15/10/2013 BBC News at One

The police watchdog says the way officers dealt with former Cabinet

minister Andrew Mitchell raises issues of "honesty and integrity''.

Andrew Mitchell resigned after the so-called plebgate affair in Downing

Street ,the IPCC says claims that officers lied weren't properly

investigated. We'll have the latest reaction from Westminster.

Also this lunchtime: Hidden cameras and private investigators - plans

considered to help care home inspections in England.

A sharp rise in Royal Mail shares as full trading gets underway - a day

before the results of a strike ballot are announced.

House prices hit a record high across the UK - the average house or

flat now costs almost quarter of a million pounds.

Remember the soup Dragon and the iron chicken? After 40 years away

from our screens be back. Coming up in sport, all four home

nations are preparing for the final welcome qualification games but only

England can guarantee a place in Brazil.

Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One. The police watchdog

says the way Police Federation officers dealt with the former

Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell raises issues of "honesty and

integrity and/or discreditable conduct." Mr Mitchell resigned after

allegations that he had sworn at police officers on the gates of

Downing Street and called them "plebs", something he has always

fiercely denied. Now the IPCC says it has found evidence that three

police officers gave a misleading account of a meeting they'd had with

Mr Mitchell after the event. Our political correspondent Robin Brandt

is at Westminster. Almost exactly a year ago Andrew

Mitchell, a senior Conservative politician, was involved in a fight

for his political career. There had been a bizarre incident at the gates

of Downing Street and he stood accused of being the Tory

politician, he used offensive language against the police 's job

it is to guard him and his colleagues every day of the week. In

the weeks after that there was also a separate meeting with police

representatives, and the question at the time was who do you trust, the

politician or the police? Today we have come close to something like a

verdict, . -- verdict on that. It was a September evening last year,

he was riding his bike out of Downing Street, there was a

confrontation with armed officers, they insisted he gets off his bike

and use a side gate, it lasted seconds. The next day it was lashed

across -- splashed across the tabloids. In the weeks after the row

he met with police Federation representatives in his

constituency. They were already angry about government budget cuts.

They claimed during the sit down Andrew Mitchell refused to explain

what he said in the Downing Street confrontation. In fact, transcripts

from the sick were recording showed he did explain his version of

events. The police Federation set out to bring down the government

minister and were dishonest in the way they did it. The initial

investigation found there was no deliberate intention to like. The IP

CC has rejected that and says there is a case the men gave a false

account of the meeting to discredit the politician and add to the

pressure on him to resign. In the last hour he has reacted to

this, he is not being triumphalist but this is a victory for him. That

is plain. He said it is a matter of deep concern the police forces who

employ these officers have concluded their conduct did not bring the

police service into disrepute. He believes it is a decision that will

undermine confidence in the ability of the police to investigate this

conduct. Clearly for him he believes what is at stake here is the

reputation of not just the police force involved but the police force

as a whole. What happens next?

Andrew Mitchell has the option of pursuing another complaint but that

is unlikely. What is of more significance is the ongoing

investigation and the decision of the Crown Prosecution Service into

what went on and the gates of Downing Street in September last

year. 97 police officers are being questioned, some civilian workers as

well. The expectation is there may be a decision soon on claims some of

those officers conspired to fit up Andrew Mitchell in that infamous

incident and what is at stake there is even more serious, the reputation

of the Metropolitan police and of Andrew Mitchell, this politician,

who harbours desires to return to front line politics.

Hidden cameras could form part of a new inspection regime for care homes

in England from next year. The new chief inspector for adult social

care, Andrea Sutcliffe, says she wants to explore the role such

techniques could play in uncovering abuse and neglect. But civil

liberties campaigners have expressed concern at the plans. Our social

affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan reports.

