it's monday, it's10:ooam. i'm victoria derbyshire. has the prime minster found a way to get round the new emergnecy law to delay brexit without breaking it? borisjohnson may not have to do if he gets a deal. we'll talk about boris johnson's options. also in her first tv interview since being chucked out of the conservative party, we'll speak live to margot james, one of the 21 mps thrown out for voting to delay a possible no deal. she doesn't want be brought back into the fold and predicts more cabinet ministers will resign.

also today, 200,000 passengers have had their travel plans disrupted because of a ba pilots‘ strike. jesy nelson from little mix reveals that online bullying after appearing on the x factor drove her to try to tkae her own life. i remember i think i had about 101 inbox messages on my facebook. and i remember clicking on it and the first one that come up was from, i don't know who it was, some random man. and he was like, "you are the ugliest thing i've ever seen in my life. you do not deserve to be in this girl band. how on earth were you ever put in this girl band? you deserve to die." and, this actor, anthony ekundayo lennon, was at the centre of a storm when he when he was accused of faking his racial background to get onto a theatre traineeship scheme. this is his mum... this is his dad... he's since taken a dna test to discover more about his background. he's live in his first broadcast interview about the controversy.

hello... welcome to the programme. we're live until 11:00 this morning. we're also going to talk to the brexit party — what are their conditions for doing any deal at the next election with the conservatives? first the news, with carrie. borisjohnson is meeting the irish prime minister leo varadkar in dublin this morning. the talks will focus on brexit, with the future of the border with northern ireland remaining the biggest sticking point to striking a deal with the eu. speaking ahead of the meeting, mr varadker said he hoped the pair could find some common ground and the pm said he's confident they will find a deal. the prime minister negotiating

deals, is going to be a herculean task for you but we do want to be your friend task for you but we do want to be yourfriend and task for you but we do want to be your friend and your ally, your athena in doing so and i think the manner in which you leave the european union or deep determine whether that is possible.” european union or deep determine whether that is possible. i don't underestimate the difficulties that we face at the technical problems and the political sensitivities. all lam and the political sensitivities. all i am saying to you today is i do think there is a way through that can satisfy the needs of irish business and farmers and everybody in this country, but also ensure that the uk is able to respect the democratic wishes of the whole of the united kingdom. the biggest strike action in the history of british airways got underway this morning, causing disruption for tens of thousands of passengers. the airline has told customers not to turn up to airports, as pilots begin a two—day walkout over pay and conditions. it's the first time ba pilots have

walked out and the action could cost the firm up to £40 million a day. bahamian officials have defended their response to hurricane dorian after it devastated parts of the island chain last week, killing at least 43 people. residents on the abaco islands have accused the government of failing to provide assistance and prevent looting. 0fficials denied there had been any cover up of number of deaths. the toll is likely to rise as hundreds, possibly thousands, of people are still missing. some 70,000 people were in need of food and shelter, according to the united nations. so there are parts of abaco and the bahamas that don't show a great deal of damage and then there are clusters and communities that were devastated — almost as though nuclear bombs were dropped on them. that's how great the suffering is and the devastation is. we recognise there is a long road ahead but we are going to work closely with the prime minister and his government to

make sure that we help provide immediate relief. 125 firefighters have been tackling a blaze, which engulfed a four—storey block of flats in london overnight. crews were called to worcester park in south—west london in the early hours of this morning. the london ambulance service said no injuries had been reported. a new report suggests that malaria could be completely eradicated within a generation. the disease affects more than 200 million people each year, and kills mostly young children. the analysis, published in the lancet, suggests that, with an increase in effort, a world free of malaria could be within reach. up to 9,000 badgers are likely to have suffered "immense pain" in culls to control cattle tb, according to a former government adviser. professor ra nald munro is the ex—chair of an independent expert group appointed by the government to assess its trials. he has written to natural england

to say that the policy is causing "huge suffering" and are not reducing tb in cattle. natural england says they "take the welfare of badgers very seriously". those are the top stories, let's go back to victoria for the rest of the programme. thank you very much. with just over seven weeks to go now until the uk is due to leave the eu — what is the prime minister's next move? we've just heard again in a news conference with the irish leader that he does want a deal and he's going to get a deal. let's talk to maya goodfellow — a political writer and academic who writes for various newspapers including the guardian and independent. we have another vote in parliament on whether there should be a general election, in which the prime minister looks certain to lose.

remind audience on how we got here? where borisjohnson went remind audience on how we got here? where boris johnson went for the suspension of parliament, he kind of galvanised the opposition and some of the people who were tory mps, because they realised he was going to go for this no deal, they worried it was a distinct possibility he was going to take the country out of the eu without the say of parliament. so what is happening, the bill we expect to become law today, is mps saying we want to ensure no deal cannot happen without our say, that they essentially don't want to allow an election yet because they want a cast—iron guarantee that boris johnson is not going to try and find a way around that and take the uk out of the eu without a deal and without the say parliament. so there will be royal assent, queen's approval, remind the audience what thatis approval, remind the audience what that is intended to do? this bill, we think will become law today tells borisjohnson we think will become law today tells boris johnson that we think will become law today tells borisjohnson that by we think will become law today tells boris johnson that by the 19th we think will become law today tells borisjohnson that by the 19th of 0ctober, you either have to bring a

