this is bbc news, the headlines... the bbc has been told that the british prime minister is satisfied with nadhim zahawi's account of his tax affairs. the conservative party chairman has issued a statement saying the uk tax agency accepted an error with his taxes was careless rather than deliberate. britain's labour party has asked the parliamentary standards watchdog to investigate a report alleging that the chairman of the bbc, richard sharp, helped arrange a guarantee on a loan for borisjohnson, weeks before the then—prime minister recommended him for the role. a spokesman for mrjohnson called the report rubbish. the bbc chairman said there was not a conflict. a protest has been held on one of britain's biggest national parks, dartmoor, after the high court ruled

people aren't allowed to camp there without the permission of landowners. now on bbc news, political thinking with nick robinson. hello and welcome to a new series, conversation with rather than an interrogation of someone who shapes our political thinking about what has shaped theirs. my guest this week is the leader of britain's second largest trade union, sharon graham who replaced the rather better—known len mccluskey. we are at a time with strikes on the health service,

strikes on the railway, strengths and schools, strikes in the civil service. for years, there's been talks of a new winter of discontent must be honest, it has been largely that. talk. now, trade unions to have a mandate from members and have the backing of large sections of the public to have a fight over the standard of their members�* living. sharon graham, welcome to political thinking. because you've been around a long time, your perspective of this, does it feel like the beginning of a new balance of power in the workplace, maybe in society more generally? i don't think it's a one—off moment and moving toward something i think part of that was because of the pandemic and peoples on the pandemic

that it was every day people that went to fight it, many workers but mostly people who were paid less money in society that they were sent out there and at a time where they're going to have a vaccine and we didn't know any of these things, they went out to deal with when they came back, they were ignored and i think as a society, everybody has empathy and sympathy with that and also because they're going through the same thing. so, i actually think that the genie is out of the bottle and the game is up think people are realising that it is workers and everyday people for the one thinking this economy going. that phrase, it was used as a stick to attack the winter of discontent, alleged to bring down a liberal government. in myjournalistic career, i constantly said that it never really was actually in a kind

of feels like it might be, do you think it is this time? we're doing bingo with cliches and around the patch. but what i think it is, we have a very unequal society and we have had for years and years and i think you need to do is look at the solutions to that now, we cannot tinker around the edges any more because it's completely broken. i'll give you an example. if you take the health dispute and the groaning about afforded and will it put up inflation. £170 billion excess profit more than usual profit for the energy companies with a black hole supposedly a £40 billion, why can we not have £50 billion of the excess profit, get the holes down but £62 billion of the nhs and 10% pay raise and will have money over? there is a big day of action, and the particular day coming up on february 6th in which nurses from the college of nursing and ambulance workers and paramedics largely

represented by workers going on strike. will your members join? yes. the question that you know that you always get when paramedics, hold on, this potentially threatens lives, and certainly increases the suffering of people, increases doe it give you pause more than a conventional dispute? yes because nobody wants lives to be lost and we are really looking carefully for the life since the ministers to make sure that in the ambulance dispute, i was on the picket line that we had proper cover that is really important to us and obviously, we do it in a way to retrain to have any difficulties

from that and i have to say, lives have been lost now. they believe... if they don't self the pay crisis, they can't solve the crisis of the work. that means the nhs is on so it is important that rishi sunak comes to the table. i said this before, he is the ultimate decision—maker, if this was an outside dispute in the private sector, me and him would be speaking. he won't come to the table. i speaking. he won't come to the table. , ., ., table. i interview you a few weeks back _ table. i interview you a few weeks back at _ table. i interview you a few weeks back at the - table. i interview you a few weeks back at the end - table. i interview you a few weeks back at the end of l table. i interview you a few i weeks back at the end of the interview, a tory cabinet minister sent me an text saying i am glad i am not negotiating with her. where the fight, weighted the toughness come from? i weighted the toughness come from? ., �* ~' ,, weighted the toughness come from? ., �* ~ from? i don't think you can pinpoint — from? i don't think you can pinpoint it _ from? i don't think you can pinpoint it yourself, - from? i don't think you can pinpoint it yourself, i - from? i don't think you can pinpoint it yourself, i have| pinpoint it yourself, i have always been somebody who is quite determined and took on other people like fight�*s, got myself in trouble a couple of