No one is there, they forgot me. Me all your's -- Muriel's family

installed CCTV cameras for her safety but ended up recording

neglect. What they saw shocked her family who subsequently changed her

carers. They fully support the use of cameras. It is a fantastic idea,

it will highlight poor care and neglect, but also it will address

what needs to be done in a sector and how we can improve it. Cameras

may only be one element in a much tougher inspection regime. From next

year a new weighting system -- rating system will great care

homes. New expert inspectors will be employed who know what good care

looks like, to work alongside members of the public who have

experienced the system. Quality is the responsibility of the

provider of the service. The regulator cannot be there all the

time, what we can do though is inspire people to actually ensure

the services they are providing our safe, responsive, caring, effective

and will lead. Winterbourne View, the care home

that jolted the nation 's conscious, where hidden cameras will

grizzle -- were crucial to exposing abuse. These shocking scenes may not

have been exposed had it not been for secret filming showing not just

poor care but leading to prosecutions. The case for cameras

is clear, however they are no substitute for a well-run care home.

Steve's son was abused in Winterbourne View but he is not

convinced installing cameras is the answer to bad careful stop so they

get a phone call, there is a problem. They say we will put a

camera in there. By the time they get the camera in there, film

things, there could be more abuse. The Care Quality Commission says

installing any cameras can only be done with the privacy and dignity of

service users protected. The government's been accused of

doing a U-turn on its promise to prevent elderly people in England

being forced to sell their homes to pay for care costs. Labour says

under the plans only people with savings of less than ?23,000 would

be able to put off payment for their care until after they've died. But

the care minister, Norman Lamb, insists nobody will be forced to

sell their home to pay for care while they're alive. Our political

correspondent Ross Hawkins reports. You work hard, pay off the mortgage,

and then you are forced to sell your home to cover the cost of care.

Minister said that was desperately unfair, so they are changing the

system. Under their proposals you will be able to delay the sale of

your home until after you have died so the cost of your care can be paid

back later. But few realise that would happen only if your assets

apart from your home were worth less than ?23,000. This is completely

emasculated the government 's deferred payment scheme, it is no

longer true people will not have to sell their homes to pay for care

which was the government 's deferred payment scheme, it is no longer true

people will not have to sell their homes to pay for care which was the

governments claim because unless you are prepared to get by with just,

not enough to allow for little luxuries, unless you are prepared to

do that you are not eligible. The government says nobody will be

forced to sell the home while they are alive. The decision is still

have to be made about who should get to delay paying for the cost of

care. If they have got ?1 million of assets, should they be expected to

use those assets before they get to the point of having to sell their

home? That is what we are consulting on. In Scotland personal care is

free for over 65 C needed, in Wales are working on a new system, and in

England, the cost of elderly care, although not accommodation, will be

capped at ?72,000. Some in this debate think the chances are not

everybody has read the small rent. -- small print. This is about

growing up conversations, not about 20 pool will overall winning votes.

It was that problem of people who had saved all their lives only to be

stripped of their assets in their old age that has caused so much

upset and politicians here have been so keen to address. Ministers say

they haven't finalised their plans, but they know they will have to bear

is what is fair and what the taxpayer can afford.

Small investors who successfully applied for Royal Mail shares are

sitting on a paper profit of almost ?360 after the shares rose sharply

as full trading got underway. They went as high as 400 90p. Today is

the first day that people who bought shares through the government's

website have been able to trade. The Union which represents postal

workers, is due to announce the result of a strike ballot tomorrow.

At 8am formal trading in the shares got underway. For decades

governments have tried to privatise this business, little wonder its

boss looks so relieved. For most of the six to 90,000 small investors it

is the first time they have been able to sell their shares, and in

city trading rooms business was brisk. I have never seen this amount

of excitement generated. Anybody who decides to sell will take away a

chunk of Watford but there are those who could hang onto it in light of

the fact we have got some good dividend yield due next year.

So we applied for ?5,000 worth of shares and she only received ?750

worth. But with the shares soaring she stands to make an instant profit

of more than ?300. I think I probably will sell them today, a 40%

increase on my original investment is a great return. I am not a big

risk taker, I have never dabbled in shares before so I will sell today

and make 40% profit. Was the business sold off to cheaply? Not

according to its boss who was brought in to turn it around for

stop. We have two look through the next

six or nine months to see we have made a lot of progress, very proud,

the proudest moment of my career. But we still have a lot of work to

do. The postal union opposed the sell-off it is balloting its members

in a dispute over a long-term deal in the post-privatisation world.

