06/11/2012 BBC News at One

Decision day in the United States at the end of the closest

presidential campaign in decades. As millions of Americans go to the

polls, it is the turnout that could prove crucial.

Will it be Barack Obama or Mitt Romney? It has been neck and neck

for weeks and for the two men the fight goes to the wire.

Here in Washington, both sides believe they have the advantage,

Barack Obama's team has a sophisticated ground operation. But

Mitt Romney's people believe they still have the momentum.

The Home Secretary announces details of an urgent investigation

into allegations of child sex abuse in North Wales.

The Government is treating these allegations with the up most

seriousness. Child abuse is a hateful and disgusting crime.

More calls for compensation - tree growers claim not enough was done

to protect Britain's ash trees. Keeping a close eye on the

Melbourne Cup - a Royal race day as Charles and Camilla continue their

A senior police constable fears poor voter turnout could undermine

the new police commissioners. A gang on motorbikes has carried

out a smash and grab at the Brent Good afternoon and welcome to the

BBC News at One. It is one of the closest

presidential election campaigns in American history and today is

decision day. Across the USA, millions of people will go to the

polls to choose between Barack Obama and his Republican rival,

Mitt Romney. All the signs are that the race is still incredibly close

though some polls give the president a slight edge in some of

the key swing states such as Ohio. Let's cross to Jane Hill who is in

Hello from Washington DC. As America wakes up on polling day. Of

course, a lot of of States allow early polling so 30 million people

have already voted, but today is the key day and we really cannot

overstate just how important getting out the vote is for both

teams. We know that Barack Obama's campaign team has a sophisticated

operation. We saw it in operation in the election in 2008 and it is

it is telling us it has thousands of volunteers out in the key swing

States. 26,000 volunteer shifts in Florida. 33,000 in the vital State

of Ohio, but Mitt Romney's team are going to the wire as well and he is

out campaigning today even though it is voting day. It is out in

Pennsylvania and Ohio. Adam Brookes Across America, the polling

stations are opening at the end of this long, bitter and surprising

Last night saw frantic 11th hour campaigning in Ohio. Jay-Z turned

out for Barack Obama and Mr Obama made his closing argument that he

has dragged the US economy out of recession and ended the war in Iraq.

Will it be enough? America is divided on his record.

Today, our businesses have created nearly 5.5 million new jobs. We

have made real progress, but the reason why we are here is because

we have got more work to do. The Republican challenger was in

Ohio too. Mitt Romney's supporters are energised, but do the the

voters trust his pitch of tax cuts and deregulation and the power of

markets to heal the American economy? Does it sound like the

economics that lid -- led to the crash? If there is anyone anyone

who fears the American dream is fading away, if there is anyone who

wonders whether better jobs and better pay pay pay cheques are a

thing of the past, with the right leadership, America will come

roaring back. The final days of the election

campaign have seen the public opinion polls come Close. Some

polls suggest Mr Obama holds a narrow lead in vital swing States,

but it is clear Mr Obama is fighting for his political life and

it is possible we might not get a quick result. If the election

really is this close, there could be recounts and legal disputes that

delay a result. He is older and a little greyer now,

worn down by four years of a dreadful economy and relentless

political opposition. His Republican challenger, is a 65-

year-old man, devoted to his Mormon faith, a multi-millionaire financer

on his second try for the presidency.

Mitt Romney long struggled to persuade Republicans that he was a

strong candidate, strong enough to Mitt Romney was caught on camera at

a private fund-raising event. He accused Democratic voters of seeing

themselves as victims, who waited for State hand outs. The video made

him look, rich and out-of-touch and for a moment, it seemed as if he

was finished. But then came the first

presidential debate in Denver last month. Under the president's

policies, middle income Americans have been buried.

Mr Romney savaged the president. Mr Obama looked cowed and unresponsive.

Republicans rejoiced and Mitt Romney's campaign came alive.

But there was still one more surprise to come. Hurricane Sandy

left its claw marks up the East Coast, the eyes of America shifted

to the devastation in New York and New Jersey. For three days, the

president stopped campaigning and did his job and found himself on

every news bulletin looking calm and presidential. Mitt Romney, all,

but vanished. Now Mr Obama goes into election day with, if the

polls are to be believed, a slight lead in the key swing States, but

We cannot really overstate just how important some of the swing States

are. We will hear from Wisconsin. First, let's head to Clive Myrie

because he is in Cleveland, Ohio. Clive, you could not be in a closer

race there where you are as Ohio so goes the White House, that's

generally the rule? That's right. That's what they say.

