hello, you're watching afternoon live — i'm simon mccoy. today at 2pm... the government publishes its legal advice on brexit in full — in the commons, theresa may denies trying to hide the truth. he is absolutely wrong about that. we have not conceal the facts on the bracks dealfrom we have not conceal the facts on the bracks deal from members we have not conceal the facts on the bracks dealfrom members of we have not conceal the facts on the bracks deal from members of this house. matthew hedges — the british academicjailed for spying in the united arab emirates — has told how he endured "psychological torture" during his captivity. ryanair faces legal action over its refusal to compensate thousands of passengers over cancelled flights, after a summer of strike action at the airline. if you thought that meghan‘s royal wedding veil was grand, just take a look at this... actress priyanka chopra's wedding dress featured a 75—foot long train behind it, with just the five assistants needed to carry it(!) and all of the sport. southampton have a new manager, ralph hassen hurdle will take over. there could also be a new owner at newcastle

soon. all the details coming up. and a bit foggy out there. a bit of a grey one coming out today but turning milder. looking to a spell of quite stormy weather. and casting oui’ of quite stormy weather. and casting our eye to the north of china, what has been going on with their weather too. also coming up — two of the biggest issues are under the spotlight in today's brexit debate — immigration and security — and we'll be trying to answer your questions — that's in in bbc ask this at 2.30pm. after her nightmare day yesterday — well, today's not much better. theresa may was back on the defensive — after the government was forced to release its full brexit legal advice.

it states that the uk could become stuck in ‘protracted and repeating rounds' of negotiations to leave the european union if it enters the so—called backstop arrangement. the backstop, which is written into the withdrawal agreement to ensure there's no hard border with northern ireland, could endure indefinitely if no solution is found. this morning the cabinet minister and prominent brexiter — liam fox — said there's a danger that parliament could "steal brexit from the british people," after the government lost those three commons votes yesterday. our political correspondent ben wright reports. under siege but battling on with her belated brexit plan. the ayes to the right 311, the nos to the left, 293. defeated three times just yesterday, mps forcing the government to

publish its legal advice, and backing a move to put parliament in the driving seat if theresa may's deal is voted down next week. this morning one brexiteer cabinet minister was fuming. morning one brexiteer cabinet ministerwas fuminglj morning one brexiteer cabinet minister was fuming. i think that there is, as i have written recently, a real danger that the house of commons, which was a natural remain majority, may attempt to steal brexit from the british people. and he wasn't alone. i think the most important thing is to vote for the prime minister's deal. the prime minister and parliament will deliver on brexit, that is ourjob, we should all know that is ourjob andl we should all know that is ourjob and i remain optimistic and confident about that. that there deep opposition to the compper mize is clear. if the government loses

this vote, and i will go against this vote, and i will go against this deal, which go back to brussels and make clear that we would contemplate no deal. this morning, the government to publish the full legal device mps had demanded, which said britain could be left indefinitely in a customs european with the european union as part of a deal to prevent the return of a hard border between northern ireland and the republic. we have seen the detail of the legal advice, we have seen detail of the legal advice, we have seen the fact the government tried to hide. mr speaker, this government is giving northern ireland permanent membership of the single market and a customs union. the legal advice is clear, it states, despite statements in the protocol that is not intended to be permanent, in international law the protocol would india are indefinitely. he will see that the advice that he is holding in his left hand has no difference from the statement that was given. indeed i might take up the personal challenge

from the right honourable gentleman. i have myself said on the floor of this house that there is indeed no unilateral right to pull out of the backstop. but labour said the newly published legal advice belt out the backstop arrangements more starkly. was the government has been busy saying it is temporary or intended to be temporary, what this document shows is that on legal analysis it is enduring until there is another to take its place. theresa may will spend the next few days imploring tory mps to back next week but she faces an uphill battle. the deal disappoints most of her fractured party, and the opposition is lined up party, and the opposition is lined up against it. what happens then is anybody‘s guess. from another referendum to leading —— leaving with no deal. all mps are talking about a possible plan b. house of commons now has a guaranteed say in shaping neck steps with amendments to the government's plan but there

is yet no consensus, and with the brexit date written into law, time is running out. ben wright, bbc news, westminster. our legal correspondent, clive coleman is at westminster. with your legal eye, is there anything new and startling in this document? ella macri no, ithink anything new and startling in this document? ella macri no, i think the document? ella macri no, i think the document really points out the difference between political optimism on the one hand, and legal realism on the other, because there is nothing really we didn't know here, but this is put by the attorney general in very stark, very plain language, in black—and—white. it makes it clear that the backstop arrangement is one that we cannot unilaterally leave. we need an agreement in order to do so, and we cannot force the eu into an agreement. that i think is going to pour petrol on the political flames of this debate. that is what you go toa

of this debate. that is what you go to a lawyerfor, when of this debate. that is what you go to a lawyer for, when you of this debate. that is what you go to a lawyerfor, when you go of this debate. that is what you go to a lawyer for, when you go for legal advice you don't want the most optimistic or pessimistic interpretation, you want a realistic view of what the law means, and the law in this instance is very clear, andi law in this instance is very clear, and i think what the advice does is it points up the clarity of the position, and the government could perhaps be accused of having bathed the withdrawal agreement somewhat in sunshine and flowers, if you like, but this is absolutely stark, and it is clear. one of the critical thing is clear. one of the critical thing is this. article 50 of the lisbon treaty, by which we exit the eu, gives us that option, to exit the eu. what is clear from this legal advice is that there is no provision for us to exit the withdrawal agreement in relation to the backstop, and it could go on indefinitely, and it will be very difficult to force the eu to a

court, to force them into agreement, we would have two show they are acting in bad faith, that by r is very high, as long as they were listening to our proposals i think most courts would consider that the negotiation was proceeding in good faith. so this isjust negotiation was proceeding in good faith. so this is just an exercise in pure, hard—nosed, cold realism. to be fair, there are other legal minds in the house of commons who had spotted this already. i mean, this isn't really new, is it? no, thatis this isn't really new, is it? no, that is why i think it is unfair to accuse the government of having hidden things. they certainly put a favourable interpretation on the withdrawal agreement but this has been there all along, and of course the attorney general when he spoke the attorney general when he spoke the other day in the commons was pretty clear and unvarnished about it himself was not who said that he wished there was a unilateral way out of the backstop but u nfortu nately out of the backstop but unfortunately there simply isn't. we now see that that was the very clear nature of his advice to the government. clive, thank you very much, clive coleman. let's go to westminster now

and join our chief political correspondent vicki young... an interesting premises questions, brexit hardly came up forjeremy corbyn. he went in a different direction, and the issue in labour circles was that universal credit is in some ways more meaningful to people's lives than the brexit debate, but i think this was still some surprise with the difficulties the government is in and with those votes being lost, he didn't even mention it in any sense at all. so that debate on the brexit withdrawal agreement is going on today, the second day of course of that. people still feeling that the numbers are not swinging behind theresa may in the way she would have wanted at this point before that vote on tuesday, and there are certainly mps coming up with plan b. one of them is oliver letwin, the senior

conservative backbencher. what do you think should happen if theresa may's deal does not get voted through on tuesday, what would you like to see happen? the first thing to make clear, i am going to be voting for the deal, and secondly, all those of us who have been involved in parliament for a very long time now that there can be surprises, and although it looks unlikely at the moment, maybe her deal will get through, in which case i will open bottles of champagne. but of course there is a risk it won't, and if it doesn't, then one thing is abundantly clear, which is that we would need to form some kind of cross—party that we would need to form some kind of cross— party consensus that we would need to form some kind of cross—party consensus in order to get the numbers. parliament is a matter of arithmetic. secondly, get the numbers. parliament is a matter ofarithmetic. secondly, it needs to be a cross—party consensus in the fact of something that the eu will accept at speed, basically not rewriting the whole of the withdrawal agreement which clearly is not dead happen between now and the 29th of march. you then come to the 29th of march. you then come to the question of what might do that, andl the question of what might do that, and i certainly don't think any of us, if you want to achieve a sensible compper my solution that

can carry cross— party sensible compper my solution that can carry cross—party support, should be dogmatic and said it should be dogmatic and said it should only look like this. that is the last thing i want to do. my own feeling having talk to colleagues on both side of the house is the most likely way of getting that cross—party likely way of getting that cross— party consensus and likely way of getting that cross—party consensus and getting the eu to accept would be to move what is called a norway plus arrangement, which is that the uk leaves the eu, is part of the single market, the eea, but is part of the e fta market, the eea, but is part of the efta pearler, the european free trade association part of it with switzerland, norway, lichtenstein and iceland in and is therefore governed by the efta court rather than the european court ofjustice, outside the common fisheries policy, outside the common fisheries policy, outside the common fisheries policy, outside the common agricultural policy, would make some contributions but not as much as possible to the current eu budget and so on. i think we could get a consensus and it would be a reasonable compper mice. but it still needs a prime minister willing to compromise. although back benches can get together and show their

will, if you like, how do you actually get it into action because you need a government and a prime minister who will do it? you shouldn't underestimate the amount of conversations going on at the moment between frontbenchers and backbenchers, and i think it is altogether likely that if we were to be in that position, if the prime minister is not able to get this deal or any version of this deal through over the next couple of weeks, that the government would switch tack and move to the position that i'm describing, and carry with it either the opposition as a whole or some substantial number of labour mps. so that is the hope. what do you say to those brexiteers who say you say to those brexiteers who say you are trying to steal brexit from the people? what i would say is i have all the way through over the la st two have all the way through over the last two years, although i was a remainer in the referendum campaign, it wasjust a remainer in the referendum campaign, it was just a matter of balance, i wasn't devoted to one cause or the other, think it is a very balanced issue. i was a remainer but despite that i have spent the last two years trying to help the government and my colleagues who are passionate brexiteers to get the bills through,

andl brexiteers to get the bills through, and i have done really quite a lot of work to make that possible, i think even they would recognise that. it is their decision that they peeled away from the prime minister in the deal she was able to do. i respect their views about that, but they mustn't then complain if those of us who are devoted to fulfilling the referendum mandate that are not willing to subject this country to the real traumas, which i believe would flow from leaving the eu without an agreement, if we try to find an alternative solution. i think they should recognise that thatis think they should recognise that that is an honourable cause of action. oliver letwin, thank you very much indeed. of course there are other alternatives available, there are some who are saying another referendum is the answer, some still saying that no deal would be the most preferable one. what yesterday does is give parliament much more of a role in saying what might happen next. thank you very much indeed. let's take you into the chamber, as vicky disappears and stop diane abbott is on her feet, shadow home secretary, talking about

the importance of a security deal. ministers promised a future security partnership between this country and the eu, however the assurance on access to sis to and equus is only the eu and uk, and i am quoting have agreed to consider further how to deliver capabilities that ours far as legally possible, that is not the same as assuring us as legally possible, that is not the same as assuring us of the same level of cooperation we have today. in relation to the european arrest warrant, there is not even that promise. on the passenger name records, exchange of dna, the new prince, vehicle registration, the agreement says and i quote, the uk and the eu have agreed to establish

reciprocal arrangements to exchange this type of data. you don't say that you have established reciprocal arrangements, it is a wish for the future. but without appeal and oversight by a court, the role currently played by the ec], all of these could be subject to legal challenge in practice. i need to make progress. in addition, on the eu agencies, europol and make progress. in addition, on the eu agencies, europoland eurojust, which members have intervened on earlier, what the deal says, the uk and the eu have agreed as part of the fsp to work together to identify the fsp to work together to identify the terms for the uk's cooperation bya the terms for the uk's cooperation by a europol and eurojust. the terms for the uk's cooperation bya europoland eurojust. it the terms for the uk's cooperation by a europol and eurojust. it is not the same as a guarantee of the same access and corporation we have today. as these are eu agencies, they are not in principle open to

member states. we will pull away from that. the issues we will be taking your questions at 230. you still have time to get those in. you are watching afternoon live. the headlines. matthew hedges — the british academicjailed for spying in the united arab emirates — has told how he endured "psychological torture" during his captivity. ryanair faces legal action over its refusal to compensate thousands of passengers over cancelled flights — after a summer of strike action at the airline. two of the biggest issues are under the spotlight

in today's brexit debate — immigration and security — and we'll be trying to answer your questions — that's in in bbc ask this at 2.30. in sport, ralph hasenhuttl is the new manager at southampton stop the austrian who had a successful spell with rb leipzig in the bundesliga replaces mark hughes. mike ashley could sell newcastle united by the new year. a consortium fronted by former manchester united and chelsea chief executive peter kenyon is said to be in advanced talks. and the former olympic and three—time world champion danny rojas retired from track cycling. the 28—year—old says she wants to stay in the sport. i will be back in the next 15 minutes or $0 “— will be back in the next 15 minutes orso —— dani the british academic — who was held in solitary confinement for months in the united arab emirates on spying charges —

