25/04/2017 Victoria Derbyshire

Hello it's Tuesday, it's 9 o'clock, I'm Victoria Derbyshire,

21-year-old James Casling moved so many of you to tears last month

as he described how football saved his life.

He plays for QPRs mental health team and this morning we've taken him

to train and meet with some of their first team players.

Do say tuned for that - and keen to hear your

Did you find something - or someone - in life which helped

Also on the programme - the American state of Arkansas has

killed two convicted murderers by lethal injection,

the first double execution on the same day in the US

And Sir Elton John is recovering from a bacterial infection

- he spent two nights in intensive care.

Welcome to the programme, we're live until 11.

Throughout the morning - we ll bring you the latest breaking news -

and at 10 o clock we'll hear from Labour who're setting

out their Brexit policy...and a little later we'll talk

As always - really keen to hear from you -

do get in touch on all the stories we're talking about this morning -

use the hashtag Victoria LIVE and If you text,

you will be charged at the standard network rate.

Labour is to set out its policy on Brexit, saying that the party

would guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK on day

Sir Keir Starmer, the Shadow Brexit Secretary,

will also say retaining the benefits of the single market would become

He'll stress that Labour wouldn't accept negotiations

ending without a deal, and will promise to give

Parliament a meaningful vote on the final agreement.

Here's our Political Correspondent, Eleanor Garnier.

When it came to a vote, Labour supported legislation giving

Theresa May the power to trigger the start of negotiations

But so far, Labour has struggled to present its own

Now the party's Shadow Brexit Secretary will attempt

Sir Keir Starmer will say today a Labour government

would unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU citizens in the UK

And Sir Keir will also promised to prioritise

the economy in negotiations, aiming to keep the benefits

of the single market and the customs union.

He will say that Labour will reject the Conservatives' repeal bill

and bring in new legislation to transfer relevant EU laws

to Britain, to protect employment and consumer rights

as well as environmental regulations.

When it comes to negotiating with other EU leaders,

a Labour government, Sir Keir Starmer will say,

will build a close relationship with the European Union,

But out campaigning later today, Theresa May will again stress leave

the country through Brexit to see the country through Brexit

Our Political Guru Norman Smith is in Westminster for us this morning.

What other differences between Labour and the Conservatives and

Brexit? It's a massive day for Brexit? It's a massive day for

Labour because they have taken such an unclear position, people are not

sure if they are forward or against it. It is not just their critics who

say that, some of their top people say it, Tony Blair said at the

weekend that he did not understand the party's position this is what

Peter Mandelson said last night when he was asked if he understood the

party 's position on Brexit. I think you need to wait

for the manifesto. The problem for the Labour

Party in this election on Brexit is very clear,

and that is that they are not, I'm afraid, differentiating

their position and their policies sufficiently from the Government,

and haven't done so up until now, which they needed to do

if they were going to offer But I hope that that

will come out in the wash. I hope in the coming days and weeks,

we will see a clearer, rather more robust approach

from the Labour Party on this, because Labour Party supporters

and voters and members right across the country are looking

for leadership on Brexit, rather than an equivocal,

rather more fence-sitting position Labour are trying to get off the

fence, they say that they accept Brexit, they do want to guarantee

the rights of EU International is to remain pure from day one and they

want to take away this idea of walking away from the table without

a deal. But in terms of what they might negotiate, the Labour Party

Brexit package, it is still a bit vague. They say they want to retain

but that could mean all sorts of but that could mean all sorts of

things and significantly they don't mention immigration or freedom of

movement or the role of the European Court of Justice. What they seem to

be doing is changing the tone of the negotiations in the hope that they

will at least be able to cut a better deal. At least that is what

they're Brexit spokesman said Keir Starmer said on the radio today. You

have to accept the referendum result, I passionately campaigned to

stay, I wanted us to stay in and I to run the country campaigning for

us to remain but we lost the referendums are we need to shape the

future and identify what sort of UK we want in Europe. And what the

Labour Party says is that we want want to negotiate a relationship of

our EU partners which is based on collaboration and collaboration. But

here is the rub. Theresa May is a pretty clear position on Brexit

which is No to the single market, No to freedom of movement, No to the

European Court of Justice. The Labour stance is more complicated.

In the heat and fury of an election campaign, will that message cut

through? We will see. Let us know what you think of the Brexit policy

from Labour. We will be hearing from Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir

Starmer as he gives his speech live at 10am today so have a watch and

let us know what you think. I am sure you can do nuanced!

Joanna is in the BBC Newsroom with a summary

Two convicted murderers have been executed in the American

state of Arkansas - the first double execution

Jack Jones and Marcel Williams were among eight inmates scheduled

to be put to death over the course of 11 days.

The timetable was determined by the imminent expiry date

of the state's supplies of one of the three drugs required

The French anti-EU anti-immigration presidential candidate Marine Le Pen

is to step down as leader of the French National Front party

The move comes just a day after she reached the second

round of the French election, where she will face

She told French TV that she needed to be above party politics.

Sir Elton John has cancelled a series of shows in America

after falling ill with what's been described as a "potentially deadly

The singer, who's 70, spent 2 nights in intensive care

after contracting the illness while on tour in Chile

He's now out of hospital and recovering at home,

Ever the showman, Sir Elton John has instead been in the hands of doctors

over the last fortnight, having been taken seriously ill.

He was on his way back from Chile when he was struck down

by what his medical team quickly identified as a rare and potentially

He was admitted to hospital in the UK, where he spent two

Sir Elton, who's 70, wasn't able to go home for some time,

but it's emerged he was discharged a few days ago.

It's meant he has had to cancel tour dates

In a statement, the star spoke of how he was fortunate

to have the most loyal fans, and he apologised for

He said he was extremely grateful to his medical team

for their excellence in looking after him so well.

The singer is expected to make a full recovery,

and is already planning a return to the stage in June.

Until then, the Rocket Man will be taking it easy.

A record number of almost 1.2 million emergency supplies

were given out at food banks in the past year, according

The Trussell Trust said food banks in areas where

the new Universal Credit benefit had been introduced saw an average

increase in referrals for emergency food of almost 17% -

more than double the national average.

The charity said the effect of a six-week waiting period

for a first universal credit payment could be serious, leading

Ivanka Trump will embark on her first official trip today in her

official role as assistant to the president, she will be in Berlin at

a summit of meeting of women from different economies at the

invitation of the German Chancellor. That's a summary of the news, back

to you. We'll bring you an update with James castling shortly, he was

on the programme last month talking in moving and courageous terms about

his struggles with mental health after his father took his own life

when James was 15. It touched a chord with you and that is an

understatement. We have an update with him in the next few minutes,

we'll bring you that film at about quarter past nine. Already you say

this, one person says, a football club is much more than 90 minutes on

Saturday as QPR demonstrates every day they are at the heart of the

community. This tweet from Paul, James is brave and will back him and

we are proud of the club and the players for doing things the James.

Another comment says, it is things like this that makes me proud of my

club. Another says, such a brave young man, my best wishes to him.

We'll be taking James to train with some members of QPR shortly. Do get

in touch, use the hashtag if you text you will be charged at the

standard network rate. Now time Let's get some sport now with Tim,

and some strong words from Serena Wiliams

following Ilie Nastase's comments Yes, Serena Williams says that the

recent comments that he made about her unborn child are racist and has

given her full backing to a full investigation. He made these

comments before his team played with Great Britain in the Federation cup

and ask if Serena's child would be chocolate with milk. These comments

were followed by an outburst of abuse towards Johanna Konta to which

left her in tears. Serena Williams has responded on Instagram. She

says, it disappoints me to note that we live in a society where people

like Ilie Nastase can make racist comments towards myself and my

unborn child and sexist comets against my BS. Is that it once and

I'll say it again, this world has come far and yet we have some are

ago. We have broken down many barriers yet there are a plethora

more to go. I will continue to take a lead and stand up for what is

right. I humbly thank the International tennis Federation of

any consideration given to all the facts in this case. There will have

my full support. Newcastle are back in the Premier League, some of my

best friends are Newcastle supporters, that is why I'm cheering

them. Only one season for them in the Championship after their victory

over Preston North end 4-1 last night, setting them up with

Brighton, who are already promoted. It was a tense evening. Perhaps some

of your friends when the crowd. Newcastle went 2-1 up at half-time

to make things a bit less stressful and the nerves was settled when Paul

Gallagher of Preston was sent off for handling on the line. Look at

that, playing goalkeeper! The resulting penalty was scored this

promotion is just for manager Rafa Benitez who was expected to leave

last May when they were relegated but instead was brought in to save

them. He signed a three-year contract and his loyalty has been

repaid. He had been manager of real Madrid earlier last season so it was

quite a coup to get him in the first place for Newcastle. And finally

more about this picture from the Zlatan Ibrahimovic? You mean his

legs! Use of and knee ligament damage in a match last Thursday and

while many say this is the end for Zlatan who has been brilliant with

28 goals, although his legs do seem to have a lot of veins. He wrote on

Instagram, below his legs that he will come back even stronger and

says, I will be out for a while but giving up is not an option. Thank

you very much. Much more sport throughout the morning.

