this is bbc news and these are the top stories developing at 11. boris johnson will attempt to persuade voters who are angry and alienated by brexit that it's a cause for hope not fear. this is the scene in central london where the foreign secretary will deliver the first in a series of government speeches on brexit. police raid properties belonging to allies of south african president jacob zuma as he's told to step down today or face a no confidence vote. it is very clear we can no longer wait beyond today. we don't want to keep south africa waiting. the actress minnie driver has stood down from her role as a celebrity ambassador for oxfam over the haiti scandal. mps say there's a "pervasive lack of trust" among disabled people over how their welfare

claims are assessed. also — in the wake of harvey weinstein, actor emma watson talks about new british film industry standards to tackle bullying and sexual harassment. and great britain's men edge out switzerland to make a winning start to their curling campaign at the winter olympics in pyeongchang. good morning. it's wednesday, 14th february. welcome to bbc newsroom live borisjohnson is about to set out his vision for how britain can seize the opportunities of brexit in an attempt to reassure remain

voters who feel angry and alienated by the decision to leave the eu. in a speech in central london, the foreign secretary will argue that it's a project of tearing down barriers rather than erecting them, and promoting globalfree trade. the foreign secretary's speech is the first in a series of speeches by government ministers which they have dubbed the "road to brexit" ahead of key talks on the uk's future relationship with the eu. our assistant political editor norman smith is outside the venue of borisjohnson‘s speech in central london. it isa it is a big speech. it is a big speech. it is, it is the first really serious and significant attempt we have seen from senior ministers to try and woo former remain is still unhappy, still crisp gale disgruntled, anxious about what brexit might mean. borisjohnson seeks to address many of their fears and to reassure them about brexit. he will go through a list of things which many former remainers are worried about, leaving the single market and the customs union, saying

the benefits of those injured students, they have been exaggerated, we will be fine outside them. —— of those have been exaggerated. immigration, once we have left the eu, will still be an open, welcoming, albert king country. he will talk a bit about security and say just country. he will talk a bit about security and sayjust because we are leaving, it does not mean we are turning back on the defence of europe. talk about the brexit david denton —— david denton. that will be his message of reassurance but it comes with a pretty blunt warning which is basically that remainers need to forget about trying to throw or block brexit because he says were they to succeed in that, that would be seen as a betrayal by the 17 million people who backed brexit. it

isa million people who backed brexit. it is a sort of cake and eat it strategy, the mere one from boris johnson, he reaches out to remainers but he has also got a warning to remainers as well. the question i suppose is whether this is too little too late to get former remainers on board and whether beryl johnson is really the man to relay that sort of message, giving the clear antipodes felt by former remainers towards him personally. let us just have a listen to the views from other european capitals about how this speech is seen with the views from some of my colleagues other capitals. here in france, the good news on brexit is that paris does want to preserve in the long runa does want to preserve in the long run a good working relationship with london, that is important here in all sorts of areas, notably security and defence. but does not mean that paris is being uneasy partner in the brexit negotiation, quite the contrary. president macron has made

clear on more than one occasion but there will be no preferential arrangements, if you want to be part of the club, he said, you pay the fees. overriding everything here, a good feeling, no bad feeling, it is simply doubled the mental confusion. france does not had to react to the british position on brexit because france doesn't know what the british position on brexit actually is. london and the government here in warsaw have a good relationship, they thought poland might break away from the eu consensus. that has not happened. warsaw has already achieved its main brexit goals. securing the rights of polls now living in the uk and maintaining the current eu budget. what it once now isa current eu budget. what it once now is a trading relationship that gives certainty the polish businesses. poland is arguing with the eu on many issues. but on brexit, it is sticking to brussels line.

to be blunt, brexit negotiations i suspect the very last thing on angela merkel‘s mind right now and thatis angela merkel‘s mind right now and that is because she has been preoccupied for some months now with the rather protracted and painful business of trying to form a government of her own. it looks as though, it is no mean set in stone, but that government will be another coalition with her former allies the social democrats. whatever form that government takes, whoever holds the ministerial post, you can rely on one thing, bernard is very, very unlikely to shift from its basic sta nce unlikely to shift from its basic stance on brexit. —— berlin. if britain was have access to the single market, it is going to have observe freedom of movement. that is not going to change. i think secondly what is on changing is the broader view here in germany on brexit. britain matters to germany,

in particular of cost to the very important business lobby will stop that relationship is key, it is considered crucial but what matters more here in germany is holding together the future integrity of the european union. some views from around the european capitals. norman, just waiting for boris johnson's speech capitals. norman, just waiting for borisjohnson‘s speech should begin. above all, what a european partners are looking for some of the specifics of what the uk hopes in that future relationship, but it doesn't sound as though we are going to get much about today? i think you are right. i think it's going to be a detail like speech. we are not going to get the sort of nitty—gritty that clearly people in brussels want. this is more big picture stuff, overarching message to remainers and nothing from boris johnson as the wedding, he just drove the short distance to the speech venue. —— as he went in. he

took the car to avoid waiting. if you look up here, you can see there isa remain you look up here, you can see there is a remain welcoming party for him. not a enthusiastic one. a lot of pro remainers the greeting borisjohnson when he arrived. the only sort of detail we get, we may find out in the speech. he is coming in now so we will see what he has got to say what he is introduced. we know that he is going to stress the need for britain to have control of its own regulatory framework. he will also talk about having control of foreign customs, talk about our own tariffs. so that would suggest and confirm what has long been his view, we need to shake off any semblance of eu rules and regulations so we can strike borrowing trade deal and maybe even diverged from the eu in

terms of regulations. that is quite a long way from the views of those like philip hammond who was saying we are only going to diverge very modestly. those of the two polar ends of the cabinet division over brexit. those who think we have got to hunker down, stay close to the eu, maybe even accept some of their regulations to minimise any additional damage to the economy and those like borisjohnson who believed the real golden opportunity, as a state of brexit, is to have the freedom to strike our own trade deals which means hacking off all eu rules and regulations. it also sparked fears, i suspect, amongst trade unions about whether boris johnson's amongst trade unions about whether borisjohnson‘s vision also encompass borisjohnson's vision also encompass changes to some of our working practice rules, maybe to the 48 hour week. david davis has, do not worry, we are going to carry on with all the same workers rules and regulations i noticed in the midst of this speech, he talked about

having the opportunity to exploit our new freedoms once we leave the eu. it is not specific about what that might mean that it is clear boris johnson's that might mean that it is clear borisjohnson's vision of a country leaving europe entirely in the sense of rules and regulations, very different one it seems from the likes of philip hammond, the chancellor. we are just waiting for the introduction speech is continuing, or standing there with his notes ready to go. —— boris standing there. even those around the cabinet table, it looks as though it is getting to the lectern now, let's have a listen. thank you very much. good morning. it is great to be here. the other day a woman pitched up in my surgery ina day a woman pitched up in my surgery in a state of indignation, because once broadband trouble. but it was

soon clear as so often in a constituency surgery, that the real problem with something else. no one was trying to understand her feelings about brexit. no one was trying to bring her along. she felt so downcast, she said, but she was thinking of leaving the country to canada. it wasn't so much that she wa nted canada. it wasn't so much that she wanted to be in the eu, shejust didn't want to be in britain that was not in the eu. and i recognise that feeling of grief and alienation because in the last 18 months, i've had those same sentiments so often. i have heard it from friends, from family, from people hailing me abusively industry, as is their right. in many cases i believe the dealings are debating with time, some of the fears about brexit do not materialise. in some cases, i detect a halving of the mood and the

deepening of the angle, i fear some people are becoming ever more determined to stop brexit, to reverse the referendum vote and to frustrate the will of the people. i believe that would be a disastrous mistake that would lead to permanent and ina mistake that would lead to permanent and in a radicalfeelings of betrayal. we cannot and will not let it happen. but if we are to carry this project through, the national success , this project through, the national success, as we must, then we must also be child to those who still have anxieties. i wanted a —— i want today to anatomise some of the fears and the show to the best of my ability that these fears can be laid and at the very opposite is true. that brexit can be grounds for much more hope and fear. and i think there are essentially three types of concern about the momentous choice the nation has made. the first is

this is simply it strategic or geostrategic mistake. on this view, britain is an offshore island comprising a deer than 1% of humanity and we knew to be bound up in the european union for protection, partly for production, partly so that britain can settle its historic role of providing protection for other countries of the european continent. i come across quite a few people who think that brexit has cost us adrift, made archie adjusted the position somehow more vulnerable while weakening the security of the whole of europe. the second anxiety is essentially spiritual and aesthetic, that by beating to leave the eu we have sundered ourselves from the glories of european civilisation. people believe we have stirred up by figurative drawbridge, made it less easy to live, study, work abroad and decided to sacrifice the european nurse in art identities. —— european

