on the shores of new zealand. coming up in sport we are live here in cardiff at the principality stadium to preview all of this weekend's 6 nations fixtures including wales against england. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. the health secretary, jeremy hunt, says it's "completely unacceptable" that some patients in england are waiting up to 13 hours in a&e. figures show that waiting times in casualty units are worse than at any time in the last decade. and the number of operations cancelled at the last minute hit a fifteen hear high last year. mr hunt insists he does have an improvement plan — though didn't reveal it — and he admits it will take time. he was talking to our health editor hugh pym. the worst monthly a&e figures in more than a decade. they have corridor nurses as well. times are very desperate. images like this across bbc news. no one would want it for members of their own family. it has been a difficult few days for the health secretary and he has now come out and acknowledge that some of what is happening in the hospitals in england is unacceptable. the bbc has shown images from royal blackburn of people waiting 13 hours, mothers and babies sitting in the corridor, are you embarrassed 7 babies sitting in the corridor, are you embarrassed? it is incredibly frustrating for me. i am doing this job because i want nhs care to be the safest and best in the world. that kind of care is completely unacceptable, no one would want it for members of their own family. ara sibley‘s story featured on bbc news this week. she had to wait six months in hospital before a care home place was available. what did jeremy hunt have to say to her family? i don't want to make any kind of excuses. it is totally unacceptable. it is terrible for mrs sibley but also bad for the nhs... it is not the only case. no. there are 110 it is not the only case. no. there are no excuses. it is completely unacceptable. her son said he was pleased thatjeremy hunt had recognised that his mother was let down but he had this message for the health secretary. what i would like to say to jeremy hunt health secretary. what i would like to say tojeremy hunt is health secretary. what i would like to say to jeremy hunt is to health secretary. what i would like to say tojeremy hunt is to admit, to say tojeremy hunt is to admit, to have the guts, to admit, that the syste m to have the guts, to admit, that the system of social funding is broken. if we have to pay more, i would say tojeremy hunt, i am prepared to pay more in tax and i am sure most of the country would be as well, because our old people are worth it. and the state of social care was something i raised withjeremy hunt. we recognise the pressure is there. we recognise the pressure is there. we recognise the pressure is there. we recognise there is a problem about the sustainability of the social care system and that has to be addressed and we will do that. there have been calls for more funding for the nhs in england including from an american health expert who advise david cameron and jeremy hunt and he thinks the current spending plans of the government are set too low. current spending plans of the government are set too lowli current spending plans of the government are set too low. i have serious doubts as to whether you can have the health care that is universal, not rationed, and responsive to the needs at that target level. i am concerned. responsive to the needs at that target level. iam concerned. but others say it is notjust about money and getting the nhs to be more efficient is important, with new ways of working the real priority. jeremy hunt says that change is needed on many fronts. jeremy hunt says that change is needed on many frontsli jeremy hunt says that change is needed on many fronts. i think it is wrong to suggest to people that these profound challenges such as we face with an ageing population are oi'ies face with an ageing population are ones where there is a silver bullet that you can solve the problem overnight. we need the help of the public, because we know that a numberof the public, because we know that a number of the people seenin seen in a&e could actually have their needs dealt with in another pa rt of their needs dealt with in another part of the nhs. new figures show last minute cancelled operations in england were up 16% last year, whether it is a&e, routine surgery 01’ whether it is a&e, routine surgery or community care, the pressure is clear across the nhs. a 3a million pound government investigation into allegations of abuse by iraq war veterans is to be shut down. it follows a report by mps which called the work of the iraq historic allegations team an unmitigated failure. thousands of cases have been investigated but there's not been a single prosecution. around 90% of misconduct cases involving british troops who served in afghanistan are also being dropped. caroline hawley has more. it is almost 1a years since british troops invaded iraq and the legacy of the war is still causing controversy. in the aftermath of the occupation thousands of allegations of abuse were made against british soldiers. and a special team called ihat was set up to investigate them. the human rights lawyer phil shiner brought most of the claims but last week he was struck off after he had been found to be dishonest and to have paid agents to drum up business. now the ministry of defence is wrapping up the investigation early. this will be a huge relief to