the weeks leading to christmas look set to be more heavily disrupted by industrial action. the latest to announce action are thousands working for the ambulance service in england and wales. no one is listening, we have to take desperate action, cos if we don't take desperate action, this isjust going to go on. it was confirmed yesterday that further strikes on the railways will go ahead in the run—up to christmas — in addition to strikes announced by postal workers, nurses, bus drivers and airport baggage handlers. we'll be asking what kind of political challenge this latest action presents to ministers. also tonight: a second u—turn in two days, as the government agrees to relax the restrictions on building onshore wind farms in england.

a special report from haiti, where an outbreak of cholera is adding to the misery of people in one of the world's most dangerous countries. their super starfull their super star full back and what about that? and in qatar, morocco have stunned spain in a penalty shootout to reach the world cup quarter—finals. and coming up on the bbc news channel... it's six of the best for portugal — with ronaldo�*s replacement goncalo ramos the star of the night — they hammer switzerland to make the quarter finals. good evening. the weeks leading to christmas look set to be heavily disrupted by industrial action, following the latest decisions involving ambulance staff, nurses, postalworkers, railway staff, and highway workers.

the main issue is pay — at a time when the cost of living is rising sharply. 10,000 ambulance workers, including paramedics, control room staff and support workers, will strike in most of england and wales on 21st and 28th december, but calls involving a threat to life will not be affected. the rmt union confirmed yesterday that further strike on the railways would go ahead in the run—up to christmas and that's in addition to strikes announced by postal workers, as well as action by nurses in england, wales and northern ireland. teachers, lecturers, bus drivers, driving examiners, airport baggage handlers are also taking action — presenting a very big challenge to ministers, as our political editor chris mason reports. siren. ambulances, the very essence of a front line public service. two weeks tomorrow, their staff across most of england and wales will walk out. 0n strike, refusing to answer calls, unless a patient is in a life

threatening condition. why are your members going on strike? fundamentally, this is a dispute about pay. our members have seen the value of their earnings drop by 20% over the last ten years, they are working under terrible conditions, and frankly they have had enough, they need a pay rise. is it not grossly irresponsible that your members are going to leave people sufficiently desperate they have called an ambulance, unable to get one. at the moment people are waiting up to 26 hours to get an ambulance. we have a service that is in crisis, the royal college for emergency... you're going to make it worse, aren't you? the reality is, if we're trying to get round this and no—one is listening... as ambulance workers join nurses in parts of england, wales and northern ireland in taking industrial action, in parliament today, the man who would like to be health secretary challenged the man who is. the chairman of the conservative party claims that nhs strikes are exactly what vladimir putin wants, so why isn't the health secretary negotiating to prevent them from going ahead? my door is open, i've been very

clear with the trade unions i'm available, and available to see them this afternoon, or tomorrow. from the health service to the railway, where more strikes are due next week, over christmas and into january, in england, scotland and wales, in disputes over pay and changing conditions. it is quickly becoming very difficult to avoid being affected by growing industrial action. morning, how you doing? we have mick lynch taking your calls, general secretary of the rmt. so what will that mean for sympathy or otherwise for those going on strike? the tide has turned. the people i have spoken to yesterday have all turned. they are all in favour of the nhs, and understand where they are coming from, but with regards to railway workers, they are losing patience now. if you win, you will win it i at the cost of people whoa are listen on the breadline in the arts sector. - if you want to strike, leave the christmas period alone. i understand... we can't leave it till

after christmas, because the issues are on top of us today. if we don't respond to what the company's doing, they will make these changes, and they will impose worst terms and conditions on our members. in birmingham, some commuters appeared more supportive of the unions. if they have to strike, they have to strike. i know a lot them won't want to. so more power to them, i guess. i'm not sure if i would have chosen the christmas period myself, but, yeah. just, i see why they're doing it, and they want to make maximum impact. it puts you off travelling, but again i understand i why they are doing it. l i work in a hospital, so there's . strikes everywhere at the moment. and, yes, in westminster, this afternoon, more workers and the potential for more strikes. a protest by the fire brigades union, which is asking its members if they want to walk out. this is a country right now where receiving a letter, catching a train, getting a driving test, even being collected by an ambulance or seeing

