24/10/2013 BBC London News

Monday. That is all from the BBC's

Tonight on BBC London News. Lessons in politics. The Coalition

Government is split on how to teach the capital's children. London's

Mayor speaks out. We have had a system which has been a little bit

rigid, inflexible, and some of the most gifted teachers are being

deterred. But will a gamble on unqualified teachers pay off for

London's schoolchildren? Also tonight. Leaking pipes and

overflowing sewers. Can Thames water justify increasing bills by ?29

Bill Bailey and his kazoo orchestra sounding off at plans to licence

buskers. It seems very Draconian, unduly harsh, and I think it will

put people off from performing. # I am an anarchist... From the Sex

Pistols to the Spice Girls, we speak to Sir Richard Branson as Virgin

celebrates its 40th birthday. Good evening and welcome to the

programme. The Mayor has said the Government should let schools take a

gamble on who they employ as teachers, even if they don't have

formal qualifications to teach. His comments contradict the Deputy Prime

Minister, who speaking today in east London, insisted that all teachers,

including those at free schools should be qualified. Marc Ashdown's

report contains flash photography. Royal approval for one of London's

newest colleges. These people come in technical skills in engineering,

construction, alongside core subjects. There's no doubt these

places have the latest technology and resources at their fingertips

but the question now is can expertise in these subjects really

replace qualified experienced teachers? Not according to the

Deputy Prime Minister. In a breakaway from coalition policy, he

breakaway from coalition policy he said he can't understand how Michael

Gove allows new skills to employ teachers no qualifications. That's

why I believe we should have qualified teachers in all of our

schools. That means free schools and academies, too. The idea of

expertise over experience has become a key plank of Conservative thinking

and came unstuck alarmingly recently in Westminster. With no

qualifications, this woman was handed a headship but walked out for

weeks later amid reports she was struggling to cope. The natural

course of things, that will emerge in the blue don't have what it takes

will of course, you have got to be flexible. Are you willing to take a

gamble? Of course. We have had a system which has been a little bit

rigid, inflexible, and some of the most able and potential teachers are

being deterred. Labour is calling for a vote in the Commons about

whether teachers in all schools need to be qualified. The Labour Party

has long argued that free schools, along with every other school,

should employ qualified teachers and we only wish Lib Dems in the past

had voted with us on this point. In had voted with us on this point. In

Wallace to, they have a mix of experts and experienced teachers.

It's a new method of education but an old method, in the sense is

moving backwards in time in terms of tradition but actually looking

forward as to what other needs the country is going to have in the

years to come? More of these colleges are planned and who should

staff them is still very much open to debate. And Marc joins me now.

Are we seeing some real ground open up between the parties on this

issue? I think so, yes. It's worth pointing out free skills appeared to

be a fixture of the education landscape, they are here to stay,

but as a policy, frankly, at the moment, it's a bit make it a busy go

along. All major parties want to show which direction they would take

it in. The Conservatives are pushing hard on this idea of expertise. If

you have years of experience in a particular subject, it doesn't

matter if the other formal teaching qualification. You can get into a

classroom and inspire pupils. Labour couldn't disagree more and believe

qualifications are a must. The Lib Dems are starting to come round to

that way of thinking as well and putting clear water between

themselves and their coalition partners. Why now? The general

election is not quite around the corner but certainly on the horizon.

Free schools are a key policy battle ground. Lots more to come including.

Fighting foreign criminals. The Met Police brings in officers from

eastern Europe. Thames Water has faced questions from politicians at

City Hall over how it can justify increasing Londoners' bills. The

company wants to charge each household an extra ?29 a year. Our

Political Correspondent, Karl Mercer, reports. This is what it

looks like when it all goes wrong. A street under feet of water back in

August after a water main burst Three months on, the clean`up

continues. Life isn't really back to normal. The cakes may be on the go

at the Bakers, but there's plenty of repair work being done and plenty of

signs of water damage. No wonder that people here are not too keen on

the idea of paying ?29 extra on their water bills next year. I think

it's a bit of a cheat, frankly. They have ruined peoples businesses, and

washed everybody out, and then they want to charge people to pay for it.

It's a lot to pay out of your savings. I suppose there's not a lot

we can do about it. Today Thames Water was questioned by the London

assembly about Wyatt wants to raise bills. The questions were pretty

direct. You are taking the p out of London is down the sewers and down

the bills. That's a nice sound bite but prices are set by what the

company needs to do. Customers say they don't want to bills to be any

higher, need to be. Everybody says that. Do they agree with you but

have they agreed with you they should... May I please answer the

question? Customers tell us they don't want to be storing up problems

for the future. Thames Water is a need extra water `` many for its

planned a super sewer and to make up for bad debt from people who haven't

paid their bills. After 20 fixed income at once to add up ?80 to

bills to help pay for the building of the super sewer. It's an argument

I get some sympathy here. ?29 over the whole year isn't too bad. But,

again, other people will think it's ?29 they have got to put onto the

water bill rather than put towards something else. The water regulator

will announce next month whether it will let them raise their bills next

year. A convicted murderer who is still at large after absconding from

a mental health unit in East london may have been helped to escape by a

member of staff. 27`year`old Lerone Boye who was jailed for the murder

of teenager Kelvin Chibueze, escaped from the John Howard Centre in

Homerton last wednesday. Staff member Dean Ablakwa has appeared

before Thames Magistrates' Court accused of helping him to escape.

