21/02/2017 London News

On the programme tonight: news teams where you are.

Thousands of small firms fear they could be

forced to close due to a rise in business rates.

It has suddenly become a very expensive place. The properties have

gone up in price and somehow I have got caught up in that and I'm

finding it a great difficult to swim. There are calls for the

Government to rethink their plans. There are calls for the Government

to rethink their plans. Protestors against Heathrow

expansion block a major road to the airport chaining themselves

to a car - five people are arrested. Who will be the next

Met police chief? Ahead of an announcement

this week we look at Calls for this permanent

memorial to pay tribute Welcome to BBC London News

with me, Riz Lateef. First tonight - a warning that

thousands of London firms will be forced to close down as a result

of planned increases A revaluation will be

implemented in April. Firms in the capital

will be hit the hardest, with some areas facing an increase

of up to 50%. Today a coalition of businesses

and local councils joined the Mayor in calling

on the Government to rethink. The Chancellor is said to be

in a listening mode, but many believe the impact

on London businesses could be Here's our Politcal

editor, Tim Donovan. Leonard's fixed cars

for 12 years here Rapidly rising rents in the area

have led the rateable rising value of his premises to go

up from 16,000 pounds to ?25,000. And that means that

instead of ?7,000 a year, All I do is repair people's cars

and keep people on the road. There is no reason why should

I be hit in such a way. What will happen if you don't get

help here, if you do have to pay And I'm hoping the Government

has money to pay me. Will you be able to carry

on running the business? If I was to leave the area and head

towards Dagenham, I would lose all of those customers

and my customers will lose me. There will be some transitional

relief, in other words, temporary help over the first few

years, but the warnings of closure Everywhere, from Brick Lane

to Bond Street, facing tax hikes and actually, it's pubs,

it's bars, it's restaurants, it's retailers, it's large stores,

right down to a corner business. Actually, it's a huge tax

rise facing a lot of businesses and actually almost ?900

million extra that's going to be faced for London businesses coming

up with the revaluation. Many of our members have

told us that over the next five years, the cost of doing

business as a result of business rates will mean they might

have to move further But for many businesses,

the likelihood is, they will refrain from investing in the capital in

the business or from taking on more Where Leonard's business is,

Hackney, has seen the greatest increase in the rateable value

of property, up 46%. But Islington is not far

behind, and in Hammersmith and Fulham, it's gone

up more than a third. In Hillingdon, the rateable value

has gone up only 1%. Pressure is now growing

on the Government from MPs and the Mayor to provide more

help in London. The Government says

its revaluation is making rates more fairly reflect

the property market. And 140,000 firms will benefit

from a pot of money to each Momentum seems to be building on

this? It is. MPs across all parties, in London have already made

representations to be Chancellor. They say that it is a minimum that

you should raise the threshold at which has started paying business

rates. Its ?12,000 across the country. Summarising that should be

a raped 20,000. In central London, 15,000 in Outer London.

They are asking the review the whole in which it is reviewed.

We're saying to be Government, think again.

In the past when there have been increases in business rates made by

the Government, they've had a longer transitional period, which gives

time for a business to plan, put money aside for that bill.

Frankly speaking, unless the Government

reconsiders, businesses are going to struggle.

The concerns of businesses here in London are not happening in a

vacuum. They have other grapes. The cost of taking on new apprentices,

which is going to "Soon. The effects of a policy which allows officers to

be converted into housing, which is already putting pressure on rent.

This is just one other thing when you take into account also be sense

of uncertainty around Brexit. The Government and Philip Hammond are

talking to the Government and Conservative MPs have made it clear

he is in listening mode and people are watching very closely to see

what he has to say in the budget in a couple of weeks' time. Thank you,

Tim. He was once the fastest

man on earth. 65 years after his death,

the capital pays tribute Five people have been arrested

after causing major disruption to rush hour traffic

to and from heathrow. Environmental campaigners blocked

a major approach road to the airport 8:30am and the main approach ten to

Heathrow Airport. A BBC reporter captures the moment and Heathrow

expansion campaigners block access to terminals two and three, chaining

their vehicle. What are you doing? Outside the tunnel, traffic was

building. The tunnel was shut for more than two hours. I'm just on my

way to Croatia. I don't know if I'm going to catch my plane. What are

you going to do? I don't know. What are the airport. Reid is above the

have a right to protest, but not on my day. This is not the first

protest against Heathrow expansion and it's unlikely to be the past.

