22/01/2014 Midlands Today

Hello and welcome to Midlands Today. The headlines tonight: Ex`footballer

Stan Collymore, who's received death threats on Twitter, says not enough

is being done to police social media.

A lot of people giving casual racialist abuse and casual

homophobia and they are children that need protecting from

themselves. We'll be asking a social media expert if anything can be done

to stop abuse on the internet. Also tonight: Unemployment in the

West Midlands shows the biggest fall in the country ` down by 32,000 `

but still higher than the national average.

I'm not racist, says West Brom's Nicolas Anelka ` he wants the FA to

drop charges over his controversial on`field gesture.

Do you recognise any of these people? The hunt to reunite one

family with their lost history, found in a shoe box. There are

wedding photos, birthdays, holidays. It is a whole life in a box.

And there's something a little colder heading our way tomorrow. But

the rain is never too far away, and we're back to wet and windy to

finish the week. Your full forecast coming up later.

Good evening. Staffordshire Police are investigating hundreds of racist

and threatening tweets to the former Aston Villa footballer Stan

Collymore. He went public today saying Twitter had done nothing to

remove the offending comments. The social media network has become a

favourite way for footballers and other celebrities to keep in touch

with fans. But there are concerns tonight that abuse is likely to get

even worse, unless Twitter changes its open door policy. Here's Giles

Latcham. Lovely control. Down goes Luis Suarez.

It started with a game of a football and this contentious moment `

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez winning a crucial penalty against

Aston Villa from which they scored. A former player for both clubs, Stan

Collymore, who lives in Cannock, is now a football pundit. On Twitter he

said he thought Suarez had dived and now he's paid a penalty ` enduring a

torrent of abusive tweets, some of them racist, as well as several

death threats. All I want if I was walking down broad Street and

someone threatened to murder me is that that same punishment under

English law is applied to Twitter. The tweets Stan Collymore's

complained about are so unsavoury we can only show you brief extracts. In

most cases, Collymore himself re`tweeted or republished them so

his half a million followers could see what he's been subjected to. A

spokeswoman for Twitter told us targeted abuse is against its rules

and they have "established processes" for working with police

forces. Forces like Staffordshire, who say they're investigating

hundreds of tweets sent to Collymore from the UK and abroad. We need the

assistance of Twitter in this case. I trust that that will be

forthcoming. We will continue to use other methods to identify those

involved as well. So we will run that alongside the work we are doing

with Twitter. It is really important we are aware of what content we put

out there. At a college in Birmingham today a timely warning

for students preparing for a career in social media. Stan Collymore

thinks much of the abuse he's had comes from youngsters who don't

understand the consequences. Technology is evolving and everyone

has Twitter. Children can use it now. This is the way society is. The

biggest thing that people don't have is awareness and that needs to be

taught. I have waited six weeks for 22 cases of people overtly racially

abusing me to be passed on to the police by Twitter. That is not good

enough. In a career of laws as well as highs, Stan Collymore has had to

develop a thick skin but he says Twitter has become a cesspool he is

no longer prepared to tolerate. I'm joined now by Mike Jackson,

Professor of Computer Science at Birmingham City University. It's not

just celebrities who are being subjected to abuse on social media

but is the problem getting worse? I think it is getting worse. The

Internet has always been a place for bandit 's. As more people join, I

think there is more abuse to people who are not expecting it. What could

be done to stop this abuse? To a certain extent, it is human nature.

What is happening is against the law and could be prosecuted but

sometimes they are very difficult to locate. Isn't part of the problem

that the abusers believe they can get away with it? Some people

deliberately set out to be anonymous, going out to abuse

somebody in such a way they are not found. They could go to an Internet

cafe or change their IDE. It makes them difficult to locate. What can

be done to change that to prosecute these people? I think the police are

on top of it. Are they? They are clued up as to what the problem is

not there are so many people doing it that it becomes difficult. It is

the scale of the problem. It is not that you can't trace them just to

the scale? Yes. Are you on Twitter? No. I didn't think people would want

to hear the trivia of my life. We have had a huge reaction. A common

reaction from many of our viewers using social media to get in touch

is if you post a comment you're laying yourself wide open ` it is a

form of broadcasting. That's right. Whilst I am not on Twitter, I have

been on numerous discussion groups and generally what you expect with

the Internet is that many people will disagree with you but there is

a significant difference between that and death threats.

