Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Six 20170629

Thousands of bombs. But what about civilian casualties . Ploughing a new furrow the Herefordshire Farmer who turned his fields into an art gallery. And coming up in sportsday on bbc news, concerns grow over the fitness of andy murray ahead of his wimbledon title defence, as the world number one pulls out of an Exhibition Match tomorrow. Good evening and welcome to the Bbc News At Six. Its only a few hours since theresa may named the judge who will chair the Grenfell Tower inquiry, and already sir Martin Moore Bick is facing questions about whether his brief is wide ranging enough. Sir martin promised a vigorous inquiry into what caused the fire, and how it spread so quickly, with such fatal consequences. But many local residents, some of whom met the judge this afternoon, say they want to know who should be held responsible for the disaster. Our home affairs correspondent, tom symonds, reports. Away from the debate about the number of deaths and the risk from cladding, dozens of families are morning. Relatives of tony disson led him to rest today, close to the tower. And this is the man facing the task of explaining their deaths. Facing the cameras for the first time. I had never seen anything like that building, which is now com pletely that building, which is now completely gutted so you can see through it in many places. I am absolutely determined that this enquiry will be open and full, and will cover all the ground so that we reach conclusions that are reliable and can prevent anything like this happening again. He spent several hours listening to the views of survivors and local people. But already he and they appear to have different views. He may certainly get to the bottom of what caused the fire to spread so quickly. Whether he will get to the bottom of who is responsible for causing the fire in the first place is a different matter, and that is the one concerning residents. We want a wider enquiry, one that will include theissues wider enquiry, one that will include the issues that were raised before. So basically, the attitudes towards people. We want to make sure that people. We want to make sure that people would be listened to, that our voices will not be ignored. That is the priority. There is a feeling around the tower that he should examine whether warnings about fire safety were ignored because the community had no voice. Whether my enquiry is the right way in which to achieve that, i am more doubtful. And i will give that some thought and in due course make a recommendation. But there may be other ways in which that desire for investigation can be satisfied. So you may not be able to give them the wide enquiry they appear to be looking for a . Maybe not. People are desperate for answers here. The Prime Minister would like an interim report within months. Today the judge said that could include details of how the fire started, why it spread so fast and the response. But he said even that could take a up but he said even that could take a up to but he said even that could take a uptoa but he said even that could take a up to a year. After all, the remit of the enquiry still has to be decided by the government. The cause of the fire will clearly be a court topic. But the Prime Minister has also talked about examining the wider issue of fire block safety, and the pressure for a deeper look at political and social causes is unlikely to go away. The chairman, sirmartin unlikely to go away. The chairman, sir Martin Moore Bick, was born in wales and went to Christ Church couege wales and went to Christ Church College Cambridge before becoming a barrister. He was appointed to the high court in 95 1995, and to the Court Of Appeal in 2005. They are commonly rejected a familys the d iletta ntes commonly rejected a familys the diletta ntes to prevent Westminster Council from moving them diletta ntes to prevent Westminster Councilfrom moving them out diletta ntes to prevent Westminster Council from moving them out of london. The Supreme Court overruled. He was labelled a controversial choice for the Grenfell Tower enquiry. And he knows that revealing the truth about britains worst fire in modern history will be a difficult and sensitive task, carried out in the full glare of public attention. It could take in yea rs. Tom is here with me. As you were suggesting in your report, there are already tensions about what this enquiry should do . Are little, yes. He is well regarded in the Legal Profession as somebody who is very competent and a fast worker, importantly. He seems to be somebody who comes from a technical background. He has worked on shipping cases and disasters at sea. But many people in that area feel the roots of the fire lie in the way society deals with our regards people who live in social housing. There is a clear mismatch. They also wa nt there is a clear mismatch. They also want the guilty names. And he would say, and i think it