seals eu integration with a kiss. —— jean—claude juncker. a pretty bullish assessment of the prospects of the european union over the next 12 months also. they believe they have the financial crisis out the way and the economy is doing well. he is prepared to dole out a few kisses as a result. it's quite an exciting picture, given the story. we are not used to seeing those kinds of pictures coming from the chamber. no snogging in the chamber! the crux of the story is quite exciting, depending on where you stand on the european issue. no doubting that juncker is stand on the european issue. no doubting thatjuncker is setting out his stall for closer integration of the countries that remain within the eu. he's talking about extending the schengen area to the countries that don't fall under that regime, and also extending the euro, making it essential for those countries that

sit outside the euro at the moment. if you are on the sceptical side of the european argument, his speech will have confirmed that we are on the right track in leaving. chain, there are some who believe that brexit facilitates this. we've a lwa ys brexit facilitates this. we've always been a bit of a pain in the butt, frankly, as far as the eu project is concerned, and good riddance. juncker said today that it's a shame, but brexit will provide those real integrationists the chance to have a closer political and economic union. there we re political and economic union. there were nine countries including the uk, but there will be nine countries outside the eurozone who will have tojoin. it's fascinating outside the eurozone who will have to join. it's fascinating that juncker met tony blair last week, who gave quite conciliatory comments

at the weekend. it's interesting to see his speech today in the context of the meeting with blair last week. next week, theresa may is going to outline — in case you were wondering what we do want from brexit, and to have our cake and eat it — she will speu have our cake and eat it — she will spell out what she believes the future for britain will be. it will be in future for britain will be. it will beina future for britain will be. it will be in a speech in florence at the end of next week. what you think she will say? i think she needs to be more specific about what it is that we want, and we are waiting with bated breath to hear. i think she will possibly change her tone, because wherever you stand in terms of your approach to the vote last year, i think even eurosceptics felt that some of the language that had

been used has not been helpful...m we do not get a deal, where going to walk. brexit doesn't matter, that kind of thing. i think it's time she was more businesslike about the nature of the deal, but more conciliatory in the language. we do wa nt to conciliatory in the language. we do want to carry on trading with europe. they are our biggest trading partners. we want a positive relationship with the rest of the continent on many levels. at times, the language hasn't seemed that way. jane, does that language come out the kind of results we've been getting out of the meetings between david davis and michel barnier, because they haven't gone very far. the eu has made it clear that that is its position in terms of the timetable, sorting out citizens rights, the divorce bill, before

reality sets in. the talks are not getting anywhere. she will be in florence, one of the most beautiful cities in europe, not giving this speech in europe. i think the conciliatory tone will be there. there's got to be some love there for europe as well as politically, she has to say something before the tory party conference a week later. in the financial times, the bank of england wrestles with a rate dilemma. the bank of england is meeting to decide on thursday whether or not to raise interest rates. yes. we've had record low interest rates for many years now. one or two members of the monetary policy committee have perhaps been in favour of raising them slightly. on the whole, that's been considered to bea

on the whole, that's been considered to be a dangerous thing to do, particularly after the brexit vote, because it was perceived as something that could slow down the economy. now we have quite a different balancing act for the committee. on the one hand, good news on unemployment figures, but that's not passing through into wages and the way people may feel about their standard of living. this balance has to be struck. it seems to be the case that it's only a minority of members who are in favour of an interest rate rise. in the times, britain races towards top after record job levels revealed. the highest employment rate since 75. yet we have the previous story of the bank of england unsure whether it can raise interest rates because people don't have much

money. because pei hasn't risen in line with inflation. it's great news on unemployment, but wages are still solo, and in the context of brexit, despite brexit, unemployment is really low, but we haven't actually left yet. brexit hasn't had the chance to bite into the economy. the fall in sterling has fit people to a degree. an interesting story in buzzfeed. tories back labour's nhs pay rise motion after the dup supported it. this is interesting in terms of the parliamentary arithmetic. theresa may needs dup support in parliament on crucial issues like brexit and the budget. she had them this week in monday on

the vote on the eu withdrawal bill. the dup said today they were going to back labour on this issue, an nhs pay, and the issue of student tuition fees, because the dup can. it's interesting that the dup can exert power in both directions. the thing is, this vote is not binding on the government, but it worked, because the government basically climbed down and isn't going to force their mps through the voting lorry. it's worked in the sense that it has showed the vulnerability of the government, but it hasn't changed the policy as such. it's emblematic of how vulnerable the government is in parliament, and the efforts that politicians have made to hide behind other non—elected bodies like the independent pay

review. they amount to nothing when the policy is crumbling before our very eyes because of the arithmetic. front page of the metro. this is a weird story. george school in lockdown as an intruder is arrested. a woman has been arrested in relation to being in prince george's school when she should not have been there. one wonders what the royal couple must be thinking this evening. although the school they've chosen for their son is a very exclusive one, it's in the middle of a town and anyone can sort of wonder around it. both of us felt that what was quite odd about this story is that all schools are very security conscious now, regardless of whether you have a celebrity child in their mixed or not. it's a strange story.

