Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Six 20240714

You feel as if youre going to go insane. You know, i even thought to myself, i cant cope, cant, ill kill myself, ill kill myself and how poorer teenagers in england are falling behind their wealthier counterparts at gcse level. And coming up on bbc news the ashes are just two days away and its been confirmed that captain joe root will bat at no 3 for england in that first test against australia at edgbaston. Good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. Borisjohnson is making his first visit to wales as Prime Minister, in a bid to rally support for his brexit plans. But theres been fierce criticism from welsh farming groups, who say that leaving the eu without a deal would be catastrophic for welsh farming and could lead to civil unrest. Wales, which voted to leave in 2016, is heavily dependent on agriculture, particularly lamb. More than a third of all welsh lamb is sold abroad and almost all of it 92 is bought by eu countries. But if we leave with no deal, welsh lamb is likely to face eu tariffs of around a0 . Farmers currently pay no tariffs for eu exports. Wales correspondent sian lloyd is in cardiff. Final preparations for a meeting between the first minister of wales and the Prime Minister taking place Agriculture Policy is devolved in wales so, the Welsh Government takes many of the decisions. But the Prime Minister faced many of the decisions. But the Prime Ministerfaced questions many of the decisions. But the Prime Minister faced questions about some of the wider issues facing the sector. My report a Prime Minister wanting to tell those working in agriculture that it can continue to thrive after brexit. As borisjohnson as Boris Johnson makes as borisjohnson makes his first visit to wales as Prime Minister, a country which voted to leave the eu, today, farmers leaders are warning of potential civil unrest in the event of a no deal brexit. Wales exports more to europe than any other uk country and there are fears that leaving without a deal could have a catastrophic impact on peoples livelihoods. We will make sure that they have the support they need and if there are markets that are tricky, that we help them find new markets and that we have interventions that are aimed to support but this farming family wants to know the details of plans. The hu ntleys know the details of plans. The huntleys have been rearing sheep for generations. Jonathan voted to remain in europe and he is concerned about where and how quickly new markets can be found. Its taken 40 years to develop and create the market that we have in europe. If we lose that overnight, there is no way we can find to tick up the lambs ta ke we can find to tick up the lambs take up the lambs. Welsh farms receive subsidies from the Common Agricultural policy. But there are fears about how that will impact and the loss of free trade. We can see 48 of tariffs on lamb or beef and make it unviable to export. Our biggest market which is the eu. The Prime Minister repeated that he is notaiming fora Prime Minister repeated that he is not aiming for a new deal brexit. If compromise cant be found preparations must be made. He will be delivering that message late rto the welsh first minister. Be delivering that message late rto the welsh first ministerli be delivering that message late rto the welsh first minister. I want to impress on the Prime Minister that a campaign of bluff and bluster and a belief that if we simply indulge ourselves in a sense of optimism, thatis ourselves in a sense of optimism, that is not going to get us through this. We need a proper detailed conversation that measures up to the seriousness of the issues. The two leaders will be meeting at some protesters are gathering before that meeting. Two leaders who are on opposite side of the political divide, the question is will they find common ground. Mark drakeford will remain steadfast in his message that a no deal brexit would be devastating for the welsh economy. The Prime Minister is also due to go to ireland soon. Our chief Political Correspondent vicki young is in westminster, but already a phone call with his irish counterpart the first since he became Prime Minister has rather set the tone for the meeting. Yes it has, it is extraordinary it has taken a week for the two men to speak andi has taken a week for the two men to speak and i thinkjudging by the conversations there is not much chance of a brexit Borisjohnson Boris johnson talked borisjohnson talked about approaching the negotiations in the spirit of friendship, but the two are at loggerheads over the backstop. Leo varadkar said the insurance policy to stop physical checks at the boarder in ireland had to stay in and he repeat the eus line that deal that theresa may agreed would not be renegotiated. Leo varadkar also invited Boris Johnson to dublin, but i get the sense from downing street he wont be hot footing it there soon. What we are seeing from borisjohnson is a continuation of the twin track approach, saying his preference is for a deal, but the uk will leave the eu at the end of october come what may and that is why he is ramping up the preparations for no deal. You can see also that Boris Johnson is starting the strategy of trying to pin the blame for a no deal on the eu, saying that this is up deal on the eu, saying that this is up to the eu, it is their call if they want to do this. That is not how brussels would sigh silt. Thank you. The value of the pound has continued to fall, as the ggovernment insists it is prepared to take the uk out of the European Union without a deal. This morning, it reached a a new two and a half year low against the dollar, before recovering slightly. Today at the close of markets in london, one pound would buy you 1. 