Transcripts For BBCNEWS Verified 20240703

A type of concrete, thats known to be at risk of crumbling. Meanwhile, in the last couple of hours another twist with the Education Secretary caught on camera voicing herfrustrations about the media coverage. This is Gillian Keegan after an interview with itv news. Does anyone ever say, you have done a good job cos everyone else has sat on thei and done nothing . No signs of that, no . The footage was captured by itv news as the Camera Repositioned for extra shots at the end of an interview with the minister, while she was still wearing her microphone. Gillian keegan has apologised for those remarks. Gillian keegan, you said everyone else had sat on their backsides which suggests you think people had been pulling their weight, who are you talking about . It was nobody in particular, it was an off the cuff remark after the News Interview had finished or apparently after it had finished. I would like to apologise for my choice language there. That was unnecessary. But it was an off the cuff remark, basically based on the interview. The interview had been pressing me quite hard, why i hadnt solved this issue which had been going on since 1994. It is frustrating because we are doing everything now to take a leading position, to be on the front foot, to put all of the support in place that responsible bodies and schools need. It is also frustrating we got some questionnaires that are still not there. We have been chasing and chasing them. So we have just written today again to say you need to get your questionnaires in by the end of the week. I understand because obviously the evidence has changed but you need to be able to move quickly when you get new evidence. So that is something that, yes, i apologise for the language but it is something that im very keen to make progress on. Keir starmer has had this to say. The situation is descending into farce. The government has dropped the ball and the Prime Minister bears responsibility for some of the key decisions and instead of coming out and saying this is what we are going to do to fix the problem, which we have made a lot worse, you have got members of the cabinet coming out trying to blame other people, trying to blame people within their own teams, and to say essentially, but but responsibility anywhere but on the government. That is not what the uk deserves and we can see to what extent there is the passing the buck within the cabinet. Is rishi sunak Strong Enough to do anything about it . I doubt it. This was the Prime Ministers response to accusations of refusing to adequately fund School Repairs. Are you to blame for. Whats happening now . And do you want to apologise to parents and pupils . I think that is completely and utterly wrong. Actually, one of the first things i did as chancellor in my first Spending Review in 2020 was to announce a new Ten Year School rebuilding programme for 500 schools. Now, that equates to about 50 schools a year that will be refurbished or rebuilt. And if you look at what weve been doing over the previous decade, thats completely in line with what weve always done. About 50 or so schools a year refurbished or rebuilt. Thats what i announced as chancellor in my first Spending Review. On top of that, i also invested £5 billion to help our kids catch up with lost learning from covid, the education recovery programme. I think youll remember at the time that was rightly a priority of the country to help our kids whove been disrupted by covid, with extra tutoring, for example, to help them catch up. And that cost £5 billion, which i invested in as chancellor. Earlier, a former top Civil Servant at the Department For Education accused mr sunak and the uk treasury of refusing to fund School Repairs adequately, despite being warned that lives were at risk from crumbling concrete. Jonathan slater spoke on the bbc radios today programme. The Spending Review was completed a year after i left the department, and i was absolutely amazed to see that the decision made by the government was to halve the School Rebuilding programme, down from 100 a year to 50 a year. To be clear, then, in the department, you were saying we need to rebuild three to 400. It became 100 a year. And after you left the department, it went down to 50 a year . Yes. To be clear, we know whats needed 300 400. Theres only so much capacity in the construction industry. There is disruption if you close schools and rebuild them. So the actual ask in the Spending Review in 2021 was to double the 100 to 200. Thats what we thought was going to be practical in the first instance, and i thought wed get it, but the actual decision that the chancellor took in 21 was to halve the size of the programme. Now, the chancellor, of course, was at the time . Rishi sunak. I spoke with our correspondent ellie price whos outside a school in eltham, south east london. The gates have been closed all day and they were never meant to be open today because it is a teacher training day but this is one of the 104 schools that have been affected so far by the raac concrete issue, and there is raac in the Main School Hall here. The head teacher wrote to parents saying a survey had been done in the last summer term identifying this raac and they were told it was not an issue and itjust needed to be looked at by engineers fairly often, and then the guidance changed which meant the school hall could no longer be used. We understand the letter said that there is also the school gym and canteen and also the girls and boys toilets so the children returning here on wednesday will find they will need to go to the toilet in a blue