Coming up later in the programme: A stark warning to schoolchildren on

binge drinking in a bid to deter alcohol abuse.

Unemployment in the West Midlands has shown the largest fall in the

country. The number of people out of work in this region fell by 32,000

over the last quarter. That's 222,000 people out of work ` a rate

of 8.1%. So a welcome fall although we're still 1% above the national

average. We can go live now to our business correspondent Peter

Plisner. So, Peter, where are the new jobs coming from?

Well, Mary, our location tonight should give you a clue. Here in

Smethwick they're building a new school. It's one of the growing

number of projects that have lead to a big increase in jobs within the

construction industry. That in turn has contributed to that big fall in

the region's unemployment total today. With me from Interserve, the

firm that's building this new school, is Julie Bradley. It has

been a tough recession but things are finally on the up. It seems so

and we are confident that the local economy is picking up, we are

winning more work and we recently won a contract with Birmingham

University for a multi`million pound sports complex which we are

encouraged by. We will be able to push that confidence to our supply

chain and boost employment in the local area. Is it mostly private or

public? We work a lot with public but we are also seeing interest in

the private sector. We are seeing a general upsurge. Can it last? There

is confidence there and we need to build on that and understand how we

can impact more in the future but, yes, I think so. While unemployment

has fallen again here in the West Midlands, in some parts of the

region it remains stubbornly high, particularly in our biggest city.

Birmingham ` a world class city with high levels of inward investment `

but look beyond the landmark buildings and there's an

unemployment problem. Ladywood just outside the city centre is the UK's

worst unemployment blackspot with more than a quarter of the

population out of work. Part of the problem appears to be a lack of

skills and, with growth in the construction industry, at this

college in the heart of Ladywood it's not surprising that many of

those looking for work are opting for construction related courses.

Romell Stewart is one of them. Since he left school two years ago, he's

struggled to find a permanent job. But he's ambitious. I want to be

able to open up my own business in a few years' time and have people

working for me. And according the principal of the college skills are

crucial. The job centres have a real issue at the moment because they

have got students with no qualifications, skills or language,

then we know they won't be able to put them into any kind of job and

sending them to interviews won't be of any use. And that's the reason

Somalian`born Hashim is improving his English. It is difficult these

days. You have to learn English to get a job so you have to learn to

communicate those people speak English, the majority of the UK. But

it's not just people who are suffering ` a lack of skills is also

holding back local businesses. In recent months this Ladywood`based

engineering firm has struggled to fill its vacancies. It's incredibly

hard because it takes us probably for `6 months to find somebody with

the skills we require. A lack of skills isn't a problem that's unique

to Birmingham but here it's clearly a major issue.

So work still to be done finding jobs for many people. And the

Government seems to think we could learn a thing or two from German

industry. Yes, during a visit to Staffordshire

today, the Trade Minister Lord Livingston has announced he plans to

offer help to nearly 9000 medium`sized businesses. In Germany

those companies are known as Mittelstand and they're credited

with keeping that country's economy booming. The Government believes the

same could happen here, as Bob Hockenhull reports.

This is the family`owned Balluff factory in Stuttgart. It started

life in 1921 and has grown to be a world leader in sensor technology.

The great`grandson of the founder was invited to share its secrets at

a conference at Staffordshire's JCB factory. We drive long`term

strategies and that gives us the flexibility to try out something

that doesn't seem to get the return right away but long`term is very

fruitful. Mittelstand are medium`sized companies. It's these,

not large multinationals, credited with creating Germany's economic

success. Our Government believes a similar model here could boost the

UK economy by ?50 billion. Germany has been concentrated on this for

nearly 60 years so we can't do it overnight. But if you look at German

company exports outside the EU, it is much higher than the UK. F Ball

near Leek ` an example of what the Government wants. It makes adhesive

flooring, is still family`run, has invested millions in machinery but

kept the 130`strong workforce. Investing in people is one of the

most vital things to ensure that the customer can get what he wants.

Today's conference is taking place at JCB, which was once a

medium`sized company itself. One delegate had a warning though. Don't

try to copy the German model because it can never be as good as the

original. Look at it and take their best out of it. It's estimated

Britain would have 250,000 extra jobs if mid`sized companies had

grown at the same rate as Germany's. The help announced today should help

companies expand and create jobs and hopefully in future that could bring

unemployment down even further. And later in the programme we'll be

hearing from young people trying to find work in one of the most

competitive sectors, arts and entertainments, about just how hard

it is to find that first job. The Government's defeated the latest

legal challenge by opponents of the controversial High Speed Rail

scheme, linking London to Birmingham and the north of England. Protestors

say they'll now take their case to Europe. The Supreme Court ruled

unanimously against opponents of HS2, who'd argued ministers were

failing to meet their environmental obligations.

