hello, you're watching afternoon live — i'm rebecca jones. today at 2. a man pleads guilty to killing his wife and her mother in a savage knife attack in solihull this summer. we were trying to get to them, but what we then know is that tragically, whilst in contact with us, the offence took place. and this was a brutal murder of two defenceless ladies, by a man who had spent the day hunting them down. theresa may is to tell mps today that another brexit referendum would break faith with the british people — some ministers say parliament should decide the next step. we need to find out where the will of parliament is, where the majority of mps will vote in parliament, and nothing should be off the table. we should consider all options. it's notjust the high street that's suffering — now a profits warning from the online retailer asos coming up on afternoon live all the sport — with kat downes football, cut, isuspect

football, cut, i suspect making the headlines? josie marini o'connor as it often does, gone by christmas dodgejose mourinho it often does, gone by christmas dodge jose mourinho gone it often does, gone by christmas dodgejose mourinho gone by christmas? very different from the wet weekend? after all of that turbulent weather, it has been very nice to see a bit of sunshine. a sign that define conditions will not last. i will have all of the details in the next half—hour. also coming up — there's no room at the inn for the homeless of hull — as a hotel cancels their christmas booking. hello and welcome to afternoon live — i'm rebecca jones and

thanks for your company, 21—year—old janbaz tarin has admitted stabbing to death his wife and her mother this summer. raneem oudeh had repeatedly called the police to say the man she had married under islamic law was threatening her — she was calling them again when he attacked her and khaola saleem with a knife. an investigation has been launched into how west midlands police handled the case. sima kotecha reports from birmingham crown court. the defendant was described as controlling, violent and abusive in court this morning. we also heard that he had a wife and three other children in afghanistan, and that that was a point of tension between him and raneem oudeh, who he stabbed so brutally that day in august with her mother in solihull. thank you very much, sir. he'd been on the run for days but here's the moment when the killer of two was caught.

police used pepper spray to control him. it was late august and 21—year—old janbaz tarin was wanted for the murder of his wife, 22—year—old raneem oudeh, and her mother, khaola saleem, who was 49. in the early hours of a monday morning, the women were found stabbed to death outside their home in solihull. we are a small family here in the uk but we meant a lot to each other. to lose them is like we have lost the happiest thing ever. it was like being in heaven with them, but now they've gone, it's like we've been brought down—to—earth. this cctv footage shows the night of the killings. raneem walking into a shisha bar in birmingham, tarin following behind. and then an altercation between them, with khaola, her mother, intervening.

raneem had also made a number of 999 calls earlier in the evening, including from the shisha bar, but officers say they were unable to track her down. the murders happened a little while later, when the women got home. police say raneem was on the phone to them when she was attacked. we were trying to get to them but what we do know is that tragically, whilst in contact with us, the offence took place. this was a brutal murder of two defenceless ladies by a man who had spent the day hunting them down. the court had granted an orderjust weeks before, forbidding tarin from going anywhere near his wife. a forensic postmortem examination concluded the two women had died from multiple stab wounds. i think prison is not enough. life to life. it's our lives that have been taken away, you know? two beautiful personalities,

two beautiful persons in our lives, you know, in both our lives. you know, it'sjust darkness. whatjustice can there be then? tarin worked as a cashier at his father's convenience store in birmingham. the relatives of raneem and khaola say they were precious, warm and deeply loving, whose lives were cut short in the most brutal way. as you heard, he worked as a cashier at his father's shop. as details that has gone out of court this morning. he went to collect a knife from thatjob on the day of the murders, he picked it up, drove to the house and asked the judge said, the house and asked the judge said, the intent to kill was there. theresa may will tell mps this afternoon that another brexit referendum would break faith with the british people.

in a commons statement, she will warn that a fresh vote would do ‘irreparable damage' to politics and further divide the country. former prime ministersjohn major and tony blair are among those calling for another referendum. here's our political correspondent iain watson. the prime minister, on her way to a meeting of key political allies downing street this morning, discussing how to get a deal through parliament. some of her own cabinet are talking about what happens if the deal goes down to defeat. we need to find out where the will of parliament is, where the majority of mps will vote in parliament. nothing should be off the table, we should consider all options. the business secretary, like amber rudd, support the prime minister's deal. but, like her, recognises it can't currently get through parliament. so, when it is finally voted on next month... if that was still the case,

i think there is a responsibility on parliament not just to say what it doesn't want, easy to be a critic, but actually to take responsibility and to consider what parliament would vote for. what is striking is the number of cabinet ministers, those who sit around theresa may's top table here in downing street, who are now openly talking about what would happen if her deal is defeated. to use a political phrase, some seem to be supportive of the deal like a rope supports a hanged man. they would like mps to be able to vote on alternative options, not justa plan b, buta plan c and a plan d as well. so what options could mps vote on? amongst them would be what is known as norway plus. outside of the eu, but inside of its single market. the plus bit means that we would also be inside the customs union, or something very like it. then there is what is called no deal with the eu, but like many other countrys,

we would use world trade organisation rules and pay tariffs. then there is the option of having another referendum, though which question or questions would be asked is not yet clear. we want a people's vote! it is this last option that the prime minister particularly wants to rule out. the people's vote campaign want a referendum which would give us the option of remaining in the eu. theresa may believes that would break faith with the british people. the prime minister is absolutely right to rule out a second referendum, we asked the people to decide, they decided, they have put their faith in us and we mustn't let them down. we have do deliver on brexit. but the people's vote campaign argue that parliament simply can't deliver. it has been undeliverable by this prime minister and this government. any deal that would be on the table now is worse than what we currently enjoy as a member of the european union, so let's put it back to the people and get their direction. mps should not be allowed to reflect on alternatives to theresa may's deal, says downing street. she is focused on getting it through parliament. but with three months to go until brexit, we still don't know if it is her deal,

no deal or a new deal. our chief political correspondent, vicki young, is in westminster. theresa may is adamant there will not be another referendum, how much you momentum is their building for one? i think there has been for several months. the big question that they are all asking is what exactly would parliament be in favour of? what is striking is how money discussions there are going on across different parties about all of this. the danger is that there is no majority for anything at all. we are stuck in a situation where a lot of mps feel they need you on about referendum result, but nobody knows how to access. i am joined by a labourmp. how to access. i am joined by a labour mp. you have written a

letter, just explain what it is that you are saying to her. 62 mps from four political parties, england scotland and wales, different views all united to say we cannot possibly go over the cliff on the 29th of march without a deal. in no—deal brexit would have catastrophic consequences for our economy, for oui’ consequences for our economy, for our manufacturing base, it would make britain a poorer place to live. the obvious question is that there was a deal on the table. it has been brought back after months of negotiation. why don't you back that? i think there is a widespread a cce pta nce that? i think there is a widespread acceptance that this deal will not go through the house of commons. if we have continuing uncertainty, the consequences will be that major decisions will be made on investment, and british workers will lose out. that is why what we need isa lose out. that is why what we need is a degree of stability and a

cross—party, that is a degree of stability and a cross— party, that is is a degree of stability and a cross—party, that is precisely what we are roger in for. it agree stability while the way forward is identified. away from what is going on in parliament, what art businesses saying in your constituency? they are deeply concerned, from the automotive industry, due engineering companies, to food companies. they are all saying the same thing. we have to have certainty, a deal must be done. it deal will not be done in the here and now. overwhelmingly, they are committed to britain. some will move investment and production overseas, if the uncertainty continues. we cannot go over it cliff on the 29th of march without a deal. does labour have a responsibility and all of this? do have a responsibility to deliver on the referendum results

and to work with the conservatives in order to get some sort of deal through. my constituents voted overwhelmingly to leave. i respect that decision. first and foremost, what we have got to do is to say, can we find a way forward? a deal that would deduct the british national interest. that is proving to be very difficult, but what is good about it is that there is a unity across political parties to say that whether we end up, we cannot have a no—deal brexit. say that whether we end up, we cannot have a no-deal brexit. and you feel about the idea of a second referendum, it is labour party policy that if you can't get a general election that this is something that would be considered. is that something that you would be happy about? to be frank, there is not strong support in my constituency for a referendum. can one rule that out? if in the months to come there is a complete impasse, britain, jan now, the people that

elected me saying get on with it. cfa deal can be done. that is where the primary focus has got to be. —— cf we will be talking to you later. don't forget — you can let us know what you think tweet us a man is still being treated in hospital after a house fire in nottinghamshire which claimed the lives of his wife and two children. justine collison, eight—year—old isabella and five—year—old harvey all died following the blaze in collingham on saturday morning. the children's father, 3a —year—old gavin collison, is said to be in a serious condition.

the government is promising better protection for workers in the so—called ‘gig economy‘ — people like delivery drivers who are hired informally. under new plans they'll be told their rights from their first day, including eligibility for paid leave and sick leave. but labour and the unions say the proposed reforms don't go far enough. here's our economics correspondent andy verity. it's been billed by the government as the biggest boost to rights in the workplace in a generation. the result of an official review after an outcry over workers in zero—hours contracts or gig economyjobs, who can't know how much money is coming in from one week to the next and often don't get benefits like paid holiday or maternity leave. so what exactly is changing? people who for example are not on a fixed contract, in terms of number of hours, will have the right to request that, and their employers will have to give proper consideration to that.

as well as that right to request guaranteed hours, the government's legislating to close a loophole to ensure agency workers aren't paid less than full—time staff, and employees will get a statement of rights when they start work, setting out their right to benefits like maternity pay. while employers welcomed the reforms, the government's disappointed many by refusing to go further, for example by scrapping zero—hours contracts. i've been on a few myself over the years and ijust think they are very negative. i think employees don't have the stability that they need, especially, you know, in this time, when nothing is secure, a little bit of security in yourjob is i think very important. if anything goes wrong and you do get sick, there's nothing you can do about it. you are completely stuck. these big companies can afford to pay people a proper wage and afford to pay holiday and sick pay. i mean, i think it is fair. unions say the right to ask for guaranteed hours isn't enough if employers who have

designed their business around flexible working constantly reviews. the unions have spent seven years campaigning for the closing of the loopholes around agency working so government taking action on that is welcome. but taken as a package, this set of reforms just isn't good enough, it is too little, too late. we should have seen a ban on zero—hours contracts and government taking positive action to support unions to go out and organising the gig economy. we've seen none of that and this is a damp squib set of proposals. the government has notably avoided a key recommendation of its own review that gig economy workers who work for one company should be classed as dependent contractors and given greater protection. if insecurity is the price of flexible working, some workers will go on paying it. andy verity, bbc news. you're watching afternoon live, these are our headlines a man pleads guilty to murdering a mother and daughter in solihull. janbaz tarin killed his wife and her mother.

theresa may will tell mps that holding a second brexit referendum would break faith with the public and damage the integrity of british politics. a change in how student loans are recorded in the public finances will add £12 billion to the deficit. and in sport: manchester united are just an average side, just a decent cup team — according to former players who have spoken out about united's performance this season underjose mourinho. united face paris st germain in the last 16 of the champions league — liverpool play bayern munich, tottenham take on dortmund and manchester city play schalke. and ahead of his fight this weekend, dillian whyte says whichever way it goes, he's unlikely to get a world title shot against anthonyjoshua. i'll be back with more on those stores just after half past. student loans will add £12 billion to the country's national

debt because they are to be reclassified as public spending. the office of national statistics made the ruling this morning and revealed that almost half the value of student loans will be lost as many graduates will never reach the income level required to repay their debts. let's speak now to our correspondent navtej johal. why are the rules being changed? this is all about how the government record student loans on its balance sheet. it is a technical change, but one with major implications. under the current system, the money that the current system, the money that the government gives out under student loans is not recorded as public spending. the theory being that because it is a loan, it will get that money back. many have criticised the system as a fiscal illusion, because in practice around 45% of those loans are not expected to be repaid. students only start paying them off when they own above

£25,000 a year. any amount they have repaid in 30 years is written off. that bill is therefore paid for by the taxpayer. to date's decision means that from september next year, the amount the student loans will be paid off will be counted as capital. pushing up that deficit by £12 billion. that is the difference between the amount that the government spends and what it receives in taxes in other income. that will be a headache for philip hammond, and that number is expected to rise to 70 billion over the next five years. a potential headache for the government, but as this essentially just a technical change will it have any impact on students in universities? although it doesn't change the cost of funding higher education, it could provide an incentive for the government to cut tuition fees or to reduce the amount it funds for higher education in order to improve the deficit.

