investigation into the allegations of child abuse levelled against the former prime minister, sir ted heathook people through the scale of the investigation, the detail of the investigation and the chief constable mike veal went into some detail as to the rational of the investigation. he said he was satisfied that there were compelling reasons to investigate. so, it's worth perhaps going through the main findings of this investigation for you in summary and police have said that the former prime minister, sir ted heath, would have been questioned about allegations of child sexual abuse, made by seven people had he still been alive. wiltshire police, who have led this two year inquiry into the late tory leader, havejust two year inquiry into the late tory leader, have just published as you have seen, that report detailing the findings of the investigation. the 109 page summary reports says that 0peration conifer received disclosures over a two year period relating to 42 purported individuals, where it was alleged directly or through a third party report that they had been a victim of allege

that innocent. 7 that was sir ted heath's godson. first the headlines on bbc news: police say the former prime minister sir edward heath would have been questioned about allegations of child sexual abuse if he was still alive. senior conservatives have urged the party to remain cool headed despite reports that some mps are asking theresa may to step down as prime minister. the girlfriend of the las vegas gunman — who shot dead 58 people — says she had no idea he was planning the attack. hello. i'm ben bland. sales of new cars in the uk are stalling. they fell in september, for the sixth month in a row. demand for diesel cars slumped more than a fifth. according to the society of motor manufacturers and traders new car registrations last month came in atjust over 426,000. more rail strikes across england — for the second time this week. rmt union members at southern, merseyrail, arriva rail north and greater anglia have begun a 24—hour walk—out. the industrial action is over plans to remove guards from trains, making them driver—only o

that may have ta ken place involving witness to anything that may have taken place involving sir ted heathforward. the former prosecutor dismisses him being questioned. he said, without meaning anything and forensic terms, they are covering their backs at the expense of the dead man. shame on them" but this report now it takes its place and is edward's history. it will be passed at the national child abuse inquiry and a version will be placed top—secret intergovernment archives. tom is in swindon for us where the police spoke earlier. the police clearly felt they had to make their conclusions public but it hasn't silenced the critics? and i don't think it's going to. throughout this two—year process, this investigation, there has been co nsta nt, this investigation, there has been constant, bitter criticism of the inquiry. i think wiltshire was very much trying to prove and show today that this was a proportionate investigation, a fair investigation, one that took the concerns of those who made the allegations very seriously. it was the first time that we saw in full the summary of the evi

that may have ta ken place involving witness to anything that may have taken place involving sir ted heathd have been grounds for questioning the former prime minister based on the allegations of around seven people who say they we re around seven people who say they were abused. but there were inconsistencies in the accounts of the majority came —— who came forward. police will offer no final conclusion as to whether sue edward did abuse children. that, they say, will be for ad jury to decide. —— sir edward. his supporters are preparing a fierce assault on police and they say it is a witch—hunt. the police say they have simply gone where the evidence lead them. coming up at 6am on breakfast — charlie stayt and naga munchetty will have all the day‘s news, business and sport. plus trying to find the solution to our plastic problem. the government is considering a deposit scheme to improve recycling rates. this as news that plastic has become a major problem. this is bbc news. the latest headlines: the fbi has been questioning the girlfriend of the las vegas gunman — who was in the philippin

that's been a victim of crime, or as a witness to anything that may have taken place involving sir ted heathe forward. the police now say making the appeal here was wrong. two years on, sir edward heath's supporters are now demanding a judge be given all the evidence and asked to review it. there will always be a number of people who will not wish to be persuaded. and i'm afraid there's probably not much we can do about those. but we want to do our best to give his reputation a fair chance. we think he'll be exonerated. but this report now takes its place in sir edward's history. it will be passed to the national child abuse inquiry, and an unedited version will be placed, top secret, into government archives. after theresa may's ordeal of a conference speech yesterday, senior conservatives have urged the party to focus on the threat from labour, despite rumours about the prime minister's future. a group of mps are discussing whether to ask the standout rather than mount a direct challenge. it was an ordeal to deliver and difficult to watch. a prankster, a cough, a disintegrating set deraile

