Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At One 20171005

Injuries or loses. New car sales dropped by more than 9 in september the lowest for six years. And three home nations are in World Cup Qualifiers later, with Northern Ireland taking on the champions, germany. And coming up in the sport on bbc news. As england hope to clinch their place in russia, one former goalkeeper says jack butland should be the preferred choice for the number one shirt. Good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. Wiltshire police say they have enough evidence to have questioned the former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath about allegations of historical child abuse made by seven people had he still been alive. The force says it would have interviewed sir edward under caution about a claim he raped an 11 year old boy, and also claims including rape and indecent assault made by six others. But their investigation has been severely criticised, as our correspondent Richard Galpin now reports. Sir edward heath, conservative Prime Minister in the early 19705, is remembered for much including taking the country into what will become the country into what will become the european union. Al5o whilst Prime Minister, he famou5ly skippered one of the 0x which won the admiral 5 cup. But since his death 12 years ago, allegations of child sex abuse have come to the fore. Today Wiltshire Police announced that allegations made by seven people would have led to the former Prime Minister being questioned under caution if he was still alive. The offences where he would have been interviewed under caution are. One allegation of rape of a male under 16. Three allegations of indecent assault on a male under 16. Four allegations of indecent assault on a male under 1a and two allegations of indecent a55ault and two allegations of indecent assault on a male over 16. It is clearly inappropriate to speculate what his response would have been to the allegations put to him, and no inference of guilt should be drawn by the decision to interview him. But the Police Investigation launched two years ago outside mr heaths house has been bitterly criticised by those who knew him. Heaths house has been bitterly criticised by those who knew himm 5eem5 criticised by those who knew himm seems to have begun with the conclusion it wanted to reach and so it has behaved in a way that would enable that to happen. So i dont think it begun with the police saying lets see what we find. It began with the police saying this is what we want to find and we will do oui what we want to find and we will do our damnedest to make sure we get that. There were allegations that former Prime Minister abused dozens of other people, but the police di5missed these. Some because of undermining evidence, others because the police believed the claims were false. The former director of public prosecutions, ken mcdonald, believes the whole investigation was an exercise by the police to protect their backs at the expense of a dead man. Shame on them, he wrote. There are man. Shame on them, he wrote. There a re calls man. Shame on them, he wrote. There are calls now for an independent judicial inquiry to try to determine whether or not mr heath wa5 judicial inquiry to try to determine whether or not mr heath was involved in child abuse. But with the former Prime Minister long dead, the truth may never be known. 0ur correspondent i5 0ur correspondent is at the Wiltshire Police headquarters. What are we to make of the police5 case against the late Prime Minister . The police say they are extremely serious allegations. This has cost £1. 5 million, it had been a two year investigation looking into these allegations of sexual abuse. I think police here were well aware they would be criticised following the publication of this report today, and we heard from the chief co nsta ble and we heard from the chief constable earlier on who said over and over again that he was compelled to investigate these allegations. He 5aidi to investigate these allegations. He said i believe it was the right moral, ethical and professional thing to do. We now know that if Sir Edward Heath wa5 thing to do. We now know that if Sir Edward Heath was alive today, he would be interviewed under caution over seven of those allegations, one of which includes the alleged rape of which includes the alleged rape ofan of which includes the alleged rape of an 11 year old boy. But police say even those allegations have now been made public, it does not mean that Sir Edward Heath is guilty. Helena, thank you. Senior conservatives have urged the party to keep a cool head and focus on the threat from labour, despite swirling rumours about the future of theresa may as Prime Minister. Its thought that dozens of mp5 are discussing whether to ask her to stand down, rather than mounting a direct challenge. Members of the cabinet have pledged their support for mrs may, but one former minister has warned that many inside the tory party are very concerned. Leila nathoo reports, and her report does contain some flashing images. This wasnt how it was supposed to go. The chaotic course of a speech meant to bolster her position has left theresa may exposed and vulnerable. This morning, though, senior cabinet ministers have rallied to defend her. What did you think of mrs mays speech . Very brave, very good speech. The Prime