24/04/2012 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at ten, under scrutiny, News International and its dealings

with senior ministers. At the Leveson Inquiry, James

Murdoch reveals the extent of his company's contact with the

Government, during the bid to take over BSkyB.

Do you think it is appropriate Mr Murdoch that here you are getting

confidential information as to what is going on at a high level in

Government? I think - I think - what I was

concerned with here was the substance of what was being

communicated. Ted Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt,

faces calls to resign. He is accused of secretly back the

Murdoch bid. I am confident when I present my

evidence the public will see that I have behaved with integrity and

scrupulous objectivity throughout the process.

Number Ten says the Prime Minister has full confidence in Mr Hunt.

At the inquest into the death of a MI6 officer, police say they are

convinced someone else was involved. Five years after the disappearance

of Madeleine McCann, police say they have the best opportunity so

far of solving the mystery. make a difference and of course, we

are here to try and bring closure for the family.

Hundreds of London families could be uprooted, one council blames the

Government's new benefits cap. This could be the most dramatic

story of the season. It is Torres! Against all the odds, Chelsea sweep

aside Barcelona to get into the Ally McCoist says the Scottish

Football Association's punishment Good evening.

The Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is facing calls to resign after

being accused of unacceptable conduct during the News Corporation

bid to take over BSkyB. The allegation was made following

evidence at the Leveson Inquiry where James Murdoch was asked about

his company's relationship with senior politicians. Tonight, Mr

Hunt insisted he had been scrupulously fair as Robert Peston

One of the of the most dramatic days so far at the Leveson Inquiry.

James Murdoch, son of Rupert, gave evidence. I swear by all mighty god

that the evidence I shall give shall be the whole whole truth and

nothing but the truth. There were extraordinary

disclosures about how the Murdoch's News Corporation tried to win

approval to control all of British Sky Broadcasting. Do you think that

it is appropriate, Mr Murdoch, that here you are getting confidential

information information as to what's going on at a high level in

Government? concerned with here was the

substance of of what was being communicated, not necessarily the

channel by which it was communicated.

off that Mr Hunt would make an announcement the following day

about how a lengthy review of the take-over could be avoided.

, ""managed to get some info on the plans for tomorrow although

absolutely illegal." What do you make of that? I thought it was a

joke. I think the greater than and the explamation point there, a wink,

it is a joke. It is about News Corporation

attempt in 2010 and 2011 to buy all of British Sky Broadcasting. It was

the great prize sought by James Murdoch who was the boss of News

International, News Corporation's UK newspaper operations. It was the

Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, who had the power to approve or block

the deal. And this News Corporation executive, Frederic Michel, in

charge of political lobbying in Europe, was the go between between

Mr Murdoch and Mr Hunt's department. The Royal Courts of Justice, today

of all days, it was appropriate that the Leveson Inquiry into media

standards took place here because the big question was whether Jeremy

Hunt acted in the way that he should have done as an impartial

judge in deciding whether News Corporation should have been

allowed to buy all of Sky. Before Mr Hunt took that formal

responsibility, Frederic Michel told James Murdoch in an e-mail

that he had a call from Mr Hunt's adviser who believed the UK

Government would be supportive through the process. Then in

January, when Mr Hunt was in charge, Mr Michel said the culture

department's view was it was almost aim over for the opposition to the

Jeremy Hunt believed we are in a good place tonight.

Now we know, he was providing advice, guidance and privileged

access to News Corporation. He was being a back channel for the

Murdochs. He cannot stay in his post. And if he refuses to resign,

the Prime Minister must show leadership and fire him.

Tonight I have written to Lord Justice Leveson and asked if he

will bring forward my appearance to his inquiry and I'm confident when

I present my evidence, the public will see that I have behaved with

absolute integrity and scrupulous objectivity.

In the sensitive period, News Corporation lie liaised with Adam

Smith. Mr Smith and Mr Hunt face a perilous walk to stay in Government.

