and brexit is just 109 days away and there is still no sign of any agreement in westminster. the prime minister now heads back to brussels to ask for more concessions after being forced to postpone a vote on her brexit bill. at a lengthy debate in parliament there was precious little support for the embattled prime minister and quite a lot of questions about going back to the public for another vote. in if you want another friend to their result of this first, be honest that this risks dividing the country again. the government now faces a fight about its decision not to hold a vote to cancel the vote — we've warned you before this is complicated. one labour mp called it "a farago of chaos." also on the programe: usually people are queuing up to become white house chief of staff — not this time.

the top job that's surprisingly hard to fill. emmanuel macron goes on tv to try to end weeks of violent protests. can he balance the country's needs for economic reform with the people's anger at the process? hello, i am katty kay in washington, christian fraser is in westminster. the u—turn was inevitable. no matter how many times the prime minister told the country a vote on her brexit deal would happen tomorrow, the voices of dissent were only growing louder. so today she pulled the plug, or at least postponed it. she'll now go back to brussels to try to win reassurances on the fate of the irish border. whether the eu is prepared to reopen the withdrawal agreement, is highly questionable. why would the eu unpick the withdrawal agreement, and two years of hard work — when the british mp‘s can't decide among themselves what they truly want? because it's clear the house of commons is divided into factions and there is no majority for any single way forward. we face a fundamental question,

said the prime minister today, does this house want to deliver brexit? many of the most controversial aspects of this deal, including the backstop, are simply inescapable fa ct of backstop, are simply inescapable fact of having negotiated brexit. those members who continue to disagree need to shoulder the responsibility of advocating an alternative solution that can be delivered. and do so without ducking its implications. if you want a second referendum to overturn the result of the first, the honest that this risks dividing the country again. in brussels there is now exasperation. the european parliament's brexit coordinator guy verhofstadt tweeted: "i can't follow anymore. after two years of negotiations, the tory government wants to delay the vote... it's time they make up their mind!" the irish taoiseach, leo varadkar, said the withdrawal agreement cannot and will not be reopened:

the withdrawal agreement, including the irish backstop, it is the only agreement on the table. it took over agreement on the table. it took over a year to negotiate and has the support of 28 comments. it is not possible to reopen any aspect of that agreement without reopening all aspects. a few minutes ago the president of the european council, donald tusk, seemed to be feeling more concilitary towards theresa may. mr tusk wrote: so what next? in short all options are open. it could be this deal or no deal or an election or another referendum. after a week of debate, and 164 mp‘s rising to speak in it, we head into the christmas recess with nothing resolved. and if you were thinking "what a pantomime" —

well, you wouldn't be far off. given that the segment of the commission, it clear nothing has changed and nothing will change. we think that is changing is the view of british people. i know it and the other on the pantomime season, but, oh, yes it has. let's get your view on holistic delivered time. we've the secretary today, the

scottish secretary saying there will definitely give it. if you are really tell, no what went wrong? that was not your question. i think she assessed the situation and realise there was a significant opposition from members of the conservative party. in order to alleviate that, sure to go to brussels to try and get a deal that would placate their fear. brussels to try and get a deal that would placate their fearli brussels to try and get a deal that would placate their fear. i knew that, you knew that last week. yes. the interesting thing is, most of the reason opposition to this deal focuses on one subject. it seems to have found down to that. peter is shaking his head, he may know more than i do. that is the backstop. she

tried to calculate a plan to persuade people that the arrangements in the current proposal by alleviating the fears on that, she failed to do that. she took the decision at the last minute to pull it. the only, i can think of is when i've been in the middle of storms in aircraft, the captain makes the decisionjust aircraft, the captain makes the decision just before landing to pull out and go back up again. that is what she is deciding to do. watch peter lilley, you belong to one of the factions in the house of commons, the brexit supporting faction. i'm would put you on this board as theresa may did today. what alternative do you have? we've one which is a mind hers orjeremy corbyn. the risks's majority. donald

tusk rightly said, the only alternative of wichita manifesto of leaving the customs union and a single market is a free trade one like the canada one. that is what we're booking for. he originally offered it to the united kingdom, some interpret it as on living for great britain. it was before the whole deal which means we must get a pleasure from all three parties. the irish government, ourselves and the eu that google might direct border posts and carry out checks at the border. we know it can be done and it solves the need for this backstop to stop with that get a majority across the road? i disagree profoundly with what peter said. i've read the canada trade agreement, there are a01 pages of exceptions that took eight years on a blow by blow with a vested interest group in the eu and canada to work out. it's not an instant

