0:00:10 > 0:00:12Hello it's Monday, it's 9 o'clock, I'm Victoria Derbyshire.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Welcome to the programme.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Our top story today - at least 26 people have been killed
0:00:19 > 0:00:28by a gunman in a Baptist Church in the US state of Texas.
0:00:28 > 0:00:32The tragedy is worsened by the fact it took place in a church, a place
0:00:32 > 0:00:34of worship, where these people were innocently gunned down.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36The suspect - 26-year-old Devin Patrick Kelly -
0:00:36 > 0:00:37was found dead nearby.
0:00:37 > 0:00:45We'll get reaction from eyewitnesses.
0:00:45 > 0:00:51As the Westminster abuse scandal continues to engulf politics...
0:00:51 > 0:00:54a former Conservative Party activist who informed the House of Commons
0:00:54 > 0:00:56authorities of an alleged rape tells this programme her complaints
0:00:56 > 0:00:59were completely ignored.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02I felt as if my experience wasn't important.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05And that the experiences of others who have had similar
0:01:05 > 0:01:12things happen to them weren't important either.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15We'll get reaction to that exclusive story in around 15 minutes' time.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19And the people who manage the Queen's finances have
0:01:19 > 0:01:21defended their investments, following the revelation that some
0:01:21 > 0:01:23of her wealth has been placed in two offshore funds.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26We'll bring you the details.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Hello, welcome to the programme.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39We're live until 11:00am.
0:01:39 > 0:01:46The Prime Minister Theresa May is due to give a speech
0:01:46 > 0:01:51in the next hour on Westminster abuse and Brexit.
0:01:51 > 0:01:59We'll bring it to you live.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02We're really keen to hear your thoughts on the unfolding
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Westminster abuse scandal.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Is this a tipping point when it comes to men in positions of power
0:02:09 > 0:02:13across all industries and the way they treat women and sometimes other
0:02:13 > 0:02:17men. Is this a seminal moment in our country where things really are
0:02:17 > 0:02:21going to change, where the dinosaurs will leave?
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Do get in touch - use the hashtag Victoria
0:02:25 > 0:02:27live and if you text, you will be charged
0:02:27 > 0:02:28at the standard network rate.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29Our top story today...
0:02:29 > 0:02:3126 people, including several children, have been killed
0:02:31 > 0:02:33in the latest mass shooting incident in the US.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35The attack happened at the First Baptist Church,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40in the small town of Sutherland Springs in Texas.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Authorities say the youngest victim was just five years
0:02:42 > 0:02:44old, the eldest was 72.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Our North America correspondent Peter Bowes has more.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50The scene of America's latest mass shooting.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52A tiny church in a Texas town.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57A Sunday morning gathering that turned into a massacre.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00More than two dozen dead and many more injured.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03The ages of the victims range from five to 72.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08The motive of the gunman is not known.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12We are dealing with the largest mass shooting in our state's history.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15There are so many families who have lost family members.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22The tragedy, of course, is worsened by the fact that it
0:03:22 > 0:03:25occurred in a church, a place of worship, where these
0:03:25 > 0:03:29people were innocently gunned down.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31The gunman fled the scene and was later found
0:03:31 > 0:03:34dead in his vehicle.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37It is unclear whether he shot himself or died of a gunshot wound
0:03:37 > 0:03:39inflicted by a local resident who pursued the suspect,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42armed with his own rifle.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46This close-knit community has been left shattered and distraught.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Stay with us as we learn to deal with this...
0:03:50 > 0:03:52As people wait for news of their loved ones,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55many are overwhelmed by the scale of the tragedy.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57There's no words.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59This happens in New York, in big cities.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02No-one is safe.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04My dad has already taught me how to get the gun
0:04:04 > 0:04:07from the safe and load it.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14President Trump, who is on a tour of Asia,
0:04:14 > 0:04:21condemned the shooting as an act of evil.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Through the tears and through the sadness, we stand strong, oh so
0:04:25 > 0:04:28strong.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31The shooting comes just over one month after the deadliest mass
0:04:31 > 0:04:33shooting in modern US history when a gunman in Las Vegas
0:04:33 > 0:04:37killed 58 people.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Now, another community has joined the roll call.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41More lives lost and more families asking why us?
0:04:41 > 0:04:46As they struggle with their grief.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50More on that come throughout the programme.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Now to the BBC Newsroom with a summary of the rest
0:04:53 > 0:04:54of the day's news.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58The people who manage the Queen's finances have
0:04:58 > 0:05:02defended their investment practices after the revelation that some
0:05:02 > 0:05:04of her wealth has been placed in two offshore funds.
0:05:04 > 0:05:09It follows a huge new leak of financial documents,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11dubbed the "Paradise Papers", revealing how the rich and powerful
0:05:11 > 0:05:14invest their money in tax havens around the world.
0:05:14 > 0:05:19The BBC does not know the source of the leak,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21which contains more than 13 million documents, mostly from one finance
0:05:21 > 0:05:22firm based in Bermuda.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24The vast majority of transactions did not involve
0:05:24 > 0:05:26any illegal activity.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Here's our economics correspondent Andy Verity.
0:05:29 > 0:05:30Bermuda.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Where the law firm at the heart of the biggest leak
0:05:33 > 0:05:36in offshore history, Appleby, has its head office.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40The Queen is the head of state here but until now we did not know
0:05:40 > 0:05:42that some of her private money was invested in tax
0:05:42 > 0:05:43havens like this one.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46The Duchy of Lancaster, the private investment
0:05:46 > 0:05:49vehicle for the Queen, put £10 million, a small fraction
0:05:49 > 0:05:53of its overall investments, in offshore funds with $7.5 million
0:05:53 > 0:05:56of that in one fund in the Cayman Islands.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59In 2007, it was asked to put £350,000 into investment projects
0:05:59 > 0:06:03including the purchase of two retailers.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07One was the company that owned Threshers that later went bust
0:06:07 > 0:06:11owning £70 million in tax, and the other was BrightHouse,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13the controversial rent-to-own retailer which was recently forced
0:06:13 > 0:06:16to compensate a quarter of a million customers.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I am pretty furious with those who advise her and that are bringing
0:06:19 > 0:06:22her reputation into disrepute.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25It is so obvious that if you are looking after the money
0:06:25 > 0:06:28of the monarchy, you have got to be cleaner than clean and you must
0:06:28 > 0:06:30never go near the dirty world of money laundering,
0:06:30 > 0:06:40tax avoidance, tax evasion or making money in dubious ways.
0:06:40 > 0:06:45The Duchy told us that all of the investments were fully
0:06:45 > 0:06:50audited and legitimate.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53The documents also reveal that Donald Trump's commerce secretary,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Wilbur Ross, has business links with Russian allies
0:06:55 > 0:06:58of president Vladimir Putin.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Mr Ross has a secret stake in a shipping company
0:07:00 > 0:07:07called Navigator Holdings.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10One of its major clients is Sibur, a Russian energy company.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16The associate of Vladimir Putin, Gennady Timchenko, is a shareholder,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18and sanctioned by the US government in 2014.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22Mr Ross told us none of the funds he managed ever owned a majority
0:07:22 > 0:07:24of Navigator shares and he never met Gennady Timchenko.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27More revelations are to come.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33A former Conservative activist has told this programme she was ignored
0:07:33 > 0:07:36when she told the House of Commons authorities she'd been raped
0:07:36 > 0:07:38by a man who worked for a Tory MP.
0:07:38 > 0:07:47The woman, whose identity is being protected, told us
0:07:47 > 0:07:50she was assured by Commons officials that it would be "passed on"
0:07:50 > 0:07:52to senior party figures - but now says her report
0:07:52 > 0:07:57was not taken seriously.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59When you seen so much happen and nothing happened
0:07:59 > 0:08:05on all of those occasions as well, it's arrogant to assume I would be
0:08:05 > 0:08:10anything that stood out.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12treated any differently, that my claim would be
0:08:12 > 0:08:13anything that stood out.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15I'm a number, a name, not a person.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16I'm just an allegation.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Probably one of many.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21And there is no importance attached to those.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25It only becomes important when it becomes a problem.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30And it becomes a problem when it is picked up by the media.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Meanwhile Theresa May will meet the other political party leaders
0:08:34 > 0:08:37today to discuss a new parliamentary complaints system to deal
0:08:37 > 0:08:40with allegations of sexual misconduct by MPs.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44The deputy prime minister, Damian Green, will be interviewed
0:08:44 > 0:08:46today as part of a Cabinet Office investigation into claims that
0:08:46 > 0:08:49pornography was found on a computer in his parliamentary office.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53He strenuously denies all allegations against him.
0:08:53 > 0:09:00A commuter train has derailed at a station in south-west London.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02British Transport Police say around 250 people
0:09:02 > 0:09:04were on board the service from Basingstoke to Waterloo,
0:09:04 > 0:09:06when it came partially off the tracks at Wimbledon station just
0:09:06 > 0:09:08after six o'clock this morning.
0:09:08 > 0:09:13There are reports of some minor injuries.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15The children's commissioner has called for more mental health
0:09:15 > 0:09:18support for children in care - saying there should be a presumption
0:09:18 > 0:09:21that it is essential.
0:09:21 > 0:09:22Anne Longfield told the Victoria Derbyshire programme
0:09:22 > 0:09:25that more should be done to help children recover from
0:09:25 > 0:09:28traumatic upbringings.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Almost half of those in the care system have a diagnosable
0:09:30 > 0:09:32mental health disorder, and looked-after children
0:09:32 > 0:09:35are four times more likely to have a mental health condition.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37A Saudi Arabian prince and several other high-ranking officials have
0:09:37 > 0:09:40been killed in a helicopter crash close to the country's border
0:09:40 > 0:09:44with Yemen, according to reports on state media.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Prince Mansour bin Murqin was a deputy governor,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48and a son of the country's former crown prince.
0:09:48 > 0:09:55It's not yet known why the aircraft crashed.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57The deposed Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont has been released
0:09:57 > 0:09:59from custody by a judge in Belgium.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Mr Puigdemont and four of his ministers surrendered
0:10:01 > 0:10:03themselves to police after the Spanish government issued
0:10:03 > 0:10:11an EU-wide warrant for their arrest.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14They've been told they are not allowed to leave the country
0:10:14 > 0:10:16and are expected to appear at a Belgian court in
0:10:16 > 0:10:21the next two weeks.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Police in Devon say they've made a breakthrough in a twenty year
0:10:24 > 0:10:25old murder investigation.
0:10:25 > 0:10:2714-year-old Kate Bushell was attacked as she walked her
0:10:27 > 0:10:29neighbour's dog near her home in Exeter in 1997.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Police now believe that her killer may have been wearing bright
0:10:32 > 0:10:33orange work overalls, after discovering fibres
0:10:33 > 0:10:36on her body and clothing.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Starting today, some NHS patients will be able to access GP
0:10:39 > 0:10:44consultations via video calls on their smartphone 24 hours a day.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The Royal College of GPs is warning that some patients could be left
0:10:47 > 0:10:51behind and complex conditions may be misdiagnosed.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54But the team behind the project say it will bring health consultations
0:10:54 > 0:10:59into the 21st Century.
0:10:59 > 0:11:04It's high time that NHS patients were giving the opportunity to
0:11:04 > 0:11:08benefit from technology to improve access to health care. We have
0:11:08 > 0:11:11benefited from this kind of technology in so many different
0:11:11 > 0:11:17aspects of our lives, whether be shopping or banking, and it's time
0:11:17 > 0:11:21we were able to do that in health for NHS patients.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24It's been described as one of the biggest shocks in Strictly's
0:11:24 > 0:11:27history as Aston Merrygold was voted off the show last night.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Aston was one of the bookies' favourites to win but the JLS star
0:11:31 > 0:11:34and his dance partner Janette Manrara failed to impress
0:11:34 > 0:11:36the judges with their Jackson 5 inspired Viennese Waltz.
0:11:36 > 0:11:41Judge Craig Revel-Horwood only gave them a four.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44I've had friends that have done this show before and they have said, you
0:11:44 > 0:11:49will have the most amount of fun from start to finish and they
0:11:49 > 0:11:54weren't lying. From this lady to every single person in here, you can
0:11:54 > 0:11:58your guys, yourself, Claudia, you amazing lot I get to see and spend
0:11:58 > 0:12:03so much time with and learn from and make some amazing friends. Honestly,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06I've had the best time and it's been amazing.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10That's a summary of the latest BBC News - more at 9.30am.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14A friend text me last night after the results show saying she was
0:12:14 > 0:12:18literally going to boycott watching Strictly. I replied saying, I bet
0:12:18 > 0:12:29you don't! This morning, do you think the revelations about sexual
0:12:29 > 0:12:33harassment, and you have told as it happens in the NHS, taxi firms,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37schools, offices and factories, and we now know it happens at
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Westminster. Do these revelations represent a tipping point where
0:12:40 > 0:12:44people in positions of power stop abusing that privilege by harassing
0:12:44 > 0:12:51those in less senior positions. Do you genuinely think this will lead
0:12:51 > 0:12:54to sweeping changes in how we all behave?
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Do get in touch with us throughout the morning -
0:12:56 > 0:12:59use the hashtag Victoria LIVE and if you text, you will be charged
0:12:59 > 0:13:00at the standard network rate.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02A tweet from Kathleen, sexual harassment will not disappear. Not
0:13:02 > 0:13:04much faith there.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05Let's get some sport with Kathryn Downes.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08And Manchester City may be eight points clear at the top
0:13:08 > 0:13:10of the Premier League after beating Arsenal but it's
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Arsene Wenger's post-match comments making the headlines.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14What's he had to say?
0:13:14 > 0:13:19We hear all kinds of excuses in football. A couple of weeks ago we
0:13:19 > 0:13:22heard Manchester city manager Pep Guardiola blaming the ball for a bad
0:13:22 > 0:13:28performance from his side. This one is a little more standard, blaming
0:13:28 > 0:13:31the referee. Arsene Wenger having a go at the officials after the match
0:13:31 > 0:13:35yesterday, saying he feels the referees do not work enough. The
0:13:35 > 0:13:39level drops every season at the moment and overall it is not
0:13:39 > 0:13:43acceptable. This after his side were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47dropping down to sixth in the Premier League. He was grumpy about
0:13:47 > 0:13:51this challenge on Raheem Sterling, when he claimed Sterling dived.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56Replays showed he was pretty much ploughed into. The third goal for
0:13:56 > 0:14:03Manchester City, where replays show, it looked offside. Even the City
0:14:03 > 0:14:10players looked surprised to be allowed to play on. We have was the
0:14:10 > 0:14:12result with Arsene Wenger not happy at all about the officiating. This
0:14:12 > 0:14:19is what he had to say.I believe it was no penalty. It was a provoked
0:14:19 > 0:14:24penalty by Sterling. We know he dives well, he does that very well.