deal back, which is what boris johnson says he is doing now. parliament has to approve it or you have to get no deal through parliament so parliament has to sign off on no deal. we know it is safe to say parliament wouldn't do that, given the opposition has come together saying they don't want no deal. that is not a majority in the house of commons for a no deal. if borisjohnson house of commons for a no deal. if boris johnson cannot do house of commons for a no deal. if borisjohnson cannot do any of those two things, the law says he will have to ask for an extension from the european union. that extension would be to the 31st of january 2020 and it would be up to the eu to decide whether to give that extension and agree to that particular date. boris johnson has said he would rather be dead in a ditch than ask for an extension. the home secretary and other cabinet ministers, the chancellor, have said the government will abide by the law, so what are mrjohnson's options? some of that is contradictory because if he is to abide by the law, if you cannot two of the previous things i mentioned,

a deal or his no deal through parliament, he is legally bound to seek an extension. he says he will not seek an extension to his options are to resign or he breaks the law and what we could expect to happen then,is and what we could expect to happen then, is mps will probably hold a vote of no confidence but also a court challenge because he would be breaking the law. there isn't any way around that as far as i am aware, it is the law if it passes today and gets royal assent. thank you very much. we will talk more about the legal options boris johnson has had to try and make sure the eu on october the 31st despite the eu on october the 31st despite the legislation to stop it, later on. but first we're going to talk to margotjames in her first tv interview since she was chucked out of the party last week. she was digital minister under theresa may and was one of 21 mps

who voted against the government by backing a plan to delay brexit beyond october 31st. she says she doesn't want to rejoin the conservatives in the state they are currently in. good morning to you, thank you for coming on the programme. i am going to start with amber rudd, the work and pensions secretary who resigned at the weekend, she is a close friend of yours, what is your reaction? i was pleased, friend of yours, what is your reaction? iwas pleased, it is a lwa ys reaction? iwas pleased, it is always good to be on the same side as amber rudd. she is a moderating influence in government, but also she will be able to join us, now she is outside government, in opposing what the government are trying to do. you message to her minutes after she announced her resignation, what did you say to her? i said to her, well done, amber. i love you. if you really wa nt well done, amber. i love you. if you really want to know. yet amber rudd is the woman who warned against borisjohnson in the 2016 referendum campaign. he is not the man you want driving you home at the end of the evening, this cannot come as a surprise to her? at the beginning when he won the leadership, i had

already resigned from the government but i was prepared to support him in the early stages. he did say the chances of leaving without a deal where a million to one against and he would be serious about getting a deal. we were prepared to give him that chance right through this two week period when parliament was sitting because he had good meetings with angela merkel and in france and there was talk of 28 days to find this alternative to the backstop. i was sceptical, but i thought, give him a chance. it wasn't until he prorogued parliament we realised our time is shrinking as to whether we could actually reduce the risk of a no deal departure. as amber said yesterday in her statement, all the day before, she could see no sign of serious negotiations and neither could we. when you see boris johnson today alongside leo varadkar in dublin saying i am confident i will

get a deal, do you still not trust him? i am always prepared to give people the benefit of the doubt and perhaps this has been the wake—up call he needs. but behind him, i am concerned his key advisers in number ten are deal or no deal and they don't care if we get a deal or not and they just want don't care if we get a deal or not and theyjust want out on october the 31st. mrjohnson has also just had no deal would be a failure? the 31st. mrjohnson has also just had no dealwould be a failure? that is absolutely right and i am glad he recognises that. does that not make you trust him more? it makes me feel a little more hopeful that now he has had this wake—up call he will redouble his efforts. but what i see isa redouble his efforts. but what i see is a series of unreasonable positions that he is taking. the elimination completely of the backstop. i don't think that is in the eu's gift, unless ireland has an amazing rethink, which i don't think it will. however, i have committed to my constituents while i am still theirmp, for to my constituents while i am still

their mp, for how much longer, we don't know, i have committed to them given they had voted to leave by nearly 64%, i will vote for his deal if he can bring one back. going back to the backstop it could be a northern ireland only backstop and thatis northern ireland only backstop and that is one of the conversations going on? it is and that has always been my thought, that is the only possible outcome that can bridge this divide. as we know, that brings with it huge risks of demands for the same treatment by scotland. yes indeed. it also potentially would mean some of your brexiteer collea g u es mean some of your brexiteer colleagues would not vote for that? the dup wouldn't. the dup definitely wouldn't but members of your research group, would you expect them, if they did not vote for any deal if mrjohnson managed to get one, be thrown out of the party like you last week? based on precedent, noi you last week? based on precedent, no i wouldn't because they have

rebelled so many times. notjust this parliament, but historically and they have never been thrown out, let's face it. but we have a different prime minister now? we have indeed but he would reduce his majority to a ridiculous degree if he threw 30 or a0 hardcore brexiteers out of the party. i think that would be curtains. it would be a powerful disincentive to treat them the way he has treated us. we voted against the government last week and that is why you were thrown out. you knew what you are doing, you knew what the consequences would be. having reflected on it for almost a week, why are you sure that you are right and borisjohnson's strategy of wanting to leave no deal on the table while trying to get a deal is wrong? i think if he was serious, i feel his deal is wrong? i think if he was serious, ifeel his negotiating position of being so hard—line about 0ctober position of being so hard—line about october the 31st and also get rid of the backstop, i feel that october the 31st and also get rid of

