13/09/2011 BBC News at Six

The cost of living rises again as inflation gets close to a three-

year high. Soaring energy bills and record

increases in the price of clothing have pushed inflation up to 4.5%.

One economist says the Bank of England must take action now to

help squeezed households. May be over a longer period they

should have been raising interest rates gradually in order to choke

off some of this inflationary pressure.

Also on tonight's programme: The eight-hour battle that's been

raging in Afghanistan - Afghan soldiers try to contain a co-

ordinated attack from the Taliban. Trade unionists give the Labour

Leader, Ed Miliband, a rough ride as he tells them public sector

strikes were a mistake. I do believe it was a mistake for

strikes to happen last summer. I continue to believe that.

British detectives are sent to Kenya to help in the search for the

kidnapped holiday-maker from Hertfordshire.

And re-drawing the electoral map - big plans to reform Westminster and

Good evening. Welcome to the BBC News at Six.

The cost of living has risen once again putting yet more pressure on

household budgets across Britain. The rapidly rising price of clothes,

shoes and energy bills pushed inflation to 4.5% last month - the

highest it's been for almost three years. And many analysts are

predicting that there could be worse to come with inflation

hitting around 5% by the end of year. Here's our Economics Editor,

Stephanie Flanders. Slowdown? What slowdown? You could

not see much consumer gloom in east London this morning when the

biggest urban shopping centre opened for business by the Olympic

site. If this big centre is opened and with the Olympics next year,

you think there will be alight at the end of the tunnel. Things will

turn around. People are tightening their belts and not going out

spending money. Something like this will attract people to come in.

we are spending more, we're just not getting any more in return. The

main measure of inflation rose to 4.5% last month, the highest in

nearly three years. And the broader RPI measure rose to 5.2%. The price

of clothing has helped push up the figures, up by a record 5.2% in the

past year. In fact, almost the only thing cheaper now than it was then

is your television. Prices in the electronics category are down by

11.5%. The squeeze on consumers has been good for business at discount

stores like this one, but with rising prices, it does not want to

become �1.50 land. A good example would be 1.5 kilo sugar which

resold for �1. The price when so high and we could not do that to

maintain the value and we were not prepared to offer a product that

was not amazing value. It has been taken off.

The weak state of the economy hasn't changed this man's mind,

quite the reverse. Consumers cannot move forward in their spending will

increase the amount of things they want to buy in an environment of

high inflation and that is one of the ways inflation can be bad for

growth in the shorter term. When we look at the weakness of growth in

the economy, we need to recognise that the rise in inflation and the

relatively high rate of inflation is contributing to that. While he

was inside the bank, he said they were under estimating the risk of

high and rising inflation. On that, he has turned out to be right. But

others said the true risk was of slow-growth and unfortunately,

they've turned out to be right as well.

Rising gas and electricity prices are likely to push inflation up to

5% by the end of the year. But it's too late for the Bank of England to

do anything about that. The debate now is whether it should do more to

support the recovery. And Stephanie's here with me now.

What point does the Bank of England or the Government stepped in?

of people will say it is the Bank of England's job to have inflation

down at 2% or near it. It is more than double that at the moment and

it has been so high for so long. You can have that debate but as far

as the Bank of England is concerned, it is old news. We are seeing past

decisions, past price rises, VAT going up, energy prices going up

and rising commodity prices around the world. The bank cannot stop

those things feeding through to inflation, it can only think about

the next year and the next year after that. Prospects there have

changed radically, people are much gloomier about the pace of the

global recovery and the UK recovery. I think the Bank knows it those

fears materialise, if we are looking at a very weak economy next

year, we won't be talking about high inflation, we will be asking

about why they did not do more now to support growth. International

forces and Afghan soldiers have been battling all day to contain a

major attack by the Taliban on the Afghan capital, Kabul. It began

this morning with suicide bombers and rocket propelled grenades as

they targeted the US embassy and NATO's headquarters in the West of

Kabul, from where Quentin Sommerville joins us now.

This was a well planned and co- ordinated attack. They attacked

multiple locations throughout the city. The main focus for this

considerable Taliban assault. Running for cover, this time in the

heart of Kabul embassy district. The wounded and bleeding are helped

to safety. The insurgents were heavily armed, in one of the city's

busy street, a rocket lands. You can see the smoke from explosion

behind me. There is gunfire all over the area. This is that the US

embassy just over here, and also ISAF and it seems like a

significant attack. Gunfire broke out across the neighbourhood and we

headed for cover. This is the aftermath of the rocket attack. A

school bus and riddled with shrapnel. The children were in

class and unharmed. The target was the US embassy, their guards took

up positions on the roof. The police opened fire on the attackers

in a building high above them. The gunfire was heavy and sustained,

helicopters were called in to fire on the Taliban. This Taliban

attacks started with a suicide bomber at the Abdul Haq roundabout.