universities are the case here. they all to ensure that their students on their income are not affected. cuts to fees, are a risk to social mobility. in the last hour, the government has described to date's change and tried to reassure people are described it as a technical accounting decision that does not affect students. meanwhile, a review of the current student loan system which was commissioned by the prime minister which is considering whether to cut tuition fees is due to report back to the government and a couple of months. that review will be taking to date's decision into account. the rise in shopping on the internet is often blamed for the decline of the high street, but now there's evidence online retailers are also suffering. shares in the online fashion store asos have fallen sharply after the company issued a sales and profits warning. asos says there's been a significant deterioration in trading in the run up to christmas. retail expert, academic

marketing and planning director at the university of lancashire dr robin carey joins me now from preston. we are used to hearing about this lump on the high street, but asos is an online retailer, so what do you think is going on? it is. one of the key factors that we have two bear in mind is that retail is retail, whether it is on the high street whether it is on the high street whether it is online. some of the underlying factors are exactly the same. you have got a very competitive marketplace, on top of that you have got it evaluation of oui’ currency that you have got it evaluation of our currency that we have had since brexit whereby the pound is worth around 12—13% less than the u0. what you have got happening is increased

conversation and shrinking margins. then have got consumers who are more relu cta nt to then have got consumers who are more reluctant to spend, so they need to be incentivised by discounts. why are consumers more reluctant to spend? i think there is a number of different factors, you can... i have heard very as conversations about brexit, and it isn'tjust brexit. 0ne brexit, and it isn'tjust brexit. one is that the ross on ethical issues whereby we have got so used to the concept of fast fashion where we are overproducing gods that are not needed. some major retailers have been destroying gods rather than take them to market. the other factors within fast fashion is that fast fashion is about moving product quickly. there is always a new fashion coming out, there is always a new trend. the problem with that is that if that product is not moving, you have got a blockage in

the supply chain and you need to get rid of those products. you need to sell them. probably with having a market that is now extremely mature, and the demand curve is reducing. you just cannot keep on selling product that people don't want and it is as simple as that. it is one of the mistakes, the retailers doing the right things in bucking this trend? i don't think there are that many retailers that are bucking the trend. if you look at online and off—line retailers, you get a whole host of retailers whether that is mike ashley making interesting comments if you days ago about how many retailers are suffering, and you have major players such as debenhams, marks & spencer is all reducing the amount of stores that they are having. the issue is more widely, how much product can be

marketed absorb? 0ur widely, how much product can be marketed absorb? our economy is very much driven by the service sector. 7996 much driven by the service sector. 79% of our economy is the service sector, of which retail is a huge part. we have got used to the concept that retail would keep on growing, but there were limitations with all sectors and retail is a sector that is hitting a peak. there will be reductions in both online and off—line sales, there is huge competition, whether that be from big platforms like and was on. the issue that seems to be a —— like amazon. the issue is how much product can consumers consume? my prediction is that there is going to bea prediction is that there is going to be a lot of reduction in production, factories in china will be hurt. we

are probably hitting the point where we need to question the ethical abilities of fast fashion to continue in the long—term pumping out more product that is getting more difficult to sell. really got to share your thoughts. thank you. a group of homeless people in hull had been looking forward to a christmas treat — a stay at a hotel in the city, paid for by a charity. but now the royal hotel in hull, which had accepted the booking for 1h twin rooms, has suddenly cancelled it without any explanation. andy moore reports. an attacker ties in, britannia hotels welcomes guests to this hotel. these particular guests were not welcome. last year, a charity successfully organised a similar event at another hotel. there were

no complaints or reports of trouble. that particular hotel did not have enough rooms this year. last week, the charity board twin rooms at this hotel and were clear that it was for homeless people and were given a discount. 0n homeless people and were given a discount. on saturday on facebook the charity said it was angry and gutted to find that bucking had been cancelled. it has got to be discrimination because the rooms are still for sale and nobody else's rooms have been cancelled. still for sale and nobody else's rooms have been cancelledm still for sale and nobody else's rooms have been cancelled. it meant quite a lot to me. everything went 0k last year. this year, i don't know what is going on with them. so far, there has been the response from britannia hotels. 0ur behalf of the homeless people of hull, the local mp is taking up the case.

the homeless people of hull, the local mp is taking up the caselj have already started writing the letter to the hotel and i'm going to be very reasonably asking them to reconsider. this is christmas, these people are homeless. surely at christmas time, this is the time that we should be reaching out to homeless people and offering them a place to stay. online, there has been a surge into nations and it has far exceeded its target. it is hoped that christmas can be rescued for the homeless of whole. time for a look at the weather... here's matt taylor. pretty much everywhere it was a wet and windy weekend. saturday was a horrible one. it was cold, it was windy, some saw a bit of everything, as well. on friday, if you were with us, we as well. on friday, if you were with us, we were as well. on friday, if you were with us, we were talking a lot about the

threat of freezing rain. lots of weather warnings out, it happened and luggage assure you the impact... freezing rain, what is it? isn't it snow? look at that, a lovely plant. encased in ice, and really whatever the rain hit on saturday you got this. instant effect of eyes. a beautiful coating of some of the plans out there. imagine if it hurts any solid object, including that of roads, it just causes any solid object, including that of roads, itjust causes a ice rink. there were multiple accidents in the pennines and parts of southern scotland. pavements were treacherous. this time of year, whatever falls for the clouds initially comes out of the clouds generally as snow, because it is so cold. for us in the uk, that melts

back to blame, but what we saw at the weekend was another layer of calder at a sitting underneath that. snow turning to graham and rain droplets falling into subzero out, and it chilled the temperature of those rain droplets below freezing. i want you to explain that more simply. i dug the q khan, can you! the rain droplets were cooled below freezing. the second you broke the surface tension on them, they freeze on impact. very rare in the uk. lovely pictures, but as you say, dangerous. more to come? no, actually not. anyway, it is rain

more than snow that we will see this week. this is the max bell of what weather. stretches back into another weather. stretches back into another weather system, changes today and that lovely scene in whitby. in the west, a lot of cloud. if you shower is spreading from the irish say. further east, you have still got temperatures in single figures. the winds pick up tonight. frost for a time in eastern areas. in the west, as well as gales developing, temperatures will hold up facts of the fact that we will see lots of rain spreading in. it does mean that tomorrow morning's commute, lots of rain to come. brightening up quite quickly in northern ireland, some

sunshine later on as that rain continues to trundle across the rest of england. we will see winds close to gale force, if not those 50, 60 mph costs. a fairly mild day, temperatures for just about all will be in double figures. rain spreading across eastern england, eastern anglia, then into sunshine and showers. most of the showers will be in the south and the west, some of those heavy with hail and thunder, the further north and east you are, more likely to avoid the showers if not completely for most of the day at least. it will feel a little fresher with temperatures for most back down into single figures. this area of low pressure eases away. another weather system working its way in for the start of friday. for

friday, one of two showers on thursday. the breeze will be picking up thursday. the breeze will be picking up to, and that strengthening breeze will see us into the weekend. the crucial bit is coming in from the south. it does mean as we had this weekend it will be a fairly mild one. it will build up to christmas and we will keep you updated right here on afternoon light. this is bbc news — our latest headlines: a man pleads guilty to killing his wife and her mother in a savage knife attack in solihull this summer. we were trying to get to them, but what we then know is that tragically, whilst in contact with us, the offence took place. and this was a brutal murder of two defenceless ladies, by a man who had spent the day hunting them down. theresa may is to tell mps today that another brexit referendum would break faith with the british people — some ministers say parliament should decide the next step. we need to find out where the will of parliament is, where the majority of mps will vote in parliament, and nothing should be off the table.

we should consider all options. the value of student loans expected not to be repaid will now be recorded as public debt — adding £12 billion to the uk's defecit. it's notjust the high street that's suffering — now a profits warning from the online retailer asos. sport now on afternoon live with katherine downes. i have to confess, my brother is a liverpool fan, so he wasn't shedding any liverpool fan, so he wasn't shedding a ny tea rs liverpool fan, so he wasn't shedding any tears for manchester united losing yesterday, but ijust wonder... is the manchester united managerjose mourinho under any pressure? yes, under an awful lot of pressure? yes, under an awful lot of pressure this morning. notjust from his not just from his own notjust from his own players but players who enjoy the glory days

with manchester united, former players of manchester united, roy keane having said they are just an average league side, decent cup side. gary neville as well, says he wa nts side. gary neville as well, says he wants mourinho to go, and would rather it was at the end of the season than christmas, but united can't afford to pay him off because of the contract he has going on until 2020. former players sharpening their knives for mourinho. and i think, as your brother will have enjoyed, they were in direct contrast, with liverpool, we re in direct contrast, with liverpool, were they not come over the weekend? losing 3—1 in what is an enormous grudge match in english football and liverpool are now the leaders, now 19 points ahead of manchester united, the worst start manchester united, the worst start manchester united have ever had to a premier league season. liverpool are playing the kind of football now united can only dream about. butjose the singles questioned after the match

decided instead he would rather focus on the positives liverpool are enjoying this season... every one of their players is fast, aggressive. their transitions are phenomenal, but then with our qualities, we managed to balance the game, and in the second half was when the game was progressively dying, was when i think probably a huge percentage of those in the stadium were starting to feel this is going to end 1—1. i've just been having a i'vejust been having a quick look through some of the papers next to me, rebecca, and a lot are seeing perhaps this weekend's lost to liverpool is the beginning of end forjose at manchester united. that is interesting. what about the draw for the champions league knockout stages? has that cost him a lifeline? i don't think so! it is a really tough draw for them in the last 16. they have been pulled out

of the hat against paris st germain. 0ur sports cars bat—mac andyjoins the couch. not the start they would have wa nted the couch. not the start they would have wanted it jose the couch. not the start they would have wanted itjose mourinho is to save hisjob? have wanted itjose mourinho is to save his job? yes, there to say it is not the draw save his job? yes, there to say it is not the dranose mourinho would have hoped for, paris st germain a mere ten points clear in the french league. they have a range of players at their disposal, neymar, kylian mbappe, starof at their disposal, neymar, kylian mbappe, star of the world cup. one thing is that psg don't have a particularly great record in the champions league, not having got beyond the quarterfinals, but even so beyond the quarterfinals, but even so with manchester united in their current form it is a very tough assignment for them. apart from that, it is very much a case of england versus germany in the last 16. manchester city should be pretty happy with their draw, schalke, a lowly 13th in the bundesliga. tottenham have a rather tougher task, up against the bundesliga

leaders borussia dortmund. remember they have the england international jadon sancho in their side, so could be an interesting experience for him. the most mouthwatering clash, liverpool against bayern munich. five—time champions. but they are not having a great season in the bundesliga, it has to be said, in third place at the moment, but when it comes to the champions league it should be very special indeed. away from the english teams in the draw, what else is standing out in the last 16? yes, champions real madrid are up against another famous name in the dutch team ajax, who have reached the knockout stage for the first time in a decade. in other european giant, juventus, who are currently leading in serie a, they are up against europa league champions atletico madrid. so plenty to look forward to when these matches take place in february. the first legs will take place on over two weeks in february, with the return fixtures over two weeks in march. group winners will be away

from home in the first legs. for more details go the the bbc sport website. meanwhile, celtic have been drawn to face spanish side valencia in the last 32 of the europa league. valencia finished third in their champions league group, behind juventus and manchester united. arsenal will play bate borisov of belarus, while 2013 champions chelsea take on swedish side malmo. again, the full list of fixtures is on the bbc sport website. that's all the sport for now. back to you, rebecca. studio: kat, lovely to chat. see you later. new research has shed light on the possible causes of chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as me.

scientists from kings college london believe the condition — in which sufferers experience extreme tiredness — is linked to an over—active immune system. their conclusions are based on a study of patients with hepatitis c, in which those who experienced a bigger immune response to standard treatment developed lasting fatigue. i'm nowjoined by professor carmine pariante from the research team at king's college london. before we start, can you explain what me, and chronic fatigue syndrome, barclays that either the same thing? similar. debilitating chronic sense of fatigue, much worse than you and i could ever feel —— are they the same thing? it lasts for weeks or months. it is accompanied also by things like a difficulty with concentration, memory, headaches, pain, everywhere in the body, and also the classic

feeling of malaise or suffering physical exertion, after that, response to any activity. other people can be housebound, unable to work. it is really debilitating. absolutely. what have you found? we used patients suffering from this situation, as you said, because they are high risk and some of them will develop the symptoms during the treatment with their immune challenge. the reason we use that is because any patient with chronic fatigue system will tell us they suffer from infections early on, at the beginning of the trajectory, but it is very difficult to study people at the beginning of an illness because actually a patient with chronic fatigue syndrome only comes to the attention of doctors and then researchers when maybe they are five, six, ten years of illness, so using these we were able to study the early phase of the illness and

we we re the early phase of the illness and we were able to really find that only people with this hyperactive neural response, even before anything happened to them, these are the people more at risk of developing chronic fatigue syndrome. what are the implications, therefore, for treating people in therefore, for treating people in the future, screening, perhaps? firstly we need to know what is happening downstream of this. in other words, what other things change in the body in response to this, which then creates this chronic fatigue which remains for years. there may be changes in the muscles, liver, blood, brain. when we understand then we can give treatment. sorry, i mean, ijust wa nted treatment. sorry, i mean, ijust wanted to ask, you will be aware there are some people who rather dismiss this condition. they say, oh, it is all in the mind, it doesn't really exist. you are saying thatis doesn't really exist. you are saying that is absolutely not true. absolutely, it's not true. i think this whole dichotomy between the

mind in the body or the this whole dichotomy between the mind in the body orthe mind in the brain is really not helpful in understanding medical disorders in general. we know that the body is always involved. they are disorders of the whole body. professor carmine pariante, thank you so much for coming in to tell us about your findings. good luck. thanks. a former executive at hs2 has said he believes the company misled mps about how much it would cost to purchase land along the route of the new high speed rail line. doug thornton told the bbc‘s panorama programme that the estimate was hundreds of millions of pounds too low. hs2 has denied misleading mps. justin rowlatt reports. hs2's promise is a superfast train network linking the great cities of the north with birmingham and london. the £56 billion project involves the largest land purchase programme since the second world war.