solution. the main thing is there should not be a hard border. i've seen the border between the us and canada. they've spent billions of dollars on the best technology imaginable, still people queue up at the border. the two of you, too very seniorfigures in the the border. the two of you, too very senior figures in the conservative party, can't agree on what the way forward would be. we've 109 days before it. forward would be. we've109 days before it. at least i'm talking about a deal that was on offer from the eu. it surely can't form the basis of a sensible deal. when we say canada style agreement, and asked started with 10,000 tigers and had to negotiate their removal of the eu. we sat with your tardis. —— tariffs. jacob rees-mogg acid at a

solution will not work because it would be legally binding. already, he is letting down guidelines for the backbenchers. even with tinkering around the edges, this will not work. jacob rees-mogg speaks for a minority of the conservative party. they are not a unified group. everyone has individual interests and views, understandably so. he claims to speakfor several understandably so. he claims to speak for several people, she does not. it's this is a minority of eye minority. i can telljacob rees—mogg and his colleagues that if the department was, we will get another referendum. they will cause is to remain in the eu, which is not what she wants. thank you forjoining us. i went to a private screening of a

documentary about channel a is good if it out. i came out from light to an unholy mess. going back to the office, i thought, an unholy mess. going back to the office, ithought, this an unholy mess. going back to the office, i thought, this is the most exhausting, the wife roller—coaster that any scriptwriter would relish trouble to achieve tried this on the big screen. it changes are above all, day by day, week by week. who can possibly write brexit, the super bowl when they to do? i'm joined by labour remain supporting mp chuka ummuna. there are many people you should pool a vote of will your potted.|j help so. i'm sorry, but the politics is broken. the only way to resolve this is by referring back to the people. the problem is, that is not

a consensus on what form of brexit too pretty. i think there is it in sensors from the hard right members of the conservative party but... well, there is no consensus that we've seen. not in your party either. the one thing, to move a motion of no confidence to at least test one of the house wants to go to a general election on this. i don't believe that there is a two thirds majority for bat. 0nce believe that there is a two thirds majority for bat. once that has been the spores of as an average go down, you're the spores of as an average go down, you' re left the spores of as an average go down, you're left with only one other. that is the people's vote to determine what the bill of the people is today in 2018. the problem we had in terms of the bassett but get this whole process off course is what that no one was asked what form of brexit they wanted? if you're honest, and the mp is calling for honesty is it the fact that you just

wa nt to honesty is it the fact that you just want to stop this? even though 17.8 million people voted for brexit, the biggest democratic exercise we've ever had, you must do what sort of crisis that would cause in this country if their views aren't respected? i've just country if their views aren't respected? i'vejust had country if their views aren't respected? i've just had an ashamed of the prime minister in the house of the prime minister in the house of commons. i've never made a secret of commons. i've never made a secret of the fact that i'd like to see brexit stopped. i've also not really secret of the fact of i can't stop it and the people that share my view. automatically, it has beat the british people that decide. the point is, you and i can't knew what the british people want now in light of all the events. you could say, this would damage trust in democracy and be incredibly divisive. i think those are the different questions to raise but we're a divided country.

if we knew something from yesterday, said that a duty region of the economy in particular precipitates extremism, leading to the rise of the far right. if this is the avenue we're going down and people haven't had a father say whether they want to do this, multiply the divisions tenfold. because you have come from a talk with the premise that, i'm giving you know their direction. thank you forjoining us for that. from the side of the atlantic, it feels like groundhog day. some things seem to never change and this whole debate. 0ne things seem to never change and this whole debate. one of the things on the current argument is that christian was suggesting to a second referendum. what struck me today was how often we had people asking about a second referendum. do you believe momentum is shifting in that

direction? idea. i think momentum is shifting in that direction? idea. ithink for momentum is shifting in that direction? idea. i think for viewers watching this around the world, the reason i think it's moving in that direction is because we're gridlocked. as christian was saying, you have two senior members of the conservative party arguing on national television as if in two different parties, that's a very unusual state of affairs. if you look at the polls, increasingly, it's quite clear that might of everything that's happened, is small majority of the british public do wa nt majority of the british public do want a say on how we leave the eu and whether reclusive. increasingly, people think that the deal that we've now as a member of the eu is far superior to what is being negotiated. the issues raised in parliament today and consistently for the last year and half, would