nurse. they feel the brexit vote was a vote for nationalism and xenophobia. they think it was reactionary and at the british have shown the worst of their character to the wild, indeed that it was some on british —— unbritish.. the third is the economic fear, the membership of the eu is vital for uk is the economic fear, the membership of the eu is vitalfor uk business and investment and at the canopy of eu legislation has made life easier for companies and citizens. people feared the destruction, they associate with change and that friends and partners in the eu may make life difficult for us. sometimes these economic anxieties are intensified by other spheres. —— other spheres. they acquire an expected emotive

powers, i believe whatever the superficial attractions of these points, they can to prevent on the hand. iwant points, they can to prevent on the hand. i want to show you the day that brexit need not to be nationalist but can be internationalist. it is not an economic threat but a considerable opportunity, not against britain by the manifesto of this country's genius. i am the manifesto of this country's genius. iam running the manifesto of this country's genius. i am running the risk in making this case of causing further irritation. but i must run that risk. because it is this government's duty to abdicate and explain the mission of what we are now engaged. it has become clear to me that we cannot take the argument for granted, we can expect the case to make itself. —— we cannot expect the case. that was a mistake when they won the last referendum in

1975. as the guardian journalist points out in his book, this blizzard plot, the most corrected trait i kept encountering was the sense so prevalent among the euro elites are having won the decision they had won the argument. many exhibited the unmistakable opinion that the battle was over, but the other side however loudly shouted, had simply lost and should now shut up. he went on to say the noisy the contest became, during the early 19805, contest became, during the early 1980s, the heavier these violent bleating that accompanied it from the class that knew it commanded every forum, to the outpost of the commission. the boot is now on the other set at least in theory. for all their power and influence, every

major political party, the cbi, barack obama and so on, those voices did not prevail. is this time, is this the time now for the referendum winners to gloat? should we sit back and silent and self—satisfaction? i do not think we should. it is not good enough for us now to the two remainer grey, you lost, get over it. we must except that the vast majority have noble sentiments. a real sense of solidarity with our european neighbours and a desire for the uk to succeed. all i am saying is that by going for brexit, we can gratify those sentiments and more. let me take the three anxieties in turn. to all who worry about strategic position and be supposed loss of britain to european

security, i can offer this same vital reassurance that the prime minister has made so many times and i believe is welcomed by our partners. our commitment to the defence of europe is unconditional and in movable. already this country is the single biggest spender in the eu, both on aid and defence. although we represent only 30% of the eu's population, we contribute 20% of defence spending and the art a at‘s giant aircraft represents 20% of the heavy lifting capacity of the whole of europe, as well as 25% of the overseas aid budget. it makes sense for us to continue to be intimately involved in european foreign and the giddy policy, it would be illogical not to discuss such matters as sanctions together,

bearing in mind that the uk expertise provides more than half of all eu sanctions listed. we will continue to be europeans both practically and psychologically it is our status as one of the great contributors to european culture and civilisation and status as one of the great guarantors of the security of europe is simply not dependent on the treaty of rome, as amended at amsterdam or listen in. let us next tackle the suggestion that we are somehow going to become more insular. it flies in the face of the evidence, it was my labour predecessor who said my foreign policy is to go down to victoria station and go anywhere i'd dam well please. that is pretty much what the british people already do. 6 million points of light sprinkled across the

globe. there are more uk people live in australia than across the whole of the eu. more than a million people who go to thailand every year, where are fantastic consider deal with what the gap to that. the statistical trajectory suggest that this wanderlust is most unlikely to abate. in 2016, the british people made 71 million visits to other country, 70% increase in the mid—19 90s and now more than one foreign trip per person per year. if we get the right deal on aviation and these do travel, this continue. we will continue to go on cheap flights to stag parties in agent cities. i am sure we will receive a warm welcome. meet interesting people, fall in

love, struggle to live the other really dunn european line which is, —— languages. there is no sensible reason why we should not continue to retire to spain or anywhere else as we did indeed long before spain joined what was then called be the common market. we can continue academic exchanges and whose speed of cross pollination has been accelerated by the internet as well as schemes like rasmus, all of which we can continue to support and that dissipating scholars are not confined to the eu. but those who wa nt to confined to the eu. but those who want to make britain less insular, we all want to do that, don't we? i jolly well hope we do, policy exchange. thank you. for all those who want to make britain less insular, the answer is not to submit

for ever to the eu legal order but to think about how we can undo the physical separation that took place at the end of the ice age. fly over the channel at dover and you see how narrow it is. the ferry plying back and forth like buses in oxford street and as you measure the blue streets with your fingers, you can see that this might is rarely an overgrown prehistoric river that once flew down from the mountains of norway, was fed by its tributaries the thames. britain and holland used to bejoined in the old days by a territory known, they all now lost to history. in 1986, margaret thatcher had the vision to heal the ru ptu re thatcher had the vision to heal the rupture with the first dry crossing and it is notable that eurotunnel is now calling for both sides of the

channel to prepare for a second fixed link. it seems incredible to me that the fifth and six most incredible powerful economies in the world should be connected by one railway line. i accept the solution isa railway line. i accept the solution is a few years. we need will be upon as fast. i say this to signal something about the attitudes that should inform brexit. it is not about shutting ourselves off, it is about shutting ourselves off, it is about going global. it is not about returning to some 1950s menu of spam and cabbage and liver, is about continuing the astonishing revolution in tastes and styles and the arts, music, restaurants, sports that has taken place in this country, in my lifetime, not so much because of eu membership, but as a result of art history and our global links. art openness to people and

ideas that has brought 300 languages onto the streets of london, probably the most diverse capital on earth. brexit is about re—engaging this country with its global identity and all the energy that can flow from that, i absolutely refuse to accept the suggestion that it is unbritish spasm of bad manners. it is the expression of a legitimate and desire for self government of the people, by the people for the people and that is surely not some reactionary barrage concept. it is to fulfil the liberal idealism of john stuart mill himself he recognised that only the nation he put it united among themselves by common sympathies which do not exist between themselves and others, only the nation that could legitimate the activities of the state. it was only of people have this common is the perceived that they were considered to be covered as a unit because this

feeling of national solidarity would make them incorporate more willingly than with other people, desire to be under the same government and desire it to be governed by themselves or proportion by themselves exclusively. there is a good reason for insisting on this national solidarity or common sympathy because government involves tremendous impositions by which we collectively agreed to taxation that pre—empts how foreign, and obedience to laws, not all of which we think are necessarily sensible. if we are going to accept laws and we need to know who is making them and with what motives. and we need to be able to interrogate them in our own language and we must know how they came in authority over us. and how we can remove them. and the trouble with the eu is from all its idealism, which i acknowledge, and all the good intentions of those who

run the eu institutions, there is no dimas or at least we in the uk has ever released elkhart is such a dimas. however others in the eu may feel, the british have plenty of common sympathies with the people of france, of course we do. but it is ha rd to france, of course we do. but it is hard to do my —— denied that we share sympathies with non—eu people. that is why one of the reasons why we in the uk have had such difficulty in adapting to the whole concept of eu integration, to understand why eu revelation is not a lwa ys understand why eu revelation is not always suited to the economic needs of the uk is vital to understand that eu law is a special type of law, unlike anything else on earth. it is not just law, unlike anything else on earth. it is notjust about business convenience, it is to achieve a

political goal. create an overarching european state as the basis for a new sense of european political identity. british politicians, labourand tory, have a lwa ys politicians, labourand tory, have always found that ambition very difficult, it is hard to make it cohere with our particular traditions of independent parliamentary legal systems that go back centuries and in spite of many sheeplike costs of protest from the uk, the process of integration has deepenedin uk, the process of integration has deepened in the corpus of eu law, rain ever faster deepened in the corpus of eu law, rain everfaster and deepened in the corpus of eu law, rain ever faster and intricate and ever more powers and confidence have been handed to use institutions culminating in the treaty in lisbon. i asked even my die—hard of remainers friends bacon explained the process. can you, anybody had? it is part of our constitution. it

like meps in strasbourg that mystifies us in the uk. can you explain the exactly relationship, the exact relationship between eu's tub of fundamental rights and the european conventional on human rights with the court in strasbourg? starter for ten. rights with the court in strasbourg? starterfor ten. how rights with the court in strasbourg? starter for ten. how many people rights with the court in strasbourg? starterfor ten. how many people in this remove the answer to this question? how many know the name of a europe mps? that is the point when i make to get a ball over the net. that is the point, at least they know roughly who i am. at least they know roughly who i am. at least they know roughly who i am. at least they know roughly what i do. they do. if we wa nted know roughly what i do. they do. if we wanted to find the person he was responsible for drafting the next phase of eu integration in which