hundreds of british troops who have had these quite unfair allegations hanging over them. they are now being freed of that and we will put in place new measures to ensure that this never happens again, that there are proper safeguards to prevent completely malicious and unfounded allegations being made against our brave servicemen and women. there is no doubt that some abuses did happen in iraq, these were detainees being beaten in basra in 2003 and over the past few years the ministry of defence has paid out millions in compensation. but the ihat investigation has been criticised for getting out of hand. it was set up for getting out of hand. it was set up seven years ago and it has had to examine more than 3000 claims. it has caused over £34 million. ihat and its work has been controversial in the military but the downfall of phil shiner and mounting concern over the toll it was taking on former soldiers and their families has led the mod to act.” former soldiers and their families has led the mod to act. i think this is something important, it will make a big statement to the army and most importantly it shows that the government is foursquare behind supporting the army and providing it with the appropriate framework in which our soldiers can deal with those very difficult operational decisions that they have to deal with. of all the allegations made over the course of britain's long involvement in iraq, the ministry of defence now says that by the summer, only about 20 will be left to be investigated. just a few will continue to be investigated. the investigation was being wound down but the decision today has been precipitated by the end of phil shiner ‘s career and also by a blistering attack by mps today, calling the investigation a disaster. former soldiers have welcomed the decision, a lawyer representing some of them said that ihat had been incompetent and repugnant and he said the careers and families have been destroyed. what happens now is that the royal navy police will take over the investigation next year and all of the claims brought by phil shiner that had any evidence to back them up are now been thrown out and the mod says there should be about 20 cases left andi there should be about 20 cases left and i am told some of those are pretty serious allegations. caroline, thank you. police in manchester say a man and a woman have died in a house fire in withington, four children are now in hospital. firefighters were called to the property in the south of the city at around 2:30 this morning. the children, aged between ten and 17, are being treated for their injuries. another man is in a serious condition. police have launched an investigation into how the fire started. britain's entire fleet of royal navy's attack submarines is currently out of operation due to repairs and maintenance work. seven nuclear—powered subs are classed as non operational, including three new astute class vessels — they are the most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the royal navy costing over a billion pounds each. over 300 kilos of cocaine with a potential value of 50 million pounds has washed up on the coast of norfolk. a number of holdalls containing the drug were found on two beaches near great yarmouth. we can talk to debbie tubby on the beach at hopton—on—sea. that's one of the beaches where the drugs washed up... that's right. it is thought that some people walking their dog yesterday found some cocaine in a sports holdall and they reported it to norfolk police and today the authorities have spent the day searching and 14 miles of this coastline looking for further bags and they have found extra bags. those bags were tied by a rope to big green plastic containers to stop the class a drugs from sinking in the class a drugs from sinking in the water. now it is thought that the water. now it is thought that the experts have now found 360 kilos and if it was cut and sold it would be worth £50 million. the national crime agency says it is investigating why those drugs were washed up here in norfolk. they'd do not think here was the intended destination and they do say tonight that this is a huge blow to the criminals involved. thank you very much. "see you in court". that's the response of president donald trump to a court in the united states, which has refused to reinstate his ban on travellers from seven mainly muslim countries. the controversial immigration reform was suspended last week. but the president appears determined to continue the legal battle. 0ur north america editor jon sopel reports. a full ceremonial welcome as president trump greeted the japanese prime minister at the white house on a cold crisp morning. that was as nothing compared to the icy blast coming from the west wing after last night ‘s court ruling. donald trump tweeting very soon afterwards in block capitals, a sure sign of irritation... and then he bumped into reporters and said this. irritation... and then he bumped into reporters and said thism irritation... and then he bumped into reporters and said this. it is a political decision. you believe the judges... a political decision. you believe thejudges... we have a situation where the security of our country is at stake. it is a very serious situation. so i will look forward to seeing them in court. in washington state which brought the original case, defiance to donald trump's see you in court. we have seen him in court twice. and we are two for two. we respect that the president