29/05/2014 BBC News at One

Nick Clegg insists Vince Cable was not involved in any plot to oust him

He dismisses talk of plots and says the Liberal Democrats are

I fully expect that people will try to say that there were plot. I don't

believe that for a second. We will look at how serious the situation is

for the Liberal Democrats. New figures on the Government's Help

to Buy scheme - the vast majority We found a house that ticked all the

boxes, and I would definitely say that at this point, we wouldn't have

been able to move into it unless we had helped by.

Pro-Russian separatists shoot down a Ukrainian military helicopter.

Stepping back in time - a nationwide roadshow aims to offer

a hands-on experience of life during the First World War.

And the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge make their first

public appearance since their tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The family of a man who died in police custody is furious after one

officer resigns. And a new hospital helipad for the capital. It is hoped

it will help save lives. Good afternoon

and welcome to the BBC News at One. The Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg

says he doesn't believe for a second that the Business Secretary is

involved in any plot against him. Vince Cable has faced questions over

what has been described by some as an attempted coup by his

long-standing friend Lord Oakeshott. The peer resigned

from the party after it was revealed he carried out polls

which suggested the party would be Mr Cable admits knowing

about some of the polling, but denies knowing about the one

in Mr Clegg's own constituency. Our political correspondent

Carole Walker reports. Plots, conspiracies and the Liberal

Democrats? Nick Clegg says he doesn't blame Vince Cable. The Lib

Dem leader made it clear that he accepts the pledge of support from

his business Secretary, even though questions remain over what Mr Cable

knew about the attempt to oust him from the leadership will stop I

fully expect that people will try and suggest that there are endless

plots. I don't believe that for a second. Vince is an outstanding

Secretary of State for business. He and I worked together for years and

years and years, and we will continue to work together in harness

as part of a very strong Liberal Democrat team in government. After

days as a collation, Vince Cable pledged his loyalty and denied he

has ambitions to lead the party. I am supporting the party leader.

People are putting around the story that there is some division on

that. There is not. I am clear from the beginning of this week that

there is no leadership issue. We have a united team. Mr Cable

admitted he was aware of some of the polling being carried out, but said

he did not know about a poll leaked to the papers that suggested Nick

Clegg would lose his seat at the next election. The polls were

commissioned and paid for by this man, Lord Oakeshott, a long-standing

friend and ally of Vince Cable, who resigned from the party yesterday,

warning the Liberal Democrats were heading for disaster under their

current leader. How much did Cable know about this? I have resigned

from politics. Nick Clegg says he will lead his party into the next

election, but he is still under real pressure to say what he is going to

do about his party's diary tings, and his leadership is being openly

discussed by several local parties # ratings.

That is how to eat bacon sandwich! At least he passed leadership test!

We can head live to Westminster and speaks and Norman Smith. How much

trouble is Nick Clegg stilling? This plot should really be called

the boomerang plot, because it has backfired spectacularly. It has had

exactly the opposite effect and come scuttling back, decapitated and the

chief conspirator, Lord Oakeshott, and wounding his would-be prince

across the water, Vince Cable. Nick Clegg emerges immeasurably

strengthened, and may now be politically bombproof ahead of the

next election. And why? Because of Vince Cable has had to come out

publicly and swear an act of loyalty to Nick Clegg, and other possible

successors have also had to row in behind him, people like Danny

Alexander and Tim Fallon. But for the party it is disastrous, because

in the wake of catastrophic election results, they are plunged into

division, disarray, bloodshed and serious questions still remaining

about one of the most senior figures, Vince Cable. What did he

know, and above all, why did he not tried to stop his long-time friend,

Lord Oakeshott, from carrying out covert polls in his leader's

constituency deliberately designed to discredit him? One senior Lib Dem

MEP said this morning that Vince Cable's failure to stop his friend

could be seen as treacherous. Norman Smith at Westminster there.

Figures suggest that the Government's controversial mortgage

guarantee scheme has had little impact on the housing market.

