Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Six 20240713

Charged with murder. Thejodie chesney murder two teenagers are found guilty at the old bailey. This is what it looks like when youre trying to beat the land speed record we join the Bloodhound Team on a practice run. And coming up on bbc news, on day one of the para athletics championships, british medal hope kadeena cox is back from injury and talks to us about her Mental Health issues. Good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. Both labour and the conservatives have been setting out their plans for the Economy Today and one thing seems clear whichever party is in charge after the election, theres going to be a lot more borrowing and spending than weve seen for a very long time. Labour have pledged to invest an extra £55 billion a year on infrastructure like housing and schools as well as environmental projects. Thats roughly double what the conservatives are offering an extra £20 to £25 billion a year. So is this going to be the battle of the big spenders . Heres our economics editor faisal islam. The north west of england, the cradle of the Industrial Revolution and today on either end of the east lancashire road, the chancellor sajid javid in manchester and the shadow chancellorjohn mcdonnell in liverpool, launching a fiscal revolution, a fundamental change to policy on borrowing and investment, and not handing too different. Policy on borrowing and investment, and not handing too differentm Means Investment on a scale never seen before in this country. Means investment on a scale never seen before in this countrym means billions of pounds more to spend on the infrastructure revolution that this country needs. Down the road from here,. John mcdonnell in his hometown announcing that a Labour Government will not try to bring the National Debt down asa try to bring the National Debt down as a rule, and instead will increase borrowing to fund billions in investments to solve what he calls the social and Climate Change emergencies. Isnt it interesting . After a ll emergencies. Isnt it interesting . After all the years since i have been shadow chancellor, i have been arguing that we need to invest, and the tories have attacked me, abused me as though i were some revolutionary. Now they are falling into line, but on a scale that doesnt meet the challenges we face. Because they want to keep the debt down. Well, because they are not willing to recognise that governments have to borrow to invest. Labour wants to make investments in infrastructure such as the Mersey Tidal Energy scheme not far from as the Mersey Tidal Energy scheme not farfrom here, as the Mersey Tidal Energy scheme not far from here, and they argue that the value of the asset should be taken into account, notjust the debt required to fund it. That is called a net worth target and has not been tried in a major economy before. Such is the deluge of spending here that there are doubts that it could even be actually spent. Labours message is a little like saying on a National Scale that a homeowner shouldnt worry about the value of a mortgage in isolation. The value of a house and investing in it matters as well, and that frees up hundreds of billions of borrowing to spend on investment. The conservatives criticise the extent, but the basic idea of changing the rules to take advantage of currently low borrowing rates for governments, that is rather similar. In his case, tens of billions more in borrowing in order to allow an increase in annual investment by half, unlike labour, who want to double it. Mrjavid does promise a total of the uks historic borrowing would be kept in check, but scrapped the formal rule demanding that it falls. Excessive debt would risk everything that british people have worked so hard to achieve over the past decade of recovery. The question at this election is, who do you trust to protect that . These plans are independent of what happens with brexit, but at the bank of england two out of nine policymakers voted for new Interest Rate cuts amid fears that weak Global Growth will hit the uk economy. Other Opposition Party such as the lib dems and the snp said that cancelling brexit would be the best way to boost the economy. Whoever wins next month, we appear to be ona whoever wins next month, we appear to be on a journey to more investment and more borrowing too. Quite the change from the previous three elections. Faisal islam, bbc news. The former labour mp and minister ian austin has said that Jeremy Corbyn is completely unfit to be Prime Minister and has urged people to vote for Boris Johnson instead. Mr austin, who left the party in february and is not standing at the election, accuses mr corbyn of failing to tackle anti semitism. It comes after labours deputy leader, tom watson, announced he was stepping down as an mp, but for personal reasons. Heres our political editor, laura kuenssberg. The buses look the same, but its not just the season that the buses look the same, but its notjust the season that makes this a very weird election, as one senior mp put it. Inside both the big parties, there are serious doubts about the leaders. Jeremy corbyns track record of handling or not handling fast enough racism against jews is under attack again. Anti semitism is a poison and an evil in our society. I have spent my whole life fighting against racism. I will die whole life fighting against