Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News At Six 20170630

In the hour on bbc news. Three days before the defence of his title, murray puts in the practice at wimbledon as he tries to shake off a hip injury. Good evening, and welcome to the bbc news at six. In the last half hour the leader of kensington and Chelsea Council, the borough where the Grenfell Tower fire happened, has resigned. Nicholas paget brown said he had to accept responsibility for his role in the response to the fire, and in particular for the decision to ban the public and press from a Council Meeting last night. The bbc has also obtained documents that show that cheaper, less fire resistant cladding was chosen for the tower block. 80 people are believed to have died in the fire, and there is no suggestion a deliberate decision was made to cut fire safety. Kensington and Chelsea Council says safety would not have been compromised in order to manage budgets. Our Home Affairs Correspondent tom symonds has more. Where you pressured by number 10 to resign . The pressure simply got too great. The leader of the council, criticised for failing to cope with the crisis in his backyard, couldnt hold on. Last week, his Council Offices were invaded. Last night he couldnt even hold a Council Meeting. It was the last straw. In particular my decision to accept legal advice but i should not compromise the Public Enquiry by having an open discussion in public yesterday, has itself become a political story. It cannot be right that this should have become the focus of attention, when so many are dead or still unaccounted for. His Housing Chief has also gone. Investigations by the bbc and the Times Newspaper into decisions made when the council refurbished g re nfell tower when the council refurbished Grenfell Tower added to the pressure. The big change, the addition of Aluminium Cladding to improve the look of the building. Weve been investigating that refurbishment and whether it played a part in the tragedy. This development in north london includes cladding made, not from aluminium, but zink. Documents passed to the bbc revealed that the think panels we re bbc revealed that the think panels were originally proposed for grenfell. The architects designs show this clearly, residents were told there would be zinc. But there was pressure to reduce costs. By 2015 they would give an to the original tender and told to sit aluminium panel, which is cheaper. The saving more than £293,000. Did the change make a difference to fire safety . This panel is similar to the ones eventually used. Its an aluminium sandwich with a plastic filling which isnt fire resistant. The original zinc panels were marketed as capable of being able to resist fire. Both panels have the same resist fire. Both panels have the sa m e safety resist fire. Both panels have the same Safety Rating and a european testing. 0n current evidence, its not clear the change would have made a difference. However, even the fact there was pressure to cut costs has infuriated those affected by the fire. Those affected and the Wider Community are utterly sick of this lack of value ascribed to human beings who pay their council tax, who paid these peoples wages. Meanwhile, cladding from 149 tower blocks has now failed government tests. The process has been criticised as pointless because only the cladding is being tested and not installation. Pointless . No, says the testing body. It is critical to do the screening tests, just to see whether there is a risk or not, to see whether the buildings have this flammable cladding or not. Many of them do and the question now is what can we do about it, and are there other risks or materials we need to consider. There is an immediate crisis to deal with, and Ongoing Police investigation, a Public Enquiry, again today described as too narrow. Grenfell tower enquiry, again today described as too narrow. G re nfell tower casts enquiry, again today described as too narrow. Grenfell tower casts a long shadow. 0ur correspondent Frankie Mccamley is outside Grenfell Tower for us now. The Council Leader has resigned, the head of the Management Company has stepped aside as well. What residents saying . This isnt a very surprising announcement. Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council have been coming under increasing pressure to step aside and let a new tea m pressure to step aside and let a new team takeover. Not only has Nicholas Paget brown, the Council Leader, stepped aside, in the past few minutes weve also had the announcement is deputy has also decided to step down. This follows on from the Chief Executive who managed Grenfell Tower saying he wa nts to managed Grenfell Tower saying he wants to step aside to help with the investigation and ongoing enquiries. There is mixed reaction here. Ive been here for the last few weeks, speaking to people who lived in the tower and the surrounding area. They say that some happy with this decision, they say they want a new tea m decision, they say they want a new team to come in and take control of the situation, finally, they say. 0thers the situation, finally, they say. Others say this is a pr stunt and they worry nothing is going to change from this. A coroner has concluded that its not possible