this is bbc news, i'm ben brown. the headlines at 9... theresa may accuses the former prime minister tony blair of ‘insulting the office‘ he once held by supporting another eu referendum. celebrations in poland as negotiators finalise a deal on how to implement the paris climate accord by 2020. chester zoo launches afundraising campaign after being severely damaged by fire yesterday. and the winner of this year's strictly come dancing is announced... documentary maker stacey dooley and dance partner kevin clifton triumph in the sixteenth series and take the coveted glitterball trophy. and our sunday morning edition of the papers is at 9.35 — this morning's reviewers are laura hughes of the financial times and ben chu, economics editor at the independent.

hello, a very good morning to you. theresa may has attacked tony blair, her predecessor as prime minister, after he backed calls for another referendum on brexit. it's being seen as an unusually angry response for the prime minister. in a statement, mrs may said: let's talk to our political correspondent

nick eardley, hejoins me now. very strong words from theresa may. i think it shows the anger from some in downing street that another vote in the referendum is picking up. six months ago if we were speaking about it, it would have seen to be a quite unlikely prospect but it is increasingly gaining traction as a potential way to end the impasse. the problem for theresa may is that tony blair certainly isn't the only one advocating another referendum, anotherformer prime one advocating another referendum, another former prime ministerjohn major, conservative prime minister at that, is part of that camp and so are an increasing number of mps including some in theresa may's party and cabinet. i think in some ways what she is dry to do is lance

the boil of what they are saying, to ta ke the boil of what they are saying, to take some of her courts, some are seeking to subvert the process for their own political interest, not acting in the national interest. accusing mr blair of undermining negotiations is seeking to have talks in brussels about intentional ways to prepare for another referendum. but as i say, theresa may cannot simply say this is my political opponents from yesteryear who are doing that because there are many in parliament who believe the same thing. some of her cabinet collea g u es same thing. some of her cabinet colleagues have been discussing this this morning, i think? this is a report about david livingstone, the prime minister's de facto deputy, who spends lot of his time preparing government for brexit and one of his jobsis government for brexit and one of his jobs is speak to a pariah take of different groups about what brexit might look like what a number of conservative mps are extremely unhappy that one of the groups he

has been holding talks with is a group ofa has been holding talks with is a group of a dozen or so labour mps who basically don't want brexit to happen, who aren't going to vote for the prime minister's did not matter what it offers and instead, want another referendum. there is no suggestion at this stage that mr liddington is actively backing that position but there are some who are slightly concerned about it. was —— this morning, we've also heard from the education secretary damian hinds who doesn't want another referendum and has been warning our colleagues at bbc breakfast it could actually make things worse. i don't approve of the idea of having a second referendum and the idea that a second referendum would break the deadlock isjust wrong. second referendum would break the deadlock is just wrong. a second referendum might postpone the deadlock but then it would extend the deadlock and we could have the whole thing all over again so no, we need to work away through this now, it's important to have a plan for what happens next and that's precisely why the prime minister has

beenin precisely why the prime minister has been in brussels, talking to the various leaders across europe and will continue to do that because there are concerns particularly around this thing cold the backstop and it's important to address those concerns but ultimately, the essence of the deal that the prime minister has put forward and negotiated with the other side is a really good deal, the best of all worlds. on the referendum and honours the result, ends free movement, gets us out of the agriculture and fisheries policy. the education secretary speaking this morning saying it's the best of both worlds and a very good deal but i suppose the problem is the prime minister didn't get very far when she went to brussels, no vote in the commons until next year, ina no vote in the commons until next year, in a sense, everything is on hold. absolutely, theresa may still faces a colossal task of persuading enough mps to back her plan, that's why so much of the talk this weekend andi why so much of the talk this weekend and i suspect much of the talk next week as well, will be about what

happens if it fails. there are so many options bounding about, damian hinds was also seen in the interview this morning people should be careful, you vote down that feel there is no guarantee you get what you want something closer to what you want something closer to what you want, you might get the polar opposite because the other side might end up in the exact same position, trying to fight for what they want. i think we will hear a lot or in the coming weeks about intentional plan bs, specifically on the second referendum we will hear more from this week from labour mps trying to put pressure onjeremy corbyn to get behind that position, he's been reluctant to do that so far, if it's ever to happen many people think his support would be essential. in terms of whether it's possible, yes, and has been more and more conversation about it is still a heck of a long way to go if it's ever to happen. nick, thank you. negotiators at the un climate conference in poland have finally agreed a deal on measues to tackle climate change.