racism. Iwilldie and whole life fighting against racism. I will die and anti racist. Whole life fighting against racism. I will die and antiracist. But two of his former mps simply dont believe that. Not fit to hold high office. There is no love lost between these two and the labour leadership. But foryears, between these two and the labour leadership. But for years, they were both deeply loyal lieutenants of the party. Listen to them now, urging you to choose not a labour Prime Minister, but a conservative. youre not going to do what is right ona youre not going to do what is right on a fundamental question like racism, what are you going to do it on . I wouldnt say borisjohnson is unfit to be our Prime Minister in the way that i say that about Jeremy Corbyn. The country has a big choice to make, and i thinkJeremy Corbyn is unfit to lead it. And another who worried about anti semitism is off too. Tom watson, the deputy leader, survived an attempt to oust him a couple of months ago, but he is standing down, he says for personal reasons. Not all of mr corbyns supporters in liverpool are sorry to say goodbye. I think good riddance. Why . Because this election comes down to a brutal choice, and that needs a socialist government. If youre not a socialist, then shut the door on the way out. |j youre not a socialist, then shut the door on the way out. I do think that the party is now united more than everand as that the party is now united more than ever and as labour supporters, we need to mobilise. Every party has its massive divisions. As he heads off around the country, Jeremy Corbyn of course wants to look forward to the next few weeks, but the labour leader cannot escape the ghost of his past problems. These are ghost of his past problems. These a re early ghost of his past problems. These are early days have not been an easy ride for Boris Johnson are early days have not been an easy ride for borisjohnson either. Concerns about candidates, resignations and departures. And in scotland, where the Prime Minister broke his campaign booze ban, the party might struggle to keep their 13 seats. We are the party that say, come on, lets get together as the whole uk. Lets get brexit done, get this thing over the line and then get on with bringing our great country together and unleashing the potential of the whole uk. The tories rivals in scotland, though, are only too happy to have him on the trail. I am so confident that borisjohnson will not go down well with scottish voters in this election that my words to him as he leaves scotland to this afternoon maybe, a you back but this time, no politician can see clearly around the corner. Laura kuenssberg is in darwen, in lancashire, for us tonight. We have seen how leadership has become an issue in the campaign so farand become an issue in the campaign so far and today it was jeremy become an issue in the campaign so far and today it wasJeremy Corbyn under attack. That is right, and mr corbyn ran slat back into a problem that has come up for him time and time again, his ability to deal with allegations of anti semitism in the labour party. This has been going on for several years now, and it is not just about one voice criticising him or one politicians concerns. This speaks to a wider problem that a lot of people in the labour party worry about. There is no question that he has legions are really committed, devoted supporters. You see that everywhere he goes around the country. We will see it every day of this campaign. But there is a fear of whether or not the wider public really says that appeal. One member of the shadow team ofJeremy Corbyns who has been loyal to him said to me today that they worry that people just may not want to trust him. And that is a fundamental problem, whether it is on anti semitism or anything else, that the labour leader has to grapple with in the next few weeks if they are to have a proper shot at a real victory. Laura, thank you very much. The liberal democrats, the greens and plaid cymru have agreed not to stand against each other in dozens of seats across england and wales at the general election. The three way pact aims to give the strongest candidate the best chance of winning. All three parties want the uk to remain in the eu. Alex forsyth reports from winchester, a constituency that is currently held by the conservatives, and the greens have stepped aside in favour of the liberal democrats. The country is poised to make a crucial choice, but in some seats, it will be a limited one. Winchester is one place where some anti brexit parties have agreed not to stand against each other. Its a good idea. Its the only way we have a chance of staying in the eu. The only one trying to hijack for or against brexit is wrong. In this current tory seat, it means the greens were not put up a candidate but the lib dems will, the idea being to avoid splitting the pro eu vote. The lib dem leader his party could benefit most argues that brexit is key in this election. speaks volumes about how how high the stakes are, how important this is, that these parties, ourselves, the liberal democrats, with the green party and plaid cymru, have been able to put aside those narrow Party Interests that Work Together in the national interest. There are 60 constituencies where agreements have been reached between the lib dems, plaid cymru and the green party. 