The nominations have today been announced for this year's Recruitment Business Awards.

Pink Squid lead the way with 13 nominations followed by Jupiter Advertising with eight and Work Communications with five.

You can see the full list of nominations across all categories below.

The shortlist was determined at a judging session in Glasgow on 31 July and the awards will be handed out at a black-tie ceremony at the Mercure Hotel, Manchester on Thursday 3 October. Tickets can be booked now.

The Recruitment Business Awards is sponsored by TotalJobs.com, RI5, The Drum Jobs, MiNetwork and RAR.

Best small recruitment agency

Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment
Energize Recruitment Solutions
Enigma People Solutions
Finegreen Associates
Henderson Scott
High Finance Group
MBN Recruitment
Tiro Associates

Best niche/specialist agency

Head Medical
High Finance Group
NonStop Recruitment
Oasis HR
Resourcing Solutions
Tiro Associates
The Candidate Ltd

Best executive search & selection firm

Amoria Bond
Grassgreener Group

Best candidate experience

GTI Resourcing Solutions
NonStop Recruitment
The Candidate Ltd

Best in-house recruitment team

Capita

Consultant of the year

Ben Fuller - IT talent Solutions
Abid Kanji -NonStop Recruitment

Press advert – commercial

Company: Creed Communications Ltd
Client: Integrated Dental Holdings Ltd
Title: ‘Some people are meant to be together’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘If it was this easy, we wouldn’t need you’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘Powered by what’s inside

Company: SMRS Limited
Client: The Co-operative Group
Title: ‘Secret Service’

Press advert – public sector

Company: TMPW
Client: Hertfordshire County Council
Title: ‘Talent for Care’

Company: Work Communications
Client: Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service
Title: ‘GMF&RS’

Outdoor/ambient/special build

Company: Chatter
Client: MTV
Title: ‘Channel You - Learn’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘If it was this easy, we wouldn’t need you - Grabber’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘Individually Hand-Picked Careers’

Recruitment campaign

Company: Creed Communications
Client: Phones4U
Title: ‘Don’t Limit Yourself’

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: Sainsbury’s
Title: ‘Transform Your Career’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘If it was this easy, we wouldn’t need you’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Webhelp TSC
Title: ‘Master the art of communication’

Graduate advert/campaign

Company: DNA
Client: OVO ENERGY
Title: ‘CURIOUS’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘Individually Hand Picked Careers’

Company: sixredsquares
Client: Flow Caritas
Title: ‘Face-to-face fundraising campaign’

Company: Work Communications
Client: Royal Mail
Title: ‘Royal Mail’

Student advert/campaign

Company: Net Natives
Client: University of Glasgow
Title: ‘Recruiting International Students with Online Advertising’

Copywriting

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: wagamama
Title: ‘be you. Be wagamama’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘If it was this easy, we wouldn’t need you – Radio’

Company: SMRS Limited
Client: The Co-operative Group
Title: ‘Secret Service’

Art direction

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘If it was easy, we wouldn’t need you’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Premier Inn
Title: ‘Fairy Tale Futures’

Company: Work Communications
Client: Royal Mail
Title: ‘Royal Mail’

Illustration/photography

Company: Big Communications
Client: Domino’s
Title: ‘Think Big’

Company: Big Communications
Client: Real
Title: ‘Think Big’

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: Sainsbury’s
Title: ‘The Time Machine’

Use of video/animation

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: Sainsbury’s
Title: ‘Transform your Career’

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: Pets at Home
Title: ‘Dogcam’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Premier Inn
Title: ‘A place made by you – video’

Recruitment website

Company: andsome
Client: Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
Title: ‘Le Manoir Careers’

Company: Havas People
Client: Direct Line Group
Title: ‘Direct Line Group Recruitment Website’

Company: Head Resourcing Ltd
Title: ‘Mobile Site’

Use of social media

Company: andsome
Client: Boots
Title: ‘#BootsStyle’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Jaguar Land Rover
Title: ‘Individually Hand Picked Careers’

Company: TMPW
Client: Kent County Council Schools
Title: ‘Your Perfect Kent Day’

Online recruitment advert/campaign

Company: SMRS Ltd
Client: The Co-operative Group
Title: ‘Head of Audit’