A former Police Community Support Officer from Cheltenham caught

smuggling drugs into Indonesia has been sentenced to 14 years in

prison. 43`year`old Andrea Waldeck, who worked for Gloucestershire

Police, claims she was coerced by her boyfriend. She was arrested last

April with 1.5 kilos of A report by the Conservative Party

into the organising of a Nazi`themed stag party by the Cannock Chase MP

Aiden Burley says his conduct was offensive and unacceptable. Mr

Burley was sacked from his job as a ministerial aid after these pictures

emerged in 2011. The Conservative Party says Mr Burley has apologised,

and paid a high price for his foolishness.

The MP for Birmingham Perry Barr Khalid Mahmood is recovering after a

kidney transplant. The operation took place yesterday at the city's

Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Our top story tonight: ex`footballer

Stan Collymore, who's received death threats on Twitter, says not enough

is being done to police social media.

Your detailed weather forecast to come shortly.

Also in tonight's programme: can a new scheme help young people find

work in one of the toughest sectors to break into?

And 100 years of history abandoned in a shoe box ` the pictures that

tell one unknown family's story. There have been more developments in

the row surrounding the West Bromwich Albion footballer Nicolas

Anelka. It's emerged that the Premier League club could lose two

more sponsors as a result of Anelka's controversial gesture. And

the French striker has been writing about the incident on Facebook. Ian

Winter is at the Hawthorns tonight. What's he been saying, Ian?

Mary, this row continues to simmer away, with no end in sight. Just to

recap: This is the controversial gesture ` the quenelle ` that's been

described by some as an inverted Nazi salute. But today Nicolas

Anelka has been on social media to say that he is neither racist nor

anti`Semitic. On his Facebook page the Albion striker refers to a

Jewish leader in France who believes that Anelka's gesture could not be

considered to have an anti`Semitic connotation. And that's why he's

asking the FA to lift the charges that have been made against him.

But two of Albion's sponsors are believed to be reconsidering their

position? Yes, on Monday, it was Zoopla, the property website, who

said they wouldn't be renewing their ?3 million deal at the end of the

season. Now, Jack Wolfskin, the outdoor clothing company, and Holler

Watches are both understood to be reviewing their sponsorship deals

with West Brom, as they await the outcome of the FA verdict. As for

Nicolas Anelka, he's facing a minimum five`match ban if the FA

charge is upheld. And he's got until six o'clock tomorrow evening to

respond to those allegations against him.

A survey of 5000 under`18s in Staffordshire has revealed nearly

three quarters have tried alcohol. 63% had their first drink under the

age of 13 and some admitted drinking before they were ten. A new campaign

warning about the effects of binge drinking has been launched, as Laura

May McMullan's been finding out. I haven't had a drink now for 15

months. Dan Kendrick is 24 years old. He started drinking when he was

16. It got to the stage where he was drinking two litres of vodka and

five pints of cider a day. I was stuck in the same circle. I was in

hospital regularly. Dan was able to detox and get help with the BAC

O'Connor charity in Burton on Trent. He's says it's been life changing.

It's like they've rebuilt me back to how I was. You get to know the real

you. A new social media campaign warning about the effects of alcohol

is now targeting 11`14 year olds across Staffordshire. Animations

will also be screened at local cinemas. So you know anyone who's

tried alcohol? Yes. Maybe it is Rivaldo and not everybody does but I

think a lot of people drink. Well, out of 5230 youngsters in

Staffordshire who were surveyed, 73% said they'd had a drink. 63% tried

their first drink before they were 13 and some admitted to trying

alcohol under the age of ten. Alcohol support charities say the

number of young people drinking has declined in recent years but the

amount consumed by those who do remains high. Dan Kendrick says he's

just glad he was able to beat his addiction before it damaged his

health and his future. Now, whilst this region saw the

biggest fall in unemployment anywhere in the country today, the

number of young people without a job remains high. And that first job can

be the hardest to get. In Birmingham 16 to 24`year`olds are being offered

paid positions with arts organisations to help them into a

hugely competitive industry. Here's our arts reporter Satnam Rana.