says he felt as if he was being mentally tortured. matthew hedges was jailed for life but returned to the uk last week after being pardoned. in his first broadcast interview — he said he was pressurised into confessing after aggressive questioning gave him panic attacks. matthew hedges and his wife daniela te—hada spoke to john humphrys. matthew hedges had been arrested a few days after he arrived in dubai, where he had gone to do research for a phd. he was accused of spying and was held in solitary confinement and then sentenced to life in prison. he was pardoned and allowed to come home, and this morning, he did his first broadcast interview with me on today, with him, and his wife, daniela tejeda, who has fought out for his release. matthew told me how he had been treated by his captors. there was no light. i wasn't allowed to do anything to try and distract myself. you couldn't listen to a radio or anything of that sort? not until i had started a court case and my mental health had

deteriorated quite substantially. then i was allowed some form of distraction. were you shackled at all? yes, i was. whenever i had to go to the bathroom or, on occasion, use the shower, i would be escorted by four guards and i would wear ankle cuffs. whenever i was transported between different premises, i was blindfolded and handcuffed. and you had to stand up for quite a long time. yes. one of the days when i had tried to, again, tell the truth to the interrogators, their reaction was to make me stand for the day, wearing ankle cuffs. all day. yes. did you feel that you were being tortured ? psychologically, correct, yes. it felt like it. and you weren't able to consult lawyers or to talk to daniela? i wasn't able even to talk to the embassy officials until i had signed all the confession

statements, this was about the sixth or seventh week, when i first saw the embassy, so the emiratis had got what they had wanted. and do you know exactly what you confessed to? because you don't speak arabic. i don't. all i know is that i confessed to being an m16 agent. they said you were a captain. yeah! i have literally no clue about this, but they asked me what rank i was, and they postulated, are you a first lieutenant, a second lieutenant, a captain, major, and i panicked, and i said, i'm a captain. it took the british foreign office six weeks even to confirm where he was being held. the couple told me that must not be allowed to happen again. it is potentially something that could have been avoided, had it been dealt with differently a long time ago, but it wasn't, because of rules and protocols and relationships with a purported ally, but it shouldn't happen again.

you mean it mustn't happen again? it mustn't happen again. and people have that responsibility, to demand their government to change things. and matt, if you were to talk to the foreign secretary, what would you say to him? i would thank them for their efforts, but i would also strongly advise them to heed dani's experience, and to maybe look at ways and means in which they could improve their ability to do their work abroad. and your future now? immediately? try and relax. and then in the new year, we will maybe start to find ways and means to clear my name. you're not going to give up on that? no. i don't think it would be the right thing to do.

especially seeing what dani has been doing, how strong she is, that gives me the courage to keep moving forward, in not only fighting for my own case, but to try and raise similar issues for other people in those situations, of which there are many. well, thank you both very much indeed. the civil aviation authority is taking legal action against ryanair over its refusal to compensate thousands of customers for delays and cancellations earlier this year. the disruption was due to strikes by ryanair pilots, and cabin crew, but the airline says the strike action amounts to "extraordinary circumstances" and as a result it does not have to pay. here's our transport correspondent tom burridge. ryanair staff on strike over the summer. this was frankfurt. and this was dublin. outside ryanair‘s headquarters. disputes in several countries over

working conditions and pay lead to numerous strikes and severe disruption for thousands of passengers. tom spencer says he will neverfly ryanair again. he was best man, had organised an expensive stag—do to watch motor—racing in frankfurt, but the day before, their ten tickets from manchester on ryanair were suddenly cancelled. they made it by rearranging their plans at great cost, but the airline has refused to pay him any compensation. it was one of the most stressful days of my life because the effort we had gone to to get the thing organised in the first place, the money we'd spent getting everything organised in germany that we couldn't sacrifice. so i felt between a rock and a hard place and i think with the money lost, i just feel let down and i really do feel like ryanairjust do treat their customers with complete contempt. if your flight is delayed more than three hours or cancelled, then under european law, you are entitled per passenger

on a short flight to 250 euros in compensation, but if there are what is called "extraordinary circumstances" at play, like bad weather, then the airline doesn't have to pay out. this dispute is about whether strike action falls into that category. if an airline refuses to pay, you can appeal to an independent arbitration group called aviation adr, which ryanair had signed up to. aviation adr found in the favour of passengers for thousands hit by summer strikes, but ryanair is still refusing to pay compensation. that's why the civil aviation authority says it's taking the airline to court. the airline compensation process is a disaster, really. i can't think of something that we hear more often about than passengers who can't seem to get their compensation across a whole range of airlines, and that's why we believe that airlines should introduce automatic compensation. in a statement, ryanair said that courts in other european countries have already ruled that strikes do

qualify as extraordinary circumstances, but if there is a court case in britain, it could have implications when any of us fly in the future. world leaders have gathered in washington to pay their respects at the state funeral of former president george hw bush. his body has been lying in state at the us capitol and it will soon be moved to the national cathedral for the funeral later this afternoon. george bush senior, who served as the mst us president between 1989 and 1993, died on friday at the age of 94. rajini vaidya nathan reports. a fitting farewell for america's mst president. ahead of his state funeral, tens of thousands of people who lined up to pay their respects to george hw bush. mourners of every age and background united in their grief. there was also a special goodbye from his two—year—old service dog, sully. president trump will be a guest

but won't speak at the service. the late president bush insisted he was invited, ending a feud between two families who once traded insults. preparations are under way here at the national cathedral in washington dc for the state funeral. former presidents barak obama and bill clinton will also attend, as well as foreign dignitaries, including prince charles and germany's angela merkel. wednesday is an official day of mourning in the united states. a chance for the country to remember a man whose public service few can match. rajini vaidyanathan, bbc news, washington. this is the scene at the washington national cathedral where that state funeral service will be held

shortly. it is expected to last about1.5 hours, shortly. it is expected to last about 1.5 hours, with the former president's son, a former president of course himself, george w bush junior, will deliver a eulogy. president trump will also attend alongside democrats barack obama and bill clinton. all flags flying at half—mast in a day of national morning, including here at the capitol building. we will return to washington wants that service gets under way later on. you are watching afternoon live from bbc news. now, the wedding dress that's got people talking. this extrordianary veil is more than 70 feet long. it was worn by the bollywood superstar priyanka chopra to her western ceremony when she married us singer nickjonas over the weekend. the ralph lauren dress has more than two million mother—of—pearl sequins sewn into it, but of course it's her veil that stole the show, and needed five people to carry it down the aisle. right, let's get the weather. chris

fawkes is here. that is not here, thatis fawkes is here. that is not here, that is in china, is that right? millar yes, north—east china, that is in china, is that right? millaryes, north—east china, i that is in china, is that right? millar yes, north—east china, i can make these cars move as well. a bit of snow, a bit of fog, but this is the far northern province of china. it has been so cold you could take your cup of tea, boiling water, threw it over your head without getting wet. now that's impressive. what's more impressive than one bloke doing it... if you got out of the way... lots of blokes doing it. it has been super cold there. the air has come in from siberia. the pressure is unusually high at the moment. that is why the weather has

been super cold, 414, cold enough to freeze your tv. that is remarkable. what about here? a chilly day yesterday but as far as today goes we are seeing the weather turned much milder. mist and hill fog patches and some rain too. you can see the weather turning mild, but still a reservoir of cold air across scotland. for most of us a big jump in temperatures. monmouthshire going from 4 degrees yesterday to 13 this afternoon, a jump of 9 degrees, that change all brought about by this area of low pressure, the warm front moving is woods, bringing a lot of clout and outbreaks of rain. this is how the weather looks through the rest of the afternoon and through the evening, with the wettest weather in south—east scotland and eastern areas of england, damp and drizzly further west to the coast and hills but it will be turning

mild for most, the exception is the far north of scotland. during this evening and overnight we will probably still have a few patches of drizzle across western areas. it will be one of those nights where temperatures barely change at all. the exception is northern england and scotland where that milder air will continue to slowly lift the temperatures. tomorrow, more rain in the forecast, quite heavy in the west, pushing eastwards with time, but even as the rain eases off, it will probably stay quite damp and drizzly across western areas of england, and for southern counties as well. a mild day, much milder in scotland, 10 degrees the stornoway and aberdeen, and towards the end of the week we have this deep area of low pressure. it will move just to the north of scotland. it will bring a swathe of very strong winds, jails or severe gale sitting the western side of the country, 60 to 70 mph

winds. that could potentially cause some disruption. although the winds are going into scotland, it will also be blustery to northern ireland, northern england and wales, a mixture of sunshine and showers but it is notjust the strong winds that are a cause for concern because there will be a lots of heavy rain to the north of scotland. that could bring some localised surface water flooding. for friday, the risk of some disruption, with from the strong winds all the heavy rain, either way we could see one or two problems to in the week. those blustery conditions continue to the weekend with a mixture of rain showers on saturday. it should be drier as we had through sunday with a better chance of seeing some sunshine. still fairly brisk winds around and staying just about mild, though the temperature is coming down a little bit for the second half of the weekend. this is bbc news.

our latest headlines... the government publishes its legal advice on brexit in full. it warns that the deal could result in the uk becoming stuck in "protracted and repeating rounds of negotiations". mps are now debating the deal, as the prime minister battles to save her plan. matthew hedges, the british academicjailed for spying in the united arab emirates, has told how he endured "psychological torture" during his captivity. ryanair faces legal action over its refusal to compensate thousands of passengers over cancelled flights after a summer of strike action at the airline. sport now on afternoon live with olly foster. southampton have named their new manager. can you? yes, ralph hasenhuttl. they

sacked mark hughes on monday morning and are in the relegation zone but they have given the job to the austrian who is a former striker and was capped by his country. he had a successful spell in the bundesliga with rb leipzig. they finished second in his first year in charge and reached the europa league quarterfinals. his priority will be to keep saints up — they are in the relegation zone, one point off the bottom. he has been given a two—and—a—half—year deal but won't be in the dug—out for tonight's match at spurs. the saints chairman, ralph krueger, says his "enthusiasm for football was contagious and his hunger to take on a new and challenging job in the premier league was evident. he embodies the passion, structure, communication skill set, work ethic and appetite for growth that we strive for."

it could be talking about you, the appetite bit anyway! you will pay for that at some point! and there is someone you calling the toon at newcastle! the fans do not blame the manager, all the anger has been directed towards mike ashley for the last few years who is the owner. he has been at the helm for 11 years but that could be coming to an end. a consortium fronted by the former manchester united and chelsea chief executive peter kenyon is believed to be in position to take over. a couple of bids on the table apparently. ashley has become a much maligned figure at the club. fans groups have wanted him out for years because of a lack of investment in the playing staff that has seen them struggle on the pitch. he's overseen two relegations and they are in another battle to stay up at the moment. the club has actually been on the market for 11; months.

