20/12/2017

0:00:07 > 0:00:11Good morning. It's Wednesday, it's 9am. I'm Victoria Derbyshire.

0:00:11 > 0:00:15Welcome to our programme. Ministers are facing severe criticism over

0:00:15 > 0:00:19what's been described as their abject failure to tackle

0:00:19 > 0:00:27homelessness in England. It is two too many. The council,

0:00:27 > 0:00:33there needs to be something done. Why are we not looking after these

0:00:33 > 0:00:35people?

0:00:35 > 0:00:38We'll hear how 120,000 children are homeless and look at the impact

0:00:38 > 0:00:48it has on them and their education.

0:00:48 > 0:00:56The Metropolitan Police is looking at all ongoing cases. People in jail

0:00:56 > 0:00:58right now, where evidence that could have proved their innocence hasn't

0:00:58 > 0:01:05been disclosed?I think yeah. I mean, there is going to be you can't

0:01:05 > 0:01:08really stop false accusations. People do have a spiteful side and

0:01:08 > 0:01:13when people are hurt they react in a way but wouldn't really expect.

0:01:13 > 0:01:15We'll look at whether these mistakes are incompetence,

0:01:15 > 0:01:17carelessness or "unconscious bias" against alleged

0:01:17 > 0:01:19perpetrators in rape cases.

0:01:19 > 0:01:22Plus, should fathers taking parental leave be entitled

0:01:22 > 0:01:25to the same level of pay as mothers on maternity leave?

0:01:25 > 0:01:28An employment tribunal will hear a case this morning which argues

0:01:28 > 0:01:33dads are discriminated against.

0:01:33 > 0:01:35If you're a dad who has taken shared parental leave,

0:01:35 > 0:01:38how have you afforded it?

0:01:48 > 0:01:53Hello and welcome to the programme, we're live until 11am.

0:01:53 > 0:01:59Throughout the morning the latest breaking news

0:01:59 > 0:02:01and developing stories - a head's up that later

0:02:01 > 0:02:03the International Monetary Fund will set out their annual review

0:02:03 > 0:02:06of the UK economy.

0:02:06 > 0:02:09We'll bring you some of that and we'll talk to people who are

0:02:09 > 0:02:13spending their Christmas away from their family.

0:02:13 > 0:02:16If that's you - do get in touch and tell us how you'll be

0:02:16 > 0:02:18spending your Christmas - use the hashtag Victoria Live

0:02:18 > 0:02:22and If you text, you will be charged at the standard network rate.

0:02:22 > 0:02:23Our top story today.

0:02:23 > 0:02:25The extent of homelessness in England has been described

0:02:25 > 0:02:27as a "national crisis" by a committee of MPs.

0:02:27 > 0:02:29A report by the all-party Public Accounts Committee says

0:02:29 > 0:02:32the Government's attitude to tackling it is

0:02:32 > 0:02:40"unacceptably complacent".

0:02:40 > 0:02:42The Government says it's investing more than £1 billion

0:02:42 > 0:02:44to help make more affordable housing available.

0:02:44 > 0:02:45Andy Moore reports.

0:02:45 > 0:02:47This report says the problem of homelessness has been growing

0:02:47 > 0:02:50for years, with a number of people in short-term accommodation

0:02:50 > 0:02:52up by 60% since 2010.

0:02:52 > 0:02:54The MPs say there is an unacceptable shortage

0:02:54 > 0:02:55of realistic housing options.

0:02:55 > 0:02:59There are estimated to be 9,000 people sleeping rough

0:02:59 > 0:03:02on the streets every night, that's more than doubled

0:03:02 > 0:03:04the number in 2011.

0:03:04 > 0:03:07There are a further 78,000 families living in temporary accommodation,

0:03:07 > 0:03:09often of a poor standard, and that includes 120,000 children.

0:03:09 > 0:03:14The committee has described the situation as shameful.

0:03:14 > 0:03:21It's called on the Government to focus on the supply

0:03:21 > 0:03:22and affordability of decent housing.

0:03:22 > 0:03:24You need to stop being complacent about this.

0:03:24 > 0:03:27It is not enough also to just throw money at it,

0:03:27 > 0:03:30it needs to be money that is fixing the core root of the problem,

0:03:30 > 0:03:33that looks at why people are homeless in the first place.

0:03:33 > 0:03:35Critically you need to be building more houses,

0:03:35 > 0:03:40yes, but they need to be truly affordable houses.

0:03:40 > 0:03:42The committee now wants the government to come up

0:03:42 > 0:03:45with a strategy for tackling the issue by the middle

0:03:45 > 0:03:46of next year.

0:03:46 > 0:03:48Labour said this report showed the Conservatives had caused

0:03:48 > 0:03:50the crisis of rapidly rising homelessness but had

0:03:50 > 0:03:53no plans to fix it.

0:03:53 > 0:03:55The Government said homelessness was a complex problem

0:03:55 > 0:03:59and it was providing over £1 billion over the next few years to help

0:03:59 > 0:04:04deal with the issue.

0:04:05 > 0:04:09Our correspondent Dan Johnson is here.

0:04:09 > 0:04:14What stands out from the report then?The figures and the fact that

0:04:14 > 0:04:20this problem has grown consistently. 9,000 people at least sleeping

0:04:20 > 0:04:24rough, but another 78,000 households that are part of the hidden homeless

0:04:24 > 0:04:27problem, living somewhere, but not having their own home and that

0:04:27 > 0:04:31includes 120,000 children. That's a staggering figure, but the language

0:04:31 > 0:04:34in here about the Government's response that does stand out, the

0:04:34 > 0:04:38fact that the department dealing with this apparently, the committee

0:04:38 > 0:04:42says its approach has been unacceptably complacent and the

0:04:42 > 0:04:46limited action it has taken has lacked the urgency that is needed.

0:04:46 > 0:04:49This light touch approach by the Government, the committee says, has

0:04:49 > 0:04:55clearly failed. The Government says it is putting £1 billion into this.

0:04:55 > 0:04:58The Government says its homeless reduction Act and its rough sleeping

0:04:58 > 0:05:02taskforce will tackle this problem, but clearly a huge issue and talked

0:05:02 > 0:05:05a lot about at this time of year and something that's difficult to get

0:05:05 > 0:05:11right.We are going to talk about children who are homeless later on.

0:05:11 > 0:05:13Annita is in the BBC Newsroom with a summary

0:05:13 > 0:05:14of the rest of the day's news.

0:05:14 > 0:05:16Good morning.

0:05:16 > 0:05:18The Metropolitan Police is launching a review of all current sex

0:05:18 > 0:05:20offence investigations, after the collapse of a second

0:05:20 > 0:05:21rape case in a week.

0:05:21 > 0:05:23The prosecutions were halted because of the late

0:05:23 > 0:05:27disclosure of evidence.

0:05:27 > 0:05:29Scotland Yard has confirmed the same officer was involved

0:05:29 > 0:05:32in both investigations.

0:05:32 > 0:05:35BBC News has learnt that EU banks will be allowed to continue

0:05:35 > 0:05:37operating in the UK as normal after Brexit even if

0:05:37 > 0:05:40the European Union and Britain fail to reach a deal.

0:05:40 > 0:05:43The plans from the Bank of England mean that European banks operating

0:05:43 > 0:05:46through branches in the UK will not have to go through the expensive

0:05:46 > 0:05:51process of creating British subsidiaries.

0:05:51 > 0:05:53Police will continue searching two properties,

0:05:53 > 0:05:55including a community centre, this morning, following anti-terror

0:05:55 > 0:05:57raids in Sheffield and Chesterfield.

0:05:57 > 0:06:00Four men have been arrested and held over an alleged Islamist terror plot

0:06:00 > 0:06:03that officers say could have been carried out this Christmas.

0:06:03 > 0:06:12People forced to evacuate their homes to allow the bomb

0:06:12 > 0:06:15A man has admitted knocking a cyclist off his bike

0:06:15 > 0:06:16after the shocking incident was captured on dash-cam.

0:06:16 > 0:06:19This footage shows the driver swerve towards the cyclist and knock him

0:06:19 > 0:06:24off his bike before driving off and leaving him lying in the road.

0:06:24 > 0:06:2630-year-old Ashley Wallace Merrett pleaded guilty to dangerous driving,

0:06:26 > 0:06:28actual bodily harm and common assault following the shocking

0:06:28 > 0:06:29incident in Colchester in Essex.

0:06:29 > 0:06:31The cyclist needed hospital treatment but his injuries

0:06:31 > 0:06:41were not serious.

0:06:41 > 0:06:43British homes and businesses will have a legal right

0:06:43 > 0:06:46to high-speed broadband by 2020 as part of plans to improve

0:06:46 > 0:06:49broadband speeds in rural areas.

0:06:49 > 0:06:51Under the proposals, broadband providers will face a legal

0:06:51 > 0:06:53requirement to provide high-speed broadband to anyone requesting it,

0:06:53 > 0:06:55subject to a cost threshold.

0:06:55 > 0:06:57The Government has decided to regulate the industry rather

0:06:57 > 0:07:05than have a voluntary agreement.

0:07:05 > 0:07:09The European Court of Justice has decided that the taxi hailing app

0:07:09 > 0:07:13Uber should be considered a transport company. The ruling means

0:07:13 > 0:07:17that the firm should be subjected to tighter EU regulation in the

0:07:17 > 0:07:22countries in which it operates. Only 62% of the British population

0:07:22 > 0:07:25will spend most of the Christmas Day with their closest relatives a

0:07:25 > 0:07:32survey suggests. The poll of 2,000 people by YouGov for the Stand Alone

0:07:32 > 0:07:36charity which helps people estranged from their families suggests 12%

0:07:36 > 0:07:41will spend it with their partner's immediate family and just 39% said

0:07:41 > 0:07:46they found the day joyful.

0:07:46 > 0:07:49The BBC is to broaden its coverage of religions, devoting more time

0:07:49 > 0:07:50to non-Christian faiths.

0:07:50 > 0:07:52The decision follows a review of the Corporation's output

0:07:52 > 0:07:55in response to claims it was out of step with its audience.

0:07:55 > 0:08:05There will also be more religion reflected in mainstream programming.

0:08:05 > 0:08:11Christmas jumpers, Prosecco, all good giftsz gifts to find out under

0:08:11 > 0:08:22the tree. Many dog owners are splashing out. Fiona Lamdin has been

0:08:22 > 0:08:24finding out.

0:08:24 > 0:08:27More and more are dressing dogs in Christmas costumes.

0:08:27 > 0:08:33Just last week, 300 dogs in jumpers smashed a world record in London.

0:08:33 > 0:08:36# The weather outside is a frightful, but the fire

0:08:36 > 0:08:41is so delightful.

0:08:41 > 0:08:43Not hugely surprising then that we are spending

0:08:43 > 0:08:45a lot more on them.

0:08:45 > 0:08:51Just a couple of miles across town, much thought and planning has gone

0:08:51 > 0:08:53in to Suki the pug's wardrobe.

0:08:53 > 0:08:56On Christmas Day she will have three changes of clothes.

0:08:56 > 0:08:59When I was a kid my parents got me clothes for Christmas,

0:08:59 > 0:09:02and I was excited to wear the clothes, going to see my family

0:09:02 > 0:09:05on Christmas dinner, so it is kind of the same thing.

0:09:05 > 0:09:07She is like my daughter.

0:09:07 > 0:09:08I am like, whoa, she is.

0:09:08 > 0:09:12It is not just clothes.

0:09:12 > 0:09:15She'll have a small mountain of presents under the tree.

0:09:15 > 0:09:19I think we spend more money on her than on each other.

0:09:19 > 0:09:23If you come to the kitchen, there is a section for her in the fridge.

0:09:23 > 0:09:25So you can start the day with a mince pie,

0:09:25 > 0:09:31and your Christmas dinner.

0:09:31 > 0:09:33You have got a choice of red or white.

0:09:33 > 0:09:35And it seems Suki isn't alone.

0:09:35 > 0:09:36Around the corner at the local groomers...

0:09:36 > 0:09:38We have given her a lovely warm bath.

0:09:38 > 0:09:42I can't keep the stock on the shelves long enough.

0:09:42 > 0:09:46Sometimes I come in and wonder what I am going to fill them with?

0:09:46 > 0:09:52Let's look around for things to get in quickly because we can't keep up.

0:09:52 > 0:09:55I have to admit this is a whole new world.

0:09:55 > 0:09:57I adore my dog Mouse, but I have never bought him

0:09:57 > 0:09:58a Christmas present before.

0:09:58 > 0:10:00There are so many things I could get him.

0:10:00 > 0:10:09A raincoat, socks, or even boots.

0:10:09 > 0:10:11UK consumers are spending more every single year on accessories for pets.

0:10:11 > 0:10:15Just over £900 million is expected to be spent in 2017,

0:10:15 > 0:10:19that's up 16% since 2012.

0:10:19 > 0:10:21This is an ongoing shift towards treating pets

0:10:21 > 0:10:24much more like people.

0:10:24 > 0:10:27This really comes from the really strong parent bond

0:10:27 > 0:10:31between owners and pets.

0:10:31 > 0:10:35# Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

0:10:35 > 0:10:42It is nice to have a puffer jacket when it is cold.

0:10:42 > 0:10:45I am buying my friends' a presents.

0:10:45 > 0:10:47The more that you treat your dog like a human,

0:10:47 > 0:10:53the more likely they are to develop behavioural problems.

0:10:53 > 0:10:55Shall we pack your stocking?

0:10:55 > 0:10:58Many dogs across the country will have something under the tree,

0:10:58 > 0:11:01though I am not so sure how many of us will be

0:11:01 > 0:11:09in matching attire!

0:11:09 > 0:11:12Definitely some pampered pooches. They deserve it!

0:11:12 > 0:11:17That's a summary of the latest BBC News - more at 9.30.

0:11:17 > 0:11:26I have doggy chocs and a toy for Gracy. It is an elf with a bell on

0:11:26 > 0:11:29and Gracy will adore it.

0:11:29 > 0:11:31Do get in touch with us throughout the morning -

0:11:31 > 0:11:34use the hashtag Victoria LIVE and If you text, you will be charged

0:11:34 > 0:11:35at the standard network rate.

0:11:35 > 0:11:38Let's get some sport now with Holly - and the former Wimbledon

0:11:38 > 0:11:40champion Marion Bartoli has announced her return

0:11:40 > 0:11:42to tennis - that's a bit of a surprise, isn't it?

0:11:42 > 0:11:45It has been a shock when she put this video online last night. She

0:11:45 > 0:11:49has been dropping a few ominous hints on social media I think it is

0:11:49 > 0:11:53fair to say, talking about exciting things to come, but I don't think

0:11:53 > 0:11:56anyone expected this. It is quite a surprise when you consider she just

0:11:56 > 0:12:00retired well nearly five years ago now after a rather successful career

0:12:00 > 0:12:05which saw her winning eight tour titles and reached a career high

0:12:05 > 0:12:11ranking of seventh in 2012 and then in 2013, she fulfilled her life long

0:12:11 > 0:12:15dream of winning Wimbledon and that was her first Grand Slam title. So,

0:12:15 > 0:12:18it's going to be a surprise to many. It was a surprise then when she

0:12:18 > 0:12:22walked away from the sport in the first place and many were quite

0:12:22 > 0:12:27disappointed to see her retire, but now, at the age of 33, it looks like

0:12:27 > 0:12:31we'll get to see more of that well-known two-handed fore hand once

0:12:31 > 0:12:35again and she posted that video to our Instagram last night and she

0:12:35 > 0:12:40said she will be making her return at the Miami Open next year. She has

0:12:40 > 0:12:46admitted she has a lot of training to do, but she hopes she will be

0:12:46 > 0:12:50ready for March and she has her sights on Wimbledon.In retirement

0:12:50 > 0:12:53she had serious health problems, hasn't she?That's right. And it

0:12:53 > 0:12:57was, she made no secret of it at the time to be honest. She revealed that

0:12:57 > 0:13:01actually at one point she had feared for her life and that was

0:13:01 > 0:13:04contracting an unknown virus. It was never really confirmed what had

0:13:04 > 0:13:09happened, but it did cause her to lose a dramatic amount of weight. I

0:13:09 > 0:13:14think people were really quite shocked when they saw her at

0:13:14 > 0:13:17Wimbledon and she was commentating for the BBC and she was almost

0:13:17 > 0:13:22unrecognisable. Those images of her looking extremely thin made

0:13:22 > 0:13:25headlines across the world with many people understandably concerned

0:13:25 > 0:13:30about her health. Thankfully, since then, she has been seen looking

0:13:30 > 0:13:35healthier and admitted she has been working on her gym routine and

0:13:35 > 0:13:38eating healthier and playing more tennis. She said in a video as well

0:13:38 > 0:13:42last night that she has been training in secret since October.

