07/03/2014 BBC Wales Today

away. That's all from the BBC News at Six. On BBC One, we now join the

Welcome to Wales Today. Tonight's headlines: It's nearly 30 years

since Daniel Morgan was killed with an axe in London. His family hope an

inquiry into police corruption may finally give them answers. We don't

feel we're going to get justice for him in as much as the people who

killed him going to pay the price. Teachers asked why were exam marks

so low. The Welsh Government answers tonight with an urgent review.

Plaid Cymru's leader Leanne Wood opens the party conference with an

attack on UKIP and Eurosceptics. Just 13 years old and fighting on

the front line. How researching family history revealed one of the

youngest to serve in World War One. He tried to get into the Second

World War but he was too old. They refused him. He didn't go to the

Second World War but he did try. Good evening. In tonight's sport.

They're on the road to the Six Nations crunch game, Wales hoping

for that winning feeling again at Twickenham.

Good evening. The family of a man murdered 27 years ago say they're

not surprised by possible links between his death and an allegedly

corrupt metropolitan police officer. Daniel Morgan was killed with an axe

in a pub car park in London in 1987. No-one has been convicted of his

murder. The allegation of corruption was revealed as part of a report

into the death of teenager Stephen Lawrence. Caroline Evans reports.

His family believe Daniel Morgan was on the verge of exposing police

corruption when he was murdered. For 27 long years they have fought to

uncover the truth behind his murder. Today at her home in Glasbury near

Hay-on-Wye, his sister told me she feels these new revelations bring

the family no closer to finding out what really happened.

I should be shocked. And delighted. But I am not. It just career to

raise all over again that the tangled web of -- Web of

Metropolitan Police corruption and why doesn't anybody seem to be able

to stamp it out. Daniel Morgan, who was 37, was the

co-owner of a private investigation firm which employed off duty

officers. This reconstruction shows the moment before his death. He'd

met a business partner for a drink, not long after his body was found in

a nearby car park. He'd been attacked with an axe. Yesterday,

announcing the findings of a report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence

who was killed in 1993, the Home Secretary Teresa May told the

Commons the review had found possible links an allegedly corrupt

officer and both investigations. The Ellison Report refers to

possible links between a corrupt officer in the Stephen Lawrence --

Stephen Lawrence case and the investigation in to Daniel Morgan.

The Daniel Morgan panel may uncover material relevant to the question of

production and it is key that the Daniel Morgan panel continues its

important work. John Davidson who she named is now

retired. Today there was no sign of him at his last known address in

Menorca. Daniel's mother, Isobell, met Teresa May in 20ll after the

trial of four men charged in connection with Daniel Morgan's

murder collapsed. Today his brother said the family will continue to

pursue their campaign for justice Like the Lawrence family, Daniel

Morgan's family have been living through this for more than two

decades. My brothers murder involved in that is as serious as anything we

have seen in this country in the last 50 years and it has been

brushed aside for decades. Now, finally, we are hoping that there

will be some real action. His sister says she hopes the report of the

latest inquiry by the Daniel Morgan Panel will produce its findings in

time for her 85-year-old mother to read the outcome.

The Welsh Government has ordered a review following the "unexpectedly

low" grades for January's GCSE English Language exams. Many

headteachers, pupils and teaching unions expressed their shock after

receiving the results this week. Our education correspondent, Arwyn

Jones, is here with the latest developments. We have seen a bit of

a change of heart by the Welsh Government. Yesterday they said the

misleading to compare last year 's results with this years. But the

Education Minister has ordered an emergency review into what went

wrong, which schools were worst affected. The review will be

gathering evidence between now and the end of the month and then we

will decide what will happen next. There is also a strong hint in the

statements of the Welsh Government feels too many schools are putting

too many pupils forward to soon for these exams and maybe that would

have affected the results. That is strongly denied by the teaching

unions. But there is a warning tougher exams could be here to stay.

We heard from the man who is overseeing the changes to the

education in Wales. He said it was important the new courses the

government is launching, pupils in Wales could be at a loss if they are

not launched. The Welsh Government wants these test to be more rigorous

and that this mean pupils in future will be more disappointed more

often. He said he had sympathy is with those pupils but insisted those

changes have to go through. Clearly, there is a downside to Reagan. At

the end of the day employers, universities, all are demanding

standards to be increased and standards to be increased within

Wales. We are beginning to introduce those changes into the examination

system in Wales and there may be a long-term downside to it that he

needs a plan that transition, we need to support people during that

transition. They need to be a partnership. Tough times ahead, I

guess. We have heard over the last few years disappointing results for

GCSEs and A-levels. Next year there will be new Welsh, English and

double maths and changes to the Welsh baccalaureate. The Welsh

Government hopes that extra rigour should change those disappointing

results in future. A murder investigation has begun

after an inmate died at Cardiff Prison. 45-year-old Darren Thomas

was found in his cell by prison staff in the early hours of

yesterday morning. A 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody and

will be in court tomorrow. Construction work is under way on

the first undersea electricity link between Wales and Scotland. The ?1

billion power line is a joint venture between ScottishPower and

National Grid and will link Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland to

Connah's Quay in Flintshire. The link will have enough capacity to

power four million homes a year when it goes online in 2016.