Let's join Nick Robinson. Nick, where do you think today's events

leave the Culture Secretary? scandal that has claimed let's

remember the Prime Minister's Director of Communications, Andy

Coulson, the career of the Head of News international, Rebekah Brooks,

the reputation and billions of pounds of the Murdoch's money and

of course, the future of the News of the World. Now the case against

Jeremy Hunt is very clear, indeed. That while publicly he said "this

is an �8 billion bid and I must deal with it independently, in

private people in his office were playing footsy with the Murdoch

empire and telling them things they wanted to know. There are countless

examples of where this e-mail traffic suggests that News Corp

knew things would be announced the next day, before Parliament, before

the markets and before anyone else. The case for the defence for Jeremy

Hunt is this - his adviser was right to liaise with an interested

party in an important business process. That was signed off and

approved by the top official in the Department of Culture and crucially,

that it had no impact on the outcome, on the process, on the bid

itself. Finally, that some of that evidence today was presented by ap

man who told his boss, James Murdoch, that he had been talking

to JH or Jeremy or Jeremy Hunt and yet has said on oath to the Leveson

Inquiry he did no such thing. The truth is Mr Hunt hunt would be rash

indeed to think that he is out of that he is staying in his job and

for the moment, and let's stress for the moment, so too is the

occupant of Number Ten. The detective in charge of the

inquiry into the death of the MI6 officer Gareth Williams has told an

inquest she believes another person was involved. Mr Williams' body was

found in a locked holdall in his flat in central London in 2010. The

court also heard that traces of unidentified DNA were found on the

Footage from inside Gareth Williams' flat taken by police

after they found his body in August 2010. Released today it shows a red

woman's wig hung on a chair in one room. Phones and computer equipment

were scattered on a table. Elsewhere, was a newspaper story

which had been cut out, looking at people's regrets before they died.

In a spare room, where bags and boxes containing �20,000 of women's

clothing. One pair of shoes cost �1,000. Gareth Williams was a

brilliant mathematician who worked for the communications intelligence

agency, GCHQ before being seconded to MI6 in London. Police computer

modelling shows the location of the upper bathroom where a red sports

bag was found in the bathtub. Police said Gareth Williams' naked

body was inside the bag in a foetal Football Association. There was no

sign he had struggled to get out. Underneath him, in the bag, was a

set of skis for the lock -- keys for the lock, but the bag's zips

had been padlocked together on the outside. Police say they found

traces of someone else's DNA on the zip and lock, but they don't know

whose. This afternoon the coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox went so far as

taking hold of a replica sports bag to see how difficult it would be to

manipulate and lock it from the inside and the police officer in

charge of the investigation today Police also released new CCTV

pictures of him shopping the day before he died. There is no sign,

they say, he was being followed. One of Gareth Williams's oldest

friends, Sian Lloyd Jones told the inquest she did not think he

dressed up in women's clothes and thought they were gifts. The coming

days will see further forensic evidence and testimony from former

colleagues in the intelligence The Government's new cap on

benefits means that one council in London can no longer afford to

provide social housing for some of its poorest residents. That's the

case being made by Newham Council in East London which says it's

trying to find homes for hundreds council is playing politics as Mark

Easton reports. Are Government housing policies forcing thousands

of families to pack up and move out of the capital?

Amid accusations of social cleansing, it emerged today that

Newham Council is one among a number of London boroughs look to

go re-house residents hundreds of miles away because they say soaring

rents and a cap on housing benefit mean they can't afford to keep them

in the city. We have approached lots and lots of housing

associations across the country because the truth is that there are

few affordable properties here for people on on benefit because of

Government changes. Squeeze on welfare payments is

seeking home seekers from Central London boroughs move to areas like

Newham putting pressure on a borough where Olympic regeneration

is said to be pushing up rents. The Government insists that by making

essential cuts to a housing benefit bill that's topped �20 billion,

rents are being forced down and there is no need for councils to

uproot families. Newham need to think again. They need to stop

frightening tenants and top publishing the press releases.

limit on how much rent the State will fund from over �1,000 a month

to a one bed home to over �1700 for a four bed property. In Newham,

rents in the borough are advertised between �1800 and �1500 a month,

apparently within the cap. Critics say it is not that simple.

The evidence is that private rents here in Newham are rising faster

than inflation and faster than local wages. Demand massively

outstrips supply for affordable homes and even if there are

properties that fall below the housing benefit cap, that doesn't

mean that landlords will be prepared to offer them to welfare

claimants. In another London borough, it is a

similar story. Jason Paul is in temporary accommodation in Waltham

Forest and received a letter from his council suggesting he move with

his teenage daughter to Walsall I've lived in London all my life.

How can they ask me, move me 148 miles away from where I come from,

where all of my family is, everyone I know? Put me somewhere where I am

isolated? With a chronic shortage of affordable homes in London, the

Government is hoping to kick-start a massive building programme. But

many experts warned that too few houses and a squeeze on welfare

will force thousands of families out of the capital.

