good afternoon. the uk independence party's only mp, douglas carswell, has announced he's leaving the party. in a statement on his website mr carswell said that he was quitting the party in the knowledge that his goal of leaving the european union had been achieved. he will now be sitting as an independent mp. our political correspondent matt cole has the story. it all began so well for douglas ca rswell it all began so well for douglas carswell and it all began so well for douglas ca rswell and ukip, it all began so well for douglas carswell and ukip, first hejoined the party. i'm today leaving the conservative party and joining ukip. thenin conservative party and joining ukip. then in the by—election he called to refight his seat, he delivered them their first elected mp. uk independence party, ukip 21,113. whilst he succeeded in holding the constituency in 2015's general election, another party first, quickly soured. shall we shake hands? always known as a man of independent political thought, mr ca rswell independent political thought, mr carswell soon seemed to struggle to

walk hand—in—hand with his new party and its leader. maybe you need a fresh faced approach sometimes. you need a fresh face and an optimistic message. we've got one person who happens to be an mp who consistently privately and publicly challenges my leadership. the answer is very simple — mr carswell put up or shut up. even the common purpose of the eu referendum campaign saw key ukip figures and douglas carswell taking different approaches to campaigning and whilst there was shared joy at the outcome, many in ukip saw their only mp as a source of division who should quit the party. he is now doing that. ukip says there should again bea doing that. ukip says there should again be a by—election, but this time mr carswell disagrees. in his online blog he says, "as he is not recrossing the house of commons floor, he doesn't need to put himself before voters once more." article 50, the membering chaen ym for leaving the eu is set to be trigger on wednesday and mr carswell is full of praise for ukip's role in bringing that about, but since the

referendum, there have been questions over the future purpose of ukip, and their now ex—mp has decided whatever it is, it won't involve him. and mattjoins me now. how big a blow is this to ukip? there are people in ukip who are delighted he has left. some say it would be more likely that the moon would be more likely that the moon would be more likely that the moon would be made of cheese than he would be made of cheese than he would be made of cheese than he would be a tory. losing an mp, despite getting four million votes in the general election in 2015, ukip won't want to lose that and it is no surprise that we are hearing calls from ukip that there should be a by—election. douglas carswell says this time because he is not crossing the house of commons floor, because he's not changing political persuasion he doesn't think needs to bea persuasion he doesn't think needs to be a by—election. i think ukip as the hours progress from now, will be more and more insistent there should be one. matt, thank you. a former head of the metropolitan police has called for changes

to security at westminster, following wednesday's terror attack. the former chief constable lord blair said there should be a review of the arming of officers. two men from birmingham continue to be questioned by police in connection with the attack. our correspondent nick beake reports. the scramble of armed police in the aftermath of the westminster attack. new video taken by a taxi driver shows how marksmen swooped on parliament from all directions. this footage shows medical equipment being thrown to those treating the unarmed pc keith palmer. but it was to know avail. now, one former police chief in charge during the london bombings 12 years ago, believes security at westminster needs to be tightened. i'm certain that there will be a review now of the kind of outer soft rim always behind it is the inner core of armed officers, but pc keith palmer has paid for his life for that soft

outer rim and i think his family at least and everybody else needs the reassurance that that will be reviewed. the picture emerging of the killer, khalid masood, is confused. a man described by some as charming, also had a long history of violence. we know three minutes before he launched his deadly attack, he checked messages on his phone. counter terror police will be desperate to know who he was last in contact with. the key question why did khalid masood strike at westminster has still not been answered. it is not clear if someone radicalised him here in the uk while he was in saudi arabia or maybe during his three spells in prison. but senior scotland yard officers tell me they are more concerned about the risk of people being brain washed behind bars here than from jihadis returning from abroad. 15 people from the attack are still in

hospital. two of them critical. a website set up in memory of pc keith palmer has raised almost £750,000. a 17—year—old has died after collapsing in the ring at an amateur boxing match. eddie bilbey, from derbyshire, was competing in south normanton on friday evening. he later died in hospital. european union leaders have marked the 60th anniversary of the eu's founding treaty with a formal declaration promising to deepen unity. the meeting comes four days before theresa may, who is absent from the ceremony in rome, is due to formally declare the uk's intention to leave the eu. damian grammaticas reports from rome. signing their new declaration of unity, the leaders of every eu country were in rome today except one, the uk on the point of triggering its exit. just as the union marks its 60th birthday. it