doug thornton was head of hs2's land and property department. he says the estimate mps had of how much land would cost was hundreds of millions of pounds lower than more detailed predictions. i've never seen anything like it. i was absolutely appalled, absolutely appalled that numbers could be advanced in such a loose and slapdash fashion. there was a gap of almost 100% in terms of the numbers, the raw numbers of properties that the organisation had not budgeted for. hs2 rejects claims that mps were misled. it says it consistently followed the correct process. it's perfectly normal in a scheme as vast and complex as hsz that, over time, we have a greater understanding of the alignment of the route, how many land parcels and land areas it affects and what the full extent of that acquisition programme needs to be. the spending watchdog, the national audit office, investigated the land and property programme earlier this year and found that estimated costs did increase significantly but concluded that hs2 was not required to provide its updated estimate to mps. hs2 says it manages to agree a price with most of the people who will have to make way

for the railway but a small minority insist the company is trying to get their properties on the cheap. ron ryall is one of them. his elizabethan home is threatened with demolition. if i want to buy something that i can't afford, i don't buy it and i'm not getting like for like. i'm just getting a silly offer that i could buy something, you know, in a street or what have you. work has already started on the new high—speed station in birmingham. big, ambitious infrastructure projects always bring some disruption, but the costs and benefits of hs2 are already quite finely balanced. mps have yet to approve the full project. justin rowlatt, bbc news. and you watch justin's full report in panorama hs2:

going off the rails? tonight at 7.30 on bbc one. ben bland is here — in a moment he will be telling us what's hot and what's not in the business news. first, a look at the headlines on afternoon live: a man pleads guilty to murdering his estranged wife and her mother. janbaz tarin killed them in a savage knife attack in solihull in august. theresa may will tell mps that holding a second brexit referendum would break faith with the public and damage the integrity of british politics. a change in how student loans are recorded in the public finances will add £12 billion to the deficit. i will be talking about that student loa ns story i will be talking about that student loans story in just a moment. here's your business headlines on afternoon live:

troubles for high street retailers spread to online shopping too — the fashion retailer asos cuts its foreceast for sales and profits, warning that economic uncertainty plus weaker consumer confidence means shoppers are spending less. meanwhile, pressures continue on the high street. laura ashley will close about a0 uk stores and expand its presence in china. while restaurant closures in the year to september are up almost a quarter compared with the previous year. energy firm sse has scrapped its plan to merge its retail business with rival npower, blaming "very challenging market conditions". the deal would have created the uk's second—biggest energy supplier. jaguar land rover could be preparing to cut up to 5,000 jobs in the early part of next year, according to the financial times. the car—maker is feeling the impact of slowing sales of diesel cars and falling chinese demand. jlr is owned by the indian group tata motors. the company said it noted the "media speculation" about the potential impact of its ongoing transformation programmes — but said it "does not comment on rumours concerning any

part of these plans." our chance to delve a little deeper into some of those stories and we have been reporting into bad times at asos, seen as a big internet retailer success story? yes, really interesting. whenever you talk about the troubles facing retailers, people would often say, "it's because we're not spending on the high street, we're spending online instead , " high street, we're spending online instead," and asos was often cited as one of those examples. but there is now evidence some online retailers are battling with tough trading conditions. their chief executive has said the fashion industry is currently experiencing what he says is in an president level of discounting, but despite cutting prices they are now predicting sales will grow by 15% in this trading year instead of up to

2596 this trading year instead of up to 25% forecast that earlier. it is also heading there products forecast. predicting profits of 2% rather than 4%. we spoke to a retail a nalyst, rather than 4%. we spoke to a retail analyst, cheap to achieve analysis executive of an analyst company... —— chief executive of an analyst company. i think the challenge for a source, as nick beighton said, they are discounting by up to 60%, and there are more places to shop online now than ever before in ladies fashion, and asos have got really unrivalled and brilliant competition, with people like boo—hoo, misguided, nasty girl.

and they've lost their kind of thing of being the only people in the market has sold a package for delivery at a fixed price. all their competitors do that. they have also got rid of their customer rewards scheme this year. that is at a time when there are a group of shoppers are really feeling the pinch, feeling they've got a bit less money than last year, and also feeling very spooked by all this talk about brexit and what that's going to do to the economy, and all those factors together mean their sales are slowing down. interesting point. yes, and laura ashley closing about a0 stores in the uk and planning to expand in china. we have already... keep going back to this thing, high street stores in the uk have had a difficult year, consumer confidence has waned and fewer shoppers are visiting, and to add to the grim situation on the high street, restau ra nt situation on the high street, restaurant closures in the year until september were up by almost a quarter compared with the previous year. if you're looking for some festive cheer of the retail sector is not the place to find it. no, and you're not the man to bring it either. we have also been reporting about student loans this afternoon. a change in how student loans are recorded is to hit the public finances. that's right, a change

in how student loans are recorded in the public finances will add £12 billion to the deficit, after a ruling by the office for national statistics. the amount expected not to be repaid, which could be a5% of lending, will be reclassified as public spending. ina way in a way that it is not at the moment. that will significantly push up moment. that will significantly push up the uk's national deficit, and some say it will give an incentive to politicians to perhaps cut tuition fees. let's get a take on this from a research fellow at the sutton trust, doctor rebecca montacute. quickly, rebecca, does this affect students with loans at the moment? no, so if you are either applying to university at the moment or you have student loans it wouldn't make any difference to you at the moment in terms of what you are going to borrow what you will have to re pay later. are going to borrow what you will

have to repay later. fine, ok, gladly clarified that. what do you make of the decision, then, by the office for national statistics that these written off a mode of loans should be classified as public spending? the system as it was before this decision was made actually meant the government could kind of put off the actual money going onto the balance book for the 30 years until the actual loan gets wiped, but they already know a really large proportion of that debt would ever actually get paid off, so what that has done has incentivised the government to give students money in the form of loans instead of, say, grants, even though either way it will end up eventually being money the government has spent as opposed to what graduates are paying back. what that has actually meant, because of the abolition of maintenance grants, it has actually meant the poorest students have ended up with the largest debts, so

students from the poorest backgrounds on average have to pay backgrounds on average have to pay back much more than students from richer households, who only to about £38,000 on average because they don't take those maintenance grants. what we would certainly hope for is that now the government is being more upfront about how that spending works, and that actually a lot of this money they are eventually subsidising, that they will alter that because we know that poorer students are likely to be put off by that debt and we are concerned about how that will affect access or is affecting access. just briefly, do you think it will lead to a cut in tuition fees? similarly with maintenance grants it means the government has to be more upfront about that spending from the beginning. what we are calling for is the actually take this opportunity to target the reductions in tuition fees to those from the poorest backgrounds to also help redress that balance, to make sure

that poorer students, instead of having the highest debts on graduation can instead have the lowest, what we would certainly hope for at this decision. from the sudden trust, rebecca montacute. rebecca! yes, add a for rebeccas. laughter —— the sutton trust. a quick look at the markets... yes, the ftse 100, the markets... yes, the ftse100, you can see that, shares down a bit, not as much as asos, down about a0%. other retailers, dixons, jd sports, fashion, and some housing data hitting the share price of some of the big house—building ones. i will be back with more business later in the afternoon. we should look forward to that. many thanks. see you later. for more than 50 years

you've had to pay to drive across the severn estuary from england to south wales. but now the the toll fee on the severn crossing bridges has been abolished, so from today the journey is free. it's hoped that scrapping the toll will benefit commuters, businesses and the welsh economy. our wales correspondent tomos morgan reports from the ma crossing. the first morning rush—hour to have ever crossed the severn bridges free of charge. for 52 years, vehicles have had to pay to cross westbound into wales, but not anymore. it's a change that may benefit commuters by up to £1,500 a year. yet the move has had a mixed response from the first influx of drivers over the river today. good idea. we live near bristol and always avoided it, much of the time, but now, straight over the bridge. it's great. well, i think maybe they could use the money by keeping it up, use it for other services and whatnot, rather than getting

rid of it completely. i think it's only one way we were paying, isn't it? for me personally, i did not have to pay to cross personally. so i obviously come through work so for my perspective, it is beneficial to the business. scrapping the severn toll has been welcomed by businesses who claim the fee was a barrier to trade. at one stage, prices were as high as £20 per lorry, almost £7 a car, a financial implication for any trading between england and wales. it's predicted the shift will boost the welsh economy by £100 million but in doing so, 100 toll collectors and administrative staff have been made redundant. ask most people who cross the severn estuary regularly whether scrapping the toll is a good thing and you'll get a positive response. but predictions show that this change will lead to a rise in traffic on what is already a very congested motorway stretch. if you think, with every new economic opportunity, it becomes a challenge and this is a challenge now for both governments, the uk government and the welsh government, to work even closer together to resolve those issues. governments in westminster and wales don't agree on many things these days, but both ends of the ma supported abolishing the tolls. where things get a little more

tricky for those in cardiff bay is how they intend to cope with the expected rise in traffic. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor. hello. some rather wet and windy weather at times through this week but we have started off on a fairly quiet zero. lovely blue skies this morning. this was the scene in kent earlier, but there are dark clouds on the horizon, some already spotted here in northern ireland, and you can see those darker hues in the sky above. this is approaching, wrapped around an area of low pressure, and you can get more of that on the other side of the atlantic. pretty

disturbed. but saying fine for most of the afternoon, particularly central and eastern areas, and in the west cloud producing the odd shower but many places staying predominantly dry. breeze freshening up, double figures, still staying cool the further east you are, even with that sunshine. tonight, when ramping up in the west, gale force winds expected. splashes of rain initially but getting heavier and more persistent in northern ireland and the far west of scotland later in the far west of scotland later in the night. many central and eastern areas staying dry, increased cloud and before that cloud increase we could see a touch of frost in the east but lifting temperatures into tomorrow morning. early morning commuters in the west, lots of heavy rain first commuters in the west, lots of heavy rainfirst thing, commuters in the west, lots of heavy rain first thing, strong to gale force winds, 50—60 mph cost. spreading east through the day. southern anglia in the south—east may stay dry all day, brightening up in the west later but these are some of the wind gusts through tuesday. if not gale force it could be close to severe gale force at times especially in the west. the wind is from a southerly direction and may

temper the feel somewhat but lifting temperatures for all into double figures once more. rain in the evening on tuesday in anglia and the south—east, then that clears, pushing into clear spells and showers into wednesday. it will be a sunshine and shower day. showers most frequent around southern and western coasts. still blustery but many northern and eastern areas will avoid most of the showers. staying with sunny spells. where you see the showers they could be heavy with the problem under. cooler temperatures again, in the north across here. the end of the week, low pressure still with us, bringing showers into thursday. the next area of low pressure spreads in for friday, so it will be a case of the best of the dry weather then on friday after a chilly start especially in the north and east you will see wind and rain pushing and in the south and the west. bye—bye for now. hello, you're watching

afternoon live — i'm rebecca jones. today at 3. theresa may will shortly be speaking to mps about the prospect of a second brexit referendum. it's thought she'll say it would break faith with the british people — although some ministers say parliament should decide the next step. a man pleads guilty to killing his wife and her mother in a savage knife attack in solihull this summer. we were trying to get to them, but what we know is that whilst we were trying to get there, the offence took place. this was the brutal murder of two defenceless ladies by

a man who had spent the day hunting them down. the value of student loans expected not to be repaid will now be recorded as public debt — adding £12 billion to the uk's defecit it's notjust the high street that's suffering — now a profits warning from the online retailer asos coming up on afternoon live all the sport the worst ever start to a premier league season for manchester united. is this the beginning of the end for jose mourinho? his critics are sharpening their knives. thanks kat and matt has all the weather. nice to see a bit of sunshine today. scenes in the west, started her on cloudy. i will have all of the details in the next half hour. thanks. also coming up... we'll hear from actor steve coogan whose new film sees him playing the legandary stan laurel — alongside john c reilly

as oliver hardy. hello everyone — this is afternoon live — i'm rebecca jones. some breaking news this hour — the bbc understands labour will call for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister this afternoon if she does not announce a date for a vote on the withdrawal agreement straight away. jeremy corbyn is expected to tell mps that theresa may must give parliament a chance to vote on her brexit compromise before christmas, or else accuse her of trying to run down the clock and leave mps with an unacceptable choice

between her deal or no deal. theresa may will tell mps this afternoon that another brexit referendum would break faith with the british people. in a commons statement, she will warn that a fresh vote would do ‘irreparable damage‘ to politics and further divide the country. former prime ministersjohn major and tony blair are among those calling for another referendum. here‘s our political correspondent iain watson. the prime minister, on her way to a meeting of key political allies downing street this morning, discussing how to get a deal through parliament. some of her own cabinet are talking about what happens if the deal goes down to defeat. we need to find out where the will of parliament is, where the majority of mps will vote in parliament. nothing should be off the table, we should consider all options. the business secretary, like amber rudd, support the prime minister‘s deal. but, like her, recognises it can‘t currently get through parliament.

so, when it is finally voted on next month... if that was still the case, i think there is a responsibility on parliament not just to say what it doesn't want, easy to be a critic, but actually to take responsibility and to consider what parliament would vote for. what is striking is the number of cabinet ministers, those who sit around theresa may‘s top table here in downing street, who are now openly talking about what would happen if her deal is defeated. to use a political phrase, some seem to be supportive of the deal like a rope supports a hanged man. they would like mps to be able to vote on alternative options, not justa plan b, buta plan c and a plan d as well. so what options could mps vote on? amongst them would be what is known as norway plus. outside of the eu, but inside of its single market. the plus bit means that we would also be inside the customs union, or something very like it. then there is what is called no deal with the eu, but like

many other countrys, we would use world trade organisation rules and pay tariffs. then there is the option of having another referendum, though which question or questions would be asked is not yet clear. we want a people‘s vote! it is this last option that the prime minister particularly wants to rule out. the people‘s vote campaign want a referendum which would give us the option of remaining in the eu. theresa may believes that would break faith with the british people. the prime minister is absolutely right to rule out a second referendum, we asked the people to decide, they decided, they have put their faith in us and we mustn't let them down. we have do deliver on brexit. but the people‘s vote campaign argue that parliament simply can‘t deliver. it has been undeliverable by this prime minister and this government. any deal that would be on the table now is worse than what we currently enjoy as a member of the european union, so let‘s put it back to the people and get their direction. mps should not be allowed to reflect on alternatives to

theresa may‘s deal, says downing street. she is focused on getting it through parliament. but with three months to go until brexit, we still don‘t know if it is her deal, no deal or a new deal. our chief political correspondent, vicki young, is in westminster. this news that we have had in the last few minutes that labour will call for a vote of no—confidence in the prime minister if she does not announce a date for the withdrawal agreement straightaway. for a vote on the withdrawal agreement. what would that mean? theresa may is about to make a statement in the house of commons. jeremy corbyn will respond. he was a may must give parliament a chance to grow vote on her brexit compromise before christmas or else accuse her of

trying to run down the clock. this is not the same as a vote of no confidence in the whole of mind. that has particular cloud because if it were to be lost it triggers a whole sequence of events that could lead to a general election. this would be a vote of confidence in the prime minister herself. what is not clear is that time they could use to do that. it is unclear howjeremy corbyn takes to the next stage. his aim is clearly to try to embarrass the prime minister, to get the dup to support in this world. maybe some conservatives as well, given that 117 didn't conservatives as well, given that 117 didn‘t vote for theresa may as their party leader. at the moment, labour not feel that they could when a vote of no—confidence in the whole government because they do not think that the conservatives and the dup would vote for something that could lead to a general action. what is