a ta ke—over collapsed earlier this year. i asked our sports news correspodent richard conway about how quickly a deal can be done and how much the club will cost. i think we are looking at around £300 million but of course that will come with money on top of that to invest in the squad which would lead to investing in the stadium and training ground. in terms of timeframe, it will be crucial that any new owner will want to be able to invest in this january window. newcastle a re to invest in this january window. newcastle are languishing in the bottom half of the premier league, relegation threatened perhaps and that would be disastrous for any new owner so that would be disastrous for any new owner so they would want time in the january window to put money in and bolster the squad. of course, remi league checks take about 11; days, we have the christmas break, richard scudamore is departing as executive chairman —— mega premier league checks. we are not even sure if a firm bid has been launched, it is

simply that peter kenyon is in pole position. we will see what comes but the clock is ticking because of the importance of the january transfer window and the position of newcastle in the premier league at the moment. the olympic and world track cycling champion dani rowe has retired. she won gold in the team pursuit at the london games in 2012 and also won three world championship titles with the british team before turning to road racing where she won commonwealth bronze for wales earlier this year. she is 28 and says she will stay in the sport. andy murray is going to play at the australian open in the new year. he is ranked outside the world's top 250 but can use his protected ranking to gain entry to the first grand slam of the year in melbourne. that's because of all his injury troubles. he only played in six events this year after returning from hip surgery. we are into the last 16 at the uk snooker championships in york. two matches are under way right now at the barbican in york. the defending champion,

ronnie o'sullivan, is taking onjack lisowski. o'sullivan is 4—1 up. this is the match on the other table, world champion mark williams is co mforta bly champion mark williams is comfortably beating stephen maguire, i think it is 4—0. i will be back in the next hour on bbc news but now it is time for ask this. now, throughout the day we've been asking you for your brexit questions, specifically on immigration and security, to reflect the areas on which today's brexit debate in parliament is focused. joining me is the criminologist dr alison wakefield, who's also chair of the the professional body the security institute, and our home affairs correspondent dominic casciani. thank you for coming in. we will

kick off this will —— with this one. david morgan via twitter asks, "what are the risks of dropping out of galileo?" my my first question is, what is galileo. it is an interesting and important question. it is the european satellite system in which we have invested i believe 1.2 million. we rely on that system for the likes of mobile phone signal, satnav and importantly military gps navigation. we have had eight state in its development, british companies have been involved in its building but as we leave, we will not have that same oversight of it. if we are a third—party country, we will not have a stake in something thatis will not have a stake in something that is so important for our national resilience and that is the concern. and i think the british have said in the past, we will do our own. well... that is the

billions and billions of dollars question because these things don't come cheap. picking up on this, part of the reason for galileo is to reduce the eu's reliance on the american system, gps. we know it from phones and watches. it is really useful but the americans control it down to the precise information which it provides to its own military. the eu felt they needed their own system which would give as precise information to eu member states anywhere in the world, that precise timing and locational data. the russians have their own system. the chinese are developing a system. the chinese are developing a system. it is about making sure these power blocs around the world have their own independent reliance on their own systems. if the uk is going to go low, it has to find money which many scientists believe it will not be able to find to make

agoof it will not be able to find to make a go of this —— going to go alone. it isa a go of this —— going to go alone. it is a bit like saint, for critics of this proposal, the uk can go back to the 18th century when we had a navy which ruled the world but we don't have that power and economic firepower any more —— a bit like saying. galileo is a big deal and ultimately, if we fall out of it, we will remain reliant on the americans. in some respects it is not that big a deal because of how tight the security... and it is all about control. indeed and you have the relationship between the uk and washington, the special relationship, and that will continue to deliver that kind of access but it would not be the same as having the galileo system. the options of creating our own, but that presents a number of obstacles, or trying to collaborate with other countries in a common system. ok let's look at immigration. @matthewgordonn via twitter. "will uk citizens need a visa to go to europe?" another interesting one. the answer

is possibly at this stage. it depends on whether we do a deal or not. if there is a no deal scenario, the outcome would be similar to the us the outcome would be similar to the u s syste m the outcome would be similar to the us system at the moment, the etias system where brits would pay a small fee and become part of that system and have to enter their personal data for the purpose of security checks. fundamentally this concern is whether or not we get the transition ahead. if the transition goes through, in effect for the next 18 months or so, things don't really change. eu citizens will continue to come to the uk, our citizens can continue to go to other eu nation states and that transfer will continue, this is separate to the

idea of settlement. this is about travel and it will continue but the problem is, if we get no deal and crash out, what you are into legal limbo land. if we do get some kind of deal what happens after december 2020, the end of the transition period between being a full member state and not being a member state? we just don't know at the moment, we don't know what the final arrangement will look like. one of the key red lines for the uk government is taking back control of immigration in all its forms. this is the red line, that they want to end freedom of movement and they wa nt end freedom of movement and they want to choose who comes into the uk. correspondingly, the eu will say, we will decide who comes here. it is possible you could end up in a visa situation but who knows? one of the interesting factors is the politics of this. the forthcoming immigration white paper which many mps are angry about not seeing

before the meaningful vote next week, that is talking about having... treating people from different parts of the world the same, whether from the eu or from india, egypt treated the same by the british immigration system and that includes visas but what happens if the eu says, hang on, if you want that free trade deal, you have to give our citizens something on visas and then the politics comes in. it is very unclear what is going to happen. ok. this will ask some will will be able to check security details between the uk and eu after brexit. firstly the no deal scenario isa brexit. firstly the no deal scenario is a concern because we would not have an arrangement in place and all third—party countries have the possibility of establishing an agreement with the eu, they are called strategic or operational agreements. the operational is the more developed package that other

states have access to. it does not give access to all of the databases that we would need so i guess the physical arrangements around that would need to be negotiated. i would imagine it would mean that instead of having access to many of these through the national crime agency in the uk, we would have to send our law enforcement officers overseas either to europol headquarters or one of our bilateral partners. either to europol headquarters or one of our bilateral partnersm either to europol headquarters or one of our bilateral partners. it is the data issue that people are concerned about because at the moment you can be fairly pragmatic because if a security officer in london wants to talk to a colleague in paris, that can be done, but is the question of data. absolutely and i will give you an example. one of the system is schengen information system, the uk had a fight to become pa rt of system, the uk had a fight to become part of it in the first place because it is linked to the schengen syste m because it is linked to the schengen system which is effectively open borders. we

that much of which we are not part of at the moment. the uk successfully argued to be part of the system because it gives police forces across the 28 nations access to real—time alerts on missing people, real time alerts on criminals who are on the run. that really valuable information. the syste m really valuable information. the system was used in the uk, have a guess, how many times a day do you think it is used by british police? i don't know, thousands. 1.4 million times a day. not far out! you could have a bobby on the beat in norwich stop someone, or receiving an alert says, ex person is wanted in another member state and they will say, i know where that person is. and that in turn could lead quickly to that person being apprehended and returned to the country that wants them, job done. both communities are

safer as a result. the big problem if this is that while we have access between now and december 2020, that is entirely reliant on basically being a part of the eu's data compliance laws, we follow the laws and when we are outside the eu, there are big constitutional issues. it is not entirely clear we will get this access and mps have repeatedly pushed the home secretary on this point in select committee and nobody is yet convinced he can strike the deal that he and others aspire to get on this. it is on a similar theme, this one. "will the uk remain part of the five eyes agreement?" rupert hill via email... "will our intelligence network within europe be impacted?" what are people talking about here? this is quite complicated because national security, terrorism threats and that kind of spooky end of the

intelligence sharing, is not really pa rt of intelligence sharing, is not really part of the eu, brussels does not sit there and control that flow of information also hypothetically, you have somebody sitting at mi5 who is sharing information with their french or german counterparts but brussels does not get involved in that. there is so —— some coordination around terrorism threats and the eu tries to provide a forum for that. the greater issue i think for many security officials and specialists is that if you lose access to the databases which the police are so reliant upon what effect will that have on the intelligence network and the ability of those intelligence services to work closely together? it is a slightly nuanced situation. which perhaps suggests that pragmatism would step in, one hopes. absolutely. obviously this is a matter of negotiation and i think you have to be really positive about our contribution to these networks

and what the eu would lose in terms of our expertise. one thing mentioned is gchq, and if they lose access,it mentioned is gchq, and if they lose access, it would hurt them more than it hurts us. yes, and we have had a long—standing situation with terrorism and we are constantly innovating with security. with my role in the security institute we are in regular contact with the national counterterrorism policing hq and the national cyber security centre and those systems have collaborated and they are always in balance —— advancing as well. public and private, business to business and private, business to business and bilateral relations, we always have a lot to give. we have to hope thatis have a lot to give. we have to hope that is recognised and maybe there are possibilities of special circumstances. and one of the chaps involved in the attack on brussels airport, when he was apprehended, information was found on his phone.

that related to him probably having business in birmingham and that information was shared directly between the belgian authorities and british authorities without the eu getting involved. the issue comes about when you have access eu systems to further check the data and if we are not part of the databases, thatjob and if we are not part of the data bases, that job slows and if we are not part of the databases, that job slows down. very quickly, a final question. @mysticalkenny via twitter. "what changes will there be for non—uk citizens wanting to emigrate here?" this is all about the wider question of immigration and the government priorities. if it is fixated on the net migration target, for example, we might see what seemed fairly arbitrary changes that are about getting the numbers down. we would hope that there will be a strategic approach that reflects the needs of the country, reputational considerations, because we don't wa nt to considerations, because we don't want to be seen as an unfriendly place. we have to hope but we can't

be sure what the outcome will be. absolutely, and the key thing to add, a lot of this has been about the idea of taking back control and getting control of the numbers. when you look at the immigration figures, the scale of immigration in any given year from outside the eu, it is running at more than 100,000 at the moment and probably nearer 200,000 so there is no indication at this stage that this target of tens of thousands per year will be actually met if we leave the eu. they will have to be other changes to the system if the government wants to reach that target. thank you very much. the second day of debate over the government's proposed brexit deal is underway. we can listen in for a moment. that old anti—irish xenophobia which people like my mother remember sobel

has raised its head again even to the extent of some on the benches opposite talking about the irish tail wagging the british dog and other such insulting metaphors. because the eu 27 got behind the irish government's legitimate concerns, they became central to the brexit process. politicians on the bench and is —— mega benches opposite, not all but some, and it did afew opposite, not all but some, and it did a few behind me, waited in vain for the eu 27 to crack and through ireland under the bus but it did not happen and it will not happen. i was atan happen and it will not happen. i was at an event recently where a very distinguished professor of modern history remarked that the current situation in this house has very uncanny echoes of what happened here a hundred years ago when the electric politics of ulster determined what happened at westminster and it is ironic that should be so as we are shortly to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the election of the first female mp to this parliament... if you want to keep watching that, bbc

parliament has continuing coverage of the brexit debate. tomorrow they will be discussing the economy, as we will be doing so if you have question on that, get them in, all the ways to contact us are on screen. susanna has the business news in a moment but first the headlines. the government publishes its legal advice on brexit in full. in the commons, theresa may denies trying to hide the truth. matthew hedges, the british academicjailed for spying in the united arab emirates, has told how he endured "psychological torture" during his captivity. ryanair faces legal action over its refusal to compensate thousands of passengers over cancelled flights after a summer of strike action at the airline. here's your business headlines on afternoon live. the markets continue to fall, as investors worry about the prospects for the us economy and whether the truce

between the us and china over trade could be shortlived, and tariffs could rise again. takeda pharmaceutical has won shareholder approval for a £46 billion takeover of uk—listed drugmaker shire, clearing the way forjapan's largest corporate acquisition. the takeover would make takeda one of the world's top ten drugmakers. bt has said it will not use chinese firm huawei's equipment within the heart of its 5g mobile network when it is rolled out in the uk. the british company, however, still plans to use the huawei's phone mast antennas and other products deemed not to be at the "core" of the service. it follows security concerns. other things about global trade are dominating things. the false continue on the ftse 100 which has fallen around 1%. it follows some sharp falls in new york yesterday,

the s&p 500, billions of dollars we re the s&p 500, billions of dollars were wiped out off share values. there are real concerns that despite this 90 day cruise that has been called between the us and china, the talks will not achieve very much if anything at all and the planned ta riffs anything at all and the planned tariffs rising from 10% to 25% could be imposed after all and that is concentrating minds. he has had some calming words for the german car manufacturers? this was a hastily arranged meeting between the representatives of bmw, daimler and volkswagen. there is real concern in europe as well that this threat of increasing tariffs on european goods, around 25%, could in fact come to fruition. there were some encouraging words from president trump and we can find out more from samira hussain who is covering this story from new york. what words did president trump have for german

auto—makers? president trump have for german auto-makers? according to the german auto—makers, although nothing really concrete had come out of the meeting, they said they were quite reassured that the tariffs would not come into place. remember what president trump had said with reference to the german auto—makers, that if they would not start building more cars and doing more of your manner factoring here in the united states, i am going to put a 25% tariff on the cars coming in from overseas and being sold here in the us. of from overseas and being sold here in the us. of course, that had a lot of the us. of course, that had a lot of the german auto—makers where read so they came to the white house to have discussions not only with the trump administration and the president himself but also members of his staff and people on capitol hill to make sure that their voice was being heard. not only did they get reassurances from the president that, in the short term, that was

not likely to happen, but from the auto—makers' part, there was some talk about perhaps doing more business in the us. volkswagen was saying they were talking about perhaps opening another factory here. and briefly, this comes as president trump has criticised general motors because they have been affected by the tariffs. those are very different tariffs. what gm has said in terms of the impact of tariffs, it has to do with the raw materials that they used to build the cars like steel and aluminium and because of those tariffs, those raw materials have become more expensive and it became more expensive and it became more expensive for gm to make the cars and that was the tariff issue that was really impacting them. that is very different to what the president is talking about with the european car—makers. is talking about with the european car-makers. thank you very much. that is the business news, more

later. thank you, let's catch up with the weather, here is chris. hello there. our weather is on the change, a change to milder conditions for many of us but with that milder air working in comes extensive low cloud so it is a murky day today. a few fog patches around along with outbreaks of rain. but you can see that milder air working in from the south, leaving a reservoir of cold air across the far north of scotland where temperatures will stay below freezing for some today. but for many of us, a big jump in temperatures. in usk in wales we go from 4 degrees yesterday afternoon to about 13 degrees this afternoon, a jump of 9 celsius. the milder air brought in by this area of cloud and low pressure with the warm fronts heading northwards across the country. as we go through the rest of the day, we will have outbreaks of rain pushing from west to east although it will stay quite murky with some further mist and hill fog patches, outbreaks of drizzle from time to time with more persistent rain getting into the west later in the night. it will turn milder across the north of scotland but a slow process across the far north.