Plaid Cymru have opened their spring conference in Cardiff with an attack

on UKIP and on Eurosceptics. The party's leader Leanne Wood said

calls to pull out of the European Union were contrary to Welsh values.

It's all part of Plaid Cymru's pitch to voters at the European elections

in May. From the conference, here's our political correspondent, Tomos

Livingstone. It is the conference season and the

political parties are trying out some new moves in a bid to impress

voters. Plaid Cymru have been tooling Wales this week trying out

some new policy ideas. One is a three and million pounds plan to

offer free childcare for 3-4-year-olds. The party says it

wants to set up a new group of is as people to persuade the big banks

suspend aid money on Welsh businesses. It is all part of

setting the scene for the parties spring conference in Cardiff. Here

at the conference venue, Leanne Wood's is about politics as it is

about policy. European elections are ten weeks away and the message is

simple. If you are pro-European U should vote for Plaid Cymru. A vote

for UK is a vote against Wales. A vote against the Welsh national

interest. We cannot and will not let their ugly politics divide us. UKIP

reject any suggestion they are not Welsh party. They say they have got

Plaid Cymru rattled. There was plenty of time for attacks of

traditional targets as well. Labour 's poor performance threatens the

very future of devolution. But when did you last see an opinion poll

asking people if they want to abolish the Westminster Parliament?

They don't ask that question because when you don't get the services you

deserve, when your children's education isn't adequate, when your

economic prospects are hampered, you don't question the institution. You

remove them -- you remove those in charge of the institution. Is there

a sense that UKIP has got Plaid Cymru worded? I don't think Plaid

Cymru has had a fright but we need to show the reality is UKIP has a

successful European election. That prospect should frighten everyone

else. Plaid Cymru hope they can jolt people. They hope a good performers

could put a spring in their step ahead of elections to Westminster

next year and the Assembly elections in 2016. Our political editor joins

me from the conference. How will you do you think Plaid Cymru are about

the threat from UKIP? When Leanne Wood stood on the platform and laid

into UKIP in the way she did earlier, I think it told its own

story. Leanne Wood has been the leader for two years and this is

arguably the weakest test for her as leader to try to get Jill Evans

re-elected as the MEP in May. Unlike the other parties, this is Plaid

Cymru's only chance to get one of their members elected to the

European Parliament. They have had an MEP since 1999. He can't

underestimate a hugely significant -- how significant is it for Plaid

Cymru. How significant was Leanne Wood's criticism of the Welsh

Government? She described Labour 's record as threat named the future of

devolution. When she took over she was conciliatory intoned. That has

on now. Plaid Cymru have done deals with Labour until recently. They

willing coalition in the past. Language like that breaks down any

cosy consensus between the parties that people may think it's out

there. What's Plaid Cymru is trying to do is differentiate themselves

and separate themselves as an opposition party from the record of

the last government. The way in which they do that is to be

hypercritical of the Welsh Government. Something which goes

down very well with the party faithful. Many thanks.

Still to come on the programme: The Premier League relegation battle.

Cardiff City prepare for Fulham desperate for three precious points

And four months on the front line in France. Researching family history

reveals one of the youngest to fight in the Great War.

They've provided support for patients and staff at Morriston

Hospital for more than 70 years but now volunteers from the Royal

Voluntary Service have been told the coffee shop they run there will

close. It will be replaced by a larger cafe to meet increased

demand. The Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board says no

decision has been made yet about who will be given the lease for the new

coffee shop but as Cemlyn Davies explains, the decision has led to

concern a chain company is about to take over.