0:14:24 > 0:14:30And the third goal was offside. I am very upset because at 2-1 we were in
0:14:30 > 0:14:35the game and looks like we could score. We had many dangerous
0:14:35 > 0:14:42situations.That third city was offside, but Alan Shearer was strong
0:14:42 > 0:14:47in his criticism of Arsene Wenger, saying it is unacceptable to pick up
0:14:47 > 0:14:51one player like Raheem Sterling, and that he owes him an apology.To
0:14:51 > 0:14:56deflect from his team's inadequacies and deficiencies, it's another want
0:14:56 > 0:15:00to question somebody's integrity and be run. He owes Raheem Sterling an
0:15:00 > 0:15:05apology. No way that a dive, and it was a penalty.Whether or not Arsene
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Wenger apologises to Raheem Sterling, we will have to wait and
0:15:08 > 0:15:13see. Managers can be fined for speaking out against referees and
0:15:13 > 0:15:16officials. Jose Mourinho had a couple of times last season after
0:15:16 > 0:15:20being outspoken against refereeing mistakes, as he saw them. But it
0:15:20 > 0:15:23seems the stakes are so high in the Premier League that managers can't
0:15:23 > 0:15:29keep a lid on their frustration. And the fines do not match the salaries
0:15:29 > 0:15:31they earn so they make no impact whatsoever.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41A former Conservative Party activist has told this programme she reported
0:15:41 > 0:15:44an alleged rape to House of Commons authorities but was completely
0:15:44 > 0:15:53ignored and left feeling worthless.
0:15:53 > 0:16:02She says she told the Commons clerk a "toxic, heavy drinking and sex
0:16:05 > 0:16:07driven culture within Westminster" had contributed to the alleged
0:16:07 > 0:16:08attack, which "destroyed" her.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11In an exclusive interview, Amanda - whose name has been changed
0:16:11 > 0:16:13to protect identities - says she was raped by someone
0:16:13 > 0:16:15who worked for a Conservative MP.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18After it was reported to police and due to go to trial she spoke
0:16:18 > 0:16:21to the House of Commons Clerk and says she was told her concerns
0:16:21 > 0:16:24about the culture and the alleged rape itself would be passed
0:16:24 > 0:16:25to the then Chief Whip, Gavin Williamson,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27who is now the Defence Secretary and Andrea Leadsom,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29the Leader of the House of Commons.
0:16:29 > 0:16:35The Commons Clerk says he did not formally report the rape allegation
0:16:35 > 0:16:37as there was already a criminal case under way.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41But he did pass on her general concerns.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Both MPs say they were not told about the allegation of rape,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46but Andrea Leadsom admits she was told about concerns over
0:16:46 > 0:16:47the culture at Westminster.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Catrin Nye has this exclusive report.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58I was raped by someone senior to me in the Conservative Party.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00It was violent, it wasn't in Westminster, and it
0:17:00 > 0:17:06shouldn't have happened.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10And I remember the attack, during the attack, I remember
0:17:10 > 0:17:16the room disappearing around me and thinking I was going to die.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19When he left the next day, I was at a police
0:17:19 > 0:17:20station within an hour.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23And I reported it.
0:17:23 > 0:17:30It's destroyed me.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33And I question how I could be so stupid as to get into that
0:17:33 > 0:17:36political scene, and I blame myself for doing so because it led
0:17:36 > 0:17:38to what happened to me.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40If I hadn't have got into that scene, I wouldn't
0:17:40 > 0:17:42have been attacked.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46It's as simple as that.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50The criminal case progressed and was due to go to trial.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Amanda, whose name we've changed to protect the identity of both
0:17:53 > 0:17:56parties, says she decided she wanted to talk to Commons officials
0:17:56 > 0:17:59about her alleged rape and how she felt the culture of Westminster
0:17:59 > 0:18:01contributed to it.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04We've confirmed that she had a 25 minute conversation
0:18:04 > 0:18:08with the House of Commons clerk.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10Parliamentary authorities let me know that they were passing it
0:18:10 > 0:18:14on to the Chief Whip, who was Gavin Williamson at that
0:18:14 > 0:18:16time, and the leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom.
0:18:16 > 0:18:22But that was never followed up.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26As Chief Whip, Gavin Williamson was in charge of the conduct of MPs,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28and Andrea Leadsom was in charge of the day-to-day
0:18:28 > 0:18:29workings of the Commons.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Amanda says she left that conversation believing she had
0:18:31 > 0:18:33secured a meeting with them.
0:18:33 > 0:18:40Gavin Williamson has since been promoted to Defence Secretary,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and Andrea Leadsom has since said parliament would take a
0:18:42 > 0:18:44zero-tolerance approach to allegations of sexual misconduct.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48The clerk of the House of Commons refused to tell us who he spoke
0:18:48 > 0:18:50to about what he'd been told, but did say that Amanda's views
0:18:50 > 0:18:53on the culture in Parliament only were informally reported onwards
0:18:53 > 0:18:56and were acted on, though no-one will tell us how exactly
0:18:56 > 0:18:59it was acted on and Amanda was not told either.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04We've confirmed that concerns about the culture
0:19:04 > 0:19:07were passed to Andrea Leadsom, but both Leadsom and Williamson
0:19:07 > 0:19:11insisted they were not told about the rape claims.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Senior Conservatives say they're shocked the allegations did not
0:19:13 > 0:19:15reach the Chief Whip's office.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19I never received contact from either of them.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The Parliamentary authorities never followed it up with me either.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24I've heard nothing.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27How did that make you feel?
0:19:27 > 0:19:34I felt as if my experience wasn't important, and that the experiences
0:19:34 > 0:19:36of others who had had similar things happen to them weren't
0:19:36 > 0:19:42important either.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47And how do you feel about the culture in Westminster now?
0:19:47 > 0:19:52It's toxic.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55It is not a place I would advise any young, particularly young women,
0:19:55 > 0:19:57but young people as a whole to get into.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Can you tell me more about the culture, what it's like?
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Heavy drinking, sex driven.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Very much...
0:20:07 > 0:20:11self-interested.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15I've lost count of the number of women that I have seen plied
0:20:15 > 0:20:20with drink to the point that they couldn't stand up,
0:20:20 > 0:20:23and then being escorted out of bars by senior staffers and MPs.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27I've lost count, and people don't bat an eyelid.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Women are meat.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31New intern, new meat.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33You really think it's that bad?
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Yeah.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Yeah.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40I don't think it's that bad, I know it's that bad.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44You don't realise until you get out quite how bad it was,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47and it's only now looking back into that environment that
0:20:47 > 0:20:49I can see those things.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51I'm pretty sure there are those who are still within it
0:20:51 > 0:20:53who don't see these problems.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55So did you think it was normal at the time?
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Yeah, yeah.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00I mean, I've had men stick their hands up my skirt,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I've had men ply me with so much drink, again, that
0:21:02 > 0:21:03I couldn't stand up.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05I was party to all that.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08I, in fact, at one point I saw it happen to other women,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and I just accepted it as normal.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Do you think they care about the reputation,
0:21:13 > 0:21:15about what these kinds of allegations do to
0:21:15 > 0:21:18the reputation of Parliament?
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Only if they hit the press.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26Only if they're picked up by the media and attract attention.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30But allegations in themselves, they can be brushed under
0:21:30 > 0:21:32the carpet, they can be ignored.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34Amanda is also critical of Theresa May.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38I don't think women in politics get where they are by serving
0:21:38 > 0:21:42the interests of other women.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I think...
0:21:45 > 0:21:51particularly within the Conservative Party that rings true.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57We've had two female prime ministers -
0:21:57 > 0:22:02that should tell that, you know, politics is still a very
0:22:02 > 0:22:06male-driven space and in order to succeed you have to act
0:22:06 > 0:22:10like a man and push feminine interests aside, and particularly
0:22:10 > 0:22:14anything with feminism within the Conservative Party,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16anything tainted with the name feminist or similar is met
0:22:16 > 0:22:20with mockery and contempt.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24The man Amanda had accused of rape, who was not an MP, strongly
0:22:24 > 0:22:26denied the allegation, and the case was eventually dropped
0:22:26 > 0:22:29after a review of the evidence.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32But when she told the Parliamentary authorities about it,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35and her concerns about the culture, the case was due to go to trial,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39and she says she was ignored, despite their obvious seriousness.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40Why didn't you do something?
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Why?
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Not surprised in the slightest.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49I'm resigned to the fact that nobody does anything
0:22:49 > 0:22:50about these things now.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51You must be disappointed?
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Yeah.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Well, a bit, but when you've seen so much happen and nothing happen on
0:22:59 > 0:23:04all of those occasions as well, it's arrogant to assume that I would be
0:23:04 > 0:23:07treated any differently, that my claim would be
0:23:07 > 0:23:11anything that stood out.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15I'm a number, a name, not a person.
0:23:15 > 0:23:22I'm just an allegation, probably one of many.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27And there's no importance attached to those.
0:23:27 > 0:23:33It only becomes important when it becomes a problem,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and it becomes a problem when it's picked up by the media,
0:23:36 > 0:23:40when somebody stands up for the people that these things
0:23:40 > 0:23:43have happened to.
0:23:43 > 0:23:49What do you hope's going to happen as a result of you speaking to us?
0:23:49 > 0:23:53I would hope that a code of conduct is introduced,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56and a no-tolerance policy equally introduced to monitor
0:23:56 > 0:23:58the behaviour of all individuals working in Parliament,
0:23:58 > 0:24:03regardless of their status.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07I would also like to hope that the licensing requirements
0:24:07 > 0:24:11are reviewed in the bars on the Parliamentary estate,
0:24:11 > 0:24:17and that consent workshops are compulsory for anybody
0:24:17 > 0:24:22in employment within Parliament, MP or staffer.
0:24:22 > 0:24:30It sounds petty, it sounds like very, very small actions,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33but the fact that this has happened for so long, these small
0:24:33 > 0:24:36actions need to be taken, and their needs to be a no-tolerance
0:24:36 > 0:24:39policy, and any allegation that is made has to be properly
0:24:39 > 0:24:48investigated and treated as a serious, serious offence.
0:24:56 > 0:25:03Andrew says a deeply powerful story. Mummy says, "This story is
0:25:03 > 0:25:08heartbreaking. Sort it out Westminster." A number of you asked
0:25:08 > 0:25:13why the woman didn't go to the police. She did. It was as it was
0:25:13 > 0:25:16proceeding and she went to the House of Commons clerk and the case was
0:25:16 > 0:25:17dropped.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Let's get reaction to that story from Conservative MP, Mims Davies,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22who is the chair of the all-party Parliamentary group
0:25:22 > 0:25:23for Women in Parliament.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26And Labour MP, Rupa Huq, who says she was sexually harassed
0:25:26 > 0:25:31by an MEP when she was in her 20s.
0:25:31 > 0:25:36Mims, how do you react to the fact that an alleged rape was brought to
0:25:36 > 0:25:39the attention of the Parliamentary authorities as it was proceeding to
0:25:39 > 0:25:44a criminal trial, but seemingly no action was taken?Well, first of all
0:25:44 > 0:25:47I'm so sorry to hear this experience of someone who in politics who hoped
0:25:47 > 0:25:53to have a good experience by getting involved with the party. Obviously
0:25:53 > 0:25:58there is an issue here with it being off the Parliamentary estate and
0:25:58 > 0:26:04what was reported to the House authorities. But the reality is, if
0:26:04 > 0:26:09this is endemic as an underlying culture, then certainly what has
0:26:09 > 0:26:13been coming to the fore over the last couple of weeks, we absolutely
0:26:13 > 0:26:17need to deal with so that victims or people who were concerned about any
0:26:17 > 0:26:21behaviour of anybody who works for the House of Commons, any experience
0:26:21 > 0:26:25within Parliament, that they feel there is due process to go through.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29I'm delighted about the code of conduct that we have all
0:26:29 > 0:26:35Conservatives in fact, I raised a ten minute rule Bill seven months
0:26:35 > 0:26:38ago about enshrining the noble principles for councillors and I
0:26:38 > 0:26:43would like to see that culture going cross party and I now Rupa across
0:26:43 > 0:26:47the weekend on different news programmes saying there is a lot of
0:26:47 > 0:26:51good in Parliament as well and we need to make sure that's what people
0:26:51 > 0:26:56see rather than what appears to be unpleasant behaviour, but it is not
0:26:56 > 0:26:59my experience of being part of the Conservative Party. It has been a
0:26:59 > 0:27:03positive experience being an MP, but it appears that some staffers and
0:27:03 > 0:27:07some people being involved in all parties, are having very unpleasant
0:27:07 > 0:27:10experiences and our party is certainly not the only party that
0:27:10 > 0:27:15needs to be really looking at itself and all the procedures around it.Is
0:27:15 > 0:27:20it conceivable to you that a 25 minute conversation of this nature,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24between this woman, and the clerk of the House of Commons, involving a
0:27:24 > 0:27:29rape allegation against a man who worked for a Conservative MP would
0:27:29 > 0:27:36not be passed on to the Chief Whip or Leader of the House of Commons?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39My understanding of the difficulty is this happened off the
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Parliamentary estate and because there were legal proceedings already
0:27:41 > 0:27:47happening. Obviously, Gavin Williamson and Andrea Leadsom were
0:27:47 > 0:27:53mentioned in the piece that we just heard. My experience of them in
0:27:53 > 0:27:56their roles has been very much taking their responsibilities on the
0:27:56 > 0:28:00Parliamentary estate incredibly seriously. Now, if there is a
0:28:00 > 0:28:02disconnect between what happens off the Parliamentary estate and on,
0:28:02 > 0:28:08that's what we need to be dealing with and as I say, this lady who has
0:28:08 > 0:28:12come forward, with such a powerful story, we applaud her for what she
0:28:12 > 0:28:16has done and we have to learn all the lessons cross party from all
0:28:16 > 0:28:19these brave women who are coming forward and showing that their
0:28:19 > 0:28:24experience of politics is not a very good one.The clerk says he didn't
0:28:24 > 0:28:29formerly report to Andrea Leadsom and Gavin William and there was a
0:28:29 > 0:28:32rape allegation because the clerk says there was a criminal case
0:28:32 > 0:28:36proceeding. He refused to tell us who he did speak to about what he
0:28:36 > 0:28:41had been told, saying only that Amanda's allegations were informally
0:28:41 > 0:28:45reported onwards and were acted on. No one can tell us exactly how it
0:28:45 > 0:28:49was acted on and Amanda wasn't told either. Why do you think that would
0:28:49 > 0:28:55be?I'm sorry, Victoria, I just can't tell you.Could it be because
0:28:55 > 0:28:59nothing was done?I don't believe so because I have a spent several
0:28:59 > 0:29:04conversations this weekend with our new Chief Whip who is going through
0:29:04 > 0:29:09every issue relating to an MP and making sure that the code of on duct
0:29:09 > 0:29:13and the proper procedures are put in place. We have got the Prime
0:29:13 > 0:29:17Minister meeting with other leaders today. So, I don't believe that the
0:29:17 > 0:29:20culture that we are moving forward to, we would ever have that
0:29:20 > 0:29:23experience, but I don't know what happened in this situation. My
0:29:23 > 0:29:26understanding is if the drinking culture is reported, that should be
0:29:26 > 0:29:34dealt with. I certainly, as I say, Andrea and Gavin, I have been a new
0:29:34 > 0:29:38MP since 2015, himself issues that I have been concerned about, I have
0:29:38 > 0:29:42always had good responses from both of those people. There must be a
0:29:42 > 0:29:47disconnect there somewhere.Now, the Defence Secretary and now the Chief
0:29:47 > 0:29:52Whip, who says we can confirm the rape allegation was never reported
0:29:52 > 0:29:57to the then Chief Whip. If it was, we would have taken that allegation
0:29:57 > 0:30:00serious and referred to the police. On the Parliamentary estate if there
0:30:00 > 0:30:03is already legal proceedings going on, that is the difficulty here. But
0:30:03 > 0:30:08that doesn't help that young lady. Andrea Leadsom confirmed she was
0:30:08 > 0:30:12told about the complaints regarding culture, but not the rape
0:30:12 > 0:30:19allegations. But again, nothing seems to have been done?
