0:00:00 > 0:00:01That's it.
0:00:01 > 0:00:01Now on BBC One it's time for the news where you are.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Good evening and welcome to BBC London News, with me, Alex Bushill.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20The Mayor says he's been left with no choice but to raise council
0:00:20 > 0:00:22tax in order to keep the capital safe.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Sadiq Khan has outlined plans to raise bills by around £14 a year
0:00:25 > 0:00:27to fund the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29He's hit out at the Government, saying ministers should
0:00:29 > 0:00:32"hang their heads in shame" for failing to adequately
0:00:32 > 0:00:33protect Londoners.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35But his political opponents at City Hall have accused
0:00:35 > 0:00:36him of grandstanding.
0:00:36 > 0:00:43Marc Ashdown reports.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45At times it's felt like London has been under
0:00:45 > 0:00:47constant attack this year - four terrorist incidents,
0:00:47 > 0:00:4914 innocent people killed.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51No wonder the Mayor wants more money.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53His priority, he says, is to keep Londoners safe.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56The Home Office says the Met will get about an extra
0:00:56 > 0:00:57£50 million next year.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Now, police forces are funded partly by the Government
0:00:59 > 0:01:01but partly by local councils.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Ministers are allowing councillors to put up your council tax
0:01:03 > 0:01:06by as much as £12 next year.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08In London, the Mayor is going even further,
0:01:08 > 0:01:09putting it up by £14.20.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13That's an increase of about 5%, and he says it will pay for police
0:01:13 > 0:01:14and also the Fire Brigade.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17He says he has no choice and today reignited his war of words
0:01:17 > 0:01:26with the Government.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29They resorted to smoke and mirrors, pretending to give the police more
0:01:29 > 0:01:31money, but in fact just pushing the responsibility to
0:01:31 > 0:01:32taxpayers in London.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37This is regressive and unfair, and frankly no-one is falling for it.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40On Tuesday the Policing Minister made his views on the Mayor clear.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43And instead of sitting in his bunker writing out letters for more money,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46he needs to get out there and tell us what he's doing to
0:01:47 > 0:01:48implement his crime plan.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Sadiq Khan has another problem brewing, too.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52There's widespread scepticism about pumping some of this money
0:01:52 > 0:01:55into the Fire Brigade after three reviews he commissioned concluded it
0:01:55 > 0:01:56doesn't need more funding.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Because of Grenfell, the Mayor feels that he needs to be
0:01:58 > 0:01:59seen to do something.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03And what he is proposing to do here is to put more money
0:02:03 > 0:02:04into the Fire Brigade.
0:02:04 > 0:02:05He knows they don't need it.
0:02:05 > 0:02:13And if they do need it he can find it from other resources.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15He doesn't need to be taking the money specifically set aside
0:02:15 > 0:02:18to fund the Metropolitan Police in order to put funds
0:02:18 > 0:02:21into the London Fire Brigade, and we won't be supporting that part
0:02:21 > 0:02:22of his proposals.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24For months the Mayor Commissioner has been calling for more money.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Now it's coming out of Londoners' pockets, they'll want to see
0:02:27 > 0:02:28results on the streets.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29Marc Ashdown, BBC London News.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Lawyers for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe say she's been
0:02:31 > 0:02:33told by the Iranian authorities she's now eligible
0:02:33 > 0:02:34for early release.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The 38-year-old Hampstead mother has been held for more than 20 months
0:02:37 > 0:02:39in Tehran on charges of working against the Iranian regime.
0:02:39 > 0:02:45Frankie McCamley has the details.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47The British-Iranian mother jailed in Iran more than 18 months ago.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe left her home in North West London
0:02:49 > 0:02:52to go on holiday with her then 18-month-old daughter
0:02:52 > 0:02:53to visit her parents.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55But during her time in the country she was arrested,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57accused of being a spy.
0:02:57 > 0:02:58Today, though, a breakthrough in her case.
0:02:58 > 0:03:06She's been listed for early release.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09But her husband, Richard, who has fought every step of the way,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11is not getting his hopes up.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13It's hard to know exactly how significant but
0:03:13 > 0:03:15definitely a positive step.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17Her court system has moved from being a closed case
0:03:17 > 0:03:19to being eligible for early release, which means, formally,
0:03:19 > 0:03:22on the system, she is eligible to be released at any point.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24But despite the news, Richard says Nazanin
0:03:24 > 0:03:26is still finding things tough.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29I think it's very up and down for her and obviously I try to be
0:03:29 > 0:03:31level-headed and sometimes I am not so much.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Equally, though probably more so, because she's waiting
0:03:33 > 0:03:34to see what happens.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36She was pretty low early in the week.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38The lawyer said she was very happy yesterday, unsurprisingly.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41The change follows the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's visit
0:03:41 > 0:03:44to Iran earlier this month, during which her case was discussed.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Whether this made a difference is not yet clear.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Under Iranian law, it does say if a prisoner has served a third
0:03:49 > 0:03:51of their time and has good behaviour, they might be
0:03:51 > 0:03:52considered for early release.