Critics feared that the second phase of Help to Buy, which allows buyers

to purchase homes up to a value of ?600,000 with just a 5% deposit, was

But the figures show that almost half of all mortgage completions

through the scheme were on properties worth less than ?125,000,

Our business correspondent Ben Thompson reports.

Where is that? The kitchen! Natasha Bond and her husband got the keys to

their new home just weeks ago, thanks in part to the mortgage

guarantee scheme. With a smaller deposit, she was able to buy a

larger home for her growing family, something she would otherwise have

struggled to do. We have two small children, and we

were looking for somewhere we could grow into in a village location so

that we could be part of a community, and we found a house that

ticked all those boxes. I would definitely say that at this point we

wouldn't have been able to move into it unless we had help to buy. On a

visit to the East Midlands, the Prime Minister says there is clear

evidence that the scheme is working. We are helping young people who can

afford a mortgage payment get a home of their own even if they don't have

a rich mum and dad who can give them the deposit. The house market wasn't

working for them. Builders wouldn't build unless buyers could buy. There

are 7313 purchases in the first six months of the scheme. That is just

1.3% of all residential completions over the same period. 80% of those

purchases were first-time buyers. And crucially, the majority were

outside London. And the south-east saw the greatest demand. And whilst

that suggested is having little impact on prices in London, critics

say the scheme is still damaging. The new extended help to buy also

applies to purchases of existing homes as well as new-build

properties, and critics say that is inflating prices without addressing

supply. Demand is outstripping supply, and we can see that in terms

of the strong growth in house prices. So help to buy is not

necessarily helping people to get on the housing ladder when it is

pushing up house prices and causing housing to become less affordable.

The Bank of England's governor has already warned that a booming

housing market could threaten stability, and with a rise in

interest rates creeping closer, maintaining that could be more

important than ever. Our business Editor

Kamal Ahmed is here. What is your reading of these

figures? The notion that helped by was sustaining the housing bubble

has been put to rest. But there are still some danger points. What

happened when the Government announced this was, they were

saying, go out and buy if you were able to. They also said to be born

that you can have high loan to value mortgages. So if the housing market

does Crewe, some people could be left with negative equity, and you

get a hint of the 1990s, when a lot of people were left in houses where

their mortgages were of greater value than the house. Those are some

of the danger points still left here. And where do you think it

leaves the need to call the housing market? The nationwide yesterday

said that there will be a correction. Buyers are tired of

going to houses and being rushed around and being told to bid over

the asking price. It is too hot, and people are getting worried about

approaching interest rate rises. So the biggest story is a cooling story

rather than an overheating story. Thank you very much.

A Ukrainian military helicopter has been shot down by pro-Russian rebels

in the east of the country, killing 14 people including a general.

Witnesses say they saw a the helicopter explode

and crash over the town of Sloviansk, which has seen fierce

fighting between separatists and government forces in recent weeks.

Our correspondent Mark Lowen is in Donetsk.

Mark, tell us what you know. A significant loss of life for the

Ukrainian military. The President in Kiev has told Parliament that the

helicopter was shot down near the town of Sloviansk. The president

said 14 rocket, -- were killed, but the National Guard are saying 12.

Sloviansk is the centre of heavy fighting. We understand the

helicopter was transporting personnel to a military base for a

change of shift. The international security organisation the OSCE is

saying that four of its observer mission here who have been missing

since Monday are being held in Sloviansk. It is said that they

could still soon be freed, but it is an indication of the lawlessness in

this part of Ukraine. It is a reminder for the President-elect, if

one were needed, of the challenge faced when he says he must dismantle

what he calls the terrorist groups and the Somali type pirates in

eastern Ukraine. Mark, thank you.

The Australian team leading the search for the missing Malaysian

airliner say they have now ruled out the theory that it crashed in

an area of the Indian Ocean where electronic pings were detected.

It had been thought the signals could have come

Flight MH370 disappeared on route to China

The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, has called the American

whistleblower Edward Snowden a traitor and a coward, and says he

should man up by returning home to face the justice system.

He was responding to Edward Snowden's latest interview

with an American network, in which he said he never set out to

Our security correspondent Frank Gardner is here.

