tonight at six — the government says the uk's vaccine supply is not at risk as the eu threatens legal action to secure its own supplies. the european union, which is struggling with a shortage of vaccine, has asked astrazeneca if it can divert supplies from britain. the prime minister visits a vaccine laboratory near edinburgh — he calls arguments about a scottish independence referendum "completely irrelevant" while the uk battles coronavirus. we'll be asking how worried the government is about the state of the union. also tonight... in prison afterflying home from medical treatment in germany — russia's opposition leader, alexei navalny, calls his detention illegal as a court rejects an appeal against his arrest.

the cladding crisis — the woman who lost everything after buying a flat that turned out to be unsafe. and get your skates on — the new lockdown craze sweeping the globe. and coming up on bbc news... it's been the most thrilling finish in years — after 28,000 miles and 80 days of racing, frenchmen, yannick bestaven, wins the round—the—world solo yacht race, the vendee globe. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. the government says vaccine supplies won't be interrupted, despite a continuing row between astrazeneca and the european union over shortages.

almost 7.5 million people have now had at least one dose of the vaccine in the uk — that's far higher than in eu countries. the row was sparked when astrazeneca said it wouldn't be able to deliver all the doses promised to the eu by march. the eu has called for some of the vaccines made in the uk to be diverted and warned it could resort to legal action. the uk's roll out has been one of the best in the world. israel leads the way, there have been almost 50 doses administered for every 100 people there. the uae is next, with more than 27 doses for every 100 people. the uk has 11 out of every hundred, ahead of the us with 7, and well ahead of italy, at 2.6, germany at 2.4 and france at just 1.7. our medical editor fergus walsh reports. the biggest immunization drive in the history of the nhs just keeps growing. this supermarket pharmacy near birmingham started offering

covid jabs today to the over 75s, one of more than 11100 vaccination sites in england alone. what a contrast in madrid, where supplies of vaccine have all but dried up. the spanish capital has canceled all appointments for around two weeks. the eu where slow off the mark in ordering vaccine, and now want some of the uk's supply of astrazeneca doses. in may, the uk government was the first to sign a deal with astrazeneca for 100 million doses of its covid vaccine. it wasn't until august three months later that the european union signed an agreement for up to 400 million doses. last month, the uk's mhra became the first regulator in the world to approve the oxford astrazeneca jab. tomorrow, the european medicines agency is meeting and is expected to approve the vaccine, but for the moment, it remains

unlicensed in the eu. we had assembled our short list of vaccines... the uk is now reaping the benefits of commercial deals struck by the former head of the vaccine�*s task force. the uk is in a strong position because we recruited a private—sector team that knew the industry incredibly well. so, we prioritize the vaccine landscape quickly. we approach the various companies, and then we were the first to sign with 0xford astrazeneca, with pfizer biontech, and then we signed deals in addition with novavax, which we are expecting clinical shortly. the astrazeneca vaccine is grown in a buyer reactors. i've seen how complex the process is at this site in oxford. by contrast, they have been poor yields at the main european site in belgium. the eu is threatening legal action to force astrazeneca to hand over some doses made here. we can and will get doses

of the vaccine from the series of plants which are mentioned in the contract, and therefore, also including those in the united kingdom. and now another twist, germany's vaccine committee has said the astrazeneca jab should, for now, only be given to people under 65 years old. it cited insufficient data over its efficacy in older people. the government here firmly rejects that. our own authorities have made it very clear that they think the oxford astrazeneca vaccine is very good and efficacious. they think that it is effective across all age groups and provides a good immune response across all age groups. there is limited evidence on how well the astrazeneca vaccine works in the over 65s, but leading scientists here say they are confident it will give

strong protection. fergus strong protection. is with me now. germany are not fergus is with me now. germany are not giving the over 65 the jab, should we be worried about that? there are fewer side—effects in the over 65s than in younger people, it is whether it is effective. the uk regulator, the government body that advises the government and they all agree it will protect the elderly. they also agreed there were too few cases of covid in the trial is to give any strong signals on how effective it was. they relied on the immune response in the elderly which was strong and compared very favourably with younger people. we should get more data on effectiveness later. there could be some vaccine nationalism going on in germany. germany is where biontech is based which produce the pfizer