times for it but i think probably looking back, what do i think may be like this? i think probably hearing the story of my uncle james, my dad is a geordie, and my uncle james died in a rock fall and darren pitt in 1921, and i was eight when i first heard that story around the breakfast table, the first time i remember hearing it, and i was really scared because i thought this person has gone out to work and they never came home and the children didn't and i thought, well, at least that can't happen again, thank god that i thought it was so far in the past, when i was eight, nine, 1011, iwas the past, when i was eight, nine, 1011, i was thinking that i was in the past, it won't happen again, but as i grew up, it does happen again, people still die at work, right the way through the pandemic we have had workers dying at work. and it is always working class people who are ended up throwing out there and end up

dying at work and they were paid £300, my uncle's family into an —— 1921, and compensation, three children under ten without their father and it affected my dad's family for so injustice, i think, and it affected my dad's family for so injustice, ithink, is probably what we felt. although i wouldn't know that at the time. ., ., ., time. your dad tom, your mum joan, time. your dad tom, your mum joan. your— time. your dad tom, your mum joan. your mum _ time. your dad tom, your mum joan, your mum is _ time. your dad tom, your mum joan, your mum is irish - time. your dad tom, your mum joan, your mum is irish from i time. your dad tom, your mum joan, your mum is irish from al joan, your mum is irish from a strong irish family. definitely. your dad, they moved to west london which is where you were brought up. but they went that political. ida. they went that political. no, no, absolutely _ they went that political. no, no, absolutely not, - they went that political. no, no, absolutely not, they - they went that political. iifr, no, absolutely not, they went to the hospitality industry, they both came here in their teens, really. they met, their 60 year anniversary is injune so i have to remember that, they met a very young, they got married young, but i have always been political in the small p sense, we have always

spoke about what is happening. if i go to my mum and dads on a friday evening, there is always a on the station at the current affairs of the day. you said ou current affairs of the day. you said you got _ current affairs of the day. you said you got into _ current affairs of the day. you said you got into trouble fighting, at home? did you have to fight at home to get your fair share? to fight at home to get your fairshare? mi; to fight at home to get your fair share?— to fight at home to get your fair share? my first fair share was about — fair share? my first fair share was about pocket _ fair share? my first fair share was about pocket money. - fair share? my first fair share was about pocket money. my brother sian is older than me and i think we were getting 50p, my sister and and i think we were getting 50p, my sisterand i and i think we were getting 50p, my sister and i and and i think we were getting 50p, my sisterand i and he and i think we were getting 50p, my sister and i and he was getting £1, and my dad said, if you can come up with a proposal as to why you think you should get the same, i will concede it, and i did. get the same, i will concede it, and i did.— it, and i did. you negotiated with your — it, and i did. you negotiated with your own _ it, and i did. you negotiated with your own father - it, and i did. you negotiated with your own father about | it, and i did. you negotiated i with your own father about sex discrimination amongst the children? i discrimination amongst the children? ., ., children? i did, and i won. he used to work— children? i did, and i won. he used to work split _ children? i did, and i won. he used to work split shifts - children? i did, and i won. he used to work split shifts so i used to work split shifts so every time he came home he was getting it in his ear about this. what argument did you use? he was getting its bills

paid, why would it cost him more? and he would be able to buy more suites and why should you be able to buy more sweets. it was probably 12 —ish but i think my dad like that i prepared it, and i answered questions on it so he gave in. you leave school at 16, you follow your parents in your firstjob, into the hospitality trade, into hotels. is it true that in your first trade, into hotels. is it true that in yourfirstjob, trade, into hotels. is it true that in your firstjob, you lead a walk—out? i that in your first job, you lead a walk-out?- that in your first job, you lead a walk-out? i did, looking back now. _ lead a walk-out? i did, looking back now. you _ lead a walk-out? i did, looking back now, you think, _ lead a walk-out? i did, looking back now, you think, that - lead a walk-out? i did, looking back now, you think, that wasl lead a walk-out? i did, looking| back now, you think, that was a bit pushy. basically, what happened, the hospitality industry, we used to do banquets, you had a table of ten, they might be 200 people in a room. posh catering? silver surface so you had to be able to do silver service to do it. and that sort of situation, there is a top table and when there is a top table and when the top table finishes, somebody puts up their hand and everyone clears, the waitresses clear the floor. and what happened was a group of workers