11 in wales, the rest in england, targeting remain areas like here in winchester. But without labour involved, the effect could be limited. Its hard to know how much difference this might make. It could only have an impact in perhaps a small handful of seats. But this, more than most, is an unpredictable election, and even a handful of seats could be crucial. In this e cohabit in the city centre, local business women harriet and laura have their reservations. There is a lot of logic in them unifying together, brexit will be over, however it is over, and then we need to move on as a country and without all the voices being heard, we are doing ourselves a disservice. Both wa nted doing ourselves a disservice. Both wanted to remain in the eu, but have concerns about efforts to stop brexit. The country voted to leave, soldo brexit. The country voted to leave, so i do wonder if we should be following that decision. So i do wonder if we should be following that decisionlj so i do wonder if we should be following that decision. I would prefer that they all said what they wa nted prefer that they all said what they wanted to do and we were given the opportunity to vote for those parties. Whether this limits choice or focuses mines, the parties. Whether this limits choice orfocuses mines, the brexit lines are now orfocuses mines, the brexit lines a re now clearly orfocuses mines, the brexit lines are now clearly drawn. Alex forsyth, bbc news, winchester. And a full list of all the candidates standing in winchester will be on the bbc website after nominations close next week. Throughout the election campaign, well be looking at all the key issues in detail, and asking what questions you would like answered. Send your election question to bbcyourquestions or yourquestions bbc. Co. Uk. A Police Officer has been charged with the murder of the former aston villa footballer Dalian Atkinson, who died after being tasered. The 48 year old was restrained by officers in telford in shropshire in 2016. Mr atkinsons family said they welcomed the decision to put the officers conduct before a jury. Sian lloyd reports. Dalian atkinsons talents brought him some memorable goals. This strike clinched him goal of the season in 1993. His career spanned 15 years, including four seasons with aston villa in the 1990s. But three years ago, police were called to his fathers home, near telford. A taser was discharged and Dalian Atkinson was restrained. He died shortly afterwards, following a cardiac arrest. What happened there was investigated by the police watchdog. Following that independent inquiry, two officers from the west mercia force appeared in court today. They were both charged this morning one with the murder of Dalian Atkinson, and the other, a woman Police Officer, is accused of assault, causing actual bodily harm. Their identities are currently being protected. The barrister for the two Police Officers argued that they should remain anonymous because they could face a risk to their lives if their identities became known. The judge said that it was virtually wholly unprecedented for a defendant not to be named, but he did grant an interim order and will consider the matter in full on wednesday. Dalian atkinsons family said they welcomed the decision to put the officers conduct before a jury, but said they regretted that it was now more than three years since his death. Sian lloyd, bbc news, Birmingham Crown court. Two teenagers have been found guilty of murdering 17 year old jodie chesney, who was stabbed in a park in east london in march. Svenson ong a kwie, whos 19, and a 17 year old, who cant be named, have been convicted at the old bailey. Dan johnson has been speaking to jodies family. Well, i terribly miss being able to askjodie to play the piano for me. Erm, i miss everything about her. Mmm. The chesney family photos beam with youthful innocence and ambition. Jodie was bright, caring, and kind. Hard work volunteering earned her the highest recognition. Her killing stunned the nation. And after an eight week trial, this is the relief of a grieving family. Im happy with the verdict. 100 . We got em justice forjodie yeah, forjodie this is the last image ofjodie heading to the park with friends that friday night, to listen to music and smoke cannabis. Cctv later caught two figures crossing the field towards the group. The two hooded men walked silently over to the play area. The prosecution said they crept up on jodie and her friends. And her boyfriend described how one hopped this fence, the other came through this gate. And without a word being said, they walked straight up tojodie and she was stabbed in the back. Svenson ong a kwie was a local drug dealer. He claimed hed gone to meet a customer that evening. When he was asked who stabbed jodie, he named his 17 year old co defendant, who cant be identified. In return, he said it was svenson who killed her. This was a previous attack svenson was involved in. The jury heard jodie may have been caught in the crossfire of a row about drugs. Jodie was a lovely girl, completely innocent girl, who, for all intents and purposes, was in the right place at the right time and not the wrong place. She was in a park with her friends, early evening, and had done nothing to warrant this level of violence. Mauel petrovic admitted driving the others to the park, but said he didnt expect any violence. He and a 16 year old were cleared. Im not going to spend my life hating because its going