already spreading excellence in maths teaching and i can announce that we are going to now intends to invest a further £6 million to make sure that those are in more areas where we know they need to make the biggest difference. we will also go further. we are going to create a 12 million network of english clubs in the northern powerhouse to further improve early language and literacy. because great teachers are at the heart of a great education, i want to do more to support skills to be able to attract and keep the very best of the teaching profession. we will invest more than £30 million in tailored support is that we can get more great teachers in some of the schools that struggled as most with recruitment and retention. and we will introduce a pilot student loa n we will introduce a pilot student loan reimbursement programme to help attract and retain teachers. and we will target it at the subjects and

the areas of the country that need them the most. last year in birmingham, iannounced them the most. last year in birmingham, i announced the first six opportunity areas. these are the places that are facing some of the biggest challenges for young people growing up. where we are working inside and also outside of our schools with local communities and charities, and with employers like edf energy in west somerset. grant thornton in norwich. royals race in derby. not just to thornton in norwich. royals race in derby. notjust to raise education i attainment in the school system but also to raise sights and broaden horizons for those young people through men touring and work experience. and since then, i have doubled the number of opportunity areas that we are working in. because i am determined that we will apply the lessons that we are

learning from them and on what works to boost opportunity for young people in other parts of the country. but there are other children missing out as well. i also wa nt to children missing out as well. i also want to talk about the children outside our mainstream schools in so—called alternative provision settings. these are the children with perhaps the most challenges in their lives, often the most vulnerable, which mainstream schools find it less easy to deal with. at the moment, less than 4% of these children achieved a star to see in english and maths gcses. that is compared to more than 64% of children in state funded mainstream schools. none of us should accept that. and it isjust schools. none of us should accept that. and it is just as unacceptable that. and it is just as unacceptable that compared to other children vary so that compared to other children vary so much more likely to end up in the

commonjustice system. so much more likely to end up in the common justice system. but with the right support their lives could have been on track. of course, in alternative provision there are some of the most dedicated, inspiring teachers and parents that you will ever meet. but this is an area of education that has been set on one side forfar too long. so i will bring forward proposals to ensure that alternative provision is the very best it can be and that the best practice that is already there in this field becomes the norm. so that alternative provision gives all the young people in it the opportunity to fulfil their potential and we will make sure that those children can do better. and technical education, many people don't realise that since 2010 with business we have helped create more than 3.4 million apprenticeships. that is millions of opportunities

for young people to get development in the workplace. coming into this role, to me, it was vital that our education system post—16 should be goal standards for all our young people, not just a goal standards for all our young people, notjust a half ago and to do a—levels and university. that is what i said at conference last year. and our reforms to technical education in this country are going to deliver choice for those great young people and skills for our employers. as we prepare to leave the eu, this has never been important for our country. because this great country of ours needs skills revolution. and i want our country to have an army of skilled young people there and ready for the british businesses that so badly need them. labour was happy to

import skills. as a conservative government, we are going to build up oui’ government, we are going to build up our home—grown talent. and that is why in the budget this year hailed by the cbi as a breakthrough budget for skills, we announced half £1 billion a year extra investment in technical and education reform. we will pursue excellence in further education as we have in our schools. and we will introduce two a—levels, technical qualifications that will be every bit as rigorous as academic a—levels. and we will make sure that the technical education ladder is going to reach every bit as high as the academic one. in 2015 we introduced degree apprenticeships. so that individuals can earn while they learn. and in less than two yea rs, they learn. and in less than two years, more than 2000 people have already started one. so today i am

announcing the next wave of 27 degrees apprenticeships projects. these will help meet the growing demand, fought these opportunities for the next generation. more and better education choices for our young people. everything that i have just talked about is about giving oui’ just talked about is about giving our young people their chance to reach their potential. notjust some of them, but all of them. many of them will have voted labour. at the last election. i don't agree with labour's proposals to scrap tuition fees. because we can see the impact of not having fees over the border in scotland. it leads to a cap and university places, which is a cap and opportunity. as we know what happens, as the sutton trust found last year in scotland, the gap

between the proportion of people from the most advantaged areas and the least advantaged areas going to university in scotland is higher than in any other of our home nations. i was the first person in my family to have the chance to go to university, and i want more and more young people to have that choice in the future. not fewer. and we wa nt choice in the future. not fewer. and we want to help students when they graduate. that is why we are taking action right now to freeze student fees and it is why we are increasing the amounts that graduates can earn every year before they start paying back their fees. from every year before they start paying back theirfees. from £21,000 to £25,000, saving young graduates up to £360 next year. but if we are to win the trust and support of young people more generally, i think we need to understand two things.