0:30:19 > 0:30:26She described a toxic heavy drinking culture.These quotes, heavy
0:30:26 > 0:30:29drinking, sex driven, very much self interested. I've lost count of the
0:30:29 > 0:30:32amount of women I have seen plied with drink to the point where they
0:30:32 > 0:30:38couldn't stand up, and then being escorted out of bars by senior
0:30:38 > 0:30:49staffers and MPs. Women are meat. Newington, new meat. -- new intern.
0:30:49 > 0:30:55The way she has described that, that's grotesque.My experience,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59having come through the conservative women's organisation is absolutely a
0:30:59 > 0:31:04very respectful and positive culture within the Conservative Party more
0:31:04 > 0:31:08broadly. I came to Parliament in 2015, the first time I had ever come
0:31:08 > 0:31:13other than a morning shadowing another MP. My experience has been
0:31:13 > 0:31:18wholly positive. I have been very clear in this role, both as a
0:31:18 > 0:31:22constituency MP and in the all-party group, that I want Westminster to be
0:31:22 > 0:31:26a welcoming and positive place for women to succeed. Clearly
0:31:26 > 0:31:29historically that is a very different experience to the one I
0:31:29 > 0:31:33have had and am currently having, but it doesn't mean we can't do
0:31:33 > 0:31:38something about that perception. Every week in our constituency
0:31:38 > 0:31:42surgeries, where processes have gone wrong and people have been let down,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45MPs are doing the best for their constituents. We need to be seen to
0:31:45 > 0:31:50be doing this in Parliament. On the whole, many of us do great work and
0:31:50 > 0:31:57this is very damning. It's a terrible scourge.Rupa Huq, Labour
0:31:57 > 0:32:01MP, you were sexually harassed as a student by a male NEP at the
0:32:01 > 0:32:08European Parliament in 1995. Do you think this is now a turning point in
0:32:08 > 0:32:12the way people in positions of power across Westminster and across all
0:32:12 > 0:32:20sectors behave?I do. I think the dam has been broken, the genie has
0:32:20 > 0:32:26come out of the bottle, whichever expression you want to use. About a
0:32:26 > 0:32:31week ago we were talking about the sex toy minister. That's not the
0:32:31 > 0:32:35title of the Minister we were talking about. We have had
0:32:35 > 0:32:38revelations of all this time and my worry was we would get something to
0:32:38 > 0:32:43patch up the crisis, a one off. But now there has to be something
0:32:43 > 0:32:46systematic to deal with these processes that are not there at the
0:32:46 > 0:32:50moment. I do think it's a turning point. We saw it with expenses.
0:32:50 > 0:32:55There are a lot of regulations about financial impropriety but nothing
0:32:55 > 0:33:02really about sexual misconduct, and I think the time has come because of
0:33:02 > 0:33:05all the stuff we have seen.The Prime Minister will meet leaders of
0:33:05 > 0:33:07all Westminster parties in the House of Commons this evening. What
0:33:07 > 0:33:12proposals would you like to see introduced?The case with Amanda is
0:33:12 > 0:33:15gut-wrenching and stomach churning me awful, what happened to her. I
0:33:15 > 0:33:21would like to say it's completely shocking, but in the last week we
0:33:21 > 0:33:26have seen things that it's turning into something unshockable. The Bex
0:33:26 > 0:33:31Bailey case for incidents. There is no real place to report this. There
0:33:31 > 0:33:35are several Commons clerks, I not clear who it is, so who is this
0:33:35 > 0:33:40person? And if it is off the premises, there is no clear chain of
0:33:40 > 0:33:49command to how to report this. We the and independent body. Somebody
0:33:49 > 0:33:54not connected to the House of Commons or to any of the parties. --
0:33:54 > 0:33:59we need an independent body.Could the committee of standards in Public
0:33:59 > 0:34:04life extend its remit? Is that a credible body?That committee is
0:34:04 > 0:34:09about selflessness, the Nolan principles and financial stuff.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13Apparently in 2012 there was a code of conduct that was vetoed by the
0:34:13 > 0:34:17whips. The culture of the whips, and these mysterious terms to people on
0:34:17 > 0:34:20the outside, Chief Whip, if you're not in the system you don't know
0:34:20 > 0:34:27what this means. Their job is to shore up their own party. That's why
0:34:27 > 0:34:30there has been such reluctance. We need something independent and rules
0:34:30 > 0:34:34for them to uphold. At the moment the rules are lax, if nonexistent.
0:34:34 > 0:34:39There is no sexual harassment policy, no HR in the House of
0:34:39 > 0:34:43Commons.What about consent classes for MPs and those who work for them?
0:34:43 > 0:34:48I think all these things should hinge on consent. What happened to
0:34:48 > 0:34:54me 22 years ago, the case of a male NEP with wandering hands, putting
0:34:54 > 0:34:59them somewhere I didn't want them. I rebuffed him and that was the end of
0:34:59 > 0:35:05it. It left me startled more than anything else.What was he thinking?
0:35:05 > 0:35:08This person is not very tall good-looking, but he had power
0:35:08 > 0:35:13because he was an MEP. You have these massively asymmetrical power
0:35:13 > 0:35:16relations wherever there is politics because it's an insecure working
0:35:16 > 0:35:21environment where loads of people want to get into. It's the same as
0:35:21 > 0:35:26any zero hours working culture where people want to get on so they don't
0:35:26 > 0:35:30speak out. And women don't like speaking out, because to bring a
0:35:30 > 0:35:33prosecution, the body of evidence you need, the witness statements,
0:35:33 > 0:35:40and for Amanda it must be traumatic to be reliving all of that. He was
0:35:40 > 0:35:48probably thinking... I can't imagine I was the only person he was doing
0:35:48 > 0:35:56that too. There are lots of interns continually arriving at Strasbourg.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59One person has tweeted, it's about time the police were stopped.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04Another says get rid of the Westminster bar subsidy and use it
0:36:04 > 0:36:07for an HR department. Mahamat says he finds it difficult to believe
0:36:07 > 0:36:15nobody in the Conservatives or Labour knew about it. Really
0:36:15 > 0:36:18interesting to know if this will change things across all
0:36:18 > 0:36:23professions, jobs and sectors. Thank you to Rupa Huq, thank you for your
0:36:23 > 0:36:24time.
0:36:24 > 0:36:25Still to come:
0:36:25 > 0:36:30The Prime Minister Theresa May is due to give a speech
0:36:30 > 0:36:33in around 15 minutes' time where she'll talk about Westminster
0:36:33 > 0:36:36abuse and life after Brexit - we'll bring it to you live.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Plus, we'll look at the Queen's finances following that huge leak
0:36:38 > 0:36:40of financial documents which is being called
0:36:40 > 0:36:42the paradise papers.
0:36:42 > 0:36:53Time for the latest news - here's Annita.
0:36:53 > 0:36:5626 people, including several children have been killed in a
0:36:56 > 0:36:59shooting in a church service in Texas. The attack happened at the
0:36:59 > 0:37:03first Baptist Church in the small town of Sutherland Springs.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07Authorities say the youngest victim was five years old, the eldest was
0:37:07 > 0:37:1172. Police found the suspect dead in his car. There is currently no
0:37:11 > 0:37:14indication as to his motive.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16The people who manage the Queen's finances have
0:37:16 > 0:37:18defended their investment practices after the revelation that some
0:37:18 > 0:37:20of her wealth has been placed in two offshore funds.
0:37:20 > 0:37:26It follows a huge new leak of financial documents,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28dubbed the "Paradise Papers", revealing how the rich and powerful
0:37:28 > 0:37:30invest their money in tax havens around the world.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34The BBC does not know the source of the leak,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36which contains more than 13 million documents, mostly from one finance
0:37:36 > 0:37:40firm based in Bermuda.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43A former Conservative activist has told this programme she was ignored
0:37:43 > 0:37:45when she told the House of Commons authorities she'd been raped
0:37:45 > 0:37:48by a man who worked for a Tory MP.
0:37:48 > 0:37:54The woman, whose identity is being protected, told us
0:37:54 > 0:37:57she was assured by Commons officials that it would be "passed on"
0:37:57 > 0:37:59to senior party figures - but now says her report was not
0:37:59 > 0:38:01taken seriously.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03That's a summary of the latest BBC News.
0:38:03 > 0:38:08Here's some sport now with Kathryn Downes.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Here are the sports headlines. Arsene Wenger has accused Raheem
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Sterling of diving and says the refereeing in the Premier League is
0:38:14 > 0:38:20getting worse by the season. Arsenal lost 3-1 to Manchester city, who are
0:38:20 > 0:38:23now eight points clear at the top of the table. Chelsea beat Manchester
0:38:23 > 0:38:27United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, Jose Mourinho on the losing side as he
0:38:27 > 0:38:31returns to his former club. Kilmarnock chalked up a much-needed
0:38:31 > 0:38:35victory in the Scottish Premiership, beating Hearts under new manager
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Steve Clark, taking them out of the relegation zone. Justin Rose is
0:38:39 > 0:38:44making a late bid to finish the year as Europe's number one golfer.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48Victory in Turkey gave him back-to-back wins and he is closing
0:38:48 > 0:38:51in on Tommy Fleetwood at the top of the standings.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54The people who manage the Queen's finances have
0:38:54 > 0:38:56defended their investment practices after the revelation that some
0:38:56 > 0:39:00of her wealth has been placed in two offshore funds.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02The Duchy of Lancaster, which provides the Queen
0:39:02 > 0:39:06with an income, held funds in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Here's how it works.
0:40:49 > 0:40:53A small amount of the Queen's money went into a buy-to-rent retailer
0:40:53 > 0:40:55called BrightHouse - a company which has been criticised
0:40:55 > 0:41:01for irresponsible lending.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06Last month, the UK's financial regulator said BrightHouse,
0:41:06 > 0:41:08which sells electrical goods and furniture predominantly
0:41:08 > 0:41:13to people on lower incomes via weekly installments,
0:41:13 > 0:41:18had not acted as a "responsible lender" and ordered it to pay
0:41:18 > 0:41:26£15 million compensation to 249,000 customers.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Last year, in an exclusive report for this programme,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31the former Labour leader Ed Miliband called for better regulation
0:41:31 > 0:41:32on buy-to-rent firms such as BrightHouse.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34BrightHouse have 300 stores across the country,
0:41:34 > 0:41:36often in the poorest areas.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40One of them is in Doncaster, my constituency.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45I'm concerned that BrightHouse has taken advantage of people
0:41:45 > 0:41:49on benefits and working on low incomes.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52But in the course of our investigation, I have been really
0:41:52 > 0:41:54shocked to find BrightHouse is selling to people
0:41:54 > 0:41:59with mental health problems and learning disabilities.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Paul, not his real name, he asked us to hide his identity.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05He has learning difficulties and mental health problems.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07You are a customer of BrightHouse?
0:42:07 > 0:42:11Yes.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14And do you want to just tell me, from the receipts, what you owe
0:42:14 > 0:42:18them, and what goods you have with them?
0:42:18 > 0:42:20That's that. That's the sofa?
0:42:20 > 0:42:21Yeah.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25Telly, CD.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29So you have on this receipt, five items.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32How have you ended up with that number of items, do you think?
0:42:32 > 0:42:36You must have started off with one?
0:42:36 > 0:42:38I started off with one.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42I don't know how it works, I really don't know.
0:42:42 > 0:42:47The disclosure is among the first from a leak of millions
0:42:47 > 0:42:49of confidential documents relating to investments made
0:42:49 > 0:42:51through tax havens by wealthy individuals and companies.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52They've been dubbed "The Paradise Papers".
0:42:52 > 0:42:55They were obtained by the German newspaper
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Suddeutsche Zeitung and shared with the International Consortium
0:42:58 > 0:43:00of Investigative Journalists - including the BBC's
0:43:00 > 0:43:05Panorama programme.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07David McClure is with us in the studio this morning -
0:43:07 > 0:43:09he's author of Royal Legacy, an investigation into
0:43:09 > 0:43:11the royal finances.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13And with us on webcam is Richard Brooks -
0:43:13 > 0:43:18a former tax inspector at HMRC an author of The Great Tax Robbery.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21And we can speak to Jo Galazka, whose family had years
0:43:21 > 0:43:28of bad experiences with the rent-to-own company BrightHouse.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30Wee mate interrupts this conversation if the Prime Minister
0:43:30 > 0:43:35begins her speech at the CBI's annual conference. -- we might
0:43:35 > 0:43:41interrupt. Why is it controversial that the Queen's private estate
0:43:41 > 0:43:46invested £10 million in offshore tax havens?I think the controversy is
0:43:46 > 0:43:52over what these tax havens do, and as the report said, there is no
0:43:52 > 0:43:55evidence of direct tax avoidance by the Duchy of Lancaster, the Queen's
0:43:55 > 0:44:02fund. But the money has gone through the Cayman Islands, which is
0:44:02 > 0:44:06associated with secrecy, which is involved in tax avoidance by other
0:44:06 > 0:44:13companies with corruption, tax evasion, and it's not the place the
0:44:13 > 0:44:16Queen's advisers should be putting her money.If there is no tax
0:44:16 > 0:44:22advantage for her doing it there, why do it there?I think there are
0:44:22 > 0:44:27other marginal regulation type advantages for the funds involved.
0:44:27 > 0:44:32These tax havens do not just specialise in tax avoidance, they
0:44:32 > 0:44:36also offer light regulation that appeals to fund management
0:44:36 > 0:44:42industries. That's why the money is there in the first place. It's not
0:44:42 > 0:44:45really a tax issue in this case. Would the Queen know where the money
0:44:45 > 0:44:52is going?It's extremely unlikely. She does not have hands-on control
0:44:52 > 0:44:56of the Duchy. That's done by the Council, and below that there is a
0:44:56 > 0:45:02series of about 18 fully employed officials of the Duchy. She would
0:45:02 > 0:45:08not know of the individual investments going on.Why would all
0:45:08 > 0:45:11those expert people think it appropriate for the British Monarch
0:45:11 > 0:45:14to invest money in offshore tax havens?
0:45:17 > 0:45:21Well that's a very good question. Someone should have looked at it
0:45:21 > 0:45:27more closely. Does this look bad? Nothing illegal has happened. It
0:45:27 > 0:45:33damaged the brand. Someone should have said, "Hey, why are we
0:45:33 > 0:45:38investing in these funds?"It seems inconceivable that no one said that.
0:45:38 > 0:45:43You would like sensible people would say, "What would this look like to
0:45:43 > 0:45:48the British public if it ever came out?Maybe they thought it would
0:45:48 > 0:45:54never come out.Jo, your family's experiences as a BrightHouse
0:45:54 > 0:46:01customer?My family, we have had a number of goods and items from
0:46:01 > 0:46:03BrightHouse and we are one of the families that Ed Miliband referred
0:46:03 > 0:46:08to, that have been exploited. My mum has got severe mental health
0:46:08 > 0:46:12problems and yes, she has been completely exploited by BrightHouse
0:46:12 > 0:46:16and it resulted in goods being returned, despite her paying
0:46:16 > 0:46:22hundreds of pounds for them. Even a sofa being taken away. It is a
0:46:22 > 0:46:25scandal and I'm really disappointed to see that the Royal Family have
0:46:25 > 0:46:28shares in such a company like BrightHouse.