Rarely has there been a more divisive subject. The rising up

group has the processing Inc against what effect the runway could have on

climate change and the local area. Do you think this was the best way

to go about this? I fully understand and sympathise, but at the same

time, we felt like we didn't have the choice. We are here acting in

solidarity with local people who stand to lose their homes, who face

noise from flight path of their houses. We're here to highlight the

fact that globally, we need to be really significantly reducing our

carbon emissions. Although the gave approval for a third runway at

Heathrow as its preferred option to increase capacity back in October,

that doesn't guarantee it's going to arrive any time soon. A public

consultation into the decision is currently underway and the group

responsible for today's disruption said they consider the pros that is

their submission to that. One campaign group in support have

dubbed the actions of the protesters as counter-productive. Busy the pros

outweigh the cons. Most local residents support expansion. We do

that because of the benefits coming to London. That includes

apprenticeships, eradicating youth unemployment in the area. ?61

billion invested in the local area, which will make you feel different

to the lives of ordinary Londoners. Five protesters were arrested on

submission of obstructing the runway. They said he will fight the

They said he will fight the new runway all the way.

Commuters face disruption tomorrow due to a 24-hour tube strike.

It's due to start from 9pm this evening and will mean limited

services all day on two major tube lines.

Let's get all the details from our

Transport Correspondent, Tom Edwards.

Yes, the Central line is the busiest cheap loan on the tube network and

this is the second trike we have had from drivers on this line. The

dispute involves three depots in Essex. London underground want to

move, relocate each drivers from those devils down to Earls Court.

That has not gone down well, hence this second strike. I am afraid that

means there will be some disruption tomorrow. All day tomorrow there

will be no service on the water the city line. There will be no service

east on the Central line east of Leytonstone. The war also be

disruption on the Central line from 5:30am. And from 7am on the Central

line, very limited service and the central line will also close early.

Transport for London say there will be normal services on all the other

lines, but they are going to be much busier than usual. Also when it

comes to the actual dispute, I think it is a long way yet from being

resolved. Thanks for the latest, Tom.

And you can get regular travel updates throughout

tomorrow on BBC Radio London and on our website - www.bbc.co.uk

Next, the parents of a man who killed himself in Chelmsford prison

have received an apology from the Justice Secretary.

Dean Saunders was mentally ill when he electrocuted himself

A year later the prison ombudsman ruled he should have been

Then an inquest jury ruled both that there were serious failings

in both the mental health and prison systems.

Today Dean's parents met the Justice Secretary Liz Truss

Robbie West reports from Westminster.

For the family, a meeting with the Secretary of State for Justice is

what they have wanted from the daily find out their son had died in

prison. Before the meeting, his parents told me they were seeking

assurances that the present system would be reformed. I am angry that

it hasn't been done many inquests at ago. We would not be here now, so I

want to know why they have left it so long. They have just buried their

head in the sand. It has been out of sight. Note that the big hall, I

want to know her plans of how to get out of hole. I want assured that it

will not does the new measures put in, that they will be followed

through and kept going. Dean Saunders was a stay at home dad.

After a paranoid episode, he attempted to take his own life. His

father tried to stop him and was injured in the process. Dean was

arrested and processed with the criminal justice system. Whilst in

prison, you did his own life. The inquest discovered that neglect

contributed to his death. The jury said there were serious failings in

mental health care and the prison system. The Justice Secretary

announced this week there will be up to a 5000 pound payment increase in

an attempt to boost numbers. Critics say that is too little, too little.

His brains went into court today wanting more than money, they came

out with an apology and assurances that the states that led to Dean's

death would not be repeated. She did apologise and she sat there and we

ran off Dean's case aside red, and listed on the failings, she said, we

agree. We got the reassurances, now we just need to see the reactions.

Unfortunately, it has come too late for Dean, but we can hopefully stop

other families losing their son. The inquest gave Mark and Donna answers

into why son died. They hope that the promises made in today's meeting

will change the prison system and stop other families going through

And in the next day or two, we'll learn who is going to be the next

Met Commissioner succeeding Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe

and in charge of keeping Londoners and the capital safe.

Our Home Affairs Correspondent, Nick Beake is here

Let's start with Cressida Dick - a name some people

She is the front runner, according to the people I have been speaking

to. She has been working at the Foreign Office for the last couple

of years. People may remember that she was in charge of that operation

when the innocent Brazilian electrician was shot dead by the

police any the weeks after the 2005 London bombings. A jury found that

she bore no personal culpability. If she was appointed, she would be the

first woman to be the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. As would Sara

Thornton. She runs the body responsible represents the police

forces in England and Wales. They come up with various policies on

policing issues. She previously was the boss of Thames Valley Police.