On this programme, as I hope you know by now, we are really very

committed to covering the issue of mental health.

And that's because you tell us it's a massive issue

Last month we introduced you to 21-year-old James Casling.

James has struggled since the age of 15, when his dad killed himself.

James tried to take his own life on more than one occasion

But he told us that playing football gave him a reason to live -

with the Queens Park Rangers' mental health team.

And on the Englsh Football League's community day of action,

he's been to train with three members of the QPR first team.

It was like my whole world had just disappeared.

At 18, I was ready to die and had made many attempts on my own life.

If I had carried on that path, I wouldn't be here today.

Every time I put on the kit, I wasn't this ill boy

I wish I could predict the future, but obviously, we can't.

But it's looking a lot more brighter than it was.

COMMENTATOR: What an inspiration he has been to Queens Park Rangers!

We can never stop people getting mentally unwell,

but we can help them recover with the use of football.

It worked for me and many others that I've played for,

When I put on the kit and I play with my friends,

it feels like we're not friends, we're family.

They're currently warming up, preparing

The idea of the sessions is to just get people interacting socially

We feel it's really important at the club that the pressure is not

on them to be the best footballers they can be, but to just

exercise and get health and socialise through football.

We accept anyone who feels like they want to join in,

all mental healths, they're all welcome to come and play.

James is a character, to say the least.

He's always bubbly, always smiling, very loud, and he's just

a privilege as a person to know and to work with.

He's been in and out of hospitals and infirmaries

So since he's been at QPR, yeah, I'd say his mental health

I'd say his personality and who he is has grown so much

He's not just got friends down here, he's got family, he's got people

that he gets on really well with on a personal level.

For James to have that safety net within football,

OK, boys, we've got three very important guests this morning.

They've come to look at your session and join in with you.

They've been training very hard all morning and they've taken

We've got Matt Smith, Ryan Manning and Nedum Onuoha.

Let's take another look at the star players on today's QPR team sheet.

Forward Matt Smith has made an impressive start

He'll be hoping to continue his good run of form today.

Expect nothing less than a solid defensive performance from club

Ryan Manning, at the heart of midfield, has proved to be

a popular choice among fans in his breakthrough season.

And James Casling has been QPR Healthy Kickers'

seasons running and is always a danger in front of goal.

So James, how did it feel today, playing alongside

three of the greatest footballers that have ever been seen

To do that and have people like yourselves come and experience

it and realise that there's more to a club than just the first team,

I think that's what gets lost in people's minds.

They get so agitated with the team losing and all this of stuff

that they forget about this stuff that goes on behind the scenes

and the actual people who help other people,

sort of like coaches that come to schools and come to hospitals

and all that sort of stuff and actually make a difference

People think football's life and death, when actually, it's not.

It's not taken it away or anything like that,

it's making my life liveable and it's making me still be

here, because I know without football, I wouldn't...

Without football at my feet and the kit on my body...

People would be having to come to a grave to see me instead.

People underestimate the power of football.

And when people like yourselves come along and actually

It makes people feel good because you're taking

It's funny you should say that, because for the three of us today,

today was a long training day, but being here has been

more of a highlight than the training session itself.

What you say, I think as players, we can echo as well.

Once you start training every day and playing games,

it is a release and you forget about the troubles in the world.

Everyone's a human being at the end of the day.

We have our ups and downs and everyone has their own

personal issues and battles that they're fighting.

I think we could probably all say the same thing.

Once you step out there, you forget about it and you're

focused on football and enjoying yourself, and it is a release.

Basically, I went on Victoria Derbyshire

on 8th March about how football saved my life.

How lost were you when your dad died, when your dad

I've always wondered why he would do it, and why my love

But then I realised, if someone's like that,

I think that hurts a lot more to know there was nothing

It's like your whole world gets turned upside down and then...

It takes a lot of guts to talk about stuff like that,

But I hope that that can inspire other people that are not feeling

great about things to come forward and to talk about it,

because the development from what I've seen there to you out

I saw a guy out there laughing, joking, scoring

It's unbelievable to see, and it shows the power of football.

And I think that video there just highlights to me

I'm hoping that that can inspire others to follow your example.

You've inspired me more than I've inspired you.

I enjoy coming to these things because I see the effect it has

You feel like it's life and death on a Saturday,

but then you come to something like this, and Saturday is now

so far in the past because this is the more important thing for me

now, seeing and hoping that I can have a positive effect on the people

And if they go away feeling 1% better about themselves

from me just being there, then I feel like I've really

So how does being a professional footballer

I thnk for me, you go through different stages with it all.

When I was younger, maybe Ryan's age, when I first started to play,

I was really nervous going into games.

I always felt like I was being judged by everybody in the stadium,

I never really felt like I'd made it.

I was always trying to impress people.

And when you go into games with that sort of nervous energy,

if something doesn't go right, then you feel a lot

of strain on yourself and you start to doubt yourself.

When I was really young, we were playing in derby games

and if we didn't win on the Saturday,

I would stay in my house until the following Saturday.

I would really fear going out and being seen because I thought

people would ridicule me, which was difficult.

But now I'm 30 years of age and hundreds of games later,

you appreciate that there's more to life

It's your job and it's very important and so on,

but the fact is, I have a daughter now, and knowing that I can go home

to her takes away all the stress that I feel.

I'm very new to it. I've only played 15 games or so.

The big thing for me is getting used to it and being able to block out

all the abuse you get from opposing fans and stuff like that.

There were times when I was younger when my parents would travel

the scale of the country to come and see me play and I would lose

and I wouldn't talk to them after the game.

I would think they'd just done 300 miles in the car,

and they're not even able to talk to me after the game, whereas now,

I've learned how to ride the highs and lows so that you keep

level-headed, which is really important.

Footballers have lots of ups and downs, and it's difficult

at times because you're judged as a product, so to speak.

It's difficult not to take things personally when someone tells

Nine times out of ten, players are going to have

significantly more lows than they will highs

in their careers, so it boils down to mentality and how

I hope people will see that even though it can be dark,

It would be a lie to say it's easy, because it's not.

But three years later, I'm still alive and after struggling

with all that and having spent two years in hospital and being

on medication and stuff, it's going to be a long battle

and everyone has their own battles, whether they're short or long.

You just can't give up, because something amazing

could happen tomorrow, but you've decided that

because of your struggles, you've said you're not

Just make sure you're there to see it, that's all I can say.

