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Grounded: The chequered history of UK airport expansion - BBC News
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2018-06-21
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Demand for air travel has grown consistently over the last 70 years, but the UK's airport capacity has not matched that growth.
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Business
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"It's like deja vu, all over again," baseball coach Yogi Berra once famously said.
And you'd be forgiven for thinking the same about UK airport expansion. We always seem to have been here before.
Ever since Gatwick and Heathrow airports opened for business in the Thirties and Forties, arguments have raged over how best to cater for Britain's burgeoning demand for air travel.
The debates seem endless and progress has been bedevilled by politics.
Recent history is littered with inquiries, commissions, consultations, studies and reports resulting in very little, but costing taxpayers millions.
In 1965, London Airport (later named Heathrow) looked a lot different than it does today
Lord Justice Roskill's Commission recommended Cublington, Buckinghamshire, as the location for a third London Airport
The Wilson government sets up the Roskill Commission to look into the pros, cons and costs of a third London airport. Two years and many hundreds of pages later, the Commission recommends Cublington in rural Buckinghamshire as the best location for a new airport. The burghers of Bucks are not best pleased: beacons burn on hilltops and church bells peal across the county in protest. Ironically, Roskill dismisses Stansted as a location.
In 1969, BOAC boss Keith Granville holds up a model of the new Boeing 747. But where are the new runways?
The recommendation is roundly dismissed by the new Heath government, which instead plumps for another Roskill option, Maplin Sands, Foulness - mudflats in the Thames Estuary near Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The idea was to build on the reclaimed land, but it was the most expensive of Roskill's four recommendations.
The Maplin Sands idea slides into the sea. The previous year's embargo by Arab oil producers - known as the 1973 oil crisis - sends shockwaves through the global economy and fuel costs rocketing. The need to reduce costs becomes a priority. Good news for wading birds; bad news for ousted prime minister Ted Heath. Meanwhile, France opens its shiny new Charles-de-Gaulle four-runway airport near Paris. Sacre bleu.
In 1978, the Callaghan government admitted that Heathrow's capacity was "restricted"
The Callaghan government's aviation white paper identifies Heathrow capacity as "restricted", and the following year the incoming Thatcher government decides against building a new international airport, despite acknowledging that "Heathrow capacity is virtually exhausted…" Instead, it envisages developing regional airports and expanding Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted "as the traffic develops". Heathrow Terminal 4 opens in 1986.
The government commissions a new study into airports called the Runway Capacity in the South East Study. Three long years later it concludes that expanding Heathrow "would afford the greatest benefits" and British Airways backs the idea of an extra runway. No extra runway materialises.
Secretary of State for Transport Brian Mawhinney rejects proposed new runways for Gatwick and Heathrow but says the government will explore how to squeeze more capacity out of the existing runways.
Tony Blair enters Downing Street in 1997: time for a new aviation policy
New Blair government, new aviation policy. A Transport White Paper says the government will "prepare a UK airports policy looking some 30 years ahead". This inevitably entails another time-consuming inquiry - the South East of England Regional Air Services Study - exploring how increasing demand for air travel will affect airport capacity. The Department for Transport begins a three-year consultation on The Future of Aviation.
This results in the government's Future of Air Transport White Paper which recommends a third runway at Heathrow - sound familiar? - greater use of Heathrow's existing two runways and possibly an extra three runways at Stansted. Oh, and the previous Tory government's aspiration to expand regional airports. As the UK chases its tail, Amsterdam's Schiphol airport opens its fifth runway.
As Heathrow Terminal 5 opens in 2008, it seems we're better at building terminals than new runways
"Heathrow expansion plans unveiled" the BBC reports on 22 November 2007. Guess what? They include a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow. With Terminal 5 due to open the following year, it seems we're better at building terminals than runways. Announcing the consultation, the government says any expansion would have to conform to noise and pollution limits - the perennial sticks with which to beat the developers.
A new airport in the Thames Estuary has often featured in expansion proposals
Mayor of London Boris Johnson proposes a new airport far out in the Thames Estuary at Shivering Sands, subsequently nicknamed Boris Island. Will it fare any better than the other Estuary proposals, normally rejected on cost and environmental grounds?
Gordon Brown's Labour government backs a third runway at Heathrow, but this is opposed by the Conservatives, despite the fact that the first Thatcher government originally supported the idea.
Politics intervenes once again as the new Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition government puts Gordon Brown out to grass. It immediately rules out new runways at Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted. Back to square one.
David Cameron (left) and Nick Clegg form a coalition government in 2010 - aviation policy changes again
What happens when there's a new government? A new consultation, this time called a "scoping document" on how to develop a "sustainable framework for UK aviation". Meanwhile, Heathrow is full to bursting, operating at 99.2% capacity. Frankfurt airport opens its fourth runway.
The government launches yet another consultation on the "draft aviation policy framework", and sets up the Airports Commission chaired by economist Sir Howard Davies. The Commission is tasked with assessing what extra capacity UK airports will need and inevitably publishes consultation documents. It's like Groundhog Day.
In 2013, Heathrow Airport proposed a four-runway solution to its capacity problems
The Airports Commission shortlists three options to increase capacity, and we're back to the Gatwick and Heathrow new or extended runways idea. The next year, the Boris Island idea is sunk.
Sir Howard publishes his final recommendations. Will the new Conservative government finally grasp the nettle and make a decision or, as history suggests, kick the can further down the road?
As Yogi Berra had it: "The future ain't what it used to be."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33285659
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news_business-33285659
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Newcastle United player Ciaran Clark attacked in Magaluf bar - BBC News
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2018-06-21
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Ciaran Clark was knocked unconscious in a row on a dance floor.
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Tyne & Wear
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Ciaran Clark was attacked at 02:00 on Sunday morning, police say
Newcastle United defender Ciaran Clark has been attacked in a Spanish bar, police have confirmed.
A British man in his 30s was arrested after punching the footballer at Crystal's Bar in Punta Ballena, Magaluf, at about 02:00 BST on Sunday.
Clark was left unconscious and taken to hospital after an argument between him and the suspect broke out on the dance floor.
The 28-year-old suffered cuts and bruises to his face.
The suspect has since been charged with criminal injuries and released.
Clark, who previously played for Aston Villa and has 29 caps for the Republic of Ireland, was taken to Son Espases hospital in Palma, but it is not known if he has been discharged.
The bar is on Magaluf's popular Strip
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-44561630
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news_uk-england-tyne-44561630
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Brexit: One extraordinary day - BBC News
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2018-06-13
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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It's not been pretty but in the end, the government showed it can just get its way in Parliament, whether by winning the argument, backing down, or postponing confrontation for now.
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UK Politics
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Look away now if you are of a nervous disposition.
A wiser head than me - there's dispute over whether it was Mark Twain or Bismarck! - once remarked that laws are like sausages, if you respect them it's best not to watch them being made.
Well the last forty eight hours in Westminster may give weight to that. Farce? Fiasco? Or maybe today in Parliament has been in the best tradition of British pantomime.
Or perhaps, this is in fact the completely predictable agony of split political parties, with leaders who struggle to command their troops, just trying to make it through after a huge vote that by its very nature, split the country in two.
Or depending on your view, it is perhaps exactly what Parliament is there for, to reveal the contradictions, where the government is strong and weak, and force ministers to give a bit where they ought to.
Whichever of those over-generalisations you plump for, and I suspect it will depend entirely on your own political convictions, this has been an extraordinary day.
MPs talking of "meltdown", or "uncharted territory", warning the prime minister against "betrayal". Trust in Tory circles breaking down, as the prime minister tries to face all ways.
There was the SNP's dramatic, if perhaps politically convenient, walk out over discussions of devolution being massively squeezed, complete with a scene where the Speaker looked like he might finally combust.
Then votes tonight that saw one of the biggest ever rebellions against Jeremy Corbyn, with 90 of his MPs disobeying his orders on a vote on the European Economic Area. Several of his front bench team quit their shadow posts to do so.
But even those rebels were split - 75 of them rebelling against the leadership to vote for closer ties to the EU, and 15 against Mr Corbyn to choose more distant relations.
And 14 Tories defied Theresa May's instructions too. For a government with no majority, that is a worry for the prime minister.
At times in the last forty eight hours this place has felt like a circus. But in the end, the government showed it can just get its way, whether by winning the argument, backing down, or postponing confrontation for now.
It's not been pretty, and it's not going to get any easier. One former minister grimly predicted this is turning into Maastricht. So, tomorrow, stand by for another row over what happens next.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44477068
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news_uk-politics-44477068
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Judge clears AT&T takeover of Time Warner - BBC News
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2018-06-13
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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A landmark case for US competition law hands AT&T with a victory, in a setback for US regulators.
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Business
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Daniel Petrocelli, lead attorney for AT&T and Time Warner, speaks with the media outside the U.S. District Court on June 12, 2018 in Washington, DC.
A US district court judge has cleared the merger of telecoms giant AT&T and media firm Time Warner, in a major defeat for government regulators.
The US had sued to block the deal, arguing that it would reduce competition in pay TV and lead to higher prices for consumers.
But Judge Richard Leon rejected those arguments, approving the deal without conditions.
The ruling is expected to lead to other mergers and acquisitions.
The lawsuit against AT&T had sent a signal that the Trump administration's Department of Justice was taking a more hardline stance on such mega-deals.
Analysts say the decision will bolster firms such as Comcast - which is considering bidding for 21st Century Fox assets, including its stake in Sky, in a challenge to a deal announced between Fox and Disney last year.
Judge Leon's decision comes more than 18 months after AT&T announced in 2016 its plans to buy Time Warner in a transaction then valued at about $85bn.
The deal is set to unite AT&T's significant wireless, satellite television and internet business with Time Warner's media properties, which include HBO and CNN.
Attorney Daniel Petrocelli, who represented AT&T, said the firm expects to complete the transaction before 21 June.
"We're disappointed that it took 18 months to get here, but we are relieved that it's finally behind us," he told reporters after the decision.
US Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said he was disappointed by the decision
The case comes as the growth of online firms like Amazon and Netflix have scrambled traditional lines of competition, spurring consolidation and prompting concerns about monopolies.
AT&T said the acquisition would give it access to content and advertising heft that would help it compete with online streaming firms, which have led to declines in pay-TV subscribers.
Government lawyers had argued that the takeover would hurt innovation and allow AT&T to charge rival providers more for its must-have content - costs that would ultimately be passed on to consumers.
During the trial, they urged the court to block the deal or require the sale of certain businesses as a condition of approval.
Judge Leon said the US failed to prove the merger would give Time Warner increased power to negotiate fees for its content.
He added that the evidence presented at trial showed the deal would probably reduce prices for AT&T customers, without leading to greater costs for subscribers of other services.
Judge Leon also said it would be "unjust" for the Justice Department to seek to put a hold on the deal pending an appeal.
Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said the Justice Department was "disappointed" by the decision, but did not say if it planned to appeal.
"We continue to believe that the pay-TV market will be less competitive and less innovative as a result of the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner," he said in a statement.
"We will closely review the Court's opinion and consider next steps in light of our commitment to preserving competition for the benefit of American consumers."
AT&T boss Randall Stephenson and Time Warner boss Jeffrey Bewkes (R) at a conference in California in 2016
The AT&T lawsuit is the first time in decades that a government challenge of a "vertical merger" - involving two companies that do not directly compete - has gone to court.
Open Markets Institute, an activist think tank that opposes corporate consolidation, said the ruling was a "big loss for the public" and would lead to an effective duopoly for TV distribution.
AT&T had initially sought to argue that the government's opposition was fuelled by political objections from US President Donald Trump, who criticised the takeover during the 2016 election campaign.
After the decision, Mr Petrocelli said: "We were surprised when the case was brought and as I said in closing arguments, it's a case that never should have been brought."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44458261
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news_business-44458261
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World Cup 2018: 'Sheer brilliance' that has 'excited the nation' - England pundit reaction - BBC Sport
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2018-06-25
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[]
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'Sparkling' and 'sheer brilliance' - BBC Sport's World Cup pundits react to Sunday's 6-1 win over Panama.
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Live: Coverage across BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website with further coverage on Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app.
England's performance in their 6-1 win over Panama has "excited a nation", according to former Three Lions defender Rio Ferdinand.
Sunday's thumping victory in Group G not only sent England through to the last 16, it was the biggest in their history at major tournament finals, with five of their goals coming in a thrilling first half.
"It was a sparkling 45 minutes of sheer brilliance from start to finish," said fellow BBC pundit Alan Shearer.
"We were brilliant," added Frank Lampard. "Panama are not at the same level, we know that, but the only thing you can do as an England team is dispatch what is in front of you, and they did it with an absolutely ruthless streak."
This is how the goal-fest unfolded in Nizhny Novgorod.
• None Which records did England break in 6-1 win? World Cup Daily: Lampard says England can 'go all the way'
Alan Shearer: It was very, very good movement by John Stones, it took an age to take the corner because of the pulling and the grappling and the referee was warning several players.
But, when the ball came in, Ashley Young just blocks the defender off for a split second and the aggression from Stones to get away from the defender and put that header away is magnificent. It was so well worked - he finds the space, and finds the corner of the net. He just has to guide the header in there, and he does.
That's what you need as well. It is one thing to get the movement right, but that ball has got to come in. It is almost an identical area to where England hit the ball against Tunisia. We have obviously been working on that on the training ground, and it has worked perfectly.
Frank Lampard: The grappling was going on there too. It was just ridiculous - Kane could not move and Harry Maguire was getting it as well.
We are all aware VAR is being used at this tournament, and that people were talking about what happened when England played Tunisia. Surely Panama had a conversation saying that you get tight to your man, but you don't give him a bear hug?
Alan Shearer: It was definitely a foul on Jesse Lingard, I don't think anybody can have any arguments at all about that.
Frank Lampard: There were two brilliant things about this, firstly from Kieran Trippier with his quality of delivery, and then from Jesse Lingard too.
Lingard has had an incredible half of football linking play and he was always looking to make runs behind the back line. That was a striker's run and Alan would have been proud of that in his day - he bends his run and it was perfectly timed.
Then his first touch was perfect and he held his ground for a second, and took the contact - he went down and it is a penalty.
Alan Shearer: Beat the offside trap and bend your run - that is what you are taught as a kid, and Lingard did that very, very well.
Frank Lampard: Then when Kane comes to take the penalty, there is absolutely no doubt what he is going to do with it. That is the sort of form he is in, that is the player he is - he is a superstar, and you can have complete confidence that he is going to score.
Rio Ferdinand: The whole of England's play here is what you want to see from us, patience and confidence and everyone showing for the ball.
With the finish, this is where Jess is unbelievable - this finish was exquisite. I have seen this from this boy since he was 11 years old at Manchester United.
People always questioned 'is he going to be big enough, is he going to be strong enough', but when you have the intelligence and game management that this kid's got, you can be two foot tall and get through.
Jesse is that intelligent, he is that good, he understands the game, and when he gets in like this, although we didn't see it the other day when he wasn't clinical, we all said that when he gets the chances again he will put them away, and he certainly did.
That finish there - a generation of kids will remember that goal.
Alan Shearer: Again we talk about the work they have been doing on the training ground. At every set-piece all of us are sat here thinking 'what is going to happen now?' Well just watch and admire it because it is exactly what should happen.
Everyone is on the same page, they know what is happening, they are alert and alive and they know what to do. Yes Raheem misses an absolute sitter but John Stones is there again.
Frank Lampard: It is bad defending from Panama again - England almost have a conference before Trippier took the free-kick, there were about six of them talking about what they were going to do and, as a Panama defender, you would know something is up.
England came up with something quite elaborate and clever but I am a bit disappointed Sterling did not get the goal here, for his own confidence.
Gary Lineker: What the Panama defenders were doing was mad and absurd - it was like WWE.
Rio Ferdinand: Exactly, they would do well at the Royal Rumble with what they do here. It is crazy - it is such immature, naive and unprofessional defending from Panama here.
They had been warned countless times, but they were not even looking at the ball. The referee got it right.
Gary Lineker: Five goals in his opening two games - is there any stopping this man?
Frank Lampard: He just keeps producing. Nothing is a problem for him - even when they hit him on the heel, they go in - that's when you know everything is going your way, but sometimes you make your own luck.
Alan Shearer: If Harry Kane goes away from this tournament as World Cup Golden Boot winner, that is life-changing for him and, when goals are going in like that one, you know you have got a chance.
Alan Shearer: This is what happens when you start to make one or two changes and you are leading by so many - it was lazy defending.
The second half was very different, naturally, for England. We knew it was going to slow down and they could not keep that pace up.
They looked after themselves and protected themselves, and overall it was a job very, very well done. It was a magnificent performance.
Frank Lampard: The line was too high and that kind of space invites a ball into it, but I don't think it is a bad thing for England because it doesn't really matter and it might just switch them on for when it does matter in future games.
Rio Ferdinand: It is definitely too high but there were players who had just come on the pitch and we were a bit disjointed. It is something that will just tune them in again for next time.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44594401
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rt_football_44594401
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£1.3bn Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project thrown out - BBC News
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2018-06-25
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The UK government says the project off Swansea Bay is too expensive prompting a backlash in Wales.
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South West Wales
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The Hendry review said the lagoon would make a "strong contribution" to energy supplies
Plans to build the world's first tidal power lagoon have been thrown out by the UK government.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said the £1.3bn project was not value for money, despite claims by developers Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) a revised offer made it cheaper.
The decision has been slammed by local politicians across the parties, including the Conservatives.
The scheme off Swansea Bay had £200m backing from the Welsh Government.
But the UK government said it would not pay TLP the fee it wants for energy.
TLP claimed no talks have taken place for more than a year and said supporters of the project have vowed to do what they can to make it a reality.
Mr Clark told the Commons: "Securing our energy needs into the future has to be done seriously and, when much cheaper alternatives exist, no individual project, and no particular technology, can proceed at any price."
Government analysis estimated that the lagoon would cost the average British household consumer an additional £700 between 2031 and 2050.
But TLP chief executive Mark Shorrock said the figures were wrong, adding that offshore wind projects had received £8bn in subsidies and the "path finder" tidal lagoon project needed £25m a year "in order to kick start an industry".
"It's a very, very sad day for Wales, for Swansea," he told BBC Radio Wales' Good Evening Wales programme.
First Minister Carwyn Jones tweeted that it was a "crushing blow to Wales".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Carolyn Harris: "You will never understand the frustration and anger in my city"
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said: "I realise the disappointment this decision may cause, but ultimately this project did not meet the threshold for taxpayer value."
There have been a number of calls among Labour MPs for Mr Cairns to go but he told the BBC Wales Today programme he was proud of his record.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, speaking in an interview on Good Evening Wales, said: "Wales has not had an effective voice at the cabinet table."
Plaid Cymru's energy spokesperson, Liz Saville Roberts MP, said the UK government's "decision demonstrates the need for Wales to gain greater control over its own future".
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds called the decision a "disgrace", as did Gower Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi.
The announcement brings an end to 18 months of waiting since an independent review, commissioned by the ministers, recommended building the lagoon.
TLP chairman Keith Clarke said: "In light of today's statement and having heard next to nothing from government for two years, the board will be meeting in two days' time to consider its next steps."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Greg Clark said the lagoon did not meet "value for money" requirements
The review by former energy minister Charles Hendry said Swansea should be used as a test of the technology, before allowing other developers to bid to construct further schemes as part of a competitive tendering process.
The UK government has been accused of dragging its heels since then, during which time they repeatedly stated the scheme must prove "value for money".
TLP claims the Swansea project would provide power to 155,000 properties in Wales and is cheaper than nuclear power.
The developers had previously asked for a 90-year contract with the UK government with an average strike price - a guaranteed price for the electricity generated - of £89.90 per megawatt hour.
The new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset was given a strike price of £92.50/MWh for 35 years.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch Tidal Lagoon Power's video of how the turbines would work
This was a project that seemed at one point to have widespread and almost universal support in Wales.
It required the UK government to agree a significant strike price - a subsidy paid by consumers through energy bills - although the exact amount varied depending on the length of time that price was set for and whether other taxpayer funding was invested in the project.
The independent report by Charles Hendry was very supportive of the tidal lagoon. However, it also said that doing a full, value for money, assessment was beyond its scope.
In recent months, some in the business community have been privately raising concerns about the cost of the project and its impact on energy bills.
While Tidal Lagoon Power and the Welsh Government now say it is the same price as nuclear power, the UK government insist it is double.
However, the goalposts have moved. There was huge criticism of the UK government over the price for energy struck for the new nuclear plant across the water at Hinkley Point. With a pledge not to commit bill payers to such costs again, even getting the cost of the lagoon to a similar figure was unlikely to be good enough.
It seems, ultimately, that UK ministers do not have confidence that the lagoon developers are able to deliver the project at the price they now think is reasonable for consumers to pay. Especially as other options such as wind energy come in at a much lower cost.
2003: Plans first emerge for a £30m tidal power project in Swansea Bay from a green energy charity
2006: Tidal Electric Ltd prepares a scoping report for a lagoon to take the project on but it is put on hold
2012: Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) unveils its ambition to develop a breakwater and power generation
2014: Plans submitted to Planning Inspectorate with a cost of £850m
2015: Proposals get backing of UK government, subject to subsidy agreement - hope it could be operational by 2018
2016: Report warns of impact on fish. Charles Hendry is appointed to lead independent review into £1.3bn lagoon's viability
2017: Hendry review backs the lagoon as a "no regrets" option but the UK government is still to decide
2018: Delays, mostly believed to be over arguments over value for money. Welsh Government also offers substantial investment, as does Wales Pension Partnership
Ian Price, director of business group CBI Wales, said: "We appreciate the effort and energy made by politicians from both governments who have worked tirelessly to try and make this project a reality. At the end of the day, any project has to be affordable for consumers."
David Clubb, a director at RenewableUK Cymru, the trade body for all renewable energy, said: "This means that the region will not benefit from many thousands of jobs from the project and the associated supply chain."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-44589083
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news_uk-wales-south-west-wales-44589083
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Heathrow Airport: Cabinet approves new runway plan - BBC News
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2018-06-25
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Ministers say "the time for action is now" with MPs set to vote on expansion in the coming weeks.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Grayling on Heathrow: It is time for action
Ministers have described their backing for a new runway at Heathrow Airport as a "historic moment" for the UK.
The cabinet signed off the plans after they were approved by the government's economic sub-committee, which is chaired by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced £2.6bn in compensation for residents and noise abatement measures.
Environmental groups oppose the plan, which Mr Grayling says will only happen if air quality commitments are met.
"The time for action is now," Mr Grayling told MPs, who will be asked to vote on the expansion plan by 11 July.
He insisted the decision was being taken in the national interest and would benefit the whole of the UK - with 15% of new landing slots at the airport "facilitating" regional connectivity.
He said the £14bn runway, which could be completed by 2026, would be funded entirely privately - but MPs warned that taxpayers would end up footing the bill for billions in road improvements and other upgrades and warned that the UK's carbon emission targets would be threatened by the increase in traffic around the enlarged airport.
The debate on expanding Heathrow has been going on for nearly 20 years.
The last Labour government backed the idea, and won a vote on it in 2009, but that plan was scrapped - and the idea of expansion put on hold for five years - by the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition formed after the 2010 election.
But the idea of expansion was resurrected and has been subsequently backed by the Conservatives.
Ministers approved a draft national airports policy statement in October but Parliament has yet to give its approval for detailed planning to begin.
Opponents have threatened a legal challenge while Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who is MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London, has vowed to "lie down in front of bulldozers" to prevent it.
The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said ministers whose constituencies would be directly affected might be given a "get out of a jail card" - by being allowed to miss the vote or even vote against.
No 10 said Mrs May has written to ministers to say those with long-standing objections to a third runway will be permitted to restate their views at a local level, but not to campaign actively against the decision.
'So expensive': Why are critics opposed?
Campaigners argue that a new runway will breach the UK's legal limits on air pollution and increase noise pollution with an extra 700 planes a day.
It will result in huge disruption to residents of nearby villages, such as Longford, Harmondsworth and Sipson, with hundreds of homes likely to be knocked down.
Robert Barnstone, from the No 3rd Runway Coalition, told the BBC it was a "disappointing" day and the government was "failing people and failing the environment as well".
Former Transport Secretary Justine Greening, who backs expanding Gatwick instead, suggested the idea of Heathrow as a national hub airport was outdated and the focus should be on improving regional capacity.
"We are now moving to point-to-point travel," she told BBC Radio 4's Today. "Why should people who are living in Newcastle spend hours travelling down to London, then fly out somewhere else?
"There is nothing national about this national policy statement. It is just a runway in Heathrow."
And Tory MP Zac Goldsmith, who resigned his Richmond Park seat in 2016 over the issue and subsequently lost a by-election, said for many people "this doesn't just look like a blank cheque being given by this government to a foreign-owned multinational, it looks like a whole book of cheques signed by our constituents".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Chair of Airports Commission, Sir Howard Davies told Today that Heathrow Airport’s expansion will succeed
Heathrow's owners, which include Spanish infrastructure firm Ferrovial, say the airport is virtually full and a new runway would increase its capacity from 85.5 million to 130 million passengers.
The expansion is estimated to create about 60,000 new jobs and generate about £70bn in total economic benefits by the 2050s.
Mr Grayling said it would provide a "vital legacy" for the British economy and said he had accepted 24 out of the 25 recommendations made by the Transport Select Committee to improve the plans.
Residents whose houses are knocked down will get compensation worth 125% of their value - as well as legal fees and stamp duty costs paid for - while £700m would be available to fund noise insulation measures for those who decide to stay.
He said a ban on night flights was an "absolute requirement" and non-negotiable while he said landing charges paid by airlines must stay at current levels.
"This runway cannot be built if it does not meet air quality rules," he added.
Sir Howard Davies, whose 2015 review recommended a new runway as long as environmental and community impacts were addressed, said "significant" concessions had been made on reducing early morning flights and minimising the impact on residents on the proposed flight path.
Yes, the decades-long debate about airports in Britain is returning (it's never gone for long) just at a time when the government is embroiled in rows it will struggle to win. As one cabinet minister joked, "it's the gift that keeps on giving".
However, with only Boris Johnson having big doubts around the cabinet table, the real rumpus will be in the Parliamentary Tory Party.
Plenty of Tory MPs have long held objections to Heathrow and they will be made loudly on the backbenches in the weeks to come. The government doesn't have a majority and remember, it wants to get this plan through the Commons by the end of the month.
If they can, it will be a demonstration of "look, we are getting on with things, it's not just Brexit!"
There will be howls, and the process even after this likely vote is a very long one. But the government can expect to get the vote through. Even if Labour opposes it, which it may well do on environmental grounds, the party is also split on the merits of the project so might not all vote together.
Labour and the SNP save the day?
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Labour has said expanded capacity is vital to the UK economy but its support is conditional on tests being met on capacity, climate change, noise and air quality, as well as the wider economic benefits.
But there is also a split in opinion when it comes to individual MPs, with shadow chancellor John McDonnell - whose Hayes and Harlington constituency could see homes demolished - says he is "implacably opposed".
Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald said his party would "follow the evidence" and not simply rely on assurances from Mr Grayling: "If the correct balance is not found then the courts will rightly intervene," he said.
Leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Yes, there is a demand for increased airport capacity across the south east, two of the south east airports are working somewhat under capacity, Stansted and Luton. Gatwick and Heathrow are working at pretty well max capacity, let's look at it in that context."
The SNP's Alan Brown said the new runway had the support of the Scottish government, most Scottish airports and Scottish firms who recognised the "business benefits".
But Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said the plans were an "expensive folly" and his party's 12 MPs would work with others to "put an end to this project once and for all".
And The Green Party's MP Caroline Lucas said it was a "disastrous decision" which "flew in the face of common sense and climate science".
As one would expect, there have been contrasting reactions from business and environmental groups.
The Institute of Directors said the end of arguments over Heathrow's future was within "touching distance".
"While the new runway is being built, we also need to make better use of capacity at existing airports in the South East, and indeed the rest of the country," said its director general Stephen Martin.
But Friends of The Earth said a new runway was not compatible with building a low-carbon economy.
"Heathrow expansion would be bad news for our climate and will bring more noise, air pollution and misery to local residents," said the organisation's Jenny Bates.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44357580
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Brexit: March planned as Fox says PM not bluffing on no deal - BBC News
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2018-06-22
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Warning comes as anti-Brexit campaigners prepare to march on the second anniversary of the EU vote.
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UK Politics
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Anti-Brexit campaigners are preparing to march to Parliament Square
Senior Cabinet ministers have insisted the UK is prepared to walk away from Brexit talks without a deal, on the second anniversary of the referendum.
Liam Fox said Theresa May was "not bluffing" over her threat to quit negotiations, while Boris Johnson called for a "full British Brexit".
It comes as anti-Brexit campaigners, who want the public to have the final say on the UK's departure, prepare to march in London later.
They say Brexit is "not a done deal".
People's Vote - which wants a referendum on any exit deal - said people must make their "voices heard" about the "damage" of leaving next year without agreement.
Speakers at the demo will include actor Sir Tony Robinson and campaigner Gina Miller, who fought a successful legal battle last year to ensure the UK could not trigger talks on leaving without the approval of Parliament.
The UK voted to leave the EU by a margin of 51.9% to 48.1% in a referendum held on 23 June 2016.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Liam Fox says Theresa May is not bluffing over no-deal Brexit
The UK is due to leave on 29 March 2019, 46 years after it first joined the European Economic Community, the forerunner to the EU.
But the People's Vote campaign says this should happen only if the withdrawal deal negotiated by Mrs May and the other 27 EU members is approved in another public vote.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC it was in the interests of both sides to have a deal - but it was "essential" the EU understood that the UK could walk away if the terms offered were not good enough.
"The prime minister has always said no deal is better than a bad deal," Mr Fox said in an interview with the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg, which was recorded on Wednesday - before Friday's warning from Airbus that it might cease manufacturing in the UK in such a scenario.
"It is essential as we enter the next phase of the negotiations that the EU understands that and believes it... I think our negotiating partners would not be wise if they thought our PM was bluffing."
Meanwhile, Brexit Secretary David Davis told the Daily Express the prime minister was going to get a "good deal" from Brussels and Brexit was going to be "fantastic".
"The best option is leaving with a good deal but you've got to be able to walk away from the table," he said.
And writing in the Sun, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned the prime minister not to allow "bog roll Brexit" that is "soft, yielding and seemingly infinitely long" - calling for a "full British Brexit" instead.
Mr Johnson said people "just want us to get on with it".
Two years on from the referendum, there are two very different messages today.
One is that Brexit is not a "done deal".
That's the argument from the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable who will take part in a march in central London today.
On the other side, there is optimism and defiance from key Brexiteers like Boris Johnson.
Mr Johnson says the UK is confident and open.
The government firmly opposes a vote on the final deal - Mr Johnson believes people want the government to just get on with it.
Nine months before the UK is due to officially leave the EU, there are still very different visions.
Labour said Mr Fox's comments about a no-deal Brexit were the "height of irresponsibility".
"The next time Liam Fox parrots the slogan no deal is better than a bad deal he should give some thought to the 14,000 people who work for Airbus, and the thousands of other people who have jobs dependent on trade with Europe," said shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman.
Both the prime minister and Labour leader have rejected calls for another public vote, saying the will of the people expressed in the 2016 ballot was clear, although many Labour MPs now want another referendum.
Organisers of Saturday's demo say people "from all walks of life" will be present, demonstrating the "growing popular demand" for another vote.
Beginning in Pall Mall and ending outside the Houses of Parliament, the protest is part of a "summer of action" by campaign groups designed to increase pressure on Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Anti-Brexit campaigner Femi Oluwole wants the Labour leader to back calls for a referendum on the final deal
By taking the UK out of the EU's single market and customs union, they say the Conservative government "remains intent" on a so-called hard Brexit that will - they say - destroy jobs and damage public services.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Vince Cable, who will be at the march, told BBC Breakfast: "I think the public in general... do see there is a mess."
He added: "We've only got a year to go. And I think for the big companies that employ hundreds of thousands of workers in the UK... they want some clarity about what the trading relationships will be and there is absolutely none whatever."
But Conservative MP Peter Bone - who supports Brexit - said if there were a second vote, the leave campaign would win again.
"The vast, vast majority of people, whether they are Leavers or Remainers, just want us to get on and come out this dreadful European Union super-state," he said.
"There were 17.4 million people that voted for leave and if there are a few thousand in London complaining about it - that doesn't seem to really make much difference."
The government is giving Parliament a vote on the final deal, if one is reached, in the autumn - but it remains unclear what will happen if they reject it.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44575929
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What is left to agree in the Brexit Treaty? - BBC News
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2018-06-22
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From the Irish border to data protection to tax information, some key issues are still outstanding on the road to a deal.
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Europe
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At a press conference in March the Brexit Secretary David Davis and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier unveiled a slideshow of the Brexit Treaty, with the sections agreed by both sides highlighted green.
It amounted to roughly 75-80% of the 129-page document that will seal the terms of the UK's departure from the EU and which is officially called the "Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom".
The UK says the deadline for settling the outstanding issues is October, when the agreement will be submitted to the European Parliament. Mr Barnier wants progress on these issues in time for an EU summit on 28 June.
Here is what's left to discuss:
Both sides have committed to avoid infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Brussels has proposed a protocol - nicknamed "the backstop" - which would see Northern Ireland stick to those rules of the customs union and single market that are required for cross-border co-operation to continue.
It's described as an insurance policy in case no other solutions are found.
Britain agrees to the need for a backstop but says this version risks barriers being created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, and so wants an alternative.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Technology can streamline EU borders but they are not frictionless.
Known in the trade as "governance" this is an item that sounds boring but which Michel Barnier says could bring the whole deal down: how to solve disputes between the UK and the EU arising as a result of the treaty?
The EU has proposed a Joint Committee made up of representatives appointed by London and Brussels. If they can't solve a problem, it would be referred to the European Court of Justice.
The UK government likes the idea of "J-Com" but not of judges in Luxembourg having the final say.
A complicated compromise to oversee the governance of the citizens' rights part of the deal hasD been agreed, though.
Then there is a swathe of subjects known as Other Separation Issues (OSI's).
The EU is proud of its rules that protect regional products so that champagne can only come from Champagne, Manchego cheese can only come from La Mancha, Cornish pasties from Cornwall.
Brussels wants this system written into British domestic law. The Brits agree with the concept but aren't sure about the method and want to ensure it applies to British products in the EU too.
Some in the food and drink industry suspect some ministers view this as a measure to protect European industries that would limit the UK's room for manoeuvre in future trade talks with other countries.
There are still disagreements about how both sides will work together on on-going police and judicial matters.
For example, the EU says that the European Court of Justice should be able to pass judgements that have an effect in the UK after the end of the transition period in cases where events occurred before the end of the transition period.
On security, the UK thinks that co-operation on extradition, the British relationship with the EU crime-fighting agency Europol and the sharing of criminal records should be the subject of a separate security treaty which the two sides should begin negotiating straight away.
The EU wants the European laws that are mentioned in the Brexit Treaty to continue to apply in the UK in the way they do now.
This is the legal concept of "direct effect" which is at the heart of the argument over the supremacy of EU law.
The UK government has agreed to write the Withdrawal Agreement into domestic legislation but is still working on the details of how to do this, before it's voted on by MPs.
Remember the huge political row in Summer 2016 over the UK's departure from the EU's nuclear energy watchdog Euratom?
Most issues related to it have been settled, apart from who will own certain radioactive material that remains in the UK - Britain or the EU countries where it originated?
The signals are that a deal is close on this highly technical matter.
British companies hold all sorts of personal data belonging to EU citizens, and the European Commission thinks that European data protection law should continue to apply to it after Brexit.
The UK would like a comprehensive deal on data sharing with the EU as part of the discussions about the future relationship, and is wary of agreeing divorce-related measures that could tie its hands.
There's a section about how to handle government tenders for goods and services which will be underway during the Brexit process - so called "public procurement". Think new British passports being made by a Franco-Dutch firm.
Most of it has been agreed, but one jargon-filled paragraph stands out as unresolved.
It concerns the rule which says new contracts should be open to companies across the EU. Public procurement lawyers suspect the UK is waiting for a guarantee that British firms will be able to bid for European government business if British contracts remain open to their continental competitors.
The EU wants the UK to share customs data for three years after the end of the transition period, and information about certain taxes for five years after the end of the transition period.
And there are some other unresolved technical issues scattered throughout the document that test the knowledge of even the most seasoned Brexit geek.
But small details could have a big effect because the whole lot has to be agreed for the deal to be signed off.
• None What happens now that a deal's been done?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44125197
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Brexit: One extraordinary day - BBC News
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2018-06-14
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It's not been pretty but in the end, the government showed it can just get its way in Parliament, whether by winning the argument, backing down, or postponing confrontation for now.
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UK Politics
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Look away now if you are of a nervous disposition.
A wiser head than me - there's dispute over whether it was Mark Twain or Bismarck! - once remarked that laws are like sausages, if you respect them it's best not to watch them being made.
Well the last forty eight hours in Westminster may give weight to that. Farce? Fiasco? Or maybe today in Parliament has been in the best tradition of British pantomime.
Or perhaps, this is in fact the completely predictable agony of split political parties, with leaders who struggle to command their troops, just trying to make it through after a huge vote that by its very nature, split the country in two.
Or depending on your view, it is perhaps exactly what Parliament is there for, to reveal the contradictions, where the government is strong and weak, and force ministers to give a bit where they ought to.
Whichever of those over-generalisations you plump for, and I suspect it will depend entirely on your own political convictions, this has been an extraordinary day.
MPs talking of "meltdown", or "uncharted territory", warning the prime minister against "betrayal". Trust in Tory circles breaking down, as the prime minister tries to face all ways.
There was the SNP's dramatic, if perhaps politically convenient, walk out over discussions of devolution being massively squeezed, complete with a scene where the Speaker looked like he might finally combust.
Then votes tonight that saw one of the biggest ever rebellions against Jeremy Corbyn, with 90 of his MPs disobeying his orders on a vote on the European Economic Area. Several of his front bench team quit their shadow posts to do so.
But even those rebels were split - 75 of them rebelling against the leadership to vote for closer ties to the EU, and 15 against Mr Corbyn to choose more distant relations.
And 14 Tories defied Theresa May's instructions too. For a government with no majority, that is a worry for the prime minister.
At times in the last forty eight hours this place has felt like a circus. But in the end, the government showed it can just get its way, whether by winning the argument, backing down, or postponing confrontation for now.
It's not been pretty, and it's not going to get any easier. One former minister grimly predicted this is turning into Maastricht. So, tomorrow, stand by for another row over what happens next.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44477068
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news_uk-politics-44477068
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What we learn from Mueller's 'Trump questions' - BBC News
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2018-06-14
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Questions that the special counsel reportedly wants to ask Donald Trump have leaked. What are the key ones?
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US & Canada
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A list that reports to be Robert Mueller's proposed questions for Donald Trump is like a walking tour of all the Russia-related controversies surrounding the Trump campaign and the early days of his presidency.
There's the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between top campaign aides and a woman with ties to the Russia government. And the Ukraine-related changes to the Republican Party platform. And fired national security adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak.
More than half the questions obtained by the New York Times are related to possible obstruction of justice by the president or his team.
These include Attorney General Jeff Sessions' recusal from the Russia probe and Mr Trump's reaction to that, the clashes with former FBI Director James Comey up to and including his firing and possible efforts to undermine Mr Mueller's own investigation.
In a series of Tuesday morning tweets the president said it was disgraceful that the questions were made public and claimed that their topics proved there was no "collusion". He focused in particular on the obstruction of justice aspect of the inquiries, writing that "it would seem very hard to obstruct justice for a crime that never happened!"
That kind of argument may play in the court of public opinion, but there's not a lot of legal support for such a view.
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Just ask Martha Stewart, who went to jail for obstructing a federal investigation into insider trading, or Scooter Libby, who was convicted of obstructing a special counsel investigation into White House leaks of a covert CIA operative's name. Neither was convicted for the crime they were accused of.
Mr Libby, one might recall, recently received a full pardon from Mr Trump.
Given that the Times says the list came from communications between the special counsel and the Trump legal team, it's entirely possible the leak came from the president's own side.
Michael Zeldin, an assistant to Mr Mueller when he was FBI director, told CNN on Tuesday morning that he thought the wording of the questions made it unlikely that the leak came from the special counsel's office.
"Some of the grammar is not even proper," he said. "I think these are more notes that the White House has taken and then they have expanded upon the conversation to write out these as questions."
And even if the document accurately details the thrust of Mr Mueller's presidential inquiries, there's no indication that the list is complete - or what, if any, follow-up questions the special counsel team might ask if they get their face-to-face meeting with the president.
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Despite Mr Trump's insistence, there appears to be plenty of interest in possible collusion.
There are questions about Mr Trump's 2013 beauty pageant visit to Moscow (featured prominently in the now infamous "Steele dossier"), his involvement with any Russian real estate deals during the presidential race, his son-in-law's attempts at back-channel contacts with the Russian government, his former adviser's contacts with Wikileaks and his knowledge of any outreach by campaign aides "to Russia about potential assistance to the campaign".
There's even a question about a 2017 Seychelles meeting between Trump associate Erik Prince and a Russian businessman. There have been reports that Mr Mueller has evidence that the visit was an attempt to open a secret line of communications between the president and Vladimir Putin.
Perhaps most notably in the "collusion" context, Paul Manafort - the former Trump campaign chairman - is mentioned by name.
"What knowledge do you have of any outreach by your campaign, including by Paul Manafort, to Russia about potential assistance to the campaign?" the question reads.
Up until now, most Trump-Russia speculation has focused on Russian attempts to reach out to Trump campaign aides, who were a small and inexperienced team. This question turns that on its head. What if it was someone from the Trump team that sought out the Russians?
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. All you need to know about the Trump-Russia investigation
Mr Manafort, of course, has been indicted by Mr Mueller in part for work he did for pro-Russian officials in Ukraine. He attended that June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, set up by Donald Trump Jr, after the candidate's son was told by an associate that Russia had information "that would incriminate" Hillary Clinton which was part of the Russian' government's support for Mr Trump.
Mr Manafort also reportedly offered to give a government-connected Russian billionaire a briefing about the campaign in July 2016.
In other words, roughly a third of Mr Mueller's questions cut right to the heart of the investigation into possible ties between Mr Trump's team and Russia.
