this is bbc news. i'm clive myrie. the headlines at 11pm: the commons speakerjohn bercow has been applauded by mps, for saying donald trump won't be allowed to address parliament on a state visit. i would not wish to issue an invitation to president trump to speak in the royal gallery. donald trump has been defending his travel ban, which remains suspended by the courts, saying it keeps out people who "want to destroy" america. and we'll have a special report highlighting the enormous pressures facing nhs staff. we visit one a&e unit that's struggling to cope with demand. and coming up in newsnight: we are in paris where the leading candidates in the remaining presidential election are already slogging it out. it looks like it will be a battle between a fres hfa ced will be a battle between a freshfaced liberal and anti—immigrant, antiestablishment

populism. the ultimate showdown. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the speaker of the house of commons, john bercow, has expressed his strong opposition to any plans for president trump to address both houses of parliament when he makes his state visit to the uk later this year. mr bercow said his opposition had hardened following mr trump's decision to impose a travel ban on seven mainly muslim countries. our chief political correspondent vicki young reports. it's an honour that's been bestowed on popes and presidents, a speech to both houses of parliament in the splendour of westminster hall was part of the itinerary for these dignitaries when they visited britain. but the same invite may not be

coming president trump's way. in an astonishing intervention, the commons speaker said recent decisions by the president had made him uneasy about issuing an invitation. i feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the house of commons. rare applause from snp and labour mps who have been highly critical of the american president. and that anger brought anti—trump demonstrations to the prime minister's door after she invited him on a state visit later this year. for us to roll out the red carpet at buckingham palace or to invite him here to speak to us in a grand occasion at both houses send out all the wrong messages.

that's why the speaker has called it right today. a say in who addresses mps. he is independent of party politics and is supposed to represent the whole house. tonight it's clear that some are unhappy with his outburst. i think the speaker of the house of commons should be neutral. to express his opinion is the way he did today, he values this great offers, is insulting to president trump. the referee of this should keep himself above that, so that is to be regretted. but it's a symptom of the controversy around this visit. the prime minister has been trying to forge a close partnership with the new pm in washington, saying today that government should engage patiently and constructively with his administration. while theresa may has launched a charm offensive towards president trump, john burke has suggested he is unfit to come here and speak to and peers. many agree with the speaker, saying he is simply upholding the values of

parliament, but others think he has com pletely parliament, but others think he has completely overstepped the mark. parliament, but others think he has completely overstepped the markli invite you miss the president to address us. and tory mps point out that he has in the past welcomes leaders to parliament whose values britain doesn't always share. in the past few hours donald trump has defended his travel band which remain suspended by the courts. —— ban. the president told us military personnel in florida that the ban was essential to keep out people who in his words "want to destroy" america. some of the biggest us companies have now signed a joint legal statement arguing that the ban would inflict significant harm on business. we will defeat radical islamic terrorism and we will not allow it to ta ke terrorism and we will not allow it to take root in this country. we are not going to allow it. we have seen what's been going on over the last few days. we need strong programmes so few days. we need strong programmes so that people that love us and want

to love our country and we'll end up loving country are allowed in. not people that want to destroy us and destroy our country. the president has also reaffirmed his support for nato but says others are not putting enough into the alliance. we have your back every hour and every day. now and always. it also means getting our allies to pay theirfair share. it it also means getting our allies to pay their fair share. it has it also means getting our allies to pay theirfair share. it has been very unfair. we strongly support nato but we ask that all of the members make their full and nato but we ask that all of the members make theirfull and proper financial contributions to the nato alliance which many of them have not been doing. there's new evidence of the immense pressure on parts of the nhs

in england with patient numbers considered unsafe in the majority of hospital trusts this winter. over the past week bbc news has been given exclusive access to the royal blackburn hospital. its accident and emergency department receives more ambulances than any other in the north—west of england. our special correspondent ed thomas has been speaking to staff and patients. inside the royal blackburn hospital. the bbc was given unrestricted access to witness the pressures facing the nhs. they've had patients here for six, eight hours. can't find a bed for them. queueing forfive hours in the corridor. it is not what we expect from a country like ours, really, is it? we need to get some blood from you. what's it like to be here when it's busy? dangerous. yeah, it's frightening. sunday night, a peak time in this a&e. 95 patients and just 33 cubicles and rooms.