your reaction to what labour are clearly trying to do to get a vote of no—confidence in the prime minister herself? it is a gimmick. itjust minister herself? it is a gimmick. it just reveals the fact that jeremy corbyn is trying to avoid a vote of no—confidence in the government because he knows he would lose it. secondly, that he does not have an alternative policy that has any chance of being the gauche aided by the european union. maybe this is a gimmick that would briefly distract people. it has no constitutional meaning. i think the prime minister is well past the point of caring about my nan burris bands like this. let‘s talk about the alternatives to theresa may‘s deal. the vote has not come to the commons, it has not been rejected. but lots of people are talking about the alternatives. you wa nt talking about the alternatives. you want a norway plus arrangement. how is it going in terms of persuading across parties the labour mps that

you would need in order to get that through. the proposals that i have set out for an arrangement similar to that of norway is gathering support. we had a fuel labour and conservative mps over the weekend, in favour of it. what is more important ina in favour of it. what is more important in a sense than any particular plan is that the government needs to start talking formally to opposition parties. they could try and talk to jeremy corbyn, i suspect it will not get very far. but it should start talking to senior backbenchers in the labour party and also in the scottish national party... there are a lot of people out there who do not want us to crush out of the european union with no deal. they have some reservations about the prime minister's deal. there is potential for compromise. you will not find

compromise by shouting at each other across the house of commons. you have to invite them in and explore where is the zone for potential agreement. do get any sense that theresa may herself is willing to do this. you do get a sense that she is still sticking to her plan. do you think running down the clock, making mps focus their minds injanuary will work? i'm afraid that is what the prime minister is trying to do. i voted for her last week, but nevertheless i do not think that thatis nevertheless i do not think that that is unacceptable approach. i will be making that claim in the statement and i think a lot of other mps will, too. we need to understand what is parliament was back view of the deal that she has struck. we then need to start exploring better then need to start exploring better the rot tweaks to that deal. we will not be able to completely rewrite it. what i am proposing is not rewriting the proposal. but we need to get into the work of exploring

what sort of compromise might win enough of votes from the opposition parties to make up for the votes in the conservative party that have been lost. the longer she leaves that, the last time we have. i do not think that is irresponsible way for the leader of the government to behave. theresa may says that she will not lead your party into the next general election. it feels as if there is already a race starting. i think there will always be a bit of that in politics. as soon as people know that there is a vacancy. i know that many of the cabinet ministers that are speaking out are generally one two worried and that we need to start exploring alternatives now. we cannot think that we can just

alternatives now. we cannot think that we canjust do alternatives now. we cannot think that we can just do this as the conservative party, or maybe as the conservative party, or maybe as the conservative party, or maybe as the conservative party with our mates in the dup. this is a matter of equal importance. all of them have an equal stake in this and we need to talk to mp5 across the house. we need to talk to the labour select committee chairs like yvette cooper and hilary benn. we need to talk to leaders of the snp. we need to find out what is the compromise that they might be willing to live with. this needs to be real work to establish what compromise people could live with. it may not be something that they love, but it is something that they love, but it is something that they can live with so that we leave they can live with so that we leave the european union on time, but with a deal. the prime minister, we know that she will talk about the perils of another referendum. she will be on herfeet at

of another referendum. she will be on her feet at 3:30pm. as vicky said we will be taking you to westminster, these are live pictures that you can see that of the house of commons where theresa may will be making her statement to the commons in about 20 minutes. 21 —year—old janbaz tarin has admitted stabbing to death his wife and her mother this summer. raneem oudeh had repeatedly called the police to say the man she had married under islamic law was threatening her — she was calling them again when he attacked her and khaola saleem with a knife. an investigation has been launched into how west midlands police handled the case. sima kotecha reports from birmingham crown court. he had been on the run for days. the moment when the colour of two was

caught. police used pepper spray to control him. it was late august, and he was wanted for the murder of his wife. in the early hours of a monday morning, the women were found stabbed to death outside their home in solihull. we are a small family here in the uk but we meant a lot to each other. to lose them is like we have lost the happiest thing ever. it was like being in heaven with them, but now they‘ve gone, it‘s like we‘ve been brought down—to—earth. this cctv footage shows the night of the killings. raneem walking into a shisha bar in birmingham, tarin following behind. and then an altercation between them, with khaola, her mother, intervening. raneem had also made a number of 999 calls earlier in the evening, including from the shisha bar, but officers say they were

unable to track her down. the murders happened a little while later, when the women got home. police say raneem was on the phone to them when she was attacked. we were trying to get to them but what we do know is that tragically, whilst in contact with us, the offence took place. this was a brutal murder of two defenceless ladies by a man who had spent the day hunting them down. the court had granted an orderjust weeks before, forbidding tarin from going anywhere near his wife. a forensic postmortem examination concluded the two women had died from multiple stab wounds. i think prison is not enough. life to life. it's our lives that have been taken away, you know? two beautiful personalities, two beautiful persons in our lives, you know, in both our lives.

you know, it'sjust darkness. whatjustice can there be then? tarin worked as a cashier at his father‘s convenience store in birmingham. the relatives of raneem and khaola say they were precious, warm and deeply loving, whose lives were cut short in the most brutal way. a man is still being treated in hospital after a house fire in nottinghamshire which claimed the lives of his wife and two children. justine collison, eight—year—old isabella and five—year—old harvey all died following the blaze in collingham on saturday morning. the children‘s father, 3a—year—old gavin collison, is said to be in a serious condition. the government is promising better protection for workers in the so—called ‘gig economy‘ — people like delivery drivers who are hired informally. under new plans they‘ll be told their rights

from their first day, including eligibility for paid leave and sick leave. but labour and the unions say the proposed reforms don‘t go far enough. here‘s our economics correspondent andy verity. it‘s been billed by the government as the biggest boost to rights in the workplace in a generation. the result of an official review after an outcry over workers in zero—hours contracts or gig economyjobs, who can‘t know how much money is coming in from one week to the next and often don‘t get benefits like paid holiday or maternity leave. so, what exactly is changing? people who for example are not on a fixed contract, in terms of number of hours, will have the right to request that and their employers will have to give proper consideration to that. as well as that right to request guaranteed hours, the government‘s legislating to close a loophole to ensure agency workers aren‘t paid less than full—time staff,

and employees will get a statement of rights when they start work, setting out their right to benefits like maternity pay. while employers welcomed the reforms, the government‘s disappointed many by refusing to go further, for example by scrapping zero—hours contracts. i've been on a few myself over the years and i think they're very negative. i think employees don't have the stability they need, especially in this time, when nothing's secure. a little bit of security in yourjob is, i think, very important. if anything goes wrong and you do get sick, there‘s nothing you can do about it. you‘re completely stuck. these big companies can afford to pay people a proper wage and afford to pay holiday pay and sick pay. i mean, i think it‘s fair. unions say the right to ask for guaranteed hours isn‘t enough, if employers who have designed their business around flexible working can simply refuse. the unions have spent seven years campaigning for the closing of the loopholes around agency working, so government taking action on that is welcome. but taken as a package, this set of reforms just isn‘t

good enough, it‘s too little, too late. we should have seen a ban on zero—hours contracts and government taking positive action to support unions to go out and organise im the gig economy. we‘ve seen none of that and this is a damp squib set of proposals. the government has notably avoided a key recommendation of its own review, that gig economy workers who work for one company should be classed as dependent contractors and given greater protection. if insecurity is the price of flexible working, some workers will go on paying it. andy verity, bbc news. you‘re watching afternoon live, these are our headlines labour will call for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister this afternoon if she does not announce a date for a parliamentary vote on the withdrawal agreement... meanwhile it‘s expected theresa may will tell mps shortly that holding a second brexit referendum would break faith with the public and damage the integrity of british politics. a man pleads guilty to murdering his estranged wife and her mother.

janbaz tarin killed them in a savage knife attack in solihull in august. and in sport: manchester united are just an average side, just a decent cup team — according to former players who have spoken out about united‘s performance this season underjose mourinho. united face paris st germain in the last 16 of the champions league — liverpool play bayern munich, tottenham take on dortmund and manchester city play schalke. and ahead of his fight this weekend, dillian whyte says whichever way it goes, he‘s unlikely to get a world title shot against anthonyjoshua. i‘ll be back with more on those stores just after half past. student loans will add 12 billion pounds to the country‘s national debt because they are to be reclassified as public spending. the office for national statistics made the ruling this morning and revealed that almost half the value of student loans will be lost as many graduates will never

reach the income level required to repay their debts. earlier our correspondent navtej johal explained more about today‘s decision. it isa it is a technical change but one with major implications. under the current system, the money the government gets out is not recorded as public spending. the theory being that because it is a long it will get that money back. many have criticised the system and called it a fiscal illusion. in practice around a5 cents of those loans are not expected to be repaid. students only pay them off when they earn above £25,000 a year. any amount they haven‘t repaid is written off and that bell is therefore paid by the taxpayer instead. today‘s decision means that from september next year the amount of student loa ns next year the amount of student loans the next year the amount of student loa ns the cove na nt next year the amount of student loans the covenant will pay off will

be counted as current capital spending, pushing up that deficit by £12 billion. that is the difference between the amount the government spends on what it receives in taxes. that will be a headache for the chancellor and the institute for fiscal studies has said that that number is expected to rise to 17 billion over the next five years. so a potential headache for the government, but is this essentially just a technical change or will it have any impact on students in universities? although it doesn‘t change the cost of funding higher education, it could provide an incentive for the government to cut tuition fees or at the very least reduce the amount it funds for higher education in order to improve the deficit. universities are the key here. they all want to ensure that if that‘s the case their students and their income are not affected. universities uk have come out this morning and said to us, "cuts to fees are a risk to social mobility." that view has been echoed by various other organisations. however, in the last hour the government has described today‘s change and tried to reassure people

and has described it as a technical accounting decision that does not affect students. meanwhile, a review of the current student loan system which was commissioned by the prime minister, which is considering whether to cut tuition fees, and is due to report back to the government in a couple of months. that review will be taking today‘s decision into account. the rise in shopping on the internet is often blamed for the decline of the high street, but now there‘s evidence online retailers are also suffering. shares in the online fashion store asos have fallen sharply after the company issued a sales and profits warning. asos says there‘s been a significant deterioration in trading in the run up to christmas. head of insight and analytics at the british retail consortium rachel lund joins me now, asi

as i was saying, astassa in we‘re as i was saying, we‘re used to hearing about doom and gloom on the high street. two is an online retailer. i think these figures point to the fact that consumers in the uk have had more than two years of having their wages squeezed, there income is under pressure. demand is weak. the figures we released in november for sales showed very weak sales figures. people are cutting back on non—essentials, really? people are cutting back on non-essentials, really? exactly. they have been doing so for quite some time but non—food has been doing particularly badly. gift items, as well. that is why some retailers are getting concerned about what is happening. what m ista kes about what is happening. what mistakes do you think retailers are making? i think it is less about mistakes. i think we have to understand that consumer behaviour is changing and if incomes are

squeezed, there is very little that we can do about it. we have got to bearin we can do about it. we have got to bear in mind the whole profile of christmas has changed in recent yea rs. christmas has changed in recent years. with black friday and with the internet available not only for shopping, but for research, it means that people are leaving their christmas shopping later and later. we would expect this week in the lead up to christmas to be pretty big. asa lead up to christmas to be pretty big. as a result, weeks before ten to be weaker as well. i mentioned mistakes, iam to be weaker as well. i mentioned mistakes, i am sure you see it as challengers, but i wonder whether shoppers have gotten more savvy and have gotte n shoppers have gotten more savvy and have gotten used to retailers discounting and have become reliant on that and basically saying, we‘re not going to pay full price for anything. it is certainly true that consumers are more savvy. there is more information out there. you have got to remember with last—minute click and collect delivery, your opportunities for shopping at the last minute have been increased in

recent yea rs. last minute have been increased in recent years. that has a feedback effect on consumer behaviour with people thinking they can leave it in the last minute. with a week to go until christmas, how confident are you that this coming week could make a difference and people will start spending? i think this week could make a big difference. i think, overall, december will not be spectacular for the retail industry. but i do not think we will have the disaster that some people are foreseen. a group of homeless people in hull had been looking forward to a short respite at christmas — a stay at a hotel in the city, paid for by a charity. but now the royal hotel in hull, which had accepted the booking for 1a twin rooms, has suddenly cancelled it without any explanation. andy moore reports. in its advertising, britannia hotels welcomes guests to the royal hotel in hull. but these particular guests,

it seems, were not welcome. last year, the raise the roof homeless charity successfully organised a similar event at another hotel. there were no complaints, and no reports of trouble. but that particular hotel didn‘t have enough rooms this year. so, last week, the charity bought 1a twin rooms at the royal hotel, at a cost of more than £1000. they were clear it was for homeless people, they were even given a discount. on saturday, on facebook, the charity said it was angry and gutted to find that booking had been cancelled. they haven‘t given us any reason for cancelling. we‘ve asked for a reason, but they‘ve said they haven‘t got one. it‘s got to be discrimination, because the rooms are still for sale, and nobody else‘s rooms have been cancelled. it meant quite a lot to me, you know what i mean? it was a big help, you know, from carl and that, yeah? they didn't say that last year. everything went ok. this year, i don't know what's going on with them. so far, there‘s been no response

from britannia hotels. but on behalf of the homeless people of hull, the local mp is taking up the case. i‘ve already started writing the letter to the hotel, it‘s going to be sent out today. i‘m going to be asking them, very reasonably asking them, to reconsider. i mean, this is christmas. these people are homeless and they‘re just asking for somewhere to stay for the night. surely, at christmas time, this is exactly the time when we should be looking out, and reaching out to homeless people and offering them a place to stay? online, there‘s been a surge of donations for the homeless charity. it‘s now more than exceeded its target. other companies are coming forward to offer accommodation. there is hope, even at this late stage, that christmas can be rescued for the homeless of hull. andy moore, bbc news. when actor steve coogan decided to tackle the role of comedy star stan laurel in the new movie stan and ollie — he knew where to find inspiration. just before filming began on the laurel and hardy biopic