The level of government borrowing has fallen by nearly �11 billion

over the last financial year, despite an unexpected rise last

month. It borrowed a total �156 million, down from 147. GDP figures

are expected to show that the UK economy has grown, but only

marginally in the first quarter of this year.

Labour's Ed Miliband has been defending his deal of late -- style

of leadership and his refusal to reverse cuts in government spending.

He admitted he had a long way to go before people saw him as a

potential prime minister, but insisted that Labour had the

opportunity now to be heard. He was speaking to Nick Robinson in the

second of our series of interviews with party leaders during the local

election campaigns. It is not hard to see why Ed

Miliband might be so excited. The few weeks ago, many were writing

him off. Now some are beginning to wonder whether he might just be our

next Prime Minister. He says he has learned to ignore the ups and downs.

On a visit to Reading College, he told me that he knew he still had a

long way to go. That they ask you what I call the cereal packet

question. Complete the following sentence. Ed Miliband should be

Prime Minister because... He will make this country fairer and more

just. Above all, make our economy work for working people and not

just the few at the top. Before elections next week, he is

highlighting what Labour could do without spending more money, like,

he claims, reversing the planned freeze in pensioner tax allowance.

Do you want me to answer that? Jenny wants to talk to you. Your

daughter? How are you? It is Ed Miliband. These two pensioners are

hand-picked Labour voters. I asked him if he was ready to tell the

public anything difficult that they don't already want to know? Lots of

people want us to promise now that we will reverse the cuts the

Government has made. We cannot make that promise now. Why? Because we

can only make promises we can afford. That is a fair enough thing

to say. Let's have an example, what are you not going to reverse?

tell you at the election what we can or cannot. Is there one example

where we will say, never? Not one day if we can afford it? We are not

doing it? That is something we have to talk about at the election.

Miliband believes that voters have had enough of politicians and their

promises. It makes him hard to be exciting. Have you got the courage

of your convictions? Do say the Government was wrong to cut taxes

for the rich. Why don't you now pledged to put them up? For the

same reason I am not going to make but the promises I can't keep.

Let's see where we are at the election. There is something about

me as a person, methodical, rigorous, not making promises I

cannot keep. Talking about the big Isn't the danger of that that it is

not very exciting? People see the French presidential candidate

saying, tax the rich, it is moral. They see Ed Miliband saying, I

can't tell you that? I'm saying if there was an election tomorrow we

would be restoring a 50 pence tax rate. The Labour leader reckons he

has his moment of opportunity. But he is still dogged by one problem.

Which one is he? Can we get a photograph with David? Hello, Ed

Miliband. Ed Miliband! Someone said, hello, David. You have been in the

job for two years, shouldn't they know which brother you are? These

things happen, it happens to both of us. If Ed Miliband is to head to

Number Ten, this is the year he much make a clear impression on the

Messi has nested! The Messi mess that cost Barcelona a place in the

Champions' League final. -- missed Now, the man leading the British

investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann

five years ago says that this is the best opportunity so far of

solving the mystery of her disappearance. Detective Chief

Inspector Andy Redwood has spoken for the first time about his review

of the case, sifting through some 40,000 pieces of information and

hoping to find out exactly what happened to the three-year-old

Next week, Madeleine McCann will have been missing for five years.

The facts have not changed. She went to bed in this holiday

apartment. Her parents say when they went to check on her, she was

gone. Now a new police team is searching for her. And it is

British. This is the first time the lead investigator has spoken

publicly. We are here in terms of seeking to bring closer to this

case. That would be the ultimate objective and is our ultimate

objective. What does that mean? Closure means establishing what

happened to Madeleine McCann. Solving it? Of course. Her parents,

who continue to campaign for missing people, have wanted a

review for years. Knowing that the police actually reviewing

everything, it is a huge step. there is a huge problem. Only the

Portuguese police can reopen the case. In Portugal, public opinion

is less supportive of the family. How do you feel? Four months after

their daughter disappeared, they were made arguidos, or suspect. It

was later ruled they had no case to answer. The detective that ran the

first months of the case has left the force and now makes his living

writing and broadcasting his views on the case, that she died in the

apartment. Are you comfortable with making money out of a missing girl

and a case you failed to solve? Translation when I left the police

force, it was to write a book to clear my name. Kate and Gerry

McCann are now suing Goncalo Amaral. But the lawyer says that the book

has had an effect, public opinion has hardened against the McCann's.