increase division in an already divided country. it could undermine democracy, particularamong divided country. it could undermine democracy, particular among people who voted for the very first time in that referendum of their views were not respected. what about the prospect of a second referendum? say you got the people's vote and it went back to the country and they voted against the eu. what guarantees is that that that gets us any further along in the debate? that's a good question. let's not forget that there are over 29a young people that if we had a people's vote enterprise time will be getting their first say vote enterprise time will be getting theirfirst say on vote enterprise time will be getting their first say on this. they didn't get the vote in 2016 because they weren't old enough. the will be level with the consequences of this far longer than the rest of us. you would accept the result if it came back the same? i think the difference between 2016 and 2018 as

that in 2016, we were dealing with a hypothetical question as to what would happen every lefty eu. it was a collision on their sites. we now knew the reality of what we can get an negotiation and what it will look like that we didn't have before. that is the key difference in this. you ask the question around democracy, i don't see how you can for what the will of the people less effective the people like to determine this. as i said, i've got to stop brexit, i've applied or being dishonest about that. automatically, the british people have to decide. if they do in the ballot this, i'm sticking their —— i'm not sitting in there. it is a bite of every single citizen of our country, that is how democracy works. we've general and regional elections on a yearly basis.

democracy is not static, we cannot shut down debate. very good to have you with us here. just watching the pictures life from the commons. the leader of the house, and outlets, is telling mps why they would get if it on the bed. but that's why they will get the boot. still a lot of questions about what you comes back with from brussels. now that seems almost as undesirable as that of the british prime minister — that of white house chief of staff. following the announced departure of generaljohn kelly, mr trump appears to be having trouble filling what is normally seen as a plum position here. news broke over the weekend that his first choice, nick ayers, who currently serves as mike pence's chief of staff, news broke over the weekend that his first choice, nick ayers, who currently serves as mike pence's chief of staff,

turned the spot down. that may be because mr trump has fired more chiefs of staff in his first two years than any other president. there's not much longevity here. so what qualities does the ideal candidate have? here's what it takes to replacejohn kelly. can you pledge your loyalty until 2020 ? can you keep control of chaotic situations? do you have gravitas? are you prepared to speak truth to power in the oval office? for more we are joined now by ron christie — former advisor to george w bush. i'm a shocking to think that george bush might have had problems on the job of chief of staff. no, he never would have had problems filling the position. this is the second is an important position in washington, dc. someone who has grabbed her speech at the present and fire members of the cabinet. someone who can manage up as members of the cabinet. someone who can manage up as well as down to the staff. some of the characteristics needed to replace john

staff. some of the characteristics needed to replacejohn kelly, you in their right mind in this time would wa nt their right mind in this time would want this job? someone has said it would be an honourfor anybody want this job? someone has said it would be an honour for anybody to have that job. is would be an honour for anybody to have thatjob. is someone who reads a conservative movement set to fill the position? no. mark meadows is the position? no. mark meadows is the chairman of the house the caucasus. you need someone, the graphic said it best, someone with gravitas. some of the commerce of thejob and gravitas. some of the commerce of the job and is gravitas. some of the commerce of thejob and is immediately gravitas. some of the commerce of the job and is immediately visible respected by members of congress. mr meadows comes with baggage photography as a controversial figure, a lightning rod. the last thing you need is yet another lightning rod in a exotic white house. looking around for people respected by congress, you'll work

with former presidents. people who are kicking their heels at the moment, can you think of anybody like that? perhaps somebody who worked for george w bush? like that? perhaps somebody who worked for george w bush? somebody like that. the last line on what cv that we just had there, the next chief of staff must be able to speak truth to power. i'm not sure that's a good thing for a chief of staff that works for worldcom. those that do that at the moment get rid of quickly. they sure do. that's the most important thing that i learned from their duty. i look to it. you have to be able to look at the prison of the united states nei and say, sir, you are wrong. here is why. i do not believe that donald

trump wants to believe to any individual tell him why he is wrong about anything. the notion that you can get to the power to donald trump, ijust can get to the power to donald trump, i just don't can get to the power to donald trump, ijust don't buy it. the present has sometimes suggested that he doesn't want a chief of staff. that he wants to run the oval office the way he wants to run it. he doesn't like the kind of restrictions that job doesn't like the kind of restrictions thatjob places on him. he's about to have democrats take over the house will stop the mueller investigation is winding up, there could be a sleeve of the investigations. this is a critical position for him to fill for the next two years. critical and crucial. the last time we didn't have a president with a chief of staff was gerald ford. we saw the disaster of that coming out of watergate. mr companies to manchester to begin to have the strike by the same. this juncture, manchester to begin to have the strike by the same. thisjuncture, i honestly can't tell you who that person will be. ryan christie, he

will not be applying for the position of chief of staff. ryan christie. mps have reacted angrily to theresa may's and 0sman, withjeremy corbyn sing shall gloss control. can theresa may go to brussels and find something that will satisfy how many critics on the backbenches?” suspect the answer is no. so, what then? this deal is to be voted on at some point. i was one of the 100 before the split in the course of the debate. the house was clearly going to turn it down, with about