the backstop, ifeel that is october the 31st and also get rid of the backstop, i feel that is a hopeless position to take and that he felt serious about negotiations, he felt serious about negotiations, he would be asking for more, that is his prerogative, but he would be asking for things that were negotiable. like what? like perhaps a time limit on the backstop. he might be, just not told us? you are touching on another point, which is they are keeping their cards very close to the chest and you can argue it makes it easy to negotiate, but when our contacts in europe and elsewhere are telling us there are no real negotiations in progress, that does make us think even more carefully. the fact that he is so keen on having an election right in the middle of a period which is short, as it is, to renegotiate the deal, that seems as well, to be a ridiculous distraction which is further evidence that i didn't think he was hugely serious about getting

a deal. do you understand why some voters help people like yourself and your other colleagues who voted to delay brexit, in contempt? because they want to leave and are outraged we are still in the eu three years after the vote? i do understand that because i do have constituents who have that view about what i have done. the ones i speak to, they backtrack, at least they understand my position and they don't think i am treating them with contempt. you voted for article 50, why did you do that if he did not want to risk no deal? at the time, the government was going all out for a deal. we then fought a general election a few months later, in which we said in our manifesto, that we would leave with a deal and on good terms and in an orderly manner. what we are facing at the moment is the exact opposite of that platform on which i stood at the last election. you can

see the prime minister at the time also said no deal is better than a bad deal. i never agreed with that by the way, but it was her prerogative. it wasn't a bad deal she brought back. it was positioned as such by some of the brexiteers, but it wasn't a bad deal, it was a good compromise. i want you to play this clip from you in the house of commons last week. have a look. ministers advise, ministers decide. can i ask the prime minister to bear that statement closely in mind in relation to his own chief adviser, dominic cummings? dominic cummings is, as she sat there, boris johnson's chief adviser. he spat out his name, why? i regret actually showing my feelings to that extent, but i do feelings to that extent, but i do feel he is a deeply malevolent force. i think his track record, both running the leave campaign,

where he fell out with everybody, even the hard brexiteers in my own party in parliament. he is somebody who wants to crash everything to get what he wants. i also look back to his time as, he was the adviser to michael gove when michael was education secretary. i thought for a lot of the reforms michael brought m, lot of the reforms michael brought in, they were very good but the way he was advised by dominic cummings, led him to fall out with all of the teachers, not just the led him to fall out with all of the teachers, notjust the unions but the rank and file teachers. his philosophy is break everything and emerge the winner. i do not like that style of doing politics. but ultimately it is the prime minister who makes the decisions, so he is accountable and not dominic cummings? i agree with that and he said as much to conservative mps last week. i was not there, but i was told. that is true, although we have a history of advisers you know, starting to dominate and i worry

thatis starting to dominate and i worry that is happening. although he says it is not. have you ever met him? 0nly it is not. have you ever met him? only in passing. all right, do you wa nt to only in passing. all right, do you want to be brought back into the conservative party, have the whip restored, as it is now? not under the current policy, no. i have made that decision. since last week i have realised i could never have stood, if there had been an election before brexit, on this deal or no deal, do or die position. i could never have stood anyway so until that policy is changed, which i don't think is likely in the present circumstances, then no, i wouldn't accept the whip back, no. could you defect to the lib dems?|j accept the whip back, no. could you defect to the lib dems? i have not decided what my future is. but you could? whether to stand and if i could? whether to stand and if i could sum as a conservative

candidate, i couldn't stand as an official candidate, that has been made clear, but i am not sure i am able to do that under this government. it is causing such division and divide and uncertainty and worry across the country. i really couldn't stand on a platform you know, at the moment to be re—elected. you know, at the moment to be re-elected. would you consider joining the liberal democrats? you have already asked me that, i have not ruled it out at the minute but i have far from decided to do that. what would be the clincher? first of all, the clincher it would be dubie i want to stand or not? i have not decided on that. i have decided at the moment, if there is a general election in the next couple of months, i will either vote independent conservative if one stands in my constituency in london, ori stands in my constituency in london, or i will vote for the liberal democrat candidate. if you are not

standing yourself, you won't be voting conservative? not for the official candidate under this platform, no. that is extraordinary, ten yea rs platform, no. that is extraordinary, ten years as a conservative mp...|j ten years as a conservative mp...” know, even more as a member. i will not vote for a platform that says leave, deal or no deal that risks this country living without a deal. i will not do that. i will vote for a deal, as my constituents have asked me to, but i will not risk this country living without a deal. after the next election do you want borisjohnson to be prime minister orjeremy corbyn? neither, to be quite honest. i would hope the outcome of an election if it is called during this crisis, would be some form of coalition government led by somebody more moderate than either of the two main party leaders

at the moment. like you? i will not name names but they are decent people within the conservative party, within the labour party and the liberal democrats. i would hope one of those would emerge. jo swinson? i will not name any names because i would be prepared to serve under any number of prime ministerial candidates, i don't agree the choice facing the electorate at the moment is between straightforward conservative and labour. for lots of reasons, i think there could be another hung parliament. ok, and would that be the best outcome for you?” parliament. ok, and would that be the best outcome for you? i think, obviously i have spent a lot of time and energy opposing the labour party underjeremy corbyn. both for the extreme left—wing nature of the policy platform and also a dire record on not dealing with the anti—semitism, which has hurt so many people. i could not possibly

countenance that, i don't think. but neither but i countenance the present chaos the government in my name, is leading. there will be some within the conservative party who say what you have just said is unacceptable, they might use, i don't use the word, but you will have seen it online, they will use the term traitor. they are fond of these wartime languages. i don't think we are at war with anybody, apart from ourselves. the fact you clearly don't want the conservatives to have an outright majority at the next election as a conservative member and ten years as a conservative mp? i am afraid that is the conclusion i have reached under the conclusion i have reached under the current leadership, with the current policy. i think it would be a bad thing for the country for it to be returned with a majority.