is the case, thatis say, and i think it is the case, that is the role of the Police Investigation that is ongoing, and the public enquiry has to take second place to that. But i think what all of this demonstrates is that if he doesnt keep the residents and the victims onside, really behind the enquiry, then it could run into trouble. The long running enquiry into child sexual abuse shows that is a risk. Thank you. Women from Northern Ireland will no longer have to pay for abortions on the nhs in england. The decision which was revealed hours before this afternoons crucial vote on the queens speech is being seen as a sign of the governments weakness without a House Of Commons majority. There had been fears that a number of tory mps would vote with labour on the issue. As Laura Kuennsberg reports, todays is the first significant parliamentary test for theresa may since the election. What she wants you to see. The Prime Minister on the red carpets of europe. Everyone in a good mood, heard german colleague says. But at home, hard work. To avoid being humbled by the House Of Commons, with mps threatening defeat. The chancellor of the exchequer. Ministers had to make a last minute promise that women from Northern Ireland to go to england for abortions wont have to pay. The government intends to intervene to Fund Abortions in england for women arriving here from Northern Ireland. It is welcome the comedy is now saying it will correct this injustice. However, he will know the devil will be in the detail. Ministers had to do that billion pounds deal with the dup to get their numbers, to fury, even on their numbers, to fury, even on their own side. I can barely put into words my anger at the deal my party has done with the dup. We didnt need to do it. What is grubby about money being put into the infrastructure of Northern Ireland . Money going into the Health Service of Northern Ireland . Money going into education . What is grubby about that . The Prime Minister returned this afternoon to help pass the vote to improve her governments programme. Stripped of its most controversial measures. In the back. Are you hanging on, Prime Minister . And then at the front face the oppositions main complaints. It can be ensured that people have enough to live on. If cant maintain our Public Services. That is a government that doesnt deserve to remain in office. |j that is a government that doesnt deserve to remain in office. I do not see how the nations of the uk can cope with the drastic economic hit that will come as a result. Is there a determination to stand up to there a determination to stand up to the most powerful here the answer is no, no, no. The chancellor seemed to enjoy the case for the defence. Taking the hard decisions that will Set Britain On Course to seize the prizes and achieve a brighter global future. The eyes to the right, 323. The nose to the left, 309. Yet with no overall majority, and less authority, even as ministers winter night. The ayes have it. They know with every vote, parliament can show its power. Theresa may got her winter night, but my goodness, we saw her ministers will have to back down, they will have to compromise to survive. If the queens speech had fallen, this fragile government would have been at risk of collapsing. But they know they are through tonight. That doesnt mean they are safe at all in the coming months. Thanks, laura. And we can get more reaction now to that decision that women from Northern Ireland will not have to pay to get abortions in england on the nhs. Lets speak to our Northern Ireland health correspondent, marie louise connolly, whos in belfast. This isnt going to go down very well in parts of Northern Ireland. It will be quite controversial, wanted . That is right. This decision is as significant as it is controversial. Abortion laws in Northern Ireland are extremely restrictive. A woman can only have an abortion ever life is seen to be at risk or is seen to be in permanent or a serious risk of physical or mental health. The decision means for the 750 women who travel from Northern Ireland to england each year, the procedure will be paid for, a sum that can range anywhere between £400 and £2000. While many people have welcomed the move, many others have criticised it. In fact, condemned it. They say today is a black day for some unborn children. And of course, all of this happened within hours of belfasts Court Of Appeal ruling that it should be Northern Irelands executive who should be deciding on any future legislation, an Executive Hanging by a thread. And considering what is happening not too far away from me in stormont, none of this should come as any surprise in the latest twist and turns in political life in Northern Ireland. The latest deadline for a deal to be reached for Power Sharing to be restored to Northern Ireland has passed without any agreement. Downing street says talks between sinn fein and the democratic unionists will continue until monday. If theres no agreement by then, there could be a return to direct rule from westminster. 