0:46:28 > 0:46:33They don't have shares in BrightHouse, but they invested in a
0:46:33 > 0:46:36company that has links with BrightHouse. What do you think of
0:46:36 > 0:46:42that?I'm truly horrified because you know what does it say to
0:46:42 > 0:46:46families like mine and you know people in this country who have got
0:46:46 > 0:46:51mental health problems who have been exploited by BrightHouse. Has it
0:46:51 > 0:46:56given it the green light and the go-ahead to practise practises like
0:46:56 > 0:47:02that.BrightHouse says it provides services to millions of British
0:47:02 > 0:47:07people who are unable to access traditional lines of credit.I would
0:47:07 > 0:47:12have to disagree with that. With my mum, they were constantly harassing
0:47:12 > 0:47:15her, asking her, do you want ad-ones, do you need this? It is
0:47:15 > 0:47:19coming up to Christmas, the children may want a games console, they may
0:47:19 > 0:47:23want a lap toop and as far as I am concerned, they ex-plotted my mum.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26She is on benefits and clearly can't afford the repayments and at one
0:47:26 > 0:47:30time she was paying up to £50 a week in repayments. So tell me how that
0:47:30 > 0:47:35is responsible? I disagree with that and they're going to say that, but
0:47:35 > 0:47:39families like mine are the tip of the iceberg, there is much more if
0:47:39 > 0:47:43we scratch below the surface.Do you know if your mum will be entitled to
0:47:43 > 0:47:47any of the compensation?She is has made contact and they said they
0:47:47 > 0:47:50would be in touch by the end of the year. Yes, she does qualify as one
0:47:50 > 0:47:55of those people. David, it was a relatively small
0:47:55 > 0:47:58amount of money from the Queen's private estate, just over £3,000
0:47:58 > 0:48:03that ended up in the company behind BrightHouse. Does the amount of
0:48:03 > 0:48:10money matter?It doesn't matter. It's a small sum, but it looks bad.
0:48:10 > 0:48:15It damages the brand. And someone should have seen that this it would
0:48:15 > 0:48:20cause embarrassment. So, it's a small amount, but the individual
0:48:20 > 0:48:27amount is small, but there is about £10 million invested overall in the
0:48:27 > 0:48:30off-shore tax havens so it is part of a much bigger sum.Do you think
0:48:30 > 0:48:34it will lead to greater transparency and inn what the duchy does with the
0:48:34 > 0:48:40Queen's money?I think it will add to the pressure for Parliament to
0:48:40 > 0:48:45try to impose greater scrutiny over how the duchy is run. In the past,
0:48:45 > 0:48:49they have, they have there have been a few odd Parliamentary Committees
0:48:49 > 0:48:53that looked into, but they have not got a handle on how the money is
0:48:53 > 0:49:02spent.Richard, is it possible tond tax havens?It's difficult. I mean,
0:49:02 > 0:49:06the process is beginning, very, very slowly, but you know the irony is
0:49:06 > 0:49:10that we are all, tend to be agreeing that the Queen's money should not
0:49:10 > 0:49:15have been put into a tax haven.I'm going to interrupt you, sorry. The
0:49:15 > 0:49:18Prime Minister, Theresa May, is on stage at the CBI conference. Let's
0:49:18 > 0:49:22listen to what she has to say.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26It is a pleasure to be with you today. Last year I spoke to you
0:49:26 > 0:49:32about my belief in a well regulated free-market economy. I said it was
0:49:32 > 0:49:37the very best way to spread opportunity, and lift people out of
0:49:37 > 0:49:44poverty. We should never under estimate the immense value and
0:49:44 > 0:49:47potential of open, innovative, free-market economies when they
0:49:47 > 0:49:53operate under the right rules and regulations. Around the world, over
0:49:53 > 0:49:57the last century, it has been those countries with well functioning free
0:49:57 > 0:50:03markets which have enjoyed the greatest economic, social and
0:50:03 > 0:50:07technological advancements. At its best when a free and open market
0:50:07 > 0:50:11place is combined request the rule of law, individual freedom, equality
0:50:11 > 0:50:14and Human Rights, in a representative democracy, great
0:50:14 > 0:50:19things are possible. People live longer and more secure lives. They
0:50:19 > 0:50:23have the freedom and the means to fulfil their ambitions and make the
0:50:23 > 0:50:27most of their potential. To bring up their families, care for one another
0:50:27 > 0:50:31and give something back to their local communities and to wider
0:50:31 > 0:50:34society. And I believe that the approach I
0:50:34 > 0:50:40set out to this gathering last year, for a more co-operative partnership
0:50:40 > 0:50:43between business and government, is the right one to build the even
0:50:43 > 0:50:51stronger economy we all want to see. An economy fit fort future. Ready
0:50:51 > 0:50:54for the next decade, delivering greater opportunity and prosperity
0:50:54 > 0:51:00right across the country. I believe that the opportunities ahead for our
0:51:00 > 0:51:05country are enormous. And the Government I lead is determined to
0:51:05 > 0:51:11support British business in making the most of them. Over the last 12
0:51:11 > 0:51:15months, I've led trade delegations to India and Japan. I'm always
0:51:15 > 0:51:20hugely impressed by the businesses and entrepreneurs I take on these
0:51:20 > 0:51:23trade trips with me and who I meet week in and week out and I'm
0:51:23 > 0:51:29immensely proud of what they have to offer international investors. Last
0:51:29 > 0:51:33year, Britain enjoyed record levels of foreign direct investment. Across
0:51:33 > 0:51:41the UK, we have seen Toyota announce a £240 million upgrade to their car
0:51:41 > 0:51:45plant in Derbyshire and BMW announce they will build a fully electric
0:51:45 > 0:51:52version of the Mini in Oxford, the train manufacturer is expected to
0:51:52 > 0:51:56create 200 skilled jobs in its new factory following a £30 million
0:51:56 > 0:52:03investment, with the support from the Department of Trade, Elite in
0:52:03 > 0:52:08Enniskillen won contracts worth over £4.5 million and bus manufacturer t
0:52:08 > 0:52:13secured a £44 million deal toks port double-deckers to Mexico City.
0:52:13 > 0:52:18Supporting hundreds of jobs in Falkirk and Guildford. Here in
0:52:18 > 0:52:21London, Google will open a new London office with £1 billion of
0:52:21 > 0:52:27investment. As we celebrate this good news, we should keep in mind
0:52:27 > 0:52:35what it all really means. It is not simply numbers on a balance sheet,
0:52:35 > 0:52:38but an investment in people's livelihoods, and the economic
0:52:38 > 0:52:44security of families across Britain. It is a vote of confidence in the
0:52:44 > 0:52:51UK, in our talents, our skills, and our infrastructure, and our ideas.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55And the reason we want a strong and thriving economy and successful
0:52:55 > 0:52:59businesses is because we want to help more people to lead full and
0:52:59 > 0:53:04happy lives with good quality jobs, and rising living standards. To
0:53:04 > 0:53:09build a country that works for everyone, and an economy that is fit
0:53:09 > 0:53:16for the future. For the last decade, the biggest economic challenge
0:53:16 > 0:53:20facing the Government has been dealing with the consequences of the
0:53:20 > 0:53:24financial crash, and the great recession which followed it. Thanks
0:53:24 > 0:53:29to the innovation and the entrepreneurship of British
0:53:29 > 0:53:32business, the hard work and sacrifice of the British people and
0:53:32 > 0:53:35the Government's clear economic plan that situation has now been
0:53:35 > 0:53:40transformed. The deficit has been cut by over two-thirds, and the
0:53:40 > 0:53:46economy has grown for 19 consecutive quarters. Since 2010, over three
0:53:46 > 0:53:52million more people now have the security of a job. There are nearly
0:53:52 > 0:53:56one million fewer workless households. 3.4 million new
0:53:56 > 0:54:00apprenticeships have begun. Income equality is at its lowest level
0:54:00 > 0:54:04since 1986. And the number of people living in absolute poverty is at a
0:54:04 > 0:54:10record low. British businesses, and indeed, the CBI itself, can take
0:54:10 > 0:54:14their share of credit for what Britain has achieved in the years
0:54:14 > 0:54:23since the financial crisis. But our job now is to look to the future. If
0:54:23 > 0:54:27the last ten years have seen us weathering the storm of the
0:54:27 > 0:54:31financial crisis, and rebuilding our fiscal and economic position, the
0:54:31 > 0:54:35next ten years must see the beginning of a new chapter in the
0:54:35 > 0:54:39story of the British economy. Because for all our progress there
0:54:39 > 0:54:46is still a long way to go. So today, I want to talk about my vision for
0:54:46 > 0:54:50the stronger, fairer, and better balanced economy we need to build in
0:54:50 > 0:54:57the years ahead. The Conservative Government's plan to deliver this is
0:54:57 > 0:55:02very clear - we will get the best Brexit deal for our country.
0:55:02 > 0:55:05Guaranteeing the greatest possible access to European markets, boosting
0:55:05 > 0:55:09free trade across the world, and delivering control over our borders,
0:55:09 > 0:55:15laws and money. We will take a balanced approach to government
0:55:15 > 0:55:18spending, ensuring debt is falling and at the same time, investing in
0:55:18 > 0:55:23our key public services, and keeping taxes low. We will help businesses
0:55:23 > 0:55:28to create more good jobs across the country, with a modern industry
0:55:28 > 0:55:32strategy that invests in the skills, industries and infrastructure of the
0:55:32 > 0:55:37future. We will build the homes our country needs. Sew everyone can
0:55:37 > 0:55:42afford a place to call their own and all the security that brings.
0:55:42 > 0:55:46We will carry on improving standards in our schools and colleges, so our
0:55:46 > 0:55:52young people can get on in life. We will back the innovators and wealth
0:55:52 > 0:55:56creators who deliver growth, jobs and lower prices, and greater
0:55:56 > 0:56:01choices for consumers and step in if businesses don't play by the rules.
0:56:01 > 0:56:06And we will work tirelessly to tackle the injustices that hold
0:56:06 > 0:56:13people back from achieving their true potential. By following this
0:56:13 > 0:56:18plan, a balanced approach to public spending, the best Brexit deal for
0:56:18 > 0:56:22Britain, and active industrial strategy, more homes, higher
0:56:22 > 0:56:26standards in our schools, backing innovation and wealth creation and
0:56:26 > 0:56:30fighting tirelessly against injustice, we can create a country
0:56:30 > 0:56:34with a stronger economy, and a fairer, more caring society. One
0:56:34 > 0:56:41that will guarantee a better future for the next generation. Central to
0:56:41 > 0:56:47this plan is our modern industrial strategy. The Government will be
0:56:47 > 0:56:50publishing our industrial strategy White Paper later this month and we
0:56:50 > 0:56:54will speak in more detail about it then. But let me just set out today
0:56:54 > 0:57:00some of the underlying principles which are driving our work. For a
0:57:00 > 0:57:04free-market economy to succeed in delivering economic and social
0:57:04 > 0:57:09progress for everyone, the Government has a vital role to play.
0:57:09 > 0:57:13That starts by setting the right rules, and making sure they are
0:57:13 > 0:57:20adhered to. And some say it's role should end there too. But I believe
0:57:20 > 0:57:26the proper role of government goes beyond that. Through how it invests
0:57:26 > 0:57:29public funds, how it provides an education system for the next
0:57:29 > 0:57:37generation, how it commits to long-term goals and how it supports
0:57:37 > 0:57:39business, people and places, a strategic state has a major
0:57:39 > 0:57:44influence on the economy. In exerting that influence, governments
0:57:44 > 0:57:48must inevitably make choices and in a democracy, be held to account for
0:57:48 > 0:57:55them. The choice which this government makes is to deploy this
0:57:55 > 0:57:58influence in a thought through way, taking decisions for the long-term
0:57:58 > 0:58:02because while the power and potential of the market is immense,
0:58:02 > 0:58:07I also strongly believe in the good that government can do.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11We've already seen this approach work for one sector of the economy,
0:58:11 > 0:58:16the financial services sector. Over decades, governments of all parties,
0:58:16 > 0:58:21pursued the aim of making the UK the world's centre for financial
0:58:21 > 0:58:25services. They worked with business to set a clear, long-term framework
0:58:25 > 0:58:30for the sector to succeed and it now accounts for 7.2% of the British
0:58:30 > 0:58:35economy. It contributes over £70 billion to the exchequer annually
0:58:35 > 0:58:39and employs over one million people across the UK. Here in London, yes,
0:58:39 > 0:58:42but also in Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Leeds and in other
0:58:42 > 0:58:47towns and cities. And when the regulatory structures
0:58:47 > 0:58:52governments put in place fail, and the irresponsible practises of a
0:58:52 > 0:58:57minority damage the economy as a whole, as happened during the
0:58:57 > 0:59:01financial crisis, government has a duty to step in. When British banks
0:59:01 > 0:59:06suffered during that crisis, government did not turn its back on
0:59:06 > 0:59:11the sector wasting decades of effort and forfeiting our global position,
0:59:11 > 0:59:15instead we were steadfast in our commitment to fixing things and
0:59:15 > 0:59:20making the sector even stronger than before. Government worked to create
0:59:20 > 0:59:26a more stable and defective regulatory framework and in doing
0:59:26 > 0:59:28so, strengthened resilience and reputation of the UK's financial
0:59:28 > 0:59:31sector and contributed to the strengthening of the global
0:59:31 > 0:59:37financial system. This has been a success story for Britain and that
0:59:37 > 0:59:41success has been enabled by strategic support from government.
0:59:41 > 0:59:45And a long-term commitment from Conservative, and a previous
0:59:45 > 0:59:47generation of Labour politicians to provide certainty and follow
0:59:47 > 0:59:54through. That model, a strategic long-term partnership between
0:59:54 > 0:59:59government and a vital sector, effective and evolving regulatory
0:59:59 > 1:00:03frameworks and incentives, has led to global pre-eminence for the UK.
1:00:03 > 1:00:08Good quality jobs across the country, and tax revenue to fund
1:00:08 > 1:00:13vital public services like schools and hospitals. By setting the right
1:00:13 > 1:00:18frameworks, and investing in skills and infrastructure, we can help
1:00:18 > 1:00:23broaden our economic base. Build a more balanced economy, and make
1:00:23 > 1:00:27Britain a true global leader. Of course, we cannot and we will not
1:00:27 > 1:00:32try to make a plan for every corner of our economy. We believe in the
1:00:32 > 1:00:35free-market and won't attempt to shield the economy from market
1:00:35 > 1:00:41forces. So we will have to make strategic decisions about whether
1:00:41 > 1:00:44government can and where it cannot best support key sectors of our
1:00:44 > 1:00:51economy. Such an approach avoids the failed state interventionism of the
1:00:51 > 1:00:551970s. But it also learns from the past failures of governments to give
1:00:55 > 1:00:59sectors and places across the country the long-term support they
1:00:59 > 1:01:04need to cope with economic change and compete in a changing glopeble
1:01:04 > 1:01:08market place.
