the scientific adviser. both from the government because not perspective from ours, —— and from ours, a curious thing to wrestle with about getting the kind of scale right. i saw a tweet of the sad news of the death we reported talking about the comparison with the seasonal flu which killed lots of people every year, and if it was a rolling total of the number affected or killed by that, and it was in the news every day. it was the a far bigger scale thanit day. it was the a far bigger scale than it is, but getting that balance right, you've detected that speaking to ministers between being seem to be out there in warning the public of what seems to be severity, but coupled with not wanting to provoke a panic. that's a really hard calibration. is a very very tricky balance. the government mantra has been hope for the best and prepare for the worst. some of the things they are talking about that we might see emergency legislation in the

next couple weeks and could involve trying to cancel any kind of gathering. it could involve closing lots of schools, although that's absolutely clear from the government and scientist, that's not something they want to do. trying to make people take it seriously without making people go, oh my god, what's about to happen. we've already seen very little pockets of people tweeting, oh i couldn't by any hand sanitizer. you have the chief scientific adviser saying there is i'io scientific adviser saying there is no need for anyone to panic. the psychology of this is very interesting. it's very, very tricky politically. we don't know and they don't know actually how this will pan out. they know it's gotta be and we're going to be facing a situation around this probably for several months, and part of the government's aim is to push this out so that the peak comes in the summer where they think people won't be as affected.

but it's very interesting. think people won't be as affected. but it's very interestingli think people won't be as affected. but it's very interesting. i get the feeling that it's publicly perceive that the government so far has dealt with the situation well. but you know, it's not just with the situation well. but you know, it's notjust a kind of uk conversation. there measures being taken elsewhere. conversation. there measures being ta ken elsewhere. california conversation. there measures being taken elsewhere. california declared a state of emergency today. that could cause people to panic. germany yesterday banned the export of protective fatal mast and protected bodily coding —— face mask and body clothing. shouldn't you be doing that? shouldn't we be stockpiling face max? should we be banning groups of people meeting together? italy has closed all their schools for two weeks. there's been a change in the advice and people travelling from italy to the uk which is if you are travelling back from anywhere in italy and you are displaying what

you think are the symptoms and you check them out with an hs, the advice would be to self—isolate. as opposed tojust advice would be to self—isolate. as opposed to just staying within the lines which basically we didn't have to if you've been visiting the south. and it is kind of changing all the time. people will look to international can spare sins, i think. but it's interesting how the tone of the government is up to has changed. —— comparisons. almost thinking, what can we do? what mischief can we make? what will be out mischief can we make? what will be our targets? what our priorities? now incomes events, dear boy. events. it was something slightly different. what did we say? the opposition of the event will come through, blah blah blah. experts are

suddenly a high demand. through, blah blah blah. experts are suddenly a high demandm through, blah blah blah. experts are suddenly a high demand. it was a return in the experts. the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser flanking him and the government wants to things to keep people —— people in government keep people —— people in government keep saying it will be science lead and be transparent about what's going on. and what they do and don't know. and that's not always clear. let's listen to the chief medical officer speaking today. england's chief medical officer and the government's chief medical adviser. here he is talking to the health select committee and a former health secretary. we now move from stage i to stage two. this will be more of a gradual. i was a move from a situation mainly to contain with

some delay built in, we now mainly delay but maintaining... mainly in second stage at this point. that was one of our aforementioned experts. i mention that somebody on twitter had put professor tweedy — — mention that somebody on twitter had put professor tweedy —— professor witty. he had two teddy bears on the side of him with a suit and tie on. one point he made was he was saying that there won't be a moment when the government technically moves from this first phase of containment to the next stage of delay. there's been one or two headlines that have said because he talked about how we are mainly in the delay of the second section that we technically are, the government says there will bea are, the government says there will be a proper announcement when we get to that stage and loss of the measures, like handwashing, are the