actually, what i could say really is, if you look back over the last three governments, as much as i admire and continue to admire the former prime minister, theresa may, because of the circumstances in which she found herself, it was very turbulent government. this government, which is barely two old is even more turbulent and chaotic. the only government i have served under as a conservative member of parliament that has been progressive, that has tackled the big challenge britain face is the coalition government. i have since reflected and i feel the coalition government. i have since reflected and ifeel the liberal democrat membership of the coalition government acted as a very necessary breakdown of parties right wing and obsession with brexit. so you would not be against the idea, i am going to put you, if there is a hung parliament, ofjo swinson,

potentially being the main leadership figure?” potentially being the main leadership figure? i wouldn't know, i would not be against that, but there are also other senior leading politicians on both the conservative and the labour side of the existing parliament with more experience than jo swinson. but not saying that, i do think she is excellent, she was a good minister in the coalition. i think she was the right choice as leader of the liberal democrats. i could serve under her, yes. thank you very much, margotjames, thank you very much, margotjames, thank you for coming on the programme. i am sure you will have views on what margotjames am sure you will have views on what margot james has told us this morning. do get in touch and you can message us on morning. do get in touch and you can message us on twitter. let's have a look at a bit more of what borisjohnson said this morning in dublinjust before he went in for talks with the irish leader leo varadkar. he's been striking a much more positive tone about the idea of getting a brexit deal done.

i have one message that i want to land with you today, leo, and that is that i want to find a deal. i want to get a deal. like you, i've looked carefully at no deal, i have assessed its consequences both for our country and yours. and yes, of course we could do it, the uk could certainly get through it, but be in no doubt, that outcome would be a failure of statecraft, for which we would all be responsible. and so, for the sake of business, of farmers, and for millions of ordinary people who are now counting on us to use our imagination and creativity to get this done, i want you to know i would overwhelmingly prefer to find an agreement. borisjohnson may be talking more warmly about getting a deal this morning,

but he's also vowed that he will not delay brexit beyond october 31st. even though the new law that mps have passed may force him to write to the eu and ask for a delay. so how will he get round that? could borisjohnson send two letters to the eu — one requesting a delay to brexit beyond october 31st, so abiding by the new law to delay brexit. the second saying "i don't want to do this and i don't believe in it", which could persuade the eu side to refuse an extension and cut britain loose. there are other thoughts too about the legality of the new law which will come into force today. the foreign secretary called it lousy yesterday and talked of testing it in the courts. let's speak to two legal experts. barristerjerry hayes, a former conservative mp. and robert craig, who lectures in constitutional law at the london school of economics. welcome both of you. let's deal with this idea of two letters, one saying

please can we have a delay so abiding by the emergency law. the second saying, we do not want a delay, would it be legal? no, it is insane. i don't know where he's getting his advice. the supreme court will make a decision. did you come to equity with clean hands? the a nswer come to equity with clean hands? the answer is no. notjust crossing his fingers, that is not lawful at all. invalid. what is illegal about abiding by the low and then writing another letter to say, that is what the law says, i don't want to.“ you are prime minister, you live by the rule of law. what did dominic raab said yesterday, we will push the boundaries of the law. say that toa bank the boundaries of the law. say that to a bank robber. that is not breaking the law. it is breaking the law and he has to obey the law because in the statute it says, he must, not shall, not may, he must

sign the letter. he could be in co nte m pt of sign the letter. he could be in contempt of parliament, he could be in contempt of court and if he does not purge his contempt of court, he could go to prison. the challenge, which seems almost likely to come, the government challenging this new emergency law, is it watertight? can they find a legal loophole around it that perhaps we don't know about? they find a legal loophole around it that perhaps we don't know abounm has an amendment which was introduced by stephen kinnock and thatis introduced by stephen kinnock and that is why dominic raab use the word lousy. it is the clause that insist he sends a letter. he has made that close extremely difficult. but the question that was said this morning, whether it makes it possible not to send the letter, very difficult. i find that almost impossible. to back up what jerry was saying, the legality of sending the second letter, there is a doctrine in which you can act with a

policy and purpose of the act. if you sent a letter saying one thing and then another one saying the opposite, it is in direct parody with the act. the other thing dominic raab said, yes, we can go to the court and we can actually challenge the primary legislation. he would agree with that, but you cannot do it because the power for that legislation comes from the sovereignty of parliament. he can do it for secondary legislation and things like that. once an act is agreed, this bill is still a bill, it has not had royal assent. once it gets royal assent it is on the parliamentary role and it cannot be gainsaid. because there were problems in the procedure is going through parliament, which they were, somehow that could be a problem, absolutely wrong. once royal assent has been granted those problems fade away. article nine said any

proceedings in parliament cannot be challenged in court so once it is on the problem she role, it is over. is there any way borisjohnson can leave the uk out of the eu without a deal on october 31? not unless he puts himself in a self induced coma and cannot sign the letter. right, 0k! and cannot sign the letter. right, ok! but i would not rule that out. 0k. ok! but i would not rule that out. ok. you have said it can't be challenged at the supreme court but lets say they do challenge it. how quickly can... i said they cannot challenge based on procedure... we don't know what legal advice they have received on section 1a, with the clinic amendment. i don't know what that advice is or whether there isa what that advice is or whether there is a problem with it. i'm not saying it couldn't be taken to court. another idea is being floated. could the prime minister declare a national emergency using part two emergency powers of the civil

