0:00:00 > 0:00:00You can see more on all of today's stories on the BBC News Channel.
0:00:00 > 0:00:13That's all from me, stay with us on BBC1 it's time
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Good evening and welcome to the programme,
0:00:15 > 0:00:24I'm Katharine Carpenter.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26After a decade of fundraising a memorial has been unveiled
0:00:26 > 0:00:29in East London to honour those who died in World War II's
0:00:29 > 0:00:30worst civilian disaster.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33It's in memory of the 173 people who were crushed to death
0:00:33 > 0:00:35in Bethnal Green underground station in 1943.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40Tarah Welsh reports.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42It was the largest single loss of civilian life
0:00:42 > 0:00:44during World War II and today, finally, something to
0:00:44 > 0:00:46remember all those killed.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48The survivors unveiled the new memorial to mark a night
0:00:48 > 0:00:52that had started like so many others during the war.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55The air raid started, so we ran to the underground
0:00:55 > 0:00:59because we used to sleep there of a night.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04And when we got there, it was just chaos.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06This night, anti-aircraft rockets were being tested nearby.
0:01:06 > 0:01:16Nobody was warned and they assumed it was enemy bombing.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26The bombs whistled.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28When it fired off and there were all these different
0:01:28 > 0:01:29people getting off buses.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32So you have sort of, like, 300 or 400 people trying to get
0:01:32 > 0:01:35through this narrow door, and at that same time a lady
0:01:35 > 0:01:38at the bottom of the stairs, holding a child, fell.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41She pulled another man on top of her and before they could get up
0:01:41 > 0:01:43others were falling on top of them.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45173 people were crushed to death - 62 were children.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47I heard all the people screaming and calling
0:01:47 > 0:01:48for their mommas and dads...
0:01:48 > 0:01:49SOBS.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53They were calling for their mothers and fathers and...
0:01:53 > 0:01:57We just couldn't get out.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59He was eventually pulled free, but the tragedy also
0:01:59 > 0:02:02haunts the rescuers.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Well...
0:02:05 > 0:02:07You know...
0:02:07 > 0:02:12The whole thing was an absolute nightmare.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14Despite the huge loss of life here, survivors and people involved
0:02:14 > 0:02:17were told never to speak of what happened here.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The country was at war and the government didn't want it
0:02:20 > 0:02:23to affect public morale.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The family always talked about the terrible Bethnal Green
0:02:26 > 0:02:29underground disaster and no-one knew about it, there was no
0:02:29 > 0:02:35recognition of it.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38But now a lasting tribute for one of the biggest tragedies
0:02:38 > 0:02:39the capital has ever seen.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42London has taken the fewest number of refugees following the migrant
0:02:42 > 0:02:44crisis than any UK region.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Home Office figures show that of the thousands of people
0:02:47 > 0:02:49resettled across the UK, just 400 have found
0:02:49 > 0:02:50homes in the capital.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Helen Mulroy reports.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58It's scenes like these that have forced more than five million
0:02:58 > 0:03:03to flee Syria and neighbouring countries since the outbreak of war.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Violence and persecution in parts of the Middle East are forcing
0:03:05 > 0:03:09many to look for refuge, like Layla and her family.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12They came to London this year under a government scheme that
0:03:12 > 0:03:17resettles endangered children and their parents.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22The children die, all the children die.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25My children are scared about the bomb, scared about...
0:03:25 > 0:03:28He can play in the street.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30This country, it's good for my children and for me,
0:03:30 > 0:03:40because...give us more options.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42However, of all the English regions, London has taken
0:03:42 > 0:03:44in the fewest refugees - just 400.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46And about half of the local authorities across the capital
0:03:46 > 0:03:49haven't taken in a single refugee under the main scheme
0:03:49 > 0:03:52for resettlement.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Councils say it's because existing pressures on housing make it more
0:03:55 > 0:03:59difficult in London than elsewhere.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Yet some councils have been more pro-active than others.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Lambeth has even sent a representative to Calais.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Housing is a real issue but I think we've worked very
0:04:07 > 0:04:09closely with the community, particularly the Lambeth
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Citizens Group.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12It's a moral case.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15We can do more and we need to help people who are living
0:04:15 > 0:04:16in dire circumstances.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19But writer Douglas Murray isn't convinced resettlement in London
0:04:19 > 0:04:20is the best way to help.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25It costs around 100 times as much to look after a migrant,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29an asylum seeker, in Europe, in a country like Sweden,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32a country like Britain, than it does to pay for them
0:04:32 > 0:04:36to remain in, for instance, Jordan or Lebanon or Turkey.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39For Layla and her children, however, they're just happy to be somewhere
0:04:39 > 0:04:42safe this Christmas.
0:04:42 > 0:04:51Thank you for giving us the chance, the new life.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54The weather now, and early mist and fog will clear to leave a dry
0:04:54 > 0:04:57and fine day with some sunshine and a top temperature of seven.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59That's all from the late team, goodnight.