No Republican has won the presidency without winning Ohio

since 1862, that's a trend and the voting has started here. It began

an hour-and-a-half ago. I am at one of the polling stations in Ohio,

remember 1.7 million local people started voting and have cast their

ballots, that was in early voting since October the 2nd. The

Democratic camp is feeling more positive about the way things are

going. They believed they have got the majority of the early votes

already in the bag and they have an incredibly slick, ground campaign,

of course, based on the success back in 2008 for President Obama in

here, remember Mitt Romney had sto start from a standing start. Now

the reason that President Obama had a slight lead in the polls for the

last few months is because of a number of issues, primarily the

economy and the unemployment level here is lower than nationally.

There are fewer foreclosures, homes being repossessed by the banks and

people here feel the economy is doing better than it is on a

national level and that's posed a problem for Mitt Romney. That has

attacked his narrative for saying that President Obama has not been a

successful president. Remember, all the polls here are within that

margin of probability. Something like three or four percent. The

polls could be bound out of the water and we could get a Romney win,

but at the moment, the polls are suggesting it is President Obama's

job. Let's go to Zoe Conway. Which team

is feeling it has the upper hand where you are?

Well, both campaigns are sounding incredibly confident here in

Wisconsin. Perhaps They are just playing the confidence game. I will

tell you what they think they have got on their side. President

Obama's campaign would say, "Look the Democrats won this State here

in Wisconsin six times in a row. They haven't elected a Republican

president here since 1984 when they elected Ronald Reagan. But what the

Republicans would counter with, they think their ground game here

is better than it has been. There has been a resurgence of the

Republican Party in Wisconsin. Also what they have got on their side

the Republican Vice Presidential nominee is Paul Ryan and he is a

Congressman and he has been spending a lot of time here and

they think that could boost them in the polls here.

Thank you. Continuing coverage, of course,

from Washington DC on BBC News and a reminder, there is that results

programme, you can see that on BBC One Arthe BBC News Channel, full

continuing coverage from 11.35pm this evening.

From Washington, back to Simon. Jane, thank you.

The head of the National Crime Agency is to review allegations of

child abuse at care homes in North Wales. The Home Secretary, Theresa

May, said his inquiry would look at the way police handled the original

What happened at this home led to Britain's biggest ever abuse

inquiry. 259 people alleged physical, and sexual assalts. But -

- assaults, but new claims that a senior Conservative from the

Thatcher-era was one of the perpetrators -- led to accusations

of a cover-up. The Government is treating these

allegations with seriousness. Child abuse is a hateful and disgusting

crime. And we must not allow these allegations to go unanswered. And I

therefore, urge anybody who has information relating to these

allegations to go to the police. The Home Secretary also confirmed

that the head of the national crim agency will be brought in to assess

new and historic abuse allegations. Martin was abused during his time

at the Bryn Estyn home. He says he was asked about the actions of a

politician during the official inquiry 15 years ago, but no action

was taken. Justice for the victims and prison

sentences for the people who was abusing. That's what needs to

happen. Finally. The unname politician has reacted

to the claims against him, telling a newspaper, "I have only been to

Wrexham once and I didn't visit the children's home." He goes on to say

the accusation is without any grounds. The Waterhouse Inquiry

published in 2000 was was only triggered by a social worker

exposing abuse. I knew them well and I knew they

were telling me the truth. REPORTER: But There is more to be

told? Yes. But whether it will get told is another matter.

The new investigation into the abuse will need to establish

whether uncomfortable truths you were covered up and whether the

victims were failed a second time by those who were meant to help

them. Let's speak to our Wales Political

Editor, Betsan Powys. There is a momentum to this story.

