anna firth mentioned briefly there butjust anna firth mentioned briefly there but just for our anna firthd to this seat being vacated. it circumstances that led to this seat being vacated.— seat being vacated. it was indeed. six _ seat being vacated. it was indeed. six months - seat being vacated. it was indeed. six months ago i seat being vacated. it was i indeed. six months ago anna firth could not imagine she would be here being elected the mp for south and west. this was called after the former mp, sir david amess was stabbed to death while carrying out a constituency surgery where he meets voters in his constituency back in october. that is what has led to this vote taking place today and the other main parties in the uk, labour, lib dems and the greens decided not to stand as a mark of respect and in solidarity against what happened to sir david amess.— against what happened to sir david amess. you are tweeting earlier about _ david amess. you are tweeting earlier about the _ david amess. you are tweeting earlier about the low _ david amess. you are tweeting earlier about the low tu

anna firth, conservative party candidate, 12,000 792.nt, 299, laws, stephen mark commonly known as steve laws, uk independence party 400. the english constitution party freedom, 86. jason seton the psychedelic movement, 512. the number of papers rejected was 1084 and i do hereby declare that annalise firth is duly elected. . ~ that annalise firth is duly elected. ., ~ , ., ., elected. thank you to the returning _ elected. thank you to the returning officer. - elected. thank you to the returning officer. tonight| elected. thank you to the | returning officer. tonight i pay — returning officer. tonight i pay tribute to sir david amess who represented this seat for more — who represented this seat for more than 24 years and was a passionate advocate for southend west. sir david was a truly— southend west. sir david was a truly exceptional mp. he was a friend — truly exceptional mp. he was a friend to — truly exceptional mp. he was a friend to all and he had a huge impact — friend to all and he had a huge impact on _ friend to all and he had

anna firth got a majority of more than 12,000. labour, the liberal democrats or the green party. just 24% of the electorate voted, making it one of the worst turnouts for a by—election since the second world war. not a massive surprise that the conservatives help —— held the seat. but the turnout was amongst the lowest in a by—election since world war ii. there were more spoiled ballot this than there were for the candidates who came second. this is what the winner, anna firth, made of that. you would expect a high number of spoilt ballots in an election where there is actually no left—wing candidate standing at all. in batley and spen, because it was a labour mp that was being replaced, you had a left—wing candidate standing and a medley of right—wing candidates. that was not the case here. there are messages on their about boris johnson. are you going to be taking some of these measures to boris johnson when you are and when spinster next week? i johnson when you are and when spinster next week?— johnson when you are and when sp

the new conservative mp for southend west, anna firth, has promised to work tirelessly to build on thecalled after sir david was stabbed to death during constituency surgery last october. the other main parties didn't put up a candidate out of respect. the energy regulator ofgem says it's considering reviewing the energy price cap every three months to try to cope with the volatility in the market. the cap is currently assessed every six months, limiting what gas and electricity companies can charge a typical household. yesterday it was announced that the cap will rise in april, meaning an average household on a variable tariff will see its bill rise by £693 a year to nearly £2,000. our business correspondent theo leggett reports. for hussain and halima master, who have three kids, rising energy bills means life is getting tougher. it's going up again, isn't it? yes. to 250. that's crazy, that. hussain has a full—time job but they are struggling to make ends meet. we have looked into the local food bank. 0n the weekends, they have it open to the public, where you pay a couple of pounds

anna firth was elected with just under 13,000 votes.s was stabbed while he was meeting with constituents last october. turnout was less than 25% — the third lowest since the war. in northern morocco, efforts are continuing to rescue a 5—year—old boy who fell into a well. rayan has been stuck in a 32—meter deep water well since tuesday. aru na iyengar report. bulldozers work flat—out in tamrout, in the northern tourist province of chefchaouen, racing to dig a 32—metre deep hole alongside the shaft of a well. waiting inside is five—year—old rayan, who fell in last tuesday, falling in after his father was repairing the well. translation: the closer we get, the well gets narrower, _ making it hard for volunteers to say the child. this is why we had to come up with another technique, which is digging. rescuers have been able to send oxygen and water to rayan through pipes, a tricky painstaking maneouvre. it is a long way down on the diameter of the water well with less than 45 centimetres. the plight of rayan has touched the hearts of morocc

anna firth has been elected. no other party took part in the poll is a sign of respect.—year—old boy who fell into a well. rayan has been stuck in a 32—metre deep water well since tuesday. aru na iyengar reports. bulld ozers bulldozers work flat—out in tamrout in the northern tourist province of chefchaouen racing to dig 32—metre deep a hole alongside the shaft of a well. waiting inside his five—year—old rayan, who fell in last tuesday, falling in after his father was repairing the wealth. translation: . translation: the closer we get the well gets _ translation: the closer we get the well gets narrow _ translation: the closer we get the well gets narrow making - translation: the closer we get the well gets narrow making it i the well gets narrow making it hard for volunteers to say the child. this is why we had to come up with another technique, which is digging. come up with another technique, which is digging-— which is digging. rescuers have been able to — which is digging. rescuers have been able to send _ which is digging. rescuers have been able to send oxygen - w

anna firth was elected with just under 13,000 votes. the previous mp sir david amess was killed while meeting with constituents last october. out of respect, none of the other main parties put forward any candidates. turnout was less than 25%, the third lowest since the war, and many ballot papers were spoiled. the winter olympics are getting underway in beijing, with the opening ceremony in a few hours' time. almost 3,000 athletes from 91 nations will compete, across seven sports. but the run—up to the games has been fraught with controversy. many countries have announced a diplomatic boycott of the event, citing human rights abuses in china. added to that, cases of coronavirus have been found inside beijing's "olympic bubble." our china correspondent robin brant reports. she is one of china's olympians of tomorrow — maybe. she hadn't even been born the first time the olympics came to town. but now, the six—year—old skater is inspired by the games. translation: it's very - exhausting, but she presses on. she won't leave until she's lea

