Skip to main content

tv   BBC News at One  BBC News  March 3, 2023 1:00pm-1:31pm GMT

1:00 pm
today at one, a couple charged with gross negligence manslaughter, after the body of a baby was found in woods near brighton, have arrived at court. mark gordon will appear before magistrates in the next few minutes. along with constance marten, their arrest followed a nationwide police search. we will have the latest. also on the programme... the bbc learns energy companies are preparing for government help with household bills to continue beyond march. campaigners say it makes sense. it's not good for individuals to put prices up. it's not good for people's mental health. consumer confidence, which means it's bad for business. labour defends offering the former
1:01 pm
senior civil servant sue gray a topjob, after her inquiry into lockdown parties was critical of number 10. the arctic monkeys and guns n' rosesjoin eltonjohn at the top of the bill at this year's glastonbury festival. and a final sign off, from ken bruce on bbc radio 2, after 31 years. and coming up on the bbc news channel, jason roy returns to form with a brilliant century as england close in on a one—day series win against bangladesh. good afternoon and welcome to the bbc news at one. constance marten and mark gordon, the couple charged with gross negligence manslaughter
1:02 pm
and concealing the birth of a child, are appearing before magistrates. it follows the discovery of the body of a baby, found in woods near brighton on wednesday. police say it's too early to tell when the infant died. a postmortem examination is taking place. duncan is taking place. kennedy has the very latest. mark gordon arrived at the court and was helped out of the van by police and prison officers. he was led into the building ahead of his appearance before magistrates. constance marten and mark gordon have both been charged with three offences — gross negligence manslaughter, concealing the birth of a child and perverting the course of justice. last night, the death of the baby brought the surrounding community together in brighton in a vigil of candles and thoughts. several dozen people made a street corner their focal point, just a few hundred yards from where the remains were found. police made their discovery on land
1:03 pm
around a wood and some allotments. it has since become a search area involving dozens of officers. they say they believe the baby may have died some time ago. constance marten and mark gordon have been missing for eight weeks. their disappearance prompting an extensive search by police. they were arrested on monday and have been in custody since then. the police investigation has been centred on the hills north of brighton but has taken in other areas as well. a postmortem examination is also taking place today to determine how the baby died. this hearing was due to take place at brighton magistrates but late last night was moved here to crawley magistrates. we know constance marten and mark gordon are both in the building behind me, mark gordon arriving as you saw in the piece there in the last half an hour. they are due before the magistrate we are
1:04 pm
now told at 1:30pm for what is expected to be a short hearing and as you heard in the piece the postmortem examination is due to take place today to try to discover the cause of death for that baby. at the cause of death for that baby. at the same time the police can investigation in and around the brighton area is still going on. thank you, duncan kennedy in crawley. the chancellor, jeremy hunt, is widely expected to extend the government's energy price guarantee at current levels for another three months. taxpayer support means gas and electricity bills are currently capped at £2,500 a year for a typical household. that figure is due to rise to £3,000 in april. but the bbc understands energy firms have been told to prepare for a possible change of plan. here's our business correspondent, theo leggett. paying for electricity and gas, for lighting, heating and cooking has been a real struggle for millions of households over the winter.