For the moment, it appears the special counsel team wants the interview to be conducted voluntarily. There's always the possibility, however, that Mr Mueller could issue a subpoena compelling the president to talk. The resulting legal scrum on whether a president has to obey such an edict would be the stuff of political legends.
The special counsel has plenty of questions. The biggest one right now, however, is how - or if Mr Trump answers any of them.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43902368
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Khalid Ali: Plumber turned bomb-maker who planned London attack - BBC News
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2018-06-26
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Khalid Ali was moments from being able to attack politicians when he was stopped by armed police.
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UK
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Khalid Ali was arrested in Whitehall on 27 April 2017
Khalid Ali was carrying three knives when he was tackled by armed officers near Downing Street in April 2017 - and was just moments from being able to attack police, politicians or military personnel.
But clues picked up from bomb parts recovered in Afghanistan five years earlier meant he was under surveillance by the police and MI5.
Ali, who is one of the seven children, was born to an Ethiopian mother and Somali father in Saudi Arabia, to which the family moved to escape civil war in Ethiopia and from where - in 1992 - they came to the UK.
He grew up in Edmonton and trained as a gas engineer and plumber after leaving school, but in his late teens became increasingly absorbed by religion and politics.
In 2010, Ali travelled on an aid convoy to Gaza, appearing in news reports after a shipping dispute resulted in some of the travellers being forcibly taken to Greece.
Kieran Turner, who helped organise the convoy, told the BBC: "At that point I thought 'nice young man - this is going to be one of the people that's fun to travel with'."
Ali "had a sense of humour" and "always smiled", Mr Turner recalled.
Ali travelled on an aid convoy to Gaza
But Ali was a more complex figure than he appeared.
In June 2011 he told family members he was moving to Birmingham for work. They would not hear from him for more than five years.
He was reported missing and, during subsequent inquiries, a laptop from his bedroom was found to contain speeches by the al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki encouraging people to engage in military jihad.
In truth, Ali had gone to Afghanistan to join the Taliban.
There, according to Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, he went to a "Taliban training camp affiliated to al-Qaeda where, for several years he helped terrorists make hundreds of bombs capable of mass murder".
In late October 2016, Ali suddenly appeared at the British consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, claiming to have lost his passport and seeking a temporary travel document in order to get home.
Two days later, without luggage or possessions, he landed at Heathrow and was immediately questioned under terrorism laws.
Ali claimed to have spent the preceding years travelling in northern Pakistan rediscovering himself and learning about different sects of Islam.
Without lawful reason for further detention he was released but - crucially - only after his fingerprints were taken.
These were shared with the FBI, which manages a vast database containing fingerprints found on bomb parts in various global conflict zones.
Ali's prints were matched to some found on improvised explosive device (IED) components from two large caches recovered by Afghan national security forces - the main targets and victims of such weapons - in South Kandahar Province more than four years earlier.
Ali's prints were found on IED components from two caches recovered by Afghan national security forces
Eventually, 42 prints from the Afghan IED components were positively matched to Ali.
Detectives applied to the US for the evidence to be declassified so he could be prosecuted in the UK but permission was not instant.
In the meantime, Ali, unaware of these developments, appeared to resume normal life in London. He moved back to the family home in Edmonton, found work in a west London pizza takeaway and started retraining as a gas fitter.
However, he was also quietly planning an attack and began researching targets.
In March 2017 he was spotted at a march in central London, behaving suspiciously towards police officers outside Downing Street.
Ali captured on CCTV talking to police officers outside Downing Street in March 2017
Then in April he conducted reconnaissance of sites including the MI6 building and New Scotland Yard.
From then on events moved quickly.
On 25 April, near his workplace in Ealing, he bought a set of knives and a sharpener.
The following day, officers observed him buying a mobile phone.
That night, he was watched emerging from the family home and putting a plastic bag into a wheelie bin outside another house.
When retrieved, it contained packaging for kitchen knives and a sharpener.
While her son had been outside, Ali's mother - concerned by his behaviour - went to his room and found four knives, which she took to a different part of the house.
"I was shocked and upset" and "scared at what he'd do with them", she said in a statement read at Ali's trial.
On his return an argument broke out when Ali realised the knives were missing.
Local officers attended and Ali left the property after midnight when his mother made it clear she wanted him to go.
He then set about rearming himself.
At daybreak he travelled across London, to Ealing, where he lingered for several hours before purchasing three kitchen knives and heading for Westminster - the location where, just weeks before, another attacker, Khalid Masood, had murdered five people, including a police officer.
He walked around Parliament Square, dumping items in different locations, including a mobile phone in the River Thames that was later found to contain images of police officers in stab vests.
Two of the three knives found on Ali when he was arrested
When he walked towards Whitehall in the direction of Downing Street, armed police moved in.
Knives were found in both jacket pockets and one tucked down the front of his trousers.
Asked whether the public were in danger, Ali said he was not interested in them. Asked if anyone else was at risk, he told the officers: "You lot are carrying weapons, so you must know you are in danger."
Ali had three blades tucked into his clothes when he was arrested by armed police
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Haydon said: "Police and security services were managing any potential risk that he posed and he was arrested at the most appropriate time."
It was only in the hours after Ali's arrest that permission was granted to use the evidence from the explosives in a British prosecution.
During lengthy police interviews in the following days, Ali said he was armed only for his own protection and had not been planning an attack.
He claimed to have been in Westminster to give a "message" to those in authority about his beliefs, which he had returned to the UK to deliver.
Detectives were told the message was the same as one previously delivered by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Ali said he was a soldier of the Taliban and that al-Qaeda was its military wing.
He admitted constructing explosives in Afghanistan - and when asked whether he had also detonated them, Ali said: "I have pressed the button."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Khalid Ali said he "pressed the button" on more than 300 bombs in Afghanistan
A detective asked: "How many times have you pressed the button to cause an explosion?"
"Probably more than 300 times," he replied.
"I've been training and fighting against Western troops, be it American or British," he told officers.
He later added: "I'm sitting here in front of you as a mujahid, as classified under your country, the law, as a terrorist."
Ali was asked: "Did you kill any British troops while you were in Afghanistan?"
"I will remain silent for now," he replied.
In court, Ali changed his account, telling the jury he had been held captive in Pakistan, near the Afghan border, and forced to bundle up components of explosive devices to prove he was not a British spy.
He denied planning an attack in London to coincide with the start of the Taliban "spring offensive" the following day.
Under cross-examination, he denied that the mobile phone purchased the night before his arrest - which has never been recovered - was used to contact the Taliban to get instructions to launch his attack.
But he was found guilty of preparing terrorist acts and two counts of possession of an explosive substance with intent.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44570128
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£1.3bn Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project thrown out - BBC News
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2018-06-26
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The UK government says the project off Swansea Bay is too expensive prompting a backlash in Wales.
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South West Wales
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The Hendry review said the lagoon would make a "strong contribution" to energy supplies
Plans to build the world's first tidal power lagoon have been thrown out by the UK government.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said the £1.3bn project was not value for money, despite claims by developers Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) a revised offer made it cheaper.
The decision has been slammed by local politicians across the parties, including the Conservatives.
The scheme off Swansea Bay had £200m backing from the Welsh Government.
But the UK government said it would not pay TLP the fee it wants for energy.
TLP claimed no talks have taken place for more than a year and said supporters of the project have vowed to do what they can to make it a reality.
Mr Clark told the Commons: "Securing our energy needs into the future has to be done seriously and, when much cheaper alternatives exist, no individual project, and no particular technology, can proceed at any price."
Government analysis estimated that the lagoon would cost the average British household consumer an additional £700 between 2031 and 2050.
But TLP chief executive Mark Shorrock said the figures were wrong, adding that offshore wind projects had received £8bn in subsidies and the "path finder" tidal lagoon project needed £25m a year "in order to kick start an industry".
"It's a very, very sad day for Wales, for Swansea," he told BBC Radio Wales' Good Evening Wales programme.
First Minister Carwyn Jones tweeted that it was a "crushing blow to Wales".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Carolyn Harris: "You will never understand the frustration and anger in my city"
Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns said: "I realise the disappointment this decision may cause, but ultimately this project did not meet the threshold for taxpayer value."
There have been a number of calls among Labour MPs for Mr Cairns to go but he told the BBC Wales Today programme he was proud of his record.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, speaking in an interview on Good Evening Wales, said: "Wales has not had an effective voice at the cabinet table."
Plaid Cymru's energy spokesperson, Liz Saville Roberts MP, said the UK government's "decision demonstrates the need for Wales to gain greater control over its own future".
Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds called the decision a "disgrace", as did Gower Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi.
The announcement brings an end to 18 months of waiting since an independent review, commissioned by the ministers, recommended building the lagoon.
TLP chairman Keith Clarke said: "In light of today's statement and having heard next to nothing from government for two years, the board will be meeting in two days' time to consider its next steps."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Greg Clark said the lagoon did not meet "value for money" requirements
The review by former energy minister Charles Hendry said Swansea should be used as a test of the technology, before allowing other developers to bid to construct further schemes as part of a competitive tendering process.
The UK government has been accused of dragging its heels since then, during which time they repeatedly stated the scheme must prove "value for money".
TLP claims the Swansea project would provide power to 155,000 properties in Wales and is cheaper than nuclear power.
The developers had previously asked for a 90-year contract with the UK government with an average strike price - a guaranteed price for the electricity generated - of £89.90 per megawatt hour.
The new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset was given a strike price of £92.50/MWh for 35 years.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Watch Tidal Lagoon Power's video of how the turbines would work
This was a project that seemed at one point to have widespread and almost universal support in Wales.
It required the UK government to agree a significant strike price - a subsidy paid by consumers through energy bills - although the exact amount varied depending on the length of time that price was set for and whether other taxpayer funding was invested in the project.
The independent report by Charles Hendry was very supportive of the tidal lagoon. However, it also said that doing a full, value for money, assessment was beyond its scope.
In recent months, some in the business community have been privately raising concerns about the cost of the project and its impact on energy bills.
While Tidal Lagoon Power and the Welsh Government now say it is the same price as nuclear power, the UK government insist it is double.
However, the goalposts have moved. There was huge criticism of the UK government over the price for energy struck for the new nuclear plant across the water at Hinkley Point. With a pledge not to commit bill payers to such costs again, even getting the cost of the lagoon to a similar figure was unlikely to be good enough.
It seems, ultimately, that UK ministers do not have confidence that the lagoon developers are able to deliver the project at the price they now think is reasonable for consumers to pay. Especially as other options such as wind energy come in at a much lower cost.
2003: Plans first emerge for a £30m tidal power project in Swansea Bay from a green energy charity
2006: Tidal Electric Ltd prepares a scoping report for a lagoon to take the project on but it is put on hold
2012: Tidal Lagoon Power (TLP) unveils its ambition to develop a breakwater and power generation
2014: Plans submitted to Planning Inspectorate with a cost of £850m
2015: Proposals get backing of UK government, subject to subsidy agreement - hope it could be operational by 2018
2016: Report warns of impact on fish. Charles Hendry is appointed to lead independent review into £1.3bn lagoon's viability
2017: Hendry review backs the lagoon as a "no regrets" option but the UK government is still to decide
2018: Delays, mostly believed to be over arguments over value for money. Welsh Government also offers substantial investment, as does Wales Pension Partnership
Ian Price, director of business group CBI Wales, said: "We appreciate the effort and energy made by politicians from both governments who have worked tirelessly to try and make this project a reality. At the end of the day, any project has to be affordable for consumers."
David Clubb, a director at RenewableUK Cymru, the trade body for all renewable energy, said: "This means that the region will not benefit from many thousands of jobs from the project and the associated supply chain."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-44589083
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'No magic money tree' - BBC News
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2018-06-18
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Tax rises are on the table - but the PM won't yet tell us who will pay for the NHS cash increase.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May was asked how the NHS cash boost would be funded
"There is no magic money tree." That's what the prime minister used to say.
She hasn't suddenly started believing that it exists in the depths of some forest somewhere, let alone in the well-manicured back garden of Number 10.
But when she used to say that, what Theresa May meant was that the Tories did not want to raise taxes or borrow more to pay for the NHS.
She would always remind you that the overall amount of money going in was increasing - but as is well-documented, the demands on the health service have been outpacing the resources available.
What's happened is that after many months of argument - remember the cabinet discussing tax rises for health much earlier this year and the ongoing desire of Brexiteers in government to find more cash for the NHS (more of that in a minute) - the prime minister has been convinced by the health secretary and others that the strain on the health service is so acute that there simply is no choice.
Jeremy Hunt has been remarkably open about this in recent weeks, and explicitly so today. Theresa May has also made it plain that tax rises are on the table.
But what she won't do yet is tell us who will pay, or even rule out any particular taxes going up, down or being frozen to find the money.
Be clear, the political decision to find the money has been made. It is even more political to decide from where. And this moment is not just about the NHS, it's about the era when the Tories' priority was paying down the deficit above all else coming to an end.
Opposition politicians are rightly pushing for more detail. But this political shift is also awkward for Labour, as the amount promised is more than Labour had proposed during the election - advocating tax rises themselves, it's not clear where else the party can go.
It is also the moment when Theresa May seems rather boldly to be willing to try to pull off a rhetorical accounting trick. She repeated her suggestion today that the money for the NHS will come, in part, from the so called "Brexit dividend".
That is a matter of political presentation, not reality. Yes, after we leave the European Union and complete the transition period (leaving the departure lounge) it is true that we will no longer pay what's basically a membership subscription of £9bn a year.
But what Number 10 and especially the Treasury know very well is that as things stand official forecasts suggest that the economy, the overall amount of cash available for the government to spend, will be smaller than if we had stayed in.
In the most simple terms, Whitehall number-crunchers predict we will lose more cash wise than we will gain. Now, economic forecasts are often and thoroughly shown to be wrong. But right now, to suggest somehow that Brexit will partly pay for the NHS is at best extremely uncertain, at worst, downright misleading.
Remember this though. The Vote Leave campaign repeatedly used a real figure of £350m that they knew gave only part of the picture about the costs of leaving the EU.
That drove the Remain side, and plenty of voters, crazy - and there is still anger about it now. But they knew also that every time the other side complained about it, their claims about the NHS were heard by more people.
Is Theresa May doing the same? Whether it is designed to cause controversy, or just give her Brexiteer ministers something rhetorical to applaud, she is certainly taking flak. It is one thing for a campaign group to put a pretty slippery gloss on statistics, and that caused enough outrage.
It's quite another for the whole machinery of government to do the same.
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Upskirting row: MP's office targeted in 'pants protest' - BBC News
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2018-06-18
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Sir Christopher Chope's office is targeted - as No 10 says it will act to criminalise "upskirting".
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UK Politics
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Anger over a Conservative MP's decision to block a bill to make "upskirting" a criminal offence has manifested itself in an unusual way in Parliament.
The entrance to Sir Christopher Chope's Commons office was decorated with women's pants in an apparent protest by Commons staff against his actions.
No 10 has now said the government will now bring forward its own legislation.
The MP told the BBC he was "delighted" by this and suggested he had been "maligned for motives he never had".
Justice minister Lucy Frazer said by promising a bill before the end of July, ministers were sending a clear message that upskirting - the practice of secretly taking a photo up a woman's skirt - would not be tolerated.
Lib Dem Wera Hobhouse, whose own bill was blocked by the Tory MP on Friday, said she was pleased the government had stepped in.
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And a lawyer for Gina Martin, a victim of upskirting whose campaign helped raise attention to the issue, said it was a "great day not only for women but for all right-thinking individuals and justice itself".
"The gap in the law that existed was an affront to the English criminal law and it is right and proper that the government has decided to act," Ryan Whelan said.
Sir Christopher has insisted he does recognise the seriousness of the offence but believed it was wrong to approve a new law without any real debate - as he suggested could have happened on Friday.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Christopher Chope says his actions have been misunderstood
"Knicker bunting" was also put up outside the Christchurch MP's constituency office
He told BBC South he had achieved his aim of getting the government to legislate, rather than leaving it to a private member's bill, and this would ensure it happened more quickly.
He said Ms Martin "fully understood" why he had objected, adding that he found it "intolerable" that other people have ascribed motives to him that he never had.
"Other people have so cruelly misunderstood what I did," he said, describing the criticism he had received on social media as "a really unpleasant storm".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May was asked why she had recommended Sir Christopher Chope for a knighthood
Sir Christopher has been criticised in the past for effectively stopping private member's bills that would have posthumously pardoned World War Two code-breaker Alan Turing for his 1952 conviction for homosexual activity and scrapped hospital parking charges for carers.
"Any new law needs to be debated," he told LBC. "We don't have legislation by decree - that is what they have in Putin's Russia or Erdogan's Turkey.
"I think it is the moral duty of MPs to stand up for freedom and democracy and not to say just because there seems to be a lot of support for something, it does not need to be questioned."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Hear MPs shout: "Shame," after Sir Christopher objects to the bill
Mrs Hobhouse's bill was expected to sail through the Commons on Friday, but parliamentary rules mean it required only one MP to shout: "Object," to block its progress.
Private members bills are considered on Fridays, when the Commons is often sparsely attended, and depend on government support to progress.
Senior Tories have made their displeasure known, former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan saying arguments about parliamentary procedure could not be used to "explain away this reputation-damaging episode".
Writing in Conservative Home, she said she and most others in the party had been "appalled" by his behaviour.
"It proves to everyone beyond the Westminster bubble that the work so many of us are engaged in, and have supported - to bring the Conservative Party into the modern era - remains uncompleted," she wrote.
What are the limitations of the current situation in England and Wales?
What does the new law propose?
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Khalid Ali: Plumber turned bomb-maker who planned London attack - BBC News
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2018-06-27
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Khalid Ali was moments from being able to attack politicians when he was stopped by armed police.
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UK
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Khalid Ali was arrested in Whitehall on 27 April 2017
Khalid Ali was carrying three knives when he was tackled by armed officers near Downing Street in April 2017 - and was just moments from being able to attack police, politicians or military personnel.
But clues picked up from bomb parts recovered in Afghanistan five years earlier meant he was under surveillance by the police and MI5.
Ali, who is one of the seven children, was born to an Ethiopian mother and Somali father in Saudi Arabia, to which the family moved to escape civil war in Ethiopia and from where - in 1992 - they came to the UK.
He grew up in Edmonton and trained as a gas engineer and plumber after leaving school, but in his late teens became increasingly absorbed by religion and politics.
In 2010, Ali travelled on an aid convoy to Gaza, appearing in news reports after a shipping dispute resulted in some of the travellers being forcibly taken to Greece.
Kieran Turner, who helped organise the convoy, told the BBC: "At that point I thought 'nice young man - this is going to be one of the people that's fun to travel with'."
Ali "had a sense of humour" and "always smiled", Mr Turner recalled.
Ali travelled on an aid convoy to Gaza
But Ali was a more complex figure than he appeared.
In June 2011 he told family members he was moving to Birmingham for work. They would not hear from him for more than five years.
He was reported missing and, during subsequent inquiries, a laptop from his bedroom was found to contain speeches by the al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki encouraging people to engage in military jihad.
In truth, Ali had gone to Afghanistan to join the Taliban.
There, according to Deputy Assistant Commissioner Dean Haydon, senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, he went to a "Taliban training camp affiliated to al-Qaeda where, for several years he helped terrorists make hundreds of bombs capable of mass murder".
In late October 2016, Ali suddenly appeared at the British consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, claiming to have lost his passport and seeking a temporary travel document in order to get home.
Two days later, without luggage or possessions, he landed at Heathrow and was immediately questioned under terrorism laws.
Ali claimed to have spent the preceding years travelling in northern Pakistan rediscovering himself and learning about different sects of Islam.
Without lawful reason for further detention he was released but - crucially - only after his fingerprints were taken.
These were shared with the FBI, which manages a vast database containing fingerprints found on bomb parts in various global conflict zones.
Ali's prints were matched to some found on improvised explosive device (IED) components from two large caches recovered by Afghan national security forces - the main targets and victims of such weapons - in South Kandahar Province more than four years earlier.
Ali's prints were found on IED components from two caches recovered by Afghan national security forces
Eventually, 42 prints from the Afghan IED components were positively matched to Ali.
Detectives applied to the US for the evidence to be declassified so he could be prosecuted in the UK but permission was not instant.
In the meantime, Ali, unaware of these developments, appeared to resume normal life in London. He moved back to the family home in Edmonton, found work in a west London pizza takeaway and started retraining as a gas fitter.
However, he was also quietly planning an attack and began researching targets.
In March 2017 he was spotted at a march in central London, behaving suspiciously towards police officers outside Downing Street.
Ali captured on CCTV talking to police officers outside Downing Street in March 2017
Then in April he conducted reconnaissance of sites including the MI6 building and New Scotland Yard.
From then on events moved quickly.
On 25 April, near his workplace in Ealing, he bought a set of knives and a sharpener.
The following day, officers observed him buying a mobile phone.
That night, he was watched emerging from the family home and putting a plastic bag into a wheelie bin outside another house.
When retrieved, it contained packaging for kitchen knives and a sharpener.
While her son had been outside, Ali's mother - concerned by his behaviour - went to his room and found four knives, which she took to a different part of the house.
"I was shocked and upset" and "scared at what he'd do with them", she said in a statement read at Ali's trial.
On his return an argument broke out when Ali realised the knives were missing.
Local officers attended and Ali left the property after midnight when his mother made it clear she wanted him to go.
He then set about rearming himself.
At daybreak he travelled across London, to Ealing, where he lingered for several hours before purchasing three kitchen knives and heading for Westminster - the location where, just weeks before, another attacker, Khalid Masood, had murdered five people, including a police officer.
He walked around Parliament Square, dumping items in different locations, including a mobile phone in the River Thames that was later found to contain images of police officers in stab vests.
Two of the three knives found on Ali when he was arrested
When he walked towards Whitehall in the direction of Downing Street, armed police moved in.
Knives were found in both jacket pockets and one tucked down the front of his trousers.
Asked whether the public were in danger, Ali said he was not interested in them. Asked if anyone else was at risk, he told the officers: "You lot are carrying weapons, so you must know you are in danger."
Ali had three blades tucked into his clothes when he was arrested by armed police
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Haydon said: "Police and security services were managing any potential risk that he posed and he was arrested at the most appropriate time."
It was only in the hours after Ali's arrest that permission was granted to use the evidence from the explosives in a British prosecution.
During lengthy police interviews in the following days, Ali said he was armed only for his own protection and had not been planning an attack.
He claimed to have been in Westminster to give a "message" to those in authority about his beliefs, which he had returned to the UK to deliver.
Detectives were told the message was the same as one previously delivered by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
Ali said he was a soldier of the Taliban and that al-Qaeda was its military wing.
He admitted constructing explosives in Afghanistan - and when asked whether he had also detonated them, Ali said: "I have pressed the button."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Khalid Ali said he "pressed the button" on more than 300 bombs in Afghanistan
A detective asked: "How many times have you pressed the button to cause an explosion?"
"Probably more than 300 times," he replied.
"I've been training and fighting against Western troops, be it American or British," he told officers.
He later added: "I'm sitting here in front of you as a mujahid, as classified under your country, the law, as a terrorist."
Ali was asked: "Did you kill any British troops while you were in Afghanistan?"
"I will remain silent for now," he replied.
In court, Ali changed his account, telling the jury he had been held captive in Pakistan, near the Afghan border, and forced to bundle up components of explosive devices to prove he was not a British spy.
He denied planning an attack in London to coincide with the start of the Taliban "spring offensive" the following day.
Under cross-examination, he denied that the mobile phone purchased the night before his arrest - which has never been recovered - was used to contact the Taliban to get instructions to launch his attack.
But he was found guilty of preparing terrorist acts and two counts of possession of an explosive substance with intent.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44570128
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news_uk-44570128
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Heterosexual couple win civil partnership case - BBC News
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2018-06-27
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Laws allowing only same-sex couples the right are discriminatory, the Supreme Court says.
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UK
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan said they were elated at the court's ruling
A heterosexual couple have won their legal bid for the right to have a civil partnership instead of a marriage.
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favour of Rebecca Steinfeld, 37, and Charles Keidan, 41, from London.
The court said the Civil Partnership Act 2004 - which only applies to same-sex couples - is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Ms Steinfeld said she hoped the government does the "right thing" and extends civil partnerships to all.
"We are feeling elated," she told the BBC outside court. "But at the same time we are feeling frustrated the government has wasted taxpayers' money in fighting what the judges' have called a blatant inequality."
The judgement does not oblige government to change the law, although it does make it more likely that the government will now act, the BBC's legal correspondent Clive Coleman explained.
In a civil partnership, a couple is entitled to the same legal treatment in terms of inheritance, tax, pensions and next-of-kin arrangements as marriage.
The couple, who met in 2010 and have two children, said the "legacy of marriage" which "treated women as property for centuries" was not an option for them.
"We want to raise our children as equal partners and feel that a civil partnership - a modern, symmetrical institution - sets the best example for them," they explained.
Since March 2014, same sex-couples can choose whether to enter a civil partnership or to marry. This has not been possible for mixed-sex couples, which led Ms Steinfeld and Mr Keidan to argue that the law was discriminatory.
This ruling overturns a previous judgement made by the Court of Appeal, which rejected the couple's claim, in February of last year.
The judges ruled that current UK law was "incompatible" with human rights laws on discrimination and the right to a private and family life.
Announcing the court's decision, Lord Kerr said the government did not seek to justify the difference in treatment between same-sex and different sex couples.
"To the contrary, it accepts that the difference cannot be justified," he said.
LGBT and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell called the ruling a "victory for love and equality".
"It was never fair that same-sex couples had two options, civil partnerships and civil marriages, whereas opposite-sex partners had only one option, marriage," he said.
Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan appealed to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal rejected their claim in February 2017
It is an irony that the way in which relationship equality for same sex couples came about in the 21st century had the effect of creating inequality between them and different sex couples.
The Civil Partnership Act 2004 created civil partnerships but defined them as a 'relationship between two people of the same sex'.
When the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 legalised same sex marriage, gay couples had two options as to how to formalise their relationship in law - marriage or civil partnership - whereas heterosexual couples could only marry.
The Supreme Court has found that inequality to amount to discrimination and a breach of the right to a family life.
The government accepted the inequality between same sex and different sex couples, but argued that it needed to have time to assemble sufficient information to allow a confident decision to be made about the future of civil partnerships.
Lord Kerr gave that argument short shrift, saying: "What it (the government) seeks is tolerance of the discrimination while it sorts out how to deal with it. That cannot be characterised as a legitimate aim."
The couple will later go to Whitehall to deliver a letter to Equalities Minister Penny Mordaunt.
Martin Loat, chairman of the Equal Civil Partnerships campaign, said: "There is only one possible way forward - giving everyone the right to a civil partnership - and we urge the government to seize this opportunity to announce it will end this injustice now."
More than 130,000 people have signed an online petition in support of civil partnerships for everyone.
The couple's barrister Karon Monaghan QC told the court her clients had "deep-rooted and genuine ideological objections to marriage" and are "not alone" in their views.
There are around 63,000 couples in civil partnerships in the UK and some 3.3 million co-habiting couples.
• None 'Why we want a civil partnership'
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Joe Jackson: Patriarch of Jackson family dies aged 89 - BBC News
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2018-06-27
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His death comes two days after the anniversary of Michael Jackson's death nine years ago.
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US & Canada
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Joe Jackson, seen here with his son Michael, had been in hospital for terminal cancer
Joe Jackson, the father of music legends Michael and Janet Jackson, has died at age 89, his family said.
Jackson passed away early on Wednesday morning. He had been in hospital for terminal pancreatic cancer, according to media reports.
His death comes just two days after the anniversary of his son Michael Jackson's death nine years ago.
The family patriarch played a large role in the careers of The Jackson 5, as well as Michael and Janet Jackson.
His death was confirmed on social media by some of his family, including his daughter La Toya Jackson and grandsons Taj and Randy Jackson.
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Five of Joe Jackson's sons - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael - became the Jackson 5, joined at times by younger brother Randy, who also pursued a solo career.
Three daughters - LaToya, Rebbie, and, most famously, Janet - all fashioned their own pop careers under Jackson's management, with varying levels of recognition.
Jackson was the architect of his children's early successes, but some of them would later say he drove them with a zeal that bordered on abuse, with Michael and others alleging bullying, physical abuse and punishing work schedules.
The Jackson 5 played BBC's Top of the Pops at Christmas in 1972
Jackson later admitted that he had whipped Michael, but denied it could be categorised as a beating. "I whipped him with a switch and a belt. I never beat him. You beat someone with a stick," he told the BBC's Louis Theroux in 2003.
The interview made headlines after Jackson said in response to a question about Michael, "We don't believe in gays. I can't stand them."
The Jackson family was famously riven over the years by internal strife, which often played out in the full glare of the public eye, with various estrangements and arguments over money making their way through the courts.
Speaking to the Daily Mail before his father died on Wednesday, Jermaine Jackson said some members of the family were unable to gain access to Jackson in his final days.
"No one knew what was going on - we shouldn't have to beg, plead, and argue to see our own father, especially at a time like this," he said.
"We have been hurting. We were not being told where he was and couldn't get the full picture."
Jackson was born in 1928 in Fountain Hill, Arkansas and was the eldest of five children.
He described his own father, a university professor, as a domineering and strict presence.
Jackson nurtured ambitions of being a boxer and later played guitar with a blues band, The Falcons, but failed to win a recording deal.
In 1949 he married Katherine Scruse, a former classmate from Washington High School in East Chicago, Indiana. She raised their children while Jackson worked at a local steel mill.
In 1957, they lost a child, Brandon, to stillbirth. He would have been Marlon's twin brother.
During the 1960s, Jackson took control of his sons' burgeoning musical efforts and the Jackson 5 was born, later signing to Motown records in 1967.
The Jackson 5 splintered as Michael's solo career took off and he distanced himself from his father's management.
Jackson focused instead on his daughter Janet, who went on to become a massive star.
Jackson reportedly carried on a decades long extra-marital affair with Cheryl Terrell, a secretary 20 years his junior. The pair had a daughter, his 11th child, Joh'Vonnie, who is now 43, but Jackson remained married to Katherine all along.
He is survived by Katherine, who is 88, and nine of his 11 children.
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Student loans 'heading for trillion pounds' - BBC News
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2018-06-11
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Students and taxpayers are being ripped off by tuition fees, says a parliamentary committee.
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Family & Education
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The tuition fee system for England's universities is ripping off students and giving taxpayers poor value for money, says a parliamentary committee.
The House of Lords economic affairs committee revealed evidence the student loan book would grow to over £1 trillion over the next 25 years.
The committee attacked a "deeply unfair" system of fees and loans.
But the Department for Education said its review of fees would "make sure students are getting value for money".
Are you paying off a student loan? BBC News has set up a new UK Facebook group all about affordable living. Join the Affordable Living group here.
This hard-hitting report accuses the government of using "accounting tricks" to conceal the real cost of higher education and to pile up huge debts for future generations.
It calls for "immediate reforms" - such as cutting interest rates on repayments and restoring grants for disadvantaged students.
Committee chairman and former Conservative minister, Lord Forsyth, said they had also been "quite astonished by the complete collapse in part-time education".
The report warns of the lack of funding for vocational training - and claims that the apprenticeship system has been damaged by artificial targets invented to sound impressive for a manifesto promise.
Peers say there have been "fiscal illusions" over the real cost of student borrowing
The cross-party committee, with two former chancellors and two ex-chief secretaries to the Treasury, says the student loan system seems to have been used for a "fiscal illusion" to make the deficit look smaller.
"The thing that shocked me - and I thought I was pretty unshockable - was that I had not understood that by moving to a system of funding through loans, because of the accounting methods of the Treasury, it was possible for George Osborne [then chancellor] to appear to increase funding for higher education by £3bn but at the same time cut his deficit by £3.8bn," says Lord Forsyth.
The cost of unpaid loans will not be included until they are officially written off after 30 years.
Lord Forsyth says a parliamentary question revealed how much student borrowing was really piling up for the future.
By 2044, when many of today's students will still be paying off their loans, the student loan book will have grown to more than £1tn, rising to £1.2tn by 2049.
"The public argument for cutting the deficit was so that debt wasn't handed on to the next generation.
"But for this generation, being asked to pay these loans, when they've eventually paid them off, they'll suddenly find there's a bill for £1.2tn.
But Lord Forsyth says this system has had "devastating consequences".
It has produced excessive interest rates, set to rise again to 6.3%, which the committee says should be no higher than the rate at which the government borrows, at present 1.5%.
The committee heard that some existing training had been re-badged as an apprenticeship
The conversion of means-tested grants into loans has meant that the poorest students end up graduating with the biggest debts, says Lord Forsyth.
And he warns that the current repayment system was more expensive for people in middle income jobs such as nursing, rather than high-paid lawyers or financiers, who would pay off their debts more quickly.
"The people who get screwed by this are those in the middling jobs," says Lord Forsyth.
"This was all done on the basis that it would create a market in higher education - and that has failed, there isn't a market."
Lord Forsyth says that there is no meaningful consumer choice or competition - and he dismissed the system for rating teaching quality in universities, the teaching excellence framework, as a "bit of a joke".
"Because no-one ever turns up to look at the teaching," says Lord Forsyth.
The report says that the student finance system has failed to recognise the need to improve vocational skills and to help those wanting to re-train.
Part-time student numbers have fallen by about 60% over the past decade - with accusations that the funding system is based around school-leavers beginning full-time degree courses.
"There's been a huge distorting effect. It's a huge mistake," says the committee chair.
Lord Forsyth says there have been concerns about the apprenticeship policy - and the committee heard suggestions that the target for three million apprentices was not the result of any strategy, but was chosen as an impressive number for a manifesto promise.
The consequence of such target setting, he says, is to "encourage quantity rather than quality".
It means more attention is paid to the numbers starting than completing and there were signs that some employers were re-badging existing training as "apprenticeships" as a way of getting funding.
"There is clear evidence that what the economy needs is more people with technical and vocational skills. But the way that the funding for fees and maintenance operates makes it pretty well impossible for us to meet that demand," says Lord Forsyth.
Alice Barnard, chief executive of the Edge Foundation, which promotes vocational education, said the report "clearly highlights how the funding bias in our higher education system has favoured universities at the expense of choice and opportunity for young people".
The head of the MillionPlus group of new universities, Greg Walker, said the report had produced "robust evidence" to support the return of maintenance grants and to find ways to make universities more accessible to part-time students.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We agree that for too long young people have not had a genuine choice post-16 about where and what they wish to study.
"That is exactly why we have overhauled apprenticeships to focus on quality and why we are fundamentally transforming technical education, investing £500m a year in new T-levels that will provide a high quality, technical alternative to A-levels.
"On top of this, we are undertaking a major review of post-18 education and funding, to make sure students are getting value for money and genuine choice between technical, vocational and academic routes."
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Brexit: March planned as Fox says PM not bluffing on no deal - BBC News
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2018-06-23
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Warning comes as anti-Brexit campaigners prepare to march on the second anniversary of the EU vote.
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UK Politics
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Anti-Brexit campaigners are preparing to march to Parliament Square
Senior Cabinet ministers have insisted the UK is prepared to walk away from Brexit talks without a deal, on the second anniversary of the referendum.
Liam Fox said Theresa May was "not bluffing" over her threat to quit negotiations, while Boris Johnson called for a "full British Brexit".
It comes as anti-Brexit campaigners, who want the public to have the final say on the UK's departure, prepare to march in London later.
They say Brexit is "not a done deal".
People's Vote - which wants a referendum on any exit deal - said people must make their "voices heard" about the "damage" of leaving next year without agreement.
Speakers at the demo will include actor Sir Tony Robinson and campaigner Gina Miller, who fought a successful legal battle last year to ensure the UK could not trigger talks on leaving without the approval of Parliament.
The UK voted to leave the EU by a margin of 51.9% to 48.1% in a referendum held on 23 June 2016.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Liam Fox says Theresa May is not bluffing over no-deal Brexit
The UK is due to leave on 29 March 2019, 46 years after it first joined the European Economic Community, the forerunner to the EU.
But the People's Vote campaign says this should happen only if the withdrawal deal negotiated by Mrs May and the other 27 EU members is approved in another public vote.
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox told the BBC it was in the interests of both sides to have a deal - but it was "essential" the EU understood that the UK could walk away if the terms offered were not good enough.
"The prime minister has always said no deal is better than a bad deal," Mr Fox said in an interview with the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg, which was recorded on Wednesday - before Friday's warning from Airbus that it might cease manufacturing in the UK in such a scenario.
"It is essential as we enter the next phase of the negotiations that the EU understands that and believes it... I think our negotiating partners would not be wise if they thought our PM was bluffing."
Meanwhile, Brexit Secretary David Davis told the Daily Express the prime minister was going to get a "good deal" from Brussels and Brexit was going to be "fantastic".
"The best option is leaving with a good deal but you've got to be able to walk away from the table," he said.
And writing in the Sun, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson warned the prime minister not to allow "bog roll Brexit" that is "soft, yielding and seemingly infinitely long" - calling for a "full British Brexit" instead.
Mr Johnson said people "just want us to get on with it".
Two years on from the referendum, there are two very different messages today.
One is that Brexit is not a "done deal".
That's the argument from the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable who will take part in a march in central London today.
On the other side, there is optimism and defiance from key Brexiteers like Boris Johnson.
Mr Johnson says the UK is confident and open.
The government firmly opposes a vote on the final deal - Mr Johnson believes people want the government to just get on with it.
Nine months before the UK is due to officially leave the EU, there are still very different visions.
Labour said Mr Fox's comments about a no-deal Brexit were the "height of irresponsibility".
"The next time Liam Fox parrots the slogan no deal is better than a bad deal he should give some thought to the 14,000 people who work for Airbus, and the thousands of other people who have jobs dependent on trade with Europe," said shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman.
Both the prime minister and Labour leader have rejected calls for another public vote, saying the will of the people expressed in the 2016 ballot was clear, although many Labour MPs now want another referendum.
Organisers of Saturday's demo say people "from all walks of life" will be present, demonstrating the "growing popular demand" for another vote.
Beginning in Pall Mall and ending outside the Houses of Parliament, the protest is part of a "summer of action" by campaign groups designed to increase pressure on Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Anti-Brexit campaigner Femi Oluwole wants the Labour leader to back calls for a referendum on the final deal
By taking the UK out of the EU's single market and customs union, they say the Conservative government "remains intent" on a so-called hard Brexit that will - they say - destroy jobs and damage public services.
The leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Vince Cable, who will be at the march, told BBC Breakfast: "I think the public in general... do see there is a mess."
He added: "We've only got a year to go. And I think for the big companies that employ hundreds of thousands of workers in the UK... they want some clarity about what the trading relationships will be and there is absolutely none whatever."
But Conservative MP Peter Bone - who supports Brexit - said if there were a second vote, the leave campaign would win again.
"The vast, vast majority of people, whether they are Leavers or Remainers, just want us to get on and come out this dreadful European Union super-state," he said.
"There were 17.4 million people that voted for leave and if there are a few thousand in London complaining about it - that doesn't seem to really make much difference."
The government is giving Parliament a vote on the final deal, if one is reached, in the autumn - but it remains unclear what will happen if they reject it.
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What is left to agree in the Brexit Treaty? - BBC News
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2018-06-23
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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From the Irish border to data protection to tax information, some key issues are still outstanding on the road to a deal.
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Europe
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
At a press conference in March the Brexit Secretary David Davis and the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier unveiled a slideshow of the Brexit Treaty, with the sections agreed by both sides highlighted green.
It amounted to roughly 75-80% of the 129-page document that will seal the terms of the UK's departure from the EU and which is officially called the "Agreement on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom".
The UK says the deadline for settling the outstanding issues is October, when the agreement will be submitted to the European Parliament. Mr Barnier wants progress on these issues in time for an EU summit on 28 June.
Here is what's left to discuss:
Both sides have committed to avoid infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Brussels has proposed a protocol - nicknamed "the backstop" - which would see Northern Ireland stick to those rules of the customs union and single market that are required for cross-border co-operation to continue.
It's described as an insurance policy in case no other solutions are found.
Britain agrees to the need for a backstop but says this version risks barriers being created between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, and so wants an alternative.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Technology can streamline EU borders but they are not frictionless.
Known in the trade as "governance" this is an item that sounds boring but which Michel Barnier says could bring the whole deal down: how to solve disputes between the UK and the EU arising as a result of the treaty?
The EU has proposed a Joint Committee made up of representatives appointed by London and Brussels. If they can't solve a problem, it would be referred to the European Court of Justice.
The UK government likes the idea of "J-Com" but not of judges in Luxembourg having the final say.
A complicated compromise to oversee the governance of the citizens' rights part of the deal hasD been agreed, though.
Then there is a swathe of subjects known as Other Separation Issues (OSI's).
The EU is proud of its rules that protect regional products so that champagne can only come from Champagne, Manchego cheese can only come from La Mancha, Cornish pasties from Cornwall.
Brussels wants this system written into British domestic law. The Brits agree with the concept but aren't sure about the method and want to ensure it applies to British products in the EU too.
Some in the food and drink industry suspect some ministers view this as a measure to protect European industries that would limit the UK's room for manoeuvre in future trade talks with other countries.
There are still disagreements about how both sides will work together on on-going police and judicial matters.
For example, the EU says that the European Court of Justice should be able to pass judgements that have an effect in the UK after the end of the transition period in cases where events occurred before the end of the transition period.
On security, the UK thinks that co-operation on extradition, the British relationship with the EU crime-fighting agency Europol and the sharing of criminal records should be the subject of a separate security treaty which the two sides should begin negotiating straight away.
The EU wants the European laws that are mentioned in the Brexit Treaty to continue to apply in the UK in the way they do now.
This is the legal concept of "direct effect" which is at the heart of the argument over the supremacy of EU law.
The UK government has agreed to write the Withdrawal Agreement into domestic legislation but is still working on the details of how to do this, before it's voted on by MPs.
Remember the huge political row in Summer 2016 over the UK's departure from the EU's nuclear energy watchdog Euratom?
Most issues related to it have been settled, apart from who will own certain radioactive material that remains in the UK - Britain or the EU countries where it originated?
The signals are that a deal is close on this highly technical matter.
British companies hold all sorts of personal data belonging to EU citizens, and the European Commission thinks that European data protection law should continue to apply to it after Brexit.
The UK would like a comprehensive deal on data sharing with the EU as part of the discussions about the future relationship, and is wary of agreeing divorce-related measures that could tie its hands.
