25/05/2017 London News

Coming up this evening on BBC London:

Not enough resources to deal with the threat of terror -

the stark warning from the man in charge at Scotland

Londoners are warned about having valuables out on show, as moped

We go up to them and we advise them, and they say to us, "I've already

had it stolen three or four times," and we are like, "Wow,

Campaigners claim dozens are under threat from developers.

Hoping to be pitch perfect - the fans chosen to sing in front

of thousands ahead of this weekend's FA Cup final at Wembley.

The man in charge of the Metropolitan Police

during the 7/7 bombings has warned there will never be enough resources

to prevent future terror attacks from taking place.

Lord Blair said difficult choices will always need to be made in order

In a moment, we'll look at what's being done to stop people

being radicalised in the first place, but first our home

affairs correspondent, Nick Beake, looks at the scale

Outside Scotland Yard, they paused to

Outside Scotland Yard, they paused to remember the victims of the

Among those murdered was a police officer.

Elaine McIver, off-duty at the concert.

The Met is the beating heart of the UK's

counterterrorism network but today a reality check from former boss.

It is a numbers game. There just are not enough resources and they could

never be enough resources to cover everybody inevitably, and I do think

the Government is completely right to raise the situation to Critical,

because he cannot have done this alone. So what exactly is the size

of the threat facing the police and security services at the moment? We

are told around 3500 people are of interest in the UK. Among them will

be the 200 or so Londoners who have been to Syria to fight and have now

returned. We're also told there are around 500 life counterterrorism

investigations in play at any one time. Many of those will be in and

around London. The Manchester attack is the first time since 7/7, when 52

killed. The terrorists have now succeeded again inducing explosives.

In August 2006, the thwarted plan to blow up planes between and America

was another. This was a demonstration for the BBC of what

could happen. In June 2007, outside the Tiger Tiger nightclub, police

found an explosive device filled with nails and nuts and bolts just

in time. Then another plot to bomb the London Stock Exchange. And in

2012, a plan to attach an explosive to a remote controlled car and

target the Territorial Army centre in Newton was also foiled.

I think we have some of the best police services in the world and

they really respect our capability. It is a capability that has got

better with time and should carry on getting better with time. It has

some of the most talented people in the country doing a very difficult

job. But the Manchester suicide bomber

was reported to the authorities. Once again, the question of

resources and which suspects to concentrate on has been brought into

focus. Well, the controversial government

strategy aimed at stopping people from becoming terrorists is called

Prevent. It's controversial because some

communities feel it Yet that hasn't stopped them

from trying to stand up to violent extremism themselves,

as Frankie McCamley These two people might look like

they are having fun but they are here to work. They have been

specially trained to spot signs of radicalisation. Not talking to

people as much as they used to, a different atmosphere in their tone,

their voice, everything. Even the small things make differences. The

17-year-old says it is just a matter of speaking to people in everyday

life, counteracting the tactics group like so-called -- groups like

so-called Islamic State use. We use the same tactics, get to those

people who are vulnerable, get them in a safe space where they can speak

to us and let go of those emotions and make sure those emotions don't

stay in them and doesn't end up turning into something detrimental

to themselves than society around them. This is part of a charity that

tries to stop the spread of extremism. This man used to work

with the Government's Prevent strategy which tries to stop people

getting into terrorism, but he believes it is not working. Al focus

has now moved from intense effective work to soft fluffy approaches. --

our focus has now moved. We need a team that can speak to the experts

who know what the hell is going on to tackle the problem. It is no

secret. This strategy has been controversial. But the government

says it has reached hundreds of thousands of people and stopped many

others travelling to places like Syria and Iraq. But hundreds across

the UK have still been radicalised, including the three Bethnal Green

schoolgirls, jihadi Jon and this woman. As for Iran, she says she

will continue to keep her eyes and ears open in the hope of making a

difference in her community. Our homes affairs correspondent,

Nick Beake, is here. Just how big a challenge does

the security services now face? The Met says there is something like

3000 people of interest to them across the UK. Clearly they can't

follow all of those. Just look at what a former head of MI5 has said

in the past. To pursue just one person for 24 hours requires a team

of 18, so you have to prioritise. We understand counterterrorism officers

are making an arrest each day, so hard to prioritise. We will see in

the coming days how the threat is expanding but also changing. A

bigger debate about the roles of what used to be controlled orders to

attract people and also how the Prevent strategy might be changed,

as we saw in that BT there. But also the role of social media. -- in that

video there. I had a fascinating conversation earlier this week and

the counterterrorism police were saying there are real concerns they

cannot access the communications tween suspects in the way they could

ten years ago, so that sort of political debate is one we will see

in the coming weeks. -- the communications between suspects.

