25/07/2014 BBC News at Ten

Good evening. Britain's economy is now bigger than it was before the

financial crisis struck in 2008, according to figures published

today. now bigger than it was before the

The Chancellor says it is thanks to the hard work of the British people.

Labour says living standards are being squeezed. It follows the

steepest fall suffered by any economy in the same period. It has

taken six years for the economy to get back to where it was. Today's

figures show growth of 0.8%. Some difficult problems remain.

Britain's economy producing as much as it did six and a quarter years

ago, before the great crash and longest depression since reliable

records were kept. A great industrial name. Vauxhall, in lieu

on the, is confident enough to -- Luton is confident enough to invest

in new vans. If we go back to the beginning of this depression, how

bad was it in 2008, 2009? The market fell off a cliff. It has been around

for commercial vehicles 350,000 a year and went to 180,000. This

factory then was on three shifts and went to one. It did fall off a

cliff. Vauxhall, like manufacturing in

general, is not producing quite as much as it did at the peak. It is

Britain's services which have led the recovery. How does it feel on

the shop floor? It has been a tough few years for many. Has it returned

back to normal. It has a long way to go. We are getting there. I think

every day living expenses are high. Not just us but we are taking a few

pay freezes and minimal pay rises. Back to normal yet? The bills still

go up and wages aren't really increasing. So, it has been a tough

time. But who to blame for the fall in our

standard of living? Empowered during the crash was Labour. For people

across the country, people here and everywhere in Britain things are

still hard. In fact living standards are still falling. Wages are not

keeping pace with prices. Cashing in. That's what the Tory

Chancellor and his Lib Dem colleagues hope to do - money for us

and votes for them. I am the first to say, today is not the day we say,

job done. Today is the day we resolve to do more, so yes, people

feel prosperity. People in all parts of our country, including here in

the north, feel part of a growing economy.

So when will we feel richer? I think that earnings will start to rise

before the end of the year. The unemployment rate has been falling

and in some industries there are shortages of Labour, so employers

will have to start to pay higher wages in order to attract employees.

Britain is back at work. In fact, right now, the economy is moving

forward faster than that of any of our big, rich competitors. We

shouldn't get smug. After the slump of six years ago, America and

Germany recovered the income they lost much earlier than we have

Homeward bound, the risk to the recovery, debts for one. It is

rational to be more cheerful about where we are headed.

Our political correspondent is in Downing Street.

This is clearly a very good story for the Government. They do not want

to sound too triumphant about it? They said this job is not done.

People in the Treasury accept this is not the perfect recovery. It

could be better balanced across the country and across parts of the

economy. The message they want voters to take is to let the

Conservatives carry on with the job. The Lib Demes were much more bullish

this morning, saying the economy recovery would not have taken place

were it not for them, but again, this evening, a note of caution from

Vince Cable, who has written a in a range of paper, noting how slowly

things are rising and Labour say that is the point that people are

not feeling this recovery, but they know and they admit they have a

battle on their hands to convince voters to trust them, rather than

the Conservatives with what happens next and cautious politicians on all

sides don't want to give the impression the public finances are

entirely fixed because they know they have manifestos to right and

they want to raise expectations of huge spending increases or huge tax

cuts any time soon. Thank you.

The death toll in Gaza has risen above 800 as the US and UN both

tried, but failed, to secure agreement from Israel and Hamas for

a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire. As a result of the ceasefire,

150,000 people in Gaza, 8% of the population are now living in UN

schools. One of which was hit by a missile yesterday.

The Israeli Government says it is rejecting a ceasefire proposal as it

stands. In a moment the view from Israel. First our correspondent has

sent this report from Gaza. She's the baby with no name and no

mother. Perhaps the youngest victim of this

bloody conflict and she's struggling for life.

The girl was delivered by emergency ses sarn from her dead mother's

body. She was killed in an Israeli air strike this morning. Her baby

was still two weeks premature. Her oxygen supply was cut. Doctors say

the little girl has a 50/50 chance of living.