has broad authority when it comes to executive orders, but they still have to follow the constitution. that's the bottom line. the three federal appeal courtjudges ruled that there is no evidence that any alien from any country is named in the order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the united states. the safety valve for the most vulnerable people offered no explanation for how these wave of provisions would function in practice. and in conclusion the judges say, competing public interest do not justify a judges say, competing public interest do notjustify a state, in other words, the decision of the lower court will not be overturned. the next and last legal stop is the supreme court, with one vacancy still to be filled, it is split evenly between four liberal and for conservative justices. if they were too tight, then the judgment of the lower court would be upheld. the president and his advisors have a tough decision to make. daily press on, take this to the supreme court and risk another defeat? 0r rip up the existing executive order, redrafted and admit that they got it wrong in the first place. not easy choices. the president promised during the campaign that he would win so much americans would get bored of winning. this is not the story so far on his migrant ban. thank you everybody. jon sopel, bbc news, washington. scottish power has become the latest of the big six energy companies to raise its prices. it's increasing the cost of electricity by almost 11 per cent and gas by nearly five per cent. but british gas says it's freezing prices until august. 0ur personal finance correspondent simon gompertz is here — why the difference in prices from these two companies? why the difference in prices from these companies? british gas says it is evidence of competition at work and that is important for them because it means it is less likely that they will have mps and even ministers breathing down their necks about high gas and electricity prices. scottishpower putting up prices. scottishpower putting up prices from more than 1 million of its customers on standard tariffs, not the fixed once and then british gas saying it is winter price freeze will now be extended through until august. evidence that they do not move as they herd as they are often accused of doing. scottishpower say it is harder to get hold of gas and electricity at cheap prices, they have to pay for subsidies for new smart meters, british gas say that they have kept their running costs down. the big question now after that good news for 5 million british gas customers is what two other big companies, sse and aeon are going to do because they also had a winter price freeze but they have not said what they will do next and they our top story this evening: the health secretary tells the bbc waiting times in a&e in hospitals in england are completely unacceptable. history, rivalry, aggression, humour is all part of the six nations. i look back at the build—up and forward to the rugby here in cardiff. 0n sportsday, who can catch chelsea? liverpool and spurs go head—to—head tomorrow. another big weekend in the premier league. labour leaderjeremy corbyn is continuing to carry out his reshuffle, following the resignation of several shadow cabinet ministers and a rebellion by labour mps over the brexit bill. one of the big tests of his leadership will be the byelections due to take place this month in the labour—held seats of stoke central and copeland. 0ur deputy political editor, john pienaar, has been talking to voters in both constituencies. this is bbc radio stoke. why is labour up against it? you only have to ask. john pienaar is in hanley and he wants to know how people feel about the by—election in stoke—on—trent central. is stoke going to stay a labour city? hopefully not. why do you say that? i think for far too long we've been taken for granted by labour. i'd like to think it was going to stay labour. they sort of work for everybody, don't they? whereas i don't know, the guys who are potentially going to get in, are quite bigoted in a couple of their views. by all accounts, the labour candidate is pro—european. so how does that square with 70% plus anti—european votes? you have been labour, but you're switching? most probably. i most probably switch this year. yes. you're still agonising a bit about it? we're still agonising. this is a really big deal in national politics, isn't it? why? is labour's traditional support in industrial towns like this one in stoke, away from london and the big cities, is it deserting them? well look, most people here voted to leave the european union. most of the mps here, the labour mps here, voted to stay in the european union. and jeremy corbyn, he is popular with his party members. when it comes to the wider public, not so much. 0ne senior labour mp has said that labour here is hanging on by its fingernails against the challenge of the uk independence party. messages, thousands, came in oun our bbc facebook live page. "jeremy corbyn was a big election issue for labour." "full of honesty, respect and integrity," says stephen. "corbynites are enthusiastic, but he costs votes." and plenty more of the same. labour has reason to worry. every vote is a prize just now. labour is under siege in two by—elections on the same night. voters who never wanted brexit are being targeted by the liberal democrats and the greens. will ukip's campaigners see their leader become stoke's new mp? that would strike fear