were coming in that book getting less than asse per shift and we were saying, the group of waitresses were saying, we are going to get less time. and for some reason, it was me that was asked to be the spokesperson, which i did, i remember it distinctly, it was like yesterday, giving the arguments, good arguments, i thought, and it was the first time i thought the weight of the argument won't necessarily get you the right outcome. you were how old? 17. you get you the right outcome. you were how old? 17.— were how old? 17. you are 17 and you _ were how old? 17. you are 17 and you are _ were how old? 17. you are 17 and you are trying _ were how old? 17. you are 17 and you are trying to - were how old? 17. you are 17 l and you are trying to negotiate and you are trying to negotiate and then what? i and you are trying to negotiate and then what?— and then what? i went to the office to say _ and then what? i went to the office to say i _ and then what? i went to the office to say i think— and then what? i went to the office to say i think this - and then what? i went to the office to say i think this is . office to say i think this is wrong and then i came out and i said he is not listening to us so we will have to do something else. he was disparaging and he was rather rude and i thought, 0k, was rather rude and i thought, ok, that is that ended so i came out and said to the girls, as we would call each other

than, he has been rude, and we haven't even started serving at this stage so this is where we said, we will serve the first course, when they put their hand up to clear from the top table, we won't move. 50 hand up to clear from the top table, we won't move.- hand up to clear from the top table, we won't move. so in he comes looking _ table, we won't move. so in he comes looking very _ table, we won't move. so in he comes looking very annoyed, i comes looking very annoyed, going absolutely bananas, and basically, he gave the money. i felt very, very satisfied about it but i was probably the youngest of the team, actually, but probably the most stupid of the most brave, i don't know which, to be honest. you go and work for the transport and general workers union and you go to something, the trade union academy, by the sounds of it, you should have been teaching them!— it, you should have been teaching them! it, you should have been teachin: them! ., teaching them! the tuc did an organising _ teaching them! the tuc did an organising academy _ teaching them! the tuc did an organising academy where - teaching them! the tuc did an | organising academy where they talked about the difference between recruitment and organisation, and i understand why they did it but it was good, there were lots of good things from it, but i was there

with a number of other people now who were doing different things in the trade union movement so it was a good initiative, definitely. the thin . initiative, definitely. the thing that _ initiative, definitely. the thing that brings - initiative, definitely. the thing that brings you - initiative, definitely. the thing that brings you to this job is not public profile, you are a lower trade union unionist than your predecessor led mccluskey. you call it strike plus, other people call it leverage, what is it? i made the decision _ it leverage, what is it? i made the decision when _ it leverage, what is it? i made the decision when i _ it leverage, what is it? i made the decision when i state - it leverage, what is it? i made the decision when i state that | the decision when i state that what i thought was important to me as the general secretary was to make sure that when i woke up to make sure that when i woke up in the morning i was defending workersjobs, pay up in the morning i was defending workers jobs, pay and conditions. defending workers “obs, pay and conditions. ., ., ., defending workers “obs, pay and comment conditions. you had a whole series of— conditions. you had a whole series of disputes _ conditions. you had a whole series of disputes with - conditions. you had a whole series of disputes with bust | series of disputes with bust companies, go ahead were one of the companies. in companies, go ahead were one of the companies.— the companies. in this particular— the companies. in this particular example, i the companies. in this i particular example, there the companies. in this - particular example, there was a strike in the north—west of 500 bus drivers who were fired and rehired and they had been on strike for weeks on the company

