that a labour government would seek to keep the uk in a customs union with the european union. in other news the new york times looks at how french administrators are pushing the country's border thousands of miles into africa, hoping to head off would—be migrants. those who want to live in france will have to be approved in niger first and then the government will supply an air ticket to travel to france. and finally, the evening standard shows that some londoners like this penguin are quite enjoying the freezing temperatures the snow and icy conditions which are set to continue for the rest of the week throughout the uk and europe. with me is iain anderson, who's founder of the international communications agency, cicero group. welcome back. you have been in need deepin welcome back. you have been in need deep in brexit since i last saw you. let's wait through some of this

news. much of it is very important. some would argue that it is a bit of a game changer this week. if we start with what the daily telegraph and organisations like bloomberg are saying, it could be an explosive row about to start off tomorrow on the pa rt about to start off tomorrow on the part of those in brussels who are going to, it is expected to say, that the uk, britain, has to allow a free—flowing border between the north and ireland. that's exactly right. i was in dublin ten days ago. i heard the irish prime minister leo varadkar talking i heard the irish prime minister leo va radkar talking about this i heard the irish prime minister leo varadkar talking about this in a very uncompromising way. his deputy simon coney hasjust very uncompromising way. his deputy simon coney has just been very uncompromising way. his deputy simon coney hasjust been in brussels. and ireland is doing all that it can to ensure that the relationship between dublin and brussels remains as strong through brexit as it can possibly be. and it looks like what the commission is set to publish tomorrow is a very

ha rd set to publish tomorrow is a very hard stance. theresa may had a deal in december, a deal which provided a bit of leeway for the partners in her coalition that prop up the government, the dup, but it looks like the commission is going to come up like the commission is going to come up with a hardline view and frankly, this is kind of high noon, i think. there is a big possibility now that the uk walks away from the table, in order to try and force the hand of brussels. for viewers outside of the uk and maybe even outside of europe, the dup being the democratic unionist party in northern ireland, which is helping to support theresa may's government to get a majority to get those through parliament right now. and the issue, this issue of the border between northern ireland and ireland is one of these issues that has been very difficult to come up with answers on, that are

approved by all the parties involved. the dup were in support of brexit but what they don't want to see is anything that creates a regulatory alignment, this was the deal that was done in december, between the north and the south. they want to have more of an alignment between the rest of the uk, and northern ireland. and this isa uk, and northern ireland. and this is a tripwire for this entire conversation. if this is to happen tomorrow, as is widely reported, this could have a huge impact on what theresa may has to try and think about next to get her head around, and in the meantime labour leaderjeremy corbyn has set out his stall, and this adds to the pressure on her because he is saying that they would pitch for being part of a customs union, if they were in power, as a government and that is music to the ears of many, some

within the conservative party. let's be clear. jeremy corbyn is his own form of eurosceptic. some would say that he didn't campaign wholeheartedly during the european referendum for the uk to stay in. his language has been moving closer and closer and closer towards his chief brexit spokesman keir starmer. and yesterday he came up with a formula of words to say that labour would back staying in a customs union, not necessarily the customs union. eztv try to respect the opinions of those who voted in the referendum and also to protect the worker. this is very clever politics from jeremy corbyn right now, in my view. even if theresa may comes back

with the deal right at the end of this year from this yearfrom brussels he is going to turn around and say, i would have negotiated a better deal. now we need a general election. so, what he's trying to do is create the conditions for a vote of confidence in the government and potentially for the government to fall. that's the point made in the financial times, that that could happen. that his plan is helped by the fact that some conservative remainers might vote with labour in parliament on this. your macro yearly news 20 conservative mps to support his idea ofa conservative mps to support his idea of a customs union, and these are conservative mps who have supported the amendment themselves. presumably this would overcome this issue with northern ireland, if it was in a customs union with the eu. it is not

as simple as that, is it? it's not that simple but a customs union will make it easier to solve the northern ireland issue than not having a customs union. because it is separate from the single market. there is a brilliant explainer on a website of what they all mean. but website of what they all mean. but we need to move on. let's talk about the business groups who, according to the independent, backjeremy corbyn. this is the slightly strange thing. you have a hard left labour leader who believes in intervention, who believes in nationalisation once again and yet, on the brexit question, most business wants to see as close an alignment to the eu as possible, so, corbyn, again, is playing some quite clever politics and has got some conservative ministers this morning very angry. something i mentioned yesterday, we