1:05 pm
costs have been kept down by the government's energy price guarantee, but even so for people like single mum hannah, there have been difficult choices. i work three sort of different part—time jobs to keep everything running, to keep the household running. but over the last few months, over the winter, it has been increasingly difficult, and just recently i have sort of reached the point of having to choose between paying my gas and electricity bill, or doing a food shop. and to hit that point despite how hard i work was crippling. energy prices are actually coming down. 0fgem's default tariff, the maximum retailers can charge their customers, will drop to about £3,300 a year per household in april — a fall of £1,000. but that's not what people are actually paying. bills are currently capped by the government at £2,500 for the average household, with taxpayers making up the difference. the cap was due to rise
1:06 pm
to £3,000 a year in april, a move that would save the government a great deal of money. but charities and campaigners say such a move would have severe consequences for poorer households. i wrote a letter to the chancellor three weeks ago, it is now backed by 110 major charities including the likes of which? and citizens advice and alzheimer's and the samaritans, and many others, it's backed by energy uk, which is the trade body of the energy industry, saying, you know, "don't do this, it's not good for "individuals to put prices up, it's not good for people's mental health, "it's not good for consumer confidence, which means "it's bad for business." but others think the government should focus taxpayer funds on those who need them most. there are people out there who are in absolute dire financial straits, they are underwater on their energy bills. they need more support than households such as myself, for example, who aren't in that situation. so what we're saying is that the extra cost of keeping the energy price guarantee in place
1:07 pm
for another three months, about £25 billion, could be better targeted at those vulnerable households. winter is coming to an end and warmer weather should soon be on its way. with energy prices falling rapidly on international markets, ministers will be hoping they will be able to switch off government support sooner rather than later. theo leggett, bbc news. our business editor, simonjack, is here. what everyone wants to know is is it going to happen, is the help going to be extended?— going to happen, is the help going to be extended? yes, we can say that with almost — to be extended? yes, we can say that with almost certainty. _ to be extended? yes, we can say that with almost certainty. i _ to be extended? yes, we can say that with almost certainty. i learnt - with almost certainty. i learnt energy companies were working on the assumption this was going to happen, onceit assumption this was going to happen, once it became an economic possibility that government might do this, it became a political inevitability because they knew if bills went from 2500 up to £3000, the number struggling with double. they are able to do this, the government, because the price of wholesale gas, that you buy on the
1:08 pm
open market, has come down dramatically. the money they thought they would have to spend on subsidising bills is tens of billions less than they originally thought. we think the cost of extending this programme for another three months is about £3 billion. they have estimated to spend 25. it does not mean bills are not going up at all because you will remember there was a disc and introduced for every household of £400 coming to an end in march and that is not are expected to be extended —— there was a discount. people will be paying more but not as much as expected. the government's hope the bridge to july will mean because wholesale costs have come down so much they will not need the energy price guarantee because the actual market price will be less than the energy price will be less than the energy price guarantees government will be off the hook completely. some news. simon jack. — off the hook completely. some news. simon jack, thank _ off the hook completely. some news.
1:09 pm
simon jack, thank you. _ labour has defended offering the former senior civil servant sue gray the role of sir keir starmer�*s chief of staff. she led the investigation into lockdown parties in downing street and her report was highly critical of the former prime minister, borisjohnson, as well as a number of officials. conservatives say the newjob offer casts doubt on ms gray's impartiality during her inquiry. let's get the latest from westminster and our political correspondent, jonathan blake. the senior civil servant who became a household name, sue gray led the government's inquiry into lockdown parties in downing street. her report found several events broke covid rules and shouldn't have been allowed to happen, and identified serious failings of leadership. i take full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch. now sir keir starmer wants to hire sue gray as his chief of staff. labour argue her extensive experience in whitehall will help
1:10 pm
them prepare for government. sue gray is somebody who has enormous respect from people across the political spectrum, as somebody who for decades has shown the highest integrity and standards in public life. the labour party has been looking for a chief of staff for the last two or three months, well after the report that sue gray wrote into borisjohnson�*s partying at downing street. but borisjohnson and other conservatives are outraged, saying sue gray's report can't now be seen as the findings of an impartial official and calling it a stitch—up. i think it can only be concluded that, given her new role, her new political role, it was to bring down the brexit—supporting prime minister borisjohnson. and i don't think her report is actually worthy of the paper it is now written on. sue gray has resigned from the civil service but will not take up her role with labour until a westminster watchdog