temperatures barely budging between day and night across a good part of the uk. that means it will be a mild start to thursday, quite murky, more rain swinging eastwards, weakening through the afternoon but probably staying damp and drizzly across some of the coasts and hills in south england and across parts of wales as well. it will be a milder day again on thursday with temperatures up to 10 degrees in both stornoway and aberdeen so a jump in temperatures here. the mildest airfurther south with 14 in london and we end the week like this. an area of low pressure spinning up and deepening close to the north of scotland and this will bring a swathes of strong winds. we are talking about gales or even severe gales, gusts of up to 70 mph, perhaps even a touch stronger than that. and although the strongest winds will be focused in scotland, it will be a very windy day as well for northern ireland, northern england and across parts of wales. it stays on the milder side but, with all this heavy rain going across northern scotland, that could also cause a few

issues with some localised surface water flooding. it is across scotland that we have the highest risk of some disruptive weather because of the strong winds or the heavy rain to end the week. it will stay pretty blustery into the weekend as well, more rain or showers coming through on saturday. sunday it looks like being the better of the two days of the weekend. that's your latest weather. hello, you're watching afternoon live — i'm simon mccoy. today at 3pm... the government publishes its legal advice on brexit in full — in the commons, theresa may denies trying to hide the truth. he is absolutely wrong about that. we have not concealed the facts on the brexit dealfrom members of this house. matthew hedges — the british academicjailed for spying in the united arab emirates — has told how he endured "psychological torture" during his captivity. ryanair faces legal action over its refusal to compensate thousands of passengers over cancelled flights —

after a summer of strike action at the airline. america bids farewell to former president george hw bush at washington's national cathedral. all this ball with olly foster. lots of the ball headlines around, southampton will have their new manager in position tomorrow. newcastle could have a new owner in a matter of weeks. and with the weather, chris fawkes. the weather may have turned milder for the time being but a deep area of low pressure set to bring some stormy weather to our shores on friday. stay tuned for the full forecast later on. thanks chris. also coming up — if you thought that meghan's royal wedding veil was grand,— just take a look at this actress priyanka chopra's wedding dress featured a 75—foot long train behind it... with just the five assistants needed to carry it. hello everyone — this

is afternoon live — i'm simon mccoy. after her nightmare day yesterday — well, today's not much better. theresa may was back on the defensive — after the government was forced to release its full brexit legal advice. it states that the uk could become stuck in ‘protracted and repeating rounds' of negotiations to leave the european union if it enters the so—called backstop arrangement. the backstop, which is written into the withdrawal agreement to ensure there's no hard border with northern ireland, could endure indefinitely if no solution is found. this morning the cabinet minister and prominent brexiter — liam fox — said there's a danger that parliament could "steal brexit from the british people," after the government lost those three commons votes yesterday. our political correspondent ben wright reports. have you lost control brexit, prime

minister? under siege, but battling on, with her belated brexit plan. theresa may headed off to prime minister's questions this morning and a parliament that has proved its readiness to defeat the government. the ayes to the right 311, the nos to the left, 293. defeated three times just yesterday, mps forcing the government to publish its legal advice, and backing a move to put parliament in the driving seat if theresa may's deal is voted down next week. and this morning, one brexiteer cabinet minister was fuming. i think that there is, as i have written recently, a real danger that the house of commons, which was a natural remain majority, may attempt to steal brexit from the british people. and he wasn't alone. i think the most important thing to do is to vote for the prime minister's deal. that is the way to secure brexit and deliver for the country. the prime minister and parliament

will deliver on brexit, that is ourjob, we should all know that is ourjob and i remain optimistic and confident about that. it isa it is a message ministers hope well convinced tory brexiteers to vote for the deal on offer, or risk derailing the whole thing. but the deep opposition to the compromise is clear. if the government loses this vote, and i will go against this deal, which go back to brussels and make clear that we would contemplate no deal. this morning, the government to publish the full legal device mps had demanded, which said britain could be left indefinitely in a customs european with the european union as part of the deal to prevent the return of a hard border between northern ireland and the republic. we have seen the detail of the legal advice, we have seen the facts that the government tried to hide. mr speaker, this government is giving northern ireland permanent membership of the single market and a customs union. the legal advice is clear, it states, despite statements in the protocol that it's not intended to be

permanent, in international law the protocol would endure indefinitely. he will see that the advice that he is holding in his left hand has no difference from the statement that was given. indeed, i might take up the personal challenge from the right honourable gentleman. i have myself said on the floor of this house that there is indeed no unilateral right to pull out of the backstop. but labour said the newly published legal advice belt out the backstop legal advice spelt out the backstop arrangements more starkly. whilst the government has been busy saying it is temporary or intended to be temporary, what this document shows is that on legal analysis it is enduring until there is another to take its place. theresa may will spend the next few days imploring the next few

days imploring tory mps to back her next week but she faces an uphill battle. the deal disappoints most of her fractured party, and the opposition is lined up against it. what happens then is anybody‘s guess. from another referendum to leaving with no deal. all mps are talking about a possible plan b. the house of commons now has a guaranteed say in shaping next steps with amendments to the government's plan but there is yet no consensus, and with the brexit date written into law, time is running out. ben wright, bbc news, westminster. let's speak now to aidan o'neill — a qc at matrix chambers — who acted for a cross—party group of mps, which led to advice from european court ofjustice's advocate general yesterday, that the uk can effectively cancel brexit without asking the eu for permission. he's in our westminster studio. firstly, the legal advice that was published this morning, one of the reasons the government gave out for not wanting to give up was issues of national security and things like that. there doesn't seem to be any dangers of that, having seen it.|j

don't think it is so much national security so much as the idea that the government generally, with legal advice, it likes to control the message, and, as it were, to spain macro what might be said or not. all thatis macro what might be said or not. all that is as happened is that —— to spin what might be said or not. all that has happened is to release the legal advice in its full and unspun form. any legal surprises in it? no, the attorney general‘s statement yesterday mirrors what the legal advice, that he gave, it is just legal advice given in plain and perhaps more starker terms than a general statement might be, but in substance i can't see any difference at all, and i wouldn't expect there to be. the attorney general clearly as the leader of the bar and as a responsible law officer answerable

to the commons, parliament would make sure that there was no deviation between what he said to parliament yesterday and what he said to ministers before. terms of the ecj advocate general‘s advice yesterday, and it isjust the ecj advocate general‘s advice yesterday, and it is just advice, but it is never different normally when it comes through the process, basically saying if the uk wants to drop article 50 at any point, it can. yes, it is, as you say, an opinion, an advisory opinion. the judgment of the full court of justice, 27judges, will be forthcoming, we have yet to hear when, but yes, his position was that the uk can leave in accordance, it can withdraw its revocation in accordance with requirements, it is entirely up to it, it is a unilateral decision, just as it was a unilateral decision to decide to leave from the eu within the two yea rs leave from the eu within the two

years that we have we can revoke that withdrawal. the one thing we don't seem to be getting in any brexit discussions this side of the channel, that is absolute clarity. we now seem to have a number of options, don't we? yes, there are a number of options. as one says, there is the withdrawal agreement, which has been concluded in principle. there is the idea of simply doing nothing and then crashing out automatically by operation of the treaties, but there is now this clear third option of simply as it were calling the whole thing. legally, what options are there to avoid... we had that amendment yesterday, the plan b to avoid a crashing out, how watertight with that be? does that mean that crashing out is now not likely? well, it depends, because there is a difference between what parliament can do and what is possible under eu

law is an international issue. there will only be a no no—deal brexit if the european council, all the other eu member states, agreed to extend the two—year period, and they can agree to that and then suggested to the uk, orthe uk agree to that and then suggested to the uk, or the uk can ask the european council for an extension of the period. but parliament alone cannot extend the period, and if there is no extinction tonne extension and there is no deal, then there is a crash out. if there was another referendum, the so—called people's vote, and one of the options was let's just a in the eu, it would appear that is a simple phone call to say we are dropping article 50. yes, there are no formalities required for that, all that the advocate general said is that the advocate general said is that it has to be done in good faith, i:e., not tactically, in a

way to, as it were, do an in and out dance, that one has two then say if thatis dance, that one has two then say if that is the settled will of the british people, or parliament, then all one does is notify the council of that contention with a letter, just as it was done by a letter on 29th of march that we were leaving. thank you so much for your time. the home secretary sajid javid has been on his feet in the commons in the past hour — talking about security and immigration might be impacted by the brexit withdrawal agreement. but it was on the issue of the northern ireland backstop where he faced his toughest questions, including two interventions from dup mps. mrjavid said the government is listening to those dissenting voices... it is important to listen to all voices, and i think that whilst it points to whilst this is an arrangement, it is right that we look into and continue to explore to

see whether there are other arrangements as well that can lead toa arrangements as well that can lead to a more permanent and more easily a cce pta ble to a more permanent and more easily acceptable outcome. but the focus of today's debate is immigration and security — and during her speech, shadow home secretary diane abbott said there's no guarantee in this deal that security co—operation between the uk and eu won't deteriorate... at best you can say it is a blindfold brexit on security, but at worst it may be leading us off a cliff on security matters. ministers insist that the deal that is being put before this house will offer us better arrangements than any other third country. i put it to ministers thatis third country. i put it to ministers that is not the point. the point is not of a better arrangements than other countries, the point is will they give us the same assurances on security and fighting crime that we currently have ? let's go to westminster now and join our chief political correspondent vicki young...

diane abbott using the phrase taking us diane abbott using the phrase taking us offa diane abbott using the phrase taking us off a cliff. the second day of cabinet ministers trying to persuade their college to pass this deal next tuesday. there doesn't seem to be a huge movement of mps who have changed their mind on all of this let's explore it a bit more, i am joined by the conservative john let's explore it a bit more, i am joined by the conservativejohn and stephen gethins. what can the government do to persuade you to back this deal? i didn't like the chequers proposal is to start with but the principal objection that i think a lot of people have to the withdrawal agreement is the fact that we automatically fall into a backstop, unless the eu agree that an alternative has been found. and once we are in it, we are unable to get out of it, again, unless the eu ee, get out of it, again, unless the eu agree, and that is what has led to the dup to withdraw their support and what has caused a lot of my colleagues to say this is totally in breach of our manifesto and the

commitments that we gave. is there any sign that either yourself or other colleagues of those on the brexit side of the argument feeling that after yesterday, when parliament will be given a bigger say on what happens if the deal doesn't go through, are you concerned that brexit might not happen at all? is that likely to sway you in anyway? well, brexit is written into the law, we pass that in the european withdrawal bill and it states clearly really born the 29th of march. in order for that not happen, parliament would need to repeal it, it would need legislation to do it, it would actually require appeal of the existing law. then i don't accept the government's view that it don't accept the government's view thatitis don't accept the government's view that it is this deal or no deal. i believe there is an alternative but which we haven't really ever tried to achieve, or at least we didn't until after david davis and boris johnson both resigned, because they could see that deal and that was the reason they left. stephen gethins, snp, john is right,

isn't it, this is in law, we are leaving, and if we don't have a deal then we have no deal? where john and i have some then we have no deal? where john and i have some common then we have no deal? where john and i have some common ground is that this is not the question to whatever question is being posed uth not an answer. we are in a parliament of minorities, and there is a responsibility mps to reach out across political divide and try to find common ground especially when faced with that cliff edge brexit. the two years the government have been disregarding negotiating with anyone else apart from some of their backbenchers in the dup. that is not terribly representative, certainly of scotland but also other parts of the united kingdom as well. we offered a compromise two years ago to come out of the eu but stay part of the single market and the customs union, and the government appear to have rejected that. so if they have rejected our compromise then maybe the only to get through this and out of it is to have a final referendum on the fact that have been put forward , on the fact that have been put

forward, a final referendum on that deal. the arrangement with the dup which is keeping your party on power, it has broken down, hasn't it? we saw yesterday the consequences of the dup no longer supporting the government. we lost the deal because the dup were not willing to support us and that does send a very serious warning i think to the government, because the dup have made clear that for them this deal as it presently stands breaches all of their fundamental conditions for supporting the government, and it would be a very strong risk that if the deal were ratified, the dup would withdraw their support. so we are potentially heading to a general election? i don't think, if you took a general poll of mps that you would be that we don't want a general election but we are backing ourselves into a corner where it looks increasingly difficult to see how we escape without one. are you ready for a general election? we are absolutely ready, we think this tory government has been a complete