0:13:42 > 0:13:46Hopefully she will able to come out more publicly and do a bit more

0:13:46 > 0:13:52training now. She is a such a bubbly and larger than life character. Many

0:13:52 > 0:13:55people will be so pleased to see her back on the tour, we are looking

0:13:55 > 0:13:58forward to seeing her getting back in training and looking out for her

0:13:58 > 0:14:06in March, Victoria.Thank you very much, Holly, thank you.

0:14:06 > 0:14:09All of the Metropolitan Police's current sexual offences

0:14:09 > 0:14:12investigations are to be reviewed after a second rape prosecution

0:14:12 > 0:14:16collapsed because the defence was only shown evidence helpful

0:14:16 > 0:14:18to its case three months after asking for it.

0:14:18 > 0:14:20The trial was due to begin next month.

0:14:20 > 0:14:25The earlier case against Liam Allan was halted

0:14:25 > 0:14:28in Croydon Crown Court last week.

0:14:28 > 0:14:31He spoke to us on this programme on Monday and told us he wouldn't be

0:14:31 > 0:14:33surprised if there were further cases like his.

0:14:33 > 0:14:37You can't really stop false accusations. People do have a

0:14:37 > 0:14:40spiteful side and when people are hurt they react in a way that you

0:14:40 > 0:14:44wouldn't really expect. So you know, we rely on the procedure to find the

0:14:44 > 0:14:48right sort of things and as far as I'm aware if I have been through it,

0:14:48 > 0:14:54I'm not the only one, just because I'm the one in the media. There are

0:14:54 > 0:14:57people going through it now and you know, that's the aim now is just

0:14:57 > 0:15:00sort of, the procedure may need to change in order to make sure that

0:15:00 > 0:15:03this doesn't happen again, but for the people that are going through it

0:15:03 > 0:15:09now, you know, can that change? Reviews of other cases might happen.

0:15:09 > 0:15:12But the first step is making sure that the procedure changes in the

0:15:12 > 0:15:17right direction so you know what you're looking for.

0:15:17 > 0:15:23Why do you think the police didn't disclose those 40 thousand messages

0:15:23 > 0:15:28which proved your innocence?I wouldn't know why. It could be a

0:15:28 > 0:15:35mistake. It could have been been I haven't got the time to read 47,000

0:15:35 > 0:15:40messages. For me, for something this serious and others have gone through

0:15:40 > 0:15:46the same thing, your life's on hold. So there isn't, I would have happily

0:15:46 > 0:15:51waited another month if it meant they would have read those properly

0:15:51 > 0:15:56and this could have been avoided. It would saved another eight or nine

0:15:56 > 0:16:01months waiting for a trial. I think they're under a lot of pressure,

0:16:01 > 0:16:05given how much media pressure there is.You don't think it was

0:16:05 > 0:16:11malicious.I find it hard to believe it was malicious. Thank goodness for

0:16:11 > 0:16:15the prosecution barrister who was insisting they should be disclosed,

0:16:15 > 0:16:25because he had been to fobbed off and he was told there was nothing

0:16:25 > 0:16:33relevant. I mean there is a lot of credit in terms of, this is where I

0:16:33 > 0:16:38consider myself lucky, the judge handled it so well from a neutral

0:16:38 > 0:16:44point of view and that was nice to see, you don't feel so alone. The

0:16:44 > 0:16:46prosecutor was very understanding in the respect that we should have that

0:16:46 > 0:16:53information. But I have got to give credit to my barrister, which is

0:16:53 > 0:16:58Julia Smart and Simone from the law firm, their persistence and their

0:16:58 > 0:17:03work attitude has been amazing. There is nobody else like them for

0:17:03 > 0:17:12me and I do owe my life to them all equally.Liam Allan.

0:17:12 > 0:17:14The second case involves a 25-year-old man called Isaac Itiary

0:17:14 > 0:17:17who spent four months in jail awaiting trial after being charged

0:17:17 > 0:17:21with raping a child girl under the age of 16.

0:17:21 > 0:17:24The defence asked for details of her text messages in September,

0:17:24 > 0:17:28but they were only just provided this week.

0:17:28 > 0:17:31They showed she regularly posed as a 19-year-old.

0:17:31 > 0:17:34All charges were subsequently dropped.

0:17:34 > 0:17:38We can speak now to Lord Paddick - he is a former Deputy

0:17:38 > 0:17:39Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police

0:17:39 > 0:17:41and a Liberal Democrat peer.

0:17:41 > 0:17:44He says the public would be more reassured if the current review

0:17:44 > 0:17:46of all rape investigations being carried out was done

0:17:46 > 0:17:49independently, or by another force instead of the Met.

0:17:49 > 0:17:52Chris Henley QC is Vice Chair of the Criminal Bar Association -

0:17:52 > 0:17:54he believes both the Crown Prosecution Service

0:17:54 > 0:18:04and the police have shared responsibilities in these failings.

0:18:04 > 0:18:06Peter Kirkham - a former Detective Chief Inspector

0:18:06 > 0:18:10who spent 21 years with the Met.

0:18:10 > 0:18:13During his time he investigated many rape cases and believes the police

0:18:13 > 0:18:21is under huge pressure and are not at fault.

0:18:21 > 0:18:26Why do you say they're not at fault? I need to make it plain, I'm not

0:18:26 > 0:18:30saying they're not at fault in there was nothing done wrong. What I'm

0:18:30 > 0:18:33saying is they're not able to do their jobs properly. They weren't

0:18:33 > 0:18:40able to do their jobs properly in 2010. In 2010 we had about 12,000

0:18:40 > 0:18:47rapes a year being reported. We now have about 48,000. And since 2010 we

0:18:47 > 0:18:51have reduced the number of police officers by 20,000. That is about

0:18:51 > 0:19:0515%.If there are text messages and what's app messages, digital media,

0:19:05 > 0:19:09how can you as a police officer sleep when you know you haven't

0:19:09 > 0:19:14checked them.You can't. If you go and speak to any police officer on

0:19:14 > 0:19:21any of the Metropolitan Polices, they were sapphire units, they're

0:19:21 > 0:19:26now two units rolled together. You speak to any officer, they're not

0:19:26 > 0:19:30sleeping at night. They're suffering from stress.Why aren't they

0:19:30 > 0:19:34disclosing the messages?Because they haven't got time to do their

0:19:34 > 0:19:39jobs.They could disclose them.How many officers do you think are

0:19:39 > 0:19:46allocated to a rape inquiry on the day it comes in.It doesn't take

0:19:46 > 0:19:52much to disclose stuff.How many officers do you think are allocated

0:19:52 > 0:19:57to a rape inquiry.Tell us how many it is now and what it used to be.If

0:19:57 > 0:20:04I told you officers have over 20 on going rape and serious allegations

0:20:04 > 0:20:10on the go at once with no support and insufficient supervision and

0:20:10 > 0:20:13insufficient training, because you can't train officers if they haven't

0:20:13 > 0:20:18got time to come away from operations, with no support and

0:20:18 > 0:20:23budgets for things like laboratory examinations cut.I hear that, but I

0:20:23 > 0:20:26don't know why that would stop the police saying to the Crown

0:20:26 > 0:20:29Prosecution Service there is a load of messages here, let's disclose

0:20:29 > 0:20:35them and give them the opportunity to look at them.That is a minor

0:20:35 > 0:20:41issue. Of course that is wrong and in an individual case there will be

0:20:41 > 0:20:47problems like that. This officer will be hauled over the coals and I

0:20:47 > 0:20:51wouldn't be surprise if they were pushing to put him in jail. It won't

0:20:51 > 0:20:57solve the problem. Chris Henley was surprising, deputy of the Criminal

0:20:57 > 0:21:02Bar Association, why are you smiling?That is an overreaction.

0:21:02 > 0:21:06But what is important is that the police are able to do their jobs

0:21:06 > 0:21:12properly. Because what is at stake is the liberty of in Liam Allan's

0:21:12 > 0:21:17case an innocent man.Of course. Because the investigates process was

0:21:17 > 0:21:21not carried out effectively, his liberty was put at risk and its

0:21:21 > 0:21:26unacceptable. If there is a resource problem, it falls to the officer

0:21:26 > 0:21:30investigating the case and the Crown Prosecution Service lawyer and the

0:21:30 > 0:21:34barrister who stepped up in this case to say to the judge we are not

0:21:34 > 0:21:41ready. This is too important.Let me ask you, Lord Paddick, is it

0:21:41 > 0:21:47reasonable for an investigating officer to say there is a load of

0:21:47 > 0:21:52messages, we haven't had time, here they are.Yes it is reasonable. What

0:21:52 > 0:21:57is not reasonable...Being transparent about the fact that

0:21:57 > 0:22:02there is other evidence there.What is not reasonable is not to look at

0:22:02 > 0:22:06the messages and tell the defence there is nothing to see.Or the

0:22:06 > 0:22:11prosecution.Yes. What I'm concerned about and why we need an independent

0:22:11 > 0:22:17review is that the culture may have shifted. When I did a review of rape

0:22:17 > 0:22:20investigation in 2005 the problem was the police didn't believe the

0:22:20 > 0:22:24people making the allegations. Now, my concern is and I'm not sure

0:22:24 > 0:22:33whether it is true, that the culture may have smifted, so -- shifted so

0:22:33 > 0:22:41the complainant is always believed. What the previous, what the previous

0:22:41 > 0:22:46speaker has said is right. In that there has been a massive increase in

0:22:46 > 0:22:51the number of cases. There has been a significant reduction both in

0:22:51 > 0:22:56terms of the numbers of police officers and the seniority of the

0:22:56 > 0:22:59officers investigating the cases. In the time which were in the Met it

0:22:59 > 0:23:05was at least a detective sergeant and now you have got constables

0:23:05 > 0:23:08investigating these very serious crimes. There is a question about

0:23:08 > 0:23:13supervision of the officers and about culture and resources. There

0:23:13 > 0:23:19is a question about the volume of this thing. In Liam Allan's case it

0:23:19 > 0:23:24was over 2,000 pages of text messages. That is a lot of stuff.As

0:23:24 > 0:23:28it has happened twice and it is the same investigating officer we are

0:23:28 > 0:23:35told, what do you read into that? Clearly there is, there may be an

0:23:35 > 0:23:42issue with that office and an issue with supervision of that officer. It

0:23:42 > 0:23:47might be as the prosecution barrister said it maybe a systemic

0:23:47 > 0:23:51problem. I don't think we can leave to it the police and the Crown

0:23:51 > 0:23:56Prosecution Service to get to the bottom of it, there needs to be an

0:23:56 > 0:24:06independent look at this.Chris Henley, do you, you, the chair of

0:24:06 > 0:24:09your organisation warned unconscious bias could be preventing the police

0:24:09 > 0:24:15from investigating, do you agree with that?Yes it is possible. What

0:24:15 > 0:24:18Brian has said about the history of the investigation of these cases is

0:24:18 > 0:24:24right. Complaintants used to be treated badly. Now it has gone the

0:24:24 > 0:24:27other way.That still doesn't make sense from a police officer's point

0:24:27 > 0:24:32of view, you follow the evidence. That what is should happen. An

0:24:32 > 0:24:38allegation is made, a complaint is made, of course the complaintant

0:24:38 > 0:24:42should be treated with respect. But then the allegation needs to be

0:24:42 > 0:24:47tested and be set against what the answer is whether ten suspect is

0:24:47 > 0:24:53interviewed. This material was in the possession of the police and it

0:24:53 > 0:24:57obviously wouldn't have taken long if it was sifted through and it

0:24:57 > 0:25:03wasn't, because the defence barrister sat up all night to do her

0:25:03 > 0:25:06job, hours for which she won't be paid, because of the cuts across the

0:25:06 > 0:25:14system, not just the barristers, the the courts are crumbles. The

0:25:14 > 0:25:18inspectorate reviewed the disclosure process and July said there were

0:25:18 > 0:25:25fails.What would your advice be to anybody who maybe investigating now,

0:25:25 > 0:25:29for crimes of a sexual offence or who may be in jail now as I was

0:25:29 > 0:25:34putting to Liam Allan and potentially wondering if they're a

0:25:34 > 0:25:41victim of a miscarriage of justice. Well it must be demoralising if

0:25:41 > 0:25:45you're on the receiving end of this and you feel the matter has not been

0:25:45 > 0:25:51investigated properly. You keep faith with your solicitor and the

0:25:51 > 0:26:00barrister who will fight your corner and thank goodness we have

0:26:00 > 0:26:02independent barristers who don't take at face value everything their

0:26:02 > 0:26:10told and want to see the material themselves.We have some messages

0:26:10 > 0:26:15from people listening. Research for the Home Office suggests only 4% of

0:26:15 > 0:26:18cases of sexual violence reported to the police are suspected to be

0:26:18 > 0:26:23false. Bruce says, the police seem to be damned if they do and damned

0:26:23 > 0:26:29if they don't. Martin says, Liam Allan was held under police bail

0:26:29 > 0:26:32while they trawled for evidence. This practice is common to

0:26:32 > 0:26:37constitute a threat to liberty. Another e-mail from Peter, the media

0:26:37 > 0:26:40put pressure on the police to get convictions in rape cases and this

0:26:40 > 0:26:51is a way of satisfying the media craving. Thank you all very much.

0:26:57 > 0:27:00More on this later. Your views is welcome. Particularly if you're

0:27:00 > 0:27:06being investigated now for a crime of a sexual offences nature.

0:27:06 > 0:27:09A man who threw acid across a packed London nightclub injuring 22 people

0:27:09 > 0:27:11has been jailed for 20 years.

0:27:11 > 0:27:15Arthur Collins, the ex-boyfriend of reality TV star Ferne McCann,

0:27:15 > 0:27:18admitted throwing the liquid but had claimed he believed

0:27:18 > 0:27:22it was a date rape drug.

0:27:22 > 0:27:25Last month he was found guilty of five counts of GBH with intent

0:27:25 > 0:27:28and nine counts of ABH.

0:27:28 > 0:27:33This CCTV footage shows the moment of the attack -

0:27:33 > 0:27:36Collins had claimed in court he had taken the bottle from a group

0:27:36 > 0:27:40of men with whom he had got into an argument.

0:27:40 > 0:27:44He said he snatched it thinking it was a date rape drug.

0:27:44 > 0:27:46"I wanted to show them the drug was gone; show them

0:27:46 > 0:27:48there was nothing left in the bottle."

0:27:48 > 0:27:51But the jury didn't believe his defence and on sentencing

0:27:51 > 0:27:54the judge told him: defence and on sentencing

0:28:15 > 0:28:18A total of 22 people were injured as a result of the attack,

0:28:18 > 0:28:2016 of whom suffered serious burns.

0:28:20 > 0:28:23Victims who read impact statements to the court spoke

0:28:23 > 0:28:24of feeling "scared", "traumatised" and "suicidal"

0:28:24 > 0:28:33as a result of the attack.

0:28:33 > 0:28:36One victim was Lauren Trent.

0:28:36 > 0:28:38For me, it doesn't change what happened.

0:28:38 > 0:28:41It sets a standard for anyone out there thinking about throwing acid,

0:28:41 > 0:28:43especially a Ph1 acid over another human being.