stages. if you just think about the messaging, the government knows they have to be super tight and everything has to be on the same page because they do not want to create any kind of confusion. there was a bit of confusion about that. but we do know the government thinks it's inevitable that we will get to that stage, which basically means the priority is no longer stopping it arriving and circulating, because that's happening. it's about managing the timing of what happens. i think the fact that we don't know how it will develop, that's gonna have a big impact on the budget, isn't it? which we're going to hear about soon. this is not what boris johnson had planned for, and all those plans of spending big, can he afford to do that if coronavirus is spreading? i think the budget will bea spreading? i think the budget will be a whopper. the government is also willing to go bar lots of money to spend on capitals, so there's different this of spending. i think

you're right that coronavirus will be reflected in the budget and i think it will reflect the tone, but remembertwo think it will reflect the tone, but remember two things. one, think it will reflect the tone, but remembertwo things. one, the think it will reflect the tone, but remember two things. one, the data that the government is using to do it sums around this hasn't begun to come through because it's, and terms of coronavirus, and seconds of all, i don't think that even if this has an effect on the economy that the government's belief at the moment is that it may be very significant. it would be temporary. so they're not expecting it's can be suddenly like, massive financial meltdown. it might be very disruptive, but not, you know necessarily... they don't know. nobody can know the extent. it may disrupt everybody's lives. there is a really good programme of scenario

planning and they were talking about all the contingency work done by governments, companies, other bodies, everyone. they were talking about the fuel strikes, remember the blockade of the fuel that goes in —— in your2000? blockade of the fuel that goes in —— in your 2000? one of the experts was saying they were worried that because there wasn't enough fuel, the banks couldn't drive the cash machines so everyone would panic because they wouldn't get their cash out of the wall. the idea was ok, what businesses have the bugs cast on them? it was supermarkets. you would go to the supermarket to get your cash because they have loads of cash in the tales already. —— tills. the people who have paid most attention are up class of kids in belfast who i absolutely thought we re belfast who i absolutely thought were magic earlier this week. they

have absorbed the information campaign and they helpfully sing along to possibly one of the most irresistible tunes of all time. let's have a listen. # wash your hands, to do do do. —— use your so, use or $0, # wash your hands, to do do do. —— use your so, use or so, do do do. —— keep them clean. for a whole generation of children of their age and a bit younger, all of this could be one of their first memories, hearing these messages. the core of which is watch her hands. —— wash her hands. if you haven't heard that, i apologise. her hands. if you haven't heard that, iapologise. it her hands. if you haven't heard that, i apologise. it will be in your head all day. let's talk about priti patel. day after day, there's been headlines about her. we have

actually seen her talking out loud actually seen her talking out loud actually about the whole thing. very prominently placed. if you manage to avoid the story all the way happened was the most senior official, the permanent secretary mysteriously appeared in front of a tv camera. my jaw fell on the floor as we stood watching him doing his statement where he basically said not only was he doing hisjob, which for a secretary to do that publicly was enormous, not only did he say he did not believe priti patel but also he will sue the government. he said all these allegations of bullying by the home secretary that have been passed to him as the boss of the government home office. and he was off. i cannot underline enough how

completely unprecedented it is for someone completely unprecedented it is for someone with that kind of position to do that. massive. since then, there's been a sort of drip of allegations coming out about priti patel. she's always denied any wrongdoing. another department as well right? the departed for international development and also work pensions. but the prime minister is absolutely adamant that it's very clear he wants to keep her unless something very serious is proven. injohnson unless something very serious is proven. in johnson style, unless something very serious is proven. injohnson style, he had this handy slogan to signally support. it goes without saying that i don't like bullying at all. we've got to investigate it. there is a

proper cabinet office investigation, but my instinct is very much to stick with priti patel. i think she's doing and outstanding job. isn't that an actual advertising slogan for sticky glue? isn't that an actual advertising slogan for sticky glue ?|j isn't that an actual advertising slogan for sticky glue? i don't know but whoever owns said glue maybe manages the tory party in any pop my possible way. it's interesting, no one knows how it will go. one person said... ithink one knows how it will go. one person said... i think she will have to do in the next person said absolutely not. the respect of the elevations, we just don't know what happened here. this is part of wider attention. the government really wants to rattle the cage. it has