to eat you up inside. And i dont want to do that. And i knowjodie wouldnt want that of me. Danjohnson with that report. The time is 18 18. Our top story this evening both labour and the conservatives have been setting out their plans for the economy both are planning to spend and borrow billions more. And coming up racing to the ends of the earth the car which could become the worlds fastest. Coming up on sportsday on bbc news. Former olympic gold medallist caitlynjenner talks to us about her beliefs when it comes to Transgender Athletes competing at tokyo. As weve been seeing, the parties are setting out their plans for our country after the election. But what the politicians think is important is not always top of the list for voters. So, over the coming weeks, well be travelling across the uk, hearing about what matters to communities on the ground and we start tonight with clive myrie, in leeds. Clive. Yes, good evening to you, george, from a city that is fascinating in terms of the electoral map, staunchly labour in the centre, and surrounded by three more marginal constituencies in the rural outskirts. But labour has lost vote share in the last two big polls, the may council and european elections. Its also a divided city in a divided country over brexit, marginally voting remain, barely more tha 50 in the referendum. We area we are a few yards from the main train station in the centre of leads. And rail nationalisation, bringing the northern railfranchise under public control is going to be a key election issue for those commuters who say they are fed up with the service right across the north of england. Heres tom burridge, our transport correspondent. Having a poor Train Service is just really stressful. You get up in the morning not knowing what train youre going to get, if theres going to be delays, cancellations. That one just says delayed, with no explanation as to how long catherines consistently challenging commute affects her life. I think when youre living it day in, day out, it has a huge impact. You get to work and youre kind of stressed and frustrated, which doesnt start your day very well. I think the situation with the trains in the north is really poor. It doesnt seem like anything really changes. In fact, Train Company northern is in such trouble that whatever happens in the election, any future government might have to step in and run their services. Everyone agrees the current rail system isnt working. Rail infrastructure in britain today thats the tracks, the signalling a lot of the major stations like leeds are run by a Public Sector body called network rail. And virtually all of our trains are run by private companies, who bid for, and then enter into contracts with the government, called franchises. Network rail also take some of the blame for the poor performance on our railways today. The franchising system today isnt just failing lots of passengers, Train Companies say its not working for them either. Northerns losing lots of money, but other franchises are too, like Greater Anglia and south western. The conservatives have commissioned a rail review. After the election, theyll look at its recommendations and then overhaul the current system. Labour, the snp and the greens would scrap the franchising system. Public companies would start running trains when current contracts end. The lib dems advocate a mix of franchising and a more locally controlled model. The brexit party has yet to announce its rail strategy. Even people in the industry want radical reform. Last year alone, i think only 61 of the trains actually ran on time across the uk. I dont think thats giving the best Customer Satisfaction for passengers. I feel like there isnt enough focus on the customer. Some argue the mix of public and private companies doesnt work. People arent stupid. They know that when youre standing at a train platform, you havent really got a choice. There isnt really a free market. What there is is government trying to get some outcomes and using the private sector to do it. Services between london and edinburgh have been run by this Public Company for the past 18 months. The rail system of today will change voters will help decide how. Tom burridge, bbc news, in leeds. The woes of northern commuters. More than one and a half million young people will have their first chance to vote in a general election this december. They are a fascinating slice of the electorate because they didnt have the chance to vote in a referendum on leaving the European Union in 2016. Many of them, however, are disillusioned with the state of our politics and we have been talking to some of them to try and find out why. I feel like an mps just going to say what you want to hear and then not do it. What they do most is talk, and they never really do a lot of actions, which does not impress me. I think some politicians are truthful, others are liars. The voices of a generation in a city where so many of the young people we spoke to are disillusioned with a political class, a political system. Leeds, an urban area that crackles with a vibrant, youthful energy, until you mention politics. I dont think that, erm, politicians in this country, like, really think about the public. Both first time voters, laura and hannah are studying for a diploma in aviation at leeds city college. In a mock up of a 737, theyre learning how to be air stewards. Do you think politicians