he headed to ulverston — the town where stan was born — to visit its laurel and hardy museum. this weekend he was back there to give family, friends and laurel and hardy fans — an early preview of the film. peter marshall went along to meet him. ulverston loves laurel and hardy. sta n ulverston loves laurel and hardy. stan was born here in 1890. it has a museum to honour the comedy duo. that is where steve coogan told me he‘d brought his american co—star john c reilly to prepare for their roles. we tried on their clothes and handled the things that they had handled. we try to make some sort of spiritual connection with them. try and take some of that into our work on the film. we felt like we had their blessing before we went off to shoot. cut to set in 1953. steve

coogan says that the field and affinity with stalin. i feel i empathise with him because he is somebody who wrote and crafted comedy, which is something that i have done for the last 30 years. the film is not all laughs. most people start the film laughing but leave with a tear in that i, because people do connect with it emotionally. it is about two men in the autumn of their lives who learn to love and respect each other. we

got their blessing and i have got a little stan and ollie lapel badge andi little stan and ollie lapel badge and i have honorary membership. they area tough and i have honorary membership. they are a tough nut to crack, but they gave the film their blessing. the reviews are out. the boys have done them proud. iwould reviews are out. the boys have done them proud. i would like to think that they are happy with what has just occurred. it is wonderful.m will introduce it new generations and get new fans across the world. you believed it was the pair of them. let‘s cross to the commons where theresa may is due to make a statement. before returning to brexit let me turn tos significant conclusions from the other business of the council. first, we expressed our

utmost concern over the escalation at the see of as an brusher's continued violations of international law —— sea of azov. in particular we stand to our support for the areas of ukraine. we also agreed to work together to tackling the spread of large—scale unsystematic disinformation, including as part of hybrid warfare. on this, i outlined some of the world leading work the uk is doing in this field. and i was clear that after we've left the eu the uk will continue to work closely with our european partners to uphold international rules —based system, and to keep all our people safe. and thatis and to keep all our people safe. and that is why it is right that our brexit deal includes the deepest security partnership ever agreed with the eu. mr speaker, at this council i faithfully and firmly reflected the concerns of this house

over the northern ireland backstop. i explained that assurances we had already agreed with the eu were insufficient for this house, and we had to go further in showing that we never want to use this backstop, and if it is used it must be a temporary arrangement. some of the resulting exchanges at this council were robust but i made no apology... i make no apology for standing up for the interests of this has —— to and interests of our whole united kingdom. the council made clear in their resolutions it was their "firm and determination to work speedily and determination to work speedily and establish this by 2020, alternative arrangements, so that the backstop will not need to be triggered. " the backstop will not need to be triggered." i think this bears repeating. the backstop will not

need to be triggered. the underlined that if it were nevertheless to be triggered it would apply temporarily. they said that in this event you would use its best endeavours to negotiate and conclude expeditiously a subsequent agreement that would replace the backstop, and they gave a new assurance in relation to the future partnership with the uk to make it even less likely the backstop would ever be needed, by stating that the eu stands ready to embark on preparations immediately after signature of the withdrawal agreement to ensure that negotiations can start as soon as possible after the uk's withdrawal. mr speaker, possible after the uk's withdrawal. mrspeaker, in possible after the uk's withdrawal. mr speaker, in these conclusions, in their statements in the council and in their private meetings with me, my fellow eu leaders could not have been clearer. they do not want to use this backstop. they want to agree the best possible future relationship with us. there is no plot to keep us in the backstop.

indeed, president sea of —— macron said on friday that we can reassure. he said the backstop is not a durable solution and nobody is trying to block the uk into the backstop. as formal conclusions from the european council, these commitments have legal status and should be welcomed. they go further than the eu has ever done previously in trying to address the concerns of this house, and of course they sit on top of the commitments we have already negotiated in relation to the backstop, including ensuring the customs element is uk wide, that both sides are committed to best endeavours to having our new relationship in place before the end of the implementation period, that if the new relationship isn't ready we can choose to extend the implementation period, instead of the backstop coming into force. that is the backstop does come in, we can use alternative arrangements, not just the future relationship, to get out of it. that the treaty is clear the backstop can only ever be temporary, and that there is an

explicit termination clause. but, mr speaker, i know that this house is still deeply uncomfortable about the backstop, and i understand that, and i want to go further still in the assurances the insurer. discussions with my eu partners including donald tusk, jean—claude juncker and others, have ensured further clarification following the council's conclusions is in fact possible so discussions are continuing to obtain further legal and political assurances. we're also working closely at new ways in empowering the house of commons ensure any provision for a backstop as democratic legitimacy... this is very irregular. the statement must be heard. there will bea statement must be heard. there will be a full opportunity for exchanges but the statement by the prime minister must be heard and heard with courtesy. the prime minister. sagna for empowering the house of commons to ensure any backstop

provisions has democratic legitimacy, -- for empowering those. and to ensure it cannot be in place indefinitely. but it is nowjust over ia weeks until the uk leaves the eu, and i know that many members... many members of this house are concerned we need to take a decision soon. shouting my right honourable friend leader of house will set this out on thursday, but i can confirm today we intend to return to the meaningful vote debate on the week commencing the 7th of january vote debate on the week commencing the 7th ofjanuary and howled about the 7th ofjanuary and howled about the following week. mr speaker, —— told the vote the following week. when we have the vote, members need to reflect carefully on what is in the best interests cover country. i know that there are a range of very strongly held personal views on this

issue, across the house, and i respect all of them. but expressing our personal views is not what we are here to do. we asked the british people to take this decision. a72 current members of this house voted for the referendum injune 2015. withjust 32 voting 2015. with just 32 voting against. and the british people responded by instructing us to leave the european union. similarly, a38 current members of this house voted to trigger article 50, to set the process of our departure in motion, with only 85 of today's members voting against. now we must honour our duty to finish the job.

i know this is not everyone's perfect deal. it is a compromise. but if we let the perfect be the enemy of the good, then we risk of leaving the eu with no deal. of course, leaving the eu with no deal. of course , we leaving the eu with no deal. of course, we have prepared for no deal, and tomorrow the cabinet will be discussing the next phase to ensure we are ready for that scenario, but let us not risk their jobs, services and security of the people we served by turning our backs on an agreement with our neighbours that honours the referendum and provides for a smooth and orderly exit. avoiding no deal is only possible if we can reach an agreement, or if we abandon brexit entirely. and as i said in the debate earlier this month, do not imagine that if we vote this down a different deal

is going to miraculously appear. if you want proof, look at the conclusions of this council. as president jean—claude blanc said, "it is the best deal possible and the only deal possible." and any proposal for the future relationship —— jean—claude juncker. whether canada, norway, or any —— jean—claude juncker. whether canada, norway, orany other mention, it would require securing this agreement. the leader of the opposition as well as others are pretend they could do otherwise. this is a fiction. finally, let us not break faith with the british people by trying to stage another referendum. another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics. because... order. there are many members of this house, including an illustrious chair of the select

committee, who are heckling, noisily. mr... you are a cheeky chappie, but we need much less of the cheek and more in the way of courtesy by listening to the prime minister. thank you. another vote which would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics, because it would say 2 million to trusted and democracy that our democracy does not deliver. another vote which would likely leave us no further forward than the last, and another vote which would further divide our country at the very moment we should be working to unite it. and let us not follow the leader of the opposition in thinking about what gives him the best chance of forcing a general election, for at this critical moment in our history we should be thinking not about our pa rty's history we should be thinking not about our party's interest, but about our party's interest, but

about the national interest. let us find a way to come together and work together in the national interest to see this brexit through. mr speaker, i will work tirelessly over these next few weeks to fulfil my responsibility as prime minister, to find a way forwards. over the last two we e ks find a way forwards. over the last two weeks i've met quite a number of colleagues and i'm happy to continue to do so on this important issue, so we can fulfil our responsibilities to the british people. so together we can take back control of our borders, and money. —— borders, laws, and money, while protecting the jobs, security and integrity of our precious united kingdom, so together we can move on to finalising the final relationship with the eu, and the trade deals with the eu, and the trade deals with the eu, and the trade deals with the rest of the world that can fuel our prosperity for years to

come. so together we can get this brexit done and shift the national focus to our domestic priorities, investing in our nhs, our schools and housing, tackling the injustices that so many still face, and building a country that truly works for everyone. for these are the ways in which, together, this house will best serve the interests of the british people, and i commend this statement to the house. jeremy corbyn! thank you, mr speaker, and i thank the prime minister for advanced copy of a statement. on ukraine, as nato has said, we need both sides to show restraint in de—escalate with international law at here too, including russia allowing unhindered access to ukraine's ports on the sea of azov. mr speaker, we face an unprecedented situation. the prime minister has led us into a national crisis. and

if any more evidence was needed of why we face this grave situation, the prime minister demonstrated it la st the prime minister demonstrated it last week at the summit. there were some warm words drafted, and the prime minister even managed to negotiate those away to be replaced by words about preparing for no deal. mr speaker, the prime minister boasted "i had a robust discussion with president juncker, " but boasted "i had a robust discussion with presidentjuncker," but that cannot hide the cold reality that she achieved nothing. standing at the dispatch box last week, she said "i have made some progress." mr speaker, she has not made any progress at all. the prime ministers said to herself whilst still in brussels, "the eu is clear, as am i, that this is the deal. the european commission has been categorical. it will not be renegotiated. the eu council has given the clarification

that at this stage no further meetings with the uk are first—team. the deal is unchanged and not going to change. the house must get on with the vote and move on to consider the realistic alternatives. there can be no logical reason for this delay, except that in taking shambolic government to a new level the prime minister no longer has the backing of her cabinet. international trade secretary suggested the prime minister's deal no longer has the backing of the cabinet. it is worth putting his words. "i think it is very difficult to support the deal if we don't get changes to the backstop." i don't think it will get through. "i'm not even sure if the cabinet will agree for it to be put to the house of

commons." so we have the spectacle of the last few days, with numerous cabinet members coming forward with their own alternatives. the international trade secretary suggested that a two—year transition to no deal is an option, the work and pensions secretary says the government needs to try something different and build a consensus in parliament, the attorney general is reported as saying he once had gone, and for the deal to be renegotiated, whilst the international development secretary is allegedly liaising with the erg to launch an alternative option. others are reportedly working on a second referendum, but evenif working on a second referendum, but even if cabinet no longer backed the deal, then who knows what the options would be? can the prime minister answer this... options would be? can the prime ministeranswerthis... one, options would be? can the prime minister answer this... one, does her deal still have the confidence of the cabinet? two, is cabinet

collective responsibility still in operation? three, does it remain government policy to avoid a no deal outcome? mr speaker, an unacceptable deal is on the table, no amendment has been secured, renegotiations have been rebuffed, and not even mere assurances have been offered, and the prime minister's shoddy deal no longer even has the backing of the cabinet. the prime minister ran away from putting her deal before parliament, because even her own cabinet has doubts, and she herself admits parliament went back it. so we are left edging ever closer —— parliament won't packet. we are left without a deal and even a planning

cabinet to get a deal. —— won't back it. she has cynically run down the clock trying to manoeuvre parliament into a choice between two u na cce pta ble into a choice between two unacceptable outcomes, power deal or no deal. the country, workers and businesses are increasingly anxious. even yesterday the cbi said "uncertainty is throttling firms and threatening jobs, not in the future but right now. " threatening jobs, not in the future but right now." the british chamber of commerce has said there is no time to waste. irresponsible prime minister would, for the good of this country, have put this deal before the house this week —— a responsible prime minister. so we could move on from this government's disastrous negotiations. this, mr speaker, is a constitutional crisis, and the prime minister is the architect of it. she is leading the most shambolic and chaotic government in modern british

history. even cabinet no longer functions. prime minister whose authority has been lost, a cabinet disintegrating into creeks and factions, and a conservative party so fundamentally split that its very existence is being discussed —— into cliques and factions. it is clear, mr speaker, that the prime minister has failed to renegotiate her deal, failed to get any meaningful reassurances. there is no excuse for any more dither or delay. this government, mr speaker, has already become the first government in british history to be held in contempt by parliament. the debate on the meaningful vote was pulled at the

la st meaningful vote was pulled at the last minute, and the prime minister has now wasted five weeks, having achieved nothing. not a single word renegotiated, not a single reassurance gained. this last week has embodied the failure, chaos and indecision at the heart of this government's shambolic handling of brexit. today they have been dragged kicking and screaming to announce a date to restart the debate. but, mrspeaker,... restart the debate. but, mr speaker,... mr ellis, you area but, mr speaker,... mr ellis, you are a distinct ornament of a government department, an executive of the branch... be good, man, you can do so much better when you try! mrjeremy corbyn... can do so much better when you try! mrjeremy corbyn. .. but, can do so much better when you try! mrjeremy corbyn... but, mr can do so much better when you try! mrjeremy corbyn. .. but, mr speaker, it is disgraceful that a month has been wasted since we were due to vote on the 11th of december. there can be no further attempts to dodge

the accountability of government to this parliament, mr speaker. thank you. mr speaker, the right honourable gentleman asked me three questions during that response. does the deal still have the confidence of the cabinet? yes. does cabinet collective responsibility still apply? yes. does the cabinet wants to avoid no deal? yes, the cabinet wants to ensure we leave the european union with a good deal, and that is this deal. the real indecision is the indecision at the heart of a labour party that has no plan and no alternative. and the national crisis is an opposition that is irresponsible, that puts its party interests first before the interests of the british people.