0:28:43 > 0:28:46I think it's the fear of the unknown.

0:28:46 > 0:28:48That night there was nothing to indicate what was about to happen.

0:28:48 > 0:28:51I was in a nightclub, a place I should have been safe.

0:28:51 > 0:28:53It was my 22nd birthday.

0:28:53 > 0:28:56My birthday is now an anniversary of an acid attack.

0:28:56 > 0:28:58I didn't walk in there with scars.

0:28:58 > 0:29:01I'm now fearful of people I don't know.

0:29:01 > 0:29:03If a commotion breaks out, the first thing that now

0:29:03 > 0:29:08goes through my head is, are they going to throw acid?

0:29:08 > 0:29:11Something I would like to think would not affect my life,

0:29:11 > 0:29:14but it has affected my thoughts and actions and it

0:29:14 > 0:29:15will from this day on.

0:29:15 > 0:29:18Perhaps about where I stand in a club, perhaps what I do

0:29:18 > 0:29:19when a fight breaks out.

0:29:19 > 0:29:23I would like to think I'm stronger than that and I would like to think

0:29:23 > 0:29:26his actions will not get to me and I would like to think I'm

0:29:26 > 0:29:28moving on with my life.

0:29:28 > 0:29:30But today, I would say I'm not the Laura I was

0:29:30 > 0:29:36when I walked into Mangle.

0:29:36 > 0:29:37Joining me is Andreas Christopheros.

0:29:37 > 0:29:44Three years ago, he survived being doused in sulphuric acid.

0:29:44 > 0:29:52Thank you for talking to us. How do you react to this 20-year sentence?

0:29:52 > 0:30:00I spent st last year campaigning for tougher sentences. I believe anyone

0:30:00 > 0:30:04who commits an acid attack should be facing life with a minimum term of

0:30:04 > 0:30:1020 years. Now we have got to the 20 year point that seems like a great

0:30:10 > 0:30:15achievement, but I still would have like to see life. Life is reserved

0:30:15 > 0:30:19for people who are a danger to society and Arthur Collins is

0:30:19 > 0:30:24obviously a dangerous man. What happened to your attacker? My

0:30:24 > 0:30:29attacker was originally sentenced to life with a minimum term of eight

0:30:29 > 0:30:35years. Reappealed the sentence. The eight years was not long enough. We

0:30:35 > 0:30:40were told the judge acted fairly and it was in line with case line and

0:30:40 > 0:30:46our appeal was not granted. But unbeknown to us, my attacker

0:30:46 > 0:30:52appealed the life aspect of the sentence of which his appeal got

0:30:52 > 0:30:57granted to the court. So shortly after the sentence we went to the

0:30:57 > 0:31:03High Court in London where three of highest ranking judges in the land

0:31:03 > 0:31:07deemed David Phillips not to be a dangerous man and lifted life are

0:31:07 > 0:31:11the sentence, shortening his sentence to 16 years of which he

0:31:11 > 0:31:17will only serve eight, that is five years from now. I have passed the

0:31:17 > 0:31:25three year anniversary of the attack. In five years I will still

0:31:25 > 0:31:36be having surgery and I will wear the scars for the rest of my life.

0:31:36 > 0:31:42Tell our audience what happened to you?It was December, 9th 2014, I

0:31:42 > 0:31:47opened my door to an unknown man, assuming it was a courier in the

0:31:47 > 0:31:51run-up to Christmas. We have people coming and going from the house on a

0:31:51 > 0:31:55regular basis and I opened the door confidently as I would normally and

0:31:55 > 0:31:59I received a beaker of sulphuric acid to my face. It was a large

0:31:59 > 0:32:06amount. About over a pint. I think that's why my injuries are full

0:32:06 > 0:32:13facial and more severe. It was a case of mistaken identity. He was

0:32:13 > 0:32:18trying to target someone who lived close to me.

0:32:18 > 0:32:22I got rushed to hospital and I started my recovery from there.And

0:32:22 > 0:32:29what do you think of campaigners who want restrictions on the easy

0:32:29 > 0:32:38availability of acid effectively? Restrictions, it was it has been too

0:32:38 > 0:32:42easy to buy sulphuric acid. Amber Rudd stood up at the Tory Party

0:32:42 > 0:32:46conference and made it clear they will put an age restriction on

0:32:46 > 0:32:51sulphuric acid which seems ludicrous. You would have thought it

0:32:51 > 0:32:54would have been restricted by age. So that was a step in the right

0:32:54 > 0:33:02direction. Shortly she came forward with the two strike policy for

0:33:02 > 0:33:08anyone carrying acids, if you are caught carrying acid, it is six

0:33:08 > 0:33:14months inside, twice. One bit of legislation that legislation that I

0:33:14 > 0:33:21have been pushing for is to take acid from its original bottle. Acid

0:33:21 > 0:33:28is sold in marked bottles. It would be an easy law to implement make to

0:33:28 > 0:33:32sure it can't be put into anything else. If someone is caught carrying

0:33:32 > 0:33:36a squirty bottle of acid then they should be automatically face six

0:33:36 > 0:33:41months inside. Thank you for talking to us. We

0:33:41 > 0:33:48appreciate your time.

0:33:48 > 0:33:52Should fathers taking parental leave be entitled to the same level of pay

0:33:52 > 0:33:56as mothers on maternity leave? We will be talking to some dads about

0:33:56 > 0:34:01their experiences and we're keen to hear from you as well. The festive

0:34:01 > 0:34:07season sees us bombarded with festive family cheer, but a third of

0:34:07 > 0:34:11us will be spending Christmas without a family member. Tell us

0:34:11 > 0:34:13what you're doing on Christmas Day.

0:34:13 > 0:34:15Time for the latest news, here's Annita.

0:34:15 > 0:34:17The BBC News headlines this morning.

0:34:17 > 0:34:19The Government is being accused of "abject failure" in its attempt

0:34:19 > 0:34:21to tackle homelessness in England.

0:34:21 > 0:34:23A damning report by the all-party Public Accounts Committee says

0:34:23 > 0:34:25the issue has become a national crisis.

0:34:25 > 0:34:28The government says it's investing more than £1 billion to help make

0:34:28 > 0:34:35more affordable housing available.

0:34:35 > 0:34:38The Metropolitan Police is launching a review of all its current sex

0:34:38 > 0:34:40offence investigations after the collapse of a second

0:34:40 > 0:34:42rape case in a week.

0:34:42 > 0:34:45The prosecutions were halted because of the late disclosure

0:34:45 > 0:34:46of digital evidence.

0:34:46 > 0:34:48Scotland Yard has confirmed the same detective was involved

0:34:48 > 0:34:52in both investigations.

0:34:52 > 0:34:54in both investigations.

0:34:54 > 0:34:57BBC News has learnt that EU banks will be allowed to continue

0:34:57 > 0:34:59operating in the UK as normal after Brexit even if

0:34:59 > 0:35:02the European Union and Britain fail to reach a deal.

0:35:02 > 0:35:06The plans from the Bank of England mean that European banks operating

0:35:06 > 0:35:09through branches in the UK will not have to go through the expensive

0:35:09 > 0:35:16process of creating British subsidiaries.

0:35:16 > 0:35:20A man has admitted knocking a cyclist off his bike

0:35:20 > 0:35:22after the shocking incident was captured on dash-cam.

0:35:22 > 0:35:25This footage shows the driver swerve towards the cyclist and knock him

0:35:25 > 0:35:29off his bike before driving off and leaving him lying in the road.

0:35:29 > 0:35:3330-year-old Ashley Wallace Merrett pleaded guilty to dangerous driving,

0:35:33 > 0:35:36actual bodily harm and common assault following the shocking

0:35:36 > 0:35:41incident in Colchester in Essex.

0:35:41 > 0:35:43The cyclist needed hospital treatment, but his injuries

0:35:43 > 0:35:46were not serious.

0:35:46 > 0:35:49An employment tribunal will hear a landmark case on whether firms

0:35:49 > 0:35:54which offer enhanced maternity pay to women can give only a statutory

0:35:54 > 0:35:55minimum to their male employees when they take

0:35:55 > 0:35:58shared parental leave.

0:35:58 > 0:36:01The outsourcing company Capita appealed against an earlier ruling

0:36:01 > 0:36:02that it discriminated against a new father.

0:36:02 > 0:36:05Shared parental leave was introduced more than two years ago but take up

0:36:05 > 0:36:11rates are lower than 10%.

0:36:11 > 0:36:14The BBC is to broaden its coverage of religions, devoting more time

0:36:14 > 0:36:16to non-Christian faiths.

0:36:16 > 0:36:18The decision follows a review of the Corporation's output

0:36:18 > 0:36:21in response to claims it was out of step with its audience.

0:36:21 > 0:36:30There will also be more religion reflected in mainstream programming.

0:36:30 > 0:36:32That's a summary of the latest BBC News.

0:36:32 > 0:36:35Here's some sport now with Holly.

0:36:35 > 0:36:39Birmingham is set to be named as the host of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

0:36:39 > 0:36:43They were the only city to bid before the original deadline, but

0:36:43 > 0:36:51the proposal was deemed to be not fully compliant and the deadline was

0:36:51 > 0:36:56extended, but they have won the right to stage the event. Manchester

0:36:56 > 0:37:01City talk of four trophies. They are through to the semi-finals, but the

0:37:01 > 0:37:05manager has dismissed talk of a quadruple insisting it's

0:37:05 > 0:37:14unrealistic. Marion Bartoli Has announced her return to tennis. She

0:37:14 > 0:37:22retired four years ago, but she will be back for the Miami Open in March.

0:37:22 > 0:37:27Ben Duckett has been told he won't take part in the England Lions Tour

0:37:27 > 0:37:32to the West Indies next year. He with-suspended for pouring a drink

0:37:32 > 0:37:35over James Anderson's head in a Perth bar. More in the next half an

0:37:35 > 0:37:40hour.

0:37:40 > 0:37:43It's that time of year when we're bombarded with pictures and videos

0:37:43 > 0:37:46of the perfect Christmas, but if we're honest we know it's not

0:37:46 > 0:37:49like that for a lot of people - and seeing everyone pretending it's

0:37:49 > 0:37:51perfect can actually be pretty hard.

0:37:51 > 0:37:53A new survey by a charity which works with people who are

0:37:53 > 0:37:55estranged from their families suggests that only two

0:37:55 > 0:37:58out of three of us in Britain will spend most

0:37:58 > 0:38:00of Christmas Day with our immediate family.

0:38:00 > 0:38:02Our reporter Catrin Nye spoke to three people who don't have

0:38:02 > 0:38:02contact with their family about Christmas when it's

0:38:09 > 0:38:12It is portrayed as the perfect situation, isn't it?

0:38:12 > 0:38:15With the family sitting around the Christmas tree,

0:38:15 > 0:38:19and reality is starker.

0:38:19 > 0:38:23I remember last Christmas, there wasn't even

0:38:23 > 0:38:28that noise of the door being opened, and I just felt so unwanted, and

0:38:28 > 0:38:33I felt as though everyone has someone or somewhere, and I didn't

0:38:33 > 0:38:39have that.

0:38:39 > 0:38:41I was very upset, and I just stayed in my room, pretty

0:38:41 > 0:38:42much, cried all day.

0:38:42 > 0:38:47Farah has no contact with any of her family.

0:38:47 > 0:38:51She grew up with just her mum, but has

0:38:51 > 0:38:54not spoken to her at all for two years now.

0:38:54 > 0:38:56And lives in another city at university.

0:38:56 > 0:38:57She didn't want to use her real name.

0:38:57 > 0:38:59When her friends go home for Christmas, she

0:38:59 > 0:39:03is left alone.

0:39:03 > 0:39:11This year, although I will still be in the same building,

0:39:11 > 0:39:15I just aim not to be upset, really, and just treat like a normal day.

0:39:15 > 0:39:18Just spent the day with music playing or something, so that I can

0:39:18 > 0:39:20overcome the fear of silence.

0:39:20 > 0:39:28Yeah, the gulf is massive.

0:39:28 > 0:39:31The idea that is represented in TV programmes and ads and

0:39:31 > 0:39:33the actual reality of people's real lives.

0:39:33 > 0:39:35Christmas then becomes even more of a contradiction.

0:39:35 > 0:39:36It's portrayed as the perfect situation,

0:39:36 > 0:39:39isn't it, with the family sitting around the Christmas tree, and

0:39:39 > 0:39:44reality is starker.

0:39:44 > 0:39:49David Wilson does have contact with some of his family.

0:39:49 > 0:39:52He is also married, and so, not completely alone, but he says

0:39:52 > 0:39:55at Christmas he is reminded more than ever of the family that he

0:39:55 > 0:39:57doesn't get to see.

0:39:57 > 0:40:01With my youngest son, who is now living in

0:40:01 > 0:40:08Spain, there is a problem there, in that I don't see him

0:40:08 > 0:40:13or my grandson, actually, so, I've got a grandson

0:40:13 > 0:40:16aged three who I don't see.

0:40:16 > 0:40:19I am quite unable to explain it, because

0:40:19 > 0:40:21nobody has ever told me.

0:40:21 > 0:40:23The lines went dead.

0:40:23 > 0:40:25So, you just really don't fully know?

0:40:25 > 0:40:33No.

0:40:33 > 0:40:35I'm not in contact with my mum.

0:40:35 > 0:40:37I sent her an e-mail basically saying that I

0:40:37 > 0:40:41didn't want to have contact with her any more.

0:40:41 > 0:40:45My younger brother didn't really want to talk to me after that.

0:40:45 > 0:40:48I haven't spoken to my dad in years.

0:40:48 > 0:40:51Because my parents got divorced when I was seven and he

0:40:51 > 0:40:59lives in Manchester, and doesn't have an address.

0:40:59 > 0:41:01Like, because it's the end of term now, people will be

0:41:01 > 0:41:03asking me, when are you going home?

0:41:03 > 0:41:05And I kind of just say, I'm not.

0:41:05 > 0:41:09I just avoid telling people about my situation just

0:41:09 > 0:41:11because I fear of having any insensitive comments

0:41:11 > 0:41:17being said to me.

0:41:17 > 0:41:19How can your mother not love you or why can't

0:41:19 > 0:41:20you two just patch up?

0:41:20 > 0:41:23Everyone does have the assumption that a mother

0:41:23 > 0:41:25loves her child, but, there are unfortunately some exceptions

0:41:25 > 0:41:27to that.

0:41:27 > 0:41:28Tell me about your grandson at Christmas.

0:41:28 > 0:41:31Yeah.

0:41:31 > 0:41:33I give him a present every Christmas and birthday.

0:41:33 > 0:41:35So that's two a year.

0:41:35 > 0:41:39And I put them in a box.

0:41:51 > 0:41:54That's enough.

0:41:54 > 0:41:57One day, he'll know that I did care enough to get

0:41:57 > 0:41:59him those things, yeah.

0:41:59 > 0:42:01So, I think it has meaning for me, and it has

0:42:01 > 0:42:06meaning for him.

0:42:06 > 0:42:09You'll see all the pictures on Facebook of people with

0:42:09 > 0:42:12their families and big piles of presents.

0:42:12 > 0:42:16I think, it's just weird being different to everyone else

0:42:16 > 0:42:19around you because there's nothing on the TV, really, about not

0:42:19 > 0:42:21spending Christmas with your family.

0:42:21 > 0:42:23Like, it's just kind of expected that you go...

0:42:23 > 0:42:26It's just all very, like, positive.

0:42:26 > 0:42:30Nobody's really saying Christmas can be hard for people.

0:42:30 > 0:42:36I have two sisters who I am close to.

0:42:36 > 0:42:42A selfish thing to say, because it that she quite difficult

0:42:42 > 0:42:47for me to sit with my sister and say, "How's your grandson?"

0:42:47 > 0:42:49Because I know he's fine, and I'm not.

0:42:49 > 0:42:53So, there's an element of that.

0:42:53 > 0:42:55When I was growing up it was weird, anyway.