first, for lots of them negative party politics is a real turn off. of course we should hold labour to account for its empty promises, like the empty promises to young people and student debt, and they're raising tuition fees in wales, but thatis raising tuition fees in wales, but that is not enough. because, secondly, they want to hear about how our policies are going to make their lives better. and we have to ta ke their lives better. and we have to take the priorities of a new generation of voters and make them hours. that means we have to be positive, constructive, optimistic and we will win the battle of ideas by showing how our politics delivers for them in practice. and how it makes a difference in their lives, day—to—day. and in the end, it is

about equality of opportunity. that is why i am about equality of opportunity. that is whyiama about equality of opportunity. that is why i am a conservative. education is at the heart of our positive message to young people. i am someone positive message to young people. i am someone who positive message to young people. i am someone who went positive message to young people. i am someone who went through the state education system and went to my local comprehensive school and my teachers inspired me. and whether it is work in opportunity areas to lift the communities that can do so much better through education, whether it is our technical education reforms giving young people post—16 great choices, or whether it is understanding that we cannot allow a young person's life to be written off because of the difficult circumstances that their life might have started with, education is about levelling up opportunity. no 11 community or part of our country

has a monopoly on talent and britain will only be at its best when we unlock it all. that is what social mobility is all about. stronger communities, a stronger economy, a stronger country. equality of opportunity. this is, for us, our pa rty‘s opportunity. this is, for us, our party's mission. it means a country that works for everyone. the conservative party is the party that reached out to me when i was a young person, growing up in labour run rotherham, and i know we are a party that can now reach out to young people today. they want a choice. they deserve a choice. let's give it to them. thank you. applause. —— applause so that was just even greening

making her speech and touching and that announcement today about tuition fees, about raising the threshold from 21,020 5000. the point at which people start to pay that back. there is a lot of talk at the conference particularly because it is the first time they've gathered since the general election, about how the conservative party reaches out to younger people. by that, they don't just reaches out to younger people. by that, they don'tjust mean teenagers or students, they mean people in their 20s and 30s, even their 405. there their 205 and 305, even their 405. there are some here who fear they have lost touch with that generation. and that they have to do something to appeal to them to win them back. m5 greening wa5 something to appeal to them to win them back. m5 greening was talking about education and social mobility, how much it can give younger people. but also more broadly saying how she thinks young people are turned off by negative politics, it is not enoughju5t to by negative politics, it is not enough just to criticise jeremy corbyn and the labour party, that

the tory party have to sound more optimi5tic the tory party have to sound more optimistic about the future. come up with more and fresh ideas to help people and certainly to help them with skills, apprenticeships, so it i5 with skills, apprenticeships, so it is not just about the 15% to with skills, apprenticeships, so it i5 notjust about the 15% to go to univer5ity i5 notjust about the 15% to go to university but more broadly better vocational training and skills training as well. vicky, thank you. back to you shortly. and the scottish conservative leader ruth davidson i5 scottish conservative leader ruth davidson is to be addressing the conference in a few minutes time. we will bring you that live of course. a man has been shot dead by the french army, after killing two people with a knife in marseille. —— killing two women. let's go to paris to our correspondence there. what can you tell us about what has

happened? this was at the main railway station in the centre of mar5eille, it happened about an hour and a half ago. there was a man in his late 205 who brandi5hed a large knife and attacked two women, one in her 205, one in her 405, and knife and attacked two women, one in her205, one in her405, and i'm sorry to say killed them both. 0ne had her throat cut and the other was stabbed to death. the man was then shot by soldiers who were patrolling in the station as they patrol in stations across france and other public places as part of the emergency measures here. he was shot, did not die immediately because they managed to handcuff him, but he died shortly afterwards. the important thing to note is that this is being treated as a terrorist incident to the extent that the terrorist branch of the prosecutor ‘5 office in paris has taken charge of the investigation, which means they think it is a terrorist attack,

there are reports that the man shouted before launching his attack. more than that we do not know. there i5 more than that we do not know. there is no point in speculating too much about who the man is or what he did or what his motivation is well. what i will say is that in the mud last months there have been a steady pace of attacks carried out by people who are on the face of it loners, some of whom would be described as having mental problems of one kind or another, but you seemed also to have come under the influence of islamist propaganda. many thanks for that update. spanish riot police have clashed with voters in catalonia as they try to stop an independence referendum from taking place. the emergency services say 38 people have been injured in the violence. -- 91 —— 91 people. the authorities in madrid have ruled that the vote is unconstitutional. the catalan leader has condemned what he called police brutality after rubber bullets and batons were used. tonight's football match will be

played behind closed doors because of the disturbances. gavin lee is in barcelona. this is where three years of talks as the squamish government sees it, threats from the catalan government that they would have a referendum despite its time saying it would be illegal, that this part of the country with 7.5 million people, the size of belgium, has powers, its own language and culture, it has come down to the politics away from government and violence on the street which is now being condemned by several world leaders. i spent the morning at some of the polling stations as this polling started, with the police trying to shut it down, and this is what it was like. this is the fight for the ballot box in catalonia. it is becoming ugly. spanish police smashed their way into a polling station this morning. they are using batons, rubber bullets and force to keep back voters who get in their way.