was ignoring them. what we did in this instance is that same company was going for a norwegian rail contract in norway for £3.8 billion so that was worth more to them than what they would save in firing and rehiring 500 people, so we did the whole campaign around that £3.8 billion contract. we went to norway, we spoke to politicians, and effectively frustrating that bed so, hang on, these people are fired and hired people in britain, if you have them here, they will cause industrial unrest. the company makes a choice, to be want that happening or do we go back to the negotiating table? what the negotiating table? what happened? _ the negotiating table? what happened? they _ the negotiating table? what happened? they back- the negotiating table? what| happened? they back down? the negotiating table? what - happened? they back down? when i was in happened? they back down? when i was in the — happened? they back down? when i was in the room _ happened? they back down? when i was in the room with _ happened? they back down? when i was in the room with the - happened? they back down? when i was in the room with the ceo, - i was in the room with the ceo, he said we will never use fire and rehire ever again. he said we will never use fire and rehire everagain. it he said we will never use fire and rehire ever again. it was important because people were saying to me at the time, there are 500 people in an area of

the north—west but had not gone through and those workers were fired and rehired and that wages were suppressed, that would happen all through the uk and other bus companies would have followed suit. and that is why it is only ever used in hostile terrain. in why it is only ever used in hostile terrain.— hostile terrain. in other words. _ hostile terrain. in other words. you _ hostile terrain. in other words, you see - hostile terrain. in other words, you see the - hostile terrain. in other words, you see the job| hostile terrain. in other. words, you see the job of hostile terrain. in other- words, you see the job of a general secretary as frankly less of this, less of talking to people like me. one of your friends said, she is doing this because she has two, she doesn't much like doing the media. �* ., doesn't much like doing the media. �* . ., , . media. i'm having a very nice time, it media. i'm having a very nice time. it is — media. i'm having a very nice time, it is not _ media. i'm having a very nice time, it is not that _ media. i'm having a very nice time, it is not that i - media. i'm having a very nice time, it is not that i don't - time, it is not that i don't like it but for me, i think my job, the reason i took thisjob was i wanted to refocus the union onjobs, pay and conditions, but to win. union on jobs, pay and conditions, but to win. refocus the union. _ conditions, but to win. refocus the union, essentially - conditions, but to win. refocus the union, essentially saying i conditions, but to win. refocus the union, essentially saying ll the union, essentially saying i am going to be as different from len mccluskey as you can imagine, he loved talking about

the labour party and being involved in politics. i the labour party and being involved in politics.- involved in politics. i won't say that. _ involved in politics. i won't say that, what _ involved in politics. i won't say that, what i _ involved in politics. i won't say that, what i would - involved in politics. i won't say that, what i would say| involved in politics. i won't. say that, what i would say is this, politics matters. the thing is i am not saying i am not political because of course i am political, not political because of course iam political, but not political because of course i am political, but i want to win, i want my members to win, and so the politics should be rooted in what our members need, investment in manufacturing, pay rises, all of these things. when i talk to keir starmer, our conversations are around workers, what are we going to do to make the lives of working people better? the different choices that need to be made, a whole range of different things, but for me, it is about making sure that the politics works for working people because that is my role. he had been pretty direct about that, you said at the tu seat conference of keir starmer, whose side are you on? has he chosen? what _ whose side are you on? has he chosen? what i _ whose side are you on? has he chosen? what i think _ whose side are you on? has he chosen? what i think about - whose side are you on? has he | chosen? what i think about this is that the big question for 2023 is going to be who pays?

who pays for the crisis, who plays for the black hole? and i think it is really important that labour do not allow working people to pay for this, it has got to be paid for in a different way.— it has got to be paid for in a different way. there are two areas of keir _ different way. there are two areas of keir starmer, - different way. there are two areas of keir starmer, one l different way. there are two | areas of keir starmer, one is that he is a radical pretending to be a moderate because that is how you get elected secondly is that he misrepresents him self, and he's a bit of a centrist.- he's a bit of a centrist. who is right? — he's a bit of a centrist. who is right? i — he's a bit of a centrist. who is right? i don't _ he's a bit of a centrist. who is right? i don't know - he's a bit of a centrist. who is right? i don't know who l he's a bit of a centrist. who | is right? i don't know who is right because he will have to answer that question himself. what i do know is this, you cannot get into governmentjust because you are better than the other lot, and i think the country is crying out now for a strong leadership to say, actually, we've got a different way, we've got solutions. i was thinking the other day it is like a bad tribute act. we have the tory party wanting to be margaret thatcher and the labour party wanting to be tony blair, why can't we just say what are the issues affecting

