edward curwen, bbc news. is sarah brennan who is the chief executive of the mental health charity young minds. do you welcome this news from the government? young minds definitely welcomes this news and it is a step in the right direction. there are many questions but i think the most important thing is the fundamental recognition of the importance and schools of building children's resilience and in early intervention for mental health service. that is particularly important in this green paper. this idea of putting young people in to help young people with mental health issues into schools, is that new to put councillors and so on is that new to put councillors and so on in schools? that has been done in several individual schools when they choose to, this is about developing a workforce to help specific schools with early intervention. we know early intervention. we know early intervention is critical. we hear from parents and young people every day about the devastating effect of young weights —— long wai

edward curwen, bbc news.tan opera in new york has said it will investigate allegations that its former music director sexually abused a teenage boy in the 1980s. the met said it was deeply disturbed by media reports about james levine, who stepped down last year after a0 years in the role. he's reported to have denied the allegations. rail passengers across england are facing disruption after electric wires near euston station were damaged. network rail said there will be no services in and out of euston station until at least midday while repairs are carried out. delays are likely around euston, watford junction, birmingham and manchester. the british red cross is calling for syrian refugee families who are being resettled in the uk to be allowed to bring their young adult children with them. around nine thousand syrians have been allowed into the uk under the home office's vulnerable person resettlement scheme. but the british red cross says it's wrong that refugees who have come in under a different progra

edward curwen, bbc news.uch debate ahead of the speech, and earlier i spoke to a lady who was banned from speaking at a university event because of her views on transgender people. and the fight chance of universities says it is the duty of universities says it is the duty of universities to make sure there is no platforming themselves. yet again we have universities being told what to do because we haven't got our own house in order. i speak as vice chancellor, very proud of our university system in britain with top, world—class universities and many wonderful achievements. but we need to do better, the leadership of universities over vice chancellor salaries, free speech and a wide variety of issues. because we haven't provided the leadership we might have been expected to give, we are being told what to do and so i think it is necessary. but we should have got our house in order. think it is necessary. but we should have got our house in orderlj mention the safe space policies intended to protect students

edward curwen, bbc news.to escort a russian warship as it crossed close to the uk. rearadmiral rear admiral chris parry said it is important not to overreact to the news. i wouldn't exactly echo the seriousness the defence secretary has put out. it is a normal deployment by a russian warship. she is entitled to do that under international law, the right of innocent passage. we do the same in the black sea and the baltic all of the black sea and the baltic all of the time. the russians have said, it is christmas, we will have to be at sea, so let's get somebody else out to have a look at us as well. he would expect somebody else to have a look, or new? iwould would expect somebody else to have a look, or new? i would hope this country would send a warship out to look at any warship that came close to us. it is also a chance to look ata to us. it is also a chance to look at a brand—new figure. it has systems and other equipment on it and we want to have a close look at it. ordinarily we wouldn't get that close.

edward curwen, bbc news.peak now to tom slater, he's a senior editor of spiked magazine, that champions free speech. thank you forjoining us. do you agree with the basic premise of what joejohnson is agree with the basic premise of what joe johnson is going agree with the basic premise of what joejohnson is going to be saying today? i agree with the premise in so today? i agree with the premise in so far as free speech is important. we run free speech in the university rankings. we found last year that 65% of universities severely censor speech. but what i think he gets wrong is what we need to do about that. i think the approach needs to be different. it could be counter—productive. .. tom, we are having difficulty hearing you. we will persist for a little longer and see if the line improves. in terms of the fines being talked about for universities... i'm told we've lost that line completely. apologies for that. we will try to get back to him hopefully with a better line, that was tom slater. prices for man

edward curwen, bbc news.n speak now to sir anthony seldon, who's the vice chancellor of the university of buckingham, and also to padraig reidy, he's a freedom of speech campaigner and editor of the political website little atoms. good morning to both of you. is this an issue you have had to confront on your campus, an issue you have had to confront on yourcampus, sir an issue you have had to confront on your campus, sir anthony? we are for free speech, and talking as vice chancellor, i think there is a danger we overcomplicate this. we have laws about inciting hatred, and the great danger of suppressing free speech is that you legitimise, romanticise, sometimes vile views, and sometimesjust romanticise, sometimes vile views, and sometimes just diverging views that the minority doesn't find acceptable. and it is a duty of the university to open up dialogue, so where republican views are probably —— so where republican views are probably —— so where repugnant views are probably argued down. universities themse

