Stephen Lee has insisted he is innocent of match-fixing and said he will appeal against his 12-year ban.

Snooker’s leaders insist that Stephen Lee has been handed an effective lifetime ban after he was given a record 12-year suspension for seven charges of match-fixing.

Stephen Lee has been banned for 12 years after being found guilty of seven match-fixing charges, World Snooker has confirmed.

Shahid Malik is stepping down as British Justice Minister pending the outcome of an urgent investigation into claims that he paid only a subsidised rent on one of his homes.

GEORGE GALLOWAY has been suspended from the Labour Party pending “internal party investigations”.