There's a section about how to handle government tenders for goods and services which will be underway during the Brexit process - so called "public procurement". Think new British passports being made by a Franco-Dutch firm.
Most of it has been agreed, but one jargon-filled paragraph stands out as unresolved.
It concerns the rule which says new contracts should be open to companies across the EU. Public procurement lawyers suspect the UK is waiting for a guarantee that British firms will be able to bid for European government business if British contracts remain open to their continental competitors.
The EU wants the UK to share customs data for three years after the end of the transition period, and information about certain taxes for five years after the end of the transition period.
And there are some other unresolved technical issues scattered throughout the document that test the knowledge of even the most seasoned Brexit geek.
But small details could have a big effect because the whole lot has to be agreed for the deal to be signed off.
• None What happens now that a deal's been done?
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World Cup 2018: 'Sheer brilliance' that has 'excited the nation' - England pundit reaction - BBC Sport
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2018-06-24
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'Sparkling' and 'sheer brilliance' - BBC Sport's World Cup pundits react to Sunday's 6-1 win over Panama.
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Live: Coverage across BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website with further coverage on Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app.
England's performance in their 6-1 win over Panama has "excited a nation", according to former Three Lions defender Rio Ferdinand.
Sunday's thumping victory in Group G not only sent England through to the last 16, it was the biggest in their history at major tournament finals, with five of their goals coming in a thrilling first half.
"It was a sparkling 45 minutes of sheer brilliance from start to finish," said fellow BBC pundit Alan Shearer.
"We were brilliant," added Frank Lampard. "Panama are not at the same level, we know that, but the only thing you can do as an England team is dispatch what is in front of you, and they did it with an absolutely ruthless streak."
This is how the goal-fest unfolded in Nizhny Novgorod.
• None Which records did England break in 6-1 win? World Cup Daily: Lampard says England can 'go all the way'
Alan Shearer: It was very, very good movement by John Stones, it took an age to take the corner because of the pulling and the grappling and the referee was warning several players.
But, when the ball came in, Ashley Young just blocks the defender off for a split second and the aggression from Stones to get away from the defender and put that header away is magnificent. It was so well worked - he finds the space, and finds the corner of the net. He just has to guide the header in there, and he does.
That's what you need as well. It is one thing to get the movement right, but that ball has got to come in. It is almost an identical area to where England hit the ball against Tunisia. We have obviously been working on that on the training ground, and it has worked perfectly.
Frank Lampard: The grappling was going on there too. It was just ridiculous - Kane could not move and Harry Maguire was getting it as well.
We are all aware VAR is being used at this tournament, and that people were talking about what happened when England played Tunisia. Surely Panama had a conversation saying that you get tight to your man, but you don't give him a bear hug?
Alan Shearer: It was definitely a foul on Jesse Lingard, I don't think anybody can have any arguments at all about that.
Frank Lampard: There were two brilliant things about this, firstly from Kieran Trippier with his quality of delivery, and then from Jesse Lingard too.
Lingard has had an incredible half of football linking play and he was always looking to make runs behind the back line. That was a striker's run and Alan would have been proud of that in his day - he bends his run and it was perfectly timed.
Then his first touch was perfect and he held his ground for a second, and took the contact - he went down and it is a penalty.
Alan Shearer: Beat the offside trap and bend your run - that is what you are taught as a kid, and Lingard did that very, very well.
Frank Lampard: Then when Kane comes to take the penalty, there is absolutely no doubt what he is going to do with it. That is the sort of form he is in, that is the player he is - he is a superstar, and you can have complete confidence that he is going to score.
Rio Ferdinand: The whole of England's play here is what you want to see from us, patience and confidence and everyone showing for the ball.
With the finish, this is where Jess is unbelievable - this finish was exquisite. I have seen this from this boy since he was 11 years old at Manchester United.
People always questioned 'is he going to be big enough, is he going to be strong enough', but when you have the intelligence and game management that this kid's got, you can be two foot tall and get through.
Jesse is that intelligent, he is that good, he understands the game, and when he gets in like this, although we didn't see it the other day when he wasn't clinical, we all said that when he gets the chances again he will put them away, and he certainly did.
That finish there - a generation of kids will remember that goal.
Alan Shearer: Again we talk about the work they have been doing on the training ground. At every set-piece all of us are sat here thinking 'what is going to happen now?' Well just watch and admire it because it is exactly what should happen.
Everyone is on the same page, they know what is happening, they are alert and alive and they know what to do. Yes Raheem misses an absolute sitter but John Stones is there again.
Frank Lampard: It is bad defending from Panama again - England almost have a conference before Trippier took the free-kick, there were about six of them talking about what they were going to do and, as a Panama defender, you would know something is up.
England came up with something quite elaborate and clever but I am a bit disappointed Sterling did not get the goal here, for his own confidence.
Gary Lineker: What the Panama defenders were doing was mad and absurd - it was like WWE.
Rio Ferdinand: Exactly, they would do well at the Royal Rumble with what they do here. It is crazy - it is such immature, naive and unprofessional defending from Panama here.
They had been warned countless times, but they were not even looking at the ball. The referee got it right.
Gary Lineker: Five goals in his opening two games - is there any stopping this man?
Frank Lampard: He just keeps producing. Nothing is a problem for him - even when they hit him on the heel, they go in - that's when you know everything is going your way, but sometimes you make your own luck.
Alan Shearer: If Harry Kane goes away from this tournament as World Cup Golden Boot winner, that is life-changing for him and, when goals are going in like that one, you know you have got a chance.
Alan Shearer: This is what happens when you start to make one or two changes and you are leading by so many - it was lazy defending.
The second half was very different, naturally, for England. We knew it was going to slow down and they could not keep that pace up.
They looked after themselves and protected themselves, and overall it was a job very, very well done. It was a magnificent performance.
Frank Lampard: The line was too high and that kind of space invites a ball into it, but I don't think it is a bad thing for England because it doesn't really matter and it might just switch them on for when it does matter in future games.
Rio Ferdinand: It is definitely too high but there were players who had just come on the pitch and we were a bit disjointed. It is something that will just tune them in again for next time.
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Judge clears AT&T takeover of Time Warner - BBC News
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2018-06-12
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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A landmark case for US competition law hands AT&T with a victory, in a setback for US regulators.
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Business
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Daniel Petrocelli, lead attorney for AT&T and Time Warner, speaks with the media outside the U.S. District Court on June 12, 2018 in Washington, DC.
A US district court judge has cleared the merger of telecoms giant AT&T and media firm Time Warner, in a major defeat for government regulators.
The US had sued to block the deal, arguing that it would reduce competition in pay TV and lead to higher prices for consumers.
But Judge Richard Leon rejected those arguments, approving the deal without conditions.
The ruling is expected to lead to other mergers and acquisitions.
The lawsuit against AT&T had sent a signal that the Trump administration's Department of Justice was taking a more hardline stance on such mega-deals.
Analysts say the decision will bolster firms such as Comcast - which is considering bidding for 21st Century Fox assets, including its stake in Sky, in a challenge to a deal announced between Fox and Disney last year.
Judge Leon's decision comes more than 18 months after AT&T announced in 2016 its plans to buy Time Warner in a transaction then valued at about $85bn.
The deal is set to unite AT&T's significant wireless, satellite television and internet business with Time Warner's media properties, which include HBO and CNN.
Attorney Daniel Petrocelli, who represented AT&T, said the firm expects to complete the transaction before 21 June.
"We're disappointed that it took 18 months to get here, but we are relieved that it's finally behind us," he told reporters after the decision.
US Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said he was disappointed by the decision
The case comes as the growth of online firms like Amazon and Netflix have scrambled traditional lines of competition, spurring consolidation and prompting concerns about monopolies.
AT&T said the acquisition would give it access to content and advertising heft that would help it compete with online streaming firms, which have led to declines in pay-TV subscribers.
Government lawyers had argued that the takeover would hurt innovation and allow AT&T to charge rival providers more for its must-have content - costs that would ultimately be passed on to consumers.
During the trial, they urged the court to block the deal or require the sale of certain businesses as a condition of approval.
Judge Leon said the US failed to prove the merger would give Time Warner increased power to negotiate fees for its content.
He added that the evidence presented at trial showed the deal would probably reduce prices for AT&T customers, without leading to greater costs for subscribers of other services.
Judge Leon also said it would be "unjust" for the Justice Department to seek to put a hold on the deal pending an appeal.
Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim said the Justice Department was "disappointed" by the decision, but did not say if it planned to appeal.
"We continue to believe that the pay-TV market will be less competitive and less innovative as a result of the proposed merger between AT&T and Time Warner," he said in a statement.
"We will closely review the Court's opinion and consider next steps in light of our commitment to preserving competition for the benefit of American consumers."
AT&T boss Randall Stephenson and Time Warner boss Jeffrey Bewkes (R) at a conference in California in 2016
The AT&T lawsuit is the first time in decades that a government challenge of a "vertical merger" - involving two companies that do not directly compete - has gone to court.
Open Markets Institute, an activist think tank that opposes corporate consolidation, said the ruling was a "big loss for the public" and would lead to an effective duopoly for TV distribution.
AT&T had initially sought to argue that the government's opposition was fuelled by political objections from US President Donald Trump, who criticised the takeover during the 2016 election campaign.
After the decision, Mr Petrocelli said: "We were surprised when the case was brought and as I said in closing arguments, it's a case that never should have been brought."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44458261
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Scientist debunks health hoaxes with viral parody video - BBC News
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2018-07-17
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Jonathan Jarry's video about a fake cancer-curing moss has been viewed over nine million times.
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US & Canada
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The video has racked up millions of views
A Canadian scientist's Youtube video about an all natural cancer-curing moss is a social media hit.
But it comes with a twist: the health claims in the video are revealed as completely false.
Jonathan Jarry, its creator, is a science communicator whose career focuses on debunking misinformation like the claims found in his viral video.
The video on the value of scepticism has racked up over nine million views.
Mr Jarry, with McGill University's Office for Science and Society (OSS) in Montreal, said he was inspired to make the video when a former co-worker sent him a Facebook post that claimed cancer could be cured by radio waves.
It was "rife with inaccuracies and omissions" and had been viewed online a whopping six million times, he said.
Evidence-based efforts by OSS, a venture dedicated to promoting critical thinking and the presentation of scientific information to the public, to debunk claims like the radio waves cancer cure theory get barely a fraction of those numbers.
Sorry, we're having trouble displaying this content. View original content on YouTube The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts.
"My idea was let's see if we can build a sort of a Trojan horse," Mr Jarry told the BBC.
"And make a video that looks on the outside superficially like one of these easily shareable videos."
He set about cobbling together a video with claims of an "amazing cancer cure" discovered by a Dr Johan R Tarjany in the 1800s that has long been suppressed by the pharmaceutical industry - a unique moss that can alter cancer's DNA.
With upbeat music, savvy editing and claims that sound like they have some scientific basis, he mimicked many viral health videos currently spreading misinformation online.
But halfway through Mr Jarry's video comes the big reveal: there is no Dr Johan R Tarjany and no cancer-curing moss.
It goes on to warn the viewer about how easy it is to get roped into false claims.
"The point is, be sceptical. Ask questions," it warns.
Health misinformation is a serious concern for public health agencies worldwide.
In April, Cancer Research UK warned that belief in fake causes of cancer is rife among the public.
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration offers online guides to protect consumers from products claiming to cure cancer online and on social media.
Mr Jarry sees many of the health hoax videos like the one he parodied online and "they spread like wildfire."
"We do have to learn to recognise these bad arguments for what they are," he said.
"They're an appeal to our emotions, to our superficial level of thinking, but they are empty on the inside."
He sees a danger in people potentially delaying medical treatment in favour of the alternative cures on the belief they will work better than modern medicine, or simply spending money on unhelpful treatments.
And he says he is "flabbergasted" at how popular his video turned out to be. He had hoped for a meagre 10,000 shares.
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Ex-UKIP councillor Stephen Searle guilty of murdering wife - BBC News
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2018-07-17
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Former Royal Marine Stephen Searle strangled his wife Anne at their home in Suffolk.
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Suffolk
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Stephen Searle was elected to Suffolk County Council in 2013
A former UKIP councillor has been found guilty of murdering his wife, after he had an affair with their son's partner.
Stephen Searle, 64, strangled his wife Anne at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk, on 30 December.
The ex-Royal Marine had denied killing Mrs Searle, 62, after she found out about the affair with Anastasia Pomiateeva.
He was found guilty by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court and will be sentenced on Wednesday.
Judge Mr Justice Green said Searle's "act of infidelity in one way or another led to this".
It took the jury three-and-a-half hours to find him guilty of murder, after a six-day trial.
Anne Searle was found dead at the couple's home on 30 December
Searle had previously told a jury his wife had uncovered his affair with Ms Pomiateeva, who is the mother to at least one of their grandchildren, months before she died.
He claimed that on the day of her death, his wife of 45 years had attacked him with a knife following an argument and was killed in the struggle that ensued.
He had told the court he did not intend to murder her, failed to call an ambulance after the attack and instead "sat there like a bloody idiot".
But in a 999 call that was played to jurors, Searle could be heard telling police: "I've just killed my wife."
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Prosecutor Andrew Jackson said Searle had probably placed his wife in a choke hold he had knowledge of from his military training following "yet another row".
He also told the court that the discovery of the affair "would have put considerable strain on the marriage".
A post-mortem examination recorded that Mrs Searle died of compression of the neck.
Searle used to be in the Royal Marines and had military training
Forensic pathologist Dr Benjamin Swift said she would have lost consciousness after about eight to 15 seconds of pressure to the neck, and death required further sustained pressure for a period of minutes.
Days before her death, Mrs Searle had posted a message on Facebook saying: "Happy Christmas... I hope I will still be here in 2018. We will see."
In a victim impact statement, one of Searle's sons, also called Stephen, said: "Not only have I lost my mum, but because of what he's done I've lost my dad too."
Det Ch Supt Eamonn Bridger said: "Anne Searle's death was a tragic crime and our sympathies remain with her family and friends."
Nigel Farage, the former UKIP leader, had met Searle on the campaign trail when he was a councillor
Following the verdict, former politician Bill Mountford told BBC Suffolk he still considered Searle "a friend", adding "these things happen".
Mr Mountford, who was leader of UKIP at Suffolk County Council when Searle was a councillor, said: "I still regard Steve as fundamentally a decent man who has found himself in circumstances beyond his control.
"I'm not condoning it in any way but I was very, very sad to hear of Steve's conviction.
"I'm well aware domestic disputes can get out of hand but I feel equally sorry for both Steve and his now deceased wife."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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Ex-UKIP councillor made 999 call after murdering wife - BBC News
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2018-07-17
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Former UKIP councillor Stephen Searle strangled his wife Anne at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
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Police have released a recording of the 999 call made by a former UKIP councillor found guilty of murder.
Stephen Searle, 64, strangled his wife Anne at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk, on 30 December.
He denied murdering her, claiming she had attacked him with a knife following an argument and was killed in the struggle that ensued.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-44859082
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Brexit: May won't rule out special rights for EU citizens - BBC News
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2018-07-07
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Theresa May refuses to rule out preferential treatment for EU citizens coming to the UK after Brexit.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "We will bring an end to free movement"
Theresa May has refused to rule out making it easier for EU citizens to come to the UK after Brexit than it is for people from elsewhere in the world.
Under her plan for UK-EU relations - agreed by cabinet on Friday - unlimited immigration from the EU will end.
But speaking to the BBC, Mrs May did not rule out preferential treatment for EU citizens after Brexit.
"We recognise that people will still want to have opportunities in each other's countries," she said.
But a briefing being circulated to the European Research Group (ERG) - a group of Eurosceptic Conservative backbench MPs - says the prime minister's plan "would lead directly to a worst-of-all-worlds black hole Brexit".
The 18-page document expresses concern the UK would have to follow EU laws and European Court of Justice rulings and would not be able to develop an "effective international trade policy".
The BBC understands Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was vocal and hostile in his opposition to Mrs May's plan, which he reportedly said would leave the UK as a "vassal state" and be a "serious inhibitor of free trade".
Allies of Mr Johnson say he is staying in the cabinet to "make the argument for Brexiteers".
Asked if it was possible EU citizens might get some preferential treatment, the prime minister said: "We are going to decide. What we're going to do is say what works for the UK, what's right for the United Kingdom?"
A day after she secured cabinet approval on a plan for Britain's future relationship with the EU, Mrs May said ministers were now expected to speak with collective responsibility.
"Collective responsibility has returned... we are moving forward together," she told the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg.
Tory Brexiteer and ERG chair Jacob Rees-Mogg previously told the BBC that when detail of the plan emerged, it could yet be worse than leaving the EU without a deal.
Mr Rees-Mogg, said that so far only the three page summary of the deal had been published, and he would have to wait to see the full 100-plus page document to decide whether it was in line with the Conservative election manifesto, or amounted to a "punishment Brexit".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "This is a serious, workable proposal"
Mrs May will now have to take the plan to the EU, which she said was now ready to sit down and discuss the proposals.
"From the soundings I've had so far, there is a willingness to sit down and talk about this and a recognition that actually we now are in the stage where we need to agree what the future relationship's going to be," Mrs May said on Saturday.
"This is a serious, workable proposal," she added.
The plans that ministers backed would see an end to freedom of movement. But a "mobility framework" would be set up to allow UK and EU citizens to travel to each other's territories, and apply to study and work.
Mrs May said when people voted to leave the EU, "they wanted to take control of our money, our laws and our borders and that's exactly what we will do".
The main details from the Chequers statement:
• None Kuenssberg: The deal is done
• None 12 key Brexit words you need to know
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David Davis 'felt he had no choice but resignation' - BBC News
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2018-07-07
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After months of rumours, David Davis has resigned feeling he had "no choice" amid Brexit disharmony.
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UK Politics
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David Davis' unhappiness has been not secret for some time
After many months of rumours that he would pull the plug, David Davis has actually quit as Brexit Secretary.
His unhappiness in government has been no secret for some time, but after the prime minister's Chequers agreement with cabinet ministers to pursue closer ties with the EU than he desired, he found his position untenable.
After a visit to Downing Street on Sunday he concluded that he had no choice but to walk. Junior ministerial colleague Steve Baker has also quit alongside him from the Brexit department. David Davis' move, while not completely surprising, throws doubt on to how secure the government's Brexit strategy is.
Some of Theresa May's colleagues had urged her to face down her Brexiteer ministers but Number 10 had hoped to keep them all on side, and a carefully designed strategy to move them to her position brokered an agreement in cabinet at the end of their day-long meeting at Chequers on Friday .
Theresa May secured her cabinet's support at a meeting at Chequers on Friday
But Mr Davis, who was meant to be responsible for Brexit policy, felt, according to colleagues, that he was "wondering if he really had a proper job" after Number 10 chose to follow a very different path to the now former Brexit secretary's intention.
Mr Davis has been frustrated for some time after the most senior official at the Department for Exiting the EU - Olly Robbins - was moved into Number 10 to work directly for Theresa May.
To some former Remainers, Mr Davis' departure could even be considered a temporary relief. One of his fellow ministers remarked, "it's just a personal outburst", adding: "He is not exactly the cleverest, he has always struggled to muscle into any of the complicated arguments."
But conditions in the Tory party are febrile. Theresa May had carefully constructed her cabinet with a balance of Brexiteers and former Remainers. With no majority, and unhappiness on the back benches, it adds instability at a time when the prime minister was pursuing calm.
And when she was hoping to project an image to Brussels of authority and stability, it is a headache she could well do without. He could provide a rallying point from outside government for those forces in the Tory party who believe the Brexit plan the prime minister is pursuing is not the Brexit that a clear but narrow majority of the public chose.
Michael Gove was tipped as a replacement for David Davis
Westminster being Westminster, eyes will immediately turn to who will replace him. The most likely candidate it seems at this stage is Michael Gove who has pitched himself as the Brexiteer that "remainers can do business with".
His public appearances defending the Brexit policy over the weekend make him certainly near the top of the list for one of the most important jobs in government.
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World Cup 2018: How Gareth Southgate's team came to represent 'modern England' - BBC Sport
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2018-07-14
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Poet, author and journalist Musa Okwonga explores how Gareth Southgate's team represented "modern England" and captured the imagination of a nation.
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London-born poet and writer Musa Okwonga, the son of Ugandan immigrants, looks at how England's multicultural team captured the imagination of a nation and became role models for young people.
England's football team, as it prepares to make its way home from the World Cup, has done something almost as impressive as claiming the trophy itself: it has captured the hearts of even the most sceptical people in the country.
Those people, long accustomed to heartbreaking disappointment when it comes to the country's football fortunes, saw something entirely different this summer: a group of players playing to the very edge of their potential, and beyond.
They also saw, in the words of manager Gareth Southgate, a team which in its youth and diversity represented "modern England". In terms of race and background, Southgate's players were as varied as you might find at a convention of YouTubers or on the line-up of the Wireless Festival.
At the start of the World Cup, the Migration Museum released a graphic showing how different the England team would look if first and second-generation immigrants were removed from it. The graphic, which quickly went viral, showed only five players would remain from the current line-up.
The changing face of the country can best be seen by looking back to the previous times when England similarly stirred the affection of their compatriots. In 1966, when they claimed the World Cup for the first and only time, it would be another 12 years until a black player would make an appearance for the England team in a full international.
For most of the 1980s, John Barnes was one of the strongest bonds that immigrant communities like mine felt with the national side, seeing ourselves in him as he speed-skated down the wing, shrugging off racist insults with a drop of the shoulder.
By 1990, when England were eliminated at the semi-final stage by West Germany, their line-up included Paul Parker and Des Walker, two footballers of Caribbean heritage.
In their semi-final loss to Croatia on Wednesday, five of their starting players were of Caribbean heritage, with one - Raheem Sterling - born abroad.
When Southgate spoke of this team being the face of modern England, he was somewhat ahead of the curve, given the black population of England (according to the 2011 Census) is 3%. A further challenge down the line will be the Football Association's development of Asian heritage players, given that this percentage of the population stands at 8%.
In one sense though, Southgate's team does offer a compelling and positive glimpse at the future - where disparate groups of people can come together and produce performances that most observers thought beyond them.
It might seem strange that so many have seen such symbolism in this team, but that's just a reflection of the uncertain period we are living in. Kyle Walker, one of the team's centre-backs, tweeted as much the day after the loss to Croatia.
"We might live in a time," he wrote, "where sometimes it's easier to be negative rather than positive, or to divide than to unite, but England: let's keep this unity alive. I love you."
Another reason this team may have captured the imagination is its regional diversity.
In a country whose focus can often be London-centric, it is refreshing to see players who hail not only from the capital but also from Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Tyne and Wear. The dressing-room has the range of accents you might expect to hear when catching your connecting train at Leeds.
Yet perhaps the reason this team is held in highest esteem is they have confounded the stereotype of the self-obsessed footballer.
In the months prior to the tournament, tabloid newspapers regaled their readers with tales of some of these players' supposed excesses, yet during the tournament, these players conducted themselves with such distinction that the coverage of the team was overwhelmingly positive.
In future, the team will have stronger challenges to face. There's an argument that they could and should have gone further in this World Cup - that a side with players who've performed in the later stages of the Uefa Champions League should have held onto a one-goal lead, and proceeded to the final against France.
Yet that's a discussion for another time.
For now, England can look back on a team that despite being more diverse than previous squads, still reflected the same ethos that gave some of their predecessors a measure of success - a selflessness, a willingness to put the collective above the individual.
Southgate, too, follows in the proud tradition of fellow England managers such as Graham Taylor - the first person to appoint a black man, Paul Ince, as the country's captain - in promoting the best footballers, regardless of their origin.
Southgate's players may not have expected to be ambassadors for a nation that has endured a turbulent time of late, but it is a role they have performed with aplomb.
And, most crucially, they have become that most important of objects: a mirror in which countless young people can see themselves. Both on and off the field, it is exciting to wonder what they might achieve next.
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Boris Johnson's resignation letter and May's reply in full - BBC News
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2018-07-10
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Boris Johnson says the prime minister's plans would mean Britain taking on "the status of a colony".
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UK Politics
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It is more than two years since the British people voted to leave the European Union on an unambiguous and categorical promise that if they did so they would be taking back control of their democracy.
They were told that they would be able to manage their own immigration policy, repatriate the sums of UK cash currently spent by the EU, and, above all, that they would be able to pass laws independently and in the interests of the people of this country.
Brexit should be about opportunity and hope. It should be a chance to do things differently, to be more nimble and dynamic, and to maximise the particular advantages of the UK as an open, outward-looking global economy.
That dream is dying, suffocated by needless self-doubt.
We have postponed crucial decisions - including the preparations for no deal, as I argued in my letter to you of last November - with the result that we appear to be heading for a semi-Brexit, with large parts of the economy still locked in the EU system, but with no UK control over that system.
It now seems that the opening bid of our negotiations involves accepting that we are not actually going to be able to make our own laws. Indeed we seem to have gone backwards since the last Chequers meeting in February, when I described my frustrations, as Mayor of London, in trying to protect cyclists from juggernauts. We had wanted to lower the cabin windows to improve visibility; and even though such designs were already on the market, and even though there had been a horrific spate of deaths, mainly of female cyclists, we were told that we had to wait for the EU to legislate on the matter.
So at the previous Chequers session we thrashed out an elaborate procedure for divergence from EU rules. But even that now seems to have been taken off the table, and there is in fact no easy UK right of initiative. Yet if Brexit is to mean anything, it must surely give ministers and Parliament the chance to do things differently to protect the public. If a country cannot pass a law to save the lives of female cyclists - when that proposal is supported at every level of UK government - then I don't see how that country can truly be called independent.
Conversely, the British government has spent decades arguing against this or that EU directive, on the grounds that it was too burdensome or ill-thought out. We are now in the ludicrous position of asserting that we must accept huge amounts of precisely such EU law, without changing an iota, because it is essential for our economic health - and when we no longer have any ability to influence these laws as they are made.
In that respect we are truly headed for the status of colony - and many will struggle to see the economic or political advantages of that particular arrangement.
It is also clear that by surrendering control over our rulebook for goods and agrifoods (and much else besides) we will make it much more difficult to do free trade deals. And then there is the further impediment of having to argue for an impractical and undeliverable customs arrangement unlike any other in existence.
What is even more disturbing is that this is our opening bid. This is already how we see the end state for the UK - before the other side has made its counter-offer. It is as though we are sending our vanguard into battle with the white flags fluttering above them. Indeed, I was concerned, looking at Friday's document, that there might be further concessions on immigration, or that we might end up effectively paying for access to the single market.
On Friday I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail, and congratulated you on at least reaching a cabinet decision on the way forward. As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat. We must have collective responsibility. Since I cannot in all conscience champion these proposals, I have sadly concluded that I must go.
I am proud to have served as Foreign Secretary in your government. As I step down, I would like first to thank the patient officers of the Metropolitan Police who have looked after me and my family, at times in demanding circumstances. I am proud too of the extraordinary men and women of our diplomatic service. Over the last few months they have shown how many friends this country has around the world, as 28 governments expelled Russian spies in an unprecedented protest at the attempted assassination of the Skripals. They have organised a highly successful Commonwealth summit and secured record international support for this government's campaign for 12 years of quality education for every girl, and much more besides. As I leave office, the FCO now has the largest and by far the most effective diplomatic network of any country in Europe — a continent which we will never leave.
Thank you for your letter relinquishing the office of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
I am sorry - and a little surprised - to receive it after the productive discussions we had at Chequers on Friday, and the comprehensive and detailed proposal which we agreed as a Cabinet. It is a proposal which will honour the result of the referendum and the commitments we made in our general election manifesto to leave the single market and the customs union. It will mean that we take back control of our borders, our laws, and our money - ending the freedom of movement, ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom, and ending the days of sending vast sums of taxpayers' money to the European Union. We will be able to spend that money on our priorities instead - such as the £20 billion increase we have announced for the NHS budget, which means that we will soon be spending an extra £394 million a week on our National Health Service.
As I outlined at Chequers, the agreement we reached requires the full, collective support of Her Majesty's Government. During the EU referendum campaign, collective responsibility on EU policy was temporarily suspended. As we developed our policy on Brexit, I have allowed Cabinet colleagues considerable latitude to express their individual views. But the agreement we reached on Friday marks the point where that is no longer the case, and if you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the United Kingdom, it is right that you should step down.
As you do so, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the service you have given to our country, and to the Conservative Party, as Mayor of London and as Foreign Secretary - not least for the passion that you have demonstrated in promoting a Global Britain to the world as we leave the European Union.
• None Davis 'had no choice but resignation'
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World Cup 2018: Croatia v England - all you need to know about the semi-final - BBC Sport
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2018-07-10
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Croatia had not gained independence the last time England reached a World Cup semi-final, but the two sides are now preparing to meet in Russia.
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Coverage: Full match commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, text commentary, report and highlights on BBC Sport app and online
The last time England were in a World Cup semi-final, Croatia were yet to gain independence. That happened a year later.
Now the two sides are preparing to meet in the last four of the tournament on Wednesday, with Croatia hoping to reach the final for the first time and England hoping to end a 52-year wait to return.
BBC Sport takes a look at what we know about the Croats and the threat they will pose.
The best midfield duo in world football?
When Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic took charge in 2017, he faced the dilemma of how best to fit Real Madrid's Luka Modric and Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic - two of the world's best midfielders - into the same team effectively.
He has favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation in the main, with Modric in the number 10 role.
Although playing further forward than he does for Real Madrid means Modric is involved less in the build-up than he is for his club, his influence is still huge - witnessed by his goal-scoring performance in the 3-0 win over Argentina in the group stages.
Modric touched the ball 62 times and made only 42 passes in that match but in the quarter-final win against Russia he was deployed further back, and had 139 touches and made 102 passes.
That did however mean Rakitic was a less influential figure, but if the two dovetail on Wednesday, England are likely to be starved of the ball.
In addition to Modric and Rakitic, there is high-level experience throughout Croatia's team, with many of the players at Europe's elite clubs, including Liverpool, AC Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Monaco.
They have won nine Champions Leagues between them, compared to England's one, and 11 of the 23-man squad have 40 caps or more.
Most of this team have been together for a decade, with key players such as Modric, Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic all making their debuts within a couple of years of each other in 2006 and 2007.
"What I adore about them the most is their commitment to the national jersey," said Tomislav Dasovic of Vecernji List newspaper.
The feeling in Croatia is they are now at their peak as a team - and have never been happier as a group.
"They are good mates off the pitch, but most importantly they believe in the coach," added Dasovic. "He knows how to speak to them, he knows their DNA."
Resilient and driven by pain of 2016
While England left Euro 2016 embarrassed by Iceland, Croatia departed wondering what might have been.
They lost a tight last-16 tie against Portugal by conceding the only goal of the game at the end of extra time in a match in which they had the majority of possession and had 17 shots to their opponents' six.
Had they won, Poland and Wales would have stood between Croatia and a final against host nation France.
Their gutsy displays in this World Cup against Denmark and Russia - Modric missed a late penalty against the former and Croatia conceded a late equaliser against the latter but went on to win both games on penalties - speak of a side with a strong character which is determined to make the most of their opportunity this time.
Who will strike the latest blow?
This will be the eighth meeting between the two sides, with England winning four, Croatia twice and one draw.
They have only met in a major tournament once, at Euro 2004, when England's then teenage striker Wayne Rooney scored twice.
Croatia got their revenge during Euro 2008 qualifying as they won 3-2 at Wembley as England failed to reach the finals in a match remembered for boss Steve McClaren sheltering from the rain under an umbrella.
Two years later, Theo Walcott's only international hat-trick came against Croatia as England qualified for the 2010 World Cup.
In this World Cup, Croatia topped their group with a 100% winning record ahead of Argentina, but have scraped through knockout games against Denmark and the hosts via penalties.
"We have worked through difficult matches, some of them better than others," said Dalic.
"We respect England, we are a bit anxious because they are a great team. But England are not better than us! We respect them - they are a young and promising team. They are a very difficult opponent.
"We are happy with what we have achieved so far. We are among the four best teams in the world. We have nothing but respect for England, Belgium and France, but none of these teams is better than us."
I was at both of Croatia's matches in the knockout stages, and they have got quality in all the most important positions in their team.
We know all about Modric and Rakitic in the heart of their midfield but they are also dangerous on the flanks and, at the back, Dejan Lovren and Domagoj Vida have been solid as well.
I don't think there is any argument that Croatia are a step up in class to any other team England have played in Russia - ignoring the meaningless game against Belgium.
But they have had extra time and penalties in their last two matches and some of their players looked absolutely exhausted near the end of their win over Russia.
Striker Mandzukic was one of them, and I think he is a very interesting player. He often plays on the left of a front three for Juventus, but plays up front in a central role for Croatia.
Against Denmark and Russia he disappeared for long spells, and you would find him wandering around on the right side of midfield. I was thinking 'what is he doing there?'
It has worked for Croatia so far of course, and they showed what they can do to a team that opens up against them when they destroyed Argentina in the group stage, but I think this is a game England can win.
Croatian newspaper Sportske Novosti described national team manager Zlatko Dalic as "the most popular man in the country" on Monday.
Dalic is a modest coach - quiet and keen to avoid words that might trip him up.
He was born in Bosnia but now has a Croatian passport.
In 1998 when Croatia also reached the last four of the World Cup they were coached by Miroslav Blazovic, who was also born in Bosnia. Croatia fans will hope this version can go one step further.
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US woman, 92, kills son to avoid being sent into care home - BBC News
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2018-07-04
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Anna Mae Blessing shot dead her 72-year-old son who wanted to take her into a care home, police say.
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US & Canada
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Anna Mae Blessing is charged with murder, aggravated assault and kidnapping
A 92-year-old US woman shot and killed her son, 72, in order to avoid being sent into a care home, police say.
Anna Mae Blessing, who is charged with murder, contemplated her son's intentions to put her into care for days, according to court documents.
"You took my life, so I'm taking yours," she reportedly said as she was escorted out of the Arizona home she shared with her son and his girlfriend.
Mrs Blessing told police she had intended to kill herself, too.
The incident happened in the morning of 2 July in the town of Fountain Hills, Maricopa county, police records obtained by local media say.
Mrs Blessing's son, whose name has not been released, wanted her to leave for an assisted living facility because she "had become difficult to live with".
The mother concealed two firearms in her robe pockets before confronting her son in his bedroom, police said in a statement.
During the ensuing argument, she pulled out one revolver, purchased in the 1970s, and fired at her son.
Police found the son dead, with two bullet wounds to his neck and jaw.
Mrs Blessing then pointed the gun at her son's 57-year-old girlfriend, who managed to wrestle it away and throw it into a corner of the room.
She pulled out a second pistol, which she told police her late husband had given to her in the 1970s.
The girlfriend managed to knock this one out of Mrs Blessing's hands, too, before escaping and calling the sheriff's office.
Police found Mrs Blessing in a reclining chair in her bedroom. She later told them she deserved to be "put to sleep" for her actions.
She is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and kidnapping, and her bail was set at $500,000.
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World Cup 2018: Gareth Southgate's England pass all the tests - BBC Sport
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2018-07-04
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How significant will England's triumph over Colombia prove to be for Gareth Southgate and his England squad?
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England turned history on its head to win their first World Cup penalty shootout at the expense of Colombia, and in doing so recorded their first knockout victory at a major tournament since 2006.
So how significant will this England triumph prove to be for Gareth Southgate and his squad after showing strength and resolve to recover from conceding an injury-time equaliser?
England's elation was obvious and understandable as Eric Dier's penalty flashed past David Ospina and the cacophony from Colombia's fans was finally silenced here in Moscow.
If Southgate wanted this World Cup to be a learning curve for his players - a finishing school at elite level - this bruising, argumentative, niggly match was perfectly designed for the purpose
They had won their first knockout match at a major tournament since Ecuador were beaten in Germany in 2006 and the curse of the penalty shootout was finally laid to rest as they won to set up a quarter-final against Sweden in Samara on Saturday.
England and their followers have nursed a barely concealed sense of dread of spot-kicks after a dismal run in penalty shootouts, which brought only one win in seven before Tuesday.
So it would have been easy for those old nightmares to be revisited when Jordan Henderson's penalty was saved - but instead Jordan Pickford's save from Carlos Bacca, on top of Mateus Uribe's miss, set up Dier's golden moment.
In an instant, the monkey was off England's back - and amid the fallout of this landmark victory came a sense that Southgate and his players may just be destined to make their mark here in Russia.
England, in many respects, have had a comfortable ride so far at this World Cup.
Tunisia and Panama were pliable opponents, ensuring early qualification for the last 16 and allowing Southgate to rest players for the final Group G game against Belgium, a loss that has presented a less arduous path through the knockout phase.
This meeting with Colombia was different. Very different.
In a sporting context, England could have been walking into a trap in the Spartak Stadium amid an atmosphere so rare for a World Cup knockout game.
England's fans were swamped by Colombia's, a small but defiant group at one end vastly outnumbered by the cascade of yellow shirts that decorated the rest of this arena.
And how they supported their team, with a continuous, thunderous roar only interrupted by deafening chants and occasional bursts of dissent at referee Mark Geiger.
It was played like a win-or-bust European game on the most hostile territory and was at times a harrowing experience that will serve Southgate and England well going forward.
And then came the mental and physical examinations posed by Jose Pekerman's team as they disputed almost every decision, indulged in grappling throughout and even saw one of their coaching staff give Raheem Sterling a deliberate and totally unnecessary nudge as he came off at half-time.
There was another element of dirty tricks when Harry Kane waited four minutes to take his penalty, Colombia's Johan Mojica scuffing up the penalty spot amid scenes close to anarchy as others in yellow tried to get inside the England captain's head.
England needed to pass those tests, such as when Wilmar Barrios moved his head in Jordan Henderson's direction. Despite occasionally getting involved in the skirmishes, England survived and will be all the better for this time in a hostile environment.
Southgate should also be satisfied with how his players responded to the physical demands of the occasion.
England looked out on their feet in the first half of extra time, but rallied later on and it was Colombia who were engineering play to reach the relative safe haven of penalties.
But it was England who claimed the satisfaction of victory - and in the rarest of fashions.
If Southgate wanted this World Cup to be a learning curve for his players - a finishing school at elite level - this bruising, argumentative, niggly match was perfectly designed for the purpose.
Southgate revelled in the drama and elation of this emotional night as he emerged from the dressing room to conduct their band of supporters in song well after the final whistle.
This was a glorious night on several levels for Southgate as he guided England into a quarter-final with Sweden and with possibility of a last-four meeting with hosts Russia or Croatia should they prevail.
Southgate has his own history with penalties after missing the crucial spot-kick against Germany in the Euro 96 semi-final at Wembley - now he has a happier entry on the other side of the ledger.
He will have also known, indeed he admitted, that much was riding on the result of this game following his decision to make eight changes in the loss to Belgium that meant England finished second in their group.
Southgate knows how it works.
If England had lost here, that selection and subsequent defeat would have been pinpointed as the time when vital momentum built up against Tunisia and Panama was lost. He would have been accused of the same flaws that pulled the rug out from under one of his predecessors, Roy Hodgson, after he made six alterations and only got a goalless draw against Slovakia in the final group game at the ill-fated Euro 2016.
Instead, England won and while there can be no guarantees, being in a half of draw that now includes Sweden, Russia and Croatia is unquestionably preferable to one containing Brazil, Uruguay, France and Belgium.
Southgate has also overseen a landmark victory that will lift his confidence and that of his team.
No-one would pretend this was a perfect England performance to send fear through future opponents - but this was not that type of night, opponent or atmosphere.
It was a night to get the job done and take a significant step forward in this superb World Cup.
And on that basis, Southgate and his joyous England squad can reflect on a job well done.
• None Three Lions beat Colombia to reach last eight
• None Who had their best game in an England shirt? Player ratings v Colombia
Live: Coverage across BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website with further coverage on Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app.
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World Cup 2018: 'England's best chance to reach semi-finals since 1990' - BBC Sport
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2018-07-04
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A favourable draw, a shootout win and key players in form - England have elevated excitement to fever pitch before the Sweden quarter-final, says Phil McNulty.
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Coverage: Live on BBC One and online; full radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and text commentary and in-play clips online and on BBC Sport app
England's players will only be allowed to bask briefly in the afterglow of the historic victory over Colombia that sent them into the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Gareth Southgate's squad have elevated excitement among England followers to fever pitch as they prepare to face Sweden after their first knockout stage win at a major tournament since 2006, and only their second penalty shootout win in eight attempts.
Once the dust has settled on a thunderous night in Moscow, England must plot their next step at this unpredictable, spectacular World Cup.
England come back down to earth
England manager Southgate and his squad were straight back down to business at their Zelenogorsk training base on Wednesday after that atmospheric night.
And while an England squad that has impressed with its modesty and focus since its arrival in Russia is unlikely to get carried away by the win that sent them into the World Cup's last eight, Southgate will know it is now a case of all eyes on Sweden on Saturday.
England have their best chance to reach this sport's most prestigious occasion since the despair of losing to Germany on penalties in the semi-final in Turin at Italia 90.
Sweden's recent record confirms that complacency will be folly, but there is also no escaping that this group of England players - who survived the hothouse of Moscow's Spartak Stadium as the massed ranks of Colombian fans virtually took over the arena in a blaze of sound and fury - have been presented with what may just be a once-in-a lifetime opportunity.
The next 10 days in Russia could be a case of now or never.
The draw, make no mistake, has fallen kindly for England and currently only Sweden, then Croatia or hosts Russia - suddenly riding a wave of national fervour after being dismissed before the tournament - stand between them and their first World Cup final since 1966.
England would not necessarily be favourites to achieve the feat, but their name goes alongside three teams they will genuinely feel capable of beating. And added intrigue comes with the fact all of those teams will feel equally the same. It is all up for grabs.
And while Southgate's mantra will continue to be 'one game at a time', he will know that the nation is now daring to dream.
• None Can England go one step further? Larwo's predictions
Southgate and his trusted backroom team will have been sifting through the physical and mental toll of that taxing night in Moscow, which even seasoned observers placed alongside the most tense England occasions they had witnessed.
It was a tension gloriously released as Eric Dier gave England victory having been agonisingly pegged back in added time at the end of the second half.
Southgate suggested there were plenty of knocks when he likened England's dressing room to a scene from the famous American army hospital series MASH.
He will have players with plenty of bumps and bruises.
What he will also have is a group of players who know that only two matches stand between England and football's ultimate game.
England still have room for improvement
Southgate will not only take satisfaction from a win that came about in a manner which defied England's history, but he will know there is more to come from his team despite reaching the last eight.