This is what's still to come before the end of the programme:

We are live at the Chelsea Flower Show, looking at ways to make the

most of small spaces. And is this hot, dry, sunny spell

going to last into the bank holiday weekend? Join me later to find out.

Most mopeds stolen in London are being used to commit further

crime, like grabbing mobile phones or handbags from

Figures show a 40% increase in the crime, which today led police

to take to the streets of Islington, advising Londoners

They are fearless and they are aggressive. They work alone or in a

group. Some are as young as 12. London's thieves are using stolen

mopeds more than ever and it is our mobiles they are mostly after. Here

in Islington last week, 31 phones were stolen in a single hour. In

just five minutes, we found two people it had happened to. There was

one guy driving and one guy on the back. Just took it out of my hand,

split second, didn't have a chance to think about it. Your phone just

disappears out of your hand and you kind of realise what happened, and

then you beat up your -- you beat yourself up, why didn't I hold onto

my phone? Think about chasing after him, probably don't. But police say

we are still walking around with our phones in full view. We go up to

them and they say, we have already had them stolen three or four times.

And we say, wow, you are still doing it! What they say they know somebody

who has had their phone stolen in a mobile robbery. In the past year

15,000 scooters have been stolen. A jump of 41%. They are then used to

commit more crime. The man fighting this theft wants us to know just how

vulnerable they are. In under 20 seconds he showed us how to steal

one. The bike like this without a lock on the back wheel, you can just

grab hold of the steering wheel... We can't show you any more of that,

sorry! But what we can show you is how to keep your mopeds safer. The

way to do it is put a big chain through the back wheel and put

something heavy on the street. When it's at home, put a big hook into

the concrete. This is one of 22 stolen every day and the police say

they only sold about 5% of the crimes associated with mopeds. This

is another picked up at Islington. A second-hand mopeds collect around

700, so more people are choosing the cheaper option and writing off the

cost of a stolen scooter. It seems Londoners need better habits to stay

safe. The Government's consultation

on plans to build a third runway To the election now,

and as we've been hearing, Ukip has launched its election

manifesto with criticism of Theresa May's record

on tackling extremism. Let's get more from our political

editor, Tim Donovan, who's been speaking to the party

leader, Paul Nuttall. Yes, the party leader and his party

have wasted little time in trying to draw lessons from the events in

Manchester. A two pronged failure, if you like. A failure to tackle

radicalisation and the causes of it, and then resources, cutting back on

policing, border controls, not doing enough about immigration. But to

this message have the same relevance and resonance here in the capital,

with its long history of immigration and, many will say, integration. Did

the leader Paul Nuttall accept his message was inadequate? A

significant report has shown people simply aren't mixing. You know, we

are becoming a more divided community, not integrating at all,

and... Well, I've just given you the evidence. What evidence or proof is

there that that is a problem in this capital city? A capital city which

just a year ago elected a Muslim mayor, for instance? Gas, and we

have two members of the London Assembly. -- yes, and we have two

members. They add to our economy, they love this country and they are

a great asset. They have brought a lot of culture to this country. It's

fantastic. There was a small minority of people who are a

problem, and these are fundamentalist Islamist and they

hate our way of life and our freedom.