contingencies act 200a, seeking to scrap this new law? the supreme court would quash that straightaway simply because, what do you have to find, decide for a national emergency? major death, destruction stop you the only destruction going on is this government. i'm afraid you cannot have a national emergency for that. doesn't that have horrible reso na nces for that. doesn't that have horrible resonances of what happened in the 19205 resonances of what happened in the 1920s and 1930s? we suspend parliament, to declare a national emergency, we take over, we are the representatives of people. isn't that worrying? i was a tory mp will stop i could not support what is going on. the government would say three years ago a majority of voters wa nted three years ago a majority of voters wanted out of the eu and we are still here. but they didn't vote for no deal. how do you know? because they didn't vote for it. it was not on the ballot paper! or any other options as far as you can see for borisjohnson? options as far as you can see for boris johnson? leaving aside the potential for legal action over

section ia, i think this act is pretty tight. but on the civil emergency, david allen green on twitter yesterday demolished this. section 19. .. twitter yesterday demolished this. section 19... he is a financial times writer. he set out, in section 19 it has some very specific criteria of what you have to do for that. in any event, parliament has to approve it instantly, and within seven days it expires. which leaves us seven days it expires. which leaves us with the self induced coma. we will see. or he gets a deal, which again he has said today he is confident of. thank you to both of you. let's talk more about the idea that the conservative party and the brexit party could form an electoral pact. nigel farage certainly seems to it's possible, and chancellor sajid javid refused to fully rule out the option yesterday, just saying the tories "don't need an electoral alliance with anyone".

della mac at your question about electoral alliances, we don't need an electoral alliance with anyone. we can stand on our own two feet. we don't need an alliance. are you really get out? the point you made about the picture, i think you made about the picture, i think you could say our opponents are painting of us, we are not in an election yet. i am clear that we don't need an alliance with anyone. you can't say i, sajid javid, lights and agreements between the conservatives and a brexit party. we don't need an alliance with anyone. we don't need it. let's now talk now to steve double, conservative mp for st austell and newquay and an mep from the brexit party belinda de lucy. welcome to both of you. thank you for coming on the programme. when a general election comes, your party, the brexit party, wants a pact with the brexit party, wants a pact with the conservatives. what does that mean in practical terms? the conservatives. what does that mean in practicalterms? it means the conservatives. what does that mean in practical terms? it means we will not stand our ppcs against

conservative mps that support a clea n conservative mps that support a clean brexit. we are very clear that we will put our country before the party and stand down even if they are the best ppcs in the world. we will stand them down to ensure that a clean brexit supporting mp gets a seatin a clean brexit supporting mp gets a seat in parliament and can get this done and over the line. boris johnson would have to say, officially, our government policy is no—deal brexit, for you to do that. at first, absolutely. the chances of a good deal, notjust any deal, a good deal now are so slim, the only way we will brexit on the 31st is if we come away on a clean break. ok. how would you respond to that as a conservative party member? is that sensible, so you don't split the leave about? i think what the brexit party choose to do is a matter for them. it's very clear that the choice when the election comes is

either borisjohnson or choice when the election comes is either boris johnson or jeremy corbyn will be prime minister. not necessarily. margot james was saying differently a few months ago. that would be the clear choice and boris johnson is absolutely the only person who is committed to getting us person who is committed to getting us out of the eu as soon as possible... but not by october 31 stop sign we hope to achieve that. that will be the choice facing the country. san marco in order to do that, people need to vote conservative. we saw recently in the by—election in wales what can happen if the brexit party stands againste candidate from the conservative party he was absolutely committed to leaving the eu is if you let the lib dems and, the most pro—european party was that we need people to vote conservative to get boris johnson be elected as prime minister and deliver brexit. if the brexit party truly want to leave the eu, then you can just withdraw your candidates from the relevant seats.

ido candidates from the relevant seats. i do not see how the tories will reach those northern areas of leith voters where you have generations who just won't vote for the tories, and the brexit party is very, very strong up there. the deal would be on condition that they stood down their conservative mps in leave voting areas in the north, then it would be between the brexit party and labour. we are not begging. we have made ourselves very clear, we orare have made ourselves very clear, we or are just have made ourselves very clear, we or arejust waiting for a have made ourselves very clear, we or are just waiting for a phone call. if boris wants a thumping majority, i would advise him to come to us and we'll make that fact. would you trust him on the phone call? earlier nigel farage said, how cani call? earlier nigel farage said, how can i trust what borisjohnson says? that is the weight of 2019, trust has been obliterated on all sides. why would you trust borisjohnson if he said let's do a deal? we owe it to our voters, the people who have voted for the brexit party, we owe it to them to do everything we can and if it means taking a last chance lea p and if it means taking a last chance leap of faith, and boris has proved

himself, removing the whip from those mps, people were questioning whether he would be brave enough to do it but he followed through. his behaviour in the next few weeks are crucial for us to trust him. the point the linda do lucy made about those labour leave so in sunderland and doncaster, you say the choice is between jeremy corbyn and doncaster, you say the choice is betweenjeremy corbyn and boris johnson. they will not vote for borisjohnson, will they?” johnson. they will not vote for boris johnson, will they? i think there is clear evidence that boris is incredibly popular... with voters in the north of england? we are canvassing in those northern seats and getting the impression boris is usually —— hugely popular. and getting the impression boris is usually -- hugely popular. i've seen it in my own constituency. people who would be traditionally labour voters are saying, we back boris 100%. let's get this done. that is what we are finding and i believe we will find that boris is a massively popular amongst many areas that have

