good morning. welcome to breakfast with sally nugent and jon kay. our headlines today... a huge volcano erupts in south west iceland, after weeks of intense earthquake activity. dame esther rantzen says she has joined the swiss organisation dignitas and is considering assisted dying if her lung cancer doesn't respond to treatment. security in the middle east. the uk joins a coalition of ten countries protecting commercial vessels in the red sea, after bp starts diverting its ships. more than 100 people are killed in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in north—west china. gift cards will be flying off the shelves this week, as millions of us seek out christmas presents which — hopefully — look a bit more thoughtful than cold, hard cash. but there are some pitfalls. i'll be taking a look. in sport...

a huge night ahead, as the 70th edition of sports personality of the year is held here in salford. whose name will follow beth mead's on that coveted trophy? good on that coveted trophy? morning. a wet start acro: england good morning. a wet start across england and wales. match range slowly clearing south—east through the course of the day leaving brightest guys behind with a few showers. it will be wintry on the tops of their heels in scotland. —— the hills in scotland. it's tuesday the 19th of december. we start this morning with some extraordinary pictures. after weeks of intense earthquakes, a large volcano has erupted in south—west iceland. the met office says huge quantities of lava are now spewing out of a two—mile crack near the fishing town of grindavik, which was evacuated last month. louisa pilbeam reports. it's a breathtaking sight.

the volcanic eruptions on the reykjanes peninsula transformed iceland's night sky. 0ne witness took this video, as they were driven past, as lava spews from the volcano. but with this display of nature's power comes the obvious danger to human life. scientists knew this was coming for weeks — a series of earthquakes and changes to the ground were the early signs. everyone was prepared. they evacuate the town exactly when they should have done. like the iceland... icelanders are especially good at this because the entire country wouldn't exist if it wasn't for all these volcanoes. like the whole country is volcanic, so everyone is, like, fully educated, fully aware. no one messes about, you know. everyone listens to the scientists, exactly what they're saying. around 4,000 people had already been evacuated from the town of grindavik, near the busy tourist site, the blue lagoon, which has been closed. the town is 25 miles from the capital, reykjavik.

that cooling mechanism, experts say, happens roughly every 800 years in clusters of activity. this latest is related to another icelandic volcano eruption in 2010, which caused an ash cloud that closed european airspace. this time, the capital's airport remains open, but scientists and emergency services are tracking the direction of the lava, as the eruptions could last for weeks and even months ahead. louisa pilbeam, bbc news. we will keep an eye on all that during the programme. we will hear from a volcanologist to get his expert opinion, talking about possible implications for transport. dame esther rantzen has said she's considering the option of assisted dying.

the 83—year—old broadcaster, who has lung cancer, said she's currently receiving a "miracle" treatment but that she has joined the zurich—based assisted dying clinic, dignitas, in case her condition gets worse. talking to bbc radio 4's the today podcast, dame esther said british laws need to be updated. i have joined dignitas. i have, in my brain, thought, "well, if the next scan says nothing's working, i might buzz off to zurich." but, you know, it puts my family and friends in a difficult position because they would want to go with me and that means that the police might prosecute them. so we've got to do something. at the moment, it's not really working, is it? we're nowjoined by our chief political correspondent, henry zeffman. jane astor said she would like mps to have a free vote on assisted

dying. is there any political will for change on this matter. dame esther is right. _ for change on this matter. dame esther is right. if— for change on this matter. dame esther is right. if she _ for change on this matter. dame esther is right. if she did - for change on this matter. dame esther is right. if she did go - for change on this matter. dame esther is right. if she did go to l esther is right. if she did go to dignity as it could put family and friends in a difficult position. if people travelled with how they could potentially be prosecuted and sentenced up to 14 years in prison. it is cases where has happened to family members which, generally in the past, has resulted in some political debate around this issue. whenever it has been debated, it has been a free vote in parliament, a matter of conscience. successive governments have taken the view it is not a matterfor government policy because how people feel cuts across party lines. they say it is a matter of conscience for individual mps. there have been attempts for it

to be put on the legislative agenda before. the most recent vote was in september 2015 where mps were given a free vote on the bill which would have moved toward some kind of legal assisted dying regime fell by more than two 21 votes. many people including many parliamentarians cannot fail to be moved by dame esther�*s interview, so i suspect it will nudge it up a little bit on the political agenda but it is hard to see it on the statute books. the uk hasjoined an international effort — led by the united states — to protect oil and cargo ships passing through the red sea. it comes after iran—backed houthis from yemen attacked ships, which they believed were bound for israel. the oil giant, bp, had already announced plans to avoid the route. ben has been taking a look at the impact this could have on fuel prices. the big concern is the impact this could have on the price that we pay for things — and crucially the price of oil.

with ships carrying goods from asia to europe being diverted — it adds thousands of nautical miles to their journey. and takes up to two weeks longer. instead of cutting through the suez canal into the mediterranean, they will re—route going all the way around the tip of south africa. the extra travel time would mean it costs more to transport goods — from household products to toys and clothes — and the extra cost is likely to be passed on to us as consumers. and we're not talking small quantities either. about 15% of the world's shipping traffic goes via the suez canal and red sea route bringing goods from asia to the uk and europe. that includes about a fifth of the world's oil. that includes what is shipped by bp. prices for that have crept up to almost $80 a barrel. the worry is that if oil prices rise — not only does that mean drivers paying more at the pump —

but transporting goods around by road becomes more expensive — and again that could well be passed on to us in the price we see on the shelves. just as inflation has come down from the dizzy heights, the fear is these events could push up the average prices once again. at least 116 people have died and more than 220 injured following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in north—west china. water, electricity and road networks have been damaged in two provinces. 0ur china correspondent stephen mcdonelljoins us from beijing. morning. i imagine those numbers are at this point very early estimates. yes. in fact they have alreadyjust gone up, sadly. i am getting 118 dead and 368 people injured. when a powerful shallow earthquake struck

the tibetan plateau just before midnight, bringing down houses and killing people as they slept. the rescue effort has been hampered by freezing conditions. imagine it is -14 freezing conditions. imagine it is —14 degrees but you have the wind chill factor up on the tibetan plateau. 0n chill factor up on the tibetan plateau. on top of all of this of course you have an earthquake, electricity and water is cut. emergency teams have to bringing generators and basically everything they need to try to rescue survivors. local officials have asked for ordinary people not to just come along as volunteers because they need to use those roads to get professionals in there. they need to move a lot of rescue equipment in their plus they need tents, stoves, and all the sort of thing that you would need to ensure survivors can stay somewhere in this

very cold situation up there. really tough conditions. people are nevertheless racing to reach survivors because, they talk about the golden hour to rescue people in an earthquake, 72 hours. if it is freezing cold, that can be drastically reduced. people can freeze to death. the only upside sometimes you can be blockaded from the wind if there is rubble around you. there is another silver lining, this very powerful earthquake has hit an area with not that many people living there. had it been a bigger city in china we would have seen and much, much worse disaster. thank you very much indeed. the scottish government's tax and spending plans will be announced later today. economists are warning that ministers are grappling with a black hole in the budget amounting to one and a half billion pounds. options include tax rises for higher

earners, spending cuts for government departments, and public sectorjob losses. there are warnings of potential cuts to public services in wales, as the welsh government sets out its spending plans for the next year. the draft budget will be published later today. 0ur correspondent tomos morgan is in cardiff for us this morning. tomos, what more can you tell us? welcome the ministers have been saying for a while here, as the outgoing first minister mark drakeford, this is going to be a difficult and challenging budget. you mentioned a shortfall in scotland. the ones government say due to inflation they are around £1.73 due to inflation they are around £1.3 billion down as well. 80% of welsh government funding comes in the form of the block grant from the uk government. they are putting some blame on the uk government for not giving more money during these difficult economic times. 80% of the welsh budget goes on the nhs

encounters. the finance minister said they would be protecting as much is they plan the services at the heart of the community, nhs by councils, schools as well. realistically there will be some sort of shortfall and i will not be able to raise money in line with inflation. the money going towards these services, and the waiting times showing the worst times ever, councils are already struggling with some of them are already talking about bankruptcy. they will not be so much to go around. tomorrow rebecca evans will be scrutinised by the finance minister. this budget today comes with the backdrop yesterday ofjunior today comes with the backdrop yesterday of junior doctors today comes with the backdrop yesterday ofjunior doctors also announcing they would go on strike in the new year over pay issues because they couldn't get what they wanted from the welsh government. they blame the uk government for not allowing enough money to give the doctors what they want.

a leading health think—tank says the traditional model of nhs dentistry is now gone for good and can't be restored without an unrealistically large amount of money. the nuffield trust report says radical change is needed. here's our health correspondent nick triggle. 0pen wide, thank you. finding an nhs dentist is difficult. last year, a bbc investigation found nine in ten practices were not accepting new adult patients. and now a report by the nuffield trust think—tank has shed more light on the scale of the challenge. it found there were 6 million fewer treatments done last year in england, compared to before the pandemic. and funding had been cut by £525 million over the past seven years once inflation was taken into account. the think—tank believes services in england, and the rest of the uk for that matter, are now so stretched that restoring the traditional model of nhs care was likely to be unrealistic because of the costs involved. it said difficult decisions may be needed, suggesting scaling back access for most adults,

so that they're paid the full cost of treatment beyond basic checkups and emergency work was one option. one of the things we think this government and any government needs to think about is really what the long—term solutions are and whether or not anybody is prepared to bring back universal dental access for the whole population at the level that it once was. we think that maybe there is more in which we need to be looking at — means testing dental care to ensure at the very least we bring back gold standard, absolutely excellent care for the most disadvantaged and particularly for children. but both labour and the government said they had a plan to improve access. labour said it would create hundreds of thousands of extra appointments by abolishing the non—dom tax status, which allows people living in the uk to avoid paying uk tax on money they made outside the uk. meanwhile, the government said it

would be publishing a recovery plan soon but was already investing in services, including increasing the number of dentist training places. nick triggle, bbc news. here's carol with a look at the weather. iam i am delighted to say she is bringing sequence gstaad is a fairy lights. this is what we need today. i could not decide what to wear, so i could not decide what to wear, so i wore that lot. me i could not decide what to wear, so i wore that lot.— i could not decide what to wear, so i wore that lot._ this i i wore that lot. me as well. this mornin: i wore that lot. me as well. this morning if— i wore that lot. me as well. this morning if you _ i wore that lot. me as well. this morning if you are _ i wore that lot. me as well. this morning if you are heading - i wore that lot. me as well. this morning if you are heading out. i wore that lot. me as well. this i morning if you are heading out and about there is cloud and rain across england and wales. for the rest of the week we will continue with the rain. it will become very windy, especially on thursday and potentially into friday. the exposure in the eastern areas is 70

to 80 miles an hour. the chance of snow, especially on the hills in the north. this is the rain i was telling you about and a cloud associated with it across england and wales which will push down before clearing later on in the day. behind it dry weather with showers in the north west of england, northern ireland and scotland. heady with gail and than to. these other temperatures. five in lerwick to a high of 11 as we push down towards the south coast. it is also going to be rather windy later across the south—west of england and english channel and windy all day in the north and the west. this evening and overnight the start of the some clear skies. there will also be showers around. staying dry in parts of the south and south—east. you can see the next when a coming in produce thicker cloud and rain. the wind again will be strengthening, picking up even more across parts of

the north and the west. tomorrow, that band of rain across northern ireland, scotland and northern england continues to push in. there will be hill fog, coastalfog england continues to push in. there will be hill fog, coastal fog as well. low cloud, dampness, drizzle, patchy light rain. further east, in sheltered areas you could see one or two bits of brightness. still a fair bit of cloud ran through the course of tomorrow. still windy across the north and west and also the south—west and english channel. inland it will be breezy. these are the temperatures. 0nly inland it will be breezy. these are the temperatures. only four in lerwick. this is a warm front coming our way introducing milder conditions for the time of year, looking at ten, 11. on thursday if you are travelling it will be very windy for most of us and that will continue into friday. thank you very much indeed. i am feeling a bit underdressed. i need

some sparkles, some sequence. did you not get the memo? me and powell were paying attention. let's take a look at today's papers. the times reports that the levelling up secretary michael gove will strip councils of their "powers over planning" if they "delay or deny" legitimate housebuilding in their local areas." the telegraph leads on transgender guidance for teachers, which is due to be published today. the paper says under the new guidelines, teachers will be told to report to parents if a child wants to change their gender and that there will be no sanctions if a pupil's preferred pronouns are not followed. we will talk about that story a bit later on in the programme. the front of the guardian features this image of palestinians sitting outside of a tent in southern gaza. it reports that a un vote on a ceasefire was postponed last night — but that vote is expected to go ahead today. and the mirror leads on dame esther ranzen's bbc interview, in which she reveals

she's signed up with the voluntary assisted dying group dignitas. it comes after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. earlier this year, gill castle became the first person with a stoma bag to swim the english channel but now she's going much further. to africa. but she's not swimming there. gill has set up a charity to supply stoma bags to women in kenya — and she's been there to see that work in action, as alison freeman reports. cheering. this is kind of like my really in—your—face way of saying, "if i can swim the channel, you can go to your local pool." but really, ultimately, my everything is to show my son that his birth didn't ruin my life.

this was the moment she'd been working towards for years. in 2023, gill castle became the first person with a stoma to swim the channel. have you got a message for sam? it was all for you, gorgeous boy. gill castle was so severely injured in childbirth in october 2011 that she had to have a colostomy operation. she'd suffered a fistula, a hole between her rectum and her vagina, and a fourth degree tear, which couldn't be repaired. so she had to have her bowel diverted out on to her abdomen, creating a permanent stoma. knowing how hard it was to come to terms with this massive life change, she wanted to let others see it couldn't stop her from doing anything. she screams morning, everybody.

here we are at ben nevis. it was then that she was contacted by the head of an american charity, called beyond fistula, which helps kenyan women who, like gill, have had fistula surgery — many of whom end up with a stoma. i am pulling it. you're cringing. i don't care. i realised during the course of that conversation they don't have stoma bags and the ones they do have are very poor quality. so i said, "oh, well, we have lots of surplus in the uk that can't be given back to the hospital. they can't go anywhere other than landfill." it's absolutely insane to me to think that two years ago i was in my little garage in alnwick, in northumberland, on my own, surrounded by donated stoma boxes, just packing them up and sending them to this hospital in kenya — to these women i'd never met. it's just sort of gone poof. and now you have a charity. and now i've got a charity.

gill's channel swim raised funds for her charity, chameleon buddies, which supports people with stomas in the uk and in kenya. the chameleon buddies came to the gyno care hospital in eldoret in the west of kenya for a week to hand over supplies of bags, help the women learn to manage their stomas and to support each other. cockerel crows. many of the women make long journeys to the workshop. welcome. like this pastor. she knows all too well the fear felt by the women, having had a colostomy in 2020. i wanted to run away. i never accepted it easily. i don't know how to put it on. i don't want to see the wounds. i could use it then for stomas that costed me almost 4,000 every day. the high cost of the bags is also a hurdle for the women, many spending up to 1000 shillings

on a single bag. the average salary for an educated person in kenya is 25,000 shillings per month, meaning the entire salary could be spent on bags, if you can find them. jill made her first trip to the hospital in 2022, so some of the faces are familiar to her, like mary, who has a urostomy, which diverts urine out through a stoma on the abdomen. mary, actually, she lives very far away from here. she had run out of supplies and she was wearing a sort of a seal on a tatty old string with a plastic bag attached, just a normal plastic bag. and thatjust kind of reminds you why this all started in the first place because that is what they were wearing — plastic bags, bits of cloth, wrappers from bread. this girl isjust 16 and from the masai mara. she was married at a young age to a much older man and gave birth atjust 15 in 2022.

her baby died and she was left with such terrible internal injuries she had to have two stomas. it's hard to comprehend the trauma she's experienced whilst still a child herself. she had told us she wanted to speak so that others can understand the help that's needed here. how do you balance out that trauma with thejoy, really? that is very difficult. what we've got to focus on is we are making her life better. we're enabling her to move on from that trauma. my name's claire. i'm one of the stoma

nurses from the uk. throughout the week, stoma nurse claire from whitley bay has been running a clinic. what are the main differences that you've seen in the women here compared to what you see in the uk? 0nce they're discharged, then that's it. they're left to their own devices, which is where their problems maybe start, or their isolation starts, or their stigma starts or their fear about living with the stoma — that they then become detached from their family or their group of friends or their work colleagues. that's the biggest thing. we don't come out to talk about it. 0k. we fear that if you talk about it, some will laugh, some will hurt, some will run. not everyone can make it to eldoret. so gill and her team made the long journey to siaya county to meet a woman and offer her care at home. the issue that this lady has is one

of acceptance, essentially. so she cannot accept her stoma. she told us she's a swimmer and i was wondering how she does it, because i fear going to places because we now we want to remove and replace. where do you do it? i need somewhere where there is water, there is a comfortable toilet, i can remove. thank you. my pleasure. so gill has coined the phrase, "no secrecy, no shame." and the ladies this week have just absolutely run with it. cheering if you want to see more of gill's time in kenya, you can watch the stoma swimmer

on bbc iplayer now. we are going to be talking to her here on the programme a little bit later on. notjust her as well, her son will bejoining us later on. notjust her as well, her son will be joining us for the first time by talking about why he is so keen to support his mum and everything she does. a really special film. still to come on breakfast... # we got the power of love.# the power of love, and of 600 guitarists coming together for the ultimate sing—song in liverpool. more on that at ten to seven. we have some lovely stuff this morning. really nice films as we head towards christmas. time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are. a very good morning — welcome to bbc london, i'm thomas magill. leaseholders living in a new build block of flats in camden say their lives are unbearable, with worsening conditions

and soaring costs. the leaseholders at 53 agar grove purchased the properties in 2019 for over £700,000 each. now, an independent structural engineer has found the property to be unfit for purpose, with the owners saying their flats are effectively worthless. many say they're scared that one day the building could fall down. i lost my sleep. i feel like i've aged massively over the last five years due to the stress and anxiety that we encounter every single day. ifeel depressed most of the time because i see — i just don't see the future, because we live in unsafe homes. the developer prime metro company previously told bbc london the apartments were built in good faith, with government approved inspectors certifiying the project. the london fire brigade is supporting a campaign which is reminding people to act smartly around water, as they travel home from parties during the christmas

and new year holidays. figures from the charity the royal life saving society shows that, on average, 73 people across the uk lose their lives each year through substance—related drowning. londoners wanting to watch this years new years eve fireworks display are being told to stay off tower bridge and london bridge, as neither will offer a view. it comes after the city bridge foundation, who owns and maintians both crossings, say revellers have flocked to the landmarks in previous years, leaving them congested and busy. a £14 million project to save and recycle water at a treatment works in essex has been completed. essex and suffolk water has doubled the capacity of its specialist facility near chelmsford. it will reduce the amount of wastewater that's released into the environment, putting it back into the reservoir instead. let's take a look at the tubes now.