think about young people enough . Not really, no. No. I think they only concentrate on, erm. Money yeah, money and, erm. And just about middle aged people, really. Ollie, whos 20, wants to be a pastry chef. What do you want to hear from the politicians . The truth. I mean, ive heard so many different lies and false information from so many politicians, im getting tired of it. In a neighbouring leeds constituency, another tale of alienation from laura, a trainee tattoo artist. Is there anything that a politician could say that would make you feel, yeah, ill give them my vote . Itjust seems like its always, like, a fight. If their attitude changed, then, yeah. Maybe if they started working together, rather than it always being a competitive situation. Young voters could leave an indelible mark on this election if they turn out to vote. But what chance of that for the student bartenders, pastry chefs and Airline Stewards we spoke to . The views of some of the young people we spoke to, politics in our age has turned off quite a few people and young voters, clearly, some of the ones we spoke to, at least, are no exception. That is it from a wet and windy leeds. Back to you, george, in the studio. Clive, thank you very much. Its known as the bloodhound, and is half race car, half spaceship. Now a british team are hoping the six tonne, arrow shaped vehicle will eventually become the worlds fastest car. Its being trialled in the kalahari desert where, yesterday, it clocked just over 500 miles an hour in a test run. Andrew hardings been along to watch it. Imagine trying to drive a car at 1,000 miles an hour. Steering it. Keeping it on track. Where would you even start . Perhaps here, on the flattest piece of mud in the world. A dried up lake bed in the kalahari desert. Every stone, every pebble, carefully cleared away. In a tent by the test track, the bloodhound. Nasa Technology Meets garden shed enthusiasm. He laughs doing what i want to do fiddling around, trying to make things work . Fiddling, yeah. Funding all this, a yorkshire businessman, who sees an opportunity to inspire. The reality is, we need more engineers to solve the problems of the future. And so, inspiring engineers is something we should be trying to do as much as possible. And out it comes. Yeah, were good every single part of this car is being produced to a level that has never even been attempted before. Thats why were confident that were notjust going to break a world land speed record here on the hakskeen pan, were going to smash it. The car is powered by a fighter planes jet. Next year, theyll strap on a rocket too. Half formula 1, half space shuttle. And there it goes an extraordinary moment six tonnes of car and, within 30 seconds, its going to be going at 500 miles an hour. And then, of course, it has to slow down, which is why it needs such a long track. Inside, andy green wrestles with the steering, as a gust of wind blows him off the ten mile course. This is a difficult, dangerous business. And soon, he hopes to drive the car twice as fast. An eccentric obsession with speed, or something more profound . Something to stir hearts and to inspire. Andrew harding, bbc news, south africa. It is not quite as dry here heres chris fawkes. Heavy rain across Northern England has caused flooding across parts of Northern England, stranding vehicles in places and we have seen transport disruption and disruption on the rail network and joggers encountered a water hazard on their run, but not advisable to go into flood waters. The slow weather front has not been budging across Northern England and the rain has been very heavy across derbyshire and also western and southern yorkshire. The met office haveissued southern yorkshire. The met office have issued an amber weather warning in these counties for up to 100 millimetres from the rainfall event and we are seeing a lot of flood warnings which continue to rise hour by hour, 73 flood warnings, the majority in force across parts of yorkshire. And we have another six, nine hours of rain to come before the rain starts to lose its identity and starts to pivot down towards the midlands, taking the worst of the rain with it. Elsewhere, overnight, some clear spells and where they keep a clear skies, it will be chilly with a touch of frost in the cold est chilly with a touch of frost in the coldest areas. Tomorrow, is a low pressure m oves coldest areas. Tomorrow, is a low pressure moves into the continent, the rain becomes lighter and patchy leaving damp weather and a legacy of cloudy skies across eastern england. Otherwise, a decent day, it is bright and sunny and allows time those floodwaters to gradually flow away. A cold night follows into the early pa rt away. A cold night follows into the early part of saturday morning and these are the temperatures underneath clear skies, 2, these are the temperatures underneath clearskies, 2, minus three degrees in towns and cities and the countryside, even lower. The cold est and the countryside, even lower. The coldest night we have seen so far this autumn around the corner. Saturday, more rain and wintry weather over the high ground, staying dry across the north east and it stays on the cold side, but in the short term, flooding remains a concern across Northern England. Chris, thank you very much. Thats all from the bbc news at six, so its goodbye from me. 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