into labour's brexit—supporting heartland. tory campaigners are daring to dream of an historic triumph. they ran ukip close in stoke, but in copeland they feel they can beat labour, the first government gain over its main opponents in a by—election in 35 years. so labour is fighting door to door, street to street, here in stoke. and far to the north, where labour is facing a hard slog to survive in a very different setting. in copeland's coastal town of whitehaven, sellafield employs thousands. ask almost anyone, jeremy corbyn‘s past opposition to nuclear power counts against his party. though voting labour here is an old habit. well, i'm going to stay with labour, because i just think it's for the working people. and all my family has always voted labour. because of the workforce at sellafield, and what it creates in the wider community, and what mr corbyn said about nuclear power, they've got to think of themselves. and for the long—term future of sellafield, it possibly will go conservative. holding this seat looks tough. losing here or in stoke means talk of existential crisis for labour. rejected by once loyal voters who now feel left out and left behind. john pienaar, bbc news, whitehaven. and to see a full list of candidates for both the stoke—on—trent central and copeland by—elections, visit our website. french police have arrested four people in montpellier on suspicion of planning an imminent terrorist attack. the three men and a 16—year—old girl were detained after they bought bomb—making chemicals. police said the teenager had pledged loyalty to so—called islamic state ina loyalty to so—called islamic state in a recent video. the explosives discovered were similar to those used in the paris attacks in november 20 15. the london firm, pimlico plumbers, has lost a legal battle over whether it should give freelance workers the same rights to pensions, holiday and sick pay, as permanent staff. the company went to the court of appeal after a plumber on a self—employed contract, gary smith, won a tribunal case against them. he wanted to work fewer days after an illness and argued he was entitled to the same rights as permanent staff. liverpool football clu b permanent staff. liverpool football club has banned journalists from the sun newspaper from covering club has banned journalists from the sun newspaperfrom covering all matches and press conferences at anfield. the decision was taken after discussions with the club and after discussions with the club and a campaign group opposed to the paper because of its coverage of the hillsborough disaster in 1989. more than 400 whales have beached on the coast of new zealand, one of the worst whale strandings ever seen in the country. volunteers in the community of farewell spit are racing to save and refloat them, but around 300 have already died, and time is running out for the rest. stranded, distressed and barely alive. volunteers have come from far and wide to save the whales beached in new zealand overnight. most of them were already dead. this is the third—largest mass stranding that we've recorded in our history and so it's a very large one, logistically it's a massive undertaking. the whales started stranding last night, round about ten o'clock last night. we were notified of that, and then this morning when they went out and checked on them most of the whales were already dead. i've never experienced death like this before. you know, it's... for such a majestic animal it's really strange to see them doing this. there's a lot of death here, eh, which is a sad, sad thing, but, hey, if we can get some of them out it's got to be a good thing. scientists don't know exactly why whales beach themselves. it can be due to sickness or injury. anybody that doesn't have a sheet over the whale, make sure those sheets are really nice and wet, not covering the blowhole... rescuers tried to re—float some of the whales at high tide, but some just turned straight back to shore. whale strandings in new zealand are common. just two years earlier 200 whales beached here. but this is one of the country's worst mass strandings. it's another weekend of fierce rivalry, intense pressure and big expectations in the six nations tournament. england take on wales tomorrow, and if england win, they will be just three games away from breaking the world record for the most unbeaten test matches, a title currently held by new zealand. italy take on ireland, and scotland play france on sunday. joe wilson is at cardiff park. much anticipation there, i would imagine? absolutely. you have 30 players on the pitch who expressed the rivalry with aggression. so we can the rivalry with aggression. so we ca n ex press the rivalry with aggression. so we can express it in a traditional friendly way. ireland may not lose again. scotland feel they have nothing to lose. it is a long time since england lost to anybody. why would they feel nervous this weekend? they are in cardiff. long before the bridge there was rugby. the journey to wales has petrified england, their coach reflected this week. why? history. in 2013 wales scored 30 points in cardiff, england humbled. the coach says it's just another city. the beer tastes the same as home. yes, but in cardiff it's named after the welsh captain, alun wynjones, you see. i think the game does mean a lot to a lot of people. we are able to share that, hopefully we can share it in a positive manner. i think we're very fortunate to have a stadium that is suitable or apt