Company: TMPW
Client: Ordanance Survey
Title: ‘Online Graduate Recruitment’

Digital solution

Company: Chatter
Client: Arriva
Title: ‘Discovering Arriva’

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: Sainsbury’s
Title: ‘Transform your Career’

Employer brand

Company: andsome
Client: SC Johnson
Title: ‘Responsible Careers’

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: wagamama
Title: ‘be you. be wagamama’

Company: Havas People
Client: Direct Line Group
Title: ‘Best Employer Brand’

Internal recruitment communications

Company: Chatter
Client: Johnson & Johnson
Title: ‘Touch Sensitive’

Company: DNA
Client: OVO ENERGY
Title: ‘L&D Programme’

Company: Jupiter Advertising
Client: wagamama
Title: ‘be you. be wagamama’

Company: Pink Squid
Client: Premier Inn
Title: ‘A place made by you – Video’

Recruitment literature

Company: Work Communications
Client: Royal Mail
Title: ‘Royal Mail’

Item of self promotion

Company: Douglas Scott Legal Recruitment
Title: ‘Always the First

Company: Head Resourcing
Title: ‘Mobile Site Video’

Company: Work Communications
Title: ‘Work Communications website launch and rebrand’

Recruitment company of the year
Announced on 3 October

Recruitment advertising agency of the year
Announced on 3 October

Creative grand prix
Announced on 3 October

Business grand prix
Announced 3 October

Chairman’s awards (business & creative)
Announced on 3 October

Kerry Foods has approached Dragon Rouge to help create a brand name, story and packaging for its new quick-to-heat meals range.

Sold exclusively in Waitrose, the range is aimed at those who appreciate good food but have little time to cook from scratch. Dragon Rogue was tasked with creating branding that would appeal to discerning foodies, presenting them with a collection of recipes and fresh ingredients crafted by Kerry’s chefs.

The Little Urban Food Company features a quirky and light-hearted style with bold, colourful graphics. Each recipe dish is freshly packed into a durable, re-sealable pack that’s ready to microwave, with the bonus of being reusable for other storage afterward too.

Dragon has created a brand ambassador in the form of a little chef who has cycled the world to search for the best recipes, herbs, spices and fresh ingredients for the range.

“The opportunity to create a colourful new brand for food lovers like ourselves who don’t always have time to cook is really exciting – and we’re pleased that the feisty chef we’ve created, with his range of Little Urban Food Co recipes, is now making a bold appearance on Waitrose shelves,” remarked Marie-Therese Cassidy, creative director at Dragon.

The Hits Radio is celebrating the launch of One Direction’s 3D film ‘This is Us’ by creating its own movie ‘This is Them’ telling the story of the band through the eyes of fans, listeners and presenters.

Premiering on Tuesday 20 August and coinciding with the premiere of the official 1D film, the 30 minute long film will also feature One Direction content and music videos.

The Bauer Media owned station is now calling upon fans of the band to tweet their contributions to the show using the hashtag #ThisIsThem before Monday 19 August.

James Everton, presenter of The Hits Radio’s afternoon show, will be live on air on Tuesday from 3pm with all of the red carpet action from the movie premiere and building up to The Hits Radio’s This is Them debut at 7pm.

Maxwell Smalley, producer at The Hits Radio, commented: “We are really excited about the This Is Them movie project. Giving listeners the opportunity to contribute to the making of the film engages them both on air and online and we are really looking forward to utilising their ideas to create a new, fun piece of content around one of the most popular bands at the moment.”

Beef jerky brand Texas Joe’s has engaged creative consultants Studio Norse to help develop its brand.

Following a transatlantic pitch Norse was tasked with helping Texas Joe’s bring the authentic taste of Texan jerky south to these shores.

Texas Joe’s is now set to appear on Sunday’s edition of Dragons’ Den in a bid to raise funds for his business.

The unconventional pitch sees Joe perform a song, in his deep Southern drawl, before explaining to the Dragons: “Jerky is a growth sector, back home, it’s as big as hell and half of Texas. So we wanted to give the folks over here a true taste of Texas. I reckon it’s like craft beer; people want to taste something authentic that isn’t smothered in preservatives and additives.”

