rishi sunak, former minister announces he is quitting as an mp criticising the government environmental policies. released on parole in south africa. america's most come right advocates as quit as leader of the national rifle association days before the start of a corruption trial involving the group. another by election challenge in the former minister says he will resign over the web and standouts in tempe next week criticising the prime ministers mental stance is wrong saying he cannot vote for legislation to boost oil and gas. and go live now to the conservative

mp who sits on the environment and energy committee and thank you very much forjoining us here on bbc news. the obvious question and what's the reaction to the resignation of?— what's the reaction to the resignation of? what's the reaction to the resiunation of? �* , , ., ., resignation of? i'm very set on a ersonal resignation of? i'm very set on a personal level _ resignation of? i'm very set on a personal level and _ resignation of? i'm very set on a personal level and for _ resignation of? i'm very set on a personal level and for 14 - resignation of? i'm very set on a personal level and for 14 years, | personal level and for m years, we've been elected together back in 2010 and i have them it's about spectrum, is very thoughtful individual the net zero review and edit advocates of the great things about government policy address at 50. it is rates as. i5 about government policy address at 50. it is rates as. is it about government policy address at 50. it is rates as.— 50. it is rates as. is it absurd that he quit? _ 50. it is rates as. is it absurd that he quit? | _ 50. it is rates as. is it absurd that he quit? i understand i 50. it is rates as. is it absurd i that he quit? i understand why 50. it is rates as. is it absurd - that he quit? i understand why he uuit that he quit? i understand why he quit because _ that he quit? i understand why he quit because he _ that he quit? i understand why he quit because he has _ that he quit? i understand why he quit because he has been - that he quit? i understand why he quit because he has been very - quit because he has been very unhappy with the new licenses being issued in the north sea. i'm quite

surprised is standing down as member of parliament there was ideas that he was going to the next general election in this bit earlier than we are expecting them to go but it may be more reasons behind it and particularly if there is anything more to it but i'm not surprised that he dropped. the more to it but i'm not surprised that he dropped. the statement was re that he dropped. the statement was pretty damning _ that he dropped. the statement was pretty damning that _ that he dropped. the statement was pretty damning that he _ that he dropped. the statement was pretty damning that he posted - that he dropped. the statement was pretty damning that he posted say i pretty damning that he posted say you cannot support the legislation in the future willjudge harshly those that do and it was in the global signal that the uk is going backwards even further from its climate commitments and since we cannot expect other countries to phase out their fossil fuels while we continue to issue new licenses or open new oil fields, we continue to issue new licenses or open new oilfields, do we continue to issue new licenses or open new oil fields, do you they with anything he says there? at, with anything he says there? a grid the sentiment _ with anything he says there? a grid the sentiment and _ with anything he says there? a grid the sentiment and i _ with anything he says there? a grid the sentiment and i believe - with anything he says there? a grid the sentiment and i believe all of i the sentiment and i believe all of us agreed that i have to move

towards net zero and new technologies but i think the other side of this on the energy security and select committee looks at what is the possible and how easy it is to get to zero if you take something.— to get to zero if you take somethina. ,, , ., , , something. surely the easiest thing to that is to — something. surely the easiest thing to that is to not _ something. surely the easiest thing to that is to not issue _ something. surely the easiest thing to that is to not issue these - to that is to not issue these licenses. it to that is to not issue these licensee— to that is to not issue these licenses. , . , �* , ., licenses. it is and it isn't. if you do not issue — licenses. it is and it isn't. if you do not issue these _ licenses. it is and it isn't. if you do not issue these licenses, - licenses. it is and it isn't. if you| do not issue these licenses, you have to assume you'll generate energy from somewhere else. renewables, is that with the climate lobbyists and? you renewables, is that with the climate lobbyists and?— lobbyists and? you right, you will have renewables _ lobbyists and? you right, you will have renewables in _ lobbyists and? you right, you will have renewables in the _ lobbyists and? you right, you will have renewables in the capacity l have renewables in the capacity coming into the north sea preview will get a day like today between 1415% of the gigawatts of power throughout the day is come from gas and indisputable fact that dispatch