0:42:55 > 0:42:57Because, like, we would have quite a small Christmas,

0:42:57 > 0:42:59and so I would cook the Christmas dinner and wrapped my

0:42:59 > 0:43:02own presents, and my brother's presents and do a lot of the

0:43:02 > 0:43:03Christmas shopping, as well.

0:43:03 > 0:43:05Amy now spends Christmas with her boyfriend's

0:43:05 > 0:43:06family, a new family.

0:43:06 > 0:43:08It does feel like I'm tagging onto somebody else's family

0:43:08 > 0:43:15Christmas a lot of the time.

0:43:15 > 0:43:16I get some presents there that I don't

0:43:16 > 0:43:19know about from my boyfriend's family, because they're lovely.

0:43:19 > 0:43:22I have the Christmas dinners that I don't have to cook it's wonderful,

0:43:22 > 0:43:23really.

0:43:23 > 0:43:25So, I kind of consider them my family, now.

0:43:25 > 0:43:27Sometimes I just like to observe festive happy people.

0:43:27 > 0:43:30It makes me think that one day, when I start my own family, I

0:43:30 > 0:43:32want to be like that.

0:43:32 > 0:43:34Insofar as I can sit in the chair and give anyone

0:43:34 > 0:43:37advise, is, it's go out and do something with yourself, and expand

0:43:37 > 0:43:39your family.

0:43:39 > 0:43:40In every way.

0:43:40 > 0:43:42Whether its books, music, good friends...

0:43:42 > 0:43:49Family doesn't just have to be biological.

0:43:49 > 0:43:53Christmas is definitely a time where I feel that I need to be loved

0:43:53 > 0:43:55and the longer you are a strange, the more desperate

0:43:55 > 0:43:56you become for love.

0:43:56 > 0:44:00I would much rather spend Christmas with my boyfriend's family and feel

0:44:00 > 0:44:03a bit out of place, than try and fit into

0:44:03 > 0:44:05a normal family Christmas and just find the whole thing horrible.

0:44:05 > 0:44:12Because it's meant to be a nice time.

0:44:19 > 0:44:24Sarah says, "I love being on my own. Alone does not equal lonely." Rosie

0:44:24 > 0:44:29on Facebook says, "I will be working this Christmas. I don't mind. I like

0:44:29 > 0:44:32working Christmas and I like making sure the patients get fed on the

0:44:32 > 0:44:37wards. Those who people who don't get home for Christmas and new work

0:44:37 > 0:44:42and I will see my family after work." Pam says, "Christmas has the

0:44:42 > 0:44:50same effect on me as Mother's Day and father's day. My family live in

0:44:50 > 0:44:55Australia. It is another day of housework, charity work, etcetera. I

0:44:55 > 0:45:00wish it wasn't commercial." Ian says, "I must be the only one happy

0:45:00 > 0:45:04on my own for the first time this Christmas because I can watch

0:45:04 > 0:45:07whatever I want on TV."

0:45:07 > 0:45:16Really keen to hear from you this morning -

0:45:16 > 0:45:18if you're spending Christmas without your family -

0:45:18 > 0:45:20do get in touch and tell us what you're doing.

0:45:20 > 0:45:23Coming up:

0:45:23 > 0:45:28We will be talking to a fisherman.

0:45:28 > 0:45:32Should new dads who want to take time off to look after their baby be

0:45:32 > 0:45:34entitled to the same pay as women taking maternity leave?

0:45:34 > 0:45:37That's the question that is due to be answered by an employment

0:45:37 > 0:45:39tribunal in an appeal hearing that opens today.

0:45:39 > 0:45:42The case is the first of its kind by a man under

0:45:42 > 0:45:44Shared Parental Leave laws - which came into force

0:45:44 > 0:45:45three years ago.

0:45:45 > 0:45:48Shared Parental Leave gives parents the right to split their leave

0:45:48 > 0:45:50between mum and dad, but some companies pay mothers

0:45:50 > 0:45:52an enhanced maternity payment whilst dad get the statutory minimum.

0:45:52 > 0:45:55Perhaps that explains why take up rates are pitifully

0:45:55 > 0:46:00low, at lower than 10%.

0:46:00 > 0:46:02In a moment we'll be talking to some dads,

0:46:02 > 0:46:06but first let's speak to our legal eagle, Clive Coleman.

0:46:10 > 0:46:12Let's talk now to some dads who have taken advantage

0:46:12 > 0:46:15of shared parental leave and one who wanted to, but says

0:46:15 > 0:46:16the system is unfair.

0:46:16 > 0:46:18Tom Higham is in Salford, Josh Lawson joins us

0:46:18 > 0:46:21from Chester and with me here is Simon Knee.

0:46:21 > 0:46:31Hi Josh.Hi.Here is Simon. Lucas was two last month. He is around. He

0:46:31 > 0:46:39will join us when he feels like it. Tom, the issue is maternity pay is

0:46:39 > 0:46:42generally higher than shared parental leave. How much higher.

0:46:42 > 0:46:49That is part of it, but mothers get 90% of full pay for several weeks at

0:46:49 > 0:46:55the start of pregnancy, at the beginning of having a child, while

0:46:55 > 0:47:02we are not advocating for lower pay for mothers, we're advocating for

0:47:02 > 0:47:08equal rights to men who take paternalty leave. If you want to

0:47:08 > 0:47:13create a balanced family and economy and all of the positives that ensues

0:47:13 > 0:47:18for the child and the family and the work place, you have to make an

0:47:18 > 0:47:22effort to make pay more equal in a society and in a country where there

0:47:22 > 0:47:32is a still a huge gender pay gap, 17% or 19%, and also a situation

0:47:32 > 0:47:37where mothers are given incentives not to work and fathers making a

0:47:37 > 0:47:42decision as a family, a father going out to work is more likely to bring

0:47:42 > 0:47:47in more money. It is important for children and fathers and families

0:47:47 > 0:47:52and the economy if we make some proper efforts to equalise how

0:47:52 > 0:47:57parenting works.Does it seem extraordinary that mums and dads

0:47:57 > 0:48:05don't have equal rights on this?Yes what frustrate us the narrative,

0:48:05 > 0:48:10particularly from the Conservative Government is we offered shared

0:48:10 > 0:48:17parental leave, but dads are not taking it up. I read just 1%. It is

0:48:17 > 0:48:25not the full story. Dads don't take it down because statutory is £139 a

0:48:25 > 0:48:35week. And if a dad is on a higher salary, you won't be able to afford.

0:48:35 > 0:48:41It is not true they don't want to take parental leave. There a swathe

0:48:41 > 0:48:46of fathers who want to engage more in their children's upbringing.Josh

0:48:46 > 0:48:52you are one of those dads, what has it meant to you to be off work with

0:48:52 > 0:49:00your son.It is critical to get that time to bond. I have always wanted

0:49:00 > 0:49:05to be a dad, I wouldn't have had a clue without those early months to

0:49:05 > 0:49:09bond and I'm in a privileged position where I knew about shared

0:49:09 > 0:49:13parental leave and could take advantage of it in work, I think the

0:49:13 > 0:49:23company was...They gave you full pay for 22 weeks?Yes for the

0:49:23 > 0:49:32entirety of my time off. 22 weeks and further few weeks for standard

0:49:32 > 0:49:38parental paternity. If one of us had to go back to work, it must be my

0:49:38 > 0:49:45partner.Simon, Lucas will hopefully just us at some point. Your issue is

0:49:45 > 0:49:50different, your wife is free lance, what were the issues that came up

0:49:50 > 0:49:58for you?My company were helpful and supported me in taking shared

0:49:58 > 0:50:06parental leave and itself was good too take it in blocks. But I had to

0:50:06 > 0:50:12do it at the end of period when he was nine months old.Why did you

0:50:12 > 0:50:20have to do it at the end?With my wife being self-employed she gets a

0:50:20 > 0:50:28maternity allowance, but that stops and you can't mix and match with

0:50:28 > 0:50:32your partner so one person has a month off and then the other. For

0:50:32 > 0:50:37family finance reasons, the only way to work it work was for Olga to look

0:50:37 > 0:50:42after him for the first nine months and then I could in the last three

0:50:42 > 0:50:49months of year take my shared parental pay.Do you think you

0:50:49 > 0:50:53missed out?Yes because those early months are important and I valued

0:50:53 > 0:50:58the time that I had. The other thing was I could see my wife being

0:50:58 > 0:51:01self-employed at that time getting stressed out with those nine months,

0:51:01 > 0:51:05because she didn't know if she was going to have clients to come back

0:51:05 > 0:51:11to. But it wasn't a choice we had to work out what way we could make it

0:51:11 > 0:51:18work for our family.Tom, the employment appeals tribunal will

0:51:18 > 0:51:22hear this appeal to determine whether bosses have to pay fathers

0:51:22 > 0:51:27the same as they would pay a work taking maternity leave. What do you

0:51:27 > 0:51:33think is going to be outcome? On the face of it it seems to be straight

0:51:33 > 0:51:39forward discrimination?Yes it is, I feel conflicted, because the odds

0:51:39 > 0:51:45are stacked against women in the work place in many ways across the

0:51:45 > 0:51:51economy and across the demographics, if you want to address the way

0:51:51 > 0:51:55families work and societies work and the economy works, why not equalise

0:51:55 > 0:52:03it? And take, we always quote the statistics and anecdotes from

0:52:03 > 0:52:08northern Europe and in Sweden where they have a situation that there is

0:52:08 > 0:52:14a use it or lose it access to full paid parental leave, so a family

0:52:14 > 0:52:19unit gets access to incredible rights, if you use it you get access

0:52:19 > 0:52:26f you don't, you don't. It incentivizes men to get involved

0:52:26 > 0:52:35with their family and for woman not to disenage from work. So surely and

0:52:35 > 0:52:39hopefully everything crossed that today comes back with the right

0:52:39 > 0:52:45verdict.Josh, let me put this to you a tweet from somebody watching,

0:52:45 > 0:52:51why should employers pay for your family?Put yourself in that

0:52:51 > 0:52:55situation, everybody needs that time, it is unfair for a man, a male

0:52:55 > 0:53:01not to have that time to bond, the female does the hard work in the

0:53:01 > 0:53:11pregnancy.I don't they they are saying, but why should your boss's

0:53:11 > 0:53:19company pay for that.My boss is a father himself he would would put

0:53:19 > 0:53:23himself in that scenario. It is down to a human. It is something that

0:53:23 > 0:53:27gets overlooked, we know about the importance of the bond with the

0:53:27 > 0:53:31baby, but Tom alluded to the fact that you need to be there to support

0:53:31 > 0:53:36your partner as well. Me and my partner are first time parents and

0:53:36 > 0:53:40there was some small complications and she needed that support and it

0:53:40 > 0:53:45was amazing for me to be there to offer that support at that time. But

0:53:45 > 0:53:51I mean looking at from it a human perspective as opposed to a business

0:53:51 > 0:53:59perspective. People need that time. Let me read this message from Katie,

0:53:59 > 0:54:06another consideration is maternity and paternity leave when your baby

0:54:06 > 0:54:11is born prematurely. I spent the first few months travelling to

0:54:11 > 0:54:16hospital and missed three months of normal maternity leave. All the

0:54:16 > 0:54:22while my partner had to go back to work, knowing his baby was in

0:54:22 > 0:54:30hospital. This should be reviewed on a more individual basis. Thank you

0:54:30 > 0:54:37for coming in with your boys and have a lovely Christmas. Thank you.

0:54:37 > 0:54:41Next: The footballer Sol Campbell believes he experienced a

0:54:41 > 0:54:45life-changing moment when he became a teenager. That gave him the

0:54:45 > 0:54:49determination to become one koft country's most successful players

0:54:49 > 0:54:53and he has gone back to London to inspire children there to look for

0:54:53 > 0:55:03their own moment.You all right? Good. How's things. Good. Here we

0:55:03 > 0:55:12go. Robert, long, time. Must be what? 30 years?Yeah.It must be at

0:55:12 > 0:55:17least 30 mans. This man what a player. Obviously you didn't fulfil

0:55:17 > 0:55:23your dreams at the time. Because you was a exceptional player.Years ago

0:55:23 > 0:55:29I grew up in the same area obviously. You know the temptations

0:55:29 > 0:55:34that were there. Went out, done the wrong things, wrong attitude.

0:55:41 > 0:55:47I think you know sometimes you have got to say, when does it kick in?

0:55:47 > 0:55:54When does that you know... That light turns on. When does that

0:55:54 > 0:55:58lightning bolt hit you. My moment was when I said to myself, there is

0:55:58 > 0:56:05too many people in my house. No space. Who wants to be a footballer?

0:56:05 > 0:56:12Me.Me.Do you think it is easy?No. You have to work hard.You have to

0:56:12 > 0:56:21work hard?Obviously.Really? Obviously.Yeah. If I left work...

0:56:21 > 0:56:26If you work hard do you think it always comes.No sometimes you get

0:56:26 > 0:56:33let down.My family were looking to where is the next pound coming from,

0:56:33 > 0:56:37the food on the table, people haven't got time to worry about how

0:56:37 > 0:56:42you are feeling or whatever. It is about get some money, because we

0:56:42 > 0:56:48have got to pay the bills. Why do you think I kind of you know made

0:56:48 > 0:56:52it, it is just discipline or just determination or I don't know.Many

0:56:52 > 0:56:57people didn't have the talent I had went on, had the right attitude,

0:56:57 > 0:57:01worked hard and became a professional. I believe you wanted

0:57:01 > 0:57:06it. You wanted it more. And you had ability. You don't make it unless

0:57:06 > 0:57:11you have ability to start with. But you have to have the right attitude.

0:57:11 > 0:57:20I done the first trial at QPR and the first atroe turf pitch, I had to

0:57:20 > 0:57:28borrow the AstroTurf boots, played on the pitch, score ed two wells and

0:57:28 > 0:57:33Bobby Robson was in the office at the last trial and he asked me, why

0:57:33 > 0:57:37have you been thrown out of three schools in three years? I didn't

0:57:37 > 0:57:43have an answer and I begged the man to say if you take me away from

0:57:43 > 0:57:50where I am and give me a chance and three weeks later I get the answer.

0:57:50 > 0:57:54I believe Andy Cole got picked over me.I think I grew up in that moment

0:57:54 > 0:58:00and it became the norm. It is only when you step out of the norm that

0:58:00 > 0:58:05you were under severe pressure at an Airlie age in your -- an early age

0:58:05 > 0:58:10in your life.That was Sol Campbell returning to his roots. No I the

0:58:10 > 0:58:10weather.

0:58:10 > 0:58:15returning to his roots. No I the weather. We have a cloudy day for

0:58:15 > 0:58:20many parts with some misty and foggy conditions this morning and our

0:58:20 > 0:58:24weather watchers have been taking picture of the fog. The first one

0:58:24 > 0:58:30here if we can run this, bear with me. That one there in

0:58:30 > 0:58:34Buckinghamshire, a lot of fog. And fog in the South West. But it is not

0:58:34 > 0:58:39foggy for all of us. We have got some brighter skies. Mainly in the

0:58:39 > 0:58:45northern half of the UK. In Stirling some blue skies is. Maybe some cloud

0:58:45 > 0:58:50here later. But it will stay largely dry in Scotland and Northern

0:58:50 > 0:58:54Ireland. Some showers in the far north-west of Scotland. Elsewhere in

0:58:54 > 0:59:01England and Wales cloudy and still some misty conditions. But it is

0:59:01 > 0:59:10mild. Temperatures about nine, 10, 11, 12 Celsius. Still some mist and

0:59:10 > 0:59:16fog patches lingering. In the higher ground of Wales and north-west

0:59:16 > 0:59:21England still some fog. For Scotland and Northern Ireland, here some

0:59:21 > 0:59:26brighter skies. Temperatures lower at nine to 12 degrees. Wednesday

0:59:26 > 0:59:30evening will continue to see a lot of cloud and still some mist and fog

0:59:30 > 0:59:34in parts of England and Wales. Perhaps becoming more extensive into

0:59:34 > 0:59:38the early hours of Thursday morning. And rain spreading north across

0:59:38 > 0:59:41Northern Ireland into north-west England, Wales and the south-east of

0:59:41 > 0:59:47England. Further north temperatures down to four degrees. For many still

0:59:47 > 0:59:54a mild night. And milder conditions continuing on Thursday. The cloudier

0:59:54 > 0:59:58skies associated with the weather front. Some rain in Northern Ireland

0:59:58 > 1:00:02into the south of Scotland. The far north-east of Scotland having

1:00:02 > 1:00:09brighter skies, but for most not a great deal of change. Lots of grey

1:00:09 > 1:00:12skies, misty and foggy conditions and temperatures into double

1:00:12 > 1:00:19figures. This system is with on Friday and shifts a bit. And the

1:00:19 > 1:00:24rain just shifting a bit. So not a great deal of change. Still under

1:00:24 > 1:00:30the influence of high pressure. For Friday, again lots of cloud, some

1:00:30 > 1:00:35rain across Wales. A lot of that will clear. A few bright spells. But

1:00:35 > 1:00:39again temperatures up into double figures for many and in the run up

1:00:39 > 1:00:45to Christmas, it will stay mild, a lot of cloud and still mist and fog

1:00:45 > 1:00:49and some rain in the far north. But it gets more interesting from

1:00:49 > 1:00:52Christmas Day onwards.