That was James training with QPR captain Nedum Onuoha,

Thank you to those players. Jamie says, "An incredibly up toing story

on your programme today. There is more to football than what's on the

pitch. "Tweet from Susan, "Well done to QPR for championing young

people." Roy says, "I'm choked up. Well done to QPR." Another viewer

says, "Depression is a horrible thing. Don't blame yourself for your

dad. You are an inspiration, Bud." We'll pass on all your

messages to James. And you can watch and share that

full film on our programme Queens Park Rangers and other clubs

with the English Football League spend about ?50 million on projects

in the community this season. As part of today's

community day of action, they're showcasing the kind of work

they do in the community - including projects like the mental

health football team We speak to a reporter in Arkansas

who witnessed America's first double execution in seventeen years -

and a campaigner for the death And being the First Daughter,

Ivanka Trump, attends a summit for women in Germany on her first

International trip as the official Here's Joanna in the BBC Newsroom

with a summary of today s news. Labour will set out its Brexit

policy today, saying that the party would guarantee the rights of EU

citizens living in the UK on day It's promising to scrap

the government's negotiating plans and press for a deal that it says

will retain the benefits of the single market and protect

jobs and the economy. The Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir

Starmer says Labour would fight for the best possible

relationship with the EU. We have to accept

the referendum result. I passionately campaigned to stay

in, I really wanted us to stay in. I went across the country

campaigning to stay in, but we lost the referendum

and therefore, we need We need to identify what sort

of UK we want in Europe, and what the Labour Party is saying

is, we want to negotiate a relationship with our EU

partners which is based It's just after it 1130 when Sir

Keir Starmer will be joining us to answer your questions.

Two convicted murderers have been executed in the American

state of Arkansas, the first double execution

Jack Jones and Marcel Williams were among eight

inmates scheduled to be put to death over the course of 11 days.

The timetable was determined by the imminent expiry date

of the state's supplies of one of the three drugs required

The French anti-EU anti-immigration presidential candidate Marine Le Pen

is to step down as leader of the French National Front party

The move comes just a day after she reached the second

round of the French election, where she will face

She told French TV that she needed to be above party politics.

Sir Elton John has cancelled a series of shows in America

after falling ill with what's been described as a "potentially deadly

The singer - who's 70 - spent 2 nights in intensive care

after contracting the illness while on tour in Chile

His management team says he's now resting at home and is expected

A record number of almost 1.2 million emergency supplies

were given out at food banks in the past year, according

The Trussell Trust said food banks in areas

where the new Universal Credit benefit had been introduced saw

an average increase in referrals for emergency food of almost 17% -

more than double the national average.

The charity said the effect of a six-week waiting period

for a first universal credit payment could be serious, leading

That's a summary of the latest BBC News - more at 10.00.

And the text from Mark, there are so many about James, saying, massive

respect to James and the football club for what they are doing. Now

more sport with Tim. Newcastle United will play Premier League

football next season, they have secured promotion at the first

attempt. Christian Atsu scored the pick of the goals for Rafa Benitez's

side last night as they beat Preston in front of more than 50,000 at St

James's Park. Serena Williams says Ilie Nastase's comments about her

unborn child are racist. There are many and Federation cup captain has

been provisionally suspended by the tennis Association since making

verbally abusive remarks about Serena Williams and verbally abusing

Johanna Konta tear at the weekend. Serena says the comments disappoint

her. Marco Fu beat Australia's Neil Robertson 13-11 to reach the last

eight where he will play defending champion Mark Selby. Ronnie

O'Sullivan starts his quarterfinal against Ding Junhui shortly, and

Liam Stewart, the son of Sir Rod Stewart, scored for Great Britain

last night as the hockey team won 5-1 against Estonia in the World

Championship group match. The first pack is the deepest and all that!

Thank you! The American state of Arkansas has

executed two prisoners on death row after the Supreme Court

rejected their last-minute appeals. It is the first double execution

on the same day in the US The convicted men, Jack Jones

and Marcel Williams, were both sentenced to death

for rapes and murders Jack Jones was convicted

in 1996 of raping and strangling a woman called

Mary Phillips and attempting Her widower James Phillips says

he has no sympathy for him. It don't matter if they suffered

a bit as far as I'm concerned, I said "Go down to on your three

wheeler, see if she had But don't go out on the highway,

it's about three miles So he does that, comes

back and I said "Well, just stay in the house and she'll be

home after a while". So about 11 o'clock,

Mr Jolly called me, Darla was spending

the night with him. And he said "You need to get home,

something has happened". So I pack up my bags at the hotel,

call my supervisor and say So I drove 500 miles knowing

nothing of what happened. She was sexually abused

in every way possible. And then as she was suffering,

he took a cord off a coffee I don't know how much meaner a man

can get to do something like that. I know a lot of people have forgiven

him and all that kind of stuff, So they can protest all

they want, it don't matter. Did they marry their high

school sweetheart? What would they do,

how would they feel Would they still be defending

somebody like this? Arkansas initially planned

to execute eight inmates in eleven days this month,

because its supply of one of the drugs used in the lethal

injection cocktail expires Four of the planned executions have

been put on hold by court order. The first one was

carried out last week. We can speak now to Jessi Turnure,

a journalist in Arkansas who was a witness at last

night's executions. And Jeff Rosenzweig,

a lawyer who represents a number And we hope to speak to a Republican

politician in the Arkansas 's house of representatives called Rebecca

Petey whose 12-year-old daughter was murdered in 1996 and the man who

killed that girl is still on death row. Jessi, can you describe to our

British audience what you witnessed? It turned into quite a long process.

Witnesses were selected, when it was time they drove us to where the

execution chamber was and we had to wait in a van for a long time. When

we were finally brought into the chamber we could watch, you walk in

and there are four rows of chairs, and in front of you you are just

seeing for large windows, a black curtain covering where Mr Williams

or Mr Jones would have been, preparing for the execution. Once

they are ready, again this is a lengthy process but to sum it up

once they are ready and the curtains open, you see Williams lying on a

Gurney, we saw that two Ivys were in his right arm and he was strapped

down from his chest to his head so he was looking straight at the

ceiling so he didn't look at us, he didn't have any last words so they

started the process and his eyes closed very slowly and then his just

started moving very quickly, -- has just started moving. So to

abbreviate the process after that happened we slowly watched him

falling asleep, slowly watched him stop breathing, and then after 14

minutes the coroner declared that he was dead. What effect was at having

on you, watching him dying? That was something I thought I could prepare

for but I don't think anyone could really prepare for that. My

journalistic instinct kicked in over my human instinct. It was my

responsibility and also the law that I was supposed to be there to watch,

so I was just taking notes very quickly, since we were the ones

giving the information to the other journalists it was important. I was

reminding myself of what a colleague told me, you are here to watch this

man die, you are here because he took another life and our justice

system says this is the way this man should be punished. Chav, let me

bring you in, you are a lawyer for some of these men on death row and

you tried to block these executions and appeal against them on what

grounds? And if Iraq in the case of Jack Jones, several grounds. First

was the issue of the use of this substance in order to induce

anaesthesia. The problem specifically with this

substance midazolam is that it is not usually sufficient to avoid pain

and torture when used with the other drugs. And we don't know if it

worked that way or not in Mr Jones's case. Another reason of course is

that the execution of the death sentence is often imposed

arbitrarily and capriciously. In Mr Jones's case in particular, the

Arkansas Supreme Court had analysed a particular issue in his case

differently and to the detriment of Mr Jones. Differently than it had

done in similar cases with the same issue. I would get into the

specifics of it but Mr Jones's case deviates from the way the Arkansas

Supreme Court has analysed a particular issue involving

contradictory findings by the jury or inconsistent findings by the

jury. But we were never able to convince the court that that was

wrong. I do have to say that Mr Jones often and repeatedly expressed

his remorse for his involvement in the death of Ms Phillips and the

other injuries that were suffered by everyone, but physical injuries and

psychological injuries. Right. And would expressing remorse mean that

occasionally inmates have been removed from death row or not?

Remorse by itself generally doesn't have that effect, at least, that's

been my experience, it was something that Mr Jones did repeatedly

express, both years ago, this was long before I began representing

him, but also recently. OK. Thank you both. We appreciate your time.

Thank you for talking to our British audience. We were trying to get hold

of Rebecca Petey, a Republican politician whose 12-year-old

daughter was killed in 1999 and the man who killed that little girl is

still on death row, perhaps we can speak to her later.

Labour say they would scrap Theresa may's Brexit

plans if they win power - so what would they do instead?

Stay with us as their Brexit spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer,

We will dip into that speech feel. -- for you.

Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump is making her first

official foreign trip as a presidential adviser today.

She's been invited by the German chancellor Angela Merkel

to attend a summit in Berlin on women and entrepreneurship.

It's been a startling rise to the world stage

for the daughter of America's first billionaire president.