was founded in this very same room. 1957, six nations created an economic partnership. today, it has vastly expanded, but emerging from an economic crisis and facing terrorism and refugees flows and brexit. so 27 leaders struggled to fit into the same room. the union has its own currency, a single market and even an anthem. the eu's leaders said it should not be forgotten that co—operation had brought peace and prosperity to a continent they remembered from their childhoods being destroyed by war. it isa childhoods being destroyed by war. it is a union that rose from the ashes of two world wars, shaped by the hands and by the iron will of those that had returned from battlefields and concentration camps only a few years earlier. battlefields and concentration camps only a few years earlierlj battlefields and concentration camps only a few years earlier. i was eight years when the community established a single council and a

single commission through the treaty. the road i then took to school every day still through the ruins of the burned city. for me, the second world war is not an obstruction. 0utside supporters of the eu rallied on rome's streets. this was one of the several events in the city, but just a few hundred turned out to it. the leaders' summit is in part about charting a new few fewer for the eu, responding to the challenges they face. but the crowds who've turned out aren't that big so the question they have to answer is how to rekindle enthusiasm for the project? with all the sport, here's mike bushell at the bbc sport centre. thank you. good afternoon. formula one is back, and so is lewis hamilton, who dominated qualifying in melbourne.

the era of faster, more demanding cars got off to a promising start, as hamilton claimed pole position at the australian grand prix. it looks as though we could see a real battle between mercedes and ferrari this season. ferrari's sebastian vettel finished second, with hamilton's new mercedes team mate, valtteri bottas in third. sir bradley wiggins says he will "shock a few people", once the uk anti—doping investigation into alleged wrong—doing at team sky is over. they're looking into the delivery of a package to wiggins before the 2011 tour de france and speaking on sky tv, wiggins said the claims were, in his words, "the worst thing to be accused of for a man of my integrity" and promised he would have a lot to say. the figure skating world championships begin next week in helsinki, but great britain's ice dancing pair of penny coomes and nick buckland, won't be there. they've competed at two winter olympics, but a serious training accident for coomes last summer put her skating

future, in serious doubt. now, though, coomes is, back on the ice and targeting next year's winter games. david mcdaid, has been following her recovery. after nine months and two operations, light at the end of the tunnel. it's nice that it's starting to feel normal. i don't have any pain anymore. penny is half of team's top gb figure skating pair, but their season and almost her career was written off last june after a fall in training. career was written off last june after a fall in traininglj career was written off last june after a fall in training. i broke nigh kneecap. i smashed it into eight pieces. it happened in a split secondment one minute we're laughing and giggling and fine and the next i'm on the floor screaming. they said it was a career ending injury. that i'd completely messed up my knee and i wouldn't have a normal knee and i wouldn't have a normal knee and i wouldn't have a normal knee and i wouldn't be able to walk properly. after months out, penny is ready to step back on the ice. the fa ct ready to step back on the ice. the fact that i feel it's going to be so

good, i'm nervous that i'm wrong and what happens if i fall? after a few minutes the results in.|j what happens if i fall? after a few minutes the results in. ijust what happens if i fall? after a few minutes the results in. i just feel like i got my leg back. nine torturous months of pain over. like i got my leg back. nine torturous months of pain overlj like i got my leg back. nine torturous months of pain over. i was miserable. i'd wake up in the night with almost like a deep ache i suppose. it took a while for me to kind of find myself again and find that strength and get back to where i need to be, mentally. when i can see penny get back on the ice, it puts everything into prospective and we're going to move into the same direction towards the goal that we've had planned for a long time. and that common goal is getting to next yea r‘s and that common goal is getting to next year's winter olympics, a dream that had looked an impossibility. next year's winter olympics, a dream that had looked an impossibilitym just fills me with hope that i'm going to be able to do it and that that dream that i have hasn't diminished. it's there. ijust need to work a little harder and i need a little bit more time, but i'm going to get there. so although absent

from the world championships next week, coomes and buckland are hopeful of starting on the billingest stage of all next february. you can watch the world championships, on the bbc, from thursday afternoon on the red button. and you can catch up, with all today's sport, on sportsday at 6.30pm and 7.30pm on bbc news. that's all the sport for now. you can see more on all of today's stories on the bbc news channel. the next news on bbc one is at 5.50pm. bye for now. hello, you're watching the bbc news channel. it is just it isjust coming up