Minister will continue in her role to do an excellentjob. Does she still have yourfull support . She has my full support. Factors beyond her control a cold, prank, a crumbling set all conspired to present a leader struggling. She pushed on to the end, winning support from the crowd. But her performance raised questions again about how long she can carry on. In public, most people are being pretty loyal. I think in private people are very concerned. I think therell be quite a few people who will now be pretty firmly of the view that she should resign. The Tory Party Conference was a great opportunity to reboot the party and therefore reboot the country, to give a clear sense of direction, and that didnt happen, so im finding it increasingly difficult to see a way forward. Westminster can be a fickle place, where political careers can quickly rise and fall. Ever since the election and the loss of her parliamentary majority, there has been talk among tory mp5 about theresa mays future. Now a group of her critics are considering a renewed push to persuade her to go. But what remains unclear is whether a Critical Mass of backbenchers will materialise to try to force her out. Foreign secretary, is the Prime Minister going to resign . If she does go, who takes her place . Hes been touted as a potential successor, but he has plenty of opponents, too. Talk of leadership does nothing but shift the momentum towards labour, and nobody wants a general election, and nobody wants us to be distracted from the real challenge, which is showing we have a vision for this country for the 21st century. Thats what theresa may wanted to set out in her speech. Away from destabilising talk about the fragility of her position, for now she will be hoping to recover, regroup, and get on with herjob. And we can talk to leila in westminster now. How would you assess the Prime Ministers position this lunchtime . I think there is no sense that theresa may is about to be ousted by plotters or that she is herself of her own accord about to resign. Remember these questions over how long she can ask date back to the election when she gambled going to the polls and lost her majority. There were mp5 then saying she could only ever be caretaker so that speech was full of mishaps but materially, since then, nothing has changed. There is no appetite in the conservative party to go to another general election, they dont want to go general election, they dont want to 9 up general election, they dont want to go up against labour again. There is also no natural successor to theresa may, no agreement in the party about who is best placed to replace her. And also the backdrop of the brexit negotiations how would a leadership contest impact on those talks . But there are certain the conversations taking place among her opponents within the party, discussions about whether this could bea discussions about whether this could be a moment, whether the Conference Speech could be a catalyst, the right time to make a move. But i think the territory we are in is messages, calls amongst her challengers, sounding out of supports rather than any imminent threat to theresa mays position. Thank you. The girlfriend of Stephen Paddock, the man who shot dead 58 people in las vegas earlier this week, has said she had no idea what he was planning. Marilou danley, who was in the philippines at the time, is being questioned by the fbi. Police say paddock spent years building up his arsenal of weapons, but its still unclear why he carried out the attack. Laura bicker reports from las vegas. Police believe Stephen Paddock had help getting hold of his arsenal of weapons. He legally bought some of his 47 guns here at a shop just outside las vegas. He owned dozens of semiautomatic weapons, which he modified to turn into machine guns. Officers are also trying to work out how he moved all of his guns unnoticed into a hotel room on the 32nd floor. From here, he waited until the concert ground was full of thousands of people. And then he started firing. Gunfire and screams. What we know is Stephen Paddock is a man who spent decades acquiring weapons and ammo and living a secret life, much of which will never be fully understood. Stephen paddocks girlfriend, marilou danley, has been questioned by the fbi. She flew back from her family home in the philippines after hearing about the shooting. She said the 64 year old paid for her to go, and she thought he was breaking up with her. He wired me money, which he said was for me to buy a house for me and my family. I was grateful, but honestly i was worried at first the unexpected trip home and then the money was a way of breaking up with me. Her sisters in australia said she knew nothing about Stephen Paddocks plan. And i know that she dont know anything as well, like us. She was sent away. She was sent away so she will be not there to interfere. America is once again grieving the victims of another mass shooting. America is once again grieving the victims of another mass shootingm is not fairand victims of another mass shootingm is not fair and its not right and i will now forever have to have a bullet in my back. For no reason. So imjust bullet in my back. For no reason. So im just sorry other people have to deal with similar worse injuries or losses. Detectives say they still dont know why Stephen Paddock decided to commit mass murder, but they are building a picture of the killer and they believe he had been planning this attack for some time. Laura bicker, bbc news, las vegas. 