In terms of Heathrow Airport, they said they would scrap HS2, the

congestion charge, the low emissions zone. But the big question is about

the party's own future. There have been concerns on what it did in the

local elections and even council by-elections. Their vote has been

falling away and there is a serious question here in the capital of what

they are going to do, not least because they are only standing in 48

of London's 73 seats. Events in Manchester earlier this

week threw a spotlight on the incredible work

of our emergency services, with many facing horrific scenes

in the immediate aftermath While understandably much

of the focus is on the victims and their families, what about those

who were first to respond? A man who knows all too well

is Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent John Sutherland,

who suffered with crippling depression as a result of dealing

with upsetting cases. He's now written a book about it,

and I asked him earlier what it's like to go into a scene like that

faced in Manchester. When you're in the midst those

events, that precious old-fashioned sense of duty takes over and just

the physical adrenaline and your training, and in amongst it, you are

just focused on doing your job and doing it to the best of your

ability. It's only afterwards really that you pause and consider what the

impact might have been. And some people are very good at processing

that quite quickly. Some people like me tuck it away, not perhaps knowing

that it's there, only for it to reappear later on. And although you

might be going in to deal with people with injuries and trauma in a

very physical way, the issues you are talking about are very much

mental issues, aren't they? Absolutely. Mental health is still

something of a taboo subject, although I think as a society we are

beginning a much more open and compassionate conversation about it.

I think police officers and their colleagues in the emergency services

as well are the most extraordinary people. They go where most wouldn't

and they do what most couldn't. And I think we would be less than human

if we weren't impacted in some very significant way by the things we've

seen. I'm wondering what the cumulative effect of this is. Years

later. So for instance, this week, when we are seeing those terrible

pictures of what happened in Manchester, how do you deal with it?

How do you watch it at home? I can't any more. That is one of the

consequences of my illness. I find it very difficult to deal with the

trauma, so I find it very difficult to look at the pictures and listen

to the accounts. I would liken it, I suppose, to one of those time

capsules that you would bury and leave to be discovered at some

indeterminate point in the future. I think that's very much what it's

been for me over the course of my policing life. I've slowly added to

the contents of that capsule and they just came -- there came a point

in time when I couldn't take any more. You are being very honest with

me now and you are very honest in your book, and the fact you've had

to take antidepressants to deal with the difficulties you've faced. Is

that one of the solutions, to be able to talk openly and not be

embarrassed? Absolutely. I think when it first happened to me, it was

an utterly overwhelming thing. It smashed me to the ground. I was off

work for seven months and four years later I'm still recovering. I think

I felt shame initially. I felt the shame of falling, I felt ashamed of

not being strong enough, the shame of not being there for my

colleagues, who, whilst I was recovering at home, were still out

there taking the calls. But I don't feel ashamed any more and I think

one of the best and most constructive things you can do is to

talk about it. Just very quickly, if you had to go back and start your

career again as a police officer knowing what you know, would you

join up? I would unequivocally do it all again. Thank you for your time.

A fascinating insight. London has more green spaces

than many capital cities, but with space running out

and demand for homes increasing, there's concern that developers

are getting ready to move in. The group CPRE London has now

produced a map to show spaces under threat,

and Marc Ashdown has With Wembley Stadium not so far

away, this site is earmarked as a new football centre. The trouble is,

this is metropolitan open land and should have the same protections as

the green belt. It does indicate how much less land we are going to have.

Queens Park Rangers plan for a new complex has horrified locals, many

expecting this always to be open for all. What it will do is take all of

this beautiful space away from the community. The boundary will be

completely sealed off. Access to it will be controlled by QPR if this

all goes ahead. And people won't be able to come in. The Campaign to

Protect Rural England is today publishing a map of 56 green spaces

across the capital which it says are under threat. And they are not all

on the outskirts. There are proposals to build here. Victoria

Tower Gardens, a green oasis in the heart of Westminster. Perhaps not

for long. A Holocaust memorial and Museum is planned which could mean

all this is paved over. This park is one of the only green spaces in this

part of London... Campaigners aren't against the memorial but feel it is

another example of poor planning. We don't need to build on these sites.

We have tonnes of Brownfield space but we also have spaces that can be

regenerated, so the point of land projection is used up the

development of green space but you also encourage developer Don

Brownfield or spaces which need regeneration, of which we have

plenty in London. -- encourage development on Brownfield spaces.

These sources bows of the protected land that could now be developed on

on this map. For this comes in the middle of Chelsea Flower Show, which

gloriously celebrates all the best outdoors has to offer. The owners of

the QPR site says it has always been looking at this developer and.

Residents say it is a reminder to fight for London's green lungs

wherever they may be. -- looking at this development.