to establish whether seven men, who drowned off camber sands in east sussex last summer, might have survived if lifeguards had been on the beach. Five friends died in one incident just a month after two other men drowned in the same area. Duncan kennedy is in hastings, where the inquests have been taking place. Duncan, a terrible tragedy at one of the countrys most popular beaches. And probably unprecedented as well, fiona. The fact seven men could die in two incidents on one beach in the space of one month is believed to have been unique in this country. There were verdicts of death by misadventure today. The coroner said he didnt think lifeguards on camber sands would have made a difference, but the mens families have reacted angrily to that. They all say they believe lifeguards would have made a difference, and they say nobody should have to go through what theyve been through. Its the beach where generations of families have made their summer holidays. Three kilometres long, camber sands is normally a place where happy memories are created. But for kobi saththiyanathan, memories are created. But for kobi saththiya nathan, his memories are created. But for kobi saththiyanathan, his brother ken, nitharsan ravi, Inthushan Sriskantharasa nitharsan ravi, Inthushan Sriska Ntharasa and gurusha nth srithavarajah, it became a place of danger and death. Tonight at the end of their inquest, the families spoke of their inquest, the families spoke of their inquest, the families spoke of their anger and frustration at their loss, and included gurushanth srithavarajahs sister. Their loss, and included gurushanth srithavarajahs sister. It was five boys playing on the beach. They didnt make any effort to find the rest of the boys, they werent found until 8 30pm. They were in the water for six hours they didnt make any effort to find those boys. My brother was in the water for six hours. The families say that the council was wrong to suggest people from ethnic minorities couldnt swim at camber sands. I dont know if your family comes to the beach. Thats why we are fighting. To change something, not for us, because my son isnt coming back. Hes never coming back. Thank you. The father of the two brothers said families had to hear their children blamed for their own deaths. This was the moment it became clear the men had drowned. The council said it had put in lifeguards before, as the rnli had urged them to, in part because it didnt have the money. Tonight the council was asked why he had never apologised to the families. The council has made it clear they send condolences to the families. It is a tragic event, we dont wish to see that happen again on any of our beaches. The coroner has taken away a lot of information from this and will be raising it has a national level. A month earlier mohit dupar and Gustavo Silva da cruz also drowned. For the family off all the men who died in one appalling sequence of tragedies, theres anguish and bewilderment at how this can happen in such a relaxed and familiar setting. The Main Programme to treat Sex Offenders in england and wales for the last quarter of a century until very recently didnt reduce re offending and if anything made it worse, according to a new study published today. Our Home Affairs Correspondent Daniel Sandford is outside the Ministry Ofjustice for us now, so this has been a colossal waste of time and money then . Fiona, it looks like that, yes. To give you an idea of the scale, some 2500 prisoners in england and wales went through this Core Sex Offender Treatment Programme between 2002 and 2012. Researchers found that those who had been through the course were more likely to reoffend than those who hadnt done the cause. Those who hadnt done the course, 8 of them reoffended, those who had, 10 of them reoffended. Researchers think this might have been because they we re this might have been because they were discussing their offending in Group Sessions and somehow by discussing their crimes, it made them seem more normal and possibly more likely to reoffend. This study has been sitting on Ministers Desks for several months and quietly theyve been changing the Sex Offender Treatment Courses in the background, so that they now no longer involve the discussing of offending in Group Sessions. It looks as if theyve changed the training and the Courses Prisoners do before making public the fact that what theyve been doing for 25 yea rs that what theyve been doing for 25 years hasnt worked and may have made things worse. Thank you. The parents of 10 month old charlie gard have been told they will be able to spend more time with their terminally ill baby. Chris gard and connie yates had been expecting their sons life support to be turned off today after losing a high profile legal battle. But great 0rmond Street Hospital has since disclosed they are looking at plans for the babys care to enable the family to spend longer together. We are saving a smaller percentage of our income than at any time since records began in 1963, according to the office for national statistics. In the first three months of the year, people saved 1. 7 of their Disposable Income down from 3. 