now onto the weather with kate. good morning. it's another mild start this morning. with the mild conditions though, the unsettled weather. it's wet, it's quite a breezy, but it will turn a little drier later. and the wind, around 13 celsius. but once that starts to clear, cooler north—westerly breeze starts to filter in colder air, so by the end of the day, although we will see a bit of sunshine, it will feel a little chillier. 0vernight it is going to be a cooler night. clear skies largely. still got the north—westerly breeze though. the minimum temperature dropping down to three celsius. a bright start tomorrow — we should get some sunshine. but you can see this warm front. that's going to start to slide south through wednesday, introducing more cloud as we head through the afternoon. should be fairly dry though, temperatures tomorrow still in double figures around 11 celsius. as we head overnight wednesday into thursday, the wind is going to strengthen, it's going to be a very windy day as we head through thursday itself. it stays pretty unsettled through this week,

and staying mild as we have towards the christmas weekend. hello, this is breakfast with sally nugent and jon kay. a volcano has erupted in southwestern iceland following weeks of earthquakes. lava is spewing out of a two—mile crack near the town of grindavik, which was evacuated last month. these are some of the actual pictures we received overnight. unbelievable images. robin george andrews is a volcanologist based in london — we can speak to him now. good morning. we have been blown away by these pictures we have seen overnight. you have experienced these things many times. but i guess you too are amazed by them?-

these things many times. but i guess you too are amazed by them? yeah, it is a strange — you too are amazed by them? yeah, it is a strange eruption _ you too are amazed by them? yeah, it is a strange eruption because - you too are amazed by them? yeah, it is a strange eruption because it - you too are amazed by them? yeah, it is a strange eruption because it is - is a strange eruption because it is so close to infrastructure and obviously this town that has been waiting for this eruption to happen. there have been signs it would happen sometime. it has happened so close but it hasn't happened in detail. you are or inspired by edward nevers about it. it is quite a precarious situation. they are quite breathtaking, apparently, the pictures. you quite breathtaking, apparently, the ictures. ., ,. , ., ., pictures. you describe waiting for this to happen- — pictures. you describe waiting for this to happen. this _ pictures. you describe waiting for this to happen. this has - pictures. you describe waiting for this to happen. this has been - pictures. you describe waiting for this to happen. this has been a i this to happen. this has been a waiting game. how tricky has it been to predict when this moment would come? ., ., ., ., , , ., come? yeah, the volcanologist plural micronised unguarded _ come? yeah, the volcanologist plural micronised unguarded is _ come? yeah, the volcanologist plural micronised unguarded is bang - come? yeah, the volcanologist plural micronised unguarded is bang on - come? yeah, the volcanologist plural micronised unguarded is bang on as l micronised unguarded is bang on as they could. in this part of iceland you don't really get eruptions out of a volcano in the way that we all think about them. fissures opened up in the ground often below —— without

any warning. but about a month ago there was a storm of seismic activity, a huge volume of magma shifting underground which rose up beneath this town, which prompted the evacuation. everybody had been waiting for an eruption. there was a chance they wouldn't be eruption. sometimes the magma freezes below the crust. there would be no eruption. even a couple of days ago people were thinking, maybe it has frozen up. but last night there was another earthquake swarm. then this explosion and this lover. thank goodness it is to the north—east of this time. the danger is not done yet but the worst case scenario has not happened. it is a relief. looking at these pictures i think we can safely say there has been an eruption. we can be sure of that now. it is staggering, these pictures. we all think iceland, volcano, with think back to 2010 when there was the ash clouds and

all the flights were cancelled, causing absolute chaos. for people travelling, flying over the next few weeks, for christmas and new year, is it possible yet to know whether this volcano can have the same kind of impact? i this volcano can have the same kind of im act? ~ �* , , of impact? i think it's extremely unlikel . of impact? i think it's extremely unlikely- to _ of impact? i think it's extremely unlikely. to get _ of impact? i think it's extremely unlikely. to get that _ of impact? i think it's extremely unlikely. to get that ash - of impact? i think it's extremely unlikely. to get that ash cloud l of impact? i think it's extremely i unlikely. to get that ash cloud that we saw in 2010, that sustained as cloud that went into the atmosphere, you need to erupt a lot of lava into an ice sheet, which cools it quickly and causes this explosion of ash. you don't have any ice sheets or caps in this part. there is obviously some ice on the ground. it is more of a local hazard. it is the lava that is coming out. at the start of this eruption up to 200 cubic metres of lava per second was coming out, which is kind of hard to imagine. it wasjust coming out, which is kind of hard to imagine. it was just smothering the landscape around it. faster than

anybody could believe sort of thing. that has come down a little bit. there is no indication at present that it would cause any kind of like big sustained ash column. the hazardous to the local environment. for people getting on planes and things, i don't think there is anything to worry about. and if there would be, the icelandic authorities would know. there is nothing to fret about in that sense. this is all about predictions, isn't it? it has been about predicting when the eruption would happen. what happens next?— happens next? forecasting when an eru tion happens next? forecasting when an eruption will — happens next? forecasting when an eruption will begin _ happens next? forecasting when an eruption will begin its _ happens next? forecasting when an eruption will begin its already - eruption will begin its already pretty tricky. forecasting how it evolves is even more difficult. when this eruption happened it was so vigorous. 0ne volcanologist said it would take months. another said it would take months. another said it would take months. another said it would take a week. it is hard to tell at this stage. all everyone is hoping is that of the lava flows away from this time. it is still not 100% clear what will happen in that

regard. this eruption is happening on a huge fisher. it is a long a change of the ground. if you drop size it does, as it continues to erupt now, it will keep flowing north away from these areas. it could change. at the moment it is just watch this space kind of thing. no one will make a better anything at this point. it is too early to tell. i at this point. it is too early to tell. . , , , tell. i have 'ust seen these pictures — tell. i have 'ust seen these pictures of — tell. i have just seen these pictures of people - tell. i have just seen these pictures of people driving i tell. i have just seen these . pictures of people driving past tell. i have just seen these - pictures of people driving past it. can you imagine anything more terrifying? thank you forjoining us. terrifying? thank you for “oining us. . terrifying? thank you for “oining us, ., ., terrifying? thank you for “oining us. ., ., ., gift cards will be flying off the shelves this week, as millions of us seek out christmas presents which — hopefully — look a bit more thoughtful than cold, hard cash. but there are pitfalls. ben can explain. morning. we have all been there. forgotten a birthday, realised you

had miscarriage of the days to christmas. in the mad panic you then have to grab some gift cards because you think, i have put them in the car. it seems more personal than the cash. there are some things to be aware of. yes, a gift card might seem like a great idea if you've got a few fussy friends or family members who would prefer that freedom to choose. the gift card industry is worth an estimated £7 billion. but there are a few things that can catch you out. so let's look at a few tips to make sure that money doesn't get wasted. most cards have an expiry date. but it may be written on the back or in a place that's not easy to see. but, if the voucher�*s expired without you realising, it's worth seeing if you can extend it — although there's usually a fee for that. some companies might take money off gift cards if you haven't used them for a while. for example, the 0ne4all gift card can be spent across over 170 brands. but if it's not used within 18

months, 90 pence per month comes off the balance. the firm says this is to cover operational costs, and details of this are shown on the back of your card. if you can, it's worth buying a gift voucher using a debit or credit card. it means if the company goes bust, you might still be able to claim money back. you can write to the administrators with proof of your vouchers. but they don't have to refund you. if the value is over £100, you may be able to use the consumer credit act to get your money back. even if you do everything right, there can still be an element of risk. there have been complaints of card draining, where the money on a gift card is spent by someone else. that's exactly what happened to ming pang. she's been speaking to radio 4's money box. they said, "did someone spend it?" i said, "well, i didn't. someone must have stolen the money in there." and then they said,

"no, it's impossible." i feel really hurt, you know. and then, almost like, accused, i'm a thief. i use the money, then i go back to claim for another one. so, that's how i feel. and that was stuck in my system when you discvoer your money got stolen. the other similar issue where you have gone to use your gift card and discover there is no money on it, or that you have been called out by the small print, get in touch and all the usual ways. get in touch in the usual ways. and we'll have sue hayward, personal finance and consumer expert, here to answer your questions just after 8.30. thank you very much indeed. it isjust coming up thank you very much indeed. it is just coming up to 20 to seven. big day in sport today. you can see already. we are only a short distance from where sports personality of the year is being staged. i couldn't get into the office this

morning. the red carpet is being rolled out. you know the sports personality of the year has arrived. at least the champagne will be flowing. we will see tonight who is going to get their hands on that coveted trophy. such an exciting night with so many big sporting stars rubbing shoulders alongside each other. i love you can see rory mcilroy chatting to ben stokes. it is those moments where people from different sports get together and it will be a special lad. we will see of those six nominees who will get their hands on the trophy tonight. no gift cards inside. just a huge trophy. yes, six contenders on the shortlist on a night which always inspires, as we look back on the sporting year. the winner will bejudged in that public vote, which opens during the show in what will be a special evening. i grew up watching sports personality of the year and hoping one day that i would be there.

the whole evening is actually magical. just to be in that room, you're looking around and you're seeing the best of the best. sports personality is such an important night for sport and for the nation, because sport is something that unites us all together. winning sports personality, i felt like, is this a joke?! . to be given it by the public was an incredible thing. i and that makes it special. you look at the great sports people that had won it before and since. it's something that i'm very proud of. probably the most nervous i i've been actually on a stage ever before in my life. walking off with the trophy at the end was pretty cool. j happy 70th anniversary to bbc sports personality of the year. i hope everyone has a fantastic night. i think we will, as well everybody there. we will bring you all of the

interviews from those in the running tomorrow morning here on bbc breakfast. sports personality of the year will be live on bbc one tonight from 7pm, as well as on bbc iplayer and the bbc sport website and app. you can check out the list of nominees on the bbc sport website. and a little reminder — wayne rooney, once a winner of young sports personality back in 2002, now birmingham city manager. and it's been a difficult reign so far — 11 games in and just two wins so far. they lost again last night, 3—2 at home to the championship leaders leicester — stephy mavididi with two goals for the visitors, who are now three points clear of ipswich at the top of the table. now it's also that time of year, when the champions league winners take on teams from around the world, to be crowned the best club side on the planet. that means manchester city are in saudi arabia, where the competition is being staged taking onjapanese side urawa red diamonds in the club world cup semi—finals. with the matches stacking up, even more so when the

competition expands. i'm not against the new competitions. i'm against for the lack of time to recover between year by year. this is what i'm complaining all the time. an investigation into the events leading up to the death of sheffield united's maddy cusack has found no evidence of wrongdoing at the club. cusack died in september at the age of 27. her death was not treated as suspicious by police. the investigation was carried out by an independent third party at the request of, and with co—operation from, cusack�*s family. maddy was the first player to reach 100 appearances for sheffield united. what about anthonyjoshua's future? well, he says he wants to get back to being heavyweight champion of the world. he's back in the ring this weekend, but not taking on deontay wilder, a fight which could

help him get there. wilder says aj doesn't have the heart to fight him. both are on the same bill in saudi arabia this weekend. of course i want to become champion. it's like asking a fighter, "do you want to become champion?" "oh, i'm not focusing on that right now." yes, we are all focused on what's next. and i'm focused on my opponent i'm focused on the bigger picture, and i'm using it as a source of motivation every day i'm in the gym. i would love to fight for the ibf, i would love to fight deontay wilder. and more, you know. so, yeah, i'm using it as a source of motivation. he says he wants to get back on top of the world and the next fight is this weekend. could we be looking at this year's world darts champion? gerwyn price — aka the iceman — says he is playing some of his best darts since he won the championship back in 2021. he's through to the third round at alexandra palace. he was ruthless against debutant connor scutt. he's waiting to find out who he'll play next but it won't be until after christmas as the competition breaks, with the winner then crowned

on the 3rd of january. the london grand prix brought the london international horse show to a close last night. a thrilling ride by ireland's daniel coyle on legacy won the jump off, pipping britain's ben maher on ginger blue byjust eight hundreths of a second. and now the moment you've all been waiting for. that's right — it's time for the shetland pony grand national. i feel like we need some sort of benny hill music. it's something of an institution at the london international horse show as the ponies are put through their paces by young aspiring riders. first over the line was sophie moore, with myla coppins not far behind, and in third, rosie twiston davies. and if you recognise that surname, she's the daughter of the famous racehorse trainer nigel twiston davies. lovely, isn't it? that means it is christmas.

sometimes you see some tinsel. it is always very fast. i want them in sports personality of the year. get on the phone. maybe not on the red carpet. it might get messy. thank you. they're ancient, moth—eaten and falling apart at the seams — but most of us wouldn't dream of chucking away our first teddy. they can, of course, be fixed — and one toy restorer from dorset says more and more of her customers are getting old bears refurbished as christmas gifts. kate eagleton—etheridge went to find out more. i'm sam peacefull—day, and i run sam's lazy bears, which repairs old teddy bears and toys, and give them their life back. this year has been the busiest i've ever known, which is lovely, really, that people are thinking of giving a gift that is already very old, or has already been treasured and now repaired and is a gift again. so it's really special.

many of sam's clients have decided to get childhood toys fixed for christmas instead of buying new. sue and graham windsor, from dorchester, decided their gift to each other this year would be restoring their teddies. i saw that there was somebody local that could repair teddy bears and thought, well, that would be nice to, especially with graham's, to get it refurbished for christmas. graham's bear looks like he's been through the wars, and he has. big ted was a new arrivaljust as the second world war was getting under way, and was to become a cherished companion. my first recollections - of having my teddy bear, the war was in full pelt. we were being bombed. and i used to take the teddy bear to bed with me. _ i said, "don't worry, teddy. when we've grown up, we'll run away." -

he arrived in a sorry state, missing an arm, the stuffing knocked out of him, and in need of some tlc. a fortnight later, it was time for the reveal, just like they do on the repair shop. oh, lovely. — i've been looking forward to this. oh, look at my lovely ted. oh. wow _ look at my lovely ted. and he's sat up. that's absolutely splendid. look at mine. isn't he lovely? after being reunited, the memories came flooding back. who's in that picture with you? this one, graham? 0h, teddy's with me. yeah. — that's me and teddy. and the verdict? we'll run away, we will. i think it's probably one of the best christmas presents we've had. yes, probably is. just to see that, joy, well, it's priceless. absolutely priceless. what a lucky lady i am to have such a lovelyjob. kate eagleson—etheridge, bbc news.

aren't they gorgeous? i love that. i bet you have still got yours? i bet you have still got yours? i have. he needs repairing. we'd love to see your old bears, whatever state they're in. you can send us a picture on whatsapp — the details are on screen now — don't forget to tell us your name and the name of the bear. you can get in touch with us by email, and on x as well. we wa nt we want some christmassy ones as well. maybe some repaired bears. all bears are welcome here. that's all you need to know. we will have a teddy bears picnic this morning. now carol is the weather. ,., ., now carol is the weather. good morninu. now carol is the weather. good morning- he — now carol is the weather. good morning. he weather— now carol is the weather. good morning. he weather for - now carol is the weather. good morning. he weather for the i now carol is the weather. (13mg. morning. he weather for the rest of this week does remain unsettled. temperatures one day will be on the mild side for the time of the year, then they will turn colder, then they will turn mild again.

essentially we are looking at rain at times, becoming very windy, especially on thursday. essentially into friday. the chance of snow largely on the hills. we could see some of that getting down to lower levels on thursday in the far north. today we have two fronts that have merged, putting across england and wales. they are producing all this cloud and rain. that will clear away from the south—east later in the day and breaking up behind. some showers, especially in the north and west. it is also going to be windy. increasingly, it will turn when you're in the south western approaches and the english channel as we go through the day. temperatures today up to 12 degrees. as we head through the evening and overnight you can see we have a plethora of showers. some of them will be wintry on the hills in the north. it should stay largely dry in the far south—east. then this next weather front comes in the far south—east. then this next weatherfront comes in bearing rain. this is a warm front. behind it we will start to report some milder air

coming in from the atlantic. temperatures will be higher as we go through the courts of tomorrow. here it comes, moving across northern ireland. northern england. heading eastwards. further south it is drier. particularly in the south—east. the cloud will build through the day. quite a marquee in the afternoon across the west. hill fog, coastalfog, dampness and drizzle, party light rain. the temperature is eight to 12 degrees. 0nly temperature is eight to 12 degrees. only four in lerwick, still ahead of that weather front. as we head only four in lerwick, still ahead of that weatherfront. as we head into thursday. the weather turns more likely. we have an area of low pressure. look at the isobars. that indicates where ever you are it is going to be a windy day. widely we are looking at winds of 50 to 60 miles per. across the north of the country we are looking at gales. in shetland at the moment it looks like we're going to have 70 to 80 mph.