I am very angry. I am very sad. I feel that this baby is mine. The

uncle showed us what remained of the home and the place where his niece

was buried alive. Israel insists it tries to avoid civilian deaths, but

this morning it was not a fighter who was killed, just a mother who

was heavily pregnant. This is the area where the bomb landed. We think

about 2am. There's been some damage to a house over there. This part was

a UN facility, a sanitation compound. This was a small block of

flats housing a few families. This is where the mother was living and

she was trapped as the whole building collapsed. She was

underneath, unable to escape and eventually died. But the attacks go

both ways. We saw two Hamas rockets being

launched into Israel today and the homeless families living here in a

UN school watched, clapped and cheered.

Why are people cheering at the rockets being fired into Israel?

Should we be clapping the Israelis, he asked. They are shelling us and

killing us. There's nothing to celebrate in Gaza.

This girl and her brother were injured when another UN school were

hit yesterday. A mother talks of the mother her husband died in her arms.

Another family crushed by grief. Despite talk of a ceasefire, the

suffering and pain go undiminished. In Jerusalem's old City, open-air

prayers, under the watchful eye of Israeli troops.

Young Palestinian men were blocked from reaching the city's most

important mosque, which is often a flash point.

Israel is struggling to contain the furry over the killings in Gaza.

Well, prayers are just coming to a close here. There is a heavy Israeli

security presence in the area. They are determined to stop these

Palestinian worshippers from coming any closer. This is the last Friday

of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. For Palestinians, it has been a

bloody month. There is a great deal of anger on the streets.

And it erupted first in East Jerusalem.

Dozens of Palestinians battled Israeli security forces, but they

were out-gunned. And in the Israeli-occupied West

Bank, Palestinians say Israeli troops have killed six protestors in

the past 24 hours. Some are now calling for Intifada three. A third

Palestinian uprising. As unrest

Palestinian uprising. As grew in the West Bank, in Cairo,

more international efforts to reach a ceasefire.

At this moment, we are working towards a seven days of peace. Seven

days of a humanitarian ceasefire. Back in Jerusalem, we met a group of

care-free looking Israeli conscripts. They joined the Army

just this week and insist what is happening in Gaza is self-defence.

We love peace. We are taught to love peace. We are taught that the people

who come to kill you, you have to fight. You have to fight back. They

told us they expect to fight in Gaza themselves some day. And they don't

believe there will ever be peace. I don't expect to see it happen

because the Arab people will hate us and it will never end. It will never

end. There will never be peace. And I'm terribly sad, but there'll never

be peace. Tonight Beth le hem is a

battleground. Israeli troops firing tear gas and some live rounds, as

Palestinians stage a mass protest. Israel says it is now considering a

humanitarian ceasefire that would last 12 hours.

Let's pick up on what was said there - this idea which has come in about

Israel agreeing to have a 12-hour unilateral ceasefire, possibly

starting from tomorrow. We are hearing from Israeli officials and

some who have travelled with John Kerry, that Binyamin Netanyahu is

apparently prepared to implement a 12-hour cessation of military action

by Israel. Possibly as early as 7am tomorrow morning. That seems to be a

conciliatory gesture to John Kerry and the Americans after so roundly

rejecting the terms on which John Kerry had been working on, for a

seven-day humanitarian pause, which was meant to pave the way to a

longer-lasting peach we know that has been rejected. They had very

strong objections to it. In particular, one minister said it

seemed to legitimatise terrorism. Hamas was not ready to accept a

seven-day truce either. Israel said it would keep troops in Gaza

throughout. You might think perhaps Hamas had been seriously weakened by

being so battered by Israel over the past 18 days, but I have to say,

Hamas actually feels perhaps it is strengthened, because it feels that

global public opinion, although divided is moving against Israel.