More than 50 leading scientists from around the world have signed

a letter arguing that electronic cigarettes should not be regulated

They say that millions of lives will be lost if restrictions are placed

on e-cigerettes because they're an important tool

The World Health Organisation says it's still considering

Our health correspondent Jane Dreaper reports.

It is a booming business, but electronic cigarettes have divided

opinion among health experts. Users inhale nicotine in a vapour.

Researchers who support the devices say it is a low-risk alternative to

smoking. They have now written to the world health organisation ahead

of crucial negotiations on tobacco. We need regulation about safety,

quality and content. These things are competing with cigarette. These

things can help people stop smoking, but if we overregulate them, makes

them harder to obtain, they won't take off and be used to the extent

that they should be, and we will miss out on public health

opportunities. The number of people who use

e-cigarettes in the UK has tripled to just over 2 million. One third of

those are thought to be ex smokers. More than a million people are using

them alongside normal cigarettes. Despite their popularity, there is

confusion. New lack --. If they have nicotine in them, how

can they be safe? Nicotine is nicotine. It will harm you.

The Department of Health says that devices like these are not

risk-free, and the Welsh government wants to restrict their use in

public places, because it says they make smoking seem much more normal.

Doctors leaders say it is still too early to say whether e-cigarettes

are more helpful than harmful. They are calling for clearer regulation.

If they are classified as drugs, then we know what the content is,

they will have doses on them so that people who want to limit their dose

of nicotine will be able to judge which ones they should use to reduce

that. It also means we will be able to track whether they have any

long-term effects. The world health organisation says

it is still considering what regulation to recommend to

Governments around the world. There are calls for tough controls on

advertising e-cigarette, and the arguments about them look set to

continue. Nick Clegg insists Vince Cable was

not involved in any plot to oust him And a secret stash of cash, the

anonymous millionaire hiding envelopes stuffed full of money

around San Francisco. Newly released film footage on how

life in the capital used to be. And we hear from the Londoners

benefitting from the end This year, national and

international events are taking place to mark the

centenary Today, it's a chance for generations

to reflect on the sacrifice of those

who took part in the conflict. The BBC, in conjunction with the

Imperial War Museum, to give people

hands-on experience of what life these events are all about drawing

as many people as usual academic possible into this period, 1914 in

particular. That means learning about history, as these kids are

doing in a 1900s style classroom and it means all of the different facets

of life at that time. They are expecting around 1,500 people

through the gate every day but are getting double. That shows the level

of interest in this year's commemorations.

Echoing across Suffolk's Summer Extravaganza, the songs from another

age that are calling families to look back across the generations.

Over the next three months, this roadshow will visit 25 different

places around the UK and each location will be unique, because

the emphasis is on giving this huge story real, local connections.

For the first time, experts from the Imperial War Museum

have gone on the road as guides for those who have always wondered about

Roy Morrison's father had returned shell-shocked from the war

30, 40 years went by and a relation of mine said to us four

boys, four brothers, "Could I get in touch with the War Department

"and get copies of your dad's medals?"

He went to the War Department and the War Department said,

"Well, we can do better than that, we can give you the originals."

They were picked up by a nice person

and given into the local police station.

I think what drives people is this curiosity about the past

and I think it is intensified by the centenary, it is intensified by war,

People want to know, what was the experience.

A few minutes in this corner of the showground provided some with

an appropriate souvenir, others with a deeper understanding

of the events which shook the world and touched their families.

We've been researching about her grandfather, Edmund Wedgnebury.

We've been researching about her grandfather, Edmund Wedgebury.

We found out he was a lieutenant in the Worcester Regiment

What was it like seeing his name and all those things come up

It was quite weird, because I hadn't known much about him before, because

There was much to learn here but the thousands who have already

visited this cluster of tents and caravans found a mix of

discovery and hands-on experience which drew them back into history.

I talked about at the numbers, this is the cube are those people trying

to track down the run personal history. I want to grab Andy, you

saw him in that report. What sort of things are people asking? Vast

amounts of information, from the Second World War a few moments ago,

the First World War, was their relative really 17... It is a

starter? It gets them going so they can begin the process themselves.

