BBC Local Live: Stoke & Staffordshire on Thursday 30 June 2016

Summary

Stoke Labour MP calls for Corbyn to 'resign immediately'
Judge demands review into abortion clinic death case
Plans to reopen Stafford school delayed again
Updates on Thursday 30 June 2016

Live Reporting

Allen Cook

More reaction to MP Ruth Smeeth's treatment at anti-Semitism report launchpublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Labour MPs tweet...
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News: Labour MP calls for Corbyn to 'resign immediately'; regulator inspects ambulance trust; teenagers 'may have found' new planetpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The headlines this afternoon include:
- The Stoke North Labour MP has called for Jeremy Corbyn to resign , externalafter she was accused of colluding with the right-wing press following the launch of an anti-Semitism report
- The West Midlands Ambulance Service trust is being inspected by the Care Quality Commission throughout this week
- A group of teenagers on work experience at Keele University may have found a new planet, external
Stoke Labour MP calls for Corbyn to 'resign immediately'published at 14:58 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Lucy King
News Editor, BBC Radio Stoke
Stoke North Labour MP Ruth Smeeth has called on leader Jeremy Corbyn to "resign immediately" for his "catastrophic failure of leadership" in not tackling a comment made to her during the unveiling of a report into anti-semitism in the party.
Image source, Getty Images
In a statement, external, Ms Smeeth says she was verbally attacked by a Momentum activist using "vile conspiracy theories" and accused of being part of a "media conspiracy" with the Daily Telegraph.
She said Mr Corbyn should resign to "make way for someone with the backbone" to confront similar comments.
The BBC has contacted the campaign group Momentum for a comment.
Regulator inspecting ambulance trustpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Caroline Gall
BBC News Online
The West Midlands Ambulance Service trust is being inspected by the Care Quality Commission throughout this week.
The commission, which is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England, will be looking at all aspects of the service and speaking to staff.
A spokesman from the trust said: "The inspection is designed to ensure we are providing patients with a safe, effective and high quality service."
More pressure on Corbyn after Stoke MP claimspublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn came under fire from fellow MPs for the way he handled the comments by Marc Wadsworth directed at Ruth Smeeth.
Rather than comment, Mr Corbyn continued to talk about the contents of the report into anti-semitism, the Press Association said.
He called for a change within the party and said the report was about "race diversity".
Image source, Reuters
West Midlands MP Jess Phillips tweeted, external: "No wonder my brilliant Jewish colleague @RuthSmeeth is in tears when attacked at a speech about antisemitism."
Ilford MP Wes Streeting tweeted, external: "You sat there and watched our colleague Ruth Smeeth abused at a Labour event this morning. Your words are hollow."
We are awaiting a response from the Labour party.
Stoke MP 'in tears' at 'scheming' commentspublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
The Stoke North Labour MP Ruth Smeeth says she's been left in tears by comments made to her at a Labour party inquiry into anti-Semitism.
The Jewish MP told BBC Radio Stoke she was accused by an activist of being part of a global media campaign to bring down party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Marc Wadsworth, who runs Momentum Black Connexions, claimed that Ms Smeeth was "working hand in hand" with The Daily Telegraph, the Press Association reported.
Today's inquiry found that Labour isn't overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism but there is an "occasionally toxic atmosphere".
BBC Radio Stoke has asked the Labour Party for a response.
Football: Stoke City confirm continuation of free away game travel dealpublished at 13:58 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Stoke City have confirmed today they'll offer free coach travel to fans to all Premier League away games for the fourth season in a row.
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'New planet' discovered by work experience teenagerspublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
A group of teenagers on work experience at Keele University may have found a new planet., external
The university says 24 students, aged between 15 and 17, from across Cheshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, have been working on a research project.
Image source, Keele University
They were aiming to discover exoplanets - planets which orbit other stars outside the solar system.
Keele University say they've found a new, strong candidate which is the size of Neptune and the discoveries will be followed up.
Last year a planet 1,000 light-years away was found by a schoolboy from Staffordshire.
Vigil in Staffordshire to remember Battle of the Sommepublished at 13:32 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Emma Thomas
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Candles are going to be lit as part of a vigil at the National Memorial Arboretum, external in Staffordshire tonight, to mark the centenary of the Battle of the Somme.
Organisers at the site say there will be readings and poetry as well, as they remember the soldiers who were waiting to enter battle 100 years ago.