Thank you. A British man has been confirmed

as one of the victims The Air Algerie plane came down

in Mali, One of the two flight data

recorders has been recovered. Poor weather has been blamed

for the accident. The mother of three-year-old Mikaeel

Kular has pleaded guilty to killing Rosdeep Adekoya admitted repeatedly

beating her son He died two days later

from his injuries and his mother hid She had originally been charged with

murder, but admitted the reduced Mikaeel Kular was described

by those who knew him as a happy, He was just three years old when

he was killed by his own mother. Today, Rosdeep Adekoya was brought

to the High Court in Edinburgh to She cried as the court heard how she

lost her temper when her son vomited after a big meal, punching and

hitting him every time he was sick. We now know that Rosdeep Adekoya

beat her son here at the family And then, instead of seeking help,

she kept him hidden, from nursery for two days

until he died on his bedroom floor. Hundreds came out to help

a mother search for her little boy. She had already bundled her son's

body in a suitcase, driven out of the city

and buried him in these woods. For those who searched,

today's hearing was hard to take. And to be told that he wasn't

missing, that he had been murdered, Mikaeel's natural father said

nothing as he left court, having heard how his son died

in severe pain. Social services are now

reviewing the case. At the spot where the little boy

was dumped, this tribute remains. Adekoya's sentencing must wait

for background reports, as the court and the country try to

comprehend her crime. The Royal Bank

of Scotland has announced In the first half of this year,

the company's profits doubled to RBS was bailed out by the Government

in 2008, meaning Today's announcement is likely fuel

speculation on how soon the Government will sell

its stake in RBS. It is the struggling bank that

has become a little more healthy. After years of dire warnings

and millions of pounds in fines, The Royal Bank

of Scotland today announced that profits were up over 90%, as

the stronger UK economy kicked in. Visiting a branch of NatWest, which

RBS owns, the chief executive said Our businesses are now performing,

getting much better Our businesses are a reflection

of that. It started with

our consumer personal business. You saw that coming through

in the mortgage market and now you are seeing it coming through at the

smaller business end of the market. We are 31% up on new business

going into the UK economy. Also tonight, banks facing huge

compensation pay-outs after a legal challenge over the mis-selling

of insurance to borrowers. The bank could face further fines

for payment protection insurance and there could be problems in America

where the provision of mortgages by Nothing more closely represents

the shock of the financial crisis than the collapse of The Royal Bank

of Scotland. Its better results today once again

raises the question of just when will the public be paid back

the ?47 billion used to bail out At the time,

we felt the rights issue had pulled Fred Goodwin was chief executive

when RBS crashed and the Government was forced to take over

a majority of the bank. Today's soaring share price sparked

speculation that the coalition may consider selling

at least part of its stake. This is the story

of RBS' share price. In 2007, the bank was valued

at the equivalent of ?60 per share. That sank to just ?1 per share

during the financial crisis. It is now up to ?3.64, well below

the ?5 per share the Government would at least need to charge to

break even on the bailout. Some believe that any possible

sale is many years away. I don't think we will get our

money back before 2017, even 2018. The bank has a lot

of restructuring to do, has to rebuild its capital, and

rebuild confidence in the business. Government sources have told me

there are no plans to sell any of its RBS stake until

after the general election. But if the sun keeps shining on RBS,

pressure could grow for the coalition to bring forward

that date. The Labour leader has tried to

tackle head-on personal criticism by persuading voters that

his politics and principles are Ed Miliband admitted he's not

from central casting and that he looks a bit like Wallace

out of Wallace and Gromit. But he insisted there's more to

politics than a photo opportunity. Iain Watson reports on whether

Mr Miliband's potentially risky The Labour leader doesn't look

like a conventional politician. He struggles with a snack

and can be a bit awkward alongside And he even resembles

an animated cartoon character. If you think that sounds unfair,

just listen to what Ed Miliband You can find people who are more

square-jawed, more chiselled... And I even believe,

I even believe that you could probably find people who look better

eating a bacon sandwich. Ed Miliband is indulging

in a high risk strategy, pointing out some of his own flaws