1:00:52 > 1:00:54Hello. It's Wednesday.

1:00:54 > 1:01:03It's 10am. I'm Victoria Derbyshire.

1:01:03 > 1:01:11Today, homeless has been described as a national crisis.

1:01:11 > 1:01:16It is two too many. The council, there needs to be something done.

1:01:16 > 1:01:20Why are we not looking after these guys? That's two too many and there

1:01:20 > 1:01:24are still people on the street right now.

1:01:24 > 1:01:27We'll hear how 120,000 children are homeless and look at the impact

1:01:27 > 1:01:29it has on them and their education.

1:01:29 > 1:01:32A fishery with sign banning Polish and "Eastern bloc" anglers is facing

1:01:32 > 1:01:37possible legal action.

1:01:37 > 1:01:42There are different ways to deal with the matter, not banning the

1:01:42 > 1:01:47whole community or the whole country anglers from a fishery.

1:01:47 > 1:01:50The farmer says he is standing up for his rights. The full interview

1:01:50 > 1:01:57in the next half an hour.

1:01:57 > 1:02:00And 3.5 million people will spend most of Christmas Day alone

1:02:00 > 1:02:01this year in the UK.

1:02:01 > 1:02:04We'll be talking about loneliness during the festive period.

1:02:04 > 1:02:06Let me know what you're doing.

1:02:06 > 1:02:07Good morning.

1:02:07 > 1:02:11Here's Annita in the BBC Newsroom with a summary of today's news.

1:02:11 > 1:02:13Good morning.

1:02:13 > 1:02:16The Government is being accused of "abject failure" in its attempt

1:02:16 > 1:02:17to tackle homelessness in England.

1:02:17 > 1:02:19A damning report by the all-party Public Accounts Committee says

1:02:19 > 1:02:25the issue has become a national crisis.

1:02:25 > 1:02:27The Government says it's investing more than £1 billion to help make

1:02:27 > 1:02:32more affordable housing available.

1:02:32 > 1:02:35The Metropolitan Police is launching a review of all its current sex

1:02:35 > 1:02:37offence investigations after the collapse of a second

1:02:37 > 1:02:38rape case in a week.

1:02:38 > 1:02:41The prosecutions were halted because of the late disclosure

1:02:41 > 1:02:42of digital evidence.

1:02:42 > 1:02:44Scotland Yard has confirmed the same detective was involved

1:02:44 > 1:02:48in both investigations.

1:02:48 > 1:02:50In 2010 we had about 12,000 rapes a year being reported.

1:02:50 > 1:02:53We now have about 48,000.

1:02:53 > 1:02:56And since 2010 we've reduced the number of police officers around

1:02:56 > 1:03:02the country by 20,000 - that's about 15%.

1:03:02 > 1:03:05The European Court of Justice has decided that the taxi hailing app,

1:03:05 > 1:03:07Uber, should legally be considered a transport company rather

1:03:07 > 1:03:09than a digital services provider.

1:03:09 > 1:03:12The ruling will mean that the firm should be subjected to local

1:03:12 > 1:03:17licensing laws in the countries in which it operates.

1:03:17 > 1:03:19The Government says it'll pass legislation to ensure all British

1:03:19 > 1:03:21homes and businesses can demand access to high-speed broadband.

1:03:21 > 1:03:24Ministers are to force BT, which owns much of the UK's

1:03:24 > 1:03:26telecoms infrastructure, to provide connections

1:03:26 > 1:03:34offering speeds of up to ten megabits-per-second by 2020.

1:03:34 > 1:03:35Police are continuing to search two properties,

1:03:35 > 1:03:37including a community centre, this morning, following anti-terror

1:03:37 > 1:03:42raids in Sheffield and Chesterfield.

1:03:42 > 1:03:45Four men have been arrested and held over an alleged Islamist terror plot

1:03:45 > 1:03:48that officers say could have been carried out this Christmas.

1:03:48 > 1:03:50People forced to evacuate their homes to allow the bomb

1:03:50 > 1:03:55squad to investigate, have now been allowed to return.

1:03:56 > 1:03:59A man has admitted knocking a cyclist off his bike

1:03:59 > 1:04:01after the shocking incident was captured on dash-cam.

1:04:01 > 1:04:04This footage shows the driver swerve towards the cyclist and knock him

1:04:04 > 1:04:07off his bike before driving off and leaving him lying in the road.

1:04:07 > 1:04:0930-year-old Ashley Wallace Merrett pleaded guilty to dangerous driving,

1:04:09 > 1:04:12actual bodily harm and common assault following the shocking

1:04:12 > 1:04:17incident in Colchester in Essex.

1:04:17 > 1:04:18The cyclist needed hospital treatment but his injuries

1:04:18 > 1:04:23were not serious.

1:04:23 > 1:04:26An employment tribunal will hear a landmark case on whether firms

1:04:26 > 1:04:29which offer enhanced maternity pay to women can give only a statutory

1:04:29 > 1:04:31minimum to their male employees, when they take

1:04:31 > 1:04:33shared parental leave.

1:04:33 > 1:04:36The outsourcing company, Capita, appealed against an earlier ruling

1:04:36 > 1:04:37that it discriminated against a new father.

1:04:37 > 1:04:40Shared parental leave was introduced more than two years ago but take up

1:04:40 > 1:04:46rates are lower than 10%.

1:04:46 > 1:04:56That's a summary of the latest BBC News - more at 10.30am.

1:04:57 > 1:05:03The Met is reviewing all sexual offences cases because of the

1:05:03 > 1:05:06collapse of two cases in a week. This viewer says, "When I was on

1:05:06 > 1:05:10trial for rape five years ago, it came out in court that the police

1:05:10 > 1:05:15had withheld evidence about text messages and also the accused's

1:05:15 > 1:05:18medical claims. I was found not guilty, but my life has still been

1:05:18 > 1:05:22ruined. I think the Met inquiry should look at cases like mine as

1:05:22 > 1:05:26well." Another anonymous message on

1:05:26 > 1:05:31Facebook. "My 15-year-old boy was arrested in October for the rape of

1:05:31 > 1:05:35a 15-year-old girl. We are worried sick. They took his phone and two

1:05:35 > 1:05:39months on, we have been told it could take until next May. I hope

1:05:39 > 1:05:44someone looks at the phone in the meantime." This tweet from Stephen,

1:05:44 > 1:05:48"My case was from five years ago, but very similar to the two

1:05:48 > 1:05:51collapsed cases. The review should take in past cases because my life

1:05:51 > 1:06:01has been ruined even though I was found not guilty." You can get in

1:06:01 > 1:06:06touch. You can message us on Facebook and you can text.

1:06:06 > 1:06:08Here's some sport now with Holly.

1:06:08 > 1:06:10Birmingham is set to be named as the host of

1:06:10 > 1:06:12the Commonwealth Games in 2022 after organisers finally

1:06:12 > 1:06:14confirmed their backing.

1:06:14 > 1:06:18When Durban was stripped of the event in March,

1:06:18 > 1:06:20Birmingham was the only city to bid before the original deadline,

1:06:20 > 1:06:23but the proposal was deemed to be "not fully compliant".

1:06:23 > 1:06:25It now appears it will be Birmingham staging the Games

1:06:25 > 1:06:28and at a cost of £750 million, it'll be the most expensive sports

1:06:28 > 1:06:34event in Britain since London 2012.

1:06:34 > 1:06:37Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has dismissed talk

1:06:37 > 1:06:41of winning a "quadruple" - that's the three domestic titles

1:06:41 > 1:06:42plus the Champions League, but their magnificent season

1:06:42 > 1:06:46continued, as they reached the League Cup semi-finals.

1:06:46 > 1:06:54Jamie Vardy scored a controversial equaliser from the spot

1:06:54 > 1:06:58for Leicester seven minutes into injury time to make it 1-1.

1:06:58 > 1:07:01But it went to penalties, Vardy missed, and Claudio Bravo

1:07:01 > 1:07:06was the hero, saving Riyadh Mahrez's attempt.

1:07:06 > 1:07:09Arsenal will also be in tonight's semi-final draw

1:07:09 > 1:07:13after beating West Ham.

1:07:13 > 1:07:23Danny Wellbeck with the only goal of the game,

1:07:27 > 1:07:30when Olivier Giroud was injured towards the end of the match.

1:07:30 > 1:07:32The draw will be made after tonight's matches -

1:07:32 > 1:07:34Chelsea take on Bournemouth, while holders Manchester United face

1:07:34 > 1:07:36Championship side Bristol City - and City manager Lee Johnson

1:07:36 > 1:07:39is really hoping Jose Mourinho pops by after the game.

1:07:39 > 1:07:42I bought an expensive bottle of wine. I will be disappointed if he

1:07:42 > 1:07:46doesn't come in and taste it because it has to be poured specially

1:07:46 > 1:07:48because it is that good.

1:07:48 > 1:07:51England's Ashes tour has been fairly disasterous so far -

1:07:51 > 1:07:53they've lost the series, and there's been lots of talk about

1:07:53 > 1:07:54ill-discipline within the squad.

1:07:54 > 1:07:56Batsman Ben Duckett was one of those in trouble.

1:07:56 > 1:08:02He poured a drink over James Anderson's head

1:08:02 > 1:08:04in a bar in Perth and was given a suspension.

1:08:04 > 1:08:07Now he's been told he won't take part in the England Lions tour

1:08:07 > 1:08:10to the West Indies next year, because of that incident.

1:08:10 > 1:08:12Former Wimbledon champion, Marion Bartoli, has come out

1:08:12 > 1:08:15of retirement and says she'll return to the WTA Tour next year.

1:08:15 > 1:08:17Bartoli is 33 now.

1:08:17 > 1:08:20She quit tennis in August 2013 less than six weeks after winning

1:08:20 > 1:08:22Wimbledon - her only grand slam title -

1:08:22 > 1:08:23citing ongoing injury problems.

1:08:23 > 1:08:25She suffered severe ill-health during her retirement but now says

1:08:25 > 1:08:30she intends to make her comeback at the Miami Open in March.

1:08:30 > 1:08:33And it seems she's already been doing some training in secret -

1:08:33 > 1:08:37looking forward to seeing her back on the court Victoria.

1:08:37 > 1:08:42Thank you very much.

1:08:42 > 1:08:45Homelessness in England is a "national crisis"

1:08:45 > 1:08:48and the Government's efforts to tackling it are "unacceptably

1:08:48 > 1:08:50complacent" and an "abject failure" - according to a group of MPs.

1:08:50 > 1:08:52There are more than 9,000 people sleeping rough,

1:08:52 > 1:09:00while 78,000 families live in temporary accommodation.

1:09:00 > 1:09:03The Government said it was providing more than £1 billion,

1:09:03 > 1:09:05over the next two years, to reduce homelessness.

1:09:05 > 1:09:07The definition of homelessness under law includes rough sleepers,

1:09:07 > 1:09:11single people in hostels and those in temporary accommodation.

1:09:11 > 1:09:13Since 2011, the number of people sleeping on the streets

1:09:13 > 1:09:19has increased by 134%, the report says.

1:09:19 > 1:09:22Earlier this year our reporter Lesley Ashmall spent time

1:09:22 > 1:09:25on the streets of Chatham in Kent where the deaths of two homeless men

1:09:25 > 1:09:35prompted calls for more to be done to help rough sleepers in winter.

1:09:37 > 1:09:39The high Street was bobbed.

1:09:39 > 1:09:41It's Christmas Eve, people were doing their shopping.

1:09:41 > 1:09:44It was about half past 11 in the morning when someone realised

1:09:44 > 1:09:45he had actually passed away.

1:09:45 > 1:09:49You look at all these flowers, that have been left over in the last

1:09:49 > 1:09:51week, pictures people have left all the staff.

1:09:51 > 1:09:52This is where Michael stayed.

1:09:52 > 1:09:53Michael McCluskey was in his 40s.

1:09:53 > 1:09:54A father and grandfather.

1:09:54 > 1:09:57A run of bad luck left him on the streets.

1:09:57 > 1:09:58Michael was a lovely guy.

1:09:58 > 1:09:59Always in top spirits.

1:09:59 > 1:10:01He was a great guy.

1:10:01 > 1:10:04A West Ham supporter, I may walk - I'm a West Ham supporter,

1:10:04 > 1:10:06so we always talked a lot about football.

1:10:06 > 1:10:07He was a really nice guy.

1:10:07 > 1:10:10You could see from the amount of flowers that people left him

1:10:10 > 1:10:12and reading some of the cards.

1:10:12 > 1:10:14And then, just a few days later, a few streets away, another...

1:10:14 > 1:10:17Sadly, Greg past as well. That's two too many.

1:10:17 > 1:10:22The council...

1:10:22 > 1:10:23There needs to be something done.

1:10:23 > 1:10:26Why were these guys left out here Wise we need

1:10:26 > 1:10:27to look after these guys.

1:10:27 > 1:10:30That's two to many, and there's still people on the street now.

1:10:30 > 1:10:34Its problem, it's very, very problem.

1:10:37 > 1:10:40It's not known how either man died, but their friends think the weather

1:10:40 > 1:10:44could have been to blame.

1:10:44 > 1:10:48Yeah, definitely the cold.

1:10:48 > 1:10:52He was found out there with no blankets on him,

1:10:52 > 1:10:53it was definitely the cold.

1:10:53 > 1:10:54How do you survive?

1:10:54 > 1:10:56We use...

1:10:56 > 1:11:00Pop in McDonald's now and again.

1:11:00 > 1:11:03Try and find anything warm in shops.

1:11:03 > 1:11:06Three pairs of trousers, three pairs of socks.

1:11:06 > 1:11:09Two sleeping bags, and still freezing during the morning.

1:11:09 > 1:11:15What do you think should be done? What should the Government do?

1:11:15 > 1:11:18The Government should come down and see the actual homeless,

1:11:18 > 1:11:20and give them a place to stay.

1:11:20 > 1:11:22Do you know what I mean?

1:11:22 > 1:11:24We are all suffering, do you know what I mean?

1:11:24 > 1:11:28We are not bad people.

1:11:32 > 1:11:33Around 120,000 children are among those living

1:11:33 > 1:11:37without permanent housing.

1:11:37 > 1:11:40A separate report exclusively seen by this programme shows the huge

1:11:40 > 1:11:44impact that can have on children still attending school with children

1:11:44 > 1:11:46falling behind academically, falling asleep in class,

1:11:46 > 1:11:54becoming socially isolated, anxious and withdrawn.

1:11:54 > 1:11:57The research by the homeless charity Shelter not only looks affects

1:11:57 > 1:12:00on pupils and their teachers such as health, hygiene and achievement,

1:12:00 > 1:12:02but also explores which parts of the country have the highest

1:12:02 > 1:12:06rates of homeless children per schools.