It was followed by a series of explosions and gunfire in the

neighbourhood home to many agencies and aid agencies. It seems five or

six militants had got into one of the tallest buildings, about 300

metres from the US embassy. From there they targeted it and the ISAF

headquarters. But the Taliban fought on and five hours later at

least one fighter was still alive in the building. Afghan security

fighters needed foreign help to combat the attack. A Bury acted

quickly and brother helicopters in, which is the first time the Afghan

security forces use their own helicopters for operation like this.

They responded very well. It seems as the situation gets under control

at this very moment. The attack would likely have happened longer

without that assistance. ISAF says it has the Taliban on the back foot,

but for people in Kabul today, that assessment seems optimistic.

It is now eight hours since that attacks started and still, all of

the suicide bombers haven't been caught or killed.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, has been heckled at the TUC conference

in London when he told delegates that strikes over public sector

pension reforms were a mistake. His criticism comes just a day before

three of the country's biggest unions are expected to announce

that they are preparing to ballot for strike action over changes to

pensions in November. Here's our political editor, Nick Robinson.

You haven't seen nothing yet, the message from public sector unions

to the Government. Tomorrow, Britain's three biggest unions

looks set to announce they are balloting their members on

industrial action, which will dwarf the scene in June. The cause? Cuts

to their pensions. Have you got a tough message to the unions Mr

Miliband? This is the man they don't read Ed.

He was determined to prove he is his own man. I understand why

millions of decent, public sector workers are angry. But while no

decisions were going on, I do believe it was a mistake for the

strikes to happen last summer. And I continue to believe that. They

did not like that, and negotiations with the Government over pensions

they say are effectively over. There was more to come. There are

cups we won't be able to reverse in Government and it is straighter for

me to say that now. -- cuts. I am angry, that Ed Miliband, who after

all is part of the Labour Party, the leader of the Labour Party

which is the child of the trade unions, won't defend the right for

workers to strike. Labour leaders are not normally tackled, but Ed

Miliband won't mind that, if it conveys the message he wants to get

over, which his he understands the fury at kerbs to pensions, but he

also knows the public don't want to see their lives disrupted by

massive strike action. Tomorrow, this conference will debate

pensions, union leaders whose members have not taken strike

action until now, are preparing to announce they do now plan to ballot

their members. Most of us who ballot, it is the

biggest ballot that will have been undertaken in this country for

industrial action. But we have no choice. Workers don't take these

actions likely, the onus is on the Government. If they refuse to

negotiate, I think he should support those workers. I wasn't

expecting him to be on the picket line with us, the next time he --

it takes strike action. He said don't strike while they are

negotiating? I would like to see what his position would be when the

negotiations are finished. Workers at Southampton City Council's

picketed parking machines to hit the council were it hurts, but it

could also mean this, too. If it does, there will be more days for

Ed Miliband which will feel much more uncomfortable than today. How

did it feel to be heckled by the TUC? I came here with some positive

messages and tough messages and frankly, that's my job. I will tell

things as I see them. Tonight in north London, strikers protesting

against the sell-off of council services and the threat to their

pensions. They think the public on their side. The question is, is Ed

Miliband? A team of British detectives has

arrived in Kenya to help investigate the murder of the

British tourist David Tebbutt and the kidnap of his wife. Officials

have expressed fears for the safety of Judith Tebbutt who was taken

away by armed men in a speedboat after her husband was shot dead by

the gang. The attack happened at the Kiwayu Safari Village, near the

Somalian border, from where our correspondent Will Ross sent this

report. As we approach Kiwayu by boat, men

in suits were leaving the crime scene. The police had indicated a

team of investigators would be sent. They checked into the thatched

cottages, all different from the usual visitor at this resort. They

look like they are here to work, rather than relax. The room in

which the couple were staying is cordoned off. David Tebbutt was

shot dead here, his wife Judith was taken away by the gunmen in a

speedboat. This is what the Foreign Office is saying about the kidnap.

Officials believe it was pre- planned and Western tourists were

deliberately targeted. The suspicion is, the Al-Qaeda linked

group, Al-Shabab may have done it and they have taken her to Somalia.

In his isolated communities, there is little that goes unnoticed. And

that could help the investigators as they tried to piece together

exactly what happened on Saturday night. A Kenyan man has reportedly

been arrested in connection with the attack. People in his village

next to the resort have told us he had been forced at gunpoint to lead

began to the tourists. knowledge of the area. This man,

who did not want to be identified, to carry out a raid here you would

need local health. You would need someone who knows the place very

well. Show them the roads or where they can pass. From the hospital

where Judith Tebbutt has been working, there was a brief

statement, describing her as a dedicated worker and expressing

hope she will be released soon. There has been no word of a ransom

demand. Reports suggest Judith Tebbutt is profoundly deaf which

will make her harrowing ordeal even The cost of living which is a

three-year high. And six months after Japan's nuclear disaster,

fall-out continues. And I will be reporting from the

nuclear ghost town of Japan. Radiation levels are surprisingly

low. But when will it be safe to return?