coupled with all these showers from the west. some of the emerging to give longer spells of rain. the other thing is it is going to start to turn cooler behind the weather front sinking south from the north. as we head into friday it is going to be windy but not as. and through the rest of the weekend it remains unsettled. temperatures stepping on the north. as for christmas day itself, thejury the north. as for christmas day itself, the jury is still out as to whether it is going to be a white christmas or not. it could be on the hills in the north. it is one we christmas or not. it could be on the hills in the north. it is one we are closely watching. it looks like it is going to be quite mild in a lot of places on christmas day. it does at the moment. this could change. but at the moment it does. i change. but at the moment it does. ., but at the moment it does. i love the small print _ but at the moment it does. i love the small print disclaimer- but at the moment it does. i love the small print disclaimer around | the small print disclaimer around christmas! my the small print disclaimer around christmas! ~ , . , the small print disclaimer around christmas! g . , ~. ., , christmas! my name is michael fish! thank ou, christmas! my name is michael fish! thank you, carol. _ christmas! my name is michael fish! thank you, carol. no _ christmas! my name is michael fish!

thank you, carol. no storms, - christmas! my name is michael fish! | thank you, carol. no storms, please. how many guitarists do you need for a good old—fashioned sing—song? 0ne? two ? ten? or how about 600? that's how many gathered in liverpool to raise money and spirits. breakfast�*s jayne mccubbin went along. something is bringing people together in liverpool. hiya! hello. are you 0k? very excited, very excited. a coiled spring. the unifying power of music. bring it on, baby, let's have it. it's about community. it's about getting - people out together. oh, it's the power of love! there are community centres like this up and down the country. all doing amazing work with teams of amazing volunteers. busy, busy? always. fighting for every single penny they get.

this is our lovely angie, volunteer. hi, angie. she's fantastic. without volunteers, this place wouldn't be ticking on, you know. we'vejust done 500 pensioners' meals in two days, packaging hampers for pensioners over christmas. and we've just helped people fill in phones and hopefully get some gas and electricity support to take the edge off for christmas. super busy. and we've got these even more busy in here. he doesn't stop. hiya, santa. this is lee, our volunteer here. comes in a couple of days a week, and he helps out. this place is special. it inspires people. it's about community. it supports people. it sends out a really positive j message of getting together and doing good things. so, they run a food bank here free, free art groups here, dyslexia support, autism support, menopause support here, all kinds of keep fit groups here. like so many community centres, they look after people here.

so, yeah, the florrie is boss. and that's all you can say about it. it is boss. boss! and it's got its best santa! but it is skint. and that is where its guitar group comes in. can i remind you of this? go out and look across the water. the florrie's growing beginners guitar group took a tiny cameo role in the promotional video for liverpool's eurovision year. ready to welcome. very nice. first time i've seen that. stop it! it is. and then, it kind of took off. that guitar group went from... ? one or two people and then it started growing. it grew, and grew. and then we got to 20 odd. last night i had a group, there was 77 people in there. and tonight? we've got 600 in george's hall. so this christmas, 600 guitarists came together, here in st george's hall, to raise money to support the community centre, which does so much to support its community.

we're all in it together. all right? we're going to get through this. and it's going to be amazing. these doors can't shut, the people that we help, that we support. social isolation is a massive killer in this country. and there's people who shut the door, don't get to speak to people for maybe 2a hours, don't have no one. and they need this place. so we need to keep this place open. # i'll protect you from the hooded claw # keep the vampires from your door...# with the help of some celebrity friends, they came together to play, to sing, to be with one another, to support one another. there's guys here who are 84, and there's kids here who are seven, and it does bring people together. you can see that here tonight. it's a proper community spirit. it's superb. # love is like an energy...#

what it did this evening is good times shared. the power of coming together is to share bad times, too. and there's — we've had an awful lot of bad times, notjust on our doorstep, but right across this whole country. # we got the power, we got the power # we got the power of love.# we've got a solace in music, there's happiness in it. and as timmo said earlier, every single person he walks out of this building tonight will walk out feeling better than they did when they walked in. and who doesn't want a slice of that? that should be on the nhs. yeah. happy christmas. it's been a tough year? it has. but there's been other ones. i'm sure the best ones will come. the power of love. what a song. time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are.

a very good morning. welcome to bbc london. i'm thomas magill. leaseholders living in a new build block of flats in camden say their lives are "unbearable" with worsening conditions and soaring costs. the leaseholders at 53 agar grove purchased the properties in 2019 for over £700,000 each. now, an independent structural engineer has found the building to be "unfit for purpose" with the owners saying their flats are effectively worthless. some say they discover new problems every day and are concerned the building could fall down. i lost my sleep. i feel like i've aged massively over the last five years due to the stress and anxiety that we encounter every single day. ifeel depressed most of the time because i see — i just don't see the future, because we live in unsafe homes.

the developer prime metro company previously told bbc london the apartments were built in good faith — with government approved inspectors certifiying the project. the london fire brigade is supporting a campaign, which is reminding people to act smartly around water, as they travel home from parties during the christmas and new year holidays. figures from the charity the royal life saving society shows that, on average, 73 people across the uk lose their lives each year through substance—related drowning. meanwhile, londoners wanting to watch this year's new years eve fireworks display are being told to "stay off" tower bridge and london bridge, as neither will offer a view. it comes after the city bridge foundation, who owns and maintians both crossings say revellers have flocked to the landmarks in previous years — leaving them congested and busy. let's take a look at the tubes now. there's severe delays on the district line between barking and tower hill — and minor delays on the hammersmith

and city and piccadilly line. now on to the weather with kate. good morning. it's another mild start this morning. with the mild conditions though, the unsettled weather. it's wet, it's quite breezy, but it will turn a little drier later. we're going to get a very maximum today, with this rain and the wind, around 13 celsius. but once that starts to clear, cooler north—westerly breeze starts to filter in colder air, so by the end of the day, although we will see a bit of sunshine, it will feel a little chillier. 0vernight, it is going to be a cooler night. clear skies largely. still got the north—westerly breeze though. the minimum temperature dropping down to 3 celsius. a bright start tomorrow — we should get some sunshine. but you can see this warm front. that's going to start to slide south through wednesday, introducing more cloud as we head through the afternoon. should be fairly dry though, temperatures tomorrow still in double figures around 11 celsius. as we head overnight wednesday into thursday, the wind is going

to strengthen, it's going to be a very windy day as we head through thursday itself. it stays pretty unsettled through this week, and staying mild as we have towards the christmas weekend. that's it from me. but there's much more on the bbc news app, website and on bbc radio london across the morning. but for now let's head back to sally and jon. good morning. welcome to breakfast with sally nugent and jon kay. 0ur headlines today... dame esther rantzen says she has joined the swiss clinic — dignitas — and is considering assisted dying if her lung cancer doesn't respond to treatment. a huge volcano erupts in south west iceland, after weeks of intense earthquake activity. more than 100 people are killed in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in north—west china. as the oil giant, bp, suspends shipments through the red sea, there are fears fuel price willjump.

i'll be taking a look at the wider impact. good at the wider impact. morning. we are looking at a cloudy good morning. we are looking at a cloudy and wet start to the day across england and wales. that will clear slowly south—east leaving brighter skies behind. there will be showers in the north and west with hail and thunder and wintry conditions in the highlands. more details later on in the programme. it's tuesday the 19th of december. dame esther rantzen has said she's considering the option of assisted dying. the 83—year—old broadcaster — who has lung cancer — said she's currently receiving a "miracle" treatment but that she has joined the zurich—based assisted dying clinic, dignitas, in case her condition gets worse. talking to bbc radio 4's the today podcast, dame esther said british laws need to be updated. i have joined dignitas. i have, in my brain, thought, "well, if the next scan says nothing's working,

i might buzz off to zurich." but, you know, it puts my family and friends in a difficult position because they would want to go with me and that means that the police might prosecute them. so we've got to do something. at the moment, it's not really working, is it? my my family say it is my decision and my choice. i explained to them that actually i don't want their last memories of me to be painful because if you watch someone you love having a bad death, that memory obliterates all the happy times and i don't want that to happen. i don't want that to be a sort of victim in their lives. we're nowjoined by our chief political correspondent henry zeffman. henry, dame esther said she'd like mps to have a free vote on assisted dying. is there any political will

to change the law on this issue? morning. in the past, this hasn't really been much of a political issue. dame esther is right when she says under the current law, if she were to choose to go to switzerland to end her life and if a family member wanted to accompany her, that would be very difficult for that family member under existing laws in england and wales will that they could be prosecuted and end up with as many as 14 years in prison. it is cases where that has happened to a family member, where they faced potential prosecution, that having the past got some sort of political energy going about looking again at these laws. successive governments, including the current one, say it is a conscience matter for including the current one, say it is a conscience matterfor mps, as dame esther wants them to. mps tend to take different views within parties

on this, it does not necessarily split along party lines. that means generally the impetus for changing the law in the past has come from backbenchers, people who don't hold formal roles in government or the shadow government. the most recent big vote in the house of commons on this was a few years ago now, in september 2015. mps in the conservative and labour parties were given a free vote by party whips to vote as their consciences deemed fit and more than double the number voted against changing the law and voted against changing the law and voted for changing the law. i think dame esther�*s very moving interview is likely to put this issue again on a new generation of mps radars. if it were to come to the house of commons i think they would get the free vote dame esther wants but i am not sure the law will change anytime soon unless there has been a big change of opinion among mps. thank ou for change of opinion among mps. thank you for expiaining — change of opinion among mps. thank

you for explaining that. _ we have had some extraordinary images in in the last hour or so. a volcano has erupted in south—west iceland, following weeks of intense earthquakes. lava is spewing out of a two—mile crack near the fishing town of grindavik, which was evacuated last month. louisa pilbeam reports, it's a breathtaking sight. the volcanic eruptions on the reykjanes peninsula transformed iceland's night sky. 0ne witness took this video, as they were driven past, as lava spews from the volcano. but with this display of nature's power comes the obvious danger to human life. scientists knew this was coming for weeks — a series of earthquakes and changes to the ground were the early signs. everyone was prepared. they evacuated the town exactly when they should have done. like the iceland... icelanders are especially good at this because the entire country wouldn't exist if it wasn't for all these volcanoes.

like the whole country is volcanic, so everyone is, like, fully educated, fully aware. no one messes about, you know. everyone listens to the scientists, exactly what they're saying. around 4,000 people had already been evacuated from the town of grindavik, near the busy tourist site, the blue lagoon, which has been closed. the town is 25 miles from the capital, reykjavik. that cooling mechanism, experts say, happens roughly every 800 years in clusters of activity. this latest is related to another icelandic volcano eruption in 2010, which caused an ash cloud that closed european airspace. this time, the capital's airport remains open, but scientists and emergency services are tracking the direction of the lava, as the eruptions could last for weeks and even months ahead. louisa pilbeam, bbc news. more than 100 people have died and more than 220 are injured following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in north—west china.

water, electricity and road networks have been damaged in two provinces. 0ur china correspondent stephen mcdonelljoins us from beijing. morning to you. what more can you tell us? ~ ., ., , tell us? well, the death toll sadly auoin u. tell us? well, the death toll sadly going op- "8 _ tell us? well, the death toll sadly going up. 118 dead _ tell us? well, the death toll sadly going up. 118 dead and _ tell us? well, the death toll sadly going up. 118 dead and 580 - tell us? well, the death toll sadly i going up. 118 dead and 580 injured, we are now being told, as a result of this powerful, shallow earthquake which struck the tibetan plateau just before midnight, bringing down homes and killing people as they were sleeping. thousands of emergency workers have been raced to the area and officials are asking locals and any members of the public not to come to the worst hit areas, tojoin in as not to come to the worst hit areas, to join in as volunteers. they need to join in as volunteers. they need to keep the roads clear. that is because they need water, electricity because they need water, electricity because electricity facilities have gone down. tense, everything you

need to support the survivors, those who have been rescued and those whose homes have collapsed. the important thing, this very powerful earthquake hit quite a remote area, not a huge population centre. in this remote area, houses are built from mud, bricks and pieces of wood, so they came down very easily. that is why so many people have been injured and sadly so many people have been killed. china now has a lot of earthquakes. they are quite experienced. and so you would expect them to very quickly be able to get at emergency shelters, with teams of medics and the like to help people. but the time to help people, their window, is closing. they speak about the golden period to rescue survivors after an earthquake, 72 hours. in freezing conditions that can be halved. people can of course

die from cold. it is —14 degrees out there, may be a top of mine a six during the day. then you have the wind chill factor on top. very tough conditions for rescue teams.- conditions for rescue teams. thank ou. the uk hasjoined an international effort — led by the united states — to protect oil and cargo ships passing through the red sea. it comes after iran—backed houthis, from yemen, attacked ships, which they believed were bound for israel. the oil giant bp had already announced plans to avoid the route. ben has been taking a look at the impact this could have on fuel prices. a big concern is the impact this could have on the price that we pay for things — and crucially the price of oil. with ships carrying goods from asia to europe being diverted — it adds thousands of miles to theirjourney, taking up to two weeks longer. instead of cutting through the suez canal

via the red sea, into the mediterranean, they will re route going all the way around the tip of south africa. the extra travel time would mean it costs more to transport goods — from household products to toys and clothes — and the extra cost is likely to be passed on to us as consumers. and we're not talking small quantities either. about 15% of the world's shipping traffic goes via the suez canal and red sea route bringing goods from asia to the uk and europe. that includes about a fifth of the world's oil. prices for that have crept up to around $78 a barrel. the worry is that if oil prices rise — not only does that mean drivers paying more at the pump — but transporting goods around by road becomes more expensive — and again that could well be passed on to us in the price we see on the shelves. just as inflation has come down from the dizzy heights of a year ago, the fear is that these global events could push up average price rises here once again.

the scottish government's tax and spending plans will be announced later today. economists are warning that ministers are grappling with a black hole in the budget amounting to £1.5 billion. options include tax rises for higher earners, spending cuts for government departments, and public sectorjob losses. the welsh government is also setting out its spending plans when its draft budget is published later today. there are warnings that public service funding could be cut, it comes as junior doctors announced fresh strikes injanuary over a pay dispute. the government is expected to publish advice today on how schools in england should support children who are questioning their gender identity. 0ur lgbt and identity correspondent lauren moss can tell us more. lauren, what is this advice likely to be? good morning. it was in 2018 that the government first said it would publish official guidance

on what schools should do if a child identifies as transgender or non binary — neither male orfemale — and has been under growing pressure ever since. scotland and northern ireland already have guidance, while a consultation is expected to begin in wales next year. the guidance in england, which won't be compulsory, is expected to look at a few main areas teachers are likely to be involved in. social transition means the non—medical changes a person might make to align with their new gender — changing their name, appearance or pronouns. in schools, this could mean a pupil asking a teacher to call them by a different name or pronouns such as he, she or they. some people feel that doing this increases the chance of a child going on to make physical permanent changes when they re older. those who support social transitioning say its an important way for people to explore their gender identity. it s thought today s announcement will tell schools that parents should be involved wherever possible, and that teachers should tell

a parent if their child is questioning their gender identity, unless they have concerns around their welfare. some are worried this could lead to some teachers essentially "outing" children to parents, and that teachers will make judgment calls themselves. others say parental consent and involvement is crucial to a child s welfare. the guidance will also advise on single—sex toilets and contact sports — like rugby — being separated based on birth sex. there will be a three—month public consultation before the guidance is finalised. imagine getting stuck behind a tractor on a country lane. bad. now imagine getting stuck behind 200 tractors... nightmare. but throw in a bit of christmas — and everything isjust fine! these twinkly tractors were taking part in a festive parade through pembrokeshire, lighting up various villages

on the way to haverfordwest, where they gathered on the showground. just looking to the back of the queue to see if somebody is waiting. can you just move out of the way? they are all won over by a bit of christmas. i love that. as every day goes by we are getting into the christmas spirit. carol has gone sparkly. i have. you turn tomorrow. we are looking forward to that. good morning. not too cold to start the day for many of us. through the rest of the week the temperature will be chopping and changing from mild to that bit cooler. we will also see rain at times. it will be very windy on thursday and possibly friday with the chance of snow fulsome of us on thursday, more especially on higher ground in the north. some of that could get down to the lower ground.

this rain will clear england and wales. showers peppering scotland, particularly in the north and west where it is windy. also northern ireland. some of those will be happy with hail and thunder. in northern england and wales, as the rain pulls away towards the south—east, temperatures will drop as we go through the course of the day. there wind will pick up across the southwest and english channel. it will take its time before the rain eventually does clear away from the south—east. behind it it will brighten up. wintry showers persisting across the north and west and the hills. temperatures six to 13 degrees north to south. this evening and overnight, under clear skies, the temperature will fall away for a time but cloud starts to building from the west. we will have prolific showers and then a weather front comes in, also from the west producing some rain. it should stay dry. tomorrow we start off with dry

weather across the far south—east. the rain will cross northern ireland and scotland and england. in its wake there will be a fair bit of cloud around with murky, damp conditions in the west. these are the temperatures. this warm front is going through, temperatures widely eight to 11. ahead of it cold air. in lowick we are looking at four. wednesday and potentially thursday it will be windy, very folsom. thank ou ve it will be windy, very folsom. thank you very much _ it will be windy, very folsom. thank you very much indeed. _ it will be windy, very folsom. thank you very much indeed. that - it will be windy, very folsom. thank you very much indeed. that sounds| you very much indeed. that sounds like a bit of a warning, doesn't it? a bit of a threat. if you've tried to register with an nhs dentist recently, you'll probably know the system is overstretched. well, according to a new report, its much worse than that. the nuffield trust says the idea of everyone getting an nhs dentist is now "dead" — and it's time for the government to be more honest about the situation. 0ur health correspondent, nick triggle, has been looking into this.