disaster, but i will disagree with john on something. the government la st john on something. the government last night got cuffed, got gilbert, three times, and the final vote he was referring to, it was notjust dup votes, though a lot of others rebelling against the government. what is striking is that in hollywood, you have a minority government getting things done whereas here you can have a minority government that can't get anything done. minority government are not unusual, they may be unusual for westminster, but if there is a general election, will the numbers change that much? we need to be used to reaching out across political divides, having minority governments, between 2007 and 2011 the snp had 47 out of 129 seats in the snp had 47 out of 129 seats in the scottish parliament, delivered world leading climate change legislation, delivered free education, it had a transformative effect, but by reaching out to other parties, and that is something we see a lack of down here. i'm not sure there will be much reaching out or consensus here in the next few

days but thank you very muchjohn whittingdale and stephen gethins. it will all be solved by people sitting down and having a nice chat and working together. not unlike us, thank you very much, vicki. a debate has just begun in the scottish parliament on scotland's response to the brexit withdrawal agreement and political declaration. that is go to lorna gordon at holyrood for us. how significant is this vote likely to be? it is in sting, because the parties in the parliament behind me so often divided, not least over the issue of independence, today in large part coming together. four of the five parties, the snp, labour, the liberal democrats and the greens uniting with this joint motion, saying this deal on the table is a bad deal, and rejecting the idea of a no—deal brexit. scotland's cabinet secretary of constitutional affairs mike russell has been up speaking in

the chamber behind me. he called this a unique collaboration between government and opposition parties in scotland. he argues that scotland needs and deserves better than a blind brexit. the conservatives oppose the motion being debated, here they say it is a needless debate and it will be used to ferment the argument on the part of the snp and the greens to further the snp and the greens to further the case for independence. it is, though, remember, largely symbolic. the government here, the parliament here do not have a seat at the table when it comes to the brexit deal, or indeed the brexit vigorish yea sure is preceding it, but it does send a strong message that the rump of the politicians here do not want brexit to happen and they especially do not wa nt to happen and they especially do not want a no—deal brexit to happen, and that a majority of people here in scotla nd that a majority of people here in scotland voted against brexit in the first place. we will be back to you later, thank you very much. you are watching afternoon live, the

headlines today. the government publishes its legal advice in brexit in full. publishes its legal advice in brexit infull. in publishes its legal advice in brexit in full. in the commons, theresa may denies trying to hype the truth. —— to hide the truth. matthew hedges — the british academicjailed for spying in the united arab emirates — has told how he endured "psychological torture" during his captivity. ryanair faces legal action over its refusal to compensate thousands of passengers over cancelled flights — after a summer of strike action at the airline. and in sport, ralph hasenhuttl is the new manager at southampton. the austrian who had a successful spell with rp leipzig in the band liquor replaces mark hughes, who was sacked on monday. mike ashley could sell newcastle united by the new year. a consortium fronted by the former manchester united and chelsea chief executive peter kenyon repeated —— reported to be in advanced talks. defending champion ronnie o'sullivan is through to the quarterfinals at the uk champion in york. he beat jack lozowski six frames to one. more sport a little bit later. world leaders have gathered

in washington to pay their respects at the state funeral of former president george hw bush. his body has been lying in state at the us capitol and the funeral will take place at the national cathedral shortly. george bush senior, who served as the 415t us president between 1989 and 1993, died on friday at the age of 94. these are the live pictures coming in. ex—president george w bush, his son, will be delivering one of the eulogies at this service. other presidents, including president donald trump, his predecessors, barack obama, bill clinton and jimmy carter also scheduled to attend the service. this is the scene at the capital. our correspondent gary o'donoghue is in washington. gary, this is a state event, and a number of world leaders have been

arriving from all over the world. yes, it is the full pomp of the american state on display here today, as you would expect for a former president. five living presidents will be attending, and a number of people from around the world, heads of state, angela merkel is coming from germany, prince charles will be there representing the queen. others, like the king of jordan, will also be there. and they will listen to, as you said, the former president george w bush, deliver the main eulogy. he will be speaking of course notjust as a former president, but as the son of the 415t president, and i think that will be a very poignant moment for the nation, where he tries to come ina sense, the nation, where he tries to come in a sense, balance those two due to use as both former president and son in that extraordinary moment that we will see in the next hour or so. you will see in the next hour or so. you will see in the next hour or so. you will see on display, as you can

hear, the various branches of the us military playing those well rehearsed and familiar tune in is that they do on these occasions. there will be a number of readings also from bush family members during the service, and that the end, after it is all done and dusted, they will transport the coughlin from the washington national cathedral back tojoint base washington national cathedral back to joint base andrews outside of the city to be flown back to texas for a funeral tomorrow, and an interment at the presidential library in couege at the presidential library in college station in texas. the current president donald trump has tweeted in the last half hour, he said looking forward to being with the bush family. this is not a funeral, this is a day of celebration for a great man who has led a long and distinguished life. he will be missed. these two did not necessarily see eye to eye. no,

indeed. we know from a biography, probably the most authoritative biography of bush senior that he did not vote for donald trump in the election. he voted for hillary clinton, we are told by his biographer. there was a lot of animosity between the trump family and the bushes, we know that, and on the campaign trail donald trump willie kirk issue, made fun, in many ways, of george bush senior, particularly of his thousand points of light speech that the former president had made that during his campaigning days. and they represent of course two very different branches of the republican party, and trump very much an insurgent, a man who has taken over the republican party and turned it in many ways into his own image. george bush senior of course the presenting a much more old—style, patrician,

more conciliatory, more bipartisan form of republicanism that held sway really until i guess the late 80s and the early 905. things really until i guess the late 805 and the early 905. things had already begun to change under him. ronald reagan had seen to that, and evenin ronald reagan had seen to that, and even in earlier generations people like barry goldwater had tried to do something similar with moving the republican party right, but really it was the end of george bush senior, there was a definite 5hift to the right, evangelical influence, and then of course when bill clinton became president, the ascendancy of people like newt gingrich, a real pu5h people like newt gingrich, a real push to the right by the republican party. george bush senior would not sit ea5ily party. george bush senior would not sit easily in the republican party of today, certainly. gary, let's ju5tjoin the ceremony because the bodyis ju5tjoin the ceremony because the body is being moved. let'sjust listen in for a moment. military band plays "abide with me".

and, gary, a5 and, gary, as the coffin i5 and, gary, as the coffin is loaded onto the purse, we have seen p i ctu res onto the purse, we have seen pictu res of onto the purse, we have seen pictures of his son, george bush onto the purse, we have seen pictures of his son, george bu5th, and his wife laura, and it is difficult to forget that on a state occasion like this this is also a family event. absolutely, this is an intensely in many ways public

family, it is a dynasty, a political dynasty, but also this is them living out and going through the motions of a very private event, under the glare of the nation's spotlight, and the nation's cameras, so spotlight, and the nation's cameras, so it must be a very difficult moment for them too, because they will want to be having their own private thought5, going through the own grief, and they know at the same time that this is a moment and a ceremony that the nation feel5 time that this is a moment and a ceremony that the nation feels it own5 as well and wants to participate in. so i think that is why in many ways the formality help5 with this, the ritual of these things gives people a certain predictability, a certain proce55 things gives people a certain predictability, a certain process by which they can sort of plot and track their morning and their grief —— mourning and then they will get their real private moment tomorrow in texas at a private ceremony and the private burial. that will be something obviously that they will cheri5h very much, but very much

today this is in many ways the nation's moment to mark the passing of their 415t president, to remember his achievements, to also of course think about some of the things he was think about some of the things he wa5 criticised for, and in some ways one of the rarities in the modern era, a president who didn't make a second term in office, but also someone second term in office, but also someone who preserved it over some very key moments in the nation's history. he was president when the berlin wall came down, he over5aw that process and encouraged that proce55 , that process and encouraged that process, and german reunification. 0f process, and german reunification. of course the end of the gulf war and the end of the cold war in general through his presidency, so some really momentous periods in 20th—century history were there. gary, thank you very much, and what

we will do now is gary, thank you very much, and what we will do now i5join my gary, thank you very much, and what we will do now is join my colleague katty kay for special continuing coverage of the funeral of the former us president, george hw bush. welcome to this bbc news 5pecial welcome to this bbc news special on the state funeral of america's 415t president, george hw bush. you are watching picture5 president, george hw bush. you are watching pictures of the bush family and the coffin of george hw bush leaving the capitol in washington to make its way to the national cathedral a few miles away where dignitaries from around the world are gathering to pay tribute to the former president, who died on friday at the age of 94. for the past two

days, his body has been lying in state at the us capitol. we are waiting for the coffin to leave and that will be a state funeral held at the national cathedral which begins in about half an hour. we will bring you live coverage of that funeral and events leading up to it. we have the bbc‘s nick briant who is at the national cathedral for us, watching the5e national cathedral for us, watching these images of the entire bush family and the coffin leaving. there was family and the coffin leaving. there wa5 laura bush. the formerfir5t lady of course and the wife of george w bush, the 43rd president of the united states. george hw bush and george w bush only one of two pair5 and george w bush only one of two pairs of fathers and sons to be president of the united states and the other pie wa5 president of the united states and the other pie wasjohn adams and john quincy adams 5hortly the other pie wasjohn adams and

john quincy adams shortly after the american war of independence. all of the bush family will be at the cathedral for the service along with former president barack obama, former president barack obama, former president barack obama, former president bill clinton, former president bill clinton, former presidentjimmy carter and current president donald trump. there you can see al gore, former vice president, with former president bill clinton at the national cathedral, waiting for the cup intoa national cathedral, waiting for the cup into a right and the funeral to start. nick, it occurs to me that watching these images, for a younger generation around the world watching this funeral of george hw bush, a5 much as anything, we are watching a moment of history and a different time notjust here in the us but around the world as well. this is like seeing history books come alive, all of the figures we read about in history present here at the national cathedral. they are saying farewell to the last president of

america's greatest generation, that world war ii generation. he served of course as a naval pilot in the pacific, he was shot down by the japanese. so many of that generation came back home and served in politics and brought to politics a 5ense politics and brought to politics a sense of patriotic bipartisan5hip thatis sense of patriotic bipartisan5hip that is perhaps mi55ing today, this 5ense that is perhaps mi55ing today, this sense that political opponents were not your enemies but your rivals and that you could work together for the national good, something again that i5 national good, something again that is lacking today. some will see this as the end of an era, saying goodbye to the late president but in many ways that era ended 25 years ago with that generational 5hift ways that era ended 25 years ago with that generational shift from the world war ii generation represented by george hw bush to youngerfigures like represented by george hw bush to younger figures like bill clinton and newt gingrich who were more ovate —— mugger overtly parti5an his politics was tougher and less con5en5ual. but now, that rare thing

in american national life, america trying at least to remember what it unites it more than what divides it. the late president was very determined on this point, that he wa nted determined on this point, that he wanted donald trump to be in attendance, that he wanted all of the living presidents to be in attendance and three of them were democrats, barack attendance and three of them were democrats, ba rack obama, attendance and three of them were democrats, barack obama, jimmy carter and the man who beat him in the 1992 election, bill clinton. we can see the crowds of people outside the capital and the national cathedral. the flag draped coffin now departing from the capital on its way to the cathedral. if you look inside at the people who are in attendance, not just former american presidents but the list are people from all over the world. prince charles i5 from all over the world. prince charles is there, angela merkel, the former poli5h president, former

british prime ministerjohn major i5 that with his wife as well. for so many former leaders around the world, this was such a critical moment, 1989 to 1993, the period he was president 5aw moment, 1989 to 1993, the period he was president saw the end of the cold war, the reunification of germany, the coalition to oust saddam hussein from kuwait. it was an historic time in global affairs, particularly for all of these european leaders with whom he worked so european leaders with whom he worked so closely to bring about a massive transition on the continent of europe and around the world. george herbert walker bush will be remembered and i5 herbert walker bush will be remembered and is being remembered as one of the great foreign policy presidents. it was by no means inevitable the cold war would come toa inevitable the cold war would come to a peaceful end but he did so much to a peaceful end but he did so much to engineer that. he was criticised at the time for not celebrating victory in the cold war. journalists

in the white house press corps accused him of missing the historical moment and he was criticised for not rushing to berlin when the wall came down but he was clever enough to realise that that would cause real problems for mikhail gorbachev in russia. there we re mikhail gorbachev in russia. there were hardliner5 in the kremlin who wa nted were hardliner5 in the kremlin who wanted to oust him and george bush thought this was not a moment to grow. a5imilar thought this was not a moment to grow. a similar response in the aftermath of the gulf war. he a55embled an international coalition of 35 countries, went to the un and got the security council to authorise that war, he got a war authorisation vote in congress after the midterm elections in 1990 rather than before because he did not want to politici5e operation desert storm. and in the aftermath again he was invited to attend a victory parade in new york city but said that to take that back to get a ticker tape adulation should be for the men and women who fought in the war rather than the commander in chief. a very modest and clever man when it came to foreign affairs and

