14/03/2014 BBC News at Six

tireless campaigner for socialism, he is remembered across the

political divide. The thing about Tony Benn is that you always knew

what he stood for and who he stood up for, which is why he was admired

across the political spectrum. The country has lost a great campaigner

and writer, and someone whose words will be followed keenly for many

years to come. A sad day for British politics.

We'll look back at the life of a man whose often divisive brand of

politics remained undimmed to the end.

Also tonight: A Tory peer and three others are killed in a helicopter

crash. It's emerged he had concerns about

defects. Handshake but no deal - talks

between Russia and the US fail to find any common ground over Ukraine.

An automatic signal from the missing Malaysian airliner suggests it flew

on for five hours after air traffic control lost contact with it. Lord

Windermere has lifted the Gold Cup. And a rank outsider becomes the

toast of Cheltenham. Six years in jail for the Muslim

convert who mocked the killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

And fighting HS2 - Boris Johnson's father says the Mayor should join

his campaign. Good evening. Welcome to the BBC

News at Six. Tony Benn, the leading voice of the

radical left in British politics for more than 50 years, has died. He was

88. There were tributes from across the political spectrum today. The

Labour leader, Ed Miliband, called him a "champion of the powerless".

His family said simply, "We are comforted by the memory of his long,

full and inspiring life". Nick Robinson looks back now on his

career. We will not accept a cut that they

are trying to make. No protest, no demo, no march was quite complete

without Tony Benn. The man who headline once proclaimed to be the

most dangerous man in Britain, a sentiment labour leaders sometimes

shared, joked that age had transformed him into a national

treasure. The thing about Tony Benn is that you always knew what he

stood for and who he stood up for. That is why he was admired across

the political spectrum. There were people who agreed and disagreed with

him, including in my party, but people admired that sense of

conviction and integrity that shone through from Tony Benn. Politics,

Tony Benn always insisted, was about issues, not personalities. Easy to

say if you are one of the biggest little personalities of the modern

age. I disagreed with most of what he said but he was always engaging

and interesting and you were never bored when reading or listening to

him, and the country has lost a great campaigner, a great writer,

and someone whose words will be followed keenly for many years to

come. A sad day for British politics. Anthony Wedgwood Benn was

born into the establishment. The modern face of the Labour Party in

the 1960s was the son of a viscount, who had to fight in the courts to

announce his title so he could run for election and become plain Tony

Benn MP. You have defeated the courts, you have changed the

constitution of this country by your own power. Benn was not always

radical. As a minister in the 1970s, he unveiled Concorde as a symbol of

the new high-tech Britain promised to create. But he concluded that he

and his party had failed to change society because of all the policies

which he claimed Labour's leadership had simply refused to implement.