edward curwen, bbc news.an has been found at an address which a bomb disposal squad was called to on christmas day. the street, in north tyneside, was completely cordoned off when the bomb disposal van arrived. a 41—year—old man, believed to be known to the victim, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. police have released cctv footage images — of three suspects, following a theft at a shopping centre in ilford, east london injuly this year. it's the first time these images have been released. a 69—year—old woman walked into lloyds bank in ilford and withdrew £1000 in cash from her account. the pensioner then got into a lift at the exchange shopping mall as she made her way to the car park. when she got into the lift, two of the suspects in the lift began a discussion with the woman as a third suspect searched her handbag and removed the cash. anyone who can assist the investigation is asked to contact metropolitan police via 101 or by tweeting @metcc. the royal navy says there's been an increase in the n

edward curwen, bbc news.to sir anthony seldon, the vice chancellor of the university of buckingham. and rahmaan mohammadi — he's a member of the national union of students executive committee — the governing body of the nus. good afternoon to you both. anthony seldon, a word to you first about the sentiments here thatjojohnson says universities must protect free speech. is he right on that? he is absolutely right. we are in danger of making this so complicated. it's very simple. universities must be about letting dialogue and debate happen, not suppressed. if you suppress people's views, then you are romanticising them, you legitimise them and publicise them. what we need to have in universities is the opposite. we need to look at views which are false, evil may be, and put forward superior argument that allows students to understand that allows students to understand that truth emerges from a conflict of different views, not from the suppression of one right point of view. which is the danger if we do try to

edward curwen, bbc news.k to a freedom of speech campaign and editor of political website little atoms. do you think there is a real problem on university campuses at the moment in terms of censorship of speakers and perhaps universities and student bodies deciding where to draw the line on the subject of free speech? i think line on the subject of free speech? ithinka line on the subject of free speech? i think a lot of issues have got co nflated i think a lot of issues have got conflated here. i certainly think there is more of a censorious attitude at large in society. yet there is not as liberal and attitude to use free speech as we saw 15 yea rs to use free speech as we saw 15 years ago, and that has a lot of reasons, such as the rise of extremism in the world so people are more nervous about free expression. i think withjo more nervous about free expression. i think with jo johnson's more nervous about free expression. i think withjojohnson‘s speech today, there is an element of a culture war, a generat

edward curwen, bbc news.ee families who are being resettled in the uk to be allowed to bring their young adult children with them. around nine thousand syrians have been allowed into the uk under the home office's vulnerable person resettlement scheme. but the british red cross says it's wrong that refugees who have come in under a different programme are being forced to leave their over 18s behind. june kelly reports. born in syria, but this 14—year—old is growing up in glasgow. he's really good at what he does. what do you think about children's rights? in this lesson on human rights, she describes how her home was bombed. three bombs fell into my house... beside her, her brothers. my brother's face got bombed, half of it. what's it been like in scotland? you can go to school, you can go out. you're not scared of anything. their parents are grateful to the uk for giving their family refuge. but this family was fractured when the rules forced them to leave their eldest child behind in syria. their daughter h

edward curwen, bbc news.our board members of the government's social mobility commission have stood down in protest at what they say is a lack of progress towards a fairer britain. ex—labour minister alan milburn, who chairs the commission, said he had little hope the current government could make the necessary progress, but downing street insists it is working to provide opportunities for all. here's our political correspondent, alex forsyth. when theresa may became prime minister she stood in downing street and made a promise. the government i lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few but by yours. when it comes to opportunity, we won't entrench the advantages of the fortunate few. we will do everything we can to help everybody, whatever your background, to go as far as your talents will take you. but the government's senior adviser in improving social mobility has now left his job with immediate effect, saying he had little hope the government could make progress in bringing about a fa