we will have to wait to see the full details. there may be more to it than meets the eye. a lot of questions for the security detail, because there would have been a sweep of the school to check security beforehand. in the express, thank god that we are quitting the eu, that's the banner headline. osborne says he wants mrs may chopped up and put in a freezer. what is that about? an extraordinary comment, if it's true. esquire did a brief interview with george osborne, but a wider profile, speaking to people around him, about his newjob at the evening standard, and the fa ct at the evening standard, and the fact he is out to get theresa may, as we have guessed from the front pages. but this quote is quite amazing, and it's attributed to the fa ct amazing, and it's attributed to the fact that he's been telling at least

one member of staff that his vendetta is so strong against her, because she sacked him last year, that he would like a chopped up and put ina that he would like a chopped up and put in a freezer. if it's true, it is the most extraordinary comment from a politician about a member of his own party. i've never seen anything like it. no question he was incredibly angry when she fired him, and the way she did so. there's a lot of resentment there. clearly, and he's made no bones about that, but a lot of people had said for a long time that the close—knit people at the top of the camera and regime we re at the top of the camera and regime were distanced from the grassroots of the party, so that would have beena very of the party, so that would have been a very pointed comment, because it chimed with what a lot of people felt. did you feel that? it chimed with what a lot of people felt. did you feelthat? i think it was true to say that cameron and his

close team didn't mix particularly with their own mps, though i think david cameron was quite rooted in the conservative party. people were more suspicion of george osborne because they felt he was very ambitious and wanted to be at the top of a political party. this statement i find quite surprising, andl statement i find quite surprising, and i wonder if it's true, despite the fact he's been so open about the fa ct the fact he's been so open about the fact that he is clearly no fan of mrs may. but this is rebounding on him. people will feel sympathetic towards her. jane, do you like a drink? i do. apparently, so many pubs have shut that they are beginning to disappear from pubs have shut that they are beginning to disappearfrom many places in the country. eye—watering

tax will be the death of pubs. 25,000 have shut around the country, a colossal number, in the last few yea rs. a colossal number, in the last few years. an extraordinary figure. the total has gone down from 75,000 to 50,000 today. i do like a drink, but i can't remember the last time i went to a pub. and i wonder whether the culture has changed slightly. people eat more in restaurants rather than the pubs. the smoking ban has probably had an effect as well. the business rate rises which well. the business rate rises which we may see in line with the budget in november is going to the sort of death spiralfor in november is going to the sort of death spiral for pubs, which will be a shame. we've both said we like a drink or two. do you gin and tonic? i can't bear it! when is the last

time you are in a pub? probably 30 years ago. actually, that's not true. i would years ago. actually, that's not true. iwould have years ago. actually, that's not true. i would have a years ago. actually, that's not true. iwould have a nice meal in years ago. actually, that's not true. i would have a nice meal in a gastropod, but i'm not a big drinker. i will have a glass of red wine. clearly, we are part of the reason why so many pubs are shouting. thanks to both of you, and to you for watching. from all of us, goodbye. we are almost done with another day with a remarkably familiar pattern of sunny spells, but blustery showers. the earlier satellite image and the radar shows there's something a bit more organised in the mix, and that will keep the rain and shower was going as it drifts

further south on what is going to be a chilly night. temperatures will be down into single figures in some locations. if you are close to that weather feature at the start of thursday, nothing in the way of brightness. rain rather than showers. when that goes, a return to brighter skies, but always the possibility of a really sharp shower. in those valleys, those are the mean temperatures. we will see plenty of showers again on friday. this is bbc news.

i'm clive myrie. the headlines at 11. there's to be a multimillion—pound compensation fund, for the women given unnecessary breast operations by the rogue surgeon ian paterson. there are clashes in the commons on public sector pay, with the prime minister hinting there'll be greater flexibility, but labour arguing government plans don't go far enough. rohingya muslims continue to flee myanmar, amid claims of murder and rape. the un secretary general, says the situation is becoming catastrophic. and the official enquiry into the rental tower fire starts tomorrow. we will look at that and —— grenfell tower fire starts tomorrow. we will