after have a spanish guard treating us, he says, breaking in, stealing computers and treating the way they did, we are going to take the ballot outside so all can vote. the spanish government has assisted they are behaving in accordance with the law. that a breakaway vote for a region the size of belgium cannot go ahead. many voters here dismiss that. they have no choice after seeing the massive seeing amount of people wanting to vote, about 80% of the population of the country. they have to vote for this referendum. the legality here, i think we are over legality. it is about freedom and democracy. this is exactly what the catalan government hoped for. bringing the power of politics to the street, illegal or not, people have queued up since friday. the police have been and gone and across catalan the numbers are growing.

that is what this is about. legitimate or not it is turnout that counts. translation: the last seven years the government said say no. and now we the people organised to vote and they send thousands of police and suppress citizens here peacefully waiting to vote. calls for independence in catalonia have been building for decades. the young and old have taken to the streets. but there are many others who will stay at home, not wanting to see the region split. those voting had been told if large numbers vote overwhelmingly for yes, independence could be declared in 48 hours. both sides claim they have the right to act, and neither are backing down. to add to the whole complexity of

this, there are those in catalonia going around with spanish flags in big groups, also saying they want to be part of a union. this is being noticed around the world. the eu saysis noticed around the world. the eu says is watching closely, the belgian prime minister says he, and condemns all violence as does the scottish first minister. we don't know where it is going, it is very fractious, there is fever pitch at some polling stations, they say at 8pm '5 night they will end and announce what happens from here. they could announce, we think and independence in 48 hours. a 17—year—old boy has been charged with several offences, in connection with two incidents on the m3 last month. the second incident last weekend caused travel chaos, as officers shut a section of the motorway for most of the day. an air france flight from paris to los angeles carrying more than 500 people was forced to make a sudden diversion when it lost part of an engine over the atlantic. the plane flew for about an hour on three engines before it reached goose bay airport in eastern canada. no one was injured in the incident,

but passengers remained on board hours after the landing. the low—cost travel company, monarch has been granted a 24—hour extension to its license to sell package holidays. it means travellers who book with the firm until midnight tonight will be covered for their trips. the airline is understood to be in talks to sell part or all of its short—haul operation, as simon cleminson reports. for almost as long as package holidays have been popular, there has been some form of protection in case business fails. the government scheme should ensure is that not only do you get a refund if you book ahead, but if you are already abroad, you can get home. companies need to prove they are financially robust to get a licence in the first place. under intense pressure from a weak pound and shrinking demand, monarch is trying to find a buyer for part or all of its shorthaul operation. it is engaged in talks with a large

number of potential investors. a 24—hour licence extension means if the airline can continue selling in the charter market and customers will still be covered. they will also needed a temporary licence last year. ultimately, 10,000 passengers already out of the could be affected. the civil aviation authority is thought to be working on backup plans, using other airlines for the return leg. it says it will provide daily updates. the airline says it continues to work on its future on flights operating as normal. there's been a surge in the number of people working in the uk banking sector who are considering taking jobs in ireland. that's according to research conducted by a recruitment website. it found an almost 40% rise in searches for financial services positions in ireland compared with the quarter immediately before the referendum last year. oj simpson has been freed on parole after nine years in prison. the former us football star and actor was approved for release injuly.

he has been serving jail time for armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and ten other charges following a confrontation in las vegas in 2007. ten days after puerto rico was devastated by hurricane maria, the situation in the american territory remains desperate. the entire island is still without power and there's a shortage of drinking water, food and fuel. there's also deepening political tension over relief efforts. while much—needed aid is now arriving, president trump has continued to angrily defend the us response on twitter. the governor of puerto rico gave this update. 0ur priorities at this juncture, keeping food delivery, delivery of gas, making sure that the hospitals are working, making sure that we get more hospitals online and that they get their diesel and their fuel. establishing as best a mechanism for robust communication, whether it

be telecoms or otherwise and the air traffic control so that we can get more assets here in puerto rico. the government is also working in conjunction and collaboration with fema. 0ur housing department, the office of the first lady, the family department are also doing efforts to distribute food and water in different areas in puerto rico and we are coordinating all of the logistics with fema so that we can make sure that they arrive at their destination. the governor speaking. we go now to our europe corresponded to his utter polling station in

barcelona for us. in catalonia the referendum on independence is going on. bring us up—to—date. there have been extraordinary scenes there during the day. bear in mind there we re during the day. bear in mind there were 2500 polling stations being set up, the spanish police days ago said this will not take place in any way. they managed to steal off about 1000 of them. they went to the headquarters, the head communication department of the catalan government, they stops the communications effectively trying to suffocate what they call an illegal referendum, and now this is one particular centre where we can show you, this is how we feel, he says. have you voted already? 0f you, this is how we feel, he says. have you voted already? of course. explain, because the madrid government say catalonia has