150 majority against it, i think. it was going to be pretty catastrophic, easy to see why she has called it. the notion that she's good to go to brussels and bring back something that will convince sufficient numbers to bring that majority down toa numbers to bring that majority down to a majority of her other than against. it seems that a lack of trust and their sites. the lack of trust and their sites. the lack of trust on the udp inside that anything the giver can get a majority across the road. there's a lack of trust over here that the eu would not keep the uk in a backstop indefinitely. that seems to be the problem with just over 100 days left. colleagues here in parliament will only accept a deal that gave written into that legally binding withdrawal agreement. everyone has been saying, we will not reopen that withdrawal agreement. if it's just a form of words that sounds nice, maybe like that non—binding

political declaration, that's not going to cut it with the kind of mood that i'm stealing in the commons tearooms and dying rooms right now. mps are saying, actually, we will not take a deal that is not written into law. is there anything theresa may canal due in the course of the next few days as she heads back to brussels, we don't know exactly when, we're assuming before the state, that you think brussels is prepared to give that she come back and get a majority in the house on? i suspect her best bet is to go back to brussels and save this is the political fray. if back to brussels and save this is the politicalfray. if you back to brussels and save this is the political fray. if you want no deal, then that's what you will get you. the only way we can get this through the house is to have it written into the withdrawal agreement. what about if we take a bit more time to complete that process ? bit more time to complete that process? that doesn't necessarily

mean delaying the 29th of march. it could just be time into january. magic was back to the house on monday, when she will be reporting back. she will report back and say, actually, i'm ridiculous again in the media and i should give the once in the withdrawal agreement. we've really run out of road. she's kick the can down the boot and found more gravel track to kick the can further. i do think that much road if thank you forjoining us.. coming, we will go to brussels to get more the action for that debate and vote in parliament. stay with as far back injust a moment. something much wider conflict ahead.

a lot of noise on the coast of yorkshire. the work is the part of the uk have that ended today with some sunny spells. nus, this weather front has been living in. it is weak but has been producing the cloud and budgeting patchy rain for part of modern —— northern ireland and part of scotland. there are some others in moral and eastern areas of scotla nd in moral and eastern areas of scotland and eastern side of england that will have crystals. but that clear spells. a couple of degrees below freezing in the sports here. into tomorrow, it it will be part of

modern scotland and northern ireland is, in areas of england that seemed some sunny spells. maybe better spells for winds. that weather front we saw elderly could still be producing light rain and drizzle here and there. the farther east you are, it's quite chilly, temperatures in double figures for some others in the west. towards the end of the day, our been for northern ireland and part of england. we will keep one linger in the western areas on wednesday. muller islands may be the west, seeing some sunshine. still parts of scotland and england seemed brighter spells, temperatures starting to come down. an increasing south easterly wind and undersea area of high pressure in scandinavia. the code field will be

enhanced by that brisk wind on thursday. there will be a lot of up a rebound, really not a huge of sunshine. the main thing for thursday and friday, there is temperatures received in single figures. mid single fingers, in places too. it looks as if the atla ntic places too. it looks as if the atlantic will take over on saturday, with rain and maybe snow, pushing north. you're watching beyond 100 days. our top stories: there's turmoil in westminster as the british prime minister delays the crucial vote on her brexit deal at the 11th hour. did donald trump direct his former lawyer to make hush payments on his behalf? if true, a top democrat says it could be an impeachable offence. also on the programme: after a month of unrest across france, president macron goes on tv to address the nation and says he believes he can find a way out of the current problems. plus, the story of one journalist, sick of being called the wrong name by her colleagues and what she did about it.