rightly he is being remembered as one of the world's great statesman of the cold war era. stay with us, nick, a5 of the cold war era. stay with us, nick, as we watch this cavalcade processing through washington, dc up to the national cathedral past ledger lan —— at major landmarks. it will make its way past the white house effectively. you can see the out rider5 on the motorbikes, the hearse and the family in the cavalcade. there are members of cong re55 cavalcade. there are members of congre55 who have been there to say goodbye to the president at the capitol building and they will also make their way to the national cathedral for the service which is due to begin in about 20 minutes and we will bring you that service live. iam we will bring you that service live. i am pleased that we are joined here by eleanor clift who covered george hw bush when he was president. we talked about his role

internationally and that is how he i5 internationally and that is how he is very much remembered around the world but the changes in america, let's talk about the man himself. what was he like as a man? he was so understated that he sometimes would get lost in history between his predece55or, ronald reagan, 5uch get lost in history between his predece55or, ronald reagan, such a towering figure, and his successor, bill clinton, who had such camaraderie with the american people. george hw bush was a patrician, went to the finest private schools, tried to remake himself as an oil man. he moved to texas and learnt to like pork rind so texas and learnt to like pork rind so he could be one of the people and he had an awkwardness about him that suggested his authenticity. he once spoke at a rally in new hampshire and he had a card before him that said, message: icare and he had a card before him that said, message: i care which is what the speech writers had given to him to craft his words and he read

directly from the piece of paper! it made the front page of the new york time5 made the front page of the new york times in made the front page of the new york time5 ina made the front page of the new york times in a memorable article. he was kind of bumbling in his approach to domestic politics but he was a genius when it came to international diplomacy and the coalition may put together, the coalition of the willing, i believe even included saudi arabia which help to foot the bill for the first gulf war. it was the first war that america had won ina long the first war that america had won in a long time. and the contrast of the coalition of the willing with the coalition of the willing with the coalition of the willing with the coalition of the unwilling for the coalition of the unwilling for the second gulf war. the words i have heard repeatedly about him as a person since he died on friday, civility that he was kind, that he had a real reference to the office of the presidency, that he almost seems to hark back as a man to a former era. that is all true but there is a big but. if you look at there is a big but. if you look at the campaign he waged in 1988, it

was one of the most brutal campaigns we had seen. he condoned the airing ofa we had seen. he condoned the airing of a clearly raci5t at which showed a convicted murderer going through a shadowy revolving door and he basically tagged his democratic opponent a5 basically tagged his democratic opponent as being 5oft basically tagged his democratic opponent as being soft on crime and unpatriotic. or tho5e opponent as being soft on crime and unpatriotic. or those of us who covered him, it was hard to square that with the person that we knew as a vice president and we would come to know as president. the way i understand it, george hw bush viewed politics as something of a dirty bu5iness. politics as something of a dirty business. if you were in that busine55, business. if you were in that business, you did what it took. he turned himself over to the co nsulta nts turned himself over to the consultants in that 1988 campaign and some of the names of them were roger ailes who went on to found fox news, roger stone who is now making headlines in connection with the

russian investigation, lee atwater who would later apologise to michael dukakis. the democratic candidate. that's right. when president bush gave his inaugural addre55 that's right. when president bush gave his inaugural address in january 1989, he promised a kinder and gentler presidency and people thought that was a swipe at his predece55or, thought that was a swipe at his predecessor, one thought that was a swipe at his predece55or, one of reagan, but i think it was his effort to turn over a new 5late a5 think it was his effort to turn over a new 5late as president and he governed with great dignity and fairness. and the campaigning bush was left behind. governed with great dignity and fairness and of course had a huge impact around the world. joining us is the chief washington correspondent for the new york times who covered the former president. you have a lovely memory of covering george hw bush when he came to florida when you were a rookie reporter. what was your first memory of the man who would become the 415t pre5ident? of the man who would become the 415t president? actually, it is funny, but i was struck by how tall he was!

eleanor might remember. people always thought ronald reagan was taught but bush was taller. it struck me that he had this sophisticated level of politics about him. certainly he got me interested in washington. as we have gone through the past few days here, there has been an emphasis on the way he governed and the way he was able to work with other people and he put partisanship aside and that is kinda what we're doing today here in washington and across the country. very tense patterssen time we are engaged in a course in the trump era but everybody is stepping back —— partisan time. even if they did not agree with the president, they are honouring the man and the office as well i think. this is a chance for america to come together and remember how important the presidency is. i did want to say, there was a mention earlier on his

combat service in world war ii. i heard something interesting the other day from susan collins, the maine republican senator and very close to the bush family. she said that president bush once told her that president bush once told her that not a day of his life went by when he did not think about the two... i'mjust going when he did not think about the two... i'm just going to interrupt one second because we are seeing the p i ctu res one second because we are seeing the pictu res of one second because we are seeing the pictures of the body of the 415t president driving past the white house here in washington, dc. there you go, the man who used to occupy that building now taking his last ride past it. the 415t president, 1989 to 1993, george hw bush occupied that building as the republican president who took over from ronald reagan. he died on friday at the age of 94. he is now in that coffin on his way to the

national cathedral where dignitaries from around the world are of course waiting for him. i'm sorry, i interrupted, please do pick up.|j wasjust saying, he said he thought every day about the people who were killed while he survived being shot down and i think that said something about george hw bush, that he thought himself a very lucky person and that he sort of governed that way. this was his way of paying back. i think it was an authentic comment about him. and he was only 17 when pearl harbor wa5 comment about him. and he was only 17 when pearl harbor was attacked in 1941 and i think that makes him strictly speaking underage to enlist himself! i do think that, that is true. i think that there is a real ending ofan true. i think that there is a real ending of an era with the greatest generation and him passing on. i think that a lot of people were really struck by bob dole at the

capital getting out of his wheelchair to salute a man who he opposed for the presidency of course. i think that that speaks about how people can come together. but it is a moment where that world war ii generation is moving on. thank you very much. nick, i want to tell you that the picture we are looking at, barack obama, michelle obama, bill clinton, hillary clinton,jimmy obama, bill clinton, hillary clinton, jimmy carter and his wife ju5t clinton, jimmy carter and his wife just off i think. it is a real pantheon of american dignitaries and american leadership but also global leadership that has come to pay tribute, a5 leadership that has come to pay tribute, as we have been saying for the last few minutes, of a passing not just of an the last few minutes, of a passing notjust of an era but of a generation a generation that served in the second world war with george hw bush the last president to have served in the military and become

president of the united states. you look at those three leaders, obama, carter and clinton, and you wonder what they are thinking about the pa55ing what they are thinking about the passing of this generation. bill clinton perhaps reflecting on that extraordinary letter that george herbert walker bush wrote him on the day of his inauguration in 1993. your success is day of his inauguration in 1993. your success is our success, day of his inauguration in 1993. your success is our success, he wrote. tho5e your success is our success, he wrote. those two did not get on in 1992. george herbert walker bush did regard clinton as a draft dodger and indeedin regard clinton as a draft dodger and indeed in his diary that very night, after the inauguration of clinton, expre55ed after the inauguration of clinton, expressed his world and that the country had elected a draft dodger, as he put it. he says he was not writing out of bitterne55 but more bewilderment but they did become firm friends. i was there in the trip which forged their friendship after the asian t5unami. they did a

tour of disaster affected communities and became this extraordinary post—presidential double act as they toured tho5e communities and i was with them when they did it and you could see the friendship emerging that has lasted to this day but there is a very deep friendship a5 to this day but there is a very deep friendship as well between the bush family and the obama family and a re5pect family and the obama family and a respect as well between jimmy carter and george w bush, both of whom were one term president who often remembered as much for their post—presidency a5 remembered as much for their post—presidency as their presidency itself. but history and po5terity has been a lot kinder to george herbert walker bush than the headline writers at the time. there was a headline in newsweek in 1988, the wimp factor, how could they serve that —— say that about unable pilot who had served about these skies of the pacific. rather like harry s truman, who history has been a lot kinder to them commentators we re a lot kinder to them commentators were at the time, george herbert walker bush's legacy has been rea55e55ed and he is seen as a much

more significant figure now than he was at the time. if you look at the polling amongst a political 5cienti5t polling amongst a political scientist in america and political hi5torian5 in america, they regard him as the top of the tree when it comes to a one term president, the mo5t comes to a one term president, the most significant one term president in american history. and it is worth pointing out he was a one term president, he did not get the second term in office, losing to bill clinton in 1992 on the issue of the economy. we have talked a lot about his legacy around the world, which was his legacy around the world, which wa5 colossal, but the perception of the american public was that he not had been paying enough attention to that economic problems at home and they did not reward him for his 5ervice they did not reward him for his service in the second world war for the successful ou5ting of saddam hussein from iraq, the successful navigation of the end of the cold warand navigation of the end of the cold war and the reunification of germany, they did not reward him with a second term. i was a student

in america at the time and when i arrived in the summer of 1991, he was still enjoying this stratospheric approval rating with a rating of 89% at one time... donald trump and the first lady, milani, walking into the national cathedral. it was george hw bush's expre55 wish that the current president be in attendance at this funeral. washington held another big funeral this summer, that of senatorjohn mccain and donald trump wa5 this summer, that of senatorjohn mccain and donald trump was not at that funeral but he was at this one and that was the express wish of george hw bush, totally fitting and proper that the current president would be there. melania trump taking her seat alongside barack obama and saying hello to the former presidents and the first lady a5 donald trump also agreed the former re5ident. not the easiest relationship, that they face but

they are all there to pay tribute to george hw bush and his passing and, by extension, the bush family. let's bring in ron christie, former adviser to president george hw bush. i want to ask you about the relationship between george hw bush and the man who will give a eulogy at this funeral, his son, the 43rd president of the united states, george w bush. they were close and as people like to say about the bush family, they are an emotional family and they cried. i would not be 5urprised and they cried. i would not be surprised if we saw a few tears this morning when george w bush gives his eulogy. they will be some tears of ivy eulogy. they will be some tears of joy and sadness. one thing i can tell you about the relationship between george w bush and his father, the first day we were in office, president bush's walked into the oval office and there was a silence and a door opened and there was silence there was a saying of

good morning mr president, good morning, mr president, dante refused to call each other anything other than mr president when they were in the white house —— mac and they refused to call each other. george w bush has told the story of how, when he was in this very building 5hortly how, when he was in this very building shortly after the attacks of 9/11, and there was a service for the country and george hw bush was sitting i imagine in that very same pew where the former presidents and current president are sitting now. george w bush had given... spoken to but nation and he did not want to cry and it came down and george hw bu5h, his father, reached acro55 cry and it came down and george hw bu5h, his father, reached across and put his arm on his hands. they were close as father and son.|j put his arm on his hands. they were close as father and son. i was about five rows back when that happened on september —— september 14, 2001 and it was such a warm and amazing moment, father to son, it was such a warm and amazing moment, fatherto son, president it was such a warm and amazing moment, father to son, president to president and you could see the joy that president bush the elder felt

for his son, standing up for his country at that darkest of hours. as we look at those former pre5ident5, let's talk aboutjimmy carter was president before george hw bush and i5 president before george hw bush and is still in remarkably good form, the president who announced he had cancer of the year to go but he is infine cancer of the year to go but he is in fine petal. i saw him 5peaking cancer of the year to go but he is in fine petal. i saw him speaking at a funeral about a year ago and he was strong and in charge of his oratory —— mecca in fine fettle. i wonder what he is thinking. lam thinking i am thinking he is recognising his camaraderie with president bush in that they both served a single term and if you did not get re—elected, that was considered a loss and it somehow relegated you to another position among the pantheon of presidents. jimmy carter has gone on toa presidents. jimmy carter has gone on to a post—presidency that is extraordinary in the amount of work he has gotten done but i also believe his single term is being re—evaluated. there was an ability

to get more things done back in his day and in george hw bush's day because the congress and white house still worked together. george hw bush faced a totally democratic congress so we had to be bipartisan to get anything done. jimmy carter has said that he had an easier time with the republicans in congress than he had with democrats who regarded him as too conservative and he was a way station before senator ted kennedy would run for president. i think the one term label might be being redefined today and i think thatis being redefined today and i think that is what jimmy carter is being redefined today and i think that is whatjimmy carter is hoping as well. hard not to think that when you look at how much george hw bush succeeded, certainly on the global stage. looking at the list of people who were leaders in europe during the time that george hw bush was president. mikhail gorbachev, helmut kohl in west germany, john major in