taken on therefore something of that kind of power struggle between a government and a majority and people who who think that can happen. with the potential for all sorts of stuff coming out, we don't know, but if there could be something that would make it politically impossible. absolutely, and of before that that might happen. there was an inquiry looking at this. it's the same official who investigated danny green. he had to pack his bags and get out of government. we will have to see, but i think that inquiry will probably come before any tribune pans out, but it's extraordinary situation and there is this. even if the prime minister wants to hang on and had it not been for coronavirus, i think this would

have been running hot. like it or loathe it, what else is going on also dictates how political problems have become. all the things we talked about since we shook off our previous name is making the motion of talking about lots of stuff and tapping into bbc expertise where it is. one of the things you might have missed this week with coronavirus is the situation in syria and turkey, greece as well. thanks for coming on jeremy. give us some sense for those here in the uk who had just seeing only coronavirus news and not other stuff that the essence of the story you're telling and particularly the politics of it all? first of all, let's say coronavirus here, temperature gauges and back where i

was a couple of days ago, bethlehem itself is now in lockdown. panic buying going on there. the church of nativity, no tourists, so people are ina nativity, no tourists, so people are in a —— the politics are complicated. i think the theme of this week really has been the continued manipulation and in a way, torture of civilians who have been caught up in the war. first of all, i've been up to the bordering group. as close as i can get. there were large numbers, thousands of refugees who had been in turkey for a little while who were told by the turkey president that he'd open the gates and they could get into europe. well, the greeks did not agree with that. in some cases the greek border open fire. people were killed,

people were wounded, and those who are at the forefront, often people with families, lots of kids and babies there, where out in the open with no shelter in the cold. most people are wondering what to do. i spoke to a man who thought they would take a gamble and try to get there. he had some savings, they sold their furniture, they went up to the border. they had to pay about when to get to greece. then they we re when to get to greece. then they were met with the police. there's been lots of talk about these refugees being weapon eyes by the government, but how would they actually do that is not what happens to make people move from the border and try to get into greece? the turks have had 4 million refugees

here for years since the early times of the war. had a deal in recent with the european union, five or 6 billion euros from them to help pay for refugees. in return, they've agreed not to let them try and make that extra journey into the eu. remember a couple of years ago, there is a massive refugee crisis. well, what changed was the president of turkey tried to weapon eyes them by playing this refugee card. he felt under pressure because his face off with the russians that was going on inside northern syria, and he set up on inside northern syria, and he set up with the europeans in a way. so he's been threatening for years to say look, you don't help me out enough, i will turn on that refugee tag. he did, he tried, but of course i don't quite know what he was thinking. the greeks open to their side of the gates. turks open there

is an some of the refugees even said they were handed wire cutters by turkish police. to try and weapon eyes and was difficult but i think it was an attempt. the europeans are worried about another crisis that you alluded to in 2015, so despite all the words of human rights and so on, they supported greece and tough action at the border. how desperate are people though, because of course there is all this fighting going on in syria just over the border from turkey now? the europeans are thinking, actually we don't need that much because if we make it clear that we're not letting people m, clear that we're not letting people in, then the syrian refugees won't try. they will stay in turkey and we will try and help them in turkey and said. well last time, a lot of them left by boat. now in recent years, the turks have been stocking them.

—— stopping them. there are two separate refugee crises. one, a million or so people who moved within syria up to the board he were 30 -- within syria up to the board he were 30 —— border with turkey, then this other crisis on the greek border. refugees are already in turkey who thought it was their chance to get to europe. they've now discovered the hollowness of the president's words. they feel they've just been used. can ijust asked, we've all been watching this crisis for a very long time. i think all the different phases and impacts are sometimes quite sort of dizzying for people watching at home. as simply as you can in your view, why does this matter particularly now? is this a new phase with the standoff between turkey and greece? a lot of people