hello, i am christian fraser in westminster, katty kay is in washington. it is brexit chaos here in london, with prime minister theresa may deciding today to delay a parliament vote on her deal to leave the european union. the decision has not been met with favour in the house of commons, where members of parliament are now pushing the main opposition, the labour party, to present a motion of no confidence against the prime minister. and while all this is happening in westminster, on the other side of the channel the european union seems to be losing its patience. today, several representatives of the eu came out again to make it crystal clear that it's either this deal or no deal at all. with me now is nicky morgan, chair of house of commons treasury committee. you are not happy about the fact

there will be no vote. members of parliament have been looking at the economic analysis prepared by the bank of england last week and the trouble is, does a delay helped to reach a compromise? that is what is needed to reach a parliamentary consensus. we should give the prime minister time to go to brussels to see what could be potentially agreed by colleagues on all sides of the house will need to think very, very carefully when we do get a vote and we will at some point get a vote. we should remind people that parliament voted on the withdrawal act which is the date on which the uk will leave the european union, march 2019, the 29th. that is law and to need that —— to overturn that you need more statute. it is your feeling that that is not straightforward. there all sorts of competing in the house of commons.

there also is a people in favour of brexit, a hard steel, who would not wa nt brexit, a hard steel, who would not want the data be overturned, then the labour party who want a general election and chaos all round, as do some of the opposition parties, so any legislation runs the risk of being defeated, whether it is on the date, a second thought for withdrawing the motion that we were going to vote on. so when amber rudd says it is no majority for now deal in the house of commons, that may be the case but getting a statute to overturn the withdrawal date, that may be a different thing. she is right, there is no majority for now deal and i think many people in the country recognise the economic chaos that would cause but it's not enough to say no to no deal, you need to put something else in placed to give people something to vote for. quite an issue. yeah, he wrote earlier

that those people who are going out opposing the prime minister's deal are not being candid about what the prime minister's motives are. be honest about what those alternatives are. do you think the prime minister can come back from brussels with something that could now win a majority in the house if people are honest about the fact that none of the other proposals on the table do anything about the majority? there are conservatives who have made it clear they do not like the backstop on the uk not having a unilateral right to get out of it. there may not be movement on that but i will some of my colleagues have been looking for ways to see some movement that would give them the opportunity to say, theresa may has achieved some movement and i can now supported, so i think we will have to see what she comes back with but it is difficult to see where we go from here but the prime minister is right, if you vote down the deal, this is a deal that enables the uk

to leave the eu suffer someone like me who didn't want us to leave in the first place, i have now come to accept that 17 million people did vote for that so the cushion as we are going to leave, how do we make sure we don't cause any more economic damage than you would negotiating a new trading relationship and she is right to see if this gets watered down, you either end up with a second referendum which could lead to know brexit or you end up with an no—deal brexit or you end up with an no—deal brexit which the house of commons says also it doesn't want so all the choices are palatable. thank you, nicky morgan. it's very cold so thank you for being patient! former chair of the prime minister's policy board george freeman joins us shortly. it's

i , watching brussels today and the degree to which they are trying to choose their words very carefully about what kind of renegotiation, they are saying no renegotiation but some sort of concession or reaffirmation or reassurance. the language around this is as byzantine as the process itself. do you think brussels is going to come up with something that would satisfy people, enough people there? my size nine feet and imprinted into the carpet on that balcony in brussels. you have said at the last minute they will do it. yeah, i was think of the last gasp they find a practical solution and i'm still optimistic they will do that but let's find out from the man who knows, gavin lee, who has been gathering response from brussels. we have heard donald tusk

will call thursday and brexit summit today which shows they are open to discussing it. it's a good start and this morning all of the foreign ministers arrived in brussels and each one i spoke to, the dozen or more of the 27, they all said we will not renegotiate if it comes to it. even the spanish foreign minister said on the issue of gibraltar which was so difficult, we bled and sweat is to get this deal he said, we're not going to reopen. donald tusk tweeted after theresa may spoke this evening, there will bea may spoke this evening, there will be a brexit meeting on thursday but there will be no renegotiation, particularly on this idea of backstop and insurance policy to make sure there is no hard border between ireland and northern ireland and he did say it helped facilitate

the uk and it comes down to language. theresa may is talking about a reassurance from the eu and helping to facilitate but not renegotiate. you speak brussels, i do not speak brussels. what does "facilitate uk do not speak brussels. what does " facilitate uk ratification" do not speak brussels. what does "facilitate uk ratification" mean? it means we may be open to talking in non—legal terms so when it comes to withdrawal agreement, the idea of this divorce deal which was more than 580 pages which ensures the treaty for britain to leave the eu in march next year, they will not touch that. they will talk about perhaps text on what they call the political declaration, the vision for the future, which is not legal. whether you speak brussels or not, i think everybody is a little flummoxed by what theresa may is

