative frontbencher Damian Green, who was held for nine hours by police last week.

The spokesman said there could be a case for an inquiry, as long as the police investigation into the MP wasn't undermined.

The Commons Speaker will make a statement on Wednesday - as pressure mounts for a full inquiry into why the police were allowed to search Mr Green's Parliamentary office after he received leaked information from a Home Office civil servant.

Can anybody out there recall a British government calling in the cops to probe the leak of information showing that government in a positive light?

Er no, thought not.

Having said that, it's hardly Zimbabwe - as some in Westminster have somewhat distastefully said. But it does leave a bad old taste in the mouth.

Mumbai survivor's testimony

We've all the latest from Mumbai, including remarkable eye-witness testimony from one of the lucky survivors.

Our very own Krishnan Guru-Murthy met an American hedge-fund manager on the flight back from Mumbai to the UK who had a compelling tale to tell about his horrific experience inside the Taj hotel.

It's an extraordinary testimony of chance decisions which mean you live or die - don't miss it.

In fact, catch it here:

Turner Prize

There's a whole heap more around today with all the day's movement on the Thai Bangkok airport demos; Barak Obama appointing one Hillary Rodham Clinton as his Secretary of State - further proof that a new president will likely not mean huge policy shifts abroad.

And happening live on our programme tonight, Nicholas Glass will be at the Tate with the shortlisted Turner finalists at the award ceremony.

It's a shortlist which typically has infuriated and invigorated - the talk this year is that, apparently, the infuriation factor has the upper hand.

Hang onto your easels, we bring you the announcement of the winner live.

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