3 in the previous quarter. Economists say savings are down because prices are rising, and theres also been an increase in tax payments. Nurseries in england say local councils are failing to provide enough money to fund the additional Free Childcare for three and four year olds promised by the government. From september, children will be eligible for 30 hours of free Nursery Education if both parents are in work. But the National Day Nurseries association say most nurseries cant afford to provide the extra hours. 0ur Education correspondent Gillian Hargreaves reports. From september, all three and four year olds in england you know the routine, dropping of the kids. The constantjuggling of childcare for working parents. Which is why the governments four of 30 hours of Free Childcare for three and four year olds in england looked so and four year olds in england looked so good. But this nursery says it cant afford to provide more free hours, because the money they get from the government wont cover their bills. Every nursery is totally different, so every nursery is totally different, so the shortfall is huge. The government says it is spending £1 billion on this. That is enough money to make it work. The government say its Free Childcare, its only free if we are prepared to Foot The Bill and pay for it. U nfortu nately, Foot The Bill and pay for it. Unfortunately, that would mean lowering standards which are not prepared to do. When a National Day Nurseries association asked 128 local authorities in england how much they will pay nurseries for subsidised from september. Just over two months to go before Free Childcare is extended in england, it now looks like the government is in direct conflict with day nurseries. Theres a risk that parents might find theyve been promised something that they wont be able to take of. People come to this nursery because they want to come to this nursery. If they cant get the funding through the nursery is going to be very frustrating. My concern is that fabulous nurseries like this may struggle. Its a shame the government timetable to support those nurseries that need the extra money. The government has invested extra cash and says theres plenty to go around but nurseries say the investment is less than the price of a second stamp. If neither backs down its mums and dads caught in the stand off. The time is 6 15pm. Our top story this evening. The leader of kensington and Chelsea Council, where the Grenfell Tower fire happened, has just resigned. Coming up. Im live in dusseldorf ahead of the start of the 2017 Tour De France. Can chris froome win a fourth Yellow Jersey . Coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news. Its must win for the British And Irish Lions in new zealand, as the all blacks look to clinch the series in tomorrows second test in wellington. Thousands of british students are heading to Eastern Europe to train to be doctors and dentists after failing to get places in british universities. Research done by bbc news suggests theres been an increase in the numbers of students going to places like bulgaria and romania. Thats partly because of the limited places at Medical Schools here. There are 8,200 places available each year in the uk to study medicine, but there are about 20,000 applicants. Competition is fierce. And this at a time when were facing a shortage of doctors. Our health editor, hugh pym, reports from varna in bulgaria. Theyre so keen to study medicine, theyve come a long way from home to do it. These british students are at the university of varna in bulgaria, because it was difficult getting places in the uk. Cavity, not the chest wound. One of them is zara, a mature student who is a mother of four. Shes frustrated she was turned down by a British Medical School despite having the right grades. They were thinking its going to be like, im going to leave in the middle or Something Like that. So actually i was very disappointed. And very upset. So i thought, like, theres no need to waste my time here in the uk, and try to convince them or impress them with my grades or with my qualification. Its better to look outside. They do need to learn bulgarian to talk to patients. But the course is taught in english. What do you think is this. This man from west london explains that competition for places at British Medical Schools is intense. There are limited places. So to pursue his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon, he had to go elsewhere. We have ph. D students and masters students who are applying for the same places as you are applying to. And its very competitive. And we have a lot of people get rejected, a lot of good candidates get rejected. There are 250 british medical and dental students in varna, a fast increasing number. Its a resort town on the black sea. Living costs are cheaper, and tuition fees lower than in england. But i asked the University Vice rector how she could be sure british students were up to doing medicine if they havent got the grades to study at home. Those who are brought to the university are highly motivated young british people who are very much willing to study medicine. And we pass them through our system for medicine. They need to sit for entry exams in biology and chemistry. Theres nothing new about british students wanting to study around europe. What weve discovered is that