nearly 200 countries overcame political divisions, to set out how they should implement the promises they've made in the paris agreement of three years ago to cut greenhouse gas emissions and minimise global warming. here's our science editor, david shukman. this is what it's all about. gases released into the air that heats the planet. and after some long, difficult arguments, the world has inched towards a deal for how to reduce them, to try to avoid the risks of dangerous levels of warming in future. the talks at katowice in poland saw delegates from nearly 200 countries haggling over rules on how to tackle climate change — a slow process, but eventually a deal was done. it will move us want major step towards realising the agreement, an

ambition that will ensure our children and their children... loss of sound loss of sound. this is money that goes into what's

called a highly needs flock at local authorities and they distribute the money in different ways, some of thatis money in different ways, some of that is for capital, that could be for new places in schools, we also welcome bids for you preschool special schools and we will look at those kids shortly. it's specifically for provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities and those additional costs, there have been strains, very significant strains on local authority budgets and this will go some way to dealing with that, it's not only about the cash, it's also about changing the way we do some things to make sure we, in a good way, ensure the right provision is there for the individual child. can you confirm, where has this money come from, specifically, has come out of the total educational budget or have you found dead from elsewhere? each year we allocate money to schools. —— have you found

it. you make estimates of how much it. you make estimates of how much it is and we are just the estimates of the year and this money is the result of some of those projections having come down in terms of the number of pupils, who together characteristics, we are able to identify this money to support children with special educational needs and that was right at the top of my list of priorities. it sounds like you are kind of moving money around rather than investing in special educational needs in particular. no, no, that's not what has happened. you may projections at the start of the year and that is possible to identify underspent because the projections are, and by the way, the projections are different every year from what you project up the start of the year but it has been possible to find some money to put specifically towards special needs and that's for the revenue funding. there's capital

funding to improve facilities and provision and also more spaces in preschool special schools so, for the children without is right, more provision and more choice. you talk about the treatment of children with special educational needs as was being a moral barometer how we treat society and yet, in the last five yea rs society and yet, in the last five years under tory government almost iooo years under tory government almost 1000 children with the highest level of special need are without a school and that number has doubled, they are being home—schooled. you shake your head but those are the numbers that we have here, is this not a damning indictment on the way you have treated these children over the yea rs 7 have treated these children over the years? no, so i think the figures you are referring to are some figures that are called awaiting provision, that covers quite a range of different circumstances, it wasn't mean children are

specifically not in school, to say you are awaiting provision can include being in one school and waiting and moved to another, in some cases at the end of compulsory schooling and awaiting the next move. the reforms that the broughton in 2014, the children and families bill that brought in education, health and care plans, were really important step forward and we have to keep improving because as you rightly say, it's a barometer of how we are as a society, how we treat and help and support and develop those who need that extra help and thatjob will never be done. we will never have done enough but we have to keep striving to do better and this package we announce today is one step in that. people will be glad the government is focused on something other than brexit which is a co nsta nt something other than brexit which is a constant preoccupation and i must ask you a couple of questions. yes, here it comes! given that theresa may's deal is likely to fail, i don't know anyone who says it will

succeed, you might tell me different, what is your preferred plan b if she cannot get this through parliament?” plan b if she cannot get this through parliament? i think rachel, there's too many preferred plans going around, about 56 different plans going around and eight, all of them have two things in common, the first is that many people are strongly in favour of them and secondly the majority of people are against them and that's why it's important to think beyond everybody‘s preferred option, the ideal option and said what is something we can all gather around, what is something we can all deal with and something like the prime minister's deal that has been put forward is a very good balanced approach which actually i think, people can get behind but you know, we need to think, everyone needs to come to terms with that notion, your first option, your preferred choice is just not supported by the majority. you can keep banging that

jargon out, there is life in this deal but very few other people believe that amber has to be a plan about what happens next, it would be incompetence on behalf of the government if there wasn't. we hear reports in the papers this morning that various members of the conservative party are meeting with people from labour talking about a second referendum, another boat of some sort. do you believe in that, don't you think it's time politicians from a cross—party spectrum coalesce around a different sort of plan as this one fails? no, i don't approve of the idea of having a second referendum and the idea that a second referendum would break the deadlock is just wrong. a second referendum might postpone the deadlock but then it would extend the deadlock and we could set the whole thing all over again. no, we need to work away through this now and you say it's important to have a plan for what happens next and there is, that's precisely why the prime minister has been in brussels, talking to various leaders across