After securing investment – we won’t spoil it and tell you which Dragon - Norse helped refresh the look and feel of Texas Joe’s, working with Hatch Print of Nashville, responsible for some iconic Americana, having created original posters for Elvis and Johnny Cash.

Of working with the brand, Simon Shaw, creative director at Norse, said: “It’s been a blast. Joe is the kind of guy you instantly like. He’s a polite Southern gent who has been parachuted in to Kentish Town lock, stock and boots.

"He has an infectious passion for all things Texas and a ten gallon mouth when it comes to Texan food. It’s been hugely enjoyable journey liaising between Nashville, San Diego, London and Leith. We’re proud of our collaboration and helping Joe deliver something that looks and sounds different.”

Joe added: “The finished brand looks as fine as cream gravy, something we’re immensely proud of. We’ll be extending the brand real soon, adding more flavours and some BBQ sauces. So we’ll definitely be riding with the folk at Norse again.”

Half (51 per cent) of the UK have taken a selfie, with 75 per cent of those between the ages of 18 and 24 having taken one, research from HTC has found.

The research, carried out by Opinium on over 2000 UK adults, found that 50 per cent of men and 52 per cent of women have taken a selfie, with more men (34 per cent) than women (13 per cent) saying that they retouch every picture.

Almost half (48 per cent) said that Facebook was where they shared selfies, with Snapchat only accounting for five per cent of selfies: less than Instagram and dating sites.

Betfair has announced the launch of a new campaign for Sportsbook, which allows punters to cash out before results come in.

Created by WCRS and bought by Arena, the campaign will span TV and digital, with investment across Perform Media, The Guardian, Facebook and the Telegraph.

Mark Ody, Betfair’s brand director said: “This is a flagship launch for Betfair at a key time in the sporting calendar. Betfair will continue to innovate around live sports throughout the season and the marketing and communications potential around this is very exciting.”

The pair of slow-motion TV spots show a man engrossed in a football match, deciding whether to cash out of his bet now and take smaller winnings, or risk it all for a bigger payout, whilst people move all around him and dramatic music plays.

Coca Cola is using an interesting approach in its bid to persuade us that their drink isn't an unhealthy as we might assume. In this ad from Argentina - for example - it's suggested that our consumption of sugary drinks poses no risk provided we try to emulate the healthy activity of our grandparents.

Agency: David the Agency (Buenos Aires)
Creative Director: Joaquin Cubria / Luciano Calio
Creative: Richard Casal / Juan Javier Peña
TV Producer: Veronica Beach
Production Co: Landia (Buenos Aires)
Director: Andy Fogwill
Producer: Alejandro Falduti
Photography: Juan Carlos Ferro
Post Production: Wolf VFX (Argentina)

Sky Sports is to open up its programmes to all Sky subscribers for free today, as the Premiership football season is set to commence, in its latest attempt to battle new competition from BT Sport.

The free day will see Sky Sports 1 replace Sky 2, and will include a line up beginning with it’s weekly magazine programme Soccer Saturday and it’s new programme 'Saturday Night Football', featuring former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher and David Jones analysing the day’s results/

Carragher will also joined Gary Neville for Monday Night Football.

Meanwhile, FL72 Live will showcase the best action from matches in the Football League, from 12.15pm.

Gary Hughes, executive producer for football at Sky Sports, said: "For over 20 years we've offered our viewers the best live football coverage with brilliant analysis and incredible innovations. Our new programmes and schedule will raise the bar again, providing viewers with an unrivalled weekend of football alongside week night action from the UEFA Champions League, Capital One Cup, Football League and international fixtures.”

This season, for the first time, Sky has also opened up its subscription package to allow customers to subscribe to Sky Sports for specific days through Now TV.

The day will aim to showcase the new programmes as Sky battles against the Premiership coverage offered by BT Sport, which is free to all BT Broadband subscribers.

Earlier this week, Virgin Media added BT Sports to its range of channels, alongside Sky Sports.

Ask.fm co-founder Klavs Sinka, has criticised comments made by Prime Minister David Cameron and said that the social-media website linked to the suicide of teenager Hannah Smith, is “in no way guilty” for her death.

Speaking to ITV News, Sinka, who co-founded the site with his brother, denied that it was responsible for the death of Smith, who took her own life after receiving anonymous messages through it prompting her to drink bleach and kill herself.

