this is bbc news. the headlines at midday. the chancellor warns business leaders that there will "not be alignment" with eu rules in any post—brexit trade agreement — and that some businesses will benefit while "some won't". a clock projected on the walls of downing street — one of a series of events announced to mark the moment the uk leaves the eu. and brexit is one of the subjects the contenders for the labour leadership are tackling in their first hustings event in liverpool. british scientists suggest the number of people already infected by a new virus emerging in china is far greater than official figures suggest. heavy rain and thunderstorms douse fires in eastern australia but bring flooding to some areas.

following campaigns, free sanitary products will be available to all schools and colleges in england from monday. in sport — simply the bess. england's spinner helps his side to take total control in the third test against south africa but rain stops progress. and we look at the battle for self—driving car supremacy between the united states and china. that's in click in half an hour. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. british business groups have warned the chancellor there will be consequences if britain diverges from eu regulations post—brexit.

it comes after sajid javid's comments in today's financial times, where he's also written that not all businesses will benefit from brexit. he says: he added: the confederation of business industry has hit back saying... i've been speaking to our political correspondent susana mendonca who explained more about what this all means. tough words there talking about not being a rule taker, making it clear that they don't want to be aligned and so setting out their story. but in terms of business,

it is going to be a challenge for a lot of businesses. and certainly last year we had the automotive, food and drink, pharmaceutical sectors all talking about how not being aligned on key eu rules potentially being damaging to their business. and so what we've heard from the chancellor in this interview is basically an admission that not all businesses are going to benefit from brexit. that there will be some that will struggle. there will be others that will do well. and he's saying to these businesses that you need to prepare. you should be prepared already, because we knew we were going to be leaving. a lot of these businesses would say, well, actually, we didn't know what the terms of leaving would be. but indeed, in terms of what he said today, he hasn't outlined what the rules are that the uk would drop. and so that's some uncertainty yet for businesses. but we have had some responses on this. the food and drink federation has responded to this. and they said that most of the businesses that they deal with have been planning for there to be frictionless trade. and that, actually, in terms

of suggesting that there is no regulatory alignment, that that would be the death knell for frictionless trade. so they are concerned about what they say will be costly new checks, price rises. we've also had some political reaction from labour's shadow chancellor, john mcdonnell. he said that the tory promises of frictionless trade post—brexit have now been exposed as not being worth the paper they were written on. those are his words. and he's also saying that there are fears that food prices could go up, threats to jobs and what have you. now, the government's point of view is that, very much, they see brexit as an opportunity for actually new business and new opportunities going forward and what their message seems to be to business is that you need to get ready. and he's also saying that he wants to double the uk's annual economic growth to between 2.7—2.8%. but mark carney has said that he thought the trend growth rate was much lower between 1—1.5%. this admission from the government that some businesses are going to suffer... well, you know... i think it's a change in tone, isn't it? and actually, if you look

at the previous chancellor, sir philip hammond, he was always talking about close regulatory alignment with the european union. and so we have a new administration now much more emboldened, because obviously they have a majority, they can be more emboldened in the way that they approach things. and, actually, this admission that businesses will suffer will, that's not something that they perhaps felt, that they could say before a general election. but of course, we've had that general election. we're at a stage now where, as i say, the government wants to go into these trade negotiations. the important thing to note is, of course, that although we're leaving the european union onjanuary 31st, that the rules don't actually change for that transition period of 11 months. and so nothing will change in the immediate future. however, going forward, in terms of that trade deal, i think this sets the scene for what kind of trade deal they're perhaps trying to get with the european union. meanwhile,the government has announced that a clock will be projected onto downing street to count down to brexit on the 31st of january.

and a campaign to make big ben ring the moment the uk leaves has raised more than a quarter of a million pounds. our political correspondent helen catt has more. it's here that the moment of brexit itself will be marked at 11pm on the 31st of january. a light show and countdown will be projected onto the walls of downing street and live—streamed on social media. borisjohnson is planning an address to the nation in the evening. in nearby parliament square, the union flag will fly on every flagpole. commemoratives 50p coins will come into circulation. but the government says they want this to be a moment to heal divisions and reunite communities. a special cabinet meeting will take place in the north of england. many brexiteers had hoped that this would be the focal point, though. big ben restored to chime at 11pm. hundreds of thousands of pounds has been raised by the public towards the estimated £500,000 cost after borisjohnson told breakfast on tuesday he had an idea.