Substantial cut in arms expenditure ruled out. Tax, ruled out. The

imposition of selective import controls, ruled out. Anti-Europe,

antenatal, pro National lies in leading industries, many of his

colleagues to spare. Tony Benn won the argument but failed, just, in a

bid to become Labour's deputy leader. Tony Benn, 49.574. Denis

Healey, 15.4 to six. The party would soon split. The left had wrapped ash

macro had won, but some walked out of form a new party. Michael foot

led Labour to its worst ever election defeat on a manifesto

mocked as the longest suicide note in history. The left blamed the

splitters, but the right blamed Benn. Michael foot said he was a

prophet of the old Testament, and he was prophetic in the way he spoke,

seeing the great vision, but that belonged to the past. Funnily, such

a modern minded man, technically, he was old-fashioned, politically. He

longed for a society that had gone. The tide of ideas was not with him,

but in Parliament he continued the fight. The Humphrey at -- the

Humphrey Applebys of Europe have got together and say, you can't do

this, Minister, because we have agreed with the Dutch that if they

do this the Belgians won't object to what the Italians have said to... So

the minister has got no power anyway! The man who had fought to

get into the Commons left it in 2001, joking that it would allow him

to spend more time on politics. Anybody hear from new Labour, your

money will be refunded if you leave quietly. And through all this, he

kept a diary, and unmatched chronicle of post-war British

politics and his philosophy. The real division in society is between

the people who create the wealth by working and those who own the

wealth, and those who own the wealth have far too much power, and they

use it to control those who create the wealth. After the last of eight

volumes was published, he spoke about life and death. At my age, you

ask yourself how long you have got and what it will be like when you

die. My wife said that she thought death was a great adventure. She was

dying of cancer for five-year 's. Her courage, when she knew her time

was up, was very great. It impressed me very much. So I learned from her

how to die, and I have thought a lot about it. But I am not afraid of

dying at all. He was a towering figure in British

politics and yet you could say in latter years he was very much a

marginal figure. Yes. You could also say in conventional terms that he

failed, never becoming party leader or Prime Minister. He never saw most

of his beliefs actually implemented by his party or any government,

indeed. And yet, as you say, he was towering and he did not feel, and

most people feel that he was not any sort of failure. I think in part

that is because of the extraordinary, stirring rhetoric. It

still has the capacity to get the hairs on the back of your neck up,

whether you agree or disagree with him. There was also a sense that he

could draw on an immense knowledge of history, comparing himself with

the levellers. He would draw on his own personal knowledge of having met

Clement Attlee, the wartime leader for labour, and Winston Churchill,

too. And it is perhaps his memories of all that, written in those

diaries, that will last the longest. Because I think, not just in decades

but possibly in hundreds of years, political historians will go to

those words, they will see what Tony Benn said about life in Britain,

about the political choices, and they will remember him, above all,

as one of the last politicians who fought in the war and fought with

passion, every day of his life, for what he believed in.

And there's a special programme on Tony Benn's life this evening - Tony

Benn, Labour's Lost Leader, on BBC Two, at 11.10pm.

It's emerged that a Conservative peer whose helicopter crashed last

night in Norfolk, killing him and three others, had started legal

proceedings against the helicopter's manufacturer. Lord Ballyedmond was

suing AgustaWestland, claiming his helicopter had a number of defects,

including problems with navigation systems. Sian Lloyd is in Gillingham

for us near where the helicopter crashed.

Half an hour ago, the bodies of the four men were removed from the

scene. The helicopter came down in the field behind me, which is

obscured from public view, but protecting this site has been a

priority for those carrying out this investigation.

The conditions could not have been worse. The helicopter crashed in fog

near the village of Gillingham. Daylight revealed the scale of the

accident. 500 yards from where it took off, the remains of the

AgustaWestland helicopter. An experienced pilot who lives nearby

says he was surprised it was flying in heavy fog. Visibility criteria,

when taking off and landing. If the fault was as bad as it was where I

was at the time, I was surprised he would take off in something like

that. On board, 70-year-old Lord Ballyedmond, a multimillionaire

entrepreneur who founded a pharmaceutical company and had been

a politician in the Irish parliament. Lord Ballyedmond had

raised concerns about possible defects with the helicopter. The

manufacturer, AgustaWestland, said it could not comment, juju the

ongoing investigation, but it did say there could be many causes,

including technical or human error. -- due to the ongoing investigation.