it is just coming up to quarter past one. more now on events in mosul. the united nations has expressed deep concern over a "terrible loss of life" after reports of an incident in the battle for mosul that has caused a high number of civilian casualties. thousands of iraqi civilians are trying to flee the west of the city, as the fight against so—called islamic state continues. the us—led coalition and iraqi forces have been using airstrikes against is militants. but eyewitnesses say that many civilians have been killed and many remain buried under the rubble. 0ur middle east editor, jeremy bowen, has been speaking to some of those escaping is—held areas in west mosul, who say that people are being used as human shields. thousands of civilians are getting out of the parts of mosul that are controlled by islamic state everyday. and they're giving that because they feel that if they stay, if they don't take the really serious risk of trying to cross the front line to get out, then they're going to get killed anyway. many of the people here are talking about air strikes by the us—led coalition. i've spoken to witnesses who say

whole families have died in the rubble of their houses, and that nobody was even able to dig them out. what people have also said was that the jihadists of islamic state deliberately mingling with them, that they are treating them as human shields. so for these people, life back home has become absolutely insupportable, toxic and lethal. that's why they've come here to a very uncertain future. many of them are just in the clothes are standing up in, leaving behind all their possessions. perhaps it's easy to do that when you feel that if you stay at home, you're going to get killed. more now on wednesday's westminster

terror attack. a —— among the victims were young romanian couple. 0ne victims were young romanian couple. one was knocked off westminster bridge into the thames when the attacker drove into the pavement. she is still seriously injured in a london hospital. many romanians have strong connections to britain as a place to live, work or go on holiday. today there's also a strong sense of solidarity as they follow the fate of two of their fellow citizens, so tragically caught up in the london attack. simone is a work colleague of andrei's. like the couple, she lives here in constanta, the city famous for its black sea port and fine architecture. like them, she is a frequent visitor to london and even has a picture of herself on westminster bridge with her family on her phone.

translation: they were in london on a city break to celebrate his birthday. he was planning to ask her to marry him. it was going to be the most important moment in their lives. in this iconic place, in london. the start of their new life together. we romanians are very grateful for all the help andrei and andrea have received. we would especially like to thank the doctors and nurses and all the medical staff for everything they're doing to help them. come home safe and sound to get married here in constanta. we are waiting for you. vc frontier in constanta, with its old casino, is a favourite place for young couples to celebrate their wedding. millions of romanians are hoping that one day soon andrea and andrei will be walking the path

here, too. more needs to be done to help tackle the vicious cycle of debt and overcharging — according to a house of lords committee. it says banks are failing customers who need them most — leaving the poorest to reply on expensive products. here's our business correspondent, jonty bloom. banks and building societies are not only there for the rich, but they are more difficult for the poor to access. 1.7 million people in this country have no bank account, many can only borrow at high interest rates even if they aren't forced to use payday lenders. the closure of thousands of high street banks also hits the poorest and especially the elderly as they have less access to online services. 40% of the working age population have less than £100 in savings, and if they have to use pre—paid meters, they also pay more more basic services like gas and electricity. to end such financial exclusion the lords committee is calling for better financial education in schools, a dedicated government minister to tackle the problem and for the banks to have a duty of care to their customers. too many people still don't have a bank account or access to basic and fairly priced financial

services of the sort that most of us take for granted. that means that the poverty premium, where the poor are paying more for a range of things from heating their house to being able to get a loan, is leading them into a vicious circle of further debt and financial distress. the government says four million people are benefiting from basic bank accounts which charge no fees and that tough new rules mean that the number of payday loans has halved since 2014. let's go back to the breaking news that the uk independence party's only mp, douglas carswell, has announced he is leaving the party which hejoined after announced he is leaving the party which he joined after defecting from the conservatives in 2014. douglas

ca rswell is the conservatives in 2014. douglas carswell is here with me now, very good afternoon. why have you done this? job done. on wednesday theresa may announces that she is dribbling article 50. ukip, my party, set up 23 years ago to gets us out of the european union. job done, we've won. is that the only reason for ukip's existence? many would say it is a much biggerforce. existence? many would say it is a much bigger force. when you get into politics and people are elected to do things, they're all sorts of things you can convince yourself you are there to do. certainly the reason that i made the switch and the millions of people around the country may be switched to ukip was over europe question. and we could now be absolutely certain that brexit is in good hands. we are going to leave, and all of the things that vote lead campaign for will go to pass. it is wonderful and this is a moment for celebration. you're doing this a few days before the prime minister triggers article 50, starting a period of negotiation that will lead to be withdrawn. why

