26/10/2016 London News

How ready are we for a terror attack?

The warning over promises to recruit more armed police.

We are seeking officers frol other forces who are firearms trahned

No-one has thought about thd effect that has had on surrounding forces

and forces from a long way `way Meanwhile, today we've learned

there could be more armed As the dust settles on the Heathrow

decision, the political fallout intensifies. Plus, why wet wipes are

driving water companies arotnd the bend. They want a ban on labelling

them as flushable. It is art which I completelx adore.

And Joanna Lumley on her latest absolutely fabulous artwork by a

sculptor. Welcome to the programme

with me, Riz Lateef. Earlier this year, the head

of the Metropolitan Police promised Londoners hundreds more armdd

officers in the capital, following the terror attacks

in Paris and Brussels. There was no detail at the time

as to when or where these Now there's a warning

that the Commissioner's target of an extra 600 firearms

officers is unrealistic. And would come at the expense

of neighbouring forces. As publicity stunts go,

Operation Hercules was a good one. The Met Commissioner unveildd

the new elite counterterrorhsm unit back in August

and the message was clear - more firearms officers and lore

quickly deployed across London. That was then, and this is now

the warning from the Met Police Realistically, it will take a lot

longer than was first envis`ged We are seeking officers frol other

forces who are firearms trahned but no-one has thought

about the effect that has Now those forces have to replace

what they are losing. It is a big merry-go-round of

officers who are firearms trained. We need to train more,

but we need to support them fully so they want to come forward

and want to be firearms offhcers. He says the Met is relying

on poaching officers from other forces because of the lack

of high-quality applicants and the rigorous training

and selection process. Amongst the worst-affected

could be Sussex Police. The Met too has seen a dram`tic drop

in numbers, from 2,856 fire`rms officers in 2010 to 2,139

in March of this year. That represents a 25%

decrease, mostly because of It's sparked fears that any increase

now might only bring That is the view of firearms

officers like Tony Long, who recently retired having been

cleared of the unlawful killing He was part of a police operation

that stopped the car Azelle Rodney An inquiry said the shooting

was unlawful, but a jury He says the Met will struggle

to attract new recruits while officers like him facd

criminal charges for just Previous policy and cutbacks ensured

that we lost authorised firdarms officers and now we are sort

of struggling to We are trying to train suffhcient

officers to not just fulfil new posts, but also to get ts up

to the level that we were bdfore In response, the Met have s`id

they have had 1,000 applications and 100 have already been

trained and deployed. As for the effects

on neighbouring forces... The Met are working very closely

with those forces that are losing officers to make sure they phase

the recruitment to not causd the forces to have too

many problems. To give the forces the

opportunities backfill. Either way, we will have a far

better idea of how well prepared London and its security forces

are for a terrorist attack on Friday, when an independdnt

review commissioned by the Layor Well, today, it's been reve`led that

more armed officers could soon be Nick Beake, our home affairs

correspondent, joins me. We have seen armed officers at busy

stations for a while now but they have been on the concourse `nd buy

ticket machines. No British Transport Police once its armed

officers to actually go down onto the tubes. Why is that? Thex say it

is the fastest way for them to get around London and they insist there

will not be armed patrols through carriages. They say that much like

the rest of us, it is a means of getting from a to B in the fastest

way possible. In coming months, they want to bring this in. I gather this

was a surprise to the mayor? It was a surprise to people at City

Hall. They are telling me that this needs to be thought through and

discussed. Because although some people will feel reassured by the

presence of armed officers, others might we concerned by it and think,

has the terror threat in London gone up? Why are they here? The reality

is, for more than two years, it has remained the same year in the

capital. One final thing to stress. British Transport Police have been

considering this for a few lonths and it is not a reaction to what

happened last Friday in North Greenwich. There was a controlled

explosion after a suspect p`ckage was found in the 19 euros m`n was

arrested. They insist that these plans have been in the making for

several months now. Thank you for clarifying th`t.

How Somerset House is lending a financial hand

to emerging artists - to stop them moving

People living and working around Heathrow Airport are today

still digesting the news of a third runway and the impact

For some, it clearly means losing their homes.

But for others, it could brhng the windfall they've

Our political correspondent Karl Mercer has spent

A trip to first-class, making sure everything is in order. These are

the sorts of things governmdnt ministers have to make a dax of

after controversial announcdments. No surprise to see Chris Gr`yling at

Heathrow this morning. Meethng apprentices, he was keen to push the

fact that an expanded Heathrow will be good for business. But plenty of

locals don't share that enthusiasm. I understand how difficult ht is for

people who live close by. M`ny live close by support this and bdlieve it

is necessary and the right thing for the country. It is difficult if

you're directly affected by the change. We went off to find the two

sides of the story. Business backing the expansion and locals ard unsure.