Everyone believes that I am defending my father and mother that

killed their daughter and went free from the courts. This sensitive

situation in Portugal makes the work of the British police team

complicated. Do you think this case will be sold one day? I really,

really hope we can make a difference. -- solved. We are here

to bring closer for the family. of season, Praia da Luz is cold and

empty. This place will forever be associated with a lost little girl.

It now falls to the British to succeed where the Portuguese have

failed and solve the mystery of Madeleine McCann.

You can see that full report on BBC Panorama, it is called Madeleine:

The Last Hope? And it is tomorrow night on BBC One at 7:30pm. Muslims

in European countries who openly show their faith suffer widespread

discrimination according to Amnesty International. In particular, it

says that Muslims face exclusion from jobs and education for wearing

traditional forms of dress. The report comes two days after the

French far-right, which campaigns against immigration, enjoyed record

support in the presidential Like the majority of Europeans, the

day-to-day concerns of France's 6 million Muslims are to do with

making ends meet. That is harder if you don't have a job. A major

report from Amnesty International on Muslims highlights

discrimination in employment, which it says is particularly bad for

Muslim women. Chamus Larisse is a nurse. She says since deciding to

wear a headscarf, or hijab, she only gets contract work. It's

against French door to where religious symbols in state

institutions. Her since I wear a headscarf, the feeling has grown.

It is not fair and I feel to be a second-class citizen. This woman

works for a private company, which means she is legally allowed to

wear a headscarf. She wants to remain anonymous because she is

fighting the discrimination she says she experiences. I am here,

like any French citizen. I don't have to change my name, I don't

have to change my religion. I am French, we are here. We will stay

here. We don't have to accept this injustice. The popularity of the

far right has transformed the political landscape. What it means

to be French and how minorities are reflected is now a central debate.

If being a Muslim it means you are less likely to get a job or

progress in your career, if you have won, then it is in these

places, the mainly Muslim banlieues of France's cities where it is felt

the most. The state acknowledges that social deprivation and

opportunities can affect jobs. But they do not accept discrimination

on the grounds of religious relief. -- believe. I don't think the fact

they don't have access to the jobs market is linked to their religious

face. -- faith. You have people from French stock that live in semi

rural areas and that complain about the same things. People who are

from Caribbean descent, not Muslims. France prides itself on its secular

ideals. But Amnesty's report underlines a challenge facing

More than �500,000 has been raised for charity following the death of

30-year-old Claire Squires in the London Marathon. She had hoped to

raise �500 for the Samaritans by running the marathon for the second

time. She collapsed in the final stages. Today, her family said they

were deeply moved by the public support. It is just overwhelming.

They just cannot believe the generosity of the people and what

she has actually achieved. Something good has unfortunately

come out of something bad, really. James Birrell, the brother-in-law

of Claire Squires. It has been a memorable night for

Chelsea in their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona. An

early sending-off, Captain John Terry, meant that they looked in

deep trouble before a remarkable fightback in the second half. Let's

join Dan Roan at the Nou Camp. Chelsea have struggled domestically,

but they have shone in Europe. Having won the first leg 1-0, they

knew a draw would be enough. That is exactly what they got.

When you are widely to be considered to be the best club side

in a generation, the fans might expect to turn up and win. But

Barcelona have seemed a little more human of late. Despite their team

facing the ultimate challenge, these supporters sensed that maybe,

just maybe, Chelsea had the chance. The English club knew it was a

night to stand up and be counted. But Barcelona's early pressure soon

told. Busquets set that high level. Discipline would be key, but their

captain showed none. John Terry's moment of madness cost him and his

team dear. Barcelona took advantage immediately. Iniesta was clinical.

The hosts, with the lead. But what appeared gain over was soon game on.

Ramires, with a coveted away goal. At this point, Chelsea were going

through. Barcelona responded. Cesc Fabregas got a penalty from Didier

Drogba's challenge. An unexpected twist, Messi missing. The Nou Camp

was in shock. Somehow, Chelsea were hanging on. Messi again, hitting

the would work. Barcelona were getting desperate. They have left

themselves open, Fernando Torres finally proving his worth. The

Spanish striker, scoring the equaliser and breaking the hearts

of his countrymen. Chelsea's unlikely passage to the Champions'

League final was complete. They did it with 10 men, with an interim

manager and a much-maligned striker. A quite remarkable heroic defence

by Chelsea. They have the chance for European glory next month. To