we're working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a big ben bong. there are some people who want to... i haven't quite worked it out. but downing street stepped back from the idea after the commons authorities said there might be problems accepting the money even if enough was raised. the five labour leadership candidates are going head to head for the first time. emily thornberry, rebecca long—bailey, sir keir starmer, jess philips and lisa nandy are taking questions from party members at hustings in liverpool. during the first half hour of the hustings brexit was the main talking point while they also issued a plea for party unity. let's listen in... there are businesses dry viewing, community spirit and we need to nurture that and champion our towns, but we need to remember that if all we do is win back our redwall seats, we do is win back our redwall seats, we are going to lose the next

general election. if all we do is get back to where we wire, we will lose. we need to win in scotland, we need to win in wales, we need to win in the south—west and the south—east. that is the scale of the task. we will do that by listening and addressing and i don't think it matters where you come from. in all the conversations i've had across the conversations i've had across the whole of the united kingdom, nobody has ever said to me you are a wonder, the site you've come to me to have a talk and discussion, you're decent about it and are you. applause 40 applause a0 seconds, guys, come on. applause 40 seconds, guys, come on. rebecca, can you get us back to a 42nd limit please and talk about the red ball. i think we have to recognise that while having manifesto policies that answer many of the questions need to be asked, we didn't get it right in this election campaign and many thought we were offering hand—outs than empowering them to better their

owi'i than empowering them to better their own lives. that is why adding we need to start talking about aspiration, because socialism is aspiration, because socialism is aspiration, it is what we believe in. we believe in the government's role being the betterment of its people and that should go to the heart of our messages to our community. we can do that you are green industrial revolution, we can do that to democratising our economy through alternative models of ownership and making sure that workers and communities have a real sta ke workers and communities have a real stake in their future and we can do that by making sure that political power shifts away from westminster, sweeping away things like the house of lords and replacing it with an elected senate that represents our regions and nations. applause soi applause so i knocked doors with a baby two is in this audience since we were knocking... everywhere was the same

story, people didn't trust us to deliver for their families, they didn't think we could do the thing that we said we were going to do. the fundamental thing is that we weren't very optimistic. we weren't talking about how people's life could be better, oftenjust talking about how they were bad. we need to be really optimistic, we also really need to understand that the basics of the things that people talk to us on the doorstep, they are caring roles, their house is, how safe they deal with the kids, we have got to speak any language that people speak on on the doorsteps, because no one talks about federalism are the senator that senate, we have got to start talking like people actually talk about the things they actually about. thank you, jess. emily, you are a london mp, how can you reconnect? in the us above years, i

did a tally, i visited 236 constituencies up and down the country and during that time i've been listening to people and what i've heard is that we needed a manifesto that was drawn up on the basis of the needs of towns and smaller cities, because actually thatis smaller cities, because actually that is where elections are won and lost. but it is also the area whether that is the greatest need, whether that is the greatest need, whether that is with the industrialisation, whether that is the hollowing out of our high streets. you're absolutely right to be raising this and it is absolutely what i've heard, but the other thing i've heard is that what the country is crying out for is a credible and competent opposition. something they can believe in, so that when we say there is another way, it doesn't have to be this way, they believe we can deliver. that is what we need is a country. applause finally, lisa, i know the something of before, what is your big plan for bringing about the red ball? feeling that bass collapse between our feet oi'i that bass collapse between our feet on election night was shattering but

out on election night was shattering but our task is bigger than rebuilding the red wall, we have to build the bridge that enables us to speak for different parts of britain. we are a movement that was built by, notjust for working class people. we need to rediscover that and we do not know better than people in other parts of the country, what they need, what resources they need, what assets and potential they have. that's why i say we need to shift the centre of gravity in the uk, so the decision power is much closer to home, and it starts with labour. empowering original compasses to make policy, giving rc lps will power and resource to make change in their communities and moving labour hq out of central london is a powerful symbol of change. applause. we have mps from the north and from london on this podiums and from the