21, down more than a cent on yesterday. It also fell against the euro. Its bad news for holiday makers heading abroad. Heres our Business Editor simonjack. Holiday time. Its when people really notice the value of the pound, and for brits in paris today, the recent slump has come into sharp focus. Everything is so much more expensive than what we thought it was, we have done europe trips before and it hasnt been this expensive. It is significantly more expensive for this trip than when i was here last year for business. Maybe you cant enjoy yourself as much as youd like to because you are penny pinching. For businesses like this popcorn maker, the pounds value is important all year round. The recent fall has come just as it is launching new products in america, which is good, but it is not that simple. There are two sides to the coin. On the positive we are able to sell a lot more product overseas because people are able to buy it at a lower price, but on the other side it is more expensive for us to buy ingredients from overseas. Those that need to come from belgium, chocolate, for example. At the same time we dont tend to pass on any Cost Increases to customers so we are seeing our margins being squeezed as well. A lot of companies are like this, they export a bit and those exports will be cheaper overseas, they import ingredients and they will be a bit more expensive. So its a bit of a trade off. As a country, the uk imports much more than it exports so on balance it is worse off. Since a very sharp fall after the referendum, the value of the pound has largely risen on hopes of a deal and fallen on talk of no deal. Recently, the government has flip flopped between saying no deal is one in a million to being called the governments working assumption. It is that message that has seen it slide to its lowest level in two and a half years. So how low could it go . Markets are clearly worried about no deal but if it becomes clear that we are indeed on the road to no deal, then it is likely the pound would fall a lot further, down to 1. 10 against the dollar, or below. That would mean more expensive imports and higher costs for consumers. A cheaper pound could over time help us export more and import less, but in the short term, home or abroad, a falling pound makes uk consumers and tourists poorer. In some ways a currency is like the share price of a country. It is a sign of confidence in its economic prospects. The Financial Markets at least seem to believe that a no deal brexit could dent both of those. A british woman has been remanded in custody in cyprus following claims she falsely accused 12 israeli teenagers of raping her in the resort of ayia napa. The group aged between 15 and 20 spent more than a week in custody on the island before being released. The woman whos 19, but hasnt been named is accused of causing public mischief. Profits at the bakery chain greggs rose by more than 50 in the past six months. Thats double the amount the firm reported for the same period in 2019. Greggs say the success of their vegan sausage roll has helped the growth. A former high courtjudge says the Police Officers involved in the inquiry into an alleged vip paedophile ring should be investigated themselves. Sir Richard Henriques who led a review of the Police Operation alleges officers had doubts about the credibility of the accuser carl beech, but hid them from a judge when applying for search warrants. Beech was jailed for 18 years last week for lying about being tortured and abused. June kelly reports. Last week, carl beech was given an 18 year sentence for the lies he told in police interviews. I had poppies pinned to my chest whilst they did whatever they wanted to do. He duped officers with his deceit. Lord bramall, a former army chief, was among those beech accused, along with the former home secretary lord brittan, who died during the police investigation, and the ex tory mp harvey proctor. I was effectively ruined by what happened. I lost myjob, i lost my home. I have a civil action against the metropolitan police which they are resisting. But did police break the law themselves by searching the homes of these accused . This is the question which is now being asked. In february 2015, the met police applied for three search warrants as part of their controversial investigation. It was in march the following year that the enquiry, operation midland, was finally closed with no one arrested or charged. In october 2016, a judges highly critical review of the enquiry was published in part. It was the work of the former high court judge, sir Richard Henriques. Now in a newspaper article he attacks the police further claiming the three search warrants were obtained unlawfully because police didnt reveal there were inconsistencies in beechs story. And he says the Police Watchdog should have investigated whether a criminal act was committed by the police. Lord bramall has described how officers descended on his home in hampshire. His wife was suffering from alzheimers. They were all over the house and my wife was seriously ill, but she was downstairs on a walker and i had to move herfrom room to room and she kept on saying, what are they doing here . The beech case has been extremely damaging for Scotland Yard but today the Police Watchdog stressed that it had found no suspicion of criminality involving officers who investigated beech. Our top story this evening the Prime Minister has visited wales and promised to help farmers in the event of a no deal brexit. Coming up the internet family chat show being watched by millions. Coming up on sportsday on bbc news sin bins in football, thats the fas answer to dealing with dissent in the game something which will come into affect for the upcoming season. Alcohol abuse in england has become a National Epidemic with cuts to services meaning many are not getting the help they need. Experts from Kings College london say the government isnt doing enough to tackle it. While scotland and wales have invested in their alcohol services, more than £100 million has been cut since services in england were re organised in 2012. The researchers say cuts to Community Care are putting increasing strain on hospitals, which have seen admissions for alcohol related conditions rise by 15 in the past decade. Our social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan reports on the pressure one Alcohol Care Team is facing. Alcohol is britains deadliest drug. Theyve more or less said, if you dont pack in, youre going to die. 10 of all patients admitted