Carwyn Jones will be taking questions in the assembly in a few

minutes time. He made a statement this morning and it is clear there

is little to no appetite for a desperate number of inquiries. He

said the original inquiry was commissioned and answered to the UK

Government and therefore, it is right now that it is the UK

Government that is looking into that old inquiry. Bearing in mind

too that policing isn't a devolved issue, it is only the UK Government

that can look at that aspect of these allegations. So what account

Welsh Government do? It could hold a brand-new public inquiry given

that lack of appetite for proliferation of inquiries, that

strikes me as unlikely. It could work with the children's comirker

in Wales -- commissioner in Wales or it could co-operate with the UK

Government on one big report that gets at the truth. You suspect that

that is what the Welsh Conservatives and Welsh Welsh

Liberal Democrats want. Plaid Cymru are saying he should be calling for

a full inquiry. Thank you very much.

Let's go to Westminster and Norman Smith. There is a lot of concern in

Government about this? There is, Simon. There is a concern that

North Wales Police failed to get to the truth of these allegations

because Mrs May flagged up there were only seven conviction as a

result of their initial inquiry despite a view that the the problem

was extensive and 80 people were named in the public inquiry and Mrs

May is calling it the - calling in the National Crime Agency. It seems

to me we are now embarked on a process that may lead to fresh

criminal prosecutions of alleged paedophiles because Mrs May

stressed that it was important to ensure justice for the victims and

for politicians to stand up for those victims who had gone to the

police and above all, Mrs May cautioned MPs not to name

individuals linked to the scandal because she said it might

jeopardise any future trials. Hundreds of mourners are attending

the funeral of the prison officer murdered in County Armagh last week.

David Black was shot dead as he drove to work on Thursday morning.

He was the first prison officer to be murdered in Northern Ireland in

almost 20 years. Tree growers could be in line for

millions of pounds in compensation, amid claims that not enough was

done to prevent the spread of a disease which is threatening

Britain's ash trees. They'll be meeting Government representatives

later today. Let's speak to Ben Ando who is at a Forestry

Commission centre in Brandon, Suffolk.

Good afternoon. I am sure a fortnight ago barely any of us had

heard of Chalara fraxinea, or ash dieback, but now we know it's led

to Government emergency committee meetings, calls for millions of

pounds of compensation, and a real fear that the woodland countryside

is facing its greatest crisis since the 1970s. This morning officials

unveiled their latest device, they hope will give them the edge.

In these woods they're testing a new weapon in the hunt for the

deadly fungal disease that threatens Britain's ash trees,

Chalara fraxinea or ash dieback is spread on the winds and now

scientists are adapting devices developed to counterthe threat of

germ warfare to test suspect trees on site. That has the disease...

This machine gives them results on the ground in minutes, rather than

days of waiting for lab results. Within 30 minutes we can identify

whether a tree is infected or not. The advantages of that are many-

fold. If you are working on management, rapid diagnostics are

essential, the quicker you can start to try to contain or erad

kaeult a -- eradicate a problem. It's spread across Europe with

devastating effects. It's destroyed 90% of Denmark's ash trees and

spores are believed to have floated across the North Sea to East Anglia.

Some believe Britain's 80 million ash trees will be more resistant to

infection. It's not clear what can be done to protect healthy trees

like this one from the fungus. But scientists say the genetic

diversity of the British ash population could provide a level of

resistance. Conservationists say people should

look out for diseased trees and try to avoid spreading the spores.

Being very careful about moving plant material between sites when

visiting the countryside is another very important measure people can

taken -- can take. COBRA has met to discuss the issue and a ban on

imports has been imposed. Since the weekend, hundreds of forestry

workers have been examining woodland and the results of the

first nationwide survey are expected tomorrow.

Within 24 hours we should get the results of that survey and that

will give forestry officials and the Government and the industry a

real idea and picture of how widespread ash dieback is and

whether we are in a situation where the disease might be contained in

certain key areas, or whether it's inevitable it will spread across

Great Britain. This afternoon, growers are having a meeting at

which they're hoping they'll be told they will be entitled to some

form of compensation. Our top story:

Voting is under way in the closest presidential election in the United

States for years. Coming up: Swapping the political

jungle for the Australian one but the heat is on Nadine Dorries for

her decision to appear in I'm A Celebrity. On BBC London: A boost

for tourist trade as the Government hails a advertising campaign a

success. Will we see a British women's football team at the next

Companies are making excessive profits at the expense of the

taxpayer because the Government is paying out too much money, far too

easily on its apprenticeship scheme. That's according to a report by MPs

which says some parts of the scheme need a complete overhaul, with a

greater emphasis on the quality of the training, not just the number

of apprentices taken on. Here's our business correspondent, John Moylan.