been traditionally labour stronghold. i hope the tories are not making a big mistake and showing arrogance in this area because they have a friend here if they want to get boris a thumping majority. by co nsta ntly get boris a thumping majority. by constantly saying they don't need us and we are fine on our own, i would be careful. up in the north, my experience is very different. there isa experience is very different. there is a huge brexit party support up in the north but would rather us than jeremy corbyn. in march, you changed your mind about theresa may's brexit deal and this is what you said about it in the commons. it is a it is a choice i do not want to have to make between, if you'll excuse my language, mr speaker, a turd of a deal, which has now been taken away and polished and is now a polished turn. but it might be the best turd that we've got before us. or the alternative is those who want to stop brexit altogether, and the risk of that happening is very real. and if you'll excuse my language, if

borisjohnson comes back and if you'll excuse my language, if boris johnson comes back with a polished, polished turd, would you vote for it? lam vote for it? i am destined to have that clip follow me around. i'm afraid cell. at that point i made the assessment that the risk of the backstop and withdrawal agreement was lesser than the risk of parliament overturning the risk of parliament overturning the result of the referendum and i think i have to say the events of the last six months prove that i am correct. clearly we want the prime instead to get a deal that delivers a profit brexit. we are backing him to do that. let's see what we can achieve. one of the disappointing thing is of last week as he has not been given the opportunity to try to get that deal. he's had the rug pulled from under him by the surrender built. no deal doesn't stop him getting a deal but i take your point. i will leave it there. thank you both very much. british airways pilots have begun a a8—hour strike this morning which has grounded nearly all its flights.

the pilots have rejected an 11.5% pay deal over three years, saying they want a share of the airline's profits. up to 200,000 travellers have had their plans disrupted, and ba have come underflack for they way they've handled communications with passengers. our reporter dan johnson is at heathrow now. good morning, fill us in. good morning. yes, a difficult day for british airways passengers, although the airline seems to have taken the approach that knowing the strike was coming, they decided really to shut down operations and to book passengers onto other airlines or to get passengers to change their plans to later in the week so that british airways could fly them. it's not like we have players here with passengers queueing in the terminal waiting for flights, but certainly hundreds of thousands of passengers will have faced disruption over the next two days because they should be something like 850 british airways flights each day and they will be virtually none today at all because the pilots are at home, refusing to

work, having refused that 11.5% increase over three years. they say they want a profit sharing scheme so that they benefit from british airways' success. the management says it is willing to talk but the pilots union says that is not a serious negotiating effect, which is why things have broken down and why it has reached this point. we get an inkling from the general secretary of the association that there are deeper issues. he said this morning, ba has lost the trust and confidence of pilots because of cost cutting and the dumbing down of the brand. management want to squeeze every last penny out of customers and staff, so there is more a strike action planned tomorrow. it will ta ke action planned tomorrow. it will take a little bit of time for things to get back in the air properly, so they be disruption —— there may be disruption on wednesday while we wait for them to get around the table and talk. there is another strike planned towards the end of

september. british airways was 100 yea rs old september. british airways was 100 years old a couple of weeks ago. they are certainly not having too much to celebrate at the moment. thank you very much, dan. thank you. next on the programme... jesy nelson from little mix says there needs to be tougher consequences for online trolls. the singer has revealed she tried to take her own life four years ago because of abusive comments she was getting on social media. jesy, who says she still gets abuse online now, has made a documentary looking at the affects of cyberbullying for bbc three. our reporter chi chi izundu is here. what kind of things were people saying to her, and from what point? it was really from when they won the x factor. it was from when she auditioned on the programme because she was told she had to have social media. management told her that. they got it. then the band won x factor in 2011 and she said the focus was always on the way she looks. her hair, herface, her weight. she got comments calling her

fat and other really nasty comments. she said when they won the x factor in 2011 the first thing she did was go on her facebook page and got a random comment from a guy asking her to kill herself. that was the kind of vitriolic abuse she was getting co nsta ntly a nd we of vitriolic abuse she was getting constantly and we have clip to reflect some of the comments she was getting. the whole world had an opinion of me. and they weren't good ones. from the minute them comments started, it became the worst time of my life. i wasn't known as just one of the singers in little mix, i was known as the fat, ugly one. that is the kind of stuff she was getting, but it was constant abuse. it was always in her feed getting, but it was constant abuse. it was always in herfeed on her social media. and then she said she got so depressed she started skipping stuff, working with little mix, then she attempted suicide and this is what she said in an interview when i spoke to her.