England have still not hit top form in Russia - an observation some might find churlish, but one that is supported by the evidence of the four games they have played.
Tunisia were stubborn but limited and England only won in injury time. Panama were appalling. Belgium faced England's shadow squad - and there were still times when they drifted in what was an attritional, argumentative meeting with Colombia.
Harry Kane is the World Cup's top scorer with six goals, but once again it was a penalty that added to his tally. England's captain has been outstanding at this World Cup but he will be even better with more regular service.
Dele Alli struggled and looked short of fitness in Moscow. He is a class act who will give England what might be a vital extra dimension and threat if he kicks into gear.
And the Raheem Sterling enigma continues. No-one should ever question his attitude, effort, application and natural gifts but it simply is not happening for him in the attacking phases, with his sequence now reading 23 games without a goal for England.
Southgate, however, has huge faith in Sterling and that is unlikely to change now. Indeed, he even questioned why people were debating his position in England's team before the Colombia last-16 game.
Southgate will know that if these two players of such undoubted talent can turn the corner - and Sterling may just need one moment of luck to get the motor running - England will be much more of threat than they have been so far.
Southgate's England selection is tailored exactly to match the requirements of the system - based around a three-man defence and progressive wing-backs - he settled upon more than 12 months ago.
And, apart from his obvious delight at England's advance into the quarter-finals, Southgate will take huge satisfaction from how his key players performed when the pressure was on in Moscow.
Southgate decided on Everton's Jordan Pickford as his goalkeeper, the 24-year-old having youth, agility and ability on his side - as well as huge confidence with the ball at his feet, a key component of the manager's game plan.
Pickford delivered superbly at Spartak Stadium, with a truly world-class save from Mateus Uribe that has been somewhat overlooked because Colombia equalised from the resulting corner, and that penalty save from Carlos Bacca.
Pickford suffered criticism after his display against Belgium - including suggestions from Belgium and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois that he was too small - but he was perhaps ring rusty after being virtually unemployed against Tunisia and Panama. Every question was answered in Moscow.
Harry Maguire is the sort of central defender Southgate counts on - powerful and dangerous at set-pieces but with a willingness to bring the ball out of defence in the manner England's approach now demands.
Maguire had his finest game in an England shirt in Moscow on a night which was a test of temperament for every player. He can now take huge confidence in his ability to thrive and feel at home in the World Cup environment.
And what more can be said about Kane?
Kane is the first England player to score in six consecutive appearances since Tommy Lawton in 1939. And he will be desperate to make it seven as he goes in search of the World Cup and the Golden Boot that he targeted even before England's first game.
Every team needs their main marksman to function at a World Cup. England have that and more in Kane - a reliable scorer, mature leader and a man with the coolest of temperaments, as proved by his penalties in open play and in the shootout.
All good news for Southgate as England move into World Cup territory that has been uncharted for 12 years.
England now face a familiar foe in Sweden - a team some may feel have risen without trace at this World Cup but whose recent record carries warning signals and demands complete respect.
One long-time Sweden follower described this squad as humble, hard-working, superbly organised under the astute coach Janne Andersson and fully united as the charismatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic offers his observations from the sidelines.
Sweden are defensively sound and usually operate a 4-4-2 formation. Andreas Granqvist is their captain and central defensive foundation alongside Victor Lindelof, who has belied his struggles at Manchester United with his performances in Russia, demonstrating why Jose Mourinho was so keen to acquire him.
They also have creativity from Emil Forsberg, but base camp for Sweden is a well-drilled and disciplined approach that England will find difficult to break down.
They have the confidence of eliminating the Netherlands in qualifying and beating Italy in a play-off to reach Russia. This is a team without fear of playing the elite names of international football.
Sweden's weakness is a lack of punch in attack, where 32-year-old Ola Toivonen is not even a regular at his club Toulouse. Markus Berg, who plays his football in the United Arab Emirates, is erratic.
As ever, though, Sweden's strength is the team collective and, under Andersson, will present England with a serious challenge in Samara.
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Sir Cliff Richard: BBC agrees to pay £850,000 towards legal costs - BBC News
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2018-07-26
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The BBC was also seeking leave to appeal against the privacy case ruling but it has been refused.
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UK
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The BBC has agreed to pay Sir Cliff Richard £850,000 towards his legal costs within 14 days, following his privacy case against the corporation.
A judge ruled the BBC infringed the singer's privacy in its reporting of a police raid on his home in 2014, awarding him £210,000 in damages.
Sir Cliff was never arrested or charged as part of the investigation.
The BBC sought leave to appeal against the High Court ruling but the application was rejected.
The corporation has apologised to Sir Cliff for the distress caused, but wanted permission to appeal, arguing the court judgement could threaten press freedom.
The BBC will now decide whether or not to go directly to the Court of Appeal to seek permission to appeal.
A BBC spokesperson said: "This is a complex case and while we hadn't decided on whether to pursue an appeal, we sought permission today in order to keep all options open.
"We reiterate that we are very sorry to Sir Cliff for the distress caused and have no desire to prolong this case unnecessarily, but the ruling has raised significant questions for press freedom and we are considering the best way to address these."
The judge's findings had included that Sir Cliff had a right to privacy while he was a suspect in the South Yorkshire Police investigation - trumping the broadcaster's right to freedom of expression to publish his name and cover the raid.
Barrister Gavin Millar QC, leading the BBC legal team, told a hearing on Thursday it was "appropriate" for the corporation to pay legal fees incurred by Sir Cliff.
The £850,000 may not be the final total for his legal fees, but Sir Cliff is being given it now to pay his lawyers.
The singer's lawyer, barrister Justin Rushbrooke QC, did not give an overall figure for how much the case had cost his client, but Sir Cliff told the trial he had spent more than £3m.
The BBC is also going to pay £315,000 to South Yorkshire Police for legal costs.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Sir Cliff Richard v BBC - how did we get here?
For the BBC, the decision whether to spend more money on this case is a difficult dilemma with high stakes.
There are many factors to consider.
First, will an appeal cause further distress to Sir Cliff? The corporation has said that it is sorry for the distress caused to him, so why extend the agony?
Second, to fight this verdict is to keep it in the public eye. An appeal could create the possibility of more adverse publicity.
Third, what are the chances of success? And finally, this is public money.
Sir Cliff is commonly regarded as a national treasure. Why throw more of other people's money - ie licence-fee payers' incomes - at a case in which a national treasure is aggrieved?
But what is the cost of not appealing? If the freedom of journalists is diminished as a result of editorial decisions made by the BBC, then not fighting this verdict could lead to resentment in Fleet Street, where the BBC lacks friends. And then there is the principle.
Many journalists, inside the corporation and beyond, really do feel that journalism would be damaged.
Mr Justice Mann ruled in favour of Sir Cliff, 77, following the trial in London.
He concluded the BBC's coverage - which involved a helicopter filming the search at Sir Cliff's Berkshire home - had been a "very serious" invasion of privacy.
Police officers had been investigating an allegation made by a man who claimed he was sexually assaulted by Sir Cliff at an event at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane in 1985, when he was a child.
Last week, Mr Justice Mann awarded Sir Cliff £190,000 damages and an extra £20,000 in aggravated damages after the BBC submitted its coverage of the raid for an award.
The BBC must pay 65% of the £190,000 and South Yorkshire Police 35%.
South Yorkshire Police had earlier agreed to pay Sir Cliff £400,000 after settling a claim he brought against the force.
On Thursday, the BBC's Mr Millar outlined his permission to appeal arguments in a written document, saying there was a "compelling reason" for the case to be heard and that it had a "real prospect" of success. It was rejected by Mr Justice Mann on all counts, however.
The BBC's director of news has said the ruling could have an impact on press freedom.
Speaking outside court last week, Fran Unsworth admitted the case had had a "very serious impact" on Sir Cliff, and there were things that could have been done differently.
But she stressed that even if no footage of the search had been broadcast, "the very naming of Sir Cliff would have been unlawful", according to the judge's ruling.
"This creates a significant shift against press freedom," Ms Unsworth said.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44963548
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Scientist debunks health hoaxes with viral parody video - BBC News
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2018-07-18
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Jonathan Jarry's video about a fake cancer-curing moss has been viewed over nine million times.
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US & Canada
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The video has racked up millions of views
A Canadian scientist's Youtube video about an all natural cancer-curing moss is a social media hit.
But it comes with a twist: the health claims in the video are revealed as completely false.
Jonathan Jarry, its creator, is a science communicator whose career focuses on debunking misinformation like the claims found in his viral video.
The video on the value of scepticism has racked up over nine million views.
Mr Jarry, with McGill University's Office for Science and Society (OSS) in Montreal, said he was inspired to make the video when a former co-worker sent him a Facebook post that claimed cancer could be cured by radio waves.
It was "rife with inaccuracies and omissions" and had been viewed online a whopping six million times, he said.
Evidence-based efforts by OSS, a venture dedicated to promoting critical thinking and the presentation of scientific information to the public, to debunk claims like the radio waves cancer cure theory get barely a fraction of those numbers.
Sorry, we're having trouble displaying this content. View original content on YouTube The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. YouTube content may contain adverts.
"My idea was let's see if we can build a sort of a Trojan horse," Mr Jarry told the BBC.
"And make a video that looks on the outside superficially like one of these easily shareable videos."
He set about cobbling together a video with claims of an "amazing cancer cure" discovered by a Dr Johan R Tarjany in the 1800s that has long been suppressed by the pharmaceutical industry - a unique moss that can alter cancer's DNA.
With upbeat music, savvy editing and claims that sound like they have some scientific basis, he mimicked many viral health videos currently spreading misinformation online.
But halfway through Mr Jarry's video comes the big reveal: there is no Dr Johan R Tarjany and no cancer-curing moss.
It goes on to warn the viewer about how easy it is to get roped into false claims.
"The point is, be sceptical. Ask questions," it warns.
Health misinformation is a serious concern for public health agencies worldwide.
In April, Cancer Research UK warned that belief in fake causes of cancer is rife among the public.
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration offers online guides to protect consumers from products claiming to cure cancer online and on social media.
Mr Jarry sees many of the health hoax videos like the one he parodied online and "they spread like wildfire."
"We do have to learn to recognise these bad arguments for what they are," he said.
"They're an appeal to our emotions, to our superficial level of thinking, but they are empty on the inside."
He sees a danger in people potentially delaying medical treatment in favour of the alternative cures on the belief they will work better than modern medicine, or simply spending money on unhelpful treatments.
And he says he is "flabbergasted" at how popular his video turned out to be. He had hoped for a meagre 10,000 shares.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44865019
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news_world-us-canada-44865019
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Ex-UKIP councillor made 999 call after murdering wife - BBC News
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2018-07-18
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Former UKIP councillor Stephen Searle strangled his wife Anne at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
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Police have released a recording of the 999 call made by a former UKIP councillor found guilty of murder.
Stephen Searle, 64, strangled his wife Anne at their home in Stowmarket, Suffolk, on 30 December.
He denied murdering her, claiming she had attacked him with a knife following an argument and was killed in the struggle that ensued.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-44859082
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news_uk-england-suffolk-44859082
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Brexit: May won't rule out special rights for EU citizens - BBC News
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2018-07-08
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Theresa May refuses to rule out preferential treatment for EU citizens coming to the UK after Brexit.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "We will bring an end to free movement"
Theresa May has refused to rule out making it easier for EU citizens to come to the UK after Brexit than it is for people from elsewhere in the world.
Under her plan for UK-EU relations - agreed by cabinet on Friday - unlimited immigration from the EU will end.
But speaking to the BBC, Mrs May did not rule out preferential treatment for EU citizens after Brexit.
"We recognise that people will still want to have opportunities in each other's countries," she said.
But a briefing being circulated to the European Research Group (ERG) - a group of Eurosceptic Conservative backbench MPs - says the prime minister's plan "would lead directly to a worst-of-all-worlds black hole Brexit".
The 18-page document expresses concern the UK would have to follow EU laws and European Court of Justice rulings and would not be able to develop an "effective international trade policy".
The BBC understands Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was vocal and hostile in his opposition to Mrs May's plan, which he reportedly said would leave the UK as a "vassal state" and be a "serious inhibitor of free trade".
Allies of Mr Johnson say he is staying in the cabinet to "make the argument for Brexiteers".
Asked if it was possible EU citizens might get some preferential treatment, the prime minister said: "We are going to decide. What we're going to do is say what works for the UK, what's right for the United Kingdom?"
A day after she secured cabinet approval on a plan for Britain's future relationship with the EU, Mrs May said ministers were now expected to speak with collective responsibility.
"Collective responsibility has returned... we are moving forward together," she told the BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg.
Tory Brexiteer and ERG chair Jacob Rees-Mogg previously told the BBC that when detail of the plan emerged, it could yet be worse than leaving the EU without a deal.
Mr Rees-Mogg, said that so far only the three page summary of the deal had been published, and he would have to wait to see the full 100-plus page document to decide whether it was in line with the Conservative election manifesto, or amounted to a "punishment Brexit".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "This is a serious, workable proposal"
Mrs May will now have to take the plan to the EU, which she said was now ready to sit down and discuss the proposals.
"From the soundings I've had so far, there is a willingness to sit down and talk about this and a recognition that actually we now are in the stage where we need to agree what the future relationship's going to be," Mrs May said on Saturday.
"This is a serious, workable proposal," she added.
The plans that ministers backed would see an end to freedom of movement. But a "mobility framework" would be set up to allow UK and EU citizens to travel to each other's territories, and apply to study and work.
Mrs May said when people voted to leave the EU, "they wanted to take control of our money, our laws and our borders and that's exactly what we will do".
The main details from the Chequers statement:
• None Kuenssberg: The deal is done
• None 12 key Brexit words you need to know
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44752273
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Brexit: Boris Johnson 'criticised' Theresa May's plan for deal with EU - BBC News
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2018-07-08
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The foreign secretary spoke out at Friday's cabinet meeting - before agreeing to Theresa May's proposed deal.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "We will bring an end to free movement"
Boris Johnson strongly criticised Theresa May's plan for the UK's future relationship with the EU before agreeing to back it at Friday's cabinet meeting, the BBC understands.
The prime minister held the Brexit meeting at Chequers, where the cabinet agreed to support her favoured option.
Mr Johnson used colourful language as he made the argument Mrs May's plan would leave the UK as a "vassal state".
Labour said Mrs May's customs plan was a "fudge" and would soon "unravel".
At Friday's summit, ministers signed up to a plan to create a free trade area for industrial and agricultural goods with the bloc, based on a "common rule book".
They also backed what could amount to a "combined customs territory".
Environment Secretary Michael Gove told the BBC on Sunday that the deal was a compromise that would lead to a "proper Brexit". But he said the UK should be prepared to walk away if the EU was not willing to negotiate.
At Friday's get-together, Mr Johnson told colleagues the plan could be a "serious inhibitor to free trade", according to BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley.
The foreign secretary backed the proposals at Chequers despite claiming that defending the plans was like "polishing a turd".
An ally of the prime minister said Mr Johnson's comments were made in a humorous style, and after a dinner Mr Johnson had then paid a rousing tribute to the prime minister.
Boris Johnson has signed up to the plan but made his misgivings known
After ministers signed up to the deal late on Friday night, Mrs May said the time for ministers to air their concerns in public was over and collective cabinet responsibility had been re-instated.
Friends of Mr Johnson say he is staying in the cabinet to "make the argument for Brexiteers".
Mr Gove said the plan "honoured" the 2016 referendum vote as the UK would be outside EU institutions and structures, telling the BBC it "achieved all of the things we campaigned for".
Although the UK would sign up to EU rules on goods, he said the UK would have the "sovereign ability" to diverge where it wanted and that this autonomy would apply across a "a swathe of the economy".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. 'Be generous or we'll walk away' - Gove's warning to EU
Asked by the BBC's Andrew Marr if the proposed deal was everything he had hoped for, Mr Gove replied: "No, but I am a realist" - adding that cabinet unity was important.
If the EU did not show flexibility, the UK may have to "contemplate walking away without a deal", he added.
"No-one wants to walk away now because we are in the middle of a negotiation," he said. "What we need to do is to be able to walk away in March 2019."
Tory Brexiteers are uneasy about many aspects of the plan, warning the UK will have to follow EU laws and European Court of Justice rulings and not be able to develop an "effective international trade policy".
Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen called the PM's pledges a "a pretence and charade intended to dupe the electorate".
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Bridgen said the "time has come for a new [Conservative] leader" which he believes should be Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith told the Sunday Telegraph if the public perceive Mrs May's plan as "continued membership" of the customs union and single market for goods, the government "will suffer the consequences at the next election".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "This is a serious, workable proposal"
But Mrs May told the Sunday Times: "The only challenge that needs to be made now is to the European Union to get serious about this, to come round the table and discuss it with us."
She said her plan was a "serious, workable proposal" and when people voted to leave the EU, "they wanted to take control of our money, our laws and our borders and that's exactly what we will do".
Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said proposals to avoid customs checks by differentiating between UK and EU-bound goods, in terms of what tariffs should be paid, were "a bureaucratic nightmare".
"This has got fudge written all over it," he told Andrew Marr. "She (Theresa May) has not met our demands. It is going to unravel and she will have to think again."
He urged Mrs May to put her customs proposals to a vote in Parliament in a week's time, suggesting Labour's alternative plan for a comprehensive customs union had the backing of the majority of MPs.
The prime minister gathered her 26 cabinet ministers together at her country residence to resolve differences over the shape of the UK's relations with the EU and break the current deadlock with the EU.
The main details from the Chequers statement, to be incorporated in a white paper next week, are:
The Observer reported that more than 100 entrepreneurs and business leaders regard Mrs May's plan as "unworkable" and "costly and bureaucratic".
• None Kuenssberg: The deal is done
• None 12 key Brexit words you need to know
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BP says card payment problem resolved - BBC News
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2018-07-08
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The fuel giant said all its petrol stations can now accept card payments after a three-hour outage.
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Business
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BP fuel stations across the UK are now able to accept card payments after a glitch which lasted over three hours.
BP had said earlier its stations were only able to accept cash and that it was directing customers to its ATMs.
The oil giant said all its sites had now returned to normal service, and it was launching "a full investigation" into what had caused the problem.
"We will monitor the situation overnight to ensure the smooth running of our operations," it said.
BP earlier said the issue had caused "a handful" of stations to close.
The company said it did not know what had caused the issue.
A BP spokesperson said the problem had started around 19:00.
"We would like to thank our customers for their patience and again apologise for any inconvenience caused during the brief outage," they added.
BP has 1,280 BP stations across the UK.
Highways England had earlier tweeted that all motorway service areas with BP fuel stations were affected by the problem.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Highways England This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Adam Johnston, who works at Spital BP station in Bebington, Wirall, said the card payment problem had been "an absolute nightmare" with "queues out the door and people struggling to get onto the forecourt".
The station had to fill out 10 forms where people were unable or unwilling to use the ATM, which required them to return and pay within seven days, he said.
He said the station was typically busier than normal BP fuel stations because it was also an M&S franchise.
"Most customers are sympathetic but some not so much resulting in arguments and a lot of stress," he added.
Heather Brogan, a customer at a BP fuel station in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, was also affected.
She had gone to buy "a handful of items" from the shop and used the onsite ATM to pay the £20 required.
" It's only a small town. People were absolutely fine about it," she said.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44759913
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news_business-44759913
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David Davis 'felt he had no choice but resignation' - BBC News
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2018-07-08
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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After months of rumours, David Davis has resigned feeling he had "no choice" amid Brexit disharmony.
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UK Politics
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David Davis' unhappiness has been not secret for some time
After many months of rumours that he would pull the plug, David Davis has actually quit as Brexit Secretary.
His unhappiness in government has been no secret for some time, but after the prime minister's Chequers agreement with cabinet ministers to pursue closer ties with the EU than he desired, he found his position untenable.
After a visit to Downing Street on Sunday he concluded that he had no choice but to walk. Junior ministerial colleague Steve Baker has also quit alongside him from the Brexit department. David Davis' move, while not completely surprising, throws doubt on to how secure the government's Brexit strategy is.
Some of Theresa May's colleagues had urged her to face down her Brexiteer ministers but Number 10 had hoped to keep them all on side, and a carefully designed strategy to move them to her position brokered an agreement in cabinet at the end of their day-long meeting at Chequers on Friday .
Theresa May secured her cabinet's support at a meeting at Chequers on Friday
But Mr Davis, who was meant to be responsible for Brexit policy, felt, according to colleagues, that he was "wondering if he really had a proper job" after Number 10 chose to follow a very different path to the now former Brexit secretary's intention.
Mr Davis has been frustrated for some time after the most senior official at the Department for Exiting the EU - Olly Robbins - was moved into Number 10 to work directly for Theresa May.
To some former Remainers, Mr Davis' departure could even be considered a temporary relief. One of his fellow ministers remarked, "it's just a personal outburst", adding: "He is not exactly the cleverest, he has always struggled to muscle into any of the complicated arguments."
But conditions in the Tory party are febrile. Theresa May had carefully constructed her cabinet with a balance of Brexiteers and former Remainers. With no majority, and unhappiness on the back benches, it adds instability at a time when the prime minister was pursuing calm.
And when she was hoping to project an image to Brussels of authority and stability, it is a headache she could well do without. He could provide a rallying point from outside government for those forces in the Tory party who believe the Brexit plan the prime minister is pursuing is not the Brexit that a clear but narrow majority of the public chose.
Michael Gove was tipped as a replacement for David Davis
Westminster being Westminster, eyes will immediately turn to who will replace him. The most likely candidate it seems at this stage is Michael Gove who has pitched himself as the Brexiteer that "remainers can do business with".
His public appearances defending the Brexit policy over the weekend make him certainly near the top of the list for one of the most important jobs in government.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44747445
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news_uk-politics-44747445
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World Cup 2018: 'England's best chance to reach semi-finals since 1990' - BBC Sport
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2018-07-05
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A favourable draw, a shootout win and key players in form - England have elevated excitement to fever pitch before the Sweden quarter-final, says Phil McNulty.
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Coverage: Live on BBC One and online; full radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 live and text commentary and in-play clips online and on BBC Sport app
England's players will only be allowed to bask briefly in the afterglow of the historic victory over Colombia that sent them into the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Gareth Southgate's squad have elevated excitement among England followers to fever pitch as they prepare to face Sweden after their first knockout stage win at a major tournament since 2006, and only their second penalty shootout win in eight attempts.
Once the dust has settled on a thunderous night in Moscow, England must plot their next step at this unpredictable, spectacular World Cup.
England come back down to earth
England manager Southgate and his squad were straight back down to business at their Zelenogorsk training base on Wednesday after that atmospheric night.
And while an England squad that has impressed with its modesty and focus since its arrival in Russia is unlikely to get carried away by the win that sent them into the World Cup's last eight, Southgate will know it is now a case of all eyes on Sweden on Saturday.
England have their best chance to reach this sport's most prestigious occasion since the despair of losing to Germany on penalties in the semi-final in Turin at Italia 90.
Sweden's recent record confirms that complacency will be folly, but there is also no escaping that this group of England players - who survived the hothouse of Moscow's Spartak Stadium as the massed ranks of Colombian fans virtually took over the arena in a blaze of sound and fury - have been presented with what may just be a once-in-a lifetime opportunity.
The next 10 days in Russia could be a case of now or never.
The draw, make no mistake, has fallen kindly for England and currently only Sweden, then Croatia or hosts Russia - suddenly riding a wave of national fervour after being dismissed before the tournament - stand between them and their first World Cup final since 1966.
England would not necessarily be favourites to achieve the feat, but their name goes alongside three teams they will genuinely feel capable of beating. And added intrigue comes with the fact all of those teams will feel equally the same. It is all up for grabs.
And while Southgate's mantra will continue to be 'one game at a time', he will know that the nation is now daring to dream.
• None Can England go one step further? Larwo's predictions
Southgate and his trusted backroom team will have been sifting through the physical and mental toll of that taxing night in Moscow, which even seasoned observers placed alongside the most tense England occasions they had witnessed.
It was a tension gloriously released as Eric Dier gave England victory having been agonisingly pegged back in added time at the end of the second half.
Southgate suggested there were plenty of knocks when he likened England's dressing room to a scene from the famous American army hospital series MASH.
He will have players with plenty of bumps and bruises.
What he will also have is a group of players who know that only two matches stand between England and football's ultimate game.
England still have room for improvement
Southgate will not only take satisfaction from a win that came about in a manner which defied England's history, but he will know there is more to come from his team despite reaching the last eight.
England have still not hit top form in Russia - an observation some might find churlish, but one that is supported by the evidence of the four games they have played.
Tunisia were stubborn but limited and England only won in injury time. Panama were appalling. Belgium faced England's shadow squad - and there were still times when they drifted in what was an attritional, argumentative meeting with Colombia.
Harry Kane is the World Cup's top scorer with six goals, but once again it was a penalty that added to his tally. England's captain has been outstanding at this World Cup but he will be even better with more regular service.
Dele Alli struggled and looked short of fitness in Moscow. He is a class act who will give England what might be a vital extra dimension and threat if he kicks into gear.
And the Raheem Sterling enigma continues. No-one should ever question his attitude, effort, application and natural gifts but it simply is not happening for him in the attacking phases, with his sequence now reading 23 games without a goal for England.
Southgate, however, has huge faith in Sterling and that is unlikely to change now. Indeed, he even questioned why people were debating his position in England's team before the Colombia last-16 game.
Southgate will know that if these two players of such undoubted talent can turn the corner - and Sterling may just need one moment of luck to get the motor running - England will be much more of threat than they have been so far.
Southgate's England selection is tailored exactly to match the requirements of the system - based around a three-man defence and progressive wing-backs - he settled upon more than 12 months ago.
And, apart from his obvious delight at England's advance into the quarter-finals, Southgate will take huge satisfaction from how his key players performed when the pressure was on in Moscow.
Southgate decided on Everton's Jordan Pickford as his goalkeeper, the 24-year-old having youth, agility and ability on his side - as well as huge confidence with the ball at his feet, a key component of the manager's game plan.
Pickford delivered superbly at Spartak Stadium, with a truly world-class save from Mateus Uribe that has been somewhat overlooked because Colombia equalised from the resulting corner, and that penalty save from Carlos Bacca.
Pickford suffered criticism after his display against Belgium - including suggestions from Belgium and Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois that he was too small - but he was perhaps ring rusty after being virtually unemployed against Tunisia and Panama. Every question was answered in Moscow.
Harry Maguire is the sort of central defender Southgate counts on - powerful and dangerous at set-pieces but with a willingness to bring the ball out of defence in the manner England's approach now demands.
Maguire had his finest game in an England shirt in Moscow on a night which was a test of temperament for every player. He can now take huge confidence in his ability to thrive and feel at home in the World Cup environment.
And what more can be said about Kane?
Kane is the first England player to score in six consecutive appearances since Tommy Lawton in 1939. And he will be desperate to make it seven as he goes in search of the World Cup and the Golden Boot that he targeted even before England's first game.
Every team needs their main marksman to function at a World Cup. England have that and more in Kane - a reliable scorer, mature leader and a man with the coolest of temperaments, as proved by his penalties in open play and in the shootout.
All good news for Southgate as England move into World Cup territory that has been uncharted for 12 years.
England now face a familiar foe in Sweden - a team some may feel have risen without trace at this World Cup but whose recent record carries warning signals and demands complete respect.
One long-time Sweden follower described this squad as humble, hard-working, superbly organised under the astute coach Janne Andersson and fully united as the charismatic Zlatan Ibrahimovic offers his observations from the sidelines.
Sweden are defensively sound and usually operate a 4-4-2 formation. Andreas Granqvist is their captain and central defensive foundation alongside Victor Lindelof, who has belied his struggles at Manchester United with his performances in Russia, demonstrating why Jose Mourinho was so keen to acquire him.
They also have creativity from Emil Forsberg, but base camp for Sweden is a well-drilled and disciplined approach that England will find difficult to break down.
They have the confidence of eliminating the Netherlands in qualifying and beating Italy in a play-off to reach Russia. This is a team without fear of playing the elite names of international football.
Sweden's weakness is a lack of punch in attack, where 32-year-old Ola Toivonen is not even a regular at his club Toulouse. Markus Berg, who plays his football in the United Arab Emirates, is erratic.
As ever, though, Sweden's strength is the team collective and, under Andersson, will present England with a serious challenge in Samara.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44714494
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rt_football_44714494
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Jacob Abraham: Five boys jailed for teen's torture murder - BBC News
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2018-07-27
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The gang members, all aged 15, are handed life sentences for killing Jacob Abraham in December.
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Beds, Herts & Bucks
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Kai Fisher-Dixon, Shuayb Mahomud, Tremayne Gray, Omarion Stephens and Abdulqaliq Mohamed were jailed for murder
Five teenagers who "tortured" a 15-year-old boy to death have been sentenced to life in prison.
Kai Fisher-Dixon, Shuayb Mahomud, Tremayne Gray, Omarion Stephens and Abdulqaliq Mohamed attacked Jacob Abraham in Waltham Cross in December.
The boys, all aged 15 and from Enfield, north London, denied murder but were found guilty by a jury after a five-week trial at St Albans Crown Court.
They can be named after the judge Mr Justice Edis lifted anonymity orders.
Gray and Stephens were sentenced to serve at least 14 years, Mohamed was sentenced to at least 13 years, and Fisher-Dixon and Mahomud handed 12-year terms.
The judge said: "The purpose was to punish him [Jacob] by the deliberate infliction of serious pain and humiliation, but to leave him alive.
"That was what I meant when I used the word torture in the course of the hearing and I do not shrink from it."
Jurors heard how Stephens and Gray wielded the knives but the prosecution said all of the boys were responsible for Jacob's death, having lured him to the scene to suffer "at least really serious harm".
During the trial, the court heard that Jacob had been involved in a number of fights and got into an argument with the AP gang.
After posting an online challenge, he was stabbed eight times in an alleyway behind his home on 7 December.
Three of the teenagers, who were just 14 at the time, had to change out of their school uniforms before carrying out the "punishment mission".
The court heard they wanted to teach Jacob a lesson because he was a rival to their "county lines" drug operation.
The boys were caught on CCTV at Waltham Cross bus station on the night of the murder
In a victim impact statement, Jacob's mother said his death had left "a large hole".
Det Ch Insp Jerome Kent said: "This was a tragic and upsetting case due to the young age of both the victim and the offenders, who are just children.
"If those boys had chosen not to carry knives that night, I truly believe Jacob would still be alive today."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-44987281
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news_uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-44987281
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World Cup 2018: How Gareth Southgate's team came to represent 'modern England' - BBC Sport
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2018-07-15
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None
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Poet, author and journalist Musa Okwonga explores how Gareth Southgate's team represented "modern England" and captured the imagination of a nation.
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London-born poet and writer Musa Okwonga, the son of Ugandan immigrants, looks at how England's multicultural team captured the imagination of a nation and became role models for young people.
England's football team, as it prepares to make its way home from the World Cup, has done something almost as impressive as claiming the trophy itself: it has captured the hearts of even the most sceptical people in the country.
Those people, long accustomed to heartbreaking disappointment when it comes to the country's football fortunes, saw something entirely different this summer: a group of players playing to the very edge of their potential, and beyond.
They also saw, in the words of manager Gareth Southgate, a team which in its youth and diversity represented "modern England". In terms of race and background, Southgate's players were as varied as you might find at a convention of YouTubers or on the line-up of the Wireless Festival.
At the start of the World Cup, the Migration Museum released a graphic showing how different the England team would look if first and second-generation immigrants were removed from it. The graphic, which quickly went viral, showed only five players would remain from the current line-up.
The changing face of the country can best be seen by looking back to the previous times when England similarly stirred the affection of their compatriots. In 1966, when they claimed the World Cup for the first and only time, it would be another 12 years until a black player would make an appearance for the England team in a full international.
For most of the 1980s, John Barnes was one of the strongest bonds that immigrant communities like mine felt with the national side, seeing ourselves in him as he speed-skated down the wing, shrugging off racist insults with a drop of the shoulder.
By 1990, when England were eliminated at the semi-final stage by West Germany, their line-up included Paul Parker and Des Walker, two footballers of Caribbean heritage.
In their semi-final loss to Croatia on Wednesday, five of their starting players were of Caribbean heritage, with one - Raheem Sterling - born abroad.
When Southgate spoke of this team being the face of modern England, he was somewhat ahead of the curve, given the black population of England (according to the 2011 Census) is 3%. A further challenge down the line will be the Football Association's development of Asian heritage players, given that this percentage of the population stands at 8%.
In one sense though, Southgate's team does offer a compelling and positive glimpse at the future - where disparate groups of people can come together and produce performances that most observers thought beyond them.
It might seem strange that so many have seen such symbolism in this team, but that's just a reflection of the uncertain period we are living in. Kyle Walker, one of the team's centre-backs, tweeted as much the day after the loss to Croatia.
"We might live in a time," he wrote, "where sometimes it's easier to be negative rather than positive, or to divide than to unite, but England: let's keep this unity alive. I love you."
Another reason this team may have captured the imagination is its regional diversity.
In a country whose focus can often be London-centric, it is refreshing to see players who hail not only from the capital but also from Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Tyne and Wear. The dressing-room has the range of accents you might expect to hear when catching your connecting train at Leeds.
Yet perhaps the reason this team is held in highest esteem is they have confounded the stereotype of the self-obsessed footballer.
In the months prior to the tournament, tabloid newspapers regaled their readers with tales of some of these players' supposed excesses, yet during the tournament, these players conducted themselves with such distinction that the coverage of the team was overwhelmingly positive.
In future, the team will have stronger challenges to face. There's an argument that they could and should have gone further in this World Cup - that a side with players who've performed in the later stages of the Uefa Champions League should have held onto a one-goal lead, and proceeded to the final against France.
Yet that's a discussion for another time.
For now, England can look back on a team that despite being more diverse than previous squads, still reflected the same ethos that gave some of their predecessors a measure of success - a selflessness, a willingness to put the collective above the individual.
Southgate, too, follows in the proud tradition of fellow England managers such as Graham Taylor - the first person to appoint a black man, Paul Ince, as the country's captain - in promoting the best footballers, regardless of their origin.
Southgate's players may not have expected to be ambassadors for a nation that has endured a turbulent time of late, but it is a role they have performed with aplomb.
And, most crucially, they have become that most important of objects: a mirror in which countless young people can see themselves. Both on and off the field, it is exciting to wonder what they might achieve next.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44818211
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rt_football_44818211
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Boris Johnson's resignation letter and May's reply in full - BBC News
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2018-07-09
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Boris Johnson says the prime minister's plans would mean Britain taking on "the status of a colony".
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UK Politics
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It is more than two years since the British people voted to leave the European Union on an unambiguous and categorical promise that if they did so they would be taking back control of their democracy.
They were told that they would be able to manage their own immigration policy, repatriate the sums of UK cash currently spent by the EU, and, above all, that they would be able to pass laws independently and in the interests of the people of this country.
Brexit should be about opportunity and hope. It should be a chance to do things differently, to be more nimble and dynamic, and to maximise the particular advantages of the UK as an open, outward-looking global economy.
That dream is dying, suffocated by needless self-doubt.
We have postponed crucial decisions - including the preparations for no deal, as I argued in my letter to you of last November - with the result that we appear to be heading for a semi-Brexit, with large parts of the economy still locked in the EU system, but with no UK control over that system.
It now seems that the opening bid of our negotiations involves accepting that we are not actually going to be able to make our own laws. Indeed we seem to have gone backwards since the last Chequers meeting in February, when I described my frustrations, as Mayor of London, in trying to protect cyclists from juggernauts. We had wanted to lower the cabin windows to improve visibility; and even though such designs were already on the market, and even though there had been a horrific spate of deaths, mainly of female cyclists, we were told that we had to wait for the EU to legislate on the matter.
So at the previous Chequers session we thrashed out an elaborate procedure for divergence from EU rules. But even that now seems to have been taken off the table, and there is in fact no easy UK right of initiative. Yet if Brexit is to mean anything, it must surely give ministers and Parliament the chance to do things differently to protect the public. If a country cannot pass a law to save the lives of female cyclists - when that proposal is supported at every level of UK government - then I don't see how that country can truly be called independent.
Conversely, the British government has spent decades arguing against this or that EU directive, on the grounds that it was too burdensome or ill-thought out. We are now in the ludicrous position of asserting that we must accept huge amounts of precisely such EU law, without changing an iota, because it is essential for our economic health - and when we no longer have any ability to influence these laws as they are made.
In that respect we are truly headed for the status of colony - and many will struggle to see the economic or political advantages of that particular arrangement.
It is also clear that by surrendering control over our rulebook for goods and agrifoods (and much else besides) we will make it much more difficult to do free trade deals. And then there is the further impediment of having to argue for an impractical and undeliverable customs arrangement unlike any other in existence.
What is even more disturbing is that this is our opening bid. This is already how we see the end state for the UK - before the other side has made its counter-offer. It is as though we are sending our vanguard into battle with the white flags fluttering above them. Indeed, I was concerned, looking at Friday's document, that there might be further concessions on immigration, or that we might end up effectively paying for access to the single market.
On Friday I acknowledged that my side of the argument were too few to prevail, and congratulated you on at least reaching a cabinet decision on the way forward. As I said then, the government now has a song to sing. The trouble is that I have practised the words over the weekend and find that they stick in the throat. We must have collective responsibility. Since I cannot in all conscience champion these proposals, I have sadly concluded that I must go.
I am proud to have served as Foreign Secretary in your government. As I step down, I would like first to thank the patient officers of the Metropolitan Police who have looked after me and my family, at times in demanding circumstances. I am proud too of the extraordinary men and women of our diplomatic service. Over the last few months they have shown how many friends this country has around the world, as 28 governments expelled Russian spies in an unprecedented protest at the attempted assassination of the Skripals. They have organised a highly successful Commonwealth summit and secured record international support for this government's campaign for 12 years of quality education for every girl, and much more besides. As I leave office, the FCO now has the largest and by far the most effective diplomatic network of any country in Europe — a continent which we will never leave.
Thank you for your letter relinquishing the office of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
I am sorry - and a little surprised - to receive it after the productive discussions we had at Chequers on Friday, and the comprehensive and detailed proposal which we agreed as a Cabinet. It is a proposal which will honour the result of the referendum and the commitments we made in our general election manifesto to leave the single market and the customs union. It will mean that we take back control of our borders, our laws, and our money - ending the freedom of movement, ending the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom, and ending the days of sending vast sums of taxpayers' money to the European Union. We will be able to spend that money on our priorities instead - such as the £20 billion increase we have announced for the NHS budget, which means that we will soon be spending an extra £394 million a week on our National Health Service.
As I outlined at Chequers, the agreement we reached requires the full, collective support of Her Majesty's Government. During the EU referendum campaign, collective responsibility on EU policy was temporarily suspended. As we developed our policy on Brexit, I have allowed Cabinet colleagues considerable latitude to express their individual views. But the agreement we reached on Friday marks the point where that is no longer the case, and if you are not able to provide the support we need to secure this deal in the interests of the United Kingdom, it is right that you should step down.
As you do so, I would like to place on record my appreciation of the service you have given to our country, and to the Conservative Party, as Mayor of London and as Foreign Secretary - not least for the passion that you have demonstrated in promoting a Global Britain to the world as we leave the European Union.
• None Davis 'had no choice but resignation'
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44772804
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news_uk-politics-44772804
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David Davis 'felt he had no choice but resignation' - BBC News
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2018-07-09
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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After months of rumours, David Davis has resigned feeling he had "no choice" amid Brexit disharmony.
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UK Politics
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David Davis' unhappiness has been not secret for some time
After many months of rumours that he would pull the plug, David Davis has actually quit as Brexit Secretary.
His unhappiness in government has been no secret for some time, but after the prime minister's Chequers agreement with cabinet ministers to pursue closer ties with the EU than he desired, he found his position untenable.
After a visit to Downing Street on Sunday he concluded that he had no choice but to walk. Junior ministerial colleague Steve Baker has also quit alongside him from the Brexit department. David Davis' move, while not completely surprising, throws doubt on to how secure the government's Brexit strategy is.
Some of Theresa May's colleagues had urged her to face down her Brexiteer ministers but Number 10 had hoped to keep them all on side, and a carefully designed strategy to move them to her position brokered an agreement in cabinet at the end of their day-long meeting at Chequers on Friday .
Theresa May secured her cabinet's support at a meeting at Chequers on Friday
But Mr Davis, who was meant to be responsible for Brexit policy, felt, according to colleagues, that he was "wondering if he really had a proper job" after Number 10 chose to follow a very different path to the now former Brexit secretary's intention.
Mr Davis has been frustrated for some time after the most senior official at the Department for Exiting the EU - Olly Robbins - was moved into Number 10 to work directly for Theresa May.
To some former Remainers, Mr Davis' departure could even be considered a temporary relief. One of his fellow ministers remarked, "it's just a personal outburst", adding: "He is not exactly the cleverest, he has always struggled to muscle into any of the complicated arguments."
But conditions in the Tory party are febrile. Theresa May had carefully constructed her cabinet with a balance of Brexiteers and former Remainers. With no majority, and unhappiness on the back benches, it adds instability at a time when the prime minister was pursuing calm.
And when she was hoping to project an image to Brussels of authority and stability, it is a headache she could well do without. He could provide a rallying point from outside government for those forces in the Tory party who believe the Brexit plan the prime minister is pursuing is not the Brexit that a clear but narrow majority of the public chose.
Michael Gove was tipped as a replacement for David Davis
Westminster being Westminster, eyes will immediately turn to who will replace him. The most likely candidate it seems at this stage is Michael Gove who has pitched himself as the Brexiteer that "remainers can do business with".
His public appearances defending the Brexit policy over the weekend make him certainly near the top of the list for one of the most important jobs in government.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44747445
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news_uk-politics-44747445
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BP says card payment problem resolved - BBC News
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2018-07-09
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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The fuel giant said all its petrol stations can now accept card payments after a three-hour outage.
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Business
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BP fuel stations across the UK are now able to accept card payments after a glitch which lasted over three hours.
BP had said earlier its stations were only able to accept cash and that it was directing customers to its ATMs.
The oil giant said all its sites had now returned to normal service, and it was launching "a full investigation" into what had caused the problem.
"We will monitor the situation overnight to ensure the smooth running of our operations," it said.
BP earlier said the issue had caused "a handful" of stations to close.
The company said it did not know what had caused the issue.