tony blair and others would like us to ta ke tony blair and others would like us to take part, we would not know where to find them, who they are, let alone how to remove them from office. that is why people voted leaves, not because they were hostile to european culture and civilisation because they wanted to ta ke civilisation because they wanted to take back control and that is why it is so vital that we do not treat brexit as a plague of boils but as an opportunity and above all as an economic opportunity that brings me to the loss of the crucial reassu ra nces to the loss of the crucial reassurances that my side of the argument must give. we would be mad to go through this process of extrication from the eu and not to ta ke extrication from the eu and not to take advantage of the economic freedoms it will bring. we will stop paying ever more colossal sums to view the leave—mac eu every year, and as the primus has though, that will leave us to spend more on our domestic properties. —— prime minister. we will be able to take

control of our borders, not at the hostel to immigration, farfrom it. we need talented people to make their lives in this country, doctors, scientists, coders and programmers who are so crucial to britain's booming tech economy. it was my proudest boast as mayor of london but we had 400,000 french men and women living in the capital. they live the other way in paris. we have to stay that way, remain a magnet for ambition and drive. but we also need to ask ourselves some ha rd we also need to ask ourselves some hard questions about the impact of 20 years of uncontrolled immigration by low skilled, low—wage workers and what many see as failure to invest properly in the skills of indigenous young people. we don't want to call up the

drawbridge and minimise the contribution they have made. we don't want to deter international stu d e nts don't want to deter international students who contribute to our higher education economy. 25,000 chinese students alone. but we want to exercise control and if we are going to move from a low—wage laptop productivity economy to a high wage hike volatility economy, as we must, brexit gives us but at least one of the leavers we need. it is very striking that since the brexit vote the fortunes of ukip, the one stridently anti—immigration party in this country has gone into a long deserved it clips. that is because i think people feel they are being heard in the desire at least for control. the contrast in this country is very striking with some of the other countries where no such control is possible and the far

right is on the rise. as the prime minister has repeatedly said, we must take back control of our laws. it will be observed, as theresa may said in previous speeches, which now have the status of the codes of moses, it would be absurd if we were obliged to observe laws over which we have no say or vote. remaining within the single market would to all intents and purposes mean not leaving the eu at all. the british people should not have new laws affecting their everyday lives imposed from abroad when they have no power to elect or remove those who make those powers. and there is no need for us to find ourselves in any such position. for those who worry about coming out of the customs union or the single market please bear in mind that the economic benefits are not as

inconspicuous or irrefutable as is sometimes claimed. in the last two yea rs sometimes claimed. in the last two years plenty of non—eu countries have seen far more rapid growth to the economy than we have, even though we pay the fee. the united states have been able to increase its exports twice as fast. but those of us within the stockade, the cost of us within the stockade, the cost of eu regulation is estimated at 4% by peter mandelson and 7% at gordon brown. it's only by taking back control of our laws that uk firms and entrepreneurs will have the freedom to innovate without the risk of having to comply with some directive devised by brussels with

the specific aim of holding back the uk competitor. that would be undemocratic and will make it all but impossible for us to do free trade deals. it's only by taking back control of our tariff schedules that we can do these deal and exploit the changes in the world economy. it is a striking fact that our exports to the eu have grown by only 10% since 2010, was ourselves to the united states are up 41%, japan 60%, south korea, 100%. this country now has a £25 billion trade surplus with south korea. these figures reflect the broader story that the lion's share of the growth is taking place outside of the eu and especially in the asia—pacific region. in a world that demands flexibility and agility we should be thinking of not eu standards but

global standards and regulatory framework to suit the needs of the uk, a country that already exports a higher share of its gdp outside of the eu than any other eu country. we already boasts an amazing company, diverse and very different from the rest of the eu. we have moved highest up the value changed. we are relation of scientists, inventors, insurers, water slide testers. i met one in my constituency. cabinet—makers. all the cabinets in saudi arabia are made here. there are such sectors as bulk data where we excel, and in the future we may wa nt to we excel, and in the future we may want to do things differently. of course we will have two comply with the eu regulations when exporting to

the eu regulations when exporting to the eu. the single market is not the eden of uniformity that it has cracked up to be. you try becoming a ski instructor in france, not that i have tried myself. i discovered the other day that they have totally different standards for flame reta rda nt different standards for flame retardant sofas, not to mention plugs. but in a global marketplace where we are trading products that have not been conceived five years ago, serving markets that were poverty stricken 20 years ago, it seems extraordinary that the uk should remain lashed to another framework where we can't change rules on our own. insofar as turning to the rest of the world, we will be able to do our thing. we will be able to do our thing. we will be able to do our thing. we will be

able to fish our own fish, and payments to some of the richest landowners in britain while supporting the rural economy. we will be able to cut vat on domestic fuel and other products. we can simplify planning and maybe we will be faster in building the homes that young people need. we will be freed from eu regimes and we will be ever to spend some of the brexit bonus on the nhs and as we develop new stem cell technology, and this country has long been in the lead, it may be that we need a new regulatory framework. scrupulous are not afraid to be different. the same could be made of the financial

services area. we want to create the best platform for the economy to grow and to help people to live their lives. and the crucial thing is that when all these freedoms are open before us, we will no longer be able to blame brussels for our woes because our problems will be our responsibility and no one else's. no one should think that brexit is some economic panacea any more than it is right to treat it as an economic pandemic. on the contrary. the success of brexit will depend on what we make of it, and a success is what we make of it, and a success is what we make of it, and a success is what we will make of it, together. and that very success will be the best thing for the whole of

continental europe, a powerful adjacent economy, buying more italian cars, german wine than ever before. we are the biggest single consume and is —— consumers of p rosecco consume and is —— consumers of prosecco and champagne. i said to my remaining remain friends, actually, quite the numerous bunch, more people voted for brexit them have ever voted for anything in the history of this country. i say in all candour, if there was going to be another vote, i think there will be another vote, i think there will be another vote, i think there will be another year of turmoil and wrangling and the country itself will be a loser, so let's not go there. let's instead unite about what we all believe in, and outward looking global future for a confident united kingdom. so much of

it is about confidence and self belief. we love to run ourselves down. in fact, we are olympic gold medal winners in the sport of self—deprecation and in the current bout of this, we are missing the truth. it is our collective job to make sure that when the history books come to be britain, brexit will be seen as the latest way in which the british buck the trend, took the initiative and did something that response to the real needs and opportunities we face. that we have the courage to break free from an idea that had become outdated. every nation has a genius and the genius of the british people was for democratic politics. it was a british people that thought it was not good enough for kings and princes to have absolute power and he began a tradition of

parliamentary democracy in a model thatis parliamentary democracy in a model that is followed on every continent. it was also britain that led the industrial revolution and ended slavery. i said to my constituent, it's a rather long answer to a query, don't go to canada or anywhere else, lovely though canada is. this, the uk, is the country thatis is. this, the uk, is the country that is once again taking the lead and shaping the modern world, and it is our stubborn attachment to running ourselves that will end up making our society fairer and more prosperous. in its insistence upon democracy, in its openness, its belief in the rights of the individual, in its protection of our legal system, its scepticism about excessive regulation, its potential

for devolving power downwards and in its fundamental refusal to discriminate between all the other peoples of the earth, and in its central distinction between a political loyalty and obedience to the eu institutions and our eternal love for european culture and values and civilisation, brexit is notjust the great liberal project at the age, but a project that can in time unite this whole country. so let's do it with confidence together. thank you very much. applause who wants to go first? that was boris johnson's speech. andy bell,

five news. are you still saying we can have our cake and eat it or are you now prepared to say to be british people that there are some ha rd british people that there are some hard choices. if you want free trade deals, we will have to be out of the single market. british trade with the european market will have to suffer as a result. are you prepared to say that the british people or are you saying because all have everything we want?” are you saying because all have everything we want? i repose my confidence in tyle in what the prime minister said at lancaster house. she was right. we can do a great trade deal with the eu. we can make sure that we have frictionless trade and we can simultaneously take back control of our tariff schedules and our regular trickery framework and do great trade deals. i think we can do great trade deals. i think we can do that. it will take work and effort, but we need to get on and do it. we need to get on and do it is

