17/05/2017 London News

Here, on BBC One, it's time for the news where you are.

A former head of the Metropolitan Police has today told the BBC

about his "disappointment" at the decision to release

without charge a key suspect who may have been connected with the death

of PC Yvonne Fletcher over 30 years ago.

She was shot during a protest outside the Libyan Embassy,

in Knightsbridge, yet nobody's ever been convicted for the killing

Here's our home affairs correspondent, Nick Beake.

A scramble for cover as shots ring out in central London.

A 25-year-old police officer, Yvonne Fletcher, is

Scotland Yard now believes it could prove who was behind the killing at

the Libyan Embassy, but that evidence won't be presented in

court, because of concerns over national security.

It's a decision criticised by a former boss of the Met.

I know the immense amount of hard work that's gone into actually

trying to get a prosecution and some of that was regenerated in my time

as Commissioner, so I am disappointed and I know other

I don't know what the reasons are, but I have to say I think the

public will be disappointed if we weren't given reasons

as to why this particular individual wasn't prosecuted.

A man in his 50s was arrested in the UK two years ago over

the murder, but will now not be prosecuted.

The Fletcher family say they're deeply disappointed and

frustrated and that's exactly how retired police officer John

He cradled Yvonne Fletcher in his arms as she lay dying.

It's terrible, it's so disappointing and

This is something that should have been sorted out a long,

long time ago and we really don't understand why they have come to

The bullets were fired from within the Libyan

Embassy, which was surrounded by the police for eleven

Eventually diplomats and others were allowed to leave and

deported back to Libya - including, it was thought, the killer.

But it was only after Colonel Gaddafi's

regime was toppled in 2011 that Met detectives said they have discovered

evidence of a Libyan plot to kill anti-Gaddafi demonstrators and

But with this suspect now released without charge, one former senior

Met officer says there is little more the police can do.

You have to remember the rule of law must

prevail and of course in these difficult cases, if for whatever

reason - and that explanation needs to be given - we cannot

prosecute, then the great dignity of the police service

Today, the Government refused to comment on this decision

to block a prosecution on the grounds of national security.

Well, 33 years after Yvonne Fletcher was murdered

at this spot, the chances of anyone being brought to justice seem as

The Liberal Democrats have put London's housing problem

at the heart of their manifesto with a series of promises

At the last election, the party lost all but one seat in London.

This time around, they're hoping to win seats back.

Karl Mercer tell us more about the manifesto.

Right at the heart of it is that promise to have a second referendum

when the terms of Brexit deal are known and it may play better in

London. London was the only region at the referendum to vote to remain

by 60 to 40. It is a policy that might play well in the key target

seats in the South West of London that the Liberal Democrat lost last

time around. Places like Kingston, Richmond Park, which they won back

in a by-election when they beat Zac Goldsmith. What else have they got.

Opposition to Heathrow, the only major party to oppose that. The

third runway. And any expansion of the airport in the south-east. And

60 odd million for the police to go to community policing. Restoring

housing benefit for 18 to 20 one-year-olds and this new rent to

buy scheme that they're talking about for getting young people on

the housing ladder. If they were renting their home

from a housing association, but the rent would go into a pot

and build up over 30 years so they

would own that house. If they wanted to move,

they could take that money to another plot, so they bought another

home from another housing So it would really help young people

wanting to get on the Do you think that will appeal to

young people? It will appeal to some people. They're like any other part

of the society, they vote different ways for different reasons. They

will say we want a hand on the housing ladder, but they may think

other issues are more important to them. So we went out to ask people

of all ages what they thought. No, I'm a Labour girl. Why not Liberal

Democrat? No. Why not? To be honest I have always voted Labour for the

younger generation, I think they're more considerate. I wouldn't. I

don't find their party interesting. Liberal Democrats this time? Yes.

Why? They're more moderate, but they're the only party saying

anything on behalf of the 48% who voted to remain. Do you think the

Liberal Democrats can come back? I think it is unlikely at the moment.

I'm not certain that I'm that keen on the the present leader. So

So the Liberal Democrats put Brexit high up on their agenda.

No the mayor has been looking at the idea of region and visas. A

think-tank came up with what it thinks should be happening and we

went to test what they were saying in a peculiar part of South London.

Something strange going on there. Look what we found in

Southwark Park this morning. This is a city that attracts people

from across the world. And today Norwegians

in the capital were celebrating Norway of course isn't

in the European Union. But is part of the

European Economic Area. It means it's citizens can travel

and work here visa free. Whatever happens after Brexit I hope

and I think most Norwegians hope we will continue to have a close

relationship with our two nations. The main concern is that we will

struggle to stay. And struggle to work. That is of course the main

concern. We know that much about the consequences yet. London is part of

the the country and I don't think you could have a London visa. What

would that mean nor border controls elsewhere?

But that is along the lines of what one London think

to keep the flow of people coming to the capital.

The Centre for London suggests three types of visa.

Aimed at attracting skilled and tech workers.

A young European Visa - a two-year one aimed at attracting lower

skilled staff for things like the hospitality industry.

And a new post study visa that would allow higher skilled students

We think there needs to be a way for Europeans, particularly younger ones

to come here to look for work to create new jobs, to build businesses

and contribute to the economy. That should be done as unbureaucratically

as possible. A 27-year-old producer at a media

company in south London. Austrian, but who moved

to london a year ago. Well I'm definitely anxious that I

will have to leave or it will be a nightmare applying for a visa.

Because I would like to stay and I built my home in London so I don't

want to leave. It definitely keeps me up at night sometimes.

They have been much discussed but some believe putting it

London's mayor now having to compete with many more

Discussions on visas though are some way off -

there's the small matter of an election first.

Finally, staying with the general election, let me tell you that BBC

London is hosting a debate programme, hearing from

all the main parties on what they'll do for Londoners.

It's at the end of this month, on 30th May.

If you want to join in and be part of our student audience,

in a central London location, just send us an e-mail.

We look forward to hearing from you and hopefully seeing

That's it for now from me, but let's find out what the weather's up

This was the picture outside our front door earlier on. We wait

months for the rain and it comes all at once. We have had a band of rain

that has been slow moving today. It is continuing to move eastwards and

by the time it clears, there could be as much as 40 millimetres of rain

having fallen. But it will dry up over night. It shouldn't be too

chilly. Temperatures down to about ten degrees. But a different feel to

the weather tomorrow. A different look to the skies. There will be

some blue instead of grey and the rain. The early cloud clears from

the east, brightens up and we get some sunshine. We have a gentle

westerly breeze. Some showers wandering in from the west. But

temperatures as high as 19. The rain is clearing away now. It is

returning from this area of low pressure and comes back at us to

give us another wet day on Friday. Quite a wet start on Friday. The

rain continuing to push northwards. But struggling to clear away. And

attempts will be on the -- temperatures will be low. The

weekend turns drier and brighter with some sunshine and a few

showers. But it will be a bit warmer.

Before today, many gardeners were crying out for rain. Some of the

those garden may now be water logged. And Lincolnshire was one of

wettest places with 40 millimetres. That is nearly a month's worth of

rain in 24 hours. Some difficult travelling conditions. Some parts of

north-west England stayed dry. This was the main rain-maker. It is

pulling away. Tomorrow a day sunshine and showers and that

freshing feeling air will filter into those parts that were muggy

today. It was 25 Celsius in Kent. A different feel,