0:03:52 > 0:04:02So it's possible that is what's happened.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06Whilst this might provide some relief to this family's long
0:04:06 > 0:04:08and turbulent journey, there is still no certainty
0:04:08 > 0:04:10they will be reunited for Christmas.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15Frankie McCamley, BBC London News.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19A former abbot of a school in Ealing is likely to die in prison
0:04:19 > 0:04:21after being jailed for 18 years for molesting former pupils.
0:04:21 > 0:04:2374-year-old Andrew Soper was convicted of a string of sex
0:04:23 > 0:04:26attacks on boys at the prestigious St Benedict's School
0:04:26 > 0:04:27in the '70s and '80s.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29As he passed down his sentence, the judge described Soper's conduct
0:04:29 > 0:04:32as "vile", and "the most appalling breach of trust".
0:04:32 > 0:04:41The school has apologised for "serious wrongs of the past".
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Detectives say they are growing increasingly concerned
0:04:43 > 0:04:45for the mother of a baby found abandoned in a park
0:04:46 > 0:04:47in Plaistow three months ago.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49New footage has been released of baby Harry
0:04:49 > 0:04:51as police renew their appeal to trace his mother.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54He was named by the medical staff who treated him and is said to be
0:04:58 > 0:05:01The man accused of the Finsbury Park attack in North London last June has
0:05:01 > 0:05:03pleaded not guilty to murder and attempted murder.
0:05:03 > 0:05:0548-year-old Darren Osborne is accused of deliberately driving
0:05:05 > 0:05:07a hired van into worshippers close to the Muslim Welfare
0:05:07 > 0:05:08House in North London.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10One man was killed and 11 were injured.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Hospitals in Essex say they are facing significant winter pressures.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14Many of them have no available beds.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17They say the health system is under strain throughout the year
0:05:17 > 0:05:18but winter brings added challenges.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Simon Dedman has spent the day at Broomfield Hospital
0:05:20 > 0:05:22in Chelmsford to find out more.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23Kenneth Cockrell, full assessment, please.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Patients are assessed by a triage nurse if they walk or get
0:05:26 > 0:05:27wheeled into Broomfield's A&E.
0:05:27 > 0:05:28What happened?
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I slipped on a wet paving stone last night.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Ken gets referred for an X-ray but nurse Gemma does
0:05:33 > 0:05:35send people back to GP surgeries and the pharmacist
0:05:35 > 0:05:36rather than into A&E.
0:05:36 > 0:05:37She has to - Broomfield is stretched.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40We've had an increase in patients with sepsis, especially
0:05:40 > 0:05:41chest infections and pneumonia.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43We've had people coming with fractured hips and fractured
0:05:43 > 0:05:45wrists, which has obviously meant we had to
0:05:45 > 0:05:46move it onto our trauma wards.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49We've had generally really unwell patients that have come in that
0:05:49 > 0:05:51we've had to care for and meet that demand.
0:05:51 > 0:06:01In the past fortnight Broomfield Hospital has been so busy
0:06:04 > 0:06:07that up to a dozen ambulances have been treating patients outside
0:06:07 > 0:06:09because there aren't any free beds inside.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Broomfield had two spare beds first thing this morning.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15In Harlow, Princess Alexandra Hospital
0:06:16 > 0:06:17had none.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Hospitals say they have been inundated with patients like
0:06:19 > 0:06:21John Harrison from Chelmsford, who are genuine emergencies.
0:06:21 > 0:06:29I've got to ask, what happened to you?
0:06:29 > 0:06:31I had a contest with the floor and the floor
0:06:31 > 0:06:32won.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38Oh, dear.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43John hopes to be home for Christmas and his 90th birthday.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46I've been a consultant here for four years and it's been busier every
0:06:46 > 0:06:48single winter that we've had since I started.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It's a world of difference from when I started in medicine 13,
0:06:51 > 0:06:5314 years ago in terms of the numbers we're seeing through A&E,
0:06:53 > 0:06:59through the acute medical services.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02A health boss told me the service is in a perilous state
0:07:02 > 0:07:05on the eve of the NHS turning 70 next year.