are you doing that now?|j that will lead to be withdrawn. why are you doing that now? i thought it such momentous, wonderful news, i thought saying it now might allow a bit of context. i want people to go onto my blog and read what i've said. i avoided onto my blog and read what i've said. iavoided putting onto my blog and read what i've said. i avoided putting something onto my blog and read what i've said. iavoided putting something in a newspaper or briefing a journalist. i thought, a newspaper or briefing a journalist. ithought, write a newspaper or briefing a journalist. i thought, write it on my blog and see if anyone reads my blog. i think people do! and let people see what i said in my words. i want people to understand that for me getting out of the european union is so important. i care so passionately about it that i was willing to change parties and took a by—election. it is happening in three days' time and it's wonderful. what is going to happen now? you say you're going to sit as an independent mp without triggering a by—election? you can do that, technically. but morally, should you? if! technically. but morally, should you? if i was switching party, i would without question call a by—election. i know that because i was the first mp in 26 years to do that. no one makes you, but i felt when i was a conservative and wanted

tojoin ukip, ifelt when i was a conservative and wanted tojoin ukip, i felt a when i was a conservative and wanted tojoin ukip, ifelt a moral obligation. the democratic obligation. the democratic obligation to do that. but i'm not switching parties. i'm demonstrably not changing, not crossing the floor. i'm going to sit in opposition and hold the government to account. if you entered a world in which you would automatically get a by—election if left a party, far from empowering constituents, that would strengthen party bosses. i think this is entirely right, entirely consistent with the principles of direct democracy. and, you know, i've sat for election four times and 14—macro times. i'm now, without the paraphernalia of the party hierarchy, it will focus entirely on me to my constituents' need. and there are people in ukip you might expect this, but to say that you should stand for re—election. you were elected with ukip support, ukip shoe leather, ukip support, ukip shoe leather, ukip leaflets. surely you should? there were always going to be one or

two people who don't reciprocate the goodwill and the amicable feelings that i feel for my party as i leave. i wish that i feel for my party as i leave. iwish ukip that i feel for my party as i leave. i wish ukip well and i have tremendous respect for the many thousands of people i met when i was in ukip. they're the heroes ofjune 23. but there were always going to be one of two who perhaps want to ta ke yes be one of two who perhaps want to take yes for an answer. we are in this business for one reason — getting out of the eu. what's happening on wednesday. let's stop snipe at each other. if you want to be angry with the modern world, please find something else to be angry about not quite so let's be clear, you will not stand down to trigger a by—election? i'm not changing parties, so i have no need to. if i was tojoin changing parties, so i have no need to. if i was to join the conservatives, not that i am, but if i was to drain the conservatives i would call a by—election. but i'm not doing so. and you have no intention ofjoining the conservatives? theresa may has done a fantasticjob conservatives? theresa may has done a fantastic job and conservatives? theresa may has done a fantasticjob and her trajectory is spot on. 2020 is a long time away. i'm not going tojoin

is spot on. 2020 is a long time away. i'm not going to join the conservatives as the mp. you said in your blog and you said to me just now that you're leaving ukip is amicable, it's friendly. but we all know the relations between you and the leader, the previous beta of ukip, nigel farage, and be back aaron banks have been nothing but amicable. how much is that influence your decision? i rarely made the decisions and politics with reference to either of those two individuals and their priorities. my decision to trigger a by—election and make sure we got the referendum, my decision to back her microplate leave was to ensure the right people running the right campaign. —— icampaigned i campaigned for icampaigned fora i campaigned for a euroscepticism that appealed to all britons. he win in politics, from parish councils to referendums by being positive and optimistic. i listened to all sorts of criticism and advice from some people who were perhaps taking a slightly different view. i wish them

well. but nobody listening to you would use the terms "positive and optimistic" to describe the atmosphere at the top of ukip recently. it has recently been very suspicious and openly hostile towards you. yesterday, if we were having this interview, you could have expected me to answer on their behalf. 0ne have expected me to answer on their behalf. one of the wonderful things about today, it's notjust a beautiful spring day, but i don't have to answer that question any more. talk to them. that you're really saying that the acrimony has no bearing on your decision to go? if acrimony got to me, they're having one or two bumpy events in the run—up to the referendum. i focus on the positive. i went into politics and i made the switch to ukip because i want is to leave the european union. and on wednesday, theresa may is making that happen. brexit is in safe hands. i have absolutely no doubt, as ukip's only successful m p absolutely no doubt, as ukip's only successful mp at the last election, that the prime ministerthat we have