A BP spokesperson said the problem had started around 19:00.
"We would like to thank our customers for their patience and again apologise for any inconvenience caused during the brief outage," they added.
BP has 1,280 BP stations across the UK.
Highways England had earlier tweeted that all motorway service areas with BP fuel stations were affected by the problem.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Highways England This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Adam Johnston, who works at Spital BP station in Bebington, Wirall, said the card payment problem had been "an absolute nightmare" with "queues out the door and people struggling to get onto the forecourt".
The station had to fill out 10 forms where people were unable or unwilling to use the ATM, which required them to return and pay within seven days, he said.
He said the station was typically busier than normal BP fuel stations because it was also an M&S franchise.
"Most customers are sympathetic but some not so much resulting in arguments and a lot of stress," he added.
Heather Brogan, a customer at a BP fuel station in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, was also affected.
She had gone to buy "a handful of items" from the shop and used the onsite ATM to pay the £20 required.
" It's only a small town. People were absolutely fine about it," she said.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44759913
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news_business-44759913
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David Davis 'felt he had no choice but resignation' - BBC News
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2018-07-06
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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After months of rumours, David Davis has resigned feeling he had "no choice" amid Brexit disharmony.
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UK Politics
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David Davis' unhappiness has been not secret for some time
After many months of rumours that he would pull the plug, David Davis has actually quit as Brexit Secretary.
His unhappiness in government has been no secret for some time, but after the prime minister's Chequers agreement with cabinet ministers to pursue closer ties with the EU than he desired, he found his position untenable.
After a visit to Downing Street on Sunday he concluded that he had no choice but to walk. Junior ministerial colleague Steve Baker has also quit alongside him from the Brexit department. David Davis' move, while not completely surprising, throws doubt on to how secure the government's Brexit strategy is.
Some of Theresa May's colleagues had urged her to face down her Brexiteer ministers but Number 10 had hoped to keep them all on side, and a carefully designed strategy to move them to her position brokered an agreement in cabinet at the end of their day-long meeting at Chequers on Friday .
Theresa May secured her cabinet's support at a meeting at Chequers on Friday
But Mr Davis, who was meant to be responsible for Brexit policy, felt, according to colleagues, that he was "wondering if he really had a proper job" after Number 10 chose to follow a very different path to the now former Brexit secretary's intention.
Mr Davis has been frustrated for some time after the most senior official at the Department for Exiting the EU - Olly Robbins - was moved into Number 10 to work directly for Theresa May.
To some former Remainers, Mr Davis' departure could even be considered a temporary relief. One of his fellow ministers remarked, "it's just a personal outburst", adding: "He is not exactly the cleverest, he has always struggled to muscle into any of the complicated arguments."
But conditions in the Tory party are febrile. Theresa May had carefully constructed her cabinet with a balance of Brexiteers and former Remainers. With no majority, and unhappiness on the back benches, it adds instability at a time when the prime minister was pursuing calm.
And when she was hoping to project an image to Brussels of authority and stability, it is a headache she could well do without. He could provide a rallying point from outside government for those forces in the Tory party who believe the Brexit plan the prime minister is pursuing is not the Brexit that a clear but narrow majority of the public chose.
Michael Gove was tipped as a replacement for David Davis
Westminster being Westminster, eyes will immediately turn to who will replace him. The most likely candidate it seems at this stage is Michael Gove who has pitched himself as the Brexiteer that "remainers can do business with".
His public appearances defending the Brexit policy over the weekend make him certainly near the top of the list for one of the most important jobs in government.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-44747445
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news_uk-politics-44747445
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Supreme Court judges urged to strike down Holyrood Brexit bill - BBC News
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2018-07-24
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https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews
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Holyrood's Brexit bill is "fundamentally inconsistent" with UK law and should be struck down, judges are told.
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Scotland politics
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Advocate General for Scotland Lord Keen is leading for the UK government side in the case
Holyrood's Brexit bill is "fundamentally inconsistent" with UK law and should not be allowed to stand, judges at the Supreme Court have heard.
The court is hearing arguments about whether the Brexit legislation passed by MSPs should be allowed to stand.
UK law officer Lord Keen said the Scottish legislation would "undermine" Westminster's EU Withdrawal Bill.
But Scotland's Lord Advocate insists that the bill is within Holyrood's remit and should become law.
The hearing will continue on Wednesday, and a judgement is not expected until later in the year.
The Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies will also be represented in the two-day hearing, having made submissions backing the Scottish government's stance.
The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill - known as the "continuity bill" - was passed under emergency procedures with only the Conservatives and a single Lib Dem MSP voting against it.
It was drafted as an alternative to Westminster's EU Withdrawal Bill, which MSPs refused to give their consent to following a row over how powers currently exercised from Brussels will be used after Brexit.
But before it could become law, it was referred to the Supreme Court by UK law officers to settle whether it lies within Holyrood's competence.
Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh penned an official memo saying the bill was "not within the legislative competence of the parliament", as it would see MSPs "make provision now for the exercise of powers which is it is possible they will acquire in future".
This was denied by Lord Advocate James Wolffe, the Scottish government's top legal adviser, who insisted the legislation was "carefully framed" not to cut across EU laws - and said it was designed on the Withdrawal Bill in that regard.
The UK government's senior law officers said they wanted the Supreme Court to look at the bill to ensure there was "legal certainty" about whether it is valid.
Seven Supreme Court justices will hear two days of arguments about the Brexit bill
Arguments are being heard at the Supreme Court by Lady Hale, Lord Reed, Lord Sumption, Lord Carnwarth, Lord Hodge, Lord Kerr and Lord Lloyd-Jones.
Lord Keen, the Advocate General for Scotland, opened the first day of the hearing arguing that the Scottish bill is "fundamentally inconsistent" with the Withdrawal Bill passed by MPs.
The Holyrood bill includes several provisions not mirrored in the Westminster one, such as retaining the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights and giving ministers the power to suggest EU laws to "keep pace" with even after Brexit.
Lord Keen said it was "perfectly clear" that the Scottish bill was "directly inconsistent with the UK Act at the most basic of levels", saying "the two simply cannot stand together".
He told the court that this would create "dual and inconsistent regimes" within the UK, which would "directly frustrate the purpose" of the Withdrawal Bill, which was to create a "single cohesive body" of EU laws retained after Brexit.
He also argued that the continuity bill could have a bearing on international relations, a field reserved to the UK parliament. He said that "withdrawal from the EU is a matter for the UK parliament, and the devolved administrations do not have a parallel legislative competence" in this area.
His written argument stated: "The effect of what the Scottish bill does is to make provision for the future relationship with the EU and EU law when that relationship is under negotiation. That could serve to undermine the credibility of the UK's negotiating and implementation strategy in the eyes of the EU."
Lord Advocate James Wolffe will continue his submissions to the court on Wednesday
The Lord Advocate also began his submissions on Tuesday afternoon, arguing that Holyrood was not specifically barred from legislating on Brexit.
He said the Advocate General had drawn too broad a definition of international relations, adding: "I say the bill, given it has effect only in the domestic legal order, cannot affect the UK's negotiations with the EU."
He noted that the Withdrawal Bill had not been passed into law at the time the continuity bill was passed, saying that the existence of a UK bill was "irrelevant to the questions of legislative competence".
Mr Wolffe's written submission also accuses UK law officers of an "erroneous analysis of the legal consequences of withdrawal from the EU".
And he noted that Westminster has the power to "amend or indeed repeal the Scottish bill", but has not moved to do so. He said that "any uncertainty, confusion or ambiguity arising from the presence on the statute book of these two bills will be consequence of that legislative choice".
The bulk of Mr Wolffe's arguments will be heard on Wednesday.
After that, judges will also hear from the counsel general for Wales and the Northern Irish attorney general, who have made submissions as interested parties.
Both have backed the Scottish government's view that Holyrood should be allowed to legislate on Brexit.
The Welsh government originally had a Brexit bill of its own, which also faced a court challenge, but the legislation was withdrawn after ministers came to an agreement with UK counterparts over the Withdrawal Bill.
The three options open to the judges are to give the bill the green light, to reject it entirely, or to allow some sections to stand while rejecting others.
Should any part of the bill be struck down, it would go back to Holyrood for MSPs to consider making changes.
The ruling could have big implications for Scotland's relationship with the EU and with the UK
The Scottish and UK governments have been unable to agree on how powers currently exercised from Brussels are to be used after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.
Both sides agree that certain powers should be used to set up UK-wide frameworks of common rules and regulations, in fields like food standards and labelling. But ministers cannot agree on who should have the final say over how this should be done.
Scottish ministers say giving Westminster the final say is a "power grab" from Holyrood, while Whitehall ministers say they cannot give MSPs a "veto" over UK-wide plans.
With the dispute deadlocked, MSPs refused to give their consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill, giving fresh importance to the issue of the continuity bill and whether it will be allowed to stand.
The Scottish government has also indicated that it will not put any of the UK government's further Brexit legislation forward for consent votes at Holyrood until the row has been resolved.
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Iranian man flogged 80 times for drinking alcohol as a child - BBC News
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2018-07-12
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The man was convicted of consuming alcohol more than 10 years ago, when he was only 14 or 15.
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Middle East
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More than 100 offences are punishable by flogging under Iran's Islamic penal code
Amnesty International has condemned the Iranian authorities for publicly flogging a man who was convicted of consuming alcohol when he was 14 or 15.
Local media published photographs of the man - identified only as "M R" - being given 80 lashes in a square in the eastern city of Kashmar on Tuesday.
Prosecutors say he was arrested in the Iranian year of 1385 (March 2006-March 2007) and sentenced the next year.
It is not clear why the punishment was carried out more than 10 years later.
The photographs show a young man tied to a tree being flogged by a masked man in uniform. A small crowd of people can be seen watching at a distance.
"The circumstances of this case are absolutely shocking, representing another horrific example of the Iranian authorities' warped priorities," Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa Director, Philip Luther. said in a statement.
"No-one, regardless of age, should be subjected to flogging; that a child was prosecuted for consuming alcohol and sentenced to 80 lashes beggars belief."
The Young Journalists Club website quoted Kashmar's prosecutor as saying M R consumed alcohol at a wedding where an argument caused a fight in which a 17-year-old boy was killed. He was not suspected of involvement in the death.
Article 265 of Iran's Islamic penal code states that the punishment for consumption of alcohol by a Muslim is 80 lashes.
More than 100 other offences are punishable by flogging, including theft, assault, vandalism, defamation and fraud, as well as acts that Amnesty said should not be criminalised, such as adultery, intimate relationships between unmarried men and women, "breach of public morals" and consensual same-sex sexual relations.
Mr Luther said Iran should abolish all forms of corporal punishment.
As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the country was legally obliged to forbid torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment, he noted.
"It's simply unacceptable that the Iranian authorities continue to allow such punishments and to justify them in the name of protecting religious morals."
In 2014, six Iranians were sentenced to prison and 91 lashes after being arrested for appearing in a video dancing to Pharrell Williams' song Happy.
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Michael Gove: I wanted 'different feel' to Vote Leave campaign - BBC News
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2018-07-16
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Michael Gove distances himself from claims made about Turkish immigration during the EU referendum.
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UK Politics
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Michael Gove has distanced himself from some of the arguments he made during the Brexit referendum, including claims over levels of Turkish immigration.
The Leave campaign was criticised at the time for suggesting Turkey may join the EU by 2020 and up to 5.2m more migrants could come to the UK by 2030.
In a new book, Mr Gove says it "did not get everything absolutely right".
"If it had been left entirely to me, the Leave campaign would have had a slightly different feel," he admits.
The remarks feature in a new book about the campaign and political drama that followed it written by Tom Baldwin, a former Times journalist who was once a colleague of ex-journalist Mr Gove on the paper.
Mr Baldwin subsequently worked for Ed Miliband as his communications director during the 2015 election, and now works for the People's Vote campaign, which wants a referendum on the final UK-EU deal.
Claims about levels of Turkish immigration to the UK were among the most contentious of the referendum campaign.
Vote Leave suggested the UK would not be in a position to stop Turkey joining the EU and warned of an influx of migrants putting more pressure on public services.
The claims were repeated by key figures, including current cabinet ministers Mr Gove and Penny Mordaunt and ex-foreign secretary Boris Johnson.
In a speech during the campaign, Mr Gove said the continued free movement of people from the EU would have "huge consequences" for the health service, saying "the idea of asking the NHS to look after a new group of patients equivalent in size to four Birminghams is clearly unsustainable".
The claims about Turkey were strongly rejected at the time by Downing Street, which insisted that its accession was a long way off and that the UK would have a veto anyway.
In an interview for the book, Ctrl Alt Delete, Mr Baldwin asked the environment secretary whether he was entirely comfortable in "appealing to some very low sentiments".
Mr Gove is quoted as replying: "I know what you mean, yes. If it had been left entirely to me, the Leave campaign would have had a slightly different feel.
"I would have to go back and look at everything I said and think whether that was the right response at the right time. There is a sense at the back of my mind that we did not get everything absolutely right.
Mr Gove is also pressed in the book about his much-quoted claim from the campaign that people had "had enough of experts" telling them what to think about Brexit.
He says the remark was spontaneous rather than intended and designed not to denigrate expertise but to highlight past claims, such as over the 2008 financial crisis, which had been wrong.
"The irony, of course, is that I often cite experts to justify what I am doing," he adds.
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London model Harry Uzoka 'murdered in row over girl' - BBC News
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2018-07-16
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Harry Uzoka was killed after branding his love rival a 'fake' on Instagram, a court hears.
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London
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Harry Uzoka died outside his home in Shepherd's Bush
A male model was knifed to death by another model who was "not as successful" as him in a row over a girl, a court has heard.
Harry Uzoka, 25, died on the pavement outside his home in Shepherd's Bush, west London, after he was stabbed.
The killing was the result of an argument between the victim and George Koh over Mr Uzoka's girlfriend, the Old Bailey heard.
Mr Koh, 24, of York Way in Camden, denies murder.
The Old Bailey was told Mr Uzoka called Mr Koh "a fake" on Instagram and arranged a fight after finding out Mr Koh claimed to have slept with Mr Uzoka's model girlfriend Ruby Campbell.
Harry Uzoka arranged the fight after George Koh claimed he had slept with his girlfriend
The jury was told a "confrontation" was arranged in Ollgar Road in Shepherd's Bush following a series of phone calls and messages on WhatsApp and Instagram.
Mr Koh was joined by Merse Dikanda and Jonathan Okigbo, both 24, and Mr Uzoka recruited his flatmate Adrian Harper, the court was told.
But while Mr Uzoka and his companion came armed with dumbbell bars, Mr Koh's group took at least three knives, including a machete, the court heard.
"It is not difficult to work out which side won. Uzoka and Harper were outnumbered and bars stand little chance against knives," prosecutor Richard Horwell QC told the hearing on Monday.
Mr Koh's team set out to "cause serious injury", he said.
Mr Uzoka and Mr Harper ran off when realised they were confronted with knives, but only Mr Harper got away, the court heard.
The prosecutor told the court Mr Koh, who "was also a model but not as successful as Uzoka", had "something of an obsession" with Mr Uzoka, but that "admiration for another model and his success had turned to contempt".
Jurors were told Mr Koh tried to delete his account and asked his mobile phone company to change his number.
Three days after the stabbing, Mr Koh handed himself in to police and told officers that he had acted in self defence after being "knocked to the ground" by Mr Uzoka and "had no intention" to stab him in the chest.
In a prepared statement, he told police: "I feared that he would kill me or cause me serious injury.
"I was on the floor when he fell on to me. I maintain that my actions were reasonable given the circumstances."
The jury was told Mr Koh has pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a knife.
Mr Dikanda, of no fixed address, denies murder, possessing a machete on 11 January and possessing a knife on 25 January.
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Jeremy Hunt wants 'malign' Russia to face tougher sanctions - BBC News
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2018-08-21
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The foreign secretary urges the EU to copy Washington's response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The foreign secretary tells Today that the EU should match US sanctions against Russia
Europe should impose further sanctions on Russia in response to its "malign" behaviour around the world, Jeremy Hunt has said on his first visit to the US as foreign secretary.
He called on the EU to replicate Washington's "comprehensive" response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
The US is set to ban Russian exports of security-sensitive goods following the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
Europe must engage with Russia but be "blunt" about its actions, he said.
Labour warned against new sanctions which it said would "further ratchet up international tensions".
And Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov accused the UK of arrogance in trying to "dictate" the EU's policy towards Russia when it was on the verge of leaving the organisation.
The Skripals were poisoned in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in March. The British government has accused Russia of being behind the attack, but Moscow denies involvement.
In June, two people in nearby Amesbury fell ill after being exposed to the same nerve agent, Novichok. One of them - Dawn Sturgess, 44 - later died.
In a speech in Washington, Mr Hunt said Moscow must be aware that there is a "serious price" to be paid for repeated violations of the established rules of international conduct.
He cited "foreign attempts" to manipulate elections as one of the reasons behind the decline in confidence in Western democratic systems.
But he also said governments in Europe must do more to "get their houses in order" by addressing the causes of economic and social resentment associated with the growth of populism, such as the squeeze on living standards and concerns over immigration.
Despite Mr Hunt's comments, BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins said there was "no appetite" among EU member states for further economic sanctions against Moscow, with some countries "suspicious" of action taken so far.
During a three-day trip to the US, Mr Hunt - who succeeded Boris Johnson in July - will meet his counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as addressing the United Nations Security Council about the international fight against the Islamic State group and other Islamist terror groups.
The visit comes as the US is set to ratchet up the pressure on Moscow over the poisoning of former Russian agent Mr Skripal and his daughter in the Wiltshire city in March.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Newsnight: The night the Skripals were admitted to hospital
The US State Department is expected to confirm its intention to proceed with a ban on defence exports and certain government financial assistance in response to the attack, which it has blamed on Moscow.
US officials are also expected to warn that further sanctions - including wider curbs on exports and US bank credit to the Russian government - could be imposed after three months without assurances that Russia is no longer using chemical and biological weapons and is complying with inspection and verification procedures.
The UK said it is highly likely that the Russian government, which has denied all involvement, was to blame for the attacks - which prompted a wave of expulsions of Russian diplomats from the UK and across Europe.
Mr Hunt said the Salisbury attack was part of a pattern of behaviour from Russia, including the annexation of Crimea and its support for the Assad regime in Syria, which made the world "more dangerous".
The US president, Donald Trump, was asked in an interview with Reuters whether he would consider lifting sanctions on Russia.
"I'm not considering it at all, no," he said. "I would consider it if they do something that would be good for us. But I wouldn't consider it without that."
Mr Hunt called on the EU to "ensure its sanctions against Russia are comprehensive and we truly stand shoulder to shoulder with the US".
"That means calling out and responding to transgressions with one voice whenever they occur, from the streets of Salisbury to the fate of Crimea," he said.
"Those who do not share our values need to know that there will always be a serious price to pay if red lines are crossed - whether territorial incursions, the use of banned weapons or, increasingly, cyber-attacks".
Police have launched a murder inquiry after the death of Dawn Sturgess following her exposure to Novichok
The Foreign Office said Mr Hunt wanted to ensure existing sanctions on associates of President Putin and state-backed entities were having their intended effect and to galvanise efforts to extend them where needed.
But Labour's Barry Gardiner said the UK and its allies should be trying to "normalise" relations with Russia as Moscow's co-operation was needed to help resolve the conflict in Syria and deal with Iran.
"I think imposing new sanctions on Russia would further ratchet up international tensions," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. "I don't think it's the right way to go."
In his speech at the US Institute of Peace, Mr Hunt warned of multiple economic and security threats to the international order and said the once "rock-solid" transatlantic alliance will be undermined if opponents are "in any doubt about our red lines".
Arguments over the funding of Nato and global trade have soured relations between the US and Europe since Donald Trump's election in 2016.
While accepting arguments of Russia's potential culpability for the Salisbury attacks, Mr Trump has nevertheless pressed for better relations with President Putin and cast doubt on evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election.
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'Trojan Horse' hearings against teachers and governor cost £1.27m - BBC News
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2018-08-17
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Banned governor Tahir Alam says the cases were a "total waste of public money".
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Birmingham & Black Country
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The alleged "Trojan Horse" plot was to oust some Birmingham head teachers and make their schools adhere to more conservative Islamic principles
Misconduct hearings - most of which collapsed - against teachers accused in the so-called "Trojan Horse" inquiry cost £884,055, the BBC can reveal.
The case to ban from education the ex-chair of governors for three Birmingham schools that were investigated, Tahir Alam, also cost £387,444 in legal fees.
Witness statements from a prior inquiry had been "deliberately withheld" before the hearings were dropped in May 2017.
The government said it made "no apology for working to protect young people".
The BBC has fought a Freedom of Information battle since April 2017 to reveal the costs, which succeeded when the independent data watchdog The Information Commissioner's Office ordered the Department for Education (DfE) to release the information after backing the corporation's public interest arguments.
The only teacher who was sanctioned - out of 14 against whom the DfE pursued hearings - was the former acting head teacher of Oldknow Academy in Small Heath, Jahangir Akbar.
Banned governor Mr Alam said the cases were a "total waste of public money" that achieved little.
Tahir Alam was chairman of governors at Park View School in Birmingham from 1997-2014
Several schools in Birmingham were investigated amid claims of a Muslim hardliners' plot to control them, known as the Trojan Horse affair, which began in 2014.
The teachers' hearings stemmed from that investigation but were dropped when the professional conduct panel of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) found its own organisation withheld 25 statements that had been used in an an earlier inquiry led by former counter-terror boss Peter Clarke.
The DfE said it was "looking carefully" at the handling of the cases, which were "led by an external law firm".
The teachers were not permitted to work while the hearings, which began in 2015, were ongoing.
Lawyers for two of the accused teachers, Monzoor Hussain and Lindsey Clark, had issued separate statements when the hearings were dropped saying both parties were relieved.
The inquiry has "caused long-term damage" and "divided communities" in Birmingham, according to the co-author of a play about it, Helen Monks.
The alleged plot caused such outrage because the accusation centred on the claim children were being fed a one-sided education and view of the world.
Ironically the hearings collapsed when the NCTL - which has since been replaced by the Teaching Regulation Agency - found it had not presented the whole picture of the accusations to the lawyers who were trying to defend the accused teachers' reputations and careers.
Mr Alam said he was depicted as an "anti-state enemy" during the affair and questioned what the inquiry achieved.
"It was completely unnecessary. Why did they put a banning order on me? I was a volunteer while I was a governor. No school had to appoint me," Mr Alam added.
He said GCSE marks at the schools where he was chair of governors had declined since the affair.
Mr Alam - who was a former Ofsted inspector, governance trainer for Birmingham City Council and school consultant - said the process had damaged his reputation, career and friendships.
"It was stressful. It's hit me economically. I can't do what I love doing. I spent 20 years building my skills.
"Within the Muslim community, people who've always known me, regard me as a hero overall.
"But from people within the education fraternity, I'm cut off. People don't want to associate with me because they think it will harm their careers."
The DfE said Mr Alam had been identified in Mr Clarke's report as the "central figure in these cases".
It said: "We have taken strong action and continue to act to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in our schools - in Birmingham and across the country."
Nansen Primary School in Birmingham was one of 21 schools inspected by Ofsted following the "Trojan Horse" allegations
The five former senior teachers who had been grouped together in one hearing before the process was halted were:
Those five had all worked for the former Park View Educational Trust, which oversaw the running of several schools in Birmingham implicated in the original allegations, including Park View, Golden Hillock and Nansen Primary.
Arshad Malik said Park View went from "underachieving" to "overachieving" in the decade before the "Trojan Horse" affair
Lifetime bans handed to two other Park View teachers, Inamulhaq Anwar and Akeel Ahmed, had earlier been quashed.
Mr Alam had been chair of governors at that trust but was banned from involvement in schools, which was upheld on appeal in April 2018.
The tribunal then concluded "the Appellant [Mr Alam]... took no adequate steps to ensure that children were kept safe from extremist views".
Arshad Malik, who decided not to move his then 14-year-old son Imran from Park View to a different school when the affair began, said the school's staff had "been decimated" after "teachers left or were 'forced to leave' and new teachers had not wanted to come".
He said he had to "supplement" Imran's education by helping him at home himself and he believed there was a lot of "mistrust" in communities since.
Former acting head teacher of Oldknow Academy in Small Heath, Mr Akbar, was banned from teaching in all schools indefinitely after being accused of trying to "eliminate" the celebration of Christmas in school and "undermining tolerance" of other beliefs.
Sarah Hewitt-Clarkson, head teacher of Anderton Park Primary School in Sparkhill, said some of the legacy of the inquiry was healthy in prompting schools to teach more about the equality of the sexes, British values and law.
The saga centred on the emergence of an anonymous letter in 2014 giving details of an alleged plot to oust some Birmingham head teachers and make their schools adhere to more conservative Islamic principles.
It stated parents could be encouraged to turn against the leadership team if they were told the school was "corrupting their children with sex education, teaching about homosexuals, making their children pray Christian prayers and [carrying out] mixed swimming and sport".
There were five subsequent inquires. The Clarke report found no evidence of extremism but said "there are a number of people in a position of influence who either espouse, or sympathise with or fail to challenge extremist views".
The NCTL later pursued disciplinary hearings against 14 teachers, accusing them of professional misconduct.
Park View was later renamed Rockwood Academy, while Golden Hillock became Ark Boulton Academy.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-45060721
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Ministry of Justice cleaners strike over 'insufficient' pay - BBC News
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2018-08-07
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Cleaners have held a protest over pay outside the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice.
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UK
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Cleaner Willan Arias Bermeo: "My pay is too low to live in London"
Cleaners at the Ministry of Justice and a London council have gone on strike over pay, saying they cannot afford to live in the capital.
The workers, mostly migrants, want to be paid the London Living Wage, over £2-an-hour more than their current pay.
One cleaner, at Kensington and Chelsea Council, said he had taken a second job and now worked 13-hour days so he had enough money.
The Ministry of Justice said its cleaners were "valued colleagues".
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) Council said it intended to take the cleaning services back under control from the contractor Amey, and would "review all the associated costs and services at that time".
The cleaners on strike - who work at the Ministry of Justice, RBKC and private health providers - are currently paid the National Living Wage, at £7.83 per hour for those aged 25 and over.
One RBKC cleaner, Willan Arias Bermeo, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme he was struggling to afford to live in London despite having taken a second job.
"My situation is very difficult. I have to work very hard to get a good life here," he said.
The cleaners' protested outside the Ministry of Justice
"That is the reason every day Monday to Saturday I work, 13 to 14 hours per day."
He said after paying his rent, transport costs, bills and sending money to support his family in his home country, he was left with £100-per-month to live on.
He described the strikes as "our chance" for change. "Otherwise... there is no hope for us."
Petros Elia said the cleaners' strike was "unprecedented"
The United Voices of the World Union, which organised the strikes, said the dispute also included issues over the lack of an occupational sick pay scheme and parity with the pay of directly employed staff.
It founder Petros Elia said the cleaners were "really leading the way, showing what can be done if workers come together.
"These strikes are unprecedented, they're really demanding a wage they can live on."
The RBKC told the Victoria Derbyshire programme that it does "not control what Amey [the contractor] pays their own staff".
But Mr Elia claimed this was a "lie".
"They [the council] set the price, they decide the cleaners' wages, the cleaners' terms and conditions," he said.
Emma Dent Coad said Kensington and Chelsea Council can afford for workers to be paid the London Living Wage
Emma Dent Coad, Labour MP for Kensington, added that the case had been made to the council to pay its workers the London Living Wage for the past "eight years".
"Every time we've brought it to the council, the argument has been, 'We can't afford it, it will cost £1m a year to pay all our [contractors' staff] the London Living Wage,'" she said.
"They choose to subsidise opera and other things for the same amount," she added, "but they won't actually pay people a living wage so they don't have to rely on benefits."
Amey said in a statement that it was "committed to the wellbeing of its employees.
"We have a number of agreements with councils to pay the London Living Wage.
"[Kensington and Chelsea Council] made no such request and so the staff on this contract currently receive the National Living Wage."
Regarding its dispute over pay, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said its cleaners were "valued colleagues".
It added: "We strictly enforce the Living Wage in all our contracts but specific pay and terms are for employers to agree directly with their employees."
Watch the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel in the UK and on iPlayer afterwards.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45098250
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news_uk-45098250
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Scrapping 1p and 2p copper coins 'won't increase prices' - BBC News
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2018-08-22
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Fears that everything would become more expensive by rounding up prices are unfounded, economists say.
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Business
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One of the most vociferous arguments made against scrapping 1p and 2p coins in the UK is that shops would automatically round up prices.
But analysis by Bank of England economists says the fear of everything becoming more expensive would be unfounded if coppers were ditched.
It says card payments make the issue irrelevant, and far fewer items are now priced ending in 99p.
In the chancellor's Spring Statement, a Treasury consultation about the mix of coins in circulation appeared to pave the way for the end of 1p and 2p coins.
A swift reverse by the Prime Minister's official spokesman declared there were no plans to scrap the copper coins: "One of the elements was whether the denominational mix of coins meets the public need. From the early reaction it looks as if it does."
That Treasury consultation explained that surveys suggested six in 10 of UK 1p and 2p coins were only used once before being put in a jar or discarded, while one in 12 was thrown into a bin.
The value of the 1p coin has also been reduced by inflation so, in effect, the 1p coin is now worth less than the halfpenny when it was abolished in 1984.
Among many of those who support the continuing use of copper coins, the belief is that retailers would simply round up prices to the nearest 5p if copper coins were scrapped.
Writing on the Bank of England's blog, Bank Underground, Marilena Angeli and Jack Meaning argue that - even if this happened - it would have little or no effect on the cost of living, as measured by inflation.
They said that many people bought more than one item at a time. By the time three items were bought, any effect of rounding on prices would be negated.
Secondly, they argued that the growth of non-cash payments - particularly contactless cards - meant that shoppers could still be charged the exact amount when paying by card.
Thirdly, the duo quoted figures showing that only 12% of prices ended with 99p, with a falling number of items now priced at, say, £1.99.
Many countries - including Canada, the home of Bank of England governor Mark Carney - have ditched their low denomination coins. Australia, Brazil, and Sweden are among many others to do so.
Various studies from around the world showed that removing low denomination coins would have little or no impact on prices, Ms Angeli and Mr Meaning wrote.
"As inflation steadily erodes the purchasing power of low denomination coinage, the case for its removal becomes stronger," the Bank of England economists conclude.
"This is not a new phenomenon and has been seen time and again, the world over. Even in the UK there is a precedent with the abolition of the halfpenny in 1984.
"Many of the arguments that were made in the early 1980s around the inflationary impact of removing that particular tiny coin are being made now. However, the evidence, including our own work on UK price data suggests they are unfounded."
The conclusion does not form part of Bank of England policy, but is published on the Bank's blog aimed at "sharing views that challenge - or support - prevailing policy orthodoxies".
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45269390
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Jamie Oliver's 'jerk rice' accused of cultural appropriation - BBC News
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2018-08-26
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Labour MP Dawn Butler has criticised the chef, saying "this appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop".
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Newsbeat
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Jamie Oliver has been accused of cultural appropriation for calling a new product "punchy jerk rice".
The decision to label the microwavable rice "jerk" has been criticised, because the product doesn't contain many of the ingredients traditionally used in a Jamaican jerk marinade.
"I'm just wondering do you know what Jamaican jerk actually is?" MP Dawn Butler asked the celebrity chef.
He said he used the name to show where he drew his culinary inspiration from.
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Jerk seasoning is usually used on chicken. The dish is often barbecued.
Jerk rice isn't really a thing, which is why a lot of people reacted angrily to Jamie's new creation.
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People have also questioned the ingredients in Jamie's rice.
There are many variations of jerk marinade, but most contain allspice, scotch bonnet chillies, thyme, soy sauce, ginger, lime, garlic, onions and sugar.
Jamie's "punchy jerk rice" mixes garlic, ginger and jalapenos "to create a jerk marinade with attitude".
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It's Labour politician Dawn Butler's tweet about the rice which seems to have really started a discussion though.
Plenty of people have accused the MP of making something out of nothing.
A Conservative MP was one of them.
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And others echoed his views.
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It's fair to say people are divided.
Responding to the criticism, Jamie said in a statement: "I've worked with flavours and spices from all over the world my whole career, learning and drawing inspiration from different countries and cultures to give a fresh twist to the food we eat every day.
"When I named the rice my intention was only to show where my inspiration came from."
There was a similar argument earlier this month about a range of Indian food sold by Marks & Spencer.
Food writer Mallika Basu questioned the ingredients used in a "Bengali turmeric curry".
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M&S told BBC Radio 4 at the time: "The curry kit was developed to be a traditional Bengali malai turmeric curry, a celebratory dish, popular with the British population in Kolkata."
But Mallika thought the supermarket had a "responsibility" to do better, when asked whether M&S was just catering for "British tastes".
"We're not in the 1960s anymore, we're not in the 1950s. People's opinions, tastes and knowledge about what constitutes regional curries has evolved tremendously.
"When you're going into really specific regions and you're giving things names that are obviously trying to give these things a more authentic regional gloss, I'm afraid that just doesn't cut it in today's world anymore."
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Jamie Oliver's 'jerk rice' accused of cultural appropriation - BBC News
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2018-08-27
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Labour MP Dawn Butler has criticised the chef, saying "this appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop".
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Newsbeat
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Jamie Oliver has been accused of cultural appropriation for calling a new product "punchy jerk rice".
The decision to label the microwavable rice "jerk" has been criticised, because the product doesn't contain many of the ingredients traditionally used in a Jamaican jerk marinade.
"I'm just wondering do you know what Jamaican jerk actually is?" MP Dawn Butler asked the celebrity chef.
He said he used the name to show where he drew his culinary inspiration from.
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Jerk seasoning is usually used on chicken. The dish is often barbecued.
Jerk rice isn't really a thing, which is why a lot of people reacted angrily to Jamie's new creation.
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People have also questioned the ingredients in Jamie's rice.
There are many variations of jerk marinade, but most contain allspice, scotch bonnet chillies, thyme, soy sauce, ginger, lime, garlic, onions and sugar.
Jamie's "punchy jerk rice" mixes garlic, ginger and jalapenos "to create a jerk marinade with attitude".
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It's Labour politician Dawn Butler's tweet about the rice which seems to have really started a discussion though.
Plenty of people have accused the MP of making something out of nothing.
A Conservative MP was one of them.
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And others echoed his views.
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It's fair to say people are divided.
Responding to the criticism, Jamie said in a statement: "I've worked with flavours and spices from all over the world my whole career, learning and drawing inspiration from different countries and cultures to give a fresh twist to the food we eat every day.
"When I named the rice my intention was only to show where my inspiration came from."
There was a similar argument earlier this month about a range of Indian food sold by Marks & Spencer.
Food writer Mallika Basu questioned the ingredients used in a "Bengali turmeric curry".
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M&S told BBC Radio 4 at the time: "The curry kit was developed to be a traditional Bengali malai turmeric curry, a celebratory dish, popular with the British population in Kolkata."
But Mallika thought the supermarket had a "responsibility" to do better, when asked whether M&S was just catering for "British tastes".
"We're not in the 1960s anymore, we're not in the 1950s. People's opinions, tastes and knowledge about what constitutes regional curries has evolved tremendously.
"When you're going into really specific regions and you're giving things names that are obviously trying to give these things a more authentic regional gloss, I'm afraid that just doesn't cut it in today's world anymore."
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Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.
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Judge throws out challenge to Scots abortion pill move - BBC News
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2018-08-15
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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A legal challenge against letting women take abortion pills at home in Scotland is thrown out.
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Scotland
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Misoprostol is sold under the brand name Cytotec among others
Scottish women will still be allowed to take abortion pills at home after a legal challenge against the move was thrown out.
Scotland became the first part of the UK to let women take the drug misoprostol at home last year.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) challenged the decision at the Court of Session.
However, judge Lady Wise has now ruled that the Scottish government's move was "not unlawful".
SPUC said it was "extremely disappointed" with the decision and that it would appeal against the ruling.
The vast majority of abortions in Scotland take place at less than nine weeks gestation, and are medical rather than surgical procedures.
The medical treatment involves taking two different drugs - first misfepristone, which blocks hormones which maintain the pregnancy, and then misoprostol, which can be taken on the same or following days.
Within an hour of taking the second tablet, women often experience heavy bleeding - usually on the way home from the clinic.
Scottish ministers moved to let women take misoprostol at home, saying this would allow them to be "in control of their treatment and as comfortable as possible during this procedure".
This already happens in other countries such as France and Sweden, and the British Pregnancy Advisory Service has been lobbying for the law in the UK to be changed.
However, pro-life group SPUC challenged the decision in Scotland's highest court, arguing that such a move contravenes the 1967 Abortion Act.
It said abortions could only legally be carried out in a medical facility, and argued that allowing women to take the tablet at home could put their health at risk.
However, Lady Wise rejected this, saying: "It seems to me that patients who self-administer medication at home may still be described as being treated by their medical practitioner, who remains in charge of that treatment."
Drawing an example to diabetics injecting themselves with insulin, she added: "Regardless of place, there is no need for a doctor to hand the medication to the woman personally."
Dismissing the challenge, the judge wrote: "I have concluded that the decision of the respondents to approve a woman's home as a place where one stage of the termination of pregnancy can be carried out is not unlawful on either of the grounds contended for by the petitioner."
John Deighan, chief executive of SPUC Scotland, said he was "extremely disappointed" with the verdict.
He said: "We maintain the belief that our arguments convincingly exposed the unlawfulness of the actions taken by the Scottish government, which are in contravention of the law.
"We will give thorough consideration of the judgement but at the forefront of our thoughts is the expectation that we will appeal the decision."
Prof Lesley Regan, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said the decision marked "a very significant step forward".
She urged UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock to replicate the move south of the border, saying he should "extend the same dignity and compassion to women in England".
She said: "It will allow women to avoid the distress and embarrassment of bleeding and pain during their journey home from an unnecessary second visit to a clinic or hospital.
"Ultimately, it will help to improve women's access to safe and regulated abortion care and take pressure off NHS services."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-45196213
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news_uk-scotland-45196213
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Jet2 plane divert row couple 'carried on Gran Canaria holiday' - BBC News
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2018-08-15
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The couple's argument led to the plane to Las Palmas being diverted to Faro in Portugal, a court hears.
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Essex
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The flight had been in the air for about an hour when the couple started arguing, the court heard
A couple whose "foul-mouthed" argument led an aircraft to be diverted, carried on a holiday after sleeping a night on airport benches, a court heard.
Ronald St Ville, 53, and Pauline Gordon, 66, were removed from Jet2's Stansted to Las Palmas flight in Faro after the mid-air row in July 2017, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.
Jet2 has since sent letters demanding compensation, the jury was told.
The couple, of Stewart Road, Stratford, deny endangering an aircraft.
After the couple, who are still together, spent the night in the Portuguese airport, Ms Gordon called family members who helped her book a flight back to Gatwick and another out to Gran Canaria the next day, to continue with their holiday.
The jury heard the couple began arguing after Mr St Ville refused to tell his partner who he had been texting.
After the row Mr St Ville had asked for money to buy a drink from Ms Gordon and had then taken her handbag, leading to a struggle, when she said no.
Ms Gordon, who paid for the all inclusive holiday as a birthday treat, told the court she had been annoyed when she found out Mr St Ville was texting another woman whom she had thought was just a friend.
She said: "He told me she had his passport and when he went to collect it she said, 'Why are you going on holiday with your other woman?' which I thought was funny."
But she said neither of them had been aggressive during the argument and after she got her bag back following a brief tussle they both calmed down.
Giving evidence Mr St Ville said he had made no threats of violence towards Ms Gordon and the argument had only lasted "a few minutes".
"I couldn't see any need to divert the flight," he told the court.
Ms Gordon added: "The holiday was okay, but Ronald kept texting that woman and he didn't want to go out anywhere. He said it was too hot."
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-45199244
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news_uk-england-essex-45199244
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Stefflon Don music video forces Mill Hill School apology - BBC News
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2018-08-23
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Mill Hill School says it's seeking legal advice after a music video depicting drug use was filmed on its grounds.
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Newsbeat
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A private school says it's seeking legal advice after getting complaints about a "highly inappropriate" music video filmed on its grounds.
Stefflon Don used Mill Hill School to film the video for her new song Pretty Girl.
One scene depicts the rapper smoking cannabis in her dorm, and she can also be seen swearing at another student.
The school has apologised and says it is "investigating" how the video was allowed to be made.
Mill Hill School is an independent school in North London.
In the video for Pretty Girl, Mobo winner Stefflon Don plays a new girl entering a pretty unwelcoming environment.
After struggling to make friends, the 26-year-old gets into a very sweary argument with another student during a row on the football pitch and appears naked in a shower scene.
Finally she appears to make some friends when she depicts getting high in her dorm room with some other girls.
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The video for the song was released on Monday.
Mill Hill School was criticised by the chairman of the Campaign For Real Education for allowing it to be shot on its grounds.
"The message being sent by this video popularises everything which good schools should be against - drug-taking, swearing, and overt sexuality," Chris McGovern said.
"These are all things which schools should be trying to guide pupils away from, not promoting them. Parents who are paying fees for their children to go there will be appalled."
The school says it gives permission for shoots on its grounds so that it can raise money for its "charitable objectives".
In a statement it said: "The head and the governors are investigating how a highly inappropriate film was allowed to be made at the school.
"We include in all hire agreements the requirement that parties should not bring the school into disrepute, and we are seeking legal advice on the matter."
It's not clear whether the school knew about the content of the film before accepting the booking but they say "strict controls are in place" and that in this case "these controls were breached".
The school has also apologised for the offence caused.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45283275
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news_newsbeat-45283275
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What's the anti-Semitism row doing to Labour? - BBC News
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2018-08-01
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Labour is beset by a row over claims of anti-Semitism - what's this doing to the party?
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UK Politics
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Labour's leadership is beset by claims of anti-Semitism among members and accusations it hasn't done enough to stop the problem. What is all this doing to the party and its standing?
For more than two years, the Labour Party has been mired in a row about the extent of anti-Semitism within its ranks.
There have been suspensions, inquiries, bitter internal rows and promises to tackle the issue from the top of the party. But the subject is as toxic as ever.
Earlier this month, the UK's three main Jewish newspapers all carried the same front page under the headline "United we stand", claiming Jeremy Corbyn posed an "existential threat" to Jewish life in Britain.