At dawn on 1 July 1916 the British and French armies advanced - the conflict would last for more than four months and end with more than one million dead and wounded on all sides.
Tonight's vigil at the National Memorial Arboretum is due to start at 19:00.
On Midlands Today this lunchtime: Criticism of motorway hard shoulder changespublished at 13:01 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Peter Plisner
BBC Midlands Today
Head along the M6 through Staffordshire and you'll come across what's called "all-lane running" between junctions 13 and 10A.
That means the hard shoulder has been turned into a permanent extra lane - but today a group of MPs have hit out at plans to convert more motorways across the country.
I'll have the latest on Midlands Today this afternoon from 13:30 on BBC One.
News: BBC TV appeal over 'savage attack' burglary; MPs hit out at motorway plans; stuck cow rescuedpublished at 12:42 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Lee Thomas
Newsreader, BBC Radio Stoke
Let's get you updated on the top stories this afternoon for Staffordshire and Cheshire:
- A Staffordshire burglary which police say left the victim unable to sleep in his own home, external has been featured today on the BBC's Crimewatch Roadshow programme
- Scrap dangerous motorway hard shoulder plans, MPs on a Commons committee have warned
- A cow which was stuck in a canal has been rescued, external by fire crews in Cheshire
Warning in Nantwich after youths target mobile phonespublished at 12:30 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Nantwich News
Business owners in Nantwich have issued warnings after youths walked in to town centre stores, external and stole mobile phones.
Image source, Nantwich News
Rising number of teaching vacancies, BBC findspublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Alice Bentley
Journalist, BBC Radio Stoke
Adverts for some teaching jobs in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire have increased by nearly 50% this year, compared with last year.
A BBC investigation found there were 23 advertised vacancies for languages subjects in 2016 - there were 16 in 2015, giving a rise of 44%.
There were also rises of 31% in geography teacher adverts and 36% for PE teachers.
The Department of Education says the figures don't give a complete picture and adds that teaching "continues to be an attractive career".
Petition by dog lover to ban pinch collarspublished at 11:59 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Staffordshire Newsletter
A petition started by a Penkridge dog lover to ban "pinch" collars has been signed by more than 100 people in less than 48 hours. , external
Football: More signings expected at Port Vale before weekendpublished at 11:48 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Lee Blakeman
Port Vale commentator, BBC Radio Stoke
Port Vale are expecting up to seven new players to arrive at the club before the weekend.
The Vale squad are expected to return for pre-season training tomorrow - for the first session taken by new boss Bruno Ribeiro.
Image source, Port Vale FC
Earlier this week Dutch defender Kjell Knops became their first summer signing.
Raft rescue for cow stuck in canalpublished at 11:30 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Lamont Howie
Reporter, BBC Radio Stoke
A cow which was stuck in a canal has been rescued, external by fire crews in Cheshire.
Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service say they used an inflatable raft to coax it from the water and back to a nearby field on Clive Back Lane, Winsford.
Image source, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service
Travel: Delays after earlier traffic light failure on A556 in Cheshirepublished at 11:22 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
BBC Travel
There are long delays on the A556 in Mere at Knutsford, Cheshire because of an earlier temporary traffic light failure.
Congestion is back to the Bucklow Hill Lane junction.
Watch: This afternoon's weather forecast for Stoke and Staffordshirepublished at 11:18 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Sara Blizzard
BBC Weather
If you want to find a weather forecast at any other time, head to the BBC Weather website.
Your pictures: Brooding skies and clouds over Sutton and Stoke-on-Trentpublished at 11:01 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Allen Cook
BBC Local Live
Some brooding skies here in this picture Ed de Quincey shared on Instagram, external of Sutton, Staffordshire.
Image source, Ed de Quincey
And keeping the impressive sky photos going, this one from earlier in the week is from John Harding, showing clouds over Stoke-on-Trent.
As well as sharing pictures of the area on Instagram, external - with the tag #bbcstoke so we can find them - you can also email them or use Twitter, external.
Image source, John Harding
Staffordshire rail hub masterplan on public showpublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 30 June 2016
Sarah Robertson
Producer, BBC Radio Stoke
Plans for a new rail freight interchange in Staffordshire are going on display for the first time today, external.
The hub, proposed for land near to junction 12 of the M6, would bring 8,500 new jobs to the area, according to developers.
Image source, Network Rail
The development would include large warehouses where major manufacturing and logistics firms would be based.
A consultation on the plans is under way until 24 July and the first public exhibition is taking place at The Haling Dene Centre in Penkridge today from 14:00-19:00., external