When we announce that ballot result tomorrow the game changes massively.

That may have been a battle, but the result war and a real issue was

always going to be how we defend your terms and conditions. The

postal union is due to announce the result of the strike ballot

tomorrow, it is confident it will receive an overwhelming vote in

favour of industrial action. Though in past disputes it has moved

quickly to announce a national 24-hour strike, this huge business

could be at a standstill within weeks.

What impact that will have on the stock price, nobody yet knows, but

hundreds of thousands of Royal Mail shareholders could be in for a bumpy

ride. The editor of the BBC's Crimewatch,

Joe Mather, says they've had a "truly unprecedented" response to

last night's appeal for information about the disappearance of Madeleine

McCann in Portugal in 2007. Police have released e-fit images of men

they want to trace. More than a thousand people have called or

emailed the programme with information, several giving the same

name of a man seen carrying a child towards the beach on the evening

Madeleine disappeared. House prices in the UK have risen to

a record high, according to the Office for National Statistics. It

says the average price of a house or flat is now ?247,000 almost 4%

higher than a year ago. Prices are now above the housing boom that

ended in 2008. Our chief economics correspondent Hugh Pym reports.

The focus on the housing market is intense right now, with speculation

about whether a bubble is being inflated. The UK average price is

back above the previous peak reached in 2008. Some are asking whether

official schemes to boost lending might be pushing up prices. We are

coming from a low base on house prices so there is no need to worry

about the level right now but prices are picking up quickly across the

country as the government and Bank of England schemes help people onto

the housing ladder. The Prime Minister launched a new

government initiative last week giving buyers who could afford only

a fight cent deposit the chance to get a mortgage. Critics argue that

will fuel an overheated market. The mortgage market was still below

long-term levels and the scheme would allow young people the chance

to get on the property ladder. The latest figures reveal wide

variation. Prices in London were up 8.7% in the year up till August and

the increased for Northern Ireland prices was just 1.1%. Over the same

period prices in Wales were up 1%. But in Scotland there was actually a

fall, prices were down nor .7%. -- 0.7% for stop first-time buyers are

facing steep increases, prices they played were up nearly 5%. House

prices have gone up in the south-west of England, here in

Bristol we ask people how they felt about that. On a normal salary, I am

not sure how I am expected to be able to get a mortgage for stop I am

not sure how I'm expected to get on the ladder. It doesn't bother us, we

are not planning to sell any time soon. As house prices accelerate in

some areas cost of living increases remained relatively high with

inflation at two point 7% -- 2.7%. The police marksman who shot and

killed Mark Duggan in North London has told an inquest that he opened

fire because he believed he was going to be shot. The officer, who

gave evidence anonymously, said he had seen Mr Duggan carrying a gun.

Mr Duggan's death in August 2011 was the catalyst for riots in

Tottenham, which spread across the country. Tottenham on a summer

evening two years ago. Mark Duggan is lying dead on the pavement -

killed by a police bullet. Today, the inquest heard from a marksmen

who fired the fatal shot. The brother of Mark Duggan was one of

the family members who saw for the first time the officer who killed

him. The family solicitor on the right, like other lawyers and the

jury, could also see him. The officer, known as the 53, was part

of a fire arms unit following Mark Duggan, who was in a minicab. The

policeman described how they carried out what was called a heart

stop on the minicab. He said this involved an officer in the first

car to say, strike, strike, strike. He was convinced Mark Duggan was

looking to escape. He told the jury it was like the freeze-frame moment.

In my head, of the world had stopped because my focus turned to

what he had in his hand. As he turned to face me, he had a hand

gun in his right hand. He is moving the gun away from his body. I

believed he was going to shoot me. It was then that he opened fire.

The jacket of Mark Duggan shows how the bullet that killed him went

through his chest and out through his back. The policeman said he had

been involved in giving first aid to Mark Duggan. During his evidence,

the word, Liar, was repeated from the public gallery. Our top story...