There is an time to do everything we would like to do for them. I know

you and the guys from the Imperial War Museum are doing your best. It

moves on today, look at red on the BBC website, you can find out where

is going next. -- look out for it. The jury at the inquest into the new

Hillsborough enquiry has been shown footage from the FA Cup semifinal of

1981 between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers, during

which there was a crush at the Leppings Lane end. Fans had to be

removed and moved to the side of the pitch. Questions were made about the

design and capacity of the state where 96 Liverpool fans died in

1989. Dan Johnson is at the inquest. Tell us more.

Well, this match happened almost exactly eight years before the

Hillsborough disaster at the same stadium and there were a number of

similarities that emerged this morning between what happened on

that day and the day of the Hillsborough disaster. There was

overcrowding outside the turnstiles prior to the match and an exit gate

had to be opened to relieve the pressure, the same date that was

opened in 1989. It is estimated at more than 300 Tottenham fans were

allowed onto the Leppings Lane terrorists without having their

tickets checked. Shortly after kick-off, it became apparent there

was crushing on the terraces and a lot of fans had to be lifted over

the fences onto the pitch to relieve the pressure. The jury was shown a

match footage. Stretches could be seen being taken to the Leppings

Lane end and it is clear that police officers tried to carry fans out of

the terrace and lay them on the pitch. Nobody lost their life in

1981 but 38 people were injured. 30 were treated at the game itself and

eight had to go to hospital. Two needed stitches, two with broken

arms and one with a broken leg. A number of questions were raised

after the match about the capacity of Leppings Lane and the way it was

designed. It was considered changing the capacity and introducing fences

across the terrace to make it into a number of pens, something that was

done and it was those pens where 96 Liverpool fans lost their lives

eight years later at the Hillsborough disaster.

A two-day vigil starts tonight to remember 19-year-old Stephen Sutton,

the teenage fundraiser who died of cancer earlier this month.

Stephen's body will lie in a place of honour at

Lichfield Cathedral today, ahead of a private family funeral tomorrow.

The teenager raised nearly ?4 million for charity,

after his story spread on social media.

Even during treatment, he would give a thumbs up.

And today, as his friends prepared for his vigil, there was

The 19-year-old showed everyone how to face adversity.

He was never afraid to talk frankly about his illness

and his campaign inspired the nation to part with ?4 million.

The single largest amount ever raised for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

The legacy that Stephen leaves behind is going to allow us to

support more young people and to build more

We currently have 28 units across the UK in NHS hospitals and

those units are where young people like Stephen are treated with other

young people, in an environment that is specifically tailored to them.

Later this evening, Stephen's body will be brought here

This is where his coffin will be placed, lying in a place of honour.

Thousands of people are expected here over the next two days.

This will be a very fitting and public farewell.

Stephen died two weeks ago after a four-year battle with cancer.

His bucket list included things like crowd surfing at a concert,

But it was his wish to raise millions to help

others just like him that brought worldwide admiration.

He was an inspirational young man who knew life was short

An anonymous benefactor has sparked a frenzy in San Francisco,

by hiding envelopes stuffed with money around the city.

The millionaire has also left cryptic clues

to where the envelopes can be found, on social media.

The story has gone viral, with hundreds of thousands

In cities along America's West Coast, thousands have joined the

treasure hunt, in trees, under bushes. They are looking for hidden

cash given away by an anonymous millionaire. For several days, he

has been posting clues on Twitter. Photos and cryptic messages, each

one sparking a race to locate the cash. One man found a role of nodes

attached to a fire hydrant. It is gas money and dinner money for the

wife. I found it on this parking meter taped to it. Another bundle

was left outside the local courthouse. $60 in 20s and $420

bills. Cash has been turning up on signposts, gates, under leaves and

at the seaside. It shows a Little Chef and a beach. But this is a game

where there are no prizes for coming second. Did you find the cash? Yes.