europe and will continue to do that because there are concerns, particularly around this thing called the backstop and it's important to address those concerns. importantly, important to address those concerns. importa ntly, the essence important to address those concerns. importantly, the essence of the deal the prime minister has put forward and negotiated on the other side is and negotiated on the other side is a really good deal, the best of both worlds, delivers and honours the referendum, ends free movement, gets us referendum, ends free movement, gets us out of the agriculture and fisheries policy, means we can strike gold trade deals but means a strong and close economic relationship with the european union. to be honest, if before the referendum that these had been offered to leave and remained many offered to leave and remained many of them would have bitten your hand up. she's got nothing from brussels but one person speaking in brussels as tony blair and he's been talking about a folder options fail, another vote should be something on the table and that is to be considered. you may raise your eyebrows but plenty of other prime ministers have intervened in the brexit debate,

john major has been buried google about it, how he thinks the uk has shot itself in the foot, should we not be listening to these politicians who have some experience of the gauzy aiding and being on the world stage? what we need to do is come together, come together around the plan, the plan for britain and then we need to be making the case for that plan and making sure we can get it through. as i said earlier, there are all sorts of different preferred options that evil have, sometimes there's a bit of wishful thinking that if only, the deal that was on the table doesn't not get through parliament, what follows is bound to be something closer to what ilike, bound to be something closer to what i like, there is no reason to believe that is true. the deal, the essence of it that the prime minister has negotiated is a very good, balanced deal, as i said in many ways it's the best of both worlds, appealing to people who voted remain and leave and what we need to be doing this focus energy on getting that implemented and then

we can move on to everything... that was the education secretary damian hinds speaking to rachel burden a little earlier. just to apologise, we have had as you probably noticed if few technical problems this morning but we are ok now so let's wrestle on with the day's news. chester zoo has launched a £50,000 fundraising campaign after fire destroyed much of the vast roof covering its monsoon forest area yesterday. the area was quickly evacuated, but some animals are still missing. the zoo will reopen today. adam woods reports. the uk's largest zoo enclosure engulfed in flames. woman: oh, my god. oh, my god. inside, hundreds of rare and exotic creatures. firefighters were quick to arrive as the zoo was evacuated, staff went back into move animals to safety. what could you see? just loads of smoke over the new part of the zoo and it was really cloudy and there seemed to be a lot of panic, fire engines,

police, even ambulance. 15 fire crews battled strong wind and rain to bring the flames under control. one person had to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation. no other injuries have been reported. all mammals living inside the enclosure, including endangered orangutans, gibbons and crocodiles, have been accounted for, but many tropical birds remain missing. an investigation into what caused the fire is now under way, with parts of the zoo expected to reopen later today. adam woods, bbc news. drivers in scotland are being advised to take extra care after a number of crashes on the m74 in dumfries and galloway. it's thought freezing rain may have covered parts of the motorway. meanwhile, storm deirdre has brought flooding and left thousands of homes and businesses without electricity in parts of ireland. the met office says the worst of the weather has now passed, but warned of continuing icy conditions.

bad weather and an increasing trend to buy things online are being blamed for shoppers staying away from the high street on what is usually the busiest weekend before christmas. retail experts say footfall across the uk yesterday was down almost 10% compared with the same time last year. it comes after a november which was described by some businesses as "unbelievably bad", as joe miller reports. it's been a year of profit warnings, branch closures and big brands going under. britain's retailers have had a torrid 2018. we've seen consumer confidence drop, we've seen costs increase and in general i think people are very nervous about spending. i don't imagine this is going to let up any time soon. amid the gloom, one man is styling himself as the saviour of the high street. mike ashley's sports direct, which rescued house of fraser, says it wants to lend a hand to a wounded competitor, debenhams.

we put this offer in to invest another £40 million and it is kind of the electric shock to wake them up to what is probably the last chance saloon. mike ashley has suggested debenhams has zero chance of survival without his cash, but the chain has rebuffed his proposal, and some suspect the billionaire, who is already debenhams largest shareholder, wants to get his hands on its assets if it collapses, a claim sports direct denies. for now, debenhams and other struggling chains mightjust be able to afford to keep mike ashley at bay, but neither they nor mike ashley's retail empire can afford a disappointing christmas. joe miller, bbc news. now, strictly come dancing, the final, was last night. if you have it recorded, possibly