1:11 pm
gives it the all clear. sir keir starmer is hoping that hiring sue gray shows he is serious about preparing for power. but the risk for him is the row over her appointment becoming too much of a distraction. we will get more from jonathan in a second because the parliamentary committee investigating whether borisjohnson lied to mps in downing street said there was evidence he did so. the interim report has been published. tell us more.— published. tell us more. lockdown rules and the _ published. tell us more. lockdown rules and the subsequent - rules and the subsequent investigations and political fallout is firmly back on the agenda today because as you say the committee of mps looking into specifically whether boris johnson mps looking into specifically whether borisjohnson misled parliament over his claims and denials about the events throughout the pandemic has given an update. and it does not look good for the
1:12 pm
former prime minister at this stage. the mps say the evidence strongly suggests that breaches of covid guidance would have been obvious to mrjohnson when he attended certain events. the committee has more work to do but borisjohnson himself has put out a statement today countering that, saying there is no evidence he knowingly or recklessly misled mps and he has also expressed concern that the report by sue gray is being used by the committee as part of its investigation. he calls into question the confidence people may have on it now, given that sir keir starmer is looking to hire sue gray as his new chief of staff. but not investigation, as i say, is not yet finished. it has some way to go. borisjohnson himself is due to be interviewed by mps on the committee later this month. ultimately, interviewed by mps on the committee laterthis month. ultimately, he could be suspended from the commons
1:13 pm
and further still potentially lose his seat. , ., ., ., and further still potentially lose his seat. ., ., ., ~ and further still potentially lose his seat. , ., ., ., ., ~ , ., his seat. jonathan, thank you, jonathan blake _ his seat. jonathan, thank you, jonathan blake live _ his seat. jonathan, thank you, jonathan blake live at - his seat. jonathan, thank you, - jonathan blake live at westminster. the reality tv personality stephen behr has been sentenced to prison after sharing a private video of him having sex with his ex girlfriend george harrison. he sold the video for money. he denied voyeurism and two cans of... thejudge for money. he denied voyeurism and two cans of... the judge also issued him with a five year restraining order. —— two counts. the former england captain michael vaughan has begun giving evidence in a cricket disciplinary hearing. he faces charges of bring the game into disrepute. 0ur reporter matt graveling is outside the hearing. what can you tell us? a warning some viewers might — what can you tell us? a warning some viewers might find _ what can you tell us? a warning some viewers might find some _ what can you tell us? a warning some viewers might find some of _ what can you tell us? a warning some viewers might find some of the - viewers might find some of the language upsetting. michael vaughan currently giving evidence behind me.
1:14 pm
former england captain was at the hearing accused of using a racist comment in 2009 towards four asian team—mates, it is alleged he said, there are far too many of you lot, we need to have a word. the hearing began with the england and wales cricket board lawyer weeding out historic tweets one of which michael vaughan posted, there are not many english people living in london, i need to learn a new language. he says he has apologised a number of times, always the first person to stick up his hand when he has done something wrong, he says. he was asked by his lawyer to confirm a witness statement which he did and in that he told us, i have been involved in cricket for more than 30 years and never been involved in a discipline with france. it goes against my values, morals and personality —— disciplinary offence. i first became aware when yorkshire county cricket club did their investigation in 2020. i have always
1:15 pm
championed the fundamental aspect of a dressing room culture and that has to be inclusive.— it's europe's biggest infrastructure project and one estimate reckons it'll cost over £100 billion. now the man responsible for delivering hs2 has admitted a number of options are being explored, including delays, to try to keep the costs down as inflation bites. 0ur transport correspondent, katy austin, has that story. at 0ld 0ak common in west london, you get a sense of hs2's scale. the so—called super hub station will be one end of the railway when it first opens. 80 miles away, this is another major construction site. hs2 trains will eventually run where i'm standing. this is the entrance to the first tunnel that was finished along the route, this one under the warwickshire countryside. and just next to it, a second tunnel, and work to complete this one is already more than halfway.
1:16 pm
30,000 people are already working on the project, which is meant to cutjourney times and increase capacity. the stretch linking 0ld 0ak common and birmingham is scheduled to open by the end of 2033, with euston station in central london opening later. the line's due to reach crewe by 2034, and get to manchester by 2041. an eastern leg would follow to the east midlands. plans to build this all the way to leeds were scrapped. hs2 has long been marked by rising costs and delays. so, birmingham's to the north... high inflation has forced a fresh focus on keeping costs down to avoid busting the current budget. we are looking at the timing of the project, the phasing of the project, looking at where we can use our supply chain to secure a lot of those things that are costing us more through inflation. are there smarter ways of buying our energy, for example? how can we engineer the job in a different way? and would delaying some parts of the project help to save money, and is that something being considered?