She styled herself as a businesswoman with a jewellery

and clothing range after graduating from business school and modelling

When Donald Trump was accused of sexism when he ran for president,

it was Ivanka who worked to woo female voters.

Though it's fair to say she's found herself in some fairly awkward

If Ivanka weren't my daughter perhaps I would be dating her.

Did your daughter get breast implants?

She looks more voluptuous than ever and she got thinner.

What do you say to those women who are fearful?

I say, what he has shown his entire life is his support

Ivanka, what's the favourite thing you have in common with your father?

To me, this particular title was about giving critics the comfort

that I'm holding myself to that highest ethical standard,

but I'll weigh in with my father, and the on the issues

People talk about gender equality, but do they actually live it?

He believes in equality amongst the genders, economically,

My father has empowered women including me his whole life.

And now she has the job of First Daughter and Assistant

to the President, described as her father's "eyes and ears".

We can speak now to Shannon Coulter who set up the campaign to boycott

Katrin Pribyl, the UK correspondent for several German

newspapers and Tim Teeman, senior editor at the Daily Beast

in New York who met Ivanka at Trump Tower.

What did you think of her, Tim? Extremely self controlled. This was

giving President Trump's presidential campaign. Very self

controlled and very much in charge of herself and very much in charge

of the brand evan ka and in charge of the brand Trump and very, very

loyal to her father, although that at that time although he hasn't

reached peak Trump, she was gearing up for a rough presidential campaign

which came to be and she was beginning to thread a delicate line

that she is continuing to thread. Some would say as well as she can

and some would say not very well at all given the mounting criticism of

her by various groups in America. Why do you think that Angela Merkel

extend this personal invitation to evan ka Trump? Ivanka Trump? When

they've met last month during her visit in Washington I just think,

you know, by chance they were sitting next to each other. Ivanka

Trump switched so she could switch next to Angela Merkel. Merkel seemed

irritated in the beginning, but then there was a friendly atmosphere,'

friendly conversation so I think for her, it's quite a diplomatic move.

An opportunity to strengthen relations between Germany and the

US? And to find access to Donald Trump via his daughter. Donald Trump

said he and Angela Merkel had unbelievable chemistry? It sounded

differently last year when he called her insane for ruining the country.

I don't think he had met her then. No. Shannon, tell us why you set-up

the campaign to boycott Ivanka Trump's products? The boycott is of

the retailers that carry Trump products including Ivanka Trump,

Donald Trump and Trump products so we've dropped 23 companies from the

list and 54 remain. The boycott was born in the wake of the release of

the access Hollywood tapes so it was, you know, a response to that.

But layers of meaning have come into the boycott since then. We have seen

a great deal of activity around it during the attempted Muslim ban for

instance, during the rescinding of basic bathroom protections for

transgender studentsment people are turning to this as a way to

peacefully protest the president. Do you think it is having any impact on

people like Ivanka Trump who clearly has influence on her dad? I don't

know whether it is having influence on Ivanka Trump, but I know it is

having influence on companies and their ability to consider their core

customer base which is in this case women. And in cases like, you know,

Breitbart which has seen 1400 advertisers plus drop them over the

course of the last six months, I think it is encouraging, a move

towards more moderate rhetoric. We were active as protesters in the

recent story. This is encouraging departure from extremism. Right.

Breitbart is the website that people say is a right-wing website. Are

people right to think that Ivanka Trump is the sort of calming

moderate influence on her father? I think certainly when I spoke to her

in November 2015 there was that element to be fair. She did, and she

was that. I think as time has gun on, it's hard tore desaoufor. There

have been various attacks on LGBT groups in America, and Ivanka Trump

at that point, the question was where was Ivanka Trump? If there was

in influence on her father, where was it evident? That's why the

boycott. The brand is still selling. There was a story yesterday that you

may have seen, a company has been putting other labels on her clothes

to sell at discount stores. No suggestion she had anything to do

with that. Her name isn't as toxic as her father's. She still commands

some kind of mystery or some kind of questioning for those on the left.

People will be interested, I think, to see what level of influence she

brings to bear in Germany at this conference that Chancellor Merkel is

holding. Do the German know Ivanka Trump?

What do they think of this visit? Are they bothered? Well, it's a big

deal today and they expect to see protests as well actually. I feel

the audience is still not sure what to make of the first daughter. There

is lots of fear and suspicion about the US presidency and I do sense

that people hope she is the moderate political force on her father, but

people just don't know. We will see. Yeah, we will see. Thank you.

Next this morning, Syrian refugees in Lebanon tell us their camps

are infested with rats, attracted by bags of waste that

Agencies working in the camps fear it's a health risk.

The Lebanese government admits public services

Because of its size and proximity, the country's taken in more Syrians

per head than anywhere else in the world.

Our reporter Ben James has been to a camp in the Bekaa Valley,

These kids have escaped from the war in Syria, but they still

Their refugee camp's got a problem with rats.

He says a rat crawled over his eye and then ran off.

She shows us into the kitchen, where the rats come every night.

TRANSLATION: I was sleeping on the cushions with my granny

He bit me here on my face and then ran away.

I was scared. I couldn't sleep after that.

I thought he might come back and bite me again.

When it walks, it goes like this, because it's so big.

Azeez's daughter Shema also got bitten.

TRANSLATION: My daughter was sleeping and it was dark.

I heard her crying and then I saw her face was covered in blood.

I saw she was bitten here on her lip.

It came back another time and bit her brother.

Another time, it bit her here, on her cheek.

It's the most important problem that needs solving so that our children

All of the kids here have a story to tell about the rats.

But this is also a story about the strain on a country that's

taken in up to 1.5 million refugees from the war next door.

There are simply not enough rubbish bins here

They're only collected once a month as well.

All of that means the rubbish collects by this standing water,

this ditch that goes down the side of the camp.

What the people who live here tell me is that that's why

It's the local council's job to collect the rubbish around here,

Partly because they say their population of 5,000

TRANSLATION: There are between 10,000 and 15,000 Syrian refugees

living in houses and makeshift camps in this district.

We do have the manpower to collect garbage.

The problem is that we don't have a truck and we don't have

Collecting rubbish is a big political issue in Lebanon.

When a landfill closed in 2015, rubbish piled up in the streets

and there were protests across the country.

But when you live in a tent, the consequences are worse.

It's a common problem in camps across Lebanon.

Some organisations see the need for education.

This one is running classes to help Sheha and her

They get advice on how to store their food and waste

When he was asking for international help recently, Lebanon's prime

minister said public services aren't designed for this influx,

something that's pretty obvious around here.

Thank you very much for your messages about James and the update

we brought you earlier. He was on our programme last month and he

talked about his struggles with mental health issues after his

father killed himself on James '15th birthday. James found... Found help

through playing football, playing for the mental health team at QPR

and we featured him today as he met some of his QPR idols. This texter

says, "I've just watched James. When he said I couldn't understand why

his love for his dad was not enough, he related to that. My mum was an

alcoholic since I was the age of six and I could never understand why my

love was not enough. I used to beg her to stop drinking. I'm nearly 55

and I still can't get over it." Mrs W, "Well done, James. My daughter

plays with a mental health football team locally. She used to play high

level football before her mental health struggles took overment to

have this release from the torture and torment going on in their heads

is amazing. Thank you to all the volunteers throughout the country

who helped make this happen." Sam on Facebook, "I am a QPR fan, I've had

cancer twice in my short life. I'm 23. I have been in some very dark

places, but football, like James, just makes me happy and I love QPR

so much." Thank you for those. Keep them

coming in. If you're watching on BBC Two, in

a moment World Championship Snooker. To continue watching our programme

turn over to the BBC News Channel - where coming up in the next half

hour, one of the biggest food bank providers says areas

where the new universal credit benefit has been introduced has seen

the use of its foodbanks double compared with other areas,

we've a special report. And Sir Elton John cancels his US

tour and is recovering at home after suffering what's been

described as a "potentially Let's get the latest

weather update with Carol. Some of us have seen snow this

morning. You can tell from our Weather Watchers pictures in

Aviemore or indeed hail as we have got from Aberdeenshire. So there is

a real wintery mix in the showers, but others of us waking up to

sunshine. There is quite a bit of sunshine around. We have got a lot

of showers coming in on a strong northerly wind across the north of

the country as we come further, look how well spaced the isobars are. If

you are out of the breeze in the south, it will feel pleasant. But if

anything the showers will get going through the morning and into the

afternoon. Still a wintry component to them. We are looking at rain,

sleet, hail, and also some snow. Oon at lower levels, but we don't expect

the snow to settle at lower levels. In the wind, it will feel cold.