there has been a noticeable increase in the numbers going to Medical Schools in romania, poland, hungary, the Czech Republic and croatia, as well as here in bulgaria. Theyre being promoted around the uk at events like this. An agent charging a fee helps with the application process, and says those without a grades at a level can still get in. Some universities might be actually a bit more, a little flexible, and might go for something lower like a c or Something Like that. But, these people they need to go through some exams. But you could get a place, could you, with bs and cs . You could, yes, thats true. Doctors qualifying at an eu Medical School are automatically eligible to work in the uk. But the regulator the General Medical Council says things might change after brexit, with extra tests imposed. At a time when doctors are badly needed, these students say theyll do whatever it takes to work in the nhs. Hugh pym, bbc news, varna, bulgaria. Hundreds of people have attended the funeral of one of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing. Coronation street stars joined mourners in stockport at the funeral of martyn hett, who was a huge fan of the soap. Judith moritz reports. Martyn hett loved to make an entrance. At 29, hed planned his own funeral, with two white horses and a splash of showbusiness. His family took a moment for private grief, before a very public celebration for the extrovert blogger. We have received messages from All Around The World from people who followed martyn, just waiting for his next hilarious post. Martyn loved being in the limelight, and the centre of attention. He will be loving every minute of this fantastic celebration of his life. Hello, and welcome to the ten oclock news, with me, martyn hett. I absolutely adore coronation street. Martyns family played this film, including a tribute to his love of corrie, and his favourite character. Some of the cast were there to celebrate their superfan, and watch celebrity tributes. I love you, and im so happy that we got a chance to meet. And i know that youre shining down on us from heaven. Me and my group of friends and everyone at radio one were always commenting on how funny, how sharp and how hilarious martyn was with his social media. The service was beamed to the crowd outside. The impact of the Manchester Attack still felt here. Martyn was really the complete opposite of the person and what happened on that awful day. He just swallowed it all up, all that hate and anger, and his star is shining bright for us all to see. Martyns mum said she wanted him to make a diva exit, and so he did. Applauded by his family, his friends, his audience. Judith moritz, bbc news, stockport. Mourners lined the streets of merseyside to pay their final respects to 15 year old megan hurley, who also died in the Manchester Arena attack. Her family asked for privacy at todays service, where the bells of St Nicholas Church in halewood rang 22 times for the victims of the bombing. People were encouraged to wear megans favourite colour, orange, in her memory. Tennis, and andy murray will begin the defence of his wimbledon title against an unseeded player when the championships open on monday. He pulled out of his last warm up game today because of a hip problem, but was practising on the grass at the all england club. Murray is drawn in the same half as french open champion rafael nadal and stan wavrinka. The british cyclist chris froome will attempt to defend his title when the Tour De France begins tomorrow. Hes hoping to complete his Third Straight win and a fourth victory in five years. But he faces stiff competition from some the worlds leading cyclists. The race begins in the german city of dusseldorf, and our Sports Correspondent Richard Conway is there. Richard, an unusual place to start the Tour De France . Well, it is, yes, the tour tries to take in as many countries as possible, fira. We are here in dusseldorf for the start tomorrow. There is an individual time trial. Yes, chris froome and team sky will be hoping to add to what has been a golden era for british cycling. They want a fourth Yellow Jersey for chris british cycling. They want a fourth yellowjersey for chris froome. However, i can tell you, the hmmfi however, i can tell you, the forecast here tomorrow is for torrential rain. Conditions will be difficult. That is perhaps increasing might include being given the dark clouds which have followed team sky in recent months that is perhaps in keeping with the. Clouds. Chris froome becomes the first briton to retain the Tour De France title. Chris froome knows what it takes to win the Tour De France. Tomorrow, he starts his quest for a fourth victory in this famous race. Media interest is always sky high, but this year, froomes team roll off the start line the subject of an ongoing doping investigation, and with questions looming over their leaders credibility. Ive been involved in this sport a long time, and ive tried to do it absolutely the way that ive always thought it should be done. And im proud of what weve achieved in this sport, and im proud of this team. Evidence from sir Dave Brailsford and other team sky officials to mps earlier this year revealed an alarming lack of medical record keeping. It all relates