0pen wide, thank you. finding an nhs dentist is difficult. last year, a bbc investigation found nine in ten practices were not accepting new adult patients. and now a report by the nuffield trust think—tank has shed more light on the scale of the challenge. it found there were 6 million fewer treatments done last year in england, compared to before the pandemic. and funding had been cut by £525 million over the past seven years once inflation was taken into account. the think—tank believes services in england, and the rest of the uk for that matter, are now so stretched that restoring the traditional model of nhs care was likely to be unrealistic because of the costs involved. it said difficult decisions may be needed, suggesting scaling back access for most adults, so that they're paid the full cost of treatment beyond basic checkups and emergency work was one option. one of the things we think this

government and any government needs to think about is really what the long—term solutions are and whether or not anybody is prepared to bring back universal dental access for the whole population at the level that it once was. we think that maybe there is more in which we need to be looking at — means testing dental care to ensure at the very least we bring back gold standard, absolutely excellent care for the most disadvantaged and particularly for children. but both labour and the government said they had a plan to improve access. labour said it would create hundreds of thousands of extra appointments by abolishing the non—dom tax status, which allows people living in the uk to avoid paying uk tax on money they made outside the uk. meanwhile, the government said it would be publishing a recovery plan soon but was already investing in services, including increasing the number of dentist training places.

nick triggle, bbc news. we're joined now by chair of the british dental association, eddie crouch. this is something we have talked about a lot over the year. where do you think we are? i about a lot over the year. where do you think we are?— you think we are? i am completely frustrated- — you think we are? i am completely frustrated- i _ you think we are? i am completely frustrated. i love _ you think we are? i am completely frustrated. i love coming _ you think we are? i am completely frustrated. i love coming here, - you think we are? i am completely| frustrated. i love coming here, love coming to talk to you. it shouldn't have to be like theirs. we should have to be like theirs. we should have sorted out the problem a long time ago. we saw the nuffield trust and the health select committee produce an almost identical report, saying the contract needs to be changed. sadly we got the minister in front of the health select committee who said that is not on their plans, they are not going to abolish the contract and unless they do that, i agree with the nuffield

report, i think we will see the demise of nhs dentistry. haifa demise of nhs dentistry. how frustrating _ demise of nhs dentistry. how frustrating is _ demise of nhs dentistry. how frustrating is this _ demise of nhs dentistry. how frustrating is this for - demise of nhs dentistry. how frustrating is this for you? i ask this question a long time ago, what needs to happen to change? we this question a long time ago, what needs to happen to change? we need a new contract. — needs to happen to change? we need a new contract. a — needs to happen to change? we need a new contract, a contract _ needs to happen to change? we need a new contract, a contract allowing - new contract, a contract allowing the payment to be appropriate for patients we are treating and the target driven contract we have at the moment is not that. we also need to provide formal prevention for patients so we can prevent them getting dental disease in the first place. getting dental disease in the first lace. �* . , getting dental disease in the first lace. �* . getting dental disease in the first lace. ., ., ,�* place. again this contract doesn't deliver that. _ place. again this contract doesn't deliver that. we'll _ place. again this contract doesn't deliver that. we'll go _ place. again this contract doesn't deliver that. we'll go to - place. again this contract doesn't deliver that. we'll go to the - deliver that. we'll go to the dentist and we think about the pain or what is going on in our mouths, not what dentists are signing up with with the government. how does it work at the moment? thea;r with with the government. how does it work at the moment?— it work at the moment? they made some tweaks _ it work at the moment? they made some tweaks about _ it work at the moment? they made some tweaks about 12 _ it work at the moment? they made some tweaks about 12 months - it work at the moment? they made some tweaks about 12 months ago | it work at the moment? they made - some tweaks about 12 months ago they said were the first radical reforms to the contract since 2006. that's slightly better remunerate was that there are still treatments we are carrying out that are uneconomic to provide. when you are working in the

business, is that businesses not making a profit but you have look at a different model. what making a profit but you have look at a different model.— making a profit but you have look at a different model. what is not worth doinu ? a different model. what is not worth doing? what — a different model. what is not worth doing? what we _ a different model. what is not worth doing? what we are _ a different model. what is not worth doing? what we are seeing - a different model. what is not worth doing? what we are seeing is - doing? what we are seeing is atients, doing? what we are seeing is patients, who _ doing? what we are seeing is patients, who had _ doing? what we are seeing is patients, who had not - doing? what we are seeing is patients, who had not been l doing? what we are seeing is| patients, who had not been in doing? what we are seeing is - patients, who had not been in for a long time, presenting with a lot of disease. we are seeing people with large amount of treatments and the funding for that is not there. some eo - le funding for that is not there. some people think. _ funding for that is not there. some people think, there _ funding for that is not there. some people think, there might - funding for that is not there. some people think, there might be - people think, there might be financial reasons for people to do private treatment rather than nhs treatment but isn't there a moral, ethical obligation for dentist you see nhs patients?— see nhs patients? many of my colleagues _ see nhs patients? many of my colleagues have _ see nhs patients? many of my colleagues have been - see nhs patients? many of my| colleagues have been providing almost charitable services for the nhs. it gets to a point where you have either got to close your business and carry on providing charitable work or look for a different model. if the practice closes completely than the patients in a particular area haven't even

got an option of a private dentist. let's go through those statistics. the department of health says things are improving in the last 12 months. they say there has been a 10% increase in the number of adults seeing an nhs dentist and a 14% increase in the number of children seeing an nhs dentist. that would suggest things are on the up. you are comparing _ suggest things are on the up. ym. are comparing it to probably the worst figures we have had in nhs dentistry. they are bound to improve when we have had such a problem. clearly, most of my colleagues on the high street are seeing about 85% of their levels of activity they were doing before the pandemic. that is not an improvement completely. lots of newly qualified dentist go straight into private practice. ha. straight into private practice. no. not many newly _ straight into private practice. ila. not many newly qualified dentists go into private practice. iunlit]! not many newly qualified dentists go into private practice.— into private practice. will end up there? probably. _

into private practice. will end up there? probably. it— into private practice. will end up there? probably. it is— into private practice. will end up there? probably. it is not - there? probably. it is not attractive _ there? probably. it is not attractive for _ there? probably. it is not attractive for them - there? probably. it is not attractive for them to - there? probably. it is not. attractive for them to have there? probably. it is not i attractive for them to have a career. very few young graduates will follow that path, for sure. it is not attractive and it is not a rewarding career. it was a rewarding career for me but things have changed. ii career for me but things have chanced. , .,, ., ., . , changed. if people are watching this ro . ramme changed. if people are watching this programme this _ changed. if people are watching this programme this morning _ changed. if people are watching this programme this morning who i changed. if people are watching this programme this morning who have l changed. if people are watching this i programme this morning who have an nhs dentist but could afford to go private if they had to come is it wrong for them to have an nhs slot? should they give it up the people who cannot afford to go private? the minister who cannot afford to go private? tia: minister said she who cannot afford to go private? ti2 minister said she wanted access for everyone on the nhs but their actions do not match their statements. if that is exactly what they want, they need to work with they want, they need to work with the profession to deliver that for those terrible problems that patients are seeing at the moment, some people are taking their teeth out in their own kitchens. ii the out in their own kitchens. if the contract isn't _ out in their own kitchens. if the contract isn't right _ out in their own kitchens. if the contract isn't right and - out in their own kitchens. if the contract isn't right and it i out in their own kitchens. if the l contract isn't right and it doesn't look like it will be sold at any time soon, what are the other options? time soon, what are the other

0 tions? ~ . time soon, what are the other otions? ~ . , , ., ., , , options? what else needs to happen? if ou are options? what else needs to happen? if you are not — options? what else needs to happen? if you are not going _ options? what else needs to happen? if you are not going to _ options? what else needs to happen? if you are not going to spend - options? what else needs to happen? if you are not going to spend any i if you are not going to spend any more money on nhs dentistry, they recommend you concentrate it on the proportion of the population that cannot afford to go private. that is not what i would want. it is their report. not what i would want. it is their reort. . ~' not what i would want. it is their reort. . ~ ., not what i would want. it is their reort. ., ,, ., ., , report. thank you for “oining us here this morning. i report. thank you forjoining us here this morning. thank i report. thank you forjoining us here this morning. thank you. | millions of us will be driving long distances over the festive season but if you think a few hours on the motorway is a challenge, that's nothing compared to what chris and julie ramsey have just done. this is epic. they drove 18,000 miles from the north pole to the south pole, in an electric car — not many charging points and even their own solar panels to keep on moving. ben philip has the details. a moment years in the planning. a first of its kind adventure driving pole to pole in an electric car.

it's such a relief to finish this expedition. six years in the planning, six years in the making, and we're finally here. it's a bit surreal to be in antarctica and to have been at the south pole, right? it's exactly that. imean, what? we've been on the road ten months and, as chris says, huge sense of relief. we can't believe we've made history and it's just absolutely amazing. chris and julie's expedition started in march on arctic sea ice. the 18,000—mile journey took them through 17 countries from north to south america. their car, powered by charging points along the way or portable solar panels. adventure wasn't in short supply, but at times their relationship was put to the test. 0h, it'sjust a twig. it wasn't a twig. it was a twig. it wasn't a twig. and our mission is to show how exciting and capable electric vehicles are and to debunk all those myths out there that are currently surrounding electric vehicles. can they work in the cold? can the batteries work in the world? can they drive in the snow?

so many, so many questions. modifications to the car were kept to a minimum, but bigger tyres were added to help cope with harsh terrain. the story has been seen by thousands around the world. this is a messagel forjulie and chris. you are crazy. so you go to the north pole, l to the south pole, and i think you're going to do it. so... and after you have to i come here to manchester and explain me the experience. nearly a year on the road is a long time, so a few home comforts kept them going. so we have some iron bru, which has been chilled by the arctic sea ice. we have the tunnock's caramel wafer. 0ther scottish products are available. chris and julie are looking forward to a rest over christmas, but haven't ruled out more adventures in the future. ben philip, bbc news.

if pep guardiola says you are crazy, you are crazy. it is official. well done to the two of them. loads of messages coming in this morning, including dentistry. this from janet, who says, after waiting nine months for an appointment her cousin needed a filling done by an nhs dentist. they didn't have time for the facilities so the cousin was given a kit to do it himself at home, otherwise he could pay privately to have it carried out. it is a pensioner and it was a disgrace for him to carry out at home. do keep those messages coming in. those messages coming in. time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are. a very good morning, welcome to bbc london. i'm thomas magill. leaseholders living in a new build block of flats in camden say their lives are unbearable, with worsening conditions and soaring costs.

the leaseholders at 53 agar grove purchased the properties in 2019 for over £700,000 each. now, an independent structural engineer has found the building to be unfit for purpose, with the owners saying their flats are effectively worthless. some say they discover new problems every day, and are concerned the building could fall down. i lost my sleep. i feel like i've aged massively over the last five years due to the stress and anxiety that we encounter every single day. ifeel depressed most of the time because i see — i just don't see the future, because we live in unsafe homes. the developer prime metro company previously told bbc london the apartments were built in good faith, with government—approved inspectors certifiying the project. the london fire brigade is supporting a campaign, which is reminding people to act smartly around water as they travel home from parties during the christmas and new year holidays.

figures from the charity the royal life saving society shows that, on average, 73 people across the uk lose their lives each year through substance—related drowning. meanwhile, londoners wanting to watch this year's new year's eve fireworks display are being told to stay off tower bridge and london bridge, as neither will offer a view. it comes after the city bridge foundation who owns and maintains both crossings say revellers have flocked to the landmarks in previous years, leaving them congested and busy. let's take a look at the tubes now. now onto the weather with kate. good morning. it's another mild start this morning. with the mild conditions though, the unsettled weather. it's wet, it's quite breezy, but it will turn a little drier later. we're going to get a very maximum today, with this rain

and the wind, around 13 celsius. but once that starts to clear, cooler north—westerly breeze starts to filter in colder air, so by the end of the day, although we will see a bit of sunshine, it will feel a little chillier. 0vernight it is going to be a cooler night. clear skies largely. still got the north—westerly breeze though. the minimum temperature dropping down to three celsius. a bright start tomorrow — we should get some sunshine. but you can see this warm front. that's going to start to slide south through wednesday, introducing more cloud as we head through the afternoon. should be fairly dry though, temperatures tomorrow still in double figures around 11 celsius. as we head overnight wednesday into thursday, the wind is going to strengthen, it's going to be a very windy day as we head through thursday itself. it stays pretty unsettled through this week, and staying mild as we have towards the christmas weekend. that's it from me — but there's much more on the bbc news app, website and on bbc radio london across the morning. but for now, let's head back to sally and jon.

good morning. hello, this is breakfast with sally nugent and jon kay. thousands of rough sleepers are not only dealing with the freezing weather at this time of of year — they're also facing the very real threat of violence from strangers. the homelessness charity crisis says nine out of ten rough sleepers have been attacked by members of the public. 0ur social affairs correspondent michael buchanan has the story. that's where i first started sleeping when i was homeless, in there. you started sleeping in there? in the tunnel bit, i used climb up. was it safe in there? sometimes. but then i would get loads of other homeless people climbing in, pinching my stuff. john campbell has seen it all during a decade of rough sleeping. it would get that cold

that you couldn't sleep. it gets into your bones, doesn't it? you get so cold you can't sleep whatsoever. that is why you end up smoking, taking drugs, to warm yourself up. i've been urinated on. like, in a doorway. ijumped up and ended fighting with the lad who done it. what, deliberately? deliberately. he'd seen you on the floor? he'd seen me lying there in the sleeping bag, come over and started wetting all over me. i said, what are you doing, man? what are you doing? he was like, well, what does it look like? i ended up fighting with him. you're disgusting line. one of my tents caught fire along here. down here, one of your tents got set on fire? in there, like. all my stuff was burnt out. everything. there is not one thing left in the tent. one of my tents got set on fire. there was nothing left whatsoever. i've had two tents set on fire. i was in one of them. i was fast asleep in it

when the lad set the fire. i have the rip of the tent open on the back bit to get out. how did you realise there was a fire? did the flames start coming in? i was asleep and i felt something hot at the bottom of my foot. i woke up it was a full on blaze. i went to hospital and that. rough sleeping is on the rise and the more that the bad side of the more people there are two abuse. in recent weeks this man had his belongings soaked by a security guard. these tents were binned in a police operation. and in this birmingham underpass a man was set alight. a survey from crisis suggests 90% of rough sleepers have faced some form of abuse. there seriously is a problem with a small section of society that feels like people who are sleeping rough are _ somehow easy prey for the most horrific crimes. what's happening? | how are you doing? for years john's life spiralled downwards. kicked out by his mother for taking drugs,

being attacked. i'll show you. right out the side the cashpoint i got my jaw broke. just here. sitting right here. i got booted straight in the face. booted in the face and knocked cleaned out. i was knocked out. woke up in the hospital. you woke up in the hospital? in the hospital. i ended up having to get my jaw plated and wired. so your tent was burnt down twice? burnt down twice. you were urinated on... urinated on. i got myjaw broken. myjaw was broken in clayton street. all done by members of the public? all done by members of the public. sometimes i would self stop as well. ijumped in the river tyne not so long ago. back then i couldn't care. if i went to sleep tomorrow and didn't wake up, i wouldn't care. are you all right, josie? what's happening? what's happening, bro? the 30—year—old has now been living in a flat for two

years and has some contact with his seven—year—old daughter. this is why i came out and done this today, to help other homeless people. tell them, i thought i would never come off everything and i did. i've come off it completely. how long have you been clean? clean nearly two years. two and a bit. that's fantastic. i was like looking now? how's life looking now? now, i couldn't wish nothing better. michael buchanan, bbc news, newcastle. is good to know things are looking up is good to know things are looking up forjohn. it is a tough watch. matt downie, chief executive of crisis, joins us now. good morning. shocking figures. 90% of homeless people attacked in some way? of homeless people attacked in some wa ? . , ., , ., of homeless people attacked in some wa? . , ., way? yeah, it is really hard to watch a film _ way? yeah, it is really hard to watch a film like _ way? yeah, it is really hard to watch a film like that - way? yeah, it is really hard to watch a film like that and i way? yeah, it is really hard to watch a film like that and to i way? yeah, it is really hard to i watch a film like that and to know that out there in the public there are people who are prepared to do, to go out of their way to abuse people who are in the most desperate

situations. we see all the time the general public are really worried about people who are homeless. they want to do what they can do to help. there are some people out there who do the most extreme things, pointing, kicking, throwing objects at people sleeping rough. that really does physical damage to people but it really destroys people's sense of dignity and self—worth as well. [30 people's sense of dignity and self-worth as well.— people's sense of dignity and self-worth as well. do you think thins self-worth as well. do you think things are _ self-worth as well. do you think things are getting _ self-worth as well. do you think things are getting worse? i things are getting worse? undoubtedly things are getting worse. we did a similar survey a few years ago, and things are worse now. the numbers of people sleeping rough are going up. do the numbers of people sleeping rough are going up— are going up. do you know what is drivin: are going up. do you know what is driving that? _ are going up. do you know what is driving that? what _ are going up. do you know what is driving that? what is _ are going up. do you know what is driving that? what is driving i are going up. do you know what is driving that? what is driving it i are going up. do you know what is driving that? what is driving it is l driving that? what is driving it is a long-standing _ driving that? what is driving it is a long-standing attitude - driving that? what is driving it is | a long-standing attitude towards a long—standing attitude towards people who are going through periods of extreme poverty and homelessness. that somehow blames them for their situation. that needs to be challenged. to me these are notjust crimes. these are hate crimes. that attitude really needs to change. the