more base loads and wind blowing in the fundamental problem and for hundred percent between 2035 your window to increase the capacity by 100% where we are now and in terms of that, we'll have to double the electrical generation capacity in the uk on the baseload capacity and double the size of the grid and more wind farms and bore son and more nuclear power stations. it is like to deal with which is a mathematical engineering problem to get the mid—0 the policy for the amount of oil and gas we consume in the uk, a small

amount, 10% difference but in terms of making sure we actually do have the energy we need going forward, what has been proposed for these news licenses and nobody had to guess and they want to move forward with the transformation of zero, what is possible. it with the transformation of zero, what is possible.— what is possible. it was in september _ what is possible. it was in september that _ what is possible. it was in september that we - what is possible. it was in i september that we covered what is possible. it was in - september that we covered the flagship speech from rishi sunak where he was accused of wandering down some of the governments climate commitments and delaying a ban on new petrol and diesel cars and perhaps get morris sentiment goes even further on reducing commissions. i even further on reducing commissions. , , , ., commissions. i completely understand wh and is

commissions. i completely understand why and is made _ commissions. i completely understand why and is made his _ commissions. i completely understand why and is made his feelings _ commissions. i completely understand why and is made his feelings very - why and is made his feelings very clear and i respect the sleep. it is a thoughtful person and when i look at it on one hand, i am 100% behind the ambition of net zero at the opportunities but i do also see those other challenges of a pragmatist maybe but i can see that if you want to get rid of the engine by 35, as you want on the existing, you have to do a huge amount of work in terms of building your generated capacity and your charging capacity and it's not about plugs and people streets and houses it's about getting energy to communities and into towns and service stations and be able to provide enough electricity for vehicles. fin

be able to provide enough electricity for vehicles. on monday, whichever the _ electricity for vehicles. on monday, whichever the vote _ electricity for vehicles. on monday, whichever the vote was _ electricity for vehicles. on monday, whichever the vote was yellow - electricity for vehicles. on monday, | whichever the vote was yellow which vote is this? the oiling gas rounds. of reverting to the government because i can see the pragmatic approach the government is taking in some have to hold their noses because i do see and recognise that this is not moving as quickly as thousand people would like but if we do not do something about her energy security, we run the risk of having spikes in energy prices in energy prices and the delivery of it but i see the logic behind it with the government is trying to do. the sub visible by election _ government is trying to do. the sub visible by election in _ government is trying to do. the sub visible by election in the _ government is trying to do. the sub visible by election in the seat - visible by election in the seat —— this opens up by election and to hold onto you think you're going to

manage that? i’m hold onto you think you're going to manage that?— hold onto you think you're going to manage that? i'm not going to try to buck the trend _ manage that? i'm not going to try to buck the trend of _ manage that? i'm not going to try to buck the trend of the _ manage that? i'm not going to try to buck the trend of the last few - manage that? i'm not going to try to buck the trend of the last few by - buck the trend of the last few by elections. in bristol, as you rightly say, it was one from labour backin rightly say, it was one from labour back in 2010 at the next general election, i prefer the honesty of guns could be a tricky portal for the conservatives. so guns could be a tricky portal for the conservatives.— guns could be a tricky portal for the conservatives. so you do not think you'll— the conservatives. so you do not think you'll wind _ the conservatives. so you do not think you'll wind in _ the conservatives. so you do not think you'll wind in the _ the conservatives. so you do not think you'll wind in the general. think you'll wind in the general election? nippy in the second half of the year is of the prime minister says, do you think you're going to win? i says, do you think you're going to win? ~ �* , says, do you think you're going to win? ~' �* , ., says, do you think you're going to win? ~ �* , ., ., , win? i think it's going to be a difficult election, _ win? i think it's going to be a difficult election, we - win? i think it's going to be a difficult election, we can - win? i think it's going to be a difficult election, we can do i difficult election, we can do opinion polls will equilibrate going to pretend they were going to go sailing through the glorious majority with submitted members apartment, we are realistic but

there's a certain amount of time to go before that election and both sides, they have to provide manifestos and some of the vision is for the future the country and i for five general elections and i've only have been convinced by what the outcome is been for the last onwards and focusing on exactly what is happening in the next week. it is not to play for but i'm not going to try to pretend, i'll ask again on the last day but i will let you go and think much forjoining us. the former paralympian athlete oscar pistorius has been released from a jail in south africa after serving half of his sentence of over 13 years for murdering his girlfriend, reeva steenkamp. he's now on parole and will face a range of restrictions for five years. reeva steenkamp's mother said that her family was "serving a life sentence". our correspondent daniel de simone reports.