to hospital are alcohol dependent. I was drinking a three litre bottle of cider over 24 hours. At the Royal Liverpool hospital they get the best care the nhs can offer. Were all part of the Alcohol Care Team. Good morning, how are you . I havent been too good. Nurse consultant lynne owens knows marion well. So, you last had your tablets first thing this morning. The 66 year old is on the second day of her latest detox and needs help. Well get you better. Well do it together. It is the most horrendous feeling to be like this and you feel as if youre going to go insane, you know i even thought to myself, i cant cope, i cant, ill kill myself, ill kill myself first. And then you think so yourself, why the hell did you get yourself into that situation . But you dont realise. Her recovery begins with some tablets to help her withdrawal from alcohol. But her symptoms are severe. She is struggling. You take them with some water. Being an alcoholic you cannot have one, there is no such thing on this earth as one drink. And its a terrible affliction. Absolutely terrible. Last year lynne and her colleagues treated more than 2,500 people with alcohol problems, one of the few specialist teams in england. Treatment for alcohol related problems in this country is poor. The amount of treatment available is certainly not enough. In liverpool though theyre doing their best. This man needs fluid drained from his stomach as alcohol has damaged his liver a common problem. Eight litres are removed, but he continues to drink. For lynne, a 20 year veteran of treating alcohol addiction, that is irrelevant to his care. Some people even think they that they dont deserve treatment and thats a dreadful place for any person to be. The more respect you show to patients and the more dignity you afford them, the more likely you are to increase their motivation to change. Two thirds of patients with alcohol problems are aged over 45 across the nhs, with most attending hospital repeatedly. This time last week i couldnt walk, i was using a zimmer frame. Meet tricia graham, she is 46. A mum of five. I have had pneumonia eight times in the last year. Double pneumonia. I dont know how im still alive, i have had a couple of cardiac arrests. And its all down to drinking. A lifelong need for alcohol has weakened her lungs, liver and pancreas. But shes recently been given her own flat and is determined to stay sober to repair the damage shes caused to herself and her family. Im sorry, kids. Im sorry, everyone ive hurt. But there just didnt seem no other way out, you know . In the bed next to tricia is catherine maxwell, who is having a liver scan. She stopped drinking last year after decades of abuse incredibly her bodys recovering. Normal. This is the point of the Alcohol Care Team supporting patients to stop drinking and start living. I was indifferent to life in the past, i wasnt enjoying it. And i havent enjoyed life in this way for decades. With Community Services being cut, nhs england intends to create Alcohol Care Teams in 50 other hospitals, while more admissions than ever are linked to problem drinking. And if youve been affected by any issues in Michael Buchanans report, there is information on the bbcs action line. A hospital in derby is facing a bill of around a quarter of a Million Pounds after a group of Junior Doctors challenged the hours they were working in court. The judge ruled that they should have been paid more because they hadnt taken breaks while on shift. Our Health Editor hugh pym is here. Why are they working through their lunch breaks . These were breaks they we re lunch breaks . These were breaks they were contractually entitled to to protect then given the stressful nature of thejob. Protect then given the stressful nature of the job. This could be highly costly for hospitals across england and wales. The case was brought at Derby Hospitals trust her claim that their rotors had not been drawn up properly so they did not get these breaks. And whats more, they should have been paid. The appeal courtjudge built in their favour and it looks as if the trust will have to pay out a quarter of £1 million. While other hospitals be affected . Million. While other hospitals be affected . It could be a couple more, it could be more than that. The British Medical Association says it will help any doctor in england and wales who wishes to challenge their employer on this issue. Attempts to close the gap in performance between poorer students and their classmates in englands secondary schools have stalled for the first time in eight years. The think tank the Education Policy Institute found that underprivileged children were on average a year and a half behind other pupils by the time they took gcses. They highlighted particular problems in the north of england. Our education correspondent Frankie Mccamley reports from rotherham. Tackling inequality is at the heart of this summer club, helping to ensure children from all backgrounds reach their goals. Looking back, i feel like i could have done much better in my gcses, but i was happy with my grades. Coach will had free school meals. He understands the struggles others can face. You tell them not to be scared and you tell them dont think people are better than you because no one is better than nobody. Even if you are from a rich part or a poor part you are the same, arent you . Nobody is going to change that. Analysis of government attainment figures has found in recent years the progress in closing the gap between poorer pupils and their peers has been slowing down, to the point where its now at a standstill at gcse level in england. It doesnt surprise me that these pupils are falling behind. Theyve not had a breakfast, which means they are not concentrating, and theyve not got the parents behind them because the parents are just trying to get through a day and put food on the table at home. In some parts of the north there are high levels of deprivation, and thats where researchers have found that disadvantaged pupils can fall even further behind their peers. In rotherham, the gap can go up to two years, but its in blackpool where its at its widest. Rotherham and