We are still at the Chelsea Flower Show this evening. It is still

glorious. We are in a garden entitled City Living. Is there a

balance between building houses and keeping that greenery? Yes, we have

to think about how we are planting to sue the space we've got. Your

garden celebrates that. Talk to us about it. It is encouraging people

to bring greenery into their lives, isn't it? Yes, this is about blocks

of colour and green that people can walk past as they go to their front

doors. You need to be planting the right plants in the right place. And

it doesn't matter how big or small your garden is? No, absolutely not.

The smaller the better. If you want to get green into your flat, even if

you live in a concrete area, how can you do that? If you are going to go

through the space 365 days a year, try to bring evergreens in and use

plants that will grow big, because you don't have to garden them as

much. Thank you so much for inviting us in. So some advice for government

and planners and also advice to all of us to get a bit creative with

your gardens as well. Some good advice there from the

Chelsea Flower Show. Thank you. Originally written as a poem

by Scottish vicar Henry Lyte before being put to music,

Abide With Me has been sung before every FA Cup final

for the past 90 years. But this weekend, before Arsenal

meet Chelsea at Wembley, a select group of fans has been

invited by the FA to come But earplugs at the ready,

because as Chris Slegg found out, they've not all been chosen

for their musical ability. Sutton fan Steve, Chelsea fans

Stefan and Arsenal fan Daniel. All warming up the vocal cords for the

performance of a lifetime. # Hold down thy cross

# Before my closing eyes... 90,000 fans await them on Saturday,

when they will help lead the singing of Abide With Me.

What sort of singing standard can we expect from you? Let's say about

five out of ten. As for Steve, even a less likely chorister! Steve,

having heard that, you've not been chosen for your singing skills! I

think you'll be a bit nervous about having to do that in front of

90,000? Not at all! I don't expect to be doing any solos on the day!

The men have been chosen because of the work they've been doing in

charity for their clubs. Being there and singing in front of all those

people, it is more of an honour than being scared.

# Lord with me abide. On Saturday they will be joined by

five other fans... # When other helpers...

And don't worry, a 25 strong choir as well.

# Abide with me... I can't sing to save my life but apologies for the

loss of sound there! It might have been done on purpose!

It has been incredible! We saw 27 across Heathrow, so pretty

impressive. We saw a breeze picking up through the afternoon and

temperatures dropped a bit, but certainly lovely pictures coming

through with the blue sky. Some fairweather cloud building up from

time to time but the sunshine was in abundance, and, as you know, it felt

very warm indeed. A fair old breeze coming in from the south-east. Clear

skies and a warm and humid night, certainly in the city centre. It

could be even higher where the roads and buildings have been heating up.

Hot and sunny tomorrow, and temperatures could be a touch warmer

than today. Certainly in central and western parts of the region, for

example. A brisk breeze blowing in from the south-east, so slightly

fresher towards the east. 27 or 28 across central and western areas.

This dry spell isn't going to last through the whole bank holiday

weekend. This weather front will be coming into play during Friday night

and it will introduce some showers and thunderstorms. Then moving

through Saturday as well. Saturday will start off sunny and quite warm.

Then we are expecting a line of showers and thunderstorms to push in

from the south-west into the afternoon. It will be heavier to the

north of the region but then it will brighten up into the afternoon. With

the humid air around, it could feel even hotter on Saturday. 28 or 29.

So a hot and humid day to come. From the south, we see cloud moving up on

Sunday with the potential of some rain, which could be thundery as

well. Temperatures just down a notch. On Monday, a touch cooler

still. So a mixed bag. Before we go this evening,

a recap on the day's main BBC Greater Manchester Police have

reported good progress with their investigation

into the suicide attack on Monday night, making significant arrests

and seizing important items. President Trump has said

that the culprit who leaked the name of the Manchester bomber

and pictures from the crime scene The information emerged

against the wishes of police here. The Queen has been to the Royal

Manchester Children's Hospital to visit some of those

who are injured, as well meeting She told them the attack

had been very wicked. That's it from the BBC

London team for now. We'd love to hear from you about any

of the stories we've covered today, or tell us

about something we didn't. Get in touch on Twitter,

Facebook or email. I didn't apply to university there,

because it was too close to home. It was the place we went to when

we got to 18 - well, maybe 17 -