mark easton, bbc news.eleased today show how tony blair's government considered radical policies to cut immigration in 2003, including setting up a holding centre on the isle of mull. sanchia berg reports. 20 years ago, asylum seekers climbing the eurostar fences desperate to get to the uk. images like these prompted the prime minister to consider radical measures. files released today at the national archives include a document prepared for tony blair injanuary 2003. entitled asylum: the nuclear 0ption, it asked whether the government should break away from international norms, support safe havens in third countries, set up a detention centre on the isle of mull. these earlier files show what led up to the nuclear option for asylum — tony blair's frustration at the numbers of people seeking asylum in the uk. he wanted to bring them down and, in december 2002, he wrote, "we must search out even more radical measures." this is so similar to the debate that we're having now and the proposals — radical proposa

the bbc�*s home editor mark easton reports.art of the israel hamas conflict, tensions spilt over into a spike in anti—semitic and islamophobic hate incidents in the uk. data obtained from freedom of information request show in england's more diverse areas, police saw a rise in anti—jewish incidents in the month following the hamas attacks of october the 7th. greater manchester police recorded 7a anti—semitic incidences. the ripples that sends out across the jewish the ripples that sends out across thejewish community the ripples that sends out across the jewish community are the ripples that sends out across thejewish community are really profound. we've seenjewish people who are worried about sending their children to school, about going to synagogue, about wearing anything that might allow people to identify them asjewish. the that might allow people to identify them as jewish. the pro-palestinian marches in london _ them as jewish. the pro-palestinian marches in london saw— them as jewish. the pro-palestinian marches in lond

mark easton, bbc news.o respond to suggestions they weren't doing enough to protect thejewish community. they have responded... around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. a british woman and her 22—year—old son have been killed in an avalanche while skiing in france. the mother — who was 5a — and her son, who have not been named, had been skiing off—piste near the swiss border when they were buried by an avalanche. the chief inspector of prisons for england and wales has called for a fundamental re—orientation in the way the system is run. charlie taylor said the high availability of drugs in some prisons was a barrier to rehabilitation. and he said many inmates were failing to learn to read — and not developing the skills they need for a life of work, rather than crime. the home of the manchester city footballerjack grealish has been broken into while he was playing in his side's 3—1 win against everton. according to local media, a million pounds wor

mark easton, bbc news.o respond to suggestions they weren't doing enough to protect thejewish community. they have responded... "we do not underestimate the impact that the october seven terrorist attacks and the subsequent conflict have had here in london, in particular injewish and muslim communities." "the met has had a dedicated operation focused on responding to the increase in hate crime, fear and uncertainty in communities and protests throughout. " around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. let's look at some other stories making news. two british skiers have died after an avalanche swept through part of french ski resort, in the area of saint gervais les bains. the two are reported to be a 54—year—old woman and her 22—year—old son. another skiier was injured. the chief inspector of prisons for england and wales has called for a fundamental re—orientation in the way the system is run. charlie taylor said the high availability of drugs in some prisons was a barrier to rehabilitation. and h

here's our home editor, mark easton.rated a points based system for foreign workers and as things stand, they have to have a job offer, they have to be skilled, and they must speak pretty good english. and importantly, at the moment they must be paid £26,200 a year or more if the going rate for theirjob is higher than that. from next spring, as we've been hearing, that minimum salary threshold will rise to £38,700. but there are exceptions in what are called shortage occupations, jobs where there are lots of vacancies which can't easily be filled by local people. and since last year, the sector which has seen the most workers come in by that route, is health and social care. the numbers, well they're remarkable. in the year to september, 66,000 people got a conventional skilled worker visa. but in the same period, 144,000 people got a health and care visa, mostly to work in care homes. but many of the foreign workers bring close family with them. add dependents to those skilled workers and the total rises to 117,000. but

mark easton, bbc news. the world of sport, entertainment as well as everyday walks of life recognised. the annual awards typically celebrate the contribution of celebrities, government employees and people who have served their community. some are decided following recommendations from the prime minister or senior government ministers. 0ur entertainment correspondent lizo mzimba has all the details. her books have sold in their millions. noinlly cooper has been made a dame for services to literature and charity. i can't quite believe it, it's so lovely. when they told me, i got the letter and i thought, "gosh, this can't be me. me, blockbusterjill?" but it was lovely. i'm thrilled to bits. we're open! michael eavis has been welcoming festival—goers to glastonbury for more than half a century. he's been knighted for his music and charity work. also receiving knighthoods, wetherspoons boss tim martin, who says he never expected to be recognised for services to hospitality and to culture. god save the king! an

mark easton, bbc news, rochdale.her patterns are causing chaos for nature. the charity said climate change is upsetting the rhythm of the seasons — and the effects can be seen across its estates in england, wales and northern ireland. 2023 saw a series of temperature records, with the warmestjune and highest sea temperatures ever recorded around the coast of the uk. an unusually warm winter allowed pests and diseases to thrive. meanwhile low water levels in rivers, lakes and reservoirs — caused by a lack of rain coupled with the high temperatures — has been a factor in increased algal blooms. and there were dramatic storms too, with storms babet and ciaran damaging landscapes and coastlines around the country. hello. storm gerrit will continue to bring some travel disruption across the uk during the rest of today and into tonight. rain and gales quite widely, but across parts of central and northern scotland during daytime, there could be some fairly disruptive snowfall too. the winds themselves come in two features.