at the moment is delivering on what people like me want her to deliver on, and the people who voted remain onto. illiberal brexit actually works are more than 52% of the country. ok, here you are, you've left ukip, a dispassionate observer, if you like. where does this leave the party? do you know, i think that the party? do you know, i think that the cartel in this country, a political cartel. and it's so appalling that there is a sense of frustration, particularly amongst younger people, that they don't feel that their party is represented. we need far—reaching change. i used to think prime minister —— are used to think prime minister —— are used to think politics was a question of the right ministers with the right agenda. i will now be pushing for this agenda. i have suggestions on how we could shake up politics. politics is becoming an oligarchy, and with the anti—oligarchy insurgents are propping up the oligarchy. i want to see some far—reaching change. i'm not sure you give is the vehicle for that change. why do you think the finish ofa

change. why do you think the finish of a political force. change. why do you think the finish of a politicalforce. you're leaving, your sewing job done. there are other organisations and politics. i think people could be allowed to study politics without political party. the problem with insurgent political parties like ukip is they tend to replicate all those things about established parties that make them unappealing. small cliques at the top, funded by small, rich donors. i think we need far—reaching changes that we can perhaps to politics in a different way. so the party is controlled by small groups of people are the only option. -- aren't the only option. going back to your position in cla cton, going back to your position in clacton, its people in ukip who says you should trigger a by—election. what happens if you have constituents turning round saying they want to be able to be cast their vote? i'm always open to and accessible to my constituents. i a lwa ys accessible to my constituents. i always listen. i wrote to... before i post about blog, i sent a letter and an e—mailto i post about blog, i sent a letter and an e—mail to tens of thousands

of people explaining this, and they will be available to listen and to talk. i have to say, though, if i brutally candid, an awful lot of constituents have been saying to me, we quite like you, but your party is a problem. i'm not criticising... but they voted for you as a ukip mp. i'm fairly relaxed about this. i am... going to carry on representing the constituents. i think i've got a pretty solid mandate to do so. and i suspect that if i were to trigger a by—election after we had a referendum on a general election and a by—election, isuspect referendum on a general election and a by—election, i suspect one or two people would be pretty annoyed. a by—election, i suspect one or two people would be pretty annoyedm you now leave your former party with no representation in parliament at all also are you quite relaxed about by? the electoral system is fairly unfair. when i sit in the house of commons there are several mps i'm conscious that more people voted for ukip van voted at all in scotland. but i'm not going to fit and

complain about the inadequacies of our electoral system. we won our referendum. must be happy and celebrate. there were all sorts of things i would love to change about politics, but the three, of all weeks, given what's happening on wednesday, let's declare victory with honour and be happy for what is going to happen. and yet people from the outside looking at what's happening, looking at what has happened to ukip, they will think of this as a particularly positive moment, the party losing its only mp. i think an enormous number of people sustained ukip over 23 years of ukip's existence. their victory wasjune of ukip's existence. their victory was june 23 of ukip's existence. their victory wasjune 23 last of ukip's existence. their victory was june 23 last year. of ukip's existence. their victory wasjune 23 last year. we would not have the referendum without them. they are the heroes of that. we wouldn't have won the referendum without their efforts and i think we ta ke without their efforts and i think we take pride in that. that was more important than any general election. 0k, douglas ca rswell, important than any general election. 0k, douglas carswell, any thanks for coming in. time for a look at the weather with john hammond. thanks very much. beautiful out

there. a sublime saturday afternoon, and it will stay sunny for the rest of the weekend. there are a few exceptions, but not that many, frankly. the far north of scotland is cloudier and there was a notable breeze across the south. as soon as the sun sets through this evening, it will feel cold. head out in a few later this evening, temperatures will fall away. the clocks go forward through the night, don't be caught out by that. one hour less sleep. called by dawn with single figures. possibly a touch of frost. another stunner of a day to come tomorrow. there might be a little bit of low cloud and missed early on, but that will clear away. so that breeze across the south. we noticed light winds further north than that is where the highest temperatures will probably be, across the west of scotland they will be knocking on the door. quite widely up into the low to mid teens. some east facing coasts will get a breeze. it does to more showery

through the early part of next week. enjoy the sunshine while it lasts and stop back in half an hour. —— i'm back in half an hour. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines at 1:30pm. you get‘s only mp, douglas ca rswell headlines at 1:30pm. you get‘s only mp, douglas carswell is leaving the party but will remain in the common sitting as an independent mp. he defected from the tories in 2014. resident trump says he is surprised and disappointed at the collapse of his plans to change the us health ca re system, his plans to change the us health care system, his biggest setback since taking office. he won now present ahead with reforming the tax system. two men from birmingham aston in question by police in connection with the westminster terror attack. these are trying to establish whether the suspect and that fact acted alone. the united nations has announced concerned about reports of high civilian casualties in the city of mosul. the

coalition says it is investigating.