workers today? what are the issues affecting our country today? and what choices can we make? i think there are different choices that we aren't speaking about and i am going to make sure i do that in the hope that somebody will pick it up. the hope that somebody will pick it up-— the hope that somebody will --ickitu.~ ., pick it up. when you hear the labour party _ pick it up. when you hear the labour party talk _ pick it up. when you hear the labour party talk about - labour party talk about reforming the nhs and bringing in private companies to help cut the waiting list, that is the sort of bad tribute act to tony blair?— the sort of bad tribute act to ton blair? ~ . ~ ., ,., tony blair? what i think about the nhs is _ tony blair? what i think about the nhs is what _ tony blair? what i think about the nhs is what everyone - tony blair? what i think about the nhs is what everyone has| tony blair? what i think about i the nhs is what everyone has to say about it, nothing will happen in the nhs until they deal with the crisis of workers. deal with the crisis of workers-— deal with the crisis of workers. ~ . ., deal with the crisis of workers. . ., deal with the crisis of workers. ~ . ., workers. what made you so bad tribute act? _ workers. what made you so bad tribute act? because _ workers. what made you so bad tribute act? because people - workers. what made you so bad tribute act? because people arej tribute act? because people are t in: to tribute act? because people are trying to emulate _ tribute act? because people are trying to emulate the _ tribute act? because people are trying to emulate the past, - trying to emulate the past, actually we're not the past. what is an example of that? things around the language is similar in terms of what is being seen around the nhs and reform, i think that annoys workers in the nhs because what they are saying is actually come out and talk about pay,

let's get the staff crisis sorted out and then we can talk about whatever needs to be done after that. we about whatever needs to be done after that. ~ ., ., about whatever needs to be done after that. ~ ., ,, ., , ., after that. we talked of you havin: after that. we talked of you having to — after that. we talked of you having to be _ after that. we talked of you having to be a _ after that. we talked of you having to be a fighter, - after that. we talked of you having to be a fighter, a - having to be a fighter, a fighter at home, to a certain extent, fight against injustice in the workplace, you also had to have a fight to become leader of this union, they try to bully you into not running. yes, i rememberwhen i to bully you into not running. yes, i remember when i first thought about running and the reason i ran was because i wanted to change the union, i wanted to change the union, i wanted to change the union, i wanted to drive us into a much more focused jobs, pay and condition agenda. i knew that i was going to get attacked, i knew that, because i did know that. attacks, abuse, a whole range of different things happened in that election. i spoke to my parents, i spoke to my husband and my son, and, you know, this is going to be where we are. ~ , , ., , know, this is going to be where weare. , , we are. why were you sure you would face _ we are. why were you sure you would face that? _ we are. why were you sure you would face that? we _ we are. why were you sure you would face that? we are - we are. why were you sure you would face that? we are a - would face that? we are a political — would face that? we are a political organisation, - would face that? we are a

political organisation, was would face that? we are a i political organisation, was in the united sun, and i wasn't following the line, in terms of that, and i wasn't following the line because i didn't agree with the line and i thought our union needed to go into the direction ofjobs, pay and conditions and when we did that, we would win more. find that, we would win more. and that, we would win more. and that is what — that, we would win more. and that is what happened. you did something else that upset them. he said that row about the hotel in the conference centre in birmingham, that row that millions of pounds, i am not going to ignore it any more. yes, actually, in a strange way thatis yes, actually, in a strange way that is probably where most of the threats came in after i had become general secretary, but the thing for me is this, i came in, no one does thisjob if you haven't got elbows, you have to do what you say you are going to do and people will respect you for that. there was going to be no stone unturned. if there was something there, we needed to find it out and face it. i did an inquiry into the burning hotel and an