Ayshea Buksh is at Scotland Yard for us. Ayshea, what do we know about

what happened? Lerone Boye escaped last Wednesday afternoon at around

2pm. He had been serving a 28 year sentence at a prison in

Cambridgeshire but was transferred to the John Howard Centre in

Homerton a few weeks ago after psychiatrists said he had been

hearing voices and had been self harming. It's a medium secure

psychiatric unit in a residential area of Hackney. One of the members

of staff, Dean Ablakwa, has been accused of helping to escape and

been charged with conspiracy to assist an offender escaped from

youth custody and possession of cannabis and if he is convicted, he

will serve up to 14 years behind bars. What do we know about Lerone

Boye? Lerone Boye was described as a very violent offender with a long

record of numerous violent offences and had been convicted of the murder

of a Kelvin Chibueze who was stabbed to death outside a nightclub in

Ilford. He has been described by police as black, five or ten with

shorter, a goatee beard, a scar on his right cheek and a gold tooth in

the upper row of his teeth. Scotland Yard are advising people to night,

if you do see him, do not approach him. Instead, call 999. As for Dean

Ablakwa, he has been described by police as black, five or ten with

shorter, a goatee beard, a scar on his right cheek and a gold tooth in

the upper row of his teeth. Scotland Yard are advising people to night,

if you do see him, do not approach him. Instead, call 999. As for Dean

Ablakwa, here's OK, thank you. The Government has confirmed that a key

section of the HS2 high`speed rail line in west London will run through

a tunnel to be built under Ealing and Northolt. The line was

originally going to pass overground, affecting a number of homes, roads

and bridges. HS2 says the decision to use a tunnel will mean it can be

built more quickly, and with less disruption to residents. Police

officers from Eastern Europe have been brought to the capital to help

the Met catch foreign criminals In the Met catch foreign criminals. In

a new attempt to target organised crime, the eight Romanian and three

Polish officers will spend two years working in London. It will cost more

than ?1 million which will be paid for by money from the European

Union. Our Home Affairs Correspondent, Guy Smith, has the

details. The badge gives it away. Romanian and Polish police officers

are joining the ranks of the Metropolitan Police. For the next

two years, they will be succumbed it to specialist teams investigating

foreign criminals who commit serious offences here in the capital. This

is around getting better at dealing with people who come into custody

and will frequently lie, challenge and change their identity, and being

able to understand them so we can deal with more effectively. Out of

all those arrested in London last year, 28% were foreign nationals.

Around 70,000 suspects. The Metropolitan Police is a quarter

dangerous gang members are from abroad. And 15% of sex offenders not

British. And its cases like this that the new foreign police officers

might have been able to help with. 83`year`old evil in was tied up and

gagged in her own home in north London. She was found a month

later, her killer was this man. A serial burglar from Poland who was

on the run. A European arrest warrant had been issued and the Met

police, who would previously arrest them for attempted burglary, had

failed to check is to identity and he was wanted in another country.

Scotland Yard has learned its lessons. Officers like this might

hold the key to investigations into organised crime. People trafficking.

And prostitution. London is a global city, more languages are spoken and

more nationalities live here than probably anywhere else in the

world. And that makes it much easier for foreign criminals to hide. So

it's not just Poland and Romania not the metabolic and peace wants to

work with more closely. There is a plan in the future to have officers

from other countries, too. Heathrow should be expanded to ensure Britain

has much needed airport capacity, and jobs aren't lost in west London,

the Commons has heard today. The Chair of the Transport Select

Committee, Louise Ellman, says if Heathrow doesn't get a new runway,

airlines will move their businesses from London to the continent. But

others say the country's aviation future lies in a new airport east of

the capital. Our Political Editor, Tim Donovan, is at Westminster now.

Tim. MPs on the Transport Select Committee felt a decision was needed

now and the least worst option would be a third runway at Heathrow

Airport but, as you will know, there is no consensus and that was

certainly no concessions in a special debate held here today. If

not Heathrow, where? As he will know, the Mayor and those among his

staff say we should start afresh and build in the estuary or east of the

capital. You would think if the arguments were overwhelmingly good

for that, economically at least, they would be support in Kent, North

Kent and Medway towns, but was made clear today that that is the case.