my view. vicky young, bbc news. using to be making a case for divergences from the eu, as soon as next year possibly. is that your message and what do you say to cabinet colleagues who have a different view? if you are talking about the implementation period, then no. during that period, as the prime minister has said, things will remain as they are. it's important for confidence and certainty. i understand that there has been some misunderstanding about that and i am happy to clear that up. angus walker, itv news. foreign secretary, what do you say to those people who say yet another speech from a cabinet minister on brexit. what another speech on brexit. on

valentine's day they might say enough of your sweet nothings, where is the clarity? the clarets, the carrot? enough of your sweet nothings, where is the clarity on the key questions from citizens and key workers. the answers to the pile of questions that brexit brings forth. you have an abundance of clarity in the prime minister's lacklustre house speech. what i'm trying to redress is a feeling that i pick trying to redress is a feeling that ipick up trying to redress is a feeling that i pick up talking to people in the street. —— the prime minister's lancaster house speech. there is a great positive agenda that we need to get out there and explain it and it can be good for carrots as well, by the way. we can take back control

of our agricultural policies and maybe we can do wonderful things with our own regulations to promote organic carrots. michael gove has proposed all sorts of things we can do with independent agricultural policies. there are things we can do outside of the eu that will be of economic benefit. robert nesbit, sky news. you are a fairly divisive figure, foreign secretary. do you think you are the right person to be reaching out to those remainers? you have got to reach out. it's all very well you saying... if you don't, people will say you are ignoring them or that you don't care and that

you are not trying. your views have been quite inflammatory towards some of the remainers. suppiah and vertebrate jellies. that was about the london assembly. you don't hold back any language, so do you perhaps regret some of the language you have in the eu referendum. regret some of the language you have in the eu referendumlj regret some of the language you have in the eu referendum. i don't wish to contradict you, but i think i have been moderate in my language and loving and caring. that is my intention. i do think that sometimes the discourse does become a bit polemical and it will be much better if we could all get together and get behind this project. that is my purpose. i accept what you said,

there is always a risk of simply exacerbating things, but actually, i think it is much, much better and engage with people and talk to them rather than hoping the problem will go away. that is a mistake. that is the point i made in my speech. that is the mistake that the pro—eu integration side made in this country integration side made in this cou ntry after integration side made in this country after 1975. they decided they had all the big battalions on they had all the big battalions on the side and they did not need to make the case of the european union, so they never advanced any of the idealistic arguments. they never said it would be a great thing for britain to be part of the united states of europe and we should join in the federalist construction. they never had the guts to make that argument. if they had, some people might have listened, but they never did. ithink might have listened, but they never did. i think myjob is to try to engage with people, see what their fears are and try to address them. i think that people's fears are

unfounded and we can make a great success of this. tom newton dunn from the sun newspaper. foreign secretary, you have set yourself against any agreed alignment with the eu after brexit. i presume that is also the case with manufacturing goods. if the cabinet decides to do that, will you make your own offer of solidarity and unity and guarantee you won't resign from the cabinet this year? we are all very lucky to serve, but the point you make about alignment is very interesting. it's all about who decides. when it comes to the eu standards for washing machines or ha i rd rye rs standards for washing machines or hairdryers or vacuum cleaners or whatever, it may very well make sense for us to remain in alignment asa sense for us to remain in alignment as a matter of choice, something we

elect to do. i am sure for the purposes of supply chains, there are many businesses that need that, but i don't think we should necessarily commit asa i don't think we should necessarily commit as a matter of treaty, that for ever and today we are going to remain into permanent congruence with the eu. it doesn't seem to me to bea with the eu. it doesn't seem to me to be a sensible thing to do. if you are going to, you may as will take the advantages of difference. as i said just now, you know, there may very well be occasions in which a lobby group on the continent, and if you talk to james dyson about his vacuum cleaners, he will make his point to you. they decided that vacuum cleaners of more than 900 watts should not be allowed. i'm not a great expert on vacuum cleaners, but he made a pretty powerful vacuum

cleaner and the eu decided that they didn't want it. there may be good environmental arguments against such products, but what we should not allow, we should be allowance to be around the table. —— allowed. regulation should not be imposed that we cannot contest. that is undemocratic. francis elliott, the times newspaper. do you believe in negotiating a trade deal with the eu and that there should be preferential treatment for eu nationals when it comes to immigration or should there be a

level playing field? would it be in the uk's post brexit interest for immigration to run above 100,000? the exact relationship with eu citizens have that is going to work is currently under discussion and i better not go beyond what i have already said. one of the greatest su ccesses already said. one of the greatest successes that we have had so far in the negotiations, which are going well, is that we have got a good deal on citizens, on eu citizens in this country, and we have been able to show that we value them and care for them and to offer them what i think is a reasonable package and we hope that there will be something symmetrical for uk nationals, hope that there will be something symmetricalfor uk nationals, the 1.2 million uk nationals in the eu. you had a second question? i'm not going to get into a numbers game. i've made my position on immigration pretty clear already today. i think

there is an argument about low—wage, low skill. it will be a mistake to close off talents, i really do. chris hope, the telegraph, and choppers brexit pod cars. you mention that britain is going through a bout of brexicosis. is theresa may the antidote for that? theresa may the antidote for that? the answer to your first question is yes. the cure for brexicosis is actually as i have prescribed. hamley questions am i going to take it, folks? let's take two more.

jessica from the guardian. foreign secretary, do you think that some of the anger that has fuelled remainers is gone from your own government? do you think it was a mistake to use certain phrases. the prime minister said that people were trying to obstruct brexit. when i have heard her, it has been always irene ich. she understands the task that we have. we have to bring people along with this project. i accept that this morning i am not going to persuade everybody, but i have got to try, and i have got to make the effort because in the end, these are people's feelings and people's feelings matter. someone at the

back? anyone else? gentlemen there in the middle. name an organisation. paul walter on the huffington post. donald tusk said there would be no brexit cakes on the table, just salt and vinegar. the prime minister has given up crisps for lent. have you given up crisps for lent. have you given up crisps for lent. have you given up cake? i don't want to give some of the cuff answer at this late stage in a press conference. i think the prime minister can do it great brexit deal and a brexit deal that can unite the country and that is what the whole cabinet wants to achieve. thank you very much everybody. thank you. applause

there we have it. borisjohnson think that he thinks that the pm can get a great brexit deal. there was a lot of positive language in there. let's get a quick summing up from our political editor norman smith. lots of positive language, do questions, what did really learn? well, this was not a moment when borisjohnson suddenly well, this was not a moment when boris johnson suddenly sketched well, this was not a moment when borisjohnson suddenly sketched in red lines all over the place. he was on his absolute best behaviour and stuck doggedly to theresa may's lion, referring back to her lancaster house speech and not volunteering any of his own ideas. that said, as trails, it was a big reach out to former remainers. boris johnson identifying what he saw as

the three great fears. lose our strategic role in the worlds, no we would not. we would be part of nato. two, we would turn into ourselves. borisjohnson has said that visits abroad have increased by 70% and people will continue to retire to spain. they will still have that parties in eastern european capitals and lastly on the economy, saying the benefits of the single market and the customs union had been overstated and when we left that would free up our opportunity to exploit our own rules to strike our own free trade deals. the other thing i thought that was interesting... sorry, carol, carry on. norman, many thanks for that from now. we have been hearing from

jean—claudejonker. from now. we have been hearing from jean—claude jonker. he says from now. we have been hearing from jean—claudejonker. he says he is against a european superstate. he has been giving his own news conference in brussels today. we have also been hearing from a spokesman from the german government saying that germany wants to have a deep and meaningful relationship with the uk. more on borisjohnson's speech coming up. first, the weather. —— jean—claude jonker. it will remain cloudy for most. there will be snow towards the north

east of england that could cause problems. for most of us it is patchy rain towards southern and western areas. some snow showers coming into all scotland and northern ireland and as we go into thursday morning temperatures not as low as they were this morning. temperatures about four to 6 degrees. lots of sunshine for those baby dry weather around. a few wintry showers towards the bogdan wez, but for most of us lighter winds with sunshine and it will feel more pleasant. bye—bye. this is bbc news and these are the top stories

developing at 12: foreign secretary borisjohnson tries to reassure voters who oppose brexit that it's a cause for hope not fear. i want to show you today that brexit need not to be nationalist but can be internationalist. it's not an economic threat but a considerable opportunity. south african president jacob zuma is told to step down today or face a no confidence vote tomorrow. it is very clear we can no longer wait beyond today. we don't want to keep south africa waiting. the actress minnie driver has stood down from her role as a celebrity ambassador for oxfam over the haiti scandal. mps say there's a "pervasive lack of trust" among disabled people over how their welfare claims are assessed. also — in the wake of harvey weinstein, the actor emma watson talks