0ur ireland correspondent, chris buckler, reports on why its proving so difficult to reach an agreement. Stormont is a symbol and the home of government in Northern Ireland. But since january, there has been no body home. Hours, weeks and months have passed without ministers or an assembly. Today was deadline day. For a clerk billed as the final chance for a return to Power Sharing. But the hour passed without fa nfa re. Sharing. But the hour passed without fanfare. And most importantly, without a deal. I believe that a resolution can be found. And i am urging the parties to continue focusing all of their efforts on achieving this. Four days, the parties have been locked in negotiations inside stormont castle. But it is clear that the democratic unionists havent forgiven sinn fein for walking out of their Coalition Government earlier this year. For walking out of their Coalition Government earlier this Yeahm Anybody thinks they are going to collapse stormont, get all of their demands and go back in there, they may think again. That is not how we do business. Powersharing stormont collapsed during a financial row over a botched Energy Schemes set up while Arlene Foster was energy minister. Sinn fein said they wouldnt go back into government on less this is foster stepped aside as First Minister while a public enquiry took place. And they have been calling for the introduction of same sex marriage in Northern Ireland, which the dup has blocked in the past. But a key Sticking Point is sinn feins demand for legislation which would give official status to the Irish Language act we want these institutions back up and running again but it has to be on the basis of equality and respect. And institutions which command public confidence. The dup secured £1 billion for Northern Ireland as part of their deal to support the tories at westminster. But with the future of the government hanging in the balance, nobody is sure if there will be stormont ministers to spend that cash, to the clear frustration of people at this funfair. They need to put their differences aside and move forward for the country as a whole and spend that money wisely on nhs, Public Services and education. I think it is a bit of a joke. If they start putting they need to put things aside and look at the bigger picture. Even though the deadline has passed, the talks havent come to a crashing halt. After the weekend, the westminster government will have to make decisions about what to do in Northern Ireland. Chris buckler, bbc news, belfast. One of the popes closest advisors, Cardinal George pell, has been charged with historical Sexual Offences against children. At a Press Conference this morning, the cardinal insisted he was innocent, and said he looked forward to having his day in court. James reynolds in in rome for us this evening. This morning in st peters square, the cardinals of the Catholic Church turned out for a Celebration Led by pope francis. What these men do, how they behave, directly affects the popes ability to lead. This morning, one of their number was missing. Cardinal george pell appeared in a vatican pressroom to respond to the allegations made in australia. Im innocent of these charges. They are false. The whole idea of sexual abuse is abhorrent to me. For more than 40 years, george pell worked as a priest and then an archbishop in his own country. During the 1970s, he worked in his hometown of ballarat. The police have been investigating this era. They have now brought charges. Cardinal pell is facing multiple charges in respect of historic Sexual Offences. And there are multiple complainants relating to those charges. This isnt the first time the cardinal has had to answer questions about his actions. In february of last year, george pell testified via video link to an Australian Royal commission on child abuse. Australian victims flew in to watch his testimony. 0ther abuse survivors say the pope himself must now take wider steps. He is very good at sound bites and saying the right things at the right time. But for me, and i know for many other survivors and victims, its not about sound bites and public relations, its about action. And on action, the church is still dismally slow and way behind the curve in terms of what they should be doing to deal with the crisis that exists within that institution. Pope francis has called George Pell Dedicated and honest. Now a court in australia must decide if that is so. James reynolds, bbc news, rome. Our top story this evening a retired judge will lead the inquiry into what happened at Grenfell Tower, but there are concerns it wont be wide ranging enough. And still to come. Who calls the shots . Questions over Rupert Murdochs influence in britain. Coming up in sportsday on bbc news. Warren gatland says he has made some tough calls as he picks Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell Together For The First Time for the lions ahead of their must win second test with new zealand on saturday. Its now three years since the so called Islamic State proclaimed the establishment of a caliphate, a world power governed in accordance with islamic law and centred in iraqs second city of mosul. British warplanes, as part of the us led coalition, have been hitting the militants there since last year. Rafjets and drones have hit over 700 targets in support of operations to liberate mosul. Now, for the first time, crews have been talking to the bbc about the challenges theyre facing in avoiding civilian casualties. 