Whether it was mechanical failure or the weather that was responsible for

the crash is the subject of an air accident in the. This man, who works

nearby, saw the aircraft moments before it crashed. It came over the

back. It was pitching at a 45 degrees angle. I thought, he is in

trouble. The countryside between Lord Ballyedmond's stately home and

the crash site remains cordoned off, as investigators continue to

sift through the wreckage. Six hours of talks between Russia

and the US have broken up in London with Russia's Foreign Minister

saying the two countries have no common vision over the crisis in

Ukraine. Sergei Lavrov insisted there's no plan to invade the

country, despite a build up of Russian troops on the eastern

border. US Secretary of State, John Kerry, said America will not

recognise Sunday's referendum in Crimea over whether the region

should remain in Ukraine. Our diplomatic correspondent Bridget

Kendall has more. And intensive six hours of talks in

the sunshine of the US Ambassador's London garden. At stake, the future

of relations between the West and Russia. But at the end of it, no

narrowing of the gap over Ukraine's future. The urgency is the

referendum planned for Sunday in Crimea, which means the region could

either break away from Ukraine, or even opt to join Russia, which Kiev

and the West say would be illegal and a violation of Ukraine's

sovereignty. With preparations underway, there seems little chance

of calling it off. But US Secretary of State John Kerry flew to London

for one last try, and to warn his Russian counterpart that if Crimea

is effectively annexed by Russia, there will be grave consequences. We

believe that a decision to move forward by Russia, to ratify that

vote officially, would in fact be a back door annexation of Crimea, and

that it would be against international law. But Sergei Lavrov

said this agreements remain, and indicated that if Crimea votes to

join Russia, Moscow will not stand in its way. Can you be clear for us,

Mr Lavrov, after Sunday's referendum, do you expect Crimea to

become independent, or to become part of the Russian Federation?

TRANSLATION: As for the referendum in Crimea, I and President Putin

have said we will respect the choice of the Crimean people and make clear

our position once the outcome is known. It is pretty clear that these

last-ditch talks have got nowhere and there is nothing the West can do

if the Russian speakers of Crimea want to break away from Ukraine and

join Russia. And the stage is set for new Western sanctions against

Russia next week, and a further deterioration in East-West

relations, with who knows what consequences. And, immediately, a

further worry, the violence that exploded in eastern Ukraine last

night. Sergei Lavrov today said Russia had no plans to intervene,

but his Foreign Ministry warned that Russia reserved the right to protect

its compatriots, a worrying hint of possible things to come.

A week after the Malaysian airlines 777 airliner went missing, it's

emerged that it could have flown on for up to five hours after air

traffic controllers lost contact with it. 13 countries are now

engaged in the ever widening search. It disappeared over the South China

Sea shortly after it left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing. Now there's a

suggestion the plane may have been deliberately flown across the Malay

Peninsula towards the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean. The

search area has now been extended to cover 27,000 square nautical miles.

57 ships and 48 aircraft are searching the Indian Ocean, the

South China Sea and the Malacca Straits. From the Straits, Rupert

Wingfield-Hayes reports. In Beijing, the hostility towards

officials was palpable. One of the most important things we have been

doing throughout this event is not speculating. But no one here is

satisfied. How can their loved ones have simply disappeared? It is

incomprehensible. But astonishingly, a week on, there is

still no trace of the flight. Today the BBC confirmed that the plane

continued to send out a signal via satellite for several hours after

radar contact was lost. In the last 24 hours we've seen a significant

shift of resources of ships and aircraft from the original search

area in the Gulf of Thailand on the far side of this peninsula over here

to the states and even far out into the Indian Ocean. And the latest to

join the shift has been the U.S. Navy which are sending one of its

destroyers are peer into the area. What we don't know, what remains

unclear, is why. This captain with a Malaysian airlines pilot for 35

years and says there was no way there now starting to search the

Indian Ocean just on a hunch at a filling it doesn't work like that.

These are not your own properties. The British, public at some point in

time, have got any ships, can send there? India and all that. It is our

own property you can do what we want, so there must be some level of

strong conviction there. Something as happened over there. The prime

and for the missing today. Many here think his government knows much more

about the flight than it is letting on. Our top story this evening. The

former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn has died. He was 88. And can

Brian O'Driscoll crown his last game for Ireland by winning the Six

Nations? I Street banks which netted a gang more than ?1 million. And

sitting down to raise millions for the Alan Shearer and Robbie Savage

in a Wembley, addition with a difference.