commentator: in the heats of the 400m! - oscar pistorius, convicted murderer, was once a paralympic and olympic superstar nicknamed the blade runner. his victim was girlfriend reeva steenkamp, a law graduate and model. he's been serving his sentence at this prison. earlier this morning, the authorities announced he'd left, was now officially a parolee and is at home. that understood to be this nearby house owned by an uncle where flowers wer addressed today and family came and went. until late 2029, pistorius will live under conditions, including being required to attend anger management sessions and not speaking to the media. he can be returned to prison if he breaches them. pistorius murdered reeva steenkamp on valentine's day 2013 by shooting her through a locked toilet door at his home. his trial absorbed the world. he claimed to have shot her by mistake, thinking an intruder was in the house.

i got to the bed, and then i realised reeva wasn't there. at first found guilty of the equivalent of manslaughter, he was convicted on appeal in 2015 of murder, withjudges saying his story was inconsistent and improbable. reeva steenkamp's close friend says they've had no space to grieve. we want to mourn, and we would most certainly - like reeva to rest in peace. every time we start. processing and coming to terms with things, oscar pops up. - in my opinion, oscar walking around as a free man without the necessaryj training and treatments - and psychiatric evaluations, he is deadly on the streets. what oscar pistorius does next will be the focus of intense interest. campaigners against male violence say his release sends a terrible signal. oscar's release is an indication that we have a serious problem,

that there's, i guess, a normalisation of leniency when it comes to predators, when it comes to anyone who commits any type of femicide or gender—based violence. reeva steenkamp's mother today said those left behind after her murder are the ones serving a life sentence. daniel de simone, bbc news, pretoria. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. bbc news, bringing you different stories from across the uk. are you just about to do this? struggle out of your house with a christmas tree, dropping needles everywhere, thinking, "how on earth am i going to get rid of it?" well, if you live near ita, a tractor covered in tinsel might just be able to help you as long as you donate a few quid to charity. so we're out collecting christmas trees for charity. so this is our fourth year doing it. previously we've done it with the tonbridge young farmers,

as me and my brother matt are members. but this year, we decided to do it as a family through our farm. we asked for a minimum donation of £10 a tree, and all the money goes straight to the charity. and then we'll come along this coming weekend and collect the tree with our tractor and trailer. the charity they're collecting for is the country trust. it takes children on farm visits highlighting the importance of sustainability, like recycling your christmas tree. for more stories from across the uk, head to the bbc news website. you're live with bbc news. this year sees 2 billion people go to the polls. 50 nations will be voting in a mammoth year of elections. in a few days' time, it'll be bangladesh. the south asian nation, home to 170 million people, was praised for its economy growth story, but is now in the midst of a cost of living crisis. democracy is under

the microscope, too. incumbent prime minister sheikh hasina is expected to win a fourth term, thanks in no small part to a boycott by the main opposition party, who have accused the government of violently cracking down on anyone who speaks out against them. samira hussain reports. meandering through dhaka streets and alleyways lined with political posters. most are for candidates from the ruling party, awami league. but something's missing. there are no opposition posters to be seen. this woman has a story to tell, but she is afraid to speak in public. so we take her somewhere discreet. we're not using her name to protect her identity. her husband, a well—known worker for the country's main opposition party, the bangladesh nationalist party, or bnp, he was arrested last year. and 26 days after his arrest, her son got a call that his father died injail.