majority of people who are experiencing this abuse don't report it to the police. they don't think anything will be done about it. our whole attitude towards people in this situation needs to change. horse this situation needs to change. how do we do that? _ this situation needs to change. how do we do that? awareness, talking about it, but beyond that, how do you make change?— about it, but beyond that, how do you make change? well, a few weeks auo you make change? well, a few weeks a . o the you make change? well, a few weeks ago the then — you make change? well, a few weeks ago the then home _ you make change? well, a few weeks ago the then home secretary - ago the then home secretary described homelessness as a lifestyle choice. suella braverman? that's right. that was really offensive at a difficult time, particularly for people experiencing homelessness. d0 particularly for people experiencing homelessness.— homelessness. do you think that trir rered homelessness. do you think that triggered more _ homelessness. do you think that triggered more abuse? - homelessness. do you think that triggered more abuse? well, i i homelessness. do you think that i triggered more abuse? well, i think it allows for — triggered more abuse? well, i think it allows for people _ triggered more abuse? well, i think it allows for people to _ triggered more abuse? well, i think it allows for people to feel - triggered more abuse? well, i think it allows for people to feel like i it allows for people to feel like what they are doing goes along with somehow political leadership on it. but it also started a national debate. i'm glad about that. i'm glad we can say today, this has got to stop. the police need to take it seriously. the government need to stop their proposals to actually criminalise rough sleeping. the

criminalise rough sleeping. the criminaljustice bill is proposing to do that. instead we need to see people as fully deserving of housing and support, just like any other member of society. the and support, just like any other member of society.— and support, just like any other member of society. the vast ma'ority of --eole member of society. the vast ma'ority of people who — member of society. the vast ma'ority of people who have i member of society. the vast ma'ority of people who have watched i member of society. the vast majority of people who have watched that i of people who have watched that report this morning and are listening to you now would be hugely sympathetic to anybody living in such desperate circumstances. what can they do to help? i5 such desperate circumstances. what can they do to help?— can they do to help? is there anything? — can they do to help? is there anything? you _ can they do to help? is there anything? you are _ can they do to help? is there anything? you are right. i can they do to help? is there anything? you are right. the| can they do to help? is there i anything? you are right. the vast majority of people want something done. this time of the year thousands of people volunteer for services over christmas. we know this is a minority of people. and if you are out there as you see somebody on the street i do feel comfortable speaking to that person, treating them equally as a human being, that is quite often the first step in someone's journey out of homelessness, been treated as an equal. homelessness, been treated as an eaual. ., ., homelessness, been treated as an equal-_ yeah- - homelessness, been treated as an equal-_ yeah-- equal. conversation? yeah. there will be people _ equal. conversation? yeah. there will be people who _ equal. conversation? yeah. there will be people who feel— equal. conversation? yeah. there will be people who feel a - equal. conversation? yeah. there will be people who feel a lot i equal. conversation? yeah. there will be people who feel a lot of i will be people who feel a lot of sympathy but also might feel intimidated when approached by somebody who is homeless, might feel

there is aggression towards them and feel that affects their sympathy. what would you say to them? first of all i would what would you say to them? first of all i would say. _ what would you say to them? first of all i would say, if _ what would you say to them? first of all i would say, if you _ what would you say to them? first of all i would say, if you don't _ what would you say to them? first of all i would say, if you don't feel i all i would say, if you don't feel comfortable speaking to so many, don't. it is never acceptable that anybody has to experience any form of intimidation or harassment, whether that is somebody on the streets as maximally talking to some on the streets. what i would say is most of us see people regularly where we live. and where i live i tend to speak to somebody who i have got to know over a period of time and say, what is it you really need? can we talk, next time we talk about your next steps on how i can help your next steps on how i can help you with that? as well as, can i get you with that? as well as, can i get you a sandwich or whatever? that sense of human connection is really important. it is also important to remember that if you are living on the streets you are going through trauma. if you are going through trauma. if you are going through trauma you may not be the most lovely person to everybody else around you. we'll need to understand that and understand it is ok to see somebody living in distress who may not be the most polite individual

you have ever met. you not be the most polite individual you have ever met.— not be the most polite individual you have ever met. you might talk to somebody and _ you have ever met. you might talk to somebody and say, _ you have ever met. you might talk to somebody and say, what _ you have ever met. you might talk to somebody and say, what is _ you have ever met. you might talk to somebody and say, what is it - you have ever met. you might talk to somebody and say, what is it you i somebody and say, what is it you really need, what is the most common response at that point? i know somewhere to live is the most obvious answer. but what is that first step? what do people need? quite often when you speak to people on the street they are those who have been told by their local council they don't qualify for support. quite often single individuals who, unless they have got dependent children, they are not actually eligible for the help that is needed. quite often what i am doing is speaking to them about how we can get their counsel to help them. i would we can get their counsel to help them. iwould reach we can get their counsel to help them. i would reach teams and find them. i would reach teams and find them. there can be some form of housing made available. that is the answer here. conversations are good and are necessary. food is necessary. but housing is a basic human right that everybody should be given. human right that everybody should be riven. . ~' ,. , human right that everybody should be riven. . ,, y., , . given. thank you very much indeed for coming — given. thank you very much indeed for coming in- _ given. thank you very much indeed for coming in. thank— given. thank you very much indeed for coming in. thank you. - for coming in. thank you. john is here with the sport. and a

big night ahead? john is here with the sport. and a big nightahead? it john is here with the sport. and a big night ahead? it is indeed. thanks. good morning. the red carpet is being rolled out, the champagne is being rolled out, the champagne is on ice and the famous trophy is being buffed up ahead of the 70th anniversary of sports personality of the year, being staged right here in media city tonight. so, let's take a look at the runners and riders, the six nominees, from six different sports. they are former cricketer stuart broad, horseracing's frankie dettori, footballer mark earps, wheelchair tennis' alfie hewett, athletics' katarina johnson—thompson, and golf�*s rory mcilroy. they will be following in the footsteps of beth mead, who won last year's award after her success at euro 2022. the ceremony once again takes place here in mediacity in salford, with seven other awards being presented on the night. sports personality of the year will be live on bbc one tonight from 7pm, as well as on bbc iplayer

and the bbc sport website and app. you can vote online, by phone or by using a qr code. voting opens during the show. sit back and enjoy the fun and excitement that is to come later. and we thought we'd show you this, this morning. wayne rooney winning the award for the young sports personality of the year back in 2002. he is now in management with birmingham city. it has been a difficult rain so far. and it's been a difficult reign so far — 11 games in and just two wins so far. they lost again last night, 3—2 at home to the championship leaders leicester — stephy mavididi with two goals for the visitors, who are now three points clear of ipswich at the top of the table. we have got manchester city in action at the club world cup tonight. it is the business end of the league cup. the quarterfinals tonight. chelsea host newcastle in

one of three premier league ties. port vale take on middlesbrough in the other. chelsea have struggled to win trophies since the new owners came in. it isa it is a priority being chelsea to have the opportunity to win a title is really important. it is that we want to do. it is in our mind. it is our objective. and of course tomorrow we have to be ready to fight because it is going to give us the possibility to be closer to winning a title. irate the possibility to be closer to winning a title.— the possibility to be closer to winning a title. we finish with a different set _ winning a title. we finish with a different set of _ winning a title. we finish with a different set of runners - winning a title. we finish with a different set of runners and i winning a title. we finish with a i different set of runners and riders this morning. it leaves the shetland p°ny this morning. it leaves the shetland pony grand national. a firm festive fixture at the london international horse show, which drew to a close yesterday. it's something of an institution at the london international horse show, as the ponies are put through their paces by young aspiring riders. first over the line was sophie moore, with myla coppins not far behind, and in third, rosie twiston davies — and if you recognise that surname,

she's the daughter of the famous racehorse trainer nigel twiston davies. they absolutely fly around. love it. almost too fast for the pictures. that was my dream when i was little, to be in a shetland pony grand national. never made it. somebody said it is not too late, i think it is! i think that ship has sailed. you should not admit to those things. thank you. quarter to eight. we're talking about your old teddy bears today — as more and more people are having beloved childhood toys restored as a christmas gift. before we see your pictures, here is a very special one of ours. look at this beautiful young boy. angelic. what happened 7 angelic. what happened? that isjon with his bare. my bare. my bear looks all right there. my bed today, not so good. we look quite similar, me and the bear! the

berry today is a little old and threadbare.— berry today is a little old and threadbare. ., . , berry today is a little old and threadbare. ., ., , ., threadbare. you have definitely ate better than the _ threadbare. you have definitely ate better than the bear. _ threadbare. you have definitely ate better than the bear. do _ threadbare. you have definitely ate better than the bear. do you - threadbare. you have definitely ate | better than the bear. do you think? thank god for— better than the bear. do you think? thank god for that. _ better than the bear. do you think? thank god for that. his _ better than the bear. do you think? thank god for that. his armpits - better than the bear. do you think? thank god for that. his armpits are | thank god for that. his armpits are unstuffed. ., ., , , unstuffed. that means he is well loved. do unstuffed. that means he is well loved- do you — unstuffed. that means he is well loved. do you think— unstuffed. that means he is well loved. do you think i _ unstuffed. that means he is well loved. do you think i need - unstuffed. that means he is well loved. do you think i need to - unstuffed. that means he is well! loved. do you think i need to get unstuffed. that means he is well. loved. do you think i need to get it re aired? loved. do you think i need to get it repaired? that's _ loved. do you think i need to get it repaired? that's up _ loved. do you think i need to get it repaired? that's up to _ loved. do you think i need to get it repaired? that's up to you. - loved. do you think i need to get it repaired? that's up to you. some l repaired? that's up to you. some thins repaired? that's up to you. some things broken _ repaired? that's up to you. some things broken are _ repaired? that's up to you. some things broken are nice. _ repaired? that's up to you. some things broken are nice. a - repaired? that's up to you. some things broken are nice. a lot - repaired? that's up to you. some things broken are nice. a lot of i repaired? that's up to you. some i things broken are nice. a lot of you have been sending _ things broken are nice. a lot of you have been sending pictures - things broken are nice. a lot of you have been sending pictures of- things broken are nice. a lot of you have been sending pictures of your| have been sending pictures of your bears. this is teddy one i dating back to christmas 1958. christian in essex sent this in. she says, he has a music box in his back. it is in need of major surgery.- a music box in his back. it is in need of major surgery. need of ma'or surgery. hilary says this bear need of major surgery. hilary says this bear was _ need of major surgery. hilary says this bear was netted _ need of major surgery. hilary says this bear was netted by _ need of major surgery. hilary says this bear was netted by her- need of major surgery. hilary says this bear was netted by her mum l need of major surgery. hilary says - this bear was netted by her mum when she was born nearly 60 years ago. —— knitted. unprepared —— repaired by her sister. knitted. unprepared -- repaired by her sister. �* , ,, . , knitted. unprepared -- repaired by hersister. , ,, . , her sister. andy in sidcup has been in touch with _ her sister. andy in sidcup has been in touch with big _ her sister. andy in sidcup has been in touch with big ted. _ her sister. andy in sidcup has been in touch with big ted. this - her sister. andy in sidcup has been in touch with big ted. this is - her sister. andy in sidcup has been in touch with big ted. this is big i in touch with big ted. this is big ted. he originally belonged to his brother, then to his middle brother

is, before finally being passed on to andy, who has kept in. sue is, before finally being passed on to andy, who has kept in.- to andy, who has kept in. sue in sheffield says — to andy, who has kept in. sue in sheffield says her— to andy, who has kept in. sue in sheffield says her bear- to andy, who has kept in. sue in sheffield says her bear was - to andy, who has kept in. sue in i sheffield says her bear was bought when she was born in 1951. oh, look. he was made to commemorate the first polar bear burning in captivity. —— born in captivity. this polar bear burning in captivity. -- born in captivity.— polar bear burning in captivity. -- born in captivity. this one has come from judith — born in captivity. this one has come from judith in _ born in captivity. this one has come from judith in edinburgh, _ born in captivity. this one has come from judith in edinburgh, who - born in captivity. this one has come from judith in edinburgh, who says, from judith in edinburgh, who says, this teddy bear is 66 years old. she has had it repaired two years ago. he only had one eye for most of his life. now he has got to. the reason he only had one eye is her sister hit him with a ruler. i'm on to the teddy protection league to report your sister. teddy protection league to report yoursister. keep teddy protection league to report your sister. keep your pictures coming in. if we can cope with any more! n, coming in. if we can cope with any more! ,., , coming in. if we can cope with any more! n, , ~ coming in. if we can cope with any more! ,., , s ., more! the inbox is full. we are auoin to more! the inbox is full. we are going to break _ more! the inbox is full. we are going to break the _ more! the inbox is full. we are going to break the computer. l more! the inbox is full. we are l going to break the computer. we more! the inbox is full. we are - going to break the computer. we have en'o ed going to break the computer. we have enjoyed those — going to break the computer. we have enjoyed those so _ going to break the computer. we have enjoyed those so far _ going to break the computer. we have enjoyed those so far this _ going to break the computer. we have enjoyed those so far this morning. - enjoyed those so far this morning. here is carol with the weather. goad

here is carol with the weather. good morninu. here is carol with the weather. good morning- for— here is carol with the weather. good morning. for the _ here is carol with the weather. good morning. for the rest _ here is carol with the weather. good morning. for the rest of— here is carol with the weather. (efifri morning. for the rest of this here is carol with the weather. (ems. morning. for the rest of this week the weather is remaining fairly unsubtle. rain at times, rain at the moment. it would become very windy, especially on thursday. that could last into friday. not quite as windy as it is going to be on thursday. there is also the chance of snow for some of us. especially in the north and more especially in the hills. 0n and more especially in the hills. on thursday cold air sweeps in. we can see some of that getting down to lower levels for a time in the north. let's look at the air mass. it shows you how the temperatures are flip—flopping on the next couple of days. today, as the weather front clears, we will be in colder air. tomorrow you can see how the milder air comes in and represented by the yellows and ambers. 0n air comes in and represented by the yellows and ambers. on thursday cold air seeps in from the north and pushes south. we still have mild air coming in from the west. that is during the course of saturday and sunday. it is the north that will have the lowest temperatures. today this weather front has been

producing a lot of cloud and rain across england and wales. through the night we have had some heavy downpours in wales. it will slowly push towards the south—east. as it does so it will brighten up behind. we are looking at some showers across the north and west, including northern ireland. some of them would be heavy with hail and thunder. wintry in the hills in scotland where it is going to be windy across the north and west. through the day increasingly windy across the southwest and english channel. as i mentioned, temperatures are going to go down behind the weather front. we are looking at five in lerwick, eight in birmingham, but 11 in st helier. this evening and overnight we will have clear skies for a time, a peppering of showers in the north and west. a new weather front comes in bringing in some rain to western areas. it will strengthen through the night. these are the temperatures ahead of the weather front. rather nippy. this is a warm front. rather nippy. this is a warm front bring warmer conditions as we go through the course of tomorrow. milder, i should say. it is not

going to feel warm. you can see how the rain pushes from the west towards the east. behind it a lot of murk. a lot of low cloud, drizzle, patchy light rain, hill and coastal fog in western areas. note the temperatures. eight to 12 degrees. up. ahead of the weather front in lerwick, still only [i up. ahead of the weather front in lerwick, still only 11 degrees. 0n lerwick, still only 11 degrees. on thursday this potent area of low pressure crossing the north of the country. look at the isobars. again, it windy day wherever you are. we could well have gusts of wind as much as 70 or 80 mph with exposure in the north, but widely 50 to 60, with a plethora of showers coming in, even wintry to low levels for a time across the far north of scotland. this is absolutely something to bear in mind if you are travelling. these are the temperatures. down again in the north but are the temperatures. down again in the north but mild are the temperatures. down again in the north but mild further are the temperatures. down again in the north but mild further south. thank you. imagine this. you're in a hotel 200 miles from home, you've been out and now

you're looking forward to getting some rest, but you can't access your room because the lift is broken. that's what happened to the paralympic swimmer ellie challis, who uses a wheelchair, when she was staying at a premier inn in london. with no ground floor rooms available, ellie and her dad paul had to drive back home to manchester in the middle of the night. they join us now. thanks for coming in. ali, this sounds like a nightmare? yeah, it is the kind of thing _ sounds like a nightmare? yeah, it is the kind of thing that _ sounds like a nightmare? yeah, it is the kind of thing that happens - sounds like a nightmare? yeah, it is the kind of thing that happens a - the kind of thing that happens a lot. ~ ., , the kind of thing that happens a lot. ~ . , ., , the kind of thing that happens a lot. ~ . , the kind of thing that happens a lot. . , the kind of thing that happens a lot. what else has happened? i get left on trains. _ lot. what else has happened? i get left on trains. i've _ lot. what else has happened? i get left on trains. i've had _ lot. what else has happened? i get left on trains. i've had to _ lot. what else has happened? i get left on trains. i've had to argue - left on trains. i've had to argue with people to get on trains. this seems like something that doesn't happen to everyone else. but it is kind ofjust my life and what happens all the time. i have now got to the point where i won't stay in a hotel if i'm not with anyone or i don't know anyone else in the hotel. i would get a train by myself. i