the uk who is there at this funeral, francois mitterrand, in china it was entrapping who had just stepped down. you look at that period at the end of the cold war and how it seemed almost a simpler time. it had this tectonic struggle between the soviet union and the united states of america. and the forces of pluralism and free markets and democracy had won. you wonder whether that time that george hw bush was president was not a more straightforward time here in the united states before the ri5e here in the united states before the rise of hugely parti5an cable televi5ion, rise of hugely parti5an cable television, the internet, social media, tampering with social media and elections in the country. it seems that you look back in the country was pulled together by the end of the cold war. george w bush, george herbert walker bush was the president of the pre—internet age

and the pre—polarised aged. and i think those things are symbiotic. fox news had not even got to air in his residency. that is significant as well because it dragged the republican party and the conservative movement further to the right. i think the cold war impo5ed a discipline on american politics and it forced this sense patriotic bipartisan5hip. the generation that had served in world war ii were the key figures in us politics and it was that generational 5hift key figures in us politics and it was that generational shift to people like clinton and newt gingrich, there was not that same 5ense gingrich, there was not that same sense of consensus and working together in the national interest and politics then started to get a lot more polarised. he was a victim of that in many ways. you remember the budget deal in 1990, for instance. he managed to hammer out a deal with a democratic —controlled cong re55 deal with a democratic —controlled congress and it was newt gingrich who rejected that it was a constant thorn in his fle5h who rejected that it was a constant thorn in his flesh and that was one of the reasons he lost the election

in 1992 as well. a lot of the conservative movement never felt he was a true believer and some of them ended up supporting america's first populist billionaire candidate, the texan this has ro55 populist billionaire candidate, the texan this has ross perot. thank you for joining texan this has ross perot. thank you forjoining u5, nick. the hearse i5 arriving at the national cathedral, carrying the casket of the 415t president with the dignitaries waiting in5ide president with the dignitaries waiting inside and any moment that coughlin will be carried in5ide waiting inside and any moment that coughlin will be carried inside the national cathedral for the state funeral —— that coffin. we can just listen because they are listening and waiting for the arrival of the casket and the beginning of the funeral. ron christie, a5 ron christie, as we watch the hearse pulled up in the coffin will be carried in5ide by the pallbearers, i believe from the aircraft carrier that carries the name of president bu5h, into the cathedral, your thoughts on this pa55ing

bu5h, into the cathedral, your thoughts on this passing of an era in the united states. america lost a patriot, a war hero and a president. as you reflect on the nearly 3000 people who are gathered at washington national cathedral to pay tribute and give great service for what george hw bush meant for his country, it is a time also for us to pause and reflect and recognise we are all americans, not democrats or republicans, and what we see here with the display of pageantry with the military, the dignitaries who are president for this solemn occasion, it reallyjust proves that the flame of our democracy continues to burn brightly. and yet, eleanor, this is an extremely divisive moment in the united states, looking at that front row of people and there was not much love lost between some of the people sitting even in the front row of the cathedral today. we saw at the funeral ofjohn mccain, the former senator, in the summer, almost something of a call to arms for a restoration of reaching out

across the aisle, for a way of politics as it should be done here in the united states. it was almost a deliberately political service, the funeral ofjohn mccain. i 5u5pect the funeral ofjohn mccain. i suspect this will be very different. it is not as obvious here but i think everything being said is said in the context of the president we now have and the contrast between the bush style of leadership and the trump the bush style of leadership and the tru m p style the bush style of leadership and the trump style of leadership. i think there is a nostalgia for the sense of grace and elegance that is clearly missing and elbows out the populist president we have today. clearly missing and elbows out the populist president we have todaym that fair enough, ron?|j populist president we have todaym that fair enough, ron? i think it is, it is a fair reflection of where we are and how we have evolved as a country and some would say it devolved. there is a certain decency and grace that both bush presidents, father and son, took to the

presidency. that you can see him there, george w bush with his wife, laura, and! there, george w bush with his wife, laura, and i imagine he is feeling a little nervous because he has to get up little nervous because he has to get up and addressed tho5e 3000 people in the community and those around the world. also, one of his own daughters, jenna will read a piece from the bible during the course of the service. this is chaotic, if you are a president you have a cauldron of emotion going on, you are burying your father, one of your closest friends, and yet you are standing before the world and you symbolise frankly a more decent and civilised presidency. and there was competition between the father and son as well! as in any good father—son relationship! son as well! as in any good father-son relationship! exactly come and the son wants to show the father but he can do a good job today. he is performing for him more than anybody else! i remember a moment that i think bill clinton

described a friendly rivalry between george hw bush, who was a great person for teasing people, and it was after the tsunami and perhaps even after hurricane katrina which they also worked on together, and at one point they were being interviewed together and george hw bush said bill clinton, go5h, he talks a lot! president clinton turned to him and said, you think i took too much?! it was cla55ic turned to him and said, you think i took too much?! it was classic of their relationship together, where they could tease each other like that. they developed it seems to me, president clinton and president george hw bush, one of the most friendly and respectful post—presidency relationships that we have seen in modern times. and that came out before the di5a5ter5 when george w bush and his 5on went out to raise funds to cover, and they really bonded, they

really clicked. one of the stories i heard was that bill clinton on that opportunity on the plane 5aid heard was that bill clinton on that opportunity on the plane said mr president, you served before make you get to use the personal bed, i won't. i'll sleep on the couch! laughter gerald ford and jimmy carter also had a very good relationship, and carter had defeated ford. so it is up carter had defeated ford. so it is up to the person who is the victor to reach out to the loser and i think that is what bill clinton did, and he found in the elder brush the father figure that he never had. ye5, father figure that he never had. yes, that —— the elder bru5h. bill clinton so different from george hw bushin clinton so different from george hw bush in every possible way. he would say now i am the town where he beat me, because he had that charm, that loquacious charm. let'sjust me, because he had that charm, that loquacious charm. let's just watch as the bush family, george bush, his brotherjeb, neil, marvin, dorothy,

the five 5urviving children of the former president standing the five surviving children of the former president standing there as we watch the flag draped coughlin. we watch the flag draped one former president standing there as we watch the flag draped one of george hw bush pulled into the cathedral here in washington. they had another sibling, robin, who died at the age of three, but there are five remaining bush children, many of whom have also served in office. onea of whom have also served in office. one a former candidate for the presidency, jeb bush, and a former governor of florida as well. this is a political dynasty. let's watch as the casket is carried into the cathedral. military band plays with faith in jesus christ, with faith injesus christ, we receive the body of our brother

george for burial. let's fray with confidence to god, the giver of life, that he will raise him to perfection in the company of saints. deliver your servant george, sovereign lord christ, from all evil, and set him free from every bond that he may rest with all your saints in the eternal habitations, where, with the father and the holy spirit, who live and rain one god, for ever and ever, amen. let us pray also for all who mourn, that they may cast their care on god, and now the consolation of his love. almighty god, look with pity upon the sorrow of your servants for whom we pray. remember them, the sorrow of your servants for whom

we pray. rememberthem, gracious god, in mercy, nourish them with patients, comfort them with a sense of your goodness, lift your countenance upon them, and give them peace through countenance upon them, and give them peace throuthesus countenance upon them, and give them peace through jesus christ, countenance upon them, and give them peace throuthesus christ, our lord. amen. you are watching special coverage of the funeral of george hw bush at the national cathedral in washington, dc, where dignitaries from around the world are gathered to pay tribute and say goodbye to the 415t resident of the united states. our viewers in the uk may recognise the familiarface of viewers in the uk may recognise the familiar face of bishop michael curry welcoming the casket of george hw bush. he of course was the bishop who gave the sermon at the wedding of prince harry and meghan markle backin of prince harry and meghan markle back in may in windsor castle. also coming out to washington to welcome and take part in the service as well. we have with us ron christie and eleanor clift come ron christie who worked for president george hw

bush's son, george dubya bush, and you were saying to me off air for a second, watching the casket being unloaded, it looked to you like george w bush, the 43rd president soon—to—be holding up pretty well. he is holding up ok but i can only imagine the pressure of facing the world while eulogising his father but at the same time it gives the opportunity for the president to pay his respects and to say goodbye to his respects and to say goodbye to his dad. my understanding is that he initially did not want to give the eulogy, but the bush family came to him and said you really have to do it, we want you to do this? he is the eldest son, think it is the responsible is he as the elder son and a former president to say a few words on the half of his father on the half of the family. george w bush spoke at the funeral of senator john mccain earlier this summer.

eleanor clift is with us from the daily beast, what was he like as a president to cover? what was george hw lie? president to cover? what was george hw lie? we exchanged personal notes with a hw lie? we exchanged personal notes witha numberof hw lie? we exchanged personal notes with a number of reporters, especially with the new york times, and basically, marine dad, she was pretty tough on him. and he was happy to forget that average personally. that's right, it was tough —— she was tough on his son, who her a note saying, i should hate you but i love you, if you ever need me, i'm here for you. you but i love you, if you ever need me, i'm here foryou. iwas you but i love you, if you ever need me, i'm here for you. i was with newsweek, and newsweek did a cover when president bush announced he was running for president in 1988 that showed him commanding his cigarette boat looking very virile and determined, and the cover slash was

fighting the wind factor, and it is ha rd fighting the wind factor, and it is hard to believe that this man could have been tagged with being a wimp, having served so honourably in world war ii. shot down, dragged from the pacific ocean... right, the hand—held a number of topjobs pacific ocean... right, the hand—held a number of top jobs and who was known for his ability to never be there when there was controversy. so there was this feeling that he did not stand up enough for what he believed, the and when he ran with ronald reagan he basically had to abandon his views on that, and stepped aside from his moderate pro—choice views. and that collared the media's view of him as somebody who was too soft and too weak. someone who could change positions with political expediency.

when he ran that campaign in 88 committee came out swinging, he was really tough. that set the stage for his promise, no new taxes, read my lips, which actually was a political death wish, because in the end he did what was right when he saw the deficit and he agreed with democrats to raise taxes and that probably cost in the second term. this is an extraordinary scene we are watching, ron christie, that the national cathedral in washington, the world has flown in, prince charles is amongst that audience, king abdullah ofjordan has come in as well, this is the world paying tribute to a country that and a leader who led them through a very difficult time. i was struck yesterday flying back from san francisco to be sat next to the former 2—term president of estonia who was here to give his respect on the half of his nation. and listening to him talk about the

reference and the respect that so many europeans hold for george hw bush, and it is easy to think of it as an american or one who worked for his son, but to listen to someone who worked with president george hw bush as a president as well as a son i thought was a really remarkable moment. particularly a president of estonia, able to keep country right there in the soviet union's orbit, relishing liberation. there we have george w bush saying hello to all the former presidents and their wives, before taking his seat, for giving his eulogy. laura bush saying hello to melania and barack obama.|j believe angela merkel is here. she is also here. after the berlin wall came down, president bush really had to stand up to the french and the british, who really did not want germany unified, with good reason, because they were terrified of the unified germany. angela merkel grew up

unified germany. angela merkel grew up in east germany of course and for her the reunification of germany a huge deal. this is her tribute to the reunification of germany and the man who navigated them through it. this is the casket of george hw bush, the 415t president of the united states. ron christie, thank you prematurejoining us here in the studio, eleanor clift, thank you very muchjoining us here in the studio. we are now going to watch live coverage of the state funeral of president of the united states, george hw bush. bell tolls.

iam the i am the resurrection and i am the life, says the lord. whoever has faith in me shall have life, even though he died. and everyone who has life and has committed himself to me in faith shall not die forever. as for me, i know that my redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. after my awaiting, he will raise me up, and in my body i shall see god. i myself shall see, and my eyes behold him who is my friend and not a stranger, for none of us lives to himself, and none becomes his own master when he dies. for if we have life, we are alive in the lord, and if we die, we die in

the lord, and if we die, we die in the lord. so then whether we live or die, we are the lord's possession, happy from now on are those who die in the lord. so it's says, says the spirit, for they rest from their labours. music: "praise my soul, the kin 0f heaven" the king of heaven" lord be with you. and also with you. let us pray. oh god whose mercies cannot be numbered, axe at our prayers on behalf of your servant,

george, and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the followership of your saints, through jesus christ the followership of your saints, throuthesus christ our lord who lives and reigns with you and the holy spirit, one god, now and for ever, amen. a read it from the prophet isaiah. arise, shine, for your light a read it from the prophet isaiah. arise, shine, foryour light has come, and the glory of the lord has risen upon you. for darkness shall cover the earth, and a thick darkness, the people's, but the lord will arise upon you, and his glory will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over year. nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. lift up your eyes and look around. they all gather together. they come to you.