Later on the BBC News Channel: Volatility in global markets as

concern over an imminent Greek default grows. And they important

ruling from the telecom watchdog It has been described as the

biggest electoral reform for a generation. Proposals are being

drawn up to reshape the electoral map, which would mean 50 few MPs at

Westminster. The idea is that all constituencies would have roughly

the same number of voters. As James Landale reports, the Chancellor

George Osborne and Energy Secretary Chris Huhne are among those whose

seats are at risk. Up-and-down the country, the map of

British politics is being carved up as the Government chops the number

of MPs by 50 and ensures that each constituency contains a similar

number of voters. The total number of MPs will fall from 650 to just

600. England will be losing 31 seats, Northern Ireland two. The

details for Wales and Scotland will be announced shortly. All of the

seats will have about 76,000 voters. That means all but 77

constituencies in England will have new boundaries. That's bad news for

some well-known names including... Ken Clarke, member for Russia cliff,

soon to be abolished! -- Russia clip. The Justice Secretary says

that the change is fair. It was agreed by both coalition parties,

even if some Liberal Democrat have already expressed concerns. If you

can have a proper democracy, it doesn't make sense that people's

vote counts differently in different places. I think it's very

odd that it's taken so long for us to get around a system that really

does try to make votes count the same wherever you live in the

country. For that to happen, some constituencies will have to be

broken up. Here was a good example. We are over the constituency of

Elphaba sham and Mid Kent. This could completely disappeared. About

a third is going to Canterbury, almost half is going to Maidstone

in the West. The rest is going to Tunbridge. Surprisingly, the

sitting MP is not very happy. And he is a government minister. I was

brought up in Canterbury. It's a part of the world I know very well.

On a personal level it is very disappointing. Set against that,

it's a policy and support. A he's not the only one to face big

changes. George Osborne's seat will disappear and there will be huge

changes to the seats of Vince Cable and Chris Huhne. Also, for Ed Balls

and Tessa Jowell. It's not just MPs that are unhappy. Others don't like

the way that some new constituencies will cross county

boundaries, like here in Cornwall. I think we tend to get forgotten a

little bit appear. I don't think it will help our cause to go in with

Devon. Because we are not Devon, we are Cornwall. I think Cornwall will

stay as Cornwall. Devon is Devon. No halfway measures, to be fair.

The plans face years of consultation. But as the House of

Commons shrinks, expect coalition pensions and backbench rebellions

to grow. MPs will be fighting amongst themselves and their

parties, to cling on to power in Westminster.

The chairman of News International James Murdoch is being recalled to

Westminster to give evidence on phone hacking to the Commons, media

and sport committee. He first appeared before the committee in

July, when he insisted he was not aware of widespread problems at the

News of the World until earlier this year.

The a rich man's toy. That is the Transport Secretary's description

of Britain's railways, because tickets are now so expensive.

Philip Hammond singled out some fares on a West Coast Main Line,

describing them as eye-watering LEA expensive.

Three men and their brother-in-law had appeared in court charged with

enslaving four men found that a travellers' site in Bedfordshire.

The accused were arrested in Leighton Buzzard following a police

raid on Sunday. Six months ago, emergency workers

in Japan were beginning their desperate struggle to control the

nuclear power station at Fukushima. Three of the reactors were

overheating and a vast cloud of radioactivity had escaped following

a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. More than 100,000 people

within 12 miles of the plant were ordered from their homes. David

Chapman was one of the few journalists to have ventured back

into one of the deserted towns, Tomioko.

The nuclear ghost town of Tomioko. We have arrived name long street of

shops and nobody is here. We are a few miles inside the exclusion zone.

A radioactive cloud blew over here six months ago. Experts have

assured us that radiation levels have now fallen. A local former --

farmer, Naoto Matsumura, has looked as past security. This is the main

street? It is completely empty. He wants us to see how his community

has suffered. We find that it was hit by the earthquake and tsunami,

and then by the leak from the Fukushima power station. This used

to be a town of 16,000. This is the main street. As you can see, it is

completely deserted. Motorbikes, abandoned. Shops completely empty.

No traffic at all. There are weeds growing in this forecourt. The shop,

wreck in the earthquake, still completely untouched. All the time

that we have been here, the radiation level has been

surprisingly low. The problem is this. If you get down to ground

level, it shoots right up. No problem for us on a quick visit,

but what scientists are wrestling with his how dangerous this

contamination is, and will continue to be, in the long term.