“You can construct a car with air bags and seat belts, but you cannot put a person next to you that will put a seat belt on you in an emergency,” Sinka told ITV News, adding it was up to its users to follow its privacy policies.

Smith’s father has called on the owners of the site to be prosecuted over the death of his daughter, while advertisers such as Save the Children, Laura Ashley and Specsavers have all pulled their spend on the site in the wake of reports of her death. The issue has highlighted the problem faced by advertisers around the transparency of their marketing when using programmatic trading and where it is placed without their knowledge or control.

Meanwhile, Sinka also said that David Cameron “did not have all the information about the case” when he called for parents to boycott “these vile sites” when asked about Smith’s death.

The site has also been linked to the suicide of Daniel Perry, who apparently received similar anonymous messages on Ask.fm, although his death is reportedly a direct consequence of being targeted by online blackmailers through his use of Skype.

DC Thomson publishing CEO Ellis Watson has sounded caution over the move by newspaper publishers towards digital, stating that they should not see it “as a default of the print business being broken.”

Speaking to The Drum, Watson responded to the view of Trinity Mirror CEO Simon Fox, who said last month that digital revenue would offset the decline in print revenue.

Watson, a former managing director of Mirror Group Newspapers, admitted when asked whether he agreed with Fox’s view, that it might be the case within five years.

“We really need to be cautious that it isn’t the case that the print revenue has crashed so much that digital is bigger as a default of the print business being broken. Digital may become bigger for some, but it needs to be viewed in context,” he explained.

Watson made the comments while being interviewed by The Drum ahead of presenting the inaugural Ogilvy Lecture as part of the Marketing Festival Amplify – a day at the festival to shout about marketing” in Edinburgh.

The full interview will run on The Drum next week.

News UK is being investigated as a “corporate suspect” by Metropolitan Police over phone hacking and bribery offences, with senior members of staff being formally questioned, which could pose problems for its business operations in the US.

The Independent has reported that, following a number of members of staff being charged over phone hacking within its now closed Sunday title, The News of the World as well as for bribing public officials, the company itself is now being investigated.

It claims that senior management members were formally questioned earlier this year as part of an “active investigation” with US executives reacting by ordering co-operation with the police to be scaled back.

The Independent also claims that an internal analysis of the effects of the charge by News Corporation could “kill the corporation and 46,000 jobs would be in jeopardy”.

Earlier this year, Rupert Murdoch broke up News Corporation’s operations into two in order to protect the US business from the investigation, with 21st Century Fox operating as the entertainment arm. News International has also since rebranded to become News UK.

It is reported that the break up was announced a month after News Corporation was informed that it was under formal investigation in May.

As the football fan across the UK gear up for the kick off of the new Barclays Premier League season today, The Drum looks at some of the tweets being sent by the twitter feeds of the clubs in the build up.

Interestingly, at the time of writing, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and West Brom had not tweeted anything this morning.

17/8/2013: It's back... #BPLKickOff pic.twitter.com/A8mv3TMw02

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 17, 2013

The champions return to @premierleague action to defend the title. #mufc pic.twitter.com/OrxrLocU46

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 17, 2013

It's the start of a new season! Tune into the matchday show from 2.30pm on #Arsenal Player for coverage of #AFCvAVFC pic.twitter.com/NIhmxiB7Pf

— Arsenal.com (@Arsenal) August 17, 2013

The wait is over! In a few hours #LFC and #SCFC will walk down one of the most famous tunnels in world football... pic.twitter.com/sMbCTwPzKY

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 17, 2013

Good morning Blues. The new Premier League season is finally here! Safe journey to all Evertonians travelling to Carrow Road. #EFCNCFC

— Official Everton (@Everton) August 17, 2013

A brand new way to prepare for our #BPL games in 2013/14 - download our new Match Pack now http://t.co/m5cfnrwrRW #UTT #hcafc

— Hull City Official (@hullcityteam) August 17, 2013

2 days to go... #mcfc pic.twitter.com/wCuzasNgyB

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) August 17, 2013

Good luck to the lads today #3points @whufc_official #coyi pic.twitter.com/SxamOoXCw8

— West Ham Ladies (@Westhamladies) August 17, 2013

It's time #CardiffCity fans... RT if you love City! pic.twitter.com/187ISOLSFh

— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) August 17, 2013

No more waiting! The @premierleague opening day is here. Arsenal v Villa TODAY! Come on you Lions! #AVFCLIVE #BPLkickoff

— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) August 17, 2013

It's not just the first-team who start their campaign today - City's U18s welcome Blackburn Rovers to Colney. City starting 11 next...

— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) August 17, 2013

The first matchday of the 2013/14 season has arrived! Are you #MarchingIn to #WBA? #bplkickoff #saintsfc

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) August 17, 2013

12 hours to go until Sunderland kick off their @premierleague season at the SoL #hawaythelads

— Sunderland AFC (@SAFCofficial) August 17, 2013

IT'S MATCHDAY! #ffc #coyw #awaydays

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 17, 2013

It's here!!! Come on Stoke!!! #foreverstoke #201314

— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) August 17, 2013

If you think you're the best Football Manager in marketing - then prove it by joining The Drum's Fantasy Football league league code: 1717238-378240

This is huge fun, and with the almost total ubiquity of lolcat videos in inboxes around the world, it's no wonder this came up as a concept. What a shame, then, that 02 beat the comparison site to it with their 'Be More Dog' campaign, which just has the edge on this. Because while it's fun you don't want to be perceived like Bill, who "thinks he can run with wolves," as if he's either easy to dupe or mentally ill. "Be More Dog," on the other hand, sounds like an invitation to be bolder and reap the benefits of throwing excess caution to the wind.

Nonetheless, it's beautifully done and Bill is perfectly cast - whatever his state of mind he looks like he's having a totally terrific time with his growing clowder of cats as he bounds through the streets and into the hills, attracting more and more along the way like some feline pied piper.

Perhaps slightly less can be said for the state of mind of the moneysupermarket.com representative. He's that bloke who used to pop up in lots of telly comedy-dramas and seemed on the brink of household recognition... but then vanished, only to reappear here looking older and wearier in a dodgy suit and enough hair for two people.

Agency: Mother
Creative Director: Larry Seftel / David Day
TV Producer: James Turnham
Production Co: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Jeff Low
Producer: Kwok Man Yau
Executive Producer: Orlando Wood / Colleen O'Donnell
Photography: Angus Hudson
Post Production: The Mill
Editing House: Final Cut
Editor: Ed Cheesman

Facebook is about to test a mobile payment feature according to reports.

The social networking site is apparently about to explore the addition of a feature which allows its users to purchase items online having previously uploaded their payment details through their accounts.

Despite the new feature likely to become a direct competitor to PayPal, Tera Randall said that Facebook still had “a great relationship” with PayPal and explained that "This product is simply to test how we can help our app partners provide a simpler commerce experience.”

The payment process would not be handled by Facebook itself, but by e-commerce mobile app partners.

No time-scale has been set at present for rolling the product out live to users.

The UK already has mobile payment services such as Weve, Ping and this week saw a new launch in Stripe, which is already processing million of dollars in the US.

Earlier this week The Drum also reported the launch of mobile payment start-up CloudZync, which is being used by brands including restaurant chain Fratelli, to unite loyalty card data while allowing customers to pay for meals directly form their mobile phone.

It has become part of the national discourse, the subject of acres of chin-stroking newspaper columns and even a topic of discussion on Radio 4's hard-hitting news programme The World at One.

So it is little wonder Jeremy Paxman is finding his much-debated beard "a heavy burden".

Penning his thoughts for the Telegraph, Paxman expresses his astonishment that "allegedly serious news outlets" have devoted so much newsprint and airtime to his facial fuzz.

He wrote: "I had not seen it coming. A couple of colleagues on Monday had idly — if a little incredulously — asked: 'Are you going to wear that on air?'

"This I attributed to the corporation’s very obvious conviction that the only beards allowed on screen belong to characters like Uncle Albert in Only Fools and Horses.

"This may explain why beardies seem to consider themselves an oppressed minority."

But while Paxman seems to be amused (if bemused) by the majority of the coverage of the last week, it appears as though he is now being weighed down by the beard's demands.