And what about Mark Rowley. You currently the country's top

counterterrorism officer and is responsible for fighting Isis. He

used to brief to reason me every week on the threat to London and to

the country. Before that, he was the boss of Surrey Police. The fourth

candidate is Stephen Kavanagh. He studied the career at the

Metropolitan Police. Was involved in counterterrorism operations and also

in reading out corrupt officers. At the moment, he ran the Essex Police

force. To say, a challenging injury for whoever takes over. Absolutely,

they will have to do it wish Martin less money. They will have to do it

with fewer officers and prioritise which crimes to investigate. -- they

will have to do it with much less money. Crime is on the rise at the

moment, knife crime and gun crime in particular. How do you deal with

that? The terrorism threat as well. No commissioner wants to be a

large-scale attack on their watch. They have already been interviewed

once and will now be grilled by the Home Secretary, the Mayor of London

and the policing minister. We make well get news on hit will be by as

early as this time tomorrow. Thank you, Nick.

I am in Brixton, where plans for a 3-storey high memorial to David

Bowie had been revealed. And I will be speaking to you Bonneville at the

premiere of Viceroy's Has, the story of the Petition of India.

He could once boast being the fastest man on earth

and held the land speed record for 25 years.

Little is known about the fearless pioneer from Surrey

John Rhodes-Cobb, whose pursuit of world records ended in tragedy.

Well, 65 years after his death, his achievements have been

COMMENTATOR: And John Cobb in his record-breaking Napier Railton.

They call him the record-breaker's record-breaker.

And many records were broken at the Brooklands race track

Fitting that his old car could make it for today's blue

plaque ceremony at Cranmere primary school, in Esher in Surrey,

Bringing back memories for relatives who could

Even though it was small, it was exciting knowing that it was

a relative that was racing, you know.

No idea he was going to be quite so famous.

Obviously, you didn't know in those days.

And what was it like, the sound, the roar?

Well, I don't think I liked the noise at that stage.

That it was the land speed record that was his

Broken in 1939, then again here on the Bonneville salt flat in Utah

He created the most advanced land speed record car

It's an absolutely extraordinary car.

And he sat up the front like a bus driver and he

happily drove it peak speed of 403 mph.

When you look at cars like this, you just in awe of

John Cobb raced this car up to speeds of 170 mph around the

There were no helmets, just a cloth cap.

If you had an accident at any kind of speed, you'd

In 1952, attempting the water speed record,

his jet propelled boat crashed and he died instantly.

The glories that he had won during his lifetime were

not for himself, but for his country.

John Cobb was, above all, a great Englishman.

I'm with Leslie, who is one of John Cobb's relatives

and in a bag here, is the most incredible piece of history.

This is the original certificate of when

John Cobb attempted to break the water speed record on Loch Ness,

which then was given, for some reason, to my mother,

who had it on her wall for a number of years.

CHEERING Now another mark of the man's life

Next - should London have a permanent tribute

to David Bowie and, if so, where should it be?

Well, a group of campaigners say Brixton where the singer

was from would be a fitting place for a memorial and have revealed

Ayshea Buksh joins us from the proposed site.

David Bowie was born in Brixton and this mural has become a bit of a

shrine to him in recent times. Last year, hundreds ascended upon it to

celebrate his life and there are still fresh virus from just a few

months ago, when people came to celebrate the anniversary of his

passing. What is planned as an enormous memorial, a more permanent

memorial. There are still fresh flowers. 90 metres high, which is as

high as the buildings here, three stories. Stainless steel in red and

blue. Organisers say it was inspired by the zigzag face paint that Bowie

is so famous for. It's as if somebody,

a deity has stood up on a cloud with this thing in their hand and has

hurled it down onto us mere mortals A bit like Bowie

landing in our lives. Totally surprising,

absolutely baffling, And so, hopefully, it will stand

as a reminder that art and creativity and music

and curiosity are central part of That's quite a more real. What needs

to happen for this tribute to get the go-ahead? Well, the organisers

have given themselves to raise ?1 million. They have a crowdfunding

website, which they hope people will do need to. Brixton has many

associations with figures from popular culture. Muhammad Ali, Paul

Simon and from the clash, who don't have such a more real to them.

Locals I spoke to had mixed reactions.