about new british film industry standards to tackle bullying and sexual harassment. and great britain's men's curling team are battling it out with former with former olympic champions canada in pyeongchang. good afternoon. it's wednesday, 14th february. welcome to bbc newsroom live. the foreign secretary, borisjohnson has tried to reassure people anxious about brexit, saying splitting from the eu should be a time of hope, not fear. in the first of a series of speeches on the issue by senior government ministers, he said concerns that brexit would damage the economy were unfounded

and warned trying to stop the process would be a disaster. our assistant political editor norman smith is outside the venue for borisjohnson's speech in central london. lots of reassuring warm words about the positive signs of brexit, but also a warning about the dangers of trying to conform to closely to eu laws once we leave. yes, we got what i will call a metaphorical hulk and cuddle for former remainers still gritstone told, still unhappy about brexit. borisjohnson still told, still unhappy about brexit. boris johnson still trying told, still unhappy about brexit. borisjohnson still trying to address their concerns, concerns that we would lose our strategic role in the world once we had left the eu saying, no, we will still be pa rt the eu saying, no, we will still be part of the eu. also seeking to rebut the argument that somehow it with un—british, brexit with the

britain turning in on itself, and outward going, global country, crucially trying to rebut the argument that leaving the single market would cause economic damage, make us poorer. i thought it was interesting that for him it was all about control. he said that when he goes about his business, people may often shout abuse at him but at least they know who he is. people did not know who that nep was. that was the pitch to former remainers but it did come, you're right, with a clear warning not to try and brought brexit because of the potential damage that would do in a sense of betrayal that would convey to the 17 million people who voted for brexit. this is what he said. i fear that some people are becoming ever more determined to stop brexit, to reverse the referendum vote ofjune 23, 2016 and to frustrate the will of the people. i believe that would be a disastrous mistake that would lead to permanent and an ineradicable feelings of betrayal. we cannot and will not let it happen. now, he was pressed in the question

and answer session number of times the details about this final brexit date would look like. borisjohnson seem to be on his best behaviour today, i did not see him going off piste a tour of the stuck rigidly to the established line but it was all set out in the lancaster house speech, we do not really get any giggle. one thing he was clear on was resisting the idea of a potential second referendum. i say to my remaining remain friends, and numerous bunch, more people voted for brexit than have ever voted for anything in the history of this country. and ijust say in all candour, if there was to bea say in all candour, if there was to be a second vote, i really think it would be another year of turmoil and

wrangling and seeding in which the whole country would be the loser. so let us not go there. let us instead unite about what we all believe in. mrjohnson also had a message to his fellow brexiteers, not to gloat. he said it was no good to approach remainers and you lost, get over it. but he also, i think, warning to them not to ignore the concerns of remainers, he reminded voters voters of backing the referendum to join the common market back in the 1970s, he said that the lack of candour and that the fact that many in europe we re that the fact that many in europe were looking to create a political superstate was never articulated. interestingly, we have been hearing from jean—claude juncker, the president of the european commission, he was asked about that suggestion that the name of the game

was the greater political superstate and this was his response. borisjohnson, and this was his response. boris johnson, foreign secretary and this was his response. borisjohnson, foreign secretary of the country not very far across the channel, he said this morning that you are building a european superstate and that is why the people of britain voted to leave. what you say to that? i gave an answer to this. some in the british political society are against the truth, pretending that i am stupid, and stubborn. but i am in favour of the european super street, i'm strictly against the european superstate. we are not the united states of america. we are the european union. which is a rich body because we have these 27, 28 nations. the european union cannot be built against european nations. so this is total nonsense.

so, how did borisjohnson's speech going down? i enjoyed by nigel eva ns. going down? i enjoyed by nigel evans. did you like what you heard and you think your appeal to remain as is likely to succeed? a lot of people who i know who voted remainders want us to get on with it now. they expect the democratic verdict, they emphasise the fact it was the largest democratic exercise that has ever taken place in the country and people have voted the way that they have. it is also about the opportunities that are not going to exist in the united kingdom. i have been to the united states of america and canada last week with the international trade select committee and the politicians we spoke to that all keen to do a trade deal with us. borisjohnson is deal with us. boris johnson is brad deal with us. borisjohnson is brad is not the politician to relay that message because for many remainers, they view him as the enemy and sheep. the fa ct view him as the enemy and sheep. the fact is he was on the brexit side. it was more than that, the tone and nature of the campaign, a lot of the

stuff was controversy with associated with him. it was a bit nasty on both sides. i remember the debates, some of the language used by the remainers against the levers. we have seen some of the hatred. i think the message of valentine's day is one that we love europe, we still wa nt is one that we love europe, we still want to be involved with a number of organisations like erasmus, you do not have to be involved in european unit to do it but we do it. we are a democratic sovereign country and it is for the british people to decide how we are going to go. the opportunities there, he spoke about the numberof opportunities there, he spoke about the number of countries that now trade more with the european union from outside the eu than we do. and also about how many countries that we are now trading with outside the european union where that train has expanded erratically. if this was a speech designed to reach out to former remainers, isn't it a bit late, 20 months or so after the referendum to be doing this?”

late, 20 months or so after the referendum to be doing this? i think what we have heard in the last few months is clearly those on the remain site, some above my head from the liberal democrats, who can't acce pt the liberal democrats, who can't accept the verdict that the british people. they have been campaigning ha rd people. they have been campaigning hard and they want a second referendum. they want to be in the single market, the customs union. they are fighting the old war. we now have to accept the fact that we have had the referendum, we are not having a second one, we are not being part of the single market will being part of the single market will be customs union, we are taking back control and utters what the speech was all about, exercising will be referendum result was about. was all about, exercising will be referendum result was aboutm was all about, exercising will be referendum result was about. it was also in detailfree referendum result was about. it was also in detail free speech referendum result was about. it was also in detailfree speech in referendum result was about. it was also in detail free speech in terms of what on earth brexit is going to look like. it is not detailed free as faras we look like. it is not detailed free as far as we are going to be host when we do leave after the transition period. we are taking back control, all the legislation for the united kingdom back control, all the legislation forthe united kingdom is back control, all the legislation for the united kingdom is going to be made across the road in the british parliament and we're not going to be justifiable by a foreign port. he did on the visor. we are not a single market, or the customs union, we are we will not be

involved in the opening chords of justin, these are important principles to layout. thank you. this is the first in a series of speeches and what downing street now curling the rate of brexit. we will hear from the promised at the weekend he will be addressing security issues. —— the prime minister at the weekend will be addressing security issues. she will give herfinal pull be addressing security issues. she will give her final pull together and give her final and give herfinal pull together in herfinal and give herfinal pull together in her final end state once we have left the european union. norman, many thanks for that. let's cross over to westminster, we can get some reaction from the labour member. thank you forjoining us. borisjohnson labour member. thank you forjoining us. boris johnson had labour member. thank you forjoining us. borisjohnson had a pretty clear message to people like yourself, he said yourfears message to people like yourself, he said your fears about what is going to happen to the economy are unfounded. he said concerns that britain might become insula are quite wrong, we are going to be

internationalist. that britain can fry than have a great future once it is freed from eu law. —— britain can thrive. you reassured ? is freed from eu law. —— britain can thrive. you reassured? no. we're already these things. this was a big exercise in hypocrisy from the foreign secretary. first he made an argument about taking back control and to parliament on behalf of the people, that every step of the way during the brexit negotiations, he and his government has sought to withhold information from parliament and the people on the impact of brexit. secondly, he was lecturing people about the perils of betrayal when he was the person who campaigned on the basis that if you voted to leave the european union, the rate of £50 million extra would go to the nhs. —— 350 million. he is now part of a cabinet that is presiding over the biggest crisis

the nhs has seen in a generation and finally, he warned about the perils of sowing the seeds of fear and he co—led a campaign which, for example, sought to scaremonger about turkey joining example, sought to scaremonger about turkeyjoining the example, sought to scaremonger about turkey joining the european example, sought to scaremonger about turkeyjoining the european union and suggested that votes leave campaign that he co—lead, suggested that would pose a security threat to our country. i do not think this is reassuring at all. he said that he recognised that there are people out there who are worried, still grief and alienation but he said that anyone trying to stop brexit, that that would be disastrous and that there with the feelings of betrayal all over the land. do you accept that? boris johnson is the one who has committed the biggest betrayal by turning his back on his commitment to secure billions of pounds worth of funding for the nhs. let us just be straight about this. you cannot thwart the will of the people if they are the ones who get a vote on the final brexit deal. because they started