1:01:08 > 1:01:13As we take the industrial strategy forward, I want the CBI and
1:01:13 > 1:01:17businesses represented here to work as local enterprise partnerships and
1:01:17 > 1:01:22elected mayors to ensure all parts of our country benefit. Our approach
1:01:22 > 1:01:27to industrial strategy reflects our ambitions for the British economy as
1:01:27 > 1:01:33we leave the European Union. A more productive, dynamic, innovative
1:01:33 > 1:01:35world leading economy, which embraces technological change and is
1:01:35 > 1:01:42globally focused. In my Florence speech in September, I made a
1:01:42 > 1:01:47generous offer to our European partners. I am pleased EU leaders
1:01:47 > 1:01:51responded to it positively. The council acknowledged the progress we
1:01:51 > 1:01:56have made and called for a further acceleration. Since I spoke in
1:01:56 > 1:02:01Florence, I am pleased there has been further progress on citizens
1:02:01 > 1:02:04rights, including an agreement on reciprocal health care and pensions
1:02:04 > 1:02:11and further alignment on a range of social security rights. Our EU
1:02:11 > 1:02:17negotiating team is now preparing for the next phase. I particularly
1:02:17 > 1:02:20welcome the beginning of internal discussions among the EU 27 about
1:02:20 > 1:02:23their position on our future relationship and the implementation
1:02:23 > 1:02:28period. When sufficient progress has been agreed, we want to move as
1:02:28 > 1:02:33quickly as possible on both of these issues. Throughout this process, I
1:02:33 > 1:02:36have been determined to give business and industry as much
1:02:36 > 1:02:41certainty as possible. Achieving that maximum certainty was the first
1:02:41 > 1:02:46objective I sat in my Lancaster house speech in January. It has
1:02:46 > 1:02:52remained fundamental to our negotiations to date. We want to
1:02:52 > 1:02:54forge an ambitious economic partnership out of the single market
1:02:54 > 1:02:59but with a new balance of rights and responsibilities between us and the
1:02:59 > 1:03:04European Union. One which respects the freedoms and principles of the
1:03:04 > 1:03:10EU, and the wishes of the British people. We should be excited by the
1:03:10 > 1:03:12possibilities which this new relationship presents for the
1:03:12 > 1:03:16future. Just as we are realistic in acknowledging that it will take time
1:03:16 > 1:03:23to finalise. I have made clear that a strictly time-limited
1:03:23 > 1:03:26implementation period will be crucial to our future success. I
1:03:26 > 1:03:30know how important it is for business and industry not to face a
1:03:30 > 1:03:35cliff edge and to have the time it needs to plan and prepare for new
1:03:35 > 1:03:39arrangements. During this period, our access to one another's market
1:03:39 > 1:03:44should continue on current terms, and I want us to agree a detailed
1:03:44 > 1:03:50arrangements for the period as early as possible. But we should also be
1:03:50 > 1:03:54able to develop our relationships with countries outside the EU in new
1:03:54 > 1:03:57ways, including through our own trade negotiations throughout the
1:03:57 > 1:04:04world. And that world is changing in profound ways. The technologies
1:04:04 > 1:04:07which are emerging today will have as profound an impact on our economy
1:04:07 > 1:04:13and lives in the 2020 Horrell and 2030s is the Internet and smart
1:04:13 > 1:04:19technology have over the last 20 years. Britain is already a world
1:04:19 > 1:04:25leader in a number of fields. The UK is ideally placed to be the world's
1:04:25 > 1:04:38hub. In artificial intelligence, I believe Dame Wendy Hall and Jerome's
1:04:38 > 1:04:44independent review into the sector argued that we should seek to make
1:04:44 > 1:04:47the UK the best place in the world for artificial intelligence
1:04:47 > 1:04:52businesses to develop, start, grow and thrive. The economy fit for the
1:04:52 > 1:04:57future which we must build over the next decade, will be driven by
1:04:57 > 1:05:00science and innovation. As well as supporting economic growth and
1:05:00 > 1:05:05helping to create good jobs of the future, scientific and technological
1:05:05 > 1:05:10advancements also have the potential to transform and improve our lives,
1:05:10 > 1:05:14with life-saving medicines, new sources of clean energy and
1:05:14 > 1:05:18breakthroughs in digital technology that we use everyday. Last year at
1:05:18 > 1:05:23this conference I committed to a record increase in public spending
1:05:23 > 1:05:35on research and development with an £2 billion by 2021. I want to make
1:05:35 > 1:05:37Britain a international centre for the transformative technologies of
1:05:37 > 1:05:41the future. We are playing our part by increasing public sector support
1:05:41 > 1:05:51for research and develop it to record. Levels. We will say more in
1:05:51 > 1:05:55the industrial White Paper. Today I put the challenge to you and to
1:05:55 > 1:06:04industry across the UK to do the same. Because the immense benefits
1:06:04 > 1:06:10that investment in research and development can bring you will
1:06:10 > 1:06:13develop the products and services that will convert scientific
1:06:13 > 1:06:18discovery into real improvements in people's daily lives. Today, for
1:06:18 > 1:06:20everyone pound of government support for research and development,
1:06:20 > 1:06:27British businesses invest around £1 70. But in America businesses invest
1:06:27 > 1:06:34around £2 70, and German businesses invest around £2 40. So I want you
1:06:34 > 1:06:41to work with us to drive up business investment. To help develop the next
1:06:41 > 1:06:44generation of technology is here in the UK so we can deliver more good
1:06:44 > 1:06:49jobs across the country and improve living standards for everyone. This
1:06:49 > 1:06:54is a goal we all share and one I know the CBI has long campaigned
1:06:54 > 1:06:59for. And Britain has always been at the cutting edge, the birthplace of
1:06:59 > 1:07:05the first Industrial Revolution, the home of more Nobel prizewinners than
1:07:05 > 1:07:09any country outside the United States. We must see these coming
1:07:09 > 1:07:12technologies as forces for good with huge potential for our economy and
1:07:12 > 1:07:18society. For our industrial strategy, the government will help
1:07:18 > 1:07:24ensure Britain makes the most of them. As is our duty, we will also
1:07:24 > 1:07:31work with and support those who are disrupted by that change as well.
1:07:31 > 1:07:35That will mean ensuring the UK has modern and efficient infrastructure
1:07:35 > 1:07:39which delivers for taxpayers and businesses across the UK. Add
1:07:39 > 1:07:44considerable progress has already been made. More than a quarter of £1
1:07:44 > 1:07:52trillion has been invested in UK infrastructure since 2010. We are
1:07:52 > 1:07:57getting impartial expert advice on crucial decisions of the future. As
1:07:57 > 1:08:00well as investing in the physical infrastructure, we also have a duty
1:08:00 > 1:08:06to invest in the skills of our workforce. For too long, technical
1:08:06 > 1:08:09education in this country was regarded as second best and our
1:08:09 > 1:08:18economy suffered as a result. We are changing this. Our new T levels
1:08:18 > 1:08:27backed by substantial funding will overturn education levels in
1:08:27 > 1:08:33England. We will cover digital, construction and education and
1:08:33 > 1:08:37childcare. These will be of equivalent status to a levels and
1:08:37 > 1:08:40will give young people who want to pursue a technical career a better
1:08:40 > 1:08:45and clearer path to follow. But improving our offer on technical
1:08:45 > 1:08:49education takes nothing away from the importance of higher education.
1:08:49 > 1:08:54I want to see more people from more diverse backgrounds, both going on
1:08:54 > 1:08:59to university and enjoying the benefits of higher-level study of
1:08:59 > 1:09:04all kinds. Our international competitors are producing more and
1:09:04 > 1:09:09more skilled workers and we need to do the same. These are exciting
1:09:09 > 1:09:12times for our country. I am optimistic about the future we can
1:09:12 > 1:09:16build for our young people if we continue to press ahead with our
1:09:16 > 1:09:20reforms. Better schools, improve technical education and more
1:09:20 > 1:09:24accessible universities, giving everyone the chance to get on in
1:09:24 > 1:09:30life with a good quality job, the chance to get a secure home and
1:09:30 > 1:09:32raise a family. That's what our industrial strategy is there to
1:09:32 > 1:09:40deliver. I have talked this morning about how government and business
1:09:40 > 1:09:43can work together, to pursue a modern industrial strategy and build
1:09:43 > 1:09:50an economy that is fit for the future. But gathered here today, we
1:09:50 > 1:09:54cannot ignore the ongoing allegations of serious abuse and
1:09:54 > 1:10:00harassment in Parliament and across Westminster. As representatives of
1:10:00 > 1:10:05British business, you know that your firm 's only truly succeed when you
1:10:05 > 1:10:11provide safe, secure and professional environments for your
1:10:11 > 1:10:14employees. Parliament and Whitehall are special places in our democracy,
1:10:14 > 1:10:19but they are also places of work, too. And exactly the same standards
1:10:19 > 1:10:25and norms should govern them as govern any other workplace. What has
1:10:25 > 1:10:29been revealed over the last few weeks has been deeply troubling, and
1:10:29 > 1:10:34has understandably led to significant public unease. Women and
1:10:34 > 1:10:41men should be able to work free from the threat or fear of harassment,
1:10:41 > 1:10:44bullying and intimidation. But for too long the powerful have been able
1:10:44 > 1:10:47to abuse their power and their victims have not been able to speak
1:10:47 > 1:10:52out. Let me be very frank, political parties have not always got this
1:10:52 > 1:10:56right in the past. But I am determined to get it right for the
1:10:56 > 1:11:02future. So I have already published a new code of conduct and grievance
1:11:02 > 1:11:06procedure for the Conservative Party, which will apply to all
1:11:06 > 1:11:10conservative officeholders and representatives. It sets out the
1:11:10 > 1:11:14high standards we expect and the procedure we will follow to deal
1:11:14 > 1:11:18effectively with complaints. And later today I will convene a meeting
1:11:18 > 1:11:24with my fellow party leaders to discuss establishing a new common,
1:11:24 > 1:11:27robust grievance procedure for Parliament. Because those working
1:11:27 > 1:11:31for members of Parliament should not have to navigate different party
1:11:31 > 1:11:35systems depending on their employer's political affiliation. We
1:11:35 > 1:11:40need to establish a new culture of respect at the centre of our public
1:11:40 > 1:11:46life. One in which everyone can feel confident that they are working in a
1:11:46 > 1:11:49safe and secure environment, where complaints can be brought forward
1:11:49 > 1:11:52without prejudice, and victims know that these complaints will be
1:11:52 > 1:11:59investigated properly. And where people's careers cannot be damaged
1:11:59 > 1:12:04by unfounded rumours circulated anonymously online. Of course,
1:12:04 > 1:12:07people can be friends with their colleagues and consensual
1:12:07 > 1:12:11relationships can develop at work. This is not about prying into
1:12:11 > 1:12:18private lives. What we are talking about is the use and abuse of power.
1:12:18 > 1:12:22We must stand up for all the victims of abuse, harassment or
1:12:22 > 1:12:27discrimination wherever it has occurred. Now is the time to act
1:12:27 > 1:12:32decisively, without fear or favour, to guarantee a safe and respectful
1:12:32 > 1:12:39working environment for everyone in the future. As we look ahead to the
1:12:39 > 1:12:44next ten years of Britain's economy, we should do so as rational
1:12:44 > 1:12:47optimists, there are huge opportunities ahead, making the most
1:12:47 > 1:12:52of them will demand hard work, imagination and commitment. But
1:12:52 > 1:12:56Britain has succeeded in the past where we have been confident in our
1:12:56 > 1:13:02strengths and bold in our action. When we have backed the ambition of
1:13:02 > 1:13:06our wealth creators, who use their talent, hard work and skill to take
1:13:06 > 1:13:11a chance, to grow a business, and to spread economic opportunity to
1:13:11 > 1:13:16others. With the right economic foundations, a balanced approach to
1:13:16 > 1:13:24public spending, and the best Brexit deal for Britain, the right
1:13:24 > 1:13:26long-term incentives or business and our wealth creators, given the
1:13:26 > 1:13:30freedom and support to and thrive, and with government playing a proper
1:13:30 > 1:13:35strategic role in support of growth across the United Kingdom, I am
1:13:35 > 1:13:39convinced we can and will make the most of those opportunities and
1:13:39 > 1:13:47build a better future for everyone in our country. Thank you.STUDIO:
1:13:47 > 1:13:51Theresa May describing the sexual harassment and abuse revelations in
1:13:51 > 1:13:54recent weeks as deeply troubling. She says for too long the powerful
1:13:54 > 1:13:58have been able to abuse that power. And we need to establish a new
1:13:58 > 1:14:02culture of respect. She will take some questions now.If you would
1:14:02 > 1:14:16like to put your hands up, I will take the red paddle over there.The
1:14:16 > 1:14:20Guardian newspaper, your predecessor David Cameron said aggressive tax
1:14:20 > 1:14:24avoidance was not morally acceptable. And you said you want an
1:14:24 > 1:14:28economy that works not just for the privileged few. Will you finish that
1:14:28 > 1:14:34work and insist British tax havens create public registers of who owns
1:14:34 > 1:14:38offshore companies and trusts, and will you announce a public enquiry
1:14:38 > 1:14:42into aggressive tax avoidance?We have been continuing the work David
1:14:42 > 1:14:46Cameron started. He started it not just for the UK but on the
1:14:46 > 1:14:51international stage as well. That is important. We have been seen more
1:14:51 > 1:14:57revenues come to HMRC over the last few years, since 2010, 100 and £60
1:14:57 > 1:15:03billion extra that they have been able to raise. There is already work
1:15:03 > 1:15:08done to ensure we see greater transparency in our dependencies and
1:15:08 > 1:15:13British Overseas Territories, and we continue to work with them. HMRC is
1:15:13 > 1:15:17already able to seek more information about the ownership of
1:15:17 > 1:15:20shell companies, for example, so they can ensure people are paying
1:15:20 > 1:15:30their tax. We want people to pay the tax that is due. The blue paddle.
1:15:30 > 1:15:42Angela Middleton. We but people in diverse jobs. There are so many
1:15:42 > 1:15:46opportunities now, but what can we as businesses do to build aspiration
1:15:46 > 1:15:50in young people and excite them about their future?STUDIO: We will
1:15:50 > 1:15:53leave Theresa May, she has been addressing the CBI annual
1:15:53 > 1:15:58conference. She talked about Brexit, as well as sexual harassment and
1:15:58 > 1:16:03abuse. I'm Brexit she says she will avoid a cliff edge exit. She calls
1:16:03 > 1:16:06it an implementation period. Everybody else calls it a transition
1:16:06 > 1:16:09period. She says it will be time limited because businesses need
1:16:09 > 1:16:14security. On sexual abuse and harassment she says the revelations
1:16:14 > 1:16:17of recent weeks have been deeply troubling and we need to establish a
1:16:17 > 1:16:22new culture of respect. And we are talking about the use and abuse of
1:16:22 > 1:16:27power, and now is the time to act. She has a meeting tonight with the
1:16:27 > 1:16:30other Westminster party leaders where they will discuss it further.
1:16:34 > 1:16:38We have been asking you if you think it is a tipping point in our society
1:16:38 > 1:16:44when it comes to sexual harassment and abuse. Susan wants to point out
1:16:44 > 1:16:49that we this thing is not confined to the entertainment and political
1:16:49 > 1:16:53arena. She said, "I have worked in an office and I have been subject to
1:16:53 > 1:17:00this behaviour in almost every job I have had. Women who complain are
1:17:00 > 1:17:08regarded as troublemakers. Let's give working women a voice at last."