"For a glorious few days, I have been a poster-boy for a shadowy group called the Beard Liberation Front, which claims that facial hair invites discrimination.

"The organisation seems to be run by a notorious north London letter-writer called Keith Flett, best known for his crucial role in the Campaign for Real Conkers.

"I’m finding it quite a heavy burden."

What's the betting we will see a clean-shaven Paxman on our screens this week?

Mark Kermode is to become the Observer's chief film critic from next month.

The author and broadcaster, perhaps best known for his no-holds-barred film reviews for the BBC, will take over from veteran critic Philip French, who is retiring after 50 years.

Announcing his appointment in today's edition of the Observer, the paper described Kermode as "a man with an instantly recognisable passion for cinema and a fearlessly independent voice".

Kermode said he was "honoured and thrilled" to have been given the role.

"The paper is second to none, and writing for it has always been a privilege and a joy," he said.

"When I first started working as a film critic over 25 years ago, Philip's Observer reviews were an inspiration. No one can match his breadth of knowledge or elegance of expression, but I hope I can bring to the role the passion for cinema which Observer readers expect."

Kermode started his reviewing career at Time Out and NME, has hosted the BBC's Culture Show and become a familiar voice on the airwaves, where he reviews films with Simon Mayo on Radio 5 Live.

The opening fixture of the new Premier League season represented BT Sport's big moment after shelling out £738m to broadcast English football's top flight this season.

Unfortunately some of its viewers missed its coverage altogether after the BT Sport mobile app for iOS and Android was hit by technical problems.

Hundreds of mobile viewers took to Twitter to express their frustration as their coverage kept cutting out during Liverpool's one-nil win over Stoke. Others also expressed annoyance that the stream only worked over Wi-Fi when BT had promised 3G and 4G viewing.

In response to the complaints, the company quickly posted a response online: "Sorry, some customers have seen an intermittent issue with the BT Sport App. We are working to resolve this, apologies to everyone affected."

The issue appeared to affect viewers who tuned in after the game had kicked off.

A BT spokesperson said: "Those customers who logged in before the game have experienced no issues but a minority of customers who tried to login once the game had started may have seen an intermittent issue and an error message.

"Our team responded quickly and were able to make a difference so most of the customers who were experiencing problems were able to enjoy the remainder of the second half."

Chris Fountain, the Coronation Street actor whose reputation has been left in tatters after being unmasked rapping about raping women on YouTube, could be forced into making a live television apology in order to try and save his career.

The Mirror claims Fountain's bosses, who have already suspended him from the soap, are urging the actor to make a full and frank confession on a daytime TV show.

It is a well-practised reputation management tactic in the US, where a host of stars have fronted up to their demons on live television in a bid to be offered a second chance, such as cyclist Lance Amstrong's doping confession to Oprah Winfrey.

It has been suggested that Fountain, who plays mechanic Tommy Duckworth in the ITV show, could seek mercy in a similar fashion by appearing on Daybreak with Lorraine Kelly or This Morning.

The Mirror quotes a 'show insider' as saying: "This story has ­become so big that if bosses decide he should make a public ­apology, it might be on more than one show because it would need to reach a wide audience. Every TV show has asked for his first interview. It may even be that he does a press conference."

The 25-year-old has already issued a statement saying he is "deeply ashamed by the lyrics" of his rapping alter-ego, 'The Phantom'.

A Tory MP and his estranged wife have been reportedly engaging in a 'Wiki war' over who was to blame for the break-up of their marriage.

The Daily Mail claims that Sonia Pritchard altered her husband Mark's Wikipedia page to accuse him of 'abandoning her by text message after 16 years of marriage'.

The damaging entry was then deleted and replaced by an alternative version of events. The Mail says it has traced most of the alterations back to computers at the Houses of Parliament, where the pair both work.

The paper suggests that a username used on the site to make alterations in Mark Pritchard's favour, Figaro2000, would befit a man who is treasurer of the parliamentary opera group.

However Mr Pritchard, a former marketing director, denies editing his Wikipedia page to improve his reputation.

He said in a statement: "I informed my ex-wife, in person, that I was going to file for divorce the day I left home. Over subsequent days, I confirmed that decision through another conversation, a legal letter, and by text.