this process so in my view, they are the ones who should finish it. it should not be determined by boris johnson and a ministerial elite in whitehall. there are two other big points that he completely ignored, both during the speech and in the questions and answers after. he did not address the issue of the challenge that what he is proposing, leaving the customs union, poses for the good friday agreement settlement in northern ireland. there is no way of avoiding a hard border in ireland without are staying in the customs union and he is prepared to sacrifice that sentiment which brought peace to northern ireland after decades of bloodshed, here's this —— he is prepared to sacrifice that. we had nothing about that. he almost promised the vote leave campaign promised that as soon as we have voted to leave the european union, in the day we would be negotiating new trade agreements with other countries around the world. we already benefit from over 60 different trade agreements with

non—eu countries through the european union, not one new agreement has been negotiated with the non—eu country when we were told government would immediately start negotiating them. we have only got a year to go until we are scheduled to leave and trade agreements take yea rs, leave and trade agreements take years, not a year, the years to negotiate. we had absolutely nothing from him on either of these two very important points. many thanks for talking to us from westminster with the latest reaction to boris johnson's westminster with the latest reaction to borisjohnson's speech. police are investigating a fatal collision at heathrow airport this morning, involving two vehicles on the taxiway at terminal five. one man, aged in his 40s has died in hospital, another man injured in the crash is believed to have a broken shoulder. emergency services were called to the collision at the airfield shortly after 6am. officers have informed the next of kin. noone has been arrested. the film star minnie driver has quit as an oxfam ambassador

following claims that staff working for the charity in disaster zones paid vulnerable local people for sex. the actress resigned after 20 years with the aid agency, saying in a statement that she was "horrified" by the allegations. oxfam said it was "grateful" for ms driver's commitment, and that it was determined to learn from its mistakes. meanwhile, the international development secretary has issued a stern warning to oxfam that its government funding could be at risk over its handling of sex allegations. penny mordaunt said that unless charities safeguarded everyone in their organisation that comes into contact, including beneficiaries, staff and volunteers, the government would not fund them. the sexual exploitation of vulnerable people, vulnerable children is never acceptable. but when it is perpetrated by people in positions of power, people we entrust to help and protect, it rightly sickens and disgusts and it should compel us to take action.

the recent revelations about oxfam, not solely the actions perpetrated by a number of those staff but the way the organisation responded to those events should be a wake—up call to the sector. they let perpetrators go, they did not inform donors, their regulator or prosecuting authorities. it was not just the processes and procedures of that organisation were lacking, but moral leadership. president zuma has been speaking on television. he has confirmed that six of the anc most senior officials met him to try to persuade him to stand down. the anc has announced

that the deadline for president zuma to step down as president will expire today. the speaker of the national assembly has tabled a motion of no confidence for tomorrow if he does not step down. president zuma is speaking right now. let us listen in to what he is saying. strengthening the organisation for elections. this was discussed in the anc. seen as a necessary thing is how this must be done. if the anc wa nted how this must be done. if the anc wanted an alignment, then this would have been done. i made all of these points that what happened once that happened, wins elections, there was a handover. everybody remembers this. there was no crisis. does that mean the leadership then, the leadership then was not think things

prayerfully? bnc have always seen things correctly. when the anc confidence came when it finishes two terms in the anc, another president came in court zuma who became the president of the anc was president was the state president. he was there for 18 months. of course the anc decided to recall him, not because there was a problem of us not understanding. the anc felt there were specific things that the president was doing that they felt we needed to take this kind of action. there were no complaint that there were two centres of power. and precisely because there was no problem about it when the nac

discussed this much and one of those who in fact were saying we should not recall the president because we'll be creating a bad president. if the tour we are not happy, i said let us talk to him and work out an arrangement how is it going to perform his duties that would not make people feel uncomfortable. of course i was defeated by the majority. and i understood that because the anc does have that kind of thing and when it was done, when he was recalled, he indeed agreed and cooperated and there was no problem. and that is why i was asking what have i done in this kind of situation because the system, the

policy, nothing has intervened. what is the holy? what are you rushing for? and then in the process of the discussion it was clear that people are saying, zuma must go. my problem was that it is not a new thing. it had been sent the entire year year, including people saying this 101, they all think so. they themselves never provided the reasons. i found it very strange that i'm going to be told by my organisation, you now must go because we now have a new president who must come in. not following any presents the —— any policy of the anc, of that nature. this arrangement, one province

raised this matter, why can't we discussed the aligning of the national elections and the conference of the anc? nobody want to discuss that because it was not... and the other problem, and these will the matters i have raised, the other problem i had, when we go to the conference, they are discussed, issues. if they did not go there, this matter, if they are matters that need to be scuffs, they have to be raised and this matter did not appear on the agenda. but immediately this president is elected, we must then change immediately. the conference would ta ke immediately. the conference would take the decision in whatever form.

it was a new issue which now looks so important, so urgent and i explained my problem is, but they are all talking about it in the media. in that meeting i was a little bit shark in discussing the matter which i do not think the conference liked. this leadership, two months, they are now focusing on this issue, there are no other issues. there are resolutions to be dealing with, we are spending more time discussing zuma must go. i don't understand why. but i also indicated to them that while we were in the conference, i heard from the great find that in fact zuma must not leave the state of the nation address. the second one, when you leave in december, you must never come back. as the conference was

going on, there was also discussion but, no, infact going on, there was also discussion but, no, in fact zuma must be removed in this conference before we go. there were preparations that should happen. i did indicate this to the top six and therefore i was indicating this discussion to me is not an innocent discussion, it is not an innocent discussion, it is not an innocent discussion, it is not an innocent discussion because people have been talking about it. if people are talking, you get to know. they have been complaining about it to other people before. meeting that discussion, i did not hide that. i explained a night out. it because... go back and say, i did not accept this persuasion but i must resign. i do not. i do not

understand it. in that meeting when there was a bit of a discussion, then somebody said, this matter needs the anc to take a decision. the decision which means we are not even saying let us go back and report to the working committee so the working committee will then decide what then to do. already somebody in that committee were saying, this decision has been taken by the anc, let's go back and report it back to the working committee so we have the nac to take the decision and that is what happened. —— anc. we parted ways. ijust want to give you the chronology, it is very important. then we parted ways. it

was on a sunday. it is on sunday the fourth. on monday, because on my way to cape town, as i was taking the flight, to cape town, as i was taking the flight, one of the colleague showed mea clip flight, one of the colleague showed me a clip of a class of anc members outside. this touched me very seriously because i said to myself, this is a problem. because of this matter that has been discussed all over, already the comrades on the ground are now clashing. it is, the clip shocked me because one male comrades was kicking another male comrades was kicking another male comrades who was lying on the ground. this worried me, isaid, we are likely to have violence in this

country of the anc members and this will be damning our names. i then decided we needed to take a different line, perhaps the discussion we had must have been rough. we needed to change because this cannot be allowed. the leadership has been saying you need the anc, then i said, fine, i must be thinking about it, i must reflect on this. when i landed in cape town, the surgery general corporate estate, they have just finished the working committee and they have taken the decision that the anc special meeting must take place on the first day but also the president had said that you would like to come and see me, to take some discussions, look at the options and he will also be there, the secretary general. and i thought this is

absolutely important, have the discussion the following day on tuesday because me and the president had a discussion in december, we worked out how we are going to be working together. we have agreed that she stay would be the day is fast to meet so that matters that arise from the anc and political officials that related will be able to talk all the time. i said that is wonderful. when i was reflecting, i realise that we needed to stop this clash that was beginning because i saw the comrades were very angry, fighting among themselves. it is that point that i felt it is clear that point that i felt it is clear that the state of the nation address date was putting pressure here. there is something, because as i

say, in the what i heard during the conference, but some people had given instruction that zuma must not leave the state of the nation address, it is clear that those people are carrying instructions but this day it looks like it has something. i thought i should therefore engage the presiding officer ‘s to postpone the date, postpone the date because it is me who requested the date of the joint sitting. we should have this week away from us so that we can have a chance to have discussions among ourselves, to find a way that we solve the problem going forward. i took that decision and said the following day, i will do so. the following day, i will do so. the following day, i will do so. the following day when we are sitting in

the cabinet committee, about half past 12, i received a note from my office to say the presiding officers wanted to see me before to mark because they will be meeting the opposition to discuss certain things. —— wanted to see me before two. clearly one of the issues would be this, i then inform the president, gave him the know to read andi president, gave him the know to read and i said, i was going out to tell him that in fact this is decision i had taken and indeed i asked him, we met immediately after the cabinet committee and i said, look, i had taken this decision because i think the situation is a little bit worrying. i told the situation is a little bit worrying. itold him the situation is a little bit worrying. i told him about this clip that had worried me a great deal,