portacabin and there will probably be a marquee on the grass outside which will act as a canteen. This gives a sense. We are hearing of the bigger issues, but we see now what it means for children and parents. Id it is also worth mentioning that most of the children in any of the schools affected will know about it. This is where we are with it now, the schools that have an issue have written to parents and in many cases that has led to partial closures rather than full, but it means certain buildings are out of action. Joining me now is author and broadcaster and the host of the podcast rock n roll politics, steve richards. Thanks forjoining us. Lets begin with the off the cuff remarks from Gillian Keegan, that is how she described her choice of words, before apologising. Your assessment . The government has a few problems and one is the Communications Issue and one is the Communications Issue and it isjust a basic and one is the Communications Issue and it is just a basic politics that you do not say things like that when you do not say things like that when you have still a microphone on and you have still a microphone on and you can see she is taking it off while Purging Herfrustration and anger with Everybody Else, and you just do not do that. Politicians who have done that in the past have always deeply regretted it. She had no choice but to apologise. Rishi sunak was also unconvincing in his answers where he was busy blaming Everybody Else and i do not think it was very effective as a communication in dealing with this. But they are much deeper issues about decisions taken over Capital Spending in the last 13 years and the consequences of those decisions being played out now. So in a way it is a nightmare for the government because this is the start of a new Political Year and you hope to change the mood music but you are actually hit with a very tangible sense of things not working. In terms of the comments of the Education Secretary, we remembered the gaffe from gordon brown meeting a pensioner, do these things do permanent damage or can theyjust be fleetingly embarrassing . I think permanent damage or can they ust be fleetingly embarrassinglfi fleetingly embarrassing . I think it is more than fleetingly embarrassing . I think it is more than a fleetingly embarrassing . I think it is more than a fleeting fleetingly embarrassing . I think it is more than a fleeting and fleetingly embarrassing . I think it| is more than a fleeting and gordon brown was tortured when he was caught slagging off a voter in his car with a microphone still on. He apologised right away and went to see the voter but it does not remove the original remarks which have been captured. The problem for Gillian Keegan is that it reinforced her tone throughout, nothing to do with me, im doing very well in addressing it, she was basically saying. It is another crisis where the question is of who is in charge, the question is of who is in charge, the local authorities or the ministers, but in the end the minister is responsible and accountable so they have got to sort this out and it is all very well rishi sunak saying he commissioned more School Building but the point made by the senior official is that it was nowhere near enough and it was a cut of the original plan and this resistance to investing in Capital Spending is an ideological issue. He would say as chancellor he was bothered about addressing the deficit after the pandemic, but this is the problem that now arises and it is a problem for rishi sunak. Gillian keegan has made the matter worse by doing this off the cuff remark which torments those who get caught. She will be in agony over it. Is caught. She will be in agony over it. ,. ,. ,. , it. Is there a wider problem that it becomes a it. Is there a wider problem that it becomes a metaphor it. Is there a wider problem that it becomes a metaphor or it. Is there a wider problem that it becomes a metaphor or a it. Is there a wider problem that it becomes a metaphor or a broader| becomes a metaphor or a broader malaise but also they still dont know the scale of what they are talking about even within schools let alone the wider sector and hospitals and anything else. There are reports hospitals and anything else. There are reports and hospitals and anything else. There are reports and other hospitals and anything else. Ii ii are reports and other buildings will have to be closed as well so the scale is not fully known and the unknown is terrifying for ministers but they have had plenty of warnings in relation to schools and other buildings that this might become an issue but there was a reluctance to plan and spend and invest at the appropriate moments and out they are running to catch up and this sense that nothing is working is vividly highlighted by this issue and governments have got to pray that they can somehow change the tone and mood music when they are way behind, and these tend to show the change of mood music for long Term Government is almost impossible. Mood music for longTerm Government is almost impossible. Is almost impossible. Steve richards. Is almost impossible. Steve richards, thanks is almost impossible. Steve richards, thanks for is almost impossible. Steve richards, Thanks Forjoining| is almost impossible. Steve richards, Thanks Forjoining us. We are expecting in the next hour the Education Secretary to stand up in the House Of Commons and answer questions on this, the first day back for mp5, we will have that here on bbc news. The Chief Constable of Northern Ireland police simon byrne has resigned with immediate effect. His resignation follows a series of controversies