You just beat me at! It was right under there. This guy hopped out and

there it was. The secret millionaire hasn't revealed his identity. He

says he is a property developer that wants to give some of his fortune

away. I am in that 1% but some people load, so rather than hating

people who are successful, my point would be to let people who have been

successful give back more. Is Californian Robin Hood promises more

money drops and more winners in the next few days. Nearly a quarter of a

million people are following him online, waiting for his clue.

A month after their hugely successful tour of Australia and

New Zealand, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have made their first

This morning they were in Scotland, visiting a whisky distillery

On this occasion, however, they were not accompanied

Our royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell reports.

Just one newcomer his report contains flash photography. -- to

warn you. It is the first time they have

attended an engagement together for more than a month, since their

return at the end of April from New Zealand and Australia, and that

underlines one thing. Although William and Catherine are

undertaking more foreign visits on behalf of the Queen, they are, at

the moment, relatively underemployed. William in particular

needs a sharper focus, he needs something to keep him occupied.

Occasional royal visits like this are all very well, they are the

bedrock of what the Royals do, but it is thought William wants to break

new ground if he can, and have a job. William enjoyed the three years

he spent as an RAF search and rescue pilot. Since leaving the RAF, he is

believed to have been keeping his flying skills up to have been

keeping his flying that maybe a clue to what he thinking about next. At

Crieff this morning, William met members of the Scottish air

ambulance service. He spent some minutes talking to crew and

examining the helicopter. It is a fact, of course, that Air Ambulance

is across the UK rely heavily on former RAF helicopter pilots to fly

them -- Air Ambulances. Both William and Catherine know they face a

lifetime, literally, of Royal duty and fulfilling engagements like

these. They both recognise the importance of it all and they know

the pleasure many people get from meeting them. But William is in no

hurry at this stage to do it full-time, hence the moves, which

are still to be finalised, to find some way of combining Royal duty

with a regular job. It is time to take a look at the weather, is it

still raining? It is an improving situation, some

dry weather on the way but it was a wet morning. The rain is easing off

but there are some breaks in the north of Scotland, holes developing

across southernmost counties, so sunshine is getting through, but as

the strong sunshine gets to work, they will spark of some sharp

showers in the southernmost counties of England in particular, probably

the south-west seeing the most intense of the downpours. Wiltshire,

Gloucestershire area, we could see some heavy downpours, some thunder

and lightning, really nasty conditions on the roads with surface

water and spray. Those conditions were last into the rush-hour with

the risk of those thunderstorms extending into Devon. South Wales

not completely immune. The further north you go in Wales, cloudy with

light rain. Northern Ireland, it is that a bit cooler than it has been

recently, with cloud and showers dotted around. The north of Scotland

brightening up nicely but that breeze coming in from the North Sea

limiting those temperatures to 12 or so degrees for the eastern coast.

Not as cool as it has been in the north-east of England but still 11

degrees and a lot of cloud. Not much rain but a little bit over the tops

of the Pennines. Then showers for the southernmost counties, still

there through this evening. Affecting parts of the Midlands as

well. By the night, confined to the far south and the West and most of

the places fine and dry with a bit of rain around. Overnight,

temperatures dipping into single figures but it is really only the

far north of Scotland. Things continue to improve into Friday,

with high pressure building down from the north. Many places can

enjoy a pretty decent end to the week. Yes, a lot of cloud and not

completely dry story, the weak tail end of a weather front bringing

showers to the far south-west, but most of us will be fine and dry. A

bit of cloud but some decent spells of sunshine. The winds are light as

well, so it should feel pleasant, in spite of the cloud. Temperatures up

to 17 or 18 quite widely and a reasonable sort of day. Saturday,

most places enjoy a decent day bar the odd shower and make the most of

it, because it is a change for the north and west of the UK for the

second part of the weekend as thick cloud and some rain is introduced.

The further west you are through the weekend, the second half is likely

to bring thicker cloud and rain while further south, rain spreading

in from the West and maybe a few showers in the south-east. But a lot

of dry and bright weather as well. A reminder of the top story this

lunchtime, Nick Clegg insists Vince Cable was not involved in any plot

to oust him as Liberal Democrat leader. That is it