that had worried me a great deal, that in the afternoon we would be meeting. but for now i have taken this decision but we should postpone that i needed to inform the presiding officers to make that request so that when they meet with the opposition, they will be able to say the president has proposed this. isaid say the president has proposed this. i said tell them i have recently bullied, the letter has come. we agreed with the president. —— i raise this verbally. i met with the presiding officers, i said to them, i know why we are here. just cracking a joke. you know things. i said, look, i havejust talked to be president. i have taken the decision to the throne because i think the situation is not clear. —— to postpone. if it is not today, a

tuesday, things are not very clear. people are still dealing with this issue, this is a problem. there we have it, president zuma speaking live. a lengthy speech there in which he appeared to be trying to take us through the chronology of recent weeks but his words very clear that, he said, yes, there were plenty of people saying that he should resign. he says they have not provided any reasons, that are the reasons for me to go. —— there are no reasons for me to go. a pretty defiant message from president zuma. a parliamentary notion of no

confidence will go ahead ifjacob zuma does not leave. it seems though that for the moment at least, president zuma is digging in his heels. he says there is a lot of time being spent on discussing zima moscow, as he put it, but there are other important issues and policies that should be discussed. —— zuma must go. we can speak to our correspondent. what do you make of that lengthy and extraordinary statement from president zuma? that lengthy and extraordinary statement from president zuma7m that lengthy and extraordinary statement from president zuma? it is an incredible statement from presidentjacob an incredible statement from president jacob zuma. we an incredible statement from presidentjacob zuma. we have been waiting for days to hear back from him, but the tone of the statements as defiant. as he spoke i got images ofa as defiant. as he spoke i got images of a school principal addressing children, speaking them about

politics. he goes into lengthy details about how he was opposed to a previous presidential recall and it could create a problem for the anc. he also said that he asked members of the african national congress why he should leaves and that these reasons were not given. that is why he is digging his heels in. it has been said that there are two centres of power, but he says it's not true. he says he is being pushed out and he wants to know why. thank you very much. that's the latest from the pretoria. time now for the weather.

there could be some blizzard conditions across scotland were strong winds. sunny spells for much of the day and sunny spells coming through in northern ireland. maximum temperatures across the southern and western areas in double figures, but surely north and east. the rain will spread away wish i was coming through during the night. not as cold as last night. frost free to ta ke cold as last night. frost free to take us into thursday morning. temperatures between four and six celsius. as we go into thursday the rainbow career and it should be a dry day with sunshine. some wintry showers towards the north—west birds. goodbye. —— vo. goodbye. this is bbc news.

our latest headlines: borisjohnson has tried to reach out to remain voters, telling them leaving the eu should inspire hope not fear. if we are to carry this project through to national success, as we must, we must reach out to those who still have anxieties. south african president jacob zuma has been warned that if he doesn't step down today he will face a no—confidence vote. it comes as police have been raiding the home of a business ally. more now on the news that the foreign secretary, borisjohnson, has been seeking to reassure people who are anxious more now on the news that the foreign secretary, boris johnson, has been seeking to reassure people who are anxious about brexit, saying that splitting from the eu should be a time of hope. sometimes these economic anxieties are intensified by otherfears sometimes these economic anxieties

are intensified by other fears about identity and security so that he did to recon dyed concepts like the single market of the customs union acquire unexpected emotive power. i believe that what ever be superficial attractions of these points, they can be turned on their heads. i want to show you the day that brexit need not be nationalist, but can be internationalists. it's not a threat, but an opportunity. it's a manifestation of this country's genius. i can see i am running the risk of causing further irritation, but i must run that risk because it is this government's duty to advocate and explain the mission on which we are now engaged and it has become absolutely clear to me that we cannot take the argument for granted. let's get more reaction on this. thank you forjoining us. boris

johnson's message was a lot of your fears are unfounded and we can have a great future outside the eu and that britain will remain internationalist. were you at all reassured? it's internationalist. were you at all reassured ? it's important internationalist. were you at all reassured? it's important that we do reassured? it's important that we do reassure the 40% that voted remain as well as respect the fate of the 5296 as well as respect the fate of the 52% who voted leave and find a solution to the eu — uk relationship that works as far as possible for all. there were certain areas that the foreign secretary said it would reassure different groups. for example, he spoke about ongoing cooperation in areas like security, science and students, the three essays, security sides and students, areas which we need to particularly focus on. he has talked about the

need to deliver a trade relationship with europe that works. there will bea with europe that works. there will be a lot of double in the detail for that, but it is over half of our trade that's with the eu and its important in constituencies like me who have a lot of people working in the service and financial sectors. having that ongoing trade relationship will be important. although the message overall was one of reassurance and he talks about the importance of reaching out, he also made it very clear that we should not continue to accept rules and laws from the eu. he said he believed it would be very damaging. do you accept that once the process has been completed, after the transition process it's important to have that clean break? first of all he said we should continue to keep the status quo during the transition or implementation period which is helpful for business. the

or implementation period which is helpfulfor business. the issue or implementation period which is helpful for business. the issue with this clean break as you call it is much more complicated. if we are to continue to have international trade with our largest trading partner across the channel, then those countries are going to want to make sure that we comply with, for example, consumer standards, safety standards, environmental standards, and that is not unreasonable to expect that, that we are not going to take substandard products or goods into the market. if we want that to work, i suggest that we need to have some sort of ongoing regular true dialogue or cooperation. yes, we will divert in some areas, but i suspect they will be the majority of areas because british consumers want strong standards as well. so i think there is very little difference between what the chancellor is saying, what the prime minister is saying, what the prime minister is saying and now what the foreign secretary has said because actually,

if we want to continue that trade, which i believe we do, then we need to reassure our trading partner that we are going to cooperate with them on those areas of regulation going forward. vicky ford, many thanks for joining us from westminster. with me in the studio is femi sorry from the "our future our choice" campaign. they are a group of young people who want to have a say in brexit. also i'm joined from newcastle by tom harwood who ran the national student wing of vote leave. let's start with you, tom. that was a speak from boris johnson let's start with you, tom. that was a speak from borisjohnson which was designed to say look, we can't have a brighterfuture designed to say look, we can't have a brighter future outside the designed to say look, we can't have a brighterfuture outside the eu. presumably you welcome back? do you think it was important to him to set up think it was important to him to set up that pitch? absolutely. this speech was long overdue. on the 24th

ofjune after speech was long overdue. on the 24th of june after the referendum speech was long overdue. on the 24th ofjune after the referendum vote leave shut up shop. the remain campaign has continued to spit out its fear. it's really important to make the positive case about all of the benefits that brexit can bring and save this speech was very overdue. the way the campaign was run was wrong. no one on the remain or leave site explained what the single market is. the single market is a syste m market is. the single market is a system which makes a single version of your product and it will be legal everywhere in europe which means you can buy and sell your product a lot cheaper. what do you make of what borisjohnson said. cheaper. what do you make of what boris johnson said. it was designed

to reassure people, but i do anything he is the person to do it. a repeated liar, the 350 million that would go to the nhs, even though he voted against giving money to the nhs after brexit, it doesn't make sense. david cameron said you need the single market, boris johnson is saying we don't. he hasn't given any hard detail on these issues. a lot of people were hoping we would get some more specifics from boris johnson which we re specifics from boris johnson which were decidedly lacking in this speech. i think he gave a few specifics. he spoke about how the single market doesn't make it that much easierfor british single market doesn't make it that much easier for british businesses. he gave the example of becoming a ski instructor. it's hard to go to france and do that. the single market is trumped up as this panacea when actually in reality, it imposes eu regulations on 100% of uk

businesses when only 6% export to the eu. what's important is that the idea that the exit dividend, the £350 million a week that was spoken of during the campaign, that is the gross figure, the net is about half of that, that money will come back to the uk and when we leave the eu we will be able to spend that money on services like the nhs. that is much disputed claim and the net figure is much lower than that, but what about boris johnson's assertion that the risk of growing effort to stop brexit and that any attempt to try to row back would lead to greater division and betrayal. isn't that likely to simply increase the sense of division in the country? absolutely not. what would increase the sense of division is a second referendum. we had a period of intense debate over the course of the referendum and it's time now to come together. the idea that we

should have another referendum, fight again overall these battles, the fact is we voted leave and people need to accept it and only way we are going to get on as a society and stop coming together again is by working together to achieve this liberal vision that borisjohnson set achieve this liberal vision that boris johnson set up achieve this liberal vision that borisjohnson set up his speech today. is that not a relevant point, that we have had the referendum, people like yourself should accept it and tried to make brexit work? well, he is pointing out that divisions were created by brexit. one of the main division is the age division. what we have two young people here on different sides!” know. it's ironic. young people, that age group that i'm sure my friend represents, 18—24 —year—olds, we voted 75% to remain. by anyone's