Aberdeen six, London 13 Celsius. It will feel more like freezing in

Aberdeen if you're in the wind and around about nine or ten Celsius in

London. As we head on through the evening

and overnight, we hang on to that gusty wind and it will be

particularly gusty around the showers, but then a ridge of high

pressure starts to build in from the west so that will kill off the

showers and although there will be some around the coasts and we will

hang on to some across central and eastern and northern areas. Still

wintry in nature too. Away from the showers, there will be a lot of dry

weather and clear skies. So there will be a widespread frost and there

is the risk of ice on untreated surfaces. Tomorrow, here is the high

pressure building in from the west. The wind around it coming from the

north-west, so it won't feel as cold across north-west Scotland, but if

you're in the South East, the winds will come from a northerly

direction. If you're in it, it will feel nippier and still the potential

for the showers across central and eastern areas to have a wintry mix.

Through the course of the day, the cloud is going to thicken across

Scotland and also Northern Ireland. Heralding the arrival of our next

system which is going to produce some patchy rain. But in between,

there will be some sunshine. Temperatures tomorrow, around about

nine Celsius in Stornoway and further south, a

Hello it's Tuesday April 25th, it's 10am, I'm Victoria Derbyshire.

Last month we introduced you to 21-year-old James Casling, who moved

many of you to tears when he described how the joy

of playing football effectively stopped him taking his own life.

We keep in touch with James and have now taken him to train

with the first team of the club he supports, QPR.

Without football at my feet and a kid on my body, -- and a football

kit on my body, it's sad to say but I think people would be coming to a

grave to see me instead. Thank you to the many of you who have got in

touch about James with your own stories. Be talking to some of you

before 11am. Also on the programme. # It's a little bit

funny... Sir Elton John cancels a series

of concerts in America after being taken to hospital

with a potentially deadly He's now recovering at home -

we'll bring you more. And Labour says it will scrap

Theresa May's Brexit plans AND guarantee the rights of EU

citizens living in the UK if it wins the election -

this is the scene live in central London where the party's Brexit

spokesman Keir Starmer We will bring you some of the speech

live. Time for the latest BBC News with Joanna.

Labour will set out its Brexit policy shortly,

would guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK on day

It's promising to scrap the government's negotiating plans

and press for a deal that it says will retain the benefits

of the single market and protect jobs and the economy.

The Shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer says Labour would fight

for the best possible relationship with the EU.

We have to accept the referendum result.

I passionately campaigned to stay in, I really wanted us to stay in.

I went across the country campaigning to stay in,

but we lost the referendum and therefore, we need

We need to identify what sort of UK we want in Europe,

and what the Labour Party is saying is that we want to negotiate

a relationship with our EU partners which is based

This is the scene live in central London where we should shortly see

the shadow Brexit secretary getting to speak on the Labour Party 's

plans. And just after 11.30 on the BBC

News Channel Sir Keir Starmer will be joining us to

answer your questions. You text us on 61124 or use

the hashtag bbcAskThis. Two convicted murderers have been

executed in the American state of Arkansas,

the first double execution Jack Jones and Marcel

Williams were among eight inmates scheduled to be put to death

over the course of 11 days. The timetable was determined

by the imminent expiry date of the state's supplies of one

of the three drugs required French president Francois Hollande

and presidential candidates Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen

are attending a commemoration ceremony for the policeman killed

in an attack last week in Paris. It comes as Marine Le Pen

has announced she is of the French National Front party

to focus on her campaign and be Sir Elton John has cancelled

a series of shows in America after falling ill with what's been

described as a "potentially deadly The singer - who's 70 -

spent 2 nights in intensive care after contracting the illness

while on tour in Chile His management team says he's now

resting at home and is expected A record number of almost

1.2 million emergency supplies were given out at food banks

in the past year, according The Trussell Trust said

food banks in areas where the new Universal Credit

benefit had been introduced saw an average increase in referrals

for emergency food of almost 17% - more than double

the national average. The charity said the effect

of a six-week waiting period for a first universal credit payment

could be serious, leading That's a summary of the latest BBC

News - more at 10.30. A quick e-mail from Mayoress, what a

moving film with James Casling. Thank you for doing it, I learned

something from you, James, it was so brave of you to make this film. We

have had several messages from people describing who they turned to

or what they turned to to help them when they had mental health issues.

We would talk to some of you before the end of the programme so stay

tuned for that. Now the sport at him. Thank you.

Newcastle have made an immediate return to the Premier League, they

beat Preston North end 4-1 last night in front of more than 50,000

people. Newcastle needed to win to follow Brighton and secure

promotion. Christian Atsu gave them a 2-1 lead before the break and the

task was made easier when Paul Gallagher of Preston handled the on

the line commie was sent off and the resulting penalty was scored. Peres

added his second to complete the win and get promotion and the first time

of asking for Rafa Ibanez. The Championship is so physical, you

play several times in a week sometimes and you have to recover

and people come back from injuries, people don't realise, the division

is totally different, you have to change off of your squad. So to do

all those things and perform and win and keep the fans behind the team,

think it's been a fantastic season. England have named their one-day

squad for a series with Ireland and South Africa in the subsequent ICC

champions Trophy beginning on June one. There's a place for Mark Wood

the Durham bowler who had to said at the Winter games after three ankle

surgeries. He's back now, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes will return

after missing the first couple of games against Ireland because they

are playing in the Indian Premier League. Serena Williams says Ilie

Nastase's comets on her unborn child racist. There Romanian Federation

cup captain has been provisionally suspended by the International

tennis Federation since his abusive remarks about Williams and verbally

abusing players including Johanna Konta. Williams said, it disappoints

me to know that we live in a society where people like Ilie Nastase can

make such racist comments to myself and my unborn child and sexist

comments against my fellow players. Red Britain's ice hockey players on

the second game in the World Championship game, beating Bolton

last night where Liam Stewart, the son of Sir Rod Stewart scored his

first international goal. Britain join Japan and Lithuania at the top

of the table on six points. Great Britain hope to eventually make the

top tier of the World Championships. The quarterfinals are almost

underway at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, five-time

champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is about to start his match with Ding Junhui

of China. There he is. Just about to come out to see the crowd at the

Crucible. Karen Wilson takes on John Higgins on the other table. Watch

the action on BBC2- Cairo and Wilson. Stay with us until 11am if

you can. Victoria. Thank you. We are expecting the Labour Party's shadow

Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer to speak any day now. Labour is setting

out its Brexit policy before the general election. He's just being

introduced by Jenny Chapman, one of the parties spokespersons on Brexit.

We're waiting for Sir Keir Starmer, who is due to appear on stage in the

next minute or so and will be on the BBC News Channel at 11:30am and is

questions about the Labour Party's Brexit policy. Send in your

questions with our hashtag. Sir Elton John has cancelled concerts in

America after suffering a potentially deadly bacterial

infection. He contracted it during a tour of South America. Just before

Christmas he spoke to us and talked about the fight against AIDS. In

America because of the election you are going to worry about what will

happen there. We can't passed judgment on it yet... With the

President-elect? You don't know how much of the progress that has been

made will be reversed so that is scary. We live in scary times. It's

a dangerous thing about this disease because we have to be consistent in

what we do going forward, people have to be tested, go on the

medication and stay with it for it to be effective. If we stigmatise

people and make it harder for them to get medicines and take away

subsidies we will go backwards and have an alarming spike in new

infections. And we have come so far. The end is in sight. If governments

around the world take their foot off the accelerator and stop funding we

will never beat the disease and it will balloon again and become

another catastrophe. It already is and it will get worse like it was 20

years ago. So we need government Dexter to keep their mandate about

AIDS, keep their money coming for AIDS because we can cure this. We

can solve this. You can't say this about any other disease at the

moment. We can stop this disease from spreading. When will you speak

to President Putin about his approach to gay rights in Russia? I

don't know. As soon as we can get together in the same place at the

same time. I'm hopeful it will happen but he's a busy man than I

am! What will you say to him? Give us gets!

