Britain could be bound by the rulings of EU judges for years after Brexit , the government admitted today.

Ministers have left the door open for the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to continue to have jurisdiction over Britain for an 'interim period' of up to three years after March 2019.

The UK may still be forced to abide by ECJ rulings even after we quit the Brussels club for good under one model being considered by British officials.

Under the 'Modolva model' arbitration panels considering disputes between Britain and the bloc which involve EU law would have to refer the case to the ECJ and be bound by its ruling.

The revelations, contained in a Government Brexit position paper published today, could spark accusations Theresa May has watered down on her promise to end the court's jurisdiction in Britain.

They come just an hour after the Prime Minister insisted the UK will 'take back control of our laws' after we leave the EU.

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, a prominent Brexiteer, told the Mail Online: 'Once we leave there must not be any direct effect of the ECJ judgements otherwise we have not left.' It does not rule out the ECJ continuing to reign supreme for an interim period.

It states: 'The UK will work with the EU on the design of the interim period, including the arrangements for judicial supervision, enforcement and dispute resolution.'

It does rule out the ECJ continuing to have 'direct jurisdiction' over the UK after this period.

And in future, legal disputes will be settled by committees or arbitration panels and it singles out the 'Moldova model' as one that could be emulated.

Under this, the arbitration panel would have to refer the matter to the ECJ if it involves the interpretation of EU law and 'be bound by its interpretation'. 

Remain supporters have claimed Mrs May has climbed down from a hard-line position on the ECJ in search of a more pragmatic solution. 

But the Premier, speaking today in Guildford, insisted the system would mean British law was supreme. 

She said: 'Parliament will make our laws, it is British judges who will interpret those laws and it will be the British Supreme Court that will be the ultimate arbiter of those laws. 

'We will take back control of our laws.'

Mrs May said business wanted to know how disputes would be resolved under the future trading relationship between Britain and the EU. She said there were a 'number of ways' the arrangements could be set up and the final version would be subject to negotiation with the EU.  

But she said: 'We are very clear we won't have the European Court of Justice but we will put in place arrangements to ensure businesses have the confidence of knowing they can continue to trade across the EU.'  

Justice Minister Dominic Raab earlier admitted British courts would want to keep 'half an eye' on rulings in Europe to ensure laws were kept aligned.

But he insisted the principle of removing direct interference from the EU court would be maintained by the Government in the Brexit negotiations.  

In the race to be the world's richest tech billionaire, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg are closing in on frontrunner Bill Gates as their fortunes increase by $15billion each.

It comes as no surprise that Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, still holds the top spot with his fortune amassing $84.5billion, marking the Harvard dropout's 18th time as the world's richest billionaire.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 53, gave Gates a run for his money, surpassing the computer whiz for one morning, but ultimately came in second with a fortune of $81.7billion.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 33, is the third richest person, valued at $69.6billion, one of the 50 Americans dominating the list, Forbes revealed on Wednesday.

Both Zuckerberg and Bezos are the first and second biggest gainers this year, respectively, each increasing their extraordinary wealth by $15.5billion. The rest of the top 10 continues with Sergey Brin at $42.7billion, Jack Ma at $37.4billion, Ma Huateng with $36.7billion, Steve Ballmer with $32.9billion and Michael Dell amassing $22.4billion.

Eight out of the top 10 are from the United States with the other two hailing from China.

Bezos and Zuckerberg both had an eventful year.

Bezos, the owner of online retail giant Amazon.com, briefly held the top spot as the world's richest person in late July when his personal wealth surpassed $91billion.

He briefly topped Bill Gates, the 61-year-old co-founder of Microsoft Corp, who has held the top spot since May 2013.

But Bezos quickly slipped to second best when Amazon reported its second quarter earnings showing a profit of $197million on strong sales of $38billion.

The dip in profit is a 77 per cent drop from $857million this time last year, and it's mainly due to Amazon’s aggressive investments in its own business. Bezos' company announced in June a $13.7billion takeover of Whole Foods Market.

The takeover would give the e-commerce giant more than 460 Whole Foods stores and the possibility of making big changes to the supermarket industry.

Zuckerberg's wealth grew by $15.6billion this year, thanks to Facebook stock surging by 34 per cent within the past 12 months. 

The Facebook CEO is said to be rumored to be eyeing a role in politics, as his foundation has hired several heavy-weight political advisers to be on the charity's board.

Plus Zuckerberg has recently made moves to propel Facebook into the world of augmented reality with a new patent. 

Three members of the company's VR arm Oculus applied for a patent for AR glasses that would allow wearers to see virtual objects - and presumably Facebook posts and notifications - in the real world around them. The glasses will take on the Spectacle from Snap, which has dominated consumer-friendly AR with its famed filters (which Facebook is known to steal). 

Other notables on the list are Snapchat founders Evan Spiegel, 27, and Bobby Murphy, 29, the two youngest billionaires on the list, each worth $3.2billion.

The two Stanford fraternity brothers are both tied for 76th place. It is Murphy's first time on the list.

