30/01/2014 BBC News at Six

have had the the wettest January for more than a hundred years. The South

and South East have been worst hit, with double the usual rainfall.

Military planners assess the floods in Somerset - but withdraw as the

misery for some communities continues. It's all a little bit

late. It has been for weeks, really, that they have been under water or

cut off, and it seems that only now, has the panic button been hit. We'll

be looking at the latest attempts to help the victims. Also tonight: The

murder of a woman and her young son by her former partner could not have

been predicted, says a review. A possible breakthrough that could

help sufferers - a new treatment for peanut allergies.

And, on patrol with the Dambusters - as they make their final flight in

Afghanistan. On BBC London - a crackdown on one

of the UK's most prolific gangs - 29 are held after dawn raids.

And investigators say the speedboat tragedy which killed a father and

daughter could have been avoided. Good evening and welcome to the BBC

News at Six. Parts of Britain have had their wettest January since

records began, more than a century ago. New figures have confirmed that

the South and South east have been worst hit - with double the average

rainfall. Military planners have today been assessing the situation

in Somerset, and tonight say they're ready to step in if needed. The

government's emergency committee, COBRA, is meeting again now to

discuss the flooding. Our correspondent Jon Kay has the latest

for us in Somerset. Yes, this road was flooded in the first couple of

days of the month and here we are, nearly at the of January, and it is

still flooded. It has been like this putting much in the last few days,

you can't get all the way along that unless you are in a 4x4 or retract.

We did that earlier today to get to Muchelney, the island village that

has been cut off for the whole month and which has become an emblem of

the kind of suffering that so many communities have been through. If

you live around here, you don't need statistics to tell you how wet it

spin. The Somerset levels have been underwater for a month now. In the

island village of Muchelney, humanitarian aid mission today. The

Red Cross, delivering relief in the form of firewood. It's getting rid

of it and getting access back into the village. For people like Paul,

cut off since New Year, help is urgently needed. Life needs to move

on, we need to clean up, we need to get builders in, we need

dehumidifiers, rubbish to be taken out of the village. Today, after

growing public pressure, help came in camouflage. Commandos, deployed

to see what they could do to assist. Very early days, been on the ground

a couple of hours and we have yet to report back to see what we might be

asked to do. But when they did report back this afternoon, the

decision was that the military weren't needed after all. Extra help

from the Fire Service would be enough for now. In communities

already feeling ignored and misled, it's just added to the sense of

exasperation. Many believe the offers of assistance have been more

about petitions saving face than actually saving people here --

politicians. We have so much media coverage this time, we have never

had this before. That's the reason, I'm sure. For millions of us, in

many parts of, the start of 2014 has been horrible. And today, new

figures confirm just how wet it has been. Across the UK, rainfall has

been more than a third above the January average. The worst hit areas

have been the south and south-east, with twice the normal amount of

rainfall, the worst in more than a century. But temperatures have been

mild. Across the UK, averaging just under five degrees. Believe it or

not, some areas have seen less rain than normal, like northern

Scotland, which only had 85% of the usual amount for this time of year.

Tonight, large areas of the UK are back on flood alert with warnings of

more heavy rain and high tides this weekend. In Somerset, the pumping

goes on, and although the military aren't visible, they do remain on

stand-by. I have to say, there are quite a few people in Somerset this

evening who are quite angry and confused about the messages they are

getting. Last month they heard from the Secretary of State that they

would be amphibious military vehicles in the water here by this

evening. Tonight they are told, we don't think they are necessary after

all. People here want to know what help are they getting, when are they

going to get it and when is all this rain going to be over?

The government has backed down tonight in the face of a planned

rebellion by more than 80 Conservative MPs over immigration. A

backbench demand for ministers to take greater powers to deport

foreign criminals was criticised by the Home Secretary as unworkable -

but she and other Conservative ministers decided not to oppose it

and face headlines about a split. Our Political Editor Nick Robinson

has the latest at Westminster for us now.