LAUGHTER -- give us a kiss. What do we know

about Elton 's condition? We know that on his way back from a tour in

South America, specifically Chile, he was violently ill on the

aeroplane. His medical team identified that he was ill and as

soon as he landed in the UK he was taken to hospital, where he spent

two days in intensive care. They described it as a potentially deadly

bacterial infection. That is what we know so far. He is at home resting.

He's over the worst of it. He's cancelled some tour dates, he'd be

back on form in the summer. I've got tickets to take my boys to see him

into Twickenham in June, will he be playing in the UK? June the 3rd?

That's the date when he has said he will be back performing. He's had to

cancel his million-dollar piano at the Coliseum in Las Vegas, his

cancelled a cup of - a couple of tour dates in California as well.

I'm so sorry that I will have to stop you there, thank you for

talking to us, now we are going to hear the Labour Party's Brexit

spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, on the party 's policy on Brexit.

Labour's approach will be based on our values. Let me set the Z because

they are values of International is. Of being outward looking. Of a

belief that we achieve more together than we do alone. Fundamental belief

that internationally we should face challenges together with other

countries, and take advantages and opportunities with other countries.

Now as Jenny has said, we accept that things will have to change, our

relationship with the EU is going to change. But we do not accept, we do

not accept that Brexit has to mean whatever Theresa May says it means!

We do not accept that there has to be a reckless Tory Brexit. And that

is a fundamental issue in this election. A fundamental is you for

everybody who will be voting. We don't believe that if you are a

citizen of the world you are a citizen of nowhere. Of course we

recognise and accept that immigration rules are going to have

to change when we leave the EU. Let me say that again, we accept that

immigration rules are going to have to change when we leave the EU. But

we do not accept that immigration should be the only overarching

priority, the only red line. Nor do we believe that leaving the EU means

that we have to sever all of our ties with Europe. That Brexit means

weakening workers' rights, environmental protection is all that

it must entail slashing corporate taxes. We have a very different

vision. A vision about how Brexit can work for Britain and the EU. And

at its heart, at its heart, is a belief that we need to build a close

collaborative future relationship with the EU. Changed relationship

but a relationship and a future relationship. Not members but

genuine partners going forward. Where jobs, the economy and

retailing the benefits of the single market and Customs union are the

priority. Where hard-fought workplace rights and environmental

protections are protected. Where we are truly an open outward looking

country. And where EU Nationals living here are guaranteed their

rights and can live in certainty that Brexit will not affect them.

Brexit that brings the country together, that radically devolve

power and supports all regions and of the UK, and that is the approach

to Brexit that I want to set up briefly this morning. But let me

deal with this head on and summarise the key differences. The Prime

Minister has adopted an ideological leap approached view of Brexit and

where has it led her? It has let her down the slippery slope, nothing to

do with the single market -- ideological leap approached view.

Nothing to do with the customs union, the European court or any

court. Nothing to do with the very many agencies that do such fantastic

collaborative work that is so important to all of us. Out of all

of those, an approach that has led her to that place and what does that

mean? Talking up no deal as if that's

acceptable. Some people say well that's a clear approach, it's a

rigid approach. It is removing options before we've started. And

it's a reckless approach. What Labour will do is to scrap the

Brexit White Paper and draw up new negotiating objectives. We will on

day one unilaterally grn tee the rights of EU citizens in this

country. And work... APPLAUSE

And of course, fight for the rights of UK citizens across Europe.

We will scrap the Great Repeal Bill and replace it with what it should

be, an EU rights and protections Bill. We will give a proper role to

Parliament in the process, not sideline it and treat all challenge

as frustration or decent. And we will, of course, rebuild Britain by

investing in people in a future that is fairer for all.

So let me deal first with the White Paper and the negotiating

priorities. Labour's White Paper will have a strong emphasis on

retaung the benefits of the single market and customs union vital as

they are to protecting our economy. Our paper will make crystal clear

the jobs and the economy are Labour's priority throughout. And

that means that we will seek continued tariff-free access between

the UK and the EU, that we will seek no new non tariff customs burdens,

that we will ensure align, regulatory alignment and that we

will remain competitive in services as well as goods. Retaining the all

important threshold of workplace rights so that there is no race to

the bottom as we go forward. Now I have been all over the country

talking to businesses, large and small, communities large and small,

trade unionists and all of them saying with one voice on the need

for these benefits to be the central part of the negotiations. Now,

whether this is best achieved through reformed membership of the

single market and the customs union or via some bespoke trading

arrangement is secondary to the outcold. What matters -- jouleth

scrout come, what matters is we retain the benefits that really

matter. Let me tell you, what cannot be negotiated because these

negotiations are not going to be easy, what cannot be negotiated, we

will replicate back here in the UK. And let me give you an example.

Regulatory alignment, we will fight hard, fight hard for our businesses,

and the people who work in those businesses to ensure that there are

no empedestrianments going forwardment we want businesses to

succeed in the future in the way they have succeeded in the past. And

if we can't get the regulatory alignment we need through

negotiations in Brussels, we will achieve it back at home by primary

legislation. If there is any issue on workplace rights in the

negotiation, we will achieve it back home through primary legislation,

what matters is when the end arrangement, the end pack ableg is

met, we've met the commitment of the same benefits of the single market

and the customs union so important are they. So that means we need to

focus. Not on hypothetical trade deals with other countries, but on

strong trading arrangements with the EU. After all, the EU accounts for

44% of our exports. By far and away the most important trading partner.

It is extraordinary that the first act of the Prime Minister was to

give up on the single market and the customs union, even before

negotiations had begun and it was received very badly by our EU

partners as a message as to how far outside any collaborative future

relationship she wanted to be. But not only that, she has spoken up,

talked up the chances of no deal being reached. She said repeatedly

no deal is better than a bad deal. No deal is better than a bad deal?

Labour are very clear that no deal is the worst possible deal. It would

cause huge damage to our businesses, to our trade, the examples just make

that absolutely clear the tariffs, if no deal of 30% to 40% on dairy

and meat products. 10% on cars. And a loss of passporting rights for the

financial services. I was at Vauxhall yesterday and the anxiety

about that outcome is etched on the face of everybody who works there

and everybody who works in so many of our businesses across the

country. No wonder the CB iflt have called it a recipe for chaos. A

Labour approach will be clear and to end this reckless approach and we

will be clear that we need to negotiate strong transitional

arrangements as we leave the EU, and ensure there is no cliff edge for

our economy. So reject no deal as a viable option and introduce and

fight for transitional arrangements from the start. But we will also

approach the task differently. Theresa May wants to close down

scrutiny and challenge. In truth, that lies partly behind her decision

to call an election. The idea that she should be challenged or

questioned in Parliament in a meaningful way is something she

cannot have, she will not have. She wants to knock that out of the way

and everybody knows that strong leaders and strong decisions welcome

scrutiny and accountability and welcome challenge, that's how the

right decisions are arrived at. And these decisions are so important. We

cannot duck this issue. So Labour will take a different approach. We

will work with Parliament, not against Parliament, we will

legislate to ensure there is a meaningful vote at the end of the

exercise. Something the Prime Minister refused to do and of

course, we will insist on putting place regular reporting back through

the process, so we can get the views of part, so that we can be

challenged and so we can ensure that we are on the right track and

Parliament has played its role throughout the process. Process.