Says Morriston Hospital in the 1940s, volunteers like these have

provided patients, relatives and staff with food, drinks and so much

more. But the cafe 's days are numbered for the charity that runs

it was told the Coffey shop will close in July. It'll make way for a

new, larger one. You feel all you have done here voluntary is just

going out the window. So many people are going to lose it. It'll be so

sad to see it go. That is why we are fighting hard to keep it. It is not

clear what will happen to the aid paid employees and more than 50

volunteers who work in ruling -- doing much more than just serving a

cup of tea and a sandwich. A provide patients and relatives with a

sympathetic ear, often at a time when they needed most. Amid

speculation, the new cafe will be run by a chain company, that our

concerns that personal touch will be lost. They say, I have just lost my

father, almost then is coming in fully big operation. They just talk

to you. You don't ask questions of they feel they can talk to you.

These big companies they don't have time to talk to people. It is just

getting on with the job. This is a wonderful facility. These ladies are

volunteers. The profits they make support Morriston Hospital. It would

be sad to see them go. But despite the sense of gloom around the shop

it is not quite all over. Bosses at the hospital say they have not

decided who will run the new cafe and the RVS will consider going for

the lease. There is some hope for these volunteers and their

supporters. Councils will charge taxpayers an extra ?42 from April.

22 local authorities have said their council tax. Next week will have a

series of special reports to see how councils are coping with a challenge

to their funding. I would economic 's correspondence has been looking

at how the role of councils has changed over the past few decades

and why further changes lie ahead. Vera Hughes is Cwmbran born and

bred. She and her parents moved into their first council house, a

pre-fab, in 1953. She has saved her family 's first rent card. It was

the year of the Queen's coronation and to Vera their new place was a

palace. The first memories were having a

fridge, making lollipops. There was a cooker and a boiler. One tiny

fire. Lovely big rooms. We were in our oils.

Back in the '50s, councils were the great providers. They ran everything

from immunisation to the buses. But even then times were changing. They

already lost the power to run electricity. Water went in the 1970s

and more was to come. In the early 80s Margaret Thatcher shocker

council houses they giving tennis the right to buy their homes. In the

90s, many councils transferred their houses over to housing associations

and they run them instead. Torfaen Council doesn't own any council

houses any more, homes like Vera's have been transferred to the local

housing association Bron Afon. We were all very apprehensive because

we thought they would put the rent up. But they are stable. I hope it

will stay. Housing associations are run not for

profit but plenty of private companies have made money doing the

work that councils used to do like cleaning, gardening and social care.

And here at GD Environmental in Newport, they've profited in another

way from councils scaling back their services. People used to have their

waste collected once a week, the council have reduced their

collections to fortnightly. The householder fly-tips the waste back

on the council land, the council will call less and payers to collect

may be just a couple of black bags. But despite the changes that have

already happened the scale of the cuts councils must make this year is

unprecedented. They've been in the market for bright ideas and so have

we. Local authorities get the bulk of their cash from government

funding that they are facing another late as 3.5% cut in that money from

government. As a result, their budgets don't balance they will have

to cut spending in other areas. What should they choose? Leisure and arts

don't get a beginner audience. You would say take a bit of money from

the theatres? Certainly. What about putting up your council tax? Why

should I pay more tax for people to have things like this. Is is not a

necessity. Recycling is collected every week, maybe we could cut that

down to fortnightly. Social care is very important. I am heading that

way. It will come out of my pocket. To cut these other things would be a

bad decision. That is the dilemma councillors have been struggling

with. In reality some of them have ended up raising council tax by as

much as they are allowed, 5%, while still making cuts. The question now

is whether in a few months time we'll feel that the quality of the

services have got worse or even improved?

We will have much more on the squeeze facing our councils next

week. Now it is time for tonight sport.

Good evening. The Wales rugby team have been forced into a late change

two days before their crucial Six Nations clash against England. Lock

Luke Charteris has injured his neck in training. He's replaced by Jake

Ball. The team are en route to West London this evening, where they need

a victory to have any chance of retaining the title.

The journey to Twickenham is one Wales will travel a loft over the

next 18 months. They will face both England and Australia that in the

2015 World Cup. The players know winning on Sunday could have a huge

psychological impact. 12 months ago Wales summoned up depths of skill

and emotion and shocked England's grand slams hopefuls. Repeating that

performance might not be so easy. It is a massive physical effort. It was

great to years ago and it has been great. That will lift the England

boys even more. Wales will have to do changes with the lock. Jake Ball

will step up again. It is an opportunity for Jake. We thought he

was outstanding against France. He played against two experienced front

rows. He came through with flying colours. Spend a few minutes here at

the Millennium Stadium any get a real flavour of importance of

history. England first played Wales in 1881. Sunday will be there 125th

meeting and things couldn't be more even. Both countries have 56 wins a

piece. There were 12 draws stocks recent history favours Wales. They

are looking for their fourth successive wins over their

neighbours. Most of this team have won at Twickenham before. That

England are building a useful side. They have enjoyed continuity of

selection. The coach kept the same side that beat Ireland except for

one enforced change. Then Morgan replaces the injured Vunipola. We

have been preparing really well. We have been building well and

improving in each game. We have got to use that momentum and take that

into the Welsh game. If Wales are to secure a third title in a row they

have to win took in. The players hope that the game experience will

see them through. The big Six Nations weekend gets

underway this evening as Wales' under-20's face England in

Newcastle. And it's the same opposition for the women's team,

they're playing just round the corner from Twickenham at the Stoop.