The police watchdog has criticised three officers for their account of

a meeting with the former Conservative Cabinet minister,

Andrew Mitchell, at the height of the so-called pleb-gate row. The

IPCC said the way the officers dealt with Mr Mitchell raised

questions about their honesty and integrity. And still to come...

Left overgrown and forgotten for almost 100 years. One of Britain's

last remaining World War One airfields is saved by an army of

volunteers. Later on BBC London: Scotland Yard

is criticised for not properly consulting the public about

increasing its use of cases. How this original work by Picasso could

be the best raffle prize you win this side of Christmas.

She is the woman credited with turning around Burberry - the

British luxury goods firm - and making it a global brand. But now

Angela Ahrendts, one of Britain's most successful female bosses, has

announced that she is leaving to join Apple. She is currently one of

just three female chief executives leading FTSE 100 companies.

The latest catwalk collection of Burberry. One of the hottest

tickets at London's fashion Week last month. A British success story,

sold all over the world. You can still see flashes of that

distinctive tartan check. This brand has been transformed into one

that is now cool and very upmarket. The woman who has revitalised

Burberry is stepping down. This announcement talks about... She was

not giving any interviews today but the company released this friendly

chat with her chairman and young creative director, Christopher

Bailey, who will be taking on her job as well next year. The future

for this company with Christopher at the helm, leading, dreaming, and

this senior management in place, I have such peace, John, being able

to exit stage left at this point. She leaves the company in good

shape. It was worth ?2 billion when she started and it is now valued at

?7 billion. It earned her nearly ?17 million last year, making her

the highest paid boss in the FTSE 100 For a start she did important

things. She Ella great -- FTSE 100. It became desirable again. She

modernised it by bringing in technology. It is one of the most

advanced luxury-goods companies on the internet. Angela also pushed

Burberry into new fast-growing markets like China. Perhaps one

reason why Apple has poached her as head of its retail operations. She

was one of the very few women at the helm of a major UK company. At

Burberry, there will be some big and rather glamorous shoes to fill.