maths though, in five years we have a population that did not want to leave. but we voted to leave, should we not accept it? but nothing has happened. this notion of a second referendum, it doesn't hold much water. we still don't know what the deal is, even though we have one. theresa may doesn't even know what she wants the deal to be let alone having anything concrete. if we had something we would know what the future would look like. and the people who are going to take back control should know whether or not this deal will harm benefit the future. there was a vote on the principle of leaving all remaining, but there wasn't a chance of people to have any say on a future deal. this idea that the people did not

know what they were for is insulting to be 17.4 million people who voted leave on the basis of what people on the remain and leave side said. it was said repeatedly that we would be leaving the customs union and the single market. we've already had this argument. there's no point in having it again and again and again because all it is going to do is continue to perpetuate this division. what we need to do is come together and ignore the arguments of people like lord adonis and nigel farage you want us to have a second referendum. they think that people who voted leave our inward looking and isolationist, but the vast majority of people in this country are outward looking and global in their perspective. we need brexit to work and we don't need endless

referendums. we need to come together as one nation and build a brighterfuture. together as one nation and build a brighter future. a quick response from the studio. that point that if you continue these arguments, you are simply increasing and continuing the divisions in the country? what the divisions in the country? what the biggest divisions is between families. many families don't talk about politics any more and i think the only way to bring people together is for people to say, my kids don't want the future that is being forced on them. let's unite in the fact that we know he is going to be most affected. let's vote with them and give them the future they want. thank you very much indeed. now the latest headlines. boris

johnson has warned that derailing brexit would be disastrous, telling those that want to remain in the eu that brexit is about hope not fair. mounting pressure on jacob that brexit is about hope not fair. mounting pressure onjacob zuma to stand down or face a mounting pressure onjacob zuma to stand down orface a no—confidence vote tomorrow. actress and campaigner minnie driver has stood down as an ambassador for oxfam over the scandal. —— haiti scandal. a committee of mps has said there is a "pervasive lack of trust" among disabled people when it comes to how their welfare claims are assessed. the commons' work and pensions committee said reports by private contractors were "riddled with errors" and quality targets had been "regularly missed". here's our disability news correspondent, nikki fox. anastasia is having a good day. but it's not always like this. most days she is unable to get out of the house. the 24—year—old has multiple sclerosis. she used to work full—time, but now she struggles to get around. she applied for a disability benefit and was assessed at home by a health care professional

from a private company. anastasia says she told the assessor she could only walk 20 metres, but when the report came back it said she could walk further. she didn't give me a physical assessment. i was sat down the entire time. i was very, very cross about that. today's report identifies a culture of mistrust around the whole process. it says assessors risk being viewed as, at best, lacking in competence and, at worst, actively deceitful. the committee says the government's low bar for what is considered acceptable leaves room for assessment reports to be riddled with obvious errors and omissions. clearly the system needs a major overhaul, but there are some things the government could do relatively quickly to improve it. automatic audio recording of assessments for people. why not share the assessment results with the claimant at the point of claimant decision? the government says assessments work for the majority of people and it's

committed to improving transparency. but with current contracts up for review and targets being consistently missed, the future of the system is unclear. the actress emma watson has spoken about her shock, at realising that there was no system in place to help people in the film industry who had been sexually harassed. she's one of a number of women who've been consulted by the british film institute and bafta, as it announces changes aimed at tackling the problem. our entertainment correspondent colin paterson has been looking at the plans. this sunday it's the bafta awards and, ahead of british film's biggest night of the year, the industry has announced a brand—new plan aimed at tackling both sexual harassment and bullying. it's a direct response to the harvey weinstein allegations. hello! you can talk? of course we can talk! emma watson was one of the many actresses asked for her input.

these principles are important because up until recently there were no guidelines, there was no protocol for someone that had been sexually harassed in the entertainment industry. i know this to be a fact because i've asked for principles and i've asked to see guidelines and no one could give them to me. to change this, more than 40 organisations, including bafta and the british film institute, worked on a set of eight principles which they want to be used across the film, television and video games industries. so what will actually change? every production must employ two people trained to handle any accusations of harassment. a dedicated phone line will open in april, offering free confidential help. and bfi funding will only be given to projects committed to the changes. this isn't about a set of commands, it's about a set of principles which everyone has willingly and with huge enthusiasm signed up to. at last month's golden globe awards, almost all actresses wore black to show solidarity for the times up campaign, calling for change.

the same is expected at the baftas. those behind today's announcement hope such a stand won't be needed next year. a building hasjust opened at the winter olympics in south korea which is the blackest building on earth. designed by a british architect, using materials created by british scientists — the structure absorbs 99% of the light that hits it. this material is the blackest in the known universe apart from a black hole. graham satchell reports. it's the blackest building on earth. this pavilion outside the olympic stadium in south korea is coated with a materia called vbx2. it absorbs 98% of the light. i wanted people to be literally awestruck and starstruck by this

building, and to see it and stop in their tracks. the pavilion is the brainchild of british architect asif khan. you feel drawn into it, you want to plummet into its blackness. asif has peppered the building with small lights to look like stars. as you walk around the building, you get the effect of parallax, so it appears the stars are moving against each other, as though you were diving through the universe. this laboratory in southern england is where vbx2 and vantablack were created. it might look like paint but vantablack is made billions of microscopic carbon nano tubes. it absorbs 99.965% of light. the only thing darker

would be a black hole. the only thing darker in the universe is a black hole? is a black hole that we know of that this time. it's so black it changes the dimensionality of an object. it makes things look flat. you're seeing the lack of photons being reflected back to your eyes, and so your eyes are no longer able to make sense of what you're seeing so therefore you see it as a void or a very black area that you can't make shape or sense from. looking at black nothingness like this is a rather odd sort of experience. it is slightly vertiginous, like you're standing on the edge of an abyss looking into a void. it's exciting and unsettling at the same time. vantablack is used in space exploration, in cameras

and telescopes to reduce the amount of flair from the sun. it gives astronomers a clear view of distant stars and planets but using this nanotechnology has only just started. the possibilities of designing materials are, kind of, quite limitless. i imagine coating materials with nano materials, imagine vehicles that slip in and out of visibility, that's the sort of world that we're talking about here. so a stunning building using technology that has the potential to revolutionise photography, space exploration, architecture, design. graham satchell, bbc news. ina in a moment, the news at one with jane hill, but first,

although the weather started on a promising note, it's going downhill. this morning we had this cracking sunrise, eliminating the weather front. beginning cloud will bring rain. across northern areas there will be some snow for a time. we all ta ke will be some snow for a time. we all take a closer look at the weather picture across scotland as we head towards the evening. you can see the snowfall across high ground. lower down it will be mostly rain. hill snow will switch back to rain. the rain will be heavy across wales and southern counties. overnight that weather front will clear out of the

way. a chilly night with some patches of frost in rural areas, bringing the risk of some icy stretches. it won't be as cold as last night. thursday, low pressure is in charge, but towards the south of ridge of high pressure building. cold aircoming in of ridge of high pressure building. cold air coming in from the north with milder air cold air coming in from the north with milderair in cold air coming in from the north with milder air in the south. this will lead to some fairly big temperature contrasts on thursday. you can see the weather front moving in across scotland with a mixture of rain and mountain snow. the most of the rest of england and wales it will be dry and bright with 11 degrees across the south. still called in scotland with highs of five or six celsius. at the end of the week the ridge of high pressure will build more across the uk and the winds will turn south—westerly, so those milder conditions will be

spreading further north with temperatures rising in scotland as well, but at the same time through friday afternoon we will see the next atla ntic friday afternoon we will see the next atlantic front moving in bringing outbreaks of rain across the afternoon, getting into western scotla nd the afternoon, getting into western scotland with some mountain snow. the forecast for the weekend and next week is the weather is due to turn milder. that's yourforecast for now. borisjohnson says brexit is an opportunity for britain — and not something to be feared. in a major speech before the next round of negotiations, the foreign secretary was trying to reassure those who are anxious about brexit. brexit need not be nationalist but can be internationalist. it's not an economic threat, but a considerable opportunity. not un—british, but a manifestation of this country's historic national genius. we'll have the latest reaction from brussels and westminster. also this lunchtime:

minnie driver quits as a ambassador for oxfam, as the government says all charities must have proper safeguarding policies. jacob zuma says that is no reason for him to resign as president