0:07:05 > 0:07:15Simon Deadman, BBC London News, Ben Field Hospital, Chelmsford.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19England footballer Sol Campbell grew up in the East End
0:07:19 > 0:07:21and went on to play for Tottenham and Arsenal.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24He believes his life could have been very different had he taken
0:07:24 > 0:07:26the troubled path some of his childhood friends took.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29That's why he's now involved in a scheme to try and help divert
0:07:29 > 0:07:31vulnerable youngsters from criminal gangs here in London.
0:07:31 > 0:07:38Chris Slegg report.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40When they were kids, Sol Campbell and Robert Bragg used
0:07:40 > 0:07:44to play football together on the streets after school.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Both had talent.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51Sol went on to be a professional.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Robert didn't.
0:07:53 > 0:07:58He was an exceptional player.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Years ago I grew up in the same area, obviously, you know,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04the temptations that was there.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Went out, done the wrong things, wrong attitude, wrong attitude.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Sol has been mentoring these youngsters about what he calls
0:08:11 > 0:08:16their crossroads moment, choosing to work hard at school
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and sport instead of a path that leads to trouble.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21When does that, you know, that light turns on,
0:08:21 > 0:08:22when that lightning bolt hits you.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Who wants to be a footballer?
0:08:24 > 0:08:25Me!
0:08:25 > 0:08:27Do you think it's easy to be a footballer?
0:08:27 > 0:08:29No, you have to work hard.
0:08:29 > 0:08:30You have to work hard.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31That's how life works.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33You think if you work hard it always comes?
0:08:33 > 0:08:34No.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Sometimes you get let down, sometimes it comes.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42My family will look into kind of where is the next pound coming from?
0:08:42 > 0:08:47The food on the table, things like that.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50People haven't got time to be worried about,
0:08:51 > 0:08:52"how are you feeling?"
0:08:52 > 0:08:53and whatever.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55It's all about, "get some money together because we've
0:08:55 > 0:09:04got to pay the bills".
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Many people who probably didn't have the talent I had went on,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10had the right attitude, worked hard at their game and became
0:09:10 > 0:09:11a professional footballer.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14I done the first trial at QPR, scored two goals, done well,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17went all the way through, then Bobby Robson was in the office
0:09:17 > 0:09:19at the last trial when we had to go.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22Then he asked me the question, why have you been thrown out
0:09:22 > 0:09:23of three schools in three years?
0:09:23 > 0:09:26Three weeks later I get the letter, you haven't been successful.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28I just grew up in that type of environment,
0:09:28 > 0:09:29it just became the norm.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32It's only when you step out of the norm you were under
0:09:32 > 0:09:35severe pressure at a very, very early age in your life.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Now Sol hopes others make the right choice at their crossroads moment.
0:09:38 > 0:09:39Chris Slegg, BBC News.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40That's it from me.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41I'll wish you goodnight and hand you over to
0:09:41 > 0:09:42I'll wish you goodnight and hand you over to
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Chris Fawkes with the weather.
0:09:44 > 0:09:50Thanks a lot. If the over the past you buy a look something like this.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Thanks to our weather watcher for sending this big job the grey cloudy
0:09:53 > 0:09:57sky from Walton on Thames in Surrey. These scenes were widespread,
0:09:57 > 0:10:01extensive cloud and right the way to Christmas and including the big day
0:10:01 > 0:10:05it is going to stay cloudy and mild. The reason the weather isn't
0:10:05 > 0:10:11changing a great deal is we have this high pressure to the south of
0:10:11 > 0:10:14the UK. These weather fronts wafting off the Atlantic bringing pulses of
0:10:14 > 0:10:22thicker cloud, which in turn brings the threat of rain. The rain arrives
0:10:22 > 0:10:26towards the end of the night, we'll get outbreaks of rain and drizzle.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31At the same time, we'll start to get mist fog patches on the high hills,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35the Chilterns and the downs. The early-morning patches of drizzle
0:10:35 > 0:10:39will move out of the way and the rest of the day much like it was
0:10:39 > 0:10:43today, cloudy. What a great deal of sunshine anywhere, temperatures are
0:10:43 > 0:10:4911 or 12 degrees, so it'll be on the mild side. Ahead of the weekend, a
0:10:49 > 0:10:53case of spot the difference. Saturday and Sunday the extensive
0:10:53 > 0:10:57cloud cover. Continues to be mild, temperatures 11 or 12 degrees. That
0:10:57 > 0:11:00theme continues on to Christmas Day as well, temperatures in double
0:11:00 > 0:11:02figures. It's going to