In March 2011, a demonstration began in the southern Syrian town of Daraa

against the government of President Assad. It sparked a civil war that,

three years on, is still raging. Since the conflict began, activists

say 140,000 people have died but the figures are hard to verify.

Six-and-a-half million people have been displaced from their homes

within Syria and two and half million have fled the country. One

of the biggest refugee camps is in Zaatari in Jordan and now has its

own power supply, schools and shops. From there, our correspondent

Yolande Knell reports. Buying groceries at the supermarket gives a

taste of normal life. This new Safeway store is for Syrian

refugees. It's just opened at the vast Zaatari Camp in northern

Jordan. And there's no need for cash here. The shop accepts United

Nations food vouchers. As I walk home with this man and his little

son, he points out other improvements. Like most people in

the camp, he comes from Dehra in Syria where the revolution started

exactly three years ago. TRANSLATION: We thought it would

last for a month or two, a maximum of a year. But it continues until

now. After the conflict in Syria escalated into a full-scale civil

war, refugees began flooding out of the country. There are now about

100,000 Syrians living here at as Zaatarai Camp. And these makeshift

homes are being constantly upgraded. Many refugees have rigged up their

own electricity. As children settle into schools here, aid workers are

being forced to look to the longer term. The Syrians themselves have

understood unfortunately they will have to stay a little longer. We and

the authorities receiving and assisting people as well. But for

some, enough is enough. Every day, buses take dozens of refugees to the

border so they can cross back into Syria. Most here long to make the

same journey. But it's so fraught with danger, that, for now, they

dare not. Two former Conservative Chancellors have urged George

Osborne to do more to help those in the 40p tax rate in his budget next

week. One, Lord Lawson, who introduced it in 1988, said its

original target had been the rich and not what he called the middling

professionals being hit today. Chris Mason reports. Godfrey Owen from

Northamptonshire worked in the car industry. His wife, who is disabled,

can't work and they are bringing up four children. Every year, he finds

more of his income taxed at 40%. We think are getting squeezed more and

more and it makes you wonder why, in some cases, why you want to earn

more. It makes me disappointed with the way the government is acting. In

recent years, more and more people have been dragged into paying 40p

tax on some of their income. When the coalition came to power in 2010,

people began paying the higher rate once they earned a little under

?44,000. That rate was paid by around three million taxpayers. But

now, the higher rate threshold has fallen to around ?41,500. Bringing

nearly 1,500,000 more people into the 40% tax rate than in 2010. With

a budget next week, two of the Chancellor's predecessors, Lord

Lawson and Lord Lamont, have said far too many people are paying the

higher rate and it was only intended for the rich. Some current MPs are

hung happy, too. 40% tax is a high rate of tax on the people now paying

it are by no means rich. Not what it was intended for. I think the need

to ease the squeeze on them as well as taking more people out of tax

altogether. But those making the case for a change in the 40p rate,

including two men who used to live at number 11 Downing Street are

likely to be disappointed by the current resident because George

Osborne and the coalition are instead prioritising raising what is

known as the personal allowance, ensuring that by next month, for the

vast majority of people, there weren't any income tax on the first

?10,000 of earnings. Visually impaired skier Jade Etherington and

her guide Caroline Powell have won a fourth medal in Sochi making them

the most successful British women in the history of the paralympic winter

games. The pair added a silver medal in the super combined event to bring

their tally to three silvers and a bronze. It's one of the tightest

finishes to the Six Nations in years with England, Ireland and France all

able to claim the title tomorrow but it's also the last time the sport's

most capped player, Brian O'Driscoll, will pull on the Irish

jersey. Our chief sports correspondent Dan Roan looks ahead

to what promises to be a memorable weekend for rugby fans. Argue be the

greatest player ever generation, Brian O'Driscoll has transcended the

sporty graced. But having bid an emotional farewell to its home crowd

in Dublin last weekend, the legendary Irish man is now preparing

to pay the 141st and final international of his career.