Two Labour MPs with Jewish family backgrounds, Margaret Hodge and Ian Austin, face disciplinary inquiries after separately berating the party leadership over its policy for dealing with anti-Semitism - in particular, the decision of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee not to adopt in full the list of anti-Semitic examples as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
The leadership insists it has adopted the definitions of anti-Semitism in a way that also allows people to criticise the actions of Israel.
But following strong complaints by a number of Labour figures, the party's MPs will now get a chance to show their support for the full IHRA definition when they return to Westminster in September.
The latest evidence of Labour's failure to close this row down is a recording of Peter Willsman, a long-standing ally of Mr Corbyn on the NEC, berating some members of the Jewish community for being "Trump fanatics" and questioning where the evidence is of widespread anti-Semitism within the party. Mr Willsman apologised before this recording came to light.
If you dip into the raucous maelstrom that characterises conversation between some Labour supporters online, you will find supporters of Mr Willsman. There are activists within Labour who see the focus on anti-Semitism within the party as a means of smearing Mr Corbyn by right-wing Blairites, supporters of Israel and critics within the mainstream media (including the BBC).
There are many who strongly argue anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is not widespread. But for other supporters of Mr Corbyn, Mr Willsman's remarks were beyond the pale. The Labour-supporting musician Billy Bragg said Mr Willsman could not deal with the problem of anti-Semitism within the party if he didn't think it existed.
Several high-profile Corbyn supporters took to Twitter to say Mr Willsman should withdraw from the NEC elections, which he is contesting on Momentum's slate. One of those, the journalist Owen Jones, said anti-Semitism did exist on the fringe of the left but the issue was also being used to smear Mr Corbyn. Both statements, he insisted, could be true.
In its response to Mr Willsman's outburst, Labour said it was committed to tackling and eradicating anti-Semitism in all its forms. But the fact is, after two years, relations between Britain's Jewish communities and the party are at a historical low.
Prominent Jewish voices inside and outside Labour are furious that the leadership seems to claim a clearer idea about what constitutes anti-Semitism than they do.
Neither the actions or words of Jeremy Corbyn have managed to calm this argument down.
And while the government struggles to keep its plan for Brexit on the road, Labour appears to be stuck in a cul-de-sac of blame and recrimination on how it's tackling anti-Semitism.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45019733
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news_uk-politics-45019733
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Jeremy Corbyn apologises over 2010 Holocaust event - BBC News
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2018-08-01
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The Labour leader apologises for "appearing on platforms with people whose views I completely reject".
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UK Politics
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Labour's Jeremy Corbyn has apologised for appearing on platforms with people whose views he "completely rejects".
Mr Corbyn's statement was in response to the Times reporting that he hosted an event in 2010 at which a Holocaust survivor compared Israel to Nazism.
Hajo Meyer's House of Commons talk was entitled 'The Misuse of the Holocaust for Political Purposes'.
Labour MP Louise Ellman told BBC Newsnight she was "absolutely appalled" to hear about Mr Corbyn's involvement.
The Labour leader's apology comes after one of his supporters in the party's National Executive Committee suggested that Jewish "Trump fanatics" were behind accusations of anti-Semitism in Labour ranks.
Peter Willsman has apologised and said not all his remarks were accurately reported.
At the event, which happened on Holocaust Memorial Day 2010, Jewish Auschwitz survivor and anti-Zionist Hajo Meyer, who died in 2014 aged 90, compared Israeli policy to the Nazi regime.
The Commons meeting came during a tour by Mr Meyer entitled 'Never again for anyone - Auschwitz to Gaza'.
The Times said that Palestinian activist Haidar Eid also addressed the meeting, saying: "The world was absolutely wrong to think that Nazism was defeated in 1945.
"Nazism has won because it has finally managed to Nazify the consciousness of its own victims."
Mr Corbyn said views were expressed which he did not "accept or condone".
He added: "In the past, in pursuit of justice for the Palestinian people and peace in Israel/Palestine, I have on occasion appeared on platforms with people whose views I completely reject.
"I apologise for the concerns and anxiety that this has caused."
Prominent Jewish voices inside and outside Labour are furious that the leadership seems to claim a clearer idea about what constitutes anti-Semitism than they do.
Neither the actions nor words of Jeremy Corbyn have managed to calm this argument down.
And while the government struggles to keep its plan for Brexit on the road, Labour appears to be stuck in a cul-de-sac of blame and recrimination on how it's tackling anti-Semitism.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour needed to resolve the anti-Semitism issue "as soon as possible".
"It's shaken us to the core really," he said.
"We've got to resolve the issue within the party and then get out there and assist the Jewish community in tackling anti-Semitism."
In July, Labour faced criticism over its new code of conduct on anti-Semitism, which critics claimed did not sign up fully to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition.
Labour says it has included the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition but has rewritten four of the examples included to expand and contextualise them "to produce legally robust guidelines that a political party can apply to disciplinary cases".
One of the examples changed was the IHRA's one saying: "Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis."
Labour's code of conduct instead says: "Discourse about international politics often employs metaphors drawn from examples of historic misconduct. It is not anti-Semitism to criticise the conduct or policies of the Israeli state by reference to such examples unless there is evidence of anti-Semitic intent. Chakrabarti recommended that Labour members should resist the use of Hitler, Nazi and Holocaust metaphors, distortions and comparisons in debates about Israel-Palestine in particular. In this sensitive area, such language carries a strong risk of being regarded as prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the party."
Following the row the party's MPs will vote in September on whether to adopt the full IHRA wording after passing an emergency motion last week.
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Louise Ellman said she was "exceedingly disturbed" by the situation, adding that by diluting the definition of anti-Semitism - a charge which the Labour Party rejects - Labour had "made it possible to compare Israel with the Nazis".
She added: "Jeremy is our leader, we want to be the next government, we need to change the way that this country is run to address the injustices in our society.
"But we can't do that while we are engulfed in this crisis of the Labour Party's inability to deal with anti-Semitism in its own ranks."
Labour MP John Mann, a long-standing critic of Mr Corbyn, told BBC Radio 4 Today that hosting an event called "Auschwitz to Gaza" on Holocaust Memorial Day breached anti-Semitism rules and "breaches any form of normal decency".
"I've no idea how he got himself into that situation, but I'm glad that he has apologised and on the back of that apology is the opportunity to do something significant," he said.
Ann Black, a member of Labour's National Executive Committee and a supporter of Mr Corbyn, urged him to follow the advice of shadow cabinet colleagues and adopt the working definition on anti-Semitism.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that if necessary the party could add assurances that members were free to defend Palestinians or criticise the Israeli government.
"I don't think Jeremy Corbyn is in any way racist or anti-Semitic. I do believe he has the authority and the ability to break the current impasse," she said.
• None What's the anti-Semitism row doing to Labour?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45027582
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news_uk-politics-45027582
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Labour 'shaken to the core' by anti-Semitism row - BBC News
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2018-08-01
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Shadow chancellor John McDonnell says Labour needs to "get out there" and fight anti-Semitism.
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UK Politics
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John McDonnell said Labour needed to "get out there" and fight anti-Semitism
Labour's anti-Semitism row needs to be resolved "as soon as possible", shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said, adding: "It's shaken us to the core."
Issues like the party's code of conduct urgently need to be settled, he added.
He was speaking after Jeremy Corbyn apologised over a 2010 event he hosted, where a Holocaust survivor compared Israeli policy to the Nazi regime.
Mr Corbyn said he "completely rejects" the views of some people he had shared platforms with in the past.
It comes as an ally of the leader faces calls to quit the party's ruling body after criticising "Trump fanatics" in the Jewish community, and with the party facing criticism from Jewish leaders and some of its MPs over its new anti-Semitism code of conduct.
Mr McDonnell said: "None of us fail to appreciate, I suppose, the way this has upset people including ourselves. It really has shaken us to the core really, but we'll resolve it, we've got to."
Mr McDonnell said Jewish people were "really suffering out there", citing a "massive increase in attacks", graffiti daubed on cemeteries and security guards for Jewish schools.
"So we've got to resolve the issue within our party and then get out there to assist the Jewish community campaigning against anti-Semitism within our society overall," he added.
The House of Commons event hosted by Mr Corbyn took place on Holocaust Memorial Day in 2010. Jewish Auschwitz survivor and anti-Zionist Hajo Meyer, who died in 2014 aged 90, compared Israeli policy to the Nazi regime.
The Commons meeting came during a wider tour by Mr Meyer entitled "Never again for anyone - Auschwitz to Gaza".
Jeremy Corbyn says he has sometimes shared platforms with people he disagrees with
The Times said that Palestinian activist Haidar Eid also addressed the meeting, saying, "the world was absolutely wrong to think that Nazism was defeated in 1945. Nazism has won because it has finally managed to Nazify the consciousness of its own victims".
Mr Corbyn said views were expressed which he did not "accept or condone".
He added: "In the past, in pursuit of justice for the Palestinian people and peace in Israel/Palestine, I have on occasion appeared on platforms with people whose views I completely reject.
"I apologise for the concerns and anxiety that this has caused."
Prominent Jewish voices inside and outside Labour are furious that the leadership seems to claim a clearer idea about what constitutes anti-Semitism than they do.
Neither the actions nor words of Jeremy Corbyn have managed to calm this argument down.
And while the government struggles to keep its plan for Brexit on the road, Labour appears to be stuck in a cul-de-sac of blame and recrimination on how it's tackling anti-Semitism.
A Labour MP has also called for an investigation into Mr Corbyn after a video of him praising the release of convicted terrorists from Hamas emerged.
The Times shared the video of the Labour leader who appeared on Iranian state TV in 2012.
He referred to the terrorists as "brothers" and questioned whether there was a "serious case" against them.
Joan Ryan, who represents Enfield North, has told the paper the interview was "abhorrent" and "brings the Labour party into disrepute".
Joan Ryan says she is calling on her party to investigate Mr Corbyn's appearance on Iranian state TV
Labour has faced criticism over its new code of conduct on anti-Semitism, which critics claim does not sign up fully to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition.
Labour says it has included the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition but has rewritten four of the examples included to expand and contextualise them "to produce legally robust guidelines that a political party can apply to disciplinary cases".
One of the examples changed was the IHRA's one saying: "Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis."
Labour's code of conduct instead says: "Discourse about international politics often employs metaphors drawn from examples of historic misconduct. It is not anti-Semitism to criticise the conduct or policies of the Israeli state by reference to such examples unless there is evidence of anti-Semitic intent.
"Shami Chakrabarti recommended that Labour members should resist the use of Hitler, Nazi and Holocaust metaphors, distortions and comparisons in debates about Israel-Palestine in particular. In this sensitive area, such language carries a strong risk of being regarded as prejudicial or grossly detrimental to the party."
Following the row, the party's MPs will vote in September on whether to adopt the full IHRA wording after passing an emergency motion last week.
Labour MP John Mann, a long-standing critic of Mr Corbyn, told BBC Radio 4 Today that hosting an event called "Auschwitz to Gaza" on Holocaust Memorial Day breached anti-Semitism rules and "breaches any form of normal decency".
"I've no idea how he got himself into that situation, but I'm glad that he has apologised and on the back of that apology is the opportunity to do something significant," he said.
Ann Black, a member of Labour's National Executive Committee and a supporter of Mr Corbyn, urged him to follow the advice of shadow cabinet colleagues and adopt the working definition on anti-Semitism.
She told Today that, if necessary, the party could add assurances that members were free to defend Palestinians or criticise the Israeli government.
"I don't think Jeremy Corbyn is in any way racist or anti-Semitic. I do believe he has the authority and the ability to break the current impasse," she said.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45035341
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news_uk-politics-45035341
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A brief history of Alex Salmond - BBC News
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2018-08-24
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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A profile of outgoing Scottish first minister and SNP leader Alex Salmond
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Scotland politics
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As Scottish first minister and leader of the Scottish National Party, Alex Salmond has been the most high-profile figure in the independence movement.
He took the SNP closer to its central aim than it had ever been, but after the "No" vote in September's referendum Mr Salmond decided to stand down.
So, how did Mr Salmond go from brash political outsider to international statesman?
Born on Hogmanay 1954 in the ancient burgh of Linlithgow, Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond graduated from St Andrews University and began a career in economics, working for the Scottish Office and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
He also played an increasingly active role in the Scottish National Party, having come to the conclusion that the economic case for independence was strong.
Mr Salmond's rise to prominence came as the SNP fell on hard times, triggered by Margaret Thatcher's 1979 Conservative election win, which saw the number of Nationalist MPs slashed from 11 to two.
He played a prominent role in the breakaway '79 Group, which sought to sharpen the SNP's message and appeal to dissident Labour voters - a move which earned him a brief expulsion from the party in 1982.
Reflecting on the incident years later, he put it down in part to his being a "brash young man" - although the urge to cause a bit of mischief has never been far from his mind.
Despite this episode, Mr Salmond established himself as a rising star of the SNP, winning the Westminster seat of Banff and Buchan in 1987 - and notably getting himself banned from the Commons chamber for a week after interrupting the chancellor's Budget speech in protest at the introduction of the poll tax in Scotland.
When the SNP leadership job came up in 1990, Mr Salmond grabbed the opportunity and, on winning the post, repositioned the party as more socially democratic and pro-European.
Scottish devolution was an opportunity for the SNP. The party failed to win the first Holyrood election in 1999, but gained enough seats to become the main opposition.
During the campaign, Mr Salmond had sparked controversy when he described Nato action in Kosovo as "an act of dubious legality, but, above all, one of unpardonable folly".
After putting in a decade as SNP leader, Mr Salmond decided to quit, standing down as an MSP and returning to Westminster.
During his time in London, Mr Salmond had a visible profile, partly from appearances on TV shows such as Question Time, Have I got News for You and Channel 4's Morning Line, where his horse racing expertise saw him offering tips and insights.
John Swinney took over the reins as SNP leader from Mr Salmond, but stood down in 2004 following continued criticism from sections of the party and the negative publicity of a leadership challenge.
Many turned to Mr Salmond to grasp the thistle and take his old job back. He responded by quoting Union Army General William Sherman, who, on being asked to run for president following the American Civil War, declared: "If nominated I'll decline. If drafted I'll defer. And if elected I'll resign."
As the leadership contest continued, with Roseanna Cunningham regarded as a front-runner, Mr Salmond made a surprise entry into the race, explaining: "I changed my mind."
Following his leadership comeback, on a joint ticket with deputy Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Salmond led the SNP to what was then its greatest hour - victory at the 2007 Scottish election and delivery of a minority SNP government.
The newly appointed first minister, who returned to Holyrood by winning the Liberal Democrat-held Gordon seat, soon had his first of many brushes with the UK government.
The subject was the future of the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, who was released by the Scottish government on compassionate grounds on account of his terminal illness, in the face of huge criticism from the US and others.
In contrast, the Glasgow Airport terror attack and the foot and mouth crisis showed how willing the first minister was to work with Westminster on issues of UK importance.
Scottish government policies such as protecting NHS spending, freezing council tax and scrapping bridge tolls and prescription charges were popular with voters.
But critics questioned whether universal benefits were affordable, and accused SNP ministers of giving local authorities a raw deal.
As the global economic meltdown took hold, Mr Salmond blamed "spivs and speculators" for the problems which caused the takeover of HBOS, as the crisis of confidence in the financial sector hit Scotland.
He later faced criticism from political rivals who said HBOS's real problems were caused by the bank's exposure to the volatile mortgage market.
On the day Fred Goodwin was stripped of his knighthood, Mr Salmond also reflected on a letter he previously wrote to the banker when he was running Royal Bank of Scotland, offering the Scottish government's assistance in the takeover of Dutch bank ABN-Amro - the deal which contributed to RBS needing a £45bn bailout.
Looking back, Mr Salmond said very few people could have predicted the meltdown, adding: "If we had the benefit of hindsight we'd do things differently and I am sure that is true of lots and lots of people."
The first minister has faced opposition accusations of close links with big businessmen, including the Stagecoach boss Brian Soutar, US tycoon Donald Trump - who later turned on Mr Salmond over his government's pro-wind farm policy - and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Mr Salmond always insisted relations with such figures were about promoting jobs for Scotland.
Mr Salmond's hopes of increasing the number of SNP MPs in a hung UK parliament in 2010 with the purpose of "making Westminster dance to a Scottish jig" didn't quite come off.
With a resurgent Tory party on course for victory, Scots voters came out in their droves to back Labour, during a campaign which saw the SNP unsuccessfully take the BBC to court, after it was decided Mr Salmond couldn't debate with Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and David Cameron on TV.
Despite the result, the first minister came to regard a Tory-led Westminster government as a key argument for independence, by invoking memories of Thatcher (and poking fun at the Conservatives' single Scottish MP).
It seemed Labour was on course to win the 2011 Scottish election, but Mr Salmond - never to be underestimated - launched into the contest with a positive campaign.
When he came up against Labour's negative, attacking style, Scots voters decided there was no contest - and the SNP was returned with a jaw-dropping landslide win.
Holyrood's part-proportional representation/part-constituency system was essentially designed to keep any one party (ie the SNP) from winning an overall majority - but the nationalists' victory brought about a generational shift in Scottish politics, which had seen Labour as the dominant force for 50 years.
The Salmond Administration V2.0 continued as Scotland's devolved government, pledging to resist Westminster cuts and protect cherished universal benefits, while claiming achievements such as cutting crime to a 30-year low.
Opposition parties regularly argued the first minister was becoming so obsessed with his dream of independence that he'd taken his eye off the ball when it came to Scotland's needs.
Mr Salmond's critics also claimed falling teacher and nursing numbers, and housing shortages, were examples of a lax attitude.
Mr Salmond didn't bring forward his government's promised Referendum Bill in its first term because it lacked the necessary votes in Holyrood - possibly a blessing in disguise, given the polls were indicating a "No" outcome at the time.
The 2011 election result made the independence referendum a certainty - and it was time for Mr Salmond to put his money (and North Sea oil reserves) where his mouth was.
The first minister, along with his government and the wider independence movement, set out a vision of Scotland's as one of the world's richest small nations - with opponents arguing he was willing to say anything to win a "Yes" vote.
But on the night it wasn't to be, as voters rejected independence by 55% to 45% in the 18 September vote.
The following day, Mr Salmond announced he was standing down as first minister and SNP leader - but not before delivering a warning to his opponents to make good on their promise to increase the powers of the devolved Scottish Parliament.
His long-term deputy Nicola Sturgeon replaced Mr Salmond at the top of the SNP in November 2014.
Soon after that Mr Salmond announced he intended to return to Westminster, standing as the SNP candidate for Gordon in the 2015 May election.
He won the seat and was appointed as the SNP's foreign affairs spokesman in the House of Commons.
However, his time at Westminster was cut short by the snap election called by Prime Minister Theresa May for June 2017.
He was the most high-profile of several SNP MPs to lose their seats, suffering his first defeat as a candidate in any parliamentary election since entering Westminster in 1987.
The Alex Salmond Show began broadcasting in November last year
During the summer after he lost his Westminster seat, he hosted a sell-out run of his Alex Salmond Unleashed show at the Edinburgh Fringe, in which he chatted with guests such as Elaine C Smith.
His fortnight at the Fringe was good practice for the TV show he began in November 2017 on the RT channel.
Critics claimed that RT was a Russian propaganda channel but Mr Salmond urged viewers to judge for themselves.
Opponents accused the former Scottish first minister of being a "useful idiot for the Kremlin".
But Mr Salmond insisted that the state-funded channel was not propaganda and he had never been told what to say.
Despite his public profile, Mr Salmond and wife Moira, closely protect their private lives.
He is also known for his fondness for singing, horse racing and (like many Scots) curries.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28835771
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news_uk-scotland-scotland-politics-28835771
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Jet2 plane divert row couple 'carried on Gran Canaria holiday' - BBC News
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2018-08-16
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The couple's argument led to the plane to Las Palmas being diverted to Faro in Portugal, a court hears.
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Essex
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The flight had been in the air for about an hour when the couple started arguing, the court heard
A couple whose "foul-mouthed" argument led an aircraft to be diverted, carried on a holiday after sleeping a night on airport benches, a court heard.
Ronald St Ville, 53, and Pauline Gordon, 66, were removed from Jet2's Stansted to Las Palmas flight in Faro after the mid-air row in July 2017, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.
Jet2 has since sent letters demanding compensation, the jury was told.
The couple, of Stewart Road, Stratford, deny endangering an aircraft.
After the couple, who are still together, spent the night in the Portuguese airport, Ms Gordon called family members who helped her book a flight back to Gatwick and another out to Gran Canaria the next day, to continue with their holiday.
The jury heard the couple began arguing after Mr St Ville refused to tell his partner who he had been texting.
After the row Mr St Ville had asked for money to buy a drink from Ms Gordon and had then taken her handbag, leading to a struggle, when she said no.
Ms Gordon, who paid for the all inclusive holiday as a birthday treat, told the court she had been annoyed when she found out Mr St Ville was texting another woman whom she had thought was just a friend.
She said: "He told me she had his passport and when he went to collect it she said, 'Why are you going on holiday with your other woman?' which I thought was funny."
But she said neither of them had been aggressive during the argument and after she got her bag back following a brief tussle they both calmed down.
Giving evidence Mr St Ville said he had made no threats of violence towards Ms Gordon and the argument had only lasted "a few minutes".
"I couldn't see any need to divert the flight," he told the court.
Ms Gordon added: "The holiday was okay, but Ronald kept texting that woman and he didn't want to go out anywhere. He said it was too hot."
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-45199244
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news_uk-england-essex-45199244
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Jamie Oliver's 'jerk rice' accused of cultural appropriation - BBC News
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2018-08-20
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Labour MP Dawn Butler has criticised the chef, saying "this appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop".
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Newsbeat
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Jamie Oliver has been accused of cultural appropriation for calling a new product "punchy jerk rice".
The decision to label the microwavable rice "jerk" has been criticised, because the product doesn't contain many of the ingredients traditionally used in a Jamaican jerk marinade.
"I'm just wondering do you know what Jamaican jerk actually is?" MP Dawn Butler asked the celebrity chef.
He said he used the name to show where he drew his culinary inspiration from.
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Jerk seasoning is usually used on chicken. The dish is often barbecued.
Jerk rice isn't really a thing, which is why a lot of people reacted angrily to Jamie's new creation.
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People have also questioned the ingredients in Jamie's rice.
There are many variations of jerk marinade, but most contain allspice, scotch bonnet chillies, thyme, soy sauce, ginger, lime, garlic, onions and sugar.
Jamie's "punchy jerk rice" mixes garlic, ginger and jalapenos "to create a jerk marinade with attitude".
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It's Labour politician Dawn Butler's tweet about the rice which seems to have really started a discussion though.
Plenty of people have accused the MP of making something out of nothing.
A Conservative MP was one of them.
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And others echoed his views.
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It's fair to say people are divided.
Responding to the criticism, Jamie said in a statement: "I've worked with flavours and spices from all over the world my whole career, learning and drawing inspiration from different countries and cultures to give a fresh twist to the food we eat every day.
"When I named the rice my intention was only to show where my inspiration came from."
There was a similar argument earlier this month about a range of Indian food sold by Marks & Spencer.
Food writer Mallika Basu questioned the ingredients used in a "Bengali turmeric curry".
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M&S told BBC Radio 4 at the time: "The curry kit was developed to be a traditional Bengali malai turmeric curry, a celebratory dish, popular with the British population in Kolkata."
But Mallika thought the supermarket had a "responsibility" to do better, when asked whether M&S was just catering for "British tastes".
"We're not in the 1960s anymore, we're not in the 1950s. People's opinions, tastes and knowledge about what constitutes regional curries has evolved tremendously.
"When you're going into really specific regions and you're giving things names that are obviously trying to give these things a more authentic regional gloss, I'm afraid that just doesn't cut it in today's world anymore."
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Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45246009
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news_newsbeat-45246009
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'Snapchat queen' Fatima Khan jailed for killing boyfriend - BBC News
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2018-09-21
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Fatima Khan, 21, filmed Khalid Safi as he lay dying in a pool of blood in west London.
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London
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Fatima Khan said she was ashamed of the video she made of Khalid Safi's dying moments
A woman who filmed her boyfriend dying in a pool of blood and put the video on social media has been jailed for 14 years.
Fatima Khan, 21, dubbed a "Snapchat queen", plotted with a love rival to kill Khalid Safi, 18, who she had been seeing for two years.
Mr Safi was repeatedly stabbed in the chest by Raza Khan in North Acton, London, in December 2016, jurors heard.
Khan was convicted of manslaughter after a trial at the Old Bailey.
Mr Khan remains on the run, the Met Police said on Friday.
Khan, described by her own defence barrister as "Ilford's Snapchat queen", filmed Mr Safi as he lay dying in the street and posted it on the picture-sharing app alongside an offensive message.
She wept uncontrollably as Judge Michael Topolski QC jailed her and said she had acted in a "cold and callous and despicable way".
The judge said her "disrespect for Khalid reached new and inhuman depths when in an act of grotesque contempt for him you calmly walked towards him as he lay dying".
"You filmed him in the process of dying and take a still picture of him all of which which you sent with that chilling message to all your Snapchat friends."
Khalid Safi was stabbed to death in December 2016
As with all Snapchat videos, the pictures would have been automatically deleted within 24 hours.
However, one of the group of friends who followed her online posts filmed the message which was used as key evidence in her trial.
Khan had denied murdering Mr Safi, saying she was "ashamed" of the video.
A jury cleared her of murder by joint enterprise but found her guilty of the alternative charge of manslaughter.
The court heard Mr Khan was "a rival for her affections" and Khan arranged for him to kill Mr Safi.
On the day of the killing, Mr Safi and Khan had gone to a Costa Coffee near to her work at Vigilant Security in North Acton.
Mr Khan then arrived in a minicab and walked up to the couple, holding a large knife.
Mr Safi produced a screwdriver and the pair fought for about 15 seconds before the victim was fatally wounded, the court heard.
Raza Khan is wanted for the murder of Khalid Safi
In mitigation at the sentencing hearing, Kerim Fuad QC said Khan had a "pathological obsession" with her mobile phone and the Snapchat app.
"It's become an increasingly worrying aspect of society that these devices are playing such a prominent role," he added.
Mr Fuad described Khan as an "attention-seeking princess".
The court heard she had previous convictions for assault, shoplifting and fraud dating back to when she was aged 14.
Det Ch Insp Mark Cranwell reiterated the Met's appeal for information to help find Mr Khan, who is wanted for Mr Safi's murder.
He added: "A petty argument over rival affections has escalated with a tragic outcome. If you know where [Raza] Khan is, I'd urge you to do the right thing and contact the police."
• None The 'Snapchat Queen' who filmed her boyfriend's death
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2016-london-45603199
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news_election-2016-london-45603199
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Cuomo-Nixon debate: Can a room temperature really be sexist? - BBC News
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2018-09-03
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Actress and politician Cynthia Nixon has prompted a heated debate - about women freezing in offices.
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US & Canada
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A debate between the Governor of New York and his challenger Cynthia Nixon has ignited a discussion about "sexist" temperatures
The question may sound bizarre, but it's taken off on social media ahead of a debate between New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is seeking a third term, and Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon - his challenger for the Democratic nomination.
Ms Nixon has one chance to go head-to-head with Mr Cuomo, and her team fear she could be disadvantaged by freezing temperatures at the venue.
So is it just a diva demand, or part of a wider problem where women are left chilly in the workplace?
Here's how the heated discussion got started...
Governor Cuomo supposedly favours Arctic conditions when making public appearances. It's sufficiently bad that the New York Times once headlined an article, "Going to an Event Featuring Cuomo? Take a Coat, or Maybe a Blanket".
Keen to avoid the Big Freeze, Ms Nixon's team emailed organisers to ask that the room be heated to 76F (24C) on Wednesday night.
Strategist Rebecca Katz wrote that working conditions are "notoriously sexist when it comes to room temperature, so we just want to make sure we're all on the same page here".
When news of the request emerged, thermostat warriors lined up on both sides of the argument, with many agreeing that public spaces are "too cold" by women's standards.
"I'm sitting here in my work Snuggie wondering if this is actually the opening salvo of the revolution," wrote Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse.
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"At one place where I worked, I would get ready in the morning, put on a presentable outfit, and then wonder why I bothered after I got to the office and threw on my pilly old fleece zip-up to keep warm," agreed Lauren Sieben.
Iowa University Professor Kerry Howley tweeted (tongue-in-cheek) that she had "**never** felt more invested in a political debate", adding: "49% of Americans control 100% of the office thermostats. Don't engage me unless you're willing to argue at 79 degrees."
Some women disagreed, of course. Or as tweeter Katie Kearns put it: "Every woman in menopause just sweated all over you."
Politico reporter Dan Goldberg argued that there isn't a male conspiracy when it comes to temperature control, writing: "Why can't we say that men and women by and large dress differently and have different preferences??? NOT everything is sexist."
As the New York Times pointed out, however, there is some scientific basis for saying temperatures are rigged to keep men comfortable.
A 2015 study published in the journal Nature Climate Change found that most office buildings still set their temperatures based on men's metabolic rates. It concluded that the average comfortable level for men is about 72F, but women prefer a balmier 77.
Though Mr Cuomo's campaign declared that "unlike Cynthia Nixon, the governor has more important things to focus on than the temperature of a room", his senior aide Melissa DeRosa still weighed in online with a picture of the governor's dog lying in a pool of ice.
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L. Joy Williams, an adviser to Ms Nixon, hinted that her side had deliberately gone in with a higher number than they wanted, tweeting: "Maybe you say 76 degrees and get 65 degrees instead of freezing at 50."
So will the governor be feeling the heat on Wednesday, or will his challenger be left out in the cold?
Only time (and Twitter) will tell...
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Cynthia Nixon held her first campaign rally in Brooklyn
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Anti-Semitism row: Corbyn has been misinterpreted, says close ally - BBC News
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2018-09-03
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An ally of Jeremy Corbyn says he has been "misinterpreted", as ex-PM Gordon Brown urges decisive action.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Corbyn a 'danger' to British Jews, says ex chief rabbi
Labour can resolve its anti-Semitism crisis quickly, John McDonnell has said, insisting Jeremy Corbyn's views on Israel have been "misinterpreted".
The shadow chancellor told the BBC that he thinks there will be "acceptance overall" of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines on anti-Semitism, as long as free speech was protected.
But ex-Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks said Mr Corbyn must also "repent and recant".
And ex-PM Gordon Brown said Labour must act now or undermine its values.
Speaking at a meeting of Jewish Labour MPs in London, Mr Brown said the party needed to be "cleansed of anti-Semitism and racism".
The party has been beset by arguments over the issue throughout the summer, prompting ex-minister Frank Field to resign the whip on Thursday and others to threaten to do the same. John Woodcock also cited it as one of the reasons for quitting the party in July.
Claims that the leadership is failing to tackle anti-Semitism and, in some cases, condoning it came to a head last month when footage from 2013 emerged of Mr Corbyn saying a group of British Zionists had "no sense of English irony" despite a lifetime in the country.
Labour MP Luciana Berger said it made her "feel unwelcome" in the party while Lord Sacks branded his comments as "the most offensive statement" by a politician since the late Conservative MP Enoch Powell's 1968 Rivers of Blood speech.
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Speaking publicly for the first time since he made those remarks, the former chief rabbi told the Andrew Marr show he stood by his criticism of Mr Corbyn and suggested British Jews were considering leaving the country because of the prospect of him becoming prime minister.
"Jeremy Corbyn must repent and recant as quickly as possible," he said.
"When people hear the kind of language that's been coming out of Labour, that's been brought to the surface among Jeremy Corbyn's earlier speeches, they cannot but feel an existential threat.
"I'm afraid that until he expresses clear remorse for what he said and what his party has done to its Jewish sympathisers, as well as its Jewish MPs, then he is as great a danger as Enoch Powell was.
"Anyone who uses the term 'Zionist' loosely without great care is in danger of engulfing Britain in the kind of flames of hatred that have reappeared throughout Europe and is massively irresponsible."
But Mr McDonnell said that while Lord Sacks had been "brutally honest", he was wide of the mark, because Mr Corbyn had never solely blamed Israel for the conflict in the Middle East and had consciously distinguished between Zionists and the Jewish population in general.
"I just say to Lord Sacks 'you've got it wrong, come and talk to us'," he said.
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"You've misinterpreted what's gone on. I think you've got, really have misinterpreted Jeremy. I've known him for over 30 years. His whole life has been devoted to anti-racism, to peace and justice."
He said the decision on whether to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines in full, to be discussed on Tuesday, was a matter for Labour's ruling body but he suggested he backed it personally.
He claimed a solution was within reach that could "satisfy all sides" if Labour promised "full engagement" with the Jewish community going forward but members were able to continue to criticise the actions of the Israeli government within clear boundaries and the rights of Palestinians were also recognised.
"I think we can resolve this fairly quickly, constructively and with good will, working together," he said.
Speaking at a meeting of the Jewish Labour Movement, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the definition must be adopted "unanimously, unequivocally and immediately".
Warning about the rise in anti-Semitic attacks in recent years, he said the problem was not "abstract and theoretical but real and present and had to be dealt with now".
Labour, he said, had historically often been the "last line of defence against persecution and discrimination" in society and the party could not allow itself to be seen as the "first line of attack".
"It is not simply about a procedure. It is about who we are, what we stand for, what makes us tick and the soul of the Labour Party," he said.
On 26 May, in Bucharest, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance adopted the following non-legally binding working definition of anti-Semitism:
"Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.
"Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities."
The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said Labour's NEC was likely to adopt the definition but with caveats amid concerns about the stifling of "legitimate criticism" of Israel.
Former MP Ivor Caplin, who is chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said it and other groups were only prepared to have a dialogue with Mr Corbyn if he made it "very clear" that he would take firm action against anti-Semites in the party and others engaging in "bad behaviour" at a local level.
Amid growing warnings that Labour was facing a 1980s-style split, Mr McDonnell said the party must remain a "broad church" and he hoped Mr Field would "come back into the fold".
The Birkenhead MP, a former welfare minister, quit the Labour group at Westminster on Thursday over what he called the party's "tolerance" of anti-Semitism and a "culture of nastiness".
While Labour MPs who resigned the whip should normally trigger a by-election, Mr McDonnell said in this case he did not want to "go anywhere near that" given Mr Field's long service to the party.
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Brexit: Common sense or just scare tactics? - BBC News
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2018-09-17
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The prime minster says it's her deal or no deal, as MPs are faced with a decision.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May told Panorama: 'I think that the alternative to that (the Chequers plan) will be not having a deal'
My deal or no deal! An agreement or Armageddon! Compromise or catastrophe!
This is not of course a subject to be flippant about. And it is easy to see why the government has moved already to presenting the next couple of months of fraught activity in Westminster as already being a decision for MPs - back Theresa May whatever she brings back from Brussels or take a reckless roll of the dice.
There is nothing funny about the forecasts of what could happen if there is no deal.
Number 10 believes that will be the rub, the reality of the situation. But while they might wish they were at the closing stage where those arguments will play, they are not there yet.
There are still forces at play that could shape the outcome of the deal, before the Tory whips can start counting up the votes.
First - some Brexiteers are absolutely serious and organised about trying to force Theresa May to shift her plans. They are already making a lot of political noise.
They will demand much of the oxygen at the Tory conference and could make life for the government extremely hard on what one described as 'any or all' votes in the run-up to the Brexit deal.
It doesn't seem necessarily clear to me why the PM would be able to hold off all their demands this time, when on many previous occasions she has had to budge a little.
In turn, some former Remainers plan to use other legislation coming back to Parliament to have another go at softening the government's position.
There is a putative plan for another amendment to leave the country in the European economic area, starting with changing the Trade Bill in the House of Lords.
One MP involved told me: "Some MPs talk about opposing no deal but what does that really mean? There has to be a fallback plan and this amendment could lead the way to finding a solution."
It doesn't mean that those former Remainers will be successful this time around, but it doesn't mean they won't give it a good try.
Add to that the increasing visibility of those campaigning for a second referendum. They know such a vote could only really come out of the turmoil of a no-deal scenario. But they are trying, extremely hard, to shift the terms of the debate.
Lastly and most importantly, Theresa May's plan is a set of proposals for negotiation.
While we may see friendlier rhetoric this week at an EU leaders' shindig in Salzburg, they are never going to accept her compromise in one big chunk.
There will be a process of push and shove, there will have to be some more compromise. The final terms could make the calculations for MPs very different. Even some government ministers privately say they can't be sure they will back the PM until that much later stage.
In the end Number 10 may well be right - they could get their way in Parliament, pushing through a historic deal not by making a persuasive case for its merits but by talking up the risks of saying no.
Common sense? Or just scare tactics? That's the call MPs may have to face.
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Brexit: Where has the process got to? - BBC News
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2018-09-17
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It’s worth taking a breath and reflecting, in a way that’s not exhaustive, on where this process is.
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UK Politics
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It's felt like a long time to get this far.
Decades of debate about our place in the EU. Years of push me, pull you debates on the right, about whether there should be a referendum on our membership of the European Union. The crashing highs and lows, and lows and highs of the referendum campaign itself.
And since then, more than 18 months of the Brexit process squeezing the life out of almost everything else in our politics - still a subject of huge division, of frustration, of thrill and excitement, of concern and fascination and question marks.
Much of 'Brexit' is mind-numbing to many in its complexity and level of detail. Some of the political game-playing is tedious soap opera to all but a precious few. The parliamentary process is vital but labyrinthine. The layers upon layers of party divisions are ever shifting, and hard to track.
But what looks like a series of individual clashes, or indeed occasionally a shambles, matters. Because the eventual decisions that will and are being made in all of our names are a product of all of those tangles, and they will affect our livelihoods and the place of the country in the world for many years to come.
Enter the word or phrase you are looking for
With six months to go, and a critical meeting of EU leaders later this week, where the UK hopes to move into the next phase, it's worth taking a breath and reflecting, in a way that's not exhaustive, on where this process has got to. The most likely outcome right now is that a deal between the UK and the EU will be done in November.
If that happens it will be made up of a legally binding withdrawal agreement - that contains the cash, what happens to citizens on both sides, and in theory, a solution for Northern Ireland. Alongside that will be the document that in theory shapes the future of the relationship for good - the political declaration.
However, as we joked at the beginning of the process that the deal was likely in the end to be a fudge, so it seems that could come to pass. Behind the scenes diplomats and politicians are starting to talk about the declaration being vague, in order that trickiest issues don't have to be resolved yet.
A senior cabinet minister told me last week, 'ambiguity might be the way out'. Michael Gove even suggested publicly on Sunday that this year's deal doesn't have to be the end of the story. One diplomat told me that a vague deal might be the way through but that means Brexit would then essentially go on for years - 'If the vagueness is the solution then at the end we start again'.
This set of Brexit talks would conclude, only for years of a next phase to begin. But this is becoming known as 'blind Brexit', and while it is a possible way out of the talks it has obvious problems. One MP joked that we might end up with an 'agreement of adjectives'.
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The most pressing argument against a vague deal is concern over the Irish border. Again in his column in the Daily Telegraph, the former foreign secretary expresses his frustration with how that question has become such a central issue in the talks.
But frankly, it's been the blindingly obvious case for many months, that without a convincing arrangement coming from the UK side, the EU will find it extremely difficult to do the deal, without forcing their backstop. There's talk in negotiation circles of 'backstop 2', there's talk of a way of softening the language around the EU's position. And, of course, Brexiteers are trying hard to force Theresa May to put a different set of arrangements on the table.
There is, however, no chance of her shifting, at least not until after the end of the Conservative conference. Her Chequers agreement where officials and ministers drafted a way through the EU and UK red lines is her plan for now and she isn't budging until she is forced to.
Without going through the arguments as we have discussed many times here, her Chequers deal is one of the reasons why her job is at risk. Since the election, her handling of Brexit has made her vulnerable to circling rivals in the Tory party. Her advocates believe she has displayed extraordinary resilience holding on so far. But there is a sense of foreboding around the place.
More and more MPs are willing to say publicly that after Brexit her time is limited. One senior MP suggested to me that if those close to the Prime Minister aren't telling her that then they are in fact doing her a disservice.
The Tories have been lucky though in one sense. An opposition party that was less distracted by its own woes could be tearing strips off the government daily. As it is, with Labour's own problems so clearly on display, the government is in a less precarious position than you might expect.
But they are vulnerable, enormously vulnerable, in the next couple of months. Assuming that there is a deal of some sorts (if it is possible to assume anything), the government is not certain to be able to get the vote through the House of Commons. Government insiders believe the vote will get through, that most MPs will choose the relative stability of a deal, rather than take the risk. One Tory MP even said last week, 'any deal is better than no deal'.
But, and it is a big but, Tory hard core eurosceptics might join with the opposition parties to bring the deal down. They really might. If that happens there is no map and no precedent. Those campaigning vigorously for a second referendum believe that could be their opportunity to push for a second vote. The Labour Party hope that would bring a general election giving them an opportunity to win.
A vote could sink Theresa May, or even re-open the referendum. The bumps of the last two years could be nothing in comparison to that.
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Coleen Nolan cancels all work after online trolling - BBC News
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2018-09-07
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The Loose Women presenter says she's not "strong enough" to cope after Kim Woodburn row.
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Entertainment & Arts
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Coleen Nolan pulled out of Loose Women on Thursday saying she was still 'very upset' over the row
Coleen Nolan has said she is cancelling all her work commitments following her on-screen row with Kim Woodburn on Loose Women.
Ofcom received more than 7,000 complaints about the episode, with viewers accusing Nolan and other panellists of bullying Woodburn.
Nolan will not appear on Loose Women until further notice and her solo tour Never Too Late is being postponed.
A statement on her Twitter account said she is "devastated" to let people down.
But said she is "not strong enough to withstand... constant and unfounded online abuse".
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The statement adds she will be taking an "immediate hiatus" and spending time with her children and family "where she feels loved and respected".
Nolan had already dropped out of an appearance on Thursday's Loose Women, writing on Twitter that she was "still very upset about everything that's happened".
When she appeared on Tuesday's This Morning to talk about the tour, Nolan cried when she was asked about the argument.
She said there was a campaign to get her fired from the show and that she'd been sent "revolting" messages.
Janet Street-Porter attempted to mediate between Coleen Nolan (left) and Kim Woodburn
Woodburn had been invited on to Loose Women to reconcile with Nolan after they fell out on a previous series of Celebrity Big Brother.