won't ever fly by myself. i've had the next flight being loaded onto my flight when i am still sitting there waiting for my chair will stop they were loading other people and for the next one. tell]! were loading other people and for the next one-— were loading other people and for the next one. , ., ., , , the next one. tell us what happened on this particular _ the next one. tell us what happened on this particular occasion? - the next one. tell us what happened on this particular occasion? we - the next one. tell us what happened on this particular occasion? we had. on this particular occasion? we had checked in at _ on this particular occasion? we had checked in at three _ on this particular occasion? we had checked in at three o'clock. - on this particular occasion? we had checked in at three o'clock. went i checked in at three o'clock. went out with our family. got back at 11, 11:30pm. walked in and couldn't get up 11:30pm. walked in and couldn't get up to the room. kind of got told it would be five minutes. two hours later, 1:30am, they said, that's it, you can't get to your room, there is no work for you to stay.— no work for you to stay. there was nothina no work for you to stay. there was nothing available _ no work for you to stay. there was nothing available on _ no work for you to stay. there was nothing available on the _ no work for you to stay. there was nothing available on the ground i nothing available on the ground floor? ., nothing available on the ground floor?- you _ nothing available on the ground floor?- you get - nothing available on the ground floor?- you get back i nothing available on the ground floor?- you get back inj nothing available on the ground - floor?- you get back in the floor? nothing. you get back in the car and you — floor? nothing. you get back in the car and you have _ floor? nothing. you get back in the car and you have a _ floor? nothing. you get back in the car and you have a three _ floor? nothing. you get back in the car and you have a three hour- floor? nothing. you get back in thej car and you have a three hour drive back to manchester?— car and you have a three hour drive back to manchester? yeah, i had to drive back to _ back to manchester? yeah, i had to drive back to manchester _ back to manchester? yeah, i had to drive back to manchester that - back to manchester? yeah, i had to| drive back to manchester that night. what did they say to you at the time? you were desperate for somewhere to stay. it is

time? you were desperate for somewhere to stay.— somewhere to stay. it is our problem- — somewhere to stay. it is our problem. they _ somewhere to stay. it is our problem. they can't - somewhere to stay. it is our problem. they can't find - somewhere to stay. it is our problem. they can't find it l somewhere to stay. it is our- problem. they can't find it anywhere and it is our problem. in a statement, premier inn said... "we have an accessible email helpline, which helps to ensure the room allocated is the best fit for individual needs. in this instance, for example, we would have prioritised this booking as a ground floor room so that, in rare event an issue with the lift did arise, access would not have caused a problem." i prefer staying in a standard room because i like a bath. thea;r i prefer staying in a standard room because i like a bath.— because i like a bath. they are sa inc because i like a bath. they are saying that _ because i like a bath. they are saying that if _ because i like a bath. they are saying that if an _ because i like a bath. they are saying that if an accessible - because i like a bath. they are - saying that if an accessible e-mail saying that if an accessible e—mail helpline receives the information they would have prioritised your booking and that it was a rare event with a lift that did arise, therefore it would not have caused a problem. what would you say to that? i have to plan what train i get on because i can'tjust go and get on one. even when i do plan they don't come and help anyway. so, itjust seems like everything is just extra. i have to do so much extra just to have the same as everybody else. paul, as ellie's dad, what was this experience like for you? it

paul, as ellie's dad, what was this experience like for you?— experience like for you? it wasn't something _ experience like for you? it wasn't something used _ experience like for you? it wasn't something used to. _ experience like for you? it wasn't something used to. i've - experience like for you? it wasn't something used to. i've seen - experience like for you? it wasn't i something used to. i've seen many times_ something used to. i've seen many times we _ something used to. i've seen many times we have had issues with lifts. in an _ times we have had issues with lifts. in an apartment we used to live in we also _ in an apartment we used to live in we also had — in an apartment we used to live in we also had an issue there. we couldn't— we also had an issue there. we couldn't access our own apartment for six _ couldn't access our own apartment for six weeks. we ended up staying in a prernier— for six weeks. we ended up staying in a premier income ironically enough — in a premier income ironically enough. i've heard her only train crying _ enough. i've heard her only train crying your— enough. i've heard her only train crying your eyes out, begging to people _ crying your eyes out, begging to people on— crying your eyes out, begging to people on the train. she has been taken _ people on the train. she has been taken off— people on the train. she has been taken off a — people on the train. she has been taken off a flight when we got to the gate — taken off a flight when we got to the gate because the assumption was what she _ the gate because the assumption was what she could and couldn't do. it is so _ what she could and couldn't do. it is so frustrating. luckily enough, she is— is so frustrating. luckily enough, she is quite — is so frustrating. luckily enough, she is quite hard and forceful. she will force — she is quite hard and forceful. she will force her way on and talk herself— will force her way on and talk herself on. there's a lot of disabled _ herself on. there's a lot of disabled people who are quite timid, they are _ disabled people who are quite timid, they are not very outgoing. it is those _ they are not very outgoing. it is those that— they are not very outgoing. it is those that probably do suffer that will not _ those that probably do suffer that will not question and not argue, where _ will not question and not argue, where she — will not question and not argue, where she will definitely argue a point _ where she will definitely argue a point i— where she will definitely argue a oint. ., ., where she will definitely argue a oint, ., ., ., , where she will definitely argue a oint. ., ., ., , ., ., ., point. i had to argue my way onto a train for probably _ point. i had to argue my way onto a

train for probably about _ point. i had to argue my way onto a train for probably about 20 - point. i had to argue my way onto a| train for probably about 20 minutes. got on the train, and then obviously was very upset about it all. you shouldn't _ was very upset about it all. you shouldn't have _ was very upset about it all. you shouldn't have to _ was very upset about it all. you shouldn't have to do _ was very upset about it all. you shouldn't have to do that. looking at the numbers here, we have some stats from scope, the charity. there are 16 million people with disabilities in the uk. one in four of us has a disability. 23%, adults have a disability. 45% of pension age adults have a disability. so, it's not like there is not a market out there. it's not like there isn't a huge demographic. is that what frustrates you?— a huge demographic. is that what frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able — frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to _ frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to do _ frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to do a _ frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to do a lot _ frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to do a lot of _ frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to do a lot of things - frustrates you? yeah. it's made me not be able to do a lot of things by| not be able to do a lot of things by myself that i'd like to. i get very scared now to get on trains. i have to get the train by myself i will be on the phone to my dad to get on and off. i will often ask a member of the public and say, hey, i need to get off at the stop, they will probably not, gabby, can you help me? and most people are up to help

but i also get a trains at weird times of the day when there can be nobody on there. it's just impossible now to do a lot of things. that is not normally how i am. you are smiling when you are sitting here this morning but i can sense your absolute fury and frustration? yeah, it is something that definitely needs to change, just so the world can be a bit more accessible for everyone. obviously there are older people, there are people with prams. there is people with wheelchairs that need these things. and it was so weird because we were sitting in the premier in and there's people coming in, like i am sitting there, not being able to get into my room, complaining because i have to go up the stairs. normally i would have gone up the stairs too. but i had an operation four weeks before. it was not something i could do at the time. not that it is right i go up the stairs but normally i would because i want to go to sleep.— i want to go to sleep. thank you so

much, both of you, for coming in and sharing your story. i'm sure a lot of people at home will be in touch with their own experiences. it is definitely not a normal —— and a normal— it is definitely not a normal —— and a normal case. it happens to a lot of other— a normal case. it happens to a lot of other people as well. thanks for having _ of other people as well. thanks for having us— of other people as well. thanks for having us on. of other people as well. thanks for having us on— time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are. the welcome to bbc london. i'm thomas magill. residents in a new build block of flats in camden say their lives are "unbearable" with worsening conditions and soaring costs. the leaseholders at 53 agar grove bought the properties in 2019. now, an independent structural engineer has found the building to be "unfit for purpose" leaving

residents concerned. i lost my sleep. i feel like i've aged massively over the last five years due to the stress and anxiety that we encounter every single day. ifeel depressed most of the time because i see — i just don't see the future, because we live in unsafe homes. the developer prime metro company told bbc london the flats were built in good faith — with government approved inspectors certifying the project. the london fire brigade is supporting a campaign, reminding people to act smartly around water this christmas and new year. figures from the royal life saving society shows, on average, 73 people lose their lives each year through substance—related drowning. let's see how the tubes is looking. there's severe delays on the district and minor delays central, hammersmith and city and piccidilly lines. now on to the weather. and it's going to be a wet morning with persistent rain

into the afternoon. but, it will turn drier and brighter later. top temperature 13c. good morning. welcome to breakfast with sally nugent and jon kay. our headlines today...

dame esther rantzen says she has joined the swiss clinic, dignitas, and is considering assisted dying if her lung cancer doesn't respond to treatment. a huge volcano erupts in south west iceland, after weeks of intense earthquake activity. more than 100 people are killed in a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in north—west china. security in the middle east. the uk joins a coalition of ten countries protecting commercial vessels in the red sea, after bp starts diverting its ships. gift cards will be flying off the shelves this week, as millions of us seek out christmas presents but there are some pitfalls. i'll be taking a look at some of the dos and don'ts. good morning. they said the red caret good morning. they said the red carpet would _ good morning. they said the red carpet would be _ good morning. they said the red carpet would be rolled _ good morning. they said the red carpet would be rolled out - good morning. they said the red carpet would be rolled out and i good morning. they said the red | carpet would be rolled out and he is. the stage is set for the 70th sports personality of the year. we will be speaking to gabby logan

later as well as one of the former winners of the coveted trophy as we look ahead to find out who will be crowned sports personality of the yearin crowned sports personality of the year in that special show tonight that starts at seven o'clock. beth mead won it last year. i think i should make myself scarce for the time being. should make myself scarce for the time being-— time being. rain to clear england and wales. _ time being. rain to clear england and wales, it'll— time being. rain to clear england and wales, it'll be _ time being. rain to clear england and wales, it'll be quite - time being. rain to clear england and wales, it'll be quite slow - time being. rain to clear england and wales, it'll be quite slow to l time being. rain to clear england | and wales, it'll be quite slow to do so. , , ., , so. there will be showers in the north and _ so. there will be showers in the north and west _ so. there will be showers in the north and west and _ so. there will be showers in the north and west and some - so. there will be showers in the north and west and some of- so. there will be showers in the l north and west and some of those will be _ north and west and some of those will be wintry in the highlands. all the details later on in the programme. it's tuesday, the 19th of december. dame esther rantzen has said she's considering the option of assisted dying. said she's considering the 83—year—old broadcaster — who has lung cancer — said she's currently receiving a "miracle" treatment but that she has joined the zurich—based assisted dying clinic, dignitas, in case her condition gets worse. talking to bbc radio 4's the today podcast, dame esther said british laws need to be updated.

i have joined dignitas. i have, in my brain, thought, "well, if the next scan says nothing's working, i might buzz off to zurich." but, you know, it puts my family and friends in a difficult position because they would want to go with me and that means that the police might prosecute them. so we've got to do something. at the moment, it's not really working, is it? my family say it's my decision and my choice. i explained to them that actually i don't want their last memories of me to be painful because, if you watch someone you love having a bad death, that memory obliterates all the happy times and i don't want that to happen. i don't want, you know, to be that sort of victim in their lives. we're nowjoined by our chief political correspondent henry zeffman.

what are the chances of mps getting a free vote, as she suggests? there have been debates _ a free vote, as she suggests? there have been debates and _ a free vote, as she suggests? there have been debates and those - a free vote, as she suggests? there have been debates and those in - have been debates and those in parliament on changing the law in assisted dying over the years. they are fairly infrequent, however, when they take place, as dame esther would wish, they are free votes. that is to say you do not have a party whip saying our party will vote this way all that way, they say to mp5, this is a matter of conscience for you, individually. can't, by the way, has been the case under successive governments of different political stripes. this is a conscience matter for different political stripes. this is a conscience matterfor individual mps. it has been eight years since i was lost a vote in the house of commons on changing the law on assisted dying. on that occasion it fell, 330 mps voted against changing

the law, 118 voted in favour of keeping it —— voted in favour of changing it. a margin of almost three to one, a fairly significant margin against changing the law. that was eight years ago. this will probably put the issue back on the radar of a new generation of mps, a lot of mps have come into politics since then. you would still need a fairly significant change in opinion within both parties if you did want the law to change. that said, it is worth noting one of those mps voting for a change in the law was sir keir starmer, the now labour leader. if he were to get into government, i do not think they would champion changes in the law, it would have to come from a backbencher. after the next election there could be a prime

minister in favour of changing the law on assisted dying in a way dame esther would hope.— law on assisted dying in a way dame esther would hope. once again esther rantzen giving — esther would hope. once again esther rantzen giving us _ esther would hope. once again esther rantzen giving us forward _ esther would hope. once again esther rantzen giving us forward thinking - rantzen giving us forward thinking and talking this morning. you can listen to the full interview, it is really powerful and really moving, on the today podcast. it's available now on bbc sounds. what else do we need to know about this morning question including some extraordinary pictures. we will show you some right now. a volcano has erupted in south—west iceland, following weeks of intense earthquakes. lava is spewing out of a two—mile crack near the fishing town of grindavik, which was evacuated last month. louisa pilbeam reports. it's a breathtaking sight. the volcanic eruptions on the reykjanes peninsula transformed iceland's night sky. one witness took this video, as they were driven past, as lava spews from the volcano. but with this display of nature's

power comes the obvious danger to human life. scientists knew this was coming for weeks — a series of earthquakes and changes to the ground were the early signs. everyone was prepared. they evacuate the town exactly when they should have done. like the iceland... icelanders are especially good at this because the entire country wouldn't exist if it wasn't for all these volcanoes. like the whole country is volcanic, so everyone is, like, fully educated, fully aware. no one messes about, you know. everyone listens to the scientists, exactly what they're saying. around 4,000 people had already been evacuated from the town of grindavik, near the busy tourist site, the blue lagoon, which has been closed. the town is 25 miles from the capital, reykjavik. that cooling mechanism, experts say, happens roughly every 800 years —— the earth's cooling mechanism, experts say, happens roughly every 800 years in clusters of activity.

this latest is related to another icelandic volcano eruption in 2010, which caused an ash cloud that closed european airspace. this time, the capital's airport remains open, but scientists and emergency services are tracking the direction of the lava, as the eruptions could last for weeks and even months ahead. louisa pilbeam, bbc news. more than 100 people have died and more than 230 are fear injured following a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in north—west china. water, electricity and road networks have been damaged in two provinces. our china correspondent stephen mcdonelljoins us from beijing. morning to you. i know this is a story that is changing all the time. what is the latest you can tell us? this powerful shallow earthquake struck the tibetan plateau just before midnight, bringing down houses and killing people as they slept. 118 people have died, we are

being told. now almost 580 injuries. rescue teams are battling against extreme cold weather, so —16 degrees and the like. you can imagine the wind—chill factor up on the tibetan plateau. the problem of course, they talk about the golden period to rescue those trapped after an earthquake, when it is freezing cold weather is significantly diminished because you can die from the cold. local officials are asking volunteers not to come there. they do not want people to drive up in their own powers tojoin in. they had to keep the roads clear to bring the professionals in. apart from thousands of rescue workers, we have seen an extra several thousand firemen going in there, for example. generators, tents, beds, food, water, all of this stuff needs to be taken into the area to look after

the survivors. really tough, as i said really tough conditions for those rescuers, though, who are racing against the clock. as i say, their worst thing of course is the cold. when we get to the evening again it will be even tougher in the coming hours. the uk hasjoined an international effort — led by the united states — to protect oil and cargo ships passing through the red sea.|t comes after iran—backed houthis, from yemen, attacked ships which they believed were bound for israel. the oil giant bp had already announced plans to avoid the route. ben has been taking a look at the impact this could have on fuel prices. bp has said none of its ships will sail through the red sea route for the time being — and now the world's second biggest shipping firm, maersk, has said the same. and those decisions could have a big impact on the price that we pay for things — and crucially the price of oil.