anna firth got a majority of more than 12,000.ion since the second world war. here's simon dedman. it's not a massive surprise that the conservatives held this seat with a large majority. there was no mainstream opposition, but the turnout was amongst the lowest of any westminster by—election since world war two atjust 24%. and whilst that was down, the number of spoilt ballots was up. in fact, there were more of those than votes for the candidate that came second, the psychedelic movement. this is what the winner, anna firth, made of that. well, ithink, actually, you would expect a high number of spoilt ballots in an election where there is actually no left wing candidate standing at all. you remember in batley and spen, because it was a labour mp that was being replaced, you had a left wing candidate standing and a medley of right wing candidates. that wasn't the case here. there were messages on there about borisjohnson. are you going to be taking some of these messages to borisjohnson when you are in westminster next week? i a

anna firth got a majority of more than 12,000.the green party. just 24% of the electorate voted, making it one of the worst turnouts for a by—election since the second world war. let's talk now to chris curtis, head of political polling at 0pinium. welcome to the programme, why was the turnout so low?— the turnout so low? firstly, turnout is often lower— the turnout so low? firstly, turnout is often lower with _ the turnout so low? firstly, turnout is often lower with by-elections, i the turnout so low? firstly, turnout| is often lower with by-elections, we is often lower with by—elections, we have seen that historically in this parliament, people are less driven to turn out than they are in normal elections. secondly, because of the circumstances of this election, if you were a labour voter in that seat, you have not got anybody to vote for so you are probably better off staying at home, if you are someone who votes for the liberal democrats are the green party, the same. the other reason this one was so bad compared to previous

anna firth got a majority of more than 12,000.abour, the liberal democrats or the green party. just 24% of the electorate voted, making it one of the worst turnouts for a by—election since the second world war. the leaders of four northern ireland executive parties will meet later to discuss how to progress outstanding legislation following paul givan�*s resignation as first minister. mr givan stepped down in protest at the northern ireland protocol — a post—brexit agreement which places a trade border between northern ireland and the rest of the uk. improving cancer care will be a huge challenge — that's the warning coming from charities as ministers promise a new 10—year strategy for england. figures suggest there have been 311,000 fewer diagnoses since covid hit — 50,000 if you include the whole uk. the government is promising to invest in new technologies and equipment to spot cancer quicker. mps are warning that a new motoring tax is needed to plug the revenue gap as drivers switch to electric vehicles, which are currently no

anna firth has been elected. she will be heading to westminster.against borisjohnson. that is certainly something that has played out on the ground in southend. however there were also labour voters, lib dem voters, that we spoke to, saying they were voting conservative for the first time because of what happened to sir david amess. it is the conservatives who have still a big majority of just over 12,000, not much of a dent in what sir david amess had when he won here in 2019. a new motoring tax will be needed as drivers switch to electric vehicles, according to a cross party group of mps. the transport select committee says the uk faces a £35 billion hole in its finances if action isn't taken — because electric vehicles are currently not taxed. the mps have also suggested charging people based on how much driving they do. cancer charities have told the government that improving cancer care in the wake of the pandemic will be a huge challenge — as ministers promise a new 10 year strategy for england. figures suggest there were 50,000 fewer cancer

anna firth got a majority of more than 12,000., the liberal democrats or the green party because of the nature of the circumstances of this by—election. just 24% of the electorate voted, making it one of the worst turnouts for a by—election since the second world war. a former labour member of the house of lords has beenjailed for 5.5 years for child sexual offences. lord ahmed assaulted two children in the 1970s when he was a teenager. his victims are calling for him to be stripped of his title. 0ur correspondent danny savage has been following the story. a key appeal that is being made today in the wake of the sentencing, danny? today in the wake of the sentencing, dann ? , , ., ., i. ., danny? yes, it is not often you have a court case — danny? yes, it is not often you have a court case where _ danny? yes, it is not often you have a court case where both _ danny? yes, it is not often you have a court case where both the judge i a court case where both the judge and the defendant can both technically be called your lord or my lo

anna firth got a majority of more than 12,000.e electorate voted, making it one of the worst turnouts for a by—election since the second world war. i pay tribute to sir david amess. he represented this seat for more than 2a years and was a passionate advocate for southend west. sir david was a truly exceptional mp. well, earlier i spoke to chris curtis, head of political polling at 0pinium. he explained why turnout was so low. i imagine there's lots of reasons. firstly, turnout is often lower in by—elections, we have seen that historically in this parliament, people are just less driven to turn out than they are in normal elections. secondly, because of the circumstances of this election, if you were a labour voter in that seat, you have not got anybody to vote for so you are probably better off staying at home, same if you are someone who votes for the liberal democrats or the greens. the other reason this one was so bad compared to previous by—elections is because it is happening at a time when conservatives are really doing inc

now anna firth has been sworn in as his replacement.he news that police used spyware to gather information on prominent invividuals. the country's chief of police has cut short a foreign visit to face questions over the use of pegasus software to hack mobile phones. pegasus is made by israel's nso group. it was developed intially to spy on palestinian terrorists, but went on to be sold abroad. this washington post investigation last year found the spyware used in 50 countries, including authoritarian regimes. now it's emerged it was also used against israelis in israel. the business newspaper calcalist reported dozens of israelis were targeted by police. the list includes government ministers — as well as the advisers and family of benjamin netanyahu — the former prime minister, who's now the leader of the opposition. this was his reaction. translation: something - inconceivable has happened here. police officials spied illegally using the most aggressive tools in the world. citizens were stripped bare here, they were monitored, they we