1:17 pm
it might save money in the short term, but in the long run, that could not have a great impact, so we're looking at a number of options with the department for transport. last month, the chancellor quashed a report the line may never reach euston, but there's been speculation some sections could be cut to make large savings. a consultant who has worked on the project argues that would be a mistake. if you don't do parts of the project, you lose the benefits that go with that part of the project, and you leave the expensive phase one that's now under construction underused. business groups want reassurance the line to the east midlands will go ahead. any aspect of uncertainty or an air of a lack of commitment in terms of investing in the east midlands, of course, it will make businesses think twice. hs2 still has many opponents, including those who think the money would be better spent elsewhere, and people along the route who are angry at the impact of construction. the government says it's committed to the line from euston
1:18 pm
to manchester and carries out regular reviews to ensure value for money. tough decisions could still lie ahead. katy austin, bbc news. large crowds have gathered for the funeral of a 15—year—old palestinian boy shot dead by israeli forces in the occupied west bank. palestinian officials say two other teenagers were also injured. the israeli army says the boys threw fireworks at cars and petrol bombs during a search. our top story this lunchtime: a couple charged with gross negligence manslaughter after the body of a baby was found in woods near brighton have arrived in court. and we report on a criminal underworld of puppy traders trafficking dogs across europe. coming up on the bbc news channel, laura muir cruises through qualifying at the european indoor championships in istanbul to underline his status as favourite for another gold
1:19 pm
in the 1500m. stomach—churning images of raw sewage being pumped directly into the sea were widely shared on social media last year, and raised fresh questions about the quality of our rivers and waterways. the environment agency says only 14% of england's rivers are classified as having a "good" ecological status. and it says that figure is predicted to fall to just 6% by 2027. raw sewage discharge is one of the main contributors to poor water quality. in just one year, england and wales's waterways had sewage pumped in for at least 3.4 million hours. yorkshire is one of the worst
1:20 pm
counties affected, with three of its rivers, the calder, the aire and the 0use in the top ten of worst waterways. meanwhile, sewage was discharged into the river severn, more than 2,500 times in one year. our environment correspondent, jonah fisher, has been to meet some of the people, having to live nearby. 5.6 degrees. 5.6 degrees? yeah, it's quite warm. cleaning up our waterways is going to take courage and conviction, and melissa and alison have it in spades. oh, it's just lovely. it's a freedom. you're part of nature. yeah, i love it. but unfortunately, it's notjust nature in the river severn. it gets wiffy up the river, just up the river there. the uk's longest river is, like many of our waterways, in trouble. farming run—off, industrial waste and sewage have all played their part in making swimming not for the faint—hearted. in the edges, you tend to get sanitary products and toilet paper, that kind of thing. wet wipes. it's hard to quantifyjust how
1:21 pm
polluted the severn is. in recent years, there have been great efforts made to measure the amount of sewage that flows into our rivers. but that data has its limits. here in the severn, we know that sewage mixed with rainwater flowed out of outflow pipes like that one over there for a combined total of nearly 29,000 hours in 2021. what we don't know is whether it was dribbling out or a raging torrent. testing the water is the obvious way to find out how clean the severn is, but the only way to get that done regularly is to do as alison and melissa are attempting — get it official status as a place to swim. so, we're hoping to get a couple of stretches in the river severn designated as bathing water. and then if there's any pollutants in it, the environment agency will investigate who's polluting the water and what with. 0n the other side of the severn, we meet up with campaigners who say they've had enough.
1:22 pm
claire, kate and jamie are refusing to pay the part of their bill that covers taking the waste water away. ijust pay half of it, for the fresh water. that's the supply in your tap? the supply in the taps, which, you know, we're grateful for, really. the only thing that's left me to protest is to try and withhold a bit of the money because that seems to be the only thing that they care about. not worried that you might get a criminal record? oh, no. no, i'm not. when everything works, shrewsbury�*s sewage ends up here at the local treatment plant. so, what does the water company make of the campaigners refusing to pay their bills? people are really passionate - about this, but so are we, right? so... well, fix it then. and we are. so, for example, we are investing £100 million every year— to reinforcing our sewer network. and so there have been improvements. but we do accept that people | would like to see us do more. and so we are. that evening, alison and melissa went back for another dip.