a nurse might not happen, such is the contagion of anxiety for many, as pay and conditions collide within spiralling prices. and for any government, this presents peril, as people can reasonably ask, who's actually in charge? the political consequences now, though, matter less than the increasingly visible symptoms of the economic pain so many are feeling, as so much of what we rely on may not be there when we need it. chris mason, bbc news. so, to underline the scale of the action and the direct challenge to employers and government ministers, here's a list of what's to come. most train services will come to a stop on these days, including the period leading up to and after christmas, and over several days in

the early part of january. ambulance workers in england and wales are taking partial action on december 21st and 28th, but life—threatening calls won't be affected. many nurses will strike on 15th and 20th of december, but only for certain roles. royal mail workers are striking on these days, with a focus on the 14th and 15th and 23rd and 24th december. workers for some bus operators will strike on these dates, on friday and saturday over the next two weeks. and highway workers will take action during the middle and latter parts of this month. but the government's

problems don't end there. there's been a second policy u—turn in the space of two days. the government now says it will ease restrictions on building onshore wind farms, heading off a likely revolt by conservative mps who'd demanded they should be permitted with local support. rishi sunak had opposed relaxing the ban and has said in the past that he wanted to focus on offshore wind. the concession comes after the government agreed to abandon plans to impose mandatory housebuilding targets on local councils. our environment correspondentjonah fisher has more details on the debate about onshore wind farms.

take a look inside one of the cheapest and quickest ways of generating electricity. after years in which it has been almost impossible to build a wind turbine on english soil, change is in the air. and this turbine in south wales is being held up as an example of how it might be done. what can you see? i how it might be done. what can you see? .., , how it might be done. what can you see? . ., , ., how it might be done. what can you see? , ., ., see? i can see all the way to the he brecken beacons. _ see? i can see all the way to the he brecken beacons. those _ see? i can see all the way to the he brecken beacons. those close - see? i can see all the way to the he brecken beacons. those close get l brecken beacons. those close get discounts from _ brecken beacons. those close get discounts from their _ brecken beacons. those close get discounts from their energy - brecken beacons. those close get. discounts from their energy company hen the wind blows. we discounts from their energy company hen the wind blows.— discounts from their energy company hen the wind blows. we have the four turbines. among _ hen the wind blows. we have the four turbines. among them _ hen the wind blows. we have the four turbines. among them is _ hen the wind blows. we have the four turbines. among them is gareth, - hen the wind blows. we have the four turbines. among them is gareth, who lives down the — turbines. among them is gareth, who lives down the hill _ turbines. among them is gareth, who lives down the hill from _ turbines. among them is gareth, who lives down the hill from the _ turbines. among them is gareth, who lives down the hill from the turbine i lives down the hill from the turbine and keeps a very close eye on his app. figs and keeps a very close eye on his a. ._ �* , ., ., , and keeps a very close eye on his a.._n., ,, , app. as long as the wind speeds, the turbine is blowing, _ app. as long as the wind speeds, the turbine is blowing, we _ app. as long as the wind speeds, the turbine is blowing, we will— app. as long as the wind speeds, the turbine is blowing, we will save - turbine is blowing, we will save 20% _ turbine is blowing, we will save 20%. anything over 11 there is a 50%

discount _ 20%. anything over 11 there is a 50% discount. ., , ., , 2096. anything over 11 there is a 5096 discount. ., , ., , ., discount. the conservatives have lona been discount. the conservatives have long been divided _ discount. the conservatives have long been divided over— discount. the conservatives have long been divided over wind - long been divided over wind turbines. david cameron made it almost impossible to build them in england. critics said they were unsightly and affected house prices. borisjohnson argued turbines will help economic growth. liz truss now backs them too. but when they were in office, the ban stayed. rishi sunak was against onshore wind in his leadership campaign, but with soaring gas price and the falling cost of renewables, pressure for change has been growing. we would like to see a — change has been growing. we would like to see a mind _ change has been growing. we would like to see a mind set _ change has been growing. we would like to see a mind set almost - change has been growing. we would like to see a mind set almost being | like to see a mind set almost being applied like we saw in the pandemic, we are in a national emergency when it comes to energy. the we are in a national emergency when it comes to energy.— it comes to energy. the public might not need much _ it comes to energy. the public might