translation: just three days earlier, my son - saw his father haldi. my daughter spoke to him. i spoke to him. i saw him with mother—in—law. my son keeps saying, no, my father can't die like this. when he asked them how he died, they said, "we don't know. "just come to dhaka medical college morgue and take him." she said when she saw her husband, he had marks all over his body, hands and face. authorities told her he died of natural causes, but she believes he was tortured. her story is not in isolation, especially in the lead—up to the elections. there's been a severe crackdown on freedom of expression and peaceful protests. according to human rights watch, but authorities here are engaged in mass arrests and using excessive force, torture, even extrajudicial killings. and who are the main targets? well, it's anyone that is critical of this current government. it's also the claim of the bnp, who say they've come under attack

when they speak out. how can you participate in the election? yes, you can speak freely. but nobody is going to take the responsibility of the consequence. because those people who spoke freely, they were arrested, they were beaten, they were tortured. and then some of them were killed in the jail. although islam is speaking with us, he takes precautions, too. he does not sleep at his house at night, saying that is when authorities come and arrest people. this bnp rally held in october was calling for the resignation of prime minister sheikh hasina. a peaceful protest turned violent. two police officers were killed. human rights watch says more than 10,000 opposition members were arrested. the bnp claims government forces instigated the violence as part of their crackdown on any dissent, but the minister ofjustice says that's just not true.

they are allowed to say. what they want to say, but they are not allowed to preach violence. i 28th of october, the bnp. activists attacked the house of the chiefjustice, the apartments of the judges of the high court - and supreme court. the police, as they're i responsible for the law and order situation, i they they took things under their control, arrested i the leaders on specific charges. all of them have been arrested on specific charges. _ none has been arrested arbitrarily. all 10,000 people? of course. with the opposition party boycotting these elections, the people of bangladesh are left with two options. no vote for the current ruling government like these supporters are or vote for independence

or also supporting the ruling government. either way, it will likely be a win for prime minister sheikh hasina, who is determined to show the world that her country can hold free and fair elections. samira hussain, bbc news, dhaka. the actor david soul, who was best known for his role in the television series starsky & hutch, has died at the age of 80. his wife said he died on thursday "after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family". she said, "he shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, our arts correspondent david sillito looks back at his life. # don't give up on us, baby # we're still worth one more try...# david soul, and don't give up on us, baby. 1977 was the year for david solberg, the blonde, blue—eyed son of a lutheran pastor from south dakota. two number ones, the star of one of the biggest shows on tv and his uk tour was pandemonium. my abiding memories of my first trip to the uk

with this record was terror. i'm talking about, "whoa!" the reaction was just extraordinary. he'd made his name as hutch in starsky and hutch — cops who relied on frequent car chases and the all—knowing huggy bear to fight crime. and every now and again, he'd find a reason to sing. david soul had long wanted to be known for his voice more than his looks. # i'm at peace with myself # i'm at peace with my soul...# which is why his music career began with this... # i can reach any goal...# ..as a masked singer. but he had more success acting, appearing here as a malevolent policeman with clint eastwood in magnum force. you heroes have killed a dozen people this week. what are you going to do next week? kill a dozen more.

however, by the end of the �*70s, he was keen to escape from hutch and the attendant fame. he ended up moving to the uk, appearing in holby city... i took this on because i had to know whether i could still do what i used to do. ..jerry springer: the opera... thank you and welcome to the show. ..and little britain. along the way there was a drink problem and he was arrested after hitting the third of his five wives. but for a certain generation, david soul would always be the blonde singing superstar of his �*70s heyday. # here i am, a million miles from home...# david soul, who's died at the age of 80.

but, yes, the spice girls are back, and here's the story from a to z. 30 years after they formed, they're being immortalised in a set of stamps. the ten main stamps feature geri horner�*s unionjack dress fashioned from a tea towel, as well as various headlining shows and their reunion for the closing ceremony of the london 2012 olympics. it's the first time the uk postal service has dedicated an entire stamp collection to a female pop group. early i spoke to kate hutchinson of the bbc podcast where it's at a short history of probands. merchandising empire in the 19th 2000 and i think it's wonderful that they're being commemorated in this way, 30 years later to celebrate

their 30th anniversary of makes you feel incredibly old. it really speaks to how prominent girl power is in the power of their legacy. beyond the stats of them being the biggest selling girl group of all time it's a miniature patients beetles are so many people, there is big and that's important as the beatles but there were all about inclusivity and diversity and empowerment and i think that speaks louder than 202a. the former political adviser and author derek draper has died at the age of 56. the news was broken by his wife, the tv presenter kate garraway. derek draper caught covid in march 2020 with disastrous consequences — he spent weeks in a coma, before returning home and needing round—the—clock care. our political correspondent helen catt looks back at his life. derek draper, the husband of our very own kate garraway, has sadly passed away. all of us here at this morning, we're sending our love to you, kate,