edward curwen, bbc news.ys there has been an increase in the number of russian ships travelling through or near the uk's territorial waters over the festive period. on christmas day, hms st albans was sent to escort a russian warship through the north sea as it passed close to uk waters. defence secretary gavin williamson said he will not "tolerate any form of aggression". a british woman being held on suspicion of drug—smuggling will appear in court in egypt later this morning. laura plummer was arrested in october when officials found 290 tramadol tablets in her suitcase, which are legal in the uk, but not in egypt. the shop assistant from hull says she was carrying the pills for her egyptian partner, who suffers from back pain. millions are expected to head out to the boxing day sales, marking the start of a what has traditionally been a crucial period for retailers across the uk. our reporterjohn mcmanus is on oxford street in london. the queues are definitely forming? they have started to arrive, as you

edward curwen, bbc news. let's get reaction to that report now from julie bindel.eminist who was "no—platformed" — ie banned from speaking at a univeristy — because of her views on transgender people. good afternoon. hello. tell me your reaction to whatjo johnson good afternoon. hello. tell me your reaction to whatjojohnson is saying on the subject today. reaction to whatjojohnson is saying on the subject todaylj reaction to whatjojohnson is saying on the subject today. i think it's absolutely right that we have to think about universities, which are mainly state funded, as arenas where you should encourage debate and discussion and wet students should be able to think for themselves and form opinions. —— and where students. but universities who do no—platform, or more rather, what happens to me occasionally, i get invited and then am disinvited after a keyboard warrior scuffle by stu d e nts a keyboard warrior scuffle by students who take objection to an article i wrote in 2004, what happens when feminists like myself are no—platformed, is that we need to look at

some universities and student groups have refused entry to speakers, edward curwen reports.said it would not allow legitimate debate to be stifled. millions are expected to head out to the boxing day sales, marking the start of a what has traditionally been a crucial period for retailers across the uk. our reporterjohn mcmanus is on oxford street in london. there aren't many people here. 300 shops are here on 0xford there aren't many people here. 300 shops are here on oxford street. i counted less than ten people here this morning who are waiting for the shops to open at nine o'clock for the boxing day sale. we know that many people out across the high streets today trying to grab a bargain but perhaps those boxing day sales are not as spectacular as they we re sales are not as spectacular as they were in the past. a survey has said... inaudible. a bbc survey has said... inaudible. a bbc survey has said some of the shine had been taken of the boxing day sales because of the black friday sales before christmas. inaudible. sorry about the line. basically, because we have been

edward curwen reports. i didn't have any therapy. it was sort ofjust to talk about things...ating disorder and depression for five years. she waited two years before she got help. ifeel i have not been properly treated for the mental side. theyjust sort of put me in hospital when my physical side is bad and don't treat anything else, and then they wonder why it keeps happening and i have to go back into hospital. the hospital she was sent to, hundreds of miles away, a nightmare scenario which the government now promises no family should face. so ministers, chatting here with pupils in east london, are publishing plans to provide support in schools for so many children who face issues regarding their mental well—being. teachers will be trained at spotting problems early. i put excessive pressure on myself wanting to achieve high grades. and there will be new mental health support teams, the idea to bridge the gap between schools and the nhs. if your child has a mental health issue, we want to make sure you get the help much, much earlier than happens at the moment, and if poss

some universities and student groups have refused entry to speakers, edward curwen reports.ent at university must open minds, not close them. that is the view ofjo johnson, the minds, not close them. that is the view ofjojohnson, the universities minister, who will today set out a firm defence on free speech in campuses. speaking at a jewish festival in birmingham, he says that stu d e nts festival in birmingham, he says that students must be free to challenge each other‘s‘ views and those seeking to stifle those who don't agree with them must be stopped. the debate comes after speakers from speakers from the state of israel to chant —— transgender rights, have been stopped. others have demanded so—called safe spaces where they went here about issues they might find upsetting. mrjohnson will say this cannot be tolerated. reiterating universities have an obligation to protect free speech and encourage frank and rigourous debate. from next april, and ——a new body representing universities says it will not allow legitimate debate to be stifled. the challenge will be deciding wh