1:17:08 > 1:17:10David says, "These behaviours are not acceptable anywhere in our
1:17:10 > 1:17:14society and not just in Parliament." There is one on Strictly which he'll
1:17:14 > 1:17:17read later.
1:17:19 > 1:17:22At least 26 people have been killed and 20 others wounded after a gunman
1:17:22 > 1:17:28opened fire at a Texas church during Sunday service.
1:17:28 > 1:17:30The attack happened at the First Baptist Church
1:17:30 > 1:17:32in Sutherland Springs, a small town in Wilson County.
1:17:32 > 1:17:40The victims' ages range from five to 72.
1:17:40 > 1:17:45One man told how he chased the gunman after seeing two men
1:17:45 > 1:17:51exchanging gunfire outside the church.
1:17:51 > 1:17:53Speaking to an American reporter, Johnnie Langendorff
1:17:53 > 1:17:54described his reaction.
1:17:54 > 1:18:00They said there is a shooting. I pursued and I just did what I
1:18:00 > 1:18:04thought was the right thing.You know there were more weapons in that
1:18:04 > 1:18:08car. You possibly stopped from killing other people.I didn't know
1:18:08 > 1:18:09that.
1:18:09 > 1:18:12President Donald Trump, who is on a tour of Asia,
1:18:12 > 1:18:13has reacted to news of the shooting.
1:18:13 > 1:18:16The president described the gunman as "a very deranged individual"
1:18:16 > 1:18:18and denied that guns were to blame for the shooting.
1:18:18 > 1:18:22I think that mental health is your problem here. This was a very based
1:18:22 > 1:18:24on preliminary reports, very deranged individual. A lot of
1:18:24 > 1:18:28problems over a long period of time. We have a lot of mental health
1:18:28 > 1:18:34problems in our country as do other countries, but this isn't a guns
1:18:34 > 1:18:39situation. I mean we could go into it, but it's a little bit soon to go
1:18:39 > 1:18:43into it, but fortunately somebody else had a gun that was shooting
1:18:43 > 1:18:45this the opposite direction otherwise it would have been much
1:18:45 > 1:18:47worse.
1:18:47 > 1:18:49We can discuss this now with Peter Ling,
1:18:49 > 1:18:52a Professor in American Studies at the University of of Nottingham.
1:18:52 > 1:18:56Hello Peter. You say this is really about mental health and that people
1:18:56 > 1:18:59with certain mental health issues should not have access to guns. How
1:18:59 > 1:19:03would you go about enforcing that? Well, this is all part of a
1:19:03 > 1:19:06screening process that you should actually have to be screened before
1:19:06 > 1:19:12you are allowed to have a firearm in the United States, the right to bear
1:19:12 > 1:19:15arms is constitutionally protected so you can't have the kind of
1:19:15 > 1:19:18screening that would be the case in Australia or this country, but Trump
1:19:18 > 1:19:22is speaking to the people who voted for him. They wanted him to protect
1:19:22 > 1:19:27them in their rights. They think the State is bad. And gun control, like
1:19:27 > 1:19:30environmental protection, like health care, is a power grab by the
1:19:30 > 1:19:36State and so, this is why he has come out in the way he has to path
1:19:36 > 1:19:39old jaouz the shooter. He is mad and therefore, we can't legislate
1:19:39 > 1:19:45against madness.Sorry who, is mad? The shooter. In the eyes of Donald
1:19:45 > 1:19:50Trump, we don't need to do anything because the gunman was mad and you
1:19:50 > 1:19:54can't legislate against madness.Can you explain why if someone drives a
1:19:54 > 1:19:58vehicle to crowds of people on a pavement it is described as
1:19:58 > 1:20:01terrorism, but if someone goes into a church and shoots 27 people dead,
1:20:01 > 1:20:08it isn't?Well, we don't know what the motivation of this person was,
1:20:08 > 1:20:14but in the United States, there tends to be the view that domestic
1:20:14 > 1:20:18mass shootings are driven by personal matters whereas these kinds
1:20:18 > 1:20:22of attacks, using other weapons are driven by ideology.
1:20:22 > 1:20:28Do you think there is any chance at all President Trump might shift his
1:20:28 > 1:20:33stance because he has changed his views, his stance, in relation to
1:20:33 > 1:20:38China for example ornate owe, might it happen with guns?No, I think
1:20:38 > 1:20:43there is too much invested in his wing of the party in defending the
1:20:43 > 1:20:47right to bear arms and that as I said earlier, they do regard gun
1:20:47 > 1:20:51control as one of the ways in which the State tries to expand its power
1:20:51 > 1:20:55and they are very hostile to that idea of an expanded State. The only
1:20:55 > 1:21:01possibility would be if the national security interest was so acute that
1:21:01 > 1:21:07they needed to regulate the flow of high powered weaponry to terrorist
1:21:07 > 1:21:16groups.Thank you very much, Professor Peter Ling.
1:21:16 > 1:21:20Still to come: "It felt like no-one was there for me and no one cared.
1:21:20 > 1:21:22I was crying myself to sleep every night."
1:21:22 > 1:21:24The words of one man who grow up in care.
1:21:24 > 1:21:27The Children's Commisioner tells us why it's key there's more
1:21:27 > 1:21:30mental health support for looked after children.
1:21:30 > 1:21:33For too long the powerful have been able to abuse their power -
1:21:33 > 1:21:36the words of Prime Minister Theresa May in the last few minutes.
1:21:36 > 1:21:39This morning we've revealed that a former Conservative Party activist
1:21:39 > 1:21:42who informed the House of Commons authorities of an alleged
1:21:42 > 1:21:46rape says her complaints were completely ignored.
1:21:46 > 1:21:49In an exclusive interview, a woman who we're calling "Amanda"
1:21:49 > 1:21:53told this programme she asked the Commons clerk to raise concerns
1:21:53 > 1:21:58about the "toxic" Westminster culture with senior Tories.
1:21:58 > 1:22:00She tells us, quote "Parliamentary authorities let me know
1:22:00 > 1:22:03that they were passing it on to the Chief Whip
1:22:03 > 1:22:05who was Gavin Williamson at that time and the leader of the House,
1:22:05 > 1:22:08Andrea Leadsom".
1:22:08 > 1:22:13But she didn't hear anything more from anyone.
1:22:13 > 1:22:18Gavin Williamson, now the new Defence Secretary, insists
1:22:18 > 1:22:21nothing was ever reported to him, adding, "If it was, we would take
1:22:21 > 1:22:23an allegation of this nature extremely seriously."
1:22:23 > 1:22:25Amanda's concerns about the culture - but not the rape -
1:22:25 > 1:22:28were passed to the Leader of the House of Commons Andrea
1:22:28 > 1:22:31Leadsom - but no one can confirm what happened next.
1:22:31 > 1:22:35The Commons clerk says he did not formally report the rape allegation
1:22:35 > 1:22:38as there was already a criminal case.
1:22:38 > 1:22:40We bought you Catrin Nye's exclusive report earlier,
1:22:40 > 1:22:42here's a short extract.
1:22:42 > 1:22:48I was raped by someone senior to me in the Conservative Party.
1:22:48 > 1:22:50It was violent, it wasn't in Westminster, and it
1:22:50 > 1:22:51shouldn't have happened.
1:22:51 > 1:22:55And I remember the attack, during the attack, I remember
1:22:55 > 1:23:02the room disappearing around me and thinking I was going to die.
1:23:02 > 1:23:05When he left the next day, I was at a police
1:23:05 > 1:23:07station within an hour.
1:23:07 > 1:23:11And I reported it.
1:23:11 > 1:23:15The criminal case progressed and was due to go to trial.
1:23:15 > 1:23:18Amanda, whose name we've changed to protect the identity of both
1:23:18 > 1:23:20parties, says she decided she wanted to talk to Commons officials
1:23:20 > 1:23:23about her alleged rape and how she felt the culture of Westminster
1:23:23 > 1:23:26contributed to it.
1:23:26 > 1:23:30We've confirmed that she had a 25 minute conversation
1:23:30 > 1:23:33with the House of Commons clerk.
1:23:33 > 1:23:37Parliamentary authorities let me know that they were passing it
1:23:37 > 1:23:40on to the Chief Whip, who was Gavin Williamson at that
1:23:40 > 1:23:42time, and the leader of the House, Andrea Leadsom.
1:23:42 > 1:23:46But that was never followed up.
1:23:46 > 1:23:49As Chief Whip, Gavin Williamson was in charge of the conduct of MPs,
1:23:49 > 1:23:51and Andrea Leadsom was in charge of the day-to-day
1:23:51 > 1:23:53workings of the Commons.
1:23:53 > 1:23:55Amanda says she left that conversation believing she had
1:23:55 > 1:23:58secured a meeting with them.
1:23:58 > 1:24:01The clerk of the House of Commons refused to tell us who he spoke
1:24:01 > 1:24:04to about what he'd been told, but did say that Amanda's views
1:24:04 > 1:24:10on the culture in Parliament only were informally reported onwards
1:24:10 > 1:24:13and were acted on - though no-one will tell us how
1:24:13 > 1:24:16exactly it was acted on and Amanda was not told either.
1:24:16 > 1:24:17We've confirmed that concerns about the culture
1:24:17 > 1:24:20were passed to Andrea Leadsom, but both Leadsom and Williamson
1:24:20 > 1:24:24insist they were not told about the rape claims.
1:24:24 > 1:24:26Senior Conservatives say they're shocked the allegations did not
1:24:26 > 1:24:31reach the Chief Whip's office.
1:24:31 > 1:24:33I never received contact from either of them.
1:24:33 > 1:24:35The Parliamentary authorities never followed it up with me either.
1:24:35 > 1:24:38I've heard nothing.
1:24:38 > 1:24:41How did that make you feel?
1:24:41 > 1:24:42Worthless.
1:24:42 > 1:24:46As if my experience wasn't important.
1:24:46 > 1:24:50And how do you feel about the culture in Westminster now?
1:24:50 > 1:24:54It's toxic.
1:24:54 > 1:24:58It is not a place I would advise any young, particularly young women,
1:24:58 > 1:25:02but young people as a whole to get into.
1:25:02 > 1:25:08Heavy drinking, sex driven.
1:25:08 > 1:25:12Very much...
1:25:12 > 1:25:14Self-interested.
1:25:14 > 1:25:16You really think it's that bad?
1:25:16 > 1:25:17Yeah.
1:25:17 > 1:25:19Yeah.
1:25:19 > 1:25:22I don't think it's that bad, I know it's that bad.
1:25:22 > 1:25:24I mean, I've had men stick their hands up my skirt,
1:25:24 > 1:25:27I've had men ply me with so much drink, again, that
1:25:27 > 1:25:29I couldn't stand up.
1:25:29 > 1:25:32The man Amanda had accused of rape, who was not an MP, strongly
1:25:32 > 1:25:34denied the allegation, and the case was eventually dropped
1:25:34 > 1:25:37after a review of the evidence.
1:25:37 > 1:25:39But when she told the Parliamentary authorities about it,
1:25:39 > 1:25:42and her concerns about the culture, the case was due to go to trial,
1:25:42 > 1:25:50and she says she was ignored - despite their obvious seriousness.
1:25:50 > 1:25:51Why didn't you do something?
1:25:51 > 1:25:54Why?
1:25:54 > 1:25:58Amanda isn't alone.
1:25:58 > 1:26:00Over the past two weeks we have heard allegations
1:26:00 > 1:26:03of inappropriate behaviour across the political parties.
1:26:03 > 1:26:05In the Conservative Party, Sir Michael Fallon was the first
1:26:05 > 1:26:11minister to go following allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
1:26:11 > 1:26:13He acknowledged as Defence Secretary his behaviour had
1:26:13 > 1:26:15"fallen below the high standards of life" required
1:26:15 > 1:26:22in his role.
1:26:22 > 1:26:24Damian Green, who's effectively Theresa May's deputy,
1:26:24 > 1:26:26has denied a claim that police found pornography on his computer
1:26:26 > 1:26:29during a raid on his Westminster office in 2008.
1:26:29 > 1:26:31He has said ex-police chief Bob Quick's claims in a Sunday
1:26:31 > 1:26:36newspaper were "completely untrue" and "political smears".
1:26:36 > 1:26:39He is also facing claims he fleetingly touched
1:26:39 > 1:26:44a younger woman's knee and sent her a suggestive text.
1:26:44 > 1:26:46The International Trade Minister Mark Garnier is being investigated
1:26:46 > 1:26:48by the Cabinet Office for a potential breach
1:26:48 > 1:26:50of ministerial rules after he admitted asking his
1:26:50 > 1:26:52secretary to buy sex toys.
1:26:52 > 1:26:56The MP for Wyre Forest also confirmed he called her
1:26:56 > 1:26:58a sexually demeaning term, but said it did not
1:26:58 > 1:27:03amount to harassment.
1:27:03 > 1:27:05Conservative MP for Dover Charlie Elphicke has been suspended
1:27:05 > 1:27:07by his party after "serious allegations" against him
1:27:07 > 1:27:08were referred to the police.
1:27:08 > 1:27:11He says he is not aware of what the alleged claims
1:27:11 > 1:27:16are and denies any wrongdoing.
1:27:16 > 1:27:21Over the weekend, a whip called Chris Pincher stood down
1:27:21 > 1:27:24from the Whips' office and referred himself to both the party's
1:27:24 > 1:27:25complaints procedure and the police following allegations
1:27:25 > 1:27:27over his behaviour.
1:27:27 > 1:27:31He's accused of making an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower
1:27:31 > 1:27:38and Conservative activist Alex Story.
1:27:38 > 1:27:41And Tory MPs Daniel Poulter, Stephen Crabb and Daniel Kawczynski
1:27:41 > 1:27:43have been referred to the Conservative Party disciplinary
1:27:43 > 1:27:47committee after allegations about their conduct.
1:27:47 > 1:27:54Daniel Poulter and Daniel Kawzynski both deny any wrongdoing.
1:27:54 > 1:27:57Stephen Crabb admit saying "some pretty outrageous things" to a woman
1:27:57 > 1:28:01after interviewing her for a job.
1:28:01 > 1:28:03Kelvin Hopkins was suspended from the Labour Party last week
1:28:03 > 1:28:05and an investigation launched after claims he hugged
1:28:05 > 1:28:07a young activist and rubbed himself against her.
1:28:07 > 1:28:13He denies any wrongdoing.
1:28:13 > 1:28:16Another Labour MP, Clive Lewis, is accused of groping a woman
1:28:16 > 1:28:18at Labour conference in September.
1:28:18 > 1:28:22Claims he strenously denies.
1:28:22 > 1:28:24And Labour Welsh Assembly member Carl Sargeant quit as secretary
1:28:24 > 1:28:26for communities and children in the Welsh government
1:28:26 > 1:28:30after allegations about his conduct.
1:28:30 > 1:28:34He has urged a full inquiry to "clear his name".
1:28:34 > 1:28:41The SNP have also seen childcare and early years minister
1:28:41 > 1:28:43Mark McDonald quit over "previous actions" which he described
1:28:43 > 1:28:44as "inappropriate".
1:28:44 > 1:28:50The party are investigating.
1:28:50 > 1:28:52We can talk now to political journalist, Jane Merrick.
1:28:52 > 1:28:54She reported to Downing Street an allegation that Michael Fallon
1:28:54 > 1:28:57lunged at her and tried to forcibly kiss her just hours before
1:28:57 > 1:29:01the Defence Secretary left his post.