Imagine for a second proposal described by the Home Secretary as

illegal, unworkable, likely to ensure that more foreign criminals

stayed here than were deported abroad. You would probably imagine

that she and Conservative ministers would vote to reject that idea. Not

here, not today. The day began with Tories arguing with each other on

the radio. What is needed at this stage it's a degree of

self-discipline by Conservative backbenchers. I am just trying to

fix a problem. That backbencher was try to force ministers to toughen up

the law on deporting foreign criminals. These convicted killers,

rapists, drug dealers and other serious criminals should be sent

home, they shouldn't stay on the streets of them. The debate about

the power to deport is focused on cases like Mohammed Ibrahim, an

Iraqi Kurd who Houston in a hit-and-run in 2003. He was jailed

for four months but following his race, was not supported after

immigration judges ruled that send him back to Iraq would breaches

human rights family life. Home Secretary insists she is changing

the law to make deportation is easy but today argued with those on her

own side who say she is not doing enough. I strongly support the

intention that is behind the amendment. Everybody in this house

wants to ensure that we can deport more foreign criminals but it is

absolutely clear that the amendment as drafted is incompatible with the

European Convention on Human Rights. You would expect the Prime Minister

to back his Home Secretary, but they get with the -- faced with a huge

backbench rebellion, he ordered his ministers to back down. News the

leader of the rebellion learned from the BBC. The BBC is reporting that

the Prime Minister support his aim and has ordered his ministers not to

oppose him. So when it came to the crucial moment, it took the combined

votes of Liberal Democrats and Labour to defeat a Tory rebellion.

To the right, 97. To the left, 241. The Conservatives are comforting

themselves that at least they all agreed on the need to skip -- speed

up deportations. Labour was just a little less charitable. The

immigration bill has been a complete car crash. Tonight Tories insist

that they are all really on the same side and might just disagree on how

to achieve what they want to do. But that doesn't alter the fact that the

Tory leadership used parliamentary procedure to try to avoid this vital

together. They try to twist the arms of Tory backbenchers, to get them

into line. Eventually the promise to simply ordered his troops to retreat

in the face of embarrassment -- the Prime Minister. The issue is

important, whether politicians or judges should decide who comes to

this country and who is deported from it. Also at issue is the

struggle the prime Minister has two control his own party. One senior

Conservatives said to me tonight, this looks like chaos at best.

Well the rules for Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants to the UK

changed on January first, but it's not clear how many have arrived in

Britain since then. Official figures are expected to be published in May,

and some parts of the country have reported very few arrivals so far -

as Jeremy Cooke reports from Peterborough. James

it is good, honest hard graft. Fruit packing, the key business in

eastern England. But the languages in this workplace are largely

Eastern European. There are polls, Latvians, Lithuanians. But no

Romanians, no plug-in regions. We haven't seen any hair. I have

checked with the agency and they have had no application either. We

have always got jobs. If they were able to do the jobs, if they shared

our values and had the right skills, we would employ them. There is no

official record of the number of new immigrants from dog area and

Romania. But if they are heading here, you might expect to find at

least some in Peterborough. It is the UK's fastest-growing city and

with a recent history of welcoming thousands of immigrants. But here,

too, there is no evidence of a new influx. I never thought it was

likely. Because we never thought it was likely, I didn't think it would

be any bigger challenge than one we already had. Our evidence shows as

we have one Romanian family that has arrived in Peterborough recently. So

why aren't Romanians and Bulgarians arriving in their thousands was Mike

this woman is a trained nurse who moved here in her -- was her family

a decade ago. She set the tone of the debate is humiliating. They are

not on benefits, I don't know one Romanian who is on benefits.

Immigration is one reason this city and others are spending millions

building schools. Preparing for new arrivals, possibly from Romania are

all Bulgarians, just as likely it seems, from other countries across

the EU. Michael Adebolajo, one of the two

men found guilty of the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, has lodged an

application to appeal against his conviction. Adebolajo and Michael

Adebowale were convicted in December of murdering Lee Rigby outside

Woolwich Barracks in London last May.

A report about the controversial HS2 rail project won't now be published,

after ministers blocked its release. Campaigners opposed to the

construction of the high speed rail link, between the north of England

and London, had been granted a freedom of information request to

see the results of an investigation into the project's value for money.

But ministers said publication wasn't in the public interest.

The partner of a woman who was stabbed to death with her young son

says more could have been done to warn her she was at risk. Rachel

Slack was pregnant when she and her son Auden were murdered by Andrew

Cairns, who had a history of mental health problems. Today a review

found their deaths could not have been 'reasonably predicted.' Sian

Lloyd reports. This is Rachel Slack and Auden on a

day out, the 38-year-old artist and her son were killed in a frenzied

attack. Andrew Cairns stabbed his former partner and their son more

than 40 times before killing himself. The 44-year-old had a long

history of mental illness. He had been sectioned by police under the

Mental Health Act and arrested for making threats to kill Rachel. The

horrific crime triggered the serious case review, published today. It

highlighted missed opportunities and said agencies hadn't always shared

information. It found their deaths couldn't have been predicted or

prevented. At this unit, Derbyshire police now work with other agencies

to help victims. The force was criticised for not warning Rachel

that Andrew Cairns could kill her. After Rachel and Auden's death,

Derbyshire police changed their procedures to ensure that every

victim is adequately warned. This is the form they now use in cases of

domestic abuse. It is a scoring system. We then go back to the big

Tim and make it clear what that assessment means, and allows them to

consider what protective measures, given the fact the assessment is a

high risk. The domestic abuse charity Refuge says more still needs

to be done. We're talking about systemic failures across a number of

agencies, police, CPS, social services, health. We have a major

problem in this country, women and children are just not getting the

protection they need. When she was killed, Rachel was expecting a baby

with her new partner. She just let any rumour. She was what any mother

would like to be, she had unconditional love for Auden.