with ships carrying goods from asia to europe being diverted — it adds thousands of miles to theirjourney, taking up to two weeks longer. instead of cutting through the red sea, into the suez canal and on into the mediterranean, they will re—route, and go all the way around the tip of south africa. the extra travel time would mean it costs more to transport goods — from household products to toys and clothes — and the extra cost is likely to be passed on to us as consumers. and we're not talking small quantities either. about 15% of the world's shipping traffic goes via the suez canal and red sea route bringing goods from asia to the uk and europe. that includes about a fifth of the world's oil. prices for that have crept up to around $78 a barrel. the worry is that if oil prices rise — not only does that mean drivers paying more at the pump — but transporting goods around by road becomes more expensive —

and again that could well be passed on to us in the price we see on the shelves. just as inflation has come down from the dizzy heights of a year ago, the fear is that these global events could push up average price rises here once again. the scottish government's tax and spending plans will be announced later today. economists are warning that ministers are grappling with a black hole in the budget amounting to £1.5 billion. our scotland editorjames cook is at holyrood. difficult decisions all around, i imagine. difficult decisions all around, i imauine. ., , imagine. that is right. the tricky bud . et imagine. that is right. the tricky budget for _ imagine. that is right. the tricky budget for the _ imagine. that is right. the tricky budget for the scottish - imagine. that is right. the tricky budget for the scottish finance l budget for the scottish finance secretary. economists at strathclyde university reckoned the gap between what she is taking in what she wants to spend is about £1.5 billion. why

is that? there are a lot of underlying expensive commitments, which the scottish government has to fulfil, orwants which the scottish government has to fulfil, or wants to fulfil rather command they include for example funding tuition fees for scottish students paying for personal care for the elderly and painful prescriptions to be free at the point of use in scotland. on top of that, there has been a series of costly promises made by humza yousaf over the past year. that is also weighing on the mind of the finance secretary. for example, they have to fund public sector pay deals they had committed to and also a freeze in council tax, which means more money being transferred from the scottish government to local authorities. with all of that in quite a bit more, what are they going to do? she has to balance her budget. there are limited borrowing powers here. shona robison must

balance her budget and that means looking at either public sectorjob cuts, she has hinted that might well be the case, cuts in public services. she says she will do her best to protect them and also potentially tax rises was that they have control over income tax, crucially, and there is a suggestion that higher earners may be taxed more, they are already taxable in scotland and other parts of the uk and that might rise even further to go further, it might be a combination of all those measures. at the end of the day it will be difficult, tricky and there will be some hard choices.— the welsh government is also setting out its spending plans when its draft budget is published later today. it comes as junior doctors announced fresh strikes injanuary over a pay dispute — and concerns that other public services could be cut. guidance for how teachers in england should treat trans pupils is expected to be published by the department for education today. the recommendations are expected to include keeping the parents

of transgender children informed about any decisions — unless there's a safeguarding issue — and that school toilets should remain single sex. a leading health think—tank says the traditional model of nhs dentistry is now gone for good — and can't be restored without an unrealistically large amount of money. the nuffield trust report says change is needed and has called for radical reform. the government said it would be publishing a recovery plan soon. imagine getting stuck behind a tractor in a country lane. you have to wait for ages. somewhere in wales they had 200 tractors in front of them. it doesn't matter. it is christmas. they are so beautiful. these twinkly tractors were taking part in a festive parade through pembrokeshire, lighting up various villages on the way to haverfordwest, where they gathered on the showground. stunning, isn't it?! absolutely

gorgeous! a lot of love for carol's christmas jumper this gorgeous! a lot of love for carol's christmasjumper this morning. i{ignite christmas 'umper this morning. quite a cloud christmasjumper this morning. quite a cloudy start — christmasjumper this morning. quite a cloudy start to _ christmasjumper this morning. quite a cloudy start to the _ christmasjumper this morning. quite a cloudy start to the day _ christmasjumper this morning. (12)! its: a cloudy start to the day for many. it has been raining quite steadily during the night, heavily across wales and also england. pushing down towards the south east. also showers across the north and west. this rain was slowly edge down in the direction of kent and the channel islands. as we go through the day there will be residual cloud and a few showers left behind it. then it brightens up. some sunny spells will develop. it will also be pretty windy. some of the showers will be heavy and boundary with hail. on the tops of the hills when you are also likely to have some snow in them. when is increasing around the south western approaches and the channel as we go through the day. these are the temperatures. behind the rain

temperatures will slide across england and wales. they are on the way down, looking at five to 11 degrees north to south. this evening and overnight it should stay dry across southern and south—eastern areas. there are still showers with strengthening winds everywhere and then a weather front coming in from then a weather front coming in from the west. this is a warm front. as we go through the course of tomorrow, taking rain from west to east, mild air will follow one behind. furthersouth, a east, mild air will follow one behind. further south, a lot of cloud, especially in western areas, murky conditions, hill folk and dampness and these other temperatures. up to 11, 12. still ahead of the front, still nippy in lerwick. ., ~ , ., earlier this year, gill castle became the first person with a stoma bag to swim the english channel but now she's going much further — to africa. but she's not swimming there. gill has set up a charity to supply stoma bags to women in kenya — and she's been there to see

that work in action, as alison freeman reports. cheering. this is kind of like my really in—your—face way of saying, "if i can swim the channel, you can go to your local pool." but really, ultimately, my everything is to show my son that his birth didn't ruin my life. this was the moment she'd been working towards for years. in 2023, gill castle became the first person with a stoma to swim the channel. have you got a message for sam? it was all for you, gorgeous boy. gill castle was so severely injured in childbirth in october 2011 that she had to have a colostomy operation. she'd suffered a fistula, a hole between her rectum and her vagina, and a fourth degree tear, which couldn't be repaired.

so she had to have her bowel diverted out on to her abdomen, creating a permanent stoma. knowing how hard it was to come to terms with this massive life change, she wanted to let others see it couldn't stop her from doing anything. she screams morning, everybody. here we are at ben nevis. it was then that she was contacted by the head of an american charity, called beyond fistula, which helps kenyan women who, like gill, have had fistula surgery — many of whom end up with a stoma. i am pulling it. you're cringing. i don't care. i realised during the course of that conversation they don't have stoma bags and the ones they do have are very poor quality.

so i said, "oh, well, we have lots of surplus in the uk that can't be given back to the hospital. they can't go anywhere other than landfill." it's absolutely insane to me to think that two years ago i was in my little garage in alnwick, in northumberland, on my own, surrounded by donated stoma boxes, just packing them up and sending them to this hospital in kenya — to these women i'd never met. it's just sort of gone poof. and now you have a charity. and now i've got a charity. gill's channel swim raised funds for her charity, chameleon buddies, which supports people with stomas in the uk and in kenya. the chameleon buddies came to the gyno care hospital in eldoret in the west of kenya for a week to hand over supplies of bags, help the women learn to manage their stomas and to support each other. cockerel crows. many of the women make long journeys to the workshop. welcome. like pastor rose. she knows all too well the fear felt by the women, having had a colostomy in 2020.

i wanted to run away. i never accepted it easily. i don't know how to put it on. i don't want to see the wounds. i could use it then for stomas that costed me almost 4,000 every day. the high cost of the bags is also a hurdle for the women, many spending up to 1000 shillings on a single bag. the average salary for an educated person in kenya is 25,000 shillings per month, meaning the entire salary could be spent on bags, if you can find them. jill made her first trip to the hospital in 2022, so some of the faces are familiar to her, like mary, who has a urostomy, which diverts urine out through a stoma on the abdomen. mary, actually, she lives very far away from here. she had run out of supplies and she was wearing a sort of a seal on a tatty old string with a plastic bag attached, just a normal plastic bag. and thatjust kind of reminds

you why this all started in the first place because that is what they were wearing — plastic bags, bits of cloth, wrappers from bread. this girl isjust 16 and from the masai mara. she was married at a young age to a much older man and gave birth atjust 15 in 2022. her baby died and she was left with such terrible internal injuries she had to have two stomas. it's hard to comprehend the trauma she's experienced whilst still a child herself.

she had told us she wanted to speak so that others can understand the help that's needed here. how do you balance out that trauma with thejoy, really? that is very difficult. what we've got to focus on is we are making her life better. we're enabling her to move on from that trauma. my name's claire. i'm one of the stoma nurses from the uk. throughout the week, stoma nurse claire from whitley bay has been running a clinic. what are the main differences that you've seen in the women here compared to what you see in the uk? once they're discharged, then that's it. they're left to their own devices, which is where their problems maybe start, or their isolation starts, or their stigma starts or their fear about living with the stoma — that they then become detached from their family or their group of friends or their work colleagues. that's the biggest thing. we don't come out to talk about it. 0k. we fear that if you talk about it,

some will laugh, some will hate, some will run. not everyone can make it to eldoret. so gill and her team made the long journey to siaya county to meet symprose and offer her care at home. the issue that this lady has is one of acceptance, essentially. so she cannot accept her stoma. she told us she's a swimmer and i was wondering how she does it, because i fear going to places because we now we want to remove and replace. where do you do it? i need somewhere where there is water, there is a comfortable toilet, i can remove. thank you. my pleasure. so gill has coined the phrase, "no secrecy, no shame."

and the ladies this week have just absolutely run with it. cheering gilljoins us now — along with her son sam. so good to see you. how proud are you have your fabulous so good to see you. how proud are you have yourfabulous mum? i so good to see you. how proud are you have your fabulous mum? i think she is amazing- _ you have your fabulous mum? i think she is amazing. i— you have your fabulous mum? i think she is amazing. i don't _ you have your fabulous mum? i think she is amazing. i don't know - you have your fabulous mum? ! think she is amazing. i don't know how- you have your fabulous mum? i thinkj she is amazing. i don't know how she did it. _ she is amazing. idon't know how she did it. don't— she is amazing. i don't know how she did it, don't know how she did it. it is really— did it, don't know how she did it. it is really good. so did it, don't know how she did it. it is really good.— it is really good. so many things she has done. _ it is really good. so many things she has done. thus _ it is really good. so many things she has done. thus when - it is really good. so many things| she has done. thus when mother climbs. when you see pictures of your mother in africa spreading the word, it is crazy, isn't it? some finding it hard to believe she is actually doing this. give words to

describe your mum. so brilliant, sometimes crazy but we don't talk about that. you just did, sam! completely amazing. for about that. you just did, sam! completely amazing. for those at home, completely amazing. for those at home. tell _ completely amazing. for those at home. tell us _ completely amazing. for those at home, tell us about _ completely amazing. for those at home, tell us about the _ completely amazing. for those at home, tell us about the teddy - completely amazing. for those at| home, tell us about the teddy you are holding. this home, tell us about the teddy you are holding-— are holding. this is colin the chameleon. _ are holding. this is colin the chameleon. this _ are holding. this is colin the chameleon. this is - are holding. this is colin the chameleon. this is colin, . are holding. this is colin the | chameleon. this is colin, the chameleon. _ chameleon. this is colin, the chameleon, he _ chameleon. this is colin, the chameleon, he is _ chameleon. this is colin, the chameleon, he is the - chameleon. this is colin, the chameleon, he is the mascotj chameleon. this is colin, the i chameleon, he is the mascot of chameleon. this is colin, the - chameleon, he is the mascot of the charity. basically, my stoma is called colin, colin the colostomy and chameleon relates to a charity. that is where the connection is to that. ~ ., that is where the connection is to that. ~ . , .,. that is where the connection is to that. ~ . , ~ that. we heard in peace alison did from kenya. _ that. we heard in peace alison did from kenya. you _ that. we heard in peace alison did from kenya, you have _ that. we heard in peace alison did from kenya, you have been - that. we heard in peace alison did from kenya, you have been really| from kenya, you have been really honest about having a stoma and how it happened to having a birth injury. you are really keen to make

some part of the positivity. just explain that for us. i some part of the positivity. just explain that for us.— some part of the positivity. just explain that for us. i think it is a ositive explain that for us. i think it is a positive ripple — explain that for us. i think it is a positive ripple effect. _ explain that for us. i think it is a positive ripple effect. he - explain that for us. i think it is a positive ripple effect. he was i explain that for us. i think it is a l positive ripple effect. he was born and look at the positive things that have come as a result! had he not come along, none of this would have happened. yes, iwas come along, none of this would have happened. yes, i was a come along, none of this would have happened. yes, iwas a bit come along, none of this would have happened. yes, i was a bit of a mess at the beginning but had we not had that nothing else would have happened. i want to make sure he knows him arriving has been nothing but positive, really. what knows him arriving has been nothing but positive, really.— but positive, really. what a ositive but positive, really. what a positive story! _ but positive, really. what a positive story! when - but positive, really. what a positive story! when you i but positive, really. what a l positive story! when you see but positive, really. what a - positive story! when you see that positive story! when you see that positive in kenya, in this country as well, you should be really proud. i am! i can't put most of it into words. — i am! i can't put most of it into words, really, it is amazing. you sa ou words, really, it is amazing. you say you were _ words, really, it is amazing. you say you were a _ words, really, it is amazing. you say you were a bit _ words, really, it is amazing. you say you were a bit of _ words, really, it is amazing. you say you were a bit of a _ words, really, it is amazing. ym. say you were a bit of a mess at the start, i am sure a lot of people in the same situation are also in a mess, maybe notjust at the start.

it is a tough diagnosis. how did he move on from that place where things were really difficult? what move on from that place where things were really difficult?— were really difficult? what i did, instead ofjust _ were really difficult? what i did, instead ofjust accepting - were really difficult? what i did, instead ofjust accepting the - were really difficult? what i did, j instead ofjust accepting the fact were really difficult? what i did, l instead ofjust accepting the fact i had a stoma, i needed to embrace it and have gratitude, actually, which sounds really silly but if i had not have had the stoma fitted i would have had the stoma fitted i would have been incontinent completely. i realised i should feel grateful for the fact we had this amazing surgery and we have these amazing stoma bags here. that is the difference between here. that is the difference between here and canyon. they don't have that, so they can't embrace it and live a normal life. —— and canyon. we have spoken in the past to adele roberts. in difficult circumstances, different ones, she had a stoma. it started a conversation. it is different ones, she had a stoma. it started a conversation.— started a conversation. it is about normalising _ started a conversation. it is about

normalising it. _ started a conversation. it is about normalising it. every _ started a conversation. it is about normalising it. every 39 _ started a conversation. it is about normalising it. every 39 minutes l started a conversation. it is about. normalising it. every 39 minutes in the uk, someone has stoma surgery, thatis the uk, someone has stoma surgery, that is a staggering statistic from colostomy uk. i am more surprised now when i speak to someone who doesn't know someone with a stoma. women do get injured in childbirth, unfortunately. there is kind of a female ego about giving birth and we don't want to admit it maybe hasn't gone right. that doesn't mean it is yourfault it gone right. that doesn't mean it is your fault it hasn't gone right. i think it is really important that people do not feel alone. what think it is really important that people do not feel alone. what you have done is _ people do not feel alone. what you have done is let _ people do not feel alone. what you have done is let yourself _ people do not feel alone. what you have done is let yourself in - people do not feel alone. what you have done is let yourself in all - people do not feel alone. what you have done is let yourself in all of i have done is let yourself in all of this be very vulnerable, haven't you? this be very vulnerable, haven't ou? , , , this be very vulnerable, haven't you?_ that _ this be very vulnerable, haven't you?_ that is - this be very vulnerable, haven't you?_ that is a - this be very vulnerable, haven't l you?_ that is a powerful you? yes, yes. that is a powerful thin. b you? yes, yes. that is a powerful thing. by showing _ you? yes, yes. that is a powerful thing. by showing vulnerability, l you? yes, yes. that is a powerfulj thing. by showing vulnerability, it is really empowering, _ thing. by showing vulnerability, it is really empowering, not - thing. by showing vulnerability, it is really empowering, notjust - thing. by showing vulnerability, it is really empowering, notjust for| is really empowering, notjust for yourself but to other people as well. i am a loudmouthed northerner, i was never going to be quiet about anything. i do have to have coffee

in the morning first though! otherwise it is a different kind of loud. i think it is important we do show are vulnerable sides. it is nothing to be ashamed about. it should be encouraged. fantastic to have a base _ should be encouraged. fantastic to have a base here. _ should be encouraged. fantastic to have a base here. what _ should be encouraged. fantastic to have a base here. what does - have a base here. what does christmas have in store for you? istate christmas have in store for you? we are christmas have in store for you? , are going to our cousins in sussex and then going south, to continue eating cake. then away in egypt for a month. —— diners away in egypt for a month. —— diners away in egypt for a month, so we will have another christmas when he is back. if you want to see more of gill's time in kenya, you can watch the stoma swimmer on bbc iplayer now. lots more lovely stuff to come on the programme. time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are.

a very good morning, welcome to bbc london. i'm thomas magill. leaseholders living in a new build block of flats in camden say their lives are unbearable, with worsening conditions and soaring costs. some residents at 53 agar grove purchased the properties in 2019 for over £700,000 each. now, an independent structural engineer has found the building to be unfit for purpose, with the owners saying their flats are effectively worthless. some say they discover new problems every day, and are concerned the building could fall down. i lost my sleep. i feel like i've aged massively over the last five years due to the stress and anxiety that we encounter every single day. ifeel depressed most of the time because i see — i just don't see the future, because we live in unsafe homes. the developer prime metro company previously told bbc london the apartments were built in good faith, with government—approved inspectors

certifiying the project. the london fire brigade is supporting a campaign — which is reminding people to act smartly around water as they travel home from parties during the christmas and new year holidays. figures from the charity the royal life saving society shows that, on average, 73 people across the uk lose their lives each year through substance—related drowning. meanwhile, londoners wanting to watch this year's new year's eve fireworks display, are being told to stay off tower bridge and london bridge, as neither will offer a view. it comes after the city bridge foundation who owns and maintains both crossings say revellers have flocked to the landmarks in previous years, leaving them congested and busy. let's take a look at the tubes now. now onto the weather with kate. good morning.

it's another mild start this morning. with the mild conditions though, the unsettled weather. it's wet, it's quite breezy, but it will turn a little drier later. we're going to get a very maximum today, with this rain and the wind, around 13 celsius. but once that starts to clear, cooler north—westerly breeze starts to filter in colder air, so by the end of the day, although we will see a bit of sunshine, it will feel a little chillier. overnight it is going to be a cooler night. clear skies largely. still got the north—westerly breeze though. the minimum temperature dropping down to three celsius. a bright start tomorrow — we should get some sunshine. but you can see this warm front. that's going to start to slide south through wednesday, introducing more cloud as we head through the afternoon. should be fairly dry though, temperatures tomorrow still in double figures around 11 celsius. as we head overnight wednesday into thursday, the wind is going to strengthen, it's going to be a very windy day as we head through thursday itself. it stays pretty unsettled through this week, and staying mild as we have towards the christmas weekend.

that's it from me — but there's much more on the bbc news app, website and on bbc radio london across the morning. but for now let's head back to sally and jon. good morning. hello, this is breakfast with sally nugent and jon kay. it's been a testing couple of weeks for the prime minister — and the pressure will continue to build next year as the general election looms. rishi sunak will ask voters to judge him on his recor and how well he has delivered the five priorities he set out at the start of the year. bbc verify�*s nick eardley has been digging into the detail. morning, nick. what have you found? morning to you.