darlington arent far behind. In the south, the gap for poorer pupils in kent and portsmouth is up to 23 months. In some of the most deprived areas in london, there is a much smaller division. Just under four months in westminster and just over five in tower hamlets. That could be down to more investment in recent years in the capital, which hasnt gone unnoticed in rotherham. Weve always felt that that theres been a north south divide. The advantages that people in the south get, it is with education, it is with health care, everything. The government maintains gaps have narrowed overall but teaching unions say more money is needed to ensure children dont miss out. Tony blairs former director of communications, alistair campbell, has announced he does not want to be a Labour Party Member whilejeremy corbyn is leader. Mr campbell says that labour faces being destroyed as a serious credible political force. He was expelled from the party after admitting voting for the liberal democrats in the european elections. Shes an actress, mother and the wife of hollywood actor will smith. And nowjada Pinkett Smith has become one of the leading online entertainers, with her chat show, which is broadcast on facebook. She reaches millions of people every week with her online series red table talk, which she hosts with her mother and her musician daughter willow smith. Shes been speaking to our correspondent chi chi izundu. This is red table talk. Red table talk. Its a simple concept, a chat around a table featuring jada Pinkett Smith, her mum adrienne and her daughter willow. No topic is off limits. There are some celebrity guests including her husband, actor will smith, where they have talked about their marriage. I think thats the worst ive ever felt in our marriage. Wow. I was failing miserably. The red table talk is on a new Facebook Service competing with the likes of netflix and youtube. 300 million views is extraordinary for a show just a year old. The figure is dwarfed by some youtube programmes but traditional tv, however, can only dream of getting such numbers. Of course i went to Traditional Networks and there were networks that wanted it. There is something about network television, that makes it less intimate. Wejust like to get to the table and talk. We dont want to do a whole lot of ta da and you have to do that for network. A topic revisited time and time again is race. Everything from interracial relationships to whether white people should adopt black children. My mother comes from a whole different generation where segregation and racism wore a different face, and then there is my generation, and then there is willows generation, so how we all relate to race is very different. Very different and the wounds are different. The 47 year old was born in baltimore in maryland which was just last weekend described as a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess by president trump, a comment he has denied is racist. And although jada acknowledges how talking about skin colour can be difficult, it is a conversation she is willing to keep having. We in america have been dealing with race, all the different layers of it, a lot of history. We are still dealing with the repercussions of it, and i think that once we embrace that reality, we can get to the other side faster. But it is happening at its pace. Time for a look at the weather. Heres ben rich. This picture speaks for itself. A dramatic day of weather that has caused one or two issues. One or two places had an excess of 50 millimetres of rain in another. Also thunder and lightning and hail. That was in north yorkshire. Gusty winds bringing trees down across southern parts of the uk. Low pressure moving northwards. You can see these downpours gathering round it. A lot of thunder and lightning. 15,000 lightning strikes through the course of the afternoon and these widespread downpours continue through this evening and overnight so through this evening and overnight so if you are heading on the roads there could be poor travelling conditions. The winds will ease through the night and the showers become confined to parts of northern england, north wales and the midlands. Other areas dry on what will be a warm night for some. Into tomorrow you can see there is low pressure pushing northwards taking the showers with it. Across southern england and south wales you can expect a drier day tomorrow than today. Still breezy but not as windy as it has been. Through north wales and east anglia some showers. More of those downpours across northern england. Not a of those downpours across northern england. Nota bad of those downpours across northern england. Not a bad day in northern ireland. These downpours then scotla nd ireland. These downpours then scotland will be quite slow moving because the winds will be light so they can give a lot of rain and a short space of time. This is thursday, and improving story, a drying up story. Still some showers across the north and east. Further west, drier weather, some sunshine, and temperatures creeping up. Showers fading as we head through friday and into the start of the weekend. Thats all from the bbc news at six, so its goodbye from me, and on bbc one we nowjoin the bbcs news teams where you are. Hello, this is bbc news. The headlines. The Prime Minister tries to reassure welsh farmers about their future amid increasing fears of a no deal brexit. We will make sure that they get the help that they need, that if there are markets that are going to be tricky, we help them to get new markets. Brexit means bad news for holidaymakers heading abroad as the pound continues to fall. Dealing with englands alcohol problem experts say huge cuts to services for alcoholics are fuelling a National Epidemic. And how the poorest teenagers in england are falling behind their counterparts at gcse level. In a moment it will be time for sportsday but first a look at what else is coming up this evening on bbc news. Before seven, well hear from the National Sheep association as they warn Prime Minister Boris Johnson to stop playing russian roulette with their industry. As one hotel group says they are banning mini toiletries