and develop the pfizer vaccine. germany has separately secured, separate from the eu, secured millions of doses which it will use for the over 65s. tomorrow we will get the decision from the european medicine's agency on the astrazeneca vaccine and it is expected to approve it for all ages. fergus walsh, approve it for all ages. fergus walsh. thank _ approve it for all ages. fergus walsh, thank you. _ borisjohnson says endless talk endless about a scottish independence referendum is completely irrelevant now while the uk battles the pandemic. the prime minister was speaking on a visit to scotland today. the snp said his trip was not essential and said he was panicking as opinion polls show declining support for the union. 0ur scotland correspondent lorna gordon reports. from the lighthouse covid testing lab in glasgow... to a community vaccination centre being set up with the help of the army, to this vaccine manufacturing plant, there is no mistaking the message the

prime minister was sending with growing talk of another vote in scotland's future, boris johnson was here to emphasise what he believes the benefits of the country remaining united. i the benefits of the country remaining united.- the benefits of the country remaining united. i think endless talk about a _ remaining united. i think endless talk about a referendum - remaining united. i think endless talk about a referendum withoutl remaining united. i think endless i talk about a referendum without any clear description about what the constitutional situation will be after that referendum, is completely irrelevant now to the concerns of most people, who i think want us to beat this pandemic and come through it strongly together. at beat this pandemic and come through it strongly together.— it strongly together. at that constitutional _ it strongly together. at that constitutional question - it strongly together. at that | constitutional question does it strongly together. at that - constitutional question does loom large, there is an election in holyrood in three weeks' time and the snp are riding high in the polls. today they questioned whether the prime minister's trip was essential travel.— the prime minister's trip was essential travel. ., , ., ., , essential travel. people are really askin: essential travel. people are really asking why _ essential travel. people are really asking why is _ essential travel. people are really asking why is the _ essential travel. people are really asking why is the prime _ essential travel. people are really asking why is the prime minister. asking why is the prime minister coming — asking why is the prime minister coming to— asking why is the prime minister coming to scotland on a day trip? we have got— coming to scotland on a day trip? we have got the situation there is a marked — have got the situation there is a marked difference in the approval rating _ marked difference in the approval rating of— marked difference in the approval rating of the first minister, who has shown— rating of the first minister, who has shown true leadership through this crisis— has shown true leadership through this crisis in scotland, than what we have — this crisis in scotland, than what we have seen with the prime minisien _ we have seen with the prime minister. i think people were just

reflecting — minister. i think people were just reflecting on that. the minister. i think people were 'ust reflecting on thati reflecting on that. the pandemic dominates _ reflecting on that. the pandemic dominates daily _ reflecting on that. the pandemic dominates daily life _ reflecting on that. the pandemic dominates daily life and - dominates daily life and conversation on daily life in scotland. but the questions about the country's future have not gone away. whether scotland should become an independent country is the fault line in scottish politics. every poll sincejune line in scottish politics. every poll since june has line in scottish politics. every poll sincejune has suggested more people would vote yes to scottish independence than no.— people would vote yes to scottish independence than no. there is no doubt the union _ independence than no. there is no doubt the union is _ independence than no. there is no doubt the union is under— independence than no. there is no doubt the union is under as - independence than no. there is no doubt the union is under as much l doubt the union is under as much pressure as it has been. frankly since the 300 years of its existence. there is a rising support for independence, one is brexit, which is unpopular in scotland and the widespread perception that nicola sturgeon has handled the coronavirus pandemic much more effectively than the prime minister. the taxi drivers in one location the prime minister visited today said they were grateful for government help to pay their bills during the pandemic, but had divided views on those in charge.—

those in charge. nicola sturgeon. wh is those in charge. nicola sturgeon. why is that? _ those in charge. nicola sturgeon. why is that? she _ those in charge. nicola sturgeon. why is that? she has _ those in charge. nicola sturgeon. why is that? she has got - those in charge. nicola sturgeon. why is that? she has got her- why is that? she has got her riorities why is that? she has got her priorities right. _ why is that? she has got her priorities right. he _ why is that? she has got her priorities right. he is - why is that? she has got herl priorities right. he is breaking why is that? she has got her- priorities right. he is breaking his own rules, he is a peer glory grabbing. he own rules, he is a peer glory grabbing-— own rules, he is a peer glory carabbin. , _, ., , grabbing. he is welcome, if he wants to visit. as far _ grabbing. he is welcome, if he wants to visit. as far as _ grabbing. he is welcome, if he wants to visit. as far as i _ grabbing. he is welcome, if he wants to visit. as far as i am _ grabbing. he is welcome, if he wants to visit. as far as i am concerned - to visit. as far as i am concerned this is_ to visit. as far as i am concerned this is the — to visit. as far as i am concerned this is the united kingdom and he is as welcome — this is the united kingdom and he is as welcome here as he is anywhere else _ as welcome here as he is anywhere else. �* ., , as welcome here as he is anywhere else. 1, , ., as welcome here as he is anywhere else. , ., , ., , else. boris johnson has stated his o- osition else. boris johnson has stated his opposition on _ else. boris johnson has stated his opposition on any _ else. boris johnson has stated his opposition on any referendum - else. boris johnson has stated his opposition on any referendum on | opposition on any referendum on independence. but the snp say if they win the election in may they will pass legislation to allow for it once the crave it crisis is over. a possible fight in the courts over this and a renewed battle over scotland's future beckons. laura kuenssberg is a westminster, however it is the westminster government right now about the state of the union? i government right now about the state of the union?— of the union? i think there is a lot of the union? i think there is a lot of concern. _ of the union? i think there is a lot of concern, not _ of the union? i think there is a lot of concern, not just _ of the union? i think there is a lot of concern, not just in _ of the union? i think there is a lot of concern, notjust in the - of the union? i think there is a lot of concern, notjust in the tories i of concern, notjust in the tories in government but in the labour party. the snp is the dominant political force in scotland and with those elections in may, they are on