including a major data leak where the names and details of the 10,000 Police Officers and civilian staff were published in error. He has also faced pressure after a Court Last Week ruled that two Junior Officers were unlawfully disciplined following an arrest at a commemoration. The Policing Board Chair confirmed the resignation of simon byrne during a Press Conference earlier. The Chief Constable conference earlier. The Chief Constable simon conference earlier. The Chief Constable simon byrne conference earlier. The Chief Constable simon byrne has l conference earlier. The Chief Constable simon byrne has tendered his resignation to the Northern Ireland policing board with immediate effect. I have informed the board of the resignation at a special meeting this afternoon and i would like to record my thanks and appreciation to simon for his work over the course of the last four years as Chief Constable. He is a dedicated Police Officer with a deep respect for the profession of policing. He was very aware of and greatly appreciated the often difficultjob that Police Officers and staff across the organisation who on behalf of the community. This may not always have been apparent to onlookers but it was very much his Modus Operandi as was his desire to improve policing for the community through modernisation and investment in local policing arrangements. His tenure was subjected to intense scrutiny and i am sure that the last few weeks in particular have been incredibly difficult for him personally and professionally. The board will now consider the Leadership Arrangements going forward. The Chief Constable has asked me to release the following statement on his behalf the last few days have been difficult for all concerned and regardless of the rights and wrongs it is now time for someone new to lead these proud and resolute organisation and can i thank those who have shown me trust and advice and friendship and of course thank you to the brave men and women of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. We can now get more from our Island Correspondence. We can now get more from our Island Correspondence correspondence. Policing in this art of correspondence. Policing in this part of the correspondence. Policing in this part of the uk correspondence. Policing in this part of the uk comes correspondence. Policing in this part of the uk comes with correspondence. Policing in this. Part of the uk comes with unique challenges at part of the uk comes with unique challenges a challenges at ireland correspondence. Challenges at ireland correspondence. And i challenges at ireland l correspondence. And also challenges at ireland correspondence. And also political ressures correspondence. And also political pressures and correspondence. And also political pressures and a correspondence. And also political pressures and a need correspondence. And also political pressures and a need for correspondence. And also political pressures and a need for any correspondence. And also political pressures and a need for any Chief Constable to be absolutely impartial in any of his and her dealings and while simon byrne had done his best to ride out the particular storms he has been facing over the last few weeks, he has now decided to resign and in a Statement Read out here at the headquarters of the Northern Ireland policing board, he said that he had decided that whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, it was time for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to have new leadership and the pressure really began to pile up on him a few weeks ago whenever there was when there was a data breach with the personal details of all 10,000 staff in the Police Service both Police Officers and civilians, were mistakenly published online after a request made under the freedom of information act. The police later said they believed those details were in the hands of dissident republican paramilitaries opposed to the peace process, thereby heightening the risk to Police Officers which is already over and above what their counterparts in england, scotland and wales face. And then another crisis last week, a courtjudgment which it said that simon byrne had unlawfully disciplined two Police Officers, the background to this is that those Police Officers, young constables, had arrested a man at a commemoration in belfast to mark the anniversary of the Fatal Shooting of five people by loyalists and at the event which took place amid restrictions, a man who which injured was arrested and later released without charge and the judge in the ruling said that those constables have been disciplined because of political pressure, sinn fein, that is the main Irish Nationalist Party in Northern Ireland, and the Largest Political Party now in the Northern Ireland assembly. That led unionist politicians, on the other side as it were of the political equation in Northern Ireland, to call for to resign and for him to give into the political pressure was absolutely not on to call for simon byrne to resign. Last week he said he would not quit but now he has decided after four years he will be leaving as the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and members of the policing board whose job it is to oversee the work of the police force now have a job to try to find a successor for him to take on one of the most sensitive policing jobs in the uk. Around the world and across the uk. This is bbc news. Lets look at some other stories making news. A Bullying Complaint against former cabinet minister Gavin Williamson has been upheld by an expert panel in parliament. Mr williamson has