However it ended in a row and Woodburn became tearful and stormed off set after clashing with the panel.
Nolan said the row was "ugly, upsetting and unpleasant", adding that she she wished she could turn back time and undo it.
But, she said: "Anyone that knows me knows I'm not a bully. That would be the most hurtful thing people could call me."
Thursday's statement says she has experienced "constant online bullying, trolling, and misrepresentation of her words, actions and re-actions".
"Coleen has spent 50 years in show-business and 18 years as one of the most loved members of the Loose Women panel, and has never been subjected to such a horrifying torrent of online abuse or such a heart-breaking attack on her reputation.
"She sends her love to everyone who has supported her and knows who she really is and plans to return when she feels stronger."
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
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Brexit: Barnier says agreement possible by early November - BBC News
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2018-09-10
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The EU negotiator says a deal on the UK's withdrawal could be agreed if negotiators are "realistic".
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UK Politics
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Michel Barnier has said a Brexit deal is possible within six to eight weeks.
The EU's chief negotiator said if both sides are "realistic" there could be an agreement on the terms of the UK's exit by early November.
His comments come amid unconfirmed reports a one-off summit of EU leaders could be convened in the middle of November to sign off the agreement.
The BBC's Katya Adler said Mr Barnier's tone may have changed but the substance of his arguments was still the same.
While the EU was not about to compromise its Brexit principles, our Europe editor said the bloc was aware of Mrs May's domestic political troubles and "planned to throw her as much of a lifeline as possible".
Mrs May has been warned she faces a mass Tory rebellion if she persists with her Chequers plan for future relations with the EU, with former Brexit minister Steve Baker claiming as many as 80 Tories could oppose it in a Commons vote later this year.
The UK and EU are hoping to finalise the so-called divorce agreement and agree a statement on their future economic co-operation in time for an EU summit in mid-October or by the end of the month at the latest.
Mr Barnier has said this is vital if the UK and EU Parliaments are to have enough time to consider and vote on the proposals before the UK's scheduled departure on 29 March 2019.
But some senior Tory Brexiteers are continuing to urge the PM to change course, saying proposals agreed by her cabinet in July - which would see the UK follow EU rules on trade in goods - will not be backed by Parliament.
Mr Baker said the party risked a "catastrophic split" if the PM didn't rethink her approach, which he suggested many MPs - including some who backed Remain - thought was worse than staying in the EU as it would leave the UK without any say in its rules.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. What Labour's Stephen Kinnock claimed Mr Barnier told him about Chequers
A key argument that has been made by MPs opposed to the Chequers deal in recent weeks is that the EU will not accept it, since it seeks different levels of market access and obligations for goods and services.
After meeting Mr Barnier last week, Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Frenchman's views were closer to his than those of the prime minister while Labour MP Stephen Kinnock claimed he told him and other MPs that, referring to the Chequers plan, "les propositions sont mortes" (the proposals are dead).
But asked about this at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, Mr Barnier said this was not true. "I never said that, I don't think that. It is not my feeling."
He described the Chequers plan as a "very important" document and suggested the EU was now "benchmarking" it against the mandate it had been given by the EU's 27 other members.
"It is useful because it clearly defines what the wishes are for the UK for future relations."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Steve Baker: We are not trying to topple the prime minister
Mr Barnier said there were "many, many points of convergence" between the two sides, particularly over defence and security and a deal on the terms of withdrawal could be settled within six to eight weeks.
But he warned that the UK's core proposals for trading relations after it leaves were a direct challenge to the founding principles of the EU and the integrity of the single market.
"It is not possible to get freedom for goods without freedom for services, in particular for the movement of people," he said.
The BBC's Katya Adler said there was a suggestion EU leaders might be preparing to give Mr Barnier an updated negotiating mandate when they meet in Salzburg later this month, but that any changes were likely to be "pretty cosmetic" rather than a fundamental change in the EU's negotiating position.
The talk in Brussels among senior EU officials is increasingly of a special Brexit summit in the week commencing 12 November, if as is widely expected, a deal cannot be struck in October.
The Chequers agreement led to the resignations of then-Brexit Secretary David Davis and the former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, both of whom have continued to criticise the direction of government policy.
Mr Johnson caused controversy over the weekend with a column in the Mail on Sunday, calling the PM's plan a "suicide vest" around the UK, with the detonator in Brussels' hands.
No 10 has said its plan was the "only one on the table" able to deliver on the will of British people while avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland.
Asked when Brexiteers outside of the government would come up with a detailed alternative, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said he and others would be putting forward a "whole set of new ideas" in the coming weeks but it was up to ministers to mould them into a plan that would be approved by Parliament.
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Is Labour a step closer to resolving its anti-Semitism mess? - BBC News
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2018-09-04
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What makes an early resolution tricky is the caveat that the party has included alongside the internationally recognised definition.
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UK Politics
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When Parliament packed up for its summer break, the Labour Party was already knee deep in a fierce fight about whether to accept in full what so many other organisations agree is how to describe anti-Semitism.
It wasn't entirely surprising they ended up there, given that under Mr Corbyn's leadership fears about anti-Semitism have been raised on many, many occasions.
But over the summer the mess got deeper and deeper, with new allegations about Mr Corbyn's own views and associations emerging. The definition itself became a totem of whether the party was serious about stamping out prejudice.
Finally today, Labour's ruling body agreed they would adopt the whole version, despite the clamour from some protestors outside its meeting.
Perhaps this marks the beginning of the end of this sorry mess. But what makes an early resolution tricky is the caveat that Labour has included alongside.
It will be important to many of Mr Corbyn's supporters who want the right to criticise Israel.
But for those campaigning against anti-Semitism, it still sends a message that Labour might want to make exceptions, that the party is saying "yes, but", rather than "yes, of course", to loud demands from the Jewish community that they take the strongest action possible against those who would foment tension.
And secondly, detractors will point to the statement I'm told Mr Corbyn himself suggested should be included alongside, which incorporated the following line - "It should not be considered anti-Semitic to describe Israel, its policies or the circumstances around its foundation as racist because of their discriminatory impact, or to support another settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict."
That's not so different to one of the clauses that has been at the heart of the summer's dispute.
And after hours of argument it was clear that the NEC, the ruling body, simply would not accept it.
It's a measure of how serious the problem has become that even with his tight grip on the party, Mr Corbyn didn't get his own way.
But his personal desire to preserve that element in the Labour definition will be seen by many of his critics as a sign that he still doesn't get it.
There will also still be a consultation on the NEC's decision, as well as many cases of alleged anti-Semitism to resolve.
There is still some way to go before the party has a hope of drawing a final line.
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Anti-Semitism row: Corbyn has been misinterpreted, says close ally - BBC News
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2018-09-04
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An ally of Jeremy Corbyn says he has been "misinterpreted", as ex-PM Gordon Brown urges decisive action.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Corbyn a 'danger' to British Jews, says ex chief rabbi
Labour can resolve its anti-Semitism crisis quickly, John McDonnell has said, insisting Jeremy Corbyn's views on Israel have been "misinterpreted".
The shadow chancellor told the BBC that he thinks there will be "acceptance overall" of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines on anti-Semitism, as long as free speech was protected.
But ex-Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks said Mr Corbyn must also "repent and recant".
And ex-PM Gordon Brown said Labour must act now or undermine its values.
Speaking at a meeting of Jewish Labour MPs in London, Mr Brown said the party needed to be "cleansed of anti-Semitism and racism".
The party has been beset by arguments over the issue throughout the summer, prompting ex-minister Frank Field to resign the whip on Thursday and others to threaten to do the same. John Woodcock also cited it as one of the reasons for quitting the party in July.
Claims that the leadership is failing to tackle anti-Semitism and, in some cases, condoning it came to a head last month when footage from 2013 emerged of Mr Corbyn saying a group of British Zionists had "no sense of English irony" despite a lifetime in the country.
Labour MP Luciana Berger said it made her "feel unwelcome" in the party while Lord Sacks branded his comments as "the most offensive statement" by a politician since the late Conservative MP Enoch Powell's 1968 Rivers of Blood speech.
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Speaking publicly for the first time since he made those remarks, the former chief rabbi told the Andrew Marr show he stood by his criticism of Mr Corbyn and suggested British Jews were considering leaving the country because of the prospect of him becoming prime minister.
"Jeremy Corbyn must repent and recant as quickly as possible," he said.
"When people hear the kind of language that's been coming out of Labour, that's been brought to the surface among Jeremy Corbyn's earlier speeches, they cannot but feel an existential threat.
"I'm afraid that until he expresses clear remorse for what he said and what his party has done to its Jewish sympathisers, as well as its Jewish MPs, then he is as great a danger as Enoch Powell was.
"Anyone who uses the term 'Zionist' loosely without great care is in danger of engulfing Britain in the kind of flames of hatred that have reappeared throughout Europe and is massively irresponsible."
But Mr McDonnell said that while Lord Sacks had been "brutally honest", he was wide of the mark, because Mr Corbyn had never solely blamed Israel for the conflict in the Middle East and had consciously distinguished between Zionists and the Jewish population in general.
"I just say to Lord Sacks 'you've got it wrong, come and talk to us'," he said.
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"You've misinterpreted what's gone on. I think you've got, really have misinterpreted Jeremy. I've known him for over 30 years. His whole life has been devoted to anti-racism, to peace and justice."
He said the decision on whether to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines in full, to be discussed on Tuesday, was a matter for Labour's ruling body but he suggested he backed it personally.
He claimed a solution was within reach that could "satisfy all sides" if Labour promised "full engagement" with the Jewish community going forward but members were able to continue to criticise the actions of the Israeli government within clear boundaries and the rights of Palestinians were also recognised.
"I think we can resolve this fairly quickly, constructively and with good will, working together," he said.
Speaking at a meeting of the Jewish Labour Movement, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the definition must be adopted "unanimously, unequivocally and immediately".
Warning about the rise in anti-Semitic attacks in recent years, he said the problem was not "abstract and theoretical but real and present and had to be dealt with now".
Labour, he said, had historically often been the "last line of defence against persecution and discrimination" in society and the party could not allow itself to be seen as the "first line of attack".
"It is not simply about a procedure. It is about who we are, what we stand for, what makes us tick and the soul of the Labour Party," he said.
On 26 May, in Bucharest, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance adopted the following non-legally binding working definition of anti-Semitism:
"Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.
"Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities."
The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said Labour's NEC was likely to adopt the definition but with caveats amid concerns about the stifling of "legitimate criticism" of Israel.
Former MP Ivor Caplin, who is chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said it and other groups were only prepared to have a dialogue with Mr Corbyn if he made it "very clear" that he would take firm action against anti-Semites in the party and others engaging in "bad behaviour" at a local level.
Amid growing warnings that Labour was facing a 1980s-style split, Mr McDonnell said the party must remain a "broad church" and he hoped Mr Field would "come back into the fold".
The Birkenhead MP, a former welfare minister, quit the Labour group at Westminster on Thursday over what he called the party's "tolerance" of anti-Semitism and a "culture of nastiness".
While Labour MPs who resigned the whip should normally trigger a by-election, Mr McDonnell said in this case he did not want to "go anywhere near that" given Mr Field's long service to the party.
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Head teachers explain funding protest to parents - BBC News
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2018-09-26
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Around 1,000 head teachers are expected to take part in a rally over "unsustainable" budget cuts.
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Family & Education
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Head teachers are telling parents that budgets have been "cut to the bone"
Head teachers representing schools across England are writing to parents to explain why they are going on a protest over funding shortages.
An "unprecedented" 1,000 head teachers are expected to march in Westminster on Friday, protesting about "unsustainable" budget shortfalls.
They say school budgets have been "slashed" and services are being cut.
But the Department for Education says: "There is more money going into schools than ever before."
The grassroots campaign by head teachers, from about 50 different areas, is sending a letter to parents on Wednesday, promising that the protest will be "relentlessly reasonable" and "without any political bias".
The letter tells parents all protesters at the rally in London will be head teachers.
"It's extraordinary that unprecedented numbers of heads from different sectors and from as far afield as Cornwall and Cumbria are all coming to London," said organiser and West Sussex head teacher, Jules White.
"We are all joined by a common desire - and in many cases desperation - to see our schools fairly and adequately funded."
The heads say the government's approach to school funding is "simply not good enough".
They warn of bigger class sizes, staffing cuts, reduced subject choices and a loss of support for special needs and pastoral services.
The head teachers say they have independent evidence from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which found that per-pupil funding had fallen in real terms by 8% since 2010.
The letter is going to parents in about 50 counties and local authorities
The letter, to hundreds of thousands of parents, organised by the Worth Less? campaign, says the protest is being supported by governors and trusts.
Many schools have asked parents for financial contributions - and the letter says that "resources are cut to the bone".
"Frequently, we do not have enough money to meet the demands placed on our schools," it says.
It is not a union event - but Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union says such a gathering is unprecedented and "demonstrates the strength of feeling".
This is the latest stage in a campaign by school leaders, who are keen to garner the support of parents and families, highlighting the dangers of budget shortfalls and the differences in levels of funding between schools.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds has recognised that funding is one of the biggest concerns.
But the Department for Education has rejected arguments of lack of investment, saying spending is set to reach a record level of £43.5bn by 2020.
A DFE spokeswoman says a new funding formula will bring more cash to schools.
And while the head teachers make their funding-level comparisons with 2010 - the DFE compares funding with 2000 and says there has been a 50% real-terms increase.
The annual survey of international education published by the OECD showed this year that head teachers in the UK were among the best paid in the world - with only those in Luxembourg earning more.
Among the areas where heads are taking part in the protest are: Blackpool, Bolton, Brighton and Hove, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Dudley, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greenwich, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Kingston-upon-Thames, Lancashire, Liverpool, London, Norfolk, Northampton, Oxfordshire, Peterborough, Poole, Portsmouth, Richmond, Rotherham, Sheffield, Slough, Solihull, Somerset, Southend, Southampton, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Thurrock, Walsall, Warrington, West Berkshire, West Sussex, Wigan, Wiltshire, Wokingham, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-45641047
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People's Vote says 'multiple opportunities' for Brexit referendum - BBC News
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2018-09-18
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The People's Vote group says there are no practical barriers to a further referendum if MPs want one.
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UK Politics
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MPs will have "multiple" opportunities to give the public the final say over whether the UK leaves the EU, the People's Vote campaign group has said.
Theresa May has ruled out a referendum on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations under any circumstances.
But People's Vote said there were six plausible scenarios in which Parliament could legislate for another vote.
It said there should be a choice for voters between leaving with or without a deal or staying on current terms.
The prime minister says the UK made its choice to leave in 2016 and that her plan for future co-operation with the EU - based on the Chequers blueprint agreed in July - respects the referendum result.
She has said the choice facing Parliament is between leaving with or without a comprehensive agreement.
But in a report called Roadmap to a People's Vote the group campaigning for a referendum on any Brexit deal said there were no practical or legal barriers to giving the public the final say through a referendum and urged MPs not to hide behind "logistical arguments".
The British public voted to leave the EU by a margin of 51.89% to 48.11% in a referendum in June 2016.
The UK is scheduled to leave on 29 March 2019, under the terms of the two-year Article 50 process.
Negotiations on the terms of the UK's withdrawal, the so-called divorce settlement, as well as the shape of future relations between the two sides are now at a critical stage.
European leaders meeting in Salzburg on Wednesday are expected to agree to hold a special summit in November at which any deal sealed in the next six weeks could be approved.
Parliament will then be expected to vote on the terms of any agreement before the end of the year.
People's Vote said this Commons showdown, when it happened, could be a catalyst for securing a referendum.
The six ways it believes a referendum could be delivered are:
Lord Kerr, the former top civil servant who wrote the report, said MPs who wanted a referendum faced a "high bar" given the government's control of the Parliamentary timetable.
But he pointed out that Mrs May, who relies on the Democratic Unionist Party for her slim Commons majority, had already suffered two Brexit defeats and if Parliament did not act "it will not be due to procedural impediments or a lack of time but because MPs have not chosen to take these opportunities".
Theresa May has said a new referendum will not be held in any circumstances
The cross-bench peer said the government could easily seek an extension of the Article 50 process to allow for a referendum by "withdrawing" the letter sent on 29 March 2017 notifying the EU of its intention to leave.
"The die is not irrevocably cast," he wrote.
"There is still time. If there is a majority in Parliament for a People's Vote, there are multiple routes to securing one and, as the process unfolds, more opportunities for the House of Commons to assert its will may emerge."
In terms of what question would be asked, People's Vote said it did not rule out having three options on the ballot paper - namely any deal agreed by the two sides, leaving without a deal or staying in on current terms.
But it said this was unlikely to get the backing of MPs and a "binary choice" between two options would be clearer, simpler and quicker.
While there was a case for giving 16-year olds the vote and allowing EU nationals living in the UK to take part, it said there might be "practical limits" on any changes to the franchise given the timescale involved.
The Lib Dems, the SNP and a growing number of Labour MPs back the idea of a referendum but Jeremy Corbyn has not committed to one as yet and only a handful of Tories support it.
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David Beckham will not face speeding prosecution - BBC News
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2018-09-27
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Celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman successfully fights the speeding allegation on a technicality.
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London
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David Beckham was accused of driving a Bentley at 59mph in a 40mph zone in Paddington
David Beckham will not be prosecuted over a speeding charge, a district judge has ruled.
Celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman, known as Mr Loophole, successfully fought the allegation for him on a technicality.
The former England football captain, 43, was accused of driving a loaned Bentley at 59mph in a 40mph zone on the A40 in Paddington on 23 January.
However, Mr Freeman had argued a speeding notice arrived one day too late.
Beckham, who did not attend the hearing at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Thursday, had previously entered a not guilty plea.
Mr Freeman said Beckham was "very relieved with the verdict".
The lawyer previously helped Beckham overturn an eight-month driving ban in 1999, after successfully arguing he was trying to escape a paparazzi photographer.
Nick Freeman - known as Mr Loophole - said the case against Beckham was "defective"
Mr Freeman suggested the more recent matter could have been a case of poor postal service, citing a subsequent letter sent first class by Bentley to Scotland Yard which took eight days to arrive.
He said: "Unfortunately and sadly some post attracts problems. There might be nobody at fault here."
District judge Barbara Barnes said a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) was sent on 2 February and should have arrived at Bentley Motors Ltd, the registered keepers of the vehicle, by 6 February.
However, she was satisfied on the evidence heard it did not in fact arrive until 7 February - one day outside the statutory 14-day window.
Summing up, she said the law allowed for the "vagaries" of the postal system to be taken into account.
She said: "What I find is the fact it did not arrive in the post room of Bentley Motors Ltd until 7 February and therefore was one day outside the legal limit.
"The defendant in this case cannot be convicted."
Solicitor Nick Freeman has been dubbed Mr Loophole for his success at using legal technicalities to get celebrity clients acquitted of driving offences.
His clients have in the past included cricketer Andrew Flintoff, explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and golfer Colin Montgomerie.
In 1999 Mr Freeman successfully defended former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who had been accused of driving down the hard shoulder of a motorway.
His defence? Sir Alex was simply looking for a toilet because he had an upset stomach.
More recently, last October, Manchester magistrates threw out a speeding offence against TV personality Paddy McGuinness after accepting Mr Freeman's argument the prosecution had failed in its legal duties by not providing any documents or evidence to the defence.
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Business rates scrapped for children's day nurseries in Wales - BBC News
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2018-09-27
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One nursery owner says the tax cut will help tackle a shortage in childcare providers.
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Wales politics
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Some private nurseries are struggling to stay afloat, campaigners say
Business rates will be scrapped for day nurseries in Wales after claims the industry was struggling to survive.
Campaigners had called for the exemption to help nurseries deliver the Welsh Government pledge of 30 hours of free childcare a week.
One nursery owner said the tax cut, worth £30,000 a year to his business, would help tackle a shortage in childcare providers.
The cut will be brought in from April and last for three years.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said the tax cut will help nurseries become more established. It will be reviewed in 2022.
The childcare scheme - aimed at working parents with three to four years olds - is currently being piloted in eight local authorities and in parts of six others.
It is planned to be fully rolled out by 2020.
Campaigners say that nurseries, with large properties and space for children to play, often face high business rates.
A cut to business rates for childcare providers came into effect in April but National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) estimated four in 10 private nurseries were still subject to the tax.
Neil Blockley, who co-owns Little Inspirations which has six nurseries across South Wales, said childcare providers have "small profit margins" and face "rising costs from pensions and the living wage".
"We know, particularly in Rhondda Cynon Taf and other areas of Wales, there are some real hot spots of shortage of childcare providers in certain areas," he said.
"This significant reduction in our overheads will make expansion opportunities happen faster."
Scotland scrapped business rates for nurseries for three years in April last year.
Children's Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, said: "The childcare sector has told us that a total exemption from non-domestic rates would make a real difference to their business confidence.
Campaigners say some nurseries face higher business rates because of their large size
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of NDNA Cymru, said: "This is fantastic news for all childcare businesses in Wales, especially the private sector nurseries who are struggling to remain sustainable.
"We have been working closely with the Welsh Government and put forward the arguments about why nurseries should be made a special case. Private and voluntary nurseries, who can give working parents the quality and flexibility they need and want, have been delivering funded childcare places at a loss for years.
"As the new Childcare Offer for Wales is rolled out across the country, this approach from the Welsh Government gives a clear message to the sector that they are valued and their involvement is crucial for this ambitious scheme to be successful."
• None Free childcare 'not taken by parents'
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-45653409
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Brexit: Barnier says agreement possible by early November - BBC News
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2018-09-11
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The EU negotiator says a deal on the UK's withdrawal could be agreed if negotiators are "realistic".
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UK Politics
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Michel Barnier has said a Brexit deal is possible within six to eight weeks.
The EU's chief negotiator said if both sides are "realistic" there could be an agreement on the terms of the UK's exit by early November.
His comments come amid unconfirmed reports a one-off summit of EU leaders could be convened in the middle of November to sign off the agreement.
The BBC's Katya Adler said Mr Barnier's tone may have changed but the substance of his arguments was still the same.
While the EU was not about to compromise its Brexit principles, our Europe editor said the bloc was aware of Mrs May's domestic political troubles and "planned to throw her as much of a lifeline as possible".
Mrs May has been warned she faces a mass Tory rebellion if she persists with her Chequers plan for future relations with the EU, with former Brexit minister Steve Baker claiming as many as 80 Tories could oppose it in a Commons vote later this year.
The UK and EU are hoping to finalise the so-called divorce agreement and agree a statement on their future economic co-operation in time for an EU summit in mid-October or by the end of the month at the latest.
Mr Barnier has said this is vital if the UK and EU Parliaments are to have enough time to consider and vote on the proposals before the UK's scheduled departure on 29 March 2019.
But some senior Tory Brexiteers are continuing to urge the PM to change course, saying proposals agreed by her cabinet in July - which would see the UK follow EU rules on trade in goods - will not be backed by Parliament.
Mr Baker said the party risked a "catastrophic split" if the PM didn't rethink her approach, which he suggested many MPs - including some who backed Remain - thought was worse than staying in the EU as it would leave the UK without any say in its rules.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. What Labour's Stephen Kinnock claimed Mr Barnier told him about Chequers
A key argument that has been made by MPs opposed to the Chequers deal in recent weeks is that the EU will not accept it, since it seeks different levels of market access and obligations for goods and services.
After meeting Mr Barnier last week, Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Frenchman's views were closer to his than those of the prime minister while Labour MP Stephen Kinnock claimed he told him and other MPs that, referring to the Chequers plan, "les propositions sont mortes" (the proposals are dead).
But asked about this at the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia, Mr Barnier said this was not true. "I never said that, I don't think that. It is not my feeling."
He described the Chequers plan as a "very important" document and suggested the EU was now "benchmarking" it against the mandate it had been given by the EU's 27 other members.
"It is useful because it clearly defines what the wishes are for the UK for future relations."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Steve Baker: We are not trying to topple the prime minister
Mr Barnier said there were "many, many points of convergence" between the two sides, particularly over defence and security and a deal on the terms of withdrawal could be settled within six to eight weeks.
But he warned that the UK's core proposals for trading relations after it leaves were a direct challenge to the founding principles of the EU and the integrity of the single market.
"It is not possible to get freedom for goods without freedom for services, in particular for the movement of people," he said.
The BBC's Katya Adler said there was a suggestion EU leaders might be preparing to give Mr Barnier an updated negotiating mandate when they meet in Salzburg later this month, but that any changes were likely to be "pretty cosmetic" rather than a fundamental change in the EU's negotiating position.
The talk in Brussels among senior EU officials is increasingly of a special Brexit summit in the week commencing 12 November, if as is widely expected, a deal cannot be struck in October.
The Chequers agreement led to the resignations of then-Brexit Secretary David Davis and the former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, both of whom have continued to criticise the direction of government policy.
Mr Johnson caused controversy over the weekend with a column in the Mail on Sunday, calling the PM's plan a "suicide vest" around the UK, with the detonator in Brussels' hands.
No 10 has said its plan was the "only one on the table" able to deliver on the will of British people while avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland.
Asked when Brexiteers outside of the government would come up with a detailed alternative, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said he and others would be putting forward a "whole set of new ideas" in the coming weeks but it was up to ministers to mould them into a plan that would be approved by Parliament.
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Spanish-speaking Taco Bell worker fired for refusing English-speaker - BBC News
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2018-09-15
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A Spanish-speaking Taco Bell employee was fired for refusing to serve an English speaker in Florida.
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US & Canada
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A Spanish-speaking Taco Bell employee in the US was fired after video emerged of her refusing to serve an English-speaking woman in Florida.
During the argument at a drive-thru window in Hialeah, north of Miami, the worker said no-one there spoke English.
Taco Bell told US media that the staff member "no longer works for the brand".
Alexandria Montgomery, the African-American woman who posted the video on Thursday, described the incident as "racist".
"This lady understood what I was saying but didn't want to take my order," Ms Montgomery shared on Facebook.
The video, which was viewed over 100,000 times, shows Ms Montgomery repeatedly trying to order.
At one point she asks why she cannot not simply place her order using the numbers next to the menu items.
"Luisa", as she was identified in the video, repeatedly claimed in Spanish none of the staff at the Taco Bell branch spoke English, at one point adding, "This is Hialeah, I'm sorry."
More than 94% of Hialeah residents identify as Hispanic and more than 90% speak Spanish as a first or second language, according to census data.
The Taco Bell worker also threatened to call the police, after Ms Montgomery refused to leave on Wednesday evening.
When Ms Montgomery asked for the manager, the woman replied in Spanish in a dismissive tone: "She is in her house sleeping."
"I contacted the manager and after explaining to her what happened, all she did was apologise and say thank you, and the call was disconnected," Ms Montgomery told El Nuevo Herald.
She later wrote on Facebook that "Luisa" had given her a false name and was actually the "general manager on that shift".
Taco Bell declined to answer questions about the incident, but acknowledged it did "not meet our customer experience expectations".
"We have worked quickly to resolve with the customer to ensure this doesn't happen again," it said in a statement.
The US is home to 53m native and bilingual Spanish speakers, according to census data - 16% of the population.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Starbucks staff are getting "unconscious bias" training, but what is it?
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Man 'murdered wife to end marital strife' - BBC News
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2018-09-15
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Lewis Bennett is due to stand trial for second-degree murder in December, authorities in the US say.
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Dorset
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Lewis Bennett was given a seven-month jail sentence for smuggling stolen coins
A British man murdered his wife and sank their catamaran off the coast of Cuba to end his "marital strife" and inherit her estate, US prosecutors say.
Lewis Bennett, from Poole in Dorset, was rescued in May last year after sending an SOS message saying 41-year-old Isabella Hellmann was missing.
He was arrested on suspicion of murder in February after being given a jail sentence for smuggling stolen coins.
Bennett is due to stand trial for second-degree murder in December.
The FBI has accused Bennett of deliberately scuttling the 37ft (11m) vessel as the newlyweds sailed towards their US home.
Court papers released after Bennett was charged say the family of Ms Hellmann - the mother of Bennett's daughter - put listening devices in her condo in Delray Beach, Florida, to record conversations.
The family said they did this because they had become suspicious of Bennett.
Prosecutor Benjamin Greenberg asked a Florida judge to admit into evidence conversations with loved ones in which Ms Hellmann is said to have discussed arguments about their finances and parenting.
Mr Greenberg wrote: "Hellmann's murder would remove the marital strife from the defendant's life, allow the defendant to live his life as he pleased, and would enable him to inherit money from Hellmann's estate."
He said there was "strong circumstantial proof" of a motive for murder.
Bennett reported his wife missing in an SOS call as their catamaran was sinking
Prosecutors also alleged Ms Hellmann may have found out he had stolen gold and silver coins from his former employer in St Maarten, which could have made her an accomplice in the smuggling crime.
Mr Greenberg wrote that this "potentially led to an intense argument resulting in Hellmann's murder".
Bennett is currently serving a seven-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to transporting the coins worth $38,480 (£29,450).
Ms Hellmann's body has yet to be found.
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What's the Brexiteers' alternative plan? - BBC News
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2018-09-09
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Tory MPs trying to kill off the PM's Chequers plan are expected to lay out their ideas over the next week.
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UK Politics
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The future of Britain's farming industry after Brexit will be among the subjects addressed
As Westminster is settling down to the next phase of its collective mild nervous breakdown, the pushback to Brexiteers' criticism of Theresa May's Chequers plan is that the naysayers don't have their own.
It's not that far off from saying 'come and have a go if you think you're hard enough'!
Or, in more polite terms, the kind that your parents might have advised, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.
Those in government are deeply frustrated that they get knocked about by criticism from Brexiteers (and not just Boris Johnson, honest) who are right now engaged in an overt plan to kill off the prime minister's plan, based on months of work, but are yet to front up with their own proposal.
In the coming days, the Brexiteers, organised behind the scenes by that powerful grouping, the ERG, which regular readers here will be very familiar with, have a plan to counter that accusation.
I hear from Sunday onwards we should expect several days of carefully planned announcements, almost like a government grid perhaps, where the Brexiteers, with their eyes ruthlessly on their short term prize of "chucking Chequers", will lay out an alternative.
A roll out of written papers will begin over the weekend, with a big event expected in Westminster on Monday which, if it comes off, would just by chance coincide with Boris Johnson's next newspaper column.
Plans, which are in this very febrile environment subject to a whole lot of change, are right now for a push on Sunday to make the argument for a free trade agreement, rather than Chequers.
The former foreign secretary is among those who want to show there is another way ahead
On Monday, we should see an explanation of the Brexiteers' vision for money and migration, and then on Wednesday for solutions to be presented for the crucial Northern Irish border question and other issues like agriculture and fishing.
The idea is not, sources say crucially, to put pressure directly on Theresa May to trigger some kind of putsch.
But don't be in any doubt, it is a carefully worked-through plan designed to present alternatives to what the government has put on the table, calculated to force the prime minister to ditch the policy.
Of course, by publishing their own plans, the Brexiteers' will submit themselves to the same kind of scrutiny that the government itself has.
It is one thing, they are well aware, to be merely critics, quite another to commit to alternatives that it's likely Number 10 will waste little time in tearing down.
The emerging consensus among Brexiteers seems to be that it is better to present an alternative that will be open to criticism, than face the charge of having no worked out ideas of their own.
The idea, when ministers say to MPs 'well it's Chequers or nothing', is their solution can fill in that blank. And to try, notably, to make Theresa May perform a huge U-turn before the Tory conference and admit, whether privately, tacitly, or publicly, that the July settlement simply can't stand.
Critics of Mrs May's approach insist they want to change policy, not leader
Those involved in designing the "chuck Chequers" plan are careful to point out that they would absolutely support the prime minister in shifting position. The condition being, if she does their bidding, they won't seek to damage her further.
The political truth is too that while many Brexiteers would be ruthless in trying to achieve their political goal, their aim right now, and this goes for Boris Johnson too, is that the target is changing the policy, not changing the Tory party's leader.
Yet for those in government right now, there is no question whatsoever of ditching the Chequers deal. Remember it's only the basis for a negotiation, and it took the government two years (yes two years) to come to that position. And insiders say for all the claims of Chequers being dead, in fact it will to a large extent be part of the eventual deal.
In other words, remember, remember, remember Chequers was always a document from which a negotiation would finally start, and inside government there is still a strong belief that elements of it will survive.
There's an acknowledgement inside government too that the next few weeks will be extremely testing. But right now, there is not even a sniff that they would be able, even if willing, to give one inch to the Brexiteers.
But they are organised, determined and willing to try to force her to move, and might have more in their armoury if the prime minister sticks to her ground.
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People's Vote says 'multiple opportunities' for Brexit referendum - BBC News
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2018-09-19
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The People's Vote group says there are no practical barriers to a further referendum if MPs want one.
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UK Politics
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MPs will have "multiple" opportunities to give the public the final say over whether the UK leaves the EU, the People's Vote campaign group has said.
Theresa May has ruled out a referendum on the outcome of the Brexit negotiations under any circumstances.
But People's Vote said there were six plausible scenarios in which Parliament could legislate for another vote.
It said there should be a choice for voters between leaving with or without a deal or staying on current terms.
The prime minister says the UK made its choice to leave in 2016 and that her plan for future co-operation with the EU - based on the Chequers blueprint agreed in July - respects the referendum result.
She has said the choice facing Parliament is between leaving with or without a comprehensive agreement.
But in a report called Roadmap to a People's Vote the group campaigning for a referendum on any Brexit deal said there were no practical or legal barriers to giving the public the final say through a referendum and urged MPs not to hide behind "logistical arguments".
The British public voted to leave the EU by a margin of 51.89% to 48.11% in a referendum in June 2016.
The UK is scheduled to leave on 29 March 2019, under the terms of the two-year Article 50 process.
Negotiations on the terms of the UK's withdrawal, the so-called divorce settlement, as well as the shape of future relations between the two sides are now at a critical stage.
European leaders meeting in Salzburg on Wednesday are expected to agree to hold a special summit in November at which any deal sealed in the next six weeks could be approved.
Parliament will then be expected to vote on the terms of any agreement before the end of the year.
People's Vote said this Commons showdown, when it happened, could be a catalyst for securing a referendum.
The six ways it believes a referendum could be delivered are:
Lord Kerr, the former top civil servant who wrote the report, said MPs who wanted a referendum faced a "high bar" given the government's control of the Parliamentary timetable.
But he pointed out that Mrs May, who relies on the Democratic Unionist Party for her slim Commons majority, had already suffered two Brexit defeats and if Parliament did not act "it will not be due to procedural impediments or a lack of time but because MPs have not chosen to take these opportunities".
Theresa May has said a new referendum will not be held in any circumstances
The cross-bench peer said the government could easily seek an extension of the Article 50 process to allow for a referendum by "withdrawing" the letter sent on 29 March 2017 notifying the EU of its intention to leave.
"The die is not irrevocably cast," he wrote.
"There is still time. If there is a majority in Parliament for a People's Vote, there are multiple routes to securing one and, as the process unfolds, more opportunities for the House of Commons to assert its will may emerge."
In terms of what question would be asked, People's Vote said it did not rule out having three options on the ballot paper - namely any deal agreed by the two sides, leaving without a deal or staying in on current terms.
But it said this was unlikely to get the backing of MPs and a "binary choice" between two options would be clearer, simpler and quicker.
While there was a case for giving 16-year olds the vote and allowing EU nationals living in the UK to take part, it said there might be "practical limits" on any changes to the franchise given the timescale involved.
The Lib Dems, the SNP and a growing number of Labour MPs back the idea of a referendum but Jeremy Corbyn has not committed to one as yet and only a handful of Tories support it.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45566204
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Brexit: Common sense or just scare tactics? - BBC News
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2018-09-19
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The prime minster says it's her deal or no deal, as MPs are faced with a decision.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May told Panorama: 'I think that the alternative to that (the Chequers plan) will be not having a deal'
My deal or no deal! An agreement or Armageddon! Compromise or catastrophe!
This is not of course a subject to be flippant about. And it is easy to see why the government has moved already to presenting the next couple of months of fraught activity in Westminster as already being a decision for MPs - back Theresa May whatever she brings back from Brussels or take a reckless roll of the dice.
There is nothing funny about the forecasts of what could happen if there is no deal.
Number 10 believes that will be the rub, the reality of the situation. But while they might wish they were at the closing stage where those arguments will play, they are not there yet.
There are still forces at play that could shape the outcome of the deal, before the Tory whips can start counting up the votes.
First - some Brexiteers are absolutely serious and organised about trying to force Theresa May to shift her plans. They are already making a lot of political noise.
They will demand much of the oxygen at the Tory conference and could make life for the government extremely hard on what one described as 'any or all' votes in the run-up to the Brexit deal.
It doesn't seem necessarily clear to me why the PM would be able to hold off all their demands this time, when on many previous occasions she has had to budge a little.
In turn, some former Remainers plan to use other legislation coming back to Parliament to have another go at softening the government's position.
There is a putative plan for another amendment to leave the country in the European economic area, starting with changing the Trade Bill in the House of Lords.
One MP involved told me: "Some MPs talk about opposing no deal but what does that really mean? There has to be a fallback plan and this amendment could lead the way to finding a solution."
It doesn't mean that those former Remainers will be successful this time around, but it doesn't mean they won't give it a good try.
Add to that the increasing visibility of those campaigning for a second referendum. They know such a vote could only really come out of the turmoil of a no-deal scenario. But they are trying, extremely hard, to shift the terms of the debate.
Lastly and most importantly, Theresa May's plan is a set of proposals for negotiation.
While we may see friendlier rhetoric this week at an EU leaders' shindig in Salzburg, they are never going to accept her compromise in one big chunk.
There will be a process of push and shove, there will have to be some more compromise. The final terms could make the calculations for MPs very different. Even some government ministers privately say they can't be sure they will back the PM until that much later stage.
In the end Number 10 may well be right - they could get their way in Parliament, pushing through a historic deal not by making a persuasive case for its merits but by talking up the risks of saying no.
Common sense? Or just scare tactics? That's the call MPs may have to face.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45555646
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news_uk-politics-45555646
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Brexit: The sound of "no, no, no" - BBC News
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2018-09-19
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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As another summit rolls by, it is increasingly clear there is going to have to be a big political move on one side, or moves on both sides to be able to get to a deal.
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UK Politics
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"No, no, no!" That is the response that you get when you ask EU players whether they can abandon the principles that are determining their stance on Brexit.
The response you get when you ask UK insiders whether they can move on their core beliefs about Ireland. "No, no, no!".
And guess what, for more than two years now people involved in the Brexit process have been saying, ah, until we can find a way through on the question of Ireland well, we can't be sure of anything.
Sure, there is a huge amount of chatter about how some nips and tucks to the rival proposals might change things, to soften the hard edges of the arguments.
The UK might accept a border for rules and regulations in time, but there is no chance that as things stand, they will go anywhere near touching a different customs system for Northern Ireland.
The EU might come up with cunning plan after cunning plan, asking for only one kind of check, or a system rather like the one that operates between Spain and the Canary Islands.
Every single comment made by Michel Barnier is examined in microscopic detail to see what compromise it might reveal.
Here's the thing. The disagreements aren't over the detail, it's not the practicalities that are really the problem but the principles.
Officials involved privately admit there is little chance that the solution is going to be found in any of the technical solutions, there is going to have to be a big political move on one side, or moves on both sides to be able to get to a deal.
And despite protestations from Brexiteers about how Ireland has come to dominate the talks, it has become whether they like it or not, the real life expression of Brexit's bigger conundrums.
The talks were always going to be complicated. But summit after summit, the biggest obstacle remains what happens there after we leave the EU.
Because after Brexit the border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the island becomes the line between the huge European trading club and a country that's on the outside.
No one wants there to be anything that really changes or disrupts life on either side. But Brexit is such a major change that everything simply can't remain the same. The two sides in the negotiations seem stuck in a deep clash over how to handle the change.
Because the EU has more power in the negotiations it's often assumed that the UK will end up having to ditch its resistance. And with some soft soaping from Brussels around the language of their proposals Theresa May will just about be able to swallow more compromises.
But ahead of the Tory conference, rather than showing any flexibility the UK is sticking with its position.
The PM appealed to the other EU leaders on Wednesday, imploring them to understand that she can't accept what's on the table right now. But with a rough date set for deal day, the position might have to evolve.
And Wednesday's digging in might make any eventual climbdown more painful still, yet the prime minister may not find herself with that much choice.
After all, the answer she can't accept for the whole deal in the end, is, "no, no, no!"
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45582911
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news_uk-politics-45582911
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Post-Brexit migrant farm worker visa scheme announced - BBC News
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2018-09-06
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Farms say there has been a slowdown in workers coming from the EU since the UK voted to leave.
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UK
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UK fruit and vegetable growers will be able to recruit non-EU migrants as seasonal workers after Brexit under a new pilot scheme.
Ministers say the initiative between spring 2019 and December 2020 will help tackle labour shortages during peak production periods.
The visas for up to 2,500 workers a year will last for six months.
The National Farmers' Union had expressed fears staff shortages could hamper the harvesting of produce.
Farms have been reporting a slowdown in EU labour since the referendum.
The scheme, which would run during a transition period after the UK leaves the EU, was announced by the Home Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Ministers stressed that the pilot will be closely monitored and could close if there is evidence migrant workers were not returning to their home countries when their visas expire.
The government said that more automated harvesting solutions will be used on British farms in the future. But it said the industry needed to remain competitive, and almost all OECD countries currently use seasonal workers to pick fruit and vegetables.
Environment Secretary Michael Gove said the pilot's operation will be reviewed to see how best to support the longer-term needs of the farming industry.
"We have listened to the powerful arguments from farmers about the need for seasonal labour to keep the horticulture industry productive and profitable," he said.
Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "This pilot will ensure farmers have access to the seasonal labour they need to remain productive and profitable during busy times of the year."
Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers' Union, said growers will take great confidence in knowing that they will have access to workers next year after "extremely testing and uncertain times".
She said the scheme was a "recognition from the government that British horticulture is a successful, thriving sector which faces some unique challenges but is capable of producing more great, healthy British fruit and vegetables".
The UK's first seasonal agricultural workers scheme was introduced following labour shortages after World War Two.
The most recent version covered workers from Romania and Bulgaria but ended five years ago when when restrictions on nationals of the two countries working in the UK stopped.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45429397
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Coleen Nolan cancels all work after online trolling - BBC News
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2018-09-06
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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The Loose Women presenter says she's not "strong enough" to cope after Kim Woodburn row.