A would-be terrorist who attempted to carry a pipe bomb on to a flight at Manchester Airport has today been jailed for 18 years.

Nadeem Muhammad was jailed at Manchester Crown Court for possessing an explosive with intent to endanger life after a pipe bomb was found in his hand l

Muhammad, 43, was attempting to board a Ryanair flight to Bergamo, Italy  on January 30 when security officers found the device, made from batteries, tape, a marker pen and pins. 

When the object was swabbed there was no trace of explosive on the outside and officers did not believe it was a viable device.

It was only after further forensic examination weeks later that it was found to be dangerous and Muhammad was charged with a bomb plot.

CCTV shows Muhammad, wearing a dark parka coat and jeans, stroll between crowds of other passengers as he gets off a shuttle and walks through the airport's entrance.

Muhammad was found guilty of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life at Manchester Crown Court. Judge Field said he had been 'alarmed by some of the evidence in the case.'

He said: 'In these dangerous times it seems to me there's no room for complacency.

'I express hope that security at the airport and policing at the airport will be subject to a review at the highest level.'

The court had heard that airport staff swabbed the device, which was later found to contain nitroglycerin, but found no trace of explosive and terminal three security manager Deborah Jeffrey initially put it into her pocket.

Judge Field added: 'It occurred to me and I'm sure to others listening to that evidence that by acting that way she put herself, her fellow employees and members of the public at risk.'

He said the situation was 'compounded' by police who accepted the assurance that the device was not viable and missed an 'early opportunity' to arrest Muhammad - who was allowed to board a flight to Italy five days later and another back to the UK before he was arrested on February 12. 

Earlier this month a jury reached a majority verdict of 10 to two on the charge following 15 hours and 45 minutes of deliberations.

During the trial it was revealed Muhammad was released shortly after being questioned by counter terrorism officers when the bomb was first found.

He was then allowed to board another flight to Bergamo, near Milan, five days later.

The court also heard Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but had an Italian passport, was planning to detonate the bomb once on board the Boeing 737. 

Muhammad from Bury, Greater Manchester, was questioned by officers from the counter terrorism unit but released.

He returned to the airport the following day to collect his mobile phone, which had been taken by police, and then again on February 5 when he boarded another flight to Italy.

It was only on February 8 when the device was examined by forensics officers that suspicions were raised and the bomb squad was called.

Boris Johnson today announced £9million of aid for Libya as he pledged Britain's support to stop the war-torn country becoming a 'fertile ground for terrorists'.

The Foreign Secretary said the extra cash will help fund the removal of improvised explosives and landmines and pay for food and medicine for Libyans.

He said the measures will help in the battle to bring stability to the country which has been in the throws of civil war since Muammar Gadaffi's death in 2011.

It comes after the Libyan Prime Minister warned Europe is at growing risk from ISIS terrorists unless it does more to help the country stem the massive tide of immigrants.

Faiez Serraj said murderous jihadis are among the tens of thousands of migrants passing through his country's borders determined to head for Europe.

His stark warning comes after terror attacks in Barcelona and Finland last week left 17 dead. 'That's why it is so important that we work with the Libyan government and our partners to help bring stability to Libya, stopping it from becoming a fertile ground for terrorists, gun runners and people traffickers in close proximity to Europe.

'This means supporting the new UN Representative and the political process.

'But it also means practical efforts too – including the new kit we are providing to make Sirte safer for Libyans and the work we are doing to ensure that the Libyan coastguard can secure their own borders, reducing the number of illegal migrants heading for Europe.'

The money includes £3 million to remove improvised explosive devices from Sirte, following the success in pushing ISIS out of the city earlier this year.

Another £1million will fund demining training across Libya, including in Sirte and Benghazi.

While £1million to help rebuild critical infrastructure and restore basic public services and £2.75 million to support women’s participation in peacemaking and rebuilding Libya. Another £1.29 million of new UK aid funding over the next two years to provide people with desperately needed food and medicine.  

The package of aid announced by Mr Johnson following talks with the Libyan Prime Minister.

The pair talked about what more the UK could do to support Mr Al-Serraj's Government of National Accord and the UN-led peace and stabilisation process.

Ahead of Mr Johnson's visit, Mr Al-Serraj warned that would-be terrorists could be entering Europe among the tens of thousands of migrants making the perilous Mediterranean crossing, 

He told : 'When migrants reach Europe, they will move freely. 

'If, God forbid, there are terrorist elements among the migrants, a result of any incident will affect all of the EU.'  

He added: 'The EU must do more to us help face smuggling. We can't put the burden on Libya and Italy alone as it is important for all of Europe.'

Mr Johnson also met members of the Libyan Naval Coastguard to hear about their UK training in search and rescue, boarding and inspecting vessels, human rights and the treatment of migrants. 

The Royal Mail has apologised after demanding a postman's uniform back - the day after he died.

Much-loved Garth Linham - a postie for 30 years in of Somerton, Somerset - was found dead aged 57 after suffering a heart attack.