1:12:06 > 1:12:08Luton tops the table with 32 homeless children per school,

1:12:08 > 1:12:17London second with 28 and Brighton third highest with 22.

1:12:17 > 1:12:19Let's speak to Shandor Nikitits, who had to live in an emergency

1:12:19 > 1:12:27homeless shelter with his eight-year-old son Billy.

1:12:27 > 1:12:29Kelly McKinnon is a school family liaison officer,

1:12:29 > 1:12:33who offers practical and emotional support for homeless families.

1:12:33 > 1:12:39And Polly Neate is Chief Executive of the homeless charity Shelter.

1:12:39 > 1:12:43You became homeless, there was a sequence of events. You had an

1:12:43 > 1:12:45accident at work which meant you couldn't work. Therefore, you

1:12:45 > 1:12:49couldn't pay the rent so you began to stay with a friend. Sadly, they

1:12:49 > 1:12:52passed away at the beginning of this year so you had nowhere for you and

1:12:52 > 1:13:00your boy to go to, did you?Well, that's right. Sadly after his death

1:13:00 > 1:13:09I approached the council and you know I had a problem. And after a

1:13:09 > 1:13:16very turbulent time I ended up in a homeless shelter and I was there for

1:13:16 > 1:13:21a considerably long time. Can you tell our audience what a

1:13:21 > 1:13:25homeless shelter is like to live in, particularly when your

1:13:25 > 1:13:29eight-year-old is living with you from Fridays to Mondays?Well, the

1:13:29 > 1:13:37shelter I was in was very bleak. There was no atmosphere. It was

1:13:37 > 1:13:45grubby. You go into any council premises, there is inspirational

1:13:45 > 1:13:48posters, there is, you know, slogans, plants, whatever, there was

1:13:48 > 1:13:54nothing. It was like almost being in prison for want of a better word,

1:13:54 > 1:14:00yeah. It was terrible.And how was it for your little boy?He just

1:14:00 > 1:14:06found it very difficult to deal with because there was strangers there.

1:14:06 > 1:14:12He had to lock the doors. He had to worry about, you know, where he was

1:14:12 > 1:14:17going, where was I? Who was coming down the corridor. He had to worry

1:14:17 > 1:14:22about all things like that.How long did it take for the council to

1:14:22 > 1:14:30officially acknowledge that you were homeless?It took a couple of days

1:14:30 > 1:14:35short of seven months.Why?That was just to acknowledge that yes, I was

1:14:35 > 1:14:46homeless.Why did it take so long? Ah. I don't know. But I was asked

1:14:46 > 1:14:51regular questions like, "Can they contact my landlord?" Well, sadly,

1:14:51 > 1:14:58no, he was dead. And did they contact the estate? No, they hadn't.

1:14:58 > 1:15:03I don't know what went wrong, I really don't.And then one day you

1:15:03 > 1:15:06were contacted by a housing association and moved into a

1:15:06 > 1:15:13property. What did that feel like? Oh, that was just... Even though the

1:15:13 > 1:15:20place needed paint and everything, the relief I felt was something

1:15:20 > 1:15:24incredible and the happiness of my son was, he couldn't wait to move

1:15:24 > 1:15:30in. He couldn't wait to explore the place. He couldn't wait to be a boy

1:15:30 > 1:15:35again.

1:15:35 > 1:15:44Wow you have brilliantly articulated the highs and lows of your life. The

1:15:44 > 1:15:48Government says tackling homelessness is complex, but we are

1:15:48 > 1:15:53determined to help the most vulnerable and we are providing up

1:15:53 > 1:15:58to a billion pounds to reduce all forms of homelessness and we have

1:15:58 > 1:16:04established a rough sleeping and homelessness task force. So we can

1:16:04 > 1:16:10respond as effectively as possible. Well, it is not fair to say the

1:16:10 > 1:16:14Government are doing nothing. But what they're doing is not enough.

1:16:14 > 1:16:18There are not enough homes and two people can't afford the homes that

1:16:18 > 1:16:23there are, because housing benefit's been frozen. Unless the Government

1:16:23 > 1:16:28is going to tackle those two thing that will cost money, then as a

1:16:28 > 1:16:34society we have to be prepared to accept the impact of homelessness of

1:16:34 > 1:16:38many of our fellow citizens, including children. If your

1:16:38 > 1:16:45childhood is blighted by something like homelessness, as a parent it is

1:16:45 > 1:16:50shocking, if you lose your childhood in that way, you never get it back.

1:16:50 > 1:16:55You only have one child hooved.One things that comes up, people say,

1:16:55 > 1:17:01some people say, look, they're not really homeless, they have a roof

1:17:01 > 1:17:06over their head, it may be temporary or a hostel, they're not sleeping on

1:17:06 > 1:17:13the streets.Well, that is true to an extent, if you have a whole

1:17:13 > 1:17:17family in one room, if you have to particularly with children have to

1:17:17 > 1:17:22share bathroom, toilet, kitchens with other families, if you have

1:17:22 > 1:17:26that insecurity of continually moving and never having anywhere to

1:17:26 > 1:17:30call home and the stigma that families feel and particularly

1:17:30 > 1:17:36children feel at school about their situation, then they are legally

1:17:36 > 1:17:39homeless and they're emotionally homeless and you know this is a huge

1:17:39 > 1:17:48crisis. It has to stop. We can't be putting up with this.Kelly, you

1:17:48 > 1:17:54offer practical support for children in the role of a family liaison

1:17:54 > 1:18:04practitioner. . Tell us about the impact on children at school.It has

1:18:04 > 1:18:10a huge impact, with a environment where it is frightening, it is is

1:18:10 > 1:18:17very disturb and the transition from one hostel to another hostel has a

1:18:17 > 1:18:26huge emotional effect and their physical well being, they are can

1:18:26 > 1:18:31tired at school.That impacts the rest of their life chances?Yes, of

1:18:31 > 1:18:37course, this is our future generation and we talk about mental

1:18:37 > 1:18:42well being and it won't be until later we will witness the impact it

1:18:42 > 1:18:46is having on these children.I wonder a final thought, do you still

1:18:46 > 1:18:53see the impact on Billy of that time when he was in the emergency hostel?

1:18:53 > 1:19:01Yes, he is a lot more thoughtful and a lot more emotive to not only my

1:19:01 > 1:19:05thoughts and feelings, but other people as well. Yes, it has had an

1:19:05 > 1:19:09impact on him. But hopefully it has made him a better person. That is

1:19:09 > 1:19:15what I would like to hope.Thank you very much. Happy Christmas. Thank

1:19:15 > 1:19:25you.

1:19:30 > 1:19:35Now news from the International Monetary Fund that have downgraded

1:19:35 > 1:19:40their prediction for UK economic growth for this year from 1.7% to

1:19:40 > 1:19:461.6%. That is just in from the International Monetary Fund, they

1:19:46 > 1:19:53have downgraded their prediction for UK growth for this year.

1:19:53 > 1:19:58A number of lawyers have welcomed a review

1:19:58 > 1:20:00by Britain's biggest force - the Metropolitan Police -

1:20:00 > 1:20:03into all ongoing sex crime investigations.

1:20:03 > 1:20:06It follows the collapse of two rape cases in a week -

1:20:06 > 1:20:08after relevant evidence was given to the defence only

1:20:08 > 1:20:18after the cases had started.

1:20:25 > 1:20:31Police officers have over 20 ongoing rape and serious allegations on the

1:20:31 > 1:20:41go at once w with no support and with insufficient training, with no

1:20:41 > 1:20:51support, with budgets for things like has been triexaminations cut.

1:20:51 > 1:20:58-- has been triexaminations.It is not stopping the police to say let's

1:20:58 > 1:21:03disclose this to the defence.That is a minor issue. Of course that is

1:21:03 > 1:21:07wrong and in an individual case there will be problems like that.

1:21:07 > 1:21:11This officer will now be hauled over the coals and it wouldn't surprise

1:21:11 > 1:21:16me to find that the IPCC are pushing to put him in jail. It won't solve

1:21:16 > 1:21:22the problem.Chris Henley was smiling, deputy of the Criminal Bar

1:21:22 > 1:21:27Association, why are you smiling? Well, I think that is an over

1:21:27 > 1:21:34reaction. But what is important is that the police are able to do their

1:21:34 > 1:21:41jobs properly. What is at stake is the liberty in Liam Allan's case an

1:21:41 > 1:21:47innocent man. Because this was not carried out effectively his liberty

1:21:47 > 1:21:52was put at risk and it is not acceptable. It falls to the officer

1:21:52 > 1:21:55investigating the case and the Crown Prosecution Service lawyer and the

1:21:55 > 1:21:58barrister who stepped up in this particular case, to say to the

1:21:58 > 1:22:03judge, we are not ready. This issue is too important.

1:22:03 > 1:22:07The two cases revealed over the last week are those of 22 year

1:22:07 > 1:22:08old student Liam Allan.

1:22:08 > 1:22:10His trial collapsed after it emerged officers had failed to disclose

1:22:10 > 1:22:12vital evidence which undermined the prosecution case -

1:22:12 > 1:22:14including phone messages where his accuser had

1:22:14 > 1:22:20asked him for sex.

1:22:20 > 1:22:23The second case involves a 25 year old man called Isaac Itiary

1:22:23 > 1:22:25who spent four months in jail awaiting trial after being

1:22:25 > 1:22:32charged with raping a girl under the age of 16.

1:22:32 > 1:22:35The defence asked for details of her text messages in September

1:22:35 > 1:22:37but they were only just provided this week.

1:22:37 > 1:22:40They showed she regularly posed as a 19-year-old.

1:22:40 > 1:22:47All charges were subsequently dropped.

1:22:47 > 1:22:51Commander Richard Smith from Scotland Yard said the Met will

1:22:51 > 1:22:57review about 30 cases that are due to go to trial.

1:22:57 > 1:22:58We can

1:22:58 > 1:23:00speak now to Karma Melly -

1:23:00 > 1:23:02she's a Barrister who has defended rapists but also worked

1:23:02 > 1:23:06on the prosecution side too.

1:23:06 > 1:23:11And Sue SIM, a former Chief Constable of Northumbria police. Why

1:23:11 > 1:23:17do you say sometimes evidence is not being disclosed by the police?There

1:23:17 > 1:23:24is absolutely no credible exmra nation for not providing the

1:23:24 > 1:23:28evidence. There is a loot of pressure on police officers who want

1:23:28 > 1:23:37to get convibss for victims and that -- convictions for victims and that

1:23:37 > 1:23:42is laudable for such an awful crime. But it is extraordinarily important

1:23:42 > 1:23:49that only guilty people are convicted and there is no excuse for

1:23:49 > 1:23:57not doing the investigations properly. I listened to your report

1:23:57 > 1:24:01from the Chief Inspector who blamed lack of resources. I do not agree

1:24:01 > 1:24:09with that. It is important that Chief Constables review their rain

1:24:09 > 1:24:17cases. As far back as 2014, the HMIC said Northumbria police was not

1:24:17 > 1:24:22investigating its rape cases properly. I launched an immediate

1:24:22 > 1:24:25investigation into it then, not withstanding that Northumbria had

1:24:25 > 1:24:32one of the largest cuts in budgets, I managed to do that. But the thing

1:24:32 > 1:24:41people didn't like the the detective Chief Inspectors and the those who

1:24:41 > 1:24:45do not like to be questioned and I'm pleased there is an investigation

1:24:45 > 1:24:50into this. Chief Constables have to take responsibility for the

1:24:50 > 1:24:59resources they're controlling.There is a review in the metropolitan

1:24:59 > 1:25:04place what about other forces.Fit is found in the largest force in the

1:25:04 > 1:25:09country, it will probably be happening every where else. I think

1:25:09 > 1:25:16it is important that her Majesty's inspector of constabulary looks at

1:25:16 > 1:25:24this as an urgent case and I would call for him to do so. We are going

1:25:24 > 1:25:28to hear from commander Richard Smith.It is important to draw a

1:25:28 > 1:25:33distinction between the two reviews that we are conducting. The case of

1:25:33 > 1:25:38Liam Allan clearly went wrong and we are keen to find out why. We

1:25:38 > 1:25:43instigated an immediate high level review. So that is a joint review

1:25:43 > 1:25:48started immediately and that is continuing now. To learn what

1:25:48 > 1:25:52happened in that case. The other review which you mentioned is the

1:25:52 > 1:25:58review of all of our current cases, all our current investigations where

1:25:58 > 1:26:04we have an individual charged and we are progressing to trial. We're

1:26:04 > 1:26:08reviewing those with the Crown Prosecution Service to ensure we

1:26:08 > 1:26:12have complied with the disclosure process. That should have happened.

1:26:12 > 1:26:18It is an ongoing process of review in any case. But we want the

1:26:18 > 1:26:22confidence that those cases have been compliant with the disclosure

1:26:22 > 1:26:27regime. Our priority will be around the 30 cases that are about to go to

1:26:27 > 1:26:32trial. It is a pragmatic step to ensure we can go to trial safely.

1:26:32 > 1:26:38You say about 30 cases, can you put any figure at all on how many other

1:26:38 > 1:26:45wider cases you're looking at.No I will have the number later. I expect

1:26:45 > 1:26:56it to be scores of cases.Commander Richard Smith. Let's have a reaction

1:26:56 > 1:27:01from Karmen Melee. What do you say. People will be pleased that the

1:27:01 > 1:27:06disclosure which is looking at the material that the prosecution aren't

1:27:06 > 1:27:11using at the tliel but might assist the -- trial but might assist the

1:27:11 > 1:27:16defence will be reviewed. I'm concerned, as are many about those

1:27:16 > 1:27:19cases that have been court all right and if the Crown Prosecution Service

1:27:19 > 1:27:23and the police are reviewing the disclosure of those cases about to

1:27:23 > 1:27:28go to court, what about cased where we have had convictions already? For

1:27:28 > 1:27:33myself and I think I speak for a number of other barristers, is that

1:27:33 > 1:27:36we are concerned about disclosure and how it is being dealt with

1:27:36 > 1:27:43across the board, not just in rape and cases of serious sexual

1:27:43 > 1:27:45offences, but whether the systems that are in place are being

1:27:45 > 1:27:52followed. So that we can be confident that there will not be

1:27:52 > 1:27:57miscarriages of justice based on the failure to disclose important

1:27:57 > 1:28:02material that may help the defence case.I'm going to bring in Steve,

1:28:02 > 1:28:07who has got in touch with us today, he was watching our programme and he

1:28:07 > 1:28:12was found not guilty of rape and he said the accusation ruined his life

1:28:12 > 1:28:17and he wants cases like his to be included in the review. Is that

1:28:17 > 1:28:24right?Yes mine was nearly six years ago, although it started in 2010,

1:28:24 > 1:28:28and there are a number of occasions where during the trial it became

1:28:28 > 1:28:33apparent that the police had been less than honest with the defence

1:28:33 > 1:28:39and in the preparation of the case. Do you mean late evidence was

1:28:39 > 1:28:47disclosed?Yes, one, they were awaiting, I was on bail for 20

1:28:47 > 1:28:53months and allegedly waiting for a report from a leading neurologist

1:28:53 > 1:28:59about the woman's condition and only on the day of the trial did the

1:28:59 > 1:29:03prosecution come and say, oh, we are had a report about four months ago

1:29:03 > 1:29:07saying that there was nothing wrong with her. But the police had never

1:29:07 > 1:29:12disclosed that to us at all. During the trial, she denied that she had

1:29:12 > 1:29:17been in touch with me by text message. But we were able to produce

1:29:17 > 1:29:23two telephones that showed that she had been texting me a lot.You had

1:29:23 > 1:29:30that evidence, because it was from your phone.Yes.If it is about lack

1:29:30 > 1:29:36of disclosure or late disclosure, as you were found not guilty by a jury,

1:29:36 > 1:29:39what would the point of police spending time reviewing your case?