course to do really well. they have said time and again if it happens, they will push for a vote on independence. as far as the law stands right now, the prime minister canjust say no stands right now, the prime minister can just say no and denied the request. just say i would necessarily settle the argument and the risk then, you get into a very fraught and uneasy situation with big arguments between edinburgh and westminster over what could happen next. there is certainly a lot of consternation in westminster about how to take this argument on. i think downing street will be looking for every opportunity, like they did today, to try to underline where the countries in the uk work well together. but i think they know, particularly with boris johnson's own ratings north of the border in scotland, it will take a lot more than him appearing in a lab coat for photo opportunities to settle this argument the way they wanted. laura kuenssberg. — argument the way they wanted. laura kuenssberg, thank _ argument the way they wanted. laura kuenssberg, thank you. _ the latest government figures show there were 28,680 new coronavirus infections recorded

in the latest 24—hour period, which means that on average the number of new cases reported per day in the last week is 28,584. a big fall since the start of the month. across the uk an average of 36,931 people were in hospital with coronavirus over the seven days to sunday, including suspected cases in wales. 1,239 deaths were reported — that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. on average in the past week, 1,221 deaths were announced every day. the total number of deaths so far across the uk is 103,126. half of those people have died since the start of november. the uk has now started a programme of mass vaccinations, 282,812 people have had theirfirst dose of one of the three approved covid—19 vaccines in the latest 24 hour period. taking the overall number

of people who've had their firstjab to 7,447,199. the government is being urged to do all it can to encourage people from minority ethnic backgrounds to have a covid vaccination. some research seems to indicate that many black people are particularly hesitant about having the jab because they don't trust the vaccination programme. the bbc�*s community affairs correspondent adina campbell has been talking to people who are trying to change perceptions. working as a scientist couldn't get any better than this for this man. his work on the oxford astrazeneca vaccine has been the highlight of his career so far. but away from the lab, and as someone who grew up in the gambia, he's urging other members of the black community to have a covid vaccine. if somebody is sick and they go to the hospital to get treatment, they don't go to a friend or somebody who is not a doctor for their diagnosis.

you know, they rely on a doctor to diagnose them, so the same way you rely on a doctor for information about your ailment is the same way you should rely on the experts in the field who are involved in this work. concerns have been growing for weeks over the number of people from ethnic minority groups who are reluctant about the vaccines. a study published yesterday suggested older black people are much less likely to have been vaccinated than older white people. and today, the government has published more figures on ethnicity, but more information is needed to understand the numbers. faith leaders and community workers, is one way they are hoping to spread accurate information about covid vaccines. trust is a big issue here, isn't it? that comes into play when people think about how the vaccine could potentially affect them. it does, and i think we have to be honest and we have to be open—minded and understand that historically, definitely within the black community and,

you know, history, has damaged us consciously and unconsciously. there is an ethical responsibility as well as a faith responsibility to take information from reliable sources and to count that as your evidence, as opposed to anything else. why was it important for all of you to be part of making this social media video that you've decided to share? i firstly, to really raise awareness. about vaccination in our community and making the information available i to people in an accessible format. i we also... ..by making sure the information | is accessible in many languages. j and for those in high—risk groups over the age of 80 who have had a vaccine, the message is clear... i'm very, very hopeful that people will take it, because you may say, "no, i'm all right." but you may infect the others wherever you go. so this is the programme. we should all be in it together.