and of course darcey and billy. he was a former political adviser who became familiar to millions when covid changed his life and his family's. derek draper spent ten weeks in a coma after he caught the virus in 2020, and 374 days in hospital before he came home. he has difficulty speaking. he can't move without help and has been left doubly incontinent. his wife, the tv presenter kate garraway, made this film about their experience. today in a post on instagram, she said... she ended her message with... music in the 1990s, derek draper worked behind the scenes music in the 1990s, derek draper worked behind the scenes to create new labour, an important part of the party's

story, according to tony blair, who's paid tribute to him as a tough, sometimes ruthless political operative, someone you always wanted on your side. while gordon brown said he was brilliant, creative and multi—talented. don't quote me directly on this, but you could say that _ a friend of peter's... but he was also controversial and sparked a cash—for—access scandal when he was caught boasting about contacts with ministers and making money. if a company hires my. company, how much... and they get me for an hour, - guess how much they have to pay. £15. 250. he remained a big supporter of new labour, but left politics to retrain as a psychotherapist. that is definitely me, yeah. at home, he'd found happiness in a marriage to kate garraway after a mutual friend and sent them on a blind date. well done! when covid struck, derek was fit, healthy and 52. kate garraway was given an honour

for sharing the family's story on film to show how they and others coped with a life—changing event. # happy birthday to you...# keeping hope alive, doing their best and enjoying what time they had. # happy birthday to you.# hooray! derek draper, who's died at the age of 56. plenty more on the days stories on bbc news website if you're watching in the uk and there's plenty of information and floods in wales, to stay with us on bbc news. good evening. i'm sure you really don't need me to stand here and tell you just how

wet and miserable it's been for the start of 2024, butjust take a look at these statistics. some of us have seen close to orjust above the average monthly rainfall already, and we're only five days into the month. but there is a glimmer of good news because high pressure is set to build as we look ahead, and that will quieten the weather story down. there is likely to be little significant rainfall for the foreseeable future. and we can see the first signs of that as we move into the weekend. yes, it's going to be a drier weekend. it will be a colder one as well. and with clear skies developing through the night, we could have some mist and fog first thing in the morning. favoured spots out to the west. a few scattered coastal showers through northern ireland, running down through the cheshire gap into west wales, and some nuisance cloud to the east of the pennines as well. now, we'll have some

more significant showers across the northern isles and a stronger wind here, but not looking too bad into scotland generally. 5—9 degrees our afternoon highs, so the real cold air not arriving quite just yet. now, as we move through saturday evening, that nuisance cloud will start to break up a little. we'll see a freshening north—easterly breeze driving in a few showers across the essex and kent coast. clearer skies further west. that's where we'll see the lowest of the values and some frost and fog to greet us first thing on sunday morning. but that's where we'll start off with the best of the sunshine. this nuisance breeze could continue to drift in some cloud through east yorkshire, east anglia, down through the south—east. but further west, it'll be a dry, settled day with some sunshine coming through, but you might need a couple of extra layers as those temperatures are going to be just below the average for the time of year. so we're looking at highs of 3—6 degrees. now, as we look further ahead, the high pressure is set to establish itself as we go through the week, and it will drift its way a little bit further north—west. the isobars always slightly tighter packed south of that high. that's where the freshest

of the winds are likely to be. but there'll be a good deal of dry weather with our week ahead once we've got rid of early morning frost and fog and we're chasing a little bit of cloud around, but there will also be some sunshine. take care.

hello, i'm sarah campbell.

you're watching the context on bbc news. tomorrow marks the third anniversary of the january six attack on the capitol. for our country, january 6 was an unprecedented attack on the cornerstone of our system of government. donald trump, when he entered the political spectrum, was a threat to democracy instantly. and that threat has only grown since he's been in the political realm. every time the radical left democrats, marxists, communists and fascists indict me, i consider it actually a great badge of honour. hello to you, and thank you for joining us here at the context. we have a busy couple of hours ahead, hearing live from president biden in his first major speech in this election year.