Sophie is one of the first apprentices on the Creative

Employment Programme ` a Government scheme offering opportunities in the

arts and cultural sector. She's a design apprentice with learning

provider Creative Alliance, here helping pupils at Victoria Park

Academy Smethwick with their school magazine. I think when I was looking

to go straight into work without having a degree it was a lot harder

so getting an apprenticeship was a good opportunity to get into the

workplace. At The Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, Bethany is

four months into her apprenticeship. I applied for lots of different jobs

but nobody would hire you without paid work experience so this will

really help me to get another job later. Now 30 paid apprenticeships

and internships are all up for grabs for unemployed 16 to 24`year`olds.

15 arts organisation are taking part in a jobs fair at the Rep this

Saturday. This is the cultural sectors response in the city to

youth unemployment. The company is coming together to invest our own

time and experience to support young people into finding work. This

centre in Aston is offering seven Charlie is one of those who got a

job follwing his apprentiship with softwarre company Trilby. It all

fell into place at the right time. The hope is that these

apprenticeships will create the wokers of tomorrow.

Dozens of old photographs ` some dating back to the start of the last

century ` have been discovered in a shoe box by staff at a Solihull

charity shop. They form an irreplaceable record of one family's

history. Now staff want to get them back to their rightful owner. Sarah

Falkland has the details. Precious memories from a bygone age.

Magical milestones of life. But whose life? It's Downton Abbey

style. It reminded me of that. We enjoyed looking through it and

looking at their hairstyles and fashion. The photos were inside one

of half a dozen shoe boxes dropped off to the Acorns Hospice Shop at

Castle Bromwich by an elderly lady. It was obviously a mistake to bring

them in because all the boxes were the same sort perhaps she thought it

was shoes as well. It is a family history in a box. Those wedding

photos, Christmases, holidays. Why would you want to throw that away?

While some recall the days of World War I, many are much later. They're

so endearing, staff here have turned detective in the hope of finding out

who's who. Look, a rubber dinghy. Weston`super`Mare. One thing that

comes up again and again is not a face but a place ` Bodenham Manor in

Herefordshire. There is a letter of reference from the lady who used to

live here in connection with her chauffeur. It says he had been in

the service of the family for 21 years during which time he proved

himself a thoroughly trustworthy and hard`working servant. There was a

rent because well from an address in Kings Norton. We are thinking the

chauffeur moved from Hereford to Birmingham. Another clue is a

memorial card for one Clara Gibbs, who died in 1944 at the age of 84.

Did he come back from the trenches? Did she find true love? Someone must

have the answers. If you can solve the mystery, please

get in touch with us here. Some lovely sunshine around today.

How's it looking for the next couple of days, Rebecca?

of days, Well, things are getting a little

colder for the next couple of days. That doesn't mean it's time to get

the sledge out just yet though. It's a bit of a mixture to come over the

next few days ` we'll get some sunny spells at times, but the rain is

never too far away, and by the time we get to Sunday, The Met Office has

a yellow weather warning in place for that heavy rain. Today though

it's certainly been a different picture. Although we had plenty of

cloud about through the day, as the afternoon went on we got more breaks

and some sunny spells. . And to begin with tonight isn't looking too

bad either. We still have a few showers rattling through but for the

first half of tonight it'll be a largely clear. The wind will drop

out initially which means temperatures could fall quite low

for a time. There is also plenty of moisture in the air which means we

could see the odd patch of mist and fog. Some rain through the rush

hour. Once it clears away, it will be a lovely sunny day. But it'll be

chilly in the breeze. Temperatures around 5`6 Celsius. Then to begin

with tomorrow night temperatures will fall away ` and it'll be chilly

for a time, with the possibility of some places getting down to `1, but

it's not long before cloud builds ahead of the next band of rain.

Heavy rain to come by Friday morning ` again we could see some wintry

bursts in there. Tonight's headline from the BBC:

Ex`footballer Stan Collymore, who's received death threats on Twitter,

says not enough is being done to police social media.

And you've been getting in touch with us on social media to let us

know what you think about that story. On our Facebook page, Dawn

Turner says, racist remarks and death threats should not be

acceptable in any form. On Twitter, Julie G writes, it's utterly

disgraceful. If that abuse was shouted in the streets then the

foul`mouthed louts would be arrested! Carl Medlin posted on

Facebook, if you don't like it, don't use Twitter ` simple. Thanks

for all your comments. That was the Midlands Today. I'll be

back at ten o'clock with more