Essentially, this week is the last. If starting to hit home a little

bit. Inside, there will be more emotion this week. But, hopefully I

can keep it all in check, and are projected in the best possible way.

He came of age in Paris 14 years ago for the best hat-trick propelling

him to sporting stardom. Fitting that is last cap will be in the same

stadium. Ireland almost certain to clinch the six Nations title if they

can beat France and give their talisman the perfect sendoff. But

six Nations glory could yet be claimed here in Rome where a third

contender for the title is hoping for a ride. England must win well

against Italy tomorrow, ideally by 15 points, or rely on France beating

favourites Ireland who currently enjoy a superior points difference.

These England players know that victory here in Rome may not be

enough to deny Ireland the title but they will be desperate to make a

statement and maintain momentum ahead of their very own World Cup

next year. I think we're making good progress and we have a long way to

go, but we want to make sure we finished the six Nations with a

positive performance, no doubt. Wins like this over Wales last weekend

had given insurgent England renewed hope. Now they and their fans have

their sights firmly set on the big prize at the end of the six nations

that will go down as a classic. A rank outsider came from last in the

field to claim victory in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham today. Lord

Windermere, whom bookies valued at 20-1, took the race in a photo

finish. Our Sports Correspondent Joe Wilson watched the action. Joe. It

is a thrilling race. It wasn't much fun if you back to the favourite in

the Gold cup. But if you ever wondered why around a quarter of a

million people come to this festival over the four days, I think today's

racing provided the answer. This can be the most thrilling sport often,

and also, frequently, the toughest. Cheltenham knows that just to ride

requires nerves of steel and bones ready to be broken. Horses aren't

predictable. Darryl Jacob found himself flung onto a TV camera at

235. Horse fine, jockey conscious, taken to hospital. As was Ruby

Walsh, an earlier faller. The Gold Cup began without them. There were

two horses expected to dominate. Defending champion Bob's Worth who

never got near the lead and Conte. The red silks pounding on the front

but fading. Suddenly in the final seconds it was wide open. A mass

finish of outsiders led by a nostril by Lord Windermere. This is his

trainer, Jim Culloty, pushed to the edge of reason. Winning jockey Davy

Russell has experienced enough of the ordeals to appreciate the big

prize. From a very young age all I want to do is ride horses. It didn't

matter when or where or how, just ride horses. So, you know, you

mature. And they are the chances you take. In a few thrilling seconds,

the Gold cup provided the drama this festival was invented for. Time for

a look at the weather. Here's John Hammond. Is it going to be

springlike? Yes, good news. Driver most of us

but not all of us but it will be sunny for most of us but not for all

of us, but it will be breezy for all of us. That breeze clearing away,

the last of the fog across southern areas and that's good news. No such

hazards tonight but lots of cloud across the country. Furthermore,

some rain across the north and west of Scotland in particular. Dribs and

drabs further south. I'll start of the weekend. But cloudy. Cloudy in

northern part of the country, particularly in Scotland. Patchy

rain further south that the cloud will break up in Northern Ireland

and southern and central parts of England and Wales. Temperatures will

respond to the sunshine nicely, too. Southern areas will see the highest

temperatures. 17-18 possible in a few spots. It will be breezy of an

has-been. Further north and west, somewhat cooler, because the breeze

will be stronger and there'll be more cloud around across Scotland.

Gusty wind, 40-50 mph. A lot of cloud across the north and west. A

fair bit of rain. As we go through tomorrow night into Sunday, the wind

continues and pushes further cloud down across the country. Most of the

rain on the far north-west but it will be increasingly cloudy day,

even across the south-east on Sunday. Here it will be warmest on

Sunday with temperatures up to 19 Celsius. Thick cloud further north

and west. To sum up the weekend, to be perfectly honest, it will be OK.

Great, thank you very much. A reminder of our main story. Tributes

have been paid to the former Labour Cabinet minister Tony Benn who's

died aged 88. That's all from the BBC News at Six so it's goodbye from

me