asking for now here and what they can actually give year. the two haven't yet and bear this in mind, think about this, how fragile europe seems to be too many other countries, emmanuel macron has spoken with protesters tonight, sweden has no government, hungary and poland are the bad boys of europe with action taken by the european commission about whether they are addressing issues of human rights, they wanted to settle by the fire for december and now it is going into january and they wanted out of the way. never underestimate what speaking the language can do! george freemanjoins george freeman joins us george freemanjoins us now. what do

you think of what you have seen today? there's a lot of synthetic angen today? there's a lot of synthetic anger, there is a shroud waving, eve ryo ne anger, there is a shroud waving, everyone knows they will get a vote and they will get their say and i'm pleased about that, having voted for the meaningful vote last year. in the meaningful vote last year. in the end, this is about whether the prime minister can get a brexit deal through parliament. i think we should have a free vote, i think the idea this is convenient to any political party is for the birds, i think it is time parliament is given a chance to decide and i hope the prime minister can come back from brussels was some improvement —— with some improvement. i think the real issue is the dup. i've got some collea g u es real issue is the dup. i've got some colleagues and my party who would rather have no deal and would rather vote against it. the dup have signified the opera sensible brexit deal but are very concerned about the implications of this draft on their position in the united kingdom and that is where the prime minister needs to focus. you think if she can

get something that reassures them on the backstop, the loyalists within the backstop, the loyalists within the conservative party plus some labourmps, she can the conservative party plus some labour mps, she can get this over the line? it's a possibility. nicky morganjust said the line? it's a possibility. nicky morgan just said a lot of people don't want this to work but are crying foul because they actually would like this to be an ordeal. crying foul because they actually would like this to be an ordeallj think would like this to be an ordeal.” think the most likely thing —— he would like this to be a note deal —— no. my no. my advice to the prime minister would be unique to put aside any idea that this is a party political vote and respect the voice of parliament. i still think that the norway model with cross—party support could get through but i have to say, we are heading at the moment feels very much as though we're heading for a new year were no deal becomes very likely and i think that will drive parliament to vote for a second referendum unless we can find a deal. we're getting some sense of

the prime minister's movement, she will be in the hague tomorrow meeting with the dutch prime minister and she will go from there to brussels to carry on negotiations i assume. i just to brussels to carry on negotiations i assume. ijust don't see this language facilities in uk ratification coming out of the eu, how that will satisfy the dup. aren't they going to demand something further than the european union is prepared to give theresa may? i think that's probably right, that's the problem and i think the dup are going to make very clear that anything that puts a bordered on the irish sea is not acceptable to them and i suspect the prime minister will come back possibly with an amendment but i suspect it won't be enough and i think we should have that vote and i think the prime minister should say, parliament must have its say. i'd make it a free vote and then i think we will have moved forward in this stage and in the new year,

parliament will have to decide what it wants to do. none of you up here tonight, five conservative mps, has spoken about a leadership contest.” think the leadership contest now would send completely the wrong message. i think the public would look at it with horror. parliament treated as problem, parliament voted for the referendum, parliament asked people and parliament has duty—paid instruction and put it into practice. if we were to suddenly go off on practice. if we were to suddenly go offona practice. if we were to suddenly go off on a leadership election, the public would look on with horror. i think one is coming and i think it should be in the summer, personally i would there is the prime minister cannot get any room for manoeuvre, we may be in the territory of the ca reta ker we may be in the territory of the caretaker who would see if they can get through this last stage of withdrawal and i think a leadership election must come later in the year but for now we got the new month and a crisis to crack on —— we've got three months.

109 days, tomorrow 108, that's pretty quickly through christmas and new year and time is running out. in less than a month... ..the democrats will take over control of the house of representatives and with that come the all powerful chairmanships of some key committees. the power to investigate — and yes, even start impeachment proceedings — will rest in their hands. after the filing of court documents on friday many democrats pounced on the payments michael cohen made to two women to silence their accusations of affairs with mr trump as implicating the president. here is whatjerry nadler, the incoming head of the judiciary committee, had to say. they would be impeachable offences. whether they are important enough to justify impeachment is a different question, but certainly they would be impeachable offences because even though they were committed before the president became president, they were committed in the service of fraudulently obtaining the office. that would be an impeachable offence. and joinining us now from new york is former us

