Peers delay return in teacher talks

Two Muslim peers lobbying for the early release of jailed teacher Gillian Gibbons are to delay their return to Britain amid signs of progress.

A day of "difficult" meetings with Sudanese Government officials has led to signs of reaching a resolution to the case, Baroness Warsi said.

Baroness Warsi and fellow peer Lord Ahmed were due to return home on Monday, but will instead stay in the country for a third day of talks, she said.

Mrs Gibbons is currently serving a 15-day sentence for insulting Islam after allowing her class of seven-year-olds to name a teddy bear Mohammed.

Speaking from Khartoum, Baroness Warsi said further meetings had been arranged with Sudanese officials.

She said: "We had a number of very difficult meetings today, but I think we made quite a lot of progress in these meetings. As a result of those meetings, and a meeting with Gill, we have some hope, and further meetings scheduled."

Baroness Warsi said there was no indication of how long they would now stay in Sudan.

She said that Mrs Gibbons was being kept up to date with the situation.

"We are keeping her informed and talking about her views and opinions on what she would like to do," Baroness Warsi said. "Clearly, we want to secure her early release and she wants to have her early release secured if that can be done."

Mrs Gibbons, 54, is currently being held at a secret location in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, amid fears for her safety. Thousands of protesters gathered on Friday to demand she face a harsher sentence. Since then, the streets have remained quiet.