it is not a great — what have you found? morning to you. it is not a great picture, _ what have you found? morning to you. it is not a great picture, actually, - it is not a great picture, actually, for the government. we have been going through all of the numbers. i just want to show you some of what we found. back injanuary just want to show you some of what we found. back in january the just want to show you some of what we found. back injanuary the prime minister made a big speech setting out his five priorities for 2023, focused on the economy, the nhs, and on small boats. here is what he said at the time. i on small boats. here is what he said at the time-— at the time. i will only promise what i can _ at the time. i will only promise what i can deliver, _ at the time. i will only promise what i can deliver, and - at the time. i will only promise what i can deliver, and i - at the time. i will only promise what i can deliver, and i will i what i can deliver, and i will deliver— what i can deliver, and i will deliver what i promise. big pledge. how has he — deliver what i promise. big pledge. how has he done? _ deliver what i promise. big pledge. how has he done? let's _ deliver what i promise. big pledge. how has he done? let's look i deliver what i promise. big pledge. how has he done? let's look first l deliver what i promise. big pledge. | how has he done? let's look first at his pledge on inflation. he said he was going to have my kid over the year. —— half. it reached nearly 11% backin year. —— half. it reached nearly 11% back in february. on this one of the government has done pretty well. the latest figures for october shouted down at li.6%. we are still waiting

for the finalfigures of down at li.6%. we are still waiting for the final figures of the last three months of the year. it is worth pointing out it isjob three months of the year. it is worth pointing out it is job of the bank of england rather than government to bring down inflation. on this one i am going to give rishi sunak a tick. it looks like it will be achieved. the second big economic pledge was to get the economy growing. this one i think actually is pretty unclear at the moment. if you have a look at this screen, growth is pretty erratic. it is up and down over the course of the year. the latest figures we have, which are for the year to october, shows growth completely flat, 0%. this is in the balance. we are going to give it a question. next, the plan to bring down debt. it is not happening. have a look at this line. it has actually gone up since rishi sunak made his pledges injanuary. it reached another high in october of almost 98% of the whole economy.

i have been chatting to the government about this and they say there pledges to bring it down over time, forecasts say that is still likely to happen, even if their forecasts are based on some unpopular spending decisions. again, this is not one that rishi sunak can say he is achieving at the moment, so we give it another? moving on from the economy, the picture gets worse for the prime minister. let's look at its pledge on the nhs, which was to bring down waiting lists. have a look. it is not happening. at the start of the year waiting list overall were about 7.2 million. since then, since january, they have gone up by 500,000. half a million people. again, the government says it strikes in england are a big cause of this strike, a covid backlog. we should point out some of the longer waiting times have been cut. there is a long way to go for ministers to bring this down and

achieve that goal. so, that one gets achieve that goal. so, that one gets a cross. we are seeing rishi sunak is not achieving that as things stand. finally, small boat arrivals. we have heard a lot about that in recent weeks. this was last year, a record high in the mid 40,000. it is down quite a bit this year. 2023 it has fallen by about a third. it is still up 30,000. that does not equate to stopping the boats. the government did pass legislation as it promised, but it can't actually remove people. there aren't many returns agreements. so this one is another cross, another no for rishi sunak. he is not meeting that. so, our 2023 report card for the prime minister, as you can see, one tick. two questions, two crosses. the

government did not say all of this would be done by the end of this year. but as 2023 draws to a close, there is a lot of work to do if rishi sunak is going to turn that list into five ticks. there is. thank you. you know when you get to a party first, really early, and no one else is there yet? john has got some comedy. he has gone to the sports personality of the year's 70th event, which is tonight. morning. so early, in fact, that you will notice the cover has not been taken off the red carpet here at media city, which is where the great and good of the sporting world will be gathering. a huge night to come, special night in sport, sports personality of the year, the 70th anniversary. this is where a lot of those sports stars, men and women, will be gathering on the red carpet before making their way up here. the

cover will have gone by 7pm tonight. they will make their way into here, where, as you will probably see, there is another lovely backdrop. this is where a lot of the world's press, a lot of camera crews, will be gathering. hoping to grab a word or two with some of those nominees, the six nominees that have made the shortlist for this year's award. what a special night it is. we will learn to light when voting opens. that will be during the show. it is not open yet. who will be crowned sports personality of the year this year, following the footsteps of beth mead, who won it last year? we will speak to some notable people involved later on. before we do, let's remind ourselves of some of the other big sports stories pa rt part today. we are going to focus on birmingham city for the moment. and a little reminder — wayne rooney, once a winner of young sports personality back in 2002, now birmingham city manager. and it's been a difficult reign so far — 11 games in and just two wins so far.

they lost again last night, 3—2 at home to the championship leaders leicester — stephy mavididi with two goals for the visitors, who are now three points clear of ipswich at the top of the table. now it's also that time of year, when the champions league winners take on teams from around the world, to be crowned the best club side on the planet. that means manchester city are in saudi arabia, where the competition is being staged taking onjapanese side urawa red diamonds in the club world cup semi—finals. with the matches stacking up, even more so when the competition expands. i'm not against the new competitions. i'm against for the lack of time to recover between year by year. this is what i'm complaining all the time.

an investigation into the events leading up to the death of sheffield united's maddy cusack has found no evidence of wrongdoing at the club. cusack died in september at the age of 27. her death was not treated as suspicious by police. the investigation was carried out by an independent third party at the request of, and with co—operation from, cusack�*s family. maddy was the first player to reach 100 appearances for sheffield united. what about anthonyjoshua's future? well, he says he wants to get back to being heavyweight champion of the world. he's back in the ring this weekend, but not taking on deontay wilder, a fight which could help him get there. wilder says aj doesn't have the heart to fight him. both are on the same bill in saudi arabia this weekend. of course i want to become champion. it's like asking a fighter,

"do you want to become champion?" "oh, i'm not focusing on that right now." yes, we are all focused on what's next. and i'm focused on my opponent i'm focused on the bigger picture, and i'm using it as a source of motivation every day i'm in the gym. i would love to fight for the ibf, i would love to fight deontay wilder. and more, you know. so, yeah, i'm using it as a source of motivation. it looks like that fight could happen. as far as tonight goes, it will be a very special evening as the great and good get together. they will be special moments, a tear or two. an emotional night as we build up to crowning the sports personality of the year. let's remind ourselves of what makes it so special. i grew up watching sports personality of the year and hoping one day that i would be there. the whole evening is actually magical. just to be in that room, you're looking around and you're seeing the best of the best. sports personality is such

an important night for sport and for the nation, because sport is something that unites us all together. winning sports personality, i felt like, is this a joke?! i to be given it by the public was an incredible thing. i and that makes it special. you look at the great sports people that had won it before and since. it's something that i'm very proud of. probably the most nervous i i've been actually on a stage ever before in my life. walking off with the trophy at the end was pretty cool. j happy 70th anniversary to bbc sports personality of the year. i hope everyone has a fantastic night. i think we will david. all of the nominees will enjoy it. the public will be here enjoying it. as will the many more thousands watching on television. john is back here after nine o'clock. we will speak to a

former winner, nine o'clock. we will speak to a formerwinner, mary nine o'clock. we will speak to a former winner, mary peters. we have gary logan, one of those presenters of the show tonight. she will tell us what goes on backstage on nights like this. —— gabby logan. thank you. they're ancient, moth—eaten and falling apart at the seams — but most of us wouldn't dream of chucking away our first teddy. they can, of course, be fixed — and one toy restorer from dorset says more and more of her customers are getting old bears refurbished as christmas gifts. kate eagleton—etheridge went to find out more. i'm sam peacefull—day, and i run sam's lazy bears, which repairs old teddy bears and toys, and gives them their lives back. this year has been the busiest i've ever known, which is lovely, really, that people are thinking of giving a gift that is already very old, or has already been treasured and now repaired and is a gift again. so it's really special.

many of sam's clients have decided to get childhood toys fixed for christmas instead of buying new. sue and graham windsor, from dorchester, decided their gift to each other this year would be restoring their teddies. i saw that there was somebody local that could repair teddy bears and thought, well, that would be nice to, especially with graham's, to get it refurbished for christmas. graham's bear looks like he's been through the wars, and he has. big ted was a new arrivaljust as the second world war was getting under way, and was to become a cherished companion. my first recollections i of having my teddy bear, the war was in full pelt. we were being bombed. and i used to take the teddy bear to bed with me. _ i said, "don't worry, teddy. when we've grown up, we'll run away." - he arrived in a sorry state, missing an arm, the stuffing knocked

out of him, and in need of some tlc. a fortnight later, it was time for the reveal, just like they do on the repair shop. oh, lovely. — i've been looking forward to this. oh, look at my lovely ted. oh. wow _ look at my lovely ted. and he's sat up. that's absolutely splendid. look at mine. isn't he lovely? after being reunited, the memories came flooding back. who's in that picture with you? this one, graham? 0h, teddy's with me. yeah. — that's me and teddy. and the verdict? we'll run away, we will. i think it's probably one of the best christmas presents we've had. yes, probably is. just to see that, joy, well, it's priceless. absolutely priceless. what a lucky lady i am to have such a lovelyjob. kate eagleson—etheridge, bbc news.

let's see some of your pictures. you have been sending on some gorgeous shots. liz in northern ireland says the study was sent from germany by her brother bill who is in the raf. she remained her precious companion despite having an ear chewed off by the family dog. sometimes you want them to have their battle scars. brian colchester has been in talks. he sent this picture of his teddy edward who is 75 years old. one of the oldest we have had. great outfit as well. susan has been in touch with basil. she says her husband was horrified she had left him. he set up this picture to shame her into mending him. sue has sending a picture of her teddy, good name. found on a bus

over 55 years ago. he has been with her ever since. over 55 years ago. he has been with her eversince. she over 55 years ago. he has been with her ever since. she thinks all his limbs have been staged back on. and his head. if you recognise that teddy from 55 years ago, get in touch. alison says, we had our 60—year—old plus teddies replaced this summer. hopefully our grandchildren will keep them. they are beautiful. and karen on hayling island has said that a picture of reginald bosanquet. base name of the morning for a teddy. named after the very famous newsreader in the 19705. hi, reginald. keep those coming. we have another lovely uplifting christmas story for you today. it is about a good old—fashioned 5ing5ong with a guitar. 600. that's how many gathered in liverpool to raise money and spirits. breakfast�*s jayne mccubbin went along. something is bringing people together in liverpool.

hiya! hello. are you ok? very excited, very excited. a coiled spring. the unifying power of music. bring it on, baby, let's have it. it's about community. it's about getting i people out together. oh, it's the power of love! there are community centres like this up and down the country. all doing amazing work with teams of amazing volunteers. busy, busy? always. fighting for every single penny they get. this is our lovely angie, volunteer. hi, angie. she's fantastic. without volunteers, this place wouldn't be ticking on, you know. we'vejust done 500 pensioners' meals in two days, packaging hampers for pensioners over christmas. and we've just helped people fill in phones and hopefully get some gas and electricity support to take the edge off for christmas. super busy. and we've got these

even more busy in here. he doesn't stop. hiya, santa. this is lee, our volunteer here. comes in a couple of days a week, and he helps out. this place is special. it inspires people. it's about community. it supports people. it sends out a really positive j message of getting together and doing good things. so, they run a food bank here free, free art groups here, dyslexia support, autism support, menopause support here, all kinds of keep fit groups here. like so many community centres, they look after people here. so, yeah, the florrie is boss. and that's all you can say about it. it is boss. boss! and it's got its best santa! but it is skint. and that is where its guitar group comes in. can i remind you of this? go out and look across the water. the florrie's growing beginners guitar group took a tiny cameo role in the promotional video for liverpool's eurovision year. ready to welcome.

very nice. first time i've seen that. stop it! it is. and then, it kind of took off. that guitar group went from... ? one or two people and then it started growing. it grew, and grew. and then we got to 20 odd. last night i had a group, there was 77 people in there. and tonight? we've got 600 in george's hall. so this christmas, 600 guitarists came together, here in st george's hall, to raise money to support the community centre, which does so much to support its community. we're all in it together. all right? we're going to get through this. and it's going to be amazing. these doors can't shut, the people that we help, that we support. social isolation is a massive killer in this country. and there's people who shut the door, don't get to speak to people for maybe 24 hours, don't have no one. and they need this place.

so we need to keep this place open. # i'll protect you from the hooded claw # keep the vampires from your door...# with the help of some celebrity friends, they came together to play, to sing, to be with one another, to support one another. there's guys here who are 84, and there's kids here who are seven, and it does bring people together. you can see that here tonight. it's a proper community spirit. it's superb. # love is like an energy...# what it did this evening is good times shared. the power of coming together is to share bad times, too. and there's — we've had an awful lot of bad times, notjust on our doorstep, but right across this whole country. # we got the power, we got the power # we got the power of love.# we've got a solace in music,

there's happiness in it. and as timmo said earlier, every single person he walks out of this building tonight will walk out feeling better than they did when they walked in. and who doesn't want a slice of that? that should be on the nhs. yeah. happy christmas. it's been a tough year? it has. but there's been other ones. i'm sure the best ones will come. even eve n sa nta even santa is in the crowd there. i like that optimism, better year to come. love that. if you are thinking about christmas presents, you may be thinking of getting somebody a gift card. gift cards will be flying off the shelves this week, as millions of us seek out christmas presents which — hopefully — look a bit more thoughtful than cold, hard cash. but there are pitfalls. ben can explain. yes, a little bit more thought. perhaps not a huge amount. there are

some pitfalls to be aware of. good morning. let me explain why a gift card might seem like a great idea if you have got a few fussy friends or family members who prefer the freedom to choose what they buy. or you want a last minute present. the gift card industry is worth an estimated £7 billion. but there are a few things that can catch you out. so, let's look at a few tips to make sure that your money doesn't get wasted. most cards have an expiry date. but it may be written on the back or in a place that's not easy to see. but, if the voucher�*s expired without you realising, it's worth seeing if you can extend it — although there's usually a fee for that. some companies might take money off gift cards if you haven't used them for a while. for example, the one4all gift card can be spent across over 170 brands. but if it's not used within 18 months, 90 pence per month comes off the balance.

the firm says this is to cover operational costs, and details of this are shown on the back of your card. if you can, it's worth buying a gift voucher using a debit or credit card. it means if the company goes bust, you might still be able to claim money back. you can write to the administrators with proof of your vouchers. but they don't have to refund you. if the value is over £100, you may be able to use the consumer credit act to get your money back. even if you do everything right though, there can still be an element of risk. there have been complaints of card draining, where the money on a gift card is spent by someone else. that's exactly what happened to ming pang. she's been speaking to radio four�*s money box. they said, "did someone spend it?" i said, "well, i didn't. someone must have stolen the money in there." and then they said, "no, it's impossible." i feel really hurt, you know. and then, almost like,

accused, i'm a thief. i use the money, then i go back to claim for another one. so, that's how i feel. and that was stuck in my system when you discover your money got stolen. plenty of you have been in touch. joining us now is consumer and personalfinance journalist, sue hayward. hopefully you can gift some sound advice on this. let's start with angela, who got in touch to say to find the gift cards from oneforall that he had put away safely had become effectively worthless. £25 initially, down to £7. how can that happen? initially, down to £7. how can that ha en? , initially, down to £7. how can that ha--en? , . initially, down to £7. how can that hauen? , ., ., ., _ , happen? these are dormancy fees. some of these _ happen? these are dormancy fees. some of these card _ happen? these are dormancy fees. some of these card companies, i happen? these are dormancy fees. some of these card companies, if i happen? these are dormancy fees. i some of these card companies, if you don't use the cards for something like 18 months, they will actually impose a fee of around £1 per month. it gradually eats away the value of the card. it is in the small print. when you get one of these gift

cards, who actually start reading all of this? they are just saying, thank you very much for the present, p0p thank you very much for the present, pop it in your personal wallet, and you don't look at it. that's why this christmas it is worth checking. and very often if you go on the website it will actually have any terms or conditions. sometimes you can put in your card number and it may tell you how long you have got to spend the card. it is worth checking that first. also, where you can spend it. some you can spend online, some in shops. you can get one is for shops, cinemas, restaurants, so many of them out there. ., , _, restaurants, so many of them out there. ., , .., ., there. someone said they could not send it there. someone said they could not spend it online, _ there. someone said they could not spend it online, it _ there. someone said they could not spend it online, it was _ there. someone said they could not spend it online, it was only - there. someone said they could not spend it online, it was only usable i spend it online, it was only usable in the store. that touches on that point. debbie says she bought two £100 gift cards from an airline for her son and his girlfriend. they won't be able to use them because they are away travelling. but she found out he couldn't transfer the cards to someone else. i5 found out he couldn't transfer the cards to someone else.— cards to someone else. is that riuht? cards to someone else. is that right? 0nce — cards to someone else. is that right? once again, _ cards to someone else. is that right? once again, it - cards to someone else. is that right? once again, it is - cards to someone else. is that i right? once again, it is probably in the small print. each company has

different terms and conditions. it is not a case of each card will have the same terms and conditions for everything. it may well be something that it actually says. one thing that it actually says. one thing that you can actually do, particularly when it comes to expiry dates and you know your card is soon to expire, sometimes the expiry date will go from the date of purchase, the date of the last transaction, or when you do a balance inquiry. even if you know how much is on that card, a clever trick is to go online or call the company and say, how much is on the card? when they tell you, that reactivates the time limit. effectively it extends the life span of the card. you could buy yourself another one or two years simply by checking how much you have left. ., , simply by checking how much you have left. . , , ,, left. really interesting. sure there are other questions _ left. really interesting. sure there are other questions as _ left. really interesting. sure there are other questions as well. i left. really interesting. sure there are other questions as well. we i left. really interesting. sure there| are other questions as well. we are out of time. that has helped people this morning. good advice. thank you. you're watching bbc breakfast. it's 8:59.

hello. live from london, this is bbc news. more than 100 people are killed in china's deadliest earthquake in 13 years. rescue efforts are being hampered by subzero temperatures. the volcano erupts in iceland after weeks of intense seismic activity. this is the scene live as jets of molten lava spewing from the ground. broadcaster dame esther rantzen joins the swiss clinic — dignitas — and is considering assisted dying if her lung cancer doesn't respond to treatment. schools in england are to receive government guidance telling them that they should generally tell parents if their child wants to change gender. hello, i'm lucy grey. we start with a developing story in china. at least118 people have died after an earthquake struck the north—west of the country. the epicentre of the quake

was in the remote gansu province.