not need much convincing. _ it comes to energy. the public might not need much convincing. opinion l not need much convincing. 0pinion polls have shown that people like onshore wind. the latest government survey shows that nearly 80% of us support onshore wind in a general way. but what if that wind turbine was built near where we live? the survey shows that 43% of us would be happy with that, with 12% unhappy, with the rest not expressing a view either way. with the rest not expressing a view either wa . ., , with the rest not expressing a view either wa . .,, ._ ., with the rest not expressing a view either wa . .,, ., ., ., either way. people pay a lot of money to _ either way. people pay a lot of money to live _ either way. people pay a lot of money to live in _ either way. people pay a lot of money to live in the _ either way. people pay a lot of. money to live in the countryside either way. people pay a lot of - money to live in the countryside and you have these popping up, but i'm for them, 100% for them. you have these popping up, but i'm forthem,100%forthem. i you have these popping up, but i'm for them, 100% for them. i would rather look at these than smog. iliiui’ith rather look at these than smog. with costs rising. — rather look at these than smog. with costs rising, would you live near a turbine if it meant money off your bill? let's speak to our political editor chris mason. we are going to discuss this latest

u—turn, is this in your view a prime minister who is listening to his mps, or is he being pushed around by them? it mps, or is he being pushed around by them? , . ~ , them? it is a prime minister whose authority within _ them? it is a prime minister whose authority within his _ them? it is a prime minister whose authority within his own _ them? it is a prime minister whose authority within his own party - them? it is a prime minister whose authority within his own party is - authority within his own party is visibly limited and we have seen evidence of that now two days in a row. what rishi sunak has managed to do in his early weeks in office is remove for now at least that question that hung around westminster for much of this year that was how long will the prime minister, which ever prime minister it was, how long will they survive? he has brought a quiet seriousness to government and he is avoiding picking fights. the government could have lent into the argument about strike action, but they chose not to. they're definitely avoiding fights with their own side. you're not seeing conservatives on the government side and conservatives on the backbenches arguing in public. but the result of that is that rishi sunak is rolling over, giving in to

the will of his backbenchers. that has happened twice this week and it poses a big for the next year. rishi sunak has brought stability, but how much of what he wants to achieve can he actually achieve? he has a majority of about 70, but it doesn't feel like that.— the conservative member of the house of lords, baroness mone is taking a leave of absence from the chamber, following allegations that she benefitted financially from a company that she'd recommended as an official provider of protective equipment during the pandemic. labour is trying force the government to publish documents relating to the award of a contract to the company ppe medpro. 0ur political correspondent helen catt has more details. a businesswoman, and, since 2015, a conservative peer in the house of lords. today michelle mone's private office said she had decided to step back while she clears her name of allegations that it said had been

unjustly levelled against her. she is accused of trying to get government covid contracts for a company and then gaining from its profits. at the start of the pandemic the government was scrambling to get hold of protective equipment, fast tracking contracts to companies to provide it. it is important to put it in context, we secured 23.2 billion items of ppe, and that was a huge step, to help protect our front line. a new company, ppe medpro, was awarded more than £200 million to supply masks and gowns. it had been suggested by baronness mone. later that year, the bbc discovered more than £120 million worth of gowns hadn't been used. the company and the department of health are in mediation. at the time, lawyers for baroness mone said she had no role in ppe medpro, nor in the process where contracts were awarted. earleir this year the guardian published claims as much

as £29 million of profits went into a trust of which baroness mone was a beneficiary. labour is using a vote in parliament to try to force the government to publish all documents and correspondence around the contracts it gave to ppe medpro. it wants other fast—tracked contracts to be examined too. it is the uk government that is constantly criticised about these contracts and the way in which they were doled out and given, and all this motion to the house today is asking for, is transparency. what have you got to hide? the government said it was committed to releasing information to a committee of mps when all investigations conclude and would take into account the wider public interest and the commercially sensitive nature of the material. it is understood there is also a live criminal information. investigation. today michelle mone is keeping a low

profile.