0ur correspondent Rajini Vaidyanathan is in las vegas. Are the police any closer to finding out what the motive was . More than 100 investigators continue to come through Stephen Paddocks past and history as they are still searching for a motive. They are looking at the fact he checked into a Different Hotel more than a week before he carried out the attack here into a room which overlooked another Music Festival in the city. Was he trying to target that . Also in october last year he bought more than 30 guns and police are wondering if that was brought on by a specific life events. They are also asking whether he worked with an accomplice, how did he manage to get ten suitcases stuffed with our new mission and guns to the lobby of the 32nd floor of this hotel . That brings us on to a point about security in many of these hotels. Many want to see airport style screening now, a bit like what came in in mumbai in the wake of the 2008 terror attacks. This remains a crime scene but it is open for business. In the words of the slogan of las vegas, what goes on here stays here. This is a city which is of course reeling from the attack on sunday. It wont forget that, but it is determined to move on. Thank you. The trial of an Army Instructor accused of trying to kill his wife by tampering with her parachute has been told the reserve parachute couldnt have failed if it was intact. Victoria cilliers almost died when both her main and back up parachutes failed to open, when she jumped over salisbury plain. Emile cilliers denies the charges. Duncan kennedy is at Winchester Crown court. This is the trial of the man, husband accused of trying to kill his wife by sabotaging her parachute and today the jury heard from one of britains greatest parachute experts, and he was one of those who helped investigate the accident. He showed the jury the kind of parachute used by victoria cilliers on that day, and also a video showing the safety features incorporated into it. He said there was no way the links thatjoin the canopy to the harness itself could have come undone by mistake. Around 25,000 para parachute jumps around 25,000 para parachute ijps are around 25,000 para parachute jumps are made every year at netheravon in salisbury. The prosecution say it was attempted murder, they say Emile Cilliers tampered with the parachute of his wife victoria in an attempt to kill herfor money wife victoria in an attempt to kill her for money and because of his affair with another woman. When she jumped at the height of 4000 feet, both in maine and reserve parachutes failed to open. She hit the ground and suffered multiple injuries. The prosecution say Emile Cilliers, in front here, had taken her parachute into a toilet at the airbase, altered the main chute and removed pieces of kit from the reserve chute. The jury was shown a number of photos and images of the kind of parachute used by victoria cilliers. In particular they were shown the ties thatjoin the harness to the reserve parachute canopy. The prosecution say Emile Cilliers removed prosecution say Emile Cilliers re m oved two prosecution say Emile Cilliers removed two ties so the parachute would fail. The Expert Witness said there was no way they could have come undone by accident. They say mr cilliers, an experienced parachutist like his wife, wanted her dead so he could inherit £120,000 from her Life Insurance policy, and because he was having an affair with a woman he had met on tinder. Victoria cilliers spent three weeks in hospital and only survived because she landed in a ploughed field. Thejury only survived because she landed in a ploughed field. The jury has only survived because she landed in a ploughed field. Thejury has heard the official inquiry into the accident had never known a case where both and where both the main and reserve parachute had failed. Emile cilliers denies the charges against him. Victoria cilliers is expected to give evidence as a witness later in this trial. Emile cilliers was watching from the dock as the parachute expert gave his evidence this morning and the same expert will continue giving evidence this afternoon, again concentrating on the details of the parachute used by victoria on that day in 2015. Our top story this lunchtime. Police investigating claims of sexual abuse against the late former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath say he would have been questioned over seven allegations if he were alive. And still to come. A nobel prize for the british author Kazuo Ishiguro, best known for his work the remains of the day. Coming up in sport great britains amy tinkler only resumed training seven weeks ago after surgery, but shes made the all around final at the world gymnastics championships in montreal. Sales of new cars in the uk have fallen for the sixth month in a row, according to figures out this morning. The society of Motor Manufacturers and traders says the number of new car registrations stands at 426,000, down 9. 