It was back in March that explosions at the nuclear power

plant released radioactive material. The leaks contaminated some areas

more severely than others. But everyone within 12 miles of this

devastation was ordered out. Naoto Matsumura decided to stay on. He

doesn't bother with protective clothing. In the ruins of the farm,

spiders have taken over. The Webbs stretch over everything. But he's

cleared a path for us. He wants to show us something. This is a really

distressing sight. This is the cattle shed. Fiona's left in such a

hurry that they weren't able to release their animals. He Iraq two

that have died. In each of the pens there are two more, making a total

of 60. Some animals broke free and are running wild. He tries to care

for a new generation, born in the nuclear zone. He wants to keep his

community going. TRANSLATION: There are no services here, no

electricity, gas or water. But the older people want to come back.

Even my mother and father. They wish to die here. After three hours,

we check our radiation dose. It is roughly half what you get from a

chest X-ray. He refuses to think about radiation. He is determined

to stay on. But he leads by candlelight. Most of his food is

tinned. A dog is his only companion. He wants his town to return to

Now, if you have just got in from work, the chances are that you have

travelled by car, bus or train. But how much could the commute to work

changed over the next 25 years? By 2035, will those still be the main

ways we travel to work or will there be new modes of transport to

Will this be the shape of cars to come? It includes a satellite

navigation system that get you where you want to go with the

minimum of hassle. Sometimes, ideas about the future

are proved right. Even if we are spared the designers exact vision.

Of course, predicting the future is a tricky business. A lot of people

think that over the coming years we will seek road pricing, with

drivers paying per mile. But nobody is really predicting the old comic

book staple of cars taking to the skies. Today's report is much more

down-to-earth. One prediction from the Chartered Institute of

Logistics and Transport, which produced the report, is that rival

firms will co-operate to remove empty lorries from our roads. The

first signs of that are happening now. This lorry has brought United

Biscuits products from Leicestershire to its customers in

York. After delivering, it travels to the nearby factory of arch-rival

Nestle. The lorry is then loaded up again, for its Journey South. This

time, with products made by its rival company. The two firms say

that over the last four years, the collaboration has saved them more

than 500,000 rogue males -- road miles. There were some raised

eyebrows when a Jaffa Cakes vehicle turned up at the home of the Kit

Kat in York. Some ideas have origins further back. In the 80s,

cars with speed and distance sensors were shown travelling in a

tight convoy to reduce congestion and accidents. The idea now is

pretty much the same thing. This trial is run by a ball boy -- Volvo,

imagining convoys of lorries and dedicated lanes. Another ambitious

idea is moving freight underground instead. It's the only system of

its kind in the world. The Post Office started doing that through a

tunnel system in London in the 1920s. It was closed down eight

years ago because of the cost. Sometimes, a glimpse of the picture

can be seen when people push boundaries. The grandson of Malcolm

Campbell already holds one world land speed record. He's now turned

his attention to electric cars. I am a bit of a petrolhead. I love

the noise and smell. But electric cars can be a spectacle as well. We

have one that can do 500 mph in a few years' time for a world record

attempt. The issues we face are very familiar. Travelling in the

future will depend as much on the price of fuel and the environment

will cost of burning it as on schemes on congestion.

Good night. Straight back to the Not quite the calm after the storm.

It is still pretty windy. It's not as windy as it was yesterday. The

wind will use a little bit further overnight tonight, before most of

us have some wet weather to contend with. Those winds are still blowing

over northern areas. Outbreaks of rain across north-west England,

showery rain for Northern Ireland. For many southern and eastern areas

it is a Bryan night. A bit of a chilly 1, 8 or 11 degrees Celsius.

A fresh start for Wednesday, but for quite a few of us it promises

some fine and dry conditions. Cloudy across northern England, it

down because north-west England. The rain is pulling away from

Northern Ireland. In northern Scotland it stays very windy.

Brighter skies across central and southern Scotland. A bit of a grey

day to the west of the Pennines, but outbreaks of rain. To the east,

it will generally be dry. Clouding over a touch in parts of the

Midlands and East Anglia. In many southern areas it will be dry,

bright, with lighter wind and we have been used to. It will feel

positively warm, 17 or 18 Celsius in Cardiff. In North Wales that

will cloud over. A little bit of rain trickling southwards,

particularly for Anglesey. The outbreaks of rain early on in

Northern Ireland clear through. Many here should cheer up and have

some late afternoon sunshine. It will cloud over in Northern Ireland

on Thursday and it will be a cold start on Thursday. By the afternoon,

temperatures up to the high teens, maybe 20 Celsius. There could be a

bit of fog around as well. On Friday, all change again. Cloud,

wind and rain swinging in. Topsy- turvy weather. The brightest day of