1:29:01 > 1:29:05This is her first TV interview.
1:29:05 > 1:29:08Also with us in his first TV interview is Olympic rower,
1:29:08 > 1:29:11Alex Story, who claims the Tory Whip Chris Pincher made
1:29:11 > 1:29:13sexual advance towards him when he was a Conservative
1:29:13 > 1:29:17activist in 2001.
1:29:17 > 1:29:21That was before Mr Pincher was an MP. Good morning both of you. Jane,
1:29:21 > 1:29:25first of all, I would like to ask you about our story today that a
1:29:25 > 1:29:30woman reported an alleged rape to the House of Commons clerk and says
1:29:30 > 1:29:32effectively, nothing happened. She was in the end completely ignored.
1:29:32 > 1:29:38How do you react to that?Listening to her story, it is incredibly
1:29:38 > 1:29:43harrowing actually and I think what this shows is that the debate all
1:29:43 > 1:29:47along hasn't been a witch-hunt. It hasn't been about trivial
1:29:47 > 1:29:51allegations. There have been serious things that have happened regarding
1:29:51 > 1:29:55political parties and I think what her case shows is that people need
1:29:55 > 1:29:59to have the confidence to come forward. She didn't, tried to make a
1:29:59 > 1:30:03complaint and it wasn't dealt with and I think there is a fear that
1:30:03 > 1:30:06victims, if they don't have an independent grievance procedure,
1:30:06 > 1:30:12they are not going to be listened because there is party loyalty, or
1:30:12 > 1:30:17will sometimes trump these issues.
1:30:17 > 1:30:21You revealed in a newspaper article you wrote yesterday that it was
1:30:21 > 1:30:26Michael Fallon who directly lunged at your lips, as you put it, a few
1:30:26 > 1:30:30had lunch with him in 2003. You referenced that incident before but
1:30:30 > 1:30:36you have only just now named him. Why did you make that decision?It
1:30:36 > 1:30:40was 14 years ago, so when I started talking about my experience, I did
1:30:40 > 1:30:44it in the context of this story, to say, this is what it's like to be
1:30:44 > 1:30:49sexually harassed by somebody, this is what it's like to be in
1:30:49 > 1:30:52Parliament and work there. I wanted to add to the debate and encourage
1:30:52 > 1:31:04people to talk about it. That was last weekend. Over the next few days
1:31:04 > 1:31:07the debate seems to be shifting towards the trivial things that were
1:31:07 > 1:31:09going on. I knew my situation, I became aware of other allegations
1:31:09 > 1:31:14involving Michael Fallon. I thought I should report my experience to
1:31:14 > 1:31:20Downing Street, not to go public, because I did not want the scrutiny
1:31:20 > 1:31:26at the time, but to report my experience.That led to his
1:31:26 > 1:31:29resignation, being sacked, being allowed to resign on Wednesday
1:31:29 > 1:31:34night?I can only talk about my experience but I was aware there
1:31:34 > 1:31:38were other allegations, but I couldn't report them.In terms of
1:31:38 > 1:31:43naming him yesterday, several days after he resigned, why was that?I
1:31:43 > 1:31:47still feared that when I spoke to Downing Street I wanted anonymity
1:31:47 > 1:31:51because I feared the backlash, people would say, this was 14 years
1:31:51 > 1:32:04ago, why are you doing it now? There would be criticism that somehow it
1:32:04 > 1:32:06wasn't serious. I admit it was that the less serious end of the
1:32:06 > 1:32:09spectrum, but it still made me feel like the power dynamic between us
1:32:09 > 1:32:13had changed. But since Wednesday, it seems that although he had taken
1:32:13 > 1:32:16account for his action, he didn't apologise and tried to suggest this
1:32:16 > 1:32:20sort of thing was acceptable ten or 15 years ago. I wanted him to know
1:32:20 > 1:32:25that it wasn't. And also the debate was still being trivialised, it was
1:32:25 > 1:32:29around the banter towards Andrea Leadsom. It felt right that it was
1:32:29 > 1:32:38the time to speak out and say it was him who had lunged at me.By
1:32:38 > 1:32:41revealing his name, you wrote that you are taking back control. How
1:32:41 > 1:32:45does it feel to take back control question
1:32:45 > 1:32:50does it feel to take back control question?I will not say it feels
1:32:50 > 1:32:54good, because this whole story is not something to feel good about.
1:32:54 > 1:33:00But when I wrote my piece I didn't think about me as a 43-year-old, I
1:33:00 > 1:33:04thought about me as a 29-year-old and what I should have done. And if
1:33:04 > 1:33:08there were any other women who had been harassed by other MPs who were
1:33:08 > 1:33:1329 or younger, how would they feel and what would they want me to do? I
1:33:13 > 1:33:18wanted to do them justice, not just myself. I felt I was taking back
1:33:18 > 1:33:22control, yes, but I felt I was doing it for other women who felt they
1:33:22 > 1:33:33couldn't come forward. I was heartfelt about my experience and
1:33:33 > 1:33:36talking about it, but I know other women out there who have contacted
1:33:36 > 1:33:38me about other politicians and people in other parties who do not
1:33:38 > 1:33:40want to come forward. It was about redressing the balance, not just
1:33:40 > 1:33:43with me and Michael Fallon, but the people who are harassed, and what
1:33:43 > 1:33:46they need to do and how the debate needs to be about them, and is not
1:33:46 > 1:33:51about claims of a witchhunt, because that's not what it is about.Do you
1:33:51 > 1:33:56want an apology from Michael Fallon? I'm not demanding an apology. He has
1:33:56 > 1:34:00resigned and he has accepted over the weekend that it was not
1:34:00 > 1:34:04acceptable back then. I'm not demanding it, but it would be nice
1:34:04 > 1:34:09for him to apologise, but I'm not going to demand it.What reaction
1:34:09 > 1:34:13have you had since you wrote your piece yesterday?It has been
1:34:13 > 1:34:18overwhelmingly positive. I put on Twitter yesterday, people said it
1:34:18 > 1:34:24was a long time ago, and I accept that, but the reason I came forward
1:34:24 > 1:34:29was because of the other situations. But it has been overwhelmingly
1:34:29 > 1:34:36positive and I am glad I have done it.Alex, good morning. Tell the
1:34:36 > 1:34:43audience what happened to you in 2001 involving Chris Pincher, not a
1:34:43 > 1:34:48Conservative MP at that stage.We had gone canvassing, telephone
1:34:48 > 1:34:56canvassing. After the session was over we went to a local pub and
1:34:56 > 1:35:02after perhaps two drinks, nothing more, he said to me in this very Bob
1:35:02 > 1:35:13Tway, he said what about din-dins, Alex. -- he said to me in this very
1:35:13 > 1:35:19odd way. It was strange, but I have experienced more odd things in my
1:35:19 > 1:35:24life. We drove very far south, further than I expected. And then he
1:35:24 > 1:35:29said, let's go to my flat. We got to his flat, he poured me a drink, and
1:35:29 > 1:35:35within a few minutes I felt him tugging at my shirt, taking it out
1:35:35 > 1:35:41of my trousers. Giving me a back massage which I hadn't asked for.
1:35:41 > 1:35:46And him whispering in my ear, you will go far in the Conservative
1:35:46 > 1:35:53Party. As I said in my piece, I stood up and jokingly said, it is
1:35:53 > 1:35:59perhaps better if we stay friends. At that stage he went into his
1:35:59 > 1:36:03bathroom and said he wanted to slip into something more comfortable,
1:36:03 > 1:36:06which he obviously did, but what was comfortable for him was slightly
1:36:06 > 1:36:12more uncomfortable for me. So I made my apologies and left.He came out
1:36:12 > 1:36:16of the bathroom wearing a dressing down? Is that correct? A bathrobe?
1:36:16 > 1:36:25It was.Was it an abuse of power?At the time I didn't think about it
1:36:25 > 1:36:28that way. I just thought it was something that happened to people
1:36:28 > 1:36:32like me, who have a string of amusing incidents. In those days,
1:36:32 > 1:36:36that's what I thought it was. But the thing that triggered something
1:36:36 > 1:36:42in me is the list of questionable activity that was distributed, the
1:36:42 > 1:36:47fact I am now a father with four children, and remembering that my
1:36:47 > 1:36:51sister was outraged at the time, and she kept telling me I ought to have
1:36:51 > 1:36:57done something. I hate to admit it, but my sister was right, and I
1:36:57 > 1:37:02should have said something about it, because somebody who is not six foot
1:37:02 > 1:37:08eight and hasn't trained all his life, might find themselves more
1:37:08 > 1:37:14vulnerable to this type of situation than me. I just used the story,
1:37:14 > 1:37:22which I then retold many times to friends and family. It provided some
1:37:22 > 1:37:25sort of entertainment, but those people who are much more vulnerable
1:37:25 > 1:37:32never found it amusing. I think it's about right. When I saw this list I
1:37:32 > 1:37:38thought to myself, I'm getting tired of an established organisation, that
1:37:38 > 1:37:43has become so narcissistic that it can't think beyond its own feelings
1:37:43 > 1:37:51and what it does to each other. It's the sense of being really sick and
1:37:51 > 1:37:56tired of the kind of activities that most of us find quite repulsive,
1:37:56 > 1:38:02actually.Thank you to Alex. A Downing Street spokesman has said
1:38:02 > 1:38:06Chris Pincher has voluntarily stood down from the whip's office and
1:38:06 > 1:38:09referred himself to the Parliamentary complaints procedure
1:38:09 > 1:38:18and the police. He has said, I can only apologise to Alex. Is this a
1:38:18 > 1:38:23tipping point in our country?It feels like it. I think the speed at
1:38:23 > 1:38:27which Theresa May acted in my case, and she has taught today about
1:38:27 > 1:38:31respect. The culture of respect is a key thing. All I wanted in my lunch
1:38:31 > 1:38:34with Michael Fallon was respect, to be treated as a professional
1:38:34 > 1:38:43journalist. I think he would feel the same way. It is very difficult
1:38:43 > 1:38:47to challenge something as powerful as politicians and the political
1:38:47 > 1:38:52establishment. I think this is probably... I hope there will be a
1:38:52 > 1:38:57shift in attitudes.Thank you for talking to us.
1:38:57 > 1:38:59Still to come.
1:38:59 > 1:39:01The children's commissioner tells this programme it's vital that
1:39:01 > 1:39:07there's more mental health support for children who grow up in care.
1:39:07 > 1:39:09The children's commissioner has told this programme that there should be
1:39:09 > 1:39:12a presumption that children in care should receive support
1:39:12 > 1:39:13for their mental health.
1:39:13 > 1:39:15Almost half of those in the care system have a diagnosable
1:39:15 > 1:39:17mental health disorder - with looked-after children
1:39:17 > 1:39:20are four times more likely than their non-looked after peers
1:39:20 > 1:39:21to have a mental health condition.
1:39:21 > 1:39:23So why isn't there enough support out there?
1:39:23 > 1:39:26Anne Longfield says that the care system has been too focused on child
1:39:26 > 1:39:29safeguarding in the past and not enough on helping children recover
1:39:29 > 1:39:30from traumatic upbringings.
1:39:30 > 1:39:32We've been speaking to a care leaver called Callum,
1:39:32 > 1:39:35who told us about his own mental health issues and the difficulties
1:39:35 > 1:39:36he found in getting help.
1:39:36 > 1:39:39A warning - this film contains references to self harm
1:39:39 > 1:39:44and suicide from the start.
1:39:47 > 1:39:52Just imagine you're sat in a pitch dark room, with no-one there,
1:39:52 > 1:39:55curled up in the corner, crying to yourself.
1:39:55 > 1:39:59All it is, is you and a razor blade.
1:39:59 > 1:40:03That's the only thing you can use to get your anger out.
1:40:03 > 1:40:10Me and my brothers ended up in care.
1:40:10 > 1:40:14It felt like no-one was there, and no-one cared.
1:40:14 > 1:40:17I cried myself to sleep every single night.
1:40:17 > 1:40:22My self harm got really bad.
1:40:22 > 1:40:28At one point I had a cut from the hip down to my kneecap.
1:40:44 > 1:40:51My dad was an alcoholic.
1:40:51 > 1:40:55He passed away the 20th of October 2008.
1:40:55 > 1:40:59He was like my superhero, you know what I mean?
1:40:59 > 1:41:02I could go to him for absolutely anything.
1:41:07 > 1:41:13When he passed away, it hurt me and my brothers.
1:41:13 > 1:41:17And it didn't help that then we got taken into care,
1:41:17 > 1:41:21and then it got a lot worse because you think, oh,
1:41:21 > 1:41:25now I've lost my mum and my dad.
1:41:25 > 1:41:28You know, even though my mum's still here, you feel
1:41:28 > 1:41:31like you've lost both.
1:41:31 > 1:41:37I was 13, just turning 14.
1:41:37 > 1:41:41So I was still young and I was still, you know,
1:41:41 > 1:41:44an emotional kid who was still trying to get over Dad.
1:41:44 > 1:41:47Everything got on top of me.
1:41:47 > 1:41:53It felt like no-one were there and no-one cared.
1:41:53 > 1:41:57You know, no-one wanted to be your friend, no-one wanted to love you.
1:41:57 > 1:42:02It felt like my mum just gave up on me.
1:42:02 > 1:42:04I started getting bullied.
1:42:04 > 1:42:07Some people knew about my dad passing away and they would
1:42:07 > 1:42:09say horrible jokes.
1:42:09 > 1:42:14Crying myself to sleep every single night.
1:42:14 > 1:42:16Didn't know what to do.
1:42:16 > 1:42:19And then I kicked off with my foster carers.
1:42:19 > 1:42:22That's when I got moved to the care home.
1:42:22 > 1:42:26And that's when I started self harming and stuff.
1:42:26 > 1:42:29I did a few cuts on my arm and I did it all over my legs.
1:42:29 > 1:42:33I just, you know...
1:42:33 > 1:42:37They say it takes the pain away.
1:42:37 > 1:42:39It only took the pain away for that moment,
1:42:39 > 1:42:41and then it was back.
1:42:41 > 1:42:47My self harm got really bad.
1:42:47 > 1:42:50At one point I had a cut from the hip down to my kneecap.
1:42:50 > 1:42:56I tried to take my own life.
1:42:56 > 1:42:59I went to go hang myself.
1:42:59 > 1:43:03My carer stormed through my door, cut me down and pinned me down
1:43:03 > 1:43:05to the floor and said, you know, mate, you're
1:43:05 > 1:43:07worth more than this.
1:43:07 > 1:43:10I understand what you're going through, but you can
1:43:10 > 1:43:11do better than this.
1:43:11 > 1:43:17You're going to make it far in life.
1:43:25 > 1:43:28Why it was difficult to get support, at first,
1:43:28 > 1:43:35I didn't really know how to get it.
1:43:35 > 1:43:39I was very closed in on myself as well, so I didn't really want
1:43:39 > 1:43:40many people to know.
1:43:40 > 1:43:42Then I started getting a bit of help with it.
1:43:42 > 1:43:44I got a bit of counselling.
1:43:44 > 1:43:49Sometimes you had a good counsellor, then you had the bad counsellor.
1:43:49 > 1:43:54The good counsellors were generally, "Here you are, Callum, we understand
1:43:54 > 1:43:55what you're going through."