STUDIO: Sir Keir Starmer. Norman Smith has been listening. He says

jobs are the priority. He says, but we accept that I will gration rules

are going to have to change when we leave? He did, Vic, but the problem

is we don't quite know how the rules are going to chake and that seems to

me the weakness in what we're hearing. We heard Sir Keir Starmer

setting ot the differences with Mrs May's approach to Brexit. He said

she had a rigid ideological approach and ruled out options such as

staying in the single market, and being part of the customs union,

keeping a role for the European Court of Justice, keeping certain

key EU agencies in brib, all those have been wiped off the table. That

was a ridge I had, inflexible approve, but when you move on to the

Labour approach, we got some clarity. Sir Keir Starmer wants to

rule out the idea of just accepting no dealment he said that's the worst

possible option. He also guaranteed that EU nationals would get their

rights to stay in Britain from day one of a Labour Government, but in

terms of the sort of deal that Labour would negotiate, we're

slightly scrabbling around. He wanted to maintain the benefits of

the customs union. But we don't really know what that means and we

don't know what it means in terms of immigration. Labour will say this is

because we're entering negotiation, it is a fluid situation, it will be

more nuanced, but the difficulty is we are in the heat and Battle of An

election campaign and in that sort of cal pain to cut through you need

simple, clear, easy to understand messages and the daiker for Labour

is this rather more nuanced message fails to resonate with voters.

Thank you very much, Norman. And just after 11.30am

on the BBC News Channel - Labour's Brexit Secretary,

Sir Keir Starmer will be answering questions

on the party's brexit strategy - you can start by sending your

question in now by text. They've been called a national

disgrace and new figures show a record number of almost

1.2 million emergency supplies were handed out at food

banks in the past year. One of the biggest food bank

providers says areas where the new Universal Credit

benefit has been introduced has seen double the rise of use of food

banks than other areas. Universal Credit is a new benefit

which replaces six other benefits, including Income Support

and housing benefit - there's a six week waiting

period for the first payment. Our reporter Ashley John Baptiste

has been to visit one food bank Five years ago, it seemed nobody

talked about food banks, but now an estimated half a million

people use them every year. The Trussell Trust is the largest

network of food banks across the UK. They have 425 member food

banks like this one. In the last seven years,

we've seen a dramatic rise in people The first year, we had

about 1,000 beneficiaries. This past year, it's

well over 6,000 men, women and children who've

received our food parcels. I started using a food bank

because my other half got And we were paying full rent

and it took some time for the benefits to come through,

so we had to come here because we also had bills to pay

and it's only after you've paid for everything that you don't

have enough for food. So I always make sure my son

is fed, but sometimes I survive on cups of coffee,

sometimes for up to four days, People are really struggling

to make ends meet. The benefits system is causing

a massive problem from what we're hearing from clients,

universal credit in particular. Most people have to wait at least

six weeks for their first Many have to wait six, eight,

sometimes even 12 weeks for the first payment

to come through. The Trussell Trust claims in the 28

areas where it operates where Universal Credit has been

rolled out, they've seen a 16% increase in food bank referrals

versus the national average It's hard, actually,

it's hard for me and my volunteers. I mean, I won't lie,

sometimes I go home and I can't stop I had a woman referred

to us not that long ago There was a domestic violence

incident and she was forced to leave the family home,

but she was rehoused in an empty flat and wasn't able to access any

of her previously owned furniture I see people every single

week in my food bank. I don't want to tell my family

I come here, I can't. I would feel so bad having

to ask them for help. It's easier to get

a voucher and come here. So hopefully, this is only

going to be a short-term solution. A separate report out today says up

to three million children risk going hungry during the school

holidays with some existing pretty A group of MPs says the govt needs

to do more to feed hungry children Tracey Culham ended up having

to go to a food bank after it took more than six weeks

to receive payments on the two separate occasions she's had

to apply for Universal Credit. Lee Forrest works for

a housing association in the north east of England and has

seen increasing problems for its tenants caused

by Universal Credit, Alison Inglis-Jones

is a trustee and volunteer Tracy, you had to apply for

universal credit after you lost your job last year at Greggs were you had

worked for seven years, why did you end up having financial problems

after you had applied for universal credit? Could you repeat that

please? Why did you end up having financial problems when you had

applied for universal credit? When I first applied for universal credit

was in August last year, I had applied and they had told us that I

would have to wait, the pavement that I got was not until November

because I had said that the wages that Greggs had give us was to live

on for all that went in my bank account was 18p. Really. So having

to wait until you got the first payment of Universal Credit, what

effect did it have on you? I am still in debt up to my eyes. I owe

all my friends and family money. I can't afford... I have had to go,

the council had to sort us out a food bank parcel last year and

they've had to do it again this year. I went, my first payment last

was November but I had gotten a temporary job so I was working right

until January. And then when I went back in to tell them that the

temporary job had finished in January, they said I wasn't going to

get a payment from them until April 17 and that was like just a couple

of weeks ago. Understood. I can see you are upset when you talk about

this, Tracy. Can you put into words what it is like for you being forced

to go to a food bank? It is degrading. Especially when you have

worked all your life, and when people have got to come and tell you

that they can sort you out a parcel, and they take, I'm sorry about this,

you know what it is, I hate talking about this because I think it is the

most degrading thing going. And I need to let the nation know what it

is like. There is no need to apologise at all, Tracey, there

really isn't. We are very, very grateful that you have come on our

programme to talk about something that is... They are frightened to

tell us in the red office how much rent arrears I am in. -- in the rent

office. And note that I am finally getting my payment sorted, I got my

full rent on the 17th, sorting it out, I've got to pay now every month

?20 a month out of my money because I've had to wait for it coming

through. Tracey, I am going to bring in Allison, who is in the studio,

Alison Inglis- Jones from the trust of trust, they have released figures

today about the number of emergency supplies. First your response to

what Tracey has said this morning? I am really sorry, it is not an

unusual story. I volunteer with Hammersmith and Fulham food bank,

you showed them a while ago, we've seen people coming in in very

fragile emotional and mental states because they are in debt. And this

six week plus waiting gap is creating huge problems for people

across the country. Why is it six weeks? We don't know but we are

having conversations with the Department for Work and Pensions to

see if we can narrow that gap. It is what we'd like to advise because we

have seen from Tracey's story that this isn't working for a whole range

of people. What can we do to narrow that gap. It is a question we would

have liked to ask a representative of the Department for Work and

Pensions. Requested an interview. They gave a statement saying that

the reasons for using a food bank complex so it is misleading to link

them to one single issue. They say the roll out of Universal Credit is

helping people stay in jobs, employment is the best route out of

poverty and then record numbers of people in work, Universal Credit

people are moving into work fast and staying in work longer than under

the old system. Let me bring in Lee. You are a debt adviser in the

north-east of England. 25,000 homes, many of your tenants are on

Universal Credit. What impact is that having on them. Huge impact. I

can throw some light on why people have to wait six weeks for payment.

James Casling, unlike housing benefit is a monthly benefit, so

when you apply there is one month to wait until the money you have been

entitled to do in this month is assessed and then you have to wait

another month until you get your first payment. That delay is built

into every single claim. Some people have to wait seven weeks for

payment. But is immediately tapping into people's ability to pay the

rent, to pay for food, to make sure there is enough energy on meters and

that bills are paid and so forth, so it's having a huge impact. Tracey's

story is typical of many of our clients. If you were the Work and

Pensions Secretary Lee could you sort this and make it a shorter time

until the first payment came in? I can see no reason why it needs to be

paid in arrears. I don't know why somebody can't apply for Universal

Credit and then get an advance on their first payment, perhaps that

can be paid back when you move into work. It's an administrative

necessity, I think, part of the Universal Credit system, which

presumably could be fixed to make it easier for people. Allison, is that

logic, to you, about the way that it is run at the moment, that you don't

get it in advance, you get a monthly after you have claimed? I can see

why they may do that but the problem is that it is causing people, the

impact, not just the immediate impact on people, the fragility of

people's states. It will tip into other things, pressure on the NHS,

the pressure on other services, it will only increase. As people have

to wait for this period of time. We've seen Tracy today. It's not

acceptable., IS IT A GOOD IDEA FROM LEE THAT YOU GET THE FIRST PAYMENT

IN ADVANCE AND ONCE YOU GET WORK, WHICH IS WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO,

YOU GOT TEMPORARY WORK AT CHRISTMAS, YOU PAY IT BACK THEN FROM YOUR

WAGES. THAT IS WHAT I HAD SAID. I DID A DOCUMENTARY AND I SAID, they

give you this money but then they take it away from you every month.