midlands. it's north of the watford gap. there's been plenty said that the reader should be from an north and maybe shouldn't be from london. i will start with care, you are a london mp, is that going to hold you backin london mp, is that going to hold you back in the north of england?” london mp, is that going to hold you back in the north of england? i have actually talk to thousands of people in the last three and a half years, i've gone very much a london mp, is that going to hold you back in the north of england? i have actually talk to thousands of people in the last three and a half years, i've gone very much to places that, working man places, lots of conversations and lots ofjokes and not one person has ever said to me you are a londoner. they want to say what have you got to say? not where are you from. one person inside you are you from. one person inside you area are you from. one person inside you are a londoner. they said you had the decency to come to my town, where i sit, where i have my lunch and have a conversation with me. i will them at the end of that, tell me three orfour thinks will them at the end of that, tell me three or four thinks of the train

on the way home. they say we need infrastructure, decentjobs and we need power. we want to make decisions for ourselves about what happens in our town. nobody but nobody has ever raised the question of where you're from. if you're decent of the common have a conversation, people are decent enough to give you a healing, in my view. —— give you a hearing. rebecca, you are a proud northerner. does the next leader needs to be from the north? obviously i'm biased andl from the north? obviously i'm biased and i was a yes. it is about your principles but it certainly helps having grown up any in the mac an area that has been affected and become angry about the centralisation of political and financial power in london and the south—east. to ensure we provide a vision to our communities are angry with us and didn't trust us in this general election, we have got to have someone that, they can tell them quite clearly that they will ship power and wealth to regions and

nations, so that all of the decisions that affect all of our lives are made by an elite in westminster, they are made by the communities themselves. that needs to be our message to our communities, because the whole point of power and communities, because the whole point of powerand gaining communities, because the whole point of power and gaining power is to be able to give it away. that is what the labour party needs to do. applause. jess, not quite the north but certainly outside of london. does that give you a better perspective? set the midlands will be lostjust as many seats as we lost in the northern regions. peep may be part ofan empowering northern regions. peep may be part of an empowering and people are different than the ones on the doorsteps that i not, but people wanted decent services and wanted the council is to be able to afford to deliver their decent services. i don't think it matters, i think it is patronising to working class people are people that don't live in london to think that they can't

understand somebody who is from london. theyjust voted for boris johnson. what i would say about what we need to do to reach people is to actually have the same lighting spaces them. for me to stand opposite borisjohnson, is notjust in my childhood that this man and his government has affected my life, my son literally cannot go to school five days a week. my brother is on universal credit. we need someone who can stand up as a borisjohnson and where his government in his face. emily, flying the flag for the london side of things, do you think you have enough experience to connect with people all across the country? i launched my campaign yesterday in guildford and people when what? i said i was on belfield, and that was the council estate was brought up on. in my worth 30% of the children are under the poverty line, so please don't make

assumptions about who is who promote region. i think it is deeply patronising. it is deeply patronising. it is deeply patronising about the south—east to say they are all millionaires and all drive around in posh cars, it is deeply patronising to see or make all sorts of ridiculous sweeping statements about the north—east. but i tell you this, struggle a struggle, and powerlessness is powerlessness. and notjust the tories have overlooked many of these areas, labour governments overlook them to. and what we allowed them mac allowed was de—industrialisation to happen and nothing was done about it. nothing was done in the way showed nothing was done about finding alternative jobs in a way should have been done in order to make sure we can stick together as one country. we need to have someone who can speak on tap at the whole country. if you come to one —— if you come from or about the country, you come from or about the country, you don't come from another. attlee was the best payments we have had a merger to come from? limehouse. —— the best prime minister we ever had and where did he come from? lisa,

does being rooted in a northern community mean being from the study commences? i agree with jess that the next labour leader is to have skin in the game and they live the same lives and speak the same language as the people we seek to represent. i know the people i know the people are represented in hammersmith as a councillor were just as shut out from power as the people that i represent in wagon. 0ne people that i represent in wagon. one of the things that has broken apart our movement is the fact we have lost the ability to stand one another. when people in hammersmith corporate green revolution, people in wagon fear that the gloves jobs are going and their energy bills going up. —— people in wagon. if we get this right means better buses, home insulation to reduce energy bills and it means those clean energyjobs bills and it means those clean energy jobs that will bills and it means those clean energyjobs that will bring a sense of purpose back after a0 years of economic decline. we have got to up our game, we economic decline. we have got to up ourgame, we got economic decline. we have got to up our game, we got to recover our ambition, we are a national party that seeks to govern in the national interest and we have to speak for