we re something i mentioned yesterday, we were looking ahead to this speech, he and the opposition, the shadow chancellorjohn mcdonald, he and the opposition, the shadow chancellor john mcdonald, have he and the opposition, the shadow chancellorjohn mcdonald, have been meeting with the big hitters within business and industry, privately, they have been talking and discussing their plan and almost schmoozing and wooing and that kind of thing. it has been a dialogue of the deaf so far, but on this issue, labour is suddenly closer to most businesses. interesting. there will be lots more to talk about on that in the days and weeks ahead. let's talk about the new york times now. a different story. this is a step taken by different story. this is a step ta ken by france, different story. this is a step taken by france, to assess people who wish to move to europe from africa in the countries where they are looking to move from. like niger for example. it makes a lot of sense, when you think of the

treacherous, dangerous, often fatal journey that some of these people try to take across the sea, across the mediterranean. this is a fascinating story. basically the french have set up this preauthorisation centre, if you like, in niger. the criteria to get into france are very tight. you need to demonstrate you are a political refugee, you are insignificant personal distress, in order to get that free plane ticket to go to france. and what looks like it is happening is it this significantly limiting the number of people who are landing in france. the question is, will it stop people trying to make that journey? presumably is, will it stop people trying to make thatjourney? presumably it may not if they do not think that they will pick all of these boxes they will pick all of these boxes they will maybe still try to pay people smugglers to try to go for it themselves, no matter what. people

who are economically desperate will continue to make this very dangerous journey. however, the story does point to a significant reduction in the numbers coming across the mediterranean. the evening standard has the penguins at london zoo frolicking in the snow. i've seen some snowflakes, but not many yet. give us your take on how we get ready in the uk. our european neighbours watching this, they kind of scoff at the chaos it causes when we have a little bit of snow. you travel around europe and everybody else seems to be absolutely geared up else seems to be absolutely geared upfor else seems to be absolutely geared up for it. to me, else seems to be absolutely geared upfor it. to me, it else seems to be absolutely geared up for it. to me, it is a london problem. it is not the rest of the uk problem. yours in the uk know that they can get about. this is a london problem! thank you, ian, thank you for your views. hello. winter refuses to relinquish its grip across the uk, but notjust the uk, across the whole of

europe at the moment. with that high pressure still entrenched across scandinavia and the siberian air spilling right across europe, having such a dramatic impact. yes, we have got snow around at the moment and yes we still have weather warnings in force. those affected areas will be the far north—east of england and stretching down across the essex, kent and sussex coastline. we could see significant accumulation starting to develop towards dawn. the met office has issued an amber weather warning for these two areas. we could see as much as five or ten centimetres of snow could affect the commute into the london area, and you have an issue if you are driving or taking the trains across the north—east of england. stay tuned to your bbc local radio stations first thing, but it looks like the snow showers will be being driven along by a brisk, north—easterly breeze.

perhaps in the afternoon a lull in proceedings across the south—east, but it will have an impact throughout the day. it is going to feel bitterly cold for all of us, with those temperatures really struggling. but the best of the sunshine reserved for further west. as we move into wednesday, we have still got met office amber weather warnings, and be prepared for disruption, but this time the emphasis changes into the north—east of england and affecting eastern scotland. we could see five, ten centimetres and maybe more in some places. winds will strengthen. there could be blizzard conditions and it may drive the snow showers a little bit further inland. the winds swing round to a south—easterly direction so it may mean the south—east escapes the worst of them but another bitterly cold day for all, with those temperatures struggling. add in the factor of the wind, particularly as it will strengthen, it will feel well below freezing. as we move into thursday, we still have a frequent rash of showers across the north but i want to draw your attention to what is happening to the south.

an area of low pressure is set to move in and it will bring uncertainty. it could bring persistent, heavy snowfall. it is moving up from iberia, across france as it bumps into the cold airfor a time across central and southern england and northern ireland we could see some significant snow. hello this is breakfast, with dan walker and louise minchin. commuters face heavy disruption as snow storms sweep in from russia. hundreds of trains and dozens of flights have been cancelled — and there are warnings of more freezing weather on the way. at the met office has two amber warnings in place be prepared for disruptive snow and they stand across northern england, the midlands and parts of south—east england, but elsewhere there will be further snow showers and it will be

bitterly cold. good morning, it's tuesday the 27th of february. also this morning: the international trade secretary, liam fox, attacksjeremy corbyn's