I actually don't know the person in particular, but I think something

like that will look good. Yeah, it would be great

for Brixton as well, I think. I don't know if they

need it, but I... Well, I think people will like it,

people will want it. I'm shocked and surprised

to see that they are putting it here,

being a local resident. I'll see it from my front room

and I don't want that outside If the money is raised, it has to go

through planning process and be approved by the council. Whatever

locals think, I'm sure David Bowie fans will be delighted by the plans.

Look like OK, from Brixton, many thanks.

Now, this year marks 70 years since Indian

independence from British rule and the creation of Pakistan.

And tonight the director, who also brought us Bend It Like Beckham,

premieres her latest film telling the story of Partition,

starring Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson.

I am to be the last Viceroy of India and I shall carry out the role with

I could not be blessed with a more active, able wife, but

sometimes, we have to accept what we cannot change.

But we could change a lot, Dickie, and we

I'm joined now by the film's director, Gurinder Chadha and the

leading man, Hugh Bonneville. We are used to Bend It Like Beckham and

fine films, this is something of a departure for you. Was it a

difficult story for you to tell because of your personal family

history? It's a big historical sweeping epic about our shared

history being British and Indian. It's about the last days of the

rash. It's a difficult story, because it's also very personal. My

family work is up in the events of 1947 and the Petition of India. I

wanted to make a phone that was relevant for today and talks about

moving on, rather than pointing blame. I feel that we as a nation,

really, if we look back, we are able to look forward. So that's why make

the film. And you chose Hugh Bonneville to play the Lords. You

are very good at playing Lords. He was a real character. Did you feel

the weight of history new? Wouldn't quite say that. It is exploring my

extensive range to go from playing an hour to a viscount. Great depth.

I drink you do have a sense of responsibility playing someone who

is, you know, so richly figured in our contemporary history. I had the

great pleasure of meeting not only have starter, but his grandchildren

and seeing some home movies and getting a sense of the man. He was a

very five and forth in my youth. He was still very much at the centre of

the Royal family and one is aware of the he had, particularly on Prince

Charles. And eight in saying that you described it as something like

an upstairs downstairs of partition, maybe the dent abbey of partition.

We actually said is working on a script before denting abbey. It's a

fantastic way for the audience to appreciate and appreciate the

complexities of the policies at the time. It is a way that British

audiences can go into is dory. We tell the stories and the impact of

those decisions on people downstairs, his butler, his valet.

His daughter's translator. All these are importing characters as well.

You end up with the story, I hope, that is both political, but also

personal. We have to leave it there I'm afraid, but happy wonderful

evening. The film is out next week. Thank you both. A film I would like

to see. It's that time of the evening

for a check on the weather A nice evening for a premiere. Still

miles out there. That said of the beautiful blooms across London. One

of our weather watchers picked up some of these glorious pictures. We

are going backwards from now on in, because later on this week it's

going to be turning stormy. Nothing too much to worry about tonight. A

bit of cloud around, a bit of breeze and that and pieces of rain. I

promise you, when the temperatures, at the end of this graphic, I

haven't gone crazy. These are the overnight lows. A very mild start to

the day tomorrow. Once again, a fair amount of cloud around and through

the day, that will produce bits and pieces of rain. Worth grabbing an

umbrella on the way out the door. A bit of a breeze blowing, but nothing

appeared to later on in the week. Another mild day. Even without

sunshine, temperatures getting to 3414 degrees. That is the

straightforward part of the week. After that, from Thursday, low

pressure developing in the Atlantic. Sweeping towards us, squeezing the

eyes or buyers. The blustery day. At the moment, the Met office has a

home counties north of London with 60 mph gusts of wind. This is how it

will play out. Rain in the first part of today, heavy. After that, it

will clear through. Then the peak of the wind strength. That was because

up to the evening's rush hour. It blustery day, crusty winds, good

causes transport disruption. The on Friday, settling down again. Fresh

free time. Temperatures picking up to the touch once again. Thank you,

Wendy. A heterosexual couple have

lost their court battle to have a civil partnership,

which is restricted Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan

want legal recognition of their relationship,

without getting married. Thousands of businesses

in the capital could be forced to close if a planned change

to business rates goes ahead. That's the warning from the Mayor,

who's written to the Chancellor to ask him to think

again about the plans. And Sutton United's reserve

goal-keeper has agreed to resign, amid suggestions he may have

breached the rules on gambling during the team's FA Cup match

with Arsenal last night. You can, of course, see more

on the day's stories I'll be back later

during the 10:30pm news. Thanks for watching

and have a lovely evening. Nawal El Saadawi,

the world-renowned Egyptian author A fearless feminist

facing a world in turmoil. Imagine...

She Spoke The Unspeakable.