mr andrew mitchell! it is clear, mr speaker, is it not, that the deal which my right honourable friend has so assiduously negotiated is most unlikely to secure the support this of house of commons? in these circumstances, does she not think it would be wiser to seek an extension to article 50, rather... order! i am not having the right honourable gentleman shouted out, and let me say to a government whip, don‘t stand near the chair and showed that your colleagues. if you‘re going to do that, leave the chamber and we will manage perfectly adequately without you. mr andrew mitchell! seeking an extension to article 50, rather than leaving with no deal? cani rather than leaving with no deal? can i say to my right honourable friend that i don't think it is right to be seeking that extension

of article 50? i think what parliament would be faced with is a decision to exercise its responsibility to deliver on the referendum vote, to deliver brexit. i continue to believe this is a good deal. yes, we are seeking those further reassurances, but i continue to believe we can leave with a good deal and that this is it. thank you, mr speaker, deal and that this is it. thank you, mrspeaker, andl deal and that this is it. thank you, mr speaker, and i thank the prime minister for advanced site offer a statement, but i have to ask, where is the leadership? the phrase often used, we thought the prime minister had reached rock bottom, but she is still digging. had reached rock bottom, but she is stilldigging. mr had reached rock bottom, but she is still digging. mr speaker, we're four sitting days left in this place before the christmas recess. we are then left with a narrow window when we return in january then left with a narrow window when we return injanuary to then left with a narrow window when we return in january to find a way forward out of the government's brexit timetable. it cannot be done. afters years of negotiation, the prime minister has designed a deal that she knows she cannot deliver.

it doesn't have the support of this house. mr speaker, it is time to call time on this government. it isa call time on this government. it is a laughing stock. companies and their workers do not know if we're going to be crashing out the european union in three months' time. we have just over 100 days to prepare for the risk of a no deal, that most sensible folk would reject as being unacceptable. the prime minister is playing a game of brinkmanship. the european council president donald tusk was clear when he said "i have no mandate to organise any further negotiations." what more does the prime minister need to hear to know that her deal is dead? this is embarrassing. the prime minister might be prepared to be embarrassed by the shambles, but the rest of us are not. parliament needs to take control of this situation and seek to find a

solution that provides a risk to jobs and probe verratti. it is the people of our countries we are talking about. —— jobs and prosperity. the prime minister tells us today there are no other options. that is not the case. standing before parliament ruling out another referendum on eu membership is an act of desperation from the prime minister. knowing that she cannot get a loan deal through this place, the prime minister wants to silence debate. having ta ken the prime minister wants to silence debate. having taken away parliament's voice, our right to a meaningful vote, now the prime minister wants to take the right of the people to vote away. their democratic right to have their say, their democratic right to change their democratic right to change their mind. mrspeaker, their democratic right to change their mind. mr speaker, i plead to their mind. mr speaker, i plead to the prime minister to put all options back on the table. stop operating in isolation. reach out and speak with the opposition parties. we all have responsibility to protect our citizens. it is time, prime minister, to move beyond

narrow party politics... it is time to operate in the interests of all our nations. i ask the prime minister to bring forward the meaningful vote on her deal before the christmas recess. there is no reason to delay. let us have that meaningful vote this week. lastly, will she do the right thing, and meet with me and other opposition party leaders this week, collectively, and this, mr speaker, is the true test of this government's words. if we are to believe we are a partnership of equals, then now today we must be heard. thank you. firstly, i am happy to talk to the right honourable gentleman about it if he wants to come to me with that. what we have a fundamental difference of opinion revealed in the response of his party to what i said in my statement. i believe we should deliver leaving the eu for the

british people. he believes we should stay in the eu, so that is a fundamental difference we have there. he talks about putting jobs and prosperity first. this deal does just that but it delivers on the referendum whilst protecting jobs and prosperity. he says he doesn't wa nt and prosperity. he says he doesn't want to leave with no deal. well, the only way you ensure you don't leave without having —— you leave without having no deal is to support a deal. can ijust remind the right honourable gentleman gently that 56% of scots voted for pro brexit parties. the independent commission on referendums, published earlier this year, recommended any second referendum, referendum on a subject should be specified in any legislation over the first referendum so the requirement for the possibility of a second referendum, and the reason for it is clear to the electorate before the

first vote takes place. with the prime minister agree that no such —— provision was made in calling for a second referendum at this stage is merely a ruse to try and reverse the results... thank you. mr speaker, cani results... thank you. mr speaker, can i say to my right honourable friend i am grateful to her for pointing that out to the house? absolutely it was never the case. there was no suggestion when the referendum was put to the people in 2016 that there would be a second referendum. people were told, led to believe, that their vote would be delivered by the government of the time, subsequently, and that is what i believe is set in our interests as a government to do, to deliver on that and leave the year. sir vince cable! the prime minister may be aware that the bookmakers have been offering 66—1 against her deal passing parliament, but even money

ona passing parliament, but even money on a referendum and then winning it... could it be that the cabinet ministers are not being disloyal to her but simply better at maths? i'm not sure the right honourable gentleman should spend too much time in betting shops. i'm not sure the odds on liberal democrats are very good at all. will the prime minister confirm, despite the european council's so—called legal endorsement of the withdrawal agreement, which they state is not open for renegotiation, that as respects the uk itself, this agreement has not been initialled or signed by herself as prime minister and is only a draft, signed by herself as prime minister and is onlya draft, being no signed by herself as prime minister and is only a draft, being no more thana and is only a draft, being no more than a political agreement under which nothing is agreed until everything is agreed, including the backstop, and therefore she can

still walk away? i can certainly confirmed my honourable friend that obviously this is a deal that has been negotiated between the uk and eu, but it does have to go through certain processes in order to be ratified. part of that is ratification here in the uk parliament, in is ratification in the european union parliament. and of course it is those processes that lead to the final agreement on the withdrawal agreement. will agree that a you conclusions and declarations, have talked about clarifications but have ruled out renegotiating or reopening the legal taxed. indeed, they even struck out language saying that the backstop that not represent a desirable outcome for the eu 27. will the prime minister tell us precisely what she is asking for two deliver

on the key concerns about the legally binding and definite nature about the backstop with no right for this country to access it on its own terms? what i am asking for is to ensure that we can deal with the concerns that the right honourable gentleman and others of this house has expressed about whether the backstop could be all would be indefinite. the first is to ensure that all arrangements are put in place to ensure that the backstop is not triggered in the first place. the second is to ensure that if it is triggered it is only temporary. it is further political and legal assurances in relation to those issues that i am sitting. as others have said, on thursday it will be 100 days until britain leads the

european union. at the moment we have no deal —— 100 days until britain leaves the european union. this is a constitutional crisis because there's house is not being allowed to express its will on behalf of our communities. can i say to the prime minister that it is pointless criticising other members in this house who are coming up with other solutions, weather is second referendum, whether canada, whether norway, we, as a parliament are trying to find a solution through the mess that we find this country end. it was clear back in the summer that the prime minister's deal was not going to succeed. she now is not just listening, she is not allowing debate. this is totally unacceptable, will she agreed to

bring her vote before this house before christmas that she can reflect on the outcome over the christmas break. can i said to my right honourable friend, i know that she and! right honourable friend, i know that she and i have a difference of opinion about a second referendum, i have indicated when the vote will be brought back to the house, it will be necessary for the usual channels to agree and to how many days of debate would be available for that. we're not trying to stop debate. what i am doing is recognising and reflecting to the european union the concerns expressed here in this house and seeking ways so that we can ensure that members of this house can have confidence that these concerns have been addressed. the

prime minister went to the european council seeking legal assurances and returned with non—. the next council meeting scheduled is in the third week of march. now that cabinet ministers are openly speculating about what should happen when her deal is defeated, can she told the house what purpose it serves to continue to pretend that we might leave the european union without an agreement when she knows better than anyone else how damaging and disastrous it would be. when she told the house just now that it would risk the jobs, services and security of the people. would risk the jobs, services and security of the peoplelj would risk the jobs, services and security of the people. i say to the right honourable gentleman that i have responded on this point previously. this house has a

responsibility and it will have a responsibility and it will have a responsibility to come to a decision on this matter and to determine whether to leave the european union with a deal, or whether to leave without a deal. or, there will be those in this house that will try to ensure that actually we stay in the european union. i think that would be wrong, i think we should be leaving because that is what people voted for in the biggest exercise of democracy in our history. i believe we should leave with a good deal and this is it. the final steps of contingency planning for departure are essentially encase eu intransigence continues. can the prime minister confirm that those necessary actions are being taken to see us through any short—term destruction. my right honourable friend is trying

to tempt me into some budgetary discussions there, as he would know is not appropriate at this dispatch box. what i would say to him is that we are making the plans for the contingency arrangements for no deal. the cabinet will be meeting tomorrow to discuss what further steps need to be taken. we have already stepped up those preparations, as my right honourable friend indeed was responsible for himself when he was the brexit secretary of state. further stepping up secretary of state. further stepping up of those preparations has gone on, such as the flow of traffic induced ports. disruption would take place in no deal, in the short—term. we want to take every step we can to mitigate against that. the prime minister ruled out a customs union, ruled out norway, ruled out canada, ruled out norway, ruled out canada, ruled out norway, ruled out canada,

ruled out a parliamentary vote on her objective, is ruling out now extending article 50, and yet everyone knows she does not have support for her plan and she has no assurances from the eu that she asked for. if she carries on like this, she is the one that will take us over in no deal cliff edge. this christmas, businesses and departments across the country are going to be spending billions of pounds preparing for no deal. doesn't she have a duty under responsibility to them to rule out no deal to say that she will extend article 50 and have a proper discussion in parliament to work out the way forward. first of all, she says that we ruled out certain things. the british people in the vote that took place in 2016, the majority voted to leave the european union. one of the key issues that was bringing an end to free

movement. of those suggestions that he has as alternatives would not allow to happen. we are trying to reflect the views that took place during that vote. the decision is to whether we go forward with the deal or not is one that this parliament will take. while my right honourable friend continues to negotiate changes to the backstop, would she agree with me that if those efforts we re agree with me that if those efforts were unfortunately to fail, and if were unfortunately to fail, and if we are to avoid leaving without a deal, which we must, at all costs, avoid, it must now be critical that we build a consensus in this house and forge a compromise that delivers brexit while protecting britishjobs and addressed. i agree that the aim of everything that we are doing and

the aim of what this house will do is to ensure that we deliver on that vote and do it in a way that protects jobs vote and do it in a way that protectsjobs and vote and do it in a way that protects jobs and prosperity for people in this country. i hope that every memberof people in this country. i hope that every member of this house will consider that when it comes to looking at whether and what we should support this deal. i believe we should because it does exactly what my right honourable friend suggested. let me tell the prime minister what is irresponsible. delaying a vote on her agreement, not because she's going to get any changes to it, but because she wants to run down the clock and try and intimidate mps into supporting it to avoid no deal. isn't the reality that this isn't acting in the national interest, but in her personal interest? neither her party, nor the country will forgive her for rest. can i say to the honourable lady, what i believe

would not have been right is for me not to have listened to the concerns that were expressed in this house, i did listen to those concerns and i am working in discussions and continuing with the european union and then it will be for parliament to decide. that will be, at that point, members of this house will have a responsibility to determine whether or not to deliver on the vote of the referendum in a way that protects jobs vote of the referendum in a way that protectsjobs and vote of the referendum in a way that protects jobs and our security. given that the prime minister has listened and is still trying to improve the deal, would that deal not to be more palatable if the timetable for starting on and agreeing the terms of future trade was as firm and does legally binding as the timetable for paying over all of the billions. my right honourable friend makes a very important point.

we have achieved, from the council conclusions, there has been further progress to starting the next stage of negotiations. my right honourable friend has raised an important issue, which is that it is important for us to continue to discuss with them. as to when those negotiations can start. and when it is the determination of both parties to ensure those negotiations and. i wanted in place by the end of december 2020. she has said for two years that no deal is better than a bad deal. of course, we know by. a deal is a disaster and will never pass this house. she desperately tries to lead the clock ticked down, will she published her no deal planning? i have been clear and i remain clear that no deal is better

thana remain clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. i believe this is a good deal. will she now published the tariff schedule for the uk for a wto exit. will that include zero tariffs for all components coming into manufacture here to provide another great boost to britain as a great manufacturing centre. obviously, i say to my right honourable friend that these are issues that would have to be addressed in religion to a ordeal scenario. we are continuing to discuss the plans that we need to put in place to deal with the possibility of a no deal. of history, we will be looking closely at the start tariff schedules. how much will it cost the nhs, our other public services and thousands of businesses up and down this country as they are forced out of it then ordeal contingency plans because of

her reckless time wasting? responsible government is about ensuring that contingency arrangements are put in place. that is the responsible thing which any government in this situation would do to ensure that those contingency arrangements are in place until we have the outcome is know with certainty what is happening, whether we are leaving with a deal with no deal. we need to make those contingency arrangements, that is the right thing to do. after tomorrow's cabinet meeting where no deal preparations will be high on the agenda, will the prime minister please arrange for a minister to come to this house to give a statement this week and every week until we leave the eu is that we know what is happening, so that we can be reassured, business and individuals. this house needs to know what is happening. she is

raising the important point of information being available to this house and two members of this house on the planning that is taking place. of course, there are are a numberof place. of course, there are are a number of ways that that is expressed to the house. the secretary of state for exiting the european union appears before the select committee and of course these are matters that have been addressed in debates to this house. i understand the point that she is making about wanting to ensure that the members of this house are nowhere. —— the members of this house are nowhere. — — that the members of this house are nowhere. —— that the members of this house are aware. this house doesn't need more time to debate but to vote. might you not therefore agree that we vote as soon as possible on the amendments the speaker will choose and if she is unwilling to do that, might the opposition parties

think how they can use their time they have two debate on the floor of they have two debate on the floor of the house to actually make that... bring forward that vote, and if members agree with this line of action, might they signed the motion thatis action, might they signed the motion that is on the order paper in my name. obviously, the intention is to have a proper number of days for debate won the vote is brought back in january. at that stage, debate won the vote is brought back injanuary. at that stage, of course, how the matter is put before the house will depend on the further discussions that have taken place with the european union. as we have always said, adding motion on this issue is of course amendable by members of the house. we are told the united kingdom doesn't want the backstop, we are told the european union does want to enter the backstop, what on earth is stopping the european union giving us a legal guarantee that such a backstop would