the sickest are seen first. we actually have corridor nurses now, as well. which shows times are very desperate. the priority is to keep people safe. across the week we saw patients treated on corridors and side rooms. ifeel as though i'm going to collapse if i don't lay down. you need a bed. definitely. it's distressing. it's really distressing for people. how long have you been waiting for? seven hours. we need beds and staff. it's just like banging your head against a brick wall. in a hospital you need some privacy. i am covered up, but it's not nice. at its busiest, this was the paediatric emergency department. these nurses and doctors are working really hard, but there just isn't enough of them. there are people lined up on corridors, on beds,

there are people stood up, there are not even enough seats to sit down. the amount of babies are sat on corridors. it's absolutely disgusting. absolutely ridiculous. it's heartbreaking. is there anywhere for you to sit down? no, the waiting room is full. they put me here. we have been stood here for a0 minutes. how do you feel about all of this? frustrated. worried. is it going to take something drastic for them to act quicker? you used to come, used to wait a bit in a&e, at least you would have a seat, now we are sat on the floor. it is worrying. as a doctor, how do you feel when you see babies like that? it's unfair, it's unfair. it's putting us under big pressure. by monday morning, on average, patients are spending half a day in the emergency department. let the staff get on with what they are doing. those delays are difficult to ta ke for co nsulta nts

like helen. i left here 11 o'clock one night, having referred him into the hospital earlier at about nine, ten o'clock. and i arrived at 11 o'clock the next morning, and he was still here. 12 hours in a&e? yeah. more than. what did that do to you when you came back in and you saw your patient? it was upsetting. it was upsetting, because you know it's not the care that you would want your own family to receive. i'm going to do what i can to shift beds and create space. even paramedics queue. during our time here the a&e only hit its four waiting target on one day. when you get 12 ambulances in an hour, you know, you are going to have queues like this. and as a team we work exceptionally hard. it is not that anything is going wrong, it is just the sheer volume of people that come. there is only so much we can do. has the doctor been in yet? no. the demands of a modern a&e, more and more older patients arriving with complex,

acute conditions. staff say there are increasing addiction and mental health problems. i can't send him back. until he has been assessed by the mental health team. to deal with these growing pressures, the a&e has a frailty doctor. §eéflé§ riéfifig éiléif‘lé ”" w 77 77 77 a gptandrdedic’atedfialc-ehet eee eee ee ee eee eeeele’ " ”w" alcohol dependent patients, most of them. what is that doing to this hospital? well, it's 1,060 ambulances, 1,060 attendances. and then there's chris. he's homeless, an alcoholic with mental health problems. for the last three months since i got out of prison, i've been sleeping in a toilet. in a&e? well, in the main part of the building. for him, it looks like he feels safe here. he can talk to people.

so in the morning he'll be fine. is that what a&e is for? this is not what a&e is for, but that is what he has been living. in today's world. facing these constant demands, nurses, like rachel and lauren. is this what you expected from the job? not to this extent. no, how we've had it the past three months, we've been risking ourjobs, because we've been working under such a pressure. we are coming in every night, worrying about what is coming. in the triage it is just a trained nurse. and it is up to us to decide whether that patient is poorly, if we need a doctor to see them, or whether they can wait in a corridor. what is that pressure like for both of you? scary. yeah, it is. it's hard, it's very hard. and many here wanted to talk openly. doctor haq is a consultant. he's worked in the nhs for more than two decades. have you ever known it like this?

no. in 26 years? no. we've had pressures every now and then, but, no, this is continuous. we are taking too many risks now. we are sending home patients that we shouldn't be sending because we have nowhere to put them. that is dangerous. dangerous. what should be done? that's the question for the government to answer, but we need more staff, we need more space. the chief executive here allowed the bbc in. to show the realities facing his staff in a hospital that is rated as good. i wanted you to see how busy we are, how difficult things can be, but also in those difficult circumstances how well those patients and their families are cared for. is there a point when the pressure gets too much? we cannot say that, i cannot say that, we have to keep our patients safe and we will continue to do so. but trying to cope with so many patients is pushing some doctors to their limits.

i was getting to the end before my week off. what would have happened to you if you did not have that week off? i don't think i could have done thejob properly. and i think my patients would have started to suffer. it is going to make me cry. and it never stops. they've done a fantasticjob. thank you for everything. thank you. you deserve more than you get. the continuing problems of the nhs in england. donald trump is having continuous problems with his travel ban and his lawyers are going to be at the us appeals court tomorrow to

hear oral arguments justifying that ban. ajudge hear oral arguments justifying that ban. a judge has hear oral arguments justifying that ban. ajudge has already hear oral arguments justifying that ban. a judge has already set aside that travel ban which is focused on seven mainly muslim countries. a judge has set that aside and another judge has set that aside and another judge decided on a panel ofjudges, the district court in the us appeals district court in san francisco, has also ruled that while oral arguments are being heard and the case is being debated, a ban can't stay in force. it has to be set aside. so lawyers for the state department, for the justice lawyers for the state department, for thejustice department, rather, president's cup weirs will be in court tomorrow presenting arguments to try to get the ban lifted. —— president's lawyers. now it is time for newsnight. missing the excitement of the us election?

the clinton—trump fight between populism and liberalism. well, move over america. it's france that's the battleground now. it's been a wacky race — likely candidates falling by the wayside but looking at the current front runners, and this is set to see populism fight liberalism in the political showdown of 2017. also tonight... 0ur opposition to racism and sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independentjudiciary are hugely important considerations in the house of commons. those words from john bercow aren't exactly aimed at washington, but they are in the headlines.