Liam Harperuals knew university wasn't for him, instead, he opted

for a four-year apprenticeship at this aerospace firm, giving him

paid on the job training, and a recognised qualification at the end.

I think it gives me a good head start more than the academic side

would, because I have managed to work on the aircraft and done the

NVQ at college, so I have done the bookwork as well, that's better

than just just reading a book. Government has embarked upon a huge

expansion of its apprenticeship programme, more than half a million

people started off on one of these schemes over the past 12 months.

But all of this is costing the taxpayer up to �1.5 billion a year.

But has it all gone too far, too fast?

This report calls for a formal definition of what an

apprenticeship is. Amid concerns some schemes don't make the grade.

It calls for schools to publish how many pupils join schemes to help

raise their profile, and it warns that quality, not quantity, should

be the main measure of success. The report also claims that

alongside good employers like this, there's evidence that the

Government is paying out too much money far too easily to other firms.

There was one scheme where we interviewed the chief executive and

he openly admitted that the profit levels were excessively high, at

36%, and the Government had, shall we say, not exercised the sort of

restraint it should have in funding him. Businesses have long

highlighted the problem of skills shortages, but some fear taxpayers'

money is not being targeted at the right areas. The focus needs to be

on those apprenticeships to deliver and are able to create value and

make a difference to the UK economy. The Government wants

apprenticeships to equip the workforce of tomorrow. It says it

will consider this report carefully. Marks and Spencer has reported a

fall in profits for the first half of the year and it's being blamed

on poor sales of its women's clothing. Overall, they're down 9%

in the company's worst performance in nearly four years.

An inquiry into the death of a man shot dead by police has heard today

from the officer who fired the fatal shots. Azelle Rodney died in

April 2005 because police believed he was part of an armed gang on its

way to rob drug dealers. The officer - known only as E7 - said

he felt he had no choice but to fire, to protect other officers.

June Kelly reports. Inside a police car which is part

of a convoy in pursuit of a gang believed to be armed with machine

guns. Mill Hill in north London in April 2005. Filming this footage is

a firearms officer from Scotland Yard. Ahead of his, his fellow

marksman, preparing to do a hard stop on the suspect's car. As the

Golf is boxed in an officer opens fire with eight bullets.

Six hit Azelle Rodney in the head and body. Today the inquiry heard

from the officer who killed him, known only as E7. This was the Golf

carrying Azelle Rodney after the shooting. The media and the public

could hear E7 giving evidence but weren't allowed to see him. E7's

car had drawn level with the Golf and he opened fire on Azelle Rodney

through the window. Azelle Rodney's mother, like the

lawyers, could see the man who shot her son. At one point during his

evidence she walked out, saying, how many more lies? E7 told the

inquiry that 20 years before he killed Azelle Rodney he had shot

dead two other men. Inquests had said they had been lawfully killed.

An American newspaper has published claims that a British businessman

murdered in China last year had been passing information to British

intelligence for at least a year before he died. Neil Heywood was

close to one of China's most powerful politicians, Bo Xilai,

whose wife was convicted of Heywood's murder a year ago. From

Beijing, Damian Grammaticas reports. Neil Heywood, the former British

public schoolboy and businessman murdered in China. His Jaguar had a

007 number plate, few took it seriously, but he had links to

Britain's spy services. A Wall Street journal newspaper says

He was passing information about but information -- about Bo Xilai

one of the two dozen most powerful men in China. Neil Heywood did

business here, in the city of Chongqing. Last November the Briton

was found dead in this hotel, Chinese authorities said it was a

heart attack. The case hit the headlines when the city's police

chief tried to defect to America and revealed that Neil Heywood had

been murdered. China has jailed him for treason. It jailed too Bo

Xilai's wife, convicted of poisoning Neil Heywood. It's not

clear if she knew of Heywood's spy links. Bo Xilai himself has been

arrested now. This week China points new leaders, he will not be

one of them. British diplomats here at the Embassy in Beijing have been

criticised because it took them three months after Neil Heywood's

death to demand a full investigation from China. If

they're true these claims raise an important question - did Britain's

security services know about the death earlier, did they have any

suspicions that a Briton may have been murdered abroad and should

they have urged the Government to raise the alarm?