The Stalinist command and control economy assumption you can move

hundreds of thousands of jobs to the Thames Estuary at the stroke of a

Mayor's pen, is preposterous. Many of those jobs will not move, and

many of them will move to Europe and many others would no longer be

economic because the capital and the investment on which they depend

would be destroyed. To give an idea how this divides people in the same

party, you go across the Thames Essex. You can find an MP like

Bernard Jenkins who believes starting again with an airport in

the estuaries was the visionary thing to do. He believes that this

would not have catastrophic effects or an impact on Heathrow. The

closure at Heathrow is a very, very big decision but it's not a

catastrophe, but an opportunity It's an opportunity to create... I'm

It's an opportunity to create.. I'm not giving way, 250,000 new homes

west of London, a new high`tech city with the infrastructure already in

place. MPs hope that what they were saying today may be taken account of

by Sir Howard Davies and the commission that is currently looking

into the long`term aviation needs, but, of course, those

recommendations are not due to come until the summer of 2015. The other

side of the next general election. Thank you, Tim. A kazoo orchestra

featuring the comedian Bill Bailey serenaded people in Camden today in

protest at plans to licence buskers. They say it's a serious threat to

street culture in London. But Camden Council says it's a response to an

escalation of complaints from residents. Our reporter Wendy

Hurrell went to Camden to find out more. It's not everyday you see Bill

Bailey in Camden. Doing an impression of Billy Bragg, who was

also there today. Accompany me on a song. Leading the citizens kazoo

Orchestra. Formed by comedian and activist Mark Thomas. It's a protest

against Camden Council's proposal to make musicians buy a license to

bask. Something they describe as Draconian. Some people will say a

ban of playing recorders in a public place? I'm behind that. That's not a

bad thing for kazoos. If the principle of it. It seems very

Draconian, unduly harsh, and I think it will put people off from

performing. Under the new rules unlicensed buskers could be fined up

to ?1000 or have the instruments seized and sold if they can't pay.

It would also mean that percussion and amplifiers like this would

require a special licence if allowed, at all. Some loud wind

instruments come under that bracket, too. I'm delighted to announce

exclusively the flute and the recorder have had a reprieve but the

rest of the wind instrument family remain banned. We are simply

responding to the needs of the residents and when we did the

consultation, the vast majority of the residents supported the draft

policy, so they are against a total ban and we have no intention of

banning busking at all because I personally believe that it adds to

the cultural heritage of the borough. They will make a decision

on November 11. Still to come. 40 on November 11. Still to come. 40

years ago this long`haired hippy launched a record label and shop in

Notting Hill. Now Sir Richard Branson celebrates 40 years of

Virgin Records. There were queues of people going

around two miles down the road wanting to get into this little

shop. So it was a good feeling. Next, how so`called shopping

villages, usually found outside the M25, are venturing inside London.

Hundreds of people queued up today for the opening of London's latest

retail outlet. 85 shops, restaurants and cafes opened in Wembley. But as

Tarah Welsh reports, their arrival has once again sparked concerns of

the impact on London's high streets. Queues like this can only mean one

thing ` a bargain behind the ribbon! It is now officially open. How long

have you been queueing for? Not long, I live around the corner. I am

so excited. I am hope thing to find a bargain. Other areas do well,

hopefully it will be good for Wembley. It's called London Designer

Outlet. It's aim? To sell higher end brands at low prices. How designer

is it? We have some good fashion brands. The developer says it brings

1,500 jobs to the area but it's also behind the transformation of the

area. The whole look and feel here is changing. The council says it is

about more than just a shopping centre. A much longer term

regeneration of the area. They say at the end of it, Wembley will be a

better place to live, work and to shop. It is good from a commercial

point of view for the council, because we get a business rates from

the new development. We also get new homes bonus for the housing that has

been provided. But, much less optimism from some traders on

Wembley High Street. Compared to previously, today is very quiet.

Wembley High Street. Compared to previously, today is very quiet It

will affect everybody on the high Street. So, is there enough of an

appetite for shopping to keep both areas in business? There is very

little duplication on what is available on Wembley high Street and

what is available in the new outlets centre. And this will only be hailed

as a success if the big brands and local independents can both stay

afloat. Following Ian Holloway's resignation

yesterday, Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace are searching for a

new manager. The Eagles face top`of`the`table Arsenal on Saturday

with Holloway's assistant Keith Millen taking temporary charge.