Despite a report's findings, Rachel's family believe the deaths

could and should have been prevented. Our top story this

evening: Figures show it has been the wettest January on record for

many parts of Britain. There is more bad weather on the way. Still to

come: The Art banned by the Nazis for being too miserable and

subversive. Later on BBC London: We talk to the

man accused of stealing food from a supermarket skip - and why he's

defended his actions. And how the Cutty Sark has become

London's newest theatre space. It affects thousands of children in

the UK, and millions worldwide. Peanut allergy is the biggest cause

of severe allergic reaction, and has blighted the lives of many

sufferers. Now researchers believe they may have cracked the problem,

by giving tiny amounts of peanuts, under strict medical supervision.

The trial, carried out in Cambridge, involved 99 children. After six

months, 80 to 90% of them were able to eat five peanuts a day. Our

health correspondent Sophie Hutchinson has more details.

Elizabeth to Lee used to have a potentially life-threatening

allergic reaction to peanuts. The day after her fifth birthday she was

rushed to hospital with severe swelling after eating peanut butter.

But since taking part in a trial, she can eat peanuts safely and now

has to eat them every day. She prefers them chocolate coated. I am

happy that I am able to eat the peanuts and there is a trial to help

me not be allergic any more. It is life transforming. The worry that it

has removed from our lives. The researchers, whose findings have

been published in the Lancet, say this treatment has never been used

to successfully overcome a food allergy until now. This peanut study

is the largest and most successful of its kind in the world. Scientists

here are describing it as a breakthrough and save for the first

time ever, a treatment for peanut allergy is now a possibility. Some

experts are calling for more research to assess long-term risks,

but the report's authors say the results speak for themselves. We do

mainly clinical research and to see something which we might be able to

take into real-life treatment and hugely benefit patient care is for

us, the pinnacle. It is hoped the technique used to help unless the

birth will now be able to be tested on other allergies such as eggs,

wheat and milk. -- the technique used to help Elizabeth. The study

was taken under tight supervision and should not be attempted without

medical supervision. The former editor of the News of the

World, Andy Coulson, has said was out of the office on the day a voice

mail left for the actor Daniel Craig was intercepted by a journalist

working for him. Mr Coulson's lawyer told a jury at the Old Bailey that

allegations that Andy Coulson ordered a copy of the voice mail to

be anonymously dropped off at the newspaper's offices were untrue. Tom

Symonds has the latest for us now. This is all about the evidence of

Dan Evans, a reporter at the time at the News of the World. He says he

illegally accessed a voice mail from Sienna Miller to Daniel Craig, the

Bond actor. The voice mail said, I am at the Groucho, that is a London

club, with Jude, that is Jude Law, I love you. He said that as proof that

Sienna Miller had a relationship with Daniel Craig. He says he played

the recording to Andy Coulson. Today, Timothy Laurence del QC said

Mr Coulson was not in the office that day, he was not even in London

-- Timothy Langdale QC. He said he was making the story up. He had not

hacked the voice mail, Sienna Miller had not been at the Groucho club and

even the tape this to Evans said was put in a safe could not have been

because there was no safe in Andy Coulson's offers. It was quite a

tense day of evidence and during it, Mr Evans said he was sticking

with his story, even if he could not remember all the details. He said,

why bother making this up, this is not a fun experience. The jury

tomorrow we'll hear from Sienna Miller herself via a video link from

the USA. Thank you. The Canadian pop star Justin Bieber

has turned himself in to police in Toronto, and been charged with an

assault. It relates to an alleged attack on a limousine driver in

December. The 19-year-old has pleaded not guilty to charges of

drink-driving and resisting arrest, in connection with a separate

incident earlier this month in Miami.

Doctors in France are to begin bringing the former Formula One

racing champion, Michael Schumacher, out of his medically-induced coma.

Michael Schumacher has been in hospital since a skiing accident a

month ago, in which he suffered serious head injuries. His agent

says doctors are lowering his sedation, in order to wake him up.