Chinese banks are going to be allowed to set up their operations

in Britain in the hope that London will become the main centre for

China's financial business overseas. The Chancellor, George Osborne, has

been outlining the ?8 billion pilot scheme, which will allow London

investors to use Chinese currency to invest directly in Chinese

shares and bonds, rather than having to trade via Hong Kong. And

Chinese banks will be given the opportunity to set up wholesale

branches in London, allow them to do business, but not to offer High

Street services. We can now speak to our chief business correspondent,

who is in Beijing. How have the Chinese taking to this idea? There

is certainly a sense among the Chinese that the British expert in

S. Something like two-thirds of all transactions of foreign currency

happen in London. There is a sense of a good partnership that could be

had. I should probably emphasise when I interviewed the Chancellor a

few hours ago, these are still baby steps. There are quite a few steps

before London can truly become a hub for trading. A few other things

to consider - George Osborne says it will benefit all the UK but

there is a sense it is very London centric and, also, it is unclear

how the trading of the Chinese currency would ultimately mostly

been in China or Hong Kong. The progress he has made with the

Chinese certainly does put London in a more competitive position but

it is not clear whether or not it will be a lasting one. Finally, he

added, he thinks the Chinese are and be will be as important as the

US dollar within our lifetimes. Iranian negotiators say there has

been a positive start to talks with world powers on the country's

nuclear programme. It is the first round of negotiations since Hassan

Rouhani took office as President of Iran. The talks, involving the five

permanent members of the UN Security Council, plus Germany, are

due to last two days. There have been signs that relations between

the White House and Iran have improved since Hassan Rouhani

became president but US officials said no-one should expect a

breakthrough overnight. One of Britain's last remaining World War

One airfields has been saved thanks to an army of volunteers. During

the war, Stow Maries near Chelmsford in Essex was a base for

the fledgling Royal Flying Corps. It closed in 1919 and remained

hidden and forgotten until 2008, when a group of enthusiasts

rediscovered the airfield, and began a campaign to save it. Our

correspondent is there. Look what they have done! These are

the rooms remind young pilots would have - to their aircraft to take on

the German Zeppelin's which were bombing London. If you were here

three years ago, you would have been looking at this and other

buildings which were derelict. The money announced today will enable

volunteers to save the whole site. They were thought to be derelict

farm buildings. On this Essex hilltop my nature had reclaimed

reminders of the wartime years when young men coaxed fragile aircraft

into combat. Their usefulness for storage of grain and machinery

prevented this early snapshot being lost for ever. The days when the

sound of a pianola echoed through the mess halls, the days when

Captain Claude Whitley, barely 20, lead aircraft made of fabric and

went into the bumbling German Zeppelin so on their missions over

London. -- Zeppelins. Showing me round the old officers'

mess, the man who has led the project. Much is spoken about land

warfare and how terrible it was. We would agree. Not so much is known

about the sacrifice of the radiators. It is our duty - if you

like it is my duty - to keep that recorded both up opening the old

grass runways to visitors is only the start. Aircraft and vehicles

have been re- created. The dream is to go beyond Remembrance. To train

apprentices in the skills which kept aircraft aloft and find ways

of creating new links to a distant past. Look around me here and you

can see the site is already coming back to life. The ?1.5 million from

the National Heritage Memorial Fund could not come at a better time as

it will look forward to next year's centenary commemorations of the

First World War. A '70s TV classic is on its way back. The children's

show, The Clangers, was first shown in 1969 but now it's being re-made

for CBeebies. The animation was pretty basic. The

sets had that home-made feel. The clangers were much loved by

children of the 70s. And now they will get a new generation of fans

with the CBeebies invention of the boil and aliens, and their

distinctive whistling sounds. -- woollen. The son of the Creator

will help to produce the new version. It is exactly the same.

All the characters will be very much the same. We are not making it

into some new-fangled sort of thing. It is very much in the sentiment of

the programme. That'll be the same as it always was before. The new

version is another sign of the mood of nostalgia hitting children's

television. The Wombles are getting a revamp with the new computer-

generated version due for broadcast in two years' time. Paddington Bear

is hitting the big screen with Paddington the movie due for

release next year. The BBC wants to build on the enduring magic of the

original series. You should see venue, modern day programme in 2015.

Time for a look at the weather. A better picture behind made.

Mostly dry across the British Isles and some sunny spells to boot. Some

of you have seen the sunshine which was their across Wales, the south-

west and into Northern Ireland. If you are stuck under the cloud, it

is as cool as yesterday. Some parts of the Midlands only 9, 10 degrees.

It is a similar line up to yesterday across Scotland with just

enough clout across the East for there to be the odd rogue shower. -

- cloud. Come further south, enough cloud across the eastern Midlands

were there to be one or two mainly light showers. As we break away

towards the West, a fine prospect. Acres of sunshine going on across

the good part of Wales and the south-west. Here we have a veil of

cloud - the shape of things to come during the course of the night was

that that would begin over time. -- the night. That will thicken over

time. There could be a warning about the density of the fog. Bear

that in mind first thing on Wednesday. That is not the

conditions of the day eventually. South eastern parts of Northern

Ireland could be seeing 20, 30 mm of rain Macro. Not a warm day. A

different story further south. Temperatures will rise. We are

importing mild air from a long way south. You see the flood of mild

air in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the breezes

coming from a different direction. A different story further north.

Here is the rub on Friday. Still a mild flow from the south and south-

west. Another area of cloud and rain working its way from the

south-west. Friday will turn out to be one of those days, despite the

fact temperatures are just above the seasonal norm. Now a reminder

of our top story... The police watchdog has criticised three

officers for their account of a meeting with the former

Conservative Cabinet minister, Andrew Mitchell, at the height of

the so-called pleb-gate row. The IPCC said the way the officers

dealt with Mr Mitchell raised questions about their honesty and

integrity. That's all from us. Now on BBC