Onto football, Cardiff City face one of their biggest matches of the

season tomorrow. They host the Premier League's bottom side Fulham

who are only one point behind the Bluebirds. Manager Ole Gunner

Solskjaer says a draw won't be good enough for either side in their

battle to avoid relegation. Neither team want to draw. We both need a

win. That is the nature of the game. Listening to the radio this morning,

the pressure is on Cardiff because we are at home. I would rather pay

-- play at here instead of Craven cottage. It is a difficult place to

come. We need three points tomorrow. We get the fans behind us.

In the year when we mark a century since the outbreak of World War One

many people will be thinking of relatives who were involved. For one

amateur actor, it was only when he signed up to appear in a play in

Llangollen that he discovered the remarkable story of his great

grandfather. He joined the fighting at just 13 years old - one of the

youngest soldiers proved to have served on the front line. Natasha

Llewellyn reports. When Ally Goodman was asked to find

inspiration for his role playing a young soldier in the drama

Accrington Pals he didn't think he'd find it so close to home. I was

ready. After researching his family history he discovered just how young

his great grandfather was when he signed up. I was stunned because I

thought the initial age shocked me and then I found out he was one of

the youngest. Absolutely amazed. I suppose, a real sense of pride that

he had done something so brave at such a young age. Then a sense of

how different that could have been if he had been out there longer than

four months and not come back. That was quite scary. Edward Barnett may

have been young but he was five foot nine, so managed to get away with

lying about his age. He spent four months on the front line in France

during World War One. Historians who have studied the battle believe he

was one of the youngest, possibly the second youngest ever proved to

have served in the trenches. It was a secret well kept, even from his

family. His daughter Eveline knew he was in the army but never knew just

how young he was. I was very surprised because he was such a

quiet, mild-mannered. And assuming, that is the word. When a look that

is the word. When I looked at my own grandson is at 13, it was

impossible. But I've got the photographs to show, all the proof

that he did it. I am very proud of him. My mother was very proud.

When Edward's real age was discovered he was sent home and

never served again. But not through lack of trying. He tried to get into

the Second World War and he was too old. They refused him. He did not go

to the Second World War but he did try. Edward's family say they'll

never know why he wanted to join the army so young. But whatever the

reason, they'll always be very proud.

Spring has definitely been in the air here today. Are we going to have

a sunny weekend? We will have some sunshine this

weekend. The temperatures reached a height of 15 Celsius in Thirsk

today. We will see is clouding over. It will improve tomorrow. We

do have some clear skies are the temperatures are dipping away and

the clear skies. A touch of Frost is possible. Overnight, it will start a

cloud over from the south. The temperatures getting down to three

Celsius. The battle is over, the milder air is winning. It will

become much milder as we go through the weekend and into next week.

First thing tomorrow morning it is a possibility of a little bit of rain

in the South. A cloudy start, quite blustery as we head up to Wrexham

and Denbighshire. It is a cloudy start but I've started the

north-west. 10 Celsius for part of Bristow. A little bit of rain

possible in Pembrokeshire. Through the day, it is an improving picture.

It will brighten up from the south. It is a bit blustery but the winds

will ease. Temperatures well above the average for this time of year.

It will start a cloud over cross parts of Anglesey down to

Pembrokeshire the late afternoon. We will see it clouding over and a

little bit of rain across coastal areas. Further inland, it is milder.

High pressure building as we go through the rest of the weekend and

into next week. That'll settle things down nicely. Sunday, there is

little bit of rain for western parts. The best of the brightness

the further east you are. Once that clears on Monday things will settle

down. We can look forward to milder conditions but it will be frosty at

night. The main means. The head of the

Metropolitan Police says he will ensure trust in the police is

restored after a damning review into the Stephen Lawrence murder

investigation. Tonight, the family of Daniel Morgan says they were not

surprised by possible links between his death and an allegedly corrupt

police officer. And that is Wales Today. We'll have

a quick update at 8.00pm and more at 10.25pm. For now, from all of us on

the programme, have a good weekend.