There's been fierce criticism of the Tory MP Nadine Dorris because

of her decision to appear in the reality TV show, "I'm a Celebrity,

Get Me Out of Here" during Parliamentary time. She'd be the

first serving MP to appear on the programme. But the Home Secretary,

Theresa May, has said an MP's job is in their constituency and in the

Commons. Let's speak to our political correspondent, Iain

Watson. Out of the frying pan, into the

jungle? Yes, as you know Westminster's often referred to as

a jungle. Nadine Dorries is off to a real one in Australia but

entering dangerous political territory. She's no strange tore

controversy. She -- stranger to consroef. -- controversy. She

denounced the Prime Minister and Chancellor as arrogant posh boys. I

don't think she's too upset about ruffling their feathers. She's

saying, this is a way of getting her views across to a wide audience.

The trouble is she didn't really discuss her travel plans very

widely. She didn't tell her local constituency association that she

was going. Some of their officers are admitting this officer they'll

be issuing a statement. The Prime Minister says she can speak for

herself but she got a reprimand from the Home Secretary. The proper

place is for MPs to be in Westminster for their constituency,

certainly not in the Australian jungle.

The Royal Family are known for their love of racing and the Duke

and Duchess of Cornwall have been to one of the world's most famous

races - the Melbourne Cup. They joined more than 100,000 people to

see it and afterwards the Duchess declared the race was "bigger than

Ascot." Just a warning, there is flash photography in Peter Hunt's

report. There were no carriages like at

Ascot, but the scale of this Melbourne extravaganza left kpheul

think -- Camilla thinking the annual Royal racing event looks

very small by comparison. Charles, welcome to Australia!

large crowd of punters treated before the main event to a glimpse

of a Prince and his wife. These are invaluable images for a future

Australian King visiting a country where there's a continuing debate

about whether or not to sever the link to the British throne.

But this is what the race-goers paid to witness, Australia's

richest and most prestigious horse race which has been taking place

ever since Victoria was their Queen. Her descendent took a close

interest. Camilla, a keen horse rider had a flutter and told

somebody the occasion was a treat for her. After seven years of

marriage, this type of Royal work is commonplace at home, but a

novelty here. It's the Duchess's first visit to Australia. In a

country where there's still a fondness for Diana, this encounter

earlier in the outback can only help Camilla's introduction to the

Australian people. A warm welcome there. Colder here.

Weather fronts around the high pressure to the west of us, it's

brought cloud and rain but also a noticeable breeze in from the the

Atlantic. This morning we saw temperatures as high as 10 Celsius.

Contrast that with Oxfordshire and minus 4. The cloud will win out and

it's going to bring rain with it. The rain's extensive but not heavy.

It will be damp, but the rain's not for all of us. Maybe Cornwall

escaping with a dry afternoon. Damper weather towards Devon and

Somerset. Across Wales, extensive cloud and some rain around you with

the -- but the further west it's drier. Into northern England

there's a lot of rain here. For Northern Ireland, it's brightening

up. We will see a few breaks in the cloud so sunshine here. Back into

the cloud for northern and western Scotland. It's breezy and some rain

here. But through the central lowlands it's actually quite a

decent afternoon. Broken cloud and sunshine. Temperatures are up on

what we saw yesterday. Different story through northern England and

the East Midlands, it's dull and damp but cool and breezy. However,

not a great deal of rain along the south coast, a reasonable afternoon

here. The rain is on the move. It will move towards the near

continent this evening. It leaves behind a lot of cloud. That's what

we find this evening for Manchester City and Ajax. Cloudy and low cloud

but not particularly cold. Might see the odd spot of drizzle. This

evening it's breezy, a lot of cloud. That combination helps to stop

temperatures falling too far. But with a few breaks in the cloud

might get down to three or four degrees. A grey start tomorrow but

for many central and eastern areas it will brighten up nicely. It

should turn into a reasonable day for many. However, the further west

you are there is more cloud around and the further north you are more

cloud and more breeze and a bit of rain. Temperatures doing quite well,

up into double figures across the board. Should be another double-

figure day on Thursday. Good spells of sunshine, might be cloudy at

times during the day but the winds are lighter and still temperatures

at ten or 11. Make the most of Thursday, to end the week we see an

active weather front slipping south across all parts of the UK. We all

see rain at some stage. As the rain clears we see blustery showers