"Since then, friends claim she may have abused the Wiki site to try to cause me embarrassment and make inaccurate claims. I did not edit any item on my Wiki page."

The partner of the Guardian journalist who has written a series of stories revealing mass surveillance programmes by the US National SecurityAgency was held for almost nine hours yesterday by UK authorities as he passed through London's Heathrow airport on his way home to Rio de Janeiro.

David Miranda, who lives with Glenn Greenwald, was returning from a trip to Berlin to exchange documents with film maker Laura Poitras who has been working closely with Greenwald on the NSA story. His fare had been paid by the Guardian.

Snowden-related documents on encrypted thumb drives were seized from Miranda and not returned. Greenwald called it intimidation and said they would not be deterred from doing their jobs as journalists.

Meanwhile yesterday, Americans were reading in the New York Times Sunday magazine the full extent of the involvement of Poitras in the Snowden affair.

Miranda was stopped by officers at 8.05am and informed he was to be questioned under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The controversial law, which applies only at airports, ports and border areas, allows officers to stop, search, question and detain individuals.

The 28-year-old was held for nine hours, the maximum the law allows before officers must release or formally arrest the individual before being released , the Guardian reported.

Miranda was in Berlin to deliver documents related to Greenwald’s investigation into government surveillance to Ms. Poitras, Greenwald said. Poitras, in turn, gave Mr. Miranda different documents to pass to Greenwald, said the New York Times in a report.

Those documents, which were stored on encrypted thumb drives, were confiscated by airport security, Greenwald said. All of the documents came from the material provided to the two journalists by Snowden. The British authorities seized all of Miranda's electronic media — including video games, DVDs and data storage devices — and did not return them, Greenwald said.

According to official figures, most examinations under schedule 7 – over 97% – last under an hour, and only one in 2,000 people detained are kept for more than six hours.

Miranda was released, but in addition to the documents, officials confiscated electronics equipment including his mobile phone, laptop, camera, memory sticks, DVDs and games consoles.

Since 5 June, Greenwald has written a series of stories revealing the NSA's electronic surveillance programmes, detailed in thousands of files passed to him by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The Guardian has also published a number of stories about blanket electronic surveillance by Britain's GCHQ, also based on documents from Snowden.

Greenwald said holding his partner was "a profound attack on press freedoms and the news gathering process.

"To detain my partner for a full nine hours while denying him a lawyer, and then seize large amounts of his possessions, is clearly intended to send a message of intimidation to those of us who have been reporting on the NSA and GCHQ. The actions of the UK pose a serious threat to journalists everywhere.

"But the last thing it will do is intimidate or deter us in any way from doing our job as journalists. Quite the contrary: it will only embolden us more to continue to report aggressively."

A spokesperson for the Guardian said: "We were dismayed that the partner of a Guardian journalist who has been writing about the security services was detained for nearly nine hours while passing through Heathrow airport. We are urgently seeking clarification from the British authorities."

A spokesperson for Scotland Yard said: "At 08:05 on Sunday, 18 August a 28-year-old man was detained at Heathrow airport under schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He was not arrested. He was subsequently released at 17:00."

Scotland Yard refused to say why Miranda was stopped using powers which enable police officers to stop and question travellers at UK ports and airports.

There was no comment from the Home Office on the detention.

Labour MP Tom Watson said was shocked at the news and called for it to be made clear if any ministers were involved in authorising the detention.

He said: "It's almost impossible, even without full knowledge of the case, to conclude that Glenn Greenwald's partner was a terrorist suspect.

"I think that we need to know if any ministers knew about this decision, and exactly who authorised it.

"The clause in this act is not meant to be used as a catch-all that can be used in this way."

Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act has been widely criticised, said the Guardian, for giving police broad powers under the guise of anti-terror legislation to stop and search individuals without prior authorisation or reasonable suspicion – setting it apart from other police powers.

Those stopped have no automatic right to legal advice and it is a criminal offence to refuse to co-operate with questioning under schedule 7, which critics say is a curtailment of the right to silence.

Last month the UK government said it would reduce the maximum period of detention to six hours and promised a review of the operation on schedule 7 amid concerns it unfairly targets minority groups and gives individuals fewer legal protections than they would have if detained at a police station.