Chris Slegg reports. In May, Wembley was painted red and

blue as Crystal Palace celebrated promotion. Yesterday, five months

on, the colour had drained from Ian Holloway's phase as he and the

chairman announced the manager's time was up. I am very tired, to be

honest with you. It is part of my talking with Steven, am I1 with the

energy left? Am I the one who camp believed to beat Arsenal? Arsenal

visit on Saturday. At the stadium, the man whose task it is to beat

them, Keith Millen, who has been put in temporary charge. Ian said he was

annoyed by some of the new players and their attitude, will you be

having words with them? I said there are certain standards I expect when

I am in charge. You need to set them out early. If they don't follow them

rules, they will not be part of what we are trying to achieve. In the

Premier League, no club has experienced more ups and downs than

Crystal Palace. They have never lasted more than one season at this

level. Who ever ends up in the hot state, will have to avoid a fifth

relegation. Among the names in the frame, Avram Glazer. Neil Warnock,

himself a former manager of Crystal Palace and still the favourite this

evening, Tony Pulis. I do know Tony and he has had great success. We

will have to see. Crystal Palace awaits its sixth manager in under

four years. It's the music label that's signed

stars from the Spice Girls to the Sex Pistols and now Virgin Records

is celebrating its 40th birthday. It started out in 1973 as a small store

on Oxford Street. To mark the anniversary the original shop's been

recreated as part of a new exhibition. Warren Nettleford went

to meet the man behind it, Sir Richard Branson.

Richard Branson started his own mail order company when he was 20. But it

was the risk two years later of giving a record deal to a teenage

instrumentalist that made his name. Michael Oldfield sold 15 million

copies of Tubular Bells. We found this tiny space above a shoe shop in

Oxford Street. We opened it up. And then suddenly there were queues of

people going about two miles down the road wanting to get into this

little shop. Celebrating 40 years, they have laid on a temporary

exhibition. You can see artwork, exhibition. You can see artwork

costumes from the artist. There are reminders everywhere of all the

artists who have made their name with virgin records. The ones with

the best success is when the company took the biggest risk, so the Sex

Pistols, Mike Oldfield and the Spice Girls. To be too conservative, you

don't get anywhere. The Sex Pistols shook the company up. When Richard

Branson started the company, he was taking on the big boys and the

establishment. Now, Sir Richard Branson is very much part of it.

Just announcing he is moving full`time to his tropical islands.

Those behind the exhibition said the Virgin Records story has always been

about disruption. They have always done things, signed artists who have

had an influence or an impact in the wider, cultural sector, not just the

music business. The best example is the Sex Pistols who offended

everybody on television. And then something like boy George being in

address. Richard Branson sold Virgin Records to funds the airline

business. Now it's not long to go before we

and one certain bear will be asking you to help us once again raise

money for BBC Children In Need. We've seen everything from Dancing

On Ice to superheroes. So tell us what you're planning to do this

year. In fact surprise us. Don't be shy, the wackier and more unusual

the better. You might even be invited onto our live show on the

night. Just get in touch by email. Now the weather with Peter. Windy

weather on the way? Yes, the Met Office has issued a

weather warning for stormy weather for the beginning of next week. But

I think nature will be letting us know things are getting rough over

the next few days. This evening we have clear spells and a freshening

breeze. That will close the holes in the clouds. We can expect wet

weather before dawn. It will not be cold, minimum temperatures will be

around 11 or 12 degrees. Wet commutes and school runs in the

morning, but the rain will turn showery. By the afternoon it will be

dry, bright and breezy for most of us, and warm! Top temperature

tomorrow is 19 Celsius. Not far off five degrees above the average for

this time of year. It will dry up completely for a time tomorrow

night. But later on we will start to see patchy rain moving down towards

us from the Midlands. That is a weakening weather fronts, as it

crashes the Home Counties on Saturday I think it will fizzle out.

`` crosses. Quite easy and gusty on Sunday. A mixture of sunshine and

showers for the second part of the weekend. Things get windy on Sunday

night and probably stormy by Monday morning. An amber warning is a be

prepared warning. We will have time to get ready for this nasty weather,

because it will take a while for the energy to build up in the

atmosphere. The numbers I show you inside the arrows are the steady

winds. Gusts could be double those values and that means 70 or 80 mph

on Monday morning. I will keep you posted.

A look at the main headlines now: The parents of Madeleine McCann have

welcomed news that Portuguese police are to reopen their enquiry into

their daughter's disappearance. Portugal's Attorney General revealed

Police have "new elements of evidence".

Talks have taken place at the Grangemouth site in central Scotland

in an attempt to save the petrochemicals plant facing closure.

The owners had threatened to shut the facility in a deadlock with the

unions over a range of cost`cutting measures. .

And Thames Water has faced questions from politicians at City Hall over

how it can That's about it from me. I'm back

later during the Ten o'clock News, but for now from everyone on the

team have a lovely evening. Goodbye. This is Malcolm, who owns Iceland.

He's the one that's going to present us with

the ten grand. When we win it. You've just got to make it

as bearable Here we are in the PR nerve centre

of Iceland