Daughter Danni Haskins said she was still trying to process the loss of her 'amazing' father when a postal boss turned up at her house and demanded his uniform back. The 24-year-old claims she was told she could be arrested for fraud if she did not return the uniform.

She says Royal Mail said they needed it back for 'safety and security reasons'.

Ms Haskins said: 'It hadn't even been 24 hours since I found him.

'I didn't even have time to process the loss of my amazing dad, let alone think to have his work clothes washed and ready to go. 'At the time, one of our senior managers visited Ms Haskins and offered our sincere condolences to the family.

'For safety and security reasons we have to ensure that all uniform is returned.

'Royal Mail appreciates that this message could have been delivered at a more appropriate time or in a different way.

'It was not the intention to cause Ms Haskins any distress and we wrote to her about this at the time to apologise. Ms Haskins says her father 'loved his job' and was 'a real people person'.

More than 200 people turned up to Mr Linham's funeral, dressed in Hawaiian shirts and Liverpool FC jerseys, and local team Somerton Town FC held a minute's silence.

Ms Haskins said: 'He would always check in on elderly people during his rounds - all the neighbours loved him. 

A neighbour who accused a married couple of being paedophiles during a seven year campaign of hate has been jailed.

Johnathon Warner-Johnson, 52, bombarded the couple, who lived in the same street in Beckenham, south London, with more than 200 hate letters.

He sent cruel letters about a family relative with Down's syndrome, damaged cars and threw rubbish in their back garden and sprayed weedkiller in the front garden.

Warner-Johnson also sent hate letters to himself in a bid to cover his tracks.

His neighbours confided in him their anguish and upset, unaware he was behind the campaign.

But the couple set up a CCTV camera which caught him pouring weed killer over plants and the lawn last July.

And police who were first alerted to the letters in 2009 became suspicious last June when a letter was received purporting to be from another neighbour.

The writing matched the previous letters and information in the letter had only been shared with Warner-Johnson. He was charged in April with one count of criminal damage and two counts of stalking and he was jailed for 28 months after pleading guilty at Croydon Crown Court last week.

He was also handed a 20-year restraining order and ordered to pay £1,959 compensation £2,800 for each year of the harassment.

Scotland Yard do not know what drove Warner-Johnson to carry out the crime.

Detective Constable Liz Truan, Bromley CID said: 'Over a seven-year period, Warner-Johnson launched a calculated malicious campaign against his neighbours.

'His hate campaign brought significant alarm and distress to them over a prolonged period and it is right he has been jailed and handed such a long restraining order. 

Prince George about to start ‘big’ school in just a fortnight, his new private prep has been described as ‘competitive, oversubscribed’ and for ‘cosmopolitan parents who want their children to have the best English education money can buy’.

The third in line to the throne, who turned four in July, will be one of the youngest pupils in his class at Thomas’s, a private £19,884-a-year school in Battersea, an affluent middle class area of south west London dubbed Nappy Valley by locals.

According to the newly updated review by the Good Schools Guide, Thomas’s, a family-owned school, is so popular that parents are encouraged to register their child at birth, although that is something that clearly didn’t happen in the little prince’s case. There are at least three applicants for each place offered and the school even has a criteria of what they look for in a child, namely ones with: ‘a measure of confidence, are responsive, sociable, with a light in their eyes’.

The popular guide, which is based on parent reviews, describes it as a ‘big, busy, slightly chaotic school for cosmopolitan parents who want their children to have the best English education money can buy.’ 

‘That is what they want,’ it continues, ‘and, to a large extent that is what they get.’

It does, however warn that ‘withdrawn types’ might find it a bit overwhelming. The school has its own fleet of buses to ferry them for sports – which includes sculling - and boasts its own science labs, computer suites, music centre teaching everything from the cornet to the piano, and two pottery rooms.

Latin is compulsory from Year 5 and younger children, like George in reception, have access to a ‘fantastic’ rooftop playground.

In choosing Thomas’s, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have shunned ‘traditional’ royal feeder schools, such as Whetherby, attended by both William and Harry.

It is situated across the River Thames from Kensington Palace, up to half an hours’ drive away in rush hour, but the Duke and Duchess are insisting that they will do the school run as much as possible themselves.

Thomas’s prides itself on a ‘rounded education’, with as much emphasis on its motto Be Kind, as on academic results – although many of its 540 boys and girls, aged four to 13, go onto good public schools such as Eton.

The family-run school encourages children not to have one particular best friend – preferring children to mix with a wide variety of fellow pupils - and there is great emphasis on ‘kindness, courtesy, confidence and humility’.

One parent has told the Mail that the school has even just bought a lodge in Austria where they take children on ski holidays. In a letter to parents earlier this year, the school’s principles, Ben Thomas and Tobyn Thomas (sons of the school’s founders), said they were ‘delighted’ at William and Kate’s decision.

The letter said: ‘This is clearly a significant moment for their family and most certainly for Thomas's.

‘Like so many parents, the Duke and Duchess have put a great deal of thought into the choice of their eldest child's first 'big school'. 

We are honoured that the aims and values of Thomas's reflect those that Their Royal Highnesses would like for Prince George's education.