at lee chapel primary in basildon, they've had 85 covid cases this term, and the head says she's justts. well, there's just a few days left of the school term, but the covid cases in our region are rising in the run—up to christmas. some schools in this region have already decided to close their doors to go to remote learning. but others like lee chapel school here in basildon say they're doing everything that they can to remain open, such as year groups remaining separate, different playgrounds and assemblies being much smaller. but with more than 1,000 children here and 150 plus staff, that's no easy task. from september to the october half term, we really were getting ahead with catching the children up and ensuring that they breached those gaps that were there from the lock downs, and then since october half term, it has been a relentless round of covering and redeploying staff. not necessarily because they're positive, but because their children are, their children have been sent home from secondary school. and actually, staff absenteeism in general has been higher. ——bridging th

the chair of the south basildon conservative association again in a live radio interview announced heng proposed here and of course next week, a week today, you will get the measure from the voters in the north dropship by—election. figures out this morning show another rise in the number of people waiting for non—urgent medical treatment in england — to the highest number since records began in 2007. data from nhs england show that nearly six million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of october. nearly 11,000 people were having to wait more than 12 hours in accident and emergency departments in england last month — a new record. but the average response time last month for ambulances in england to deal with the most serious incidents fell to nine minutes ten seconds, slightly down from october. 0ur health correspondent, sophie hutchinson, has this report. hospitals are under pressure like never before. some staff have even said they're working right at the edge of what they can manage. here in newcastle, they say the pressure in a&e is as much as 50% greater than befo

this was the chairman of the south basildon conservatives resigning from the party live on bbc essex.arty because of this. i cannot morally defend the party that i consider to be moving in a very tyrannical direction, and i will be sending in my written resignation to my chairman later on today. i've been conservative all my life, i've been a member of the party for about three years, i have worked, you know, tirelessly campaigning for the party, but i think my morality, something in my stomach, my gut feeling tells me this is not right, and i cannot keep my mouth closed about this any more, and by, therefore, have to do what i think is right for me. the problems the conservative be stacking up, then?— the problems the conservative be stacking up, then? yes, parties and unatherins stacking up, then? yes, parties and gatherings going — stacking up, then? yes, parties and gatherings going on _ stacking up, then? yes, parties and gatherings going on and _ stacking up, then? yes, parties and gatherings going on and a _ stacking up, then? yes, parties and gatherings going on and a huge - s

that was charlie samson, the now former chair of south basildon conservatives. hejoins us now. wonder what the reaction has been from people not in the media and in other words people local to you and fellow members of the local party? there must be sorry to lose you. they are. i've had a lot of support and phone calls and messages from people surprised by my decision but i think it's a principled stance to take in a lot of people with the local area support what i have done in the feedback i'm getting online is depending on what social media platform you go on is 50—50. but i believe this is the wrong... specifically, the introduction of the plan b that you are unhappy about does it go wider than that? it's what this represents to me. backin it's what this represents to me. back in september there was talk about a vaccine passport and there was no appetite for that in september. now we have got a which has not killed anybody according to reports, there is no data set suggest it will kill anybody yet the reaction is like if the second coming of the first wave of coronavirus. we

earlier today the chairman of the south basildon conservatives resigned live on bbc essex radio over my written resignation to my chairman later on today. i've been conservative all my life, i've been conservative all my life, i've been a member of the party for about three years, i have worked, you know, tirelessly campaigning for the party, but i think my morality, something in my stomach, my gut feeling tells me this is not right, and i cannot keep my mouth closed about this any more, and by, therefore, have to do what i think is right for me. lets get back to the story about the investigation into a party at downing street in december and the stricter measures in england to combat the omicron variant. we can speak to theresa villiers. in terms of the plan b and increased restrictions, where do you stand on that, do you support them? t tihd restrictions, where do you stand on that, do you support them? i find it so depressing _ that, do you support them? i find it so depressing that _ that, do you support them? i find it so depressing that we _ that, do you support them? i find it

the chair of the self basildon conservative association again in a live interview this morning with bbc that he was resigning, so there is certainly a measure of upset over what is being proposed here and have caused next week to week away today you will get the election result from voters of the election result from voters of the by—election there. if all of that isn't enough, boris and his wife carriejohnson have just announced the birth of a daughter. let's speak to rob watson, the bbc�*s uk political correspondent. a lot has changed since we spoke a couple of days back. how do you assess these respective pressures? because after all borisjohnson is well skilled in navigating moments of crisis. he skilled in navigating moments of crisis. . . , skilled in navigating moments of crisis. . ., , , skilled in navigating moments of crisis. . . , , , crisis. he certainly is, but i was reminded _ crisis. he certainly is, but i was reminded when _ crisis. he certainly is, but i was reminded when i _ crisis. he certainly is, but i was reminded when i was _ crisis. he certainly is, but i was rem

i was in a covid secure hotel at that time in basildon, having been kicking in doors with essex policeot know. i allegations have been made. there was? i do not know. - allegations have been made. i have been reassured no regulations were broken. it is for others to decide if they want to take it further. from my point of view i am focused on drugs crime and i take reassurances from number 10 at face value. it is for others to decide where it goes next.— value. it is for others to decide where it goes next. today is a big da , where it goes next. today is a big day. talking _ where it goes next. today is a big day, talking about _ where it goes next. today is a big day, talking about drug _ where it goes next. today is a big day, talking about drug crime. . where it goes next. today is a big i day, talking about drug crime. how can the government to be taken seriously on this subject when cracking down on drug crime across the country, when we have heard reports of alleged drug—taking inside the houses of parliament. i inside the houses of parliament. 1 read those reports and given ins