been ordered to apologise to the commons. He quit as a Minister Last year after sending expletive laden texts to former Tory Chief Whip wendy morton that accused her of excluding some mps from the queens funeral. The parents of a teenager who died after failures in treating her sepsis are calling for patients to be given the right to an urgent second opinion, if they feel their concerns are not being taken seriously. Martha mills, who would have been 16 today, died two years ago. An inquest said she could have survived had her care been better. The metropolitan police say a 42 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault after sky sports pundit roy keane was allegedly headbutted following arsenals match against Manchester United on sunday. Footage of the incident was circulated on social media and appeared to show keane and fellow pundit Micah Richards involved in an altercation with an individual. Youre live with bbc news. The first Africa Climate summit is being held in kenya, to discuss how the continent can respond to threat of Climate Change. At least 23 African Heads Of State and government willjoin thousands of delegates, to discuss a problem which impacts the entire continent. Ethiopia, kenya and somalia recently endured their worst drought in decades, with five consecutive failed rainy seasons. Live now to nairobi and our africa correspondent anne soy. How significant is this gathering . Very significant, this is the first african Climate Summit and it has been organised by the kenyan government together with the African Union and the thinking is that this is the time to think about solutions, it is not time to list grievances and Everybody Knows where the problems are, that africa contributes the least to Climate Change but suffers the most impact from it and therefore he says it is time to look for ideas and that is what they are hoping to do at the conference, to bring together ideas from across the continent and come up from across the continent and come up with a document that articulates the position of african countries going into cop28, the un Climate Summit coming up in november, and he says the solution is like the vast land available for agriculture which is underutilised, minerals which are used for the manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles, and he drove himself today and yesterday to the conference in electric vehicle. An the african population, youthful population, which makes economies of scale, it makes sense. And it sounds really good when it is put in a speech and put on paper but there are so many complications in these minerals are found in some of these minerals are found in some of the conflict areas where conflict has been going on for a long time and the Land Question is still very contentious so it is not an instant solution here but it is a start and it is a start to get the voice of africa on the table. It is a start to get the voice of africa on the table. Thanks for oininr africa on the table. Thanks for joining us a bbc investigation has found that five mothers have died after Family Courts allowed fathers, whod been accused of abuse, to apply for contact with their children. Some of the women took their own lives. A separate study found that 75 children were forced to see fathers whod previously been reported for abuse. Im nowjoined by lucy hadley, head of policy at womens aid. Your reaction to the investigation . Thank you so much. It is deeply shocking but not surprising. We know the family Court Response to Domestic Abuse is the number one issue that survivors of Domestic Abuse contact us about and women often say that the experience of the family court is often worse than the abuse itself and that is a truly damning indictment of how the system is and how it fails to identify and respond properly to Domestic Abuse and it dramatises women again and it prioritises contact at all costs with often the perpetrators of Domestic Abuse. And the findings to date show just Domestic Abuse. And the findings to date showjust how much harm is caused by the failings in the system with women taking their own lives. Why are former partners allowed access . , why are former partners allowed access . ,. ,. , why are former partners allowed access . ,. , access . Sadly too often we see the Alleaations Access . Sadly too often we see the allegations of access . Sadly too often we see the allegations of domestic access . Sadly too often we see the allegations of Domestic Abuse allegations of Domestic Abuse whether it is physical abuse or other forms of abuse like controlling behaviour, economic abuse, psychological harm, these allegations are not understood properly and they are not investigated properly and the risk is not properly assessed and too much weight is put on these concepts like parental alienation which is what the bbc investigation has found, so clearly today, an allegation of parental alienation which is a disputed term and does not have a scientific basis, is considered with the same weight as an allegation of Domestic Abuse when we know they are decades of research and evidence about the harm of Domestic Abuse causes to children yet these allegations are being seen as equal in the Family Courts. What as equal in the Family Courts. What has to change . As equal in the Family Courts. What has to change . I as equal in the Family Courts. What has to change . I know as equal in the Family Courts. What has to change . I know you as equal in the Family Courts. What has to change . I know you have been campaigning fora has to change . I know you have been campaigning for a long time and the government set up