for the occasion. we've experienced lights, fire, music. england'sjones, eddie, now expects what he calls shenanigans. what are the shenanigans you're prepared for? oh, i don't know, but, you know, they're a cunning lot, the welsh, aren't they? you know, they always have the... you know, they've got goats, they've got daffodils, they've got everything. so who knows, who knows? well, mischievous friendly rivalry, that's what the 6 nations should be about. it is an outlet for passion and that's exactly why england have decided that here in cardiff the roof should be open for the game, allowing all that welsh noise to escape into the sky. well, everyone in professional sport is trying to find an edge. gareth southgate — yes, the england football manager — was at rugby training this week, seeking a different perspective. was that handball? well, england fly—half george ford finished the session and then told me he won't be in wales in fear. i think, as a player, if you learn to embrace it and learn to be excited about it, i think that's the best way to approach it. if you look back and you feel like you didn't enjoy it, you'll probably regret that. yes, look to the future. after their scintillating victory over ireland last weekend, scotland suddenly look like the team to beat in the 6 nations. france away for them on sunday. daunting? well, paris isjust another city. joe wilson, bbc news. the roof is going to be open at cardiff. time for a look at the weather with louise lear. maybe some showers across cardiff. cloudy, cold wintry showers this weekend. this weather watchers picture sums at up. a great, threatening sky. a dusting of snow. pretty dismal on the east coast. the showers have been isolated but they have been a nuisance. a cluster moved through the midlands earlier on. they will continue overnight, becoming widespread. expect a fairly significant dusting at lower levels. three to five centimetres across the east. further west, clearer skies. it will be a cold start across the country. we will start with some glimpses of sunshine across western scotland. it is the snow showers that will be the feature first thing. they will be falling as snow across aberdeenshire, running down the east coast. rain across the coast. for a lower levels at a time there will be some snow showers in there will be some snow showers in the morning. it will be a cold start to the day across east anglia. through the day, those showers may well just push through the day, those showers may welljust push a little bit further west. we could see some snow showers into north wales, and east wales, may as far south as somerset. not a particularly warm honey were across the country, particularly when you think about the strength of that wind. —— anywhere. furthersnow think about the strength of that wind. —— anywhere. further snow on saturday night into sunday, particularly over the pennines and in the peak district. then the snow will ease back to rain on sunday. it will ease back to rain on sunday. it will be windy. gales across scotland and northern england for a time. quite dismal. temperatures of similar values. between quite dismal. temperatures of similarvalues. between four quite dismal. temperatures of similar values. between four and 6 degrees. if you are out and about how might you will notice a difference. sunshine will be at a premium. ican difference. sunshine will be at a premium. i can hear you groaning of the television. i will finish this forecast on a glimmer of good news. as we move into next week, fingers crossed, it looks as though the winds will swing to a southerly and we will see more in the way of sunshine, and maybe a little more in the way of warmth. a reminder of our main story: the health secretary acknowledges patients are facing "completely unacceptable" delays at hospitals in england. butjeremy hunt says the nhs is not alone in dealing with growing patient numbers. that's all from the bbc news at six. so it's goodbye from me, and on bbc one we join the bbc‘s news teams where you are. hello, this is bbc news — the headlines: the investigation into the alleged abuse of iraqi civilians by british soldiers is to be closed within months after a report by mps branded it an "unmitigated failure". the health secretary jeremy the health secretaryjeremy hunt concedes the problems facing the nhs are completely unacceptable, but says there is a plan to help hospitals cope. president trump's tussle with the judiciary continues after an appeals court rejects his attempt to reinstate a travel ban and seven mainly muslim countries. bags of cocaine with a street value of £50 million have been washed up on the norfolk coast. in a moment, it will be time for the sport, but now look at what else is coming up. we will be speaking to the former british army commander about the government's decision to close the investigation into the alleged abuse of iraqi civilians by british soldiers. we will have more on the self—employed plumber who won his battle for basic worker's rights at the court of appeal. and as people in new zealand try to save hundreds of stranded whales, we will hear from a writer who specialises in the animal. now it is time for the sport. hello and welcome to sportsday, i'm john watson. 0n the way tonight... can anyone catch chelsea? liverpool and spurs are trying as they go head to head in the premier league this weekend. and stripped of gold — the russian athlete banned for doping following victory at the london olympics.