don't watch this piece coming up! david sillito our entertainment correspondent has all the details. it's the final! four couples, three dancers and from the very beginning, it was actually a former pussycat doll who set the standard. the big lift from dirty dancing was flawless. ten! the score, perfect tens. and those 40s kept coming. this athletic show dance on a raised and revolving platform. i personally as a dancer feel that you stretched yourself beyond limits, you've learned techniques you are not familiar with ever before, you have brought to the show a life, a style, and i truly am gratefulfor you. of course, craig did try to find a fault. i had a slight problem with your right toe, darling, but then i decided to get over myself. ten! not a point was dropped all night. but matching those scores dance after dance was faye tozer. this hollywood glitz in high heels on a very high top hat... at the end of this routine to fever, it was perfect tens across the board. what an end of a journey. wow. this is really high. but when it comes to a journey from being a non—dancer to doing this... ..youtuberjoe sugg was more

than holding his own, ending with a charleston. you are the biggest surprise of this series. from a marathon night of dancers tonight, you have just got stronger and stronger and it's an extraordinary amount of work you have put in and it has paid off, you are a star. for tvjournalist stacey dooley, it began with an explosive show dance. everything was thrown at it. the crowd loved it. bruno tried to describe it as her greatest hits. your greatest hits. but craig... i wasn't that keen on the dance. it was the lowest score of the night. and even at the end of a paso doble described as having power and passion, she was in fourth place. all that matters is what the public thinks and they saw it rather differently. stacey and kevin! even more emotional was her professional dance partner kevin clifton. after five finals, his first victory. there it is, the winner of this year's glitterball trophy, stacey dooley. david sillito, bbc news. it's the final! four couples, three dancers and from the very beginning, it was actually a former pussycat doll who set the standard. the big lift from dirty dancing was flawless. ten! the score, perfect tens. and those 40s kept coming. this athletic show dance on a raised and revolving platform. i personally as a dancer feel that you stretched

yourself beyond limits, you've learned techniques you are not familiar with ever before, you have brought to the show a life, a style, and i truly am gratefulfor you. of course, craig did try to find a fault. i had a slight problem with your right toe, darling, but then i decided to get over myself. ten! not a point was dropped all night. but matching those scores dance after dance was faye tozer. this hollywood glitz in high heels on a very high top hat... at the end of this routine to fever, it was perfect tens across the board. what an end of a journey. wow. this is really high. but when it comes to a journey from being a non—dancer to doing this... ..youtuberjoe sugg was more than holding his own, ending with a charleston. you are the biggest surprise of this series. from a marathon night of dancers tonight, you have just got stronger and stronger and it's an extraordinary amount of work you have put in and it has paid off, you are a star. for tvjournalist stacey dooley, it began with an explosive show dance. everything was thrown at it. the crowd loved it. bruno tried to describe it as her greatest hits. your greatest hits. but craig... i wasn't that keen on the dance. it was the lowest score of the night. and even at the end

of a paso doble described as having power and passion, she was in fourth place. all that matters is what the public thinks and they saw it rather differently. stacey and kevin! even more emotional was her professional dance partner kevin clifton. after five finals, his first victory. there it is, the winner of this year's glitterball trophy, stacey dooley. david sillito, bbc news. many congratulations to stacey. time for a look at the latest weather. let'sjoin helen for a look at the latest weather. let's join helen willetts who has the latest forecast. we've heard a lot of reports of trouble problems caused by freezing rain but what exactly is it? it's very rare that we see a widespread freezing rain event here

in the uk, it happens a lot in the united states, but this is what happens so let me try and explain the dynamics around that. it's finally balanced for it to happen, effectively you have cloud with snow and it comes into slightly warmer parts of the atmosphere way above us and turns back into a rain droplets but then it comes into freezing air that we have had near the surface, it gets supercooled, below freezing and it flattens out, instantaneously freezing and hits the circus, a pavement, wrote, everything becomes treacherous. glad to say that has moved away. it was brought courtesy of storm deidre here, packed a punch, pummelling the winds into any areas, bringing down trees and causing delays with wind and rain. time did we have the atlantic influence, a little milder, this morning, the satellite picture, sunshine! the rain cloud and a

little bit of hilson or across parts of scotla nd little bit of hilson or across parts of scotland but all the time it's improving, going into the north sea, we have hill snow lying, still pretty chilly across the northern half of the country, more rain showers possibly some thunder coming into southern and western parts of the uk. even without that we have sunshine, temperatures with the milder south—west wind getting above—average, above yesterday, much more bearable if you are heading out, it was bitter and draw yesterday. evening and overnight pushing the rain eastwards, things quieten down, looks like a cold night, temperatures close to freezing in the towns and cities, probably at freezing in the countryside especially in rural areas. there could be is following the rain today and with lighter winds, substantially lighter, some mist and fog. monday starting on a decent note, a little ridge of high pressure, keeping the weather