0ur defence correspondent Jonathan Beale reports. The raf prepares for another Bombing Mission against the group known as Islamic State. They have been stepping up their attacks on mosul. With is now nearing its end in the city that was once its stronghold. What youre looking at is a densely packed urban area with buildings of varying heights throughout. For the first time, the raf has allowed their crews to talk us through the strike. They want to show the care they are taking to protect civilian life. The priority now is to make sure our missile hits that daesh artillery piece. Dave not his real name operates a reaper remotely piloted drone. He shows me video of one targeting an is or daesh mortar position, hidden in a house in mosul. Can you honestly say to me that you can guarantee you wont cause civilian casualties . We will never guarantee that. What we can demonstrate through rigour and these videos is we do absolutely everything within our power. The raf has been carrying out these Bombing Missions against is for coming up to three years now, and in that time theyve carried out more than1,000 airstrikes, dropping more than 3,000 bombs and missiles. And yet they say theyve seen no evidence so far that theyve been responsible for any civilian casualties. Its almost implausible to suggest that you havent caused civilian casualties, isnt it . What i can say right now is the evidence that we have doesnt point to any uk involvement. But we are only Human Activity and we are not perfect, and even with our best efforts, i cannot Hand On Heart say that that would not happen, but we are doing our level best. Theres still the question whether bombs and missiles can defeat an ideology. Especially when some have linked this kind of Military Intervention to the recent Terrorist Attacks in the uk. We have an opponent who just hates us and everything we stand for and all of our values, and we have to deal with that and we have to defeat them militarily and thats why we are here. The Battle For Mosul might be near its end, but the war is not. Raqqa is already in their sights and they will be flying these missions for months to come. Jonathan beale, bbc news, raf akrotiri. The proposed merger of sky and Rupert Murdochs 21st Century Fox is likely to be referred to the competition watchdog. The decision by the culture secretary Karren Bradley is a blow to the media moguls hopes of having the £11 billion deal waved through without further scrutiny. Mr murdoch already owns 39 of the satellite broadcaster. 0ur Media Editor amol rajan is here with me. What does this mean for Rupert Murdochs considerable Media Interests . Murdochs considerable Media Interests . Today is mixed feelings for the murdochs, on the one hand they will be relieved they have been deemed fit and proper by 0fcom to own a Broadcasting Licence but there seems to be lingering worries despite assurances about excessive power and control being in the hands of one family. Rupert murdoch is not as powerful as he used to be in britain, his Newspaper Circulation is in decline, they didnt get the result they wanted in this election, and powerhouses like amazon, netflix and powerhouses like amazon, netflix and facebook means theres competition for the likes of sky. Rupert murdoch is a divisive character so this is over to the authority which will take months to look at the bid which means for the time being fox is stuck in the grass. The family of the last person to die from injuries sustained in the Hillsborough Disaster have told the bbc theyre hugely disappointed that his death has been excluded from the newly announced manslaughter prosecution. Tony blands life support was removed four years after the 1989 football stadium tragedy. His father has been speaking exclusively to our correspondentjudith moritz. The chanting has always been of justice for the 96. That number so much a part of hillsborough, but now one stands apart. Tony bland died four years after the disaster. Severely brain damaged, his life support was withdrawn after his family fought for that right. Support was withdrawn after his family fought for that rightlj wouldnt wish it on anyone really, its awful. Tonys father allan still remembers how painful it was. Does it feel to you like tony died then or at hillsborough . Hillsborough. It might sound cynical but we were left to pick up the pieces. Given that, how