Good afternoon.
Last week a remarkable woman came on the programme: she is an advisor to Trident, the anti black on black gun crime unit in the Met. She said it isn't just black on black, anymore. It isn't just gun crime, anymore. It is everywhere and it is a problem for everyone.
The family of seventeen year old Rizwan Darbar now know she spoke the painful truth. He become the twentieth young victim of random, brutal, fatal violence in our great city on Sunday night.
250 people took to the streets to protest about it in West Ham.
Rizwan was listening to music but someone wanted his cell-phone. And, for that, they were prepared to kill. Where are we going? Marcus asks the hard questions at 6.
Also asking hard questions is Alison Thorpe who has two daughters: one is a bubbly, giggly girl who had a great time when she came into our studio with her mum who was on the Lunchtime News. The other, teenager Katie, has cerebral palsy. She smiles a lot but never giggles. Her sister asked tons of questions. Katie asked none. She can't.
Her mum wants the courts to agree that she should be allowed to have a hysterectomy to save her the discomfort and possible embarrassment of monthly periods. Others say that is a breach of Katie's human rights. Before becoming a journalist, I wanted to be a barrister: am glad today I am not a Judge. Emma will guide you through this emotional and legal mine-field.
A crack has appeared in the floor of Tate Britain. It happens. The magnificent building that is now Tate Britain used to be a mighty power-station and the room in which the crack has appeared used to house a mighty pair of turbines. Weighty turbines. I think it makes sense that a crack has appeared and they should accept it and just send for the builders. Tate Britain, on the other hand, have declared it a work of art. Both sides of this argument, one of which is true and the other of which is a mad fantasy on my part, will be set before you by Phil Bayles, our very own cross between Brunel and Breugal.
What impact will Crossrail have on property prices? The line goes underground at Paddington and I suggested turning that part of London into a building site might lead to improvements. "Nothing wrong with Paddington", said Katie. "I used to live there." Stunned silence and very naughty observations which cannot be repeated followed... the entirely clean and useful thoughts of Louise at 6.
Plus Jasmine meets Editors - a music combo, I gather, rather than the worthy cabal of men and women who decide what you read of a morning.
Read, and hear, all about it all - at 6.
Alastair and Katie.