your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses's arms. then you shall see and the radiant. your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the eec shall be brought to you, and the wealth of the nations shall come to you —— of the sea. wealth of the nations shall come to you -- of the sea. violence shall no more be heard in your land. devastation or destruction within your borders. you shall call your walls salvation, and your gates praise. the sun shone no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night. but the lord will be your everlasting light, and your god will be your glory. your sun shone no more go down, or your moon

withdraw itself, for the lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. the word of the lord. praise be to god. the story was almost over, even before it had fully begun. shortly afterjohn di dawn saturday the 1944, lieutenant george gw bush took off from the us to attack a radio tower. as they approach the target, the air was heavy with flak, the plane was hit, smoke—filled the cockpit, flames raced across the wings. my god, lieutenant bush thought, this things going to go

down. yet he kept the plane at its 35 degrees diet, dropped his bombs, and then roared off out to see, telling his crewmates to hit the silt. following protocol, lieutenant bush turned the plane so they could bailout. only then did bush parachute from the cockpit. the wind propelled him backward, and he gashed his head on the tail of the plane as he flew through the sky. he plunged deep into the ocean, bobbed to the surface, and flopped onto a tiny raft, his head bleeding, his eyes burning, his mouth and throat raw from saltwater. the future 415t president of the united states was alone, sensing that his men had not

made it, he was overcome. he felt the weight of responsibility as a merely physical burden, and he wept. then, at four minutes shy of noon, a submarine urged to rescue the downed pilot. george herbert walker bush was safe. the story, his story and hours, would go on by god's grace. through the ensuing decades, president bush would frequently asked, nearly daily, you would ask himself, why me? why was i spared? and, ina and, in a sense, the rest of his life was a perennial effort to prove

himself worthy of his salvation on that distant morning. to him, his life was no longer his own. there we re life was no longer his own. there were always more missions to undertake, more lives to touch, and more love to give. and what a head long race he made of it all. he never slowed down. on the primary campaign trail in new hampshire once, he grabbed the hand of a department store mannequin asking for votes! when he realised his mistake, he said, never know, got to ask! you can hear the voice, can't you. as dana carby said, the key to a bush impersonation is mr rogers

trying to be john a bush impersonation is mr rogers trying to bejohn wayne! george herbert walker bush was america's last great soldier statesman. a 20th—century founding father. he governed with virtues that most closely resemble those of washington and of adams, of tr and fdr, of truman and eisenhower, of men who believed in causes larger than themselves. six foot two, handsome, dominant in person, president bush spoke with those big strong hands, making fists to underscore points. a master of what franklin roosevelt called the science of human relationships, he believed that to whom much was given, much is expected, and because

life gave him so much, he gave back again and again and again. he stood in the breach in the cold war against totalitarianism. he stood in the breach in washington against unthinking partisanship. he stood in the breach against tyranny and discrimination and, on his watch, a wall fell in berlin, a dictator's aggression did not stand, and doors across america opened to those with disabilities. and, in his personal life, he stood in the breach against heartbreak and hurt. always offering an outstretched hand, a warm word, a sympathetic tear. if you were down,

he would rush to lift you up. and if you were soaring, he would rush to savour your success. strong and gracious, comforting and charming, loving and loyal, he was our shield in danger‘s our. now, of course, there was ambition too, loads of that. to serve, he had to succeed. to preside, he had to prevail. politics, he once admitted, isn't a pure undertaking, not if you want to win its not. an imperfect man, he left us a more perfect union. it must be said that, for a keenly intelligent statesman of stirling,

almost unparalleled private eloquence, public speaking was not exactly a strong suit. fluency in english, president bush once remarked, is something that i'm often not accused of! looking ahead to the 88 election, he observed, inarguably it's no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way or the other! and come late in his presidency, he allowed that, we are enjoying sluggish times but we're not enjoying very much! his tongue may have run amok in moments, but his heart was steadfast. his life code, as he said, was tell the truth, don't blame people, be

strong, do your best, try hard, forgive, stay the course. and that was and is the most american of creeds. abra ham was and is the most american of creeds. abraham lincoln's better angels of our nature and george hw bush's thousand points of light are companion versus in america's national him. for lincoln and bush both called on us to choose the right over the convenient, to hope rather than to fear, and to heed not our worst impulses but our best instincts. in this work, he had the most wonderful of allies in barbara, his wife of 73 years. he called her

bar, the silver fox, and, when the situation warranted, the enforcer! he was the only boy she ever kissed. her children, mrs bush liked to say, a lwa ys her children, mrs bush liked to say, always wanted to throw up when they heard that! in a letter to barbara during the war, young george had written, i love you, precious, with all my heart, and to know that you love me means my life. how lucky our children will be to have a mother like you. and, as they will tell you, they surely were. as vice president, bush once visited a children's leukaemia ward in crack off. 35 yea rs children's leukaemia ward in crack off. 35 years before, he and barbara had lost a daughter to the disease. in crack of —— cracker, a small boy

wa nted in crack of —— cracker, a small boy wanted to greet the vice president. learning the boy was sick with the cancer that had ta ken learning the boy was sick with the cancer that had taken robin, bush began to cry. to his diary later that day, the vice president said this. my eyes flooded with tears and behind me with a bank of television cameras and i thought, i can't turn around, i can't dissolve because of personal tragedy in the face of the nurses that give of themselves every day. so, istood nurses that give of themselves every day. so, i stood there looking at this little guy, tears running down my cheek, hoping he wouldn't see but, if he did, hoping he would feel that i loved him. that was the real george hw bush. a

loving man with a big, vibrant, all enveloping heart. and so we ask as we commended his soul to god, and as he did, why him? why was he spared? the workings of providence are mysterious but this much is clear. the george herbert walker bush who survived that a fiery fall into the waters of the pacific three quarters ofa waters of the pacific three quarters of a century ago made our lives and the lives of nations freer, better, warmer and nobler. that was his mission. that was his heartbeat. and, if we listen closely enough, we can hear that heartbeat even now,

for it is the heartbeat of a lion, a lion who not only led us, but who loved us. that's why him, that's why he was spared. music: ‘the king of love my shepherd is‘. a reading from revelations to st john. then i saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. i saw the holy city, the newjerusalem, coming down out of heaven from god, prepared as a bride

adorned for her husband. and i heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "see! the home of god is among mortals, god himself will be with them. he will wipe every tear from their eyes. death will be no more, mourning and crying and pain will be no more for the first things have passed away. then he said to me, it is done. i am the alpha and the iomega, the beginning and the end. —— omega. to the first day i will give water. those who conquer will inherit these things and i will be their god and they will be my

children. the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it for the glory of god is its light and the bmb glory of god is its light and the lamb is the lamp. the nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. its gates will never be shut by day and there will be no night there. the word of the lord. do you remember where you were the summer you left your teenage years behind and turned 20? i was working asa labourer behind and turned 20? i was working as a labourer in my home town in northern quebec, trying to make enough money to get back into law school. it was a tough job but enough money to get back into law school. it was a toughjob but i enough money to get back into law school. it was a tough job but i was safe and secure and had the added

benefit of my mother's home cooking every night. on september two 1944, as we have just heard so eloquently from jon, 20—year—old george bush was preparing to attackjapanese installations in the pacific. he was pa rt of installations in the pacific. he was part of a courageous generations of young americans who led the charge against overwhelming odds in the historic and bloody battle for supremacy in the pacific against the colossal military might of imperial japan. that is what george bush did the summer he turned 20. many men of differing talents and skills have served as president and many more will do so as the decades unfold, bringing new strength and glory to these united states of america. and

50 ora these united states of america. and 50 or a hundred years from now, as historians review the accomplishments and the context of all who have served as president, i believe it will be said that, in the life of this country, the united states, which is, in myjudgment, the greatest democratic republic that god has ever placed on the face of this earth, i believe it will be said that no occupant of the oval office was more courageous, more principled, and more honourable than george herbert walker bush. george bush was a man of high accomplishment but he also had a delightful sense of humour and was a lot of fun. at his first nato meeting in brussels, as the new american president, he sat opposite me actually that day. george was

taking copious notes, as the heads of government spoke. we were all limited in time. but you know, it's very flattering to have the president of the united states taking notes as you speak. and even someone as modest as me! throwing in a few more adjectives here and there to extend the pleasure of the experience! after president mitterrand, prime minister thatcher and chancellor helmut kohl had spoken, it was the turn of the prime minister of iceland who, as president bush continued to write, we nt president bush continued to write, went on and on and on and on! ending only when the secretary general of nato firmly decreed a coffee break.

george put down his pen, walked over to me and said, brian i have just learned the fundamental principle of international affairs and i ask, what is that? he said, the smaller the country, the longer the speech! in the second year of the bush presidency, responding to implacable pressures from the reagan and bush administrations, the soviet union imploded. this was, in myjudgment, the most ethical event, a political event, of the 20th century. an anonymous situation that could have become extremely menacing to world security was instead deftly challenged by the leadership of president bush in the broad and current power of freedom, providing

the russian people with the opportunity to build an embryonic democracy in a country that had been ruled by cza rs democracy in a country that had been ruled by czars and tyrants for over a thousand years. and then, as the berlin wall collapsed soon thereafter and calls for freedom cascaded across central and eastern europe, leaving dictators and dogma in the trash can of history, no challenge, no challenge assumed greater importance for western solidarity than the unification of germany within an unswerving nato. old fears in western europe and unrelenting hostility by the military establishment in the soviet union and the warsaw pact rendered this initiative among the most complex and sensitive ever undertaken. one serious misstep and this entire process could have been compromised, perhaps irretrievably.

there is obviously no more knowledgeable or common judgment of what really happened at this most vital juncture of the what really happened at this most vitaljuncture of the 20th century than chancellor helmut kohl of germany. ina than chancellor helmut kohl of germany. in a speech to a parliamentary commission of the bundestag, chancellor kohl said categorically that this historic initiative of german reunification could never ever have succeeded without the brilliant leadership of president bush. much has been written about the first gulf war, simply put, the coalition of 29 disparate nations assembled under the aegis of the united nations, including for the first time many influential arab countries and led by the united states will rank with the most spectacular and successful

international initiatives ever undertaken in modern history, designed to punish an aggressor, defended the cause of freedom and ensure order in a region that had seen too much of the opposite for far too long. this was president bush's initiative from beginning to end. president bush was also responsible for the north american free—trade agreement, recently modernised and improved by new administrations, which created the largest and richest free—trade area in the history of the world while also signing into law the americans with disabilities act, which transformed the lives of millions and millions of americans for ever. president bush's decision to go forward with strong environmental legislation, including the clean air act that resulted in an accord with

canada,is act that resulted in an accord with canada, is a splendid gift to future generations of americans and canadians to savour in the air they breathe water they drink in the forests they enjoy and the lakes, rivers and streams they cherish. there is a word for this. it's called leadership. leadership. let me tell you, that when george bush was president of the united states of america, every single head of government in the world knew that they were dealing with a gentleman, a genuine leader, one who was distinguished, resolute and brave. i don't keep a diary but occasionally i write private notes after important personal or professional events. one occurred at walker's

point on september two, 2001. we had been spending our traditional labour day weekend with george and barbara and, towards the end, he and i had a long, private conversation. my notes captured the moment. i told george how i thought his mood had shifted over the last eight years from a series of frustrations and moments of despondency in 1993 to the high enthusiasm that i felt that the houston launch of the presidential library and george w's election as governor in november that year, to the delight following jeb's election in 1998 followed by the great pride and pleasure with george w's election to the presidency. perhaps

most importantly, to the serenity we found today in both barbara and george. they are truly at peace with themselves, joyous in what they and themselves, joyous in what they and the children have achieved, gratified by the goodness that god has bestowed upon them all. and genuinely content with the thrill and promise of each passing day. and, at that, george, with tears in his eyes as i spoke, said, you know, brian, you've got us pegged just right, and the roller—coaster of emotions we have experienced since 1992. come with me. he led me down the porch to the side of the house that fronts the ocean and pointed to a small, simple plaque that had been

unobtrusively installed just some days earlier. it read, cavu. george said, brian, this stands for sealing and visibility unlimited. when i was and visibility unlimited. when i was a terrified 18 to 19—year—old pilot in the pacific, those were the words we hoped to hear before take—off. it meant perfect flying and that's the way i feel about our life today. cavu. everything is perfect. barand i could not have asked for better lives. we are truly happy and truly at peace. as i looked over the waters of walker cup's point on that golden september afternoon, i was

reminded ofa golden september afternoon, i was reminded of a line simple and fruit that speaks to the real nature of george bush and his love of his wonderful family —— simple and true ulster and their precious surroundings. there are wooden ships, there are sailing ships, there are ships that sail the sea. but the best ships are friendships and may they always be. you are watching coverage of the state funeral of the former us president, george bush. that was the former canadian prime minister brian baloney who will be