do you feel about the decision not to include him in the Manslaughter Case . Really upset actually. Yes, really. Just couldnt believe it. Tonys death four years after hillsborough comes too late in law for him to be included in the charges. You get the feeling i wouldnt say left out of it but then this legal thing came along and split us up. You still feel part of the 96 . Yes. We were delighted for the families. They fully deserved it. Do you think you will watch with interest the unfolding prosecution . Without doubt, we will be there for the families. You will continue to support them . Yes, definitely. Allan ta kes support them . Yes, definitely. Allan takes comfort from the inquests verdict that all 96 were unlawfully killed. He says that is justice for his son. We miss him. Everyone has a secret ambition, whether its writing a book, learning a Musical Instrument or taking up a sport. But a retired farmer from herefordshire has turned his dream into a reality. Stephen dale has transformed his cowsheds into an International Art gallery, asjon kay reports. His family have worked this land for generations. But stephen dale had a different dream. Because im a farmer, why shouldnt i like art . At the age of 73, stephen has sold almost all his land to fund his passion. Turning his sheds into a free public gallery, harvesting work from leading International Artists. What is it about art that you love so much . Shapes basically, simplicity of it and how they use materials. The more you study it, the more you can get out of it. All of this started in the 1970s when stephen was in london being treated for cancer. Critically ill, he walked out of Barts Hospital and by chance ended up in the tate his first time in a gallery. They are probably the most expensive bricks in the world. The controversial work known as bricks was on display, and stephen was captivated. The Shades Of Grey is getting increased and decreasing as you go. Hes now spent £70,000 buying a similar work by carl andre for his canwood gallery. Beautiful. Stunning is the word i would use. Stunning . Mm hmm. You either like it or you hate it. It sounds to me like seeing those bricks 40 years ago changed your life. It certainly has. Why should art be in london, manchester, liverpool, and nothing in the rural area . Stephen hopes his gallery will grow to be like the tate that inspired him. Many farmers diversify, but few do it like this. Jon kay, bbc news, herefordshire. Time for a look at the weather with jay wynne. Lucky for you in the South Eastern Corner of england, the Skies Clearing to allow sunshine through this afternoon but that certainly wasnt the case for everyone. Many places were great and quite a few saw rain as well. It has also been windy and on the cool side and it stays that way for the north and the west of the uk overnight tonight. Largely dry in the South Eastern Corner but a lot of cloud in the north. It is a wet and windy start in wales and the south west of england. That rain becomes more light and patchy as the day goes on. Should begin to dry up in Northern Ireland and Western Scotland as the main area of rain shifts further south. In the brighter interludes, 23 degrees. Not so bad in london but another cool day in aberdeenshire. 0ur another cool day in aberdeenshire. Our main area of rain is on the way out friday evening, it will cross the South Eastern Corner but as we start the weekend we get this ridge of High Pressure and that should settle things down for the most part. For most of england and wales this weekend, it looks like it will be drier and brighter than it has been recently. It is not a dry weekend completely because in scotla nd weekend completely because in scotland and Northern Ireland there will be a spell of wind and rain moving west to east. Sunny spells, patchy cloud, 23 degrees in london and temperatures around 17 in aberdeen. 0n and temperatures around 17 in aberdeen. On sunday it is similar to saturday with rain in the north and west, largely dry the further south and east you happen to be. 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. It is his duty, president trumps, to be sceptical of russia. Hello this is bbc news. The headlines at 6. 30pm a retired Appeal Courtjudge will lead the Public Inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire. He says it may not be as wide ranging as some residents hope. The eyes ayes to the right 323, the noes to the lab 309. Mps have voted in favour of the queen s speech. It set out the Governments Legislative Programme for the next two years. No deal yet in Northern Ireland. The deadline for setting up a new Power Sharing executive has passed its now extended until monday. One of the most senior figures in the Catholic Church who is accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse, the vatican treasurer Cardinal George pell, says hell take a leave of absence to fight the charges in australia. In a moment it will be time for sportsday, but first a look