1:23 pm
who knows what they were swimming in? jonah fisher, bbc news, in shrewsbury. a bbc investigation has found hundreds of dogs being smuggled into the uk from illegal puppy farms in eastern europe. the demand for new pets in lockdown fuelled a sharp rise in dog smuggling into britain, which provides one of the biggest markets for puppies. the bbc�*s our world programme infiltrated online groups, buying and selling dogs. here's anna adams. these dogs have been rescued from illegal puppy mills in hungary by animal charities. a bbc our world investigation found smugglers breaking the law and abusing the pet passport scheme to traffic pregnant dogs and puppies into the uk. they make their way to britain via germany, where police have seized more than 3,000 dogs since 2021. this hungarian smuggler kept these four heavily pregnant dachsunds in squalid conditions as he tried to transport them into the uk,
1:24 pm
claiming they were his pets. under the european pets travel scheme, you are allowed to transport dogs if they are your pets, but the evidence showed it was more likely that they had come from a puppy mill in hungary. translation: the boxes were far too i small, very dirty and full of urine. i the four dogs were rescued and brought to an animal shelter in germany, where they gave birth to 21 puppies, worth more than £42,000. translation: they were not used to any contact with people. - they didn't know any sounds, and the outside was also alien to them. the first time we put them on the meadow, they were completely overwhelmed. they didn't know what to do. the smuggler was released without charge in germany. a few days later, he was caught by british border authorities as he tried to smuggle more dogs into the uk, but he was released, again without charge. we tried to contact him but he did not respond.
1:25 pm
the bbc infiltrated a network of online groups buying and selling pregnant dogs. in the uk, it is illegal to sell puppies that you have not bred yourself. back in hungary, we meet adina, who has rescued hundreds of dogs from puppy mills. she says breeders will go to extreme lengths to hide the dogs. translation: she is a rescue from a puppy mill where there| are nearly 150 dogs. the adults had their vocal cords cut so that they couldn't bark and draw attention from the neighbours. dogs barking. as long as the uk's appetite for puppies continues, experts say smugglers will persist. they say the only way to stop them is to refuse to buy a dog unless you are sure of where it has come from. anna adams, bbc news. and you can see more on that in our world —
1:26 pm
inside the illegal puppy trade on the bbc iplayer right now. the rock bands arctic monkeys and guns n' roses will top the bill at this summer's glastonbury festival. theyjoin previously—announced headliner eltonjohn, who'll be playing the last uk show of his farewell tour. here's our music correspondent, mark savage. awarning, a warning, his report contains some flashing _ a warning, his report contains some flashing images. this will be guns �*n�* roses�* debut at glastonbury, and arctic monkeys' third time as headliners. this one's for your girlfriend. # you look good on the dance floor # i don't know what you're looking for # so i don't know what you're looking for...#. but the main attraction will be eltonjohn, playing the final uk date of his five year long farewell tour. # don't let the sun go down on me...
1:27 pm
#. organisers say he is planning a few surprises. when he closed the us leg of his tour, the stage was filled with special guests. # and i think it's going to be a long, long time...#. all three of glastonbury�*s headliners are male artists, an awkward position for a festival that has pledged to achieve gender balance on its line—up. organiser emily eavis told the bbc a female headliner had been booked for this summer but ultimately had to pull out. but there are plenty of female acts elsewhere. us pop star lizzo will play on the pyramid stage just before guns �*n�* roses... # it's better than i ever even knew...#. and lana del rey will headline the festival's second—biggest stage on saturday night. the festival opens its gates on wednesday the 21st of june, with more than 200,000 fans expected to attend. mark savage, bbc news.