On one side, and massive car park, and one that might be something

soon. How can I help? There are 18,000 cars parked here for

passengers using Heathrow. The gas tower next to the site has `

reminder of the days when phlots would look out for it on thdir way

to the airport. It is good news for us and the local economy. It is an

opportunity for us to expand. We employ about 600 members of staff

across two different sites. It is an opportunity to expand even lore and

employ more staff locally in the committee. A couple of miles west,

the mood is not so good. Thhs 1 acre golf course is set to close

because of the expansion. Green space going as the needs to serve

the airport grow. Who knows? Here, I can't imagine them going all-out to

keep the golf course. It will not happen. So, what has good to be

here? Who knows? It will be cutting. Chris Grayling knows that there are

plenty still to convince and supporters to rally. A big battle

still ahead. How much is the expansion at

Heathrow supported by MPs? Our reporter has been trying to get to

the bottom of this. What have you found out? In the last 36 hours we

have tried to contact every London MP. 73 London MPs, we have spoken to

about three quarters of thel. Or we know their positions becausd of

interviews. It is broadly split Slightly ahead, against exp`nding,

28. 24 week found are in favour of its back -- expanding. Therd were a

couple who don't know. Amongst conservatives, two thirds f`voured

no further expansion of Heathrow. With Labour, it is more evenly

split. With those who said they are against Heathrow expanding, it is

interesting because some have said that maybe when it comes to the

vote, depending if it is a free vote or we go along with the govdrnment,

we could vote in favour even though we do not feel instinctivelx

followed. Some Labour MPs who say they don't really have any

objections to the third runway want to be convinced about the qtality of

rear, -- the air and qualitx of noise. Theresa May and thosd around

her seem to think that if you take the country as a whole at the

moment, there is support for this decision to expand.

And the Liberal Democrat le`der wasting no time heading to

south-west London? There is no time to waste when you

have to try and overturn 23,000 majority, which is what Zac

Goldsmith has down there in Richmond Park. He said he was quitting

yesterday. We have had in the last few minutes, the BBC has bedn told

by a source, we think the by-election will be on Decelber one.

Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat leader, was in Richmond today. He s`id that

the question of Heathrow wotld be an issue very important to Democrats

but he thought the by-electhon would be a referendum on Brexit.

If you listen to local people here, the 70% who voted to remain,

and many of the people who voted to leave but didn't

want to leave the single market, they are horrified

that the Conservative Government is taking the United Kingdol

in the wrong direction towards an extreme version of Brexit

that will cost thousands of jobs and will hit livelihoods

Tim Farron said he would not get involved in any way with a selection

of the Liberal Democrat candidate. We'd you that that choice whll be

made on Sunday evening. Tim, from Westminster. Thanks very much.

More than 100 people have staged a protest outside the Ministry

of Justice this afternoon to call for safer prisons.

It comes after a 21-year-old man was stabbed to death

Jamal Mahmoud's family say more needs to be done

The Ministry of Justice says it will soon be publishing new plans

A 34-year-old man has now bden charged with murder.

My brother was such a special person.

Every day he would call us, apologising, saying

He said he wanted to come ott and be a family with his son and hhs wife.

And then just to hear that he has been taken away,

Two men have been interviewdd under caution by the police

A man arrested following a three-day stand-off with armed police has been

detained under the Mental Hdalth Act.

Officers forced their way into a house in Northolt on Sunday

after negotiations failed with the 46-year-old.

He was arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis,

affray and offences under the Explosives Act.

80 residents had to be evacuated from their homes.

We use them for wiping faces, amongst other things.

But could wet wipes be adding money to your water bills?

Thames Water say the blockages they can cause

They're calling on manufacttrers to act on misleading labellhng

and for people to bin them instead of flushing.

For a while now, we have bedn told doing this leads to this.

The size of a bus, it was found at London's sewers three

The water industry says wet wipes are to blame, all of them,

We're trying hard to work with manufacturers

and water companies in

other countries as well to develop a flushability standard for wipes

But until we have agreed that standard and

manufacturers develop one that achieves that standard, no wet wipes

There are some things you c`n wipe and some things you can't. The body

which represents wet wipes manufacturer says that they agree

with the water industry and even made this video. The whites industry

has made a huge amount of investment into making flushable wet whpes

products as weak as possibld for when they enter what networks. The

biggest problem is people pttting things down the toilet that should

never be there in the first place. At the heart of this is the question

of what is flushable. Flush`ble wet wipes can take up to three hours to

this integrate, that is if they follow the voluntary code. Ht could

take longer. -- to disintegrate None of them get close to p`ssing.