think syrian war is nearly over. well, there's only one battle left which is... but this is a new phase. i would argue it's potentially one of the most dangerous of the war. what's been happening in regent weeks is the turks, who have been trying to cosy up in moscow as well as back militias who are fighting the regime and syria, that's all collapsed. particularly after an air strike killed turks. an air strike possibly done by the russians themselves. so, what's happened is what we've been having is really a major nato power squaring up against russia. in any definition of the we re russia. in any definition of the were dangerous, that's dangerous. while many countries have intervened in the syrian war, they try to avoid

fighting each other and a cease—fire has been declared today after a meeting in moscow. but, while the two sides are still there and still backing opposite side, the potential for more trouble has not gone away. isn't sort of in vladimir putin's interest to keep them on one side. doesn't he like having that through the partnership, kinda meddling hand and nato itself? that was kind of his intro into nato. he may nato va ry his intro into nato. he may nato vary upset. the russians have not plugged in yet, but it's certainly useful for plugged in yet, but it's certainly usefulfor prudent but plugged in yet, but it's certainly useful for prudent but he's been showing signsjudging useful for prudent but he's been showing signs judging by what's useful for prudent but he's been showing signsjudging by what's been coming out in the newspaper in moscow that he set up. —— putin. i

think he is also aware he's not going to back support from nato in this. as a result of that, he has been forced to take a bit of a step back. we will see how that lasts. newscasters love hearing people like you answering real details about the nature of the stories that you're covering which is great, but one thing our viewers are intrigued by is in the business of how our news is in the business of how our news is assembled. the slightly absurd link that we occasionally have to go to in orderto link that we occasionally have to go to in order to try and ensure that things sound and look right so the audience can focus on the story rather than the business of how it got to the viewer or the listener. you've been on twitter this week. yes i have. i won't bore you with

the trials and tribulations i've been having today. laughter the thing is, sometimes hotel rooms are eco e. so i posted some photos of me in an impromptu studio built by my producer. the first one is made of pillows, the second one i think i have a coat over my head, and all of us who try to record. it's quite a nice, kind of a good book. it sent echoey room. —— it is an echoey room. i have one in my studio. people think i'm insane. you

might have seen me sitting like this. if you hear me on the radio before nine a:m., i will have done it in my bedroom. i've been live naked on the today programme.|j it in my bedroom. i've been live naked on the today programme. i feel inappropriate asking this. where we re inappropriate asking this. where were you when you were naked life? and lots of places where i've lived. it's early in the morning! you know? i set it's early in the morning! you know? iset up it's early in the morning! you know? i set up in bed without pyjamas. we re i set up in bed without pyjamas. were you wearing nothing but your microphone? yup. laughter. this has been... laughter thank you very much for coming on. i

think you need to finish her piece. drop the mic. you can rely on us to end in smut. it was a pleasure to have you on. byjeremy! end in smut. it was a pleasure to have you on. by jeremy! thank you. that's shocking. goodbye everyone. there is a prelude to really start to the day on thursday for many parts of the british isles. ——

pretty chilly start. the next few days, suitably spring light and there will be spells of sunshine and showers, but at other times we will see longer spells of rain. thankfully, the longer spell of rain that affected many southern counties through thursday will have pulled away into the near continent on friday. yes there is a weather front draped across the rest are inside of the british isles with some pretty weak. by no means the potency be sold during thursday. clearing during the afternoon as it works its way into the western side of —— side of scotland. sunshine further east across both england and scotland too. temperature around 9—10, possibly 11 degrees. the remnants...

the patient who died in reading was a woman in her 70s who'd been in and out of hospital with underlying health problems — she hadn't been abroad. obviously our sympathies are very much with the victim and their family, but the situation is pretty much as it has been. the uk's chief medical adviser warns that the nhs could face intense pressure on its critical care service. the government says it will "accelerate work on preparations for the delay phase" of its plan to tackle coronavirus. also tonight... a report from inside syria's idlib province, as a ceasefire is agreed after months of heavy bombardment. grounded — the collapse of flybe leaves passengers in the lurch