adina campbell, bbc news. the home secretary priti patel has called on a senior conservative mp to apologise for urging a group of vaccine sceptics to persist in their campaign against coronavirus lockdown restrictions. sir desmond swayne argued he wasn't aware of the organisation's position on the immunisation. priti patel strongly urged him to take his comments back. our top story this evening: the government says the uk's vaccine supply is not at risk as the eu threatens legal action to secure its own supplies. from astrazeneca. and coming up — you've probably seen it on social media, in advertising champaigns and even your local park — so why is roller—skating so popular? coming up on sportsday on bbc news: six weeks ago lioverpool and tottenham were first and second in the league — they both meet in the premier league tonight outside the top four and in search

of a win to maintain their title challenge. a court has rejected an appeal from russia's opposition leader, alexei navalny, against his arrest. he denounced his detention as "demonstratively illegal". he was detained for 30 days on the 17th january — for not complying with a suspended sentence — when he flew back to moscow from berlin, where he had been recovering from a near—fatal nerve agent attack in russia last august. 0ur moscow correspondent steve rosenberg reports. from insidejail, via video link, the kremlin's most ferocious critic demanded his freedom. alexei navalny told a court his arrest was illegal, an attempt to scare him and his supporters. it wouldn't work, he added, we are the majority. the judge dismissed his appeal. more pressure. police raiding mr navalny�*s anti—corruption organisation.

it had posted this video of mr navalny accusing vladimir putin of building himself a £1 billion palace with illicit money. the kremlin has denied it but the video has had nearly 100 million views in a week. palaces and political battles, what are russians making of all of this outside moscow, here, 100 miles away? last weekend there were protests here and across russia in support of mr navalny. and against president putin. police broke them up. among those detained was pavel. it was the first time he had taken part in a protest. a lot of people, pavel says, have watched that video about the palace and believe it. 0n the streets here, it's not so much that russians

believe in alexei navalny — it's just many people have stopped believing in the president. putin is not the leader he was, says yevgena, prices in the shops keep rising. he must have something to do with this. you can put a political opponent behind bars. one thing you cannot do, though, is lock away, put out of sight, the public mood, and the kremlin's problem is that, with the economy here in difficulty, russians feel that life is getting tougher and that means growing dissatisfaction with the authorities. but the kremlin has this warning. illegal protest brings chaos. the last thing russia needs, it says, is another russian revolution. steve rosenberg, bbc news. labour will hold a vote in parliament next week to push the government to do more to protect

millions of leaseholders from the cost of replacing flammable cladding on flats. three and a half years after the grenfell fire, the majorty of flats identified with flammable cladding are still unsafe. leaseholders are having to pay thousands of pounds in the meantime for fire safety patrols and other temporary measures. sarah corker�*s been speaking to the first person to declare bankruptcy because of those spiralling costs. this is hayley�*s story. i've always wanted to be a homeowner before i'm 30. so when i did at 27, ijust felt like i'd won the lottery. and the last thing you think is you're going to be bankrupt at 28. from fine to disaster, for me, it was a matter of months. hayley bought a one bedroom flat in leeds in 2019, butjust six months later she was told flammable cladding and other fire safety faults had been found on the building.

it didn't for one second occur to me that they could sell me something that's a death trap and completely unsuitable. you just don't think that anyone would ever build a flat or a home out of something that could go up into smoke that quickly. then the bills started to arrive. the service charge went up, my insurance went up, my wage didn't go up. i'd actually been made redundant pre—pandemic. flat owners were forced to pay for round—the—clock wardens known as waking watch. my mortgage payments was 330 a month, and the waking watch was actually 300. and it's just been a complete nightmare. last month, hayley left, her money had run out. i declared myself bankrupt, so i handed my keys to my mortgage lender and accepted my fate, really. i feel like, now going forward, the rest of my future's ruined. those future years are also gone, and they are thousands

and thousands of people just like me on a similar income in a similar problem. hayley�*s now temporarily living in her dad's spare room while she looks for work. i have neverfelt so insignificant, and so unimportant and powerless as i have this year. just when you think you have hit rock bottom, you find there is another layer to this and you find that, still, someone wants some money. hayley tillotson ending that report from our consumer affairs correspondent sarah corker. most pupils in northern ireland will not return to school until monday 8th march at the earliest, the stormont executive has agreed. first minister arlene foster said the ongoing public health situation meant remote learning must continue. it may also be the case that only some year groups go back to school on 8th march, if a return then is possible. two men who organised a mass snowball fight during the latest

coronavirus lockdown have each been fined £10,000. hundreds gathered in a leeds park when heavy snow carpeted the city earlier this month. the pair, in their 20s, were tracked down after footage emerged on social media. west yorkshire police said they put those who took part at "a significant and completely unnecessary risk". scotland's spending plans for the coming year have been outlined in the scottish parliament today. workers will pay less income tax according to the draft budget and extra cash will be given to local authorities. the budget includes £1.1 billion of spending on jobs and employment support, extra money for the health service to tackle the covid—19 pandemic, and more money for education. 0ur scotland correspondent alexandra mackenzie reports. hello! now use your thumbjust to keep herfoot nice and flat on the gauge. kerry hoped today's draft budget would be the perfect fit for her retail businesses in the scottish borders. we have some shoes to try...