3 on this time last year. It marks the first time in six years that the september market has fallen. Its viewed as a key month for car sales, because it marks a change in the licence plate series, showing how old vehicles are. 0ur economics correspondent andy verity has the details. If you want a test of consumer confidence, its here, in aluminium, steel and glass. Consumers dont shell out thousands for a new car if they are uncertain about the nearfuture, and right now, according to car dealers, theyre not confident. People are seeing the headlines, seeing growth forecasts being a lot lower. Certainly the confidence in the economy doesnt seem to be as strong as it once was. Thats been borne out by some recent figures. So itsjust causing consumers to delay purchasing. How long theyll delay them for remains to be seen, but certainly we are seeing the impact now and its really beginning to accelerate. After record sales last year, a drop of 1. 2 in registrations of new petrol fuelled cars doesnt look so bad. What sent the figures plummeting was sales of new diesel cars, down by more than a fifth. Whats put us off diesel . Proven to be not as clean as they originally thought they were and polluting a lot, so i wouldnt think of buying a petrol car. Im a hybrid man now. Theres lots of things in the news about diesel at the moment. And is it carcinogenic fumes coming off . My mum tells my dad not to get diesel cars. Why have you decided to buy a diesel car . I think i made a mistake. I didnt know what was going to happen in respect of legislation with diesel cars or what the price of diesel will be in the future, so i think my next car will be something else. Car makers say mixed signals from the government about diesel cars has sown confusion. The new models give off less Carbon Dioxide and wont face additional charges or bands. Most manufacturers now offer scrappage schemes where you trade in your diesel and get £2000 off your next purchase, but that hasnt stopped sales dropping. People are concerned about the value of diesels, will they be penalised in clean air zones or by taxation purposes. In a lot of cases new diesels wont be penalised in clean air zones, which will come as a surprise to a lot of people, and we are waiting to hear on the clarification around taxation on diesels in the autumn budget. Sales of electric and hybrid cars jumped by one third compared to last compared to last year, but they were the exception. With other big purchases like sofas also selling poorly, the consumers readiness to spend more than ever before on cheap credit is gradually becoming exhausted. Andy verity, bbc news. A terminally ill man has lost his high Court Challenge against the law on assisted dying. Noel conway, who has motor neurone disease, wanted a doctor to be allowed to prescribe a lethal dose of drugs when his health deteriorates. 0ur medical correspondent fergus walsh reports. Noel conway, a retired lecturer from shropshire, increasingly relies on a ventilator to breathe. His incurable degenerative condition is gradually robbing strength from his body. Speaking injuly, he set out his fears for the future. I do not want to die very slowly of suffocation, and being semiconscious, until im in a position where, you know, i dont even know whats going on. Thats called. For some people, they say thats good palliative care. Well, im sorry, thats just not an acceptable option for me. Mr conway had argued that the suicide act, which prohibits assisted dying, breaches his human rights and should be declared unlawful. But the High Court Ruled that the law is needed to protect the weak and vulnerable, an argument put forward by campaigners opposed to assisted suicide. The law is there to protect Vulnerable People from exploitation and abuse, and any change to the law to allow assisted suicide would put pressure on Vulnerable People to end their lives out of fear of being a burden upon carers or relatives, or on a state thats short of resources. Two years ago mp5 overwhelmingly rejected proposals to allow assisted dying in england and wales. Mr conway, seen here at a hearing earlier this year, was too ill to come to court, but said in a statement he was deeply disappointed, adding, this decision denies me a real say over how and when i will die. To me, this is not choice, this is cruelty. He says he intends to appeal todays ruling and this case could go all the way to the supreme court. And fergus is at the high court in Central London now. This is the latest in a series of cases on assisted dying. Has there been any change in legal or medical thinking on this . Not really. The Royal College of gps, the royal couege Royal College of gps, the Royal College of physicians, the british medical association, have already stated their opposition to assisted dying, and the judgment today said, the law was clear and unambiguous. It is clear and unambiguous, because of not what happens here, but down the road at westminster, where two yea rs the road at westminster, where two years ago mp5 roundly, overwhelmingly, rejected proposals to allow assisted dying whether terminally all had less than six months to live and had settled well. So thejudges months to live and had settled well. So the judges today said that parliament was, as they put it, the conscience of the nation and was entitled to set what it saw were moral standards in society, that there should be this line which forbids people from assisting suicide. This case may well go all the way to the supreme court, but it is hard to see how it can succeed where cases such as diane pretty, or the locked inpatient tony nicklinson, failed. Fergus walsh, thank you. The Spanish Government