now when i look back on that, i'm like, "i can't believe i even ever did that." but when you're in that state of mind, you just don't think about what you're going to leave behind, or the people that you're going to have an effect... you just want to take that pain away — that's all you care about. she came off twitter, she is still off twitter. what did she want in terms of punishment for online trolls? she says online trolls, there needs to be tougher consequences because they need to realise that their comments do have actions and they don't hurt people and she says that also social media platforms need to take an element of responsibility because they can stop this but they are choosing, for whatever reason, according to her, not to. thank you very much. the documentary, is it tonight? thursday, 9pm on bbc one. ok. thank you. if you've got any concerns about what we've just been talking about help and support

is available on the bbc action line website — go to bbc.co.uk/actionline or call the actionline helpline — the number is on the screen and all calls are free. thank you for your messages regarding our interview with former conservative mp at margot james, who was thrown out of the party for voting against the government and trying to block and no—deal brexit. this text it says, margot james is my mp and i am ashamed of her. we voted to leave and this is what we wa nt voted to leave and this is what we want in stourbridge. and it says, another mp showing their true colours. can't rule outjoining the lib dems possibly means she will. she wants to stop brexit bite definition. says it all. so many politicians who are elected on a ma nifesto politicians who are elected on a manifesto who want to rip it up. sheila says, margot james manifesto who want to rip it up. sheila says, margotjames is the most articulate and principled politician i have heard in a long time. everything she said was responsible, reasonable and sensible. bravo. and there are many more messages about margotjames‘

interview and we will try to read more before at the end of the programme. this is anthony ekundayo lennon. this is his mum... and this is his dad. both are white and so were all four of his grandparents. but all his life, people have assumed anthony was mixed race and treated him as such. last november he became the centre of a media storm when he was accused of faking being mixed race to gain a traineeship scheme aimed at getting more black and ethnic minority people into theatre. lennon, an actor and director, says he identifies as black and said he experiences the racism and struggles that many bame people go through because of his looks. when he first became an actor he was cast in black male parts and gave himself a new african name, ekundayo, to reflect what he suspected were african roots. but when the story of his traineeship became headline news, the backlash was so severe that anthony says at one point he contemplated suicide.

now he's done a dna test and he's talking to us in his first uk tv interview about his story. anthony, why are you choosing to speak out now? speaking now because there is still a couple of family members that i have not been able to reach around the world, particularly in ireland. i've done the dna results. they know the hurt and pain my months the last few months, especially last november. it was horrific. and also because there are a lot of people i'm starting to speak to now, people are approaching me in the streets, untrained, in theatres, saying, your story has brought back to the fore a conversation that has been going on for a long time in this and globally and in particular in the theatre industry, this whole thing to do with casting and representation, gatekeepers, leadership, people in a leadership position and who it is that either to be bringing people through and trying to open those

gates as much as possible. sure. it's just a way to let everyone know i'm 0k it's just a way to let everyone know i'm ok because there have been rumours going around that i'm not well psychologically. i'm in a very good place. i'm not going to lie and say that was happening every single day. but you did consider taking your own life. this is really emotional, being here right now, because as we have just heard, an artist is opening up to the whole world today, saying, when you say these things to me, when you troll me like this, when you say i am ugly... the me like this, when you say i am logy me like this, when you say i am f me like this, when you say i am ugly... the psychology of this is not about whether you are ugly or not. if you are continually told you are ugly, there are gaps and cracks that starts to be created in your psychology and those gaps widen and peoplejump psychology and those gaps widen and people jump in. yeah, psychology and those gaps widen and peoplejump in. yeah, i've done my dna results and on one level they don't change anything for me except give me the raw data of what i feel i've always known from being a small child. that knowing went through

different levels of consciousness and awareness and conversations with people. when you are a toddler, you are not running around thinking about race or wanting to talk about dna, you are getting on with your life and seeing how the world treats you. i will ask you about the dna results in a moment. you said last year was horrific. essential that you are accused of... masquerading, pretending. you are a fraud, people said. explain the impact on you, the horror of it. when anybody feels like a lie is being told about them, i think it is natural human instinct to want to defend yourself and get the truth out. when you are accused of a light that you know is going to have a radical impact on notjust you and not only your family but your friends and colleagues and possibly the whole industry, that you yourself care desperately about and

have been involved in since the age of 13, 1a... if it wasn't for drama i don't think i would be alive. if not for the arts i would not be here or at least would have maybe got sidetracked into criminality because there are some sad opportunities that are offered stop back in my day. they were not a lot of choices for someone of my upbringing, my social class, being a working class family. immigrant, family coming over from ireland. just wanted to make a better life for themselves. and then you start having... well, i shouldn't say you. i started having hundreds of flashbacks and remembering all the terrible bad things that had happened to me in my life so fight within the context of what we call race, the structure of race and the harrier ahki. discrimination. yeah, from a child and even through to the other week, you find yourself in a situation where you wonder whether that race is part of the atmosphere and

vibration. we showed a picture of your parents. they are white. and i think we have a picture of you and your brother, vincent. and a question that people will legitimately ask, and i know you have talked about this within your family, is could your mother possibly have had an affair? what i'm finding fascinating, and i will a nswer i'm finding fascinating, and i will answer this in a moment, that originally all the attack seems to be, you are a white, you are a liar, tell everyone you are white, this job is not yours, you are replacing someone job is not yours, you are replacing someone who should be there, what do you have to say for yourself? and then friends in the industry started coming out. there was a letter published via the guardian. backing you. and more conversations started happening. then there was rumours of dna testing, not that i had done it yet but people were literally calling for it, apparently. some people were saying, making three of dna testing, not that i had done it yet but people were literally calling for it, apparently. some

people were saying, make him prove it. in the day when people, a few times in oursad it. in the day when people, a few times in our sad history on this planet when people were identified and marked or are suspected and then dismissed because of who they are on the planet. you have now done it so does that mean they have won? not at all. the only reason i did it was because a close friend of mine who just wanted me to know the truth for myself thought, isn't this time to do it? it's time to do it now. do you understand some of the criticism from one black actor who spoke to the sunday times who was upset that you had been given a place on this scheme? when i discovered his background i thought it was unfair that a white man had taken a black person's place on a bame scheme. that's the thing. white men. most of my life has been spent notjust getting on with it and doing myjob. sometimes i would be in a cafe are ona train sometimes i would be in a cafe are on a train platform or on a hotel full stop someone will say, excuse