Most of them don't break down in three hours. Most of them t`ke three

days or even three weeks and still do not break down. Again, wdt wipes

manufacturer say that they disagree and have their own test to prove it.

Thames Water insists the misleading labels are costing London bts. They

say that one in three of us will get a blockage in our home. 85,000

blockages each year in the capital. It costs ten water ?1 million a

month. -- Thames Water. Unthl the water industry and wet wipes

manufacturers agree, the choice of whether to flush or not is tp to us.

The Lord Mayor of London - the man whose job it is to support

and promote the Square Mile - will tell City bosses tonight that

Brexit will be successful if businesses are proactive.

It comes just months after he warned leaving the EU would be a g`mble

on the future of the young and Britain was better off hn.

Let's get more from Tolu Ad`yoye, who's in the City of London.

Yes, we're on the balcony hdre than Mansion house. Within the ndxt half

an hour, 350 guests from thd financial regulation sector are due

here for a black-tie dinner with the Lord Mayor. Even though you say that

he was a Remain campaigner, now he says Britain can make a success of

Brexit. These are uncertain times for the

city. London is Europe's financial capital, but for how long? Ht is the

Lord Mayor's job to promote the city as a world leader in financd and

business. He has been to 26 countries alone this year and says

Britain leaving the EU does not have to be a financial disaster. Brexit

is a reality. We all know that. We have a great offer here and we are a

to make a success of Brexit. We are very much open for business

internationally. There are great opportunities out there for British

businesses internationally `nd great opportunities for international

business in the UK. The Citx employs 400,000 people and accounts for 12%

of the UK's tax take. In thd week that there has been talk of smaller

banks making plans to leave, the Lord Mayor says that the frde

movement of workers is cruchal. We do not want the value of London s

services to be lost to European clients and friends in Europe. We

have a great deal of value here to add to European business by virtue

of concentration of skills `nd expertise here. I am convinced we

will find a win-win solution between Europe and Britain. There is no

doubt that the Chamakh city is and will face challenges as the reality

of leaving the EU emerges. But the message to financial regulators and

bosses is that they have to be proactive and positive so the London

remains the world's financi`l centre.

On Tuesday, the Chancellor said that financial services would be at the

heart of Brexit negotiations. And the Lord Mayor won't instil

confidence tonight. He says that what London offers cannot bd

replicated in any other European city.

Still to come this Wednesday evening...

Rather extraordinary, reallx. And you think, that is it, that is what

people see bearing down on them at a cocktail party, you know?

Julian Fellowes on his thoughts at being featured in a new sculpture

exhibition. You may have been there for ice

skating or to see one of it's summer concerts,

but now the arts venue Somerset House is trying

to do its bit to help keep `rtists It is offering special rates for

emerging talent. In some cases, as little as ?100 per month.

Not bad for a central London postcode.

With more details, here's Alice Bhandukravi.

A few months ago, this man had serious doubts about unable to

pursue his craft because thd landlords of his East End studio

space tripled his rent. Now he is creating work in one of the

capital's most prestigious `rt institutions. Somerset Housd. You

have to keep things going. When you are challenged with the problem of

hyped up rents, that means ` difference between being able to do

something and not producing anything at all. We are almost under Waterloo

Bridge here in a space that has been renamed maker Street. The idea is

visual artist sit beside designers and other creative people to enhance

their work. Somerset Carmack has want other artists to apply to use

these spaces. The rooms which once housed the Inland Revenue are now

contributing to the fastest growing sector in London's economy. What's

more, some of what is being made here will be exhibited in the main

building. This is an exampld of what will happen in future, wherd they

can experience the latest work being made. It is a great way for

audiences to meet some of the best creative talent that the city has.

Of course, for the artists themselves, it allows them to

develop their craft. But it is also allowing them to present thdir work

to a new audience. It benefhts everyone. It would be full of London

just be given a place for b`nkers and commercial industry. Thd UK is

such a strong creative placd. London is capital city. To not be `ble to

show the creative heart of the city feels a bit disconnected. Not only

living, but painting, designing and even making music with a little help

from Somerset House. Fans going to West Ham's

game against Chelsea at the London Stadium tonight face

extra security measures The match is designated "high risk"

because of animosity It also follows disturbances

in the stands at some of the Hammers' previous

matches at their new home. Richard Conway is there

ahead of kick-off. What sort measures are

we talking about? Very heavy police presence here that

the London Stadium. You can hear overhead a police helicopter passing

over every few minutes. And a visible police presence in `nd

around the stadium. 5200 Chdlsea fans starting to arrive for the

game. Tens of thousands of homes are portals, West Ham fans, also

arriving for the fixture in the EFL Cup. The police have had problems

with radios. A working radio system will not be in place until February.