If you get a job, then pay it back then. OK. Alison, regarding the DWP

statement, Universal Credit people, this is their phrase, they are

moving into work fast, staying in work longer than under the old

system. Is that true? There is no doubt that people coming to food

banks, I would say 98% of the people I see want to get back to work and

they are. The problem is that they have run into debt while waiting for

that. And that's the problem. We are talking to the DWP, the Secretary of

State has opened his doors, the more we can address this together, the

better. Tracey, there are some lovely messages from people who have

been watching you run the country. I'm going to read a couple to you,

if I may. Riley says, you have worked all your life, and it is

degrading for you to go to a food bank and it is brave that you are

talking about this. This tweet from Chris says, I hope every

Conservative MP will be made to watch this and answer the questions

raised today because this is shameful treatment of our people.

Again, Angela says, Tracey has worked all her life and is getting

no help. Rodney says, I don't believe food banks should be needed

but I understand why they are. It makes me mad when you have people

that don't need them who abuse them. A couple I know, this is not about

you, Tracey, a couple that I know don't

have kids, both smoke, go out three times a week and walk past with

packs of beers for home but yet use food banks. Seuk-hyun Baek everyone

who comes to trust will trust food bank has to be referred by social

services, a vicar or a school governor. We're not standing in

judgment in any way, someone else has made that judgment and they come

with a voucher and we feed them. We trust the 40,000 plus front line

care professionals who are referring, they have made that

judgment, people are coming in and we feed them. OK. I'm going to read

you this DWP statement. The reasons for the use of food banks are

complex, they cannot be linked to one single issue. The best way out

of poverty is employment, people are moving into work faster and staying

there longer than under the old system. Universal Credit is designed

to mirror the world of work and given full control over their own

finances, the majority of claimants are confident and managing money and

we work with local authorities to support those in need extra help,

but didn't support, benefit advances and direct payments to landlords are

available to those who need them. Lee, do you think that people are

aware of that? The sort of help available to them? Direct payments

to landlords, budgeting support, benefit advances? What should happen

when Cindy makes a claim for Universal Credit they should be able

to be made aware of any -- they should make Vidi WP aware of any

health problems that make it difficult for them to pay rent

themselves. -- they should make the DWP aware of these. I don't know if

this is happening. As much as it should be. That is why people are

getting into rent arrears early in the process. And advance payments

are discretionary. And also like Tracey said, people know that they

have to pay them back, so often people are relying on friends and

family and ultimately food banks to see them through the first six weeks

before payment because they don't want to be in further debt when they

get subsequent Universal Credit awards. Understood. Thank you, legal

Mack, who works for a Housing Association in the north-east of

England, Tracey, thank you for coming on the programme. Tracey went

to a food bank after it took more than six weeks that it took to

receive Universal Credit, and two separate occasions when she has

applied for it after losing her job last year, and Alison, from the

tussle trust, thank you. The words of Chris Bonney,

a college lecturer and part time DJ who suffered a life changing acid

attack a year ago. The 30-year-old has no idea

who was responsible for it or why. The acid splashed across his face,

arms, chest and even his legs leaving him deaf for three months,

temporarily blind in one eye and with permanent scarring

to much of his skin. But he says the mental scars have

been the hardest to recover from. Police figures show acid attacks

are on the rise in the UK and in his first ever interview,

Chris Bonney tells this programme of his worries that corrosive

liquids are now easier to get hold Some of the images we show

during this interview are upsetting and you may not want young children

to see them. Chris started by telling us what

happened on the night of the attack. On the 28th February last year,

it was about 10.30 in the evening. I was just retiring to go

to bed for the night, Looking through the glass, it looked

like the shadow of my neighbour. It's not a troublesome

neighbourhood. I just opened the door to find two

gentlemen stood there. And he then apologised and said

"I'm ever so sorry", and then threw acid in my face

and over the left-hand And the impact of the solution

on you, was it immediately It was cold, the first

impact to my face. When that happened, I closed my left

eye and wiped it with my right hand. And as I did it, I rotated my body

to a certain extent. And that was when the second hit

from the bottle hit my left arm, The only way I can really describe

how it felt was being covered It was a sensation that,

that pain did not subside for hours It was excruciating pain, and it

destroyed everything it touched. It melted the paint off my front

door, burned holes in the carpet, took the paint off walls,

burned through radiators, destroyed my sofa, my curtains,

everything it touched. We're going to show our audience

images of your injuries which you've kindly given to us so that people

can see the exact nature Some people may find these

photographs distressing, but I think you do feel it's

important to show the effects of Can you describe the kind

of injuries you sustained? So, the injuries that were sustained

were chemical burns. It went through the various

layers of skin and caused It made my skin very

susceptible to infections. In total, it was around nine

different infections I had in the nine months that it took

before I was realistically The damage that this sort

of substance causes to your skin It's unbearable, really,

for me to even look at now. This attack happened 14 months ago,

and I still look at those photos and it brings

back horrendous memories. We can see on the left side of hur

face, beneath your glasses a little bit of red marking and we can see on

your left arm, presumably those are the after effects? Yeah, so that's

the damage that's left on my left arm still. The scarring has

eventually, you know, it's fully healed over now. . In the cease of

the arm here where it's a moving part, that took up until November of

last year before I was fully out of bandages. I've still scars on my

article from here. My left eye is still a bit problematic because my

eye lid is fused to my eyebrow. I can't fully close my eye lid which

causes me some vision issues. Right. That's why I have to wear glasses. I

understand. I wonder if you can explain more about how the injuries

affect your daily life now? You have talked about the vision in your left

eye. How else? Day-to-day, if I'm honest, it's more a psychological

thing. I deem that people look at me and they are not seeing me as such,

they are just sort of seeing scars and thinking what on earth happened

there? That's quite hard for me to process on a daily sort of

occurrence. As far as physical issues go, the only one that I

really have is with the pain in the joint of this elbow from constantly

moving it etcetera because where the scars has taled healed the skin is

tight. When I stretch my arm out, it's pulling the skin and that's

relatively uncomfortable. The mental scarring, you said psychologically

on a day-to-day basis, it is an issue, talk us through the mental

side of things? If we go back to last year really and work forwards,

initially when it first happened, I was petrified of the dark. I

couldn't sleep without a light on. I would, you know, I would cry myself

to sleep most nights because I could not process what had happened to me

and why it had happened to me. And from then onwards there was elements

of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety and I had to

seek counselling and psychological help for this. The team at Salisbury

Hospital were outstanding and they worked with me, you know, tirelessly

to really help me through this. I still suffer with some elements of

anxiety, but I think that's something that I'm going to have to

learn to deal with and overcome myself really. I'm lucky I have got

a good support network and I have got friends who helped me through

all this and psychologically, the element of fear is still there, not

knowing why this actually happened to me. I have been to university.

I've got a good job. I work hard. I've never been in trouble in my

life. It was so random and for me to process what had happened, 14 months

later, I still haven't got my head round that. Yeah. There are no

answers because the police have not been able to find who is

responsible. Absolutely not. They sat me down and they said, "We've

interviewed a until of suspects. We have taken character references,

witness statements about you as a person and there is no motive. There

is no evidence. Qflt" There was nothing, no even so much as a

fingerprint and that's difficult for me to deal with really. But there is

somebody and they may even be watching now who knows who did this?

Because there were two people there? Somebody out there knows. Yeah.

Yeah, somebody knows somewhere. I don't know. One day it may come out

and I may get some justice from all of this. But... But this is the

first time you have spoken publicly Chris. What would you say to either

the people who did this to you or to those around them who may have an

inkling that they could have been responsible? What can you say? Hand

yourself in. How do you sleep at night? Yeah, absolutely. I moon, I

didn't deserve this to happen to me. The police said whoever it was were

clearly paid to do a job and the jobs has been done. Who could ever

hate me this much? It's just awful. Do you have any theory as to why

these two people did this to you? There was a few theories, but

unfortunately there is no evidence and it would be very unfair of me to

say OK, I believe it was this person for this reason because if it

wasn't, I would never forgive myself. Recently as you know there

have been a series of similar kind of attacks, acid attacks, including