congresswoman nan hayworth. thank you forjoining us. you have been a supporter of donald trump and i wonder where you are today after the mid—term election losses with the mid—term election losses with the democrats taking over the house of representatives. all that we are hearing from them muller investigation, is there anything in all of this that has made you concerned about the president's future? no, not in terms of... if you look at number one, russian collusion, nothing has been proven despite two years of effort. nothing that was in the filing on friday indicated there is any pattern that can be put together to the president's disadvantage. in terms of yes, there is much talk about michael cohen and payments that went

to miss mcdougall and mr daniels —— miss daniels, bearing in mind that these were payments in the present —— and the president intends strongly he did not have relationships with these women but that aside, these were payments that we re that aside, these were payments that were done to facilitate their silence. there is a pattern among many prominent people of providing monetary payments to people whom they won't not to sully their reputation —— who they do not want to sully their reputation. that's not ideal in a president, is it? it's a fact of life among prominent people. it has nothing to do with the portfolio of policies that the president was elected to carry out. if we are talking about what a

prominent person does privately, and this is what the president was indicating earlier today, these are actions that he would have taken with or without a presidential campaign going on, and i think that will be his argument and it is one i think he can make effective if a legal standpoint so i'm not worried about the president's risk of being impeached. i about the president's risk of being impeached. lam not about the president's risk of being impeached. i am not for many reasons, nor do i believe that the president would successfully be pursued in that way, even if the numbers in the senate somehow favoured a conviction, which will not be the case, so i think it would be best for the democrats and my friend jenny nadler to move on from this and try to get something done for the american people who do not ca re for the american people who do not care about any of these issues nearly as much as they do about border security, the economy and

other crucial concerns. they don't ca re other crucial concerns. they don't care that he had much deeper contact with russians well into his presidential campaign, which she wasn't honest about at a time when russian agents were trying to influence their vote and his campaign? they don't care about that? there is no evidence. number one, no, people don't care about that because there is no evidence that because there is no evidence that the president was in any way influenced by dealing with any any means that would affect his campaign or his success in pursuing the office. let's bearing mind that the traffic but russia was pursued very vigorously by democratic operatives. christopher steele who was paid by democrats to create a thick dossier had much contact with russia so if anything, the pattern that we are

seeing is that the democratic side and the hillary clinton campaign we re and the hillary clinton campaign were dealing in ways that were meant to influence the election and influence the course of this presidency. former congresswoman, thank you forjoining us. emmanuel macron is making a national tv address in a bid to end the violent protests that have rocked france for the past three weeks. he's already ditched a planned hike in fuel tax but that wasn't enough to defuse anger at his government. his tax cut for the wealthy is equally unpopular. more than 130,000 protestors took to the streets this weekend with their trademark yellow vests. many of them want the president to resign. mr macron is seen as arrogant and out of touch with economic concerns of voters. tonight he admitted mistakes. translation: i take my share of the

responsibility and i am aware that there is a feeling that i am not worried that i have other priorities. i also know that i have caused issues for some of you with my reforms, but let me be clear tonight... if i have fought to perform the political system, the bad habits, the hypocrisy, it is because i love and have faith in this country above all else and my legitimacy does not come from any title, any party or any affiliation, but from all of you, from no one else. joining us now is erin zaleski. she's the paris correspondent for the daily beast. erin, is that going to draw the fire out of the protests? that is the question everyone is asking tonight. the president definitely had a softer, more humble tone tonight during his address. he's been

accused of presenting himself as aloof, distant, out of touch, rich, he has been accused of being disdainful when speaking about certain portions of the electorate so he definitely was more humble. will that be enough to quell the anger? i think it depends on which segment of the yellow vest or test your speaking to. one thing he said is that he doesn't plan to reinstate the wealth tax, he will ask the government to pay government workers annex 100 euros a month which they we re annex 100 euros a month which they were like, i imagine, —— an extra 100 euros, but they have not like tax cuts to the wealthy. mr micron has said it is to try to encourage them to invest money in france but he has said he is not backing down on that. will that be a problem for

him? that could be a problem because it was one of the main points of contention among protesters and he did speak about a series of economic measures tonight, raising the french minimum wage by 100 euros every month beginning next year, he's going to scrap social taxes on the per, —— on the poor, that he was standing firm with the wealth tax and it will drive high earning people and businesses out of the country and in turn that will cost the countryjobs. country and in turn that will cost the country jobs. given country and in turn that will cost the countryjobs. given that that was a huge issue among many protesters, i don't think they're going to react to that well.” protesters, i don't think they're going to react to that well. i was in the south of france this weekend andi in the south of france this weekend and i was surprised because everywhere i went this weekend, i saw yellow vests. protesters were