They're the RAF's most famous fliers. The men and women of 617

Squadron are, of course, better known as the Dambusters. The

Squadron's pilots have been supporting British and other troops

in Afghanistan, but now they've flown their final mission before

temporarily disbanding. Our defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt joined

them at Kandahar air field. Soaring through the Afghan skies,

for one of the final missions for the Dambusters. This is one of their

Tornado GR4s, being refuelled by an American tank while in the air, a

move which requires precision when you are travelling at 450 mile --

400 55 miles an hour. This country is a beautiful country. On a day

like this, it is a beautiful place to look at. The view from my office

is one of the best in the world. Even on the days when the weather is

not nice and communications are poor and it is becoming hard work, it is

not about what we are doing, we are here to support the guys on the

ground who are in a more vulnerable position than we are. Day and

night, Ben and his fellow aviators have provided air cover for NATO and

Afghan troops. Now they will all move on to new jobs in different

squadrons. The planes themselves will be handed over to 2 Squadron

who are taking over from 617. For the men and women of the Dambusters,

this is the end of an era. It is the last time they will fly their

Tornado GR4s. For most of the Squadron it is a last tour of

Afghanistan. Later on this decade the Dambusters will reform. 617 will

be the first lightning 2 Squadron. It will reformat RAF Marham. As the

Squadron says goodbye, there will be sadness as they fly their separate

ways. Formed for just one task in 1943, the Dambusters have endured.

One day they will fly again. They are popular works by some world

renowned artists, but to the Nazis these works were known as

"degenerate art", and they were seized and banned by Adolf Hitler.

Now for the first time, the Victoria and Albert Museum has published

online documents which record what happened to the works after they

were seized. Our arts editor Will Gompertz has been taking a look.

Vincent van Gough's portrait is considered to be a great and

important work of art but was thought ugly and negative by Adolf

Hitler who had it removed from public view along with thousands of

other works of art which he considered degenerate. He was

particularly scornful of expressionist artists who, in his

opinion, distorted reality. Anyone who paints a sky green and fields

blue, he said, ought to be sterilised. Tomorrow, the only

complete surviving legends of these confiscated works will be made

available to the public for the first time. The books are held at

the National Art library at the end a in London. They are dull and

innocuous looking ledgers until you open them up. -- they are held at

the Victoria and Albert Museum. It lists all the museums from

throughout Germany where the Nazis took the art of the walls. Then you

come to the abbreviation pages, they stand for swap, sold and destroyed.

It was such a systematic list. It was difficult to imagine how it was

done while the war was going on. But nevertheless, they did and they did

it in a very organised manner. For me, it has echoes of what also

happened to people. For every artwork sold, there is the identity

of the person who bought it. In a few instances it was glaring. But

another name leaps out at you whose son was discovered to be sitting on

a horde of 1400 artworks handed down to him by his father, some of which

are likely to be listed in the ledgers. The Nazis held an

exhibition of degenerate art in order to ridicule it. People who

loaned to museums, very often there records were destroyed by the Nazis

as well because they were persecuted. The museums hold the

record which could provide the evidence as to what they owned and

where it went. The Nazis did not limit their purge to art. They also

burned books they considered to be anti-German and to generate. For the

pictures that survived and have yet to be returned to their rightful

owners, the publication of the B and eight's ledgers could be extremely

helpful. Time for a look at the weather,

here's Alex Deakin. We are not at the end of January

yet. We have already heard it is the wettest January on record. One day

to go and there is more to come. There is a three pronged attack. As

the rain arrives it will hit some cold air in Scotland. There could be

problems in the evening and overnight for snow. And then on

Saturday, strong winds. Let's get back to tonight. The weather is

relatively calm. One or two showers across eastern England, pushing

across Scotland on the hills. It could turn I see where we see breaks

in the cloud. -- it could turn I see. The rain will spread steadily

from west to east across all areas tomorrow. Maybe 30 millimetres

across parts of Somerset where the Met Office has an amber warning in

force. The rain will not reach eastern areas until the middle of

the day. It will feel particularly cold. Over the hills there will be

some snow. Through the evening rush-hour across Scotland,

particularly over the Grampians, it will not be pleasant at all. The wet

weather tries to clear away for a time. Further bands of showers will

come marching in. They could provide a covering of snow. A cold start to

the weekend. The bands of showers keep feeding round. The winds could

cause an extra hazard as they pick up. And coupled potentially with

some high tides may cause some extra coastal flooding issues. It is still

breezy on Sunday but the weather is calming down a little bit. The show

was not as frequent. Definitely the dryer, brighter day of the weekend.

Before we get there, some potential hazards. The warnings or on the BBC

weather website. Thank you. A reminder of our main story: New

figures show it has been the wettest January on record for many parts of

Britain and there is more bad weather on the way. That's all from

the BBC News at Six, so it's goodbye from me, and on BBC