inquiry into our outsourced contractors. —— the birmingham hotel. contractors. -- the birmingham hotel. ., ., , contractors. -- the birmingham hotel. . ., contractors. -- the birmingham hotel. . ' hotel. that was almost £1 million... _ hotel. that was almost £1 million... the _ hotel. that was almost £1 million... the difference l hotel. that was almost £1 i million... the difference was that he won _ million... the difference was that he won millions. - that he won millions. difference from? from what we thought we should have paid to what we paid. 0n the question is, why is that? do what we paid. on the question is, why is that?— is, why is that? do you feel there was _ is, why is that? do you feel there was corruption? - is, why is that? do you feel there was corruption? i - is, why is that? do you feel. there was corruption? i don't know, there was corruption? i don't know. we — there was corruption? i don't know. we paid _ there was corruption? i don't know, we paid more - there was corruption? i don't know, we paid more than - there was corruption? i don'tj know, we paid more than £31 million over, it came out in the invoices, we either got fleeced by every contractor going or there was another reason for it. i don't know what the reason is and that is why the police have it and they are the people to make that mark because i don't know, i can't look into the things that they can look into, but what i do know is that we were at best overcharged. the report can't give the outcome because the report is looking at how much money we spent and how much was it. �* , ., _ money we spent and how much was it. and when you did say you were going _ it. and when you did say you were going to _ it. and when you did say you were going to look— it. and when you did say you were going to look into - it. and when you did say you were going to look into it, i were going to look into it,

what was the reaction? i were going to look into it, what was the reaction? i got a lot of flack _ what was the reaction? i got a lot of flack for _ what was the reaction? i got a lot of flack for it. _ what was the reaction? i got a lot of flack for it. like? - what was the reaction? i got a lot of flack for it. like? i - lot of flack for it. like? i suppose some people might call it threats, i am a tough person so i thought it was water off a ducks back because it was going to happen, and even up to now, this whole thing about publishing them, but they will be published, i have come in, i have done the inquiry, we have either been faced by contractors or it is something else. whatever it is, i will be going after the money to get it back. in the meantime, the police had the reports, both reports, and once they have done what they need to do, then i will do what we need to do, but it had to be done and you cannot shy away from these things, that is what leadership is about. i things, that is what leadership is about. ., things, that is what leadership is about. . ., , ., , ., is about. i heard a story that four men — is about. i heard a story that four men came _ is about. i heard a story that four men came up _ is about. i heard a story that four men came up to - is about. i heard a story that four men came up to you - is about. i heard a story that| four men came up to you and said, don't do this or else. there were definitely threats. i expected that to happen and obviously i am dealing with it, yes. obviously i am dealing with it, es. �* ., ., , yes. and you have extraordinary levels of composure, _

yes. and you have extraordinary levels of composure, it - yes. and you have extraordinary levels of composure, it would i levels of composure, it would seem. how? what calms you down, the leader of unite? when you need to say, look, i am having a fight. certainly with employers all the time. what allows you to just stay calm? it might be a boring answer but it might be a boring answer but i am lucky to have my mum and dad still alive, i live five roads away from then. i have to say, going and seeing them, which i can do, and speaking to them, great. my mum is irish, i was brought up in irish music, a nice little irish club somewhere is a nice thing as well. singing? at family do is, there is always singing. i said to my friends when i first became general secretary, friends of mine i have been with them since the age of 11, that my karaoke days are over. was it true? in that my karaoke days are over. was it true?—

was it true? in closed doors. what would _ was it true? in closed doors. what would juicing? - was it true? in closed doors. what would juicing? lots - was it true? in closed doors. what would juicing? lots of i what would juicing? lots of different irish songs. rumour has it dolly — different irish songs. rumour has it dolly parton _ different irish songs. rumour has it dolly parton featured. l has it dolly parton featured. 95? i think i've done that a couple of times, mostly irish songs. and searchable.- songs. and searchable. yes. still a newcastle _ songs. and searchable. yes. still a newcastle fan? - songs. and searchable. yes. still a newcastle fan? my . songs. and searchable. yes. | still a newcastle fan? my dad is a geordie _ still a newcastle fan? my dad is a geordie so _ still a newcastle fan? my dad is a geordie so anyone - still a newcastle fan? my dad is a geordie so anyone who i is a geordie so anyone who knows... might son with support fulham because my husband does, he my dad keeps getting him newcastle tops with his name on so he can't throw them away. you can't beat the daughter of a geordie father and support anyone else. even with saudi owners? yes, at the moment i am saying... that is unfortunate. the whole thing around money in the premiership and who owns it are questions to be asked in society, really. it are questions to be asked in society, really.— society, really. it is interesting. - society, really. it is interesting. the - society, really. it is| interesting. the way society, really. it is- interesting. the way football