the conservative party has a problem with one large group of people — voters born since ted heath livedahead with younger people. we will discuss whether that is a tory fate soon. for more specifics, here is chris cook. the conservative party has a problem with one large group of people — voters born since ted heath lived in downing street. labour's well ahead with younger people. even those at the start of middle age. the tories' narrow win in the last election was based on their success with older britons. there are big, specific issues facing younger people. and this week, the tories devoted some time to them. but it wasn't wholly convincing. take housing. in 1991, two thirds, 66%, of 25—31i—year—olds owned a home. now, it's just 42%. that's what happens when you get high house prices and stagnant wages. the announcement today sounds big — an attempt to deal with that. i can announce that we will invest an additional £2 billion in affordable housing, taking the government's total affordable housing budget to almost £9 billion. but, it's about 5000 new affordable homes per year. and l

you knew ted heath very well.ster, and i really got to know him well. of course you don't know somebody completely, but you get to know them extremely well. i'm not the only person who knew him very well and who thinks it's inconceivable that he could have been doing this kind of thing. thank you forjoining us. i should say that we did invite wiltshire police's chief constable, mike veale, and the force's police and crime commissioner, angus macpherson, to join us tonight — neither was available. in a statement, the force said its investigation into ted heath was objective and proportionate. that's it for tonight. good night. the weather is very much quieter 110w. the weather is very much quieter now. in fact, the weather is very much quieter now. infact, quite the weather is very much quieter now. in fact, quite chilly out there and clear skies. early on today we had severe weather and we still have. two flood warnings in cumbria following the rain we had in 2a hours. it was as much as 211 millimetres. it was ove

who's been a victim of crime, or as a witness to anything that may have taken place involving sir ted heathard. the police now say making the appeal here was wrong. two years on, sir edward heath's supporters are now demanding a judge be given all the evidence and asked to review it. there will always be a number of people who will not wish to be persuaded. and i'm afraid there's probably not much we can do about those. but we want to do our best to give his reputation a fair chance. we think he'll be exonerated. but this report now takes its place in sir edward's history. it will be passed to the national child abuse inquiry, and an unedited version will be placed, top secret, into government archives. let's go live to swindon and wiltshire police headquarters and tom is there. this report was meant to be the final word, but it seems to be the final word, but it seems to have produced more questions, not least about the police's handling. even the police would accept that it's probably raised more questions thanit it's probably raised more questions than it has answered. other presentation

did former british prime minister ted heath sexually abuse boys?us the investigation is a witchhunt.

ted heath's reputation should never have had to go through this, it was monstrous of wiltshire policeruck. i hear what you're saying. others say this investigation should never have happened but my question would be — what do we say? do we say to these victims and survivors who have had the courage to come forward in a lot of cases, we are sorry, because he is dead or because his reputation is more important than your account? what matters more ? you call them victims or survivors, and that is a specific choice of language. to harvey proctor they would not be victims or survivors, they would be claimants about something that is unproven. yes, but worth pointing out that it's enshrined in police guidance to give the confidence to come forward because so many people in the past were dismissed out of hand. can i say that i was interviewed under caution twice under operation midland, and as a result of that no file was passed to the cps. and so this low hurdle of say, with regard to edward heath, that in a limited number of cases they might have wanted to question edward heath under cauti

who has been a victim of crime or is a witness to anything that may have taken place involving sir ted heathome forward. the former prosecutor, lord macdonald, dismisses suggestions sir edward would have been questioned. "this gives entirely bogus credibility to their investigation", he said, "without meaning anything in forensic terms. they are covering their backs at the expense of the dead man. shame on them". but this report now takes its place in sir edward's history. it will be passed tothe national child abuse inquiry and an unedited version will be placed top—secret into government archives. and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:40 this evening in the papers — our guests joining me tonight are dave wooding, political editor of the sun on sunday and jack blanchard from politico. the girlfriend of stephen paddock, the man who shot dead 58 people in las vegas earlier this week, says she had no idea that he was planning any kind of violence. marilou danley, who was in the philippines at the time, is being questioned by the fbi.

ted heath was pragmatist.t you gallery—mac see in the press has been generated —— c has been generated by the press, much of what you see my heart always goes out to victims, alleged victims, and people still suffering from the effects of child abuse. i don't want people to be guilty because i don't want them to have committed these vile crimes, but where there is such a serious allegation, victoria, it has to be investigated, and i think the wiltshire police have done an excellent job. thank you very much, peter saunders, from the national association for people abused in childhood. still to come... as police continue to try and find out what motivated stephen paddock to carry out the deadly massacre in las vegas, we'll hearfrom one medic who helped treat dozens of people whilst the gunman was still shooting. and the high court will rule this morning in the case of a man who is terminally ill and seeking the right to die. we'll bring you the judgement as soon as it happens and hear the arguments for and again