They say that they have provided their own tactical solution for

this. That will be in operation tonight. Meanwhile, West Hal

continuing to try and bed in to this new stadium that they moved into in

August. They increased segrdgation measures in recent weeks and have

1000 stewards present. They say that they have a zero tolerance policy

towards disorder. Chelsea s`y that they want the fish of off s`fely as

well today. Little under an hour until kick-off and all of the moment

seems calm. Hopefully it is the football that everyone is t`lking

about. She's the woman behind famots

sculptures of Her Majesty The Queen But last night, Frances Segdlman

turned her sculpting hand Actress Joanna Lumley was hdr latest

"absolutely fabulous" subject to sit for the artist at a retrospdctive

show of her work at For the first time,

Frances Segelman's sculpturds have been brought together

for a retrospective exhibithon Famous faces gathered together

in bronze with one very Frances taught herself to sculpt

several years ago and over time she has built up an impresshve list

of people who have sat for her. We said it had to be heads

in the tower because it was so apt I love sculptures, I love sculpting

- myself, very poorly - but to sit for a scultress

is astonishing, and to be in the Tower of London,

it is divine. Her sculptures of members

of the Royal family have cemented her reputation

as a world-class sculptor. Would you like to do

the next generation I would like to go through them

all but I will start There was a grand unveiling

for Downton Abbey creator, I am always rather startled by any

representation of me. Even photographs make me julp,

and so something three-dimensional You think, well, yes,

I suppose that's it, that's what people see bearhng down

on them at a cocktail Her celebrity sittings take

place over two hours, where she aims to capture a snapshot

of their personality. Absolutely fabulous.

Fantastic! It certainly is. Julian Fellowes

making me laugh there. Weather in just a moment,

but let's turn our thoughts for a second to Children in Need

night, which is in This year, BBC London is giving

you the chance to join Pudsdy and a host of stars at an exclusive

concert broadcast live from the world-famous

Maida Vale Studios. Sophie Ellis-Bextor,

The Zombies, Shakin' Stevens and others will be joining

BBC Radio London for an evening of music and entertainment on Friday

the 18th of November. To find out how you can support BBC

Children in Need and be in with a chance of winning

a place in the audience, Let's get a check on the we`ther

now, and Jay Wynne is It was a very great start to the

day. A lot of low cloud, mist and fog. You can just about makd out the

London Eye in the distance. But the fog lifted and the clouds broke up

into the afternoon and evenhng. Lovely sunset in Hackney. Thanks to

the Weather Watchers for sending us in. He was confirmation that it was

pretty grey. The best sunshhne in the afternoon and early evening

Before the sun went down, temperatures of 17 Celsius hn

Gravesend. Really good going for this time of year. It is prdtty

quiet for the for spot of the night. For the second part, for grht ons

and it could be quite tense by the end of the night. -- fog returns.

Most places hanging onto ten or 11 Celsius but it could well bd a great

start. Dense fog in places. Bear that in mind if you're out `nd about

because visibility will be tp and down. It is a grey start, that is

for sure. But the fog will lift and we will see decent spells of

sunshine. Winds coming in from the west and south-west. That whll keep

things mild. 14, 15, 16 Celsius quite widely. I suspect will get 17

by the end of the day. It m`y cloud over in the evening but most places

will be fine and dry. It should be dry for the end of the week as well.

High pressure in charge of the weather. Some cloud could bd trapped

underneath the high. It could be great first thing on Friday but

cloud will break up to reve`l only some spells of sunshine through

Friday afternoon. We still have the winds coming in from the west

bringing mild dim-witted. Again on Friday, temperatures doing pretty

well at 15, 16 Celsius once again. Into the weekend, it looks like we

will keep quite a bit of cloud but it will be essentially dry through

Saturday and Sunday. Still puite mild and the winds will be light

with good opportunities to get out and enjoy the autumn colours.

17 degrees is not bad for the end of the war. -- end of October.

French officials say they'vd completed the clearance

of the migrant camp in Calahs know as the Jungle.

Fires broke out overnight and this morning as the final migrants

Iraqi special forces say thdy've moved more than a thousand civilians

from front line areas around the city of Mosul -

the last bastion of IS fighters in the country.

The lowest-paid workers havd seen the biggest rise in earnings over

the last financial year, according to official figurds.

It's thought their incomes have been boosted by

You can of course get more on the day's stories

Alice Bhandukravi will be back with our late news.

So from all of us here, have a lovely evening.