1:29:39 > 1:29:44Because my life has been destroyed and there is an old saying, there is

1:29:44 > 1:29:48no smoke without fire, my life has been destroyed to the point where I

1:29:48 > 1:29:53have received death threats, harassment, my address is the

1:29:53 > 1:29:57subject of a police special protection scheme, all as a result

1:29:57 > 1:30:05of this woman continuing to insist that I got off on a technicality,

1:30:05 > 1:30:12because the police had not disclosed things.You, you mean, the late

1:30:12 > 1:30:16disclosure or the revelation of the report, would that have changed

1:30:16 > 1:30:24things? Would the judge have thrown it out at that point?My barrister

1:30:24 > 1:30:30summed it up, the police was the police became prosecutors rather

1:30:30 > 1:30:34than investigators. There was clear evidence of inappropriate contact

1:30:34 > 1:30:40between the woman and the liaison officer, she was found out to lie...

1:30:40 > 1:30:50Sorry I won't go over the whole case again. You have welcomed the fact

1:30:50 > 1:30:58that the Metropolitan Police will review cases, Sue Sim said all

1:30:58 > 1:31:01forces should now be reviewing similar cases, would you agree with

1:31:01 > 1:31:12that?

1:31:12 > 1:31:17It is routine for there to be significant late disclosure, a

1:31:17 > 1:31:20review yes, but we want to see a better funded Criminal Justice

1:31:20 > 1:31:25System and that would mean that we didn't have these errors. The system

1:31:25 > 1:31:31is at breaking point. Disclosure is no longer being dealt with by police

1:31:31 > 1:31:34officers, but civilian officers, employees of the police force. There

1:31:34 > 1:31:41is no longer the time and the resources to put into a proper

1:31:41 > 1:31:46disclosure exercise and that comes at the same time as the fact that

1:31:46 > 1:31:48disclosure through text messages, social media and other

1:31:48 > 1:31:55investigations that the police should be investigating that

1:31:55 > 1:31:58particular and additional onerous burden is also on the police so we

1:31:58 > 1:32:02want to see yes, a review, but better funding in place so that this

1:32:02 > 1:32:12doesn't happen again. Thank you.

1:32:12 > 1:32:16It's time for the latest news - here's Annita.

1:32:16 > 1:32:18The headlines now:

1:32:18 > 1:32:20The Government's efforts to tackle homelessness have been described

1:32:20 > 1:32:26as an "abject failure" by a group of MPs.

1:32:26 > 1:32:28The Commons Public Affairs Committee says the problem is a "national

1:32:28 > 1:32:31crisis" with more than 9,000 people sleeping rough and a further 78,000

1:32:31 > 1:32:32families in temporary accommodation.

1:32:32 > 1:32:34The Government says it's providing more than £1 billion

1:32:34 > 1:32:42in the next two years, to reduce homelessness.

1:32:42 > 1:32:46The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its prediction for UK

1:32:46 > 1:32:52economic growth from 1.7% to 1.6% for this year. The IMF said that

1:32:52 > 1:32:55despite a strong recovery in global growth the impact of Britain's

1:32:55 > 1:32:58decision to exit the European Union has weighed on the economy. It also

1:32:58 > 1:33:03said that the weak pound was pushing up inflation and squeezing household

1:33:03 > 1:33:12real income and spending.

1:33:12 > 1:33:15The Met Police is launching a review of all its current sex

1:33:15 > 1:33:17offence investigations after the collapse of a second

1:33:17 > 1:33:18rape case in a week.

1:33:18 > 1:33:20The prosecutions were halted because of the late disclosure

1:33:20 > 1:33:21of digital evidence.

1:33:21 > 1:33:23Scotland Yard has confirmed the same detective was involved

1:33:23 > 1:33:24in both investigations.

1:33:24 > 1:33:27The European Court of Justice has decided that the taxi hailing app,

1:33:27 > 1:33:29Uber, should legally be considered a transport company rather

1:33:29 > 1:33:31than a digital services provider.

1:33:31 > 1:33:33The ruling will mean that the firm should be subjected to local

1:33:33 > 1:33:36licensing laws in the countries in which it operates.

1:33:36 > 1:33:45The Government says it'll pass legislation to ensure all British

1:33:45 > 1:33:47homes and businesses can demand access to high-speed broadband.

1:33:47 > 1:33:50Ministers are to force BT, which owns much of the UK's

1:33:50 > 1:33:51telecoms infrastructure, to provide connections

1:33:51 > 1:33:54offering speeds of up to ten megabits-per-second by 2020.

1:33:54 > 1:33:56That's a summary of the latest BBC News.

1:33:56 > 1:34:03Here's some sport now with Holly.

1:34:03 > 1:34:06Birmingham is set to be named as the host of the 2022

1:34:06 > 1:34:07Commonwealth Games.

1:34:07 > 1:34:10They were the only city to bid before the original deadline

1:34:10 > 1:34:12but the proposal was deemed to be "not fully compliant"

1:34:12 > 1:34:15and the deadline was extended but it now appears they've won the right

1:34:15 > 1:34:17to stage the event.

1:34:17 > 1:34:19Say it quietly Manchester City fans - talk of four trophies now

1:34:19 > 1:34:22after they beat Leicester on penalties in the League Cup last

1:34:22 > 1:34:23night to reach the semi-finals.

1:34:23 > 1:34:26But manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed talk of a quadruple -

1:34:26 > 1:34:30insisting it's unrealistic.

1:34:30 > 1:34:32Marion Bartoli has announced her return to tennis.

1:34:32 > 1:34:34She retired straight after winning Wimbledon four years ago,

1:34:34 > 1:34:37citing persistant injury problems, but she says she'll be back

1:34:37 > 1:34:40for the Miami Open in March.

1:34:40 > 1:34:42In the midst of an Ashes tour plagued by ill-discipline

1:34:42 > 1:34:44within the squad, batsman Ben Duckett has been

1:34:44 > 1:34:47told he won't take part in the England Lions tour

1:34:47 > 1:34:50to the West Indies next year.

1:34:50 > 1:34:51He'd already been suspended for pouring a drink over

1:34:51 > 1:34:56James Anderson's head in a Perth bar.

1:34:56 > 1:34:58I'll have all the latest sport on BBC News

1:34:58 > 1:35:02Channel throughout the day.

1:35:02 > 1:35:08Thank you very much. We are hearing the chief Brexit negotiator,

1:35:08 > 1:35:13Europe's chief Brexit neglector maybe holding a conference to layout

1:35:13 > 1:35:15guidelines for the next phase of Brexit talks. So when that news

1:35:15 > 1:35:18conference begins we will bring it to you. It could be in the next half

1:35:18 > 1:35:21an hour, it could be after that. Whenever it is, we will bring it to

1:35:21 > 1:35:24you.

1:35:24 > 1:35:27A fishery which has a sign banning Polish and Eastern bloc anglers

1:35:27 > 1:35:29is facing possible legal action.

1:35:29 > 1:35:32The owner of Field Farm Fisheries in Oxfordshire says he'd previously

1:35:32 > 1:35:34caught anglers stealing fish and is standing up for

1:35:34 > 1:35:36what he believes in.

1:35:36 > 1:35:39Billy Evans, a former Conservative councillor,

1:35:39 > 1:35:43has had similar signs on his property since 2009.

1:35:43 > 1:35:46Earlier, we spoke to Polish fisherman Rado Papiewski

1:35:46 > 1:35:50who is crowdfunding to pay for a private prosecution

1:35:50 > 1:35:52and have the sign removed.

1:35:52 > 1:35:54Elizabeth Prochaska the legal director of the Equality

1:35:54 > 1:35:57and Human Rights Commission who say they'll take enforcement action

1:35:57 > 1:35:59and Martha Spurrier - the director of Liberty.

1:35:59 > 1:36:02I began by asking Rado what he thought when he saw the sign.

1:36:02 > 1:36:07When I first seen it, I felt a bit disappointed.

1:36:07 > 1:36:10I felt this is very unfair for all eastern European and Polish

1:36:10 > 1:36:16anglers who are fishing in the UK legally.

1:36:16 > 1:36:20Despite the seven years of very good work we put in to educate migrant

1:36:20 > 1:36:23anglers and educate fisheries owners who have different rules,

1:36:23 > 1:36:27regulations and traditions, you come across a place

1:36:27 > 1:36:30where the fishery owner decides to take a case into his own hands

1:36:30 > 1:36:33and decides to do things like this, which are not necessarily legal.

1:36:33 > 1:36:36When you say rules, regulations and traditions,

1:36:36 > 1:36:38you mean because some Polish fishermen fish to take the food

1:36:38 > 1:36:40to eat, is that what you mean?

1:36:40 > 1:36:41Yes, it is.

1:36:41 > 1:36:44It's a tradition to fish for food in the whole of Europe.

1:36:44 > 1:36:47England is a place where you fish for sport, so...

1:36:47 > 1:36:49You are expected to throw the fish back?

1:36:49 > 1:36:51Exactly, you catch, you take a photograph of it

1:36:51 > 1:36:52and you put it back.

1:36:52 > 1:36:55If you can imagine someone who has been fishing back in Poland

1:36:55 > 1:36:58for 20-odd years with the mindset of going, catching a fish

1:36:58 > 1:37:01and cooking it, because this is how we have been growing up,

1:37:01 > 1:37:03and coming to a different country and being told,

1:37:03 > 1:37:07you have to catch the fish and release it.

1:37:07 > 1:37:09It takes a bit of time to change the mindset,

1:37:09 > 1:37:12it's not a one-day sort of thing.

1:37:12 > 1:37:15Billy Evans, the owner of this fisheries has put a similar sign up

1:37:15 > 1:37:17in the past actually in 2009.

1:37:17 > 1:37:19Obviously we tried to get him on the programme,

1:37:19 > 1:37:23that wasn't possible.

1:37:23 > 1:37:26But he said previously he has caught some anglers stealing fish.

1:37:26 > 1:37:29He says, "I shall stand up for what I believe in,

1:37:29 > 1:37:32if they want to call me a racist for stopping thieves from coming

1:37:32 > 1:37:34on to my private property, that's what they'll do.

1:37:34 > 1:37:38I'm right and I'm doing the right thing."

1:37:38 > 1:37:41You see, I have never denied there was no problems on the fishery.

1:37:41 > 1:37:44I'm sure there are problems in different regions of the country

1:37:44 > 1:37:47and I'm sure people will steal the fish, will take a chance.

1:37:47 > 1:37:51But there are different ways to deal with the matter,

1:37:51 > 1:37:53not banning the whole community or a whole country of

1:37:53 > 1:37:56anglers from the fishery.

1:37:56 > 1:37:59This is where are our organisation can provide the guidance and we can

1:37:59 > 1:38:01actually tell them what to do.

1:38:01 > 1:38:03But when I offered some help to the fishery

1:38:03 > 1:38:04owner, he rejected it.

1:38:04 > 1:38:08He said he doesn't want to hear about it, the sign is there to stay

1:38:08 > 1:38:10and this is pure ignorance in my eyes.

1:38:10 > 1:38:12Right, you have come across a similar sign

1:38:12 > 1:38:15at another private fishery, and you did have a conversation

1:38:15 > 1:38:17with the owner and eventually you persuaded him to

1:38:17 > 1:38:18remove the sign?

1:38:18 > 1:38:20Exactly, exactly.

1:38:20 > 1:38:22Everyone can make a mistake and do something wrong,

1:38:22 > 1:38:25but when you offer help and advice and when the sign has been taken

1:38:25 > 1:38:27down, I see my job has been done.

1:38:27 > 1:38:30And the guy who has taken the sign down is a strong

1:38:30 > 1:38:33supporter of integration now, so it works.

1:38:33 > 1:38:35Do you always put the fish back?

1:38:35 > 1:38:40I do, yes.

1:38:40 > 1:38:42Elisabeth, what is this specific legal problem this sign presents?

1:38:42 > 1:38:45This is a really straightforward case of direct discrimination

1:38:45 > 1:38:47on the grounds of nationality under the Equality Act 2010.

1:38:47 > 1:38:51There's no question that it is unlawful,

1:38:51 > 1:38:54it doesn't matter what Mr Evans' motive is for putting up the sign,

1:38:54 > 1:38:57he could easily deal with this by putting up a sign that said,

1:38:57 > 1:38:59"please don't take the fish".

1:38:59 > 1:39:01He doesn't need to discriminate on the grounds of nationality.

1:39:01 > 1:39:03What will you be doing about it?

1:39:03 > 1:39:05In the first instance, we'll be writing to Mr Evans

1:39:05 > 1:39:08and we will follow up with legal action if doesn't remove

1:39:08 > 1:39:09the sign, as a result.

1:39:09 > 1:39:12This is not a criminal matter, it is a civil matter, I understand?

1:39:12 > 1:39:13That's right, it is.

1:39:13 > 1:39:16What sort of action would you be able to pursue?

1:39:16 > 1:39:18You pursue the matter in the County Courts under

1:39:18 > 1:39:20the Equality Act 2010 and we would seek either

1:39:20 > 1:39:22an injunction or an order after the end of the hearing

1:39:22 > 1:39:24which would force Mr Evans to remove the sign.

1:39:24 > 1:39:26How unusual is a case like this?

1:39:26 > 1:39:28It's fairly unusual, but unfortunately earlier this year

1:39:28 > 1:39:31we did have to bring a very similar sort of case against Mr Wilson,

1:39:31 > 1:39:34a landlord who had discriminatory letting criteria and we've

1:39:34 > 1:39:40were successful in seeking an injunction against him to stop

1:39:40 > 1:39:42him from using discriminatory letting criteria, so it is unusual,

1:39:42 > 1:39:45but I wonder whether the current political climate is enabling more

1:39:45 > 1:39:50of this sort of attitude to proliferate.

1:39:50 > 1:39:59OK, let me ask you Martha, as director of the campaigning

1:39:59 > 1:40:01organisation Liberty about what Elizabeth calls

1:40:01 > 1:40:02the current political climate.

1:40:02 > 1:40:04Are you registering a rise in discrimination examples,

1:40:04 > 1:40:06like the one we are discussing today?

1:40:06 > 1:40:07Yes, I think we are.

1:40:07 > 1:40:10After the referendum last year there was a big rise in hate crime

1:40:10 > 1:40:13and we know that many of those hate crimes are targeted at people

1:40:13 > 1:40:16who are from Eastern Europe, or are perceived to be

1:40:16 > 1:40:18from Eastern Europe that may have a right to be here.

1:40:18 > 1:40:21And that can be anything from this kind of sign or those kind

1:40:21 > 1:40:23of letting arrangements.

1:40:23 > 1:40:26It could be verbal abuse in the street, but we have also seen

1:40:26 > 1:40:28some violent hate crimes and there was a Polish community

1:40:28 > 1:40:31organisation in London that was smashed up shortly

1:40:31 > 1:40:31after the referendum.

1:40:31 > 1:40:33What is the link with the referendum vote?

1:40:33 > 1:40:36Well, I think firstly it's nothing to do whether you voted Leave

1:40:36 > 1:40:39or Remain, it's not saying one group of people are racist or bigoted,

1:40:39 > 1:40:41it's nothing so black and white.

1:40:41 > 1:40:44But I think there are, in some quarters of that debate,

1:40:44 > 1:40:47at that time and then in politics since, there has been a sense

1:40:47 > 1:40:49that it is OK to demonise and scapegoat people

1:40:49 > 1:40:52from other countries.

1:40:52 > 1:40:55Where has that sense, from?

1:40:55 > 1:40:58For example, about ten days ago we saw a story where a Polish couple

1:40:58 > 1:41:01had been very violently burgled and the woman had been

1:41:01 > 1:41:03beaten up in her own home.

1:41:03 > 1:41:06They went to the police to report this crime and the police,

1:41:06 > 1:41:08rather than treating them as vulnerable victims,

1:41:08 > 1:41:10like you would hope to be treated if that has happened

1:41:10 > 1:41:14in your own home, they arrested the man and they turned him over

1:41:14 > 1:41:17to the Home Office and he was then detained in an immigration removal

1:41:17 > 1:41:22centre and he's lawfully here.