has been dragged away from its working—class roots, its community roots, to this sort of global plaything, originally for rich people, now four states. it tells you quite a lot. �* . , ~' , lot. and actually i think it is an error— lot. and actually i think it is an error because _ lot. and actually i think it is an error because to - lot. and actually i think it is an error because to pay - lot. and actually i think it is an error because to pay for| an error because to pay for your child and family to go to football, who can afford to do that? it is so expensive that actually, football is a working—class game because people played it and then went to watch it anime followed people and they became passionate about it. if you price people out of the game, actually, they might choose another route, in terms of that, so i think it is a real shame and some of the smaller clubs are now folding, which of course is a real shame, so it is a very difficult area, football. i love newcastle, i want them to win, but there are problems with the game. find want them to win, but there are problems with the game.- problems with the game. and a final thought. _ problems with the game. and a final thought, could _ problems with the game. and a final thought, could you - problems with the game. and a final thought, could you have i final thought, could you have leveraged that deal? was there a way as persuading people not to let the saudis take over, or

pick a club at random, manchester united, if you wanted to stop them being taken over... i wanted to stop them being taken over... , ., , over... i believe, actually, if only we _ over... i believe, actually, if only we had _ over... i believe, actually, if only we had time _ over... i believe, actually, if only we had time to - over... i believe, actually, if only we had time to do - over... i believe, actually, if only we had time to do it, i only we had time to do it, actually, the power of the collective and the people saying no to something is the one thing politicians really get and understand. and that will be the same for whomever is involved in running football but, yes, there is always leveraged to be done, where you've got time to do it. sharon graham, general secretary of unite, i will come to you for specific campaigning advice, thank you forjoining me. sharon is right to take me to task for using that old cliche of strikes, the winter of discontent, but there is something effort, it is not just that they are more strikes, that there is more confidence among trade union leaders, there is a belief, too, that they can secure a better deal for their members

and this is the thing that really matters, start to say to society more generally there are new choices you need to confront, new political choices you need to make. if they are right, that will really be significant for our political thinking. thanks for watching. hello. a real contrast in weather types. north—west to south—east across the uk at the moment. it's reasonably mild and cloudy across northern and western areas, but a sharp frost to start sunday morning in the south and the east, temperatures down to minus six or minus seven degrees. some fairly dense lingering fog patches for central, southern and eastern parts of england for a time. we've got some rain moving in across the west of scotland and around some of these irish sea coasts, a few splashes of rain. it is fairly cloudy here in the north—west, but some sunnier spells developing across the far

north of scotland. now, temperatures ranging between around about ten for the likes of belfast to only about two or three for hull and norwich there in the east, moving through sunday evening and overnight into monday. still a fair amount of cloud, especially in the north and the west. clear skies in the south and east and temperatures getting down again to a few degrees below freezing. so a sharp frost to start your monday morning in the south and east. and again, some fog patches, too. through the week ahead, though, things gradually do turn milder. lots of dry weather on the cards, but a lot of cloud around too, by for now.

this is bbc news — i'm lucy grey. our top stories: the british prime minister says he has confidence in nadhim zahawi after the conservative chairman admitted to what he called a careless error with his taxes. britain's labour party demands that the parliamentary standards watchdog investigate reports that the bbc chairman helped boris johnson secure a financial loan. thousands of israelis take to the streets against benjamin netanyahu's right wing coalition in what could be the biggest anti—government protests in a decade. turkey condemns the burning of a copy of the quran during a protest in sweden, describing it as a "vile act". wild camping campaigners say access to the english countryside is being eroded as they protest at one of the uk's biggest national parks.