language, culture, education, money, your own devolved government, why do your own devolved government, why do you want to separate? because we think that we have to do have our power and we have two control our self because it is not a lull, it is not right that the governor of spain told us every week, every month, every year, during 300 years. since 100 70,000... sorry, i am every year, during 300 years. since 100 70,000... sorry, lam nervous. the police have gone to other polling stations and physically closed down. the poor have been thrown out of the way, rubber bullets have been fired, but arms have been used. police are expected here soon to seize these our boxes. are you worried? we are going to

stay but peacefully. we don't use weapons or sticks to beat them, but weapons or sticks to beat them, but we feel that we don't have to do use the violence to be independent. just that. we just want to vote ourselves, to make our change, and i think the people to say yes or not. it is clear. what is your name? henry. henry, good luck. a lot of other polling stations whether police return to violence. and what the madrid government is saying, it is proportionate. they talk about nine police officers injured by people waiting to vote. the catalan government say 337 people have been injured by the police. my colleague went to the police station nearby.

he saw a number of people injured. when the cars go past you can hear the solidarity. let me show you, where people are going in, this is a community centre, this is the polling booth, there is a volunteer spirit is going on at the moment but they are well aware the police are saying it does not count, the polling station should not be here, all these people their votes will be disregarded. in brief, by 8pm '5 night the end of the vote, it is that turn out that matters because the catalan government says if1 million, 2 million people turn up to vote they will be able to say it is overwhelming and if a yes vote is overwhelming and if a yes vote is overwhelming they are talking about in 48 hours' time from now declaring independence. that is how high the risks are here. the scene around you rip appears relatively peaceful but we have seen extraordinary scenes of conference confrontations between protesters, rubber bullets, what has

the atmosphere been like? bear in mind, was the government are saying is proportionate, they are trying to clear people and people say the police have been circling the block for the last 30 minutes. maybe in the next hour the police will come here as well. there has been condemnation elsewhere. the eu leaders have said they are monitoring events. the belgian prime minister says you should never resort to violence. this should be a political act. nicola sturgeon also says that she believes this needs to come back to talking. people here, you can see, it is fairly simple, they are waiting peacefully, families, children, dogs, old and young. these other people wanting to vote, there are many others i have met who say they do not want to see independence. they believe there is enough devolved power for catalonia. is the place the size of belgium. they want to be kept as part of spain. their vote will be very hard

to count, as they are not coming out. thank you for that update. clearly a n out. thank you for that update. clearly an ongoing story in barcelona. let's go back to the conservative party conference in manchester. 0ur political corresponded is there for us now. as you might expect after that general election result this is the first gathering of the conservative party. a lot of chat about what went wrong, what can be done, a lot of talk about trying to win over a younger generation of voters. i am joined by the conservative mp george freeman who is in charge of the conservative policy forum. what is your analysis of what could have been done better at the general election for the conservatives? just about everything. three big things, firstly the party organisation. we have heard an uncompromising report from eric pickles today. a lot of lessons to learn and a new team

gripping that. we fought at clunky, analog, old —fashioned gripping that. we fought at clunky, analog, old—fashioned campaign and work out campaigned by the corbyn machine. secondly, policy. it is clear that there were three big groups in this election roaring a message which we need to hear. the millennial, the under 40, young but also under 40, aspirational professionals feeling left out by the economy post crash. both public sector workers who are with us in terms of balancing the deficit and budget but exhausted by the prospect of continual pressure they are under. and thirdly, the young who feel that brexit at the moment looks like a moment in which they will be robbed of their future. like a moment in which they will be robbed of theirfuture. those require big conservative ideas. we should speak to the grievancejeremy corbyn harnessed and give solutions and explain why his policies will fail. there is also how we go about politics. too often this is how it looks. men in suits, big media,

corporate donors, and i think we also need to nurture our grassroots and demonstrate the spirit of conservativism. that is what the big tent festival i easily setup is all about. that is potentially a huge shift. it is a big task. is the a nswer shift. it is a big task. is the answer more money, is shift. it is a big task. is the answer more money, is it about raising the threshold on tuition fees for example? it is a first step. would you like to see more of it? the thing today's news is very welcome it will send a signal that welcome it will send a signal that we are making it easier for people to acquire theirfirst we are making it easier for people to acquire their first home. a whole generation has been locked out of the property ladder after the crash. u nfortu nately the property ladder after the crash. unfortunately that is the single most powerful way of building up an asset base and we need to help them. i think that uses welcome and similarly tuition fees is an important step in right direction. the prime minister made clear we will go further and look at the structure of loan. before the policies we need to explain