out in force and it wasn't the same sort of people, it is not the unions, i know they have been speaking to the president today but they do not control this protest. no, the unions have nothing to do with it, they don't control the protests at all and that is what has made this movement so unique. normally during a protest in france, the french underground masters of protest, but it's usually backed by a political party under union —— or a political party under union —— or a union. but this one kind of came out of nowhere, it started as a loosely organised thing on social media and it is a portion of the electorate that is out there, there are no unions, which makes it harder to negotiate. very interesting, we will continue to watch france. thank you forjoining us, erin. let's go back to our main story, the decision of theresa may to delay

the vote on her brexit deal. the discussion in the house of commons behind me is still going on, so let's talk about this with our political correspondent, vicky young. let's tidy up one or two things for our viewers tonight. there was going to bea our viewers tonight. there was going to be a vote on the vote, whether it would be held, that has now gone away. the government always felt they did not need to do that and luckily for them because there was a suggestion they might lose that vote and had to hold the meaningful vote tomorrow and lose that as well. they have said they can unilaterally decide not to hold that vote, that was good to happen in the next hour or so. i think they will be lots of parliamentary shenanigans to try to force the government to do things it doesn't want to but for now, theresa may has had to row back on her major policy, the deal which she is hoping at some point to get through parliament still. vicky, we have had various members of the conservative

and labour party and i'm still as confused as i was at the beginning! what is quick to happen next? that's because they are confused! they don't have the same opinion. the ones on the remain side are divided over whether they should have another referendum or go for some sort of norway style relationship with the eu and on the other side you've got the brexiteers, some who wa nt you've got the brexiteers, some who want an no deal. that's why there is confusion and that's the one thing that has probably helping theresa may at the moment. she's saying, what is your alternative? who's your alternative of what is your alternative? ijust alternative of what is your alternative? i just bought alternative of what is your alternative? ijust bought a one memberwho said if alternative? ijust bought a one member who said if you bring alternative? ijust bought a one memberwho said if you bring in a new leader, that's not going to change the arithmetic and that is what is helping theresa may but it has been delayed yet again and we have no date for when this

meaningful vote will happen.” have no date for when this meaningful vote will happen. i have to brexit wall chart and i still don't know it ends! stay with us over the course of the next few weeks. we'll see you tomorrow. after a wet windy weather of next week, something much quieter to come to the week ahead. rain, drizzle and hill fog our possible. in scotland and eastern side of england, the blue indicates

this is where we will see the lowest temperatures overnight at or maybe below freezing and in the coldest spots, frost. elsewhere, temperatures staying above freezing where you have cloud cover. into tomorrow, parts of northern scotland and northern england, especially into norfolk, that see some sunny spells. maybe brighter moments but it will pick up this zone of thicker cloud. this weather front could still produce light rain here and there. it's quite chilly the further east you are but temperatures in double figures for the west but another weather front coming in to end the day, outbreaks of rain into wales and southwest england but it comes to a halt, high pressure building in scandinavia blocking atla ntic building in scandinavia blocking atlantic weather systems coming in for the remainder of the week. we will keep onejust for the remainder of the week. we will keep one just lingering through western areas on wednesday. northern ireland, maybe to the west about

seeing sunshine, part of northeast scotla nd seeing sunshine, part of northeast scotland and eastern england with brighter spells and temperatures starting to come down, it cold feel wind —— southeasterly. it will be enhanced by the brisk wind on thursday but there will be a lot of dry weather around, maybe not a huge amount of sunshine. the main thing for thursday and friday, those temperatures rooted in single figures. it looks as though the atla ntic figures. it looks as though the atlantic will take over again on saturday with the rain and maybe some snow on the leading—edge, pushing north, windy again, too. this is bbc news, i'm christian fraser. the headlines at eight. i still believe there is a majority to be won in this house in support of it if i can secure additional reassurance on the question of the backstop, and that is what my focus will be in the days ahead. the government is in disarray.

uncertainty is building for business, people are in despair at the state of these failed negotiations. the european council will hold an extra session later this week to try and help theresa may secure parliamentary approval, but eu leaders stand firm saying the deal itself can not be renegotiated. it took over a year and a half to negotiate and it is not possible to reopen any aspect of that agreement without reopening all