only last for a very short time. guarantee that such a backstop would only last for a very short timem is exactly that further political and legal assurance that we are looking at in relation to this. there have been very clear statements from the european union in relation to this. those have been reiterated, not only in the council conclusions, but after, as well. the best way to stop the backstop coming into places you have a firm date for introducing the fletcher relationship. that is currently the intention, the 31st of december 2020. we are continuing to discuss what further assurances we can get. when, precisely, will be prime minister be securing this miracle on 3ath st guarantee from the european union that she is going to, back with on the backstop. if she does come back with that, when we got house be debating it on a fresh

government motion. in terms of her commitment to come back on the 7th of january to start commitment to come back on the 7th ofjanuary to start that debate, is that a promise? the business motion and the way in which the debate is to be dealt with by this house will be dealt with by the usual channels. isaid we be dealt with by the usual channels. i said we would be starting that debate in the first week with a vote in the following week, the right honourable gentleman asked me about the timetable, discussions are continuing with european union and i expect those to continue into the new year. here is what would do irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics and that is to run down the clock and two end up forcing through a deal of which a8% didn't want, because they didn't wa nt didn't want, because they didn't want to leave the european union, but also the majority of those who voted for brexit don't want. the mathematics to not add up. the

majority in this house and in the wider country does not want this deal. can i ask the prime minister to get on with it so that we can vote on this and then look at practical alternatives. as i have indicated in my statement, we will bring that felt back in the second week of january. the bring that felt back in the second week ofjanuary. the debate will start in the previous week. i think it is important that i have listened to the house. i suspect that had i not listened to the house and was starting the work to try and get those further assurances, that would've been an issue that people would've been an issue that people would have raised. ithink it would've been an issue that people would have raised. i think it is right that i, and the government, doing exactly what we said we would. mr speaker, we now know what the planners. having failed to win

support for the dale in parliament, and having failed to get any change to it, the prime minister now wants to it, the prime minister now wants to run down the clock and intimidate parliament into choosing between a bad deal and a disaster of no deal. i put it to the prime minister that it is wrong to threaten and intimidate parliament in this way, and, more importantly, it is reckless to take options off the table as she has tried to do today that could prevent the disaster of no deal for the country. whatever the point at which this house faced the point at which this house faced the vote, it will be a decision for members of this house as to whether to accept the deal or whether to, the were some that would prefer to see action taken is that we don't leave the european union, i think that would be wrong. what i believe is right is that we deliver on the

referendum and the question will be for members of this house as to whether they accept that responsibility to come to a decision. at the moment, there have been lots of ideas around this house, about what should happen. no alternatives that deliver on the referendum ina alternatives that deliver on the referendum in a way that protects jobs. that is what the deal does. the prime minister will be aware that those of us that have large manufacturing companies in our constituencies, in my case a company that do integrated manufacturing on a european bases with short supply lines, getting onto people like me saying that it is very urgent that we have a deal. which she is negotiating and discussing in europe, does she have the feeling that there is that an urgent need to get a deal and that they are prepared to listen to what she says

and to really put in a shift, because i must say that when i saw john kirk —— that when i saw one being so relaxed, that he was not putting in the shift that she has. the message that comes back is that they do want a deal. there are those further assurances that i am working to achieve and it has been made clear by juncker and by to achieve and it has been made clear byjuncker and by others but those discussions can take place. the prime minister knows no better deal will be found in europe and that no majority will be found in westminster. she also knows that no deal is disastrous. she delayed a vote because she knew that her guilt would fail to get the support that it needed. she can employ the same logic again. will she confirmed that

she holds the power to sink an extension for article 50. the government calls the power to seek an extension for article 50. any extension would have to be agreed with european union. i have been clear that what i believe is the right course of action, having triggered article 50, having undertaken the negotiations is that we ensure that we leave the european union on the timetable that we have already set out. the prime minister in her statement talked about empowering this house. the trouble is that she is asking this house to acce pt is that she is asking this house to accept a deferral for several weeks of the meaningful vote on the draft of the meaningful vote on the draft of the meaningful vote on the draft of the withdrawal agreement on the basis that further assurances can be agreed with european union. there was nothing in what she has said today or what has been reported for the eu council that those further assurances are likely to be given. i say this as somebody who was going

to vote for her draft agreement on the basis that she has set out, that businesses need certainty and that the country needs reassurance. i do not think that businesses and employers and our constituents will understand why this house is going on holiday for two weeks and we should be having a meaningful vote this week. what i believe is right is that what the government is doing is that what the government is doing is having heard the concerns that have been expressed by members of this house, what the government is doing is taking those concerns to the european union. yes, we have further statements from the eu with legal status in the coastal conclusions than we have had before. we are seeking yet more and further assurances from the european union. i think that is the right thing to do. then that can be debated by this house. last thursday, the attorney

general told the house that he was reviewing the question of whether article 50 could be revoked by a simple vote of this house or by legislation. this thursday, the scottish case has been referred back from the court ofjustice to the court of edinburgh to look at this issue. come the prime minister confirmed rose that the government's position as to whether article 50 could be revoked will be set out to the court in edinburgh on thursday? cani the court in edinburgh on thursday? can i say to the honourable lady that i will look into that issue and get back to her on the specifics of that issue, in terms of the stance that issue, in terms of the stance that the government is taking in relation to the case that is going to the court in edinburgh. i know that the honourable lady has had considerable interest in the revocation of article 50. that is something that this government will not do, because revoking article 50

means staying in the european union. i was one of the members who would and will support the prime minister's deal. i have to say, what is coming back to me from business, from industry, from the city is that we are haemorrhaging support and investment on a daily basis and it is getting worse. which is why i added to other honourable members in saying, please do think a gun on holding this vote that means that we can take if you and move on. holding this vote that means that we can take if you and move onlj understand the concern that he is expressing in relation to business. business wants certainty, business welcomes the deal and i think that they are taking that approach. he referred to, what, i think i've been

referred to, what, i think i've been referred to, what, i think i've been referred to as indicative votes. there were no plans for indicative votes. can i just there were no plans for indicative votes. can ijust say to my honourable friend and two other members of this house that actually what is necessary is for the house to reflect on what members want, in terms of their responsibility to come to a decision on this matter. at the moment, there are, as i indicated earlier, a number of views around this house. and want to stay in the eu, someone to go for a second referendum, somewhat support in old deal, somewhat support looking at other arrangements. all of those arrangements, any arrangements, would require it withdrawal agreement. they would require us to make clear the basis on which we are withdrawing from the european union. the prime minister la st european union. the prime minister last week admonished juncker for his

use of the word nebulous. the romany people in this house that would take issue with her word meaningful. there is nothing meaningful about vote that forces members of this house to choose between her deal and no deal. when is the pro—minister going to stop digging, start listening and build a consensus with members across the house to get us out of this mess. it was always going to be the case that whenever this vote came before the house as to whether they wanted to support the deal that had been negotiated or not. that is the same when ever that vote is taken. does the prime minister recalled telling the house on the 3rd of december at the three -£a on the 3rd of december at the three — £a billion set aside in the budget

for contingency no deal plumbing was about to be allocated in the next few days to relevant departments. has that allocation been made and is the money now available for essential contingency planning? yes, ido essential contingency planning? yes, i do recall saying that. of course, the 8019 financial year allocations are in place. ithink the 8019 financial year allocations are in place. i think what he was referring to is the 1920 allocations. last friday, a constituent said to me that although she had voted to leave the referendum in 2016, she now wanted to register the fact that she had changed her mind, as she put it, for the sake of her grandchildren. if it emerges that a significant number of people of a previous leave vote have

reached the same conclusion, which would be more democratic? allowing them the opportunity to change their mind or pressing on regardless?” also hear from people who are in the opposite position. they voted to remain at now say they would vote to leave the european union. the simple fa ct leave the european union. the simple fact is that if there were a second referendum, if there were a second referendum, if there were a second referendum which came out with the same result, would those honourable members who wish people to be given the chance to think again continued to say that there should be a referendum. if it came out with a different result, i think there would be many people who would say how many referendums should we have. we had the referendum and i believe it is our duty to deliver on it. the problem is that there is a consensus

in the country and that consensus is that this is one on holy mass. a solution has to be found. the prime minister still has not told us what her plan b is. does she not understand that if we leave the european union, not having a people vote, knowing what brexit looks like and then it turns out that the people of this country, knowing what brexit looked like, did not want us to leave the european union, it would be the biggest betrayal of democracy in this country. the people of this country, especially the young people, would never forget, nor forgive us, the young people, would never forget, norforgive us, especially this party. i know she has taken a particular view in relation to this issue. i continue to believe that what we should be doing is delivering on the vote. it was overwhelming, as i indicated in the

figures that i set out in my statement. it was the overwhelming view of this parliament that people should have a vote in the referendum. it was the overwhelming view that article 50 should be triggered. it is our duty to deliver that. how does the prime minister have the gall to accuse those of us who want more democracy of breaking faith with the public when she, herself, has turned faith breaking into a new art form. she promised no election last year, and then she brought one. you cannot break faith with the british public by asking for their views. why can't you not understand that a people's vote would be the first opportunity for people to vote on the facts, not of

patients can i say to the honourable lady there are 17.a million people up lady there are 17.a million people up and down this country who would say that if the vote was not honoured by this parliament, that would be breaking faith? as my honourable friend has it the outcome is either we leave without an agreement to re—delete mat leave with the transition and future arrangements, or we go back to an attempt to reverse the referendum, we have to deal with the agreements negotiated now. it's quite clear, from the article in the times on thursday, saying seven people out of eight in the country, and i suspect here as well, would prefer to have the deal with the agreements in preference either to dropping out without a deal going back to another referendum, sol without a deal going back to another referendum, so i consider the prime minister, i think most people support her, and we should too.” thank my right honourable friend,

and that actually reflects the comments i am given around the country, when people say to me, and write to me, and indicate they want us to get on with it, to deliver, and then enable us as government, parliament, to get on with addressing the domestic issues that matter to them day—to—day. addressing the domestic issues that matter to them day-to-day. chuka umunna! mr speaker, let us be clear. it is the long list of broken promises of leave campaigner she appointed to her government that has done irreparable damage to the integrity of our politics. she has been here, given three statements, and on each occasion this house is clear it will not vote for a plan but she continues to refuse to listen. can i ask for a very specific question? if we get to the march eu council and there is no consensus in this house on a route forward , consensus in this house on a route forward, will she now commit, and she said no deal is not something she said no deal is not something she would countenance, will she now it at that march 2019th council to

request an extension to article 52 stop no deal from happening? —— march 2019. i have indicated my approach concerning article 50. as what emmanuel macron said on friday, re ce nt what emmanuel macron said on friday, recent comments from the commission have been rather more hostile than anything but nederland officials were told that losing northern ireland is the price of brexit. eu ambassadors, briefed on the deal, saying the uk must align their rules but that you will retain all the controls. at the weekend a further eu official was reported in the times as to have said "to use a christmas theme we want all mp5 and factions in the parliament to feel the bleak midwinter. " factions in the parliament to feel the bleak midwinter." does this on to my right honourable friend wig people negotiating in good faith?” say to my honourable friend i have

always been clear throughout these have been tough negotiations, that we have held our side and got... achieved a deal that actually delivers on the vote of the british people, delivers it in a way that protects jobs people, delivers it in a way that protectsjobs and people, delivers it in a way that protects jobs and security, people, delivers it in a way that protectsjobs and security, and i believe protects our prosperity for the future. is it not the truth that while the prime minister talks about democracy she prevented the cabinet having a vote, she has prevented parliament having a vote, and she doesn't want the public to have a vote on this deal? if she wants to talk about democracy she should think carefully about it. would you not admit she is acting now in a completely reckless fashion with jobs, business, investment and with our constituents' futures? on the 2nd of january when our constituents' futures? on the 2nd ofjanuary when the vast majority of people in this country will be asking, what is going on?” have to say he asked me a question in relation to what i was doing, and

i have to say my answer is no. what? we have at our people‘s vote in lincolnshire, and they are people, by the way. may i express an unfashionably supportive view of the prime minister today? i think actually that this matter is resolvable, and many of us who have been sceptical so far could be persuaded to vote for it if there was a legally binding protocol saying that, as is normal with international treaties, if a temporary arrangement ceases to be temporary, then either side can unilaterally withdraw? in any event, under international law we would have the right to abrogate those parts of the treaty if they proved not to be temporary. so i say to the prime minister, keep calm and carry on. i thank my right honourable friend for his comments, and also reflect on the fact that i think he

has himself in the amendment he put down to the motion reflected the view that he hasjust expressed, and there are many ways in which we can achieve what everybody i think who is concerned about the backstop wants, which is to make sure that if it is used it is only temporary. i wa nt it is used it is only temporary. i want to make sure it is not used at all. is the prime minister aware that many people in our country feel they were conned over the last referendum, by a combination of fraudsters, cheats, foreign money and dissembling about the real truth of the challenges our country was facing? . she also not many of us feel it is tragic to see her so isolated, isolated from her party, this parliament and the people in the country? —— she also may note. will she change her mind as i have done and go for people's vote and people's choice, on the facts and not on the theory? i have already

made my views clear. i mentioned it in the statement in relation to the concept of a second referendum. i think we should be delivering on the referendum that took place in 2016. my right honourable friend has said she will be stepping up work to mitigate any disruption in the event ofa no mitigate any disruption in the event of a no deal, and the cabinet will be discussing that tomorrow. given the fact there are just over 100 days to go, we have the christmas in the new year break, can she informed this house and the watching country how many meetings of cobra there will be, how many she will cheer, and whether there will be meetings throughout the christmas and new year break of cabinet and cobra to plan for this? —— year break of cabinet and cobra to plan forthis? —— how year break of cabinet and cobra to plan for this? —— how many she will chair. as i have said, there have been four taking place and it will move to a more regular rhythm in january as we continue to step up the preparations for no deal. and i welcome the prime minister ruling out a second referendum when we