to a package alleged to have contained a banned substance administered to sir Bradley Wiggins shortly before he went on to win the 2012 Tour De France. Team sky and sir bradley deny any wrongdoing, but the issue has presented the sport and the head of its world governing body with a familiar problem. Certainly the reputational problems that have been around that team in the last few months have not been helpful. We were previously considered pariahs of the anti doping world, and now weve got one of the best reputations in sport, i believe. The tour, like its cyclists, endures. Millions will watch on tv, and, just as in yorkshire in 2014, thousands will line the route for the start, which this year takes place in dusseldorf. For chris froome, he must now focus on more than 2000 miles of racing that stand between him and road cyclings greatest prize. This is the biggest challenge ive faced in my career. I think the level of my rivals on the course that were racing on this year leads it to be a much more open race. These are unprecedented times. A possible Fifth British tour title in six years await when the race ends in paris in three weeks time. The fight to fully restore team skys image . That will take a lot longer. Richard conway, bbc news, dusseldorf. Time for a look at the weather. Heres jay wynne. How is it looking for the weekend . Pretty good. We will start with a quick look back ofjune. We are into the last few hours ofjune already. Not all of the stats in, but the met 0ffice figures suggest it was a warm month across the board. It was the hottestjune month across the board. It was the hottest june day on month across the board. It was the hottestjune day on the first since 1976. Not only was it a warm month, it was a wet one, particularly in the north and north east. The south east of scotland, edinburgh and leuchars in fife, recorded their wettest ju ne leuchars in fife, recorded their wettest june on record. Leuchars in fife, recorded their wettestjune on record. A wet and warm month. It has been cloudy and wet in recent days. But the weekend is looking good, a lot of bright and bright weather, particularly for england and wales. But there is some rain this evening and overnight, drifting south across in with wales, not too heavy or widespread, but some rain nonetheless. Most of it has gone by dawn. Behind it is dry weather, cloudy conditions, temperatures not dropping too far. Dipping into single figures in the northern and western aisles. Rain in the south east doesnt last long, thenit the south east doesnt last long, then it brightens up. Patchy cloud and sunny spells, light winds, a decent day for getting out and about. A different story for scotla nd about. A different story for scotland and northern ireland, a breeze, cloud and rain. The rain does not get to aberdeenshire, where it will be warm. It will pick in the south eastern corner at 23 24d. Through saturday evening, if you are heading out there in mind that this Weather Front is slipping south, bringing bring to the north west. That continues to drift its way southwards. By dawn on sunday, wet weather in the south east, but it shouldnt last too long. It will clear out into the near continent, then its going to be another decent day for england and wales. Decent spells of sunshine with light winds. A bit more of a breeze, the western side of scotland, vicar, with a bit of rain. Temperatures about 18 in belfast, 22 in the london area. A reminder of our main story. The leader of kensington and Chelsea Council, where the Grenfell Tower i happened, has just resigned. Council, where the Grenfell Tower i happened, hasjust resigned. He said he had to take responsibility for the response to the fire. As Council Leader, ito accept my share all the responsibility for these perceived failings. 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. Good evening. The conservative leader of kensington and Chelsea Council has said he will resign after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. It comes after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. It co m es after after the Grenfell Tower tragedy. It comes after criticism of the response to the disaster. And Council Leader i have to accept my share of responsibility for these perceived failings. In particular, my decision to accept legal advice that i should not compromise the Public Enquiry by having an open discussion yesterday has itself become a political story. Jeremy corbyn has written to theresa may with a call to broaden the Public Enquiry into the disaster, after thejudge Public Enquiry into the disaster, after the judge appointed to lead the enquiry warned it may be too narrow in its scope to satisfy all of the survivors. It has emerged that the cladding fitted to Grenfell Tower for its refurbishment was changed to a cheaper version saving nearly £300,000. Documents seen by the bbc show that zinc cladding, originally proposed, was replaced by an aluminium type. A coroner has concluded that the deaths of seven young men who drowned in two separate incidents at camber sands last summer were all due to misadventure. Even back at home there are lifeguards everywhere. There was no warning, no signs. I cant believe this is happening in the uk. The funeral has taken