has rejected calls for mediation over catalonias campaign for independence, saying it will not give in to blackmail. The Catalan Leader carles puijdemont indicated that independence could be declared next week, after sundays disputed referendum. Gavin lee reports from barcelona. Barcelona this morning will stop days away from the expected declaration of independence and uncertainty. Preparations are being made here for an announcement on monday. The spanish and Catalan Government arent talking. Appeals for a mediator has far come to nothing and after a recent and rare intervention by the spanish king who blamed separatist indicators, last by the catalan president criticised him. By the catalan president criticised him. Separatist instigators. Translation with yesterdays decision you lost the approval of many people in catalonia that appreciated you and helps you during the institutions difficult moments. People expected another tone. An invitation to dialogue and accord. On the streets of the city, people are on the streets of the city, people a re clearly on the streets of the city, people are clearly split. Some worried, some excited by the events playing out. I think Carles Puigdemont was right because the king didnt refer to all the people in spain and he was just speaking like another party of spain. Translation i think the criticism the catalogue president made about mariano rajoy, i dont agree with it andl mariano rajoy, i dont agree with it and i dont agree about the kings speech. I think the king should leave, the king, the catalan president and mariano rajoy. |j leave, the king, the catalan president and mariano rajoy. I came here, ithink president and mariano rajoy. I came here, i think the situation is awful. It will be hard. I have a right here and everybody is making their lives a normal, so i dont feel its good. To add to the complexity of the possible catalan independence, Spanish Police unions are claiming that hundreds of cata la n are claiming that hundreds of catalan officers are threatening to leave and join a National Force because they are worried about independence. Its claimed its another piece of propaganda designed to show how unstable future catalan state would be. With diplomacy frozen both the sides are speaking directly to the population, urging supporters to display their support for independence orfor supporters to display their support for independence or for unity in the coming days. The british based author Kazuo Ishiguro has been awarded the nobel prize for literature. The Swedish Academy said his novels had great emotional force and they praised japanese born writers exploration of the themes of memory and time. Mr ishiguro said the prize was a magnificent honour that placed in the footsteps of the worlds greatest authors. Three of the home nations are in world cup qualifying action later tonight. Englands footballers can book their place in russia if they win at home against slovenia. Scotland are also in action they face a must win match against slovakia, and Northern Ireland take on the world champions, germany. Wales play tomorrow. Our Sports Correspondent Natalie Pirks reports from belfast. Northern ireland fans have had plenty to sing about recently. Under the steady hand of michael oneill, theyve watched their team rise 109 places in the fifa rankings and they are now inches away from securing a play off spot for the world cup. But it was their fans who won over the world at the european championships last summer. The team may have lost to germany in the group and were eventually knocked out in the last 16, but everyone fell under the green and white armys spell. You know, its nice to reward them. It would be fantastic to reward them with a performance against germany and again, hopefully, as i say, its another step on the road to russia. Oneill says germany, although formidable, are not invincible. The statistics dont agree though. In qualifying germany are unbeaten in 46 away games stretching back to 1934. Facing the world champions is undoubtedly the toughest fixture in international football. But germany also have to face Northern Irelands fa ns also have to face Northern Irelands fans here under the floodlights at windsor park. They could just provide that extra something that Michael Oneills men need to make history. Were looking forward to this game. There would have been a time possibly when they would have feared this game but thats not the case now. We are punching above our weight. Well always punch above our weight. Well always punch above our weight as a small nation with limited resource, but it shows what can be achieved if you can get eve ryo ne can be achieved if you can get everyone together and everyone pointing at the same direction and everyones belief is high. Yes, theyve been ruffling feathers all over europe and it seems on a belfast estate. Green green and White Army Green and white army this parrot has become the teams unofficial mascot. Even the fans dont put him off. Hes used the noise. But honestly, if it was allowed, he covers his ears with a scarf. There was no need for scarves last time the Northern Ireland featured in a world cup. In mexico in 1986 they faced the mighty brazil, but didnt get out of their group. Awin brazil, but didnt get out of their group. A win in the play offs would be the ultimate reward for the last few years. But first