1:43:55 > 1:43:58But then next time I could have someone completely
1:43:58 > 1:44:01different and they're, like, you know, they don't know
1:44:01 > 1:44:03what's going on in my life.
1:44:03 > 1:44:06All they've done is read a piece of paper.
1:44:06 > 1:44:10If I could go back there today, I'd say to them that I want
1:44:10 > 1:44:12one set worker for me.
1:44:12 > 1:44:15I don't want to see one person one week and then see another
1:44:15 > 1:44:19person the other week.
1:44:27 > 1:44:30In the care system, when you're in a care home, it sounds bad,
1:44:30 > 1:44:33when you turn 18 you've got no choice.
1:44:33 > 1:44:36You're out.
1:44:36 > 1:44:41You know, you go into your own place.
1:44:41 > 1:44:49So, you've got the worries about all your benefits
1:44:49 > 1:44:52going through, all council taxes, TV licences.
1:44:52 > 1:44:54You know, making sure you can run your house
1:44:54 > 1:44:56properly, paying your rent.
1:44:56 > 1:45:00The world's scary.
1:45:00 > 1:45:08There definitely should be more support with mental health.
1:45:08 > 1:45:12Because there are quite a few kids, or young people out there,
1:45:12 > 1:45:15who are struggling with it.
1:45:25 > 1:45:26Respect.
1:45:26 > 1:45:27Respect.
1:45:27 > 1:45:28Good girl.
1:45:28 > 1:45:30Now, you know, I'm in a happy place.
1:45:30 > 1:45:32I've got my own house.
1:45:32 > 1:45:34I've got a beautiful daughter, I've got a beautiful fiancee.
1:45:34 > 1:45:39I'm having a generally happy life.
1:45:39 > 1:45:45If I didn't meet my girlfriend, I'd be getting in trouble
1:45:45 > 1:45:51with the police or - it sounds even worse - dead.
1:45:51 > 1:45:56Even though Barnardos did help, they didn't give me the love
1:45:56 > 1:45:58I really wanted, even though they give you the love,
1:45:58 > 1:46:00it was more like a friendship love.
1:46:00 > 1:46:03What my girlfriend gave me is love.
1:46:03 > 1:46:07You know?
1:46:07 > 1:46:11I've got a family now and the family, that's all I've
1:46:11 > 1:46:14ever wanted, a family.
1:46:15 > 1:46:19Give daddy kisses.
1:46:19 > 1:46:22I love you.
1:46:29 > 1:46:34And if you've been affected by any of the issues raised
1:46:34 > 1:46:36in that film you can contact our action line
1:46:36 > 1:46:39bbc.co.uk/actionline.
1:46:39 > 1:46:42We can speak now to Anne Longfield, the Children's Commissioner.
1:46:42 > 1:46:44John Simmonds, whose a qualified social worker and a director
1:46:44 > 1:46:49at the fostering and adoption agency Coram BAAF, and Sylvia Shroer,
1:46:49 > 1:46:52from Adopters Together, a peer supported campaigning
1:46:52 > 1:46:59initiative for adopters and special guardians.
1:46:59 > 1:47:04Tell us about the scale of the problem?We have got about 70,000
1:47:04 > 1:47:09children in the care system at any one time and at least 60% have
1:47:09 > 1:47:14mental health issues. They have had the greatest traumas any of us could
1:47:14 > 1:47:20think of before they enter care and whilst there is assessments around
1:47:20 > 1:47:23health and assessments around health and billion being so many children
1:47:23 > 1:47:26not only say they struggle to get help, but come out of it saying,
1:47:26 > 1:47:31look, what we want is kindness and love and people to believe in us. So
1:47:31 > 1:47:34what I'd like to see is a much greater emphasis on helping children
1:47:34 > 1:47:39recover. We have had a fantastic example there of Callum really
1:47:39 > 1:47:42genuine, fantastic young man with his whole life ahead of him. That
1:47:42 > 1:47:47can be for every child in care, but they need help to get there.Some of
1:47:47 > 1:47:50the recommendations from the report that is produced on this today is
1:47:50 > 1:47:56this idea of a virtual mental health lead. So one single person with
1:47:56 > 1:48:01oversight for mental health in every area responsible for each child?
1:48:01 > 1:48:04More help and support for foster carers to deal with mental health
1:48:04 > 1:48:08issues and complex issues with children. This has come from the
1:48:08 > 1:48:10Department of Health and the Department for Education together
1:48:10 > 1:48:13and it comes ahead of a Green Paper. So, I think there is much in there
1:48:13 > 1:48:17that could be acted on.John, hello. Hello.Specific challenges for
1:48:17 > 1:48:20social workers when it comes to looking after children in care. And
1:48:20 > 1:48:25their mental health?Yes. I mean I think one of the things that stands
1:48:25 > 1:48:29out really, looked after children we are talking about newborns, and we
1:48:29 > 1:48:33are talking about 18-year-olds so this is a big span. One of the
1:48:33 > 1:48:40things that came through in Callum's discussion about his experiences,
1:48:40 > 1:48:44family life and relationships are core to who we are and I suppose one
1:48:44 > 1:48:48of the big issues for me when we come to talk about mental health is
1:48:48 > 1:48:53that generally we are talking about relationships that have gone wrong,
1:48:53 > 1:48:56relationships which cause anxiety, a relationship where there is abuse
1:48:56 > 1:49:01and neglect and the family life that is on the edge. And for many,
1:49:01 > 1:49:07children that come into care, it's a family life that's broken. It is
1:49:07 > 1:49:13right that we should focus on issues of emotional and behavioural and
1:49:13 > 1:49:17mental health, but I think the thing that we can't ignore is for all of
1:49:17 > 1:49:22us, our sense of belonging and our sense of stability and security come
1:49:22 > 1:49:26from a loving family life. So where a family life has been broken down,
1:49:26 > 1:49:30has broken down, which is at the centre of what happens for children
1:49:30 > 1:49:35when they become looked after, the issue is how do we rebuild something
1:49:35 > 1:49:40either in the child's original family or in foster care or in
1:49:40 > 1:49:44adoption, in whatever the legal order that frames that child's new
1:49:44 > 1:49:48experience. But it is family life and relationships that are at the
1:49:48 > 1:49:52centre of that and I thought that that came across so strongly in
1:49:52 > 1:49:57Callum's view about his fiancee and his baby. He was creating a family
1:49:57 > 1:50:00life for his child and there couldn't be a more central issue for
1:50:00 > 1:50:03all looked after children about their experiences of family life and
1:50:03 > 1:50:07loving relationships. Sylvia, what are the kind of issues
1:50:07 > 1:50:10that the parents in your group are facing when it comes to looking
1:50:10 > 1:50:15after children andle mental health problems?The biggest issue that we
1:50:15 > 1:50:25have sadly is blame. We parent the, in terms of the 70,000 children in
1:50:25 > 1:50:31the care system, what the report in 2014 found that adoptive parents,
1:50:31 > 1:50:34parent the most severely traumatised and abused children so we are at the
1:50:34 > 1:50:37extreme end of the mental health problems and we have a problem at
1:50:37 > 1:50:45the moment which is that we, in the system, it's very child focussed and
1:50:45 > 1:50:48when the attention is focussed on the child, it's not on the family as
1:50:48 > 1:50:54a whole. We are in effect the intervention. We are the policy
1:50:54 > 1:50:58intervention, but what happens is that when we ask for help,
1:50:58 > 1:51:02intervention comes between us and our children. And that has to change
1:51:02 > 1:51:07and blame has to go. So whilst this is a very positive move of the
1:51:07 > 1:51:11virtual mental health lead, we feel that it needs to go further because
1:51:11 > 1:51:15that person could actually do harm if they did not have an awareness of
1:51:15 > 1:51:22adoption issues and we are calling for an adoption guardian to be
1:51:22 > 1:51:26attached to every single adoptive child in the care system who will go
1:51:26 > 1:51:35to meetings, and who will support the family, the family. Love,
1:51:35 > 1:51:39belonging, and permanence.It sounds incredible and I'm going to say, but
1:51:39 > 1:51:42that will cost money. Let me tell you what the Government says. Are
1:51:42 > 1:51:47you saying, no, it won't cost anything.It need not cost a lot of
1:51:47 > 1:51:52money. The money will come from the BBC did a survey recently where they
1:51:52 > 1:51:59found that of the 3,000 people that responded a quarter of them said
1:51:59 > 1:52:03that their children were going to re-enter care. It is termed a
1:52:03 > 1:52:07disruption which is a misleading term and that, each of those
1:52:07 > 1:52:12children is likely to cost £1 million. That's £750 million.This
1:52:12 > 1:52:17is money well spent.This is money saved.We asked for an interview and
1:52:17 > 1:52:22we didn't get one.
1:52:22 > 1:52:25"It is vital that children in care and those who look after them
1:52:25 > 1:52:28receive the mental health support they need.
1:52:28 > 1:52:30able to shine a light on the issues they face.
1:52:30 > 1:52:33"We are putting a record £1.4 billion into children and young
1:52:33 > 1:52:35people's mental health but there is more to be done
1:52:35 > 1:52:38and we will now consider the report with a view
1:52:38 > 1:52:39to taking further action."
1:52:39 > 1:52:42Lleyton says there is a huge deficit in the way we deal with huge
1:52:42 > 1:52:45people's emotional issues. We penalise self-harm, but there is no
1:52:45 > 1:52:47consistent good quality counselling and so your idea would make a
1:52:47 > 1:52:53difference for many young people. Do you worry about the fact that it
1:52:53 > 1:52:58would, having this, virtual mental health tsar is going to come down to
1:52:58 > 1:53:04resources in the end?Well, I mean, as you said actually it's investing
1:53:04 > 1:53:08now to save later. If we can get children to the point where they're
1:53:08 > 1:53:13confident, they're actually able to either go back to their own family
1:53:13 > 1:53:19or actually move into their adult life, confidently because that's
1:53:19 > 1:53:24also the transition to adulthood is the point where a lot of children
1:53:24 > 1:53:27fall off mental health support. Then it will be easier on the public
1:53:27 > 1:53:31purse. So it is investing early to save later, but one of the big
1:53:31 > 1:53:35issues children tell me about is stability, is permanence and is that
1:53:35 > 1:53:38feeling of belonging. So it has to be absolutely at the centre of the
1:53:38 > 1:53:41care experience.OK, thank you all. Thank you very much for coming on
1:53:41 > 1:53:47the programme. Thank you.
1:53:47 > 1:53:52It's being called the "biggest Strictly shock ever".
1:53:52 > 1:53:55One of the early favourites to win the show, Aston Merrygold has been
1:53:55 > 1:53:58sent home after judge Shirley Ballas had the final,
1:53:58 > 1:54:00casting vote, following a dance-off with Mollie King.
1:54:00 > 1:54:08Dancing the Viennese Waltz Aston Merrygold and Janette Manrara.
1:54:13 > 1:54:20MUSIC: Who's Loving You by the Jackson 5.
1:54:31 > 1:54:36The scores are in.
1:54:36 > 1:54:38The judges have their scores, Craig Revel Horwood.
1:54:38 > 1:54:394.
1:54:39 > 1:54:41Darcey Bussell.
1:54:41 > 1:54:437.
1:54:43 > 1:54:45Shirley Ballas.
1:54:45 > 1:54:487.
1:54:48 > 1:54:49And Bruno Tonioli.
1:54:49 > 1:54:537.
1:54:53 > 1:54:55A 4?
1:54:55 > 1:54:58You have never had a 4.
1:54:58 > 1:55:02Aston and Janette.
1:55:02 > 1:55:05The rest of have you to wait a little longer
1:55:05 > 1:55:08to find out your fate.
1:55:08 > 1:55:13Aston and Janette, please come and join me.
1:55:13 > 1:55:17Well again, a very difficult choice, two fantastic couples.
1:55:17 > 1:55:19Very difficult to do, but on technical accuracy,
1:55:19 > 1:55:21beautiful flow and full engagement during the dance, I'm
1:55:21 > 1:55:31saving Mollie and AJ.
1:55:32 > 1:55:35That means we're going to have to say goodbye to Aston and Janette.
1:55:35 > 1:55:37Please come and join me.
1:55:37 > 1:55:40Have you enjoyed the Strictly experience?
1:55:40 > 1:55:42I've, honestly, every second.
1:55:42 > 1:55:50Every second of this.
1:55:50 > 1:55:53I've had friends that have done this show before and they've gone "You're
1:55:53 > 1:55:56going to have the most amount of fun from start to finish".
1:55:56 > 1:55:57Honestly, they weren't lying.
1:55:57 > 1:55:59From this lady to every single person in here,
1:55:59 > 1:56:02you four guys, yourself, Claudia, all of you amazing lot up
1:56:02 > 1:56:05here that I get to see and spend so much time with and learn
1:56:05 > 1:56:06from and made some amazing friends.
1:56:06 > 1:56:08I honestly I have had the best time.
1:56:08 > 1:56:11It has been amazing.
1:56:11 > 1:56:16Let's talk to former Strictly professional dancer, Robin Windsor.
1:56:16 > 1:56:21How shocked were you?I was shocked. We were expecting Aston to be one of
1:56:21 > 1:56:24the finalists. This is an entertainment show and anything can
1:56:24 > 1:56:28happen as was proved last night. There are cross viewers though. I
1:56:28 > 1:56:34moon seriously. Julie e-mailed, she is cross with me. She says I was
1:56:34 > 1:56:39patronising about it earlier, but she says it was the wrong result.
1:56:39 > 1:56:43When I say I won't be watching again, I won't.I think what you
1:56:43 > 1:56:47have got to remember, so many people have an opinion about it this
1:56:47 > 1:56:53morning, but about 90% of the people didn't pick up the phone and vote
1:56:53 > 1:56:57for Aston, it is one of those things, who is to blame? The public?
1:56:57 > 1:57:03Craig? Shirley? The routine, the production? So many elements go into
1:57:03 > 1:57:09it and sadly Aston got a dance that wasn't suited to him.What did
1:57:09 > 1:57:17Shirley mean when she said, "Full engagement in the dance"When you
1:57:17 > 1:57:25compare Mollie and Aston, Mollie performed better and more eloquently
1:57:25 > 1:57:29for a foxtrot, whereas Aston's dance was more contemporary.But that's
1:57:29 > 1:57:40not his fault. Are you saying if he had a tux on and Janette wearing a
1:57:40 > 1:57:42beautiful sequinned dress it would have been all right?I don't think
1:57:42 > 1:57:47it would have made a difference. The judges should be judging on the
1:57:47 > 1:57:51dance off and now how the dances have been throughout the series.But
1:57:51 > 1:57:57what about the viewers who want to see Aston go on because he is a
1:57:57 > 1:58:01better dancer than Mollie? Inchts in agreement with that, but clearly
1:58:01 > 1:58:05people didn't pick up the phone and vote for him so it is their fault at
1:58:05 > 1:58:09the end of the day. I remember Len Goodman saying you can't moan if you
1:58:09 > 1:58:13don't pick up the phone! Thank you very much, Robin. It is
1:58:13 > 1:58:19your fault! Thank you, Robin.
1:58:19 > 1:58:22Tomorrow, more on the Westminster harassment story. Thank you for your
1:58:22 > 1:58:28company today. Back tomorrow at 9am.
1:58:34 > 1:58:37We've been investigating the hidden offshore world