with both her shops closed, she's doing socially—distanced shoe fittings, like this one with one—year—old imogen. she had hoped business rates relief would be extended for longer than three months. we need help and support for at least the next year onwards, just to get us back up and running to keep our high streets, you know, keep our high streets going. delivering her second budget, kate forbes said that without a commitment from westminster the money isn't yet available. i know how crucial this year's targeted 100% relief from nondomestic rates has been to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. the extension of this relief to avoid a cliff edge in support was the number one ask of businesses. the scottish tories said there had been unprecedented support from the uk treasury. the budget for the coming year will be the highest i

in the history of devolution — . giving the scottish government more money to spend - than at any point in history. and all this is possible - because of the broad shoulders of the uk government. nurses have been on the front line of the covid pandemic. today, there was a pay increase for public—sector workers, 3% for the lowest paid, 1% for others. the offer that has been put forward today through the budget is an absolute insult to public service workers who have gone above and beyond over the past year during this covid pandemic — but not only the covid pandemic — at any time. the finance secretary said that despite these challenging times, this budget — which will be voted on in march — looks towards economic recovery. alexandra mackenzie, bbc news. people have been turning to hobbies old and new to pass the time in lockdown. one that has really caught on is roller—skating. it's become so popular in the past

year that there's now a worldwide shortage of skates — as daniella relph reports. music plays from total beginners, to making a career out of it. the challenge, the joy and the frustration, as plotted on social media by newly—qualified doctor and new skater kelsey loveday. this is a hobby that gets me out moving my body, getting all those feel—good endorphins of active exercise, so i can almost switch off my medical brain, skate around and just let the, sort of, trauma of the pandemic and what i deal with at work just glide away. roller—skating google searches doubled in recent months, thanks in part to viral skaters like umijanta from berlin. lastjune, she posted this...

almost three million views later, she's given up herjob and made freestyle roller—skating her career. everything has no importance any more when it comes to skating. so you don't think about work, you don't think about money or whatever, you just skate. so this moment has such power, that moment, it's you and skating, it's amazing. but it's notjust a millennial craze. for mel blackwood, a small business at home in leeds with skate lessons from the kitchen is now a full—time job with a shop and staff. this time last year, we had a great week if we sold two or three pairs of skates, now we are are selling ten pairs a day. we're finding our customers are often in their mid—to—late 30s, 40s and beyond, and they are coming in saying, "i used to do this as a child. but i've decided life's too short, and i want to have another go." huge demand for some brands of skates now means long waiting lists. the freedom of roller—skating has captivated so many

in these restricted months. daniella relph, bbc news. time for a look at the weather. it was a very mild to day—to—day away from the northern half of scotland. we had a brief rice that through the afternoon but there is more rain pushing into western areas that will spread to many areas of the night followed by showers and rain will be falling as snow across scotland. this very mild air mass brought temperatures to 14 celsius in worcestershire, the warmest day of the month so far, but the cold air has been hanging on across the north of scotland with sleet and snow and further rain pushing northwards. the rain clearing the eastern side of england and sher were sent to wales and wales and central and eastern england. mild for northern ireland, most of england and wales, cold with ice

across much of scotland. starting off as rain, sleet and snow across scotland. lots of showers across central and southern areas but through the dso imprisonment as pressure starts to build so the rain peters out across the north and we will start to see a bit of brightness. mild in the south tomorrow, not as mild as today but the cold air will be seeping southward through friday night and we could see further wintry showers in the north and east. across the south—west as we head into the start of the weekend, i knew the area of low pressure, the rain will be turning readily to sleet and snow in places where very cold start to saturday. here is our low pressure. quite windy for northern ireland and towards wales. some uncertainty, so stay tuned to the forecast but it looks like much of southern and western portions of the country will see some rain, sleet and snow saturday and sunday and it is going to remain called for all.

that's all from the bbc news at six. hello, and welcome to sportsday. i'mjohn watson. 0n the programme tonight... 80 days of sailing, solo,

nonstop around the world. we'll tell you about the thrilling climax of the vendee globe — the race dubbed "everest of the seas". more racist abuse online for premier league footballers, after man united's defeat. there's a fresh call for action. league win this year — is it a blip, or something more