a panel to look at these things and improve these things so what has got to change . The report in 2020, three years ago now, set out a huge number of recommendations for what needs to change to make sure Domestic Abuse is dealt with safely and properly by the Family Courts and sadly process has stalled on so many issues and progress is occasionally going backwards. We want the government to ban the use of the term mental alienation in courts, which has been recommended, and we need much better training on Domestic Abuse the judges and professionals in Family Courts and we need the resumption of contact in the law to change because at the moment the safety of contact for children at risk of Domestic Abuse isjust an incredible for children at risk of Domestic Abuse is just an incredible concern and without that legal change we fear we will continue to see those impacts. Brute fear we will continue to see those im acts. ~. ,. ,. ,. , impacts. We have got to leave it there but thanks impacts. We have got to leave it there but thanks for impacts. We have got to leave it there but Thanks Forjoining impacts. We have got to leave it there but Thanks Forjoining us. | stay with us here on bbc news. Hello. Its remaining settled sunny, dry and very warm this week. In fact, it could turn pretty hot across parts of england and wales around the middle part of the week with increasing humidity as well. The chance of some mist and fog through the morning and an increasing chance around the middle part of the week for a few showers, mainly towards Western Areas closer to this area of low pressure. But High Pressure will continue to dominate the scene for most of the country. Tuesday promises to be another dry, sunny and very warm one, in fact, turning hotter across southern areas as we import the air off the near continent. Now, as we head through tonight, many places will have clear skies, a bit of mist and fog developing once again, just a very small chance of a shower pushing into the far southwest. Quite a muggy night across the south, generally mild for most. Still a few chilly spots across some of the scottish glens. Tuesday, then, we start off with some mist and fog, always more cloud across Northern Scotland, certainly into the northern isles. And theres a very slim chance of a shower pushing into the southwest of england, south wales, Northern Ireland. Most places will stay dry, sunny and very warm with the mid to high twenties for most. Getting close to 30 celsius across the south east. Through tuesday night once again, well see the mist and fog returning. In fact, we could see a bit more extensive low cloud mist and fog across some coastal areas and across Northern England into scotland, but clearer skies elsewhere. And i think a warmer night to come across scotland. Then we start wednesday off with that cloud through central and Northern Areas that should tend to melt away, could have some low cloud and mist hugging some coastal areas. Otherwise, for most, again another dry, sunny and a hot day, we could be up to 31 celsius or so across the southeast, mid to high twenties, further north. Now, as you move out to wednesday to thursday, this is where we could see an increasing chance of showers, mainly, we think, towards western and Northern Areas through the day. So these showers, thunderstorms may drift their way northwards through thursday morning, parking themselves towards Northern Scotland through the afternoon. Most places after any mist and fog clears will have another dry, sunny and a hot day. Increasingly humid as well, up to around 30 celsius in the southeast. Mid twenties further north, temperatures come down a little bit across scotland, Northern Ireland this weekend, one or two showers, but it stays hot for england and wales. Its not until we get into next week where things turn cool and fresher for most. This is bbc news. The headlines rishi sunak denies any responsibility forfailing rishi sunak denies any responsibility for failing to tackle theissue responsibility for failing to tackle the issue of unsafe concrete in School Buildings across the uk. His Education Secretary says sorry after being caught on camera complaining that ministers were not getting enough credit for their handling of the problem. As the world faces a cost of living crisis, new Research Suggests it could have a dangerous impact on the lives of children. We have a special report. And beware the asian hornet. A warning it could have catastrophic consequences for the uks the cut bee population. Business in a moment but straight to Breaking News coming to us from the House Of Commons. The uks Health Secretary Steve Barclay has Just Announced in the house that lady justice there well will lead the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the crimes of lucy letby. Last month she was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others in a Neonatal Unit at the countess of Chester Hospital Neonatal Unit at the Countess Of Chester Hospita Neonatal Unit at the countess of Chester Hospital losing a child is the greatest Chester Hospital losing a child is the greatest sorrow Chester Hospital losing a child is the greatest sorrow any Chester Hospital losing a child is the greatest sorrow any parent | Chester Hospital losing a child is i the greatest sorrow any parent can experience. Im sure the victims families have beenin im sure the victims families have been in the thoughts and prayers of members across the house, as they have been in mine. We have a duty to get them the answers they deserve, to hold people to account and to make sure lessons are learned. That is why on their day of