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Entertainment & Arts
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Coleen Nolan pulled out of Loose Women on Thursday saying she was still 'very upset' over the row
Coleen Nolan has said she is cancelling all her work commitments following her on-screen row with Kim Woodburn on Loose Women.
Ofcom received more than 7,000 complaints about the episode, with viewers accusing Nolan and other panellists of bullying Woodburn.
Nolan will not appear on Loose Women until further notice and her solo tour Never Too Late is being postponed.
A statement on her Twitter account said she is "devastated" to let people down.
But said she is "not strong enough to withstand... constant and unfounded online abuse".
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Coleen Nolan This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
The statement adds she will be taking an "immediate hiatus" and spending time with her children and family "where she feels loved and respected".
Nolan had already dropped out of an appearance on Thursday's Loose Women, writing on Twitter that she was "still very upset about everything that's happened".
When she appeared on Tuesday's This Morning to talk about the tour, Nolan cried when she was asked about the argument.
She said there was a campaign to get her fired from the show and that she'd been sent "revolting" messages.
Janet Street-Porter attempted to mediate between Coleen Nolan (left) and Kim Woodburn
Woodburn had been invited on to Loose Women to reconcile with Nolan after they fell out on a previous series of Celebrity Big Brother.
However it ended in a row and Woodburn became tearful and stormed off set after clashing with the panel.
Nolan said the row was "ugly, upsetting and unpleasant", adding that she she wished she could turn back time and undo it.
But, she said: "Anyone that knows me knows I'm not a bully. That would be the most hurtful thing people could call me."
Thursday's statement says she has experienced "constant online bullying, trolling, and misrepresentation of her words, actions and re-actions".
"Coleen has spent 50 years in show-business and 18 years as one of the most loved members of the Loose Women panel, and has never been subjected to such a horrifying torrent of online abuse or such a heart-breaking attack on her reputation.
"She sends her love to everyone who has supported her and knows who she really is and plans to return when she feels stronger."
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-45439569
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Spanish-speaking Taco Bell worker fired for refusing English-speaker - BBC News
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2018-09-16
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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A Spanish-speaking Taco Bell employee was fired for refusing to serve an English speaker in Florida.
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US & Canada
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A Spanish-speaking Taco Bell employee in the US was fired after video emerged of her refusing to serve an English-speaking woman in Florida.
During the argument at a drive-thru window in Hialeah, north of Miami, the worker said no-one there spoke English.
Taco Bell told US media that the staff member "no longer works for the brand".
Alexandria Montgomery, the African-American woman who posted the video on Thursday, described the incident as "racist".
"This lady understood what I was saying but didn't want to take my order," Ms Montgomery shared on Facebook.
The video, which was viewed over 100,000 times, shows Ms Montgomery repeatedly trying to order.
At one point she asks why she cannot not simply place her order using the numbers next to the menu items.
"Luisa", as she was identified in the video, repeatedly claimed in Spanish none of the staff at the Taco Bell branch spoke English, at one point adding, "This is Hialeah, I'm sorry."
More than 94% of Hialeah residents identify as Hispanic and more than 90% speak Spanish as a first or second language, according to census data.
The Taco Bell worker also threatened to call the police, after Ms Montgomery refused to leave on Wednesday evening.
When Ms Montgomery asked for the manager, the woman replied in Spanish in a dismissive tone: "She is in her house sleeping."
"I contacted the manager and after explaining to her what happened, all she did was apologise and say thank you, and the call was disconnected," Ms Montgomery told El Nuevo Herald.
She later wrote on Facebook that "Luisa" had given her a false name and was actually the "general manager on that shift".
Taco Bell declined to answer questions about the incident, but acknowledged it did "not meet our customer experience expectations".
"We have worked quickly to resolve with the customer to ensure this doesn't happen again," it said in a statement.
The US is home to 53m native and bilingual Spanish speakers, according to census data - 16% of the population.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Starbucks staff are getting "unconscious bias" training, but what is it?
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45535948
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news_world-us-canada-45535948
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Man 'murdered wife to end marital strife' - BBC News
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2018-09-16
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Lewis Bennett is due to stand trial for second-degree murder in December, authorities in the US say.
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Dorset
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Lewis Bennett was given a seven-month jail sentence for smuggling stolen coins
A British man murdered his wife and sank their catamaran off the coast of Cuba to end his "marital strife" and inherit her estate, US prosecutors say.
Lewis Bennett, from Poole in Dorset, was rescued in May last year after sending an SOS message saying 41-year-old Isabella Hellmann was missing.
He was arrested on suspicion of murder in February after being given a jail sentence for smuggling stolen coins.
Bennett is due to stand trial for second-degree murder in December.
The FBI has accused Bennett of deliberately scuttling the 37ft (11m) vessel as the newlyweds sailed towards their US home.
Court papers released after Bennett was charged say the family of Ms Hellmann - the mother of Bennett's daughter - put listening devices in her condo in Delray Beach, Florida, to record conversations.
The family said they did this because they had become suspicious of Bennett.
Prosecutor Benjamin Greenberg asked a Florida judge to admit into evidence conversations with loved ones in which Ms Hellmann is said to have discussed arguments about their finances and parenting.
Mr Greenberg wrote: "Hellmann's murder would remove the marital strife from the defendant's life, allow the defendant to live his life as he pleased, and would enable him to inherit money from Hellmann's estate."
He said there was "strong circumstantial proof" of a motive for murder.
Bennett reported his wife missing in an SOS call as their catamaran was sinking
Prosecutors also alleged Ms Hellmann may have found out he had stolen gold and silver coins from his former employer in St Maarten, which could have made her an accomplice in the smuggling crime.
Mr Greenberg wrote that this "potentially led to an intense argument resulting in Hellmann's murder".
Bennett is currently serving a seven-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to transporting the coins worth $38,480 (£29,450).
Ms Hellmann's body has yet to be found.
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-45534784
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news_uk-england-dorset-45534784
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Brexit: The sound of "no, no, no" - BBC News
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2018-09-20
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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As another summit rolls by, it is increasingly clear there is going to have to be a big political move on one side, or moves on both sides to be able to get to a deal.
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UK Politics
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"No, no, no!" That is the response that you get when you ask EU players whether they can abandon the principles that are determining their stance on Brexit.
The response you get when you ask UK insiders whether they can move on their core beliefs about Ireland. "No, no, no!".
And guess what, for more than two years now people involved in the Brexit process have been saying, ah, until we can find a way through on the question of Ireland well, we can't be sure of anything.
Sure, there is a huge amount of chatter about how some nips and tucks to the rival proposals might change things, to soften the hard edges of the arguments.
The UK might accept a border for rules and regulations in time, but there is no chance that as things stand, they will go anywhere near touching a different customs system for Northern Ireland.
The EU might come up with cunning plan after cunning plan, asking for only one kind of check, or a system rather like the one that operates between Spain and the Canary Islands.
Every single comment made by Michel Barnier is examined in microscopic detail to see what compromise it might reveal.
Here's the thing. The disagreements aren't over the detail, it's not the practicalities that are really the problem but the principles.
Officials involved privately admit there is little chance that the solution is going to be found in any of the technical solutions, there is going to have to be a big political move on one side, or moves on both sides to be able to get to a deal.
And despite protestations from Brexiteers about how Ireland has come to dominate the talks, it has become whether they like it or not, the real life expression of Brexit's bigger conundrums.
The talks were always going to be complicated. But summit after summit, the biggest obstacle remains what happens there after we leave the EU.
Because after Brexit the border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the island becomes the line between the huge European trading club and a country that's on the outside.
No one wants there to be anything that really changes or disrupts life on either side. But Brexit is such a major change that everything simply can't remain the same. The two sides in the negotiations seem stuck in a deep clash over how to handle the change.
Because the EU has more power in the negotiations it's often assumed that the UK will end up having to ditch its resistance. And with some soft soaping from Brussels around the language of their proposals Theresa May will just about be able to swallow more compromises.
But ahead of the Tory conference, rather than showing any flexibility the UK is sticking with its position.
The PM appealed to the other EU leaders on Wednesday, imploring them to understand that she can't accept what's on the table right now. But with a rough date set for deal day, the position might have to evolve.
And Wednesday's digging in might make any eventual climbdown more painful still, yet the prime minister may not find herself with that much choice.
After all, the answer she can't accept for the whole deal in the end, is, "no, no, no!"
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45582911
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news_uk-politics-45582911
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Cuomo-Nixon debate: Can a room temperature really be sexist? - BBC News
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2018-09-02
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Actress and politician Cynthia Nixon has prompted a heated debate - about women freezing in offices.
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US & Canada
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A debate between the Governor of New York and his challenger Cynthia Nixon has ignited a discussion about "sexist" temperatures
The question may sound bizarre, but it's taken off on social media ahead of a debate between New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is seeking a third term, and Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon - his challenger for the Democratic nomination.
Ms Nixon has one chance to go head-to-head with Mr Cuomo, and her team fear she could be disadvantaged by freezing temperatures at the venue.
So is it just a diva demand, or part of a wider problem where women are left chilly in the workplace?
Here's how the heated discussion got started...
Governor Cuomo supposedly favours Arctic conditions when making public appearances. It's sufficiently bad that the New York Times once headlined an article, "Going to an Event Featuring Cuomo? Take a Coat, or Maybe a Blanket".
Keen to avoid the Big Freeze, Ms Nixon's team emailed organisers to ask that the room be heated to 76F (24C) on Wednesday night.
Strategist Rebecca Katz wrote that working conditions are "notoriously sexist when it comes to room temperature, so we just want to make sure we're all on the same page here".
When news of the request emerged, thermostat warriors lined up on both sides of the argument, with many agreeing that public spaces are "too cold" by women's standards.
"I'm sitting here in my work Snuggie wondering if this is actually the opening salvo of the revolution," wrote Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse.
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"At one place where I worked, I would get ready in the morning, put on a presentable outfit, and then wonder why I bothered after I got to the office and threw on my pilly old fleece zip-up to keep warm," agreed Lauren Sieben.
Iowa University Professor Kerry Howley tweeted (tongue-in-cheek) that she had "**never** felt more invested in a political debate", adding: "49% of Americans control 100% of the office thermostats. Don't engage me unless you're willing to argue at 79 degrees."
Some women disagreed, of course. Or as tweeter Katie Kearns put it: "Every woman in menopause just sweated all over you."
Politico reporter Dan Goldberg argued that there isn't a male conspiracy when it comes to temperature control, writing: "Why can't we say that men and women by and large dress differently and have different preferences??? NOT everything is sexist."
As the New York Times pointed out, however, there is some scientific basis for saying temperatures are rigged to keep men comfortable.
A 2015 study published in the journal Nature Climate Change found that most office buildings still set their temperatures based on men's metabolic rates. It concluded that the average comfortable level for men is about 72F, but women prefer a balmier 77.
Though Mr Cuomo's campaign declared that "unlike Cynthia Nixon, the governor has more important things to focus on than the temperature of a room", his senior aide Melissa DeRosa still weighed in online with a picture of the governor's dog lying in a pool of ice.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post 2 by Melissa DeRosa This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
L. Joy Williams, an adviser to Ms Nixon, hinted that her side had deliberately gone in with a higher number than they wanted, tweeting: "Maybe you say 76 degrees and get 65 degrees instead of freezing at 50."
So will the governor be feeling the heat on Wednesday, or will his challenger be left out in the cold?
Only time (and Twitter) will tell...
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Cynthia Nixon held her first campaign rally in Brooklyn
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45345518
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news_world-us-canada-45345518
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Anti-Semitism row: Corbyn has been misinterpreted, says close ally - BBC News
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2018-09-02
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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An ally of Jeremy Corbyn says he has been "misinterpreted", as ex-PM Gordon Brown urges decisive action.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Corbyn a 'danger' to British Jews, says ex chief rabbi
Labour can resolve its anti-Semitism crisis quickly, John McDonnell has said, insisting Jeremy Corbyn's views on Israel have been "misinterpreted".
The shadow chancellor told the BBC that he thinks there will be "acceptance overall" of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines on anti-Semitism, as long as free speech was protected.
But ex-Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks said Mr Corbyn must also "repent and recant".
And ex-PM Gordon Brown said Labour must act now or undermine its values.
Speaking at a meeting of Jewish Labour MPs in London, Mr Brown said the party needed to be "cleansed of anti-Semitism and racism".
The party has been beset by arguments over the issue throughout the summer, prompting ex-minister Frank Field to resign the whip on Thursday and others to threaten to do the same. John Woodcock also cited it as one of the reasons for quitting the party in July.
Claims that the leadership is failing to tackle anti-Semitism and, in some cases, condoning it came to a head last month when footage from 2013 emerged of Mr Corbyn saying a group of British Zionists had "no sense of English irony" despite a lifetime in the country.
Labour MP Luciana Berger said it made her "feel unwelcome" in the party while Lord Sacks branded his comments as "the most offensive statement" by a politician since the late Conservative MP Enoch Powell's 1968 Rivers of Blood speech.
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Speaking publicly for the first time since he made those remarks, the former chief rabbi told the Andrew Marr show he stood by his criticism of Mr Corbyn and suggested British Jews were considering leaving the country because of the prospect of him becoming prime minister.
"Jeremy Corbyn must repent and recant as quickly as possible," he said.
"When people hear the kind of language that's been coming out of Labour, that's been brought to the surface among Jeremy Corbyn's earlier speeches, they cannot but feel an existential threat.
"I'm afraid that until he expresses clear remorse for what he said and what his party has done to its Jewish sympathisers, as well as its Jewish MPs, then he is as great a danger as Enoch Powell was.
"Anyone who uses the term 'Zionist' loosely without great care is in danger of engulfing Britain in the kind of flames of hatred that have reappeared throughout Europe and is massively irresponsible."
But Mr McDonnell said that while Lord Sacks had been "brutally honest", he was wide of the mark, because Mr Corbyn had never solely blamed Israel for the conflict in the Middle East and had consciously distinguished between Zionists and the Jewish population in general.
"I just say to Lord Sacks 'you've got it wrong, come and talk to us'," he said.
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"You've misinterpreted what's gone on. I think you've got, really have misinterpreted Jeremy. I've known him for over 30 years. His whole life has been devoted to anti-racism, to peace and justice."
He said the decision on whether to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance guidelines in full, to be discussed on Tuesday, was a matter for Labour's ruling body but he suggested he backed it personally.
He claimed a solution was within reach that could "satisfy all sides" if Labour promised "full engagement" with the Jewish community going forward but members were able to continue to criticise the actions of the Israeli government within clear boundaries and the rights of Palestinians were also recognised.
"I think we can resolve this fairly quickly, constructively and with good will, working together," he said.
Speaking at a meeting of the Jewish Labour Movement, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the definition must be adopted "unanimously, unequivocally and immediately".
Warning about the rise in anti-Semitic attacks in recent years, he said the problem was not "abstract and theoretical but real and present and had to be dealt with now".
Labour, he said, had historically often been the "last line of defence against persecution and discrimination" in society and the party could not allow itself to be seen as the "first line of attack".
"It is not simply about a procedure. It is about who we are, what we stand for, what makes us tick and the soul of the Labour Party," he said.
On 26 May, in Bucharest, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance adopted the following non-legally binding working definition of anti-Semitism:
"Anti-Semitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.
"Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities."
The BBC's political correspondent Iain Watson said Labour's NEC was likely to adopt the definition but with caveats amid concerns about the stifling of "legitimate criticism" of Israel.
Former MP Ivor Caplin, who is chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said it and other groups were only prepared to have a dialogue with Mr Corbyn if he made it "very clear" that he would take firm action against anti-Semites in the party and others engaging in "bad behaviour" at a local level.
Amid growing warnings that Labour was facing a 1980s-style split, Mr McDonnell said the party must remain a "broad church" and he hoped Mr Field would "come back into the fold".
The Birkenhead MP, a former welfare minister, quit the Labour group at Westminster on Thursday over what he called the party's "tolerance" of anti-Semitism and a "culture of nastiness".
While Labour MPs who resigned the whip should normally trigger a by-election, Mr McDonnell said in this case he did not want to "go anywhere near that" given Mr Field's long service to the party.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-45388447
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Ryanair flight: 'Racial abuse passenger' referred to police - BBC News
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2018-10-21
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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A man was filmed shouting abuse at a black woman in an incident that has been referred to police.
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UK
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. The incident was captured by passenger David Lawrence, who spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about what happened
Ryanair has been criticised for apparently failing to remove a passenger from a flight after racial abuse of a woman in her 70s.
The incident, on a flight from Barcelona to Stansted on Friday, was recorded by a fellow passenger and shared on social media.
Many people said Ryanair should have removed the man from the flight and threatened to boycott the airline.
Ryanair said it "will not tolerate unruly behaviour like this".
It has referred the matter to Essex Police.
In the film - viewed on Facebook more than 1.8 million times - the man can be heard being racially abusive to the woman and threatening to "push" her to another seat.
He also shouts at her: "Don't talk to me in a foreign language, you stupid ugly cow."
After a flight attendant intervenes, the woman says she wants to sit with her daughter and tells the man he "stinks". She says of the passenger: "Kick him out".
Her daughter has told The Huffington Post the row started because her mother, 77, has arthritis and it took some time for her to move out of the way for the man to get into his seat.
David Lawrence, who filmed what happened, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Everything was calm, we were getting ready to take off. And then a man came on board and arrived at his seat, then spoke very harshly to a woman sitting in the aisle seat.
"That was what got my attention as it was very loud and very aggressive. He started to shout at the woman, saying 'get out of the way', 'move your feet', 'you shouldn't be sitting here'."
Ryanair said it "would be taking the matter further"
Mr Lawrence said no attendants initially came over. The woman's daughter, who had been sitting elsewhere, arrived and "an argument started", he said.
"He pushed past the woman and went to his seat," he said, adding that what's seen in the video then unfolded - describing it as the "most disgusting exchange of racial slurs and foul language".
The woman's daughter said she had taken her mother, a Windrush Generation migrant who came to the UK from Jamaica in the 1960s, on holiday to mark a year since the death of her husband.
She told The Huffington Post: "I know that if I was behaving like he was - or any other black person for that matter - police would have been called and we would have been kicked off the flight."
She added: "Mum's really feeling upset and very stressed about this situation, on top of the grief she's already experiencing. As for me, I'm upset about the whole thing too - the fact that the passenger wasn't taken off the plane and how the situation was dealt with."
One young man, seated in the row behind the people filmed in the video, intervened by telling the man who was shouting to stop. He has been praised for his actions.
A Ryanair attendant says to the man: "Don't be so rude, you have to calm down." He then tells the older man he is going to refer the incident to his supervisor, to which the man replies: "I'm alright."
"I am so shocked," Mr Lawrence said. "There was no response [from most other passengers]. No-one said anything. The young man who actually intervened... he was compelled to step forward."
Mr Lawrence said it was a "horrible, horrible situation" and that he was "shocked" that Ryanair "allowed something like this just to go unchecked".
Shadow transport minister Karl Turner was among those to tweet about the incident, saying he would raise "the tendency of airlines to ignore this kind of behaviour".
He also said "he should have been removed from the flight and handed over to the police".
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Karl Turner MP This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Critics of the incident and how it was handled said the man should have been removed - rather than the woman herself moving seats.
Ryanair told the BBC: "We operate strict guidelines for disruptive passengers and we will not tolerate unruly behaviour like this.
"We will be taking this matter further and disruptive or abusive behaviour like this will result in passengers being banned from travel."
Essex Police said on Sunday: "This incident, which we were made aware of this morning, is believed to have taken place on a plane at Barcelona Airport.
"Essex Police takes prejudice-based crime seriously and we want all incidents to be reported. We are working closely with Ryanair and the Spanish authorities on the investigation."
It asked anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The Department for Transport said "everyone should be able to enjoy a safe and calm journey without their flight being spoilt by a disruptive minority".
The DfT said it would work with airlines and airports "to look at what more can be done to deal with disruptive passengers".
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45932027
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Ryder Cup: Brooks Koepka 'heartbroken' over fan blinded in one eye - BBC Sport
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2018-10-03
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Brooks Koepka says he is "heartbroken" one of his tee shots at the Ryder Cup on Friday resulted in a fan losing the sight in her right eye.
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Last updated on .From the section Golf
Brooks Koepka says he is "heartbroken" that one of his tee shots at the Ryder Cup on Friday resulted in a spectator losing the sight in her right eye.
The American's drive on the par-four sixth hole veered off course and struck Corine Remande, 49, who had travelled from Egypt.
He said his "stomach sank" on learning she had been blinded.
Koepka also denied reports he had a fight with team-mate Dustin Johnson after the event, which Europe won.
• None Spectator 'loses sight' after being hit by Koepka tee shot
• None Why a WhatsApp 'love-in' was key to Europe's triumph
At a news conference before the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, Koepka said he heard the news about Mrs Remande after arriving at the course on Tuesday.
"Yesterday was probably one of the worst days of my life," said the 28-year-old world number three.
"I haven't had too many tragedies in my personal family where there's been a loss or any kind of tragic accident, so I've been lucky in that sense.
"I'm not the biggest person on social media so when I got here and had about seven missed calls and 25 text messages I was like: 'What's going on?'
"Then I was told the news and obviously I am really heartbroken. My stomach sank. It's sad and I'm really torn up about it."
He had earlier posted on social media to offer his "sincere and heartfelt sympathy" to the injured spectator.
Koepka , playing in his second Ryder Cup, went over to the Frenchwoman to check on her condition after the incident. In an earlier interview with AFP, Mrs Remande said she downplayed the incident at the time so the golfer "would stay concentrated".
She added: "It happened so fast, I didn't feel any pain when I was hit.
"I didn't feel like the ball had struck my eye and then I felt the blood start to pour. The scan on Friday confirmed a fracture of the right eye-socket and an explosion of the eyeball."
A Ryder Cup spokesperson told the BBC that the tournament organisers had been in communication with her family and that they would "continue to offer support for as long as necessary".
'There was no fight' with Johnson
Koepka denied widespread reports he and Johnson had to be separated during an argument in Europe's team room on Sunday, after the United States' 17½-10½ defeat.
The pair were also reported to have argued on the flight to France before the Ryder Cup started.
But Koepka said: "This Dustin thing I don't get. There was no fight, there was no argument. He's one of my best friends. I love the kid to death.
"We spoke on the phone on Monday and Tuesday. You tell me how there's a fight."
The team spirit in the US camp has been questioned, with Masters champion Patrick Reed blaming Jordan Spieth for the end of their successful Ryder Cup partnership
"I think the camaraderie was fine, was perfect," said Koepka.
"The problem is you guys try to make a reason why we lost. We just didn't play good enough."
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Theresa May: Tories must be a party for everyone - BBC News
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2018-10-03
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Theresa May pledges to boost council house-building and says austerity is ending, in her big speech.
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UK Politics
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.
Theresa May has told the Conservatives they must be the "party for everyone" and said austerity was ending in her party conference speech in Birmingham.
The prime minister said that a decade on from the financial crash, "there are better days ahead", signalling an increase in public spending.
She also defended her under-fire Brexit strategy, saying she was "standing up for Britain".
And she announced new borrowing powers for councils to build more homes.
A cap on the amount councils can borrow to fund new developments "doesn't make sense" and would be scrapped, she said.
Other promises included a "step change" in how cancer is diagnosed with a strategy aimed at increasing early detection rates, plus another freeze in fuel duty.
The prime minister - whose dancing in Kenya made headlines in August - danced on to the stage to the sounds of Abba, and immediately sought to make light of last year's difficult speech.
She joked that if she had a cough this time, it was only because she had been up all night gluing the letters on to the backdrop.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May opened her conference speech to the music of Abba's Dancing Queen
The Tory conference has been dominated by Brexit, with former foreign secretary Boris Johnson launching a fresh broadside against her Chequers plan - it is known by the country residence where it was agreed in July - for trade with the EU.
And as she prepared to deliver the speech, Conservative MP James Duddridge announced he had submitted a letter to the backbench 1922 Committee calling for a leadership contest.
In her speech there was no mention of "Chequers" specifically - with Mrs May describing her plan as a "free trade deal that provides for frictionless trade in goods".
Defending it, she warned delegates that pursuing "our own visions of the perfect Brexit" could lead to "no Brexit at all".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Theresa May: "A second referendum would be a politicians’ vote”
On austerity, Mrs May said people needed to know "that the end is in sight".
The Tories could not just "clean up a mess" they should "steer a course to a better future", she said.
"Sound finances are essential, but they are not the limit of our ambition. Because you made sacrifices, there are better days ahead."
At next year's Spending Review she said "debt as a share of the economy will continue to go down, support for public services will go up".
"Because, a decade after the financial crash, people need to know that the austerity it led to is over and that their hard work has paid off."
In her speech, Mrs May said the Tories must be "a party not for the few, not even for the many but for everyone who is willing to work hard and do their best".
"Our best days lie ahead of us", she said, adding: "Don't let anyone tell you we don't have what it takes."
She also condemned the personal abuse of politicians, speaking up for Labour's Diane Abbott and calling for an end to "the bitterness and bile which is poisoning our politics".
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Mrs May made repeated attacks on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's politics, criticising his opposition to military action and claiming he would raise taxes "higher and higher".
But the Tories needed to "do more than criticise" Labour, she said, vowing to "make markets work in the interests of ordinary people again".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Delegates cheer as Boris Johnson urges them to "chuck Chequers"
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. What have been the big issues for Tory members?
She said she wanted to help people on low incomes, ruling out any increase in fuel duty in the Budget on 29 October.
With the complexities of Brexit, the divisions in her party, the calamity of last year's conference speech, the antics of the former foreign secretary, and of course, her own fragilities, Theresa May has struggled to find her voice - and that's got nothing to do with running out of Strepsils.
Well today she found it, and in the words of one of her cabinet colleagues, not a particularly close ally, said "she found her mojo". From the moment she danced on to the stage (who would have thought we'd ever see that), she looked comfortable in her own skin, actually happy to be there.
It sounds strange, but it is so rare to see her overtly enjoying her job. On so many occasions the public has seen a politician who seems constricted, conflicted, and ill-at-ease. For voters, frankly, if she doesn't look like she is enjoying being prime minister, why should any of us be happy about the fact she's doing it. Read Laura's full blog.
Philip Hammond is always wary of announcing the "end of austerity", given the fragility of economic growth and the fact that many cuts, such as to benefits, have yet to work through the system.
People are still feeling the pain. He is keener to emphasise that the effort expended bringing the public finances back towards balance - where the government raises in revenues the same at it spends on services - will not be put at risk with some form of "spending splurge".
The PM just made that task harder. Read Kamal's full blog.
Lifting the cap on how much English local authorities can borrow to build traditional council houses could have a significant impact on the supply of homes for social rent.
Currently, town halls have a housing debt of about £26bn, the value of their existing stock acting as collateral. Doing away with the cap would conservatively allow an extra £10-15bn of borrowing. This money could be used to build an extra 15-20,000 new council homes a year over ten years.
Given that the latest annual figure for completed social rent homes is less than 6,000, this might well quadruple supply in the medium term. Even that increase would not get close to meeting demand for social housing, however.
The extra borrowing will count against the government's balance sheet and may well mean some tough decisions on cuts to budgets elsewhere, although there are arguments that the money could be seen as an investment rather than a subsidy because the new housing would provide a reliable income stream. Since 2012, council housing in England has realised a net rental surplus.
The extra borrowing would be ring-fenced for housing but it is unclear whether all of the new stock would be for social rent. Some shared-ownership homes might be included, for example.
Although the extra borrowing freedom could come into force after early as next year, with planning and land acquisition to be sorted out, it is unlikely the boost to social housing supply will come to pass for some years.
The pledge to create a new cancer strategy is not surprising - it was already one of the priority areas for the 10-year plan NHS England boss Simon Stevens has been asked to draw up in return for the £20bn funding rise the health service has been promised by 2023.
Her high profile promise was to increase early detection - defined as at stages one and two - from 50% to 75% by 2028.
Progress is already being made towards this. The existing cancer strategy has already made that a priority and in the last four years there has been an 11% improvement, meaning the NHS is already well on course to achieve this target.
Beyond that, there were few details on what it would mean for services so it looks like we will have to wait until the 10-year NHS plan is published, expected to be November, before we know more.
In response, Labour's shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Mrs May's claim on austerity was a "con" unless the chancellor takes immediate action.
He said: "If the prime minister wants to back up her words with action, Philip Hammond should announce immediately that the cuts scheduled for the next four years will be cancelled."
The SNP's Ian Blackford said Mrs May had "danced around the key issues - the disastrous impact of Tory austerity and a Tory hard Brexit".
"There is a massive gulf between her rhetoric and the reality of what is now facing the UK," he added.
Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said: "As somebody who takes dancing seriously, I was delighted to see Theresa May show that she is developing her new hobby. But she was dancing on the head of a pin, confronted by an audience full of people plotting to oust her."
The Local Government Association, which has been calling for an end to the cap on borrowing for house-building, welcomed the council spending announcement.
"Many of the projects that are already under way could quickly be scaled up," Conservative councillor David Simmonds, the body's deputy chairman, said.
"Councils have been asking for this for a long time and clearly the announcement today is something that means we can get on with the job."
The CBI - which criticised Mrs May's immigration plans on Tuesday - welcomed her call to "back business" and urged MPs to support her Brexit plan to get a deal "over the line".
• None No tax rises on petrol, says May
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Should race count in university admissions? - BBC News
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2018-10-17
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Harvard University faces a legal challenge over its student selection policy but denies unfairness.
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Business
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Harvard is at the centre of competing visions of what is meant by "fair" admissions
Harvard University this year turned down more than 95% of those who applied.
But what is a "fair" system for deciding who should be rejected and who should be the lucky few to get a place?
What should the successful 5% look like?
Should it just be those with the highest academic credentials? Or would it be fairer to ensure a more diverse ethnic and social mix?
The admissions policy of the flagship US university is facing a legal challenge, which began this week in Boston, with accusations of racial bias against Asian-Americans.
And it's a dispute that will be watched carefully by many other over-subscribed universities around the world.
In the UK, top universities such as Oxford have been criticised for recruiting too few ethnic minority students.
But the legal challenge against Harvard shows how this argument can become more complex - because a majority of students in this autumn's intake are from ethnic minorities.
The accusation is that Harvard is limiting places for Asian-Americans to allow entry for other minorities
About 52% of new undergraduates are from ethnic minorities, with the biggest number being Asian Americans:
But the complainants say if entry was decided on grades alone, the proportion of Asian-American students would be even higher - and the admissions system makes it easier for black, Hispanic and white students to get a place.
The court case has been seen as reflecting a wider push-back against "affirmative action"
Asian-Americans are about 6% of the US population, so they are the most over-represented ethnic group in Harvard. But the complainants say there is an informal system of "racial balancing" to cap any further increase in their numbers.
They claim that more subjective parts of the entry process, such as assessing an applicant's personality, are used to mark down Asian-Americans.
Under the banner of Students for Fair Admissions, they are calling for race to be removed as a factor in admissions, saying that the ethnicity of applicants should not "either help or harm" chances of entry.
It says that race is "one factor among many" and the proportion of places gained by Asian-American students has risen by more than a quarter since 2010.
The university has defended the impartiality of what it calls a "race conscious" system, as it sifts through 42,000 applications to make about 2,000 offers.
An undergraduate, Sally Chen, expected to give testimony, will argue that universities need to take race into account to understand someone's experiences - and it's a policy that helps "open the door to all students of colour".
But the case raises bigger questions of what is fair in ultra-competitive university admissions.
Elite universities are not only about academic high achievement.
Seen as a launch pad for careers in business, politics or the professions, they have become gatekeepers for social advancement.
This has put pressure on them to be at the same time both academically exclusive and socially inclusive.
As a result, many university entry systems look at a range of social factors, as well as academic ability.
In the UK, this is often known rather evasively as "contextual admissions". In the US, the most controversial aspect of admissions has often been ethnicity.
Since the civil rights movement in the 1960s, there have been calls for "affirmative action", supporting wider university access for ethnic minority students.
Harvard has always defended its right to consider race as part of an all-round view of candidates.
But this latest claim is not about the type of historical attempts by minorities to stake a claim in white dominated institutions.
Instead, it is a minority group claiming that some applicants are unfairly losing out on places because of the efforts to maintain diversity among other minorities.
This courtroom battle is being seen as part of a wider cultural struggle about race and identity in the US.
While other universities - and some Asian-American campaigners - are lining up to support Harvard, their opponents are protesting with banners supporting President Trump.
All sides will be watching to see if the legal and political ground is moving.
Harvard argues that it has seen off repeated legal challenges to its admissions policy over the decades and that the right to consider an applicant's race has been upheld in successive rulings.
This court case, heard without a jury, is widely expected to have its findings challenged at appeal.
If it comes before the Supreme Court, the balance has shifted and Brett Kavanaugh's appointment could have a further significance for another divisive issue.
The editor of Global education is sean.coughlan@bbc.co.uk
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Cannabis in Canada: Who wins and who loses under new law - BBC News
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2018-10-17
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Uruguay did it first, now Canada. Who will benefit from the new law change?
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US & Canada
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Canada has become the second nation to fully legalise recreational cannabis. The end of prohibition means Canadian adults will be able to purchase and consume the drug from federally licensed producers.
The country has one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world, particularly among young people.
Canadians spent an estimated C$5.7bn ($4.6bn; £3.5bn) in 2017 alone on combined medical and recreational use - about $1,200 per user. The bulk of that spending was on black market marijuana.
Uruguay was the first country to legalise recreational marijuana, although Portugal and the Netherlands have decriminalised the drug.
Here's a look at some of the consequences of this sweeping transition in Canada - and the potential winners and losers.
Expect plenty of cannabis-related cases in the courts in the coming years.
"While we're moving away from a regime of prohibition, we're at the same time moving towards a very detailed framework of regulation," says Bill Bogart, a Toronto-based legal expert on drugs and legalisation.
And that means lots of regulatory details and grey areas for interest groups to challenge or exploit.
One key issue will be how officers assess drug-impaired drivers compared to drink-drivers. And the reliability of technology used to detect THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, is already being challenged.
Some police forces have also opted out a roadside saliva testing device authorised by the federal government over cost concerns and the fact it might have problems working in colder weather.
Mr Bogart also predicts challenges to rules on edible cannabis products, which will not be legal for at least another year, as well as employment issues such as medical cannabis in the workplace.
The ending of prohibition means it is legal to consume cannabis and, under federal law, grow limited quantities at home.
Landlords are worried about smoke-related nuisances and damages arising from personal cultivation.
In one pre-emptive strike, a major landlord in Alberta said in September it would bar smoking and growing in all its buildings.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Take a look inside the world's largest legal cannabis farm
Provinces set the rules over where a person can consume cannabis, which has created a patchwork of regulations across the country.
In Ontario, for example, a person will be allowed to smoke cannabis wherever tobacco is allowed.
Public consumption will be prohibited in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan, so some tenants may find themselves severely restricted in where they can use the drug.
The cannabis market is expected to be big business - and big business isn't shying away from investing as stigma fades around the drug's use.
Analysts suggest the size of the consumer pot market will be anywhere from $4.2bn to $8.7bn with between 3.4m and 6m people using cannabis recreationally in the first year after legalisation.
Those kind of numbers have sparked interest from major corporate players.
Licensed producers have been ramping up production in preparation for 17 October
Coca-Cola is keeping an eye on "the growth of non-psychoactive cannabidiol as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages" and had exploratory talks with Canadian licensed producer Aurora Cannabis about developing marijuana-infused beverages.
Corona beer owner Constellation Brands is investing with Canopy Growth to capitalise on growing demand for the drug by producing a non-alcoholic cannabis-based beverage.
Like Canopy and Aurora, other major publicly traded licensed producers have been building new facilities and ramping up production in earnest ahead of legalisation.
Where will small-scale cultivators fit into the market alongside big licensed producers and their soaring stock prices?
Advocates say ensuring that so-called craft producers can supply the market will curb illegal production and help secure an adequate retail supply of recreational cannabis.
But they still face obstacles, from financing to restrictions around land use and zoning.
There have been concerns among cannabis consumers that legalised marijuana will become too "corporate"
Some small producers have limited licenses to grow medical cannabis but have also been supplying the black or so-called "grey" market.
In an effort to promote a diverse cannabis marketplace, Canada has created specific "micro-cultivator" and "micro-processing" licenses.
The government is also toying with issuing licenses to people with minor nonviolent cannabis charges.
There is still a lot to learn about the impact of cannabis on the human body.
Research into medical and recreational cannabis use has long been hamstrung in Canada due to marijuana's status as a controlled substance, even though medical marijuana has been legal since 2001.
Funding was hard to come by, access to cannabis for research was restricted, and much of the research being done focused on the dangers of the drug.
Now, there are signs its new status will boost research and investment into studies looking at both the benefits and the harms of cannabis use, such as the impact of cannabis on issues like mental health, neurodevelopment, pregnancy, the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, driving, and pain management.
On the campaign trail in 2015, Justin Trudeau vowed that a Liberal government would get to work "right away" on a policy to legalise and regulate the sale of marijuana.Three years later, he can mark it as a promise kept.
He defends the move by saying it will protect young Canadians and prevent criminals from reaping the profits of the black market. But arguments continue to rage on the social cost and the health and safety risks.Meanwhile, the nitty-gritty of regulation has been left up to provincial and municipal leaders to figure out, a daunting task that has left many local politicians frustrated.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to legalise cannabis prior to the 2015 federal election
Canadian cities say they are on the front lines of marijuana legalisation.
They will bear part of the responsibility for policing the new regime as well as for managing things like zoning, retail locations, home cultivation, business licensing and regulations around public consumption.
But many cities say they have yet to hear how federal taxes collected on cannabis sales will trickle down.
Some cities have also chosen to opt-out of allowing legal pot shops in their districts altogether.
The federal government projects it will raise $400m a year in tax revenues on the sale of cannabis. In a deal reached with the provinces, the feds will keep 25% of tax revenues up to an annual limit of $100m.
The rest will go to the provinces, which in turn will give funding to cities.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-45674260
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Brexit, the Irish border and the 'battle for the union' - BBC News
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2018-10-17
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['https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews']
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Do growing Brexit tensions mean a fight for the union?
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Northern Ireland
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The 310-mile long border separating Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and how it should look after Brexit has become a crucial issue
With fewer than 200 days until the UK is due to leave the EU, the battle over Brexit is reaching dizzying heights of drama.
But perhaps an unintended consequence of the debate is the growing battle over something else - the union.
In particular, the sum of the UK and all its parts.
With the Irish border the main sticking point in the talks, focus has turned to Northern Ireland's future.
On Monday, the DUP's deputy leader Nigel Dodds told the BBC that Brexit negotiations were "turning into a battle for the union".
His party is at the heart of the disquiet over the so-called backstop (that's the insurance policy the EU wants, to ensure there's no hard Irish border if the UK and EU can't find another solution).
The DUP's "blood red" line: No to anything that sees only Northern Ireland remaining aligned in some way to EU rules, and no to extra regulatory checks only in Northern Ireland.
It fears anything that splits Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK could pose a range of problems, including precipitating the eventual break-up of the union.
Alex Kane, a former director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party, believes the pro-union argument would probably win a border poll if one was held, but he's critical of the DUP and unionism more widely for throwing out rhetoric - but not acting on it.
DUP leader Arlene Foster met the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier last week - and has since said it appears more likely that Brexit will lead to a no deal outcome
"It's not enough to just say 'the battle for the union' is on," he says.
"You have to have a strategy, you have to be willing to engage. If you mention the phrase border poll to unionists, a lot of the time they dismiss it and say it won't happen."
But writer and former Labour special adviser, Kevin Meagher, says Brexit has been an "accelerant" in pushing forward the possibility of Irish reunification which he insists is almost an inevitability.
"Unionists find themselves riding two horses: standing true to what they believe in, but having to internalise that a united Ireland is a real prospect now," he says.
The power to call a border poll rests with the Secretary of State Karen Bradley, who could do so at any time if it appears "likely" to her that a majority would vote in favour of it, but earlier this year she said the conditions had not been met.
Kevin Meagher says Brexit makes it much more likely to happen, and that there are other contributing factors too:
The prime minister has always insisted she is a defender of the union and that the "precious bond" between the UK's four nations is of great importance to her.
Kevin Meagher thinks that when it comes to the final roll of the Brexit dice, Theresa May might have to upset her unionist allies.
"Some of those forces are alive already, given Scotland's previous independence vote.
"Brexit quickens the pace around these problems, but Theresa May's got to try and get the best deal, and by upsetting the DUP she can probably get a reasonable deal for rest of the UK."
Senior Scottish Conservatives David Mundell and Ruth Davidson have threatened to resign if Theresa May backs a deal that gives NI special arrangements
It's not just the DUP that the prime minister risks upsetting.
On Sunday, just as talks between EU and UK negotiators ground to a halt over the Irish border issue, senior Scottish Conservatives threatened mutiny if any Brexit deal included special arrangements for Northern Ireland.
Their fear is that any new controls that separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK could fuel the case for Scottish independence - another potential fracture in the union.
But where does Sinn Féin - the largest nationalist party in Stormont and who also holds seats in the Irish Parliament - figure into all of this?
The party's leadership have stressed that they want to see a border poll by 2022, although they acknowledge it would be much more complicated in the context of a hard Brexit or 'no deal' scenario.
The party's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said fighting against a hard Brexit is a bigger priority for Sinn Féin right now, than achieving a united Ireland - but acknowledged Brexit had strengthened his party's argument for one.
Alex Kane thinks the prospect of Irish unity is "once in a lifetime", arguing that Sinn Féin knows it has an opportunity now that may not come around again for a very long time if it is not successful.
And Kevin Meagher's view is that a united Ireland has moved from being an aspiration for nationalists to an "evidence-based proposition" now.
"Brexit is massively destabilising for the British state, it would be like taking a fillet to the UK," he says.
"A hard Brexit would be the worst of all worlds for unionism - with all roads ultimately leading to one point: a border poll."
While the Stormont parties may be at odds and internal spats within the Conservatives and Labour rage on, much of what happens next with the union rests on what Theresa May does next.
But could she become the British prime minister who ends up breaking up the UK?
Kevin Meagher says she's in an incredibly difficult position, adding: "Trying to judge her place in history, I don't envy her, I don't think anybody does."
While in Alex Kane's view, the prime minister has a stark choice: "A deal in the best interests of the UK or the interests of one party."
Mrs May does not have much time left to decide.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-45864218
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news_uk-northern-ireland-45864218
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