me, i hope you don't mind me asking, where do you come from? i say west london born, born in the uk. and then they are like, 0k... where else do you come from? i know where we are going and it's cool, i'm happy to have this conversation and i have never not talked about having white pa rents. never not talked about having white parents. then i will say, my parents are irish. 0h, parents. then i will say, my parents are irish. oh, so they both come from ireland ? are irish. oh, so they both come from ireland? yeah. is there a large black population in ireland with yellow yes, but not a lot of people know that. what more do you want to know? i get the feeling there is something else on your mind. so your pa rents a re something else on your mind. so your parents are irish? yeah. which one is mixed or black? both are white. so you are white, then? and then i say, no i am of mixed heritage. african, celt... know, you are white. how i white? you just told me your parents are white. 0k. a moment ago asked where i came from. why? because you saw something and you wa nted because you saw something and you wanted it to be confirmed you had a

suspicion orjust genuinely open and you wanted to ask where do i come from because maybe it resonates with you or yourfamily. from because maybe it resonates with you or your family. i'm from because maybe it resonates with you or yourfamily. i'm always open for the dialogue and have never hidden, never lied. idon't for the dialogue and have never hidden, never lied. i don't walk around saying i am a white man or a white actor or director. i have a lwa ys white actor or director. i have always said i have white parents but have always tried to bring to the table another conversation about identity and culture, psychology, spirituality and the reason for the name change being, for example, not just a couple of years ago, planning to get on a bame change but to do with my psychological historical spiritual transformation arising consciousness to do with my ancestry, even though i didn't know the raw data. i've always felt and known it. the theatre company back to. they said, as you just did, you've never not talked about the fa ct you've never not talked about the fact that your parents and grandparents were white. they didn't feel you had ta ken grandparents were white. they didn't feel you had taken the place of...” thought you were going to say something else then. that you had taken the place of someone more deserving on that traineeship

scheme. there might be... out there might be... black parents watching you now thinking, maybe he did take the part of, you know, my son or daughter. i remember, any african families or african caribbean families, uk black, whatever the phrase we want to use, that ever approach me, dealt or supported my family. people have worked for me, worked with me, from the ages of 21 all the way through to now, they have always had an awareness and identification, ifeel... i'm sure i have not been making it up. there is a large and substantial black community or areas of black communities all over the uk. some of them work within the arts. some i have engaged with have always had a feeling that there are black people who are of darker skin complexion and lighter skin complexion pulls up when they see me walk into a room

they identified me as a light—skinned black man. a friend of mineafew light—skinned black man. a friend of mine a few months ago when i was going through the media storm contacted an old friend of his who was a former police officer. showed this friend of his the photographs of me asa this friend of his the photographs of me as a toddler, teenager, and an actor and to date. he gave him a scenario. this child is taken, or disappears, been lost in the supermarket. or as a teenager suddenly falls into crime, committed a robbery. what is going out over the radio? this colleague within seconds said he saw three light skinned. i have dealt with the law in my life, they felt they were dealing with mixed heritage. in their head they might have thought about mixed—race, dual heritage page, back in the date the horrible phrase that used to be used, half—caste. phrase that used to be used, half-caste. we are coming to the end of the programme and i want to ask you about your dna results what they

showed about your heritage. depends on what sites you deal with. they present the information in different ways. mine was a pie chart and then they give you the raw data and it is altogether adding up to 32% west african heritage, far back in the family tree. more immediately it is irish, english and west african. i would always felt and known them, it is brilliant to see the raw data. i have always loved my ancestry but i also love my white irish and african family. you very much for coming on the programme. thank you so much, good to be due. thank you for who you are and the way you do what you do. bless you. thank you very much. thanks for your company, have a good day, back tomorrow at ten. good morning, it's been a rather grim start to the day and the working week. we have had a lot of cloud and some rain, particularly across scotland, england and wales. you can see we had a weather front moving slowly eastwards. look at the satellite imagery, lots of cloud

except northern ireland. here at least they will be some sunshine. one or two showers perhaps but the rain continues for many, particularly in south wales, the south—west of england, heavy, slow moving and thundery downpours expected here through this afternoon. elsewhere at the rate mate just petered out a touch but it stays very cloudy and pretty cool for the time of year. temperatures 14 for the time of year. temperatures 1a to 16 degrees. through tonight, there could be one or two mist or fog patches forming, otherwise a few clear spells, temperatures down to eight to 10 degrees. after a bright start in northern ireland and scotla nd start in northern ireland and scotland on tuesday, we see the cloud increase and rain starts to move in. otherwise, a bit of cloud moving east and i'm hopeful there will be sunny spells. temperatures a bit higher than today. goodbye for now.

you're watching bbc newsroom live withjoanna gosling in westminster, the headlines at 11: borisjohnson says a no—deal brexit would be a "failure", as he meets with the irish prime minister, leo varadkar, in dublin. yes, of course, we could do it, the uk could certainly get through it but be in no doubt, that outcome would be a failure of statecraft for which we would all be responsible. the contentious irish backstop is top of the agenda this morning. leo varadkar warned that a no—deal brexit would affect the friendship between the two nations. there is no such thing as a clean break orjust getting it done. rather, we will just move onto a new phase.