both. lisa and andy there, one of the five labour leadership candidates there —— mike lisa mandate. this event is going to go on in liverpool bore a considerable period. we are going to be dipping in and out of it all day here on bbc news “— in and out of it all day here on bbc news —— lisa nandy. all the candidates being questioned on how they're going to unite the party, none of them wanting to blamejeremy corbyn's leadership itself. perhaps not surprisingly giving the electorate they are now pitching for her support, all members of the labour party, of course. we will bring you more on that throughout the day. scientists say the number of people infected by the new respiratory virus that has emerged in the chinese city

of wuhan is likely to be far higher than official figures suggest. there are nearly 50 laboratory confirmed cases of the virus — which is related to sars — but experts in london estimate the true number is closer to 1,700. the alarm has prompted screening at airports across asia and in the us. gareth barlow reports: this is wuhan, the chinese city where the mystery virus was first identified. an outbreak that has since turned deadly. scores of infections have been confirmed but now a team at imperial college in london estimates the true figure is around 1700 cases. while the outbreak is centred in china, there have been two cases in thailand and one injapan. we are not able to...to prohibit people from travelling so what we can do is detecting and bring any suspected to receive treatment from our service facility. airports in asia and the united states have begun screening travellers arriving from wuhan. uk team behind the study said that, while they're concerned,

it was too early to be alarmist. the virus is similar to sars, which killed almost 800 people and infected over 8000 in 2002. it looks like the virus is closely related to sars, which you mentioned previously. since sars emerged, people have been developing vaccines and drugs to see if they work against sars. the problem is this virus is different. we do not know yet if those drugs and those vaccines work. chinese scientists says there has been no cases of the virus spreading between humans and that it came about from infected animals at a seafood and wildlife market. but the team at imperial college argues the possibility of substantial human—to—human tranmission should be considered more seriously. identifying how the virus is spread will be crucial to understanding its threat and how best to react. gareth barlow, bbc news. heavy rain and thunderstorms have lashed parts of eastern australia dousing some long—burning bushfires, but bringing a new threat of flooding.

there have been downpours in the states of queensland, victoria and new south wales, where wildfires have scorched millions of hectares of land since september. it's been described as a once—in—100—year event. take a look at these pictures of a baby kangaroo, called louise, who was rescued with horrific burns to her legs and paws as fires ravaged australia's south east coast two weeks ago. her volunteer carer has been looking after animals like louise, nursing them to recovery. australia's continuing bushfire crisis has taken an enormous toll on wildlife, with huge numbers of mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and other species killed. the australian government announced 50 million dollars to help rescue and protect wildlife affected by the crisis. a law has been passed banning pub crawls and happy hours in three popular spanish tourist destinations in a bid to crack down on alcohol—fuelled holidays. restrictions apply to the tourist hotspots of playa de palma

and magaluf in majorca and san antonio in ibiza. the regional government says it's the first legislation of its kind in europe. i'm joined now via webcam byjonathan smith from abta — which represents travel agents and tour operators. just and tour operators. tell us more about what is planned. just tell us more about what is planned. the local authorities have decided to put restrictions on in these areas which relate to party boats, pub crawls, the errors whereby drinks can be sold, to crack down on anti—social behaviour in those towns. do you will commit? we welcome certain aspects of it. we have been calling for steps to encourage responsible drinking for many years, and we've been working with the foreign office on balcony safety, for exa m ple. with the foreign office on balcony safety, for example. i think there might be some unintended consequences for some holiday makers, couples and families for example, who may be staying in hotels that might be affected by this too. but surely it is common sense, isn't it, to try and limit

too much alcohol consumption? we'd a lwa ys too much alcohol consumption? we'd always promote responsible drinking. i think one of the things is, when people go abroad, especially if they are young, they might not be used to what to expect and quite a lot of the time, the measures of the drinks that are sold in the sorts of resorts are a lot larger than here. it is quite a difficult situation andi it is quite a difficult situation and i think it will affect local businesses, will affect travel agents and tour operators in the uk that sell holidays out there. so you think people will presumably want to go somewhere else that does not have this ban? i think people are looking for that kind of holiday when they go abroad, they may well look for other destinations and resorts, and that will harm local businesses. although if this ban is successful, it can be extended, i guess?m could be, it is a five year trial and i'm sure there are other places and i'm sure there are other places and destinations that will be looking at how successful this is. how many of the tears that goes these places are british? certainly