haven't actually even entered the first? and can i congratulate her on not getting her hair ruffled by presidentjuncker, not getting her hair ruffled by president juncker, as he not getting her hair ruffled by presidentjuncker, as he seems to do to everybody? but the chancellor of the exchequer, when he called the 1a point —— the people who voted leave, when he called them extremists, have you read a word with him to ensure you read a word with him to ensure you will not take that attitude to decent people across the country? everybody in this government recognises people went out... this parliament gave people the decision whether or not to read and people we nt whether or not to read and people went out, and 17.a million people chose we should leave the european union —— whether or not to leave. ending free movement was a reason for many of them, but also for many of them! for many of them, but also for many of them i thinkjust that concept of wanting a uk able to stand independent in the world, make those trade deals around the rest of the world, but three of the bureaucracy of brussels, that was another reason

why people wanted to do that, and they did that with their hearts and with their heads in with the best of intentions, and it's ourjob to actually deliver on the vote they gave. studio: we are going to leave the house of commons where we have been listening to the prime minister, who has been on herfeet for listening to the prime minister, who has been on her feet for the last hour or has been on her feet for the last hourorso, has been on her feet for the last hour or so, she has been updating mps on last week‘s eu summit. and she has been taking questions on brexit. listening alongside with you and me has been our chief political correspondent vicki young, who joins now from westminster. a lot of ground covered, vicki, but in terms of what is new, we yeah a cavity parliament for theresa may‘s brexit deal? yes, confirming she will not be bringing that forward before christmas. parliament is here until thursday but her plan is to start the debate again when they come back on the 7th of january. they will have days of debate, then sometime during the week of the 1ath of

january they will have that meaningful vote. what is intriguing once again is the striking lack of support there is for theresa may‘s deal, and i think it is interesting that even those conservatives who have said they would back her are pretty u pset have said they would back her are pretty upset it is not happening before christmas. they are very concerned, because they think it isn‘t the support for they think it isn‘t the support for the deal, and the idea that parliament goes off on holiday for christmas for more than two weeks without actually trying to deal with this issue looks bad for constituents and of course for businesses, who desperately want certainty. what they are also concerned about, they don‘t feel there is much reassurance from the eu that is forthcoming about the temporary nature of that backstop. this is the point which of course is causing so much trouble for the prime minister, trying to ensure there are no border checks between northern ireland and ireland. if there is no trade deal in place. and so the backstop mechanism they have come up with, of course, there are many mps worried the uk would end up

trapped in it. theresa may has said todayit trapped in it. theresa may has said today it is not the place, that there is a secret plot to somehow keep the uk in all of that. she says that you do not want to go there either, but of course it is legally binding words many mps want. the other main message coming across to theresa may, particularly from labourmps, theresa may, particularly from labour mps, but also from some on her own side likejustine greening has said the prime minister wasn‘t listening and that she was not allowing debate, they‘re concerned that her tactic seems to be to run down the clock, comeback in the middle of january, put down the clock, comeback in the middle ofjanuary, put the deal to mps and they will be so concerned about eight no deal scenario they will just fall into about eight no deal scenario they willjust fall into line behind what she is proposing even though many of them don‘t like it. several labour mps saying that was effectively trying to intimidate mps and that they would not go along with it. she was also adamant, wasn‘t she, vicki, there would be no second referendum on her watch? yes, she said that

would be a betrayal of the voters. she said so many took part in that referendum result in so many who hadn‘t voted before, that they would see it as a betrayal, and she also doesn‘t think it would particularly help. she thinks it wouldn‘t be decisive. that it would be divisive, but there are also many in the cabinet saying the opposite, and i think the problem she has is that all discipline in the cabinet seems to have broken down. we have groups of cabinet ministers and other ministers coming out and publicly saying what they regard as plan b, now of course theresa may doesn‘t have a plan b but those cabinet ministers appear to be putting their various options on the table to look at, ranging from another referendum to maybe the kind of norway plus option where the uk stays in a customs union and the single market, stays very close to the eu, then of course there is the no deal scenario, something that should be

being prepared for much more vigorously. now, theresa may did see those preparations are going ahead and will be ramped up, and there is and will be ramped up, and there is a cabinet meeting tomorrow, postponed from last week of course, because of that confidence motion in her leadership, where they will be speaking about what they will do to make sure the uk could be ready for eight no deal scenario, but as we know of course it is about 100 days until we leave at the end of march and many think time is running out for that —— for a no deal scenario. weirdos labour is it in all of this? jeremy corbyn stood up and called the government shambolic and chaotic —— player does labour stand ? intriguing from the labour point of view. a lot of pressure from the labour leader to try to bring a motion of no confidence in the conservative government because he says, and i think quite rightly, he wouldn‘t win. it would need the dup and conservative mps to come alongside and could eventually trigger a general election, so he has been reluctant to do that. what they have decided to do, and briefed

journalists about just an they have decided to do, and briefed journalists aboutjust an hour two ago, they would bring forward a confidence motion in the prime minister‘s readership, in theresa may herself. it wouldn‘t be particularly binding but something they could do, and he briefed they would do that if she didn‘t set a vote for this meaningful vote on her deal but then she gave a broad date, ie the week of the 1ath of january, so clearlyjeremy corbyn decided not to go ahead with that. of course he gets advanced copies of her statements, and we don‘t know how far in advance he got it but we understand labour had not seen it before the briefed that but it was one of the shortest threat of a no—confidence vote in history, because he clearly hasn‘t gone ahead with it, because we do now have a timetable for the vote theresa may will bring to the house of commons. vicki young, our chief political correspondent in westminster, we are grateful to that. thanks so much. some breaking news now. a 21—year—old man who killed his

wife and her mother has been sentenced. 21—year—old janbaz tarin has admitted stabbing to death his wife and her mother this summer. raneem oudeh had repeatedly called the police to say the man she had married under islamic law was threatening her — she was calling them again when he attacked her and khaola saleem with a knife. an investigation has been launched into how west midlands police handled the case. sima kotecha reports from birmingham crown court... —— are correspondent catherine is outside the court —— our correspondent. can you update us? yes, janbaz tarin was given that sentence before parole today. the judge said with terrible insight raneem oudeh had predicted what he might do to her, following weeks of

threatening behaviour after their relationship had ended. she found out he had another family, relationship had ended. she found out he had anotherfamily, another wife and three children in afghanistan, and she had broken off her relationship. he had then been stalking her, had slept outside her home for 12 days in his car, and she had told police about this behaviour. she had gone as far as getting a court order, an injunction, against him to make sure he couldn‘t come anywhere near her. but on the night of the murders, august the 26th, he had actually followed her and her mother. they had gone to a shisha by and there had gone to a shisha by and there had been an altercation. they had left and they had driven to the flat she had lived in to pick up something. they then returned back to the family home. khaola saleem‘s family home, and they believed there was no sign ofjanbaz tarin. he had actually parked his car in a hidden location behind a tree, so when they got out of their car he then attacked them, and as you say one of

the interesting parts of this case, there had been several calls to police that night, to west midlands police from raneem, reporting he was breaking that court order put in place, and while she was on the phone to him, at around half past midnight on the 27th of august, that is when the attack took place, and the chilling words the court heard today, her last sentence. "can you tell me that... will he be arrested tomorrow or not?" there was then silence followed by screening and her repeatedly saying "he is there, he‘s there." the family today were extremely upset hearing the details of that. some of the cctv was too graphic to show to the rest of the court. only the judge saw that. we know that the independent office of police conduct is now looking in to west midlands police‘s conduct there. no reaction from the family as janbaz tarin was given 32 years

today, but there had been plenty of reaction earlier when the victim state m e nts reaction earlier when the victim statements were read out. the victim‘s auntie described a long list of broken hearts, the two—year—old son she now will not be able to bring up, the 15—year—old daughter, and she has five other children. they are traumatised by witnessing the aftermath of this attack outside her family home. janbaz tarin, 32 years in prison, minimum. kathryn, thank you for that update from birmingham crown court. the business news is coming up, so stay with us for that, but first an update of the headlines on afternoon live. a man pleads guilty to killing

his wife and her mother in a savage knife attack in solihull this summer. the value of student loans expected not to be repaid will now be recorded as public debt — adding £12 billion to the uk‘s defecit a vote on her brexit deal in the new year. labour leaderjeremy corbyn said that the pm‘s deal "is unchanged and is not going to change" and called on her to "get on with the vote". here‘s your business headlines on afternoon live... troubles for high street retailers spread to online shopping too. the fashion retailer asos cuts it foreceast for sales and profits — warning that economic uncertainty

plus weaker consumer confidence means shoppers are spending less. meanwhile pressures continue on the high street. laura ashley will close about a0 uk stores and expand its presence in china — while restaurant closures in the year to september are up almost a quarter compared with the previous year. energy firm sse has scrapped its plan to merge its retail business with rival npower, blaming "very challenging market conditions". the deal would have created the uk‘s second—biggest energy supplier. let us delve a little deeper into some of those stories, and the story we we re some of those stories, and the story we were reporting all afternoon. we hear about trouble on the high street but it seems to be seeping over to online retailers? yes, if you‘re looking for signs of festive cheer retail is not the place to find it. rebecca, we speak quite often about trouble on the high street, but there is no evidence some online retailers, not small outfits but some of the titans, are facing similar pressures, grappling with very tough trading conditions. the chief executive of asos said the

fashion industry is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of discounting but despite that they are now predicting sales will grow by 15% rather than 25% in the coming year. they have also cut the forecast for profit margins from a% to 2%. we're expecting the us central bank to make its latest interest rate decision. what is your prediction? most policymakers are expecting another rise, but that forecast has riled a certain mr donald trump who has been angrily tweeting, calling on them not to raise interest rates. this isjust tweeting, calling on them not to raise interest rates. this is just a day before they meet, and most a nalysts a re day before they meet, and most analysts are expecting the rate will go up. donald trump said "it is incredibly that with a very strong dollar in virtually no inflation, the outside world blowing up around us, the fed is considering yet

another interest rate hike." the us president has repeatedly broken the convention that the central bank is not interfered with by politicians and there shouldn‘t be pressure put upon it, they should be free to make the decision they believe is right given the various indicators they look at, the strength of the currency, the labour market, prices and so on. and obviously take—up rates quite sharply after the financial crisis and they have slowly been raising them back up to what people would say were normal —ish levels as the economy began to recover. let‘s chew over all of this with chief investment officer at ccla investment management. james bevan, good to see you. many will think they should be the busiest time of year for these firms. yes, many people saying it is

down to brexit but if you lift the lid on what asos said, they are saying it is global, looking at france, germany, the rest of the world indeed, a significant problem for asos. and we are never far from a reminder about the bricks and mortar side of the sector, laura ashley closing a0 stores and restau ra nt ashley closing a0 stores and restaurant closures are almost a quarter on the year before? very true, and interestingly laura ashley saying they want to drive harder into china, so in part a rebalancing of their portfolio as opposed to just a reduction in the uk. —— in and we spoke about donald trump sharing his thoughts and feelings on a potential interest rate rise. he doesn‘t seem to have any qualms about treading over the convention that us presidents don‘t interfere with the central bank. you are right, he doesn't, but he has his antenna deeply attuned to the feelings of the american people and i think there is a broad expectation

generally they are likely to have to be cut much earlier in the cycle because of global liquidity being much tighter and therefore growth numbers coming down and he is in a sense for warning that even the fed hike of this month on wednesday, it is likely they will not hike nearly as much as expected in 2019 and indeed may begin to cut early in 2020. james, i'll ask you about europe. no, not brexit related! this france tech tax failing? truly extraordinary. everyone anticipated the eu would have a single agreement and france clearly has lost patience with the protest and i think this is playing to the protests of the so—called yellowjackets, playing to the protests of the so—called yellow jackets, saying they care about capitalism and the extent to which ordinary people subsidise big business. ok, james

bevan, thanks very much. thank you. let‘s talk about the markets. they have been up and down? yes, on a bit ofa have been up and down? yes, on a bit of a roller—coaster ride, and suddenly the picture in europe...m matches my dress. indeed, your chosen well! the ftse100 is down, those warnings from asos having a ripple effect warning on other retailers, like marks & spencer, next, some of the big uk retailers down, and on the smaller list of firms, the ftse 250, dixons and jd sports fashion, down as well, then some house price data showing quite a big fall, the biggest over two months since 2012, hitting homemakers liked persimmon and barclays. i have

to say it has been lovely being on with you. what a lovely thing to say! thanks for that. that took me by surprise, not used to people being nice. that is it from your afternoon live team for today. thank you for watching. next, the bbc news at five with ben brown, but let‘s ta ke at five with ben brown, but let‘s take a look at the weather and matt taylor has the forecast. hello. wetter and windier weather under way tomorrow but for today fairly quiet to the —— start to the week. not especially warm but pleasa nt week. not especially warm but pleasant enough at 6—10d. in the west, cloud taking away the morning sunshine. some outbreaks of rain but staying dry for many. tonight the wind picking up, deals across western areas. initial hit and miss rain followed by something more persistent across ireland and the far west of scotland. keeping up temperatures, a frosty start for some in the east but temperatures opening later in the night as the breeze strengthens. tuesday when board. bright enough start in the east, in the west lots of heavy rain

first thing —— tuesday wind across in the south—east and east anglia you could stay dry until the morning rush hour. wins, 50—60 mph for some. in the west. temperatures in double figures. —— winds are 50—60. bye—bye for now. patients that suffer from it, because sufferfrom it, because they suffer from it, because they are high—risk population. today at 5pm, the prime minister sets a date in the new year for mps to vote on her brexit deal. theresa may travelled to the commons to address mps, warning them to put the country‘s interests ahead of party politics. we intend to return to the meaningful vote debate in the week commencing

the 7th of january, the 7th of january, and hold the vote the following week. when we have the vote, members will need to reflect carefully on what is in the best interests of our country. in reaction, labour‘sjeremy corbyn accused mrs may of leading the most shambolic government in recent british history. there can be no logical reason for this delay, except that in taking shambolic government to a new level, the prime minister