as a leader to try to neutralise But he also told his Labour audience

that people who are disillusioned with politics would welcome

his type of leadership, My true test of leadership is not

just whether you look the part. And here is the problem

he is trying to address. A recent poll shows a typical narrow

lead for Labour, but when it comes to who would make the best

Prime Minister, Ed Miliband lags His ratings are similar to those

of people like William Hague, who never became Prime Minister when

he was Leader of the Opposition. Ultimately it boils

down to what Ronald Reagan, former US President said, "If you

are explaining, you are losing". Pretty as a postcard,

this part of Wales clearly does not It is represented by the Lib Dems,

so will Ed Miliband's new approach If I wanted a leader,

he would have to be strong and look as though he could lead,

and Ed Miliband doesn't look When he was here last I found him

charming. The Wallace and Gromit image

that the opposition have managed On a visit to a design Centre,

David Cameron denied the accusation that he was more

interested in image than substance. On a day

when our national output has recovered to where it was before the

great recession, which was brought to us by Labour, I think that's

an extraordinary thing to say. Ed Miliband used to laugh

off the personal attacks but now he is very animated about claiming

his is a new style of leadership. Dave Lee Travis is to face a retrial

for charges of sexual assault and indecent assault, as well

as a new count of indecent assault on a woman aged over 16 alleged to

have taken place in 1995. The former Radio One DJ, who's 69,

was acquitted in February, but jurors were unable to reach

verdicts on two charges. He has formally pleaded not

guilty to all three charges. At the Commonwealth Games it's been

another busy day Scotland won gold,

and some of the biggest names But there was a blow for Team Wales

with news that one of its top Our Chief sports correspondent

Dan Roan is in Glasgow. The spectre of the threat of doping

haunts all events like Glasgow 2014, so this will be of concern to

all those in sport. It also raises serious questions about Welsh

athletics, who are reeling from two failed drugs tests in as many weeks.

New line Rhys Williams is having a difficult season. He was one of

Wales' brightest medal hopes but Rhys Williams is now fighting to

save his reputation, kicked out of the Commonwealth Games for an

alleged doping offence. It was after this race in Glasgow a fortnight ago

that the European 400 metres hurdles champion failed a drugs test, and

today he was suspended. In a statement he said, I am utterly

devastated about the news of this anti-doping rule violation which has

come as a great shock to me. From the outset I would strongly like to

state that I have not knowingly taken any banned substance. Last

week, his team-mate, Gareth Warburton, was also ruled out of

Glasgow 2014, having fallen foul of doping regulations. Today's News has

prompted an internal review by Welsh athletics. It is a bleak day for us

and we need to do everything we can to understand why it has happened,

because it is not great for athletics in Wales. Rhys Williams

will not be running at Hampden Park as planned on Sunday. The first

doping controversy since the Games began, the last thing Glasgow 2014

needed, when organisers want the focus to be on the action.

And today it did not disappoint. England's Joanna Rowsell dominated

the final of the 3000 metres individual pursuit, adding

Commonwealth gold to her world title. It was the event that I was

spotted for when I started so it means a lot to me. Fantastic to win

today. There was success for the home fans to celebrate, too.

Claiming the men's para- cycling 1000 metres tandem time trial, a big

win witnessed by Billy Connelly. Just like the rest of the crowd, he

was brought to his feet by the host nation's first cycling gold. It did

not stop there. After a triumphant night for Scotland in the pool

yesterday, another this evening, as Danny Wallace stormed to victory in

the 400 metres individual medley, leaving everyone in no doubt just

how much it means to win gold on home soil. England have won two gold

medals themselves in the pool today, along with three in the judo. They

topped the medal table with 12, but Scotland are third with seven gold

medals themselves. After a disappointing summer and with the

Rio 2016 Olympics on the horizon, these Games are becoming what

British sport needed. Thousands of people lined

the streets of Liverpool today to watch three giant marionettes

parade through the city. The puppets,

an old lady who measures more than 25 feet tall, her granddaughter

and her dog, will tell the story of Liverpool during World War One, as

part of the city's commemorations. They'll walk through the city

until Sunday when they'll sail away That's all from us. Now, time for

the news where you are.