our home editor mark easton reports.of pounds of power tools from a home in saint alden�*s has never been caught, despite the owner and amateur don't text if sharon preventing a dossier of evidence to the police. i a dossier of evidence to the olice. ., ., police. i zoomed in when he came around _ police. i zoomed in when he came around the _ police. i zoomed in when he came around the side - police. i zoomed in when he came around the side here. | police. i zoomed in when he i came around the side here. a distinctive nose. sharon has done her own house—to—house inquiries, collecting cctv images of the theft from neighbours, frustrated that the hertfordshire police have been unable to track down the culprit. unable to track down the culrit. ., ., culprit. you have identified the burglar? _ culprit. you have identified the burglar? yeah. - culprit. you have identified the burglar? yeah. here'sl the burglar? yeah. here's around. he is around. i have given them information and i hope they have at the cctv. the olice hope th

mark easton, bbc news.a lot happening, but we've also got some bad weather on the way. and here's some advice for you this weekend — with the very heavy rain and the gale force winds, there could be some disruption, certainly some delays are likely. and on top of that, we've got snow on the way for the northern hills and mountains. and here's the area of low pressure, as it approaches us during the course of early saturday. now, ahead of it, the weather's actually not too bad. there'll be some clear spells and some chilly, frosty weather in scotland. but elsewhere, you can see that milder weather already setting in. so here's the low pressure — lots of isobars here. obviously, the more isobars there are, the stronger the winds. here's that weather front as it sweeps across ireland, towards the west of england, wales and scotland, some snow there, blizzards across the mountains. temperatures around 12 degrees in the south, ten in liverpool. further north, it will be colder. now, how about that really rough w

our home editor mark easton has this report. stop taking out innocent civilians!s conflict, tensions spilled over into a spike in anti—semitic and islamophobic hate incidents in the uk. this is anti—semitism. data obtained from freedom of information requests show that

here's our home editor, mark easton. since brexit, the uk has...gn workers. as things stand, they have to have a job offer, they have to be skilled, they must speak good english. and importantly, at the moment, they must be paid £26,000 a year or more if the going rate for theirjob is higher than that. from next spring, as we have been hearing, that minimum salary threshold will rise to £38,700. but there are exceptions in what are called shortage occupations ? jobs where there are lots of vacancies which can't be filled by local people. well, not easily, anyway. and since last year, the sector which has seen the most workers come in is health and social care. the numbers are remarkable. in the year to september, 66,000 people got a conventional skilled worker visa. but in the same period, 144,000 people got a health and care visa ? mostly, to work in care homes. but many of the foreign workers bring close family with them. add dependants to skilled workers and the total rises to 117,000. but in health and care, the combined figure rises to 318,000

i want to bring in our home editor, mark easton.ence. illegal migration is very much a phrase the government has been championing over the last few years to describe all those people who arrive in the uk by regular routes. in particular means those people are riding in small boats across the channel, which has become absolutely the key issue for rishi sunak and the key issue for rishi sunak and the conservative government. legal migration, these are people under the points—based system introduced after brexit, who are able to come to the uk under the rules we have and get a visa and come and live in the uk. on the illegal side, illegal migration as they would describe it, makes up around 3% of all migration to the uk. a really tiny proportion. i know it will upset some people and you hear a i know it will upset some people and you hear a lot i know it will upset some people and you hear a lot of i know it will upset some people and you hear a lot of criticism i know it will upset some people and you hear a lot of criticism so i know

he is mark easton. since brexit, the uk has operated a points—based system forforeign workers.

he is mark easton. since brexit, the uk has operated a points—based system forforeign workers.hings stand, they have to have a job offer, they have to be skilled and they must speak good english. and importantly, at the moment, they must be paid £26,200 a year or more if the going rate for theirjob is higher than that. now, from next spring, as we've been hearing, that minimum salary threshold will rise to £38,700. but there are exceptions in what are called shortage occupations, jobs where there are lots of vacancies which can't be filled by local people. well, not easily, anyway. and since last year, the sector which has seen the most workers come in by that route is, of course, health and social care. the numbers are remarkable. in the year to september, 66,000 people got a conventional skilled worker visa, but in the same period, 144,000 people got a health and care visa, mostly to work in care homes. but many of the foreign workers bring close family with them, too. so if you add dependents to the skilled workers, and the numbers rises to 117,000. but in health and care, t

mark easton, bbc news, rochdale. let's have a look at today's papers.ueuing outside harrod's in london for post—christmas sales. the paper reports spending on boxing day was expected to hit a five—year high of £4.7 billion. the guardian reports on comments from the former head of the nation's spy agency gchq calling for an end to the government handling crises over whatsapp. sir david 0mand is quoted in the paper saying the messaging app is inappropriate for important decision—making. and the mirror leads with statistics released by the liberal democrats which claim patients and visitors to england's nhs—run hospitals paid £146 million in car parking charges last year. many people across the uk took advantage of brighter weather on boxing day to take a dip in the sea. it was nice! i would not say it was warm by any _ it was nice! i would not say it was warm by any stretch. _ it was nice! i would not say it was warm by any stretch. take - it was nice! i would not say it was warm by any stretch. take a - it was nice! i would not say it was warm by any str