1:41:22 > 1:41:25That sends a signal of saying it is immigration enforcement at any

1:41:25 > 1:41:27human cost and we prioritise that over everything.

1:41:27 > 1:41:29And I think that might then give licence to some people,

1:41:29 > 1:41:34like the man who put up this sign, to act on their worst prejudices.

1:41:34 > 1:41:37What's the best way to combat that kind of prejudice?

1:41:37 > 1:41:41Well, I think firstly we want to see some leadership from the top.

1:41:41 > 1:41:44So I think you need an absolute zero tolerance policy across the board

1:41:44 > 1:41:46and that means everyone, public officials in particular,

1:41:46 > 1:41:48when they legislate, when they make policies and any

1:41:48 > 1:41:50rhetoric they use has to be all about non-discrimination

1:41:50 > 1:41:52and equality and treating people fairly with respect.

1:41:52 > 1:41:54And then we need to take action.

1:41:54 > 1:41:56People may think this is a kind of small example,

1:41:56 > 1:41:59but actually you have to take action and be vigilant against every single

1:41:59 > 1:42:01example of this kind of really abhorrent,

1:42:01 > 1:42:04very unfair and very upsetting behaviour.

1:42:04 > 1:42:08Rado, you ran a project called Building Bridges which you mentioned

1:42:08 > 1:42:09earlier was about educating and integrating anglers

1:42:09 > 1:42:11from other countries.

1:42:11 > 1:42:14What do you say to anglers from other countries about returning

1:42:14 > 1:42:19the fish to the water?

1:42:19 > 1:42:22You see, this is, for me it is a fantastic concept

1:42:22 > 1:42:24and you only realised this when you catch a fish,

1:42:24 > 1:42:27return it back and you catch it again and the fish is bigger,

1:42:27 > 1:42:31bigger and bigger.

1:42:31 > 1:42:34You photograph yourself and that gives you a lot of satisfaction

1:42:34 > 1:42:37when you see the same fish growing and you can keep your

1:42:37 > 1:42:40own personal records.

1:42:40 > 1:42:43What we try to sell, the message which we try to sell

1:42:43 > 1:42:51to migrant anglers is, this is going to help us keep up

1:42:51 > 1:42:54the fish viability and we can go fish and enjoy the sport

1:42:54 > 1:42:55and the next generation can.

1:42:55 > 1:42:58When we remove a fish from the water, obviously there's

1:42:58 > 1:43:00going to be nothing to fish for in the future.

1:43:00 > 1:43:02So, this is some of the arguments we use to persuade

1:43:02 > 1:43:04migrant anglers to do it.

1:43:04 > 1:43:06If Billy Evans is annoyed at people stealing his fish,

1:43:06 > 1:43:08how should he handle it, in your view?

1:43:08 > 1:43:10There are different means.

1:43:10 > 1:43:12Obviously, there is the police, voluntary bailiffs scheme

1:43:12 > 1:43:13which is run by the Angling Trust.

1:43:13 > 1:43:16There is the Environment Agency, which is doing a fantastic job.

1:43:16 > 1:43:19They are under resourced now, but they do a fantastic job.

1:43:19 > 1:43:20There are authoritative organisations which are actually

1:43:20 > 1:43:25looking after the fish.

1:43:25 > 1:43:28If there are problems with someone removing the fish from the fishery,

1:43:28 > 1:43:31it is the same problem with people stealing from shops, so it should be

1:43:31 > 1:43:33reported to the police.

1:43:33 > 1:43:35OK, you are going back to Poland?

1:43:35 > 1:43:38I am.

1:43:38 > 1:43:42I have one leg here and one leg already in Poland.

1:43:42 > 1:43:45I just decided to change my life like I did 15 years ago

1:43:45 > 1:43:46and decided to move to England.

1:43:46 > 1:43:51Now, I decided it is time to change, try a life back in my own country.

1:43:51 > 1:43:52Good luck.

1:43:52 > 1:43:53Thank you.

1:43:53 > 1:43:57Thank you for coming on the programme, all of you.

1:43:57 > 1:44:01That was Rado Papiewski who is crowdfunding to pay

1:44:01 > 1:44:07for a private prosecution aagainst a sign which bans Polish and eastern

1:44:07 > 1:44:09bloc anglers from fishing at a farm in Oxfordshire

1:44:09 > 1:44:11and Elizabeth Prochaska the legal director of the Equality

1:44:11 > 1:44:21and Human Rights Commission and Martha Spurrier

1:44:22 > 1:44:27The IMF says Britain's decision to leave the European Union has weighed

1:44:27 > 1:44:31on economic growth. Jonty Bloom is here. What have they said?They said

1:44:31 > 1:44:36that Brexit has caused a fall in the pound and that's slowed growth as

1:44:36 > 1:44:40has a lack of confidence which hit business investment and this latest

1:44:40 > 1:44:46figure shows it expects growth this year to be 1.6%, down from 1.7% as

1:44:46 > 1:44:51the head of the IMF Christine Lagarde explains.This country, the

1:44:51 > 1:44:55United Kingdom, since the start of this year, growth has slowed

1:44:55 > 1:45:02notably. The significant depression of sterling that followed the

1:45:02 > 1:45:07referendum has pushed inflation over 3%. Squeezing real incomes and

1:45:07 > 1:45:12private consumption. Companies are also delaying some investment

1:45:12 > 1:45:18decisions until they have greater clarity about post Brexit trade

1:45:18 > 1:45:29rules in particular. Our forecast for growth in 2017, this year, is

1:45:29 > 1:45:381.6%, down from 1.8% in 2016 and 2.3% in 2015.

1:45:38 > 1:45:42And all of that, despite what I have just mentioned which is a stronger

1:45:42 > 1:45:50global environment. Our forecast for 2018 is 1.5% as

1:45:50 > 1:45:56uncertainty about the shape of Brexit persists most likely and

1:45:56 > 1:46:00inflation remains above target.

1:46:00 > 1:46:08What else did she say.The figure is based on the idea we get a soft

1:46:08 > 1:46:13Brexit, we get the same deal of access to European markets,

1:46:13 > 1:46:18especially for financial services, the IMF does say there are

1:46:18 > 1:46:23opportunities in Brexit to rebalance the British economy, but says you're

1:46:23 > 1:46:27dependent on financial services for your growth and tax revenue,

1:46:27 > 1:46:31companies with big supply chains, will want reassurance and free

1:46:31 > 1:46:37access to the European market. So there are caveats with a hard Brexit

1:46:37 > 1:46:50the growth of only 1.6% could be worse.Thank you. Europe's chief

1:46:50 > 1:46:59Brexit negotiator has said the EU has set the end of UK's Brexit

1:46:59 > 1:47:04transition period no later than December 2020. We will leave

1:47:04 > 1:47:14officially March 2019. And according to ing to Michel Barnier, who is now

1:47:14 > 1:47:24deciding the transition period which be December 31st 2020. What a new

1:47:24 > 1:47:31year's eve that will be for some people.

1:47:31 > 1:47:33Despite television bombarding us with images of the perfect family

1:47:33 > 1:47:36Christmas, only 62% of the British population will spend most

1:47:36 > 1:47:38of the day with their closest relatives, a survey suggests.

1:47:38 > 1:47:40Christmas estranged from your family can be incredibly difficult

1:47:40 > 1:47:43as Catrin Nye reports.

1:47:43 > 1:47:48Christmas is definitely a time where I feel I need to be loved

1:47:48 > 1:47:50and the longer you are estranged, the more desperate

1:47:50 > 1:47:55you become for love.

1:47:55 > 1:47:58Farrar has no contact with any of her family.

1:47:58 > 1:48:02She grew up with just her mum, but hasn't spoken to her at all

1:48:02 > 1:48:06for two years now and lives in another city at university.

1:48:06 > 1:48:13I remember last Christmas, I just felt so unwanted and I felt

1:48:13 > 1:48:18as though everyone has someone somewhere and I didn't have that.

1:48:18 > 1:48:21I was very upset and I just stayed in my room, pretty

1:48:21 > 1:48:24much cried all day.

1:48:24 > 1:48:27I just avoid telling people about my situation because I fear

1:48:27 > 1:48:32of having any insensitive comments said to me.

1:48:32 > 1:48:34How can your mother not love you all, why can't

1:48:34 > 1:48:39you two just patch up.

1:48:39 > 1:48:42Everyone does have the assumption that a mother loves her child,

1:48:42 > 1:48:46but there are unfortunately, some exceptions to that.

1:48:46 > 1:48:49David Wilson does have contact with some of his family.

1:48:49 > 1:48:53He's also married and so not completely alone.

1:48:53 > 1:48:56But he says Christmas he's reminded more than ever of the family

1:48:56 > 1:49:00he doesn't get to see.

1:49:00 > 1:49:03With my youngest son, who's now living in Spain, I don't

1:49:03 > 1:49:07see him or my grandson, actually.

1:49:07 > 1:49:12I've got a grandson aged three, who I don't see.

1:49:12 > 1:49:16I'm quite unable to explain because nobody's ever told me.

1:49:16 > 1:49:19The lines went dead.

1:49:19 > 1:49:21So you just really don't fully know?

1:49:21 > 1:49:22No.

1:49:22 > 1:49:28Tell me about your grandson at Christmas.

1:49:28 > 1:49:31Yeah, I give him a present every Christmas and birthday.

1:49:31 > 1:49:41That's two a year and I put them in a box.

1:49:45 > 1:49:50That's enough.

1:49:50 > 1:49:53One day he'll know that I did care enough to get him

1:49:53 > 1:49:57those things, you know.

1:49:57 > 1:50:03So I think it has meaning for me and it has meaning for him.

1:50:03 > 1:50:05We can speak now to Brogen Harrison who is recently estranged

1:50:05 > 1:50:07from her whole family, and this is her first

1:50:07 > 1:50:10Christmas without them.

1:50:10 > 1:50:12Becca Bland founded the charity Stand Alone, which works with people

1:50:12 > 1:50:20who become estranged with their families.

1:50:20 > 1:50:24Thank you both for coming on the programme. You have been estranged

1:50:24 > 1:50:31from your family since April. What has that been like?Estrangement is

1:50:31 > 1:50:36difficult, but there is also an immense feeling of freedom that I

1:50:36 > 1:50:41have gained from breaking from my family. So it has been empowering.

1:50:41 > 1:50:44As you approach Christmas without them, you're not going to see them,

1:50:44 > 1:50:54what are you thinking?I'm a bit apprehensive, but it is my decision

1:50:54 > 1:50:59and my own Christmas with the people that mean the most to me. And are

1:50:59 > 1:51:09special to me.What are you doing? I'm going to New York with a close

1:51:09 > 1:51:15friend. I'm looking forward to seeing the Home Alone tree.A very

1:51:15 > 1:51:21different environment and very special. Interesting to hear her say

1:51:21 > 1:51:26it has been empowering, that isn't the case for many people.I think it

1:51:26 > 1:51:35is split. A lot people feel the freedoms too. I feel Christmas is a

1:51:35 > 1:51:40time where that can be triggered because of emphasis on the close

1:51:40 > 1:51:45loving family and that is can mean people feel isolated.How can you

1:51:45 > 1:51:54help?It is helpful to understand wh people are doing, our research shows

1:51:54 > 1:51:59not everyone is going to have a family Christmas. A quarter of the

1:51:59 > 1:52:03population will not. It is freeing for people to understand they don't

1:52:03 > 1:52:07have to have a family Christmas and Christmas can be for people who are

1:52:07 > 1:52:13special to them. That is not necessarily our immediate family.

1:52:13 > 1:52:19That is the root you're -- route you're pursuing it is interesting to

1:52:19 > 1:52:23hear it is OK to give yourself permission to do something

1:52:23 > 1:52:27different.It is about reclaiming your Christmas, saying not always

1:52:27 > 1:52:32are we going to have to do things in a way the adverts suggest or the

1:52:32 > 1:52:38media suggests or is expected. Christmas is a time also for

1:52:38 > 1:52:42rejuvenation and it always about reconciliation with family. It can

1:52:42 > 1:52:45be a dangerous time to attempt that for those that are estranged.Why

1:52:45 > 1:52:53that is?Because those behaviours around Christmas, involve a lot of

1:52:53 > 1:52:57alcohol and sentimentality and that pushes people into thinking they

1:52:57 > 1:53:01must reconcile, but those processes can take a long time and often need

1:53:01 > 1:53:05interventions from professionals too. It isn't simply a matter of

1:53:05 > 1:53:08knocking on the door on Christmas Day. In fact that can be very

1:53:08 > 1:53:16damaging.When you reached the end of this year and it is midnight, on

1:53:16 > 1:53:24new year's eve, how will you be feel somethinging? Exhilarating, I'm

1:53:24 > 1:53:27moving forward and making decisions that are important to me and

1:53:27 > 1:53:32spending time with my friends and extended family like cousins and

1:53:32 > 1:53:37aunts and I'm looking fore ward to making memories with them in 2018,

1:53:37 > 1:53:40they have been nothing but supportive of me since April.Thank

1:53:40 > 1:53:53you both. Happy Christmas. I appreciate your time. Now this news

1:53:53 > 1:54:01from HMRC, they are warning the public about a high profile phone

1:54:01 > 1:54:06scam that is conning people out thousands of pound. They are cold

1:54:06 > 1:54:14call them and pretending to be a member of staff from HMCC and tell

1:54:14 > 1:54:20them they owe large amounts of tax they that only pay with gift cards.

1:54:20 > 1:54:33They're told to go to a local shop and buy the vouchers and read the

1:54:33 > 1:54:39codes. The scammers use intimidation they get, threatening to seize the

1:54:39 > 1:54:44victim's property or involve the use of police. The use of vouchers is an

1:54:44 > 1:54:50attractive scam, because they're hard to trace. That warning from

1:54:50 > 1:55:00HMRC, scammers are cold calling people, pretending to be an HMRC

1:55:00 > 1:55:10member of staff saying they owe tax.

1:55:10 > 1:55:13With Christmas round the corner, thousands of workers on the high

1:55:13 > 1:55:15street have an uncertain future with two of the country's biggest

1:55:15 > 1:55:17retailers struggling to keep their creditors at bay.

1:55:17 > 1:55:20About 3,000 jobs at Toys R Us are under threat and Poundland has

1:55:20 > 1:55:23been dragged into a storm engulfing its South African owner

1:55:23 > 1:55:25that could threaten its UK business interests, which include Bensons

1:55:25 > 1:55:27for Beds and Harveys, the out-of-town furniture chain.

1:55:27 > 1:55:30We can now speak to John Baulch, Editor of ToyWorld Magazine,

1:55:30 > 1:55:36and Kate Hardcastle, a consumer analyst.

1:55:36 > 1:55:53Good morning. Are you worried more about is Toys-R-Us.Yes there has

1:55:53 > 1:55:59been a revolution in people buying online. Brands are prolific and if

1:55:59 > 1:56:04we know we can buy a certain brand, we won't worry about where that is

1:56:04 > 1:56:15and we like the convenience. Toys R us have huge warehouses that are not

1:56:15 > 1:56:27enticing. They seem to have lost their way.John, with Toys-R-Us, the

1:56:27 > 1:56:34pensions seem to be involved.They have moved the goal post, the CVA,

1:56:34 > 1:56:39which they have been asked to sign up to, needs 75% in favour to go

1:56:39 > 1:56:49ahead. The Pension Protection Fund has a block vote and they're

1:56:49 > 1:56:56concerned about the pension and they have asked for £9 million to be

1:56:56 > 1:57:00deposited. Toys-R-Us said it can't do that, because of the bankruptcy

1:57:00 > 1:57:06position in the US. So the Pension Protection Fund said it will vote

1:57:06 > 1:57:11against the CVA. But we have two days in which the CVA and Toys-R-Us

1:57:11 > 1:57:15can continue to negotiate and perhaps find a solution that works

1:57:15 > 1:57:25for both of them. That is interesting. Kate do you think

1:57:25 > 1:57:31Toys-R-Us will still exist?They will have some future, but I can't