san antonio and magaluf are very popularfor brits. san antonio and magaluf are very popular for brits. these steps aren't specifically aimed at brits at all. their aim aren't specifically aimed at brits at all. theiraim is aren't specifically aimed at brits at all. their aim is that all holiday—makers that visit these islands. in terms of the level of alcohol consumption, why are the authorities saying this is really necessary? is it because of damage to properties or what is it they are trying to stop? i think the people that live in these areas have been putting pressure on the local authorities to take steps. tourism is an extremely important part of the local economy, though, so it will affect other people deliver that run businesses in these resorts. thank you very much. free sanitary products are to be made available to all schools and colleges in england, to support students who struggle to afford them. the government—funded scheme starts on monday and has been welcomed by campaigners. 0ur education and family correspondent, frankie mccamley reports. just over two years ago outside downing street,

campaigners gather, calling for an end to so—called period poverty. the shame of our periods needs to go. everyone has it. not the first time that concerns have been raised about the affordability of sanitary product, specifically for girls from lower income families. research has found nearly one third of teenage girls in school or college have or know someone who has been impacted by period poverty, with more than half admitting they missed lessons because of their period for things like cramps, embarrassment or affordability. ultimately, if you are facing impossible decisions and struggling to make ends meet, trying to decide whether to pay your rent or heat your house then actually the question of purchasing menstrual product, although they are completely essential, becomes a second—tier priority. from monday, all primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in england will be provided with free period products for their students. the move follows scotland's

announcement last year to spend £a million on a similar initiative and in wales, just over £3 million was announced earlier this month to supply girls in primary and secondary schools with sanitary products. the american actor, hank azaria, says he'll no longer voice the character of apu — an indian immigrant and the owner of a convenience store — in the simpsons. accusations of racism have dogged the character for years, partly because mr azaria is white. apu is one of the oldest characters on the simpsons, which has been running for more than 30 years. authorities in italy have discovered a painting by austrian artist gustav klimpt stolen 23 years ago — believed to be worth more than £50 million. the painting ‘portrait of a lady‘ was taken from a gallery in the city of piachenza, with investigators believing the art work to have been stolen through a skylight. but in december a worker discovered a hidden compartment on the gallery's outer wall

with the painting stashed inside, and the piece has now been confirmed as authentic. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there, most of us will enjoy dry weather this weekend. we are seeing some wintry showers in scotland. those will continue to become fewer through the rest of the day. becoming dry for northern ireland, northwestern, but a high cloud here spilling down towards wales on the south—west, otherwise we will see blue skies and plenty sunshine. six to eight degrees — that is near—normal for this time of year. with those showers fading away from scotland, the winds dropping and with clear skies this evening and overnight, we have a frost pretty widely, even in towns and cities, —2 —3 possible. the exception, the highlands and islands, here we have a milder stronger breeze coming in from the atlantic around the top of that area of high pressure. follow the lines round and into the north sea and there could be one

or two showers here early on sunday morning. they should say offshore. apart from that, more cloud and more breeze in the north—west of scotland, we have light winds, frosty start, a crisp, cold winter's day. again, seven or eight degrees, probably milder in the cloud in the north—west. hello, this is bbc news. the headlines: the chancellor warns business leaders that there will "not be alignment" with eu rules in any post—brexit trade agreement — and that some businesses will benefit while "some won't". a clock projected on the walls of downing street — one of a series of events announced to mark the moment the uk leaves the eu. and brexit is one of the subjects the contenders for the labour leadership are tackling in their first hustings event in liverpool. british scientists suggest the number of people already infected by a new virus emerging in china is far greater than official figures suggest. heavy rain and thunderstorms douse fires in eastern australia but bring flooding to some areas.

sport, and for a full round up from the bbc sport centre, here's holly. england's cricketers have had a great morning in port elizabeth, on day three of the third test against south africa — but their progress has been held up by rain. dom bess took two wickets in the first half an hour — both caught by ollie pope, after his century yesterday — and just before lunch bess took his tally to five wickets in the innings, leaving south africa on 113—5 — that's a lead of 386 for england — but there's been no play since.