1:28 pm
should be good. the much loved radio 2 presenter ken bruce has hosted his final mid—morning show, after 31 years. the broadcaster, who's best known for his daily popmaster quiz, announced injanuary he'd be leaving radio 2 to go to into commercial broadcasting. he'll be replaced by vernon kay. here's our arts correspondent, david sillito. ken bruce, and it was today farewell to radio two and the bbc. 31 years of the mid—morning show, but you started in 1977? i’ee of the mid-morning show, but you started in 1977?— started in 1977? i've been on the air at five _ started in 1977? i've been on the air at five days _ started in 1977? i've been on the air at five days a _ started in1977? i've been on the air at five days a week— started in 1977? i've been on the air at five days a week for - started in 1977? i've been on the air at five days a week for the i started in 1977? i've been on the. air at five days a week for the bbc somewhere since 1977, so yes, 46 years. shill somewhere since 1977, so yes, 46 ears. �* ~y ., , ., ., years. all right? 46 years, and that has taken him _ years. all right? 46 years, and that has taken him from _ years. all right? 46 years, and that has taken him from bbc _ years. all right? 46 years, and that has taken him from bbc scotland . years. all right? 46 years, and that| has taken him from bbc scotland to radio two. here, his first day replacing terry wogan, to now, the
1:29 pm
presenter of the biggest show on british radio.— presenter of the biggest show on british radio._ are . presenter of the biggest show on i british radio._ are you british radio. gee, thanks. are you sad to be going — british radio. gee, thanks. are you sad to be going or— british radio. gee, thanks. are you sad to be going or a _ british radio. gee, thanks. are you sad to be going or a relief? - british radio. gee, thanks. are you sad to be going or a relief? it's - british radio. gee, thanks. are you sad to be going or a relief? it's a i sad to be going or a relief? it's a big change. _ sad to be going or a relief? it's a big change. but _ sad to be going or a relief? it's a big change, but i _ sad to be going or a relief? it's a big change, but i don't do - sad to be going or a relief? it�*s —. big change, but i don't do things on a whim, so i've been thinking about this, planning it, so today isjust the natural culmination of some planning that i've been doing, and itjust feels like the right time to move on. , , ., ., ., i. move on. the big show in radio - you are walking — move on. the big show in radio - you are walking away _ move on. the big show in radio - you are walking away from _ move on. the big show in radio - you are walking away from it. _ move on. the big show in radio - you are walking away from it. absolutely | are walking away from it. absolutely aaivin u- are walking away from it. absolutely giving no my — are walking away from it. absolutely giving no my own — are walking away from it. absolutely giving up my own accord. _ are walking away from it. absolutely giving up my own accord. i _ are walking away from it. absolutely giving up my own accord. i wanted i are walking away from it. absolutely | giving up my own accord. i wanted to go at this time. i understand the bbc were in the process of preparing an offerfor me bbc were in the process of preparing an offer for me to continue, but bbc were in the process of preparing an offerfor me to continue, but i had made my decision before that. i mean, you have a room filled with cards. how does this make you feel? it's lovely, touching, but you can't let it get to you, otherwise you can't do yourjob. the let it get to you, otherwise you can't do yourjob.— let it get to you, otherwise you can't do yourjob. can't do your “0b. the last show was about to can't do yourjob. the last show was about to begin- _ can't do yourjob. the last show was about to begin. any _ can't do yourjob. the last show was about to begin. any regrets? - can't do yourjob. the last show was about to begin. any regrets? no - about to begin. any regrets? lit? regrets. in the words of robbie williams, tom rush, the walker brothers, no regrets. find
1:30 pm
williams, tom rush, the walker brothers, no regrets.— williams, tom rush, the walker brothers, no regrets. and the final son: ? brothers, no regrets. and the final song? the — brothers, no regrets. and the final song? the beatles _ brothers, no regrets. and the final song? the beatles and _ brothers, no regrets. and the final song? the beatles and a _ brothers, no regrets. and the final song? the beatles and a very - brothers, no regrets. and the final song? the beatles and a very ken| song? the beatles and a very ken bruce goodbye. bud song? the beatles and a very ken bruce goodbye-— song? the beatles and a very ken bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love ou bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love you take _ bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love you take is _ bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love you take is equal _ bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love you take is equal to _ bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love you take is equal to the - bruce goodbye. and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love i love you take is equal to the love you make. i have loved being here with you. thanks so much, and may we meet again somewhere. cheering and applause david sillitoe, bbc news, wogan house. he will be missed. the 1st of march usually signals the beginning of spring come yes, it is meteorological spring but it will not be feeling like spring. we could be seeing more scenes like this, so turning wintry. a lot of uncertainty in the forecast but we do know that it will turn bitterly cold across—the—board and there will be some snow, even possibly towards the south of england, certainly towards lower levels. we are less confident
1:31 pm
about the extent of the

92 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on